New Year, Same Me!

2013 was a great year. It feels really good to say that.  It's been a while since I closed out a year and genuinely felt like I accomplished something in my life and didn't just survive another 365 days.  It was truly a GREAT year.

A good friend of mine (Hi Tristan!) posted something online yesterday like "Let the bs about 'new year, new me' commence" and I didn't tell him this at the time, but it got me thinking.  New year?  Yes, obviously.  But new me?  I kinda like the me I got!  I don't think a new year should make people feel like who they currently are isn't good enough and that they have to become "new" people.  That's not to say we can't improve upon the person we are.  Everyone has areas in which they can improve.  Be more kind.  Be more giving.  Be more FORgiving.  Be more selfless.  The list is endless and there is always something we can do to make this year better than the last one.  But I think the way to do that involves something I learned at the Biggest Loser Resort in Chicago this past September. You have to set ATTAINABLE goals.

We have all heard the cliche New Years resolutions that more often than not..get left by the wayside after a week (or less).  Lose weight.  Go to the gym 7 days a week.  Stop smoking/drinking.  Make xxx amount of money.  <Insert any level of reach for the stars goal here>.  And sure, reaching for the stars is great...but it can also be very overwhelming.  What we learned at BLRC is to take smaller steps towards our "end goals" rather than trying to see the big picture all the time.  If you want to lose 100 lbs, start with 10.  If you want to go to the gym 7 days a week, start with 2-3.  If you want to eat healthier every single day, start by making little changes to your diet instead of trying to completely overhaul it.  Smaller goals are much easier to achieve.  AND...they add up to a lot!

I've decided to write down some of the things I achieved in 2013 followed by a list of some of the things I really would like to/and think I CAN achieve in 2014.  I'm pretty sure I won't make a million dollars, though a girl can dream right?

In 2013, I (in no particular order):

*Flew on an airplane and was able to both buckle my seatbelt AND put both arm rests down!
*Took a pole dancing class with my sisters
*Went to my baby sisters wedding and actually DANCED instead of hiding in a corner somewhere
*Wore my first pair of high heels in over a decade
*Got my first ever pair of high heeled boots..and they zip over my calves!
*Played a full 18 holes of golf and didn't completely suck
*Lost 40lbs
*Hit 100lbs total lost
*Sucked it up and took my very first group fitness class...Zumba! (and fell completely in love)
*Took my first spinning class
*Shopped on the OTHER side of "Dress Barn"
*Fit into size 16 jeans! (I started in 28-30)
*Fit into my high school volleyball t-shirt and windbreaker outfits
*Started to see myself as "pretty"
*Lost almost 20 inches off my body!
*Met Jackson Carter from Biggest Loser season 14!
*Won a trip to the Biggest Loser Resort in Chicago
*Got to meet my idols, Hannah Curlee and Olivia Ward AND workout with them!
*Did a box jump without killing myself
*Chopped off my hair and went blonde(ish) to go with my new wardrobe!
*Celebrated 2 years of running "Jilly's Losers" and helping myself and others get healthier!
*Ran a mile without stopping.  Slowly...but still.
*Bought our first house.  It's not directly fitness related, but it's made me healthier emotionally! And it's great!
*Met and spent a week working out alongside one of my very best friends, Amy Linton, at BLRC
*Bought my first fancy dress since my wedding and felt sexy in it!
*Celebrated wearing my BodyMedia Armband for 2+ years and then switched to Fitbit!
*Took my kids to the park and actually played with them instead of sitting to watch
*Went 3 full months without a binge
*Moved lower than my hubby on the scale for the first time EVER!
*Went to a birthday party and had NO cake (I deserve a reward for that, seriously)
*Hiked a trail I hadn't hiked since I was a teenager...and loved it
*Drove a race car at Boondocks because my butt fit in it and I COULD!
*Ran my 2nd annual Pioneer Day race with my great friend Shawna!
*Started attending church again on a semi-regular basis.  Again..emotional health :)
*Got a personal trainer..who has become one of my dearest friends and has changed my life
*Heard my sweet Grandma tell me how proud she was of all my hard work before she passed away this Oct.
*Started playing volleyball again
*Started studying to become a group fitness instructor :)
*Counted my calories almost every single day
*Gave up soda
*Became a HAPPIER ME!

(I could list so many more, but I'm sure most of you already quit reading so let's move on haha)

In 2014, I would like to:

*Become officially certified as a group fitness and zumba instructor (zumba happens in 2 days! AHH!)
*Get a JOB!  My first in 14 years.
*Blog more often.  I'd say "every day", but we just talked about setting realistic goals...and that is not at all.
*Go skiing for the first time in 15 years
*Ride a horse for the first time in over a decade
*See a 1 at the front of my weight!!
*Hike with my family up to Timp Cave so my kids can see what I did as a teenager!
*Get into size 12-14 jeans
*Have more good eating days than bad every single week (this will be a tough one haha)
*Be able to do MAN pushups!
*Learn more healthy meals to cook for my family
*Get my family to be more active with me
*Get serious about writing a book (I keep starting and then getting stuck!)
*Finally move out of the "obese" category with my BMI (Body Mass Index)
*Help more people on their own journey to health and weight loss
*Try every fitness class at my gym at least once
*Play volleyball on a more regular basis (I got asked to join a league! YAY!)
*Work on my shyness and anxiety in social situations. I'm sure teaching will help that!
*Have regular date nights with my husband. They're great for my mental/emotional health!
*Buy a bike and use it on the trail by our house
*Golf more often than just when my parents visit! Then maybe I can beat them someday.
*Start saving money for the skin removal surgery I know I'll need (and want) someday
*Be able to hold a plank for 2 minutes
*Get rid of my plantar fasciitis so I can get back to "attempting" to run! Ugh!
*Remember how hard I have worked and how far I have come
*Continue loving life and living it every day instead of just being on the sidelines! :)

I know this is going to be another great year and I can't wait to see what it holds.  What are your goals?