All over Facebook people are posting their New Year’s resolutions, and I just sit and watch. So many times I have made those resolutions, and so many times I give up before I really start. The problem with starting day 1 on the first day of the year, is if you fail or make a simple misstep it’s so easy to throw in the towel and try again next year. A few years ago I did well. I signed up with Weight Watchers. When that just didn’t work for me, I found my own way to lose weight. I was down in the 160s again for the first time in years. Since then, so many things have happened and I gained it back. It happens, right?
So this time I don’t want to set expectations of myself that I think I can’t actually reach. My end goal weight seems so far away right now that I truly cannot even think about it. My goals that I set for myself (in my head, because if I say them out loud I feel as though I have already set myself up for failure…) were to start exercising and quit smoking. We went out of town with my inlaws for 6 days, and since I refuse to smoke around certain people I quit while we were away. We left last Thursday, so my last cigarette was last Wednesday. So 7 days with no smoking and I have survived (and so has everyone else around me 
) So now that we are back home, today will be my first workout day. I just have to make sure I get it done.
Honestly with this new year there really aren’t new goals. They are always the same. I want to be healthy. I hate that it’s so hard, but this time I am using different tools. It’s not going to be easier, but having accountability and a couple of challenges may help keep me on track. I was eating great before the holidays. I was wheat free for about 2 months and I was feeling great. I wasn’t losing weight any more though. So now that the holidays are done I need to research. I need to prepare, I need to have a plan. And the plan has to be one that I can actually follow. We need real food in our house. No more processed garbage.
So here’s what I have going on to keep me on track. I have some wonderful friends that I met about five years ago on a site called babyfit. We all have children that were born in October of 2008. We are banding together on My Fitness Pal to hold each other accountable. Maybe I will actually use it more now. I use it occasionally, but since counting calories tends to make me a bit obsessive, I may only use it as a means of keeping in touch as well as tracking the type of food I am eating as opposed to the numbers. I am a numbers person and calorie counting seriously makes me feel too crazy. I also joined Roni’s New Year’s Diet Bet. I am really excited about this one. This should keep me on track for the month of January, and once I get going it’s easier to stay on track. It’s always harder to start than it is to keep going. I weighed in this morning and I am up about 5 pounds over the holidays, putting my weight at 197.8 this morning. The goal is to lose 4% by the end of January. My goal is 7.9 pounds, so I will shoot for 8. I know I can do it. And honestly since the majority of the weight gain is from the holidays and eating wheat again, I believe it might be easier than I think. But who knows. I am ready to be out of the 190s. I never thought I would be excited to see the 180s, as I worked so hard a couple years ago to be out of them, but it’s better than where I am right now.
So that’s what I have right now. With the crazy holidays over, I may be able to spend more time here. I am surrounding myself with positive and motivating people and sites. I will make this my year to attain my goals. No more putting things off, this will be my year of accomplishment.
