New Month, New Goals: November

Happy November! A new month means it’s time to make some new goals!

First, though, I should take stock of my previous goals.

Pilates. This goal didn’t go as well as I would have liked; the goal was eight sessions and I did six. Still, making it a goal meant I was a lot more committed to doing the 6 sessions. (The two I missed was during the week I was tapering for the half, when I was barely doing anything.) My back feels much better, so I’m really happy about that!

Outdoor runs. This goal went better than I had even planned! I was barely in the gym at all this month. It was great; I got fresh air and the challenge of natural terrain. Plus, I felt very “green,” getting off the treadmill. And when I did get on the treadmill last week, I was much stronger.

Budget. Eh…stuck with it for the most part. Paid the bills and didn’t splurge on anything stupid; I just had a couple unforseen expenses that tripped me up. But I didn’t go buckwild on iTunes and I didn’t go to Target once, so I definitely have made an important behavioral change!

Networking. All good! It wasn’t all spent on Craigslist, but I worked pretty diligently at networking and taking on new writing gigs this month. Definitely a win!

OK now…November goals!

1. Add one more Pilates session, for a total of three per week. I like how it’s making me feel, and because it really doesn’t require me to sweat, I think I could squeeze in an extra session. Biggest barriers: making excuses as to why I don’t want to stop what I’m doing to do 30 minutes of exercises, not giving myself enough time to do it on running days. Reward: I think I need to give myself a tangible reward on this one, so if I do it, I am going to reward myself with something new from Amazon.com, probably a new cookbook.

2. Move more! I read this article in the new issue of Women’s Health magazine about how we all have “sitting syndrome,” and it inspired me to get off my ass. Yes, obviously, I run long distances, but I think that makes me lazy in other areas. Plus, I have to drive everywhere out in the ‘burbs! So my plan is to walk for 30 minutes to an hour on rest days, and walk for 30 minutes on running days. I always feel great after I take a walk, and I usually chat with my friends while I do it, which is so nice. Biggest barriers: being lazy, bad weather. Reward: better health, a less-couch-shaped ass, rosy cheeks, time spent with my dogs, good chats with friends.

3. Healthy travels. This one is huge. I’ve already started my two week, three-city trip, and the temptations are everywhere. I just want to eat and drink all the time! I love my friends and that is what we do! Biggest barriers: loving drinking, loving eating, eating and drinking too much because I’m overly happy and excited about eating and drinking; making up reasons I need to eat travel-specific foods every meal of the day (New York bagels, oh how I’ve missed you!); not exercising because I make up travel-speficic excuses (like shopping on Fifth instead of running on it). My plan to do it: Not drinking more than three drinks on any night out, except one exception in each city, cause, well, come on; not eating drunk food after the bars, unless starving, and then only Baked Lays or soup; grocery shopping and eating two meals at home/that I prepared on each day; following my own rules for a healthy hangover; bringing pilates DVDs and resistance tubes and all running gear along. The reward: I know I’ll have more fun because I’ll feel more confident/pretty/healthy/happy and less puffy/sad/sick if I’m sticking to my plan. If I slog through my trip hungover and don’t take advantage of all the new places to run, I’ll seriously regret it. I’m enjoying the fact that a “goal size” pair of jeans started fitting perfectly as of two days ago, and I’d like it to stay that way through my entire vacation!!

So that’s that! I’m so happy about the new goals and am going to update my planner with gold stickers that represent the goals on each day. So childish, yet so motvating!

What are your new goals and how are you going to achieve them?

Tagged as: fall, goals, Motivation Conversations, November, travel