Record from the Front Lines

[hblyne]

Hi, I'm new to NF and wanted to kick things off with my own daily battle log. I'll do a starting photo later, which will be hard for me as I have a really poor self-image and HATE seeing photos of my body. This time last year I was the slimmest I have been my entire adult life and was pretty happy with my body. But I got there very suddenly through stress and unfortunately swung back the other way, so now I am the heaviest I have been in about 6 years, if not ever

 

Urgent action required!

 

I've been trying to work out more, doing interval training mostly, but it isn't making a dent in my weight as my diet remains awful. So I'm going to ease up on the pressure to exercise and work on the 80-90% of health: what I eat. I still want to make sure I am getting some form of exercise at least three times a week, but I do so on the understanding that without changing my diet there is very little that exercise will accomplish.

 

So I'm setting myself my own challenge, off timetable. I'll pick up with the "official" NF challenges when the next one starts. At this point I am laying the groundwork. One of the reasons for previous failures has been trying to make huge sweeping changes all at once and then getting discouraged when I encounter a setback and then throwing it all out of the window (a very bad habit that I need to break). Long term I am aiming to switch from a high carb diet to high fat, pretty close to paleo and I want to take up parkour, but need to get in shape first.

 

So my three small changes that I am going to make in the run up to the next challenge are:

 

1) Give up fizzy drinks. I drink way too much Pepsi/Coke. They are GONE. Cold turkey, as cutting down never works for me with this little addiction.

2) Bake less! I will allow myself one lot of baking every two weeks and will phase out the cookies in favour of more healthy baked goods, such as sugar-free brownies 

3) Exercise three times a week. This might be interval training or bodyweight workouts, very likely a combination of both.

 

I believe I can stick to these changes and they are the first steps on the road to clean living. The first one will be the hardest, I'll probably be hitting the OJ pretty hard while I go through withdrawal lol.

 

So I think that's all for now, thanks for reading

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

Welcome!!  I'm looking forward to seeing you join the challenges in a couple of weeks.

 

Meanwhile, these are good first steps, and those brownies look deadly!!!  I had to give up baking bread because the first loaf ended up being eaten in a day ... with lots of butter and jam.  But you can do it!!!

[hblyne]

Thanks

 

Yeah, freshly baked bread with lashings of butter or chocolate & hazelnut spread is another serious weakness of mine! *Drool*

[hblyne]

Not been a great couple of days as my kids are poorly so there's not been much time for cooking or working out. But I did some body weight work on Sunday and had two lovely meals (I took pics so can upload food porn when I get chance lol). I'm totally exhausted though because of my littlest not sleeping well the last two nights. I have had no fizzy drinks since Friday, which is really good going for me

I'm going to get a move on now and do some more body weight work. TTFN.

[hblyne]

I caved and had a Pepsi last night back on track today and I will do better. I am all kinds of crazy sore today from my workout yesterday too, had to get the foam roller out once today but I need to do more.

[hblyne]

I've had a terrible week had no motivation at all, eaten crap and done no exercise. Not sure why. Need to give myself a good hard kick up the arse and get on track. I feel a bit like I'm talking to myself on here though :/

[Jittersthe.Clown]

Take it one day at a time and don't give up.  One mis-step will not end you.  You're stronger by far.  You got this.

[hblyne]

Thank you

[hblyne]

So, I've managed two full days without a fizzy drink (after being totally off the wagon). I think I may be experiencing a bit of withdrawal - headache and irritable. Plus I really wanted a glass of Pepsi with my spicy chicken lunch. But I resisted. I WILL conquer this!

[Jittersthe.Clown]

Good to hear you fought off a craving.  Depending on your previous daily intake, the withdrawal symptoms will presist for a day, maybe two.  Heavy usage (like mine used to be) had me feeling like poo for about 3 and a half days.  Don't give in!  I found that after giving it up, I didn't crave the other crap I used to eat anymore like fast food.  You've got this and we've got your back.

 

[hblyne]

Thanks Jitters

[hblyne]

I had to take a hiatus from all things NF. Life threw some crap my way and I let it stop me from pursuing my fitness goals, I don't want that to happen again. I've piled on another half stone and am now officially the heaviest I have ever been (when not pregnant) so it's time to get really tough.

 

I've started lifting free weights 3-4 times per week, 2 weeks in now and loving it, much to my surprise! I like the measurable progress in adding more weight. I'm following a custom made power lifting program. I'm squatting 25kg for 3x5, benching the same, doing kettlebell squats with a 16kg weight for 5x5 and dumbell rows with 15kg for 3x5.

 

I'm also tracking my calories with MFP and aiming for 1350 calories per day with a high protein and fat, low carb intake. I've been trying again to crack my addiction to fizzy drinks. I've had one small bottle of Pepsi in 5 days, which is a massive improvement for me. That was 2 days ago. I want to make it 7 days, I think that should see me through the withdrawal and make it much easier to stay away from the stuff for life.

 

I will conquer this. I'm loving the "progress not perfection" mantra atm. I have 3 stone to lose (42 lbs, to my friends across the pond) and I will get there and keep it off. I want to be fit and healthy, have energy to play with my kids and set them a good example.

 

So my personal challenge for the next 6 weeks:

1) Stay off the fizzy pop.

2) Keep going with the weight lifting, 3 times per week minimum.

3) Tell myself one positive thing about myself every day.

[Jittersthe.Clown]

Good job out there.  You can do this.  Trying to kick my Red Bull addiction, I flavored my waters with fruits.  Helped a lot.  Glad you're back.

[hblyne]

Thanks mate

[raptron]

Unsweetened iced tea is a nice little caffeine boost on a hot day if you think you might be missing the caffeine. 

 

Good luck!

[hblyne]

Thanks! I think it's the sugar that has me hooked. There are only trace amounts of caffeine in Pepsi and I don't drink any other caffeinated drinks. In hot weather nothing quite beats a nice glass of lemonade. (Stop it!) I'm learning to enjoy slightly flavoured water... slowly :/

[hblyne]

So, I kind of fell off the planet for a while there. I had big bad shit going on, namely, the end of my marriage. Now ex moved out in September. I've been really depressed and eating appallingly. Exercise has been sporadic at best.

 

I've managed 13 days without fizzy drinks. I didn't make a conscious decision to stop again, I just went a couple of days without and then started consciously choosing other things, then realised I'd done the really hard bit (going a week) and decided to see how far I could get. Looking forward to two weeks of "sobriety" tomorrow! So far not missing that sugar high, though have been eating more chocolate because of xmas :/ I did lose 2 pounds ove rthe holidays though, so starting 2015 as I mean to go on.

 

I want clearly defined, measurable goals.

 

1. Get to one month with no fizzy drinks (and see where I can go from there, but small, measurable goals needed here).

2. To lose 3 stone (42lbs).

 

I'm going to Florida in October, I want to look good in shorts!

[Jittersthe.Clown]

I'm sorry to hear about some of the changes with your life, but glad to hear about others.  We're here to cheer you on along your journey.  Keep kicking butt!

[hblyne]

Thanks Jitters

 

I worked out this morning. I've been doing bodyweight workouts for the last 6 weeks or so. I didn't manage to keep up with it over the holidays, but getting back on track now. I'm going to log each workout here to keep me accountable.

 

I do three sets each of the following:

Squats x 20

Pushups (against wall) x 10

Lunges x 10

Dumbell rows x 12 x 2

Plank 20 seconds

Jumping Jacks x 30

Crunches x 20

 

I stalled on my last plank at 12 seconds today. I only recently managed to increase this from 10 seconds though, so still working into 3 x 20.

 

Still fizz-free

[hblyne]

Checking in and logging progress. Still no fizzy drinks! Past the 2 week mark with flying colours and into week 3

 

Today's workout wasn't stellar, but I was trying to do it pre-breakfast, which I ought to know by now is doomed to failure. Might have another crack this evening.

 

Squats 20-20

Push ups 10-10

Lunges 14-10

DBRs 24-24

Plank 20-20

JJs 30-30

Crunches 20-20-20

 

Felt like I was going to die after the second set of JJs (I work in circuits), so made myself finish my crunches but abandoned the rest.

 

I think I probably get the best workout late morning, after a good breakfast of scrambled egg. But I don't like to break from work in the middle of the day like that. It's tricky. I'm going to try working out in the evenings after the kids are in bed and before I collapse on the sofa, see where that gets me.

[hblyne]

Had the roughest of rough days yesterday and today. Virtually no sleep, courtesy of my toddler, and just the foulest mood ever. Thankfully my parents offered to have the kids stay at their place tonight. So I'm going to do my bodyweight workout shortly, then shower and have an early night. I may have sought comfort in a jam doughnut or two :/ How do I kick this comfort eating habit?

[hblyne]

Been a fairly crap time recently. I've failed to work out, I fell off the no-fizz wagon after 3 weeks, and have been feeling really low.

 

I need to change so much about my life and it's all really overwhelming. I need to just try and tackle one small thing at a time, but knowing and doing are different things. I'm going to stick with cutting the fizzy drinks for now. Go a week then try and introduce another small change... fresh air every day.

 

I love lists and plans. I think I'll write a detailed list of all the little steps that I could take to get my life hammered into something resembling a healthy shape.

 

I'm going back to the doctor about my depression too. I will make them listen and get the help I need.

[TMedina]

Good luck!  I know it sucks, but you have to keep putting one foot in front of the other til you make it through the other side.

 

Or, to paraphrase a country song, "if you're going through Hell, keep on going; you might make it out before the Devil ever knows you're there."

[Jittersthe.Clown]

A little something that I hope can brighten up your day.

 

 

 

[hblyne]

Thanks guys. Got out with my kids to a friend's house today. We've been hermits for weeks and were driving each other nuts. Getting out and seeing other people really helped.

Still no fizz. One day at a time.

I realised I really miss lifting. Ex took his rack and weights with him when he moved out. Pondering rejoining local gym to get access to weights again. Just not convinced I'll actually go often enough to justify the membership, due to childcare limitations. Needs some thought.