Most Common Excuses You Hear As A Personal Trainer…

As someone who has been working out & working in the fitness industry for about 10 years now I have heard all sorts of excuses about why people aren’t being healthy. The thing is, all of these excuses have a solution. So today I wanted to share with you the most common excuses we as personal trainers hear on a regular basis and what the solution is to that excuse.

Now there are of course exceptions to every situation, but that is exactly what they are. Exceptions. Few and far between. If we stopped making excuses and spent as much time and effort on our health as we do on other things in our lives, we would all feel so much better physically and mentally!


EXCUSE: I just don’t have time to workout!

SOLUTION: First off, this is just not true. Yes some of us are busier than others, but we all have the same amount of time in a day. There is no reason why you can’t carve out an hour or even just thirty minutes at least twice a week. You need to make it a priority. You know that hour you sit watching TV every day? Or that 30 minutes you spend before you get ready in the morning just scrolling social media? Use that time more wisely and get in a good sweat session. Your body will thank you!


EXCUSE: I don’t want big muscles!

SOLUTION: I love this one. You usually hear this come from women but occasionally men will say this too. Women have a very hard time building big muscles, we just don’t have the hormonal makeup in order to put on giant muscles. The women that appear to have bigger muscles usually just have a lower body fat percentage and therefore their muscles are easier to see and more defined. I have been lifting heavy for several years trying to put on muscle and let me tell you ladies, it is HARD. So no worries there. Lifting weights will help you get that “toned” look most women crave!


EXCUSE: I’m just too tired.

SOLUTION: I hear this a lot. And trust me, we have all been there. But the great thing about exercise is that it releases a hormone in the brain called dopamine which improves mood, reduces fatigue, and boosts energy! With regular exercise you will start to notice better sleep, more energy throughout the day, and an overall better mood. With exercise your body is able to more efficiently turn what you eat into fuel and therefore gives you that energy boost you need!


EXCUSE: I need to get in shape before I get a personal trainer.

SOLUTION: Wait……what? I hear this so often it’s crazy. And the majority of the time these people are walking on the treadmill for 30-45 minutes 3 days a week and that’s it. First off, that is not going to get you in shape at all. Secondly, we are here to help you get in shape. I think most people are afraid of trainers because of what they see on TV and they think we are going to make them do all kinds of things they aren’t capable of. That is the farthest thing from the truth. Trainers are there to help create an exercise program fit to your current abilities. Don’t be afraid of us, we don’t bite I promise!


EXCUSE: I have too many injuries or health issues.

SOLUTION: This is one of my favorites. Guess what? At the gym I work at we have people who are paralyzed from the waist down, people missing limbs, people with terminal illnesses, people with canes and wheelchairs, people with casts on, and so on so forth. The truth is, no matter what your limitations are, there is always a way to work around them and find an exercise program that will work for you. Nothing is impossible. And if you have injuries or health issues, 99% of the time keeping a regular exercise program of some sort will help your body in so many ways.


EXCUSE: My schedule is irregular and I just can’t make it in enough.

SOLUTION: The best part about working out is that it doesn’t have to be at a gym. Buy some resistance bands and some dumbbells and you have yourself a home gym. Add in a cardio machine of some sort and a stability ball and you can do all your workouts from home if that is what works for you. So many people have the misconception in their minds that to be a good workout it has to be at a gym. And that is so far from the truth. If you have a small open space and enough motivation, you can do a full killer workout with just your body weight!


I know that sometimes it is hard to workout. Sometimes it is scary to try new things. Sometimes we just don’t feel up to it, and that is totally okay. What is not okay is always finding excuses to keep putting your physical fitness on the back burner. There are a countless number of proven benefits to having a regular exercise regimen.

Remember that it is okay to have off days, it is okay to have a lack of motivation, it is okay to “just not feel like it”. But keep your health a priority!

YOUR TURN: What is the craziest excuse you have ever heard for not working out?