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.

4 Months - Tummy Time

Four months along and I'm really starting to show. It will be nice in a few weeks to move beyond the awkward "is she pregnant or not?" phase.  I actually have a personal rule to not ask until a woman looks about 8 months pregnant because I have a naturally tendency to put my foot in my mouth.

This past month was one of the most stressful of my life as we purchased and moved into our first home. Now that's over, my house is order, we're mostly all ready for Christmas, I can get back to refocus on healthy habits and schedules.

The biggest "new" thing is that my husband and I joined a gym at our local rec center. I haven't done this before because I'm frugal--I can run for free on the roads--and because I have a little anxiety about people and crowds. Winter slammed us last week and it was obvious running outside just wasn't going to work. I'm surprised to say that I've really enjoyed going to a gym to exercise. It's done absolute wonders for my winter blues. One of the best things about being indoors at a gym--being close to a bathroom at all times. Baby is starting to squish my bladder, especially when I'm running.

At the beginning of the year, I made a goal to run 600 miles. I was on track to complete that goal and then our stressful month and winter hit. I now have just a few weeks left to complete my goal so I'm cramming. I can totally do it, but I have to run 2-3 miles, most days of the week. So let's hope I don't get sick in the next few weeks.

What can I say about my weight? You can see the lovely 5 lb. spike that was Thanksgiving. I don't feel like I'm being especially glutenous and I have been exercising; I think my body/baby really would like to gain more weight than I want to right now. I'm hoping this latest spike will even out so I can get back to being within my goal range.

Ironically, Mrs. I-can-feel-my-baby-moving-at-2-months, is just barely starting to feel real, bonafide baby  movement. I think I felt movement earlier with my first baby. I'm chalking this up to the placenta being in front (I hope). All will be answered next week when we have our 20 week ultrasound. All in all, I feel really good. I can get by without any naps and the nausea is gone. My biggest complaint is honestly the acne that makes me feel like I'm 14 again. But what woman doesn't want to feel younger?

1 month                                        3 months                                                     4 months