Deflating Your Excuses Not to Exercise

Have you ever wondered why the moon looks bigger on the horizon than it does overhead?  It's actually an optical illusion called the Ponzo illusion.  The Ponzo illusion suggests that our minds judge the size of objects based on it's background.  In our minds, we see the sky as a flattened dome so objects over our heads appear farther than near the horizon.  This image is reinforced by objects such as clouds, birds and airplanes which move across the sky at a uniform height and are indeed closer when they are over our heads and farther away when at the horizon.  All of this means that when we see the moon near the horizon, we will think it closer thus, it appears to be bigger.

When it comes to exercising regularly, it is easy to give in to one of these favorite excuses: 

I am too busy at work. 

I do not have enough time. 

I am too tired.

It is too cold. 

I do not have the right clothes. 

I am too old. 

I am too fat. 

I hate going to the gym. 

I don't like exercising. 

I am too busy with the kids. 

The list goes on and on.  But how many of our excuses not to exercise are inflated by the Ponzo illusion?  Just as the moon appears to look bigger on the horizon, our excuses might seem to hold more truth by the angle from which we perceive them.   

Take, for example, the most famous excuse not to exercise, "I don't have enough time." What if you were to separate this statement from your perception of "enough time" and your belief about how long you need to workout.  Now reexamine this excuse.  How much truth does this excuse hold now? 

Many times, our perception gives power to excuses that maintain the status quo.  It's a brilliant strategy! 

By the way, to see that the moon is not actually any larger at the horizon than overhead, look at the moon through an empty paper towel roll when it is near the horizon.  Without the dome-like space to refer to, it will appear smaller as it does overhead.

Thoughtful reflection:  How does your perception about age, weight or physical ability influence your excuses not to exercise?

Comments

[Miracle]

I know I've personally used the excuse about not enough time to exercise. It really took me a picture and a scale to motivate me enough to create the time.

[poetryman69]

cycling through the news helps.

[Evan]

Hi Terri,

My approach is to try to find a way to make it fun. A friend and I go for a walk most evenings - its a nice way to catch up and talk about the day as well as getting some enjoyable exercise.