1. Plan my meals and actually cook different things for dinner
This is probably the goal in which I am having the most success. My sister and I were discussing this goal in January and lo and behold there was a Groupon for a meal planning service! I signed up for EMeals and I really enjoy it. I signed up for their "Clean Eating" just dinner meal plan and have so far enjoyed many of the meals they have sent me. Here's a handy pro/con bullet list for anyone thinking about signing up.
Pros
- Sent directly to my inbox every week, where I immediately save it into my Google Drive folder
- You can change your meal plan at any time, so if I'm sick of "clean eating" I can switch to low cal, vegetarian, home style, etc.
- They include an itemized grocery list detailing which section to find ingredients in and list "staples" required for each meal so you can make sure you have them
- Helpful time frame gives you an idea of what to cook depending on how much time you have
- I signed up only for dinners for 2 people which allows me enough leftovers so it generally takes me 3 weeks to run through a week of recipes they provide for me
Cons
- I'm not the most adventurous eater so I alter a few of the ingredients as well as the side dishes to accommodate my tastes and/or don't make a handful of the things they suggest
- Their definition of "staples" and mine are incredibly different - I now own 3 different kinds of vinegar...
It's important to note that EMeals has no idea I exist, they didn't sponsor this post in anyway, it's just a service that has helped me to achieve my goal of being a better meal planner for 2014
2. Live a more active lifestyle
I'm doing a decent job at this one. I tried out my first ever Bar Method class - Bar Method classes incorporate dance techniques, isometric principles, and fast-paced interval training for quick, safe body reshaping. It was a lot of fun but I made the mistake of a morning class and didn't give myself enough time for breakfast. This led to me almost passing out in the middle of a class (not good) but I had some juice and went back for the remainder of the class. It was definitely hard, and I could feel it for a few days after, but it was also a lot of fun and the instructors were really nice and helpful
I also have started running on nice days, walking to my errands instead of metro-ing, lifting some free weights I have at home as well as taking out my soccer ball to do some soccer drills. I really don't want working out to be boring and monotonous because then I won't stick with it, so I'm jumping around and just trying to live an active lifestyle.
3. Give back to the community I live in
I have not done well with this goal at all. I have explored different volunteering options but haven't committed to any yet... :(
4. Professional development
I have signed up to take a course at the end of March, but otherwise I haven't done much with this goal. I think I just need to come in on a Saturday or stay late and bust through a few courses to make this goal happen.
5. Blog more
Obviously this one still needs work, but I'm planning on a 31-day blog series for the month of March that will hopefully jump start me back into blogging more frequently - stay tuned!
