Excuses, excuses….
As an athlete, or a weight loser, or even just a relatively casual worker outer, you often hear that there are no real excuses for skipping workouts. For ever excuse offered, there is a counter.
But, I am here to tell you that there are real, valid excuses for skipping a workout. Some of them are actual reasons, but some might not pass muster as reasons as opposed to excuses, but they are valid none-the-less.
- You think you might be injured. (Obviously if you ARE injured, you have to take time to heal.) So – assess. Are you injured, or just whiny? Will working out make you feel better or worse? Will this ‘possible injury’ give way to a real injury if you push it? It’s so much better to take it easy for a day or two than to be forced to take it easy for a week or two (or longer).
- If you’re sick. There were times during the last couple of months when I was sick and wanted to work out anyways, so I did. But, if you are sick, and you don’t want to, you don’t really have to. I know that it’s okay to workout if the sickness is neck & up, and you should take a break if it’s a chest thing, but honestly? Even if it’s just a chest cold, if you aren’t feeling up to it, take it easy on yourself. I think that running boosts immunity (up to a point, anyways; I’m always healthier when I’m training, but seemed to have a nosedive off the health cliff immediately post-marathon), but sometimes rest can do a world of good.
- If you really, really feel you need a day off, even though your rest day isn’t scheduled for another four days. If you’re having trouble functioning, SLEEP! Exercise can be exhausting, and most of us can’t go go go all the time. One extra day off is not going to eliminate any level of fitness.
- You are putting something else crucial in jeopardy. If you need to unexpectedly stay late at work to finish a project, you should do it & not worry about the workout. Although I occasionally fantasize about being jobless (and independently wealthy, natch) so that I can devote more time to working out, if you need your job to pay your mortgage and fuel your runs (not to mention pay for all those race entries), it’s okay to stay late. Same thing if it’s a relationship that needs you – whether friend or romantic. If a friend really needs a shoulder, skip a workout be there. If your SO stops even planning on seeing you for dinner, maybe it’s time for a date night instead of a running night.
- Just because. Honestly – if you aren’t skipping workouts left & right, and don’t have a handy excuse grab bag always at the ready, sometimes it’s okay to just skip a workout because you don’t feel like it – just don’t make it a habit.
So – if you’re wondering if it’s okay to skip a workout, the answer is OF COURSE it is. Sometimes. When it stops being fun, then take a mini-break. Do something different. Try something new. Remember why you started in the first place. And then, get right back into it.
