Day Two Hundred and Seventy-Seven - What's Your Excuse?

For the longest time I would make excuses for why I wasn't able to lose weight.  I had all the answers for how to go about losing, but also had an excuse for why I couldn't lose.  I would say things like, "I just don't have time" or "I'm just not there mentally yet."  I had a million different reasons, and it seemed like with each reason I added more and more weight.  The thing is, the longer I gave excuses, the more I began to believe them myself.  The times the excuses came out the most was always when I encountered someone who was having success with weight loss.  They would usually (in a very caring way) give advice for what was working for them, and I would argue with why that didn't work for me.

In the past few months I have had talks with multiple people about my weight loss.  So many of these people are trapped and losing their battle with weight loss.  I make sure never to give advice where it isn't warranted (there is nothing more annoying than someone who has just lost weight telling you that you need to lose), but most of the people will begin talking about how they need to lose.  I rarely tell them to do what I have done (unless I'm asked for advice), but I always explain what I'm doing.  Without me saying that they should do  it too, I begin getting excuses for why they couldn't do that.  People say things like, "I could never give up sweet tea or Dr. Pepper" or "I could never stop eating this food or that food."  The most common excuse I hear is, "I don't have time to track my calories every day."  Yes, tracking your calories each and every day does take a little time in the beginning, but after a little while you'll get used to it and it will only take a few minutes.  Myfitnesspal even has a barcode scanner for anything that is packaged.  You just scan it and it pulls up the calories for you to track.

One person recently told me they didn't have time to exercise like I do.  Listen closely everyone, I didn't have time either.  But I did have time to watch TV each evening.  I started with twenty plus minutes a day on my recumbent bike.  I didn't join a gym or buy a new piece of equipment.  I just used what I had available.  Then over time I would add little bits at a time to my workout.  Also, I started getting up an hour earlier each day so I can get my workout in and not lose any time in the evenings.  You see, it has to be a mindset change.  Last August I had a complete mindset change.  I determined that I was going to make changes.  I was going to do it slowly and methodically, and I knew that I would be successful.  Then as I saw the weight come off, the snowball had started and the momentum carried me to where I am today.  All of this would not have happened if I hadn't stopped making excuses.  If I hadn't changed my mindset from "I don't have time" or "I can't do this or that", to "I have to make time," and "I can do that."  You may not need to lose weight. You may have something else you've needed to do or change for a long time, but you have been making excuses.  Take a moment and change your mind.  Just do it!  Ask God for grace and determine not to make any more excuses.  If you need help or encouragement just ask me.  If you can't give up sweets, I have the perfect Plexus products to help curb cravings.  I stopped making excuses, and now I'm losing my butter half!

My calorie intake today was good.  I forgot to take a salad to care group tonight, so I ate some things that weren't best (pizza and mini corn dogs), but I made sure to keep the portions under control.  My workout this morning was pretty tough.  I just didn't feel like my legs had it in them, but I got the full ride in, and all of my crunches, planks, and pushups.