Nightcrawler_Bamff Returns!

[Nightcrawler_Bamff]

BAMF!  After over a year MIA, Nightcrawler returns!  Taking a break from fighting for a world that fears and despises his kind, he focused on other aspects of his life.  In doing so, he neglected his fitness, gaining weight and impairing his acrobatic skills.

Today, Nightcrawler watched the rest of the X-Men nearly fell fighting the Brotherhood as the news helicopters circles overhead.  He knew his friends would need him soon and he needed to get back in shape in order to be able to help them.  Thus begins his journey.

 

 

I dropped off the grid a year ago because of school.  I didn’t have the time to keep up with the challenges with my course load.  I focused on my studies and in doing so, gained 35 pounds over the last year.  On positive note, I GRADUATED!  I am now officially an American Sign Language interpreter!!!  It’s time to focus on fitness again.  I tried a few times to get back on track, but kept losing motivation.  I think the 4-week challenge is exactly what I need to kick my butt back in shape.  I need to take it slow getting back into it though.

 

Overall goal:  Weight loss

Specific goals:

1.       Track Weight Watchers points every day.  I will not commit to staying in my points (but it will probably happen anyway most of the time), but just get back into the habit of tracking what I eat.

2.       Exercise daily.  This doesn’t need to be a long workout or anything, but just some sort of physical activity.

3.       Prioritize gymnastics.  My old gymnastics place changed their adult class and it is now just self-paced bodyweight training…that I could do all of in my living room instead of paying $10 to do it                  in a gym.  There is literally NO gymnastics done anymore. So I switched gyms, but it is only on Wednesdays now.  Because there is only one class a week now, it MUST become a priority. 

4.       Get more interpreting work.

                a.       Take the screening for the video relay “interpreting call center.”  Passing this would mean a guaranteed paycheck and I would be able to choose my own schedule.

                b.       Make a signing sample video to apply for another interpreting agency. 

[tei_]

Welcome back, this is also my first challenge back after time off! And oh man, I feel you SO HARD on the gymnastics class annoyances. Mine isn't quite as bad, but the first 1/2 hr of the 1 1/2 hr class is conditioning that I could do anywhere, and it really irritates me considering I only have one class a week, and can't even go every week. The other people in the class are all beginners who started gymnastics to get some exercise, not really train gymnastics-- which is fine and cool, but would make me feel super rude if I were like, "yeah, I did all this at the gym and I stretched before I came, can I just go do some actual gymnastics?" :/

[WhiteGhost]

Hi Nightcrawler!  I don't have a gymnastics gym near me at all so I just do what I can at home.  Which is basically just bodyweight and calisthenics...

[Nightcrawler_Bamff]

@tei_:  Once upon a time (five years ago, I think), I was one of those beginners.  I learned everything I know from going to these adult classes.  Sounds like your's and mine are similar:  1/2 hour or so of workout then on to gymnastics.  I am usually at work before going, so the workout is a good warm up for actual gymnastics.  Also, the instructor usually worked in some gymnastics or similar things into it anyway.  But this new renovation of the whole class just being a workout that I can do in my living room...and doesnt even use any of the gymnastics equipment...no thank you!  AND!  It's still being advertised as a gymnastics class, even though we were told flat out that there would be NO gymnastics during the GYMNASTICS class!  So frustrating!  Anyway, the new gym is more like my old classes with a short workout in the beginning then basically open gym in certain areas and if you have something you're working on, the instructor will help you out.  

 

@WhiteGhost:  That certainly is a lot of what gymnastics is, haha!  I mostly like using the tumble tracks and foam pit for back handsprings and flips and such.  I am still not landing anything consistently on the spring floor, so doing any of that on a hard floor is not even something I am willing to attempt anytime soon.

[raptron]

EXCITED YOU ARE BACK! Congrats on finishing up your program and becoming an ASL interpreter! 

 

That gymnastics class situation is SOOO frustrating, but I'm glad there is at least another gym in your area that offers adult gym time. It can be so hard to find. 

[tei_]

7 hours ago, Nightcrawler_Bamff said:

@tei_:  Once upon a time (five years ago, I think), I was one of those beginners.  I learned everything I know from going to these adult classes.  Sounds like your's and mine are similar:  1/2 hour or so of workout then on to gymnastics.  I am usually at work before going, so the workout is a good warm up for actual gymnastics.  Also, the instructor usually worked in some gymnastics or similar things into it anyway.  But this new renovation of the whole class just being a workout that I can do in my living room...and doesnt even use any of the gymnastics equipment...no thank you!  AND!  It's still being advertised as a gymnastics class, even though we were told flat out that there would be NO gymnastics during the GYMNASTICS class!  So frustrating!  Anyway, the new gym is more like my old classes with a short workout in the beginning then basically open gym in certain areas and if you have something you're working on, the instructor will help you out. 

 

That's awesome, good for you! Sounds like you got a better grounding than the beginners in my class, haha! The guy who coaches my class is the head of the men's program at the gym, and I really enjoy him as a coach, but he seems super nervous around adult beginners and doesn't really know what to do with them. He keeps asking people what they want to work on today, and when they say they don't know (because... the whole point of being a beginner is that you don't know what you don't know, so of course they don't walk in with their own training agendas...) he kinda blanks. I always want to be like, "it's okay bro, just teach the same stuff you'd teach to a three-year-old boy to this thirty-year-old woman! You can do this!"

 

Your non-gymnastics class sounds ridiculous, though! I can't imagine paying for gymnastics class and not being allowed on any of the equipment Glad you found another gym!

 

Basically, adult gymnastics is undervalued in gyms and it makes me saddddd

[Nightcrawler_Bamff]

2 hours ago, raptron said:

EXCITED YOU ARE BACK! Congrats on finishing up your program and becoming an ASL interpreter! 

 

That gymnastics class situation is SOOO frustrating, but I'm glad there is at least another gym in your area that offers adult gym time. It can be so hard to find. 

 

Thanks!  Glad to be back!  I missed these a lot!  But didnt have time with working full time and being a full time student for the past two years!  That was tough!  I think the two year interpreting program was more time consuming than any of my semesters of my biology bachelor's degree!

 

Ya!  Super frustrating!  They cancelled class over the summer then all the regulars went to the first one after it started back up...one girl actually yelled at someone, got her money back, and left!  The rest of us tried to keep an open mind and participate...but "self paced" meant we mostly just went to workout stations, got into the position of the workout...then chit chatted instead of actually doing it.  None of us will be going back.  Luckily, the other gym DOES have gymnastics, but is more expensive...oh well...WORTH IT!

[Nightcrawler_Bamff]

1 hour ago, tei_ said:

 

That's awesome, good for you! Sounds like you got a better grounding than the beginners in my class, haha! The guy who coaches my class is the head of the men's program at the gym, and I really enjoy him as a coach, but he seems super nervous around adult beginners and doesn't really know what to do with them. He keeps asking people what they want to work on today, and when they say they don't know (because... the whole point of being a beginner is that you don't know what you don't know, so of course they don't walk in with their own training agendas...) he kinda blanks. I always want to be like, "it's okay bro, just teach the same stuff you'd teach to a three-year-old boy to this thirty-year-old woman! You can do this!"

 

Your non-gymnastics class sounds ridiculous, though! I can't imagine paying for gymnastics class and not being allowed on any of the equipment Glad you found another gym!

 

Basically, adult gymnastics is undervalued in gyms and it makes me saddddd

 

We had a great coach at that first gym, but he quit and moved away.  First half hour or so was workout then the rest was gymnastics (except like 10 minutes of abs and/or stretching at the end).  Each week was a different event...first week of the month was floor, second uneven bars/rings, third vault, fourth balance beam/parallel bars/pommel horse, fifth...on the months there was an odd fifth...was whatever we voted on (ALWAYS floor, haha!).  The coach would set up drills to work on a specific skill from beginner to more advanced and have space available for the people who could already do that to play.  He would help people and keep an eye on everyone and let you know when you were good to move on to the next difficulty.  It was AMAZING!  I started out being able to do a cartwheel, which I was told later was actually not very good, haha!  Now I am doing back handsprings, flips, and lots of other skills!  With NO gymnastics background!

 

The new gym is similar, but every week we use the whole gym.  There are fewer people that go and most of us have certain things we are working on, so the coach will give us individual drills to work on that.  For the true beginners, she will set up drills for whatever if they dont know what they want to work on.  This one definitely gives us more free time to work on what we want, but at the cost of less structure/instruction...still great!

[Teancum]

That sounds fun! I should do a class for some training and accountability, but my schedule is so erratic. Maybe drop in would work if I could find one

[Nightcrawler_Bamff]

1 minute ago, Teancum said:

That sounds fun! I should do a class for some training and accountability, but my schedule is so erratic. Maybe drop in would work if I could find one

 

Thats what mine is!  I love it!  My schedule is erratic too, so I am not able to make it some weeks.  My old gym and new one are both drop in!  Im not sure I would be able to commit to one that wasnt!

[Nightcrawler_Bamff]

Wow...so I just reviewed my last challenge...April of 2015...so long ago!!  I had just taken the screening to get into the interpreting program!  So...I guess update...I passed the screening, haha!  I worked 32 hours a week and 15-18 credits every term for the past two years.  It. Was. Grueling!  We had big test once a term for the second year that had to be passed in order to take internship, which is required to complete the program and graduate.  First term...Fail (which, NO ONE is expected to pass...its more of a trial run, but if you do pass, great!).  I got a really high score going from English to ASL, but a low score going from ASL to English.  Second term...Fail.  This one was devastating.  I thought I did really well!  Turns out...I did!  I caught a LOT of the details, but I ended up forming my sentences in a way that negated all of the details I caught (e.g. saying "not this and this and this," when the presenter is saying "it is this and this and this.").  Third term...PASS!  I took internship over the summer, graduated (with honors!), and officially started working as an interpreter September 12, 2017!

 

 

I thought the superhero pose would be appreciated here, haha!

[raptron]

Love.

[WhiteGhost]

Congratulations on getting the interpreter qualifications.  I took a semester of ASL and it was really hard. Mad props to you for that!

[Nightcrawler_Bamff]

Week 1 completed:

 

Tracking:

Still working on getting back in the habit.  I did track my food every day this week, but some days weren't until the next day.  I need to get back into the habit of looking at what things "cost" BEFORE I eat them!  Today, for instance, I got horchata with my lunch and refilled it once...this alone was more than my daily points allowance!  If I had looked it up BEFORE I drank it, I would have made a different choice.

Result:  Completed

 

Exercise:

I did something everyday except Saturday, which I will give myself a pass for...I worked 7am-7pm then went straight to a Deaf social gathering until about 11pm then went to bed so I could be back at work 8-6 today.  Some days I walked around the mall, others I did exercises while watching Netflix.

Result:  Complete

 

Gymnastics:

This is an easy goal for me.  I love going, so it is not hard for me to prioritize it.  Or so I thought.  I went this week, then made plans for next Wednesday to have a drinking night before remembering that Wednesday is gymnastics night, so had to cancel my plans and reschedule them.  Oh well...well make them happen another night anyway, but it actually made this goal difficult for next week!

Result:  Complete

 

Interpreting:

a.  I set up my screening/interview with the "call center" for Wednesday!  My goal is just to give an accurate representation of my skills at this point so that I can get the feedback and have it actually apply to me.  If I plan to pass and don't, I will be really disappointed.

b.  I also planned out what I want to say for my signing sample for one specific agency!  I think I might try to carve out some time this week or next week to record it!

Result:  Complete

 

Overall:  SUCCESS!

[raptron]

Great week 1.  

[Nightcrawler_Bamff]

Week 2:

 

Tracking:  FAIL .  I tracked all my points Monday-Thursday, but Friday-Sunday I worked, gave in to all the temptation at work and didnt track any of it.  I need to use this as a learning opportunity rather than a fail.  We have a bin at work that is ALWAYS FULL OF JUNK!  It is so hard to resist!  We do have a lock for the door specifically so I cant get into it, but no one else locks it, so I have to have the willpower to lock it first thing when I get there...which SHOULDNT be THAT hard!!!  I will commit to doing that next weekend!

 

Exercise:  SUCCESS!  kind of.  I did some sort of exercise every day except Friday and Saturday, both or which included time constraints that I will allow as valid excuses.  Friday I worked 7am-7pm then went out with old coworkers that I havent seen in a while then to a current coworker's birthday, so I didnt get home until 11:45pm and had to be at work the next day at 7.  So...I will excuse myself.  Saturday was bad...we recently had someone quit and didnt try to find anyone to cover their shift.  I didnt get off until 8:00pm and went to bed shortly after.  

Monday:  Swimming.  Played on diving board (pike dives, back dives, inward dive pikes, swan dives, front pike flip full twists) then 12 minute swim (750 meters) and cooldown

Tuesday:  Walk

Wednesday:  Gymnastics (worked on back handsprings and aerials)

Thursday:  Swimming (see above)

Friday:  Nothing

Saturday:  Nothing

Sunday:  Bodyweight/dumbbell exercises while watching Netflix

 

Gymnastics:  SUCCESS.  Though nothing really exciting to report...didnt put my all into it...I ended up chit chatting with a friend that hadnt been going and ended up pulling something early on so wasnt doing much.  

 

Interpreting:  HUGE SUCCESS!  I did my interview and screening with the interpreting call center!  Interview went well, they offered me a job IF I passed the screening, which we wont know for another month.  Screening test wasnt my best work, but it wasnt awful...well see.  I also turned in my resume to a community college to hopefully pick up some ongoing jobs next term!  Picked up the application and filled it out this weekend (which I turned in today, but that is for next week!)

 

Overall:  Success.  I lost 0.6 lbs, which isnt a lot, but considering everything I ate this weekend, I will take it!  Oh...I guess I didnt say last week I lost 2.2 lbs!  Lets keep this going!!!

[Nightcrawler_Bamff]

Another note to add:

 

Weight Watchers changed their program last week!  Mostly the same, but if you dont use all your daily points allowance one day, you can roll over up to four of the leftover points to the next day and added more zero point foods.  With the previous change, they made all fruits zero points and anything that has processed sugar went way up... previously a banana was two points...a cookie...two points...which one would I rather eat?  Definitely the cookie.  Now?  That cookie is now six points and the banana is zero...now which is more worth it..probably the banana.  This change added beans, peas, corn, whole eggs (which were two points each before, but egg whites were one point for EIGHT!), lean chicken, and lean turkey to the zero points list.  Now if I mess up during the day, I can still eat some protein (other than egg whites) and feel more satisfied and less likely to search for bad for me things or give up and go eat Taco Bell.  I am typing this now while eating a bowl of pinto beans made from dried beans that are SO CHEAP!!  I am pretty sure this will become a staple in my diet.

[WhiteGhost]

33 minutes ago, Nightcrawler_Bamff said:

Played on diving board (pike dives, back dives, inward dive pikes, swan dives, front pike flip full twists)

This made me miss diving in a huge way.  I really wish I had access to a pool with a diving board again.

 

Sounds like the challenge is going well for the most part.  Hope you can come with a strategy for the temptation box at work, though

[Nightcrawler_Bamff]

11 minutes ago, WhiteGhost said:

This made me miss diving in a huge way.  I really wish I had access to a pool with a diving board again.

 

Sounds like the challenge is going well for the most part.  Hope you can come with a strategy for the temptation box at work, though

 

I love it!  I've been using the one at the college I just graduated from, but this week is the last week I can do that since I am no longer a student

There is a public pool about 15-20 minutes away that has diving boards, so I guess I'll be switching over there!  

 

I think my strategy needs to be to just lock the door as soon as I walk in!

[raptron]

7 hours ago, WhiteGhost said:

This made me miss diving in a huge way.  I really wish I had access to a pool with a diving board again.

Meeee too! I also missed diving. Gymnastics is great, but I it's harder to get that kind of air time. And I miss the pooooool. <3 

 

And dang, like 3 pounds lost already is great, @Nightcrawler_Bamff.  

[tei_]

On 2017-12-12 at 12:49 AM, Nightcrawler_Bamff said:

  Played on diving board (pike dives, back dives, inward dive pikes, swan dives, front pike flip full twists) then 12 minute swim (750 meters) and cooldown

 

Oh man everyone’s in your thread having diving feels! I want to try diving again... when I did it briefly I did not trust my air sense enough to turn skills into actual dives... so I couldn’t do a back 1 1/2, could do a front double but 2 1/2 was inconceivable, and reverse dives ughhh fuck reverse dives, most terrifying thing ever.

 

Congrats on your weight loss so far!

[raptron]

1 hour ago, tei_ said:

Oh man everyone’s in your thread having diving feels! I want to try diving again... when I did it briefly I did not trust my air sense enough to turn skills into actual dives... so I couldn’t do a back 1 1/2, could do a front double but 2 1/2 was inconceivable, and reverse dives ughhh fuck reverse dives, most terrifying thing ever.

I could never figure out a back 1 1/2. I gave myself black eyes repeatedly because for some reason it was impossible for me to conceive of kicking out of what I felt like was a double back into my face. I just skipped them completely and did double backs instead.  

[WhiteGhost]

On 12/15/2017 at 11:18 PM, raptron said:

I could never figure out a back 1 1/2. I gave myself black eyes repeatedly because for some reason it was impossible for me to conceive of kicking out of what I felt like was a double back into my face. I just skipped them completely and did double backs instead.  

I was the opposite - I really struggled with anything that required be to hit the water feet first.  Could be because I have a few bad experiences of hitting the water with my legs slightly apart  

[Nightcrawler_Bamff]

On 12/12/2017 at 7:07 AM, raptron said:

Meeee too! I also missed diving. Gymnastics is great, but I it's harder to get that kind of air time. And I miss the pooooool. <3 

 

And dang, like 3 pounds lost already is great, @Nightcrawler_Bamff.  

I made my last trip to the school pool this week.  No more free pool for me .  I graduated (in the summer....) so dont have access to the campus gym or pool anymore...I had a friend hook me up for this term, but that person isnt there anymore.  Im not very good ...but I like that extra air time to try out gymnastics skills that Im afraid to try out on hard ground...

 

Thanks!!

 

On 12/15/2017 at 6:06 AM, tei_ said:

 

Oh man everyone’s in your thread having diving feels! I want to try diving again... when I did it briefly I did not trust my air sense enough to turn skills into actual dives... so I couldn’t do a back 1 1/2, could do a front double but 2 1/2 was inconceivable, and reverse dives ughhh fuck reverse dives, most terrifying thing ever.

 

Congrats on your weight loss so far!

 

On 12/15/2017 at 7:18 AM, raptron said:

I could never figure out a back 1 1/2. I gave myself black eyes repeatedly because for some reason it was impossible for me to conceive of kicking out of what I felt like was a double back into my face. I just skipped them completely and did double backs instead.  

Yay!  I LOVE the diving board!  I am TERRIFIED of trying 1.5+.  Im always afraid Im gonna over-rotate and land on by stomach or back...which I guess would entertain the lifeguard...maybe I should have tried it !

 

On 12/16/2017 at 11:09 PM, WhiteGhost said:

I was the opposite - I really struggled with anything that required be to hit the water feet first.  Could be because I have a few bad experiences of hitting the water with my legs slightly apart  

Ooo...ouch!  Ive done that MANY times...usually thats the last time I try a feet first skill for that day, haha!  Again, entertaining for the lifeguard!  Haha!  I think im used to trying to land on my feet instead of my head!!  Watch me figure out a 1.5 and forget what Im doing and accidently try to do that on the gymnastics floor, haha!

[Nightcrawler_Bamff]

Week Three:

 

Tracking:

Sooooooooo....I still had issues with the weekend while I was working at the vet clinic.  I did not track Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.  I was all ready to walk in and lock the cupboard with all the food...Buuuuuuut someone brought us a homemade cookie platter!  I dont want to be rude!  Sunday I did much better while I was at work (still didnt track, though), but we had our work Christmas party so had Italian and Thai food + cookies and alcohol...For situations like that, I am ok with not tracking, as long as there arent a bunch of them.  I have another party tomorrow, which I will track and keep my points low until the party, but party time means indulging (its drinking games and snacks).

Result:  Fail

 

Exercise:

I did not exercise Friday, Saturday, or Sunday.  I am ok with these, though.  Friday was work 7am-7pm then eating with coworkers till 11:00pm, Saturday was work 7am-7pm then I had plans to eat with a friend (who never showed), and sunday was work 8am-6pm then Christmas party.  I literally did not have time for a workout on these days.

Monday:  Diving board/swimming

Tuesday:  Diving board/swimming, yoga class with a friend

Wednesday:  Diving (for the last time ever at the campus pool )

Thursday:  Walk around mall

Friday:  NA

Saturday:  NA

Sunday:  NA

Result:  Complete

 

Gymnastics:

So cool!  We were all doing our own thing and I was walking from one area to another and looked up and someone was signing to me!  We had apparently met at Deaf Night Out the previous weekend!  We chit chatted for a while then I went back to gymnastics stuff  Nothing note-worthy to report skill-wise, but got a great workout in...abs were sore for a couple days!

Result:  Complete

 

Interpreting:

Turned in my application for the community college I graduated from

Recorded my signing sample for a specific agency

Submitted my application for that agency

Result:  Complete

 

Overall:  ....success?  I need to be better about tracking on days I work.  I WILL lock the kennel this week (I only have one day this weekend because of Christmas stuff...which will be a whole other challenge...)

 

Plan for next weekend (Christmas festivities)

My uncle's birthday is Saturday, Im not sure what the food plans are, so hard to plan ahead.  I will do a real workout in the morning and eat oranges and a protein shake during the day, then make conscious decisions at supper.

Christmas Eve is when my family does the big gift exchange and stuff...involving lots of little things to eat ALL.  DAY.  LONG.  Not sure if/when there will be any time to get away for exercise, but plan to at least go for a walk when people head to bed (Im definitely a night owl and they are not.  Also...I need to spin a Pokestop to keep my streak...cough NERD cough)

Christmas Day falls in the following week, after the challenge is over!!