13 Reasons Not to Exercise

by Stephanie Nickel

Sadly, I have not gotten a lot of exercise lately. That got me thinking about the reasons you and I might not want to be too physically active.

1. We don’t enjoy a good night’s sleep. Who would want to awaken most mornings refreshed and raring to go?

2. And productivity? Who needs it? It’s much better to feel as if we’re spinning our wheels all day, right?

3. Isn’t that head full of cotton feeling great? Thinking clearly . . . who’d want to do that?

4. Why would we want to establish good habits that will carry into the next week? The next year? The next decade?

5. And all those coworkers, friends, and family members who know us well . . . Why would we want to set a good example for them?

6. A more enjoyable marriage relationship? What’s with that?

7. Of course, as women of a certain age, we love the irritability and hot flashes. Who’d want to minimize those?

8. And when the grandbabies come . . . Sure we want them to think of us as old ladies who don’t have the energy to play with them.

9. Our toes are so far away wanting to touch them is just a dream. Dreams are good, right?

10. Who wouldn’t want to be creaky and stiff?

11. Attaining a healthy body fat percentage . . . That’s only for people who care about math.

12. People have been trying to fly without an airplane for years. Perhaps those flapping upper arms are a step in the right direction.

13. Muffin tops . . . That’s why they invented elastic waistbands, isn’t it?

Hopefully, these 13 Reasons gave you a reason or two to smile.

Don’t feel judged—not at all—because each and every one of these “reasons” came from my own life. I truly am not as active as I would like to be.

Do I think our worth is inversely proportional to our weight? No way! No how!

Do I think we will have more energy to live the lives God has for us if we get regular physical activity? Absolutely!

So, though it’s great to take the time to chuckle at ourselves, let’s each determine to do just one more thing in the next seven days that we didn’t do last week.

Which myth above—oops, I mean reason—would you like to put to rest?

This week, I am walking with a friend. I will consider each step a step toward establishing a lasting good habit.

How about you? Will you join me?

Stephanie Nickel, CLD, PTS is a freelance writer and editor, a labour doula, and a personal trainer.

You can read about her eclectic interests and visit her website for more information.