Day 4/5

*Please note that I did not post the following yesterday. Also please note Day 5's post at the bottom of the page.*

Today I am going to discuss my health goals. Unlike Mr. Twain, quoted in my first blog who believed, "The only way to keep your health is to eat what you don't want, drink what you don't like, and do what you'd rather not." I believe that being healthy and making healthy choices can be a desirable alternative lifestyle. Through out the course of this year I want to make choices regarding my health that are not only beneficial but enjoyable.

Here are some of the things that I would like to focus on:

1. Drink less alcohol.
I have to be honest with myself here. I really, really like booze. I come from a long line of alcoholics, lushes, winos, and those who just like to "tear it up" on occasion. I am also a bit extreme, so choosing to swing to one extreme will inevitably create a backlash of epic proportions (reference New Years 20? where after 2 years of being sober driver I dove head first off the wagon and ran topless through an ex-boyfriend's good friend's backyard). Needless to say that completely abstaining from the stuff might create a hole in the universe or at least create a dangerous situation. Therefore my goal is moderation. I am going to limit getting rip-roaring drunk to special occasions. I am going to try not to drink every night of the week.

2. Regular exercise.
3-5 days 30+mins. That's what the doctor recommends and that is my goal. I wouldn't mind getting ripped either but this is my starting point.

3. No smoking.
Even as I type this one the addict in me has a little freak-out session. I have been smoking cigarettes "on occasion" for over a decade. It needs to stop. My grandfather died of lung cancer, enough said. Plus my number 2 goal is significantly harder when I am abusing my lungs.

4. Less coffee.
There are quite a few of my favorite people who may crucify me for even suggesting such a goal. Coffee is a polarizing subject to be sure. Here again I pursue moderation because when I pair my extreme love for this bold, black liquid with my extreme hatred for the tasteless, clear liquid we call water I maintain a consistently low level of hydration. This combination has also led to quite a few nasty hangovers that I will be glad to part with.

5. More water.
I bet you didn't see this one coming. This goal was just a good intention in the past and I failed to ever make it a reality. That is why, like many of the other good intentions I have had over the past 7 years I am going to put it in writing and make a deliberate decision to change. Bottoms up!

6. Organic.
Good for the environment and good for me!

7. Raw.
There are a lot of different opinions on this subject. Here is my opinion, eating more fruits and veggies can't be a bad for me.

8. Responsible meat.
In this world of Walmarts and McDonalds there has been an increase in hormone, pesticide rich processed meats in our diets. Also the treatment of animals has become shameful in this industry of consumption. Therefore I want to do something good for my body while simultaneously make a statement in the marketplace by choosing not to spend my money on food that I do not believe should be offered.

9. Read the label.
Here is my last food related goal. I want to be an informed consumer. I no longer want to simply purchase peanut M&Ms just because they are super tasty. I want to purchase yummy food that doesn't have harmful chemicals or additives. I particularly want to go after HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP aka THE DEVIL. We have an epidemic of obesity in this nation. Childhood diabetes has reached absurd proportions. Heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure all affected by what we eat. It is time to make choices that promote longevity as well as my current quality of life.

10. Take my vitamins.
Most of the advise my father gave me I immediately rejected, to my benefit but also to my detriment. "You taking your vitamins A?" he would ask. My response was always, "no." I realize now that I do not get the proper amount of nutrients in my diet. I also realize that I just don't eat enough in general to realistically get what I need from food alone. So I am admitting defeat Papa Fisher and saying, "Yes I can...take my daily vitamin."

*Day 5 post starts here*
Good morning irony and hypocrisy. I wrote day 4's post before I went to the Nashville Sounds' baseball game yesterday evening. It was there that I smoked a cigarette, ate a hot dog and part of a funnel cake, and drank excessive amounts of cheap beer. Needless to say that this morning I was a bit worse for the wear when my roommate woke me to go to the gym. The harsh reality of why I made those goals was hammered into every fiber of my being as I suffering through a very easy cardio session on the elliptical machine. I did have a great time last night but I am paying for it today. MODERATION. This is the word of the year and hopefully an extremist such as myself can commit to this. Time will tell. Let me know if you have any suggestions for successfully curbing unhealthy appetites or if you have a funny story about excess. Until next time, make good decisions people. I know I will be trying to do the same. Cheers!