Leave your excuses at the door

As a personal trainer for the last 4 years, I've heard almost every excuse in the book. Stop it. You, the person trying to lose weight, aren't doing yourself any favors, and I can promise you that your trainer isn't losing their sleep over it. So it's useless. Like most excuses. 

Let's get one thing straight real quick: THERE IS NO MAGIC PILL. You want to lose weight, look great, be healthy, you have to put in WORK. You can't eat shit and look great. You can't be a couch potato and not increase your risk for heart disease. 

Common excuses and why we don't care. Especially me. 

1. I don't have time. Ok, I get it, most people work more than 40 hour work weeks, they have families and soccer practice and God forbid they miss scandal or the bachelor. I work 2 jobs and am trying to get my own personal training business off the ground, while recovering from TWO knee surgeries. Guess what? I still find time. I get up at 4am, I plan my meals in advance, I pack my bag the night before. Yes I have a slight advantage because I'm single and don't have children, but I still have a lot going on. MAKE THE TIME. 

2. Being healthy is too expensive. Want to know what's more expensive? Chronic disease and injury. I work in the assisted living atmosphere and can tell you it's not cheap. Rent here is around $5,000/ month, and that only covers food (that nobody likes) and your room. Oh you have cardiovascular disease or diabetes? Google how much those medical costs are and you might think that trainer is worth the money. Not to mention if you add up all the Starbucks and lunches out how much you spend. 

3. I don't have the energy. Suck it up, buttercup. Studies have proven exercise increases energy and helps you sleep better. Give it a week. 

4. I'm not seeing results fast enough. Well, you get what you give and you aren't going to chsnge years of bad habits overnight. It takes blood, sweat, tears, and time. 

While some people may read this and think I'm a heartless bitch, I assure you I am not. Working with the geriatric population is an eye opener. The only thing you have at the end is your health. As the fitness specialist, I work with a 92 year old who still zips around and had her wits. Her "secret": she walked the 2 miles to work everyday by choice. She played coed sports. She took her kids outside. I have a man who's 74 and spends all day in bed and is miserable, and while it's awesome he worked 70 hour work weeks and saved lots of money so his daughter can afford this place AND fancy vacations, he can't wait to die. 

Make the choice to be healthy. Because at the end, it's all that's truly going to matter. Oh, and my little old zippy lady still wipes her own ass :)