Mera Re-Emerges from the Sea

[Mera]

"After four years in the depths of the ocean, Mera emerges from the waves and sets a foot on the shore. Uggh, gravity. She had forgotten about that. Her body feels heavy. Her legs feel weak and rubbery. She remembers the last time she'd walked these shores. How long ago it was. She'd been a different person then, and so had Arthur. Arthur! She must find him. Exhausted, Mera takes a deep breath, and starts running..."

 

Hi all! I'm coming back to NF after 4 years of absence. I'm pretty much in the same shape as I was then, which is ok but can definitely use some work. Even though I've not been as physically active as I should be, I have definitely made some huge improvements over the last 12 months. I've kicked both my drinking and smoking habits, which has done insane amounts to reduce the constant anxiety I've been struggling with for..ever. 

 

Some more huge changes are coming up as well, as my husband and I are moving from France to Sweden. He will have already left by the time this challenge starts, and I'll be joining him later this year. So I have a few months to myself, which I want to use to up the ante and get fitter and healthier.

 

Last time I did a lot of strength workouts, which I still want to incorporate but I mostly want to focus on running, so I think it's best for Mera to quit her assassinating ways and respawn as a ranger. 

 

So here is the plan:

 

Fitness:

• Follow the Zombies Run! 5k Expert program (4-6 runs a week with increasing length and frequency). I'm running with my dog, which is very stop-and-go, so the focus is not on speed or distance but just to go out and do it.
• 1 kettlebell workout a week. No matter how much or little, just gotta start picking the thing up again.

 

Diet:

Follow the triangle!

 

What's the triangle I hear you ask? I'm not very good with following specific diets, and for now, it's not realistic for me to go full vegetarian or vegan, so this is a little set of rules I've come up with that will help me make good decisions at the food counter and in the supermarket. The triangle has 3 corners - No Suger, No Plastic, and Ethical. Everything I eat/buy needs to have at least 2 out of the 3. This way I can make sure that any food I buy is good for either me, the animals, or the planet (or all of us in the best case). Most of the crappiest stuff like candy, fast food, ready meals, and hyper-processed stuff is ruled out by default (most of it has sugar and is wrapped in plastic, or is unethical (horrible treatment of animals and/or people). 

 

Levelling up my life:

Meditate at work twice a week. 
My boss has actually asked me to guide a meditation for the team twice a week, during working hours, and I'm still not managing to get my butt on those cushions because somehow I'm always "too busy just now"

How horrible when busy periods are exactly the when I can benefit the most from meditations. No more excuses.

 

Time to respawn!

 

[thekatisalie]

Ooh yay the in-game trainer! I never did that one. I'm back on the singular app right now. RAISE THE GATES!!!

[Odango]

Now following and here to support you, awesome sea goddess!

[Mera]

Week 0 Day 1 (sort of)

 

Today was the day. I dropped my husband off at the airport today. He's off to Sweden for a new job and I'll finish up stuff here in France. I won't see him for 2 months which shucks. Instead of drowning in self-pity though, I've decided to get this challenge on the road already. Well, slowly easing into it.

 

I went for a 30min Zombies Run this morning. Took the dog which slows things way down, because we need to stop at every tree trunk to sniff. And either he's more out of shape than me, or I just run way too slowly for him so he doesn't even see the point in speeding up.  He's part collie, so I'm afraid it's the latter.

 

On the diet front, I had a vegetarian dinner which didn't involve any sugar and hardly any plastic (the parmesan I sprinkled on top came out of a plastic bag).

 

 No meditation today, but I'll shoot for that tomorrow. 

 

 

[Lady Amezan]

I love your eating triangle. Sounds like a smart shortcut, and I love that it includes "ethical" as one factor. I hope your move to Sweden goes smoothly!

[Odango]

Week 1 is starting!!

I hope you've been feeling alright, first week of separation is always the toughest. It's great that you have your dog to keep you company! And you must have been skyping a whole lot, haha!

Are you excited about moving to Sweden? It seems that we always try out life in new countries at the same times

 

Always here to cheer you on!

 

On a side-note, I was looking for sailor moon gifs and ended up with a link to my first challenge thread from 2014... WOW, THE NOSTALGIA! The forum was super busy back then.

 

[Mera]

On 9/16/2018 at 8:08 AM, Lady Amezan said:

I love your eating triangle. Sounds like a smart shortcut, and I love that it includes "ethical" as one factor. I hope your move to Sweden goes smoothly!

 

Thank you! I was quite happy that I figured out a way to eat and shop that wouldn't involve hours of calculating our pondering the possible devastating impact on the planet

 

4 hours ago, Nol said:

Week 1 is starting!!

I hope you've been feeling alright, first week of separation is always the toughest. It's great that you have your dog to keep you company! And you must have been skyping a whole lot, haha!

Are you excited about moving to Sweden? It seems that we always try out life in new countries at the same times

 

Always here to cheer you on!

 

On a side-note, I was looking for sailor moon gifs and ended up with a link to my first challenge thread from 2014... WOW, THE NOSTALGIA! The forum was super busy back then.

 

 

What? Where are you moving to? Or have you moved already? First week was ok, the dog, and work are keeping me busy. I also made a bunch of plans with friends for the weekend so there was no time for loneliness.

Haha, yes, when I first logged back in here I went through all our old posts. Our gifs game was ON POINT! 

 

So let's wipe the dust off those running shoes, bring on the gifs, and return to former glory!

 

 

 

 

[Mera]

Quick update for Week 1 Day 1

 

I already started my running last week and ran every day (starting Wednesday) for about 30 mins in the morning. I only got caught by the Zombies once, because we were on a steep hill and I couldn't outrun them. Yesterday, I went for a 5k run in the morning (with a bunch of walking in between) and then for a walk with friends in the afternoon. So I'm actually starting Week 1 on a no run day, Monday being the only day of the week. So back at tomorrow.

 

On the food front, I did alright last week but didn't put too much focus on it. On Saturday I went for a massive shop at the local farmer's market though to stock up on veggies. I skipped the butcher's but did opt for a bit of cheese and eggs.

 

The awesome thing about the market is that it's super nice quality, dirt cheap, and there is only minimal plastic involved (for the cream cheese). I'm now pretty much covered for the week and for all of the below I spend a grand total of 20€ 

 

 

[Odango]

Those veggies look amazing! Let's get cooking!!!

 

 

 

You're starting off really well! Good luck for tomorrow's run 

[Harriet]

Ooh, the veg look great. I'm also trying to make our diet more environmentally friendly. It's sometimes inconvenient but I do what I can. I take my own cloth bags shopping but obviously some things just come in packets. Hey, did you say reducing alcohol helped your anxiety? I have very bad, life-altering anxiety and am cutting down wine (to get better sleep). It would be super awesome if my anxiety improved, I didn't even know alcohol could be involved in that.

[Bouchra]

Hi Mera,

 

Like you, I'm also re-spawning after a long while. Love the veggies, they look so fresh and beautiful! Enjoy

 

Good luck with your goals!

[Mera]

21 hours ago, Harriet said:

Hey, did you say reducing alcohol helped your anxiety?

 

Hi Harriet, yes it helped me massively. I used to think that random panicking about nothing was normal (like random work things, or "will the unplugged (!) yet not completely cooled down iron burn down the house?" I used to love going to the pub after work to have a few pints with friends and "relax". In retrospect, I think there was quite a bit of self-medication involved. Eventually, my anxiety got so bad that I felt the physical urge to cut myself. I never did because I realised what was happening, but that's when the warning bells really started going off. I'd read before that drinking and smoking can increase anxiety, so I quit drinking, and then 3 months later I quit smoking too, and I haven't looked back. 

The way I feel now is not comparable even to my most "stress-free" days from before. If you're struggling with anxiety and are drinking more than just the occasional glass of wine, I would totally try quitting for 3 months to see how you feel after. 

[Mera]

Week 1 Day 2

 

Today is a bit of a big day because I quit drinking exactly one year ago! Whoop whoop! See post just above if you're interested in the what's and why's...

 

Today was also the first running day of the week. Did about 3k with the dog and felt pretty good afterwards. I can already feel the improvement from last week, running seems a bit easier and the distance somehow feels shorter. I realised that I should start eating a little something before heading out though, so I got me some bananas.

 

I went out for lunch with the colleagues to celebrate my soberversary. I stayed true to the triangle by having a veggie burger and a coke zero (out of a glass bottle, no straw).

I wanted to meditate at work but then totally forgot about it, as it happens... So I'll set myself an alarm for tomorrow afternoon to remind myself.

 

[Harriet]

1 hour ago, Mera said:

The way I feel now is not comparable even to my most "stress-free" days from before. 

 

Wow, just wow. I need this. Thank you so much for sharing. I am so ready to try life without wine. Yeah, for many years I would have 2 or 3 small-medium glasses of wine most days. Not binge drinking, but a fairly large amount nonetheless. So, do you have alcohol on occasions now or not at all? I'd like to enjoy it once or twice a week maybe, after my experiment with tee totalling. 

[Mera]

1 hour ago, Harriet said:

 

Wow, just wow. I need this. Thank you so much for sharing. I am so ready to try life without wine. Yeah, for many years I would have 2 or 3 small-medium glasses of wine most days. Not binge drinking, but a fairly large amount nonetheless. So, do you have alcohol on occasions now or not at all? I'd like to enjoy it once or twice a week maybe, after my experiment with tee totalling. 

 

Nope, I'm staying the hell away from the stuff now. I've found some amazing non-alcoholic beers for when I really feel like one (I'm still German after all ), and otherwise I stick to sparkling water, sodas, and tea. lots and lots of tea. I know that if I had a beer, and that lulling feeling of the first pint would set in, all good intentions would go out the window and i'd end up getting drunk, re-opening the door for my anxiety. No thank you  Seriously, give it a try, it's the best thing I've ever done for myself. 

[Odango]

Wow, Mera, that's really incredible! You're amazing!!

This deserves a good old Supernatural cheer!

 

I'm glad you were able to celebrate properly, and that you had a great day overall!

Mera! Mera! Mera!

[Mera]

1 minute ago, Nol said:

Wow, Mera, that's really incredible! You're amazing!!

This deserves a good old Supernatural cheer!

 

I'm glad you were able to celebrate properly, and that you had a great day overall!

Mera! Mera! Mera!

 

Thank you so much for the love. And the Dean. Swoon.

 

 

[Odango]

You deserve all the Dean!!

 

 

And even that Dean too!

[Harriet]

Ach, geil. So many German speakers here. I'm not German, I've just lived there for 6 or 7 years with my Mann (we just came to the USA now, though, for his work).

 

Ah, tea, my reliable friend. At least, it's reliable if I make it myself. Neither Germans nor Americans understand tea, in my experience. They keep giving me watery concoctions that turn grey when milk is added. Or worse... once, someone put milk straight into the "hot" water and handed me the cup and a teabag. It was awful. I made this exact face: 

 

 

But unfortunately for my challenge I'm also cutting caffeine. So my usual 5 or 6 teas is down to 2. Plus tisanes and decaf for me. I'm going to get so much sleep wheeeeee!

 

 

[Odango]

2 hours ago, Harriet said:

Ach, geil. So many German speakers here. I'm not German, I've just lived there for 6 or 7 years with my Mann (we just came to the USA now, though, for his work).

 

Ah, tea, my reliable friend. At least, it's reliable if I make it myself. Neither Germans nor Americans understand tea, in my experience. They keep giving me watery concoctions that turn grey when milk is added. Or worse... once, someone put milk straight into the "hot" water and handed me the cup and a teabag. It was awful. I made this exact face: 

 

 

But unfortunately for my challenge I'm also cutting caffeine. So my usual 5 or 6 teas is down to 2. Plus tisanes and decaf for me. I'm going to get so much sleep wheeeeee!

 

 

 

Well, who says tea has to be a punch in the face of tannins and bitterness? (are you British by any chance?)

I personally love my tea lightly brewed and I usually enjoy the 2nd brew better. There. Though, I admit that a good builders' brew is the most comforting thing on a cold grey day.

If you're going for caffeine-free, have you tried fresh mint tea? It's so refreshing and soothing.

 

Sorry Mera for the tea-spam. But I seem to remember that you're a huge tea fan yourself (tea pigs, right?) so you don't mind, do you?

 

[Harriet]

14 minutes ago, Nol said:

 

Well, who says tea has to be a punch in the face of tannins and bitterness? (are you British by any chance?)

 

I mean, it doesn't HAVE to be. I'm just disappointed when it isn't. No, not British, but I got my tea habit from them. I'm from one of her Majesty's colonies.

 

[Mera]

6 hours ago, Harriet said:

Ach, geil. So many German speakers here. I'm not German, I've just lived there for 6 or 7 years with my Mann (we just came to the USA now, though, for his work).

 

Ah, tea, my reliable friend. At least, it's reliable if I make it myself. Neither Germans nor Americans understand tea, in my experience. They keep giving me watery concoctions that turn grey when milk is added. Or worse... once, someone put milk straight into the "hot" water and handed me the cup and a teabag. It was awful. I made this exact face: 

 

 

But unfortunately for my challenge I'm also cutting caffeine. So my usual 5 or 6 teas is down to 2. Plus tisanes and decaf for me. I'm going to get so much sleep wheeeeee!

 

 

 

Ahahahaha, yessss! I totally agree that the Germans have no idea about tea. Neither do the French for that matter. I have made angry tea face many a times. Especially because they make you pay 3 euros for a limp bag of Lipton. Yuck. Where in Germany were you? I'm from Karlsruhe

 

I used to live in London, so I got my tea habit from them. I buy a big box of PG Tips whenever I'm there. Like Nol mentioned, Teapigs are awesome too, they have a great selection of tisanes if you want to check them out. 

 

4 hours ago, Nol said:

 

Well, who says tea has to be a punch in the face of tannins and bitterness? (are you British by any chance?)

I personally love my tea lightly brewed and I usually enjoy the 2nd brew better. There. Though, I admit that a good builders' brew is the most comforting thing on a cold grey day.

If you're going for caffeine-free, have you tried fresh mint tea? It's so refreshing and soothing.

 

Sorry Mera for the tea-spam. But I seem to remember that you're a huge tea fan yourself (tea pigs, right?) so you don't mind, do you?

 

 

NEVER! apologies for tea talk 

 

 

 

 

 

[Odango]

Now, I am offended!

 

Though small traditional cafés tend to give you lipton yellow (yuck I agree), and this is changing luckily, lets be honest, when it comes to loose leaf tea (some would say, proper tea :P), you'll actually find a plethora of shops offering high quality and high variety of teas in most French cities, even smaller ones of under 100.000 inhabitants. While in the UK it's a struggle (no coincidende that the best tea shop in Edinburgh was owned by a French guy).

You (not-actually) Britishes stop with this cultural emperialism right now!

(when tea in the UK was actually loose leaf and brewed multiple times)

 

Because if we actually get into what a "real" cuppa is, I'm afraid they win:

(please note that I think tea is the most awesome drink on the planet and however people like it is the "real" way)

 

 

...Did I mention I used to work in a tea shop?

 

[Mera]

1 hour ago, Nol said:

Though small traditional cafés tend to give you lipton yellow (yuck I agree), and this is changing luckily, lets be honest, when it comes to loose leaf tea (some would say, proper tea :P), you'll actually find a plethora of shops offering high quality and high variety of teas in most French cities, even smaller ones of under 100.000 inhabitants. While in the UK it's a struggle (no coincidende that the best tea shop in Edinburgh was owned by a French guy).

You (not-actually) Britishes stop with this cultural emperialism right now!

 

Hahaha, apologies. Working in a tea shop is the dream!! And you are of course correct. I shall amend my statement to say French restaurant and café owners have no idea about tea. Obviously, the Damman Frères knew what they were doing  

 

[Odango]

*sniff* Thank you