2020 goals

Goals for 2020

1. Eat one vegetarian dinner a week.

I am mindful of how terrible meat is to our environment. We certainly eat more chicken and turkey than red meat these days, but it still has an effect. I generally don't control what we eat but will push for this change in 2020. I would even be okay if the meal is fish. :-)

2. Lose 25 pounds this year.

I am feeling reinvigorated in my goal to lose weight again. I had a goal before I turned 40, I met that goal, but then have slowly gained 10 pounds after I had to stop running in June. I'm back in the Weight Watchers app, tracking my food and paying attention again. I'm not happy in my clothes or my skin so it's time to get back on track.

3. Finish Morning Meltdown 100 by February 21st.

As of today I have completed 72 out of the 100 workouts- this is the LONGEST I have lasted on any Beachbody program! I love this program. I mean, I hate some of the days, but I push play anyway and then celebrate the days where I feel strong and I love the program. It took me 70 days to complete the first 50 workouts....I have exactly 52 days in 2020 to complete the last 50 workouts. I had two work trips already this month and I stayed dedicated but I really want to finish this workout before we leave for Hawaii on February 21st!

4. Get rid of my plantar fasciitis.

I should have known better than to run the 5k on Thanksgiving after I hadn't run since September. Continuing to do MM100 has not exactly helped but I really scale down my jumping- especially on cardio days. I'm just really sick of heel pain that lasts for months on end. My new Hoka One One shoes help, but I desperately need to do something. There is something called the "strechlab" coming to my town in March, so maybe I need to try that out?

5. Spend at least one day knocking on doors on a get-out-the-vote effort. 

I want to make sure that I have done absolutely everything to get the orange asshole out of office. It's no longer enough to write a postcard or contact elected officials (which I will still do). I need to step up my level of effort in 2020, even if it makes me nervous. 

6. Practice tennis with Izzy. 

We have two tennis courts a few blocks away from our house...I just need to stay patient with her and remember that she will only get better with practice.

7. Try at least one day of Intermittent Fasting.
I've read some articles on the benefits and at a minimum it should keep me from snacking at night. I figure it can't hurt!

I should have more goals, but this seems like a good number since it is already almost the end of January. :-)

Guns

I'm fed up. Frankly, I was fed up long ago when Congress refused to do anything after Sandy Hook. I really thought that something was going to get done back in 2012 and yet Republicans bought off by the NRA sat on their hands and did nothing. So like many other people, I was pissed but resigned to the fact that this is our culture and there is nothing I can do about it.

That has continued for years now. More recently I have continued to be pissed off, but have been more inclined to DO SOMETHING. I contacted my elected officials after Las Vegas to urge them to take up a ban on bump stocks- nothing has happened. This past week I got a text for a movie viewing and then discussion but unfortunately CP has something that night so I can't go. Then last night, after the horrific shooting in FL, I saw a post on a local Mom's Facebook group that I belong to for Moms Demand Action (part of Everytown), looked up if there were any events in my area and sure enough, there is a meeting next Thursday night of a local chapter. I put out a call on Facebook for friends to join me and as of right now, I have three other women joining me.

There is also a march in downtown Chicago being put on by Indivisible on Sunday that I hope to attend in order to show more support for our elected officials to DO SOMETHING. I'm hoping CP is willing to take the kids for a few hours while I go to the march.

FUCK THE NRA. It's time to fucking DO SOMETHING and you know what? Women are going to lead the charge and I am going to help to get something done.

Do you want to DO SOMETHING too? 

1. Call your elected officials to tell them they need to pass some legislation. 
2. Visit the Moms Demand Action link above to find a group in your area.
3. Do some Google searching to see if there will be a march this weekend in your area around gun legislation.

Groups like Everytown are making a difference in states around the country. I truly believe that now is the time to get involved and get riled up about this issue. Voting in November for elected officials that support gun regulations is KEY.