And if there’s one thing we’re good at finding, it’s excuses. More than almost anything else (except maybe doing our taxes months in advance), we can find tons of excuses for not eating better or skipping that workout.

Why You Need to Really Work Hard to Avoid Bad Food

One of the main problems we’ve got, especially here in America, is a food culture that’s not exactly the healthiest in the world. We’ve got a lot of processed food, a lot of cheap, cheap calories available, and we lack a pretty strong foundation of basic, great foods that we’re all used to eating that might save our butts once in a while.

We also like science, statistics, and complicated info about our food. And marketing experts know this, which is why all sorts of foods that are fundamentally bad for us are absolutely loaded with health claims these days. Believe me — if a food that you shouldn’t be eating is found to contain an ingredient that somehow, under some ideal circumstance, might reduce your cholesterol? That claim will probably be on the box.

Never mind that we can reduce cholesterol and a whole lot more just by ignoring claims on boxes and eating more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains — things that don’t really have big marketing campaigns behind them. When was the last time you saw an ad for some spinach? Exactly.

So — in this country (and beyond), we have to work hard to get out from under the mixed messages, the crazy products, the obsessions over trans fats/salts/protein/carbs or whatever today’s “boogeyman” is, and really take control of our diets. And this is hard work, work that you really have to pay attention to.

But It’s Even Harder Than You Think!

Ok, so we’ve said that. But what’s this about junk food? Well — it turns out that foods which are loaded with calories and fat are not only bad for us in general, but very possibly even addictive.

“Sure, I knew that already,” you might say. But check this out — a recent study found that the underlying method of addiction when it comes to junk food uses the same neurobiological mechanisms that get people addicted to heroin and cocaine.

This was a study done with rats, mind you — not humans. But it’s still pretty shocking. It turns out that the main feature of addiction is losing control over your own behavior. This is what causes addicts of all stripes to do crazy things in order to satisfy the craving.

What Happened When The Junk Food Was Removed

This is the craziest part — first, the rats were given electric shocks along with bad food, but they stopped caring. Even though it was causing them pain, they continued to eat the high-fat, high carb foods.

Then, they were offered a “better” diet, one that was actually nutritious. What did they do? They stopped eating. They basically preferred to starve themselves rather than eat food that was better for them.

Why You Need to Take Control

Check out the study itself. While this can’t be fully applied to humans, it’s still a pretty shocking cautionary tale for us — we need to control our eating, or it will literally control us.

It’s not just that junk food is bad for us. We know that. But it goes beyond that — junk food does things to our brains that allow us to make continuous bad decisions when it comes to our diets. There are alternatives.

Eat whole foods. Eat real foods. Starting ignoring super-techincal diet claims and get back to cooking with the basics.

Hearing From You

Have you ever felt ‘addicted’ to a food before? Let’s take chocolate off the table here — has any other type of food suddenly made you feel like you were no longer in control of your eating? Tell me about it — leave a comment!

The excuses just don’t stop! Here are five more crazy things I see online and in person that stop people from achieving a healthy lifestyle. If you’re making any (or all!) of these excuses, read on for ways to free yourself!

My House is Too Messy!

Just ignore it at first. Pick up some weights, a jumprope, or pull out the cardio mat and start sweating. Put aside the fact that you need to clean the house up before you get your workout done.

There are a few reasons this works:

• We procrastinate when it comes to working out: not having a clean enough workout space (even though that is important for many people) is an easy, convenient way to say oh, but I can’t work out today. It’s the same kind of excuse people make when they decide that because it’s raining, they simply can’t go for a run. Ignore this impulse!
• Exercising will give you the energy to clean up: we often assume that we’ll be dead and destroyed after a workout, and after some pretty tough ones — sure, that is the case. But in the end, being physically active will keep you buzzing and energetic throughout the day, not drain or sap your energy. Paradoxically, putting off that cleaning in order to work out will actually help you get the cleaning done afterwards.

The Kids Are Taking Up All My Space!

There’s one simple solution here: use the kids in your exercise! There are two simple ways to do this without a lot of hassle:

• Get the kids active, too: while your kids don’t need to be doing strength training alongside you, you should definitely get them active. Whether that means adjusting your own workouts so you can all work together (in other words, going for a run in the park while they run around and burn off their energy), or just having them jump up and down next to you while you sweat away, either works.
• Involve the kids in the actual workout: you’ve probably seen me do this on Oprah and other television appearances — get your kids actually involved in your workout! Use them as weights, have them sit on your back while you do pushups, make your workouts a fun game for them — there are a million different things you can do!

I’m Too Tired to Get Moving

Read #1 again — exercise will give you energy, even when you feel ultra-tired. Don’t let the fact that you’re feeling kind of sleepy prevent you from getting active. Getting your heart rate up and your muscles working makes a serious change to your state of mind and how your body feels. Just “feeling tired” is not the same kind of full-body tiredness you get after a great, active day — that’s what you want instead.

Getting Active is Such a Big Lifestyle Change

Take it one step at a time! Of course it’s a big lifestyle change — if you try to do it all at once. Overcommitment is the death of a long-term plan. This is true for almost anything. Think about it — if everyone was forced to decide whether or not they got married within the first two months of dating, we’d see way more failed marriages. You need time and space to adjust to another person, to make sure you know you’ll have a long future together.

The same is true with proper nutrition and exercise.

I Need to Diet First

No you don’t! Even if you’ve got the worst diet in the world, going for a vigorous walk is never going to be useless. In fact, you’re the kind of person that needs it the most. Don’t feel you have to do everything at once, or things in a pre-ordained order. Work on getting active. Start changing one meal at a time. You can do it!

Doing strength training is (unfairly) relegated to the gym or the home gym or some place you’ve set aside for workouts. It doesn’t have to be this way! There are tons of other places you can get a workout in, and thanks to resistance bands, adjustable dumbbells, and body-weight training, you don’t need to lug a whole gym along with you!

Check out some of my favorite spots:

On Your Roof

Maybe I should put a disclaimer here — apartment-dwellers only! If you’ve got a flat roof that you have access to (and it’s got high sides so you don’t tumble off), there’s really nothing like a refreshing workout in the sun.

Not only do you get a ton of space to yourself, so you can really spread out, but now, thanks to iPhones and iPods and all the rest, you can take a video-based workout anywhere you want, strapped to your arm.

Grab a few dumbbells or resistance bands and head straight up to the roof on the next sunny day. Bring a mat, too, and a nice big bottle of water. Keep your workout brief enough that you don’t get too drained from being in the straight sun, but enjoy it! And the best benefit? You’ll get tanned, too!

In the Park

People do all sorts of cardio-related stuff in parks, right? So why not take your band and a little exercise outline over to a beautiful green spot, and do your workout there? If you’re feeling a little self conscious at first — don’t! Everyone else in the park is used to seeing people working out — they’re just usually doing it by running long distances.

The idea of doing a bit of strength training among trees and fresh air makes perfect sense, so don’t think anyone is looking at you with a judgemental eye. If anything, they’re probably envious!

At the Office

This is unorthodox, but think of the people who bike long distances into work every day. You can only really do this if you have showers at your office, or if you’re walking/biking/running to work — it’s not fair to everyone else on the bus if you get on all super-sweaty after a workout!

But nevermind all that — the real issue is accepting the fact that you can workout at your workplace, if you’re willing to make a few adjustments. First, you need to be able to find a private room, preferrably one with a lock, so that people looking to stage an impromptu meeting won’t burst in on your training session.

Second, you should keep some equpiment at the job — a towel, a change of clothes, exercise shoes, a mat, and some resistance bands.

But maybe the bigger question is: why even bother doing this at the office? Well, I can give you a few reasons:
- You’ll work better: don’t think a vigorous workout will sap your energy. After you’re done, you’ll be pleasantly surprised — time and again — to find your energy level and focus even higher than it was before. Exercising is also the perfect way to get your brain going during a particularly slow day!
- You’ll keep more time free at home: If you’re able to squeeze in a workout at the office, it’s like having a gym right there — you can treat “home” as 100% home, knowing you’ve already slotted your workout into your working day. For some people, this compartmentalization is fantastic.

It Doesn’t Matter Where You Work Out

In the end, it’s all the same — you need to put the time and effort into getting fit. But just about every other little variable can be adjusted, and new habits and routines can be built up almost anywhere!

Don’t be limited by the gym/home gym! Work out anywhere you feel like it!

We all know getting fit and healthy is all about watching what you eat and getting your butt into the gym but there is a lot of contradicting information out there that leaves us more confused about what we should eat than ever before! There are a few basic hard and fast rules about what foods to avoid and what to eat more of and I am here to help you to understand some of the basics…

Never eat saturated fatty foods!

Some foods are bad for us but have some good qualities too but foods that contain high levels of saturated fats are simply bad for us! There is nothing nutritional in these foods and the following fats have no benefits in our diets and should be avoided at all costs: Chicken fat, pure lard, cottonseed oil, vegetable shortening, coconut oil and palm oil. Heart disease and raised cholesterol levels are often caused by these fats and oils and with so many good fats available (soy bean oil, olive oil, canola oil) you can cut the above bad fats out with ease!

Slow down on the obvious fats!

So, cheese being fatty is not new news to us and there is no need to cut out all the tasty foods from your diet – simply cut down! There are some healthy low-fat substitute foods out there such as milk that can be consumed as semi skimmed or skimmed rather than full fat. Beef and pork should be substituted for fish or chicken and pastries and packet lunch meats should simply be left well alone!

Leave room to mess up!

Simply never eating butter or cheese again is not a viable option for most and if you go all out to cut out every bad food out there you will likely get bored and de-motivated very quickly! Leave yourself space to mess up and set aside one day every month to treat yourself to the foods that you love but your body doesn’t need so you quell your cravings and do minimal damage to your diet.

A few hard rules!

Count the amount of fat listed on food labels rather than the amount of calories, eat fruit rather than candy, grill, broil, stir-fry or steam your food, use brown foods instead of white (rice, pasta, bread), eat raw rather than cooked and finally use your common sense! If you want to go out for a meal without worrying about every bit of food you eat then simply think before you order. Swap creamy pasta dishes for a pasta dish with a tomato sauce or have a grilled chicken breast rather than a steak so you still get to enjoy your meal without being super-obsessive or super-destructive!

My goal is to get you into the best shape of your life. It’s to help you believe in yourself, believe in the possibility that you can be in the same shape I’m in, and to make a transformation in your life, starting today. Right now.

I know it’s possible, because I did it myself. But there’s a little something that all of us fitness gurus are a little bit guilty of at one time or another — and that’s forgetting to occasionally convey how tough it can be to consistently work out and push yourself to really be in shape.

It’s Not Tough as in “Impossible and Draining”

The last thing I want to do is demoralize you! But, like I was saying earlier — in not wanting to put you off starting, a lot of us tend to over-exaggerate how easy it is to get and stay in shape, even though, at the same time, we know that it takes hard work to get a body like mine. There’s no getting around it.

What I want to do is get you to a place where that hard work is no longer a horrible, gargantuan, impossible task — where instead it’s a challenge you willingly embark on, every day, knowing that it’s really worth it.

The Difference Between Demanding and Awful

When you really start to see a difference in your body, you won’t want it any other way. That’s the great thing — as your fitness level improves, you realize that you can only get that natural high and that wonderful sense of accomplishment if you actually challenge your body, every time you work out.

Auto-pilot is no longer an option. And when you hit that level, tough workouts are not painful workouts, ones that really murder you and make you feel like never working out again. Sure, those might happen occasionally, but mostly? You’ll be flush with the satisfaction of really working yourself hard.

How to Accept That Staying Fit is Hard Work

We put great amounts of effort into other parts of our lives, too. Our relationships, friendships, and the people we know. Our jobs. We read — to increase our knowledge and become more interesting people. We save money, we help out family and friends in need — we know how to work hard.

And each one of these things brings with it its own reward. I’m sure there are scientific studies that show altruism to be beneficial to a person’s happiness — that certain chemicals are released in the brain when you do a good thing for someone else, making you feel good too. And when it comes to fitness, we know this happens, because it’s been proven time and time again — exercise beats depression, makes us feel great, and actually makes us more productive post-workout.

We can deal with hard work and its accompanying rewards in so many other aspects of our lives, and that’s why I know you can make room for lifelong fitness, too. The rewards are so tangible, so joyous, so fulfilling — and they start immediately!

You’ve probably seen those ankle and arm weights — not the ones you hold in your hand, but ones you strap onto your body in order to make your cardio more demanding.

Sometimes I get people asking me if they’re useful. The answer? Sorta. But the problem is that it kind of depends on what you mean by “useful”, exactly.

Let me explain!

Yes, Those Little Weights Make You Work A Bit Harder

It’s true — the extra weight on your legs and arms means you’re working a little bit harder when doing your cardio, which isn’t a bad thing. You have to lift a little bit of extra weight when doing your cardio motions — whether it be running, cycling, or a whole mix of gymnastic things — so technically, the weights are having some effect.

But the real question is — are they worth it?*

But, A Problem: The Weights Are Never Very Heavy

Most of the weights I’ve seen people strapping on are ultra-light. Just adding these tiny bits of difference to your cardio routine probably isn’t worth the price of actually buying these weights, even if they’re cheap.

You can just do some extra cardio instead, increase the incline on the treadmill, the resistance on the bike, or the intensity you’re doing your workout at, and you’ll pretty much get the same effect.

We can’t make the weights much heavier because then cardio would become impossible. And that’s what leads us into the real key issue here…

And This Isn’t Really the Way to Use “Weights”

I get a worried feeling sometimes, that people are strapping on these ultra-light weights as a way to justify the fact that they’re doing a bit of “strength training” when really they’re just making a tiny adjustment to their cardio routines instead.

Remember, this isn’t what weight training looks like! These aren’t stepping stones or toes in the water towards getting yourself lean, toned, and in-shape the fitness model way — these are just adjustments to cardio!

And one problem with “weighty-looking” adjustments to a cardio routine is that they’re still stuck in the endless cardio loop — the one that insists working out longer, sweatier, and at a lower intensity (but for hours) is the best way to burn fat. It’s not!

Want to Really Use Weights and Strength Training, the “Right” Way?

Don’t worry about throwing away the little weights. If you’re using them in your cardio, no problem. But cardio should be just one portion of your fitness routine — and definitely not the entire one. You won’t get fit just doing cardio!

Tell yourself: weights are not intimidating. Dumbbells are your friend! The free weight section (or even the machines in the gym, or heck — your own body weight) are the real tools you need to kick-start your body’s transformation!

I’ve got lots more info on my site about how you (doesn’t matter if you’re a woman or a man) can get started with an all-around fitness program that works you smarter, not longer! So keep reading!

No more excuses! People make tons of excuses and like to defer decisions about fitness and exercise and living healthy lifestyles into the future — and I’ve heard them all.

Check out this list — if you make any of these ultra-common excuses when you start thinking about how it’s time to turn your life around, read my tips on how to stop, realize how common these stalling strategies are, and make a real difference in your life!

“No Time, No Time”

It doesn’t take hours to work out. You can do a few different things here if you’re pressed for time — instead of making your workouts ultra-long and having to devote a huge chunk of time to them, divide them up and do them more frequently.

Besides, the more you get into the habit the less all that time seems to be an issue. Remember: at the beginning, when you’re starting a new exercise regime, everything seems to take double the amount of time. This is so common it’s basically a universal truth — you’re slower because your body isn’t accustomed to anything, plus you’re learning motions and automatically going slower as a result.

Trust me — you’ll get much faster. Plus, working out actually gives you more energy to do more things during the day — paradoxically, taking the time to work out can help you find time throughout the rest of your busy lifestyle.

“Too Expensive!”

Gyms can be expensive. But you don’t have to work out in a gym. Unless you’re at a point in your workout life where you’re doing some complex training and some serious compound lifts and you need a squat cage and a whole bunch of other elaborate stuff, you can basically do everything at home. You can also do it in a park, on your roof, or wherever. Check out my best unexpected places to exercise for more tips.

Get yourself some resistance bands or some inexpensive dumbbells. Maybe a jumping rope, a few other simple things (a mat, for example), and you can do practically all your exercises with your body weight. You’re set for months.

“It’s Too Hard to Get Started”

Nike doesn’t use this slogan just because it sounds pleasant — just do it is really all you need to do. Just get out there and do it.

I can repeat all the proverbs you want, about how every journey of 1,000 miles starts with a single step, and all of that stuff, but in the end, this is a procrastination excuse that you just have to defeat. You can do it — I did it, thousands of others have done it, and once you see the results you can achieve, you’ll wonder why you ever put it off.

“Strength Training is Too Complicated”

I’m on a mission to make it less so. Watch my videos, check out some of my training plans, and see how easy it can be. There’s no need to get super-immersed in complicated stuff.

One thing that I find with any strength training is that the fact that bodybuilding exists means people assume it’s impossible to get started, because by the end, you’re gonna have to be a bodybuilder. This isn’t true.

Think of it — everyone who drives a car doesn’t become a formula 1 driver, and everyone who uses a computer doesn’t become an IT technician. Strength training is the same thing. You’re free to make it as central or as peripheral to your life as you see fit — and there’s room for all of us.

“It Takes Too Long to See Results!”

The reason results take a long time is because they’re real results. Losing a lot of weight with a crash diet just means you’re going to put that weight back on as soon as the diet becomes unsustainable, which always happens.

Quick results are a myth and aren’t healthy anyway. Just change your definition of quick from 3 weeks to 3 months (yeah, it’s not as easy as it sounds, but you can do it), and suddenly you’ll have those results without waiting too long. Strength training requires an incubation period where you’re transforming your body (without really being able to tell) into a fat-burning machine (thanks to strong, lean, toned muscles that need fat), and then suddenly it takes off and you’re a different person. Be patient and work hard and you’ll see the “fast” results you thought you wanted!

Fact - We all cheat on our diets!

Fiction - This means we won’t achieve our goals!

Diets are hard work and they take a lot of motivation to stick to but part of that motivation stems from the odd rule break! Setting aside one day every fortnight or a month for treats is a great way to keep you focused on a diet and you can work towards that day every time you begin to struggle with the next mouthful of broccoli when all you want is a roast potato!

Organized cheating!

Cheating on a diet is almost a likely prediction but how often you cheat will make the difference between getting the results you want and not! When you first start a diet, you should assign one day every two weeks that you can use to eat whatever you fancy with no guilt attached. The longer the diet goes on, the longer you should without your treat day and after a few months you should only enjoy a treat day once a month. This way, not only do you get to fulfil your cravings but you also get to take the pressure off yourself without it making a massive difference to your diet!

Cheat meals!

Treat days, cheat meals, reward meals or free meals; whatever you want to call it, these can make a massive difference to our focus! There is nothing productive about depriving yourself of things you enjoy so don’t. Cut back on the destructive things you enjoy but do NOT cut them out!

Goals vs. insanity!

Achieving your goals in your weight loss program will not be done if you go insane in the process. Eating rabbit food every day for a month will make you moody and hungry; two things that will destroy your motivation! Create a meal plan so you know what you will be eating and when for a week and try to work the occassional naughty food buffer into the week somewhere so if you know you are going to the cinema on Friday; keep your treat day for your popcorn and candy!

Don’t overuse the treats…

The problem with some people is that once they know there is a way out of a tiresome diet it will be constantly used as an excuse to cheat! You will not achieve your goals if everytime you fancy a candy bar you eat it because it will make you moody if you don’t! Everything in moderation – Good food in your diet, treats in your diet, off days from workouts and hard workouts should all be done in small doses to avoid you from getting too worn out or too frustrated!

Do you want abs of steel, perfect abs, ripped abs, hard abs, flat abs, toned abs or six-pack abs? Getting great abs is easier than many think and with a little determination and drive anyone can achieve a flat and toned stomach in no time! Many women are under the illusion that they do not have the time to get rockin’ abs but actually everyone has the time as there are a few things that you can do every day to get the body you really want this summer…

Get rid of the pot belly!

Bloated bellies are caused by a mixture of things but a bad diet is often a major cause of a pot belly! Excessive alcohol consumption and eating a lot of foods that are hard for the body to digest will ensure that your tum will look ready to burst at any second! Eat healthy foods and avoid the usual suspects like candy, pizza and chocolate cake and make sure you don’t skip meals.

Get an active lifestyle!

Once your diet is in check you will start to feel more energy and if you can begin to walk around or hop on your bike rather than drive; you will soon see huge differences in your weight. Burning excess calories needn’t always be done in the gym and you can get fit by doing every day things on foot rather than by car. Get fit by getting healthy and active!

There’s more to abs than sit ups!

Getting washboard abs is all about a healthy nutritional intake teamed with exercise but you will have to do more than a few sit ups every day to get a flat stomach! Burning fat around the midriff section of the body takes hard work as fat here is stubborn and hard to shift. Special exercises with workout tools such as the ab circle are a great way to focus on firming up your abs!

Mind over matter…

A good diet, an active lifestyle and regular workout sessions are all part of the flatter-abs process and it is important to get focused and motivated or you will struggle to achieve your goals. Get a workout partner or buy a new gym wardrobe so you feel good about what you are doing and remember that getting great abs is more than doing abdominal exercises!