Resolutions

"I resolve to stop eating sweets, loose 50 pounds, exercise every day, quit smoking, stop drinking, get promoted/a raise at work..."

We've all heard these type of resolutions and they bore me. Completely unrealistic but good intentioned, it is obvious that these drastic changes are not going to stick for more than the first week - at the very most. So why make them? or should the question be why do resolutions 'need' to be drastic? It seems that the more lofty your resolve the better it is.

The past couple of years I've had the same general "loose weight = find a date" resolution with an obvious lack of success because my focus was off. I didn't actually change anything I was doing but was hoping for some magic spell to make the weight go *POOF*!

So I did a typical thing - I joined a gym. WAIT! I know, I know.. you're thinking: "What's so profound about that!?" The difference is that I've built it into my routine, and am not looking at it as just a weight loss goal but a mental health goal. Having hit my personal rock bottom recently (like 3 days ago recent). I think that burning off stress is a good idea and if I do (please dear Lord let it happen) loose weight in the process - YAY! If not, maybe I'll be in a better mental state by the summer.

I can't control the job thing until the spring so there isn't really any point in stressing about it - even though I will. I'm not totally blind to my constant "ball of stress" vibe. Once the volcano erupts and the lava starts to solidify (this will not be your typical dust settling shake up guaranteed!), I know I have to make some tough decisions. But for now - the little think of zoning out at the gym is what I will do. My overriding resolution is take care of me. For those of you who do know me, that is actually a huge resolution.

p.s. I don't smoke and the drinking (aka glass of beer every Tuesday night) will still continue, and 50 pounds is NOT the goal at all... 30 would be nice but 20 is more realistic... hell, I'll settle for TEN!

p.p.s. Have a Healthy New Year - whatever 'healthy' means to you!

Fragile = sales

I was given a free pass to a gym recently and I have been going regularly, as in almost every day - I think I've missed 2 days in two weeks so that's pretty good (if I can keep it up).

With this free pass came an option that within your first 3 visits, if you decide to join you didn't have to pay the $99 membership fee just the monthly fee. After 2 sessions I had decided that if I were to join a gym it would be this one since it's on my route to/from work. I didn't realize that with it came this 'free' body sumthin sumthin assessment that tells you "exactly" (notice the quotation marks) how fit you are or are not. I was happy that the trainer I got wasn't one of the perky little girls at the desk but someone who was mature and seemed fairly with it.

The perky girl at the desk greeted me with her usual "HI! How are you!" then quickly followed with "Are you excited for your assessment today!?" To which I retorted, "I'm not sure if excited would be the word." "Well you SHOULD BE! It's a great tool! blah blah blah...." I had tuned her out after that.

The assessment was a series of questions about how I eat, what I eat, when I eat, how many times I eat. Then they weight you (I was a shocking 3 pounds heavier than expected - ha!) and test your flexibility but sitting you on a mat and getting you to reach past your toes. Then the spiffy computer spits out it's evaluation of you stating your body age vs. your chronological age (a word which trainer lady couldn't say) and how you could change your body age. It also makes a darling little coloured graph - all of which did not impress me in the least. I'm apparently 30 years old but could be 21 years old if I exercised and weight trained. I'm 28 now. That's really not that bad. I was expecting to be 60 or something.

So that's all fine and good I figure.. then the flow charts came out. On these flow charts were fitness packages with $$$$$ attached and she tried - valiantly I might add - for about 20 minutes to sell me things. She wasn't successful in the selling department but she was successful in the 'making me feel like an ass and wasting my time being there minus a trainer' department. She said I'm to do cardio only after I do weights, and that's only if I have to do them on the same day. That's backwards from what I normally do so I thought - maybe she's right... maybe I do need a trainer, but only if I win a lotto!

I went to work out after and it was the worst workout yet because I was doubting everything I was doing! I did weights first and then cardio. The cardio was the longest 30 minutes ever! Last time I did 50 and it was a breeze but due to the low confidence it was brutal!

I suppose that that is how they make their money and she stated that that is how gyms do it. They push the personal trainer thing and by 'assessing' you and have a computer say that you are _________then it MUST be true! You MUST need a trainer. I think I'll stick to my magazines and try some new machines once in a while but I'll save my money for a new work out outfit thanks.

Define "Classic"

Shopping with Likalia today, I mused about how the word classic now seems to mean low tech.

The trigger was the board game Taboo that just a couple of weeks ago we had played with friends who had all commented on how great it was that it didn't need major electronics, just cards and if you really want to make annoying buzzing sounds, some batteries. Now, Taboo has become new and improved and includes a DVD and two buzzer like remote control things. I didn't spend much time looking at it once I read that there was a DVD involved. What ever happened to 'classic' Taboo?

I was reading in my Shape magazine's holiday gift guide and I found this caption "in the age of Blackberries, the "blah blah blah notes and diary organizer" is a classic choice." There's that word again! CLASSIC!

Does that mean that Classical music is non-electronic? I suppose that's accurate. What about a classic look for an outfit? Or does classic simply mean basic or timeless? Meh... who cares right? I just want a board game that doesn't need a DVD player.

December 3rd Horror-scope

Really now... these things are starting to freak me out just a little bit here...

A coworker can suddenly become your best friend today by demonstrating a better way to get the job done. A well-balanced approach to your job can assure improved results and a more enjoyable way of reaching your goals. But you need to be open to more than just listening. Take to heart what's being offered now.

By Rick Levine