You Can't Excuse The Inexcusable

We all have people in our lives whose weight is somewhat over what their normal weight should be. For simplicity's sake, let's just say that they are overweight. Most of these people tend to acknowledge that fact and many of them tell anyone who'll listen that they have or are about to begin losing that weight either through exercise or diet or a combination of both. Were you to ask me if I had exercised today and I hadn't, I would simply say 'no' and the conversation would be over. However, were you to ask an overweight person the same question and the answer was also the same, instead of simply saying 'no', these people will go into a long-winded explanation as to why exactly they hadn't. Whether it's a defense mechanism or some form of self-convincing of the existence of a legitimate justification is not important, the only thing that matters is that every excuse causes one more person who should be at the gym getting their over normal weight back to normal to be at home getting their over normal weight even more over.

In fact, to give validity to the invalidity of workout excuses, the American Council on Exercise (ACE) conducted a study back in 2004 to determine the top excuses given for why people don't regularly workout. Not surprisingly, the most common excuse is of the 'I don't have enough time' variety. Though I certainly acknowledge that many people have very busy workdays which leave them with little time for anything else, I have to say that one needs only look to the top of the employee chain to see why this excuse is inexcusable. While investment banking, doctor-ing, consulting and other types of jobs are no doubt quite demanding, they can't even come close to being as busy as the leader of the free world. However, even as he deals with an unparalleled economic crisis, a nationwide health care reform agenda and two wars, Mr. President Barack Obama is still able to get in his workout every day. President Obama's love of fitness is well documented and should signal to the American people that there is always time for exercise.

ACE then asked the respondents what, besides lack of time, was the reason they did not go to a gym on a regular basis. 46% said that gyms are just too crowded, 21% said they would have no idea what to do once they got to the gym, 19% said they are too out of shape to workout, 11% said that the staff at gyms were simply too rude and 3% said they avoid the gym because they are too afraid to ask questions to staff personnel.

I don't think too much commentary is necessary with regard to these findings. If these people are so scared of going to a gym, there are many alternative places to workout. They can do so in the comfort (and solitude) of their own homes, they can go walk/run in parks or they can hire a private trainer. The very idea of not working out because you don't like some characteristic of a gym is a poor excuse indeed. Alternatively, let's just put these reasons into perspective for a minute. So many of these excuses could be said of many different areas of our lives and yet, people seem to get over them. Like gyms, applying for news jobs can be scary as well. And yet, we overcome our fears and apply. Those who don't, are simply too scared to take a risk or don't want to deal with the hassle. The same is equally true for those who don't go to gyms. These people will continue making up excuse after excuse as to why their weight continues to balloon but, at the end of the day, the only ones they are hurting are themselves.