Top 4 excuses not to be healthy and how to overcome them
People give reasons every day why they didn’t do something.
As a busy mother, I know I have used EVERY single excuse listed below in the past! But one thing I have learned on my postpartum health journey is if it's not important to you, you’ll find any reasons (or excuse ) to get out of it. Therefore, you must make it a PRIORITY, not a choice. So you may have to do some deep soul searching to figure out the real culprit of your decisions.
And sure, sometimes things happen unexpectedly, like taking care of a sick child or a trip to the ER. Those are unplanned things that will happen and we have to change our schedule.
Who isn't guilty for using one or a few of these excuses before? I know I am. Here are some of top reasons not to be healthy and how to overcome them:
- I don't have enough time. Sure, there are things you HAVE to do- such as grocery shopping and laundry. But when people say they don't have the time to work out, it really means “I just can't make the time to work out or be healthy.” There are many solutions to this problem and one of them is at-home workouts. Not all of us, including myself, can go to the gym or attend a class that is usually an hour long. The time management issue with young kiddos is one of the reasons I am so passionate about effective at-home workouts. Make 20-30 minutes of your day a priority to work out 3-4 times a week. Look at your schedule and write it on your calendar.
- I am too tired. This is a tough one, especially for new moms. Sleep deprivation with a newborn or child who is a poor sleeper is another problem and you need to listen to your body and know when to rest vs. pushing yourself. If you are always feeling tired, you need to find out why. Are you staying up late and not getting quality sleep? Is it the food you are putting in your body? Is it the lack of nutritious foods that are making you feel sluggish? Assess your situation and nutrition and find out why you always feel too tired to exercise.
- It’s too expensive to eat healthy. Healthy and delicious meals do not have to be expensive or take hours to make. There are several ways to save on groceries besides coupons. For example, we buy fruits and vegetables that are on sale, shop at wholesale stores (such as Costco and Sam’s club) and buy certain things in bulk when we can to save money. Do we buy organic strawberries for $7 when they are out of season? Absolutely NOT! Also, check out store brand foods rather than name brand. If you think grocery shopping for healthy food is expensive- watch how much you spend when you go out to eat at a restaurant- add it up each month, it may be eye-opening.
- I’ve tried every diet out there and it didn't work. There is a reason why I despise the word “diet”. People forget that temporary changes equal temporary results. They look for the new fad diet and try it out only to end up failing because they are usually very extreme and restricting. Becoming healthy is a lifestyle change, not a quick fix. You need to have the right mindset and motivation necessary to change your habits.
Healthy living focuses on nourishing and taking care of your body. It's about improving the quality of the food you eat, not the quantity. If you want to make positive changes to your health, then you need to make it a top priority, not a choice.
And if you want some extra support in reaching your goals, come join us in the Healthy Mama Huddle!
