Nanako's Year of the Tortoise

[nanako]

So I just had the best epiphany ever while doing the washing up: why not take it easy this year? So many times I have struggled to lose weight and get fit, taken on too much too soon, suffered injury or just failed for lack of willpower, you know the story...

So this year, why not take it slow?

 

So my challenge for this year is:

 

• lose 1 kilo a month (half a pound a week)

 

This will add up to 12kgs a year (yay! Maths!) .

I'm 76kgs now, so hopefully by the end of the year I will weigh 64kgs and I can spend the whole of 2016 losing the remaining 2kgs if I feel I need to (My ideal weight - dream weight - goal weight is 62kgs, which is bang in the middle of the healthy BMI range for my height). Before you ask, yes, I do need to lose mass, not just recomp, but of course my goal will be both. But since I am in the "fat and fit" department (I SO hate this term) atm, my main goal is to lose mass first and foremost.

 

I am absolutely thrilled by this challenge. It's so realistic! Why haven't I thought of this before?

 

 

 

[nanako]

So to help me with my challenge, I am going to continue my running. I'm signed up for a half in March, and I might try for another nice race in autumn.

 

I am doing a dry January (possibly dry February too), so I'm changing my bedtime routine from crashing-on-the-sofa-with-a-glass-of-red-after-putting-the-kids-to-bed to a bedtime yoga sequence.

Let me write this down:

 

6:30 pm tea

7:00 pm PJ time & teeth brushing for kids

              next day preparathon for me (lunchboxes, bag, clothes) 

7:30 pm story time for kids

7:55 pm kids asleep

8:00 pm news on telly

8:15 pm PJ time for me & herbal tea

8:30 pm bedtime yoga sequence

9:00 pm read a few pages & sleep

 

Sound good? This will give a 8 solid hours of sleep every night.

(Check)

 

Dietwise, I will do a low-carb paleo thing that has worked well for me in the past (aka "no bread"). I need a few ideas for paleo breakfasts & lunches that I can take into work. Surely I can find a few on the internets.

 

What I find intriguing about the weight loss thing is that it will be dead easy in the beginning and get increasingly harder as I lose weight and improve my fitness. Still half a pound a week seems super realistic. I'm tracking everything in MFP and aiming for a 1200 net calories / < 60g of carbs a day threshold.
 

[jengetsit]

You can always counterbalance the adaption to your diet with more intensity/endurance in your exercise. For example, you might lose weight doing the same diet and exercise routine for 4 weeks, but eventually you'll hit a plateau. At that point, you can increase your activity or cut calories. Personally, I prefer to just keep increasing activity. I like to eat.

[nanako]

Thanks Jen!

Yes I'll be looking to increase my activity ... haven't signed up for any summer races yet but there are many to chose from.

[nanako]

Checking in: Happy New Year everyone!

 

Yesterday was ok - not too much booze but enough to be looking forward to my dry January ...

 

I made some bread rolls this morning as we'd run out of bread and then I had two myself: bummer. Must admit they turned out nicely though and the family was pleased. 

Other than that, it's going well. Lovely lazy day in bed, nursing a hangover and watching ski jumping on the telly while leafing through mountaineering travel catalogues ... I'd book all of those tours if I had the money.

 

Lunch was veggie stir fry and tea was a bowl of lentil soup. I took the kids out for a run to show them the length of the kids' race I have signed them up for on Sat (it's only 1.2km - 3/4 of a mile). My daughter (6) was struggling a bit but my son (8) was doing fine - he did complain only at the very end when we had 0.05 miles to go. I hope he will race on Saturday after all. They didn't go fast at all but they'll both be fine in a race I guess.

 

I'm signed up for a 6.5km race on the same day and I'm not entirely sure if I'm up for it. With my luck, and current form, I'll come in last. Then again sometimes you need to face your demons.

 

Not sure what I should do tomorrow. The race on Sat will be my speed training session and I don't want to tire out my legs by running fast or doing strength before it. So maybe a short slow run and some upper body training tomorrow. See how I feel.

[nanako]

Yesterday was ok, I stayed under my caloric limit though not the carb one (lentils). Never mind.

 

I didn't have a drink but tried out a bedtime yoga sequence which was brilliant.

 

I read a few interesting things recently about drinking which got me thinking. It was something about how society encourages drinking at the end of the day to relax when really it does nothing for relaxation and doesn't teach you how to deal with exhaustion, stress, discouragement, guilt, fear etc. It is kind of weird when you think about it. I mean, I can see the upside of the whole positive thinking / motivational approach but I think we should be taught how to deal with frustrations on a different level. Of course it is a truism that we can only conquer our fears by facing them but then, who does? For me it seems there is no constructive way to deal with this except everyday meditation. Of course one could try avoiding frustrations ...

 

Anyway the yoga thing worked brilliantly and I slept like a baby. Will incorporate this into my day as planned.

 

The day was lovely by the way and we watched "Touching the void" and the one with Guy Martin at the TT. Amazing lazy holiday.

 

Today I'm going to have to work a bit but I'll take it easy. I'll do a bit of strength training (not legwork though) and more yoga.

[nanako]

Incidentally this is day 7 of my new weight loss journey so I'm checking in:

 

Weight: 76kgs (down .5kgs)

Waist: 71cm (down 4.5cms)

average calories/day: 1652

average net calories/ day: 1316

 

Paleo uh? Scale's not moving but losing inches like crazy. I guess it's a good sign although I don't quite see myself continuing at this rate ... I'd be wasp woman before summer.

So according to my plan I have earned my first reward (I promised myself a smallish reward for each successful week of dieting).  Will check my list to see what it will be.

[Everstorm]

Subbing. I wasn't sure if you were updating this thread more or the respawn one, so I am on board for both.

[nanako]

Hi Phoenix, so nice to see you again! xx

Hope you're alright! Are you doing the upcoming challenge? Which guild?

[Muscle Professor]

Awesome work on losing inches. The scale is evil some times hiding your results in other places. Keep fighting the battle. 

[nanako]

Did the bedtime yoga sequence again yesterday and I slept like a baby.

(I'm going to post the link at one point but I can't paste anything in here, have to figure that one out.)

 

This is such an improvement in my life ... for years now I have had trouble sleeping, especially with waking up or being woken up in the middle of the night and not being able to go back to sleep again. So yesterday night, I did wake up in the middle of the night but managed to go right back to sleep by doing the mindfulness thing she does in the video - give yourself permission to let go, etc.

And it worked. Ta-daa!

Really happy about this. I feel so much more relaxed ... Who would've thought it was that easy really?

 

The local pancake run, I'm not going to do it as it's the second-to-last day of the holidays and it would end up being quite stressful. The kids' race is an hour before the adult race and so I'd have to take the husband ... Also, I haven't trained enough to run an acceptable time on the 6,5km. Never mind. I'll do the February race instead and a tempo run today.

[Everstorm]

Hi Phoenix, so nice to see you again! xx

Hope you're alright! Are you doing the upcoming challenge? Which guild?

Last year was crazy with my husband retiring and moving, but we're doing really good now.

I am hanging out with the Rangers these days, since I am training for 3 obstacle course races in the next 4 months. (The link is in my signature.)

Looking forward to getting the link on the bedtime yoga routine, when you can. I have a terrible time falling asleep at night.

[nanako]

Phoenix, if you search Utube with "Ekhart yoga bedtime yoga" there it is, it's 14:09mins long and you can do it IN bed. Sorry I cannot seem to cut and paste anything here, it's probably my Java script that's broken or something.

I love this yoga thing. I put my PJs on and do the sequence and sometimes I get up again to potter about some more but it kind of rings in night time for me now.

 

Today I woke up at 4am again and couldn't go back to sleep but it wasn't too bad. I did the mindfulness thing and kept fading in and out of sleep which was really relaxing and not awkward at all.

I read somewhere today that not drinking changes your sleeping patterns over again and it takes weeks to adjust. Ah well.

 

I've been busy all day because I start work again tomorrow and the kids go back to school. Now I have packed all the bags, filled all the lunch boxes, I've got my lesson for tomorrow ready and I'm actually looking forward to going back to work (a little bit).

 

I did a tempo run today 1 mile off, 3 mi on, 1 mile off but really found it hard. Not surprising since this is the first tempo run in ... wait .. half a year? I managed 10.30 on the "on" bits which is a bit poor. Also I had to stop in between miles to catch my breath. All this is a bit shit but then you have to start somewhere I guess.

 

Foodwise things have been going well. Yesterday my husband brought only bones from the supermarket instead of brisket and I got SO ANGRY because I had to go out and buy the meat and then it was too late to eat the stew ... argh. But I had some of it for lunch today.

The caloric limit is ok for me, I do go over but not too much. No carbs=no cravings. I'm just full, I wake up hungry in the morning but I'm ok at night. I can't believe it's day ten tomorrow.

Still the scale is not moving but then I'm hormonal and storing my usual 2kgs+ of water. Still losing those inches though and I remember puling up my jeans today. Hoping to see some progress on the scale soon. On the other hand, this is a longer-term thing and I actually have lost a pound over the last week so I only need to lose one more over the next 20 days!

[Everstorm]

Thanks, I found the video.

I really hate the scale. It's so evil. The man (and you know it was a man) who had the bright idea to put PEOPLE on one should be shot.

[nanako]

Just checking in quickly, so tired -

Under the calorie limit yes, under carb limit no, did the yoga, didn't do the strength training, didn't have a drink.

 

Tomorrow there is an afternoon meeting I have to attend (bummer) and I don't know if I'm going to be able to fit my 2miler in. That said, it's two miles! That's 25 mins so there.

Quite pleased with my performance so far. But still a) I should be reaping some benefits soon and I need to improve my planning A LOT. Had some lovely tuna and swet potato fish cakes for lunch today but unfortunately their fishy smell almost brought the train down. Felt really bad for my co-passengers.

 

I get cranky cranky cranky in the evenings when I am tired and I get even more sensitive to noise then. Somebody said that, if you don't drink (we're not talking serious drinking, just -nighttime-relax-habit-drinking but still) your emotions are more raw, and are always there, and you're not stifling them. This is true. The yoga thing helps though.

It makes me realize I am angry, and tired, and exhausted, and that is just so much better than ignoring the feeling or pushing it away. I feel that I can now deal with all this sh*t in real time, never let it get really bad, or severe, because I can take care of the little things as they occur.

[Everstorm]

I agree, repressing/ignoring your emotions is not healthy, even if it is more convenient. Better to deal with it head on.

[nanako]

Woah, only coming up for air today!

Those last three days were crazy.

I didn't have a minute to myself much less for exercise

Will do a tempo run tomorrow and the long run on Sunday.

Possibly try to fit in some squats today.

I didn't even have time to prepare lunch for myself today so ended up eating bread things. This is a bit sh*t because now I'm still hungry although my calories are just about used up. :/

Never mind.

Chuffed that I kept to my caloric limit those last couple of days (well, almost). Plus, still no alcohol, that is one dry week for me now.

[Everstorm]

I didn't even have time to prepare lunch for myself today so ended up eating bread things. This is a bit sh*t because now I'm still hungry although my calories are just about used up. :/

Never mind.

Chuffed that I kept to my caloric limit those last couple of days (well, almost). Plus, still no alcohol, that is one dry week for me now.

Bread is evil that way. This is known.

Nice job on the calories when life got crazy. That's really good. And congrats on a dry week.

[Sulinar]

Sounds like you've got a good plan - the older I get in NF years, the more I'm seeing that successful people do realistic challenges.

I'm doing a dry first 6 weeks of the year too, so I feel for you. I don't miss wine so much every evening, just when I'm stressed! Maybe there's another drink that you like that you could drink in the evening instead? (I'm thinking low calorie hot chocolate, mainly because I've also given up sugary stuff and I am currently craving one...)

I also have the inability to get back to sleep if woken in the middle of the night, so if you manage to find a way to insert the link (or can describe what I need to type to find it) I'd be grateful! I'm sleeping OK at present, but you never know when it's going to hit you!

Losing inches is very good. Who cares about the weight if you *look* slimmer?!

[18ck]

Doinh alright do for. How'd the long run go?

[nanako]

Hey everybody, sorry I didn't check in, this week has been crazy. It was my daughter's sixth birthday so I had the house full of girls over the weekend and work basically hit me like a truck as soon as I came back. Just coming up for air again. What was I thinking? I haven't had a minute to myself in those last couple of weeks.

Never mind though.

I've stayed off the alcohol (well done me) and, day before yesterday, I managed to sneak off to my new Pilates course which is just around the corner. I kind of underestimated the HURT this would cause so haven't been able to move much over the last couple of days. I thought it would be more relaxing like the yoga thing...  but it wasn't. So my spine has been feeling like someone took it out and gave it a good twist, and my abs felt like I'd hit them with a sledge hammer for hours. Like when you lie in bed and you feel like you just cannot turn around because it would just hurt too much? That.

 

Food wise I've been doing ok-ish, not too pleased. Lack of planning, definitely. I was working like crazy, crashing into bed super tired at night, barely managing to fix my kids' lunch boxes but never managing to fix my own. What with the long commute and what lunches are available to buy here, the Paleo thing has not been going too well.  I have kept that one pound off but need to lose another one before the end of the month. So I need to refocus.

 

On top of it all, I have a bit of a head cold so taking it easy today and tomorrow. I'm not working this Sunday and working from home on Monday so will be able to sneak a couple of runs in.

 

Still really pleased about the Dry January though. It was a bit of a challenge the first week, but now I can barely remember what it feels like to have a drink so I don't miss it at all. Will try and keep this going for longer.

 

That's it for now, I've got some washing up to do! xx

[18ck]

Did you make it to the end of the month? How's it going?