Your Top Excuses On Our "BS Meter"

     Chances are good that if you’re here, you’ve signed up for the Beast. That’s awesome, and really, we’re so proud of you. But have you taken the next step? We have trainers and fitness gurus coming in and giving you training tips, and we’re quickly gaining steam until September 6. Next week will mark five months until we run on the beach! That’s sick, right? It’s not as sick as you will be if you don’t start training. If you’re thinking “Yeah, but I have a good reason for not training yet,” we’ve got you covered. We’re whipping out our BS meter to debunk some of these excuses. We’ll take the SANDY B**CHES route (who claim their team name is actually Sandy Beaches), and say that “BS” stands for “Beast Silliness.” The higher the rating out of 10, the more your excuse doesn’t hold water. Let’s get started.

     Excuse 1: Exercise is boring.

This isn't scenery. Get outside.

     BS Meter: 7/10. If you just run on a treadmill and stare at a blank wall, of course it’s going to be boring. But with the weather warming up, there’s no reason you can’t be outside running. If you don’t want to run, play some sports. Or roller blade. Dance. Bike. Swim. Do something that’s going to push you while you’re having fun. Exercise is boring is no excuse. Frankly, your excuses are boring. Let’s see what’s next…

     Excuse 2: I’ve tried exercising before and I didn’t like it.

There's a small story about broccoli. Read it!

     BS Meter: 5/10. Let me tell you the story of a little Beast. When I – er, my friend – was just a young Beast, I – he – tried broccoli. Beasts aren’t supposed to like broccoli, right? We’re supposed to like violence and gore, not green vegetables. So this little beast didn’t like broccoli. But when I grew up to be a bigger beast, I tried broccoli again and I loved it! Now everything I do involves the color green. I help the Barber National Institute, whose colors are green, and I show up at the Barber Beast on the Bay because its color is green. I owe it all to broccoli.

Don’t believe my story? That’s because that story was a pile of garbage and so is your excuse.

     Excuse 3: I’m too tired.

     BS Meter: 6/10. Long hours, early mornings, not enough coffee. Whatever the reason, you’re feeling tired and you don’t want to do anything. What’s going to happen if you feel that way on September 6? Nothing good, that’s for sure. There are many ways to gain energy. Pre-workouts are one, though I don’t recommend those. I recommend just sucking it up and getting started. Even getting a light workout going will give you more energy to do something more challenging, and you’ll even have energy to spare for after you’re done working out.

     Excuse 4: I don’t feel like it.

     BS Meter: 9/10. Did you feel like waking up early to go to work? Did you feel like working? Did you feel like doing anything but lying in your nice, warm bed? Maybe, maybe not, but you still got up and were productive today. Make working out something fun that you “have” to do. If it’s a part of your routine, it will be easy to, as Nike says, “Just do it.”

You're not Bruno Mars. Even if "Today [you] don't feel like doing anything," you should still do it.

     Excuse 5: I don’t have time.

     BS Meter: 10/10. If you’re married, think back to when you were dating. If you’re single, think back to last week. Have you ever said or heard “I just don’t have time for a boyfriend/girlfriend right now.” Do you know what that really meant? It likely meant “I’m just not interested in you so I’m making something up.” You’re treating exercise like that person you weren’t interested in. “Oh, I’m sorry, treadmill. I just don’t have time for you. It’s not you; it’s me.” Really? That’s what we’re going with? People make time for the things they want. If you want to succeed on September 6 bad enough, you’ll make the time needed to cross the finish line.