Just Shut up and Do It!

If there is ever a blog that you read that I write let it be this one.

I absolutely love helping others. When it comes down to it, the people I help, help me. I am still nowhere near the knowledge level I want but everyday I am fueling myself with knowledge of this industry and bettering myself. We all have to get started somewhere.

Do you know why so much of America is overweight? It is so easy. Anyone can do it. Anyone can be lazy and indulge themselves in fattening, greasy, and unhealthy food constantly. It takes no effort. I get a lot of e-mails, texts, messages, and approaches on health and dieting tips. I spend ample time helps others and a few days later, 90% of the people I help are back to their same routine (I keep up with your Facebook statuses, ha ha). As I have mentioned before I am writing a book, because I was 270 pounds, lazy, ate crap all the time, and in October of 2008 I got a grip. I have taught myself over the years 90% of what I learned. At this point I feel like titling my book: "Just Shut up and Do It". Excuse after excuse on why one can not work out or eat healthy.

I do not understand nor do I want too. You take care of your body when you're sick. Why would you NOT take care of your body when you're healthy? Do you know how much disease you can fight and prevent with exercise and healthy eating? The improvements in my mood and happiness are enough alone to keep me motivated. Here's a tip: Can't afford a membership at a gym? Did you know most health insurance plans will reimburse you for your membership, give you a discount, or even pay for it? Check your sources, lovers!

Today I am dedicating my blog to tackling excuses: I am not a pro, I do not have a college degree in Nutrition (yet :]), and I work full time, take care of my apartment, a cat, etc. I have simply dedicated myself to learning how to keep happy, healthy, and take my passion for health and fitness to the max. To blankly put it: I am just like you. Please feel free to share this.

"I can't afford a gym membership".
- Okay, great. Well when you spend $5.00 at a fast food restaurant 2-3 times a week in a month (most Americans do!) - take that money to get a gym membership. Gym memberships can range from $10.00 a month up to $70.00 and more. Even "Planet Fitness" is known for it's $10.00 a month - that is a somewhere to start! I am sure MOST can afford $10.00 a month, just give up eating out so much, fast food, and maybe not buying that DVD or CD you want. If you truly want something, we as humans will find a way to get it. Evaluate your budget and make it work. Like I said above, check your health insurance as well. If one still insists that they can not afford a gym membership - okay great, go outside: walk, run, jumping jack's, burpee's, mountain climber's, anything! Just get some cardiovascular exercise in there. If you do not know what some of those exercises are that are listed you can find out. There is BodyBuilding.com, search engines, magazines, book, and I'm positively sure that YouTube would have instructional video's as well.

"I don't really care about anything else, but I want abs"
- You should care. You can't just get abs by doing 800 sit up's a day. "Abs are made in the kitchen". Cardio, ab exercises, and most of all healthy eating are what make abs. Abs are hard to get but they do come when the fat is off of the stomach. Do you know what gets the fat off of the stomach? Healthy eating and cardio. You have to do it.

"I don't have time to work out"
-Everyone has time. Everyone can make time to work out atleast a couple days a week. Most people just want to make an excuse not too. I would have to say, majority of the people have at least one hour or more dedicated to watching television. Take that time to exercise? Or get on the Tredmill or Elliptical, etc, read your book or watch T.V. at the same time. All the time spent of Facebook can be spent exercising. It doesn't just have to be outside or at gym. Join a sports team, running or cycling group. Those are not only fun ways to get in shape but meet other active people as well. Meeting people who will help you with your fitness goals is such a great plus!

"I don't know what to do"
This is probably the excuse I hate more then anything. Teach yourself or get a trainer. There are your options. Use Google, Bobdybuilding.com, buy magazines, books, etc. Learn! What I did: I threw myself in the gym; I got on all of the different cardio machines, messed with the buttons such as "Resistance" and "Crossramp" and learned what to do. It truly is not that hard. As far as weight lifting - I went on the different machines, most of them had pictures to help show you what to do and I learned it. Ask a trainer to help you if you feel like you need extra guidance. If you can not afford to have a trainer 3-4 days a week, just buy 2 or 3 sessions just so they can help guide you and get you started on what you need to do. One thing I do for healthy eating is Google it. I read and read and read on what I should eat and what I should not. Then it was trial and error with cooking, recipes, etc.

"I want to lose weight and look tone but I don't want to lift weights because I do not want to get big and bulky".
Ladies - lift the weights!!! Weight training is so amazing for you! Cardio burns tons of calories but once you stop the exercise, the calorie burning stops. You need to build your muscles mass up if you would like to keep those calories coming off even after you stop your exercising. One pound of muscle mass added to your body can burn up to 50 extra calories each and every day. Lifting weights will burn away the fat during your workout and will continue to do so after your work out is completed. You do not have to lift heavy. Use a lighter weight, but challenge yourself a little - you don't want it to be easy and then do a 10-15 reps per set.

"I have a lot of health problems so I can't work out"
Can you imagine how many health problems are linked to people not eating healthy and exercising? I can almost guarantee most doctor's would recommend exercise in any situation. I do not mean they would recommend running 5 miles a day and then bench pressing 200 pounds. Whether it is swimming, walking, jogging, Elliptical, Zumba, spinning, outdoor cycling, hiking - anything to get your body moving. Not all exercise has to be high intensity. Next time you're at the doctor - consultant with he or she on what you should do to improve your health.

"I love to work out, but I can't eat healthy because I hate it"
This excuse is plain and simple. You will never get fit, healthy, or lean if you have a very poor diet. You can run 50 miles a day then eat like a pig and nothing will happen. You have to discipline yourself and eat healthy to get great results. It's really that simple. One idea: do your research and learn how to spice up the healthy eating and make it your own. Healthy eating does not have to be boring or gross.

"Working out is so boring"
Exercise may not be the most fun thing in the world to some- I LOVE IT. But if you want to be healthy, lean, thin, fit, tone, (whatever adjective you prefer) suck it up and do it. For example: If you want to be a doctor you have to go to college. It may not be the funnest thing in the world to do, but you have to go to be a doctor. Same for fitness. If you want it - you have to work for it. There are always way to make it fun: Zumba is becoming popular, hiking outdoors, sports, etc. You can make it fit your lifestyle!

Above are some of the most common excuses I encounter on a daily basis and they are really getting annoying. If you REALLY want something you have to WORK for it. The best things in life do not come easy but once you finally reach your goal, man is all that work so worth it! I can absolutely garauantee that if you push yourself to exercise and eat healthy you will not only see a difference in your clothes and body, but your overall mood! Since I have dedicated myself to health and fitness I feel like I am high on life! Everyday of course, is not perfect but overall I feel 110% better than I used too.

Now... shut up and just do it! :)