Oh, Excuses.

Kelliann, today while I was waiting for a whole bunch of stuff to print at work, I did full body crunches.  The kind where you lay your palms flat on the ground facing you.  I like to sneak in some activity at work, too! :-)

This is what I wrote on FB today:

I get it. I really do. I've been there, with the excuses. But if I am honest with myself, (and I am) I must call out my own BS. No more, "I'm too busy, I'm too tired, I got small kids, I have no time, etc." Excuses got me to 270+ pounds and morbid obesity. Action & determination will ultimately get me to my goal.

I look back at that time and realize how crappy and awful I felt.  And it would've been so easy to have just done nothing about it.

For that matter, it would be SO easy now to call my progress thus far (I never get to use the word thus in a sentence) a victory and call it a day.

In fact, due to a temporary lapse in sanity, I almost did before the holidays.  Almost.  I was getting sooo frustrated with this damn plateau, (I still am aggravated about it, but I understand now why I've been at a standstill) and I almost did it.

But. I knew I wouldn't have been happy about it.  I knew I would've been lying to myself.

I used to say to myself that I was way too fat to start working out. Excuse.

I used to think that people would laugh at me and point at me if I walked at the high school track near where I grew up.  Excuse.

I used to be tired all the time and then used that as an excuse.

Oh, excuses.  If I wasn't smart enough or careful enough, I would've actually started to believe them.

When I read on other blogs or hear from people that aren't where they want to be weight-wise and they give all these reasons excuses for their own struggles, I wonder a few things.  First, I wonder how honest they are being with themselves.  I know from my own struggles that I lied to myself a lot.  See example above. I used to think I carried my weight well.

5'4, almost 300 pounds, and I carried it well?  Seriously?  Yup.  Pants on fire & everything.

Then I wonder how honest they are being in general, period.  Now if that's case, as I suspect it is, that is not my problem, because that is something only within their control, not mine or any of the readers.  They're lacking certain things, like the conscious & physical effort it takes.  Again, not my problem.

I do not have a problem with people who stumble, admit what they've done, and keep working.  They never give up.  I can - and do-  respect that, because that was me.  I know exactly what that is, and I understand it completely.

I've decided to start the 4 week Boot Camp that's right by my house.  I'm starting next week because of the whole being on a budget thing. Monday, Wed. & Friday Bootcamp. Tues, Thurs and/or Sat/Sun it'll be Bikram.  Rest day will either be Sunday or Saturday, depending on when I go to Bikram.  3 days a week of intense body weight & suspension training.  What the heck is suspension training anyway?  I have this image in my mind that I'm going to be suspended midair by ropes and I have to do the whole climb-the-rope thing.  Umm, I'm scared.

It'll be a challenge, but it'll be worth it (I hope.)  Since I'm paying for it in advance in cash, I will have no choice but to stick to it and actually go.  It's less expensive than CrossFit & Bikram.  Imagine that.

I'm going to take measurements this weekend since I haven't done that since 2007 or 2008, I think.  I was still pretty heavy, if not at my heaviest, the last time I took them.  I have them lying around somewhere.  Must dig them out.

Beast upper body today.  Did my own 5 minute warm up of marching in place, jogging, speed rope, and alternating high step ups.  Then The Firm Upper Body Split.  The only moves I added to this were 3 sets of chest press, 2 sets of pec flys, and 2 extra sets of push ups.

Oh my Lawd.  I will not be able to move, lift or pretty much feel my arms at all tomorrow!  405 calories  done.

No more excuses.

No more "I've got a headache" or "I'm too tired" or "I'm too busy w/kids/family/work/life, etc."

You make the time for what's important and you don't proffer up excuses.  Throw the excuses to the damn curb already. Or in the trash.  That's where they belong anyway.

You put yourself first while caring for others.  Yes, it is hard, but it can be done.

So there.  ;-)