I love New Year's Resolutions. I love the idea of committing to a notion and trying to stick with 'said' notion for a defined period of time.
Just to strengthen the resolve of 'said' notion, I make a point of blabbing my New Year's determination(s) to several friend's and family members for emotional support hence I stray from my self proclaimed notion/determination path.
I find that sharing my New Year's notion amongst close friends is also beneficial in a - "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours."- grand gesture. I also try to remain open to the idea that someone (dear friend) might have a more relevant (better) resolution, and I could make a last minute adjustment (upgrade) before I commit to my final carved in soft stone resolution. My feeling (rational) is just because you didn't come up with the resolution yourself, doesn't make 'said' resolution upgrade any less personal or perfect. Following is a list of resolutions my friends have made for themselves this year and shared with me. Please feel free to borrow (upgrade) one if you feel so inclined. And remember, the best part of a New Year's Resolution is that you can actually start it whenever you are ready.
Get Into Excellent Shape
Eat Better
Get A Total Physical
No Alcohol. Well, Less Alcohol . . .
Socialize More
Wear More Color
Wear More Dresses
Purge My Closet
Only Wear Workout Clothes On Days That Actually Plan To Workout
Stop Wearing Hair In Ponytail
Finish Decorating House
Be More Available To Family & Friends
Learn A Language
Take A Computer Class
Get a Job
Plan To Have A Dinner Party Every Month
Learn To Make A Really Great Vinaigrette Dressing
Read A Book A Month
Accept More Social Invitations
All in all, no one notion on the above 'said' New Year's Resolution list seems too difficult. And, I actually think you could combine a few resolutions together to make one really great resolution such as - get an overall physical, eat better and get into excellent shape. (Profoundly positive 3 part resolution actually came from my cousin Care, age 41.)
The grocery store tabloids play off our inner fat girl insecurities that we (always) need to lose weight. And, that at all times we should be thinking about losing weight. Which I think is totally ironic because stupid magazines with shaming weight loss message covers are displayed adjacent to candy/gum/sucrose checkout display.
Consider this - What if 'it' wasn't just about weight? What if overall health was our primary focus and concern?
This glossy photo of Gwyneth touting her diet secrets caught my attention.
People Magazine (page 34)
Makes grocery shopping easy and quick when there are only 3 food groups on your pre-approved 'elimination diet' list, ahem. Stomach gurgle.
It's not that I want to lose weight as much as I just want to be as healthy as I can possibly be. With that mantra (healthy as I can possibly be) in mind, my dear cousin Care texted me to say that I have got to watch the movie 'Forks Over Knives'. The movie will completely change the way I think about food.
'Forks Over Knives'
Streamed on Netflix
The basic premise of the documentary is if you simply removed dairy, refined sugar and meat from your diet that you could add years to your life.
"Let Food be thy medicine." - Hippocrates
"The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition." - Thomas Edison
"He that takes medicine and neglects diet, wastes the time of his doctor." Chinese Proverb
I watched the movie with my husband, and we are both going to try to eat a more plant based diet. I have told at least 5 friends this week about the movie, and now I am writing to urge you to watch the movie also. The movie is 96 minutes long and is very insightful in regards to our health and the correlation of food / health (diabetes, coronary heart disease and cancer). Even if you are not open to making radical changes to your diet (at this time), at least the movie might make you think twice about which foods you choose to fill your grocery cart with.
My New Year's Resolution - To Be More Concerned With My Personal Health & The Health Of The People I Love.
FYI, I also take a multi vitamin . . . (purchased at Whole Foods)
