Resolutions

It's that traditional time of year when people make resolutions. I generally make a resolution that I think is actually achievable, not some grandiose, completely impossible goal that will be completely abandoned by January 8th (or sooner). For example, I never resolve to lose 50 pounds.  Although losing 50 pounds may be a good idea and possibly a good goal, I think I would abandon it by January 29th or the start of the new semester, which ever comes first.

A few years ago I resolved to use less plastic shopping bags. This required that I always have a shopping bag in my bag (which means I have to carry an ample size tote and not a cutesy tiny purse). I bought a ChicoBag. It's made of nylon and squishes into a little pouch when not in use. It's about the same size as those cheapo plastic bags that you get at a grocery store, Target or CVS (or anywhere else that has plastic shopping bags). It's been so well used over the past few years that I've reinforced the seams with my trusty sewing machine. In addition to the ChicoBag (I actually have 2 now because I got one for free from an exhibitor at the ALA mid-winter meeting last January -- Thanks DK Publishing!) I have several cloth shopping bags that either stay in my car or leave the house with me when I know I'm going shopping. This is where it's all about learning a new habit. You know you're going shopping, right? You've got your list all ready? Grab some shopping bags on your way out the door. Put them in the front seat right next to you. When you go into the store, take them with you. Use them.

This was working pretty well for the first year so I decided I'd make that my resolution for the next year. You know, improve upon the first lesson. And it worked so well, that I repeated it for a third year.

Just want to let you know that this had less to do with saving the environment than it had to with the fact that we have WAY too many plastic bags in this household because we live with other people. I'll never ask them to stop using plastic bags but at least I can contribute less to the accumulation of plastic bags in our house.

This year, I've set, what I think, is an attainable goal for the month of January. Baby steps! I confess that I got an early start on Dec. 26th. My goal is to exercise every single day for the month of January. So far, it's DAY 10. I've either been to the gym and done 20 minutes on the stair stepper, or walked 2 1/2 miles through mushy snow (that's quite a work out!), or gone to a yoga class (turns out  that I'm somewhat flexible but don't have much strength in my thighs -- but I knew that already. PLUS I've got these 2 large melons that get in the way of some poses.)

Most of this is prompted by an article I read in the January 2011 "O", the Oprah Magazine. The blurb on the cover said, "Weight Loss Made Simple: the only tip you'll ever need (page 126).... so I was so excited and thinking this was going to be some super-secret, super-easy thing like eat more chocolate, drink more wine, take this supplement (vitamin)... etc., and the answer was, you guessed it, EXERCISE.  So, it seems that EXERCISE is the solution to most of the problems that I've been having for the past 5 years or so once I turned 40. I don't sleep well - at least twice a week, sometimes more. I want to lose weight -- sure, of course! I want to look better -- who doesn't? I have joint pain - not so much but I had this injury from 2007 when I slipped and fell at work and could no longer sleep on my left side comfortably or sit cross legged (used to be called Indian style) without my left leg wanting to be considerably higher than the right. But when I started going to the gym last January, within weeks I could sit cross legged again. Good stuff, exercise and stretching. So, I resolved to exercise on a more regular basis.

Why the gym? Because I can think of a million excuses NOT to go for a walk outdoors. It's too cold, it's too hot, it's windy, it's too sunny, it's raining, it's snowing, ... the list goes on and on. At the gym it's climate controlled and, believe it or not, there are people of all shapes, ages and sizes. It's just great. I fit right in. They offer all kinds of classes that are free with my membership and I can just drop in for one class and try it out and never return if I don't like it. They have very convenient hours - 4:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays (not that I've ever considered going to the gym at 4:30 a.m. but it's nice to know they are open), and similar convenient hours on Saturday and Sunday. They've got womens' locker rooms with showers, a sauna and a steam room. (mens' too but I've never been in there) It's about 3 miles from my house.

As my life gets busier when the semester starts at the end of the month I know it'll be a bit more difficult to get to the gym every day but I'm hoping that if I plant this seed now it'll be easier for me to find the time, and I'll want to get regular exercise. At that point I may have to make a new resolution for February.