Last month began a two-part series on overcoming exercise excuses, aka barriers, delving into “I am too busy to exercise” and “I hate to exercise.” Could you relate to either or both? If so, I hope you found the suggestions useful to help you begin and/or stay on track with your exercise program. This month tackles two more.

Excuse #3: “I don’t have the energy to work out.”

When I hear this excuse, it is frequently followed by “But I know exercise will give me more energy.” It feels like a Catch 22 – you need energy (to workout) in order to get energy (from the workout).

While exercise can energize you, it’s necessary to address the root cause of your low energy. Does it stem from physical or mental exhaustion or lack of proper sleep? Are you sedentary most of the day, creating inertia that leads to the feeling of low energy?

Once you determine what’s sapping your energy, identify ways to create more energy for yourself. For example, combat a lack of sleep by managing your time and activities in the evening such as eliminating caffeine and alcohol, turning off the TV by a certain time, or soaking in a warm bath. Once you have the real issue pegged, you can direct your mental energy towards a solution.

Excuse #4: “Exercise doesn’t work for me –
I am not seeing any results.”

This one is frustrating. If you’ve overcome obstacles of time, motivation, energy, etc., and you’ve made the commitment to exercise, you darn well want to see results.

Lack of results may stem from a number of issues. Are your expectations realistic given how long you have exercised? Have you dieted frequently in the past, causing your body to resist letting go of excess weight? Trust that your body is making changes that you cannot see. In the meantime, focus on other benefits, such as improved endurance, sense of accomplishment, and reduced stress.

If you’re a long-time exerciser who has hit a plateau, consider your routine. Do you cross-train? The body responds well when you vary your exercise activities. Do you know how many calories you’re burning? Are you exercising at the optimum heart rate for your current fitness level and goals? If you don’t know the answer to these last two questions I invite you to contact me . With the use of tools such as accelerometers (a pager-like device worn on the waistband to track calories burned) and heart rate monitors, I’ve helped long-term exercisers to finally see results. These tools take the guesswork out of exercise so that you know you are exercising effectively to get the results you want. I’m here to help.

Return to top

I’m halfway through a great book right now—I need an occasional break from my Pentateuch reading!—called Younger Next Year (there is a woman’s version too: Younger Next Year for Women). It’s co-authored by a doctor and his patient who took the doctor’s advice and is now in his seventies still skiing, hiking, biking… even taking spinning classes.

The gist of the book is that exercise is the magic pill. The doctor describes in evolutionary terms how the body is programmed to move and when we don’t move the message our body gets is that it’s time to decay. Does “use it or lose it” sound familiar?

The body is so amazing and will take a lot of abuse, from inactivity to over-eating, and still bounce back when we start to treat it right. What’s remarkable is that it’s never too late. Yes, the sooner we start the easier it is, but our body doesn’t give up on us. Although, why postpone looking and feeling great?

In health,
Heather Moreno

Return to top

My good friend and colleague Kimberly Alyn tells it straight. Check out her 3-minute Up Time America video. She says everything most people are thinking—the message is serious, but she makes it fun.

Return to top