Secra

@starsapart Thank you! I feel significantly better than I did last weekend, but am not yet 100 % recovered. I really wish I had a crockpot, but sadly I do not. Earliest I'd be able to afford one would probably be April, as I currently know of no one who is looking to get rid of theirs. I really like the idea of batch cooking and hope to try that next weekend, as this weekend is massively devoted to homework catch-up from being sick.

The start of back to school as well as the first two weeks of the challenge have been quite the roller-coaster ride. Week 1 started off very well, but by the end of it I was suddenly and unceremoniously bogged down with hours of homework. Nevertheless, I was happily able to complete my goals for the week including cooking this yummy paleo dinner: Roasted portebello mushroom, raw carrot sticks, and sauteed onions, garlic, and spinach with bacon crumbles Note: It was a "use it or lose it" kind of dinner, and the bacon was mainly included for that reason (and because ya know, bacon) I got up every morning and went for my walk, even in -30°C (windchill) weather! Don't worry, I made sure I bundled up very well and was careful about how long I was outside so that I didn't risk frostbite. I did all 3 days of the Beginner Bodyweight Workout, and started noticing small improvements even by the 3rd day (Yay for doubling my squats!). The second week started off rough. I was behind on homework from the weekend, and Monday seemed to be one of those Murphy's Law kind of days. Mid-week was slightly better although no less stressful, as I had a difficult assignment due first thing Friday morning. In spite of this sudden stress, I still went for my morning walks and did my workouts as scheduled. I cooked a mostly paleo dinner of pork meatballs and spaghetti sauce (I did add a little bit of cheese of top), although I'm sorry to say that I do not have a picture. And then I got sick. This question almost seemed to be a foreshadowing of what was to come. It started off as a simple sore throat, and has since progressed into a chest cold and laryngitis Since then I have missed 2 morning walks and 1 workout, but I hope to feel better enough tomorrow (Monday) to at least start going for my walks again. I have been eating a lot of comfort foods (aka carbs and sugars), but would like for my brain to be clear enough by this evening to plan out some healthy meals to make ahead for this crazy week (I have 8 exams/quizzes in 4 days!). On a brighter note, I have lost ~10 lbs since starting this challenge and have noticed a little bit more strength in my legs than I had before. That, along with how great I felt from working out and eating real food during the first week has motivated me to get right back at it as soon as I have recovered enough from this cold.

A day late is better than never! Here is my Week 1 Miniquest: http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/58597-secra-beginners-mountain/?p=1343498

Week 1 Miniquest: SMART goals 1. Is your overall quest achievable (over a short or long period of time)? Is it reasonable? I believe my main quest is both achievable and reasonable in the time period I have given. Losing 33lbs over 6 months works out to about 5lbs a month, and subsequently about 1-2lbs a week. A steady loss of a pound or two a week with gradual diet changes and increasing exercise is within my willpower. 2. Do your 3 quests all build towards your main quest in little ways, or are you taking on too much? Do your quests have sub-quests or is it just one thing to focus on? All three of by quests build towards my main quest by targeting different aspects of weight loss. My first goal is designed to help me both build a habit and get rid of an old one. I incorporate a small amount of exercise and forgo my morning cup of coffee to wake up. Goal number two encourages me to look at my eating habits and try to make positive changes while targeting the identified difficulty of midweek meals. The third and final goal introduces more exercise to challenge myself and start towards a balanced healthy lifestyle. 3. Are your main goals realistic? Can you scale them to smaller steps to fit your life better, even if it will make it take a little longer to achieve them? I tried to make my goals small and realistic so that I would be able to make the transition easier and build them into my daily and weekly routines. My goal of doing two full sets of the Beginner Bodyweight Workout by the end of week 6 may be a little unrealistic, but since the first two goals were easier, I intentionally decided to challenge myself with this one. 4. Are your goals able to be measured and tracked? What will you use to track them? I track my goals through apps on my phone (HabitRPG and a calendar), photos, and a written log of my progress with the Beginner Bodyweight Workout. When creating the goals I attempted to make sure I could keep track of how I was doing with each on a daily or weekly basis. 5. How are you grading your goals? Are they pass/fail (“every dayâ€, “not even once over the six weeksâ€)? Is there a reward for the effort, or are you only grading yourself on whether or not you “lose the weight†or “run the distanceâ€? I am grading my goals as outlined in my introductory post J They are graded on a letter scale, A-F, with A being passed the goal with no snags and D being the minimum of where I expect to be by the end of the sixth week. F is considered a fail, unless something truly unfortunate happens that prevents me from completing the goal (ex. An injury). My reward is looking and feeling better as a result of these quests. 6. What is your plan for continuing/altering/grading those goals if you become ill or injured? I had not previously thought about this, however I feel I would grade myself based on my performance up to when I became ill or injured and had to stop. If it was only for a couple days that I couldn’t work out, then I would keep my grading the same but make a note on my final assessment. The important parts would be not rushing back too early, and to get back on the proverbial horse when I am once again able. 7. Did you take into consideration any special occasions (Labour Day, Independence Day, birthdays, anniversaries, etc) that may occur during the challenge? What modifications do you need to build into your goals for those? The only occasion in this time period of any real significance to me is my birthday. I have not made plans for this event as I know school will most likely keep me very busy during that time. It does not affect any of my goals (except perhaps the paleo meal) so no modifications were necessary. 8. Do any of your main goals conflict with each other? Will one goal make it hard to do another? I don’t believe that any of my goals conflict, but that they instead aid one another. Waking up naturally by going for a walk makes me more likely to do the Beginner Bodyweight Workout on the assigned days as I’m already out of bed and warmed up. Eating paleo means I’m fueling my body with the nutrients it requires which makes my workouts easier. Doing the Beginner Bodyweight Workout gives me an appetite and improves my stamina, which is needed for walking. 9. Do you already have the time in your schedule to actually complete the goals you’ve set? If not, what are you planning to do to make time for them? I didn’t previously have time in my schedule for these quests, so I had to make time by getting up a little earlier (only about 20-30 minutes) and designating time in the evening that is devoted to supper. I don’t miss the extra 20 minutes of sleep, and by scheduling a dinner time I am more likely to actually cook and eat a meal. 10. Are you trying to build multiple habits, or is all your energy focused on your main quest? I am building multiple habits that all contribute towards my main quest. By only requiring a small amount of energy and willpower for each quest, I am less likely to get burned-out too quickly.

It started off great and ended with crippling stress and poor food choices. I still managed to complete all my goals for the week though, and have a yummy picture of my paleo dinner for a more thourough update later this week.

Great job on the 6 paleo meals! What type of yoga was the class? I've done a Yin class and a few hot yoga classes and enjoyed them quite a bit. I haven't done archery since I was in summer camp as a tween, but I do remember enjoying it. How did you get into archery as a hobby?

Hey purelee, The challenge is going pretty good so far, thanks for asking. Made my first paleo meal tonight, and as a bonus there was leftovers for lunch tomorrow. I almost skipped out on my morning walk yesterday when I woke up to -30C (windchill) weather, but I made myself bundle up and go! My fridge is pretty clean right now, but no I haven't cleaned out my freezer . Turns out most of it is frozen fruits and veg I had forgotten about! Haha

Thanks lawtigress and pureleeawesome! @pureleeawesome I do have a freezer. Its not very big, but I'm sure once I clean out some of the junk I'll be able to fit some meals in there with my lazy night frozen veggies haha. Thank you for the great suggestion!

Introduction Hello all, my name’s Secra. I am a level 0 Dwarf who is excited for her first challenge. When I started school in the fall I weighed about 210-215lbs, and have since put on more than the “freshman 15†(current weight: 243lbs). Most of my day is spent sitting down learning or studying, so incorporating more movement (or any really) into my routine is important. A majority of the weight that I gained was due to stress eating and study snacking, so making the move to a healthier diet will be key to helping me lose the weight (and feel better in general!). One of my study buddies and I have made a pact to meet up at school M/W/Sa to work out and study, as we both do better when we have someone else to hold us accountable! Main Quest: Lose the weight I’ve gained since starting college (33lbs.) before the end of Spring Semester (June). Quest 1: Wake up every morning and go for a 10 minute walk to start the day. (To set the mood for the rest of the day and try and wake up without caffeine) Measurement: A-C goal is achieved, D/F goal was not achieved A = 42/42 days B = 41-36/42 days C = 35-30/42 days D = 29-24/42 days F = ≤ 23/42 days Reward: +1 STA Quest 2: Cook a paleo dinner (at least) once during the school week (Mon-Fri). (Making healthy meals is easy for me to do on the weekend when I’m less tired, but I’m more likely to pick convenience over quality after a busy day at school) Measurement: A-C goal is achieved, D/F goal was not achieved A = 6 successful weeks B = 5 successful weeks C = 4 successful weeks D = 3 successful weeks F = 1-2 successful weeks Reward: +1 CON Quest 3: Be able to complete 2 sets of full reps of the Beginner Body Weight Workout by building up through workouts 3 times a week. (This one is going to be my biggest challenge, I couldn’t even get through one full rep the first time I tried it) Measurement: A-C goal is achieved, D/F goal was not achieved A = 2 sets of full reps B = 1 set full reps, 1 set of ¾ reps C = 1 set full reps, 1 set of ½ reps D = 1 set of full reps F = 1 set of > full reps Reward: +1 STR Motivation: So my hips and lower back stop hurting! So I can stop avoiding the mirror, and feel comfortable in my body and clothes. And, so I’m not exhausted all the time.

From Cowtown (Calgary), Alberta born and raised.

Greetings, the name’s Secra. I've decided it was finally time to leave my dark, comfortable alcove in the mountain and explore the world. I’m a dwarf of short and stocky (read: flabby) stature, and have always wished instead to be a willowy, lithe elf. Sadly, genetics and wishes have failed me in this, so I guess it’s time to head out in search of my magic cure! I jest, sadly I know of no magic that can help me change my genes. I am on this journey, however, to attempt to change my fate. As I watch my family age and ail, I already see some of the same diseases trying to wrap their smoky tendrils around me. When I pass by the looking-glass, I avoid the gloomy image reflected back at me. I want to change that. I want to be strong. Several days ago I took my first step. I went for a walk. It wasn’t a long or particularly interesting walk, but it was more than I had done before. I’ve continued this daily venture, but I want to go further. I am still an apprentice (okay, really I’m a student), but I am studying for a vocation that interests me. Such an endeavor requires a lot of sitting, so I don’t have the luxury of wandering the hills or plains whenever I’d like. I plan to do as much as I can though, and make it a daily habit. My weak spot is definitely food. I eat when I’m happy, I eat when I’m sad, when I study, when I’m stressed, angry, bored…I presume you get the idea. I love food. Well, certain foods I love. Mainly the super sugary, super greasy, super easy to just grab and eat kinds of fare. I am also quite fond of meat. With a “head always in the books†kind of schedule, appropriate sustenance is not always highest on my list of priorities. Once upon a time I even used to eat the occasional fruit or vegetable, but then everything changed when the Uruk-hai attacked. Alright, so that didn’t actually happen. I became an “adult†and was allowed to make all my own choices. So naturally I chose all of the things denied to me as a child and youth in both type and amount. I need to scale back the quantity, and improve the quality. In my travels I hope to sample delicious (and nutritious) fare while also leveling up my cooking skill. And so, my adventure begins…