Granny Nogg's Knickers

[Granny Nogg]

Yesterday was really busy. I lead a women's 12-step support group on Saturday mornings, and after that my hunk of a man and I finished cleaning up from our Halloween party.

We went to go visit our kids and the new grandson for a bit, then came home and made dinner. We tried a roasted veggie recipe from allrecipes but weren't that impressed with it. We'll have to try again.

There's a half dozen shows we watch, and only when we're together. Bones, Castle, Grimm, Once Upon A Time, Elementary, (and Sherlock when it's available), Agents of SHIELD. Oftentimes when we're watching them together, we're working on our crafts. He's doing some leather work on a disc bag he designed. And I sew.

I did some incline push ups last night!! I could do four which is 4 more than I'd expected to be able to do. Made me very excited. Vroom Vroom muscle!

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[Granny Nogg]

Did my workout yesterday, doing my best to get back on track.  And guess what-- my first ever trading wall push ups for incline push ups!!  Yeah, baby.  

3 sets of 10 squats

3 sets of 10 INCLINE push ups

3 sets of 5 lunges per leg

3 sets of 10 dumbbell rows

3 sets of 10 second planks

3 sets of 30 jumping jacks

Yesterday was my weigh and measure day.  
Weight: 160 (same)

Waist 31.5 (same)

Hips 40.8 (down 1/4 inch)

Thigh 24.75 (down 1/4 inch)

Underbust 32.75 (same)

 

We got a new camera and were taking some photos the other day.  I could see muscle definition in my thighs!  That was very exciting.  

 

I did take some "before" photos when I first joined NF.  That will be a month ago on Thursday so I'll take some progress photos then. 

I am gonna participate in the challenge that starts next week.  Looking forward to it with a little bit of trepidation.  Some of that is perfectionism talking.  Bah.  Probably most of it is perfectionism talking.  I know I won't quit.  I know that.  it isn't a question of failure.  It's an issue of being afraid I won't get all A's.  But I'm determined.    

I'm in absolute crazy woman mode with work.  New promos going on, a class to film, and Christmas orders to ship.  And alluvit has to be done in the next 6 weeks.  No pressure.  EEK. 

[Granny Nogg]

So with the next challenge starting on Monday, I was trying to decide whether I wanted to post my challenge updates in a challenge thread or just move into challenge mode here on my battle log.  I decided that for the sake of simplicity, I was going to just continue on in here, but do a heading on all of my challenge posts.  Something like, "Challenge 1, Week 1, Day 14" at the top of the posts.  It's easier to know the difference between my pre-challenge posts and the in-challenge ones, if someone is interested enough to read the first few pages of my BL.  

Workout today -- same as Monday; 

3 sets 10 squats (I'm feeling really confident about my squats and they aren't killing me.  Which means I probably need to start upping them by 1 squat per set...just in time for the challenge to start)

3 sets 10 INCLINE push-ups (ohhhhh yeah, baby.  No more wall for you!)
3 sets 5 lunges per leg (I have a weak ankle from an injury when I was 16.  I think the lunges are helping strengthen the muscles surrounding that tendon.  Good news.)

3 sets of 10 dumbbell rows (these are really easy.  Are they supposed to be that easy?)
3 sets of 10 second plank (I'm finding my lower back hurts when I do this one.  Hubby says it's because my back muscles are weak.  Is he right?)
3 sets of 30 jumping jacks (I remember a few months ago I couldn't do 5 in a row.  Amazing how fast the progress is going)

Okay, so I'm going to update my quests in my first post here to reflect my challenge goals.   

[Granny Nogg]

Did I mention that we got a new camera for my business? It's a Nikon D3100. We did an impromptu photo shoot on Sunday, too check lighting. One of the photos came out particularly well, and (in spite of my grainy low res edit) I'm rather happy with it. We're already noticing much better response to changes in light than with our old point-and-shoot digital camera. We're looking to get a 50 mm lens for it next month.

Speaking of photos, thanks to my friend Razzy (fist bump), I got the courage to take my progress photos in one of my bikinis. It feels incredibly brave to do that. We were discussing her motivation to taking her progress shots in her bikini and I thought she had some rather valid points.

She said that it was more honest. And I liked that. It made me think about what we women do when we have body issues - oftentimes we fall to one extreme or another on our physique, either berating ourselves and focusing only in our flaws, or going into total denial that our excess weight is ultimately harming our health.

I think there's a stark brilliance in stripping away that denial and seeing ourselves for who we are, as long as we can be balanced in our evaluation. Hard to do I think. But I'm willing to try.

Sent from my Samsung S4 using Tapatalk.

[Razzy]

congratulations on the 3 circuits! Whoop whoop! I remember when I first did 3 circuits. Felt awesome! A little sore the next day, but it felt awesome! Months ago, I couldn't even do 2 circuits. Pretty soon, you'll have to start making your own workout plan! Don't worry, I've been there and I can help. :3

 

Gosh, your life sounds as busy as mine, lol. I find it always helps to set aside cuddle time to just relax and not think about anything.

 

Muscle definition is awesome! Keep on working it, girlfriend!

 

I know what it's like to be in crazy woman busy mode. You can also trigger it if you stay up too long and slam back a whole 5-hour energy like a shot. I deep cleaned my entire room in 5 hours. It was crazy. And awesome. But I don't recommend it.

 

I totally support doing a Battle Log challenge thing. It fits in with my view of fitness. Challenges are, to me in a way, a temporary thing. "I will try to do this in 6 weeks!" But if you fail it's like, 'welp, didn't happen. Oh well.' And I want fitness and health to be a permanent, long-term thing that doesn't have an expiration date.

 

Also, it's a lot easier for me to stalk you.

[Granny Nogg]

Thanks, Razzy!  It did feel awesome, and yes, I was indeed a little sore the other day.  Totally worth it, though. I'm gonna be bugging you for workout plan advice once I get past the advanced body weight workout, K?

Yeah we both are like those old-tyme Vaudeville jugglers-- the guys who would have a row of spinning plates and running back and forth among them trying to keep everything spinning.  Feels like that every day.  Good advice about the cuddle time, it's something we make sure to pursue.  Along with the "do stuff with me" things that fulfill recreational companionship.  That's one reason we play disc golf together and do the portrait photography together.  I'm talking to Allen about joining me on and off for the BBWW.  I've asked him before and He's not hesitant per se, but maybe just a little...  but I put into the framework of do stuff with me, and then he understood. 

LOL sounds like you've got some experiences or two with slammin' back 5-hour energy!  I tasted those once.     Deep cleaning your entire room in 5 hours... holy cow.  Yeah I agree, not recommended, lol!

I agree about the challenges being temporary, because you choose whether to join them or not, and you can choose to take a break from them and do something else.  What you don't want to do is to only workout when there's a challenge going.  Or at least that's my philosophy anyway.  Too long off the horse and I have a hard time getting back on. KnowwhatImean?

Stalkies is good.  Mutual stalkies is bettah.


So I've been reading this really great set of articles on bodyrecomposition.com.  And I decided to take a short break from tracking my foodz between now and the challenge, just do do a short keto ramp-up for my metabolism.  I'd been carb creepin' last week, and realized the sugar cravings had come back.  They're never far behind me!     So I'm just resetting that thing for a few days to get the cravings under control.  

Now to go stalk you....  

[Razzy]

Also, due to late posting last night...

 

*fist bumps*

 

I feel like a celebrity now~

 

[Granny Nogg]

https://encrypted-tbn2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTF05JwfXxLNY-c23IxvmWlAay4m5RZ64In1oQYyTvH48XTCE-W

 

[shaeon]

Congrats on reaching 3 sets! Lunges are difficult for me, not because of past injury, they just ARE. Make my quads hurt real bad. I've been trying to work up to one more lunge every week. It's hard though. 

 

I'm going to be plotting my challenges tonight! I look forward to seeing how we do, and looking forward to the next 6 weeks! 

[Razzy]

Thanks, Razzy!  It did feel awesome, and yes, I was indeed a little sore the other day.  Totally worth it, though. I'm gonna be bugging you for workout plan advice once I get past the advanced body weight workout, K?

Yeah we both are like those old-tyme Vaudeville jugglers-- the guys who would have a row of spinning plates and running back and forth among them trying to keep everything spinning.  Feels like that every day.  Good advice about the cuddle time, it's something we make sure to pursue.  Along with the "do stuff with me" things that fulfill recreational companionship.  That's one reason we play disc golf together and do the portrait photography together.  I'm talking to Allen about joining me on and off for the BBWW.  I've asked him before and He's not hesitant per se, but maybe just a little...  but I put into the framework of do stuff with me, and then he understood. 

LOL sounds like you've got some experiences or two with slammin' back 5-hour energy!  I tasted those once.     Deep cleaning your entire room in 5 hours... holy cow.  Yeah I agree, not recommended, lol!

I agree about the challenges being temporary, because you choose whether to join them or not, and you can choose to take a break from them and do something else.  What you don't want to do is to only workout when there's a challenge going.  Or at least that's my philosophy anyway.  Too long off the horse and I have a hard time getting back on. KnowwhatImean?

Stalkies is good.  Mutual stalkies is bettah.

So I've been reading this really great set of articles on bodyrecomposition.com.  And I decided to take a short break from tracking my foodz between now and the challenge, just do do a short keto ramp-up for my metabolism.  I'd been carb creepin' last week, and realized the sugar cravings had come back.  They're never far behind me!     So I'm just resetting that thing for a few days to get the cravings under control.  

Now to go stalk you....  

 

So, clearly I am terrible at getting ninja posted. *facepalm* Sorry about that.

 

Please, please, bug me away! I do not mind at all. :3

 

Ha! Good analogy, I feel like that every day of school, except I'm juggling chainsaws straight out of Resident Evil or something. I hope he starts joining you in the workouts! I've been trying to get my family and boyfriend to do the same thing, but alas, no success. It's more fair, I think, if both parties workout together. You get to do more stuff together afterward. Let's say you want to go rock climbing. You're totally pumped to do this. You're ready, and you're body is capable. But if your significant other hasn't kept up with you.... then they can't do the rock climbing with you. Or, if they do, not as long as you could and maybe not as well. (This is just theoretics here for an example, so... don't take everything I say for fact!) Just an example, but you see what I mean how one falls behind? Or, if you know that your SO isn't up to it, you just chose not to do it anyway, so nothing new is achieved.

 

Fitness with your loved ones pays off in many ways other than good health and a nicer butt, the way I see it. Working out your arms means you BOTH can go canoeing that entire river in the park. Working out your legs means you can both go horse riding comfortably. So on and so forth. You're not just opening up avenues for yourself, personally, but opening up opportunities with your loved ones as well. So I really hope he joins you in the BBWW! It'll pay off for both of you in the long run!

 

Yeah, 5-hour energy is kind of my life-saving elixir in a lot of ways. Can't tell you how many projects that's pulled me through! And now, possibly another....

 

Oh yeah, never workout solely for challenges. Pffft. No, that'll never work. Challenges are like... power leveling. They're a way for you to get another stat point or three and another feather in your cap. Personally, I want to work on handstands, but I'm standing on my head for school so.... yeah. I reallly want to be able to slowly lift myself up into a handstand. It just looks badass.

 

Oooh, what'd you read on bodyrecomposition.com? Do tell! It sounds quite interesting.

[Granny Nogg]

^^^ so much agreement! And lol to being ninja posted.

Yeah to the chainsaws. I'm with ya there. Challenge starts tomorrow and did I do ANYTHING on my list to prepare? Nope. Nada. Nuttin'. I have excuses at least. My #1 daughter-in-law (the one who just had the preemie baby a month ago) had to be rushed to the hospital last night with chest pains. I was out line dancing with girlfriends, and got the text. This morning the doctors removed her gallbladder, and she's still in the hospital. So we did baby duty until our son came home.

Then this afternoon we went for an outdoor photo shoot, down in the old turn of the century part of town where the streets are still cobblestone. Took about 1500 shots, of which about a dozen or so are really good.

Stopped at the hospital to see dil, but she's drugged up on morphine so we didn't stay long. Then tonight we had a party for hubby's company. Came home, sorted pics, and now to bed.

Sent from my Samsung S4 using Tapatalk.

[Anaticula]

Fellow CutLass subscribing to your thread. Looking forward to reading how things go for you!

[Granny Nogg]

Fellow CutLass subscribing to your thread. Looking forward to reading how things go for you!

Thank you, Anaticula!!  

Today I sprained my wrist.  ::facepalm::

 

Challenge Day 1 summary:

 

K but first I want to back up: Initially I'd planned to eat Keto over the weekend to prepare for the challenge.  I'd been having a couple of weeks previous with some carb creep (and dairy and wheat.... sigh)  It was mostly lack of preparation on my part, plus that and giving into treats.  I didn't let it get too far out of line, but I felt the sugar cravings chasing me down and I needed to address that before the challenge.  Whelp.  Yeah.  Uber busy weekend with mostly unplanned but fun (and not so fun) events left me eating what was available on the run-- frozen pizza, nachos with fake cheese sauce, and powdered donuts being the worst of it.  Yeah.  Had a blast dancing with girlfriends Saturday night, then not so fun finding out #1 daughter-in-law had to have emergency gallbladder surgery just a month after an emergency c-section to deliver our preemie grandson.  She's doing okay, they took her gallbladder out yesterday morning and she's already home recuperating. So then yesterday hubby and I did an impromptu photo shoot downtown where the old turn of the century buildings are.  Lots of great old brick buildings down there.  Then we had a party for his company to go to.  

That all being said, I decided to start the Keto plan over, and do it this first few days of the challenge, instead.  I cooked up a bunch of chicken today, going to do the same with round steak tomorrow.  I didn't eat well today, though!  I'm embarrassed to tell you that I only had about 600 calories (Spazzy, you'll be right to get on my case about that).  I just was busy all day!  But they were healthy calories with lots of protein and no dairy, wheat, sugars or starches.  So yay me, one day down, two to go.  

The spraining my wrist thing?  Kinda stupid on my part as I look back on it.  I was doing my incline pushups and talking to one of my sons who'd stopped by, at the same time.  My head was turned to the side so I could see him.  Which meant my shoulders also turned a bit.  Which meant I put uneven stress on the outside of my wrist joint.  Yep.  Pretty sure that's what caused it.  I wore an ace bandage most of the day and I'll sleep with it on tonight.  Hopefully the sprain isn't bad and I'll be able to get back to doing the pushups in a few days to a week.  I didn't finish my workout today, but I'll do the rest of it tonight before bed.  

3 sets of 10 squats

2 sets of 10 incline pushups

3 sets of 5 lunges per leg

3 sets of 10 dumbbell rows

3 sets of 10 second plank

3 sets of 30 jumping jacks

[Anaticula]

Sounds like a crazy weekend! Hope your wrist starts to feel better, just remember though, take it one day at a time!

[Granny Nogg]

Thank you, Ana!  It does feel better today.  Wrist brace helps!
 

Challenge 1, Day 2

 

Okay so yesterday, it was just hella busy.  AGAIN.  I got up early to try and get a jump start on my job, because I have meetings on Tuesday nights (I'm a volunteer with a 12-step recovery program).  I'm also trying to keep up with my goals of good participation here, etc.  Just imagine that old tyme Vaudeville act where the guy runs back and forth across a stage keeping a bunch of plates spinning on sticks.  That'd be me.  

Not one, but two sets of kids and spouses and grandkids stopped by unannounced to say hello and hang out yesterday!  Love them dearly, but I was also supposed to be working.  I have codependency issues, so my old way of behaving was to drop what I'm doing and go hang out with them whenever they showed up, but internally I would resent the intrusion and resent the extra work stress it put on me.  That behavior and feelings aren't healthy or balanced.  So I hugged them all after a few minutes and said 'I gotta get back to work'.  Now it's not like I'm abandoning them or kicking them out.  They know they're welcome to come down to my studio and hang out with me there, while I work, so really the only one who's still struggling with this boundary is me.

My wrist is better.  My shoulder is not.  I'd worn a brace to bed Monday night, and because I was probably trying to protect my wrist all night while I slept, I woke up yesterday with a spasming muscle in my shoulder of the same arm. Which is still here, in spite of naproxen and acetaminophen and a muscle rub cream.  So it made today's workout really suck.  I'm probably gonna have to use some of my muscle relaxer.  I'm just not my usual cheerful self because I'm in some pain and feeling inconvenienced and betrayed by my own body.  I was so excited to attack those challenge goals, and now this.  

 

But I won't give in to feeling defeat and quitting.  I can deal and I will deal with it and I will get my head back in the right place.  

Today's Workout:

3 sets of 11 squats (up from 3 sets of 10)

3 sets of 10 fingertip wall push-ups (brace ON, and going very slowly and carefully so that my wrist doesn't rotate.  There was no pain)
3 sets of 6 lunges per leg (up from 3 sets of 5)

3 sets of 10 dumbbell rows (brace ON, done slowly and carefully for correct positioning and movement)
3 sets of 11 second planks (up from 3 sets of 10 sec)

3 sets of 30 jacks (without jumping... that made my spasming shoulder muscle hurt.  So I did the arm movements without jumping)

So I made myself make at least some progress toward my goals and to work around the bum wrist issue and the sore shoulder issue.  I didn't do cardio boxing yesterday, because I was so busy.  But that gave my wrist and shoulder a little bit of rest before working them again today.  

Tonight I'll get my cardio in by going dancing.  I love to dance and looking forward to that instead of focusing on my pain is going to help get my head back in the right place. 

[Granny Nogg]

And it was a good day.

Challenge 1, day 5

3 sets 11 squats

3 sets 10 wall push ups (plus some later)

3 sets 6 lunges per leg

3 sets 10 dumbbell rows

3 sets 11 second plank

3 sets 30 jumping jacks

Awesome work day, 4 orders or the door, and 3 more in final stages. Helped hubby put new brake shoes on the car. Memorized the line dance for Men In Black. Ate Zuppa Toscana for dinner. Watched Gotham and SHIELD. Just a very nice day.

Sent from my Samsung S4 using Tapatalk.

[Granny Nogg]

Challenge 1, week 1 summary

Looking back, did I meet my goals for the week?

--Quest 1: working out 3x this week, check.  Increasing reps by 1: check.  Making adjustments for wrist injury: check.  

--Quest 2:  Post in the forums every day: 6 out of 7.  I think expecting a daily posting may be too ambitious.  I am thinking backing the minimum down to 3x a week, knowing likely I'll post more than that.  But making it a bit more achievable might be wise.  Join an Accountabilibuddies group:  done.  

--Quest 3:  Eat paleo at least 5 days a week: meh, I only did half.  Still fighting carb creep!  Some weeks I do better than others, and this one not so much.  8 glasses of water a day:  yeah not.  Again, some weeks I do better.  Getting to bed before 11: yes, although staying up reading until 12:30 a couple times isn't doing me any good!  Post progress photos: check.  I would say that I still think these items on Quest 3 are critical to do, and I know I'm capable of doing them, so I don't know if they're too ambitious.  I just need to do a better job of reaching out instead of reaching for a treat, and drinking water when my app notification goes off instead of ignoring it. 

--Life Quest: spend 6 hours a day/4 days a week in the studio:  NO.  Still struggling with that.  Just had a LOT of visitors this week.  5 hours working on video:  Nope.  Now I did THINK about it.  But if I don't get my arse in gear I'm gonna miss my deadline and that's unacceptable.  These life goals are non-negotiable so I have to get some serious focus going here. 

[Razzy]

Whoa! Sorry it's taken me so long to reply! As you know, school, etc. etc.

 

Holy cow, I hope your daughter-in-law is okay! My friend also had to get her gallbladder removed and it wasn't fun. I know it makes some foods off limits to. Or maybe that was just my friend...

 

I haven't gotten a lot of sleep, sorry.

 

 

That all being said, I decided to start the Keto plan over, and do it this first few days of the challenge, instead.  I cooked up a bunch of chicken today, going to do the same with round steak tomorrow.  I didn't eat well today, though!  I'm embarrassed to tell you that I only had about 600 calories (Spazzy, you'll be right to get on my case about that).  I just was busy all day!  But they were healthy calories with lots of protein and no dairy, wheat, sugars or starches.  So yay me, one day down, two to go.

 

*sits on your case and glares*

 

Shamefur Dispray! (please excuse my random use of memes, it's been that sort of day.) Indeed! 600 calories is no good! Unless you're sitting all day -- and I mean that literally -- then trust me, don't let it keep up like that. You'll be grouchy and tired all the time and not have enough energy and just turn into a plain old humbug. I've been there, it's hindered my progress, so don't follow my mistakes. YE HAVE BEEN WARNED, LASS!

 

But you did eat good healthy calories and that's a big plus! Everyone here can tell you that eating enough HEALTHY calories is hard and you have to eat a lot. So munch on veggies while you work or something, that can get your count up.

 

 

Okay so yesterday, it was just hella busy.  AGAIN.  I got up early to try and get a jump start on my job, because I have meetings on Tuesday nights (I'm a volunteer with a 12-step recovery program).  I'm also trying to keep up with my goals of good participation here, etc.  Just imagine that old tyme Vaudeville act where the guy runs back and forth across a stage keeping a bunch of plates spinning on sticks.  That'd be me.  

Not one, but two sets of kids and spouses and grandkids stopped by unannounced to say hello and hang out yesterday!  Love them dearly, but I was also supposed to be working.  I have codependency issues, so my old way of behaving was to drop what I'm doing and go hang out with them whenever they showed up, but internally I would resent the intrusion and resent the extra work stress it put on me.  That behavior and feelings aren't healthy or balanced.  So I hugged them all after a few minutes and said 'I gotta get back to work'.  Now it's not like I'm abandoning them or kicking them out.  They know they're welcome to come down to my studio and hang out with me there, while I work, so really the only one who's still struggling with this boundary is me.

 

OH GOD, NOT YOU TOO!

 

I am so, so sorry. *hugs* I know exactly how you feel. It's a weird feeling, right? For me, I feel it in the back. Literally. It's like the worst case of stir crazy and even though I've been sitting all day, my heart is pounding. Edging towards panic is always a bad sign and I hope you haven't gotten to that point!

 

*le gasp*

 

Holy crap, I am exactly the same way when people come over and I'm working! How weird! Codependency issues, you say? I had no idea such a term existed. Well.

 

My gast is pretty well flabbered. Well at least it's good to know I'm not alone. We can be work-freaks together! *hugs*

 

The presence of 'guests' -- even if they're friends, or the neighbor, my cousins, or the vet -- in the house is pretty much a 'drop everything and pander to them' event in my house. It has always been that way. So when The Boyfriend comes over to help my dad with something on the property, I immediately drop all homework. It's like a switch gets flipped when a "guest" sets foot in the house and life must stop to converse and feed and entertain the newcomer. I thought it was just my family that did it!

 

 

 

 

Challenge 1, week 1 summary

Looking back, did I meet my goals for the week?

--Quest 1: working out 3x this week, check.  Increasing reps by 1: check.  Making adjustments for wrist injury: check.  

--Quest 2:  Post in the forums every day: 6 out of 7.  I think expecting a daily posting may be too ambitious.  I am thinking backing the minimum down to 3x a week, knowing likely I'll post more than that.  But making it a bit more achievable might be wise.  Join an Accountabilibuddies group:  done.  

--Quest 3:  Eat paleo at least 5 days a week: meh, I only did half.  Still fighting carb creep!  Some weeks I do better than others, and this one not so much.  8 glasses of water a day:  yeah not.  Again, some weeks I do better.  Getting to bed before 11: yes, although staying up reading until 12:30 a couple times isn't doing me any good!  Post progress photos: check.  I would say that I still think these items on Quest 3 are critical to do, and I know I'm capable of doing them, so I don't know if they're too ambitious.  I just need to do a better job of reaching out instead of reaching for a treat, and drinking water when my app notification goes off instead of ignoring it. 

--Life Quest: spend 6 hours a day/4 days a week in the studio:  NO.  Still struggling with that.  Just had a LOT of visitors this week.  5 hours working on video:  Nope.  Now I did THINK about it.  But if I don't get my arse in gear I'm gonna miss my deadline and that's unacceptable.  These life goals are non-negotiable so I have to get some serious focus going here. 

 

 

Hey, some goals will fall behind because LIFE will inevitably happen to them. Like your wrist. So that's okay if some goals aren't progressing as fast as you'd like. Some things just take more time.

 

Carb creep is sneaking, but the more you stick to the Paleo diet, the more of a habit it will become. So good work on it so far! You're doing way better than I did, starting out!

 

xD I couldn't help but laugh like a lunatic at your response to drinking 8 glasses of water a day. Man, whoever drinks that much must slosh like the Kool-Aid man.

 

If it helps, I find I always get a period of high focus after about 18 hours of no sleep. A lot of work gets done in that window. Could help you make that deadline!

 

I'm rootin' for ya, sister!

[Granny Nogg]

Whoa! Sorry it's taken me so long to reply! As you know, school, etc. etc.

So. Much. Awesomeness in this reply! Thank you dearly, and I do not expect any kind of time-frame for your replies. NO EXPECTATIONS.

Holy cow, I hope your daughter-in-law is okay! My friend also had to get her gallbladder removed and it wasn't fun. I know it makes some foods off limits to. Or maybe that was just my friend...

Yep she's okay. Sore and yes she has to modify her diet. But she's alright.

*sits on your case and glares* Shamefur Dispray!

Bahahahaha! Meme awesomeness. Love it. But yes, I've been letting my food-weebles wobble this week. And is almost entirely my own fault (aka lack of planning). I did not give in to all-or-nothing thinking, however, and just binge the whole week so that's good.

I've been there, it's hindered my progress, so don't follow my mistakes. YE HAVE BEEN WARNED, LASS!

Oh yeah, I immediately thought of you when I saw my calorie count for the day. Feel free to call me on it when I do stuff like that!

So munch on veggies while you work or something, that can get your count up.

Yeah usually it isn't a problem when I'm at home working, to get enough calories. In fact the opposite is true; but as you said, healthy calories are a different matter. There weren't enough veggies last week.

Holy crap, I am exactly the same way when people come over and I'm working! How weird! Codependency issues, you say? I had no idea such a term existed. Well.

Oh yeah it's a thing. But I didn't realize it was an unhealthy behavior until a year or two ago. So I've probably been doing the "drop everything and entertain the visitor" for decades. I'm really trying to reign that in (and cut new neural pathways in the process- aka reverse old thought processes. It's the mental equivalent of pulling your wagon train out of the wagon wheel ruts cut across the vast Prairie, and forging a completely new path. Not easy stuff).

Codependency is the behavioral equivalent of dominant genetic traits, like brown eyes. Most women (80%) are Codependent to one degree or another - it's been built into our global culture and our families for eons.

We misinterpret that Codependent behavior as "serving others" or "loving people" or whatever. When what it really is, deep down inside us, is a fear-based manipulation tool.

We do it because we fear not getting our emotional needs met ("if I serve you and shower you with love and attention, then you MUST love me back, right? And if you don't, then there's something wrong with me."). We don't stand up for ourselves out of a fear of rejection or abandonment. We take whatever emotional crumbs we get because we believe we aren't worthy of more.

I'm reading (albeit very slowly) an excellent book about this: Boundaries, by Henry Cloud. It's changing the way I think about how I interact with people and with myself.

So when The Boyfriend comes over to help my dad with something on the property, I immediately drop all homework. It's like a switch gets flipped when a "guest" sets foot in the house and life must stop to converse and feed and entertain the newcomer. I thought it was just my family that did it!

This. Exactly this. Great example. Next time, try excusing yourself and go back to the homework. Your brain will scream at you that you're being rude, and your emotions well feel all wrong. But those are lies. In reality, you're not obligated to drop everything. He likely doesn't expect it, anyway.

xD I couldn't help but laugh like a lunatic at your response to drinking 8 glasses of water a day. Man, whoever drinks that much must slosh like the Kool-Aid man.

Reading that made ME laugh like a lunatic and scare my cat!!

But the reality is, I know I need about 6 or so glasses a day, experience has taught me that. In practice I get 3-5. Still working on it.

If it helps, I find I always get a period of high focus after about 18 hours of no sleep. A lot of work gets done in that window. Could help you make that deadline!

Well if my (ab)normal pattern holds, in the next week I'll start putting in 14 hour days and rejecting all invitations. This is not good. So I'm trying to change it. The pendulum swing just isn't healthy and it makes me cranky. Especially at the holidays. This year it will be different! Even if the progress is small.

I'm rootin' for ya, sister!

This. ^^^ mutual stalking and rooting!!

Sent from my Samsung S4 using Tapatalk.

[Razzy]

 

 

So. Much. Awesomeness in this reply! Thank you dearly, and I do not expect any kind of time-frame for your replies. NO EXPECTATIONS. 

 

*phew* Bless you, m'dear! I feel awful not replying often enough, but I'll do my best! We girls gotta keep each other company.

 

 

 

Yep she's okay. Sore and yes she has to modify her diet. But she's alright. 

 

Amen. Good to hear that she's okay! Modified diet isn't too bad, all things considered!

 

 

 

Bahahahaha! Meme awesomeness. Love it. But yes, I've been letting my food-weebles wobble this week. And is almost entirely my own fault (aka lack of planning). I did not give in to all-or-nothing thinking, however, and just binge the whole week so that's good. 

 

Most good! Ah, don't worry too much about it, though: Sometimes life just gets too hectic and you have to eat on the fly -- or the road, as was my case this month. But making the right choices whenever you can adds up to a LOT more than you'd think. For example, this past week, my dad has brought home pizza for dinner. Twice! And have i had a slice? I think not! I made myself a salad instead. It's stuff like that that keeps you afloat. :3

 

 

 

Oh yeah, I immediately thought of you when I saw my calorie count for the day. Feel free to call me on it when I do stuff like that! 

 

Most certainly! *sweeping bow* I shall accept this duty with the gravity and solemnity it requires!

 

....But on the side, do I get a shiny badge? I'd totally dig a shiny badge!

 

 

 

Yeah usually it isn't a problem when I'm at home working, to get enough calories. In fact the opposite is true; but as you said, healthy calories are a different matter. There weren't enough veggies last week. 

 

Do you like bell peppers? I usually cut up bell peppers for my lunch at school. Eat 'em raw. NOM NOM NOM. Or, if you like, some dip makes them extra delicious.

 

 

 

Oh yeah it's a thing. But I didn't realize it was an unhealthy behavior until a year or two ago. So I've probably been doing the "drop everything and entertain the visitor" for decades. I'm really trying to reign that in (and cut new neural pathways in the process- aka reverse old thought processes. It's the mental equivalent of pulling your wagon train out of the wagon wheel ruts cut across the vast Prairie, and forging a completely new path. Not easy stuff). 

Codependency is the behavioral equivalent of dominant genetic traits, like brown eyes. Most women (80%) are Codependent to one degree or another - it's been built into our global culture and our families for eons.

We misinterpret that Codependent behavior as "serving others" or "loving people" or whatever. When what it really is, deep down inside us, is a fear-based manipulation tool. 

We do it because we fear not getting our emotional needs met ("if I serve you and shower you with love and attention, then you MUST love me back, right? And if you don't, then there's something wrong with me."). We don't stand up for ourselves out of a fear of rejection or abandonment. We take whatever emotional crumbs we get because we believe we aren't worthy of more. 

I'm reading (albeit very slowly) an excellent book about this: Boundaries, by Henry Cloud. It's changing the way I think about how I interact with people and with myself. 

 

HAHA! Great wagon train analogy.

 

That is actually very interesting and I have no idea how I never learned of this before! Thank you!

 

I dunno, I never thought of it as a 'love me if I love you' thing. It's strictly like this old-world way of thinking, to be the perfect host and to do everything you can for The Guest. My Ya-ya (grandmother) was from Greece and that's how she was, very strict and honorable in a way. My grandmother from my mom's side of the family was pretty much the same way, and I guess it filtered to my mom.... I always thought that it was just how it was done when a 'guest' came over. o_0 But then, from what you say, it's kind of an insidious thing, so maybe I'm just a very typical case. o_0 WEIRD. 

 

That book is now definitely on my reading list. I'll totally check it out, thanks!

 

 

 

This. Exactly this. Great example. Next time, try excusing yourself and go back to the homework. Your brain will scream at you that you're being rude, and your emotions well feel all wrong. But those are lies. In reality, you're not obligated to drop everything. He likely doesn't expect it, anyway. 

 

Good point.

 

But I guess it doesn't help that I'd MUCH rather snugglecuddle with my boyfriend than do homework.

 

Flimsy excuse? Yeaaaaah.... it really is.

 

But would I rather cuddle than do homework?

 

YOU BET YOUR ASS I WOULD!

 

 

 

Reading that made ME laugh like a lunatic and scare my cat!! 

But the reality is, I know I need about 6 or so glasses a day, experience has taught me that. In practice I get 3-5. Still working on it.

 

Doing what I can with what I got! *bows*

 

Yeah, i can only average about 3-4. I get sloshy after that and I'm running to the bathroom an hour later. Sheesh. I swear, the toilet paper market is going to get a boom because of me.

 

 

 

 

Well if my (ab)normal pattern holds, in the next week I'll start putting in 14 hour days and rejecting all invitations. This is not good. So I'm trying to change it. The pendulum swing just isn't healthy and it makes me cranky. Especially at the holidays. This year it will be different! Even if the progress is small. 

 

Woot! Dang skippy, girlfriend, that's the way to think! Small steps make big changes. Mountains will get ground down by winds, but it happens one small pebble at a time.

 

Wow, that sounded a WHOLE lot more Confucius-y than I intended.

 

Awkward turtle.

[Granny Nogg]

Grasshopper.  ^^^^

[Granny Nogg]

Challenge 1, Day 18

 

3 sets of 13 squats (up 3 per set from the beginning of the challenge. Goal is 16)

3 sets of 20 wall push ups (Oh shoot... I just reviewed my challenge for this and realized I've blown past the goal!  For some reason I thought it was 20...)

3 sets of 8 lunges per leg (up 3 per set from the beginning of the challenge. Goal is 11)
3 sets of 10 dumbbell rows (I'm now using two 5lb hand weights because the water jug was too light at 8 lbs.  I wasn't feeling anything at that weight.)
3 sets of 15 second planks (up 5 seconds per plank from the beginning!  I'm almost at my goal of 16 seconds per plank)
3 sets of 30 jumping jacks (at goal)

oKAY!  So I think I'm doing pretty well, all things considered.  Halfway through the challenge, and even passed through a wrist and shoulder problem, a holiday, bad news from a doctor, and I'm still here and still chugging away at this.  I'm excited to see how it's going and that I'm sticking with it, and I'm feeling like I'm gonna make it!

Yesterday, Allen and I were doing something in the kitchen--- I might've been washing dishes I think.  Had a tshirt on, and he comes up to me and tells me he can see passive muscle movement in my upper arms.  I told him I didn't know what he meant.  He said it's the movement of muscle when you aren't intentionally flexing, or lifting something heavy, just doing regular everyday things.  This got me really excited!!

I'm also seeing some really great improvement in the way clothes fit.  The other day I had to go buy another pair of size 8 jeans, because I have to wear belts with the size 10's now.  I've come such a long way from a size 22 back in 2010!

[Granny Nogg]

I've been a little MIA again this week, and it's been a bunch of things all at once.  Remember that video for my online class that I'm teaching next year?  O.M.G.  

 

Did I tell you we invested in a new camera?  I think so.  My old one (which still works) is a JVC Everio from the mid 2000's.  At the time, it's 5 megapixel rating was really impressive and it took great macro photos.  It also did decent digital video for it's day.  Well the advances in the last 10 years (and HD) have left that little guy in the dust.  My cellphone takes higher resolution photos.  Hell, it takes higher res videos!  So obviously we needed a new camera. And because part of teaching my class will be an interview with the producers and  webcam sessions with students who've signed up for the class, I had to upgrade my old webcam.  I hadn't done any online demos since back in the mid 2000's, and apparently my old 'cam doesn't work with Windows 8-point-whatever.  

Well with the new camera and webcam, we realized that our old software programs (Adobe Photoshop Elements 5 and Adobe Photoshop Premiere 5) were also long outdated.  Elements 5 can't handle the .raw extensions from stills, so we had to upgrade to Elements 13.  Similar situation with Premiere 5, so we had to invest in a new video editor program.  We ended up buying CyberLink PowerDirector 13 because it was higher rated but almost half the price of Premiere.  

We got the video edited and on Monday we were trying to upload it to Dropbox so the producers could snag it, but every time we did that it would error out and we couldn't figure out why.  Finally after talking to them, they suggested we break the class up into 3 parts.  

 

That took me like 10 straight hours, of splitting the class into thirds and editing and changing voice-over tracks and adding titles and transitions.  And after all that... the videos wouldn't upload. AGAIN. More research, and finally we found out the problem:  the 2 gig limit for Dropbox takes into account not only the size of your file, but also how much of your storage capacity you have left in your account, even if you're sharing someone else's account to upload the files to.  On the surface, this sounds dumber than dumb.  But Dropbox's reasoning for this is that they didn't want people trying to sneak around their 2 gig file limit by creating alias accounts and sharing those accounts with their real self.  Okay.  Inconvenient for me, but I see their point.

 

I've had Dropbox for many years, so I've got a 3.5 gig limit.  I'd used up 60% of that, so I had to download everything I could, and then for the majority of it I had to get with an industry organization that I was a board member of.  I asked the other board members if they'd all please download their relevant files so that I could empty the folders.  Fortunately they were pretty quick with this.  Finally, on Wednesday we talked to the producers again, and then we uploaded the videos one at a time.  They would download it and delete it off their box, and then we could upload the next one in the series.  Voila it worked!  

I'm so glad to have this project not hanging over my head any longer.  And more than half of this issue is my own fault for procrastinating on the project.  I've known it was coming since March of this year, so 90% of my stress over it is at my own hand.  I could have dealt with these issues that cropped up over the last six months rather than trying to cram recording and editing a half-hour video class into 6 weeks at the BUSIEST TIME OF YEAR for my business.  I have to give myself a crit fail for lack of planning and dumb-itity on this one.

What redeems the whole thing (well, aside from fame and fortune, lol) is that I do have plans to make more crafty instructional videos for my YouTube channel, my Etsy shop, and any other online craft class production companies that I decide to contract with.  Now that I've got all this professional equipment, it needs to pay for itself.  

[Granny Nogg]

Okay! Finished my first 6WC, so back here to my battle log while I await the next challenge.

Today's workout, 3 sets each:

16 squats

16 wall push ups

12 walking lunges

10 Dumbbell rows

15 second planks

30 jumping jacks

Today I'm gonna allocate my stats and level up. I joined the Assassins. A kindly, grandmotherly Assassin. Like Helen Mirren in RED. Or Judy Dench in the 007 movies.

Yeah, that's the ticket.

All my orders for work are caught up, my work desk is STILL clean (miracles do happen), our family Christmas extravaganza is over, and I'm basking in the greatly reduced life stress! I've returned to my favorite stress reducing pastime, sewing garments (clothes). And it hasn't snowed yet. Life is good.

Sent from my Samsung S4 using Tapatalk.

[Granny Nogg]

For Christmas, my hubs gave me adjustable dumbbells, workout gloves, and exercise clothes.  That made me very happy!  He said he was so pleased with my progress and enthusiasm that he wanted to encourage it. Awesome.    

Today's workout, 3 sets each:

16 squats

16 wall pushups 

12 walking lunges

10 dumbbell rows, 12.5 lbs

15 second plank

30 jumping jacks
I've also added doing 10 incline pushups against my bathroom counter each night before bed.  The counter edge is rounded so it's not as hard on my left wrist.  I'm taking them slowly and carefully, and any twinges of pain in the wrist and I'll stop.  

 

Since the end of the last challenge, I've increased my dumbbell weight from 10 lbs to 12.5, and my walking lunges from 11 to 12 per leg.  I feel like I'm working at my max ability right now, and this break between challenges is helping me to adjust to how much it's pushing me.  When the new challenge starts, my main goal will be to meet all the requirements for the BBWW, and to do all 3 sets without stopping.  I will increase my 16 squats to 20 squats, move my 16 wall push ups to 10 incline ones, increase my dumbbell rows from 12.5 lbs to 15 lbs. per bar, and get from 12 walking lunges to 20.