My Transformation, Chapter 2

I still can't believe it's 2011. Sometimes it feels like last year came and went in the blink of an eye but when I stop and think about it, a lot happened in 2010. And every time I pass a newsstand and spot an issue of Fat Loss on the racks, I'm reminded of just how much I accomplished in those 365 days.

But while weight loss may be a goal, maintaining good health and fitness is a lifestyle and a never-ending story. A new year means a new chapter, and all new goals.

Call them resolutions if you want, but years of pledging to myself to lose weight, eat better, exercise more, only to feel like a failure by February, has made the term "resolutions" synonymous with disappointment for me. So, last year, I decided to erase the stigma of failure associated with resolutions and instead, I set goals for myself - ambitious, yet achievable goals.

Six weeks into 2010 I realized something: I hadn't failed. I was doing it! I was achieving my goals and then some - and I was changing my life for the better. Every time I reached another milestone, whether it was going down a jean size, or just surviving another leg day, I celebrated my success and wondered, "how far can I take this?" (Never did I dream it would take me to the pages of a fitness magazine.)

A year later, I'm still asking that same question. So, with that in mind, I've set new goals for 2011, plans for reaching them and ways to commemorate them. I already feel invigorated by the possibilities that await on the road to achieving them.

3 Goals for 2011:

1. Goal: Learn to run and love it
Achieve it: Find a 5k training schedule online and work it into my regular training routine, starting on the treadmill until it warms up outside!
Celebrate it: By signing up for a 5k charity run in the spring

2. Goal: Do 20 push ups- like a man
Achieve it: Start small, incorporating 3 sets, 3 times a week into my training, increasing reps when I'm able.
Celebrate it: With a new workout tank top to show off the benefits of my hard work

3. Goal: Lose 1-2 inches off my thighs
Achieve it: Adding a second leg workout to my current routine, four days after the first, using lighter weight, and swapping one treadmill cardio session for the stepmill
Celebrate it: With a new pair of skinny jeans


PS: I love the energy and motivation I feel when I'm working towards a goal and the little successes I get to experience along the way. If one of your resolutions is to stick to your resolutions, maybe this type of plan will work for you. And check out Tosca Reno's recent blog on setting and sticking to your resolutions here: http://eatcleandiet.blogspot.com/2010/12/2011-new-year-new-you-new-years.html

Resolve to change, believe in yourself, and you may surprise yourself with what you're capable of. Good luck!