New Year's Resolutions

Is it already the end of another year?  I feel like I'm still coming down from the Christmas holiday.  And now, as we approach 2012, comes the talk of New Year's resolutions.  I am one who does make resolutions with the best intentions and follows them faithfully...for about a couple of weeks.  I am one of those people who irritate a friend of mine, who writes on Facebook, that he can't stand those who make resolutions to exercise more and clog the gym, holding up faithful, daily gym fanatics like himself, while he now has to wait to bond with his precious Elliptical or Treadmill for the fatty in front of him to tire of their resolution and go out for a snack (paraphrased, but that was the gist of it).  Ya, I'm that fatty.

So I try not to tell anyone of my resolutions. I can vividly remember telling my children years ago when they were about 5 and 7 that I was going to go on a diet to which they both burst out crying. I couldn't figure out why they were crying at that announcement, and I wasn't, so I asked them to which one responded with "We like you just the way you are," and the other responded, "Ya, we like you fat."  As they got older, I asked them to be my willpower, and asked them to remind me in a loud voice, when I reached for something I shouldn't be eating, "You're on a diet Fatty, you can't have that."  That was all well and good while we were home, but I neglected to tell them that on the rare occurrence that we went out to eat, and I tried to eat something unhealthy, they shouldn't yell those same words to me, because not everyone understands that I told them to say that to me.

Why is it that I feel that I need a harsh kick in the pants, or harsh words or a rude awakening to chase me to the gym and the fruits and vegetables section of the market? Why do I immediately wonder who is out to get me when I get Free Registration mailings from Weight Watchers? Who reported me?  Who knows I am so cheap that the word "Free" might actually get me there?

I guess I've always loved food. I love to cook, I love to bake, and I love to eat.  I don't always eat bad, and to be honest, my favorite meal is a well-balanced one with a meat, a starch and a vegetable.  And, of course, if it's followed up by something with chocolate in it, I'm not complaining.  I've tried Weight Watchers, I know how it works, and I do try to follow it in my eating habits.  I don't count points, but I have a general idea of what each food's point value is. I know that a sandwich on light whole wheat bread with one piece of ham and one piece of cheese is about 6 points. Add 15 Baked potato chips for an extra 2 points, and to get the most of your 2 points, pick the largest 15 chips out of the bag - say no to crumbs, I always say.  I know that vegetables for the most part are 0 points, and fruits for the most part are 1 point each.  I know that a  BLT on light wheat isn't bad, and neither is a taco.  But I also know that a sundae will consume all of my points for the day and so when I have one, I should eat a dry salad for every other meal that day.

So, this year, I'm resolving to become healthier...healthier in my eating and exercising and healthier in my relationships with others.  I'm NOT resolving to go to the gym 3 days a week, or to lose 25 lbs. in 6 months or to be the best mother and wife and friend and daughter and sister ever.  But I will try to eat better, exercise more (which shouldn't be too hard considering I don't exercise at all now), and be a nicer person. I will try to enhance my relationships and disenhance (is that a word?) my waistline.

Good luck with your resolutions and Happy New Year!