The only thing standing between me and success is me.
- Woody Allen 

Choose to Lose!  Coming Up With Excuse Busters and Plan B's
It's time to stop being your own worst enemy!

If you've been having trouble reaching some of your goals, it's time to take a step back and ask yourself -- why? What's preventing you from reaching your goals? Is it your slow metabolism? Stressful job? A slow thyroid? Unsupportive spouse? Fluctuating hormones? Do you not have the time, or the money to do what you need to do to lose the weight? Is this just not the right point in your life to start focusing on losing weight? Are you genetically predisposed to being overweight, just like your parents? 

Well, it's time to come to grips with the fact that a mega-dose of willpower is not going to appear in your breakfast cereal tomorrow morning; that cursing the fates is not going to change your hormones, genetics, or metabolism; and that the next email from your nutritionist is not going to be the one that tells you The Big Secret --that thing you just never knew that was keeping you from overcoming whatever obstacles you continue to face when trying to lose weight. 

Because this is the email you've been waiting for, and The Big Secret is here: 

You are the only one who has the power to control your weight and change your life. But you have to choose to lose the weight. 

Actually, you have two choices to choose from: 

Choice 1: You can choose to accept responsibility for your health, deal with the obstacles and challenges you face, and make up your mind to lose the weight no matter what. If you have a medical problem that's slowing you down (like slow metabolism or underactive glands) you might have to work harder at it. But no matter what your problem, the solution is still the same: deal with it. 

Choice 2: You can choose to remain overweight. And make no mistake, if you continue to be overweight, it is because that is the choice you have made. 

So, what's it going to be? 

If you're on this Program, you've probably made Choice 1: to stop making excuses and lose the weight. As you know, you do have a difficult task ahead of you. But don't forget -- this isn't a choice that you have to make just one time. You will have to keep reaffirming your choice even after you've lost the weight -- otherwise it's a slippery slope back to where you started. 

Not only do you have to face whatever obstacles stand in your path, but you'll also be fighting a formidable foe along the way -- yourself! Self-sabotage in the form of excuses and blame is the most common reason for not losing weight -- and these are obstacles that come from within. But you do have an advantage -- you know your enemy. Now it's time to outsmart him (or her). 

It's Time to Fight Back Against the Enemy Within!
So you've made the choice that you do want to lose the weight -- consider this as your declaration of war. It's important to understand the battle you're fighting -- this is your personal war against anything that stands in the way of you achieving your goals -- including your weaknesses, fears, and most of all, your excuses. 

In order to successfully combat your excuses, you need a Plan of Attack. This exercise will help you devise your strategy so you are prepared for battle! 

Developing Your Plan of Attack

1. Get to know your enemy: Knowledge is power! What obstacles do you face? What are the excuses that keep you from losing the weight? 

2. Fire Back: Have your ammunition ready! Develop Excuse Busters that help shoot down even your strongest excuses. 

3. Outsmart your enemy: Even if your Excuse Busters don't work, you're unstoppable with a Plan B! 

By developing a detailed plan of attack, you will take a lot of the anxiety out of the process of achieving your goals. When you are prepared to tackle the challenges that come your way, you eliminate the stress and worry of dealing with them. Better still, once you've really decided that your choice is to lose the weight, it eliminates any guesswork on your part. You know what you're working toward, and you know how to get there -- the only thing that's left is to just do it. 

Your first line of defense
Get to know your enemy

Many of our clients have found that they are at their most creative when it comes to making excuses to avoid moving toward their goals. If you take the time to think about it, you might find that you, too, can come up with hundreds of clever excuses for not reaching your goals. Worse yet, many times making up the excuses takes up more energy than actually doing the thing you're trying to avoid! 

The trouble is, some excuses are so airtight, that you can talk yourself out of doing anything to avoid accepting responsibility for the situation and doing what you know you have to do. 

How do you spot an excuse? Here's what they sound like: 

"I'm too tired."
"I've got a bad back/shoulder/knee/ankle."
"It's too late for me."
"I don't have enough time."
"I don't know where to begin."
"It's just too hard."
"Only if I had the right training."
"I'll do it tomorrowÖ"
"I'm too old."
"It's useless -- my hormones are working against me."
"I've just been so busy lately." 

So what are your excuses? 

Step 1: Identify Your Trouble Spots
First, take the time to think about the goals that you've had the most trouble with. Which of your goals do you find excuses to avoid? For example, here's a goal one of our clients was struggling with: 

"I'm having a hard time reaching my goal to curb my nighttime eating. I always have really good intentions to stop, but when it comes around to 10 p.m. or so, for one reason or another, I always end up snacking." 

Which of your goals have been the most difficult for you to reach? List three. 

1. 
 
 

2. 
 
 

3. 
 
 

Step 2: Find the culprit!

In the example above, our client said that "for one reason or another" she "ends up" snacking. The "reason" is that she chose to eat! She just used an excuse to justify her choice. 

Remember:
There are plenty of excuses for falling off your plan, but there is no good reason.

The client with the late night snacking problem took steps to recognize the excuses she was making for her poor choices: 

"I always would find myself trying to justify my choices by saying, "It's okay just this once" or "This little snack doesn't make that much of a difference". At my weekly weigh-ins, I started to realize how wrong I was!" 

Now, it's your turn. Remember, knowledge is power! Take the time now to brainstorm all the excuses you can think of to get out of working toward each one of these goals. Include all your self-doubts, fears and insecurities -- these are excuses too. Be creative! Challenge yourself! Knowing your excuses gives you the power to fight against them. 

1. 
 
 

2. 
 
 

3. 

Your second line of defense
    Fire Back! Have An Excuse Buster Handy

In order to fight back against your excuses, you need to come up with persuasive self-talk to counteract your most common justifications for not getting things done. Look at the excuses you brainstormed on the previous page. How might you fight back against each one? The key is to have a ready-made Excuse Buster. 

Sample Excuse Busters For Achieving Weight Loss

Excuse
"I only live once--why am I wasting my time trying to lose weight?"

Excuse Buster
"I may only live once, but if I'm not happy during that life, and I get sick because I'm overweight, it means I'm not doing my best to make my one time great."

Excuse
"I'm genetically made up this way."

Excuse Buster
"Yes, I may be genetically inclined to be overweight, but I realize that I can control my eating and break my patterns, and learn new ones to combat my supposed genetics."

Excuse
"I've tried to lose weight before and couldn't do it."

Excuse Buster
"Trying and failing is not a strong reason not to try again. I know that losing 20 pounds can be done."

Excuse
"I'm too tiredÖ"

Excuse Buster
"I may feel lethargic now, but I will feel refreshed and energized after my workout. Plus, by working out regularly, I will have more energy and feel less lethargic in the long run.

Excuse
"I'll just eat it this one timeÖ"

Excuse Buster
"Life is made up of many "one times" -- I have to take a stand for what I want in my life, and make it happen for me. My health and my self-confidence aren't worth this one time. Plus, you know what they say -- "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels!"

Excuse
"I just don't have enough timeÖ"

Excuse Buster
"My health and well-being is a top priority for me. If I do not feel healthy and physically fit, I will not be able to do my job, or care for my family as effectively as I can when I'm taking care of myself. I will make time, and rearrange my priorities."

Now it's your turn -- go back to your list of excuses, and come up with an Excuse Buster Chart of your own. If you're feeling inspired, don't just stop at one Excuse Buster! Come up with a variety of Excuse Busters for each of your excuses. 

When you're done, you should print out your Excuse Buster Chart, and keep it handy. For example, post it on the fridge or put it in your back pocket. Remember, forgetting your Excuse Buster is not a valid excuse! 

Your third line of defense
Outsmart Your Enemy - Have a Plan B!

Excuse Busting is not an exact science -- every now and then you will come up against an excuse that, well, is actually kind of justified. If you twist your ankle and can't go running, there really isn't any way you can talk your way around that issue. 

But wait! Does this mean defeat? Is it true that your excuses can get the best of you? 

The answer, of course, is: no way! In these situations, what you need is a Plan B. 

Coming up with Plan B
When you run into an excuse that is stubbornly immune to all your best Excuse Busters, it's time to brainstorm a Plan B. Plan B is the course of action you take that allows you to work within the boundaries set by the problem identified in your excuse, while still empowering you to choose a course of action that is compatible with reaching your goals. 

In the example of the twisted ankle, there's no way around it -- running is definitely out of the question. So what's Plan B? Maybe there is another exercise you can do that will create similar physical fitness results. For instance, you could do some weight lifting, use an upper body ergometer, do sit-ups, or try swimming when your ankle starts to feel better. Alternatively, if weight loss is your goal, you might also have to accept the fact that you will not be able to burn as much energy as usual with your twisted ankle, so you will have to decrease the number of Bites you eat in order to compensate. 

This type of proactive behavior demonstrates that you are continuing to choose to lose weight. Remember, every time you give in to an excuse, you are choosing the second choice -- you are choosing to be overweight.

Without thinking ahead, you leave too many things in the hands of chance. If you really want something bad enough, why coast on excuses and put it off? 

Make your own choices -- don't let them be made for you. 

The next page contains examples of some Unbustable Excuses, with their accompanying Plan B's. After reviewing these examples, consider some Unbustable Excuses you may run into in your own life, and build up an arsenal of your own Plan B's. 

Sample Plan B's

"Unbustable" Excuse 
"I can't make it to the gym because I often have to work late-- I'm just too tired." 
"I can't go for my walk this morning -- it's pouring out!"  

Plan B 
"I will get up extra early in the morning and go to the gym--at least twice during the week and once on the weekend.  The days that I miss I will come up with an at home program." 
"I will pay closer attention to my work schedule to make sure I'm not subconsciously slacking off at work just to avoid going to the gym." 
"I will be proactive from now on and make sure I come in early to finish my work on days that I plan to go to the gym after work." I will do an exercise video in my living room instead." 
"I will devise an indoor circuit routine to use on rainy days." 
"I will go to the gym and run on the indoor track instead 

"Unbustable" Excuse 
"I have to go out on business lunches all the time--eating out, I just can't control myself" 

Plan B 
"I will call ahead to the restaurant and make sure they have healthy, low-calorie food available. If they do I will make sure that they have it prepared in advance, because sometimes I get embarrassed about asking. If they don't have low-calorie alternatives I will pick a different restaurant." 

"Unbustable" Excuse 
"I'm at my friend's house for dinner, and all she has is a very fattening beef lasagna with garlic bread as an appetizer.  There's nothing else to eat!" 

Plan B 
"In the future, I will call my friend and explain my dietary restrictions, and offer to bring my own meal if it's inconvenient for her.  I will also be sure to eat a light snack beforehand so I'm not tempted to go overboard." 

Now it's time to develop your own Plan B's.  Which excuses do you make that seem airtight?  What situations do you find yourself in which prevent you from achieving your goals?

Copyright 2001, Breaking the Pattern