Week 12 Excuses

Work too much? Can’t fit in a work out? Travel frequently? Sick? Injured? No extra money? No gym nearby? Think nobody is paying attention to what you do? The last few weeks have tested me. … Just as life does. I’ve had birthday parties for little ones for 4 consecutive weekends and 2 more weeks to go. This amount of hotdogs, birthday cake and candies are NOT normal for one person. When my daughter wakes up on a Tuesday morning asking whose birthday party are we going to today, doesn’t exactly conjure up good thoughts about nutrition and over indulgence for me. I am also invited to these parties and while hosts and hostesses are constantly trying to offer me more food, treats, chips (Don’t get me wrong my friends, I do love seeing you). I have an ongoing battle in my head of what is good and not good for my kids and me.

This is life and if I were to use the excuse ‘oh, it’s a birthday party go ahead have some ______” I would have eaten .75 cakes piled high with icing, 1.75 large bags of chips, 32 Hersey kisses and 7 hotdogs, and possibly 2 litres of pop. All this does not add up to getting in shape, gearing up for the Sun Run and trying to lose a few pounds. But this is my life.

We were on the island a couple of weeks ago for business, I made sure to book a hotel with a gym so that I can get a few minutes in while I might have the time. Now this is not an amenity I would normally look for. A spa, free wireless, a pool, Jacuzzi tub, a view and a king size bed would have been on my list in the past. But this time I looked for a fitness room, what was I thinking? Victoria is always sunnier than Vancouver, so I went for a run instead. With all the lovely scenery I didn’t need a room to work out in; I had a whole city to work out in! I ended up on the TransCanada Trail and just ran until I thought it might be time to turn back… it was fabulous! This is my life.

Wednesday I started feeling sick. This wasn’t a full blown cold, but I knew by Friday I wasn’t going to be doing my 6 km run… So on Thursday I put my 2 kids in the stroller and I ran around the ‘hood.’ Now let me tell you, this is a different work out than I am used to. Feeling like I was pushing a wheelbarrow while 2 wiggly bodies kept asking for snacks, jackets and shoes was not my ideal work out… but man was I surprised. My butt had to work harder to push 3 people up the hills, my triceps worked harder trying to steer that stroller and I actually accomplished a work out in 20 minutes. I took Friday off. This is my life.

I didn’t go to bed till late last night, I still felt sick. My husband kept me awake with his… ahem, snoring. (Sorry S) and I was tossing and turning from 5:00 until 6:45 am, when I had to get up for Tina. Even when I curled up under my sheets, I knew it was going to be a crappy work out in the morning…. but Tina proved me wrong once again. We went for a run, and when we got back my daughter greeted us in the basement. I considered sending her upstairs because this was MY time after all. But she seemed to be curious about Tina and what I was doing with weights in my hands. So I let her stay. She watched me try an exercise, she heard me grunting and breathing until my body couldn’t take it anymore. C studied Tina while she counted my reps and encouraged through my muscles shaking and burning. I thought…. here I am leading by example! This is my life.

I also went to Capoeira in the afternoon. I was prepared to tell my instructor that I still wasn’t feeling well and I may just sit out and watch. But this Martial Art takes over my mind and body. Once I start it won’t let me stop… I completed the whole class and wanted to keep going even once it was over. I am infatuated with this sport and really don’t let anything get in my way of attending. This also is my life.

My point is this… This is YOUR life and many times it gets in the way.

Deal with it; quit making excuses why it won’t work.

Try different activities.

Show examples to your kids.

Eat with attention and love.

Don’t stress about your exercises, these should add to your life, not take your energy away.

Find something physical you LOVE to do.