For What It's Worth


Friday, December 28, 2012

Let’s Talk: New Year’s Resolutions


Let’s Talk is a fun new meme to discuss a little bit of this & a little bit of that (not always bookish) hosted by Smash Attack Reads and A Book Obsession.
This weeks question: What are your New Year Resolutions? Or, what goals have you set for yourself in 2013.

I don’t really like to make resolutions. I usually don’t follow through and feel like a failure. This year I’m going to though.

My goal is to run a 5K by the end of 2013. Really my goal is to endure any type of cardio activity for 30 minutes without wheezing to death but a friend sent me the app for The Couch-to-5K Running Plan. It alternates walking and running – increasing the running time over 9 weeks. I’m up to week 3 already and it is getting easier. I still wheeze and gasp but I finish each workout (without cheating) and my recovery time is getting faster.

I’m a fairly healthy person. I eat well and I’m active but for some reason my cardio endurance sucks! I have an elliptical machine and getting to 10 minutes kills me. I really want to be able to do this.

How about you? Any goals or resolutions for the new year?

29 comments:

  1. Go you :D I just can't stand running, my knee starts to hurt in the end. I guess I will just walk instead ;)
    And that is my goal, I must do it every day. Even when I am busy, 30 min is enough

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    1. I hate it too. I hate anything that involves raising my heart rate lol

      I walk with my husband a lot and I do yoga but I think I need to be able to participate in an activity for more than 3 minutes without gasping for air. We'll see if I can actually do it.

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  2. Late last summer, I started riding bikes with my husband. It was more fun than I thought and good exercise. I continued through the fall, right up until it got too cold.

    A resolution for next year: Get my own bike. (I was borrowing my daughter's.) Build up my stamina for distance over the spring, summer, and fall.

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    1. That's fantastic! I had a bike - it got rusty lol

      Maybe if I can do this 5k thing though I can give it another try.

      I live in FL so winter is my time to get outdoors. It's too hot in the summer.

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  3. Good luck with that ...I want to run 13 miles :) You can do it and I know you are totally healthy eating xoxoxo

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  4. Yay for working on health and endurance! This is the first year that I've ever started working out and I can do over an hour of cardio without dying, finally!

    I've heard really good things about Couch to 5K. My sister has done it and she's run a couple races, too. Sounds like you're doing great, so keep up the good work!

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    1. I'm so jealous. I've been working out for years and I can barely make 30 minutes. I get so discouraged when people can hop on a treadmill or elliptical for 30 minutes right off the bat.

      The Couch to 5K seems to be working for me. Maybe I just needed it broken way down into manageable increments.

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  5. This is FANTASTIC! I am soooo excited for you! I started running about 3 months ago. I lost a ton of weight this year (from morbidly obese to overweight YAY lol), and could not even run more than a few steps, and now, after 3 months of running, I can run 7 miles without stopping. YOU CAN DO IT! I promise you 100% you can do it! Keep me posted on your running goals - I'm so excited for you. I used to hate all physical activity, and now I'm in love with running.

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    1. Thanks so much for your comment. First all CONGRATULATIONS! That's amazing and I'm so happy for you.

      It's nice to hear that other people struggle. I seem to be surrounded by people who can go 30 minutes right away and it's so demoralizing when i can't. This app is working for me because it breaks in down into these little bursts of running. I'm only competing against myself.

      I am at the point where I want to do it so that's a start.

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  6. Great goal! And, I know how you feel about not following through. It's my largest obstacle! I do have quite a few resolutions that I'll be posting on New Year's Day that I think will help me learn to follow through. :D Good luck on your goal!

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    1. I find that when I post something on my blog I follow through better. I guess because people start bugging me lol

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  7. That's a great goal Karen and you've already started working on it! Go you!

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  8. That's really a wonderful goal, Karen! You need to find a way to send up a blog bat-signal when you need some cheering on. Maybe hang a little pair of running shoes in the sidebar? :)

    Mine's the same goal I have every year which probably says something. lol I want to be more organized. I'm the kind of person who spends 5 hours at Staples buying pretty organization supplies, then another 5 hours at home putting everything in it and setting up a system, then 5 weeks freaking out because I can't find a good way to make everything work the way I want it to and the rest of the year being a disorganized mess. Last year the day planner plus Outlook calendar nearly worked so this year I'm adding a few new things. :D

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    1. You just described me! I was perusing the organization section this morning lol

      I set up this really pretty folder filing system this year. It's all nice and organized but I couldn't find a thing. It seems that my brain doesn't work that way. Somehow my scattered post-it note system works for me.

      I do use a weekly/monthly planner for blogging and that helps. Mostly....

      I should make running goal blog button! I tweet my elliptical angst all the time.

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  9. Go, Karen! I did the C25K a couple of years ago and I am not and never have been a runner. I could walk for days but I suck at running. So I was surprised when I made it to the end of week 7 and jogged/ran for 20 minutes straight. Life got in the way after that and I moved onto P90X (the plyo workout is great cardio if you want to try that) and now I do Jillian's 30 Day Shred (also great work outs!)

    I hope you get to do your 5K - YOU CAN DO IT!

    I need to be more pro-active this year, I find it so easy to be lazy about so many things but I need to keep pushing myself :)

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    1. That gives me hope! It seems so unachievable to me lol

      I do the 30 Day shred too and I barely make it through - I must do this!

      And thank you for the blogroll add :-)

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  10. That is s great goal! I have been dedicated to exercise for so many years, but really slacked off this past year. My goal is 30 minutes a day also

    Good luck!

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  11. Ooo I hadn't heard of that app before! That's one of my New Year's resolutions too! I've never, ever been a runner and I'd like to start being more active. Have you heard of this apocalyptic zombie app that turns your running/walking into a zombie story, like they're chasing you?! haha I need to check that one out too! :)
    Happy 2013 Karen

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  12. Yes! I've done that one! I almost got hit by a car though because I was too busy trying to run away from zombies instead of watching where I was going. lol I need to find a wide open field to do that in.

    It was so much fun.

    You should give the app a try. It's the only thing that has worked for me. It breaks in down into doable increments.

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  13. Good luck! Did my first 5k this year and I had a blast! I plan to beat my time by 2 mins this year. Cardio exercises are fun and really challenging but once you got the groove, it's exhilirating. I started mine to help me quit smoking so I know wheezing LOL. I gradually worked on my endurance for a year and still working on it.

    Cheers to our health! Happy New Year!

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    1. Cardio...fun?? I can't imagine I'll EVER get to that point but I am already getting the runner's high after so that helps.

      Congrats on completing the 5K. I hope I can run a few in 2013.

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  14. I am still debating making resolutions for 2013...guess I have about 8 hours left to decide! Good luck with yours...it's a great goal!

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    1. I don't usually make any. Too much pressure. I started this before the end of 2012 so it's more of a continuation of a goal lol

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  15. Those are awesome goals - I'll be cheering for you! I never thought I would like running-EVER-but I finished two 5ks last year! I'm training for a half marathon (walking) now and never thought I would do that either. Have a great 2013!

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    1. YOu guys are really helping to keep me focused. It's great to hear from other people who struggled but made it.

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  16. I need to eat healthier and I'd also like to start running again. I wrecked my knee skiing, but if I run slowly and don't overdo it, I'm happy. Also I need to stick with the yoga - not my favorite but I need the stretching.

    And I just want to be braver about a few things. It's a work in progress!

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    1. I love yoga - I'm very good at the sedentary exercising lol

      You and me both about being braver. I've come a loooong way but I still have to keep at it. We can do it!

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