Goooooood morning!

How are you today? As my regular readers know, my monthly goal check-in posts are always followed by another 5 monthly goals. If you missed the February check-in, have a quick read, then come back because we’ve got a brand spankin’ new month ahead to achieve great things!! Here’s what I’ve got on tap for March:

1. Substitute 10 minutes of my usual cardio time for 10 additional minutes of strength training.

Although I don’t do as much cardio as I once did, I’d still say I’m a bit of a cardio queen. Towards mid-spring, I’ll be amping up my running in order to train for the Lululemon Sea Wheeze Half Marathon in August, and from previous racing experience,  I know that sometimes my strength training regime becomes less prioritized. Therefore, my plan for this month (and perhaps next month) will be to cut my cardio time by 10 minutes in 3 of my 6 workouts per week, and tack that time onto my usual weight training. Since building muscle is always one of my goals, I know this will help and I’m curious to see if I notice a drastic change in my body composition by the end of the month.

(Source)

If you’re looking for motivation to do the same, just consider some of the benefits of strength training and increasing muscle mass:

  • Boosts bone health and density – very important as we age, and as osteoporosis becomes a greater risk.
  • Prevents injuries and helps you to perform better in other endeavours, whether they’re athletic competitions or just every-day tasks. (For more great info about this, check out Why All Runners Should Strength Train from Greatist.com)
  • Boosts metabolism – muscle burns more calories than fat, and requires more calories to maintain itself. When you strength train, the calorie burn extends until well after you finish your workout and metabolism becomes faster overall.
  • Boosts energy levels and makes you feel fab!

2. Finish reading this book:

That’s It Must Have Been Something I Ate, by Peggy Katsopoulos.  Peggy is the founder of beVibrant, a wellness consultancy in Toronto. In addition to being a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, she’s appeared on several segments of CBC’s Steven and Chris Show, and is also a member of Team Vega along with Brendan Brazier. This book was given to me as a gift a little while ago, and I’ve only just managed to find time to crack it open. I’m certainly glad I did, because so far it’s been great!! Peggy talks all about how food affects the different aspects of our lives – energy, mood, sex drive, appearance, etc – and then goes on to list foods that are great for optimum functioning in each area. I dove into the book this weekend, and I can’t put it down. Because I’m such a nerd, I’ve even been taking notes! Oh, and I should also mention that there are some delicious looking recipes at the end which I can’t wait to try.

3. Get my taxes done!

Ah yes, one of my most loathed tasks at this time of year! Is it just me? Throughout the year I tend to file things away that I know I’ll likely need at tax time but the thought of rounding everything up, printing off receipts, etc just isn’t as appealing as other things on my list. Having said that though, I know it has to be done so I’m planning to tackle this one early in the month. The sooner it’s done, the sooner my return comes! :)

4. Re-make at least 5 recipes from my old recipe page

I made this a monthly goal a few times last year, and want to do it again because there are some really delicious recipes hiding back in those archives! The reason I didn’t post them all to my newer Recipes page is because the photos didn’t do them justice, so I’m planning to use my SLR to re-shoot them. Prior to using my iPhone4 camera (which really wasn’t bad at all in terms of photo quality) I was using a point-and-shoot. Back then I thought there was nothing wrong with it, but now that I have an SLR and have become a photo taking snob, I’ve realized what a difference a proper camera makes. Case in point:

This (point and shoot)…

became this (iPhone)….

Exactly.

I’m also working on a little side-project that you’ll see unveiled eventually, so these photos will also be used for that. Stay tuned! ;)

5. Try rock climbing.

This is one of my 2012 goals and I’ve been wanting to try it ever since one of my co-workers told me what a great workout she had. The plan is for a couple of friends and I to go for an initial training course at an indoor rock climbing facility nearby. After that, (and if all goes according to plan and I don’t fall from a bazillion feet and land pancake-style on the ground) we’ll go a couple more times because there are unlimited sessions included in the introductory package. I’m excited!!

Your turn! Tell me…

  • What are your goals for this month?
  • What’s your game plan for reaching them?
  • Are there any reading projects on your list right now? Or have you read any great books lately? Do share!
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