If you’ve ever begun an exercise regime, chances are you’ve found a myriad of excuses threatening to side-track your efforts. Maybe you’ve discovered the secret to overcoming your excuses and, if so, congratulations on your success. But if the excuses won out and you’ve stopped exercising, or you still battle the day-to-day excuses while trudging through your exercise program, let me offer some solutions to getting and staying on track.

Excuse #1: “I am too busy to exercise.”

The conventional approach says to “just do it” – find the time. While this sounds sensible, a deeper look into this excuse is needed.

People make time for what is most important to them. (This is true in all areas of life, not just fitness.) Some of the busiest, most successful people I know make exercise a priority. So what starts out as a matter of time is really an issue of priorities.

It’s helpful to pay attention to the value you place on exercise, rather than the excuse itself. Taking a larger view, I encourage making a list of your life’s top five values, for example God, family, health, etc. Once you make this list, look to see how exercise might support one or more of those values. If exercise isn’t a top priority (or doesn’t support one), consider holding off until it becomes one. Or, make it a priority – begin writing a list of all the pros and cons you can think of for exercise. Given enough attention, you will likely find the reasons you need to make exercise a priority.

Excuse #2: “I hate to exercise.”

If you truly don’t enjoy exercise, I understand the struggle you might have in keeping consistent with your program. Similar to excuse #1, turning your focus to your values and the benefits you want from exercise, can help you overcome this issue. Think about other activities you don’t like to do, but do them anyway because of the results. We do simple things such as changing a baby’s diaper, washing dishes, or taking the car in for an oil change because we don’t like the alternative and we like the outcome once the chore is complete.

While you may never love to exercise, unconventional thinking can increase the enjoyment factor. Finding activities that are the “lesser-of-all-exercise-evils” will elevate your motivation to follow through. From recent personal experience, I urge you to re-visit exercises you haven’t tried in years that you think you don’t like. After 15 years it’s hard to believe I’m taking a step class… and enjoying it!

Watch for Part II of Excuses next month in the Fitness Motivation Monitor!

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Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out ... ~ Robert J. Collier

In my coaching practice this is a concept I hope to instill in my clients. The thought of making a small effort does not usually occur to most of us. However, rather than skip a workout because you are too busy, try fitting in just ten minutes and see how it adds up. Rather than skip a meal, take the time for a quick bite and avoid ravenous hunger and over-eating later. It all adds up.

Of course, the quote is applicable to many facets of life. What I appreciate most is that it removes any expectation of perfection or that only big efforts matter. It acknowledges that all of our efforts make a difference and work toward our success. This is good news on a day when a small effort is all we have the time or energy for. What small effort would make a big difference in your life?

In health,
Heather Moreno

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While nothing quite compares with a home-baked apple pie, it’s a time-consuming endeavor. I found a good substitute that’s hearty, tasty, and has less sugar than most. A syrupy, sugary dessert is too much for me anyway (and I love desserts). With less sugar, you can enjoy all of the flavors, especially the apple!

Recipe:

• 5 cups thinly sliced apples
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ cup water
• ½ cup flour
• ½ cup oatmeal
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• dash salt
• ½ cup butter, softened
• 1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss the apples with lemon juice and water. In a separate bowl, combine flour, oatmeal, sugar, nutmeg, and salt. Mix thoroughly. Using a pastry blender, add in butter. Add nuts. Transfer apples, with the liquid, to a 9 inch square pan. Cover the apples with the flour mixture. Bake 40-45 minutes until top is brown. Best served warm.

Serves 6-9, depending on how much everyone wants!

Another bonus to this dessert is fiber. The daily recommend fiber intake it 25-30 grams per day, which can be challenging. Apples and oatmeal are both excellent sources of fiber.

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