2012 Plans

I'll admit it; I am a resolution person. There is something about having a fresh slate, a clean start, a new page in the new year that makes me want to be better and inspires me to resolve to be so. I'm also pretty goal-oriented, and given that I'm trying to make healthy changes in my life, I thought taking the time on New Year's Eve to sketch out my big plans and goals for 2012 would make sense. So, here goes!

1. Lose 37 pounds (and maintain that loss) by the end of 2012.

This is really a drop in the bucket in what I'd need to lose to no longer be considered "overweight," but I want to focus on making lasting changes. If that means I don't lose as much in the long run, I'm cool with that so long as I keep it off.

2. Run or run/walk a half marathon.

3. Complete the 12 week Body-for-Life program

4. Cook 95% of my meals at home.

5. Pay off our adoption loan.
This is a big one and a big stretch, but it would make such a difference.

6. Live more "greenly".
We don't have curbside recycling in our neighborhood, which makes recycling difficult. I'm taking baby steps with this resolution as well, and intend to convert to a mostly paperless kitchen, natural or environmentally friendly cleaning and bath products, and doing drop-off recycling for our paper goods.

7. Live more simply
With this goal, I'd like to reduce what I already own, and start going through everything in my home and getting rid of everything that I don't LOVE or that isn't useful.

8. Spend time in creative pursuits and less time online.
Knitting, sewing, and crafting make me happy and I need to make more time for these activities.

9. Decorate for every holiday and start building family traditions.

10. Decide about a 2nd baby, once and for all.

10 goals for the new year. I really want 2012 to be the year that I do what I say I'm going to do. I know that I won't accomplish all of these goals 100%, but I'm hoping to get close.

Happy New Year!

It's a new day...

Here I sit at 35 years old, at my heaviest weight ever. I've successfully lost weight a few times-even to the point that I ran a full marathon 5 years ago. Crossing that finish line, I never thought I'd be sitting here today. I thought I had this beat.

It's hard for me to not feel like a complete failure, which sucks, because in so many areas of my life I am successful.

So, here I sit, again, preparing to make new years resolutions, again, and building the detminiation to make this the last time that I set out on this journey.

There are so many reasons that I want to do this:
I want to be fit.
I want to be healthy.
I want to be able to run and sweat and achieve fitness goals.
I want to have more confidence and feel like I am presenting my best self. I don't want to hide behind my weight.
I want to be a good role model for my daughter.
I want to wear cute clothes.

I'm building goals and "action steps" to help me get to my goals, and I'll be blogging my progress along the way.