Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, world! Welcome to 2012. 2011 was quite a year for me, full of life changing events. My biggest event of 2011 was my marriage to my wonderful husband in July! We had an amazing wedding in Santa Barbara, CA and spent a fabulous adventure filled week in Kauai, kayaking the Na'Pali coast, zip lining in the jungle, and hiking to waterfalls. We sent 2011 off in style by spending the weekend climbing in Joshua Tree and visiting with friends. I am ready to hit the ground running in 2012!

The start of a new year is a great time for evaluating ones life and accomplishments over the past year, goal setting, and renewed determination. So what kind of goals work best for a new years resolution? Any kind! They say that the best goals are attainable and measurable. For example it is better to make a goal of losing 15lbs by June (or 20 or 30 or whatever) than to say vaguely "I want to lose weight." You are more likely to "go to the gym twice a week" than "workout more." Etc.

So what are my new years resolutions? Well, I have a few!

Resolution #1: Eat Paleo for six months!

That's right, the dear husband and I have decided to kick off this year with a Paleo diet/lifestyle change. The general idea of the Paleo diet is to eat hunter/gatherer style. Basically, if people make it, you don't eat it! This means no post agricultural revolution marvels such as wheat, rice, dairy, etc, and no processed foods. Your diet consists of nutrient rich veggies, fruits, nuts, seeds, sweet potatoes, and lean meats. It is a very clean way to eat, and I am excited to get started. We ate paleo for a number of months leading up to our wedding, so we are no strangers to the practice. The plan is to be strict paleo during the week, and be a bit more relaxed on the weekend (while still eating healthy). I plan to stick to the Paleo Diet until my brother's wedding in May!

Resolution #2: Complete 10 hot yoga classes in 8 weeks!

This is about as measurable and attainable as resolutions get. Why is it so specific? I bought a Hot Yoga groupon for a studio near my house. It was 10 hot yoga classes for $39, but you only have 8 weeks to complete them all once you start. Groupon is a great way to try new things, as the deals are great, and there is usually a large variety of fitness deals available. Hot yoga is the practice of doing yoga in a room heated up to 105 degrees! Wish me luck!

Resolution #3: Write at least 2 blog posts a month!

That's right, I am going to try to keep up with the blog a bit more. I think that is doable.

So those are my three resolutions. I have a lot more I want to do this year, and many professional and personal goals I would like to accomplish, but these are the resolutions I will use to get the year moving in the right direction.

Good luck to everyone looking for a fresh start, and congratulations to all the people who are continuing to accomplish their goals every day. I hope you had a successful 2011, and I hope 2012 is a great year!