Wondering why you’re not exercising, even though you know you should? You’re not lazy, and it’s not about a lack of willpower. The truth is more complex—and more fixable.
It’s not about willpower. It’s about what you believe you deserve.
We hear it all the time:
“I just don’t have the willpower.”
But let’s be clear: you absolutely do.
You use willpower every day. To get out of bed when you’re exhausted. To show up for work, parent your kids, manage a household, and meet deadlines. If why you’re not exercising was truly about willpower, you wouldn’t be able to handle half of what you do already.
The real reason is more subtle: You’ve been conditioned to believe that after a hard day, you deserve to indulge. That self-care means “treating” yourself—with junk food, wine, takeout, or hours of mindless scrolling. That rest looks like collapse. That checking out counts as recharging.
And it’s simply not true.
Why you’re not exercising: The reward system is broken.
Somewhere along the way, we replaced self-care with short-term relief. We started calling passive, unhealthy habits “balance.”
A stressful week becomes a reason to skip training.
An argument justifies eating an entire bag of chips.
A tough deadline gives permission to stay up late watching shows we don’t even enjoy.
We believe these things are earned. That they somehow compensate for the stress we’ve faced.
But in reality, they just add to it.
If you’re wondering why you’re not exercising, ask yourself:
Have I started believing that unhealthy habits are a form of care?
That doing something destructive is the same as doing something nurturing?
Because the body doesn’t know the story. It only feels the result.
Real self-care doesn’t always feel good at first—but it works
True self-care is active. It asks something of you.
It might mean showing up to your session when you’d rather crash on the couch.
It might mean planning meals instead of eating out (again).
It might mean lacing up your shoes and walking for 20 minutes even when you’re not in the mood.
But here’s the magic: these actions don’t just serve your future self. They actually start making your present self feel better too.
More energy. Better sleep. Less anxiety. Real pride.
Compare that to the cycle of “treating” yourself and then waking up groggy, inflamed, or disappointed in your choices.
So if you’re stuck asking yourself why you’re not exercising, it’s not because you don’t care. It’s because your definition of “care” needs to evolve.
You deserve better rewards.
Let’s flip the script. You don’t deserve another evening of self-sabotage masked as comfort.
You deserve:
- An hour that’s just for you
- A body that doesn’t ache all the time
- Strength that helps you move through life, not just survive it
- Energy after 3 p.m.
- A coach who knows your goals and helps you stay on track
When you rewire what “deserve” means, everything changes.
Because once you believe you deserve real support, real rest, and real progress—your choices start to match that belief.
And suddenly, why you’re not exercising becomes a question of the past.
It’s not about doing more—it’s about thinking differently.
This isn’t about hustling harder or adding more to your to-do list. It’s about waking up to a mindset that’s been quietly sabotaging your goals.
If you want to know why you’re not exercising, it’s not because you’re weak.
It’s because you’ve been rewarding yourself in ways that take more than they give.
And that’s good news.
Because you can change that today.
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In CrossFit Glasshouse we are teaching our members to invest in their health,
instead of chasing instant gratification - Book a call to learn more about our methods
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