Pretzle's first challenge

[Pretzle]

Hey there! It's the Pretzle officially joining in with the challenge (yay!). I have to say I'm both excited about and dreading it at the same time. Might be common for first challenges, though? Mostly excited, so all is well. Please give me feedback on my goals before the challenge starts if you can! Thanks!

 

I don't really have any interesting things to share before starting with my goals ^^; I want to sort of maintain my weight but if I gain a bit it's not a problem (if that happens it's by eating healthy(/healthier) things or some muscle gain, which is acceptable in my book). But just to give an overview:

 

I'm 178 cm and my weight has hovered around 60 kgs for years now (sometimes 57-59 but I just feel too weak at that point, sometimes 63, mostly around 60, though ). Gaining is more difficult than losing weight for me.

I enjoy my veggies and fruits etc. but don't really avoid unhealthy food (except for fried stuff - I just can't eat fries etc. for dinner. A snack? Maybe, but dinner? Ugh no ). 

 

The goals!

 

Exercise:

1 - Push ups - increase them! -> get to 10 x 3 for the beginner bodyweight workout (at 7 now, so should be doable and possible easy) and try to get to 16 consecutive push ups. 

A - Do even better than goal - B reach both - C only reach one - F anything less

Str+ 3 Sta+1 

 

Food:

2 - Improve lunches at work. 2 out 3 work lunches should be something not bread based and include veggies and fruit. (Because I have two weeks off during the challenge: eat at least 3 non-bread-based lunches those weeks (easier at home anyway). 

A - managed 2 non-bread based lunches at work each week, B mostly managed 2 (failed max 2 total), C managed most but failed 2-6 meals, D failed 6-8, F anything worse.

Con + 2, Wis + 1

3 - Find one new healthy snack idea/recipe per week - replace one unhealthy snack with a healthy snack each week (so replace minimum of 1 in week one, 2 in week two etc. up to 6 in week six )

A - All recipes + replacements B 1 failure C 2-3 failures D 4-6 failures F anything worse

Con + 3 Cha + 1

4 - Lifegoal: finish thesis and practical research (both huge, but doing quite well on both  )

A - Finish both - C - finish one - F - nothing (if that happens I'll have to be at uni for another year..)

Wis + 3 Cha + 1

 

'Bonus' goal (not for points): Practice balance by standing while travelling by train (try not to hold walls etc.) and by learning to cycle for at least 15 secs without holding the steering wheel.

 

To be honest I'm kind of still debating goal nr 3... I'll really have to get used to eating something instead of those snacks because otherwise I'll lose weight and that's NOT what I want (I've already been feeling a bit weak lately (basically means I feel sick/nauseated randomly. I've had this before, I lose some weight (not intended) and I just feel sick all the time at a lower weight, which causes me to lose more weight because eating is the last thing on my mind if I feel sick... Ugh). So I'd need to make a list of alternatives (and make sure I have those available when I need them) and that just seems like a bother... Maybe I should focus on one diet goal at a time? 

[Cameron]

Hey! Those sound like good goals!

 

 

get to 10 x 3 for the beginner bodyweight workout (at 7 now, so should be doable and possible easy) and try to get to 16 consecutive push ups. 

 

Just a heads up, the standard notation is sets first, then reps. So 3 sets of 10 reps would be written: 3 x 10. The way you wrote it would be 10 sets of 3 reps.

 

 

To be honest I'm kind of still debating goal nr 3... I'll really have to get used to eating something instead of those snacks because otherwise I'll lose weight and that's NOT what I want (I've already been feeling a bit weak lately (basically means I feel sick/nauseated randomly. I've had this before, I lose some weight (not intended) and I just feel sick all the time at a lower weight, which causes me to lose more weight because eating is the last thing on my mind if I feel sick... Ugh).

 

That's a little bit concerning. Do you know how many calories you're getting a day? If cutting out unhealthy snacks makes you feel weak and sick, then you're probably deficient somewhere. If you use a calorie tracking, you can look into how many grams you're getting of things like protein and fat, which should shed some light on why you feel that way.

[KB Girl]

Seem like great goals to me! Especially finishing your thesis, that must be such a relief..

 

If you're intimidated by the diet goals perhaps you could build nr. 3 up a bit easier. For example; find one healthy snack to enjoy with your coffee/tea every week. That'll give you 6 healthy snacks at the end of the challenge and will make it easier to have that goal next challenge

[sammiejune29]

Another idea for goal 3 could be to have one more healthy snack each week. So wk 1, 1 healthy snack, wk 2 - 2 healthy snacks, etc till the last week you are at your goal of 6 healthy snacks per week

Also, make sure you are wearing a helmet when practicing balancing on your bike. Fractures skulls aren't fun (I know from experience)

I look forward to seeing your challenge! It's nice to see a new face among the assassins.

[Pretzle]

Hey! Those sound like good goals!

 

 

Just a heads up, the standard notation is sets first, then reps. So 3 sets of 10 reps would be written: 3 x 10. The way you wrote it would be 10 sets of 3 reps.

 

 

That's a little bit concerning. Do you know how many calories you're getting a day? If cutting out unhealthy snacks makes you feel weak and sick, then you're probably deficient somewhere. If you use a calorie tracking, you can look into how many grams you're getting of things like protein and fat, which should shed some light on why you feel that way.

 

Thanks for the heads up, didn´t know that (And so far have been logging just for myself, but really good to know for logging stuff here ).

 

I suppose tracking calories etc. does get easier with practice? I've tried for one day (I know that´s not nearly enough time to get used to something...) and just found it SO difficult (possibly even more difficult because all the good tracking sites are in English and while I'm fine with that it's frustrating because all the brands mentioned etc. just aren't the same things we have here in the Netherlands... ugh). At the moment it might just be a side effect of exercising more. I think I eat a bit more than I used to, but I might not be making up for it completely.

 

It's not feeling weak when cutting snacks in and of itself, but if I get under a certain amount of weight I don't feel well (I have to say that used to be at around 59-ish kgs, at the moment I'm 61 kgs and I'm feeling like that... hmmm)

 

Seem like great goals to me! Especially finishing your thesis, that must be such a relief..

 

If you're intimidated by the diet goals perhaps you could build nr. 3 up a bit easier. For example; find one healthy snack to enjoy with your coffee/tea every week. That'll give you 6 healthy snacks at the end of the challenge and will make it easier to have that goal next challenge

 

 

Another idea for goal 3 could be to have one more healthy snack each week. So wk 1, 1 healthy snack, wk 2 - 2 healthy snacks, etc till the last week you are at your goal of 6 healthy snacks per week

Also, make sure you are wearing a helmet when practicing balancing on your bike. Fractures skulls aren't fun (I know from experience)

I look forward to seeing your challenge! It's nice to see a new face among the assassins.

 

I think I'm going to combine your suggestions! Find some new snacks (and/or recipes I love baking/cooking etc. so that should work!) and make sure I eat those instead of things like cake, cookies and ice cream! (And increase the minimum amount of 'healthy snacks' each week (Not that I eat ice cream that often... but cake or cookies? ehhhh ) I'll change it in the first post right now

[Cameron]

Oh, yeah, that might make tracking harder. Although if you're eating mostly whole foods (just generic eggs, beef, vegetables, etc.) then brand really isn't very important because it's pretty much all the same.

[KB Girl]

Where in the Netherlands do you live? And what do you study?

Groetjes uit Oldenzaal!

[Wild Wolf]

Welcome to Assassin's Guild, Pretzle! I think you have some great goals and I 2nd Sammie's advice of upping your healthy snack as the weeks go on. It's simple but would be very effective. Your're life goal is very good and I think you gave the tenacity to knock this thing outta the park! You got this, Pretzle!

 

WOLF

[sammiejune29]

I suppose tracking calories etc. does get easier with practice? I've tried for one day (I know that´s not nearly enough time to get used to something...) and just found it SO difficult (possibly even more difficult because all the good tracking sites are in English and while I'm fine with that it's frustrating because all the brands mentioned etc. just aren't the same things we have here in the Netherlands... ugh). At the moment it might just be a side effect of exercising more. I think I eat a bit more than I used to, but I might not be making up for it completely.

I've struggled with some of the stuff related to counting calories. I found it frustrating that I didn't really know how many calories I was burning in a day which made it difficult to regulate how much I was eating. Like 1800 may be appropriate for a sedentary day but on a day when I go on a long bike ride I feel sick if I eat that few calories. So I got a fitbit. It's a pedometer that tracks steps but also flights of stairs and does a pretty good job of tracking calories. You can also enter in workouts that it doesn't track well like biking, yoga, body weight workouts so that you can get a more accurate calorie count. Also, you can enter in custom foods. I tend to eat the same few things over and over so I entered it in once and after that it was very easy to keep entering the same things. I don't know if this helps but I hope it does

[Pretzle]

Thanks everyone for your comments!

 

Where in the Netherlands do you live? And what do you study?

Groetjes uit Oldenzaal!

 

I currently live in Kampen (originally from Dieren which isn't too far from Oldenzaal if I remember correctly) and I'm studying English (HBO teacher training programme) in Zwolle. It's nice to meet some more Dutch people

[KB Girl]

Kampen and Dieren both aren't very far from Oldenzaal It's a funny coincidence, but I actually studied the exact same thing for 1,5 years. I ended up switching because I fell in love with something else, but I remember it as a great course. I almost forgot how to speak dutch for those 1,5 years

[Pretzle]

Haha I know that feeling! I volunteered in London for a year before starting the course so my Dutch was quite terrible at that point I used to dislike Dutch but I'm starting to fall in love with the language for reasons completely different from why I love English so I'm starting to read books in Dutch again (after 10+ years ). 

[KB Girl]

Omg, reading in dutch? That's just weird!  

I'm actually half serious. 

[Pretzle]

Still read about 80-90% of my books in English, don't worry! One of the reasons I dislike reading in Dutch is because Dutch books are just so. very. expensive. compared to English books (17,95 for a paperback? Wait what?!)... Obviously I only read things in Dutch which were actually written in that language  

[OtakuBosatsu]

'Bonus' goal (not for points): Practice balance by standing while travelling by train (try not to hold walls etc.) 

 

Oooh I like doing this!  I always do it when I get the chance to travel by train.  Some tips:

 

1. Keep your legs between hip and shoulder width and at least slightly bent - but not so much that you start getting strange looks from your fellow passengers.

2. As the train changes speed and direction, relax and don't fight the movement.  Allow it to shift your weight and center of gravity from leg to leg.  Stand like a bamboo in the wind, not a telephone pole - that means soft upper body and strongly rooted legs.

3. Do stay near a hand-strap, pole or wall just in case.

4. Enjoy the movement.

[Aeryn]

Welcome to the Assassins! Nice goals - I'll be looking forward to seeing how you do!

[Elder]

I suppose tracking calories etc. does get easier with practice? I've tried for one day (I know that´s not nearly enough time to get used to something...) and just found it SO difficult (possibly even more difficult because all the good tracking sites are in English and while I'm fine with that it's frustrating because all the brands mentioned etc. just aren't the same things we have here in the Netherlands... ugh). At the moment it might just be a side effect of exercising more. I think I eat a bit more than I used to, but I might not be making up for it completely.

 

 

I am hoping tracking my food gets easier with practice!  I don't want to track calories for the rest of my life but I do want to get a knowledgeable handle on what I eat on a regular basis.

 

 

I love your bonus goals too they sound sooo fun!  I have a bike that need's air in the tires and once the snow goes I can't wait to get back out there and do some fun riding.

[Aeryn]

I think tracking definitely gets easier, particularly if you repeat foods regularly. I use LoseIt! and I've entered a lot of my standard recipes into it, so it's only when I'm eating something new that it takes me more than a moment to track my food. It also gets easier to guesstimate your intake even when you're not actually tracking food, because you get so you just know how many calories certain meals/snacks are.

[Elder]

 It also gets easier to guesstimate your intake even when you're not actually tracking food, because you get so you just know how many calories certain meals/snacks are.

 

And I can not wait for this day to come!!!

[Pretzle]

Thanks everyone! 

I love standing on trains (have been standing most of the time even when there are more than enough seats). If people ask I just tell them I sit all day at my job (not entirely true) and that I prefer standing haha. I've been doing this for two weeks now and improvement is huge. I'm really glad I decided to try it because it seems like it's also helping me being less clumsy in general (bumping into furniture etc.). 

I'll start preparing for my lunch goal today as I'll be quite busy tomorrow... So I'll cook some quinoa in a bit and put it in the fridge so I'll have a non-bread-based lunch on Tuesday

[Pretzle]

Off to a good start: Because I'm busy the rest of the day I decided to work out in the morning, it's 9.05 and I've just finished: 3 rounds of:

33 squats, 8 push ups, 26 lunges, 10 dumbbell rows, 38 sec plank, 10 superman, 3 shoulder exercises 5 each 

Which isn't a specific goal but push ups ARE and I can do three sets of 8 real push ups now in my adapted beginner BW circuit  

I'm also absolutely and totally 'broken' right now. Just swapping in 2 different exercises and doing lunges a bit differently (as the instructor told me to in the gym) makes a crazy amount of difference in the overall difficulty of the circuit. In a good way Because lately I've been able to do them a bit too easily (just adding one more rep to each exercise which was too easy is not enough to really increase difficulty I guess). Still don't feel as horrible after the first time I tried the original NF beginner BW circuit though ^^

Other than this: Lunch tomorrow at work will be non-bread-based so I'll have officially started that goal tomorrow, too. I'm also planning on working on my thesis at work tomorrow (that's the good thing about students doing tests, quite a bit of time to do something for yourself during tests ). I just have to make sure I don't forget about #3.

[KB Girl]

I might follow your example, plenty of trains around here! Impressed with your lunch prepping, nice thinking ahead there. 

[sammiejune29]

Off to a good start: Because I'm busy the rest of the day I decided to work out in the morning, it's 9.05 and I've just finished: 3 rounds of:

33 squats, 8 push ups, 26 lunges, 10 dumbbell rows, 38 sec plank, 10 superman, 3 shoulder exercises 5 each 

Which isn't a specific goal but push ups ARE and I can do three sets of 8 real push ups now in my adapted beginner BW circuit

 

Nice first workout!! Very impressive   That push-up goal is already looking really awesome!

[Elder]

My lunges were getting pretty easy to do as well as squats so I decided to start holding my hands behind my head, instead of in front of me, big difference!  I have to rely on my core a lot more to be able to balance properly through the motions.  I also have had to slow down my movements so I don't fall down.   I love when you can tweak an exercise just a bit and it becomes totally new.

[Siferiax]

Hi Pretzle!! Nice to see more Dutch people joining NF

It's strange to think we're exactly the same height, but you're 20kg lighter

Anyway, welcome to the challenge I look forward to following your progress!

As for snacks, have you considered nuts? I think they're yummy

I just get raw nuts at the grocery store, stuff like hazelnuts, almonds, pistachios, walnuts and cashews.