Reason vs. Excuse

I've been thinking a lot about these two words. Reason and excuse...I can give reasons for wanting to achieve a lifestyle change (ain't ya proud Coach K's...I didn't use the D-word) I can give reasons for NOT doing something, but aren't those excuses not reasons?
The definition of reason is: The cause that makes a phenomenon intelligible.
The definition of excuse is: To free from blame, to forgive or overlook, to release from obligation, undertaking or duty.
So, here's my way of looking at it...a REASON is intelligible, it's real. The reason my dad cannot lift more than 20 pounds is because he is a cardiac rehab patient (soon to be released, btw.)
An excuse is more of a feeling or an emotion. I didn't exercise this morning because I felt like sleeping in. It's not that I COULDN'T do it, I didn't FEEL like it. Reason is an actuality, excuse is an emotion.
This kind of relates to the blame game in my mind and this doesn't just apply to lifestyle change. There are so many things in life that we make excuses for because we don't like the "feeling" of it, but we never really get to the "reason" behind it, nor do we take ownership of that reason. It's simply much easier to make an excuse and blame someone else.
Yeah, life sucks sometimes. Things don't always go our way, you don't always have success. It's not always someone else's fault. Sure, sometimes there is blame to lay at the feet of someone else. (Kirk Ferentz, this means you for calling that lame brain time out with less than 10 seconds left and calling a 2 yard pass play when you needed 10 yards.) But, at the same time, the situation is not wholly laid at Mr. Ferentz's feet. Passes were missed, catches were dropped, blocks were shucked and tackles were missed, all of which led up to the close game and eventual loss. At some point everyone has to "man up" or "put on your big girl panties" and know that if something went wrong and you were involved in it, in some way, you had ownership of it...someway, somehow, you could have changed the outcome. Sometimes, it's just not your day, and that's okay, too. (I apologize for the sports analogy, my husband has started to wear off on me.)
You failed a test (surely it was because the teacher didn't give you the right things to study.) You lost the game/match/race (it had to be the coach's fault (was the coach the one throwing the ball/running the race/down on the mat?)) you missed a deadline at work (certainly its because your boss is an asshat.) 
You didn't lose weight this week. You lost the conversation with the cheesecake. You didn't work out. These EXCUSES are not someone else's fault. Give me the REASON for any of these actions, maybe I'll buy it. Chances are I won't because too often someone tries to mask an excuse by calling it a reason and that's just not going to fly with me anymore. (Self, this means you.)
I lost the conversation with the cheesecake last night. I ate a piece at 1:30 a.m. My EXCUSE, yes EXCUSE not reason? Dan had gone to Cliff's for Thursday night football, if I fall asleep and wake up and he is not home, I can't get back to sleep. I start worrying, I start stewing, I start brooding and then I feel like nothing will calm my nerves but food. So really, the cheesecake was Dan's fault...WRONG! Dan is a big boy who can take care of himself. Cheesecake was not going to make him magically appear at the door and all it did was give me 30 seconds of "wow this is good" followed by a massive gut ache (which I still have) and a guilt trip a mile long.
I did not get up and work out this morning, partly because said husband was not home, therefore I was awake for 3 hours in the middle of the night (again, his fault right? Bullshit, I can take a Tylenol PM just like the rest of the world) The other reason was that my work out from yesterday ended at 9 p.m. last night and frankly, I'm too fucking old to have a two-a-day work out. Excuse? Possibly, but I don't want to injure myself and PLAN to work out while my turkey meat balls are in the oven later today. (hee hee I just said balls...)
Sorry, this got a little long and rambling, but...the next time you think you are giving yourself a "reason" for not staying on plan, not eating your 5 and 1 not measuring your lean and greens not drinking your water, ask yourself if it's truly a reason or merely an excuse...I bet I know the answer already.

Recipe:
Stuffed tomatoes
Tis the season for holiday parties I am making these tasty little morsels to take to a cocktail party tonight.
Cherry tomatoes, or right now Food Pride as these little tomatoes called Romanitas, (I think) they are a little bigger than a cherry tomato 99 cents for a bag of like 12.
chicken, crab, tuna or salmon, your choice if its canned drain it and rinse it with water, if its flake, make sure there are no skin or bones
In a bowl, use a fork to "mash" up your meat of choice, you want a relatively fine piece. Mix in a T or two of light mayonnaise, basically just enough to moisten the meat. I then add a little Walden Farms Ranch to make it creamier without adding extra fat and calories You may also use FF sour cream. You want a tuna salad consistency. At this point, you can add finely diced green onion or celery or finely chopped spinach. To all I add some garlic, black pepper, and onion powder, I also add 2 packets of splenda. (My mom has always sweetened her egg, chicken, tuna salad and now I can't eat it any other way) To the salmon I add some dill weed. Take the tomatoes (washed) cut down the center about 3/4 of the way, stuff a spoonful of your salad in the center, place on your serving tray. If you have extra, you can use this to stuff celery or you can spread it on a slice of cucumber.