When it comes to eating and exercising, people are quick to produce an excuse – any excuse – explaining why they can’t do it. Coming up with excuses may be pretty easy, but I find shooting them down to be even easier.
I hate working out.
Don’t think working out has to mean jogging on a treadmill for miles and miles. Stop with the chronic cardio and start tricking yourself into working out.
I’m injured and can’t workout.
If you can walk without assistance, you can still workout.
Whenever I try to start the new plan I get overwhelmed and fail, so why even bother? Take baby steps and you’ll discover it’s absolutely worth the effort. Ease into it. Cut carbs slowly if you’re used to eating a ton of them. Slowly ramp up activity levels. Finally, connect with a support group – like MDA! If you haven’t already, check out the #primal Twitter group for more support and recipe ideas.
My habits are deeply rooted and there is no way out.
I’d bet that your Primal genetics are even more deeply rooted than your bad habits. There are ways to break bad habits and ways to develop good ones.
There are too many social distractions. My family just doesn’t understand…
Don’t give in to the mob mentality. And if your family doesn’t quite get it just yet, just let it go. Your results will speak for themselves.
I hate structured, planned workout regimens.
Hey, I understand where you’re coming from, which is why I play instead. Or why not try a totally spontaneous workout?
I feel like “going Primal” is an all or nothing proposition.
Not in the least. Every little change counts. 60% Primal is better than nothing. Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
I’ve seen Mark’s beach sprints. There is no way I could do that.
There are other forms of HIIT. It doesn’t have to be beach sprints – almost any intense exercise will get the job done. Find the one that works for you. Besides, I bet after a couple bouts with those, you’ll be ready for the sprints.
I recently gave up carbs, and now I have no energy during the day.
This is normal. Your body’s just transitioning to using fat as energy. Give it a few more days and you’ll become acclimated. If drowsiness is an ongoing problem, maybe you need more sleep.
I keep stress eating, going back to the carby stuff. I know it’s bad, but it makes me feel better.
You need to de-stress – but not with bad food. You might feel better in the short term, but you’ll feel terrible, bloated, and guilty in a couple hours. Why not look to other ways to remove stress from your life? Try meditation, Primal play, or even a glass of red wine.
Post this on your fridge. In times of weakness, or if you ever feel an excuse coming on, reference it. You’ll always have an excuse for not working out or not eating right, but I’ll always be here, ready to shoot that excuse down.
Share your best excuses and get ready to have them shot down in the comment board!
Mark Sisson is the founder of Mark’s Daily Apple, godfather to the Primal food and lifestyle movement, and the New York Times bestselling author of The Keto Reset Diet. His latest book is Keto for Life, where he discusses how he combines the keto diet with a Primal lifestyle for optimal health and longevity. Mark is the author of numerous other books as well, including The Primal Blueprint, which was credited with turbocharging the growth of the primal/paleo movement back in 2009. After spending three decades researching and educating folks on why food is the key component to achieving and maintaining optimal wellness, Mark launched Primal Kitchen, a real-food company that creates Primal/paleo, keto, and Whole30-friendly kitchen staples.