Why it's so hard to start a healthy lifestyle: 5 most popular excuses

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

New and correct promises are usually always made at the beginning of a period. It is always either the first day of the month, or from New Year, or from Monday. But Monday comes, and we come up with new excuses. For some reason, it is especially difficult to do sports and a healthy lifestyle in general. Either a corporate party, or New Year, or Easter, or else the money runs out and there is no longer enough for new sneakers. We'll have to wait until next Monday.

Everything would be funny if it weren't so sad. Because many begin to really do something only when they find a double chin or they accidentally come across photographs of five years ago in a bikini. And you understand that now this bikini can only be pulled on one half.

A guest post on zenhabits about the five most common excuses that block our path to bright and healthy happiness.

Matt Feiser, author of the No Meat Athlete health blog, shares his thoughts on five of the most common excuses people use. And I absolutely agree with him in this … except for some moments.

Justification # 1. Before starting a healthy lifestyle, I need to plan everything

Yes, some people really need a clear plan, because they are used to acting exclusively on a schedule. And there is nothing wrong with that, because if your schedule is scheduled by the hour, and your diet is by day of the week, you will definitely not miss anything.

The problem is a little different. The fact is that such planning for the majority is banal procrastination. And all this can drag on. Until next Monday, if not until next New Years.

Try to start small - with a simple walk, which can gradually develop into jogging or walking to the nearest gym. It's always easier to start with something simple and easy. And only then, when you get used to at least these simple rituals, you can start planning something bigger and grandiose. Without forgetting, of course, continue to make at least these everyday walks.

Justification # 2. I'm in such a terrible shape. I’m even scared to think about starting

Getting started is always difficult. Especially after a long break. Every day you need to literally force yourself to do at least something in the right direction. And even after walking, you feel how all your muscles ache (and this happens). Diet is even more complicated.

Don't try to jump to a healthy diet right away or set challenging fitness goals for yourself. Try to start small. Over the course of the week, gradually increase in your diet some of the healthier and more correct meals or arrange for yourself at least one fasting day a week.

Try exercising, or get a one month membership to a gym, yoga, or dance studio. Try it gradually, savoring every opportunity and listening to your feelings. This way you will definitely find what you really like.

If it seems to you that well, your soul is not lying to anything, then you really just think. It's not your heart that whispers to you, and it's not your intuition - it's laziness-mother sweetly condemns.

Justification # 3. I don’t know how to cook and I don’t have time for that

Nobody says that you have to cook complex dishes that require special culinary skills and take quite a lot of time. There are several dishes that anyone can cook.

Try to at least start with breakfasts - vegetable and berry smoothies, a variety of lassis (drinks based on fermented milk products), fruit salads and classic oatmeal - all of these dishes are prepared quickly, do not require special skill and in 90% they turn out delicious (10% are sour berries and fruits).

Justification # 4. I am afraid that others will laugh at me because I am absolutely out of shape

Overcoming this fear will help you not only put yourself in order, but also get rid of an inferiority complex. You should absolutely not care what the people around you think of you. Especially when you consider that most likely they will be completely strangers.

Trust me, they don't care how fast you run or how many times you get to push up. Everyone is focused only on what they are doing. And who is there next to him waving his legs is hardly of interest to him. Of course, if you do not touch him with these very feet.

The only place where this can happen is in group activities (yoga, aerobics, dancing, fitness). And even then only for those where the coaches are men. Only here does a woman wake up not only with the desire to do everything right and finally lose these extra n kg. Added to all this is the desire to be better than everyone else, and to look beautiful. That's when classes begin in full war paint, T-shirts from the neckline to the navel and injuries. The same applies to men, when a lady appears in the gym - everyone immediately begins to puff twice as hard. The result is wounded pride and injury.

If these situations make you feel uncomfortable, start by doing your homework. And only when you decide that now you are not ashamed to show up in the sports club, join group classes or classes in the gym. Buy a few lessons with an instructor, after all. He will certainly quickly get you in shape.

Justification # 5. I would like to join the group lessons, but I am afraid that I will not keep up with the general pace

Not true! I have seen so many people join the group in the middle and at the end of the year. Nothing terrible happened to them and they gradually pulled themselves up to the general level. If this is a fitness class, you can always choose a lighter weight for yourself. And if you join a yoga class, the instructor will help you until you fit in and stop making mistakes.

No one will laugh, because everyone started somewhere (even if not in this particular group) and remember very well how hard it is to be a beginner. Some especially sympathetic people can share their own experiences and tell you how and what is best to do to catch up with everyone.

How to get yourself started?

Everyone has their own limit. One glance at myself from the side in a swimsuit was enough for me. And I not only decided to resume classes, I ran at a run to sign up for a sports club! Someone needs a friendly kick, and someone can only think about health problems. In any case, the option “I am the way I am and I love myself this way” is just an excuse for the lazy. Nobody says that you should immediately lose 10 kg, become like a dried roach and eat exclusively on grass.

Indeed, in fact, playing sports and healthy and tasty dishes, in addition to health, give us something else - a lot of positive energy, energy and, possibly, new interesting acquaintances. After training, a second wind opens and productivity increases. You feel very differently. And even if in fact nothing has changed outwardly yet, the internal changes are much more significant. And those around you will feel it even faster than you yourself.

If you reread all these excuses and realize how much these, in fact, childish excuses can cost you, everything immediately starts to seem not so complicated. Try a week-long experiment. And then you don't want to go back to the old way of life.