What To Do When You “Just Don’t Feel Like” Working Out

“I just don’t feel like it,” is probably the most common excuse people use to skip their workout. Every once in a while, it’s not a big deal. However, if this excuse becomes a habit, it can really keep you from reaching your health and wellness goals.

About a month ago, I completely lost my desire to follow my weight lifting program. Even with all of the time, effort, and experience I have both with myself and coaching others, my very first instinct was, “I’m not getting all my workouts in each week, so I should just quit.”

But I know better!!! So instead of giving into the convenience of quitting, I took myself through the same process through which I take my clients in similar boats.

The process is always unique to each individual I work with, as everyone’s starting line, experience, and set of circumstances is different. However, there is a gist to it. And as I was going through my own process this past month, it’s something I wanted to share.

Here are the three most common steps to follow when you really just don’t feel like working out. 

Ride the Wave

If you’re a Type A perfectionist like me, you’ll likely be able to relate when I say that when something is wrong, I immediately want to try to make it right again. Something I’ve been getting better at is accepting that sometimes, it’s best to just let things be, even if it’s uncomfortable. So, instead of completely panicking over the fact that I had no desire to follow my weight lifting program and going right into troubleshooting mode, I just let myself enjoy the day off. That day turned into a week, and I still withheld panic. Sometimes a week off from the gym is exactly what I need to return refreshed and ready to continue. 

Of course, this isn’t something we can do too often if we have goals we’re trying to reach, but I always remind my clients that time off from the gym is imperative. Hitting every single workout all 52 weeks of the year is not only unlikely but unnecessary. Time away from work, time out of the house, time away from family and out with friends, and time away from your fitness routine are all necessary components of sanity and fulfillment. 

But, if you’re like me and you're having more than just an off day or an off week, keep reading for the next step.

Identify the Obstacle(s)

After a week passed and I still had no desire to follow my weight lifting program, I really knew something was up. It could have been really easy to just say, “I don’t feel like it,” and to keep avoiding it. But I knew that avoidance wouldn’t serve me. To see a different result, I had to dig deeper. 

So I asked myself, “What is it specifically about my weight lifting program that I don’t feel like doing?” Often, it’s not that we don’t want to exercise. We’re usually dreading something else. 

After some reflection, I arrived at two answers: I was tired of the fact that my weight lifting program required me to be at the gym for every workout, and I was craving more flexibility to exercise at home sometimes. Closely related to that, the mental load I was carrying felt heavy enough, and loading up a heavy barbell was starting to feel like more of a negative stressor than a positive one. 

Both of those feelings led me to conclude that it was time to adjust my routine. 

It’s okay, and human, to “not feel like it” some days. But if that is a persistent feeling, it isn’t possible to overcome it without identifying exactly what is standing in your way. Sometimes, the obstacle and fix can be rather simple to come by. I once had a client tell me she hated running and dreaded every single run she planned to do. As you can imagine, she was relieved to hear me explain how she didn’t have to run to maintain her physical health and that she had other options. As another example, many of my clients struggle to show up for a workout after work. The combination of an unpredictable work schedule and other evening obligations can make evening workouts too difficult to adhere to, and rearranging their morning routine to fit workouts in before work can make all of the difference. 

But it’s not always that simple. Many of us struggle to adhere to a workout routine because we’re drained, whether it’s due to the stress and overwhelm from caretaking or illness or work or grief or a combination of them all. And when we’re drained, we crave convenience and simplicity. Making time to workout in a gym for 60 minute blocks of time is neither simple nor convenient for many. 

Which is why I elected to resort to faster dumbbell workouts done right in my living room. Simple? Check. Convenient? Check. 

Unfortunately, a little, nagging voice in my head tried to make me feel bad for not doing enough… which leads me to the final and honestly, the hardest step. 

Find acceptance

There’s a scene in Bridesmaids (starring Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway) when a woman helping Kate try on a Vera Wang wedding dress says, “You don’t alter a Vera Wang to fit you, you alter yourself to fit Vera.” Seeing a high-maintenance, spoiled woman panic in a high-end wedding dress shop in downtown New York that 99.9999% of people couldn’t afford to step foot into is what makes the movie a comedy.

What’s not so funny is that diet culture has been sending us a similar message for decades: If you’re dedicated enough, you will maintain a strenuous, time-intensive workout routine. If you aren’t fitting in 60 minute sessions that leave you dripping in sweat, your dedication is lacking, and you’re the problem. 

What I strive to do with every client I meet is to create a sustainable workout routine that seamlessly fits into their schedule. But implementing that new routine isn’t always the hardest part. It’s common for comparison to be a huge obstacle we have to overcome first. 

For me, comparing my current, dumbbell workout in the living room self to my previous, heavy barbell in the gym self was so frustrating. And every day, I hear people deliver similar sentiments. “I used to run 5ks!” “I used to be able to do full range of motion lunges!” “I used to workout five days per week!” “I used to have a flatter stomach!” “I used to have more energy!” 

And because we’re not who we used to be, we feel frustrated, discouraged, defeated. BUT luckily, fitness is not like a Vera Wang dress sold by a delusional and completely disconnected from the real world lady in New York City. Fitness is not meant to make you jump through hoops every day as you run yourself into the ground, not even sparing enough energy to gently pat yourself on the back for your “dedication.” 

Fitness is meant to suit you. Fitness is meant to serve you. Fitness is meant to fit into your routine. Fitness is meant to make your life easier.

In some seasons, fitness may look like 10-20 minutes of mobility every other day. Or 30 minutes of light strength exercises two days per week. Or simply striving to get outside every day for a 15 minute walk. In other seasons, you may have a little more to give. But when you lead with acceptance, you don’t see one as better or one as worse. You just see it all as doing your best. 

If this is a process you’d like to chat more about, click here to schedule a complimentary, no-strings-attached consultation. We’ll discuss what’s standing in your way, and what we can do about it together!