New Year's Resolutions...

Yup, you read that right. New Year's Resolutions is the title you see. Here's the deal, in the past you've heard me say I don't really like making them. I don't! It always seems like a bandwagon kind of thing. If you want it do it. I say this knowing full well that I'm a slacker as well and terribly forgetful. See where I'm going with this?

When my home away from home opened back in December they had these great little new year resolution cards. I looked at them and was all set to walk by it when I realized what was on it, a $5 coupon. Earthfare, you totally know the way to my heart. So I fill one out and I completely forget about it... that is until it arrived in the mail this past week.

There it is. My goal is essentially activity once a week. Lately, I've been feeling like I'm failing myself. I like group workouts and I like yoga, but it takes quite a bit for me to get to my mat or get to my step. So I've missed a few classes, and haven't been in what feels like forever. However, when I saw my card from earthfare I happened to have my planner in front of me and thought let's check in. Let's see how I've really done. For the month of June I planned and completed some activity only 8 different times. :) Except, that puts me at roughly 2 times a week!!

I feel like this is the kind of thing I need to do more often. Really checking in with facts and seeing where I am. What about you? Do you find that reality is sometimes a little different than what you might have imagined?

Just something I stumbled across...

You no write, no call...

I know, I know. I've been missing this outlet lately. To be honest, I've been missing all the fun things I like doing like reading blogs, yoga, television. Work has kept me so busy that I've just been doing the minimum with regards to the fun bits.

Now, things are starting to slow down and guess what?! I'm tired! :)

I'm enjoying catching up on things and I have some things to share.

- Water consumption is up... okay it's the small things. I usually have at least one bottle of water a day. That second bottle is always a little tricky. When I pick up the little one from school, I don't drink anymore water. Yes I know you're supposed to share with your kids, but I don't want to share with her the fake sugar that is in the mix-ins I use. So I don't finish my 2nd bottle and they have been collecting. I've been throwing them in the fridge, so later in the evening I can just grab a cold bottle of water. See what I'm doing there? See?

- Activity is up... sorta. Okay so my yoga pass will expire at the end of this month. I had 9 classes to use in 4 weeks. They do not have child care. As a result the class I can really make it to consistently is 8:30 AM on Saturday morning. It's essentially Yoga Boot-camp, though of course that is not what it's called. I like this class a lot because it hurts so good, and it gives me a jump to my day. I've also been attempting to keep gym/ yoga clothes in the car in case of exercise emergencies. (You know if the world is ending and we only need someone do some side plank for 30 seconds. I'm you're girl.)

- Remember I was gushing about something called the "Healthy Living Summit"? Well they announced the when and the where. I've already asked off from work and scoped out airline tickets.

- I've also wanted to be/ have more fun. I find at times I get bogged down in the everyday, and then I look up and the whole week has flown by. So I've done an impulsive weekend trip, and I've got some fun trips coming up this summer.

So what are you guys doing? Are you making life what you want it?

Quick Update

A lot of people believe that if you put word to something, that makes it real. Giving an idea outside of your own mind makes it more into a reality, and holds you accountable. For me I'm not sure how true that is, this is all new for me. Honestly I would love to hear what you guys out there (I'm assuming there is a you guy) think.

On another note, here is an update on some of my healthy choices.

- Drink more H20: I've actually been doing better with this one. It's like anything else with me, I just have to keep making the right choice when out. So after my morning cup of coffee, usually after that moment when I realized it's gone cold. I now start with a bottle of water. With that I am now drinking at least a 20 oz bottle of water each day, and then whatever glass or two I may drink when home. I would say this is double what I was doing before, you know if you could double 0 and get a countable number.

- Be more active: This one ebbs and flows, but there has been less time between the ebbs and flows. Specifically I remembered this week that just to get 30 minutes of cardio in I don't have to go for a run or hit the gym. What am I talking about? Well, I'm going to confess it right here right now. I dance alone. Not just a little bit, but music going like I'm in a club dance alone. With the help of JLo, Shakira, Daddy Yankee, Pitbull, and the Pussy Cat Dolls within minutes I was sweating and doing some moves I could see were working my abs. Judge away.

On this same note, I've also tried to do yoga in moments where I've had a few minutes to do a few "sun salutations". I use the air quotes because this is only the most basic of stuff of what I remember from class and reading online. So I think I may be missing a pose or two but it's close enough. What's great about this is that this is a perfect option like dancing, but it's quiet. No bumping music giving me away.

Of course, now that I've joined Good Friends Group Fitness I think my overall level of fitness is starting to increase. I'm waiting for my clothes to fit better to really say that this is working.

So here's what I'm doing. What are you doing? Do you dance like nobodies watching?

Baby steps

If today's goal had been, get to work on time (8:15 AM) then I totally would have been golden. However, today's goal was to be in at 8.

Whoops...

However, 8:15 AM is definitely a step in the right direction. My arrival time at work, every now and then, gets a bit ridiculous. We're not talking 10 AM or anything, but definitely closer to 9 than is really ideal. But I must say, dragging myself out of bed actually at 6 AM hurt. And yet there have been days when I've done that and felt hung over I was so tired.

But alas, today was a good day. No sleep hangover. I missed breakfast due to phone calls and the controlled chaos that is the office. I know that in a little more than a week, missing breakfast is not going to be an option. So I'm playing with some ideas to streamline my breakfast/ eating in the morning. Fruit is always good, but it doesn't give me that full feeling that a bowl of oats does. However it scores major points when it comes to mobility.

The menu planning is definitely going to be something that is going to be making an appearance here. I’ve sorta been doing it, whether actually writing it all down or having a rough idea of what possible meals are in the fridge/ freezer. I think doing a post or two will help me to see what we’re having regularly, show me where to add some variety, and realize how much of some things we really do eat.

Then there is my want to be active. I think that at this point I’m going to work on actually getting all the way to yoga, going to the new gym, and throwing some walking in as well. We’re about to hit that busy point in our season at work, and I think that I will be wearing a pedometer (shh!) to see just how much walking I do daily. Until then I’ve thrown in the occasional walk to the next building instead of emails or calls for warmth and variety.

When you’re making changes to your life, do you kind of slowly ease yourself in or do you go full throttle toward the new? How well has it worked?

Ideas...

It's challenging to get moving.

I'm sure I'm preaching to the choir.

Yet, it's still a push even though I know it's coming.

I'm pretty sure that my gym has figured out the way to get me in more. Invite the toddler to have a grand time. They had her hook, line and sinker with the purple balloon.

She's been playing with it since Tuesday. :)

Alright... here are the ideas:

- 30 miles in 30 days Sounds cool right..except I don't run...

- Meatless March: this is apparently so common. There isn't just one site devoted to it. I am kind of digging this one because I don't like cooking meat at home. I'm okay with eating it, but I don't like to have to handle/ smell it.

- H2O Boost. I'm not a water person. I really don't like it but it's definitely something I need. I see it in my skin and feel it in my hair... my cells are calling out for it.

- Menu Plan: I think it's just necessary at this point knowing just how busy my days are about to become.

What do you do to challenge yourself to do the healthy things? Make the good choices more interesting?

Make the choice

I don't do New Years resolutions. I think that alot of people make them, thinking that this will change them. Don't they say you should "be the change you want to see"? I don't make resolutions because I don't want to get roped into all of that.

So instead, I just have some ideas for what I want for myself. And there are a lot of people who give credence to vocalizing the things they want out of life. Here is me vocalizing in no particular order:

• I want to run a race. Disney has a 5k in September, and this might be something I can do. .
• Arrive on time. Yeah, this one really doesn't need an explanation if you know me. It's baaddd. 
• Blog more.  I like this, and why shouldn't I do more of it. 
• Slide further along the green spectrum. Why not embrace more things like that? 
• Strike a balance with work.Who couldn't use a little more balance in life? Honestly I think balance here would make me hate it less. 

These are my non resolutions for 2011. 

Move it!!

I, like many I'm sure, have a ridiculous amount of trouble getting my day started. Throw a two year old, soon to be three year old, into the mix and well it's enough that I make it to work before lunch time. Now that the husband has really started to go hard core into cranking out the work to get us out of here/ graduate, I've little to no time to get moving. At one point I was going to yoga two to three times a week, and you know what? I miss my mat.

Baby steps are being made to work in some activity, but I really think it's going to come down to really kind of squeezing it in wherever I can. Kind of a get in where I fit in situation. On that note, tonight I was reading over on Gracefulfitness and Faith talked about a challenge of sorts called "Comment, Commit". Basically she is challenging you to comment on her rough plan to get her heart rate up throughout the day, but then also you list your own commitment. I've two for tomorrow.

• 25 minutes of dancing like no one else is around
• 25 minutes of yoga at the end of the day

I can totally do that, and I think I've started with something easy. Let's see if it sticks.