SammyShark

I have seriously been struggling with the winter darkness this year too! It is such a downer! BUT the winter solstice just passed, so the days are going to start getting longer again! This is the most excited I've ever been for the winter solstice, for sure. Sadly, I have no advice on how to fight that. Your session with your trainer actually sounds pretty fun! That's awesome that you are doing that! Good luck to you!

This. This is what it's all about. Good luck Em, I know you'll do GREAT! And don't worry about those squats. Just be happy that you went and did it!

Yay, Snow! You're the only kind of snow I like! You can do it!

I can't see this picture, Lo. BUT I can tell it's something from Sharknado. Did you know they're going to make a sequel!?

Glad to hear the first day went well for you! The holidays are so tough, but we can totally do this! I'll be checking in on you!

Good day today - ate Whole30 approved foods, but TOTALLY forgot I'm not supposed to be chewing gum on Whole30 type days. I'm not actually doing a Whole30 so I guess it doesn't matter that much. I'm mostly just trying out eating along the Whole30 lines to make sure that I can do it in the future. Ellipticalled for 30 minutes. Did a ton of grocery shopping so all set for the next few days. Woo! Oh wait, the next few days are Christmas Eve, Christmas and the day after Christmas. AAAHHH!!!

Woooo! Need a change for this holiday season! Gonna eat great, feel great! Thanks lady! Will do! Excited to eat a slice of pecan pie and watch my nephew open presents!!!

I did not have a very strong finish, but ... I changed a lot of my behaviors and added some good things to my life - like working out more and trying to eat healthier more often. I'm going to continue this by doing the holiday mini challenge.

My first challenge, done and gone. It was hard, it was exciting, it was fun (at times). I made a lot of friends here at NF and even though I won't say I passed this challenge, I will say that I've done a lot of good things over the past 6 weeks. I think I worked out more than I would have otherwise. I think I ate better than I would have otherwise. I tried out the OA meetings, and although I'm not sure whether or not I'll keep attending, I still think it was a good experience. For the first time, I really feel like I'm making good changes and this is something I should keep up. I'm excited to continue my progress into the next mini challenge, and extra excited for the next full challenge. In this past challenge, I had an especially hard time during weeks 4 and 6. The beginning of week 5 was rough too, but I pulled it together, at least for a while. Averaging my daily points for weeks 1, 2, 3, and 5, I was at about 1.78pts/day. That's exactly where I needed to be. I need to figure out how to stay motivated and engaged past the first half of the challenge. I'm changing my point structure for the next go round. I really want to focus on food and weightloss. Light, easy cardio will be factored in more. I also want to focus on getting my workouts in earlier in the day and earlier in the week. Perhaps if I give myself rewards for each week, I will be more motivated? Nothing major - just little things that I need anyways. New black boots for work, a sunrise alarm clock, etc. Something to consider, definitely. By the end, like the last 4 days or so, I really lost steam because I'd already done so poorly that I knew I couldn't make up for it. I'm all for procrastination, but once you hit a certain point, there's only so much you can do. That's why I need to focus more on getting stuff done earlier and staying motivated EACH WEEK. Anyway, overall, I got a D on this challenge. Got a D in every goal except for my Life Quest, in which I got a C. So... I guess I didn't fail, but I don't feel particularly good about leveling up and saying that I "passed" per se. So yeah. Starting over next time. But there WILL be a next time. I lost 6.5 lbs... although at one point I think I was down about 14 lbs so... I don't much feel like taking measurements. I will tomorrow morning.

Goal: Don't have a Crappy Holiday Motivation: Don't lose momentum over the holidays. Keep on track with paleo, continue working out. Do. Not. Binge. It just makes me feel awful. Eat like crap, feel like crap, look like crap. Don't have a crappy holiday! Plan: Eat mostly paleo, try a few days of Whole30. Leniency on Christmas and NYE. Run 3x/week, strength train 3x/week, do some extra cardio of walking or elliptical if I want to. Go to OA meetings if I feel it will be helpful. Points: Keep it simple. Follow the plan I lay out for myself. If I follow the plan, I get a point, if I don't, no point! Since there's no leveling up or attributes for this challenge, I'm making my own incentives. If I get the first 7 points, then I can buy new black boots (which I really need anyway). If I complete the full challenge, then I can buy a sunrise alarm clock!!!

Thanks for all the kind words and support re: the scale, guys! I know the scale fluctuates a lot - trust me, I watch it - but it is incredibly frustrating to feel like you are doing "all the right things" and not seeing any results. The scale is just one way to see results, but I haven't really seen any. My clothes fit the same. I need to take my measurements again and see if they've changed, but since my clothes fit the same, I doubt it. I have not taken to testing my body fat % yet, but I will be starting that soon. I ordered a body fat caliper and it came in the mail the other day. The only problem is that it's just as easy to obsess over these things as it is to obsess over the number on the scale. Does it really matter if I can fit into a size X when sizes vary so much from brand to brand? Is that really any more worthy a goal? I think it comes down to the same thing. What I really need to do is focus more on being healthy. This is extremely difficult because I am insane... Let's not get into it. Anyway, I'm having a hard time figuring out if I'm going to complete this challenge or not. The last 12 days were not great. But they weren't terrible. My individual goal points are going to be close to Cs for my 3 fitness type goals, and an A for my life quest. My overall points are going to be around a B. I feel like with an A or a B, I pass, but that's taking into account things like posting regularly. I knew I shouldn't have done bonus points. I don't think I'm going to pass myself. It doesn't feel like a win. Although I do feel like I've made major changes in my life, which is awesome. I don't know! Dilemma.

Weighed myself. What the fuck is the point of this if I am not losing weight? I am SO frustrated.

Day 34 Points today: 3.25 Points total: 49.5 (1.46/day average) Food: B- eggs, bacon, spinach, tomatoes, butter L- kale chips (kale, olive oil, salt, garlic), snap peas, salami, olives, cheddar cheese, strawberries D- sweet potato, butter I really feel like I ate a LOT today, but as long as I’m eating 80% paleo, I’m not stressing about my calories. Not for the remainder of the challenge anyway. I am supposed to weigh myself tomorrow though. I’m horribly anxious about it. Exercise: Run & BBWW. My run was pretty pathetic. It was just a lot slower than normal, didn’t run as long as normal, felt really lethargic. Probably because I was up WAY too late last night. But I did it. I also ended my run feeling super depressed because I saw this older guy stumbling around drunk, and it just made me feel overwhelmed at how harsh life is. Ugh. Life quest: Did an OA meeting tonight on the phone. I usually do a morning one in person on Saturdays. I’m sad to have missed this one, but I just couldn’t get up that early today. Next week.

Day 33 Points today: 2.75 Points total: 46.25 (1.4pts/day - getting better) Food: B- coffee, coconut oil, heavy cream L- big ass soup, grass fed butter, spinach D- steak, broccoli, butter S- a little wine, one rolo, one little "toffee" caramel thing... Exercise: BBWW (at the office!) Life quest: Did an OA meeting this morning. Awesome.

Day 32 Points today: 2.75 Points total: 43.5 (1.3pts/day) Food: Definitely 80% paleo, but also definitely 20% not. B- coffee, coconut oil, heavy cream L- big ass soup, spinach, butter S- pistachios D- steak, veggies, 3 bites of flourless chocolate cake, some red wine (did NOT eat bread, calamari (breaded), crab cakes, mashed potatoes or flat bread - WIN!) Exercise: Ran this morning, did BBWW very late at night (boo, but got it done, so yay). Life quest: No OA today. Get to sleep in a bit tomorrow, so even though I'm up way later tonight than normal, I'm gonna be okay. Might try to do an online or phone OA meeting in the morning tomorrow... There's one at 8am. That could work. Don't really need to be to work before 9am. Going to stay late anyway... Love!

Day 31 Points today: 3.75 Points total: 40.75 Food: B- coffee, coconut oil, heavy cream L- big ass soup, spinach, butter D- big ass soup, spinach, butter S- some little samples at whole foods (they just opened here!), a little red wine, a tiny piece of the darkest chocolate I've ever had! Exercise: Ran (on the snow, ugh), and BBWW. Added some weight on my squats and lunges (just 10 pounds). Feel good about it. Life Quest: Did a phone OA meeting today. I didn't go to my OA meetings last week (...). They talked about the promises, but I'm not really clear on what the promises are. I tried looking it up, but I don't think it's as clear and cut & dry as the steps or the tools. It's good to at least listen to this. It's good to know I'm not alone. I was in the chat room here earlier today and some people were talking about their own struggles with the holidays and all the food. There was a real sense of sadness in the room, but everyone came together and supported each other and it was really beautiful. It just reminded me of the same sense of camaraderie that I occasionally feel in OA meetings. So... yeah. Doing it. Good day.

I have not posted in AGES. My bad. At first it was because I was doing really poorly, but now it's gotten to the point where I'd have to write SO much that I have not been able to find the time. This is going to be brief. Week 4 was rough. I really fell off the wagon at the end. I'm back on track now, but ... I've suffered a big dent in my points and my training was kinda... eh. Not good! My eating is what has really set me back, more than anything, especially because if I do not eat paleo more than once per week, I actually LOSE points. Hm. I think that's good though, because I really need the incentive! After week 4, my point total was 36.5 - eek. You can see it really didn't go so well those last few days and I lost points. Whoops. Week 5 is going better. I'm getting back on track with eating (thank goodness) and buying some gear to make it easier/safer/warmer to run in this weather. Crazy crappy weather. The good news is -- if I stay on track, I can still accomplish my goals for this challenge. I can still get an A. My eating grade will be a C at the best, but we all have our things we need to work on. There are only 12 days left! That's crazy. I'm glad I stuck around and I'm glad I tracked this period even though it was not great. Even though it was terrible. Awful. Horrible. Fell off the wagon hard, but that's no reason not to get back on. In fact, that's every reason TO get back on. So, I'm renewing my motivation, dedication and accountability by committing to updating NF every day for the rest of the challenge and ensuring that I get in all my workouts, all my OA meetings, and keep eating paleo. Paleo for 12 days... I can totally do that. I've done it before and there's no reason I can't do it again. Will post again tonight to update on points and food and junk! Love! [Edit: Since my goals are to workout and eat paleo, I'm also going to try to refrain from counting calories and weighing myself too much. It just upsets me and throws me off. I'm not going to weigh myself until Sunday, and then not again until the last Sunday of the challenge. I'm not going to count calories. As long as I'm eating paleo, I'm meeting my goals and I need to calm the eff down about the other stuff. Clearly, I have issues, and it's best to deal with them one at a time.]

Hey guys - how is everyone doing? How did Week 4 turn out? Mine was not great, just trying to get back on track for week 5!

*HUGS*

Thursday day 25 Points today 0.75 Points total 39 B- coffee and coconut oil, pistachios L- snap peas, salami, cheese D- pistachios, green beans, butter No workout today. Am feeling really tired. Will have a rough next 3 days making up for it, but the weekend is always easier to work in workouts. Didn't binge. Small wins. So tired. Going to bed.

Wolfie! You're doing so awesome! You're such an inspiration. Seriously. And I love reading your thread with all the DW gifs. So fun! <3

Hey guys! Hope everyone is well! I had a rough patch these last few days. Really fell off the wagon. Finally having a good day again today. Had a great run. Stayed on track diet-wise. Feeling re-energized and re-motivated! Good luck with all your school work, English_Muffin! I hope it all goes off without a hitch!

I tend to agree that above 90% is an A, but sometimes I feel like maybe I haven't been doing my best, which makes me feel guilty! Thank you SO MUCH for not giving up on me and still checking in with me. You are awesome! The points are explained more here: http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/33334-real-life-role-playing-stat-points-and-levelling-up/ You're right, of course. I am SO glad to have found NF! It's such a great community. Sometimes I get so down about things and I just start to think - what is the point of doing X, when it won't impact Y at all? But the point of doing X (running and eating healthy, etc) is to be healthy and happy, not to impact or influence other things. It's to enjoy my life more. And I have to remember that. If I choose to eat like crap and live like crap, I will feel like crap. I don't want to feel like crap! This is definitely going to be hard for me, but I think you're right. Gotta weigh myself less often. Probably the best thing I can do is chug water as soon as I get up. I want to weigh myself then!

37.5 pts Monday Day 22 0pts I ate absolute crap. I did absolutely nothing. Tuesday Day 23 -1 pts Ate like crap again! Did nothing again! I lose points for not eating paleo 6/7 days of the week. That puts me at 36.5 points, 1.59 points per day. Damn. Wednesday Day 24 B - nothing really (wasn't hungry, after all the crap I'd eaten the last 3 days) L - snap peas, salami, cheese (I'm a paleo dairy eater. Deal with it.) D - eggs & bacon, apple, peanut butter (not paleo, no matter how you slice it) Points today: 1.75 [0.5 (80% paleo), 1 (run), 0.25 (posting)] Points total: 38.25 (1.59 average still) I'm back on track today. I really had a bad run there. Fell off the wagon. It's not unsalvageable though. That kind of thinking will only do me harm. Getting a good day on my belt makes me feel a lot better about the whole thing. I can do it. I can stay on the plan again.

This first challenge has actually been going pretty well. I just reviewed everything I've done over the last 3 weeks, and it's not too shabby. I've cleaned up my diet significantly and have actually stuck to a reasonable exercise routine for the last 3 weeks. There is still a LOT of room for improvement, but all things considered, I'm making good progress. I did a lot better than I ever thought I could on Thanksgiving. It gives me a lot of hope for Christmas!