Spezzy continues to build momentum

[spezzy]

Alright! So last challenge went pretty much awesome. I wasn't perfect, but at the same time, I did good enough to be happy with my progress and consider it a success.

 

This challenge will also include some travel (May 9-15).

 

This challenge will build on the last one, so it may seem similar.

 

1) Exercise Every Day

This needs to include at least 30 minutes (accumulated) of walking the dog.

 

2) Break 150.

Now that I'm maintaining around 152-155 easily, (after maintaining 165-168 most of the last 2 years) for the last 2 months, I'm ready to start maintaining the upper 140's. But for this challenge, the goal is to get to (and start hanging out around) anything under 150. 

 

3) Work at my desk whenever possible

Do not work from the couch. 

 

4) No phone in bed

Read instead

 

5) Get up on time.

Week 0 - by 8:30 every day

Week 1 - by 8:15 every day

Week 2 - by 8:00 every day

Week 3 and 4 - by 8:00 every day I am not traveling

 

6) Meditate

1x per week

 

7) Study

1x per week

 

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

This looks like a solid plan. Following again.

[Raxie]

Following!

 

 

3 hours ago, spezzy said:

Do not work from the couch.

 

This is definitely something I need to work on too - it's such a smart goal for increasing productivity!

[Gemma]

22 hours ago, spezzy said:

3) Work at my desk whenever possible

Do not work from the couch.

 

 

 

Ah, this is genius. I struggle with this as well.

[spezzy]

On 4/16/2018 at 11:03 AM, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

This looks like a solid plan. Following again.

 

Hiiiiii

 

 

On 4/16/2018 at 1:37 PM, Raxie said:

Following!

 

 

 

This is definitely something I need to work on too - it's such a smart goal for increasing productivity!

 

On 4/17/2018 at 8:18 AM, Gemma said:

 

 

Ah, this is genius. I struggle with this as well.

 

Desk vs. couch makes such a difference. I have an entire set up here that really helps, including my headphones, and no TV / other distractions. I get so much more done at my desk than anywhere else. 

[Scaly Freak]

On 4/16/2018 at 8:55 AM, spezzy said:

1) Exercise Every Day

This needs to include at least 30 minutes (accumulated) of walking the dog.

 

 

I'm going to go against trend and say that this is my favorite of your goals. Actively bonding with an animal is good for the soul.  

[Urgan]

 

All the momentum!

[spezzy]

So, week 0 pretty much coming to a close. My only week 0 goal was to get up by 8:30 every day and I didn't do that great. I'm having issues with my alarm and not feeling it/turning it off in my sleep, so that's a problem and the goal to find something to wake me up is on. 

 

I'm wondering if I get a large band for my fitbit and put it around my ankle, that would work. 

 

Anyway, trying to come up with things!

 

Other than not being able to wake up, this week I've focused on:

1) I went to the dentist, which I was dreading, for good reason. But I went. And I do have to go back for a few appointments, but catching things early > necessary.

2)  Ben's dissertation defense was this week so really, supporting him in whatever way I can. 

3) I got an iPad with the pencil and have a really great work set up I'm thrilled with now. I won't WANT to work from the couch!

4) I went to the psychiatrist for the first time. That was scary. Won't go into details here yet, but results were positive and I feel a sense of relief if our plan of action actually works. 

5) I made a "life schedule" that says exactly when I work, when and where I go to the gym and sets aside time on certain days each week for appointments, errands, and extra "stuff".  I set some recurring bi-weekly appointments (bodywork and therapy) and have those slots open and available for other life stuff on the off weeks. I'm really excited and think it will work really well. 

6) I cancelled my (third) gym membership which will save $55 a month

 

So it's been a busy week. Excited to officially "start" the challenge!

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

35 minutes ago, spezzy said:

2)  Ben's dissertation defense was this week so really, supporting him in whatever way I can. 

 

His Instagram handle makes so much more sense now.

35 minutes ago, spezzy said:

4) I went to the psychiatrist for the first time. That was scary. Won't go into details here yet, but results were positive and I feel a sense of relief if our plan of action actually works. 

I'm glad that worked for you. 

 

Sounds like a good week 1.

[Emerald_Dragonfly]

Following!

 

What are you studying? 

[Baxtan]

First time in a Spezzy thread, and I like what I am reading so far.  So much positivity, it's a breath of fresh air.  

 

I like the "No phone in bed" idea. Every... single... night I fall asleep watching Twitch on my phone and I have always heard that being on your phone, or on a screen of some sort is a terrible way to fall asleep.  Maybe I should try reading instead.  

 

Following along!

[spezzy]

On 4/21/2018 at 12:17 PM, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

His Instagram handle makes so much more sense now.

I'm glad that worked for you. 

 

Sounds like a good week 1.

 

hahah yeah, it's a play on words.

 

I really hope it does work out. But I'm really encouraged. And relieved

 

12 hours ago, Emerald_Dragonfly said:

Following!

 

What are you studying? 

 

Getting my Precision Nutrition Certification  Super stoked about it. 

 

4 hours ago, Baxtan said:

First time in a Spezzy thread, and I like what I am reading so far.  So much positivity, it's a breath of fresh air.  

 

I like the "No phone in bed" idea. Every... single... night I fall asleep watching Twitch on my phone and I have always heard that being on your phone, or on a screen of some sort is a terrible way to fall asleep.  Maybe I should try reading instead.  

 

Following along!

 

 

Screens can really mess with your sleep, all around. I have a big problem with it, and not only am I looking at a screen, but then I continue to look at the screen longer and stay up because of it. Ben doesn't even plug his phone in in the bedroom, I need to get into that habit too...

[RedStone]

I've had PNC on the hold list for awhile, how are you liking the program? I balked back in October after being on the wait list for half a year  the price tag is intimidating lol

[spezzy]

11 hours ago, RedStone said:

I've had PNC on the hold list for awhile, how are you liking the program? I balked back in October after being on the wait list for half a year  the price tag is intimidating lol

 

It's a fantastic program overall  Focuses a lot on mindset, which is most important.

 

The price tag is easier to manage when your work reimburses for some education costs

[Juni0r83]

I've been doing the whole "no phone in bed" thing. But only on the days I don't have to work - because on those days its my alarm. I find it's been fantastic for me. I go to sleep sooner, I sleep better, and I don't stare blankly at my screen for social media updates when I first get out of bed. I'm yet to convert these things into turning my days off into productive getting things done days, but I think it's been a pretty positive step.

 

And that was way more than I was planning on saying about it...

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

6 hours ago, spezzy said:

The price tag is easier to manage when your work reimburses for some education costs

Let's all by an NF shirt so Spezzy's scholarship stays alive!

[Gainsdalf the Whey]

On 4/19/2018 at 10:20 PM, scalyfreak said:

I'm going to go against trend and say that this is my favorite of your goals. Actively bonding with an animal is good for the soul.  

 

Have you seen her instagram? The only way she could be more bonded to Madi is if they had a surgical attachment.

 

On 4/21/2018 at 12:41 PM, spezzy said:

So, week 0 pretty much coming to a close. My only week 0 goal was to get up by 8:30 every day and I didn't do that great. I'm having issues with my alarm and not feeling it/turning it off in my sleep, so that's a problem and the goal to find something to wake me up is on.

 

I feel like there's no way in hell a vibration would ever wake me up. Are more drastic physical stimuli, like an electric sock or needle in the foot, an option?

 

16 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Let's all by an NF shirt so Spezzy's scholarship stays alive!

I'm really looking forward to dropping a size so I can buy a new set of NF gear.

[Scaly Freak]

1 hour ago, Gainsdalf the Whey said:

 

Have you seen her instagram? The only way she could be more bonded to Madi is if they had a surgical attachment.

 

Nope. And you say that as if that is a bad thing. How dare you!

 

Bonding with animals is an ongoing thing, like any other relationship. You have to keep working at it, or it goes away.

[spezzy]

18 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Let's all by an NF shirt so Spezzy's scholarship stays alive!

 

Also, coaching  hahah #shamelessselfpromotion

 

1 hour ago, Gainsdalf the Whey said:

 

Have you seen her instagram? The only way she could be more bonded to Madi is if they had a surgical attachment.

 

 

This is the understatement of the century. Madi thinks her sole purpose in life is to be near me. It's actually a problem we're working on. 

2 hours ago, Gainsdalf the Whey said:

 

I feel like there's no way in hell a vibration would ever wake me up. Are more drastic physical stimuli, like an electric sock or needle in the foot, an option?

 

 

So, pavlok has a shock clock which shocks you to get up, but I'm not sure I want to go that route yet. 

 

I got the second fitness band for $30, and I'm thinking of picking up an XL fitbit band and putting it on my ankle. That way I've got vibration coming at my wrist and my ankle and maybe that would help? haha. 

 

 

44 minutes ago, scalyfreak said:

 

Nope. And you say that as if that is a bad thing. How dare you!

 

Bonding with animals is an ongoing thing, like any other relationship. You have to keep working at it, or it goes away.

 

For sure. Madi and I are working on reformatting our relationship, in many ways. She's so bonded to me but is terrified of everyone else.

 

We do already spend a lot of time together - she's super high energy and a no dog park dog, so we have to combat that living in an apartment, which is always a struggle. Walking more will be good, though. Honestly, it's something I've struggled with because walking with her is not a stress relief at all - it needs to be a training situation at almost all times and is super unpredictable. 

 

[Raxie]

32 minutes ago, spezzy said:

Madi thinks her sole purpose in life is to be near me

 

All three of cats also think this, it definitely impedes productivity.

 

3 hours ago, Gainsdalf the Whey said:

I feel like there's no way in hell a vibration would ever wake me up. Are more drastic physical stimuli, like an electric sock or needle in the foot, an option?

 

I used to think nothing but a horrible alarm would wake me up, but now I sleep with a sound conditioner and it turns off 5 minutes before a "real" alarm goes off. 99% of the time the silence is so deafening the white noise turning off is actually what wakes me up, not my alarm.  It continues to shock me that this works to this day, but I'm 2 years going strong with this method haha

[spezzy]

9 minutes ago, Raxie said:

 

All three of cats also think this, it definitely impedes productivity.

 

 

She panicked this morning because I locked her out of the bathroom for 5 minutes. Her anxiety is a big thing.

 

The weird thing is, she's generally fine when I'm not home in her crate (if I leave her out of the crate, about once every 6 months something happens, and she destroys everything, so crate it is). But if I'm home, she needs to be next to me, always.

 

I should have named her Elmer or Velcro.

 

9 minutes ago, Raxie said:

I used to think nothing but a horrible alarm would wake me up, but now I sleep with a sound conditioner and it turns off 5 minutes before a "real" alarm goes off. 99% of the time the silence is so deafening the white noise turning off is actually what wakes me up, not my alarm.  It continues to shock me that this works to this day, but I'm 2 years going strong with this method haha

This is actually really interesting. I sleep with an air purifier on but it does not have a timer to shut it off automatically. 

 

I woke up today before my alarm went off so that was nice. 

[Scaly Freak]

12 minutes ago, spezzy said:

 

She panicked this morning because I locked her out of the bathroom for 5 minutes. Her anxiety is a big thing.

 

The weird thing is, she's generally fine when I'm not home in her crate (if I leave her out of the crate, about once every 6 months something happens, and she destroys everything, so crate it is). But if I'm home, she needs to be next to me, always.

 

Okay, I can see that being an issue with showers.

[spezzy]

1 hour ago, scalyfreak said:

 

Okay, I can see that being an issue with showers.

 

haha she won't get in the bath with me, but likes to sit NEXT to the tub and if I go under water to rinse my hair she freaks out and thinks I'm drowning. 

[Scaly Freak]

We bathe our dog in the bath tub. She never goes near it voluntarily...

 

The cats on the other hand like to sit on the edge of the tub and stare at the person who is taking a bath. Sometimes they will get up and wander back and forth along the rim. I live in terror of the day one of them slips and falls in...!

[Urgan]

9 minutes ago, scalyfreak said:

We bathe our dog in the bath tub. She never goes near it voluntarily...

 

The cats on the other hand like to sit on the edge of the tub and stare at the person who is taking a bath. Sometimes they will get up and wander back and forth along the rim. I live in terror of the day one of them slips and falls in...!

 

As a person who has lived to the other side of this eventuality, it is as hilarious as it is painful for everyone involved.

 

So here's how it went down:

Cat desperately wants to drink the bathtub water (epsom salt soak because Recovery, mind you....).

Cat leans well over the majority of its body over the side because the water levels are too low.

Cat is spooked by other cat, slips and falls in next to my arm.

Clawed flailing ensues.