7 Worst Excuses for Not Getting Healthy (Any sound familiar?)

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We all want to be healthy and slim, right? So why aren't we? Oh, there could be a genetic or medication issue that's holding you back. But more often than not the only thing holding us back is us.

As a Total Wellness expert, I have worked with a large number of clients over the years. And believe me when I tell you -- excuses for not getting healthy are not only a dime a dozen, but they also don't make a lot of sense!

I'm Too Old to Start Now!

It's never too late to get healthy. Cliché as it sounds, it's true. There are measurable benefits to becoming more active, improving your diet and sharpening your state of mind.

People begin to seek a healthier lifestyle at all ages. I have worked with people in their 60's and 70s' and they have all gained strength and coordination, decreased their dependency on medications, and improved their overall flexibility.

I'm Too Tired!

Starting a healthy lifestyle isn't easy. It's never easy to change especially when you feel like you're too tired to even move from the sofa at all.

However, I can tell you that incorporating healthy changes -- even small ones like a 10-minute-a-day walking program -- will in turn give you more energy. So it's win-win. The more you do, the better you feel. Or do nothing and feel horrible.

I Have No Motivation!

No two people are motivated by exactly the same things. Some of us are internally motivated, some of us fight a disease or the onset of an illness, while others just miss feeling well. No person can be pushed to be motivated because if motivation doesn't come from you genuinely, you will fail.

My advice: think it through. Remember a time when you felt well or a time when you were successful on a fitness plan. Focus on what worked and the positive results you enjoyed.

Getting Healthy is Expensive

The clothes, the food, the gym memberships... oh, my! Let's look at it the other way -- the way were you stay unhealthy. The clothes, the food, the doctor visits, the medicine, the co-pays and the pain and discomfort... OH, MY!

The truth is that getting healthy is far less expensive in the long run than the maintenance it takes to stay unhealthy. And let's not forget about the extra years that being healthy can add to your life.

I Hate Going To The Gym, I Feel____

Well, you can fill in the blanks. I have heard everything from inadequate to uncomfortable to downright silly. Who ever said getting healthy has to involve a gym?

Today there are so many other options -- from online communities, to walking clubs, to fitness professionals that will come to you and then there's always your trusty DVD player. Go with what you love. If you love to swim, find a pool. If you love to walk, hit the great outdoors. If you love it, you will stick with it.

I Just Don't Know Where To Start!

Ah, yes... the overwhelming amount of information is at times mindboggling even for me and I have made wellness my career. Some experts say do this; others say no, do it that way or don't do it at all! I can totally understand your confusion.

I would suggest that you start with a few great resources like www.mypyramid.gov which has some really terrific, easy to understand information for everyone. From there, start working on the things that you can change fairly easily.

Remember... small steps are the ones we stick with.

I Don't Care!

I think this is the one that strikes me the hardest. It's truly the one excuse that I have the least answers for.

To me, if you don't care enough of yourself to try to live longer and live better, then I really have no start point to motivate you. You have to want to change. As I always say, if you simply go through the motions with anything, you will fail.

Be well.

Alicia

Alicia is an American Council on Exercise Certified Personal Trainer and a Weight & Lifestyle Management consultant. The owner of Evolution Total Wellness in New York is also the author of "Oscar & Otis, Fat Fighters." For more information, visit www.linkedin.com/in/evolutiontotalwellness.

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