Elaine's quest to slay the Archdemon, Level 3!

[LadyGrey]

Posting this fashionably late, as always. 
 

This dragon will be the death of me!

 
I am coming into this challenge with very little to almost no motivation at all. I thought about skipping it but then I would feel much worse in the long run. I have relapsed completely on my morning routine since the last challenge but I want to pick it up again. 
 
Quests
1. Practice mindful eating habits. No eating while standing, continue to not eat while gaming or watching tv. Focus on the food and nothing else for at least one meal a day.  WIS + 3, WIL + 2
 

 
2. Track my food intake using FatSecret  I have always been more successful when I keep track of what I have eaten. Also helps put into perspective just how much I am eating. WIS + 3

 

3. Yoga & Walking (One or the other, or maybe both, 5 times a week). Preferably mornings.  STA +1, DEX +1
 

Ready to begin my Walk to MORDOR challenge!

 

 
 
 

Life challenge

Work on cosplay pieces at least 5 days a week. (no time limit, at least SOMETHING). 

 
 
 

Tracking and Accountability

Progress Calendar

Walkers PVP. Walk to Mordor progress in Signature.
Mindful Eating FTW!

[Swampling]

Good to see you back!

 

Even if motivation levels may not be terribly high, doing something is better than doing nothing at all.

 

How's your back holding up?

[LadyGrey]

My back is doing well, thank you.  I twinged it a bit last night while rolling in my sleep, but it's the only problem I've had out if it in a week. *happy dance*  I did a few yoga stretches this morning too. Not very motivated at all  Walking is out of the question for the moment because of the icy weather (although it might be adventurous at some point   But like you said, better than nothing! 

[LadyGrey]

I have looked through so many threads this morning and rad a few posts about people going through the same thing I am. Depression, unmotivated, thinking they will never change their habits. I am there right now. As much as I would love to sit here and read all the replies and suggestions, I can't (for one I am at work lol). Some posts are inspirational, some are TLDR. I don't know, I am very down about myself right now. I have been fighting my weight for 25 damn years. Way too long. I want to be healthy, I want to drop my weight. So if I am not successful does that mean I don't want it bad enough? Like everything else I want, the desire to do everything is keeping me from doing anything at all (if that makes sense). I also need immediate satisfaction. If I don't get it right away then I feel I will never get it at all. Hence why I eat, immediate satisfaction although very short term. Is it lack of proper discipline maybe?

 

I managed to track all my food yesterday. Even tho I wasn't mindlessly eating or binging as usual, it was still a lot. It wasn't too terribly unhealthy like fast food or a lot of candy, just a lot. It's good I started tracking again. When I first came to NF, I wanted to take a few things challenges at a time to keep it simple. I have created some good habits. But my eating was out of control. Time to wrangle it in good. Just gotta keep motivation somehow...

[LadyGrey]

Walk to Mordor has Begun!

Began the first steps of my journey with some beautiful winter scenery! Snow is rare where I live,so it was an exciting way to get out and enjoy something new!

Walked .58 miles using Map My Walk App.

 

[Swampling]

What a pretty way to start your Walk to Mordor!  

 

Did you see there's a walking PVP? 

 

 

I want to be healthy, I want to drop my weight. So if I am not successful does that mean I don't want it bad enough? 

 

 

I don't think that the result "not successful" must mean necessarily that one doesn't want to reach the goal badly enough. Sometimes it's a case of not having found the right tools that will help you get there. 

 

One of my pitfalls on my quest for health had been that what worked for others doesn't necessarily work for me. And there's still a lot of trial and error involved in finding "my" way to better health. 

 

But I truly understand wanting quick results, and it's taken me a while to develop even a tiny amount of patience to stick with one plan for a couple of weeks and give it a chance before I make any changes.  

[Ahyar Dreamspark]

Cosplay goals?

 

Details please What costumes do you have in mind?

[LadyGrey]

What a pretty way to start your Walk to Mordor!

 

Did you see there's a walking PVP? 

 

I don't think that the result "not successful" must mean necessarily that one doesn't want to reach the goal badly enough. Sometimes it's a case of not having found the right tools that will help you get there. 

 

One of my pitfalls on my quest for health had been that what worked for others doesn't necessarily work for me. And there's still a lot of trial and error involved in finding "my" way to better health. 

 

But I truly understand wanting quick results, and it's taken me a while to develop even a tiny amount of patience to stick with one plan for a couple of weeks and give it a chance before I make any changes.

Thanks, Swampling. I just wish I could stop eating. I wish I could just forget about it sometimes, somehow. It's really bringing me down. It was only last year that I realized I had an eating addiction, and I have tried several things to stop. All fails  I am kinda at a loss right now. Tracking what I what I eat at least gives me a push to do something. I need to think of something for accountability...

 

 

 

 

Cosplay goals?

 

Details please What costumes do you have in mind?

Heh heh  Well I am trying. Last year's costume was a fail so like everything else, I am very demotivated. But If I try to work on a little bit of it everyday, at least something will be done!

 

Bekah has inspired me to do a Rainbow Brite cosplay. So far it's easy peasy, just need to sit down and actually DO the work. 

 

Then there is the Grey Warden from Dragon Age 2. Like this one. Except I am not using real scale mail because it is against the convention's rules, so I am having to make all of mine D:  It feels overwhelming. And I am having a hard time trying to find materials. There are only two places in town to buy fabric and I dislike buying fabric online. Then there is the whole "I have to up-size every pattern I make because nothing comes in my size" issue and that gives me problems and then I get discouraged. I am just one big ball of demotivation and discouragement! 

 

But my husband keeps saying this to me, "A master has failed more times than a beginner has ever tried."  Or something like that, lol. I'll just try to keep that in mind.

[Ahyar Dreamspark]

Heh heh  Well I am trying. Last year's costume was a fail so like everything else, I am very demotivated. But If I try to work on a little bit of it everyday, at least something will be done!

 

Bekah has inspired me to do a Rainbow Brite cosplay. So far it's easy peasy, just need to sit down and actually DO the work. 

 

Then there is the Grey Warden from Dragon Age 2. Like this one. Except I am not using real scale mail because it is against the convention's rules, so I am having to make all of mine D:  It feels overwhelming. And I am having a hard time trying to find materials. There are only two places in town to buy fabric and I dislike buying fabric online. Then there is the whole "I have to up-size every pattern I make because nothing comes in my size" issue and that gives me problems and then I get discouraged. I am just one big ball of demotivation and discouragement! 

 

But my husband keeps saying this to me, "A master has failed more times than a beginner has ever tried."  Or something like that, lol. I'll just try to keep that in mind.

 

Eh, all my costumes (Darth Maul, Loki) so far have been great, but I paid to have all of them made :\ I'm not necessarily ashamed of this (I always give credit to the people I hired, etc) but I would really like to do my own stuff. The only prop I've made so far turned out (relatively) all right, so there is hope! I've also had some spectacular failures when it comes to making other things, like armor scales lol.

 

Holy shit, the Warden one will be epic. Whaaaat, how is scale mail not allowed at a con? :\

 

I know the horrible feeling of buying fabric online. I've never done it either, unless I'm ordering leather or vinyl or something. One of the leather places (in the UK) offered to send me little swatches of their material so that I could see what I'd be buying, so that was great. I wonder of online fabric shops would do the same thing? I'm totally going to ask next time. I just want to see WTF I'll be getting.

 

And yeah...patterning is a freaking pain in the ass. I have a pattern-making book that has a shit-ton of information, but even when I made my own pattern from scratch, it still wouldn't fit lol. Cosplay RAAAAAGE!

 

What has to be done on the Rainbow Brite costume btw?

[LadyGrey]

Eh, all my costumes (Darth Maul, Loki) so far have been great, but I paid to have all of them made :\ I'm not necessarily ashamed of this (I always give credit to the people I hired, etc) but I would really like to do my own stuff. The only prop I've made so far turned out (relatively) all right, so there is hope! I've also had some spectacular failures when it comes to making other things, like armor scales lol.

I would love to pay someone to make mine except I don't know anyone who can. Would be a ton of stress off of me!

 

 

Holy shit, the Warden one will be epic. Whaaaat, how is scale mail not allowed at a con? :\

Convention rules that has been debatable for as long as I can remember. No one can seem to get a straight answer out of con security anyway.

My husband and I have played around making some fake armor and it looks cool   I just wish we can get some bigger pieces made. 

 

 

And yeah...patterning is a freaking pain in the ass. I have a pattern-making book that has a shit-ton of information, but even when I made my own pattern from scratch, it still wouldn't fit lol. Cosplay RAAAAAGE!

 

What has to be done on the Rainbow Brite costume btw?

Glad I am not the only one with those troubles! LOL. And for the rainbow brite, I ordered a blue dress and it has arrived already, and I have already found the white trim for the bottom. I bought the materials for the sleeves, just got to assemble and sew them on. Then I still need the belt/suspenders and boots or shoes.

[LadyGrey]

Mindful eating exercise for today:

 

 

I sat down with my homemade stew leftovers and tried to work some mindful eating exercises. It is sooooo freaking hard. One good thing....my soup was freaking hot as hell, so that kept me from eating too much at once. I took small sips at first, then added a pea, then made a spoonful after that. I tried my best to focus on my food, but eating at my desk it way too tempting to jump on the internet and type all this stuff out as I am thinking it! GRAAGHG!

 

But by mid-bowl, I started to see what was on my spoon before I ate it. Sometimes just meat and potatoes, sometimes peas, tomatoes, and meat. I tried to recollect what I saw on my spoon while I was chewing. To be honest, it was boring lol. But it took me a while to eat it.

 

Yesterday at lunch, I decided to not overload my spoon or fork with heaping helpings. Trying to keep it modest. 

[LadyGrey]

Walked on my break today, totals miles walked is now 1.78. For the week. That's not very much, I can do better.

[stealthstitcher]

I sat down with my homemade stew leftovers and tried to work some mindful eating exercises. It is sooooo freaking hard. One good thing....my soup was freaking hot as hell, so that kept me from eating too much at once. I took small sips at first, then added a pea, then made a spoonful after that. I tried my best to focus on my food, but eating at my desk it way too tempting to jump on the internet and type all this stuff out as I am thinking it! GRAAGHG!

 

But by mid-bowl, I started to see what was on my spoon before I ate it. Sometimes just meat and potatoes, sometimes peas, tomatoes, and meat. I tried to recollect what I saw on my spoon while I was chewing. To be honest, it was boring lol. But it took me a while to eat it.

Agreed, absolutely agreed! The urge to grab a book ... the computer ... turn on the tv ... all very strong. People do seem to think it's worth it to make the effort, though. I wonder if the same techniques people use to learn meditation would work for mindful eating? I haven't tried it myself - the idea just now occurred to me - but it seems like there might be some similarities between the two.

 

BTW, I am always super impressed by people who actually cosplay, instead of just thinking wistfully about it like I do. Consider me super impressed by you.

[LadyGrey]

Agreed, absolutely agreed! The urge to grab a book ... the computer ... turn on the tv ... all very strong. People do seem to think it's worth it to make the effort, though. I wonder if the same techniques people use to learn meditation would work for mindful eating? I haven't tried it myself - the idea just now occurred to me - but it seems like there might be some similarities between the two.

Oh man, it is super hard! If I eat at my desk, waaaaay too many distractions. Can't eat in the breakroom, people want to talk to you. I could eat in my car, but then it's really cold outside. lol. Still, eating with distractions can build immunity I suppose. It's just too tempting!

 

And HOORAY for coming up with new ideas! 

 

 

BTW, I am always super impressed by people who actually cosplay, instead of just thinking wistfully about it like I do. Consider me super impressed by you.

Awe thanks I have done a few costumes, but nothing fancy like all the awesome pictures you see all over the internet now. I get insanely jealous of all those models in their awesome costumes and beautiful bodies. Ugh, it used to not be that way. You would see normal people doing something they love, now it seems body image has seeped into my nerdy world and it makes me sad

 

But I have done a few cosplays over the years with just things thrown together for the fun of it. I have done Zoey from Left 4 Dead, Kaylee from Firefly, Macha from .hack//SIGN (which I LOVE the character but the costume was such crap), my Final Fantasy XI character in her Alchemist apron (which I would LOVE to make a red mage hat for it too!), and Pam Poovey from Archer. That one was fun! I can post pics if anyone wants me to share

 

But I wistfully think about it all the time too. There are some cosplays that I dream of doing, but either I am too discouraged by my body image or I am discouraged that I lack the skills to do it. Like FemShep. OMG that is my dream cosplay right now! But I easily get discouraged about everything I do. I should change that, it really keeps me from succeeding in .....gosh....everything in life!

[LadyGrey]

I decided to break down my Walk to Mordor, and I found a nice little map to help me visualize the journey.  I am taking my walk breaks during work (from my first challenge) to get in as much distance as I can. 

 

[Wirilome]

Posting this fashionably late, as always. 

 

This dragon will be the death of me!

 

I am coming into this challenge with very little to almost no motivation at all. I thought about skipping it but then I would feel much worse in the long run. I have relapsed completely on my morning routine since the last challenge but I want to pick it up again. 

 

Quests

1. Practice mindful eating habits. No eating while standing, continue to not eat while gaming or watching tv. Focus on the food and nothing else for at least one meal a day. 

 

 

2. Track my food intake using FatSecret  I have always been more successful when I keep track of what I have eaten. Also helps put into perspective just how much I am eating.

 

3. Yoga & Walking (One or the other, or maybe both, 5-6 times a week). Preferably mornings. 

 

Ready to begin my Walk to MORDOR challenge!

 

 

 

 

Life challenge

Work on cosplay pieces at least 5 days a week. (no time limit, at least SOMETHING). 

 

 

 

Tracking and Accountability

Progress Calendar

Walkers PVP. Walk to Mordor progress in Signature.

Mindful Eating FTW!

The Walk to Mordor is awesome. I once tried to do it and even talked about it with family during a holiday breakfast meal. Worst idea ever. They looked at me like I was bat-shit crazy. 

[raymith]

YAY my favorite druid is back  

You may need a good dragonball z costume though to go with my Hercules Satan

[Swampling]

Cosplay pics of you guys would be a bonus.

[LadyGrey]

The only thing I did from my challenge was working on the sleeves for my Rainbow Brite cosplay. I didn't track my food, I didn't try any mindful eating exercises, I didn't walk. At all. Today I am suffering a massive bout of depression. I lack motivation or the will to follow thru with any of my goals. I fear I may fail this challenge. I have dropped everything I got in the routine of from the last challenge. I think I just need to do some serious soul searching this week.

[stealthstitcher]

The only thing I did from my challenge was working on the sleeves for my Rainbow Brite cosplay. I didn't track my food, I didn't try any mindful eating exercises, I didn't walk. At all. Today I am suffering a massive bout of depression. I lack motivation or the will to follow thru with any of my goals. I fear I may fail this challenge. I have dropped everything I got in the routine of from the last challenge. I think I just need to do some serious soul searching this week.

Gosh, I'm sorry! I wish I had really helpful things to say. Working on sleeves is still more than not working on sleeves. Lacking motivation is really frustrating, but you definitely don't have to skip cheerfully toward you goals - slogging forward angrily (or glumly) is still forward. And time spent soul searching is not wasted time or failure. Anything that helps, helps.

[LadyGrey]

It is frustrating  Which never helps the situation. I can't seem to pull myself out of it. 

 

And sleeves are a vile enemy! lol But I found a way to make it work, hopefully it will look ok.

[stealthstitcher]

 

And sleeves are a vile enemy! lol But I found a way to make it work, hopefully it will look ok.

Ha, yes! I have costuming students who will do anything to avoid setting a sleeve. I tell them they can't escape from it forever.

[LadyGrey]

Ha, yes! I have costuming students who will do anything to avoid setting a sleeve. I tell them they can't escape from it forever.

You have costuming students!?  I am so curious now!    I suck so hard at sleeves ;;   

[LadyGrey]

Today is not such a depressing day, but still very irritable. 

 

I am having a very difficult time with eating. Yeah, I have chipped away at some habits, but I have a deep-rooted addiction to food that I now understand that may never completely go away. I don't know whether to accept that or not. 

 

I didn't track my food over the weekend because the weekends are a black hole for responsibility. Also because I am not sitting in front of a computer all the time at home like I am at work. But tracking my food has been very helpful to see how much I have been eating. That makes me consciously aware of what I am putting in my mouth and I saw a reduction in my calories yesterday because of that. 

 

Walking has been difficult too. Aside from the bout of depression that makes doing anything difficult, my willpower is gone. But on the opposite end of that, my herniated disk is still causing some pain in my back when I do certain exercises so I have to limit myself on a lot of physical stuff. So right now if I ever hope of losing weight, it will have to be done by controlling my eating........  This is the depressing cycle that rolls through my head. 

[yllwrssr4me]

The only thing I did from my challenge was working on the sleeves for my Rainbow Brite cosplay. I didn't track my food, I didn't try any mindful eating exercises, I didn't walk. At all. Today I am suffering a massive bout of depression. I lack motivation or the will to follow thru with any of my goals. I fear I may fail this challenge. I have dropped everything I got in the routine of from the last challenge. I think I just need to do some serious soul searching this week.

Hugs!