For my entire life, I was led to believe that making ‘New Year’s Resolutions’ was either finished by New Year’s Eve, or by the end of New Year’s Day. Recently, I was informed by a so-called ‘Expert’, that it’s OK to make a few beyond that self-imposed deadline. I’m not sure that’s ‘kosher’, however, I don’t claim to be an ‘Expert’ on anything, so I won’t quibble.
For the past twenty years or so, I’ve always started my list with one that I could guarantee that I’d make good on from Jan 1 through Dec 31st. ‘I resolve to never swallow a watermelon whole’. (Of course, that’s absurd. But I felt that everyone should have one that you can congratulate yourself about staying true to the promise when the next year comes around.)
Ten years ago, I made a resolution to shed enough weight to slim down to where I was in my best physical condition of my adult life. When I had to step on the scale during a visit to my ‘Health Professional’ and was shocked to see the reading of ‘250’, I didn’t need to hear a lecture, I knew that I wasn’t likely to witness my 100th birthday without making a concerted effort to change my lifestyle. My diet included copious amounts of junk food, burgers and fries, and sugary soft drinks. Exercise was hit or miss, and it was no wonder that my energy levels had tapered off.
Reflecting on my years in the Air Force, stationed at Kunsan Air Base in South Korea, where there wasn’t a lot of diversions during my off-duty time, I had joined a number of my fellow Airmen in a daily physical regimen that included a 2.5 mile run after our shift was completed. We also played basketball, lifted weights, did laps in the pool, and stopped bending our elbows while lifting our hands filled with beer cans. When I finished that tour of duty, I weighed 185, at 5’11”, with a fairly chiseled body, and felt great.
It took me a little over 3 years to achieve my goal, hitting 185.
Adopting a ‘patience’ and ‘stick-to-it’ attitude, I was able to slowly but surely watch the pounds disappear, with the simple formula of ‘Eat Less, Exercise More’, of course what I was eating was a change. There would be occasional ‘cheat meals’, but overall, it was dominated by healthy food, and an effort to log the nutritional values of the things I was consuming. When I was able to wear a sweatshirt that my son had given me for Christmas many years ago that I couldn’t even get past my head when I began my mission, (it was an XL), it was a day of celebration. I still wear that now loose sweatshirt as a reminder of what I accomplished and maintained that weight (185-190).
This year, I’ve only made a few resolutions. What are they? Well, that same ‘Expert’ I mentioned at the beginning says that the best way to give those goals a fighting chance is to keep them a secret… So… Happy New Year, and may your resolutions become reality.
