Chromaggia Takes to the Stage

[Chromaggia]

I'd like to say this face-dancing Nome strides onto the fitness stage but instead she creeps on, shaking with fear. I am absolutely terrified.

I'm not sure how to word my main quest. Here's my introduction post . I want to get fitter, I want more strength and less fat. I want to be able to walk further and lift my son with ease. Sadly the last two years have been a long list of things I can no longer do or am no longer permitted to do, and I'm tired of making what I think are reasonable goals only to be told "no, you can't do that." I guess my aim is to feel like I've achieved something, anything at all. It feels like I'm aiming low, but this is my reality, for now. At my current walking pace it'd take me 10 years to get to the Grey Havens, but damn it I'm gonna get there.

Goal 1:

Walk at least 1 mile per day weeks 1&2, 2 miles per day weeks 3&4, 3 miles per day weeks 5&6. (STA 3)

Goal 2:

Do a modified version of the bodyweight workout on alternate days. (STR 2)

Goal 3:

Dance 2 hours a week.(DEX 2)

Life Quest:

Get at least an hours worth of art done per day. (WIS 3)

Motivation:

I am suffering from depression due to untreated PTSD and a whole raft of health problems. I don't want to wear a 'people suit' anymore, I want to actually own this body, as broken as it is, and be a human being again. I need something I can be proactive about. Something to aim for. Some kind of structure. Cos waiting for someone to answer my pleas for help hasn't worked so far.

[manelsen]

Hello.

 

If you can pinpoint your depression to a PTSD, have you considered approaching it with NLP?

[Chromaggia]

Hi Manelsen. I haven't heard of NLP, so I'll look it up and see what it's about. CBT and mindfulness have both been a bust. Tattoo therapy got rid of my waking flashbacks, but not the sleep paralysis ones. My psych thinks TA might be the next step.

[manelsen]

Hello again.

 

Neuro Linguistic Programming has had some successes with PTSD.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC5AmriQse4 + http://healmyptsd.com/treatment/neuro-linguistic-programming

 

Check it out. It's not for everyone, but it could be for you.

[alienjenn]

most of the things I have accomplished have been things someone somewhere somewhen told me I could never do... I also have a whole raft of health problems that mean I kinda have to approach training a little differently... 

 

it's nice to be stubborn

 

it's also nice to have NF so WELCOME!

[Blaidd]

woohoo another dancer.

 

You might notice that i've added an Assassins' tag to your thread.  This isn't to pigeonhole you into particular guild, but rather to bring one of their ambassadors here to offer you encouragement, support or advice.  Your goals this challenge fit well with the overall spirit of their guild and you are more than welcome to pop into their Den and introduce yourself to them.  You are also more than welcome to pop me a message anytime. 

 

Good Luck

AB xx

[Chromaggia]

I'm going to use Zombies, Run! to track my daily walking, I love that game so much (even though I can't run). Are we allowed to change our goals midway through? I'm hoping to get up to 2 miles per day by week 3.

[alienjenn]

You can always increase your goals if you made them too easy. ... you can also construct you're goals from the beginning to be incremental

[Chromaggia]

You can always increase your goals if you made them too easy. ... you can also construct you're goals from the beginning to be incremental

Thank you! Do you have an example of how I'd do that please? I had such a huge stress about goals when I was writing this post

[alienjenn]

so like... 

 

week 1& 2 walk 1.5 miles per day

week 3 & 6 walk 2  miles per day

week 4 & 5 walk 2 miles per day with intervals of faster walking... 

 

 

you can do that with all kinds of goals... I had a friend who did it with a diet/tracking goal... 

 

week 1&2 TRACK all the foods

week 3 & 4 decrease average calories by 500/day

week 5&6 continue above with added macro tracking and hit set macros... 

 

 

 

I personally have one with my routines... for the first 2-3 weeks I will have a get up and go to bed routine that each has 3 items... in week 3-4 (depending on if it's HABIT) I will add another item

 

 

don't stress about it... the 6WC is a TOOL... much like a hammer... we don't stress about the hammer we just use it

[Chromaggia]

Thank you very much AlienJenn! I've updated my goal now, much happier with it.

I discovered last night that my nearest 24/7 gym is 1.5miles away, so if I can walk 3 miles with relative ease by the end of this challenge my financier (ahem, husband) has agreed that I can sign up there to start classes.

I also took my toddler to the local pool today (huge step as I'm scared stiff of being seen in a swimsuit by anyone I know) and discovered it's actually pretty good on my knees. So I'm going to see about getting a medical referral for aquafit. which given the speed my doctor works might materialise in time for the next 6 week challenge

[KayDubEff]

I will be working on my walking too, though I'm aiming for over 10K steps per day--I'm not sure how far that will be when it all comes out. But we can do it!

 

Also, what kind of art do you do? I'm curious :-)

[alienjenn]

Thank you very much AlienJenn! I've updated my goal now, much happier with it.

I discovered last night that my nearest 24/7 gym is 1.5miles away, so if I can walk 3 miles with relative ease by the end of this challenge my financier (ahem, husband) has agreed that I can sign up there to start classes.

I also took my toddler to the local pool today (huge step as I'm scared stiff of being seen in a swimsuit by anyone I know) and discovered it's actually pretty good on my knees. So I'm going to see about getting a medical referral for aquafit. which given the speed my doctor works might materialise in time for the next 6 week challenge

 

 

I LOVE swimming (although I only do it in rivers/ponds/and stuff

 

I am glad that you are happier with your goals... now I am gonna watch you crush them!!

[T2sarahconnor]

Welcome to the Rebellion!

Your goals look great! I am excited to see you progress on your journey!

What kind of dance do you do?

[Chromaggia]

I will be working on my walking too, though I'm aiming for over 10K steps per day--I'm not sure how far that will be when it all comes out. But we can do it!

 

Also, what kind of art do you do? I'm curious :-)

Good luck with the 10k steps a day! I've had to switch to pedometer for Zombies Run and I was surprised how many steps there were in a mile

I mostly do digital art nouveau with a side of geekery, [link=http://phantoms-siren.deviantart.com/art/Joker-Nouveau-316927520] this is one of mine.[/link]

  

Welcome to the Rebellion!

Your goals look great! I am excited to see you progress on your journey!

What kind of dance do you do?

Thank you! I used to do ballet many moons ago, now I'm mostly doing belly dancing and burlesque stuff, hoping to get the go ahead from physio to do classes next year.

[ChristArtist]

Hi Chromaggia!

I am a fellow PTSD/depressive person - and I have had to fight my way to find things that help as well.

I am also an artist....

You have already met some very awesome people here - but I have subbed for your thread as well.

ONE HUGE THING - this is about learning to touch base here - do NOT allow those voices to tell you that you failed us here - POST - POST ONCE A WEEK AT LEAST! and you will have made a change in your life, reaching outside of that PTSD cell we tend to live in - and trust me - all these hands reaching out, will be here to help pull you up if you fall down, or high five you when you succeed - and wag a finger at your when you think you failed, and we know you succeeded! ;-)

I am in a much better, much healthier place here because of many many people here - that walk the same path - mentally, emotionally, and yes, even physically, as I do - and as you do!

hugs.

PMme if you need to talk - the little envelope up at the top right hand corner -

my thread is in my sig line.

And, I may start up a special accountabillibuddies group for artists - and I'll post that in my thread if I do that...and I'd like to invite you if Iget that done. This challenge is very time consuming for me...so, I'll try to say hi! come by and say hi back!

Sent from my SM-P900 using Tapatalk

[GingaNinja]

Hey Chromaggia, thanks for sharing your story with us. I am sorry to hear about your depression and difficulties and though I don't know exactly what you are going through I can really sympathize with you as I have had a lot of health issues the last few years and issues with on going depression.

I think your goals are really go and the small steps are the best ones you can take,take care and if you need an wait don't hesitate to get in touch.

[starsapart]

I see you're a dancer, too. On behalf of the Assassins' Guild Ambassadors, welcome to your first official Nerd Fitness challenge!  It seems like some of your interests might align with ours, so I'm extending the official (black-gloved, naturally) hand of welcome on behalf of the guild!  There are many dancers in our midst - and if you'd like to meet more, you can always check out The Dancers Thread, too.  I've got a few other links for you that might help you along, too:

 

Here's a link to the Assassin Guild Info & Announcements.  You can also feel free to pop into the Assassins' Den guild chat thread and get in on the fun.  Everyone's friendly and glad to answer questions - or spam your inbox with gifs, either or, really.

 

We're also trying something new this time around: in the Accountabilibuddies section of the forum, you'll notice a Level 1 Assassin Initiates Q&A/Chat  thread.  Feel free to pop in there if you decide you may be interested in joining us post-challenge to meet other newbies with similar interests and interact with some current Assassins as well!

 

We've also got a Phone Book in the works (coming soon - I or one of my partners in crime will link you when it's up) which will list guild members based on the skills they're working on, so you can go check out others with similar interests.

 

I'm glad to chat at you anytime, as well!  I have a background in ballet as well, and although I can't know exactly what you're going through, but if you ever want to talk, I'll be happy to listen.  And I'd love to hear more about belly dancing and burlesque, too - I've always been interested, but am definitely unfamiliar.

 

We'll be checking in on you as the challenge goes on, but it looks like you're ready and eager to go.  So get out there and kill those goals!

 

(Note that I did not say assassinate those goals.  I would be proud of myself for resisting the pun, but I seem to have made it now after all.)

[ChristArtist]

Starsapart. .. you found her!

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[deerskin]

We are so rooting for you! It's good that you are doing goals you know are attainable. This is your journey, and no one else's!

[Chromaggia]

Hi everyone!

 

First day and of course the weather is terrible. Thank you Britain!

 

Walked two miles through a local historical garden (probably further with the hedge maze but my phone died to I had to guess using googlemaps). Was hard but I didn't feel like I was dying by the end of it.

 

No bodyweight workout today, will start that tomorrow.

 

Dancing will be happening shortly (waiting for the living room floor to be free of console cables )

 

Art today consisted of the ever lovely "framing prints for gallery", my least favourite job and some work on a new self portrait, really hard as I'm not a fan of myself, but it needs doing.

[deerskin]

Weather here in Indiana was cold and rainy too! Glad someone else was out there to share my discomfort.

[Chromaggia]

 

Only managed one and a half reps of the bodyweight workout. It didn't go so great, pretty much everything was OK with Neila Rey's modifications , until I tried to do a normal pushup, not happening, stupidly tried the modification (why did I think putting weight directly on my knee was a good idea?!?) and promptly collapsed. Wall push ups are too easy, I wonder if I can put a crate under my thighs or hips and push up from there... hmmmm

 

Two miles walked but in two segments.

[deerskin]

One and a half reps is a good start! You will be surprised how quickly you adapt. Try pushing up from a counter top, or if that's too easy from a chair top. Just make sure it's against the wall or something so it doesn't move and dump you on your face!

[Alexandrite]

Just like many have said above, people are here, reading your words, supporting you, and reaching out. Keep posting, and we will be here. Most of us are all over the world from each other too, so you're bound to find someone online and throwing out encouragement when you most need it.

 

Listen to your body. I have a hard time doing pushups on my knees as well (knee caps, what ARE you doing?!) and do modified ones against my dinner table or countertop.

 

Day 2, complete! See you tomorrow!