(Oct 27th-Nov10th) The Bye Weeks Challenge

[RxLady]

those pumpkins are amazeballs

Thank you! We had a blast.

YAYOG is going, no tai chi yet... And I forgot about cartwheels! I picked jogging back up so I've been doing that. Oops!

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

W7D2 done, and wow .... it's feeling really good to run right now. 

[Xena]

I still haven't found a way to make fish tasty though. Other than deep fat frying the heck out of it, and I think makes eating fish pointless lol

Easiest possible thing to cook (if you like these flavors). Works with any white flaky fish (swai or tilapia is inexpensive, you could also use something like cod)...maybe other kinds too. Heat up some oil in a heavy pan (I use olive or coconut), add garlic and ginger (and/or chopped jalapenos, any spices you like) and cook med-low (so the garlic doesn't burn) until it smells awesome. Add the fish. Cook it. Add some soy sauce toward the end if you like.

 

If you are into one-pot cooking, you can also throw in some chopped greens (like chard, spinach or kale) when the fish is almost done.

[NicTheRugger]

I still haven't found a way to make fish tasty though. Other than deep fat frying the heck out of it, and I think makes eating fish pointless lol

I've found that soaking the fish in milk for 2-3 hours gets rid of the strong fish-y flavor, which makes it a lot tastier! It depends on what kind of fish you're eating, though. I think the milk trick only works with white fish and salmon (admittedly, I don't eat a lot of fish, so those are the ones I'm somewhat used to eating). After soaking it in milk, you can season it (pepper, garlic powder, and lemon juice are popular with my family) and then either bake it or grill it!

[DarK_RaideR]

Another idea is large slices of white fish cooked in the oven. Top them with big slices of tomato and onion, add a little white wine and let the ingredients work their magic of removing the fishy smell.

 

New challenge forums are up and I've posted my challenge, which leads to an early bye-week recap thinking.

 

Quest one: Attended my first tricking lesson on Sunday, enjoyed it and already made it part of my upcoming challenge. In a bit of a dilemma for this week. Classes are 17:00-20:00 out of town. Last time we finished at 19:00 and people were free to stay and practice for the extra hour. This Sunday is the premiere of our Live-Action Vampire game, starting at 19:00. I'm having trouble balancing both, but don't want to skip training already, I like it, I've just started and it's a once in a week thing. Think I'll go and arrive a bit late in the game, come whatever may.

 

Quest two: Still working out. Friday we're repeating last week's test. Let's see if I've made any progress in a week.

 

Quest three: Still cooking, still skipping breakfast, still sticking to my weekly plan. Had a few tempting mornings, no eat-out-of-home situations to challenge me yet.

[Charlie_Quinn]

This week has been a bit blugh. I've got the flu and feel like crap right now. Haven't been able to to go the gym all week as I have zero energy. I have managed to keep up the handstand training. Throwing your body upside down does not feel good when your head feels like a giant ball of snot! Not that that's going to stop me!

 

Had to make an emergency appointment at the vets for my cat yesterday. He developed a swelling on the side of his face overnight. I thought it might be his teeth as we've been told he's going to have to have some teeth removed eventually. The vet checked his teeth but couldn't see any major problems so started checking his lymph glands and talking about cancer, which scared the hell out of me!!  After much poking and prodding around, she discovered bite marks on the top of his head. He must have had a fight with another cat, the other cat has bitten his head and this has then caused an abscess. They lanced the abscess and it's gone down a little, but he's got to go back to have it done again tomorrow as the abscess needs to come to surface a bit more so they can lance it properly. 

 

I'm so glad my Dexter-cat is OK, but because of the unexpected vet bill, we now can't afford to go to the London Tombs on Saturday. It's a shame, but I'd rather pay the money to make sure my boy is alright. So instead of London, we are going to go to the annual fireworks display at our local park. It's a free event, with donations for a local charity and it's always a good night. We've got some friends I haven't seen in a long time joining us so it should be good fun. As long as I'm flu-free by then!

[Charlie_Quinn]

Now I have to ask, does almond flour taste almondy?

 

 

Almond flour definitely tastes almondy! I've made macaroons (not coconut, the french kind) before. They are made with finely ground almonds and they taste very almondy, and very delicious! Such a bugger to make though!

[IronGlider]

Hey everyone, it's been a little absent, I thought I'd post here how things have gone...

 

...just gliding past, thought I'd hang round here for a bit xD
For reals, this is what I need right now. I've spent one week in healthy-bmi/maintenance lifestyle, and before the next challenge starts I would like to discover the next best fitness/health tracking system going forward. I've already written in my challenge today about a potential new tracking regime that I feel confident enough to trial it for the next 2 weeks and make any adjustments/refinements necessary for the next challenge.

I'm sure I'll be in good company (and new) during this process, exciting! Also, this challenge is backed by ItsDaniel, that's enough incentive + any buddy of @Deftona and I know I'll be in good hands! ;-)

Goal 1: Creative Momentum (e.g. Do any Sketches/Drawing/Illustrator/Photoshop 6x a week for the next 2 weeks!) I still find some difficulties facing some of these tasks, especially when showing people, it's almost like stage fright, I get the chokes (whoop mighty boosh!) and I feel petrified. If I can bust asthma and obesity, I sure as hell have a chance against this beast!

Goal 2: Receive a Power Level of 2! This is related to my fitness tracking goals post losing weight. Basically, every week of doing all 3x interval jogging and 3x of workouts my power level increases by +1. I've started implementing the idea this week so currently I have 0. Let's hope I can get 2 by the end of this mini challenge!

Goal 3: Continue to spend some time everyday relaxing This use to be a big deal for me. Fortunately, it's gotten better and today I got a huge weight off my shoulders after getting a massive and difficult todolist item out of the way. Whether it's reading the latest, watching a movie, playing a game, or planning+cooking something fun for Sunday, this is crucial, I to always find a moment to wind down, especially if we're actually IN our resting period, if I can't do it now, then something's definitely needs reworking in my day to day routine.

Hope for the best everyone! Adventurers, Assemble!

Sent from my Blackberry PlayBook

 

Goal 1: First week I totally flopped this goal. I was a little swamped, but even though I still could have put aside 25mins a day to do this, I've just spent this time pondering tbh about my maintenance goals+plans and testing things out. 

 

Goal 2: Going great! Belive it or not, I haven't missed a SINGLE day of interval jogging or workouts. During these cold months, I'm finding it hard to motivate myself to do this, but with my new 'Power LVL' goal, I still find it hard, but I DO IT ANYWAY! :-D YES! YES! YES!

 

Goal 3: Not quite everyday, but before bed I ensure that I properly wind down by either reading or listening to an audiobook. Also, last Sunday I played Mirror's Edge + sang Karaoke for hours upon hours with my sister, so that more than makes up for the other days!

 

Hoping to get closer to achieving the first goal by the end of this week + continuing to refine my challenges+goals for the next challenge!

 

Hey IG great to have you swing by, I never got round to saying HUGE congratulations on the weight loss, getting to your target must have been a phenomenal feeling with all the hard work and ups and downs you've had getting there.

 

Thanks man! :-) Every stage has its difficulties for sure, but that focus on keeping as consistent as can be was enough :-) Thank you, excited for what's ahead for you too! :-)

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

I downloaded and tried the YAYOG app for the iPhone.  I like it, but I'll probably keep it in reserve for days when I can't get to the gym .....

 

 

...... or forget the ol' workout notebook.

[Xena]

This week has been a bit blugh. I've got the flu and feel like crap right now. ...

 

Had to make an emergency appointment at the vets for my cat yesterday....

 

I'm so glad my Dexter-cat is OK, but because of the unexpected vet bill, we now can't afford to go to the London Tombs on Saturday. It's a shame, but I'd rather pay the money to make sure my boy is alright. So instead of London, we are going to go to the annual fireworks display at our local park. It's a free event, with donations for a local charity and it's always a good night. We've got some friends I haven't seen in a long time joining us so it should be good fun. As long as I'm flu-free by then!

 

Wow, you had some twists and turns, but you made the best of things. Have fun at the fireworks!

 

I had some twists and turns too. Had some unexpected travel early in the week, caught a cold, and now have an unexpected-ish houseguest coming for the weekend. Only got through some of my goals, but that's ok...the others are just delayed a bit.

 

1. Something new...was supposed to try those exercise bands. Didn't do it, but will once I'm feeling better. Not worried about this...it's on my radar and I'll get around to it.

2. Marathon and morning exercise routine. I finished the marathon and already have my next one picked out :-)   I did the morning stretching a couple times. I haven't been super regular about it (sick, traveling, recovering from marathon etc), but I'll be ready to really try it out next challenge.

3. Spa night...nope didn't do it. Yesterday was supposed to be the day, but with the travel, my house was a mess and I needed to go grocery shopping. By the time I had eaten I felt vaguely feverish and exhausted. Spa night can surely wait until I'm healthy. Again, I pushed it off, but I'll do it soon.

 

I know I sound like a crazy procrastinator, but these were all kind of "bonus" things, and this ended up not being quite the right time. That being said, I think this bye-week challenge was awesome.

[DarK_RaideR]

Quest one: Attended my first tricking lesson on Sunday, enjoyed it and already made it part of my upcoming challenge. In a bit of a dilemma for this week. Classes are 17:00-20:00 out of town. Last time we finished at 19:00 and people were free to stay and practice for the extra hour. This Sunday is the premiere of our Live-Action Vampire game, starting at 19:00. I'm having trouble balancing both, but don't want to skip training already, I like it, I've just started and it's a once in a week thing. Think I'll go and arrive a bit late in the game, come whatever may.

Met one of the instructors last night, he told me lessons typically end at 19:00 and they reserve the following hour for freestyle and practice. Which means no stress and no excuses, for this and any future gaming sessions. Also thinking I should integrate a leg stretching routine into my schedule, my kicks swing sideways, low and are overall kinda pathetic.

 

That being said, I think this bye-week challenge was awesome.

Absolutely. Thanks for running this, Dan

[Balthazar]

Easiest possible thing to cook (if you like these flavors). Works with any white flaky fish (swai or tilapia is inexpensive, you could also use something like cod)...maybe other kinds too. Heat up some oil in a heavy pan (I use olive or coconut), add garlic and ginger (and/or chopped jalapenos, any spices you like) and cook med-low (so the garlic doesn't burn) until it smells awesome. Add the fish. Cook it. Add some soy sauce toward the end if you like.

 

If you are into one-pot cooking, you can also throw in some chopped greens (like chard, spinach or kale) when the fish is almost done.

 

I'll give them a try, I had read about a recipe a while back that used Maple Syrup (~not the healthiest I know) that sounded like it might work

 

 

I've found that soaking the fish in milk for 2-3 hours gets rid of the strong fish-y flavor, which makes it a lot tastier! It depends on what kind of fish you're eating, though. I think the milk trick only works with white fish and salmon (admittedly, I don't eat a lot of fish, so those are the ones I'm somewhat used to eating). After soaking it in milk, you can season it (pepper, garlic powder, and lemon juice are popular with my family) and then either bake it or grill it!

 

Someone who understands my pain!!! I don't like the fishyness of fish. Never heard of the milk idea but I am totally going to give it a try

[Balthazar]

This week has been a bit blugh. I've got the flu and feel like crap right now. Haven't been able to to go the gym all week as I have zero energy. I have managed to keep up the handstand training. Throwing your body upside down does not feel good when your head feels like a giant ball of snot! Not that that's going to stop me!

 

Had to make an emergency appointment at the vets for my cat yesterday. He developed a swelling on the side of his face overnight. I thought it might be his teeth as we've been told he's going to have to have some teeth removed eventually. The vet checked his teeth but couldn't see any major problems so started checking his lymph glands and talking about cancer, which scared the hell out of me!!  After much poking and prodding around, she discovered bite marks on the top of his head. He must have had a fight with another cat, the other cat has bitten his head and this has then caused an abscess. They lanced the abscess and it's gone down a little, but he's got to go back to have it done again tomorrow as the abscess needs to come to surface a bit more so they can lance it properly. 

 

I'm so glad my Dexter-cat is OK, but because of the unexpected vet bill, we now can't afford to go to the London Tombs on Saturday. It's a shame, but I'd rather pay the money to make sure my boy is alright. So instead of London, we are going to go to the annual fireworks display at our local park. It's a free event, with donations for a local charity and it's always a good night. We've got some friends I haven't seen in a long time joining us so it should be good fun. As long as I'm flu-free by then!

 

I'm glad you're kitty is OK

 

I know if the slightest thing happens to our cats my fiancee. LOSES. HER. SHIT. Definitely worth missing the tombs to get him fixed up and by the sounds of it you might have even more fun catching up with old friends anyway.

 

 

 

Goal 2: Going great! Belive it or not, I haven't missed a SINGLE day of interval jogging or workouts. During these cold months, I'm finding it hard to motivate myself to do this, 

 

If you find a way let me know, I have some outdoor stuff to do now to but I am seriously lacking the motivation at 6am when it's pissing it down

[Balthazar]

I downloaded and tried the YAYOG app for the iPhone.  I like it, but I'll probably keep it in reserve for days when I can't get to the gym .....

 

 

...... or forget the ol' workout notebook.

 

that's crazy!!! do you get much snow where you live? In the UK if there is a flake of snow everyone loses their minds (insert joker meme here)

 

 

Wow, you had some twists and turns, but you made the best of things. Have fun at the fireworks!

 

I had some twists and turns too. Had some unexpected travel early in the week, caught a cold, and now have an unexpected-ish houseguest coming for the weekend. Only got through some of my goals, but that's ok...the others are just delayed a bit.

 

1. Something new...was supposed to try those exercise bands. Didn't do it, but will once I'm feeling better. Not worried about this...it's on my radar and I'll get around to it.

2. Marathon and morning exercise routine. I finished the marathon and already have my next one picked out :-)   I did the morning stretching a couple times. I haven't been super regular about it (sick, traveling, recovering from marathon etc), but I'll be ready to really try it out next challenge.

3. Spa night...nope didn't do it. Yesterday was supposed to be the day, but with the travel, my house was a mess and I needed to go grocery shopping. By the time I had eaten I felt vaguely feverish and exhausted. Spa night can surely wait until I'm healthy. Again, I pushed it off, but I'll do it soon.

 

I know I sound like a crazy procrastinator, but these were all kind of "bonus" things, and this ended up not being quite the right time. That being said, I think this bye-week challenge was awesome.

 

The challenge was all about it being Bonus things, so if they didn't get done it was no great shakes.

 

And I reckon you're much better off getting over the cold and travelling before the big 6 week challenge, although make sure you get your spa night! you deserve it

 

 

Met one of the instructors last night, he told me lessons typically end at 19:00 and they reserve the following hour for freestyle and practice. Which means no stress and no excuses, for this and any future gaming sessions. 

 

Sounds awesome, so when's your first session?

[DarK_RaideR]

Sounds awesome, so when's your first session?

This Sunday. Not promising any photos, my character's a Nosferatu

[Brekketechie]

Check in with only 2 days left:

Quest 1: Yoga class as my something new. BAM.

Quest 2: 10 standard push-ups - since I've been doing a Soviet workout mini-quest with the skullcrushers, I haven't done any push-ups this week. I will try 10 tomorrow.

Quest 3: Pub Quiz. SO last Wednesday it was canceled due to the world series, and this past Wednesday I had to work late. BUT I did go to an EPIC concert over the weekend, so a fun thing was had!

 

Now to sort out my next 6 week challenge... 

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

@It'sDaniel - oh yea, we get snow.  Sometimes several feet in a day, but that's a bit unusual.  For fun, I'm looking into snowshoes this winter since I've never managed to convince myself that skiing is better than hiking.

 

And BAM!  I finished C25K.  Got to my scheduled 27 minutes and felt like continuing on ... so I polished off 30 minutes of straight running and ordered winter running pants!!  Mine from last year are too raggedy or too large (yea!!).

 

So, I've made a sweep of the bye-weeks challenges!!!  I'm ready for the holiday gauntlet, coach!!

 

[Shello]

Ack!  why will my quote function not work!?

 

anyway - @Christ-Tien Jinn - snowshoes!  We're going on a winter camping trip next month and I wanted to make homemade snow shoes with the kids.  I'm not sure it will work out very well but I think it sounds fun. 

[Xena]

  For fun, I'm looking into snowshoes this winter since I've never managed to convince myself that skiing is better than hiking.

 

You might like snowshoes designed for runners (they are shaped differently so you can have a more natural stride). Not good if you need to carry a big pack, but fun for exercise.

[NicTheRugger]

It's a bird, it's a plane! No! It's NictheRugger, remembering to get herself back on here! 

 

Something new: Made the soup AND wonder of all wonders, I made a batch of cookies from scratch. On principle, I don't bake, because I've routinely burnt things. But, I decided to give it a shot, and it actually turned out very well!

 

Something fitness: I've done yoga almost every day. I figure if I start my day with a sun salutation, it's a good way to start the day because I feel energized, and if it's a body-weight workout day, then I'm already warmed up and ready to go!

 

Something fun: I've been neglecting this one, but that's because I'm really focusing on my studies and I just use my downtime to relax (or sleep... haha). 

 

Excited for the challenge to start, but I have no idea what to do!

 

How is everyone feeling for the challenge? Anyone doing anything exciting?

[Brekketechie]

10 standard push-ups COMPLETE! The Bye Weeks Challenge has been CRUSHED!

 

Good luck on starting the next 6 Week Challenge, y'all! 

[Xena]

10 standard push-ups COMPLETE! The Bye Weeks Challenge has been CRUSHED!

 

Good luck on starting the next 6 Week Challenge, y'all! 

 

Woot!!  You're a rockstar!

[Swampling]

OK, final check-in for the Bye Weeks...

 

I just survived my first belly dancing tutorial. I confess I wussed out and opted for a half hour video instead of a full hour one...

 

 

It was fun, although I am REALLY glad that I didn't have any witnesses.

And my shoulders and arms will probably be a bit sore tomorrow.

 

Mission 1: survive try something new: COMPLETE

 

Mission 2: Which turned out to be mainly wrist conditioning and handstand skill practice, accompanied by some kettlebell swings and half Get Ups: COMPLETE

 

Mission 3: Went to the play last Sunday: COMPLETE

[RxLady]

Didn't quite work in the Tai Chi, but I kept busy and kept up with YAYOG! On to challenge 3!

[ShadowLion]

I decided to let my first goal - the bead kit - go because I could see my weekends were going to be too full to fit it in. Eh, I cut the stress, which was more important to me at this point.

Goal two - twice a week flexy bendy assassiny moves - went really well. I got in five different short workouts that ranged from handstand practice (noticeable improvement in ten days!) to some silly walks for balance and belly dance back bend practice. It was fun and it felt really good!

Goal three - Fiddlin' fool - This had somewhat mixed results. Of the ten days, I got in six, though on three of the others I did do other music, it wasn't fiddle. The big thing, though, was I had fun and ended up doing way more than my tiny minimum requirement. Probably most important was I let go of the obsession with perfection and just played for the joy of it.

This was a great idea for a PVP and it was a lot of fun and a good break activity.

Thanks, ItsDaniel! Super idea and hope to do it again in the future!