JessFit Posted January 8, 2019 Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 Hi all, I'm starting over in the level 1 forums because I haven't been on here in something like 5 years. I haven't been lifting or even moving much for the last 2 years and one of my emotional struggles has been accepting that I'm not who I used to be and I can't lift as much as I used to. Accepting that I'm starting over and allowing myself to be weaker than I used to be is a major thing that I want to work on, so for this challenge, my first challenge back in years, I'm starting at level 1. I'm going to set some simple goals to ease myself back in to working out, and these baby steps will hopefully help me hit my bigger powerlifting and life goals. - Lift at least 2x per week. Bonus points for making it to the gym a third time. Total final lift goal: 8 sessions - Cardio or yoga at least 1x per week. My gym is a powerlifting focused gym with no cardio equipment and Iowa is chilly and dark this time of year so these are workouts that I can do at home. This can be a challenge for me because when I'm home I'm usually focused on all the other things I need to get done and workouts get ignored. Total final cardio/yoga goal: 4 sessions - Track food at least 5 days a week. Bonus points for 6 or all 7 days in the week. I don't care what I'm eating, I just want to get back in the habit of tracking.Side note: I joined the challenge a day late, so I'll forgive myself one tracking day. Total final tracking goal: 19 days - Personal goal: 1 productive thing each work day. Again, I started late so I forgive myself one day. Bonus points for additional productive things. Total final productive things goal: 19 ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Yesterday I lifted! I'll count that as 1/8 for my lifting goal. Workout tracking as follows Squats: bar x2x8 80x1x5 95x1x3 105x3x5 Military Press: bar x5x5 Shrugs: bar x5x20 Some random dumbbell shoulder accessory workout that I don't know the name of: 10# dumbbell in each hand x 3x10 Skull Crushers: 17.5x3x15 Tricep Pulls: 30x3x10 Lat pulldowns: 60x3x10 What is your favorite at-home cardio workout? 6 Quote Warrior, Ravenclaw, book lover, history nerd, Red Sonja wannabe Current Challenge Battle Log Link to comment
Little Miss Camouflage Posted January 8, 2019 Report Share Posted January 8, 2019 Hi from a newbie. I don't have access to a gym and I've been advised by the physio not to run any more (slightly gammy knee) so my cardio workouts are on the indoor bike or the rowing machine (I bought an old refurbished one a few years ago - it's been a great investment and a relative gave us an old indoor bike they weren't using - result!) I also use Yoga Studio app from home yoga workouts thought it's not such a good deal now they've gone subscription-only. I've been mainly doing interval training on the rower and bike recently and have been enjoying those. Do you have any kit at home you can use for cardio? 1 Quote Link to comment
JessFit Posted January 9, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2019 16 hours ago, Little Miss Camouflage said: Hi from a newbie. I don't have access to a gym and I've been advised by the physio not to run any more (slightly gammy knee) so my cardio workouts are on the indoor bike or the rowing machine (I bought an old refurbished one a few years ago - it's been a great investment and a relative gave us an old indoor bike they weren't using - result!) I also use Yoga Studio app from home yoga workouts thought it's not such a good deal now they've gone subscription-only. I've been mainly doing interval training on the rower and bike recently and have been enjoying those. Do you have any kit at home you can use for cardio? Ah, thanks for the advice. Sadly I'm in a third floor apartment and my lease says I'm not allowed to have workout machines. Lame! I do run the stairs though, the stairwells in my building aren't heated so I have to bundle up, but it is still a good workout. In nicer weather I jumprope outside. I also have some kettlebells that I use. 1 Quote Warrior, Ravenclaw, book lover, history nerd, Red Sonja wannabe Current Challenge Battle Log Link to comment
JessFit Posted January 9, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2019 Day 3! It feels weird saying that since I skipped day 1, but oh well. I did not get a productive thing done yesterday, but I've set myself up so that I can do 2 things today and still be on track. I don't like that model, of skipping something and then doubling down, but it is nice to have that wiggle room when life decides to be life and get in the way. We did do yoga last night. As you can see from the attached photo, "we" is me and my #HelpfulYogaCat Really, she's #HelpfulAnythingCat because she wants to be involved in whatever it is that I have going on, but she especially enjoys helping with yoga and my sewing projects. Current Stats: Lifts: 1/8 Cardio/Yoga: 1/4 Meal tracking: 1/19 Productivity: 0/19 4 Quote Warrior, Ravenclaw, book lover, history nerd, Red Sonja wannabe Current Challenge Battle Log Link to comment
Little Miss Camouflage Posted January 9, 2019 Report Share Posted January 9, 2019 If you live on the third floor you must get a lot of stair action in a normal day :-) I trained by walking up and down stairs at work years ago during my lunch hour and it got me fit enough within a month to get up Mount Kilimanjaro so don't underrate it! I'm sure it'll work out for you. There's so much you can do without gyms and machines. Jump-rope, I've not really got on with since I was about 11. It's soooo much harder as an adult. That'll be a great workout for you in the better weather. 1 Quote Link to comment
RES Posted January 9, 2019 Report Share Posted January 9, 2019 21 hours ago, JessFit said: What is your favorite at-home cardio workout? Walking (Treadmill) yoga, bodyweight...that last one isn't really cardio though Stairs sound like a great workout! Welcome back to the rebellion 2 hours ago, JessFit said: Really, she's #HelpfulAnythingCat because she wants to be involved in whatever it is that I have going on, but she especially enjoys helping with yoga and my sewing projects. Mine aren't fond of yoga (the mat yes, me doing yoga, no) but love when I am crocheting! 1 Quote RES...and I want to live days worth dying for Current: RES: Wrestle - Got the Pin Spoiler Magickal, Eclectic, Goddess, Level 76 |1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11|12|13|14|15|16|17|18|19|20|21|22|23|24|25|26|27|28|29|30|31|32|33|34|35|36|37|38|39|40|41|42|43|44|45|46|47|48|49|50|51|52|53|54|55|56|57|58|59|60|61|62|63|64|65|66|67|68|69|70|71|72|73|74|75|76|77|78|79|80|81| | My Character Page | Tracking Spreadsheet | My Blog | Growth happens when you care more about the well being of your future self than the comfort of your present self! "Pass on what you have learned. Strength, mastery. But weakness, folly, failure also. Yes, failure most of all. The greatest teacher, failure is." -Yoda Link to comment
JessFit Posted January 9, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 9, 2019 1 hour ago, RES said: Walking (Treadmill) yoga, bodyweight...that last one isn't really cardio though It is really funny, because I'm strong as can be, but since I rarely train bodyweight, my body thinks it is cardio and my heart rate reflects that! 1 hour ago, RES said: Mine aren't fond of yoga (the mat yes, me doing yoga, no) but love when I am crocheting! I'm practically given up crocheting because of my helpful cat. Thanks for the feedback! 1 Quote Warrior, Ravenclaw, book lover, history nerd, Red Sonja wannabe Current Challenge Battle Log Link to comment
Ellestar Posted January 10, 2019 Report Share Posted January 10, 2019 Great goals! I love Yoga with Adrienne for at home Yoga videos that are from 15 - 40 minutes and they're free on You Tube. Also maybe have a look at The Body Coach on You Tube - he has some shortish home HIIT videos that might work for Cardio. Good Luck! Quote My Character 2019 - 7th Jan - 3rd Feb Challenge 2019 - 11th Feb - 10th Mar Challenge Current Challenge I dwell in Possibility... Link to comment
jenkofb Posted January 10, 2019 Report Share Posted January 10, 2019 Nice goals. Smart to take it slow too. Your cat is adorbs. I clean the house for extra cardio - scrubbing is actually really good exercise. Best of luck! Quote Link to comment
JessFit Posted January 11, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2019 On 1/10/2019 at 4:21 AM, Ellestar said: Great goals! I love Yoga with Adrienne for at home Yoga videos that are from 15 - 40 minutes and they're free on You Tube. Also maybe have a look at The Body Coach on You Tube - he has some shortish home HIIT videos that might work for Cardio. Good Luck! Have you ever seen the Fitness Marshall videos? He is hilarious and the dances are so much fun! 3 Quote Warrior, Ravenclaw, book lover, history nerd, Red Sonja wannabe Current Challenge Battle Log Link to comment
JessFit Posted January 11, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2019 15 hours ago, jenkofb said: Nice goals. Smart to take it slow too. Your cat is adorbs. I clean the house for extra cardio - scrubbing is actually really good exercise. Best of luck! Thanks! My cat knows she's adorable and uses it to get away with things. I like the thought of scrubbing, I doubt my tiny apartment will get me too many burned calories, but every little but helps. 1 Quote Warrior, Ravenclaw, book lover, history nerd, Red Sonja wannabe Current Challenge Battle Log Link to comment
JessFit Posted January 11, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 11, 2019 Day 5 I went to the gym last night and I struggle so hard with the fact that I used to be so much stronger than I currently am. I accept that I chose to take time away from the gym, I accept that strength loss is inevitable, but I remember when I was repping 225# for my squats and get angry that I'm such a weakling now. I had to stop last night and remind myself that this is the best gym session I've had in months. I also spent some time last night reminding myself of the girl that I used to be, the girl who was convinced that I'd NEVER be able to squat a whole plate, or bodyweight, let alone rm1s in the mid 200s. That girl would be so proud of my current lifts, even if I'm currently not. So I have to remind myself to be more gentle with myself as I regain strength, it isn't easy, but it is necessary. Last night the cat and I ate nothing but cheese for dinner and it turned in to an incredible lifting session. My lifts felt so darn good! Especially since I forgot my gym bag and didn't have knee sleeves or my belt. Oops. Thats what I get for taking it out of my car and up to my apartment so that I could wash all the socks and shaker cups that collected in there. Lifts Squat: Bar x2x5 80x1x5 95x1x5 115x3x5 Bench: Bar x2x10 55x1x10 65x3x8 Back extensions: 20x3x10 superset curls and rows curls, each arm: 12.5x3x10 dumbbell rows each arm: 20X3X20 Current Stats: Lifts: 2/8 Cardio/Yoga: 1/4 Meal tracking: 3/19 Productivity: 2/19 6 Quote Warrior, Ravenclaw, book lover, history nerd, Red Sonja wannabe Current Challenge Battle Log Link to comment
BardicGarlic Posted January 12, 2019 Report Share Posted January 12, 2019 12 hours ago, JessFit said: Have you ever seen the Fitness Marshall videos? He is hilarious and the dances are so much fun! I think I tried to learn how to dance with him once and just could not do it. Haha. He was too fast and too coordinated for me at that level. Quote 1 | Current Challenge Link to comment
RES Posted January 13, 2019 Report Share Posted January 13, 2019 On 1/11/2019 at 9:26 AM, JessFit said: So I have to remind myself to be more gentle with myself as I regain strength, it isn't easy, but it is necessary. Good job recognizing this. No one is harder on us than we are on ourselves, remind yourself that you'll get back to where you were, it's not gone forever! 1 Quote RES...and I want to live days worth dying for Current: RES: Wrestle - Got the Pin Spoiler Magickal, Eclectic, Goddess, Level 76 |1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11|12|13|14|15|16|17|18|19|20|21|22|23|24|25|26|27|28|29|30|31|32|33|34|35|36|37|38|39|40|41|42|43|44|45|46|47|48|49|50|51|52|53|54|55|56|57|58|59|60|61|62|63|64|65|66|67|68|69|70|71|72|73|74|75|76|77|78|79|80|81| | My Character Page | Tracking Spreadsheet | My Blog | Growth happens when you care more about the well being of your future self than the comfort of your present self! "Pass on what you have learned. Strength, mastery. But weakness, folly, failure also. Yes, failure most of all. The greatest teacher, failure is." -Yoda Link to comment
JessFit Posted January 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2019 On 1/11/2019 at 8:45 PM, BardicGarlic said: I think I tried to learn how to dance with him once and just could not do it. Haha. He was too fast and too coordinated for me at that level. I think being awkward and awful is half of the fun of it! 1 Quote Warrior, Ravenclaw, book lover, history nerd, Red Sonja wannabe Current Challenge Battle Log Link to comment
JessFit Posted January 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2019 Happy week 2! I'm here to say that I'm rocking some aspects, and dragging in others. Thats ok, we're only 1/4 of the way through the challenge and I have time to catch up. I hope that everyone had a great weekend, we got a lot of snow, but I didn't let it slow me down. Saturday I lifted, which makes 3 lifts this week! Also, Saturday evening I went to a Civil War era ball and danced and danced! I love the reels, waltzes, and set dances that make up 1860s social events. Yes, I am that nerd. My heart rate wasn't super elevated for long periods of time, in part because the band needed a break between dances, but I did get 10k steps in on Saturday (I forgot to take my Fitbit off, how anachronistic!) and danced a bunch. Plus, I did it all in a corset, hoop, silk gown, and six layers of skirts, so I'll count that as cardio. Plus, I got to smooch on President Lincoln, and that is sure to get a Lady's heart rate elevated! Last night was a hip-hop videos in my living room kinda night. My Fitbit did track that as cardio because my heart rate was higher. Saturday workout: Squats: Barx2x5 80x1x5 100x1x5 125x3x5 Shoulder press: Barx2x5 55x3x5 Deadlifts: 78X2x5 100.5x3x5 I haven't deadlifted in ages so I kept it light. 8 Quote Warrior, Ravenclaw, book lover, history nerd, Red Sonja wannabe Current Challenge Battle Log Link to comment
Whisper Posted January 14, 2019 Report Share Posted January 14, 2019 44 minutes ago, JessFit said: Saturday evening I went to a Civil War era ball and danced and danced! I love the reels, waltzes, and set dances that make up 1860s social events. Yes, I am that nerd. My heart rate wasn't super elevated for long periods of time, in part because the band needed a break between dances, but I did get 10k steps in on Saturday (I forgot to take my Fitbit off, how anachronistic!) and danced a bunch. Plus, I did it all in a corset, hoop, silk gown, and six layers of skirts, so I'll count that as cardio. Plus, I got to smooch on President Lincoln, and that is sure to get a Lady's heart rate elevated! That sounds like a LOT of fun! 1 Quote We are not sinners trespassing in the garden of an angry God. We are prodigals come home; fully seen and deeply loved. Put together enough small wins over a long enough period of time, and you’ll find yourself in high level gear fighting dragons before you know it. Spoiler Unused for now, Quest Log: Not Silence in the Library but a Whisper in the Academy Link to comment
Son of Rylos Posted January 14, 2019 Report Share Posted January 14, 2019 Looks like a great start to the challenge and the Civil War dance looks like quite the experience! Keep up the awesome work! Quote Link to comment
JessFit Posted January 15, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 Yesterday I got 3 productive things done, tracked my eating, and did yoga. I was intending to lift but I decided to save that for tonight. I'm dog sitting about 45 minutes away from the gym this week which means gym time requires more than an additional hour set aside for the commute, which I hate, bleh. However the myriad of excuses I could come up with won't do much for me in the long run. Current Stats: Lifts: 3/8 Cardio/Yoga: 4/4 Meal tracking: 4/19 Productivity: 5/19 3 Quote Warrior, Ravenclaw, book lover, history nerd, Red Sonja wannabe Current Challenge Battle Log Link to comment
Craftyviking Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 That skirt is very epic Also you are doing great at hitting your goals! 1 Quote Character sheet Discord: Craftyviking#1460 Link to comment
Little Miss Camouflage Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 I hope you waltzed round saying 'fiddle dee dee' all night :-) Fabulous outfit. Looks like great fun. And such good exercise! Quote Link to comment
Elastigirl Posted January 15, 2019 Report Share Posted January 15, 2019 Civil War era ball sounds so fun. I love your outfit! Quote Wisdom 22.5 Dexterity 13 Charisma 15 Strength 21 Constitution-13 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind' Luke 10; 27 Link to comment
RES Posted January 16, 2019 Report Share Posted January 16, 2019 Oh how fun! Quote RES...and I want to live days worth dying for Current: RES: Wrestle - Got the Pin Spoiler Magickal, Eclectic, Goddess, Level 76 |1|2|3|4|5|6|7|8|9|10|11|12|13|14|15|16|17|18|19|20|21|22|23|24|25|26|27|28|29|30|31|32|33|34|35|36|37|38|39|40|41|42|43|44|45|46|47|48|49|50|51|52|53|54|55|56|57|58|59|60|61|62|63|64|65|66|67|68|69|70|71|72|73|74|75|76|77|78|79|80|81| | My Character Page | Tracking Spreadsheet | My Blog | Growth happens when you care more about the well being of your future self than the comfort of your present self! "Pass on what you have learned. Strength, mastery. But weakness, folly, failure also. Yes, failure most of all. The greatest teacher, failure is." -Yoda Link to comment
JessFit Posted January 16, 2019 Author Report Share Posted January 16, 2019 On 1/15/2019 at 11:49 AM, Craftyviking said: That skirt is very epic Also you are doing great at hitting your goals! 22 hours ago, Little Miss Camouflage said: I hope you waltzed round saying 'fiddle dee dee' all night :-) Fabulous outfit. Looks like great fun. And such good exercise! 22 hours ago, Elastigirl said: Civil War era ball sounds so fun. I love your outfit! 9 hours ago, RES said: Oh how fun! Thanks for the positive feedback all! I love sewing, so I made the ballgown myself. @little miss camouflage I did make one of the underskirts out of a a bed skirt, but that is as close to Scarlet O'Hara as I managed. Lifted last night, got 2 productive things done, and tracked yesterday as well. I've gotten a good bit done on my goals today as well. Cardio on lunch, all my food for the day is tracked (THANK YOU meal prep!) and I've gotten 2 productive things done. Plus for lunch I had an amazing brown rice bowl with colorful roast veggies, chicken, feta, and hummus. It was amazing and I'm really excited for lunch tomorrow! Tracking food the past week + is making it very obvious that I eat when I'm bored, and thats a problem. I'm not huge, but my doctor recommends that I be smaller. More than that, I wonder how much better I would feel if I grazed on junk less frequently. It is SO EASY to snack while driving, working on the computer, etc. and boredom eating adds up. I think I may have found one of my goals for the next challenge. Last night's lifts: Squat: Barx2x5 80x1x5 100x1x5 120x1x3 135x2x5 135x2x3 Bench: Barx2x10 60x1x5 70x3x5 Curls, each arm: 15x3x10 Dumbell downs, each arm: 22.5x3x10 Current Stats: Lifts: 4/8 Cardio/Yoga: 5/4 Meal tracking: 6/19 Productivity: 9/19 5 Quote Warrior, Ravenclaw, book lover, history nerd, Red Sonja wannabe Current Challenge Battle Log Link to comment
BardicGarlic Posted January 22, 2019 Report Share Posted January 22, 2019 I know I'm late in the game but you seemed like you were the belle at the ball! Quote 1 | Current Challenge Link to comment
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