Stop Enabling Yourself

What comes to mind when you think of enabling someone ... healthy or unhealthy? The recent definition refers to providing help that perpetuates a problem rather than fixes it. You know, the reasons and excuses we make to justify a person's behavior or actions even sacrificing our own health and well-being in doing so. It can develop into such dysfunction where we actually believe we are helping a situation. "The reality, though, is that enabling not only doesn't help, but it actively causes harm and makes the situation worse." When an enabler steps in to help an addict for example, they take away their motivation and desire to get help or change. According to Psychology Today, "enablers help addicts dig themselves deeper into trouble."

What does this have to do with fitness? Well, it happens to pertain quite a bit to health and fitness. Are you making excuses and justifications not to start a fitness program? Not the right time? My spouse is keeping me fat? My friends sabotage me? Lying to family and friends about a "fake" fitness program? What unhealthy beliefs do you create preventing you from getting fit and why are you enabling that? This is my point and yes, I strongly disagree with enabling behavior. It is time to stop enabling yourself. Being a healthy and fit person will take breaking the cycle of enabling.

When you stop enabling unhealthy behavior, you will see an improvement in your mental game, motivation to exercise and eating right. Continuing down a path of excuses will only make things worse and illness will eventually come knocking at your door. We have only one body and playing around thinking our behavior will not come back to bite us in the backside is well, negligent. Life is too short to entertain enabling behavior further and it is time to make a shift toward healthy decisions. We can no longer hide behind our justifications that keep us digging a deeper unhealthy hole. I know this is an in-your-face blog, but it is also what I call tough fitness love. So, are you ready to stop enabling yourself and get serious about your health and fitness?

Don't miss out on my sport nutrition and fitness articles! Newly published this week are "Eat Dark Chocolate to Improve Your Workouts" and "Why You Should Eat White Potatoes." Take some time to peruse the site because it is chalk full of helpful fitness and nutrition info!