New Year's Resolutions

 

When I was younger, my approach to New Year's Resolutions always doomed me for failure. I would do a lot of "I will (fill in the blank) everyday." Sometimes I'd make charts to check things off--I love a good progress chart. However, when I eventually missed a day, I would be so frustrated that the perfect record was ruined and the entire year was tarnished so I'd give up on the goal.

 As I've gotten older, I've learned to stop looking at things as success/fail, but to look at things as a process. (I have becoming a mom to thank for learning this.) I expect failure to happen so it's not so doom and gloom when it happens. I also expect that I will get better at things, little by little so I don't give up.

Last year, I reached a goal to get down to my wedding weight (a little lower actually). The entire process took two years since the birth of my daughter. I have to say it is very lovely to reach a weight-loss goal. The world didn't magically become perfect and happy when I finally was below 170 lbs, but I was more self-confident, felt so much better about my appearance, didn't mind wearing swimsuits, and loved having a larger selection of clothing.

My other fitness-related goals were to run a half marathon and to run a total of 600 miles in the year. In a strict success/fail sense, I failed to reach this goal, running only 569 miles. Obviously, it's the process that is more important and I'm very proud of those 569 miles, 26.2 miles of that were the two half marathons I did.

Being physically active comes naturally to me, so I don't fret much about making resolutions such as "exercise three times a week for 30 minutes" even though it's a good idea to be specific like that. My fitness goals for 2014:

1.  Gain no more than 40 lbs with my pregnancy and then start the process to lose the baby weight.
2. Survive childbirth.
3. Keep running -- run a total of 450 miles.
4. Run a race. No specified distance...

Have you made some goals related to personal fitness or weight loss? I like this post about weight-loss resolutions you shouldn't make.

Whatever happens in 2014, I hope you find yourself a little healthier and happier than you were last year. Remember, it's a process.