First Challenge: Hit the Ground Running...

[connally7]

Firstly, this is my very first challenge and I'm stoked!

I was decently fit in high school, playing sports and all, but since attending college, there never seemed to be enough hours in the day among all the socializing, not-studying, sleeping, parties, etc. Now out of school, my life is mostly work, sleep, eat, repeat. And I want more. I want change. I want to be the very best possible version of myself. And that does not include being 60 lb overweight, lethargic, and wishing I had cooler life skills. No time like the present to start living life:)

Alright, on to the goals and all that good stuff:

GOAL ONE

25 PUSH-UPS

Within my workouts, I'm up to 9 incline push-ups. But I want to be able to drop and do 25 perfect form, regular push-ups without a break. I'm always had little to zero upper body strength. No longer!

• Increase my incline push-ups each workout, keeping good form.

• Do a minimum of 10 regular push-ups in week 1, 15 push-ups by week 3, 20 in week 4, and 25 by week 6.

[+2 STR, +1 CON]

GOAL TWO

RUN A 5K BAREFOOT

I have excruciating chronic shin splints, so once soccer was no longer a part of my life, I quit running. Every time I try to start back up, they're back within 2 days. Uncool! Since jogging around barefoot every now and then has come easily and pain-free, I'm going to restart my C25K schedule. It's 8 weeks long, but I'm planning to finish week 6 by the end of the challenge so I can run an actual race before December (and the frigid weather really sets in!)

• Schedule runs the week before, around my work schedule, so I have no excuse to wimp out last minute.

• Find a running buddy! Accountability is very motivating for me.

• Mix up the environment; change in surroundings is good to keep from getting monotonous.

[+1 DEX, +3 STA]
GOAL THREE
GIVE UP SUGAR
On my way to pursuing a complete Paleo way of eating, I've cut out bread and pasta (also rice, though that hadn't been part of the original step). This was not extraordinarily difficult. Sugar, however, will be a frickin' nightmare to cut out of my life. I'm a crazy sugar addict, especially with tea and coffee. But I've done my research, and the verdict is undeniable. Sugar just isn't good for the human body. And since I am earnestly trying to live a healthier lifestyle, that includes getting rid of the old habits bogging me down. No matter how delicious they may taste.

• Start drinking my coffee black and my tea unsweet.

• Begin cutting down on sweets, especially the free cake and brownies at work. (Dark chocolate chips are my kryptonite.)

• Read labels for all things purchased so as to limit my overall consumption of sugar. Natural sugar in fruit is fine.

[+1 CON, +2 WIS]

LIFE GOAL FOUR

KEEP MY APARTMENT CLEAN

I'm a naturally cluttered person. A "throw that there, this can live here, where are my keys?" kindof personality all the way. I despise dirt, and I don't leave food around if I can help it. But stuff thrown chaotically in all rooms of my place is normal. But that disorganization has a way of creeping into other areas of my life and affecting work, friends, sleep, etc. I don't want that anymore. I want to feel comfortable and proud of my apartment. So the laid-back attitude can stay, but the junk cannot.

• Make a weekly chore list. Attach to fridge. Check one item off each day (except Sunday.)

• Do laundry bi-weekly. Fold and put away when clean.

• Dishes do not stay in the sink longer than 2 days.

[+1 WIS, +2 CHA]

Excited! Let's do this!

[LordOfTime]

Hi, welcome to the Rangers! I like how your goals are organized into smaller sub-goals, it's a great way to track your progress

When you say barefoot, do you mean barefoot-style shoes, or fully barefoot? I would suggest getting barefoot shoes like Vibrams if you don't have them already, just so you don't step on anything or get injured.

Good luck with your first challenge, those are great goals!

[connally7]

When you say barefoot, do you mean barefoot-style shoes, or fully barefoot? I would suggest getting barefoot shoes like Vibrams if you don't have them already, just so you don't step on anything or get injured.

I'm expecting to get some Merrell Pace Gloves from my sister (she never got around to wearing them). But if I don't get them in time, I have a friend who can get me a pair for 60% off; cheers for friends with discounts:) I do enjoy the freedom of running full-barefoot, but it's true that it can be dangerous and especially risky for long distances.

Do you have Vibrams? I've heard great things, but they look so very strange and the toe things look to be a bit uncomfortable. At least for me, I don't like things in between my toes.

Thanks! Good luck on your challenge as well!

[LordOfTime]

Yay discounts!

I have Merrell Dash Gloves for my road running and Vibram Treksports for anything off-road. Having something between your toes takes a little getting used to, but I like being able to wiggle my toes They also help a lot with sprint and agility work, since you can really dig into the ground (as I discovered while playing ultimate frisbee lol)

Thanks!

[jimmie65]

I have a pair of VFF but never run in them; I much prefer the much cheaper GoRuns (not toe shoes) and Skeletoes for running.

Good luck on your goals.

[Loren Wade]

Wow. Good luck with the barefoot running. Check out Barefoot Dawsy's thread and posts. He runs a great blog called www.beginningbarefoot.com.

[connally7]

I have a pair of VFF but never run in them; I much prefer the much cheaper GoRuns (not toe shoes) and Skeletoes for running.

Good luck on your goals.

Skeletoes? I've never heard of these. Where are they available? I've only really read up on Vibrams and Merrells so other brand names for minimalist shoes haven't been on my radar.

And thanks! Good luck to you as well, sir!

Wow. Good luck with the barefoot running. Check out Barefoot Dawsy's thread and posts. He runs a great blog called www.beginningbarefoot.com.

Thanks! I love it so far! And definitely will check out that blog. Being a beginner, the more informed I can be, the better:)

[connally7]

09.24.2012

DAY ONE

Worked all day and then my boyfriend surprised me with an impromptu trip to see some friends that live 3 hours away. Needless to say, we didn’t get home until 3 the next morning so no chore list or workout was accomplished. I did, however, manage to stay on track with my no-bread-pasta-rice-sugar rule. Had an amazing spinach, pecan, goat cheese, strawberry, and cranberry salad! Though I was expecting the vinaigrette to be oil-based, and instead it looked & tasted as if it had heavy cream in it-very weird. But I didn’t want to send it back since we were out with company (who would not understand my food choices!) So I just ate it as is, and it was surprisingly delicious and filling.

SUMMARY

Unexpected but good first day; real food is awesome!

09.25.2012

DAY TWO

Actually had a day off work (which rarely happens with both jobs) and enjoyed sleeping in til 10. Had a lazy morning with breakfast being scrambled eggs with mushrooms, bacon, orange juice and strong coffee with a dash of cinnamon and splash of coconut milk. Skipped lunch since we ate breakfast at around noon. Did my normal 20-min workout, though I increased my squats from 12 to 15, and was able to do one more push-up, bringing my total up to 10. Week 1: Day 1 of my C25K training was tonight. Found a running buddy (yeah-accountability!) which is extremely helpful for keeping up my motivation. And picked a 5k race in Nov that benefits a local non-profit as well as two friends who will be running it with me.

SUMMARY

Awesome day! No sugar, increased my push-ups to 10, had a brilliant barefoot run, and supportive friends are amazing:)

**Side Note: I’ve been doing yoga poses for my cool down and the other day, I touched my toes! Guys, I haven’t been able to do that since high school:) So very freaking cool!

[jimmie65]

Skeletoes? I've never heard of these. Where are they available? I've only really read up on Vibrams and Merrells so other brand names for minimalist shoes haven't been on my radar.

They're at most sporting goods stores. They're by Fila. Note however that they aren't advertised for running. Skeletoes are more of a beach and trail shoe, but I like running in mine.

[MadScientist]

I am with you on the sugar problem. Where I work, it's doughnuts all the time. And dark chocolate is just evil. Good luck and hang in there.

I have had a lot of luck with simple moccasins for casual "barefoot" use. My feet do not fit Vibrams, so I looked for an alternative. If you don't mind putting your own together, a pair from Tandy is pretty cheap. To run, you would probably want a bit more protection. I glued a 2mm thick piece of leather to the bottom and have been very happy with them. If you have not done barefoot before, take it slow. I have flat feet, and have been successful by not trying to do too much too soon.

Go for it!

[connally7]

I am with you on the sugar problem. Where I work, it's doughnuts all the time. And dark chocolate is just evil. Good luck and hang in there.

I have had a lot of luck with simple moccasins for casual "barefoot" use. My feet do not fit Vibrams, so I looked for an alternative. If you don't mind putting your own together, a pair from Tandy is pretty cheap. To run, you would probably want a bit more protection. I glued a 2mm thick piece of leather to the bottom and have been very happy with them. If you have not done barefoot before, take it slow. I have flat feet, and have been successful by not trying to do too much too soon.

Go for it!

Dark chocolate is evil. And delicious. But mostly evil.

Also, it's like every salad dressing in the world has sugar in it! What is up with that? I've resorting to just drizzling some plain olive oil or avocado oil on my salads. Luckily, it's pretty good. But I was still shocked. Even my boyfriend's Country Balsamic Vinaigrette had sugar as one of the first three ingredients:(

I have been wanting some moccasins for casual everyday use. Do you run in yours? I have been cautioned quite a bit about going slow and have definitely tried to build up by going for long walks/short jogs before starting my 5K training. It helps that I mostly run on cleared nature trails or the practice fields on campus which are pretty forgiving surfaces. No concrete yet!

[connally7]

09.26.2012

DAY THREE

Sore today, but not nearly as bad as I was expecting. It's a rest day for working out and running. Except for my 10 regular push-ups for WK 1 and about 20 minutes of yoga, nothing too strenuous. I will be cleaning my kitchen today after making cauliflower crust pizza (yummm! one of my favorite new recipes) with tomatoes, mushrooms, artichokes, garlic and chicken for dinner tonight. With spinach & strawberry salad. Keeping sugar out of my system is definitely a mental challenge as I have to constantly remind myself to read labels and be careful of old habits. This morning at work, I was making my morning coffee while talking and had three packets of sugar in it before realizing what the heck I was doing! My coworkers got a good chuckle out of my absent-mindedness, but it opened my eyes to how truly ingrained some of my sugar habits are-yikes! Also, salad dressings are sneaky sugar carriers; I had no clue even the vinaigrettes we owned had sugar as one of the prime ingredients. Lame:( Oh well, just plain oil does the trick.

SUMMARY

Good relaxing rest day. My vigilance regarding sugar needs to be kicked up a notch, but it's a learning process. Still need to write up my chore list...oops!

[LordOfTime]

Ooh, that pizza sounds awesome!

[jimmie65]

I will be cleaning my kitchen today after making cauliflower crust pizza (yummm! one of my favorite new recipes) with tomatoes, mushrooms, artichokes, garlic and chicken for dinner tonight. With spinach & strawberry salad.

Must have! Where can I find a recipe?

[a_klodt]

Hi there!!

That's a great set of goals you have there. Good for you I wish you all the strength and determination you need to get there.

I fully support your decision to run in barefoot shoes. I have been doing so for the past 2 years and I will never go back to normal running shoes. I have a few pairs of VFF's for various different purposes (The Bikila for Road Running, and the KSO's for general uses like Walking & Kayaking). While I love them, they were very hard to get used to, and don't offer much in the way of protection for your feet. I often end up with bruises from rocks, etc.

I do highly reccomend anything from the New Balance minimus line. I have the WTOO's and the newest ones that they just came out with last month. They break in really easily, feel great, and look like normal running shoes.

Hope I helped a little.

Cheers & Good luck!!

[connally7]

Ooh, that pizza sounds awesome!

It is! Such a lifesaver when I get carb-cravings:)

Must have! Where can I find a recipe?

I know right; it's amazing! Even my boyfriend (who eats whatever) proclaims it "the best pizza ever!"

Keep in mind that it makes a smaller pizza crust, about 9" round. I usually make two to feed both me and the boy. You can put whatever on top: I usually do fresh mozzarella with tons of veggies. Since you don't cook the second part for very long, just long enough to melt the cheese, I usually marinate the tomatoes & mushrooms in some olive oil with garlic and sea salt so they cook a little faster.

Here is the recipe: cauliflower pizza crust recipe (Paleo)

Enjoy!!

[connally7]

Hi there!!

That's a great set of goals you have there. Good for you I wish you all the strength and determination you need to get there.

I fully support your decision to run in barefoot shoes. I have been doing so for the past 2 years and I will never go back to normal running shoes. I have a few pairs of VFF's for various different purposes (The Bikila for Road Running, and the KSO's for general uses like Walking & Kayaking). While I love them, they were very hard to get used to, and don't offer much in the way of protection for your feet. I often end up with bruises from rocks, etc.

I do highly reccomend anything from the New Balance minimus line. I have the WTOO's and the newest ones that they just came out with last month. They break in really easily, feel great, and look like normal running shoes.

Hope I helped a little.

Cheers & Good luck!!

Thanks! I absolutely love it so far! And yes, any information regarding barefoot shoes or running is super helpful. I saw some of those New Balance minimal shoes for sale last week; I will definitely be checking to see if there are any left:)

[connally7]

09.27.2012

DAY FOUR

Fail, guys. Epic fail. Was going to workout but ended up crashing at around 8 PM. Why? Because I messed up and had beer with dinner. Dinner was a major success though! Garlic mushroom grilled chicken with mashed cauliflower and spinach-feta-olive-oil salad: delicious! But the beer. Dude. It absolutely killed my energy. I just passed out, not even thirty minutes after finishing dinner. I was barely conscious enough to drive myself home. And I felt absolutely wrecked.

SUMMARY

Even though beer was not on the original list, it is officially kicked off now. I do NOT like what it does to my body, energy levels, mind, etc.

09.28.2012

DAY FIVE

The day started off on a horrid foot. Woke up groggy (beer the night before-ugh!) and with a raging headache. It felt like my eyeballs had mini battering rams and were attempting freedom from my skull. This carried on for the first two hours of work. My mood was not helped by the free freshly baked croissants with icing drizzled on them sitting in the server's area. Seriously, guys! This is what I had tempting me all morning. I finally threw them away after no one had touched them for a while. And I figured out the pounding headache and gloomy mood was most likely a result of sugar withdrawals. Awesome. Probably will have to deal again tomorrow. On the bright side, after a lot of water and a good Paleo lunch (sautéed beef & onions with horseradish sauce and a salad with oil), my headache vanished. Got a good barefoot run in tonight for Day 2 of Week 1 (C25K) on the turf field. And a quick workout before calling it a night.

SUMMARY

MUCH better day! Except sugar withdrawal headaches. Those frickin' suck.

09.29.2012

DAY SIX

This morning was fantastic! Slept eight solid hours, had a grande iced coffee with a splash of half&half, and was at work on time. Pleasant beginning to the day. A rest day for running and workouts so that was a nice break; I did get some laundry folded and put away. Still need to do that chore list for cleaning! Will do tomorrow (Sunday is supposed to be my consistent day off.) Need to measure and photo update tomorrow:) We worked a wedding tonight, which was a bit tiring. My calf muscles and my entire arms (biceps, triceps, shoulders, all of it!) were super sore by the end of the night. And I'm helping move a massive couch tomorrow. Cheers. But I resisted the wedding cake leftovers! (Honestly, they didn't look all that appetizing.) But still...small victories are still victories!

SUMMARY

All in all, a good rest day.

[crankyshell]

It sounds like you are going really well with your goals, especially the sugar one that's tough.

For your life goal maybe check out the flylady website. When I first saw it I was put off by it but have been struggling with housework especially with 3 kids it has always been too hard. But I have started implementing some of the strategies - mainly setting a timer for 7 minutes 3 times a day and I feel so much better it all feels easier and people are commenting on the difference.

Beware though if you sign up for the newsletter you will get heaps of emails about 8 a day and lots of testimonials (ads) to buy her products.

Good luck

[jimmie65]

Thanks for the recipe. Wife wants to make it this coming weekend.

Sounds like you're doing great. Bummer about the beer, though.

[connally7]

It sounds like you are going really well with your goals, especially the sugar one that's tough.

For your life goal maybe check out the flylady website. When I first saw it I was put off by it but have been struggling with housework especially with 3 kids it has always been too hard. But I have started implementing some of the strategies - mainly setting a timer for 7 minutes 3 times a day and I feel so much better it all feels easier and people are commenting on the difference.

Beware though if you sign up for the newsletter you will get heaps of emails about 8 a day and lots of testimonials (ads) to buy her products.

Good luck

Thanks! Yah, giving up sugar has been killer. But good. Will def check out that website! Thanks for the recommendation:)

Thanks for the recipe. Wife wants to make it this coming weekend.

Sounds like you're doing great. Bummer about the beer, though.

Awesome! Hope ya'll like it:)

[connally7]

09.30.2012

DAY SEVEN

Good day overall. Had a nice run. However, did turn my ankle a bit on one of the walking sections. It wouldn't have been a big deal, except that it was my left ankle which is weaker because of an old bouldering injury. So it has been a bit swollen and sore. Iced and rested it. Have been cooking way more at home with fresh ingredients. Awesome:)

SUMMARY

Good, relaxing day. Real food!

10.01.2012

DAY EIGHT

Ankle was still sore this morning, so slept in and decided to take a day off of working out. Had an intense sugar craving attack in the morning and late afternoon, so I finally gave in and had a small ramekin of dark chocolate chips (about 1/4 cup I would estimate). Lunch was sautéed sirloin with garlic, zucchini and broccoli & grilled portobello mushrooms with spinach and Swiss. Also, been drinking a fair amount of orange juice and almond milk of late.

SUMMARY

Rest day. Gave in a bit with the sugar cravings, but just with a smidgen of dark chocolate.

10.02.2012

DAY NINE

Ankle is much better! So I'm starting week 2 of C25K tonight. And doing a light workout. Sugar cravings are gone again:) Breakfast (bacon, eggs, and coconut flour pancakes) is officially my favorite meal of the day! And dinner was delicious with a simple Caesar (no croutons, homemade no-sugar dressing) and Mushroom Bisque soup. Food is getting easier to plan as I'm finally getting the hang of instinctively knowing what I can and cannot have. Also, considering getting a kettlebell to intensify my workouts.

SUMMARY

Ankle healed after adequate rest. Nice run, and light workout. Gearing up for a busy week, but getting enough sleep and good real food is helping a great deal:)

[connally7]

10.03.2012

DAY TEN

Work and bills have me stressed to the max! Yoga has helped a bit, but I definitely need to get a handle on dealing with some of this debt. I ordered the financial book Steve recommended ("I Will Teach You To Be Rich" by Ramit Sethi) and it should arrive tomorrow. Majorly stoked to read through it! I love new books! Opening packages from half.com is almost as good as Christmas presents. Almost. I have a medium-sized DIY project for my kitchen and my living room is so clean right now! If I can only muster enough energy to finish my last two or so loads of laundry, my apartment will be utterly perfect. It's already cleaner than it's been in ages. Amazing!

SUMMARY

Money help - coming soon. Food (no bread, pasta, rice, or sugar) - awesome! Running - coming along swimmingly. Apartment - soooo close to perfectly clean.

[connally7]

10.04.2012

DAY ELEVEN

Work was stressful and busy. Then I had lunch with my mom which was painful. She told me that fat is bad, whole wheat and fiber are healthy, and running barefoot is extremely dangerous i.e. stupid. It was emotionally draining. I was intending to workout but had zero energy. I think it was the beginning of my immune system getting rundown.

SUMMARY

Emotionally stressful and discouraging day. Took a break from working out. Still doing good eating real food and avoiding grains and sugar and processed junk.

10.05.2012

DAY TWELVE

Got called into work early. And one of our kitchen staff sliced off part of her finger (like the whole tip!) and had to be rushed to urgent care, so I got to do two jobs (server AND manager). STRESS! I passed out from exhaustion once I finally made it home. And it was rainy and freezing all day! We were gonna do day 2 of week 2 tonight, but we haven't gotten our shoes yet and outside was just too brutal without foot protection. So we had a date night instead and I splurged on a mocha from downtown (made from local 80% dark chocolate bars, no added sugar) at an amazing coffee house. It was divine! We walked through several art galleries and kinda wandered downtown all bundled up for about two hours, so we still got some "exercise" I suppose. I am definitely getting sick though:(

SUMMARY

Long long day. Cheated with a mocha and skipped running (NEED SHOES!).

10.06.2012

DAY THIRTEEN

Woke up too early today (7 am) to the construction crew next door tearing down two old houses to build a new sorority house. Ugh! Hopefully, this will not be the norm for the next few weeks or my sleep will be even more shot than usual:( Work was slightly better, busy but manageable. Sugar temptation alert! They left an entire chocolate mousse torte on the counter for the servers to munch on since it was a day out of date. Oh, it was torture! I resisted (barely) and ended up tossing it after two hours. Finally got my finance book in and have already devoured two chapters. An easy read with some solid points; I'm excited to start applying what I learn. And I am officially sick:( Nauseated and rundown, low energy levels and fatigue, and the beginning of feeling congested. Stupid cold weather. No running or working, just plenty of fluids and rest.

SUMMARY

Sick:( Day off tomorrow: need to rest, track measurements and finish up some laundry. Also, very low appetite.

[MadScientist]

Sorry to hear about you being sick. I just got over a cold myself. On the good side, since you are getting toward a fat burning metabolism, you should recover quicker. If you don't currently take vitamin D, you might want to try up to 8,000mg a day while sick to help you get over it. I don't get out in the sun a lot so started taking about 4,000mg a day when not sick and my incidence of illness went down a factor of three or four. I still occasionally get sick, but not for long. Good luck!

One other thing to think about is alcohol. When changing to a low-carb diet, alcohol has a larger effect than normal on you. You get drunk way faster. While I would not recommend beer, other than as an occasional indulgence (too many carbs), a glass of red wine a day is good for you. When you get further along, you might want to reintroduce it slowly.

You've made a lot of progress so far. Don't let being sick get you down. It's just temporary. You can do it!