Beginner Excuses

I wouldn’t say that there was a certain event that caused my weight gain; it was just an overall family deal of not having very much knowledge of eating healthy. My immediate family would eat fast food almost every day, because it was cheaper and easier. We would rarely eat a home cooked meal. As a child I was thin, but as soon as I hit my teenage years, that’s where I steadily put on the weight. I was able to eat anything that I wanted and there was always something available for me to snack on.

What finally motivated me to lose weight was that I was just tired of being overweight. I always avoided taking pictures so that I wouldn’t see the truth. Then I happen to come across the iPod adapter that would track walking/jogging miles that I logged. I’m kind of a competitive person so watching those miles rack up pushed me to do more. Now I use the Nike+ GPS running app. I lost the weight mostly by getting out and putting in miles. At first all I could do was walk, and then little by little I was able to incorporate running. Changes in my meals came a little slower, but as I made the changes and as the exercise intensity picked up, the weight came off.

There are many excuses that I made a few years ago:

             1)     Denial – Denial about my unhealthy lifestyle and about me being over weight

Take an inventory about your current lifestyle, if you don’t like what you see or don’t like what you’re make some changes. Don’t try to make extreme changes all at once. Make small changes that you are able to maintain and as you get comfortable you make more changes. It’s about making a lifestyle change, not a quick fix.

             2)     Embarrassed – Being too embarrassed to go out and exercise

It shouldn’t matter what you think other people think about you. Once you get in that workout zone, you’re in the zone. Everything else around you doesn’t matter. If you’re out on the road, watch out for cars pulling out in front of you. If you’re in the gym, no one is looking at you; everyone else is in the workout zone.

            3)     Weather – It’s too hot, it’s too cold, it’s raining

The weather is most likely not going to be perfect to you. As is starts to get hot/cold outside and you get out and exercise you become more acclimated to the temperatures and you’re able to tolerate it. Remember you have to stay hydrated. If it’s too hot in the afternoon, head out in the evening or in the morning. If it’s raining you can always do some quick circuit work in your home. And if you have a gym membership, it’s always perfect there.

4)  Workload - I work too hard, I need time to rest

While people have different jobs and schedules, if you’re able to get in a workout it becomes a routine for you. Once it becomes a routine and you get healthier, you’ll have more energy throughout the work day to get more done.

5)     Difficult - I can’t do it, I can’t do that workout

Of course you won’t be able to go out and run a marathon. Yes you won’t be able to lift 300 pounds. The person that doesn’t wasn’t able to do it right away. They had to train very hard to get there, as you will have to do if you want to get there. You have to push yourself to do the workout and you’ll have to push yourself during the workout. You’ll feel the awesome and a sense of accomplishment when you’re done.

6)     Alone - I have no one to workout with

You won’t always have a workout partner. You have to depend and schedule things for yourself. It’s good to have a workout partner to push you to do more, but they won’t always be there or available. As someone sees you working out they will want to go with you and maybe they will make it and maybe they won’t. If they don’t, you still have to go put in work on your own.

7)     Prep Time - It takes too long to prepare food

It is cheaper and easier to go out and eat fast food, but think about how it’s going to affect you and your family if you have one. As in the changes in workout, you have to make the changes in how you eat. I find it easier if you can plan out your meals a week in advanced (let’s say on Saturday).  Make a grocery list and then go to your grocery store and get what you need. This way to can have everything you need to make your meals and not have to go and get fast food. Your meals don’t have to be gourmet, is can be as easy as sliced bread with some healthy fresh deli meat cuts for a sandwich. As you get more confident cooking, your meals with be better. There are a lot of tools online to be able to find delicious recipes

8)     The Drive - Too hard to go to the gym

You think that driving to the gym and/or dealing with traffic is too time consuming?  You can always step right outside your front door and go for a run. Can’t run? Walk at a faster pace than you normally do to get a burn going. Can’t walk/run that far? Go out 1 mile and turn around and return home. As you become more confident in logging miles and if you like it, it’s a good way to explore your neighborhood and create routes for yourself as you start to add mileage.

9)     Too Hard - Don’t take the easy way out

It’s not going to be easy to make the changes so don’t give up. Take the stairs, park far away, etc. You won’t see the changes right away, but you will see them as time goes on.