Excuses Excuses Excuses

So you think you've got all your reasons for not working out? Let me tell you....they're not good enough :P For all your excuses, I've got a counter for it :) So let's get started!

I'm too tired all the time to find the energy to workout.
Ok.....I'll give you that....we're all over-worked (and under-paid) and always running our tails off, burning the candle at both ends. HOWEVER I will PROMISE you that, push through that fatigue for just one week and after about a week or two of dealing with the feeling of working out while tired, it will start to diminish. Gradually, you'll be feeling more energetic and realize that you won't feel like you're dragging quite as much. You're energy level will start to increase. And you know what else? Start feeding your body the things that it really enjoys (your body enjoys that is, not just your taste buds and your brain) and you'll start to notice an even more dramatic increase in energy. Just try it....you can't prove me wrong until you try it :P

There just isn't enough time in the day.
Let me tell you--I've been there, felt that. Throughout the year of 2007, I worked no less than 80 hours a week (well for much of the year--from February to early December). I hated the schedule. It was horrible. I was sooo tired. I still, though, found time to get in my workouts. They were never quite what I wished they were, but I still got them in, because something, I thought, was better than nothing. (Very often, I'd end up falling asleep during the cool down/stretch and be found snoozing by my hubby when he got home from work.)
But you don't have to manage an hour long workout at the end of the day. To be honest with you, Tony Horton has devised the BEST workout for you, if you are completely pinched for time. Try his 10 minute trainer. He hits a great workout in just 10 minutes each day. As you can, add in another workout for a better day, or just keep it at 1 a day. Whatever works best for you, because SOMEthing is better than nothing. You don't have to do what my schedule allows or what your friend's schedule allows. You have to do what you can do. Nothing more nothing less :)

I'm just not there yet. I can't do those workouts. I can't do push ups or squats or lunges.
You don't have to do a workout that's on par for an olympic athlete. You don't have to be able to start out with doing 15 squats with 80lbs on a bar. You don't have to be able to do 20 push ups on your toes. You don't have to be able to do a 7 minute wall squat. Start small and build to what it is you can do. Start with a program that's at your level and build up as you can. If you can't afford to keep getting new programs as you out-grow the one you have, let me know, and I'll give you pointers to up the ante with what you have. It'll work. I promise.

I can't get the diet under control. I want to get that taken care of first.
One thing at a time buddy!!! Hold your horses, slow down, throwing on the brakes! Yes you will absolutely want to start feeding your body what it is it needs, deserves, and genuinely wants, but you do not have to start with both at a time. You'll want to make gradual changes, but do it as you are ready and as you can. Don't be afraid to challenge yourself (in the workouts and in your kitchen), and stall on the instant gratification treats (remind yourself how many calories something is and remind yourself of the EXTRA work you'd need to do to burn that off). But in all honest, there is really no 'you need to do _____ first and then _____'. Do what you can. In whatever order you can. As much as you can.

I can't afford to eat right. The healthy stuff is very expensive.
This is, unfortunatly and tragically, quite true. However--the big HOWEVER--exhaust all your options. Try out a farmers market. If you're local to the southeastern PA area, go to Produce Junction with a buddy (that's like a fresh food BJs, so you'll want to go with someone to split the large quantities with, or you'll just be wasting money because the food goes bad and you'll need to throw it away). Do some google searches for coupons for things you commonly buy. Try out some whole grain oatmeal with agave nectar (this is actually quite cheap for the quantity you use....which is about a dime's size in a bowl of hot oatmeal). Try out discount grocery store that sell the dented cans or the cans that have a certain month's decor on them and they can't be sold after that specific event. Where there's a will there's a way.
Also, try buying things in bulk, cooking, and then freezing the food. One, things are generally a better deal if you buy them in larger quantities. Two, it saves you alot of TIME (and we're back to there :P) in food preparation.

I just don't know what to do and how to do it.
You don't have to be the certified personal trainer to get it done and get it done right!! Just ask questions. Check out the rest of my blog, keep coming back and see what new things I add. Explore the Beachbody threads to see what others share. Ask questions and learn. Read (ask me what I recommend though because you can't believe everything that you read). You don't have to re-create the wheel. You just have to be kind of sponge-ish and learn what's around you :).

If you have an excuse that I didn't touch on, let me know....Let me see what I can do with it :) I want you to reach your goals, and with some effort on both our parts (more so you than me....sorry :P) we can do this together. The cheesy, cliche line come out to play :) : Together we're better....Together We Can.......Together We WILL.