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Heh. Kidding!
Does a resolution "stick" better if you call it a goal? I hope so, because I'm setting a few goals for the coming days, months and year that I hope will be achievable.
First, though, everyone pop over to Elora's place and wish her a happy birthday! She was the inspiration for my bookmark today. The design of it is very "happy birthday"-ish, and the quote – especially the first part – describes my friend perfectly. She effortlessly finds the best in everyone around her. Elora, I hope your special day is the best one yet, and may the coming year bring you many blessings.
Okay, back to the goals.
Our tax dollars have paid for this project, and I'm going to begin my year by taking advantage of the research that's been put into it. All of us in the U.S. learned about the four food groups and/or the food pyramid when we were schoolchildren, but I daresay we've only used that information to pass a test in health class. Applying this knowledge should lead to slow, steady weight loss that I can maintain. I've done weight loss before. I'm not so good at maintaining.
So the first daily goal is to eat from the pyramid, using the personalized plan available here.
The second is to get at least 60 minutes of intentional activity, which means a walk – either outdoors or on the new elliptical (it should be here in five more days!) – or strength training or yoga or the rowing machine (if I ever get it fixed) or something that isn't housework, yard work or gardening. It will be much more challenging to accomplish this goal in April than it is now in January, as the outdoor chores take up a lot of time and energy. My hope is that by starting now, when I have no other tasks pulling me away from it, the daily hour of exercise will become sacred.
Theoretically, if I eat the number of calories prescribed at mypyramid.gov and do an hour of physical activity every day, weight loss – the ultimate goal – will happen. But is weight loss really the ultimate goal? Well, yes and no.
I will turn 60 in May (the 25th, don't you forget it!). I've run three half-marathons and a 10-mile race, but never a marathon. So the ultimate goal for 2011 is to run a full marathon before the end of the year. In order to do that, I need to lose some – okay, a lot of – weight. I think if I keep the marathon goal out there, the weight loss will happen. It's a given that I can't run 26.2 miles at my current level of, ahem, fitness.
So there are two ultimate goals, and they work hand-in-hand.
What about the interim? It feels like I should set monthly or quarterly goals, but that's never worked for me. I set what I think are reasonable weight-loss goals for a month, I don't make it and I give up. Instead, I think I'll set monthly mileage goals, to be updated on the first day of each month.
Therefore, my goal for January is to walk/run 120 miles. That's a reasonable number, considering the disaster December's been. I can't control the weather, but with the addition of the elliptical to my arsenal I should be able to control the mileage. My preference will always be to work out outdoors, but sometimes it's just not possible.
The other fitness goal for January is to strength train twice a week – just two days of lifting tiny dumbbells or doing squats or lunges or a couple sets of girly-girl push-ups. I'm hoping that by making this goal on the light side, I will gradually learn to like it. Or at least tolerate it.
And lest you think I'm all about food and fitness and calories, oh my, I have one other non-health-related goal for the coming year. Unless you count art as health. Yes, it's time to resurrect Project 365. I probably won't upload the photos every day, but I plan to take a photo with the good camera every day. I use the BlackBerry camera to post a photo to FaceBook every day I walk, and I've just about abandoned the Rebel. So it's time to get creative again. No theme or plan for the project this year, just a picture a day from my world.
Maybe this year I'll make it all the way to next New Year's Eve.
Thank you for sticking with me this year. I hope 2011 is your best year ever. I hope it's my best year ever, as well.
Happy New Year!
3 comments:
Oh, Debbi! Thank you so much, dear friend! How kind and humbling. I only wish I were as good as you make me out to be!!
:-)) But I'll keep trying! You sure have given me some "food" for thought; while I was "aware" of the new "Food Pyramid" I had never set eyes on it. The website is fantastic and I, too, plan to make use of it this year. We are even considering cutting out most meat in our diets (after watching a program on PBS called "The Adventists.") If you get a chance, check it out. I believe you would find it at PBS.org Amazing stuff! And, I, too, will be setting my mind to that "sacred" hour of exercise daily...walking, out through the fields as I have done in the past....beginning today. I believe there is a spiritual aspect of meditation that is companion to the health benefits. It's "centering" to be alone with thoughts as the only companions. It's the one thing I don't do in a regimen of healthfulness. But I will! I truly don't exercise "religiously." But, that's another 2011 New Year's resolution I need to make and adhere to....And while you're tossing compliments around, may I simply mention that your attitude about your weight loss, your view of world and the goodness therein, your willingness to keep on trying, and your sweet and fun personality are only a few of the characteristics that shine in you. Thank you for your friendship, Debbi...you're amazing in every way! I look forward to seeing your Project 365! and the return of the Rebel!
Elora
"Theoretically, if I eat the number of calories prescribed at mypyramid.gov and do an hour of physical activity every day, weight loss – the ultimate goal – will happen."
Mmmmaawwaaahaaa! Love it, keep me posted on how that goes :) We are eternal optimists, aren't we, and I'm sure that eventually we'll hit on the right combination. This sounds like a very good plan.
Elora's bookmark is great. I think you could reverse it, too, with the same sagacity - finding the best in ourselves leads to finding the best in others.
The only thing I see that you left out Debbi, is eating the PROPER amount of calories to support your amount of exercise. Gingersnapper did mention it though. Got to improve that metabolism, right? I know that still doesn't seem right for you but just stick with it.
Wishing you the best for the New Year and that you reach your goals.
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