As a health and fitness coach I literally hear every EXCUSE ever about why someone cannot join my accountability groups to help themselves get healthy and fit.

Some of my top favorites (I’m saying this with sarcasm):

• I have children
• I don’t have time
• I can’t afford it
• That lifestyle just isn’t for me
• It’s too hard

These are just some of the reasons that I hear from my friends and family about why they won’t join, but really all I hear is:

• I don’t put myself first
• I don’t know how to start
• I would rather spend $4 a day at Starbucks
• I am intimidated by working out
• Excuses! White lies (still lies)! And Fear

Why do we as a society allow ourselves to lie, hold ourselves back from happiness, or believe that having children is the end of the world? These misconceptions stop HERE!

Let’s address each one of these excuses in order.
Children: Having children is difficult and exhausting, there is no denying that; however, they should not be limiting your ability to accomplish a 30 min workout or a healthy eating lifestyle. Stop using your children as a cover. Instead, use them as weights! There are so many play activities that you can do with your children and get in a workout at the same time. You don’t have to compromise your quality time. BONUS you have a continually increasing weight so that you don’t become stagnant. Here are some easy moves you can do with your children until they become big enough to workout with you.

• “Kettle-bell” squats. Great for legs and for core and arms.
• The old, toss the baby in the air (safely) and catching them is a great arm workout.
• Walking lunges-  holding your child safely in both arms and evenly distributing the weight between both sides of your body (can also be used in backpack style carrier)
• Sitting planks
• Dancing with/ holding your childDo you see where I’m going with this? Make them a part of your exercise and then when they get big enough show them what you are doing and let them try it on their own (as long as it’s safe- no gym equipment). Not only will you be getting in your workout, but you will be setting the example for your children as well.

Time: We all have the same 24 hours in the day. Let’s be honest here. It’s not that you don’t have time, it’s that you don’t put a priority on yourself. 30 min a day is all it takes!!!

Cost: Let me ask you a question.. how much do you spend annually on over the counter medicines, multivitamins, antibiotics, joint health, oh and one meal a day (lets say breakfast)? $4 a day is NOTHING compared to the cost of all of the things you are buying as an after fact to issues that could have been prevented.

Lifestyle: Being healthy is not a lifestyle for you? REALLY? You want to be sick, over weight, on the Type 2 list, and unhappy? Proper nutrition and exercise doesn’t have to be extreme, if your goal is to be healthy you don’t have to aim for 130 lbs (as a woman) be happy at 150, but be capable and confident!!! You don’t have to run an Iron Man, do 30 minutes of Piyo, cardio, stretching, MOVING. You will keep your body from aging and help prevent muscle loss as you age.

It’s Hard: Yes, sometimes making the correct choice is hard. Sometimes it’s confusing and you don’t know where to start. Guess what? That’s where I come in. I can help you make small choices and small changes over a period of time to help you transition into this new lifestyle you are aiming for. I didn’t start gung-ho out the gate. I made small changes. I started walking more and eating less processed foods. I made easy switches like ground turkey for ground beef, plain greek yogurt for sour cream. Now it’s almost second nature to go for the better options, but I started somewhere and I started small so that each small change would add up. It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon!

 

Are you ready to start? Over your excuses? Navigate to the Coach Consult page and get started. I want to discuss your health and fitness and find a program that works for your needs! This journey isn’t about me, it’s about YOU!