Excuse #1 - I'm Too Tired to Workout

How many times have I heard this one? It's funny when I meet new people and they ask what I do. As soon as I mention health & fitness, they immediately tell me what they "should" be doing - I so dislike the word "should" - and then the excuses begin. I didn't ask for excuses! But I get them anyway! I decided to address some of the most common excuses that I often hear. I say "most common" because literally I could write for weeks on this subject with all of the excuses I have heard.

Yeah, gonna be a tough one today. Feeling a little tough.

"I'm too tired to workout"

Ever said that? Do you ever say to yourself OR to others "I'm so tired" followed by "I'm completely exhausted" or "I'm beat" and other not-so-uplifting statements. Did you know your body can hear you? Really. Take a typical "tired" day in your life, and count the number of times you say that outloud or to yourself "I'm so tired". I have to catch myself on those tired days. It comes naturally. It's a bad habit.

Too tired can come from many places:
-Not getting enough sleep [a huge one]
-Staying up too late
-Getting up too early
-Doing too much during the day, too busy
-Stress [another huge one]
-Eating habits
-Not working out

Of course, the biggest one is not getting enough sleep. For whatever reason. We tend to stay up too late and get up too early and expect our body to respond positively and then we are disappointed when it doesn't.

So, how can we not be so tired?

Well, changing your habits is a good place to start. Take the list above and tackle each point, one by one.
-If you are staying up too late, enforce a bedtime. Do what it takes to get to bed on time, shut off the computer and TV and start listening to your inside voice.
-Many times, we cannot control what time we have to get up in the morning, but try to adjust your schedule so that you can sleep in once or twice a week, just a little bit. Prepare a little bit the night before also - plan meals for the next day, clean the kitchen, do the little things that take time in the mornings.
-Learn to say no to some things. You cannot do everything, so don't try. Either say no or get the people around you to help. Yes, that includes kids. Busyness is good if it is productive and healthy; it's not good if it is draining.
-Learn to handle your stress. This is a huge one and there is no one answer. Each person has to find what works for them, but find it!
-Feed your body well. If you know you "shouldn't" eat something, then don't. Eat a balanced nutrition plan - fruits and veggies, lean meats. Eliminate sodas and sugar.
-Exercise your body with a good weight training program and an effective cardio program.

And last, but not least...
-Sometimes, you are just going to be tired. It's inevitable. But you have to go on. If you tell your body all day long [and everyone you meet] "I'm so tired" then YOUR BODY WILL LISTEN AND OBEY and you WILL be tired all day long. Watch your words that you speak to your body. It's time to buck up, soldier.

Words you can use...
"I know I didn't get enough sleep, but I am strong and I'll make it through the day"
"I am healthy"
"I am working on making my body stronger and healthier"
"I can do this"

I don't say these words in jest. I've been there too. Who hasn't? I've had the bad nights where you wake up just dead to the world and wonder how you are going to get through the day. Regardless, you can get through the day in two ways - in a healthy way or an unhealthy way. You already know the unhealthy way - did that help at all? Does it help your situation or make you feel more rested to say "I'm so tired" 20 times a day? Or can you try another way? A healthy way? You can get through the day, you can say nice things to your body, you can overcome this excuse. Now get to it, buck up soldier and have a great day!