I don't like anything that's good for me.

I do fine until 4 pm, and then I snack all night.

I would eat better, but my (fill in the blank) doesn't want to eat healthy.

My family won't eat healthy foods, and I'm not cooking two different meals.

I have to keep snacks in the house for my kids (and then I eat them).

I don't have time to cook healthy foods.

I eat out a lot, so I can't eat healthy.

I hate vegetables.

My (fill in the blank) brings junk food in the house.

High cholesterol (blood pressure, triglycerides, heart disease, etc.) runs in my family, so there's nothing I can do.

I'm sure you can add some of your own.

THESE ARE EXCUSES. They are convenient ways to let yourself off the hook for not taking responsibility for your choices and your behavior. The problem with them is that you actually convince yourself that they are true if you say them often enough.

But you don't convince me.

Recognize that these excuses guarantee failure. They guarantee that you will never achieve your health goals. I will refute them one at a time.

I don't like anything that's good for me. Followed closely by I hate vegetables.

It can't be true that you don't like anything that's good for you. Everyone can find something (watermelon, sweet potatoes, strawberries) that's good and good for you. The same is true for vegetables - there must be a few you like. Recognize that all-or-nothing, extremist thinking is self-defeating.

Also, understand that it takes three weeks to make or break a habit. If you commit to trying a vegetable (or another healthy food) for three weeks, you may find that you do like it. Sometimes, it's a matter of finding the right way to cook it. Learn to catch yourself in self-defeating thought cycles and work on solutions.

I do fine until 4 pm, and then I snack all night.

This usually happens when you skimp on food during the day. You become so hungry by the afternoon that you can't stop eating. This results from not paying attention to your internal hunger/satiety cues. If you eat earlier in the day, you will not be starving at 4 pm (or 5 pm, or 6 pm - whatever your bewitching hour is). If you are hungry, eat a piece of fruit or a handful of nuts. And then STOP.

Snacking all night is a habit. Make sure you eat satisfying meals and then plan an activity after dinner. Do NOT allow yourself to wander in and out of the kitchen. Recognize that you are not physically hungry and identify what other emotions are causing you to reach for food.

I would eat better, but my (fill in the blank) doesn't want to eat healthy.

My family won't eat healthy foods, and I'm not cooking two different meals.

I keep snacks in the house for my kids.

All of these are, once again, convenient escape hatches for you. First of all, everyone should be eating healthy, and healthy doesn't mean mashed yeast and bean sprouts. Invest in a good low fat vegetarian cookbook to learn some healthy delicious meals that can become staples in your household. Ask your children and spouse for suggestions. Involve them in meal planning, shopping, and cooking. Find new ways to cook old favorites.

Snacks should be healthy for your children as well. Whole grain crackers and natural peanut butter, popcorn, dried fruit and nuts are all good choices for the whole family. No one needs cookies loaded with sugar and trans fats, chips that are high in fat and sodium, and candy. These are once-in-a-blue-moon foods, and keeping them in the house "for the kids" makes no sense. You want your children to develop healthy eating habits at an early age. If they aren't good for you, why would you feed them to your children?

I don't have time to cook healthy foods.

This is the mother of all excuses, as far as I am concerned. How long do people think it takes to cook a healthy meal? Do they actually think they need to go out and grow the food themselves?

Here are some examples of how easy it is to cook quick, healthy meals. Instant brown (not white) rice takes five minutes to cook. Beans come in a can. Frozen vegetables (already washed and cut) can be steamed on the stovetop in ten minutes, less in the microwave. Salad greens can be washed and spun in a salad spinner in under ten minutes. Baby carrots (don't need to be washed or peeled) can be added to salads or dipped in low-fat dressing. Whole wheat pasta can be boiled in under ten minutes. Potatoes can be baked on the weekend and reheated during the week.

The truth is, once you know how, it doesn't take any longer to cook healthy foods than it does to cook unhealthy ones. Commit to learning how and then doing it.

I eat out a lot, so I can't eat healthy.

Once again, this is an excuse. Restaurants cater to you, the customer. They want you to be happy. Order your entrée grilled without added fat. Ask for butter, salad dressing, and sauces on the side so you can control how much is added. Specify "no added fat" on your vegetables. Ask for butter or mayo on the side when you order a sandwich (restaurants often butter toasted buns). Ask for whole wheat bread. Order brown rice (available at many Chinese restaurants). Always order salad without cheese and croutons (again, with dressing on the side). (And before you tell me that you don't like brown rice or whole wheat bread, remember that it takes three weeks to develop a taste for something - so commit to trying it.) It IS possible to eat out healthfully with a little bit of planning.

High cholesterol (blood pressure, triglycerides, heart disease, etc.) runs in my family, so there's nothing I can do.

The research shows that genes are responsible for only a small percentage of health conditions. What is learned, however, are poor eating and exercise habits. If you find yourself developing the same health conditions as your parents and grandparents, take a close look at your diet. Chances are, you are eating the same foods as your family before you ate. Cleaning up your diet can actually reverse certain health conditions.