Suzaqu tries to make fetch happen

[Suzaqu]

And by make fetch happen, I mean get sh*t done

 

Backstory: My husband just got a job offer in NJ which he is most likely going to take. We are currently in the midwest, so this will be quite a move and some culture shock in the next few months. I tend to not deal with change well (I'm not sure if anyone does) so this challenge will be all about staying on track and staying motivated! And dealing with my own mental haters

 

 

 

Work out 3 times a week Exercise keeps me sane and motivated, so in order to deal with the feelings, I need to keep up the habit. This shouldn't be a problem, but when stuff is going down, exercise is usually the first to go.

 

 

Log calories every day and average maintenance-300 cal per week I tend to deal with stress by treating myself with food, so I need to not be like Regina and eat sensibly each day. So I will log on MFP every day and my weekly calories should be 300 below maintenance each week. For accountability purposes (nothing gets me working like having others watching), here's my diary.

 

 

 

Apply for 2 jobs a week Until I get a job in NJ, we would be on one income, so budgeting will be a big deal (see my one-offs). So basically I need to invent the toaster strudel and get super rich, or just find a job. I'm going to start early and hopefully find something soon.

 

 

 

 

Do 4 moving-related things a week These can be small or big, things like doing a cleaning session, canceling a subscription, that kind of stuff. Early on it will probably be smaller general life-tidying until we are definitely leaving.  Like Glen Coco, I want to get 4 (and none for Gretchen Weiners). You go Suzaqu!

 

 

 

One-off challenges: (subject to change and/or addition up to start of the challenge) These are all things that I really need to get done this next challenge and they are bigger things that are yes/no style of completion. List in the next post.

 

Week 0: I'm going to try to stick to all the goals this week in order to test them out and get off on the right foot. Here we go! I'm feeling grool!

 

Grading plans to come later

[Suzaqu]

Reserved for one-off goal tracking:

[x] Watch Mean Girls again

[x] Annual report for work

[x] Finalize September budget

[x] Finalize October budget

[x] Stick to September budget

[x] Stick to October budget

[x] Only go out to eat for lunch for social reasons/with other people in September

[x] Only go out to eat for lunch for social reasons/with other people in October

[x] Take and report measurements at beginning

[x] End measurement reports

[x] Kettlebell session 1 (scheduled!)

[] Kettlebell session 2 (scheduled!)

[SpiralGalaxy]

Awesome! Good luck on getting through the pre-job acceptance limbo. That's always the hardest part for me.

 

[Suzaqu]

Thanks, I definitely predict some insanity during that time. But not being able to afford a gym membership/being stuck at home will mean lots of bodyweight exercise. Time to put my assassin training to good use!

[Suzaqu]

Week 0, Day 1

 

I managed to complete my first one-off challenge, I successfully watched Mean Girls! It was tough, but I got through it. I'm ashamed to admit that I totally forgot the mathlete element of the plot line, and as a former mathlete, I love it!

 

 

I also logged calories, and stayed below goal, so doing well. I also made a list of my 4 moving goals for the week, hopefully they'll happen (we're going out of town on Friday, so I'm not sure how it will all go). No actual goals completed yet, but I did spend the evening doing meal prep, which should help with the calorie goal. My husband's uncle gave us a whole pile of veggies, so I had some processing to do, but now I'm set for the week if I make some pasta tonight.

[Suzaqu]

Oh, and I made a spreadsheet inspired by Stars. Usually I do it in my planner, but I'm bad at actually recording there and then updating here, so hopefully this will help! Feedback welcome! 

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16DCw-Zb2QIk7z6sShkhDdOj3h19b0yxsJ6dNKBsnss4/edit?usp=sharing

[Lycansbane]

Amazing post.  Great luck with your move.

[Suzaqu]

Amazing post.  Great luck with your move.

Thanks, I'm starting to love this theme, many more gifs available than my last one. I'm going to need all the luck I can get! This is my first "adult" move, all the rest have been as a student, which I'm starting to realize is a very different animal!

 

 

 

Updates: One of 4 moving tasks done for the week. I canceled a membership! I also pre logged my calories for the day, so I'm on good track to finish that up. I have dinner with friends unexpectedly this evening, so my calories may be a bit high, but I'll make up for it tomorrow if I need to.

[jrosto]

Looks like the beginning to an awesome Challenge.

 

I took a peek at your MFP diary.  Goat Curry... now that sounds yum.

[Suzaqu]

Looks like the beginning to an awesome Challenge.

 

I took a peek at your MFP diary.  Goat Curry... now that sounds yum.

Thanks! The goat curry is indeed delicious! It and other assorted forms of goat will probably be in my diary for the foreseeable future. My husband went in on a goat with a coworker a week ago. He brought home a bag of 20lbs of goat/bone last Friday. It took an hour an a half to process and divide up and now our freezer is full. Tacos and tangine are next on the menu once we get sick of our curry. Any other recipe ideas? The move means that we're going to have to use this up faster than expected.

[jrosto]

I like cooking Cabrito low and slow in my BBQ pit, but roasted with Central or South American seasonings is also very good.

Here is one recipe that works well. It calls for avocado leaves and I haven't used those.

www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/goat-in-chile-marinade-pit-barbecue-style-51117000

[SpiralGalaxy]

Wow, that's awesome! And more adventurous than I get with meat: I tend to stick (too) closely to the beef/chicken axis, sometimes with some bison thrown in.

[raptron]

Awwww yes, Mean Girls!

[Suzaqu]

I like cooking Cabrito low and slow in my BBQ pit, but roasted with Central or South American seasonings is also very good.

Here is one recipe that works well. It calls for avocado leaves and I haven't used those.

www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/goat-in-chile-marinade-pit-barbecue-style-51117000

Ooooo, that looks amazing! I might have to try that out. I've been crockpot-ing the goat so far, so this would be a good adventure. I'm glad it doesn't need the avocado leaves, I have no idea where I'd get those from.  Also, I'm jealous of your BBQ pit! How big is it? Could you do a whole goat?

[Suzaqu]

Wow, that's awesome! And more adventurous than I get with meat: I tend to stick (too) closely to the beef/chicken axis, sometimes with some bison thrown in.

Bison is pretty adventurous! I've never eaten it outside of a bison burger and have never cooked it myself. I love the idea of the beef/chicken axis. In my attempt to find a fun gif/pic that represented this idea I ran into this monstrocity (shield your eyes now!)

 

the chicken beef steak. I don't think it would do either food any favors. It's like a square and possibly more complicated to make turducken!

 

Here's some mean girls to make up for that horribleness! I want my thread to be cool!

 

[Suzaqu]

Awwww yes, Mean Girls!

Welcome! Not quite as epic as your Drag Race theme, but I am feeling my oats with this one

 

[Suzaqu]

Week 0 Days 2+3

 

Yesterday I realized that I started this all on Tuesday, not Monday, so spreadsheet has been adjusted (my numbering is just going to be off, just go with a_n=n+1 to paraphrase Cady)

 

Two more goals completed! I finished my part of our annual report (a whole week early!) and I finalized my budget for the month. 

 

I went slightly over calories yesterday, darn you curried carrot soup, but today should make up for it. 

 

Exercise-wise, I realized again that Monday was part of Week 0 and that I went on a 3 mi walk with my husband (with lots of serious job/moving talk) so one down! I'm headed to ballet in a few hours, so I should be at 2 for this week minimum. We're traveling to visit my mother tomorrow, so another session may not happen.  I'm super excited because this is the first week my ballet class has been bumped up to 1.5 hrs, so more dance/exercise goodness!

 

Moving goals wise: I completed two more, I went through some stuff and purged, and I listed stuff to sell/give away to minimize what we have to pack/purge later. Whooooo! 3 down, 1 to go! (again because of travel, idk if a 4th will get done)

[jrosto]

 

 

the chicken beef steak. I don't think it would do either food any favors. It's like a square and possibly more complicated to make turducken!

 

 

Now that should be wrapped in bacon

[jrosto]

Ooooo, that looks amazing! I might have to try that out. I've been crockpot-ing the goat so far, so this would be a good adventure. I'm glad it doesn't need the avocado leaves, I have no idea where I'd get those from.  Also, I'm jealous of your BBQ pit! How big is it? Could you do a whole goat?

 

It's not a very large pit.  I can do a Packer's Cut Brisket and a Boston Butt pork shoulder in it.  I have to quarter a small goat to get it to fit, or I can do a whole kid goat 

[SpiralGalaxy]

OK, that chicken/beef square thing is totally wrong. And jrosto is totally right: should be wrapped in bacon.

 

Happy start-of-challenge day!

[Suzaqu]

It's not a very large pit.  I can do a Packer's Cut Brisket and a Boston Butt pork shoulder in it.  I have to quarter a small goat to get it to fit, or I can do a whole kid goat 

Still impressive! We just did crockpot goat tacos that worked out well http://www.foodsofourlives.com/2014/03/slow-cooker-goat-tacos/if you are looking for more goat ideas that don't involve the pit (though I don't know why you would). Man I wish our landlord would be okay with that I think your roasted one is next! There's about 1/4th of a goat left! and only a few months left to eat it in, and my husband is looking at getting a 1/4 of a pig...so much meat!

 

Also, bacon does make everything better, even that checkerboard monstrosity! Though it would be better if there were some pork belly squares in there, mmmmmmmm.

[Suzaqu]

OK, that chicken/beef square thing is totally wrong. And jrosto is totally right: should be wrapped in bacon.

 

Happy start-of-challenge day!

Happy start of challenge to you too! Look at us almost actually posting on the same day.  That's one of my (unofficial) goals this round, actually post more

[Suzaqu]

Week 1 Days 1+2

 

Whoooo, challenge! I'm super excited to be here with my assassins again!  I got a good kettlebells session in on Monday and should do another on Wednesday, that with a ballet class on Thursday the first quest should be good to go for the first week. I'm hopefully going to meet with my trainer soon and learn some new moves. I got the swing, pop-up, deadlift, and squat down and I'm loving it so far!

 

I'm still working on my moving goals, any suggestions? We're still a little far out to start changing addresses with companies (also, idk what the address will be yet) or to start physically packing. I haven't moved as an adult and not as a student yet, so any guidance would be awesome! Anything you wish you had done earlier?

 

Calorie-wise I'm coming in just under the wire. I usually like to build a bit of a cushion going into the weekend, especially this one since I'm visiting home and my mother is a master at ruining calorie goals. But I can stay strong! 

 

No job apps done yet, but plans in place to get them done! Any Nerds in NJ with jobs for a mathematician?

 

I'll get my measurements done tomorrow and start this challenge off right!  I'm promising it here and now! See you all tomorrow!

[jrosto]

Awesome job with the 'bells.

 

Are you moving yourselves?  Boxes, more than you think you need and newspaper to wrap dishes in.  Several felt tip markers to label boxes.You can always use clothes and linen to protect your dishes, but that makes unpacking more of a pain.  Now is also a good time to de-clutter and get rid of things that you guys don't use.  I always liked to have a yard sale before moving.  

 

Start paying attention to stuff you use every day, and pack that stuff last.

 

Pack your dishes and glass items tight.  The boxes will be heavy, but the less vibration the less chance of breakage.

 

Great job on Days 1 & 2!

[SpiralGalaxy]

Awesome, go you! As for moving advice (I've moved waaaay more than I wanted to recently): start throwing out anything you don't want to move. I start this earlier every time and every time I'm still amazed and the junk I have to throw out at the last minute, or the junk I unpack in the new place and think "Why the hell did this end up in a box?"