I don’t do resolutions. The few times I’ve tried I break them. I make it a few weeks doing something crazy like eating only carrots or exercising three hours a day and then I crack and go on a chips and salsa/pizza binge and don’t see a treadmill for months. Not healthy. I’m not good at people telling me what to do. I can’t do crazy diets or exercise plans because I get bored, don’t see results or can’t see the point in limiting my dairy intake when it’s my most favorite thing in the world. (I could live on cheese and milk.)
This year, I’ve decided to try something new. A resolution of sorts – if you will. I’ve made it a competition with myself to see if I can get in amazing shape by the end of the year. (I’m almost 30 – it’s now or never.) I’ve even decided I want Jennifer Aniston’s body – toned but not crazy muscular or skinny. I used to want Britney Spears’ abs circa the MTV performance with the snake… but that’s unrealistic because a. I don’t have five hours a day to do abs workouts and b. I can’t eat just celery for the next 12 months. So Jennifer is a stretch but not completely out in left field. I could probably even pick someone more realistic like Mariah Carey when she’s skinny but let’s be honest – it should be a challenge not I can eat cake and wine all year and still look ok.
I’m good at competitions though. I turn into Monica on Friends. (A crazy psycho intent on winning.) Who I’m beating – I’m not exactly sure but in my mind all those other people at the gym are my competitors. So is the scale. Every half pound it moves down is a tiny victory. And every extra sit up is like a tiny award with a bunch of clapping. And the other day when my lungs burned and my legs ached on the treadmill, I thought to myself, shut that magazine and keep running. One more minute, then you can die…. Or at least walk and read a page of Glamour.
The one thing I’ve learned in the short week of gym visits at least once a day (I only missed 2 days since New Year’s – well technically 4 but I stayed longer the next 2 days to make it up so that does not even count…) is you have to do what works for you. I could never be that girl that runs mindlessly on the treadmill rocking out to a blasting iPod. I can’t run for hours on end. I’d die of utter boredom before my legs even gave out. I have to mix it up (and actually a friend who’s a bit of a fitness guru said interval training is the way to go). So I’ve been alternating between yoga, pilates, spin class, the bike, the treadmill and now I’m incorporating some weights. And it’s not get on the bike and pedal away like a 9 year old going around the block. I’m constantly changing my speed and incline (well incline on the treadmill). It makes it different and a little fun. Even better I let myself read during the cool down and warm up. Nothing better to motivate you than a magazine full of skinny models in fabulous clothes.
As for diet… well diet isn’t in my vocab. I can’t say no chocolate (well I could because I don’t really like chocolate) but you get the idea…. The second I say no, it’s like I have a bad case of OCD and all I can think about is eating whatever it is I’ve told myself I can’t have. So it’s everything in moderation and amping up fruits and veggies. And I’m going for more fresh. Now don’t get me wrong – I haven’t turned into one of those people that corner you and spout off about transfats and the joy of going all organic. Augh. I read the label but I’m not obsessing. And as for organic – great in theory but terrible for my wallet considering it costs twice as much as real food. I’ll just wash my vegetables and fruits and hope for the best and do organic when I can and it makes sense (Kashi is amazing). Take out and frozen/canned food is easy but not healthy. So I can have it once in awhile but no more binging on Ramen like a drunk (broke) college kid more than once a week. Maybe even once a month if I can really get motivated. I’m actually a little bit excited about all these fun recipes I can try. My friend Roe and I joke about writing a cookbook – so far I have the bread section but maybe I’ll add a healthy eating/low cal section…
So we’ll see how I do come June… or even March. But I’m excited and I think that’s key. I’ll try to keep you posted of the good, the bad and everything in between.
No comments:
Post a Comment