TennisGeek

2014-09-28 Sun Food: 1,858 C:102g, F:120, P:87g I played doubles tennis - 2 sets, with easy level. It only counts as 400 cals or so. In other word, TDEE-500 on target. To be honest, to go to this meetup, I had to get up early 7am on Sunday morning. Combined with yesterday's activities, I was wiped before noon. After eating lunch, I crashed on the couch while watching football game. Something new: So, this tennis was a meet up by meetup.com. I played with total random strangers. Took me 5 minutes sitting in the car to gather up enough courage to walk into the park. Well, 20 seconds of berserk is all you need. Next Sunday, I'm thinking to do a bike ride with total strangers if my friends don't go.

2014-09-27 Sat. Wild day. Played tennis in the morning, and went to a bike ride. Bike ride alone is 1,500 cals, and banging balls with one of best players in the town for another 600 cals or so. I was spent at the end of day. Food: 2,695 cals, C: 270g, F: 99g, P: 135g Exercise: 2,170 So, it's nearly 1500 cals under TDEE.

2014-09-26 Fri Exercise: 88 cals Food: 2,052 cals, C:110 F:118 P:122 Just about 2,000 cals. Not really losing weight but it's exactly at TDEE. My doubles league turns out that it starts the mid October, so no double match today. But, I'm going out to play tennis with a really good player, and weather is beautiful. I am planing to do a bike ride this afternoon. It's really a last sip of summer in New England.

2014-09-25 Thu Food: Macros 1,727cals C:74, F:113, P:113 Exercise: 86cals And, I know that exercise is actually a little more today as during a mile walk, I did run a little and did a few walking lunch, as well as decline push ups, etc. So, it's a good day. It's just about 1,600. Something new: Using meetup.com, I signed up to play a Sunday morning doubles. Another new thing I did.

Just for a whim, I googled "introvert test" and got this link. http://psychologytoday.tests.psychtests.com/take_test.php?idRegTest=1311 I did the test and my score is Sociability: 36/100 According to your results you appear to be the type of person who doesn't socialize often. You likely have a limited social network, and possibly aren't really interested in extending it beyond a few close and intimate friendships. Having an active social life apparently isn't the most important thing to you. Chances are that when the opportunity arises to socialize among a large group of people, you'll likely turn it down if possible. This doesn't necessarily mean you don't enjoy socializing or being around people. Rather, you generally prefer spending time with smaller groups of friends. Individuals who score similarly to you typically aren't conversation-starters, especially with people they aren't familiar with. In addition, they aren't known to be exceptionally outgoing, unless among close friends. It's very accurate.

Thanks, Swampling. One week of last challenge, my company provided all the food, breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as open bar in 3 nights. There were a few extra ordinary dinners as well. (One night was BBQ and very primal.) I had a little too much wine and food, I admit. Then, following week, I went out to a couple of dinners with my coworkers for good restaurants. My socialization effort comes with the cost of extra calories. Being introvert, I don't get into a team. So, playing tennis in team setting is going to be interesting. I know the guy organizing just barely. (He organizes the town tourny.) My home situation is - "tense". It's a bit stressful.

I forgot to mention a few things. 1 - Longer ride goal was over 60 miles. I did freakin' 78 mile bike ride. 2 - Playing in a tennis tourny. Did that! It was fun, and I'm disappointed in me. I need to improve the match skill, mostly mental side. Onward. A new challenge. I started late. I needed a bit of break.

2014-09-24 Wed As the tennis club is temporary closed for two weeks, I wasn't playing much. So, I gathered up my tennis buddies at work and played a doubles in the morning. My team - 6-4, 6-4. I bought a new racquet - Prince Tour 98 ESP. My forehand is definitely happier with it. It lacks power but I can hit the ball and know where it's going. I need to get used to hitting better serve. I can put the ball in but I have no power!

For something new. I'm invited to play doubles tennis for a team on Saturday, and I am in. I'm looking forward to it because it's a new setting. One downside is that, it's Sat. morning and it conflicts with my volunteer work day (1st, 3rd Sat. of month) It is what it is.

Oh - right. My starting weight is, according to Fitbit scale. Wednesday, Sep 24 at 7:17AM166.1 lbs 17.5% fatI'd like to see this come down to 162 plus/minus 2lb range.

Hello, fellow rebels. I, TennisGeek, am feeling down. I became an empty nester, along with other life events, my energy is not there at the moment. So, I started the challenge late. And, that's a good reason to start a new challenge. I need to pick myself up. During last challenge, I somewhat let go some of control on food. Not that I ate terribly, but certainly I ate a lot more food and gained 4 pounds or so. In previous challenge, I basically laid low during the transition of my daughter. It's time to pick myself up. I think that the hardest is to find the motivation right now.Staying active is not a problem for me. I'm still playing tennis regularly. I'm still riding bike a lot.Last year, I had the drive to do more - such as strength training in the basement regularly.I cannot find that drive. What I've learned from previous challenges is, it's all about motivation. Challenges are good to break the ice for getting into something new, but to sustain, you need the motivation, you need the drive to do what I need to do. I can play tennis all day. I am happy to ride bike for long long distance - it's a challenge but I can do through the pains of sitting on bike all day. Bottom line is, I don't like to work out. I do like to eat. I lost weight. For the most part, I only need to maintain it. Right now, I cannot find reason or motivation to do more. Through the challenge, I am going to try to find groove. To not stress myself, I'll not count point. I'll let it happen as naturally and I'll use the challenge thread for my own accountability. I'll assess the challenge and decide whether or not it's worth the level up. The main quest Become the best tennis player I can be. Stronger, faster, flexible, resilient and awesomer. The Goals Exercise: More PLP - I am stuck at 44. I have to resume. Note that, I am doing this along with playing tennis regularly and bike commute. So, finding extra energy and time is not that easy. Whatever I do is a plus so that's what I'll report. Food:In order to lose weight, I'll eat the net calories of 1,600. MFP is my accountability. I've been a bit loose on this. I log everything, and every day, it's over calories. Life quest: I need to get out from the funk I have right now. I'm very snappy and less energy. I need something new to try - I will go to a rock gym at least twice during the challenge.I'll try to engage with fellow rebels more. It's been lacking and not helping me.I'll do something new. like I may finally join a gym. Change over ended. The chair ump said: "Time"

> maximum caffeinated beverage once a day (must be prior to 1000h) What's wrong with caffein? I cooked food Monday night as well. After watching a football game and then went out to a 40mile bike ride, I wasn't feeling like cooking. What did you make? Go James!

This challenge was a "non level up" challenge. We are still adjusting the empty nest. Gluten free - I was failing a lot, and primary reason is that, I love bread, and the best bread in Boston is readily available. Amount of bread I eat is pretty small however. Just Friday, I was eating a dinner at office, and there were a pile of good bread, but I did not touch. Yesterday, I finally had time to go out to food shopping, and I was hungry after tennis. I bought a gluten free bread and snacked on. This is a quality of life thing. I don't have any hard reason to avoid gluten. I however don't want something I can avoid (gluten) to contribute to my illness. PLP - I did when I can, and PLP went up to 43. I'll continue to 63. While my daughter was moving, I had to take a week off, and right after the challenge is over, I had to take another week off. (One day last week, I was in office 14+ hours) For the next challenge, I probably need to go back to strength training. PLP is helping my upper body and lower body. In particular, lunges are helping my legs quite a bit. I don't see much of big difference in upper body/back but certainly it's not getting any worse - which is a win for me.

LOL. The challenge is long over, and I was so busy for the last week that I finally realized that it's over. Time for the wrap up.

2014-09-13 Sat The "Busy week" forced me to not play for a week. Anyhow, went back to play tennis: difficulty mid-: 6-2 2-1 After the racquet demo, my racquet feels really heavy.

I have no time to do long update. Tuesday, Wednesday were crazy. I was at office at 8 and I wa home past midnight. I'm back in office 9 and not sure when I'm home tonite. PLP and food. I have to suspend til Friday. -- all weird spelling is iPhone's fault.

PLP 43 - done Gluten free - no. This week, if I wanted, I can get free company provided food for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I told you I'm busy. As such, food selection is somewhat limited and thus, the lunch was sandwich. For dinner, I ate a piece of really interested looking bread. After I came home around 9:30pm, I did PLP 43.

PLP 42 - done. Gluten free - yes. Heading into a busy week and not sure about PLP. -- all weird spelling is iPhone's fault.

PLP 41 - fail. I got up like 7:30, out the door 9, worked all day in hot and humid outside, and came home totally wiped. Gluten free - after the volunteer work, I stopped at the Sea Dog brew pub in Hull near the volunteer site for a pint with my fellow volunteer. Fried calamari is probably not gluten free either. I am so so excited for Kei Nishikori in the finals. I saw him last Sat on court 17 of US open. It's a history making event. I could not watch the semifinal matches cuz I was working. I time-shifted it and spent hours watching afterward. I'm planning to sit in front of TV @ 5pm Monday.

Overwhelming. Yet, I know it's doable. It's a matter of willpower because you did forty. You can do +1.

This week, I'm demoing a few racquets. I'm trying to play as much tennis as possible. 2014-09-03 Wed Played tennis with my old pal. Hit for a while and played a set. 6-0 2014-09-04 Thu Played tennis with 3rd best player at the club. 3-6 3-6. I really liked the Prince Tour 98 ESP racquet I am demoing. 2014-09-05 Fri Played tennis with my old pal again. Just hit. Mostly used a Yonex VCore Tour. I like it but not as much as Prince one.

2014-09-05 Fri PLP 40 - done! Gluten free - fail. A cranberry nut bread sneaked in. Deja vu. PLP is really getting harder.

2014-09-04 Thu PLP 39 - done! Gluten free - fail. A cranberry nut bread sneaked in. I ordered a few text books from Amazon for my kid. It's a lot cheaper than I expected. Internet rulz! LOL.

Decision: I went back to PLP challenge. Food: Plantain chips + Guacamole for breakfast. Body: My chest/upper body. I think PLP is building up my upper body.

2014-09-03 Wed PLP 38 - done! Gluten free - pretty much yes. Lunch was beef stroganoff with pasta. I did not eat pasta, and beef stroganoff's contain flour for sauce but I scraped off as much as possible. I watched Kei Nishikori last Saturday at US Open, and now he is in the semi finals of US Open. I'm so psyched! Go Kei!