It’s been a great year but I’m always looking for ways to improve. Whether it be eating better, working out more, getting organized, learning something new…the list goes on and it’s a constant battle. I started setting monthly goals, and while I was somewhat successful regarding most of them I failed at a few. But that doesn’t stop me from making more goals…hopefully more realistic and attainable goals. Bullet journaling has been difficult for me to keep up with. Does anyone like to keep a journal?

My Goals for December…

• Healthy eating for the whole family! So far so good. Okay so we’re only 1 week in, but hey, celebrate the small goals! So far more salads, fish and vegetables.

I actually made Brussel sprouts that my “anti-veggie” daughter liked. I halved them, coated them in olive oil, salt and pepper, then with cut side down I browned in a pan with fresh garlic (garlic makes everything better). Then roasted on a baking sheet with more olive oil, (also makes everything better) at 400 degrees for 20 mins. They came out tender but with crispy edges. I found that Brussel sprouts (my computer wants to capitalize Brussel for some reason…whatever) are best when you kill (cook until super soft) them, usually not the way I prefer vegetables.

Next up is roasted cauliflower…I let you know how that turns out. 🙂  (update…I made it… except for being too salty it was good. I will try cauliflower mash next)

• Less sitting and more doing! I spend way too much time in front of my computer! Much of that time is related to blogging (which I love!) but a lot is scrolling through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Google and Pinterest (I could lose hours on Pinterest). Over the past couple weeks I have limited my computer time (It helped that my father in-law stayed with us for 2 wks. Couldn’t stare at my computer and ignore him all day now could I?)

My plan… unless I am doing something productive, like blogging, them my computer will be off. Unfortunately I just discovered “This Is Us” and that could sabotage my whole less sitting plan. 😉 Netflix and On Demand are going to be the death of us. “They” say that sitting is the new smoking. We sit way too much.  (My Garmin just told me to move. Hahaha)

• Strength train, strength train, strength train! I know that my running is better when I am lifting weights and doing planks. I saw the results when I was doing them regularly. I need that again, so I have been back at it with the weights, squats and planks, hopefully I can shave some time off my pace. 
• Run! Run trails, run longer, run faster! Not a tough goal considering I run almost everyday that I don’t work (the other days I ride), but I need to put in some long runs and work on improving my pace with interval training. Trail runs will be a challenge due to the wild fires here in Southern California but South County is still intact so I will try to get out there and run.

Starting in January I will be training for the  ChesebroHalf Marathon. <<click for info. This half is a new challenge because it is half trail and half road. In preparation for it I will be posting weekly tips on half marathon training.  Check back next month for my first post.

What goals do you have to finish off the year?

Thanks for reading!

Keep running my friends! 🙂

                        Denise