When we attempt to explain why something is the way it is, we go through cause and effect scenarios. Scenarios can be logical explanations or justifications with a bit of untruth and defensive tone mixed in. Lifestyle habits for better health are primary topics when discussing reasons and excuses. Reasons for not engaging in healthy habits are logically sound and supported with undeniable facts. Excuses, on the other hand, are justifications backed by nothing more than unwillingness to take responsibility.

“Excuses…. excuses” is the popular phrase that we’ve all used to sarcastically call someone out for not doing something or not doing something correctly. When it comes to healthy habits the term 'excuse' is appropriate most of the time. When you provide justification for not having a healthier diet, these “reasons” are almost always nothing more than excuses. The same goes for not engaging in planned physical activity. There is no denying that making better choices for health is difficult. It takes a lot of dedication and for many of us it means making huge lifestyle changes. Realizing that any justification we give for not making those changes are really excuses and not reasons is a big step in the right direction.

Once we are conscious of reasons versus excuses, it’s easier to check ourselves. A powerful tool in self-examination is to create a list of your barriers. Using planned exercise as an example, once you have your list of barriers, separate them into reasons and excuses. If you are truly honest with yourself during the process, the list of excuses will far outnumber the reasons. Some common barriers to exercise include…..

• Lack of Time: This is probably the most common barrier. For the ultra busy who think that there is no way to fit in regular exercise, one solution is to incorporate physical activity into all the errands and daily routines in small increments of 5 minutes at a time. Another way to overcome this barrier is to realize that it’s really an excuse and if regular planned exercise is a priority, it will fit into the schedule.
• Lack of Energy: This barrier is easy to empathize with, but is definitely an excuse. One of the benefits of regular exercise is improved energy. It’s similar to saying “I need to get in shape before I start working out”. Think of how you feel immediately after a bout of exercise. The sense of accomplishment, itself, can motivate you to continue making exercise a priority.
• Lack of Skill/Knowledge: Some are intimidated by the idea of exercise. Most fitness marketing highlights what a person “should” look like and involves intensities that are simply overwhelming for beginners. Simplifying the idea of what exercise means can help. It doesn’t take a bodybuilder or Crossfitter’s approach to get the benefits of exercise. Although it may be a barrier, lack of knowledge is still an excuse to avoid simple physical activity.
• Social Support: Some of this may be out of your control. This is one barrier that can fit into the reason category. If you don’t have friends and family that are supportive of changing your lifestyle to better health, that is something that you cannot control. Although social support is important in getting positive reinforcement, it’s not a necessity. You can derive motivation from within and avoid those that only offer negative feedback to your new habits.

This list of barriers can apply to other lifestyle changes, not just regular exercise. Your personal list of barriers to healthy habits will be much longer and more specific to you. Take the time to make out the list, examine the list, and separate the items into reasons and excuses. Once you have your excuses itemized, focus on ways to overcome them.

Another part of the reasons versus excuses discussion is life balance. You may want to make changes for better health, but there may be some things you simply will not compromise. Perhaps you love ice cream and are unwilling to remove it completely from your routine. This ice cream example can be said about any number of diet related items. As with any of these, a reduction in the amount of the item or a shortened list of uncompromisable items is a step in the right direction. When it comes to exercise, missing a workout doesn’t ruin your health. Removing it completely, however, will have a negative effect on the body. Looking for ways to improve versus perfection will help you attain goals, particularly early on. Once you notice progress, you may just find yourself unwilling to compromise a healthy diet and exercise and overcome your entire list of excuses.