Phoenix Rising

Half way update.

the strength training has gone well.  However this week i'm on holiday for the week in the lake district so no weights around.  I should have thought about that really.  Anyway, adapt and overcome.  This week instead i'll be doing lots of hiking, which is exercise, so i figure thats all good.

food tracking is on track.  I've noticed that i was initially over quite a bit so have adapted my diet away from a pasta carbs base towards a more meat and veg base.  

Getting enough protein is still a challenge. I mostly fail so far as my protein sources thus far have mainly been sausages which have quite a lot of fat so i tend to hit my overall calorie target before i reach my protein target.  

I know i'm starting early but patience isn't one of my strong points.

1.  exercise completed:

• dumbbell squats 12.5kg 5x5
• dumbbell benchpress 10kg 5x5
• dumbbell row 10kg 5x5
• plank 60 secs

2.  food tracked

3.  So i'm over my planned calories for the day by 400 but still need 20g more protein. Will have to plan better tomorrow.

A baseline to start from.

Dumbell squat: 11kg each

Dumbell bench press: 11kg each

Dumbell overhead press: 6kg each

Dumbell deadlift: we'll find out

Dumbell rows: we'll find out.

age 40, height 6'2", weight 161 pounds.

So i'm currently very unwarriorlike. But i want to be more warriorlike.  In that i'd like to be able to lift things and have muscles.

So my challenge to start this off is:

1. Lift things 3xweek.  I'm planning on adapting the strong-lifts regime by using dumbells instead, as i have some of those.
2. track my food intake using my fitness pal
3.  Get enough protein in, which has always been my problem
4. There is no four.

Update:

All going well. Have a firm house move date and a job start date. Twice weekly exercise is happening. De cluttering is happening, off to the tip again today with more random half empty tins of paint, broken bits of metal etc. food counting: so far no days missed.

Meditation less successful, time just flying by with so much to do I often seem to forget to take 10 mins to just relax. But stress levels are relatively low even with only occasional meditation.

Off to latitude festival in a week and a half's time. Looking forward to a break from the house packing but timing could have been better as moving house the day after we get back.

It may be a wobbly start but it's a start which is the important bit.

So far so good. Feeling reasonably calm with just over 3 weeks to go.

Spent the weekend spring cleaning the house and taking stuff to the tip so I feel my uncluttering goals were a success this week.

Food tracked each day. Ate a bit too much Indian food when I went out with friends but this challenge I'm just focusing on tracking not sticking to rigid macros each day.

Exercise I did one self defence fitness class but couldn't make my usual second one. Should have exercised at home but wasn't enthused so didn't.

This coming week can make both exercise classes so should be fine on that front. Also looking to exchange on house contract hopefully.

Yes, [emoji29] one other reason I'm looking forward to changing jobs to one with normal hours soon.

 

I got nothing.  The season finale of Game of Thrones took any good feelings I had and chucked them out the window.   

I just watched it.  Going to pour myself another drink.   

So clearance to work has arrived so one less thing to worry about.

Combat academy self defence fitness done tonight, didn't manage any packing as went straight from work to fitness class now home to bed as need to be at work for half six in the morning. Meditation done, food logged.

Just a quick note to say the short haircut looks great.

Glad to see things seem to be going well with your challenge.

Hi Little Turtle,

Just popped by to say that this is the most awesome challange. I've been catching up and everyone of your positive posts has made me smile. Inspirational.

Hi Gobnait,

Things sound tough. Not sure i have any specific suggestions so just sending you a big hug.

So i'm a week late starting, but better late than never.

Lots of stress:

1). looking to move house around mid July so four weeks to pack this one up along with all the last minute legal hitchs that are bound to crop up.

2) new job starts first week of august as long as my clearance arrives in time, otherwise i'm briefly unemployed. Should arrive in plenty of time but still a worry. Also need to finish up old job and tidy up my tasks and handover the unfinished ones to someone.

So the plan to keep calm is to keep things simple:

1). Meditate once a day

2). Pack something at least four days a week

3). Maintain fitness by exercising twice a week

4). Maintain food log, but no specific food macro goals at present

So excited and impatient and anxious all at the same time.

Hi Liz,

Any further thoughts re this challenge? I think it's ok to be a bit late starting as I'm a week late so just starting now.

No probs at all. Some challenges go well and some don't. If they were easy they wouldn't be called challenges. Reflect on this one, learn from it, and come back stronger for the next one.

I look forward to seeing your next challenge and being here to support you during that one too.

Hi Sunmage,

Yes very happy. Didn't complete each part to the max that I'd set myself but looking back I think that might have been a bit over ambitious and next time I'll just focus on one or two things. However overall goal of remaining chilled completed so I'm happy.

I've come to like Agents of SHIELD again - although double agent situations are really hard for me to watch.  How's 100?

The first season of 100 was very good.  Working my way through season two which is still very good.  I was worried after the end of the first season seemed to remove part of the reason the show seemed to work, but its still going OK.

Agents of Shield was pretty dodgy to start with but after they essentially became a small group of hunted people struggling to fight a global enemy (a bit like the rebellion in star wars) it got much better and seemed to gain focus and direction.  Now its one of the shows I look forward to watching as soon as it airs.

As well as studying I'm planning on spending some time in the garden cutting up a load of tree branches to go in our recycling bin. Then this evening I'm going to catch up on some TV episodes I've got saved of marvels agents of shield and the hundred.

Hows things going?

Glad to hear the medical tests all came back clear.  Looking forward to seeing your mind and soul goals.

Enjoy the camping trip.  Sounds like fun.  Glad to see things are going well.

Great to hear things are going well with the sugar cravings.  Sorry to hear about your family not being supportive.  That must make things hard, but it also means that the progress you've made is even more amazing.

Hope things are going OK?