Out with the Old, In with the New

Saying Goodbye to 2012

As 2012 comes to a close I am sad and disappointed in myself that I didn't do the things I said I was going to do this year for weight loss. But I'm letting that go because I can't change the past, I can only change the future.

30 Days to Break a Habit

It's the general consensus that it takes 30 days to break a habit and after that it should be all good. I've had some success with this in the past breaking 2 bad habits (both work related) so I've decided that for each month in 2013 I'm going to break a bad habit or start a good habit. I'll post my plans at the beginning of the month and my progress at the end.

In December I gave up caffeine (specifically dark soda). Since I don't drink a lot of white soda by soda consumption in December was 1 can of Sprite and 1 sip of Dragon Fruit Pepsi. I'm counting this as a success because I never would have had even a sip of dark soda if my cousin wouldn't have accidentally bought Dragon Fruit Pepsi and I wanted to try a sip for myself to see if it was a disgusting as he said it was. (It was.) I don't find myself craving soda like I did before. And not having any caffeine has definitely had a positive impact on me.

Looking Ahead to 2013

2013 is going to be a very different year for me. I'm talking a 5 month course to get my teaching certificate. I have debated this decision long and hard. It's quite a bit of money, and no guarantees, but I've wanted to be a teacher off and on most my life. It's something I think I would be good at plus it has the benefits of having off for the holidays and the summer. Which would be a huge bonus for me as my family lives elsewhere. 

I'm a little nervous about this endeavor. It's going to eat up a lot of my free time. And I hate that and it's already stressing me out and I haven't even started yet. It definitely helps to know that it's only 5 months, and the ends justify the means. I'm also a little worried that I'll be doing all this, and then I won't be get a teaching job. Then what? I know I can't worry about things like that because that's silly, but it's still there, in the back of my head.

I had no other complaints about 2012 it was a great year, and I hope 2013 is filled with more of the same!

7 Days No Soda and Still Feeling Good!

Quitting soda is hard. It's by far one of my biggest weaknesses. But as I hit the 7 day mark and I see soda I'm pleased that I really don't feel a burning urge to drink it. I went grocery shopping and passed by the soda isle without a glance. It's a great feeling.

My eating habits weren't so great this week, which leads to no weight loss (or gain) but as I've accomplished something in giving up soda I'm not going to beat myself up over it too much. I'm just going to move forward and work on my eating habits one day at a time.

I'm excited to say that Zumba will begin again this week. It's one of my favorite activities and it was hard when I wasn't able to go.

I've done it before... I can do it again!

November was an absolute failure. I'm just feeling very lazy. I know that's no excuse, but it is what it is. I'm working on changing my attitude for December and beyond. I've also decided it's time to give up soda (again). I've given up soda twice, once for one month and a second time for about 3 months. Right now I drink 2-3 cans a day, 150-450 calories a day, which are calories that can be much better spent.

I know we're 2 days into December already, but this is going to be my December goal. I've told myself for a long time that I will "ween" myself, but honestly that is so not working out for me. I'm just going cold turkey (which is what I've done before) and hoping that everything will go well. I've got my Advil ready.

I also have a doctors appointment in one month as a follow up to my weight loss. I'm tempted to change it as my weight loss isn't going well (or at all) but that's a cop out so I won't. But that means I have a lot of work to do before my appointment to show an improvement. But I know I can do this, so I will.