Thursday, January 9, 2014

goals.

every new year inevitably brings up the subject resolutions. a popular opinion among a lot of blogs i follow is to not set specific resolutions, as this can set you up for failure. failing to lose the 10 pounds by february 1 or eating 3 healthy, home-cooked meals a day can make you feel like these goals are unattainable at the end of the day. personally, i find it hard to put a deadline on things, because life happens. there will be days where you fully intend to make a spinach salad for lunch to bring to work, but there wasn't time, and you find yourself in the Portillo's drive-thru come 12 o'clock. you vow to do better tomorrow, but then a long day at work throws any motivation to come home and make quinoa & stir fry veggies out the window. cue curling up on the couch with a dinner of microwave popcorn and wine (I call this the "Scandal" diet, as this seems to be the only thing Olivia Pope ever eats on the show).

and that's okay.

i think there are a few things that are important to remember when setting goals for yourself, be it at new year's or any other time of the year: intention, action, and being realistic. among my goals are to adopt habits to make myself healthier and lose weight. i'm putting these into action by making changes in how i eat, how much i eat, how i move, and how much i move. i'm not saying 10 pounds in the first month or 20 pounds by summer. every time i've done that in the past, i've gotten exceedingly nervous as the deadline approached, and then just pushed it back, or given up on it all together. yes, i would like to fit in a smaller size dress for a friends' wedding in april so i look better in the pictures, but i'm looking to adopt healthier habits so i change my life. i am aware change takes time, and gradual changes are far more likely to sick. i know myself, my habits, and my schedule. i know i'm not going to get up at 5am everyday to run a few miles. i hate running. some people like it, but it is not my thing. i enjoy cycling, so i'll be getting a bike trainer this weekend for my Giant Avail road bike, and i'll be riding inside after work and on the weekends (there is over a foot of snow on the ground here right now so outdoor cycling is not an option). i'm also looking to pick yoga back up. i used to go a few times a week but since moving far away from my favorite (and affordable!) studio, i have to find a new one. 

i'm making efforts in my eating habits as well. i know i can't give up salty foods, so i've switched out doritos and kettle chips for smaller portions of flavored golfish crackers (also on the lookout for healthy popcorn toppings!). instead of ordering greasy pad thai and depending on it for leftovers, i'm making healthy salads with ingredients i know i'll enjoy. to me kale + dressing = boring, and i'd rather go hungry than eat something that doesn't taste good, no matter how good it is for me. that's why i combined kale with sauteed chicken breast, chow mein noodles, and lite asian toasted sesame dressing for my lunch today. healthy and delicious? i'm down.

in addition to my upcoming cycling regime, i've been adding nightly Just Dance-offs (with myself) on my wii to burn off my energy. my boyfriend usually leaves the room when these start... they need to get on adding "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" by Whitney Houston to their next edition!

also, you can follow my pinterest board dedicated to healthy foods that actually look delicious! follow me for more recipes & other inspiration :)

p.s. here is the link to the salad that served as my inspiration for my lunch salad (i used fresh baby kale instead of wilted):

wilted kale asian chicken salad


what are you doing achieve your goals?

4 comments:

  1. I love this. Every day is different and we have to recognize that; one cannot live on kale alone! Keep us posted on the blog how your goals are going!

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    1. Girl, thank you. Everyday will be different but that's why I've got this blog... to share and hopefully get support!

      P.S. make sure no one is creepin...

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  2. You are so right! I don't like making resolutions for this reason either, life does get in the way and sometimes things are just unavoidable. The goals made should just be life changing goals which you will stick to and not have a deadline for. There's no quick fix to anything important in life, so taking your time with it is what's important! I too am trying to be more healthy and fitter and really take care of myself a lot more! I found your blog from a comment you just left on Emily's apartment post and you seemed really nice, so I'm glad I found it! I am hoping you might like my blog too as we seem slightly similar judging by the comment you left her! It would be good if you could stop by too! I'm definitely going to bookmark yours! :D :D

    Raindrops of Sapphire

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    1. I so agree that taking your time is what's important, as it is with a lot of aspects of life! I'm trying to take care of myself and change my life :) change is not an immediate thing; it takes awhile to stick!

      Your comment made me smile! I am so glad you found my blog and you seem really nice too! I checked you out, and I LOVE your blog and your content... very much up my alley! (bonus points for being British... I love all things British)... I agree, we seem similar too! I'm going to bookmark your blog as well. Thank you for coming by, and I look forward to posting more!

      Speak soon! :)

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