Interval #3 (I follow the No Excuses Workouts plan and do interval runs every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday) Usually these runs are done on the treadmill to be able to accurately measure my speed.
2.076 miles
30 minutes - interval speeds of 4.8, 5.0 and 5.2
3 minutes leg strength training with 8 lb. weights
It took a bit of effort to get dressed into my workout clothes and onto the treadmill, but at 9 p.m. last night, I finally got my workout done. Since I am on vacation for another week, I had hoped to do all of my workouts outside rather than on the treadmill, but things didn't work out that way. Eric wasn't feeling great, and the rest of us were just LAZY. So, the treadmill it was, even though I would have rather stayed on the couch watching riveting tv such as Cops and Cheaters. Good stuff that stimulates the brain!
I called this post "New Year Starting Early" because I promised myself a few things starting the day after Christmas. I don't really want to make New Year's Resolutions because that always sets you up for failure. However, if I make my non-resolutions starting the day after Christmas, they aren't really resolutions...more like improvements for myself!
Anyhow, I am giving up soda. That's the big one. And that started today. I already gave up caffeine a few months ago. People always ask me why I would do such a thing. The answer is because I don't drink coffee, which leads to a puzzled look. Then I have to explain that normal people who are hooked on caffeine can start their day with coffee. I, however, have to start my day with soda to get that same buzz. And I don't wish to do that anymore, diet soda or otherwise. So I gave up the caffeine.
Now I can't even drink caffeinated soda at all because when I do, it gives me headaches. I accidentally drank Barq's root beer thinking it didn't have caffeine, but it does. Ouchy headache. Quitting also gave me monstrous headaches for the first week of withdrawal. I don't want to go through that yet again. Now I start my day with an apple, a fiber bar, and water with enhanced flavor...when I am on track with my good eating habits that is!
So, back to the whole giving up soda deal. I am doing it because I LOVE soda. I would drink it over any other beverage. Always. There isn't a soda I don't like. I like every flavor, every variety, every color, every size. Root beer, cream soda, Pepsi, Coke, ginger ale, Dr. Pepper, Mountain Dew...you get the idea. My absolute FAVORITE is an ice cold Pepsi out of a 20 oz. bottle. Oh heaven. And I haven't had a Pepsi in months. I don't even know how long it has been. But I am taking a lesson from my husband who had his cancerous kidney removed in September and is avoiding soda altogether. I am so proud of him for ordering water when the rest of us have soda.
My goal is to give up the bubbles for a year. I know that seems like a long time, but it is certainly doable. I figure if I can go without soda for a year, I may never need to drink it again. There are people out there who don't drink soda, right?
I might just go really crazy and give up candy next! Shudder. In case you can't tell, I have a major sweet tooth that needs controlling.
The other non-resolution I am making besides giving up soda is to keep working out and never quit. I am pretty proud of myself for not completely giving up on my running and exercising through the holidays, even if I did back off of the rigorous schedule I had been maintaining. Previously I would have berated myself for taking two days off, and then never gone back. I am an all or nothing kind of gal.
My goal is to keep up with exercise 6 days a week which also includes strength training 4 days a week. I'd like to go strong with this plan for a good three months before making excuses to relax again.
Then there are always the eat better resolutions, but I think I'll stick to the no soda and keep exercising non-resolutions for now. That's enough to keep me busy. The healthier food is a come and go type of thing. I am considering giving up the candy for Lent, so we'll see in a few months how I'm feeling about that.
So for me, it's Happy Early New Year with a few self-improvements along the way.
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