For every month in 2011, I chose a different resolution. Read more about that here. I chose to do monthly in the hopes that the resolution would stick. I've decided to continue the series into the new year! But before I do, I need to wrap up the results from December! As my last resolution in December, I really over did it! Check out my resolutions and results.
- Stop Eating Red Meat
- I decided to do this after experiencing food poisoning so many times from store-bought/restaurant food.
- I ate meat twice (once from a grass-fed farm, and once because my Mama made lasagna, and you don't turn down my mother's food).
- I'm still doing this, but found my energy levels have plummeted when it was that time of the month (sorry for the tmi!). I'm taking iron to help compensate.
- Go Meatless Weekly
- I did this 3 weeks out of 4.
- I'm still doing this resolution.
- Eat Out Weekly
- Again, fueled by the food poisoning, I decided to stop eating at restaurants so often (I'm a horrible cook). Maybe some online cooking classes would help!I also chose this to save money and to encourage healthy eating. Minus my brother's catered wedding and rehearsal, I did well!
- I'm continuing this resolution.
- Blog Daily
- Normally, I post 5 days a week, but for December I decided to blog every day, because I have SO MANY ideas. I'm serious; I could easily post 3xs a day if I had enough readers.
- I did 32 posts in total, because I'm
weirdan overachiever. - I won't do this again because (a)lack of viewers (b)busy time of year. Everyone is busy in December anyway, so who has time to read, let alone write, 32 posts?
I'll be changing the format for how I do this series,as it seemed to confuse people starting off with last month's results and putting the new resolution at the end. I will include my resolution in another post, and then dedicate another one to the results. Also for this year, I will do a big resolution and then a bonus one.
JANUARY'S RESOLUTION IS
No shopping!
My bonus resolution is to
Listen to new music daily!
What, if any, resolutions do you have?
PS: Please leave me ideas for new-to-me music. Thanks for those who have suggested already.
awesome- you do such a good job in achieving these goals! I think cutting out restaurant food is a good idea. It SHOULD be occasional due to calories and money, at least that's what I tell myself.
ReplyDelete32 posts in December is wowie! I blog usually Mon-Fri but sometimes only 3-4 days that week. To be honest, I have a hard time keeping up with blogs that post multiple posts in a day! i like a daily post but not more than once a day, just because I really do enjoy reading them but fall behind if they do more than one.
And nice on January- you got this.
I have problems with the whole meat/iron thing. I'm anaemic and it is difficult. I want to eat less meat but it does make me feel a bit rubbish... Boo! x
ReplyDeleteYou are right about busy December and people not ready blog posts like other times. I experienced that too. Backing off on red meat is a good thing on many levels. I'm eating more fish. Ditto on eating in restaurants, I'm real happy to eat at home. I've got more food ideas than opportunities to eat them. I'll be posting some recipes with Pomegranate molasses.
ReplyDeleteNow that no shopping thing. Ouch. I couldn't do that. I LOVE shopping. I don't need to buy but I need to walk around stores and see what is new. Good luck on that one sweetie.
XXOO
Monthly resolutions are so much easier to maintain than yearly ones. Good on you for doing this! I definitely need to eat out less. I'll join you on that resolution!!
ReplyDeleteMy main resolution is to shop less as well. I've been a bit out of control lately, so hopefully I can get on it.
And yay for new music. I'm not sure if it's your style, but new artists I've been listening to are 'Lana Del Rey' and 'Various Cruelties'.
I love the idea of monthly resolutions!
ReplyDeleteI love your January resolution. I should get on that as well. I rarely eat red meat too and I'm always on iron pills. They mess me up pretty bad though. :/
ReplyDeletei love how serious you are with your resolutions.. i should do the same!! i was supposed to go to the beach this weekend (one of my resolutions are to have more contact with nature) and i didn't :( lazy me..
ReplyDeletei think it is better if you post one blog post per day.. easier for your readers, like me ;)
my January resolution is: go to the beach and do outdoor things!!
xx
teresa
www.trend-ish.com
I like your resolution to listen to new music daily- such a great way to find new artists. I think not shopping for a month will be a great accomplishment- good luck doll!
ReplyDeleteXO,
Sam
www.ThePeakofTresChic.com
This is really great idea. It makes the resolutions not seem so daunting. Best of luck with no shopping! Lets see, as for music recommendations, have you heard of Over The Rhine? They are a favorite of mine.
ReplyDeleteThat's awful that you had so many food poisoning experiences--I'm glad that going without red meat seems to be helping. My only resolution this year is to focus on getting through as much of my 30 Before 30 list as possible. We'll see how that goes ;)
ReplyDeleteNice job with the goals! Animal lover Ian Somerhalder would be so proud :)
ReplyDeleteP.S. I'd never want to see my nanny's face if I turned down her lasgna. hahaha
Mine is to run at least three times a a week this month!
ReplyDeleteI think it's awesome that you do monthly resolutions; it seems much easier to follow them for a month as opposed to overwhelming yourself with a whole year. And then you can decide if it's something you want to continue or not. I love that! No shopping for a whole month!?! Good for you!! Sometimes I feel like this would be a breeze for me, but at other times I think I'd fail miserably! :) I can't wait to see what other resolutions you have this year.
ReplyDeleteI love red meat, but I can totally understand cutting down on it. I also like you new resolution of listening to new music daily! I'm in a it of a music slump and this would definitely help spark some new musical love affairs :)
ReplyDeleteLove this idea of monthly resolutions!! Oooh, I'm probably not being helpful here, but NO shopping with all the sales?! You can do it - the month is almost half over!! Hehe, hope that makes up for it :) .
ReplyDeleteGreat series! I'm vegetarian, and I understand the low energy. My morning is filled with vitamins.
ReplyDeleteFor music check out: Imelda May, Hard-Fi, and Company of Thieves.
http://mandycrandell.blogspot.com/
Way to go on doing so well with your goals! I love your new goal of cutting out shopping. I've been trying to do that more often, as well, and just use what I have.
ReplyDeleteGeez you did awesome in January! Good for you for going grass-fed...I always wanted to do that. Music? Total female folk kick. That is lasting longer than I've expected it to. Laura Marling and JayMe are my favorites.
ReplyDeleteYou did awesome!! I noticed a plateau in my number of readers in December too.. I think everyone's just so busy then! No shopping!? I need to do that! Xox
ReplyDelete**Don’t forget to enter our $30 Jewelry Giveaway!**
You did awesome!! I noticed a plateau in my number of readers in December too.. I think everyone's just so busy then! No shopping!? I need to do that! Xox
ReplyDelete**Don’t forget to enter our $30 Jewelry Giveaway!**
Well done you ! Great resolutions and even better achievements !
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work !
http://www.balletpumpsandroses.com
I'm sure you'll do great with no shopping. My formal resolution is exercising, but I'm also trying to cut back on my shopping a bit too. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteYou are awesome! I am doing the no shopping thing. It's HARD but so worth it. I really need to cut down on the eating out thing. So bad when you do it five days a week. EEK!
ReplyDeleteThat's so cool that you stopped eating red meat for a while and went meatless from time to time! I'm a vegetarian - not for the animals, but because for years and years I had terrible stomach aches and when I stopped eating meat, they went away. I can't explain it, but it works for me!
ReplyDeleteAs for the no shopping thing, good luck! I wish I had enough will power for that.
Nice work in December. I don't think I could go meatless, in part because of the iron and in part because I like it. I do like the idea of finding more local sources for me though.
ReplyDeleteHave you heard of Tyrone Wells? He's a singer-songwriter and I love his stuff.
"you just don't turn down my mom's food.." hilarious. (:
ReplyDeletei have alot of blog ideas right now too!
you go girl on the no shopping! that would be TOUGH for this girl. (:
i enjoy artists Britt Nicole, Mandisa, Group 1 Crew, Jamie Grace and that's just a few! (:
southernpinky.blogspot.com
Interesting idea of doing monthly resolutions!
ReplyDeleteYeah I don't post every day because I don't feel like doing that much stuff, plus I think people would get bored.
Good luck with goals sweetie :).
ReplyDeleteGreat job with December, and how's your January going?! I'm compiling a list of things that I want to purchase in February, it's bad. But it's good because this forces me not to buy things I don't need!
ReplyDeleteThe Hubs and I go meatless 3 to 4 x a week (red meat only rarely) and it has made a healthy difference in our lives. At a recent steak dinner it took my 24 hours for my belly to recover. Yikes.
ReplyDeleteI admire you! I would love to give up meat, but I eat it at least two times a day. I'm worried I would start eating too much bread and cheese if I gave it up. Plus I LOVE chicken and fish.
ReplyDeleteoh, best of luck for your resolutions sweets! and loving the one with the new music, although I might not make it new ones every day! ;)
ReplyDeleteGood job!! Very impressive :) As for the no shopping--wow. I don't think I could do it!
ReplyDeletei'm a vegetarian! have been for a few years now. the longer you go without meat, the less you want it. it's wonderful.
ReplyDeleteall the best with your new goals. my goal for 012 is to become VEGAN. now THAT is hard.
x
Hope you are enjoying the new year.
http://raisedbythewolves.blogspot.com.au/
Loving your resolutions! Good luck hun :) XX
ReplyDeleteLove how you do these monthlys! So inspiring. I might have to change my ways... :)
ReplyDeleteAnd congrats on your accomplishments. You did a great job! xoxo
Well done on the achievements, you are so dedicated, I think most people give up on their resolutions by the end of January ;)
ReplyDeleteHow do you stay so focused, please do pass on some advice. I think you've chosen a perfect idea for Jan, all the best with seeing it through
good good luck!! while I need to take a shopping break I don't think I can do it!! : X
ReplyDeletexo Jackie
...livingaftermidnite
Thumbs up! I don't think I have that much of a will power for not to shop. xoxo
ReplyDeletehttp://www.hellohellofriday.com/
Good resolutions its hard to blog everyday sometimes!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the resolutions!! Happy new year!!!
ReplyDeleteI love your idea of monthly resolutions...I might be able to stick with that! lol! Let me know how the no shopping goes...I need to add that one to my list!
ReplyDeleteI've seen lots of people doing no shop months. Not sure I could do that!! More power to you, girl!
ReplyDeleteLove the monthly resolution idea!
Shopping...such a great resolution! And I like the idea of listening to new music too. I can't believe you wrote 32 posts in a month...I couldn't do it!
ReplyDeleteWay to go w/ your resolutions! I wouldn't mind largely giving up red meat, but wouldn't know what to eat!
ReplyDeleteAs for music, I'm kinda boring...Kenny Chesney, Miranda Lambert, OAR, Hinder, Jason Aldean, The Wreckers had 1 album and I really liked it
This is such a brilliant idea: doing a monthly resolution. Much more achievable:) Congrats on doing so well on December's, and good luck on the January ones. YOU CAN DO IT! :)
ReplyDeleteI didn't make any yet. I like your eating out one!
ReplyDeleteOh wow, that's a lot to take on! We are trying to eat more veggies in our diet, and definitely eat out less. I don't think I could cut out meat completely from my diet.. but I'd say I eat it 2-3 times a week... but not every day!
ReplyDeleteElle, you're my hero girl! I was so burned out doing blog posts that I had to take a week off. LOL I'm going to take 2 weeks off next year, because no one is around but us blogging. hahahaha
ReplyDeletehttp://averysweetblog.com/
i think it's a smart idea to make monthly resolutions, that way we have one resolution to focus on per month instead of a whole list for a whole year -- i always end up forgetting my resolutions, haha. :) and you are so amazing for being able to post daily! :D
ReplyDelete<3, Mimi
http://whatmimiwrites.blogspot.com/
New music.. let's see if any of these may be new for ya!: Alexander (From Edward Sharpe & the Magnificent Zeros), Amadou & Miriam, Amy Lavere, Anouk, Assembly of Dust, Balkan BeatBox, Chris Pureka, The Cliks, Cordero, Dogs Die in Hot Cars, Eisley, Galactic, Leila Lopez, Marianne Dissard, MC Solaar... okay I'll stop there.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the no shopping! That would be so tough for me!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fun and unique idea to do resolutions per month instead of year! Great idea! Love your resolutions as well! Can't wait to read more about how it goes! Thanks, Elle, for stopping by Ooh La Frou Frou and leaving a note of congrats! Much appreciated!
ReplyDeleteSandy at Ooh La Frou Frou
http://oohlafroufrou.blogspot.com
Oh my world! No shopping! I need to do that but I would totally set myself up to fail. Eek. I have tried to just not do any shopping during the week and that's helped a lot.
ReplyDeleteTrying to think of some new jams you need to check out..my favorite band is Brand New & their music videos are out of this world. Also Shakira has some good songs!
Love it! You did pretty well considering what a festive month December is!
ReplyDeleteFeb this year is my no shopping month! I have my fingers crossed for you :)I can't wait to hear how you go.
I'm with you - if mamma makes lasagna, you eat it! :)
ReplyDeleteElle, this is my favorite series of yours. I wish you luck with your no shopping resolution for this moth. I don't think I could do it.
ReplyDelete*Erin
I love the idea of a monthly resolution--it's fun to see what your goals were and the ways you accomplished them. (Go you with 32 posts! Wow!) Good luck giving up shopping this month; you can do it!
ReplyDeleteyes no shopping make you save a lot of money, that is one of my resolution too but with shoes, im a shoecoholic :/ haha
ReplyDeletexoxo
http://jemenfousss.blogspot.com
Cutting red meat has made me feel so much better! You do need to replace the iron, but that's easy enough with kale and dried beans! Good luck, you're inspiring us all!
ReplyDeleteYou did really well in general, let alone the fact that it was December.
ReplyDeleteAs for the shopping, good luck. I swear I've spent more money in the first two weeks of January than I did in the whole month of December.