Silmarilliane's Fifth Challenge

[Silmarilliane]

Hi all and a happy new year to you!

I've had some ups and downs with my challenges so far, high point being an epic point scoring system for challenge three, low being failing for most of the end of challenge four.

But I'm back and ready to get back on it, woo yeah!

So, my life goal is to reduce my body fat percentage and to be less flabby in general. Goals for this year include getting below 11 stone (currently 11 stone 11lbs, lowest ever is 11-2), and being able to do a chin up.
Since 1st Jan I've started each day doing 20 press ups and 10 reverse chin ups (AKA drop down as slow as possible), and am hoping to keep this going FOREVER.

Aaaaanyway... Goals for this challenge:

1) Stay within calories as set by MFP for losing 1lb a week, lightly active and adding exercise calories. I'm allowed four non-counting days over the six weeks.

2) Walking as with my last challenge, I have four lots of mile walks in a normal daily commute and have to do at least 15 out of the possible 20 per week to pass this part of the challenge. For weeks I'm not working a full week I'll have to do at least three quarters of the possible walks.

3) Cardio; I have to do two lots of at least 45 minutes a week, which will probably be zumba on a Tuesday and running at the weekend.

Other things I will do:
Pilfered from Deftona I'm going to try to improve my skincare regime, by using diluted apple cider vinegar as a cleanser twice a day; using the calm.com app I want to meditate at least five times a week; and to generally explore London more.

[deftona]

Our complexions will shine like the SUN! 

 

Subbed! Let's go

[Silmarilliane]

So it's going ok so far... I've stayed within calories (if anyone wants to stalk me read my food diary, add me on myfitnesspal - I have the same username), I've done all the commute walks so far and went to zumba last night (YASSS to dance routine for uptown funk!)

 

I've only done one go on meditation and I'm starting to wonder if it really would be *that* weird to do it on the tube... I think I know the answer.

 

Apple cider vinegar has been used twice a day. Still spottier than when I was at school but hopefully time will improve it!

 

Also, I've started looking at things I can do in my lunchbreaks in London and have found that for starters, UCL do lunchtime lectures every Tuesday and Thursday in term time so I'll definitely be attending some of thems. yeay to learning!

There are also theatres that do lunchtime (45 min) shows, who knew?!

[moomin]

Lunchtime lectures! Sounds wonderful!

[deftona]

Apple cider vinegar has been used twice a day. Still spottier than when I was at school but hopefully time will improve it!

 

I'm way spottier than I was at school too. What the actual fuck! Let me know how it's going with the ACV.  

[Silmarilliane]

Lunchtime lectures! Sounds wonderful!

 

Annoyingly I can't make any until 27th January due to work meetings, so I'll have to find something else to explore in my lunchtimes til then

 

I'm way spottier than I was at school too. What the actual fuck! Let me know how it's going with the ACV.  

 

It's hard to say at the mo, as putting ACV as a challengey thing means I'm actually remembering to clean my face haha! I still have one massive lump spot on my chin (niiiice) which has been there since before the ACV so once that buggers off I'll get more of an idea hopefully.

Have noticed that I'm looking very old and haggared in the last few days. This may be due to actually looking in the mirror in the mornings though and hopefully not a side effect of ACV!

[deftona]

I have found witch hazel works well for on the actual spots when they come up, especially the horrible painful ones. I use this but if you're using the ACV to try and stick with just natural face products it obviously won't be suitable. 

[Silmarilliane]

Ooo, will a buy! Not fussed about chemicals, just decided to use acv as loads of people swear by it!

[Silmarilliane]

A little update, still going good with the press ups and 'reverse chin ups' though obvs not able to do a real chin yet.

I got the bus once this week as I was running late and it was raining, though due to traffic it probably took the same time.

Have started within calories every day and went to the gym today (won a couple of free day passes) so that and zumba on Tuesday make up my two lots of cardio for the week, huzzah!

Have managed to do the meditation a few times this week, though have also realised that I have a similar brain switch off when I swim, so that might be a possibility for future challenges

[Silmarilliane]

Oh yeah, am definitely looking forward to the pain of DOMS tomorrow #healthgoth

[Teros]

Vinegar? ACK!  I actually just looking into calm.com.  My ex got some sort of app on her phone that was pretty cool to test out.

[deftona]

Oh yeah, am definitely looking forward to the pain of DOMS tomorrow #healthgoth

 

Fly that healthgoth flag!

[Silmarilliane]

Vinegar? ACK! I actually just looking into calm.com. My ex got some sort of app on her phone that was pretty cool to test out.

Apparently it's the best thing ever! And has the bonus of making you smell like a chip shop

[Silmarilliane]

First 'day allowed over cals' yesterday as we were going out for a meal and figured, why not?! Pleased to say that although I ate some snacks in the day and got a cafe sandwich at lunch, I didn't go completely overboard with the eating. Huzzah!

[Silmarilliane]

Update!

 

So last week I had the Wednesday non-tracking, and had a bit of a wobble on Thursday where I was about 50 calories over so ended up fudging slightly by adding my lunch time stair walking as extra exercise to be under, and then Friday where I had pudding and so had to do half an hour of jogging on the spot when I got home!

 

For the rest though, I did all my walking. I didn’t have any bus journeys, but on one day I went to a friend’s after work and got a lift home. Still a challenge tick though, woop!

Cardio was more difficult as I couldn’t make zumba, so instead I went to a swing dance class and then walked three miles instead of getting the tube on Saturday, and went for a 45 min jog on Sunday.

 

Why did I decide it needs to be over 45 mins??!

 

Still going with the ACV. Still spotty. Meh. Still doing the press-ups and reverse chin ups too – so I’ve done 380 press-ups so far this year and 190 reverse chin ups.

 

On an exciting note, a friend of mine has a guest pass to his actually super amazing fancy pants gym in central London and I’m going on Weds, huzah!

[deftona]

Well done on week two, you kicked it!

 

Ooooh the gym sounds fun! let us know how it goes. 

[Silmarilliane]

So this week hasn't been too good as have done some sort of damage to my foot, possibly the running on Sunday. Anyway by Thursday it was quite painful (esp with my 5 miles walking a day and zumba on Tuesday...) so I've been resting it up.

Very frustrating as I get so many calories from all the walking, plus wanted to start tap again on Monday.

Needles to say, I got into a slump thinking that I'd just get fat without doing any exercise, so I decide to eat all the foods on Friday and yesterday, ugh.

But today I am logging again and have busted out the dumbbells for some seated upper body stuff. Here's to the foot getting better soon!

[deftona]

Oh no, sorry to hear of your injury. You're probably better to just let it heal for a while as trying to do too much will only lead to a longer recovery time over all. I hope you get better soon! 

[Silmarilliane]

Oh no, sorry to hear of your injury. You're probably better to just let it heal for a while as trying to do too much will only lead to a longer recovery time over all. I hope you get better soon!

Thanks yes doing a lot of sitting right now. All my instincts are telling me to go for a walk, or run or just.. anything!

[Teros]

Thanks yes doing a lot of sitting right now. All my instincts are telling me to go for a walk, or run or just.. anything!

Once getting into a rhythm, that's what happens to me too. When I tweaked my knee over a year ago and HAD to stay sitting; I was almost jittery because I was so used to moving around. Heal up, you'll be fine.

[deftona]

How is the healing going?

[Silmarilliane]

Once getting into a rhythm, that's what happens to me too. When I tweaked my knee over a year ago and HAD to stay sitting; I was almost jittery because I was so used to moving around. Heal up, you'll be fine.

 

How is the healing going?

 

Thanks guys

 

After a week of sulking, not being able to do any high impact or even running, and eating LOTS of chocolate, I'm respawing. I managed to get a couple of gym sessions in where I hit the weights (upper body) and swimming but still ate ALL OF THE FOODS without logging.

 

Tried walking the flat bit of my commute today, which was fine until I started picking the pace up to my normal power walk, and got a twinge or two, so am going to have to walk at an amble for the rest of the week methinks

[deftona]

Thanks guys

 

After a week of sulking, not being able to do any high impact or even running, and eating LOTS of chocolate, I'm respawing. I managed to get a couple of gym sessions in where I hit the weights (upper body) and swimming but still ate ALL OF THE FOODS without logging.

 

Tried walking the flat bit of my commute today, which was fine until I started picking the pace up to my normal power walk, and got a twinge or two, so am going to have to walk at an amble for the rest of the week methinks

 

that's a shame. Don't be afraid to take complete rest if you need it though, you'll probably heal quicker in the long term. 

[Silmarilliane]

that's a shame. Don't be afraid to take complete rest if you need it though, you'll probably heal quicker in the long term. 

 

my brain knows it, but it's so hard to eat so many less calories (the walking alone gave me an extra 400+ cals a day and i've got used to the higher amount!)

 

I'm just being lazy and (mainly) greedy.

[deftona]

my brain knows it, but it's so hard to eat so many less calories (the walking alone gave me an extra 400+ cals a day and i've got used to the higher amount!)

 

I'm just being lazy and (mainly) greedy.

 

Urgh, I don't think it's greed, eating low calorie is always going to be hard because you are literally trying to starve your body. Of course it's going to fight back occasionally! Give yourself a break, especially if you're having to eat way below what you're used to. It's winter too and it's always harder eating light when it's cold and dark.