Mangostrike's Battle Log

[Mangostrike]

First workout of the new year, and first on Nerd Fitness too.

 

Came home in a bad mood, then both phones and iPod needed to charge, so no music. Still suited up in my ranger armor and knocked out 2 circuits of the Beginner Body Weight Workout in the backyard! While I was working out, my amazing wife took care of all the dinner prep so we could spend more time together after dinner.

 

Add that to standing at my desk every minute of every day this week (no sitting at work) and I'm happy with the start so far.

 

Breakfast:

- Black Coffee

- Banana

 

Lunch:

- Beef/Olive Casserole w/ Corn bread topping

- Raw Spinach

- Cheddar & Broccoli Rice

- Pear

- Water

 

Dinner:

- Taco salad w/ Rice & Spinach

- Resisted the urge to have seconds or leftover scraps. 

 

 

 

[Mangostrike]

Before:

 

After:

 

[Mangostrike]

Friday, January 3rd

 

Although I did do my BBWW yesterday, I only did 2 circuits and I really think I could have done more. Next time will be 3 times!

 

I managed to stick to my goal of one plate for dinner, no seconds, no snacking, and no alcohol for the rest of the night. Woot!

 

Woke up this morning and did my Friday measurements:

Weight: 239.6 Lbs @ 30.5% Bodyfat

Waist: 45"

Hips: 45"

Chest: 43.5"

Legs: 24" & 25.5"

Biceps: 15.5" & 15"

Calfs: 16.5" & 16.5"

 

Unfortunately, I actually went up, so I'm currently 2 pounds behind my starting point. I figure this is due to NYE/NYD alcohol, dessert on NYD (as it was fancy and homemade by a guest on my inlaws, and didn't want to be rude), and helping to finish the several casseroles we made last week (they're all cheese and starch!) while leading up to the new year. I've been quite good about portions and diet choices the last couple of days, so I'm looking for next week's numbers to be better.

 

I did get a chance to print the NF Rebellion Rules and my 1st Challenge Goals. I've hung them on the medicine cabinet door and stare at them while getting ready in the morning. (Tried posting to my google drive & sharing, but it didn't work, so no picture for you guys, sorry).

 

Tomorrow is up early to run, and then taking my wife and grandparents wine tasting. Since I'm the DD, I won't drink much which will help with my goals.

[Mangostrike]

Yesterday's Achievements:

- Got through all of last night without snacking or drinking after dinner!

- No Bread or Beer!

- Standing desk all day long

 

Made an amazing stew in the Tagine that I got for Christmas last year and only just decided to start using. Will need to find some good recipes and a heat diffuser before next time though!

 

Food:

Breakfast: Chicken Breast, 2 Scrambled Eggs, Black Coffee

Lunch: Spinach, Beef Taco Meat (leftovers), Bell Peppers & Onion, Banana

Dinner: Moroccan Mahi Mahi Stew, Curry Cous Cous, 1 glass Red Wine

Dessert: 1 slice of homemade Fruitcake (only because it was homemade by family from out of town and was given as a Christmas present).

 

Today:

Got up "early" for my weekend run. I was feeling foolish at first since the shorts I bought in November are about 3-4" above my knees, but I've started to consider it part of my Blue Scout Armor and that makes me feel better.

 

Decided to run down the main road to the High School and back. Last time I ran (6 days ago) I started and stopped several times. Today I got all the way down, paused at the halfway point for a minute, then all the way back without stopping.

 

Run:

Distance: 1.51 mi

Duration: 14:30

Average Pace: 9:36

My pace was 1:20 faster per mile! New Personal Record (PR) for me (at least with the Run Keeper App).

On second thought, after checking the Nike+ App, it looks like my normal average Pace is usually in the 11's and 12's, so if I can keep up this average pace on longer runs, I really will be at my best ever.

 

Getting pumped up for the challenge starting Monday, I really think this approach is going to work for me!

Leaving for Wine Tasting in an hour, so today I'll need a [+CON] power-up to stay away from fast food, cheese, and bread (which tend to follow a day of drinking around these 'ere parts). Wish me luck!

[Mangostrike]

It's the end of the weekend and I'm proud of how it's gone. The only real food off of my intended plan was the leftover rice that we cooked several days ago. I ordered a salad at a golf club grill instead of the sandwiches that dominated the menu. When my wife insisted on going out for dinner, I steered her away from pizza and fast food to a Mediterranean restaurant instead. I drank only water at the meals, skipped the pita bread starter and didn't snack for the rest of the night. I could do with cutting out the cheese and the rice in the future, but at least it's not Beer or Bread!

 

Food:

 

Saturday

- Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs, Broccoli Cheddar rice, Moroccan Mahi Mahi Stew, Curry Cous Cous, Black Coffee

- Lunch: Smoked Chicken Salad

- Dinner: Lamb Kabob, Saffron Rice, Vegetables

- Snack: 2 wine tastings

 

Sunday

- Breakfast: Black Coffee

- Lunch: Last of the Broccoli Cheddar rice (finally!), Spinach salad with Ham, Avocado, Green Onion, Manchego Cheese

- Dinner: Homemade Beef Bean Corn Chili (from scratch!), Corn Bread (TJ Mix), English Vintage Cheddar Cheese

- Snack: Cider (real from Somerset, thanks Grandma!)

 

Also spent the weekend doing an immense amount of chores, both days I was up early, taking care of business. Cooked several new dishes with new kitchen gadgets that I hadn't yet used. Did lots of manly household chores that my wife has been wanting me to get done.

 

Also made the decision that I would rather build my own coffee table, than spend almost 10 times the amount on an inferior commercial version. So I'll be learning much more about both different types of wood, as well as cutting, sanding, drilling,and  staining. Can't wait to get started on that project!

 

I've been reading a little of the stack of comics, but starting to wish I'd picked a different Life Quest. Hopefully when I'm through the backlog of old books and start moving onto my more recent interests my enjoyment will pick back up again.

 

I also cleared out the bottom drawer of my dresser to make room for all my workout armor, ready to suit up for action. Tomorrow might need to go with the Berserker Warrior Armor to make sure I can power through a full 3 sets of the BBWW.

 

Ready for this challenge to start. Bring It!

[citizenkade]

Tough steering away from that bread sometimes, isn't it? Sounds like you're getting this down, man!

[Mangostrike]

Day 1 of my first challenge.

 

Red Warrior armor.

 

Did the beginner body weight workout, later than I would have liked to (since we had to sit on hold on the phone for an hour to try and talk to someone about errors on our healthcare bill). The Velcro on my armband phone case is wearing out, so I'm worried that my phone might drop to the ground if I'm not careful during my workout.

 

In true warrior fashion, when I broke the end off of my Maroon Resistance Band while doing dumbbell rows, I wrapped the end around my wrist and kept going. I'm curious if this is because they've been stored for too long, or if they were a knockoff brand (TNT).

 

I didn't note in my Challenge post, but I completed the 3 circuits in about 17'30". On Thursday I'll try to knock out 3 circuits in less time.

 

Whenever I do push-ups, my left elbow seems to pop at the joint. It doesn't hurt, but kinda freaks me out. I've never really asked anyone what this might be though, and I'm concerned that I might be doing damage somehow to my elbow.

 

Food:

- Breakfast: 1 Scrambled Egg, Chopped Onions, Grilled Chicken Breast w/o skin (cooked a batch last night)

- Lunch: 1.5 cups Homemade Beef Chili, 1 large raw carrot, 1/2 cup Cherry Tomatoes, Corn Bread

- Dinner: 1/4 cup white rice w/ soy sauce (low sodium), Baked Chicken thigh w/ skin, 1+ cup steamed broccoli

 

It's boy's night tomorrow night, with some of my more athletically minded friends (one of whom is an amazing cook). Lets see how this goes.

[Mangostrike]

Last night was (as my wife has dubbed it) "Testosterone Tuesday". No workout was planned, due to boy's night.

 

I went to my friend's house straight from work, and three of us cooked dinner and hung out. I stuck to my intentions and avoided the chip's & Dip appetizer, as well as the bread side dish and the beers. Instead I had an apple when I left work, drank bourbon on the rocks (at least it's better than beer), predicted what a single serving of White Bean & Tomato Ragout would be, and didn't go back for seconds.

 

Got to talk to two friends from High School who have ended up in the same industry as I am, both are in great shape and seem quite happy, so I'm glad to have surrounded myself with positive influences. I should try to incorporate some workout time with them into the coming weeks, maybe a future challenge could be to do a strength workout with one friend, and a yoga class with my wife. I keep getting great ideas for the next challenge, need to stay focused on the current one!

 

I had a craving on the drive home to stop for fast food, but discounted that idea within seconds. It must have been a holdover habit from the past, brought on by a combination of some alcohol & the "nobody will ever know" attitude that used to lead to $20 Taco Bell runs. Which is B*ll$#!! as I would have known, so I did not get any unnecessary extra food and instead went home to bed.

 

Food (Tuesday):

Breakfast: Black Coffee, 1 bowl Chili w/ Cornbread (trying to finish it up!)

Lunch: Homemade Grilled Chicken Avocado Caesar Salad (No Cheese or Croutons)

Snack: Granny Smith Apple, Coffee

Dinner: 1 cup White Bean & Tomato Ragout

Snack: Bourbon

[Mangostrike]

Not a great day for the diet. There's still so much chili leftover, so had that again for breakfast. Lunch was a work appreciation event, and being a new job, plus having your client footing the bill means you take what's there and deal with it. I made the best of the situation and avoided the chips, pasta, soda, and the other half of the sandwich, plus took a side of fruit as an added bonus. Lots of water today! There's not really anything for dinner here, and I'm stuck on the phone (again!) trying to figure out our healthcare debacle, so we'll see what happens later tonight.

 

Really wishing I could lift some weights or something, but I guess I'll have to settle for handling that tomorrow.

 

Food:

- Breakfast: Chili w/ Cornbread again, Black Coffee

- Lunch: 1/2 Italian Deli Sandwich, Side of Fruit

- Dinner: TBD???

 

EDIT: So It's been two hours on hold with Anthem BlueCross trying to fix this ridiculous situation. I've spent over 4 hours on hold and can't get through to anyone. I'm so angry right now. About to give up on this and finally figure out if there's anything for dinner.

[Mangostrike]

Wednesday dinner ended up bad. My wife cooked ground beef for her dinner while I sat on the phone. When we finally gave up on that I just mixed in the remaining ground beef with the remaining Chili and some steamed vegetables on the side. It tasted awful, was entirely too much food, and just perpetuated my bad mood, leading to a wasted night. Over a phone call.

 

The lesson learned is to identify when I'm making dietary decisions based off of emotion, and taking control of my decisions. Even better would have been to go for a quick workout (as I had considered).

 

Tonight I got home late, nothing in the fridge to eat, so we went out. Chose Chipotle and used their nutrition calculator in the car to decide in advance what to order. I was all set for Guacamole and Sour Cream before I saw the calories. Instead went with double meat, lettuce and salsa, with a cup of water on the side. Yeah!

 

Went home and knocked out a workout too before relaxing with the wife. Rocking the Green Armor tonight.

 

Food:

Wednesday:

- Dinner: Chilli, Cornbread, extra Beef, Bok Choy, Carrots, Cherry Tomatoes (Massive portion, not good)

 

Thursday:

- Breakfast: 2 Eggs, Black Coffee

- Lunch: Spinach, Grilled Chicken Breast (w/o skin), Carrots, Salsa, Banana

- Snack: Orange

- Dinner: Chipotle Salad, Chicken, Steak, Salsa, Corn

 

Looking forward to the weekend. I've got 2 birthday parties, and it's my first on call weekend at work. Though it looks to be a quiet work weekend, which is good.

Going to stay clear of the beer (which will be difficult having dinner at a brewery on Friday) and knock out a run on Saturday Morning.

 

If I can carve out some time I'm going to go pick up the wood for the coffee table I want to build, and maybe dig out some of my old Warhammer models (since I was inspired by CitizenKade)

[Mangostrike]

Friday, January 3rd

Weight: 239.6 Lbs @ 30.5% Bodyfat

Waist: 45"

Hips: 45"

Chest: 43.5"

Legs: 24" & 25.5"

Biceps: 15.5" & 15"

Calfs: 16.5" & 16.5"

 

Friday January 10th:

Stats:

234.4 lbs @ 29.4%

Waist 44.5"

Hips 44.5"

Chest 42"

Legs 25" (L) & 26" ®

Biceps 15" (L) & 14.75" ®

Calfs 16" (L) & 16.5" ®

 

So excited about this! I'm down 5.2 pounds from last week's Friday check-in and I'm 7.5% to my goal of under 200 lbs by December.

 

Food:

-Breakfast: 2 Scrambled Eggs (cooked in the microwave)

- Lunch: Spinach, Canned Tuna, Apple, Banana

 

Had to do something different for lunch today, as I'd forgotten to prep anything! Not a great lunch, but it's better than Burger & Fries at work.

 

Feeling like I should be doing some different workouts, but having such great success with my diet that I don't want to risk adding anything else to my plate. Eager to see my progress at the end of the 1st Challenge, and already thinking of ideas for the 2nd one!!

[Mangostrike]

Food:

Friday

- Snack: Fruitcake

- Dinner: Sausage Trio, Sauerkraut, French Fries, 2 glasses wine

- Drink: 1 Glass Whiskey, 1 Glass Orange Juice

 

Saturday:

- Breakfast: 3 Eggs Scrambled, 5 Olives, Spinach, Orange Juice, Black Coffee

- Lunch: Smoothie (Spinach, Apple, OJ, Carrot, Ice, Protein Powder)

- Dinner: Roasted Chicken Thighs (w/ Skin), Roasted Potatoes, Sauerkraut, Red Bell Pepper

 

Cut loose a little bit for my buddy's birthday on Friday night, and celebrating a positive result to this first week. Now that I realize the Caloric value of the Fruitcake and the French Fries, I regret those decisions, but I did manage to stay away from beer the whole night (out to 2 am and only 3 drinks total!). Also held back when I had to drive Drunkie through the Jack-In-The-Box drive through at 2am!

 

Going to throw out the Fruitcake, although it was a gift from family (and I got through half of it), it's just not healthy enough to keep around. Going to the store tomorrow to stock up on goodies, as right now our fridge is down to just condiments.

 

Very happy with my run this morning, probably could have hit 5K total if I wasn't already at home at the 4.28 mark, but that's one step closer to running the whole 5K without stopping. Going to make running the focus next challenge.

 

I also went out today and bought all the wood for the coffee table I'm going to build, so it will be in the garage drying for the next 2+ weeks. Really looking forward to having built something I can be proud of.

[Mangostrike]

Sunday Food:

- Breakfast: 3 Scrambled Egg, Baby Potatoes

- Snack: Kale Chips, Apple, Black Coffee

- Dinner: 2 Chicken Thighs, Mashed Potatoes, Homemade Waldorf Salad (Apple, Celery, Romaine Lettuce, Walnuts, Dressing)

- Drink: 2 glasses red wine, 2 glasses of Bourbon

 

Went on an anchor boarding yesterday, was surprised at the slight increases in my overall fitness that I realized while climbing the gangway.

 

Cooked up a tray of Chicken Leg Quarters for the week. Froze some Pinapple/Kale/Yoghurt ingredients to make Smoothies later.

 

Monday Food:

- Breakfast: 3 Scrambled Egg, Chopped Onions, 2 Slices Bacon, Baby Potatoes, Black Coffee

- Lunch: 1/2 Grilled Chicken Leg Quarter, Waldorf Salad w/ Kale

- Dinner: Roasted Chicken Leg Quarter, 1/2 Bell Pepper, 1/2 cup Pasta

I'll be having one of the smoothies for dessert if I'm still hungry.

 

Broke the other side of my resistance band today while doing the BBWW Dumbbell Rows. It's possible that I'm doing something incorrectly, or they're damaged from sitting unused for too long...or maybe from when I would close them in the door because I didn't have a door anchor for them. Come to think of it, that's probably what it is!

 

Oh well, I'll be picking up some actual dumbbells to start building my home gym soon, so it won't really matter much.

[Mangostrike]

Monday Snack: Pineapple-Kale-Yoghurt smoothie.

 

Tuesday Food:

- Breakfast: 2 Eggs, Tortilla, Coffee w/ creamer

- Lunch: Kale, Romaine Lettuce, Carrot, Waldorf dressing, 2 chicken drumsticks

- Snack: Banana

- Dinner: <1/3 of a portion of Italian Antipasto (Wild Boar, Duck, Venison), Sea-bass, Cannellini beans, mixed vegetables, 1 glass of wine

 

Dropped some money (well CC Reward Points and Amazon Gift Card) on some dumbbells (recommended here) along with a wireless bluetooth speaker (for the shower). They should be here in a week (just in time to step up my BBWW game and add more challenges).

 

I've noticed myself being more relaxed about my diet than I was last week, probably due to the positive results I had, which seems counter-intuitive. Need to stay focused on what's working and keep it up.

[Mangostrike]

I just tightened my belt by one notch more than usual...by accident. Woot!

[Mangostrike]

Wednesday Food:

- Breakfast: Scrambled Egg, Coffee, Leftover Duck Gnocchi

- Lunch: Baked Chicken Drumstick, Romaine/Kale salad w/ Caesar Dressing, Celery

- Snack: Banana

- Dinner: Baked Chicken Thigh, Broccolli, Mushroom, Romaine/Kale Salad, Celery, Caesar Dressing, Red Wine

- Snack: Bourbon

 

Stats:

231.8 lbs @ 27.5%

Waist 44"

Hips 43.75"

Chest 42.5"

Legs 26" ( L ) & 26" ( R )

Biceps 15" ( L ) & 15" ( R )

Calfs 16.5" ( L ) & 16.75" ( R )

 

Lost 2.6 Lbs since last Friday, 5.4 lbs since the start of the challenge (14.5% of goal total weight loss). Woot! (Again!)

 

Thursday Food:

- Breakfast: Black Coffee, Bagel, Cream Cheese

- Snack: Apple, Hot Cider

- Lunch: Romaine/Kale Salad, Red Bell Pepper, Celery, Avocado (No Dressing), Chicken Thigh

 

 

Really felt the hunger after the Carb filled breakfast. Need to remember that so I don't give in to temptation again. It's just not worth it as I'm unhappy immediately after finishing.

 

Really loving the Romaine/Kale salads. So healthy!

 

Fully expecting next week's weigh in to be rough, but not going to let it get me down!

[Mangostrike]

Sorry for the lack of responses lately, I went to Vegas on a boy's trip and am still somewhat out of sorts at the moment.

 

Through the trip (4 days) I managed to stick to my main goal of not drinking any beer, though I drank more than enough Bourbon to effectively nullify the efforts. The diet went out the window, but since we only ate every 1.5 days and slept about 3 hours every 24, I have no idea how to rank the weekend.

 

I did get up on Thursday and got my workout in before the trip, and took a (very short) run on Sunday after getting home. So I don't feel as bad about the trip as I could have. Need to knuckle down and get back on track now.

 

Thursday Food:

Bunless burger for dinner at The Counter, w/ Guacamole & a 1/2 order of dressing.

Late night/morning pizza (3 slices)

Bourbon....

Friday Food:

3 plates at buffet, lots of meat, no pasta/rice. 

Black Coffee, Red Wine, Bourbon...

Saturday Food:

Bacon Burger w/ Guacamole & Bun

Black Coffee, Bourbon....

Late night/morning McDonalds

Sunday Food:

Sandwich at the airport.

Burrito and Lemonade

Monday Food:

Eggs, small slice of Pizza

Chicken Caesar salad, pineapple

Pho soup

 

[Mangostrike]

Stats:

231.0 lbs @ 29%

Waist 43.5"

Hips 44"

Chest 42"

Legs 24.5" ( L ) & 25.5" ( R )

Biceps 15.25" ( L ) & 15.5" ( R )

Calfs 16.25" ( L ) & 16.5" ( R )

 

Even with Vegas, I managed to drop down from last week. 16.66% to weight loss goal. Want to break below 230 lbs by next week!

 

Workout:

Started doing the BBWW at increased reps, and finally got the dumbbells I ordered, so now I'm able to do the Rows properly. Might add in some curls too!

 

Monday Food:

Eggs, small slice of Pizza

Chicken Caesar salad, pineapple

Pho soup

Tuesday Food:

2 Eggs, Tomato sauce

olive tomato caesar salad w/ celery

apple

Chicken Breast w/o Skin & Chicken Drumstick W/Skin, Pasta, Cheese, Mushroom/Onions

Wednesday Food:

2 Eggs, 1 Bacon, leftover Mushroom/Onion

Ceasar Salad, Chicken, Celery, Avocado

Orange

Steak, Kidney Beans, Spinach, Beetroot, Tomato, 2 glasses wine, 1 glass bourbon

Thursday Food:

2 Eggs (Sunny Side Up), 1/2 Chicken Breast (Grilled)

Kale Chips, Orange, Lunch Meat, Walnuts

Duck, Chicken Breast, Brocolli, 3 pc. Bacon

Friday Food:

1 pc. Bacon, 2 Eggs

Chicken Breast, Pineapple, Salad

 

[Mangostrike]

Food For Saturday
- Breakfast: 2 Eggs, 2 pcs of Bacon
- Lunch: Cream of Mushroom Soup, W/ Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Onions & Chicken Breast
- Snack: Starbucks Black Coffee, Mango-Kale Smoothie
- Dinner: Burger Protein Style
- Drinks: Bourbon x 2

Food For Sunday:
- Breakfast: Steel-Cut Oats w/ Blueberries
- Lunch: Crab Louie
- Snack: Chai White-Chocolate Candy, Chai Latte
- Dinner: "Beer-Can" Roasted Chicken w/ Green Beans & Potatoes w/ Gravy, 1 Glass Red Wine

Food For Monday:
- Breakfast: Steel-Cut Oats w/ Blueberries, Coffee w/ Creamer

- Snack: Mtn Dew Energy Drink

- Lunch: Chicken Caesar Salad w/ Cucumber, Mushroom, Kale, Apple

[Mangostrike]

Okay. Starting to feel more comfortable with the community here, but also feeling like I was slacking a little after a mediocre 5K this weekend.

Seriously I should have been faster now (after working out and eating right for weeks) than in November (when I had been eating garbage for days).

So I called out myself (on behalf of CitizenKade) and tried to pull off one of his workouts from this week:

Prisoner squats. Target 3x22. Actual 3×22.

Push-ups. Target 3x19. Actual 3×19.

Walking lunges. Target 3×26. Actual 3×26.

Dumbbell rows. Target 3×30. Actual 3×15/15. (With 32.5 lbs).

Plank. Target 3×75. Actual 1x60ish*. 1×45. 1×41.

*Timer freaked out and I lost track.

Dumbbell curls. Target 3×11. Actual 1×12. 1×11. 1×9.

Total time 24 minutes 07 seconds.

Those planks are absolutely brutal! I need to keep working on those, I don't know how you pull off 75 seconds! Pretty happy with the effort I put out today. Still sweating.

Posting from mobile.

[Mangostrike]

I was not feeling it today. Long day at work, feeling very tired and drained.

Spent a lot of time at lunch today thinking about the next challenge and what I want to focus on. Came up with some great ideas, but I have to get through this one first.

Pushed myself into the BBWW today, promising I would do two circuits, even if the reps suck.

Knocked out some push-ups on dumbbells and two 60 second planks! I know today wasn't record setting across the board, but I am definitely feeling myself getting stronger.

Food:

Monday-

-Dinner: Pork chop, tomato, spinach, Caesar dressing, red bell pepper, mushroom.

Tuesday:

- Breakfast: 2 eggs, 2 bacon, black coffee, spinach

- Lunch: 2 chicken wings, lettuce, spinach, kale, cucumber, tomato, carrots, italian dressing, apple blueberries

- Dinner: ciabatta bread, tritip, spinach, greek dressing, fruitcake, 2/3 beer, 2xbourbon 1xscotch

Wednesday:

- Breakfast: Oatmeal, Blueberries

- Lunch: turkey sandwich, ciabatta bread, spinach, blueberries.

- Snack: Banana

- Dinner: Steak, Brussel Sprouts w/ Bacon, Sauerkraut, Glass red wine

Thursday:

- Breakfast: Oatmeal Banana Shake w/ Sugar, 2 Eggs, Salsa

- Lunch: Steak, Kale, Cucumber, Carrots

- Dinner: pork chop, sauerkraut, rice w/ soy sauce

Posting from mobile.

[Mangostrike]

Friday Stats:

229.2 lbs @ 27.1%

Waist 44"

Hips 43.5"

Chest 42"

Legs 25.5" ( L ) & 25.5" ( R )

Biceps 15.25" ( L ) & 15" ( R )

Calfs 16.25" (L) & 16.5" ( R )

 

Still loosing!

 

I am currently 21.5% to my goal, with 29.2 to go.

 

After reflecting on this week, I've noticed that I am making the NOOB mistake of rationalizing bad choices. Telling myself that since it's guy's night it's okay to have a beer (well 2/3 of one, my total for 2014), and some bread. Then it's also cool to have bread and cheese the next day since it's leftover....etc.

This is not good and needs to stop. It's negatively affecting my energy and hunger.

 

On the plus side, I'm being trusted with more at work, and moving onto more equal footing with my coworkers, rather than just being the GoFor in the corner. A Hidden Life Quest reward thanks to 20 seconds of courage!

[citizenkade]

Dude, I hear you on the rationalization part. I did something goofy as hell, but it's been working. My character that I'm leveling up on NF? Just happens to have be poisoned by those things that I am trying to avoid. I can't eat bread! It's POISON! Oh, and beer is an elixir made by Alchemists to enslave half-elves to desk jobs. It might just work for you... I hear bread and cheese makes Stone Troll's skin really brittle!

[Mangostrike]

Oh yeah! Woot Woot!

 

So very happy today as I legitimately set some PRs for myself. I wanted to get through a whole 5K without stopping, as I always seem to wuss out and then feel like I could have done better. So I drew upon my newly earned stats and made a plan:

 

[WIS 3] Wisdom

- Knowing I've had cramps in the past I moved my watch from my left wrist to my right. This, paired with the fact that my phone is on my left bicep, means I was more balanced and eliminated the off center pains I would usually have to deal with.

- I planned out a route around my neighborhood that was the distance I needed it to be, taking into account that any traffic lights would provide me with unneeded excuses to stop moving.

- Made sure that work was sorted and in order so that I wouldn't have to deal with anything during my run. Also asked my wife not to call/text until I was done.

 

[CON 2] Constitution

- Although I did get a dull ache in my left knee and right thigh, I could tell it wasn't damage, but just an indication of use.

- Ended up without the burning breathing that I often have after running, probably due to pacing myself properly.

 

[sTA 1] Stamina

- Number one priority was to finish the distance, speed didn't matter. My pace was pretty steady from 6'20"-6"40 /Km.

 

Results:

5.03 Km (3.12 miles) in 32'47". Average of 6'31"/Km (10'30"/Mi). ~552 Calories.

Splits: 6'30" / 6'26" / 6'33" / 6'26" / 6'33"

 

Not my best pace, but this was the Longest Run (PR) with RunKeeper and the Most Calories Burned (PR). Not to mention that this beats my Turkey Trot time for the 5K! The only other time I was this close was when I pulled 4.28 Km in 27'09" on Jan 11th, but I couldn't finish the 5K and walked more than I would have liked.

 

My best splits were 2nd & 4th Km (same) while worst were 3rd & 5th Km (same), which is really surprising that they're all so similar. I had no idea that I was able to set such a consistent pace. I'd like to learn how to track this more, and make it more deliberate so that I can start being more cerebral about my running. I've heard of people doing negative splits, and knowing their slow, mid, and fast paces, but I've pretty much only ever done what I could handle until I felt like it was okay to stop and walk.

 

So very happy with today's progress. Feeling like a badass.

[Mangostrike]

Friday:
- Breakfast: 2 Eggs, 2 pcs Bacon
- Lunch: Apple, Chicken Breast, Lettuce, Cucumber, Spinach, Kale, Greek Dressing

- Snack: Emergen-C
- Dinner: 1 Cup Tortellini's w/ Pesto, Carrots

 

Saturday:
- Breakfast: 3 Eggs w/ Milk, 1/2 Onion, 4 oz Steak, 1 pc Bacon
- Lunch: Skipped
- Dinner: Tomato/Avocado Salad, Sirloin Steak, Bush's Grillin' Beans, Wine

- Drinks: 2 Bourbons

Sunday:
- Breakfast: Apple
- Lunch: Pork, Bacon, Onions, Bell Peppers, Beans, Kale Chips

 

Last night was really rough, we went out with friends for a birthday to a local bar. Some of our friends picked up some Indian food (Naan, Curry, Rice) from next door and brought it into the bar. Now I absolutely LOVE Indian food, but don't often get it because my wife isn't a fan, so having a steaming (literally) pile of bread and curry in front of me was so tempting. Even though I was offered to share several times, I stuck to my guns and told them all that I didn't want any. Not "I can't have that" but "I don't want any". I feel like that was a success, and an important distinction to make.

 

So as a reward for my strong willpower what did we do? Go to McDonald's on the way home (thanks Drunkie Wifey), where I had to have another display of willpower and yet again turn down offers of double-quarter-pounder-cheese-curly-bacon-wings. Though I was a little bummed last night, I feel great today. Long live the rebellion!