It’s a new year, and although I usually avoid making resolutions (I typically intimidate myself into breaking them), this year I’m really making an effort.
Resolution #1: Get Fit(ter)
Friends and my boyfriend get ticked at me whenever I refer to myself as fat. I know I’m a long way from fat. I’ve been fat. I was a size 16 eighth grader. Try that on for adolescent insecurity.
But the point is, I got myself down to a size 6 two years ago, and I’ve more or less kept it that way since. Ever since I got back from vacation in December, my pants have gradually been fitting tighter and tighter until some of them stopped fitting. So I’m on the large end of size 6, and maybe even into the early days of size 8. Which is fine. I don’t base healthy weight on dress size. But if I can tell I’m swelling at the midsection within the span of one month, there’s probably something wrong with my eating and exercise habits.
So I signed up for a package at Essence Pilates studio, a Ravenswood storefront that specializes in nothing but Pilates, which is the one exercise I never get tired of doing. I hate gyms; I hate watching people more fit than me strut their stuff on stationary machines for hours, and then I psych myself out and slowly stop going as often. Most fitness classes, even some yoga classes, require you to go at the pace of the instructor or the rest of the class. Pilates isn’t like that. I love it. So for $150 this month, I can take as many classes as I want at Essence, where the class sizes are smaller than eight people, the sessions are a grueling hour long, and the music is often the Garden State soundtrack or Wilco as opposed to Britney Spears or some other crap (although they did play Black Eyed Peas once… wasn’t the end of the world, but there is something a little disconcerting about working out your glutes to the sound of “My Humps”).
I’ve been to two classes already and it’s only January 6 (considering that they were closed Jan. 1-3, that is more impressive than it sounds). Tomorrow I have an hour-long private session so the teacher can show me how to get more out of each work out. So see? Almost a week into 2008, and this resolution is still very much intact.
Resolution #2: More Girl Time
When you live with your significant other, time spent with others seems to dissapate. So I’ve been working to arrange all kind of girly get togethers, namely a monthly Book Club for shameless appreciaters of chick lit. The first book we’re reading is “Good in Bed” by Jennifer Weiner (author of “In Her Shoes”), which I’ve already read but in re-reading it these past few days, I’m already loving it more than I remembered.I bought a cocktail counter at Pier 1 with a built-in wine rack, which I hope will serve as the central point for numerous girly get togethers. Wine brings, and keeps, people together. It helps erase the awkwardness of acquainting yourself with a new group of friends. I have a lot of awesome girl friends who didn’t used to know each other, but through several dinners and chocolate tastings and nights at the wine bar, they are all more familiar with one another. Some even get together without me. I love spending time with my girlfriends and helping them meet and spend time with other cool people.
Resolution #3: Keep apartment clean
I had to interview the woman who invented the concept of “Home Staging” for the magazine I work for. Home Staging is basically presenting a home in a way that makes simply being in it pleasant for its residents as well as visitors. So we sorted through piles of old mail, donated clothes too small for us, threw out junk and broken appliances, and really spiffed up the place with plants, candles, and a few new things. We’ve already had company once since, and I feel like it’s easier for me to keep the place clean now that it’s already clean. I’m sorry we waited so long to do this!
There are other silly personal resolutions dealing with my professional life, friendships, love life, but the three most important ones I’m working hard to keep, and am proud of having done so thus far.
