January Intentions Recap and February Goals

Happy February!!

First off, I have to say Happy Birthday, Dad!! It is my dear ol' (but not old) dad's birthday today. I am always so bummed that I live far away and can't spend my parents' birthdays with them. He is 62 today. My mom is also 62 (her birthday was in September), but you'd never guess it from looking at them. As I've mentioned before, my dad is a yoga teacher by night/mornings/weekend, and an accountant by day. My mom went back to school to become a physical therapist's assistant and used to teach singing.

also, they've been married 43 years. that's just crazy.

They both continually inspire me to remember that age is only a number. My dad has recently taken up running and started a running group at work -- they run 3-5 miles at lunch three days a week! That's in addition to his own speed workouts I've given him, some weights, and teaching yoga. My mom is working with a personal trainer and working out consistently despite being on her feet and doing physical work in her job. She can't run until she has a minor surgical procedure that makes high-impact workouts ok, but she's already excited to enter some 5k's once she can!

No More Sick
So guys, I ran last night! I think that's the biggest sign that I'm no longer sick. I ran on the treadmill for four miles (since I didn't get back from work/class/meeting until 9 PM) and did a super short strength workout with heavy weights since I only wanted to do one set.

apparently if you don't hook yourself up to the heart rate monitor it just... estimates for you?

My appetite still isn't back, which is worrying me. I'm normally always hungry. Like always. But after throwing up about 20 times in the span of 12 hours (TMI? sorry...), I feel queasy even thinking about food and everything is giving me a stomach ache.

I did feel a bit hungrier after running though, so clearly running is the cure to everything.


Recap of January's Intentions
As I wrote on December 31, 2012, I have five general intentions for this year that I'm trying to follow through with by setting smaller, tangible goals each month. My intentions are to (1) continue my plant-based diet, (2) get faster, (3) disconnect more, (4) cook more, and (5) be on time, and I set four goals that would further those intentions.

As I was reviewing them, I realized that, to my surprise, I think I was actually pretty successful with my goals! I cooked a lot more often, at least once we were back in NYC and weren't sharing food prep duties with my dad.

I didn't do speed work for two weeks following my half-marathon because I didn't want to do any intense running workouts, but I did do one each week after that. I've started leaving for things a bit earlier (ok, maybe not 15 minutes, but it counts right?). And I have been getting off my computer more often in the evenings, trying to do my seminar readings on my Kindle.

I'm excited to continue to pursue my intentions by setting more concrete goals for February. Since I always set weekly workout goals, I'll call these my "big" goals.


February's Big Goals

Be a more mindful food consumer. I eat very healthy, especially for a grad student, but truthfully I am not very careful with the food choices I make in terms of how my purchases affect others. I've always been vaguely aware of the fact that fisheries are depleted, but I didn't realize that 85% of fisheries are "exhausted or on the path to collapse." After reading this Greatist article on the ethics of healthy eating, I want to be a more savvy and concerned food consumer and use my purchasing power in a positive manner.  This is especially important when it comes to fish and produce. I also want to avoid the "dirty dozen" -- those items with the highest amount of pesticide residue (which include potatoes?? what?).

Continue my speed workouts and run with faster friends. I've already seen the benefits of running with faster friends, but January was a tough month for meeting up with people. I wasn't even in the city until the 20th, then I was getting my new extern/school schedule set, then I got sick! So my goal is to work out with friends more. I work harder and improve more -- and it's more fun!

clearly these are excellent people to work out and run with...
(and if any of you read this, I'll be bothering you more to run/lift/work out/yoga with me) 

Leave my phone charging more often. Once I plug my phone in to charge, I check it much less because it's not there so there's no temptation to constantly look at it. If I plug it in soon after I get home, I won't check it as much and that combined with shutting my computer = disconnecting!

Cook a new and different cuisine at least once a week. I did pretty well on the cooking front last month, and I think I'll be more excited to cook more if I make more recipes that are different (while still being quick and easy). I made these Thai Peanut Noodles, found courtesy of Janae at Hungry Runner Girl, (swapping in almond butter because I was out of peanut butter) on Wednesday night and they were really tasty! If I'd thrown in some chopped bell peppers and broccoli there would have been veggies in there, too, which is what I'll do next time (I was up to cooking but not grocery shopping).

Don't read blogs during breakfast. What? This one seems super random, right? Well it turns out y'all bloggers are so interesting that I get sucked in and lose track of time and suddenly I'm late because I was reading about someone's amazing training run or their kickass race recap (or, y'know, just what they had for breakfast -- it's interesting at 7 AM) and suddenly I'm running late and haven't even changed yet.

pretty Top-of-the-Rock picture inserted for no reason other than to show my favorite place, Central Park

How are your New Year's resolutions/intentions/goals going? How are your initial workouts when you're coming back from being sick?