13 in 13 - January #1

 January : Make a plan

Now that I've done the cringing back post, its time to post about this year long challenge that I have decided to take part in, with Rebecca over at Weight Wars. The premise is that I set myself 12 challenges, one for each month, with Rebecca setting the 13th and then each month will have a theme. January's theme is 'Make a plan'.

What would it be like if your world was exactly how you wanted it? Describe it.

Had you asked me this question this time last year, the answer would have been EASY. I would have told you that I wanted to lose 4 stone, get fit and be a size 14. Surely that would make my world perfect, right? WRONG! I worked physically hard in 2012 and I achieved my ideal weight goal - precisely what I thought would make my world exactly how I wanted it.. The trouble with having it exactly how you want it, is that you can see just what else you need round the corner.

The gritty, selfish truth of my accomplishments last year, is that I don't look how I thought I would at size 14 and I'm not as fast either on my bike/on my feet/in the pool as I want to be! I need work! I wonder if you ever reach a point of being done? Does maintenance actually exist?

Last year was all about my body I guess, taking off my outer layers, shedding the comfort 'coat' I had donned through pregnancy, childbirth and the madness that follows, and finding me again and - more importantly for me - finding out what I am physically capable of.

This year is going to be more about about my head, as well as my body. If the world were exactly how I wanted it to be right now, I would have a part time job that was local, that challenged me, and that I was settled in. I would cycle to work. The job would allow me to leave on time and as soon as I was out of the door, it would function without me (because I was super efficient, not because it didn't need me). I would go home, and be grateful for the time I was at home. Niamh would be happy and settled with a child minder/nursery for the part time hours I worked, the hours I didn't work would be filled as they are now, together in the day time and the Biglets would hardly realise I went to work whilst they were at school. Paul and I would welcome the extra income and arrange our evenings to both exercise and spend quality time together. We would all pull together as a team to keep the house running smoothly..

I must stop mid dream here and laugh - Ha ha -  the house doesn't run smoothly even with me at home all the time! I am not a natural born home-maker or keeper. I don't enjoy (who does!) house work or laundry or cleaning. We are not particularly house proud - not because we aren't proud per sey, there is just always something more fun to do. Jobs gets done when they need doing, not routinely. Everyone always has clean clothes and a clean bed. Everyone eats the best food I can prepare (I do enjoy cooking and baking!) cooked in a clean kitchen. The loo is cleaned regularly.. What more do you need? The kidlets are not bound by many real rules, and there is carnage on a daily basis which does, sometimes, drive me barmy, but it works (mostly), and everyone is happy, loved and cared for and actually, surely, that's the real point, isn't it?

Anyway, where was I? Oh yes.. a smooth running house..  So that is the dream.. And here is the plan..

My goals for 2013
I have split them into three groups to help me stay focused.

Personal goals:
* SORT MY BACK OUT, OR AT LEAST LEARN HOW TO IMPROVE AND MANAGE IT
* FIND A PART TIME JOB - THIS IS A BIGGIE FOR ME, VERY SCARY MENTALLY

Family goals:
* 'DEEP CLEAN' AND ORGANISE THE HOUSE, ROOM BY ROOM
* INITIATE SOME ROUTINES TO HELP THE HOUSE FUNCTION MORE EFFICIENTLY
* GET THE KIDLETS INVOLVED IN HELPING THE HOUSE TO RUN SMOOTHLY

Health and fitness goals:
* WORK ON STRENGTHENING MY CORE, THIS WILL FURTHER HELP MY BACK
* TRY ALL THE FITNESS CLASSES I AM ENTITLED TO WITH MY GYM MEMBERSHIP
* HAVE SWIMMING TUITION TO IMPROVE MY TECHNIQUE AND SPEED
* TONE AND FIRM UP MY NEWLY SLIMMER BODY
* BEAT LAST YEARS HENLEY TRIATHLON TIME
* RUN 5K IN 30 MINUTES, SHAVE THE TIME FURTHER, THEN RUN 10K

* CYCLE 1OO MILES IN ONE DAY- THIS IS ALSO A BIGGIE, CAN I PHYSICALLY DO IT?

So there are my goals.. Next, I need to sort out my plan! Watch this space...!