Alanna does two things... wait, make that three

[Alanna]

Back to basics because it's sorely needed...

Sit.

 

1) Make a meal plan for the week. I'm going to try adding some more structure to my nutrition and hit certain macros at certain times, rather than just generally trying to eat an appropriate amount and get enough protein. My boyfriend recently coded up a script to help me figure out how much of the selected foods I need to eat to hit my macros, which will make this a lot easier! Also, if I already have my meals planned out and just follow the plan, it means I don't have to track or count!

This is how to meal plan, right?

 

2) GET OFF SCREENS AT 8:30 PM. In caps because I'm shouting at myself to actually follow through with this - it's the best way to make sure I get to bed at a decent time. Exceptions can be made for briefly using a meditation app or playing music, but that's it.

 

3) Calm the monkey mind: meditate daily. I'm now preparing for a lifting competition, which will require traveling and staying away from home - both of which make me anxious these days. In order to prevent my mind from sabotaging me (I'd really like to sleep the night before lifting...) I need to develop skills for calming and focusing my mind.

 

 

 

Lifting-wise, I'm currently on a deload, which is convenient because I'm also sick. Hopefully I can start my next phase fully rested and recovered this weekend. After a few months in the 6-8 rep range, I'll be back to focusing on strength with sets of 5, making count reps much easier! And I used to think anything over three was a big number...

I'm now preparing to compete in 7 weeks, so I'll have a short strength phase (week of 5's, week of 4's, week of 3's) followed by a mini-deload and then tapering for competition.

 

No theme because I'm lazy - please send gifs. EDITED: Now with corgi gifs. EDITED AGAIN: Now with meditation goal and competition prep!

[RedStone]

HIIIIIII FELL BETTER AND FIRST AND HULLLOOO HERE ARE CAPS AND GIFS

 

 

 

 

[CourtnieMarie]

hi! basics are the best

[Mike Wazowski]

Feel better soon, love the return to basics.

 

And that script is the most nerdfitness thing I've ever heard - love it!

[Grumble]

5 hours ago, Alanna said:

1) Make a meal plan for the week. I'm going to try adding some more structure to my nutrition and hit certain macros at certain times, rather than just generally trying to eat an appropriate amount and get enough protein. My boyfriend recently coded up a script to help me figure out how much of the selected foods I need to eat to hit my macros, which will make this a lot easier! Also, if I already have my meals planned out and just follow the plan, it means I don't have to track or count!

 

If you would be willing to share this script.... That would be magical.

 

 

 

5 hours ago, Alanna said:

Back to basics because it's sorely needed...

 

[Emerald_Dragonfly]

Being sick is the worst. 

Back to basics challenges are the BEST. 

 

[Khuja, Dwarf Tank]

11 hours ago, Alanna said:

Back to basics because it's sorely needed...

 

1) Make a meal plan for the week. I'm going to try adding some more structure to my nutrition and hit certain macros at certain times, rather than just generally trying to eat an appropriate amount and get enough protein. My boyfriend recently coded up a script to help me figure out how much of the selected foods I need to eat to hit my macros, which will make this a lot easier! Also, if I already have my meals planned out and just follow the plan, it means I don't have to track or count!

 

2) GET OFF SCREENS AT 8:30 PM. In caps because I'm shouting at myself to actually follow through with this - it's the best way to make sure I get to bed at a decent time. Exceptions can be made for briefly using a meditation app or playing music, but that's it.

 

Lifting-wise, I'm currently on a deload, which is convenient because I'm also sick. Hopefully I can start my next phase fully rested and recovered this weekend. After a few months in the 6-8 rep range, I'll be back to focusing on strength with sets of 5, making count reps much easier! And I used to think anything over three was a big number...

 

No theme because I'm lazy - please send gifs.

On your GET OFF SCREENS AT 8:30 PM goal, make  an alarm for you to remember to get off,starting at like 8:15, and another one every 5minutes or reminderson your phone,same set up. if your like most folks, you'll get sidetracked andlose track of time.

 

Yes, give us the preciousscript, we would very much like to see it....

 

Basics are always needed!! Not a bad thing!

 

Don't be like this guy!

[Alanna]

18 hours ago, RedStone said:

HIIIIIII FELL BETTER AND FIRST AND HULLLOOO HERE ARE CAPS AND GIFS

 

 

 

 

 

Hiiiiiiiiiiiii!

 

Corgis! Corgis can be a challenge theme, right?

 

 

15 hours ago, CourtnieMarie said:

hi! basics are the best

 

Hi! Food and sleep are the best :).

 

I was actually thinking - this macro thing isn't quite basic for me, since I'm leveling up my previous tracking strategy! It's just a new way of fulfilling the basics :).

 

15 hours ago, MikeWazowski said:

 

And that script is the most nerdfitness thing I've ever heard - love it!

 

13 hours ago, Grumble said:

 

If you would be willing to share this script.... That would be magical.

 

 

6 hours ago, Khuja said:

 

Yes, give us the preciousscript, we would very much like to see it....

 

 

 

My boyfriend is currently working on a website for the tool (it's a bit cumbersome to use as is) and I will keep you posted on its progress here - you can be our test audience :D. In the meantime, I'll continue working out the kinks ;). The main hurdle right now is populating and storing a database of foods so it's easily accessible - right now I'm manually entering my macros for the foods I commonly eat. Unfortunately MFP's database isn't publicly accessible as a shortcut, but we might be able to access something like the USDA database or Tesco's (UK grocery store) nutrition info.

 

8 hours ago, Emerald_Dragonfly said:

Being sick is the worst. 

Back to basics challenges are the BEST. 

 

 

<3 Me right now:

 

7 hours ago, Khuja said:

On your GET OFF SCREENS AT 8:30 PM goal, make  an alarm for you to remember to get off,starting at like 8:15, and another one every 5minutes or reminderson your phone,same set up. if your like most folks, you'll get sidetracked andlose track of time.

 

 

I'm actually pretty good at keeping track of the time (this has been a goal for me several past challenges as well) - it helps that I also put on orange safety glasses between 7 and 8 pm in order to block out blue light, so I have a general idea of the time. The problem is, I'm also very good at ignoring the time :P. I do have a Fitbit "time for bed" reminder for 8:30 pm on my computer, though, and I recently programmed my boyfriend's new Amazon Echo to remind me as well, so Alexa tells me it's screen curfew time at 8:25 pm! I also have leechblock on my firefox browser, so I should make sure those times are updated to my new curfew in order to avoid temptation (and it will also cut me off abruptly if I forget).

 

-----------------------------

 

Challenge update:

Meal plans were made this weekend, though I'm having to tweak them a bit since I'm moving less than anticipated due to illness.

Screen curfew was followed last night (Monday)!

 

 

The nice thing about this challenge is since the meal plans are made on a weekly basis, all I'll have to do now is report one thing on a daily basis: yes or no for screen curfew compliance.

 

 

[Gemma]

Yay for simplicity and basics!

 

Double-yay for corgis!!

[Urgan]

A wild Alanna was spotted!

 

On 2/5/2018 at 8:49 AM, Alanna said:

1) Make a meal plan for the week. I'm going to try adding some more structure to my nutrition and hit certain macros at certain times, rather than just generally trying to eat an appropriate amount and get enough protein. My boyfriend recently coded up a script to help me figure out how much of the selected foods I need to eat to hit my macros, which will make this a lot easier! Also, if I already have my meals planned out and just follow the plan, it means I don't have to track or count!

 

If you guys can get that up and running, I bet you could sell it and due to the amount of effort required to beta and refine it, worth it, too. 

[Alanna]

3 hours ago, Gemma said:

Yay for simplicity and basics!

 

Double-yay for corgis!!

 

 

12 minutes ago, Urgan said:

A wild Alanna was spotted!

 

 

If When you guys can get that up and running, I bet you could sell it and due to the amount of effort required to beta and refine it, worth it, too. 

 

 

I know, I've been shamefully MIA...

 

Fixed that for you :P. Think the plan is to keep it and make some passive income from it... coding and data analysis/visualization is what we do and enjoy (though so far the boyfriend is taking a lead on this project) so we wouldn't mind being in it for the long haul!

[Laghail]

CORGI LOVE!!!

[Scaly Freak]

Following for the puppies.

 

Seriously. Puppies are adorable.

[Grumble]

18 minutes ago, scalyfreak said:

Following for the puppies.

 

Seriously. Puppies are adorable.

 

1 hour ago, Laghail said:

CORGI LOVE!!!

 

you guys are incorgiable.

 

[Gemma]

4 hours ago, Grumble said:

 

you guys are incorgiable.

 

 

 

[Alanna]

14 hours ago, Laghail said:

CORGI LOVE!!!

 

13 hours ago, scalyfreak said:

Following for the puppies.

 

Seriously. Puppies are adorable.

 

13 hours ago, Grumble said:

 

 

you guys are incorgiable.

 

 

 

9 hours ago, Gemma said:

 

 

 

 

------------------------------------------------

 

Challenge update:

Week 0, Tuesday: Screen curfew was followed. That is all.

 

I need to order groceries soon, so the meal plan for next week (for Saturday onwards) will be created soon.

[Grumble]

Corgi is helping with screen time.

 

[JustCallMeAmber]

CORGIS!!!

Also, hi!

 

[Alanna]

22 hours ago, Grumble said:

Corgi is helping with screen time.

 

 

Another reason to get a dog!

 

17 hours ago, JustCallMeAmber said:

CORGIS!!!

Also, hi!

 

Hi!

 

 

-------------------------------

 

Challenge update:

Week 0, Wednesday: A little late (1 or 2 minutes) getting off my computer because I chose to finish my meal planning instead... rest day plan is done, but need to do some lifting day plans as well as write down some alternative meals with the same macros.

 

Still not 100%, but felt well enough this morning to do a deload workout. Since I missed Tuesday, my workout was a mix of lifts from my usual Tuesday and Thursday plans:

 

Lifting, 8 Feb 2018 (weights in kg x reps x sets)

deadlift: 60 x 5, 80 x 5, 95 x 6 x 2

squat (LB): 20 x 5, 40 x 5, 60 x 5, 70 x 6 x 2

incline bench: 20 x 5, 30 x 5, 35 x 6 x 3 (because all the regular benches were taken)

bench: 20 x 5, 40 x 6 x 2

lat pulldown: 27.5 x 12 x 2

face pulls: 11 x 15 x 2

decline sit-ups: bw x 10 x 2

 

Squats felt way too heavy considering that I will need to add 25+ kg to that for my upcoming light days...

[Grumble]

1 hour ago, Alanna said:

Squats felt way too heavy considering that I will need to add 25+ kg to that for my upcoming light days...

That's going in the opposite direction of light days.

[Urgan]

If you're feeling subpar and/or not in a surplus, those plates will let you know for sure.

[Alanna]

4 hours ago, Grumble said:

That's going in the opposite direction of light days.

 

There's light days, and then there's deload light :P. These squats were a deload version of my already light day (~90-95 kg top set, then 80-85 kg for back-off sets, last cycle).

 

And then there will be the heavy squat days...

 

3 hours ago, Urgan said:

If you're feeling subpar and/or not in a surplus, those plates will let you know for sure.

 

Not to mention if you were due a deload (though that could be classed as subpar).

 

Hopefully the extra carbs from my meal plan will help!

 

[Urgan]

2 minutes ago, Alanna said:

Not to mention if you were due a deload (though that could be classed as subpar).

 

Hopefully the extra carbs from my meal plan will help!

 

 

Yup, you is worn out.

 

Spoiler: they will.

[Alanna]

23 hours ago, Urgan said:

 

Yup, you is worn out.

 

Spoiler: they will.

 

My body better get its act together... I want to squat 110 kg for reps (for the first time!) on Thursday!

 

Side note on the carb front - I found finally found a good carb source that I tolerate (and is low FODMAP and AIP friendly for those of us out there) - CASSAVA FLOUR. I can actually eat baked goods now - I've been making a lot of microwaved muffins recently :D.

 

---------------------------------------------------

 

Challenge update

Week 0, Thursday: 9 minutes late for my screen curfew. I've decided to grade this based on total time spent over goal, rather than by the number of days I'm compliant, in order to avoid a, "eh, I'm already over, might as well stay up longer" reaction (which has been a problem in the past). I'd rather get off screens at 8:31 pm every night than spend one night on my computer until 9:30 pm, and be compliant the rest of the time.

 

So, grading per week will be

0 minutes over -> A+

<=15 min -> A

<=30 min --> B

<=60 min --> C

<=90 min --> D

> 90 min --> F

 

Basic meal plans for lifting and rest days are now done - just need to sort out some alternative meals with the same macros. I need to decide what my time limit is for doing that each week...

[Urgan]

3 minutes ago, Alanna said:

Week 0, Thursday: 9 minutes late for my screen curfew. I've decided to grade this based on total time spent over goal, rather than by the number of days I'm compliant, in order to avoid a, "eh, I'm already over, might as well stay up longer" reaction (which has been a problem in the past). I'd rather get off screens at 8:31 pm every night than spend one night on my computer until 9:30 pm, and be compliant the rest of the time.

 

I tend to grade my goals on the "spirit of the thing," rather than a hard cutoff. Especially if I choose to go over curfew by Adulting rather than just say, farting around on Youtube until I pass out with the lights still on.