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Resolutions 2012 Update

Posted by Wynne Lock on

It’s four months into the new year, three months into the new lunar year. So how are my ambitious resolutions going?

  1. Running: Instead of online shopping for books (like I used to) or clothing (which I never got the hang of), I went “shopping” for 2012 road races and filled up my social (er, running) calendar up to December by April 5. Several races were already on my radar and I registered for them early on. The Yonge Street 10K in April is the Toronto 10K to run and I need to do it to “compare and contrast” with the Vancouver Sun Run. The crazy Quebec City Staircase Challenge in June came on my radar a few years ago and now I’m fulfilling that “dream”. I registered for two run-of-the-mill half-marathons ambitiously four weeks apart in September and October. My body should be able to handle it, but they are both away races and I have to plan the trips. Registering for the Las Vegas half-marathon in December was “only logical” to get the minimum number of two Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathons in the same calendar year to get a Heavy Medal. And it was by pure luck I learned about the Toronto Pearson Runway run in June from BlogTO.com and I had to register for that, too. And that’s it. Because I have this scary feeling that I have over-committed.

    In other running news, the training is going well in no small part because I love my condo gym. It is large with five treadmills that aren’t free until 9 or 10pm. I fell into the questionable habit of working out around 11pm when I’m guaranteed the machines I desire to use. At first, I was all too happy to catch primetime shows since the treadmills are LifeFitness machines but I couldn’t be guaranteed not to have to wait for a treadmill during primetime while at 11pm, I get my pick. My go-to television show is re-runs of Star Trek: Voyager on the sci-fi channel but many episodes really exacerbate the feeling of absolutely wasting my time and mental capacity. I started listening to audiobooks and happily knock off a workout and “reading”.

  2. School: I goofed up a little and did not initiate necessary paperwork in time and have to pare back my plan from four courses to three this year. I had also given the historically crazy-busy month of March the respect and space it was due and extended a course since it wasn’t getting done on time and I had nothing else to take due to paperwork mix-up above. Although drawn out, the past six months of this one blessed course is hopefully the hardest thing I have to slog through.
  3. Work: I never would have dreamed how crazy and satisfying working can be. I couldn’t be more pleased that I’m finally getting the Big City (on Bay Street, no less), Big Co. experience without which my life would feel incomplete.
  4. Travel with Lil Sis in April: Couldn’t. Unofficially I can’t take vacation in April. Other than small weekend trips for the races, the autumn looks unlikely, too.
  5. Relationship: Living on my own has helped me and NPY stay connected much better than when I had a “roomate” in the fall. Skype and national My5 are a boon.
  6. Travel with/to/of NPY: NPY visits me for a week starting today and I’ve booked my week off to visit him in August. After he’s safely back in Vancouver and in a couple weeks’ time, I start planning Hawaii in late October. It’s like the only place he wants to go so I want to make it happen this year.

Bonus Resolution #1

On top of these resolutions, on Shrove/Fat Tuesday (February 21), I resolved to give up chocolate for Lent. Although I crave salty food far more than I do chocolate, when it comes to buying a snack when at work, I will go for chocolate as opposed to a rustling bag of chips. Theoretically, chocolate can last over a couple of days. Theoretically, there is some value to (dark) chocolate and none whatsoever for Cheetos. Further, I can indulge in hot chocolate at any time at work, all leading to novel chocolate cravings that needed to be nipped in the bud with a moratorium.

Although I gave up chocolate, I seriously sinned a few times eating cinnamon buns and who knows if I unwittingly had chocolate in Tim Hortons’ “French Vanilla” cappuccino. Otherwise, I made it through the 40 (+6) days of Lent plus a few days after because I didn’t know Lent was over. My first taste of chocolate after that (Birthday Cake Oreos) wasn’t even so satisfying. Nothing against the Oreos which are actually delicious, but I really nipped that craving in the bud.

Bonus Resolution #2

While contemplating what to give up for Lent, I considered my largest food weakness: potato chips. It is such a big addiction of mine I can’t merely give it up for 40 (+6) days. Instead, I reclassified it as a poison for me. I’m addicted to that stuff and cannot have so much as a single piece similar to how a recovering alcoholic can’t have a single drop. Other than ill-advised and heavily regretted rice chips snacks and corn chips in a Frito Lay pie, I have stuck to this resolution.

Bonus Resolution #3

Also on Shrove/Fat Tuesday, I wildly resolved, and told NPY that when I see him in person next (two months from that time), I would weigh the same as when he met me six-years-less-two-months. He’s so sweet to say it’s not necessary and I look fine but that’s the trap–I feel fine and generally look healthy even if I’m 10 pounds above and below where I am right now. It’s sad to sign off this blog post with a “fail” but this was a bonus resolution! The clean, lean living of above did get me closer to my goal but only 2/3 of the way. I’ll share at a later time a tool at work that has really helped my progress and enabled me to lose 10 pounds in four months. This resolution required me to lose about 10 pounds in two months which is impossible because I will not/cannot severely restrict intake. My new goal, for when I next see NPY in August, four months away, (sniff, not sooner), is my 1999 weight which is 10 pounds less than right now. That’s reasonable, right?

On this day..

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