Happy “No Excuses” New Year!

    

     Is your New Year’s Resolution really new or is this the same weight you promised yourself you would lose last year? If this isn’t your first time around the block, what makes this year any different from the rest?

     Speaking as someone who is seeing true success and has also faced past failures in the weight loss arena, I can confidently say it’s the excuses that get in the way.

     How well do you know yourself? What excuses have you used for not eating right, not exercising, not living a healthy life? It’s time to pull out your journal and make a list. Then I want you to share these excuses in a conversation with the NEW you – the new, no excuses, future fit and healthy you. What responses do you receive?

     Here are a few of my excuses and the responses NEW me gives to combat them.

 Excuse:  The goal is too big! I can’t lose all that weight!

Response: The goal is one pound at a time. You can loose one pound. Then we will talk about the next pound.

Excuse: I’m too tired to exercise.

Response: Just start. One step at a time. Each minute or mile is calories burned. Worry about the next minute or mile after you finish the first.

Excuse: I’m too busy to exercise.

Response: Every minute counts. Wake up 20 minutes early and get started right or exercise on your lunch break. You can make the time.

Excuse: But I hate to waste  food.

Response: Eating food your body doesn’t need IS a waste. It is a waste of time, energy, and future effort and money spent trying to lose the weight. 

Excuse: Healthy foods and exercise equipment/gym memberships are too expensive. I can’t afford to get healthy.

Response: It doesn’t have to be expensive to eat well or get exercise. Eating smaller portions of healthy foods can be a money savings with a little planning. Exercise can be totally free of charge. Try walking or running and using body resistance or readily available household items for weights.

Excuse: I can’t get control of my appetite. I get too hungry.

Response: Eat small amounts of food frequently. Low calorie snack help keep hunger in check. You can do this.

Excuse: I can’t say no to foods I love. My cravings overpower me.

Response: Be careful what you bring into the house and have someone to whom you are accountable. Enjoy things you love in moderation but focus on the healthy foods first.

Excuse: My condition and medication make it difficult to lose weight.

Response: Continue to work closely with your doctor to make healthy lifestyle adjustments that are right for you. Weight loss is possible.

Excuse: I don’t understand how to monitor my progress.

Response: Any weight lost is progress. See each ounce as a win. Be in it for the long haul.

     With your excuses eliminated through your chat with new self,  it’s time to begin our “No Excuses New Year”.  Now I would like to offer you another tool for your 2012 weight loss tool bag. It’s called the “Weight Tracker” and my  fab hubby created it to help him and me stay on track. It is a Microsoft Excel workbook that tracks daily weight and charts your weight goals, progress, and your weight loss trend based on the average of your daily weight loss. By charting the average of your weight loss you can easily see if you are meeting your weight loss goal over time.  Be careful not to be discouraged by natural fluctuations in weight. The body is not always consistent and weight can fluctuate for many reasons. It might be most helpful to weigh only once a week. Please use this tool as works best for you. Click on this link to access “Weight Tracker” and use it to chart your progress : Weight Tracker. Happy “No Excuse” New Year …. let the weight loss begin.