Asuria's November Challenge

[Asuria]

Here we go again!

Race:

definitely a dwarf. I've been called "shorty" by quite a lot of people and I have... uhm... big bones. I stand at 164cm (5'4") and currently weigh in at 65.5kg (144lbs).

Profession:

Druid

Goals:

1. Do a combination of Pilates and Yoga at least three times a week for at least 15minutes.

2. Go to that damn swimming pool at least once a week (was on my list of goals as well in October and I didn't go once, so this is my second chance).

3. Find a extra source of vitamin D. I get the winter blues every winter, starting around this time of the year and apparently it's because of lack of sunshine (vitamin D). I've been careful to add a lot of vitamin D rich foods in my diet, but a bit of extra won't hurt anyone.

Level up:

1. Sort out the boxes that my mom dropped off a couple of weeks ago. It's all my old stuff that was still in boxes at the attick. A lot of things will be brought to the local thrift shop, while other things end up straight in the trash.

2. And also finish the level up dress I started during the October challenge. I worked on it during this past weekend and so I went from this:

(November 10th - still in pieces)

To this (November 15th)

I love the fabric I picked out. Love love love it! Such a nice drape... I still need to put on the sleeves and hem the skirt.

And I'm going to continue to pay attention to what I eat and how many calories a day I eat. That was the easiest part of the previous challenge and that's why I didn't mention it again here.

[spezzy]

that fabric is gorgeous! great job, clothing can be so frustrating to make.

[Asuria]

November 15th

Pilates: 0min

Yoga: 0min

Swimming: 0min

Additional: 30min cycling (still cycling to work even though it's getting so cold).

Level up: nothing

So... that's a rather dull start, but I've got to start somewhere. I did notice this morning that my weight has gone up to 66kg again.

[LynnyLee]

re: the dress

Wow, you crafty people and you're ability to make things never ceases to amaze me. :-)

[Alethea]

Asuria! Lookit your dress! Well done indeed, my dear. It looks fantastic.

I cheer your goals (yoga AND pilates? huzzah!). Have you taken a look at www.ultimatepilatesworkouts.com yet? I adore them. Shall we make a deal? If you go swimming, *I* will go swimming. I want to make it to the pool at least once this challenge.

[Asuria]

Asuria! Lookit your dress! Well done indeed, my dear. It looks fantastic.

I cheer your goals (yoga AND pilates? huzzah!). Have you taken a look at http://www.ultimatepilatesworkouts.com yet? I adore them. Shall we make a deal? If you go swimming, *I* will go swimming. I want to make it to the pool at least once this challenge.

Yeah, I checked it out and already did a couple exercises with them,. But everytime I look at one of their video's on YouTube, I keep on asking myself whether they are twins or just look a likes or whether I'm just seeing double.

And it's a deal! This is going to give me that extra push to go to the swimming pool.

[Asuria]

November 16th

Pilates: 15min

Yoga: 15min

Swimming: 0min

Additional: 30min cycling + 15min walking during my lunch break

Level up: nothing

[Alethea]

Good job, Asuria, 75 minutes of effort yesterday!

[LynnyLee]

Pilates, yoga, cycling, and walking...you go girl!

[Asuria]

November 17th

Pilates: 0min

Yoga: 0min

Swimming: 0min

Additional: 30min cycling + 45min walking (aka. shopping for notions and such for an upcoming sewing project )

Level up: nothing

[LynnyLee]

Oh, a new sewing project. Please post pics. As someone with only basic sewing skills I like to live vicariously through other people's sewing. :-)

[Asuria]

November 18th

Pilates: 0min

Yoga: 0min

Swimming: 30min. I didn't count my laps, but I think I did at least 20-25. Apparently going straight after work on Thursday is a pretty good time to go swimming. It wasn't as crowded as usual. That is noted and next week I'll go again. And I used to swim 45min to an hour, but the damn chlorine in the water was making my eyes sting so badly, so I'll have to buy goggles this weekend.

Additional: 45min cycling (15 to work + 15 from work to swimming pool + 15 from swimming pool to home)

Level up: nothing. I wanted to put the sleeves on my dress, but my hands were not co-operating.

I seriously need to start working on my level up goals...I just hate looking through those boxes and having to decide what's garbage and what's still important to me.

[Asuria]

Oh, a new sewing project. Please post pics. As someone with only basic sewing skills I like to live vicariously through other people's sewing. :-)

Oh my sewing skills are pretty basic too, but I'm learning!

It's going to be a simple A-line skirt but with big and visible pockets in a contrasting fabric. But first I have to finish my dress.

[Alethea]

Good job swimming! I doubt I could swim 2 laps in a row (haven't swam seriously in years, and even then wasn't very good : P ), but we'll find out tonight!

Just commit to getting rid of 1 box at a time. If it helps, you could take photos of the nostalgic items... a photo is an easier thing to store, and a year from now you'll be ready to let go and toss it out.

[Asuria]

November 19th

Pilates: 0min

Yoga: 15min

Swimming: 0min

Additional: 30min cycling

Level up: nothing

My muscles were so sore from the swimming I had trouble with the 15min of yoga, but I did it, even though I did easy exercises.

[Alethea]

Hey, the point is you did it! Good job!

[Asuria]

November 22th

Pilates: 0min

Yoga: 20min

Swimming: 0min

Additional: 30min cycling

The weekend was rather busy and I didn't get around doing any exercises. But on Sunday I did walk about 3km holding two bags full of fabric which probably weighed about 5kg each. I did feel it in my arms the next day. But oh well, I have loads of new fabric that I bought for nearly nothing.

At the moment I'm thinking about doing one day of Pilates and one day of Yoga, instead of doing them both on the same day. And on Thursday, when I plan on going swimming again, I won't do any other exercises.

I've been wanting to finish the dress for a couple of days now, but something always interferes and I won't mention the boxes. I'm looking forward to next week, when I'll have two days off. Plenty of time to finish the dress and sort out a couple of boxes.

[LynnyLee]

on Sunday I did walk about 3km holding two bags full of fabric which probably weighed about 5kg each. I did feel it in my arms the next day. But oh well, I have loads of new fabric that I bought for nearly nothing.

Yay for low cost fabric! Gotta love those exercise you can't cop out on, like carrying groceries, shoveling walks, bringing bounties of fabric home, etc. Nothing like necessity to inspire exercise.

[Asuria]

November 22th

Pilates: 0min

Yoga: 0min

Swimming: 0min

Additional: 30min cycling

I went out to dinner with a couple of friends straight after work so I didn't get around doing anything.

3. Find a extra source of vitamin D. I get the winter blues every winter, starting around this time of the year and apparently it's because of lack of sunshine (vitamin D). I've been careful to add a lot of vitamin D rich foods in my diet, but a bit of extra won't hurt anyone.

I had almost forgotten about my third fitness/health goal: the vitamin D goal. Yesterday I went into the drug store around the corner during my lunch break and found some cod liver oil capsules. Cod liver oil is know for its high amounts of vitamin A and vitamin D. My host dad when I was an exchange student in Iceland took a spoon of that nasty tasting stuff each morning at breakfast. The capsules don't have a taste luckily. On the container it says to take only two capsules a day and after some research I figured out it's best to not go over the Recommended Dietary Allowance, especially of the vitamin A.

[Alethea]

And, if I'm not mistaken, it gives you valuable Omega 3 fatty acids, which are very very good for you - western diets are really heavy on the omega 6s, so you need omega 3s to balance them out.

[Asuria]

November 24th

Pilates: 10min

Yoga: 0min

Swimming: 0min

Additional: 30min cycling

Vitamin D: took my 2 cod liver oil capsules

Level up: still nothing

November 25th

Pilates: 0min

Yoga: 0min

Swimming: 30min

Additional: 45min cycling + 15min walking

Vitamin D: took my 2 cod liver oil capsules

Level up: still nothing

I wanted to swim 45min, but I think I pulled a muscle somewhere in my upper inner thigh during the yoga on Monday. So every time I stretched my legs when swimming, it hurt like hell. I was afraid of having a cramp and well... drowning. That's why I didn't over-do it. I listened to my body and after twenty laps, I called it a day. The swimming, technically, went great. If the pulled muscle wouldn't have been there, I could've easily managed to do 30 or 40 laps. Breathing was good, arms were strong, my swimming technique still rocks, I was in a lane with respectful people (very important!)... I'm getting into it again.

I also bought a reduction card for the swimming pool. Twenty entries in six months for 50€ which means 2,5€ a time. Normally I'd pay 5€ which is rather expensive. Still 19 turns left.

[Alethea]

Good job, Asuria!

[LynnyLee]

Listening to your body is important. Good for you for getting some exercise in while respecting you thigh muscle. Hope it heals soon.