Cupcake's Epic Quest

[TheCupcakeQueen]

Hi I'm Cupcake, and as my name might suggest I'm a huge fan of sweets... chocolate, cakes, pastries. Which is the whole reason I am here in the first place! I'm a female Dwarf... short (5ft4), round (113kg) but with an inner strength of stone. 

 

Here are my stats and my plan....

 

SW: 113kg 

GW: around 65kg (I say around because I plan on strength training and lifting heavy and I understand that my weight will have no bearing on how I look in the end).

 

I'm breaking my journey up into mini weight goals and NSV's (non scale victories). Mini weight goals are in 5kg increments and spread out over 6 weeks (which means I plan to lose 5kg in the next 6 week challenge!) and my first NSV involves a little red vintage style tea dress I am desperate to fit back into. I'll come up with my next NSV after I have hit that first (I have plenty of smaller clothes I love that I have had packed away for 10-15 years which I am desperate to fit back into again). 

 

To start with I plan on using the NF Body Weight Circuit to get me kick started until I can hit the gym and start putting together my own home gym. I am hoping to also do a managed meal plan, which is pre-made and delivered to my door, I am hoping that this will teach me portion sizing and healthy balanced eating (I am waiting on the company to let me know if they can deliver to my house or even the local post office... apparently if my address isn't in Google Maps then they can't deliver to me). 

 

The start of my Epic Quest will be Monday 20th July 2015 (that runs on Eastern Aussie time). I plan on posting here and on My Fitness Pal my workouts and food and water intakes, every day and weigh in every Wednesday. If anyone is on MFP and wants to add me my name is Miss_Cherry_on_top. 

 

I am looking forward to levelling up my life.

 

Cupcake xx

 

[TheCupcakeQueen]

So I decided there's no time like the present and did 20mins of Tabatas (Squats, Push Ups, Sit ups, Lunges). Squats are easy, push ups not too bad, had to absolutely push an extra push up out of myself every set, but as soon as I got to sit ups, I couldn't do 1... not a single sit up. I managed half sit ups and mainly concentrated on contracting my abs as much as possible. 

 

Feeling like a Lumpy Princess 

[ComradeTalls]

No way, Cupcake. It sounds like you're off to a great start!

When I first started with Bodyweight Strength Training a couple of months ago, I could barely make it through my warm-up routine, let alone multiple circuits. Now, I'm crushing my workouts 3x/week, down 33lbs. (I think that's roughly 15kg for you), and I actually find myself adding exercises to my routine just to challenge myself more each time.

So you couldn't do a sit up this time? No worries. Keep trying to do them each workout and you will get there. Trust me. You got this!

[TheCupcakeQueen]

That's the plan! If I keep working at it I know I can do it! I have been pretty fit in the past. I guess I'm shocked at just how far I've let myself go and how quick and easy it is to become really unfit.

[TheCupcakeQueen]

This evening I decided I'd make some lunches for the next couple of days. I found some jars and put together a chicken and baked sweet potato quinoa salad (sans salad dressing, as I rarely eat it). Breakfasts will be green banana smoothies (bananas are currently $1.49/kg so we bought around 3kg lol) and dinners I'm unsure about yet. I might pull together some gluten free savoury muffins or crustless mini quiche and have them with salad.

 

Now someone needs to come in and clean my kitchen... *sigh*

[SevenofSeven]

Welcome to another Aussie!

I'm in WA and hating on winter at the moment.

Looks like you're off to a great start. Good luck with your fitness journey.

[TheCupcakeQueen]

WA nice!! I lived down at Boyup Brook for 3 years before moving back to NSW! Might even move back again one day. I love WA!!

[TheCupcakeQueen]

Out of curiosity (if anyone but me is reading) do you think that there are different types of fitness depending on what sport etc one is engaged in? Do you think one kind of fitness is better than another? The Husband and I got into an argument (and now I can't sleep) over this. He flat out said that someone who runs is fitter than someone who lifts.... Cue nerd rage...

[SevenofSeven]

No way, I am in Bridgetown!

Yes I believe there are different kinds of fitness. I do not believe cardio is the only type of fitness but strength fitness is just as important. I may be biased as I lift.

For example a runner is going to be awesome fit for their sport, put them in a pool and their cardio fitness will mean naught if they can't swim efficiently. A swimmer is going to be awesome fit for their sport but put them in a crossfit box and their type of strength and cardio will mean naught if they can't lift efficiently. Fitness I believe is about the body becoming super efficient in what you are training for. When I started lifting, deadlifting 20kg was a big deal, over 12 months later and I can deadlift over 100kg (just), my body has adapted to help the process, isn't that what fitness is? The body adjusting to be able to cope with and become better at doing your chosen fitness goal. Lifting does work cardio it gets the heart pumping like you wouldn't believe, but it isn't like running a marathon, the lung capacity is not going to be needed to work as hard but it is going to have to work.

Anyway I apologise for the long answer. Good luck with everything.

[TheCupcakeQueen]

Very cool! Loved Bridgy such a gorgeous place

 

You are on the same wavelength as me in regards to the argument I had with him and yep I gave the same explanation as you did lol. I feel like he's poo-pooing my decision to just want to lift saying that I won't be healthy and fit if I don't run/do cardio. With the unhealthy and unfit state I'm in atm you'd think he'd just be bleeding happy to have me want to do any exercise at all! *rolls eyes*

[steampunk_fanatic]

Why not do a bit of both? Or maybe focus on lifts if you like it more and just do a bit of cardio every now and then.

 

I mainly do bodyweight strength training, but I also incorporate trail runs as my cardio once a week.

 

It's hard to compare fitness levels between people doing two different sports. Well I don't know much but, all I can imagine is the person doing the running will be skinnier while the same person doing the lifting will be more muscular (or toned). Muscle helps burn fat so either way is good for weight loss.

 

Whichever exercise makes you motivated is probably the best for you. Good luck!

[TheCupcakeQueen]

I honestly don't like cardio. Perhaps when I lose 20-25kg I might like it better (bits are smaller and jiggle less lol) but right now I want to focus on what I can do and that's more strength training and programs that are short and sweet (like me! haha!). 

 

So I find out today that the meal program I wanted to order doesn't deliver to my poor little town. Honestly we live on a main highway yet get treated like we are the ass end of nowhere...

 

Rant over. I decided to start on a 1900 cal a day home made meal plan. Low refined carbs, low gluten and high in fruits and vegetables, good fats and proteins. I hope this is enough to try and tackle my PCOS issue. 

[SevenofSeven]

Haha, Cupcake I live on the ass end of nowhere! I can't even get reliable internet.

Have you looked into Steve's take on Paleo? There are some pretty cool articles about diet on Nerd Firness.

I got into lifting using The New Rules of Lifting for Women. It has 6 programs I think. The first one is the longest but they shorten out from there and are quiet good for the all over body workout. I still go back and revisit every now and then just to shake my other program up.

[TheCupcakeQueen]

Believe it or not I get crap internet too lol no ADSL here, I rely on my dodgy Telstra mobile service. I am envious of my sister in law in Perth and her super fast broadband *sad face*

I actually own NROL4W... I should probably study it some more *blushes*

[TheCupcakeQueen]

So after my short Tabata workout on Sunday, today (Tuesday) I can't lift my arms above my head and could barely get out of bed this morning... apparently whatever I was doing with my abs (not even a sit up just contracting muscles) has made them hurt like a mofo. It's a good hurt *said through a grimace of pain*....

[TheCupcakeQueen]

If you want an idea of what goes on in my head, just look in my notebook... notes on PCOS, dietary requirements, herbalism, aromatherapy, exercise, deeds I need to complete in LotRO for virtues, notes on Runekeeper class traits, Legendary Item research, recipes, names and backgrounds for new Skyrim characters...

 

I need a new filing system.

[TheCupcakeQueen]

Today I...

 

Continued setting up my Batcave, wish the kids didn't lose the blu-tack! I also put the NF Beginner Body Weight Circuit routine into my workout timer app, called Seconds, if anyone is interested. 

 

What I need to work on....

 

Drinking water. Middle of winter, it's raining and the last thing I feel like is drinking water.

[SevenofSeven]

Feeling you on the water thing Cupcake.

And the blu tak, my kids must eat it............I can never find it when I need it, like NOW!

[TheCupcakeQueen]

Weigh in as of today 23/7 111.4kg, I'm down roughly 2kg from when I started! This is also just from taking small manageable steps to change my lifestyle (portion control mainly and adding in some exercise). From this my husband would say "Well imagine what you could do if you put in X amount of effort".... yep and then like I always do I'd go in too hard, too soon and burn myself out which would mean I'd be back to square one again.... Hence the reason that for once I'm not relying on him for support this time. He can eat all the crap and not exercise all he wants but I'm choosing a different path. He likes to hand out the advice to me, but never once uses it for himself. 

 

This time I'm going to be the tortoise and not the hare.....

[SevenofSeven]

I wish my partner were a little more supportive. His idea of support; watching me PR my deadlift at 102.5kg, after the pull I'm like jumping around "WOOT, woot" he's like, don't hurt yourself, I can't look after everything if you go down, ( sips beer ) goes to work on his bike.

However that's just him and I love lifting and have taken my time to get to where I am, I guess I just wish he would join me in my enthusiasm for lifting and fitness. Oh well next lifetime maybe.