AncientReborn

Update: Week #1 went pretty well. Setting a goal to eat a veggie twice a day has helped me realize that my eating habits are rather...inconsistent. Sometimes I eat one meal a day. Sometimes four. Hardly ever at consistent times of each day. Dinner can be eaten anywhere between 4p and 10p. Lol. It's bad. Part of the reason for this is my wildly insane schedule. For the last two weeks I may need to just start packing lunches and dinners ala brown bags. Week #2 got off to a rough start. I am certainly behind on workouts and I've had two days of just bad eating. I am still not 100% after being sick a couple of weeks ago. I've been dealing with some serious sinus headaches. Thanks allergies! My neti pot is a saving grace. I have noticed some positive energy that comes from eating higher protein breakfasts. So that's a positive! And something sustainable for the future. In other news, rehearsals for Hairspray have me EXHAUSTED. And I haven't slept well lately. So that's not a great combo.

I had every intention of getting in on this challenge days ago and then I got sick. My goals this challenge: 1. Workout 3 x week. NFA Bodyweight Lvl 3. 2. Working toward NF Diet Lvl 5: High protein breakfasts, no liquid calories, veggies at least twice a day (lunch and dinner) 3. Yoga 1 x a week. 4. Following my last challenge, I have created a bedtime routine. For this challenge, I want to follow through with that routine EACH night. My loot for 100% success: Kindle version of The Barista Manual.

Yes! I was able to create (or rather re-create) a bedtime routine on top of adjusting some things in my bedroom to aide in better sleep. Like better curtains that block the light. Apparently our skin can "see" light as well as our eyes? So just covering your eyes with a mask or pillow is not enough to keep light out in order to prevent your brain from triggering it's "wake system."

What? The challenge is over? When did February happen? So I kept working at everything but failed miserably to check in on the forums. Partly due to a fiasco with getting a new phone and not having access to the internet for a while. Overall I did not do as well as I would have liked. I came away with an overall grade of a D+. The reading and the avoiding sugary drinks was easy peasy. I struggled to get my workouts in. My schedule drastically changed and I wasn't prepared to rearrange things on the fly. Need to be prepared for that next time.

Checking in... So I've been doing well so far on my challenge goals. EXCEPT for this past Sunday night. I don't know what I was thinking...apparently I wasn't thinking...but I had a bottled soda. Did not realize what I had done until the next day and I was like, "Well, crap!" Haha. Doing well in other areas. My schedule in general is a bit sporadic. Got called into work on Saturday, which threw off my plan for the day. Eventually got my workout in at like 10p. I don't typically go to bed until midnight or 1a so it wasn't too bad. Enjoying reading "Sleep Smarter." The author's main piece of advice seems to be that you need to take control of your circadian rhythm and go to bed no later than 10p and be up each day at 6a. And that you should institute a bedtime routine to start around 8p. The sources and reasons he cites for this sound great. However, following that schedule is just not possible for me. I work until 8p at least three days a week. He does mention that getting sun exposure (as in actually physically being outside in the sun) is important for our bodies internal clock. He points out that sunlight through a window is still somewhat filtered and it's best to get outside, even on an overcast day, for a period of time in the morning. So I'm thinking maybe this can be one of the principles that I implement.

Oh my! In a similar way, I have ALWAYS had to fight to drag myself out of bed. Still do some days. But within the last year I have slowly found myself waking up actually feeling energized and ready to get out of bed. It's weird. There was a day last week that I fell asleep somewhere around midnight and woke up at 7:30a with the sun (no waking up before that!) and I was totally done sleeping. I got up and started being productive like, right away. I remember thinking..."Is this how it is for normal people?!"

I totally do the turn on the light thing when my alarm goes off!! It totally helps me wake up. And cues my dogs that it's wake up time and then they start whining for food... So it's a great hack! I think you're breakdown for budget and loot is cool. I might have to try something like that next time. My budget is pretty tight as well. Sent from my XT1045 using Tapatalk

So, I got a head start on part of my challenge goals last week. Succeeded in drinking only water, black coffee, and unsweet tea for the last seven days. Made an herbal tea concentrate and have been splashing that in a glass of sparkling water. Quite satisfying! Looking forward to the rest of this challenge! No workouts today. Planning those to start tomorrow! Sent from my XT1045 using Tapatalk

Do it. It focuses mostly on changing your habits so that your brain starts to associate your bed with only sleep, so that when you get in bed, you "trigger" sleep mode. I went from 2-3 hours of sleep a night to a consistent 7.5 hours. Fair warning: it was the biggest boss battle I have fought thus far. Sent from my XT1045 using Tapatalk

I've never some a cleanse but I have friends that swear by them. I'm also trying to read more. SO many books lying around that I haven't opened yet. Here's to becoming book dragons! You got this! Sent from my XT1045 using Tapatalk

Me too! I hacked my sleep a year ago with some Cognitive Behavioral Therapy but there are still some improvements I'd like to see. Like actually sleeping through the night... Sent from my XT1045 using Tapatalk

It's funny, depending on how you interpret my screen name it could mean "forever re-spawning." Which is how I feel some days. Every so often it's game over. Time to start fresh. But I suppose you don't achieve a glitch-less speed run of a game without some trial and error, huh? Hmm... The last time I was on the forum's was in 2013. Since then I joined the NF Academy (I've been utilizing the FB page for my NF community fix) and the Warrior class. However, this challenge is going to be about getting "back to basics" and so I've decided to head back to the Assassins Den because I will be focusing on basic bodyweight strength training. Keeping it stupid simple: Goal #1 - Allowed beverages include: water, black coffee, unsweetened tea. The end. Goal #2 - NF Academy Bodyweight Lvl 2 workout 3x per week. Goal #3 - 15 minutes of yoga 1x per week Level Up Your Life Goal - Read "Sleep Smarter" and implement at least two principles. Sent from my XT1045 using Tapatalk

Workout looks great. I love going to the play park to work out. Makes them so much more fun.

Started my log today in a brand new notebook. Why is it that I get enjoyment from new office supplies?