Can you believe it is January 31st? Not only does that mean that I’m in my second day of the Arbonne 30 Days to Feeling Fit cleanse, but it also means that I’m way behind on my 2nd and 3rd Vegas recaps. If you can’t tell, I kind of suck at recaps. Part of the problem is that I have so many photos and there were so many fun experiences, I have no idea what to share. I’ll get right on that though (just feeling a bit overwhelmed). In the meantime, I want to take a look back at my goals for 2013 and give you an update on how I’ve been doing so far. Maybe one of my goals should have been to write recaps faster.
First I shared blog/fitness/wellness related goals and resolutions with you.
How am I dong so far? I came to the realization yesterday that with January ending my goal to run 13 races in 2013 is now behind schedule. What was I to do except Google search Boston races in February. I found one this upcoming Sunday and emailed Joe to see what he thought given that I haven’t really been running and certainly haven’t run as far as the 5 miles in the race. His response was so spot on:
“I think the race is a very good thing. I think it will be harder than the last race you ran but better than the first one and if you do some training and plenty of stretching you’ll make it through fine and kickstart your comeback strong.”
How lucky am I? So I immediately registered for the race. I’ll have to take it slow, but I’m super excited to get back into racing shape.
I also registered for the BAA Distance Medley again this year, which will include a 5K in April, a 10K in June, and the BAA half marathon in October. This means that my goals for running 3 half marathons and finishing one in under 2 hours are at least partially on track. As a side note, today is the last day to register for the Distance Medley, so if you’re interested in running these three races as an official medley participant, sign up today!
I’m still struggling with getting back on the #plankaday train. I’m not sure why it’s so hard for me to remember to do it, but it is. So far I’ve only planked around 10 times this month.
We have certainly been eating more meals at home and ordering out less. I don’t count when we were in Vegas because eating out was our only option. We did order a few days ago for the wrestling PPV, but I had a salad, so at least it was healthy.
Meal planning is an area I’ve definitely still struggled. Luckily the cleanse I’m doing means I really have to plan my meals and snacks to make sure I’m getting all the nutrients I need, but not getting dairy, gluten, refined sugar, or caffeine. January wasn’t my month for meal planning, but I see February as being much better.
I posted my very first vlog in January, which also gave me an opportunity to log back into my Youtube account and figure out how to start using it more with my blog. I’m pretty good at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest and actually just surpassed 1,000 Twitter followers yesterday! I also hit 300 Facebook fans in the month of January, so my social media presence overall is improving. I’m still not great about updating Google Plus, but hopefully that will come in time.
I have also really struggled with weight loss and have actually gained a bit this month (hence the detox/cleanse over February). In terms of paying attention to other things rather than the number on the scale, I will be tracking my measurements and focusing on how I feel next month instead of obsessing over how many pounds I’ve gained (or lost). This is going to be a really hard one for me.
Strength training was also not a focus of January, but Joe got some weights for Christmas so I think I’m going to have to start using them sometimes. Shh, don’t tell him. Oh right, he reads my blog…Hi Joe!
I haven’t started the process of becoming a personal trainer yet, primarily because of the cost. I’m hoping to sign up for the exam in May so that once I graduate I can focus on the studying.
After I posted these 2013 goals, I shared some of what I called “personal goals” for the year.
I feel like in many ways I have been much more successful with these goals in the month of January. While I haven’t made it to work early every day, I have been early on multiple occasions. The real point behind this goal was to stop being late so often, and that’s an area where I’ve improved drastically this month. Yay!
Speaking of work, I’ve been able to be more present when I’m there. On days when there really isn’t much to do, I have been cutting myself some slack. Otherwise I’ve been much more focused and then leaving work at work when I go home.
As for Arbonne, I’m doing really well already! I haven’t yet promoted, but I did enter qualification for District Manager and got a super sweet tote bag. I’m loving having this as a side source of income, but even more than that I’m loving the products. I’ll have some specific reviews up for you guys soon hopefully. On a related note, today is your last chance for free shipping on a Feeling Fit kit so email me if you are interested.
I’ve been working really hard on paying attention to my sleep habits and, for the most part, I have been getting more sleep overall. I think cutting caffeine has helped already and will continue to be a huge help. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without my energy fizz sticks, so I’m more grateful for them than I can articulate.
In addition to using my planner daily, I have also been updating my phone calendar and the dry erase calendar on our fridge. I feel much more on top of things than I did last month, for sure!
The reading for my classes: not so much. I know, I know, I really should be doing the reading and I did some yesterday before class. That’s something, right?
Taking time to relax and actively de-stressing have been focal points for me this month. Being in the body oriented psychotherapy class helped a lot because we spent a lot of time being mindful of what was going on with our bodies and our breathing. Now I feel better equipped to manage my stress level. Last night I was feeling particularly stressed and took some time to do some deep breathing and focusing inward. It was fantastic.
Finally, my road rage. This has been hit or miss, honestly. Several days I’ve managed to drive and not say a word (even when other drivers were really frustrating me). Then there are days, like yesterday, when my entire ride home is full of my yelling. Hopefully I can continue to improve here.
Overall I feel like I’m making good progress, and that’s something (especially considering how ambitious I was with all of my goals). Looking forward to February I am not planning to add any new goals, per se, but to focus on specific ones a bit more closely than others.
How are you doing so far on your New Year’s goals/resolutions? Do you have any tips for how I can be more effective in reaching those of mine that have proven more difficult?
I think you’re doing great so far! Don’t sweat not racing in January. Races are few and far between this time of year. Yay for the BAA distance medley–very cool!
http://www.marciashealthyslice.com
Thanks, Marcia! I did the Distance Medley last year too and loved it. Fingers crossed!
Part of my personal goals were attained last month, however none of my fitness goals were accomplished. I think I need to motivate myself more to reach my fitness goals.
http://themastercleanse.org/best-weight-loss-promoting-foods/
Happens to the best of us, but way to go on your personal goals!