The final week of February….yep, this seems like the right time to begin discussing, “So what happened to your exercise and diet plans for this new year?”

Okay, raise your hands if you are one of those people who have started a fitness routine or diet, and within three weeks (or sooner!) you find that you no longer have the time to exercise, you are frustrated by the schedule, you’re too tired, etc. Yea, me too. I have both of my hands raised.

Excuses…sometimes it’s easier to create excuses than it is to do the actual work. And if you have an honest conversation with yourself, you know that is true.

So, enough with the excuses; let’s recognize that these excuse are the things that are holding us back from achieving our goals, whether the goals are fitness, health, relationships, or life.

Let’s tackle nine of those excuses right now. The folks at Active.com have put together a list of “Excuse Busters” and I’ve provided highlights below. If any of these resonate with you, then please go here for more details:

EXCUSE: "I'll do it tomorrow ..."
EXCUSE BUSTER: Start right now.

EXCUSE: "I'm too old."
EXCUSE BUSTER: You’re never too old to start exercising. (Wide-Body note: YES, YES, YES! You are never too old)

EXCUSE: "It's useless--my genetics are working against me."
EXCUSE BUSTER: You can lose weight. It’s very rare that a person can’t lose weight (Wide-Body note: Stop being a quitter, a whiner, and a nay-bob. Get up, move around, and stop blaming others for your issues. Once you take that step to personal responsibility, you’ll realize how much better you feel about yourself and how your outlook on life improves)

EXCUSE: Cook dinner? Please! Do you have kids?
EXCUSE BUSTER: Even if you have no time to buy healthy food and cook at home, you can still make convenience and fast foods work for you.

EXCUSE: I only live once--so I might as well enjoy myself just this once. It’s not such a big deal.
EXCUSE BUSTER: Really? The truth is those “one-time” events add up.

EXCUSE: It's raining, so I can't go for my morning walk.
EXCUSE BUSTER: First of all, you’re not made of sugar, so you will not melt.

EXCUSE: I travel all the time.
EXCUSE BUSTER: If you travel often, you need to weave healthy eating and physical activity into your lifestyle. (Wide-Body note: My friend Marie is a pro at this because she is always on the road for work, and yet she runs several races (half marathons!) each year.

EXCUSE: I just had a baby.
EXCUSE BUSTER: For the first few months, if not years, the challenges of parenting can seem overwhelming, and eating healthfully may feel impossible. Instead of takeout and fast food, try preparing healthful foods over the weekend and freezing them to reheat later in the week.

EXCUSE: I'm too tired.
EXCUSE BUSTER: If you’re like most people, you’re not getting enough sleep. Research shows that lack of sleep can cause weight gain by increasing appetite.