It's a little under a month into the new year...
I'll pause for a second to let that sink in! I know it took me a moment to come to terms with the fact that the holidays are far behind and February is almost here! Sometimes I sit and wonder where the time goes.
Today I am choosing to reflect on the past few weeks, my New Year's Goals, where I was and where I am going. These thoughts were somewhat ignited by my observations at the gym today, which I will get to in just a moment.
As January drifts by many people give up on, lose sight of, or simply move away from those New Year's Resolutions that they made back at the start of the new calendar year. For some, it's due to the fact that the resolution was made in the spur of the moment. For others, perhaps it's they realized how much work it is going to take to achieve. And still for many it's because they chose unrealistic goals that couldn't be done overnight.
Today while I was at the gym I realized how empty it was when I arrived. The long lines to sign up where non-existent. And while it was definitely "busy," gone where the early January crowds. I follow many blogs and pages on Facebook that joke about this trend at the start of the year. Many people post memes that complain about the crowds, in short saying that those who jump on the fitness wagon at the start of the year aren't going to stick with it. But when I arrived at the gym I was somewhat disappointed. Did that many people give up already? Or is everyone just home sick with the flu?
Maybe if we spent more time coming up with realistic goals - goals that are manageable, can be broken into smaller goals, and are achievable for us individually, we would see more people stick with their resolutions. For example, if I said my New Year's Resolution was to lose 50 pounds by February 15...well, that might be doable if I were super woman, but it is most certainly not realistic. I would certainly be discouraged when I didn't see the scale move and I would probably look into drastic methods...I might even give up entirely. Why then do we focus on these goals that we can't keep?
This brings me to me. Where do I fit into all of this?
I have several New Year's Goals (I prefer goals to resolutions) for 2015:
1. Be consistent and stay consistent.
Update: I am getting there. This has been a little trickier for me these past few weeks as I have been having some pretty terrible migraines. Hopefully they will begin to decrease, but I am doing my best to power through them. Phil bought be a Garmin Vivo Fit for me for Christmas and I love it! It is definitely helping with keeping up my moving and keeping track, but I would like my workouts to get more consistent as I move forward. I am aiming for a spring half marathon and a fall marathon...but I am flexible.
2. Nourish my body, mind, and soul through healthy habits and fit decisions!
Update: Again, this is a work in progress. I have been doing a lot of reading about food and how it impacts our bodies. I have also been trying to get in some relaxation time for my mind (puppies and cuddly blankets always help with that). It is my goal to begin getting in some yoga and try out some new recipes. Being in the kitchen is very relaxing for me and something I enjoy. I have discovered the love of making my own bread and have been reading a lot about this particular craft.
3. Run (at least one) 26.2 in 2015!
Update: See number 1!
4. Journal on a daily basis and blog at least once week!
Update: Getting there! I have been mindful of journaling and have been trying to set some time aside for blogging. I will get there, it just means changes in my routine! Small changes daily lead to big changes overall!
5. Break through my barriers and fears and try new classes, distances, recipes, or even just a new piece of gym equipment!
Update: I took a step towards this earlier this week. I don't want to speak too much about it until I have more info, but things are looking up!
Reaching a New Year's Goal isn't a race, it's a process. Change is a process! Remember that! So I ask you, how are you doing with your goals? What have you achieved this month and where are you going?!?!
