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Friday, January 1, 2016

Happy New Year!!! 2016 - Goals? Plans? What I'm thinking in that regard...



First of all, may I wish everyone a very Happy New Year!  My wish is that 2016 be a year of peace, joy, and hope for all of you.  Plus some great books!  And reading.  And blogging.  As sad as our world has been lately (for so many, many reasons), there are still wonderful people, events, and actions all around.  I'm thankful for all of you.

So, what's the plan for this year?  Do I have goals or aspirations for these next months?  Well, I guess I do.  I'll share a couple of things that I'd like to consider goals for me.  First the reading side of things:

Reading Goals for 2016

I have been so pleased to get involved again in the blogging world in 2015.  Yes, I did take some breaks, but that was my compromise with myself when I returned to blogging.  Take breaks when needed.  And that is the plan for the future as well.  One of the results of a renewed interest in blogging has been a huge, huge wishlist.  And also lots of new acquisitions in the form of print books and e-books.  So, it's time to get realistic again.  Exactly how many books can I read in a year and how many books do I own?  Do the math and figure out how many years of reading are on my shelves (hint:  more than 10 years).

2016 Reading Goal - Read my own books.  Not completely or exclusively, but mostly.

Read. My. Own. Books.  That is all.


Personal Goals for 2016

At the beginning of 2015, I shared some health goals.  They were mostly to notice what I ate and move more.  I then had a 'wake up' call in May through some blood tests.  My doctor told me to either get real about those fitness/eating goals or I'd have to take more meds and be diagnosed Type 2 Diabetic.  I got real.

I've lost 30 pounds in 2015.  It has not been easy, but it's definitely been something I could do.  I've stepped up my walking on a regular basis and added activity all around.  My aim for the holiday season was to pretty much maintain and then step it up again in the new year.  I've done a decent job at maintaining - only a couple of pounds gained.  My blood test in August was a bit mixed - better in one area and not in another.  My test in December was much better.  I've moved below any threshold for diabetic diagnosis and as long as I continue my current path, I will continue to improve even more.  Yay, me!!

2016 Eating Goal - Continue to watch my eating and seek out new ways to enjoy healthy food.  Don't be afraid of being actually hungry sometimes (we forget how that feels, don't we?).  Watch the carbs. The weight will come off a little at a time (and I have a bunch more to lose).

2016 Fitness Goal - Step up the walking.  Check out a couple of classes at the rec center - yoga or pilates or some kind of strength-building class.  Keep moving forward. Keep progressing.  It's all good.  And it helps my moods so much.

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Thanks for listening and stopping by.  For your patience as I work out what comes next for me.  I enjoy the company of all of you.  Good luck with any goals and aims you set for yourself in 2016!  And if you don't do that, here's to a fabulous year of good reading, good book talk, and sharing our lives with each other!  Again, my thanks!!  

55 comments:

  1. Happy New Year, Kay! As always, I don't have any new year resolutions but I do wish for happiness and health and with these two things I'm sure the others will follow naturally. :-)

    Let's hope this new year will be a better year for all of us!

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    1. I think that happiness and health are perfect wishes, Melody.

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  2. Great goals for 2016. Congrats on the good health habits progress. Not easy but you're doing it!

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    1. Thanks, Mary! Yes, not easy and I think, for me, the reminder that this is a forever way of doing things, not a temporary solution is what's hard. I'm working on it. LOL

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  3. Happy New Year. You have a great outlook for the future. Fitness is one of my top goals this year. I know even the smallest things help - like walking more. Good luck with your goals.

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    1. Yes, indeed, Pat. One of my doctors told me that 'simple' walking is perfect, especially for getting the body to process certain things better. Thanks for the encouragement!

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  4. Happy New Year! I hope you have a wonderful year, personally and bookishly....thanks for visiting my blog. Congrats on your healthy 2015!

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    1. Thank you, Laurel! I wish the same for you!

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  5. I like your resolution to read your own books.(not completely but mostly) I also have so many books in e-form and paper print to read. I need to do the same thing. However, if there is a series that I am in and want to read the next book, I will do so. I am going to commit myself too to reading what I have right now. It won't be easy as the new books are hard to pass up. Thanks for the idea.

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    1. Lynn, thanks for your kind words. Yes, I think if we make it too strict, we won't follow through, but I really want to make it a goal to read from my own shelves. I have an entire library available and I should take advantage of it. Good luck to you!!

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  6. Happy New Year, Kay! Congratulations on your weight loss and progress toward health goals... well done. I will also concentrate on reading my own books this year, especially since I failed miserably in that department last year. Increasing activity is a top priority for me this year - more walking and more audiobooks :)

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    1. I love the fact that my audio stats have shown that I've been up and moving (well, car use too, but also exercising). I want that percentage to keep increasing. Good luck to you, JoAnn, with your aims and priorities! When are you going to Florida? Some good beach walking there. ;-)

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    2. We'll start driving next weekend! The plan is to spend 3 or 4 days on the road, but I cannot wait for my first walk on the beach.

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  7. Keep up the good work! Happy New Year!

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  8. Kay, 30 pounds gone is great. I feel better in so many more ways. I'm also not focusing on how much more I have to lose, but improving my fitness and keeping healthy. One thing I need to figure out this year is how to let myself have those cheat meals and not feel like I've failed. We can do this. 2016 is our year!

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    1. I totally agree. It's a tough road, but life has to happen and too much restriction is hard to sustain. I love this - 2016 is our year! I've been so impressed with what you said about a boot camp. You go, girl!!

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  9. You have some great goals for 2016, Kay. Keeping yourself healthy, physically and mentally, is the most important thing.

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    1. Thanks, Tracy. Sometimes, there just comes a time when you have to do it. And it's not really that hard if you take it one step at a time.

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  10. Kay, congrats of the great changes health-wise. Someone once said "you eat to live and should not live to eat" LOL It's something I need to remind myself of from time to time.

    I hope the New year is especially good to you and yours.

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    1. Some of those 'old' sayings have a lot of truth, Diane. I hope the same for you - a good 2016.

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  11. So good to have you back Kay - here's to plenty of good books in 2016!

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    1. I'm looking forward to sharing about our reading. We'll never run out of books, right?

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  12. Great job on the health goals Kay. That is really an accomplishment. I also have a lot of books I have acquired this year and have told myself to get through those before I seek out others! Happy New Year!

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    1. Thanks, Gayle. One step at a time, right? I'm going to give it my best on the health front and the reading my own books front. :-)

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  13. Congratulations on your eating and weight loss goals and keeping below the diabetic threshold...that's great news! And I like your laid back approach to 2016 reading!

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    1. Thanks for the kind words, Sarah! I was pretty excited with the last bloodwork and then the encouragement I got from the doctor. Now to keep going. :-)

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  14. Happy New Year, Kay! Being given some not so good health news is scary. That is wonderful that you are making such great progress and here's to a healthy 2016!

    I love your goals and wish you a lot of success with them!

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    1. Thanks, Iliana. I think I'll have plenty to keep me busy for a while, right here on my own shelves.

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  15. Congrats on the 30 lbs weight loss, that's an amazing accomplishment! It's great to hear that your health has been improving too and I hope it'll continue to go in that direction.

    Have you ever heard of ohsheglows.com for some yummy healthy recipes? It's all vegan food, which I know can scare some people, but I've honestly never come across a bad recipe from there, and the majority of meals/snacks are secretly really healthy and easy to make. Angela, the owner of the site, actually has a cookbook out now too!

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    1. Thanks for the recommendation. I had not heard of that website, but I will definitely check it out. And vegan doesn't scare me. I already eat some meals that way. Again, thanks for telling me!

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  16. Wow, losing 30 pounds is fantastic, Kay! I've managed to drop about 8, would like to lose another 12. It's hard! I hate being hungry, lol. I just need to keep moving and make better food choices.

    Happy New Year, and Happy Reading!

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    1. Yes, I'm not a big fan of being hungry either, but I've also reminded myself that actually feeling hunger between meals is not a bad thing. LOL

      Good luck to you on your goals, Diana!

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  17. My one reading goal is to read more of my print books, period. So proud of your weight loss. And so very happy you are blogging again.

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    1. Thanks, Nan! And with your new study all set up, you have a perfect place to read those print books. Enjoy!

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  18. Happy New Year and good luck with your 2016 goals!

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  19. Congrats on the weight loss. It is never easy but I am working on fitness goals as well in 2016. We will have to cheer each other on :) Happy New Year! I hope you have a great one in 2016!

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    1. We will definitely cheer each other on. And read some great books, right? LOL

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  20. Great goals to have for the New Year. While I haven't committed to any goals, I know I need to step up my fitness routine and get back to daily walking and strength training.

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    1. Good for you, Leslie. I just have to keep reminding myself over and over how much better I feel when I am active.

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  21. Happy new year and good luck with achieving your goals

    Shelleyrae @ Book'd Out

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    1. Thanks so much, Shelleyrae! I hope you will have a healthy year in 2016 as well.

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  22. Definitely keep moving forward! That being hungry is hard to do - especially since it is almost always so easy to get to food!

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    1. Yes, I truly find it hard to be hungry, but I also find myself standing looking in the pantry when I am definitely not hungry. What am I looking for? LOL

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  23. Happy New Year, Kay! I hope you have a wonderful year. Congratulations on the weight loss and successes in improving your health. It definitely is an ongoing effort, isn't it? I failed miserably at both of those things this past year. You would have thought my surgery the year before last would have been enough of a wake up call for me . . . I really need to do better this year. I have to stop making excuses.

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    1. I think, for me, it's finally learning that this will be the way it has to be forever. Not a diet, but a way of life.

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  24. Oh boy, I wonder how many years worth of reading I have on my shelves? Too many to count, that's for sure :) Good luck with all your goals and congratulations on all you've accomplished so far!

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    1. It gets a little scary when we actually count up and divide it out. LOL

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  25. Happy 2016 Kay! I hope it will be one of happiness and health. And laughter and books. And blogging and friendship. And I hope I can be here to share a part of it with you :)

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    1. I hope so too, Stacy! And thanks for the wonderful wishes.

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  26. You should feel very proud. Thirty pounds is excellent.

    I admire you for your attempt to read only your own books. I took another approach to that. A few years ago, I gave away anything that had been on my shelf for over a year. I kept recent purchases and then, at the end of the year, again gave away anything I had not read. Now I have maybe thirty total books that are either carryovers or recent acquisitions. It's a good feeling.

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    1. Thanks for the encouragement, Deb! I did do a big clearout about 4 years ago when we moved into this house. And it has gradually gotten more and more crowded here, bookwise. Plus I gave one of my big bookcases to my daughter and son-in-law, so I have less shelf space anyway. I'm actually pretty excited about this quest. We'll see how it goes. It is hard to read about all the new books and then not get them right away. I need more practice at just looking - not touching. LOL

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  27. I'm with you! I really, really need/want to read more of what I already have on my shelves. I did a huge purge last summer (hauling several boxes to Half Price Books) and as I continue to read and eliminate those books that don't catch my attention, I'm noticing more space on my shelves! It's a good feeling. :) And, no, I don't plan to fill them up anytime soon. As much as I love having a lot to choose from, there's something appealing to having only a dozen or so books to pick from. It's been over 20 years since I've been in that position, I think! Anyhow, this is my year to read more of my own books. We can do it! :)

    Keep up the good work with your exercising and healthy eating. I'm pretty good about what I eat. I just need to make time to exercise. Walking at work is good, but I need to do some strength training and get my heart rate up.

    Happy New Year, dear friend. Emailing you shortly.

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    1. I was laughing about the dozen or so books...but I know what you mean. It's been so many years since that time though. I guess I used to have a dozen or so library books to choose from. I'm working on it. We'll see how it goes. And thanks for the encouragement in all areas!

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Thanks for stopping by! I am so happy to hear your thoughts and will respond as soon as I can. Happy Reading!