Holiday Pep-talk: Why You Should Workout Through the Holidays.

"I'm just going to wait until after Thanksgiving to start" or "I'll just start after the New Year."

All I hear is "let me gain another 10 pounds before I start working out."  Yes!  Genius!  How about "let me spend another $1000 I don't have before I start saving"?

I've heard this literally hundreds of times.  People putting off getting in shape just one more week, then it's a month, then they never even start.  All of a sudden, you're pushing 40, your back hurts, you get winded walking up a flight of stairs, then your knees hurt, and now you have yet another excuse.  Psst, just a head's up, your knees and back hurt because you haven't used those muscles in so long that they have suffered atrophy.  Work them out, they will get stronger and the pain will go away.  I know, shocker right?

The longer you wait, the further you push back your accomplishments.  So many people get stuck in a vicious cycle of starting to workout, make some progress, then quit. Now, they have to start all over again.  If you start and miss a week, who cares!  Get back in there the next week.  The longer you wait, the harder it's going to be to start up again.

I have always said workout even harder during the holidays.  It's the perfect time to start if you haven't been doing anything.  There's going to be candy out, lots of food, a huge turkey with mounds of mashed potatoes, and another 1000 calories to come after that.  You need to keep that metabolism revved up and burn off some of those extra calories.  I like to earn my Thanksgiving meal, I crush myself in the gym that day or the day before.  And the day after for that matter.  Staying on top of something is the best way to maintain it.  Don't skip a beat, even if it is the Holidays.

Waiting to start working out or beginning any kind of fitness endeavor is just plain dumb.

You know that saying "today is first day of the rest of your life"?   Well, apply that to your health.  Why wait?  Anything you say right now is just an excuse.  Don't believe me?  Watch this:

Excuse: I don't have any money.
Answer: It's free to do pushups, sit-ups, and squats at home.  And last I checked, it didn't cost anything to run on the sidewalk.  Can't run?  Then walk!  I know you can do that.

Excuse: I don't have any time.
Answer: Bullsh#t! Did you watch TV today?  Did you sit at the computer, watching stupid kitten videos on Facebook?  That is time you could have stood up and done squats and watched it.  That sounds crazy?  I sound like a fitness nut?  You will realize I'm right when you're 42 years old and feel like shit and your doctor tells you that you need to lose 30 pounds or you're going to have a ton of health problems.

Excuse: I'm tired after work.
Answer: Start working out and you'll have more energy.  You'll sleep better, you'll feel better, and soon you'll be dying to get to the gym after work.  No, I'm not joking.

Bottom line is keep working out. If you feel unhealthy and out of shape, get off your butt and go to the gym.  I don't care if the Holidays are coming up.  Stay active.  Be Healthy.  And START TODAY!