Michael & Liz are Bloggable

This is my 5th year in a row doing new year resolutions on this blog. It's time to make some pledges to accomplish some new resolutions in 2012. Here are the links from the previous years:

• 2011 New Year's Resolutions
• 2010 New Year's Resolutions
• 2009 New Year's Resolutions
• 2008 New Year's Resolutions

1. Operation Reese Cup - This totally failed. The goal was to lose 26 pounds. The good thing is, I began 2011 at 187 and finished the year at 187 (as of this afternoon). The Reese Cup is still in the freezer today. The day I hit 160, I will eat that treat, hopefully it's not freezer burned. 
2. Complete 4 house projects. We completely made over our Sweet Room, I re-did the landscaping in the front of the house, expanded the attic by 40 square feet, and wainscot and painted the second bedroom to prep for our new baby boy. The only 2 projects I haven't accomplished yet is staining the deck and putting up hanging shelves above the garage door. I don't know when I'll stain the deck, but I've already bought the wood to hang shelves in the garage. 
3. No carbonated soda. I had an addendum that I could have some if I stayed up between 2-5AM, but I didn't even do that. I was actually excited about having a soda in 2012, but I've decided I just don't need it. I think I've given it up permanently. 14 year old me just said "ARE YOU SERIOUS!?!?!"

1. Go vegan for 6 weeks. Yep, that's what I said. Vegan. Recently I read a book called "Eat to Live" by Joel Fuhrman about health and nutrition. It has blown my mind and my opinions on how we as a society eat. Michael Pollan's book, The Omnivore's Dilemma really blew my mind with how we eat and how we should treat the preparation of our food. Joel Fuhrman takes it one step further and throws a TON of science behind it about how our body processes food.
   
   He proposes a 6 week plan to go entirely vegan and I'm going to do it. My Mom and sister Annie are doing it as well and we're encouraging each other. It's especially tough on Liz because she does most of the cooking for dinner, but since this is my choice and my burden, I am going to start contributing and even preparing dinner for us. I don't know what to expect out of the plan other than to lose weight and break free of my food addiction. I will write a book review to explain my thoughts and feelings later, but basically this is one of my new year's resolutions is to accomplish this 6 week plan.
   
   By the way, my dinner tonight was a massive salad with sauteed onion, green pepper, Serrano pepper, and red hot chili peppers, and then some walnuts sprinkled on top. It was delish.
   
   
2. Run an ultra marathon. At this point the race I am aiming at is the Lake Hinson 24 Hour race in September. It's kind of a choose your own adventure type race. If you want to run 100 miles or if you want to run 30, it's up to you. At this point, my 2 goals in the race would be to (A) not stop for more than the time it takes to stretch and eat and (B) to travel at least 50 miles. I realize this is ridiculous, to say the least, but something inside of me is telling me to get it done. In 2010 I ran 1011 miles. In 2011 I ran 1061 miles. Hopefully with this new goal, I can blow both of those away.