River levels up to Assassins

[Riverleaf]

 

Sara as the Canary is my daughter's favorite hero from Arrow and a badass assassin. 

 

I just finished my six week recruits challenge, and am ready to tackle my first Assassins challenge.  My first challenge was beset by sickness and Dragoncon, but still seemed mostly a success.  Got back on the exercise wagon and tracked my food.   Lost 7lbs.   TBH, the last week has been kind of a mess - post Dragoncon blues, I suppose, and when I'm not feeling well I tend to eat lots of sweets.  But it's Sunday, and challenge starts tomorrow so I'm ready to turn it around. 

 

I'm an alchemist and I will turn this weight thing around.  I will continue to track food and keep calories in range, and I will continue to walk/exercise bike 20 minutes a day/5 days a week.

 

Main Goal for this challenge: To level up my bodyweight exercise.  

 

I'm the kind of person who:

 

1. Surpasses 10,000 steps 5 times a week.

 

2. Does a beginning bodyweight workout 3 times a week.

 

3. Eats 5 fruits/veggies a day. 

 

Life goal: Practice French 10 minutes a day.

[Riverleaf]

9/14 - 20 min exercise bike (1/5)

          10,285 steps (1/5)

          NFA Bodyweight A with mods - Wall push ups, Ball assisted squats, Knee Plank, Walking Jacks (1/3)

          5 fruits and veggies! (1/7)

         10 min French! (1/7)

[Riverleaf]

9/15  - 20 min exercise bike (2/5)

           10,448 steps (2/5)

           8 fruits and veggies.(2/7)

           10 min French. (2/7)

[Riverleaf]

9/16  - 15 min exercise bike, 10 min brisk walk

           11342 steps (3/5)

           6 fruits and vegetables (3/7)

          10 min French (3/7)

 

Feeling alternately exhausted and energized because of this newish exercise.   I wasn't up to a bodyweight today, but had a busy day and was glad to get my steps in.  My daughter's dance class is an hour and I used the time to get an extra walk in and work on my French.  Loving the Memrise program. 

 

The scale is reading another pound down, but I shouldn't really look at it midweek.  It is an addiction but it is also a useful tool.  Kind of like food.   I'm still eating a lot of sweets but overall my diet is fairly healthy.  

[Riverleaf]

9/17 - 10125 steps (4/5)

          20 min fast walk

          8 fruits and vegetables (4/7)

          10 min french (4/7)

          no bodyweight (1/3) 

[Riverleaf]

9/18   - 7758 steps (4/5)

            4 fruits and vegetables (4/7)

            no bodyweight (1/3)

            10 min French (5/7)

 

Not so great an end to the week, but I'm wiped today.  Ordered pizza for dinner and zoned with the family. 

[jrosto]

Hi Riverleaf

Very nice job with the steps. Looks like you are well on your way to teaching that goal this week.

The beginner body weight workouts were tough for me in the beginning, my push-ups were from the kitchen counter. I sure am glad I started doing them though. I'm doing push-ups from the floor now and getting closer to that first pull-up.

Keep it up and you'll see some pretty nice results in no time.

[Riverleaf]

9/19 - 4109 Steps (4/5)

          5 fruits and vegetables (5/6)

          no bodyweight (1/3)

          10 min French (6/6)

[Riverleaf]

9/20 - Last Day of the week - 2443 Steps (4/5), 5 fruits and vegetables (6/7), no bodyweight (1/3), 10 min French (7/7)

 

As usual, if I don't get my steps in during the week, the weekends are my bane.  I just want to lay about and do nothing.   I'm hoping with improved diet and more walking that I will eventually be more energetic during the week and on the weekend.   Still 4/5 days isn't bad for my first week, and I also did 20 min exercise bike sessions 4/5 days.  

 

I definitely made an effort to up my fruits and veggies this week.   I had more salads and added veggies to meals I might not otherwise have.   Go me.

 

I only got in one bodyweight workout.   This week was brutal with after school meetings and it cut into my time for personal exercise.   Perhaps I'll need to build up to three workouts a week or find a different time to do them.  Perhaps lunch hour? 

 

French definitely went well.  My only 7/7.  The Memrise app makes catching a few moments here and there easy to keep up with, and I'm averaging about 15 minutes a day.  Of course, mental challenges are easier for me to focus on.  I'm not used to focusing on my body/exercise etc.  

 

Bonus, this week I found out my insurance offers a pretty great habit change/healthy eating free online program that I'm working through.  And gives me points toward $25 Amazon Gift Cards for getting in 5000 or even more for 10000 steps.  So I hooked my fitbit up to it, and I've already earned two.  Feeding my book habit through walking is definitely a habit I can get behind. 

[jrosto]

...Bonus, this week I found out my insurance offers a pretty great habit change/healthy eating free online program that I'm working through.  And gives me points toward $25 Amazon Gift Cards for getting in 5000 or even more for 10000 steps.  So I hooked my fitbit up to it, and I've already earned two.  Feeding my book habit through walking is definitely a habit I can get behind. 

 

Now that is an awesome idea.

[Riverleaf]

9/21 - 20 min exercise bike, 20 min brisk walk

          10163 steps (1/5)

           5 fruits and vegetables (1/7)

           10 min French (1/7)

           bodyweight (1/3) - bodyweight squats, knee pushups, lunges, dumbbell rows, knee plank (Steve's beginning bodyweight workout)

[Scrawlcreatelive]

9/20 - Last Day of the week - 2443 Steps (4/5), 5 fruits and vegetables (6/7), no bodyweight (1/3), 10 min French (7/7)

As usual, if I don't get my steps in during the week, the weekends are my bane. I just want to lay about and do nothing. I'm hoping with improved diet and more walking that I will eventually be more energetic during the week and on the weekend. Still 4/5 days isn't bad for my first week, and I also did 20 min exercise bike sessions 4/5 days.

I definitely made an effort to up my fruits and veggies this week. I had more salads and added veggies to meals I might not otherwise have. Go me.

I only got in one bodyweight workout. This week was brutal with after school meetings and it cut into my time for personal exercise. Perhaps I'll need to build up to three workouts a week or find a different time to do them. Perhaps lunch hour?

French definitely went well. My only 7/7. The Memrise app makes catching a few moments here and there easy to keep up with, and I'm averaging about 15 minutes a day. Of course, mental challenges are easier for me to focus on. I'm not used to focusing on my body/exercise etc.

Bonus, this week I found out my insurance offers a pretty great habit change/healthy eating free online program that I'm working through. And gives me points toward $25 Amazon Gift Cards for getting in 5000 or even more for 10000 steps. So I hooked my fitbit up to it, and I've already earned two. Feeding my book habit through walking is definitely a habit I can get behind.

I never learned French but I always remember parsing verbs in High School and College.

[Scrawlcreatelive]

Also, great work keep going.

[Riverleaf]

I've studied Spanish, French and Hindi.   I was best at French, but it was a long time ago so feels like I'm starting from scratch.   Someday I'd like to reach a level where I wouldn't get so confused between languages.   I enjoy learning them though.  

[Riverleaf]

9/22 - 20 min exercise bike

          11,414 steps (2/5)

          6 fruits and vegetables (2/7)

          no bodyweight (1/3)

          15 min french (2/7)

[jrosto]

Nice job today RL, look at those steps

[Riverleaf]

I'm pretty sad that the weight isn't coming off more quickly. I have a lot to lose and I'm averaging a pound a week. I guess I should be glad the weight is coming off. Perhaps getting more regular with the bodyweight will make a difference.

I'm probably still eating too many sweets. I try to say a little bit in moderation because I never feel ready to give them up completely.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

[Riverleaf]

9/23 - 20 min bike ride

          10,373 Steps (3/5)

           Body weight workout A: 3 sets- knee pushups (10-6-6), bodyweight squats (15x3), plank (:15x3); walking jacks (:30x3) (2/3)

           5 fruits and veggies (3/7)

           10 min French (3/7)

[jrosto]

I'm pretty sad that the weight isn't coming off more quickly. I have a lot to lose and I'm averaging a pound a week. I guess I should be glad the weight is coming off. Perhaps getting more regular with the bodyweight will make a difference.

I'm probably still eating too many sweets. I try to say a little bit in moderation because I never feel ready to give them up completely.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

 

When I was in the weight loss phase of my journey I pretty much had to abstain from all sweets and added sugar.  I also ate very little fruit outside of the occasional half cup of mixed berries.  It was rough at first, but did make the journey that much faster.  That being said a pound a week is a pound in the right direction

[Riverleaf]

9/24 - 15 min exercise bike

          11517 steps (4/5)

          5 fruits and veggies (4/7)

          10 min French (4/7)

           no bodyweight (2/3)

[Riverleaf]

9/25 15 min exercise bike

        12025 Steps (5/5)

         6 fruits and veggies (5/7)

         10 min French (5/7)

         no bodyweight (2/3)

[jrosto]

Squats and push ups are body weight

 

Again, your steps are pretty awesome.  That's a lot of purposeful walking.

[Riverleaf]

9/26 - 20 min bike

          10004 steps (6/5)

          6 fruits and veggies (6/7)

          no bodyweight (2/3)

          10 min French (6/7)

 

I got steps on a weekend!  Woot.  Just cause friends are in town and we went to a small convention.  

[Riverleaf]

9/27 - rest day, 5 fruits and veggies (7/7), no bodyweight (2/3), 10 min French (7/7)

 

This week was pretty good.   Got in all my fruits and veggies, all my steps (plus one extra day), and all my French.  Got two out of three days of bodyweight, working my way up to three.   Down 2lbs last week. 

 

My insurance sponsored Living Lean program has been fantastic at helping me change my mind about the way I look at sweets.  I haven't chosen to eat any sweets in the last few days, other than my coffee drink (small, no whip, 2% milk).  I'm pretty excited about that.

[jrosto]

... I haven't chosen to eat any sweets in the last few days, other than my coffee drink (small, no whip, 2% milk).  I'm pretty excited about that.

 

Awesome job!