People usually begin to exercise with enthusiasm. However, as days pass, or even just after a day, they look miserable. Then they start digging for excuses. As soon as they find one, they quit exercising. How convenient!
Exercise is hard work, no doubt; but hard work killed nobody. A famous saying goes: “Winners do not quit; quitters do not win.” So, it is clear – you quit and you cannot achieve a fit body. If you want a fit body, you must not quit.
Reasons that people generally give for not exercising are actually no reasons at all. They are only excuses. They want to be in their comfort zones…and nobody hardly ever achieved much by being in their comfort zones. Such zones stagnate you after a while; they limit your capabilities – physical and mental.
It’s ok to feel uncomfortable outside your comfort zone; but that does not mean you never step out. It’s always uncomfortable the first time, you see. The first day of any workout session is painful and exhausting. It’s because your body muscles haven’t been used for a long time. This is no reason to give up. It is always the first step that is difficult. Once you overcome it, you can move ahead like a winner.
Here are 5 commonest reasons for people to quit exercising…and they are so wrong!
1. I did not get any result
Oh, well…what did you expect…magic? There are no overnight results. You cannot transform yourselves from 200 pounds to 150 pounds in just 5 days of working out. It takes 5 months, honey!
So, you huffed and puffed in the gym for 30 minutes and thought you would come out all slim and sensuous. What a dream! You need to huff and puff for 30 minutes daily for 30 days to come out slim and sensuous…and that too depends on your gender, age, diet, present health status, and other factors. So, it might take more than 30 days. Be prepared to sweat out.
Some people don’t see results for months. Then, gradually they experience being fitter and healthier…and their body starts burning fat. A lot goes into burning fat – your metabolism rate, your lifestyle, your diet, even your emotional state, and more.
There has to be synchronization between what you eat and how you burn. In the beginning, many people don’t know what works for them. It is only later that they figure out. Then, they need to work on that consistently.
Losing weight fast is not good. Gradual loss is healthier, say experts. Patience is the most valuable key to healthy weight loss and getting a fitter body. It takes time. Do not quit.
Remember the woodcutter who hit a log of wood 100 times, but it did not split. Yet, he did not quit. Then, in the 101st blow, the log split; but it was not just the last blow that did it. All the 101 blows worked silently on the wood and, finally, it split. So, even if you think your exercise regime is not working, it is. It’s just that the results are not as visible as they should be. Your body is being worked out from the inside and it will show. Do not give up.
2. It hurts me!
Famous model and fitness trainer Jane Fonda said: “feel the burn.” How right she is! Exercise is no bed of roses, darling. It has to hurt. It signifies that your muscles are being worked out. If it’s not hurting, then you are not working as hard as you must.
Don’t stop at the slightest bit of ache or fatigue. Try to test your limits. There’s a difference between muscle burn and muscle injury. The former is needed. The latter must be avoided. Make sure you train under a certified trainer and do the correct moves to avoid injuries.
Remember, no pains no gains.
3. I have lost weight, so no need for exercise now
First of all, congratulations for achieving your desired weight! Yet, this is not the end. Now, you must maintain the weight. Accomplishing a certain goal does not mean that you stop working, right? If you revert to your earlier lifestyle with no check on eating habits and no exercise, you will regain the lost weight and lose your hard-earned fitness.
4. It’s boring!
Then make it interesting! It is natural to feel bored of the same routine. So, change it. Add some fun. Play music. Call friends and exercise together. Plan different workouts according to the days of the week. If you run or jog on the same path daily, change your route.
Keep one day for rest. Reward yourselves with a treat once in 15 days. There are ways to add elements of interest and fun in exercises, only you must be determined to continue.
5. I am gaining weight
This often happens; but this is not fat you are gaining. When you exercise regularly your muscles tone up, firm up, and build themselves in mass. This increases your overall body weight. This is healthy. Observe carefully. You will be feeling better and fitter despite the increased weight. You will feel more energetic and spend your days actively.
Your exercise is working, guys; this is the time when you must not quit. If you quit now, all your hard work goes down the drain.
If you quit, the new muscle mass that you have built will get converted into fat. You will not look toned and firm as you look now. So, if you are feeling fitter than before and you have gained weight, pat yourselves on the back. You have built muscle and are ready to rock with your new look. This is the time to intensify your workout, not quit.
You must never quit exercising, unless your doctor advises you to due to some medical problem or injury. Exercising is always healthy. It uplifts your mood, makes you fit, gives you energy, and increases your productivity and brain power. How can you quit doing such a healthy and beneficial activity?
Exercising is a way of life. It is not a one-time process.
