KaitSith

DAY 4 RECAP: Stairs are my mortal enemy. BIGGEST SUCCESS: I did not weep as I took 3 flights of stairs to my car, instead of the elevator....Why does it hurt so much more the 2nd day after my work out? BIGGEST CHALLENGE: Not feeling so tired that I want all of the coffee, next week I am changing my Level up your Life goal from dishes to going to bed earlier. Mr. Sith and KidSith have been taking care of dishes and trash and I can't feel guilty. Diet Pack and bring lunch to work everyday - Mr. Sith surprised me for lunch with a grilled chicken sandwich from Chick Fil A. Almost healthy, lol, I ate my 3oz of turkey breast as a snack with my apples. No coffee, just water, after 10:30 - Failed. I was so tired that I zombie drank coffee without even thinking about it. Fitness Beginner Body Weight Work Out 3x a week - Day off. I have to work on upper body strength for Tug Of War in April, but getting some ibuprofen for my thighs. Stupid Squats. 3 miles of walking on the weekend - Nailed it! NAILED IT SO HARD. Plus, I got to see a baby rhino up close. Going again next weekend. Level Up Your Life Keep the kitchen clean! Dishes and trash out every night. - Mr. Sith took care of this because I made dinner. I should probably stop taking credit for making him do chores. Finish that book! 15 minutes - 1 hour of writing everyday - NAILED IT! I wrote 400 words in my Plot Points document that lead me to cutting almost an entire chapter. I have to break this habit too: The first draft should be a sprint to the finish and I am not allowed to write and edit at the same time. Wrote: 400 Cut: 2311 Total WC for First Draft: 31237 Day 5 Recap: Cutting back on coffee isn't working. Here's why: I don't drink coffee at home/ on the weekends unless Mr. Sith and I go on a writing date. At work I sit in front of a computer all day and I go through a cycle of mindlessly drinking + refilling my coffee. We have real sugar and half & half, which I don't measure when I add to my coffee, and I drink at least 3 cups/day. These mostly empty calories are (I'm guessing) some of the biggest culprits of my weight gain over the past two year of having this job. BIGGEST SUCCESS: I have to quit coffee the same way I quit smoking. I will mindlessly continue the habit if I have it available. BIGGEST CHALLENGE: Seeing all creative times as equal and not acting like GrumpyKait. I DM our family D&D Campaign. I realize that people wanting to play a game with me is not nefarious, but they were manipulative and belligerent about it and I am bitter and resentful. This is my first foray into D&D at all, and I'm the &!^%%!*%! DM. I do enjoy parts of it for sure, but mostly it is a giant looming thing that steals a lot of my time, patience, and attention. One does not simply show up to game night and roll some dice. Diet Pack and bring lunch to work everyday - Enchilada day. Bringing all the veggies tomorrow. No coffee, just water, after 10:30 - Nailed it! I had 1 cup on the commute and then none at work. Fitness Beginner Body Weight Work Out 3x a week - 2 of 3. EXCUSE ME WHILE I WHINE: I added in Stair-Assisted Push Ups and I couldn't finish 5 without needing a break because my arms were shaking and failing to complete the motion. I took a long break and did 5 more... then a long break and 5 more. I couldn't finish 20, my arms seriously wouldn't lift my body weight again. This is part of the process, right? Right?? It was maybe 12 minutes of my life and I have no idea if this is helping. 3 miles of walking on the weekend - Nailed it! NAILED IT SO HARD. Plus, I got to see a baby rhino up close. Going again next weekend. Level Up Your Life Keep the kitchen clean! Dishes and trash out every night. - Mr. Sith and KidSith took care of this because I made dinner and hosted our D&D night, which lasted until 10:30. This is still getting done, but only with support from the family. Finish that book! 15 minutes - 1 hour of writing everyday - Biweekly D&D duties ate this right up. I wrote plenty of things, but not for the book.

If you ever travel and stay the weekend you should definitely check out the Wat Tampa! It is a Thai Buddhist Temple and on Sunday mornings they offer authentic Thai food for a cash donation. Super inexpensive and not too far from TIA, their soup is full of veggies and it is so good that people line up for it at 9:30am.

That's a fantastic idea because I have stairs in my home and at work! I'm not embarrassed to admit that this kinda blew my mind and its sooooo obvious!

KidSith is both Pinky and the Brain, for sure. He still can't tie his shoes and cries when he has to talk to pretty girls, so he's not all super genius all the time. Every time I think he wants to do something properly nerdy like be a professional gamer or network engineer he's all, hey I just want to play with my sister's doll house right now, or let's buy some bookcases from IKEA so I can build them. BUT Ooooh I might have to get hooked up with some of your honey, Mr. Sith is also a fiend and we started cutting out refined sugar in all the things. AND!!!! I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT USING THE COUNTER! YESSSSSSS!! NOW I WILL NOT DIE OF GRIEVOUS HEAD INJURIES. <--- that is still debatable I am pretty clumsy.

Oooooooooooh thank you for the recommendation! That is a super inexpensive book and I have a $25 Amazon gift card so I can grab that for kindle and as a paperback. Winning! KidSith needs no encouragement on that front: he also wants to build a forge in the backyard so we can make knives out of lawnmower blades. Instead I constantly have to be all Mom-like and tell him, "Maybe you should do your spelling homework, dude."

I actually have IKEA knives! Some backstory: KidSith reads and researches things that he is obsessed with, like Titanic, Minecraft, Fantasia, Old computer/video game stuff, 80s kids toys, and cooking tools. For this particular subject he watches smelting/forging videos, reads reviews of chef's knives, watches YouTube reviews/performance tests etc, and presents his evidence in favor of my parting with $500 for a Japanese knife which is basically a katana for vegetables. This kid has argued for adding honey to his strawberries by lecturing me about the dopamine reward system in your brain. So, he's basically a mini Alton Brown. That does not mean that he is getting a vegetable katana, he was allowed to pick out some honey from a local beekeeper. We have two very good, regularly sharpened knives that are the workhorses of our kitchen, and one smaller, sad lonely paring knife that gets no attention because its not as fun to use to chop veggies. KidSith loves IKEA with a passion and I end up there weekly... so maybe I can convince him to research some of those knives and see if bribing him with some smaland play time/new IKEA knives is a double feature that he can't refuse. Also, I need to find the overweight newbs guide to being able to do a single push up/ pull up - but internet advice looks like it is a matter of strengthening my upper arms + losing weight so I don't break my dining room table (also IKEA) trying to do an assisted version.

Thank you! He's practicing writing a script now and trying to convince me to buy new knives for the show. I can't even imagine what the teenager years are going to be like. As for the body weight exercises -- I didn't even know they were a thing!! I was just using the weight machines in the office gym. My pushup/pullups are the most laughable thing in the world. I can lift heavy things that are not myself. lolz

Aww thanks! I'm an artist so I reward my daily success with free range art time. (Before I would have used food to reward myself for doing squats, dishes, and weaning myself off coffee, because I deserve cheesecake for simply breathing!) Thank you for the info on the pyramid approach, I did have to google it lol I'm pretty much the most beginner you can be -- I was just doing cardio and lifting using the gym machines before this challenge.

Is there such a thing as negative shape because that's where I am. Well, round is a shape. lolz Honestly, more than one circuit (set?) after a few weeks is my goal too, I just want to build in the consistency too. How do you work in cardio while travelling? Ok, so a moscow mule + sushi = my idea of heaven. I'm further south, in Tampa, and we lack anything resembling decent sushi too or I would eat it daily. I always wonder if I should just learn how to make it myself. Congrats on killing your goals! choooooooo chooooo

Ooh, I'm a nerd about this stuff. I LOVE meta data and to hear about other people's daily routines / tracking processes is because there is so much knowledge out there collectively. I was able to quit smoking and wrangle in my grocery list & meal plan using some really great tips + mindset hacks from people who didn't even think that they had anything new to share. As for digital books (and audiobooks): I need a physical touchstone. I have to be able to take notes or doodle in a sketchbook, or something active or it all just blurs together. Same here! I take quick notes on a sticky note and I can retain digital information slightly better, but over 100 pages? My brain is jelly. For tracking, I am recording process on a sticky not and then entering them into a tracker and forum post the next day. It might be too much work eventually, but without the physical action it doesn't seem 'real' to me and doesn't stick - in the same way that I don't process reading information digitally as well as from a hard copy.

DAY 3 RECAP: Holy Mother of Squats, y'all. I can't take stairs today. I have been humbled by 20 chair-assisted squats. BIGGEST SUCCESS: Meal prepped and bulk cooking at home for 4 meals: Roasted chicken and pork, just add some green veggies nightly and dinner is done! Saving time and no excuses to order pizza because I don't want to cook. KidSith helped with the cooking and is super inspired to start a kid's cooking show on YouTube. He wants it to be just like Good Eats: silly, with puppets and science, called So Easy A Kid Can Do It. KidSith is 7, you guys. We have to make this happen. BIGGEST CHALLENGE: My BIG GENIUS IDEA to work out during lunch has been waylaid: Lunch time is packed in the office gym. We only have a few ellipticals, treadmills, and weight machines so I have to change my Fitness Challenge plan, and quick! After some research it looks like a beginner body weight work out meets my goal of finding something simple, convenient, and results-oriented. Plus it travels well, right? I added the circuits to my fitness tracking spreadsheet. It sounds great in theory but I only got through 1 complete circuit. Holy Mother of Squats, how am I going to do this every other day? My new goal is to get through 2 (!yeah only 2, cringe!) circuits by the end of this challenge. Diet Pack and bring lunch to work everyday - I brought the ingredients for lunches for the week into work so I have no excuses nor can I leave my lunch at home. No coffee, just water, after 10:30 - So, I didn't refill my coffee after my first cup, but I did nurse it all day, in addition to all the water I was supposed to drink. I'm still calling this a win because I wasn't taking in any additional calories from more cups coffee + cream and sugar. Fitness Beginner Body Weight Work Out 3x a week - 1 of 3. Taking the elevator in the parking garage and telling everyone how I survived 20 squats. 3 miles of walking on the weekend - Nailed it! NAILED IT SO HARD. Plus, I got to see a baby rhino up close. Going again next weekend. Level Up Your Life Keep the kitchen clean! Dishes and trash out every night. - Mr. Sith took care of this because KidSith and I passed out before 9pm. Finish that book! 15 minutes - 1 hour of writing everyday - NAILED IT! I squeeze this in during my two 15 breaks at work, and sometimes while KidSith is doing his reading homework. Wrote: 750 Cut: 0 Total WC for First Draft: 33548 Made a very rough draft book cover to reward myself. (This took longer than the squats, I should keep this in perspective)

I knew I saw a Star Wars reference! I am a super Star Wars nerd. How is your writing going? Mr. Sith and I have been working on the nerdiest Star Wars fanfiction ever (could be an overly nerdy TMI but whatevs), and Steven Pressfield has been my go-to for Outline, Editing, and Story Writing knowlege. Seriously his newsletter is one of the only that I subscribe to and his emails are always useful.

Thanks for commenting and your motivation suggestions! My small steps yesterday were: 1. Meal prep and bulk cooking for 4 meals to save time and not have an excuse to eat out. The most awesome side effect is that KidSith helped with the cooking and is super inspired to start a kid's cooking show on YouTube. 2. Researched strength training and beginner body weight work outs vs using the machines at the gym. Started with the beginner work out and added to my fitness tracking spreadsheet. Holy Mother of Squats, I can't take stairs today.

oh, duh! You travel! >_< I'm glad I asked the silly question anyway because I'm super new to the body weight workout concept it so I don't know what I don't know. (insert googling Fitness Band here) In fact just started this week and let me tell you: THE SQUATS. LAWDAMERCY I DON'T KNOW WHY I WAS WORRIED ABOUT PROCURING A GALLON OF WATER. I'll find an gif a corgi unable to waddle up stairs so you can visualize my struggle this morning.

Hiya fellow rebels! After KICKING MAJOR BUTT in a Tug of War competition I learned that one of my biggest hurdles to better health fitness was that I hate cardio. I failed every attempt at a regular exercise regime in less than two weeks because I was focusing on cardio, not strength training. I want to beat my results from last year (SemiFinals or better! YESSS LETS DO THIS) and eventually cosplay as a badazz Lady Gaston at a Con.. or Evil Lyn from the Masters of the Universe (because I'm a not-so-secret-aging-Goth-Nerd) I hate putting myself out there like this because I am generally a very independent person, good at starting things but not finishing them, who was born with a very tragic patience-deficiency. (I'd like everything done yesterday, thanks.) Baby steps are kind of my Kryptonite but I joined the first challenge this year to help build systems to keep my Quests in focus and help them be successful. My Quests are: Get Stronger, Prioritize Family Time, and Level Up the Bizz. My Challenges are: I've got a lot on my plate and I need all of the accountability to bring my goals from a spreadsheet into real life. I'm a mom with a more-than-full-time-job at an IT company, a long commute, plus a side hustle creating art. I spend all of my free time in the evening (after KidSith has gone to bed) working on my business so I can do that full time, painting or writing. My creative time keeps me sane but now I am also building it into a business, which leaves little time for anything else in my already full day. I find excuses to save time/be more productive (eating out, skipping sleep, working through lunch, drinking all the coffee/energy drinks) and my health and quality family time have been sacrificed. My 2nd biggest realization (1st= loving strength training) from the last year is that I'm just no good at being a lone wolf. This is where you come in! (Hiya!) I joined NerdFitness to get the community and support that I've been missing that will help me overcome my challenges. HELP ME REBELS YOU'RE MY ONLY HOPE! Just kidding, that's too much pressure, but feel free to join in and leave me a reply to keep me motivated.

Congrats! Are you using a gallon of water for your work out? I am reading about this same work out because it looks like my gym plans will be derailed and I need an alternative asap.

Aww thanks! Lifting never really entered my radar until last year, and like a lot of ladies (I assume, anyway) I spent a lot of time doing cardio and failing at regular exercise because I hate cardio. I was recruited to join our company at a huge corporate beach day and they put me on the Tug Of War team. We're an IT company but we completely kicked butt! We made it to the semi-finals and only lost to a professional team sponsored by a gym - afterwards I was like YES I WILL DO THIS NEXT YEAR and I started strength training vs cardio in the gym. With my schedule it has been sporadic but I really enjoy it.

Day 1 and Day 2 Recap BIGGEST SUCCESS: Two of my Quests from the planning week are Get Stronger and Prioritize Quality Family Time. After spending a week planning, I impulsively purchased annual passes to a local theme park for my family on Day 1. (instead of buying a gym membership that I would never use) it turned out to be the best decision because it multitasks as a family fun time, date night, and sneaky exercise activity. It also helps to satisfy Mr. Sith's big goals, so it is a win-win-win. Excuse me while I pat myself on the back a million times. BIGGEST CHALLENGE: Monday morning meeting went long, into my lunch, completely ruining my plans to go to the gym. I went late and it was packed. Went on a walk instead. The amount of people in the gym could lessen into later January? I might need to change to a Tuesday/Thursday gym habit because Monday and Friday in the office can get brutal. What do I replace M/W/F with? Day 1 Recap: Diet Pack and bring lunch to work everyday - did not apply to the weekend No coffee, just water, after 10:30 - Nailed it! Fitness Go to office gym during lunch M/W/F - did not apply to the weekend 3 miles of walking on the weekend - Nailed it! NAILED IT SO HARD. Level Up Your Life Keep the kitchen clean! Dishes and trash out every night. - I roped Mr. Sith into trash duty, win! KidSith is in charge of unloading the dishwasher nightly, second win! Finish that book! 15 minutes - 1 hour of writing everyday - NAILED IT! Everything is in GoogleDocs but maybe start tracking with 750words.com to get all that lovely metadata Day 2 Recap: Diet Pack and bring lunch to work everyday - I brought the ingredients for lunches for the week into work so I have no excuses nor can I leave my lunch at home. No coffee, just water, after 10:30 - Nailed it! (Barely. I looked at the coffee pot longingly all day.) Fitness Go to office gym during lunch M/W/F - Failed it. Meeting took up my lunch >_< and I took a walk instead. This will be my biggest challenge. 3 miles of walking on the weekend - Nailed it! NAILED IT SO HARD. Plus, I got to see a baby rhino up close. Level Up Your Life Keep the kitchen clean! Dishes and trash out every night. - Nailed it! Family Powers activate! Mr. Sith took care of trash duty, KidSith unloaded the dishwasher so I could load it. Finish that book! 15 minutes - 1 hour of writing everyday - NAILED IT! Wrote: 1768 Cut: 4382 Total WC for First Draft: 32798 Wordcount isn't my gauge of success because edits will cut entire pages, but I'm still considering using 750words.com to get all that lovely metadata

Does anyone else get messed up by digital only tracking? I like making lists/spreadsheets/trackers but without paper and pen systems it doesn't stick.

It looks like you've got it all planned out into manageable chunks. I <3 creative life goals, let me know if you need any painting help - it's my thing.

Hi! I'm KaitSith and I have dreams of power-lifting like a fantastically hot Amazon Warrior / Lady-Gaston. (TMI? Ah well.) This is my first challenge so my goals are pretty simple. Warrior-to-be KaitSith's LEVEL 1 REBEL CHALLENGE: Diet Pack and bring lunch to work everyday No coffee, just water, after 10:30 Fitness Go to office gym during lunch M/W/F 3 miles of walking on the weekend Level Up Your Life Keep the kitchen clean! Dishes and trash out every night. Finish that book! 15 minutes - 1 hour of writing everyday I dove into the worksheets last week, digging really deep into my quests. I'm a mother of two, supreme art nerd, and I work a full time job. I've prioritized my work schedule and family schedule above my health. (I work as an admin for an IT company and I spend over 40 hours a week at my computer/desk, plus 2 - 3hours daily for my commute into the office, then I have my kids until bedtime, and after that I work on my side business. I tried and failed to make time to go to a gym before or after work for two years and beat myself up over it constantly.) My most inspired idea in the planning stage is to use the office gym on my lunch break. Spending my lunch break with my coworkers and friends is some of my only social so it was very important to me, but lately I've been eating and working through my lunches so I am not going to be giving up that time by working out.