Sweet Pea's Ordinary Acts of Bravery

[Sweet Pea]

"We believe in ordinary acts of bravery...

the courage that drives one person to stand up for another."

 

 

 

 

...or to stand up for oneself, when it comes to standing up for your needs and desires in the diet/fitness areas. Here is where I will log my daily (or close to daily) battles to do so.

 

 

Today:

 

I've been off track most of this month, so today's workout was pretty basic because I didn't want to get too sore.

 

Cardio = 20 minutes power walking. I will be resuming my run training program tomorrow. 

 

Strength Workout (1 set)

Bodyweight Squats = 20

Push ups = 10 (from my knees)

Walking Lunges = 20

Dumbbell Rows = 10/8#

Plank = 15 seconds

Jumping jacks = 30

 

 

[Teirin]

Good start!

[Sweet Pea]

Good start!

 

Thanks!

 

 

Today:

 

Walk/run - 15 minutes On the plus side, this was the first early morning workout I've done in awhile. I've been wanting to get back to that now that roommates have moved out and I have free and clear access to the workout space without fear of waking anybody, and today I was finally able to. I didn't sleep very well last night, which I think had something to do with me being able to wake up easily (bad dreams, didn't want to get back into them by falling back asleep). That being said, it wasn't easy, but I did it and I'm very glad, only I didn't have much energy that early. Hopefully that will improve with time.

 

 

Diet yesterday - 1407 calories, 27% Carbs, 35% Fat, 38% Protein

Diet today - 1461 calories, 29% Carbs, 33% Fat, 38% Protein

Both clean eating days

 

Right now I'm just basically following a combination of MFP/IIFYM recommendations. Calorie wise, MFP goal is 1383, which seems low so as long as its below 1600 on days I work out, I don't plan on worrying about it. The macros I'm going for is 35% Carbs, 25% Fat and 40% Protein. However, as long as I keep the fat that I consume healthy, such as olive oil, avocado, nuts etc, I'm not gonna worry about going over. My bigger concern is making sure I get enough protein. My protein has been good the past couple days because we had an abundance of leftover grilled chicken from Memorial day. Yum.

[Teirin]

Morning workouts started the same for me so maybe they'll improve for you too? 

 

Grilled chicken is so good.  So are avocados and nuts and the other things you mentioned.  You're feeling ok at that level?  It is low intake so be careful :-) 

[Sweet Pea]

Morning workouts started the same for me so maybe they'll improve for you too? 

 

Grilled chicken is so good.  So are avocados and nuts and the other things you mentioned.  You're feeling ok at that level?  It is low intake so be careful :-) 

 

They should improve, I used to always workout in the mornings so I'm hoping it's like riding a bike.

 

So far so good, it's only been a few days at this level. I'll probably be adding a mid-morning snack though which will increase that. 

 

 

 

 

Today's workout was not completed in the morning like I planned, but I got right to it after work before I could make up any excuses. I did the following hodgepodge of random upper body workouts (I've done this one a time or two before) followed by 20 minutes of power walking. 

 

Dynamic Warmup (including jumping jacks and snakey-on-the-push-up-burpees)

Incline Pike Pushups - 3x8

Wall Pushups - 3x8

Plank - 3x20seconds

Superset:

Bicep Curls - 3x8/8#

Tricep Extensions - 3x5/8#

Superset:

Side Shoulder Raises - 3x5/8#

Military Presses - 3x8/8#

Stretch

 

Definitely not very challenging and didn't match my numbers from the last time I did this particular workout, but completed all the same. 

[Sweet Pea]

Yesterday's workout:

 

20 minutes run/walk. There was actual running, so that was good.

 

Diet yesterday was about 2000 cals, including pizza and beer (but otherwise clean), but also sibling fun, and no regrets.

[Sweet Pea]

Today's workout is complete:

 

Strength Workout (2 sets)

Bodyweight Squats = 20

Push ups = 10*

Walking Lunges = 20**

Dumbbell Rows = 10/8#

Plank = 20 seconds

Jumping jacks = 30

 

*A note on my push ups - I was able to kind of complete one standard push up today. The rest were kneeling push ups, but I made sure my form was excellent on those.

**A not on walking lunges - I sometimes do straight leg, sometime bent, and I'm not sure which is correct. Or not so much correct, but rather which is recommended better for this or that purpose. I'll need to look into that.

 

So, only two sets today. I'm building momentum. 

[Teirin]

Full push-up! Congrats!

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Sweet Pea]

Full push-up! Congrats!

 

 

Thanks! It has not yet been repeated, although attempted

 

 

The past couple days have been, um, a little on the lazy side. It's very very hot in our house (excuses! excuses!) and we are also dealing with a mini money crisis this month which is severely limiting our grocery shopping abilities (excuses! excuses!). But I've been doing some pretty thorough research and prep for next challenge, and figuring out how to balance it all with the limited grocery funding. (Our roommates both moved out at the beginning of the month so we are no longer getting their monies, which has been a tough adjustment. Ah, life.)

 

Very pumped for this next challenge though.

[Taijibum]

Looks like a good start. What martial art do you do?

[Sweet Pea]

Looks like a good start. What martial art do you do?

 

Formally, none. I joined the monks because I like kickboxing and they seemed cool. They turned out to be to cool for me to want to leave.

[Taijibum]

Kickboxing is a martial art.

[Sweet Pea]

Kickboxing is a martial art.

 

 I guess what I mean is that I haven't had any formal training, so I don't feel like I can make any claims to it. I would love to, though, when my finances permit. 

[Sweet Pea]

Today's workout:

 

 

Strength Workout

Bodyweight Squats = 20/16#

Push ups = 10 kneeling (no such thing as a full push up today   )

Walking Lunges = 20/16#

Dumbbell Rows = 10/8#

Plank = 15 seconds

Jumping jacks = 50

Rest for 1 minute

 

Bodyweight Squats = 20/10#

Push ups = 10 incline diamond pike

Walking Lunges = 20/10#

Dumbbell Rows = 10/8#

Plank = 15 seconds

Jumping jacks = 40

Rest for 1 minute

 

Bodyweight Squats = 20

Push ups = 10 wall

Walking Lunges = 20

Dumbbell Rows = 10/8#

Plank = 15 seconds

Jumping jacks = 30

 

Hill Sprints

Location: Treadmill Incline 10 (I need to work on finding some real hills for this)

# of sprints: 5

Length of sprints: 20-30 seconds

Length of breaks: 1 minute

 

So I did some research on hill sprints since I've never done them before and they are part of my next challenge. I think I found a basic format to follow. Next session will be two longer sprints.

 

I need to look at adding more difficulty to my strength workouts. I've been using the Beginner Bodyweight format for awhile now, and pretty much maxed out the starting points (except push ups, of course.)

 

 

 

[Teirin]

I'm adding sprints too :-)  Very very nice workout!

[Sweet Pea]

I've been absent from NF for awhile, but tomorrow I have plans to go to the gym before work, so I'm setting that expectation here to put more pressure on myself. I'll be back tomorrow with a workout update!

[Muscle Professor]

The opening to your forum is powerful, and I look forward to seeing you continue that level of inspiration.

[Teirin]

I've been absent from NF for awhile, but tomorrow I have plans to go to the gym before work, so I'm setting that expectation here to put more pressure on myself. I'll be back tomorrow with a workout update!

 

SWEET PEA!!!!  So glad to see you back!

[Sweet Pea]

The opening to your forum is powerful, and I look forward to seeing you continue that level of inspiration.

 

Thank you!

 

SWEET PEA!!!!  So glad to see you back!

 

Hi!

 

I did not go to the gym that following morning like planned, but I DID go for a walk...count it!

 

 

* 

 

 

Today I did the Level 1 Bodyweight Brigade Workout A from the NF Academy.

 

I modified the pushups, doing incline pushups, and I wasn't able to lower that far down for the three rounds of 10. But I felt like my form was good.

 

I did 5 minutes of walking before, then warm up, then workout (3 rounds), then 5 minutes of incline walking, then cool down. Feels good to be back in the swing of things!

[Sweet Pea]

Today's Workout:

 

Walk ~ 25 minutes

light stretching afterwards

 

That's all, folks!