Eat, Sleep, Lift: Shaeon's Third Challenge

[shaeon]

One week off, and back to the challenges!

This challenge, I want to continue with my lifting, and add sleep to my goals. So here we go:

 

Main Quest: Obese No More.

 

Last challenge put me off of actual pounds dropped as a goal. I feel like I'm still learning about what works best for my body, and weighing in once a week was not a reliable way of tracking weight loss. I think I need to keep doing what I know get results (lifting), add a little cardio to round out my workout routine, keep working on what I eat and seeing what works, and start getting more sleep because that is a crucial part of fitness. So my goals are as follows:

 

Quest 1: Workout: 3 days a week of lifting, 2 days a week of cardio. 

This time, I'm not adding in cheat days. I get graded on accomplishing this, or not. No excuses. 

 

Quest 2: Tracking food every day, without exceeding daily point allowance by more than 5 points daily. 

Weight Watchers permits 49 extra points per week over the daily allowance of points. I find if I exceed the daily allowance too much, I don't really lose weight. I actually intend to keep very strictly to the daily allowance - I may go a point or two over on weekdays, but the extra 5 points is mainly for weekends. Which means if I eat out with friends on weekends, get a drink, etc. I have to really carefully plan that day. I think this is the kind of discipline I need right now - not letting myself let things go just because it's the weekend, and carefully choosing what I eat when I eat out. 

 

Quest 3: 7 hours of sleep.

I'm going to try to work up to this slowly, because I don't think that I can just start off with 7 hours of sleep a night, every single week. As it is, I normally get between 4 and 6 hours of sleep a night. So I'm going to work my way up to it as follows: 

Week 1: 7 hours of sleep for 3 nights. 

Week 2: 7 hours of sleep for 4 nights. 

Week 3: 7 hours of sleep for 5 nights. 

Week 4: 7 hours of sleep for 6 nights. 

Week 5 - 6: 7 hours of sleep every night. 

I'm also trying out an app that tracks sleep cycles, and also trying to turn off the TV, computer, and getting off my phone by 10 o'clock every night so I have an hour of down-time before bed. Sleep is a work in progress. 

 

Life Quest: Complete two leather things. 

One thing I want to finish is a leather bag for myself, themed on Welcome to Night Vale. The other thing will be one of two commissions - either a leather bag, or a knife sheath (probably the bag, honestly). It's possible that I will get all 3 done, but I'm only working towards 2 for the next 6 weeks. 

Point distribution for this challenge: 

 

Quest 1: Workout: +2 to STR, +2 to STA

Quest 2: Food Tracking: + 3 to WIS 
Quest 3: Sleep: +4 to CON 
Life Quest: Leather: + 2 to CHA, +2 to DEX

[RES]

Found you!

 

[shaeon]

Found you!

 

 

Found you as well!!!

 

So I'm trying out this app, Sleep Cycle. It graphs how your sleep went, and it sets off an alarm within the lightest part of your sleep phase to make it easier to wake up. It also makes note of things so that I don't have to think to hard about when I went to sleep and when I woke up - it knows when I set it and when I turned off my alarm. It knows that I spent 6 hours and 45 minutes in bed last night. 

 

It knows that I was woken up at 4:30 by some very, very rude cats. 

 

And at 5:30. 

 

It's a pretty cool app. Last night I had a hard time getting comfortable when I went to bed, and I think at least part of the issue was knowing that I was being tracked because every time I turned over, I thought "yep, not getting restful sleep..." I will be interested to see the results over time. 

[shaeon]

Last night, I was in bed for 7 hours and 20 minutes. It occurs to me that this is the only real time I'm able to track - hours spent ATTEMPTING to sleep, not hours spent sleeping. But that's also the only part I can actually make an effort towards. I can improve my sleep environment, but nothing can guarantee that I will get sleep while I'm there. 

 

Anyway. I'm counting it as over 7 hours.

 

My cats were even bigger jerks. Woke me up just before 4 a.m., and then later around 5. And then I remembered I have this noisemaker toy from New Year's Eve - it's a small cheap horn, basically. Not sure how else to describe it. Anyway, the cats don't like it. It has the same effect that suddenly turning on the vacuum would - the cats scatter. So now it's next to my bed. After they woke me up at 5, when they started doing their usual passive aggressive things to wake me up (scratching on doors, etc.), I blew the horn. They left me alone. They left me alone so much that they didn't even come and try to wake me up when my alarm actually went off. 

 

The obnoxious thing, by the way, is that the cats waking me up multiple times through the night is NOT NORMAL. Usually I get my kitty wake-up call at 5:30, and that doesn't really bug me too much. I usually feed them their wet food then go back to bed for about an hour. It's like they know that I'm trying to get better sleep, and their reaction to that is "nope." I'm going to give them a little play time tonight while I'm watching TV (I probably need to do that anyway), and see if that gets them to settle down. 

[shaeon]

New rule of working out while living with an incisional hernia: absolutely no ab work if my stomach feels bloated. NO EXCEPTIONS.*

 

It is not a failure to do my exercise routine if I protect my abs. It is not IN ANY WAY a failure that day if I do strength training and leave out the crunches or the planks. 

 

This message is brought to you by my very sore stomach. 

 

 

*OK fine SOME exceptions: sure, push ups work the abs. Deadlifts. Squats. EVERYTHING, ok, everything works the abs. But I know what I mean by this - nothing that works the abs most primarily and much harder than it's working everything else. Not while my stomach isn't feeling right. 

 

Captain America feels my pain. 

 

[Juni0r83]

You asked, I found...

[LiserFrenche]

stalking...er...following you.  

[Teri]

Following!

 

I have goals/quests similar to yours. I'm working on my sleep goal and like you I can only go by "did I get to bed in a timely fashion that would allow me to get the appropriate amount of sleep IF I fell asleep shortly after going to bed!"

 

Also, your post about the cats reaffirmed my desire to never have cats, lol!

 

It's cool that you work with leather. I dabbled that when I was a kid in 4H.

 

Good luck with your quests!

[RES]

New rule of working out while living with an incisional hernia: absolutely no ab work if my stomach feels bloated. NO EXCEPTIONS.*

 

It is not a failure to do my exercise routine if I protect my abs. It is not IN ANY WAY a failure that day if I do strength training and leave out the crunches or the planks. 

 

Because I am a smartass I'm going to just say...no kidding!! Putting yourself on the injured list is not part of your goals

[shaeon]

Because I am a smartass I'm going to just say...no kidding!! Putting yourself on the injured list is not part of your goals

 

I know, I know. I have discussed my exercise program with my doctor, and I know I need to take it easy. And I kind of know my limits when it comes to my core. I just need to listen to my body next time. 

 

 

Following!

 

I have goals/quests similar to yours. I'm working on my sleep goal and like you I can only go by "did I get to bed in a timely fashion that would allow me to get the appropriate amount of sleep IF I fell asleep shortly after going to bed!"

 

Also, your post about the cats reaffirmed my desire to never have cats, lol!

 

It's cool that you work with leather. I dabbled that when I was a kid in 4H.

 

Good luck with your quests!

Cats can be great. For some reason, mine have decided that now that I'm trying to get sleep, they should make sure that I don't. It's as if they saw me downloading the Sleep Cycle app and decided "hey, let's make sure WE show up on her sleep results graph." 

Leather work is awesome. I will probably be posting pictures of my progress as this challenge goes on.

 

 

stalking...er...following you.  

Welcome! Prepare to be stalked right back.

 

 

You asked, I found...

Welcome welcome! I'm glad that finding new folks to follow was the Mini Challenge for this week!

Alright, today was LIFTING DAY!!! And this is a new workout, with all new more difficult exercises for turning my abs inside-out. 

Workout A went as follows: 

 

Front squat/push press, 2 sets of 10: This is a squat holding a barbell in front of your collarbone. You squat, stand, and do an overhead press. I did both sets of 10 at 30 pounds. 

Step-up, 2 sets of 10: I did both sets of 10 holding 15 pound barbells. As with last challenge, I do 10 step-ups per leg, not 10 total. 

Dumbbell one-point row, 2 sets of 10: OK, this - this is a crazy exercise. Image included below. You stand like that, and do rows. You switch legs mid-way. Well I guess SOMEONE stands like this and does rows. What I do is lose my balance repeatedly and put my foot down a lot. Anyway. I did 1 set of 10 with 15 pound dumbbells, and 1 set of 10 with 20 pound dumbbells. 

Static lunge rear foot elevated, 2 sets of 10: this is a lunge with your foot up on a short step-up box. Did both sets of 10 at bodyweight. I can add weight next time - I just needed to get accustomed to this position.

Push-ups, 2 sets of 10: did the first set of 10 on a bar that was set at hip-height, and did a set of 10 negative push ups. 

Plank, 2 sets for 60 seconds: as you now know, that didn't go so well. My stomach was bloated and a little sore when I started the plank. I only held for 15 seconds, rested for 15 more, and then tried again. Then, my abs did something awful and I dropped to the floor. I've held a plank before, for longer than 15 seconds. I did lots of crunches and prone jackknifes last challenge with no problems, and could feel my abs tighten and strengthen as a result. It was just not the day for this. So as stated before, I'm skipping hard ab work on days that my stomach doesn't feel right, because with my incisional hernia, that can put me in a lot of pain. 

Cable horizontal wood chop, 2 sets of 10: this is a thing where you go to a cable machine and pull the cable across your body like you are swinging an ax. I did both sets of 10 at 30 pounds. If I hadn't hurt my abs, I could have definitely gone up in weight. Honestly, I should probably have called it quits after hurting myself. I am, at times, stubborn. 

And then I went home and lay on my back for a few minutes, because I felt like I'd been punched in the stomach. The abs are not joking around. 

So. Not a terrible return to lifting, but I certainly got a major reminder today that listening to my body is the most important thing when lifting. 

[LiserFrenche]

Shaoen, is there something you can wear to protect or support your abs?

Are you feeling better with the increased sleep you are getting? I have been trying to get to bed earlier too and I definitely feel better when I get more sleep.

I love cats too (as you can tell by my profile pic of my cat Sophie).

I hope you post pics of your leather things - what a cool thing to be doing. 

 

ttyl and keep it up!

[shaeon]

Shaoen, is there something you can wear to protect or support your abs?

Are you feeling better with the increased sleep you are getting? I have been trying to get to bed earlier too and I definitely feel better when I get more sleep.

I love cats too (as you can tell by my profile pic of my cat Sophie).

I hope you post pics of your leather things - what a cool thing to be doing. 

 

ttyl and keep it up!

I have a support band that I can wear around my waist if the abs are feeling sensitive or unstable. Sadly, I was wearing it yesterday when this happened. I took precautions, but I think ultimately I needed to admit that my stomach wasn't feeling good and therefore not ready for the plank. 

 

I haven't quite entered the "feeling good" part of getting enough sleep. According to my app, I was in bed for 7 hours and 2 minutes last night. I keep waking up, though. I wonder if part of that is just being aware that my sleep is being tracked. Some of it is certainly the cats though, who for some reason have decided to act out more than usual over the past few nights. They have settled down a little - since I started using that toy horn as a disciplinary response to them waking me up, they've done it less.

 

At any rate, I've had this issue before - getting to bed on time doesn't feel good immediately. It takes a while for it to not feel like I'm in a recovery phase from too little sleep. One thing that has started happening is that the past two mornings, I've woken up before my alarm goes off, as if I'm waiting on it. That is something I NEVER do. So that's a strange development, and that it has started after only a couple of days of using the Sleep Cycle app. I wonder if it's just me reacting to knowing that once I enter the light part of that last sleep cycle, it's going to wake me up.

[Teri]

Looks like you had a great workout. You sound a lot like me! I have been doing strength workout similar to yours with an old shoulder injury that has been flaring up on me for months. I do back off a bit when it screams at me, but I'm too stubborn to give it complete rest. However, this challenge I gave myself a stern lecture and said no more weights for at least four weeks so my workouts are cardio only, blah! Oh and shoulder rehab exercises. Maybe in the long run this will pay off, I hope so! Oh and by the way, you aren't the only one that would be wobbling on the dumbbell one point row. Do you wear shoes when you do it? I found that if I do stuff like that with no shoes it helps. I quit wearing shoes when I lift weights because all I have is running shoes and the cushiony soles don't allow me to keep good form. I just kick them off when I'm lifting, if I'm at the gym I ignore anyone who stares at me. I have never been one to succomb to peer pressure!

[shaeon]

Looks like you had a great workout. You sound a lot like me! I have been doing strength workout similar to yours with an old shoulder injury that has been flaring up on me for months. I do back off a bit when it screams at me, but I'm too stubborn to give it complete rest. However, this challenge I gave myself a stern lecture and said no more weights for at least four weeks so my workouts are cardio only, blah! Oh and shoulder rehab exercises. Maybe in the long run this will pay off, I hope so! Oh and by the way, you aren't the only one that would be wobbling on the dumbbell one point row. Do you wear shoes when you do it? I found that if I do stuff like that with no shoes it helps. I quit wearing shoes when I lift weights because all I have is running shoes and the cushiony soles don't allow me to keep good form. I just kick them off when I'm lifting, if I'm at the gym I ignore anyone who stares at me. I have never been one to succomb to peer pressure!

 

Yep, I am stubborn. Also, lifting is my favorite way to work out. I've accepted that it's not going to be a quick-start path to weight loss. I just like feeling strong. Interesting point about lifting without shoes. I've also seen it recommended that people use flat shoes, like Converse Chucks. I should experiment with that, because I think you're right - the standard athletic shoe does not lend itself to balancing like that. Also, I've found that when I squat and (especially) lunge at home barefoot, it's a much more stable motion.

 

By the way, so far I'm logging a lot of time in bed. 7 hours 2 minutes night before last, 7 hours 1 minute last night. My app says that last night was my best night of sleep. I agree with that. Shortly after settling in my throat got dry and I started coughing (weird - not a thing that normally happens) so I got up and got some water. But other than that, I slept through the night, until just before my alarm went off at 6:43, when one of my cats was clearly distraught at the idea that I might never get up and she might starve due to a lack of canned food (she has dry food, of course, but she has often seemed concerned that she can't live on that alone). 

 

I remain impressed with the Sleep Cycle app. Just for starters, it's doing the work of tracking when I get into bed and when I get out for me, so I don't have to bother with that. That alone is pretty great. Getting the alarm when I'm naturally moving towards awake is also nice. I felt a little distrustful of that, but it works. I'm usually a serial abuser of the snooze button, and I've only hit snooze once with this app so far. It's also cool to see the little graph of my sleep the next day. I can see, for example, the spike from last night when I had to get up. 

 

Lifting day today! My B workout is much more complicated this time around, and actually includes some interval cardio at the end. So I'm going to have to go over it a bit before hitting the gym. But because of the added interval training, today will count as both a lifting and a cardio day. Wooo!

[Teri]

Yep, I am stubborn. Also, lifting is my favorite way to work out. I've accepted that it's not going to be a quick-start path to weight loss. I just like feeling strong. Interesting point about lifting without shoes. I've also seen it recommended that people use flat shoes, like Converse Chucks. I should experiment with that, because I think you're right - the standard athletic shoe does not lend itself to balancing like that. Also, I've found that when I squat and (especially) lunge at home barefoot, it's a much more stable motion.

 

By the way, so far I'm logging a lot of time in bed. 7 hours 2 minutes night before last, 7 hours 1 minute last night. My app says that last night was my best night of sleep. I agree with that. Shortly after settling in my throat got dry and I started coughing (weird - not a thing that normally happens) so I got up and got some water. But other than that, I slept through the night, until just before my alarm went off at 6:43, when one of my cats was clearly distraught at the idea that I might never get up and she might starve due to a lack of canned food (she has dry food, of course, but she has often seemed concerned that she can't live on that alone). 

 

I remain impressed with the Sleep Cycle app. Just for starters, it's doing the work of tracking when I get into bed and when I get out for me, so I don't have to bother with that. That alone is pretty great. Getting the alarm when I'm naturally moving towards awake is also nice. I felt a little distrustful of that, but it works. I'm usually a serial abuser of the snooze button, and I've only hit snooze once with this app so far. It's also cool to see the little graph of my sleep the next day. I can see, for example, the spike from last night when I had to get up. 

 

Lifting day today! My B workout is much more complicated this time around, and actually includes some interval cardio at the end. So I'm going to have to go over it a bit before hitting the gym. But because of the added interval training, today will count as both a lifting and a cardio day. Wooo!

 

I have heard that when lifting your shoes should be firm on the bottom. I can't remember who recommended that I just take my shoes off, but it makes so much dfference. Now when I push through my heels I actually feel it and know I'm using good form and like I said I'm much more balanced. Part of that might be because I dabble in yoga so I have some experience holding poses on one foot in no shoes...although I do wobble sometimes too

 

I intrigued by this app you are talking about. Do you have to wear something on your wrist? Can you elaborate on it a bit more, is it available for android phones or do you know?

 

What lifting program are you using? I had just started doing Strong Curves by Bret Contreras, but I'm taking a 4 week break from lifting to let my bicep tendonitis heal up. I guess I timed the break correctly. I'm sitting in a hospital room with my mom and will be for the next several days. It's serious, but not serious. They are thinking they can perform a procedure that will possibly give her immediate relief, but they can't because her pancreas is so swollen right now. I was just going to post about it in my challenge, but I came here first. Hope your workout was awesome.

[Cathelas]

I am counting my sleep the same way basically - from when I lay down.  I have also found if I put on a podcast that I don't really care about, I can be asleep in about 5 minutes.  I guess it just becomes white noise and my brain turns off.  It has been a huge help.  Conversely, if it is a topic I am interested in, then I am fully engrossed and CAN'T fall asleep.  I have to chose carefully.

[shaeon]

I have heard that when lifting your shoes should be firm on the bottom. I can't remember who recommended that I just take my shoes off, but it makes so much dfference. Now when I push through my heels I actually feel it and know I'm using good form and like I said I'm much more balanced. Part of that might be because I dabble in yoga so I have some experience holding poses on one foot in no shoes...although I do wobble sometimes too

 

I intrigued by this app you are talking about. Do you have to wear something on your wrist? Can you elaborate on it a bit more, is it available for android phones or do you know?

 

What lifting program are you using? I had just started doing Strong Curves by Bret Contreras, but I'm taking a 4 week break from lifting to let my bicep tendonitis heal up. I guess I timed the break correctly. I'm sitting in a hospital room with my mom and will be for the next several days. It's serious, but not serious. They are thinking they can perform a procedure that will possibly give her immediate relief, but they can't because her pancreas is so swollen right now. I was just going to post about it in my challenge, but I came here first. Hope your workout was awesome.

The app is Sleep Cycle. It is on Android, click to check out the site. You don't have to purchase any kind of accessory or wear anything - you just buy the app, then set the time you want to wake up (it will wake you up within a 30 minute time span of the time you choose), and put the phone in your bed. The site shows you where you put it, and there's also a test function when you get the app so you can make sure it senses you moving in bed. It's pretty sensitive - on my phone, if I moved just a little, it knew. So it determines how good you're sleeping based on how much you're moving around. 

 

I'm going by the workouts in the book The New Rules of Lifting for Women. I like it. I did the first 6-week workout in the book during the first challenge, and my shoulders already show a decent amount of muscle development as a result. 

 

I'm so sorry to hear about your mom! My mom got sick right around the holidays, so I can empathize. I also had pancreatitis back in 2008, so double-empathy. It is a very unpleasant illness, and it's actually the reason why I have an incisional hernia (I had to have surgery on my pancreas, and during recovery one of my cats got out and when I went outside and lifted him up, I herniated the incision). (Cats are figuring into my issues this Challenge far more than I would have predicted). Lots of good thoughts to you and your mom right now. 

So today was workout day, for Workout B, otherwise known as International Lifting Day. That went as follows: 

 

Wide-grip deadlift from a box, 2 sets of 10: 10 at 85 pounds, 10 at 95 pounds. 

Bulgarian split-squat, 2 sets of 10: both sets of 10 holding a 10 pound plate. 

Underhand-grip lat pulldown, 2 sets of 10: 1 set of 10 at 75 pounds, 1 set of 10 at 90 pounds. 

Reverse lunge from box with forward reach, 2 sets of 10: 1 set of 10 with 10 pound dumbbells, 1 set of 10 with 12.5 pound dumbbells.

Dumbbell prone Cuban snatch, 2 sets of 10: 1 set of 10 at 5 pounds, 1 set of 10 at 7.5 pounds.

Swiss-ball crunch, 2 sets of 10: both sets of 10 holding a 20 pound dumbbell.

Reverse crunch, 2 sets of 10: completed both sets of 10.

Lateral flexion, 2 sets of 10: completed both sets of 10.

Prone Cobra, 2 sets, hold for 60-90 seconds: completed both at 60 seconds. 

Interval training for 15 minutes, 1 minute hard, 2 minute recovery: I did this on a stationary bike. Completed the full 15 minutes of interval training. 

 

This was a long workout, y'all. It took an hour. Normally if one of my lifts is strange/not very common, I provide an image, but pretty much ALL of these are weird. 

 

Also, last challenge, I had squats in one of my workouts, and lunges in the other, with a 1 day recovery between those workouts, which I would alternate - so basically there would be at least 3 recovery days between any sets of lunges or squats. Now, there are lunges and squats in BOTH of my workouts. WEIRD lunges and squats. with boxes and stuff. So my quads are gonna be insane by the end of this workout, or else I'm not going to be able to walk. One or the other. 

[LiserFrenche]

wow your work out is quite impressive - You Go Girl!  What I find is I don't push myself hard enough when I do strength work on my own.  I'll need to go back to circuit training classes or use a DVD when my knee/foot is all healed up.  

 

I saw this article and thought of you - 

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150203-dos-and-donts-of-a-restful-sleep

 

They mention a sleep diary, which you are doing.  For me, drinking caffeine and even decaffeinated coffee/tea in the afternoon will affect how I sleep.  Alcohol does too (much to my disappointment).  If I drink I will usually wake up at 2 in the morning and it will take a while to get back to sleep. I have even used this when I do want to get up extra early.  

 

Hope you are doing well on your challenge. Thanks for helping me accomplish this week's mini!  

[shaeon]

wow your work out is quite impressive - You Go Girl!  What I find is I don't push myself hard enough when I do strength work on my own.  I'll need to go back to circuit training classes or use a DVD when my knee/foot is all healed up.  

 

I saw this article and thought of you - 

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150203-dos-and-donts-of-a-restful-sleep

 

They mention a sleep diary, which you are doing.  For me, drinking caffeine and even decaffeinated coffee/tea in the afternoon will affect how I sleep.  Alcohol does too (much to my disappointment).  If I drink I will usually wake up at 2 in the morning and it will take a while to get back to sleep. I have even used this when I do want to get up extra early.  

 

Hope you are doing well on your challenge. Thanks for helping me accomplish this week's mini!  

 

Lifting is my favorite form of exercise. It's the only thing I've found that I truly enjoy, and I like doing it alone so I don't start feeling competitive or rushed. But I also feel like the best thing for everyone is just finding what works for you. I definitely know lots of people that love a class environment.

 

I hadn't considered it, but I guess talking about my sleep here and recording it on the Sleep Cycle app does kind of count as a sleep journal. 

 

I have to watch when I have caffeine - I try not to have it after dark, like the article suggests. As I've gotten older, alcohol clearly affects the quality of my sleep. I can have a drink or two early in the evening then have a good bit of water after and sleep fine. If I'm out at a bar then come home and go straight to sleep, I will not feel rested the next day. There was something I read the other day that basically said this is a consequence of aging - your enzymes just don't process alcohol as well as they did when you were younger. 

 

Thanks, and you are welcome! I hope you stick around

[shaeon]

LIFTING DAY!!! 

 

Here are today's results: 

 

Front squat/push press, 2 sets of 10: did both sets of 10 with a 30 pound barbell. I really wanted to move up from 30 today, but once I started squatting, it was too difficult to move up. Listening to my body today. Just sticking with 30 pounds. 

Step-up, 2 sets of 10: did both sets of 10 with 17.5 pound dumbbells. 

Dumbbell one-point row, 2 sets of 10: 1 set of 10 with 20 pound dumbbells, 1 set of 10 with 25 pound dumbbells. The rows aren't that tough. Trying to balance on one foot is. I worked out in Converse All-Stars to see if working out in flat shoes would help. It did a little, but this is still a difficult position. I'm practicing standing like this from time to time around my home, just to get more used to it. 

Static lunge, rear foot elevated, 2 sets of 10: 1 set of 10 with 10 pound dumbbells, 1 set of 10 with 15 pounds. Every time I do this exercise, the female trainer (who is also a body builder) at my gym happens to walk through. She always cheers me on while I'm doing them.

Push-up, 2 sets of 10: 1 set of 10 elevated at hip height, 1 set of 10 elevated at knee height. I did the elevated knee height ones on a workout bench. It's the first time I've completed all 10 at that angle. 

Plank, 2 sets at 60 seconds: also did an elevated plank, on a bench. It's a little easier so it made me feel less worried about my abs. I did one for 40 seconds, and then did a thing the book recommends for the second set - I held for 30 seconds, released and rested for 30 seconds, and then held for 30 seconds again. 

Cable horizontal wood chop, 2 sets of 10: 1 set of 10 at 40 pounds, 1 set of 10 at 50 pounds. 

 

And here are my results for week 1: 
 

Quest 1: Workout: 3 days a week of lifting, 2 days a week of cardio. 

I got 3 days of lifting, and 1 day of cardio. :/ I wanted to get cardio in today, but I'm too tired for it - I've been feeling a little like I might be coming down with a cold this afternoon. I should have done cardio on one of my non-lifting days. 

 

Quest 2: Tracking food every day, without exceeding daily point allowance by more than 5 points daily. 

Accomplished. 

 

Quest 3: 7 hours of sleep.

Week 1: 7 hours of sleep for 3 nights. 

Accomplished! Tonight counts as part of week 1, so I won't have full results until tomorrow morning. But so far this week, I've gotten 7 hours of sleep or more 5 nights this week. Edited to add: got 7 hours and 5 minutes of sleep last night, so that's now 6 nights exceeding 7 hours of sleep.

 

Life Quest: Complete two leather things. 

This, I need to get to work on. I didn't even get the leather cut this week. Rawr.

So next week, a little more work on cardio, a lot more work on leather. 

I'm hoping to save myself a little time by making this recipe for Shredded Taco Beef in the slow cooker overnight tonight. That way I can just quickly make some burritos, or serve it over rice with some veggies, or on a salad... lots of options for fast meals. So I'm off to mix up the spices so that it's ready to start at bedtime. Good night! Hope everyone had a good week one!

[Cathelas]

That is a damn good week! Lots of lifting, I bet you make the cardio this coming week no problem. 5 nights on the sleep is great. I too find a slow cooker can give me around 8-10 meals worth of meat, and lots of spare time. Keep up the focus!

[Evermist]

Looks like a good week's worth of progress! Awesome workouts, and glad the sleep goal's going well for you - as someone who's badly affected by even little decreases in sleep time (5 minutes is the difference between happy-Evermist and rampage-Evermist), I do think it's a good goal to work towards, and you seem to be progressing well on that. Keep up the good work!

 

(subbing to follow the awesomeness)

[LiserFrenche]

You did it!  You got through week 1 and did Awesome!!  Keep it up!

[Juni0r83]

Props on your week 1 achieved! You can't expect 100% right out of the gate: you're building new habits here, it takes time. But still, you've managed great levels of success.

[shaeon]

Thanks for all the encouragement, everybody!!! I really appreciate it! 

 

I got 7 hours of sleep last night, again, but I noticed I'm beginning to cut it close. Last night was 7 hours and 9 minutes. I think I need to try and get to bed by 11, because I set my sleep cycle alarm for 7 a.m. This means that it will attempt to wake me up between 6:30 and 7, and so going to bed right at 11 gives me 7 1/2 to 8 hours of sleep. 

 

I also slept really restlessly last night. This morning when I woke up, I'd pulled the covers all over the bed in my sleep. Not normal for me. So I think I need to get back to one of my original means for accomplishing this goal, which is to have a wind-down time before bed to sort of ease the transition to sleep; maybe read a book for 30 minutes to an hour. I get the feeling that that would serve me better than sitting in bed trying to play one more word in Words with Friends before bedtime.