I can’t believe it is already October. September was a tough month for me, I didn’t work much and things got a bit stressful, but I still think the month flew by. All of a sudden people are planning for Halloween and Christmas decorations are popping up here and there in the stores.
A new month is a transition and a great time to set some goals. I think this is especially important because this is the time of year when I start to have some trouble with my lifestyle choices. Josh’s birthday, our anniversary, Thanksgiving, Halloween candy and pumpkin baking all tempt me and send me off the rails. I would like to set some clear goals to help me keep accountable and hopefully stay on track.
1. Be a Fish
As always, I have a hard time staying hydrated. I try to remember my water bottle and to drink before meals, but it is always a struggle for me. This month I would like to love water and make it my best friend. To help me drink more water, I would like to set the goal this month to drink a glass of water before each meal. I thought about trying to keep my water bottle with me, or drink 8-10 glasses a day. I have decided that if I try to drink a glass before each meal, I will ensure I am drinking more water than I might have before.
2. Eat Like a Rabbit
I have a horrible time getting enough veggies in me. I also have a slight dislike for salads and even though I try, veggies are not my first snacking option. I really need to make this a bigger goal in my life. I know my weight will decrease and I will feel better if I eat more veggies. I am setting the goal for October to make a salad for one meal a week. I know this might seem like a small goal. I should really be eating salad every day, but baby steps are okay. I also want to achieve my goals and I think one salad a week is manageable. Hopefully these salads will encourage me to include veggies in other places in my diet.
3. Stay Home
I am making a decrease in eating out a goal for two reasons. Firstly, eating out encourages me to make unhealthy choices. I have been making too many unhealthy choices lately and I need to bring it back in. Secondly, we are on a budget around here and the extra spending on ‘fun food’ needs to end. Lattes, treats, dinners out are all problems for my wallet and waste-line and it needs to end. I would like to challenge myself to only eat out on the weekend. This is probably going to be a hard one for me but I really want to try achieve this goal.
4. Get Moving
By the end of the month I will be starting my half marathon training plan. I also want to keep up on my cross training and also ensure I include strength training in my routine every week. This is something that I was doing well all summer but fell off the wagon a bit in September. My goal for October is to reach 4 workouts (at least) every week. At least one of these workouts needs to include a good amount of strength training. I also plan on continuing my “Workouts This Week” posts to keep myself on track.
5. Keep ‘Cheat’ Days to Saturdays
This goals along with my eating out during the week goal. I have always made it a choice to not count calories on Saturdays. This is my anything goes day and I don’t feel guilty if I over eat on Saturdays. Unfortunately, this care free attitude has started to trickle into Friday nights and Sundays which has taken a tole on my weight loss. My goal for October is to get strict with myself and keep my cheat meals to Saturdays only.
I know these are some pretty heavy goals. Part of me is worried about having so many goals for one month. But I know these are all things I should be doing anyways. Each one of these goals is very obtainable and like always, I strive for balance and forgive my missteps. But it really is time to get serious and hold myself to some higher standards.
Questions:
What are your goals for October?
Do you hold yourself to monthly goals?
Run Away Freckles 