Lady Ash's First Challenge

[our.lady.of.ashes]

Hello Hello,

I'm our.lady.of.ashes or Alle, that's generally easier. I've always sort of allowed my fitness to fall by the wayside in favor of other things. It's really easy to do when you start out with lung problems and weight increasing medication. I'm 5'3" and weigh in at 165 lbs. (I haven't been on the scale in a while so that's a guess. I'm kinda scared.)

 

Main Quest: Get weight down to 125 lbs. 

 

Goal 1: Eat Level 1 Paleo (14 meals a week plus snacks) 

A = 84 or more meals (+3 Con, +2 Wis)

B = 60 meals (+2 Con, +1 Wis)

F = 54 or fewer meals (No Stats)

 

Goal 2: Walk Daily

A = 42 days (+2 Sta)

B = 35 days (+1 Sta)

F = 35 or fewer days (No Stats)

 

Goal 3: Strength Training 3xWeek

A = 18 workouts (+2 Str)

B = 15 workouts (+1 Str)

F = 9 or fewer (No Stats)

[jengetsit]

Good luck to you!

[Oramac]

 

Hello Hello,

I'm our.lady.of.ashes or Alle, that's generally easier. I've always sort of allowed my fitness to fall by the wayside in favor of other things. It's really easy to do when you start out with lung problems and weight increasing medication. I'm 5'3" and weigh in at 165 lbs. (I haven't been on the scale in a while so that's a guess. I'm kinda scared.)

 

Hey Alle!  Looks like you've got a good Challenge lined up.  Not too many goals, but still challenging.  Subbing.  

 

Can I make one small recommendation though?  Take it or leave it as necessary: don't focus on your weight.  Yes it's a goal, and it's a good goal to have!  But focusing on day-to-day weight can be very depressing since the body can lose/gain water weight very quickly.  Instead, focus on how your body feels.  Stronger, leaner, faster, energy-er.  I made that last word up just now.  

 

In any case, glad to have you here!  Hope to see you around a lot more! 

[our.lady.of.ashes]

Hey Alle!  Looks like you've got a good Challenge lined up.  Not too many goals, but still challenging.  Subbing.  

 

Can I make one small recommendation though?  Take it or leave it as necessary: don't focus on your weight.  Yes it's a goal, and it's a good goal to have!  But focusing on day-to-day weight can be very depressing since the body can lose/gain water weight very quickly.  Instead, focus on how your body feels.  Stronger, leaner, faster, energy-er.  I made that last word up just now.  

 

In any case, glad to have you here!  Hope to see you around a lot more! 

 

Thank you for the suggestion. The weight thing is an overall goal. The stronger, faster, leaner part is going to come well before I ever make it to that goal. 

[Oramac]

Thank you for the suggestion. The weight thing is an overall goal. The stronger, faster, leaner part is going to come well before I ever make it to that goal. 

 

Good deal.  It's good to have a firm idea of how that progression goes going into the challenge.  Looking forward to some kick-assery! 

[Pecs]

Yay! Daily walks :3 

 

I'll be following to see how it goes. I'm trying for a morning run 6 times a week so maybe we can cheer each other on with that

[our.lady.of.ashes]

Yay! Daily walks :3 

 

I'll be following to see how it goes. I'm trying for a morning run 6 times a week so maybe we can cheer each other on with that

Sure, sounds like a winner.

Day 1: The trek begins.

Reader, whomever you may be I find myself leaving my mountain sanctuary with it's library and green spaces. It is a long way to the first stopping place. Or rather far for me. I have traveled 8 miles today. My rations have been meager. But I think that might be a problem of rarification of my diet. I have been following a new way. It means less meal bread and more meat. I am struggling to eat enough but I will learn. Hunger sharpens the taste buds and stirs the brain. I look forward to the next day which will offer a time to test my strength along the way. May I be strong enough to keep going forward. With that I leave you, dear reader. Till tomorrow.

[our.lady.of.ashes]

DAY 2:

Dear Reader, Today I walked another 8 miles. It is beautiful country here in the mountains, but the wind portends chiller days coming. I attempted to test my strength and found myself giving up far too quickly. I will try again tomorrow and perhaps be able to do better. I will not let this defeat me. I am stronger than I was when I was chosen for this grand adventure. The book is heavy, but the knowledge it contains must be carried. The meals have been less meager. I ate well today, though I still struggle to find enough in this area. Dear reader, thank you. I will continue our correspondence soon. 

 

In real words: Struggled through Strength training today. Didn't even make it through one round of the BBWW, but I'm going to trying again tomorrow or go to yoga. Either way, I will get some muscle work in tomorrow because I need to get some work in. 

[Oramac]

 

DAY 2:

Dear Reader, Today I walked another 8 miles. It is beautiful country here in the mountains, but the wind portends chiller days coming. I attempted to test my strength and found myself giving up far too quickly. I will try again tomorrow and perhaps be able to do better. I will not let this defeat me. I am stronger than I was when I was chosen for this grand adventure. The book is heavy, but the knowledge it contains must be carried. The meals have been less meager. I ate well today, though I still struggle to find enough in this area. Dear reader, thank you. I will continue our correspondence soon. 

 

In real words: Struggled through Strength training today. Didn't even make it through one round of the BBWW, but I'm going to trying again tomorrow or go to yoga. Either way, I will get some muscle work in tomorrow because I need to get some work in. 

 

 

The struggle only makes the victory that much sweeter.  Keep at it!  I know you can do it! 

[our.lady.of.ashes]

DAY THREE

 

Dear Reader, There was something delicious to be had for breakfast.Blueberry Muffin. I have to say I indulged a bit, but I promise I made better choices as the day progressed. As to the strength training I attempted yesterday and failed at so miserably, I came back today with a bigger and better effort making it through one round then half of the second. I may not be the strongest, but I am not the weakest I have ever been. Also, I had the good fortune to speak with a Yogi also on the path, though to their own end, and by spending time in their company was able to flex my limited yoga skill. It was well worth it. I have only traveled 7 miles further toward my destination far in the distance, but I did travel and that is enough. With that, dear reader, I leave you. Be well.

[Oramac]

Great!  Forward progress is good! Getting through more of the BBWW today than yesterday is great, and talking to like-minded people is huge.  Keep it up! 

[our.lady.of.ashes]

Great!  Forward progress is good! Getting through more of the BBWW today than yesterday is great, and talking to like-minded people is huge.  Keep it up! 

Thank you.

 

DAY FOUR

Dear Reader, today was the coldest in recent memory. I saw as well as felt my chilly breath. I only made 5 miles in this weather. It did not really make one want to be outside questing, but rather inside resting. I have eaten well today, though I still have room for further improvement. It was not a day to test strength, but I still feel some of what I did yesterday. Tomorrow is a new day and perhaps a warmer one. We shall see. Dear Reader, good night. 

[Strickland5]

Hey figured I'd come over and say hello! As a fellow Georgian I felt it was required ... Southern hospitality and all that 

 

How goes the paleo thing? My wife and I are going (mostly) gluten and dairy free so its like paleo-lite  

 

Good job on walking today ... here in Atlanta it was/is ca-old! Didn't get above freezing all day apparently . Yikes! 

 

Alright I'm following along so DFTBA!

[our.lady.of.ashes]

Hey figured I'd come over and say hello! As a fellow Georgian I felt it was required ... Southern hospitality and all that 

 

How goes the paleo thing? My wife and I are going (mostly) gluten and dairy free so its like paleo-lite

 

Good job on walking today ... here in Atlanta it was/is ca-old! Didn't get above freezing all day apparently . Yikes! 

 

Alright I'm following along so DFTBA!

Firstly, DEADPOOL! Welcome welcome. It's always nice to have visitors or lurkers, whichever. Southern or otherwise. I'm sorta succeeding at the Paleo thing, I have it written so that I get a cheat meal a day, though I don't use them all. Today was a little trying. Yeah, walking yesterday was so much not fun, but I got it done. I felt like I was scrapping off icicles when I got in, but I did all right. 

 

Dear Reader, today I sally forthed for 8 miles. Another good day. It was still a little chilly but not nearly as bad as yesterday. I skipped my strength test due to time constraints. I have two down for the week already. I just need to get in one more, so I'll get it done tomorrow before I get busy. Today was probably my worst day for my eating habits. One, I was out and hungry without recourse to something preprepared so I had a scone (bad thing). Two company came to town so went out for dinner. Seafood nachos (bad thing) I did however make better choices with the three types of shrimp, collard greens, and sweet potato fries that was my main course.That makes two cheat meals in one day. Gotta mind things a little better, but this teaches me where the chinks in my armor are. I have to make sure I"m eating and keeping things around that are good for me. 

 

In other news, the weekend comes. I can already tell this is going to be a test of will. I've been doing fairly well, but weekends I have no routine. It's very easy to get off track. I must be vigilant if I am to be successful. That Dear Reader is where I leave you. 

[our.lady.of.ashes]

Mini-Quest S.M.A.R.T.

 

1. Is your overall quest achievable (over a short or long period of time)? Is it reasonable? It's achievable over a longer period. I didn't gain the weight in a day so there's no way I'm going to lose it all in six weeks either.

 

2. Do your 3 quests build towards your main goals in little ways or are you taking on too much? Do your quests have sub-quests or is it just one thing to focus on?

I don't think I'm taking on too much. The walking habit was one I already had and am just building to a higher level. I don't have any sub-quests at this time. Focusing on a few small things at a time.

 

3. Are your main goals realistic? Can you scale them to smaller steps to fit your life better, even if it will take a little longer to achieve them?

I think so. I once held that weight, there's no reason I can't again other than lack of trying. I'm not sure how to scale it into any smaller steps than to eat better, move more.

 

4. Are your goals able to be measured and tracked? What will you use to track them?

All of my goals can be measured and tracked. I'm keeping track of my food intake through MyFitnessPal, my walking through my Fitbit, and logging down each of my strength training sessions in a notebook.

 

5. How are you grading your goals? Are they pass/fail ("every day", not even once over the six weeks")? Is there a reward for the effort or are you only grading yourself on whether or not you "lose the weight" or "run the distance"?

One of my goals is pass/fail, the other two are worked over the length of the challenge. I rewarded myself with stat points, but I also have a pair of yoga pants riding on my getting rid of the first 8 pounds.

 

6. What is your plan for continuing/altering/grading those goals if you become ill or injured?

I should be fine if I become ill or injured because I've built flexibility into my goals.

 

7. Did you take into consideration any special occasions (Labour Day, Independence Day, birthdays, anniversaries, etc) that may occur during the challenge? What modifications do you need to build into your goals for those?

My eating habits are flexible enough that I can have a special occasion without getting too far off track. 

 

8. Do any of your main goals conflict with each other? Will one goal make it hard to do another?

No, they don't conflict with one another. 

 

9. Do you already have the time in your schedule to actually complete the goals you've set? If not, what are you planning to do to make time for them?

I do have time set aside to complete my goals. The hardest part is reminding myself to cook on a regular basis. 

 

10. Are you trying to build multiple habits, or is all your energy focused on your main quest?

I'm building the habit of cleaner eating and more activity. My main quest is about losing weight, which is a longterm goal. 

[our.lady.of.ashes]

DAY 6

 

Dear Reader, I want to quit. Something has happened in my life that saps all motivation for anything personal. It all just seems like mindless stupid preening of a dying body. I hate myself right now. But for the purposes of record: I walked 6 miles, I ate zero proper meals, and I did a strength training workout. That is where I leave you, Dear Reader. With that.

[Strickland5]

Don't know what's happened but bad days are going to happen. It is what you do after is the bad thing that really matters.

[our.lady.of.ashes]

DAY 7

Woke up seriously late today. Like it was lunchtime by the time I got up. Had Pad Thai (bad thing) for lunch and pizza (bad thing) for dinner, so only my snacks were Paleo. I got my walk in. Total 4.5 miles today. Today wasn't a strength training day though I have found a new resource which might help me get my strength training done on a better schedule. 

 

WEEK OVERVIEW

GOAL 1: 14 Meals a week plus snacks are Paleo

Mon: 3

Tues: 3

Wed: 2

Thurs: 3

Fri: 1

Sat: 0

Sun: 0

TOTAL: 12 for the week. B

 

GOAL 2: Walk Daily

Mon: 8

Tues: 8

Wed: 7

Thur: 5

Fri: 8

Sat: 6

Sun: 4.5

TOTAL: 46.5 miles for the week. A

 

GOAL 3: Strength Training 3xWeek

Mon: 0

Tues: 0

Wed: 2 BBWW, Yoga

Thur: 0

Fri: 0

Sat: 1 BBWW

Sun: 0

TOTAL: 3 A

 

Overall not bad for the first week. Missed an A on my meal plan by 2 meals. I've got to keep a better eye on what I eat. Made almost 50 miles walking, which isn't bad at all. I might shoot for 50 miles next week. I only needed 5 more miles. I've found a new resource to help me get my strength training in, gives me someone to follow and I think I need that in order to really get a good workout in. 

 

Plan for next week: Do better about eating on the weekend. It derailed me big time. Try not to stack up my workouts, spread them out throughout the week. Keep walking. 

[Blaidd]

Looks like you had a good week

 

You might notice that someone has added tags onto your thread.  This is not to pigeonhole you into a specific guild, but rather to attract the attention of the guild ambassadors because of your lifestyle or a grouping of goals, so that they might be able to motivate, encourage and advise you of anything during your challenge with us.  You don't even need to wait for them, you're welcome to pop into the Adventurers  to say hi and introduce yourself and to see what they're about. Also you are more than welcome to drop me a line at any time if you need anything.

 

Good luck

AB xx

[Oramac]

Overall not bad for the first week. Missed an A on my meal plan by 2 meals. I've got to keep a better eye on what I eat. Made almost 50 miles walking, which isn't bad at all. I might shoot for 50 miles next week. I only needed 5 more miles. I've found a new resource to help me get my strength training in, gives me someone to follow and I think I need that in order to really get a good workout in. 

 

Plan for next week: Do better about eating on the weekend. It derailed me big time. Try not to stack up my workouts, spread them out throughout the week. Keep walking. 

 

That's a pretty good week.  I don't know what happened, but I'm sure you can bounce back.  And your workouts seem to be going well.  

[our.lady.of.ashes]

Looks like you had a good week

 

You might notice that someone has added tags onto your thread.  This is not to pigeonhole you into a specific guild, but rather to attract the attention of the guild ambassadors because of your lifestyle or a grouping of goals, so that they might be able to motivate, encourage and advise you of anything during your challenge with us.  You don't even need to wait for them, you're welcome to pop into the Adventurers  to say hi and introduce yourself and to see what they're about. Also you are more than welcome to drop me a line at any time if you need anything.

 

Good luck

AB xx

 

Thanks. I didn't put any tags on the post cause I couldn't think of what tags to put on it.

That's a pretty good week.  I don't know what happened, but I'm sure you can bounce back.  And your workouts seem to be going well.  

Thanks for the encouragement. The event was one I wasn't expecting and I've been trying rather hard not to let it derail me too far. I think it might also have had something to do with how I ate this weekend too. 

[Oramac]

Thanks for the encouragement. The event was one I wasn't expecting and I've been trying rather hard not to let it derail me too far. I think it might also have had something to do with how I ate this weekend too. 

 

That can happen.  Lord knows it's happened to me a few times.  It sucks, and we need to take time to deal with it however we deal, but the important thing is to not let it be an excuse to slip into the downward spiral long-term.  

[our.lady.of.ashes]

That can happen.  Lord knows it's happened to me a few times.  It sucks, and we need to take time to deal with it however we deal, but the important thing is to not let it be an excuse to slip into the downward spiral long-term.  

Right and that's where I'm at right now. Trying to put the brakes on a downward spiral.

 

Day 8

Dear Reader, I have had only two real meals today. They were both Paleo, but I really need to eat more. I'm not getting anywhere close to enough calories, I don't think. MyFitnessPal likes to tell me I'm not eating enough. Walked 4.5 miles, so not a stellar walking day either. Did however have a bright spot of a 40 minute workout through Fitness Blender. It didn't hurt, but it definitely worked me over a bit. Looking forward to the next one. I'm thinking of adding another goal of finish editing this group of novels (it's a trilogy) by the end of the six weeks so it will be ready for cover art. I'm just not 100% sure I can finish that in five weeks. But we'll see. I'll risk it, there's nothing gained if nothing is risked. With that, Dear Reader, I leave you. 

[our.lady.of.ashes]

Day 9

 

Dear Reader, three meals today and all of them Paleo. Need to buy groceries because there is not enough meat in the house. It wasn't a strength training day, but I almost did a yoga workout because I felt good, but I dissuaded myself from that by reminding myself that tomorrow is another strength training day. I don't think I'm ready to work out at some point every day. Made 5 miles so not a bad day for walking, but not great either. I can do better. I just wish the weather would cooperate. It's been very wet, which makes outside time a bit limited.

[our.lady.of.ashes]

Day 10

 

Dear Reader, It was cold today and may be cold tomorrow, but I didn't let that stop me from getting 8 miles. It's a bit better than it being cold and wet. Didn't have a great day for eating. Had a muffin for breakfast and went out to dinner with the girls and had cheese, otherwise what I ate was Paleo. So I'm going to have to mind the rest of the week on my eating schedule. Did a core training workout today. I'm thinking my abs are going to be sore tomorrow. If I don't feel too bad, I might actually workout again. There's no reason for me not to if I feel good. Maybe I'll go to yoga. I should probably weigh myself, but I'm going to wait till halfway through the challenge to do that. Three weeks in, then I can see if I've made any progress on that particular front. 

On the front of the unofficial life quest of getting the books ready in five weeks, I made some progress yesterday in the additions. I just have two more sections that need to be added to before I can go through and do a paper edit of books 2 and 3. I've pretty much decided that book 1 is fine as it is, so I just need to go through and make sure I spelled things consistently and that the sentence structure isn't too terrible. All in all, a good thing. On that positive note, dear reader, I leave you.