Open Thread: What’s Your Resolution?
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New Year's Resolutions: love 'em or hate 'em, everyone kind of makes them. You take stock of your life, you resolve to “be better”… what are your goals for 2012? What do you want to do better? (Picture above via Stencil. Pictured below: New Year Sunrise, originally uploaded to Flickr by joka2000.)
For me the answer to that question is to “get fit.” I'm unfortunately at my highest weight ever after the baby, but what really bugs me is how much my muscles deteriorated — due to some pregnancy aches and pains I couldn't do much more than swim during the last 5 weeks of the pregnancy for cardio, and you're not supposed to exercise before 6 weeks postpartum… which took me more like 12 weeks because every time I started to exercise I felt so off I thought, “this can't possibly be right,” and would make another doctor's appointment. Having now been cleared by my OB/gyn, my primary, and my podiatrist, I have no excuses left… so I've started Couch to 5K again.
And oh: it hurts. But I love, love, love this program. The first time I did it, in 2006 or so, I was pretty fit from DVD workouts, but was under the impression that I could never, ever run because my lungs just couldn't handle it. Someone suggested Couch to 5K, and I remember eyeing the program warily — it's basically just a 9-week schedule that tells you how much to run and how much to walk during 3 30-minute workouts a week. There is no way it could possibly be true, I thought. I will never run. But I did it — my lungs burned, and I remember coughing for hours after some of my runs, but I finally figured out how to breathe and run at the same time.
This time around, my lungs are fine — but it's my leg muscles that are killing me. After the first very mild workout, I tried to do 15 minutes of leg exercises in addition to the run — and the next day I could barely walk. Ouch. OK, lesson learned. But still: starting the program as someone who literally has been on the couch for far too long, I'm here to tell you: everything that the Plan asks of me, I've been able to do. I love the challenge of each workout… and I love the built-in impetus with the program, the mild fear that if I skip a few days or even a week that I'll be losing ground and have to repeat a week or two. I also love that it's only 30 minutes — perfect for busy women with no time.
Readers, what are your resolutions? Has anyone else done Couch to 5K, or do you have any other fitness goals?
Fun!
I would like to read 20 books this year and get an article published somewhere (anywhere). I used to write more in college and law school but have not done so since school. I always have ideas for articles then I just never get them down or out to the associations always asking for articles.
My fitness goals are usually the only ones I ever meet because I have a dedicated workout buddy. They are to run a half marathon and do a sprint triathlon. Since my workout buddy cannot help with this, I would also like to eat better (instead of coming home and eating pizza everytime I workout as a reward for doing so.)
Professionally, I would like to get our newest branch office to earn money without losing myself at the main office. And I have no idea where to start.
I read How To Get Things Done by David Allen (Allan?) by recommendation of this blog over Christmas/New Years and would recommend it for anyone who is trying to become more efficient for their goal(s).
not sure this thread is even active now but if you want to co-author with someone, I’d be game for discussing it! send me an email to my personal account: munchkin1616 at juno dot com
I want to get back to eating better (less sugar!). I started working out with weights this year and it’s been great and I do lots of cardio so this weight creep has to stop.
I used the C25K app on my phone to get started w/running. It was so helpful to “get me going” to the point that I felt like, hey, this is something I can do, vs feeling like I was going to die and couldn’t breathe. My resolutions/goals are to maintain my exercising “schedule,” take my lunch to work at least 1x per week, clean up the junky room in my house, and though I haven’t written this one down anywhere–gossip less/don’t talk about people/don’t get caught up in drama. Too often I let people get me spun up on work drama!
Anyone have a Garmin watch thingy?
As I am running more and training more seriously, I am thinking about acquiring one, but I’m a little overwhelmed with the options. I definitely want one with a heart rate monitor (we’re toying with trying for a second kid this year so if I get pregnant, I’ll want one for workout). Anyone have the super fancy one and adore it? Or the more basic one and like that? Just trolling for ideas at this point.
I don’t have one, but the NY Times had an article recently:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/20/health/nutrition/gps-watches-may-not-track-runs-accurately.html?pagewanted=all
No specific recs but I love my Garmin watch and I love my Polar heartrate monitor. I’m jealous that you’re picking one out yourself so you can get one that includes both together (I got one from my husband as a gift and one from my dad as a gift). I find the Garmin more useful than the Polar monitor myself and love that it tracks my pace consistently.
I love my Garmin Forerunner 305. It is big, but easier to read than some of the newer models.
Yeah, I love the Forerunner 305, too. I picked it over the newer, sleeker models because I find that it’s easier to read.
I have a basic one. It really changed the way I trained because I was able to keep track of my exact mileage and pace. I used to estimate the miles and pace but I found that I was overestimating the amount of miles I was running. The heart rate monitor is also good for making sure you run your easy runs really easy (my problem). If you travel frequently, it is a good tool to have when you are running in new places to keep track of your miles.
I don’t know about the super fancy ones, but if you don’t think you are going to use the fancy functions, a basic one is probably sufficient. If you do sports other than running, I believe there is a model that tracks both cycling and running.
I love my old Garmin Forerunner 305. I track my runs and other workouts at dailymile.com (highly recommended, regardless of whether you use a GPS device for your miles – it’s so fun to see the miles add up), and I can sync my Garmin directly there.
Accidentally posted this to the wrong thread, so reposting.
Google dcrainmaker – he does fantastic reviews on garmin and other devices. I settled on the fr60, which is fairly basic but works with a footpod as well as heart rate monitor. It seems fairly inexpensive these days as well.
My husband and I are committing to limiting how much we eat out (mornings at sbux, lunches out, takeout for dinner). I’m excited for our budget (first baby due in June) and our health. We got out a couple of the America’s Test Kitchen Cookbook and started planning meals. I was ridiculously proud of myself for making tea, eggs, and an english muffin at home this morning. And for my packed lunch!
1) Pass industry exam (similar to CPA exam) in March.
2) Declutter den, guest room and basement storage by June.
3) Update budget by March and stick to it.
4) Take and pass CMA exam Section 1 by November.
1) Lose 10-15 pounds
2) Be more consistent in my running and workouts
3) Run a sub 4:00 marathon
4) Write — both fiction and law-related
5) Focus more on my appearance. More confidence will help me conquer my goals
6) Find a new job and move back to my favorite city (see #5)
7) Save money and pay off larger chunk of my student loans (quit my etsy addiction!)
1) finish chemo. pray like hell that the dr doesn’t extend treatment. again.
2) lose cancer weight. between water weight from one of the meds and the pity-party-foods when i am able to eat, i’m up 15 pounds and miserable.
3) have a bonfire for all of my headscarves so i never have to look at them again.
4) focus on business development to bring in new clients. managing partner thought it was appropriate to tell me that as a female (and the only female litigation partner), my real purpose as a partner was to “make the rainmaker partners look good.” so my new goal is to prove that being a female doesn’t prevent you from obtaining new business.
Wow! I love your goals. Lets have a virtual bonfire for you when it’s time. I’m rooting for you.
And PS: your managing partner is a douche.
Good luck with chemo. Don’t be hard on yourself about the weight–you’re fighting for your health and extra weight can be a godsend sometimes.
thanks for the encouragement.
and, yes, douche just begins to scratch the surface. the stories i could tell. i’m still working full-time and got called out in a partner meeting for missing too many thursday afternoons. when i said that was my chemo day, i was told to “stop making excuses.”
Oh my God! I’m sorry, I laughed out loud at that.
I think there is a special place in H@ll for people like that. I really have no words, other than to be a voice of reason that you are totally the normal human being in this relationship.
I hope five years from now you look back and laugh too, but right now Id be laugh/crying.
No, it’s so completely ridiculous that the only logical response is laughter and incredulity. while i was very happy to make partner, it’s becoming increasingly clear that it was only so that they could finally say they have a female litigation partner (over 125 lawyers, more than 50 partners, with 16 in litigation). i’m trying to just zen my way through it by reminding myself that he’s the problem, not me, but the success rate on that is usually better on day 2 (with day 1 ending with me crying as i drive home).
What a d-ck. You should make it your goal to be the next managing partner.
I ordered 3 months’ of CSA produce boxes for 2012! I’m very excited–first box comes next Thursday. This is part of my plan to eat more vegetables (no excuses!).
As a now-seasoned CSA member, my best advice for you is: olive oil, salt, pepper, roast. That and find a good pickle recipe. Enjoy! It’s an adventure to depend on the seasons.
there are lots of different ways to season and roast, too, that keeps me from getting bored. My favorite: throw a table spoon of mustard and a couple tablespoons of maple syrup in the pan and stir halfway thru roasting. Or coconut milk, or some whole garlic cloves. Or you can do different spice combinations with the olive oil and salt and pepper, like curry powder, or cinnamon and allspice. Oh, and I always cut up an onion into really big pieces and throw it in with my roasted veggies, it adds a little punch to the flavor. mmmm, roasted veggies…..
1) Find a job
2) Edit my wardrobe, purge other unnecessaries (figure out how to use ebay)
3) Cut back spending & build up emergency fund for the impending apocalypse
4) Figure out how to be happier (however short-lived, see 3, above)
@Kady, I strongly recommend David Burns’ “Feeling Good,” to help you reach goal #4. It seems cheesy and self-helpy and was beyond embarrassing to read on public transportation but it made a huge difference for me.
1. Keep up with running 4-5 times/week and tracking with Weight Watchers to reach new goal weight — 5 lbs. away. And then maintain.
2. Start doing yoga at home — with the DVD that Kat recommended pre-holidays! I bought it, but haven’t opened the package yet. :)
3. Try a new healthy dinner recipe at least once per month. DH and I have succeeded in cooking dinners at home more (vs. relying on takeout so much) but we’re in a serious rut, with only 4-5 dinners in the regular repertoire. Slow-cooker pozole is first on the list!
4. Buckle down at work and start bringing in income again.
Amy H.,
I find a lot of inspiration in the recipes featured in the NY Times Health section: recipes for your health. They’re not strictly low fat/diet, but more focused on just eating well and being healthful. New recipes every week and great online archive. I highly recommend it – http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/health/series/recipes_for_health/index.html
Thank you! I will definitely check it out. Eating well/healthfully is my focus, rather than strictly low-fat. I’d rather have a smaller amount of really good cheese than a larger piece of what gets passed off as low-fat or no-fat “cheese.”
1) Actually finish Couch 2 5k (I made it to week 5 last time before work got to busy. I’m going to have to start all over)
2) Enter my billing in a timely fashion so I’m not trying to catch up at the end of every month
3) Cook more and eat better.
Last year’s resolution was to get more sleep. When I succeeded, it made everything else so much easier/better.
I posted mine in the other thread, but I’ll expand a bit.
1- I want to read more books for pleasure and am aiming for 1 book a month. I have a giant list right now that I want to work through.
2- start dating again. I posted my profile on OK Cupid last night and am planning to actively be on it at least a few days a week.
3- I want to get the infrastructure of a solo practice set up so that I’m prepared in the case that people come to me for legal assistance. A few people I know have projects going that will likely need my input/help in the next year and I’d prefer to have everything ready to go ahead of time.
4- My goal every year is to lose weight, and it is this year but I’m planning to keep my momentum going since I’ve lost 15 pounds so far.
5- Pay off my remaining credit card. It will be tight, but it’s possible.
I’d like to get a new job or find a way to stop fixating on how much I hate my current one. Lord knows I’ve been trying! Send a little help my way, universe.
Same! Good luck and good thoughts to you!
Here it comes……….
Did you catch it? Great, now run with it and prosper!
Usually I love resolution time! It’s kind of like the start of the school year – a time to think about larger themes and goals before you get lost in the minutiae. But this year, I’ve got so much to think about – dissertation to finish by Feb, first baby due in March, two recent deaths in the family and hubby looking for a job. I just want to make it through 2012 with mind and body relatively intact! I will say that I’m super-excited to get back into the normal workout routine after baby, and I have a secret goal to run a marathon in the next couple of years. I’ve never done one before, and I would like to try!
1. Be consistent with Weight Watchers.
2. Run my 5th half-marathon.
3. Yoga, at least 1 every 2 weeks.
4. Use 75% of windfalls to pay off debt.
5. Be kinder and more patient to my husband.
My only real goal for this year is to have a healthy baby. I’m 10 weeks pregnant now (yay!), and in the midst of morning sickness, so I’m thinking of nothing else but getting through a healthy pregnancy with a healthy baby — all else can come what may, it doesn’t really matter in comparison.
That said, I guess subsidiary goals would be to clean out some closets and declutter the apartment to make room for the baby, and to find a job with a better work-life balance by the end of maternity leave.
I feel very odd not having fitness and career-related goals, but I guess this is not the year for them.
Congratulations! And you’re absolutely right: a healthy pregnancy trumps all.
I literally was just sitting down to write this exact post. I am also 10 wks (congrats to you!!), and I just want to meet a happy, healthy baby in July/August. I have been strugging with morning sickness as well, and I’m trying to focus on the baby – not the sickness. I was so afraid to get “attached” to the pregnancy that I spent the last few weeks just feeling like I had the flu. I’m just now letting myself realize that a baby is actually coming at the end of all of this, and I need to start getting ready for his or her arrival!
My subsidiary goals are: (1) to work hard and be focused at work over the next 7 months, (2) get organized around the house before my life gets turned upside down, and (3) not worry so much about the future and working once the baby gets here – just enjoy the time now. And, sleep! a lot!
Me too, was going to write similar! 19 weeks preg. My goals:
1. Healthy baby.
2. Me to not be overly miserable throughout this uncomfortable pregnancy + working (mostly has been unpleasant so far sadly).
3. Same for after baby born. Keep some happiness/sanity in life somehow.
4. Along those lines, delegate help with household etc. stuff wherever possible despite cost/loss of privacy. Cant’ do all.
5. Exercise/eat right on the days that I can. ( I feel you Kat, it is tough when you can’t. I was put on no exercise first trimester due to complication and am a fitness person- has been awful.)
6. Keep things okay with my dear husband. Easier said than done under strain.
7. Keep up with my job well enough. I love it, it is just so hard to go right now.
8. Be more gracious and laid back. I liked the post above about being gracious. I need to do this- I get snappy and such with strangers because bad drivers, corporate customer service, etc. drives me nuts. But I need to control myself better. And let go of some things.
9. Get through the birth in one piece.
I am fortunate (and worked hard) to have all the big stuff lined up: home, spouse, job, city, etc. all to my strong liking. This I am thankful for. So no goals on those fronts other than keep them!
Our second child will arrive in a few weeks, so our resolution is just to survive the year with an infant and toddler. I’m typing it with a sense of sarcasm, but I’m actually dead serious.
Some sub-resolutions:
— Use the jogging stroller that only got out three times with the first kid. Oops!
— Pump at work for at least months 3-6. Ugh. I hate that thing.
— Sew at least one thing for each child. (I want to do more, but staying realistic).
— Fill out a baby book for each child. That’s right, my 2 year old still doesn’t have one!
— Landscape the backyard.
Congratulations on your new baby Kat! I’m a new mom too (my baby is almost 6 months old now) and while exercise went by the wayside for a while, I was determined to get back to it. I used to work out almost every day but I the time constraints associated with a new baby have made that difficult. So I have resolved to put on 1,000 miles this year through a combination of whatever activities I enjoy. I love to walk and jog outside in the spring, summer and fall and I’ll use the rowing machine that I got for the holidays during the winter. If I ride my bike, then I will give myself credit for 1/2 of the distance. I have already started thinking about ways to add miles — such as getting off the train several stops before my normal stop — just to make sure that I get in the miles and some time for myself. I walked a ton while I was on maternity leave and it made me feel so much better….I just wish that I had started counting my distance then! And as note to those new moms out there — I have found that taking a little time for myself has really helped me be a better parent. I know that we all have to do what is right for us but I’m so glad that I listened to friends who told me to make sure I do a little bit for myself every day. Not only have I lost all of the baby weight but I feel great as well. Now if only I could sleep through the night!
This is my first time to make a resolution. My parents have had some very bad health scares, so I’m trying to make my lifestyle healthier.
I want to meditate for at least 5 minutes, at least 5 times per week.
And eat at least 5 servings of fruits and veggies per day. I might already do this, but I guess I want to be more diligent about tracking and making absolutely sure that I get them all in.
1. Not purposely lose weight.
2. Enjoy exercising again.
3. Love my body exactly how it is.
4. Cook more- enjoy the preparing of good, hearty meals again before working got in the way.
My resolution is to give thanks. In addition to being mindful of giving thanks in my everday life, I plan to write notes to my high school English teacher, the author of a book that touched me, a mentor from my early career, etc.
I love this. I always thought about writing thank you notes to my high school teachers and college professors that meant the most, but never did it. I regret it, but reading your post made me realize it’s not too late.
1. Have a healthy baby (next month!)
2. Enjoy every minute of maternity leave snuggling said baby.
3. Complete an adventure race with my husband in July or August.
4. Lose all baby weight by Thanksgiving.
5. Take a swimming stroke clinic to improve technique so I can do a sprint triathalon in 2013 without fear of drowning.
Ooh I’ll bite!
1. Put 100% into my job search so when I do/do not (!) find a job, I can say with certainty that I did everything I could, and have no regrets.
2. Run a 3:05 marathon. This is partly because I want to go sub 3 in my lifetime, but I don’t think it will happen this year.
1) Find a job;
2) Reduce packaging that comes into the house (e.g., bring containers to the store and buy from bulk bins, make more food items, etc.);
3) Do more karaoke, which I’ve recently discovered is really fun!
(1) Call each and every catalog-sender as and when each and every catalog comes in the mail and get my name and address off their mailing list.
(2) Run (and finish) my first full marathon.
i do this on catalogs. I hate it. but i hate catalogs more. i always ask them to register a complaint, and tell them where they bought my information from. they hate that. i tell them to note i hate waste in my name and it’s bad for the environment and it isn’t right to send unsolicited junk. my husband gets so many to, but won’t get off the lists.
i also really hate how, if you buy something on line, they re-add you to all the freaking lists. wish this was illlegal or less of a practice.
Catalogchoice dot com will take your name off lists. I like that the interface was easy and have the hope that the systematic approach will tell Big Marketing that “we” don’t lle it.
Thanks for the tip! BTW, it’s dot org, not dot com.
Resolutions – I set mine as goals as well, broken into personal and professional categories.
As for Couch to 5K, that is what I used when I started running 3 summers ago. Then I moved on to running with a Galloway training group (run-walk program) as I trained for my first half marathon. I’ve gradually worked up to all running and run 3-4 halfs a year. Good luck to all the runners, and to everyone with their 2012 goals/resolutions!
My fitness goal this year is to lift weights / complete the New Rules Of Lifting For Women programme (anyone else doing this as well?).
I also have 5 pounds left to lose, but how i feel/look is much more important than the number on the scale.
Just one resolution, but I thnk it will help out in all areas–take time on the weekends to plan menus, exercise, and work (I’m self-employed) time. I got that much done last weekend, but didn’t manage the next step, which is to do the grocery shopping and get a couple meals made in advance. Our weeknights are hectic–boy doesn’t get home from activities til 6 or 6:30, must be in bed by 8:30. Having supper ready to go, or at least not having to think about what to make, should be a big help.
I’m doing C25K too. I have a lot of difficulty getting out for a run 3 times a week, so I’ve been doing Week 1 forever, but that’s OK. Try the C25K downloads from NHS (http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/c25k/Pages/couch-to-5k.aspx and on iTunes) – the music is excellent!
I hadn’t heard about the C25K app! I will certainly be downloading that. Thanks all for sharing your resolutions, I wish you all the very best with them. You can do it!