I first made an this observation as a teenager. The cool roller-skating rink Aquarius, on MIramar Road, had gone out of business. I couldn't believe how. Me and all my teenager friends packed the place on Friday night.

It became a 24-Hour Fitness. And that's when I noticed...all 15 cars in the parking lot were parked close to the door. Here are people that are paying money to get exercise, yet they don't want to park in a space that's an extra 25 yards away!

I wondered if there were stairs or an elevator to get to the front door, which would people take?

Someone could argue that it's habit. You're just used to trying to park close to where your destination is.

I know with me, I have so many excuses for not exercising. And I know I'm not alone.

For example, my friends daughter (in her 30s) broke her arm skating at a rink. She said she goes to the roller rink for exercise. Yet, she is unemployed and paying money to get in. Why not skate around the beach, park, or neighborhood you live? Instead, she broke her arm skating backwards, and not seeing a couple kids that were holding hands. She fell over their arms and broke her wrist and arm. Which is now her excuse for not exercising.

I lost 55 pounds a few years ago. And I was exercising like crazy. When I gained 20 pounds of that back, I started looking at what the problem could be. I no longer ate fast food, but...I still had that sweet tooth. I was telling myself I could have some chocolate each day. After all, reports said it was good for your heart (even though that's mostly dark chocolate, which I don't care for). And...when I interviewed a Mr. Universe, he told me it's fine to eat desserts, as long as it's in moderation.

I thought about how I wasn't swimming anymore. The reason for that was always a lame excuse. There's be too many people in the pool at LA Fitness. Or, I'd have to take a shower afterwards, because I've read that chlorine isn't good for your hair (and with the receeding hairline I got, I don't want to do anything that might damage the hair I have left).

So now, after my racquetball games, I no longer jump into the pool.

I might also try to justify things in other ways. If I'm going to the Del Mar Fair, I might say...well, I'll be walking around all day. I don't need to get any basketball in.

I have a dog now. I usually walk him 3 or 4 times each day. So if I don't exercise, I tell myself I've made up for it with the walking.

But I'm only walking for 30 minutes each time. And sure, doctors like to tell you how great that is. But in reality, you need to sweat and get some cardio going to do much good with weight loss.

If I'm going to a concert that night, I'll convince myself I don't have to exercise, as I'll be standing for hours watching the performers (Although, I was at Nikka Costa last night at the Belly Up...and if there's ever a concert where you wouldn't sit down, that's it; she's funky and you dance. Not me. I sat and watched).

A lot of people like to use the excuse about not having enough time. And that really doesn't fly, either.

I used to make fun of this Vietnamese friend of mine named Tong. Not because he was named Tong, but because we used to play basketball together. And there was a time when we'd be going to play and he wouldn't want to. His reason: I don't like to sweat.

I thought that was so bizarre, especially since there's nothing I like more than having some great games of hoop, and leaving the court with a dripping shirt. I mean, it isn't fun dealing with the leather on the seats of your car. But I found that I am now actually using the "sweating" excuse.

I had an hour I could get some basketball or racquetball in. But I was going to go to the bank and to Vons. I didn't want to run those errands with a dripping shirt, so I just skip the exercise.

I'd instead spend that time reading or doing some activity that doesn't involve...sweating.

But I can't use that excuse with LA Fitness, as they have showers. But I would say to myself -- Well, if I played basketball for 45 minutes, and took a 15 minute shower -- that's just not enough time to play a few games, so why bother. Or I would say -- I took a shower this morning. That would be a waste of that shower, to go and exercise now.

My stepbrother does the opposite. He'll take a shower before he goes to exercise. And, he finds excuses to exercise, even if it inconveniences him or anyone around him.

When I was renting a house in San Marcos, he'd ride his bike from Oceanside over to my place.

When I had a place in Mira Mesa, he'd ride his bike from Rancho Bernardo, and we'd go eat pizza at Fillippi's (which I always joked, killed the calories he lost riding over).

Sometimes he'd ride his bike from Mira Mesa, to a Padres game on Friars Road.

I'd finish a racquetball game near the area, and he'd want me to fit his bike in the back of my car, because he could't ride home.

I decided to give this bike riding thing a try. Two things got me to stop.

The first was with my friend Joe. We rode a few times around Lake Miramar, and I had this pain in my testicles when we finished. It's kind of like the needles and pins you get when your foot falls asleep, but it was a lot more painful.

The second thing that made me give up bikes, was when my stepbrother and I were going to UTC. He suggested we ride our bikes.

From Mira Mesa, that's not such a far distance. But when we had to ride past an off-ramp, where people were going from Miramar Road/La Jolla Village, onto the 805 freeway...two cars honked at us. Another almost hit us going 75. I decided that getting in shape wouldn't matter, if my well-fit body was laying next to a maroon Volvo that just took me out.