In less than a month, my family and I will arrive in beautiful, sunny (we hope) Italy for two weeks in Tuscany.  Red wine, pasta, pizza (probably lots of pizza and pasta with the girls), the sun, a pool, Florence, Pisa, a wedding for close friends, and so much more.  We cannot wait.

In anticipation of our jaunt to Tuscany, my husband and I have decided to tone up and work on getting back into shape.  It means different things for each of us.

I have been blessed with a great metabolism, but those of you that know me know my deepest, darkest secret about food.  I am a junk food junkie.  I adore a double cheeseburger from McDonald’s, a pizza from just about anywhere,  and a Pepsi or a beer.  In addition, I’m fairly lazy.  I have gone through spurts where I was really into working out or running, but they always seem to fade away.

So, for me, getting back into shape means a few things.

1)  Work on my portion control. So far, I am doing alright with this.  I like junk food, and know that depriving myself of it is unrealistic.  So, my goal is to watch my portions.  Do we need to order a large pizza or a medium?  I’m full with a medium, but keep eating until overfull with a large.

2)  Add exercise back into my routine. I actually feel much better when I exercise, but it’s easy to make excuses not to do it.  I’m tired.  The girls were naughty.  It’s dark or misting outside.  I am going to make time for exercise 4 times a week.  So far, I’ve already been on three 20 minute runs this week!

3)  Cut back on my  alcohol and soda intake.  Both my doctor and acupuncturist have recommended that I cut back on my caffeine anyway, so I have a double push to cut back on the Pepsi and Coke.  British beer is heavier than I am used to, and I know I should cut back on that, too.  I’ve taken to relaxing in the evening with my knitting, a movie, and a pint or two.  I don’t need to cut alcohol and soda out completely, but I do need to cut down and add more water.  I’m not doing as well with this goal as I would like.  Now that I’ve shared it here, however, you all can help keep me honest.

That’s it.  Those are my three goals to help get toned up and a bit healthier before I head to Tuscany…

…where I plan to drink wine, eat pizza and pasta, and sit by the pool reading and knitting.

At least I’ll look toned up when I board the plane!