Looking ahead to 2011

Happy New Year folks!

Well, 2010 has been one heck of a year. For me it was year of new discoveries, new experiences and crossing at least one item of the ol' bucket list. But it was also a year betrayal and lies that fundamentally shook my faith in others, thankfully offset by a love that brought that faith back. It was also a year of learning a whole heckuva lot, including the fact that you just can't reach some people. But that isn't going to stop me from crying out to the ether, because some of y'all probably enjoy what I have to say.

So, today's entry is dealing with what I call New Year's Goals. I don't like the term "resolutions" because to me it implies that if you don't stick with them, you've somehow betrayed yourself and failed the universe and should rot in Hell! Well, mayhaps I'm exaggerating, but I think you see my point. Goals are far more mutable than resolutions.

Now the twist here is that I actually think I've got some insight into how to make these work and I'd like to share my thoughts with you on the subject.

So here we go!

Sunday, January 2

Goal 1: Lose the belly


One unfortunate side effect of falling in love with someone as indulgent in hedonism as myself is that you double the amount of food you eat! I've always had a bit of a tummy, but since Summer I've kinda let it go into overdrive. I've not been exercising nearly enough, and that's purely out of laziness.


So, how does one go about addressing such a pesky problem, especially when everyone seems to share it and yet it endures. I'm sure at least half of you have made some sort of promise to lose weight this year. Well, I've found a few things help.


1) Keep moving! Even if you go to the gym 3 times a week and kick your own arse for 45 minutes on the elliptical trainer, it means nothing if the rest of your time is spent sitting on your butt (says the guy doing that very thing as he types this up). So, get up and go for a 20 minute walk at least once a day. I have the good fortune of living within walking distance to work so it's already part of my day, but try to find the time to do it for yourself. Next time you're going for a small grocery run, do it on foot. Nothing to do on your day off? Hit a museum or gallery; you get the benefit of being on your feet while checking out neat stuff!


If all else fails, get a Wii and play one of their fitness games, it can be a surprisingly good workout!


2) Smaller meals. I've been failing at this one miserably. Normally, it's recommended to eat 5 smallish meals daily. I've been eating, on average, a huge breakfast (I shake my fist at you Kari!), a lunchtime snack, and a huge dinner. This is the wrong way to go about feeding yourself. There's a simple principle to eating and maintaining a decent body shape and it's this: eat enough food per meal to be only just sated. Your body doesn't store unused nutrients, we aren't bears. Nope, whatever isn't being used to fuel the body is going to become fat. So, think of feeding yourself as a constant current of nutrition rather than spikes and dips.


3) Less meat. Meat is harder to digest, so more of it stays un- or under-digested. My friend Troy, who's a vegetarian, once wore a t-shirt I thought was disgustingly clever: "Beef, it's what's rotting in your colon." I LOVE meat. I would marry meat if it wasn't weird. But I've been overindulging in it of late. One meat course a day at most is my current plan.


4) Less beer. Ooooooh boy, this is going to be the hardest one. Apparently switching to gin works well, but gin is disgusting. Instead, I'm going to try drinking more wine. Problem is that wine and beer are about the same calorically. Hey wait, the Internet said wine has MUCH fewer calories! And the red stuff has those anti-oxidant whatchamadealies. SWEET! Where's my corkscrew?


So, those are some strategies. Oh, that and a medicine ball workout every other day. That should help...


Goal 2: Stop worrying about being understood


I don't know why I care so much about not being misinterpreted and being understood, nor why I obsess on trying to explain myself when that isn't happening. But it's a huge flaw that has gotten me in trouble on numerous occasions. I guess really it's about not caring what others think of me. I like me, that's the only one whose opinion really counts.


Goal 3: Think the best of others and keep quiet


This is the positive form of "stop holding grudges and gossipping". Really it's directed at a few people who know very well why I think badly of them. But hey, holding onto that anger doesn't help at all. So, here's hoping I can exorcise it with positive thinking and go back to the not caring what others think.


Goal 4: Take people as they are in REAL life


The Internet has this horrible power to skew who people are, so much so that some people start to let their online selves bleed out into their real lives and get so caught up in their online lives that real life seems less important. Just look at Twitter.


Well, I'm going to keep enjoying the knowledge and time-killing joys the Net has to offer, but I'm going to develop a greater sense of willful doubt when it comes to anything people say online.


Goal 5: Drink more wine, less beer. Not just for weight reasons, but also because it's delicious.




So, that's about all I have.

I hope all your goals come to fruition and maybe even a dream or two!

Cheers!