Part of a monthly series about setting small reasonable goals each month…
Happy 2012! Did you all have a nice Christmas break? We had a fabulous two weeks off and are not at all happy that today is the first day back to school. Glum, that’s what we were last night.
And now it’s a new year. Hard to believe, isn’t it?
It’s the beginning of the month, so it’s time to set some new goals for the next 31 days. As a reminder, I came up with the idea of One Month goals as a way to achieve attainable and sustainable results. So many of us set goals for January 1, but then they get dropped as the year progresses, so smaller monthly goals are easier to manage. What I’ve learned in the past year is that setting one or two or maybe three smaller goals is more realistic.
Looking back, for December, my one goal was to not gain weight in the face of so many holiday foods and yummy temptations. I am pleased to say that I not only did not gain weight, I actually lost a tiny bit, and not once during the month did I feel deprived or like I was missing out. I still enjoyed my favorite foods but in smaller portions.
It helps that I got a lot of exercise in December — I ran 43.82 miles, walked 45.54 miles, and biked 16.9 miles. (Okay, so I didn’t bike very much, but that’s because I really don’t like biking when it’s cold. Even if I don’t bike again until March, I still have plenty of time to train for the relay triathlon in August.) After my runs and walks, I also worked on the regimen of strengthening exercises that the physical therapist designed for me in November — push-ups, ab crunches (on a yoga ball, no less), bridges (also on a yoga ball), squats, calf lifts, and more. I’m starting off the new year feeling much stronger, healthier, and happier than I did a year ago.
My first goal for January is to continue with long-term weight loss goals. To that end, I’d like to lose 2-6 pounds this month, which is both attainable and sustainable. To help reach that goal, I’ll be cutting back on snacking, specifically the early-to-late evening noshing I tend to do.
My second and final goal for January is to cut back on spending. After the excesses of the past few months, I want to rein things in and spend far less money.
What about everyone else? How did you do with your December goals and who has January goals?
My November goals were to 1) get my stationary bike fixed, and 2) relax and enjoy the holiday moments.
Although the bike isn’t yet fixed, I’m hoping a replacement console will be shipped out soon. The email from customer service said it should arrive late December to early January. I did pretty well in relaxing over holidays, however, I’m glad they’re over and I’m looking forward to getting back to work and a routine tomorrow.
My January goals:
1) Use the bike 5 days/week once the new console arrives.
2) Eat healthier dinners. I don’t have to teach Monday evenings this semester (yeah! the first time in 15 years!) and that should help.
Sadly, I don’t fully remember my goals for December (the month passed in a blur), but I will certainly keep track of my January goals better.
Excited for some new challenges ahead so I will not be making too many other demands on myself. My February goal will be to exercise three times a week, this month I think 2X a week for 30 minutes. Also I want to spend some time outside with the kids- at least one time- throwing a ball or otherwise playing- luckily in Virginia it is reasonable in January.
January: Tim and I are registered for three hours of ballroom dance classes per week. The goal is to actually go since we’ve already paid for it. Second at goal is to reup for February at the end of the month.
Go through every cupboard, drawer, and shelf in my house and get rid of all our superfluous stuff.
1. Stretch at least 3 days a week, preferably more.
2. Eat more fiber. This one’s kind of (embarrassing and also) doctor’s orders.
3. Find my desk. It’s become a pile. Again. I think this might be tomorrow’s to do.
My January goals are:
1. Get back on track with my running. I have a 5k coming up at the end of February and I’m not ready.
2. Finish organizing my storeroom.
3. Relearn how to maintain a work/life balance.
I did manage to lose those last few pounds before Christmas so that I could say, “I’ve lost 40 pounds.” I’m not sure if spoke more kindly to my family…
Unfortunately, I have gained back some of those lost pounds within the past week or two, so that makes part one of January’s mini-goals rather clear. Part two is that I need to have a good attitude about beginning phase two of Project Trophy Wife. Exercise and food are about to get revamped at my house. *sigh*
For January: start blogging again (twice a week, at least) and clear out the walk-in closet in my bedroom that has become a throw-in closet (everything gets thrown in there to get it out of sight).
And I blogged this morning, so that’s a good start.
Congrats on remaining so healthy during the holidays! That’s an awesome achievement.
I did the opposite. Hello, new pounds.
I love your idea of monthly goals. Off to read your first post about it. I think I need to try doing that this year rather than overarching huge goals.
Thanks!
I’m working on my annual plan. (What? I have one for work – why shouldn’t I have one for myself?) But so far, my focus this year is “simply”. As in cut out all the chaos. Or at least as much as I can with 2 kids. Less spending. Less eating out. Less clutter. Simpler meal plans. Simply enjoy my life. For January: eat out only twice. Workout at least 16 times (4xper week-ish). Nail down the annual budget. Finish my December Daily album and my 2011 Project Life album. Maybe post a blog post or two. : )
One goal for January – no more sugar.
when life throws something at you that you have no choice but to go with it, well then, you go with it. I did do just that–husband decided on a Friday that by the next day (end of year SALES EVENT!!! BUY ONE NOW!!) Saturday, yes the last day of 2011, he was buying a new SUV. Not for me (or because my 10 yr old SUV is unreliable) but as a “family car”. Ahem. So, for him, for the 2 young adults that still live here, for them. Then, he had me do the test driving, and then accompanying him to the dealer to do all the wheelin’ n’ dealin’, that takes, oh, 5 hrs from start to finish. So, I did that. Then he says “we are putting the new car in “your” garage. So, time to clear out the side of the garage that has been in use as a multi-purpose staging area for one and all. I had no choice but to do that. It was ass-kicking me in the teeth, to say the least. So? I got to clear out clutter (but I don’t do clutter, so it wasn’t mine, but the rest of the peeps who live here) rearrange, and know that I have absolutely no choice, no room, to stage, or get work done, in “my” garage any longer. It was a little death.
But, I’m on the other side. And I do believe I will be living simpler, with less stuff. Living with a passive-aggressive hoarder-type (husband) means that if I continue to want to unload unused/excess stuff, I need to do that when he’s not home. He may never miss what I intend to get rid of. And since he “started it” with this unexpected mass clean out of one side of the garage I use to do daily chores and stuff, I say tough cookies.
Watch out. I’m going to be riding lighter into that sunset.