goals

Becoming My Own Client

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While pregnant with Edith I developed a sweet tooth and an addiction to bagels with tofutti. Now 4 months postpartum and although I have kicked the two…err sometimes four bagels a week and I am only having coconut ice cream every 4-6 weeks rather than once per week. That being said I’m still far off from where I used to be and after thinking things through I came to an important conclusion.

I need to become my own client.

For the last four months I have been completely focused on E and a little less focused on myself (diet and exercise included). Now that we have a little bit more of a routine (although still ever changing) I am ready to create goals to help improve my diet, fitness and energy levels. A few things I need to consider are making sure I am eating enough calories for nursing and increasing the foods that help my milk production (that’s a whole other blog post).

Okay so first things first I decided to fill out my very own health history just like I would ask prospective clients to do. So lets take a look at the first part.

As you can see my weight is quite a bit higher than I would like and that I put on a good amount of weight while I was pregnant and although I have lost a bit I am far from my pre-pregnancy weight. Goal #1: Lose Weight. I’d like to be back to my pre-pregnancy weight by October 2013.

Another notable thing to point out is that my energy levels are lower than desired.  I know you’re probably saying umm yeah you have four month old of course you are lacking energy and while that is true I know that I could improve upon this. Goal #2: Increase my Energy.

As I noted above I am a bread and sweets addict.  The funny thing is although I have always been a lover of all things bread related I was never a huge sweets fan until my pregnancy.  I too often gave into this craving during pregnancy and it has stuck with me. Goal #3: Break my sugar craving.

May 2011

Okay so lets evaluate the section above, as you can see starting at the top I need to get more sleep.  E who was a good sleeper is suddenly sleeping from about 7pm-10pm, 11pm-1 or 2am, 2:30a-4a and then she wants to be up. Honestly I don’t know where I am going to get more sleep because I usually have dinner around 7/7:30pm and then I don’t want to go to bed immediately after so I usually stay up until 9:15-10pm.  Napping during the day is difficult to do as well so really until we can get E back on a better schedule this is going to be a challenging goal but alas it’s still my Goal #4.

Next lets talk about the gluten sensitivity….yes I am addicted to bread and have a minor gluten sensitivity. I say minor because a small amount doesn’t bother me but there is a fine line between feeling fine and feeling bloated. So Goal #5 eat less gluten.

Goal #6 is to increase the intensity of my workouts. I have actually already started working on this my participating in the Best Body Boot Camp. I have been making an effort to increase the intensity, duration and get back to running. I’ll discuss this goal more as well as my others in follow up posts.

39 Weeks 3 Days (the day I went into labor)

Okay so here we are the last section and my final goal to improve my diet. During my pregnancy I ate really well with the exception of the first trimester when all I wanted were bagels and citrus.  Then the baby arrived and if you’re a new mom you know how challenging it can be to make a good meal when you are home alone with a baby.  I also hate that we end up eating dinner about 2 hours later than we used to because of Neil’s busy work schedule and E’s desire to go to bed at 6:30.  That being said Goal #7 eat more fresh fruits, vegetables and raw meals and make an effort to eat dinner earlier.

3.5 Months Postpartum

Even though I’m a health coach and I know all the things I am “doing wrong” sometimes you just have to sit down and really practice what you preach. I plan to follow this post up with a more in-depth look at my goals and the action steps I need to take to accomplish these goals.

What are your health goals? How do you plan to accomplish them?

twenty-seven. goals.

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Today I turn 27.

August 2011

I just looked back at my goals for my 26th year (first time since I wrote them -whoops) and I certainly didn’t accomplish most of them.

  • Attend one blogger conference (Fitbloggin, Healthy Living Summit, ect.). <– had a baby instead
  • Attend one health coaching conference/event. <– attended half of one but had to fly home because Neil hit his head
  • Eat out no more than once per week. <– did pretty well with this although we certainly had a few weeks off and on that we ate out more than once (vacations were the exception)
  • Run a 10k. <– had a baby instead
  • Run a 1/2 Marathon. <– had a baby instead
  • Write one new e-book. <– slacked on this.
  • Read 10 new books. <– accomplished
  • Do yoga at least once per week. <–in Sept, Oct and Nov I did this and then starting at 18 weeks through my pregnancy
  • Commit to daily blogging with high quality posts. <– maybe not daily but improved quality of post (work in progress)
  • Improve my blog (quality of posts, photos, layout, appearance) <– made improvements but work in progress
  • Find time each week to unplug (literally) <– yoga was my time for this
  • Work on improving my time management. <–done but now needing to rework it with the new baby

August 2012

Okay as per tradition lets look at my goals for my 27th year:

  • Run a 10k.
  • Run a 5k.
  • Give Running With Tongs as facelift.
  • Work on improving my health coaching business and getting re-focused.
  • Move into a new home that we love.
  • Read 5 new books (I have a baby now so setting my expectations a little lower).
  • Write a new e-book (for real).

September Goal Setting

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Welcome to September a new month filled with new possibilities and tons of apples, squash and colorful leaves. It is also the start of a new month which means new monthly goals.  I honestly didn’t do great at accomplishing all of last months goals but I am really proud of myself for how hard I worked last month while making time for me as well.  For me goals are a guide to keep you on track and I am hoping to accomplish all my goals this month.

My September 2011 Goals

1. Start Training for my first half-marathon.  Two 30-45 minute runs and one mileage run per week PLUS two days of cross training and at least one day of yoga.

2. Meal Plan.  Neil and I are both training for our first half marathon and part of training is eating well and learning what our bodies need.  Additionally, we have 4 months to figure out what the best fuel for us is when it comes to long run days. In order to keep on track we need to continue to improve our diet and incorporate new healthy foods that are good for runners.

3. Organize my kitchen. <—–Did not complete last month. My kitchen is by no means a mess but it just isn’t in top order as I would like it to be.  I actually cleaned out my fridge this morning and it felt great.  Looking forward to doing more.

4. Early to bed, Early to Rise.  <—–Still need to work on. Lately we have been more like Late to Bed, Early to Rise and it is starting to wear on me.  My goal is to be in bed by 9:30pm with my book and read until I fall asleep.  Then up by 5am to work, stretch and/or workout (not necessarily in that order).

5. Read two new books. I haven’t decided which ones yet but I need to read more. I only read one book last month and again did not achieve my goal.

What are your goals for September? 

In Other News

My CVL September Newsletter and my Health & Wellness Newsletter were both distributed today (completely different newsletters). If you haven’t signed up I encourage you to do so today, you can also now subscribe to my newsletters in your reader so you never have to miss a thing.

 

Goals for my 26th Year

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Today marks the start of my 26th year and just like last year I have set goals for my 26th year.  Instead of doing 26 in my 26 I decided to focus on things that I am either not doing right now or things that will improve my quality of life, my health coaching and my blogging careers.
My goals for my 26th year are:
  • Attend one blogger conference (Fitbloggin, Healthy Living Summit, ect.).
  • Attend one health coaching conference/event.
  • Eat out no more than once per week.
  • Run a 10k.
  • Run a 1/2 Marathon.
  • Write one new e-book.
  • Read 10 new books.
  • Do yoga at least once per week.
  • Commit to daily blogging with high quality posts.
  • Improve my blog (quality of posts, photos, layout, appearance)
  • Find time each week to unplug (literally)
  • Work on improving my time management.
Do you set goals? How do you keep yourself on track?

Review of my 25 Goals in my 25th Year

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Last year I did a 25 in 25 and honestly they were obnoxiously ridiculous.  I’m actually embarrassed to review them because I don’t know what I was thinking or where the money to fund a million trips was coming from.  But here they are:

 

25 Goals for my 25th Year in Review:

  1. Run a 5K- Completed- I ran my first 5k on July 24, 2011 in Portland, Maine. 
  2. Try Bikram Yoga
  3. Do an overnight hike on the Long Trail- Completed- 
  4. Visit Montreal (again) – Completed- October 2010
  5. Visit Ottawa (again; first time ever with Hubz)
  6. Visit Toronto (again; missing my bff)
  7. Visit Key West because the Hubz
  8. Visit Chicago- a place the Hubz and I have both never been
  9. Attend the Healthy Living Summit
  10. Start my Health Counseling Business– Completed- Still building up more and more
  11. Create an e-book of my recipes- Completed- I actually completed two successful e-books! 
  12. Laugh more.- Completed- Will continue
  13. Do more yoga. – Completed- I event went to Wanderlust
  14. Work on my writing skills. – Completed- however still a work in progress
  15. Get all the stamps in my VT Brewers Passport Stamped
  16. Go to a driving range and hit some balls – Completed-
  17. Read 10 new books. – Completed- I re-read Harry Potter Books 3-5, I read all three “The Girl” books, I read all three Hunger Games books and I read Michael Pollan’s Food Rules; I may have read other books I just didn’t keep track.  Most of my reading between September-February were handouts for school.
  18. Update my blog with a new fun look – Completed-however still a work in progress
  19. Eat more oatmeal. – Completed-
  20. Drink more green monsters– Completed-
  21. Call my girlfriends more. – Completed-
  22. Get a massage – Completed-
  23. Get a pedicure – Completed-at home- does that count?
  24. Get a facial  – Completed- at home- does that count?
  25. Final outfit our house so that it is “grownup” and organized. – Completed-
Stay tuned for  my goals for my 26th year…

How Do You Stay Active? March Update & Plans for April

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Incentives Program

For our incentives program each month we have a set of goals to help us stay on top of being active as well as to track our workout progress.The incentive part of it is that  at the start of each month we will each be eligible for $50* of fun money, to be paid out on the last day of the month IF we accomplish our goal.   The goal:

  1. Work out 80% of the days in the month  OR 70% of the days in the month and 1 hour for everyday missed from the 80% (example: March 80% plus Hours goal–>Must workout 25 days and Total of 15.5  hours OR 70% plus Hours goal–>Must workout 22 days and 15.5 hours PLUS 3 hours for the 3 missed from the 80% days so total of 18.5 hours)

AND

2. Work out an average of 30 minutes per days in the month (October-May) and work out an average of 60 minutes per days in the month (June-September)**

Read more

March Goals Review

March 2011 Goals

  • Must workout 25 days
  • Total of 15.5  hours

OR

  • Must workout 22 days
  • Total of 18.5 hours

So far this month I am on track with the 80% however since I only have 1 off day left I may be turning to the 70% plan this month…..we’ll see. This is where I am at as of March 31, 2011:

  • Days: 22/25 (70% of the days in the month)
  • Hours:  18 hours 30 minutes/15.5 hours

  • SUCCESS!!

My workouts include yoga, groove yoga, walking, elliptical, weight training and Insanity.

April Goals:

April 2011 Goals

  • Must workout 24 days
  • Total of 15 hours

OR

  • Must workout 21 days
  • Total of 18.5 hours
  • Workout goals:
    • Start the C25K
    • Continue with Insanity
    • More Elliptical
    • Try a new yoga class
    • MORE  yoga classes
    • more 3-4 mile walks with the Hubz
    • Possibly hiking (if we can find a spot that isn’t too muddy)

What are your goals for this month?

 

Resolutions for 2011

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This year is all about setting S.M.A.R.T. Goals aka Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Tangible Goals. Last night the Hubz and I kept it pretty low key with homemade tempura veggies, martinis and too many episodes of House Hunters.  We also took a minute to sit down and work on our goals for the new year.
I wasn’t quite as successful last regarding my goals- you can checkout how everything went here.
I know that this year I am setting goals that I can complete and look forward to the adventure.

    1. Attend a blogger conference – this might be a slight cheater one but I will be attending Vida Vegan Blog Conference .  After a long discussion with the Hubz we finally decided that we would make the trip to PDX for the conference and we are looking forward to it.


    2. Do an overnight backpacking trip on the Long Trail- this is one of the goals the Hubz and I have together.  He has developed a new found love for hiking and I am warming up to it as well.  I have decided that this year I want to try new things and challenge myself and an overnight backpacking trip will definitely be a challenge worth doing.
    3. Run a 5k- As you will see this is one of my goals from last year that I totally failed on.  I decided that I am still wanting to challenge myself athletically and put this back on my list to give myself a second chance.
    4. Blog with a purpose- I have decided that I really need to take more time with my blogging and write high quality blog posts.  I do not want to pressure myself to write everyday but write when I want to and only submit post that I am proud of.
    5. Embrace Health Counseling- I will receive my health counseling certification in April.  I currently am able to counsel but I only have a limited number of clients.  This year I would like to increase my clients, work on marketing my business and teach a health/nutrition related course at a local  gym, co-op or health food shop.

    Other things I want to do in 2011:

    • Create a “grown up” bedroom – one that has a bedroom set, a style, and is a place that the Hubz and I can retreat to; a space of our own.
    • Revamp my blog- make improvements to the layout as well as the features.
    • Update my health counseling blog….rather have the Hubz do it.
    • Get to my happy weight by trying new activities such as P90X, hiking, running and yoga.
    • Spend more time reading. Do you have any book recommendations?
    • Spend more quality time with the Hubz- make a conscious effort to have 1 date night a week.

    What are your goals for 2011?