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A brand new year is just around the corner, and with a new year comes a new list of goals and resolutions that people make. It's a good time for starting over or trying something new.

But do people still follow resolutions? One of the most common that I see is to 'lose weight' or 'eat better'. Both are difficult to accomplish without some planning and support.

Personally, I decided to make a list of goals for myself this year (one of them includes learning how to cook rack of lamb!) and will try to accomplish those goals. 

One of my biggest goals is to be better at managing my time. Because really, my time is no longer my own - it primarily belongs to my children and their schedules. Finding a balance between them and the things I need to accomplish can be difficult, but I will work on it. I think I already am off to a good start - I now have a More Time Moms Family Organizer for the wall! It includes a monthly calendar with large spaces for writing and stickers to flag really important days (like show and tell which I really can't forget!)

 

There are a lot of great calendar options out there, including this one from Wyman publishing for your office:

 

I know that many people have a Blackberry to help them keep track of their time, I don't yet and I know some people are old fashioned and prefer to write notes done. For those of us who need to carry a small planner around in our purse or car, I like the prettiness of this small monthly planner:

 

Sometimes I not only need to remember dates but websites, thoughts, ideas or milestones with the kids. To do that, I have note pads lying all over the house, but mostly these notes are on scrap pieces of paper or sticky notes.  What I really need are pretty, neat looking notebooks like these ones from Ecojot:

 

Are you making any resolutions this year?  And better yet, do you think you can follow them?  How are you ensuring you keep yourself on track?

Image sources: BuyCanadianFirst.ca, Wyman Publishing

So here it is, another year has come to an end. Was it a good one? Did you accomplish all that you hoped? I hope that 2010 brought all of you what you dreamt of. 2010, for me, came with changes, some big and others small. There were a few triumphs, some sorrows, visits with old friends that are always missed and all of it, peppered with the giggles of my kids. 2011 is a whole new 365 days that will unfold itself into another year, hopefully filled with some adventure, new beginnings and ultimately, peacefulness. Oh yes, and what kind of New Year would it be with out resolutions and goals?

So what's in store for Dre this year? 

1. Some solitude. I have 3 children of my own and work as a childcare assistant. I am surrounded by giggles and complaints nearly every moment of everyday, including the nights since my toddler has taken to waking in the wee hours. Everyday I would like to find at least 30 minutes to enjoy a quiet cup of coffee (I'd love to try the this dark roast from Kicking Horse Coffee , I have enjoyed some of their other roasts and this one is next), a chapter of a book or just to sit and watch the world pass my window.

 

2. Wellness and fitness. In 2010, I lost about 20kg (about 45 lbs.) and there is still a bit more to go. Taking stock of my habits and the things I enjoy, I know that the gym is not for me. Neither are boot camps or slaving away in a class trying to organize my limbs to follow the instructor (which is a futile task). In 2011 the fitness goals for me include play and peace. Playing with my kids, teaching the eldest girl to ride her bike, tag, hide and seek, rolling down hills and running back up. It truly is the most simple of ideas, just play. The peace comes through a yoga routine: a quiet moment to focus on breathing and the body. To focus on the self and the energy that passes through. I will also visit the dentist, get a check up and focus on improving my diet...though this may or may not alter my coffee intake.

 

 3. Balance. Life is busy. Work, family, school, chores and other unexpected events all take time and deserve the best that you have to give. One can not ignore the value of  balance, though! This year, to tip the scales, I plan to be "cruisy mellow", take some time to maintain my personal blog , go on a vacation , and create, draw, sew, paint, write, take photographs and daydream, all of which may find it's way to my etsy shop .

I have high hopes for 2011, a busy year like every other year, but balanced with time for the small things that fill up my reserves and keep everything in evenness. I hope it turns out to be all I dream it to be. I also hope that your new year is all you want it to be, filled with dreams and hope, blessings and learning. Most of all, I wish all of you heaps of goodness and joy.  How do you plan to spend your 2011? What are your goals and wishes, hopes and dreams for this new year? 

 

 Photo credits: Kicking Horse Coffee, willowcatstudio

As a lazy, good for nothing, who tends to get a little, um, puffy if I don't watch it, I ask a lot of my exercise regimes. They must be fun, easy, inexpensive and ... fun! By George, I think that I have found it! It's hula hooping!

 photo courtesy of Wendy T. Gibson

We use weighted hoops that Basia Baklinski, our teacher, pictured above in the yellow shirt, makes herself. (Basia is in her early sixties and a fantastic advertisement for the benefits of hula hooping!) These hoops are big and heavy! I am completely uncoordinated and, for the first class,  could not get that hoop to hula for the life of me! All around me, other first timers were laughing in delight at how much fun they were having, while I tried one way and then another, to keep my hoop going, to no avail! By experimenting with a few different hoops, I found one that I could keep going and that was when the fun really began! It is completely exhilarating!

Organic Cotton Yoga Pants by Me to We

The secret of it is practice. The beauty of it is that you are thinking only of the hoop, not how much weight you are losing, or how hard your core muscles are working - and believe me, they are!!! If you are like me and have a mind that won't shut up, hula hooping also becomes an amazingly, meditative thing to do. I stand in my backyard in the early morning, listening to the birds and spinning my hoop, my mind peaceful and calm for what will probably be the only time that day. I'm told that this will burn 200 calories in half an hour!!! And you are going to feel it after, especially at first. Fortunately, there is something super addictive about hula hooping and in no time, you will start to feel stronger and more confident!

Frogaliscious Funky Back Tank-Limited Edition from Terra Frog

I don't count calories or weigh myself. I go by my clothing sizes and how my favourite pants feel on me. Since I started hula hooping only a few short weeks ago, I have already lost inches around my waist! I had to make a new hole in my belt, people! I'm getting into some of my one size smaller pants again! My arms, legs and bum bum are getting toned as well and my waist has shown up again!!! Another wonderful and unexpected side effect is that my complexion has improved! Nasty, stubborn blackheads have been flushed out by the massive sweating that hula hooping brings rise to!

 

Bamboo Tank Top by Me to We

Hooping gear is pretty straightforward. You need a hoop! Lots of people practice barefoot but I prefer to wear lightweight shoes. Clothing that gives the hoop something to "bite" on and soaks up the sweat fast is best! Then you need just enough space for the hoop to clear. Consider finding a spot inside to hoop, for rainy days and winter time.

I highly recommend checking out the amazing Canadian site called Hoop City! It will help you find shops, classes and hooping friends in your region.

Have I convinced you yet to try hula hooping? I would love to hear about it!

Image sources: BuyCanadianFirst.ca

 

Fortunately, Spring's better weather also means that my bike is coming out of Winter storage. My favourite form of transportation is also a great way to stay in shape! The challenge for me, though, (and most of us Canadians fated to experience four seasons), is that I don't use my bike enough in the Winter to get any sort of real exercise from it. That's why the ideal solution seems to be two-part: a stationary bike for rainy days and winter and an outdoor bike for blue skies and sunny days. No excuses then!

 

Especially if you are not the type who enjoys joining a gym or paying expensive membership fees, having exercise equipment at home is a sensible, and ultimately money-saving way, to stay in shape all year round. Buy Canadian First member, Ontario's Bodyguard Fitness has award-winning stationary bikes and a wide assortment of other exercise equipment to meet your indoor exercising needs. My friend, Joanie, for example, is not into bicycles but swears by her treadmill while my husband prefers an elliptical trainer . Bodyguard Fitness offers much more than just equipment. Their online support , for example, is invaluable and a great way to stay motivated while you are getting and (hopefully) staying in shape!

 

Once the weather is good, though, there is no excuse not to bring out the road bike! You may want to take a look at the "perfect" bicycles at Guru Bikes to get in the mood! "Hand-crafted" and "high-tech", the bikes should come with adoption certificates! Each one is custom built, just outside Montreal, Quebec, to the specifications of the person who will be riding it, which can only mean one thing ... one sweet ride!

 

If you are really out of shape, the BionX  energy management system sounds like a great excuse buster! Designed and manufactured in Quebec, the unit provides battery-powered assistance as needed, so you can still enjoy and benefit from pedalling, while not overextending yourself too soon  after a long winter! What fun!

 

Hey! Don't forget your titan carbon helmet from Quebec-based Louis Garneau!

Spring is in the air! Are you feeling motivated to start a new fitness program...again?

Image sources: BuyCanadianFirst.ca