wednesday weigh in

Alright people.

This is it.

The last day of 2008.

Last night while I sat polishing off the box of chocolate covered Joe-Joe's and noticed that there were 150 calories PER cookie, I decided that this hibernation I've been enjoying must come to an end. So this morning I did yoga. This afternoon I'm going for a jog. I have a 5K race with my friend Lorie in a month that I must get ready for.

This Saturday, the running group I had been a part of earlier this summer is starting up again. And I'm going to do my best to be there. I need that commitment every week. I need to know that people are waiting for me. I need to be held accountable. If this past month has taught me anything, it's that when I have no goals or aspirations, I am very much the kind of person that will hide in a bathroom and eat a half a box of peppermint bark.

This morning during breakfast, I told Charlie that one of my goals for 2009 is to be physically active every day. I will do yoga. Or swim. Or bicycle. Or walk. Or run. Or jump rope. Or lift free weights. Every day, I will do something. Maybe it will only be 15 minutes. Or maybe it will be three hours.

But every day, I will do something.

I will eat fresh fruit and/or vegetables every day.

I will drink a lot of water.

I will get sleep.

I will cherish this body of mine.

I told Charlie that I'm not really that concerned with reaching a target weight because I think it's more important that I feel good about myself. Then I made the mistake of asking my husband if he thought I needed to lose weight. His eyes diverted and he said, "I think you look great."

At first I thought how sweet his response was. But then I realized he hadn't answered the question. So I prompted him again. His nostrils flared like they do when he is trying to suppress laughter and he repeated, "I think you look great."

And although he didn't say it, I imagined he was thinking, "Considering you have consumed five boxes of Joe-Joe's over the past month and two gallons of egg nog. Oink. Oink." Holding a syrup-coated pancake on my fork I threatened, "Charlie. ANSWER THE QUESTION."

He gave me the look of a deer in the headlights that said, "Don't do this to me!" Then, when he could see I wasn't going to relent, he shrugged and said, "Well. I think we could ALL stand to lose a little weight. We could all stand to be a little healthier."

I retorted, "Oh yeah? Well I'm not talking about all of us. I'm talking about me. Where could I stand to lose weight?" Fearing that he was going to point out some area I hadn't even recognized before ... like my shoulder blades ... my husband sweetly pointed to the top of his head and to the bottom of his feet and said, "I think we could both tighten up from here to here."

You've got until midnight tonight.

Tell me how you are doing with your goals.

Tell me why you are proud of yourself.

Share how you are going to make 2009 the best year ever.

And Henry, who at 17-months old, enjoys sitting with his sisters dolls while listening to Meat Loaf on my iPod, will help me to select a winner of a new personalized Product Red iPod shuffle.

They are so cool. You really need one.

(iPod that is. Although toddlers that play with their sisters dolls are even more scrumptious than chocolate covered Joe-Joe's.)