Resolutions

Every year, I make the same resolution, sometimes to myself, sometimes out loud, sometimes officially, usually not, but always the same:  Lose weight.  This year is no different, but I want to twist it a bit and relabel it:  Eat less, exercise more.  And I want to make it more specific.

I have tried counting calories and following restrictive diets without much success.  One problem is calorie counting and dieting makes one think about food, and thinking about food makes one feel hungry.  A friend of mine who has successfully shed a lot of weight recently told me that her relationship with food has changed.  This tells me that overeating is not the problem, but a symptom of other issues to which food is not the answer.

How does this translate to me and my situation?  I know that I eat more when I am feeling stressed and/or tired.  Meditation and exercise are two ways to address stress, and exercise can help promote better sleep as can going to bed on time.  This translates into the following specific actions:

1. Meditate once a day on work days (these are my most stressful days)
2. Practice yoga twice per week
3. Get some aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes three times a week
4. Turn out the lights by 10:30pm on the eves of work days

And that is all.  I think these goals are doable and measurable.  In fact, I have been easing into them over the past few weeks.  We'll see if they translate into weight loss.  Stay tuned!