Spring Resolutions

I don't do New Year's resolutions. For me, the dead of winter is not a time to be making promises…I'm not likely to keep them. But now that the snow is (mostly) gone and its (getting) warmer, its time.

My main problems right now are my physical shape, my diet and everyday "stress". I've come up with a few things to hopefully get me on the right track.

1) Eat better

A no brainer, really. Right now, we're lucky if we eat three good dinners a week. The kids get their meals of course, but we don't all eat together. By the time we get home, the kids need to eat right away. Then there's some play and sometimes a bath, then in bed for 7 - 7:30. They are only home for a little over two hours before they have to be in bed. I don't have time to cook our meal until the kids are in bed (unless I was organized the night before and threw something in the crock pot to cook all day) and by then I'm often so exhausted that we eat beans and weenies (THE best comfort food ever…but anyway) or KD with tuna and some veggies thrown in. Better than nothing, I know, but not overly healthy and not enough.

And no, Jon doesn't cook. So don't even suggest that…

2) Exercise

Again, duh. And yes, I've been saying I've had to get in shape since Cael was born (then I ended up pregnant again before he was one, so I gave up on that for a while obviously). I'm not fat by any means. In fact I'm quite a bit underweight…I need to gain a good 15 pounds to be at a healthy weight.

I didn't gain much weight while pregnant…from behind, you couldn't really tell I WAS pregnant. Until I walked…the tell-tale waddle near the end. I did stay active, walking from our parking spot in the morning and usually back again in the afternoon up to when I started my leave (a month before with each). But pregnancy does weird things to a body and my muscle tone is absolutely GONE. My stomach muscles split down the centre when pregnant with Cael and they are still split, over a year and a half after Iain was born… I understand they do "heal" but I haven't been working at it enough. My stomach looks fine, but its not as firm as it once was. My legs are ok, but that's because I walk a lot. I do have a pretty loose butt tho, which I HATE. All in all, I'm in half decent bikini shape, but just…soft. Very soft. My cardiovascular shape is another story…its terrible.

Of course, the exercise depends largely on resolution #1. I need to seriously increase my calories so I don't waste away when I start to exercise. I'm hoping that I'll be hungrier, which will force me to eat. What I want to do for activity is just go and run. No gym membership to pay for and there are bike/running trails with a few minutes of us. I think I'll start a slow-paced running program in May and slowly work up to a full run. I have no miles per week in mind or anything like that…I just want to get out and do it. And we're hoping to get out biking a lot this summer too. We got a fancy bike trailer for the kids to ride in last year and used it a handful of times.

3) The drinking

Suffice it to say that I partake of the boozy goodness too often. I'll leave it at that for now. I bought a case of Perrier at Costco over the weekend, so I'll be drinking a lot of that with a little lemon instead. Except the weekends…that's mommy's drinkin' time. *

4) Improve my attitude

In general, I'm a wise-ass. And a pessimist. I can't change that and if I did, my friends would wonder WTH happened. ;) But there are some things that I need to be more upbeat and positive about. Finding a new job, being more patient and helpful to the various stupid people I deal with (which means not blowing up at them…yes I did it at work recently. It felt good, but probably wasn't the best idea), and having more patience with the kids. I seem to spend most of the limited time I get with them either scolding or rushing them. I'm going to try really hard to relax and enjoy their yummy babyness before it disappears completely.

5) Take my French training more seriously

I've been taking language training off and on since 2003. I have the background from my time in Europe and got the levels needed in writing and comprehension, but haven't gotten the oral part yet. I haven't been trying to speak as much as I should be outside of classes, which is really key. If I want a better job, I need my levels. I'd really like to get them this year.

6) Take more "me" time

I have lots of stuff I either have to get done or just want to do. Scrapbooking/crafty stuff, reading, exercising, even organizing our home storage a bit. Might not sound fun, but I do like being organized. Plus, we live in a small house, so its really necessary. I'd rather be doing the other items to be honest, but hey. This also links to my nurture post…I'm still working on that btw.

So. None of these things are completely unobtainable. They depend on my being motivated. Ok, I thought of another one.

7) Stay motivated

Do I need to go into that? Nah…I think its pretty self-explanatory. Anyone know how to stay motivated? Anyone?

Wish me luck!

*I'm kidding of course...
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And excuse my absence…my work duties are currently very finance heavy and it was the end of our fiscal year last week. Busy busy…