The Cave Bear climbs. Upward!

[Glacier]

(I'm starting my battle log over now that I know myself and the rebellion better.)

I seriously need to ditch a bunch of this fat I'm carrying. It makes wardrobe management a daily difficulty. I also want to have more fun, and that's just easier in a stronger, more energetic body! I want to always be up for a race or a dance party with my kids!

Also, I struggle with mental health (my diagnoses are chronic major depression and borderline personality disorder.) Also also, I moved halfway across the country a few years ago to be near my in-laws, and I still haven't made many friends or found much to love about my new home. So... My progress goes in fits and starts, and it's often two steps forward, one step back.

Goals!

Weigh 175 pounds (starting at 235 pounds on 1/1/15)

Do a standard pushup

Do a standard pull up

Learn archery

Make miso (in progress)

Make Moroccan fermented lemons

Knit something that's not a rectangle (in progress)

Crochet an afghan (in progress)

Knit or crochet a sweater

Write a novel (in progress)

Take my kids to the Oregon coast (done June 2015)

Visit Maine

Visit the Mediterranean coast of Spain, France and Italy

[Glacier]

My main goal for 2015: Lose 35 pounds!

My main plan for achieving that goal: Follow the Slow Carb Diet.

Also: Work more movement into the daily routine. Include bodyweight exercise. Go for more walks. Dance with my family.

1/1/15: 235 pounds

2/16/15: 235 pounds

6/12/15: 224

7/28/15 230, no!

[Glacier]

Here we go, fat loss challenge 1 of 7!

http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/58719-aelinn-ditches-fat-part-17/

[illuviel]

We cave-dwelling, fermenting, yarn-wrangling creatures need to stick together. Following!

[Glacier]

We cave-dwelling, fermenting, yarn-wrangling creatures need to stick together. Following!

I had no idea there were others!

 

 

 

Not a great challenge.  I learned some important things... but I find myself saying that a lot... I need to get out of the "great things are incubating" phase and into the "actually losing fat" phase.

 

Wrap up: http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/58719-aelinn-the-cavebear-ditches-fat-part-17/#entry1380913

[Glacier]

Recrudescence... A good word for what a few (or more than a few) of us experienced last challenge. Although I'm a bit dismayed at the etymology.

[Glacier]

This challenge is mainly pretty-much-quitting drinking, and dealing with the ensuing emotional fallout.  Also, spring cleaning to make meal planning easier.

 

http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/61255-cavebear-ditches-fat-part-27/

[Glacier]

So, that was an amazing challenge:

http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/61255-cavebear-ditches-fat-part-27/?p=1439555

I'm especially glad I took on thirty days without alcohol and pushed myself to socialize more.

I feel like I should be writing more, but maybe what's been going on is beyond words. I kinda feel like I've been half asleep for about 8 years, and now I'm pulling myself into wakefulness. Or something. Whatever it is, it's good and life feels full of possibility again.

[Glacier]

Onward! http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/62928-cavebear-ditches-fat-part-37-vacation-prep-edition/

[Glacier]

So things went crazy there for awhile and so did I! Oh well... Ever onward... Time to build an exercise habit.

http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/67105-cavebears-5-weeks-1-mission/

[Glacier]

I really did mean to post here when I dropped out of that last challenge... Oh well, here I am!

This is my fourth summer in St. Louis. And every summer, I've ended up in survival mode. I'm so frustrated at how my weight loss efforts have been failing over the padt several weeks, but if I look back over the past several years, it makes sense. This Portland bear just can't seem to cope with the heat and humidity. Some days, it's all I can do to keep my family in meals and clean clothing!

(And yes, if you're wondering, I've never been exactly thin, but I've probably gained about 50 pounds since I moved here. I've never been happy with my weight, but this epic freaking ridiculous struggle is a new phenomenon.)

So anyway. For right now, it's challenging enough to just keep from gaining any more weight. I need to leverage the spring and fall, and the winter to some extent, and just keep the summer from undoing all my hard work.

I *am* back to doing pushups, against the counter, though not in any organized fashion. My slosh tube is in the garage just waiting for the weather to be freaking reasonable. I am still working on stretching my hamstrings to improve my squats. So I'm not nearly as stagnant as I've been the past few summers.

[Glacier]

The cubs are back in school, the weather seems to be considering maybe mellowing eventually... I'm feeling restless in a good way, and you'll probably be hearing more from me soon...