The other day, I read a really good book (go figure, right?). It's Jennifer Weiner's Best Friends Forever. The story itself was really good, and I found that I really related with the main character in a lot of ways. She had been extremely overweight for a large part of her life and kept making excuses for the habits that kept her there. She would eat really well all day and work out, but at night when nobody was around, she would binge on snacks. She kept saying that she'd stop tomorrow, but it wouldn't happen. Finally, it got to a point where a kid pointed it out in a very brutally honest way. She decided that enough was enough and she threw out all of the junk in her house and got a gym membership. It took time and hard work, but she ended up losing a couple hundred pounds.
I've been wanting to lose weight for the past several years- I even gave it a really good effort a few times. So often, I'd think "Tomorrow. I'll start eating better and walking daily. Maybe I'll get a gym membership." I'd even go out and buy a bunch of healthy food and some new workout clothes. I'd get super pumped up and do really well for a day or so. Then I'd be out running some errands and have a couple dollars and little time left for lunch, so I'd have to stop and get a McDouble. Or I'd get sick. Or my knees would hurt so bad from running that I couldn't even walk without wanting to cry. Or I just simply realized that I hated the taste of healthy food. I start by taking a couple bites of Grant's mac and cheese- I mean, if it's not an actual serving, I don't have a way to track the calories, right? I'd go out for dinner and have the mindset that I'd be enjoying a salad or other low-calorie option. But then I'd get there and someone would HAVE to order an appetizer, or I'd see the picture of the nice juicy bacon cheeseburger, and suddenly the salad that sounded so good before we got there would look like woodchips.
It turns out that I don't have the best self control or motivation. I get distracted really easily. I get really good ideas in my head, but as soon as the struggle seems too big to handle, I quit. Sometimes I even convince myself that my excuses are valid (my knees being too sore, etc). I'd tell myself that I'd get back on track tomorrow, but then I'd say the same thing the next day.
Here's a list of my favorite/most commonly used excuses. I'm going to try to work through them as well as someone who can hold me accountable and cut through my BS.
1) I'm too tired.
2) I'm too busy.
3) I don't have good shoes for working out in.
4) My knees hurt.
5) I hate the taste of fat-free/ low cal foods.
6) There's a lot of veggies I don't like.
7) Healthy foods are so expensive!
8) I hate working out where people can see me.
9) I hate working out by myself.
10) I hate getting all sweaty and gross.
11) I don't have money to go to the gym.
12) It's so boring.
13) I hate running.
14) I can't work out with Grant here.
15) It's too hot/cold/rainy/whatever.
16) I'm too big to exercise comfortably.
17) I'm hungry all the time.
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