January Is Officially Over Which Means You're Not Exercising...And I Know Why!

Well, at least I like to think I know why. According to a survey conducted by Fox News of roughly 2,000 Americans, over 73% of us have quit "the gym" since starting in January. Out of that percentage, over 60% have stated that they quit due to the fact that they feel intimidated while in the gym. Okay. That may (or may not) determine why you're not exercising, but if this is the case for YOU, why not workout at home? Well, sadly enough that percentage is pretty high also. About 80% of those who workout at home quit within a 2 month period. Why? Some reasons may include:

• Life "stuff" at home supersedes working out-Certain things take priority in your life, while at home, then actually taking care of your physical self (like laundry, shopping, working from home, cleaning, etc.)

• No accountability-It's easier to quit when we've made a pact to ourselves and have nobody else to disappoint

• Boring workouts-Doing just any workout in the beginning, may be cool, but after a while being bored may cause you to find something else to do with your time.

Let's say you've defied all the odds and you've been at the gym (or home) exercising for at least 3 months. Guess what? Studies show that you're 90% likely to quit soon after. Now why would someone quit after dedicating 3 months straight to working out? Some reasons (excuses) include:

• I hate sweating

• I hate getting out of bed when it’s dark and cold

• I hate going out at night when it’s dark and cold

• I hate blisters and calluses

• I hate being out of breath

• I hate sore muscles

Trust me, these are real excuses and I've personally have heard them all.

Let's look at some serious reasons on why we start exercising/getting healthy:

• Reduce blood pressure

• Lower type 2 diabetes risk

• Reduce body fat

• Building muscle mass

• Improve breathing

• Boost energy

• Improves mood

• Lowers anxiety

• Lower dementia risk

• Reduces the risk of arthritis

• Improves heart functionality

What if I told you that exercising and eating right (actually making it a priority) could possibly prevent some of these negative effects from happening? Would you quit then? What if you happen to go to the doctor and are told, "This could have been prevented if...."

Here are a few ways to actually stick to your goals and not be another "January Causality":

• Take baby steps- Rome wasn't built in a day.

• Schedule it in-Set an appointment like you set a meeting at work or a date for a party.

• Write it down-Visualizing helps make it real

• Ask for help-Don't be afraid to

• Set a deadline-Create a light at the end of the tunnel.

• Reward yourself-If you stick with it and achieve a goal, eat that Red Robin Royal Burger (I know I will)