Elsfaire unlocks the Energizer Dragon

[elsfaire]

The Dragon is awake, but is often still sleepy. During this challenge, I will unlock the energy needed to just keep going, and going, and going...

 

 

I know I am positing late again, but I actually started doing this challenge on time. I have already learned that consistently doing the challenge goals below helps enormously with my energy and mood. This is a bit of an "unchallenge" in that my goals might not seem overly specific below, though they are very specific in my mind.

 

Goal 1: Physical Power and Control

 

Improve strength, with a goal of reaching the minimum military fitness standard for women by 4th of July. (****Edit later to include actual stats****). I just turned 40, so I will be VERY happy when I do this.

 

Improve aerobic capacity, with the goal of being able to sustain 20 minutes of aerobic activity without stepping down the intensity by the end of the challenge.

 

Maintain and improve flexibility, balance and body control. This is the fun part. The Hobbit is supposed to get the kids to help him build an obstacle course in the back yard which will help with this a lot.

 

Goal 2: Ideal Fuel

 

Follow 70/30 Alkaline Paleo diet. I had a big increase in energy when I first went paleo, and now I am experimenting with alkaline paleo. The basic theory is this: the body has an ideal pH level of the blood that it needs to maintain. Foods tend to have either an acidifying or alkalizing effect on the body. Eating mostly (70-80%) alkalizing foods helps your body maintain optimal health by not needing to work so hard to keep the proper pH balance. So far, it seems to make a HUGE difference in how I feel.

 

Hydrate! Drink about half my bodyweight in ounces each day of water, non-caffeinated teas, and vegetable juices. For me, the goal is 60-65 ounces.

 

Breathe & lymphasize. Take breaks for deep or pranayamic breathing, and bounce on a rebounder for 20 minutes at least 5 times a week.

 

Goal 3: Focus and Fun

 

Meditate and/or visualize goals daily

 

Daily gratitude

 

Practice authenticity at least twice a week. This means I need to do something that makes me feel vulnerable, or like I am exposing a part of myself I prefer to hide. This will probably include finally posting a progress pic...

 

Get social at least twice a week outside of the Geek gaming meetup. This is one of my biggest challenge areas - contacting and seeing friends.

 

Be an involved parent. At least twice a week, spend quality time with the kids or get them involved in a household project with me. Also a big challenge (read: FEAR) area.

 

 

I am also doing a lot of work on improving my time management, motivation, and my business, as well as the Hobbit's company. I will try to post progress on those fronts as well, at least if something interesting is happening.

[Evermist]

Subbed to cheer you on! All the best - you've got this  

[Lara]

Happy to see you back!

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

Welcome back!!!

[annyshay]

Yay! Glad to see you!

[Waanie]

Glad you're back .

[elsfaire]

Hooray! Great to see you all and I am so happy you decided to join me this challenge!

Just a quick update on some new toys. The Hobbit and I went out and got a (used) "power tower" yesterday and put up a climbing rope and rings outside where we are planning to build our obstacle/patch course. Fun!

Though I think the best part was that the kids came to play around on our new toys with us

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[Lara]

OH-OH-OH!!! It's amazing!! Enjoy it!

 

(maybe I'll want one of these instead of a sad pull up bar...)

[Chris-Tien Jinn]

Oh, how wonderful!!!  It's so much easier to do workouts when the equipment is literally in your back yard.  

[Elastigirl]

So cool! have fun.

[elsfaire]

Ironically, I have not really used the power tower yet, though I have been working out.

 

Challenge Update

Goal 1: Physical Power and Control

 

Improve strength: Maintaining ok, but not improving much yet. I need to do an assessment tomorrow to find out where I am really at.

 

Minimum Air Force standards when arriving at basic training:

• 1.5 mile run: 16:01     
• Push-Ups: 21      (Did 17 pushups in 1 minute yesterday, but with rests)
• Sit-Ups: 38

 

Improve aerobic capacity, Not doing so great. The lymphasizing is aerobic, but that is all that I have been doing other than 1 day on stationary bike. I am having trouble finding something i like enough to make time for it. Maybe the lymphasizing will be enough, though.

 

Maintain and improve flexibility, balance and body control. No obstacle course yet, and not sure it will happen soon considering the schedule we have for the next few weeks. I need to remember to do some of the fun gymnastic skills.

 

Goal 2: Ideal Fuel

 

Follow 70/30 Alkaline Paleo diet. I have not been strict about tracking this, but I would say that I have successfully eaten 70% or more alkaline 6/7 days each week so far. The days that I don't, I feel a lot more tired the next day. Calling it great!

 

Hydrate! Not doing so well with this. Only 3 days so far this week, and that has been the best week this challenge, by FAR. Still learning.

 

Breathe & lymphasize. Improving with these. Lymphasized 3 days week 1, twice week 2, but 4 times already in week 3. It is helping my mood tremendously.
I did pranayamic breaths once week 1, 3 times during week 2, and 4 times so far during week 3. Definitely improving!

 

Goal 3: Focus and Fun

 

Meditate and/or visualize goals daily Have meditated at least 4 times each week so far. Visualized goals 4 times week 1, not at all in week 2, and twice so far this week.

 

Daily gratitude Doing well with this. Only missed 2 days so far since the start of the challenge.

 

Practice authenticity at least twice a week.  I have been putting some effort into this area, but I would like to get better about posting them as they happen.

 

Get social at least twice a week outside of the Geek gaming meetup. Finally did this yesterday - I had lunch with a friend I had not seen for a a couple of years.

 

Be an involved parent. Been successful off and on in this area, but really only about once a week.

 

 

We are definitely in the busy season for the Hobbit's business, which is keeping both of us busy. I am trying to also at least do some learning and planning for my own business (the healthy pregnancy education).

[Lara]

It would seem that you are very busy and don't have time for everything. Why not reduce your challenge to just one or two items on every goal you can push forward and retake the rest once you've got some improvement in those few areas or until you've got more time?

[Eirlys]

Found you! :-)

The power tower looks cool!

Sounds like you're planning to do a lot? How are you finding the gratitude challenge and goal visualization, are they making any difference?

[karinajean]

Wondered where you were but only just got a chance to cruise around and find you!

[elsfaire]

It would seem that you are very busy and don't have time for everything. Why not reduce your challenge to just one or two items on every goal you can push forward and retake the rest once you've got some improvement in those few areas or until you've got more time?

On my phone, so I might be briefer than usual in my replies.

I understand why you recommend simplifying my challenge, but there are a few reasons why I am going to keep on as-is for now. First, as busy as things are, a lot of my goals are things I *need* to do to maintain my sanity and energy. I did little in week 2, and was a miserable, moody mess. Girly parts played a bit of a role, but the timing and intensity was off from my usual pms. Second, anything I do because of the challenge is better than what I would likely do without it. So I am already winning. Third, the only things I feel like I could take out without guilt is the self-care portions, and I am not willing to do that. Finally, I think my problem with "being busy" is more about managing my time-wasters and asking for help from the kids than genuinely not being able to fit in my goals. And so I force myself to learn.

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[elsfaire]

Found you! :-)

The power tower looks cool!

Sounds like you're planning to do a lot? How are you finding the gratitude challenge and goal visualization, are they making any difference?

Glad to have you here! The power tower is cool. I still prefer the over-the-door bar, though, partly because it is right next to the laundry room so I pass it many times on some days.

I love the gratitude and goal visualization. They seem to make a huge difference in how I feel. Gratitude has gotten a lot easier since I started focusing on it last summer, but is not truly a habit yet. The goal visualization is new after attending UPW in March (where we did the firewalk). Right now I am focusing on a goal for my healthy pregnancy products, and a goal of how I want the family to interact together. We are having more fun family moments, so I think it is helping. The pregnancy stuff you will hear more about. It is almost time for me to truly be myself and not hide behind the Pocket Pregnancy brand. I am learning all sorts of great tools through an online "class" I am taking called Platform University.

Wondered where you were but only just got a chance to cruise around and find you!

So glad you made it! You have been a bit busy, so I'm happy to have a share of your limited time.

Ok, maybe that's not so short, lol.

I am slightly wound up. This is an amazing business week for the Hobbit. I think we have 9 programs this week, and because of overlaps I am actually running 2 of them. The first was tonight-a murder mystery. Fortunately, both programs are ones I helped design, though it was a few years ago. They are also more cerebral events, not the crazy chaotic run-around events that make me nervous (but the Hobbit loves).

Today:

Stretching, gratitude, breaths, ALMOST 60 oz of water, and other stuff I think, lol.

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[elsfaire]

Did a workout this morning (lymphasizing, bww and a little stretching) and tried to use the power tower. I have decided that it must have been built for buff 6-foot or taller guys. I can do neutral-grip pull-ups on it, but it is too wide for me for other -ups.

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[Twilight]

Yeah I haven't had much luck on "official" -up bars. [emoji14]

[Elastigirl]

Bummer on the tower. is it adjustable at all? Neutral grip pull ups are good too though.

[Waanie]

Glad to see that you're feeling better and better each challenge .

[Lara]

Not adjustable? Oooooooh!! Sure you'll find a way to use it properly.

[elsfaire]

Yeah I haven't had much luck on "official" -up bars. [emoji14]

The doorway one is ok, though the wide-grip feels a bit wide for me even on that. Though, that might just be because those muscles are not used often. I am becoming disillusioned witht eh power tower. :/

 

Bummer on the tower. is it adjustable at all? Neutral grip pull ups are good too though.

Not adjustable there. The assistance knee board is adjustable, but that is really it. I can still use the tower for neutral grip pullups, dips, and captain's chair, so it is still good to have. Pushups are completely ridiculous for me on the floor bars, but I still want to experiment with using them as parallelletes. Chinups and wide-grip pullups I am just doing up on the doorway bar. My kids still like the power tower. They are taller than me.  

 

Glad to see that you're feeling better and better each challenge .

Thanks! I definitely feel improvement. I don't get unhappy or depressed as often, and I stay there a shorter time when I do. I have also recently discovered that I don't seem to "join" people in their bad moods as easily anymore, which is a huge win for me.

[elsfaire]

Not adjustable? Oooooooh!! Sure you'll find a way to use it properly.

I agree: not adjustable = bad. It seems to work for my kids, though, and I can still use it for some exercises.

[elsfaire]

Ok, so here is a first for all of you- a progress photo (of sorts).

I have not been one to post many photos, and those I posted were a bit incognito. (A few of you may remember the alien mask era...) There are 2 reasons for this. First, I am naturally thin, and I know this makes many women uncomfortable. I have learned to not talk about weight or exercise with people, because most of my RL acquaintances seemed to confuse "fit" with "thin." This they would always tell me I had no need to exercise. :/

Second, as many of you know, I have some insecurity and fear of acceptance issues. My first year on NF, I was determined to pretty much remain anonymous. (Disclosing that I am a childbirth educator and have a prenatal nutrition ebook was a big step) Now I know that I need to just step into the arena. I set an authenticity goal this challenge, and as uncomfortable as it makes me, I need to do it, and starting in as safe a place as possible. So, I am posting this pic where you can clearly see my face (and can probably find out my entire life story if you use Google Goggles search), showing off my "muscles" (the horror and self-centeredness of it!), and being able to see most of my body.

I guess I trust you guys.

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[Lara]

 Look at THAT ARM!!! Envy is not a word big enough to describe what I am experiencing. I hope I'll have one of those some day...

 

It is hard to decide and post pictures, I haven't done it myself yet. I think is very brave. I am very glad you took that step to show us your unmerciful uppercut!!