Walk walk walk!

My father-in-law is incredible.  Since I met him, he's lost a ton of weight, and started eating better and walking all the time.  He generally walks 15,000 steps a day, which is awesome.

One of my resolutions was to try to get moving more, and get 10,000 steps at least once or twice a week...  Well, I am so proud of myself, because I am killing it.  Last week I got at least 10,000 steps every. single. day.  Fantastic, right?  My last 7 days are nearly 80,000 steps.

I feel like I'm bragging a little here, but I want to share a couple secrets I've stumbled into on this walking journey.

My FitBit has been so happy with me lately!  Personal Photo

1) Competition is EVERYTHING.  A few of my friends and I have fitbits, so we joined up, and do their competitions.  We've done a couple "Work week hustle"s and last weekend did the "Weekend warrior" competition.  It's crazy addictive for me to watch to see where I fall, and to try to get just a couple hundred more steps to get into the lead.  My husband thinks I'm crazy, as I'm pacing around the house at 10 pm, but the competition really drives me.  A larger group of friends is doing a month-long challenge in February, which will hopefully push me to keep up the walking.

2) Go the long way.  I usually take the shortcuts, or try to get things done quickly, so when I would walk, I was missing out on a lot of steps.  But now I'm focused not only on getting somewhere, or doing something, but walking.  So I walk around the store the long way, or I park far away if I drive, or just take a walk around the block instead of going the short way.  I feel a little silly sometimes, but I'm not all that concerned.

3) Costco.  On last Monday, I only had about 6,000 steps after work, and in the competition I was losing.  So I went to Costco!  I couldn't walk there, since I actually needed to buy stuff, but walking around the store to gather stuff I managed to get about 3,000 steps.  That's crazy, right?!  Walking around the store you don't really think about how much you're walking, and Costco is so huge!

4) Make excuses to go on walks.  I've been making excuses to walk to different stores nearby, or the bank, or other stuff.  It helps me to have a place I'm going, and not just walk around aimlessly (even though I will take the long way).  I would be taking my dog out for more walks, but her leg and back have been hurting her, so I don't have that excuse to get outside more.  But once I'm up and out the door with a destination in mind, it's easier to keep going and get more steps in.

This crazy dog would be going for a lot more walks right now, but she's injured.  Poor baby.  Personal Photo

5) Make it a routine, and let people know.  By having the competitions, it's let some of my friends know that I am trying to walk more.  But beyond that, I've told my coworkers that I'm doing the competitions also, and they've been pretty supportive (although they do tease a little...).  So my boss is well aware that I'm probably going to go out for a long walk at lunch time, and he's even been okay with me going for a 25 minute walk in the morning once in awhile (getting coffee is the goal, but of course I take the long way).  Not only has it helped me establish a routine and figure out how to fit more walking into my day, but it's nice to get out, get some fresh air, and take a break from work!  It has been nice that the weather has been pretty amazing and beautiful, so we'll see if I can still force myself outside when it gets rainier, but it's good to know that it is pretty easy to get a few thousand steps in at lunch.

Overall, I've been keeping up with that resolution, and I'm so proud!  Aside from just walking more, it's also encouraging me to eat a little healthier, especially at lunch (the easiest places to walk to get lunch are the grocery stores nearby, so I can get a salad or sandwich or fruit easily!), and I think I have lost a pound or two.  I've also been working out a bit more (but I don't get as many steps from doing the workout video so I'm tempted to just go on a long walk in the dark instead!).  And another awesome benefit is that my husband goes on walks with me, either late after work or on the weekends, so we spend some good quality time together.  We're going to Maui soon, so it's important we keep it up there and keep going on walks (but on or to the beach!).

This weekend I got over 20,000 steps one day, and feel like I might be able to give my father-in-law a run for his money!

A new year, the same me

I've never really been good at making resolutions and putting them in place right at the start of the year.  It's more like a "oh, hey, I was supposed to try to do something to better myself" on like the 5th or 6th of January.  And like most people, any resolutions I make are long forgotten by the end of January.

But here we are the on the second day of the year.  And I've kind of thought about it.  There are some things that have been floating around in my head that won't take much serious thought.  So here are some sorta-kinda-resolutions I'm making:

1. Hit at least 10,000 steps in a day at least once or twice a week.  Currently I consider it a good day to hit 5,000 steps, which is not great.  Yesterday we went on a walk and it was lovely and nice and I managed to get 11,000 in the day.  Working in an office, sitting at a desk most of the day, it's not exactly possible for me to work while walking around typically, so I am trying to be realistic here.  Our walk took a couple hours, I think, and it sadly isn't a high priority to spend that time walking some days.  So to take more steps just once or twice a week is more achievable, and I think I can commit to it (plus once the Sounders games start again, I will easily hit that by walking to and from the game and around the stadium!).  And then maybe when I get in the habit, it'll get easier to get that many steps more often.
2. Get a freaking new job / quit my awful job.  I need need NEED to get out of this job.  I know I sound so whiny, but I just can't take it anymore.  I don't want to go in to much detail, but lets just say certain responsibilities fall to me and they really shouldn't, and it's really hard.  We were talking about how next year we wanted to make sure we took certain days around the holidays off, and how Dino was going to maybe just ask for them off now, and I was like "me too!...  except I hope I'm not at the same job..."  So definitely want to actually get a new job this year.
3. Reply to texts in a timely manner.  I have the worst habit of reading a text, thinking "oh, I'll reply later" (especially when it is not a good response or I'm feeling lazy), and then never responding.  So I want to respond faster, even if it is just a "I'm not sure right now" or "Let me get back to you."
4. Just better communication in general.  I'm terrible at remembering to call my dad regularly, and not very good at being completely open and communicative with my husband.  Not that I keep things from anyone, but I just rarely feel like I have much exciting to say, or don't want to get too crazy obsessive by talking about certain things too much, so I just don't talk instead.  I think I have gotten so much better at communicating than I used to be, but that doesn't mean I'm anywhere close to good at it.  And some topics are just a bit awkward, a little harder to bring up naturally and comfortably, so I want to do better at saying things when I'm thinking them, not waiting for "the right time" all the time.
5. Get our electrical done once and for all!  Now that we basically have the money, we need to get a couple quotes and just do it.  

And here are some resolutions I am not making:

1. Not typing as long of paragraphs as explanations.  I am not succinct, but that's okay.  
2. Any kind of cleanse.  I like food, I don't like feeling ill or starved, and I don't think my eating habits are crazy out of whack.  Sure, they could be more healthy, but I'm not going to kill myself to stick to any kind of specific diet.  I'd rather enjoy my food and my life, thank you very much.
3. Giving up alcohol.  I probably don't need to drink as much as I tend to (every night isn't excessive, right?) but I'm not going to cut it out of my diet right now.  See "enjoying my life," above.
4. Losing weight in some abstract sense.  I know I want to lose some weight.  I know that would be healthy.  But I am hesitant to assign some random number of pounds to lose, without more specific guidelines.  That is why I would like to focus on moving more, specifically getting more steps in, than just "lose weight" or "exercise."  And "eat more healthily" also is too broad.  Maybe I could try to eat at least 2 vegetables at lunch and dinner, or something to that effect.  
5. Write more.  I would love to write more, but currently it is sadly not a priority.  This place is so neglected, but I have nothing interesting to add (whoa, see better communication, above...) and so it's become a place for me to just type out loud (much like my livejournal was back in the day!).  It would be great to have more to say, but man, I'm really not focusing on that right now.

Anyway.

I hope your New Years Eve was fun and happy and safe!  2015 is bound to be better than 2014 for me, because as I've been telling my husband, my mom can't die twice!  (Said as a joke, but with tears in my eyes, so take that as you will...)