Mornin’ Fitties! I have no idea how it happened to be Friday, but I’m glad it’s here. I need a break!

Thanks for the comments yesterday about your holiday traditions — how I forgot to include A Christmas Carol (Disney and the one with George C. Scott) I don’t know. Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa…

A lovely thing happened on Facebook yesterday… a student and Facebook friend mentioned experiencing a schedule conflict with some of my Tuesday night classes. And the student decided to forgo the other social opportunity and come to class. I quote my student “We all face decisions, all the time… class is a better option.”

WOW. Just… WOW.

You Fitties know I’m not much of a tough-love trainer. I’m a hedonist and tough-love doesn’t work with me, so why would I use it on someone else? If I don’t want to do something, no tough love is going to get me to do it. Sometimes, though, I think my students would be better served if I called bullshit on their excuses more often. I just really prefer to give people opportunities to do the healthy, mature thing and if they don’t… they don’t. I’m not a Jillian who wants to get in your face and yell at you until you cry and make the right decision. 

So when someone mans up and does the strong, committed thing for their health? It warms the cockles of my hard little heart like no amount of Spanish wine can.

I am reminded of another student who made certain choices… I remember when this person first came to my class two years ago. It wasn’t easy, but I remember that this person stuck with it when other people — fitter people! — quit. Knee problems? Yep, this person had them. Busy work, family and social life? Check, check and check. She came to class multiple times a week, even before holidays, and is an instructor now. And those people who quit… well, I don’t know what they’re doing now. But I doubt they feel an intense, personal satisfaction for quitting. Quitting doesn’t make you feel good. Quitting does nothing for your self-esteem or self-confidence. There’s no warm glow of accomplishment for having quit.

Now keep in mind: I’m a hedonist (and a procrastinator). So I like to blow things off too. So I’m going to do myself and others a favor and say no excuses. If you don’t want to, you don’t have to. You don’t have to explain why you don’t want to work out or eat healthy. It’s your right to do that as an independent adult.  Similarly, as an independent adult, you must also accept the responsibility for your choices — no passing the buck.

There are busy moms who get their asses out of bed at 4:30 in the morning to work out before they get the kids off to school and head to work. So yes, you have time, especially if you manage to follow a regular tv show or stay abreast of Facebook.

The number one reason I hear for not eating healthy or working out is “it costs too much.”  Invariably, I will hear this from someone who still has just about every technological offering available to mankind.

And I came across this statistic today:

Blue Cross Blue Shield estimates for every 1% increase in BMI, an individual’s health care costs increase by $120.00.

That doesn’t take into account the loss of quality of life or productive days at work. One way or another, you’re going to pay. You’ll either pay by putting in the time to take care of your health and the costs associated with maintaining your body… or you’ll pay by visiting the doctor, buying prescription medicines and wasting your time on medical appointments and tests.  At least when you do the work, you have a strong healthy body to show for it. When your money goes into the doctors’ pockets, you still have a sick body. And not sick in the good way.

I used to have an amazing dance teacher who influenced me a lot. She was a screamer (in a good way, not in a personal way) and invariably there would come a time in class when a student would want to explain to her why they couldn’t do something she had asked them to do. She would cry out “Don’t tell me why you can’t — JUST DO IT!” And then she would make the Nike swoosh in the air.

So for those of you who are just doing it — thank you. You inspire me to put the cupcakes down. And the next time you feel tempted to say “I can’t because…” I ask you to stop and rephrase that as, “I choose not to because…” You have every right not to spend your time doing something you don’t find valuable and there’s no reason to hide it.