2009: March's Update

1. Use the blog as active forum to update resolutions. Clearly not.
2. Lower body fat. Well, for once, yes. I have been not very committed to the gym of late, but yesterday's session certainly can be felt right now. Not smart for my squash match tonight, but what can you do? It seems to be paying dividends, as I've picked up a bit in the last week or so and am lifting serious weights. As a result, 29.3%, so down 1% from last month. Can't expect results like that all the time, but I'm rather pleased and it hopefully will inspire me further, once the threat of wearing a bikini in Vegas recedes...
3. Run a 10k. Hmm. At the moment, I'm not sure where I'd fit this all in. As a friend is running the London Marathon in a few weeks, I resolve to have at least scheduled an appointment by that date. Ahem.
4. No TV one night a week. We're not even in the house to watch tv at the moment - I get home so late and we've been here there and everywhere. Hopefully this weekend I will get some time to myself. Hopefully.
5. Read 6 books from Observer 100. I am still waiting for Anna Karenina from the NYPL - currently 6 out of 14 holds - and when that arrives, that's my next one.
   
6. Watch at least 12 movies from the IMDB top 250. We have The Seven Samurai sitting waiting for us; reasons for not watching yet, see 4, supra.
7. Not go onto the internet for recreation until midday every day. Clearly not happening, seeing as I'm doing it now. Right - start again. Seriously.
   
8. Cook a new recipe twice a month AND (to make different from last year) recount the successes/failures on the blog. See 4, supra.
   
9. Eat one piece of fruit a day every day I'm at work. Sticking to this pretty well - I'm definitely eating more fruit than usual.
   
10. Win a game of squash! Well, I played my first game in ages and I lost 3-2, in the squash ladder. Having had 4 match points. Maybe I'm a loser, not a clutch player. A choker. AAAAAAAAAARGH. I'm playing two matches this week, and hopeful I'll win at least one of those.
    

2009: February's Update

1. Use this blog as a forum for really thinking about what I have resolved to do and actively maintain my resolutions, monthly. Not working thus far. Oops. Real effort in March.
   


2. Lower the body fat.This is actively going wrong for me. a) We just got new scales, and they appear to have a different measuring system because I went from 27%, roughly, to 29% in a week, which is just highly unlikely given I went to the gym three times and was pretty healthy that week.* b) I am now up to 30.3%. So by whatever measuring scales we're using, I'm going the wrong way. It's been a pretty monstrous few weeks, here there and everywhere, and so I've been terrible at eating well and getting to the gym. I've been indulging in eating to make up for lack of alcohol, and am paying the price. But it starts again today - back on the weightlifting tip and getting some good, lower fat eating done.
   


3. Run a 10k with TOH by the end of the year. Not called a physio. Will do this week. On pain of death - not cake.
   


4. Have one night a week where TOH and I sit in the house but do not turn on the tv. Not happened at all. Instead, I've been consoling myself with TV while TOH has been jetting here there and everywhere. Starts this week!
   


5. Read at least six books from the Observer 100. I did indeed! I read The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers. It's a book that was published in 1903 and is considered a precursor to the spy genre of people like Deighton, Le Carre et al. It also apparently predicts some methods of attack by the German navy during the Great War. It was terribly technical about yachting - not my favourite idea - but I did genuinely enjoy it, and it was terribly tense toward the end. I like spy books, but I'm not sure why this should go in rather than The Spy Who Came in from the Cold - one of my all-time favourites and an absolutely spectacular spy novel - other than it being the first. And that's not really sufficient to support its entry, I don't think. Next: a biggie - Anna Karenina. Ulp. I'm only 8 of 8 requests, so it shouldn't be long.
   


6. Watch at least twelve movies from the IMDB top 100. Well, we've not managed that because, again, barely been home. But tonight am going to suggest one. Honest.
   


7. Not go onto the internet for recreation until midday every day. I've been utterly terrible at this, but started afresh today and (other than the cricket score, which I can get passively) have been very good. It's definitely worth it.
   


8. Cook a new recipe twice a month AND (to make different from last year) recount the successes/failures on the blog. Nada. Nothing. See above for lame excuses as to why.
   


9. Eat one piece of fruit a day every day I'm at work. Actually stuck to this, and enjoyed it!
   
   
10. Win a game of squash! I seem to have regressed a little, just in time for the squash ladder to start. Ulp. Going to get killed, despite being in the bottom group. Ugh. Still, onwards and upwards!
    

* The scales also appear to be not the most reliable, given that we did the weigh-in this morning and I went up 3lb in the space of 2 mins. And I had not just eaten a ton of hot dogs in that time. Hmm.

2009: January's Update

Happy Groundhog Day! Honestly, I just saw Mayor Bloomberg getting the groundhog from Staten Island and couldn't quite believe it - it's not even Punxatawny Phil (who disagrees with the Staten Island groundhog, apparently)! My dear Pat Kiernan did, at least, see the ridiculous side of it.

1. Use this blog as a forum for really thinking about what I have resolved to do and actively maintain my resolutions, monthly. Well, I suppose so. Hmm. Not sure I've done that, but I have at least blogged and I was worried last week about various things I hadn't done because it was nearly time to update...
   


2. Lower the body fat. I have no idea if this has happened because my scales have sadly died (new ones en route), and I can't find the body fat calipers - plus, it seems weird to change measuring technique right now. Still, I might try and find this. I have a feeling that nothing good has happened to my body fat level after a rather indulgent couple of weeks, but I plan to get back on track, starting today. I've really not been going to the gym, which is just wrong. I've been enjoying my squash and football and swimming, but not weightlifting, and that's really what I need to start doing again.
   


3. Run a 10k with TOH by the end of the year. Yeah, I've done nothing on this. I need to contact a physio. Will do this week.
   


4. Have one night a week where TOH and I sit in the house but do not turn on the tv. Yeah, not sure I've done this, but we did have one Sunday where I just sat and read an amazing book without watching tv.
   


5. Read at least six books from the Observer 100. Well, I have one out from the library! I have to finish my bookclub book, but as I have a Sunday deadline for that, I think I'm going to end up reading it next. Yippee!
   


6. Watch at least twelve movies from the IMDB top 100. We finally finished The Hustler, but otherwise nothing. We have out from netflix The Wire at the moment, and maybe I should put another, comforting, movie at the top of the list for when TOH gets home tomorrow... hmm... Note, the film can't be from the current year - you can't trust the current movie assessments.
   


7. Not go onto the internet for recreation until midday every day. Well, I've not been great at this. I've started deteriorating, although never back to the previous levels. I have, however, been much better than before and seen a bump in productivity, so it's time to get back to even more disciplined.
   


8. Cook a new recipe twice a month AND (to make different from last year) recount the successes/failures on the blog. Well, I've barely cooked at all. I've really been feeling the lack of homecooking and control over my life. I made a pie with TOH last week - who made a fantastic crumble - and I made a baked brie for a party, but neither of those is new. Sadly. But I am going to have something cooked for tomorrow night. Actually excited about choosing the food.
   


9. Eat one piece of fruit a day every day I'm at work. I've actually been pretty good at this. I think I've only missed about 3 days in all of January, and that's including working weekends.
   
   
10. Win a game of squash! Well, I've won one or two games against each of the three people I play regularly. I'm definitely improving, although of course annoyingly the people I'm playing are also improving. I've sent off my ladder application and am going for a lesson hopefully this week. Yay!

And that's it. Time for a shower and work. Huzzah!

2009: The Year of the...?

2009. A momentous year: I will turn 30. Ulp. I'm trying not to fixate on it - considered and rejected a "things to do before I'm 30" list. Instead I have decided to try to maintain the good work started thanks to the 2008 resolutions, and make a list of things I aim to do, and maintain them, again, here. I was reading a post on feministing about how resolutions are often linked to negative stuff, things you don't like about yourself and, particularly, weight for women. I agree, but on the other hand, it's also a chance to live more positively. I love feeling physically strong; I love being able to be better at the sports I play due to increased strength and fitness. I think if you don't enjoy sport, it's hard to understand, but the confidence that comes with it, with loving physical activity, is unlike anything else, and means you view yourself from a different perspective than the thinness for sexiness that pervades our culture and psyches.

So, these resolutions are to give me a kick up the backside - not to be a "better" person by being thinner or doing things I ought to do, but to do things that I love but that I am often too lazy to do. Without further ado, they are:

1. Use this blog as a forum for really thinking about what I have resolved to do and actively maintain my resolutions, monthly.


2. Lower the body fat. Last year resulted in a 1.1% reduction from 29% to 27.9%. I would love to get it down to 26.5% by the end of the year.


3. Run a 10k with TOH by the end of the year. As such, I will resolve to go to a physiotherapist, finally, and also take it easy with the running, building it up slowly.


4. Have one nights a week where TOH and I sit in the house but do not turn on the tv. Ulp. That is NOT tonight, what with Pushing Daisies and the Bones Marathon on TNT to catch up with...
   


5. Read at least six books from the Observer 100.


6. Watch at least twelve movies from the IMDB top 100.


7. Not go onto the internet for recreation until midday every day. Ulp. Yes, indeed, this is one of the punitive-type resolutions. But it will just make me more productive and make me feel so much better about myself.
   


8. Cook a new recipe twice a month AND (to make different from last year) recount the successes/failures on the blog.


9. Eat one piece of fruit a day every day I'm at work. Seriously, how hard can that be? Probably very, in my case.
   
   
10. Win a game of squash! Seriously. I've not won one since I restarted. Thereafter, win something on the squash ladder at the local gym. That'd be nice. I'd also like to score a goal. That'd be grand.

Merry New Year to Everyone! Here's hoping these resolutions will add to a happy 2009.