Baby Steps! Keeping Those Resolutions in 2014!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

It is that time of year when most of us make our New Year’s Resolutions.  I don’t make many, mainly because I never keep them, so it seems like a waste of time.   Sometimes, I vow to cuss less and then some slow driver pulls out in front of me, with no one behind me for miles, and proceeds to poke along in front of me and before you know it, I need a bar of soap to wash out my mouth. 

I am also not very good at giving up something.  I have many Catholic friends and family who have to give up something for Lent and I always wondered why they just didn’t give up something easy like Brussels sprouts or watching reruns of Full House.  I guess that is why I am Lutheran. We don’t have to give up anything during Lent and that’s a good thing because once you tell me I do, I would be driven to have it. For that reason, I could always understand Eve being tricked in the Garden of Eden by the serpent, except for the part that she got close enough to a serpent to be tricked.  He wouldn’t have been able to fool me because I would have been running in the opposite direction.  On the other hand, if it had been Adam telling me I was not allowed any fruit from the tree, oh boy, I would have been two fisting those apples and shoving them into my mouth faster than you could say, “did you just spit an apple seed at me?”

Almost every year, I vow to lose weight and this year I mean business.  I have already hatched a plan that the dogs and I are going to walk/jog on our walks starting January 1.  We were at the park the other night and I was showing John how it was going to work with the dogs and me running, and around the corner came the park ranger in her car.  As she passed by, I told John I bet she was probably checking out a call they must have received about a gazelle sighting in the park and he said he wondered if she had any luck in spotting one.  

Yesterday, I took the dogs from him and ran straight up a hill and when we got to the top I did the whole Rocky up the stairs thing, including the jumping, the air boxing, and the hands over my head thing and all he said was, “slow down and catch your breath, that was a pretty good 50 meter run.” 

My plan is to run after dark in our neighborhood. I think jogging under the shroud of darkness will work best for my neighbors and me. After all, no one wants to see a middle aged woman huffing and puffing and clutching her heart and screaming at her dog to slow down when they just happened to be looking out their window.  Oh, and by no means am I planning on wearing compression leggings or running tights, because I am afraid pulling them on and up will cause my hips and boobs to meet somewhere above the waistline.  I also plan on only taking one dog at a time, because two dogs could mean the difference between a leisurely jog and a Usain Bolt sprint, especially if we have a deer sighting. 

I need to buy reflective vests for myself and the dogs and I hate to invest too much in these items for fear this new weight loss plan of mine does not stick.  I thought about just buying reflective tape and putting it on my shoes, but John said oncoming cars might think there were two extra long dachshunds wearing some sort of bedazzled coats coming straight at their tires. I would also hate to be like my Megan who used to want to join everything as a child only to quit as soon as we purchased the uniform, the leotard, the equipment, or the shoes.  She once took ballet lessons and immediately hated it because she found out she had to learn ballet steps and positions BEFORE she could be the lead in Swan Lake.  The vests are a definite must because if I collapse on the way up our long driveway and I’m too weak to shout out their names, John and Hayley should surely see me as they try and leave for work in the morning, since it is still dark out.  I would hope they would come looking for me before that, but it might depend on what is on TV that night.

No, my New Year’s resolution is to lose weight and exercise more and no more excuses.  How could this plan fail when I have the best running buddies available?  I don’t know because as I am writing this I am already wondering if I am biting off more than I can chew, although if I worried about biting less, I may not have this problem to begin with in the first place.  Gee, you know what? I just looked at the calendar and January 1 was yesterday and I prefer to start my diet after a weekend, so I am going to bump this whole idea up to January 6.  I think that works better for Fudge and Vern, too!  Here are our New Year’s resolutions:

 

Laurie-to be healthier in 2014

Fudge-to come when called or at least pretend to know her name when we scream it!

Vern-to sleep through the night or party alone in the living room!

John-to be quicker to admit his wife is always right (he was asleep when I wrote this, so I had to guess what his would be)

 

Baby steps!  This is a lot to bite off and it isn’t going to happen overnight, so we need to take baby steps to make this work for 2014.  Meanwhile, Happy New Year and here’s to keeping those resolutions!

[Miss Ellie]

Laurie your first post of the New Year did not disappoint...loved it as usual...thanks for the laugh as I get caught up with all the DK posts I missed during Christmas and our New Year's cruise:)

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

F, Your FitBit is a big fibber :)

Gail, I am on to F and would never fall for this comment :) LOL

Jane, LOL...neither Fudge or Vern liked that martini glass :)

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

Thank you, Vern!  I've been struggling with what my New Year's Resolution would be....I don't want it to be anything that might involve a commitment.  I've now decided that it will be to try an "Appletini" or several in 2014.  I've never had one but Vern looks very serious about his "tini"...either that or he's had one too many.

[F, Calla & Luca]

She'll see through this in a heartbeat : )

[Gail and Bailey]

OMD....get the resuscitator ready for Laurie!!

 

[F, Calla & Luca]

My FItBit just registered 200,000 steps already today.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Thanks, Carol. I will look into it and let you know!! Of course, if I got one, I would have to beat your steps each day. LOL

[Carol and Banjo]

Laurie,   I have the Fitbit Flex model.    I think the Force gives you a running readout of your steps, which would be a nice feature.     As I practically live on my iPad and/or laptop it's no biggie for me to update my food/water intake and to keep tabs on my steps.   You can also set it to gently vibrate if you're inactive (like being on your computer for example) just to remind you that the day is passing away and you're doing NOTHING!!!!    I haven't set mine to do that yet as it's still new and I am being pretty good with reminding myself.   You know, the novelty ….. hasn't worn off yet.   

I've gotten into the habit of walking around the house as I'm waiting for the water to boil, talking on the phone, waiting for DH to get ready to go out, Waiting for the toast to pop…..all sorts of random wasted minutes.   It's amazing how fast the steps add up!

Let me know if you decide to get one.   I really think you'd like it……you know…..being the competitive type that you are……     : )

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Gina, Yes, this year we can work for the mutual goal of getting in our bikinis :)

Leslie, I hate Burpees. Jogging AND burpees.....I think I am going with laughing more, too!

Lori, Thank you!! You have so much to look forward, starting with your son's visit. Enjoy every minute!!!

Nicky, LOL about Mick Jagger. I will have to remember that one. Thank you!!

Donna, I know where you can borrow an extra large martini glass :)

Karen, I think you have the best New Year's resolution. Thank you!!

Nancy, Send the magic my way when you are done with it :)

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Janice, Thanks for responding. It is nice to know people read my blogs :) LOL about your daughter and the bangs. I like a kid with attitude. Happy New Year! Good luck with your weight loss thing...I hope we are successful.

Bonnie, LOL Yes, our Vern is a work in progress, but we love him so much. Can you say spoiled??

Lonnie, I actually did have one of the workers ask me at WW one time if I needed the reading material again?? LOL  I have joined and quit so many times it is sad. Good luck. I probably will only job twice and go back to walking. LOL Thank you!

DJ, I hope you have better success with Chance than I anticipate with Fudge :)

Gail, I have looked into FitBit before. Maybe it is now or never time. Good idea! Let's do it!!

BG, Oh, he does....he really does :)

Cheryl, I like the way you think. Does laughing burn calories?? LOL

F, Keep on keeping on :) You might have the best idea ever, as I do seem to accomplish less and less over the years. Maybe I should focus on the few things I still get done. I should probably start Downton Abbey.

Carol, Great idea. My sister suggested the FitBit a while ago. What model do you have? I had looked into it, but I probably stop to eat a couple of cookies and forgot all about it :) Great idea. Thank you!!