WeirdAbbott

Alright, alright, alright... Well, the past six weeks have been interesting. Started off strong, however the last couple weeks have dropped off drastically in both consistency and effort...my laziness has increased toward the end of this six week challenge. The only consistent thing I've been able to keep up with is my running goal (more on that in a little bit), Here is my grading for the last six (but in reality, the first four) weeks: 1. Keep track of my eating habits and eat below 1,800 calories per day. (WIS +3) A = 42-36 days B = 35-29 days C = 28-22 days D = 21-15 days F= 14 days or less This goal could have gone a little bit better. Of the 42 days of the challenge, I kept track of (and stayed under the 1,800 calorie goal) only 24 days...which gives myself a C for this goal. Toward the end, I realized that even if I stayed under the goal, I wasn't eating the best food. So, overall I'm pretty disappointed with the grade, I know I could have done a lot better, and I also know I'll have to do much better during the next six weeks. ( 2. Complete the Couch to 5K Running Plan (DEX +3, STA +2) A = Complete the first six weeks of the plan B = First five weeks C = First four weeks D = First three weeks F = < Two weeks This has easily (and surprisingly) been the goal that I have succeeded at. Besides work, this has been the most physical thing that I've been able to do over the course of the challenge. The problem will be to keep with it over the next three weeks. I have well with the first six, but starting tomorrow, each week will be 2.5 miles, 2.75 miles, and finally the full 3.1 miles! I should be able to keep up with it, but yesterday when I ran 2.25 miles, it was awfully difficult. I'm gonna do my best to finish this goal all the way to the end! (A) 3. Yoga! Yoga! Yoga! (DEX +2, STR + 2, WIS +1) A = 3 days/week for 6 weeks B = 5 weeks C = 4 weeks D = 3 weeks F = 2 or less weeks Well, well, well...this one was the mistake. I hoped it would teach me more about yoga and make me more flexible. However, what I did learn is a few different things. One, it was difficult to find free videos online (at first) and also difficult to find space for me to do all the stretching without feeling silly in front of other people. Two, there didn't seem to be as many benefits to yoga as I thought there would be. And three, even when I come up with my own variation of a yoga routine...I was just unmotivated and lazy to do it anyway. Ugghh...sadly, going with my "minimum three times a week" goal, I still only accomplished two weeks of yoga-ing...giving me an F for this goal. (F) 4. On The Write Foot (WIS +2) A = Post 42-36 days B = 35-29 days C = 28-22 days D = 21-15 days F= 14 days or less This goal was easy to do as well, the only reason I wasn't able to do it more was because I was either busy, tired, or nothing incredibly spectacular happened the day I was supposed to write something. Nonetheless, it will be interesting to go back and see all the progress I've made over the past month and a half and I just might have to keep up this blog during the next challenge, even if it won't be one of my goals. That being said, I did miss a lot of days toward the end, and even though it felt like I did more with this, I only wrote updates for a little more than half (24) of the required amount of days. So that rounds out the challenge with a C. FINAL TALLY: STARTING ATTRIBUTES: STR: 6 | CON: 5.25 DEX: 1 | WIS: 5.25 STA: 5.75 | CHA: 4.5 FINISHING ATTRIBUTES: STR: 6 | CON: 5.25 DEX: 4 | WIS: 9 STA: 7.75 | CHA: 4.5 STARTING WEIGHT: 234 FINISHING WEIGHT: 225 (!) Well, another challenge down. As I said (a bunch of times) before, I could have done a lot better with certain aspects of this challenge, but any progress is good progress. I was shocked when I weighed myself two days ago and it said 225. I mean, I figured I had lost some weight, but nine pounds!? Totally unexpected. Hopefully I can keep that momentum going with the next six weeks (as my ultimate goal is to get under 200). I want to thank you all for all of your kind words and motivation and hopefully I've been able to cheer you on as well. Your help has made it possible for me to continue on, even when I didn't want to. So thank you, and I'll hopefully see you in the next challenge!

Congrats Kilana! Great job with each of your goals and the challenge!

Great job with your goals! Excited to see the final results!

Thanks Kilana! Day Thirty Seven! 1. Today I ate 1,500 calories. I did my running in the morning, which is what I don't like doing...but it was the only time I could today. (+1) 2. I started week six of the C25K challenge, which included 16 minutes of running and 20 minutes of walking. Done and done. (+1) 3. No yoga today, I may have to do it tomorrow because my back is pretty sore from lifting heavy boxes at work...maybe it'll help? (0) 4. Blog Update: Little Things 75%...still going solid in the last little bit of challenge. Overall, I feel kind of disappointed in this challenge because I seem to be slacking more on this one than the first one. But, any progress is progress, and I'm already looking forward to the next 6 weeks!

Day Thirty Four! 1. Today, I ate around 1,550 calories (before my run)...really cutting it close. But after my run, I'm a little bit better. (+1) 2. I completed week 5 of the C25K challenge today with a...wait for it...twenty minute run! Yeah, that's twenty minutes straight! That's easily the longest I've ever run (well, more like jogged...but still!), in one go. I'm super happy with it and confident that I'll keep this up into week six! (+1) 3. No yoga today, only because I had to wake up at the ungodly hour of 4am to go to work. Ugghhh...(0) 4. Blog update: Every Beautiful Thought (+1) Keeping up the good work, it's going to be hard to find time to complete all of my goals with my work schedule changing, but I'll do the best that I can! Song of the Day

Sad to see you go, but I'm sure it's for the best with the big day coming up. I'm sure that everything will go incredibly well and you'll have a fantastic time. Just remember to relax, not be so hard on yourself, and to just have fun! I hope to see an update after the wedding!

I'm right there with you on the losing steam toward the end of a challenge. There are two weeks left, let's keep up the positive mindset and push ourselves until it is finished! Keep up the good work!

Keep up the positive mindset. A long holiday weekend makes it hard for anyone (I had a few missed days in there as well), but I'm sure when the new week starts, you'll get back on track in the right direction! Keep up the good work and don't get down on yourself!

Hope everything is still going well!

Day Thirty Two! (A few days behind...oops) 1. Today I only ate around 1,000 calories (after my run). (+1) 2. I had to work at 6PM tonight, so I did my part two of week 5 C25K running (running 8 minute runs..times two!) around 3 this afternoon. It was weird doing it in the middle of the day, but I did it! And it is easily the goal that I'm sticking with the most (which is surprising). (+1) 3. Speaking of sticking with a goal...this one is the complete opposite. I think when I was coming up with goals for this challenge, I thought the yoga goal would be more beneficial with more positive outcomes than it actually has. I will continue to do it (as best I can), but I am already looking forward to the next challenge. (0) 4. Blog Update: Wow, The Dirty Dress Is So Loud! Three out of four is pretty okay, it should be more, but 75 isn't bad either. Song of the Day

Day Twenty Nine! 1. I only ate 950 calories today (before my run)...the combination of not being really hungry as well as not having a whole lot of food in the apartment will really do that to you! (+1) 2. I started week 5 of the C25K plan today, three five minute increments. Fifteen minutes running, seventeen minutes walking. Sounds pretty good to me. (+1) 3. Did a little bit of yoga this morning, nothing too spectacular. (+1) 4. No blog update today...to be completely honest, nothing incredibly spectacular happened today. Today was my day off from work and what I'm typing right now is me stretching out what I did to try and make it sound more interesting. I don't think I could do it to 250 words haha. If you haven't read yesterday's blog post, I'd suggest that one! Well, it should be a perfect score...but I'll do better tomorrow! Song of the Day

Thanks Kilana! I'm feeling much better now, my first running day of the week is tomorrow...hope it goes well! Thanks Ems, that is a good way of looking at it...any bit of progress is more than I would have done if I just stayed on the couch. Well, after a pretty solid weekend, I'm back with Day Twenty Eight! 1. I ate 1,500 calories today (would have been less if I didn't indulge in a Snickers right after work). (+1) 2. No running today. I've got to now base it around my work schedule, so I'm doing Tuesday/Thursday (in the morning)/Saturday. (0) 3. I did my yoga in the morning before work. I'm gonna get back on the actual yoga train tomorrow. (+1) 4. Blog Update: Refrigerator Light (<---self promotion post) Three out of four isn't bad...especially when I didn't feel like I did much all day (I mean, challenge-wise...I worked all day). Keep it up tomorrow on my day off! Song of the Day

I'm totally with you with bread...it is my weakness. I could easily eat it for every meal in some capacity. It's okay to have an off week, hopefully it just leaves you wanting to push yourself into week number five! Keep up the good work and don't beat yourself up too much

Oh my goodness. I hope you feel better! And no, I don't think changing your goal would be considered as cheating. It's your goal, you can do with it whatever you like! Keep up the progress, even if you have to type reeeaaallllly slow haha.

Sorry I didn't post yesterday. My girlfriend and I had a pretty rough day and I just didn't feel like doing much of anything (and even if I did post, it wouldn't have been anything to write home about, as they say). But a day has passed and I'm feeling a little better. Here is my update for Day Twenty Five! 1. Today I ate 1,950 calories before my run (boo!), but then I lost 400 from the run...putting me at 1,550 (yay!) (+1) 2. I finished week four of the C25K challenge. Sixteen minutes running, sixteen minutes walking. I'm kind of nervous to see what next week brings. (+1) 3. No yoga today, but I will make up for it tomorrow because I don't have to be at work until 10. (0) 4. Blog Update: Like The Sweater Weezer Sings About (+1) Back to 75%...maybe on Sunday, I'll bump it back up to 100! I also want to thank all of you guys that comment on here and are incredibly supportive. I don't know if I would be able to do this without you. I greatly appreciate every one of you Song of the Day