Happy New Year!

Fun fact: exactly one year ago today, I started this blog.

Looking back over the year, in terms of the goals I had, the one I have stuck to best was writing here about what is going on with me and generally keeping my goals in mind.

I cannot say that the year has been successful, because in terms of physical goals I have only moved backwards. I cannot say that it was wasted though. I have learned a whole lot in this whole process and continue to learn every day. I've tried a whole lot of new things, some good, some not so good, but all educational and some life changing.

The biggest lessons learned in 2012:
1) carb control. If the slow carb diet taught me anything other than that no diet like that is ever sustainable, it is to control my carbs. A year ago, bread in the house would have resulted in immediate consumption of too much toast. Now, I don't buy bread because it gets moldy or stale before I eat more than 3 or 4 pieces. I even once intended to get sandwich makings for lunches, and remembered everything but the bread at the store. I ate the sandwich makings with crackers at work instead, still carbs, but fewer and more easily controlled.
2) to cook my own lighter foods. I'm absolutely positive that if I were only feeding myself, I would eat amazingly and lightly. I've learned to cook new things with new ingredients and even to creatively apply those ingredients to my own whatever the hell. It's been a good food year, even if I have been trying to lose.
3) that exercise is well and truly the only way, but that exercise takes many many forms and definitely doesn't have to suck or cost lots of money.
4) that getting some help is a good thing, not a desperate move, but a first step to trying to understand yourself and help yourself.
5) why I want this, why I'm writing this, what this whole effort means to me and what I hope to get out of it
6) that defined plans regarding exercise are the most likely to be completed. If I say I'm going to do something a day or two before I'm going to do it, it's much more likely to happen.
6.5)Speaking in definites: I'm going to, I will rather than possibles or probablies is much more effective.
7) gearing up makes you want to do the things the gear is for more. (I got a bunch of new gear for Xmas, I've been crazy busy, but now that things are settling... Yes.)

Here's to 2013 and the lessons it is sure to provide, hopefully along with a bit more success than 2012. A lot more success.

On that note, I am going to hit the regimen hard come Monday. The blogilates calendar is cardio heavy for January and I can't wait to get started. I'm also in the process of figuring out a gym membership, but money is a bit tighter than usual this month so it may have to wait. Until then, weighted lunges and star jumps it is.