Excuses, Excuses!

How often do you give yourself permission not to do something?  Do you set goals, create lists, set a calendar?  Do you complete your tasks regularly, reach your goals and keep your appointments?  To be successful in your daily lives, you probably do keep to a schedule and check off your tasks in a timely manner.

But, how often do you include workouts on your To-Do List?  How far ahead do you plan  your healthy menus?  Have you made these tasks a regular part of your checklist and actually "check them off" just like your trip to the grocery store, bank or dry cleaner?

Most of us complete our daily and weekly tasks, but when it comes to healthy food planning and exercise we can probably create pages of EXCUSES.  Why do we allow ourselves to excuse ourselves from taking care of our own bodies when we wouldn't dream of excusing ourselves from feeding our families, making our bank deposits and running our dozens of errands?

Are we lazy? NO.  Are we THAT BUSY?  NO.  Are we that broken? NO!  So why then?

Because its easier to complain about our bodies than work hard to burn a few calories!  We don't see the benefit immediately, so we give up!  We don't like feeling sore! AND WE NEVER THINK WE'LL GET THE WEIGHT OFF OR TONE UP, SO WE'D RATHER GIVE UP ON OURSELVES.

But really, what is more important than getting or staying healthy or having energy to do all the other things we have to do?  NOTHING

So lets do ourselves a favor.  Set time on your planner to work out and plan your meals for the week.  Then during the week, every time you have an excuse to keep you from your workout or meal, write down your excuse.  Place the excuses in a coffee cup or jar and at the end of the week, read through them.  If every one seems like they were completely warranted, great....you were too busy.  But if some or all of them seem frivolous or lame, write them on a sheet a paper or pin them to a bulletin board.

WHEN YOU PLAN YOUR NEXT WEEK, ADD YOUR WORKOUTS AND MEAL PLANNING TO YOUR PLANNER AGAIN AND DO NOT ALLOW YOURSELF TO USE THE EXCUSES ON THAT LIST OR BULLETIN BOARD!

I bet you'll get in a few workouts AND you'll eat cleaner!  If you do this for 4-6 weeks, by the end of this time period, you will have a set workout schedule that is more of a habit than a "special appointment."

Once you get on a regular schedule, use this same technique to plan extra cardio or specific weight training or increasing your workout days.

I promise you will start to feel better, stronger, more toned and maybe even have lost some weight!  I know this because it is exactly what I did to get my rear in gear and stop coming up with excuses!!!

Good Luck!