A journey begins......{KrystalWolf}

[KrystalWolf]

Hiya!

 

My name's Krystal and I’m super-excited to be able to participate in this challenge, my first one since discovering the NF community. I’m new to the RPG side of things, but it sure looks like fun.

 

I’m looking to lose some weight (5kg down so far, 12kg or so to go) and improve my health and fitness levels. I love reading books and generally lead a fairly sedentary life. If I was in a fantasy book, I’d probably be cast as a scribe or a librarian, and while that’s pretty cool, my heart’s yearning for something with a bit more….bounce… in it

 

I have my challenge all written up (It’s also pinned to the noticeboard in my study for extra reminding), so here goes:

 

 

Main Quest:

To reach the weight of 73kg or less by the end of 2015. I will do this by increasing my general fitness, monitoring my caloric intake and making healthier food choices, and getting better quality sleep.

 

 

SMART Quests:

 

1.       Exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes, 4 x a week. I have been exercising 2-4 times a week, so this should be totally achievable. I'll be doing a weekly PT session, and then a combo of BBWW and interval cardio for the remaining three sessions. *EDIT- My fourth exercise session of the week may be any activity as long as I'm up and moving. Dancing, a steady walk, rollerskating, it all counts if I did it longer than 30 minutes

 

2.       Track every calorie I consume, with a daily target of 1300.  I can do this……I need to be mindful of cookies, sushi-binges and boredom eating. 

 

3.       Listen to my hypnosis tracks a minimum of 3 x a week. These improve my quality of sleep substantially, and there is no reason not to listen to them. None. Nada. Zip.

 

 

Life Quest:

 

1.       Spend a minimum of 10 minutes, 3 x a week, in the greenhouse. This is my sacred space. It’s important for me mentally to have time in here. It’s the place I de-funk, de-stress, and de-tox my mind. It needs to be a regular occurrence.

 

 

Motivations:

My motivations are all the different activities that I’d love to try, without having to worry that my weight and lack of fitness will hold me back from giving it a red hot go. I want to get the most I can out of these activities when I attempt them, as due to my location and budget, these are special occasions for me. So, I’m using them as motivations – things I can attempt once I make some headway with my health/fitness goals:  Rockclimbing, Circus Camp, Skydiving, and Swordfighting are on the list, as are Trampolining, a Burlesque make-over/photoshoot, and getting back into Fresh Meat Roller Derby training.

 

 

 

Thankyou all and best of luck to all the new Recruits!

[MoodyBeth2]

Awesome Goals!

How are your going to keep track of your calories?  I bounce between FitPal and Sparkpeople.

[KrystalWolf]

Awesome Goals!

How are your going to keep track of your calories?  I bounce between FitPal and Sparkpeople.

 

I have used My Fitness Pal before, but  technology and I have a love-hate relationship, so I'm just keeping a written log in a 'pocket food and exercise diary'. It works great for me. 

[Blaidd]

those activities are so cool! I hope that you get to do them.

 

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 Adventurers' 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

[KrystalWolf]

Pre-challenge week has been a little less full of positive than I'd hoped for. I've got a head cold, compounded with some work issues and trouble sleeping, and feel less healthy than I would like, both physically and mentally. 

 

To keep it in perspective though, my calorie count has remained relatively ok - I'm on target. Instead of having the chai latte I really wanted yesterday, I drank my water, even though I could have fitted the chai in with my calorie count. Turns out I didn't really need it after all (I also didn't need the chocolate I had in my handbag....and I left that alone too. Wahoo!!)    

 

Exercise has dropped off this week. I have only managed one workout, six flights of stairs carrying a heavy box, plus the thirty lunges Blaidd set for us to do. It's under the target I set for myself, which I'm not thrilled about, but it's also something, which is more than nothing, which would have been my usual state.  

 

I'm not going to go back to my attitude of "well, you didn't manage to do it today, so you might as well not bother about trying tomorrow either". Each day is a new day, I can make progress, even little bit by little bit. Bring on the non-virus infected body so I can get back to it!!

[Phoenix_Riviera]

Yay! Go you for leaving the chocolate and the latte alone!

 

That can be tough sometimes You are doing great and you haven't even started (technically) yet!!!

[KrystalWolf]

So far I'm on track, though it's only been a couple of days. I have kept my calorie count under control, and have meals planned for the week that help with this goal. I also have my hypnotherapy audio next to the bed, ready for after my PT session tonight. Challenge, set, go! Here are my answers to Blaidds mini-quest:

1. Is your overall quest achievable (over a short or long period of time)?  Is it reasonable?  Yes. Most definitely yes. I have been a lot lighter than 73kg, and I think it's a challenging but reasonable timeframe to lose the weight.  

2. Do your 3 quests all build towards your main quest in little ways, or are you taking on too much? Do your quests have sub-quests or is it just one thing to focus on? My 3 quests, plus my life quest, all build towards the same main quest. All are small changes, and should be able to be sustained. 

3. Are your main goals realistic? Can you scale them to smaller steps to fit your life better, even if it will make it take a little longer to achieve them? Realistic. I have deliberately not gone too hard core with these goals, purely because I know I want sustainable habit change - and I can only do this by making small changes that I can stick with.

4. Are your goals able to be measured and tracked?  What will you use to track them? Yes. I have a chart on the wall where I can tick the boxes for each goal, each day.

5. How are you grading your goals?  Are they pass/fail (“every dayâ€, “not even once over the six weeksâ€)?  Is there a reward for the effort, or are you only grading yourself on whether or not you “lose the weight†or “run the distanceâ€? I have a set number of times to complete them each week, or a daily amount to equal. I need a minimum 80% achievement to pass each goal. On successful completion of the 6 weeks, I plan on getting my hair done as a reward. 

6. What is your plan for continuing/altering/grading those goals if you become ill or injured? Three of the four goals can be continued regardless of illness/injury. I have an alternate exercise plan for if I am injured, dependent on where the injury is.    

7. Did you take into consideration any special occasions (Labour Day, Independence Day, birthdays, anniversaries, etc) that may occur during the challenge?  What modifications do you need to build into your goals for those? My challenge started one day late due to a long weekend away at a tournament. My calorie count will be averaged across the week, allowing me to have an 'indulgent' meal on a special occasion as long as it fits with my calorie count.

8. Do any of your main goals conflict with each other? Will one goal make it hard to do another? No

9. Do you already have the time in your schedule to actually complete the goals you’ve set?  If not, what are you planning to do to make time for them? Yes. My biggest problem is motivation - it's winter here, and cold. I have to remember the flip side of that coin is that exercise is great for warming up!

10. Are you trying to build multiple habits, or is all your energy focused on your main quest? I am attempting to build smaller habits, which then naturally contribute to the main quest. 

 

Keep strong, stay focused, live well. 

[KrystalWolf]

Just checking in to log my progress so far. 

 

I've been largely successful with my goals for this first week. I'm on track with my hypnotherapy and greenhouse time, and my calorie count has been below my maximum limit  

 

My fitness took a bit of a backslide with illness last week, and I'm still not completely over it, and will only manage to do 3 out of my self-challenged 4 exercise sessions this week. I need to accept that one small misstep is ok, and focus on what I can do better next week. What I am always surprised at is how much I enjoy exercise. Dont get me wrong, I whinge about getting ready and struggle with motivation to get my arse moving most days, but the post-workout glow makes it all sweeter

 

I'm seeing positive changes in my fitness - I ran at 2km/hr faster than I normally do for about a third of my 'fast' intervals on the treadmill last night, and I'm seeing changes with how my clothes fit much better since I've been more active. 

 

All in all, I'm quietly motivated to make sure I'm winning this challenge, little by little!!

[Storm00]

Sounds like you are doing great. Keep it up!

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[KrystalWolf]

Sounds like you are doing great. Keep it up!

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Thankyou  

[Terah]

Hi Doodlie
Looks like you have a good plan there. 

Subbed

[KrystalWolf]

Wow. What a great first week of the challenge!! 

 

I'm pretty satisfied with how I went. I completed all of my SMART goals, except the exercise at 4 x weekly. I did three sessions, but couldn't quite make the fourth. I'm not hugely worried about this, as I had allowed for a couple of weeks at three sessions in my overall plan. 

 

I feel my quality of sleep has improved, even though I'm still feeling a bit tired. It's only the first week though, and one week wont make up for years of inferior sleep lol, but it's a pretty good start. Spending time outside was a blessing too......I didn't realise how much I had missed it. It's something I really need to do to make sure my mental health is being looked after and my willpower gets replenished.  

 

I did my weekly 'weights and measures' this morning. I have lost a couple of centimeters here and there, plus a whopping 1.2kg this week! How's that for self-motivating!!! I know each week wont be as high as this, but it's nice to see good results pop up every now and again. My calorie count busted over the 1300 on a couple of days, but on average over the seven days it came in underneath. I'm a gradual girl, I measure my weight/body measurements weekly, as I believe there are too many fluctuations to do it daily. I'm taking the same approach with my calories. 1300 every day is great, but an average 1300 over the week is just as good, especially as this allows me to have a day where if things don't work out how I planned food-wise, it's still possible to reach my targets overall. 

 

Getting pumped for week 2, and looking forward to my date with the elliptical this evening!!!! 

[DarK_RaideR]

Off to a great start. Keep it up on Week 2!

[KrystalWolf]

Thanks for your encouragement!

 

I might have overdone it a tad on the elliptical, but tomorrow is a rest day, so my body has some time to recover

Plus, I was so in love with my steak and steamed vegetables tonight that I just sat there in bliss for a few minutes afterwards. All of the noms.

[Terah]

What a great start!

[our.lady.of.ashes]

Sounds like you're making awesome progress and not stressing the hiccups which is fabulous. Keep it up!

[KrystalWolf]

Sounds like you're making awesome progress and not stressing the hiccups which is fabulous. Keep it up!

 

Thankyou I used to stress non-perfection quite a bit as a child, and it still plagues me on occasion. I would normally not even start something, or give up quickly, if I knew it wasnt going to be perfect. Here's to being more wabi sabi.

 

Cheers  

[KrystalWolf]

Mid-second-week check-in ahoy!

 

Everything is on track- one day in the greenhouse left to go, one listening of the hypnosis, and two exercise sessions, with three days left this week. Calories are also on track, but I need to be cautious tomorrow and Sunday as we have an evening out planned on Saturday where my total could rack up quite quickly (alcohol). I have a drink planned which is low-cal, plus I'm not a big drinker, so it wont take too much for me to get merry

 

I have completed both of the mini-quests set in the Recruit Forums so far. The attribute points thing gives me workable totals and measures, which satisfies my brain somewhat. My current calorie log-book doesn't appear to be for sale in my area any more, so I'm going to do an excel version. This will also satisfy my brain, and give me a little outlet for creativity. I have noticed in the past my creativity levels rise when I have spent more time in the greenhouse. I need to ensure I don't slack on this part of my challenge, it benefits me on a few levels to keep this one going strong!!    

 

Mentally and emotionally it's been an interesting week. There was a big explosion of drama at work, and I could have easily come home and eaten my feelings, but I didn't. Instead, I made myself go to a place I have people who inject positive energy into my life, and it really helped. So did a nice strong cup of tea   I'm a big believer that a good cup of tea (herbal or otherwise) is one of the best remedies you can get.

 

Here's to finishing week 2 with strength and positivity. 

[KrystalWolf]

Week 2 is now complete.

 

I achieved all my SMART goals this week. Calories averaged out nicely, exercise was pleasantly enjoyable due to a walk in the Botanical Gardens, and both my hypnotherapy and greenhouse time were achieved. I even managed some extra time with my plants yesterday.

 

Weights and measures this week are also on track. This week saw a weightloss of 0.9kg, which is pretty amazing. I don't want to lose the weight too quickly, as I'm fearful it will rebound straight back on. I need to make my habit changes sustainable, and I'm pretty sure I'm doing that. I'm including more vegetables in my diet, snacking less, and if I do snack, it's usually a healthier option, and my overall portion sizes are smaller. Small changes = big changes.

 

It was a challenge yesterday - I was a little hungover, and had bacon and eggs, with a big slab of toast for breakfast. It wasn't as delicious as I had hoped for, but it got me through the day. I was desperate for something sweet a couple of hours later and ended up buying some orange juice, but only drank half the bottle, instead of chugging down the lot. I think if I try to ban a food from my diet, I'll only want it more (temptation and I get along a little too well), so if I work on having them less frequently, and making sure they fit with my calorie count where possible, I'll be ok. 

 

I'm feeling a lot more comfortable now, simple movements are starting to become easier, and I'm fitting into some of my old clothes. Still motivated to keep on the path though, I'm nowhere close to where I want to be just yet!!  

 

Let Week 3 of the challenge begin!!! 

[our.lady.of.ashes]

Yay for wins in week 2. Good to see you're definitely getting your you time in with the greenhouse.

[MoodyBeth2]

It sounds as though you are exactly where you want to be s: strong, motivated, and focused. Maybe not the right number but you are inspirational.

[Ensi]

Hey there, Doodlie! I love your challenge! You've really given a lot of thought for your goals - and you're super dedicated. It also seems like you're really focused and doing well, wow...! I'm getting motivated myself just by reading your thread

 

Have lovely Tuesday, KW!

[KrystalWolf]

It sounds as though you are exactly where you want to be s: strong, motivated, and focused. Maybe not the right number but you are inspirational.

 

Thankyou  I feel focused, motivation waxes and wanes on a daily basis lol. I'm still not quite believing I'm actually doing this and succeeding. It's a touch surreal. 

 

Hey there, Doodlie! I love your challenge! You've really given a lot of thought for your goals - and you're super dedicated. It also seems like you're really focused and doing well, wow...! I'm getting motivated myself just by reading your thread

 

Have lovely Tuesday, KW!

 

Thankyou! I chose my goals because I knew I could make the small changes to them and have a chance at success. It appears I'm SMART-er than I thought lol. 

[SomeGuyFromScotland]

It appears I'm SMART-er than I thought lol. 

 

[Gryph]

I'm feeling a lot more comfortable now, simple movements are starting to become easier, and I'm fitting into some of my old clothes. Still motivated to keep on the path though, I'm nowhere close to where I want to be just yet!!  ! 

 

One of the best feelings in the world.  Congrats on a successful week 2!