Exocoetidae

So last (belated) update for this challenge, I ate dinner on the last day. In summary, looks like everything went pretty well. Missed a push-up day and a dinner day but for six weeks that's not too bad. Posting definitely helped me stay motivated when I otherwise wouldn't have. Guess I'll be back (somewhere?) for the next challenge not sure which guild . . . but will definitely continue with the push-ups as a quest. Think I have the eating in line with MFP (lost 5 lb. and making progress). Maybe will start expanding upper body strength routine or working on hand stands

10+9+8 coffee table push-ups on the 20th, 10+9+9 on the 22nd, and 11+10+9 on the 24th (equivalent number of modified bodyweight rows). Dinner on every day but one and vegetables every day. Also, super happy! Finally starting to run again this last week :-)

Super happy! Just tried a full push-up and I could do one for the first time in over 3 years =D (Also, ate my dinner and veggies)

Dinner every night, 3 servings vegetables, and push-ups (equal number modified rows) 8+7+7 a few days ago and 9+8+8 yesterday.

Dinner, check. Veggies, check. Coffee table push-ups today 8+7+6 and modified bodyweight rows 9+7+6.

Sooo, back from my conference. Did alright on eating. I only missed one dinner while recovering the day after and managed veggies every day :-) Yay pre-planned veggie snacks! Finally broke down and decided to go back to MFP. High stress potential this next month and I need the extra accountability. Decided not to modify quests to limit sugar at this point. MFP does a pretty good job motivating me for that. Sadly, I missed a couple of push-up (today 5+7+7 knee push-ups) and row (today 7+7+6 modified 90 deg rows) days. Just calculated that if I do every other day from now until the end of the challenge, I'll still be short by one time. I may try to do a couple back-to-back days . . . we'll see. I prefer to have a recovery day. Next time I'll leave leeway for one mistake and still getting an A (or maybe build in an extra credit option?). Still making progress though =D Really glad my knee pain is pretty much gone! Stairs are my friend again (both up and down!). I've managed some pain free TRX squats. Working my way back into the lower body strength as recovery allows. Hope to run again in a week physical therapist approved (snuck in a tennis class and seem to be alright . . . I was really careful).

PT definitely has me doing hip/glute strengthening (all the PT exercises and stretches were taking ~1.5 h). Except this past week, everything has been cut way back due to a flair up of my recurring patellofemoral syndrome (usually 1-2 times per year for 1-2 weeks, typically after I do something dumb like salsa dance in tennis shoes on concrete or run a 1/4 mile in heels to get somewhere on time). PT says getting stronger after my knee's happy again should help prevent recurrence of that problem in addition to helping fix the ITB issue. I hope so! I love yoga too, NotSoNerdyNerd, and have found it mentally and physically beneficial. Hasn't really worked to go lately due to scheduling conflicts and time constraints but I try and do some on my own :-) Since I couldn't run this week (or swim or cycle), I've been monitoring my walking, >12,000 steps today (with no extra walking). Soooo happy to be walking pain free! Easy to take for granted. Crazy busy day! So happy and tired. Did dinner and veggies yesterday and today. Also today, modified rows (6+4+5) and coffee table pushups (7+6+5). Will modify goals to reflect new quest to eat no extra sugary foods as soon as time allows.

So, yesterday I barely squeaked by with the veggies. No dinner. Snacked all day. May have to alter my quests (is that allowed? will figure out . . .). I really have a problem. Trader Joe's chocolate granola has been my downfall, but the box is empty and I WILL NOT buy again (this 'food' is my recent weakness). I really need a no extra sugar quest (normally eat greek yogurt and an unsweetened sprouted lentil/grain cereal for breakfast, no sugar high to start the day and less processed). This would probably put my total calories back in a deficit where they need to be. I would really like to avoid months of MFP. I've done that before and it was effective but hard to maintain longterm and I tended to make better choices the time I just kept track of vegetable servings, real dinners, and no extra sweet/fatty things on my own with Excel. That last, sweet things, are really getting me lately. On another note, walking didn't hurt the past couple days :-) Squats and lunges and running etc. are still out but I decided to track walking in the meanwhile. Joined 2014 yesterday and bought a fitbit zip (my 20th century pedometer battery had died since its last use). Made 10,000 steps post-2 pm! This injury is driving me crazy! Totally messing up my motivation. Easier to eat right when I know it will affect my interval speed the next morning. Checked out mini-quest 3. Read "What to Do After You Injure Yourself" and "How to Train if You have an Injury." Both are encouraging and motivate me to really focus on my eating.

15 coffee table push-ups (6+5+4), 15 modified rows (6+5+4), and yay vegetables. Oh, and dinner.

Definitely would not have made dinner if not for this challenge. Delicious turkey ham salad! Progress today. Sad to have to skip my run and almost all my lower body strength training today. Knee is healing though :-)

Enjoyed leftovers of some probably terribly unhealthy Indian okra dish (sure it was deep fried) with bell peppers and onions etc. but hey, they were veggies and with rice a 'real' dinner. Totally addicted to yellow squash right now. Success Quests 2 and 3. Regarding Quest 1, 14 inclined coffee table push-ups and 13 modified one leg rows.

Thanks for asking, Xena! Posting is definitely helping me stay on track! 6 weeks is a good timeframe too (I try not to think about it too much but it'll probably be a year before I'm anywhere near where I'd like to be with strength at my weakest). I previously injured my IT band. Totally relearning running with a new form :-) Based on last night and today what's currently bothering me is more in the knee cap. I temporarily put all squatting and lunges on hold and am resting it for a few days following the physical therapist recommendations. I've had this problem before and it usually goes away in a week if I'm really careful. Driving so long irritated it a bit too when it was already sensitive. Did knee push-ups yesterday morning (13) but will switch to incline full push-ups for the next week at least so I'm not putting pressure on my knee, uses more core anyway. Just finished my modified body weight rows (12), slightly more modified to just use one leg. May also switch to using different heights to alter the difficulty instead of a knee bend so I can use both legs. Been good with veggies. Weird eating yesterday and today so no real dinner. Should be back to the regularly uninterrupted schedule tomorrow.

Managed PT exercises and running on treadmill at the hotel gym. Ate my veggies and a real dinner :-) Now to prepare for another 10 h drive . . . and some push-ups tomorrow! Hope my injury is feeling better in the morning. A bit twingy again. Did a bit better with extras (choosing healthy snacks) today. Here's to tomorrow!

Thanks, beesknees! Broccoli and cauliflower are awesome with olive oil and quick to cook too! I had just been thinking that would be great with dinner. Trying to stick to things that reheat well for lunch at work. Sadly most my favorite veggie recipes for that use caramelized onions, very time consuming to make. Xena, the physical therapy is way harder than most my normal workouts but so good for me :-) NotSoNerdyNerd, that's totally true with Teavana! I forget about that as the Starbucks nearest me is limited and only very recently added some of the teas. I've totally bought Teavana drinks from the Teavana store before at various malls. I hope that's still available now that it's sold at Starbucks too. Guess mall Starbucks might have it now . . . Sounds like you're doing great despite traveling! Such an inspiration! So, I traveled more than 10 hours yesterday (road trip for moving friend) . . . after ~4 h sleep . . . and doing physical therapy exercises for 1.25 h at 5:30 AM. Been eating horribly though! (Sugar for energy) Gonna have to battle the sugar monster soon. Have still managed to meet Quest 2 and 3 criteria. Saved by salads, celery, and panera. Thought for sure I'd miss the modified rows today since the hotel gym didn't have the right equipment but just managed (11) off of the room desk. Whew! Close call! Knee push-ups = 12 = progress

10 knee push-ups and 11 modified body weight rows. Ran 5k. Super big salad saved the day with respect to dinner and vegetables.