Resolutions

I did pretty good on my New Year’s resolutions in 2012. I only made two of them:

  • Drink more water.

  • Eat more quinoa.

Prior to 2012, I never had quinoa. It’s not my favorite but it is a very healthy alternative to having white rice or potatoes as a side dish. My secret to enjoying quinoa is dousing it with Cholula Chili Garlic hot sauce.

I also put a 2 gallon Rubbermaid water jug on my desk and set a notification on my computer to remind me to drink water every 30 minutes. Basically, every 30 minutes a little window pops up on my computer and says “Time for a drinkie!” and I stop everything I’m doing and pound back some quick refreshment. Without the notification, I’m known to work for hours on end without looking up so this solution keeps me from getting stuck in tunnel vision.

I have some new resolutions for 2013:

Eat more kale. On a suggestion from Michael Primeaux, I tried adding a few kale leaves to my breakfast smoothie. Turns out that I can’t taste the kale at all and it adds a considerable amount of super nutrition to an already healthy beverage. Kale also freezes very well so it’s easy to buy a bunch, wash it, freeze it, and just grab a few leaves in the morning for the smoothie.

Strengthen my immunity. 2012 was a bad year for getting sick. It’s probably partly due to the boys now going to school every day and bringing back a multitude of invisible beasties into our home but I’d really like to not get sick every other month. Will be aiming to improve my immune response through even better diet but also through early response measures like Zicam, Umcka, Oscillococcinum, and Wellness Formula.

More yoga. Ahu and I have been taking yoga class twice weekly for almost two years now but I’ve failed to bring a daily yoga practice into my life. I have a yoga mat and associated props sitting in front of my desk but have rarely made time to go through even a few poses a day. My body always feels immensely refreshed and energized after yoga so succeeding with this resolution could significantly improve my long work days.

It’s interesting in looking at my list that all of my resolutions are related to fitness: exercise and diet. The reality is that the rest of my life is full of awesome but is all predicated on being healthy and energetic. If I’m sick or tired, I’m not a fun daddy and don’t build as many blanket tents or Lego castles with my sons. The body really is the foundation for all other worthy pursuits.