My First Challenge!

[kriket]

Hello I have been lurking around NF for a while and I have finally caught a challenge! I don't want to bore anyone with the saga that is my weight, so here are my goals.

 

Main Goal 

Reduce body fat percent by 7%

 

To get there:

 

1. 1200 calorie IF diet

-- I already do this, but I need to clean it up. I am sloppy about what time my window opens and closes. After about a month of trials I am ready to make a goal of 18:6. I like to have a light lunch which will be at 3, dinner with my kids at 6:30-7 and a snack before bed. (usually popcorn, I think I feel OK about that) 

 

O I am changing this. I have decided to go Keto, and trust fitbit's estimation of what I burn. I will take my band off when I mow and drive, because it thinks I am running marathons when I mow! Still IF, that just works for me. Coffee in the morning, lunch at 2, dinner at 630. Keep post dinner snacking to sugar free jello

 

2. Waterwaterwaterwaterwater.

--Again something I already do, but have got waaaaaay lazy. Especially on the weekends, which are extended for me because I am a student and don't have class on Monday. I will fill up my three old poweraid bottles and drink them all, every day. 

 

3. Cardio and Bodyweight exercise

-- 3x/w

I am working through the C25k app again, I have access to an indoor track so I really don't have a single excuse. One weekend day, either Sunday or Monday, and Wednesday and Friday are my days to run. 

-- 2x a week for body weight training. I really want to see some muscle development! I feel that cardio and resistance will help meet my goal of reduced body fat.

 

Challenges:

I am traveling on three separate occasions before the end of the challenge. While traveling I need to choose to not eat, rather than eat something dumb. This will be my issue. Me, and my extended family think there needs to be a lot more food in our lives than there really needs to be. Honestly, I won't starve, I don't have to eat just because other people think I do. It's ok to say no and walk away. 

I am able to workout while traveling and need to maintain my exercise schedule. It's 3 weekend trips, not months of extended hotel stays. All that time in planes and cars isn't going to do me any favors, so I must make time to workout. 

 

Exam week is not an excuse to not exercise. It takes 30 mins to run or the resistance workout. 3 hours working on myself isn't going to impact my studies. Exercise first and get it over, then I have the remainder of the day to study! 

 

Fatterday- My husband has gone hog wild with my cheat day we call "Fatterday" (it's saturday) Fatterday has turned into an all out free-for-all, no holds barred, food-fest. I just kinda got sucked into the candy vortex. That's unacceptable. I swear every fatterday I gain the 2 pounds I spent all week losing and I am done with it. Fatterday will hence-forth be EITHER be ONE cheat meal or ONE ACTUAL SERVING size snack. NOT BOTH. ,<- period

 

I am on Fitbit and MyFitnessPal and would love more friends to follow!

[Ekalf33]

Awesome! Glad to have ya! FOLLOWING!

[kriket]

1. yes and yes!

2. um, yes

3. yes? I am starting to think I should have made more challenging goals

4. yes,bio impedance scale

5. I am grading P/F every day. I have a spread sheet

6. I will re-evaluate my method and extend my goal if ill or injured

7. yes, i have travel and I have planned time for exercise and will stick to calorie counts

8. no

9. yes. I just have to actually DO it during the scheduled time. Fitness needs priority

10. I am reinforcing multiple habits that I have been developing.

[kriket]

Yesterday was a good day. I came in right at my calorie goal even though I raided the fridge for the cheese and boiled egg kind of late in the evening. I really like eating late, and I need to get out of the habit. The husband and I found the fitness blender online videos and are working through one of the 5 day ones. I like it so far! Lots of squats yesterday and my legs are feeling it this morning.

 

So far on track for the day today. I have my lunch packed, and my water bottle with me. Husband said hes in the mood for salad for dinner, so that should be a nice light option. Have another fitness blender on the docket for tonight. Nothing else planned to get in the way, just homework since finals are coming up shortly. 

[Ekalf33]

Dang, sounds like you got it taken care of, great job!

[kriket]

Not a bad day yesterday but off to a rocky start today. I left my phone at the house and I usually run, but now I don't have my app and music I will run when I get home, but I don't like the disruption to my day.

 

Did my workout yesterday, even thought I needed some weights and didn't have them. Staying on track for day 2!

[Blaidd]

hehe, Fatterday, that's awesome!  

 

You might notice that someone has added a tag to your post.  This is not to box you into a corner but rather because your goals or lifestyle have links to the guild you've been tagged and we'd like to bring you to the attention of one of their guild ambassadors. These ambassadors will be able to offer you advice, encouragement and support on your goals.  You don't even have to wait around for them to come introduce themselves to you, you are more than welcome to pop into the Rangers' board and introduce yourself to the guildies there. I am also around to answer any questions that you might have so do not hesitate to PM me.

 

Good Luck with your challenge

AB xx

[Amdhiel]

Hello and Welcome to the Rebellion!

My name is Amdhiel and I’m an ambassador for the Assassin Guild. I see that your challenge includes a few things that we Assassins enjoy and we’d love to help you crush your goals! 

If you want to gather some more information about the guild, stop buy the Assassin Guild Info & Announcements thread to find out what’s happening. Keep an eye out for the Assassin Phone book if you want to find someone with similar interests, including bodyweight workouts.

If you want to get to know our crazy guild better or just ask a question stop by the Assassins' Den or the Level 1 Assassin Initiates Q&A/Chat thread for Level 1’s and introduce yourself. We’re a friendly and supportive guild so don’t be shy about sending us messages or asking for help!

If you ever have any questions or need any help, please let me or any Assassin Ambassador know.  The Ambassadors and I will be checking in on you from time to time to see how you’re doing. Remember that most successful path is one that includes plenty of support. You're going to crush those goals!

[kriket]

Thank you both for your invites to look at guilds! That's very exiting and I will be looking into both of them! I don't know what I "want to be". I do want to be something, I feel like I do best with goals and deadlines and something to work for. I like to get way to interested in things, and I would love to get creepy into something fitness related. 

 

So. I forgot my phone again today and didn't run at school. I did come home and run, then ate WAY too much for lunch. I can save it though with a lighter dinner. DH wants today to be fatterday so I picked out a Lindt easter rabbit as my treat. Which including that still comes in right on my calorie count which is pretty exiting. 

 

Random thought of the day, I wore a shirt that I haven't been able to button for a while today and looked pretty good in it! I have to visit family this weekend, and they haven't seen me since I was much larger. I forget that even thought I have gained weight from my goal weight, I am still 40 pounds smaller than I once was. 

[kriket]

ugh. One trip down, two to go. This was the hard one. I had the whole family with me, and it was to visit my husbands side of the family. I ate too much candy, didn't drink any water (who can when they are stuck in a car all day) and didn't exercise.

 

This week is finals week, but I need to make exercise a priority to get through it. We have a workout schedule, so I just need to do it!

[Elastigirl]

So hard to note eat candy when all the family is. The rest of your week went well, and now you can get back on track. Fatterday cracks me up, yeah I can relate, got the been there done that badge.

[kriket]

I finally feel like I am back on track for the week. Sort of. It's a super busy week. My kids birthday party is tomorrow night, (at the skating rink, so 4 hours of skating for meeeee!) I have eleventy billion papers and projects to finish this week, and finals. Luckily not all of my classes have finals. I ran today AND jazzercised with the husband. So wooo! Also walked from the nutter center to main campus (and got sunburn, need to remember sunscreen)

 

Hubs and I are starting the bodyweight workouts I read about on startbodyweight.com I really like the progressions and that there isn't any equipment. I have a walker I am going to save for when I can do dips with my full weight, and have a door frame pull-up bar. of course a jump rope too. Pretty exited about that! 

[kriket]

I am really discouraged today. Looking at my fitbit and my weight has basically been the exact same since January. I have been 99% on top of my diet all this month. You would think I would lose a pound or two. Lesigh. I will keep with the program and keep giving it my all, and if at the end of the 6 weeks I am still just hovering at this weight I will talk to my doctor.

[starsapart]

Hmmmmmmmmm, so you're weighing and measuring everything, eating at a deficit, but your weight isn't changing?  That IS strange.  Are you eating back exercise calories?  Sometimes MFP grossly overestimates those.

 

In any case, checking in with a doctor might help!  Don't get discouraged!

[kriket]

starsapart - I can 100% say yes. I was eating at a deficit, weighing myself, my food, all the things. (most of my stuff is prepackaged like tuna pouches, and if it's not, like dressing, I have little 2T jars for them) and even if I was mismeasuring, I had myself at 1200 calories. Even if I was underestimating I feel like thats still a deficit. I am 5'8" 210lbs. 

 

But a quick check it, I visited my sister across the country and she's talked me into trying keto. so, why not.  I am lactose intolerant but usually full fat stuff doesn't screw with me too bad. 

 

Also, I lost 4 pounds and am a smooch under where I have been bouncing recently so I am counting that as a win. I have been testing with ketostix and seem to be about 15mg/dL now and haven't gotten "the flu" but do feel kind of tired, but it's also shark week, exam week and my husband is sick. 

[kriket]

really trying to stay focused for this challenge, and I am doing a really really piss poor job. Yesterday was my last exam, so I am just waiting for the grades! Today I just laid around. I mowed the lawn and just kind of kicked it. The past 2-3 days have been too high calorie. Today was much better. The bacon cheeseburger diet seems to be treating me well. I am eating in a deficit and not at all hungry which is a HUGE thing for me. I get zombie hungry where I srsly just want to eat EVERYTHING. I can binge on 6000 cals easy. 

[starsapart]

I hope trying new things regarding your eating helps you out........ 1200 may be too low at your height and weight, especially if you're exercising.... I say this as someone who is the same height and at one point in time was at that same weight.  if you eat too little, your body slows your metabolism to molasses......

[kriket]

I can't decide if its too low or not :/ My activity level is all over the place. I run 5k 2x a week, and do body weight stuff with the husband 3x a week. During the school year I am all over the place and I know burning more. (I am in school to teach health and P.E.)

 

I have been at 1500 and it seems to be real easy to creep up to 2000. I think I am going to stick with 1200 for now until I see how Keto treats me. 

 

Its rough being on break. I don't know what to do with myself except eat I don't really like being home like this so it makes me a little jumpy, and anxious. 

[kriket]

happy mothers' day! 

 

I am doing surprisingly ok. Keto is treating me good, and I have my sister and future BIL to share the keto journey with, so that's really nice. I weighed in at 206.0 yesterday (the weekly "official" weight) and I am ok with that. It's 1 pound less than last week, which isn't a lot, but it's more than I have seen in a long time. I am not hungry all the time, though thinking about food takes up a lot of my time :/ forums, meal planning and pinterest help a little. So I can think about food, but not eat it. 

 

I have adjusted my calories and am putting my trust in fitbit to tell me how much to eat. Seems to be settling about 1500 cals. 

 

I am exited to just plug away at this week and see what the scale says. Shooting for 203.xx!

 

Also, got my grades in and I got a 4.0 

[Elastigirl]

Congrats on the 4.0-Impressive! And good idea to track with fitbit.

[starsapart]

Hope all is well?  We're in the home stretch now!