tiny-oak

Hi, Tiny Oak aka Kristin here! I'm a college instructor living in southeast Iowa. As far as physical activity goes, I enjoying cycling, belly dance, yoga, meditation, bodyweight exercise, and weightlifting. I am slowly adjusting to my new life as a mom. Lil Acorn is currently 3 months old, and will not sleep on a non-human surface. I'll try to update more than last time, but it has to be during stolen moments while I'm away or she's asleep, or when there's someone else around to help me. I also have a furkid, a dachshund named Ajax. Other current interests include BEER (I missed sooo many releases over the last year of teetotaling!), Game Grumps, reading fantasy books, watching fantasy and scifi, crocheting, knitting, other crafts, gardening, outside chores. ~*~ This will be my second quest, and I hope to grow strong with all of you! This time, we're venturing through Middle Earth and appreciating the comforts of home like a Hobbit. (Yes, I may be a Wood Elf, but those Hobbits have the right idea.) I'm already rather Hobbity: Sit me down by a warm fire with a good book and a mug of beer and you'll find a happy Oak! I'm currently content about most of my diet and fitness goals, but other areas of life have been bothering me. Time to LEVEL UP! I'm going on an adventure! MAIN GOAL: Practice life balance. ~*~ QUEST GOAL 1: Dance and be merry! - Attend belly dance class once a week (except during Thanksgiving week) ~*~ QUEST GOAL 2: Write it down! - Write for at least 10 minutes, three or more days a week. (not counting Nerd Fitness) ~*~ QUEST GOAL 3: Hoard my riches! - No buying anything unnecessary without checking the budget first - Set aside money for a bike - Specifically, no buying new beer without checking my cellar and remembering that I'm using bike money to buy beer. ~*~ QUEST GOAL 4: Clean it up! - Put away 5 things and get rid of 5 things every weekday. -Take out the damn trash bag when it gets full, instead of putting it next to the trash can. Or delegate the task. -Bring dishes downstairs from nursery nightly. Subject to revision after I figure out this points thing. Or not. I like points, but the quest is bigger.

Woo buddy!! Those are great goals! I'll be here again for another round! BTW, what are you going to do after you hit seven chevrons?! Go for eight and leave our lil ol' galaxy behind? And NINE?? O_o ((())) Ganbatte ne!!

Thanks! It is going well, even though not 100%! That's ok!Goal 1: nope, totally forgot this past week. Boo! Goal 2: danced nearly every day with baby, AND attended dance class this week and last! Goal 3: Lunched EVERY day! Leafy greens almost every day! Sometimes for lunch, sometimes with dinner. Sometimes in dinner. Overall, I feel OK about how the challenge went. I think I could participate in another challenge. I am still figuring out how to balance self-care and externalities, and that's really what this was all about for me. I've been a mother for 3 months now, and it's a moving target.

The past few days my challenge has gone off the rails a bit. Last Thursday a couple of students got into a verbal altercation that i needed to address after class finished. I had planned on working out after class, but just kind of forgot. For Goal 2, I started taking the belly dance workout class! And although I've been eating a lot more veggies than in previous weeks, I completely forgot to eat leafy greens a few times. I believe this is one disadvantage to goals that vary over time. Lunch has happened every day, however.

@hgtedo If you wantvto help me with the point allocation, please do!

Quick update: All three goals are going well. Goal 1: eaten lunch every day. Some of the menu choices were questionable--one Saturday I ate nothing but meat--but all consisted of real food. I've missed one day of eating leafy greens. Goal 2: workouts continue. This week i needed to talk with a student about something that had upset them during class during my workout time. I missed yesterdays bbww as a result. I will attempt to complete it this weekend. Goal 3?: i think I've lost track of the numbering... I started belly dance again! A new 9 week session started this week. I cannot attend Saturday classes, so I'm taking the Thursday class, a lite belly dance workout class. I wonder if I'll be able to participate in the next challenge. If anything, this one has pressured me to do things I would have forgotten about weeks ago, otherwise.

Nice save at Starbucks! How are you brushing up on history? Do you have a textbook you're following along? Reading higher level books to supplement it? Hm?

I did find this thread on making mason jar salads, yumm! http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/71588-jar-salads-101/page-1

Thanks hgtedo!I'm in the middle of midterms now, which means I've had the additional tasks of grading speeches, writing an exam, and updating my next assignments for my classes. Also, today and tomorrow I'm proctoring the midterm exam. And then more grading following that... Grades are due by Oct. 19th, so there's a definite end in sight. For now! So TIME is my nemesis. I've managed to steal time right after my sections to do the BBWW, before the babysitter has to leave. (Plus, the classroom furniture and stairwells are much more suited to BW exercises than anything I have at home.) It's hard to find time for leisure computing, although i do spend a fair amount of time looking at Pinterest, Instagram, and Imgur. The challenge itself is going well, but I'm having trouble posting updates!

Cold in the morning, 80's in the evening! Woo Iowa!

10/7 9 a2g squats 9 incline push-ups 10 knees bent inverted rows 20 sec plank **did not eat breakfast beforehand! Always eat before exercise!

I should do the fourth challenge, but who has time! I want me some points though!

Turbo update!! , Sunday Goal Two: Baby Dance Some Goal Three: Eat lunch every day. Find recipes to make in advance. Iffy. Half a win. , Monday Goal One: Beginner Bodyweight Routine Goal Two: Baby Dance Not much. Sleep. Goal Three: Eat lunch every day. Find recipes to make in advance. Salmon salad sandwich! Bought stuff for muffalettas. Tues DAY OF SUCK ...but i did eat lunch. And made olive salad. WED 1: bww ftw! 2: muffaletta ftw! 3: no dance today!

I'm curious to hear if you find something on this. I've never done a proper push-up, and would like to someday. Getting up early sounds like a better way to go, if your sleep improves. Having trouble getting to sleep?