MiscKlaire

Changing a goal! Swimming is going to turn into doing the bodyweight circuit as I've just recently moved bedrooms and have no idea where I packed my swim stuff haha. Writing and meditating has been done today, as well as at-home dancing. Dance class /might/ be happening tomorrow but I'm not sure as the company has started touring. I'll ask someone tho.

Ooh therabands is a good idea! I'll see if I can get some; I have some bands from physio years ago that might work similarly. I have some exercises I've memorized from class: a foot warmup, plies, round-de-jamb and grand round-de-jamb (I am probably butchering the spelling haha), frappes, tondues, and some turn and balancing practice (that I made up on my own as I'm not very good at spins or balancing yet)

Today thus far: it's a half an hour until I start work, I've had my latte WITHOUT SUGAR which is yay success, my morning coffee I was diligent and even though I like it sweeter I stuck with the 1/2tsp of sugar and was fine. I've written 200 out of 500 words so far. I did my ballet practice this morning. I want to research some ankle exercises, as I'm noticing that mine aren't very strong and get sore too easily for my liking. More stretching is needed. I meditated this morning and felt like it went pretty successfully! I was scatterbrained almost the whole time, but I just let my mind come back to my breathing and focused on that. Originally I was worried about keeping my focus for two minutes but the time seemed to go by very fast, so I'm excited to see how well this goes in the coming weeks. Tomorrow morning I'll try swimming.

I don't know if you've thought of this but one thing I really like to pack for lunches is what I call 'instant shepherd's pie'. Microwave one sweet potato until it's mashable, then putting it in a plastic container and covering it with shepherd's pie things like corn, carrots, ground meat, etc. With being vegan you could forgo the meat and any substitute even and still probably be really full. In case you get tired of just plain sweet potatoes. Good luck!!

One of my favourite things about paleo is experimenting with salads. I love salads, and I especially love putting all kinds of things in them, like dried berries and nuts and grilled meat. Also I think the idea of motivating yourself through saving up for things is genius. Genius I say! Best of luck with the challenge!!!!

I'm starting a regular meditation practice this challenge as well. I like that plan you have of relaxing in the silence. So often I find myself distracting myself with anything, in order to not be in quiet. Not super helpful for getting in touch with myself! Good luck

Hello friends. My goals this term were more druid-like, so I'm posting in here for this challenge. Health Goals: - Dance (ballet technical) 3x a week, if there is class. Without class (on my own) try for 4x a week (it's easier for me to push myself while in class, as I have more room to move around and am also able to get feedback). +3 STR +2 STA - Swim: 2x a week. It's early in the morning and I know in the past that has been hard for me, getting up early, so I'm starting simple with just the 2x a week. In two weeks I'll evaluate and see how I feel, if I want to go more. +2 STA Jun9: Is being edited into beg bodyweight circuit, 2x a week. (I don't know where I've packed my swim stuff haha) - No sugar in work drinks (barista at Starbucks). At home coffee and tea get only a 1/2 teaspoon of sugar or honey. I'm not strong enough to totally cut out my sugar from my coffee just yet +2 CON Other life goals: - Meditate: 2 mins every morning for the first two weeks, 3mins for the third and fourth week, and 4mins for the last two. I haven't had a regular meditation thing ever so I'm excited to embrace mindfulness. +2 WIS - Write 500 words a day. After two weeks, if that's been too easy, bump up to 1k/day. +2 WIS - Upload one video to YouTube every week. Little bro left on Saturday for a year-or-longer round the world trip, and I'm going to be sending him video letters, updating him on the goings-on at home and on the internet. +2 CHA I thiiiink I allocated the points right. I keep forgetting, as I've started many challenges and haven't really successfully finished any of them haha. Not the case for this time! I've also got a book for keeping track of my progress, with stickers. I bought 1004 different types of stickers a couple weeks ago, and I put stickers down for different things (remembering to floss twice a day, for example). Once all the stickers are done I'm going to reward myself by /finally/ getting that tattoo I've wanted for years. Happy challenge!!!

I went home yesterday for a quick visit, and ate some Thanksgiving food. It was good! I was mostly-paleo about it too, helped along by my sister being celiac so we had pumpkin pudding instead of pie. Last week I downloaded an app for counting calories and exercises, 'Sparkpeople', after a friend of mine told me about it. I didn't think I'd like counting calories but I actually found it pretty fun, like counting up points in an rpg game. And yesterday while at home I weighed myself out of curiosity, and down to 217lbs! Minus eight pounds say what!! So that was exciting. I'm still doing the walking, but I still haven't been able to get to the gym. :/ This week that's still the focus for me. Oh, and also going grocery shopping. I've been buying healthy(ish) food when I need to from various places but I want to get back to making my own food as that's definitely cheaper.

Weeks 2 & 3: Welp. First class of capoeira was excellent, everything I was hoping it'd be, but man my legs and butt were so sore from the half-moon kicks we were doing (I forget the proper name for em) that walking was a bit of a challenge haha. And last week was the same, but! I wasn't as sore for as long, so I felt good about that. So far though I haven't been to the gym or done any weight-training workouts in two weeks. There are lots of reasons why, but basically, I didn't want to and so I didn't. I put 'relaxing' as a priority instead of 'being able to do a pull up'. And yeah, I'm not happy about it. This week I'm going to try harder to get to the gym. I think it will be easier, as my work schedule is a little bit different and I have the chance to go first thing in the morning. I am proud of myself for going to capoeira last week, though. I wasn't feeling well at all, and was in the middle of a tv show marathon (The Lizzie Bennett Diaries) and Did Not Want To Go. But I did and I stayed for the whole class! So I do have some will power haha. I need to go grocery shopping so that I can start packing meals to work, instead of buying food at the mall. I haven't been making the healthiest food choices lately. I also haven't been writing, which is what I need to do for school (and for my ideal career; I don't want to be a barista forever haha). Week 2 I did write some things but last week I didn't write at all. So that's a focus of mine this week: Write, and go to the gym. However I have been walking to and from work, and I haven't skipped a capoeira class, so two out of three is still a pass. Hope everyone is kicking butt! We can do it! - I reread the attribute points thing, and as week three has been completed I decided it was time to get some points! Walking to work: STA. I've walked to and from work almost every time (times I've gotten rides have been late at night, during a rainstorm, and when visiting a friend, so I feel I've still been successful with this goal) so I will award three points for this. Capoeira: DEX (I want to say STA as well, just for sticking it out). I've been to every class so far as I said I would, so awarding three points for each category. Gym: STR. I completed the first week (and even did barbell work) but then I didn't do anything for two weeks. So only one point. That's ten points for the first three weeks (which I'm pretty sure is how it's done, right?) and then once the challenge is completed I get five more points. Some of those will go to WIS based on how my $1000 debt situation is. Cheers everyone!

Thanks Leeroy! Yeah, I totally did feel like a superhero! This weekend was a little bumpy. A good friend of mine from out of town visited, and we, um, got up to some cardio exercising. But I found out he's paleo as well! So we cooked some good paleo meals together. I didn't get to the gym but I made sure to lift more boxes while I was at work, and while I know it's not the same I felt okay swapping it out like that. My dad visited on Friday and wanted to buy me an icecream (and he's one of those men who don't like being told no) so I just ate it really slowly and after we parted ways I threw it out. I hadn't eaten hardly any of it. And it was McDonald's ice cream too, so my inner foodie didn't cry haha! Tomorrow I'm going back to the gym (gotta get back on the horse!) and also my first capoeira class starts tomorrow and I'm so excited!!

Yo everyone! I've started and stopped about three challenges so far but this one I'm sticking with!! And so far it's going great! Did my first barbell mini routine today courtesy of 20sec Beast Mode ^O^ My challenge thread is http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/53686-miscklaire-starting/ and I've forgotten all my high school html skills so a long link it shall be. I just finished a work out! I need a shower! I've got a lot of fitness goals but right now I'm on track to be doing my first pull up in a couple weeks here! Glad to see everyone! Oh, and I can't quite understand how to sign up in the spreadsheet. But if there's still room with the pirate crew I'd like to join that one. c:

Mid-week 1 updates: I went to the gym on Tuesday in-between meetings for class and meetings for work. Just did a short 10min workout, just the dumbells (20lb rows, 10 each arm; 12lbs lying down press ups, 10) with the intention of doing one circuit of an adapted Beginner's Bodyweight Routine at home later on in the evening. But then my family came to visit, and I helped my little brother out with a project and that took four hours when I was thinking it would take half of one D: so I never did finish my workout after all. :c Yesterday after work I went walking around for 2.5 hours, going to the pet store a friend of mine works at to say hi and then walking home. The friend wasn't there so I just visited the animals instead. The plan for yesterday was to do my high intensity interval training routine, but after walking I was pretty beat so I didn't. But I wouldn't necessarily call that a fail. This week is my first week of work+workouts, and as I'm a Starbucks minion and stand on my feet all day, I have been worried how my knees (already in a bad way) would fair with that much stress. But I walked yesterday and made sure to walk with my knees and not just drag my feet by my hips, haha, and today after work my knees weren't sore like they often are after they get used a lot! So progress! Today I went to the gym. Did the one circuit modified BBR like I wanted (modified as I have the rows as part of my Do A Pullup routine, and I do as many good form pushups as I can, which today was 5. I also don't do the jumping jacks, and I hold the plank for as long as I can as well, which today was 30sec) and then I did my dumbbell routine. There was only one other lady in the dumbbell area when I got there, and she started out using some 4.5lbs guys but after I started with my 20lbs and 12lbs she went to a 10lb one! I'm not sure if she was already planning on lifting that much weight or what, but I was pleased to see that. c: And great news: After my dumbbell workout I felt sweaty and tired, but not completely exhausted, and I decided to activate 20second Beast Mode and I TOTALLY STARTED WORK ON THE BARBELL FOR THE FIRST TIME. I did 5 squats and 5 deadlifts, to check my form in the mirror (I'm pretty sure I'm doing good) and to test myself with the weight of just the bar. And also to be kind to my legs, as the 20 bodyweight squats I did in the beginning really wore them out haha. The only thing I have about my barbell form is I'm not sure I went deep enough in the squats, as my thighs were really worn out. But I did it! I've been putting off barbell training for all my college life, and this year I wanted to wait until I had a buddy so I wouldn't feel so alone. But the best buddy I have is me as I haven't canceled on myself yet! Except for all last week! But that's okay as I'm making up for it this week haha. I've walked to work and back all this week (only two shifts done so far haha) and I'll continue to do so. I'll probably get a ride back Sunday night, as that's a closing shift and the people who close with me don't like me walking home alone late at night. c: Capoeira starts next week and I am so so so excited. I'm telling almost everyone I know haha. Food eating has been okay. I'm going grocery shopping tonight and will cook some more food for the fridge so I have good stuff to pack along for work. So far, weight has not changed. I'm thinking next week of tracking my calories a bit to see what I'm eating that's wrong. I'm out of bread now, though, so if that was holding me back (and it probably was) next week will defs be better. I wrote this immediately after my workout and so now I'm going to go shower haha. Viva la Rebellion!!

Thanks everyone! Over the weekend I was looking through some older nerdfitness articles and realized that I'm already starting the 'Do a Pullup' routine. So I'm going to keep up with that! Capoeira starts up next week and I'm very excited. But until then I have my workout routines, my walking to and from work, and my roasted veggies. Viva la Rebellion!

Thanks Blaidd!

I can't think of a witty title! Words, why you fail me today of all days? I'm having a hard time putting my main goal into words. I want to lose weight and be healthy. I'm currently 224lbs and 5'3"(ish). I'm socky/wider-built, though, so I don't really know what weight number would be ideal for me. I'm going off of how I feel at the moment but that's not specific enough to be a main goal, is it? Figuring out my side quests is an easier task at the moment: 1. Capoeira class starts Sep 22. Go to 5 classes (weeks 2-6) (Tuesdays from 5-6pm) 2. Walk to work whenever I work (and home if it's not a closing shift) (20min walk one way) (I'll work about 5 days a week) 3. Do a weight-focused workout 3x a week (either at the gym or a beg. bodyweight circuit) (T, Th, Sa) I have a life-goal for this challenge as well: pay off $1000 of credit-card debt. If I'm not able to complete that I know I'll at least make a sizable dent. Going back to the main goal thing: I have so many things I want to be able to do that will signify "You've made it." Like being able to do 5 chin ups, and 5 pull ups. Being able to run for 15 mins without stopping. Being able to do a walking handstand. Being able to lift 100lbs. Having nice looking muscles. If anyone has any suggestions of how I can focus onto a main goal that would be much appreciated. I have my side quests though, and I think they're SMART so I will be able to track my progress. Viva la Rebellion! EDIT: At the moment, as Blaidd suggested, I'll choose -Losing 15lbs- as my main goal for this first quest. As the quest goes on I'll see how that's going. Maybe I'll start losing more!