[Silmarilliane]

Happy New Year folks! I completed a four week challenge over the festivities though not being great with foods, I kept up most of the exercises so am happy with that. I'm back up to 12 stone (was a few lbs under a month ago) but that's to be expected, and my main goals are to lose bodyfat and get stronger.

 

THE CHALLENGE (running six weeks from today)

 

Exercise:

• Run before work (M-F) up a nearby hill: 0.7m total with ~50ft incline
• Pilates before work (M-F) the Hundred with straight legs ribcage closure every 20 beats
• Weight training, 3x10reps of each unless stated:
  • Monday PUSH: Bench press, Military press, Table dips
  • Wednesday PULL: Gym ring pull up angled with bent knees, 3x 5sec  Pull-up hold, Barbell rows
  • Thursday LEGS: Squat, Lunge, Romanian Deadlift
• Pilates class Monday evenings - youtube class otherwise
• Walking:
  • Office days: to the station and over the river at the other end (~2mile total)
  • WfH and non-work days: 2 miles min, ideally in daylight
• Teethbrushing squat: held for 2+min
• Cycle once a week

Foods:

• Tracking 1600 calories on mfp, days that may scupper:
  • 8th January: Afternoon tea with the quartet
  • 15th January: Burns Night evening

That's it at the moment but I'm sure more things will come up!

Other:

• Stop scrolling crap on my phone before bed
• Read instead!

 

POINTS AND SCORING

 

• Complete all morning and evening workouts in a week (run, hundred, squat) = 100pts
• Complete all weight sessions and pilates in a week = 100pts
• Complete 2 miles of walking every day = 100pts for the week
• Cycle once a week = 50pts

Any missed sessions, the week will be scored at my discretion based on how well I did otherwise.

Max exercise points = 2100pts

 

• Under calories every day for a week = 100 points

• Under calories six days out of the week = 75 points

• Under calories five days out of the week = 50 points

• Day over 1600 but under 1700 = minus 5 points

• Day over 1600 but stayed relatively health = minus 10 points

• Day over 1600 and splurged = minus 25 points
• Two weeks under cals in a row = 50 bonus pts
• All six weeks under = 50 extra bonus pts

Max food points = 900pts

 

• No phone scrolling before bed: 100pts for 7/7 days, 75pts for 6/7 days, 50% for 5/7 days
• Read instead of phone crap: 50pts for at least 4/7 days
• Two weeks in a row = 20 bonus points

Max better bedtime points = 1000pts

 

Total possible points = 4000pts

[Silmarilliane]

Today I did a run and the 100, have logged calories so far and am going for a cycle shortly. Looking forward to being back in a routine!

[Silmarilliane]

Read before bed yester and about to today. It was nice going into the office again today but tiring after all that time off.

I'm doing well on the exercise and calories, though need to remember to do a makeup Pilates session as yesterday was bank holiday.

[Artemis Prime]

What are you reading?

And if you haven't already found it, may I point you in the direction of this year's Reading Thread?

[Harriet]

16 hours ago, Silmarilliane said:

Read before bed yester and about to today.

 

Excellent. Much better than scrolling.

[Silmarilliane]

On 1/5/2022 at 3:41 PM, Artemis Prime said:

What are you reading?

And if you haven't already found it, may I point you in the direction of this year's Reading Thread?

 

I'm reading the Wheel of Time series again - the TV show made me remember how much I enjoyed a lot of it before!

Thanks, I hadn't seen that so will check it out now 😊

 

On 1/5/2022 at 3:46 PM, Harriet said:

Excellent. Much better than scrolling.

 

So much so! 😀

Saying that, I did play one level of my (basic numbers) game before bed last night as it was too late to start reading and I wanted a switch off activity. Usually I end up playing sooo name levels, but I managed to just do one and put it away 👍

[Silmarilliane]

I feel like this week has been very long. My weekend has been pretty lazy as the bf tested positive for covid earlier this week and despite mine all being negative (PCR and daily latflows) I'm not being social until it's definitely clear I haven't got it. I still walked up to the high road yesterday and did my two miles today. But mainly watched a lot of Community and played the Witcher!

 

Week one round up!

 - All am/pm workouts ✔️ = 100pts

 - All weights and Pilates ✔️ = 100pts

 - 2 miles walk a day ✔️= 100pts

 - Cycled on Monday = 50pts

 - Under calories every day ✔️ = 100 pts

 - Phone scrolling happened a couple of times 🍠 = 50pts

 - Read before bed ✔️= 50pts

Total points = 550

 

A solid start to the challenge and I'm glad I've stuck to it 💪

[Harriet]

10 hours ago, Silmarilliane said:

I feel like this week has been very long. My weekend has been pretty lazy as the bf tested positive for covid earlier this week and despite mine all being negative (PCR and daily latflows) I'm not being social until it's definitely clear I haven't got it. I still walked up to the high road yesterday and did my two miles today. But mainly watched a lot of Community and played the Witcher!

 

Week one round up!

 - All am/pm workouts ✔️ = 100pts

 - All weights and Pilates ✔️ = 100pts

 - 2 miles walk a day ✔️= 100pts

 - Cycled on Monday = 50pts

 - Under calories every day ✔️ = 100 pts

 - Phone scrolling happened a couple of times 🍠 = 50pts

 - Read before bed ✔️= 50pts

Total points = 550

 

A solid start to the challenge and I'm glad I've stuck to it 💪

Looking pointy! Well done 😊

[Silmarilliane]

How is it Wednesday already, but the days are all going really slowly... 🤔

So far doing well with exercise and food, though obviously the scale has stuck on the same exact weight (11st 11.5lb) for several days and it's demotivating and making me want to eat all the foods just to see it change 😅

The only thing I'm struggling with a lot is putting my phone down in bed - I tend to do Duolingo as I've forgotten earlier in the day, and then reply to any messages I haven't (I don't do real time chats haha) and then I'm like, just one little game... Definitely something to work on.

[Silmarilliane]

Thursday I met up with someone who had to cancel her retirement party coz covid, and just had a few drinks and snacks. I didn't track calories that day but did only splurge in the evening. Though I did get home and then eat a bunch unnecessarily!

Friday was good and then yesterday was a birthday brunch that went into cocktails so again I didn't track. I'm ok with that though and it was fun.

Phone-wise before bed has been up and down but generally doing a lot better - I don't open social media but might do a round or two of Nonogram to help switch off when I'm too tired to read.

I'm hoping to go cycling today and need to catch up on weights I missed as I was out. Otherwise quite a lazy day getting some crochet and adulting done.

[Harriet]

5 hours ago, Silmarilliane said:

Thursday I met up with someone who had to cancel her retirement party coz covid, and just had a few drinks and snacks. I didn't track calories that day but did only splurge in the evening. Though I did get home and then eat a bunch unnecessarily!

Friday was good and then yesterday was a birthday brunch that went into cocktails so again I didn't track. I'm ok with that though and it was fun.

Phone-wise before bed has been up and down but generally doing a lot better - I don't open social media but might do a round or two of Nonogram to help switch off when I'm too tired to read.

I'm hoping to go cycling today and need to catch up on weights I missed as I was out. Otherwise quite a lazy day getting some crochet and adulting done.

 

Enjoy your crochet, cycling and weights! Sounds like a great combo.

[Silmarilliane]

I did indeed manage to go cycling, do a walk and just got the crochet dinosaur finished in time to hand it to parent-to-be probably the last time I'll see them before the baby!

Week two round up!

 - All am/pm workouts ✔️ = 100pts

 - All weights and Pilates ✔️ = 100pts

 - 2 miles walk a day ✔️ = 100pts

 - Cycled ✔️ = 50pts

 - Under calories 5/7 days🍺 = 50 pts

 - Phone scrolling happened too much 📲 = 0pts

 - Read before bed ✔️ = 50pts

Total points = 450

 

Total for the challenge = 1000pts

 

Basically, I'm doing well on the exercise but not so good on the food and phone...

[Silmarilliane]

For this week, I've been solid on everything until last night boardgaming pub time - this week has been long and exhausting and I just really wanted to drink guinness. Which I did. One of those days where everything was under calories/not splurging until the evening, but still wasn't strictly necessary. I'm out tomorrow eve too to see a show and getting wagamama before so that'll be tricksy to stay under. I don't mind the odd day though as long as it isn't more than two a week.

[Harriet]

2 hours ago, Silmarilliane said:

I did indeed manage to go cycling, do a walk and just got the crochet dinosaur finished in time to hand it to parent-to-be probably the last time I'll see them before the baby!

 

A dinosaur? Awesome!

 

2 hours ago, Silmarilliane said:

Week two round up!

 - All am/pm workouts ✔️ = 100pts

 - All weights and Pilates ✔️ = 100pts

 - 2 miles walk a day ✔️ = 100pts

 - Cycled ✔️ = 50pts

 - Under calories 5/7 days🍺 = 50 pts

 - Phone scrolling happened too much 📲 = 0pts

 - Read before bed ✔️ = 50pts

Total points = 450

 

Total for the challenge = 1000pts

 

Basically, I'm doing well on the exercise but not so good on the food and phone...

 

Looking pretty great except for the hand held distraction addiction device 😛

[Silmarilliane]

Handheld distraction device still had a strong presence unforch... I think as work has been quite full on, it's taking a lot of my mental capacity and so I just want the distraction. Mainly it's a time drain though...

Also very aware that I'm barely on here any more, which doesn't keep me motivated as much. Thanks Harriet for checking in though

 

A quick week three round up:

 - All am/pm workouts ✔️ = 100pts

 - All weights and Pilates ✔️ = 100pts

 - 2 miles walk a day ✔️ = 100pts

 - Cycled ✔️ = 50pts

 - Under calories 5/7 days🍺 = 50 pts

 - Phone scrolling again too much 📲 = 0pts

 - Read before bed ✔️ = 50pts

Total points = 450

 

Total for the challenge = 1450pts

 

I've found that having the option of over calorie days still getting points, I'm kinda planning my week around which two days I'll go over. I'm not sure if this is a good or bag thing though 🤷‍♀️

 

All under calories so far this week except a couple of beers after work yesterday and got a Chinese on the way home. Today and tomorrow could go either way as I'm meeting friends, but would like to try and stay under for both. Also need to fit that cycle in as I had no opportunity while wfh this week...

[Silmarilliane]

Week four round up! Not much to update on as work is still very draining... I'm thinking next challenge I might do a 'punishment points' instead of 'success points' to see if it motivates me more!

 

 - All am/pm workouts ✔️ = 100pts

 - All weights and Pilates ✔️ = 100pts

 - 2 miles walk a day ✔️ = 100pts (though I have found that I'm potentially underestimating, OR google timeline is generally inaccurate...)

 - Cycled 🚲 = 0pts (I had a very busy weekend and there weren't enough daylight hours to go)

 - Under calories 5/7 days🍺 = 50 pts (using this as an excuse to splurge on a Sunday when I don't need to...)

 - Phone scrolling was better than last week  ✔️ = 50pts

 - Read before bed ✔️ = 50pts

Total points = 450

 

Total for the challenge = 1900pts

 

I popped out for a quick cycle yesterday in my lunchbreak and as well as reading the Wheel of Time books, I've downloaded a 'read along' summary and commentary which I tend to read on my phone before bed rather than the kindle (which needs a light). This seems to quell the social-media-inane-scrolling!

[Silmarilliane]

Just as well I did that cycle as I didn't have time yester and it was peeing down this morning. I could have gone this arvo but I was arranging a new song for the quartet to sing at Christmas 😃

 

Week five round up:

- All am/pm workouts ✔️ = 100pts

- All weights and Pilates ✔️ = 100pts

- 2 miles walk a day ✔️ = 100pts

- Cycled ✔️ = 50pts

- Under calories 6/7 days 🍕 = 75 pts (I was doing well but the call of pizza was strong today)

- Phone scrolling has been hit and miss 📳 = 0pts

- Read before bed ✔️ = 50pts

 

Total points = 475

 

Total for the challenge = 1375pts

 

I'm a little concerned that my total max was 4000 and I'm falling very short of that. Ah, I have just looked back and I put bonus points for phone and reading multiple weeks in a row which I totally forgot about... May have to go back and do some adjustments/add some bonus points on 😅

[Silmarilliane]

So I went back to see if I could allocate any bonus points and no dice - didn't successfully do two weeks in a row under cals, or avoiding phone. Ah well. Just went on my final 2mile walk of the week, and got a longer cycle in yesterday. Went over calories Friday for a quartet dinner/rehearsal and a games/cocktail night yesterday. I have no regrets, other than eating way beyond what I really needed to.

 

Week six round up:

- All am/pm workouts ✔️ = 100pts

- All weights and Pilates ✔️ = 100pts

- 2 miles walk a day ✔️ = 100pts

- Cycled ✔️ = 50pts

- Under calories 5/7 days  = 50 pts

- Phone scrolling has been better this week at least = 75pts

- Read before bed  = 50pts

 

Total points = 525

 

Total for the challenge = 1900pts

 

So my original plan was to include the bonuses for multiple week which would make the total points 4000, but as with many times, I feel this is overly harsh on myself. Especially as I didn't do the bonuses for exercise, which is the one thing I pretty much knew I'd stick to! As such, I'm going to bin off the bonus points to work out my percentage, and although I'm essentially just cheating myself, I'm cheating at rules I made up so whaddaya gonna do. So total exercise would still be 2100, food 600 and phone 900 = 3600

Ok that's still only 53% which has kinda bummed me out. EVEN CHEATING IN MY COUNTING I DIDN'T DO GREAT. Blarg.

 

Well, all in all I feel like this challenge was a little lacklustre. I wasn't on the forums anywhere near as much as I previously was, and other than the point scoring I gave myself I didn't feel massively engaged with challenging/levelling myself up. No idea if this is because I'm happier with the size/weight I have got to since summer, or because my job is sapping a lot of my mental capacity right now. I think I'll have a break over the next challenge, but still try to keep up the good work I've set up with the walking, cycling and reading.

 

I'm going to level myself up anyway as I stuck at it, even if not to my initially planned high standards. So ner.