Claudzilla

Thanks, Terosx! I just got back from another run, and although it was tough to finish, I feel great. I'm on Week 5 of Couch to 5K - on track to finish in time for the challenge, I think! You should just warhammer the snow out of your driveway.

Way to go! Keep it up!

Excellent! I know what you mean - I hate the thought of being run down by a hipster zombie, and that definitely has me hitting the park on a regular basis. Good luck!!! All these bad reviews are making me nervous, but I'm hoping that some of the kinks will be worked out by the time my race rolls around - it's in late October and it's at an athletic center, so I'm hoping things will work out!

Looking back on week 1 (for me, since i started late), things are going okay. I did four runs and one strength workout, so I need to shift the ratio back a little bit, but the runs have been really fun. For the first time in my life, I'm looking forward to working out! Woohoo! That's the biggest victory for me. As for my other goals, I've got my e-cigarette, and I'm getting used to it. I went to a poker night and bummed two real cigarettes, but in my defense, I lost horribly, so... Week 2 is off to a good start - went running this morning despite being incredibly tired, and I'm planning on some strength work tomorrow. I hope everyone else is having a good Monday and feeling ready to hit the halfway mark!

Your kids are too cute! They look like real sweethearts!

Hi guys! Here's a pancake recipe that I highly recommend - it's high in protein and infinitely adaptable. The recipe makes about 12-15 small pancakes, and they keep great in the fridge, so a batch for the week is totally doable. Steps: Whiz the following together in a food processor/blender until smooth: 1 cup cottage cheese 1 cup rolled oats 4 eggs pinch salt pinch cinnamon If you'd like, stir in by hand anywhere from 1/4 to 3/4 cup of a delicious add-in, such as fresh, frozen or dried fruit, chopped up dark chocolate, nuts, etc. The stronger the flavor, the less you should add so they don't overwhelm.* Heat your favorite skillet over medium-low and add a small amount of your favorite cooking far (I like little dabs of butter for pancakes, but your call). Add the pancake batter in big spoonfuls (you'll want to stir it periodically, as, like a smoothie, it tends to settle). The batter will spread in the pan - you want pancakes roughly the same circumference as apples. Let them cook on one side until golden-brown and pancake-looking. Flip and cook a couple more minutes until done. Serve with delicious toppings (applesauce is off the hook), and enjoy! *I have a theory that skipping the cinnamon and adding savory things (flavorful cheese, herbs, veg, crumbled-up bacon) would also be awesome. If you find this to be true, please let me know!

Oooh, I love jicama! It's like the mutant child of apples and carrots. Good work on moving toward your goals!!!

Day by day, LegoLady! That's how it happens - one day, one meal, one moment at a time. Keep up the good attitude - you can do it!!!

Nice work! It sounds like you're staying on track and making progress! Way to go!

Thank you so much for the encouragement, guys! It means so much to have people cheering me on. I went out for a run yesterday, and another today. Today's run increased the ratio of running to walking, and I feel great! The only downside is that my creeping foe, the shin splint, is making a reappearance. I've got an ice pack strapped to my leg, so hopefully that'll slow it down. The e-cig is working pretty well so far, although it's still quite difficult to turn down the real thing when I'm out drinking. The weirdest thing about making the switch is that I can't tell when to stop puffing at it, since it doesn't have a natural end-point like a real cigarette. But, all in all, I like it so far. It doesn't give me headaches like regular cigarettes, so, yay! Thanks again for the kind words, everyone!!!

I just signed up for the Brooklyn one, and I'm really excited! It'll be my first race ever, so even if it is kind of "meh," it'll still be a big deal / blast for me! Anyone out there want to get in on the action?

Another Cto5K run done, and feeling good! My husband bought me an e-cigarette today while we were out running errands, so Goal 3 is on track as well. Let's hope I can keep up this momentum!

Did today's Beginner Body Weight Circuit. I could only do one circuit, which makes me feel like a noodle person, but I guess that's part of the process. I get surprised every time I don't have the strength for something, even though it happens fairly often - I've always been skinny, so I never noticed that I wasn't remotely strong or fit until a couple years ago. More running tomorrow, and I'm actually looking forward to it!

PS - AWESOME TATTOO! I love the colors!!! If you're anything like me, as soon as one's done, you're already mulling ideas for the next one...

Good goals! I like how you've laid everything out so specifically - that should make it much easier to follow through. I like doing meal planning, actually - get yourself a cookbook or two that you actually like (my top pick: Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayliss - you can make delicious, authentic Mexican food really easily with stuff from the regular grocery store. Not super paleo, but he makes it ridiculously easy to make substitutions), and spend an hour or so paging through. The stuff that looks good is going to leap right off the page and onto your grocery list, I guarantee it. Good luck!

Don't worry too much about slip-ups. The important thing is to start fresh every time. Every mistake holds the possibility to do better next time, and that's what matters. If we all only had to choose to be healthy once, and that was it, we wouldn't need the forum in the first place. Instead, we choose to be healthy over and over and over again. So keep it up! You're doing great!

Thanks, Jonesy! It's good to hear that the program has gotten results for other people. I'm using it to build endurance - I can run fast for short bursts, but I'm terrible at slowing down and pacing myself, so I'm hoping the run-walk will solve that one. Good luck on your challenge!

Great goals! That Spartan race looks like a blast! I'm doing Run for your Lives in October, and it'll be my first race ever - I'm really stoked. Good luck, and keep up the good work with the warhammer! I can't wait to see the paint job!

Thank you both so much for the encouragement! I really appreciate it! I don't have any kind of weights yet - I'm going to start with just body weight workouts - push-ups, squats, planks, etc. That will be enough for me for now, I'm sure! Went out for my first Couch to 5K run today, and it went pretty well! I'm feeling good, and looking forward to the next one!Onward we go!

I love your goals, and I'm glad you're getting back up on the horse! I'm doing the same thing - it's a little scary, but I'm determined to make it happen this time, and I can see that you are too! As for trying new fruit & veg, don't forget to try new ways of cooking them - roasted/grilled anything is always delicious, and the heat brings out the sweetness and nuttiness hidden in most veggies. Or try some new healthy sauces/salad dressings to revive old favorites. Good luck!

Okay, yes, yes, I know that brontosaurus isn't a real thing anymore, but as a highly clumsy former herbivore, I feel it's an apt comparison nonetheless. Anyway. Hello, everyone! Claudzilla here! I started one 6-week challenge in the past, but life "got in the way" (a non-excuse, I know), and I didn't finish, so I'm starting fresh and ready for action. I'm starting this thread to track progress and introduce myself, so, um... hi! Main Quest: Survive the Brooklyn Run For Your Lives race with full health! Goals: 1. Complete Couch-to-5K, starting at Week 3. I'm starting at a tougher level because I know I can already do the first two weeks, and I don't want to get bored. I'm focusing on good form to prevent injury, and transitioning to minimalist footwear. 2. Beginner's Body Weight Circuit twice a week to build strength. If I'm super stressed, I may swap this out for some occasional yoga, but strength is my main goal. 3. Actually quit smoking for real, for real, for real. I've been "quitting" in one form or another for over five years (yikes! Also, if you've ever smoked, I'm sure you can relate), and while I have achieved dramatic cutbacks, I'm still a fond social smoker. To this end, I'm going to get one of those e-cigarettes and ease down to the 0 nicotine option, so I can still stand around and enjoy the ritual. Side Quest: Practice the piano 15 minutes a day, 5 days a week. I love playing, but have zero discipline, so I'm hoping that I can up the minutes once I've built the habit. So that's my quest! Best of luck to everyone, and I mean that! Let the adventure begin!

Thanks! I am up and at them!

I'm sorry to hear you had a bad week, but stay the course! You can do it!!! Have fun at the wedding!

Well, feeling a little frustrated with myself. A long weekend and some personal-life drama really derailed my workout/yoga routine. But I'm hopping back on the horse and going to a core yoga class tonight. Although it's not a part of my challenge, I've been really cutting back on the sugar in my diet, and in just a few days I can really feel the difference! I was going to do the 21 day sugar detox, but I decided against doing the full thing. But even just cutting way back on the carbs and sugar feels great. And it makes a difference fast - I had some salmon teriyaki for lunch and the sugary sauce totally made me crash. Wild. I hope everyone else's challenges are going well!

Hi guys! Sorry if this is off-topic, but... I'm thinking about trying the 21-Day Sugar Detox. Has anyone done this, or something similar? What was it like? I've never tried kicking sugar before - I never really thought it was a problem for me (I don't have much of a sweet tooth and rarely want desert) until I found out recently how much carbs impact your body just like sugar does. I did some research, and it seems things that I thought were just part of how I roll (moodiness, bad skin even though I'm old enough to teach high school, crashing hard every afternoon, hungry all the damn time) might be tied to blood sugar. So it seems like kicking sugar would be a smart move. Has anyone done a sugar detox? This particular program seems like it basically sets you up for paleo, so I'm guessing it's a lot like transitioning to the paleo diet. If you've done that, how did it go? Should I be on the lookout for headaches and grumps? Thanks guys!