In Which Rowan Caldicott Keeps Up Her Momentum

[Rowan Caldecott]

Hello and welcome to my second challenge! I am a Slayer in training, looking to continue the momentum I gathered in my first challenge. Because I aim to be an assassin, my main goals this time are to continue moving, start bodyweight training, and keep working on my food.

 

Main Quest: Right now, my main quest is to become anti-fragile by building up my STR, CON, and DEX.

 

Quest 1: Walk 6 days per week, starting with 21 minutes and increasing by 1 minute each week.

 

A = 35 days, 26 minutes in week 6 (+3 STA)

B = 25 days, 23 minutes in week 6 (+2 STA)

C = 19 days, 20 minutes in week 6 (No stats)

 

Quest 2: Do a bodyweight workout 3 days per week. I am aiming to start with the Recruit workout from the NF Academy, preceded by the TMNT mobility warm-up (because it’s fun!), and followed by an as-yet-to-be-determined cool-down. A caveat: Due to some minor foot and Achilles tendon issues, I am currently limited to doing no squats, lunges, planks, downward dogs, or any such movements that put strain on my Achilles tendons or are otherwise high impact. The doctor says that should only be for a week or two and I am still allowed to walk as normal. So I will focus on the upper body exercises until released to do the full workout.

 

A = 3x/week for 5 weeks (+3 STR)

B = 3x/week for 4 weeks (+2 STR)

C= 3x/week for 3 weeks (No stats)

 

Quest 3: Practice some kind of mindfulness/flexibility workout 6 days a week. Mostly this will be yoga, but I hope to also try some Tai Chi this challenge, just for fun. I also practice (and facilitate) conscious dance and so I will sometimes do that instead of yoga. On the bodyweight workout days, this will mostly just be slow stretching and meditation, with more dynamic workouts on the other days.

 

A = 6x/week for 5 weeks (+3 DEX, +2 WIS)

B = 5x/week for 4 weeks (+2 DEX, +2 WIS)

C = 4x/week for 3 weeks (No stats)

 

Quest 4: Keep a daily food journal.

 

A = Food logged 6x/week, 5 weeks (+2 CON, +1 CHA)

B = Food logged 5x/week, 4 weeks (+1 CON, +1 CHA)

C = Food logged 4x/week, 3 weeks (No stats)

 

Life Quest: Get out of my house and do something active with actual, live people at least 3 times during the challenge – e.g. a yoga class, a conscious dance class, a Tai Chi class

 

Pass/Fail, (+1 CHA)

 

Motivation: I don’t want to be limited by my chronic illness or my physical fitness level. I want to become anti-fragile so that I can do the things I want. As a child, I used to love being active - running, jumping, climbing, pretending to be a superhero or a spy or a bionic woman. I want to regain that joy in moving my body, that ability to play.

[Cathelas]

The Recruit Body Weight Workout was fantastic for me.  I was shocked how much better I felt after just doing it for 2 weeks.  Of course, after the first time I wanted to cut my own legs off because they were so sore.  But I didn't.  Now, 3 sets still gets my heart pounding and sweat in my eyes, but I feel fine the next day.  Great goals!  Best wishes!

[Granny Nogg]

Following and cheering you on!

Sent from my Samsung S4 using Tapatalk.

[Rowan Caldecott]

The Recruit Body Weight Workout was fantastic for me.  I was shocked how much better I felt after just doing it for 2 weeks.  Of course, after the first time I wanted to cut my own legs off because they were so sore.  But I didn't.  Now, 3 sets still gets my heart pounding and sweat in my eyes, but I feel fine the next day.  Great goals!  Best wishes!

 

That's encouraging to read, thanks for posting. I hope I will feel as good about it in a couple of weeks.

[Rowan Caldecott]

Following and cheering you on!

Sent from my Samsung S4 using Tapatalk.

 

Thanks, Granny Nogg!

[RES]

Looks like a very solid plan you have, looking forward to your food journal (I love food, one of the major reasons I need this place and other nerds to hold me accountable...)

[Rowan Caldecott]

Thanks, Redeaglespirit. I love the recipes you posted in your previous challenge. I haven't made any of them yet, but probably will after my next grocery buying excursion.

[Priscillia]

Love your motivation and life challenge   Being anti-fragile is definitively something good to strive towards, esp with chronic illnesses, they always suck but we can't let them define us.

 

It's funny, we all seem to have done versions of that as kids, but somehow as we've grown older we've lost some of that spark.

[Rowan Caldecott]

DAY 1

 

Quest 1: Walked for 21 minutes today

Quest 2: Did all of the TMNT Mobility warm-up except for squats, did the following exercises from the Recruit workout, and finished up with Staci's cool-down, minus the lunges and downward dog

Knee push-ups - 3x10

Dumbbell rows - 1x10x10lbs, 1x10x12lbs, 1x10x15lbs (all were too easy); I tried inverted rows, but too much pressure on my Achilles tendons, so those will have to wait until cleared by the podiatrist

Knee planks - 1x20s, 1x25s, 1x30s (30s is about right, I think)

Quest 3: Did some basic floor yoga and meditated twice, once alone for 11 minutes and another GaiamTV guided meditation for 14 minutes

Quest 4: Logged all my food in my journal (Note: Part of my food plan is keeping a food journal, so I am writing my food in it. I wasn't planning to post my food here, although I suppose I can if anyone really wants to see it. I'm not eating Paleo, but I am trying to cut back on grains and get most of my complex carbs in vegetable form.)

 

Today was my first workout at the fitness center in our apartment complex. When I was doing some of the BBWW exercises at the end of my previous challenge, I was doing them at home and using an Arizona tea jug filled with water for the dumbbell rows. That jug of water wasn't nearly heavy enough, so today I headed over to the gym to use actual dumbbells. While there, I wanted to try a pull-up just because I never have (other than on the diving board while in the swimming pool) and I wanted to see.  Just to see. Yeah, so my husband kindly pulled over the bench so I climb on it to reach the pull-up bar, I put my arms up, and . . . . nothing. I mean, nothing. I couldn't even begin to activate any muscles that might have pulled me up a bit. I could feel my body doing this:

 

[Cathelas]

Pull-ups take time, if they were easy, everyone would do them!  Keep trying.  I think it is one of those things where both your body and mind have to get used to the idea.  The bar over your head is pretty damn intimidating.  DO NOT GIVE UP!

[Raxie]

You've got a Buffy avatar, so it is mandatory that I follow along.

 

 

[Rowan Caldecott]

You've got a Buffy avatar, so it is mandatory that I follow along.

 

 

 

 

Yay, it's a Buffy party!

 

[Rowan Caldecott]

Love your motivation and life challenge   Being anti-fragile is definitively something good to strive towards, esp with chronic illnesses, they always suck but we can't let them define us.

 

It's funny, we all seem to have done versions of that as kids, but somehow as we've grown older we've lost some of that spark.

 

Thanks, Dark Lady.   I think we spend too much time trying to be a "grown-up." Eventually we realize what a lame trade-off that was.

 

[Granny Nogg]

 

 

 

LOLsnort!!!  Oh yes.  Absolutely.  

[Rowan Caldecott]

Random picture because my cats are adorabuhls!

 

[Granny Nogg]

Awwwww! They are indeed adorbs.

Speaking of cats: WHY must they be in the bathroom with us while we're on the toilet? My tabby has been doing that for 15 years. You'd think his curiosity would have been satisfied by now.

Sent from my Samsung S4 using Tapatalk.

[Rowan Caldecott]

Awwwww! They are indeed adorbs.

Speaking of cats: WHY must they be in the bathroom with us while we're on the toilet? My tabby has been doing that for 15 years. You'd think his curiosity would have been satisfied by now.

Sent from my Samsung S4 using Tapatalk.

 

They worry, of course, that we might get into trouble and need their help. I mean, we can't catch mice or birds or groom ourselves; we're so helpless from their point of view.

 

Edit: Removed double quote. My mouse is having double clicking issues and it is driving me nuts! I'm supposed to be getting a replacement in the mail any day now.

[Rowan Caldecott]

DAY 2

 

Quest 1: Walked for 22 minutes today, up one minute

Quest 2: Rest day

Quest 3: Did a GaiamTV yoga session, part 1 of a back bends progression. Did the most amazing Cobra pose I've ever done, thanks to some great instructions from the teacher. And felt incredible afterward. Also meditated for 12 minutes.

Quest 4: Logged all my food in my journal

 

My traps are sore today, between yesterday's upper body stuff and today's back bends yoga. I might need to get out my foam roller and give it a try. It hasn't worked too well for me in the past; deep tissue massage is often painful and inflammatory because of my FM. But maybe I can learn to use it in a way that might work for me. Off to do some Googling.

[Priscillia]

That quote sums up my opinion pretty well.  Unfortunately there's a lot of Adult babies and someone needs to hold the fort down ;P

 

Such cute kitties!  Honestly I did an inner squee (cause otherwise my coworkers would look at me weird).

 

Good on you with cobra pose!  It's probably one of my favorite poses (along with gecko, full bridge/wheel, pigeon and down dog).  Super delicious on the muscles.  For foam rolling, I hate to use rollers on my back.  I use trigger point balls (you can try tennis/baseballs) against the wall (you can also do this sitting against the wall too if you want more).  I find that works better for neck/traps/lower back than the roller (and yes it is sometimes painful to put pressure on one knot, but it'll be worth it later.  Some pain you just grin and bear, it's a delicate balance between it and the bad pain(inflammation)).  Just a thought.

[Rowan Caldecott]

That quote sums up my opinion pretty well.  Unfortunately there's a lot of Adult babies and someone needs to hold the fort down ;P

 

Such cute kitties!  Honestly I did an inner squee (cause otherwise my coworkers would look at me weird).

 

Good on you with cobra pose!  It's probably one of my favorite poses (along with gecko, full bridge/wheel, pigeon and down dog).  Super delicious on the muscles.  For foam rolling, I hate to use rollers on my back.  I use trigger point balls (you can try tennis/baseballs) against the wall (you can also do this sitting against the wall too if you want more).  I find that works better for neck/traps/lower back than the roller (and yes it is sometimes painful to put pressure on one knot, but it'll be worth it later.  Some pain you just grin and bear, it's a delicate balance between it and the bad pain(inflammation)).  Just a thought.

 

I might try some trigger point balls at some point. After doing just a few minutes of research last night, I discovered I was doing the foam roller all wrong when I tried it in the past. I also learned that myofascial release, which is what the foam roller is supposed to do, can be very healing for FM, which leads me to conclude that I need to find a massage therapist who does it. In the meantime, last night I used the foam roller on my upper back, slowly, so slowly, with frequent stops at painful points. It felt so good and I felt amazing afterward, similar to how I felt after that back bends yoga session. Clearly I need to do a lot more work with my upper back muscles. This doesn't surprise me because that's where I most feel FM pain. So I will keep trying the foam roller and do more back bends yoga classes.

[Rowan Caldecott]

This song on my training montage playlist came up when I started doing my push-ups today. It felt appropriate.

 

[Rowan Caldecott]

DAY 3

 

Quest 1: Walked for 22 minutes

Quest 2: Did the TMNT Mobility warm-up, except for squats, did the following exercises from the Recruit workout, and finished up with Staci's cool-down minus the downward dog and lunges

Knee push-ups - 3x10

Dumbbell rows - 3x10 (I worked out at home today due to time constraints, so instead of using a dumbbell, I used my former prop - an Arizona tea jug filled with water - plus two 1L bottles of water, all in a grocery bag; it was still a bit too easy)

Knee planks - 1x30s, 1x35s, 1x40s (40s was just hard enough on the last set, so I will start with that next time)

Quest 3: Did a therapeutic yoga class for upper back on GaiamTV today, wow, did it feel good. I will be doing that one again. Also meditated for 12 minutes.

Quest 4: Logged all my food in journal

 

Saw the podiatrist and nothing has changed. I'm still not allowed to do any of the lower body exercises like squats, lunges, or downward dog. <sob> I am frustrated and very impatient. However, I am going to be doing a few physical therapy sessions for my Achilles tendons, so I feel confident that I will get some good lower body workouts there, because PTs are good at kicking people's asses. In any case, I have learned these past 3 days that I need to do a lot of work on my neck and shoulders to loosen them up, so I guess I will just focus on that for a bit. Already focusing there has given me a couple of great yoga sessions and taught me about foam rollers, so there are positive gains. And with my walking, my legs are at least getting some work.

[Cathelas]

Don't underestimate walking!  When I tore my MCL, it was all I could do for a while, and it really helped.  On a treadmill, it didn't take much incline at all for the heart to start pounding.  It looks like you had a great day!  Way to stay strong!

[Rowan Caldecott]

Don't underestimate walking!  When I tore my MCL, it was all I could do for a while, and it really helped.  On a treadmill, it didn't take much incline at all for the heart to start pounding.  It looks like you had a great day!  Way to stay strong!

 

I've been walking outside on level ground, but I might try the treadmill tomorrow. It could be a good way to up the lower body intensity a bit without going to high impact. Thanks for the idea.

[Priscillia]

Sounds like you're doing great so far

 

And agreed with the "don't underestimate walking"!  Long, slow sustained cardio is much better for you and has amazing benefits, like helping to build the skeletal structure if I remember correctly (remembered this from reading Primal Blueprint).