I have heard more excuses to not workout or be active that I can count on all of your readers' fingers. And while some of them are quite amusing, and others amazingly creative (I have considered handing out yearly awards in fact), most of them are, in a word, bogus. Now hear me out, I GET how and why some people do not like to exercise. Yes, even though it is my job, I can certainly see why people don't love it as much as I do, and I have many days where it doesn't exactly appeal to me either. Yes, it is my hobby, and I am lucky that it happens to keep me healthy. Other people enjoy other types of hobbies, while they do make you happy, they may not make you fit. Motivating yourself to exercise is truly in your attitude and approach. Let me share my most frequently heard excuses and how to BUST them.

I don't have the time. This is the most common excuse people use to avoid exercise. It's true, you're busy and juggling schedules but you can find small windows of time you can use to get fit. If you consider there are 24 hours in a day, it seems reasonable that you should be able to find 30 minutes to exercise. If you do the math, a 30 minute workout is 2% of you day, surely this can be doable with a little bit of effort. If you've tried this and still continue to use this excuse, there are exercise routines that have been trimmed down to as little as 10 minutes! Check out So.Be.Fit.'s facebook page. . . every Tuesday our trainer Cori posts a Ten Minute Tuesday Workout for great examples. And, you can do them right in your home. Give them a try-you'll be surprised at the difference 10 minutes a day can make! All the sudden you will seem to find the time 😄

I don't want to get bulky. Women often use this excuse as a reason NOT to perform strength exercises. To get "ripped" like female body builders, you would have to spend hours and hours in the gym. A typical routine for increasing strength will not cause you to get bulky. Strength training will increase your metabolism, slow down sarcopenia (the degenerative loss of muscle mass and strength that naturally occurs as we age) and decrease your risk of osteoporosis.

I'm too tired. If you're using this excuse then you have no idea what a rush and an energy booster exercise can be. Exercise pumps you full of feel good endorphins and boosts metabolism so you feel more energized throughout the day. The best way to get past this excuse is to use the 10 min. trick. Commit to just 10 min. and then if you're still tired you'll quit. 9.9 times out of 10 you'll keep going. After all, the first 10 minutes are usually the hardest, so keep going since you got your blood pumping. . . why stop now?!

I'm injured. If you read my article a few issues back, you would know that I have very recent experience with a major injury. No, I couldn't run but I used alternatives to get in my workouts; and in the end I feel I was just as strong, if not stronger than before the injury. Plenty of people get into car accidents, break a leg, tear a ligament, hurt their back, or worse. This doesn't stop the most committed from getting in shape. If you are hurt or injured, talk to your doctor about what you can and can't do. You may not be as limited as you think and exercising could help you heal faster. If your doctor is not very informed or supportive you can talk to a trainer with experience in injury rehabilitation. There are plenty out there who know safe and effective ways to get injured people back in shape.

Exercise is boring. If you look at it that way then of course it is. Change your mentality and you'll be more likely to stick with it. A good way to do this is to start thinking of exercise as a necessity because in reality it is. The less you use your body the more trouble you'll have as you get older. You can also think of exercise as stress relief since it counteracts all the stress hormones that cause you to store more fat and increases feel good hormones that boost mood. Good strategies include making upbeat playlists or listening to a book on tape while you get in your cardio, have a running/walking buddy, and trying a new group fitness class each week. These will keep your mind and body fresh.

A gym membership is expensive. Not everyone can afford a personal trainer 3 times a week like the red carpet celebrities. But you needn't break the bank to get fit. Call around for specials, and Groupon type deals. Many studios offer the first class free or for very little, and most almost always have a promotion. But you don't need a gym to work out. Hit the Monon trail, or one of our many parks for some of those 10 minute torchers!