We've all had those days. You get home from work, feel exhausted, and all you want to do is get into some comfy clothes, lay down on the couch and binge Netflix. But...you have a workout scheduled on your calendar for 6pm, what do you do?

While there are a handful of justifications that pop into your head at such a time

"I'll make it up tomorrow!"

"I've been doing good with my workout plan; I deserve a break."

"I just won't eat dessert tonight."

The fact is, you are better off keeping your workout as planned and even if that session is "half-assed" you are going to better off having gone to the gym than staying at home curled up on the couch. Here are just a few reasons as to why even a less than perfect workout session is better than not going at all:

• Being sedentary is a sin- Recent studies have indicated that leading a sedentary lifestyle can be as harmful to your health as smoking. Now, while skipping a workout for some couch time doesn't exactly denote a sedentary lifestyle, it CAN be the start of a bad habit. Even doing something like taking a slow walk is a far better option than sitting at home.

• Establish consistency in your workout routine- Another reason to get up and keep that scheduled workout is that it helps reinforce your workout routine. Once something becomes a habit, it will be much easier to stick to it in the future and thus lead to better results over time.

• You may end up having an amazing workout- Even if you felt like CRAP when you got home from work, you may find that after a little warmup routine at the gym, you begin to feel that energy come back. You may even get through the workout feeling better than ever and end up having an amazing sweat blasting, muscle pumping workout! Once those endorphins kick in, all the days BLAH feelings will disappear and the sense of accomplishment you will feel upon competing the workout will make it all worthwhile.

• Switching up your workout to something less intense can be beneficial in a variety of ways- Another great way to help you avoid couch time is to simply opt for a different workout than your usual. If you usually workout intensely (CrossFit, boxing, bootcamp) why not switch it up and take a yoga class, or go for a nice brisk walk? You will still be working out and adding some variety in your routine which can invigorate your feeling about working out in general. Boredom is one of the biggest reasons people stop working out so just my mixing it up you are increasing your odds of sticking to the program!

So, the next time you are opting to JUST SKIP A DAY, take a glance at the list above. There are plenty of great reasons (and suggestions) as to why you shouldn't choose couch time over gym time. Stick to the plan and even if your workout is less than stellar, it will certainly beat the heck out of doing NOTHING!