Stonyfield Healthy Family New Year's Resolutions

On Thanksgiving, I announced to my family that we would be participating in the 36 days of awesome. We would each run 1 mile every day from Thanksgiving to New Year's. I quickly amended it to half mile on days the kids opted to run on the treadmill. Not only is it ridiculously boring to run on a treadmill, watching someone run on a treadmill to try and help them avoid being tossed from it is even more boring.

And we were going strong for many, many days.

Until the flu hit.

First, Connor was down and out, and the remaining well family members decided that if someone was taking prescription medication, they could be excused from the challenge. Then Helen fell, followed by Ed, and finally I succumbed as well. At that point, we ended the challenge, high fived each other for our rather impressive streak, and spent the next several days trying to get well.

Even I, who run 4-5 days a week anyway, thought running daily was pretty difficult. It was becoming more of a drain than an inspiration for movement.

But I like the idea of having a monthly fitness goal, and I think it's important for Connor and Helen to participate since they ought to know that their health is as important as my health.

And so we sat down today and drew up the Family New Year's resolutions. At the end of each month, we've decided to give ourselves some sort of treat (the not quite 36 days of awesome will be capped off with a trip to Pinkberry - our favorite frozen yogurt store).

January - Do the New York Times 7 minute work out at least 5 times per week. (One is in the books already!)

February - Yoga month! Three times per week we'll do yoga together as a family.

March - We each chose one exercise that we will improve. We will record how many we are able to do at the start of the month and end of the month. We will practice at least 4 times per week. Connor chose sit-ups, I will be planking, Helen and Ed will be doing push-ups. I will also be running my first marathon trying to qualify for Boston!

April - Running! Connor came up with the following pattern. Day 1 - 0.5 miles; Day 2 - rest; Day 3 - 0.5 miles; Day 4 - 1 mile; Day 5 - Rest; Day 6 - 0.5 miles; Day 7 - 1 mile; Day 8 - 1.5 miles Day 9 - Rest... The hope is that we will be ready for the 5K sponsored by the school in May.

May - We'll all run the school 5K, plus we will CLIMB this month! We'll head over to the park with the climbing wall as often as we can, we will climb trees, we will end the month by climbing Old Rag!

June - Jump! We will all jump rope - at least 100 jumps, 4 days per week.

July - Swim at least 1 lap every time we go to the pool!

August - PLAY 60! Every day we will play outside at least 1 hour. Admittedly, this will be the one that requires the least change and effort for us, but the kids are likely to be at my parents for a couple of weeks, and this seemed like a good fit. Ed and I will Swim, Bike, and Run a tri-athalon (different activities every day, adding up to an Iron Man).

September - We will bike 5 days per week (possibly to school every day!). Helen will ride 30 miles; Connor will ride 100 miles; Ed will run 300 miles - and my goal will be set when I know whether or not I'll be running another marathon that month.

October - Marathon month for all - run 26.2 miles over the course of the month.

November - The New York Times Advanced Workout - 20 times over the course of the month.

December - I will run as many miles as Ed, Connor, and Helen run. Helen said "I will exhaust you!".

So bring it, 2015! And thank you Stonyfield, for the inspiration to get fit as a family!

Elaine

We will, as is our tradition, be using Stonyfield yogurt as our recovery food. Thank goodness they have so many varieties,because we're going to need a lot!