Whisper

I like the idea of reading along with it, but you will probably have to take long breaks for when they did all the walking, but there was very little associated story (like Rivendell to Khazad Dum)

W2D2 (Monday)

This is why I can't have nice things junk food. I got a small amount of candy that I was going to divide up to have with my lunches, and some chex mix to do the same. Got tired, took sleep meds Sunday night. Meds knocked out the rational part of my brain, so instead of sleeping I watched more YouTube videos (on Medieval Weaponry) and then I...

So, maybe not a good plan. I can still have candy, just not more than I'll eat in a single sitting, 'cause night me is kind of dumb.

Activity: 14,662 steps, 5,347 cals out. Went for a roughly half mile walk with a friend. Also had bell choir practice. Have you seen the size of my bells? (profile pic) That counts as a workout too!

Food: 2,147 cals in 60% fat, 22% carb, 18% protein. This does not count whatever I ate Sunday night, 'cause I don't really know.

Today I also learned that I HATE Tapatalk! Apparently it harvests images posted inside threads, and then posts those images on the landing page. I was ok with having my before pictures where and how I had posted them. I was not ok seeing them as soon as I searched for "Nerd Fitness" on that app...

Final note: the Academy has a poorly named quest of "Walk to Mordor" to do this, you need to walk outside for at least 5 minutes, three days in a row, with a second quest to do it 30 days in a row. I'm working on doing that now, but I also want to ACTUALLY walk to Mordor, so I'm keeping track of my outside walking on WalkToMordor.com and I'm going to couple that with reading The Lord of the Rings, matching my reading to my walking.

5 hours ago, isaac10991 said:

UPDATE: 1st Pullup ever!

Congratulations! I am a long way from doing one of those myself.

Quest 4: Mindset: Read over the mindset module (25 exp)

Ding! Level 2

Quest 5: Fitness: Warm It Up (40 exp)

Choose one of our basic warm-up routines and practice each exercise. Modify any exercises that you need. Log your new modified warm-up somewhere accessible (workout journal, phone, etc…). Once you’ve practiced all the exercises at least once. You’ve completed the challenge!

Basic Warm-Up (Option 1):

30 Seconds High Knees

25 Jumping Jacks

10 Bodyweight Squats

30 Seconds of Arm Circles (forward and back)

10 Incline Push-Ups

10 Fence Steppers (each leg)

10 Front Leg Swings (each Leg)

10 Side Leg Swings (each leg)

10 Bodyweight Lunges

10 Cat Camels

10 Hip Extensions

Quest 6: Fitness: Cool It Down (40 exp)

Start with Staci’s basic Cool-Down Routine and PDFs. Practice each stretch in order. Modify any stretches you can’t do or select an alternative option from Steve’s alternative video. Log your new modified cool-down someplace accessible. Once you’ve done this, you’ve completed this quest too!

Going to alternate between Staci's Cool Down, without the lunge position and downward dog, and doing NY Yoga Mini-Sessions. 

Quest 6 and 7 Nutrition: Create Your Food Log 1 (60 exp) and 2 (100 exp)

Keep a simple food log for 3 days. For 7 days.

I've been keeping a log for 14 days now.

Ding! Level 3

23 hours ago, The budgie smuggler said:

Goals I didn’t accomplish:

- stick to diet plan. (Again I struggled at the weekend)

I've been struggling with my plan too, the point is to keep struggling with it and not give up.

44 minutes ago, JessFit said:

Saturday evening I went to a Civil War era ball and danced and danced! I love the reels, waltzes, and set dances that make up 1860s social events. Yes, I am that nerd. My heart rate wasn't super elevated for long periods of time, in part because the band needed a break between dances, but I did get 10k steps in on Saturday (I forgot to take my Fitbit off, how anachronistic!) and danced a bunch. Plus, I did it all in a corset, hoop, silk gown, and six layers of skirts, so I'll count that as cardio. Plus, I got to smooch on President Lincoln, and that is sure to get a Lady's heart rate elevated!

That sounds like a LOT of fun!

12 hours ago, Dot said:

I found a few events coming up in a couple of weeks that I have signed up for. 

I hope those work out and you are able to have fun with people! Go job hitting your other goals too.

5 hours ago, BardicGarlic said:

Dreamed about cockroaches the size of dinner plates for some reasons. I hope that's not a premonition to anything.

 

That is not a dream I would like to have!

Ok, I made a place for me to keep track of my Academy Quests Not Silence in the Library but a Whisper in the Academy.

I also put an explanation for my name there, if you want to know.

Hi, I'm Whisper! Why am I Whisper? Because I used to be Whisper Lost, but I don't feel so lost any more! Why was I Whisper Lost?

Mortalis, by R.A. Salvatore

What miserable wretches we mortals be

To build our homes in sheltered lea,

To build our hopes in sheltered womb

Weaving fancies of the tomb.

What wretched souls we mortals be

To bask in false epiphany,

To see a light so clear, so true,

To save us from the fate we rue.

Deny the truth before our sight

That worms invade eternal night,

That maggots feed within the skin

Of faithful pure, devoid of sin.

Oh what hopeful children mortals be!

Castles in air, grand barges at sea,

Bed of clouds and angels' song,

Heavenly feasting eternity long.

What mockery made of endless night!

That prayer transcends truth and hope denies sight!

That all that we know and all that we see

Is washed away by what we pray much be.

So tell me not of eternal soul

That flees my coil through worm-bit hole.

For when I die what is left of me?

A whisper lost to eternity.

Anyway, way less depressed now then when I started using that as a username, so Whisper, instead of Whisper Lost! I still like the poem, and I still like the image of our souls as Whispers.

A couple weeks back I started posting in the 4 Week Challenge, here, and I think I'll still use that for most of my stuff, but I wanted a unified spot to keep track of all of my Quest work for the Academy, rather than breaking it up over 4 Week blocks.

Quest 1: Join the Nerd Fitness Academy (25 exp). I did this! Like, a long time ago... I'm back and working through it again because when I was following it, it was really helpful! Sanity is doing the same thing over again and expecting the SAME result!

Quest 2: Mindset: Take Your Measurements (40 exp).

Quest 3: Mindset: Snap Those Before Photos! (25 exp)

9 hours ago, Whimsy said:

What to do better the second week.

I think you've got a good plan for your next step!

W2D1

Activity: 7,724 steps, 4,097 cals out. Went for a half hour, roughly 1.5 mile walk this afternoon.

Food: 3,019 cals in. 50% fat, 36% carb, 14% protein. Higher than I would have ideally liked, especially on a lower activity day. A big chunk was letting myself get too hungry, and then overeating as a reaction. Need a better plan for Sundays. If my yogurt and frozen berries plan works, it might be worth bringing that with for after church, as lunch Sunday always seems to come late.

I didn't get as much done this weekend as I would have liked (damn you YouTube!), but I do feel like I've set myself up to succeed during the coming work week.

If anyone is interested, this is some of what I played this morning. Sorry, not the best quality. 

O Cara Mia (Portal 2)

In Dreams / This is my Father's World

Plan for today:

1. Do warm up, go for a walk, do cool down.

Did NF Academy warm up. Went for a 2.86 mile walk. Did NF Yoga mini-sessions for cool down. Posture and Touch Your Toes.

2. Play through all of tomorrow's music.

Check

3, BPut some more meat on the bones of my diet plan.

I'll post this weeks plan below. 

4. Hopefully grocery shopping, but time is limited today.

Moved to 6, but got it done!

5. This afternoon, I've got a leadership training for an upcoming church retreat.

Check

6. Training is followed by a pot-luck. Goal?Don't be stupid! Log as best I can.

7. Play through all of tomorrow's music again. There's lots of it and I want to do well.

Check. I also got someone to agree to record part of it for me tomorrow.

Activity: 9,687 steps, 4,466 cals out.

Food: Best guess: 2,261 cals in 60% fat, 20% protein, 20% carbs.

If I can't figure out how to display total carb count in Fitbit, I might need to start tracking in another app.

The meal plan for the next week:

Breakfast 0 carbs

4 tbsp Heavy Cream in coffee

1 package microwaveable bacon.

Morning Snack/Lunch (depends how day is going) 17 net carbs

1 cup Fage Total 5% Greek Yogurt

¾ cup frozen berry medley

Lunch 68 net carbs

A chunk of protein (this’ll very)

½ cup basmati rice

1 tbsp chosen blend oil
(was gonna have some mini-peppers too, but none at store)

Dinner 5 net carbs

A chunk of protein (this’ll very)

2 cups spring mix

Salad dressing, low carb

¾ cup broccoli medley

90 total net carbs.

11 minutes ago, NicTheRugger said:

On a personal note, I think my study and practice of Stoicism has really helped me adjust how I view and react to things

I'm happy to hear that it is helping you. Learning to accept things can be a difficult process, but it is a valuable tool.

Welcome aboard! Keep us posted as you go and we'll be sure to give you all the encouragement we can.

Ok, I got up and weighed myself this morning under the same circumstances as I did last week!

.....Drumroll please....

I lost not, 1, not 2, not 3, not 4 pounds last week, but an astonishing 0.0 pounds! I'm totally ok with this for a few reasons:

1.  It feels like a bit of a thumb in the eye to people that oversimplify weight loss.

2.  I know for a measured fact that I made much better food choices last week than I have made most other weeks of my life.

3.  If you managed to slog through all my posts last Saturday, you saw that I didn't trust what the scale said then. I feel much more comfortable with the idea of losing 9.5 pounds over two weeks, than losing it over 1.

Plan for today:

1. Do warm up, go for a walk, do cool down.

2. Play through all of tomorrow's music.

3, But some more meat on the bones of my diet plan.

4. Hopefully grocery shopping, but time is limited today.

5. This afternoon, I've got a leadership training for an upcoming church retreat.

6. Training is followed by a pot-luck. Goal?Don't be stupid! Log as best I can.

7. Play through all of tomorrow's music again. There's lots of it and I want to do well.

Challenge day 5

Activity: 9,804 steps. 4,000 calories out. I haven't done the warm up and cool down in a week now, been feeling to burned out.

Food: 1,910 cals in 49% fat, 33% carbs, 18% protein.  Had to do a bit of guessing today.

Sleep: Fitbit says I had the best sleep all week last night. Was extra tired all day. Scheduled the appointment with the new sleep doc for the 23rd. Found some reviews of her online. She is either the most amazing person ever, or the devil. 

Who's ready for more "Fun With Math!"?

Fitbit says I've burned 31,438 calories this week. Food log says I've eaten 15,273 cals. If both are correct, I should have burned 16,165 calories more than I've eaten, which should be 4.62 pounds of fat. We'll see what the scale says in the morning.

Time to practice music, then head to bed.

Challenge day 4

Activity: 12,980 steps and 4,428 cals out.

Food: 1,734 cals in. 44% fat, 39% carb and 17% protein. A bit lower than I was aiming for, but not feeling hungry for anything else. Still not really on a plan, hopefully I can use time this weekend to get that together, but just the mindfulness of logging food is helping.

On a fun note, I got to spend an hour and a half with my church's music director this afternoon. Our organist is out for a bit, so she and I are doing all the music for the "Traditional" service this Sunday. I'm going to be doing a medley of the hymn "This is Our Father's World" and "In Dreams" (Lord of the Rings) for the Offertory song, and she and I are going to play "O Cara Mia" (Portal 2 Turret Opera) for the postlude. She's also going to have me do "Sad Romance" (Final Fantasy X) during Lent, and I'll be working on "Concerning Hobbits" for sometime this summer. 

Challenge Day 3 (posted a day late)

Activity: 12,258 steps, 5,535 cals out.

Food: Logged 1,963 cals in. Then I had a really stressful time after a really long day at work and ended up bending some and not measureing what I was eating. Remember how I didn't buy chips? Binged on almonds, pumpkin seeds and pistachios. 

My takeaway? Need to pre-portion the stuff so that next time I go off stress eating, I can account for it afterwards. 

On 1/9/2019 at 8:29 AM, WhiteGhost said:

Ultimately, these are both personal choices so there is no right or wrong answer to either

17 minutes ago, RES said:

Echoing what WhiteGhost said, it's completely a personal choice. Some people prefer battle logs for more 'long term' things, and use the challenges for shorter term goals. Some only do one or the other, I do both depending on what it's for, YMMV.

Thank you both for you inputs. I think I do like the idea of a more long term place to keep track of my quest stuff and personal stats over time; easier to reference things like old measurements that way. I want to spend time working on the Academy stuff this weekend, so I'll probably make one then.

So, I'm thinking about starting a separate "battle log" type thread to keep track of all of my Academy quests.

My questions are:

1. Should I do that, or just post that stuff here too?

2. Should I upload my before pictures?

I've been debating the second question for a while. I wasn't going to do it if they just showed up, because it seems really damn mean to make people look at them; but I've just satisfied myself that I can indeed upload images, but keep them from displaying without active choice by the viewer.  There is a part of me that thinks it could be an important part of "owning" where I am now, and my Big WHY of why I am trying to change, but I'm not sure if it is a good idea or not.

This is a test, this is only a test...

Challenge Day 2

Activity: 4,446 cals out. 11,514 steps.

Food: 2,620 cals in. 44% carb, 36% fat, 20% protein.

5 hours ago, WhiteGhost said:

I hope they figure out what is messing with your sleep soon, so you can get that properly addressed.  

That would be nice, but I'm not gonna hold my breath. Been dealing with sleep problems for at least twenty years, and actively looking for answers for the last 7. I haven't found anything that fits better than Narcolepsy, but there are some critical areas where that doesn't fit either. It's just been a long, crazy mess. But I got a good 6.5 hours of sleep last night, and today I feel pretty good, so that is something.