ziggification

What's your body fat percentage? You can be a healthy weight and have too high a % for the kind of definition you want... What type of exercises do you do? You might need to mix it up, to get through this wall. What type of food do you eat? You might need to consider different macros/micros that work better for your body. (I'm not an expert...but I've been overweight and under-exercised for years and one of my procrastination techniques is to research fitness stuff. Haha!) Hope you find a good supportive spot in the forums.

I don't know about a daily log...maybe just a. Entry when I feel high or low? I have lost a few lbs. Happy to connect with others on Myfitnesspal. My method is to just take calorie counting seriously. Enter things in advance if possible. Eat 1-2 meals. Snack on fruit. It's working. And it's delicious. I also wanted to use this moment of energy/will/interest to work on being more social. I've texted a couple of people who I don't talk to a lot. Just to wave virtually (because I think normal people do that). It was weird. I also signed up for Twitter and within 48 hours offended a small group of people. I don't even know what I did. But it's left me feeling especially down and REALLY nostalgic for the days of Yahoo chat rooms...I miss being able to talk with people and make friends. Modern socialization practices are making me feel like even more of an outsider...I don't have a new attack plan yet. Open to suggestions...

Haha, a couple doctors ago may be for the best...I will say Tennant and Capaldi are my favorites. I haven't tried Discovery or Brooklyn-nine-nine yet, but they are on my watch list. HAHA OLDER Star Trek? How old is old?

Cool! Will follow that group...

If the pandemic has taught me anything, it is how long I can go without leaving the house or thinking about leaving the house (about a week and a half). My lifestyle could be accurately described as extremely sedentary, or immobile. I've always hated formal exercise, and never developed a love of the kind of "play" that helps you stay fit and flexible. There was this one stretch of time, where for 2 years, I worked out consistently. Three or four times a week. I lost weight, got healthy enough to have a baby. Then I quit working out (I think my excuse was "I'm pregnant.") Gained back that weight and then some. Lost 6-8 lbs expelling a baby. Then gained it back...and haven't lost it since. I've tried off and on to conquer my weight through diet (while exercising). My MyFitnessPal account is a testament to the lengths I will go to make sure I can eat an unreasonable amount of sweets at the end of the day. I think the truth is what it has been...my favorite things to do are sitting and lying down while [blank] (sitting while sewing, sitting while reading, lying down while writing, lying down while watching movies, ...). I'm not incapable of liking new things that are physically active, it's just highly unlikely that I will, especially in the pandemic. No...my war will be fought and won in the kitchen and at the dining table. Tallied in calories consumed (by weekly average) and lbs lost. I've been at it for 2 weeks now, and am hitting "comfort" with 2210 calories. Which is to say that I do not cry myself to sleep, or stand in front of the fridge imagining what I can't have. I can see the pattern of 5 good days, 1-2 bad. I don't believe in cheat days. I believe in fitting in what I want to eat, and modifying recipes to fit more of what I love. I'll reach the point where 2210 feels like a lot. Where I'm stuffed. Then I'll drop to 2100...2000...we'll see how that goes... I'm here to check out and share recipes. Maybe find a friend to distract from the task at hand and to otherwise make life better (I understand that is what friends do). Someone who is also looking for a distraction and to get more out of life. Maybe someone who also watches Star Trek, and enjoyed Avenue 5...who has watched more than a little Doctor Who, and all of Eerie Indiana....an "I Love You, Man"...Bill and Ted...Tony and Bruce...friend. Maybe someone who sews and crafts, even when the stuff that you make is 3x more expensive than something store-bought...maybe, I'd have friends like that if I'd gone out a bit more...left the house a little...moved, even a bit. Well! Maybe now I'll be ready when the world opens back up...

Same same. We can do it!

.5lb a day! Good for you.

Zucchini, eggplant, tomato, cabbage, and some other wet vege/fruits can be processed with salt before you cook them. I have never tried it on zucchini pasta, but when I make parmesans, eggplant pizza, or fried green tomatoes I do the following: 1) Slice to expose as much inner skin as possible 2) Salt liberally with fine or medium grind sea salt (use about 2-3 times as much as you would use to just season it) 3) Leave it to rest on a rack for 15 minuets (30 if I forget it). at this point you'll see beads of water appear like magic. (osmosis is kind of like magic, I guess...) 4) Rinse thoroughly under cool running water to remove as much of the salt as possible. 5) Squeeze out as much moisture as possible by hand (This step works best with eggplant; zucchini tend to rip on me. I would think that a cheese cloth bag would work well for squeezing your pasta gently but firmly.) At this point I usually bake or fry my ingredients as desired. I would recommend being strategic when cooking the zucchini for the pad thai. I would minimize contact with water (i.e., no true boiling) to avoid introducing more moisture. A quick turn in a skillet with a little sesame-chili oil and 1/8 cup water? Or steaming just enough to heat and soften might be a good idea? Then I would toss it with the rest of the ingredients off stove. You could also forgo cooking the zucchini entirely and after salting just bury the raw pasta under the cooked pad thai veeg/sauce. It will heat and soften a bit but still have an interesting crunch to it...

Just about. Worked out yesterday for the first time in a week and stopped a few times to hack up a lung. It was more embarrassing than harmful, I think... Squishes = sopping wet squash (i.e., zucchini) because I didn't extract the moisture from them before cooking! like a normon

Still alive. Bought fruit and vegetables. Invented an eggplant dish. 1 Eggplant + 1 zucchini + 1 pint ricotta + 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella + .5 cup marinara in layers. Makes one deep 9-10 inch square dish. 1/4 of the dish is about 400 calories. Next time I will draw moisture out of my squishes and use 1 cup ricotta with an egg. Still tracking in S Health..My daily calories keep dropping under 1600, will keep an eye on that and make sure I am not miscalculating anything What sort of old school solutions do you love to implement in the battle against new-school nonsense? Honesty - if I don't want to do something, I will say so. What solutions have withstood the test of time and helped you succeed? I will let you know next year if you ask again. It feels like lunch time....gotta go. -Sylvia

I like what you are getting at here. I suppose the outside part from my perspective is point sparring or scored kata demos....with training aimed at those performances.

Thanks, Drippy. I am improving. But still taking antibiotics and sinus meds. I plan on going to class Tuesday. While out of class, I've been focusing on tracking intake through s health. I reconfirmed that dinner is my favorite meal. (I.e., eating in the evening is my primary food kata) But also found that my calories peak and valley throughout the week. One day may be 900 cal, the next 2600. A bipolar diet. I have time to focus on evening out those curves. (Haha)

I know this is old...but as a woman, I found this post interesting. In defining martial arts, I don't usually think to start with the martial part...why did you start with combat in mind? I think of it as a system of planned and practiced movements like any other such agreed-upon set of movements - ballet, interpretive dance, acrobatics, football, foosball, pinball. The speed, direction, and force behind each movement varies based on intention. Generally, people think that the intention is to dominate physically. But it's really to provide yourself with the freedom to exercise EVERY other option first. Let's say you're being assaulted by a close friend who is drunk (a pretty likely scenario for a foxy lady). Being traditionally trained in American-style boxing would enable you to physically extricate yourself from that situation. Your friend would likely be hurt, and the relationship would likely be ruined. Being a martial artist would enable you to exit the scenario calmly minimizing harm to your friend. It also affords the possibility of helping someone you love with a drinking problem (when said jerk is sober). So, then for me...martial arts is a system of planned, practiced movements designed to maximize an individuals ability to exercise choice in a given scenario by training mind, body, and essence to work harmoniously.

Hello, Meranna. I am new, too. Any luck finding healthful (budget-conscious) meals? Is your partner a picky eater?

Hello, I don't know that I offer much in the way of helpful advice given your extensive personal experiences. I'm not a fitness expert or nutritionist. But I figured I would chime in...since we are within pounds of each other, both into martial arts, both black, both ladies, and both on NF. Dragons? Awesome. 1) I second talking to your sifu. My senseis are just about the sweetest guys you will ever meet. And they dish out life advice and helpful healthy living tips by the shovelful. But they often intimidate me. (They are both black-belted, healthy, white males.) I find it helps to humanize them before I approach. (i.e., take them out of the martial arts hierarchy before approaching them. They're just a couple of guys. They started out as babies, they grew up, they messed up, they love and lose, they have stains on their gi that come from effort and the kind of absent-minded laundry-doery that leads to grunge...) If your style has a philosophy handbook, it can help to center your conversations with your sifu around those concepts. 2) You don't need to earn the right to enjoy a run on the beach. Or wear a bathing suit while doing so. Or do anything that will help you to enjoy your life more today....150, 250, or 550 lbs...if you can run on the beach and enjoy it...you should do just that. (Unless you actually did do something worth repenting for...like beating up someone weaker or eating someone....in which case do repent first.) This isn't to say that you should just give yourself whatever you want without working for it. But denying (even in hyperbolic writing) healthful, positive activities while struggling to change unhealthful behaviors just makes it hard to NOT hate yourself. 3) Storytime - On being a black, lady martial artist - Twelve months ago, our dojo was comprised of four "pasty, pasty" white guys. For context, I live in The South where there are two colors - white and not white, all optically hispanic individuals are Mexicans, and where HR officials instruct employees not to call adult, male clients "boy". With the addition of me and my partner, we were a dojo of four pasty, pasty white guys and two "mocha, mocha" blacks (let's try and make this an equal opportunity racist post). I was still the only girl, but everyone made me feel welcome. "But I have boobs" was accepted as an excuse to modify certain exercises. Though for the most part I received the retort "So? We do X, Y, and Z with testes in the way. Cope." When we went to our first regional event, I was terrified that I would be surrounded by guys. I was not. There weren't as many girls as guys, but I was hardly alone. Girls of all shapes, sizes, ages, and colors practice martial arts. Despite what the boys think, the bathrooms were not full of bloody tampons and gossip. There was blood though..........oh so much blood.... In any case, I understand that it is empowering to see other women practice - Especially if they seem to have a similar physique. But more than anything, meeting so many different martial artists of both sexes has reinforced what we all already know about diversity - there's so much more of it out there than we can label and quantify. Embrace that...Try not to limit yourself or your fellow practitioners with labels like man or woman, black or pasty, pasty white. Because none of that uncontrollable, external stuff really matters when you come down to evaluating your success as a student of the martial arts. It's more about those -tion words...determination, dedication, perspiration, concentration, etc., etc. which aren't tied to race and sex in anyway that science has conclusively demonstrated. Also, if you ever really do feel like you are practicing alone, just think about all of the other women around the country and world who gi-up and bow in...even if you're at home working out by yourself, somewhere there's another lady similar but not just like you (since you occupy your own special little matrix of uniquity) who is busting out some serious moves.

CHALLENGE UPDATE: Google Sheet for Tracking Progress - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pH8niXElxDrbGo3eWVw5aGCuYKrs847ndqj2uSyWk40/edit?usp=sharing Sinus infection. (This is me watching the snot fly out of my facial orifices.) Negatives = irregular meals, weight loss, absences from class, antibiotics the size of my pinky, capacity (for food) is next to nil (though desire is not...so, I see a world of stomach aches in my future) Positives = I am now well-rested, and I FEEL bad about missing class. Martial arts is still a new enterprise for me --I have been practicing Cuong Nhu for a year now. It is the first fully optional organized sport/athletic activity I have EVER joined. I love the community. I love the events. I love the weapons. Apparently, my favorite ways to move are all related to Cuong Nhu. And while I have not lost weight (pretty sure I gained weight) I can do things I've never been able to do before. (e.g., push-ups come to mind first) Though as I write, I wonder if the feeling of missing class is based on physical or emotional stimuli. Do I miss drills, kata, and sparring? Or do I miss time with the dojo crew? If my enjoyment is based on the people, what happens when the dynamics change? (e.g., new students, people leave) Note for the future Sylvia: Make some forever friends just in case something happens to the dojo P.S. I paid my annual dues (financially committed) and located by sparring gear (gym bag packed). So, come Sunday...I will be ready for Tuesday. I have started to set aside clothes for "discard." (They will actually be used for crafts.) I was sick so did not bring lunches to work. And I am WAY over my ramen quota - must have had 2 or 3 packs this week. (again, sick.) It'll be okay once I get to the store.

Thank you for the warm welcome. Tambo kata ARE a lot of fun. Sensei Varady, the instructor in the video, will most likely be at the training meetup in May. I don't think he misses often. I am still very new to "NF" and will need time to adjust to the flow of things, but will definitely pop in when I think I can contribute to the group.

THANKS FOR THE FEEDBACK! Now on to my daily accountability post. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ I went to class today. During philosophy, Sensei said there was a time in his life when he missed a lot of opportunities to work out. He said ", I sometimes regretted not going to practice; but I never regretted going to practice." I don't know about that....but we'll test it. Today is Day 2 (yesterday, Day 1, I did the beginner's workout). I do not regret doing the workout in my house. I do not regret going to class. It has made me cranky and sore. I don't like being cranky or sore....but I don't regret it yet. So far so good. We had subway for dinner! Way too much sodium (cold cuts..)...but still about 600 calories under for the day. not bad. S Health Coach instructs me to list my favorite moves. I don't like moving really. So, this is harder than it seems. (When I move I feel clumsy and slow. I am growing to like the way my body moves in class. I can do things that I would not have been able to do a year ago [even if I were lighter.]) With all of that said...I now present....my favorite moves. Snap kick - it's one of the first you learn but it's difficult to master. I like that you can kick pretty low and still get a lot of power in the move. It also makes your calves tight and not-jiggly, which is always novel for me.Pressing arm and bent wrist - soft style blocks that turn into offensive moves are impressive to watch and fun to do. it's surprising how much you can pick up in a few sessions.<Unnamed> tambo drill - There is this three-step tambo drill for practice with a partner. You take turns attacking and defending each strike. Player 1 attacks the knee, Player 2 defends with a step back and vertical block. Player 2 retaliates with an overhead strike to the noggin, Player 1 blocks and returns the blow. Player 2 performs basically a rising block and props the end of the stick up on his free hands for stability. Then Player 2 attacks Player 1's knee. FUN I can't wait to get to IATC for another class with Varady...I wouldn't miss it. ( ) Note for the future Sylvia: Consider learning the basic bo strikes before May.

Main quest: Know katas 1-4 for IATC in May. Goals: 1. Attend class 2:3 days per week; every week. [STR:1; DEX:0; STA:2; CON:0 ;WIS:1; CHA:1] 2. Lose 10 lbs (270 --> 260) by April 1, 2015. [sTR:0; DEX:2; STA:2; CON:0 ;WIS:0; CHA:1] 3. Achieve 10,000 steps 2 days during the 6-week challenge. [STR:1; DEX:0; STA:4; CON:0 ;WIS:0; CHA:0] Strength (STR) - physical strength Dexterity (DEX) - agility and speed Stamina (STA) - Endurance and Energy Constitution (CON) - ability to resist damage and disease Wisdom (WIS) - intuition and sense of things around himself Charisma (CHA) - force of personality and physical attractiveness Sylvia Race: Hobbit (5'3" 270lbs) Strategy: Plan for travel to IATC. Discard oversized clothes. Bring lunch to work. Eat 1 pack of ramen per week, max. Eat out 1 per week, max.Use S Health to track meals.