Gyro's Gonna Generate Some Challenge Completion!

[Gyro]

After two unsuccessful challenges I'm coming back swinging for a beginner's challenge. And I think the motivational motto/long-term quest will be really helpful for providing context once I'm in the thick of the challenge.

 

I'm really excited to be doing this alongside my girlfriend PartyCannon, who introduced me to NF and Whole30. We began a Whole30 together on July 17 and we'll get to do most of the Reintroduction Phase together when I visit her family in August (God willing). 

 

Main Quest: to weigh 170 lbs. (lose 60 lbs. from current weight)

 

Missions (Goals):

• Follow Whole30 Days 13-30 (July 29-August 15) and the Reintroduction Phase (August 16-27)
• Go to bed at 10 pm and sleep at least 7 hours
• During my commute to/from work, walk to/from the subway station instead of taking the bus (15 minute walk), an average of once per day

The Whole30 is rocking my world right now. I find myself with loads more energy than before. My horrendous sleeping patterns were the main cause of my failure in the two previous abandoned challenges. And the walking is sort of a placeholder, a stepping stone, for more intense physical activity down the road.

 

Life Side Quest: make a monthly budget

 

Motivation: "Entering Heaven Joyfully". I feel that being overweight saps a lot of joy from my life. And I see my quest for better health in the context of eternity.

 

[PartyCannon]

It took you long enough to get this up :-P

Don't forget your befores!

[Dr. Kate]

Excellent motivation shot! Bonus points for the Latin. :-)

Adequate sleep is so very helpful when working on fitness goals.

[Gyro]

thx Doc

[obsessedfan]

Congratulations on giving it another go. We'll all be here for you, so lean on us if you feel your motivation going. I can relate to horrible sleep patterns. I've been so exhausted this week because I have to sacrifice more of my limited sleep for exercise and meal prep. But I'm hoping it'll be better when my brother can finally get himself to and from work again.

[tseecka]

I don't know you very well (yet ) but I am still proud of you for giving it another go! It is so easy to just allow yourself to accept failure and never push past it, and it is always so great and so inspiring to see someone really push through their own challenges and refuse to be beaten--good on you!

 

The Consulting Knights are here for you, anytime you need help, support, or encouragement, and I really hope that by the end of this challenge we will all be fast friends. It's really great to have you on board! Good luck!

[Gyro]

Congratulations on giving it another go. We'll all be here for you, so lean on us if you feel your motivation going. I can relate to horrible sleep patterns. I've been so exhausted this week because I have to sacrifice more of my limited sleep for exercise and meal prep. But I'm hoping it'll be better when my brother can finally get himself to and from work again.

 

Thanks OF! There's a Canadian punk song from 1979 called "I'm Tired Waking Up Tired" and that's exactly how I feel.. sleep deprivation just makes me feel so miserable. Hopefully your situation with your brother will resolve itself soon! My sister and her daughter are visiting me for a week, so I'm on an air mattress in the kitchen for now

 

When I see your profile pic, I'm reminded that Christopher Eccleston is in Thor 2, which'll be released on my birthday this year!

[Gyro]

I don't know you very well (yet ) but I am still proud of you for giving it another go! It is so easy to just allow yourself to accept failure and never push past it, and it is always so great and so inspiring to see someone really push through their own challenges and refuse to be beaten--good on you!

 

The Consulting Knights are here for you, anytime you need help, support, or encouragement, and I really hope that by the end of this challenge we will all be fast friends. It's really great to have you on board! Good luck!

 

Thanks so much tseecka! It's tough to break the status quo for something better, so I wanna put all the odds in my favour!

[Gyro]

I'll keep updating my Battle Log with my challenge progress.. http://nerdfitnessrebellion.com/index.php?/topic/27772-gyros-log-in-his-own-eye/

[obsessedfan]

Thanks OF! There's a Canadian punk song from 1979 called "I'm Tired Waking Up Tired" and that's exactly how I feel.. sleep deprivation just makes me feel so miserable. Hopefully your situation with your brother will resolve itself soon! My sister and her daughter are visiting me for a week, so I'm on an air mattress in the kitchen for now

 

When I see your profile pic, I'm reminded that Christopher Eccleston is in Thor 2, which'll be released on my birthday this year!

Tired of waking up tired... yeah, that about sums it up. My mom had a day off today and was able to bus my brother around all day. I finally got some good uninterrupted sleep. I feel so much better.

 

CE, Thor and a birthday. That sounds like it's going to one great day!

[carniepoet]

Glad you're joining up again and that you've chosen CKitT as your group. Welcome! Your goals look awesome. I think I'll have to learn more about this Whole30 thing I keep seeing/hearing about. Working on your sleeping schedule will definitely make you feel even better than you do with changing your eating habits. A great combination! Keep us posted and remember that we are here to encourage and motivate you.

[Stooshie]

Hey, Gyro!

 

Excellent goals and motivation! It's great that you're trying again. We know you can do it. Without a doubt. We're here to cheer you on! You're doing wonderfully. Just focus on one day at a time! 

 

Let us know if we can do anything to help you in this challenge! 

[Gyro]

Tired of waking up tired... yeah, that about sums it up. My mom had a day off today and was able to bus my brother around all day. I finally got some good uninterrupted sleep. I feel so much better.

CE, Thor and a birthday. That sounds like it's going to one great day!

I'm endlessly fascinated by our culture's general disdain for sleep (and my own disdain for sleep) because waking up after a good rest feels so amazing.

And my birthday falls on a Friday to boot!

[Gyro]

Glad you're joining up again and that you've chosen CKitT as your group. Welcome! Your goals look awesome. I think I'll have to learn more about this Whole30 thing I keep seeing/hearing about. Working on your sleeping schedule will definitely make you feel even better than you do with changing your eating habits. A great combination! Keep us posted and remember that we are here to encourage and motivate you.

Thanks Carnie! I was really skeptical about Paleo/Whole30 when I first heard about it. It sounded like another fad. But I'm trying it for myself and I feel so much better and have so much more energy. I'm reading thru the book It Starts With Food and it just makes a lot of sense.. eating naturally, and how our culture overconsume carbs.

[Gyro]

Hey, Gyro!

Excellent goals and motivation! It's great that you're trying again. We know you can do it. Without a doubt. We're here to cheer you on! You're doing wonderfully. Just focus on one day at a time!

Let us know if we can do anything to help you in this challenge!

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Stooshie! I think the biggest help for me will be knowing that these threads are active and that we're checking in on each other to encourage one another

[obsessedfan]

I'm endlessly fascinated by our culture's general disdain for sleep (and my own disdain for sleep) because waking up after a good rest feels so amazing. And my birthday falls on a Friday to boot!

It feels so freakin' good. Plus, they're constantly showing how we can improve our mental and physical health by so much just by getting enough sleep.

[Gyro]

It feels so freakin' good. Plus, they're constantly showing how we can improve our mental and physical health by so much just by getting enough sleep.

Sleep is like the ocean- all around us but largely misunderstood and understudied

[MissyMo87]

Your goals look solid and well thought out. How has the whole30 been treating you?

[Gyro]

Your goals look solid and well thought out. How has the whole30 been treating you?

 

Really great. I had started one in June but didn't last very long because of poor planning. And then I started have grains at breakfast and it fell apart fairly quickly.

 

This time around I'm more organized. I do my groceries on the weekend and have them delivered and I use my Foreman Grill a lot.

 

I'm floored at how much better I feel. I would eat so many carbs before and feel so tired so often. Now I feel alert and relaxed most of the day. 

 

And I've rediscovered a delight in foods. I used to eat a lot of junk food and soft drinks out of habit, but once I got over the hurdle of the transition, there is just so much good food out there that's as easy, tastes better, and makes me feel better.

 

I had headaches early on but I just kept eating, lots of snacks, lots of tea and water, not being afraid to have as much food as I need. So not approaching it as a "lose weight" diet but more of a purification of my system

[Gyro]

Here's a summary of the first week of the challenge (details in my Daily Battle Log)

 

1. Follow Whole30 Days 13-30 (July 29-August 15) and the Reintroduction Phase (August 16-27)

 

I had the momentum of 12 days of Whole30 going into the Challenge, so that was an enormous help. It's been good overall. I had a thimbleful of yogurt by accident (opening a yogurt for my son).

 

The big challenge has been eating out in groups. I went out with my sister and her niece and ordered a grilled chicken salad and confirmed that there was no cheese or breading, but then discovered after a few forkfuls that there was some sort of dressing in it which surely had dairy.

 

At my mom's we ordered in Chinese and I poured over the menus beforehand to find the best stuff, but they still lather sauce all over the place which surely has soy and sugar. Plus I had leftovers. 

 

Grade for the first week: B (86%)

 

2. Go to bed at 10 pm and sleep at least 7 hours

 

I started OK the first two nights, but this fell apart in short measure. I only manage to hit the hay at 2200 hours three times, and sleep 7+ hours five times. What I'm going to start doing is refrain from technology an hour before bed, because that's usually what sidetracks me.. Futurama on Netflix.. PlayStation 3.. social media and forums..

 

Grade for the first week: F (57%)

 

3. During my commute to/from work, walk to/from the subway station instead of taking the bus (15 minute walk), an average of once per day

 

This was a home run for me..I noted 13 times that I walked at least that distance. So clearly I can integrate exercise into my life gradually, focusing on things I enjoy.

 

Grade for the first week: A (>100%)

 

Overall grade for the first week: B (81%)

 

I'm glad there's a bunch more weeks to go!

[MissyMo87]

Sounds like you had a decent first week . I know what you mean about distractions from technology. Hopefully this week will be better, and glad that the whole30 is going well.  It's hard to eat out and do the whole30 that's for sure but good for you for still making healthy choices!!!

[PartyCannon]

Huzzah!

 

You are truly Optimus Fine

[Gyro]

Huzzah!

 

You are truly Optimus Fine

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mUJA8TJaEbc

 

[Gyro]

Sounds like you had a decent first week . I know what you mean about distractions from technology. Hopefully this week will be better, and glad that the whole30 is going well.  It's hard to eat out and do the whole30 that's for sure but good for you for still making healthy choices!!!

 

thanks MM87!!

[Gyro]

Hey folks! Here's the summary of the 2nd week of my challenge, August 5-11 (details appear in my Daily Battle Log)

 

I went swimming with my 9-year-old on Sunday, and when we went down to the neighbor's pool he said "Wow, Dad! You've lost a lot of weight!" Huzzah! My pre-Whole30 weight was 227.8 lbs and last Saturday I measured myself at 222.2 lbs. I certainly feel a bit lighter, and my belt's a bit looser!

 

1. Follow Whole30 Days 13-30 (July 29-August 15) and the Reintroduction Phase (August 16-27)

 

I was on days 20-26 of my Whole30. It's getting remarkably easier. I used to eat junk food and fast food very regularly, and it's just amazing to see those cravings fade away. I'm really enjoying it because before I'd crave sugar, eat too much, and then feel crappy. Now when I'm hungry, I have some roasted almonds or a fruit salad and I feel satisfied and great afterwards! Admittedly, I wasn't so great on the food variety in the past week, but that's mostly a factor of my late bedtime/late rising.

 

My one slip-up was during an employee outing. We went to watch tennis for an afternoon (saw Andy Murray and Rafael Nadal) but I didn't pack a lunch. The "most paleo" thing they had was a veggie wrap, which clearly had some wheat, corn and mayo in it. I picked out some corn when I noticed it, but it would've been pretty messy to unwrap the whole thing. I drank a bunch of OJ to tide me over. At least I resisted the free Lindt chocolates!

 

Grade for the second week: A (96%)

Cumulative grade since the start of Challenge: A (91%)

 

2. Go to bed at 10 pm and sleep at least 7 hours
 

This was even worse than last week. I only managed to get to bed by 10 pm once, and only slept for 7 hours twice. What I'm going to do is actually set alarms to go off 75 minutes and 60 minutes before my bedtime, the idea being to turn off all technology one hour before bedtime, since it's the tech keeping me up.. smartphone, PC, TV, PS3, etc. I really, really want to get this under control so that I have better time management going into the next challenge, in order to do workouts.

 

Grade for the second week: F (21%)

Cumulative grade since the start of Challenge: F (39%)

 

3. During my commute to/from work, walk to/from the subway station instead of taking the bus (15 minute walk), an average of once per day
 

Once again, I exceeded my goal here, doing 10 walks over the one-week period. I'd rather be outside than on a crowded bus anyhow. Even my son would rather walk the 1 km from his day camp to the subway station than take the bus!

 

Grade for the second week: A (>100%)

Cumulative grade since the start of Challenge: A (>100%)

 

Overall grade for the second week: C (73%)

Cumulative overall grade since the start of Challenge: C (77%)

 

With two out of six weeks completed, I'm still feeling motivated, and confident that I can get the sleep goal under control to drive up my overall average