Today, there's a new definition for chore: exercise.
In fact, most people hate exercise so much that they'd rather clean the bathroom than exercise. After all, the effects of exercise don't pile up as fast as scum around the sink.
There are millions of excuses not to exercise. Too busy, too tired, too bored. None of them are valid reasons.
If you think you're alone, think again. You're actually part of the growing majority of Americans who have crossed exercising off their chore lists. In fact, more than 60 percent of American adults are not regularly active, and 25 percent aren't active at all, according to the 1996 Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health.
Want to see how your excuses stack up against the rest of the country? Listen to what a 1994 poll by the Presidents Council on Physical Fitness and Sports learned and then see why your excuses can't excuse you from exercising.
When asked why they didn't exercise:
40 percent said they didn't have enough time.
20 percent said they get enough exercise at work or home.
15 percent said they can't exercise because of health problems.
12 percent said exercise is boring.
10 percent said they're too old.
9 percent said exercise isn't necessary.
7 percent said they're too tired.
1. If time is your enemy: Reevaluate your schedule.
Time is the easiest cop-out for not exercising. Unless your schedule is crammed with activities from the time you get up until the time you go to bed (talking on the phone and watching television don't count), then you simply have to make time to exercise. Get up earlier and take a brisk walk around the block. Instead of spending 30 minutes sitting in front of the television at night, walk on your treadmill when you watch your favorite show. Have a baby? Find a club that offers aerobics with strollers. And don't think that you have to exercise all at once. Break your workout into two 15-minute sessions or three 10-minute sessions and do them throughout the day.
2. If you think you exercise enough already: Examine exactly what you do.
If you're working in your target heart rate zone for at least 20 minutes five times a week, then you probably are getting enough exercise. If not, add some extra minutes for more vigorous exercise, whether that's working longer in the garden or taking your bike around the neighborhood more often.
3. If you have health problems: You may have a valid reason for not exercising, especially if your doctor has ordered you not to.
However, exercise has been shown to aid in the recovery and prevention of many health problems, including heart disease. Talk to your physician and see what kind of exercise program he or she recommends.
4. If exercise is boring: Take a new approach to exercise.
Participate in an activity you enjoy. Better yet, find several activities you enjoy so that you're never doing the same thing twice. If you're tired of working out alone, find a workout buddy; dogs are also good companions on walks. (Remember, though, that even dogs have a limit to how much exercise they should do.) Sick of working out at home? Join a gym or hire a qualified personal trainer to revamp your exercise program.
5. If you think you're too old: Revisit your childhood and remember how you used to say you'd never be too old to do anything.
You're still not. Exercise is an ageless activity, and it's the closest thing we have to the fountain of youth. Exercise may not erase the wrinkles on your skin, but it will increase your energy level, have you lose weight, reduce stress, allow you to live longer and healthier, and renew your confidence. And that's just for starters. In fact, research shows that exercise is the best medicine we have for helping us age gracefully.
6. If you think exercise is a waste of time: Imagine if you said the same thing about changing the oil in your car.
Without oil changes, your car would eventually not function, the same way your body will if you don't exercise. Commit to just three days of being active and your body will thank you. In the end, it'll repay you by helping prevent illnesses like heart disease, some cancers, hypertension, and obesity. If you still think exercise is a waste of time, then do two things at once. Ride a stationary bike and read a book. Take a walk outside and plan your strategy for making that presentation your boss asked you to do.
7. If you're too tired to exercise: Get moving.
Fatigue can actually be caused by a sedentary lifestyle. Exercise will help jump start your body. Start slowly, and over time, exercise will increase your energy level while decreasing your fatigue.
Excuses provide an easy way to avoid exercising. The faster you work towards eliminating those excuses, the closer you'll be to living a healthier, more active life. Eventually, exercise won't be a chore - it will be the reward your body's been craving.
