Bring it On

Well 2009 is here and I have a few goals for this coming year, the problem is actually doing them. So I'm posting these to help me be accountable to achieve them.

1. Getting in shape and shedding some pounds. I know it sounds cliche but It's been something I've been working on for the past couple months. I wasn't so great at trying to loose the baby weight at first, we were stuck in Turkey and I just didn't have the motivation and it took a long time to heal, so enough with the excuses, it' a year later and it's time to get on top of this.

On an encouraging note. I was very pleased to see that since Thanksgiving I had lost 4 more lbs. I hadn't even been too diligent with exercising. I'm pretty sure I've gained at least a pound over the holidays. I'm about to throw away all the rest of my candy so it's time to get serious. (Yes I will really throw it away, it's wasteful either way you look at it.)

My game plan
So my goal is to work out 6 days out of the week (5 at the bare minimum). I just ordered new Billy Bands. I absolutely love my TaeBo workouts using Billy Bands, unfortunately one snapped so I have the DVDs but they aren't too great without the bands. I am so excited about these as it's been a while since I last worked out with them. Plus they are easy to travel with. Marvin about killed me when he opened the suitcase and saw my weights nicely packed, we were supposed to be packing light. So until they arrive I'll keep doing the one Firm DVD I have an occassionally do my Paula Abdul.

I am hoping to drag myself out of bed early this year. I am NOT a morning person at all, in fact I'm a night owl, but I hope to have worked out and showered by the time Marvin leaves for work.

This spring I hope to take Calvin jogging in the mornings, I hope to jog to Marvin's work to pick up the car a few mornings a week, it'll be a nice 2 mile jog. My mother-in-law picked up a jogging stroller and I hope we can get some use out of it this spring. I used to love jogging. There is just something about feeling the air on your face and your lungs burning. I might even be inspired to run a 5 K race this spring. Whoa that may be a little too ambitious. Before the jogging begins I think I better get some new shoes, mine are over 3 years old. But that will have to wait a few months.

I have been trying to eat more veggies. Specifically I am trying to have a vegetarian lunch everyday. I'll try my best to revamp salads and to be creative in my choices. I've tired to choose healthier options when menu planning. I seriously have had to seek out new ways of cooking. For the most part everything we've tried has been great, who says eating healthy doesn't have to be delicious. I love checking out new cookbooks from the library to inspire me to keep up the new eating habits.

Also I am saying goodbye to ultra sweets. Now there is a time and place for sweets, but I love sugar. I'm trying to cut back and choose naturally sweet alternatives, of course in moderation. I heard someone say that they only have something sweet on the weekends. I think that is brilliant and I'll give it a go. Plus I LOVE fruit! I mean I love it!

Goal #2 Spend better time in the Word and journal
This past year I didn't make it through the Bible. I am disappointed in myself and lack of clearing time for the most important thing. Becoming a mom has been hard in this area and I am really trying to give God that precious time he deserves. I love reading through the Bible every year. I don't have one of those fancy schedules I just start at the beginning and read front to back. I've realized by doing this how much better, easier, and real the passages become. They are more familiar because you just read about it. Oh how I miss it. Now these years with little ones I realize I might not make it through the whole thing, but I'll allow God to decide how far I get each year. I also want to start journaling again. I love it when I do it, it's just doing it that I fail at most of the time.

Goal #3 Use the resources God give us to the fullest
I am trying to set our grocery budget at $50/week this year. Well at least while we are in the states. I'm excited for this challenge, but it's only $10 less that we usually spend so it shouldn't be too difficult.

So there they are. I'm excited for 2009 how about you?