Healthy 2012: The main source of glum today is my weight. I realise now that I really shouldn't have let my lack of weight loss on the scales bother me. I feel at my heaviest right now and I KNOW I've put on weight over Christmas; my clothes feel tighter and I can see it in the mirror. Yet the scales haven't budged at all. I think it's time to give up taking any notice of what the scales say and get back on track with the Slimpod. I really enjoyed doing more exercise and I'd like to keep that up. I want to focus on improving my eating habits too. To this end I'm going to set myself a challenge to routinely get my five a day. Shamefully my fruit and veg consumption has reached an all time low and increasing my intake will no doubt help with achieving a healthier body.
The Domestic Goddess Challenge: Now, I will admit that I'm not a natural when it comes to all things domestic. I used to be a devotee of FlyLady for keeping the house tidy but between looking after my three children and blogging, polishing the skirting boards and dusting has taken a bit of a back seat! It's not just the cleaning that needs to be tackled. We've been in our current house for over eighteen months and I definitely need to devote more time to adding those extra touches that turn a house into a home. It's a shame that I don't find interior decorating quite as enjoyable as choosing cosmetics.
My husband does a lot of the cooking for us but I'm keen to start injecting a bit more variety into our mealtimes. I think this might be Twitters influence at work. I'm not a great cook but I think it would be fun to try at least one new recipe a week. I may even blog about things that turns out particularly well. At the top of my list of things to try are the Moroccan spiced dishes that The Non-Blonde's husband shared here and the delicious sounding cod and chorizo dish that Helen of Just Nice Things has tweeted about.
A Better Blog/Life Balance: There are so many things I don't do as much as I would like to or used to. I have a stack of books building up that I want to read and there is always a list of films that I have yet to watch. In order to find the time to do all these things, as well as the cooking, cleaning and exercise, I need to decrease the amount of time I sit at the computer a little (okay, maybe a lot but these are baby steps!). This doesn't necessarily mean fewer posts but I may continue to add more variety. It's fun to write about different things every so often and I have learned about much more than makeup from my favourite beauty bloggers.
And with that, I shall stop. It has been cathartic to write this post and I already feel more positive about the New Year ahead. Here's a little something sunny so that we end on a cheery note.
Have you set yourself any resolutions for the New Year? Are you looking forward to a fresh start in 2012?
Happy New Year! I'm full of admiration for your Domestic Goddess challenge, being pretty hopeless in this domain myself. (Thankfully hubby does not seem to mind and is happy to be the resident domestic goddess instead). I already know that 2012 will bring a lot of change for me, it's a little bit scary but at the same time I am really looking forward to it!
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way on all accounts! I was feeling sorry for myself today, but I feel a little better now that I'm not alone! lol Lovely photos.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year Miss Modesty! I have really enjoyed discovering and reading your blog in 2011, and don't beat yourself up about things you think you should be doing, it seems to me you have already achieved loads and loads xx
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! I've just discovered your blog through Lipstick Rules. We have a lot of things in common! I am also going to go on a healthy me journey this year! Wanna be motivational buddies?
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry you're feeling blue. I hope things look brighter with the new day in a new year. So much of your post resonated with me, but I bet you already knew that since you are my sekrit twin. I especially relate to finding more balance between blog (online) and my 3D life, and I agree these improvements are best handled in baby steps.
ReplyDeleteHappy new near to you! It's going to be the best one yet.
Happy new year! I seem to have undone all the good work that I did over the past year with weight loss as well... I need to get motivated again in the new year (and chuck out the mountain of chocolate in my cupboard). I used to do flylady as well - it's a lot easier for me as I don't have kids and live in a flat! I used to read the thread on Money Saving Expert which was much better than the flylady website. My flat is looking like a tip at the moment though! xx
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year honey. I wish I could take away your glumness as you are such a lovely person inside and out I feel sad that you are sad. That domestic goddess thing makes me feel a bit depressed as I'd actually kill for a cleaner, if I never had to clean again in my life I wouldn't haha! I think my resolution might be the opposite, to avoid cleaning at all costs and just wear sunglasses inside so I can't see the dust ;P xx
ReplyDeleteI'm completely with you on the healthy 2012 - I now started going back to the gym and will incorporate long walks into my everyday - I just always feel so much better after a good workout, I really need to remember that the next time I'm too lazy to go to the gym or outsie. Actually doing something rather than thinking about doing something and then kicking myself because I'm not doing anything is always a much better option. I also agree with you about the blog/life balance: I do spend quite a lot of time on the internet as there are just so many great blogs and youtube channels and it usually takes quite a lot of time for me to do the photos and write a blog post, even if it doesn't show in the end. I think it's amazing that you write so many great blog posts and I love the non-makeup/skincare etc. related posts as well.
ReplyDeleteHope you and your family have a great 2012 and let's start working on those resolutions :) x Klara
Happy new year! I understand each resolution, the little changes will overall makea big difference :) plus everrrrrrryones clothes feel tighter after Christmas, in fact mine don't so much I'm eating more! xxxx
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I'm definitely with you on all of your resolutions; I need to take better care of myself (for weight AND health reasons), try to cook a bit more, read and do other things more rather than spend so much time on the computer, and I'm going to add using more of a variety of my makeup rather than the same old favorites. I have so much cool makeup that I haven't even used yet (same goes for nail polish). I'm sure hoping that 2012 is better than 2011; it's feeling like the hubby and I have gotten off to a good start so far. We're all in this together you know. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteRebecca (aka zombeeezgirl on Twitter)
I don't ever do the resolution thing...making them seems to motivate me to break them more than anything.
ReplyDeleteHappy new year Jane! I'm not overly keen on the whole new year thing and agree with Blightly that you should not beat yourself up! I would also like to get a better on being healthier and how much time I spend online. I did give myself a head start over the holidays by reading more then I have in a long time.
ReplyDeleteI love those beautiful sunflower photos:)
I am definitely in the same head- space at the moment. I have to get the weight thing sorted - its not just baby weight when my children are 5 and 2 1/2! I already do a lot of domestic goddess stuff with baking daily and cooking nightly but I want to change it up a bit as I have fallen into the rut of things I can do without thinking and that my girls can help with. New cookbooks are in order! Or I could use more if the ones I have and the loads of bookmarked foodie blog recipes...
ReplyDeleteAs a stay at home mum, I find myself getting lost in my children. They are the focus and I need to do some me focus and well as couple focus with my husband ...it really makes everything work so much better and everyone so much happier when Mummy spends some rime not being Mummy. Mind, I planned on some outdoor solo exercise today but Reading seems to be in a monsoon at the moment...:-(
We can be motivational buddies if you like!
@miss_violet: Oh, I am totally intrigued by what changes you are expecting in 2012. Good luck with all the change you have ahead x
ReplyDelete@Brandi: Ah, I'm glad my sharing helped you feel a little better. It's definitely a time for reflection but hopefully we can look forward now and not backwards :)
@Blighty: Ah, you are too kind. I've done a lot of fun things in 2011 and certainly blogging has given me a lot of opportunities that I wouldn't have had otherwise. I just need to get of my backside now and again ;)
@Tracy: Hi Tracy. I'd love to have a motivational buddy! That would be great.
@Zuzu's Petals: Happy New Year sekrit twin! Did you enjoy your extra day off? I do feel much brighter and I find writing things out stops my churning things over and over. I just need to crack on now and make good on my promises.
TBBB: I used to get a daily email from FlyLady and was very diligent about the doing the jobs each day. I've never managed to get on top of things since we moved. I can blame the size of the house and looking after the children but mostly the problem is that I spend my flylady time blogging ;). I'm sure I could fit in more if I just got off the computer!
@Sarah: Ah, Sarah, you are too sweet. I felt much better after I had a rant at myself on here! The cleaning thing is a pain in the bottom. I do my best to ignore it but then end up doing a huge clean up every couple of weeks when I pack everyone off to my in-laws. Maybe I should just get some very dark glasses instead?! ;)
@Klara: Thank you Klara. I totally agree that the feeling once you've done exercise is great and can be a really good motivator. Well done on getting back into going to the gym.
@City Girls Fashion Box: Happy New Year! Oh absolutely, I don't think many people can escape the festive season without a little bloating. I'm going to try not to dwell and back on track with what I want to achieve x
@TENDERHEARTR: Yay! It sounds like your year is off to a goo start. I love your resolutions to add more variety to your makeup. I keep wondering about setting myself on a no buy for 6 months to force myself to use things I already had. I just can't quite face the prospect though!
@Eden-Avalon: I'm normally the same with resolutions. You will note that I have not made any makeup ones. I know I can never stick to those!
@Meeta: Happy New Year Meeta! Well done on reading more. I've always been an avid reader but can't seem to drag myself away from the computer these days. I'm glad you enjoyed the sunflowers. They're in a field just buy the land my parents are working on in France. They always cheer me up!
@FragrantWitch: It's easy to get stuck in a rut with things and I know what you mean about the not really baby weight anymore! My youngest turns 2 at the end of this month and I'm sure I've weighed less than I do now since she was born :/. I'd be very glad of a motivational buddy. Did you manage to get out in the end? The weather was so weird wasn't it? I live in South Oxfordshire and it was like a monsoon interspersed with brief moments of bright sunshine!
Thank you all so much for your support and comments. I'm looking forward to a great year!
Jane x
Thank you! I am moving halfway around the world... literally. So big changes ahead! Will be sorry to leave the UK (not to mention fabulous makeup shopping) and it's all a bit scary, but also exciting!
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