The Top Ten Reasons To Not Exercise

My Top Ten reasons to not exercise….and why I’ll never use them again.

1) I Don’t Have Time

2) I’m Tired

3) I Don’t Feel Good

4) It’s Too Early

4) It’s Too Late

5) It’s Too Hot Outside

6) It’s Too Cold Outside

7) I Have a Headache

I Don’t Feel Like It

9) I’m Too Fat and Out of Shape To Go To The Gym

10) I HATE Exercising

I’ve used all those reasons many many many times – sometimes in combination (example: “I’m too tired to go for a walk and it’s too cold out anyway”).

But…..

I WILL NEVER USE THOSE EXCUSES AGAIN!!!

Why?

Last week at my weight management class we had someone who achieved her weight loss goals.  She didn’t give up and she didn’t quit even though while trying to lose weight she dealt fractured a bone in her hip (kept on eating healthy and did chair exercises every day while her hip was healing); and then found out she had the big “C” – Cancer and is now taking experimental drugs to try and stop those damn cancer cells from destroying her body.

Either of those two things would have caused me to have a major pity party that featured lots of chocolate, pizza and chips.  And I know I would have been too busy feeling sorry for myself to exercise.

But listening to her say how giving up has never an option for her, no matter what, made me realize how lucky am I to be as healthy as I am and that I’ve been nothing but a whiny baby.

I vowed then and there to stop using stupid excuses to not exercise and take care of myself.

Even though that happened less than a week ago, I’ve been “tested” in my resolve.  I found out my Dad likely has the big “C” too although we won’t know for sure until he has more tests this week.  The day I found out I wanted to sit on a park bench and cry rather than take my planned 2 mile walk around the park, but I remembered my vow and did the walk (but only after a lot of fighting with myself because a big part of me really didn’t want to do it).  I also almost tossed my healthy lunch in the back of my vehicle in favor of a bacon burger with fries with a turtle sundae on the side because I wanted comfort and something to take away the emotional pain I was feeling, even if it only lasted a couple minutes.  And a big fat juicy burger with greasy fries and a giant sundae are my idea of comfort food.  But I didn’t.  I managed to let myself feel the pain, which is a new experience for me because I’ve always used food as a way to deal with unpleasant things in my life.

The result of not giving in to a food pig out?  I’m still on track with my weight loss and exercise program.  It’s a hard fight with myself to not give into the comfort food, a fight I”m having with myself about 50 times a day but I think I’m finally really realizing that overeating doesn’t solve anything and won’t fix all the “bad” things that happen.

The exercise?  I’m finally seeing how it helps relieve stress.  A vigorous walk or workout relieves some of that pain and built up tension.  I never really believed it was possible but it’s actually kind of amazing how much it helps.

How about you?  Are you ready to vow to not give up with your exercise and/or weight loss program – no matter what?