You're My Wonderwall

[the_griff]

Today is gonna be the day

That they're gonna throw it back to you...

 

I am a former Nerd Rebel who got up at 5:30a.m., ran my couchto5k, could squat my body weight, AND make a mean paleo stir fry.  

 

I was THE BOSS.  

 

Until...

 

I fell off the wagon.

 

Well... more like slowly slid off the wagon until I was in a morass of junk food and laziness on the side of the road.

 

By now you should've somehow
Realized what you gotta do...

 

Why yes, Oasis, you are correct.  By now I should have realized what I gotta do.  

 

However, instead I chose to keep making excuses, lose all my strength, and gain 20 pounds.

 

I don't believe that anybody
Feels the way I do about you now

 

Fellow rebels, I am so grateful to have you all here with me on this journey.  I know that just the accountability and habitual tracking of my food and fitness will slowly help me to not just get back on this wagon, but DOMINATE the wagon.  

 

As of 12/15/14:

I want to move more and eat better.  

I want to do this by doing the bodyweight workout at least 3 times per week and going for a short walk at least 3 times a week.

As for food, for now I just want to focus on drinking enough water and building awareness of my diet.

 

Day 1:  The Griff Strikes Back

 

Wake up time:

8:10.  Booooo.  Rolled out of bed, put on clothes, went to work.

 

Food:

Breakfast: Pop Tarts.  Yep. From my desk drawer that I shoved down my gullet on my way to morning meetings.

Lunch: Pizza and a salad (WOOOOO, VEGGIES but... booooo pizza.)

Dinner: A peanut butter sandwich and four, count 'em, FOUR oreos.  Dinner of CHAMPIONS.

 

Fitness:

I did one circuit of the beginner body weight workout, AND took some stairs today (WOOOO!)

Slow and steady...

 

Conclusion: Today left a lot to be desired.

 

C-

 

(you know... I get SOME credit for the bodyweight workout and veggies)

 

Follow me and I'll follow you.  I can't do this without allies.  

 

Maybe you're gonna be the one that saves me.

After all... you're my wonderwall.

 

<3

MG

 

Day 1: The Griff Strikes Back

Day 2: The Griff vs. Snooze

Day 3: Further Down The Rabbit Hole We Go

[BeamofTheTurtle]

Welcome back, Griff

 

Sounds like you have a good plan- and so far, accountability- for me- has made all the difference!

 

I look forward to seeing what you're capable of!

[the_griff]

I look forward to seeing what you're capable of!

 

The sky's the limit!

[crash3400]

this is a good place for accountability.  and the good kind, not the screaming muscle head kind.  welcome back, and get it!

[Companion]

Subbing!

[missycochran]

I get the vibe that you are beating yourself up and grading yourself based on what you USED to do.  Baby steps--start where you are.  You are here and you journaled the first day and that is cause to celebrate!!  If you drank the water you wanted to drink that first day back, I give you an A+ cause you exceeded your goal

[crash3400]

^ right there.  missycochran is here, and now the master of motivation is in your corner!

[missycochran]

^ right there.  missycochran is here, and now the master of motivation is in your corner!

 

Oh, Crash, I'm a sucker for flattery *blushing and blinking*

[the_griff]

I get the vibe that you are beating yourself up and grading yourself based on what you USED to do.  Baby steps--start where you are.  You are here and you journaled the first day and that is cause to celebrate!!  If you drank the water you wanted to drink that first day back, I give you an A+ cause you exceeded your goal

 

Awwww!!! Thank you  It is so hard not to compare myself to what I once was.

 

I will be journalling again today, but so far, I woke up at 7am and had a healthy breakfast.  Baby steps, indeed!

[Urgan]

I get the vibe that you are beating yourself up and grading yourself based on what you USED to do.  Baby steps--start where you are.  You are here and you journaled the first day and that is cause to celebrate!!  If you drank the water you wanted to drink that first day back, I give you an A+ cause you exceeded your goal

 

It is indeed a fine psychological line between self-beating and knowing you were there once, can do it again, and even go far beyond. Definitely baby steps.

[Tankweazel]

Food:

Breakfast: Pop Tarts.  Yep. From my desk drawer that I shoved down my gullet on my way to morning meetings.

Lunch: Pizza and a salad (WOOOOO, VEGGIES but... booooo pizza.)

Dinner: A peanut butter sandwich and four, count 'em, FOUR oreos.  Dinner of CHAMPIONS.

 

I brought two boxes of poptarts back from Denver last month, it was the first time I'd ever had pop tarts.  You're probably not missing out on much if you chuck them in favour of some instant oats or something else a bit more wholesome.

[the_griff]

I brought two boxes of poptarts back from Denver last month, it was the first time I'd ever had pop tarts.  You're probably not missing out on much if you chuck them in favour of some instant oats or something else a bit more wholesome.

I did have instant oatmeal for breakfast today, and it felt WAY better than a pack of pop tarts

[the_griff]

Subbing!

Woohoo!  I can't find your battlelog, can you send me the link so I can sub back??

[erosan]

"Hey now", I don't feel as if I know you, but "Listen up": this is no time to be in your "Rocking chair", tonight "you're a Rock n' roll star".

If you wanna "Live forever", you better drop the "cigarettes & alcohol" and other unhealthy habits, like junk food. "D'you know what I mean?"

I think you already have a good "masterplan", and shoud "roll with it". It doesn't matter what "some might say" about your plan to take baby steps towards your goal. "Little by little" does it.

And who cares if you were fitter before? "Don't look back in anger", you'll be healthier than the past you soon enough.

Anyways I think in the end I just wanted to come to your house and say "Hello". (its good to be back, right?)

P.S. of course Oasis was right.

[crash3400]

"Hey now", I don't feel as if I know you, but "Listen up": this is no time to be in your "Rocking chair", tonight "you're a Rock n' roll star".

If you wanna "Live forever", you better drop the "cigarettes & alcohol" and other unhealthy habits, like junk food. "D'you know what I mean?"

I think you already have a good "masterplan", and shoud "roll with it". It doesn't matter what "some might say" about your plan to take baby steps towards your goal. "Little by little" does it.

And who cares if you were fitter before? "Don't look back in anger", you'll be healthier than the past you soon enough.

Anyways I think in the end I just wanted to come to your house and say "Hello". (its good to be back, right?)

P.S. of course Oasis was right.

 

that is some impressive oasis quotage.  

[the_griff]

that is some impressive oasis quotage.  

RIGHT?! dude puts me to shame!

[missycochran]

Now, where did I put that link...Ah!  Here it is!  Steve's respawning blog post:

 

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2014/12/02/fallen-off-the-wagon-today-is-national-respawn-day/

[the_griff]

Now, where did I put that link...Ah!  Here it is!  Steve's respawning blog post:

 

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2014/12/02/fallen-off-the-wagon-today-is-national-respawn-day/

WHAAAAAA, he used the SAME metaphor. 

[the_griff]

Day 2: The Griff vs. The Snooze

Woke up at....... 7am!!!!  And didn't snooze! 

 

(cue We Are The Champions!)

 

I got up.  Drank a cup of water.  Feed the cat.  And just breathed.  It was nice

 

Food:

(160 cal) Breakfast:  Instant Oatmeal - Maple and Sugar Variety made with milk.  

              Side note: WTF WHY HAVE I NOT BEEN USING MILK ALL MY LIFE?! FAN-TAS-TIC-AL!

(230 cal) Snack: BelVita Nutrient bar (Don't ask, it was int he company cupboard)

(200 cal) Lunch: A salad.  YES SALAD.  Some Kale and crasin deal.  It was good!

(100 cal) Snack: A biscotti.

(380 cal) Dinner: A turkey, cheese, and tomato melt with a side of corn chips.

(300 cal) One coffee and one chai 

(0 cal) 4 cups of water (WOOHOOOOO!)

Total intake: 1370 calories.  Not too shabby!

 

Fitness:

I was going to take a walk this morning... but I didn't want to.  And I remembered what you all have been saying... baby steps

I have an art enclave thing tonight and will probably do yoga before I go to bed (I <3 YOGA!)

 

Conclusion:  The journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step and is directly followed with the second.  Let's do this.

 

<3

MG

[missycochran]

I think you need some kind of awesome soundtrack for you life!  Go baby steps  I have started and failed at my own fitness journey many times so when I found this bit that Steve wrote, "The Overeager Beaver" it blew my mind!!! (though I always lasted longer than two weeks)  There, that is the best way I can think of to cheer for your baby steps today

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Overeager Beaver

 

The Problem: The poor Overeager Beaver has good intentions. They start out GUNG HO!

This is the first person in the gym on January 1st. The Beaver has decided to drastically

change their life, which is a good idea. Unfortunately, Beavers decide to drastically change

every aspect of their lives, all at the same time:

 

• I’m going to exercise for an hour a day six days a week!

• I’m going to completely change how I eat!

• I’m going to start flossing!

• I’m going to run three miles every morning!

• I’m going to quit smoking!

 

I got exhausted just looking at that list. I can’t imagine trying to go from a sedentary couch potato

to a fitness fanatic. The problem with the Eager Beaver is that he tries to change so many things

at once, has success for a week or two, and then life gets in the way and everything falls apart!

Here’s why: We have a finite amount of willpower - think of it like your health bar in a video game.

When we make decisions that are different from our normal habits, we use up some of that

willpower! If you try to drastically change too much at the same time, you’ll use up all of your willpower

and fail at ALL of them. This is why everybody gives up on their New Years resolutions by

mid-January (seriously)! Instead, you need to think small.

 

The Solution: Here at Nerd Fitness, we strongly dislike drastic changes because they get so

overwhelming that you return to your old habits after a few weeks. In my experience, it takes

about a month to form a new habit; every day that you complete that new habit, the easier it gets

the next day. So the action itself is important, but actually proving to yourself that you can build a

new habit over 30 days is even MORE important.

 

So keep that willpower bar full! Only pick ONE or TWO new habits at a time to fix. On top of

that, make the habit so small that it’s almost impossible to skip. For example, if you want to start

exercising every day, start by going for just a five minute walk in the morning. THAT’S it. After a

few weeks, you can up the habit/exercise to 10 minutes, and then up to 20 minutes and so on.

But for now, “aim small, miss small.†Try using the app Lift to help you build your small habits.

 

I’ve covered this topic extensively in this article on “willpowerâ€â€”

if you are an Overeager Beaver, this is the article for you.

[the_griff]

 

I think you need some kind of awesome soundtrack for you life!  Go baby steps  I have started and failed at my own fitness journey many times so when I found this bit that Steve wrote, "The Overeager Beaver" it blew my mind!!! (though I always lasted longer than two weeks)  There, that is the best way I can think of to cheer for your baby steps today

Dude, I was JUST reading this last night / this morning.  It is TOTALLY me.  I don't know how to not become an overeager beaver, though!  it is TOTALLY my personality to get all gung-ho in on something then fade away...

 

I reckon the goals I am working on now is to have some sort of consistent working out, some sort of healthier eating, and not hitting snooze all the live long day.

[erosan]

waking up without hitting snooze gets easier as you get healthier, provided you install walk me up on android and set it for at least 40 steps… >_> not that it's ever happened to me

[missycochran]

Dude, I was JUST reading this last night / this morning.  It is TOTALLY me.  I don't know how to not become an overeager beaver, though!  it is TOTALLY my personality to get all gung-ho in on something then fade away...

 

We are very much alike!  It's such a learning process.  My current strategy is to make easy goals and exceed them rather than making big goals and failing--so that if I get burned out, I can back off and still reach my goals.  Also, I started doing Stronglifts 5x5 lifting plan (I always quit lifting because I plateau from adding weight too ambitiously), which is all about baby steps in adding weight.  Just the experience of working this program which is all about SLOW progress is teaching me principles that transfer into other areas too.  Good stuff!!

 

Man! Even trying to scale back, in retrospect, I think I still came in too strong for my first challenge.  This might be why I got sick twice and missed some workouts at the end of the 6 weeks.  My body needs time to build up to working out an hour a day!  I intend to reposition to an even more moderate space for the next challenge.

[crash3400]

Dude, I was JUST reading this last night / this morning.  It is TOTALLY me.  I don't know how to not become an overeager beaver, though!  it is TOTALLY my personality to get all gung-ho in on something then fade away...

 

I reckon the goals I am working on now is to have some sort of consistent working out, some sort of healthier eating, and not hitting snooze all the live long day.

 

there's an app called "sleep cycle" that will track your sleep, but more awesomely it will ease you into waking up by gradually increasing the volume on whatever you set your alarm sound.  this eliminated the "ASDLKJFGH! MOTHER OF PEARL MAKE IT STOP!" reaction when my alarm went off.

 

i think you're starting well, setting attainable goals.  get all gung-ho about those, and then take it from there.  i had someone recommend that i get as specific as possible - might help as well so you can track percentages more easily

 

and, as i'm apparently becoming known for saying, measure yourself against your own progress and not others - it'll keep a good perspective rather than your getting too big for your stomach, or writing checks your butt can't cash, or whatever metaphor works there.

[Urgan]

i think you're starting well, setting attainable goals.  get all gung-ho about those, and then take it from there.  i had someone recommend that i get as specific as possible - might help as well so you can track percentages more easily

 

This. It is a skill just like the squat, yes?