Exciting News!

Today's theme song is "Tub Thumping" by Chumbawumba. For those of you who need help getting that song stuck in your head for the rest of the week, please view the video below:

Yes, yes, it's been a couple of weeks since I said I was back to blogging again. I even touted my blogging calendar! Ha! Well, life has a way of getting in the way. By life, I mean work, family, visitors, and a three day migraine.

Enough about that! My 1 year Zumba-versary is this Saturday! Yahooo! I'm so excited! Not only have I been licensed for one whole year, but I am teaching leading Zumba again! That's right...ain't no migraine gonna STOP me! Well, at least I will introduce some steps, take measurements, weigh in, and talk about goals, etc. Hopefully we can get a few songs in at least.

This is exciting for me for so many reasons. Last year, I wrote my commitments on a white board and posted it on Facebook as my profile pic. Each time I accomplished one of them, or it became invalid (no longer need to paint the exterior of a home I no longer owned), I crossed it off and re-posted it. I got through most of the list:

This year, I wrote on the white board again, but never got around to posting it. That's probably in part because I don't have bills paid off (in fact have more thanks to a sky high deductible), nor am I close to a size 9. Anyway, my white board currently reads:

1. Teach Zumba again
2. ACE cert (nationally recognized group exercise certification)
3. Zumba kids license
4. (a couple of Avon related goals, which are now void, to be covered in another blog post)

So I've got  #1 covered. #3 is coming in July! I'm not sure how long #2 will take, but I WILL get it done by the end of the year...possibly the end of the summer!

What else is new? Oh yeah! My blog name! You like? You can also find Saranity Fitness at Twitter and on FaceBook!

Maybe today's theme song should be "I'm So Excited" by the Pointer Sisters! Both are apropros, so here you go!

Word for the Year 2014

Hard to believe January is practically over already!

Now that I'm back home from my whirlwind trip to the West Coast, I am finally getting around to solidifying my agenda for the year. Last year, I wrote some commitments on a white board. I had my picture taken with the list and posted it on Facebook. I then checked the items off as I accomplished them. I missed a couple of targets, and one of them became obsolete (don't need to paint the outside of a home I no longer own). My PLAN is to do that again for 2014 by January 31st. I don't have all my commitments decided on yet.

In the mean time, I've read a couple of posts about a word for the year, such as Jennifer (Jenni) at I'm Dancing in the Rain. She's also a long distance friend whom I only recently met in person at another Jennifer's (Jen) surprise party. She is an amazing woman. In my eyes, she's an incredibly strong woman.

My word is: Stronger

 Photo credit: http://www.pixabay.com

My goals this year are around getting stronger, inside and out.

Physically, this involves strength training in addition to my regular cardio/Zumba. Strength training enables me to burn more calories when I'm working out, and when I'm not. It also makes me, well, stronger, of course!

I'm also committing to getting stronger and stepping (literally) outside my comfort zone by completing a 5K! It's called Color Me Rad. I haven't decided on the date and location yet. Probably Waco in March, hopefully before it's too dreadfully hot here in Texas!


Emotionally, getting stronger involves assuming positive intentions (sorry, co-workers, I couldn't help it!) and don't blow things out of proportion. I ask for clarification instead of letting my mind run wild in the wrong direction.


Spiritually, I plan to grow stronger by attending church regularly, including Sunday morning Bible Study, and reading my Bible throughout the week. I am so blessed that my family has found our new church in Texas!

2013 In Review

I started this blog as a way to consolidate and blog about all of the things I am into: fitness, knitting, quilting, scrap-booking,crafting in general, reading, and of course, my family! Like a lot of things in my life, I got sidetracked and didn't stick with it. Hopefully I will be more "faithful" to my blog in 2014!

Before we head into the new year, though, let's look back at 2013. I was inspired to do this by Jennifer, who is an amazing, incredibly strong woman, IMHO!

 Let's wrap up 2013 and put a bow on it, shall we?

  

Gained or lost weight? Yes


Predominant feeling in 2013? Up and down!

Predominant feeling for 2014? Anticipation! New state, new home, and so many new possibilities!

Something you did for the first time in 2013? Became a licensed Zumba instructor and taught my first class. I continued for a few months until we moved.

Something you did again in 2013 after a long pause? I'm knitting and crocheting again! Loving it!

Something you unfortunately did not do in 2013?  Two things did not get crossed of my goals list from 2013: size 9 and paying off bills. I made big progress on both, though! Mark my words, I WILL achieve these two in 2014! Watch me!

Word of the year? Changes! We waved bye bye to Chuck, our 50 year old mental patient and moved from California to Texas, to name a few1

Hair longer or shorter? Longer and more red.

Hospital stays? I didn't stay, but I did end up in the ER the night before my daughter's birthday due to getting oils from the world's hottest pepper in BOTH of my eyes.

(Fallen) In love? Still very much in love with my husband!

Most called person? I don't talk on the phone much these days. I guess I talk to my mom the most.

Whom did you spend the most beautiful time with? Wow. That's a tough one. Most of the moments with my daughter are beautiful! I also had a very memorable night out with my BFF, J'Ho of Mom Rocks Mealtime!


Song of the year? Overcomer by Mandissa


Book of the year? 1, 2, 3 Magic


Movie of the year? Frozen. Proabbly cuz it's the most recent one we saw and the only one I can think of right now.


TV Show of the year? SCANDAL! Hands DOWN! I don't even want to wait and play catch up on DVR. I HAVE to watch it as soon as it comes on!

Insight of the year?  It's never to late to become the person you've always wanted to be.

Three things you totally could have done without?

• The whole oil of the hottest pepper in the world in my eye thing.
• Ugliness from someone I love. 
• Escalation of Charlie's condition.

The most expensive thing you bought? A new to me Chevy Traverse

The most delicious meal or food you ate? Wasabi Crusted Tuna with Ginger-Soy Sauce!

The best party? Girls Night Out with J'Ho! It was EPIC!

The most important thing you wanted to convince somebody of? Myself: That I can accomplish anything I set my mind to!

How will you celebrate New Year's Eve? At home. Nothing exciting.

What will you have for dinner? I need to check the menu and get back to you.

What drinks will be in your glasses to clink? If I know my hubby, he got champagne.

Will you ignite any fireworks? No.

What are you going to wear? Comfy or glamorous? Comfy!

Did you have any resolutions for 2013? And how about 2014? I prefer to call them commitments. I sure did for 2013. Wrote 'em on a white board and posted it on FaceBook. I then checked 'em off (almost all of them anyway) and re-posted it each time I accomplished something. Definitely going to do it again!


What are your wishes for the new year? I really hope to start teaching Zumba again. And get plugged in to a church that feels as much like home as our church in Chico, California did. That's a pretty tall order.

In one word, 2013 was... Dramatic.

Now it's your turn. Pick a question or two or all, and tell me what your answer would be!

Fail to Plan or Plan to Fail Part 2

When I posted Fail to Plan or Plan to Fail Part 1, about two weeks ago, I had another post planned out in my head. That post was going to include how clever I was to plan my NaBloPoMo in advance. I used a calendar from Calendars That Work and plotted out all my topics. Ok, not ALL the topics and not one for every day...

And there en-lies the problem!

Life just up and got in the way. Between sickness in the home, searching for and buying a house, on top of a sudden influx of actual work to do at the jobby job, my lack of planning for NaBloPoMo really kicked me in the backside. I didn't actually complete the plan. I didn't plan for contingencies like sick kids or sick me or deadlines piling up.

That's what I get for being smug! 

As we stare down the countdown app which currently reads "8" days, and January 1st hot on the heels of Christmas, I find myself setting some lofty goals. I had some pretty good ones last year, and I've crossed all but one off the list! I didn't even really have a plan when I set those goals. That may explain why that last one is still on there.

I have goals for my own health and fitness, reading goals, and business goals. What will determine whether or not I achieve them? What is the difference between crossing one off the list and checking them all off completely? You guessed it...it's whether I: 

Plan, Schedule, Plan Some More

Plan: This involves taking each of my goals and breaking them into mini goals. For example, take the amount of weight I want to lose over the next 12 months and break it down into monthly and weekly goals. 

Schedule: I can vow to exercise more and eat healthier, but unless I get my workouts on the calendar and plan some healthy meals ahead of time, life is guaranteed to come up again and get in the way. I will put my workouts on my calendar and stick to them like I would a meeting with my boss, a doctor's appointment, or a date with my husband! 

Plan Some More: Once I've got my goals figured out, broken down, and scheduled, I also need to review it all now and frequently. I'll check my progress and make sure I'm on track. These check-ins will go on the calendar as well, or they won't happen. 12 months will slip right by and I'll weigh the same and not have read any more or gotten any scrap-booking done! 

There you have it. That is my strategy for 2014. What about you? Do you have goals? Do you have a plan in place to make sure you'll get there?