Teirin Posted November 14, 2014 Report Share Posted November 14, 2014 Ooooh, that DVD looks good. May need a copy of that. For all of the irritation, it looks like you're making the best choices in handling a crappy day. Hope you feel better. *all the hugs* Quote Behave yourself, badly if necessary. Current Challenge Judo - Shodan My Character Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted November 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2014 I'm not a workout DVD fan in general, but that DVD hits an absolute sweet spot for me. Rapid intervals, short enough to fit in most days, no equipment at all, a mix of strength and cardio that I respond well to, serious exercises and drills, scope for a wide range of skill levels - just totally utilitarian for what I want out of a workout. Also, no perky personalities, no dudebro martial arts, no casual sexism, and a strong focus on practical martial arts, which is pretty rare in a market dominated by aerobics culture. It's just useful to have in my back pocket for when my brain's not up to structuring workouts on its own. Doing better today. Rested some. Hydrated. Got in a good workout before bed. I'm still a little tired, but feeling pretty good. I think the insomnia might be here to stay for a little while, and I'm just sort of mitigating it, so I might be spending a few days trying to get some extra sleep. But I think that if I keep the workouts short and intense, and try to cram in the rest, I'll end up on top. 1 Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted November 14, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 14, 2014 Week 1: Day 5 It snowed last night, so I'm not regretting moving to inside workouts temporarily. I do want to spend a lot of time outside this winter, but I probably don't wanna strain my lungs right now, while they're still considering a chest cough as a hobby. In fact, that workout was exactly what I wanted. That felt great. Today I'm commuting, so long walks on the beach, and I'm going to blow my carb target something fierce in the process of trying to eat back the 1200 calorie deficit I've got today. Mostly good choices, with one small indulgence, but the volume of calories is just difficult without all the macros scaling up. (I'll probably end up carrying about 400 calories over, to spread out over the next few days.) In summary:carb target: noexercise outside: yes (+1)meditation: yes (+1)hours of sleep: 9 hours (I have reclaimed one from the void!)in bed by 11: hell yes (+1)punching and kicking drills: nosomething awesome: nobadass points: no Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
Kishi Posted November 14, 2014 Report Share Posted November 14, 2014 Well as long as you get it right over the average, then everything else will be all right, I imagine. Don't worry about the macros now. Worry about the micros and try to get a little more sleep. The rest will see itself through in time. Quote Work like a farmer, train like an athlete, fight like a soldier. 2 Tim. 2:3-6 BATTLE! Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted November 15, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 15, 2014 Yeah, I've recently started thinking about averages rather than hitting my calories spot-on every day. I don't know yet how my body's liking it, but it should work out. It's probably a lot easier on the body than my calories spiking every time I have a heavy exercise day, I can't imagine that's optimal. I am going to get so much sleep. While you're running and stuff tomorrow, I will be sleeping. For science. Or something. 1 Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted November 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2014 Week 1: Day 6 In summary:carb target: Just squeaked over. (+0.5)exercise outside: strength training (+1)meditation: nohours of sleep: 3 + 7 = 10 hoursin bed by 11: nopunching and kicking drills: yes (+1)something awesome: nobadass points: no 1 Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted November 16, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 16, 2014 Week 1: Day 7 Sort of mentally took off yesterday, so today I will be rebooting my brain and getting organized. I'm inspired by WildColonialGrrl's decluttering, too, so maybe take some time to think about what that looks like. Also, hydration. I think I fell behind yesterday, and I need to pick it up today. In summary:carb target:exercise outside: yes (+1)meditation:hours of sleep:in bed by 11:punching and kicking drills:something awesome:badass points: Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
Mistr Posted November 17, 2014 Report Share Posted November 17, 2014 Yay for getting more sleep! The indoor exercise plan as a backup makes perfect sense this time of year. So does averaging your calories. I hope you feel better with the rest and recovery time. Quote Level 68 Viking paladin My current challenge Battle log Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted November 18, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 18, 2014 I will update. I'm two days behind. But. OMG, so exhausted. Everything hurts. Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
Kishi Posted November 19, 2014 Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 What'd you get into? Quote Work like a farmer, train like an athlete, fight like a soldier. 2 Tim. 2:3-6 BATTLE! Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted November 19, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 19, 2014 What'd you get into? Nothing good, man. I don't know whether insomnia triggers my ADHD or the other way around, but I've been having a crazy few days of really no sleep at all and intense ADHD hyperfocus on totally the wrong things at the wrong times. If I fall asleep before 5am this week, I'm doing well. Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
Kishi Posted November 20, 2014 Report Share Posted November 20, 2014 Nothing good, man. I don't know whether insomnia triggers my ADHD or the other way around, but I've been having a crazy few days of really no sleep at all and intense ADHD hyperfocus on totally the wrong things at the wrong times. If I fall asleep before 5am this week, I'm doing well. I know that feeling. Me, this whole week, I've been lucky if I'm down before 3. I just can't find my slow down button anymore. It's a tough place, and it got me tired at all the wrong times today. So... what are you going to do about it? I seem to recall you saying that you had some alarms you could use... maybe start using f.lux and shutting off lights at night? What kind of procedural stuff can you do to fix this? Quote Work like a farmer, train like an athlete, fight like a soldier. 2 Tim. 2:3-6 BATTLE! Link to comment
Teirin Posted November 21, 2014 Report Share Posted November 21, 2014 How are you doing now? Any more sleep? f.lux is surprisingly helpful. I also found doing the dishes before bed helpful, so long as I stopped when it was time to go to bed. It's manual and warms me up while getting me away from a screen. Quote Behave yourself, badly if necessary. Current Challenge Judo - Shodan My Character Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted November 24, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 24, 2014 Writing off last week. It only got worse from my check-in. Skunks were involved. Let us say no more. However, I have got myself back on a normal schedule, and got a workout in, so this week is off to a better start. I do have f.lux, and it helps a bit and my revamped alarms worked well during week 1, but the issue is less tiredness - I'm definitely tired - and more that there are some badly-regulated attention issues. On a bad week (often a week when I haven't slept enough), I have less control over my attention and can't break focus, so I keep doing what I'm doing till I'm done, even if that's 3 or 4am. Possibly being very disciplined about not starting things after 6-7pm, but that takes out a good chunk of available hours for things. Possibly some game with timers and work logs. Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
Mistr Posted November 24, 2014 Report Share Posted November 24, 2014 The attention/sleep issues sound frustrating. I know how hard it is for me to stop doing something before I'm finished. I can only imagine how tough it is for you. Maybe you could keep a list of shorter tasks to do in the evening? Something like fold and put away one load of laundry, or clean one (small and well-defined) area? I hope this week goes better for you. Quote Level 68 Viking paladin My current challenge Battle log Link to comment
Kishi Posted November 24, 2014 Report Share Posted November 24, 2014 What about breaking up the tasks into disparate, concrete parts? So you can do a mini-task and hit it with your whole attention and get the thing done before you bring yourself out of it. So you build in all these breaking points... Quote Work like a farmer, train like an athlete, fight like a soldier. 2 Tim. 2:3-6 BATTLE! Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted November 25, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 25, 2014 Week 3: Day 1carb target: well under (+1)exercise outside: nomeditation: yes (+1)hours of sleep: 5 hours (not totally over the insomnia, but getting there)in bed by 11: Aaaaaalmost. (-0.5)punching and kicking drills: nosomething awesome: 0.5 awesome pointsbadass points: noWeek 3: Day 2carb target: TBAexercise outside: yes (+1)meditation: yes (+1)hours of sleep:in bed by 11:punching and kicking drills:something awesome:badass points: Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
Kishi Posted November 25, 2014 Report Share Posted November 25, 2014 Ooh, something awesome? Do tell, do tell! Quote Work like a farmer, train like an athlete, fight like a soldier. 2 Tim. 2:3-6 BATTLE! Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted November 26, 2014 Author Report Share Posted November 26, 2014 Nothing too amazing, only half a point, but I did computer-geekery stuff that was fun and made me very productive afterwards, so it was a win. And sort of awesome. 3 Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted December 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2014 Week 4 - Prologue Okay. Last week was an improvement over week 2, but not a lot of time to post. (I'm complaining about too much work and not enough nerd-time this week, too, but I might just be out of the habit.) This week is sort of a return to basics. My sleep was better last week than week 2, but not quite back on track. My exercise was still low. My eating habits were a touch off. My stress levels were a bit high. But I have been very aware how much I need that sleep. And how much I want that exercise. And how much I want that protein. Also, I want to stare at those pretty, pretty Happiness Patrol pictures. Mmm, bright colors and evil candy. So yesterday and today have been resetting to challenge baseline: Week 4: Day 1carb target: a hair over, but in a controlled way, so half a point (+0.5)exercise outside: nomeditation: yes (+1)hours of sleep: 8 hoursin bed by 11: yes (+1)punching and kicking drills: nosomething awesome: I was not awesome today.badass points: I was not badass today. Week 4: Day 2carb target: yes (+1)exercise outside: yes (+1) - Rowing HIIT when I got up. Felt great. I can totally row away from Daleks, if we're attacked somewhere with boats.meditation: yes (+1)hours of sleep: 8 hoursin bed by 11: (+0.5)punching and kicking drills: nosomething awesome: nobadass points: no Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted December 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 I was waaaaaaay under calories yesterday, like by 700 calories. I was still kinda hungry when I went to bed, but it was just too late to eat anything. So today will be about trying not to do that. I've been doing pretty well this week on getting things done. That feels pretty good after a week of ADHD flakery and a holiday. Week 4: Day 3carb target: noexercise outside: yes (+1) Interval-based strength training. I was cranky and a little creaky, but I did it.meditation: yes (+1)hours of sleep: 5 hours Partially me, partially congestion. I hate winter.in bed by 11: +0.5punching and kicking drills: yes (+1)something awesome: No. Good productivity, but nothing that falls under my definition of... oh, hang on. +0.5 for a personal project going well.badass points: No. Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
Mistr Posted December 3, 2014 Report Share Posted December 3, 2014 I was waaaaaaay under calories yesterday, like by 700 calories. I was still kinda hungry when I went to bed, but it was just too late to eat anything. So today will be about trying not to do that. I've been doing pretty well this week on getting things done. That feels pretty good after a week of ADHD flakery and a holiday. Yay! Good for you getting back on track. I hope that eating less yesterday helps reset your metabolism rather than making you starving today. Quote Level 68 Viking paladin My current challenge Battle log Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted December 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 Yay! Good for you getting back on track. I hope that eating less yesterday helps reset your metabolism rather than making you starving today. Actually, I think being starving would have been a sign that my metabolism was resetting! IIRC, lack of hunger when under-eating is a sign that your metabolism is down-regulating and getting accustomed to the lower food levels. So I was actually glad that I was hungry before bed, because I should have been, and for years I was not hungry going to bed with that net calorie level. (I've actually carried over another 700 calorie deficit today, between one thing and another. Pretty hungry this morning. So that's good. Aside from not being able to get rid of these unproductive large deficits. I think tomorrow I'll do a bulk buy on trail mix.) Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
sarakingdom Posted December 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 Week 4: Day 4 Still missing some sleep. Winter is rough on my sinuses. More sleep is on my list. (I tried to get extra sleep yesterday, but my sinuses said it wasn't happening.) Oh, Happiness Patrol. I am officially on the Killjoy list this week, because I may be getting my challenge together and my productivity together, but half my brain is trying to have depressive freakouts at the same time. But I got my workout in yesterday at the last minute, and that was a good thing, and I'm still basically on top of things this week. I think I'm now required to shoot things and play video games and tell bad jokes, and listen to roaming intergalactic American blues musicians. Hey, I don't make the rules. Also what I'm doing is limiting my daily to-do list to four items per major project (home and work), which comes out to about 16-18 to-do items a day. I've been noticing my list length and frustration levels growing, and the list stopped being helpful because it was too much to feasibly do in a day. 16-18 things is plenty to fit into a day, enough to make some progress, and possible to finish. So I'm mostly scheduled out till next Friday, but stuff will get done if I get through my list. I'm already feeling considerably less stressed today.carb target: +0.5exercise outside: yes (+1)meditation: yes (+1)hours of sleep: 5 hoursin bed by 11: +0.5punching and kicking drills: nosomething awesome: nobadass points: no Quote I felt like I could run forever, like I could smell the wind and feel the grass under my feet, and just run forever. Current Challenge: #24 - Mrs. Cosmopolite Challenge Past: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11a & #11b, #12, #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23 Link to comment
Mistr Posted December 4, 2014 Report Share Posted December 4, 2014 Also what I'm doing is limiting my daily to-do list to four items per major project (home and work), which comes out to about 16-18 to-do items a day. I've been noticing my list length and frustration levels growing, and the list stopped being helpful because it was too much to feasibly do in a day. 16-18 things is plenty to fit into a day, enough to make some progress, and possible to finish. So I'm mostly scheduled out till next Friday, but stuff will get done if I get through my list. I'm already feeling considerably less stressed today. I think 16-18 things is a LOT to get done in a day. I can see why your list was overwhelming. I'm glad you figured out a way to break it down that makes it less stressful. Any ideas why part of your brain wants to freak out just as you are getting back on top of things? Quote Level 68 Viking paladin My current challenge Battle log Link to comment
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