Darkfoxx 59: Darkfoxx Acquires Some Druid Powers

[darkfoxx]

 

Hi, all - I’m Darkfoxx; long-time Ranger corps member and yoga (among other things) enthusiast. 

 

I’ve been on the Forums for 59 consecutive challenge cycles - so, since - January 2013 (yay, obsessive records-keeping and challenge linking). Wow, and looking back, my very first challenge included my first yoga love - Jillian Michaels. Awww, baby me <3. 

 

Since then, I’ve tried my hand at pretty much every fitness thing that’s run across my path (thanks, RangerBrainTM), including: rucking, wogging 5 and 10ks, running short distances from Zombies, OCRs, HIIT workouts, weightlifting, kettlebells, and tons and tons of mini challenges - but the thread running through all of that has always been yoga. 

 

My body (and I think everyone’s bodies, tbh) just works better when I’m on my yoga game. My brain works better with yoga, too. 

 

So - here I am, I’m glad to meet you all, and I hope to help make this corner of the Forums everything it could and should be. 

 

If you have any questions or suggestions on how to do that, let me know! 

 

On to the Challenge part of this cycle. 

 

Goal 1: Nutrition

 

This is always my first goal in a challenge, and the most important cornerstone of my personal fitness. 

 

I’ve found over the years that sticking to macros works best for my body and brain, and that’s what I’m going to continue to do. 

 

At the moment, my macros are: 

 

1200 Calories

91g Protein

119g Carbs

40g Fats

 

I’m also in the process of seeing a functional fitness doctor to try and get a handle on the GI issues I’ve been plagued with for as long as I can remember. We are currently on the reintroduction phase of the FODMAP Diet, and I’ll be monkeying around with foods and reporting. 

 

This year, I’m also posting a photo collage a day of what I eat, and tracking all my meals in both My Fitness Pal and Cara (mostly to track GI symptoms). 

 

Goal 2: Physical Fitness 

 

My goal for awhile has been to rebuild my yoga practice. I took a year or so off to attend an intensive course on web development in 2016/2017, and have been clawing my way back into a regular practice since then. Well, since I’m now a GL of the home of all yoga, I should probably redouble my efforts, no? 

 

To do that, I’ve got to go to class more than once a week definitely and probably twice if I can make peace with the scheduling. 

 

I can do better than this, but let’s not kill my shoulders and knees with all vinyasa all the time. The goal here is to attend 3 classes in the style of my choosing, but at least 1 needs to be alignment-based, and 1 needs to push myself out of hiding in the strict beginner classes. 

 

I’m also adding to this goal some other fitnessy things. It’s Summer with a Capital S where I live (it gets to 120F with or without the humidity that generally comes with living on the water - mold season approaches either later this month or next). 

 

Since going outside feels like stepping into an oven on a calm day, or a hairdryer on a windy one, I need to do more than a few yoga classes a week if I want to shift a bit of weight before the vacation I have planned in December - or the wedding I’m going to in September. 

 

My tentative schedule - yoga classes out of the house are 100% subject to change; classes where I live shift to a frustrating degree based on the season, month, or whims of chance. This is what I’m currently seeing and have been seeing consistently or somewhat consistently for a few weeks. 

 

Mondays: 

 

A girlfriend and I are really liking the beginner Yoga class offered at 10am.

 

If it’s not too killer hot, walk back from that (:20); if it is, Uber back and take a :30 walk on the treadmill before coming back home.

 

If I'm not completely wiped (and especially if I Uber back home), hit the gym on the way up to the apartment for some sort of something for a short podcast - Nightvale if I’m tired; Sawbones or Stuff You Missed In History Class if I’m not. 

 

Tuesdays:

 

I’ve got a weekly coffee thing at 10; either get up with DH (DH is my Darling Husband) at 6:30? 7:30? Whenever he leaves, and go walk on the treadmill for a podcast before needing to get dressed at 8:45, or wait until after if sleep has been crappy. If it’s been really crappy and I’m up at 5:30/6 with the jerk face dogs - leave then. I’m not running a marathon, walking in my lounge pants and glasses is fine. I won’t die if I don’t have my contacts in. 

 

If I bail on that, do one day of the 30 Days of Yoga challenge when I get back home - or sometime before bed. 

 

Or, if I’m feeling Smurfy - there is a 4pm Slow & Strong class I really like that’s also generally alignment-based. Try to feel Smurfy. 

 

Wednesdays:

 

Most weeks I have a coffee thing at 9, and usually getting out of bed on time is a struggle. If it’s not and I’m up with the jerk dogs, go at least walk on the treadmill. 

 

If not, do a day of the 30 Days of Yoga challenge when I get back. Or sometime in the long afternoon if I'm carsick from the trip home. 

 

If coffee doesn’t happen, walk + gym session. 

 

Thursdays: 

 

I only have a set thing to do here 1 Thursday a month, and it’s a brunch. 

 

Some weeks there’s an 11-something class at the yoga studio - if so, take that if I’m not too blasted from the rest of the week. 

 

If I am, 30 Days of Yoga challenge + walk a podcast. 

 

I think there is also usually the Slow & Strong class today at 4 too - if I feel like I can do that and not die during silks, go for it if I didn’t make it Tuesday - if not, silks tomorrow. 

 

Fridays: 

 

There’s an aerial silks class offered at 11:15 on some weeks and I'm really liking it. Go to that. 

 

If it's not offered, double up on 30 Days of Yoga + a gym session + a walk. Consider making it a long one. 

 

Weekend:

 

We usually walk a fair amount around a mall one day and do pretty much nothing the next. This is fine. 

 

The theme for workouts here is to walk some each day and get in at least 15 minutes of yoga. I have a bad habit of doing either nothing active all day - or of only mall walking, and I can do better here. I have the time in my schedule to: put my gym clothes on, take the elevator downstairs, put in my headphones, and do something active for a podcast. I can even fit that + the copious amounts of YouTube I watch in in the same day. 

 

Goal 3: Fulfillment 

 

A little background here: I am a (literal) card-carrying housewife living in Doha, Qatar with my DH and 2 dogs. This is sometimes a good thing, and sometimes grates on my ever-loving nerves (I’m an American who had, if not an actual career, a string of employment that equalled to a career in creative services + a pivot I was trying to make happen into tech when we moved). So, I need to find fulfillment outside of the workplace. Which means being more social than I was comfortable with while living in my home country, and by finding other things to do that ensure my mind doesn’t turn to mush. 

 

As such, I’ve been doing (or trying to do) the following, and will keep it up this cycle: 

 

Reading articles on finance

Spreadsheeting a finance plan

Contacting a financial professional when I have my version of a plan and spreadsheet to see if I'm on track or cray cray

Applying for or bidding on freelance gigs (when I can be bothered - most weeks, it's not happening)

Taking a class on Skillshare (ok, so I have at least signed up for Skillshare - still haven’t made a class happen)

Working with the dogs on training 

 

And that’s about it for this cycle. It’s mostly a repeat of my last (few) Ranger challenge(s), just with a bit more planning on the fitness part. 

 

I can’t wait to get to know my new home and Guild mates! 

 

 

 

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Congrats on the promotion! I'll be following along again. Are you going to get to ring bells at the wedding?

[SkyGirl]

Congrats on the promotion, Darkfoxx!! Your goals look great and you're touching on some things that I need to revisit in my own life, so I'm following for awesomeness.   

[darkfoxx]

Thx! I’m excited for the new challenge

And unfortunately, no - no bell ringing at the wedding. DH in a 3-piece suit, though, so that’ll have to make due.

And, I’m getting to watch the dress come together, so that’s exciting - the bride is getting one custom made here to ship back there, and it’s a fascinating process just how quick they can cobble things together. That, and we get to watch the beading guys hand-place Stones pretty much every time we visit. And it’s super cool to watch.




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[Loveable_Bouncer]

Following along! Give you luck on all your goals!

[Jean]

On 7/27/2019 at 8:02 AM, darkfoxx said:

Reading articles on finance

Spreadsheeting a finance plan

Contacting a financial professional when I have my version of a plan and spreadsheet to see if I'm on track or cray cray

Applying for or bidding on freelance gigs (when I can be bothered - most weeks, it's not happening)

Taking a class on Skillshare (ok, so I have at least signed up for Skillshare - still haven’t made a class happen)

Working with the dogs on training 

 

Oh my, oh my, oh my! I love all that!

 

Welcome and congrats. May master Yoga be with you.

 

 

What? No, not him! ...

 

Him!

 

[darkfoxx]

Following along! Give you luck on all your goals!

Thanks!


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[darkfoxx]

 
Oh my, oh my, oh my! I love all that!
 
Welcome and congrats. May master Yoga be with you.
 

 
What? No, not him! ...
 
Him!
 

[emoji38][emoji38]Thanks!


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[darkfoxx]

Monday

Nutrition

- Daily: Hit my macros:
[1176] - of 1200 Calories
[96] - of 91g Protein
[113] - of 119g Carbs
[40] - of 40g Fat
- [x] Daily: Take vitamins/probiotic
- [x] Daily: Track symptoms on Cara
- [xx] Daily: Food collage, post picture of the day
- [x] Weekly: Come up with next week’s meal plan, post recipe of the week

Breakfast: Overnight oats with blueberries, tahini, pumpkin seeds & slivered almonds

Lunch: The last of my batch-cooked orange miso root vegetables + some rotisserie chicken

Dinner: Surprise trip to the wings place with DH and his coworkers - got chicken breast with a side of rice



POD going up later; actually typed up my next 2 recipes and have them scheduled; also pulled some Whole30 recipes for a potential eBook

Physical Fitness

- [x] Monday: Beginner yoga class, social outing, walk home or gym walk +- lifting

Went to yoga - worked the side bodies and wrists. Class was great and about all I could handle; I’m still recovering from Friday’s aerial hammock class.

Went grocery shopping instead of walking home - walked home from that (5 mins), did not hit gym after because I had frozen things.

Batch cooked a bunch of Chirashi ingredients for this week instead of lazing on the couch for the entire afternoon.


Moar Fulfillment

- [x] Daily: Read finance article
- [x] Daily: Dog training
- [x] Weekly: Apply for or bid on 1 job (or at the very least read one of the remote work job posting emails you get sent a couple times a week)
- [] Challenge: Start a class on Skillshare
- [] Challenge: Finish finance spreadsheet

Worked on not barking - and we got the latest gadget to help with that in the mail today - a device that is supposed to shoot out a dog whistle every time a dog barks within 50 feet of it. We shall see if this works (when we get a 9-volt battery), and if it is less traumatic than the vibration collars were.

Read one of the remote work emails - didn’t qualify for any of the postings since I’m not actually *in* the US.

Also signed up for a 17-part Skillshare course on investing.


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[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Look at you destroying day one of zero week!

[darkfoxx]

Look at you destroying day one of zero week!

Funny how that happens [emoji16]


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[Big_Show]

Stepping out into a sauna or a hairdryer - that describes it perfectly!

[darkfoxx]

Tuesday

Nutrition

- Daily: Hit my macros:
[998] - of 1200 Calories
[70] - of 91g Protein
[74] - of 119g Carbs
[46] - of 40g Fat
- [] Daily: Take vitamins/probiotic
- [x] Daily: Track symptoms on Cara
- [xx] Daily: Food collage, post picture of the day
- [x] Weekly: Come up with next week’s meal plan, post recipe of the week

Breakfast: Repeat of yesterday’s overnight oats

Late Lunch: Chirashi bowl with little bits of everything I prepped yesterday - shrimp, squid, eggplant, bok choy, beansprouts, lotus root, cucumber, daikon, red pepper, pickled ginger, wasabi, togarishi

Dinner: All I wanted was super light protein- had a single-serve lemon pepper tuna with Kewpie mayo, cucumber and pickled ginger

Was not hungry after



Physical Fitness

- [x] Monday: Beginner yoga class, social outing, walk home or gym walk +- lifting
- [x] Tuesday: Social outing, gym walk, Slow & Strong class or 30 Days of Yoga video

Had my social outing and didn’t manage anything else. Got home at 3 arm-gnawingly hungry. Ate, cleaned up, chilled with pups, repotted plants, walked pups, dinner. Could have done something after lunch, but didn’t want to deal with double dog destruction drama and was burnt a bit from socials + screeching children


Moar Fulfillment

- [x] Daily: Read finance article
- [x] Daily: Dog training
- [x] Weekly: Apply for or bid on 1 job (or at the very least read one of the remote work job posting emails you get sent a couple times a week)
- [] Challenge: Start a class on Skillshare
- [] Challenge: Finish finance spreadsheet

Our walk tonight was full of a grumpy DH and an Odin who could not settle down.

Also read the remote work email.



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[DarK_RaideR]

Congrats on the promotion with the Druiderinos! Plz add doggo pics, kthnxbai

[darkfoxx]

Congrats on the promotion with the Druiderinos! Plz add doggo pics, kthnxbai

Thanks! Here’s some sleepy pups:





And some selfie work:








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[KaraDavar]

OMG BEST DOGGOS

I thought it was like stepping out into an oven with only 100˚F heat. 

I'll be happily following along.

[darkfoxx]

OMG BEST DOGGOS

I thought it was like stepping out into an oven with only 100˚F heat. 

I'll be happily following along. [emoji4]

I remember when I thought 100F was too hot to go outside; now I’m blissfully excited when it’s 96 and the humidity dips below 70% - like super ready to eat dinner outside and force tigers to join me despite the fact they’re melting excited.

DH came back into the living room this morning where I was sitting in a cardigan and yoga pants - and was in a near-sweat at 26C (78F); I was super excited that I was comfortable and didn’t need to also huddle under the blanket (was already mostly covered by a warm pup).

Temperature and the human body’s relationship to it is funny. When I lived in NC, I’d about die when it hit 106 with the humidity in the summer - Miami? 98 + humidity was my limit. NY? I could live pretty much with whatever heat we had (upper 90s, cracked 101 a couple times) as long as there was shade and a breeze - here? 100 is fine, the humidity is fine some days, what kills me is the sun on non-hazy days and the sand + wind on others.

I do not want a nice sea breeze here in Doha.


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[darkfoxx]

Wednesday

Nutrition

- Daily: Hit my macros:
[1169] - of 1200 Calories
[61] - of 91g Protein
[120] - of 119g Carbs
[47] - of 40g Fat
- [] Daily: Take vitamins/probiotic
- [x] Daily: Track symptoms on Cara
- [xx] Daily: Food collage, post picture of the day
- [] Weekly: Come up with next week’s meal plan, post recipe of the week

Breakfast: Out with my Wednesday Group - had a banana peanut butter açaí bowl

Lunch: A repeat of last nights tuna bowl diner

Dinner: Another Chirashi bowl



Physical Fitness

- [xx] Wednesday: Social outing, gym walk +- lifting or 30 Days of Yoga video

Social outing and a slack gum walk because my whole body was screaming that it didn’t want to be there. I listened, only made myself stay :20/:25 mins and switched machines 3x, and snuggled the pups instead.


Moar Fulfillment

- [x] Daily: Read finance article
- [x] Daily: Dog training
- [] Weekly: Apply for or bid on 1 job (or at the very least read one of the remote work job posting emails you get sent a couple times a week)
- [] Challenge: Start a class on Skillshare
- [] Challenge: Finish finance spreadsheet

Popped the battery into the household quit barking machine. Freya definitely gets it and it makes her shake - Odin is starting to connect telling with that weird ass sound (it activates a dog whistle when they bark within 10, 20 or 50 feet of it)

DH took Odin out for some walk training; I stayed in with Freya, who wasn’t feeling the best. Damn dog hid from me in the morning - wouldn’t make a sound when I called - and I ran around our 1-bedroom apartment working myself into hysterics thinking someone opened our door and stole her.

Jackass was on her bed that’s tucked into the living room drapes - it’s her own private tent cave.




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[darkfoxx]

Thursday

Nutrition

- Daily: Hit my macros:
[900] - of 1200 Calories
[67] - of 91g Protein
[101] - of 119g Carbs
[26] - of 40g Fat
- [x] Daily: Take vitamins/probiotic
- [x] Daily: Track symptoms on Cara
- [xx] Daily: Food collage, post picture of the day
- [] Weekly: Come up with next week’s meal plan, post recipe of the week

Breakfast: Overnight oats, blueberries, pumpkin seeds, almonds

Lunch: Took myself out for a chirashi bowl post doctor visit

Had to walk down 24 flights of stairs when the elevator was out on the way to meet a girlfriend - met girlfriend to go shopping

Dinner: Wasn’t hungry until leaving the mall at 9:30; was too late to eat



Physical Fitness

- [] Thursday: Yoga class or gym walk +- lifting + 30 Days of Yoga video

Bailed out on yoga this morning because I woke up in the middle of the night and my body was still a wreck from Monday’s yoga. Knew this morning’s class would be a little intense and didn’t want to push too hard too fast.

Didn’t do home yoga because was hurting and decided to rest my muscles instead of stretching.

Had my functional fitness doctor visit: he’s happy with my progress. Said my skin looks great and I should be less inflamed - was happy with how I was feeling, so we are switching to the loooooong reintroduction phase of the FODMAP diet.

He also prescribed a morning smoothie that will give me a good baseline from which to start the day - ordered the stuff for that.

Happily, vitamins are done as soon as I finish them.

He wants a more robust tracking system for this phase - so I think I may go back to BuJo tracking for September and hand him a spreadsheet at our next appointment.


Moar Fulfillment

- [x] Daily: Read finance article
- [] Daily: Dog training
- [] Weekly: Apply for or bid on 1 job (or at the very least read one of the remote work job posting emails you get sent a couple times a week)
- [] Challenge: Start a class on Skillshare
- [] Challenge: Finish finance spreadsheet





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[NeverThatBored]

Congratulations on the promotion!! 

 

10 hours ago, darkfoxx said:

Had my functional fitness doctor visit: he’s happy with my progress. Said my skin looks great and I should be less inflamed - was happy with how I was feeling, so we are switching to the loooooong reintroduction phase of the FODMAP diet.

 

That's a great sign! 

[darkfoxx]

Congratulations on the promotion!! 
 
 
That's a great sign! 

Thanks! And I’m excited - can’t wait for no more vitamins [emoji38]


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[darkfoxx]

Friday

Nutrition

- Daily: Hit my macros:
[2725] - of 1200 Calories
[122] - of 91g Protein
[323] - of 119g Carbs
[60] - of 40g Fat
- [x] Daily: Take vitamins/probiotic
- [x] Daily: Track symptoms on Cara
- [xx] Daily: Food collage, post picture of the day
- [] Weekly: Come up with next week’s meal plan, post recipe of the week

Breakfast: Oats

Then off to game night, where the theme was Dutch food.

Lunch: Dutch-Style shrimp deviled eggs

Dinner: Dutch-Style pot roast with mashed carrots & potatoes and side salad

Dessert: Apricot tart and backup Anzac cookies & chocolate peanut butter cookies

White wine, Zinfandel & aperol spritzes



Physical Fitness

- [] Friday: Aerial silks class or gym walk +- lifting + 30 Days of Yoga video

Was feeling a touch better, body-wise but couldn’t shake the couple hours I spent up in the middle of the night with shoulders I couldn’t pump blood back into.

Aerials was also not offered today, or I would have gone.


Moar Fulfillment

- [x] Daily: Read finance article
- [x] Daily: Dog training
- [] Weekly: Apply for or bid on 1 job (or at the very least read one of the remote work job posting emails you get sent a couple times a week)
- [] Challenge: Start a class on Skillshare
- [] Challenge: Finish finance spreadsheet

The pups accompanied us to game night - and, aside from peeing on the blanket on the couch - were actually well behaved. They had a fantastic time and passed the F out when we got home.


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[Sunmage]

Wow!

That's a challenge

Looks like you aced week 0 and are up to a great start.

Have fun here!

And Welcome to the druid GL Team! You definitely earned this!

 

[darkfoxx]

Wow!
That's a challenge [emoji4]
Looks like you aced week 0 and are up to a great start.
Have fun here!
And Welcome to the druid GL Team! You definitely earned this!
 

Thanks!


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[Loveable_Bouncer]

Aww love your food and pup pics! 

Glad your doc has shown you are on good results!