woodandbronze: A Return to Consistency

[woodandbronze]

Hi,

 

I haven’t been in a good headspace for most of this year, and after gaining a kilo (which really isn’t too bad considering everything), I really have to get back to being consistent with my habits if I want to attain my goal for this phase of my weight-loss plan by the end of the year. With that in mind, here’s what I plan for this challenge:

 

1) Epic Quest - lose 9.2 kg by the end of the year with a SMART goal of not buying bread/pasta/cookies/empty calories as the focus. I’ll continue eating greens every day, measuring portions, drinking 1-2 glasses of water before meals, eliminating snacks, and eating mindfully

2) Lose body fat & grow stronger by getting back to bodyweight training - I started back this week after a 2 month absence, and I’ll continue doing 20 min. of cardio/day

3) Learn Greek & Portuguese - I’m taking a break from the ukulele for this challenge, as daily practice is a firmly established habit, and my formal lessons continue until the end of the month. Instead, I am going to focus on doing at least 1 lesson/day in each language using Duolingo and Rosetta Stone. I’ll also listen to radio and browse a newspaper in the target language after each lesson

4) Live within my revised budget - continue meal-planning to cut food costs & do my best to scale back discretionary spending.

 

As with the last challenge, I’m still working on reducing my screen time, so I’ll only be posting once a week, but will try to be better about checking in on how others are doing. After all, we’re here to support each other. Cheers!

 

This week’s stats:

1. Did not buy empty calories - 57%

2. Bodyweight training 3x/week & 20’ cardio/day - 100%

3. Greek & Portuguese lessons - 100%

4. Stay within the budget - 71%

 

Happy Canada Day, eh!

Happy Fourth of July!

 

[Ann of Owlshire]

Good luck on your goals! Is there a long term plan for using that Greek and Portuguese? 

[woodandbronze]

5 hours ago, Ann of Vries said:

Good luck on your goals! Is there a long term plan for using that Greek and Portuguese? 

 

Travel... always travel  

[Sciread77]

I love your goals, and we’re glad you’re here. 

 

I have to read Portuguese emails for work. I’m less familiar with the sounds of the language these days, as I had trouble distinguishing it from Spanish when my roommate spoke Brazilian Portuguese all those years ago. It always reads to me like Spanish with a French accent. 

[woodandbronze]

18 hours ago, Sciread77 said:

I love your goals, and we’re glad you’re here. 

 

I have to read Portuguese emails for work. I’m less familiar with the sounds of the language these days, as I had trouble distinguishing it from Spanish when my roommate spoke Brazilian Portuguese all those years ago. It always reads to me like Spanish with a French accent. 

 

Thanks, Sciread77! As someone who is fairly fluent in both French & Spanish, I can read Portuguese with little difficulty. But understanding it? It was impossible! I couldn't succeed in past attempts learning it, so that's partly why I decided to do Greek at the same time. And it seems to be working -  I'm having a much easier time with Portuguese and hardly any interference from Spanish... so far

[Teros]

How do you calculate the stats? Like you have 57% but idk how you got that.  Did I miss something?

[woodandbronze]

2 hours ago, Teros said:

How do you calculate the stats? Like you have 57% but idk how you got that.  Did I miss something?

 

It's an average, since I plan to post just 1x/wk - succeeded 4 days/7

[Snarkyfishguts]

Language goals are so great! I really want to be more fluent in anything. I can ask where the bathroom is, because...priorities.

 

I love that you’re reducing screen time too. Do you notice positive effects from it?

[woodandbronze]

12 hours ago, Snarkyfishguts said:

Language goals are so great! I really want to be more fluent in anything. I can ask where the bathroom is, because...priorities.

 

I love that you’re reducing screen time too. Do you notice positive effects from it?

 

I hear you  

Yes, reducing screen time = getting things done (my apartment has never been cleaner)

[Aquarii]

Language learning, music, bodyweight exercises, and budgeting, and the everlasting battle of monitoring screen time? Are you my long lost twin? But seriously, I love your goals. Definitely looking forward to seeing all you achieve

[woodandbronze]

This week’s stats:

1. Did not buy empty calories - 86%

2. Bodyweight training 3x/week & 20’ cardio/day - 90%

3. Greek & Portuguese lessons - 100%

4. Stay within the budget - 86%

[harborcoat]

following! 

do you find practising two languages at once makes it easier to learn them both? 

[woodandbronze]

6 hours ago, harborcoat said:

following! 

do you find practising two languages at once makes it easier to learn them both? 

 

I can only say that, because they are so different (and Greek is waaay harder), Portuguese is suddenly a breeze. But I am pleased with the progress I'm making in both.

[Sciread77]

9 hours ago, harborcoat said:

following! 

do you find practising two languages at once makes it easier to learn them both? 

 

2 hours ago, woodandbronze said:

 

I can only say that, because they are so different (and Greek is waaay harder), Portuguese is suddenly a breeze. But I am pleased with the progress I'm making in both.

 

Learning Spanish and French at the same time led to confusion, especially while reading. BUT, learning Russian through Spanish has helped me internalize and think in Spanish a lot more. But I find it only works with a substantial time effort, which I’ve had due to work coverage requirements and the slow season in my industry. 

 

Then again, I’ve no particular gift for languages either!

[woodandbronze]

22 hours ago, Sciread77 said:

Learning Spanish and French at the same time led to confusion, especially while reading. BUT, learning Russian through Spanish has helped me internalize and think in Spanish a lot more. But I find it only works with a substantial time effort, which I’ve had due to work coverage requirements and the slow season in my industry. 

 

Exactly! My prior attempts at Portuguese were confusing because of its similarities to Spanish. Fortunately, I have A LOT of time on my hands being retired and all 

[WolfDreamer]

Welcome back! As always, I am proud of you for setting obtainable goals and pushing through your obstacles. Keep it up, and let me know if I can help in any way.

[Sciread77]

On 7/2/2019 at 5:32 PM, woodandbronze said:

 

Thanks, Sciread77! As someone who is fairly fluent in both French & Spanish, I can read Portuguese with little difficulty. But understanding it? It was impossible! I couldn't succeed in past attempts learning it, so that's partly why I decided to do Greek at the same time. And it seems to be working -  I'm having a much easier time with Portuguese and hardly any interference from Spanish... so far

 

I hear you. I can read it well enough but understanding Portuguese is a challenge. My roommate after college spoke it, but still, when I read Portuguese for work I always imagine Spanish with a French accent.  

[woodandbronze]

10 hours ago, Sciread77 said:

I hear you. I can read it well enough but understanding Portuguese is a challenge. My roommate after college spoke it, but still, when I read Portuguese for work I always imagine Spanish with a French accent.

Funny... I find both Brazilian and European Portuguese sound Slavic, but maybe that's because I hear French all the time 

 

This week’s stats:

1. Did not buy empty calories - 71%

2. Bodyweight training 3x/week & 20’ cardio/day - 90%

3. Greek & Portuguese lessons - 100%

4. Stay within the budget - 86%

[Sciread77]

1 hour ago, woodandbronze said:

Funny... I find both Brazilian and European Portuguese sound Slavic, but maybe that's because I hear French all the time 

 

Oh, Portuguese definitely doesn’t sound like French-accented Spanish in real life. Just in my head when I read it lol. The Slavic sounds accurate based on my memories from a decade ago. 

[woodandbronze]

Last week’s stats:

1. Did not buy empty calories - 71%

2. Bodyweight training 3x/week & 20’ cardio/day - 70%

3. Greek & Portuguese lessons - 100%

4. Stay within the budget - 100%

[Snarkyfishguts]

High fives! Those are some pretty great stats!

[woodandbronze]

Γεια σας… Boa tarde!

 

Since the challenges are about to go on summer break, I’ve decided to do the same and figure out what’s going on with my progress. I lost my momentum some time in the past year and cannot seem to find my way back. I’m doing what I need to do, but I’m - for lack of a better word - tired

 

With that out of the way, here’s the good news: I went from 0 bodyweight workouts to 3 sets of 12-14 reps three times a week this challenge. Did I beat “The Widowmaker” (Level 2 boss battle)? Hells, yeah! 

 

This week’s stats:

1. No empty calories - 71%

2. Bodyweight training 3x/week + 20’ cardio/day - 90%

3. Greek & Portuguese lessons - 100%

4. Stay within the budget - 100%

 

My overall stats for this challenge:

1. 74.75%

2. 85%

3. 100%

4. 93%

 

Hope you all have good break. See you in 2 weeks!