Resolutions, Smezolutions.

It is said that what you do on New Year’s Day is a precursor of the year to come.  If this is true, thank you 8 pound 6 ounce baby Jesus that I did not spend all day suffering from a hangover. My typical (however 100% guaranteed) hangover relief of sweet tea, Chickfila and channel surfing just wasn’t going to cut it. This year, Eric and I traded our movie marathon for an exercise marathon that would challenge even the most compulsive exercise addicts. It started off with a run on Thursday, “Ripped in 30 Days” video with Julian on Friday (sorry to subject you to that workout, Amber), yoga on Saturday, a grueling three mile hike up Hanging Rock on Sunday and finally a four mile dog walk/drag on Monday. Pasha is still snubbing me.  At this rate, I would be as thin as a bean stalk in no time! Note, the use of the word “would.” I totally crashed on Tuesday – my body was utterly exhausted from a combination of strenuous activity, holiday madness and a mysterious bacterial infection (don’t ask).  I didn’t totally slip, still focusing on eating healthy and making smart choices, but from the comfort of the couch.

I received several emails and questions asking me if this blog is part of my New Year’s resolution. To that I say, no. Why? Well…because I am not making ANY resolutions. I could soooo easily play the part and give my typical “This year, I want to lose 25 pounds, eat better and save $30 a month by cooking at home.” But being totally honest with myself, after a few weeks, those general statements are always out the window and I am back to old trusty habits. Think about it. How many of your resolutions have you actually kept? That is what I thought. Instead, I am committing myself to a few specific challenges this year. I will:

1. Not go to exercise extremes unless being chased by the police or competing for a chance to meet Gerard Butler. I will do this by striving for 30 minutes of exercise five days a week.
2. Add more no/or minimally processed foods to my diet. You guessed it, Cheetos and Peeps are out.
3. Participate in a Sprint Triathlon in the spring. No really, I am doing this. Any takers?
4. Wear a red bikini by the pool this summer while at the same time not scaring away the little kids or looking like the Michelin Man.
5. Do it all without breaking my budget or joining the local meat market. Oops, I meant gym.

If you are one of the few actually taking time out of your busy schedule to read this, THANK YOU for your support. I was truly overwhelmed by the responses I received after posting this blog. I know it is uber corny, but in the words of the Beatles, “I will get by with a little help from my friends.”