Being from the south, there is never a shortage of odd, funny, but usually very appropriate sayings! This one is usually a lot more vulgar but we won't go there! :)
So "pee or get off the pot..." what does that mean? Well it could mean..
- say something or don't talk about it anymore
- do something or shut up about it
"a common English language colloquial expression, used to imply a person should follow up their stated intentions, with action. It is also used to urge someone to complete a task with a greater degree of efficiency or timeliness than is observed at the time the expression is used. Implicit in the expression is that the person, by failing to act, is preventing others from acting."
(I'm pretty sure I'll be fired soon for googling that at work...oops! :P )
As you can see, this can be used in a variety of context, but seeing how this is a health, fitness, and nutrition blog, I am going to use in the context of, you guessed it, HEALTH, FITNESS, and NUTRITION!
I can't tell you how discouraging it is to hear so many people make so many excuses for not working out, not eating healthy, and in the grand scheme of things, just not taking care of themselves. I TOTALLY understand that when you first get started, it can seem a little overwhelming. Plus, if you try to make too many changes at once, you are basically setting yourself up for failure. But making an excuse DAILY for EVERYTHING is just totally unacceptable.
I've compiled a list of some of the most common excuses I hear when it comes to putting off/not doing exercising and healthy eating.
- I hate exercising.
- Exercising can, at first, seem like something that you may never enjoy. But the truth is, there are SO many ways to make it fun! Some different things I've personally tried are Zumba classes, playing sports, playing video games (Wii, Xbox, etc), and running races. As some of you may know or may have read in the about me section, I used to HATE running when I was younger. But now, I absolutely LOVE it and can't imagine not doing it! Trying out different things and seeing what works for you, your personality, and lifestyle gives you a better chance at suceeding with your workout attempts.
- I can't afford a gym membership.
- I'll let you guys in on a little secret...I've only been to my gym maybe 2 times in the past two months! Yep, 2 times. But you know what? I still get in a workout 4-6 times a week! And you don't need a Bowflex machine or a treadmill to get in a workout at home! I have DVD's I do at home (like Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred), I run outside, I do online workouts (my favorites come from Melissa Bender's blog), and the majority of the time I make up my own workouts.
- I'm not seeing results.
- STICK WITH IT! If you are actually making changes to your eating and exercising, you WILL see a change. It may not be as soon as you would like for it be but it WILL happen. As they say, "It took more than a day to put on the weight. It will take more than a day to take it off."
- I'm afraid I won't like that food. (healthy food)
- First of all, how will you know if you never try it? Is losing weight and being healthy not worth just TRYING something? If you hate it, don't eat it! There are million other things to try, you are bound to find something! The point is...if you don't TRY it, how will you ever know?
- I have kids and a household to run...I don't have time for exercise.
- I understand. Even though I don't have kids, I really do understand! I'm always telling my sister I don't know how in the heck she finds time to exercise with my niece keeping her so busy and everything else she's got going on...I don't have kids and it seems like I'm always on the run! But there are ways to make it happen! Try these: do a workout at home while the kids are napping, wake up before they do and get in a quick workout, try finding a gym with a daycare center, if your kids are old enough, get them involved in the workout with you, do exercises when commercials come on while you're watching TV, or try switching off watching the kids with your spouse.
- Healthy foods don't taste good.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa...you obviously haven't tried out any of my recipes! Trust me, eating is something I LOVE to do...I'm not going to eat something that doesn't taste good, yet I still eat healthy the majority of the time! There are ways to make healthy foods have great flavor. For example, use spices and seasonings. Or try to cut out fat and calories by finding low fat or light options of your normal foods. Look for alternatives. Instead of satisfying your sweet tooth with ice cream, grab some sweet, fresh cut pineapple or an orange. Healthy food CAN taste good...once again, you just have to give it a chance!
- I can't afford healthy food.
- Healthy food generally cost about the same as those processed, pre-packaged things we buy, if not even cheaper. For example, buying fresh fruit and vegetables is always cheaper than the canned stuff and you get more for your money. You don't have to buy the fancy schmancy, pricey stuff the famous people buy. I'm definitely not famous or a billionaire and I make it happen. :)
- I always end up quitting.
- Start out by setting small, attainable goals. That way when you will get more and more motivated with each small success. As I said before, going at it too hard and too fast when you first start can lead to getting burned out quickly. Changing up your workout routine can help keep boredom at bay that may otherwise cause you to give up on your same old workout. Also, having an exercise buddy or someone you check in to about your workouts could keep you accountable. We don't ever want to let anybody down so you will be more likely to stick with it if you have someone doing it with you or someone who is counting on you to help them keep going.
- I don't know how to exercise.
- If you've ever walked around the mall, then you've exercised, therefore, you know how! Exercise comes in many different shapes and forms. If you want something more intense but you're not sure what to do or how to do it, research exercises (hello, Google), buy a fitness maganize, buy a workout DVD, or a hire a personal trainer. There is SOME sort of exercise for everyone and anyone. Again, try playing sports, take a kick boxing class, attend a Zumba class, walk around the neighborhood...just get MOVING!
So basically, you see none of these excuses are valid for not being able to exercise or eat healthy. There are a hundred more excuses to go along with these but I'm pretty sure I can think of something to counteract those, as well. If you don't believe me, leave them in the comments section! :P
But when it comes to exercise and eating healthy, don't wait, don't contemplate it, don't try to think of an excuse, just TRY! Give a little effort each day and soon you will be moving mountains!
So I think Nike said it best...JUST DO IT! Or for my fellow southerners, when it comes to peeing or getting off the pot, just pee! :)
What is the most common exercise and healthy eating excuse you hear?
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