I've never really been one to make any New Years resolutions, but it seems like this year, I had a couple unintentionally fall into my lap.
1. Yo estudio Español.
I had originally intended to learn Spanish about a year ago because I love learning new languages and I also wanted to make a trip to Spain in the coming years. Well, my plan got derailed a bit since I ended up cramming in some French phrases prior to my trip to Europe, and then fall term started the same week I was starting my new job. Terrible timing. Next session? Winter term, that started in January, which made this my first unintentional resolution.
2. The Buzzfeed Clean Eating Challenge
I went to the doctor's office for my regular checkup last month and when my blood work came back, she said that I should keep an eye on my cholesterol. "It looked like it was on the higher side." WTF. Of course I freak out a little and decide I need to eat more vegetables, when I remembered that I'd been wanting to try this 14 day clean eating challenge that Buzzfeed put together. I figured it would be nice to do a reset--low dairy, lean proteins, and lots of vegetables and some fruit. I started on January 11, and made it about 19 hours into my cleanse when my friends ordered pizza during the Golden Globes. Dammit. I swear just about every single day I would hear something to the effect of "Hey, I know you're on your cleanse, but I just baked an amazing coconut cake from scratch." or "Hey, I know you're on your cleanse but I have two cookies and two sandwiches for free if you want them." Needless to say, I managed to sabotage all eight of the eight days that I tried to be on this cleanse. Although I managed to do worse at this cleanse than I've ever done on anything in my life (this includes the time I forgot how to ride a bike at the BMX place and flipped over the handlebars of my bike), I still succeeded at adding more vegetables into my diet. I have a strong love of steaks, ice cream, cheese, and just about everything that's terrible for me, and the important thing isn't just to cut it out completely, but scale back and supplement with vegetables.
3. Getting in Shape
Back in December, I started getting a little bored of my workouts. My class got canceled (but I managed to pick up another one!) I decided to sign up for kettle bell classes to make lifting a little bit more fun and challenging. I went once in December, and then started going once I got back from visiting home for the holidays. I haven't been as on top of my workouts as I'd like to be, but where I am now compared to where I've been my entire life? I am leaps and bounds further along than I would've ever imagined. You see, growing up in a traditional Chinese household, believe it or not, fitness and athletics were never a priority. I've typically been skinny for most of my life, thanks to genetics. Then there came a time when all-you-can-eat college buffets and spending excess meal points on pints of Häägen Dazs started defeating the power of genetics, and I decided to start taking care of my body.
I've had a couple really great experiences at this kettle bell gym. At my second class, I met the owner of the gym and he said he would help walk me through the exercises since I was new. Once we got started, he watched me as I went through a series of dead lifts, squats, and swings. He said I looked "fit" and wanted to know "where I came from". I looked at him in absolute confusion because first of all, how do I even answer that questions, and second of all, he thinks I'm FIT?! I've been called "skinny" my entire life (until I wasn't--womp womp), but never in a million years has anyone ever called me fit! Anyways, he said he wanted to know what format I came from because he said I had good form. Awesome and mind blowing all at the same time.
I ended up working a little late one day, so I figured I would try my best to make it to kettle bell class since I didn't make it to 5:20 Turbo. We ended up doing a bunch of different workouts and were paired up with a random partner, and I was paired up with Mike, a guy who looked around 6'3" and 250-275lbs. I kept trying to go up in weights until I absolutely couldn't even lift the bell off the ground, and then I noticed Mike doing the same thing. We would both hit moments where we would need to spot each other and where our muscles hit absolute exhaustion. After class, he asked me how long I'd been going to that gym because I seemed like I knew what I was doing. When I told him I teach class, he said that he could see me as a trainer, and that he thought I was really motivating for him and good at coaching him through the workout. Once again, awesome and mind blowing at the same time. So within all of this, I'm getting stronger every day, and apparently have a third accidental New Years resolution.
Those are some of my thoughts for now--I have a lot of goals set for this year. Some I can cross off (go without Facebook for a month or longer), whereas others likely won't happen (I was hoping to go to Vegas, Ibiza, or Carnival). Either way, I'm proud of myself for what I've committed myself to. It's amazing to know that even though I will run into obstacles, I will find a way to make things work out for the best.
How about you? Any New Years resolutions you've kept so far/broken already?