New Year, New Me (Ugh, that sounds like a Weight Watchers slogan)

Location:  Earth Fare, Charlotte, NC.  Regular reserve until 5:30PM, despite coming off of a trip this morning.

So on December 31st, I made it a point to sit down with Jessica and come up with some resolutions for the new year.  I've decided to focus on my overall health and well being as this year's main goal.  Both my emotional and physical health.  For the past 4 years I taught middle and high school band.  I loved teaching, and hope to substitute teach band on my days off soon.  I didn't leave that profession because I hated teaching, I didn't like that fact that this job was mostly about managing poor behavior, and dealing with that bullshit--I just wanted to teach.  Speaking of bullshit, the main reason I left teaching was school administrations ruining my programs, micromanaging, and coddling these kids.  I was required to go against my philosophy and teach to the test.  I could write a book, but in short, school administrators made my life a living hell.  Because of the fact that I was so unhappy with my job, all I did was stress eat, kill my body, and spiral into depression.  I managed to gain quite a bit of weight, my blood pressure went through the roof (enough to have to go on medication for, which I am off of now, imagine that,) and my cholesterol level, according to my doctor, "sucked."  This all led to fatigue, constant headaches, lack of motivation, and almost having to go on anti-depressants.  Thankfully now, I love my new job, despite not even making half of what I made before.  2011 is all about getting the old me back, both mentally and physically, and I believe I am well on my way.  So I broke my resolutions down into several catergories:

Food:

• Be conscious of salt content.  Salt is one of the biggest causes of high blood pressure.
• Read labels for saturated fat, salt content, and MSG.  Reading labels can help you avoid hidden toxins in food better.
• More fresh, raw fruits and vegetables.  Self explanatory, especially the detox foods, and superfoods.
• Smaller portions.  Slow down and enjoy everything you eat, and don't rush it, especially when you cook for yourself.
• No food after 7:30PM, unless getting in late from a flight.  Late night eating is one of the biggest causes of a big belly.
• Cook more.  This isn't easy with this job, but I can make it work.
• Plan ahead meals more.  This will help in avoiding having to buy airport food.  See below.
• Limit airport food.  Pasteurized, processed, egg-like emulsions are not what's for breakfast.
• No aspartame.  This stuff will kill you.
• Quit eating junk food around the parents’ house.  Dad is notorious for keeping huge bowls of M&Ms around the house, and I am notorious for eating them.

Exercise:

• Pants size, at least 32 by this summer.  I'm almost a 38.  Hell.  And I was a 32 in college.
• Run a 5K by the end of the year.  Thanks Jessica for the goal!
• 150 miles on DailyMile.  Great website I was introduced to.  Again, thanks Jessica!
• Use the hotel gyms more.  I'm sore today from last night's run.  Feels great.
• More pushups and situps.  Hundredpushups.com is another site I've been told I need to check out by you know who.
• Take my shirt off at the beach this summer and impress chicks.  Self explanatory.
• Get my college body back.  This WILL happen.

Money:

• Be more conscious overall.  I don't make as much as I used to, but I'm okay with that.
• Try to save more.
• Pay off credit card.  I'm almost done with this actually.
• Go out to eat less.  HUGE money waster.
• Continue paying car and student loan bills on time.  I've been pretty good about this.
• Get an iPod touch and a pair of headphones I can run in.  Running by myself is boring.  I need to replace my iPod that one of my wonderful students stole during the last week of school.

Miscellaneous:

• No more laptop in bed.  Studies show it leads to insomnia.  NetFlix is my weakness in bed.
• Visit all 50 states.  7 more to go!  Alaska, Hawai'i, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, and New Mexico, bring it!
• Procrastinate less, be more productive.  Self explanatory.
• Practice my trumpet more.  I'm getting a little rusty.