A Thought For Today

You don't reach your goals by making one positive action. You don't reach them by making two positive actions. You reach your goals by consistently choosing positive actions over a period of time. Possibly a LONG period of time.

When I refer to positive actions, I am referring to actions that put you closer to reaching your goal. Choosing negative actions, or NO action at all does not put you on the path toward your goal.

This does not mean that there can't be breaks, treats, mornings you shut off the alarm, days you skip a workout, donuts, beer, ice cream, Dirty Martinis, etc.... It just means that when you add it all up, you do MORE of the stuff that will help you reach your goal than the stuff that won't. 

Oh, and you do this consistently for a long time.

So what do you say???? Are you in it for the long haul??

What positive action(s) will you take TODAY that will help you reach your goal?

I HAVE NO GOALS!

Running goals, that is.

Allow me to explain.

This past Thursday, I did a 7 mile run before work. I love mornings I get to run- especially in the months when it is actually light out at 6am! I run through my neighborhood, and then take a walking path that leads to a park. I run around the park, through another neighborhood, and back to my house. I'm never more than a mile from home, so I have to do a lot of criss crossing to get the miles in.

It's so peaceful in the early morning hours, so I can get a lot of good thinking done. This particular Thursday, I was thinking about how I haven't done speed training since the mile. Part of the reason was because I was staving off an injury and wanted to back off on my intensity. Another reason was because I simply didn't have a specific running goal to reach.

In fact, I currently have zero running goals. I do want to run Boston in 2014, but I am just running it for fun. I do not foresee any intense training for this race. I'll do a couple long training runs and then just go enjoy myself.

However, if you're unlike me, and are in the process of setting goals, here are some tips for effective goal setting!

Some Tips for Effective Goal Setting:

1. Avoid setting too many goals! Goals are not meant to be overwhelming. Pick one or two to focus on.

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2. Avoid setting negative goals. Instead of saying "I won't miss a workout", say, "I will attend every workout session." Then the goal is focused on achievement, not something negative.

3. Set short term and long term goals. Your short term successes will motivate you to keep working toward that long term success.

4. Set process and product goals. An example of a process goal is walking for a half an hour three days per week. An example of a product goal is losing a certain amount of weight, or running a certain amount of miles.

5. Most importantly....

Make sure your goals are SMART!

What are your current running goals?

BIG ANNOUNCEMENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (No, I am NOT pregnant!!!!)

I have been thinking about this decision for awhile and I have gone back and forth on it. However, in the past few days (today in particular) I have decided why not now? What am I waiting for? This is my life, I only get one!

I decided to become a certified personal trainer!

This probably does not come as a shock to you. You're thinking, "She loves working out, of course she would want to be a trainer." But it's more than that. I want to help people. I want to teach people. I am a teacher, after all, and when I am passionate about something, I want to teach it.

Growing up, I loved music. I sang, I danced, I performed in musicals and band and choir... I did it all. I wanted to share that love with others, so I became a music teacher.

It makes sense that now that I am passionate about health and fitness, I would want to motivate, teach, and help others. It drives me nuts when I see people who are misinformed. Girls think they will get "bulky" if they lift weights. There are people that literally starve their bodies by eating only 600 calories a day, hoping to lose weight. Others just don't know how to get started or what to do.

I want to help! I want to teach! It's the teacher in me that wants to do these things. There is a part of me that wants to serve and help others.

Of course I will still teach music. That part of my life is not going anywhere. I love my job. I am lucky to have it. Personal training would be a part time endeavor.

I am still researching what organization is right for me to get certified. I am leaning towards ACE, but if any of you trainers out there have any other suggestions, let me know!

I've also been scouring websites about qualifications and characteristics of a good personal trainer. Because honestly, anyone can get study, pass the test, and get certified. I wanted to make sure I had the skills to actually DO it. I found this list, which I thought to be interesting:

• Speaking skills
• Teaching skills
• Patience
• Confidence
• Dedication to learning

               (Source)

Hmmm... looks like some of the characteristics I have to display every day in my classroom! Am I right my teacher friends?! It's more than just "I like to work out, I want to be a trainer." I truly want to help and motivate others.

I'm very excited about my decision and am ready to study, study, study. But first, I have to pick the organization, buy the materials, and all of that stuff. This will be at least a six month process, because I want to be very prepared for the test when I take it. Like all tests, it's pretty expensive, and I want to ace the test on the first shot!

I don't know how this will all turn out. How much time will I even have to train others once I get certified? The school year is so busy for me, between work and piano lessons. But I guess I will see what happens! After all, if I never venture into the unknown, how can I expect exciting things to happen?

Well, that is my big announcement. Maybe you were hoping I was pregnant, or accepting a teaching position in Donegal, or was picked as Elisabeth Hasselbeck's replacement on The View.

Nope, sorry! They would never pick me to replace Liz. Now Joy, on the other hand...


Who would you want to replace on The View?

No fake sugary drinks- an UPDATE and a CONFESSION.

At the beginning of the summer, I vowed to give up fake sugary drinks. I knew they were not good for me and that I needed to drink more water. My plan was to give them up for the entire summer (sort of a detox) and then only drink them as a treat thereafter. I used to guzzle them all day long but I have been off them cold turkey since June 12^th! Woohoo!!!!

The good parts about giving up fake sugary drinks:

• Giving up these drinks has allowed me to drink A LOT more water (64oz a day, easily), and it also has me drinking more milk. I love milk.
  
  
• I know my body is healthier without all those chemicals, so that makes me happy.

The bad parts about giving up fake sugary drinks:

• Coffee is not as good anymore since I can't add my Splenda. (It's still "my" Splenda!) I could add real sugar, but I would have to add too much to make it taste as sweet as Splenda, so it's not even worth it.

• I really crave these drinks after a hard workout or late at night. It's really annoying not being able to indulge!

• I thought my body would have some sort of epiphany. Like I would start to have more energy, or feel better in some way after giving up fake sugar. But I can't tell a difference in my health or my body. I know there is a difference, I just thought I would feel it. I guess my body knows how to process crap!

MY CONFESSION: On July 24^th, 2013, I accidentally drank a prepackaged lite double espresso iced coffee drink from Starbucks that was partially sweetened with Splenda. I took a sip of it and THEN looked at the ingredients. “How does this only have 5g of carbs!?” I wondered to myself. Then I realized why: Splenda. Now, this was not so bad. I should have checked the ingredients first, but it was an honest mistake. However, I drank the rest of it, even though at that point I knew it went against my code. (Dexter shout out!) I was tired, on the boardwalk in Atlantic City, and all I wanted to do was enjoy my lite double espresso iced coffee drink and people watch on the boardwalk with my husband. That evening, I failed. But I vow not to throw in the towel and give up. I made one mistake, but I can make it better pullin' up my britches and being more careful about my choices!

Signed,

Megan Michael

7-27-13

America.

Anxiety over The Mile

I'm running the Harrisburg Mile on Wednesday. I am getting a little anxious about it...

Things that are giving me anxiety about THE MILE:

1. What if I don't reach my goal?
2. I have to take some "easy" days and rest days leading up to the race. I don't do well with inactivity.
3. It's going to be uncomfortable. A mile is basically a sprint, and sprinting makes me feel like puking.
4. How do I keep myself energized and hyped up all day? My age group doesn't go until 7:15pm.
5. What do I EAT all day so I feel fast and lithe, yet fueled? I'm not used to racing at the END of the day.

Goals

Races don't usually make me anxious unless I have a specific goal. I used to just run races for fun, but lately I have been a little more goal oriented.

When setting goals, I usually come up with two. The first goal is one I know I can reach, and the second goal is a "pie in the sky" goal. The pie in the sky goal is my REAL goal, but I don't make it my only goal. That way, I am not disappointed if I don't reach it. I don't like to fail. Who does?

For instance, for the Harrisburg Marathon last year, I set 3 goals:

1. Set a PR. (< 3:38:56)
2. Qualify for Boston (< 3:35:00)
3. Run a sub 3:30:00

All three goals ended up being accomplished! But I had to set those other two easier goals just so I wouldn't be mad at myself if I didn't reach my true goal. It's a cop-out! Why can't I just state what I really want to do, and  deal with the outcome, whatever it may be? I've been running and racing a long time. I'm a big girl. I should not coddle myself with little "sub goals" I know I can reach. It's time to buck up!

Here it goes!

I'm not even going to list my "sub" goal for the mile. I'm only going to state my #1 Goal for the race. Okay, here it goes...

< 6:00

That's right, I want to run a 5:59 or lower. 

I don't care if I am in LAST PLACE as long as I ran a sub six minute mile.

It is scary typing that on here for all the world to see because what if I fail? You will all know I failed and I did not do what I set out to do.

If I do not reach  my goal, I will not be able to say, "Well, I did everything I could." I did not do everything I could. I could have run less. I could have done more speed training. I could have eaten better. I know a sub six is in my future, but I don't know if that day is tomorrow.

I hope that it is!

Svetlana Masterkova, current WR holder
for the women's mile
4:12:56

This is what I basically did to get ready for the mile. It was mostly business as usual, as far as my training has been going. It is currently already geared towards helping my speed.

1. I did shorter runs but at a faster pace.
2. I did speed work approximately once a week.
3. I continued strength training.
4. I continued plyometrics.
5. I ran hills.
6. I plan to make myself take it easy in the days leading up to the race.

Hopefully, I trained hard and smart. If not, I shall try again!

Do you ever set "easy" goals for yourself that you know you can reach?

Are you running The Harrisburg Mile? What is your goal?

Planning Ahead- Boston 2014!

A few things about me...

1. I am a huge planner.
2. I love to plan.
3. Making lists is fun.
4. Scratching things off my to do list is fun.
5. My life feels more organized and manageable if I have lists and calendars keeping me on track.

At the Harrisburg Marathon this past November, I qualified for the Boston Marathon. Because of the date I qualified, I ended up being eligible to run Boston in 2013 and 2014. There were a few reasons running it in 2013 was not going to be feasible...

1. Registration for the 2013 Boston Marathon was already filled.
2. I didn't have enough personal days to take the time off I needed.
3. We needed more time to save up enough money to make the trip (running the marathon alone is $150, then add in travel expenses... yikes!)

**Obviously, saying I am “glad” I couldn't run it in 2013 is an understatement. And this is not going to be a post about the horrible attacks that occurred on that day. The reason? The finish line of a marathon is supposed to be one of the most joyous places there is. When I think of the Boston Marathon, or any marathon, I want to remember them for what they are supposed to be- a celebration of the human endurance and spirit. As it is now, if you do a Google image search for “Boston Marathon”, the first thousand images or so are of the bombing. That is sad. I'm not trying to deny it happened. I immersed myself in the coverage and grieved along with the rest of the country. I guess I just want to look forward. And no, I'm not scared to run it in 2014. I am scared of snakes.**

The sign that hung just outside Athletes' Village at the 2009 Boston Marathon.
This is the last thing we saw as we left the village and headed for the starting line.
I can't read it without choking up.

So 2014 is going to be my year to run Boston! I never thought I'd be able to run it again so soon. The first time I ran Boston was in 2009. I had to do some serious training to reach the qualifying standard for a woman in my age group. I needed to run a 3:40:00, and I managed to squeak out a 3:38:56 at the Philadelphia Marathon. Talk about cutting it close! Some runners are just naturally fast, and qualifying for Boston is something they can do without any training. I had some work to do. But I did it, and it paid off!

Philly 2008- Chris and I just BQ'ed!
If I look like I was in pain it's because I was hurtin' for certain!
Let's just say there were some tears during the last few miles...
Hey, it's not a beauty contest!
Chris looks like a million bucks, though!

Within the past few years, the Boston Athletic Association lowered the qualifying standards. A woman my age now needs a 3:35:00. A year or two ago, I didn't think a time like that was attainable for me. I was more into running trail, and running LONG, not fast. I figured I would qualify again, but not until I was a little older and the qualifying times were slower. (Example: A forty-five year old woman only needs to run a 3:55:00 to qualify.)

But a few changes in my eating and exercise habits led me to running a 3:28:08. Here is what I attribute this PR & BQ (Boston Qualifier) to:

1. Running less miles but at a faster pace.
2. Running routes with a lot of hills.
3. Eating better.
4. Weight training.
5. Tempo runs.

Why am I thinking about Boston so much? Because yesterday, I booked our hotel room for marathon weekend! I know it's not until April, but I told you I liked to plan, remember? Also, I found a really good deal, and I didn't want it to get snatched up and end up having to pay $350 a night for a hotel room... in which case I would NOT be making the trip!

We're staying for four nights to ensure we get to have a nice relaxing time. Here's a few things I want to make sure we do...

1. Go to a ballgame at Fenway Park
2. Walk the Freedom Trail
3. Get a drink at Beer Works - we ate there the first time we visited Boston 7 years ago, so it's nostalgic.
4. Meet up with my cousin who lives up there. (Hey Alex!)
5. Enjoy the waterfront... maybe dine with a view?
6. Do a short run along the Charles River on Saturday Morning.

And now some pictures from Boston, 2009! 

**I am very thankful I got to run in this race. I was never athletic as a kid. This just shows if you want something and you work for it, it can happen! Your past does not define you! 

Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something because THEY ARE WRONG!** 

School busses took us from downtown Boston to a field in Hopkinton- 26.2 miles away.
We would hang out here, in Athletes' Village until the race started.

Unfortunately we boarded the busses around 7am and our wave didn't start until 10:30am.
Time for a short nap!

We took our time and took pictures during the race!

At the top of Heart Break Hill.
It was nothing. Running in Central PA is great training for Heartbreak "Hill".

Is there anything else you think we should do while we are in Boston?

Do you like to make lists and plan?

What have you done that you had to work VERY hard for?

My Fitness Journey Part II

If you missed Part I, make sure you check it out... or none of this will make much sense!

JK-L has been one of my running buddies for several years. She is a HOOT. Talking to her makes running 15 miles seem like it took 15 minutes. We met up one June evening in 2012 for a trail run around Pinchot Lake. Not surprisingly, our conversations hovered on the topic of working out, food, and all the things I had been obsessing about for years. JK-L is a personal trainer, and has spent her life devoted to fitness and helping others reach their goals. She runs, lifts, conducts boot camps... she's amazing.

Anyway, we got into talking about weight training- of which I knew nothing about. I was curious, and she urged me to come to the gym where she worked for some personal training sessions. Now, I always sort of turned my nose up at personal training. Not because I didn't think trainers knew what they were talking about, but because I felt like I should be able to figure out what to do on my own. And a lot of people got trainers for the purpose of motivation and accountability- I didn't need that! I had JEANS to fit into. What more motivation could a gal need!?

There was also the cost. A good personal trainer is expensive. I had no doubt it would be worth the money, but I wasn't even sure I HAD the money. Couldn't I just read some articles on the internet for free? And wouldn't it be selfish and vain to spend several hundred dollars on myself in this way? I decided to talk to my husband and see what he thought.

Well my husband LOVED the idea. He had been telling me for years I needed to weight train. I called JK-L that night and we set up our first consultation. The plan was to have 10 training sessions with her, and then she would design a program for me to follow on my own in the gym. After several weeks, if I needed a new plan, I would go in for a session and she would teach me a new lifting routine.  (Obviously, continuing to see her for training would have been ideal, but it was not in the budget for me!)

At the consultation I opened up about my obsession with food, my over exercising, everything. I went through a typical day and what I would eat. Just to give you and idea...

5:30am – wake up, run 7-9 miles

10:30am – apple (60 calories)

12:20pm – 1-2 packets of oatmeal (200 calories)

2:00pm – granola bar (100 calories)

3:40pm – fat free deli turkey sandwich on lite bread (100 calories)

6:30pm – Salad w/ fat free dressing and 3 pieces lite garlic bread (300 calories)

7:30pm – ice cream, cookies, whatever dessert I wanted (Who knows how many calories? I didn't measure. I felt entitled.)

9:00pm – Bed. Bloated. Tomorrow I'll get up at the crack of dawn and run off all those dinner calories!

Just to review, that's 60-90 minutes of cardio a day and about 1500 calories consumed. My goal was to eat as few calories as possible up until dinnertime, and then stuff myself with all the calories I should have been eating throughout the day! JK-L asked me why I did this. My answer was simple- I LOVE being really hungry and then eating A LOT of food. Also I didn't like to feel "full" unless it was at the end of the day. If I ate at work, I would feel fat.

(I know, I know. This is so messed up and crazy. I know that! I knew it at the time, too!)

JK-L was so understanding. She commended me for being open and honest, for being very self aware of what I did and why I did it. I was being completely real. She weighed me in and calculated my body fat. 

The grand total... 123lbs and 23% body fat.

23% BODY FAT!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

How!? It didn't make sense to me then, but it made a lot of sense once I digested the information. I was skinny fat.

This explains my dilemma perfectly.

A blog post I should have read 5 years ago.

I did not dwell on the information for too long. I am a woman of action and JK-L assured me I would see results from her program because she knew I would do EXACTLY WHAT SHE TOLD ME TO DO. And I did. I attended my lifting sessions with JK-L for 5 weeks and cleaned up my diet. She taught me so much about lifting, how to burn fat, and how to eat right. This did not involve hours in the gym, nor did it involve cutting calories. It meant NOURISHING my body, eating the right foods at the right times, and focusing on the quality of the exercise, not the quantity.

Things I learned from JK-L and other huge changes I made to reach my NEW goals!!!

1. Less carbs, more protein. I was eating a diet almost entirely comprised of carbohydrates. I didn't cut them out completely, but I cut them significantly- especially at night. I made sure the carbs I ate were whole wheat and contained lots of fiber. I replaced the carbs I was giving up with lean protein. Examples: egg whites, chicken breast, ground turkey, greek yogurt, cottage cheese, whey protein shakes.

2. What to eat before and after a workout. I used to run on an empty stomach and then have no energy to push myself. Then after a run I wouldn't refuel. This was killing my metabolism and my muscles were not able to rebuild. Now, I eat a carb before working out and a large portion of protein paired with a smaller portion of a carb immediately after a workout. **This was very hard to change. At first I felt "fat" eating immediately after a workout and would freak out. Now I freak out if I have to wait too long after a workout to refuel. Oh, how times have changed!**

3. The importance of weight training. I had no muscle, I needed to build it. I was prescribed weight training 2 days a week. On those days, NO OTHER CARDIO should be done. My muscles needed to rebuild or else there was no point in the lifting workout.

4. Less steady-state cardio. Plyometrics, HIIT, tempo runs, hill repeats, and sprints were going to help me burn fat.

5. Look at being hungry as an OPPORTUNITY to make a good choice. You have the chance to fuel your body with what it needs. What you choose to nourish your body could make you one step closer to reaching your goals.

6. Eat throughout the day. Don't save all your calories and carbs for a night time party in your mouth. (My words, not hers!) Now, I pretty much eat all day long. And I eat more calories than I used to. (2000-2300 depending on my training for the day)

7. Focus on FAT LOSS, not WEIGHT LOSS. This image says it all:

Source

These were huge changes for me. I don't know why I was ready to get out of my comfort zone, but for some reason, I took a leap of faith and decided to make myself make the right choices, even if I was uncomfortable at first. (It also helped that I shelled out hundreds of dollars for the training sessions. VERY MUCH WORTH THE MONEY. But there would be no point to spend the money if I wasn't going to take the advice of the expert I was paying!)

"The trick to an amazing physique is not doing everything right for a day. It's doing everything right day after day after day after day." - Pauline Nordin

And that's what I did. Over the course of the next 5 weeks I made more good choices than bad. I didn't over train. I didn't starve myself. Guess what happened? I started to get used to it. And I started to see changes in my body. My stomach, which was once bloated (my carb belly!!!) was now flat. Clothes started to fit better. At my final training session with JK-L I weighed in at the EXACT SAME WEIGHT, but only 20% body fat! This was good news! My body composition was changing. I was making the fat-muscle exchange. That is why my clothes fit better and I was smaller overall without losing pounds.

JK-L and I were both extremely happy with the results. Now it was time for me to go it alone. I was determined at this point. I had created the habits, now I just had to stick with them.

I did. I wasn't perfect. I still drank wine. I still had my ice cream cones. One time I went for a 6 mile run after lifting (it back fired!). But I started making more good choices than bad. Because of this, I have seen many positive changes...

1. I don't view food as the enemy. It is a way to fuel my body. I do allow room for "fun" foods. Wine, ice cream, chocolate covered coffee beans... I never set out to eat perfectly. This is not attainable for me. But when I eat well, I feel well.

2. My body fat % continued to go down. My muscles grew. This took awhile, and I'm not done. But I see progress! (I'm not losing weight... I have only lost about 3lbs in the past year. It appears to be more because I lost fat and gained muscle.) The pictures speak for themselves. In the first picture I am 123lbs. In the second and third pictures I am about 120lbs.

Skinny Fat on the Golden Gate Bridge - June 2012

November 2012 - After building some muscle!

May 2013 - Almost a year after my journey began!
I love this picture of me. I look the same way I feel- fast, strong, happy and free!!!! 

3. I am no longer a weakling in the gym! I can lift heavier weights than I could a year ago.

4. I have gotten FASTER! Since seeing JK-L I not only PR'ed in a marathon by 10 minutes (and qualified for Boston!) but I also ran a sub 20 minute 5-K. Overall, my running pace has increased a lot, and that is thanks to lifting more and running less. (And I'm sure tempo runs/hill repeats helped, too!) Basically, I gave my runs a PURPOSE, I didn't log junk miles (much).

Harrisburg Marathon - November 2012
PR & BQ!

My first 5k- Dick Fralick River Run in Millersburg - May, 2013

5. I do not starve myself. I eat when I am hungry and I don't worry about being hungry. Food is now a chance to make a healthy choice to nourish my body. Or a "fun" choice to keep me sane! Starving yourself all day kills your metabolism. I cannot imagine ever doing this again. There is no point. I used to eat about 1500 calories a day. Now I eat 2000-2300- depending on the training I do on a given day.

6. I do not feel the need to over exercise. That's not the way to reach my goals. My workouts have a purpose, and unless I'm doing a long run, they don't take longer than an hour.

7. I am happy! Most of the time I feel strong, no "fat". Of course I have my days I feel bloated. I get antsy on rest days. But I would say 85% of the time I am very content with how I feel and how I look. This is huge! Will I ever feel fabulous 100% of the time? Probably not. I don't think anyone does. But I feel a million times better than I used to. What more could I ask for???

I am so thankful for everything JK-L has taught me. She changed my life!

My first day without fake sugary drinks- a dramatic tale.

Okay, it's not that dramatic. I didn't get a headache and I didn't get cranky or anything like that. I just couldn't have what I wanted. Welcome to adulthood, Megan, time to grow up and do the right thing!

Here's how I coped during my first day without fake sugary drinks...

8am – Iced Coffee Time! Normally I put half a packet of Stevia in my coffee and sugar-free creamer. Today I skipped the Stevia and used fully sugared creamer. OH NO, 10 EXTRA CALORES I'M GONNA BE HUGE!!! Okay, let's calm down...

8:30am – Time for my protein oats, or Proatmeal, as I like to call it. Usually I use 1 packet of plain oatmeal, 1/2 scoop vanilla whey protein mix, and the other half of the Stevia packet. Today I substituted some strawberries for the Stevia. Ahhhh, nature's sugar.

10:15am – Drank water (gasp!) after my run. I had it all prepared beforehand so I could just grab it. Even though there is still Margarita Crystal Lite in a pitcher in the fridge...

10:45am – Made my protein shake without Stevia. I barely noticed it wasn't there. Maybe I am getting used to this...

3:00pm – Sucked it up and drank some water. I put it in a wine glass to feel fancy. It still tasted like water. Did you know there are people in this world that don't even have clean drinking water and here I am complaining about the nice, clean, readily available water I can just drink out of a wine glass whenever I feel like it? Gosh I am such a bitch.

7:55pm – Was really thirsty and craving Crystal Lite. Drank a wine glass full of water.

9:15 – I started having HUGE cravings for my Crystal Lite. (Notice how now it's "my" Crystal Lite.) I guess I like my sweet drinks in the evening. Instead I filled up my wine glass with more water, dumped in some lemon juice, and ate my feelings in the form of leftover chex mix. I NEED TO GET THAT STUFF OUT OF MY HOUSE!!

10:33pm – Bed. Day #1 wasn't so bad. I got this.

My First Blog! – Summer Goals

Greetings!

Look, I started a blog! Over the past few months, I have really gotten into reading blogs, and you know... monkey see, monkey do. I plan on this blog being about my life, fitness, food, and fun. Just think of it as one of my Facebook posts, only longer. And maybe a bit more personal.

Onward!

Summer Goals

Some people make resolutions on January 1^st, but as a teacher, I am more likely to start making goals around the beginning of June. There’s something about having 10 glorious weeks of summer vacation that makes me feel like I have the time and energy to conquer anything!

Here is my list of goals for the summer. Unfortunately, some of them are a little lofty (ahem, #2) but I’m going to give them all a fair shot!

1.    Start a blog. Look! I already achieved this one!

I made a Wordle! Grad school taught me something!

2.    Cut out artificially sweetened beverages. They’re so unhealthy. (Yes, I am sure there are other unhealthy things I consume, but I drink fake sugar pretty much all day long.) Fake sugar is not a treat for me, it’s a staple in my diet. I get home from a run and I pound some Crystal Lite mix. If I'm bored, a diet soda will fix that. When I'm getting ready to hit the gym, an iced coffee with 3 Splendas can get me hype. It’s a horrible habit!

3.    Start washing all my fruits and veggies. I sometimes don’t do it. I know. I’m gross.

4.    Learn to how do squats with the Smith machine. My hubby is going to have to help me with that one! (And I am ashamed I don't already know how to do this!)

Source

What are your goals for the summer? 

Am I the only lazy person who doesn't always wash my produce? 

An InLinkz Link-up