castelluzzo99

You're welcome!

I just realized that I need to indicate how many attribute points I earned. So here goes: #1 - +1 STR +1 STA #2 - +2 CHA #3 - 0 #4 - +2 WIS Now to go apply them...

I know I'm very late (and not doing the current challenge), but I wanted to finish what I started, so here goes. First, I had a hard time staying on track the last two weeks. My back injury pretty much put paid to a lot of things, including my enthusiasm. So here's how it went: Get as low with incline push up as possible (notice goal was changed). +3 STR and +1 STA A = Kitchen chair seat B = Piano Bench C = Night stand D = Table/Desk I did make it to the night stand. I think I could do 2 or 3 push ups by the end of the challenge! Piano bench and chair are still out of the question, but I'm going to keep working on it. I want to be able to do full-length push ups on the floor so bad! Achieve a 29.5†waist. I am currently 31". +4 CHA A = 29.5" or less B = 30-29.6 C = 30.5-30.1 D = 31-30.6 F = >31 I stalled out at 30.25 when my back went out and I couldn't exercise much. But I've maintained that more or less since. Be in bed by 10:00 pm at least 6 nights per week. +4 CON +1 WIS A = Made 36 nights or more B = Made 34-35 nights C = Made 32-33 nights D = Made 30-31 nights F = Made <30 nights So I pretty much quit trying the last two or so weeks. Epic fail on this one. However, I have been working hard at it lately, and I am motivated to be in bed early now because I want to succeed with Insanity, which I'm starting this week. Limit my time on the Internet to 1.5 hours per day. +2 WIS A = Average Internet use 6 days per week <9 hours (I can choose 1 day per week to not count) B = Average 9-9.5 hours/week C = Average 9.5-10 hours/week D = Average 10-10.5 hours/week F = >10.5 hours/week I didn't always track my progress accurately, but I skipped using the computer so many days that I know my averages were good, so I figure this is an A.In hindsight, I'm glad I tried. I wish I'd stuck with it, but life happens. I'm not going to kick myself. I might even try joining the next challenge. I'm even planning on doing my own variation of the 100 push ups challenge while doing Insanity--is that insane or what? My thought is, since where I can do push ups best is the desk/table height, I'll just use their protocol at that height, but at a different time of day (say late afternoon, since I do Insanity before breakfast), and only 3 days per week. Once I can do about 20 at a given height (that is, in one set), I'll move to a lower height and start over. I also have set some goals for my Insanity workout. I'm not giving attributes for them since it's not part of a challenge (though I could later if I join the next challenge). But I think they are realistic, and I'm back to diligently counting calories to make sure I succeed!

Just updated my goals (met a new VO2max goal), and added a current goal. I'm not participating in the current challenge, so I'm just going to focus on the Insanity workouts and do my best to keep to my calorie goals so that I can lose weight (adding in estimated exercise calories, of course!).

So yesterday I went to town to see the chiropractor and to do some shopping. Well, a lot of shopping. Costco, WinCo, and New Seasons (health food store). And an oil change for the car. Somehow I made it through (with a nap part way through--I had the baby and he needed one too, so we napped in a parking garage where there was a nice breeze and no sun). Got home and went straight to bed for a nap, somehow got the food put away (my husband at least unloaded the car) and then went back to bed early. And iPod was off on time, too. So I made my bedtime goal without trying. Internet usage was 1:32. I'm going to have a hard time keeping it down today, because it doesn't take much energy to sit at the computer. But I'll try. I might watch a move with the kids later when it gets hotter outside.

Wow, almost everyone has a different opinion! Now I'm even more confused. Seriously, though, when I made the goal, I had just barely started doing push ups with the counter, (maybe a week) so I had no idea how I would progress or what would be a reasonable goal. At this point, I can almost guarantee that I won't be able to do even one push up with chair height (and probably not piano bench height either). Not that I won't try my hardest to do it, but when I moved from the kitchen counter, the table was impossible, and now 3 weeks later I can only barely do it. However, after thinking about it, I do like the height grade as opposed to reps at a height grade. What would you think if I did something like this: Able to do at least 1 push up at the level of: Kitchen chair seat - A Piano Bench - B Night stand - C Table/Desk - D Because I made my original goal, I'm going to say there is no failing this particular challenge. So now it's just to see how high I can go in the next almost two weeks! So if no one has an objection to the new goal, I'll post it on the first post and make it official. As to Internet usage yesterday, I made 1:29. A good portion of that was doing important things like distributing money and planning the month's budget. And I was in bed early and turned the iPod off on time. Getting a full body massage that ended over an hour before bedtime really helped with the getting-to-bed-early thing. I love massages! Wish I could afford them every week! (It's the second in my life ever.)

I need help, guys! Trying to figure out what I should do about a goal that my have been a bit unrealistic. The details are in this post: http://nerdfitnessrebellion.com/index.php?/topic/29263-castelluzzo99s-first-challenge/page-3#entry594529

Okay, so let's see. Sleep Friday & Saturday night was not good. Stayed up in bed too late again. Last night I did better, turning off iPod and all, but I didn't get to sleep early. But because I turned it off and tried, I'm counting it as good. Internet: Friday - 1:23 Saturday - 1:23 (wow - I wasn't trying to match the day before!) Sunday - 2:37 I was trying to rest my leg and I had some catching up to do. I'll decide what to do with this day later. As for my other goals, I didn't lose anything in the waist this time around. I credit that to burning fewer calories during workouts (what with not using my lower body as much). Also to the eating-when-I'm-tired thing. My will power goes down when I'm tired. I did, however, lose in all the other spots I measure (hips, thigh, and lower chest), and I don't think I lost in any of those last week, so I'll take that! So maybe I'll only get a B with this, unless I can lose 3/4" in the next two weeks. We'll see. Push ups... I love push ups! I am in a quandary, however. I'm only 2 weeks away from the goal, and at the rate I'm going (which is pretty good--I pretty much progress every time I do them), I don't think I'm going to make even one push up on anything lower than the desk I started using Friday. Before I ask for your advice, I want to share that today I did 6/3/2 push ups on the desk, followed immediately by 7/6/6 on the dresser (a few inches higher than the desk). A week ago I couldn't do one on the desk, so that's real progress (Friday I did 3/1/0 on the desk). I was doing circuits, so there were other exercises in between sets. Anyhow, here's my quandary. Before the challenge started, my goal was 5 push ups at table level (desk = table, but desk doesn't move when leaned upon). A week or so into the challenge (or was it the week between when I wrote up my goals and the start of the challenge? I don't remember now), I saw that I was progressing faster than anticipated, so I changed my goal to 5 push ups using the kitchen chair. Problem is, there is a lot of distance between the chair and the table. I had also anticipated moving from the counter to the table, but had to go to the dresser first, and now I'm at table height. Last week I changed my goal from chair to piano bench (only about 2 or 3 inches higher), but I really don't see myself doing even one at that level. I could aim for the night stand (a bit higher than the piano bench), or I could just go back to what was my original plan, table height, and say I rocked this challenge. I don't know what to do. One choice means I get an A. The other choice means I'll probably get a D at the very best, probably an F. I need to make this decision now, so please, folks, what do you think I should do?

Wednesday night I was in bed on time. All good. Internet was 54 min. Thursday night I stayed awake in bed too long on my iPod. Oh well. Internet was 1:57. My average for those two days is still under 1:30, so it's all good. Weekend, here we come!

I think classes would be fun. It's fun experimenting with different routines. I was checking some out on YouTube yesterday. Sounds like you're doing well with the snacking. When I'm not nursing, I can maintain a good weight simply by skipping supper! If I were eating smaller meals during the day, skipping snacks would probably do the same thing. Way to go!

So how did yesterday go? Don't worry about the Ab challenge. You know, I was doing this push up challenge a while back on MFP, where you add 3 push ups every day, and I realized that it wasn't practical. One needs rest days to gain strength. So I quit half way through the challenge and did not feel one particle of guilt! I also started doing perfect incline push ups, and have increased the number and decreased the incline, so I'm happy. Once I can do them on the floor, I'll follow the 100 push ups website plan (it's only 3 days per week) to increase. But for now, I'm happy with the dresser and the desk and that kind of thing. Anyhow, hope you are feeling more civil today!

Last night we had a cooking school, and I got home so late that I barely got in bed on time. I didn't turn the lights out early enough, though--was trying to unwind--so that will be my night off this week. Time online yesterday: 8 minutes. It was actually a little more, because the timer was off while I recorded breakfast in My Fitness Pal, so maybe I could say 15 minutes. Still, way under my goal. I was gone most of the day. Didn't even look at the computer when I got home! Saw my chiropractor yesterday. She said I don't have true sciatica--otherwise I'd be looking at up to 6 months of recovery time. She wants me to use the cane less (I borrowed a cane from a church member who had knee replacement surgery a while back and doesn't need it anymore), because I was really tight on the other side from compensating. She was happy with the stretches I'm doing, though. Not sure what I'll be able to do today in terms of exercise. Probably just some stretches. It's not a strength day, and cardio is really hard to do without using the lower body. If I had a gym membership, maybe I could use a rowing machine, but 1) I can't afford a gym membership, 2) the nearest gym is 25 minutes away, and 3) I have 3 kids. I have to go out again today, otherwise I might have considered going doing the upper-body portion of Kenpo X. If I skip the kicks, I should still be able to get a good workout. Maybe I'll do that tomorrow or Friday (still not sure which day I'll do strength again; I'm only doing it 2 days this week). In other news, there was a fitness trainer at the cooking school (it's actually a health class that includes cooking classes), and he brought some fairly accurate scales and a hand-held device that looks somewhat like those old gamer devices that measures body fat. He says it's about 92% accurate. My BF was 30.6%. I think 20-25% would be a good goal. I wonder what it was 2 months ago... In any case, he says that once I stop breastfeeding it will drop significantly in a short time. That's probably true. It's harder for me to lose weight when I'm breastfeeding. In any case, the Navy circumference method puts me at 31.4%, and a month or two ago I was 35.5, so I've definitely come down! Each month at the health class he will update the BF%, so I'll have a way to consistently track it. That's really nice! I think once my sciatic nerve clears up, I'll go visit the guy and have him help me come up with a customized exercise routine. He's about an hour away, so it's not like I could do regular visits, but still, having someone watch my form and suggest specific moves or stretches would be really nice! And to top it all off, he's a vegetarian, just like me, so he could give specific nutritional advice that would actually work for me! Yay!

I have no idea about the peaches, but I have a strawberry recipe I can share! Got it last night at a cooking school. 12 oz of water 1/2 nice size lime 2/3 -3/4 c maple syrup 24 oz or more frozen strawberries 8 or more ounces of water Use a 64 oz container for a Vita Mix or equivalent. Put in the 12oz of water and lime, turn on high and let run for minute or so. Make sure you add the rind and all of the lime. Add maple syrup and frozen strawberries. Add enough water to blend the frozen berries. You will have to taste it to see if it needs more sweetening for your taste. Serves 8 Each serving (assuming the lower amount of sweetener) contains: Calories: 100 Fat: 0 g Protein: 0 g Carbohydrates: 42 g Fiber: 6 g Sugar: 30 g Sodium: 2 mg Potassium: 0 Vitamin C: 182% Calcium: 0 Iron: 12% It was absolutely divine!

So I've decided to make one minor change to my goals. You see, right after the challenge started, I decided that the kitchen table would be too easy to do push ups off of by the end of the challenge, so I changed my goal from table to chair. But 3 weeks in, I need to be realistic. I am pretty sure I'll be well over 5 push ups off the table height in another 3 weeks (probably going to start using that height next week), but the chair is just too much lower. So I'm going to try using the piano bench. It's a little over 2" higher than the chair. No guarantees that I'll even be able to do that; I wish I had something about 3 or 4" higher than the bench, but I don't. So I'll just hope for the best! I did 17/14/12 push ups this morning on the dresser, so I will probably move to the desk (same height as the table) either Friday or next week. Internet yesterday is my not-counting day. I made 1:37 by the time I decided I didn't need to be online anymore, but then I remembered that I needed to prepare the recipe sheets for the cooking school that's going to happen tonight, so I had to get online to get the recipes out of email, and then upload the finished Word file to Office Max. I turned off the timer, but still, I'm going to say that's my 1 day to not count time online and move on. I was in bed on time, lights off on time. Baby randomly woke up at 1:30 or so, so I put earplugs in and went back to sleep. He did too, and slept until after I had already gotten up. I feel a little more rested today, and my advancement in my exercises proves it. I did better in each of the upper body moves I was doing.

Wow, awesome work so far! I think you're doing better than I am (my sleep challenge got a little sidetracked last week). Good luck on the rest of this week!