No More Excuses

Excuses Aren’t Your Friend So many times have I ran into the same story: “Oh, for two weeks, I WAS doing so good and I WAS eating pretty healthy foods and I WAS going to the gym on a regular basis and I WAS losing weight…but *insert excuse here*” Well, it WAS a good start.  Two weeks is probably the minimum amount of time that it takes for you to take notice of your body changing.  A couple pounds gone here and there, maybe some noticeable muscle gain in your chest or arms, and you’re just feeling better all around. And then you hit an obstacle.  Sometimes it’s lack of time, sometimes it’s that you had to eat fast food because it was your only option, sometimes your gym was closed early for a holiday. Too many times, (and I won’t lie, it happens to me too) is that we use this excuse for a cop out or an excuse to not do what needs to be done.  It’s easy to fall into this trap and I’m sure you can relate… “Well, since I had fast food for lunch that was given to me for free by my company, I might as well eat bad for the remainder of the day”—and it just so happens that “just for a day” turns into “just for a week” which could be the beginning of a very long downhill tumble. Another example is if something comes up and your gym closes at 10:00pm, but you can’t get there ‘til 9:30.  You tell yourself “that’s only 30 minutes, I can’t get a good workout in…” and then that missed workout turns into “well I was supposed to do shoulders yesterday, and legs today, but I can’t come tomorrow… I’ll just start back up NEXT week so my split doesn’t get messed up” We have to understand that nothing is predispositioned.  You can’t foresee the future.  We won’t have the picture perfect schedule that will fit our needs.  As anyone chasing after a dream or trying to accomplish a goal, you have learn how to not make excuses and adapt to the situation. You must make a conscious effort and tell yourself that things you didn’t expect will come your way—the only thing to do is that cheese burger covered with mayonnaise; I’ll indulge now, but I’ll make up for it later by eating super healthy.  Or there’s only 30 minutes left that the gym is open: I’ll adapt and do a circuit type training and then some extra cardio back at home. If you want a promotion in a job, you consistently do the work that needs to be done at an exceptional level. If you want to get a good grade on a test, you consistently go to class or study consistently for 3 days straight with no sleep (for my crammers and slackers out there) If you want the physique you have always wanted, you have to be consistent with your diet and exercise. No excuses! Danny Quach is a senior at the University of Georgia and he’s studying Health Promotion and Behavior.  He’s a powerlifter at heart and has done it for over six years.  He just competed in his first bodybuilding show in Summer of 2011.  For powerlifting, he holds some Georgia records.  In his first bodybuilding competition, he placed 2^nd in Novice in INBF Southern States.  On his spare time he’s a part of the University of Georgia’s cheerleading co-ed squads; his favorite past-time? Throwing girls around and catching them.