Teddie gets back to the basics.

[teddie.bare]

I spent my last challenge over with the Warriors, which was quite lovely. I really focused on getting back into my lifting routine, and buckling down on my macros. I am back in the gym 4x a week, and feeling pretty good. However, I realized what a mess my flexibility is right now. My hamstrings, in particular, are a mess. So I'm back in the assassins for this round, and I expect I'll bounce between the two depending on my goals for that timeframe.

 

BADASS WOMAN

• Flexibility is as important as strength to be an overall healthy and capable person. I have two goals for this challenge: be able to do a full heel stretch, and be able to do the front splits. This means I need to consciously stretch every day five days a week. There are no specifics to this, but I need to focus on hip flexors and hamstrings when possible.
• In order to make my healthy eating a complete lifestyle change I need to be able to maintain it regardless of what life is like. In that vein, I will NOT track food during this challenge. I need to focus on keeping carbs low, except for one day for glycogen refill. My weight is a little stuck, and I'm hoping that the mental break will help me with my plateau.
• Continue to focus on decluttering, reorganization, and redecorating. My big goal for this challenge is to have all of my framed photos taken care of. I still have a pile of them on my bedroom floor, and my photo shelves are bursting at the seams because I need to hang some of them up in another area.

SIDE QUESTS

• Diet Side Quest: W A T E R. Drink more of it! Seriously been bad in this area lately. I bring two jugs of water to work every day. I MUST drink them! Every day! DO IT!
• Fitness Side Quest: Hooping. I need to do more of it. Also dancing in general. 2x a week I need to have some kind of dance party.
• Take a class I haven't taken before. Either rock climbing or pole.

MOTIVATION

 

 

PROGRESS

 3 Points a week for Lifting

 5 Points a week for stretching and working towards splits/heel stretch

 7 Points a week for eating appropriately

 7 Points a week for drinking enough water

 2 Points a week for joyful movement (hooping or dancing)

24 Points/week possible for base points.

 

10 Points for taking a bonus class

10 Points for getting all my pictures hung

10 Points for being able to successfully do splits and heel stretch

 

Week 1:  24/24 Points

Week 2:  22/24 Points

Week 3:  17/24 Points

Week 4:  23/24 Points plus 10 Points for getting all pictures up

Week 5:  19/24 Points

Week 6:  N/A    Emergency Surgery

Total:      115/120

 

Unable to complete Bonus Class or Successfully do Stretches. Will consider moving those to another challenge.

[teddie.bare]

Good start so far. I hit the gym at lunch and got a good lifting session in. I got some stretching in, inbetween sets, but I'll get some more in tonight. I've completed 3/6 weeks of my newest cable-weights routine. I only have two days after today before camp (eeeep!), so I'm getting in what I can before I leave. I'll post photos on here from camp if/when I can, as well. My food has been good, and I'm chipping away at my water (which is currently glaring at me).

 

I have so much to do before camp. SO MUCH. I'm kinda freaking out a little bit right now, so I might not be here much until I get back from Georgia. BUT for anyone interested in new progress pics, I posted some in the woot room recently here. I'm totally geeked for this weekend, I just have to make it through two more days of work! (and get my act together).

 

I'll at least try to get some 'start' photos taken/posted of my heel stretch and splits. That should be good and entertaining.

 

I made myself a new smaller, thinner hoop this weekend, which I love. I used some amazing silver tape that is to die for. It's just perfect for my skill level right now. I need to figure out which hoop(s) I'll take to camp, which is one of the many things on my to-do list.

 

I started with my picture-hanging goal over the weekend. I needed an additional hook for all my pretty hoops, and so I moved some of my other pictures around the house. The picture behind the hoops is one of my published photos, and moving it opened up a big old wall for me to hang some family photos in the hallway. So the prep for that goal has begun.

 

[breakwheel]

Nice goals. Flexibility is important and I forget about it probably way to often myself.

 

I always had a really tough time with water until I started carrying around a one gallon jug and keeping it at my work desk. It starts the day full, ends the day empty.

 

hooray for camp! can't wait either!

[AMURA]

Yay! We've both got splits as a goal this challenge! I'm excited to see progress pics (yours have always been, without fail, fantastic).

 

There's a site called Give It 100 (dunno if you heard of it) where people post videos of their progress for 100 days. I was thinking of doing something like that instead of photos… but maybe that'd work better for my handstand goal than the splits. Either way, putting those videos/photos together at the end of 6 weeks will look pretty damn impressive! 

[starsapart]

Flexibility training is awesome!  What a good challenge in general.  I'm an Assassin who does a lot of lifting, so I'm digging where you're coming from.

 

Love the arrangement of hoops (and the idea of incorporating joyful movement).  If you take a pole class, I want to hear how it went!!!

 

Basically, subbed~!  If you want to talk flexiness, let me know.  I have both front splits with relative ease (or did, before my ankle injury made them dangerous; I should be back to practicing them in a few weeks) but need to work on center, so I'll totally cheer you along (and/or possibly offer advice if wanted) and sympathize with how slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww flexibility progress can be if you like!

[NightWatcher13]

Awesome looking goals - and yay, someone else with an organization goal!

Subbed 

[Mad Hatter]

I approve of this challenge. Glad you're back with the assassins!

[teddie.bare]

My flexibility stretching went OK last night. Well, as OK as it can at my house. This is basically what it looks like:

 

 

So, yeah. That's why I don't exercise at home. I think I'm going to get a good routine figured out, and try to get up a few minutes early to do it in the morning while everyone is asleep (except the dog, she's pretty much my shadow).

 

So this is what you're really looking for: starting pictures.

 

 

I have SUPER loose joints. Like, dangerously loose, so I have to keep an eye on them. My elbows and knees hyper extend, and my thumbs are double jointed. My hips have always had greater-than-normal range of motion. SO, I'm not too far off, starting off. My hamstrings are STUPID tight, though. Like so bad. I think that's really the sticking point right now, so I'm working on those.

 

My husband and I have a groupon for climbing, so I'm going to talk to him about scheduling that and getting a sitter. Then I'll talk to him about a good time for a pole class. There are lots of options in town, I just have to find a good time for everyone. I get vertigo SUPER easy, so I'm really nervous about that. Hopefully I don't puke all over the place. That's the only thing holding me back. Maybe I'll take some dramamine first, and see if that helps.

 

Amura! that's so awesome we'll be splits twins! I can't wait to see how both of us do. We'll have to swap tips for sure. I'll take any advice I can get, so I'm all ears, starsapart!

[Mad Hatter]

You might want to work more on stability than flexibility in that case, even for your hamstrings. It might be that their tight, but maybe they just feel really tight because they're overworked. I'll leave this article for you here, see if this applies.

[teddie.bare]

You might want to work more on stability than flexibility in that case, even for your hamstrings. It might be that their tight, but maybe they just feel really tight because they're overworked. I'll leave this article for you here, see if this applies.

 

*Frantically reading article*

 

So some funny stuff. I am hypermobile. I can totally put my hands flat on the floor with my legs straight. I can ALSO go from a frog squat, to legs straight, without my hands leaving the floor. Yes, I can bend my elbow backwards. Yes, I can bend my knees backwards. Yes, I can stretch my thumb to my forearm. Um, my pinkie makes it to about 45 degrees.

 

Oh look! an article just for training hyermobility. mmmm, thank you for that! I'll read that one later.

 

Now, all that being said, I'm not a dancer much. I'm a lifter, foremost. And occasionally a runner. So I only work on strength, and rarely stretch. Now, I only focus on legs once a week, and then do HIIT a couple times, depending. I also walk a ton. But I have massive glutes (shhhh with the snorking), and pretty solid legs. But the strong glutes tend to annoy the hammies, so I've spent the last 3 weeks focus training my leg parts, instead of my normal squat/deadlift routine. But I've been deadlifting for a few years now, as best I can with only dumbbells and cable machines.

 

I hadn't decided on my 'how' yet, so I'm definitely going to watch those videos and work those into my routine. I'm still thinking it's actual flexibility, and not a lack of strength. Something fun I realized in the shower at work recently is that I can stand on one leg and dry myself off with no issue. I can stand on one leg for most stretches. My strength has definitely increased my flexibility and mobility in that regard, so this totally makes sense. So today is leg day, and I don't feel like my normal routine. I am thinking that doing some of these is the PERFECT way to get one last workout in before camp thank you so much!

 

P.S. my pinkie still doesn't appreciate my attempt to pronate it 90 degrees

[Mad Hatter]

Sometimes it really is just lack of flexibility. But I still wanted to check. Whenever I hear the words super loose joints and stretching I like to spread some risk awareness and point out that stretching aggressively might not be best solution. Especially since hypermobile people often have weird compensatory movement patterns that really should be addressed first and I don't want anyone to end up hurting themselves or making things worse. But it sounds like your body is strong and mobile and good to go! 

[karinajean]

hey! welcome back to the assassins! I am happy to see you here this challenge because of lots of things, including: I also have got good leg flexibility and tight leg muscles, especially when I run. (also going off to read that other article...) AND ALSO, I am in the process of treating myself to a sparkly sparkly hoop and plan to make that part of my regular plan for fun.

[teddie.bare]

Today's gym session was very informative, thank you for making me explore that some more, Hatter.

 

So: hyperextending my back is what makes it hurt the worst, but running some HIIT makes it all better. Good info. That also made the Prone Hip Extensions impossibly hard. I mean, if I didn't flex, I could do it no problem. Once I flexed all those muscles, it twerked my back if I raised my leg too high. So I need to be conscious of that.

 

Hip bridges are impossibly easy for me. And I don't have weight plates to make them harder. So I might use them as some stretching, but overall it's almost like walking - it didn't really do much for me. It's hard for me to do with a dumbbells balanced on my new-found hip bones, so I'll have to think about this one.

 

Pull Throughs ARE strange to do in mixed company. But they feel SO good. I'm going to be doing these on the regular, for sure. I loaded up the cable with 50 lbs, and alternated them with Single Legged Stiff Legged Deadlifts, which I fell in LOVE with. OMG the awesome. I could do these so good, and it was amazing. I've never had such good balance and control, Although I did them one at a time, I'll have to try a set all on one leg. I will be doing these all the time! I also worked on some squat and deadlift form before the lifting competition at camp this weekend, but I hope Staci can look me over before the meet.

 

So - exercise AND hamstring work complete for today, food is going great, I almost have my water in, and OMG I'M SO BUSY TONIGHT. I unpacked and repacked my suitcase last night. I have to get a new phone tonight (mine has been broken for months and I can finally get an upgrade), I managed to get my toe nails cut and polished last night (priorities, people!), so I'm coming along... but I still have SO MUCH TO GET TOGETHER. I have to get my camera gear, get a big purse packed with that and my carry-on necessities, and I have to get my household ready with dog food prep and baby clothes packing, and I still have to dye my eyelashes (I did my hair on Sunday). I have to figure out which/how many hoops I'm bringing, and get them packed somewhere - to say I overpacked is a vast understatement. Too much I'm just glad I get a free checked bag, cause I had to break the big suitcase out. I'm ridiculous.

[Mad Hatter]

Breathe Teddie.  

[teddie.bare]

Last night was pretty productive. Got my new phone to play with at camp, with a much improved camera. So that's exciting. I got my baby packed for her weekend at Gramma's. I was able to get quite a bit together for the rubix cube night (I still need to run by the thrift store today to get a couple more items). My clothes are packed and my meds are sorted. I have my list of last minute stuff to remember to pack. Today I'm working half a day, then I have a doctor's appt to go over my 8-month labs from my new diet, then it's the sporting good and thrift store for things for camp... I have a few hours, then I have to meet someone about a large fishtank I'm trying to sell, then I have to finish getting ready. My really big things for tonight are my carry-on purse/camera bag, getting my last bits together, and I still want to dye my eyelashes. My flight BOARDS at 0525 tomorrow morning, so it's going to be a stupid early morning for me (which I HATE).

 

Today, my quads are KILLING me. I'll be thinking of you fondly every time I use the stairs, hatter. That WAS a great little workout you linked me to, I'll definitely be keeping some of those in my rotation!

 

Ok, time to get work done before I have to run out of here. At least I'm finally excited instead of just freaking out

[ApfelStrudi]

Holy shit, woman! Your pictures! You look absolutely radiant! 

I so want to come to one of your dance parties! 

[teddie.bare]

Well, I made it through Camp without any major injuries. To say I am sore would be a vast understatement. I can barely walk, and that's pretty much how it's been since Friday afternoon. So much fun, so much crazy, SO MUCH EXERCISE. I'm still playing catchup, so I'll give a first week summary, and post some Camp photos.

 

Week 1: So much awesome. I got 4 workout days in, 2 of which being ALL THE EXERCISE at camp. I'll have to go back through my notes, but based on my tired memory my schedule went something like:

Friday: Hike to Waterfall, breakfast, grip strength, Olympic lifting (aka 2 hours of squats), lunch during success stories, alignment and movement class, a depression and exercise lecture, dinner, meditation in a tree house, and hours of cosplay dancing.

Saturday: Hike around lake, breakfast, yoga, talk on advanced body composition, slack lining, kayaking, lunch, yoga, body image discussion, I hooped outside, went to Steve's batcave discussion, had dinner, went to meditation, and then closing ceremonies and the Rubik's cube party (which was dancing until 1am).

 

I did great with water. I got in lots of joyful movement. I got my stretches in 5/7 days - two days I just forgot (the night before I left, because packing. And last night when I got home, because tired). I'm still working it in to a new habit.

 

So yeah, tired. Much tired. And sore. So much sore. and tired. Did I mention tired... I'll be getting a foam roller after work today.

 

Sorry about some repetitive photos, these are just what I posted on my personal and fitness facebook pages. Plus some other random stuff.

 

Pretty mushroom, grip strength class, walking down to chow, tree house, waterfall, and the Academy girls doing Flex Friday while I changed (sniff).

 

 

Rubik's Cube outfits, beginning and first solid color. We ended up getting pretty crazy with it all, and I have a few other photos from that, but these are the selfies I had taken. Did I mention this is yellow dress is a size 12, and it totally zipped just fine?? it just felt better as a skirt, the strap was itchy.

 

 

Tree house again, looking across the lake at the main building, and Steampunk Princess Leia.

 

 

Family Photo!! I'm in the bottom, third up from the bottom right.

 

 

3 Points for Lifting

5 Points for stretching

7 Points eating appropriately

7 Points for drinking enough water

2 Points for joyful movement (hooping or dancing)

[starsapart]

Oh my goodness!  Camp looks like it was so much fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

You're looking fabulous, too.

[teddie.bare]

I took photos of my steampunk Princess Leia with my good camera to do comparison photos from February. I'll try to download those tonight. I took a few photos with it at the cosplay party, but not too many. It was hard to take photos with how busy we were, it was literally non-stop from waking to sleeping. I have a few fun ones with other people from the forum, and some random shots from some of the classes I took or watched. There was a photographer there (hence the group photo), so I can't wait to see what he posts!

[Mad Hatter]

It all looks so wonderful! Glad you had a blast!

[teddie.bare]

Week 2 is starting out pretty good. I made a conscious decision to keep up my awesome streak from Camp, and have been extra vigilant with my food choices. The strict paleo diet at camp was a lot different than my normal keto diet, so I jumped right back in to my keto ways. I'm trying to make sure I eat as many unprocessed foods as I can to stick with a cleaner overall diet, which I think is important. I'm probably the only person on earth who spent a long weekend eating strict paleo and exercising my ass off, and GAINED several pounds, but I'm trying not to focusing on that. I feel strong, and capable, and amazing, and sore - and I'm not going to change what I'm doing, so my body will just have to figure out how to catch up.

 

I spent all evening foam rolling and lacrosse ball massaging my poor legs. That is totally counting towards flexibility training, I can't really stretch if I can't even walk They are much better today, except for my calves which are still screaming. Here, I'll show you why:

 

Yeah, I need to update my walking to mordor spreadsheet, and I might see if I can get in on the Assassin side quest stuff.

 

So back to the gym today for some upper body work. I bought some 2.5 lb plates so I can increase my weight without having to make 5 lb jumps. I'm hoping that helps me see some faster progress. I've been stuck at some weights for a while, and I want to really work past them.

 

Ok, need to finish my tea and make my way to the gym. I am not in a very good mood today, and my puppy is getting spayed so I'm worried about her. I definitely need an exercise-induced attitude adjustment.

[NightWatcher13]

You make an adorable Leia! Loved the other outfits too. Looks like you're doing pretty awesome so far

[teddie.bare]

Well killing myself in the gym is evidently working I think these 2.5 lb weights are gonna be awesome for helping me build up my strength. I've been stuck for a while, and this is my answer for getting some progress in.  My traps and triceps are killing me, I'm working on them with a lax ball right now (thank you Chammy!). I also did some grip strength stuff, which felt awesome. I'm super excited about working on that. I got my hammy stretches in after my workout, and I also did some great shoulder stretches that I learned from my alignment and mobility class.

 

Today I was ready to work my legs again after the whole camp experience. I'm finally walking without a limp. I did a combination stretch and strengthen, thanks to Hatter! That way I didn't t feel like I "wasted" a workout on stretching, but I got said stretching in. I also did some HIIT for good measure, because I was there. I did 10 minutes of HIIT, alternated Single Legged Stiff Legged Deadlifts and Pull Throughs for 10 minutes, and then stretched for 20 minutes.

 

Super cool progress: When I started stretching, I could touch the floor flat-handed, but my hammies were stretched to the max. I finished my stretching and when coming back up I started with down-dog, and came back into a forward bend. Not only were my hands flat on the floor, my elbows were bent pretty significantly, AND my hamstrings felt great. So I guess the stretching is doing something.

 

I made myself some of my favorite keto snack last night, so I'm happy about that. It's so stupid simple. 1-8oz pack of cream cheese, 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 4 tbl sugar free flavored syrup - whip until fluffy. Sprinkle top with unsweetened cocoa. It's freaking HEAVEN. That is what keeps me out of the candy bowl in the afternoon.

 

I feel weird not tracking my food in MFP. I'm not sure if anyone is curious what a low carb/high fat diet might look like, so this is what I'll be eating for the rest of the week:

Breakfast:

Green protein smoothie (almond milk, 2c spinach, whey protein, psyllium husk and sugar free flavored syrup)

 

Morning Snacks:

Coffee with heavy cream and collagen

2 tbl Peanut Butter before workout

 

Lunch:

2 Farm Eggs, 1/4c Shredded Cheese, 2 tbl Salsa

 

Afternoon Snacks:

Turkey Hotdog and String Cheese

Cream Cheese Fluff

 

I don't eat hotdogs often. I just don't have any deli meat this week, and I need a little extra fat and protein in the afternoon or I get tired. I am a pretty bad snacker, so I just plan accordingly. I generally bring a spinach, nut and cheese salad to go with lunch, but my meal prep is all off from getting home late Sunday night. I'll make salads for tomorrow and Friday when I get home tonight. Dinner kind of depends. Last night I had a huge herb salad with homemade thai dressing that was to die for. My husband cooks, but he's aware of my dietary needs and is super supportive. I usually have wings one night, a low-carb tortilla quesadilla one night (I try to only have 1-2 of these tortillas a week), tuna with frozen veggies, or chicken and vegetables of some kind.

 

Time for more water. Lunch soon. I haven't done official progress pictures since June, so I might do that in the next couple days. I also need to download my photos from Camp and do a Steampunk Leia comparison. I'll try to do that tonight!

[lullaby88]

You're doing awesome! I love the Steampunk Leia outfit! The Steampunk look is so cool to me. I love the goggles and all the accessories.

[Mad Hatter]

Lots of awesome here! Love it.