Jupiter

Hey, no worries at all, just glad you're back. You're going to crush this challenge.

The weekend: Fitness: - I really need to get back to posting daily. Anyway, I did 2 circuit training workouts over the weekend and 2 yoga videos. Nutrition: - Ran out of healthy things by Friday, but I went to the store over the weekend and I managed to cook something healthy: chicken (marinated in honey bourbon sauce) and just microwaved some frozen veggies. Thanks @ReturnOfTheDad for the tip! I wanted to make rice with it too but didn't get a chance. Maybe today if I can swing it but we'll see. Intellectual: - Didn't get as much work done as I wanted over the weekend (I never seem to) but at least I finished one chapter, for the most part, and mostly finished the next chapter. I want to tweak it a bit more before moving on. I'm adding another element that I'm not sure will work down the road, so we'll see how it goes. Also got my short story ready for submission. Now all that's left is submitting it and seeing what happens.

Yesterday: Fitness: - Walked 4588 steps. The weather was nicer than I thought it would be, so I went ahead and took my walk. I'm starting to feel more run down again. Haven't been sleeping well either. I don't know if it's just stress from work or what. We're getting really busy, way busier than last month, and some of my co-workers are needier than they usually are and want a bunch of extra things done, so that's been frustrating. Nutrition: - My one healthy thing yesterday: mandarin orange. Intellectual: - Worked for about 2 to 2 and 1/2 hours yesterday. Tweaked the short story a little bit more (I feel like every time I say it's done, I find something else to change) and worked on my novel. I'm not liking how the line by line edits are going, I can't quite get it right, but I like the overall plot better than I did before at least. I need to go through it again, but I may do that part later and move on to the next chapter.

Yesterday: Fitness: - Walked 4927 steps. My coworker wasn't feeling well, so I went out on my own, and it was hotter than I was expecting. Sounds like it'll be just as hot today so I may skip the walk and do some indoor cardio instead. Nutrition: - Ate an apple as my one healthy thing. Intellectual: - Took a break and read for a bit instead and watched TV. Anyone watch The Flash?

So, I’ve done a few challenges already and I’ve decided to do a battle log as well, so I can keep better track of everything I’m doing and to keep myself more accountable. I haven’t been posting as much to the challenge threads as I’d like so I’m hoping I’ll post more here. A little about me: I’m Jupiter, I’m 28 and I work a stressful desk job with (mostly) long hours. My main goal is just to be healthier, get in shape, and put more balance into my life (and not work myself into the ground like I have been for the last few years). So, to accomplish this goal I have a few smaller goals. I’ve used them for my challenges and they’ve surprisingly been working, so I want to keep going and just increase the difficulty level. Fitness: Yoga twice a week for at least 20 minutes. - This has become my zen time LOL. I really enjoy it, though I still can’t do some of the more challenging poses and some days I can barely do the easier ones. It’s a work in progress. Walk and get in between 3500 steps and 6000 steps a day (this may or may not happen on yoga days, depending on my energy levels). - I convinced my coworker to go walking with me at lunch when she’s in the office, and I plan on taking my dog for walks after work, so I think this is doable. Nutrition: Cook at least one semi-healthy meal once or twice a week. - This will probably be my biggest overhaul. I’ve done nothing but eat takeout for months because work has been so busy but now I’m forcing this habit back to life. I’ve been tracking everything I eat for the last two weeks and the results have been equally interesting and alarming. So I really want to try to focus on eating healthier foods. Intellectual: Write between 1500 and 2000 words a day. Revise 1 hour a day. - I’m trying to be a writer and build up a writing career on the side (it’s going very, very slowly so far) but these last few weeks I’ve gotten way off track, so now it’s time to get this car back on the rails and get the work done. Read at least 20 to 30 minutes every other day. - I love to read but it’s been hard this year with all the hours I’ve been working and I’m not sure I’ll reach my reading challenge goal this year. I’m doing a new reading challenge for next year and I’m determined to reach it. Sketch at least once or twice a week. - I haven’t drawn anything in a while, and while I’m bad at it, I like it and I want to get better at it. Anyway, that’s all I’ve got. Thanks for reading.