We’ve all been there. You set a goal to exercise regularly, but when the moment comes to get moving, your mind unleashes a torrent of excuses: I’m tired. It’s cold outside. I don’t want to spend money on a class.
The first step, experts say, is to stop thinking of them as “excuses.” Just using that word can suggest you failed and should feel bad about your willpower. Research has shown that self-criticism and shame can actually stop you from meeting your goals, said Katy Milkman, a behavioral scientist at the University of Pennsylvania and the author of “How to Change.”
Instead, reframe the reasons you aren’t exercising as genuine obstacles and devise a plan to overcome them, Dr. Milkman said.