ringingmybell

I've been sick for almost a week and it's completely derailed me... Ugh! Grrr, grrr, grrrrrrr. I am determined to get back on my path. Definitely tomorrow. I didn't want to start pushing myself before my body was ready.

Name: RingingMyBell Brief overview of goals: (1) Walk 6 days a week for at least 30 minutes (2) Strength train 3 days a week. (3) Keep a food journal every day. (4) File preliminary divorce proceedings paperwork stuff by the end of the challenge. Class: Druid / Ranger Specific way of eating: Gluten-free and dairy-free Any other piece of information you think would be useful for team creation: I have been craving sweets/carbs like crazy and really need to figure out a way to curb that. Help!? If you want to be part of a team or if you want to work alone: I'd like to be a part of a team, but my schedule is getting busy so I'm not sure if I'll be able to check in often enough. So I guess no on the team this time. :-(

Staring weight: 300# Ending weight: 300# ... WTFudge?!?!?!!? Goal 1 - To complete 3 miles of walking in 60 minutes by the end of this challenge by walking everyday for 30 minutes to start and building up to an hour. Score: 3/5 -- didn't walk everyday, but definitely built my stamina up Goal 2 - To engage in 30 minutes of strength training 5 days a week. Score: 4/5 -- missed a few days, but I got in at least 3 days a week Goal 3 - To learn about and maintain a paleo diet/lifestyle. Score: 2/5 -- definitely learned more about paleo, could have been better at practicing Goal 4 - To spend at least 15 minutes a day in meditation/contemplation/prayer. Score: 4/5 -- missed a few days, and boy could I tell when I did Goal 5 - To level-up-my-life by applying to at least three teaching credential programs and practicing how be a more effective writer (in terms of essays and research papers) by writing at least two essays by the end of this challenge. Score: 0/5 -- v. bad Goal 6 - To read at least 30 minutes a day. Score: 5/5 -- I may not have read 30 minutes a day, because some days I'd read for 60 or 90 minutes, so I figured that made up for some of the days I missed. :-P TOTAL: 18/30 Ouch! Well, learned a lot more about myself with this challenge.

Yup! When I go to DC in March. I would like to check out the school in Santa Monica too. MY FINAL REPORT.... Staring weight: 300# Ending weight: 300# ... WTFudge?!?!?!!? Goal 1 - To complete 3 miles of walking in 60 minutes by the end of this challenge by walking everyday for 30 minutes to start and building up to an hour. Score: 3/5 -- didn't walk everyday, but definitely built my stamina up Goal 2 - To engage in 30 minutes of strength training 5 days a week. Score: 4/5 -- missed a few days, but I got in at least 3 days a week Goal 3 - To learn about and maintain a paleo diet/lifestyle. Score: 2/5 -- definitely learned more about paleo, could have been better at practicing Goal 4 - To spend at least 15 minutes a day in meditation/contemplation/prayer. Score: 4/5 -- missed a few days, and boy could I tell when I did Goal 5 - To level-up-my-life by applying to at least three teaching credential programs and practicing how be a more effective writer (in terms of essays and research papers) by writing at least two essays by the end of this challenge. Score: 0/5 -- v. bad Goal 6 - To read at least 30 minutes a day. Score: 5/5 -- I may not have read 30 minutes a day, because some days I'd read for 60 or 90 minutes, so I figured that made up for some of the days I missed. :-P TOTAL: 18/30 Ouch! Well, learned a lot more about myself with this challenge.

Thanks for the birthday greetings! I had an AWESOME time!! Did lots of walking, even got in a strength training. The last evening (my actual b-day), the girls and I dressed to the 9's, got a lot of looks from guys wishing they were hanging out with us. A man even came up to me and said, "You are gorgeous." We ended up dancing at Paris and ... well ... I had a great time and met some new people that maybe won't have to "stay in Vegas". ;-) I took a day off from physical activity (mostly napped off the dancing, alcohol, and just plain Vegas-ness of it all). The next day I returned to work and school. I got in three days of walking, but didn't do any strength training until today. I weighed myself on Tuesday and discovered I had managed to only gain 1 pound over the holiday break.

Thanks Faline! I have been walking 30 minutes a day and strength training every other day (not doing any ab work). Sitting still majorly sucks, but I'm trying. Heading to Vegas tomorrow (Birthday weekend!) and not looking forward to the sitting portion of the 4 hour drive there, but hopefully the company will keep me distracted -- that or I'll sleep the entire way. :-)

I was doing an exercise from a chair to work on my abs, but it irritated my tailbone and it's sore for the past three days. Sitting has been nearly unbearable. Walking does hurt, but not as bad as getting up and down from a seated position does. I took Saturday and Sunday off from extra physical activity (which I now regret). I think I will walk and do exercises that do not involve my tailbone too much until it stops really hurting. Unless anyone has another suggestion?

I've been battling working on writing essays. I started a new blog (http://ringingmybell.wordpress.com) and I'm even procrastinating on that (although I'm working on committing myself to one post a week, to practice my essay writing skillz). I get paid tomorrow so I'll be stocking up on healthy foodz. Today was my day off from exercising. Looking forward to getting back into it tomorrow.

Thanks Alethea! I did my jog/walk inside yesterday because of the rain. I completed the 8 cycles and didn't have a slight asthma attack (I'm thinking that happened Saturday because of the cold air). I'm using the Couch25K app on my ipod touch - I really like the audio cues it gives and that I can play my songs along with the program. My strength training went well today. I modified the ab activity because I have a lower back issue that won't let me do any crunch/sit-up activity without a shooting pain (it's been that way for years). My brother helped me figured out a modified activity using a chair. Meditating has been going really well. I forgot to do it over the weekend, but yesterday and today I've felt very grounded and connected to the earth. Tomorrow is my day off from activity. I'm having issues sticking to paleo, or even just gluten-free/dairy-free. I've been dairy-free for seven years, and gluten-free for the past year, but I wonder if it's being stuck at home most of the day (until school starts in two weeks and not having a car) and seeking out comfort foods (I may be the one that wants to end the marriage, but it's still rough). I know I need to figure it out ... I should meditate on it. :-)

Wow, thanks for the messages folks! I took a day off from physical activity yesterday because I got caught up helping my aunt and uncle with errands (I'm their chauffeur until my uncle heals from his surgery, my aunt has a vision impairment and cannot drive herself). I really enjoyed the first Wheel of Time book (The Eye of the World) and so far I'm enjoying the second book. And yes, he could describe a tea cup in three pages, or more in my opinion. LOL I'll be be doing trapeze with TSNY in DC with friends (I'll be in DC for a committee meeting). There is a location in Los Angeles that I want to get to eventually (and it's not even an hour from me compared to flying across the country). Their website is http://www.trapezeschool.com if anyone's interested. The instructors say that upper body strength isn't really an issue, because your weight will propel you for the most part, but after seeing my friends go through it back in October, I really want to make sure I have more strength (and will have lost more weight). This morning I started my first interval training (walking and jogging). I wanted to get through 8 cycles, but I made 6. I am quite proud of myself for making six for my first time. My asthma was kicking in so I opted to not push myself any farther, in terms of jogging (next session while I'm aiming for 8 cycles, 7 would be awesome to complete). I finished out the 30-min workout with walking and then stretching. I am thinking of modifying my workout schedule as follows: Day 1: Interval training Day 2: Strength training Day 3: Interval training Day 4: Strength training Day 5: Off Repeat Any feedback/advice on this schedule? I won't be weighing myself again until January 18th. I get tend to get obsessive about weighing myself and I want the next couple weeks to be about focusing on getting into a physical activity routine, not to be obsessing over weight loss.

I updated my original post to include that I want to build up to weighing less and having strength to do flying trapeze in early March. :-)

I'm glad we're on the same team too! Feel free to "stalk" me on FB or Twitter. :-D

I tried out the 20-minute Hotel workout this morning because I will be traveling out of town/state for at least once a month for the rest of the year and wanted to try it out. I'm glad I did! I got through three circuits before I started feeling nauseated (I think it's because of the hemp protein shake I had -- not liking the hemp -- bought it a month ago and wanted to use it up). For meditation I did deep breathing for 15 minutes and then zonked out! I slept for about an hour, but when I woke up I felt fabulous! For breakfast I fixed an omelette with some bacon, bell peppers, and leftover seasoned ground turkey from last night. I'm working on drinking more water. I did have a cup of coffee with the little bit I have left of my peppermint mocha creamer.

Would trataka require not wearing contacts?

Hi Spezzy! Glad to be here. Today I finally started The Great Hunt, from the Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan. I also have some non-fiction books that I'm working on as well. In terms of Paleo, I did really well with brunch today (a hefty turkey-and-sausage-omelette with red and green bell peppers), but dinner was seasoned ground turkey with quinoa pasta. Definitely gluten-free, but not paleo. Had microwave popcorn for afternoon snack. Walked for 30 minutes - worked up a good sweat and explored the neighborhood, it was quite nice. Tomorrow I will start my strength training routine in addition to walking.

Currently 5'5" and 300# (1/2 Human, 1/4 Dwarf, 1/4 Pixie) Druid/Ranger Goal 1 To complete 3 miles of walking in 60 minutes by the end of this challenge by walking everyday for 30 minutes to start and building up to an hour. (Currently I can complete a mile in 30 minutes, but I want to be able to complete a mile in 20 minutes) Goal 2 To engage in 30 minutes of strength training 5 days a week. (I haven't done any strength training for some time now, and I want to be able to strength train without having to buy any new accessories. Right now all I have is myself, some approrpiate attire, and my ipod touch) Goal 3 To learn about and maintain a paleo diet/lifestyle. (I've been mostly gluten-free/dairy-free for a year now, and I know I need to do more to feel better) Goal 4 To spend at least 15 minutes a day in meditation/contemplation/prayer. Goal 5 To level-up-my-life by applying to at least three teaching credential programs and practicing how be a more effective writer (in terms of essays and research papers) by writing at least two essays by the end of this challenge. Goal 6 To read at least 30 minutes a day. (I miss reading) An event that I am working up to: Flying trapeze in early March with friends. The trapeze school doesn't have a weight requirement, but I want to build up my upper body strength and be down at least 30# by then (seems like a healthy aspiration). Stalking www.facebook.com/livin2learn www.twitter.com/ringingmybell

I'd like to be on this team.

I'm not 100% sure of all the activities I want to do. I know that walking is important and I want to work on building back up to 3 miles in 60 minutes (right now I'm at 2 miles in 60 minutes). I also want to work on strength training and flexibility. I'm surprisingly flexible given my weight, but I want to be even more so. I don't have any money to spend on new accessories, so activities that I can do with just me +/- my iPod touch are perfect.

Greetings! 2010 was one of the worst years of my life and one of the best (depending if you're optimistic or pessimistic). My father died, my marriage fell apart, and I haven't been able to find a full-time job, and this morning I put my 14-year-old dog to sleep. On the plus side, I discovered that I am gluten intolerant (in addition to being allergic to dairy), returned to school (to become a teacher), gotten involved in education advocacy and professional development activites, learned I may have ADHD, began traveling the country, and new and amazing people have come into my life. Christmas 2008, during a stint with tonsilitis and bronchitis, I discovered I had hit 360 pounds - the most I've ever weighed. Since then I've lost 60 pounds, but I've hit a block. I want to completely switch to a Paleo diet. My first challenge is committing to an exercise/activity routine long enough so that it becomes a habit. I walk quite a bit, but I don't enjoy using that as my only form of physical activity. I want to do strength training as well lots fun and sweaty cardio. My ultimate goal is to get my weight somewhere between 150-175 pounds and to be curvy and toned. I greatly enjoy NerdFitness.com and I look forward to the upcoming 28-day challenge. :-)