Most of us have a grab bag of excuses why we can’t lose weight and get healthy. These can range from having a lousy job, or blaming our overeating on the weather, our hormones, our parents or other relationships, genetics, or the food industry for making food so readily available to us.
But at some point, if we want our lives to change, we must own and take responsibility for our choices and behavior. We have to see our excuses for what they are: a way to justify and rationalize our overeating and bad habits.
The same goes for exercise and engaging in self-care. The number one weight loss excuse given is being too busy and not having enough time. Ask yourself this: How much time do you devote to overeating and your bad habits? How much time do you waste on Facebook, TV, email, and surfing the internet? The truth is you will always find the time for what's really important to you.
Eating well and exercise has to be made a priority - a nonnegotiable - like brushing your teeth. If you don't have much time to cook or don't have much cooking experience, there are numerous cookbooks that are designed for busy people including, I Can't Believe It's Not Fattening!: Over 150 Ridiculously Easy Recipes for the Super Busy, by Devin Alexander.
It all boils down to planning and being organized. Create a simple meal plan for 5 days a week that includes enough for leftovers. Buy your protein sources on sale and in bulk. Wrap individually and keep frozen chops, chicken breasts, ground turkey, and other lean meats and fish in the freezer and pull out in the morning or the night before to thaw. Shop for fresh fruits and vegetables once a week.
