New Year's Goals

Yes, the last time I posted anything to this silly blog was in August.

Yes, the last time I wrote in my journal was just after Christmas.

But it's a new year: 2011. I started thinking yesterday about the things I want to do, be, and achieve this year. I do have a long list of things I'd really like to do, but I thought I'd keep it short and sweet to make it more achievable and more realistic.

Without further adieu, here are my goals for 2011:

1. Quit smoking. Easier said than done! Trust me, this isn't my first time quitting; but I'm hoping this will be my last, successful attempt. No, not an attempt. An achievement! I didn't feel like smoking yesterday at all, as my stomach was not feeling up to par, and I realized last night that it had been since Saturday night at 11 pm since I had smoked one. I was also thinking that I must "walk the walk" if I am going to be a good nurse when I graduate from nursing school; I can't be a true health advocate and lead an unhealthy lifestyle - that would be hypocritical! I've always been annoyed by hypocrites. And a friend decided he was going to quit, so it inspired me to quit, too. So that's it. I'm walking away from cigarettes. For good.

2. Exercise 5 days per week and lose 20 lbs by April 10, 2011. Another tough one. But even if it's just a brisk walk with the dog, I need to move every day. Up until last summer, I used to run 3 - 4 miles about 4 times per week; then it got so hot that even when I got up early I still felt stifled by the heat and humidity (ahhh, South Carolina summer!). So I laid off, thinking I would go to the gym instead. Oops. That didn't work. And then nursing school began and I got even lazier. The result is that I feel sluggish and I've gained too much weight. At the beginning of summer 2009, I weighed a healthy and slim 115 lbs. Now I'm at about 135. Yikes! It's past time to get this extra weight off. I know I can do it because I've done it before, but from now on, I'm not ever going to let myself get this far out of shape again. Period. It's going to be a gradual process and I'm going to be patient with myself. I'm going to start out walking or riding my bike every day. Then I'm going to start lifting weights again. Then maybe yoga again. Then maybe swimming at the gym. Eventually, I want to be doing something different every day so I don't get bored with a routine. And I want all that good energy back!

3. Go vegetarian. Again! Before I met my husband 5 years ago, I was an ovo-lacto-vegetarian (I ate no meat, but I would eat dairy and eggs). When I ate no meat, I had more energy, and I weighed less without having to work quite as hard at running and at the gym. Plus, eating a vegetarian diet is better for the planet, in general. So again, I'm starting slowly. First I'm cutting out meat. Then milk. Then cheese. Eventually, I'd like to be vegan - or close to it. I'm not expecting anyone in my family to join me in this endeavor, as I know my boys are carnivores, but I know that I will feel better and look better for eating a plant-based diet.

4. Be more creative. I want to write more, garden more, do crafts (decoupage, assemblage, collage, etc.) more.

How am I going to do these 4 things? I'm making commitments to:

A) I am going to be gentle with myself if I fall off the wagon (I just have to make sure that I get right back on).
B) I am going to give myself lots of "positive self-talk," as one of my old psych professors used to say.
C)I am going to reward myself with little things as I achieve little goals. Not with food though! The rewards will be more like giving myself a facial, a pedicure. Or buying a little trinket, such as new earrings or new nail polish.
D)I'm going to use a Mayo Clinic style approach for the weight loss, which means that I'm going to aim to losed 1 - 2 lbs per week, and I'm aiming for a total loss of 20 lbs, which means it should take me 10 weeks to lose the weight. I have to burn 500 to 1,000 calories more than I take in to do this.
E) I'm going to journal, blog, clean house, walk, ride my bike, or do yoga when I feel the urge for a cigarette. Like right now! :) Anything to keep the mind and the hands busy! I'm also going to journal what I eat and how much I exercise each day.


Any thoughts? Any suggestions? Any advice? Comments are welcome!