Goals and excuses

It has been a while since I have updated. We have finally moved down near St. Louis, Missouri. The transition has been great for the kids and we all seem to be adjusting fine. I joined a gym immediately because one of the main things when I moved was that I didn't want to get out of shape and unhealthy again. You see, this was never just a "diet" for me, but it was so much more. It was a complete lifestyle change. The past few weeks have been an emotional struggle and it has been extremely hard to stay on track, but I'm back on track. This leads me to my thought of the day.

I've been thinking a lot about the phrase "no excuses". This phrase used often was first introduced to me when I started Bootcamp by my trainer. Among many other little phrases to motivate and keep you going, this was one of them. Last season, I did not watch The Biggest Loser, but when I turned on episode one for this season last week, I noticed they had also adopted the "no excuses" campaign. The gym I am currently going to has also used the phrase now, but twists it just a litte...and I like the twist! They have shirts and signs and billboards that shout out "STRONGER THAN EXCUSES"! This totally hits it on the head. Quite often I find myself outright having to say to myself lately.. Susan, you are better than that! Quite often it has to do with a food I shouldn't be eating or perhaps a glass of wine. Sometimes it takes me actually saying to myself, "you are stronger than that!,.... Stronger than excuses" !

My workouts are extremely important to me, I mean every single one of them. I work hard, I give my best every single time because if I have nothing else, there is "no excuse" not to. Whether it is with my trainer or on my own, I don't expect less than 100percent and no one else should either of me. I want results, and to actually see results, it is so much more than exercising every day and pushing my physical limits. It is about healthy eating. It is about the foods that will fuel my body and not set me back. It's about giving my all in everything I do. It's about proving that I CAN! It's about eliminating the doubts that I know for a fact others have in me.

It would be easy for me to throw out that I'm eating this or that because I had to move, because I don't have a job yet, because I have about 1 friend down here, or I'm stressed out, or I lost my trainer. I have every excuse in the book at my fingertips. Where all those things seem to be considered valid reasons to justify anything, what they really are is excuses. We all have choices to make each day. Some people call these health issues their "new years resolutions". For me it's not about just this year, call this my lifetime resolution. I'm stronger than excuses, like the billboards say, I'm stronger than resolutions. I will not be another statistic this year who in February has dropped off the fitness map. This is the year, the life I have now that I will no longer make excuses. Will this be your year? From day one of my healthy journey, I have heard no excuses... Maybe now I'm finally listening, are you?