On to 2012... I'm not as good with words as Meg, but I'll try.

2011 is almost over, and it is time to look forward to 2012. This has been a complicated year in the world - unemployment, economic woes, weather disasters, changing political climates. We have had maintainers impacted by illness, death, loss of job or home, so much change for us this year. We've held on though and we are still here, working hard every day to maintain our lifestyle, our weight, our hopes.

2012 isn't written yet - it is a time for us to look at where we are today and think on where we want to be a year from now. I know that a lot of us aren't big on resolutions, myself included, so lets talk about what we would like to achieve in 2012. What can we do to get to where we want to be on 12/31/2012?

This coming year can be fantastic, and we are going to make it happen!

And I'll start I guess.

2011 has been hard for me - I've felt out of control for a lot of the year, and I've taken some unhealthy steps to regain that control. 2012 needs to be all about getting the healthy steps back.

So what would I like to do in 2012?

1) Keep up my running and exercise - I feel better when I'm moving.
2) Get back to yoga at least 5x per week. Again, I feel better when I'm moving - yoga moves my body while it stills my mind. I need that.
3) Lose 5 pounds - I feel better 5 pounds lighter, and I'm going to buckle down in 2012 and do it. That will lead to the next one...
4) Find and hold my maintenance range.
5) Continue to be a good example for my stepson - the last few years I've talked about setting a good example foodwise, but he is in so much trouble right now with his behavior at school that diet is the least of our concerns. DH & I need to show him a positive family that can express itself without anger or yelling, and need to help him learn some self control.

Hi

I'm looking forward to entering 2012 at my new, lighter weight. Much lighter than the one I entered 2011 with! Here are some of my goals for 2012:

I'm not maintaining (yet), but it's my first goal, so I'll share.
1. To finish losing weight & successfully maintain (goal date is in June).
2. To run a half-marathon.
3. To confidently wear a bikini. I have a lot of stretchmarks on my stomach, so this is more a confidence goal than a weightloss/maintaining goal.

After a year of floundering and trying to figure out exactly what "maintenance" meant for me, here are my goals for 2012:

I have a goal that starts on Christmas Day 2011 - cutting down on caffeine and foregoing diet soda/energy drinks altogether. I think that will have a real impact on a number of other things.

I also just got through a weekend without going off maintenance plan. I want there to be many weekends like that in 2012.

Dagmar :

1) cut sugar/sweets and reduce carbs
2) keep calories between 1,600 and 1,800 every day
3) lose the 5lbs I've regained these past couple weeks + several additional to put me under 120lbs.
4) kick my training back into high gear and run a full marathon in the fall (this year was a half).
5) achieve all of the above.

1) run a full marathon in march
2) find my sustainable maintenance range. Which means continue where I am this moment. Things seem to be clicking and I feel balanced. My weight is in a good place and I wouldn't mind being lower, but I'm good here too. So where ever I end up through my training and continued eating habits is good with me.
3) to inspire others

1. Maintain my present plant-centered, minimally-processed diet.
2. Like ncuneo, find my sustainable maintenance range amidst moving back to the US, starting grad school, etc. Ideally floating down closer to 120, if that's possible, but being ok if it's not.
3. Really focus on strength training and complete NROLW.
4. Wearing only clothes that flatter my body! Not blaming my body for looking heavier in clothes that I shouldn't be wearing
5. Working towards a sub 57-min 10K, sub 27-min 5K, and/or completing race longer than 6 miles... whatever my knee and hip injuries will allow!

What a great idea for a thread, Shannon!

My resolutions for 2012:

1) Physical fitness resolutions: To run a 5k in 30 minutes or slightly less. To do three consecutive unassisted pullups. To attend yoga classes more frequently and to become good at vinyasa sequences, particularly those involving balance.

2) Diet resolutions. To continue to eat healthily. To eat fewer nuts as my protein source. To chew sugarfree gum less frequently. (I've been addicted.) To try at least seven new-to-me foods over the course of the year, which would be one just about every other month, so that should be doable.

3) To demonstrate (and also to feel) greater patience regarding my apartment renovation.

4) To spend less time on eBay looking for lost things. To open up to new experiences and to spend less time online and more time in the world. To look for cultural activities even though I'm not in the city.

5) To return to my exploration of a meditation practice.

6) To work at communication with my mother & to work on my relationship with her, which is very up-and-down from our living together.

My hope and/or dream, to stop procrastinating, to quote my favorite philosopher....
Try not , do or do not, there is no try. .....Yoda.

I will finish unpacking the moving boxes from moving in September, I will quit trying to rearrange the furniture and will ask someone to help me. I will quit putting off things that I know I should do.

Hope
Hope to continue maintaining 5 years & beyond!

Dream
Sweet dreams!

Plans
80/20!

Resolution
Resolved/determined to let these soft tissue injuries heal completely by sticking with cardio! /

Goals
My goal is to be soft tissue injury free by the end of 2012! I'd love to be able to resume weightlifting again, as I truly miss pumping iron something terrible!

So yeah, in a nutshell my wish for 2012 =

I just found my list of goals for 2011 (I had written a list down in my day planner, but not here). I succeeded in a few goals, not at others, added one during the year.

Health goals for 2012:

-Weight: I began 2011 at 164, wanted to lose 10 lbs. I lost 6, am starting 2012 at 158. Somewhat successful - and though I fluctuated up and down, 164 was the highest all year, so I'm glad for that. I'd like to lose 10 lbs by July 2012 to get back in the 140's for my 30th birthday.

- Eating habits: Improved somewhat in 2011 in that I did less "extreme see-sawing" - totally OP in "losing" mode to binge mode, and back and forth. I felt much steadier in my eating in 2011, when I wasn't "on" plan it didn't mean a total meltdown of overeating. I was probably a better "maintainer" in that sense, but I wanted to be losing weight. I would like to continue to be more "even" but can be more mindful and aware of my hunger levels, and stopping eating before I'm stuffed.

- Cholesterol: I found out in summer (fall?) 2011 that my cholesterol is 217. Since I already exercise a lot and eat tons of veggies, whole grains, etc., I think I need to focus on reducing stress levels rather than changing my diet. I started going to yoga semi-regularly, and have also increased my tea intake (also reduced my crystal light intake, and I'm sure the artificial sweetener reduction will be good for me too). I will try to reduce my cholesterol levels to 200 this year.

- Exercise: I'm in a weird place exercise-wise, and I feel somewhat in limbo. I got a very energetic dog in Jan 2011, so my gym schedule has changed due to needing to care for her. I do more lower intensity cardio now, though a lot of it, and much less strength training. Though it's vague, I would like to come up with a more comfortable overall exercise plan for 2012 - cardio and strength training I feel comfortable with, and is do-able for me.

I resolve to be kinder to myself. Personally, I have never gained a thing from being my own harshest critic. I've lost more time than I can quantify on beating myself up, being afraid to look silly, pursuing "Perfect", and second-guessing decisions that can't be changed anyway. I AM DONE WITH IT.

Plans and Goals
Eating: I will practice mindfulness, and use what I know to fuel my body and spirit appropriately at the table.

Weight: I will weigh in on Monday mornings in the spirit of using the number as a metaphor for my improvements in strength and flexibility, and won't rule out the possibility that achieving all the dreams for my body could mean the scale doesn't move a single point.

Move More: I will "move with vigorous intent" at least 5 days a week for 30 minutes or more. I've had poor results with being more specific about how to do it, so this year I'll define it less and just do more of it. If my heart's beating faster, it counts.

Hopes and Dreams:
Complete my gemology coursework this year. Get a first draft of a novel complete. Fix the shoulder in time to be ready to compete again for the fall swimming season.

Good one! :