I've noticed it more and more. Maybe I'm getting older and I'm looking for answers instead of reasons why something can't be done but how it can be done. For example: Someone says"I don't have the time to exercise daily"
Do you watch television? The answer is yes, can't you exercise and watch your favorite show. Or I would like to eat like that but I have to prepare food for my family. I have a family too. They eat what I prepare or my husband drives himself to the local restaurant. I am no longer going to be last on the list. My health comes first. If that means I need to eat every 3 hours, I eat, if it means exercise 6 - 7 days a week I exercise.
Why do we think so little of ourselves that we have to make excuses of why something can't be done?
Yay, Sharon! I love you saying that you will no longer be last on your list. I think you're right that excuses are tied up with self-esteem and that sometimes we think that we're not worthy of spending time and care on ourselves. I know that I used to think I was a better mom and wife if I was a martyr for my family. The funny thing is that by making my health and fitness a priority, I ended up being a better wife and mother.
Ah, excuses. One of my favorite sayings (I even had it in my signature for a while) is:
If you want it, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse.
We all have the same 168 hours in a week - that's 336 half-hour blocks of time. We're all busy people. But I know that every one of us can carve out just five of those half-hour blocks of time for exercise (if not more). Yep, I'm getting less tolerant of excuses too!
We make time to sleep and we make time to spend with our loved ones, time to watch tv. We have to make time to exercise. And you are right, it's time to get rid of the excuses. I schedule time for my walk and I do not make plans during that time because I treat it like my job. I couldn't go to the movies during my work time and I can't go to the movies during my exercise time. It's time that's been set aside for one of the necessities of life. It is not optional, it really is the way we have to think about it.
Ah, excuses. One of my favorite sayings (I even had it in my signature for a while) is: If you want it, you'll find a way. If you don't, you'll find an excuse.
I really like that saying too. I have to admit that there are still moments when I can be the queen of excuses, but these are getting more scarce these days. (I figured out, my timetable is already so full, what's a few more hours of exercise in it! )
Thanks Meg and Kery - I feel like such a loser groveling back again... but not the kind that I WANT to be, the kind with a HUGE "L" tattooed on her forehead...
Renee, do you want to hear about the thousand times that I failed before I finally figured it out? We fail, we learn, we get up and keep going. That's the name of the game. You're back and that's all that matters!
No, I know what you mean... and I know it's important that I'm here. I just wish I could get it out of my head the disappointment I've caused myself for wasting all of this time...
I really appreciate I have you girls to come back to though!!
With regard to excuses--I don't have children or a husband that I "have" to feed, and my partner is quite capable of cooking. My main excuse has been "I don't have time for exercise because I have to work." Yeah, right, I'm self employed and can schedule things any time I want. So, I decided that I could manage an hour and a half of exercise every day and still get work done. That was my way of getting exercise while still feeling comfortable about work requirements. And you know, the time magicall appeared! How about that?
I don't really have children or a husband I "have" to feed either... my stepkids are with us every other weekend and I'm lucky that they LOVE the healthy meals I make (and they love veggies!)... it's that I don't make a lot of meals DURING the week... that would be my SO... and as hard as he tries he just isn't "into" cooking the way I do and would prefer to do something from a box or order a pizza.
I am FULL of excuses. I think most of them are valid. However, the fact that I just stuffed 3 shortbread biscuits down my throat has NO valid excuse. I do not know why I just continue to sabotage myself. As if it would be a BAD thing to have a good day.
I really do have time issues, but I have come to realise that I absolutely HAVE to take more time for myself. That's pretty much what I'm doing now (or rather, I'll BE doing as of today, when I punch out at exactly 5PM instead of 7PM!!!!!).
Why are we always making so many excuses?
I think you're right that excuses are tied up with self-esteem and that sometimes we think that we're not worthy of spending time and care on ourselves. I know that I used to think I was a better mom and wife if I was a martyr for my family. The funny thing is that by making my health and fitness a priority, I ended up being a better wife and mother. 
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