Happy New Year

I thought that 2011 was going to be my year, but it just didn't end up working out that way. Unfortunately, a lot of the things I was hoping to accomplish didn't happen. Some were within my control, some most definitely were not. So, while I am not normally one for putting a whole lot of stock in the hype of the 'new year', I have to admit that I am strangely relieved to see 2011 give way to 2012. I don't typically make new year's resolutions as such, but I do have some 2012 goals to share.

1. Finish my PhD. Honestly, as I look at the numbers, I am embarrassed that I am still in grad school. It took me 3 years to finish my masters, and I am looking at 5 for my PhD if I finish this summer. That is 8 years for a degree that some people finish in 4. I am at the point in my program where I have realized that if I would have just applied myself a little more, I could already be finished. That's depressing, so I need to work hard and finish this beast up ASAP!

2. Commit to a healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise and a balanced diet. I am good at training for big races, but I usually burn out after a race and stop exercising, which is a bad long-term lifestyle choice. Although I genuinely enjoy distance running and cycling, I have come to realize that, for me, heavy mileage is just not sustainable. Endurance training has also done a number on my eating habits. I am always tired and always hungry while distance training, and I consistently make poor (processed/restaurant) food choices then. When I stop training, I am used to eating processed food in large quantities, so I keep doing it. There are all kinds of problems with this scenario, but my biggest concern is that I am consistently not fueling with the types of foods I need to be eating. So, I guess my healthy lifestyle goals are to consistently exercise 4-5 times per week and to minimize consumption of processed foods.

3. Ditch the digital devices. I spend way too much time on the web, playing with apps, and watching TV. My goal here is to spend no more than 1 hour per day doing these things during my free time. Exceptions: exercise DVDs and watching TV while riding the bike trainer do not count.

Those are my big 3 this year. What are yours?