[Xanjra]Hopefully not too late to join for my first challenge.

[xanjra]

I only discovered this website yesterday, but I feel like I have come home.  Gamers with goals, I love you already!

 

I am female.  English.  A little over 29 years old.  Currently living near Manchester with my fiance and our pre-teen daughter.  

 

In 2014, my grand goals are: to get fit (lose 70lbs, and get Army Reserve entry fitness), to decorate my new house and to get a good daily routine going (hit up the housework daily, stop avoiding appointments and get into a career that I love). 

 

I didn't want to wait for the next challenge, so I hope I can sneak in at the back and join in from now.

 

For this 6 week challenge...

 

 

My Main Goal

 

To lose half a stone (7 lbs).

 

Goal 1

 

To record my food intake daily and to keep my calories around 1200 per day.

 

Goal 2

 

Progress through Convict Conditioning.  Complete one of the 'Big Six' every day each week.

 

Goal 3 

 

Fast walk (am scared of running) 2.4km on the treadmill, then swim lengths for an hour, three times a week.

 

 

Life Quest

 

Find a plasterer for the hallway.  Phone around, make appointments and get quotes.  This is something I have been putting off for weeks, but I am going to suck it up and get it done!

 

 

My motivation.... wow, it is so hard to define, I will have a little think on it and get back to you when I can put it into words.

 

 

 

Nice to 'meet' you all,

 

M x

 

[Artemis]

Hi!  It's never to late to join the Rebellion.  Welcome to the party

[aishahhope]

Welcome! Good luck with your goals. 

[Nuala]

Hello and welcome to the rebellion!

 

Considering you are following the convict conditioning program, I have tagged your thread as @assassins, that mean the assassins and I will make sure to follow your progress for the whole challenge, I can't post much but be sure that I, or an assassin ambassador, will check your thread at least once a week to inquire about how you are doing.

 

In the same way, if you click on the @assassins tag on the main page of the level 1 forum, you will find many people who have similar workouts, easy way to make friends!

 

If you have any questions about a particular exercise, feel free to ask us anything, in your thread or even better in the Assassin's den:

http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/44299-assassins-den-general-chat-thread/

 

You can also find a list of assassins doing some specifics BW exercises in our Assassin phonebook:

http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/44718-the-assassin-phonebook/

 

Good luck with your challenge!

[Snowbmon]

By Army Reserve fitness I'm assuming you mean British Army? I'm actually in the US army and am wondering how the fitness standards compare.

[DreamAchiever]

Good luck!

[xanjra]

That is very cool Snowbmon - what division are you in?

 

Yeah, I am a Brit!

 

The British Army has varying fitness levels depending on which branch, role and your gender, I assume that the American Army is the same.  The SAS and Paras are super fit!  I would love to reach that level eventually (but being a girl I would not be allowed to join those branches of the army).  I am aiming in 2014 for the basic entry level for my age and gender, which should be very achievable, even though I will need to lose a fair bit of weight first.  

 

My main problem is the running; I can do a lovely fast walk but I am very self-conscious about jogging or running.  I am currently using The Walk app (from the same people who made Zombies, Run), which is very motivating to get you walking as it unlocks chapters of the story.  Once this becomes a habit and my body adapts I plan on using the BBC's C25K, and then Zombies, Run.  I will be brave!

 

M x

[Happyhatparade]

What are your thoughts on Convict Conditioning? I've been looking at that - I have 'You are your own Gym' - I'm guessing Convict would be pretty much the same?

[Viriana]

What are you doing to track your food and calories?

 

I love your goals! Glad to have you here!

[xanjra]

I like CC - the author has a nice writing style so I read it in a day. There are 6 exercises that work big ol' groups of muscles. I do one every day, so it never takes very long, which is a big plus. The author states that the excercises are great for newbs or rehab, and his assertions are all logical (based on what I know). I would defo recommend it so far. I have only vaguely heard of 'You Are Your Own Gym'. What is it like?

I have been tracking my food all year, so am definitely getting the habit! I write down everything I eat and add up the calories, just a very simple pen and diary affair. When I am nearer my weight goal I will watch the health of foods I eat, but until then it's just calories in vs out!

M x

[Snowbmon]

woops... sorry about the bazillion posts and the crappy links

[Snowbmon]

http://www.armyprt.com/ is a website version the the US Army's physical fitness standards. As for the Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT), the only difference in standards has to do with Age and gender. Office monkeys have the same standards and grunts! 
 
I'm a Medical Officer in the Michigan National Guard. I deal with medical evacuation and treatment plans... far from badass, but I feel like I do some good.
 
As far as my fitness standards as a 26 year old 72 inch tall male, I can weigh no more than 195 lbs, I have 2 minutes (each) to do 42 push ups them 53 sit ups, and I have to run 2 miles in under 15:54.
 
that's minimum, though. shooting for Maximum points, I need to do 71 push ups, 78 sit ups and 13:00 two mile run.
 
you can find a scor calculator here: [url=here

[Snowbmon]

No Idea why that tripple posted... also I suck at linking to things like that

 

here is the raw link

 

http://www.armystudyguide.com/content/army_board_study_guide_topics/physical_training/apft-calculator-online.shtml

[Kunoichi22]

Xanjra,

 

Thanks for joining the challenge.  This is my first challenge, too.  Your personal challenges and goals really resonate with me.  I am excited to cheer one another on through this (and more!) challenges.  WE CAN DO THIS!

[xanjra]

Wowza, I have the cool kids in my thread!

Snowbmon, you sure do sound like a badass. And a runner too? I really hope to get my run on, but I am super stupid looking even fast walking.

Kunoichi, you are badass too! Air Force, martial arts and raiding!? Nice, I used to raid-lead in WoW. Took so much of my spare time.

When the apocalypse happens, I call dibs on you two for my dream team!

M x

[Twilight]

Welcome!

 

I've contemplated joining the armed forces in the past. The fitness requirements used to be really intimidating to me, but now they look achievable. You can do it!

[cmhutch]

Hi from another latecomer to the challenge! I love your goals, and your attitude, and hope things are progressing well!

 

I know what you mean about being self-conscious when it comes to running. I hate doing any kind of workout where other people can see me, which is why I love the bodyweight stuff I can do at home. Still, I'm hoping to make baby steps to doing some outdoor workouts...maybe I'll even get crazy some day and walk into a gym. We can do it! 

[xanjra]

Thanks guys.  I can truly say that you have motivated me this week x

 

 

 

And on that note,

 

Week 3 (or 1)  Round Up

 

 

Goal 1

 

To record my food intake daily and to keep my calories around 1200 per day.

 

7 / 7 - Even managed to stay under on my cheat meal day.  Although I was unreasonably hungry all of Sunday, I just drunk extra water and sucked it up!

 

Goal 2

 

Progress through Convict Conditioning.  Complete one of the 'Big Six' every day each week.

 

6 / 6 - Completed them all (and pushed for some improvement too!); however almost broke my neck trying to do a headstand so I need to make day six a neck strengthening day before I tackle headstands again.  Mini goal for next week - find the right forum and get some advice on safe neck exercises.

 

Goal 3 

 

Fast walk (am scared of running) 2.4km on the treadmill, then swim lengths for an hour, three times a week.

 

6 / 6 - plus an extra 10 lengths and aqua combat class on Thursday!

 

Life Quest

 

Find a plasterer for the hallway.  Phone around, make appointments and get quotes.  This is something I have been putting off for weeks, but I am going to suck it up and get it done!

 

Zero progress... instead I spent some time considering decorating a totally different room.  Must... suck... it... up!

 

All things considered very cool beans.  *pats self on back*

 

M x

 

Ps.  I hope you are doing well on your challenge - make sure you update, I will be watching!

[AnnieP (respawned)]

Hello from yet another late starter. Looks like you are doing well on your first week in.    Keep us posted!

[Daryl of the Pines]

Great goals, xanjra. Good thinking, to start working on the fitness ahead of time, before going to military basic training. And no sense completely trashing your body trying to do more than you can handle with the run. It will come in time. Do what your current condition will allow, and maybe push it just a little bit more each time. 

 

When I had decided to enlist in the navy (years ago now), I remember being all eager to get fit ahead of time, about 5-6 months prior to going to basic training. I was not athletic at all, I never did any sports in school. I was quite sedentary. Thankfully, I had the sense to get started with training before basic. However, I didn't have the sense to do it reasonably, and jumped head-first into attempting runs my body was not ready for. I remember laying on the floor for 30 minutes following one of these ill-fated runs, feeling sick, almost passed out completely. I took a more sensible approach after that one, allowing myself to fall short of the goal when I ran, if it meant I would at least come a little bit closer to that goal the next time. I finally learned the value of persistence in achieving a long-term goal, even if that goal appears insurmountable at the beginning.

 

It all paid off in the end. I won't say basic was easy for a guy like me, but it was way easier than it would have been had I not started training ahead of time.....that is, training SENSIBLY ahead of time. I'm sure that had I gone on at a destructive pace, I would have just burned myself out and given up, and then I would have been in a world of hurt in basic. They probably would have put me through some sort of remedial fitness training. 

[cmhutch]

Awesome progress last week! You're certainly making up for coming in late :-)  

[Kunoichi22]

Xanjra,

 

Awesome job on your week 3(1)!!  (Except the plasterer, but... details, details.)  I call that kind of difficulty "creative procrastination."  =)  All your fitness goals were met beautifully!  Cheering you on!!

 

Let's get it done for the NEXT week, too.

[xanjra]

Thanks guys.  I think I have a problem with focus, I kind of get tunnel vision and can meet all my health goals but at the expense of other things, like housework!  I think I am going to have to find ways of dealing with this, because this time my diet and fitness is forever.  Maybe once things become habit it's easier?

 

M x

[Silverwitch]

It's not necessarily focus... it is just that you found another way to procrastinate. 

 

I can say that, I do it sometimes the same way: doing something important, really throwing myself into it --- and using exactly this as an excuse to not "have time" to tackle the other (equally important but less pleasant) thing. 

 

Pretty sure it will get better once new habits have been formed!

[Viriana]

Thanks guys.  I think I have a problem with focus, I kind of get tunnel vision and can meet all my health goals but at the expense of other things, like housework!  I think I am going to have to find ways of dealing with this, because this time my diet and fitness is forever.  Maybe once things become habit it's easier?

 

M x

 

It is finding balance, and what works for you. With all of my obligations, I have had to set aside time dedicated solely for house work. I don't look forward to Sundays, but everything gets cleaned and washed.