Goals, etc.

I LOATH turning January 1st into some sort of magical diet-starting day, as if the flipping of a calendar page can somehow change all of my poor eating habits, rip out my crazy sweet tooth and give me the motivation to work out during every nap time instead of sitting on the couch watching Judge Judy. And with so many people kicking off their diets or fitness plans it feels like I can’t escape the constant deluge of advice and tips and tweeted pictures of sad little yogurt cups. Your yogurt makes me SAD, friends. Please throw some granola and a few berries on top. Personally, I think January is the WORST time to start a diet plan. Do you have seasonal amnesia? Do you REMEMBER what January is like in 75% of the country? Cold. Dark. Dreary. Miserable. Mind-numbingly boring. An endless stretch of nothingness punctuated by housebound snow days and pajama pants. If you love the symbolism of a brand new year as a fresh start towards your goals then go ahead, fight the crowds and sign up for that gym membership – but don’t be surprised when the siren song of pizza delivery and unplowed roads drives you totally insane. I vote we all start making Memorial Day Resolutions or Arbor Day Resolutions or National Day After National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day Resolutions instead.

That being said, as of Monday I’m back to strict point tracking with Weight Watchers and recommitted to attending Stroller Strides at least 4 days a week. Pot, kettle, etc etc. But the truth is with Caroline’s first birthday in my rear-view mirror, I have passed the “just had a baby” excuse for anything and I’m really sick of feeling like such a MOM in my body. I’m not even talking just about my weight. I actually don’t feel so bad about that. The 20-something pounds slash jean size I’ve already lost have done WONDERS for how I feel, especially when it comes to photos of myself. Go ahead! Snap a candid shot! From a low angle! I fully accept that those arms are attached to my torso!

What I really mean is I wear far too many stretchy pants and sweatshirts. I own jeans my own mother is too cool to be seen wearing in public. I haven’t had my hair cut and colored professionally since before I was pregnant. The first time. I am a grown-up with a mortgage and two kids and yet I still don’t wash my face before I go to bed. I cannot stop myself from eating an entire bag of candy if it’s anywhere in my house.  I haven’t gotten more than 4 hours of sleep in more than a year.

Whoa, that turned really whiny really fast. This is the least original post ever in the history of mom blogging – committing to taking better care of myself so I can feel better is like the super graphic but somehow still boring birth story of 2011.  Sorry for the self-pity parade, but it has been a Tough Week with a non-sleeping baby and no pints of ice cream to self-medicate and we did a goal setting exercise at Stroller Strides that made me thinking writing this stuff down somewhere where I could be held accountable might not be a bad idea.

So, here’s the facts:
I would like to lose 15 pounds before we take our super special bathing-suit based vacation in March
I would like to lose 30 more pounds total
When I get to 150 pounds, I get a new tattoo as a reward
When I get to my goal weight I get to buy a pair of REALLY EXPENSIVE jeans that REALLY FIT as a reward
I will get my hair cut/colored at a real salon where I have to make an appointment
I will get at least one pedicure this year (yikes)
I will wash my face at night – or at least MOST nights, or at least wipe it off with those cloth things

I’m not going to make some sort of promise to record my journey and document all my triumphs and set backs (pause for the collective sigh of relief) but I might mention it. And if you happen to see me hanging around Twitter making EAT ALL THE CANDY comments, maybe remind me I really really want that new tattoo.

tl;dr version – I’m turning 30 in April, so it’s time to stop feeling like shit about myself.

 

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17 Responses to “Goals, etc.”

  1. Amanda says:

    Oddly enough we have very similar goals and rewards. Except instead of jeans I have until August to reach 150 and and my reward is a very expensive bathing suit to skip along the California beach in. Good luck! Now I must go put on y stupid sneakers and do something productive with my day.

  2. Kimberly says:

    You have just motivated me to take off my stretchy pants and put on real clothes for preschool drop off. I can’t wait to see what the new tattoo will be :)

  3. Leah says:

    So what you are saying is that I should have tweeted that big ass bowl of rocky road/Drumstick ice cream I had last night? With cookies in it?

    Also, Your tattoo pins have been killing me. I got my first and last one at the ripe old age of 18 and have been pining for another ever since. And I am fLoving the bird ones (duh).

  4. merin says:

    Don’t feel bad about the face washing-you’re not the only one (and I’m 38!). Multiple Santas (aka my mom and husband) loaded my stocking with these awesome chamomile and white tea wipes so I am trying to use that at night. The bonus is that Cora likes them too, so I have also eliminated the face-washing-in-the-tub battle. A win-win!!

    • Amanda says:

      I am intrigued by these wipes. Where can I find them? I am a horrible face washer. I usually collapse in my bed face down from exhaustion rather wash my face.

  5. molly says:

    You crack me up. I don’t wash my face before I go to bed and then I complain about my acne. Although I know it is more hormonal than dirt that’s causing it.

    I wish you luck in your goal. I’m pretty sure you can do this. I remember you getting up at like 6 a.m. to go to yoga at BlogHer after a night of parties. So yeah, you seem pretty motivated to me!

    I’m sorry Caroline isn’t sleeping much. I remember that feeling about Brigham and how frustrated I was. I hope it gets better soon so you can get a good night’s sleep!

  6. Mama Fisch says:

    I needed a good laugh this morning and you never disappoint! I like you have a goal of taking care of me….exercise time specifically because I am a better mama, wife, teacher etc… when I do it! Pedicures are a must! I never miss my monthly one because they involve someone taking care of me, a gross part of me and quiet time! I think you aimed low but try to get one at least once a quarter! Right? You deserve it!

  7. You absolutely should get a pedicure. And more than once a year. There are few things that make me feel better than a good pedi. I don’t know why. Maybe because my husband sometimes buys them for me when I need a pick-me-up?

    I feel you on the hair thing. I haven’t been as long as you have, but it’s probably been since June since I had a haircut at all, and my hair is out of control.

    Good luck on your goals. And I hope that you feel good about yourself this year, even before you’ve accomplished all these things! I think you’re pretty swell!

  8. I’m proud of you and your progress so far, your reasonable goals, your excellent, but not outlandish, rewards. You can do this. And hurry up so I can see the tattoo.

  9. Mom D says:

    66 days until the WONDERFUL vacation – but whose counting :)

  10. barbra says:

    I like that you set both tangible goals and specific rewards for yourself. Maybe that would help me. I haven’t had more than a Supercuts trim in almost two years. My goal is not so much the weight issue, but just looking/feeling more put together in general. I never wear makeup. I need to learn how to hide the ever present racoon eyes. My job allows me to dress casual and I really push that envelope. If I would just wear nicer shoes I wouldn’t look like such a slob. Thanks for the idea of goals/rewards.

  11. I could have written this post – it may not be original, but it sure is relatable. I have rosacea, FTLOG, you’d think I would be on top of the face washing thing. And yet. I’m thinking a lot of our similarities in these areas have to do with the closely spaced little ones.

    I am very excited to see pictures of your haircut, reward tattoo (I have also been stalking your pins and am so jealous I didn’t think of the birds first), and new jeans! Keep us posted!

  12. Jessica says:

    I love everything about this post, I made GOALS for 2012 not resolutions, resolutions are made to be broken, goals you work towards…. completely different things! That being said I’ll be 27 in March, I never ever remember to wash my face before bed and I spend entirely to much time in stretch pants/sweats because I am to cheap to buy new jeans post “baby” (she just turned 18 months) we are planning on another child and I don’t want to waste that money when I can buy a whole new wardrobe after #2, or that is what I tell myself. My old jeans fit…. sort of.

  13. Shannon says:

    I LOVE that you want a tattoo as a reward! I just told my husband that when I am officially writing full-time and not a full-time teacher anymore, I am rewarding myself with a visible wrist tattoo :)

  14. […] bebehblog on January 31, 2012 TweetSo. My resolutions-goals-plans-whatever get a resounding “meh” right […]

  15. […] bebehblog on February 27, 2012 TweetWhen I wrote out my New Year goals, I made a corresponding list of rewards for reaching certain milestones. People do this all the […]

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