On not making resolutions

I for one won't be making any New Year's resolutions. There I said it. Phew, glad to get that off my chest. I understand the thinking behind it. The new year coming in seems like a perfect opportunity to turn over a new leaf, start afresh yada yada. For me this would never work. Announcing resolutions is like setting myself up for failure but you know publicly which as it happens is my least favourite place to fail. I almost think that's the nature of New Years resolutions. It's like you're giving yourself a bandwagon to fall off probably by mid February at the latest. 

 I think all New years resolutions are variations on the same themes; eat healthier, exercise more, drink less and quit smoking. Some or all of the above depending on how many vices you have or how ambitious you are feeling at the time of making said resolutions. In a way people make fun of the haste with which people abandon these resolutions once they have shaken off the excitement of the new year. In the book trade ( I know this because I work in a bookshop) we notice a huge surge in the sale of diet and lifestyle books that dies off by early February because hey, who starts a diet 2 months into the new year (crazy people, that's who).

 I do admire people who make changes and you know actually stick to them even though at this time of year they tend to be in the minority but I intend to join their ranks. That's right, it's the new year and I am making some changes but they are totally and most definitely not new year's resolutions. I know this sounds like I am secretly making new years resolutions and calling them something else in a misguided attempt to lie to myself and thus insure I do not fall prey to the February trap. Well if you thought that then you were wrong. Now let me explain myself better and you can laugh at how foolish you were to misjudge me.

 Here's the thing, back in November (not that long ago , right !) I was doing pretty well. I was and I was happy with myself. I was coping pretty well in an alcohol free zone, off all the foods that make me feel ill (dairy, sugars, gluten) and crossfitting like a crossfitter ( a lot- a few times a week) So I was in reasonably decent shape and making actual progress and you know feeling fairly good. Then December struck and I had crazy hours with no chance to get home to Clonmel and I didn't so much fall off the wagon as crash spectacularly. 
If it wasn't me then I'd almost be impressed by the shambles I've managed to make of healthy lifestyle/diet in just a month.

 Unfortunately it is me and an almost permanently sick tummy that's a lot less flat than it was two months ago are all I have to show for my month of misbehaving. Well that and the fact it only took one crossfit class to virtually cripple me for two days. It's hard to recommend crossfit as a lifestyle when you can't get up or down stairs with out assistance and a lot of pained wincing. 

So I've decided enough is enough and I am getting myself back on the straight and narrow. No more bad foods, a break from the wine and a lot more crossfit because I am never putting myself through this sort of pain again. I am not making these changes because it's January or the year is new or because it's the time for resolutions. I am doing it because I have time again and I am running out of excuses for being such a lazy bun. 
For all of you embarking on New year's resolutions, I wish you well and hope you will be the minority that does succeed but me, I am just getting back to normal 

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