Positivity.
With the dawning of yet another new year comes my list of missions. I prefer "missions" to "resolutions" because missions imply a distinct goal that resolutions do not. Besides, it just sounds cooler. So, I present this list. More than anything, this is for me so I can look back in a couple months and remind myself of the things I'm supposed to be doing. I know that's horribly self indulgent, but so is blogging, right? Anyway, without further ado...
Maintain a positive attitude as much as humanly possible.
True, this one might affect my cynical sense of humor (and by extension, this blog) but I think it's okay if the blog suffers and my outlook improves. Fair tradeoff.
Smile as much as humanly possible, especially to strangers.
And yes, by extension, that would naturally include good-looking women. I find that my usual expression is very neutral to almost a scowl. This gives people the wrong idea about me. This mission should be easy in conjunction with the first mission. I was even able to use it at WalMart today while returning one of my many DVDs of Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and the results were quite surprising. In a good way.
Reduce my BFP (body fat percentage) to 9% or less. Run at least 15 minutes before or after every workout.
These two are tied together as well. My BFP was 12.7% last time I had it checked about 4 months ago. With the holidays and vacations and such, it's probably crept up a percentage point or two. I need to get it down into single digits if I really want to go the next step with the whole workout thing. I've got the muscle built, now I need the tone. Running before or after each workout is the most effective tool to accomplish this, so that's my mission. I had BMI in here before because I always get the two mixed up. It would be interesting to weight 66 pounds with a BMI of 9, though.
Buy less DVDs, watch the ones I have more often and eBay the ones I don't watch anymore.
I have a lot of DVDs. A lot. I could watch one every day and not finish for almost two years. That doesn't even include TV box sets. Does one human need this many? No. I don't think so, regardless of how good a sound system I have. Buying new ones each week doesn't help matters. Especially when I don't watch them. That's wasted money right there. Money I'll try to recoup via eBay, at least.
Call my parents at least once a week just to say hello. I rarely ever call my parents just to talk. There's always some question, always some concern, always some kind of issue to be addressed. I think this makes me take them for granted. I don't want to regret that once they're gone.
Go to bed by 11:30 on worknights and get up by 7 on work mornings.
My sleep patterns suck. Check most of the post times on this blog for proof. I need to get myself on a regular, healthy sleep schedule. That means I need to get the hell off the computer and go to bed on time. The first month or two will probably suck royally, but if I can get through that period I should be good to go.
No more than two drinks per outing.
Another big one. I'm realizing that the amount of alcohol I drink (which is getting excessive, to be honest) is going to get me in trouble one way or the other, and it's going to happen sooner rather than later. So, two drinks per outing. My wallet and my liver will be thanking me. Hopefully my BMI will, too. Caz's wedding and whatever bachelor party type event that precedes it (coughvegascough) is the exception to this rule, obviously. I can't behave myself all the time, people.
And lastly...
Update the blog more often.
Yes, I've become a total slacker on this front, and I apologize for that. I enjoy reading this stuff more than you guys, and it bugs me that I've become so lazy about it. Don't expect daily updates, but I do want to post things more often. I will also get going on the side blog I mentioned a while back. Life took over and drew me away from that one, but it will be on track for the '06...
Are these too many missions for one year? Possibly. Do I care? Not really. 365 days is quite a bit of time when you think about it. Besides, I'm thinking positive here. That's enough for tonight. It's my bedtime, after all.
posted by Maki @ 11:29 PM
10 comments
10 Comments:
Um, not to be a smart ass, but BMI and body fat are two different things, right? And BMI is measured in strict numbers and body fat is measured in percentages. I don't think they correlate. BMI is just based on height and weight (thus not accounting for people who have exceptionally dense muscle mass); a very rough estimate of overall "healthy" weight. Body Fat actually takes into account the body fat percentage (someone with a high "BMI" by weight/height standards might have very low body fat).
Or am I on crack? Anyway, I think you meant to say that you want your body fat percentage down to 9% I'm pretty sure of it: if you wanted your BMI to be 9, well, at 6'0" (estimate), that would require you to weigh. . .um, let's see. . .carry the one. . .uh, 66 pounds. Just saying. . .
You're right. I always get the two confused. I could have sworn the guy told me he was getting a BMI, using the little light gun thing on my bicep and all, but I guess it was a body fat percentage. I'll have to change that.
Smartass.
Me, smartass? Nah! ;-)
Personal trainers, by and large, are IDIOTS. It's hard to find a really good one. I have a very bitter story about the barely able to comprehend the English language bitches at my gym, who took my body fat percentage (which wasn't at all shocking, unhealthy, or otherwise distressing) and when I asked if they could take it with a calipher (vs. the electrical impedimence thing they had, only because my research told me caliphers were more accurate, and I wanted a really "accurate" reading), they misunderstood my concern and spent the next 15 minutes trying to convince me if I didn't like my reading, I should reduce my caloric intake, spend more time in the gym, and come back in a few weeks and have it tested again. I kept trying to explain, "no, I'm just curious to see which is the more accurate reading, you're a trainer, don't you have caliphers?" I mean, geez, you want legal advice, see a lawyer, you want medical advice, see a doctor. . .you want nutrition/fitness info. . .you see a trainer! But they were IDIOTS. I was so irritated.
So, yeah, my answer is: your trainer was probably just stupid.
Good thing he wasn't my trainer! I was mooching at my dad's gym when I was down there visiting. I might have hurt him if he pulled what your moronic trainer tried to pull, though...
Sometimes I watch the staff at the Y and realize that all they really do is maintain some muscle and hit on chicks while they're on the clock. Good work if you can get it, I guess.
I've resolved to never again make a resolution.
Great missions. To keep you posting more often, maybe you can find inspiration in these items--tell us how well you're doing with your workouts, how the smile experiment is going, etc.
As for the smiling, I find that when I go into my last place of employment to visit friends, I habitually smile at the people I pass because that's what I did for 2 1/2 years working there. No harm done I suppose.
Excellent resolutions....I mean missions. And to have a surprisingly good thing happen at Walmart...the odds must be in your favor!
so i'm hoping that you went to bed RIGHT after you posted that since it was 11:29pm. otherwise you broke your promise right from the get go. and that's never good.
Of course! Teeth were brushed and everything! Give me a little credit here!
My new mission is to use more exclamation points!
That's! Going! To! Be! Annoying!
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