heavy early

Whenever I am up this early, I think of Johnny Fever from WKRP in Cincinnati. Remember the episode when he was doing the graveyard slot and he called himself Heavy Early? That's how I feel right now. My hunny had to start work at 4 a.m. and I was awake every 45 minutes or so, all night (we went to bed at 9:30 last night), paranoid that I wouldn't get up when the alarm went off.

I did get up, I woke him up and he's off to work right now. I'm a little groggy and overtired but can't sleep so I thought I'd say hello. Recently, I have made an amazing discovery: Quaker Crispy Mini's Salsa & Sour Cream Tortillaz. My local grocery store had them on for $0.97 per bag and at less than 70 calories per serving, I had to try them. I was pleasantly surprised by how tasty they were. They are really crunchy and flavourful without being too salty. I didn't expect to like them as much as I did, but sometimes you just never know, right?

I've been thinking a lot about 2004 over the past day or so. There are things that I've done that I'm quite pleased about and others that I regret. When I reflect on the stuff that I wish I'd done, it's not really fitness or health related. Every time I had an opportunity to spend some time with my friends or extended family, I can recall thinking about how much fun it was and "why didn't we do this more often." I hate that everyone gets so busy and bogged down with every day life type crap and we allow too much time to go by, between occasions. It's something that I've made a conscious decision to do in 2005: put my friends and family before things that aren't important. Re-prioritize I guess you could say. In light of the disaster that has happened in Asia this week, I feel so heartbroken and sick for everyone who is looking for missing family members and for those folks who have lost their lives so quickly and unexpectedly. Life is too short to let all the little crappy details distract me from what is really important.

Anyway, it would not be the beginning of the year without some goals. I hate to disappoint so here we go:

1. Get back, 100%, on plan. The whole household is going to boot camp. The excess Christmas goodies will be thrown out. We will eat the majority of our meals at home (eating out got kind of crazy in the last part of 2004). I will be a bad-ass and will keep our kitchen a "fail-proof environment" (a la Dr. Phil). No exceptions!!

2. Exercise program. In addition to the regular cardio I do (five mornings a week on the recumbent bike plus walking), I will add my new pilates DVD's to the mix. Initially, I want to do pilates at least 2 times a week. I realize that it might take me a while to figure it out. When I finally get comfortable with it, I'll increase the frequency. 2005 will be about strength and flexibility!!

3. Stress. I want to reduce it. I am a worrier by nature and I know that I bring a lot of my stress on myself. I want to eliminate any unnecessary stress and worry from my life and keep my focus on things that are truly meaningful to me.

Basically, in 2005 I want to be healthy and happy and to accomplish all of the things that I didn't do in 2004. In a perfect world, I'd love to lose over 100 pounds in 2005. From a practical point of view though, I think that a goal of 50 is more reasonable and attainable. If I beat that number, great but I don't want to get my goal too high and be overwhelmed by it. I'm going to take 2005 day by day and, instead of another year of being maintaining girl, I'd like to be the best darned shrinking girl that I know I can be!