LuckyMe's Patagonia Pants Problem

[Wandern]

Hi folks - I'm new, please guide me if I mis-step.

About three and a half years ago, I bought a pair of Patagonia shorts on-line. When they arrived, I was impressed – sturdy fabric with a soft hand, well made, and - if the tag was to be believed - in my size. Problem is, they were too small. I could barely get them up, and zippering required much gut suckage. The outlet didn’t have the next size up, and they were such a good deal I hated to send them back without a replacement. So, they became my aspiration shorts. And I ignored them while my “regular†pants slowly got tighter.

Fast forward to now: three years later and several weeks into Nerd Fitness. My normal pants have lost that certain tightness, and I can get the aspiration shorts up and zippered. But I look like a sausage in them. My ultimate goal is for those shorts to fit well enough that I’d feel good wearing them in public. This, however, is a long-term goal and, my 43-year-old metabolism being what it is, I have no illusions that I’ll accomplish that in 6 weeks.

So, here’re my mini-goals that I hope will help me wear those shorts without feeling like a Wal-Mart refugee:

Goal 1: Weight train 3 times a week.

Scoring: 5 points for each workout. 10 points just for writing this down.

95+ points = A; 85-94 = B; 75-84=C; anything less is not acceptable.

Goal 2: Say no to dairy. This is the most difficult part of trying to go Paleo for me. I really like yogurt for breakfast.

Scoring: 2 points each day I am dairy free. 84 points possible. 80+ points=A; 71-79=B; 63-70=C; 55-62=D

Exception: My husband and I have been trying to schedule a weekend getaway for a month now. If we do manage to get away, I’m eating whatever I darn well feel like eating while we're away.

Goal 3: Tai Chi Fan mastery. Be able to perform the complete form, to the music, by myself, without mistakes.

A = no mistakes, B= 1 mistake, C=2 mistakes

Life goal: Complete the project I’m calling “Spock’s Mother.†It’s a craft/art project I’ve been poking at for a couple of years now.

This one’s pass/fail. Either it’s done, or it’s not. There is no part way.

[livingroovy]

Awesome!! Welcome, LuckyMe! Great to have you in the challenge, and great goals. Love the reasoning behind it, too!

[Erick the Red]

These are great goals! I really like your point system too. I am interested in Tai Chi and I even have a couple books, but I have never attended a class. Do you go to a class, or use videos, or some other method of training?

[Elfin Harvester]

Hello LuckyMe - love your pants story - I can understand that motivation!!

I too struggle with the dairy aspect of Paleo. Originally I still ate cheese and yoghurt but in the summer months I discovered that my hayfever really diminished when I gave up dairy AND oh joy of joy I lost a couple more pounds too. (Since my falling off Paleo bandwagon for the past month I have to loose them all over again, ho hum....)

Good luck with it - you might have heard of this before but when I need recipe inspiration for my eating I always visit the Nom Nom Paleo blog - it's awesome!!

[Wandern]

These are great goals! I really like your point system too. I am interested in Tai Chi and I even have a couple books, but I have never attended a class. Do you go to a class, or use videos, or some other method of training?

I've been taking a class. The instructor is as old as my father (70s) and many of the others in class are up there, too. It's humbling.

Here's a video of the form we're working on:

[Wandern]

Ooh! That does look interesting! Thanks for the link Elven Harvester!

I've been following I breathe...I'm hungry for the past few weeks. Not strictly paleo - low carb and low gluten - but creative, accessible recipes.

[Chanda]

Great goals and scoring scheme!

Thanks for sharing the video. I'd never seen that form, it looks challenging! Makes me want to take up Tai Chi again. Are you going to video tape yourself doing the complete form?

[Stareyedgirl]

Awesome goals!

My husband teaches martial arts, and he taught me tai chi, but we haven't done it in a while - I miss it. Right now, we're doing stage combat sword fighting when we exercise together, which is not as often as I'd like.

Good luck with the challenge and welcome to the guild!

[Wandern]

Great goals and scoring scheme!

Thanks for sharing the video. I'd never seen that form, it looks challenging! Makes me want to take up Tai Chi again. Are you going to video tape yourself doing the complete form?

I probably will tape myself for evaluation purposes, but not necessarily to post ;-).

[Wandern]

Awesome goals!

My husband teaches martial arts, and he taught me tai chi, but we haven't done it in a while - I miss it. Right now, we're doing stage combat sword fighting when we exercise together, which is not as often as I'd like.

Good luck with the challenge and welcome to the guild!

Oh, my! Stage combat sword! what fun! I took foil fencing with my daughter a couple of years ago, but stepped back to get out of her way. It was a small class, and at 12 years old, she didn't like sparring with her mom.

[Stareyedgirl]

Stage combat fighting is super fun. You feel like you're super awesome even though you're just going through a premade routine.

My husband tried to teach me fencing once. That lasted until I caught on to the fact that "fencing" was really just "a half hour of lunges while holding a stick". Disappointing.

[Wandern]

Week 1, Check-in 1

Goal 1: Yesterday's lift went well. 5 points!

Goal 2: Monday was day 1 of the Challenge, but I'd already had dairy when I signed up. No points for me for Monday. BUT I was dairy-free yesterday and today, so 4 points total. *whine* but I REALLY want some yogurt for breakfast tomorrow */whine*

Goal 3: I missed class today, but did spend some time yesterday practicing the first 4 sections of the form, so I'll call myself on track for this one.

Life: I haven't hit a lick at my project in um - quite some time. Someone please light a fire under my butt?

[livingroovy]

Have you ever tried coconut milk yogurt? I don't eat it very often but when I do it is heavenly!!

*Lights fire* GET TO IT!

[Chanda]

Life: I haven't hit a lick at my project in um - quite some time. Someone please light a fire under my butt?

Get ready... here it comes: BAAAAM. Big kick to get you moving on your project. Go... get off the computer and spend 15min on it!

[Wandern]

Second check-in because I could just spit -

Goal 1: Morning lift went well - I'm working my way through the "Ousider" series right now. +5 points - 10 total

Goal 2: This is where I'm just disgusted. I was so good all day- late lunch and was really hungry so treated myself to Chipotle - no sour cream, no cheese, felt virtuous so got extra guacamole - and felt like that made me a very naughty girl indeed. THEN, well kids had me running 5 different directions this afternoon, didn't get in till almost 8, husband had dinner ready (he's wonderful, no you can't have him), and I was starting to relax, and after we ate he says he sliced up some strawberries and would I please whip some cream. So I did. And without even thinking twice, dished out the berries and a generous mound of whipped cream, sat down with the rest of the family and ate over half of it before remembering that I swore off dairy products, dang it. And since I'd already forfeited my 2 points, finished it. And it was tasty. But, dang it!

Goal 3 and life: I have other goals? really?

[Chanda]

Its too late now, but you would have felt better about it if you had not eaten the other half of the whipped cream. Its by doing those little things that help your brain start getting used to the idea that you are cutting something out.

Mind you treating yourself now and then is part of life! So I am glad that it was tasty!

[Wandern]

Its too late now, but you would have felt better about it if you had not eaten the other half of the whipped cream. Its by doing those little things that help your brain start getting used to the idea that you are cutting something out.

I know, but then I would've wasted those strawberries, which would've made me feel bad, too. Can't let their sacrifice be in vain. ;-)

[Wandern]

Check- in:

Goal 1: Umm - I did 10 burpees ;-) Weights tomorrow or Sunday - guests coming, the schedule is unpredictable right now. Holding at 10 points

Goal 2: No dairy today! +2, 6 total points

Goal 3: dug out my video

Life: Found my project bag! going to log off and get to work.

[livingroovy]

Check- in:

Goal 1: Umm - I did 10 burpees ;-) Weights tomorrow or Sunday - guests coming, the schedule is unpredictable right now. Holding at 10 points

Goal 2: No dairy today! +2, 6 total points

Goal 3: dug out my video

Life: Found my project bag! going to log off and get to work.

Nice job! Get those burpees! And great work bouncing back from the 'cream incident' We all make mistakes or can be forgetful- what's great is you didn't let it de-rail you in the long run.

[Chanda]

I know, but then I would've wasted those strawberries, which would've made me feel bad, too. Can't let their sacrifice be in vain. ;-)

ROFL, yes... I know that logic. I use it myself all the time. Now seriously, being conscious of the "sacrifice" food makes for us is really helpful in eating the right things, in the right amount too!

Good job on finding your project and getting off the computer to go work on it!

[ebba]

LuckyMe--I hear you about the pants-that-will-one-day-fit. I have a pair of pants that were too small when they came, and I knew that they would provide great motivation, especially since they are only one size too small. I kept them as a measure, and when they fit, I plan on getting another pair that are too small. For some reason, I find the mind-game incredibly entertaining--far better than weighing myself.

[Wandern]

LuckyMe--I hear you about the pants-that-will-one-day-fit. I have a pair of pants that were too small when they came, and I knew that they would provide great motivation, especially since they are only one size too small. I kept them as a measure, and when they fit, I plan on getting another pair that are too small. For some reason, I find the mind-game incredibly entertaining--far better than weighing myself.

Yes! I feel like the clothes measure is more honest than the scale- especially when my scale tries to tell me I've gained 2 pounds after a workout.

[Wandern]

Sept. 29 Check-in

Goal 1: Outsider workout #6 - subbing heavily modified burpees for push-ups and crunches - 50 total. +5 points. 15 total.

Goal 2: Unless I have another slip at dinner tonight, no dairy has passed my lips today. +2 points. 8 total.

Goal 3: No progress.

Life: I worked for an hour on that little project. It's coming.

[livingroovy]

Yes! I feel like the clothes measure is more honest than the scale- especially when my scale tries to tell me I've gained 2 pounds after a workout.

It's completely true-- I recently fit back into pants I haven't been able to wear for almost 6 years, but I weigh 10 pounds more than I did when I used to wear them. Building strength changes body composition and clothing fit is waaaay more sustainable as a way to know where you are at!

[Stareyedgirl]

Yes! I feel like the clothes measure is more honest than the scale- especially when my scale tries to tell me I've gained 2 pounds after a workout.

Totally agree, and isn't that the whole point of the exercise anyway? Looking better and feeling better? Neither of which has anything to do with a number on a scale.