Challenge # 1 L'irlandaise arrives, late but willing to try

[L'irlandaise]

Goals Nerdfitness Challenge 1

 

1. Continue to do Beginner's bodyweight workout 3 days per week (I started two weeks ago – did two the first week and three last week.)

2. Give 20 minutes per day (non negotiable) to exercise – walking or cycling or dancing or WII fit.

3. Stop eating bread except for weekend breakfasts.

4. Revise for the DALF C1 exam. 30 minutes a day either on the CNED website, reading one of the novels on my reading list or attempting an old exam paper.

 

How will I grade myself ? I'm in France and I' m a teacher so...weekly grades of a subjective nature are as follows :

Felicitations du jury (of one - me) 18/20,

Mention très bien 16/20,

Mention bien 14/20

Mention Assez bien 12/20.

San mentions â€¦ anything less.

 

Gaming for me has been limited to playing a lot of SL for three years. Now focusing on RL. Will bring myself up to speed on the points attributions etc. But I'm here now.

 

Good luck to all.

 

[CakeBanisher]

Better late than never!  And you have good goals!  Plus you were already sort of doing things for the challenge, even before you joined.  I think the end of the first couple weeks of exercising is the danger point.  The initial sparkly motivation is fading, and if you can't maintain it, it's easy to just sort of...stop.  That's why I joined this challenge, to keep myself going after my initial drive started to get tired.  Best of luck!

[Nephaisys]

I too, was late to the party. I like to think of it as being 'fashionably late'. It's when all the cool kids arrive Congrats on signing up - look forward to seeing you achieve your goals!

[L'irlandaise]

Better late than never!  And you have good goals!  Plus you were already sort of doing things for the challenge, even before you joined.  I think the end of the first couple weeks of exercising is the danger point.  The initial sparkly motivation is fading, and if you can't maintain it, it's easy to just sort of...stop.  That's why I joined this challenge, to keep myself going after my initial drive started to get tired.  Best of luck!

 Thank you for the support - I was feeling less than sparkly today but all is on track and your comments make it that bit easiers!! Here's to running up those mental and physical hills!

[kanjigirl]

I have a Wii Fit, but sadly haven't used it. But I bet it would be good for cross-training for running.

[andithegirl]

How are things going?

[L'irlandaise]

I have a Wii Fit, but sadly haven't used it. But I bet it would be good for cross-training for running.

Mine doesn't get much use either - I'd rather go outside any day - but I'm reminding myself it's there for the days when other exercise gets a "meh".

[L'irlandaise]

How are things going?

Hey there, signed in do do the update as it's mid week.

 

Goal #1 On course for this. Progressed to a 12kg kettlebell for the dumbbelll rows and, wow, does it make me concentrate on my form. Push ups are sucky but I'm doing them. It's early days but I'm loving being aware of the worked muscles, I'm finally growing an interior corset, !

 

Goal # 2 Doing it. Monday 40 minutes and today 35 minutes of fast walking. It looks rather pathetic on paper: I used to manage a lot more just in the course of a normal day but now I need to carve out blocks of time to do it. But it's June and I live in the country so it's  not so difficult to do.

 

Goal# 3 If I was a little less half-assed about planning my week this would be a doddle. As it is,  come lunchtime each day this week, I have been staring into a supermarket chill cabinet with a number of less-than-appealing options staring back at me. However, I've avoided bread so far. I'm going to make tomorrow's packed lunch tonight.

 

 

 

Onwards and upwards!!

[L'irlandaise]

Urgh, wiped Goal 4 while posting. It's happening too,  in a bare-minimum-come-the-31st-minute-I'm-outta-there way but it's happening.

[Nephaisys]

Yyyyyeaaaaaaaaahhhhh L'irandaise! Wayda go!

 

Can't believe you rock with a 12kg kettlebell, that's insane! I just about manage with my 6kg (which is weird, as I use about 10kg on my barbell) If in doubt, try some turkish get-ups (You Tube it). I foolishly thought they'd be easy *shakes head*. Feels good though!

 

What's in your kettlebell routine? I'm keen to learn!

 

Keep up the awesome work! \m/

[The Borg Queen]

I love the grading system-francais, c'est hyper cool!

[L'irlandaise]

 

 

Can't believe you rock with a 12kg kettlebell, that's insane! I just about manage with my 6kg (which is weird, as I use about 10kg on my barbell) If in doubt, try some turkish get-ups (You Tube it). I foolishly thought they'd be easy *shakes head*. Feels good though!

 

What's in your kettlebell routine? I'm keen to learn!

At the moment I'm just using the kb for the dumbbell rows in the NerdFitness (can't type NF - bring's me out in a rash)beginners bodyweight routine. I was inspired to get them by the videos posted by Marianne Kane on youtube and myomytv (and now kitty8tim). I may be biased because she's from my hometown, Belfast, but I've found her approach really professional and fresh at the same time. Howevere, she usually works on sillyweights.my biggest at the moment is the 12kg.

 

The last time I tried a more conventional barbell would have been in in 2004 - wait, I was living in Reading at the time- so I haven't got anything in my goldfish memory to compare to the kb. I like them; when you live in an old house with less than perfect floors, they stay put when you set them down and make excellent stops for draughtprone doors!

[L'irlandaise]

Goals Nerdfitness Challenge 1

 

Continue to do Beginner's bodyweight workout 3 days per week

• Done. Pleased with this because on Day 3 I really didn't feel in the mood. I did it and felt great afterwards, from both the endorphins and the self-satisfaction. Feeling better about the lunges and the pushups and I've increased the plank to 20 secs. Need to work on my form with the dumbbell row.

Give 20 minutes per day (non negotiable) to exercise – walking or cycling or dancing or WII fit.

• Done. It's not fantastic in terms of quality but it is in terms of setting aside time for just exercise. That discipline alone will take me a little bit further. And good weather means it's also been outside.

Stop eating bread except for weekend breakfasts.

• Done. KNowing that I'll be hitting the fresh baguette on Saturday and Sunday mornings is keeping me away from the bread basket the rest of the time. After logging this avo, I'll plan  where and how I get lunch during the week so that I'm not scrabbling for non-bread alternatives. I also need to think about getting proportions more balanced between protein, carbs and  fats.

 

Revise for the DALF C1 exam. 30 minutes a day either on the CNED website, reading one of the novels on my reading list or attempting an old exam paper.

 

This is the toughest goal. That said, all was going reasonably well until yesterday. I have the biggest resistance towards this one, not for the subject but for the mind/butt numbing, boring and anxiety-riddled exam preparation. I'll keep t plodding on at the goal for the next week and see if my resistance lifts.

 

[CakeBanisher]

Hey, go you!  You seem to be doing really well with your goals!  Good work, improving your workouts.  And I agree, just setting aside time for exercise is really important.  Get in the habit, then as you get better, the quaility will start improving.  Sometimes just starting is the hardest part, and you've got that.  So, good job!  And yeah, studying for any exam is tedius and has high potential for both mind-wandering and a stiff, sore body from lack of movement.  But the short, spread out bursts should really help with remembering and understanding stuff.  I should do something like this to study for my classes.  Keep up the good work!

[starbon]

keep going at it mate ! Unfortunately we're not men/women of steel, so mountains have to be conquered one step at a time - just one step and you've moved one step more than you did a second ago. Keep it up !

[L'irlandaise]

keep going at it mate ! Unfortunately we're not men/women of steel, so mountains have to be conquered one step at a time - just one step and you've moved one step more than you did a second ago. Keep it up !

How right you are! And think of the view we'll have at the top!

 

Some days I look at my goals and think "Didn't really overtax yourself there, old girl." Other days, I think " Woah, maybe a little too ambitious!"

 

So mid -week update:

 

The workouts are going swimmingly: I'm motivated, they feel at the right level of effort.  2 down and one to go for the week.

I missed my non-negotiable non-strength training exercise on Tuesday. Temperatures of 34 degrees C and no air conditioning meant I had a lovely mid evening nap of 1 1/2 hours instead.  Walked today despite similarly bizarro weather.

Bread successfully avoided until today lunchtime when the sandwich dispenser at a client company  coincided with my crappy lack of planning.

Goal 4 - (argh goal 4) was on hold until I broke the week's duck at lunchtime today and read for 30 minutes.

 

Storm coming in so tomorrow should be cooler and more conducive to moving the old bod. And it's strength training day. Hurrah!

[Nephaisys]

When you've finished with the storm, send it our way! It was hotter here than in Brazil yesterday with 0 sunshine. Longest day of the year yesterday, starts getting darker quicker for winter now. I kid you not, we've had 9 days of sunshine! That's it! Pathetic I tells thee!

[starbon]

Hurrah for strength training ! keep us posted

[L'irlandaise]

Time to post, time to post, la di ta di ta ta...

Continue to do Beginner's bodyweight workout 3 days per week

All goeth well here. Changed my posture for dumbbell rows - much more comfortable - and will have to think soon about buying a heavier kettlebell.

I think I'm going to end up a warrior after all this: I like the meditative qualities of the weights reps and the old body is responding by muscling up. This is a little alarming for the ahem, seats of my jeans and any tops with tight fitting, non elasticated sleeves but I'm happy. Mention: Très bien

 

Give 20 minutes per day (non negotiable) to exercise – walking or cycling or dancing or WII fit.

Done except for Tuesday evening. yesterday was workout day augmented by planting and weeding ; we're talking arm-taxing hoicking of foot-high weeds rather than delicate fingerwork here. Today was a 1.5 hour yomp in the rain and the sun, with swallows and swifts doing low flyovers of the surrounding barley fields. I need more weekends in my week! Mention: Bien. I am thinking about exercise each day, I'm doing it 6/7 days, now I need to up the quantity and/or quality. And aim for 7/7 on activity.

 

Stop eating bread except for weekend breakfasts.

Done except for the blip on Thursday. At some point I am also going to have to give myself a talking to the quantities that I eat. But breakfast during the week is a joy and knowing that come Saturday and Sunday I can hit the baguette and confiture keeps me off the stuff the rest of the time. Mention: Assez Bien Bit more work to do on food planning.

 

Revise for the DALF C1 exam. 30 minutes a day either on the CNED website, reading one of the novels on my reading list or attempting an old exam paper.

GnaaAARRRGHH!!

 

During my walk today, I pondered why I was performing so crappily  at this goal. There is the fear of putting myself forward for a long written exam - which I haven't done in quite a while. The preparatory course is pretty dry - this is not language for expression but RULES of grammar, listening exercises - yep, SCHOOL.  It's not something I have to do: I'm doing it because at the end of it I'll have a certificate from the French administration, in case I ever have to prove that I can communicate in French without recourse to silly old telephones or interviews. Whether anyone will ever ask to see the certificate is debatable. It's also more time sitting down, thinking about language rules when I spend my working life sitting down and explaining language rules. I want to run around outside NOT thinking about language. So it's me pushing myself. And I have been that recalcitrant teenager saying "No, don' wanna!!" 5 times out of 7 this week. Mention: Sans mention.

 

I thought about dumping the goal and letting myself off the hook. This is an appealing idea.  But there's an expiry date on the portal for the distance learning programme I'm on - I have until the first week of August to wring every last bit of usefulness out of it. At the moment, I can face the grammar exercises - each one takes 30 -45 minutes to do and there are 9 more to do. So I am going to aim to do 3 of them each week from now to the end of the challenge. And the actually quite enjoyable novel can take up the slack on the other days. And like I said, I'm going to tray and move a bit more to counteract all this sitting on my ass.

 

 

Okay, I shall arise and go now, bypassing the bee-loud glade and heading straight for the kitchen for dinner. Have a great week!

[CakeBanisher]

You seem to be doing really, really well with this challenge!  Nice work!  I understand not liking the idea of a long written exam, especially if you haven't done one in a while.  And simply going over rules, not actually using a language for anything, isn't exactly stimulating.  Makes me think of my Latin days.  Here, conjugate this.  Decline that.  Translate this absolutely meaningless sentence that will never, ever be of any use to you.  Thrilling, it wasn't.  Useful, yes.  But not always the most exciting.  Sounds like your plan moving forward (3 exercises a week) is a good idea.  Keep up the good work!

[L'irlandaise]

You seem to be doing really, really well with this challenge!  Nice work!  I understand not liking the idea of a long written exam, especially if you haven't done one in a while.  And simply going over rules, not actually using a language for anything, isn't exactly stimulating.  Makes me think of my Latin days.  Here, conjugate this.  Decline that.  Translate this absolutely meaningless sentence that will never, ever be of any use to you.  Thrilling, it wasn't.  Useful, yes.  But not always the most exciting.  Sounds like your plan moving forward (3 exercises a week) is a good idea.  Keep up the good work!

CB you are really tooooo lovely! Being a bit more specific about the goal helped, at least today. I CRUSHED that future conditional!

[L'irlandaise]

Questions to the universe this Monday evening.

 

1. Will I ever be able to lower my chest anywhere near the floor in a push up? I'm thinking that I'll need wrist replacements or a severe talking to about my technique because my form sucks AND blows. I'm almost frightened to try the sets. I DO them, usually folding to the knees on the floor variation in the second or third set.  I've surfed and surfed and surfed to find correct arm/ hand position... I'm still not convinced
2. Has anyone ever learned how to use free weights successfully without going to a gym or getting an actual flesh-and-blood trainer to look at what they're doing?  Or am I kidding myself. Because,, if I am...
3. What are the chances of finding a strength-training-for- women friendly coach in north eastern France who's prepared to take on a bolshie, aging, out of shape and apprehensive woman with less than perfect French?

Feel free to reply.

[starbon]

average answers from a human sized chunk of the universe -

 

1. Yes you will. It will be long. It will be hard. It will be painful at first. You wrists will hurt. You'r shoulders will scream bloody murder. That little sheet of muscle just below your lowers abs will stretch and groan and yell at you. You will bash your nose / jaw / forehead on the ground a couple of times. But you WILL be able to do pushups with perfect form. Repeatedly. While the mountain gorillas in the gym watch with their jaws open. There is no "correct" position, because there are so many variations. Just stick to it. You can do it.

 

2. I did. A valuable resource was Mark Rippetoe's Starting strength, not to mention youtube. Exrx.com (thanks a bunch primeval ) is a good resource. How I go about it - I usually find out what muscles should be worked out in a particular exercise, and then when I do the exercise (ALWAYS with an empty bar at first or with the minimum possible dumbbell) I try and fell and see if I am working those muscles. A good indication is also if those muscles are sore the next day. That being said , ALWAYS a good idea to get your form checked - either by a trainer or by posting here

 

3. No idea. lol. Try the local gym's / athletic clubs ?

 

Just my 2 cents

[CakeBanisher]

Well, I am totally clueless on the second two.  But as someone currently attempting the whole push up journey, I can tell you what I've experienced (yesterday, I managed five real push ups in a row, and am very excited about it.)  Once I figured out that I was supposed to be using my arms, not my chest, they got a lot better, and hurt less.  But my biggest issue has been my wrists and tendons.  So...I did knucke push ups.  Seriously.  For months.  It's only during this challenge that I managed to start doing them with a "normal" hand position.  Doing them on my knuckles kept my wrists straight, which  pretty successfully avoided pain there.  Well, avoided the "not normal" brand of pain.  The first few days of really working out I thought my arms were going to die.  But, ya know.  It happens   Hope you figure out something that works!  Keep up all the good work!

[L'irlandaise]

average answers from a human sized chunk of the universe -

 

1. Yes you will. It will be long. It will be hard. It will be painful at first. You wrists will hurt. You'r shoulders will scream bloody murder. That little sheet of muscle just below your lowers abs will stretch and groan and yell at you. You will bash your nose / jaw / forehead on the ground a couple of times. But you WILL be able to do pushups with perfect form. Repeatedly. While the mountain gorillas in the gym watch with their jaws open. There is no "correct" position, because there are so many variations. Just stick to it. You can do it.

 

I LOVE this, Starbon, it's just what I needed!  Thanks for Step 2 also - visualising the muscles and feeling if the exercise is working them is great too - it's right in line with the mindful approach to eating that I'm trying to adopt.