Newsflash: I am not the world’s healthiest person. I did quit smoking three years ago, but that’s basically the only healthy thing I’ve done for myself in years that I’ve actually stuck to. So this year, I have a couple of health goals:
1. Complete the couch-to-5K running plan
2. Eat out 52 times or fewer
About the running: I’ve made a lot of goals in the past that have focused exclusively on losing weight. While I do want to lose some weight, I’m trying to think about my health in a more comprehensive way. Weight doesn’t equal health, but fitness does. The reason that I like the couch-to-5K plan specifically is that it’s very manageable time-wise and it starts really slow, which I definitely need. I’m planning to start the plan in the middle of February 2012 as I’ve signed up for a series of yoga classes that run through January. I don’t want to take on too much at a time 🙂
And the eating out challenge: That’s how I’m going to be referring to this goal, as a challenge, because it will be. In the past six months I have gotten into the very bad habit (both financially and health-wise) of eating out way too much. So I’m going to challenge myself in 2012 to eat out no more than 52 times. Why 52? Because that would average eating out once per week, which would be a significant improvement for me. Below are a list of rules for this challenge:
1. Both take-out and restaurant dining count as eating out. That includes pizza delivery.
2. Going to a restaurant or bar and just ordering a drink does not count as eating out, unless I order food.
3. Eating out with my parents does not count against my 52, but I see them only a few times a year so this really wouldn’t make a big impact on the challenge anyway.
4. Going out just for ice cream in the summer does not count as eating out.
5. Eating out when I’m visiting family or away for school reasons (like the AP reading) does not count against my 52. I debated a lot about this one, but if I have no reasonable option of eating at home then I think it’s silly to count it against the challenge. I also don’t want to force this challenge on my family, so if I’m visiting a family member, I’m not counting that either.
What do you think? Do you have any health goals for 2012? Please, share!
