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Top 20 excuses for avoiding workouts

A woman exercises in a gym in central London, Thursday, Feb. 25, 2010. (AP Photo/Sang Tan)

HOUSTON (KIAH) — Too tired to work out? Most people are, according to a new survey on the top excuses for skipping exercise.

Not enough time in the day? That’s the stance of 1 in 4 people in a survey of 2,000 Brits who say more exercise would be possible if days were longer. So until we can bend space and time, we can probably forget about working out more.


The survey, commissioned by nutritional supplement company Spatone, also found that the weather — including, rain, cold and snow — was a factor, with 3 in 5 saying it affects whether they stick to their routine, reported the Express in the UK.

Time of day makes a difference as well, with 35% saying they would skip evening workouts compared to 1/5 of people doing so in the morning.

Of those polled, 1 in 10 said hunger would cause them to skip working out, while 16% said they’d put it off if they’d just finished eating.

And whereas more than half of respondents said they’d probably find an excuse to avoid exercising alone, 1 in 10 admitted they’re not above bailing when planning to work out with someone else.

Top 20 excuses many use for avoiding a workout:

  1. Too tired
  2. Weather – Rain specifically
  3. Weather – Too cold
  4. Feeling sick
  5. Just ate
  6. Too late
  7. No time
  8. Feel sore
  9. It’s boring
  10. Left work too late
  11. Planning to work out tomorrow
  12. Dark outside
  13. Worked out yesterday
  14. Got other plans
  15. Snow
  16. Hangover
  17. Rest week
  18. Too hungry
  19. Don’t want to work out in public
  20. Planning early night

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 150 minutes each week, which could be 30 minutes a day, five days a week. For better health, adults need both aerobic activity and muscle strengthening.

“Adults should move more and sit less throughout the day,” the CDC stated. “Some physical activity is better than none.”

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