Plans for 2012
There are a number of things I want to achieve this year. Kind of resolutions; however I prefer the word “plan.”
• I will continue to go to the gym and swim; as well as continue with Pilates. So far this week I went swimming yesterday, to the gym today and I’m going to go swimming tomorrow. Friday we’re travelling to Hatfield and the weekend is a role-play one; however I have already booked my place in Pilates for Tuesday next week.
As Mark has noted; this makes me happy and was doing wonders for my stress levels. I will continue this because I enjoy it and because it is good for my health.
• I will look after my health better - so for example if I hurt my ankle again I won’t wait for three months before I go to my GP. For reference my x-rays and blood tests are back and I have an appointment on Friday to see my doctor about them; plus have the world’s least dignified test for females.
• I will continue taking Cod Liver Oil because it does seem to be making a difference to my joints. I will try Evening Primrose Oil to see if it helps with my PMS.
I will continue to embrace my version of healthy eating. This involves:
• Making sure I get my five a day
• Trying to reduce my intake of highly processed food and continue to cook from scratch food that my grandmother* would recognise
• Minimise my salt intake as much as possible
• Increase my repertoire including an aim to cook more vegetarian meals and fish
• Be better with portion control
• I will not beat myself up mentally if I want to have a biscuit. I will however stop that one biscuit turning into three as a matter of course (Why three? I have no idea.)
• I will remember to have breakfast even if it is last night’s leftovers taken into work and heated up (this is what I had this morning; and whilst I can see soy sauce pork and rice being an odd breakfast it was protein, carbs and vegetables and kept me going until lunch nicely.)
The above may mean I lost more weight. If I do great. If I don’t I will not stress about it.
• We will finish the Christmas cake
• I will cook more puddings when we’re home for the weekend; especially fruit ones. They are simple; they are nice and home cooked ones are healthier - plus a treat’s not a bad thing**
• I will try to bake more often this year; especially bread
• I will look into the feasibility of a vegetable box
• I will waste less food
• I will make more soup - I have a liquidiser that needs to earn its space in the kitchen
• I will make jams and pickles this year
• I will recycle more (as the council makes it so very easy here there is no excuse other than laziness.)
• Each month I will buy myself a treat. It may be small; it can be a book, or a DVD or something *just for me* - and I will not feel guilty about it.
• Each month I will buy something I need*** for the kitchen
• I will continue the good work Steph started in the garden. On Sunday I planted garlic bulbs. I have a shoe box of seeds to sort through. I till grow vegetables and see about getting a herb planter. I have five fruit trees to bloom in Spring and then fruit. I want to get redcurrants, raspberries, gooseberries and strawberries.
• I will get more plants for inside the house. I have three hyacinth bulbs currently growing by the TV; they are about to come into flower and they make me smile inside when I look at them. Plants just need me to remember to water them and for me they make a house into a home.
• I will buy more cut flowers and look after them - I have a bunch I bought on 23 December and because I’ve been careful to top up the vase they are still here.
• I will be better at contacting my parents on a regular basis
• We will continue to tidy the house (for example, tomorrow I’m taking down the Christmas tree; packing it up and putting it away immediately; not leaving it drifting.) Hopefully this will unearth the e-reader; if it does then I may well buy more books for it
• I will look into the feasibility of getting a freezer and putting it in the cupboard under the stairs
• I will paint the kitchen - I have the paint and the equipment. I will do this before I buy more shelves.
• I will get some frames for my photos and posters
*Well someone’s grandmother at least. Neither of my grandmothers would recognise Thai or Sushi but I’m not prepared to give them up just because *my* Nans didn’t eat them.
**I’ve read about one person’s healthy eating plan which involves “Days beginning with S” - the general thing being that she has a treat like chocolate or pudding on Saturdays and Sundays. This seems a reasonable idea to me. I don’t often want a desert in the week; but making a simple steamed pudding got me all domestic goddess warm - and the boys liked it as well.
***Well maybe not desperately need. However there are a number of things I’ve longingly looked at; or that would make things easier. So for example; January’s purchase is going to be a plastic chest of drawers on wheels. My kitchen is tiny; but getting a vegetable rack has solved a number of my storage problems; it lives by the back door and then can be wheeled out of the way if I need to get out. The thought is that a similar wheeled chest of drawers will give me somewhere to store my tea towels and get them out of the way. February will be another set of shelves to put on the wall. Then the list gets into things like a microplane grater and a cleaver. I like kitchen toys.