Otter's Unofficial Challenge

[otter905]

So I don't feel properly prepared for this challenge, therefore I am posting what my focus is for the up coming weeks, to be held accountable, but not doing a full challenge with points etc.

 

MAIN QUEST - real pushups

 

#1 Pushups.  Haven't figured this out yet. I have returned to my crossfit classes, and am not on a set  schedule yet. Therefore my focus right now is.....

A) get on a regular schedule at crossfit (which will help my pushups)

work on my incline push ups at home

 

#2 Whole 30(ish) - starting today (Sept 20) and running full tilt until Oct 18 (when I am celebrating my birthday) the week from Oct. 18 to Oct 27 will be a free for all and then I will start it again either on Oct 28 or with the new challenge.

 

#3 Yoga - this was part of my goals last challenge and I really enjoyed it, want to continue doing 40min/week.

 

My life goal is to continue reading my Bible every night before bed.  Hopefully finishing by the end of November.

 

 

[Teros]

Good luck with the whole 30.  I'm on day 15- halfway done. 

 

As for pushups- there's ways you can progress.  I'm almost able to do a normal pushups.

 

1) Wall-ups. Take a huge step away from the wall and do pushups that way.

2) Incline push-ups (stairs work great here). Find an incline that your comfortable with and do pushups that way.

3) lower incline push-ups.  If you're using stairs, drop down 1-2. You're goal here is to go from vertical pushups to the normal horizontal ones.

4) the real thing.

 

I did wall-ups pretty quick, and then for incline push-ups I used my work desk.  a couple weeks ago I dropped my incline to using my tractor tire.  I can do 20 'tire-ups' now. Once I can comfotably do 30, then I'm going for the real thing.

[otter905]

Thank Teros.  The challenge is making the time to do it after I go to class.  I made my way down to the 2nd stair the last challenge.  I am still working there as I am not strong enough to do chest to the "ground" pushups there yet.

 

I have decided that my way of working on them is going to be:

everytime I go into my kitchen I have to do 5 inclince pushups on the counter, if I forget I have to do them on the dining room chair (a little lower)

and everytime I go upstairs in my house I have to do 5 inclince pushups on the second stair.

 

Food so far

Friday

roast beef and broccolii

green peppers/carrots

roast beef and mac and cheese ( I know not Whole30 but didn't want to throw it out)

 

Saturday

4 slices of lunch meat

pear

eggs and potato

1 tortilla chip (stolen of someone's plate )

roast beef and olives

 

Sunday

western omlete (no cheese) and tomato slices

pepperoni sticks

sausage, tomatoe, black olives

[otter905]

I forgot to mention I stayed for yoga class after crossfit on Saturday giving me an hour of yoga - felt so good!

 

Monday's food

pepperoni sticks

salad- chicken, spinach, radish, green peppers w/balsamic vinegar/olive oil dressing

nectarine, pepperoni sticks

slice of roast beef, pepperoni stick, omelete (slightly random, but didn't know what I wanted)

[otter905]

Tuesday

pepperoni sticks

salad- chicken, spinach, radish, green peppers w/balsamic vinegar/olive oil dressing and an apple

sausage

rost beef and squash hash browns

 

Went to crossfit - had to do 50 evil wheelies as part of our warm up! Man if they don't help my pushups nothing will!

[otter905]

Wednesday - day 5

pepperoni sticks

salad- chicken, spinach, radish, green peppers w/balsamic vinegar/olive oil dressing and squash seeds

rost beef and squash hash browns

1 carrot, 1 radish, crackers and peanut butter, handful of choc.chips - Yup! I bailed and I'm totally regretting it as I woke up with a headache today and it won't go away.  Oh and after eating the entire package of pepperoni sticks I read the ingredients and they had corn syrup solids in it.  BOOO!!

This is not going to stop me though.  My focus is still on "finishing" and eating meat and veggies for all meals.

 

 

Pushup are going pretty good. I can feel myself getting a little closer to the ground.

Bible reading is off and on....My main focus is to have it finished by Nov 30 whatever that takes.

[otter905]

Thursday - Day 6

salad - roast beef, spinach, radish, carrots

apple

pear

squash hashbrowns with 2 over easy eggs on top (soooo yummy!!)

back on track for today - According to the Whole30 site, I should be in sleep mode, but I'm not really feeling it.  I guess thats a good thing.  I'm hoping it doesn't hit tomorrow as I am helping a friend move.

 

Did my pushups and my reading last night.  Still haven't fit in any yoga this week. :/

[Teros]

"inclince pushups on the counter, if I forget I have to do them on the dining room chair (a little lower)

and everytime I go upstairs in my house I have to do 5 inclince pushups on the second stair."

 

That kind of echoes what I used to do when in the kitchen.  As soon as I started microwaving something- instead of sitting down for 3 minutes I would do some sort of work out.  Bang out a few reps.

[otter905]

"inclince pushups on the counter, if I forget I have to do them on the dining room chair (a little lower)

and everytime I go upstairs in my house I have to do 5 inclince pushups on the second stair."

 

That kind of echoes what I used to do when in the kitchen.  As soon as I started microwaving something- instead of sitting down for 3 minutes I would do some sort of work out.  Bang out a few reps.

I like it because it doesn't feel like a work out and I don't have to set aside any time for it.  But it keeps me moving. I'm enjoying it.

 

I ate some crap on Sunday, but am still doing pretty well.  I guess the Whole 30 is kinda out seeing as I cheated twice.  But I am still focused on eating protein, veggies for my meals and fruit .  I picked a bunch of apples from the trees growing at work and some walnuts.  Yay free food!!  This may change a little as my car went into the shop today and is costing me $170.00.  So I might have to live off what I have at home for a couple of weeks.  At least it will get it out of the house.

 

I did not get my yoga done last week.  Moving my friend rolled over to Sunday also.  I was exhausted afer helping her Sunday, a meeting I had to go to and baking 3 apple pies for people at work.

 

All in all, I'm not doing great, but nothing to cry over.  I knew my life would be crazy during this time and that is exactly why this in an unofficial challenge!

[otter905]

Update

 

#1 Pushups.  Worked on this last week a few nights and on the weekend. Did not go to crossfit at all - ok sorry 1 class out of 4....really bad and feeling like crap - need my workout tonight!

 

#2 Whole 30(ish) - kinda dropped this for the week due to finances, but trying to get back on track.  Tues I made a frozen pizza for dinner while I made healthy lunches for the rest of the week.  Thurs I ate some microwave philly cheesesteak things (I really don't know how this is called food) and the weekend was a free for all.  I had a special Russian dinner to go to Sat and Sun a pot luck.  Although besides the desserts and the perogies on Saturday, they weren't to bad, but not Whole 30 either.

I went grocery shopping yesterday and was getting discouraged because I didn't know what I wanted and couldn't afford much.  I made some "chili" at the end of the week last week, which I had for lunch yesterday and today mixed with mac and cheese - it was really yummy! but I need to find something better to mix it with - I might try squash hashbrowns.

I need to get my shit together so I can do a real Whole 30 for the next challenge.

 

#3 Yoga - did 30min of yoga on Saturday.  At this point, I'm pretty much just glad I did something.

 

Reading my Bible every night before bed is going pretty well.  I have skipped a few, but still being consistent.  I also sat and read for a couple hours one night.  I'm just over 1/2 way through, so I need to start adding some more reading time if I'm going to finish by Nov. 30

[Ba'sini'on]

Come on! Get back on track and kickass!!

 

Wow! A Whole 30, from what I've read it's really brutal. Not many people have stuck to it 100%, hope you can! You should do a prize at the end of your challenge if you complete it without a hitch. Maybe some new clothes or something.

[otter905]

Come on! Get back on track and kickass!!

 

Wow! A Whole 30, from what I've read it's really brutal. Not many people have stuck to it 100%, hope you can! You should do a prize at the end of your challenge if you complete it without a hitch. Maybe some new clothes or something.

Thanks for the motivation. This week I haven't gotten back on track.  The good thing though is that most of the "junk" is now gone forcing me to buy groceries and healthy stuff.  I just keep thinking.  I only have to make 1 choice - to not buy the garbage.  Then I won't be tempted to eat the garbage.  It's just difficult when my finances are so tight.  Do I buy a bag of chicken for 6.99 or a frozen pizza for .99???  Financially its an easy choice. Healthily (I think I just made up a word) it's an easy choice.  I just need them to meet in the middle somewhere!

 

I did a full Whole 30 in May and made it through.  I will be doing another one with the next challenge.  I find if I'm not totally strict with myself I fail big time.  So strict it is.

[Teros]

I hope the pizza you're talking about isn't Celeste's pizza for one.  I've grown to hate those things   You gotta keep in mind what is going to keep you full as well.

[Terinatum]

How are your push ups coming along? I need serious work on mine!

Hope you are well.

Cheers.

[otter905]

I hope the pizza you're talking about isn't Celeste's pizza for one.  I've grown to hate those things   You gotta keep in mind what is going to keep you full as well.

No, It's Mamma Cozi or something like that - I buy them at Aldi's. They keep me full, but I think it's mostly cause my stomach is busy trying to figure out what to do with the crap I just put in it.

 

How are your push ups coming along? I need serious work on mine!

Hope you are well.

Cheers.

Still working on them The counter pushups are starting to feel easy.  I might have to up my reps on those.  The stair pushups are not where I want them to be, but I can feel a slight improvement and I feel myself getting stronger.  That's the most important part. 

I was working on my kip in class on Tuesday (so hopefully I can do pullups sometime soon).  I get so frustrated in the things I can't do...it always seems there's something more to do that I'm just not strong enough for yet.  I need to step back every once in a while and recognize where I've come from and how far I've come.  So where I am is amazing seeing as just over  a year ago I could only do wall pushups!

[Ba'sini'on]

[Terinatum]

How's this week shaping up for ya?

Hope you are well.

Cheers

[otter905]

Its been ok.  I'm on vacation this week (hence the not being around) and so far I have fixed my struts on my car and fix a leaky toilet and rotten floor in my bathroom. Breaking 2 nails, gouging a chunck out of my thumb and burning my finger...ya I know!!! but that's what doing "real" work is all about. Food hasn't been too bad, but this was supposed to be my week off anyways.  Haven't gone to a workout yet this week, but hoping to get back on track this weekend.  Not to mention squating to do my struts and climbing under the car was something, and all the trips up and down my stairs getting tools and lifting my toilet. It's not the same as going to a class, but I wasn't just sitting on my butt all day.

I did go to yoga class last Saturday, so thats 1 thing right. 

 

Oh!! and completely on a side note, I went Christmas shopping yesterday (yes already) and bought a 31" Darth Vader for my nephew for Christmas...now I can't wait for Christmas to get here so I can give it to him!!!! 

[Ba'sini'on]

DUDE!! May I be the first to say OUCH!! Hope your injuries don't prevent you from lifting....or cutting lemons or doing dishes

 

That's cool you can do all that stuff around the house! One of my goals in life is to learn everything I can, so I can fix everything myself. I want to learn auto repair, plumbing, cooking (I suck at it), construction, gardening, emergency first aid, wilderness survival, etc. But for now, a leaky toilet and rotten floor would have me going, "....greeeeeeeaaaat, now what do I do?"

 

Aaaaw! That's an awesome gift to get a future Nerd! It's funny that Darth Vader has more stuff than the hero of the movie Luke Skywalker.

[otter905]

DUDE!! May I be the first to say OUCH!! Hope your injuries don't prevent you from lifting....or cutting lemons or doing dishes

 

That's cool you can do all that stuff around the house! One of my goals in life is to learn everything I can, so I can fix everything myself. I want to learn auto repair, plumbing, cooking (I suck at it), construction, gardening, emergency first aid, wilderness survival, etc. But for now, a leaky toilet and rotten floor would have me going, "....greeeeeeeaaaat, now what do I do?"

 

Aaaaw! That's an awesome gift to get a future Nerd! It's funny that Darth Vader has more stuff than the hero of the movie Luke Skywalker.

 

I am blessed that my dad knows all these things and if not Home Depot is extrememly handy.  The great part is that my dad does not just do it all for me.  He teaches me how to do it.  He actually takes the time to explain what we're doing and why. And let me do things.  That way at least if I can't do them by myself when he can't help me anymore, at least I will know enough to not get screwed over by someone. I have been working on cars with him since before I could drive. And I learned cooking, baking, sewing and knitting from my mom (still hate cooking though).  I really am a jill of all trades.

 

We will see tomorrow if my injuries get in the way of lifting.  There are always modifications though.  The only one I am worried about is the burn on the pad of my pointer finger.  But I can type today without trouble, so I'm sure I can push through!!!

Everyone stay strong for the end of the challenge.  I have my goals already for the next one.

[Ba'sini'on]

Wish my parents had been like that. But I can't let that be an excuse not to learn it when I'm in the Marines! In fact the job I'm going for will have me learning how to be a jill of all trades with construction work.

 

Staying strong! My motivation is getting slimmer than my twin, also my mom has a full length mirror and from what I see...I have a lot of work to do

[Terinatum]

OTTTTEEEERRRRRRRR

 

1. Ouch!

2. Awesome gift for the Nephew!!

3. Love the sewing thing. I've been trying to teach myself Crewel Embroidery. It's pretty cool.

 

Goals for next challenge? Do tell.

[otter905]

FINAL UPDAT

 

#1 Pushups. 

A) get on a regular schedule at crossfit (which will help my pushups) doing Monday/Tuesday/Friday/Saturday when life doesn't get in the way

work on my incline push ups at home did 5 on the stairs when I went up and 5 on the counter every time I went in the kitchen (on non-crossfit days)

 

#2 Whole 30(ish) - starting today (Sept 20) and running full tilt until Oct 18 (when I am celebrating my birthday) the week from Oct. 18 to Oct 27 will be a free for all and then I will start it again either on Oct 28 or with the new challenge. totally bailed on this due to finances. Went 2 weeks of only eating what I already had in the house.  The good thing is it got rid of a lot of "junk". I really wanted to do one for the next challenge, but I'm thinking it will be Whole30 focused with no buying anything processed instead.

 

#3 Yoga - this was part of my goals last challenge and I really enjoyed it, want to continue doing 40min/week. Did the first 2 weeks, then the last 2 weeks - not fabulous, but not bad either. To be updated for the next challenge

 

My life goal is to continue reading my Bible every night before bed.  Hopefully finishing by the end of November.

Did pretty good with this.  Didn't do it every night but did get a lot read.  I'm in the 1000's of 1700 pages (roughly) This will also carry over to my next challenge.

 

Weight as of Oct 25 211.4lbs   29.5% body fat (this is the official weigh in for a crossfit weight loss challenge I am doing)

Chest 36"

Waist 39.5"

Hips 42.5"

 

R Arm 11.25  Wrist 5.5"

L Arm 11.25  Wrist 5.5"

 

R Leg 22" Calf 14"

L Leg 22"  Calf 14.50"

Not many changes weight and measurement wise

[Ba'sini'on]

I would give you a B! You did really good and you've already created healthy habits that will most certainly guarantee an A+ in the next challenge!

 

Here's a little motivation for the next challenge: