Kay8

Thanks, Batwoman! I gonna try my best...

Oy, I’m back. I did well for the first week and a half or so of the challenge: reached my goals while traveling, which was good. Then I got back and got sick not long after and fell off the wagon for a bit. In the past week I’ve been eating well again, but have done only one workout. Haven’t been keeping track of whether I met my goals each week, so… reboot time? There’s still a few weeks to go, and while I won’t meet the main challenge goal (lose 6 lbs of fat) it would be silly not to get back on the horse. So... I’m back! Hold me to it!

We’re getting there! Couple thousand miles driven and only a few more states to go. I’ve been slipping in easy jogs and long walks with occasional push ups in the morning when possible, including one jog in the Rocky Mountains that was hilarious since I had not yet acclimated to the altitude. If I add in the day of helping my friends load their moving van before we left, I feel like I’m not atrophying entirely while sitting and driving so much. We packed a bunch of coolers of food so meals at rest stops in the middle of almost nowhere go something like this: So for the modified portions for the first ten days of the challenge, I’m on track. Looking forward to getting back to my usual routine next week!

Finally getting my challenge up! I’m traveling with spotty internet access currently. My second challenge (first as an assassin!) will be more or less a reboot of my first challenge (here), during which I lost 15 lbs. That’s unlikely to happen again so this time around: Main Quest: To eventually do a pull up, which means slimming down and getting stronger. To that end, for this 6-week challenge I aim to lose 6 lbs of fat, as judged by weight and waist measurements. Also track and stay motivated with weekly photos. 1. Bodyweight workouts 3 times a week Pass or fail, 1 point per workout, graded out of 3 per week for 14 total (exception for 4 workouts explained below) 2. Cardio: 45 minutes of walking 3 times a week Pass or fail, 1 point per walk, graded out 3 per week for 14 total (exception below) 3. Eat primal: no grains, legumes, refined sugar, soy; if drinking alcohol, no more than 3 times a week, specifically not two days in a row Pass or fail by day, 1 point per day, out of 7 per week for 42 total. Alcohol two days in a row subtracts a point. Lifequest: Six times a week make appointments with myself to write my dissertation, andkeep them. Each week I’ll schedule out the hours during the coming days that I I have free to work on my dissertation. I’ll consider these times as appointments with myself that I can’t break, can’t reschedule, can’t let be usurped by something more pressing, etc. Pass or fail by day, 1 point per day, out of 36 total. BONUS given for 7/week. Bumps in the road: Until August 6 I’m traveling: driving 500+ miles a day and sharing a hotel room at night. I don’t feel comfortable doing bodyweight exercises in a shared hotel room (or at the gas pump, as recommended by a recent NerdFitness blog post), and won’t have much time to walk. So I’m instead focusing for this first nine days on diet: make consistent and planned food choices while on the road and don’t fall prey to boredom eating to spice up the monotony of driving ten hours a day. Progress photos below from the start of last challenge and end of last challenge (the latter will substitute for the start of this challenge): I’ll check in when possible for the next nine days and be able to start actively following other challenges next week!

Closing out this challenge: today is the full six weeks for me, since I started June 13th. Final weight was 141 lbs this morning, so that's 15 lbs lost overall during the challenge. At the start, I just managed two circuits of the Beginner Bodyweight Workout; for last night's Angry Birds workout I hit totals of 45 jump squats, 45 push ups, 11 chin up negatives and 134 second plank (divided across three sets). I'm satisfied.

Headed to the Assassins. Need to get that pull up done. Still sorting out my challenge goals, but they probably won't be too different. But yeah, running out of time!

Ah! I hadn't noticed until you pointed it out. I can feel the difference, but I wasn't really seeing it in photos or the mirror. But now I do... thanks!

I was just wondering the same thing! We want to hear from you, Wolfie!

Oh gosh, thank you! I love that dress because it’s stretchy without being awful clingy (you know, the painted-on-to-any-bulge-or-jiggle kind of stretchy? it’s somehow not that...) but yeah, I like it even more now! I’m happy that it’ll probably keep fitting for a while, whereas other things are getting a bit too big now. Thanks for reading! I’ll stop by your thread as well… we should have caught up sooner.

I started about half a week late, so technically still going here 1) YOUR MAIN QUEST: To lose fat and gain muscle. i.) Do the Beginner Bodyweight Workout 3x/week; adjust difficulty if needed as time goes on. PASS. Did bodyweight workouts three times every week with a recovery day or two in between each one. Partway through the challenge I switched to the Angry Birds workout, which I’m enjoying more and let’s me track progress more easily. Am now on a pull up mission. ii.) Interval training 3x/week (this one here). Probably mostly jumping rope indoors, but working up to running outdoors if possible. PASS, with adjustments. I missed one cardio workout entirely, and swapped one planned cardio day with a rest day (so not missed, but not entirely on schedule). A couple times I ran, and mostly I jumped rope paired with jumping jacks for the less intense sections. Toward the end I made a major adjustment to jumping rope paired with stretching to cut down on the intensity for what I consider allowable reasons. When I did that, I paired those days with more walking to try to make up some of the difference. The lap around my apartment complex is about a half mile, so I encouraged myself to bring the dog on two laps instead of one each time we went out (adds up to ~2 or 3 miles a day, not including our usual longer walk on trails). iii.) Eat paleo-ish (=primal?). I.e., avoiding grains, legumes, processed foods, but allowing limited amounts of dairy. I’m not a huge fan of meat so I lean more toward fish and eggs and veggies. PASS. Converted from grain-heavy vegetarian/pescatarian to full carnivore. Well, pig and turkey. Still not a fan of chicken and cow. I ate according to my goals with a few exceptions, mainly minor instances in the first week or two. Then I figured out I need to squirrel away baggies of nuts everywhere. Also, best to cook up big batches of at least three kinds of veggies on the weekend. 2) PICK YOUR SIDE QUESTS: Life Side Quest: Write a page (250 words) a day of my dissertation, at least 5x/week. FAIL. Not even close. I stated in my challenge that I know this is the first thing to fall by the wayside when I’m busy, but I didn’t handle it any better during this challenge. It’s not a new lesson learned, but maybe a lesson finally learned well: these past few weeks it’s hit home how often I let myself book other things during time I’d planned for writing. For the next challenge, instead of setting a word-count goal I think I’m basing my side quest around treating this work like strict appointments with myself. Once a week I’ll block out specific hours for each day and then guard them like treasure. No meetings with colleagues, no nothing, just my butt in the office chair. I really should have figured this out by now. Tangible results: Measurements on 6/19/2014 vs. 7/21/2014: Natural Waist: 33.5†--> 29†(Waist at naval is currently 31†but I didn’t measure that at the start.) Bust: 41†--> 37.5†(I need new bras. Gah.) Underbust: 31†--> 30.5†Thigh: 24†--> 23†Hips: 41†--> 39†Upper arm: 12� --> 11.5� (still hard to measure one-armed) I started at 156.6 lbs and ended at 144.4 lbs. [Actually 143 lbs today, to update from yesterday.] I definitely lost body fat, and probably gained a little lean mass, as I measurably got stronger. So main quest: PASS (continually in progress). I realized that measurements mean little to me, the scale is not so helpful unless paired with body fat calculations, and weekly progress pictures are surprisingly good at keeping me accountable AND helping me see progress. And that these forums are the best support of all. Next up: Assassins. Slightly longer report and photos here: http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/50107-kay8’s-quest/?p=1124593

Thanks! That’s part of why I took and posted photos! Partially for accountability, partially to see progress… but also because I know I really get a lot out of seeing other peoples’ photos. I’m glad they were helpful for you. You’re going to crush this next challenge!

Thanks, Hazard! The measurements didn’t mean much to me with no frame of reference for most of them. One of the reasons I took photos. Good to know!

Good! How can we help? Want to bounce some of those goals off us? Maybe we can hash out ways to help keep you committed to a routine?

(Sort of) End of Challenge Update I started half a week late so I don’t count my challenge entirely over yet, but I’ll jump on the bandwagon with an end of challenge update. I’m grading this Pass/Fail on each part of the challenge, in part because it’s fairly clear which parts were which, and in part because when I was setting up the challenge I was elbows deep in syllabus planning for next semester and didn’t want to think about another grading rubric. Next challenge I’ll be more specific, but this time around I’ll go with hand wavy holistic grading. 1) YOUR MAIN QUEST: To lose fat and gain muscle. i.) Do the Beginner Bodyweight Workout 3x/week; adjust difficulty if needed as time goes on. PASS. Did bodyweight workouts three times every week with a recovery day or two in between each one. Partway through the challenge I switched to the Angry Birds workout, which I’m enjoying more and let’s me track progress more easily. Am on a pull up mission. ii.) Interval training 3x/week (this one here). Probably mostly jumping rope indoors, but working up to running outdoors if possible. PASS, with adjustments. I missed one cardio workout entirely, and swapped one planned cardio day with a rest day (so not missed, but not entirely on schedule). A couple times I ran, and mostly I jumped rope paired with jumping jacks for the less intense sections. Toward the end I made a major adjustment to jumping rope paired with stretching to cut down on the intensity for what I’ll deem allowable reasons. When I did that, I paired those days with more walking to try to make up some of the difference. The lap around my apartment complex is about a half mile, so I encouraged myself to bring the dog on two laps instead of one each time we went out (adds up to ~2 or 3 miles a day, not including our usual longer walk on trails). iii.) Eat paleo-ish (=primal?). I.e., avoiding grains, legumes, processed foods, but allowing limited amounts of dairy. I’m not a huge fan of meat so I lean more toward fish and eggs and veggies. Not certain how I’ll grade this, but it’s been working out fairly well so far this past week. PASS. Converted from vegetarian/pescatarian to full carnivore. Well, pig and turkey. Still not a fan of chicken and beef. I ate according to my goals with the following exceptions: --a couple items in the first few days when still cleaning out the pantry/fridge (a bowl of Kashi Go Lean and one flavored/sweetened Greek yogurt, neither of which I could bring myself just throw out. --some homemade dumplings a student’s mom sent home with me, again in the first couple days of the challenge. The following week she wanted to send me home with what looked like delicious homemade fried rice, but I declined politely and told her I don’t like fried rice (a lie, and alas, since this student just moved here from China six months ago and her mom’s cooking is Shanghai-style amazing). As several of my students have moms who love to feed me, this has been a challenge at times, but since it’s summer they’ve been mostly plying me with fruit. --miso soup and some soy sauce the one time I ate out. I haven’t read up enough on the reasoning behind eschewing soybeans, and I’m not entirely convinced the amount of wheat in soy sauce is a huge deal for me if I’m not eating gallons of the stuff. Miso is filed under “healthy comfort food†in my brain and it’s going to take a bit of effort to convince me to re-file it elsewhere. -an espresso drink with sugar when I was out and hadn’t yet started carrying better snack choices. With the exception of the miso and soy sauce, all these happened in the first week or two before I really restocked my kitchen. I never took a firm stance on alcohol, which I should probably do next time around. Wine, particularly in the reasonable amounts I drink, is probably a health boon rather than a health hazard in the long run. (Like most people with a set of Italian grandparents, I can trot out the example of my grandmother who drank (homemade!) red wine at lunch and dinner her entire life and lived to, no kidding, 105.) In the short term, it’s probably not doing any favors for my fat loss goal, though. The next 6-week challenge will include the start of the fall university semester, which will bring with it social drinking (and far more social eating). Something else to consider going forward. 2) PICK YOUR SIDE QUESTS: Life Side Quest: Write a page (250 words) a day of my dissertation, at least 5x/week. FAIL. Not even close. I stated in my challenge that I know this is the first thing to fall by the wayside when I’m busy, but I didn’t handle it any better during this challenge. It’s not a new lesson learned, but maybe a lesson finally learned well: these past few weeks it’s hit home how often I look at my schedule and see two free hours, think “that’s dissertation time!†and then let myself schedule a meeting or doctor’s appointment or really anything during that “free†time. For the next challenge, instead of setting a word-count goal I think I’m basing my side quest around treating this work like appointments with myself. I would never schedule another activity during a time I’m teaching or have an appointment with someone, so there’s no reason I should schedule anything else during the time I have an appointment with my dissertation. Once a week I’ll block out specific hours for each day and then guard them like treasure. No meetings with colleagues, no nothing, just my butt in the office chair. I really should have figured this out by now. As for tangible results: Measurements on 6/19/2014 vs. 7/21/2014: Natural Waist: 33.5†--> 29†(Waist at naval is currently 31†but I didn’t measure that at the start.) Bust: 41†--> 37.5†(I need new bras. Argh, that’s gonna hurt my wallet.) Underbust: 31†--> 30.5†Thigh: 24†--> 23†Hips: 41†--> 39†Upper arm: 12� --> 11.5� (still hard to measure one-armed) I was 156.6 lbs at the start and 144.4 lbs this morning. According to various body fat formulas, I lost 15 lbs of fat, or 14 lbs of fat, or 11 lbs of fat, or 3 lbs of fat. Maybe I should average that and say 10ish (which I still find hard to believe). I don’t know whether I gained muscle, but I definitely got stronger. I’m still a long way from doing a pull up, but this morning I managed a sort of proto chin up with a little hop at the start. Then I bonked my head on the door frame because yes, these things have a right and wrong side if you’re actually pulling yourself up over the bar. The agony of victory. Finally, photos. I forgot to take one of the front ones this morning, so I went with the end of last week’s instead--it was only a few days ago. I’m looking forward to the next challenge.

PS: I think your shadow is getting more menacing with each photo. All that assassin training.

Yikes, yes! If you’re not seeing it, well, I’ll see it twice for both of us. Definitely flatter in the waist and smaller around the thighs, if you’re not seeing a width difference (which is there too). Proof of hard work! Also, you’ve progressed from Teutonic to Bandit. Which is… well, the value depends, I guess, on whether you’d prefer Germanic or Slavic or Banditic. (Or Smiley-Faceic?) Regardless: nicely done!

Yay!! Congratulations on the success, and all the hard work! Especially the 105% and 108% for summer activities. They sound like activities that count for a good mental health category, so just as important as the physical challenges. Which you nailed as well! I’ve been reading along and should have replied more, but even so you’ve been so supportive of my challenge. Thank you hugely.

Thank you! I appreciate that you're checking in!

Thank you! How the heck are you keeping up with so many threads?! It amazes me that you're indeed reading along. I appreciate it.

Thanks! Missed this message somehow until now--I appreciate the support!

Early photo update. I'm not certain I'll have a chance to take photos tomorrow morning so I snapped a few tonight to be sure. Once again, I'm so relieved that I decided to track with photos. I cut back on cardio a lot this week and so I thought I wouldn't see much progress. But things are still changing. Yay! The lighting's a little different, but even so I can see that since last week my upper thighs slimmed down a bit and my lower thighs (quads?) might have filled out a little. I feel like I don't see any change at all in my arms, both in photos or in the mirror, but if I flex my bicep, there's definitely sturdy muscle under there that wasn't as obvious before. Which brings me to: Angry Birds 7/15/14 Overhead squats: goal=85; sets: 51, 42 (***) total = 93 Push ups: goal=30, sets: 21, 12 (***) total = 33 Chin up negatives: goal=6; sets: 3, 3 (**) total = 6 Planks: goal=100 seconds; sets: 41, 38, 32 (**) total = 111 Which I was pretty pleased about, since I finally got the chin up negatives down to six total in two sets rather than three sets. But then tonight: Overhead squats: goal=90; sets: 58, 36 (***) total = 94 Push ups: goal=34, sets: 20, 15 (***) total = 35 Chin up negatives: goal=7; sets: 8 (***) total = 8 WHAAAAAT!!! Planks: goal=100 seconds; sets: 52, 53 (***) total = 105 Got everything in two sets or fewer, and WHAT happened with the chin up negatives!? Two days ago it was a momentous task to hit just 3 in a single set, and then tonight I hit my goal of 4 for the first set and then they just kept coming... all the way up to 8! I apparently grew my back muscles since two days ago. Apparently something's changing in my arms too with the pushups, but it's still camouflaged under a layer of fat. Gotta get my arm strength caught up with my legs. The limiting factor with overhead squats has been keeping my arms in the air, not the squats themselves. Cardio: I've had an especially allergic week so I cut back on anything that gets my heart rate up too high. Recently I stuck to either walking, or jumping rope during only the intense parts of the HIIT workout and then just stretching in the less intense parts. So 3 minutes total of jumping rope all out (in 30-second increments), with the various stretches for handstands in the 2-minute segments in between. Still a little prickly and itchy afterward, but not like before. I worried it wouldn't really be much of a workout, but I still had sweat dripping off me at the end. Eating well: I've stuck to my primal-ish goals. I had a few days of not eating as many veggies as I'd prefer, but I kicked myself back into gear yesterday. Planning on cooking up a whole bunch of brussels sprouts, broccolini, and asparagus this weekend, which will make next week easier. I can't believe the challenge is almost over!

I hadn't actually heard of it until Hazard posted a clip recently on his challenge thread. Holy smokes, amazing. I think I'll just keep working on belting out a single chin up and leave the Ninja Warrioring to the others.

When I saw your first photo I thought at first that you were holding a crazy and cool bow. Pictures are a great tool! Keep it up!

Hope everything's okay. We're rooting for you!

Quick update. Still eating paleo/primal as planned, with the exception of a bowl of miso soup and a bit of soy sauce when I had sushi with a friend over the weekend. I figured whatever wheat in soy sauce is probably pretty minimal given the amount I had, and I wanted the soup to fill things out so I wasn’t just eating a plate of raw fish. I did miss the sticky rice a little. Last night’s Angy Bird workout: Overhead squats: goal=80; sets: 51, 3*3 (***) total = 84 Push ups: goal=30, sets: 10, 12, 10 (*) total = 32 Chin up negatives: goal=6; sets: 3, 2, 1 (**) total = 6 Planks: goal=100 seconds; sets: 40, 35, 31 (**) total = 106 I was really tired and probably could have done a better job. I made all my goals, but the numbers per set went down since last time. Oh the plus side, I can now lift myself about half an inch while trying to do a pull up, rather than just flopping around like a fish. So pretty soon I’ll be doing these, right?