JessFit

Journaling has helped me through some very tough and frustrating times. Journaling when I have an excess of feelings about things has kept me from contacting an ex, kept me on my eating plan, and helped me through huge life changes. I vote yes to a riding journal.

Sometimes that is what we need though, it doesn't mean lifting is going bad, it means lifting is fitting in to your life in the way you need it to.

I had a therapist once tell me to "stop shoulding yourself" and I realize how often I do things because I should. More than that, it helped me look at what I truly want. Now I don't clean because I "should" but I clean because I find a tidy environment better for my mental health and functioning. I ask myself, "why should I do that, because it is a thing that I want to do or want the results from, or just because of the vague nebulous should in the back of my mind." Sometimes that vague idea is just silly and can be ignored.

IT WORKS!

Thats because lifting is good for more than just building muscles. It really is my sanity sometimes!

TEACH ME PLEASE! I feel amish, since I seem to be the only one who doesn't know how to share a GIF on here. Also, they are the goodest boys and they get as many pets as they want.

ohhhh yummy!

Sorry if this is a silly question, but I wanted to confirm since this is my first mini-challenge. We do as many of these as we can in one burst, yes? This isn't cumulative throughout the week, correct? Thank you!

Things that were done last night: Almost nothing toward my goals except chin-up work. I did the mini-challenge, and I think I did it right. It is my first mini challenge so I just did as many pushups and body weight squats as I could in one burst, it wasn't many, I'm not a volume girl. I also baked so much for this upcoming bake sale. Being a civil war reenactor means lots of opportunities for cool learning experiences, including trying to modernize recipes from the 1860s. It is a bit harder than you imagine since they didn't really use measuring cups and baked in wood stoves. Also, my whole freezer is currently cookies and I TOTALLY forgot that I'm on a cut and ate a stupid amount of chocolate chips while baking... oops. Despite the chocolate chips, I weighted in today at 149.8! I HAVE NOT BEEN 14-anything SINCE 2014! I wish I had some way to test my blood pressure other than going to the doctor, I'd love to know if this weight loss is working. I could have ended this cut at any time in the last month and called it a success, since I've blown past my original goal of 157, but I'm stubborn and there are only 15 days left. Super excited to see 148 (The next weight class down) pop up on the scale since I've been regularly competing in the 163 class. Goals: 1: Lifting sessions 6/12 2: Pull-up/Chin-up work 10/15 3: Greater than 95% compliance with the Renaissance Periodization diet. 97.94%/95% Weight: 149.8/148 4: Recovery and mobility. 7/15 5: Skincare 9/20 6: Projects half done 3/5

I'm super sorry about your back, that sounds frustrating.

Brains are super weird, you did good, I'm sure you did!

Yes, Mala is kind of rosary-esque, but it is my favorite meditation tool. It helps keep me focused on meditating. My mind likes to wander.

I'm horrible and don't know how to post GIFs, so instead I'll share pics of the corgis in my life. Watson (white with spots) and Tesla (Black/gray) are half corgi half terrier litter mates. Ernie is full corgo and heckin adorable! I am their "auntie" Jess and I love them <3

Because if I don't try, I might miss one who is different.

I mostly use olive oil, occasionally coconut oil, and I regularly avoid vegetable oil. I also try not to use oil when cooking if possible bc it adds so many calories and so much fat to my veggies etc. I mostly just cook everything in low sodium chicken broth now. I realized that while I was tracking, "X cups broccoli," or "X grams chicken," I was not tracking the oils they were prepared in and that was biting me in the behind.

IT IS SO MUCH FUN! We have an axe throwing place nearby and I love it, goooooooo. It is way harder than I anticipated but it is a darn good time and a great shoulder workout.

Nope, I didn't take it personally. I just wanted to clarify for you. You're right, life should never get boring just because you get older. I adore who I am in my 30s, much more than the person I was earlier in life. Life is what you make of it, and I think many of us on here are living it with gusto.

Woo, sounds like you're doing well!

Those sketches are gorgeous!

I do a lot of incredible things with amazing friends and family, I have an exciting and rewarding job that I love in stem cell research, I travel a ton, and I generally have a blast. I'm not saying my life is boring, I'm only saying my dates are! (Relevant note: I live in a University town: there's the town, and then theres cornfields. The town is 4 miles across. My dating options are fairly limited to college kids looking for a Puma and a handful of single adults who also work for the Uni/Hospital.) I'm not feeling a loss because I don't have a relationship, and I'm not getting in to a relationship unless it happens to be something that will be wonderful. I'm just kvetching about adjusting to dating in this area and at this age. Also, coming from Chicago, I'm used to having a much more exciting and expansive dating pool and date options. This whole thing is taking some getting used to. In the end, I'm pretty ok being single, which is why none of these boring ladies or gentlemen have stuck and I'm still single. When I meet someone that resonates, that will change.

Yes, exactly, because we're all over 30 and not exciting anymore. We're all workaholics who don't get enough sleep and replace carbs with cauliflower and worry about our 401Ks. It isn't necessarily a bad thing, it just means that all my dates feel the same, and boring. I've seriously just come to accept this as part of growing up. Got pretty sick Thursday, took Friday off work, likely not working a full day today. I didn't totally let that stop me, I tried to work toward my goals, I just took it easier than I usually do. I got no PHDs done this weekend, other than the little bit of super chill gym time I got in, I mostly just slept and read. Bleh. I even skipped going home to Chicago this weekend, which was good because they got a bunch of snow. It has been difficult to stick to my diet program while being sick, but I've managed. It is also difficult because I'm trying to bake a bunch for a bake sale coming up this weekend to benefit my Civil War Reenactment group. I'm making lots of amazing 1860s cookies and tea cakes and fudge and freezing them and not even having a bite. Bleh. I know why I'm doing this, I fully believe that I don't need those cookies, but it isn't exactly fun. 16 days left in this diet, 2.1 lbs to go. Goals: 1: Lifting sessions 6/12 2: Pull-up/Chin-up work 9/15 3: Greater than 95% compliance with the Renaissance Periodization diet. 97.91%/95% Weight: 150.1/148 4: Recovery and mobility. 7/15 5: Skincare 9/20 6: Projects half done 3/5

My aunt is like that with my cousins, but they're seriously obese. Her pediatrician told her that and she got a new pediatrician rather than listen to him. It is so frustrating. She gets angry with me for watching what I eat at family holidays, but everything they make is so unhealthy. "Growing" doesn't mean cake for dinner! ugh.

I love how this cosplay is coming, and the doggies, yay!

Wowza on the skwatz! Lifting seems to be going really well for you!

Could you maybe find middle ground and do some body weight or yoga or jumprope work at home, alone, without having to leave the house and go to a gym? That is how I try to split the difference when I need to stay in my own space and not people, but I also know that being active is good for my depression. Maybe this won't work for you, but it is how I deal so I thought I'd throw it out there.