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The 5 Lies People Tell Themselves When Failing At A Fitness Challenge And How To Avoid Them

April 13, 2022 4 min read

Failing at a fitness challenge is daunting, frustrating, and disappointing. There is no reason to feel bad about yourself if it happens. However, there are lies that you might tell yourself after failing at a fitness challenge which can only make the situation worse. Here are the lies people tell themselves when failing a fitness challenge and how to avoid them.

"I don't have the time."

You probably do have the time, but you're failing to take advantage of the time you do have. If you're the one who's cooking your meals, then cook several in advance and freeze them until it's time to eat them. If you don't get up early enough to squeeze in a workout before work, then workout later in the evening (or during your lunch hour). You simply have to prioritize your health and fitness above everything else.

Here’s a tip to avoid this excuse:

Make a commitment to yourself: Make exercise non-negotiable by committing to doing it first thing in the morning or right after work or school pick up before you do anything else. This way, you will never have the excuse "I don't have the time."

"I don't have the right equipment."

In many cases, heavy workout equipment can be expensive or take up space in our homes. You don't need fancy equipment to start working out: All you really need is comfortable clothing and a pair of running shoes. If you want to do more advanced workouts, get a jump rope and resistance bands, which are very affordable and portable.

Here are some tips to avoid this excuse:

1. Keep It Simple

Simplicity is key here – you don’t need fancy equipment, treadmills, or even a gym membership to get started. You can start with just your body weight and these simple moves:

Push-ups

Squats

Lunges

Planks

2. Use What You Have

There’s no need for expensive weights or machines! Instead, use these items as your dumbbells:

Jugs filled with water, sand, or rocks

Bags of rice

Backpacks filled with books and supplies (the kids will be surprised when you carry them off!)

Gallon jugs filled with milk, juice, or water

Canned goods (Don’t forget to recycle!)

These are just examples, but you can always improvise and use what you have at home.

"My efforts make no difference."

We tell ourselves this when we feel like our efforts aren't paying off as they should. You must overcome this lie by remembering that every effort does make a difference, even if it's not immediately noticeable. Our bodies store the memory of every workout, no matter how trivial it seems, so keep working on yourself, even if the results aren't showing right away.

When you're joining a fitness challenge, you may be working with others, but in some ways, it's all about you. You have to push yourself, even when it seems like your efforts are making no difference.

You may look around you and think, "I'm working just as hard as they are, but they're losing more weight than I am!" It's easy to be discouraged by your own progress when you look at the results of others.

Here’s a tip:

Don't compare your progress to anyone else's achievements. I know this is easier said than done, especially when you're working in close proximity to others who are also trying to lose weight. But comparing yourself with someone else is a surefire way to demoralize yourself and set yourself up for failure.

"The challenge wasn't designed for me."

The thing about fitness challenges is that they're designed to be hard. They're meant to challenge you, to push you outside your comfort zone — otherwise, what would be the point?

Challenges are designed to help you push yourself and try new things. They're about progress, not perfection. You're expected to work on the goal but not achieve it perfectly every day.

For some people, this is an obvious concept. But for others, the idea of challenging themselves is terrifying. Even when they join a challenge designed to help them improve their lives, they'll come up with an excuse to avoid the challenge because they're afraid of failing.

But here's the good news: Although every fitness challenge was designed to be challenging, they were also designed so that anyone can participate and achieve success.

Here’s a tip for you:

The only thing that you need to do to become successful with your fitness challenges is work within your limits. Need to modify some of the exercises? Go for it! Need to scale back on the intensity? No problem! Push yourself, but don’t overexert yourself to avoid burnout and this excuse.

I just need more time to get this right."

It's easy to tell yourself you need more time, but you'll never "be ready" to make a change. You don't need to wait until the timing is perfect or you're in the right mood — there is no ideal time to start. Make a decision and stick with it.

Here’s a tip:

Just start.Again, there will never be a perfect time. One day, or day one- you choose.

No matter what type of fitness challenge you choose, there will be an element of sacrifice and hard work involved. However, you can avoid some common pitfalls. The key is to understand that these challenges are designed to push you out of your comfort zone, and, once in that realm, there is no turning back. That is when they give the best return on investment. If you slip up along the way, jump back into it. Reevaluate your fitness goals, regroup and move forward to achieve fitness success for a lifetime.

April Lloren

April is a fun-loving mother of three beautiful children. She is one of a few people who enjoy public speaking and loves motivating others. April is a registered nurse by profession but always had a passion for writing, thanks to Carrie Bradshaw. She has written over two thousand blogs and counting. She is also a link-building expert and works as the SEO Specialist for VPA Australia.