Pretzle returns to her roots [Perfect Dodge Assassin] #6

[Pretzle]

Last-minute sign up.

(Oh and has anyone played Ragnarok Online back when it was actually cool? I was a perfect dodge assassin but never reached max level so it was useless, haha. But fun.) On to the 'max' level irl now, though! And for motivational (? yeah, whatever) purposes, have a turtle!

 

Awww! 

 

Main goal:

Don't give up now! Keep exercising and keep eating healthily.

 

How-to #1:

Exercise 3 times a week (BW, stepmania, swimming, 'hill' walking) and at least 4 walks on top of that. 

 

I've been walking a lot lately. I've realised that while exercise is good, feels good and makes me feel strong, it doesn't counter the stress as much as simply walking does. After walking for about 10 minutes I (almost involuntarily) sigh, draw a deep breath and I can feel tension leaving me, muscles relaxing and my shoulder going down to where they should be. I also just really like being able to look around and be able to see fields, trees etc. Luckily, it's about a five minute walk into 'nature' (all man-made but still, open enough and green enough to count). So I simply have to do this more often. I've also got back into BW work after changing my routine around a bit (different exercises) and I want to keep getting stronger.

 

How-to #2:

Actually prepare lesson plans.

 

I thought I'd be able to get away with simply making a list of what I'd like to cover during each lesson (I teach English). I guess that was rather naïve. This challenge I want to make actual lesson plans (so what I'll teach, how long everything is supposed to take etc.). It takes some time, but should keep my confidence up and hopefully my stress levels down. The second week of the challenge I won't be teaching any lessons because it'll be test week, so that week this goal is a freebie.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxsOVK4syxU What teachers make - Taylor Mali (Spoken word, and epic.)

 

How-to #3:

Take myself seriously. Eat right (which means primal 80-90% of the time, grains allowed twice a week, preferably keep it at 1) & don't downgrade my issues during appointments.

 

Eating has been fine in general but... I've started to incorporate more sugar and grains for 'variety' and to make it easier to come up with dinner options which also please my husband. He's certainly entitled to his pizza, but when making dinner I should focus on healthy and tasty. If that means rotating pretty much the same 10-or-so-meals, so be it. Husband's pizza (or other non-primal) days will be my fish days or veggies/meat he doesn't like. 

 

I'll start seeing a therapist around the end of January and I'll like to help myself (that's why I'm going, right?) so I need to make sure that I make it clear how difficult coping can be for me. I don't want to waste money or time by making things sound rosier than they are. I have my husband to keep me accountable for this. If anything I think it'll be better to make things sound slightly worse as opposed to better. (Funnily enough just before going for appointments I have lots of 'good moments' or 'days'. Yeah. 

 

Some positivity: 

Look at yourself after watching this - Nick Vujicic

 

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I'm not sure how much I'll be posting, but I want to create a weekly summary on Sundays (remind me if I skip ). 

 

- Pretzle

[ApfelStrudi]

Awesome goals! I'll draw some inspiration from your walking, it's one of my goals, too, and reading about your walks may just kick me in the butt to walk more!

[Blaze]

Excellent goals!  Walking is excellent exercise.  I've upgraded to jogging at least a few minutes in every walk, which is barely faster than my walking and still lets me enjoy the scenery as I go.  You're lucky you can walk out into nature and not freeze to death right now.  I miss that.  

[Pretzle]

Awesome goals! I'll draw some inspiration from your walking, it's one of my goals, too, and reading about your walks may just kick me in the butt to walk more!

 

I really wonder if I'll manage on work days... As long as I get in 3 walks during my days off (weekend + Thursday) I should be fine... Can't wait for the days to get longer so I can go for nice walks in the evening, too... 

 

Excellent goals!  Walking is excellent exercise.  I've upgraded to jogging at least a few minutes in every walk, which is barely faster than my walking and still lets me enjoy the scenery as I go.  You're lucky you can walk out into nature and not freeze to death right now.  I miss that.  

 

I actually started out my exercise 'thing' (over 2 years ago, almost can't believe it! ) with running, but after getting close to 5k my knees started bothering me... Doesn't matter, I discovered I like bodyweight exercises more, and I just add walking... Should be golden . Yeah, it's been unseasonably warm here actually... Wonder if we'll get a good cold spell or if we'll skip winter altogether this year. Either way doesn't bother me too much, but walking will be a lot more challenging if winter sets in properly... 

[KB Girl]

Walking is king! Love my dog to bits, she takes care of me with our walks.

 

Did I tell you that I used to study to be an english teacher? At windesheim. But I switched to nutrition after two years.. mostly because that is what I wanted to study- but also because teaching is a pretty hard/stressful job. I have such deep respect for teachers who keep it together and have that sort of natural confidence and authority! But I bet it's not natural at all but takes a lot of work like making those lesson plans. 

I bet you'll be great

[Pretzle]

Thanks!

 

Yeah... I'm not sure how long I'll be a teacher - but I don't know what else I'd like, either. So maybe once I find my footing I'll be very happy with it... Who knows

[Pretzle]

Challenge hasn't started yet, so I actually considered not walking today haha... but I did - 30 minute walk (and explored a new part of the neighbourhood to boot! Discovered an organic 'volkstuintje' (communal garden where you can rent a plot and do some veggie/fruit gardening)... Might be something for next year if I decide I like gardening For now I'll focus on our own tiny garden.

 

But yay walking ^^ 

[Pretzle]

Workout for today: (1/3 for the week)

 

3 rounds of:

23 sec deadhang, 26 walking lunges, 3 x negative pull up, 4 dumbbell deadlift (8 kg/ side), 15 bulgarian split squat (/each leg), 3 x vacuum cleaner (recovery exercise), 10 x decline push-up, 15 x 'swinging' (recovery exercise). 

 

(Sadly realised that this is the limit with the dumbbells we have, boo.) I feel pretty awesome right now haha. 

 

Also made 2 lesson plan forms (which cover 3 of my classes this week, I need to create 2 more this week). 

 

Oh... and... We started the morning with a New Years breakfast at work... This year our school wants to do more with fitness and healthy employees etc... So... We got: A BPA free water bottle and a year free use of the gym (also, the first 50 to sign up got an exercise t-shirt. I got one - and once I got up to sign up, 2 colleagues of my own team joined me Woot woot!).

I've only been to a proper gym once (as a try out thing), but now there's no excuse to at least go and see what our gym is like. Also, free intake with some advice, wonder if it'll be any good but looking forward to finding out . It's not just use of the gym, there are also classes. No idea how convenient it'll be with my schedule, but... it's free!!! (<- That's definitely the Dutch in me, haha, but it's awesome). 

 

So, good start? Yeah!

[Lilith]

Challenge hasn't started yet, so I actually considered not walking today haha... but I did - 30 minute walk (and explored a new part of the neighbourhood to boot! Discovered an organic 'volkstuintje' (communal garden where you can rent a plot and do some veggie/fruit gardening)... Might be something for next year if I decide I like gardening For now I'll focus on our own tiny garden.

 

But yay walking ^^ 

I'm on to you, you fellow countryperson! 

 

You're very lucky that you actually get to go to a gym for free! If you don't use it I'm going to be very grumpy and jealous with you! 

[Pretzle]

Hehe, good to see more Dutchies around. 

 

Yeah, I guess that's enough of a reason to have to go, hm? I'm going to check it out at least, just hope they'll be knowledgeable (as opposed to spouting nonsense, what I've heard happens in gyms a lot? Then again, I'm no expert myself... ). I'll keep you updated ^^ 

[Lilith]

Just keep it simple for yourself. Follow a basic workout plan and just get good at basic moves likes squats I'd say. Mind you, I'm not an expert either.

[KB Girl]

Nice workout! Love it that you're doing deadhangs, that's great stuff.

And yes- totally dutch, but free gym membership is pretty f*cking awesome Nice initiative from your school.

 

Where in holland are you at Lilith?

[vengefulpear]

Love the turtle!
 

Have you seen the Walk to Mordor challenge that's kicking about the forums somewhere? I'm not sure where it is but it's a group of Rebels who are adding all their walks together and tracking their progress along the route that the Fellowship of the Ring took to Mordor, so that could be a fun way to spice up your walks I'll see if I can find it, I know it's around somewhere....

[vengefulpear]

Haha! here it is: http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/25654-one-does-not-simply-walk-into-mordor/

 

That's the NF thread and they made a googledoc spreadsheet too  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0Av8R45Tr4CFBdHpTNUcwQmtRMlBlWHdZMllsWExjblE&usp=drive_web#gid=0

[ApfelStrudi]

I can't help it, everytime I'm looking at your challenge I misread dodge for doge. So I did a little google...

 

 

Totally unrelated to your assassin-skills, just the title  

 

And yes, walking to Mordor! I've not participated in the thread (first time I see it, must look at it more!) but I've had my last challenge focused around it and it's helped me greatly to push myself forward for that extra kilometer. Now I'm walking with Aragorn. Doesn't get much better than looking at his face all day, right?

 

[Pretzle]

Love the turtle!

 

Have you seen the Walk to Mordor challenge that's kicking about the forums somewhere? I'm not sure where it is but it's a group of Rebels who are adding all their walks together and tracking their progress along the route that the Fellowship of the Ring took to Mordor, so that could be a fun way to spice up your walks I'll see if I can find it, I know it's around somewhere....

 

Thanks! I'll have a look.

 

I can't help it, everytime I'm looking at your challenge I misread dodge for doge. So I did a little google...

 

 

Totally unrelated to your assassin-skills, just the title

 

And yes, walking to Mordor! I've not participated in the thread (first time I see it, must look at it more!) but I've had my last challenge focused around it and it's helped me greatly to push myself forward for that extra kilometer. Now I'm walking with Aragorn. Doesn't get much better than looking at his face all day, right?

 

 

Not much better than that, no (And I totally laughed out loud at the doge assassin ) 

 

I wasn't necessarily going to update today, but as I'm posting anyway...

 

Started my morning (woke up with my hubby, couldn't go back to sleep so had more time than expected) with a 25 min walk around the neighbourhood just as daylight was arriving (and put up the laundry! Early morning productiveness ftw!). 

 

Adventure time + more walking

And... then at my work I got a reply to a bid I had made for a second-hand mirror, so I mailed back, arranged to pick it up on the way home (as the address was basically next to the school I work at). Instead of one mirror for 5 euros (I only had 10 with me in cash) he offered me two (prettier, slightly bigger and identical to each other, with a dark wooden frame) mirrors for 10 euros (well, I asked if I could get those for 10 euros). They're brilliant! But... They didn't fit in my bike bags or my normal bags. I tried to put them on the luggage rack of my bike and hold them while cycling - and they fell off They're still fine, but one has a bit of wood that's been chipped. Anyway, in the end I walked home (30 mins because I was slow) with the bike in one hand, two mirrors (about as wide as my arms are long, counting the frames) under my other arm. xD I'm glad I got them home, and I'm happy I've been working on grip strength lately because otherwise I might not have managed (and I had to swap the mirrors to the other side a few times, and take a few short breaks). 

 

I won't be counting the second walk as an additional 1/4 walks for the week, but it was an adventure for sure. 

 

Tomorrow might be the most challenging day of the week regarding the challenge, though... A long, long day at work and a BW workout planned, too... Let's see if I manage

 

Last update for the day, promise.

 

I've been horrible regarding food for the last few days. Yesterday started with a (planned) breakfast at work which included 2 breadrolls, a croissant and a danish pastry. It was awesome (and planned, so that's 'ok'). But then at night I made some dessert (because we had to use up the milk) and ate that, which included lots of sugar. Last week I had pasta for the first time in months (it was ok, don't like pasta much). But basically... I've been eating A LOT of grains and sugar. It got me a headache (luckily my stomach is doing fine) but I wanted to go back to primal, remember? 

 

Today I had banana 'pancakes' (just egg + banana) for breakfast, I had a salad with fish for lunch, some fruit + an egg for a snack, and dinner was roast chicken, veggies and some rösti (potatoes). No refined sugar, no grains today. Phew, finally back on track? I'm thinking I'll reward myself with some books (Primal Connection + some fiction) if I keep this up for the rest of the week I already got my two grains-allowed meals... so.... ... I have to, to win this challenge  

[KB Girl]

Nice, getting the food back on track Must have been a pretty great day. Can only imagine the relief when the mirrors weren't broken after they fell! Must have been quite the workout, getting them home. You know, maybe you wouldn't have felt up for it if you hadn't been eating so well, winwinwin.

[Lilith]

It's hard getting food back on track, but I'm glad you did it so fast! The longer you wait the more damage is done! 

[Pretzle]

Thanks  

 

So far today has been great foodwise (I already know what's for lunch and dinner so it should be a good day, unless I snack too much tonight). 

 

Breakfast: Primal granola (with full fat greek yoghurt).

 

Snack: Nuts & dried fruit

 

Lunch: Chicken breast (leftover) with some green asparagus, cherry tomatoes, lettuce and a piece of cucumber.

 

Snack: Banana

 

Dinner: Lettuce wrapped beef burgers 

 

So yummy, too  

[ApfelStrudi]

That just made my mouth water so much. Lettuce-wrapped beef-burgers yum!

 

Do you make your primal granola or do you buy it? Adn if you make it - how do you make it? I really need a breakfast-option like this but even though I love cooking, I've never looked into breakfast much.

[Pretzle]

That just made my mouth water so much. Lettuce-wrapped beef-burgers yum!

 

Do you make your primal granola or do you buy it? Adn if you make it - how do you make it? I really need a breakfast-option like this but even though I love cooking, I've never looked into breakfast much.

 

Well, it's not really granola as such, but a mix of seeds, nuts and dried fruit I usually go with cashews, almonds, raisins/cranberries, ground flaxseed and sometimes add some coconut flakes or walnuts or hemp seed... Basically whatever I have available at the time. Usually greek full fat yoghurt, sometimes maca powder or sugar free jam or some almond butter. Anything goes really. 

 

You could toast the nuts (I'm horrible and often buy them pre-roasted, usually... yeah, in sunflower oil. But it's only a tiny bit of oil, and nuts are expensive enough...) for a bit more taste and crunch.

 

If you don't mind oats (you can get them glutenfree) def add some of those I have a recipe for 'carrot cake granola' based on oats which includes dessicated coconut and honey which is heavenly (but I haven't made it since going primal, tbh... But I sometimes eat oatmeal so I could.)

 

But yeah, basically just throw together whatever yummies you have and enjoy. ^^ 

 

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I just realised I don't have any bacon to wrap around the burgers pre-baking Boo! Bacon-less-burgers... 

[Pretzle]

2/3 exercise Did a workout immediately after coming home again, a bit easier than the last one, skipped one exercise and substituted normal squats for bulgarian split squats in the last two rounds, but it was a nice workout nonetheless. 

 

Food today: After dinner (the lettuce wrapped burgers) I had 2 pieces of Lovechock (too expensive but too tasty & yet 'healthy' dark chocolate), some frozen grapes (lovely treat, and... they're just grapes) and a handful of raisins. Now I'm drinking tea Good day! (100% primal).

[KB Girl]

Nice- that food list is impressive. Wish I could do something like that without going crazy! 

Though the lack of bacon must have made you at least a little bit craaazy

 

You find split squats easier than normal ones?

[Pretzle]

Oh that doesn't make much sense in how I've written it down I normally do bulgarian split squats (using a chair) and did them for the first round today, but my knees were complaining (which is probably a combination of me being sloppy + tired) so I did normal ones for the other two rounds. 

 

Hah, food... Sometimes I do great, and still get lots of 'random annoying pains and aches and stuff' and then I eat horribly (compared to how I usually eat) and feel just fine. Sometimes I'm almost convinced it's all nonsense and a 'normal' diet isn't so bad after all. But the food I make is tasty and at least I have to be creative when aiming for primal (instead of buying processed stuff that tastes exactly the same every time. For example I love Mona toetje griesmeel, but it's starting to freak me out that it's EXACTLY the same every time. Like it's ... cloned or something ) 

 

Unfortunately the boundless energy and no headaches at all and miraculous recoveries from eczema etc. aren't happening that some people mention (maybe it's the dairy? Not giving that up though!). I do feel better overall, and even if I can't necessarily feel it I believe it IS better to eat like this in the long run. 

 

Oh, and being able to eat lunch at either 11.45 or 14.00 without any dizziness from hunger/sugar cravings etc. is all worth it. Even if it was JUST that. I used to be the Pretzle who had to eat within 10 minutes of waking up OR ELSE (nausea, which kept me from eating after that point, which caused headaches because I didn't eat in the morning, so I always woke up, QUICKLY got dressed and eat. eat. eat. With less sugar and grains that's SO much better ).  

[Elastigirl]

I used to have to eat as soon as I got up or I would feel sick. Now I can read my Bible, and often even go for a walk. And when I get hungry it is just my stomach telling me food sounds good, not that I'm shaking need food NOW, or someone's getting hurt feeling. Very worth saying no to some treats for that.