August-September: Objectives

There are just two objectives for this six week period:

1. READ! I'm three books behind the pace I need to achieve 60 books in a year, it seems.  So it's time to catch up.  I'm hoping the slightly less hectic nature of work in the next few weeks will help.  I am also really, really trying to read things other than flimsy detective novels, too.  We'll see how well that goes.
2. EXERCISE!  My plan is 30 pieces of exercise in six weeks - so 5 a week.  It doesn't have to be an hour a time, but something physically active beyond walking around.  Admittedly, this goal is oriented toward a family wedding where there will be many, many photos taken, but I'm also feeling sluggish and tired after a month of not doing much physical but have expended a great deal of mental energy.  This skewed expenditure has left me feeling somewhat out of sorts and a little unbalanced.  The reading challenge, plus some work organization, will see me continue with mental work, but I really want to up my physical quotient.  To that end, Monday saw a run, Tuesday yoga (maybe for the last time), and today is press ups.  As an added form of measurement, I'm going to instagram all workouts with the hashtag #pwsp (post workout sustenance photo) and, hopefully, will be able to document the challenge there, too.

Reckoning/Updates

Obviously, it's been a while since the last post. 

Nonetheless:

1. I ran!  I ran a whole 5K!  I beat my personal best by some distance, too.  It was amazing.  My knee held up pretty well, too.  The last month, due to absurdly emotionally and administratively intense work, has seen me neglect my running somewhat.  I ran on Monday (more on that later), but my knee came close to locking for the first time in a very long time.  Potential explanations:  a) we went too fast; and b) the yoga.  Oh, the yoga.  We'd started doing some yoga again, and I was hoping that my knee would be able to deal with both yoga and running.  Nonetheless, it seems likely not.  Yoga involves just too much kneeling which, for my left knee, is often accompanied by an ominous crunch and shifting of... stuff in my knee.  So maybe it's time to give up on the yoga.  At least the kneeling postures.  
2. Press ups.  Well... I'm starting again this week!

April 2014: Mid-term Update

Given that it's halfway through April, it's time for mid-terms - how am I doing?

1. Running.  To date, I've done week 2 of the couch to 5k training.  It's going okay, although my knee is a little sore.  I'm trying to roll my knee, stretch, and ice it to keep it in shape.  But it's nice to get out and about, particularly given that the blossom is finally coming out, it's warmer but there are still April showers to keep one cool (I am one of the rare people who love running in the rain). 
2. Press Ups.  Oof.  I've managed week one, so I'm behind schedule, but going to be on time from now on - for real.  Honest.  

We are also restarting the Kardashian challenge - albeit we're not doing the multiplier, but we have added a third person so we have an additional layer of peril. 

April 2014: Objectives and Reawakening

Spring has finally sprung in New York City and, with the input of vitamin D, blossoms, and early morning birdsong, my impetus for doing a little better each month has reawakened.

Usually I try to do a mixture of mental, cultural, and physical objectives to balance out making these only be about working on my body.  But I have been rubbish about doing exercise this year so far and making excuses for myself.  Thus I have only two objectives, and both of them are physical, but next month will be different.

1. Couch to 5k: I plan to do the whole six week program, but April is the month to kick start the plan.  I have completed week one already and my next run is tomorrow morning.  To complement this, however, I will need to make sure I am stretching and doing the old foam rolling trick.  This I will be doing in front of Parks & Rec, which is my new obsession.  I have to have something to justify how much I am watching that.
2. 100 Press Ups Challenge.  A friend issued the challenge to follow this program - she's going to have a party on Memorial Day where we all try to do 100 press ups.  Given that I give up around week 3 each time I do this, hopefully Memorial Day will be the spur to do this beyond halfway.

Happy spring!

New Year, Same Old

Last year, as with every resolution, ever, I managed to tail off somewhat regarding following my resolutions.  Nonetheless, I feel I got a lot out of my mini resolutions, and I'm rather keen to do some more this year.  This year I'm going two a month, and that's it.  

1. Eating - I'm going to try no refined carbs - potatoes, white pasta, white bread, white rice - for the next month, at least Monday-Friday.  Reasons?  I cannot pretend that it's not because I'd like to shift a bit of the timber I've gained over the festive period.  Nevertheless, I'm cutting these things out because they don't have the same nutritional (and happiness) oomph that one gets from cheese (protein, calcium), meat, sour cream, chocolate, coffee, wine, or any of the other things that I refuse to give up.  Something has to give, so why not those?  
2. Environmental - I'm doing the January Cure for the second time.  This time, I'm even managing to do it in January.  BOOM!  I'm not 100% sure I'm going to do all the cleaning stuff because - bourgeoisie alert - we have a cleaner, but I would like to do the rugs and sweep the floor, particularly as we have a Christmas tree that smells glorious and sheds constantly.  I will probably monitor the Cure on my other site, but we'll see... 

October Objectives

It's October already.  ALREADY.  We're over a week in.  So, clearly, I have thought carefully and hard about these objectives and I am NOT just hastily scribbling these now.

1. Accounting.  This will happen, honestly. I will track my spending from yesterday onward.
2. Cultural.  We have a shelf downstairs that is full of library books.  The problem is, I get distracted by my new, shiny, sexy books that I've just got, and I end up renewing and renewing the worthy but older books.  So I've decided that I have to read the most renewed books first.  This led to me reading Police in the Hallways (renewed 15 times), which made me so miserable, so sad, so despairing, that I cried on the subway while reading it.  More than once.  But it's about time to get through this stuff!
3. Physical.  I'm taking swimming lessons on Tuesday nights, and our instructor wants us to practice once a week, so my final mini-resolution is to go to all the classes and practice at least once.  The problem with practicing is that municipal pools in the city leave a lot to be desired.  For example, there's a nice enough pool in Williamsburg that has extended lap swimming and is on my way to work.  Only problem is that you can't just rock up and pay for one swim.  Instead, you appear to need to be a member, which is $150 for a year.  Ahem.  Riverbank Pool, owned by the state, not city, is glorious, and $2.  That's where I found myself last night, sharing the pool with just one other person while I practiced my drills before waiting for my touch football league.  I caught up on my Five Year Diary and watched fireworks over southern Manhattan.  Not a bad Monday night.

September Reckoning

1. Physical:  Body brushing.  I did actually do it most days, albeit not a few of them where I was so sweaty from a morning workout that it was weird and grim. And I think it did add a certain firmness of texture to touch, if not view, and that made me feel good - which is the point, I think, as I have kept it up since. 
2. Accounting: Didn't really do spending.  So see next month's objectives...
3. Cultural:  I have indeed been watching things from the Netflix queue, albeit things that are tv series.  Well, basically, I finished watching Scandal and have started watching The IT Crowd.  But that's more than I was doing before, and I'm enjoying it.  So I think I'd like to keep this up, and it seems vaguely likely, too.

September Objectives

Wait, what?  "Where is the August reckoning?" I hear all two of you cry.

Coming.

But, for now, the September objectives:

1. Physical:  Body brushing.  I have a body brush loitering in the bathroom, dangling on a hook that I use for my spectacularly ugly but durable shower cap (zebra print, giant pink rosette, and generally massive).  I don't use the body brush very often.  But, for the month of September, I shall use it every flipping day.  I shall be doing a highly unscientific test of whether it has any effect on my skin texture.  The fact that this coincides with a plethora of ugly insect bites that need scratching has nothing to do with this resolution.  Nothing.
2. Accounting: Our household is about to return to reality, after a year of sabbatical bliss, and we are doing the long-distance thing again.  Only this time I am on a non-profit salary rather than the big bucks of Big Law.  Therefore I'm on a mission to record each and every expenditure I make this month - where, what, how much.  We have changed spending habits a little but, I fear, I have not altered as much as I should have, given my now far more limited income.  So, this is it.  Time to work out what I'm spending, where, and so what unnecessary expenses can be shed that don't really bring me much joy.
3. Cultural:  Our Netflix queue has 86 titles on it, and we rarely watch titles, but instead just add them.  Time for that to change.  My plan is to watch one a week - one, obviously, that my other household member does not want to watch, or is happy to watch separately.  No (more)* Netflix adultery for us. 

* That is a confession for another day and a different blog.  

August Objectives

For August I wasn't sure.  Apparently I've decided to read all of Game of Thrones (I know, I know).  But, what with running around - work, going for a visit home - I wasn't sure what to do.  Luckily, a friend came to the rescue, inadvertently at least. 

Anyway, she was saying that she always finds excuses not to work out.  Because "punishment" for not working out - i.e. a forfeit, price - was not enough, she'd pay that.  But she's a super dependable, good friend - so what if her not working out punished us both?  Hence the deal:  she and I work out twice a week during August, not counting our soccer games.  It's not much.  But if either of us misses a session, there's a hellish price to pay:  A Kardashian show.  We have to watch one.  With no internet, no breaks, no phones to play with.  Just all Kardashian, all the time.  That's if we miss one workout.  If we miss two, the price doubles, so it's now THREE Kardashians (one for first session, two for the second sessions).  If we miss three, it's seven Kardashians.  So that is some serious incentive.

So far, we're on track.  We're involving others to keep us honest.  It's going to be... horrible if we miss anything.  So we just can't.  CAN'T, I tell you. 

July Reckoning

A pretty simple one, but I did manage not to weigh myself, and haven't done yet in August.  I definitely link how I feel to how I'm eating and exercising, but it's nice to link that to something specific - i.e. how well I'm treating myself - rather than weight.  Going to stick with this one, I hope.

July Objectives

I've definitely fallen off the wagon regarding objectives. Rather than heading into this halfway through the month, I'm going to point out just two objectives that are, in fact, linked. 

I've been reading a book on exercise that emphasizes building muscle and interval training. So I'm doing three sets of weight training per week, as well as one interval workout - either a timed metabolic workout, or countdown workout, and maybe a High Intensity Interval Training session every fortnight. 

The book also emphasizes that a lot of weight loss is muscle, rather than fat. That's not great, and doesn't really change one's shape. The best shape I've been in has involved serious weight training, so I'm going for it. The book, however, claims it's not about cutting calories, but one look at the eating plan indicates that that is a load of rubbish. Rubbish. Anything that makes you completely cut out booze, cheese, and snacks other than celery/almonds is trying to make you cut calories. So this is irritating. 

Nonetheless, the book does suggest something else that am adopting - throwing away the scales. Just no more. I weigh myself with great frequency, and the results do affect my mood and happiness more than I should. So I'm aiming for more veg, more healthy living, but no more increasing my discontent and negative self-image. 

So far in July, I've not weighed myself. And I feel better. I know I need to exercise. I know I feel good when I eat more veg and get out in the garden. And I've been doing it. 

If I were hesitant, this weekend provided affirmation of a previous resolution to relinquish negative influences. I gave up (most) women's magazines - particularly the style ones. A friend had a few for a train journey for our weekend away. They were utterly ludicrous, infuriating, negative, and stupid. I was so glad I don't spend my money on them, and realized how much better I feel without them providing a false sense of what I need and what I should be buying. It's great. So, scales, you're done, too. 

June Objectives

JUNE!  Already a week in, and I've been dithering, again, about my goals.  But here they are:

1. Physical.  After the success of the May challenge, I'm feeling pretty good.  I got a free subscription to Women's Health and, although I have reservations about this publication (given that "health" seems to mean losing weight and getting cut, which seems to be a pretty narrow definition of health), I thought it might provide inspiration for shaking up my exercise routine.  And, of course, it has!  Given my knacky knee, I liked the idea of cutting out regular cardio for what she calls a "metabolic" workout - you do a set of weight-bearing exercise intervals twice a week, plus three overall strength routines, and a HIIT (high intensity interval training) run - basically a mix of sprinting and recovery.  I've been doing those in May, and honestly, my fitness has improved incredibly quickly, and my knee doesn't feel any worse than if I do a long, slow jog/walk, so I'd rather have an efficient way to get myself fit that I actually really enjoy, even if I feel like vomiting afterward.  No, really, it's fun.  Promise!
2. Cultural.  It's summer time!  Take advantage of summer stuff!  Basically, I want to get to the BBG and Brooklyn museum at least once each during June. 
1. NB:  I am now FOUR books behind on my reading, so the hour at home, three times a week, is back ON.  ON, I tell you.

May Reckoning

May sped by.  And, possibly, had the highest fulfillment of objectives!

1. Physical - The May Challenge.  Other than the last week's bonus workout, I managed all of these - an average of over 10,000 steps a day, and the four workouts.  Pretty sweet.  Of course, I've eaten like an absolute monster during that period - NOM! - so it's not exactly resulted in too much firming, but the other half noticed that I am MUCH fitter than I was, and that's definitely down to doing two HIIT - High Intensity Interval Training - runs a week.  And I would not have done those without the May challenge.  Yay!
2. Cultural - this I've done a lot - I've just sat at home, reading.  It's been great.  But I still have a lot to catch up - the first week of June has been less effective in reading, it has to be said.

May Objectives

Oh, May.  We're already nearly halfway in - ahem - no excuses here. I've felt a little paralyzed by coming up with this month's challenge and, in ostrich fashion, have decided to ignore it rather than actually dealing with my inertia.

So this is belated, and these aren't full-blooded "yes I'm so excited resolutions," but... something, right?

1. Physical. Well, here, a friend and I have set ourselves a goal. It's to do two weights sessions, two cardio sessions, and a bonus "other," along with 70,000 steps a week. It's a lot, but doable - and the reward will be not just the completion, but also a meal at Fatty 'Cue. Because we can. I have set up a spreadsheet to track the progress, and last week was very much a success. Get in!
2. Cultural. Last year, I read over 50 books, as I'd intended (using Goodreads as my measuring methodology). This year I set myself a goal of reading 60 books.  I'm currently three books behind the pace to achieve that goal.  I have, for the most part, kept up my March resolution of reading when I have a seat on the subway. But I'm still not making up the shortfall, and so my new resolution is to set aside an hour to read at home four days a week. I spend so much time on other "noise" - the internet, tv, and I'm not really interested in those in the same way. So here we go.

April Reckoning

April - not so springlike, after all.  Still, the objectives...

1. Gastronomical - we were supposed to try out a new one each week.  Didn't really happen - weeknights were busy, and we were away for a weekend, and so, really, it just didn't work.  Bummer.  But we did two new ones, which were pretty good - and one of them, at least, I intend to visit again (Puerto Viejo) on a highly regular basis - Dominican breakfasts = fab.
2. Environmental - Well, I haven't done something every day, but I (and the significant other) are being far better at going out and weeding regularly - every few days.  I've been properly using the composting, too - we used a lot of compost for turning over our soil and enhancing the soil before planting some herbs, tomatoes, that sort of thing, and giving a new lease of life to the plants already there (I hope!).  Additionally, I've been regularly attacking the evil Japanese Knotweed that's in the back garden, and our trees have been savaged by a proper arborist, who has given us back sunlight!
3. Cultural - Well, I failed to learn to use Adobe LightRoom.  Hmm.  Maybe that's a summer thing.

 

April Objectives

April! The bringer of Spring - well, sort of, as it's currently 42F/4C, and that's only the "Real Feel" because it's finally sunny. Bleurgh.

Nonetheless, it's time for April Objectives.

1. Gastronomical - there are a million restaurants and bars in the neighbourhood. We go to the same ones all the time. So it's time for a new one a week. Hooray!  [Note: this has already been achieved for Week One. Huzzah!]
2. Environmental - Gardening! Trying to do something every day. Yesterday I took photos for the arborist who is going to trim our trees, and I'm going to do something today - check out what it is that we need to do this month, basically. Hooray!
3. Cultural - I have Adobe Light Room. I don't know how to use it. I would like to learn that. This month is the month!

 Also - does anyone know how to play cribbage?

March Reckoning

So, March: How was it for you?

1. Physical: Plan (and carry out) workouts for the week. Well, since the update, I've not done any of that, mostly because I have been on holiday and it was absolutely amazing. I did do a lot of walking, we did yoga on the beach two mornings, and I went tubing (lots of arm work! and arm sunburn, too, but that's another story). So unplanned.
   
   This was, I have to say, not a great success as a resolution. But I think it is worth thinking about what I can do, exercise-wise, during the week and making sure there is a balance - some strength work, some cardio, some stretchy stuff. And this week, that's happening, for example - I've already done a Pilates session and have a beginners' vinyasa thing today (stretchy), have cardio on Sunday (football), and so should do a strength session Thursday morning. Bosh! Anything else is a bonus.
   
   
2. Cultural: Whenever I have a seat on the subway, I have to read my book.  Again, the holiday interfered with this somewhat, but I read a LOT while on holiday - and it was good.  And I do think the sitting down rule should work. Except yesterday, when I was catching up with podcasts. Ahem.
   
3. Apparent: Wear earrings every day. I've definitely been doing this more, and I do need to find a few more pairs for everyday wear. Overall, though, it's been fun.

March Update

1. Physical: Plan (and carry out) workouts for the week. Well, I've sort of managed that. Sort of. Just not this third week of March. And I've not managed to do the exact ones that I planned, but they have made me feel guilty about not working out, so I've done a little more than previously.
   
2. Cultural: Whenever I have a seat on the subway, I have to read my book.  Well, that's not been perfect, but the resolution has certainly made me read more. Of course, I've managed to pick serious books that require a lot of reading and slow going - but they've been phenomenal so far. 
3. Apparent: Wear earrings every day. This has not happened 100%, but I'm definitely, again, wearing them more than normal. It's just not going to be something that I do that often, but I'd forgotten how much I like a few pairs I own, so definitely going to wear those more often.

March Objectives

With February safely out of the way I'm back off the wagon and have a new set of goals for the month.  Which are as follows:

1. Physical: Plan (and carry out) workouts for the week.  I'm not planning on a specific number, but I am hoping that this will spur my use of my planner, and will be something I actually stick to. So the resolution is a twofer - and, of course, that's not at all cheating. Ahem. 
   
   
2. Cultural: I listen to podcasts a lot. I adore them. But I need to read books! Books! On Goodreads I set myself a target of 60 books this year, and I'm failing miserably: I've read 6 and it's March. I'm so behind! Therefore I need to get on reading, particularly as I have a backlog of exciting-looking library and Christmas-gifted books to read. So the resolution is that whenever I have a seat on the subway, I have to read my book. I can't keep defaulting to Football Weekly, Savage Love, The Bugle, and (my current favourite) How Did This Get Made?
3. Apparent: My other half noticed that I don't really wear earrings much anymore. And he's right. I have lost a lot of one half of a pair of earrings I really like, and I have found that so disheartening, particularly after one that I adored from Kenya (so really not replaceable), that I sort of gave up. But I want to start again. So, for March only, it's earrings every day. EVERY DAY, I tell you!

So that's March. You?

February Reckoning

Well, here's the February reckoning.

NBIF - this was pretty straightforward, actually. Other than one or two weak moments, it's been good - I've managed to go out to restaurants, hang out with friends on cold, damp nights that screamed for a spicy red wine (that was consumed by others), and go to a Super Bowl and Oscars party without much stress or envy. 

Physical - BIKRAM. Oh, Bikram. Well, I've been twice, which is not quite the eight attempts. I've had a lot of early mornings this month - far more than normal - and you'd have thought that would mean that I'm good at getting up - three mornings a week, why not four? But I love my lie-ins, I need my sleep, and it just proved too much. But I've been, and it was definitely The Monthly Project goals that got me there. So I'm going to hopefully keep it up once a week, because I have felt great afterward. So I'm hoping for once a week. Hoping.

Cultural - I've been doing it!  I've managed to choose loooooong articles, accidentally, but that's what interested me. But I've also been able to read more in general. We also went through our old magazines, got rid of loads that I'm never going to read, and going to make this a regular activity.

Environmental -The January Cure has been up and running. I have a much more beautiful bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, and closets, albeit each with a bit more work to be done. Seriously, my bathroom shelves are unrecognizable. I've particularly enjoyed buying flowers for the house each week - the different colours, smells, and arrangements have been invigorating and made me feel both far more grown-up than usual, but also generally happier - as if I have indeed invested in our home, as Apartment Therapy suggested I would. Damn you, lifestyle bloggers, for being right!  [Fist being shaken]

Achievement!  (and if you think they don't look good, remember the befores... Seriously)