We've heard them all before (and probably used them all too). We're putting a stop to that right now!
The Excuse: "I never have time to work out."
The Solution: If you penciled in your workouts the way you do work meetings and dinners with friends, you'd poke a hole in your own excuse. Still, you can make up for missed exercise by tracking your steps. A recent study found that people who wore a pedometer clocked 1,000 more steps (about half a mile) per day than those who didn't tally their footsteps. Taking the stairs or going for a walk on your lunch break doesn't take the place of hitting the gym, but it can pinch-hit on the days when you have to break an exercise date with yourself. What's more, tracking your daily totals will motivate you to move at least that much the next day. So... strap on your pedometer!
The Excuse: "I can't get motivated in the a.m."
The Solution: Morning workouts are a necessary evil for those who work late or want any kind of social life. It's also the best way to guarantee you'll get your exercise in before life's daily chaos can zap your willpower. The trick: Mentally commit to just one set of your weight circuit or 15 minutes of your run. Once you're out the door and in a groove, you'll almost always finish the whole thing.
The Excuse: "I'm too hungry and tired to exercise after a long day at work."
The Solution: Sustain your energy all day by eating a lunch that's rich in lean protein and complex carbs (like turkey lettuce wrap and veggies or a salad with chicken and cranberries). These nutrients keep glucose levels steady.
