My Goals for 2011

Some of these may be repeats from last year that I want to continue and others are new.  As I have said before I prefer to set goals, and then re-evaluate throughout the year and makes changes in those goals if needed.  Overall, this will be a pretty exciting year because we know that in the summer our 2 years in the Azores will be up and a new adventure will await us then somewhere else.

Here are my goals, in no particular order:

1) Physical activity at least 4 days a week:  This was a goal last year, I believe set at 30 minutes a day, 4 days a week.  I managed for most weeks to get in 5 days a week at 1-1 1/2 hours at the gym.  With trips and travel, this physical activity was something outdoors rather than at a gym.  I made sure to word my goal this way so I would feel like I did not accomplish it when I had no access to a gym.  So, for the upcoming year I plan to modify this a little bit.  I plan to do some form of exercise/physical activity, at least 4 days a week, with 2 of those days at least 30 minutes and 2 of those days at least 45 minutes.  Plus out of those 4 days, at least 3 will involve some form of cardio and 3 will involve some form of strength training.  I know that I already do more than this, but I like having some wiggle room to account for lack of gym and travel, or appointments during the work day that make it tough to get to the gym.  I'd rather exceed my goal than not make it at all.

2) Cook dinner at least 2 nights a week:  This was a more recent goal of mine and I have been successful.  I plan to continue cooking dinner 2 times a week.  This cooking means a homemade meal.  Notice I did not say prepare dinner twice a week.  To me, that would include heating up a frozen dinner or a can of soup, which is OK some of the time, but I am really looking to do more home cooking.  These past few months I have been successful in finding fun vegetarian recipes and then cooking for us. Since Ryan bought me all those great kitchen gadgets and cookbooks for Hanukkah, I am ready to go!  Again, with travel at some point during the during, plus knowing we will move in the summer, I know that there will be some weeks where this is just not possible.

3) Make more From Scratch Weekends creations:  Last year I aimed for 40 meals, which was just a tad to high.  There were things I could not account for, but I am wiser this year.  I think I will aim for 30 from scratch meals or snacks.  I am not willing to bet on making it higher than that because when we move our things will be packed up a month in advance and we will not get them again for maybe a month after we moved.  Or at least that is what I predict based on the move to the Azores almost 2 years ago.  This makes it extremely difficult to cook at home, especially when some of that time we are in hotels and don't even have much of a kitchen.  Despite all of this, I hope to make some really great dishes with Ryan this coming year.

4) Clean out my closet:  Can you believe that even with half my stuff in storage, I still have things here that I can get rid of?  That's right, when we PCS'd (that's Permanent Change of Station) to the Azores we had restricted weight and so some stuff had to be left behind.  After 2 years, when we PCS again this summer, those things will meet up with us again and I have a feeling I will have plenty to donate or sell at a yard sale.  Knowing that we will move, I want to clean out my closet before the packing begins.  At least with the military, they pack for you so it is a little easier.  I plan to get rid of things that no longer fit, either too big or too small, and things that are just out of style.  Donation here is a little tough, but I plan to sell some goods at a base yard sale.

5) Tweet more nutrition tips: This should be so easy for me to do that I am not sure why I have not been doing this so far.  If I were back in the States I would be spouting off nutrition information all day long at work.  Since moving overseas and being the only RD within miles, I have lost touch with the profession I love so much.  I still think about nutrition science all the time, I just have had no one to converse with, except a few great RDs with some awesome blogs.  I have been using Twitter for quite some time now because I had friends who started using it way back when, so my account was more for personal use.  I have found that so many RDs are on twitter now and I want to get in on that, so look for more nutrition related tweets.  Also, I will probably change my twitter name to something that signifies that I am an RD.  If you have any suggestions, let me know!

6) Graduate:  Obviously this is an easy goal because I have 1 class left in this degree program, but I still have to pass a statistics class and pass comps.  Once I finish the class in January and complete comps in February I will be all done and have a Master's in Human Relations from The University of Oklahoma.

7) Research PhD programs:  One of my long term goals is to earn a doctoral degree in nutrition or a related field so that I can fulfill my dream of being a professor at a research university.  With Ryan being in the military, and moving overseas, that was not an option after we left Vegas.  No worries to me because I know sooner or later I will get a PhD.  So, over the next year I hope to research programs, see where we will be living, find out what is available and decide where to go from there.

8) Get started on a book: I have always planned to write a book at some point, but I just haven't started yet.  This year will be the year I get started on this.  I do not know what I plan to write about specifically, but you can expect something nutrition related and possibly a joint venture with my sister.

9) Read more books for fun: I must say this every time I finish a degree.  I always think when I am done with school and I know longer have textbook after textbook to read that I will read more as a leisure activity.  Boy am I wrong every time!  So, before I start another degree, LOL, I plan to read 10 books during 2011.  Sorry, I plan to cheat just a little and will be counting The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest which I started in December and I am already ~140 pages into this ~500 page novel.

10) Continue with my travels around the world: It should only be fitting for someone with a blog about food, nutrition and travel, I would have goals in each of those areas for 2011.  I hope to continue with my traveling and explore more countries and cultures.  I plan to visit the States sometime soon, but with this goal I am more focused on foreign travel.  I have no specifics for this goal other than to visit at least 1 new country this coming year.  I'll take your suggestions on this one too!  I guess I cheat here too since I have 2 trips in the planning stages now, but I am HUSH on those details.

Well, there you have my goals for 2011!

QUESTION:  What would you like to see more of on my blog in 2011?