I’ve never really been one to make New Year’s resolutions because I find that so often they’re approached with an “all or nothing” mentality. Instead, I set a few goals that I can work towards throughout the year, then evaluate my success when the year ends. I try to set goals for all the different aspects of my life: career, family, travel and health.

This year, with my 35th birthday just a few weeks away, health is a big focus for the upcoming year. Since moving to a city townhouse, my daily walks to run errands and take my boys to school have been eliminated. And that means my exercise level has gone way down. Plus, with takeout places now just minutes away, I’ve been eating out a little more than I’d like. So the new year is the perfect time for me to take charge and improve my health once and for all!

First off, I’m committing to exercising three times a week. As much as I’d prefer to set the goal of exercising every day, I think that trying to do too much too soon is likely to lead to giving up on the entire idea. But three days of doing a half-hour walk on the treadmill followed by half an hour of yoga is an easier commitment that I know I’ll be able to maintain. [Read more…]