Better Late than Never

[Targilnar]

Main Quest
Fit into size 40 pants before the end of 2014. As odd as it may sound I just want to be able to buy my clothes off the rack in any normal store.

Supporting Quests
1) Strength Training 3x a week
2) Eat at least one serving of veggies 4 days a week
3) Get 7 hours of sleep a night

Motivation
I've reached a point where I am disgusted with myself for being so badly out of shape. Add to that the fact that I hit 30 last year and began to really feel it physically in how much I could do and how fast I recover. It's a new year and I think it's time for a new me.

Life Quest
Tracking Program - Write my own fitness tracking program that works the way I want it to

Additional Background
I'm a Computer Programmer and avid gamer (Look me up on Adamantoise if you play FFXIV). These are not the best occupations to encourage being in shape. I've tried dieting and working out before with some success. I went from 270 to 240 at one point in time. Then a job switch killed my workout schedule and I let it die off. I tried doing a 6 week challenge near the end of last year and that just did not work out. Combination of not having a support group and the holidays kinda destroyed it.

Current Stats
30 year old Male

296.6 lbs
Waist 51 inches

Pant Size 50

 

Points System

Each workout is worth 3 or 5 points (5 for full workout, 3 for abbreviated or at home workout)

Each day I eat veggies is worth 5 points to a max of 20 per week

Sleeping 7 hours is 5 points, 6 hours is 3 points, less is no points

Max points a week is 70

 

Grading

A  378-420

B  336-377

C  294-335

D  252-293

F  210 or less

[Erick the Red]

Good luck on this.  It looks like you have a plan and the goals are good.

 

There are lots of good vegetables that you can try -- some people like steamed, some raw.  We regularly eat raw baby carrots, brocolli florets, bell peppers cut into slices (red, orange, yellow, sometimes green) and snap peas.  We steam brocolli or green beans sometimes.  I used to dip on ranch dressing, or add a lot of salt and pepper, but I eat them now pretty naked.

 

When I did a sleep goal earlier it really made a difference in my life -- I bet you will start seeing a difference too, especially if you get over seven per night.

[pumazealy]

I know how you feel about the clothes.

I just want to wear clothes i like, that never seem to fit!

 

good luck with your challenge, sleep is something usually overlooked so it's good you are making it one of your goals

[cavemom]

Your challenge looks good!  It's simple and straightforward, and probably the best way for you to start getting in shape and fitting more into the clothes you'd like to.  You can do it!

[Targilnar]

7 hours of sleep last night

[cavemom]

Nice start!  Keep the momentum going!

[Targilnar]

Week 1, Day 2

 

Goal 1: Strength Training 3x a week
0/3 this week

 

Goal 2: Eat at least one serving of veggies 4 days a week
0/4 this week

 

Goal 3: Get 7 hours of sleep a night

2/7 this week

 

Life goal: Write Fitness Tracking Program

Decided to use ruby running on jruby as the platform and got that installed and tested on my development system

[Erick the Red]

Good update.  Do you have a plan for when are we going to see you in the gym, or eating some carrots or green beans?

[Basement Cat]

Good job on getting proper sleep! Keep going!

[Targilnar]

Week 1, Day 3

 

Goal 1: Strength Training 3x a week
0/3 this week

 

Goal 2: Eat at least one serving of veggies 4 days a week
1/4 this week

 

Goal 3: Get 7 hours of sleep a night

3/7 this week

 

Life goal: Write Fitness Tracking Program

 

 

Well the good news is that I worked two servings of peas into my dinner last night. The bad news is that instead of going to the gym like I had planned I ended up crashing on the couch for 2 hours. Which is odd given that I had more sleep in the last two days than in the three before it. I did do around 85 body weight squats in the basement but since I didn't do any other exercise I'm not counting that as a workout.

 

 

Good update.  Do you have a plan for when are we going to see you in the gym, or eating some carrots or green beans?

 

I have some people I go to the gym with. Normally I go on Tues/Friday with them and then on Sunday I fly solo. In order to meet my goals this week I will need to do a very focused workout routine tonight and tomorrow. I've got left over green beans from last night that will go with dinner tonight. On sunday I will be out of town at an RPG (Agents of Shield based) so I'll prolly bring carrots as a snack since the food at those events are notoriously bad.

[Targilnar]

It occured to me that tracking my life quest may be a bit hard as it is right now so I'm trying to add some definitions.

 

Requirements Gathered

Language Chosen

Database Hookup

Helper Tools Installed

Database Designed

Workflow Completed

Minimal Front End

Finalize Front End

[Erick the Red]

I have some people I go to the gym with. Normally I go on Tues/Friday with them and then on Sunday I fly solo. In order to meet my goals this week I will need to do a very focused workout routine tonight and tomorrow. I've got left over green beans from last night that will go with dinner tonight. On sunday I will be out of town at an RPG (Agents of Shield based) so I'll prolly bring carrots as a snack since the food at those events are notoriously bad.

 

You are doing great planning ahead like that, making sure you hit your priorities.

 

I run a Pathfinder tabletop game with my family and another, me plus three adults and four older kids with PCs.  An Agents of Shield setting could be really fun!

[cavemom]

Get those workouts in!  You're running out of week!  I've been struggling with the same thing this week, though.

[Targilnar]

Week 1, Day 4

 

Goal 1: Strength Training 3x a week
1/3 this week

 

Goal 2: Eat at least one serving of veggies 4 days a week
2/4 this week

 

Goal 3: Get 7 hours of sleep a night

4/7 this week

 

Life goal: Write Fitness Tracking Program

No Progress

 

Chicken and Broccoli at lunch

Peas with dinner

 

I started doing the 5x5 stronglift workouts and this was day one

Format of workouts will be Name Weight - Reps, Reps, Reps, Reps

 

Squat 45lbs - 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Bench Press 45lbs - 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Barbell Rows 65lbs- 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

 

I'm fairly certain that my squat form is bad so I'm going to try and get video of it for the form critique board. Part of the problem is my gut in the most physical sense, I literally cant bend into my legs that far since there is inches of stomach in the way.

[Beaucastle]

In the beginning, when this is all new, doing what you can do is still miles better than doing nothing at all.

 

I'm not supporting bad form, but just mentioning that no one is an expert the first week.  Don't get down on yourself for not being able to do this perfectly.

 

You can do this!

[cavemom]

Nice job getting the strength training workout in!

[Targilnar]

Week 1, Day 5

 

Goal 1: Strength Training 3x a week
1/3 this week

 

Goal 2: Eat at least one serving of veggies 4 days a week
2/4 this week

 

Goal 3: Get 7 hours of sleep a night

5/7 this week

 

Week 1, Day 6

Goal 1: Strength Training 3x a week
2/3 this week

 

Goal 2: Eat at least one serving of veggies 4 days a week
3/4 this week

 

Goal 3: Get 7 hours of sleep a night

6/7 this week

Only 6.5 hours but I woke up fully rested early so I'm going to count it

 

Squat 65lbs - 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Overhead Press 45lbs - 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Deadlift 65lbs- 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

 

Week 1, Day 7

Goal 1: Strength Training 3x a week
2/3 this week

 

Goal 2: Eat at least one serving of veggies 4 days a week
4/4 this week

 

Goal 3: Get 7 hours of sleep a night

6.5/7 this week

Only 6 hours of sleep

 

Week 1 Total 62/70

[MathiasMag]

Very impressive. You're on your way to meet this challenge.

Keep it up!

[cavemom]

Not too bad for your first week.  I'm sure next week you'll do even better!

[Targilnar]

Week 2, Day 1

 

Goal 1: Strength Training 3x a week
0/3 this week

 

Goal 2: Eat at least one serving of veggies 4 days a week
0/4 this week

 

Goal 3: Get 7 hours of sleep a night

0/7 this week

 

Only got like 4 hours of sleep. Got caught up playing Terraria with my friends and didn't even notice the time.

 

Week 2, Day 2

Goal 1: Strength Training 3x a week
0/3 this week

 

Goal 2: Eat at least one serving of veggies 4 days a week
0/4 this week

 

Goal 3: Get 7 hours of sleep a night

0.5/7 this week

 

Got 6 hours last night. I'm adding veggies and a workout to the plan tonight. I'm scheduled to see a trainer on thursday to cover my forms.

[Harika]

Only got like 4 hours of sleep. Got caught up playing Terraria with my friends and didn't even notice the time.

On Saturday I did the same with a different game, although that was a game we almost used. I logged out of the game at 2, but was still on the hangout until 3am.

[Targilnar]

@Harika - I hear you. I run a Teamspeak 3 server for my friends and there is usually at least 4 of us on there each night.

 

 

Week 2, Day 3

Goal 1: Strength Training 3x a week
1/3 this week

 

Goal 2: Eat at least one serving of veggies 4 days a week
1/4 this week

 

Goal 3: Get 7 hours of sleep a night

0.5/7 this week

 

Carrots with diner. Once again my night owl tendencies kick in. If I'm not laying down at midnight I get a second wind and go till 2am.

 

Squat 55lbs - 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Bench Press 55lbs - 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

Barbell Rows 65lbs- 5, 5, 5, 5, 5

 

These weight is way to light for me so I'm probably going to start upping the weights by 10 per workout instead of 5 till I hit a comfortable weight.

[Targilnar]

Week 2, Day 4

 

Goal 1: Strength Training 3x a week
2/3 this week

 

Goal 2: Eat at least one serving of veggies 4 days a week
2/4 this week

 

Goal 3: Get 7 hours of sleep a night

1/7 this week

 

6 Hours again last night

Broccoli with lunch

Didn't do my normal workout routine but spent 30 minutes with a trainer. Turns out my form isn't nearly as bad as I thought, so with a few modifications I'm fine.

[Targilnar]

Week 2, Day 5

Goal 1: Strength Training 3x a week
2/3 this week

Goal 2: Eat at least one serving of veggies 4 days a week
2/4 this week

Goal 3: Get 7 hours of sleep a night
1.5/7 this week

Week 2, Day 6

Goal 1: Strength Training 3x a week
2/3 this week

Goal 2: Eat at least one serving of veggies 4 days a week
3/4 this week

Goal 3: Get 7 hours of sleep a night
2.5/7 this week

Week 2, Day 7

Goal 1: Strength Training 3x a week
3/3 this week

Goal 2: Eat at least one serving of veggies 4 days a week
4/4 this week

Goal 3: Get 7 hours of sleep a night
3.5/7 this week

 

Week 1 62/70 - Grade B

Week 2 54/70 - Grade C

 

Workouts got a bit screwed up due to trainers so I'll be posting them again starting this week as I get back on schedule.

[Targilnar]

Week 3, Day 1

Goal 1: Strength Training 3x a week
0/3 this week

Goal 2: Eat at least one serving of veggies 4 days a week
0/4 this week

Goal 3: Get 7 hours of sleep a night
1/7 this week

 

I actually only got 4 hours of sleep but that was on doctors orders so I'm counting it. Apparently you need to be really tired for EEG's to show the abnormal stuff.

 

 

Week 3, Day 2

Goal 1: Strength Training 3x a week
0/3 this week

Goal 2: Eat at least one serving of veggies 4 days a week
1/4 this week

Goal 3: Get 7 hours of sleep a night
1.5/7 this week

 

Week 3, Day 3

Goal 1: Strength Training 3x a week
0/3 this week

Goal 2: Eat at least one serving of veggies 4 days a week
1/4 this week

Goal 3: Get 7 hours of sleep a night
2.5/7 this week

 

Yay sleep. Boo for the lack of gym time. I actually got prepped last night then walked outside into -25 with windchill and turned around.