As a Personal Trainer I’ve heard just about every excuse in the book as to why someone can’t workout or missed his or her training session. From the ever so popular “I don’t feel well” to the widely used early morning (and sometimes even mid-afternoon!) excuse of “I slept in” to my all time favorite – “I don’t have time”. During all of these years I think I’ve heard more reasons as to why people can’t or don’t workout rather then why they can or should workout. Okay, so we all get run down, overworked and/or extremely busy at times. That’s life. And as they say – “Shit Happens….” However when this “Shit” is happening on a regular basis then perhaps it’s time you step back and revaluate your quality of life and the barriers that are getting in the way of your health and fitness goals.

Now, you’re probably thinking as to what gives me the right to judge how a person lives his or her life. And my answer is absolutely nothing. However in my experience the majority of these people who have the never ending list of excuses and reasons to skip the gym on a regular basis are the very same people who are constantly complaining to me about their physiques and lack of results they are achieving from all their so-called hard work that they put into their workouts. Well, as much as I may get flamed for this blog, I feel it’s my duty as a fitness professional to throw down some tough love. So without further ado, I bring to you the harsh realities as to why you may not be achieving the physique of your dreams and what you can start to do today to turn the ship around and get back on course.

Working Out is Hard

You’re damn right working out is hard! And if you are one of those people that don’t find training to be difficult then you are definitely doing something wrong. Training with weights need to be challenging. If you don’t challenge your body I can guarantee you that IT WILL NOT CHANGE! Our bodies are extremely adaptable. Whether it be the climate you live in, the hours you sleep or the food that you eat, the more you do something the more your body starts to adjust to what you are asking it to do thereby adapting to the initial change. This means that if you go to the gym and do the exact same routine with the exact same weights day in and day out, your body will eventually adapt to what you are asking it to do and therefore cease producing results.

Solution – Mix Up Your Workout Routine!

Add some variety to your workouts. Throw in a few different exercises every so often. Try doing your exercise routine in reverse order, starting with the exercises that you usually finish with and finishing your workout with the exercises that you usually start with. And don’t be afraid to try a heavier weight. Sure you might not get as many reps the first time you do it or even the second time. However by continuing to push your body to lift more weight and increase your intensity in the gym you are forcing it to produce more muscle while burning more fat thereby producing further results which will ultimately create changes to your physique.

Dieting Sucks

Oh man, I’m totally with you on this one. Damn do I ever hate dieting. That’s why I don’t do it. In fact, the only time I do anything that resembles somewhat of a diet is when I am prepping for a bodybuilding show in which case I have to lower my calories and decrease my portion sizes. But I must admit, this is a process that I absolutely hate and therefore have tried to find ways to make it as painless as possible.

Solution – DON’T DIET!

Rather then spend half the year dieting while the other half binging on junk food and drinking out at the clubs, try to scale things back a bit. We all know that moderation is key, however how many of us truly practice moderation on a daily basis? Myself personally am a all or nothing type of person. This personality has proven to have both it’s pros and cons for me, however I’ve found that by making the foods that are healthy and nutritious taste good, it never feels like I’m suffering or dieting. Get creative in the kitchen. A boiled plain chicken breast doesn’t sound too appetizing. However marinating it in some apple cider vinegar, barbecuing it up on the grill and serving it along side of a few baked yams fries with some Sea Salt for added flavor doesn’t taste too bad at all. By eating healthy 90% of the time you are less likely to have to go to extreme measures to lose any unwanted body fat or weight gain. Then on the odd occasion when you do feel like a couple of cookies or a slice of cake, you can have it without feeling guilty or having to starve yourself for days afterwards just so you can fit back into your skinny jeans or look good in that bikini on the beach.

I Want it Now

We live in an age where with the help of technology and the swipe of a credit card we can usually get whatever we want, whenever we want it. If you want the new Iphone you simply go to the store and purchase it. If you need an appliance for your kitchen or a new piece of furniture for your household you can go online and at the click of a button have it delivered to you within a few days. Well I hate to be the bearer of bad news however incase you haven’t noticed, your physique is not a fancy couch or high-tech electronic device. You can’t just go to your local BestBuy or Walmart and buy some 24 inch arms or order a ripped six pack and a firm butt on Amazon. Your body simply doesn’t work like that.

Solution – Be Patient!

I’ve been working out for over 15 years. I’ve been competing in bodybuilding shows for over 10 years. I didn’t win my first show until after 3 years of competing. That means that I spent a total of 8 years training and eating clean all day, almost everyday before I was even awarded first place for my physique! Do you realize how many hours, how much blood, sweat and yes, even a few tears went in to those workouts for me to obtain the condition that wins a fitness show? Even if your goal is not to win a fitness competition and rather simply just lose a few pounds around your mid-section or fit into that new dress, you need to be patient. More importantly you need to be consistent with both your training and your nutrition. I don’t mean for a week and I don’t mean for a month. Try going for an entire year then let’s talk. You might be shocked to see the results that you can achieve with just one entire year of hard work in the gym along with a solid nutrition plan to follow outside of the gym will get you.

I’m really not trying to come off as judgmental or arrogant and I do apologize if I have offended anyone. I promise that this was and is not my intention. I simply believe that nothing beats hard work and that excuses are for those that are weak minded and have no will to push through the pain and sacrifice to achieve the results that they desire. And this resonates with every aspect of life, not just fitness. To achieve any goal in life whether it be family, work, financial or health related takes hours upon hours of practice, focus, determination and will. If a person does not have any of these attributes then he or she may as well just give up now in my opinion.

Excuses lead to Mediocrity. Mediocre work will simply produce mediocre results which creates a mediocre life. A mediocre life is one in which I choose not to live.

So you see I don’t have time for excuses, I’m too busy living my life to it’s absolute fullest.

Yours in Good Health,

Nick Cosgrove