Peelout keeps KH1 - KH3 + Cardio/core Focus

[peelout]

Last month's focus was on daily exercise w/ a goal of losing 5lbs.
Results:
Exercised daily from Jan 1 - Feb 4.

Wt dropped from 191.6 to 182.8 (probably about 7lbs of true wt loss)

An unintended result of starting the daily exercise habit was eating a daily salad.  So I'm keeping focus on that as well.

 

This challenge:

Habits - I'm not ready to start any new habits.  I want to further embed the ones I already have created.  So this months keystone habit (KH) focus will simply be to keep the following:
KH1)  No M (That is a private one, and no, it's not meth) - 0 occurences since Nov 1, 2017

KH2) Daily exercise (Some form of exercise daily, cannot include home projects, Placeholder w/o acceptable as needed) - Kept since Jan 1, 2018.

KH3)  Salad minimum of 5 days/wk (I count wraps and BLT's as a salad since I pile on the romaine, spinach, and tomato) - Kept since Jan 1, 2018

 

Exercise - Cardio/core focus.  I alternate each day w/ either strength training or cardio/core focus.  Since I can't do each at high intensity and exercise every day, my main focus this month is cardio/core.  I'll be doing less exercises on strength days.  No goal relative to cardio/core.  I routines of different intensitys for all my workouts and I'll be doing the higher intensity cardio/core w/o's.

 

Goal 1 - Lose 5lbs.  My "ideal" wt is 175-178.  I feel my best around this wt and I find 5lbs of loss per month to be a reasonable expectation.

 

Goal 2 - Complete 4 Solid Works training modules.  This is job related.  Each module is a little over 1hr long, but there is practice required between modules.

 

Also, its not a goal or habit requirement, but I thought I'd maintain a "To Do" list just to keep myself motivated to get things done I keep putting off.

To Do:
1)  Log HSA expenditures for 2017 so I can write them off on this years taxes.

[peelout]

Feb 5

Wt 181.0

 

Was my day a success?  Yes.  Day started with a new low of 181.0.  Since I haven't hit below 182.0 this year, and I ate very lite yesterday, I expect a small bounce tomorrow morning.  But as long as new low's keep coming, I know I'm doing the right things.  Yesterday was cardio/core, so today was a low intensity strength w/o. Eating was outstanding.  No McD's.

 

Workout - Chest focus

Diet

Breakfast - Protein shake

Lunch - Wrap (spinach wrap w/ chicken, bacon, romaine, spinach, tomato, and a touch of dressing)

Dinner - Pork chop sandwich (w/ romaine, spinach, tomato), grapes

Snacks - 1 pear, maybe a piece of bacon

1 soda

Solidworks - 1/2 hr on module

 

ToDo:

1)  HSA record keeping

[Manarelle]

Following again, keep up the good work. 

[Hazard]

22 hours ago, peelout said:

KH1)  No M (That is a private one, and no, it's not meth) - 0 occurences since Nov 1, 2017

 

About time too.  The rest of the world abandoned the Macarena two decades ago.

 

 

[peelout]

7 hours ago, Hazard said:

 

About time too.  The rest of the world abandoned the Macarena two decades ago.

 

lol.  Have we about exhausted all the M-word possibilities?

[peelout]

Feb 6

Wt 180.8

 

Was my day a success?  Yes.  New low again.  180.8.  The 170's are in sight.  Great cardio/core w/o w/ stretching afterwards (always end my w/o's w/ stretching).  No McD's.  Worked on SolidWorks this morning.

 

Workout - Cardio/core + stretching

Diet

Breakfast - Protein shake

Lunch - Wrap (spinach wrap w/ chicken, bacon, romaine, spinach, tomato, and a touch of dressing)

Dinner - Salad + pork chop

Snacks - 1 pear, maybe a piece of bacon later

1 soda

Solidworks - 1/2 hr on module

 

ToDo:

1)  HSA record keeping

[Manarelle]

18 hours ago, peelout said:

lol.  Have we about exhausted all the M-word possibilities?

 

Not even close. How about Marooning people on desert islands? That could be a pretty addicting behavior.  

 

Grats on the new low. So close... 

 

[Sloth the Enduring]

I’m convinced monkeys are involved.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[peelout]

8 hours ago, Manarelle said:

 

Not even close. How about Marooning people on desert islands? That could be a pretty addicting behavior.  

 

Grats on the new low. So close... 

 

Not marooning people.  Maybe mooning people.

1 hour ago, Sloth the Enduring said:

I’m convinced monkeys are involved.

I'm addicted to watching reruns of "The Monkeys".

[peelout]

Feb 7

Wt 180.6

 

Was my day a success?  Yes.  Dropped another 0.2lb to hit a new low of 180.6.

 

Question.  Has anyone who runs or does treadmill ever had pain in their toes?  Every other w/o, I do what I call my cardio core w/o.  I do 3min treadmill, the a core exercise, then 3 min tread, then a different core exercise, repeat w/o rest for 5 intervals of this.  I power walk during the treadmill at a very fast walking speed.  Just a little below jogging.  I've been experiencing pain in my left and right second toes.  My second toes are about 1/4 inch longer than my big toe, so they stick out the longest.  Feels like a needle pressing into my 2nd toes for about a week.  I really like this w/o and don't want to give it up.  I tried some of the other types of cardio machines, but I don't really enjoy them, they take too long to setup, plus the treadmills are closest to the TV's and you can see out over the entire gym.  This takes away the boredom of indoor cardio work.  Thinking of going to a running store in the area that actually has trained runners who are known to have knowledge in the area of running.  However, their shoes are expensive and I'd rather figure something else out.  Any runners or people who have treadmill experience ever heard of this?  Looking for anything to try.

 

Since my toes were hurting, I didn't have much mojo tonight so I settled on just doing my stretching routine.

 

Workout - Stretching

Diet

Breakfast - Protein shake

Lunch - Wrap (spinach wrap w/ chicken, bacon, romaine, spinach, tomato, and a touch of dressing)

Dinner - Salad + pork chop chop

Snacks - 1 pear, maybe a few peanuts later

1 soda

Solidworks - 1/2 hr on module

 

ToDo:

1)  HSA record keeping

[Jord]

10 hours ago, peelout said:

Question.  Has anyone who runs or does treadmill ever had pain in their toes?  Every other w/o, I do what I call my cardio core w/o.  I do 3min treadmill, the a core exercise, then 3 min tread, then a different core exercise, repeat w/o rest for 5 intervals of this.  I power walk during the treadmill at a very fast walking speed.  Just a little below jogging.  I've been experiencing pain in my left and right second toes.  My second toes are about 1/4 inch longer than my big toe, so they stick out the longest.  Feels like a needle pressing into my 2nd toes for about a week.  I really like this w/o and don't want to give it up.  I tried some of the other types of cardio machines, but I don't really enjoy them, they take too long to setup, plus the treadmills are closest to the TV's and you can see out over the entire gym.  This takes away the boredom of indoor cardio work.  Thinking of going to a running store in the area that actually has trained runners who are known to have knowledge in the area of running.  However, their shoes are expensive and I'd rather figure something else out.  Any runners or people who have treadmill experience ever heard of this?  Looking for anything to try.

 

Since my toes were hurting, I didn't have much mojo tonight so I settled on just doing my stretching routine.

 

 

I also have my second toe is longer than my big toe. However, my toes are special needs because of nerve damage (long story). BUT, I will say that if I wear sneakers with any kind of heal lift then it jams my second toe. This is because our big toe is stronger, but our second toe is more flexible, so if i'm wearing any shoes with a big heal to toe drop, the second toe cannot handle the pressure alone.

 

I am learning at the wise age of my 30's that I'm better off always buying shoes that are as flat as possible and with a wide toe box. Narrow toe boxes were designed for people with normal feet, I swear to god. For example, because of my second toe being longer, if the shoe has a wide toe box, then I can wear a 10. But if it's more angled then I have to wear an 11.

 

This is only advice based on my experiences, your mileage may vary.

 

I've heard people have a lot of success running in minimalist shoes, which meet the guidelines of flat and with a wide toe box. I also listened to the audiobook Born to Run and he talked about it a lot in there. If you order on Amazon returns are usually free. If it's something I can't find in a store in my size, I buy it on Amazon so I can return it for the correct size if needed. I've done this will all of my winter hiking/snow boots. To save money on fitness shoes I usually just buy whatever color is cheapest on sale on Amazon, even if it's not my fave.

 

https://runnerclick.com/best-minimal-running-shoes/

[Manarelle]

13 hours ago, peelout said:

Question.  Has anyone who runs or does treadmill ever had pain in their toes?  Every other w/o, I do what I call my cardio core w/o.  I do 3min treadmill, the a core exercise, then 3 min tread, then a different core exercise, repeat w/o rest for 5 intervals of this.  I power walk during the treadmill at a very fast walking speed.  Just a little below jogging.  I've been experiencing pain in my left and right second toes.  My second toes are about 1/4 inch longer than my big toe, so they stick out the longest.  Feels like a needle pressing into my 2nd toes for about a week.  I really like this w/o and don't want to give it up.  I tried some of the other types of cardio machines, but I don't really enjoy them, they take too long to setup, plus the treadmills are closest to the TV's and you can see out over the entire gym.  This takes away the boredom of indoor cardio work.  Thinking of going to a running store in the area that actually has trained runners who are known to have knowledge in the area of running.  However, their shoes are expensive and I'd rather figure something else out.  Any runners or people who have treadmill experience ever heard of this?  Looking for anything to try.

 

I have general toe pain when I'm breaking in new shoes, but otherwise, no. I do not have a longer second toe, though. Can't hurt to go to the shoe place and ask their advice, I'd imagine?

[NightWatcher13]

Hmmm... I've had some pain in my toes from running before, typically for me it was the joint where my big&second toes join onto my foot. I think it's just stress from the way I run, and massaging the area seemed to help a bit. If it's swollen at all I'd suggest icing it to bring down the inflamation

[peelout]

10 hours ago, Manarelle said:

 

I have general toe pain when I'm breaking in new shoes, but otherwise, no. I do not have a longer second toe, though. Can't hurt to go to the shoe place and ask their advice, I'd imagine?

 

44 minutes ago, NightWatcher13 said:

Hmmm... I've had some pain in my toes from running before, typically for me it was the joint where my big&second toes join onto my foot. I think it's just stress from the way I run, and massaging the area seemed to help a bit. If it's swollen at all I'd suggest icing it to bring down the inflamation

 

13 hours ago, Taddea Zhaan said:

 

I also have my second toe is longer than my big toe. However, my toes are special needs because of nerve damage (long story). BUT, I will say that if I wear sneakers with any kind of heal lift then it jams my second toe. This is because our big toe is stronger, but our second toe is more flexible, so if i'm wearing any shoes with a big heal to toe drop, the second toe cannot handle the pressure alone.

 

I am learning at the wise age of my 30's that I'm better off always buying shoes that are as flat as possible and with a wide toe box. Narrow toe boxes were designed for people with normal feet, I swear to god. For example, because of my second toe being longer, if the shoe has a wide toe box, then I can wear a 10. But if it's more angled then I have to wear an 11.

 

This is only advice based on my experiences, your mileage may vary.

 

I've heard people have a lot of success running in minimalist shoes, which meet the guidelines of flat and with a wide toe box. I also listened to the audiobook Born to Run and he talked about it a lot in there. If you order on Amazon returns are usually free. If it's something I can't find in a store in my size, I buy it on Amazon so I can return it for the correct size if needed. I've done this will all of my winter hiking/snow boots. To save money on fitness shoes I usually just buy whatever color is cheapest on sale on Amazon, even if it's not my fave.

 

https://runnerclick.com/best-minimal-running-shoes/

Thanks all.  I'm going to try 2 things before I look into new shoes.  First, I'm going to tighten the laces from the bottom up better.  I like my shoes a little loose, but thats probably bad for treadmilling or running.  I don't have the little "extra" hole at the top, but a guy at the gym said he has narrow feet and was told to wrap the top hole from the top in as it helps to pull the foot back more.  So I'm going to try that as well.  I'll give that a few weeks, then hit the specialized running shoe store for a better shoe if I don't get any improvement.

[peelout]

Feb 8

Wt 181.2

 

Was my day a success?  Yes.  My wt went up, but I fully expect "noise" in the data.  I think daily wt checks are good as long as you are the kind of person who understands there will be ups and downs.  Only the trend is important.

 

Did strength training tonight.  As I said in my opening, I've reduced the intensity cause I want to increase the intensity of the cardio/core nights.  I'm not reducing the wt, just the reps and eliminating a couple exercises.

 

For SolidWorks, I've skipped working on the modules for the last couple days to spend time on building my own models w/ the skills I've been learning.  Made 3D models of a backshell and coupling nut using dimensions from the Autocad dwg's I've been working on at work.  It's really cool to see your design in 3D and be able to look at sections instead of just flat 2D manufacturing dwgs.  Makes it a lot easier to evaluate your design and look for flaws.

 

Workout - Back focus + stretching.

Diet

Breakfast - Protein shake

Lunch - Wrap (spinach wrap w/ chicken, bacon, romaine, spinach, tomato, and a touch of dressing)

Dinner - Salad + pork chop chop

Snacks - Out of pears, so maybe a slice of cheese and a few peanuts later

1 soda

Solidworks - 1/2 hr modeling practice

 

ToDo:

1)  HSA record keeping

[Darth Yoga]

Definitely try snugging up the shoes. I've also got the super long toes, with 2nd toe longest, and I've tweaked them running.

Also maybe take a look at the walking gait you are using on the treadmill. I find I use a different gait on the treadmill than on actual ground, and maybe you are using a much longer stride (or something else weird) that tweaks the toes of the back foot?

 

I'm a big fan of minimal footwear for running or just life in general. I just want something to keep my feet from getting torn up by rocks and sticks and debris, and to fulfill the general requirement for shoe-wearing in public places. But a lot of foot problems are due to the structures of the feet being weak from super-supportive footwear, so spending more time barefoot or in minimal footwear can be extremely helpful to strengthen weak structures and stretch out overly tight ones.

 

If you are curious, best option to try out minimalist shoes is a cheap pair of "water shoes", the stretchy sort with thin flexible soles. (Some types have stiff or chunky soles.) I can usually find them for $5-$10 at the discount store. They fall apart in a month, but if you hate them, you just saved $150. A less extreme option is standard low-top Converse All-Stars (good for narrow feet) or standard low-top Vans (good for wide feet), or knock-offs of either. They have heavier soles, but are pretty flat and not squishy or "supportive". Plus they are often available in second-hand stores, and many people already own them .

[peelout]

Feb 9

Wt 180.6

 

Was my day a success?  Yes.  Definitely stoked.  Hit 180.6 for the 3rd time.  Getting close to hitting the 170's.  179 used to be my line in the sand.  Never went over it till around last Fall.  Then I let it slide all the way to the low 190's. 

 

I tried tieing my shoes tighter and looping the shoestrings over, through, and under.  I could immediately tell a difference on the treadmill as I did cardio/core tonight.  Not sure if the different path for the top of the lace had much to do with it, but I'm sticking to it and the tighter lacing.  Pretty sure this is going to solve it.

 

Went to a movie tonight, 15:17 to Paris which was based on a true story about 3 American guys who reacted and took down a terrorist on a train.  I thought it was a boring movie.  You can only do so much w/ something where the action is only about 5min long.  Produced and directed by Clint Eastwood.  I would recommend skipping it. For supper, I only had a salad (no meat) since I knew I would have popcorn and small soda at movie.  Have to always be planning.

 

I got up w/ my alarm today at 5 and noticed the other clock in the bedroom said 4.  Went in to the other rooms and those clocks also said 4.  Must have hit a wrong button last night before bed and moved my clock ahead 1 hr.  So I said, "F" it and went to work early.

 

Workout - Cardio/core + stretching.

Diet

Breakfast - Protein shake

Lunch - Wrap (spinach wrap w/ chicken, bacon, romaine, spinach, tomato, and a touch of dressing)

Dinner - Salad

Snacks - Small popcorn and part of a small soda.Maybe a few peanuts later

1 soda

Solidworks - None. Getting backed up at work so I spent the extra early time today doing actual work.

 

ToDo:

1)  HSA record keeping

[Xena]

17 hours ago, peelout said:

I tried tieing my shoes tighter and looping the shoestrings over, through, and under.  I could immediately tell a difference on the treadmill as I did cardio/core tonight.  Not sure if the different path for the top of the lace had much to do with it, but I'm sticking to it and the tighter lacing.  Pretty sure this is going to solve it.

 

That's great! If you are on an adjustable treadmill, you might also try putting it on a slight incline (burns more calories too).

[peelout]

Feb 10

Wt 180.6

 

Was my day a success?  Yes.  Hoping for a drop tomorrow though.  Getting tired of being over 180.  Ready to be under 180, even by 0.2lbs.

 

Have to plan my day for tomorrow since it will be out of my normal schedule.  Going to visit my son at college and have lunch (2.5hr drive).
Plan:
Go for 1.5mi hike since gym won't be open in time for me to work out there before going on trip.

Eat carefully at lunch.  Find healthiest option.  Avoid snacking in car.

 

Workout - Chest focus + stretching.

Diet

Breakfast - Protein shake

Lunch - Salad only

Dinner - Routiserie chicken only (Costco makes great routisserie chicken

Snacks - Pear or something small later.

1 soda

 

Solidworks - None. Went in to work and did regular work today trying to play catch-up.

 

ToDo:

1)  HSA record keeping

[peelout]

Something I just read and found interesting.

 

This Coach Improved Every Tiny Thing by 1 Percent and Here’s What Happened

By James Clear    |    Continuous Improvement, Goal Setting, Self-Improvement

In 2010, Dave Brailsford faced a tough job.

No British cyclist had ever won the Tour de France, but as the new General Manager and Performance Director for Team Sky (Great Britain’s professional cycling team), Brailsford was asked to change that.

His approach was simple.

Brailsford believed in a concept that he referred to as the “aggregation of marginal gains.” He explained it as “the 1 percent margin for improvement in everything you do.” His belief was that if you improved every area related to cycling by just 1 percent, then those small gains would add up to remarkable improvement.

They started by optimizing the things you might expect: the nutrition of riders, their weekly training program, the ergonomics of the bike seat, and the weight of the tires.

But Brailsford and his team didn’t stop there. They searched for 1 percent improvements in tiny areas that were overlooked by almost everyone else: discovering the pillow that offered the best sleep and taking it with them to hotels, testing for the most effective type of massage gel, and teaching riders the best way to wash their hands to avoid infection. They searched for 1 percent improvements everywhere.

Brailsford believed that if they could successfully execute this strategy, then Team Sky would be in a position to win the Tour de France in five years time.

He was wrong. They won it in three years.

In 2012, Team Sky rider Sir Bradley Wiggins became the first British cyclist to win the Tour de France. That same year, Brailsford coached the British cycling team at the 2012 Olympic Games and dominated the competition by winning 70 percent of the gold medals available.

In 2013, Team Sky repeated their feat by winning the Tour de France again, this time with rider Chris Froome. Many have referred to the British cycling feats in the Olympics and the Tour de France over the past 10 years as the most successful run in modern cycling history.

And now for the important question: what can we learn from Brailsford's approach?

Before we talk about how to get started, I wanted to let you know I researched and compiled science-backed ways to stick to good habits and stop procrastinating. Want to check out my insights? Download my free PDF guide “Transform Your Habits” here.

The Aggregation of Marginal Gains

It’s so easy to overestimate the importance of one defining moment and underestimate the value of making better decisions on a daily basis.

Almost every habit that you have — good or bad — is the result of many small decisions over time.

And yet, how easily we forget this when we want to make a change.

So often we convince ourselves that change is only meaningful if there is some large, visible outcome associated with it. Whether it is losing weight, building a business, traveling the world or any other goal, we often put pressure on ourselves to make some earth-shattering improvement that everyone will talk about.

Meanwhile, improving by just 1 percent isn't notable (and sometimes it isn't even noticeable). But it can be just as meaningful, especially in the long run.

And from what I can tell, this pattern works the same way in reverse. (An aggregation of marginal losses, in other words.) If you find yourself stuck with bad habits or poor results, it's usually not because something happened overnight. It's the sum of many small choices — a 1 percent decline here and there — that eventually leads to a problem.

Inspiration for this image came from a graphic in The Slight Edge by Jeff Olson.

In the beginning, there is basically no difference between making a choice that is 1 percent better or 1 percent worse. (In other words, it won't impact you very much today.) But as time goes on, these small improvements or declines compound and you suddenly find a very big gap between people who make slightly better decisions on a daily basis and those who don't. This is why small choices don't make much of a difference at the time, but add up over the long-term.

On a related note, this is why I love setting a schedule for important things, planning for failure, and using the “never miss twice” rule. I know that it's not a big deal if I make a mistake or slip up on a habit every now and then. It's the compound effect of never getting back on track that causes problems. By setting a schedule to never miss twice, you can prevent simple errors from snowballing out of control.

The Bottom Line

Success is a few simple disciplines, practiced every day; while failure is simply a few errors in judgment, repeated every day.
—Jim Rohn

You probably won’t find yourself in the Tour de France anytime soon, but the concept of aggregating marginal gains can be useful all the same.

Most people love to talk about success (and life in general) as an event. We talk about losing 50 pounds or building a successful business or winning the Tour de France as if they are events. But the truth is that most of the significant things in life aren't stand-alone events, but rather the sum of all the moments when we chose to do things 1 percent better or 1 percent worse. Aggregating these marginal gains makes a difference.

There is power in small wins and slow gains. This is why average speed yields above average results. This is why the system is greater than the goal. This is why mastering your habits is more important than achieving a certain outcome.

Where are the 1 percent improvements in your life?

[peelout]

Yeah baby, 179.8 this morning.

I would post a gif over this but I'm in a hurry to go w/o.

[Xena]

9 hours ago, peelout said:

Most people love to talk about success (and life in general) as an event. We talk about losing 50 pounds or building a successful business or winning the Tour de France as if they are events. But the truth is that most of the significant things in life aren't stand-alone events, but rather the sum of all the moments when we chose to do things 1 percent better or 1 percent worse. Aggregating these marginal gains makes a difference.

 

Something I read and liked: someone was writing about running the NY marathon. Toward the end someone from the crowd yelled "you just run 26 miles, that's amazing!" and the person thought "no I just ran 500 miles, you guys just saw the last 26 of them."

 

12 minutes ago, peelout said:

Yeah baby, 179.8 this morning.

I would post a gif over this but I'm in a hurry to go w/o.

 

Yay! Have a great visit with your son.

 

[Manarelle]

12 hours ago, peelout said:

Yeah baby, 179.8 this morning.

I would post a gif over this but I'm in a hurry to go w/o.

 

[NightWatcher13]

170's!!!

[peelout]

21 hours ago, Manarelle said:

 

The Great Gatsby.  Livin the dream.

17 hours ago, NightWatcher13 said:

170's!!!

You know how excited I get about cat gifs.