A New Year of Challenges

A lot of people feel that New Year's Resolutions are a waste.  I've heard many complaints from these non-believers... They are annoyed by goal-setters that lose their motivation after only a week, crowding their machines at the gym or filling their facebook page with an endless list of status updates with lofty hopes. These cynics question why  it takes January 1st to get people on the path towards change.  Why don't they just change right now?  (Sometimes I wonder if these people are just using excuses so that they don't feel guilty about not setting their own goals)

  

 In my opinion, the New Year gives us a fresh start.  It gives us the chance to officially classify our failures and bad habits as part of the past. We can examine our past and look to make ourselves better people. I love the challenge towards self-improvement. I know that I am far from perfect as a wife, daughter, runner, eater, etc., but the New Year gives me a sense of hope that I can always do better.  That my past won't hold me behind. 

(Geesh, this is beginning to sound like the "speech" I give my students at the start of each trimester!)

Anyhow...

This year my goals are really geared towards getting healthy. If I want to run a marathon and start a family in the future, I need to be a healthier me.

Here are my goals for the New Year:
1. Run my first marathon- An obvious one, but definitely my most challenging.  It's my loftiest goal and also the one that will have the biggest impact on me if I fail.  But that is not going to stop me from trying.  I hear that famous quote ringing in my ears by John Bingham, "The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start."


2. Eat better-   I am a JUNK FOOD Lover.  I can't help it. My husband has great genes. He can eat whatever he wants and still look great. I, on the other hand, can step on the scale and see my weight fluctuate 3lbs in one day.  I love to exercise, however, I have no will-power when it comes to food. If my husband brings out a bag of chips, I can't stop myself from having a handful or two or four.  So, this year, I am determined to eat better.  I am not going to deprive myself of the foods I love (chocolate, pizza, mashed potatoes-yum) but I will stop and make healthier choices while grocery shopping or making dinner.  Whole wheat, more veggies, calcium/dairy... and less fatty food.

3. Drink more water.  - I'm determined to drink less pop (yes, I said pop) and drink more H20. No carbonated sugar water for me unless it's a night out or a pizza night.  Other than that, it's milk for dinner and water at all other times.

4. Take a vitamin every day. -I'm determined to fight the nausea and get all those wonderful nutrients in my body one way or another.

5. Be a better wife -My good, hard-working husband deserves a great reward for putting up with me sometimes.  I want to show him how much I love him by being more positive and by decreasing the nagging.  But first I have to find out a way to get him to do his chores the first time I ask. :)  No really, I married a wonderful, thoughtful, intelligent guy and he deserves the best. 

I'm going to stop at five goals.  There are a 100 more things that I could improve on, but I'm all about accomplishing my goals and well, I have a short memory span. So, I will limit myself to five. And maybe post them to my fridge:)

So, I wonder, do you believe in New Year's Resolutions?