"But it's easy for you!" and other EXCUSES I hear

• I could never do what you do
• It's easy for you
• You've always been fit
• You've always worked out
• I could never eat like you
• It's in my genes to be overweight
• I'm not a runner
• I've tried before and failed so why should I try again
• You're different than me
• I don't have time
• I don't like healthy food
• My parents never taught me to eat healthy
• I don't know how to
• I "need" my sweets/meat/cheese/wine/whatever
• I'm not motivated enough
• My body doesn't like exercise

How many times have you told yourself one, or all, of the sentences above? So many times that you're starting to believe them? Do you know that YOU have 100% CONTROL over ALL of them, and until you realize that you're believing your own EXCUSES? 

I have definitely been guilty of saying many of these things to myself in the past, and now these are things I hear from others DAILY. Have you ever looked at me and said to yourself, "I wish it were easy for me like it is for her?" If you have, then I'm glad you're reading this! I'm going to tell you a little secret.... It most definitely was NOT easy for me at first, and I STILL struggle now! It's easy to look at someone and see them as they are NOW... and totally overlook the JOURNEY they took to get them there! So here's a little glimpse into my journey.  

This weekend I'm running my first 5k of the year, and I happened to stumble upon this pic from my first 5k ever. I wasn't always a runner. In fact, the first time I ever ran I was in my early 20's and I was wearing jeans. No joke. I had just started dating Scott and I wanted to impress him because he was a runner, so one day while working overtime at General Motors I left out the back door on a break to go running. I ran as far as I could, then turned around and walked back. The next day when I went out I knew I had to go at least as far as I did the day before, and I did! Then I started running at home with Scott. At first it was a mile, then two, then we signed up for our first 5k. On the day of my first 5k I smoked two cigarettes and ate an entire bag of Reeses Pieces in the car on the way to the race. If you notice in the picture, I also weighed a lot more then than I do now, sometimes over 15 lbs more (I wouldn't weigh myself when I knew my weight was up, so that number could be closer to 20 lbs). 

Over the years I've continued running, even doing two full marathons. It's been 10 years since I've had a cigarette and 5 years since I've had Reeses Pieces. My weight still fluctuates, and I still have good body image days and bad body image days, but overall I am in such a better, happier, more consistent place than I ever have been. Baby steps got me to where I am today, and I continue to use baby steps to help me grow daily. None of this was done over night. I didn't wake up one morning as a non-smoking vegan marathon runner. It took TIME and PATIENCE! So please, next time you look at someone and say to yourself "I could never do what they're doing" just remember, they once thought that exact same thing about themselves. 

Enjoy your journey! :)