The One Thing Busy Moms Must Do To Finally lose Weight
Are you feeling like you’ve tried it all before, and the weight just won’t come off? Or if it does, it is quick to come right back. You want to lose weight, but it just doesn’t seem to be an option for you. Every time you try a new strategy, something comes up that throws you off track. There is a reason that all of the strategies that you’ve tried in the past have failed you. You’re missing the most important first step! Before you go out and sign up for a gym membership or buy a blender for your new meal replacement shake, there is ONE thing that you must do to start losing weight and finally keep it off! This very important, secret step that we usually miss is to DITCH YOUR EXCUSES.
Nothing will work until you realize that your success is totally up to you, and that you can absolutely do this. As long as you hold on to the ideas that you don’t have the time, money, situation or genetics to accomplish your goals, whatever strategy you try will not work!
Here are the most common excuses I’ve heard (from inside and outside of my own head) and how to finally ditch them.
Excuse #1: I don’t have time to workout.
We ALL have this one! Making time for exercise is HARD. Before you tell yourself that you just “can’t” do it, remember that you can do anything, but you cannot do everything. Try looking at your days from a different perspective – what changes can you make in your current routine to make room for exercise, rather than trying to magically add more hours to your day. Know that it doesn’t need to be perfect – ten minutes of any kind of exercise is better than nothing. Start small and work up from there. I used to be really stuck on the idea that in order to get a workout in every day, I had to do it in the morning, and I couldn’t function on less than eight hours of sleep, so if I didn’t get to bed on time, I just gave up on the idea of working out altogether. Now, I’m not going to say that you should stop sleeping so that you have time for exercise, but what I realized, while reading The Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod, is that I was holding myself back by telling myself that I couldn’t function on less than eight hours of sleep. By loosening up on the ideas that I needed eight hours of sleep and that I absolutely had to workout in the morning, I was able to be more flexible with myself, and more committed to getting the workout in one way or another. I made it a priority. Instead of saying, “I won’t be able to function on less than eight hours of sleep,” I said, “I am so thankful for the seven hours of rest I am about to get.” And instead of saying that there was no way I could workout after work, I made that my backup plan. If my morning workout fell through for some reason, I would make a point to sneak in an evening workout. That is not my ideal daily schedule, but by loosening my grip on those beliefs, I discovered that I could make it happen.
Excuse #2: I don’t have time for healthy meals.
Don’t let the idea that healthy meals = a big time commitment hold you back from making positive changes. Some of the healthiest things that we eat take the least time. We love fresh fruits and veggies, and I’m not a big “prepper” person who gets all of these things clean and cut at one time each week. I’d like to get there, but what I’m talking about is peeling and slicing a cucumber and cutting up a tomato for a dinner side dish. With a little salt and pepper, this is honestly one of our favorite additions to a summer meal, and it takes less time than heating up a corndog or boiling water for macaroni & cheese. Fresh fruit is super easy too – pack an apple for your mid-morning snack. Buy a salad kit that takes hardly any time to throw together. I drink a shake every morning to save me time at breakfast.
You don’t have to feel guilty for relying on your quick go-to meals. Just add some balance to them! My go-to in a hurry is throwing in a frozen pizza and I love steaming up some frozen broccoli at the same time, so that our meal is more than just pizza. Again, you don’t have to be perfect. Sneaking in some extra veggies or swapping for a few lighter ingredients can make a big difference and does not take up a lot of time.
Excuse #3: I’m cooking for a family, and I just don’t have the energy to make something separate for myself.
First off, SAME. I barely have time to get one decent meal on the table, I definitely do not have time to do different meals for each person. So, I don’t. I’ve always offered the foods that I eat myself to my children, and as they get older, I expect them to at least try them. I always have foods around to help round out my kids’ plates if they aren’t going to eat what I made for dinner. Things like apple sauce, cottage cheese, fruit, bread with butter or peanut butter, etc. help me make sure that I’m getting my children the calories needed for energy and growth, as well as hitting the major food groups, without allowing them to request special meals (I am not cooking chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese along with whatever else I’m making) or to “skip” the real dinner in favor for their favorite foods every day – my alternatives don’t include fruit snacks, dessert items, or snack foods like Gold Fish and Rice Krispie bars. My children get plenty of these treats, and I don’t want their meals to consist primarily of these things as well. If I didn’t know better, I would eat fruit snacks instead of steamed broccoli too – its my job to teach my children how to load up on the good stuff and to keep the others as occasional treats.
Also, you can make all of your family’s favorite comfort foods, but slightly alter your own plate with my favorite veggie hack! I’m always looking for ways to make classic meals for my family without overdoing it on calories or carbohydrates for myself. I can usually turn any meal into a salad or replace pasta ingredients with steamed vegetables. Sloppy joe salad, taco salad, chicken strip salad, spaghetti over steamed broccoli and broccoli alfredo are some of my favorites! Remember – your meals don’t have to be perfect either! You can enjoy all of your favorite flavors, while still staying on track.
Excuse #4: I’m not naturally thin. I want to be able to enjoy my life and not worry about every single thing that I eat.
THIS is my BIG one! I inherited my dairy-cow hips, thick thighs, and sweet tooth from my momma. I am the girl that has to work hard every day to overcome bad eating habits. I am the girl that has to watch what I eat, because a bad eating habit will quickly lead to weight gain if I’m not careful. I like to joke that I can just look at a piece of bread and gain weight. It is not something that I love about myself. It is very easy to be jealous of the girls that can drink beer and eat tacos and ice cream without a care in the world or the freaks out there that can enjoy one little piece of chocolate and be completely satisfied. I’ve wondered at times if it is even worth it. Maybe the answer is to stop worrying about my weight and just roll with what I’ve got, but I choose to keep working towards a healthy body. The truth is that eating healthy foods, taking care of myself, and fitting nicely into flattering clothes is SO WORTH IT to me. I feel like a completely different person when I am at a comfortable weight, and there is a confidence there that spills into every area of my life. I can see a glow in myself that is missing when I feel overweight, and I’ve noticed that same glow in many other women that I’ve been able to see at various weights. Excess weight makes you want to crawl into a hole, and that’s no way to live either. The truth is that taking better care of myself and maintaining a healthy weight makes me happier overall than eating treats and being lazy. The secret is to find a balance, to prioritize the treats and events that really make you happy and to cut out the eating habits that are dragging you down. I can enjoy ice cream dates with my girls, margaritas with friends, and an extra couple of cocktails (or Busch Lights) on date night, when I make my daily workout a priority, avoid mindless eating when I get home from work, and ditch the unnecessary trips to the vending machine to distract myself at work. Think about what you really want in life and make those things priority.
Excuse #5: I am overwhelmed by my life already, and adding exercise, drinking water, and meal planning to my to-do lists just doesn’t seem possible right now.
Have you seen the Cruella Devil meme that compares Cruella from the end of the 101 Dalmations movie to us moms? Cruella is driving like a crazy person with her hair all frizzed out, eyes buggy and blood-shot, and both hands clutching tightly to the wheel, perfectly illustrating the inner turmoil of the typical mom, trying to keep kids alive, keep up with housework, workout, drink enough water, and text everyone back. (I am pretty sure whoever created this meme had been watching me. I am a work-in- progress, but am still the WORST at remembering to respond to text messages.)
Motherhood is overwhelming, and the thought of adding anything to what you already have going on can turn you into Cruella in a hurry. The key here is to simplify your life and implement systems that make it all easier. I implemented my own Miracle Morning routine to make myself a priority while everyone else is still sleeping. I drink Shakeology for breakfast every day because that makes my mornings easier. I use Beachbody on Demand to stream workouts at my house while my kids play or sleep. I have a simplified daily to-do list to help me stay caught up at home without getting overwhelmed. I set boundaries regarding the time I spend at work. I ASK FOR HELP OFTEN. It is the oxygen mask concept – if you don’t take care of yourself first you’ll be useless to those around you. Your family obviously needs you, so they need you to be healthy. Prioritize taking care of yourself and work to simplify your life - remove the things that do not really matter (Pinterest-worthy birthday parties, floral arrangements, and hairstyles that take more than 30-seconds are on my list) to make more room for the things that do!
Excuse #6: I can’t afford [insert healthy food, product, or subscription here].
Depending on the level of validity to this statement in your particular financial situation, I have two different responses.
One, this is another full-of-crap excuse and you full well can afford whatever solution you are considering, you just need to make it a priority. I get that you have big financial goals, I have them too, and they are very important. However, do not tell me that you “can’t afford” a $99/year workout subscription or a $4 daily supplement shake when you are spending $120/year on Netflix and $5 at your daily Starbucks stop. Your health goals are important, too. Do not let this excuse hold you back. Find a cheaper solution or rearrange your budget to make it happen.
Two, it does not have to cost money to lose weight. Water, apples, carrots, and bodyweight exercises are about as cheap as cheap gets. Fill your life with those four things and you will likely lose weight. Your level of fitness has NOTHING to do with the amount of money that you have spent. Anyone trying to tell you otherwise is a scammy salesman - run away! Exercise subscriptions, coaches, and supplements don’t earn you results, they only make the process a bit easier. You can accomplish your health goals with whatever budget you are working with.
When any of these excuses creep into your thoughts, stop them dead in their tracks and say, “My excuses are garbage. My health is my #1 priority, and I can do this.”
What’s an excuse that is holding you back from accomplishing your health and fitness goals? Share this post with a friend that you can partner with to ditch your excuses and make your best lives happen!
