After all of the blog activity around peoples’ new years resolutions today, I’ve decided I should get a few of my own pledged out into the blogverse. I KNOW you have all been sitting at your computers, pressing refresh and just waiting for my two cents worth on the whole concept of new year’s resolutions. I’d hate to disappoint. And so- in 2014, my new years resolutions are:
1. To stop standing in the mirror in my underwear and pulling at the fat bits of my body, thinking “if only that bit was smaller”. I workout, eat relatively well, and it still ain’t smaller. So I better get used to it and learn to love it!
2. To stop standing sideways in the mirror, sucking in my belly and thinking “if only it would stay this flat”. I would look like a freak with a concave belly. I really am being a twat when I do this.
3. To have two glasses of water when that little voice in my head says “one more glass of wine and you are going to be drunk”. I need to realise that two day hangover is all that awaits that extra glass of wine.
4. To have another glass of wine after those two glasses of water. Hangover schmangover. I had some water, now gimme the wine.
5. To stop looking at the bottom of every woman who walks past me and thinking “is mine bigger or smaller?” I invariably conclude”bigger” even when not the case, so this thought process is completely futile unless I start carrying around a tape measure and actually start collecting quantifiable statistics.
6. To congratulate myself after every workout I do. Even if I feel exhausted, unfit and like it was a real struggle- I got up and I did something. I will celebrate that motivation. And I will try very hard not to celebrate it by eating macaroni cheese. I will try.
7. To not stand on the bathroom scales for A WHOLE YEAR. I want to be healthy and strong, and I refuse to be reduced to a feeling brought about by a number on a scale. The Militant Baker has a fantastic post on her “Smash the Scale” campaign here. Read it. Read it and love the gorgeous bodies you live in!
Resolutions are funny things. It often feels like they revolve around losing weight, or quitting something that you actually quite like doing. This year, I want my resolutions to predominantly be about positive health, and I will achieve this by accepting my body as I exercise, eat and think in ways that make me feel good about myself. I resolve to repeat the mantra that health is NOT improved though starvation, exhaustion or misery.
In 2014, I am making a call for action to Hot Bitches in Training everywhere- RESOLVE TO ACCEPT YOURSELF. You should workout because it makes you strong and happy. You should eat well because it tastes good and you get to enjoy eating a meal you prepared from scratch. You should work at maintaining your overall health and not your size. Your health is a pretty awesome thing, and feeling good about yourself will make you want to preserve it, as well as radiating through how you look. It’s like a positive circle of happiness!
Ok, ok, I’ll stop now. I’m actually on the verge of starting to annoy myself. But seriously, just be nice to yourselves, ok?
My final cent on the matter- in no way should you deny yourself completely of “bad” things that genuinely make you happy. I am happier after a workout if I had cake earlier on in the day. In 2014, I resolve to accept that fact.
Keep me posted on your journeys!!
(My god it was pissing with rain the day we did this photoshoot!)
Awww….. I just totally love you.. !!!
I hadn’t weighed myself ALL year (except once when the doctor did it) and then at my Dad’s house the other day I was like “sureeeee…..why not??? What’s the harm in that??”
The harm was that I measured my self worth against that number for the next three days and made choices based on that not what my body needed.
Fuck that shit.
p.s your event is next weekend! yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!!
Weighing scales are absolutely ridiculous, and the most stupid thing that was ever invented to compare ourselves against!! When I tell people how much I weigh, they always say “NO WAY! You don’t look like you weigh THAT much”. I never know how to respond to that :/
Can’t wait to see you at the workshop next weekend, it’s going to be too much fun!
This is brilliant…
Especially point 6!! I always think I should do more and I could have worked harder. But anything is better than sitting on my bum….moaning about the size of my bum… eating a chunk of cheese!!! (although I do LOVE cheese!)
This year I cycled across Costa Rica in 7 days and for once in my life I was proud of myself. Onwards and upwards! :) Bring on 2014, hopefully make the event next week
Ah, thanks! Glad you liked it! And yes, I think point 6 is definitely something I need to work on too. I go for a run and then think “that wasn’t a long run” and it’s like- OHMYGOD why do I pick on myself so much?! We’re all the same deep down I guess.
And awesome achievement in Costa Rica- that’s not something you do lightly! Have you written your story down anywhere? If so, please share it- I’d love to have a read. If not- you should :) Happy 2014!
Love this – I do the mirror thing too and it annoys me. I’ve just written a post about not getting sucked into the barrage of New Year, New You bullshit. I was obsessed with what the scales said when I was a WW member – it’s not healthy to define yourself by weight and it took a while but I realised in the end.
Great post :)
Hi Tess! Glad you liked the column- I do the mirror thing with my thighs usually- annoyed with myself every time! Also tried WW a few years ago andi became obsessed with counting; calories, points, kgs, minutes until my next meal…. sure it works for some but with my personality I just felt miserable. Hurrah for positive health and accepting ourselves!
Ps- post up a link to your new year post by all means :)
Yeah I lost weight for a year and then spent another year maintaining but going mental with counting everything and hating myself for not ‘being good’ enough to lose more. The fact was that I was feeding my body with far too much sugar and not enough other nutrients, so of course I wasn’t losing weight.
Saying that though, I’ve got a lot to thank WW for – I wouldn’t have lost the weight initially without it, just should’ve quit earlier. I never actually got to goal, was always 4-5lb away, which was really frustrating, so I carried on. Truth is, since I stopped WW, I’ve put on 2kg of weight but my body fat has gone down, so go figure!
Anyway, enough ranting – here’s my post about not getting sucked into New Year New You diet pill/replacement shake bullshit: http://www.fit-bits.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/new-year-new-you-ultimate-guilt-trip.html :)
YES!! Weight really isn’t a very good indication of how healthy or fit you are at all. Have you googled 5lb of fat vs 5lb of muscle? Says it all really!
Thanks for sharing your post, it was so true. I also like the fact that you are open and honest about still having body hang-ups but that you accept them- great message. No one is perfect, and I think it is so important to learn not to beat ourselves up for every little thing too. We’re off the sofa, we’re moving and we’re giving it a damn good try! That’s good enough for me!