Reason? or Excuse?

One thing I have noticed since changing my lifestyle is that there are a lot of women who are looking to make the same or similar changes in their life. They, ultimately, want a killer body!! Along with getting that killer body, they will gain health, knowledge, the feeling of dedication, determination and pride and these things will stay with them for life (if they keep it up!). However, one thing that I have come across with a lot of women are the excuses they are willing to make for themselves. The excuses as to why they can't eat well, why they can't exercise, why they can't make the time to take on a healthy lifestyle...and the list goes on. Confront them about it and they think that you are attacking them. But merely trying to make the point that they are only excuses and they can be overcome. The people making the excuses see them as 'reasons'  and justifications as to why they can't do these things.
Over the last year I have learnt the difference between making excuses and actual reasons. I know that an excuse is an actual excuse, when if I put a little more effort or time it can easily be overcome... An example of an excuse: 'I'm not going to the gym, it closes soon (closing time may be an hour or two away) and I won't have a long enough training session'. An example of a reason is: 'I'm not going to the gym because it closed'. The reason is something beyond my control, I can't make the gym open up again so I can train. But the excuse can easily be overcome, I can put in a little bit of effort and change my training program up to allow me to train in the time left.
Another excuse/reason I hear is 'my partner doesn't like healthy food'. This is definitely an excuse, if you want something bad enough you will work until you get it. You either have the option of making two meals, one for you and one for him or else telling him that if he doesn't like what you cook, he can cook his own/go without. It won't take long until he decides that the healthy food isn't as bad as he first thought.
Just remember, make a little more effort to make the excuse non-existent! If you want something bad enough, you will do everything you can to get it!!

And to end, here is a little food for thought:
EXCUSE
Verb - Attempt to lessen the blame attaching to (a fault or offense); seek to defend or justify.
Noun- A reason or explanation put forward to defend of justify a fault or offense.