Excuses vs. Success

I keep coming across individuals that have the mindset that I USED to have.  It’s the attitude of EXCUSES.  I used to be so good at making excuses of my circumstances as well as blaming everyone else.  I know I won’t ever escape meeting these individuals, but I will however, challenge you.

I came across this picture and had to repost!

It says:

Reason I tell people I gained weight:

I got divorced

I’m in love

My medication makes me hungry

I’m stressed

I’m anxious

I’m celebrating

I’ bored

My thyroid is broken

I hate my job

Food is delicious

I bought a house

It’s summer

It’s a holiday

Someone brought donuts to the office

My blood sugar is low

I don’t have time to cook

I can’t afford it

I’m fighting with my significant other

Reason I REALLY gained weight:

I OVEREAT CONSTANTLY and I put more effort into making excuses than I do into making myself healthy.



Sorry if I ruffled any feathers, but if you follow this blog, my instagram or twitter account, you’ll quickly realize I’m not going to feed your sad story.  I used to be the person to make myself a victim and say “poor me”.  Sorry, but I’m not going to say “Poor YOU!”  There are so many people who have had the discipline and determination to over come so many of these above excuses.  I myself have overcome a thyroid disorder as well as an eating disorder (eating too much)!  And not to say I never struggle, but I practice discipline!  I used to eat, eat, eat, eat and wonder why I was 90lbs over weight.  Not anymore.  There are things I had to face within myself that looking back now I realize that I grew to be a better person from it.  When you stop making excuses and reasons why you can’t, you’ll find success. 



Let me ask you a question, are you making excuses because you’re afraid to succeed and you know you’re going to be held to a higher standard?  Whatever it may be, I pray that God can give you the strength to push forward.  Know you are loved, know your worth, and know that you deserve it.  I love you all and appreciate you.  Challenge yourself to Be Great, Be Epic, and Live your purpose LOUD.

BeBlessed



A







2 1/2 years ago!



Progression as of today! 7/22/2012





My MINDSET at 226lbs!

Personal Training has been one of the most rewarding experiences I’ve done to this day.  I learn so much about myself as well as my clients every single time we meet.

Just the other day I was taking one of my clients through a session when she told me about a conversation she had in the locker room.  One of the ladies who she was talking with was new to the gym and gathering her things to shower.  When she went to open her towel she said, “Who is this towel supposed to cover?!”  They both laughed and made light of the matter when another lady chimed in and said, “The gym gives complimentary towels that are small to remind us that we need to keep working out so we can fit into the towels!”  Another lady said, “Doesn’t the gym realize that fat people need bigger towels?”

Now if you knew my client, you would have been rolling with laughter.  Her sarcasm had me rolling with laughter and I had to contain myself as a professional!  But I think the real reason this story was so funny to me is because I could relate!  The old Alison at 226 lbs hated going to hotels, gyms, and pools and having to take my own towel.  I hated that I couldn’t even wrap an average size towel around myself.  Now you might think, that’s ridiculous, BUT it’s true!  These are the kind of struggles over weight people go through.  Clothing not fitting, towels not being big enough, not fitting into a chair or desk, not fitting into a booth…  I don’t say this because we need to start making things bigger for over weight people, but I say it because I can relate.  I used to be that person to make fun of myself and joke about it, when deep inside I hated myself.

My job as a trainer, yes, to help people get in shape.  But even more so, LOVE the people who have stopped loving themselves.  It breaks my heart to hear people at the gym say horrible things about themselves when working out that they wouldn’t even THINK to say to someone else.  It breaks my heart to see individuals who won’t look at their form in the mirror because they can’t stand to look at themselves.  They stopped caring for themselves for whatever reason and can’t believe how far they went in the wrong direction.

I’m here to make a statement.  STOP GIVING UP ON YOURSELF!  Take control of your life and stop making excuses of why and be driven to get healthy.  There is no easy out besides cleaning up your diet and working out.  You need to find someone to hold you accountable.  You need to start loving yourself enough to practice discipline.  You’re not going to die doing it.  You’re going to die if you don’t make the choice to DO something.  Humble yourself enough to ask for help, get help, and FOLLOW THROUGH!

BeBlessed

A

WHAT MOTIVATES YOU???

What’s your inspiration?  What gets you moving?  What drives and motivates you?

Last January when I was apart of the Nike Women “Make Yourself” campaign that's exactly what they were asking!  What are you doing and what inspires you?  I chose to make myself DYNAMIC by refusing to make excuses and I was featured as one of their women spotlights.  And as this lifestyle of fitness has continued to unfold for me, I’m finding more and more inspirations. 

My old inspiration used to be: not be fat so I can get married.  SHALLOW, yep!  But that is the whole reason I decided I wanted to get ride of my fat.  I didn’t want to spend my life lonely and married and have 100 cats!  

However, as the weight began to come off, I realized my inspiration was to “NEVER GO BACK TO BEING THE OLD ALISON”.  I was pathetic.  My family still jokes about how I used eat, eat, eat, and then watch T.V. and eat some more.  Occasionally, I would find time to complain about how I was doing so much- when I really was doing nothing.  The PAST ALISON drove me to better myself.  I knew where I HAD BEEN, and refused to go back.

But what keeps me going?  Other individuals!  Every single time I walk into the gym I see someone working with a trainer who was told “They COULD’T” or “Will NOT be able to”.  I’m inspired by women and men who come morning and evening to classes to put in EXTRA work to achieve their goal.  I have even met one individual that shouldn’t be walking!  THESE are the people who keep me going.  Yes, I lost 90lbs with a thyroid disorder working against me.  But there are far greater people doing amazing things with their bodies for their own health because they refused to accept failure and defeat.

This week’s success is realizing that we are our own worst enemies.  We tell ourselves we can’t before we even try.  The bottom line is your excuses are only holding YOU back.  The pity party has to stop.  Begin by loving yourself enough to practice discipline in your life.  Why hold off a more enjoyable life?  Don’t wait for a NEW YEAR resolution.  Start now by getting a trainer to hold you accountable and PUSH you!  Start now by putting down the soda and grabbing water.  Start now by putting down the chips and salsa or ice cream.  Start now by EDUCATING yourself on how to eat clean.    Don’t cheat yourself!  Your body is a walking journal (analogy from #TeamWilson), so if you aren’t feeding it and exercising it… it’s NO secret… YOU SEE IT, and so does EVERYONE ELSE!  Let’s get it together and make the choice to do something for our bodies.  COMMIT!