No Excuses

Some people wonder why they never get results. This article may be a bit blunt but it’s the truth. A lot of people see little or no results because they are full or EXCUSES. This article may slightly offend some people. I am ok with that though because to be honest I’m offended by how many excuses I hear from people. I’m tired of hearing the following:

• I don’t have time.
• I’m too old.
• I have bad genetics.
• I looked good until I had kids.

You get the idea. So now I will examine a few of these excuses and explain why they are total B.S. in my book.

I don’t have time.

This one is great. You don’t have time do you? Well there are 168 hours in a week. So there are 168 hours in my week, your week, his week, her week, everyone has the same amount of hours in their week. Its how you utilize these hours that really matter. I understand everyone is busy in this day and age. They have jobs, husbands and wives, kids, and many other commitments. People get the idea that because I am a trainer I work out all day long. I wish it was that simple. I am a trainer not a pro athlete. People pay me to work them out, not pay me to work out (as a pro athlete is). I schedule 40 hours+ a week with clients, drive to and from Murray at least 10 hours a week, take classes 12 hours a week, study at least an hour a day, check email and keep up with the latest in the fitness industry daily, cook and prepare all my meals for the day each night, see my girlfriend daily, sleep 7-8 hours a night and somehow still find time to lift weights 3 hours a week and run sprints/strongman training 2 hours a week. Some days I may be deadlifting at 6:00 am or doing squats at 9:00 pm but I make time for it. The key word is MAKE time for it. Everyone has the time there, its just what they choose to do with that time that’s the problem.

I’m too old.

This excuse drives me crazy. Too old? How can 30 something years old be too old? I don’t care if you have a full head of gray hair and get a senior citizens discount your still not too old. I have a client in his 50’s who trains harder that most teenagers and 20 somethings I know. I have a client in his 70’s who trains harder and is more disciplined that most athletes I know. He is still losing bodyfat and building muscle and he is in his SEVENTIES. No one is too old! You know why your think your too old? Because you sit around watching tv, eating and talking about how old you are. That’s why. You create your own destiny. If you think your old, tell yourself your old and even better act like your old then damn soon enough you sure will feel old. George Foreman won a world title in his forties (considered old for an athlete). He defied the odds and you know how? He trained hard and ate right. He trained when he felt tired, weak and even “old”. Look at LL Cool J. He was on the cover of Men’s Fitness just last month and has a build better than any 20 year old I see on a daily basis. Age is just a number. The reason 50, 60 and 70 year olds are making progress and defying the odds is because they tell themselves they are still young. They choose to be that way.

I have bad genetics.

This is one that drives me crazy. Bad genetics you say? No one is meant to be fat. There are different body types and shapes and sizes do vary but the body is not meant to hold large amounts of fat. People want to exercise a couple times a week then complain because they are still fat. These people need to take a look at the pizza and ice cream they eat for dinner a couple nights a week. Pizza and ice cream ARE NOT genetics. The fact that you’ve ate that way and did little or no exercise is what causes excessive fat gain…not genetics. If you want to lose fat you need to be getting 5 hours of exercise a week and eating right 90% of the time. Sound like a lot? Make a decision, how bad do you want it? Then you know what to do. If not then be happy being overweight and don’t blame your genetics. Realize it’s your lifestyle.

I looked good until I had kids.

Don’t blame your kids for this one. Now I do understand that women gain weight during pregnancy and the body goes through a lot of changes. I have experience training pregnant women. However if you kid is 10 years old guess what? That’s not baby fat around your waist and hips. If your baby weighed 8 pounds and you gained 80 guess what? You ate like shit. I have the perfect example. I have a client who became pregnant and continued working out all through the pregnancy. She gained a normal amount of weight and had her baby. Within 8 weeks post pregnancy she was back to her pre pregnancy weight. You know how? She didn’t live off ice cream and brownies. She ate good 90% of the time and exercised.

I hope you all understand I didn’t write this article to offend anyone. I just wanted to point out common excuses and if one offended you should probably look at why? Is it because I pointed out the brutal truth? You are never too old to do something. You where not born overweight, but you let yourself become overweight. If you are already there then make the change. Exercise regularly and change the way you eat. If you can’t give up your junk food daily, stop making excuses, complaining and blaming it on your genetics. Don’t blame your innocent kids, get off your butt and do something. If you think you have no time realize everyone is busy. Everyone has a ton of responsibilities. The difference is we make time.

What is the secret to success? It is dedication and discipline. It is that simple. Make time to work out. Don’t miss workouts. Make time to eat healthy. Don’t miss meals. Stop making excuses, no one wants to hear them.