PrincessHeather's Goofy Challenge

[PrincessHeather]

Hello everyone!

 

So last challenge, I made a lot of headway in re-establishing habits of fitness and diet. Not perfect, but I dot in lots of exercise and generally improved overall diet. I also managed to get some answers from my doctor on some blood work, and things are pretty okay.

 

So the overall goal and theme is to keep it going, but to still continue to enjoy my summer here... hence the Goofy theme

 

GOAL 1: Stand Out (from the lame fitness crowd) STR 2, DEX 2, STA 1

 

I fell into a pretty good rhythm of doing hiking and yoga and a little lifting, so I just gotta keep doing that, with a bit more effort towards lifting. I'm going to the gym in the mornings now, which has actually worked out better than I thought it would. So the goal is: Lift twice weekly, yoga once weekly, 1 hike/bike ride per week

 

GOAL 2: CHEDDAR WHIZEEE.... Scrumptious! CHA 5

 

Out of context, that title is super weird. In any case, I'm in a major rut with food. I'm eating fairly well most meals, but it's a lot of ground beef and grilled chicken and salads. Nothing particularly inspired. I have both Well Fed books and the whole of the internet, I should be able to spice things up, pun intended. Goal of making 1 new recipe a week.

 

 

 

GOAL 3: No More Algebra Books Til September! WIS 5

Or ever really, since I'm not in school and I don't have a math focused job. But still, I really loved getting through a couple of unfinished books, and want to continue getting more done. So I will do my daily bible study, plus 30 mins recreational reading, EVERY DAY. It's enough for me to make big dents in some books, but not be overwhelmed by taking too much time for reading when I have chores and shopping and other junk to be doing.

 

So that's it, straightforward and uninteresting, but it should be a good challenge to end out the summer with. Maybe I'll throw a Powerline party at the end

 

 

Starting Stats

 

Weight: 142

Neck: 13 in

Natural Waist: 30

Hips (at hip bones): 38

Hips/Glutes: 41

Thighs (each): 23.5

Calf: 14

Bicep: 10.5

 

[Alanna]

I'll be following for photos of hiking in Alaska (as well as for the lifting, yoga, new recipes, and new books) .

[wildross]

So you got the important parts, the Disney gifs

[Brovatar Korra]

POWERLINE!

[PrincessHeather]

Original post updated, though I still need to remeasure and I'm going to take some progress pics too. I've been feeling pretty great about my progress and where I'm at right now, and feeling a lot more comfortable being okay with being imperfect.

 

Wanted to hit the ground running today with a lifting session, but woke up with a sore throat and decided not to push it. I rarely get sick, and I just want whatever this is to pass quickly. Hubby is having the same symptom, so maybe he brought me a viral present from work, ugh.

 

I did do my reading for today though, and can I just say that I find Catcher in the Rye supremely overrated? Or maybe, I just missed out on "getting it" because I didn't read it in high school and I'm only getting to it now at age 27? Can't wait to turn this back in to the library.

[MasterOfCows]

I thought Catcher was overrated as well - I didn't read it in high school either.

[Hermione Gainser]

Yay!! I love it!  And those gifs are bringing me back, yo.

[PrincessHeather]

Yeah, so in searching for all those gifs, I found this gem:

 

[PrincessHeather]

Workout 7/29/14

 

**SPOILER: Everything felt stupidly heavy.

 

Warmup

 

Front Squat/Push Press

3x10x40

 

Lying Dumbell Extension

1x10x15

2x10x17.5

 

Dumbell Snatch (each arm)

1x10x25

3x5x30

 

Deadlift

1x10x65

3x8x85

 

In other news, I made a new recipe for beef short ribs last night. I followed her recipe except I felt like 6 cloves of garlic was two much, and I'm glad I cut that in half because it was still pretty overpowering. I'll probably go back to the first recipe I used for them, if I can manage to find it. And bonus, though not really a new recipe, or even really a recipe, I have been enjoying fresh raspberries from the bushes in my yard. So delicious!! And pretty much organic, since I have done ZERO work on them, not even watering them. It rains pretty often here, so I guess they got plenty. They are perfect with homemade pastured whipped cream with an touch of vanilla and a little maple syrup blended in.

 

 

 

 

[msuroo]

I'm having trouble finding an appropriate Max Goof gif for the situation...but yeah, I'm here .

[PrincessHeather]

I'm having trouble finding an appropriate Max Goof gif for the situation...but yeah, I'm here .

 

Oh trust me, I know. I had a pretty rough time trying to find gifs this time around. I must correct this!

[Hermione Gainser]

Mmmm short ribs.  Yes, please.  If you find the recipe you really like you should post it here so I can take a look

[PrincessHeather]

This is sort of cheating, but here is a pic from a hike back in June:

 

[Hermione Gainser]

GAWD.  I can't even with that view.  All the hiking!

[Brovatar Korra]

Such a beautiful picture!

[Raev]

Great hiking pic!

 

I love hikers and hiking.  Friends?

[PrincessHeather]

Great hiking pic!

 

I love hikers and hiking.  Friends?

 

Of course! 

 

Thought for tonight... There are few things "crunchier" than following up hot yoga with a bottle of homemade kombucha.

[Hermione Gainser]

Of course! 

 

Thought for tonight... There are few things "crunchier" than following up hot yoga with a bottle of homemade kombucha.

 

So earth. Much hippie. Wow.

[PrincessHeather]

Two weeks gone already, right? Yikes.

 

Week 1 & 2 RECAP

 

Fitness: 4/4 lifting, 2/2 yoga, 2+/2 on hiking and biking. Doing all the things, and actively training chinups/pullups which is just wrecking my upper body, in a good way. Also spent last Saturday hiking up and down a river looking for silver salmon to fish, which was a lot rougher than it sounds. This is an A+ all the way.

 

Recipes: I did the ribs... and discovered that I am an IDIOT and a clove of garlic and a HEAD of garlic are not the same thing and I had them confused, hence overly garlic-ed ribs. However, I made shepperd's pie last week and it was a rousing success with Mr. Princess. So A+ so far on this. 

 

Reading: I've kept up on my bible reading, mostly. I missed a day here and there, but haven't skipped any and I'm all caught up as of today. I've finished two short YA novels during this challenge as well, and while I haven't exactly measured the 30 minutes a day thing, finishing enjoyable books is really the goal so it's all good. Just started on Eat the Yolks, and loving it. Good inspiration to get food under control once and for all, until I have to get it under control again, haha.

[Hermione Gainser]

Ha! the garlic issue! I did that once and I was like "wtaf?"  and then I was like, "ohhhh yeah. dur."  People say there can never be too much garlic. That's not true.

 

Great job on the weeks!  It looks like things are going pretty well.  Did you wing the shepherd's pie?  I've been experimenting with my topping.  I've only used potatoes once. I used to use sweet but since I can't eat them anymore I don't.  I've done mashed celeriac root, rutabaga and cauliflower.  So far rutabaga is my favorite.

[msuroo]

People say there can never be too much garlic. That's not true.

 

I dunno, I haven't found that point yet.

 

Then again, I've never mistaken a head for a clove .

[PrincessHeather]

Ha! the garlic issue! I did that once and I was like "wtaf?"  and then I was like, "ohhhh yeah. dur."  People say there can never be too much garlic. That's not true.

 

Great job on the weeks!  It looks like things are going pretty well.  Did you wing the shepherd's pie?  I've been experimenting with my topping.  I've only used potatoes once. I used to use sweet but since I can't eat them anymore I don't.  I've done mashed celeriac root, rutabaga and cauliflower.  So far rutabaga is my favorite.

 

I followed the recipe in Well Fed for the shepherd's pie, but I used some organic local potatoes instead of cauliflower that she uses. I like cauliflower, but I've never found it to be a perfect sub for good ol' mashed potatoes. I figure if I use them once in awhile and I'm mindful of the starch/carbs its fine, I have no issue with nightshades as far as I can tell.

 

Why for no more sweet potatoes for you HG?

[PrincessHeather]

Also, update. Last week was a total fail for food, I didn't do a new recipe and I ate pretty crappy.

 

And I only lifted once, mainly due to my right wrist and left shoulder conspiring against me. My shoulder felt like maybe a pinched nerve, and that pain eventually sort of traveled down into my tricep. Both seem much better now, but it way derailed my week for exercise. I did however go out camping and enjoying Alaska, so oh well, I had some fun instead.

 

Reading also went well. I discovered some previously unread short stories by Rick Riordan, and blew through those in about a day. Now I'm back to waiting for October's book release. I also got a couple paleo books on sale for 99 cents for my Kindle and I'm making progress in those.

 

Not bad, not great. Been feeling sort of blah all week thanks to my "vacation" and now that that's over I've gotten a lot of energy back so I'm back to the grindstone. I even rode my bike to work today and ate a big ass salad for lunch!

[Brovatar Korra]

Sorry that your week was so-so, I've felt the same way. The last few days I've been gearing up to start school again, which is already filling me with anxiety because it is such a rigorous program. It sounds like today was a success, here's to more days like that for both of us!

[Strawberry Squatcake]

I cannot believe I"m just getting here! I think I'm missing half the challenges I normally follow. My work-life balance is way out of whack lately. Need to remedy that! Well, and the end of summer social stuff seems to be burying me. So I'm already short on free time with more work, plus added social stuff. 

 

Excuses!
 

I'm here now.

 

Also, Ma and Pa Squat gave me a bunch of home grown garlic. I had to be all, "So... You guys growin' garlic this year or what?" Hahahah! I've also never had a "too much" point wth garlic, but also haven't used heads instead of cloves. Maybe I should try that! Sounds delicious.

 

My mom makes a dip with garlic scapes. If you ever get your hands on scapes, holler at me. SO. GOOD. Then I saw an article last year before saying scapes are "the new thing" in "health food." So now they're selling them at stores. Mostly my parents are like the Ingalls-Wilders and if they can avoid waste, they do. So that's why they make the dip. Well, that and it's delicious. Yum.