Year in Review

I feel good about this year's resolutions even though I didn't meet all of them all the way.  I have been LOVING working with a trainer and I think that's the step I'm most proud of.  It's expensive but worth it because I've stayed motivated and actually lost a little bit over the holidays instead of gaining!  And I'm talking miniscule amounts, but still WAY better than previous years.

So...let's see how I've done.


1. Lose 20 lbs
       I have lost 20lbs...but not at all once.  I think I'm at a solid 7 right now from the beginning of October.  I believe the rest of these 20lbs will be found on my resolutions for 2011.  What I have done that is more important is making lifestyle changes over the last 3 months.
2. Cook 20 new recipes, 10 of them must be healthy.
     Absolutely!  I think the venison stew was the most recent "big hit"

3. Run a 10k in under 1:03
    Not even close.  Oh well, maybe another year.

4. Read 20 books that qualify as literature, not brain candy.
    I think so...the Kindle I got for Christmas from my parents this year should help me read even more this year.  I stopped counting which probably means I'm over 20...  I'm starting this year with Emma by Jane Austen and Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain

5. Try 10 new classes at the gym or workouts
     Absolutely yes, mostly thanks to my trainer.  Spinning, Solutions and stairmasters were all new for me.  Kettlebells are seriously a tough workout and I really love it when we do "caveman" workouts.  Sledgehammers and big tires can be very empowering!

6 Complete 20 credits towards my 2nd masters degree
   21!!!  Oh yea!  I have 4 more classes to take between now and August to make it MA +60
7. Be able to play at least 10 chords on guitar
    Nope...decided I like my long nails a little too much for this one.  Also, I live with a guitarist now so I'm much less motivated to need this.  He plays all the time and I much prefer listening!
8. Give away at least 10 bags of stuff to charities
     Absolutely!  I dropped off one last bag on the 28th and it was great.  I even gave away SHOES!

9. Try 10 new restaurants
    Thanks to some traveling and friends this was the easiest one.  Blue Fig in New City, Oliver's in Katonah and Garrison's in Montgomery were some of the highlights!

10. Spend 10-20 minutes every week working on budgeting in an effort to save more and spend less.
       I don't know that I met the time requirement but I have definitely saved more.  I haven't had to dip into long-term savings to pay for grad classes and I raised my 403b contributions so that I won't be broke when I'm retired.  I want to be able to enjoy that time of my life even more that I'm enjoying this time.

This has been a great year.  I am so thankful for my amazing friends, my dependable and wonderful man and especially my family.  There were definite high and low points but I think that 2011 has even more potential to be great.  I'm in a great place with my family, relationship and career and I don't know that I've ever felt that way before.   Next post will have 2011 goals...not sure if they'll all relate to "11" yet.