mgrif99

Whew! I had a great weekend out of town. Hope everyone had an equally fantastic weekend. Last week's challenge was both good and bad, but overall I had progress and am heading in the desired direction. 1. Spinning Good: I went to the Wed class as scheduled, and I stayed standing longer than I had before. Knowing that it is one of my specific NFR goals to stay standing the entire climb, it really helped me focus. Bad: I skipped yesterday's class while recovering from the weekend. Progress? I say YES. Steps to ensure more progress: Not get so crazy on the weekends that I jeopardize my Monday afternoon spinning class. Make Sunday my rest, relax, and recover day... not Monday. 2. Diet Bad: I did not stick to the prescribed diet 100%. Good: I avoided all sweets and most of the processed foods available to me. Progress? I say YES again. It's not ideal, but better than it was before starting the challenge. Steps to ensure more progress: Prepare more foods at home in advance, even if I know I will be out of town. If I know I will be "out", look into foods that will be available ahead of time and plan what I will have in advance. No food choices while hungry! (My brother is on a strict gluten-free diet, so I'll pick his brain how he travels so much and stays on track with food.) 3. Dog Walking Good: I did walk the dog, twice I think, last week. Before the challenge, I hadn't walked my poor puppy in months. Bad: Did not walk her 5x last week as planned. Progress? YES Steps to ensure more progress: Get to bed by 10pm so I can get up earlier to walk the dog. 4. Blog Good: Started the blog and have done some (very little) research into blogging. Bad: Not as far I would like to be on this. Progress? YES Steps to ensure more progress: Dedicate a certain amount of time to it, like scheduling study time for my classes. Last weekend (visiting with family and friends) helped me feel rejuvenated and inspired and motivated. I'm looking forward to this week!

I see myself getting off track, so I'm going to zero in my original four goals. And focus on progress. 1. Spinning 2. Diet 3. Dog Walking 4. Blog Other areas that I am working on will be posted on my blog, unless a specific problem/question comes up, which I will post here for feedback. Will post today's progress later.

I was thinking the SAME thing.

Congrats! It's a great feeling. I am pretty behind in my school work these days, but it's not one of my goals for this challenge. Fortunately.

Day 3 (Thu, Oct 14) Stats Weight: 225 lbs (down 4 lbs since Day 1) Body Fat: 38% (up 1% from Day 1) Fat Weight (weight x BF%): 86 lbs (up one lb from Day 1) This leads to two observations: (1) I am not sure how accurate the body fat measuring device is. It's an electronic, hand-held version. Anyone know the accuracy on these things? (2) Losing fat is more important than losing weight. I'm down a few pounds overall, but I am up in pounds of fat. I really don't care about the overall number if I'm getting relatively fatter. I;m trying to keep in mind that this is only Day 3! Spinning (Mon, Wed, Sat) No spinning scheduled today. The spinning studio also offers a yoga class on Thursday nights, but I am usually still at my son's high school football games when the class starts. I would love to do yoga! Diet Bkfst: 3 scrambled eggs with spinach and tomatoes (no sugar or processed foods... yay for me!) Lunch: Skipped lunch without realizing it. I just wasn't hungry until dinner. Dinner: Did not prepare anything in advance and was running around town. Result: BLT sandwich on flatbread with a side of yogurt from Subway. Not ideal, but better than McDonald's or something else ridiculously far away from my types of foods. H2O Drank two 32oz bottles of water. I'm thinking maybe I should set a goal for 4 of these bottles (totals 1 gallon?) per day. Any feedback appreciated. Dog Walking (Five days/week) No walking due to knee pain (see below). Exercises (Tue, Thu, Sun) Jumping Jacks: 20 Pull Ups: 1, on an assisted pull up machine with 160 lbs Squats: 20, holding weight of 20 lbs Push Ups: only 1 with good form, on my knees Lunges: 10 (5 each leg), holding weight of 20 lbs Chin Ups: 0, after doing one assisted pull up = no upper body strength left! Sit Ups: 20 Box Jumps: 0 (no box jump apparatus at the gym. looking into what i can use at home.) Leg Lifts: 20 Plank: 0 I pushed a bit hard today, which felt really good until I did the lunges. Right at the end, my knees started to hurt, so I stopped. I assume this is due to poor form. Now I have residual knee pain, especially one my right knee, which hurts quite a bit when I move around. Staying in one spot doesn't hurt, but staying in one spot is what got me in this out-of-shape predicament to begin with! :mrgreen: I'm taking it easy for the rest of the day and hoping it will be better tomorrow. 5K Training (Tue, Thu, Sat/Sun) No training today. (See knee pain above.) Blog Still stagnant in this area. But I have been thinking about what I want to do with it. That counts for something, right? (Okay, not really.) After all this mental process, I'm ready to get some stuff going. My plan is to work on it tonight after everything here (dinner, teenager homework and chores, etc.) settles down. Day 2 Synopsis: My knee hurts!! Dammit! I do have a more positive attitude, though. I like working on my goals, and they are challenging. I'm still learning how to pace myself. It's a process that I hope to get better at.

Awesome goals! I have the same question as NTU: what are you referring to when you say three 5.8s? I love veggies! Brussel sprouts are fantastic, as long as they cooked just right. (very Goldilock-ish, I suppose) Not too firm but not too soft. Butternut squash (a winter squash, I believe) is also really good and easy to make. Just cut in half longways, place both halves face-up (skin-side down) on a cookie sheet in the oven, and when you can insert a fork and pull it out without resistance, it is done. I prefer a little butter and salt and pepper, but it depends on your diet.As a general rule, I find adding a little salt to the water before boiling veggies tends to increase the taste on veggies you might find too bland. And, if you haven't discovered this already, the less cooking the better (usually, anyway). Some of the best veggies are merely blanched and still crisp and tender. Good luck with veggies, and keep us posted! Go Team Next Level!

I remember my wisdom teeth removal... it was a bitch. Good for you for getting back into the swing of things! I like what you've done so far. I'm new to a lot of these exercises people have been writing about. What are Hip Bridges and Good Mornings? Go Team Next Level!

That makes sense. Thanks!

Curious... what is "metcon"?

You are so right! That's my plan for today. Thanks!

Well, you're both right. I was looking at the crazy 300 workout (that NTU referred to) with 135 deadlifts and floor wipers... which was too much for me. I settled on the Nerd Fitness 300 workout (that 67alecto referred to), but I modified it a bit for me. I have back issues and added ab work and the plank; I wanted something explosive so I added box jumps. So, in essence, you were both correct. Thanks for the feedback!

Thanks for the support. Today was a rough day, and I was looking forward to getting online to NFR for some uplifting news. It's nice having a connection with people who are working towards similar goals.

I must admit something: I make long posts. :ugeek: Day 2 (Wed, Oct 13) Stats No new stats. I guess I will do this weekly. Spinning (Mon, Wed, Sat) Spinning class kicked my ass today. Still didn't make it through the standing climbs. I realized today I need to ask my instructor how long the standing climbs are, because it sometimes varies. Having a length of time would help in my goal-setting and goal-achieving in this area. Diet Stomach still a bit upset today, so I didn't eat much. Scrambled eggs with spinach for bkfst, which was awesome. I inadvertently ate a donut today. Not kidding. Today I found out that the engagement ring my ex-fiance gave me is a fake. A fake diamond that he bragged out how expensive it was. I wore a fake ring from a fake guy while in a fake relationship for an entire year. So I ate a donut. It was already down the hatch before I really even thought about what I was doing. Old habits rear their ugly head in stressful situations, I guess. Dinner was chicken "fajitas" with fresh tomatoes and avocado. Super yummy. Sparkling water & tap water was consumed throughout the day. Dog Walking (Five days/week) Walked my sweet puppy around the neighborhood. I was running late, but I squeezed it in. She and I were both happy afterward. Exercises (Tue, Thu, Sun) No exercises today. Good thing, too, because I am super sore from yesterday! 5K Training (Tue, Thu, Sat/Sun) no training today Blog No work today. :cry: Day 2 Synopsis: Muscle soreness!!! I'm glad I decided to not do everything every day of the week. My body needs a break.

Yeah, I originally looked at The 300 Workout, but it's a bit much for me. I like the idea of being to move my own body weight. I am on a no-sugar, no-processed foods diet. It's basically this: Only eat three meals a day, at least 4 hours apart. Bkfst: a protein and a fruit Lunch & Dinner: fresh salad, a protein, and veggies It allows small amounts of milk and cheese and salad dressing (as long as sugar is not in the first four ingredients), so it's not really paleo. The key is that it is very specific about the amount of everything. (Exactly 4.0 oz of protein, etc.) I started to weigh everything, then realized it was too difficult, especially when I wasn't at home when I was eating. Now I just stick to the types of foods, not so much the amounts. Thanks for following my blog. I need to work on it!! :?

Team Next Level! Love it. Hi, my name is Melissa. I am a full time graduate student, majoring in chemistry. That will probably change soon. More about that later. As a kid, I was in every sport possible. I also enjoyed dance and did some modeling. I was quite athletic and had a pretty good self-image. I joined the Navy and left for bootcamp at 17. I left two years later with a bun in the oven. :shock: Since then, I have been out of shape and pretty unhappy with life in general. Being a single parent with constant financial stress took its toll. About two years ago, I got healthy and lost some serious weight. I was at my "hottest" when I met a hot, tattooed rocker and we fell in love. I stopped going to the gym. I started going out late at night and eating very unhealthy food right before going to bed. I gained all the weight back, and then some. I realized that I was not the person I want to be. My partner (my fiance by that time) was not supportive of me getting back to where I wanted to be. The relationship ended about a month ago. I've been doing some real soul-searching, and I want to be more active and have fun. My focus is on being able to DO things, not just look a certain way. I'm signed up for fitness challenges, 5K races, mud runs, etc. and have been seeking like-minded people to keep me motivated. So, that's where I am today. I'm really glad I found this place. I'm really excited about our challenge!

Here is my "before" photo. (I also took one wearing a bikini, but I can't bring myself to post it. Maybe the next challenge...)

Day 1 (Oct 12) Stats This is my baseline: Height: 5'11" Weight: 229 lbs Body Fat: 37% (using hand-held machine at the gym) Fat Weight: 85 lbs (weight x BF%) Spinning No spinning class today. I take classes on Mon, Wed, and (sometimes) Sat. Diet Fasting today. (Last night was pizza night...) Only consuming sparkling water and herbal tea. Dog Walking No walk today. My goal is to walk 5x/week, so I'm still okay. Exercises Jumping Jacks: 20 Pull Ups: only 1, on an assisted pull up machine with 160 lbs (I think that means I only "pulled up" 69 lbs!) Squats: 20, holding weight of 20 lbs Push Ups: only 1 with good form, on my knees Lunges: 10 (5 each leg), holding weight of 40 lbs Chin Ups: 0 Sit Ups: 0 Box Jumps: 0 Leg Lifts: 0 Plank: 0 Note: My stomach was upset, and as a result I left the gym early. Probably that pizza last night!! 5K Training Walked for only 8 minutes. Upset stomach. The only running I did today was running to the bathroom. Blog Created a blog and wrote one post that it is still new and that I will be working on it. Debating on whether or not to post "before" photo on blog. :shock: Still undecided on that one. Day 1 Synopsis: Off to a slow start...

Whew! 16-hour shifts is rough. Planning and pre-cooking meals sounds like your best option. I also used to throw out a TON of food that went bad before I ate it. One solution I found is to buy frozen veggies to eat with my protein. I still get fresh produce for salads, but the food waste has been greatly reduced. Good luck to you! I look forward to watching your progress!!

Tomorrow will be Day 1 for me. Today I was recovering from a music festival last weekend. We got home after midnight last night, and today was rest and relax day. Tomorrow I will have my baseline (weight, body fat %, etc.) established and posted. And a "before" photo. (Yikes!) I am really looking forward to reading how well everybody accomplishes their goals in this challenge! Good luck!!!

My original post in reply to Steve's Challenge: I love this challenge! I am new to Nerd Fitness, so I'm looking forward to getting involved and connecting with new people... Fitness Goals: 1. Complete a 40-minute spinning class without having to sit down on the bike during the climbs. 2. Stick to my low-carb diet. I can do it for 2-3 days at a time, and then I "cheat" for a day. I want to do it for 28 days without cheating. I think I can do it with support. 3. Walk the dog in the mornings before school and work, five times a week. Life Goal: 4. Revamp my blog to make it a goal-oriented blog, where I post my fears, embarrassing moments, "silly" goals, and accomplishments. It's part of the "putting myself out there" goal I've been working on. Specifics as suggested by Dante: 1) Spinning Class (Performance Goal): Attend a local spinning class 2x/week for 4 weeks, increasing my endurance to the point that when we do standing climbs, I can stand and pedal the entire time. Right now, I stand for a little bit, my legs scream at me, a go for a little longer until my legs give out, and I have to sit and pedal for the rest of the climb. 2) Low-Carb Diet (Paleo Status): I do not technically do paleo, but my low-carb, no processed foods diet is incredibly similar. Since diet is one of my biggest personal challenges that I have been struggling with, I would say that - for the sake of argument - I am 90% paleo. 3) Support System (Tough Love vs. Gentle Encouragement): I can handle the tough love (and sometimes need it), but I need equal amounts of positive feedback.

Hi! I recently got out of a serious relationship (wedding plans were being made), and I have since then been re-evaulating my life. The conclusion I came to is this: I need a makeover. Not a haircut & eyeshadow makeover, but a whole life makeover. I'm 35 years old, and I am not where I want to be in my life. I don't know where I took a wrong turn (which was realistically a collective group of wrong turns) that led me to this point. I feel alive again and have been very motivated to make positive changes. I stumbled on the Nerd Fitness website a few weeks ago, and it promotes a lot of theories I have been already reading about and slowing incorporating into my life. I look forward to learning more about nerd fitness, and learning more about myself. I have been doing the Greysheeters Anonymous (GSA) food plan, off & on for about six months. I got into it because I thought I might have a food addition problem, and I found GSA through Overeaters Anonymous. I am now convinced that my poor food choices are due to other issues in my life, not that I am a food addict. The GSA plan is very low carb and is very similar to the Paleo diet I've been reading so much about lately. I feel GREAT when I stick to it for a few days, then I cheat. (Having an unsupportive partner who kept bringing me to fast food restaurants and handing me bowls of ice cream late at night only contributed to my demise. That person is no longer in my life, so it has been easier to follow.) I'm looking for positive encouragement to help me through the tough times. [Did I mention that I looooove ice cream?] =/ I also started training for a 5K. I'm doing my own version of the Couch-to-5K plan. Again, this is something that I want to do, but I can't seem to find anyone who wants to do it with me. My fiance "wasn't a runner" and none of my friends were down for it. (I got rid of the fiance, and I think I need to add some active people to my group of friends!) My 14 year-old son just joined JROTC and is very into running now. We are scheduled to run a 3K this weekend and a 5K a couple weeks after that. I have this vision of what kind of person I want to be, and I am far from it. I am up for the hard work to get there, but I want to have fun, too! =) ~Melissa Newbie question: How do I update my profile?

I love this challenge! I am new to Nerd Fitness, so I'm looking forward to getting involved and connecting with new people... Fitness Goals: 1. Complete a 40-minute spinning class without having to sit down on the bike during the climbs. 2. Stick to my low-carb diet. I can do it for 2-3 days at a time, and then I "cheat" for a day. I want to do it for 28 days without cheating. I think I can do it with support. 3. Walk the dog in the mornings before school and work, five times a week. Life Goal: Revamp my blog to make it a goal-oriented blog, where I post my fears, embarrassing moments, "silly" goals, and accomplishments. It's part of the "putting myself out there" goal I've been working on. ~Melissa