10 Excuses Why People Don't Exercise

“Excuses are tools of the incompetent. They build monuments of nothingness & bridges to nowhere. Those who use them seldom accomplish anything”

In Pursuit of Tight Bodiness, we all make excuses here or there. Here is my list of the top 10 reasons people don’t exercise

Can’t afford membership – The prices and payment options of gym memberships are much more flexible than they used to be. For some gyms, you could be paying as little as $20 a month. If that if still not an option, try to free workout options, like using your lunch break to walk the stairs at your job. If you work in a busy area of town, walk a quick mile- four blocks going and four blocks back. Easy! You can also check your local YMCA or community center and see if they offer free, or really cheap, aerobic classes. They might even offer swimming or tennis as alternate forms of exercise.

No Time- This is the lamest excuse ever. If you have 1 whole hour to sit and watch For the Love of Ray J (or some other reality show that is equally lame), you have time. Another example, if you can sit in the beauty shop for 3 hours (at least..longer if you're getting braids), you can hit the gym for an hour. Period.

Too Tired- When I lack motivation for working out and feel too tired, I tell myself JUST GO! Once you get there you’ll be fine. And that mantra has never failed me yet. I know you’ve heard a million times on every health report that working out give you energy- it’s true. Seriously. It’s something about getting up and moving that gives you that extra push. There have been days where all I wanted to do was crawl in bed after work but I’d talk myself into going (JUST GO!) and by the time I finished my workout and got home, I had enough energy to still get some housework done.

No Gym near my house – There may not be a gym near your house, but there is definitely a park within walking or driving distance. I’m sure of it. Grab some 5 pounders, lace up those tennis shoe and get to steppin’. Walking outside is great for your whole body. The fresh air, beautiful scenery, and a good brisk walk or jog will turn any frown upside down. For folks like me living in Chicago, running (or doing anything) outside is not always a good look. Check your neighborhood or local college for free or cheap classes to that booty in motion.

I’ll get too bulky – A lot of women fear that lifting weights will make them too bulky or look like a female (or male…) body builder. Girl please! You and I both know you will not be lifting THAT much weight. I mean you have to go hard as hell to get remotely cut, let alone look buffed. Don’t be afraid to lift weights. My advice would be to lift slightly lighter weights with more reps to tone. To really burn fat, lift slightly heavier weights with less reps. *Disclaimer* I am not a trained physical anything. I just know what works for me.

It’s Boring – Life is what you make it. Same goes for working out. Your workouts can be fun or dreadfully boring. I like to set a goal for myself. If I run 4 minutes on Monday, I challenge myself to run 5 minutes on Tuesday. Can I do it? Will I pass out? I dunno know, let me try and see. This is the mental game I play. By the end of the week, I’m running 6 or 7 minutes straight. Get your iPod, or a friend to join. Sometimes the buddy system really works. Push yourself beyond your normal workout. You’d be surprised how strong your body is.

Don’t need to – Yes, you do need to! Sometimes as African American women, we tend to think that if we work out we will lose our curves, get too thin and ultimately become undesirable by African American men. Girl bye! Get your but off that couch and go workout. So often we live to try to impress or please other people that we jeopardize our own health and well being. Take at least 45 minutes out of your day and do something that will benefit you. Something that helps your heart, clears your mind from the daily grind and tightens that body up! There is such a great sense of accomplishment when you’ve completed a good, sweaty workout. Besides, we all wanna look good in our jeans right? I mean, who wants to have that muffin top hanging over our belt? No me.

Don’t know what to do – If you already have a gym membership and are unsure of where to start, ask someone. Don’t be afraid to ask the trainers questions. They don’t charge you for pointers. However, I can see where there would be apprehension to ask. Some of those personal trainers are thirsty and will do or say anything to get you to sign up for zillion dollar training sessions. This could also be a good time to ask a “gym cutie” for some tips. Put yourself out there. You might find love and a free trainer!

If you do not have a gym membership, start by working out at home. Walk around your neighborhood, find Exercise TV on your local cable listings and give one of their workouts a shot. I highly recommend anything Jillian Michaels. I have such a love/hate relationship with that woman. If I were to ever meet her, I don’t know if I’d slap her or dap her. Her workouts are intense BUT when you’re done you feel like it was really worth it. And if all else fails, take it back to the old school PE classes. Jumping jacks, push ups, sit ups, lunges, squats- the basics. Any activity is better than none.


Don’t like it/Hurts – It wasn’t until I was an adult until I really learned what NO PAIN, NO GAIN means. If you don’t work for it, you don’t get it. Period. Your 1st few days of working out will leave you feeling like you got jumped. That’s simply your muscles waking up. They’ve been forced to do something other than walk to the fridge, Xerox machine, or train station. I encourage you to keep going, even when it hurts. Your body, booty and boo will thank you!


I don’t like sweating – I hate to go there with you, but you have no problems letting your man sweat it out. Beat him to the punch and get that ass on that elliptical.

Enjoy your workout!!