January Wrap Up

About a year or so ago, when I lived in Minneapolis, I got a pilates DVD from the library. It was good - hard for me since I am overweight, and because I am not a physically flexible person. After trying the DVD out, I looked it up online. One of the Google results that popped up was on a website called The Kim Challenge. I read the review, and then browsed the blog, and was instantly hooked. Kim catalogues her daily food intake, and also shares other thoughts about herself, body image, exercise and food. Through Kim's website, I was introduced to a whole new world of food blogging. It has been over a year, and I still read Kim's blog every time she updates it. I also am a regular visitor to lots of other food blogs.

So, when I eventually decided to make a food blog for myself, I decided to base it on Kim's website. I have already shamelessly copied her style of posting her meals. Lacking her originality, and being extremely influenced by her style in general, I am now also going to copy Kim's style of rounding off each month with resolution evaluation and setting new monthly resolutions. Her resolutions have always motivated me to try harder to work on myself and my own self-care - especially related to food and my body. Kim, if you ever read this, you are my blogging hero! I adore you and your blog and your ideals!

RESOLUTION EVALUATION:

1. Eat mindfully and in moderation: I did this for the most part. I had more energy for this at the beginning of the month. Towards the last two weeks, I have not been doing this as consistently or well. This will continue to be a goal next month.

2. Exercise more: I have definitely been exercising more. I set a goal of 3x/week, which I have not always met. But I have been doing at least 2x/week. I also have been doing more things than just walk - I have joined a folk dance and a square dance class, and have been going to contradance nights. The folk and square dance classes are not really strenuous exercise, but they do involve moving and not sitting. And they are easy on my knees.

3. Blog: Most days this month, I have blogged. I sometimes forgot to take pictures, and sometimes have been too busy to post. But I did log almost everything I ate whether I had a pictures or not at least within two days. So I did more than moderately well on this goal.

4. Reduce my debt: This is not really a food/exercise goal. But it involves self-care. This month, I paid off the last of the money I owe friends. So from now on, I can chip away at the credit card debt - it will take me about a year to get rid of this, but I will do it eventually!

5. Pamper myself more: I have been doing this also. It is not always very clear what I am doing to pamper myself more. I think of the dancing as self-care. The hanging out with friends is self-care also. I also gave myself a pedicure and bought myself Belgian Truffles. Perhaps I ought to pay more attention to what I do to pamper myself. This will be a continuing goal for me.