Well, 2012 is officially ending. We all managed to survive the Mayan Apocalypse! (Sorry, had to throw that in there!) I have been giving pretty much non-stop thought to the rest of my monthly "goal" list so that I could have it laid out for this post. I have to tell you, the first six came right out of me all at once. The next four took a little thought, but the last two? Let's just say they have been a never ending source of trouble for me! So, I'll just lay them out there (or what I have) and know that a couple of these might change if I think of anything better!
January 2013: To run the equivalent of 26.2 miles (a full marathon) over the course of 30 days. I already know I'm good for 6.2 of those miles because I am already registered for two 5ks this month! The rest will be done either outside or on the treadmill in whatever increments I can squeeze in!
February 2013: To complete 20 Zumba DVD (60 minute) workouts in 30 days. This one is pretty much completely do-able (provided the Mr and I don't get into a spat over the living room television. He has a man-cave in the basement, he needs to visit it more often!) This one will be a little bit of a challenge, however, because we usually go to Kentucky for the better part of 1 week to visit family at this time of the year.
March 2013: To log ALL food for 30 days. Not necessarily to stay under any particular number or to have any goals about it, but just to write down EVERY crumb that goes into my mouth for an entire month. My birthday is this month, so it should be interesting and challenging.
April 2013: To eat fewer than or equal to 1600 calories per day for 30 days. This is where the challenge really starts to get intense! I have done it before. I can do it again. With the help of the journal I use for my March challenge and the My Fitness Pal website, I will keep track of and actually stay UNDER 1601 calories a day. I can eat as low as 1500 and feel full all day and MFP wants me to eat 1700, so I feel that I can both lose weight and still feel satisfied at 1600. There are no birthdays or holidays really this month, so I think it will be completely do-able.
May 2013: To complete 16 Yourself Fit workouts on the PS2 in 30 days. I chose 16 because the game actually recommends that you only workout 3 to 4 days a week. I chose the higher at 4 per week. This game is unique in that it alternates cardio with strength training and flexibility. It even has Yoga that you can do just for the relaxation of it!
June 2013: No soda for 30 days. The only things I will drink are water, tea, coffee, juice and carbonated water for an entire month. With it being the true beginning of summer break, I should have a whopper of a headache between caffeine withdrawal and the kids being out of school for summer break!
July 2013: To go to bed by 11pm 20 nights of the month. This is one of the few challenges I am looking the least forward to. I am a serious night owl. My kids don't go to bed until 8pm and they usually aren't asleep until at least 9pm, so I use the time after that as my "me" time. This is the time when I browse Facebook, check my email and even blog! It will be really hard for me to fit all of that in and shower/get ready for the next day by 11pm.
August 2013: No candy for 30 days. No candy of ANY kind. No chocolate, no lollipops, no Jolly Ranchers...nothing! This one will be hard because I love peanut butter cups and peanut M&Ms. Have to stay strong...have to stay strong...
September 2013: To lose 5 pounds in a month. I waited to put this one further into the year so that I could get everything rolling. The months that I chose to include these challenges was not random. I have been gradually building up skills and willpower. The very skills and willpower I will need to accomplish this particular goal. By September, I hope to be exercising regularly again and eating the right foods. I also hope to be logging all of my food, cutting back on sweets and not drinking as many sugary drinks.
October 2013: To drink 64 or more ounces of water every day of the month. I think that water is important for life and important for fitness and weight loss. I am also hoping that by this point in the year, I am already doing this or am very close to or exceeding this goal.
November 2013: To post a blog every. single. day. of the month. I started out kind of mediocre with my blogging. Then, I was pretty regular. Then, as I fell off of the wagon with my fitness level and weight loss efforts, my blogging seemed to have fallen off the wagon as well. I really enjoy writing a blog as much as I enjoy reading the ones that I read regularly! My goal is to start up the habit with this challenge and carry through until I just blog daily without a second thought. I'd like to build up a regular reader base and maybe get some notable comments!
December 2013: To maintain these goals and make them lifelong habits. Sure, I'll have candy or soda. I'd be insane to deny myself something like that! I just want to make sure that my world/body/fitness level does not fall apart during the holidays. I want to go in to 2014 looking and feeling better about myself. I want to be maintaining my weight, no still working on losing it. I want to look forward to running half marathons. I want to enjoy my life and stop worrying about setting bad examples for my children.
So, there you have it. My 2013 monthly challenge list. Tune in tomorrow to find out how Day 1 goes!
Monday, December 31, 2012
Saturday, December 22, 2012
A Couple More Goals To Add...
I'm getting really excited about starting my monthly goals for 2013! I have added two more goals to the list:
-No Soda for 30 Days- I was standing at work today, feeling slightly sluggish and I wanted something soda-y to go with my lunch, so I popped over to the soda coolers and bought a Coke zero 20 ounce bottle. I don't think this will be a hard goal for me. I gave up soda entirely a couple of years ago. The only real problem is in social situations or going out to eat. Also, there are certain foods that just taste yucky with water or tea!
-No Candy for 30 Days- This one will be MUCH harder for me, but I think with enough determination/will power, it can be done. When I was pregnant with my daughter, nearly 4 years ago, I would eat a Reece's Peanut Butter Cup every single day with a 20 ounce bottle of Coke. I will tell you that there will be certain times when this one will be really hard. First, there's that time which almost every girl within a certain age range craves sugar (usually chocolate). Then, I also eat candy when I am really stressed or really bored (or both!). I think I will make this one of the later goals, just so I have a handle on calories and such at the time. I'm not sure I should make it too close to the end of the year, though, or it will hit Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas...oh noooo!! (It would be more challenging to make it one of those months, though, so we'll see how it goes)
I know that I haven't been blogging very much lately. I have watched my "readers" numbers plummet as of late. Please know that I have been working A LOT lately at my full-time job and I have been trying to be a full-time mommy and do all things supportive, crafty and fun for my kids. Once my goals start, I will be much more into blogging...to let everyone know how my progress is going AND to keep myself accountable. Thanks for understanding!
-No Soda for 30 Days- I was standing at work today, feeling slightly sluggish and I wanted something soda-y to go with my lunch, so I popped over to the soda coolers and bought a Coke zero 20 ounce bottle. I don't think this will be a hard goal for me. I gave up soda entirely a couple of years ago. The only real problem is in social situations or going out to eat. Also, there are certain foods that just taste yucky with water or tea!
-No Candy for 30 Days- This one will be MUCH harder for me, but I think with enough determination/will power, it can be done. When I was pregnant with my daughter, nearly 4 years ago, I would eat a Reece's Peanut Butter Cup every single day with a 20 ounce bottle of Coke. I will tell you that there will be certain times when this one will be really hard. First, there's that time which almost every girl within a certain age range craves sugar (usually chocolate). Then, I also eat candy when I am really stressed or really bored (or both!). I think I will make this one of the later goals, just so I have a handle on calories and such at the time. I'm not sure I should make it too close to the end of the year, though, or it will hit Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas...oh noooo!! (It would be more challenging to make it one of those months, though, so we'll see how it goes)
I know that I haven't been blogging very much lately. I have watched my "readers" numbers plummet as of late. Please know that I have been working A LOT lately at my full-time job and I have been trying to be a full-time mommy and do all things supportive, crafty and fun for my kids. Once my goals start, I will be much more into blogging...to let everyone know how my progress is going AND to keep myself accountable. Thanks for understanding!
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Glued To the Horror
I wasn't planning on writing a post about the tragedy in Newtown, CT, but I think it's best to get it off of my chest. I feel SO TERRIBLE for the families and even for the entire town. All I have done since I got home from work last night is watch the news (which I normally don't do at all) and keep a computer tab up on CNN.com. I don't completely understand why I am so glued to this horror. As the story unfolds more and more, all I can do is watch and cry.
Probably some of my sadness comes from having a child who is elementary school aged. Then, the empathy. Trying to imagine sending your child to school only to find out that someone has gone in with a gun and killed so many innocent lives. To know that the parents of 20 children will never see their children alive again. To think that those parents had to sit at that fire station and watch every other child be reunited with their families and then realize that they would not have that relief. These people will have to plan funerals for their loved ones when they should be finishing up their Christmas shopping or wrapping up their Hanukkah festivities. It seems like too much for anyone to have to endure. I don't know if I could.
Then, there are all of the people, police and paramedic or firefighters, who have had to walk into that school and see the horror of all of those little bodies, covered in blood. To know that the teachers, principal and school psychologist all died trying to protect those little lives. Something like that is going to stay with them for the rest of their lives. I feel horrible for them, as well.
Last, I am going to go a step further and say that I feel bad for the family of the gunman. His father and brother have lost a mother and ex-wife. They have to endure all of the hatred directed at them because people need someone to blame.
As the days pass, I know I will remain glued to this story. I know I will be watching to see what the investigators uncover. Those families will remain in my prayers for a long time to come.
Probably some of my sadness comes from having a child who is elementary school aged. Then, the empathy. Trying to imagine sending your child to school only to find out that someone has gone in with a gun and killed so many innocent lives. To know that the parents of 20 children will never see their children alive again. To think that those parents had to sit at that fire station and watch every other child be reunited with their families and then realize that they would not have that relief. These people will have to plan funerals for their loved ones when they should be finishing up their Christmas shopping or wrapping up their Hanukkah festivities. It seems like too much for anyone to have to endure. I don't know if I could.
Then, there are all of the people, police and paramedic or firefighters, who have had to walk into that school and see the horror of all of those little bodies, covered in blood. To know that the teachers, principal and school psychologist all died trying to protect those little lives. Something like that is going to stay with them for the rest of their lives. I feel horrible for them, as well.
Last, I am going to go a step further and say that I feel bad for the family of the gunman. His father and brother have lost a mother and ex-wife. They have to endure all of the hatred directed at them because people need someone to blame.
As the days pass, I know I will remain glued to this story. I know I will be watching to see what the investigators uncover. Those families will remain in my prayers for a long time to come.
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Already Thinking About 2013
As 2012 comes to a close, I can't help thinking about the new year. Now, I actually don't do "New Year's Resolutions." I think they are silly. Why do you have to wait until the beginning of a new year to start doing something? 2013 for me won't be any different. I am not declaring a New Year's resolution. I am, however, starting a 12 month project. If this were any other month than December, it wouldn't seem so close to a resolution. Just know that I would have started this anyway! (The OCD majority part of me thinks that it's awesome to start a 12 month plan on the first of the year!) So, here's what I have laid out so far:
12 individual "monthly" goals. I have decided that I generally try to take on too many projects at once and weight loss/getting in shape is one thing that I really do bite off more than I can chew on. It has generally only gotten me burnt out and/or injured. Take this past year: I ran my first 5k (pulled a hamstring) and then jumped right into my first half marathon (plantar faciitis). Along the way, I quit logging my calories and gained back about 13 pounds of lost weight (not to mention ALL of my toning). And, let's not even discuss the recent addition of the blog pity parties. I will NOT have another year like this one!
The plan goes like this: I will post a blog naming my chosen "goal" of the month at the beginning of each month. I will blog about my progress and in doing this, I will hold myself accountable and hopefully all of my readers will help with that accountability. Here are the "goals" I have worked out so far:
1: To run the mileage of a full marathon over the course of 30 days. (I still have NO desire to actually run a full marathon, but I figure it can't be too bad broken up over the span of a month.)
2: To complete 20 Zumba workouts in 30 days. ( I really miss doing these workouts)
3: To complete 15 Yourself! Fit workouts on the PS2 in 30 days. (It's a full body workout)
4: To log EVERYTHING I eat for 30 FULL days. (Slacking in this area has been detrimental to my success at losing weight)
5: Eat less than or equal to 1600 calories a day for a FULL 30 days. (1700 is what MFP thinks I should eat, but I generally do better around 1500, so I am compromising)
6: Lose 5 pounds in 30 days. (Should be doable, right?)
7: Go to bed by 11PM 20 nights out of 30. (I am a serious night owl and it really drags me down sometimes)
I still need 5 more goals in the next 3 weeks. I am also considering a reward system for each goal. I know that actually achieving the goal and the benefits it will bring should be enough, but come on!! It will have to be something inexpensive and fun. I was considering adding a goal to beat my first half marathon time, but that will take longer than a month to train for and I really don't want to feel pressured. The point of this is to become more fit and try not to sustain any more injuries! Those 7 goals poured out of me pretty quickly, so I fear that the other 5 will not come so readily. Feel free to suggest other goals and/or rewards for my journey. I would really appreciate it!
12 individual "monthly" goals. I have decided that I generally try to take on too many projects at once and weight loss/getting in shape is one thing that I really do bite off more than I can chew on. It has generally only gotten me burnt out and/or injured. Take this past year: I ran my first 5k (pulled a hamstring) and then jumped right into my first half marathon (plantar faciitis). Along the way, I quit logging my calories and gained back about 13 pounds of lost weight (not to mention ALL of my toning). And, let's not even discuss the recent addition of the blog pity parties. I will NOT have another year like this one!
The plan goes like this: I will post a blog naming my chosen "goal" of the month at the beginning of each month. I will blog about my progress and in doing this, I will hold myself accountable and hopefully all of my readers will help with that accountability. Here are the "goals" I have worked out so far:
1: To run the mileage of a full marathon over the course of 30 days. (I still have NO desire to actually run a full marathon, but I figure it can't be too bad broken up over the span of a month.)
2: To complete 20 Zumba workouts in 30 days. ( I really miss doing these workouts)
3: To complete 15 Yourself! Fit workouts on the PS2 in 30 days. (It's a full body workout)
4: To log EVERYTHING I eat for 30 FULL days. (Slacking in this area has been detrimental to my success at losing weight)
5: Eat less than or equal to 1600 calories a day for a FULL 30 days. (1700 is what MFP thinks I should eat, but I generally do better around 1500, so I am compromising)
6: Lose 5 pounds in 30 days. (Should be doable, right?)
7: Go to bed by 11PM 20 nights out of 30. (I am a serious night owl and it really drags me down sometimes)
I still need 5 more goals in the next 3 weeks. I am also considering a reward system for each goal. I know that actually achieving the goal and the benefits it will bring should be enough, but come on!! It will have to be something inexpensive and fun. I was considering adding a goal to beat my first half marathon time, but that will take longer than a month to train for and I really don't want to feel pressured. The point of this is to become more fit and try not to sustain any more injuries! Those 7 goals poured out of me pretty quickly, so I fear that the other 5 will not come so readily. Feel free to suggest other goals and/or rewards for my journey. I would really appreciate it!
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Sometimes Life is the Best Motivator
Do you ever feel like the world has to be in complete balance? For instance, every good thing that happens has to have a counter "bad" to go with it? I have always believed it. Most of the time, I wish it wasn't like that. Maybe it's only that way for me...I don't know. It seems like every time things are going OK in our (my family's) lives, something comes up and knocks us back down. We've been traveling close to the edge of imbalance for a little while now and I have been waiting for the scales to tip in the other direction. I think it must be easier for men to cope with or they hide it REALLY well, because my husband doesn't ever exhibit the same stress level as I get when things are looking down.
I'm not going into details, but I have been under a lot of stress lately, both at home and at work. I hate looking down at a spiraling cascade and wondering where the bottom is and if there is a way back up and hoping it's an express route. Anyway, the stress in my life is not really what this post is about. The only "good" thing that has come out of this stress is that I was feeling so down earlier today that I decided I needed to exert myself. So, I put on my running gear and shoes, went downstairs to the basement, put in a Guns N Roses CD and hopped on the treadmill for an exerting 1 mile run. I ran hard and I ran fast. It was only a 12 minute mile, but that is actually better than what I have been racing at lately and it is certainly good considering that I have not really had any exercise in a month.
When the mile was over, I could have kept going. Why didn't I? Well, despite the fact that I taped up my right foot, I am trying really hard not to damage it to the extent that it was. Also, I may or may not be running a 5K in 2 weeks and I don't want to jump right into multi-mile training after so much time off. So, I listened to that little voice in my head that said, "stop," and I stopped. I am hoping that the end result of that one run will motivate me to continue at least getting on the treadmill a few times a week and then back to a regular workout regimen.
I'm not going into details, but I have been under a lot of stress lately, both at home and at work. I hate looking down at a spiraling cascade and wondering where the bottom is and if there is a way back up and hoping it's an express route. Anyway, the stress in my life is not really what this post is about. The only "good" thing that has come out of this stress is that I was feeling so down earlier today that I decided I needed to exert myself. So, I put on my running gear and shoes, went downstairs to the basement, put in a Guns N Roses CD and hopped on the treadmill for an exerting 1 mile run. I ran hard and I ran fast. It was only a 12 minute mile, but that is actually better than what I have been racing at lately and it is certainly good considering that I have not really had any exercise in a month.
When the mile was over, I could have kept going. Why didn't I? Well, despite the fact that I taped up my right foot, I am trying really hard not to damage it to the extent that it was. Also, I may or may not be running a 5K in 2 weeks and I don't want to jump right into multi-mile training after so much time off. So, I listened to that little voice in my head that said, "stop," and I stopped. I am hoping that the end result of that one run will motivate me to continue at least getting on the treadmill a few times a week and then back to a regular workout regimen.
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