Embracing the process, Liberator's 2nd Challenge

Liberator · January 3, 2014

Liberator's 2nd Challenge

January 6 - February 16, 2014

There is something to this process of goal setting and honest assessment of daily habits that is so effective. I feel a need to be honest with my information and my comments in a way that surprises me and is liberating as well. So, I am embracing the process and trusting the NF community to help me reach my goals. Here they are:

Main Quests:

Exercise: 3 x week

New Squat Routine (Love what the squats have done for my butt!)

15 minutes of squats and lunges

25 Pushups (Still really weak upper body)

Side Planks 30 sec each side

Exercise: 1 x week

Weights 1x week (Thursdays) - Seated Row, Chest Press, Pull Down, Overhead Press & Leg press

Belly Dancing Class 1x week (Tuesdays) plus 3x week practice drills

Yoga when needed for stress management

Life: Daily Meditation

5 minute meditation, preferably in the morning after squats

I have read a lot about meditation through the years but never developed a consistent practice. Time to stop reading and start doing!

Diet: High fat, medium protein, low carbs

Limit sugar intake to 25-30g

No cookies, pastries, candies or other sugar treats, except dark chocolate in limited qualities.

Add more healthy fats and protein

50-70% fats

Add more avocado and sweet potatoes with butter.

Limit carbs but allow carb refeeding (1x week) when I feel a bit too low with my carbs. At times I feel a bit of depression settle in and a little bit of carbs seems to help.

Side quests:

I am going to focus most of my energy on the main quests and work in side quests after I nail down the main quests for the day.

Sleep

I will track my sleep hours. My sleep is effected by my son and a bit out of my control. The tracking will help me understand things. I have room for improvement in this area.

Tracking foods

I will post what I eat in a day. This is a hard to be honest with this. Somedays I barely eat anything. I don't plan meals well and sometimes I am caught without much to eat. I'll drink some tea and have four granola bars and a handful of nuts. So, no judging! I know sometimes I eat like I have an eating disorder. I don't but I get teased by my husband on a regular basis. I am working on it. I am learning to listen to my body and notice when I need more fats, carbs or veggies. I notice I feel a bit off or have a headache or low energy.

Skin Issues

I have been getting breakouts on my cheek since the summer. I think they might be a food reaction or a hormone related. So as I notice flare ups or improvements I am going to note it in the log.

Creative outlet

I would love to do a daily drawing challenge, but I feel that if I try to do too much I won't be able to make it through. So I won't put pressure on myself but if the opportunity arises to create I will go for it. I want to get in a least one juried art show this year by my birthday. Last year I had work in shows continuously from August 2012 to July 2013. It was a good experience but a lot of hauling artwork around. Only three shows since September this year, I haven't been creating as much work.

I will see how this goes... if it is too much I will cut back and simplify and go back to squats and pushups. I feel the last challenge I made such small goals I could do them easily, so no excuses.

Motivation

Why are you training?

1- to feel good & relieve stress

2- get rid of fat; better looking body

3- to learn more about my body

4 - to improved health and joints for long-term health

5- for strength & endurance

6- for flexibility & balance

7- to gain courage to do new things

8- to swim and surf with my son (long-term goal)

9- to be awesome :tickled_pink:

Rewards

Half-way-point massage!

New jeans in size 6

Buy a new bikini :joyous:

Sign up for swim classes

Ok, I am ready to take this challenge on!

Let's do this! :livid:

Endor · January 3, 2014

Hi there, looks like a long list to stick to! You have some great goals there, love the belly dancing classes, how cool is that!

Although I'm no sugar again this challenge, I do use Stevia a little bit. The 2 main sweet treats I use are cherries and a 85% dark chocolate that has Stevia in it instead of sugar. That's a naturally occurring plant so it's Paleo approved

I like that you time your squats and lunges. Are you using any weights yet or progressed your squats onto harder forms (e.g. prisoner squats)? When I started out body weight exercises were really great for getting me progressively stronger.

Good luck with the challenge, I'll keep an eye on you

Liberator · January 3, 2014

This is my new squat routine. It wasn't hard to do but I felt it the next day :peaceful:

I am not looking for something to knock me out, just slow steady progress. I am still just using body weight but plan to get in the gym at work and start lifting heavy and see how I do.

Liberator · January 3, 2014

Main Quests

1- Exercise

Squat Routine - done

Pushups 25 - done

Side Planks - done

2- Meditation - done

3- Limit sugar intake waffles-4g; a sip of Dr. Pepper (yuck, way too sweet), a five drops of Stevia, baked coconut chips - 3g, cocoa-tablespoon of honey-16g - total a little over 23g, not sure how to measure stevia or sips of soda.

Side Quests

Sleep: Awesome! 10:30 bedtime, 5:30 wake up; no one woke up in the middle of the night :victorious:

Beautiful, restorative sleep :sleeping:

and a snow day to top it off. :triumphant:

Food: BP coffee with protein powder, GF waffles with butter, Upgraded hot chocolate sweetened w/stevia (just got upgraded cocoa & cacao butter in the mail - amazing!)

Lobster Bisque, two bites of pizza crust, three salt & vinegar potato chips, a sip of Dr. Pepper

coconut chips & tea - snack

Martini for Happy Hour

Chicken, mashed potatoes and broccoli

2nd cup of upgraded cocoa

Skin: some light pink spots on both cheeks

Creative outlet: Plan to do something this weekend

Sunmage · January 3, 2014

Hey,

welcome to the druids!

This sounds good.

As I like meditation: Maybe try 10 minutes instead of 5. Its not that much difference, but at least for me 5 minutes is often to short to get really calm!

10 is normally enough. Remember you will need 3 minutes just to drop your blood pressure to normal after the squats

At least for me meditation is easiest when its the first thing after getting up. My mind is so sleepy that it can't even think "I will meditate later" or stuff like that before I'm already sunk in meditation

Good luck!

Liberator · January 3, 2014

Hey,

welcome to the druids!

This sounds good.

As I like meditation: Maybe try 10 minutes instead of 5. Its not that much difference, but at least for me 5 minutes is often to short to get really calm!
10 is normally enough. Remember you will need 3 minutes just to drop your blood pressure to normal after the squats

At least for me meditation is easiest when its the first thing after getting up. My mind is so sleepy that it can't even think "I will meditate later" or stuff like that before I'm already sunk in meditation

Good luck!

Thanks for the welcome! Druids just seemed like the most natural fit for me with meditation and yoga focus.

My intention for meditation is to start with 5 minutes to eliminate the excuse that I don't have time to do it. Then once I get in the habit, increase the amount of time. 5 minutes does go by very quickly! I am enjoying it and not feeling too overwhelmed.

Liberator · January 4, 2014

Main Quests

1- Exercise

Squat Routine - Done

Pushups 25 - Done

Side Planks - Done

2- Meditation - 10 minutes - Done (before exercise)

3- Sugar - cocoa-16g; kind bar-4g, coconut chips - 3g blackberries pear ?

Side Quests

Sleep: Another really good night's sleep, everyone slept through the night, 11pm-7am

Food: BP coffee, 2 waffles, BP cocoa, 1/4 of a grilled cheese sandwich, kind bar, tea, a slice of cheese, three pieces of applegate salami, coconut chips, pear & blackberry green salad w/ oil & vinegar, 10 cheese ravioli and 1/2 a slice of cheese pizza (during movie night)

Skin: same

Creative outlet:

Note

I am getting a clicking in my hip during leg lifts, not painful. It occurs during lifting and lowering and only in my right hip.

I did not have this yesterday or the day before when I was doing leg lifts. Researching "snapping hip" apparently I grip my butt and I am going too low with my squats. Now I just need to figure out how to fix it :joyous:

I am learning a lot about my body, improving my posture, importance of nose breathing, noticing how I hold tension in my jaw. :livid:

Son has TMJ and chews on stuff all the time. More things to learn about.

Considering alternating days between squats and pushups and one day of rest to help with clicking and possible inflammation.

Liberator · January 5, 2014

I got an unusual complement from my husband, he asked "What are you doing that your skin's so soft and smells so good?" For twenty years he has teased me for my less-than-pleasant natural scent (like I am always working out :nightmare: ). So for him to notice a good smell when I am not wearing any perfume, is noteworthy! I think it is all the butter and heathy fats! :tickled_pink:

Liberator · January 5, 2014

Main Quests

1- Exercise - none, day of rest!

Squat Routine 0

Pushups 0

Side Planks 0

2- Meditation - 10 minutes - done

3- Sugar - waffle- 3g, cocoa 9g

Side Quests

Sleep: J woke up around 4 and was restless and active until 6:30, 10:30-bedtime 7:30-wakeup

Food: BP coffee w/vanilla, one waffle, one egg, cup of BP cocoa, a handful of salt & vinegar chips, brussel sprouts and chicken for dinner, four animal crackers, two cups of earl grey w/milk, another cup of cocoa

Skin: only a little pink on the cheeks, improving

Creative outlet:

Notes: rest dayâ€¦hard NOT exercising

Loving the homemade BP cocoa, perfect for chilly winter days :listening_headphone

I was full feeling all day, I am eating a lot but I am not eating large quantities of the less then healthy foods. I am not really tracking my weight for this challenge. I am just going to eat healthy (HF, MP, LS) do my exercises and see what happens.

8:00 pm

Uuuggg! I just had a second cup of cocoa!! I have so little will power with chocolate! :livid:

I might need to figure out a way to stop myselfâ€¦ electrical shock therapy :concern:

hypnosis

public shaming :shame:

â€¦.

Eirlys · January 5, 2014

Hi Liberator

Great to meet you! That's a lot of goals you have there! Are you doing the attribute point game, too?

A new bikini is a great motivator Do you have a colour in mind?

I've been thinking more about meditation & how that can get fitted into a routine of late, so will be interested to read how you get on with it

Good luck with your challenge!

Liberator · January 6, 2014

Hi Liberator

Great to meet you! That's a lot of goals you have there! Are you doing the attribute point game, too?

A new bikini is a great motivator Do you have a colour in mind?

I've been thinking more about meditation & how that can get fitted into a routine of late, so will be interested to read how you get on with it

Good luck with your challenge!

Eirlys, nice to meet you, too! I know it seems like a lot of goals, we'll see what happens. I haven't gotten into the points yet.

I am thinking about a plum colored bikini, I usually look good in that color. But I am really looking forward to a massage!

The meditation has been really nice, I am enjoying it and I think I am getting better at it. 10 minutes of meditation are very calming.

So far the squat routine leaves me sore the next day but it is quick to get through. The clicking in my hip relates to my posture, that butt tucking is a tough habit to break. I am happy to discover that now before I started to have major issues or injuries. Although I feel like I am really sticking out my butt now and it feels strange. Maybe I will actually get a nice butt from all this!

Diet is the big issue. Sugar is a big weakness and I really need to get my children off the sugar and the carbs! I am cooking a lot more, making chicken stock right now. I just have to keep at it, it is too important to get lazy and give into my kids sugar-fits!

Thanks for the encouragement, it means a lot! :redface:

Good luck with your challenge as well. You have already inspired me to declutter my spice rack and my christmas decorations! :joyous: More to do!

Liberator · January 6, 2014

Main Quests

1- Exercise

Squat Routine - off day

Pushups 25 - done

Side Planks - 30 sec per side - done

2- Meditation - done

3- Sugar Intake - cocoa - 16 g; cereal 3g; sweet potato - 6g; Milk-12g

Side Quests

Sleep: Good sleep, no one woke up, 11:30-6:30

Food: BP coffee w/vanilla, cream of broccoli cup of soup, cup of BP cocoa, a handful of sugary puffin cereal puffs, handful of popcorn, tea w/milk; Dinner- steak, onions, sweet potato fries, salad with avocado

Skin: ok, still a few light pink spots, more on the right side than left

Creative outlet: :neglected:

Notes:

Very good dinner, easy to cook, happy husband! Leftover steak is marinating for a stir fry tomorrow. :pride:

Snow day tomorrow! :highly_amused:

Aware of the tension in my jaw and the tension in my butt, working on awareness and release.

Liberator · January 7, 2014

Main Quests

1- Exercise

Squat Routine - Done

Pushups 25 - off day

Side Planks - off day

2- Meditation - 10 minutes - Done

3- Sugar Intake - stevia - 0, honey- 16g, milk- 12g, cashews - 1.7g

Side Quests

Sleep: Good sleep, no one woke up, 11:30-7:30, I got to sleep in, snow day today

Food: BP Coffee w/chocolate, 5 drops of stevia (I am not loving stevia don't like the after taste), 2nd cup of coffee w/raw honey, one egg, 2 cups of tea with milk, handful of cashews, dinner: roasted cauliflower, steak and avocado salad

Skin: light pink

Creative outlet:

Notes:

With the superstorm blizzard vortex going on outside I am inside cooking and eating and drinking a lot more then I would if I was working and out and about. I must admit I love a good blizzard and all the hometime and cosiness (as long as we still have electricity). It is an awesome show of mother nature outside.

Still clicking in my right hip during leg lifts, I limited the range of movement during the leg lift to reduce the amount of clicking. When I sleep on my side I lay on that hip. Looking for a reason for clicking on that side only?

Liberator · January 7, 2014

Ohh baby, it's cold outside!

Liberator · January 7, 2014

Thinking I would like this as a reward :redface:

(I am referring to the bikini)

Liberator · January 8, 2014

Main Quests

1- Exercise

Squat Routine off day

Pushups 25 - done

Side Planks 30 sec per side - done

2- Meditation - Done

3- Sugar - stevia - 0; Milk - 12 g (I really need to break myself of the milk habit)

Side Quests

Sleep: No one woke up, sleeping great!

Food: BP coffee w/vanilla, 1 cup BP cocoa with protein powder, 1/4 grilled cheese sandwich, pulled pork w/roasted pear & onions, 2 cups of tea

Skin: only a little pink on the cheeks, light pink spots

Creative outlet:

Notes:

Did a "Peak 2" high intensity workout on bike (Not quite ready for the Peak 8, but I'll get there :peaceful:

)

Wiped me out! :nightmare:

Making Paleo Pulled Pork in crockpot.

I think I need to address joint health, I feel some aches in my joints.

Liberator · January 9, 2014

Diet appears to be the most important of my goals. I see fitness and exercising to be secondary to getting my diet right for me and my family. Not an easy task! During this three day snowstorm, I had stocked up on veggies and meat. It was wonderful spending the extra time cooking healthy meals for the family. My husband was very appreciative, my children not so much. I did get my son to eat an egg for breakfast! But he is a tough kid to get to try new things.

It is extremely important I improve their diet. Both boys are on the autism spectrum and they are too into carbs and sugary junk. It is a constant battle. I cannot give in to pizza and chicken nuggets! The soda my son was drinking when we went out for dinner had 74 grams of sugar. I can't continue like this. I think they are low on healthy fats and protein. Luckily they like fruits and veggies but I think with more fats and protein there will be less prowling for food all the time.

Liberator · January 9, 2014

Main Quests

1- Exercise

Squat Routine - done

Pushups 25 - done

Side Planks - no

2- Meditation - 10 minutes

3- Sugar - Kind Bar- 5g, stevia - 0

Side Quests

Sleep: to bed at 11 up at 3:30, J started out with quiet snuggles then got worst

Food: BP coffee, broccoli soup, Kind bar, cocoa with stevia, roasted chicken, sweet potato fries, brussel sprouts

Skin: Rightside a bit inflamed, darker spots :redface-new:

Creative outlet: :neglected:

Notes:

Dealing with J in the am no time for anything, first day back to school after the blizzard

Rough morning still need to do exercise & meditation; done by 9pm

To bed at 11pm

Liberator · January 10, 2014

Main Quests

1- Exercise

Squat Routine -

Pushups 25

Side Planks -

2- Meditation -

3- Sugar - Kind Bar- 5g, coconut chips - 3g

Side Quests

Sleep: 1:30 wakeup then settled back down by 2:30

Food: BP coffee, Kind bar, a cup of roasted potatoes, cup of cocoa, handful of coconut chips, Two absolute citron on the rocks, duck fat fries with garlic mayo (delicious!) happy hour munchies :joyous:

â€‹ avocado with balsamic vinegar and olive oil, coco carmel sea salt tea w/o milk :peaceful:

working to get rid of milk in my tea!

Skin: red spots on right side

Creative outlet: I created two art pieces with black wax. Just playing but it was fun!

Notes

I haven't eaten yogurt at all for about two weeks and I ate Noosa yogurt each and every day for months. Love that yogurt but there is a lot of sugar in that stuff; 30g in my favorite Lemon flavor. :grumpy:

No exercise today, I might be a bit too "happy" from happy hour to workout today, maybe today will be my rest day?

Endor · January 10, 2014

Diet appears to be the most important of my goals. I see fitness and exercising to be secondary to getting my diet right for me and my family. Not an easy task! During this three day snowstorm, I had stocked up on veggies and meat. It was wonderful spending the extra time cooking healthy meals for the family. My husband was very appreciative, my children not so much. I did get my son to eat an egg for breakfast! But he is a tough kid to get to try new things.

It is extremely important I improve their diet. Both boys are on the autism spectrum and they are too into carbs and sugary junk. It is a constant battle. I cannot give in to pizza and chicken nuggets! The soda my son was drinking when we went out for dinner had 74 grams of sugar. I can't continue like this. I think they are low on healthy fats and protein. Luckily they like fruits and veggies but I think with more fats and protein there will be less prowling for food all the time.

The sugar content of soda is insane eh? I don't drink it at all anymore and it's a goal I see here a lot. Plenty of people drop weight by cutting soda out even if they do nothing much else. Sugar is bad news for me in general, definitely one of the roots of weight gain for my body.

You might want to have a look at dfbtamanda's previous challenge thread she has had massive advances in her skin condition using fish oil supplements.

Well done keeping up on your challenge

Liberator · January 11, 2014

1- Exercise

Squat Routine -

Pushups 25

Side Planks -

2- Meditation -

3- Sugar - Kind Bar- 5g, coconut chips - 3g

Side Quests

Sleep: 3am wake-up, 11-7:30 sleep

Food: BP coffee,3 Kind bars, tea w/o milk, filet with mushrooms, salad, potatoes and asparagus, cheesecake and fruit topping

Skin: good

Creative outlet: nothing

Notes:

Okay I need to confess I have been running around all day and I have eaten three kind bars today, breakfast, lunch and snack. :grumpy:

And not much more, but I am going to a dinner party with an all out spread.

No exercise yet :grumpy:

Forgot to add one slight dirty absolute martini with three olives and one glass of champagne and St. Germain

Very fun party! :joyous:

I ate everything but the bread. Felt good the whole night and the morning after.

Eirlys · January 12, 2014

Hi Liberator

I sympathise on weaning your family off sugar! I'm trying to do that just for myself and even though I want to, it's soooo hard! I think sugar is as addictive as nicotine, or other drugs.

How is the polar vortex?

Good thing you stocked up on the healthy foods and I'm glad you got to have some fun with black wax.

Liberator · January 12, 2014

Main Quests

1- Exercise

Squat Routine - Done

Pushups 25 - Done

Side Planks - Done

2- Meditation - 10 minutes - Done

3- Sugar - stevia (I am getting use to it), ketchup - klondike bar - 12g

Side Quests

Sleep: Another really good night's sleep, everyone slept through the night, 12 pm-8 am

Food: BP coffee w/cocoa, vanilla & stevia, one egg, mineral water, BP cocoa, one kind bar, Roast beef sandwich w/ ketchup & horseradish, coleslaw, potato chips, Klondike ice cream bar

Skin: It is looking awesome all over my body, it soaks up my Body Shop Beautifying Oil, but it is not dry even with winter conditions. My face which it my main issue is much improved. The left side is all clear the right side just a bit of light pink spots. This is great because it is the first day of my cycle and this is when my skin is normally at its worst.

Creative outlet:

Note:

Through this journaling process, last challenge I learned I needed more fats and proteins. This challenge I see I need more water. The tap water is gross here, very smelly, even after using a brita filter and chilling it. I am not a fan of plastic bottled water. So, I am going to start trying some glass bottled waters and see what I like and can afford!

Ate at my in-laws; ate too many potato chips, and just didn't want to be a pain in the ass about the meal. I didn't let the boys drink their usual soda at Grandma's. O is upset with me but it needs to happen. My husband is not drinking soda around the boys now which is helpful.

My non-verbal son often goes grocery shopping with me. I am such a sucker for his food requests. He will be on a mission to find something and steer the cart around the store until he finds what he is looking for. He is so happy about things he gets I have a hard time says no. So we got klondike bars and he raided the fridge last night and all six bars were half-eaten and left out melting around the house. We spent years on a gluten/casein-free diet with him and he was upset to not eat what other people around him were eating. I wish I had handled the diet better. So I am still working on ways to up the health of their diet.

Liberator · January 12, 2014

Skin was awesome this morning, cheeks look like crap right now. I took a shower, so that might be an issue. Soap, hot water, or something.

Liberator · January 12, 2014

I did three real pushups to the ground today in a row! A first for me!

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Embracing the process, Liberator's 2nd Challenge

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