New Year, New Attitude

I am sure many of you have made resolutions to get more fit or to lose a certain amount of weight during 2014.  It seems that each year, we resolve to do something with our bodies.  For years, I have always said I am going to lose some weight.  Sometimes it's happened and other times I have given up this idea within two weeks of the new year.

I am thrilled that this year is different.  While I am still not at my goal, I didn't go into this year saying, "I have to lose a lot of weight."  I resolved to review my weight and my goals and make a decision.  I believe it is the healthiest way to approach weight loss and fitness.

During the holidays, I ate much more erratically.  I stopped consistently utilizing MyFitnessPal to log my meals and I was eating anything I wanted.  I also ordered a lot of pizza and consumed a lot of ice cream and pie.  The definition I had in my stomach started to go away and I felt my pants tighten.  I decided that this would be the last holiday season that I would day that.  I want to be much more responsible about what I consume 12 months out of the year.  Why do we allow yourselves an opportunity to "be bad" during the holiday season?

I was excited when January 2 came around and I was back on track.  My salads and soups re-entered my diet and I immediately started to feel the difference.  I also have been able to slowly get back into my ab workout and the definition is slowly starting to return.  I weighed myself yesterday (the first Sunday of the month) and was not surprised to see that I had gained weight.  I was up 4.5 pounds from my last weigh in and knew that I had to get on track.

I am currently doing my January "fast."  No, I am not only consuming juice or cutting out everything except fruit and vegetables from my diet.  I do eat clean during the month and I restrict alcohol.  I am allowing myself one day to partake in drinking--it is my monthly date with my mother and we have others joining us. Other than that, I am eating healthy and have given up all my vices (including ice cream).

The new year also brings new people to the gym.  I noticed this over the last few days. We are also in an odd situation here in Buffalo.  The Buffalo Athletic Club (BAC) gym locations were recently purchased by LA Fitness.  As a result, members of BAC, can sample LA Fitness locations until the end of January.  At that point, I think they have decide where they are staying with LA Fitness or if they want to move on to another gym.  It means that not only are we dealing with "Resolutioners," but we also have the BAC folks trying things out.  Because I work out in the mornings, I have not had to deal with a lot of new people, but they have taken over on the weekends.  My theory is the earlier you get into the gym, the better and that seems to be working.

I'm curious about your thoughts on fitness in the new year.  Are you resolving to lose more weight?  Are you just trying to maintain where you are?  Is there another fitness challenge you are looking to do?