Susie_Derkins

Went to two 60-minute yoga classes yesterday and feel sore today, but in a good way. I learned a new pose and am really excited to start working on its form. I never look as graceful as that photo, but it's fun to work towards. I read a little bit more yesterday. I'm almost done with Pastoralia and started Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More than We Think. Today I'll run a timed mile and do some speedwork. woo!

Thanks for that Dave Farmar tip! I'm gonna check it out! I'm really, really glad that you decided to bike instead of running! I think that listening to and respecting our bodies regarding injury and rest is something that we'll both be working on during this challenge. You're doing a great job. What a great victory! Anytime I "eat this, not that" I wonder if it will ever become easier. I'm glad to hear that it does! Injury is never worth that checkmark on the spreadsheet, but I totally get what you mean. I'm a little type-A (some would say "highstrung") and seeing little gaps on my chart makes me bananas. But ya gotta be smart. ps - I voted on the July Color Challenge!

Congratulations on your first marathon! That's a great accomplishment. Your goals look awesome - specific and measurable. I like how you've outlined obstacles and ways to overcome them. Regarding sleep: I used to have a chaotic sleep schedule. Over the past year, I've slipped into a regular 8 hours. This helps me: Going to bed and waking up at the same time everday, even on weekends. Cutting caffeine 8 hours before bed. Exercising. I hope you're able to nail this one. Being rested makes all other goals just a little easier.

I'm glad to see so many scouts incorporating yoga into their training. It has helped me tremendously. That dinner sounds delicious! Cooking is all about improv.

I've never heard this advice before. Chafing?

Glad to see that you're making some progress on your goals. Yeah for vegetarians and partial vegetarians! When I'm training a lot, I like to incorporate a lot of Greek yogurt and cottage cheese into my meals.

I'm glad to hear that the $5 system is working for you Also, that race looks like a lot of fun! Just curious, which one are you?

I've read that "bounding" can help, trying to cover as much distance as possible with as few steps as possible. Saw this awesome video:

Happy Monday, Scouts! I hope everyone had a great weekend. I was fortunate enough to spend time with some friends and family, do a little leisure reading, and complete a few chores. Goals revisted, Week 1: Strength train 3x per week: Completed two weight-training sessions and two yoga classes. Run a 7:00 mile: Timed my mile at the track - 8:17. Will need to focus on this goal, but I'm glad that I now have a starting point. Eliminate soda: Drank seltzer, water, and tea. This one may be easier than I had anticipated. Read two books: Almost finished with Pastoralia. Enjoying the excuse to read. Savings plan: Hammered out a monthly budget of expenses and calculated what we'd need for an emergency fund. Researched some high-yield savings accounts and certificates of deposit. Browesed finance message boards. Obstacles, revisted: Soda – This one didn’t really trouble me so much. I’ve definitely increased my green tea / coffee intake to compensate for the caffeine loss, but I actually developed a taste for seltzer. Trader Joe’s sells some nice flavors. Mid-July vacation – I think the plan for that week will be “Go with the flow.” I’ll be with family that I don’t see often and prioritizing time with them over exercise is a no-brainer. We’ll be hiking quite a bit, maybe I can also sneak in a few laps while we’re at the pool. Unanticipated obstacles: Pushing too hard – I will try to be aware of my body and how I feel over the next few weeks. I absolutely do not want to injure myself during this challenge. Eating enough – This one worries me the most. I have some issues with emotional eating / satiation and counting calories can lead to some disordered behaviors. This obstacle needs more exploration. Have an awesome day, everyone! Thanks for the support and inspiration!

I poked through the other Guild forums to see what their mini challenges are. I figure that it's better to learn from as many folks as possible! These are the ones that I picked for myself: Druid: For each of your goals, what is your specific plan to accomplish each part? What is your progression? What do you need to make time for in your week? I’d like to do is identify and acknowledge obstacles on a weekly basis. I anticipate that these obstacles will change and I want to identify them and face them as actively as possible. Adventurer: Address something that’s stopping you from leveling up, big or small. This can encompass any number of things, so long as you are taking a step forward to annihilate that obstacle. Something that has been stopping me from leveling up is my lack of “Before†photos. I’m super modest and they make me incredibly uncomfortable, but I know they can be an awesome motivating tool. Done! Warrior: Pick one troubled or stiff area and accumulate 1 total hour of working on it this week! I didn't get a full hour, but I worked on forward folds and splits after each of my yoga practices. I would like to take an aerial silks class and nailing a split for it would be awesome!

You're doing an awesome job with your goals! How nice to have friends that are also interested in health! My husband and I often struggle with "what to cook?!" when we have friends over for dinner. When training for my first half (and my husband's second half), we would often do our long runs together. It really helped with the boredom!

Awesome week! It can be really difficult to juggle exercise and family. You'll get that bike ride this week!

Do you know in advance what the fitness test will entail? Hope your holiday was fun!

Wow! Thanks for the great update - you're doing a really awesome job so far! Your strength-training workouts are insane. Just curious, do you use a bench for your box jumps or an actual box? Were you ever scared that you wouldn't jump high enough and face plant?

I've found that metering my breathing and being properly hydrated helps a lot with side stitches. Fingers crossed for your job!

Major congratulations on besting your old 10k PR! It sounds like you got some solid family hanging out, mixed with some activity. Great weekend!

Congratulations on your 26.2! That's an awesome accompishment. I've only run one half and am in major awe of people who do the full race. Your goals look great. I've found it helps me if I buy the ridiculously overpriced fancy floss - I'm wasting my money if I don't use it!

I think that being compared to an elf is a great compliment! When working out early, it helps me to have everything planned in advance (like setting my clothes out and deciding what I'll do). Hope it went well!

I love your updates! I'm really glad to see many people modifying their workouts in response to the heat. Challenge or not, safety and wellness should always come first. Maybe your cramp was from dehydration? I still haven't mastered the art of practicing yoga alone. I lose focus and get bored quickly and I never finish the shavasanas :-\

10mi @8:20?! WHOA. That's awesome!! Well done on surviving summer parties. I feel like sangria is everywhere.

The joke is on me! I had to google "squash!" Wikipedia says we don't have it in the States.

Hi! Thanks for responding. This is good advice. Perhaps I'll do some of my speed work in my neighborhood (lotsa hills) instead of at the track. It was definitely more of a cardiovascular issue than a strength issue. I'm hoping that I'll be able to develop a good base over the next couple of weeks.

Congratulations on the house deposit! I think it's really smart to have a plan that identifies and incorporates your favorite splurgey foods. I try to tell myself that chocolate is not off-limits and that I can enjoy some if I want it - but I will not have the M&M's in the break room. I like the idea of consciously and intentionally eating something that you really enjoy, but in moderation.

This is so awesome! This self-awareness is really difficult and something that I struggle with a lot. Eating healthfully and consciously really is more of a journey than a final destination. Major congratulations on taking huge steps in the right direction!

Well done on working out despite the weather! I've found that the rain, moreso than anything else, can really derail my motivation. Usually, it's just a matter of getting outside, but I can be such a baby. I've been drinking seltzer instead of soda. Maybe you could mix it with a little juice for the sweetness?