Health

We've all done it before. We make up any and every excuse not to work out. But nutritionist and fitness expert Tosca Reno knows just the way to bust those excuses and get us to the gym!

"I have too many other commitments."

Fix It: Manage your time! You need to take a good, hard look at how you're spending your time and then plan your week to make yourself the top priority. If you have time to Facebook, you have time to work out.

Plan your workouts and meals at the begining of the week and stick to your schedule. Schedule gym time as you would a dentist appointment.

Create a new routine, and you'll realize that it is not as hard as you imagined. "Working out regularly and eating a diet of whole, unprocessed foods has become so habitual for me that I hardly recognize them as habits anymore," Tosca says.

 

"The gym is intimidating."

Fix It: Know you are not alone. "In my head I pictured these impossibly buff gym rats laughing at my pathetic efforts, but in actuality, most gym-goers are pretty ordinary. When I first started, I put on my gym shoes and baggy sweats and told myself 'You have to start somewhere,'" Tosca says.

Tosca soon realized most gym goers are completely focused on what they're doing. In fact, between putting your mind into the muscle and checking your form in the mirror, there's no time to be sizing up other people.

Don't be afraid to ask for help. If it's the equipment that you find intimidating, don't be afraid to ask for help, talk to a friend before going to the gym or even hire a personal trainer a session or two to show you the ropes.

Finally, set an obtainable goal. Tosca set an unintimidating goal of spending just 30 minutes in the gym, arranging her schedule so she went during the quiet hours, then blasted her music and tuned out the rest of the world.

"I hate working out in public."

Fix It: Stay at home: There are tons of easy and effective at-home workouts you can do, most of which can be done with minimal equipment.

From there, you can invest in small equipment. You'd be amazed what you can achieve in your living room using your own bodyweight, some resistance bands and a dumbbell or two. Towels, a staircase, a jump rope, a mini trampoline — all are great ways to get your heart pumping in the privacy of your own home.

Working out at home also comes with other benefits. It's cheaper, you have less excuses because you don't have to travel anywhere, and it doesn't depend on the weather.