BlamedCat 11 - Hey 2015, where's the wagon?

[BlamedCat]

It's the new year, 2015, and time to get back on the wagon.  I sorta fell off of it around October, was dragged for several miles, started to get a hand-hold on the rope and drag myself back up when I hit a big rock and found myself waking from unconsciousness a few hours ago.  The buzzards weren't exactly happy that I wasn't dead. (at least they wanted to eat Paleo?)

 

 

(courtesy of http://wannabesupermomma.wordpress.com/)

 

 

I gotta be honest.  I wanna sit here and cry over getting banged up, but I really can't waste time doing that anymore.  I already wasted time falling off the wagon in the first place. Now I need to find that wagon and get back on, pronto!

 

Main Quest (that seems light-years away)

Do a Real Pull-up

 

 

SMART Goals

 

1. Workout

I was off for a couple of months due to all the moving and being out of the house while repairs were going on and then moving back in and all the stress that came with it.  I did go to the gym once in an effort to reboot myself, but I tried to pick up where I left off and pulled a quad, which put me on the bench for an additional week.  When that finally cleared, I was hit with holidays and haven't been back since.  Needless to say, it is what it is and I need to scale back whatever I THINK I can do to get back in motion without injuring myself.

Update:

In order to ramp myself up, I'll be starting out with basic body weight exercising and progressing to weight lifting again later as time permits it.  However, for the purposes of this challenge, it's all about getitng out there and getting it done.

Every week I'm going to attempt 2-3 body weight workouts.  The tricky part is going to be trying to do them earlier in the day and my best to avoid working out at night.  I am also going to attempt to get walks in at lunch again, even if it's 27 degrees outside.  I need to break up the sedintary ways at work or in the evening to wind down.

Suggested Progression

Week 1: 2 BWW, 1 walk

Week 2:2 BWW, 2 W

Week 3: 2-3 BBW, 2 W

Week 4: 2-3 BBW, 3 W

Week 5: 2-3 BBW, 4 W

Week 6: 2-3 BBW, 5 W

 

2. Noms

I'm debating doing something like Whole30 again.  This time my wife wants to join in, so we might do that.  We will get it figured out by the time the weekend is over.  Regardless, I need to clean up my eating habits and get back to being mindful.  The struggle is going to be eating healthy and eating enough.  I've realized I tend to starve myself, thus my body goes into lock-down mode.

Update:

My wife and I are going to attempt Adrenal Reset Diet.  It focuses on clean eating, but emphasises on when to eat what.  It's neither low or high carb, but focusing on lowering the stressors in your body (external as well as internal) to get your body out of survial mode and to get your cortisol levels back on track.

Week 1: Work toward clean eating and food prep (we're trying to get our legs under us as a family for this)

Week 2-6: Follow the suggested portion outlines and stick to the suggested alllowed foods, etc.

 

Update:

3. Sleep Revisted

A large part of mine and my wife's weight gain and rentention seems to be tied to crappy sleep (among other things).  So we're going to make an effort to get GOOD sleep.  Since I'm falling under the stressed category, but can fall asleep at the drop of a hat, my goal is to get BETTER sleep (which is kinda ambigious) but here's how I'm going to measure it.

I'm going to shoot for 7-8 hours of sleep every night and attempt to remember to perform a progressive muscle relaxation technique when I crawl into bed before passing out.

Week 1-6: 7-8 hours of sleep during the weekdays.

 

 

I'm going to come back and update this post with SMART definitions for the vague musings above. Updated! Feel free to follow me, make comments, and or suggestions.  I love company!

 

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This section is a reminder to myself that I have come a long way and yet the journey isn't over.

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Previous 10 Challenges:

BlamedCat Wars: Episode 1: The Fatman Menace

BlamedCat Wars: Episode 2: Attack of the Groans

BlamedCat Wars: Episode 3: Rehinge of the Pith

BlamedCat Wars: Episode 5: The Return of Three Dead Nigh

BlamedCat travels to Mt. Kolts

BlamedCat trains on Mt. Kolts

BlamedCat's Second Rite of Ascension Challenge!

BlamedCat's Return - Lets have a dark match!

BlamedCat's Enough is Enough (Let’s get down to business) Challenge

BlamedCat's Time to Follow the Leader Challenge

[chammy]

It's ok to grab a bike, motorcycle, or cab back to the wagon. Or screw the wagon and make your own path.

[Countess D'If]

I fee exactly as you do about the wagon thing. I feel like I fell off HARD and then fell off a cliff. Into a river. Over a waterfall.

Normally I don't get all sentimental over the new year, but I think this is a clean slate type year. Month? Week? Monday?

[Evicious]

 

And we're adorable, enthusiastic and full of potential!

[Randa Rooskie]

I dislike wagons... when I fall off the health "wagon" I actually have fallen back on the Slovenly American Dream Sad Diet Wagon.  It's more than falling off a wagon going one direction and sitting on the ground in shock for a while.  It's like falling off a wagon and landing on one going a totally different direction!  Or a boat!  When I fall off my health wagon-boat-thing I'm being swept back into the tide of mediocrity.  But there's always a life ring to grab - and some Nerds here to pull me back in!  Not that the analogy we choose actually makes a big difference... which means I've just been rambling here on your challenge page for non reason... haha.  At least it was a somewhat nautical ramble.  May you and your wife be nautically motivated:

 

 

What I meant to say was, "HI BLAMED CAT!"  Happy New Year!  And I'll be following you during this challenge!

[Fonzico]

New challenge, new year, the freshest of starts! I know the making up for the backtracking isn't much fun (I really know). But it will most certainly be worth it. 

[BlamedCat]

I fee exactly as you do about the wagon thing. I feel like I fell off HARD and then fell off a cliff. Into a river. Over a waterfall.

Normally I don't get all sentimental over the new year, but I think this is a clean slate type year. Month? Week? Monday?

I agree, it is   We can do it, it all starts with picking ourselves up and dusting off.  I've done this before, it just sucks to be having to do it again (though I suppose I'd rather be doing it again than never doing it in the first place, right?)

[BlamedCat]

I dislike wagons... when I fall off the health "wagon" I actually have fallen back on the Slovenly American Dream Sad Diet Wagon.  It's more than falling off a wagon going one direction and sitting on the ground in shock for a while.  It's like falling off a wagon and landing on one going a totally different direction!  Or a boat!  When I fall off my health wagon-boat-thing I'm being swept back into the tide of mediocrity.  But there's always a life ring to grab - and some Nerds here to pull me back in!  Not that the analogy we choose actually makes a big difference... which means I've just been rambling here on your challenge page for non reason... haha.  At least it was a somewhat nautical ramble.  May you and your wife be nautically motivated:

 

 

What I meant to say was, "HI BLAMED CAT!"  Happy New Year!  And I'll be following you during this challenge!

Hahaha, you're awesome!  I like the ramble (my grandfather was in the Navy) so it's all good   I also appreciate the encouragement and you following me.  Hurray for more friends!

[BlamedCat]

 

And we're adorable, enthusiastic and full of potential!

WOOT!  And it's a wagon full of puppies... and I'm a cat... I think I'm gonna get my running in this challenge if you keep THAT up

 

New challenge, new year, the freshest of starts! I know the making up for the backtracking isn't much fun (I really know). But it will most certainly be worth it. 

Agreed.  And at least we're both actually doing it.  I keep reminding myself of that "path to success" with the crazy line arrow, we're on one of those loops I'm certain of it.

[Fonzico]

Haha yes exactly!

 

[BlamedCat]

Haha yes exactly!

 

I couldn't agree more!  I like your addition

[BlamedCat]

Okay, I've updated my original post.  Let me know if you have any questions.

[BlamedCat]

Day 1... I woke up feeling like ccrraaaaapppp.  I'm not sure why this is, but it is what it is. It looks like I got about 7hrs of sleep, but probably woke up in the middle of my sleep cycle.  Hopefully sleep tonight will be better.

 

As for food, I've had three breakfast quiches, but they have cheese in them, so they aren't whole 30 or ARD compliant.  (Actually ARD was against eggs, I gotta read up more on that chapter to see what's up there.)

 

So far the day is shaping up okay, all things considered.

[BlamedCat]

A friend shared this with me today, it made me feel better

 

 

When people squat correctly for the first time.

[Fonzico]

No eggs?! Tragic.

[BlamedCat]

No eggs?! Tragic.

yeah, I'm gonna look into it.  Worse comes to worse, I'll stick with Whole 30 and do that (I stocked up on eggs).

[Tateman]

Haha that squat comic is funny

 

You are getting back on the wagon, i am jumping off the fail boat.  Both of us are going to get this back on track!   

[BlamedCat]

Haha that squat comic is funny

 

You are getting back on the wagon, i am jumping off the fail boat.  Both of us are going to get this back on track!   

I'm glad you liked it

 

Fail boat huh?  That bad? Maybe that's where I've been all this time!  Yessir, we're gonna rock this.

[Randa Rooskie]

Yeay!  Glad to hear you and the wife are eating well together!!  Having other people in the house on board makes such a big difference!

[BlamedCat]

Yeay!  Glad to hear you and the wife are eating well together!!  Having other people in the house on board makes such a big difference!

Thanks  yeah, it's a start for sure.  We're ramping up.  The only issue we're running into is making meals for 6 as opposed to 2... it's easier in small doses, you just make what you want and boom done, now it's a matter of steamrolling ahead.

 

Last night we had chicken fajitas, taken from a page in the Jamie Oliver cookbook.  It's actually whole 30 approved since it just uses olive oil, smoked paprika, lime, cumin, salt, pepper, chicken, red onions, and bell pepper  Of course, we didn't do a whole 30 meal last night, sour cream, cheese, and tortillas were also on the menu, but moving forward with the leftovers, I'm not doing that.

The most awesome thing about the fajitas is that it made four servings extra... that I have packaged away and put in the freezer

[BlamedCat]

Day 2

I'm having a three mini quiches, a banana, and black coffee for breakfast.  Tonight I will need to make a new batch, this time Whole 30 approved.  Any suggestions on flavors, added veggies or meats?

 

For lunch I'll be having leftovers from the freezer, homemade home baked potatoes and bacon with seasonings.  Nothing special but it'll be tasty

 

Dinner is going to be baked alaskan cod pieces (why do I turn 12 and giggle at those last two words?) with most likely roasted broccoli and cauliflower.

 

Oh and because I forgot to update about it earlier, today I woke up a LOT less stressed.  I think snuggling with my wife (seriously this helps does it not?) and getting to bed one hour earlier worked.  I still woke up in the middle of the night, but I think I found the culprit.  Our ceiling fan sways on certain settings... it used to only sway on the highest setting, thus making this clinking sound as the chains whirred too... well now I found out that it's starting to sway just enough on the medium setting that it makes a ticking sound.  Apparently, I can't sleep with that sound.  I turned it down to a low setting and put on a smaller fan we have on the floor to keep the air going and apparently that did the trick.  Oh and for those of you counting at home, I got probably 7 - 7.5 hours of sleep.  I went to bed at 9:30 - woke up at 2:30, 3-something, 4-something and then finally woke up at 5:20 for work,

[BlamedCat]

Most of you know I like to toss out nuggets of info that I learn through various things.  So in reading the book I have on the Adrenal Reset Diet,which is basically focused on helping your body reduce stressors so that it can do it's job and thrive instead of just 'survive'. I've come across a few things.

 

He cites lots of different things that can screw with your body, a lot we already know, like processed foods, poor sleep, etc.  As for the reason he's against eggs, is because along with a few other proteins, they trigger the survival mode in some people.  I suppose it's a one-size-fits-all approach on avoiding them, since he grouped them with wheat and dairy, which makes sense, some people do have reactions to all three.

 

He cited a study where participants were tested for foods they had reactions too and instructed to not eat them for the 12 week study, the most common ones were eggs, dairy, and wheat.  I know I've lost weight eating eggs in the past, so I don't see an issue with eggs, but dairy and wheat have obviously given me problems in the past weight wise.

 

The important take-away I can glean from the book so far is what to eat when.  Since it's about getting your cortisol levels under control, the suggested servings look something like this, using portion sizes:

Breakfast

Protein - palm of your hand

Fat - golf ball

Carbs - 1 golf ball

 

Lunch

Protein - palm of your hand

Fat - golf ball

Carbs - 2 golf balls

 

Dinner

Protein - palm of your hand

Fat - golf ball

Carbs - 3 golf balls

 

Gradually increasing the carbs you eat through the day helps lower the cortisol levels and thus helps your body wind down at night and sleep better.  That will get your body out of starvation/survival mode.

 

So in short, I'll be attempting to apply that concept to my whole 30 routine.

[BlamedCat]

eh, lunch was hit and miss.. had the potato and bacon thing earlier, wasn't filling.. went out for lunch, ended up going to get a small cheesesteak and fries... got tea for a drink.  Won't be doing that again, gotta find a better alternative if I need to get something close to work.  Best bet is probably to bring a bigger lunch lol.

[Fonzico]

So you (and Joy?) are doing a Whole30 for real real ? 

 

Eggs are usually excluded from AutoImmune Protocol diets, so I can see where that might come from, but yeah, you would probably already know if you have issues with eggs? (Did you like how I ended a statement with a question mark to indicate the fact that I don't really know what I'm talking about? Heh)

I actually (finally!) read the Whole30 book, and it actually claims to do pretty much the same thing as this adrenal reset thing does, particularly getting your hormones (including cortisol) in alignment, so I can see them going well together. Although frankly putting that much thought into how much carbs you're eating at each meal sounds like a giant pain

 

PS: Cuddling, hands down, is the best stress reliever ever. For me, anyway.

[BlamedCat]

So you (and Joy?) are doing a Whole30 for real real ? 

 

Eggs are usually excluded from AutoImmune Protocol diets, so I can see where that might come from, but yeah, you would probably already know if you have issues with eggs? (Did you like how I ended a statement with a question mark to indicate the fact that I don't really know what I'm talking about? Heh)

I actually (finally!) read the Whole30 book, and it actually claims to do pretty much the same thing as this adrenal reset thing does, particularly getting your hormones (including cortisol) in alignment, so I can see them going well together. Although frankly putting that much thought into how much carbs you're eating at each meal sounds like a giant pain

 

PS: Cuddling, hands down, is the best stress reliever ever. For me, anyway.

Yeah, that's the plan, it'll be starting next week full bore.  Joy has been working on her soda cravings, sadly the headaches are back to about three days apart, but she's going to try and suffer through it for the 30 days once it starts.  Hopefully she'll be able to break that cycle.

 

LOL, yes I liked that, yeah we don't have issues with eggs that I am aware of.  I love them and they love me, I hope.

 

I hear ya, though I don't see it any more of a pain than just making note of portions.  All I gotta remember is don't have a lot of carbs at breakfast, have some more at lunch and then have a nice portion at dinner. Not to mention, if it gives my body that extra boost to help get back on track, then it's small change in the long run.  I'll just add it to the list that Whole 30 is already presenting with the "do not haves"

 

P.S. <hi5>