September 21, 2011

Excuses, Excuses

If you really want to do it, you do it. There are no excuses. - Bruce Nauman

It is wise to direct your anger towards problems - not people; to focus your energies on answers - not excuses. - William Arthur Ward 

When it comes to getting healthy and maintaining a healthy lifestyle (in all aspects!) like many of us, I can be quite the bundle of excuses. What excuses do we tell ourselves when we start or are in the midst of our weight loss journey?

I hate to exercise. I just don't have the time.
We have to move.  Cardio keeps our hearts happy, blood pumping and GI tract moving. Get the good air in and the bad stuff out.
Take walks, find a partner or co-worker and really hold each other accountable
Find something you like to do
Sign up for a class at a gym or Zumba
Try an online challenge, run around with your kids, or pets.

I hate “diet foods”
How about just food.  Real food?
Before we put the whatever it is that is heading for our mouth in our bodies, ask, Is this good fuel for my body?
If I can't remember how carpy I felt the last time I ate an entire bag of gourmet chocolates - thinking if I eat them today they won't tempt me tomorrow - then I try to write down just how awful I felt afterwards.  And even why I felt the need to scarf them down in the first place.  Tomorrow's temptation is just another type of excuse!

It will take too long.
Every day is a step closer. How long did it take to put on the weight? Why should we expect it to come off any faster than we put it on?

I've tried and failed so many times
I fall off the wagon all the time, but every day is a new chance. I might not like the result, but taking accountability for my actions IS a success.
Ask for help.
Find a support group with a common goal, to get and stay healthy. If one group doesn’t work, find something that will.

Remember, deciding to make a change comes from us alone, but actually making that change doesn't have to be a solo effort.

What kind of excuses do you tell yourself and what ways are you going to focus your energies on solutions instead?

4 comments:

Carolina John said...

That's a lot of good answers. Why make excuses? just do it.

Elizabeth Sweeny said...

Christy, I appreciate your point about how we feel after we eat food. I hate the way food has become value-loaded, as if there's something sinful about eating (or even just desiring) high-calorie foods, for example -- as if food has inherent value as opposed to being part of complex systems. The Fat Nutritionist has some really great stuff on, for example, eating food that makes you feel good, like really makes you feel good http://www.fatnutritionist.com/?p=3207

OKAlberts said...

Great post, thank you for the kick in the pants!

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Joanna