To Resolute or Not To Resolute

So another year is coming upon us, and tis the time of the season when we worry about changing the bad habits and lifestyles we've picked up along the way.  Actually, there are quite a few times during the secular year when people can decide to make changes: the Jewish New Year; Chinese New Year; birthday; anniversary; end of the school year, and so on.  But the New Year according to the Gregorian calendar is when most people choose to make "resolutions" or promises that they will make certain changes.  

I'm just as guilty.  Every time something is marked on the calendar I swear up and down that THIS will be the time I will start losing weight.  My cross to bear; my Everest.  I need to lose a good 80 pounds, but would be happy to start out by losing 30 by the summer (doesn't matter why the summer).  Last year I even donned my yoga pants and walked a mile on New Years Day!  Whoo hoo, I was raring to go.  Then, as usual, something happens like I don't have enough money for proper healthy food, or some emotional trigger sets off in my head, and the drive to work out is gone.  It's sooo much work; so daunting and overwhelming and I get discouraged easily.

Then there's also the thought that, well, do I really want to lose the weight?  I'm healthy; my sugar level is normal; my cholesterol level is normal and my blood pressure is a bit high but that's cause of my job.  Also, it's too easy to just slip back into old habits.  The boys don't care; they don't see me as fat and their friends think I'm hot so no one really bugs me about it.  And really, if I do lose the weight will HE just magically fall in love with me the next time he sees me?  SIGH  I still like to think so.  LOL

Resolutions should be made only if you mean it because then you feel like a total failure otherwise.  I say instead of saying I'm going to lose weight, how about I say I'm going to cut out the crap, and by crap I mean the junk food.  No more fast food, no more chips, cookies, chocolate and the like.  I've already cut out pasta (almost - I made a shissle full on Christmas Eve but that was special) and I only miss it sometimes.  I'm not going to give up white rice; brown rice is just awful.  I can't afford to go all out and re-learn how to buy healthy foods so I have to make small changes.  Smaller portions, less junk, less bread (not cut it out completely just yet).  

So my resolution this year isn't to lose the 30 pounds I want to lose by summer, but to make the necessary changes to get there.  I have to be like Bob and baby step it all the way.  If I feel deprived, I'll get pissed of and resentful and say "screw it" and go right back to eating what I want, damn the consequences.  That's not the person I want to be, so why set myself up in the first place?

My advice to my friends who want to make resolutions:  Make one or two small changes until they become habits; then another and another.  I think if we do that, we'll be successful at whatever we attempt.  

So, here's to a new year and a new idea of making resolutions.  And until the new year, ENJOY!!!!