Alanna multiplies everything by 2.2

[Alanna]

This is the bookend to my first UK challenge. On August 31, I repatriate. For now.

 

 

(Don't worry, U.S., I love you too.)

 

Last challenge I tried to focus on cutting. It started off well, but went “wonky†(technical term borrowed from Miss Marissa ) about half-way through. Now I just want to finish my MSc strong and make sure I don’t burn out before starting my PhD.

 

This is the laundry list of what needs to happen:

 

1) Air-tight nutrition.

• Just. Keep. Tracking. All. The. Food. [+ 1 STR]
• Completely cut out dairy and sugar (i.e., remove my casein protein powder, occasional goat cheese, and occasional chocolate). Basically my diet will look like a Whole30 plus white rice and my Warrior Blend protein powder (which is now the natural version, so no stevia or cocoa). [+ 1 CON]
• Elimination diet to test for egg intolerance. I’d like to do a more complete elimination diet, but wouldn’t have time to methodically reintroduce the removed foods before travelling. Eggs, however, should be simple to remove and test. [+ 1 WIS]

2) Be kind to my adrenal glands.

• Screen curfew for non-work activities (Facebook, NF, etc.) at 8:15 pm and work activities at 9 pm (preferably earlier). Netflix/Hulu/BBCiPlayer/etc. until 9 pm ok on the weekends. [+ 1 CON]
• If I wake up at too-early-o-clock, eat some healthy protein and fat and try to go back to sleep. [+ 1 CON]
• Meditate at least four days/week. [+ 1 WIS]
• At least one half hour yoga session/week (preferably two) [+ 1 DEX]
• No caffeine (I’ll allow myself a discretionary two cups of tea during and post travel if sans caffeine survival is an issue)  [+ 1 STA]
• Don’t stress about goal #3 (I’m impatient—I want answers now!—and I haven’t had great experiences with doctors) [+ 1 CHA]

3) Time to find a good doctor.

 

I was diagnosed with PCOS back in 2009. I found doctors… unhelpful… so the past couple of years I’ve been managing it pretty well on my own through proper nutrition, exercise, and supplements. However, I’m REALLY sensitive to any type of stress (lack of sleep, calorie deficit, travelling…) which isn’t good when I’m about to start an intense PhD program. Being more resilient would be nice.

 

It would also be great to get some sort of quantitative feedback (e.g., hormone levels) on how I’m doing—I haven’t had any tests since my diagnosis (and, looking back, those weren’t exactly thorough). I’d also like help figuring out food sensitivities and any vitamin/mineral deficiencies so I can further tailor my diet and supplements. Towards that end:

• Try to get a more thorough blood test from my current GP. Go to the appointment prepared to advocate for my health (i.e., print off half of PubMed). [+ 1 CHA]
• Find a naturopath close to my next home. Schedule an appointment. [+ 1 CON]
• Make an appointment with the student health center at my next university, with the goal of getting a referral to an endocrinologist. [+ 1 CON]

Side Quests:

• Floss 6+ days/week. Seriously. [+ 1 CON]
• Practice handstands 2+ days/week [+ 1 DEX]

 

Life Quest: all the stuff I need to do before leaving (check off 3+ every week so I’m not stressed during the last week of August) [+ 1 STA]:

 

Moving out:

• Cancel bank account.
• Cancel phone service.
• Mail forwarding …?
• Actually write and send out the postcards I've collected (at least 10).
• Go through and purge uni notes.
• Donate clothes that I’m not wearing/can’t take with me (this will probably be two purges).
• Donate/give away miscellaneous other stuff I’m not packing (again, two purges).
• Get rid of old clothes that aren’t suitable for donating (e.g., socks with holes).
• Organize and save the files on my uni desktop that I want to keep.
• Download all my submitted coursework for future reference.
• Get/make gifts for my supervisors.
• Delete and sort old emails (every 250 emails counts as one “task†completed).

Planning ahead:

• Locate grocery stores and any farmer’s markets.
• Look into grocery delivery services.
• Locate home goods stores.
• Locate thrift stores.
• Find a bank and research account options.
• Find a place to buy supplements.
• Find a (used) bike store.
• Look up campus bike policies, bike routes, etc.
• Find a sports chiropractor/ART practitioner (and hopefully schedule an appointment).
• Activate my dental insurance.
• Find a dentist that takes this insurance.
• Find possible eye doctors.
• Figure out local public transportation, and if I get any discounts as a student.
• Figure out how the car-sharing service works.
• Look into how to get a local driver’s license.
• Find out if my ID card will be ready to be picked up when I arrive
• Find back-up gyms in case I can’t get into the uni gym before I move in.
• Print off my last lifting program in pounds, along with a kilos-to-pounds conversion cheat sheet.
• Make lists of things I need to buy (grocery list, home goods, a kettle, etc.).
• Update my contact info with my new local address.

 

 

Tl;dr:

 

1) Air-tight nutrition.

• Track all the food [+ 1 STR]
• No dairy, no sugar [+ 1 CON]
• Elimination diet: eggs [+ 1 WIS]

2) Be kind to my adrenal glands.

• Screen curfew (8:15/9 pm non-work/work) [+ 1 CON]
• Try to go back to sleep if I wake up too early [+ 1 CON]
• Meditate 4+ days/week. [+ 1 WIS]
• 1+ yoga session/week (preferably two) [+ 1 DEX]
• No caffeine (discretionary 2+ cups of tea to combat being jet-lagged)  [+ 1 STA]
• Don’t stress about goal #3 [+ 1 CHA]

3) Time to find a good doctor.

• GP visit [+ 1 CHA]
• Naturopath appointment [+ 1 CON]
• Student health center appointment [+ 1 CON]

Side Quests:

• Floss 6+ days/week [+ 1 CON]
• Handstand progression practice 2+ days/week [+ 1 DEX]

Life Quest: check 3+ things off my to-do list every week [+ 1 STA]

 

As you might have guessed from this list of lists, I won't be around much this challenge (esp. with that screen curfew)--but I'll be checking in to stay accountable. Feel free to post random things in my absence. Preferably random UK-themed things--I'm going to spend the next five weeks clinging to all things British. Well, not marmite. But there will be lots of tea.

 

 

Oh, and I’d really like a triple digit squat before I leave the UK. Yes, I know it will turn into triple digits as soon as I fly over the Atlantic, but I want the 100 kg .

 

[Alanna]

Crossing things off:

• Moving out:
  • Cancel bank account.
  • Cancel phone service.
  • Mail forwarding …?
  • Actually write and send out postcards (at least 10)
  • Go through and purge uni notes.
  • Donate clothes that I’m not wearing/can’t take with me (this will probably be two purges)
  • Donate/give away miscellaneous other stuff I’m not packing (again, two purges)
  • Get rid of old clothes that aren’t suitable for donating (e.g., socks with holes)
  • Organize and save the files on my uni desktop that I want to keep.
  • Download all my submitted coursework for future reference.
  • Get/make gifts for my supervisors.
  • Flight prep: check baggage limits and possibly pre-purchase extra luggage allowance
  • Flight prep: print travel itinerary and boarding pass (if possible)
  • Delete and sort old emails (every ~250 emails counts as one “task†completed) Week 0 x1…
• Planning ahead:
  • Locate grocery stores and any farmer’s markets. Week 0 (also found CSA that delivers!)
  • Look into grocery delivery services.
  • Locate home goods stores.
  • Locate thrift stores.  Week 0
  • Find a bank and research account options.
  • Find a place to buy supplements. Week 0
  • Find a (used) bike store. Week 0
  • Look up campus bike policies, bike routes, etc.
  • Find a sports chiropractor/ART practitioner (and hopefully schedule an appointment)
  • Activate my dental insurance
  • Find a dentist that takes this insurance.
  • Find possible eye doctors.
  • Figure out local public transportation, and if I get any discounts as a student.
  • Figure out how the car-sharing service works.
  • Look into how to get a local driver’s license.
  • Find out if my ID card will be ready to be picked up when I arrive
  • Find back-up gyms in case I can’t get into the uni gym before I move in.
  • Print off my last lifting program in pounds, along with a kilos-to-pounds conversion cheat sheet.
  • Make lists of things I need to buy (grocery list, home goods, etc.).
  • Update my contact info with my new local address.
  • Find and set up budgeting software.  Week 0
  • Set up fall rotation.

[Sam Ashen]

Sam Ashen divides everything by 2.2 just to annoy everybody!

 

Anyway.  Hi!  Welcome back to the Light Dark Side.

[Alanna]

Sam Ashen divides everything by 2.2 just to annoy everybody!

 

Anyway.  Hi!  Welcome back to the Light Dark Side.

 

Not me! I am not looking forward to doing barbell math with lbs (where 135, 225, and 315 are round numbers...)

 

The Dark Side--because you have cookies, not biscuits, right?

 

Or rather, there are biscuits. But biscuits are biscuits, not cookies.

 

 

Yeah, that doesn't quite have the same ring to it.

[Sam Ashen]

Not me! I am not looking forward to doing barbell math with lbs (where 135, 225, and 315 are round numbers...)

 

The Dark Side--because you have cookies, not biscuits, right?

 

The Dark Side - Because I grew up calling this system of units the Imperial System.

 

 

[Br0din]

[wildross]

Have fun in jolly old England!

[vibrantnotions]

It's crazy to think you're moving this challenge. You're going to rock it!

[elvenengineer]

[Alanna]

The Dark Side - Because I grew up calling this system of units the Imperial System.

 

 

 

It is rather strange that the country that invented the imperial system favors the metric system instead. Although I think most of my generation in the UK uses lbs for weight (outside of lifting).

 

Although the U.S.'s preference for the imperial system is perhaps stranger...

 

 

 

 

Ouch.

 

Hang on.

 

 

Myanmar and Liberia have been to the moon?

 

 

Have fun in jolly old England!

 

.... or am I in Scotland???

 

 

 

(I just wanted an excuse to post that mess--I think I've mentioned previously that I *am* in England).

 

 

It's crazy to think you're moving this challenge. You're going to rock it!

 

I know--it hasn't sunk in yet! Thanks!

 

 

 

[Alanna]

I'm not going to post my lifting workouts, but I will post updates on the squat progress. Yesterday I worked up to 86 kg x 4, which means my estimated 1 RM is a few kg under my 100 kg goal. The reps were super slow, but form felt solid. This should be doable in 5 weeks.

 

I've been running 5/3/1 (powerlifting schedule, with joker sets) for about 2 months now, so I've had a chance to figure out what I like/don't like about the program. Thoughts:

• Returning to a 3x/week lifting schedule is going to be better for the fall.
• I'm not a fan of upper body only days... I want to use my legs.
• I'd like more volume and frequency on the big lifts. I'm still in the early stages of my lifting career--I need more time under the bar to drill form and get comfortable with the movements.

Towards that end, I've made the following adjustments:

• Moving squat and bench day to the same day.
• I already do volume squats as a deadlift accessory and volume bench as a OHP accessory. I'm also going to try adding volume squats on OHP day so I'm doing back squats 2x/week. I'll probably play around with pause squats and DE squats.
• Accessory work has been shuffled around and cut some.
• I just found out another suggestion in Beyond 5/3/1 is, after the working sets and joker sets, adding another AMRAP set at the weight of the first working set. I'll try this out for squat, bench, and OHP (I already get extra deadlift volume through deficit deadlifts).

Here's the result:

 

Day 1: squat/bench

• LB squat (5/3/1 progression)
• bench (5/3/1 progression)
• bb glute bridge/push-ups (superset)
• back extensions
• plank

Day 2: deadlift

• deadlifts (5/3/1 progression)
• deficit deadlifts x 2 sets
• volume front squats
• banded chin-ups
• leg raises

Day 3: OHP

• OHP (5/3/1 progression)
• volume squat (DE or paused?)
• volume bench
• assisted pull-ups/dips (superset)

 

Hopefully I haven't bastardized 5/3/1 too much. I'll stick with this for at least a couple of cycles and see how it goes.

[Sam Ashen]

It is rather strange that the country that invented the imperial system favors the metric system instead. Although I think most of my generation in the UK uses lbs for weight (outside of lifting).

 

Although the U.S.'s preference for the imperial system is perhaps stranger...

 

 

 

 

Ouch.

 

Hang on.

 

 

Myanmar and Liberia have been to the moon?

 

 

 

.... or am I in Scotland???

 

 

 

(I just wanted an excuse to post that mess--I think I've mentioned previously that I *am* in England).

 

 

 

I know--it hasn't sunk in yet! Thanks!

 

 

 

 

Okay.  As a clarification.  The USA uses US units.  They might be referred to as US Standard Units or English Units.  Nearly all of them are the same as Imperial Units.  The US Gallon is 3.785L.  231 cubic inches by definition.  The Imperial Gallon is 4.54 L.  Ten pounds of water.  Pretty much everybody from a Commonwealth nation automatically uses the word "Imperial" and slipping that word pretty much betrays my national origin.

 

A pint of beer?  Would that be a British pint?  An American pint?  Or a Texas pint?

 

 

 

Tea?  No thanks I'll have a beer!

 

Don't like upper body days because you are not using legs and pairing Squats with Bench Press?  Why not pair Deadlifts and Overhead Press?

[Hermione Gainser]

So, kilograms confuse me. We've talked about this.  But seriously, can we just go metric. I'm willing to learn.  I get irrationally angry every time I'm baking and it calls for 1/2 a teaspoon.  WTAF is a goddamned teaspoon? SERIOUSLY?! Guys, a teaspoon.  Y'all just sat, stirring the over taxed tea and said, "okay, this will be small and then we can get 3 of these to fit into one larger... we'll call that a tablespoon..." 

 

dafuq.

 

Grams, yo. Grams. Let's do this. 

 

But hey! Oh hi! Nice challenge ya got here.  I'm in love with how organized you are <3 

 

I think your edits of 5/3/1 look good.  I feel about upper body only days the way I feel about teaspoons as a unit of measure. 

 

[KB Girl]

The most important question; do you use milk in your tea? 

 

Good luck with maintaining sanity these coming 6 weeks! Having the list is so adult of you, i'm full of envy.

[Sam Ashen]

It does not matter to me.  I will work with either system.  After a while, the conversions are automatic and I have a feel for the new numbers.  I just wish I had a dollar for every time I used a 0.0254 in my calculations.

[Alanna]

 

Okay.  As a clarification.  The USA uses US units.  They might be referred to as US Standard Units or English Units.  Nearly all of them are the same as Imperial Units.  The US Gallon is 3.785L.  231 cubic inches by definition.  The Imperial Gallon is 4.54 L.  Ten pounds of water.  Pretty much everybody from a Commonwealth nation automatically uses the word "Imperial" and slipping that word pretty much betrays my national origin.

 

A pint of beer?  Would that be a British pint?  An American pint?  Or a Texas pint?

 

 

 

Tea?  No thanks I'll have a beer!

 

Don't like upper body days because you are not using legs and pairing Squats with Bench Press?  Why not pair Deadlifts and Overhead Press?

 

Huh. That is very interesting--and very convoluted.

 

One of my friends usually asks for a pint of lemonade at the pub--which amuses me since I previously wouldn't pair the words "pint" and "lemonade" in the same sentence.

 

Hmm. I think I moved bench to squat day because I'd already paired my extra bench day with OHP day. BUT (thinking outloud) if I put OHP with deadlift instead, I could do volume bench on squat day and volume squat on bench day (yay symmetry). A little re-shuffling of the accessories to even things out and that would give me...

 

(Edited again to reshuffle accessories--I forgot DB rows and noticed that I put chin-ups and pull-ups on the same day)

 

Day 1: squat, volume bench

• LB squat (5/3/1 progression)
• volume bench
• banded chin-ups
• bb glute bridge/push-ups (superset)
• plank

Day 2: deadlift and ohp

• deadlifts (5/3/1 progression)
• deficit deadlifts x 2 sets
• OHP (5/3/1 progression)
• volume front squats
• leg raises

Day 3: Bench and volume squat

• bench (5/3/1 progression)
• volume squat (DE or paused?)
• assisted pull-ups/dips (superset)
• DB rows
• back extensions

 

I think I like that better. Thanks Sam!

 

 

So, kilograms confuse me. We've talked about this.  But seriously, can we just go metric. I'm willing to learn.  I get irrationally angry every time I'm baking and it calls for 1/2 a teaspoon.  WTAF is a goddamned teaspoon? SERIOUSLY?! Guys, a teaspoon.  Y'all just sat, stirring the over taxed tea and said, "okay, this will be small and then we can get 3 of these to fit into one larger... we'll call that a tablespoon..." 

 

dafuq.

 

Grams, yo. Grams. Let's do this. 

 

But hey! Oh hi! Nice challenge ya got here.  I'm in love with how organized you are <3 

 

I think your edits of 5/3/1 look good.  I feel about upper body only days the way I feel about teaspoons as a unit of measure. 

 

 

 

 

I don't get our measuring system, either. Maybe a tablespoon is Ron's emotional range on a good day...?

 

 

(I'm not sure why she's referring to teaspoons when she's English... but I guess "You're emotional range is approximately 4.928 mL" just doesn't burn the same way.)

 

Thanks! And yeah, if I'm at the gym, I want to squat or deadlift!

 

 

The most important question; do you use milk in your tea? 

 

Good luck with maintaining sanity these coming 6 weeks! Having the list is so adult of you, i'm full of envy.

 

I'm lactose intolerant, so unfortunately I can't drink tea properly . I guess I could use almond milk, but it wouldn't be the same.

 

Thanks! I am very much a list person. You should see my white board by my desk...

[elvenengineer]

I love white boards. Mine always have lists. 

 

(they might be color coordinated. please don't judge me)

[Alanna]

Double-post. The one below posted correctly.

[Alanna]

I love white boards. Mine always have lists. 

 

(they might be color coordinated. please don't judge me)

 

If I had more colours, mine would be colour-coordinated, too. I do cross off in a different colour, though.

 

Mine currently has a to-do list and a massive mind-map that is my attempt to organize the literature on my dissertation topic. Emphasis on attempt. I need to be able to draw in more dimensions.

[Hermione Gainser]

 

I don't get our measuring system, either. Maybe a tablespoon is Ron's emotional range on a good day...?

 

 

(I'm not sure why she's referring to teaspoons when she's English... but I guess "You're emotional range is approximately 4.928 mL" just doesn't burn the same way.)

 

 

 

:giggle-snort:  good one! 

 

Maybe she's referring to the teaspoon as an object and not a unit of measurement?  That would be exceptionally English of her. 

 

I love white boards. Mine always have lists. 

 

(they might be color coordinated. please don't judge me)

 

swoon

 

If I had more colors, mine would be colour-coordinated, too. I do cross off in a different colour, though.

 

Mine currently has a to-do list and a massive mind-map that is my attempt to organize the literature on my dissertation topic. Emphasis on attempt. I need to be able to draw in more dimensions.

 

What I'm picturing:

[Alanna]

:giggle-snort:  good one! 

 

Maybe she's referring to the teaspoon as an object and not a unit of measurement?  That would be exceptionally English of her. 

 

 

swoon

 

 

What I'm picturing:

 

True--it could still be an unofficial unit of measurement (but reserved for insults, not baking).

 

I wish I could visualize my brainstorming that way! Nice job sneaking in a reference to a UK TV show, by the way

[Alanna]

So I said I'm not going to post my full lifting sessions, BUT this one is going up because 1) I'm REALLY happy that I'm feeling like my usual self again, and 2) deadlifts (need I say more?).

 

Deadlift/OHP day (all weights in kg):

• deadlift: 60x5, 65x5, 75x5, 90x3, 102.5x3, 115x6 (+ belt), 122.5x3 (+ belt) (joker) <-- small triple PR, previous was 120 kg.
• deficit deadlifts: 92.5x5x2
• OHP: 20x5x2, 22.5x5, 27x3, 30x3, 34x6, 38.5x3 (+ belt) (joker), 27x7 (First time using a belt on OHP--figured I'd give it a try on the heavier weights. That's also a small triple PR--previous was 37.5 kg.)
• front squat: 42.5x8x3 (with a 10 sec. hold at the top after reps 1-4), 42.5x8x2 (no hold) (hold idea stolen from the Danger Method)
• leg raises (on a bench): bwxFx3

 

In other news, I finished the last of my eggs on Thursday, so they'll be no eggs for around the next 4 weeks. Which means I need to find an alternate breakfast--usually I batch cook egg muffins (eggs, veggies, and turkey rashers) every weekend. I don't mind eating lunch/dinner type food for breakfast, but I do have to make sure I replace the muffins with something so I don't run out of food. I figure there's no reason to limit the muffins to eggs, so the plan for this week is to make some with ground beef + sweet potatoes (as a binder) + zucchini + onions + coconut flour.  Turkey patties are also on the to-do list.

[miss_marissa]

Yay! I love getting shout outs :-)

Also you will be super busy this challenge, I hope that you do awesome and don't get too burned out. You can do it!

Also great workout :-D

[Alanna]

Yay! I love getting shout outs :-)

Also you will be super busy this challenge, I hope that you do awesome and don't get too burned out. You can do it!

Also great workout :-D

 

Had to give you credit for that one!

 

Thanks--school-related stuff generally doesn't stress me out, so I should be good to go as long as I pace myself and minimize stress in other parts of my life (e.g., EAT PROPERLY).

 

Misc. updates:

 

GP appointment is on Wednesday. I just printed off a bunch of abstracts and excerpts from primary literature so I have a reference for any claims I make. I'm also trying to get my lab results from the fall (patients have a right to see their medical records, but they have to request and pay for them since the names of any other doctors have to be redacted--privacy laws) since sometimes reference ranges for "normal" are debatable--I want to know what my exact results were before going in to my next appointment.

 

I've started crossing off my to-do list (and also added a few important things I'd forgotten). One of the things I was uncertain about was how I was going to find the time to get fresh veggies every week, especially without a car--I've been spoiled by grocery deliveries in the UK. However, I don't need to worry--there's a weekly Farmer's Market less than a mile from my future dorm, and there is also a local CSA that delivers weekly or bi-weekly boxes of produce for a reasonable price (score!).

 

I also started looking for some sort of physical therapy (e.g., ART or sports massage) and am in sticker shock--I've also been spoiled by a really good unlimited care deal. I'll try getting in touch with the sports center and see if there is any sort of discounted PT available on campus for students. Regardless, I'm guessing a renewed commitment to regular mobility work is in order--I won't have the funds for naturopath visits and regular PT. (I did, however, find and set up online budgeting software so I can figure out what I can afford and set aside money for the occasional session.)

 

I also did my first kick-up to a wall-assisted forearm stand today (leveling up from a headstand). I only held it for a few seconds, but it's still progress!

[elvenengineer]

Most campuses have free/inexpensive PT, but you usually have to get a 'prescription' for it from one of the doctors at the university.  And they don't like giving those, in my experience.  My wrist pain has been going on for 2+ months and they're still like, just ice it and take anti-inflammatories.  Yeah, I think we've established that won't help guys. Mobility WOD/Supple Leopard has been super helpful.

 

On another note, sports massages are rather expensive. I feel your pain   Good luck!  (Nice progress on the headstand/forearm stand!)