It’s easy to make excuses, but it’s time to change! Let’s look at some of the most common excuses and debunk them so you can get into that cute pair of jeans.

“I don’t have enough time to cook.”

Healthy cooking does require some planning, but it’s completely worth the time and effort to cook your own healthy meals. Cooking, like many other important tasks, should be planned ahead. If you don’t schedule time to plan, shop, and cook, it’s not going to happen! Start collecting healthy recipes, make a list, buy a few meals’ worth of groceries, and head to the kitchen. Start small and easy—a few meals a week, simple and quick recipes, or dust off the slow cooker. I bet you’ll find that the effort is worth it, and you feel better from your nourishing food!

Again, start with a few meals a week and work your way up or maybe just commit to one meal a day to start. Maybe start with a delicious green smoothie! Just click here for the recipe!

“I hate exercising.”

We sometimes make exercise so complicated! Exercising just means to move find something that you do like. Everyone can do whatever exercise works for them! Maybe you love the adventurous outdoors and want to water-ski and hike. Maybe you need a barre class where everyone knows your name. Maybe you can squeeze in a few walks with the dog or push a stroller up a hill. Do what works for you!

Everyone can do whatever exercise works for them!

“It doesn’t matter what I eat I still can’t lose weight.”

Your body might be trying to tell you something! First, make sure you are eating enough. I’m not a fan of calorie counting, but you should be eating at least 1200 calories a day. If you aren’t eating enough, your body will go into starvation mode and hold onto everything. Second, it does matter what you are eating. You might have unidentified food sensitivities, which will cause inflammation, and you aren’t going to lose weight very fast. You want to concentrate on clean foods so your body can easily process the energy. 100-calorie snack packs aren’t the way to go, and sugary yogurt that seem healthy will only hinder your weight loss. Know what you are eating, start learning your body and what works best for it, and honestly look at what’s on your plate.

Know what you are eating, start learning your body and what works best for it, and honestly look at what’s on your plate.

“I have to eat out all the time for work.”

Eating out with coworkers or clients can be a minefield for your diet! Usually if you have lunch meetings, you can pick some of the places you go. Look up the menu before you head to the restaurant and decide what you are going to order so you aren’t tempted by smells and seeing a big order of onion rings when you walk in. Know that they are going to bring you more than you would normally eat for lunch so eat slowly and put your fork down between bites. It’s a social lunch anyway, so you need to chat while eating. You will be more mindful of what you are eating, and you won’t overeat. Package the rest for dinner.

“I feel overwhelmed by all the advice I’m getting from everywhere!”

You might have read a bunch of great advice, but it all feels like too much. Start small and make tiny changes that build up to a healthier lifestyle, not just a diet. Choose to make your own simple and healthy meals a few nights a week. Commit to exercising when you have time. Replace a sugary breakfast with a homemade juice. You don’t have to overhaul your entire life immediately. Small changes can build up to an overall healthier and more energetic life.

Start small and make tiny changes that build up to a healthier lifestyle, not just a diet.

I’d love to hear some of your favorite ways to motivate yourself to push past your excuses! Comment below and tell me what inspires you to commit to a healthy lifestyle!

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