No More Excuses! If Think You Will Succeed–You Will!
Weight Loss Tips: Stop Making Excuses for your Eating Behavior:My mother used to say to me, “You like the idea of being thin, but you don’t like what you have to do to get there.” I would get so angry when she would say it, but looking back reflectively, I can see that she was right.
I guess my anger stemmed from the fact that deep down on some level, I must have known she was right, but wasn’t willing to admit it. I was a typical yo-yo dieter. I had great loses, only to gain the weight back over time.
These Were Some of my Classic Excuses:
“You just don’t get it. You’ve never had to lose weight.”
What does that have to do with anything? How does that give me permission to eat more?
“I have to eat, it’s not like I can give up eating. At least when a person wants to quit smoking, they can do it cold turkey.”
Oh yeah, that makes sense. I have actually said this in the past, and interestingly enough, I have heard variations of this comment from other people over the years. The thing that is so interesting about this excuse is the fact that I wasn’t acknowledging the fact that I had control over what went into my mouth.
Rather I was trying to blame the food itself, for my weight problem. Remember the famous tag line from the movie Austin Powers where Fat Bastard says, “Jump into my belly.” Well, I’m pretty sure food wasn’t jumping into my belly. I was putting it there and I was out of control!
“I don’t have time to exercise.”
This is the biggest excuse ever. I didn’t want to exercise, so I didn’t…plain and simple. If you REALLY want something, you find a way to do it.
“Losing weight is so hard!”
Hmmm—sure it’s hard, but it isn’t impossible. Again my mother’s words ring true. How badly do you want it?
Here’s the one I have used so many times over the years. Ready?
“I was doing so well, and then life got in the way.”
I think I’m the most annoyed with myself over this excuse, because just like everyone else, life does get in the way sometimes, but instead of rolling with what life threw at me; I gave up, and eventually gained the weight back that I had worked so hard to lose. (I have said this so many times in the past that I have lost count! Grrr!)
So what does this all mean?
From time to time, we all tend to make excuses about our shortcomings. It’s important, however, to realize that the excuses are getting in the way of achieving success, which in this case is weight loss. The brain actually uses excuses as a way to protect itself.
“See, I told you I couldn’t lose weight…and I didn’t!” You don’t internalize failure because you have already blamed it on someone or something else.
Stop making Excuses!
Follow These Easy Steps:
1.Listen to the excuses other people make. Tune in to it. Think about why the person is making an excuse. Is it valid or are they just covering up the real reason they didn’t accomplish something? Train your brain to hear excuses.
2.Now start listening to yourself. If catch yourself making an excuse. Stop talking…and think about what you are saying.
3.Take action. Decide why you are making the excuse and try to take steps to avoid making it.
Example:“I can’t take the Zumba class on Thursday because I am tutoring during that time.”
1. Stop Talking
2. Think—Is this an excuse? No, I really do have to tutor on Thursday and it’s during the Zumba Class time.
3. Take Action
Scenario #1:
Okay, I can’t cancel tutoring but I really do want to get exercise in today. I checked the class schedule and found that’s the only time Zumba is offered that day, but I can fit a cycling class in, if I take my workout clothes with me, and change at the gym.
Scenario #2:
I can’t cancel tutoring and I’m disappointed I can’t take the Zumba class. I’ll check the schedule to see when the next class is being offered, and I will make sure I can attend.
That was an easy example because it really wasn’t an excuse. Now let’s try a harder one…a real excuse!
“Everything on the menu looks so tempting. I’m craving cheese, so I have to get the mozzarella cheese sticks as an appetizer!”
1. Stop Talking
2. Think—Is this an excuse? Yes, it is. I’m tempted by the choices on the menu and I am rationalizing why it’s okay to order the cheese sticks (a craving) I’m not really experiencing a craving, I just want it.
3. Take Action—“Wow, the cheese sticks do look good (acknowledge what you want), but I have worked too hard to lose weight to blow it now. I think I’ll order something healthier.”
You really have to talk to yourself like this, until you train yourself to stop making excuses. If you did opt to get the appetizer, that’s okay, but you have to prepare yourself to deal with the future excuses you will make.
“I ate the cheese sticks. See, I can’t control myself. I might as well have_______because I’ve already blown it.”
It doesn’t matter what food you put into the blank, you can probably already see that making excuses is a deadly cycle that will keep you from reaching your weight loss goals.
Stop Making Excuses (it takes practice!) and Start Losing Weight!
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