PrincessHeather's Be Prepared Challenge

[PrincessHeather]

PrincessHeather must BE PREPARED

 

Main Quest: So prepare for a chance of a lifetime!
I am moving to Alaska. That's not just a fun factoid but a reality, and it basically means packing up, driving across the world, and starting over someplace new. That's super exciting, but also a cause to be quite possibly the most stressed I've ever been in my life. And since I'm honestly starting to think that all my hormone issues are linked almost exclusively to stress, this is no bueno. So my big overarching goal is to KEEP THE STRESS LEVEL DOWN, and be in a good place health wise when I move, which coincidentally is 2 days after this challenge ends! 

 

Goal 1: A matter of pride!
My first ever program in lifting was the New Rules of Lifting for Women program, which I completed early this year. Since then though, I've just been floating around, not following anything in particular. I've been lifting, running, and doing crossfit, but without any real schedule or purpose. I considered starting the newer Supercharged version, but those workouts are long and I just don't have the time for them now. So instead, I will be following a very simple mantra: TRAIN TO BE AWESOME! I will lift twice a week, no more, even if I have the time, because 2x will keep me in the lifting game without being a burden and making me anxious. Stats possible: 3 STR, 2 STA

 

Goal 2: Just listen to teacher!

I'm a warrior through and through, because deadlifts make me feel badass. BUT, my background prior to discovering lifting is a lot of ballet, gymnastics, and lots of yoga/pilates. It's very calming, and very helpful with stress. I even have videos from my all time favorite yoga teacher that I can do at home.... so why have I not been? Goal is at least 1 yoga session a week of 30-60 minutes. Stats possible: 3 DEX, 2 WIS

 

Goal 3: You'll never go hungry again!
You know what's not so good for your diet? Going on vacation for 3 weeks to the state that has all your favorite food places and items unique to that part fo the country that you've been missing for over a year. I ate like a beast over the course of 3 weeks in California, with ZERO regard for health or paleo principles or reason. I had a lot of sugar, quite a bit of gluten, but it was all delicious and amazingly I only gained two pounds so no real harm there. However, I am now battling a cold and horribly broken out skin on my chin and back, which I'm fairly certain 6 weeks of solid MyPaleo^TM should solve. I'm going to be pretty rigid here, and allow only one off-plan meal per week, and even then it should be as "good" as possible. Stats possible: 3 CON, 2 CHA

 

Related Life Goal: Our teeth and ambitions are bared!
I bought Well Fed for myself as a Christmas gift, and haven't actually used it yet. I love to cook and to try new things, but I tend to fall into all my go-to meals because it's easier and far more likely I'll have all the ingredients I need. But with a little planning, I should be able to try at least 3 new recipes during the challenge. That's only 1 every other week, a modest goal I think.

 

My Motivation

I am entering my last year of grad school this semester (yes, on top of moving and buying a house and everythign else), and will be all done by May of 2014. This means we'll be wanting to try to have some cubs next year (see what I did there?), but my hormones and lady business always seems so messed up. I have another follow up with a new specialist, but from all the blood work and ultrasounds, it doesn't seem like there is anything physically wrong with me. I may just be so sensitive to stressors that it messes me up. So in the mean time, I really need a handle on the stress so I can handle life better, but also because it'll set me up for success hopefully in getting pregnant down the road. TMI? haha.

[KingZora]

Yoga makes for a better warrior for sure, nothing says badass more than lifting a ton and still being all bendy.

 

What kind of food do you like/want to try?  I have a ton of good recipes I could share with you.

[Hermione Gainser]

I can't believe how fast Alaska is approaching!  I agree that the stress is killer and definitely causes more problems than it's worth. Sounds like you've got a good handle on how to keep it low.

 

Yoga is awesome.  Neghar agrees.

 

Food is awesome. I'm a recipe junkie.  Let me know if you're looking for anything and I'll gladly share, too.

[PrincessHeather]

I thought I would have time to finish this before it got unhidden, oops!

 

I'm planning to use recipes from Well Fed, since I've had the cookbook since Christmas and sadly/pitifully, have yet to try any of it. I'm thinking sheppard's pie will be the first!

[Max Power]

I just went through the "eat with wreckless abandon while on vacation" stage myself.  It was fun, now I've got to reel it all back in.  I will be following!   

 

[PrincessHeather]

Max, should we do another accountability group... one where maybe we don't die off midway through? BTW, how's sleeping going?

[Max Power]

Max, should we do another accountability group... one where maybe we don't die off midway through? BTW, how's sleeping going?

 

I'm up for it.  Sleep is meh again, it's a goal for this challenge too.  

[wildross]

I so want to go to Alaska..

[PrincessHeather]

I'm up for it.  Sleep is meh again, it's a goal for this challenge too.  

 

I'll make a buddy thread later today for keeping diets in check

 

I so want to go to Alaska..

 

Yeah.... it's going to be amazing!

[Caution]

I'm super jealous, I'd love to live in Alaska. The wife wouldn't have any of that though. Good luck!

[PrincessHeather]

As excited as I am, I'm also really nervous. We're remotely going to put in some offers on a house up there starting next month, and I won't see our place until escrow is practically closed because we don't get there for another 2 months. Scary prospect, but I fully trust our realtor because she hasn't been scared to say "that house is shitty" when I ask. So yeah, lots of stuff happening!

[Caution]

You could always ask for pictures and dimensions of the house, then (being nerds and all) use a 3d modeling software like Google SketchUp to model the house and do some pre-planning, (not that I've done that or anything   )

[weirdquark]

Nia (of train to be awesome) has a bunch of ideas for constructing workouts -- she also has workout plans but I liked the pick and choose type things where she talked about different strategies for various lifts/exercises, like clusters (take your 4-5RM and do singles or doubles with it for more than 5 reps with resting twenty seconds between reps and then rest for a couple of minutes and do it again or use your 10RM and do 5x5 with the twenty seconds rest and then rest for a couple of minutes and do it again) or pyramid training, or alternate between two exercises for 10-20 minutes with as little rest as possible not going to failure, or doing three sets to failure and increase the difficulty whenever your total reps gets over a certain number, etc.

[msuroo]

 

BE PREPARED

 

So prepare for a chance of a lifetime!

 

A matter of pride!

 

Just listen to teacher!

 

You'll never go hungry again!

 

Our teeth and ambitions are bared!

 

All I saw was this.  My head exploded from the clever and I almost forgot to read the challenge.  When is the big move?  It feel like you've been trying to get out of South Dakota for like...forever, right?

[PrincessHeather]

Hahaha, thanks Roo! We've been here for 3 years, and since we never wanted to be assigned here in the first place.... haha. Yeah, we've been actively trying to get reassigned for about a year. We start travelling up that way September 10. 

 

So today, I took what I deem a "mental health" sick day from work and went with my littler brother to Wind Cave National Park for a wild caving tour. It was 4 hours of strenuous crawling, crouching, and climbing about 220 feet under the surface of the earth. I'm going to count it as an active recovery day. 

 

Food was not good but decent, since we were out and about all day, but it was planned that way so it was my allowed cheat for the week. 

[PrincessHeather]

So stress wise, I'm having a fairly good time so far. I'm still overwhelmed by work right now, but it's not upsetting me personally the way it has in the past. I have plenty to do, but it's not my fault that the situation here is awful, so i will just do the best I can to fill positions and that's that.

 

Also stress-worthy is my virtual house hunting. But I think I actually have it narrowed down to two places!

 

Lack of planning for lunch yesterday means I had an off plan meal, but it was chicken strips and I didn't get soda or fries like I'd grown accustomed to on vacation, so minor victory. I'm cooking marinated chicken and cauliflower tonight, and salad for lunch today, so back on the horse.

 

Planning to lift tonight, and it's deadlift day so I can easily incorporate the warrior side challenge thing.

[Max Power]

Good job not going over board with the non-planned meal.  And even better getting right back on the horse.  I'm really bad about going "Well I've already messed up once today..."   

 

Yay deadlift day!!!

[Hermione Gainser]

Glad the stress isn't getting to you like it had before! And that's so exciting about the narrowed down homes! Hope one of them is The One! 

 

Deadlift day is the best day <3

[IfItPlugsIn]

I just went through the "eat with wreckless abandon while on vacation" stage myself.  It was fun, now I've got to reel it all back in.  I will be following!   

 

I did this too, only I didn't have a vacation as an excuse.  I pretty much just fell off the wagon and got run over by it.  Having a hard time getting back to it, but gotta make it happen.  I'm kinda sad you're leaving SD.  You're the only other SD nerd I know, and now I'll be all alone.  Seriously, AK is gonna rock! 

 

Yay deadlift day!

[PrincessHeather]

Oh, I forgot to post that I did Run or Dye over the weekend. Not officially during this challenge, but still super fun. Did the 5K distance in about 35 minutes, which I was super happy with. 

 

 

 

[PrincessHeather]

Lifting Workout 7/31/13

 

Warmup: 5 minute hill jog

 

Snatch Grip Deadlift

10x53, 10x73, 3x8x83

 

OHP

10x33, 3x8x43

 

Reverse Incline Crunches

3x10

 

Weighted ball toss

20x4lbs, 20x7, 20x11

 

Floor Scrapers

3x10x38

 

Split Squat

2x10x43 each leg

 

Farmer Walks

5 sets of 50 steps, 30 lbs each hand

 

3 sets of spidermans/p

[msuroo]

Snatch Grip Deadlift

10x53, 10x73, 3x8x83

 

OHP

10x33, 3x8x43

First I was all

Then I was like, ohhhh ladies bar.

Then I was like

You don't see 15kg bars in most gyms, and this is just a guess, but I bet you would have had a less fun time with snatch grip DLs on a 28+mm bar . Nice work!

[PrincessHeather]

Lifting 8/1/13

 

Warmup: 1000m Row (5:00), DROM

 

5 Negative Chinups (10 secs each)

5 Deadhangs (10 secs each)

 

Squats

10x45

10x65

8x100

4x4x100

 

Back Extension

3x10

3x8x15lbs

 

Yeah, so vacation was not nice to my squats. That one set of 8 was SUPER GRINDY and not very pretty, so when i tried for the 2nd set and felt form start to slip on rep 4, I opted to just work on the form and do what I needed to get the reps, hences the set of only 4. Got though them, but I may need to continue what is essentially a deload for the time being. ugh.

 

[PrincessHeather]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.................

 

We put in an offer on a house in Alaska today. Most exciting and terrifying eletronic signatures of my life.

[msuroo]

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.................

We put in an offer on a house in Alaska today. Most exciting and terrifying eletronic signatures of my life.

Just wait till you sign the mortgage .

How exciting - good luck!