Are you an excuse maker when it comes to your health and wellness? Do you often start things and never see them through, quitting before you see results? Or maybe you never even bother starting because you feel like it’s too hard, or you don’t have the time, or it’s just too darn complicated! We’ve all been there so don’t feel bad! The truth is hard to face isn’t it? But in order to make real change we have to sometimes get a little uncomfortable with it. Below I’m going to debunk 5 common excuses we cling to, and how they prevent us from making real change. If you see some familiar ones, don’t worry! I’ll shed some light on how you can gain a new perspective.
The excuses below pertain to anything related to health and wellness. Things like exercise, meal prep, grocery shopping, cooking at home, getting enough sleep, drinking your water, ALL those things we know we “should” do, but don’t! So without further ado…
5 Common Excuses Debunked:
- I’m too tired – I hear this one ALL. THE. TIME. But after some probing I discover that people are often tired because they simply aren’t going to bed early enough. This one is such an easy fix! Set yourself a bedtime alarm and stick to it religiously. If you have trouble falling asleep, create yourself a sleep ritual that helps the body transition into relaxation mode. For example, shut all screens off a minimum of 30 minutes before bed, grab a book or write in a journal for 10-20 minutes, do some light stretches, meditate, and make sure your room is completely dark. You certainly don’t have to do all of the above, these are just suggestions to get you away from the screens so your body can prepare for rest. Now, if you have young kids and they are the reason you aren’t getting enough sleep, there isn’t much we can do about that unfortunately. But I will say that you still need to prioritize sleep by going to bed shortly after they do. Many parents are tempted to stay up late in order to have some free adult time. Don’t do it! Just head to bed and you’ll be much better off for it.
- I don’t have enough time – send me your day timer and I can almost guarantee to find a open window of opportunity! I get it, we’re all busy. I’m not trying to devalue or shrug off your crazy schedule. But a little planning goes a very long way. We usually know our schedule ahead of time right? So we can pick a time for food prep, we can pick the best days and times for exercise, and we can plug them into our calendars just like everything else. The problem here isn’t time, it’s prioritizing. Food prep can actually be very quick if you have a planned menu for the week, and exercise does NOT have to be lengthy. There is no reason to workout for an hour a day. Squeeze in 15-20 minutes with some high intensity bodyweight moves and you’ve got yourself a workout. Park farther away from work and walk the rest of the way. There are ALWAYS solutions to every situation. Always. You just have to be willing to see them.
- It’s too complicated – Contrary to what most people think, eating healthy is actually the least complicated thing to do! There are no programs, pills, powders, or gimmicks. If it was once alive in some capacity (plant or animal), it’s a real food and you should eat it! Now how’s that for simplicity?! For the majority of people just wanting to be healthy, there’s no need to count calories, macronutrients, points, or any other ridiculous measurement! As far as exercise goes, what do you enjoy doing? Figure that out and DO IT! Again, there’s no real need for complicated plans, long hours at the gym, etc. Just move your body in ways that bring you joy, and do it as often as possible!
- It’s too expensive – This can be a valid reason for many people, but it doesn’t HAVE to be. As far as fitness goes, all you really need is your body and a little bit of space. You can get an amazing home workout with absolutely NO equipment and NO cost. There are TONS of ideas available online for free. Alternatively, you can hire a trainer for only a few sessions just to get yourself going. They can give you some basic ideas and make sure you’re doing things correctly. When it comes to food we tend to think eating healthy means we have to buy everything organic, local, free range, and grass fed. All of that equates to doubling or even tripling your grocery bill! I tell clients, if you want to eat healthier, just focus on whole foods. Buy in bulk, look for deals, and don’t worry about all the fancy stuff. Sure, eating grass fed local meat is better for you, but don’t let that stop you from enjoying some animal protein each day. I believe the mental/emotional STRESS is often more harmful than eating the non organic produce and conventional meats. At the very least, you can always focus on avoiding the Dirty Dozen and purchase the Clean 15. Either way, if you limit your eating out, mainly shop the perimeter of the grocery store, and search out deals when you can, your grocery costs will be manageable.
- I don’t have the willpower – This might be true to some degree as you first start out on your health journey. BUT, when you approach changes in a healthy and sustainable way, they become much easier to stick with. Wellness is NOT about dieting, restriction, and rigid rules. Dieting takes willpower, 100%. That’s because it’s not realistic longterm. No one can diet forever. But we CAN make small changes such as adding a few more vegetables each week, drinking one more glass of water, going to bed 30 minutes earlier each night, or taking a walk around the block a few days per week. These changes add up over time and contribute immensely to your overall health and wellness. If you have some serious goals that you want to achieve, then you may need a more structured approach. This is where I help my clients find their “WHY”. When the reasons behind wanting to make change are powerful enough, we don’t need to rely on willpower to get there. We desire it so much because it has deep and personal meaning to us. It becomes part of us, and we suddenly stop the fight. And lastly, but most importantly, when we incorporate healthy foods and exercises that we actually enjoy, it’s much easier to stick with! There is no need to force yourself to eat or do something you don’t like! That is definitely NOT the path to Wellness.
Did you come across anything that really resonated with you? If so, I hope I helped shed some light on where our excuses come from and why they become road blocks to reaching our goals. If you need any personal guidance and assistance in diving deeper to reach your goals in a healthy and sustainable way, don’t hesitate to contact me for support!
In Wellness, Krista
