Scales moved!

Two and a half pounds down at the meeting today, so 3 lbs in 2 weeks according to them. But my progress report in the sidebar will still go on my own scales, readings on Sundays as usual. Still, it was gratifying. All the exercise is paying off.

It’s tempting to extrapolate…if I keep losing at this rate I should be xxx by Christmas. But that’s something I can’t control. I can only control my own behaviours. So keep up the healthy eating and cooking from scratch, keep up the exercise, keep up the increased fluid intake and multiple trips to the loo, try and get to bed earlier, and try and be more forgiving of myself. These are my goals for the next 12 weeks (yes, only 12 weeks till Chrissy), and on and on thereafter. As for going to bed earlier, it’s quarter past midnight. So, ‘night all.

101 in 1001

Yet again, a truly inspiring lady called Vilma Perez has moved me to do something completely new (you can blame her for the existence of this blog). She has introduced me to the 1001 Day Project. It goes something like this:

The Mission:
Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:
Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. represent some amount of work on my part).

Why 1001 Days?
Many people have created lists in the past – frequently simple goals such as New Year’s resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organising and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

So without further ado, here is my list.

Health & Fitness

1. Lose 70 lbs of fat and keep it off

2. Exercise a minimum of five hours a week

3. Take a stroke correction class and swim a mile

4. Learn butterfly

5. Study tai chi

6. Go to a pilates reformer class

7. Buy a reformer

8. Go from walking to jogging

9. Run a 5K

10. Run a 10K

11. Start and finish a Turbulence Training programme

12. Do a chin up

13. Do a Step DVD without having to stop to prevent a heart attack

14. Start and finish a remedial programme for my bad knee and shoulder

15. Drink two litres of water everyday

16. Juice every day for a month, and try to maintain it

17. Go to bed no later than 11pm and get 8 hours sleep a night every day for a month to get into the habit

18. Learn to ride a bike

19. Do beginner kickboxing workout without having to stop

20. Do intermediate kickboxing workout

21. Do advanced kickboxing workout

22. Try out three new dance-style workouts each year

23. Go to a yoga class

Education

24. Get my masters

25. Learn Chinese

Professional

26. Get my annual CPD to maintain my REPs certification

27. Get my pilates level 3 qualification with Stott

28. Get my pilates equipment certification

29. Write a monthly corporate health & wellbeing e-newsletter

30. Run two stress management workshops a year

31. Get a medical writing job

32. Work my way up to project leader

33. Become a Weight Watchers leader and run my own meetings

34. Get a feature article published in a national or international magazine

35. Get my inbox down from over 200 to under 20 emails

Home

36. Finish decorating the bedroom!

37. Sort through all the c**p in my office and dispose of it in an appropriate manner (burning, anyone?)

38. Buy a fireplace and put up bookshelves in the lounge

39. Get my Ed Heck painting out of storage and put it on the wall

40. Get a stand made for my African sculpture and display it

Hobbies

41. Read a book every month just for fun or edification – no textbooks

42. Start by reading all the unread books that I already own

43. Dig out my saxophone and learn to play it

44. Take singing lessons

45. Take a wine appreciation course

46. Take some tennis lessons and play with hubby in the summer

47. Improve my pool game until I can beat hubby at least some of the time and not just when he accidentally pots the black

Travel

48. Go to China

49. Spend a month driving around New Zealand with hubby

50. Learn to ski

51. Go on a walking holiday somewhere beautiful

52. Go on a cycling holiday with hubby

53. Visit San Francisco and the wine country

54. Go back to New York, and do the not-so-touristy things

Finances

55. Pay off my credit cards and cut all but one of them into teeny weeny little pieces

56. Put the household finances into a software programme, create a budget and stick to it

57. Save 10% of my earnings every month before I do anything else (after no. 42)

58. Set up an offset mortgage facility when current deal expires (May 2008)

59. Sort out the mess with British Gas (hiss, boo)

Style & Beauty

60. Go through my closet and get rid of everything that doesn’t fit and doesn’t make me look like a million bucks

61. Have a style overhaul and dress to impress. Make an appointment with a stylist if necessary

62. Accessorise

63. Only wear shoes that actually fit and are comfortable to walk in

64. Fit into and buy a stunning LBD for hubby

65. Learn to style my own hair

66. Cleanse daily and moisturise morning and night

67. Have a facial once a month

68. Don’t squeeze

69. Floss daily

70. See a hygienist every 6 months – next visit March 08

71. Get my cracked front veneer replaced

72. Take care of my nails

73. Make an effort with my body – no need to slack off just because I’m married. Smooth legs for hubby

74. Buy a proper set of make up brushes and learn how to use them – no more applying make up with my fingers

75. Overhaul make up bag. Dispose of any experiments that didn’t work

76. Throw away any old eye make up and buy new

77. Learn how to apply eyeliner properly

Do Good Deeds

78. Double the amount I give to charity each year

79. Adopt an animal

80. Volunteer a couple of hours a week to charity

Just for Fun

81. Trade in my sensible small car with a boot that’ll take a fitball for a cute little 2-seater number

82. Play beach volleyball

83. Throw a cocktail party

84. Try surfing

85. Ice skate on a frozen lake

86. Try belly dancing

87. Learn trapeze

88. Have a driving session on a skid pan

89. Take in at least one cultural event (theatre, concert, gallery, etc.) every month

90. Have a flying lesson

91. Go on a picnic

92. Try my hand at mud wrestling

93. Spend a night in an ice hotel

94–100. Reserved for any ideas I come up with later

101. Make a new list

Progress (or lack thereof) reports can be seen on the 101 in 1001 page – see the top of the sidebar for the link.