Maria Kang Issues Defiant 'First and Final Apology' for Posting 'What's Your Excuse?' Picture;`What you interpret is not MY fault. It's Yours'

Maria Kang responded to criticism of her recent "What's Your Excuse" ad, but she wasn't demur. The California other of three said she was sorry that her ad resonated so negatively with women, but she retracted nothing of what she said.

Maria Kang is sticking to her guns. People don't like the message and they are shooting at the messenger.

Fitness blogger Maria Kang has been taking a beating in the media and online for an ad that asked women who weren't as in shape as her, "What's Your Excuse?" under a photo of a very fit Maria Kang posing in a sports bra and shorts posing with her three sons.

The Maria Kang "What's Your Excuse" photo was shared over 12,000 times on Facebook 16,000 people commented on it.

On critic wrote "I don't feel this motivates people all that much, it's sorta just a prideful brag thrown onto Facebook in front of many women's faces just to tease and mock them"

Anoter wrote "Right...I'm sure she has a nanny doing all the work while she works out all day."

Maria Kang said "It's a natural response. I'm used to it. But it never feels good not being liked. I think people hiding behind their keyboards think I'm not human and I don't have bad days. ... That I don't struggle with my weight and cravings and PMS. In this picture, to them, I'm just this person that's never experienced any hardship."

Maria Kang explained that she only responded to the critics after she got a very painful personal email. Kang said "It said I should be ashamed of myself and that I should take down my Facebook profile picture. It said I'm a shame to women. It was deep and hurtful."

So Maria Kang posted her "First and Final Apology" on Facebook: "I'm sorry you took an image and resonated with it in such a negative way. I won't go into details that I struggled with my genetics, had an eating disorder, work full time owning two business', have no nanny, am not naturally skinny and do not work as a personal trainer. I won't even mention how I didn't give into cravings for ice cream, french fries or chocolate while pregnant or use my growing belly as an excuse to be inactive. What I WILL say is this. What you interpret is not MY fault. It's Yours. The first step in owning your life, your body and your destiny is to OWN the thoughts that come out of your own head. I didn't create them. You created them. So if you want to continue 'hating' this image, get used to hating many other things for the rest of your life. You can either blame, complain or obtain a new level of thought by challenging the negative words that come out of your own brain."