You Know What It Is?

You know what it is? YES...I do know what it is! It's the beginning of an excuse! Almost everyday someone says to me...You know what it is? It's this, it's that and it's always an excuse or justification as to why they can't do something. In reality it's what the person really doesn't WANT to do or change.

I don't want to hear what someone CAN'T do because whatever it is, is usually unfounded. Now, I'm not saying there are aren't legitimate barriers to why someone doesn't have the ability to exercise. Maybe they have a broken back? Perhaps someone can't change their eating habits because they are allergic to everything under the sun. More often then not, though, people don't WANT to change.

Change is hard. We find a lot of comfort in our routine and when someone asks you to change that routine we get scared and think "I can't do that". Well, guess what? Chances are that you CAN make changes. It just takes small steps and an open mind.

Most often the statement/question "You know what it is?" is a response to me asking or suggesting that someone change the way they are currently doing something. For instance, when someone comes to me and asks for my help in losing fat weight I might say: "You need to add another day of metabolic resistance training and one day of intervals to your program. And, oh yeah, don't eat ice cream every night and stay away from processed foods" Then I hear "you know what it is?" and it follows with some lame excuse that almost sounds legitimate.

COME ON PEOPLE!!!! Enough with the excuses. It's Okay not to want to make the changes. Just be honest with yourself and me. You don't want to make the changes because they are hard or whatever the reason, just don't tell me you can't because I know you CAN!

Here are some tips to get you through the hard changes:

1. Visualize yourself making the change. Good athletes do it all of the time. The baseball player imagines himself hitting the ball on the right spot of the bat, his body swinging in response, all of the components he can think of. Do the same with exercise. Imagine yourself getting out of bed, alert and happy to begin your day with activity. Picture yourself putting on your clothes you've set out the night before. Then driving to the gym or walking to your basement or living room where you exercise. See yourself lifting the weights. Your breaking a sweat. You can feel the muscles working and burning. You CAN do it!

2. See yourself as a person who does this or does that. Become an avid exerciser in your mind and others will see you as that person, too. In other words make exercise and healthy eating such a part of your life, it's just who you are. Change the perception of yourself. "I am someone who works out 5 days a week. I am someone who eats garden salad instead of macaroni salad."

3. Change your goals. This one might actually be the hardest. We all think we want to be thin. Perhaps, instead of your goal to lose 50 pounds your goal should be changed to walking every day or eating breakfast every day. I don't want to discourage you from losing 50 pounds of fat, but perhaps you are really not willing to give up the excess of food or drink. Don't torment yourself, just tweak your goals. Eventually one healthy change will lead to another!

Good Luck and please don't say "You know what it is?"