KayLou

Hi there, and Happy New Year!

As an aspiring vegetarian (about 90% of the way there), I'm really looking forward to your posts on building energy while on a vegetarian diet. I'm also working on cutting down the simple carbs (fellow baked goods enthusiast, here!), so I'd love to hear any strategies you come up with. So far, I've got the worst offenders out of the house, but am still struggling when I'm out and about.

As for the shift from coffee to tea, -- just a thought here -- you could look at rooibos tea as a non-caffeinated alternative. It's a bit more robust than green tea, and could be useful if you're struggling with the switch.

Best of luck with this month's challenges!

3 hours ago, Reinfire said:

I’m a bookish nerd with a love of sci-fi, fantasy, and urban fantasy, that also likes making things with knitting, sewing, etc. I’ve attempted to make lifestyle changes in the past and usually get super excited, pile on a huge list of goals and make it maybe a week or two before burning out. So, I’m keeping it focused.

Hey there fellow bookish nerd! I too love to make things (I'm mainly a knitter, but enjoy all kinds of fibre arts), and suffer from, shall we say, an over-optimistic view of my capacity to make and sustain change?

Wishing you the very best of luck with your challenges this month. They seem very practical and reasonable to me, and will serve as a solid launch pad for your ultimate goal. (Amazing trip!! Healthy you!! Yeah!!!!)

Who are your favourite authors, BTW? I'm always on the look out for some good urban fantasy. I recommend checking out Sarah Monette, if you haven't run across her yet. She crafts her stories beautifully!

Just tried to upload my "Big Why" page and it's still not working. Same error as before, so that rules out the possibility that it doesn't like multiple photos in a single post. Sorry folks...I'll keep trying...

Okay - I'm going to try loading the photos one at a time. Here's the front page of my planner.

Hi all! I'm still figuring out how to reply to specific posts, so just a general response for now. (I'll get there -- I'm slow, but persistent!)

Thanks for all the suggestions to check out Fly Lady. I'm familiar with UnFuck Your Habitat, but haven't tried Fly Lady yet. I heard she can be a bit much, but it sounds like there's some good stuff to be had! Also thanks to The Real Syl Mil and RES for the suggestions to look at UnStuck and the article on chore apps! I'll post my findings on this thread for anyone who's interested -- and please feel free to share any other intel!

On 1/1/2018 at 12:29 PM, The Real Syl Mil said:

What are you using as a fitness planner?

For those who are interested, I'm using a dot grid Leuchtturm1917 (the one a lot of people use for bullet journalling). It currently has a page for "My Big Why," statistics (measurements, my BMR/RMR, etc.), a monthly activity tracker and monthly quest log. I'm having trouble posting photos, but will do so as soon as I figure out why they're not loading properly. [technology...we loves it! yes we does!!]

18 hours ago, Mab said:

How's it going with the walking, have you tried the Bodyweight routine yet? How did you find it? I rapidly discovered I cannot do a push-up (even a knee push-up) but someone suggested doing them off the kitchen counter and that was loads better, be interested to hear how you're finding it

10 hours ago, karinajean said:

how do you like the NFA bodyweight workouts?

Well, I didn't even make it to push ups, if that makes you feel any better, Mab! I'm part of the NF Academy, so I did their Baseline Test, which put me at Level 1 (a.k.a. barely functional! ;-D). I'll start my bodyweight routine tomorrow (Wednesday), with the plan of alternating my "A" and "B" workouts three times a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday). Which is a roundabout way of saying, "I'll let you know tomorrow!"

On 1/1/2018 at 5:59 PM, scalyfreak said:

@KayLou! Favorite Agatha Christie mystery?

I have a soft spot for 4:50 From Paddington. Miss Marple rocks!

Happy 2018! The Christmas Cake will taste better if it ages for a while, right? (at least that's what I'm telling myself!) The shortbread, however, is a lost cause!

I'm just starting the bodyweight workouts too -- and I notice you're also interested in weightlifting. Hope we can chat some more as the challenge goes on!

In the meantime, I will envy you your beautiful seascape, while I look out on the -27 C tundra that is my backyard! (sigh!)

Hi there - and happy new year! Best of luck with your PSMF challenge.  It sounds like a doozy!

Like Mab, I'm also interested in weightlifting and would love to hear any thoughts / tips / warnings for those of us just starting out.

Hey there! Congratulations on starting your challenge early, and best of luck with the whole breathing thing! I hope it works out for you! ;-)

Losing momentum is a huge challenge for me, so I'll be looking into the "active rest days" you mention. Also, I'm really hoping that my plans for daily tracking will help keep me...errr...on track. I'm a sucker for a gold star, if you know what I mean!

So, um, hi there! //waves// I’m KayLou. I joined the Nerd Fitness Academy a few weeks ago, and have been pottering about since then - getting my character set up, starting a few (very small!) epic quests, and doing a lot of reading.

I’m a middle-aged nerd of the bookish and artsy type, with a strong suspicion of the outdoors (which I hope to change!) and an abiding love of knitting, cats and tea (not always in the same order).  I am a fan of books and film -- all kinds, but particularly classic and speculative fiction and cosy mysteries -- as well as pretty much everything space opera.  I’m also into board games, stationary and old stuff in general.

One of the things that appeals to me most about Nerd Fitness is the four-week challenges, so I'm really looking forward to starting my first one!

My Main Quest for this challenge is simply to get moving again. I'm calling it The Finnegan-Begin-Again Quest - first, because this is a kind of reboot/refresh of some things I was doing (not very well) last year; and, second, because rhymes make me smile.

These are the fitness challenges I've set myself for the next five weeks:

(1) Walk every day for at least 15 min.

(2) Complete a bodyweight workout (starting with NF bodyweight workout #1) 2 times per week

(3) Track my daily progress in my fitness planner

In addition, my Level Up My Life challenge for this session is:

(4) Find a housework app or system that helps me integrate chores into my daily routine (vs. the "big clean")

Thanks for reading - and lots of positive mojo to my fellow rebels!

KayLou