Resolutions, Take Two

i am so proud to be chinese. first, because of the rich cultural history that comes with my ancestry. and second, for the impeccable (and flexible) timing provided by the lunar calendar--giving undisciplined procrastinators like myself a second chance at New Years Resolutions. happy new year! and as it is the year of my favorite meat product, i want to be sure i make good on my goal to exercise more so i don't actually start looking like a pig.

i am not a fan of diets. in fact, i don't believe in them. but the correlation between aging and the slowing of one's metabolism is becoming a personal reality for me. and all the bad habits i picked up over the last few months-- eating dinner at 10pm; sleeping less than 6 hours a night--due to my effed up schedule of late classes and non-active workdays in the office-- has taken a toll on my body. i am definitely above my 'comfortable' weight, feeling the pinch of my jeans and seeing the minor bulge of my gut. this realization is really tough to swallow: it's taken me years to love my body-- both its flaws (wide hips, thick legs) and the gifts from nature (an hourglass shape). i don't want four months of low aerobic activity mixed with one-too-many late nite bites to undo a decade of learning to feel good about both my body and myself.

i don't want to be a slave to how i look, but i definitely know that feeling heavier negatively affects all the other areas of my psyche: my confidence lags, i get increasingly moody, and because i feel incapable of looking pretty/sexy/attractive...i don't even make an effort. on the surface, i'll blame it on winter doldrums. but we all know that's just a euphemism for feeling fat. so. i'm on a mission. not a diet, but a mission. i want to get back to my 'best self'-- which was the body i had about a year and a half ago-- 7 lbs lighter and a more-than-roomy size 6. so yesterday, i signed up for Self.com's Reach Your Goal body makeover program. it's nothing more than a way to keep myself personally accountable for how i eat and how often i work out. my goal is not to deny myself anything food-wise (that includes wine, beer, fries, and yes, pork!) but also to not make any excuses about working out at least three times a week. it's an achievable plan and i'm hoping to see results by the time summer rolls around. wish me luck!