If you are reading this you have probably tried Weight Loss Diets or programs before but still haven’t seen the results you were hoping for. Let me tell you a secret, weight loss starts from within. It is the way we think and the mindset that we go out into the world with. Every choice we make is determined by our thoughts. If we understand that everything that we do, the way we exercise, the food we eat and the way we look at the world directly determines how we feel on a daily basis. If we put food into our mouths that the body doesn’t want or need, if we are sedentary and view the world and ourselves in a negative, cynical way then we will feel like rubbish. If you decide from this moment on to change the way you eat, to honour the body with the food you give it, to exercise, get outdoors and enjoy life, to see yourself and others with wonder and amazement, then you are going to start feeling better, looking better and achieving things that you never thought possible.
There are a number of excuses people hold onto that prevent them from really giving their all to their weight loss program. Here are a few I hear most often:
I Don’t Have The Time
This is an easy excuse for people to come up with and I’ve heard it over and over. What they are really saying is that it is not a priority. We are all given the same amount of time to work with each day. Each of us has 24 hours in a day. The things we do with that time determine who we are and what we will be. How is it that we have enough time to earn more money, sip coffee at the local cafe or catch up on the latest TV series but don’t have time to prepare some fruit, make a salad or go for a walk?
Some people think having kids is a good enough reason not to eat healthy foods, but why is that so? Why is it that having kids will cause you to eat a packet of biscuits rather than a bowl of fruit? Why not go for a walk with the kids. If they are young put them in a stroller, if they can walk then take them down to the park, or the beach. There really are no excuses, remember that your kids are going to look to you as an example of how to live.
What it comes down to is priorities. When you understand that your body is intrinsically linked with the way you feel, your health and ultimately your happiness you will find the time to get fit and start eating good healthy foods.
I Don’t Have The Energy
OK now this is true for many people. It is simply the case that if you are not eating right and not exercising then your body is not going to have the energy you need to get through the day. It turns into a descending spiral, the less you do the less energy you have, the less energy you have the less you can spend on preparing healthy foods and exercising. It may seem like a paradox; in order to have energy you need to spend energy.
I encourage people to view themselves on this spiral. On it you can go up or down, you can either do nothing, or have less and less energy, or you can start to make improvements to your life and move up the spiral. Once you start doing something, even if it doesn’t seem like much, your body will respond and you will feel your energy levels rising.
It’s a sad reality that most people are motivated by money but won’t do anything for their own personal health. If someone offered you a million dollars would you make fresh juice in the morning and go for a walk? Our body is much more valuable than that and yet we forget to look after it.
I Don’t Have The Money To Get Fit
You do not need to spend a lot of money to be healthy. You may even find some foods are cheaper than what you are already eating. I have recently begun making my own rice and almond milk. I’ve found that at the price of milk today it is actually cheaper to make it myself, and it only takes 10 or 15 minutes! But you don’t have to go to that length, all you need to begin your diet is access to healthy nutritious food (fruits and vegetables for example), water and some clothes to exercise in.
I Will Never Look Like…
The idea is not to emulate someone else. You may get inspiration from them but you don’t want to be them. You are your own unique self, and you want to be the best ‘you’ that you can be! Don’t let other people dictate who you are or what you do just concentrate on being as healthy as you can. People will find you attractive when you respect yourself for who you are.
So put aside the excuses, lay them down and just do whatever is in your power to do right now. Maybe you don’t have the energy to do much, but there is something you can do. So let’s get started!
