The Art & Poetry of Mary Coleman

I try to see my life one year at a time and that’s as far as I can handle. This year I set seven big goals to work on throughout the upcoming months and that’s my focus for now. Next year I’ll tackle new intentions, but small steps at a time. Really, I’m just tackling each day as it comes as best I can. 10 years is a long time to make specific goals for when you are struggling day to day. My most important intention this year is to finish a book of poetry or at least be really far along in one. Also I would really like to find work. Though that isn’t a resolution, more something that is necessary and unavoidable.

Here’s my progress on my seven New Year’s resolutions for week two of April. Overall I did pretty well. Some things could use improvement still (the food resolution and the budget resolution), but I’m getting back to where I was in late February before I got set back a bit in March. I will say I wasn’t completely unsuccessful in March and managed to write a poem every single day, even while on vacation. I think that’s a pretty big achievement. I also kept up with running in March. 

1. Creativity – Write a little bit every day if you can. Okay to miss a day or two as long as you do it most days of the week. – Week 1 – (March 31 – April 6) Achieved! Managed to write a little every day – Week 2 (April 7 – 13) – Achieved! I wrote 5 of the days which is a win in my book.
2. Routines – get back into a morning routine, a mid-day routine, and an evening routine. – Week 1 – (March 31 – April 6) Mostly achieved. I’ve been pretty good about my evening routine and walking the dog mid-day. The exercise portion of my morning routine has been lacking. – Week 2 (April 7 – 13) – Achieved! Most days I stuck to a routine so I’m going to call it a win. Only missed walking the dog once this week while I was waiting for someone to show up all day and wasn’t able to leave the house.
3. Follow a budget – eat out only once a week and don’t buy anything online except for once a month. – Week 1 – (March 31 – April 6) Mostly achieved. I ate out twice this week but cooked all the rest of the days, nothing purchased online – Week 2 (April 7 – 13) – Could use some improvement. I ate out 3 times this week and ate grocery store food a 4th time. Only cooked at home three times. Will do better next week. No online purchases. Was able to put a good chunk of money into savings, despite all the restaurant food. 
4. Fitness – continue training for the half marathon by running 4 times a week, run the half marathon on April 19th, do strength training twice a week – Week 1 – (March 31 – April 6) I only ran 3 times this week and no long runs, did not strength train at all. Trying for better next week. – Week 2 (April 7 – 13) – Achieved! Exercised 6 times this week, one long run (10 miles), three short runs, and two days of strength training.
5. Food – eat an average of 1500 calories a day, get in 65+grams of protein and 25+grams of fiber, avoid sugar and ultra-processed food as much as possible (but a little is okay). – Week 1 – (March 31 – April 6) Could use some improvement but some headway made. Had sugar only twice this week, ultra-processed food at dinner twice, ate 1500 calories 4 days of the week (and had about 2000-2400 calories on the other days), got my protein and fiber goals in 5 of the days. – Week 2 (April 7 – 13) – Could use a lot of improvement. Did worse this week than last week. I had a lot of sweets at the beginning of the week and a lot of UPF as a result of eating all the sweets. My average calories a day was way higher than 1500. Got in my protein and fiber goals three times this week. Again, could use a lot of improvement.
6. Weight – lose 4 pounds in April – Starting weight week 1 (136 lb.) I’m not weighing myself until the end of April.
7. Relaxation – in the evening before bed meditate, read a couple chapters of a book/some poems, go on social media for 30 minutes, and play video games (start playing video games April 14) – Week 1 – (March 31 – April 6) Achieved! – Week 2 (April 7 – 13) – Achieved! Week 3 I will introduce video games. 

So in week 3 I’ll work harder on my food and budget resolutions. I’ll try to reduce the amount I’m eating and improve the quality of what I’m eating. For the budget, I will attempt to eat out as little as possible. I will go out to brunch after the half marathon, but I’ll try to make that the only time I have restaurant food between now and the next pay cycle. If I do that, I should be able to put even more money into savings.

I did strength training today. As usual I really didn’t want to. I wish I enjoyed it like I do running because it’s something I absolutely need to do a few times a week for bone and muscle health. Running is more important for mood, the aerobic exercise lowers my anxiety levels, but strength training is good for combating diminishing bone and muscle mass and it also helps me be a stronger runner. I wouldn’t quite say it’s as impactful for me as aerobic exercise is which is why I only do it twice a week, but it’s necessary nonetheless.