Experts Expose Ten Excuses to Avoid Exercise
BOSTON, MA – After the holiday season stakes its claim on the nation’s eating and exercise habits, health clubs across the country are urging you to “Take Back Your Health” with a no-excuses approach to fitness.
The International Health Racquet and Sportsclub Association’s (IHRSA), 6th Annual ‘I Lost It at the Club!’ program, running from January 11 - March 5, 2010, is a fun, team-oriented weight-loss initiative focused on healthy living that can help millions of people stop making excuses and stick with their New Year’s resolutions with professional guidance and training.
Last year, ‘I Lost It at the Club!’ helped nearly 5,000 people shed a total of ten tons in eight weeks.
“This program is a proven way to help you start and maintain your fitness routine after the holidays when exercise and healthy eating tend to take a backseat to feast and merriment,” says Joe Moore, IHRSA president and CEO. “With enough focus and commitment, 2010 can yield even more impressive results.”
Here are IHRSA’s top ten “Excuses to Avoid Exercise” and tips to help clubs counter them.
1. Excuse: “I’m too busy at work during the day to find time to workout.”
Response: Everyone’s busy, and if it’s time on this earth you value, you should put your health first. If you don’t, what you’re actually doing is letting time slip right through your fingers. Exercise improves your mood, your energy level, and promotes better sleep; making you more efficient at all those daily tasks that eat up your time.
2. Excuse: “Club memberships are too expensive.”
Response: Memberships are available at a variety of price points. A manicure/pedicure, a date night at the movies, or maybe a new sweater costs about $40.. When you evaluate where to allocate your $40, remember that those purchases, and most others, won’t improve your health or save you money, but exercise can, so plan your investments carefully.
3. Excuse: “Everyone at the gym is fit and in shape.”Truth: People of all populations, ages, genders, weights, and skill levels work out at clubs. Club staff will help ease you into the club environment. Meeting a workout buddy or bringing a friend can also provide the social support you need to get started and maintain your routine.
4. Excuse: “Why join a health club when I can exercise outside?”Truth: Sunshine is beautiful, but it exposes you to harmful UV rays. Every day is unpredictable - rain, intense heat, cold and ice are all possibilities. A club provides a protective environment for working out, despite the weather.
5. Excuse: “I’m not overweight, so I don’t need to exercise.”Truth: Exercise isn’t just a way to lose weight, but also a way to keep healthy. People of any weight can have underlying health problems like diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis that can go undetected. Cardio and weight training help build a healthy heart, lungs, muscle mass, and strong bones.
6. Excuse: “Dieting will yield the same results as exercising.”
Truth: Exercise is one of the most central components in maintaining your weight and improving long-term results. The most successful weight management plan is a combination of a healthy diet and daily exercise.
7. Excuse: “I can just work out at home on my own equipment or with fitness video games.”
Truth: Setting up a home gym means buying expensive equipment, taking up precious space, and spending time and money for equipment maintenance. A decent treadmill can cost about $1,000 (that’s the price of over two years of membership at a fitness club!). At home you’re on your own - you have no professional there to ensure proper technique and to help prevent injury. As far as video games go, a new study says Wii Fit provides insufficient stimulus for fitness changes and no major improvements in daily physical activity, muscular fitness, flexibility, balance or body composition.
8. Excuse: “There aren’t enough things to do at a fitness club.”Truth: If it’s variety you want, clubs have it: treadmills, ellipticals, weight machines, personal training, yoga, pilates, Zumba, spinning, basketball, racquet sports, swimming, nutrition counseling, and spas. Plus a staff of trained professionals.
9. Excuse: “Exercise isn’t all that important to my health.”Truth: If exercise were a pill, it’d be the most potent and effective one ever made. Regular exercise prevents chronic disease like diabetes, arthritis and heart disease. It increases productivity, improves your mood and your energy level, minimizes stress, promotes better sleep, and leads to decreased work absenteeism.
10. Excuse: “I can’t find a club that fits my needs.”Truth: Ask your friends, neighbours and work colleagues for recommendations. Take advantage of a free one-day passes to try out your top choices or pay for a short-term membership to get started.
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