Sabotage thought number 3 that commonly holds people back from achieving their weight loss and wellness goals sounds like this: “Because I’m so involved in one thing, I can’t do the other”

Examples Include:

• I am so busy preparing for my daughter’s wedding, I don’t have time to exercise or eat healthy right now. 

Or I can’t exercise and eat healthy right now because:

• I’m taking a course right now
• I’m completing my degree
• I have an important work assignment
• I’m writing a book
• I’m preparing for the holidays
• I’m too busy volunteering at the local club, community group, card club, the girl guides, the boy scouts etc.
• I’m too busy looking after everyone else, I don’t have time to look after myself.

From experience working with over 10,000 patients, I can tell you that people who have the same challenges or time commitments as you have also found the small amount of time to exercise their body for 30 minutes per day and to feed themselves in a health-promoting way. When it comes to exercise, there are 1,440 minutes in every day. Surely you can find 30 minutes of the 1,440 to do a power walk, go for a jog, or ride a stationary bike, to burn some calories and strengthen your cardiovascular health They say that” little things in life make the big difference”. This is really true when it comes to exercise. 30 minutes is only a small amount of time compared to 1,440 minutes in a 24 hour day. But using those 30 minutes each day to exercise makes a big difference to your health and wellbeing and it will help to get you to your ideal weight and help you stay there for a lifetime. Planning to eat healthy food and making small in-the-moment healthy choices as you go through the day seems like a small thing to do any given moment. But as these choices accumulate from day to day they drive your body’s metabolism in a way that helps to prevent:

• Cancer
• High cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke
• Weight gain problems
• Diverticular disease, Digestive problems
• And other health conditions.

Little things make the big difference in life,  as they accumulate over time. So, no matter how busy you are, or how important your job is, or the task at hand, telling yourself that you can’t exercise right now or eat in a health promoting way is a sabotaging thought that prevents many people from achieving the body and health they would really like to have. Instead, tell yourself that 30 minutes per day is a small amount of time that you can easily find. If not, how about 20 minutes per day, or even just 15 minutes to start with. Surely you can find 15 minutes. And planning to eat healthy food or making healthier food choices is easier now than ever. Even fast food restaurants now have veggie burgers, salads, grilled chicken sandwiches and chicken salads, as well as chicken or turkey wraps. Just remember to hold the cheese, the mayo and other high-fat dressing and spreads. Keep those out of the foods you order or make.

Okay you get the idea.Telling yourself you’re too busy doing one thing to do another is not a good reason not to exercise or eat healthfully. It’s a lame excuse. Other people doing the same thing as you are able to succeed, and so can you. It takes a bit of planning and a small investment in exercise time and a small effort to choose healthier food in each moment or plan how you can work healthier foods into your daily routine. But you can do it. Other people in your shoes are doing it right now.  You know what they say. “What man has done, man can do”. And what women have done, other women can also do.So, the sooner you rid yourself of this unproductive, sabotage thought, if it is one you have entertained, the sooner you will see real results.

Eat Smart, Live Well, Look Great

Dr. James Meschino
DC,MS, ROHP