I did not make resolutions this year. This is not because I object to resolutions; I simply have difficulty KEEPING resolutions. So I’ve found that the solution to that perplexing problem is to refrain from making resolutions in the first place. Genius, I know.
But! I am not opposed to bogarting other people’s resolutions.
When my best friend from back home told me she was giving up sugar for January, I jumped right on board.
My logic: If I don’t make it through January, I only have HER to blame, for picking such an unreasonable resolution. Right? RIGHT?
Anyway, I need to take more initiative when it comes to my health, and abstaining from sugar for a month seemed like a good idea. I don’t expect to give up sugar forever. But I do think this will help re-calibrate my sugar-desire mechanism. Or whatever it is that one re-calibrates.
(And by sugar I mean sweets. I am still eating fruit and drinking juice [in moderation] and using products that may have sugar or a sugar derivative in them, like ketchup.)
(I’m not even TRYING to aim for perfection here, Internet.)
Since I will only be traveling once this month (woo!), I thought it would be a good idea to get into exercising. After all, my in-laws gave us an elliptical and a treadmill. So it’s rather stupid NOT to use them. Especially because they are set up very nicely in front of the basement TV.
So far this week, I’ve exercised every day AND I’ve steered clear of sugar.
But I do have Things to Report. (Yes! Already!)
Thing 1: I didn’t realize how much I was depending on sweet things. I never really cared about sweets – well, not THAT much – until I met my husband. But he has a MASSIVE sweet tooth, and he converted me to sweettoothism as well (although I’m nowhere near as devout as he is). But I always thought that I was so much more of a chips and cheese gal that sweets weren’t really a big part of my life.
Nonetheless, it turns out that I really MISS sweets. I guess they had become a bigger part of my life than I realized? (Although, thinking back, I do seem to remember lots of Reese’s eating going on this year.) I find myself prowling around the house, hungry, trying to figure out how to satisfy the gnawing sweet-hunger I’ve developed. Usually I stave it off with chips or alcohol.
Thing 2: But! Now I am giving up alcohol for January as well, just because my friend is. And because I am clearly a masochist. Now I will have to really load up on the chips to compensate!
Thing 3: I tried to use my computer on the treadmill the other day. I do a lot of reading (for work) and I figured I could walk and read at the same time. Of course, my treadmill doesn’t have a laptop holder. So I thought I would just hold the laptop in my arms. It would be a good workout for my arms, to hold it for 30 minutes whilst climbing an imaginary hill.
Then one of my clients IMed me. So I IMed her back.
And fell off the treadmill.
Don’t worry! I didn’t drop my computer!
Thing 4: Last night, I made a “milkshake” with orange juice, crushed ice, Greek yogurt, a dash of vanilla, and a little drizzle of honey.
I do not recommend it.
It was gritty and tasteless. But I made a LOT of it, so I drank three glasses.
Thing 5: My husband and I tried a new recipe – broiled salmon with Thai sweet chili glaze from Once Upon a Chef. It was delicious and SUPER EASY. We paired it with steamed broccoli.
I felt SO HEALTHY after eating it, too.
Thing 6: It feels very virtuous to say “I’ve exercised and abstained from sugar ALL YEAR LONG.”
It feels less virtuous to be reminded that the year, so far, is only 5 days old.
Thing 7: I have an urgent and inexplicable craving for Brie. Wrapped in phyllo dough and crisped in the oven until the Brie oozes out the sides.
My friend better not say she’s ALSO giving up cheese.
How are your resolutions – or non-resolutions – coming so far, Internet?
I love that you are jumping on others’ resolutions – great way to have a way out! I never really liked sweets either until my husband – I still don’t love really sweet things, but cookies are so hard to give up right now.
We’re trying clean eating this year (more whole/natural foods versus processed foods), and 5 days in we’re doing well (at least at dinner). I’m also getting off the fake-sugar (i.e. Diet Coke) … so far, not good but transitioning to coffee with real sugar.
I gave up sugar and alcohol. Which is totally insane.
I never cared about sweets until pregnancies made me. And although my kids are now 7 and nearly 4, I have not shed the sweet tooth. Ergh. I always tell myself it’s “just ONE” piece of dark chocolate, or “just 5” M&Ms, but it is so easy for it to escalate! Gah. Good resolution, to “reset” yourself.
I didn’t actually make resolutions. I’m trying to workout 3x/week, and so far in 2012, it hasn’t happened. But I had started this in November, so it’s not a “failed resolution”. IT IS NOT.
The treadmill story made me laugh.
I’m on day three of no Starbucks and it has been ROUGH (not even no caffeine, just no buying Starbucks. Am pathetic). The only thing keeping me from going right now is the fact that it’s effing freezing outside and I don’t want to have to don all my winter apparel to go out. Laziness for the win!
I really like this whole *other peoples’ resolutions* thing. Pure genius :0)
Good for you! Maybe at the end of your year I’ll say: “My friend went all year exercising and not eating sugar!” 🙂
Also, as sad as it is, I could not give up alcohol. That is depressing and embarrassing to admit.
The treadmill story cracked me up.
I don’t believe in making New Year’s resolutions either! Adopting someone else’s is an interesting idea, however. I tend to make goals as the year goes along. Sugar would be hard for me. Caffiene and alcohol not – I don’t use them! Exercise beyond chasing my children would be hard. Giving up the internet would be hard. But I have no reason to do that, so no worries!
I love that you are doing other people’s resolutions. I think that is awesome.
Mine is to take more pictures of our life and happenings here. Surely that’s a less masochistic one, no?
I gave up sugar for a few months and now my sugar cravings have recalibrated to CRAZY HIGH I LOVE YOU ALL THE TIME levels. So, here’s to hoping it works a little better for you.
oh my heavens, I hope you saw my answer to the computer shelf question–its a Surf Shelf (ordered off amazon). Mine just showed up today, I am waiting for the kids to fall asleep so I can install it.
I did sort of the same thing when trying to use my computer on the treadmill. My treadmill has a lip on the console and I put the laptop there. Except the laptop slipped after I while and I slammed my hand onto it to catch it, which apparently slammed it hard enough to press the 15 mph button underneath it….and all of a sudden the treadmill started whizzing faster and faster and faster and I was all of a sudden running very very very fast OMG I’m slamming on the stop button it won’t stop AAAAAAUUUGGGHHH. Thank goodness my treadmill has one of those keys you pull out and it stops immediately. Of course that sent me reeling backward onto my bottom. After that I resolved to find a shelf-type thing.
Hope your treadmill incident ended without injury.
May I recommend a healthy and GOOD ‘milkshake’?
1 banana (I like to freeze it)
half cup almond milk (I usually just use regular milk though)
A scoop of cocoa powder
stevia sweetener or honey.
Yuuummmm
Brie… oh my love of brie, exactly as you described, with some of my friend’s homemade preserves on it… cheese, how I love thee!
This is why I do not ever EVER make any plans to give up sweets, sugars, or anything else that I love.
I fear I would become crabby…well…crabbier…if I gave up sweets and carbs at the same time. Oh the horror! I find it takes me about 3 weeks to break the habit of craving chocolate or carbs or whatever it is that I am trying not to eat and about ………0000000005 seconds to renew that craving once I give in. Right now I am trying to rebreak the carb habit…again!
Ha, you made me laugh. I hope you are okay from the treadmill injury! I don’t think giving up alcohol is that bad, but cheese, never!
I love, love, love making resolutions.
I haven’t, however, made a concrete list yet for this year…….
I love resolutions. LOVE THEM! I’m doing well so far! You know, giving up sugar would be good for me. Every time I eliminate it I am SHOCKED by how much I actually eat. I’ve done well not buying the crappy food that I buy when I want to snack. For. The. Love. Anywho, choosing to cling to coat tails is pretty smart. Doing things in pairs is ALWAYS easier.
I laughed out loud at you drinking all of your smoothy that sucked. Sounds just like me. Lately, on the smoothy front I’ve been having frozen mango, greek yogurt, milk and a bit of agave syrup (or honey or maple syrup – although I suppose those are out if you’re not having sugar. I’m sure it’s still good without it).
Giving up sugar is HARD! I did it a few years ago for a couple of months. When you eat sugar again, everything will be so so sweet.
I certainly hope that somebody you know has made a goal to post on their blog more often and that you decide to borrow that resolution too ;-)!