Why you don't Excercise

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Replies

  • obscuremusicreference
    obscuremusicreference Posts: 1,320 Member
    I think it's generally a cop-out that people don't have time, at least it is if they watch TV.

    But I also think it's perfectly acceptable to choose not to exercise because you have other priorities.

    I no longer let myself watch TV unless I'm moving. Even if it's something your eyes are glued to, you can still use hand weights, do squats or lunges, etc.

    I think the problem is that people get the idea that Exercise is a Big Deal and they have to sweat and keep up with a program and join a gym and use that as an excuse. But if they built more movement into their day, they would feel better. It's a mental hurdle that I think people should overcome.

    But I can't really judge because I spent most of my adult life in the "other priorities" group and I deeply regret it.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    I think it's generally a cop-out that people don't have time, at least it is if they watch TV.

    But I also think it's perfectly acceptable to choose not to exercise because you have other priorities.

    I no longer let myself watch TV unless I'm moving. Even if it's something your eyes are glued to, you can still use hand weights, do squats or lunges, etc.

    I think the problem is that people get the idea that Exercise is a Big Deal and they have to sweat and keep up with a program and join a gym and use that as an excuse. But if they built more movement into their day, they would feel better. It's a mental hurdle that I think people should overcome.

    But I can't really judge because I spent most of my adult life in the "other priorities" group and I deeply regret it.

    Same here.
  • Jolinia
    Jolinia Posts: 846 Member
    I have no desire to work out when my diet is bad. When it's good, I want to get out and play. So I suspect a lot of people are just going through life not meeting their nutritional needs and/or dumping food coloring, preservatives, and artificial flavors into their bodies that their bodies don't like.
  • terar21
    terar21 Posts: 523 Member
    Because they have different priorities. When someone says they don't have time to workout and yet they watch X amount of TV hours, they aren't lying about the lack of time. It's just that to them, watching certain TV shows is a priority. Therefore that time is indeed committed to something else they feel required to do. It might seem silly to some but it's entertainment for them and they're just choosing to prioritize entertainment over exercise. It's their choice to do so.

    Back when I didn't exercise, I never said I didn't have the time but I certainly did commit to things like watching TV over exercise. It was just my preference.

    It's one thing if a specific person is doing this and constantly complaining to you that they are fat. But if not, I don't get why that even matters to anyone else.
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
    terar21 wrote: »

    It's one thing if a specific person is doing this and constantly complaining to you that they are fat. But if not, I don't get why that even matters to anyone else.

    I don’t want to take this thing off the rails (although I’m pretty sure my next statement will do just that), if taxpayer dollars are used to fund healthcare, isn’ t the health of someone all of our concern? Overweight and obesity rates approaching 70%, a generation that will likely have a shorter lifespan than the previous one (a first in American history), and the astronomical costs associated with caring for type 2 diabetes and heart disease, all seem to be things that should concern all of us.

    Oh, and that whole compassion for people who are headed for a bad place. Is it better to just look the other way (I’m healthy and will be there to take care of my kids, so what if he isn’t)?

    can-of-worms.jpg

  • When I didnt workout.. it was because my life was a mess... I had my priorities all out of wack... was depressed and felt hopeless... It took a lot to get me to wake up... like a zombie I rose from the dead and have flourished
  • NewMeSM75
    NewMeSM75 Posts: 971 Member
    edited February 2015
    I'm married with 4 children. Youngest is 3. Oldest is 17. Leave home at 6 am. Arrive home at 6 pm. Why I don't exercise? Too lazy and not priority. Too often times people don't want to be accountable. If I want it, I make time! If it's important, I do it. So, I make time.
  • NerdieMcChub
    NerdieMcChub Posts: 153 Member
    I'm sorry. I can't get over the fact that you said "poople."
  • DYELB
    DYELB Posts: 7,407 Member
    You work out?
  • salad_bar
    salad_bar Posts: 66 Member
    First off, thank you OP for posting this. This is not a judgemental post, it's a fact, and I think it is directed towards people who are unhappy with the way they feel and look, yet choose to do nothing about it. They make excuses as to why they can't exercise.

    Just to make myself perfectly clear, this has absolutely nothing to do with a person who is happy with the way they look and feel, and couldn't care less about exercise and fitness.

    I know individuals who complain non-stop about how they look and feel, yet make excuse after excuse on why they can't exercise. They get home from work and they are too tired. They are angry at a co-worker. It's too cold outside. They just want to sit on the couch and relax after a hectic day. The game is on. They are mentally exhausted. They get home too late. They don't like early mornings. Those are all excuses. Excuses are an attempt to justify. Sure, life happens and we have priorities. But when a person is super unhappy with their appearance and level of energy, yet make absolutely no attempt to change it, it's all excuses.

    If someone wants to lose weight and get in shape badly enough, they will wake up at 4:00 am to do it if that's the only time they have available.
  • NewMeSM75
    NewMeSM75 Posts: 971 Member
    salad_bar wrote: »
    First off, thank you OP for posting this. This is not a judgemental post, it's a fact, and I think it is directed towards people who are unhappy with the way they feel and look, yet choose to do nothing about it. They make excuses as to why they can't exercise.

    Just to make myself perfectly clear, this has absolutely nothing to do with a person who is happy with the way they look and feel, and couldn't care less about exercise and fitness.

    I know individuals who complain non-stop about how they look and feel, yet make excuse after excuse on why they can't exercise. They get home from work and they are too tired. They are angry at a co-worker. It's too cold outside. They just want to sit on the couch and relax after a hectic day. The game is on. They are mentally exhausted. They get home too late. They don't like early mornings. Those are all excuses. Excuses are an attempt to justify. Sure, life happens and we have priorities. But when a person is super unhappy with their appearance and level of energy, yet make absolutely no attempt to change it, it's all excuses.

    If someone wants to lose weight and get in shape badly enough, they will wake up at 4:00 am to do it if that's the only time they have available.

    Agreed!
  • Jolinia
    Jolinia Posts: 846 Member
    When I didnt workout.. it was because my life was a mess... I had my priorities all out of wack... was depressed and felt hopeless... It took a lot to get me to wake up... like a zombie I rose from the dead and have flourished

    I know how you feel. I spent around two years in this state plus eating my head off. Rising from the dead was totally worth it!
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Because it's not a priority for some people.

    They would rather spend their time outside of work with friends and family and feel well rested.

    Personally I'd just focus on yourself and less on judging others.


    this.

    9/10 when someone says they don't have time it's their way of saying "it's not a priority"

    My beef is... don't excuse yourself to me- I honestly don't care.

    Own up to the fact you don't want to do it. Just say- it's not a priority.
  • terar21
    terar21 Posts: 523 Member
    terar21 wrote: »

    It's one thing if a specific person is doing this and constantly complaining to you that they are fat. But if not, I don't get why that even matters to anyone else.

    I don’t want to take this thing off the rails (although I’m pretty sure my next statement will do just that), if taxpayer dollars are used to fund healthcare, isn’ t the health of someone all of our concern? Overweight and obesity rates approaching 70%, a generation that will likely have a shorter lifespan than the previous one (a first in American history), and the astronomical costs associated with caring for type 2 diabetes and heart disease, all seem to be things that should concern all of us.

    Oh, and that whole compassion for people who are headed for a bad place. Is it better to just look the other way (I’m healthy and will be there to take care of my kids, so what if he isn’t)?

    can-of-worms.jpg

    That's a big can of worms. A valid question, but we'd have a lot of unhealthy things to look at in that instance as well that would fall in a similar line with overweight/obese people. Endless possibilities. I'm not sure we wanna go there...not here haha.

    And compassion? Of course. The original post just didn't strike me as a compassionate concern for fellow man lol.
  • riffraff2112
    riffraff2112 Posts: 1,756 Member
    Fit people don't have a magic time machine that somehow makes the day longer than 24 hours. Make it a priority and just find the time. I find it hard to believe there is literally no time in a day to exercise.....many mothers of 3 who do all the chores, work, cook, laundry etc are making time. It can be done.
    I only work two jobs and coach high school basketball (pretty damn time consuming) but fit in workouts at lunch, at home, even between classes if I have to.
  • occultllama
    occultllama Posts: 31 Member
    I've had a colleague say to me 'I don't have time to exercise, you only have time because you work part time'. Um, whatever! I work 3 days a week, have 3 young children and a shift working husband. I still go to the gym on working days. She has 1 child and a stay at home husband. We're teachers so get lots of holidays a year, and if we don't have a meeting/open evening/parents' evening can leave work earlier than most people can.

    Exercise is important to me so I make time. I also spend the weekends and my days off being active with my kids.

    I can't imagine not exercising, although each to their own.

    Wow, where do you teach? My mother is a primary school teacher and works 8am-5:30pm all weekdays and half a day each weekend and that's just normally. When things ramp up and she has reports and lots of testing to do she brings work home and works after dinner until 10pm.

    Mind you she still goes to the gym at 6am 5 days a week.
  • senglishrose
    senglishrose Posts: 86 Member
    my favorite line that I have to remind myself always is

    "We make time for things that are important to us"
  • myfatass78
    myfatass78 Posts: 411 Member
    I walk everywhere each day. I haven't gone back to the gym yet because I am scared of becoming what I used to be. A gym rat who was obsessed with working out and had the beginnings of a nasty eating disorder. I spent my whole day lugging around a gym bag, either going to the gym or leaving it (It was four suburbs away). I realise that I will have to go back at some point but I really don't want to.
  • snowflake930
    snowflake930 Posts: 2,188 Member
    I get up @ 2 a.m. to go to the gym to work out before I start my work day. The gym is quiet, only a couple of other people and no distractions. It is a great feeling to have the exercise over first thing in the morning.

    I do however have admiration for people with young families. I remember running everyday with dd when she was in school. I am not sure I would have been able do it when she was growing up and in so many activities. (Although, one of my fit bit friends, walks around the school while his kids are doing their after school activities). I guess it can be done.

    Now, my time is my own. Husband works 2pm - 10pm, and never complains about me getting up, just when he is going to bed. It works for us.
  • pawoodhull
    pawoodhull Posts: 1,759 Member
    rand486 wrote: »
    I find most people just haven't found something active that they enjoy.

    And there it is! This is my reality. I hate exercise and have never found something that I can actually enjoy and look forward to. Not making excuses here, just being honest. I tried a recumbent bike the other day and had a blast! I think this may be my thing but it's more than my budget can handle. Am I giving up, nope, just looking for a used one that's within my budget.

  • Just curious about the people that are unable to exercise due to disabilities. I have a painful disability that limits my being able to exercise, but I used to love it so much. I still walk on occasion.
    I say if people want to work out super, if they don't want to, super! Who cares it is not your life. So lets just be encouraging for everyone that is here on MFP trying to do what they can do.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    edited February 2015
    cliffodom1 wrote: »
    I look around me at people. they are all...ALL out of shape. I wondered why poople get like that. Do they just wake up one morning and surpise they are out of shape or do they watch a slow decline in conditioning over time. So I googled it and found out that the number one reason people don't work out is they don't find the time in their day.

    http://exercise.lovetoknow.com/Reasons_People_Don't_Exercise

    I solve that by doing it first. You don't control your day. First you have to get to work then at work your boss controls your time with his tasks then you get home and kids and family take your time with dinner, house chores etc. Then you have to do the TV watching thing and then you have to sleep. Day over and no work out time. I just get up earlier and work out before I get ready for work. Youcan control, that time. Either you sleep or work out. I choose to work out, I can sleep when I die.

    I got fat and out of shape slowly...most people do. I put on about 40 Lbs over the course of 8 years.

    Growing up I was a competitive athlete from about 2nd or 3rd grade and through high school...then the military...and then even in college I was very active as I didn't own a car and I walked and biked everywhere in addition to exercise.

    When I graduated I took a job in a CPA firm working pretty much 12 hour days 6 days per week and traveling about 25 weeks out of the year. At this same time I was starting a family and while I could have and definitely should have made time for regular exercise, it just wasn't a priority at that time.

    Also, I would say sleep is pretty important to your overall health and well being and wouldn't discount it by saying I can sleep when I die.

    I got back into exercise and fitness about 2.5 years ago and wished I would have kept up with it all along...but alas, priorities were different 10 years ago than they are now.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    When I didn't work out, there were 2 reasons. One is that my thyroid wasn't being treated yet and I could barely keep my eyes open long enough to work an 8 hour day. The other is that I was in an abusive relationship. I got my diagnosis and the right meds slightly before I got up the energy and willpower to leave that jerk (I def think there was a connection, because moving out on someone takes energy!) and then I began to take better care of myself including exercise. Now that I live in an apt complex that has a small gym included, I take advantage of it and work out like a mad woman. Also I managed to find a good man, and we got married, and we work out together. This helps with motivation as well.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,996 Member
    If people don't work out, it's because they don't want to. People that really want to find time in the day somewhere.
    And for those who say they "really want to" and don't, then you really don't. Barring any physical/health/hormonal issue, there really isn't any reason one couldn't find a workout that suits their situation.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    9285851.png
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    You don't FIND time to work out. You MAKE time to work out. Saying "I don't have time" is a huge cop-out and a sorry excuse not to exercise. If I can get up at 4:30 to get my workout in, they can "find" time in their day as well.

    I've heard every excuse on that list - I've even used a couple once upon a time - and they're all ridiculous and/or lies. Limited budget? Since when does it cost money to walk?

    It all comes down to one thing: you either want it, or you don't. Simple as that.
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  • RavenLibra
    RavenLibra Posts: 1,737 Member
    I exercised for a living (working outdoors, hiking, quadding 4x4-ing) that kept me fit and strong for almost 17 years... then I got a factory job where I was on my feet for 10 hours a day building cabinets and furniture so I managed top keep relatively fit while loosing some of the cardio conditioning I had developed from the previouls job.. THEN I got a desk job... and for the better part of 9 years ate like I was still using my body to earn a living... MAN what an eye opener when you look in the mirror and realize your kidding yourself by trying to squeeze into a 38 inch waist... and need to buy a larger belt... THAT was it for me... If I hadn't developed a health issue (undiagnosed type II diabetes for about 3 months) I'd be a bit farther down the road to a leaner fitter me... BUT it is what it is.. life takes over your life a pound a month over 7-8 years... and before you know it... you hate the fact that it's a struggle to tie your shoes...
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    rand486 wrote: »
    I'm losing weight fine without exercise. I hate exercise and I'm lazy, so I'm not going to do it. I walk to uni (30 minute walk there, 30 minutes back) three times a week and swim once or twice a week because these are the only forms of exercise that I enjoy. At the weekends I don't even get out of bed :neutral_face:

    Whatever your goals are. Just be aware, being skinny is an aesthetic goal that can be done with just restriction of calories. "Health" comes from good nutrition & exercise.

    There's a big difference between getting skinny via the Twinkie Diet, vs proper diet & exercise :)

    I am very much aware of this. But as my health is bad anyway... (I have a bleeding disorder that, no, is not going to be helped by any amount of vegetables or exercise). I always make sure to hit my protein goals so that I can try to retain muscle. I FEEL fine though. And isn't that what the 'health' goal is about? Feeling healthy? But I already feel healthy, so there's no need for me to exercise to do so. I also never said what my diet was like. We have never had twinkies in the UK :p

    Some tesco's have them in the world food aisle :bigsmile:

    I misread this as 'whole foods aisle' and was like :noway: :laugh:
  • daw0518
    daw0518 Posts: 459 Member
    I don't sugar coat it - I don't work out because I rarely want to. I have a lot of reasons for not wanting to, some that are completely ridiculous, like my hate for showering more than every other day, and others that are more serious, like my social anxiety & complete dislike of the gym. I also just don't really like it. I haven't found anything that I enjoy enough to make me keep coming back, & when I have forced myself to consistently work out I haven't noticed any of the wonderful benefits others apparently do, like more energy and better sleep. I'm a little jelly of you all on that.

    But, fact of the matter is, when I REALLY want to work out, I have found ways to make it work - joining teams for sports I enjoy, walking, running, and dvd's or YouTube workouts at home. So I would agree that there is really no excuse for most people other than they really just don't want to. But who are you to judge them for that? Seriously, people have different paths to their end goal. I personally have just assumed that one day it will click for me, kind of like calorie restricting did. One day I'll find something I like & that'll be it. But until then, I'll just be parking farther from class & taking the stairs to get in a little bit of daily exercise, & that's about it.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    For the person who doesn't want to exercise in an actual gym due to previous issues... have you considered things you can do at home like workout videos, bodyweight exercises, and even dancing and hooping to whatever kind of music you like? If we didn't live in this location with the little gym attached, that's what I would be doing due to lack of funds for gym memberships. It's a different kind of routine but it works!
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