Happy New Year

I am so excited for this year, for once I feel like I am ready for great things. I have goals, and plans to make those goals become a reality.  2011 is my year I just know it's going to be a good year.  I wish all my friends and family a year full of blessings!

New Years Resolutions..

This time of year usually makes you start thinking about what you did or did not accomplish this year, and makes you start thinking about the year to come. Answering tricky questions like “What am I doing? Where am I going? What do I want? Thinking that there’s got to be more to life than this!….” The result? New Years Resolutions!

Four quick tips I have found helpful for Goal setting for the new year, these can be applied to anything even a biggy like weight-loss.  

Tip 1

While it’s beneficial to ask big questions about where your life is going, but asking them too often will result leave you in a bog of directionless despair. Take the pressure off, and only ask the big questions once, or at most, twice a year.

Tip 2

One of the easiest mistakes to make when setting goals, is in-sufficient detail. Write your goals in enough detail for everyone to understand and agree what’s meant. So if your goal is to lose 100lbs, plan it out, 5 lbs a month, by March to fit into a dress for high school reunion, etc etc.. You get the idea, you must create small goals to reach the BIG Goal at the end, or your goal will seem overwhelming and unattainable.

Make a calendar, track your progress and cross off your goals when you reach them, and reward yourself.

Tip 3

You are more likely to achieve realistic goals. That’s not to say you can’t shoot for the stars and pursue your dreams; break up your BIG goals into smaller, more manageable mini goals, and you’re more likely to achieve your dream. Baby steps!!

Tip 4

Tell People what you are doing, If everyone knows you have a plan you are more likely to stick to it.. ACCOUNTABILITY. Find a partner, join a group. I have one starting January 1st on my Facebook page (New Year, New You Challenge), Email me for info or click on my Facebook badge to find the event link.

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FAIL TO PLAN, You Are Planning to Fail!

Merry Christmas from the Borden Family

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

What Is Your Philosophy?

What??? That would have been my reaction if you had asked me that question a few months ago. I had never stopped to really think about it till I read an awesome book by Jeff Olson called The Slight Edge!

Your philosophy is your view of life something beyond feelings and attitudes, it is what drives those feeling and attitudes which in turn drives your actions. So if you want an attitude adjustment, change your philosophy!   I have learned that the best gift you can give yourself is your own personal development! Investing in improving your own personal growth and betterment is the best thing you can do for yourself because things don't stand still, you are either moving forward or.......  moving backward! I want to be moving forward in every area;  health, relationships, finances, and life so how do I plan to do that?  Simple positive actions repeated over time, that's how!!!

"Simple little disciplines that, done consistently over time, will add up to the very big accomplishments." - Jeff Olson

I would encourage anyone and everyone to read this book. Your life will be better for it!

Mixed Bag

This last week has been a mixed bag it started with the most amazing weekend. My husband and I began our fitness journey with the P90X workout dvd's with fitness trainer Tony Horton, and this weekend we got to workout live with Tony Horton we were totally star struck!!  He was awesome a really nice normal guy!  After the excitement of the weekend I'm back down to earth with a bump! I started the first class for my Accounting degree today. Having completed my Associates degree three weeks ago I was feeling confident about starting the bachelor program but I have to admit I am feeling a wee bit nervous about it. Class formats are similar but different enough to make me feel somewhat overwhelmed never having had to work in teams - online! Remembering the saying "How do you eat and elephant? One bite at a time" has been helpful. 

Insanity Month One!

My family and I have been working out with the Insanity Dvd's and have finished the first month. When we started the program we huffed and puffed our way through the fit test and dutifully recorded our efforts. Then we did our first workout, we had trouble making it through the warm-up! This did not seem like a good start but we showed up every day, we kept pressing play, and kept giving our best.  After two weeks we re-did the fit test and what do you know our numbers had improved. Well we have finished our first month and are enjoying a "recovery week" also not easy I might add! At least now we can easily make it through the warm-up, and feel like we are doing reasonably well keeping up with the workout.  We have a few more days of recovery then we begin month two, so we thought it might be good to sit and watch the first workout for month two.  From what we saw today I suspect it will feel like the first day of month one!!!  Month two the workouts are more intense and LONGER!  Have to admit to being a little nervous but you know what?  I can see and feel the difference the workouts have made. I feel great!!  So bring it on, and I'll DIG DEEPER!! At the end of month two our health and fitness will have reached a whole new level!

The Challenge of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is by far one of my favorite holidays, all the great family time and food without the pressure of finding the right gifts for everyone!  The challenge in my case is trying to stay on track so I'm trying to have a semi-healthy dinner without it turning into the disaster of a couple years ago.  At the time I was on a diet that completely cut out all sodium, most carbs, and the usual sugar and fats etc.  Well in trying to cook a Thanksgiving dinner that would be "on plan" the only thing that was any good was the Turkey. Needless to say since then my family has trouble with the idea of a "healthy" Thanksgiving. The bad news is  the average Thanksgiving dinner is between about 2,300 and 3,000 calories!!! So I  feel like I have to do something to minimize the damage if I can.  So I found the Eating Well website and found these great tips.

7 Tricks for a Healthier Thanksgiving

Always good to try something new.

My first Blog post. I have begun so many new things in the last half of this year that a blog seemed like a good idea. I have learned how important a positive attitude is, I have surrounded myself with positive people and things. After years of struggling with my weight and more recently watching my kids begin their own struggle with weight. There was no question that I had to make changes, I could no longer hide behind my excuses of "hating to cook" as a reason for our unhealthy diet, and no money for a gym membership or kids sports activities as the reason for our lack of activity.  So our family invested in home workout DVD's and began working out but our eating did not change much, and while we felt better for working out we did not see any significant weight change. So I have had to step up and pay more attention to what we were eating and since then we have begin to see results and even though we still have a long way to go; we are forming new habits and learning new things along the way.  So why not blog about it? :)