Top Excuses Not to Workout or Eat Healthy: Is Yours On The List?

ByJennifer Bates

I want you to do something a little uncomfortable today. I want you to meet your excuses.

Not dismiss them. Not feel guilty about them. Just meet them, look them square in the face, and call them by name. Excuses are sneaky – they sound logical, they sound completely reasonable, but trust me, they are excuses. And if you never stop to admit that yes, this truly is just an excuse, they will continue to keep you stuck. Because one thing we know… nothing changes if nothing changes.

These are a compilation of well-loved and well-used excuses we’ve heard over and over and over throughout the years. And listen, I’m not casting stones, because I’ve been guilty of letting a few of these hold me back too. But thankfully I have an accountability buddy (aka my husband) who will gently tell me, “Wife, that’s just an excuse” As uncomfortable as it feels to hear that at the time, he’s right.

So friend, if you don’t have an accountability buddy to keep you on-track, let me be yours today. What’s your excuse? Is it in the list below?

What’s your excuse?

I get it, life is genuinely busy. Work, kids, commuting, cooking, laundry, appointments. It piles up fast. But I want to ask you one honest question: how much time did you spend on your phone yesterday? Not working, just scrolling. Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, the news, doomscrolling. 🫣 The average American adult spends over two hours a day on social media. Two hours. Saying this loudly for all to hear: 📢 a solid workout takes 30 minutes. That’s just 2% of your entire day.

Also, did you binge-watch your favorite series this weekend? In the spirit of being your accountability buddy, girl, meal-prepping could have gotten done during your TV time!

My point is – you don’t have a “not enough time” problem. You have a priority problem. And that’s not a criticism, that’s just the truth between friends. So, friend, I can’t let you use “I don’t have time” as an excuse anymore. You know it, and I know it. Step out of your own way, put the phone down and get it done.

Girl, same, my gosh SAME. But can I tell you something actually hopeful about this? The research consistently shows that regular exercise actually increases your energy over time. Workouts energize you and actually help you feel human again. The thing you’re too tired to do is literally the thing that would help you feel less tired. I know. It’s so weird, but I promise, these are facts. And all of our members here at Coastal Fitness live this everyday. They have more energy at the end of the day – they don’t feel like they need to just drop in bed from exhaustion.

Okay, let’s talk money honestly. Yes, some gyms are pricier than others. 🙋‍♀️We’ll be the first to raise our hand that, yes, Coastal Fitness is pricier than your run-of-the-mill “gym” (we’re “personal training” though, not ‘do-it-yourself’!) If your budget is seriously tight, there are gyms in Fort Myers running $30 a month. Thirty dollars. And a home workout? Completely free. YouTube has more free workout content than you could ever use in a lifetime.

But here’s what I really want to ask you. How much is that phone in your hand? How much are you paying every month for Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Max, and whatever else is auto-drafting from your account? How much did you spend going out to eat last weekend? What did you spend this month at Marshall’s, Starbucks, or Amazon? 🫣 Most of us are spending money on a lot of things we don’t think twice about, and then telling ourselves we can’t afford our health.

And here’s the thing nobody wants to say out loud but I will: future medical bills make gym membership fees look tiny. Blood pressure medication, diabetes management, joint replacements, physical therapy – and these are the lighter end of the “results of poor health.”

I won’t even go into the devastating effects (financially and lifestyle) of the cancers that are caused by preventable risk factors such as excess weight, low physical activity, and unhealthy diet. READ THIS STUDY FOR MORE DETAILS This is where the real money goes when we spend years de-prioritizing our health.

The way I see it, you’re not really choosing between a gym membership and saving money. You’re choosing between investing in your health now or paying for the consequences of not doing so later. I hate to state it blatantly like that, but I told you I was going to be your accountability buddy today.🤝 No fear mongering, these are facts. Don’t wait until you have your own health scare to finally take your health seriously. You can change your life, and we are here to help you every step of the way. 🥹

The gym membership is the cheaper option. By a lot. You can’t afford NOT to workout.

Can I bust a myth real quick? Motivation is not the starting line. It’s actually what shows up after you start. You’re not going to wake up one day flooded with inspiration and suddenly become a person who works out consistently. That’s not how it works. The women who have figured out ‘consistency’ aren’t more motivated than you. They just stopped waiting to feel like it and went anyway. Action first, motivation follows. Put your big girl pants on and just do it.

First of all, big-boned is not a thing. I say that with so much love, but it’s just not. Bone structure accounts for maybe a few pounds of body weight difference between people. That’s it.

Now, genetics? That’s real. Some people genuinely do have a harder starting point than others and pretending otherwise isn’t helpful or honest. But here’s what the research actually says: genetics influence your tendencies, not your destiny. They might affect how your body stores fat, how quickly your metabolism runs, or how you respond to certain foods. What they don’t do is make change impossible. Thinking genetics is holding you back is a BLOCKED MINDSET – aka an excuse.

At Coastal Fitness, we’ve had women say those things – “It’s genetics – I’ll never be able to lose the weight.” BUT, they eventually trust us enough to get out of their own way. They begin to believe our words, and the testimonies of the women who came before them, and they put their head down and get.to.work. They spend six months strength training and cleaning up their nutrition, walking the walk. Today they are not the same people they were. Their labs changed. Their shape changed. The way they move changed. Their confidence and energy changed in the best possible way. They did it, because they got out of their own way and stopped believing the excuses that held them back for years.

Facts: genetics loads the gun. How you eat, move, and sleep pulls the trigger.

Here’s what meal prep doesn’t have to be: a four-hour Sunday production where you portion out identical containers of sad chicken and steamed vegetables for the entire week. 🤢 That version sounds miserable and I don’t blame you for avoiding it. What meal prep actually needs to be is just having the right things ready so you’re not standing at the fridge at 6pm starving and making a decision you’ll regret.

Throw a roast and veggies in the crockpot before you leave for work. By dinner it’ll be done! Or pop some chicken breasts in the oven on a Sunday while you’re watching your favorite show. That one batch of chicken becomes a salad topper on Monday, a wrap on Tuesday, a stir-fry bowl on Wednesday, a chicken n red taters meal on Thursday, and a chicken taco on Friday! Roast a pan of vegetables while you’re at it. Hard boil some eggs. Keep some cut-up veggies on-hand for snacking. That’s genuinely it. Keep it simple.

A small amount of low-effort prep can completely change how the rest of your week goes. Set yourself up so future you has options instead of excuses. 😜

I want to gently push back on this one because I think we’ve been sold a story. Healthy eating got associated with Whole Foods and organic everything. No wonder it feels out of reach – food is expensive! But that’s not what eating healthy actually requires.

Eggs are one of the cheapest proteins on the planet. A bag of frozen broccoli costs less than a drive-through side. Canned beans, sweet potatoes, bananas, oats, canned tuna. None of that is expensive. The version of healthy eating that breaks the bank is the Instagram version. The version that actually works fits a normal grocery budget just fine.

But here’s where I really want you to sit for a second. A massive 2024 study reviewed 45 analyses covering nearly 10 million people and found that diets high in ultra-processed foods, think packaged snacks, frozen meals (like pizza, pierogis, lasagna), sugary cereals, fast food, are linked to 32 different health conditions. That includes a 50% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, a 48% higher risk of anxiety, and a 40 to 66% increased risk of heart disease, obesity, and Type 2 diabetes. BMJ Group And ultra-processed food now makes up nearly 60% of the average American adult’s daily calories.

So yes, a bag of chips is cheaper than a bag of apples. But the long-term cost of eating that way, the medications, the doctor visits, the lost energy, the lost years, that’s the bill nobody sees coming until it arrives.

You can’t afford to eat healthy? 🚨🚨 Friend, you can’t afford not to.🚨🚨 I hate fear-mongering, so please don’t think this is that. But let me say one more thing about this: Food manufacturers are engineering these foods to be highly addictive. Let that sink in.

Personal note: When my kids were younger, I was a single mom for quite some time, no child support, not well-off financially. For example, I remember buying fresh strawberries just for the kids, making sure they had a variety of healthy foods growing up. One time I remember complaining to my brother about how expensive organic chicken breasts were – I just couldn’t afford them.💸 He was like, “well, what can you cut back on to be able to afford better food for your kids?!” It took some budgeting to make it happen, but I found a way. It was worth cutting out something else to be able to eat cleaner, and I’m SO GLAD he didn’t just say “Oh you’re right”

ps No more excuses. When you know better, you do better.

This kind of guilt lives rent free in many mama’s heads and it needs an immediate eviction notice. C’monnn – we all know that we can’t pour from an empty cup. I know there’s always someone else who needs something (kids, parent, work), but you can’t run on empty indefinitely. Taking 30 minutes to move your body isn’t taking something away from your family. It’s what makes you sustainable (um, one might even say ‘sane’) for them. IYKYK 🤪

She’s out here researching the best program, comparing five different apps, debating which gym has better prices, and waiting until she has every single detail figured out before she commits to anything. Meanwhile, six weeks have passed. The planning became the project. I get the appeal of feeling prepared, but here’s what I know for sure: done beats perfect every single time. Pick something reasonable, start today, adjust as you go. Not Monday, not next month. Start on a Wednesday night. You get my point.

The gym memberships that went unused. The year-after-year dieting that only lasted two weeks. The challenges you started with full intention and then quietly abandoned. That history is heavy, and the emotional battles you fought, possibly for years, sucked. I’m sorry for that.

At Coastal Fitness, we do things different. We don’t push ‘extreme‘, we push ‘sustainable’. Within our 4 walls, and in our private Facebook group, you’ll hear gentle messages encouraging you to do alllllll the healthy things – drink enough water (which aids in fat loss), eat enough protein (which helps build muscle, which in-turn helps with fat loss), move your body more throughout the day, stay consistent with your workouts, reduce your screentime, meal-plan and -prep and get enough sleep. Do these sound extreme? Or do they sound like things you know you know you should be doing regardless of whatever trendy diet is hitting social media right now?

Listen, keep.it.simple. There are no shortcuts – not even with GLP-1’s (because taking GLP-1’s requires you to still do all the healthy things – eat your protein, eat healthy, strength train, drink enough water etc)

My best advice to you: Remind yourself that it’s NOT all or nothing. If you fail today, restart tomorrow. Just don’t quit on yourself. You’re worth the effort. Future you thanks you.

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but a solid 30-minute workout burns somewhere around 200 to 300 calories. One large fast food combo meal can run 1,200 or more. The math isn’t mathing. You worked out and that is genuinely great. Now fuel it, don’t erase it.

On that same thought, we also do not workout to punish ourselves, or to erase whatever we binged on this past weekend. Look, we deserve to just live a normal life – we must think about eating and working out like a marathon, not a sprint. Working out to erase a carefree weekend is not a healthy mindset. 🫣 Let’s fix that.

If the full 45 minutes isn’t available, nothing happens. If the meal prep didn’t get done on Sunday, the whole week is a wash. If one meal goes sideways, the day is ruined. Sound familiar?

Here’s the truth nobody talks about enough: a 15-minute walk counts. Half a workout counts. One solid meal in a day that otherwise went off the rails counts. Progress = showing up, even a little. No more excuses, let’s just do what we can. Today, with whatever we have at our disposal.

Oh stop, just stop with that. Let’s put this one to rest once and for all. Women do not have the testosterone levels required to accidentally build bulky muscle. Let me put it another way, it’s really REALLY hard to get bulky. The women you see who look very muscular have spent years of extremely intentional effort to get there.

What REGULAR strength training actually does for most women is boost metabolism, protect bone density, reduce injury risk, and make your body look more defined. Your body will change shape in the best possible way. Fat will be replaced by lean muscle mass. But trust me, you’re not going to accidentally become Mrs. Beefcake. You’re just going to get stronger. And that feels really good. No more talk of looking bulky – that’s a myth – and it shouldn’t stop you from your health & fitness journey!

Okay, this one gets some grace because it’s honest. Hard day, hard week, hard everything. You deserve some comfort food. Nobody is arguing that. But when food becomes the only tool in the toolbox, and “I deserve this” turns into a daily override of choices you actually care about, it stops being a treat and starts being a pattern. You deserve comfort and you deserve to feel good in your body. Those two things aren’t actually in conflict with each other.

Also, can we just be proactive about this? Let’s manage the stress first! Let’s make sure we’re hydrated, getting enough sleep, spending time outdoors, avoiding so much screentime, managing our social circle better (cut out negative influences if needed), workout regularly – which massively manages stress for us!) Start here first.

It’s time to decide: Stay Stuck or Move Forward

Changing your habits takes time, and it’s definitely not a straight-and-narrow path, it’s just not. The mindset we see flourish in our little studio is this: A solution-focused mindset. When your day goes sideways, work around it, roll with it, but don’t abandon your goals. A set-back isn’t failure and it doesn’t mean you quit. Keep your eyes on your ultimate ‘why’ – to live fully in a strong, functional, capable body.

If any of this motivated you into action (and I hope it did!) I’d like to personally invite you in for a free workout here in our Gateway/Fort Myers fitness studio! Try us free, no strings attached – beginners are always welcome! You deserve to feel good in your own skin – you deserve to be healthy. No more excuses! 😝 Here’s a bit about our memberships: CLICK HERE

I’m rooting for you!
Coach Jenn Bates
Wife, Mother, Grandmother
Co-Owner, Coastal Fitness
12220 Towne Lake Dr.
Fort Myers, FL 33913
Text us: 239-237-5508
Call me: 239-207-0003 (leave a message because I get so much spam and rarely answer the phone, ughh)

  • Group photo of Coastal Fitness members
  • Women training at Coastal Fitness Fort Myers
  • Coastal Fitness members posing for a group photo after strength training
  • Member at Coastal Fitness taking a body composition scan for weight management
  • 55 and older members strength training at Coastal Fitness
  • Group personal training at Coastal Fitness Fort Myers
  • Group personal training at Coastal Fitness Fort Myers
  • Group personal training class, members working out at Coastal Fitness using TRX straps
  • Group personal training at Coastal Fitness Fort Myers
  • Coastal Fitness coach guiding 55 and older members through strength training workout
  • Coastal Fitness members posing for a group photo after strength training
  • Group personal training class, members working out at Coastal Fitness doing a box step-up
  • 55 and older members strength training at Coastal Fitness
  • Coastal Fitness members posing for a group photo after strength training
  • Coastal Fitness members posing for a group photo after strength training
  • 55 and older members strength training at Coastal Fitness
  • Group personal training class, members working out at Coastal Fitness doing a lat pull-down on bosu ball
  • Group personal training at Coastal Fitness Fort Myers
  • Group personal training at Coastal Fitness Fort Myers
  • Coastal Fitness members posing for a group photo after strength training
  • Group personal training at Coastal Fitness Fort Myers
  • Coastal Fitness members posing for a group photo after strength training

Jenn Bates is the co-owner of Coastal Fitness in Fort Myers, Florida, where she, her hubbie Neil, and a wonderful team of coaches, provide group personal training for all ages and fitness levels. She is not a doctor, and this post is not medical advice.

Coastal Fitness 12220 Towne Lake Dr. #55, Fort Myers, FL 33913 (Gateway) (517) 605-0397 Serving Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres, Gateway, Estero, North Fort Myers, Buckingham, Miromar Lakes, and surrounding communities.