We all know that sugar is bad for us. We know that exercising a minimum of 5 hours a week will keep us fit. We know that drinking soda is terrible. Yes, we know all these things. But the question is: If we know what is bad for us, then why do we keep doing it?

Answer: I don’t wanna

I don’t wanna give up my morning diet soda.

I don’t wanna go to they gym because Dancing With the Stars is on.

I don’t wanna to give up gluten becasue it’s too hard.

I don’t wanna, I don’t wanna, I don’t WANNA! It sounds like a little three year old have a tantrum.

So when you know a change is going to do you better, then you need to examine your resistance to this change.

Maybe your addicted? Many substances like sugar and caffeine are addictive. And if you feel that you can’t go a day without these substances, then that could be the case. However, this does not give you the okay to have these substances. There are amino acids that are very helpful in eliminating your caffeine and sugar cravings. Skeptical? I used to be a super coffee addict and using a few amino acids I gave up coffee with ease. More often than not, our bodies are out of balance because of stress, extreme dieting, poor nutrition, too many carbohydrates or other reasons. These extreme cravings are often ways that our body is just trying to feel better. Cleaning up your diet and using amino acid supplementation can make giving up these substances a lot easier.

You feel deprived. Many times, we use food and other substances to help us cope with daily situations. “I’ve had such a stressful day, I need chocolate.” “I should just be able to eat what ever I want.” The problem with this thought pattern is that we are equating these non foods or poor foods with something we deserve. And in truth, we actually deserve to feel healthy, happy, and energetic. So when you choose to eliminate toxic foods and substances, do it from a stance of how much better you feel. And know in your heart that you love yourself so much that you deserve only the best food and nutrition. And when I say the best food, I mean organic, natural foods. You deserve to cook yourself a healthy, delicious meal at home. You deserve these fine things. You don’t deserve the moods things that come from sugar crashes. You don’t deserve to feel sluggish because of poor nutrition. You don’t deserve to have limited functionality because of a poor exercise routine. Put yourself on a pedestal and treat yourself with respect and love.

Well you only live once: I hear this all the time. But what is the quality of life you live? Do you have endless energy? Are you happy? The substances you ingest no only affect your physical body, but also your mental energy and emotional energy. I invest in my OWN health insurance. And that means, that now in my 30’s I’m going take take great care of myself. I choose to eat healthy food, workout, and minimize stress so in the next 30, 40, and 50 plus years from now I am living a happy, enjoyable, and functional life. Preventative care is the best gift you can give yourself.

So examine your “I don’t wanna’s “, and think about why you are struggling making a lifestyle change. Are you addicted? Do you feel deprived? Are you falling into the category of you only live once?

And after you look at your reason, then you need to look at your self worth. Do you really love yourself? And I hope you do.  Look at your actions.  Are these actions of someone that loves themself?  And if you come from a place of truly loving yourself, then make these changes a commitment to you. A gift to you. Because it’s so easy for us to put ourselves last. We neglect our own personal needs. And don’t wait until it’s too late. don’t wait until you get sick. Don’t wait until you’re burnt out. The time is now.