Dirty's little challenge

[orcwarrior]

Sounds like a nice visit home.  Time with the folks, fresh fruit, new doggy friends, and muscle definition, too! 

[DirtyLittleSecrets]

This is my vision board. I wake up to it every single morning and when I look at it I'm reminded about the things I want out of life. I want to be financially stable, active, healthy, adventurous and well fed.

Today's run went great! I'm starting to look forward to finishing my Zombies 5k trainer and seeing how fast I can actually do 5k. I made a video of me doing a few push ups and realized I need to go back to modified push ups. It's a real kick in the teeth considering how happy I was when I thought I had graduated but I'm still really struggling to do 3 reps with good form. Do you guys think I made the right decision?

[orcwarrior]

I'd suggest do both - keep doing as many good-form real pushups as you can, and then tack on some modified pushups to finish out each set.

[DirtyLittleSecrets]

That actually makes sense....

[DirtyLittleSecrets]

24th:

.....so what can I say about my Saturday. It was pretty terrible lol. I went in early on my Sat morning shift to work to unlock the restaurant so the first shift could get in and the owners parents could have a break. Dirty dirty floors were what greeted me. After I quickly swept and mopped those before everyone came in and biked down to the farmers market. On the way there I stopped at an ATM to take out cash. It said something about being unable to process my request. So I tried the next ATM I came across. Apparently my pay check bounced. The bank took the balance I had remaining and the rest that I owed went into overdraft. Thankfully I paid my rent when I deposited the cheque so that wasn't an issue. The problem was with no money on hand and just having a vacation to my parents I've ended up having a very sparse fridge.

Not a very happy DLS. Thankfully we had a decent enough crowd at dinner I made $50 in tips.

My roommates friends band was playing so we went out after my shift was done. It was nice to get out and have a couple beers but the best part was the dancing! We ended up staying out much later than we anticipated because we were having so much fun ( getting to bed at 1:30 AM when you work at 8:30 is not advisable) but it was totally worth it.

25th:

Tired but my shift went by quickly enough. Slacked at work for the first couple hours and downloaded the remaining Zombies, Run! app missions while slowly going about my business. Really looking forward to graduating from the Zombies 5k to the Zombies, Run! app. my final 5k date is between the 4th and the 8th. Perfect timing everything permitting :-)

When I got home I was too tired to eat before taking a nap. Woke up ravenous, finished off my bag of frozen mango pieces and made a quick pasta for dinner. Waited about half an hour then went for my run and did my body weight routine. Did my push up app with almost all regular push ups but the last set only squeezed out one before switching to modified. Really happy with how well I did.

Looked at my Nike+ activity and I've shaved off 44 seconds from my runs in August from my runs in July so far. That's super encouraging since it means I might be going slower overall but I'm making up for it in consistency. Getting the hang of pacing myself so now I can start adding more speed :-).

[DirtyLittleSecrets]

Also, my push up app and my running app are now connected to my Facebook! I'll be able to have some of my real friends be my accountability buddies :-)

[TxAg_WxNerd]

Also, my push up app and my running app are now connected to my Facebook! I'll be able to have some of my real friends be my accountability buddies :-)

 

Always good when you can incorporate everyone in progress. Makes you focus that much more and it does hurt that they take note as well.

[lilbichy]

Also, my push up app and my running app are now connected to my Facebook! I'll be able to have some of my real friends be my accountability buddies :-)

 

that is awesome!!  what apps are you using?

[DirtyLittleSecrets]

Push-ups PRO

[JuiceeTarget]

Looks lie you are doing great this challenge DLS. I like how real your updates are. Keep up the great work!

[DirtyLittleSecrets]

26th:

Got all my ducks in a row to get my taxes done before school starts. I'll probably have to change a couple things on my form for my government loan, which will affect how much money I get but that's fine. Better than having them reneg my funding >_<. Made a couple more hard boiled eggs to have in the morning and went out for lunch with my friend.

Walked home after lunch and puttered around the apartment till dinner time. I haven't done groceries since I got back from Wawa, instead I've been using up everything in my freezer and the produce that was left over from before I went. Tonight I had my slow cooked white beans with a few sautéed summer squashes and a carrot coleslaw. I made a sweet and tangy raspberry vinaigrette to put on top of the thinly shredded carrots and left it to cool in the fridge while I cooked up the rest. Super tasty, who knew vegan fare could be so filling and delicious?

Really looking forward to the next challenge. The success I've had so far has given me a lot of self confidence in my ability to build better habits. I look at doing something as a success rather than beating myself up for not getting it perfectly done. I'm thinking I'll do the hardest part of my goal next, the pull ups so I still have another challenge to build up my repetitions before my final test. It might take me longer than January, I'll still be shooting for that but I will be able to do it by the time I graduate

[Thunderneath]

You've been doing awesome, Dirty. Great work staying accountable, tracking your activities and being consistent. Seems like those are the habits that make for success in the long run. Keep it up! Two more weeks of kicking ass and taking names.

[fluffyrin42]

Sounds like you are doing really well!  Sorry I haven't checked in as much lately, but keep up the good work.  

[DirtyLittleSecrets]

27th

Today I killed it. There are moments when you know you're doing well and mine today came when my Nike+ told me I ran a mile in 8:32 minutes. That inspired me to keep trying, running even though I wanted to rest and running hard at the start of each free form run. My reward? Finished my 3 mile marker at 28:41 and that's including two walking stretch sections that are 3 minutes each.

Today I ran my fastest 5k, just under 30 minutes at 29:15. I'm super pumped about it, I'm hoping that at the end of this 5k challenge when I'm running steadily I will have a time around 25 minutes for 3 miles. That will leave me a few minutes to shave off my time, something I'm confident I'll be able to do by January.

Body weight routine went well. Downloaded the crunch and squat apps that match the push up one, I find them motivating to complete since they have levels and something I'm working up to. Still struggling to complete sets of push ups in regular form, tried switching to just doing girly ones after my last rep failed but didn't like it. Felt too much like quitting. Found out I can go back to different levels so I'm starting at the very beginning again. Doing regular push ups throughout and when I get to being unable to do all of them I'll just stay at that level until I can.

Decided to make my upsetting situation with my paycheck something positive. I'm moving in with my roommate to a house, so the puppy can have a back yard and we can have a little more space. Since my move date is Thursday I'n trying to use up all of the groceries that I have left in the fridge and freezer. Bag of carrots, two stalks of broccoli, some beans and summer squash, and a few frozen veggies. Had a big frozen container of my beans from the start of the challenge left so with the frozen veggies (okra and some edamame) and the rest of the other veggies I made a big pot of vegan white chili. Put too much hot sauce in it, had to scale back that heat with some peanut butter. Few spices and bang, dinners served.

Went to see Kick Ass 2 with my bestie. Officially have a new favourite movie, didn't know if I should have a crush on Hit Girl or want to be her =-D.

Great day and a meet and greet for a job opening tomorrow early. Have a quiche cooking in the oven for breakfast tomorrow, I'll be hitting the sack for a well deserved rest after it's done cooking . Boo yeah

[wideeyed]

Whelp.  At least I get to follow you for the last two weeks

Great job so far.

[DirtyLittleSecrets]

Thanks :-), it's better late than never! I just started following GoodDougs challenge and boy am

I ever glad I did. Inspiring and entertaining!

[DirtyLittleSecrets]

...had an interesting time trying to use the body fat callipers alone. Decided I'm starting out the next challenge with my body fat % and proper measurements. That way I can get one of my classmates to help and get a little practice.

[lilbichy]

...had an interesting time trying to use the body fat callipers alone. Decided I'm starting out the next challenge with my body fat % and proper measurements. That way I can get one of my classmates to help and get a little practice.

 

HAHA i tried to use them myself as well..... doesnt quite work!  I will need to go in to gym to get mine taken i think.

[DirtyLittleSecrets]

I'm trained on how to do them to other people, I just want to have the 7 points instead of the ones I can reach comfortably. Gve myself a bruise trying to take one of them..

29th:

Ran and did my apps. Added super mans mimicking my crunches app in between the squats. Might change them into Y-T-I raises in the future. Decided to stay at each pushup level until I'm able to finish out the sets with no modified knee push-ups. Slow steady progress is still progress.

[fluffyrin42]

Slow steady progress is the best kind of progress.    Good luck getting those calipers down!

[wideeyed]

Slow and steady is my new motto. I would say I'm too old for fast and crazy, but I went to an 80's concert tonight and danced like a maniac.

This, however, will be paid for tomorrow

[DirtyLittleSecrets]

Slow and steady is my new motto. I would say I'm too old for fast and crazy, but I went to an 80's concert tonight and danced like a maniac.

This, however, will be paid for tomorrow

I went dancing last night as well. Good times were had by all but jeeze do my thighs hurt this morning

[DirtyLittleSecrets]

Missed a training day because I had a hangover. Didn't do the workout the next day cause my lack of sleep/ stress gave me a cold! I think not working as much, handing out resumes and getting ready for the move has started to get to me. It's difficult but I just have to wait till my government loan comes in and then I can relax a little. Also worked on making my goals for the next challenge, they're almost complete with the exception of punching in the end numbers of my crunches, 5k time and a couple other odds and ends. Really looking forward to it though.

Finally manned up and went to do my taxes. Found out they hold back our government cheques when we don't file our taxes so I'm glad I did. It also helped me make my government loan papers a lot more realistic, which is good, and made me feel a lot more secure about it. While I was downtown I managed to swing by the library and pick up a few cool books. Got one about the radicalization of Islam and it's effect on the portrayal of the religion itself, a book about living from the Dali Lama, one of the Dresden Files and The Time Keeper. Read the two fiction novels right away and am working on the Dali Lama book right now.

My training session today went alright. Didn't have that great of a time but I was really happy with my pacing . Still feeling like crap but I figured getting the blood circulating a little and a bit of fresh air wouldn't hurt. Guess we shall see tomorrow morning. I have to cash my cheques, go get a locker at the school, pick up some plastic totes to pack my stuff in and possibly work an evening shift. Not looking forward to it but I'll do my best.

[fluffyrin42]

Oh no!  Hope you are feeling better.  How did you like Dresden?

[Thunderneath]

Man, I miss a ton of great updates from you when I look away for a couple days! 

 

Sounds like things are still truckin' along, and those 5K times are so, so rad. Excellent work!!

 

Glad you're sticking with the full pushups on the bodyweight stuff. Slow and steady, it's a cliché for a reason.

Those apps sound helpful. It's awesome that we can have access to that stuff so readily, right? Blows my mind a little, still.

 

Books, books! Those all sound super cool. Haven't read any of 'em, but the one about Islam sounds right up my alley. What's the title?

 

Also, how'd you like the Dresden book? (Assuming you started with the first one?)