SakuraKitsune

✅ How will I heal the damage Crave has done this time? Is it cutting back? Is it training harder? Is it going back to basics? Is finding a new motivating read or watch? A day I behaved with food. That took a lot of mental work. I really do think it was going back to basics. It always comes back to that foundation four: Hydration (incl. reducing caffeine) leads to Sleep leads to Exercise leads to better Nutrition. I was super tempted to cut back on things to try catch up, but I know that will just cause me to binge so trying not to. Nor do I feel it's training harder. In fact the whole "catch up" thing isn't the way. I just need to return to what I was doing. I am curious about finding some new motivational things though. And I just remembered my coach had some things for me to watch that I haven't yet: ⬜ Watch videos coach sent ⬜ Return to Arnie book And there are some healing things I can do still: ⬜ Book in massage ⬜ Re-introduce vitamins each morning ⬜ Glass of hydrolyte in the mornings ⬜ Continue detox or decaf green tea daily Meanwhile, changing up my exercise has worked wonderfully. Yesterday I went to the gym for the first time in a week. I was really glad we had change over some of my sets because it was more enjoyable to do new things and I re-found my enthusiasm by the end to do my strength workouts. Today I went for a walk. The lack of rain helped. Tomorrow I am going to my first ever basketball game/class as an absolute noob. Nervous but excited. Finally getting somewhere.

🔄 How will I heal the damage Crave has done this time? Is it cutting back? Is it training harder? Is it going back to basics? Is finding a new motivating read or watch? My first temptation is to go back onto a low calorie to keto diet to try shed all the weight I've gained, but I feel this would also just lead into a binging cycle. I thinking 'healing' really is the key word here. The rest of this week should be about getting myself feeling good again. Currently I feel uncomfortable in body, hooked on cravings, dehydrated, exhausted, unmotivated, stressed, headaches- not good at all. Baby steps. I will try think of some daily goals for this week to get myself healed again to pick back up. I do know doing a few days detox will help with the cravings though. I wonder if I can do this smartly. Really up my nutrients and hydration in the process. Maybe tomorrow I will do a juice day but with a good amount of calories. Really focus on clearing out the system. I know it will be hard but I think it would be a good start to this plan. Cravings and hydration are the biggest issue right now. Healing Goals Day 1: Rehydrate: ✅ 2l of water ✅ No caffeinated beverages or alcohol- only decaf green tea, herbal tea, water and sparkling water if needed Detox: ✅ A fresh juice or soup to up nutrients quickly while flushing ✅ Help tummy with aids Heal: ✅ To bed on time Healing Goals Day 2: Rehydrate: ✅ 2l of water ✅ No caffeinated beverages or alcohol- only decaf green tea, herbal tea, water and sparkling water if needed Detox: ✅ Have detox tea to aid Heal: ✅ To bed on time with at least 7 hours of sleep ✅ Do exercise This feels a good start. I hope I can do it.

Thank you! I'm definitely back in a pit at the moment, but going to climb back out again- just like I did last time 😊

✅ Assess my current workouts and note things that are no longer motivating and decreasing my Fighting Spirit. Time to change it up. I'm going to do posts based on task for for a bit instead of check-ins with dates. Actually I've had this entry up for a ew days and keep adding to it, but never finishing it enough to post 😂 I've been still struggling up and down but I have made progress with some things. Deadlift Workout I did this workout yesterday and realised I really don't look forward to the Frogger or Hallow Body hold. I asked my coach to change these up and they did so yey! New things- that feels good: the realisation I can change things up to keep it fresh. Squat Workout Did a catch up workout on this one today when it was supposed to be a rest day, go me! Now I'm back to never having missed a strength workout since July. I realised I really wasn't enjoying the elevated weighted lunges. I've never really liked lunges. And the Cossack lunges could do with a change up too. Put in the request. I'm glad I at least improved significantly on lunges though. Bench Workout Looked through and I actually think I'm fine with all of this. I just recognised that I've been pushing myself to curl to heavy with dumbbells so need to drop down and then that exercise will be more enjoyable again. Boxing: Wednesday and Friday I actually love boxing, so why was this the first to go? I feel like bad food, alcohol and exhaustion were big reasons. I probably need fix the basics first. I also started to feel a bit too pressured to over perform by my Friday coach who has since been shown up by some of the students to not really be very experienced. So on Friday I tried do a boxing workout with my home partner instead when I didn't feel like going! It was fun and a good alternative. I always feel bad when a teacher/coach is trying their best (although admittedly this one has an odd ego and is always trying to get people to admit they're the best PT at the gym...?) and I do have fun with them, I just need a break apparently. Home boxing is a good alternative, although I recognise it might be relying on someone else being up for it. I think I could still find ways even if I punch a wall for practice if I don't feel like going to the gym. Maybe I can get a basketball finally and try that too? Or skateboard practice? Lunchtime Walks on Weekdays Went for my walk today even Since my Coach and I set this goal I haven't achieved it very many times. There's been a bunch of reasons ranging from motivation through to weather through to working too hard. It's not that I don't enjoy the walks outdoor either. I always do once I'm doing them and find them quite enjoyable, so why I aren't I prioritising them? I even tried setting times in my work diary and they floated by after re-setting them a number of times. This week is set for storms all week. I own a treadmill and I don't feel motivated to get on it for 20 minutes. This is so easy for only 5 days a week. So how do I solve this? I feel like I enjoy the walk when I get out there, it's just hard to get myself there. I also think I need to replace my airpods as one keeps dying. I'll keep trying at this one for a bit.

1. Levelling Up New Ability Goals: Fighting Spirit ✅ Assess my current workouts and note things that are no longer motivating and decreasing my Fighting Spirit. Time to change it up. ⬜ Assess my current nutritional plan and consider how I feel to Crave my revelling in my rebellion- what if I was allowed these foods sometimes? ⬜ What are some other ways to 'rebel' and get that energised happy feeling? ✅ How will I heal the damage Crave has done this time? Is it cutting back? Is it training harder? Is it going back to basics? Is finding a new motivating read or watch? ⬜ Remember why I am doing this in the first place- have my reasons changed? What original inspired my Fighting Spirit compared to now? ⬜ How can I call on my Fighting Spirit when I need it? Is it a new inspiring playlist? Is it new equipment? Is it something to remind me? 2. Tracking Nutritional Goals: Second Wind (respawning) After reassessing with my Fighting Spirit I look at the plan and tracking for this Exercise Goals: Fighting Style + Action Surge (Additional Movement + Rest) Only two weeks left for this challenge, but I think I'll back track my marks to look at how I've been going with everything. Strength training still going really well, and figured out more motivation for there. Boxing has been on and off, need to think about that. My walks have been few despite being the easiest- need to really steps these up. Week 1 | w/c 11 Sep | Weekday Movement: ✅✅✅✅❄️Strength Training: ✅✅✅ Cardio Training: ✅✅ Week 2 | w/c 18 Sep | Weekday Movement: ✅✅❄️❄️❄️Strength Training: ✅✅✅ Cardio Training: ❄️❄️ Week 3 | w/c 25 Sep | Weekday Movement: ✅❄️❄️❄️❄️Strength Training: ✅✅✅ Cardio Training: ✅❄️ Week 4 | w/c 2 Oct | Weekday Movement: ✅❄️❄️❄️❄️Strength Training: ✅❄️❄️ Cardio Training: ❄️❄️ Week 5 | w/c 9 Oct | Weekday Movement: ⬜⬜⬜⬜⬜Strength Training: ⬜⬜⬜ Cardio Training: ⬜⬜ 3. Quests Not focusing on these this time around.

LEVEL UP! Lvl3 Warrior Character Sheet Class: Fighter (Samurai) | Background: Entertainer (Dancer) | Race: Kitsune | Alignment: Chaotic Good Armour: Light Armour (Gym gear & shoes, boxing hand-wraps, lifting straps) Weapons: Simple Melee Weapons (the metal staff of Weightlifting), Martial Melee (Boxing gloves) Skills: Acrobatics (flexibility), Insight (learning from others) and Performance (technique) ✅ Lvl1: Fighting Style (Great Weapon Fighting- learned weightlifting), Second Wind (learned respawning) ✅ Lvl2: Action Surge (Learned Recuperation. Learning Additional Movements)) ⬆️ Lvl3: Martial Archetype (Samurai: learning Fighting Spirit plus gained Performance bonus) Lvl2 Existing Ability: Action Surge (Recuperation & Additional Movements) I have learned a lot about this skill: Action Surge. It might seem weird to claim this after so many 'failed' rest days- but in reality, I learned a lot of new abilities including rolling with a large foam roller, ball and stick, muscle soaking salts in baths, and the importance of warm-up mobility stretching and cool down stretching. Watching the impact of good sleep and even taking naps before the gym when needed also came into play, as well as enough water rehydration as I dealt with muscle cramps. I would actually like to take this skill one step further. But upon re-reading this skill, there is a part of it I also tried over the last few weeks that I think I can do better at: Over the last few weeks with my Coach I have been trying to introduce a lunchtime walk on weekdays. Sometimes I manage it, most days I do not. I want to add this to my challenge tracking and take more advantage of my Rest Days. Lvl3 New Ability: Martial Archetype (Fighting Spirit) After looking through all the Martial Archetypes, I chose between Battlemaster and Samurai. It was a choice between what I have been so far and what I wished I was. On one hand, the Battlemaster made sense because training is an academic field to be- studying lessons of history, theory and artistry through my books, guides, and videos. But Samurai reflected the kind of spirit I wished I had: the strong spirit and determined relentlessness. In the end, I chose who I wished to become: This is great timing for me because of the last week I lost motivation. I fell to Crave again and even slowly stopped going to the gym. I need to call on the Fighting Spirit of the samurai spirit. I need to conquer this and figure out a plan in order to do so. ★*ﾟ*☆*ﾟ*★*ﾟ*☆*ﾟ*★ Crave's second trap surprised the kitsune warrior just as much; she had been doing so well for so long. The fall was just as bad as the last time, and the affects on her body were obvious. Fists gripped and teeth clenched, she knew this time she really had a battle ahead of her. This was it- she had to fight Crave head on. Crave would yield to her or die trying. Screaming out her battle cry she decided even if it hurt, her fighting spirit would not falter. "Let's go, Crave. Ready or not, this is happening." ★*ﾟ*☆*ﾟ*★*ﾟ*☆*ﾟ*★

Better late than Never 😊 Hello 😅 I'm back. I did amazingly last challenge. I then got so slammed with work I felt I didn't have time to do the next challenge, or more- I just never got around to it and it was soon way in the background. And then the stress hit 3 days ago. And I ate. And I ate. And I ate. And I drank. And I didn't think I shouldn't have. And I finally thought just now "I should go back to the NF Challenges." So here I am- after eating takeaway, with dessert on the way and sipping on whisky ready to write up a challenge and start afresh tomorrow. Last Challenge Review ✨Achieved✨ I barely remember the last challenge so it's actually nice to remember how well I did looking back. Research effective muscle recuperation techniques for rest days to try- although I didn't use them consistently, I learned a lot and a few habits stuck. I learned a little more what to use when. Completed a Nerd Fitness Quest: ✅ Plank Practice- Advanced (60") ✅ Pick a program and stick with it!- Never missed an exercise day- and I really saw the slow improvement from it! Stuck to my nutritional routine. Still ordering food from a healthy delivery service. Still doing well with my work contract despite the stress from it. Got through my endoscopy and colonoscopy on for cancer checks. 🐾Attempted🐾 Attempted Nerd Fitness Quests: 🔄 Fitness: Pushup - a bit more stable but still not a full good one 🔄 Bench press .5x your bodyweight: Currently at 35kg Muscle recuperation on off days like muscle soak baths- although I got two in and did a bit of foam rolling ❄️Didn't Work❄️ Start the Nerd Fitness Yoga program on my rest days- it was a nice idea, but really on my rest days I just wanted to chill and do nothing so this was hard. Bedroom ended up being a mess. Remembering to take my multivitamins every day. Can't really do much tracking or quests when working full time

Oh, also, I'm terrible at Rest Days 😂

Oh my magnesium levels aren't low, so maybe he's trying to treat flow deliberately. That's really interesting! Apparently due to my intestinal length he thought I might have slow digestion, and I think he was right because I've seen improvements. So I think you're dead on with that prediction! Week 2 and 3 and have blasted by thanks to being so slammed with work. I'm exhausted, man, but somehow keeping up with exercise and food. I think I'm just so tired that I'm sleepwalking through everything without thinking and that's how I'm doing it 😂 My caffeine addiction is terrible right now to get through it all. How have you been going?

My gastro gave it to me: Nutra-Life Magnesium Complete Forte High Strength

Day 7, Week 1 That week flew past, I barely feel like I have any time to myself and I'm exhausted 😅 But I've been continuing my exercising and eating. Today I went out and visited an old friend, and as part of that we went to a restaurant as well as having cocktails. But, I didn't overeat and I didn't get drunk so I can exercise tomorrow as planned. I still had "unhealthy" food and 6 cocktails (over 8 hours slowly) but I didn't binge. And I didn't come home and keep on partying. This feels like a win for me against Crave. In other news, I got woken up yesterday with the worst leg cramp and it's still affecting me like an overworked muscle all stiff. I don't know if my squats/leg day set it off or not. Keeping up with my magnesium tablets and hoping for the best. Luckily tomorrow is Bench so I can continue to give my legs a bit of a rest.

Day 1, Week 1 Feel so odd to be writing Day 1 Week 1 again. A new challenge! Starting again. I have some hard emotional challenges coming up this month: the biggest being my cancer check-up on Tuesday. I'm sure I'll be fine, it's just a look inside because two immediate relatives have had it now so I'm high risk, but 37 seems a little early still. (My brother was in his 40s when he got it.) PArt of the requirements is for me to be on a clear liquids diet from half way tomorrow until tomorrow evening. That's going to be a little hard along with the nerves! But it will all be over soon enough. Today was my first official rest day. I woke up later and had to visit Mum in hospital so didn't have too much time for much, but I made myself a bath, poured in lots of muscle salts, made a cup of green tea with a bottle of water, lit a candle, put on the Skyrim soundtrack and tried to chill for 30 minutes. I didn't do too well, to be honest; my mind was too active and I ended up messaging people for most of the time. But at least I did something good for my muscles. It was a good start. My next rest day is Tuesday for the minor surgery, so we won't include that. I need to plan for my weekend rest day after that. I should have my foam roller by then. So this followed by a bath, candle and tea should be perfect. Maybe next time I'll add in some lavender oil to really relax too. Problem is, my bath is too shallow 😂 but today was a good attempt at using a rest day properly. I'd like to try add in some yoga too. I've actually done yoga for years so know how to just do a session myself, but I thought following along with the NF Yoga program could be fun. I'd also like to start adding in some new types of fun natural exercise on rest days too if I can. Maybe something like this: Monday Rest Days: Yoga, roller and bath ritual Saturday Rest Days: Choose on of the following challenges (lots of things that scare me on here so need to get excited!) - Try basketball! Take a ball to a park and try shoot some hoops and dribble. Watch a YouTube lesson. (I have found a beginners basketball class but I'm try shy to sign up at the moment due to age and weight, but maybe I can get ready for trying once I've lost weight?) - Try longboarding again. Go to a quiet park or carpark and practice balance and pushing. Or book a lesson! (This also scares me, falling off- but I really want to learn) - Go to the beach and walk along it and/or go for a swim (if warm enough!) - Go to a one off dance class or do an online dance class (hip-hop if possible) - Go for a bushwalk/hike (there are quests for 30min hikes, hour long and 3 hour) - Go to a Monday Boxing Ring Sparring 101 class (this scares me, I don't want to be punched in the face, but I also really want to try!) - Book and go to a beginner golf driving range class (there's one down the road from me. I used to hate being dragged around as a kid but maybe it could be relaxing now) - Book a half hour private lesson to get back into horse riding (it's been years and years... am I too overweight still? I don't know...) - Book for a nice massage (depending on covid) Next Saturday I have a long lunch with a friend, so I'll at least try to do something small before leaving in the morning? Or maybe at least the bath in the evening? ... this feels like it's actually going to be quite a difficult challenge for me! Who knew taking a day off to relax or have fun would be so hard O.O

Yey welcome 💜 I'm glad you're following again because I love your advice. Actually I was a professional dancer younger and done many different styles over the years. I'm not doing any classes at the moment because yeah- covid, but I hope to get back into pole dancing one day. I really want to do my hip-hop classes NF quest and do an actually term. I've done latin hip-hop but not american hip-hop and I think it would be great fun. but finding adult classes that aren't an hours travel there and back is hard, let alone the whole covid issue. But I keep the goal on my list so I keep mulling over solutions. I'm looking forward to using the roller! I have tennis balls but funnily enough I don't seem to use them for some reason. I'm still mulling over bath bombs too, get my muscles nice and relaxed before rolling and have a cup of beneficial tea while I'm at it, but I might just use some herbal epsom salts instead.

(I forgot to post this, it was still sitting here) Day 5, Pre-Week Still researching rest days for rejuvenating muscles. I think I'd like to learn foam rolling. I always see people doing it but don't really know how. So I watched this Nerd's Fitness video today: and read this Nerd Fitness article: https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/how-to-use-a-foam-roller-step-by-step-guide/ I see the foam rollers at the gym so I suppose to could visit and roll out, although seems like a lot of effort in a way. I'll also admit I'm not really getting that much muscle soreness now that my exercises are so regular 5 days a week. But at least I know how. Maybe I'll buy one for home and try it out after a bath? I'll get a 45cm one. They seem cheap enough. I guess I'll consider Epsom salt baths, massage and sauna... I don't even know if I can find a sauna in my area but it would be nice with the cold winter days at the moment! Might just be a relaxing bath then foam roller for rest days. Also I learned rooibos or green tea is good for post-workout muscle recovery. Maybe rest days are starting to sound pretty good!

Day 4, Pre-Week Okay, first I tackle the rest day question and do some research. I found this Nerd Fitness article first up: https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/what-should-i-do-on-my-off-days/ And I'm thinking maybe I should try line up fun activities for at least one rest day a week... or at least try? I'll brainstorm some ideas. Like I've always wanted to try basketball, or take my longboard out again and try to learn, or maybe go for a swim and sauna day? Or even a walk/hike somewhere new/nice!

Learning to rest properly is on my goals this challenge too 😊

Hello to a fox from a kitsune!

Ahhhhh you went Warrior to Assassin, that's so cool!

Go you! I love how positive you are! Warrior with a walking stick staff coming through! Go get 'em!

LEVEL UP! Lvl2 Warrior Continuing the development of my character using the Fighter Class, I have successfully added another skill to my belt: Second Wind. After picking up my Great Weapon, Weightlifting, and Martial Melee, Boxing, I unfortunately once again got trapped by my archenemy: Crave. Having lost motivation, I learned Second Wind to successfully pick myself up and get back into my warrior training. Character Sheet Armour: Medium Armour (Upgraded gym clothes and shoes) Weapons: Simple Melee Weapons (the metal staff of Weightlifting), Martial Melee (Boxing) Skills: Acrobatics (Assassin Quests), Survival (Adventurer Quests) ✅ Lvl1: Fighting Style (Great Weapon Fighting), Second Wind ⬆️ Lvl2: Action Surge Lvl2 New Ability: Action Surge It's time to really put in the hard work and make use of my rest days better! ★*ﾟ*☆*ﾟ*★*ﾟ*☆*ﾟ*★ Escaping Crave's pitfall trap took a lot of work: healing, practicing, and focusing. She even got the courage to try one of her proficiencies: Acrobatics- wobbly but helpful! But finally, she felt it: the surge of the Second Wind whirling up inside of her. Heaving herself out finally with a squeal of victory, the kitsune warrior felt ready to take on the world again. And so her training continued: working harder than ever and learning how to recuperate effectively. Next time she came up against an enemy she wasn't going to fall so easily! ★*ﾟ*☆*ﾟ*★*ﾟ*☆*ﾟ*★ The Goals: Continue Pushing Beyond Normal Limits l will continue to follow the advice of my coach for my weightlifting days, focusing on deadlifting, benching and squatting per. Cardio will be twice a week as my boxing classes. Pre-week | w/c 24 Jul | Strength Training: ✅✅✅ Boxing Training: ✅✅ Week 1 | w/c 31 Jul | Strength Training: ✅✅✅ Boxing Training: ✅✅ Rest Days: ✅💥 Week 2 | w/c 7 Aug | Strength Training: ✅✅✅ Boxing Training: ✅✅ Rest Days: 💥💥 Week 3 | w/c 14 Aug | Strength Training: ✅✅✅ Boxing Training: ✅✅ Rest Days: 💥💥 Week 4 | w/c 21 Aug | Strength Training: ✅✅✅ Boxing Training: ✅✅ Rest Days: 💥💥 Week 5 | w/c 28 Aug | Strength Training: ✅✅✅ Boxing Training: ✅✅ Rest Days: 💥💥 The Goals: Real Resting I will learn how to properly use rest day for the betterment of my muscles. This will include walking or yoga, and other forms of relaxation as the research them. These checks have already been included above, but there is an additional goal of starting the Nerd Fitness Yoga Program and researching other ways to recuperate my muscles. This section will be updated as my research and progress creates goals to be tracked. 💥 Start the Nerd Fitness Yoga program on my rest days ✅ Research effective muscle recuperation techniques for rest days to try ✅ Plan rest days 2. Keeping Crave at Bay The Background Although I am not cooking my own food still, ordering from a healthy food delivery service means I am keeping temptation away, save on time while working, having a good variety, and keep my nutrition high. I am keeping my mindset that my food fuels my training. I will continue to work with coach on planning social days. My last coach was a lot more active in this area. When I sent my next social day food plan to my new coach there was no comment yet- maybe it will come up again closer to the time. I will learn to work with them and trust the process for accountability. I am aware I can't just avoid Crave, I will need to face my energy and learn from to control my reactions. The Goals: Continue Nutritional Plans I will now we tracking my food in MyFitnessPal and a photo journey in my Nerd Fitness Coaching app. So here I will just be tracking completing each day to plan. Pre-week | w/c 24 Jul: ✅✅✅✅✅✅✅ Week 1 | w/c 31 Jul: ✅✅✅✅✅✅✅ Week 2 | w/c 7 Aug: ✅✅✅✅✅✅✅ Week 3 | w/c 14 Aug: ✅✅✅✅✅✅✅ Week 4 | w/c 21 Aug: ✅✅✅✅✅✅✅ Week 5 | w/c 28 Aug: ✅✅✅✅✅✅✅ 3. Quests Academy Quests 💥 Fitness: Double Unders- Continued from last challenge cycle 🔄 Fitness: Pushup - Continued from last challenge cycle Rebel Quests 💥 Complete a Wall Walk: Can put legs up but not walk hands into the wall (also an Assassin Quest) - Continued from last challenge cycle ✅ Plank Practice- Advanced (60") 💥 Have a 5 Minute Dance Part Every Day (for a week) 💥 Compete in a PVP Challenge Warrior Quests 💥 Research historic lifters and their style: I bought Arnold Schwarzenegger's Encyclopaedia of Modern Bodybuilding! - Continued from last challenge cycle 🔄 Bench press .5x your bodyweight: Currently at 0.4x - Continued from last challenge cycle 💥 Farmer's Walk with .75x your bodyweight- Continued from last challenge cycle. Need to do at the gym. 💥 Learn the alternate stance deadlift 🔄 Pick a program and stick with it! If I keep to my exercises for this challenge assigned by my coach. Assassin Quests 💥 Take a Hip Hop Dance Class- Continued from last challenge cycle 💥 Complete 25 Consecutive Box Jumps 💥 Complete 100 bodyweight squats in 2 minutes Yoga Quests 💥 X

I have that ice mould too!

Last Challenge Review ✨Achieved✨ Did all my planned exercise every day and noticed improvement in my strength! I'm almost repping at my old bench max! Completed the following Nerd Fitness Quests: ✅ Find a coach: Started with a Nerd Fitness Coach and even went through a switch over to a second coach when they left to start their own business. ✅ Film your main sets for one workout ✅ Learn to do a Backward Roll: Completed some Assassin quests even though I had convinced myself I couldn't. ✅ Learn to do a Forward Roll ✅ Complete a line of 20 Walking Lunges ✅ Complete 50 bodyweight squats in 2 minutes ✅ Learn to do a Cartwheel: I can still do one! ✅ The 50/50 squat challenge: Plucked up the courage to use gym exercise equipment I had been to shy to use before and learned how to use it by myself or asked for help. ✅ Squat .75x your bodyweight ✅ Complete 5 Assisted Pistol Squats (Each Leg) ✅ Deadlift 1x your bodyweight ✅ Work with a coach on a personalized program ✅Get an A on your 4 Week Challenge ✅Complete 3 4 Week Challenges in a row: this is my 3rd in a row! Stuck to my nutritional routine. I was ordering food from a healthy delivery service, but it got me on track Re-introduced carbs into my diet and upped my calories to 1600 daily without gaining weight Cut down my caffeine intake massively Getting a hold of my anxiety through a really tough start to the month Started work on medical check-ups despite my fear of them. Started new work contract despite stress around it and I'm doing well at it. 🐾Attempted🐾 ⬜ Research historic lifters and their style: I started reading Arnold Schwarzenegger's Encyclopaedia of Modern Bodybuilding, but I ended up not prioritising when worked started, but I would like to keep reading. ⬜ Bench press .5x your bodyweight: Still improved my PB by 3kg. The journey continues. ⬜ Farmer’s walk with .75x your bodyweight: Didn't get a chance to re-test. My dumbbells at home don't go high enough so have to try at the gym. ⬜ Complete a Wall Walk: I got to the point I could walk my feet up the wall but was too scared to bring my hands in closer. Need a spotter. No progress on this. ⬜ Pick a program and stick with it! Waited for my coach plan. I'm going to consider this achieved by the end of next challenge cycle. ⬜ Take a Hip Hop Dance Class: I researched this but covid kept getting in the way. Maybe I need to find an online solution. Didn't finish renovating the office ❄️Didn't Work❄️ ⬛ Fitness: Pushup: Still a while away from this but going to keep trying! + Fitness: Double Unders: Didn't attempt- still seemed such a bother + All the snatch, squat jerk, overhead press, clean, clean and jerk, push jerk, split jerk, and push press quests- on pause until I gain more muscle and can attempt all these safely. + Learn to do a One Handed Cartwheel: feels like my body weight is too high still at the moment so on pause Bedroom ended up being a mess. Remembering to take my multivitamins every day. 💫Change Up💫 Ended up entering my meal planning into here, and Nerd Fitness Coaching app, and MyFitnessPal. Too many places to update and yet still didn't feel across it each day. Challenging myself to exercise every day including rest day walks. With my current fitness level- walks or stretching could be optional for less pressure. + Noticed some joint issues by the last few days. Need to starting using my rest days more efficiently. 🥊Upcoming Challenges🥊 Have to get an endoscopy and colonoscopy on Aug 2 for cancer checks. (I'm probably fine.)

I've been really missing my whisky with the cold weather here recently

@AlannaThis is all amazing information, thank you! I'm just heading to bed but I've left it up on my screen to explore everything tomorrow 💜

Thank yooooooooou! Hm! That makes sense, yeah! I think once I get used to a wider squat stance I'll be able to lift more- it makes sense with the muscles for me. Just awkward bambi stage at the moment. And thank youuuuuuuuu! I'm happy with that outcome too this month, especially since it's my weakest.