Finding My Rhythm: Setting and Achieving My 2025 Goals

We're a few days into 2025, and a winter storm is still gripping the state. While I'm curious to see how this plays out, it's not what I want to focus on today. Instead, let's talk about my personal goals for this year.

Oliver, our lazy dog, seems perfectly content to lounge around and demand belly rubs. But for me, 2025 is about prioritizing exercise, eating healthier, and finally shedding those extra pounds. My bike riding routine has been going strong – I've been consistently cycling for over a month now. In fact, I recently conquered my longest ride since getting back into it – a challenging 45-minute journey. I felt amazing afterward and am now thinking about increasing my cycling frequency to three times a week.

Physical activity isn't limited to cycling, though. Carrie and I have been talking about finally taking advantage of the gym at work, but somehow, we always seem to find excuses to put it off. My ideal fitness routine would involve three weekly bike rides and two weightlifting sessions. Getting back into cycling took a few months of consistent effort, so I anticipate a similar adjustment period for weight training.

Turning our attention to our home, it's high time we tackled some of that neglected maintenance. While we've fantasized about major renovations to the family room, kitchen, and master bathroom, we need to start with the basics. Those drafty, inoperable windows in the family room are a constant reminder of how much work needs to be done. But that's a long-term project. For now, I'm committed to creating a plan by mid-summer for our initial home improvement projects.

Regarding my reading goals, I've slightly adjusted my target from 25 to 20 books for 2025, acknowledging the challenges I faced last year. In 2024, most of my reading was squeezed into the few minutes before bed. This year, I'm determined to incorporate reading into my lunch break, evenings, and even during those early morning moments. I've maintained a daily reading habit for 1,114 days, and now I'm aiming to increase the number of pages I read each day. Having been off work for the past few days, I've already noticed a significant difference.

I know firsthand that staying consistent with exercise, reading, and home improvement is a constant battle. It's so easy to fall off the wagon – one missed workout, one late night that cuts into reading time, and suddenly, the momentum is gone. But I'm determined to make these changes stick and make 2025 a truly fulfilling year.

Until next time, have a great rest of the week. Stay safe, keep warm, and check in on your neighbors as this winter storm continues to impact the area.

Oliver Lost Weight After Stomach Issues but Doing Better Now... Hoping Continues to be Healthy

Sleepy Oliver

Oliver finally seems to be back to his old self. He turned 12 back in June and then the first week or so of July he had a lot of teeth pulled. Since he had his teeth pulled, he had not been doing well. Eating oddly, although he has eat odd since he was a puppy, but mainly having bowl movement (BM) issues. Multiple visits to the vet, various bills, and finally this past week he got back to "normal".

When we took him to the vet on August 1 to get a shot to help with a urinary tract infection they had found the week prior after taking a urine sample. We wondered if this might have been what was causing him to have BM problems for most of July. As he was having stomach issues, we decided instead of pills, we would get the shot. While he was at the vet on August 1 they recorded his weight and found he had lost more weight. We noticed we could feel his ribs and bones on his rump. Sure enough, he had been losing weight. They told us to start having him eat a can a day. Typical Oliver though, he decided he did not want to eat the wet canned food any more. So, we switched him back to his kibble on Saturday and he is doing much better. 

Since he has started eating regular, we did start giving him treats again as well as his chicken he loves. It was tough when he was having BM issues but still hungry to leave the house and not give him a treat or biscuit. He would look at us as if we were made at him with big old puppy dog eyes. Yet he still greeted us when we would come home from work or being gone.

For now, we are happy he is doing better and make to himself. Hoping no more setbacks for him with eating, weight, or health. Thank you for the comments and share of concern for our baby Oliver. 

Fell Off the Exercise Wagon... Eating Better?

My last post on July 18 (Week Two Done... Prepping for Week Three... Jog On!) was my last post here.  So, obviously I have not posted or worked out in a very long time! Ok, so I worked out a few times after the semester started, but that ended about halfway through the semester. Officially, it ended on September 29 (Endomondo Workouts).

The start of October was difficult to get anything going consistently in terms of working out.  The bad eating and beer drinking was in full effect from the start.  The Blues Festival that second weekend of October and Royals baseball games all through the month helped to keep me out of the gym, off the road, or basically finding any excuse to do anything healthy.  I was not even eating well during that time finding myself weighing in the most I have ever in my life on November 16.  Really, that was the first time I had weighed myself since sometime last year.

Yes, that November 16 weigh-in was a wake up, but only to the point of starting to eat right.  Cut back on alcohol and that's been bout it.  I weighed myself about a week after that first weigh-in and found I had lost three pounds... so it is a start!

Many of you know that I love the spin class at Washburn Student Recreation Student Center, but I have not been to class since the last part of September.  I had plans to start going back in November, but now we are about to the end of November and not having the motivation to get to the gym at 6:30 in the morning.  So, I am going to try and start working out after work and do running instead of biking.  Previously when I was running I had races as targets so I could train, but I have not been to a race in over a year, so I am going to set small targets with running.  Focus on pace and distance instead of on a goal of running a race.

This next week is of course Thanksgiving, so not the best time to start.  So, I will target the Monday following Thanksgiving to start working out after work.  Try not to go crazy with eating during the holidays and try to get a start on getting back in shape before the new year starts.

Happy Holidays!  I hope to be posting soon with my progress in eating right, exercise, and meeting my running goals.