New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

Overall: Change my lifestyle to a much healthier one. IM have 3 young children, a long mortgage left to pay, so I really need to stick around for a long time.

Lose weight: I've got way too heavy. While I am doing some exercise (I walk about an hour a day during weekdays), it's not enough, and I need to do some running/rowing too on top of it (I have a treadmill and rowing machine set up in my garage with DVD\TV to watch - sweet).

Sleep better: I have slightly chaotic sleep cycle at the moment, down to probably too much poker a little too late, so always seem to get less than I need. I'm cutting down to 6-8 tourneys a week, on 2 or 3 nights only, and normal bed-time the other nights. The poor sleep habit also means tired at work, so snacking ensues. Not good.

Better eating habits: No, I don't mean a diet, I mean get back to a no-snacking, 3 meals a day lifestyle. A couple of pieces of fruit on top, to fill out the day.



Play my winning games: I play all sorts, but I'm a general loser at ring games, I do okay (slight winner) at SNGs but don't like them too much, but I'm okay at big tourneys long-term. I'm cutting out ring and SNGs, and sticking only to tourneys from now on.

Less 2+2, more reading books: All my reading these days is 2+2, Film/DVD sites/magazines, and the TV guide. Not good. I need to start reading more. Can't remember the last book I read. I've pulled Stephen King's 'On Writing' and some P.G.Wodehouse Jeeves stories to start over Christmas.

Help my eldest son build a 'battlefield': He plays a dungeons and dragons type game called 'Warhammer', and we're going to make a proper battlefield for it, and interchangeable bits that alter the battlefield for different games (eg moveable trees, houses etc).

just that will suit me nicely.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

Diebitter, your resolutions seem solid, just some advice; I have seen many people start diets with basic plans like snack less and eat healthier, but many times these diets fail. Set up a more exact diet plan, keep track of what you are eating, number of calories, make daily and weekly plans, make lists of what is and is not alright to eat. Having a more detailed plan typically encourages people to follow the diet closer and increases the chances of success. Good luck.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

1. Quit smoking - I quit last year and it was only some extreme stress in the fall that made me start up again. I am kicking myself. As for why, well smoking sucks. I feel like crap, it's too much $, and it smells bad. Plus you cant smoke anywhere anymore.

2. Motivation and Patience to stick with stuff. I never try new things, or stick w/ them when I try them. I really hate this about myself and I am commited to changing it. If I fail, I fail. At least I know I tried.

3. Being better to myself. I tend to let myself come last. I treat others better than I should sometimes (especially when they prove not worth it) and then I feel really crappy about myself because I let it happen. Along w/ that thinking...being better to myself health wise. I eat like crap and it's not going to be able to continue w/ the current state my digestive track is in.

4. Read more. I love reading. I love going home and wanting to pick up where I left off on a book. I dont know why I dont read more. Going to try and make it a point to read one book a month.

5. Do up my resume and find a new job. I am hoping to move to Austin, but even if I dont I really need to find a new job. I've exhausted my posibilities at this place and it's time to move on.

6. Have more fun w/ my friends. Go out more. It always does wonders for my mood when I surround myself w/ the people that I love and that love me. Why wouldnt I do this more?

That's it for me. These are things that I try to work on all the time but am really making an effort to change (not just in '07 but now as well.)

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

1. Quit smoking for good.
I quit a pack/day habit on NYE '99. Was perfect for a full year, then started an occasional smoke here or there. Got to being a 'social' smoker, buying a pack for the weekend.
I never smoke at home, work, and rarely in my car, just golfing, playing cards, and drinking.
I know I don't need to smoke, cause I can go weeks without. But I seem to keep buying them for random occasions...
Tired of this, and firstborn is coming fast.

2. Exercise more than my daily 30 minute after lunch walk. Even if it's just doing some additional 8-minute abs every morning. Whatever, just something...

3. Spend less work time on 2+2. I browse way too much.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

#1) Make at least $250,000 this year. Which is another way of saying put in a lot more hours at the poker tables. I want to be able to have enough cash to either get a condo near the strip or make a movie... and not go into debt doing it. That's not financially possible as long as I keep playing 5 hrs/week.

#2) Exercise more. I was doing okay with this until about September when I basically stopped. I was running a couple miles about 5 days a week, but it got a little tough on my knees and I used that as an excuse to not exercise. This year I want to vary my cardiovascular exercise and add some weight training.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

1.) Put music back first in my life
2.) Re-furnish apartment
3.) Increase BB/100 by .5 overall
4.) Study Backgammon or similar game

The end of this year has sucked hard-core. I have
lost family members in different ways and am now
living alone for the first time in a very long time.

I need to keep busy, keep my mind sharp and focus
on the things that bring joy into my life instead of
punishing myself for bad situations/choices.

To quote the hooker in Forrest Gump "everyone gets
a second chance..."

-ZEN

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

1) Stop smoking. Seems to be a pretty common one. I quit 3 years ago, then this year my startup company starting gaining steam and the stress put them back into my mouth. I'm only at about a pack a week, but even that's too much.
2) Have my first kid.
3) Make 5 figures playing poker. Every time I get close I have a lapse in concentration and I don't play for a month or two. That's happened the last 2 years and it's dumb.
4) Watch more films. I love film as an art form, but time constraints have limited my DVD watching this year.
5) Lose weight. I just made a "first one to lose 30 lbs gets $100 from the loser" bet with a few guys starting January 2nd. Maybe that'll light the proverbial fire under my proverbial behind.
6) Have one of my companies actually start making me some money.
7) Learn more about investing. Right now I just pick whatever Vanguard mutual fund sounds fairly good at the moment, I'd like to actually know more about the process. This goes hand in hand with #3 or #6, otherwise I don't really have that much $$ to play with.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

hmmm...

1. make at least 1 film that's better than any of my previous work (pretty much this is always my goal, though, so i don't know if it counts)

2. do a better job of self-promotion

3. make more $$ than i did this year. and, if possible, do that without having to find a job

4. get to a shooting draft on my feature screenplay and somehow find the funding to get it made

5. in general, do more writing.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

go to south america

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

1. If not decide to switch over for good, at least try out a polyphasic sleep schedule for a month or more(I made a post about it a few weeks back).

Health stuff

2. Radically cut back on or completely leave out all the caffeine I drink right now.

3. Actually start going to the gym more regularly, rather than just saying that I'm going to go to the gym.

4. Increase the amount of fruit and vegetables in my diet. I guess move more towards a vegetarian diet, though I'm still going to eat meat whenever I feel like it. Just try to be a bit more health conscious about the food I eat.

5. Greatly reduce the amount of money I use buying junk food from vending machines.

Poker & Money

6. Become a winning midstakes (2/4 - 5/10) NL player.

7. Play a lot more hands then I currently do.

8. By the end of the year I want to have at least one project (be it a business, website, affiliate page, or whatever) that generates me more than $1/month in income.

9. Cut back on impulse buying, especially on things like DVDs. Try to consider whether I actually need to buy the thing I'm purchasing or whether I just feel like having it and don't really need it.


This is just a random scribble of things that are likely to be on my actual list, I haven't really thought about it in great depth yet.

I guess one more would be to listen to one new album per week. And to always do my best in school and stop taking my school for granted and actually act like I want to be there and that I deserve to be there.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

1. Stop breaking hearts.

2. Do more than drive by my gym and wave.

3. Actually stick to a poker study schedule and become good enough to make Durr cry and go BUSTO.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

1) Lose some weight, start running again.

2) 35k hands/month, 400k hands for the year, the majority NL1K+. Should be very possible as I'm a part-timer from the new year..... Yeah baby onefootineachdooraments!!!

3) Start playing the big sunday tourneys most weeks. Play the WSOP ME.

4) Buy a house.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Sleep better: I have slightly chaotic sleep cycle at the moment, down to probably too much poker a little too late, so always seem to get less than I need.


[/ QUOTE ]


db, I've read that getting plenty of sleep is really important when you're trying to lose weight. Not sure what the explanation for it is but for some reason sleep relates to weight loss. Just another reason why you should get to bed earlier!

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Sleep better: I have slightly chaotic sleep cycle at the moment, down to probably too much poker a little too late, so always seem to get less than I need.


[/ QUOTE ]


db, I've read that getting plenty of sleep is really important when you're trying to lose weight. Not sure what the explanation for it is but for some reason sleep relates to weight loss. Just another reason why you should get to bed earlier!

[/ QUOTE ]

it seems, at least in my experience, that the more hours you spend awake, you get hungry late at night and end up eating things that are bad for you, like a sandwich or something, and then it just sticks with you when you go to sleep (i.e. you don't go to the gym and burn any of it off)

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

1- make six figures this year.
2- get a two br apartment in santa monica. hollywood sucks.
3- learn how to play omaha. I lost a ton of money at this game.
4- start taking my classes in january. i am getting too old to not use what's left of my physical body.
5- take my vitamins everyday.
6- find new friends. i lost all of them over past year.
7- find a girl.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Sleep better: I have slightly chaotic sleep cycle at the moment, down to probably too much poker a little too late, so always seem to get less than I need.


[/ QUOTE ]


db, I've read that getting plenty of sleep is really important when you're trying to lose weight. Not sure what the explanation for it is but for some reason sleep relates to weight loss. Just another reason why you should get to bed earlier!

[/ QUOTE ]

Too much sleep is unhealthy as well.

I remember reading a reference to a study that showed that if someone slept more than 8 hours a day, they were much more likely to be obese. Same with skipping with breakfast.

Of course, you can find a study to support almost anything regarding fitness and health.

My resolutions:
1. Start playing seriously again.
2. Try my best to read four hours a day.
3. Write a little bit everyday, if only for thirty minutes.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

1)Get a job
No school/no job=no good
2)Find ways (that aren't scams of making money)
I'm poor yo
3)Have healthier realtionships
Most of my relationships are incredibly unhealthy
4)Take up Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu/Muay Thai and generally be
healthier

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

1. start exercising; getting back in shape
2. graduate from college and start finding a job or try to go back to school for somethin else
3. dont turn any reasonable girl this year; my standards for looks were set really high with my ex-g/f, i should be open to every girl, possibly start another serious relationship
4. go to another country
5. get closer to my sisters, niece, and mom
6. spend as much time with my friends from college as i can

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

1. Play 100k hands every month this year. I plan on dragging my bankroll up to 6 figures somehow, all by 12 tabling 1-2 nl full ring. That's right folks, I'm a sicko.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

+Write More

If I died tomorrow, my biggest regret would be not pursuing making a living as a writer.

+Play less poker

poker is interfering with my other interests. To some extent this is OK, because I like poker, but I have other interests that I would like to pursue.

+Play poker within budget / bankroll

For me this means no more $10 rebuys until I have a bigger bankroll... instead 4/8 hold em, $3-20 sitNgoes and $4-20 MTTs.

+Get more exercise and make better use of my exercise time

My schedule makes it difficult to get exercise. I need to use the time I have more wisely.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

I have 1 more:.
- promote this forum when the opportunity arises, and try to encourage lurkers/occasional posters to post more.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

I've been meaning to start a few posts and actually have several ideas in mind, just been super busy. I would like to see more threads started in here too. Hopefully we can get some of the lurkers to start posting!

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

Quit smoking, or the 5th year in a row.

Why: Cause it's bad for you.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

Quit drinking: I drink too much.

Quit eating red meat: It is bad for you I hear.

Quit eating and drinking refined sugar: Bad for you.

Start eating whole foods: It is good for you.

Start working out: It is good for you.

Start getting sunlight: It is good for you.

Start playing more guitar: It is good to practice something artistic.

Start reading more: It makes you smarter.

Start drinking alot of water: It is good for you.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

[ QUOTE ]
I remember reading a reference to a study that showed that if someone slept more than 8 hours a day, they were much more likely to be obese.

[/ QUOTE ]I think there are some correlation/causation issues here. Many obese people sleep 10+ hours a night. That doesn't necessarily mean that if you suddenly get lots of sleep, you'll become obese.

My resolutions are the usual: diet, exercise, and work.

Eat better. I'm a pretty bad snacker; it's the cause of most of my motivation for losing weight. (I'm not so fat, but I've been a lot thinner.) Recently at restaurants, I've been getting a to-go box at the BEGINNING of my meal, and planning on saving 1/3-1/2 of the food for later from the get-go. If I'm going to have dinner at 6 and a snack at 10, I might as well spread out the same food I used to eat at 6.

Do more cardio. I've got a great gym with a DVD player in my building, and a netflix subscription; cardio is pretty convenient. I need to get back to going 4 times a week if I can. 3 at the minimum.

Work from work. I can work from home or work from the office. The thing is, when I'm at home, I get SO much more distracted. The commute sucks, but it's worth it to actually get something done during the day.
-Sam

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

Eat more buffalo wings. They're good.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Eat more buffalo wings. They're good.

[/ QUOTE ]

Now this is a resolution I can get behind!

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

1)Lose more weight. I'm at 190 right now, I don't really have a goal in mind. But I'm at 16% body fat so I definitely have more to lose.

2)Win at least 3 more wrestling matches(this really only applies to the first 2 months of the year, as wrestling season is over in late February, but whatever...). I'm 2-14(first year wrestler, senior, which means I have to wrestle varsity.) and I would love to finish the season with at least 5 wins.

3)Get a job. I've been jobless since september.

4)Join a boxing gym and start training.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

1. take care of myself.....exercise, eat healthier, etc etc etc. i gained weight this year and i want to lose it.

2. stop doing stupid nonsense @ the poker tables. i could be making 3x what im making currently if i stopped piddling around with bad hands in bad situations.

3. devote 2 hours/day to my own music. i record/produce/mix other musicians for a living. and its a great job but not making time for my own stuff definitely leaves me a little empty.

4. stop throwing money around like it doesnt matter. i make more than a 23 year old musician should make but i really need to get my finances in order, stop wasting $$$ on stupid crap, and start planning for my future.

5. be a little friendlier in general to the people in my life. i can be kind of a jerk. i get impatient very easily and i have a low tolerance for the laziness and indecision of others when it holds up my business. but that doesnt need to translate into my being an ass.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

become a millionaire.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

[ QUOTE ]

3. devote 2 hours/day to my own music. i record/produce/mix other musicians for a living. and its a great job but not making time for my own stuff definitely leaves me a little empty.
...
5. be a little friendlier in general to the people in my life. i can be kind of a jerk. i get impatient very easily and i have a low tolerance for the laziness and indecision of others when it holds up my business. but that doesnt need to translate into my being an ass.

[/ QUOTE ]


These are really admirable in my opinion. You sound like a good person.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

Rebuild my bankroll, and not blow it all on trips to Europe and Japan, and drunken Ebay shopping.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

1. Be healthier. Not just lose weight. Exercise and eat better also. Like diebitter, not diet. Just eat healthier and cut out the junk.

2. Have more sex with my wife. Our first child was born 13 months ago. This has been a record low year.

3. Post in Politics less, post in the Lounge more. I enjoy lurking here and need to expand my horizons.

Happy new year to all!

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

I weighed 278lb on the 1st January. I've read the charts/sites/etc, and want to get down to 196 to suit my height and build (just over 6'2" and large frame). I have 82lb to lose. Taking into account breaks for holidays, I want to lose roughly 7lb a month for the next year.

I will be sticking to aerobic exercise only (walking, running, rowing) for the first 6 months, and if it's going well still in July, I will also throw in weight training.

I have to eat properly and sparingly, and get my Zzzzzzzs.

It's going to be tough.

So my first goal is to lose 7lb by 1st February. I'll keep you posted.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

good luck db!!!!!!!!! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

db,

I <u>HIGHLY</u> suggest you look into the Weight Watchers system. My wife &amp; I lost about 35lbs pounds each in about 6 months.

I wouldn't bother with the meetings, monthly fees, or actually buying their food (although my wife subscribed and we benefitted greatly), just learn how to figure out points on your own. There's tons of websites devoted to this.

Good luck

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

[ QUOTE ]
Diebitter, your resolutions seem solid, just some advice; I have seen many people start diets with basic plans like snack less and eat healthier, but many times these diets fail. Set up a more exact diet plan, keep track of what you are eating, number of calories, make daily and weekly plans, make lists of what is and is not alright to eat. Having a more detailed plan typically encourages people to follow the diet closer and increases the chances of success. Good luck.

[/ QUOTE ]

this is a to each her own type thing. when i wanted to lose weight i simply cut out dairy and sugar. i didn't keep track of anything or eat less, just stopped consuming those things. lost thirty pounds.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Diebitter, your resolutions seem solid, just some advice; I have seen many people start diets with basic plans like snack less and eat healthier, but many times these diets fail. Set up a more exact diet plan, keep track of what you are eating, number of calories, make daily and weekly plans, make lists of what is and is not alright to eat. Having a more detailed plan typically encourages people to follow the diet closer and increases the chances of success. Good luck.

[/ QUOTE ]

this is a to each her own type thing. when i wanted to lose weight i simply cut out dairy and sugar. i didn't keep track of anything or eat less, just stopped consuming those things. lost thirty pounds.

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree. I'm not a calorie-counter type of guy. I prefer exercise and simple reduced intake of foods, and complete removal of chocolate, biscuits, cake and fatty stuff generally (except cheese - I CANNOT do without cheese). This has worked very well for me in the past, and the final measure for me is 7lb a month to lose for the next year. any more is too fast and not likely to be good for me, any less isn't enough.

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

Good luck on the weight loss db! We will be checking in with you periodically to see if you're sticking to your plan.

This is one time where I think a message board actually serves a useful purpose. I know that personally I'm much more inclined to stick to a goal when I have people on a forum checking with me and asking me if I followed through with something. We're rooting for you!

Re: New Year Resolutions: What and why?
 

[ QUOTE ]
1.) Put music back first in my life
2.) Re-furnish apartment
3.) Increase BB/100 by .5 overall
4.) Study Backgammon or similar game

[/ QUOTE ]

#1...is going great! Networking with other artists has done
wonders for my mood and inspiration...the studio is now
hooked up and will be cranking out new tracks soon.

#2...I still need a kitchen table and maybe some curtains
(do guys actually do the curtain thing?) but the place is
shaping up well.

#3...I am an somewhat OCD; when I get "into" something
I buy 1000 books and put all energy into it until I feel
satisfied. I have lost my obsession for poker, I think.
I will still play homegames with friends, but I think it's
time poker and I parted ways...thanks for the ride!

#4...I cleaned out my old Party points and got some
highly recommended backgammon books, that'll be
next.

I don't post much (never did), but I enjoyed meeting the
people I did on here. I may return to poker someday, and
will always play with friends and at some homegames.

Life is about chapters...the trick is not to pine away for
the old characters and places, but to look forward to
the exciting story ahead.

I wish all of you the best.

-ZEN