Syren Battles, Snap, Crackle, and Pop

[Syren]

Howdy all. I thought I would visit this challenge with my initial fitness long term goal, as challenges should be handled, yeah?

 

I am 26 and every one of my joints goes through a series of creaks and groans that is highly unsettling before one enters into their 40's. Now, I have traumatized my legs through various bad practices and a nasty car wreck, so I am assuming that this might never really go away, however, I'm going to make an effort to stop destroying my cartilage. 

 

The Battle Against Snap, Crackle, and Pop

 

Step 1: Strength and Flexibility -- keep up with the yoga 2x per week and 1x per week weight training session.  I do an Ashtanga flow series and enjoy most of my sessions.  I hate weight training, but I think every muscle group would benefit from it. Starting out with mostly body weight training as a precaution, then moving on up.

A = Pass: 12 yoga sessions and 6 strength training sessions (or more) -- Dex: 2.5, Str: 2.5

F = Fail: anything less than the above  -- Dex: 0 Str: 0

 

Step 2: Eat right -- Every mishap gets recorded, and recipes should be shared.

Eat more greens! Because I can no longer eat dairy comfortably, I need to get my dose of calcium from somewhere else. So I would like to start eating at least 1 serving of greens at every meal.

focus on 1 serving of greens per meal

A = Pass:126 servings of greens -- Con: 1

F = Fail: anything less than the above -- Con: 0

 

MOAR!

 

Track coffee consumption (aim for one < 12 oz. cup per day). Drink water instead!

Track refined sugar consumption (aim for eliminating those cravings). Choose fruit instead!

Track cheese and red meat consumption (aim for not partaking in those things). Is it worth the outcome?

Track grains consumed (aim for reducing those cravings). Choose robust vegetables or starchy fruits instead!

 

Step 3: Get the D! -- The vitamin D. Through absorbing about 30 minutes of direct sunlight per day, the liver starts to produce vitamin D which really helps the body to absorb calcium. 

A = Pass: 1260 minutes of sunlight -- Cha: 2

F = Fail: Anything less than the above -- Cha: 0

 

Step 4: Keep moving! -- I am pretty active, at least more active than I was, so adding things: one 15 - 30 minute bike session per week. 

A = 90 minutes Biking Total (or more) -- Sta: 3 

B = 72 minutes Biking Total -- Sta: 2.25

C = 63 minutes Biking Total -- Sta: 1.50

D = 54 minutes Biking Total -- Sta: 0.75

F = 0 minutes Biking Total -- Sta: 0

 

Bonus Round: if < 200 lbs by January 1, 2014, validated new swim suit purchase. (yay!)

.Starting Weight: 211 lbs. 

 

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Starts Sunday Nov. 10. 2013   

 

Now i must go TA for Zoo Lab. Fish week!

[The Borg Queen]

Hi!

 

Looks like a great set of goals. I think the yoga/swimming routine sounds like a lot of fun. Also, I like your idea about including greens with every meal... should lead to some creative solutions by the end of challenge

[Syren]

Hi!

 

Looks like a great set of goals. I think the yoga/swimming routine sounds like a lot of fun. Also, I like your idea about including greens with every meal... should lead to some creative solutions by the end of challenge

 

Hi!

 

I find if I don't have fun, at least a little fun, I don't do the workout. So fun is necessary.

[Syren]

Bear with me, planning helps motivate me.  

 

Planned Week One Attempt Strength Training Circuit 3x

Warm Up -- 2 minute Walk

30 second Jog

60 seconds of squats (start assisted because I lost most of the progress from 2 challenges ago)

60 seconds of pushups (start on the wall because I lost most of the progress from 2 challenges ago)

60 seconds of one arm rows (30 seconds per arm) (start out with my 3 lbs medicine ball)

60 seconds of plank

60 seconds of jumping jacks

30 second Jog

Cool Down/Rest -- 2 minute walk

[AverageFish]

Love your title -- this could be me!  Following...

[Syren]

Love your title -- this could be me!  Following...

Oh no! I hate to hear that you are suffering from the same kind of stuff! It's terribly annoying and often painful.

 

How are you coping with your early onset "arthritis?"

[Syren]

Step 4: Keep moving! -- I am pretty active, at least more active than I was, but I want to make this routine: at least three 60 minute swims including 1 sprint session and 1 long distance session, or 7.5K yards per week, 7K walking steps every day, and one 15 - 30 minute bike session per week. 

A = 294K Steps Walking, 90 minutes Biking, 45K yards Swimming Total (or more) -- Sta: 3 

B = 235.2K Steps Walking, 72 minutes Biking, 36K yards Swimming Total -- Sta: 2.25

C = 205.8K Steps Walking, 63 minutes Biking, 31.5K yards Swimming Total -- Sta: 1.50

D = 176.4K Steps Walking, 54 minutes Biking, 27K yards Swimming Total -- Sta: 0.75

F = 0 Steps Walking, 0 minutes Biking, 0 yards Swimming Total -- Sta: 0

(K stands for x1000, not kilometers, kilograms, or Kelvin)

 

Thoughts: so it is likely that I will swim at least 3x per week, and walk 7000 steps per day anyway, so I am thinking of pairing this part of the challenge down to just be an encouragement to my bicycle conditioning. 

[nanako]

Thoughts: so it is likely that I will swim at least 3x per week, and walk 7000 steps per day anyway, so I am thinking of pairing this part of the challenge down to just be an encouragement to my bicycle conditioning. 

Sounds reasonable. You still got a lot on your plate there! Great goals, best of luck! 

[Skywalker]

I'm gathering inspiration for my challenge thread and found we have similar goals.

Consider yourself subbed

[Syren]

I'm gathering inspiration for my challenge thread and found we have similar goals.

Consider yourself subbed

 

W00T!

[ApfelStrudi]

Holding out my hands for recipes

Did you eat your greens today?

(sorry for short replies, spelling derps and autocorrect funsies, sent from phone)

[Syren]

 

Holding out my hands for recipes 

Did you eat your greens today?

(sorry for short replies, spelling derps and autocorrect funsies, sent from phone)

 

So, everyone has a baked potato recipe they love. Great comfort food and usually easy to throw together on a lazy night or in some cases busy night.

 

Curry Sweet Potatoes

serves 2.5

 

Ingredients

2 sweet potatos

1 cup or whatever amount will fit in the potato of chicken/pork/ (also really good with chickpeas if vegetarian)

1 - 2 tablespoons curry seasoning of choice (big fan of yellow Madras or tikka masala) 

1 - 3 teaspoons Oil of choice + extra for stir-fry

< 1 tablespoon coconut or almond milk

1 bell pepper, sliced

1 onion, sliced

1 cup cauliflower/broccoli

 

Method

Throw the potatoes in the oven. I live at sea level so it is 400*F for 60 minutes. I  also like a little caramelization.

45 minutes later...

MIx seasoning with oil to make thick paste

Stir-fry the aromatics until fragrant

Add in the meat to brown it 

Next add the brassica of choice and the seasoning mix with just enough nut milk to make a nice thick sauce ( < 1 tablespoon)

Let simmer until meat is cooked through and veg are at desired consistency and/or the sauce is thickened (I do not like mushy broccoli, so this step is not very long for me).

Take the potatoes out of the oven. While still hot, slice them open and spoon in the contents of your pan. Best eaten warm.

 

If there are leftovers, they go great on top of salad with a little vinegar to thin out the sauce and give it a tang.

 

As for the next question, I have not eaten anything just yet, but I will probably through a handful of spinach into my eggs, find some broccoli, or something similar to get it into my breakfast (just about 9:00am here).

[ApfelStrudi]

That sounds really, really awesome. I have to try that.

I've never been a fan of sweet potatoes, in fact I'd never even tried them until I started eating paleo. And now I kinda love them.  

[Syren]

That sounds really, really awesome. I have to try that.

I've never been a fan of sweet potatoes, in fact I'd never even tried them until I started eating paleo. And now I kinda love them.

 

I never liked them either. And then I tried one with curry on it, and now they have kinda replaced macaroni and cheese as my "I've had a bad day" food.

[AverageFish]

Oh no! I hate to hear that you are suffering from the same kind of stuff! It's terribly annoying and often painful.

 

How are you coping with your early onset "arthritis?"

Thanks for the kind words!  I cope mainly by staying active and having a "long-term relationship" with a fabulous physical therapist.  I haven't seen her for a few years so I think it's time to get back in again.  When I do what she tells me to I do much better,

[AverageFish]

Must try curried veggies and sweet potato recipe

[Syren]

Thanks for the kind words!  I cope mainly by staying active and having a "long-term relationship" with a fabulous physical therapist.  I haven't seen her for a few years so I think it's time to get back in again.  When I do what she tells me to I do much better,

 

Ah yes, PT is one of those things I did not think I could afford, so did not pursue it. Now I know that I could have because hindsight is a perfect 20/20.

 

I'm glad it works out for you! Keep going!

[Syren]

Yesterday was a bumpy start :S

 

But that's okay.

 

I got my bike riding in: 15 minutes just around my apartment complex. I need to figure out how to adjust my handle bars and seat, I was hunched over trying to ride.

 

Did some strength training tests so that I could find out where I am in terms of pushups, triceps dips, and squats. Did better on the dips than I thought I would, my squats are on an average level, but my pushups are terrible.

 

Walked a bit, maybe 6500 steps, my pedometer has decided not to show data from yesterday.

 

I did not eat very well, but I tracked what I did eat on MFP. Went to a dinner party with my Lab family. Party food was pretty vegetable heavy, as we are all a group of vegetarians or non-red meat eaters, but we are also all very excited by sweet and chocolately things.

[shortstuff]

Nice set of goals you have

[The Borg Queen]

Hey, you're off to a great start! Looks like you are starting strong on your strength goal. Will be trying the sweet potato recipe

[Syren]

 

Step 2: Eat right -- Every mishap gets recorded, and recipes should be shared.

Mini Challenge 1 -- Eat moar greens! Because I can no longer eat dairy comfortably, I need to get my dose of calcium from somewhere else. So I would like to start eating at least 1 serving of greens at every meal.

focus on 1 serving of greens per meal

A = Pass:126 servings of greens -- Con: 1

F = Fail: anything less than the above -- Con: 0

 

Mini Challenge 2 -- Drink less coffee and alcohol, but more water! I'm good at drinking water as long as I start my day with a workout (rest days are awkward). I love coffee, not just for the caffeine boost, but a well made coffee is delicious. Caffeine however may be a factor in a loss of calcium, but it is also an amazing natural drug for so many things! I don't want to get rid of coffee and alcohol, because I enjoy the flavors, however I need to cut back to maybe one cup of coffee instead of three cups per day, and maybe consistently choose a glass of wine over a cold beer with my dinner, and maybe not have a glass while cooking dinner as well.

focus on the one cup of coffee, and not drinking alcohol for at least 2 weeks. Get through 2 weeks before moving on to week 3.

A = Pass: 42 cups of coffee (12 oz.), 28 glasses of wine (5 oz.), or less -- Con: 1

F = Fail: anything more than the above. -- Con: 0

 

Mini Challenge 3 -- Reduce the sugar! Epic sweet tooth right here. I have steadily decreased my sugar consumption over the past couple of years (I was a Little Debbie fiend, but now I hate them and their dry sponge like consistency and faux cream that sticks to your teeth). I have rules about snacks, which I am often lax about lately: if I want it, I need to want it bad enough to make it myself. Which is an excellent motivator for me since I usually don't want to put that much effort into making a sweet treat. I also have gotten into the habit of only using honey as my sweetener in everything.

focus on choosing fruit for snacks and not using sweeteners or eating things with lots of refined sugars: you must bake if you want sugar! If you are good you can have the alcohol back in week 3.

A = Pass: +1 for every fruit, -1 for every refined sugar containing thing or sweetener -- Con: 1

F = Fail: Anything less than 0  -- Con: 0

 

Mini Challenge 4 -- Stop thinking that I can eat cheese and pork (or red meat of any kind). I know, it tastes/smells delicious, but my digestive system just doesn't like it. 

focus on sticking with fowl or fish. Make sure that both are responsibly raised/harvested, or just go back to the beans.

A = Pass: 0 things I cannot digest -- Con: 1

F = Fail: Anything more than 0. -- Con: 0

 

Mini Challenge 5 -- Your dependency on grains is your weakness.

focus on using starchy fruits (squash) or robust greens (broccoli) in place of grains

A = Pass: +1 for every robust veg/fruit, -1 for every grain -- Con: 1

F = Fail: Anything less than 0  -- Con: 0

 

Tweaking the food goal already... *sighs*

 

Baby stepping the food is what I am going to have to do here.

 

Abundance of greens is my priority, and I am going to track the others closely and see if they shift to something manageable over the next few weeks. 

[Syren]

11/13/2013

 

A lazy but productive day -- I did not have to go to class today. I have not touched the pool yet this week, so I am neglecting my Scoutly duties.

 

But I did this!

 

The workout

Week 1 Day 1 done. 

 

Knee Push Ups

Set 1: 2

Set 2: 3

Set 3: 3

Set 4: 2

Set 5: 3

total: 13

 

Weird thing happened on set 4 and 5: while my muscles were none too pleased with the meager repetition, it was much easier to demand the proper up and down motion than it was at the beginning. 

 

Squats

Set 1: 13

Set 2: 16

Set 3: 9

Set 4: 9

Set 5: 16

total: 63

 

I don't know if it was quite enough. I am a little wobbly if I try to walk up or down stairs, but otherwise I am fine.

 

Triceps Dips

Set 1: 3

Set 2: 4

Set 3: 3

Set 4: 3

Set 5: 4

total: 17

 

Planks

Set 1: 60 seconds

Set 2: 90 seconds

Set 3: 30 seconds

Set 4: 30 seconds

Set 5: 90 seconds

Set 6: 60 seconds

total: 6 minutes

 

My core still hurts... 

 

I did not feel hungry after this workout today. After yoga, I am usually starving. I am not sure what the different is since I do both

workouts before eating and they are about the same intensity and duration. And the non-hunger has continued through until now.  So I have eaten some greek yogurt with strawberries (I know, out of season. I had a demanding desire.) and a bit of almond, honey, oat granola as well as half of an Athena Chicken Wrap with some sweet potato chips (they are like crack). 

 

...Right, I have other goals...I will get back to you on that.

[nanako]

 

Abundance of greens is my priority, and I am going to track the others closely and see if they shift to something manageable over the next few weeks. 

 

I'm a big believer in greens too. 

I try to always have some mince or eggs or bacon in the house now. When I'm hungry I'll just do a stir-fry type veg thing with whatever I have in the house, then throw in a bit of meat (or eggs or bacon) and two or three handful of greens. Voila. Not too creative but working well so far. 

[AverageFish]

Ah yes, PT is one of those things I did not think I could afford, so did not pursue it. Now I know that I could have because hindsight is a perfect 20/20.

 

I'm glad it works out for you! Keep going!

Yep, it's not cheap.  It always amazes me that insurance will pay for medications (including addictive pain killers), surgeries, rehab after surgeries, on and on, but a lot of them won't pay for PT which would help people not need all of the other stuff and be healthier long term.  

[Syren]

I am not in Challenge Mode this week.

 

Stay tuned for potential awesomeness tomorrow.