Sin's Goddess is Getting Her Groove Back

[The.Introverted.Goddess]

UPDATED: MONDAY, JANUARY 12TH

 

So.....2014 didn't end as well as I had hoped. I'm up 4.5# and 1.5% body fat since Thanksgiving. I wasn't really doing much to lose weight over the holidays, but I'd hoped not to gain either...c'est la vie.. But I'm ready to get things going again for 2015! It's going to be a really great year...I can feel it!! 

 

FITNESS GOALS FOR 2015

• Get down to 25% body fat
• Do one pull-up
• Start taking aerial classes
• Greatly improve on five yoga poses

 

GOALS FOR THIS CHALLENGE

• Complete the challenge
• Reduce body fat by 2%
• Make noticeable improvement on yoga poses

 

CHALLENGE ACTIONS

• Strength training 3x a week
• Dancing Cardio 3x a week
• Follow Bulletproof diet guidelines Grain and dairy free
• Practice yoga poses on week night

 

ACTION DETAILS

 

Strength training 3x a week

• 20-30 minute strength training sessions
• Body weight, yoga, kettlebell
• Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays
• Grading Scale: A = 3 sessions per week // C = 2 sessions per week // F = 1-0 sessions per week
• STR +4

Dancing Cardio 3x a week

• 15-30 minute dancing cardio sessions
• Hooping, belly dancing Couch-to-5K program
• Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays
• Grading Scale: A = 3 sessions per week // C = 2 sessions per week // F = 1-0 sessions per week
• STA +4

Follow Bulletproof diet guidelines Grain and dairy free

• Keep food choices in the green and yellow levels on the Bulletproof Diet Roadmap
• Stay grain and dairy free (white rice and grass-fed butter/ghee allowed)
• Grading Scale: A = 0-1 indulgences per week // B = 2-3 indulgences per week // C = 4-5 indulgences per week // D = 6-7 indulgences per week // F = 8 or more indulgences per week
• CON +2, CHA +2

Practice yoga poses on week nights

• Practice one pose each evening for a minimum of five minutes
  • Monday: Crow Pose (Bakasana)
  • Tuesday: Tree Pose (Vrksasana)
  • Wednesday: Monkey Pose (Hanumanasana)
  • Thursday: Upward Bow Pose (Urdhvadhanu)
  • Friday: Four-Limbed Staff Pose (Chaturanga Dandasana)
• Grading Scale: A = 5 practices per week // B = 4 practices per week // C = 3 practices per week // D = 2 practices per week // F = 1-0 practices per week
• DEX +3

[The.Introverted.Goddess]

Progress Photos

[Leimanu]

I'm so glad you're back!  I've been hoping you'd do a new challenge.

 

The goals are great, and you've broken them down nicely, too.  You're so lucky you get to go to hoop classes!

 

Why did you choose those yoga poses?  Can you actually do a crow pose right now?

[The.Introverted.Goddess]

I'm so glad you're back!  I've been hoping you'd do a new challenge.

 

The goals are great, and you've broken them down nicely, too.  You're so lucky you get to go to hoop classes!

 

Why did you choose those yoga poses?  Can you actually do a crow pose right now?

 

I'm glad to be back!!

 

Thanks. I tried to make them as specific as I could while still giving myself a bit of flexibility. I don't currently go to a hoop class, I just practice at home, but I'm hoping to find a place to start going to soon.

 

I chose those five poses because of the strength, balance and flexibility they require. I want to improve in all of those areas this year and having a more definable goal than just "become more flexible..." will help me to stay focused. And no, I cannot currently do the crow pose. I'll be posting photos of where I am right now with all of the poses this evening. I found this nice article on Yoga Journal's website about the crow pose (and articles on the other four poses as well) that discusses how to get in to the pose and what other poses I can work on that will help me to be able to eventually do the crow pose.

[karinajean]

hey and yay! you're back! here's to an awesome challenge!

[The.Introverted.Goddess]

Thanks karinajean!! I'm really happy to be back..

[Twilight]

Woo!

[Priscillia]

WB Sin!  Good well thought out list for this year   I like your reasoning behind the yoga poses too

[The.Introverted.Goddess]

WB Sin!  Good well thought out list for this year   I like your reasoning behind the yoga poses too

 

Thanks Pricillia! 2015 is going to be a great year!

[The.Introverted.Goddess]

WEEK 1, DAY 1

 

Pretty good first day. I'm really glad that I decided to give myself a choice of strength training options - as opposed to just yoga, which is what I was going to do - because I really didn't feel like doing yoga last night. And I'm very proud of myself...one of the ladies at my job has a tray FULL of chocolatey goodness on her desk (that I walk past multiple times a day) and I didn't take even one!!! 

 

Strength Training

Did a quick five minute warmup on the elliptical, two rounds of the BBWW (the second round was a little wobbly), and then about ten minutes of cool down stretches. Not sure exactly how long the workout was, but it felt long enough  

 

Dancing Practice

Off day

 

Bulletproof Eating

Breakfast: bulletproof coffee

Lunch: steak salad

Dinner: chicken thighs and zucchini

 

Yoga Pose Practice

Crow pose - I tried getting into the pose...I definitely can't get there quite yet. I can get my knees up to my elbows, but not any higher and I can't get my feet/toes off the ground. Two of the prep poses are bound angle pose and hero pose, so I practiced those for a few minutes each. I ended up practicing for about ten minutes.

[Asuka]

 

So.....2014 didn't end as well as I had hoped. I'm up 4.5# and 1.5% body fat since Thanksgiving. I wasn't really doing much to lose weight over the holidays, but I'd hoped not to gain either...c'est la vie.. But I'm ready to get things going again for 2015! It's going to be a really great year...I can feel it!! 

 

FITNESS GOALS FOR 2015

• Get down to 25% body fat
• Do one pull-up
• Start taking aerial classes
• Greatly improve on five yoga poses

 

GOALS FOR THIS CHALLENGE

• Complete the challenge
• Reduce body fat by 2%
• Make noticeable improvement on yoga poses

Awesome!

 

I love how you set long term goals and short term ones fully aligned. 

Subbed to encourage you on your path to further awesomeness !

 

Keep going strong!!

[The.Introverted.Goddess]

Awesome!

 

I love how you set long term goals and short term ones fully aligned. 

Subbed to encourage you on your path to further awesomeness !

 

Keep going strong!!

 

Thanks!!

[The.Introverted.Goddess]

Updates coming in a day or two...I'm sick..

 

[The.Introverted.Goddess]

I'm feeling much better. Thank the gods! Not much happened over the last few days, I've mostly been in bed. Though I did get some work done around the house in between naps. Today is a rest day and I don't plan on using it as a make up day, I'm not feeling quite 100% and don't want to push it. I can't wait to get back to it tomorrow!!

 

Strength Training

No workouts

 

Dancing Practice

No practices

 

Bulletproof Eating

Did okay even while sick, but I did give in a little bit here and there. Definitely won't be getting an A for this goal this week.

 

Yoga Pose Practice

No practices

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

Oh, hope you feel much better soon!!!

[Mad Hatter]

I like how clear (and awesome) your goals are and the action plans. I have no doubt you'll make them all happen this year! 

 

Hope you feel better soon!

[The.Introverted.Goddess]

Oh, hope you feel much better soon!!!

 

I'm feeling MUCH better!! Thanks

 

I like how clear (and awesome) your goals are and the action plans. I have no doubt you'll make them all happen this year! 

 

Hope you feel better soon!

 

Thanks Hatter! I thought a lot about them and tried to keep them as simple and clear as possible. I'm feeling really great about this year!

[The.Introverted.Goddess]

WEEK 1, DAY 7 UPDATE

 

Strength Training

Rest day

 

Dancing Practice

Rest day

 

Bulletproof Eating

Breakfast: chorizo scramble

Lunch/Dinner: steak, salad, clam chowder (homemade and dairy free)

 

Yoga Pose Practice

Rest day

[The.Introverted.Goddess]

WEEK 1 SUMMARY

 

I'm still giving myself grades for the week even though I was sick for most of it. I've made a few small tweaks to my goals for this challenge (posting shortly) that are effective today/week two. I'm feeling really good about this challenge. I've kept things simple and manageable and I think that is REALLY going to help me to be successful. Week two is definitely going to be better than week one!!

 

Strength Training: 1 out of 3 sessions = F

Dancing Practice:  0 out of 3 sessions = F

Bulletproof Eating: 6 indulgences = D

Yoga Pose Practice: 1 out of 5 practices = F

[SymphonicDan]

Boom, just found your challenge! You're actually going to finish this one, right? And then in June you can look back and be happy that you've become more consistent and starting to see more progress! I'm following now and hopefully you'll still be giving me things to read in week 5

[The.Introverted.Goddess]

Hey Dan! I really REALLY hope so. I'm feeling really good about this challenge..and I really want to make some healthy changes in my life..and I really don't want to turn 30 (July 5th) so unhealthy and flakey!

[Priscillia]

Keep that gut feeling, that instinct is rarely wrong (and it's awesome!). Shame about being sick, but the only way you can go now is up right?  Plus you put recovery as a priority (the colds have been really nasty this year) and still came back for accountability

[The.Introverted.Goddess]

WEEK 2, DAY 1

 

Definitely feeling better than I did last week. Still have some sinus stuff lingering, but pretty okay otherwise. 

 

Strength Training

Did five minutes on the elliptical and two rounds of the BBWW, followed by yoga pose practice.

 

Cardio

Off day

 

Grain and Dairy Free

Breakfast: steak and eggs

Lunch: clam chowder (leftovers, homemade, dairy-free)

Dinner: radicchio and pear salad, plantain "tacos" (the plantains were the tortilla), spanish rice (with zucchini and mushrooms), herb roasted potatoes - a bit heavier on carbs than I usually do, but we went out for dinner

 

Yoga Pose Practice

I worked on my crow pose after my BBWW in the evening. Still can't quite get in to the pose, so I worked on prep poses again -- bound angle, plank and downward facing dog. I practiced the prep poses for a while, no quite sure how long.

 

Mini Challenge: Archers

Did 30 sets

[The.Introverted.Goddess]

WEEK 2, DAYS 2 & 3

 

Strength Training

Day 3 (Wed): 25 minute BUTI yoga workout

 

Cardio

Day 2 (Tues): First C25K workout = Brisk five-minute warmup walk. Then alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking for a total of 20 minutes. I forgot to wear my heart rate monitor, but will remember next time.

 

Grain and Dairy Free

Day 2 (Tues)

Brunch: protein shake

Dinner: teriyaki chicken rice bowl (white rice, chicken breast, zucchini, carrots, broccoli, sauce)

 

Day 3 (Wed)

Breakfast: bulletproof coffee

Lunch: chicken salad (chicken breast, lettuce, tomatoes, carrots, dressing)

Dinner: chicken thighs, fingerling potatoes

 

Yoga Pose Practice

Day 2 (Tues): Tree pose - I LOVE this pose! I always have. My standing leg is a bit wobbly, and my bent leg isn't as high as I would like, but I'm working on it!

Day 3 (Wed): Monkey pose - Sooooo much progress to be made here. Yoga Journal lists LOTS of prep poses for monkey pose, so I worked on a few..seated forward bend, reclining head-to-big toe, and wide-angle seated forward bend.

 

Mini Challenge: Archers

Day 2 (Tues): 30 sets

Day 3 (Wed): 40 sets

[The.Introverted.Goddess]

So, I'm still feeling a wee bit under the weather, but I've been pushing as much as I can to keep up with my challenge. I think I'm doing pretty good! That being said, I'm going to be making some changes to my challenge (again). I'll keep with my current goals for the rest of this week, but school starts next week and my schedule for it has changed a bit and it's really going to effect my challenge. I'll be spending the rest of the week figuring out the new structure for my challenge. I'm slightly bummed to be altering my challenge again, but life happens! What are ya gonna do..?? And, I'd rather change my challenge than quit because of conflicts with school.