Getting healthy can be a challenge, but for every excuse there is a way to overcome it. Here’s my advice on the most common complaints I’ve heard when trying to get healthy.

My parents don’t buy healthy food for me.
I come from a family with tons of support, but sometimes the kind of support you need for a healthy lifestyle isn’t the same kind of support needed for  sports, activities, or school. When you live at home and have no control over the groceries being bought, or the foods that are being made, staying healthy can be hard. I knew that if my family would keep my favorite foods in the house, I would cave and overindulge. I wrote my mom and dad a letter, because sometimes It’s easier than talking. The letter stated how I was feeling about my life and what they could do to help me change. My mom agreed to to continue to buy healthy foods as long as I continued to eat healthy, she didn’t want to waste her money on food that would never be touched. I told them I didn’t expect them to eat the same way I did, but to keep the junk food hidden from me for a while. I eventually started making my own money so I was able to create a grocery list and buy my own healthy foods. If your family doesn’t jump on board with your goals, then learning the rules of proportional eating is a great idea.

I don’t have any time to workout with school and work.
The stress of school and work always get tied together and we find ourselves way too busy to fit in fitness. I always plan to work out when I get home or after work, but I never end up doing it. The trick is to “trick” yourself into it. As horrible as it sounds, waking up before work or school to work out makes it possible.

I get the worst sweet tooth at night.
I am still struggling with this. I can go ALL day eating completely healthy, exercising, and having no problem with temptations, but when night time rolls around and I finally settle down to relax, I have a horrible sweet tooth that I find myself fighting.  The trick to getting past your sweet tooth is treating yourself. Plan your sweet time, sometimes after I have dinner I sit down with a bowl of air-popped popcorn with kettle flavoring and a couple white chocolate raisins in the mix. The popcorn is actually healthy and rich in fiber as well as the raisins, so the kettle and white chocolate give your body the sweets it’s been craving. If you deprive yourself everyday, then fighting that sweet tooth is miserable. When I crave chocolate I usually sit down with a warm cup of light hot chocolate (Nestle). The warmth fills that craving in my stomach immediately.

I just hate working out.
A huge complaint I hear from girls all the time is “I hate working out”, well I also hate working out. Instead of painful cardio and lifting heavy weights, you have to find a way to make yourself have fun while being active. You don’t have to spend tons of money at the gym or on expensive workout clothes. I usually grab my iPod and my dog and just go for nice walks, paint and do crafts with friends, clean and organize around the house, walk the mall, all you have to do is get up off your butt and move.

My friends always pressure me to eat unhealthy, and I have no willpower to say no.
Friends can either make or break you, so you have to stay strong. Prepare yourself before you hang out with them. Bring healthy snacks and explain to them about your new lifestyle and if they are your true friends they should be able to support you and congratulate you. I had friends that wouldn’t even talk to me because I changed my lifestyle, or friends that would constantly eat horribly around me and try to pressure me to do the same. This is where it gets really hard and you have to stay strong and keep your goals in mind. After your friends start seeing results they will stop badgering you and respect your changes, sometimes they might even break down and ask you for help.

My old habits always creep in.
Old habits are almost like addictions. You have to break them but not fully get rid of them or you will lead yourself on a path to deprivation. Transform your old habits into healthier versions. For example, my mom and I loved going to movies and dinner every Friday night. Instead we would make a healthy dinner at home, pop some air-popped popcorn, and rent a movie! Instead of driving up to grab a coffee, now I walk to go grab a coffee.I used to order sugary lattes with syrups, now I order decaf coffee with soy. Just little changes make the biggest differences.

Stress makes me eat more.
Stress is a huge downfall. The way I deal with stress is not by taking it out on a double fudge ice cream or 5 slices of greasy pizza. I find the things that make me happy. If I’m stressed, I’ll go for a nice walk listening to relaxing tunes, go call up a friends and vent about everything on my mind, or my favorite arts and crafts. Finding therapeutic ways to handle stress is much better than eating away your stress! My favorite way to release stress is to hit the beach or lake and soak up the sun and listen to music.

I always give up when I don’t see results.
When you don’t see results it’s very frustrating. Stay off the scale and quit counting calories. Go by how you feel and how your clothes fit. The scale is NEVER accurate because our bodies fluctuate and different people weigh in differently. If you still don’t feel like any results are happening then don’t quit, just change what you are doing. Find out what’s stopping you from staying healthy, is it the after lunch ice creams or late night soda pops? Cut them out and see if there is a change.

My family doesn’t support my healthy lifestyle.
Not having your family behind you in your healthy lifestyle is very frustrating, but it happens to many girls all over the world. Some families base their days and lives off of eating and indulging. Some families take offense to rejecting their dishes. You shouldn’t get mad at your family or rebel, sit down and talk to them, ask them to make little changes to their cooking for you. For example if your mom is cooking fettuccine, ask her to switch the noodles to whole grain, and keep some on the side for you. Instead of the fettuccine sauce, try putting spaghetti sauce on for flavoring. If your mom cooks veggies, ask her not to add the cheese or cup of butter, and to add olive oil and pepper instead.

I don’t like to work out around other people.
Working out around other people can make you very self-conscious if you feel as if you can’t keep up. To tell you the truth, when you see someone working out, no matter what size, you always feel proud of that person, and it motivates you to get out. There are also other ways to work out at home, like video tapes, video games, and housework!

I have no idea how to start.
Start small, make sure it fits your lifestyle, stay positive and write down all your goals! Sparkspeople.com was the first step I made into getting more educated.

I am a picky eater.
When I first started my healthy lifestyle I didn’t want to touch any veggies, fish, or fruit. I had to actually create a taste for those by cooking, and using different seasonings, eventually I liked them plain!

*This post was originally published on Taralynn’s website, Simply, Taralynn. For more from Taralynn visit http://simplytaralynn.com.

Image via Mind Body Green.