[Tateman]

Hey all, back to jump in on the challenge. Even if a bit late  

 

I turn the big 50 this year in November. I really, really want to be in a better place with my health. I wrote down some goals I would like to achieve on or before my birthday. 

 

In the perfect dream scenario, be under 250lbs, able to do 10 pull ups, and running 10k distance. Hopefully, close to getting that under 30 minute 5k.  Blood sugar levels are good, and I am off as much medication as possible. Level 50 in Pokemon Go too (very very doubtful)

 

Now these may entirely be too much to try to get to in such a short amount of time. Though I think I can get the running in, or close to it. Pull ups and weight will happen how they want on the journey haha. Level 50 in Pokemon Go sounds like a good idea, but pretty much would not happen. I'd have to ear like 320,000 XP a day. 45-46 took me 8 months haha. 

 

Now big goals, but I have to start smaller. Get much smart goals to wok my way to my eventual goals.

 

This New Years hasn't started the best for me mentally, One reason I hadn't posted. It took me to say just do it to get the post going haha. Now for anyone that has seen my challenges before, this shall be very familiar goals. 

 

Some possible issues happening during the challenge:

We have just changed insurance, so I will have to get a new doctor setup, and try to get an appointment asap. Will need medicine I am sure. I might be really really trying to look for work. Not exactly easy after being stay at home Dad for going on 13 years. 

 

Goal#1 - Sleep

As always, I need to get sleep in a better place. If I am to do the exercise and losing weight I want, I need to be able to have some recover. Gains made at rest   My son is out of school for another week, but I am ready to get things on track asap. For now, the focus is on shutting down things at 10pm. Then get to reading. At 11pm I need to head to bed. I'd like to get it a bit later, but during school times, I need to get up earlier. I want to give myself the best chance to get the rest I need. There may be some nights I do get to bed later. Like bowling night, or the night I catch up on TV watching with the wife. I'll figure those out as they happen.

 

10 points per night, all 7 days. 70 points on the week.

 

Goal#2 - Food

Now this first week, I am just not ready for what I originally had in mind. I also just started tracking again yesterday. I wasn't going to start tracking, but it just kinda was what my brain said to do haha. Week 1, I want to focus on tracking my food. No real calorie limits or anything. In my head I'm like under 2500 calories, but we will see. I've been really thinking of focusing on my real hunger signals. Not the random I just want to eat something. I also want to just start making better choices. I wanted to come into the challenge starting to do a lower calorie higher volume type diet, along with some meal prep. I think that might be more of the focus to start up week 2. 

 

For now, week 1 is just to track what I eat. I also am tracking my morning blood glucose numbers

week 2 - Will decide later

 

10 points per day, all 7 days. 70 points on the week.

 

Goal#3 - Exercise

It's time to get more active. To start, I am going to walk. 15 minutes a day. Hopefully, I will use the Pokemon Go daily incense as a way to make it fun too. I am also including times when I am out walking in stores with the wife. Like the last couple of days we had been out and doping stuff. I want to run, but at my current weight, it would not be good based on when I did it in the past. After week 1 I want to move to a 2 x 15 minute walk, or a single 30 minute walk. Then continue to start building it up from there. I think I will be ready to start running in about 20-25 lbs lost and if I am getting in the 3 mile walks like I use to. So first goals first.

 

I do want to start working out too. Week 1, it's enough to just walk for me right now. My brain is barely having that haha. I have a pull up bar that apparently can hold a lot of weight. I hadn't opened it yet. It's been sitting here for a really long time. I have some assistance bands too to try to help out for some workouts. Unless I just want to get started in week 1, workouts I will start doing in week 2. I figure some bodyweight with some dumbbells home workouts to start myself up. Then Week 3 or 4 maybe I can also add in the apartment complex gym to get in some weights. Will just have to see how things are progressing. Maybe I go earlier to the gym here if I get my wife going too.

 

Week 1 is just walking each day 10 points, 70 in the week.

Week 2 will add more

 

Goal#4 - Downsize stuff

I've tried to really get through some stuff, but it hasn't been consistent. I don't want to be like "I have to do 1 hour each day" or something, then get overwhelmed by that. I am making it really small. 5 minutes. If it's just organizing something to prepare for a larger group, that's fine. 5 minutes a day, I can handle that, right? Of course, I will work on things longer then that, but 5 minutes could get me started. Also any days that I have tv watching days, I can always take a box of something of go though it. I've got my cards to organize and get rid of, comics to get all boarded up and gone through to see what I might keep. Then all the other house stuff. I have computer parts and such that I haven't used. Just kept for "Just in case I might need it" Which has saved me a few times, but honestly, I have too much stuff for these new days. Might even go though the DVD/Bluray stuff too. We have plenty that I haven't touched in years.

 

10 points a day, 70 on the week

 

So there is my challenge. Things may change. My brain is fighting me, but I just need to keep fighting. Thanks to @fleaball for checking in on me too. I appreciate it. I will do my best to stay involved in this challenge, and hope to get to support others

 

Measurements: (Probably coming Tuesday)

Chest - 

Waist - 

Bicep (L) - 

Bicep (R) - 

Thigh (L) - 

Thigh (R) -

Weight - 

 

Challenge points

Week 1 (01/01 - 01/07) -  0/280

Week 2 (01/08 - 01/14) - 

Week 3 (01/15 - 01/21) - 

Week 4 (01/22 - 01/28) - 

Week 5 (01/29 - 02/04) - 

Total points - 

 

[Tateman]

Yesterday and today I got in some walking around in stores.  Bedtime happened on time, but reading was only like 15 minutes. Started tracking food, and continued todays.  No work on the downsize yesterday. Maybe I'll do a little something now to get in for today

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Following.

[KeysMcGee]

Following. Mainly cause you and I are almost exactly 10 years apart in age down to the month. 

[Tateman]

1 hour ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

Following.

1 hour ago, KeysMcGee said:

Following. Mainly cause you and I are almost exactly 10 years apart in age down to the month. 

Very nice  Birthday is on November 2nd, so I just made it into November haha.

 

 

Ok, went through and did a bit of card stuff. Mostly organizing some, and seeing some prices of other cards. Like maybe cards to get graded etc

[fleaball]

[Tateman]

Man oh man do I hate waking up at 5am, then can't get back to sleep. Mostly because the brain decides it's time to make war. Week has been far from perfect, but I am trying Last night I was to bed on time, but didn't read. The following night, I read, but then decided to keep reading and didn't get to bed till later. No other walking. Food tracking was going fine until tonight, then I just decided to eat some things. Overall though, I felt better the last couple of days. I hope this next couple of days I work myself back into a better spot to do things. I wanted to make sure I at least got in some post here so I didn't just suddenly disappear haha

 

Lots of storm action happening. There was lots of reports of mudslides and flodding might be happening. I didn't go bowling tonight for that reason. Seems like the storm hype was overblown, at least in my area. I guess next week for bowling. Also, looking forward to upcoming Pokemon Go stuff  

[fleaball]

You good?

[Tateman]

On 1/12/2023 at 5:15 PM, fleaball said:

You good?

Meh haha

 

Ok, so first few weeks and not a lot of progress happening. Storming and such kept me inside mostly. 100% not any reason I couldn't walk around the apartment, or even walk in the rain, or to the little gym in our complex. For the most part though, I have been good about tracking food, and testing my blood sugar levels. Even reading before sleep. Unfortunately, not so much in the times I was aiming for. I also have really calorie restricted at all, just tried tracking everything I eat, and it has been a lot. This last week I had a few partial tracking days, then I wrote in the notes about going off rails and trying to list what I ate at least. This last week I was going to get posting more, and trying to get to doing more things, then wound up sick. Still sick today, but I did go out and walk. I did 40 minutes of walking this morning. Totally too much at once. I made it, but I am super tired haha. I think I will get in 15 minutes instead.

 

Overall, fail challenge, even though, I am doing better then I was before

 

Oh, had a doctors appointment with my new Doc. We changed insurance, so that meant to doctor. Seems like a pretty cool guy. Did harp on me being fat, it was all just about getting whatever I needed to get blood sugars under control and such.

 

A side note. I had been on Rybelsus for a couple of months. 3mg, then 7mg the next month. I did not like it at all. It's basically the pill for of ozempic. It didn't keep me from eating, because my brain will get me to eat if I am hungry or not haha. It made me feel super bloated, I would have sulfur burps, and it felt like my stomach was a pool of acid when I tried to sleep. IO never had heartburn before, but I started downing tums and pepto bismol. Not to mention the fun gurgle gut.  I did have one other problem. You take it in the morning 30 minutes to an hour before any other medication, food, or drink. On the weekends, I would take it, then go shopping with the wife. First place I would feel ok, but then it would just hit. I started breathing harder, would feel really fatigued, and it felt like I was sick. Not throw up sick, but something was wrong. That happened multiple times. When we switched insurance, and I didn't think the new one be available in time. So I stopped taking it. The new doctor asked me about it, and I explained everything to him. I didn't feel like it helped me at all. I also don't think it actually helped my blood sugar either, because my numbers actually started going down after I stopped taking it haha.

 

So more or less, that's what has been happening. Not as much mental hurdles as I was having week 1. Some stuff still there, but I'll deal with it. 

 

I am tired of being on so much medicine now. I just need to use that for added motivation to get shit moving.

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

How has this week been?

[Tateman]

Pretty much the same. I've been very tired. Tonight, I shall get to bed at the time I want!  I have been thinking a lot about what isn't working. Like maybe I need to focus on getting my computer area cleaned up and setup better to get me reminded of my goals and such. I am still having a problem of partial tracking a bit the last couple of days. It's always happening in those later hours when I should already be in bed. Even more reason to get to sleep on time. This week I did do ok for bowling. Actually subbed for my friends team one night too. So back to back bowling Wednesday and Thursday. I don't know if I over strained my leg, but randomly I have some leg pain. Not so much hurting when I move. Almost feels like a bruise, but it's on the inner thigh and outer thigh. Very weird. Will see how it feels when I bowl this week haha. It didn't hurt to walk around in the stores yesterday.

 

Wife and I were looking at some cookbooks. We got one for our youngest too to see if we can get him interested in picking out something. We would like to meal prep some food to help with not eating fast food so much.

 

No other real progress though. I did start reading  the wheel of time series. So I need to pick it back up this week. Tonight even!

[KeysMcGee]

8 hours ago, Tateman said:

Like maybe I need to focus on getting my computer area cleaned up and setup better to get me reminded of my goals and such.

 

This definitely might have a huge impact on your mood and focus.

 

Definitely worked for me. Granted, my computer area was a disaster as we had tried cramming my home computer, my work laptop and monitor, a second work-related laptop, not to mention various other papers and implements all on one desk due to the...incident.

8 hours ago, Tateman said:

Wife and I were looking at some cookbooks. We got one for our youngest too to see if we can get him interested in picking out something. We would like to meal prep some food to help with not eating fast food so much.

For what it's worth, I love this guy's take on the meal prep strategy: