tei has been lurking and is now unlurking

[tei_]

Assassins! Hi!

 

It has been *checks own signature* two years since my last confession. I mean, challenge. Reading back the second-last challenge before dropping off the Nerd Fitness earth, in  March 2018, I'm actually really proud of what I accomplished in that time and how much I can see I was on the right track when I posted that. At the time, I had finally hit the psychological breaking point at the end of a few years of calorie-counting, and was facing down the daunting task of figuring how to just... eat. I wrote at the time:

 

Quote

I just… really want to eat normally! I want to be able to eat normal, healthy food when I’m hungry, and stop when I’m satisfied. Buuuut I gotta admit I’m not there yet, because when I stopped counting, the cycle of over and undereating just turned into… well, overeating. And I’m now up about ten pounds from where I was in the fall. Fun!

 

So, moment of gratitude: I've basically done that! Over the past few years I've worked to dismantle the food scarcity mentality I installed in myself with calorie counting, and the extra weight came off. I'm pretty happy with my body and my ability to eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full.

 

Sport-wise, the updates are: last year, a coach that I met at adult gymnastics night ended up inviting me to train with her advanced rec group. This was perfect, an absolute dream,  because for a year I had access to ~10 hours of gymnastics a week, depending on my (very irregular) work schedule, and best of all it was during the normal gym times. Which meant that I met and became friendly with a lot of the competitive coaches at my gym, all of whom viewed a nearly-thirty-year-old who got serious about gymnastics as an adult as a fascinating and charming oddity. (Sometimes they would ask me to demonstrate skills to their little JOs, with either the implication or the actual admonishment, "See? If she can do it, you can do it!") I even got to compete in a little end-of year, just-for-feedback intraclub meet:

 

Then, in the summer, I met up with a friend from my old gym across the country and drove down to Adult Gymnastics Camp in Portsmouth, NH. We go to Trader Joe's and each buy chocolatethat we're only allowed to eat if she flips a tsuk onto a mat, and I do a double tuck somewhere.

 

So, 2019, just all around a bang-up year for gymnastics, A+, would ride this ride again.

 

Unfortunately, it turned out the coach who had invited me to train with her group, um, was charging me the wrong price for the entire year. And the actual price was supposed to be a lot higher. So I just couldn't justify financially being in the same group for this year, as much as I wanted to. Okay, no problem, thinks me, I will shell out to get my comp 1 coaching course, and then I'll be able to sub as a coach at my gym. Great plan! Coaches get to go to adult gym night for free, and I made an arrangement with one of the comp coaches that I could also come in and train on my own on a night when he's alone in the gym with a cheer tumbling group. So I start coaching when other people ask me to fill in for them, and I have two nights of gymnastics a week for $0.

 

...which lasted for about two weeks before the lockdown started.

 

So now I'm... pretty much where everyone else is, I suppose? I'm lucky to live in a province with very low COVID numbers, and a very slow re-opening. And objectively I know it's a good thing that the gym isn't open yet-- neither the gymnastics club nor the university fitness centre-- but man, I miss everything.

 

So! I don't really know what my goals are going to be for this challenge yet, but I'll figure it out in the coming week. I want to make a habit of stretching: flexibility is the one thing I could really get better at right now, dammit! And I need to build habits of getting to bed earlier. My exercise lately has been walking a lot, attending the occasional protest, and-- strangely-- doing pushups. Re. the pushups, it seems the extended enforced break from gymnastics let my left shoulder actually heal from whatever was making it hurt all the time, and now I can do pushups with no pain, so some switch in my brain flipped (very possibly thanks to reading Gideon the Ninth)  to "I WANT HUGE GUNS" position, and now I'm doing 10 sets of 10 pushups a day, which I feel pretty good about 😁

 

Well, this was a damn novel about me, so I'll leave it there. Looking forward to challenging with the Assassins again!

[@mu]

Great to see you again! Awesome videos! I'm super happy to read about the gym's plan and how you're sorting it all out. Sure there is COVID but hopefully we will get all back to some kind of normality at some point.... I hope!

 

2 hours ago, tei_ said:

Re. the pushups, it seems the extended enforced break from gymnastics let my left shoulder actually heal from whatever was making it hurt all the time

 

Well at least the break has been of some use

 

2 hours ago, tei_ said:

so some switch in my brain flipped (very possibly thanks to reading Gideon the Ninth)  to "I WANT HUGE GUNS" position, and now I'm doing 10 sets of 10 pushups a day, which I feel pretty good about 😁

 

ha ha GUNS 🤩

[WhiteGhost]

OHAI!!!  So great to see you back again, and even better to see that things have been going well for you!

 

Looking forward to seeing where you go from here

[Manarelle]

Welcome back, and very congrats on finding a good eating habit - that's not easy to do. Love the videos, particularly the smile at the end of the first one. 

 

On 6/15/2020 at 12:17 AM, tei_ said:

Re. the pushups, it seems the extended enforced break from gymnastics let my left shoulder actually heal from whatever was making it hurt all the time, and now I can do pushups with no pain, so some switch in my brain flipped (very possibly thanks to reading Gideon the Ninth)  to "I WANT HUGE GUNS" position, and now I'm doing 10 sets of 10 pushups a day, which I feel pretty good about 😁

 

Yay for no pain, and I hear you on the huge guns. There's something insanely rewarding about watching arm muscles grow as you push (and pull) around more weight. 

[tei_]

1 hour ago, Manarelle said:

 There's something insanely rewarding about watching arm muscles grow as you push (and pull) around more weight. 

 

Ha, it's true! Though, I really need to get some more pulling going. Playgrounds are finally opening back up (they reopened pubs at half capacity before it was technically allowed to go to a playground 🙄) so I'm starting to do some more pullups, too.

[PaulG]

I’m a sucker for gymnastics, huge guns, and pulling exercises. FOLLOWING!

[Mad Hatter]

GUNZ AND GYMNASTICS! 🤩So in for this!

[raptron]

HIIIIIIIII!!!! Welcome back! Fuck yeah for double backs. 🤩

 

My gym is probably not even reopening in the fall because it's associated with a university that isn't planning on having students on campus until the winter at the earliest. I'm trying not to think about it at all. 😅

[tei_]

Today... I think for the first time, I managed to do two 1-minute free handstand holds? Two because I can't do them with my legs together, only split, so I made sure to do one with each side split. Still! I have really fallen off the wagon of going to the park to do gymnastics, but... maybe that's okay? Maybe I will get more out of really focusing on strength and handstands at home than doing shitty backhandsprings on grass and hurting my joints.

 

[@mu]

2 hours ago, tei_ said:

Today... I think for the first time, I managed to do two 1-minute free handstand holds? Two because I can't do them with my legs together, only split, so I made sure to do one with each side split. Still! I have really fallen off the wagon of going to the park to do gymnastics, but... maybe that's okay? Maybe I will get more out of really focusing on strength and handstands at home than doing shitty backhandsprings on grass and hurting my joints.

 

 

Niiice!!

Yes doing HS at home might be better, but I'm a little biased maybe (I already fear dynamic movements in appropriate settings )

[Mad Hatter]

2 hours ago, tei_ said:

Today... I think for the first time, I managed to do two 1-minute free handstand holds? Two because I can't do them with my legs together, only split, so I made sure to do one with each side split. 

AMAZING! 

 

Hurting your joints does not seem worth it IMO. Focusing on strength and handstands is great as it is, but if you want to do dynamic stuff to maybe you could shift to a more soft acrobatic focus? Like macacos and gumbys or maybe even tricking? I don't know if you're competing or planning on competing but another thing to play with could be the jump and weird "dance" elements. Just throwing stuff out there.  

[raptron]

Any kind of feet together grass tumbling makes me nervous, haha, so I support you! 

 

Those free holds are awesomeeee. You could always become one of those cool handstand mount people 😁

[tei_]

On 6/20/2020 at 2:02 AM, Mad Hatter said:

I don't know if you're competing or planning on competing but another thing to play with could be the jump and weird "dance" elements. Just throwing stuff out there

Oh man. This is such a good idea that I feel a little embarassed about it, because yeah, leaps and jumps are absolutely something I should be working on, and would be relatively easy to work on in isolation. I just. Never feel motivated to do it, because going to the park to do even shitty backflips looks cool, whereas going to the park to do mediocre split leaps looks... really stupid. Ahahahaha.

 

13 hours ago, raptron said:

Any kind of feet together grass tumbling makes me nervous, haha, so I support you! 

 

Like. There are so many THINGS on the grass? What if I put my hand on a stick? Or a pile of dog poop? Or a patch of dampness and then slip and break my neck????

(More to the point, I had a few weeks of trying every day to do back tucks, and always landing on my hands and knees, and eventually it got old both psychologically and on my angle and toe joints.)

 

 

Is today day one of the challenge? Or maybe that was yesterday? Anyway, I think I have some actual goals for this challenge, along with the news that I probably did not achieve all of them today. But I like the idea of having fairly low-effort stuff that I can do throughout the day, instead of needing to block off huge chunks of time. It feels like... what I can do right now.

 

Daily stuff:

-10x10 pushups/pike-ups

-Go on some sort of walk

-While on walk, do some pullups and leg lifts at the park if there aren't, y'know, children

-2 1-min handstand holds, one with each leg

-Stretch

 

Anyway, I'm probably not going to get to all the sets of pushups/pike-ups, because I had an exam all afternoon. I applied as a part-time science student at the local university last semester, and was intending to do... some sort of science courses and see where it went. But then where it went was that I had to take a prerequisite, "you never did ANY of this shit in high school???" math course before I was allowed to take any first-year science courses, and then I accidentally really liked that math course, and essentially dared myself into taking calculus this summer semester on the grounds that it was the single thing on earth that would have seemed the least likely to my sixteen-year-old self.

 

So! I was busy doing the final for that this afternoon. Which went okay, except it turns out I have absolute garbage test-taking skills, and kind of freaked out the entire time. Which was fine, because... it's a home exam, so really any resource is in bounds, and I could look up reminders on how to do all the things that I panic-forgot how to do.  Still, not thrilled about that, and will have to get a handle on it if I end up taking more classes of that nature where the exams are, y'know, real. But I went into the exam with a 94 and I doubt it will drop too significantly from that, so, all is well.

[Manarelle]

On 6/22/2020 at 11:12 PM, tei_ said:

Anyway, I'm probably not going to get to all the sets of pushups/pike-ups, because I had an exam all afternoon. I applied as a part-time science student at the local university last semester, and was intending to do... some sort of science courses and see where it went. But then where it went was that I had to take a prerequisite, "you never did ANY of this shit in high school???" math course before I was allowed to take any first-year science courses, and then I accidentally really liked that math course, and essentially dared myself into taking calculus this summer semester on the grounds that it was the single thing on earth that would have seemed the least likely to my sixteen-year-old self.

 

So! I was busy doing the final for that this afternoon. Which went okay, except it turns out I have absolute garbage test-taking skills, and kind of freaked out the entire time. Which was fine, because... it's a home exam, so really any resource is in bounds, and I could look up reminders on how to do all the things that I panic-forgot how to do.  Still, not thrilled about that, and will have to get a handle on it if I end up taking more classes of that nature where the exams are, y'know, real. But I went into the exam with a 94 and I doubt it will drop too significantly from that, so, all is well.

 

How random and spiffy! Glad you found something you enjoyed, despite the test-taking. I really appreciate home/ any-resource-is-good exams, because that's way more like real life in most situations. Go you on nailing the class and, most likely, the exam!

[raptron]

On 6/22/2020 at 11:12 PM, tei_ said:

Oh man. This is such a good idea that I feel a little embarassed about it, because yeah, leaps and jumps are absolutely something I should be working on, and would be relatively easy to work on in isolation. I just. Never feel motivated to do it, because going to the park to do even shitty backflips looks cool, whereas going to the park to do mediocre split leaps looks... really stupid. Ahahahaha.

IT IS SO HARD TO WORK ON THESE THINGS OUTSIDE OF A GYMNASTICS SETTING, haha.

 

On 6/22/2020 at 11:12 PM, tei_ said:

 

Like. There are so many THINGS on the grass? What if I put my hand on a stick? Or a pile of dog poop? Or a patch of dampness and then slip and break my neck????

(More to the point, I had a few weeks of trying every day to do back tucks, and always landing on my hands and knees, and eventually it got old both psychologically and on my angle and toe joints.)

Hahah, for sure. 

 

On 6/22/2020 at 11:12 PM, tei_ said:

Anyway, I'm probably not going to get to all the sets of pushups/pike-ups, because I had an exam all afternoon. I applied as a part-time science student at the local university last semester, and was intending to do... some sort of science courses and see where it went. But then where it went was that I had to take a prerequisite, "you never did ANY of this shit in high school???" math course before I was allowed to take any first-year science courses, and then I accidentally really liked that math course, and essentially dared myself into taking calculus this summer semester on the grounds that it was the single thing on earth that would have seemed the least likely to my sixteen-year-old self.

Omg, big lol. Hope the final went well, despite the freak outs.

 

 

[Mike Wazowski]

On 6/16/2020 at 8:35 AM, tei_ said:

they reopened pubs at half capacity before it was technically allowed to go to a playground 🙄

This feels so, so backwards and ruins my narrative that Canada is handling this pandemic entirely logically while the US is a total chaotic mess. Oh well, at least I learned something!

 

Welcome back - here for the GUNZ and the math stuff - I'm taking some online courses this summer too that are vaguely related to my day job and mostly for fun! And here for stretching solidarity, as someone who habitually avoids it but knows it's good for him.

 

ETA: Also, if you're open to like, talking about anything specific you found helpful in dismantling the food scarcity mindset, I would LOVE to be pointed to resources. It's a struggle I'm still very much in the midst of.

[tei_]

On 6/26/2020 at 9:25 AM, Mike Wazowski said:

This feels so, so backwards and ruins my narrative that Canada is handling this pandemic entirely logically while the US is a total chaotic mess. Oh well, at least I learned something!

 

Welcome back - here for the GUNZ and the math stuff - I'm taking some online courses this summer too that are vaguely related to my day job and mostly for fun! And here for stretching solidarity, as someone who habitually avoids it but knows it's good for him.

 

ETA: Also, if you're open to like, talking about anything specific you found helpful in dismantling the food scarcity mindset, I would LOVE to be pointed to resources. It's a struggle I'm still very much in the midst of.

 

I mean, to be fair, the Canadian response has been so much better than the US "response" that it feels dumb to complain about anything in the presence of Americans. And my province is sparsely populated, shut down quickly and is reopening slowly-- the entire province currently has ~100 active cases, six people in hospital, and one in intensive care.

 

re. food scarcity mindset-- honestly, what happened for me was just that I hit rock bottom psychologically with calorie counting. I ended up in a place where I was willing to try anything (including this crazy "eat when hungry" concept) because I had reached a point where I would rather get fat than continue living the way I had been.

But I specifically realized that when I suddenly burst into tears walking down the street listening to a podcast interview with nutritionist Georgie Fear, where she was talking about pretty much what she writes in this article: the very act of monitoring calories will make you more likely to feel dissatisfied and overeat. I also liked this article. But yeah, ultimately... I did gain a bit of weight, at first (and eventually lost it without noticing or really trying) but I just ended up deciding that would be worth it, if that was the way it had to be.

[Manarelle]

18 hours ago, tei_ said:

But yeah, ultimately... I did gain a bit of weight, at first (and eventually lost it without noticing or really trying) but I just ended up deciding that would be worth it, if that was the way it had to be.

 

Definitely hear you here. I waffle every now and then, but decide every time that I'd rather be happy and a little heavier than I'd like than "thin" or whatever and miserable. 

 

18 hours ago, tei_ said:

I mean, to be fair, the Canadian response has been so much better than the US "response" that it feels dumb to complain about anything in the presence of Americans. And my province is sparsely populated, shut down quickly and is reopening slowly-- the entire province currently has ~100 active cases, six people in hospital, and one in intensive care

 

Nah, no playing pain olympics. You're 100% allowed to be however you want about your country's handling of things. Glad to hear your province is doing well, though. Stay safe. 

[Mike Wazowski]

23 hours ago, tei_ said:

 

I mean, to be fair, the Canadian response has been so much better than the US "response" that it feels dumb to complain about anything in the presence of Americans. And my province is sparsely populated, shut down quickly and is reopening slowly-- the entire province currently has ~100 active cases, six people in hospital, and one in intensive care.

True, and glad to hear your province has had a successful approach and fingers crossed things continue that way. If you ever wanna swap national leaders, I’d enjoy having one who’s hot AND competent (instead of neither, which is definitely what we have).

 

23 hours ago, tei_ said:

re. food scarcity mindset-- honestly, what happened for me was just that I hit rock bottom psychologically with calorie counting. I ended up in a place where I was willing to try anything (including this crazy "eat when hungry" concept) because I had reached a point where I would rather get fat than continue living the way I had been.

But I specifically realized that when I suddenly burst into tears walking down the street listening to a podcast interview with nutritionist Georgie Fear, where she was talking about pretty much what she writes in this article: the very act of monitoring calories will make you more likely to feel dissatisfied and overeat. I also liked this article. But yeah, ultimately... I did gain a bit of weight, at first (and eventually lost it without noticing or really trying) but I just ended up deciding that would be worth it, if that was the way it had to be.

Thank you!!! These are going on my reading list ASAP!

[tei_]

I have been terrible at updating, because a) I have not been not doing all my challenge goals every day and b) apparently the less time I spend talking to people the less capable/desiring of talking to people I feel, including substantial conversations on the internet. So.

 

But, some good news!

1. I found two different parks on my walks with two different heights of bar-- a high one, and a chest-height one. And it took me a few days of trying, but yesterday I finally managed to eke out some kips on the high bar! Gonna go see if I can do it again today, and if the feat is repeatable as a glide kip on the lower bar, or if it's something about the swinging lead-up that lets me kip on a metal bar.

2. THE GYMNASTICS CLUB IS REOPENING ON THE 6TH! I have no idea what that might mean for me personally, but hopefully I can at least convince a coach to take pity on me and let me come in while they're in with a group and the gym isn't too busy, if there's no adult gym.

2.5 Also, theoretically the Goodlife in my province also re-opened this week, and I happen to be at the tail end of a year-long union membership I bought more than a year ago but is still valif because they froze the memberships when they shut down. Buuuut you have to sign up for a workout time online, and I'm locked out of my online account and waiting for customer service to get back to me.

[WhiteGhost]

4 hours ago, tei_ said:

1. I found two different parks on my walks with two different heights of bar-- a high one, and a chest-height one. And it took me a few days of trying, but yesterday I finally managed to eke out some kips on the high bar! Gonna go see if I can do it again today, and if the feat is repeatable as a glide kip on the lower bar, or if it's something about the swinging lead-up that lets me kip on a metal bar.

Nice!  I really miss going to the park which was the only place I could work on kips.  I can only do them on the high bar, though, because I need the swing.  I have not yet unlocked the glide kip skill  

[raptron]

Park kips!

[Mad Hatter]

21 hours ago, tei_ said:

And it took me a few days of trying, but yesterday I finally managed to eke out some kips on the high bar!

COOL!

[Manarelle]

On 7/1/2020 at 4:28 PM, tei_ said:

Buuuut you have to sign up for a workout time online, and I'm locked out of my online account and waiting for customer service to get back to me.

 

Ugh that is so annoying. Good luck, and yay for getting to do things again (safely)!

[tei_]

On 7/2/2020 at 8:32 AM, raptron said:

Park kips!

 

On 7/2/2020 at 12:15 PM, Mad Hatter said:

COOL!

 

Okay, well, I couldn't do it TODAY, but... the bar is so slippery 😧

 

 

8 hours ago, Manarelle said:

 

Ugh that is so annoying. Good luck, and yay for getting to do things again (safely)!

 

I got my account sorted and went to the gym today!

And tried to squat! I legitimately was worried about falling down the stairs for the rest of the day.