Everyone wants to be fit and healthy. Yet all of us have made these excuses at some point of time or the other. So it makes perfect sense to explore the real reason behind our not wanting to get fit. Let's take a look at the top five excuses for not getting fit and how to overcome them.

Excuse No 1: I have no spare time for myself

This one sounds so legitimate that at times we actually believe it is true. Work, colleagues, the boss, errands and chores, house work, cooking, the kids, the house, and so many things demand our attention. It is natural to get overwhelmed once in a while, but is it okay to use that as an excuse to spoil your health? No its not. The actual problem here is that you are not managing your time well. A crash course in time management is in order.

Overcome it strategy : One hour "me" time

Is it so difficult that you can't take out one hour in the day to get yourself back in good physical shape? Get organized with all your chores, and find at least one uninterrupted hour during the day when you can do something for your own health. Time management is the key here. And if you still don't find that hour, get up an hour earlier in the morning.

Excuse No 2 : I'm not well

This one is difficult to overcome. At times one really has been unwell and getting back the old fitness levels and stamina does seem like an uphill task. Here the actual problem is not the fact that you were unwell, but the attitude that you have taken. A negative attitude will never allow you to get fit or lose weight. A crash course in positive thinking is in order.

Overcome it strategy : Positive Self Talk

Instead of feeling sorry for yourself and wallowing in self pity, do something about it. Tell yourself, that you had a bad illness, and now you are over it. Or at least getting better with each passing day. Now include positive statements in your self talk. In case you are wondering what self talk is, its that inner voice that keeps speaking to us all day. And yes you can train it to say nice things to you.

Excuse No 3 : I'm too old to exercise

If a Grandad of 89 can start learning Karate at his age and become a black belt in under a year, you have no excuse. I'm not making up that statistic, the old man in question was even interviewed by the media. His name is John Fleming. So age is no bar for getting fit or losing weight. The actual problem here is your fear of public opinion. "What will my neighbors say if they see me going jogging in the morning?" is more likely to be your real problem. .

Overcome it strategy : Don't care about Public Opinion

At least not when it means losing your shot at getting fit. There is no age at which you can't get lose weight. No one is asking you to go trekking, but I'm sure you can go for a walk. Do things that you like to do and find fun. Swimming is good at any age. Pick a physical activity in line with your fitness level at present. Go for it without bothering about just how this will make your friends talk!

Excuse No 4 : I can't stick to any diet plan

Given the weird and at times downright unhealthy diets going around that's not surprising at all. Carbs for one, proteins only for another, absolutely no fat in yet another. They are not diets that promote fitness. They may give you instant weight loss but they are not healthy. The real problem here is that you don't have a healthy diet plan worth following.

Overcome it strategy : Visit a nutritionist

Going to a professional is an easy way to solve the problem. Get a diet plan designed for your needs. Each human being is different. The whole sale approach of regular diets does not work here. If you want a diet that provides you with enough nutrition to be fit and still keeps your weight under control, go get a diet plan designed to your needs. That way you will be able to stick with the diet and stay healthy as well.

Excuse No 5 : I will do it next season

Don't make procrastination your best friend. Not if you want to lead an active and healthy life. It will take some time to convince yourself that you are worth keeping fit. Don't be like the smoker who says I can quit anytime. The real problem here is that you are being just plain lazy. So give yourself a dose of healthy self criticism. You are your own biggest motivator. Take a look at yourself naked in the mirror. Do you like what you see? No? Then do something about it...now!

Overcome it strategy : Take action now

Any action is good enough as long as it is a sustained one. A simple step like going for a walk each evening can be considered positive action. Just make sure that you do it at least 5 times a week and not with some erratic schedule. And do it now! As of this evening, not tomorrow or on sunday or when I have some spare time! Start with a walk and build it up to a jog and maybe add some games to the schedule as well. Do what you can to stay fit and have some fun together.