No excuses

How many times have you said "I can't" versus "I can?" How often have you put the hard stuff off until the next day or said "I'll do it tomorrow?"

There comes a point in each of our lives when we have to say "No more excuses!" Why? Because excuses are a way of accepting, justifying, and embracing bad behavior. Until you are truly committed to becoming healthier, you are going to fail. It is only when we stop justifying our bad behavior and truly start working toward our goals that we will begin to see results.

Now before you say, "Oh it's easy for her," I will beg to differ. It's not easy for me. It's taken me more than 10 years to say "No more excuses." That's right. I'm done making excuses. (That was one of my New Year's resolutions.) No more justifying my bad behavior. No more putting it off until tomorrow. If I don't start now, then I probably wouldn't start tomorrow or the next day. Finally, I am committed (and so far, this is NOT to an institution).

If you really want to see results, you have to make the choice. Yes, I may have been eating fairly healthy before but I had TONS of room for improvement. I LOVE to bake. But I have not allowed myself to do so since starting this journey. Why???? Because what I love to bake is cookies, cakes, desserts, chocolate, anything loaded with sugar and butter. I would then eat about half the dough in the process. Eat another half of the baked item and then send the rest to work with my husband. What did I have to show for it? A glutton of excess calories that headed straight to my keister and a sugar high followed by an incredible crash that made me sluggish and CRANKY.

Since I started my journey, I have been told I have it easy and didn't have to do much. I would argue that. Here are things that I have given up:

- Starbuck's - no more sugary, chocolately, whip-cream topped treats for my weekly (if not daily consumption)
- Candy - no mas
- Chocolate - no mas. Dark chocolate is healthy in small doses, but mine weren't small, nor were they dark. Give me milk chocolate combined with peanut butter or caramel and I am one happy camper.
- No more baking
- No more cookies, cakes, cupcakes, doughnuts, etc.
- No more refined bread (And I LOVE bread)
- No more chips
- No fried food
- Forcing myself to exercise each day, even when I'm tired and don't want to.

These are just a few changes I have made. I know that I can make excuses forever. But wishing for something will NEVER allow me to achieve my dream.

I have finally accepted the reality that not only do I need to lose weight, but I need to get in shape. It's a daily struggle for all of us...even my itty-bitty sister. Fortunately, it's simple as long as we are committed to our goal.