Excuses, excuses, excuses...

Posted on 10/01/2019 by dsjohndrow

Is it me, or just the posts that I happen to read? I have read some pretty creative excuses for falling off the wagon, overeating, and not succeeding at learning to eat healthy and exercise 3 times a week.

People are pretty lazy. That is my perspective.

I am at the top of the list. I have a million excuses for not losing and maintaining my weight. Since last year, I am up over 20 pounds. Seriously, I have lots of good reasons - I mean excuses. Currently I am considered a chronic pain sufferer and I have been going to pain management. I just read this article about pain vs motivation/depression. I am doing my best, but it has been hard - harder than before.

Even the one committed to cardio has excuses (and motivation issues).

I had a heart trauma in April '11, and what I heard afterwards was this: 57% of those that have had a heart attack don't even continue to take their medication after the first refill! Worse, almost 80% make no significant lifestyle changes!

If you are telling yourself there is some reason you cannot lose weight or can't get cardio in, you probably won't!

I don't have time. - If it was going out to dinner you probably would. Look you have time for lots of things, you need to schedule it. If working out is not in your calendar, it is unlikely that you'll win at this game.

I still have time. - You may be young enough where your food and lack of exercise is not a problem, but for most it doesn't work forever - especially past 40. Yeah, I know about your grandmother that drank a case of beer and smoked 3 packs of cigarettes a day, only ate fried food, dated 5 men at a time and lived until 145. Let me know if you make it.

Everyone in my family is fat. - Why is that? Could it be diet and exercise?

It's a cheat day. - Get out your stones and excuses about shaking up your metabolism blah blah blah. The truth is that cheaters are in the group of roller coaster dieters, from which nearly all of them eventually gain back the weight they lost the other 6 days a week.

I have kids. - Yeah, so take them for a run. I take my 11-year-old walking, running, riding bikes, rollerblading, every chance I get. We plan vacations near bike trails so we can ride. When she was a baby, we just put her in the front pack, or bicycle trailer. My YMCA has kids care as well.

I'm too busy. - Well, health is a choice; it might be time to make it.

The dog/kangaroo didn't eat it. - If you are full at the restaurant, you'll be tempted to eat whatever you bring home before lunch the following day. If that is the case, leave it.

I don't know what to do. - I don't know about you, but most of us here do not have degrees in health and nutrition. MFP is a good guideline for the amount of food, and balance of what we call macros: carbs, protein and fat. Here's a tip, if it is low-cal junk food, its still junk food. Cardio which is truly healthy is when the heart rate goes above 120. This requires walking at 3 mph or possibly higher.

It's too hard to lose weight, I've already tried. - You are correct, and you've proved it. That is why you need to forget dieting. You make changes you can do for the rest of your life.

I can't afford healthy food. - I will agree that a variety of healthy food costs more. Here are some tips for saving money. Drink only water, it's free. Many grocery stores have fruits and veggies that are discounted because they are past fresh: we buy 6 apples for a dollar, 2 peppers for half a buck, and 3 bananas for even less. Over all we find them to be a good value. Brown rice is the same price as white and far better. You'll be eating less, usually 3-4 ounces of meat or fish. You can buy packaged ham and cheese in bulk and freeze it. The same is true for some fruits and veggies. Frozen food isn't horrible, and most canned food can be rinsed to reduce sodium content.

It's too late. - I'm already _____ years old. - Yup, and tomorrow you be that plus one day. I don't get it.

I'm afraid of failure. - I have met a few folks on MFP that have a lot weight to lose (me I was close to 100). It is a daunting task, and it takes time. Read the Success Story forums and friend those folks who have done what you need to do. I find it inspiring. On average, those that work at it can lose 40-100 lbs in a year. (Yes, I am sure there are some with medical reasons who cannot and I am not talking about them.)

I'm afraid of success! - Being obese for a long period of time becomes a way of life. We set up our enablers, buy cars, furniture and even our personality changes to accommodate our physical state. I sat with a guy the other day that could not fit in the booth at a lunch place. It was sad. Then he ordered a 3000 calories steak bomb.

My significant other doesn't care why should I? - Most mature adults are smart enough not say "I would love you better thinner!" I suppose there are some that have spouses that like them in an unavailable state, but for the most part, our health is our concern. Losing weight has many benefits other than just looking and feeling better.

I can't exercise, there's no place for me to walk/run. - We need to start where we stand. The goal is eating well, and getting in three 30 minute cardio session a week in which we get the heart rate over 120. You can walk in place, by home gym resistance bands, and an array of other things. I bet you can find a treadmill on Craigslist for cheap!

I love to eat. - Yup, me too. I am just enjoying eating better, and less.

I do a lot of traveling for work and find it hard to stick to my weight loss plan. - It is not an easy task to eat out all the time, but many places I have stayed at had a refrigerator and a grocery store nearby.

I've heard that running puts me at risk for knee problems and arthritis later in life. LOL, that's BS. But you can try swimming, use the elliptical or riding a bike.

I Have Bad Knees (bad ankles, bad hips, bad a$$): From here it looks like they can get you back and forth from the store, the bathroom and the refrigerator.

It's just one. - One breakfast muffin is equal to two 30 minute cardio sessions.

It's the holidays. - So? The Bermuda Triangle: Thanksgiving Christmas and New Years. (Or Memorial Day, the 4th and Labor Day.) Flag Day, the dog’s birthday. There are lots of holidays!

I don't cook my own meals. - It's hard to control what others do. I made an agreement with my wife over what I was willing to eat each week. Communication helps, and filling up with a large snack before meals is also another option. If you eat half a bag of baby carrots, you are probably not going to chow down on the fried chicken.

I Have Slow Metabolism: Right, and if your body was a car, it would be in reverse. Personally, mine hit a speed bump at age 40 and broke the steering column.

My Parents didn’t Teach me How to Eat: - Are you kidding, have you looked in the mirror? You are probably good at eating, in fact very good! For God’s sake, birds manage to get south.

It’s Vacation: One of my personal favorites, lots of eating out, and lying around (actually that sounds more like work too). Staying in the hospital is not a vacation.

I Don’t Like Healthy Food: Let me know when the pity party is over. Trust me; you are not going to like heart failure either.

It’s Emotional: WTH? It’s food, nothing else.

I Can Eat Anything I Want! Apparently.

I’ll Start Over Tomorrow: It’s here, now what?

Water Makes Me Gag! Well I guess it’s a good thing you are not a dolphin.

How about you, can you share some your most creative excuses for staying the way you were?

Disclaimer: Look, there are people who have legitimate medical reasons for being where they are. However; if you can get out of bed, you can probably begin to exercise. Seeing as diet is probably 90% of weight loss, you can make better choices.

A quick health update. 2 months post surgery my pain level has dropped from 6-10 with nauseating flares, to 3-6 with occasional dizziness and nausea. At least I am not in bed almost all day. The neurosurgeon said< "This could take as long as 2 years to heal. And... Let's face it, you may never be pain free. We'll do everything we can to keep you comfortable."

Thanks for the votes, comments and friend requests, I very much appreciate them.

57 votes + -

24 comments:

Sandratexas11 wrote 35 months ago:

If you know it all, why are you not at your ideal weight?

kdbulger wrote 35 months ago:

I've used so many of these! Past and present. Right now my brain is trying to tell me that since I've gained back some weight, it's game over. Just give up.

Don't think. Just do.

pizzafruit wrote 35 months ago:

My best excuse? My ankle hurts I don't want to injure myself further; then I went shopping.

kendallvon wrote 35 months ago:

been there, done that.

Anonymous wrote 35 months ago:

@Sandratexas11 the same reasons the rest of us aren’t.

Love the Blog, keep writing, keep striving, keep laughing. Glad the surgery has helped at least some!

IronLady1963 wrote 35 months ago:

The weekly "I know it all" post I see.

Twiley510 wrote 35 months ago:

I started binge eating (disordered/in secret) and couldn't understand why. One night, I soul-searched and determined I was afraid of success. Don't know how to live if I don't need to lose weight. Attempting to work my way past that mindset now.

I gained 15 lbs in 25 days. I have 90 to lose 25 or there will be financial consequences. How's that for motivation?

mowree wrote 35 months ago:

@IronLady1963, my momma always said, "You'll find one in every crowd". I say, you are it.

kacdragon wrote 35 months ago:

What I appreciate most in your blogs is your ability to cut to the chase. I have followed you for years, and your honesty is a like a surgeon's knife cutting away at our diseased thought processes. I am thankful you continue to write of your personal successes and failures for the rest of us!

rachelleahsmom wrote 35 months ago:

My parents didn't teach me how to eat! Love this one!

BexB42 wrote 35 months ago:

While I like this blog, emotional eating is a disorder, an actual mental health issue. It is like depression, you cannot just get over it. When the only thing in your life that is consistent for years is food, it becomes a lifeline, a comfort, a friend. Is that healthy?? No, but rearranging that thought process is not a simple answer. I am doing it finally, and the process is not short.
^v^

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ploomka wrote 34 months ago:

Some folks have experienced abuse or violence in some way, and they pack on pounds to make them feel safer (less attractive, less noticeable). But I say, don't let that abuser dictate your life! Some ideas: learn self-defense, learn how to safely and responsibly use a gun for protection, build a support network of people you can go out with, connect with a counselor and come up with more ideas to build your safety plan.

cepjep90 wrote 32 months ago:

have you tried keto? i have fibromyalgia and in the first week i noticed a huge improvement in my joints(pain was gone). then the second week i began to notice the muscle pain and stiffness wasn't as bad. i also was sleeping 10-12 hours a day and found out it was because i was going into a carb coma. that's the only way i can describe it. i was sleeping 6-8 hours a night in week two. it also killed much of my appetite and when i looked i had eaten about 600 calories less each day overall than when i wasn't trying to diet. that was without trying to cut calories. there's a lot to know about the diet to prepare. but there are plenty of youtube videos on it. i hope you feel better. pain is such a burden at times. much love.

Sand_TIger wrote 31 months ago:

Ha ha, nice excuses. I like the self deprecating honesty here. Somebody who is calling you a "know it all" obviously doesn't get the point. I've used some of those excuses, that's for sure. Mine usually is "I'll do it later" or "just one more step to this project."

Identifying our excuses and seeing how much BS they are is really, REALLY helpful.

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spencerjayne wrote 29 months ago:

Read this whilst eating a packet of crisps thinking it was cheat day XD

I'll try again tomorrow

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Diaries of a Nearly Dead Man

Excuses, excuses, excuses...

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