January 1st - It doesn't get more "Day 1" than this...

You ready to do this?

No really!  Are you ready?  Because I'm only barely ready.  I seriously need you.  I don't care if you think you'll just bring me down.  You won't.  I've been quite successful the last few years at bringing myself down all by my lonesome.

I'm not gonna let that happen anymore.

So don't worry.  If I can't hurt me, you can't hurt me.

We can just support each other.

Maybe virtually cuddle when times get rough.

OR

Do a long-distance happy dance when things totally rock!

OR

Just be totally weird with you!

I'm also a fan of using my belly like a drum set.

I'm pretty darn talented.

Um.. yeah...  That's a little true too.


Anyway...

Hi.

I like you.

and...  um...

Oh yeah!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I'm going to try to start this year off right.  By right I mean that I'm going to keep doing what I've been successfully doing, add in a few things that might be a great health boost, and try to stay on track with my exercise and food plans.

No more of this just because I have a long day on my feet and rack up 8 miles at work:

It's so tempting sometimes!

Only this is allowed:

I don't think I'll have too much of a problem since I DO know I need to be in shape for some of the trips planned during this season's hiking season. It's not gonna be an easy one.  I foresee many switchbacks and sore feet.

I HAVE PROOF THAT I'M READY FOR THE NEW YEAR!

LOOK!

I DID A MEAL PLAN!

That's not the amazing part, the amazing part is that I did it early.

The recipes are all tested previously by myself or trusted others, don't have a smidge of gluten anywhere (as I've resolved to not torture myself this year), and are hearty but not as meat-heavy (in general) as a lot of gluten-free diets seem to be.

Until tomorrow....

New Year - New Me

I really want to do this.

Hell, I AM doing this.

As each new year comes, I find that so many people want to make huge changes to their lives.  They make lists.  I refuse to make a list of resolutions this year.  Every year it's the same old thing for me and I think for most people.

• Lose weight
• Eat healthier
• Exercise more

People make this list and then fail.  Then I don't know about you, but then I feel crappy about myself.  Not only am I a fat and out of shape person but I'm a big failure on top of it all. [sarcasm font] Well that sounds good for the self-esteem. [/sarcasm font]  So this year, instead of looking forward I shall be looking back.  I think everyone needs to.  What have you done in the previous year that you were not sure you could accomplish?

Now what am I'm proud of?

Look at that!  If I lost 63.5 pounds, what's to stop me from loosing 57.5?

Nothing.

Yeah, you already know I lost 50+.  

This accomplishment had less to do with weight and more with self-image.

It was a really big deal for me to put a picture of myself on the internet.

I climbed a mountain.
Not just a metaphorical one.

The view was worth the near asthma attack due to switchbacks.

All these things worked last year to create a new me.  I'm a work in progress.  I can only work hard and hope that a year from now I am just as pleased with my actions of the past year.

Cheers to a Smooth New Year of Being Healthy!

You know how you guarantee a smooth new year?

Me either but I figured adding smoothies couldn't hurt.

Some of them can look weird or gross, but they really are quite tasty!  For my first day of being a smoothie making fool I decided to go with the classic from the people who have perfected the tasty and yet healthy smoothie, http://greenmonstermovement.com/

Check them out, there are tons of super-healthy smoothie recipes.  I used the classic and have the recipe below listing what exactly I put in mine.

Classic Green Monster

Yield: 1 serving/2 cups


Ingredients:

• 1 cup milk (you can use whatever milk)
• 1 ripe banana, peeled & frozen
• 2 handfuls mixed spinach greens
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tbsp nut butter (I used peanut butter)
• 1/4 cup of ice

Directions:

1. Starting with the liquid, add in the milk. 
2. Now add in the chia seeds and peanut butter. 
3. Next, add in the spinach followed by the banana on top which will help weigh it all down.. 
4. Blend until smooth. 
5. Add in your ice cubes and blend some more. 

 It's not the prettiest thing ever, but it tastes of peanut butter and banana. No "veggie" taste at all.  In fact, I think I could have gotten away with adding probably double the spinach and probably will next time.  I think tomorrow's smoothie will be an oatmeal one.  That sounds lovely.

Confession:  I hummed the Popeye theme song while drinking this.  If Popeye the sailor man had been giving out spinach this way, EVERYONE would have been a fan!

New Year, New Attitude, New Religion

I was sitting and thinking this morning.  That makes me sound terribly introspective but really, I was in a post-sleep haze and it was the only function I was capable of at the moment.

So I was sitting, staring at my gym in the basement when a thought occurred to me.

It's silly but I was concentrating on the bright glow from the window and thinking about how it glowed so ridiculously that I was reminded of the light.  Well, not "the light", but "THE light".  Like people see upon death.  As in "Go towards the light."  So perfectly positioned in front of my treadmill.  So I have to go toward that life and into the afterlife.  MY afterlife.

I'm taking steps to rise above the entire life I've led and start anew to gain a heavenly-esque reward.  No more being the person breathing heavily because moving this amount of weight up and down stairs is one hell of a workout.  No more feeling like I'm not good enough because I hate the way I look.  No more panic attacks at the mere thought of having to go shopping for clothes that will inevitably not fit and make me feel like a fat cow.

I cleaned my gym, deodorized and scrubbed the carpet until it smells good enough to sleep on, and just in general got it totally pretty.  Because this next year IS going to be one heck of a party.  No struggling and thinking about the now.  I'm looking towards the future and only counting my steps forward.  Because every setback, oops, injury, and victory are steps towards my goals.  Learning.  Becoming stronger.  Not being the me from my life past.  Working towards the me of the future.  The me who has kicked that fat chick so hardcore that her insidious presence no longer rules me.