We love our gym memberships, our yoga, CrossFit, treadmills, even marathons. But now and then we look for an excuse to not exercise.
If you, like many of us, would like a reason to not exercise from time to time, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve compiled a list of six serious, and six not-so-serious, reasons to avoid exercise.
Choose wisely!
6 serious reasons to avoid exercise
1. Exercise can have a negative impact on your diet. The amount of exercise you do may require you to adjust what you eat and how much. Athletes have been known to pack on the pounds because they over-exercise and consequently overeat.
2. Exercise can be addictive. Those endorphins you’re setting free during exercise can make you want more and more of the same. In some cases, athletes feel guilty on their rest days and make up excuses for working out after all, which, as a result, robs the body of the ability to recover.
3. Exercise can cause exercise bulimia. People with this problem will count every calorie they eat then exercise long and hard to burn them off. This leads to nutritional deficiencies and dehydration.
4. Exercise can cause heart problems. The warnings you receive at every gym to consult your physician before starting a new exercise regimen should be taken seriously. Your doctor can assist you in finding the right amount of exercise for your body type and your current health issues.
5. Exercise can damage the joints. This is especially true for endurance athletes of all kinds, but especially runners, who tend to injure knees and ankles and end up needing surgery.
6. Overtraining can deplete your adrenals and lead to higher stress, less sleep, and as a result, weight gain.
6 not-so-serious reasons to avoid exercise
1. I’m too busy! Seriously, who has the time to drive to the gym, work out for an hour, drive home, take a shower and get dressed again?
2. I don’t like sweat! Nobody likes sweat. It leaves marks on your clothes and on the exercise equipment. It is so smelly! And before you get home, it cools off, and you’re freezing to death.
3. I’m still sore from last time! I can barely make it down the stairs or onto the toilet. I need some serious relaxation time.
4. I cannot possibly miss the latest episode of my streaming show. I would hate to be the only one at the office tomorrow morning not knowing what happened.
5. I’m too old to exercise. Besides, my grandma never exercised and she was 98 when she died.
6. I’m healthy already. I have never been sick in my life. Why do I need exercise?
