Runs and reflections

I went running this morning. It was a nice easy 2.5 miles. I like that my new default is 2.5 miles. It's not 500 yds or 5 minutes - it's 2.5 miles.

As is very apparent from the frequency of my posts, I've let my blog go. I needed to focus on a few things off-line and reflecting on the last year, I think it's paid off. Over the last year, I've made some great progress in a lot of areas in my life:
1. I've become more fiscally responsible - I'm living within a budget and am actually producing savings (yay savings!)
2. I set a goal of running the Army 10-miler last year and I did it. Even better I did it with a solid and consistent training base behind me.
3. I've worked really hard on having opinions and perspectives. This might sound funny to anyone who knows me in real life since I'm rather outspoken on many subjects. But the bottom line is I'm outspoken about issues that impact other people. Ask me what I want to eat for dinner or whether I like brussel sprouts and until a few years ago I probably couldn't have given you a straight answer. Developing opinions of my own has led me to chop off all of my hair and is directly responsible for a lot of the success I'm having at work.
4. I have officially kept a plant alive for over a year. Not only that, but the last two plants I bought (mint and sage), are doing so well, I actually had to cut and replant the sage this weekend. Considering that four years ago I managed to do the impossible (I killed a mint plant), I think I'd say this is great improvement.
5. My job: I love my job and my job loves me. In the 12 months since I started my new job I have gotten some great visibility, great mentoring, and to have people say to me "you need to tell me where you want to go in your career so I can open the right doors for you" is a huge boost to the ego.
6. I'm not eating out as much as I used to (this is very much related to #1 - being fiscally responsible), which has been good for my waist line.

There are so many other things I'm really proud of in my life: the serious relationship I'm in (we're celebrating our 1 year anniversary this month) with a man who actually wants me to be strong and independent, rediscovering my love of...well...everything. Things are good.

Except when it comes to my health. There are still so many things I want to do in this area. Bottom line is while I'm not where I want to be I've managed to stop my 20 lbs weight gain and bring it back down to a 13 lbs gap. It's only been 3 months since I had an exercise streak - not 2 years or more.

I know one of my biggest problems is the "all or nothing" thinking: if I start exercising and I miss a day then it's all over. Not particularly helpful.

Another problem is the "should/need" statements: I should really get off my butt and go do something productive. That leads to me feeling guilty when I don't get around to exercising and that just doesn't go anywhere positive either.

So this time around I'm focusing on what I would LIKE to accomplish and I'm going to keep it to the bare minimum so I don't get distracted with my list of eight million things I'd like to be awesome at (i.e. being awesome at yoga, running, qi gong, kung fu, cross-fit, etc.).

The bottom line goals/motives are:
1. lose 10 lbs
2. feel good naked

That seems easy enough. Losing 10 lbs is measurable and feeling good naked will definitely be present if I lose the 10 lbs (since I liked how I looked at that weight a few years ago). So the game plan is going to be equally simple: cardio and weights...and blogging.

Here we go!