TaloraDion

Thanks Tanktimus!

So yeah, I was on NF last summer, doing alright, and then had a rough fall/winter/spring, and totally fell off the NF map. My anxiety (GAD/social/phobias) spiked this spring due to a few factors, I was depressed and didn't know it, and have been under considerable stress from multiple sources. I realized in December that I needed to change my life in a pretty massive way, and then realized again in May that another area of my life needed some more huge changes. I'm working on getting into grad school and looking for a new job at the same time at this point, am single again, and trying to focus on what *I* want instead of trying to renovate myself to fit into someone else's life, yet again. I started back at the gym a few weeks ago and began Starting Strength last week, and am feeling pretty good about it. I'm motivated at the moment, but I need to figure out how to be disciplined to keep up the momentum. Anyway, I'll be starting a new battle log and hopefully joining the next Challenge.

Well, this has been an interesting week. The aforementioned, above--plus I decided to ask a guy out. He declined Bloody relationships and dating and nonsense! ... Ahem. Report on the above plan: 1. Saw our regular vet. He was great. We have a short term plan to manage symptoms and a plan to get to the root of the issue. Dog is doing much better tonight. 2. Err... right. No more relationship drama. 3. Work is going. It's all good. 4. No walk today, but I WENT TO THE GYM AND I DEADLIFTED 85lbs!!!! Deadlifts make life worth living =D

Well, this has not gotten off to the best start. My dog has been sick for 2.5 weeks (no answers yet) plus I was handed a VERY high-pressure, high-visibility project at work that has me stressed right out. I'm eating too much sugar (i.e. chocolate chips, honey and sunbutter on a spoon). Coffee was sending me into anxiety attacks, so I switched to black tea this morning. There's also some personal relationship crap (drama) going on. REALLY not having a good time. *Deep breaths.......* To win this battle: 1. Take dog to vet tonight. Get bloodwork, etc. INSIST on it ALL. 2. Step away from the relationship drama. Don't need it, don't want it. So not worth it. 3. Do my best at work (already doing this, but the reminder is good) 3. Get outside and go for a walk after work (sans dog, in addition to being sick, he cut up his pad and is limping).

Subbing because your challenge goals are great, your motivations are entirely relatable, and I laughed out loud several times reading the first page =) I especially hear you on wanting smaller boobs... I'll never be able to go braless in public, but, sheesh, I'd love to just be able to buy bras from any old department store instead of specialty stores :S Also, MAJOR PROPS for pullups!

I made this last night. Crazy good. If you like prawns, do try it. Note: it was dark by the time I was making dinner, so I ended up spreading all the prawns out on a cookie sheet in a single layer and broiling (on low, with the sheet about 6 inches below the element) for ~8 mins on one side, then flipping all of them, and broiling for another 5 or 7 mins. http://theclothesmakethegirl.com/2010/06/09/pa-eating-thai-inspired-grill-out/

Soooo.... I found dis: http://www.ourpaleolife.com/2013/04/paleo-marshmallows/ Do those count?

Woke up this morning, and realized that I made my goals too hard, and too nebulous. So I'm going to modify them slightly. Clearly, still getting the hang of this!

Day 1: I met my social obligation for the week! BAM! Good job, self. I went to a meetup for entrepreneurs It wasn't even all that nerveracking. Plus, we got a sweet tour of a local college's machine shop =) Food on the other hand... I skipped breakfast (but had coffee, of course), ate 3 poached eggs for lunch, and then was anxious and completely lacked focus all afternoon. Dinner didn't get et until just now (10pm)--and it was not Paleo (although was essentially Real Food). Sleep... headed that way now.

After watching from the shadows for a couple days, Talora determines that this group is probably safe, and the desire to carry on a conversation with someone who can talk back overcomes her anxiety regarding socializing, and groups of strangers, and just strange things in general. Hey, if you were raised by wolves, you'd probably feel the same. Not quite skulking, she moves into the circle of firelight. So many people, so much... fire. But it's warm, and an actual conversation would be nice. Hello and well met, fellow Rangers!

Introduction Hi, I'm Talora Dion, and this is my second challenge at NF. I'm excited to join the Rangers, because I think I've always been a Ranger: I love XC running and mountain biking, as well as lifting weights and getting stronger. I have been struggling with fatigue of unknown origin, insomnia (worsened by exercise), anxiety, and various "weird" medical issues (like seemingly random allergic reactions to food) for about 5 years now. This is my continuing quest to get my life back! Current stats: 5'7", 143lbs (as of September 13, 2014 at 9pm), size 8 (Canadian), a mile long list of minor to moderate severity medical complaints. Last Challenge, I had three main quests: eat strict Paleo, do the NF Basic Bodyweight workout, and sleep a minimum of 8 hours per night, 6 nights a week. I did mediocre on the first, not good on the second, and decent on the third. This time, I want to make things easier (so that I am not discouraged, which happened last challenge), as well as more practical. My Mission I want to be healthy, fit, and happy, with more energy than I know what to do with! Specifically, here's what that would look like: Endurance Measures Able to mountain bike for a full day and be only slightly sore the next day, with no impact on energy levels for the following weekEasily run 5km with my dog 3x/weekStrength Measures Deadlift 200lbs 1rep (Currently 75lbs?)Back Squat 120lbs 1rep (Currently 45 lbs)Bench Press 75lbs 1 rep (Currently 45 lbs?)25 toe pushups in one set (Currently 2 :S )3 pullups (dead hang, no kipping) (Currently none)Other Running my own business, with flexible hoursCamping, hiking and mountain biking on a regular basisWorking on my Epic Quest itemsI want to achieve the Endurance and Strength measures by April 30th, 2015. This will likely entail losing some weight (and I would like to weigh closer to 130lbs) but my focus is on HEALTH and ENERGY. The Other items are going to take a little longer than that. Quest #1: Strong and FreeThis is all about building strength and endurance gradually. I am really out of the habit of exercising and need to make it a habit again. If I am not strong and fit, I cannot be an effective Ranger.Part 1: Bike 2x per week with Castle (my dog direwolf). We're BOTH out of shape, so I'm starting with 2 outings per week, each 2km, and building up to ~5km twice a week over the course of this challenge.Part 2: Go to the gym 2x per week. I'm joining a new gym for this Challenge that will hopefully be more inviting; I will go sign up tomorrow (September 15th). Note that for the time being, I'm not setting any goals beyond just walking in the door of the gym twice a week: no expectation for any workouts. Quest #2: Hunter GathererAgain, this quest is all about instilling habits. Part 1: I want to make it a habit to cook a huge batch of Paleo food twice per week, and then live off it until it's gone. Not only will this reduce the amount of time I have to spend in the kitchen to eat well, it should also reduce the amount I spend on said food. Also, I really hate wasting food--and I waste too much due to buying stuff I don't eat before it goes bad. So, twice per week, I'm going to buy just what I need to make the next cookup. Part 2: I desperately need to get in the habit of eating breakfast. Too often, I skip breakfast and then am ravenous by 10:30am. A crashy, hangry Ranger is a useless, possibly detrimental one. To keep myself safe out there, I need to take care of myself, and that definitely includes eating to fuel my activities. Quest #3: R&RAll the above effort will be for naught if I am not rested and relaxed. My anxiety issues are in full force these days due to work, which I can't really do anything about--except to manage my own state of mind. Sleep, time outside in nature, and time spent doing things I enjoy are how I will get through this Challenge. Part 1: Getting into a bedtime routine: no screens after 9pm, in bed at 10pm, lights out at 11pm. This should allow me to get a solid 8+ hours of sleep.Part 2: Run for the hills! i.e. get out in nature at least once a week. I will be managing and recording all these things using a spreadsheet: here (HUGE shoutout and thanks to ShadowLion, whose spreadsheet this is based on.) And finally, a Life Quest:To get from where I am to where I want to be, I need to put in some serious time working on my side businesses (yes... plural). I am aiming to spend 7 hours per week on this, tracked using RescueTime. Additionally, to reach the goals I've set for myself and my dog, we need to get serious about training. Therefore, I will be recording how many training sessions I do every week, aiming for 7. Training sessions don't need to be long--2 minutes counts--but they need to happen! (I can't figure out how to make the image proper sized :S )

Challenge wrap-up: Overall, I'm happy with the last 6 weeks. I had a bobble in the middle, after week 3, but managed to get mostly back on track for end of week 5. Here's a goal-by-goal summary (and scoring): Quest #1 Goal: Eat Whole30 for the 6 weeks of the Challenge. Measurement: A = 100% success, B = 1 mistake, C = 2+ mistakes Result: I did 3 weeks out of the Whole30, then went off plan for about a week and a half. The last week and a half was good again. I have figured out that food is DEFINITELY connected with my anxiety: mustard seems to lead to panic attacks Weird, weird, weird. I've never seen mention of foods leading to anxiety attacks, but eating mustard == rising anxiety about 1 - 2 hours later. Also, it looks like I need to cut out dairy semi-permanently; my eczema cleared up a lot in the first 3 weeks, and then flared up at the end of week 4, during which I ate a fair bit of cheese, cream, and butter. I'm avoiding all dairy for the time being, even ghee, because my eczema is REALLY bad, and I would love to see it gone. In summary, I didn't achieve this goal, but I learned a lot, and I do feel better! So I'm giving myself +1 CON for this. Quest #2 Goal: Sleep 8+ hours every night (11pm - 7am) Measurement: A = 5+ nights per week, B = 4 nights per week, C = 3 nights per week I'm doing MUCH better on the sleep front, i.e. I'm getting at least 7 hours per night consistently, and I'm falling asleep quickly, and sleeping through the night. Immediate improvement after I cut out mustard, and absolutely terrible sleep on the nights I ate out and didn't specify "no mustard" when ordering. I still need to get more sleep, especially weekday nights. Any night where I socialize, I end up getting into bed at midnight or later, which means <7 hours. And sometimes I just sabotage myself and stay up for no reason. Summary: definite progress, but not to where I want to be. Giving myself +1 STA and +1 DEX for this. Quest #3 Goal: Strength training 3x/week; starting with the NF Basic Bodyweight workout, until that gets too easy, then I'll figure out what to do next. Measurement: A = 18x during the Challenge; B = 14x during the Challenge; C = 10x during the Challenge. Blah. This one was a bust. I think I managed 6 bodyweight workouts during the challenge, so no stat increases for this. I found it hard to remember to do the workouts at home, for multiple reasons. I did, however, do a lot of yard work (moving and stacking firewood, loading the truck for a dump run, etc.), helped a friend move, and various other things that required strength. I surprised myself at how strong I really am several times. Summary: I'll give myself +0.25 STR for this. Mini quests: +1 WIS Stat point totals: 0.85 STR, 1.8 DEX, 2.6 STA, 3 CON, 4 WIS, 0.6 CHA and LEVEL 1!

Saving this. I'm looking for a good collection of "go-to" Paleo meals that don't take forever to cook, and don't leave me with a mountain of dishes Thanks for posting!

Thanks, ChristArtist! I'm finishing strong, at least... Rocked the food aspect this week. Not so much on the sleep. And as for strength training, I've been doing yard work and some heavy duty housecleaning and sorting. I'm VERY pleased to report that energy levels are maintaining, if not increasing Thinking ahead to the next Challenge, I have a lot of ideas for goals: -Gym 2 days per week, focus on pure strength -Quit caffeine completely -Biking: get back on the bike! 3km 2x per week, work up to 8 km 2x per week? Or something. -Cut out nightshades for 4 weeks, try reintroducing -Eat breakfast! -Keep eating real food/Paleo -Meal planning! I desperately need to learn how to do this. -Just better planning, in general. I suck at it right now. I'll probably come up with more over the next few days.

A little late on this, but here's my mid-CHallenge stat point allocation: First, the available points: Q1: Whole30 - CON+2, WIS+3 Q2: Sleep - STA+2, DEX+1 Q3: Strength training - STR+1, CHA+1 (I'll go back and update the first post in this thread; I didn't understand stat points allocation when I wrote it.) Second, my success levels for the first 3 weeks: Q1: A! Q2: B Q3: C Therefore, stats are as follows: CON + 2 WIS + 3 STA + 1.6 DEX + 0.8 STR + 0.6 CHA + 0.6 ... using A = 100%, B = 80%, and C = 60%.

Thanks, I'll do that! Question about stats though... the first three weeks I did pretty well. Then everything fell apart for the following two weeks. I didn't get a chance to assign myself stat points at the half way mark; should I go back and do that?

This is my first stab at an "Epic Goal" list. I have a bucket list (kinda... it's not written down) but I think adding some structure to it might help me figure out which direction I should be heading in. As it stands, I feel like I'm just spinning in circles, and I am at the point where I need to start on a path, any path, that takes me from where I currently am. This is not overly organized, and definitely not specific enough; first I just want to get everything written down. Career/Work: ... TBD. Travel: -Iceland! -Norway/Denmark/Sweden/Finland -Europe, especially Germany, Austria, Switzerland -Ireland -Poland, Ukraine, Czech Republic, Slovakia Learning: -Take the KPA Dog Trainer course -Second BSc (in Bio/Psych) Fitness and Physical Skills -Learn to rock climb -Mountain biking clinic! -Take a mountaineering course -Learn the basics of orienteering -Take a dog first aid course -Take a human first aid course -Take a wilderness first aid course -Hike the Juan de Fuca trail -Hike the West Coast Trail -Do the Port Alberni-Horne Lake bike trip again Dogs: -Train Castle 5x per week, every week -Get all NADAC Novice titles on Castle (Tunnelers, Jumpers, TnG, Reg, Num Hoops, Weavers, Chances) -Get a CKC Rally Novice title on Castle -Get a CKC CD title on Castle Other: -Write and publish a book -Update my Epic Quest post

I'm definitely in for the next Challenge. This has been a really good experience and I am so grateful for the support and encouragement I've received in this forum I've learned a lot about myself, and will be going into it somewhat wiser with regards to goal setting and how much time I need to devote to staying on track. I'm going to continue into the Rangers, since I'm all about the jack-of-all-trades approach to life

Not quitting. I just hit a speedbump I've got the food situation straightened out for the most part. What happened was, two weekends ago, I had an event that I was helping to host, Friday night through Sunday night. I didn't pack enough food, I'd previously signed up for the barbecue Saturday night (which is an amazing, gourmet catered meal every year), I was exhausted from running around in the heat all day, and I decided to indulge in some "dietary off-roading" because it was TOTALLY WORTH IT (the chef is a friend, as well). But then I had no food for Sunday, and was completely exhausted when I got home that night. Then, I had appointments every single evening that week, after a full day's work. No time or energy to cook. I kinda got my shit together over this past weekend, but got the news that my dog had ringworm and instead of cooking, had to use all my energy to clean my house. Blarg! But over the past couple days, I have grilled a bunch of chicken thighs and a HUGE sockeye salmon fillet, plus I fried up a bunch of veggies from the garden. So, food! Yay. Tonight I went for a bike ride with my dog. Not a long one--2.8 kms total--but I channelled Beast/Berserk Mode on a hill for fun and powered up it. Basically died at the top Also, my size 8 work slacks are waaaayyyy loose today! So I'm celebrating those successes, and continuing on with my challenge goals.

Ugh, last week was a disaster. Didn't sleep enough, overdid it (physically) on the 16th/17th (GRRRRRRRR SO FRUSTRATING), and then didn't get a chance to cook for the week, so I ended up eating off-plan... and then got sick Friday/Saturday/Sunday. Work is going poorly (let's just say I've been assigned to clean up someone else's mess). At this point, I've failed all the challenges I set up for myself: I had basically a week off the W30, several 6 hour sleep nights, and I haven't been doing the bodyweight workouts--although I have been very physically active over the last 2 weeks. Arrgh. Also, my dog was diagnosed with ringworm late last week, which means a ton of extra work; I have to sanitize my house as best I can, and I'm a confirmed mysophobe (germophobe). Blech. I am NOT in a good headspace.

I may have overexerted myself on the weekend. Saturday I had a ton of energy, and got lots done, but then couldn't sleep (still inside, having trouble getting the outdoor sleeping thing set up... my yard is problematic). Sunday I felt a bit wiped, but had arranged to meet a friend at the lake in the afternoon, and then had dinner plans. So much socializing for this introvert! Anyway, I wanted to take my sit-on-top kayak to the lake, but there was no one around to help me get it on top of my truck... so I did it myself. I've been telling myself that I couldn't possibly lift it, it's 50lbs and 10' long, but I did! Which was a huge accomplishment, and NOT easy. It's right at the outer limits of my physical abilities. So, then I went to the lake, kayaked up and down the lake, found my friend, floated around in the hot sun for a couple hours... and then kayaked full speed back to the boat launch at the other end. Then I had to power walk for a kilometer to get my truck, bring to to the boat launch, and muscle the kayak back up on top of it, all very quickly because I was running late for dinner at another friend's place. Dinner was great and low-key but I think I a) totally overdid it on lifting and kayaking and got dehydrated and possibly ended up with an electrolyte imbalance. I chose to not use my electrolyte tablets last night, since they are not Whole30-approved, and I wasn't positive that they'd help. Well.. today I wish I'd taken one. Slept really poorly, woke up feeling rather like I'd been hit by a truck, and have been having "intestinal discomfort" all morning. I may actually be sick--I really can't tell. Oh, also, I managed to slice completely through a good part of my thumb nail on Friday plus took a small chunk out of another finger while cutting onions. Yeah, that kinda hurts. Poor sleep screws everything up. I was feverish, sore, and restless last night; no idea why. I was utterly exhausted when I got home after dinner and a game of Settlers of Catan.

Ooh, Ellet, I am excited for you! I've always wanted to do some bike touring, haven't had the funds/fitness (no funds but the fitness, or funds but no fitness) to do it yet. Looks like it'll be an epic ride. Cool, saving this. I'm hoping to get a road or cyclocross bike in the next year so I can do some touring--starting with Vancouver Island!

Aug 8, 2014 - Derp Well... I'm doing just swimmingly at keeping up with this whole "daily logging" thing It's not a surprise, since I've never been able to keep up any kind of daily logging/journaling--and i'm not going to worry about it. I have three goals right now, and none of them are "write in my battle log every day". Today is a good day, ESPECIALLY in comparison to the last few, which were cranky, depressed, snarky, antisocial... basically I hid when I could and tried not to kill anyone (I succeeded--everyone is still alive). Today, however, I am energetic, awake, productive, and optimistic (and not having to restrain any urges to kill--yay!). Sleep last night: 8h, 8/10 quality Mood: 9/10 Energy: 7.5/10 I'm still Whole30. I feel thinner today, less bloated, which is pretty much exactly as the Whole30 timeline predicts for this stage. While this Whole30 feels easier than the one I did last year, I still had a bad day 2 days ago, pretty much threw a tantrum over not having "anything" to eat, and went to bed hungry Part of the problem was that I somehow messed up the meal planning for the week, and really did run quite low on protein. But I grilled up 2 lbs of prawns last night, along with a ton of veggies from the garden, and some mashed potatoes (yes, white potatoes are now allowed on the W30). Nom nom nom! Sleep has not been great this week, aside from last night, which was a big part of the problem. I really think adequate light first thing in the morning is REALLY important to stabilize my circadian rhythm. I bought a SAD lamp today and will be installing it over my bed to use during the week; my plan is to put it on a timer so it comes on when my alarm goes off. No way I'm staying in bed under 10k lux! Skipped my workout last night, but did get one in on Tuesday, and Wednesday was (dog) agility night, so running around and lifting heavy things.