TO DO: get healthy

So here I am again making the same resolution that I make every year and seem to give up on after awhile once the motivation wears off. I know I'm not alone with this, we all do it. Say we're going to stick with it and then LIFE gets in the way.
I'm embarassed to even be bringing this up again since I blogged awhile back about how I was going to stick with my Weight Watchers tracking and well, that went to crap once Thanksgiving rolled in and brought Christmas right behind it.

Sigh.

Perhaps I need to take a different approach this year. I am still going to do WW but my focus needs to be less on the losing weight part and focus more on just being healthy. It's easy to feel defeated and give up when you feel like you are trying and don't see results right away. I want instant gratification and up to this point the gratification I pay attention to is the numbers on a scale, rather than the reward of feeling great after a workout or smart meal choice.  So this year I'm really going to try to focus on that more and hopefully the losing weight will come as a bonus.

HAHA, this all sounds so easy. NOT.

I manage my life through a series of 'To Do' lists. I write lists for everything. Sometimes I even write things on my list that I've already done just for the satisfaction of crossing them off. (Please tell me you do this too!)
Important things go to the top of the list, MUST DO! the rest drop to the bottom of the list, ehh if I feel like it. Guess where the working out typically falls?
So for this year I need to re-establish my health priorities and start organizing my lists as such.

First thing on the list: Re-join the gym.
This Summer I cancelled my gym membership because I was doing KettleWorx kettle bell workouts at home and really liked it. I was feeling good and losing inches but realized after a few months of doing the repetitive workouts each week that I needed variety. I was getting bored and with the cold winter setting in I didn't have the luxury of walking/running with Izzy in the evenings to add some extra cardio into the routine.
So today, I re-joined the gym and walked/ran (mostly walked) a 5K on the treadmill. I felt great afterwards, but am sure I'll be feeling the pain tomorrow.
My goal is to have some activity on my To Do list every day. It's not realistic to think I'm going to work out everyday, I know I won't, but even it it's just a 15 minute walk during lunchtime or squats during commercials it's better than nothing.

Next thing on the list: Plan ahead for the week.
Lately I've been winging it and taking one day at a time and depending what I feel like doing, that's what happens. Which typically results in not working out and eating whatever I want. I am going to use Sunday as my day to figure out my plan for the week. Depending on my schedule I can plan for what exercise I'm doing each day and also plan meals accordingly (what nights does John have school, are we dining out?, etc).  I know it's going to be a pain tomorrow to sit down and think through all of these things but in the long run I think it will make my week easier when I know what is happening every day and can be prepared for it.

BRING IT ON week 1!