A New Year, A Clean Slate...

If you've read the blog over the years (phew! "over the years"!! I've been working on my health for YEARS now - yay, me!!) you know that I'm not big on New Year's resolutions. I am, however, big on new starts and I believe the 1st day of a new year offers just that:  a time to start anew.  And so, on January 1, 2014 I rededicate myself to.... well... myself! : )

The year of 2013 was not my best.  It may have been my worst in my 50+ years.  First and foremost, my Mom died and while it was expected, it still has been very hard emotionally.  I had one minor and one major eye surgery.  I moved and had to pack the house and all my belongings on my own, and even though the movers pulled away on the 7th of November, I am still in the process of unpacking. I had severe poison ivy spread across my face and down my neck. I am in the process of cleaning out my Mom's home and dealing with all her estate issues which included her oil tank spilling 100 gallons of fuel onto her basement floor, damaging everything in the basement and causing an environmental disaster that included Haz-Mat teams there to gut the basement and all the belongings within.  2013 was a heck of a year and one of the major things that happened during this time was: I gained 40 pounds.  Forty.  Back.  Good Lord!

Reflecting back on the year I realize that I always felt my best when I could get some sort of activity into my day.  When I'd walk the dog for longer than a typical walk, when I could swim laps in a lake, when I could leave work for a 15 minute power walk in the middle of a hectic day and just concentrate on my breathing and restore my balance a bit.  Those were the moments when I realized that exercise, movement, putting my health first HAD become part of my daily life in the year before this one.  I knew what to do, I just wasn't doing it!

I have been looking forward to rededicating myself to my health.  And I hope you'll consider joining me as we head into a new year.  My plan to lose 50 pounds (the 40 I regained and 10 more to hit my goal weight) is not complicated at all.  It involves counting calories, staying away from fats, walking, and weight training.  I shouldn't say "weight training" because that sounds so rigid and my weight regimen (isn't there another word besides "training" or "regimen" I can use?! lol) is simple enough for anyone to do. I'm a novice, too, remember! I believe there is an athlete within me that occasionally pops up her head and says to me in this exhilarated voice, "Yay! You found me... I'm right here... let's DO this!"  One of the emotional moments for me when I first started training with a personal trainer a few years ago (for six months) was when he said to me "we're going to find the athlete within you again"...  I cried.  No, I bawled.  Right there in the lobby of the YMCA in Waltham.  My trainer had tapped into what I had not dared dream yet:  that I COULD become the person who played tennis, and rode bike 20 miles without thinking of it, and played softball, and had a college scholarship offer for field hockey.  I had been a fit, active person who LOVED being outdoors and hiking and biking and playing.  I'm ready to go back to that person again and it starts today.

Want to join me?  Stay tuned and read on for the January challenge post! : )

Here's to a clean slate in 2014 to write a new, healthy story!

Dream. Believe. Achieve.
HealthyLoserGal / Jan


3 comments:

LostnThought January 1, 2014 at 9:25 PM  

I'm right there with ya girl! I've actually started a few weeks ago because I was diagnosed with reactive hypoglycemia which the doc said is one step before full blown diabetes (yikes!). I'm reading the Glycemic Load Diet and getting a better idea on my condition and how to correct it. My biggest challenge will be giving up the sodas, a weakness of mine. I will be 46 in Feb. and I remember having pepsi in my baby bottle as a toddler!

So here's to a better us for 2014!! We can do it!

HealthyLoserGal January 2, 2014 at 10:18 AM  

We definitely can do it and we'll work on you never worrying about diabetes again, my friend!! Glad you went to the doctor so you know what to do! Try cutting down one soda every day each week 'til you're at only one and then switch up to every other day drinking one. Drink tons of water with ice to help you break the habit! xo

Kat January 2, 2014 at 4:43 PM  

Wow, what a year. You are a very resilient woman and I know you are stronger as a result of the challenges of last year. I have no doubt that you are going to achieve all of your goals for this year. Yay Jan!! I have re-dedicated myself to daily exercise and it feels so good to be back in that groove again! Here's to a wonderful 2014 for us all!!!