Couch potatoes, listen up…
When it comes to eating and exercising, people are quick to produce an excuse – any excuse – explaining why they can’t do it. Coming up with excuses may be pretty easy, but I find shooting them down to be even easier.
I don’t have access to a gym.
You don’t need one. The Prison Workout can be done where you are standing. You can use the outside world as your gym. If bodyweight exercises aren’t enough, make your own gym equipment: DIY sandbags, slosh tubes, medicine balls.
I don’t have enough time to workout.
If you’ve got 15 minutes you’ve got enough time.
I don’t know where to start.
You do now:
I can’t afford healthy foods.
Sure you can. Organ meat is cheap and incredibly nutritious. Or try the Depression Diet. Heck, even organics are affordable, if you know how to do it. Even healthy cuts of meat can be had on a budget: grass fed meat options, thrift cuts. If you’re the ambitious type, save money on quality meat by buying wholesale. And here are some more tips for good measure.
I hate working out.
Don’t think working out has to mean jogging on a treadmill for miles and miles. Stop with the chronic cardio and start tricking yourself into working out.
I’m injured and can’t workout.
If you can walk without assistance, you can still workout.
Whenever I try to start the new plan I get overwhelmed and fail, so why even bother?
Take baby steps and you’ll discover it’s absolutely worth the effort. Ease into it. Cut carbs slowly if you’re used to eating a ton of them. Slowly ramp up activity levels. Finally, connect with a support group - like MDA! If you haven’t already, check out the #primal Twitter group for more support and recipe ideas.
My habits are deeply rooted and there is no way out.
I’d bet that your Primal genetics are even more deeply rooted than your bad habits. There are ways to break bad habits and ways to develop good ones.
There are too many social distractions. My family just doesn’t understand…
Don’t give in to the mob mentality. And if your family doesn’t quite get it just yet, just let it go. Your results will speak for themselves.
I hate structured, planned workout regimens.
Hey, I understand where you’re coming from, which is why I play instead. Or why not try a totally spontaneous workout?
I can’t seem to break through and see any additional results. It’s frustrating and makes me want to give up.
If you get stuck, there are little tweaks and hacks you can apply to jump start the progress. Or maybe you just need some extra motivation.
I don’t know how to cook.
I bet you can, and you just don’t know it. Anyone can broil fish, for example. And instead of launching into 20-step recipes, why not start with Primal dishes that can be made in 15 minutes or less? 15 Minutes too long? How about 2 minutes?
I don’t know exactly what to eat.
That’s the fun of it! Here are a few ideas to get you started:
I feel like “going Primal” is an all or nothing proposition.
Not in the least. Every little change counts. 60% Primal is better than nothing. Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
I’ve seen Mark’s beach sprints. There is no way I could do that.
There are other forms of HIIT. It doesn’t have to be beach sprints – almost any intense exercise will get the job done. Find the one that works for you. Besides, I bet after a couple bouts with those, you’ll be ready for the sprints.
I recently gave up carbs, and now I have no energy during the day.
This is normal. Your body’s just transitioning to using fat as energy. Give it a few more days and you’ll become acclimated. If drowsiness is an ongoing problem, maybe you need more sleep.
I keep stress eating, going back to the carby stuff. I know it’s bad, but it makes me feel better.
You need to de-stress – but not with bad food. You might feel better in the short term, but you’ll feel terrible, bloated, and guilty in a couple hours. Why not look to other ways to remove stress from your life? Try meditation, Primal play, or even a glass of red wine.
Post this on your fridge. In times of weakness, or if you ever feel an excuse coming on, reference it. You’ll always have an excuse for not working out or not eating right, but I’ll always be here, ready to shoot that excuse down.
Share your best excuses and get ready to have them shot down in the comment board!
Further Reading:
Primal Bloggers Around the Net
Act “As If” - A 30 Day Primal Health Challenge
The Best of 2008
Subscribe to Mark’s Daily Apple for FREE updates via RSS or email.
Couch potatoes, listen up…
When it comes to eating and exercising, people are quick to produce an excuse – any excuse – explaining why they can’t do it. Coming up with excuses may be pretty easy, but I find shooting them down to be even easier.
I don’t have access to a gym.
You don’t need one. The Prison Workout can be done where you are standing. You can use the outside world as your gym. If bodyweight exercises aren’t enough, make your own gym equipment: DIY sandbags, slosh tubes, medicine balls.
I don’t have enough time to workout.
If you’ve got 15 minutes you’ve got enough time.
I don’t know where to start.
You do now:
I can’t afford healthy foods.
Sure you can. Organ meat is cheap and incredibly nutritious. Or try the Depression Diet. Heck, even organics are affordable, if you know how to do it. Even healthy cuts of meat can be had on a budget: grass fed meat options, thrift cuts. If you’re the ambitious type, save money on quality meat by buying wholesale. And here are some more tips for good measure.
I hate working out.
Don’t think working out has to mean jogging on a treadmill for miles and miles. Stop with the chronic cardio and start tricking yourself into working out.
I’m injured and can’t workout.
If you can walk without assistance, you can still workout.
Whenever I try to start the new plan I get overwhelmed and fail, so why even bother?
Take baby steps and you’ll discover it’s absolutely worth the effort. Ease into it. Cut carbs slowly if you’re used to eating a ton of them. Slowly ramp up activity levels. Finally, connect with a support group - like MDA! If you haven’t already, check out the #primal Twitter group for more support and recipe ideas.
My habits are deeply rooted and there is no way out.
I’d bet that your Primal genetics are even more deeply rooted than your bad habits. There are ways to break bad habits and ways to develop good ones.
There are too many social distractions. My family just doesn’t understand…
Don’t give in to the mob mentality. And if your family doesn’t quite get it just yet, just let it go. Your results will speak for themselves.
I hate structured, planned workout regimens.
Hey, I understand where you’re coming from, which is why I play instead. Or why not try a totally spontaneous workout?
I can’t seem to break through and see any additional results. It’s frustrating and makes me want to give up.
If you get stuck, there are little tweaks and hacks you can apply to jump start the progress. Or maybe you just need some extra motivation.
I don’t know how to cook.
I bet you can, and you just don’t know it. Anyone can broil fish, for example. And instead of launching into 20-step recipes, why not start with Primal dishes that can be made in 15 minutes or less? 15 Minutes too long? How about 2 minutes?
I don’t know exactly what to eat.
That’s the fun of it! Here are a few ideas to get you started:
I feel like “going Primal” is an all or nothing proposition.
Not in the least. Every little change counts. 60% Primal is better than nothing. Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good.
I’ve seen Mark’s beach sprints. There is no way I could do that.
There are other forms of HIIT. It doesn’t have to be beach sprints – almost any intense exercise will get the job done. Find the one that works for you. Besides, I bet after a couple bouts with those, you’ll be ready for the sprints.
I recently gave up carbs, and now I have no energy during the day.
This is normal. Your body’s just transitioning to using fat as energy. Give it a few more days and you’ll become acclimated. If drowsiness is an ongoing problem, maybe you need more sleep.
I keep stress eating, going back to the carby stuff. I know it’s bad, but it makes me feel better.
You need to de-stress – but not with bad food. You might feel better in the short term, but you’ll feel terrible, bloated, and guilty in a couple hours. Why not look to other ways to remove stress from your life? Try meditation, Primal play, or even a glass of red wine.
Post this on your fridge. In times of weakness, or if you ever feel an excuse coming on, reference it. You’ll always have an excuse for not working out or not eating right, but I’ll always be here, ready to shoot that excuse down.
Share your best excuses and get ready to have them shot down in the comment board!
Further Reading:
Primal Bloggers Around the Net
Act “As If” - A 30 Day Primal Health Challenge
The Best of 2008
Subscribe to Mark’s Daily Apple for FREE updates via RSS or email.