It wouldn’t be a new year without some mention of resolutions or goals of some sort and I’m no different.  I don’t think I’ve ever made the “I’m gonna lose 10 pounds this year” goal but weight loss is definitely on my mind.  I gained somewhere between 22-25 pounds with my pregnancy and then in 2011, I dropped about 30 pounds, so i was in pretty good shape.  Unfortunately I’ve since put on some pounds and would like to lose about 10.  The good news is that several of the goals I put on THE List align with that (drink more water, reduce fast food, reduce soda, eat at home, exercise).  So I think it’s possible.  Here is a run-down of what I’m going to tackle next:

#4 – Begin using a natural toothpaste

I was going to wait until we were all done with the toothpaste in the house to start this but I probably should keep a couple tubes of “normal” toothpaste around just in case.  Just in case of what?  I don’t know.  Anyhoo, I do want to start using a natural toothpaste because I want to reduce the amount of chemicals I’m using but I want to make sure our teeth aren’t suffering.  So I’ll need to find one endorsed by the ADA (Tom’s of Maine is) and figure out if I want one with Fluoride or not.  Unfortunately there is no clear definition of what “natural” means in this space but it seems that it’s generally agreed that it’s free of dyes, preservatives, artificial flavors or sweeteners.  I want to find one that is free of SLS, menthols and eucalyptols.  Almost all commercial toothpastes have SLS, which makes it so latherific.  I think I read that there’s a link between SLS and canker sores, too.  And I’ve suffered from canker sores for a long time, especially during times of stress.  If all else fails, I could always try just plain ol’ baking soda and water.  Didn’t work for my hair but might work on my teeth.

#12 – Reduce the amount of high fructose corn syrup in my diet

HFCS is considered unhealthy because it causes nicks in your arteries.  Weakened arteries can collapse or become clogged and then you have fun situations like heart attacks and strokes.  And I think HFCS has contributed to my gut (that now expanded to encircle my entire trunk).  I don’t know exactly how much HFCS I consume but I want to be more aware.  So step one will be figuring out where it’s popping up in my diet and finding substitutions or eliminations.  Soda was a big culprit and now I drink flavored iced teas.  Well the flavor comes from a syrup that I’m quite certain is made with HFCS.  Sigh.  Will likely need to eliminate those too.  And of course HFCS shows up in all kinds of salad dressings, breads, sweet treats, ketchup, etc.  The good news is if I continue to eliminate  processed foods from diet, I’ll cut this out too.  It starts with awareness, I guess.

#13 – Exercise

I’ve been avoiding this one.  Why?  Don’t know.  I went to the gym a few weeks ago and it felt really really good.  Not just while I was there but for two days afterwards.  Yet I haven’t returned.  Lame.  So here’s the goal: yoga once a week (I have videos and a Wii that might help with that), gym twice a week (for at least 45 minutes) and a walk/run once a week that is a minimum of 2 miles.  I’m supposed to run a half marathon this summer so I need to start training anyway.  My baby likes being in her stroller so the walk/run will be nice with her.  We took her for a 3 mile walk yesterday.  There are a lot of hills where we live so it’s good exercise; I break a sweat every time and I was tired afterwards.

#14 – Switch to cloth wipes

I have about eight more packs of disposable wipes that I need to get through before I do this.  I wash diapers anyway, so why not use wipes too?  I’ll still need disposable wipes for traveling and emergencies so maybe I’ll start making the switch when we’re down to four packs.  I have to research what kind of solution to use…some people just use water, others make a solution of soap, essential oils, and water, others use some tea tree oil in it.  Just need to see what will work best for our baby.  I was shocked when I started reading about wipes.  I thought they were safe to wipe my baby’s face with but then it turns out that most wipes have benzyl alcohol in them, which is toxic when inhaled.  I used to wipe her face and nose with them until I learned this.  Yucko.

#15 – Drink more water

I have so many water bottles.  Plastic, stainless steel, combo.  Yet I drink hardly any water.  This one SHOULD be easy but it’s not for me.  So I have to come up with a plan to make sure I do this one.  The goal is to drink 64 ounces per day.  I have had no water today.  Better get to drinkin’!

I think I can.  I think I can.  I think I can.  What’s on your list this year?  Conversely, what are you going to KEEP doing this year?