Tuesday, January 26, 2016

My 2016 Goals


As promised in my previous post, I'm sharing my 2016 goals today. Sharing these goals is not a braggy, "hey look at me" sort of thing. If anything, it is a look at where a fall short and areas I hope to improve. Sharing my goals is meant to encourage you to evaluate if you want to set goals. Sharing goals is also a way to be kept accountable. People who share their goals tend to be more successful. So, I'm sharing the goals here to encourage you and to keep me accountable. And, I'll share progress over the year. You are welcome to comment with your goals and progress as well.


2016 Goals
1) Try 30 new recipes.
I had a similar goal last year. I love baking and cooking. I think it's important to continue to grow and learn. Since I love baking and cooking, I want to continue to learn new techniques, try new cuisines, new flavors, and new food combinations. As a registered dietitian, I know the importance of healthy eating. As a human, I want to enjoy eating. So, I'm passionate about learning and trying new things.

I received several cookbooks and new cooking gadgets for Christmas. It's so nice to have fresh inspirations. I love to learn from other people's recipes. Then, I like to tweak the recipes to make them my own. I usually add a healthier spin as my dietitian twist to make the recipe my own.


2) Read more.
I grew up loving to read. When I was in elementary school, I got to stay up a few minutes past my bedtime if I was reading. In the Summers, I participated in the Summer reading challenges that my local library offered.

Then, I went to school and had to read. I had to read a mountain of books for English class and keep up with textbook readings from other classes. Then, college. Then, internship. Then, Masters. Then, CSP. Then, my textbooks for school. Whew. For so many years, I had to read. Don't get me wrong; I actually really enjoy reading and learning. Hence, the reason I teach. It's more of the mountainous volume of reading and looming deadlines that take some of the joy out of reading.

I don't have a specific number of books I plan to read. I did stop by Half-Priced Books and found some books about food - one on New Orleans cuisine and another about Julia Child. I like to read when I travel, which ties two goals into one. 


I've also started reading through my cookbooks. I read them cover-to-cover. I mark recipes I'd like to try. I make notes of things I'd substitue or variations I'd like to try. Do you this too? Does anyone else read cookbooks cover to cover? One of my best friends does this, so I know I'm not the only one.


3) Build endurance and strength.
This is my take on increasing my physical activity. I hope to constantly grow and improve. I found a really good weight lifting class. The instructor challenges me and keeps me from getting bored. I know that weight lifting is important for muscle mass and maintaining good health, so I'm glad I found a great class. I actually look forward to going to class (most days).

In Arkansas, my husband and I played ultimate frisbee with a group of our friends. It was such a fun time in our lives. We met new people. I actually enjoyed running . . . for short distances, after the frisbee or to guard people when I was on defensece. The people and game were my incentive to stay active. Since we moved, I need to find another incentive to do more cardio. I'm thinking about a new workout playlist. Does anyone have any new, favorite songs?


4) Travel.
My husband and I have several trips planeed this year. I have a work trip coming up soon. We are going to go up a little early and stay a little after the trip to have some vacation time together. We are also planning to visit family and friends.

These are broad goals, but they do have more personal, specific meanings to me. SMART goals are important when you are making changes. That doesn't diminish the value of broad goals.

5) Learn something new.
As a RD and college professor, I teach people every day. It is especially important for me to keep learning every day as I continue to teach others. This is a very broad goal that will be manifested in many ways. It will likely look like reading journal articles to keep up with the evolving field of nutrition (I usually share these on Twitter). It may look like learning a new skill. I'm not sure exactly what it will look like, but I'm excited to see what I learn this year.

For more recipes, encouragement, and tips for healthy eating, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Twitter.

If you liked this post, you might enjoy:












No comments:

Post a Comment