My excuses are always trying to justify a certain behavior.  I make excuses to “ok” my actions but I am really trying to make myself believe it, because no one else really cares.

Our culture is addicted to food. You don’t give an recovering alcoholic a drink and tell him just have one. No, you tell him never go to a bar, never have just one, run from places that trigger the desire.

Some of my favorite ways to justify my behavior as it relates to healthy eating:

1. It was a birthday/special event/party/etc.
2. I went on vacation
3. I didn’t have time
4. I was in business meetings.
5. My schedule was jam packed
6. I didn’t bring my IP food.
7. I didn’t want to complicate my order at a restaurant/Didn’t know I could customize my order.
8. I was too tired to cook.
9. I couldn’t eat all of my food.
10. I was sick.

Thoughts for overcoming

• Special Events- Why not eat clean?  Isn’t the point of the party to celebrate the person or event, not food?  The next special event we can say no to cheats and continue the diet.  No need for food to celebrate. So don’t sabotage your diet for momentary comfort.  One piece of cake is not worth it to set back progress.  It probably won’t  really taste that good anyway.

 

• Vacation- I need junk food to enjoy a vacation?  Let me put a vacation into perspective-a time to relax, have fun, build relationships, experience new things, etc. I don’t need junk food for my next vacation…do you?

 

• No Time- How I choose to spend my time is a matter of priority. I can choose to make my health (which can add quality to life) a priority by structuring my time to plan to eat right.

 

• Work- I can choose to eat often and eat right even though I am working,  I just need to think about my day and prepare.   That means I take ten minutes to prepare some things to bring with me if I have to.

 

• Scheduling- If I am  too busy to prepare for my most basic function of life? Then maybe I need to examine my priorities….

 

• Didn’t have my IP packets- PLAN. Have some with you always. They are easy to pack and I can have them anywhere I go.

 

• Restaurants- It is my money being spent, so I can get what I want prepared the way I want it. Most restaurants want to please the customer and will work for me when I just ask.

 

• Too tired to cook- Grab a pickle. Eat raw spinach. Ask the kids to do the same. I like to prepare for the week by cutting up veggies and chicken on Sunday for the week.

 

• Couldn’t eat all of my food- I find that I can eat some veggies at breakfast and then eat some at 10, at 12, at 3, etc.

 

• I was sick- the Ideal Protein diet is healthy for me when I’m not sick, so why isn’t it healthy when I am sick?

 

Overall my excuses are  a choice and when I use them I am choosing not to lose weight. This attitude gets us in the overweight status in the first place.  I can always change my mind, habits, body, etc.

 

So I can change today by leaving the excuses behind!