If Alexandrite was going to Camp...

[Alexandrite]

I used to be a camp counselor for a Girl Scout camp and just about feel addicted to the energy that gets generated by a group of people who WANT to be at a camp and get to do awesome things. I realize I'm inordinately excited for something I'm not even going to because of financial reasons, but I felt that the only way I can really get motivated these days is through the Assassin Guild (friendly competition mini's!) or through being able to do something child-free that feeds the crazy kid inside my soul. What combines the two? Camp Nerd Fitness! And more Assassin minis. Always more.

So here we go...

Main goal: Be prepared for camp. All assassins should be ready at any time for awesomeness to go down (or up).

I need three things to improve in order to accomplish ultimate camp fun:

1. Overall endurance/strength (increasing participation in sustained activities). I will be doing some kind of activity for this every day, so below is a rough outline of available activities.

Start Bodyweight basic routine with matching warmup and cooldown.

Yoga (Tues and Thurs classes)

Nerdwarts mini-challenge

Alternative activity that constitutes working out

Each workout/activity earns me a point. 7 points minimum each week for a passing grade. Bonus: pass all weeks, buy a special assist such as Theraputty, yoga blocks, or my own set of weights!

2. Specific pelvic strengthening (to unlock running and climbing activities). Still working on the exact details of this one with Dr. Focker (the physical therapist husband, and yes he picked his own nickname, haha!). I can't do running or climbing until my pelvic area is strong enough to hold its own.

Targeted therapy exercises ('Squishing spiders', etc)

Specific yoga moves aimed at this area (with Udaya-something engagement, I always forget the name)

Kegels (sets of 5 held for 15 seconds each, controlled release, will increase over time)

Each activity earns me 1 point. I need to do something towards this at least twice a day, so 14 point minimum per week for a passing grade. Bonus: pass all weeks, buy running shoes!!! I bought myself walking shoes in the meantime...

3. The conquering of the sugar vs protein imbalance in my diet (better fueling habits and energy). Finally taking the plunge on this. I will be actively cutting out processed sugar/junk/other poor fuel sources and making an effort to write down or track on My Fitness Pal the meals (ALL the food) I eat. I want to KNOW I'm giving myself the best possible fuel to make the first two improvements really stick.

Track all food each day in MFP

Fight Voldemort and his evil sugar powers, celebrate the alternative choices made

Leafy greens once a day at least

This is honestly pass or fail each day. I either do all three or I don't. So 1 point for every day completed. 7 points for passing grade, with 2 special exception days allowed, but not required. Bonus: pass all weeks AND I don't use the exception days by the end of the challenge, I will look into getting a Foodsaver or other food prep item!

So there you have it. I'll have a few days practice this week to start getting into the daily habits. Photos and measurements coming soon.

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[Alexandrite]

Week 1 Summary

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[Alexandrite]

Week 2 Summary

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[Alexandrite]

Week 3 Summary

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[Alexandrite]

Week 4 Summary

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[Alexandrite]

Week 5 Summary

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[Alexandrite]

Week 6 Summary

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[Alexandrite]

Original post updated with challenge goals. I plan on doing the AMRAPs tomorrow for Nerdwarts!

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[Evermist]

Looks good! That GIF is incredible, by the way - I spent five whole minutes just watching it loop and being amazed. XD

 

All the best! Subbing to cheer you on

[Elastigirl]

woohoo, looking forward to your challenge.

[Alexandrite]

So the day is finishing up.

・Yoga and Nerdwarts AMRAPs - 2 points for activity (pass)

・Uda-somethingorother pelvic practice during yoga and EDIT no Kegels before bed... - 1 points for strengthening (fail)

・Tracked all the food on MFP (AlexandriteNF) and ate coleslaw, which doesn't totally count for leafy greens but it was a good try. I lost ground completely against Voldemort's sugar minions and went with the 'if I eat it all now it won't be around during challenge' route. Haha... so no point for me today regarding diet.

Thoughts -

I completed the AMRAPs for my Nerdwarts enrollment and my right wrist was a bit unhappy by the end of the day (stiff, twingy). I sprained it badly back in Feb and it has taken its time getting caught up. I think yoga will have to be isolated on its own day and I will have to be careful about other activities I do in the same day. Even with foam wedges, alternative poses, and slow movement my wrist still doesn't like to do too much.

MFP tells me I'm not too far off on my dietary 'norms' overall, even though I ate ice cream and donuts and white rice and crackers today... all stuff I was thinking would put me way over. I'm highly deficient in my daily potassium though and need to up my vitamin intake as well. This tells me that even when I eat 'healthy' like I think I should, I'm not taking in *enough* of what I need (protein, nutrients) to fuel myself properly even at low activity levels, hence the cravings for sugar and such. I believe this is also why I started losing weight when I was doing bodyweight workouts a few challenges ago, which concerned me at the time because I didn't feel I should weigh what I did back in high school (I certainly don't look like I did back then). I'm actually kind of curious how I would find out what my ideal weight/measurement range would be for my age/body type.

I have a plant-based protein powder in the back of the pantry I may pull out and start making smoothies with again. Need to find a recipe that makes it less powdery tasting.

That's it for tonight!

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[Alexandrite]

Haha, I'm typing this in bed as I recover.

Recover from one awesome kickass day yesterday! I spent most of it running around doing 'errands' and meetings and such, but left at 5:30 for epic date night! Babysitter for the kids, dinner at a cool 'world cafe' and then the Wheels of Soul tour kickoff concert, with Susan Tedeschi and the Tedeschi Trucks band, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, and some other guy Doyle (we didn't make it for him since he was the first act). I earned some money from my website tinkering that I used to purchase 5th row seats. And I tell you what, it was a ROCKING concert. Dr. Focker and I had a great time and it was totally on the level of Dave Matthews Band and other masters of live performance. I will go back and enter what I ate in MFP, but I did nothing for fitness or pelvic stuff. Glad I had that day before challenge started! Practice makes perfect.

So here we go, new day! Random thought, if I didn't have kids I would totally be using that Shia Lebouff 'just do it' video as my workout alarm.

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[Alexandrite]

Entered my food in MFP, totally ate enough for another meal yesterday so I could make it through the concert, but it wasn't necessarily the greatest choices. I'm realizing I will really have to have things on hand in the future for better protein sources.

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[Alexandrite]

Finished MFP entries for today. Still in recovery mode but much better now. Planning on getting back into meal planning.

Took kids to children's museum and also to beach. Lots of activity.

Two pelvic exercises today!

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[Alexandrite]

So I'm glad I set up goals and practiced doing them over the last four or five days, since it was a good warm up for building the habits for the challenge.

Logged MFP food for Sunday. Didn't do much else in regard to my challenge goals. But the weekend is hardest for me since my family takes a lot of my attention and time.

Anyway, welcome to week 1! I'm ready!

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[Alexandrite]

Start Bodyweight workout - 1 point activity (pass)

Pelvic therapy in the morning, finishing kegels now at night - 2 points for pelvic strengthening (pass)

MFP logged for today, turned down an ice cream offer and fought off a sugar craving, and made my first ever Berry Salad Smoothie with a scoop of protein mix (Kale, spinach, and chard were all there, it wasn't too bad!) - pass!

My first full day of the new 6 week challenge and I get all passes! Yay! I also had time to read my bible this morning, fold and organize all the clothes in all the drawers for all the family, AND have a pretty okay day with the kids despite all the screaming my toddler son feels is necessary (both happy and upset screaming). Tired, but my body feels like staying up. Wonder why?

Night!

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[teddie.bare]

Sounds like you are off to a great start, girl! 

 

I'm super sad you won't make it to camp, but hopefully next year. 

 

The sugar beast is a hard one. My mother sent home some liquor based chocolates from Italy OMG. I had way too many the first day. yesterday I managed only one. But I could hear them calling me from the bag. It's not something you ever really get over, unfortunately. But you're doing great, and it'll get easier overall.

 

I'll be checking in when I can to see how you are doing. Sounds like amazon goals, and I can't wait to see how you do!

[Alexandrite]

Sounds like you are off to a great start, girl!

I'm super sad you won't make it to camp, but hopefully next year.

The sugar beast is a hard one. My mother sent home some liquor based chocolates from Italy OMG. I had way too many the first day. yesterday I managed only one. But I could hear them calling me from the bag. It's not something you ever really get over, unfortunately. But you're doing great, and it'll get easier overall.

I'll be checking in when I can to see how you are doing. Sounds like amazon goals, and I can't wait to see how you do!

Thank you! I think I will be able to go if getting pregnant doesn't happen next year... haha! My husband and I think we're crazy enough to have more.

Yesterday was good, but not all passes. I got sucked into a good book and forgot to finish logging dinner (had the app open and everything for it!) and I forgot to do my nightly kegels while reading. The book was that interesting!

So,

- yoga for 1 activity point (pass)

- Did some targeted pelvic/ab strengthening in yoga for 1 point out of 2 (fail)

- Logged most of my meals, had some more smoothie with salad, and threw away the peanut butter cups Dr. Focker had snuck into the freezer, much to his dismay. (Mostly pass)

Another day, let's do it! Feeling a bit stiff, and I've been wanting to eat and sleep more. My body is still thinking about whether it likes all this new activity, lol. I haven't done photos or measurements yet, need to before the week is done.

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[Lightning]

Entered my food in MFP, totally ate enough for another meal yesterday so I could make it through the concert, but it wasn't necessarily the greatest choices. I'm realizing I will really have to have things on hand in the future for better protein sources.

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Hello Fellow Gryffindor!  Thought I would start checking out all my housemates' challenges

 

Having good protein around is something I'm working on too. I have a lot of hard boiled eggs and whey powder in my future.  I've started adding in some gelatin too.  Not so much for the protein but it does give me another 12-15 grams a day.

[Alexandrite]

Well, MFP is telling me I'm hitting my protein goal most every day, so I guess I'm close? I'm just trying to reduce the sugar by replacement rather than denial...

- Nerdwarts retest today for 1 point activity (pass)

- kegels both morning and night for 2 points (pass)

- logged meals, avoided chowing down on graham crackers and other tempting kids snacks. Did not manage to eat fresh leafy greens today as mine went bad in the fridge!! But I did eat a lot of veggies today so I will count them. (Mostly pass)

Anothee good day, where I forced myself to keep up the good fight. The mini did motivate me to do something rather than just 'do workout tomorrow' or whatever excuse. So that's good!

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[Alexandrite]

Woo, let's catch up.

- Yoga AND 220 step ups for a Nerdwarts surprise mini for 2 activity points (pass)

- pelvic work in yoga and kegels at night for 2 activity points (pass)

- Just now logged my food for yesterday (most of it anyway), only ate 2 yogurt pretzels and did not buy ice cream. I bought more salad but ended up not eating it, went for the brie and apple instead... (fail)

Seriously I had no idea my legs could do that much! It was pretty fun. The food thing is interesting. I think I've got good goals set up this challenge because I can feel the struggle inside. They are attainable goals but they are taking work on my part.

I'm going to go off on a bit of a tangent here. I don't want to complain, I just need to reflect.

Yesterday I was catching up on others' threads, particularly Trewest's and the discussion about being the same weight as a while ago but being much stronger. I know there have been many conversations about body types here on NF, but I finally realized something. I'm afraid to lose weight. Not just normal 'I don't want to be an unhealthy weight' or worried about becoming 'stick thin' but a somewhat strangely large fear to not being 'myself' as I know me today if I were to lose weight.

I think the biggest thing for me is that my body naturally is 'willow' like, where I don't have much curves and I'm taller (5'6"). I used to run cross country in middle school and some in high school, and I felt and pretty much looked like a boy (in my opinion) because I had hardly any body definition as a female and my hair was short. I wore padded bras, grew out my hair, and really tried to feminize myself, but fashion has never been my interest or forte and it feels like so much superficial work. I was 124 pounds for years even though I grew in height. I tried desperately to actually gain the famous 'freshman 15' in my first year of college but my metabolism is so high it just never hapoened.

When I finally hit my third/fourth year of college I had some kind of final growth spurt. Within weeks, I kid you not, I went from a size 0 to a size 4, none of my clothes fit, and I suddenly had curves. My now-husband jokes he made a woman out of me (we were dating at the time), and I've now realized I don't want to lose that woman body image I've had since then. I've been a steady 136 since that time, with fluctuations for each pregnancy that dropped right back after I gave birth. I like being fit and capable, but as soon as I start to work out my weight creeps down and my curves start disappearing. I so badly wanted to stay a B cup but that's basically not my 'real' body, especially after breastfeeding. I loved the fullness and womanly feeling of being pregnant and beautiful, and find myself being okay if I got pregnant again maybe because, deep down, I feel more like a woman then over my natural body.

Anyway, it's been a good realization. I'm still working through why I'm holding on to the physical definition of my woman-ness, and I'm sure it is a journey I'll be on for a while. As for the scale, I'm already around 128. I'm thinking it might be time for me to get more detailed info about my body to know more about it and what I really 'should' look like.

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[Elastigirl]

I was way too skinny during my teenage and early young adult life. One of the body types who couldn't gain weight. After my pregnancy, I retained enough weight that I still had curves and really liked my body. Got a little fluffy in my 30's, and wanted to lose that, but like you I really didn't want to lose all my curves. That's part of why I started  bodyweights. I hoped that  gaining muscle would help me look less like a 12 year old boy and more like a fit middle aged gal. It is sometimes a hard line to find.

[Alexandrite]

So, I don't really have good recap for Friday. The day went emotionally downhill in our house, and I ended up just doing my regular routine of caring for garden/chicken coop and skipping workout because I had to go into town to get rental car for this weekend.

Fri:

No real activity point (fail)

One kegel set for one point (fail)

Logged food the day after, turned down dessert at the restaurant, AND ate a nice big salad. (Mostly pass)

Saturday we drove for four hours after getting our house clean, went to a grad party, and drove to hotel. I didn't sleep well, the hotel REEKS of old musty mold and cigarettes. Won't be staying here again.

Pool swimming for quite a while with kids for 1 activity point (pass)

No pelvic focus (fail)

Logged my food as best I could considering they had homemade tacos there and I had no idea how to enter it properly. Ate cake as well as had a pineapple hard cider (which I never really drink), but I tried to balance it out with lots of meat and honestly? I really didn't enjoy it and probably will pass in the future. I DID eat a nice heslthy salad from Panera for lunch though. (Fail, the sugar got me)

I'm thinking today I will test AMRAPs for Nerdwarts again. Already ate hotel breakfast, and indulged in the waffles...

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[Alexandrite]

I was way too skinny during my teenage and early young adult life. One of the body types who couldn't gain weight. After my pregnancy, I retained enough weight that I still had curves and really liked my body. Got a little fluffy in my 30's, and wanted to lose that, but like you I really didn't want to lose all my curves. That's part of why I started bodyweights. I hoped that gaining muscle would help me look less like a 12 year old boy and more like a fit middle aged gal. It is sometimes a hard line to find.

Thanks for sharing that, it is nice to know I'm not the only one. I actually brought this up with Dr. Focker and he gave me some great advice. "Work out to make yourself feel good, not to attain some kind of goal." He said my natural body type is how God intends me to be and I shouldn't be afraid of what I'm made to do. I know I have a great body for running but I don't want to run much anymore, so I will simply work out to make me feel good and go from there.

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[lucky fire dragon]

impressive challenge and awesome start!

 

I'm another one of the too skinny as teenager kid people and realized when I lost chest cm (which I never really had much to start with) before losing belly cm that I had some mixed feelings about this. In the end I am enjoying my new found strength and fitness enough to say bye bye to the chest cm if it helps me lose some kgs overall and get up the pole easier

So I can second the feel good goal over the image goal. Feel good for me includes much more what I can do and live within this body then what it looks like, but funny enough I am getting happier with the looks now, too. Not because I am becoming model shaped at all (I'm not!) but because my love for my body is growing and with that my eyes are growing kinder on it, too.

Which feels soooooo good!! Fills the hole that had been there on my inside through all the skinny teenage years and all the round, but out of shape, mommy years.

 

Wish I could go to camp, but coming all the way from Germany is not on right now. Will be with you in spirit