Resolutions

At year end, everyone inevitability starts to talk about resolutions.  It seems there's no better time to plan some positive change in life than at the start of a new year.  For as long as I can remember, I've told people that my resolution is to not make resolutions.  And for the most part, I've done a pretty good job of sticking with it.

This year, I broke with tradition.  I vowed to give up soda (even though I only drink diet).  There are plenty of well-known reasons to do this: it's acidic, it can lead to brittle bones, wear down the enamel of teeth, and lead to obesity. It's loaded with caffeine and is likely a direct contributor to my inability to sleep at night.  All bad things.  

This 'resolution' lasted for just a week or so... I was out to lunch, looking over the menu, when a waitress asked what I wanted to drink.  Out of habit, I replied "Diet Pepsi."  The resolution was in serious jeopardy.  

So I quickly modified the plan.  I would only drink soda outside of my house.  It's not a perfect plan, but I figured it would be better than nothing.

Well, that didn't last too long either.  A week or so later, a friend mentioned something about Dr. Pepper 10.  Being a fan of the both the full-calorie and diet versions, it sounded like something I should try... only you can't find it out in a restaurant (at least not yet).  When I was at the grocery store,  I slipped it into the shopping cart and haven't looked back since.

You see, once you start down the slippery slope of New Year's Resolution compromise... well, it's hard to turn back. 

So, what's a girl to do?

Perhaps I should just continue to resolve NOT to make resolutions.  If I don't make a promise, I can't break it as easily as I broke this one. 

Still, there are changes that I would like to make this year.  Only, I won't call them 'resolutions'.  They're simply things I hope will be better this year than last.

Some are fairly simple - like running.  When I started running almost three years ago, I quickly learned that I could eat whatever I wanted without gaining weight.  That's a huge advantage for a girl who likes ice cream and lives in close proximity to both Meyer's Dairy and the Penn State Creamery (where Ben & Jerry learned to make ice cream way back in 1974).

Outside of good shoes and warm gloves, there are just two things I need to run.

First, I need accountability.  That's easiest with a running partner and I've been lucky to find a few good ones over the years.  But I don't have someone to run with every day and so I post all of my running activities to Facebook.  As long as people know that I run and expect me to go out and do it, I find that I can tie on my shoes and head out even on the days I just don't feel like it.

I also need a goal - something to train for.  This year I am looking at several races: the Broad Street Run (May), the always fun, dirty Warrior Dash (June), the Perk Up Half Marathon (August), and the Hershey Half Marathon (October) are on my agenda, with some shorter distances sprinkled throughout the year for good measure.  These races will guide my training and dictate the mileage I run each week.  But even in my slow months (like now), I'd simply like to get out a little more frequently and cover a little more distance each week.  

I mention this not just because I would like to focus more on running this year (though I do want to focus more on my running this year), but because accountability and goals are important to me.   They keep me focused. 

For as simple as my running goals are, there are others swirling in my mind that are much more complex, less tangible, harder to measure.  And that's where I'll put my efforts this year.  After all, eliminating diet soda seemed like a great idea, but at the end of the day, it didn't really make me happy... I had headaches.  I was cranky.  I missed my caffeine fix (so I switched to tea and countless packs of Sweet'N Low). 

Over the next few weeks or months, I promise to revisit the topic, to let you know what it is that I need out of the new year and how I am going to get it... goals and accountability.  Because once I put it out there, I'll make it happen.