Buggalo Gives Peas a Chance

[Certified Wong Buggalo]

*trumpets*

 

It's time for Challenge 2 and I am ALL OVER IT baby!

 

New to the Ranger's Guild, I am a dwarfish-sized person at 5'3'' and 166.6 pounds. I've lost about 26 pounds since December 2012 thanks to daily exercise and, in the last few months, clean eating.

 

I don't do this to look good, I do this to manage chronic depression and anxiety and to increase my chances of living past the age of 50. The fit me is a MUCH happier me. This is me at the end of Challenge 1, sporting my custom-made loot:

 

 

Challenge 2 is going to be all about nutrition! I realized I was going way overboard on the dairy products so I have decided to give the plant-based lifestyle a try. This was partly influenced by reading ''The China Study,'' though I don't think that book is the last word on nutrition, it certainly made me think. I have located some good guidelines, ''The New Four Food Groups'' from the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine so for the duration of my challenge I will be adhering to those.

 

Now, just an FYI, this diet is to be inclusive, meaning animal products are fine as long as my daily plant-based nutrition goals are met.

 

My main objective here isn't to become religiously vegan, but rather to crowd out some of the less nutritious stuff with more of the nutritious stuff. It seems to make a big difference in my mood.

 

On to the goals...

 

Main Quest: GIVE PEAS A CHANCE (try a plant-based diet)

 

Goal 1: Eat an inclusive diet consisting of mostly plants +5 CON

At least 1 cruciferous vegetable each day, a minimum of 3 fruit and 4 total vegetable servings a day.

Goal 2: Walk 3,000 steps before 10 am +3 STA

Goal 3: Try a new item of produce each week +2 CON

Side Quest: 1 hour of job hunting/professional development each weekday +5 CHA

 

Walking 3,000 steps before 10am has the very specific purpose of trying to get me to spread my exercise throughout the day rather than just cramming it in at the end of the day. This will also help me get up and around every morning so I can work on job stuff.

 

The Side Quest is probably the most important goal. As of September 1, 2013 I am jobless and the sooner I find work, the happier I will be. The last time I was unemployed turned into a depression disaster that dragged out almost a year, and I am NOT letting it happen again!

 

LOOT: Battle Gear. This wonderfully silly t-shirt. I guess I'm collecting t-shirts as my challenge rewards. Which is good, because my current ones are too big now!

 

So there you have it. Daily conditioning workouts will of course continue as well as my 10,000 steps a day minimum. I have my spreadsheet made and rarin' to go! WOOO!

[ShadowLion]

Hey Buggalo, super goals and welcome to the Rangers! I can really relate to fitness being the best anti-depressant. It makes a world of difference to me, too. The other thing that really helps me is taking time to do creative, fun things for self-expression. Looking forward to seeing your progress this challenge!

[AshPS]

Found Ya Buggs, lol! And Sub'd!!

 

Whooo Hooo, that is the Brigade Spirit!! :triumphant:

[Hero]

Woop woop! It's challenge wrecking time!! Can't wait to see you kill another challenge Brigade style!

[bluekiwi1]

Although my own personal feelings for peas are like this:

 

But lolcat says:

 

Rawr!  Good Luck and Have Fun!   

[AshPS]

Although my own personal feelings for peas are like this:

 

 

Lol, that reminds me of my family when I serve peas.

[Leithient]

Why? Peas are nice, I like them a lot. They are green, small, cute.

 

Well, your goal three reminds me the walking to Mordor challenge. Do you like Lord of the Rings? Maybe you would like to see the challenge and join to us (see my signature, etc). Anyway, it is a good goal.

 

About The China Study, it shocked me the first time I read it, but there are some studios that refute the conclusions of the book. In nutrition there are very contradictory information and one never knows what to believe. So do not feel scared about your health, but good luck with that.

[Gobnait]

There probably is such a thing as too much vegetables, but I imagine it's a super-huge amount that is hard to hit realistically.

 

Looking forward to seeing how you do.

[pbandbrains]

Your goals sound great and I will definitely be interested in hearing about your progress. Best of luck on job hunting!

[forkboy]

Love the Ts!  Awesome goals, I will definitely be following!

[WonderNatarella]

Subscribing!  I loooove your t-shirt! And I really agree with exercising

 

Maybe we can go through the job search together? Have you set already the searching plan? And how you would rate your progress?

 

Let me know if you are interested!

 

 

Why? Peas are nice, I like them a lot. They are green, small, cute.

 

Well, your goal three reminds me the walking to Mordor challenge. Do you like Lord of the Rings? Maybe you would like to see the challenge and join to us (see my signature, etc). Anyway, it is a good goal.

 

About The China Study, it shocked me the first time I read it, but there are some studios that refute the conclusions of the book. In nutrition there are very contradictory information and one never knows what to believe. So do not feel scared about your health, but good luck with that.

 

I also looooove peas! Tasty and sweet!

[Jodi V]

Following along on your second challenge!  Go get that shirt 

[Swampling]

Love the shirts!

I'll be tagging along and see you get your awesome loot!

[Certified Wong Buggalo]

Wow, thanks so much for the support everybody! It is most definitely appreciated during a rather stressful and challenging time in my life.

 

kiwi you crack me up. I like peas because they are wrinkly.

 

Monday, September 16, 2013 report

 

Goal 1 - The new veggie I'm trying this week is jicama.

Goal 2 - 3-5 whole grains : 2 whole wheat, 2 oats

Goal 3 - 3,000 steps by 10am done

Side Quest -1 hour of job search done = Submitted 2 applications today plus followed up on another.

 

WOD =

5 push ups

5 squats

10 sit ups

10 supermans

 

8 minutes AMRAP (As Many Rounds as Possible.)

15 minutes stretch

 

Today's workout wasn't so bad, but my Coach just gave me the schedule for the week, and it's brutal. He says it's not supposed to be fair. He designed it to be just at the ragged edge of what I can handle and I should think of it as a test. He's got me scheduled for not one, but TWO benchmark workouts this week, plus some other stuff that sounds tough. And I'm grateful, I'm so grateful. I'm sure it's going to be hell but for some reason I welcome this. My workouts are this thing I have, I always have to come back to, the guarantee I have every day. And even if I'm sick, weak, tired, whatever, it's still a success even on my worst day. I screw up my nutrition all the time, but I feel like as long as I do them, my WODs are fail-proof.

 

I can tell you what yesterdays' WOD was - pushed my car 100 meters forward and then back. The only spot I could find to do this was a dirt road with a slight incline, so I had my work cut out for me. Dom put the car in neutral and steered while I pushed. It was fun feeling like She-Hulk though.

 

I'm going through these phases of complete and utter panic about what to eat. I feel awful. I was dropping weight like crazy for weeks but all of that seems to have suddenly ground to a halt now that I've gone veg. I don't even care about that as much as just getting comfortable with a way of eating. This week is ''focus on whole grains'' week but I don't think it's working for most of my calories to come from whole grains. I've been constantly hungry and underperforming. So I am going to have to re-think this challenge a little, and tweak my plans a bit. Especially because on this crazy fitness week I cannot afford to be malnourished. 

 

As planned, I've been reading Good Calories, Bad Calories to get the other side of the story, but you know what? I find it really dry and boring. So far the author has emphasized the lack of consensus about the relationship between dietary fat, cholesterol and coronary artery disease, which is certainly worth exploring, but I'm not really sure where he's going with it. I just got to the part about The Carbohydrate Hypothesis so I'm going to give it a little longer and see if it gets more interesting. I appreciate the scientific approach, though, for sure. After this, I plan on reading Clean.

 

I love reading books like this. Evidence-based living, I call it. I'm always discovering new and exciting ways to be confused about what to eat.

[AshPS]

First, you are one tough girl and I know that workout is in the bag!

 

Second, you will have to tell me about the jicama, I have never tried it.

 

Third, You were pushing your freaking car??!!! Wow!

 

And fourth, I think that you most need to listen to what your body is telling you. You are a super smart girl and I know you will know what is best for you!

 

Hope your day is awesome!

[WonderNatarella]

Suggestion : maybe trying your new diet on "recovery days"? I mean, changes are not easy to handle mentally / physically. If your past diet worked for you and gave you lots of energy, might be a wise idea to consider taking it back for most days and trying your whole-grain things occasionnally?

 

This thing needs to be flexible and makes you happy , not the other around.

 

HAve a nice day she-hulk

(btw : I love your coach!)

[Swampling]

I heard that "Good Calories, Bad Calories" is not the easiest read. I read Taubes' "Why we get fat - and what to about it", and I think it's supposed to be easier (or rather not quite as dry) as GCBC.

Thanks to my better half, our health related library has become quite extensive over the last couple of months. Very interesting stuff, and also mostly very controversial...

 

And: Your coach rocks!

[iatetheyeti]

Pushing the car is a good idea. Wonder if one of the housemates will let me borrow theirs...?

 

I completely agree about the diet thing, going into a crazy heavy week with inadequate nutrition is a bad idea. Stick with what you know works for that, then try the changes.

 

Best of luck with the rest of the WODs this week! 

[bluekiwi1]

RAWR!   Good Luck with the WODs!  You are hardcore!!!  Rawr!

[Certified Wong Buggalo]

A for the day.

 

WOD

Benchmark!

20 Sprinter Sprinter Suitcase

20 Sit-ups

20 GR push-ups

20 jumping jacks

20 front to back hops

20 side to side hops

20 Kettle bell swings

20 front lunge

20 back lunge

20 Clean and jerk

For time!

 

The time to beat was 10:45 and I clocked in at 10:50. Honestly? This week, that's a victory. I was already sore from pushing my car on Sunday and I haven't been feeling great with my messed up nutrition. I was worried I was going to do much worse than I did last month, so to do roughly the same, that's a success. I'm always exhausted after a Benchmark workout, and tomorrow I have another brutal workout to look forward to, but so far I'm holding up pretty well.

 

I really, really am overdue to check up on you guys. I know this. I just started doing things today and the forward momentum is the first I've felt in a week, I had to run with it. I did job search stuff plus I had to figure out this nutrition thing, because the last week has been a disaster. I have to go to bed soon, but tomorrow I will make it a priority to get in touch with everyone.

 

I tried something different today - instead of wheat bran, I had kale and eggs for breakfast, and lunch was lots and lots of vegetables with some nuts and seeds. I noticed a difference almost immediately. My mood improved, my energy improved, and the feelings of constant hunger began to dissipate. I still ate for maintenance rather than weight loss today, but I feel things are moving in the right direction. Plus, I really don't want to be skimpy on calories with such a tough fitness week.

 

I changed my Goal 1 for this challenge because focusing on whole grains seemed to make everything worse. My new Goal 1 is 1 cruciferous vegetable a day, 4 total servings of veggies and 3 fruits. And today I nailed it. And today I was in a good mood. So I am for the first time in several days starting to feel optimistic about this quest!

[Certified Wong Buggalo]

HAve a nice day she-hulk

(btw : I love your coach!)

 

Every time I try to articulate my relationship with my Coach, I fall short. It is like no other relationship I have had so I can't compare it to anything. We go back a long way - 4th grade. We are so different that sometimes I feel like we're speaking different languages. I'm pretty sure he's human but he's unlike any other human I know.

 

Example: The other day I asked him how to know if you're pushing yourself too far. He said, ''If your workout causes permanent injury, that's bad. If your workout causes you to throw up or poop your pants, that's okay.'' I think I could write a book full of crazy shit he has said to me.

 

He is absolutely insane. It just so happens that he is insane in a way that greatly benefits me.

[AshPS]

WOOT! Buggs!!

 

I knew you'd figure it out! So glad you are feeling better!

 

Wow, that was some workout- you are awesome! Looking forward to having you back!

 

Rock that workout! (like you'd do less, pft!)

[Swampling]

Yay for that Benchmark! :triumphant:

 

And great adaptation to your nutrition goals! Seems reasonable for the kind of workout you are doing.

[Gobnait]

Great to see that you've found your nutrition type.  Some people do well with paleo, some with vegetarian, don't care about the label, just do what works for you.

[bluekiwi1]

Every time I try to articulate my relationship with my Coach, I fall short. It is like no other relationship I have had so I can't compare it to anything. We go back a long way - 4th grade. We are so different that sometimes I feel like we're speaking different languages. I'm pretty sure he's human but he's unlike any other human I know.

 

Example: The other day I asked him how to know if you're pushing yourself too far. He said, ''If your workout causes permanent injury, that's bad. If your workout causes you to throw up or poop your pants, that's okay.'' I think I could write a book full of crazy shit he has said to me.

  That's too funny!

 

Here is to another successful day!  Rawr!