Heatwave: 1st Challenge?!

[Heatwave]

Hello,

 

I'm 37 y/o, married and have two elementary school-aged children.  I've been following Nerd Fitness for a few weeks, but never posted anything or joined a group.  So this, in itself, is a big step for me.  I've always wanted to do a 'before and after' photo.  I've looked at lots on the internet for inspiration and the ones on NF.  With that said, I've made my profile photo my 'Before' photo... but of course I need a good 'After' photo?!  I'm too embarassed to post my face in the photo, nor have I shared this with my wife for the same reasons.

 

6 Week Goal:  To see a noticeable difference in "Before and After" photos.

 

Side Goal:  Stop drinking ANY type of soda.

 

 

I started working out about 30 days ago with compound lifts (Deadlifts, Clean & Press, Incline Bench, Bentover Rows, Incline Dumbbell Press).  After about a week or so I started to take Glutamine... a week after that I started to take Whey Protein... and this week I plan to start taking Creatine before working out.  (That's all the supplements I plan to take).

 

I accidently came accross this 6 week challenge the day before it starts, and I'm glad I found it.  Because I feel that I'm too embarrassed with 'body issues' to freely discuss it with my wife or friends... and I feel that this challenge will help me discuss it freely (but anonymously).

 

So here we go. 

 

 

 

[Heatwave]

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[Heatwave]

[saturnreturn]

Hey there, Heatwave!

 

How do you plan to accomplish seeing a noticeable difference in your before and after picture? You should set some SMART goals to help you achieve this main goal. For example, do you want to work out at least three days a week? Do you want to walk for 30 minutes every day? Do you want to drink at least 64 oz of water daily? Those are the kinds of things you want to think about to help break down your main quest into bite-size, achievable pieces.

 

Good luck!

[Heatwave]

Hi, Saturnreturn-

I appreciate the post and suggestions. 

 

I will make my bite-size goals for the next week to be:

 

1) Don't drink any soda

2) Go to the gym and lift heavy things at least 3 times this week.

 

Thank you!

[Heatwave]

 

Week 1 Progress:

 

1) Don't drink any soda

Success

 

2) Go to the gym and lift heavy things at least 3 times the first week.

Success

 

Week 2 Goals:

1) Don't drink any soda.

2) Eat something for breakfast before going to work (Protein shake and/or a boiled egg... to go along with my cup of coffee)

3) Go to the gym and lift heavy things at least 3 times

 

 

Prior to this 6 week challenge... I had this goal:

1) Stop going to Taco Bell after work

Success.  Now I have a large bag of beef jerky from Sams Club and a container of nuts to snack on while driving home from work.

 

My feelings:

*I feel like I've been doing 'this' forever... but when I see my photo progress I'm reminded - I only really started a little over a month ago and shouldn't expect 'instant' results like in commercials.  When I compare my day 1 photo to my most recent photo it does give me motivation to 'keep it up'.  I AM GROOT.

[Heatwave]

My wife had to work today (Sunday) so I had to figure out how to get a work out in while I had the kids with me.  My solution:  Do a sprint (HIIT training) exercise with my kids at the track.  My kids enjoyed doing it, too.  I ran as hard as I could for 30 seconds... then rested while my kids took turns doing the same thing.  My kids thought I was 'really fast'... even though I didn't feel that way.    I will go back to lifting heavy things after work tomorrow, but I'm gonna try to incorporate sprint training at least once a week.  With a side goal of doing six 30 second all-out sprints.

[Ducki]

 

 

I accidently came accross this 6 week challenge the day before it starts, and I'm glad I found it.  Because I feel that I'm too embarrassed with 'body issues' to freely discuss it with my wife or friends... and I feel that this challenge will help me discuss it freely (but anonymously).

 

 

 

This place is great for that. I don't discuss body/fitness issues with anyone outside of this place (except for maybe my son who encouraged me to get started on this fitness thing in the first place). This place is the only place in the world I have ever shared my weight (as a number) with. It's definitely helped me overcome a barrier or two in that sense. 

 

Good luck with your challenge! 

[Heatwave]

Thanks, Ducki!  I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one. 

[Jayniana Jones]

Congrats on figuring out ways to workout despite and with your kids.

 

It reminds me of the days when my kids were younger and used to like to exercise with me. I always felt ridiculous doing things like bear crawls, piggybacks, tag, long jumps and other body weight type exercises outside where my nosy neighbors watched and commented. Yet, my kids loved it and it was pretty fun to be goofy. Kids are great at encouraging especially if you're willing to do something they want to do.

 

Have a great week.

Jayniana

[Heatwave]

Week 2 Accountabilty Check-in

 

Week 2 Goals:

1) Don't drink any soda.

Success (I haven't had any cravings or desire...  I only drink water and one or two cups of black coffee a day)

 

2) Eat something for breakfast before going to work (Protein shake and/or a boiled egg... to go along with my cup of coffee)

Success.  This was hard to get use to.  Eating a boiled egg and drinking a protein shake before going to work felt like moving mountains.

It was hard because it is early in the morning, I'm tired/mental fog and I have no desire to eat at that time of day.

 

3) Go to the gym and lift heavy things at least 3 times

Success.  I look forward to going to the gym, now.  This week I started to do Sprints on the days I'm not lifting weights.

 

 

Struggles this week:

One unexpected struggle I ran into this week was at work.  We had lunch provided for us for free and I just went to town on the 'free' food.  I guess because it was a free buffet style... and I was at work, I just kind of forgot about what to eat.  Afterwords, I thought... what the heck did I just do?  I think I will be better prepared next time - mentally - to make some better choices when 'free' lunch is provided at work.

 

Goals for week 3:

 

1) Do four 30 second sprints twice this week.

2) Eat a boiled egg and protein shake before leaving for work.

3) Go to the gym 3 times this week.

 

Here's my progress:

 

[Heatwave]

Goals this week complete.

No Soda, Lifted 3 times,did sprints, and ate an egg each morning. This week threw me a curve ball with an unexpected trip. So I'm currently in the Chicago airport enjoying(not really) my $8.83 SW Chicken salad?!

So my unexpected side quest is to eat healthy these next few days... Which is always harder when traveling.

I was super proud of myself this week when I did not drink any of the free soda and junk food that was offered to me.

[Heatwave]

Proud of myself. I'm at a military hospital (as a visitor) and getting hungry. So I almost bought some crap out of the vending machines (even considered the "healthy chips")....but then decide to find their after hour cafe for fruit and grilled chicken. 💪

[Heatwave]

The challenges of life were a lot harder this past week than most.  With that in mind, I used my Nerd Fitness Challenge to get me through it.  Knowing that I had to post something at the end of the week motivated me to keep on track.  It is so easy to fall back into the old habits… but I was so proud of myself that I stayed away from junk food (vending machine food) and sodas.  With that said, I was kinda of bummed when I finally got home from my traveling that the weight scale showed I had gained some weight.  A few days later, I did my before/after photo… and I felt better, because I felt like I could see progress… and my weight was several pounds less than what it was before.

What I learned this week is not to trust the weight scale as the only measure of healthy weight loss success.  So, I purchased from Amazon a body fat caliper and measuring tapes.  So my goals this week are:

1)      Use a body fat caliper for the first time in my life?!

2)      Take measurements and start documenting/tracking

3)      Eat an egg and protein shake before going to work (I need to keep this on my list because it’s still a struggle)

 

4)      Sprint twice a week/Lift weights three times this week.

 

 

[jefner13]

 

The challenges of life were a lot harder this past week than most.  With that in mind, I used my Nerd Fitness Challenge to get me through it.  Knowing that I had to post something at the end of the week motivated me to keep on track.  It is so easy to fall back into the old habits… but I was so proud of myself that I stayed away from junk food (vending machine food) and sodas.  With that said, I was kinda of bummed when I finally got home from my traveling that the weight scale showed I had gained some weight.  A few days later, I did my before/after photo… and I felt better, because I felt like I could see progress… and my weight was several pounds less than what it was before.

What I learned this week is not to trust the weight scale as the only measure of healthy weight loss success.  So, I purchased from Amazon a body fat caliper and measuring tapes.  So my goals this week are:

1)      Use a body fat caliper for the first time in my life?!

2)      Take measurements and start documenting/tracking

3)      Eat an egg and protein shake before going to work (I need to keep this on my list because it’s still a struggle)

 

4)      Sprint twice a week/Lift weights three times this week.

 

 

 

 

Great work Heatwave! I can see the difference between the before and current pictures. 

[Heatwave]

Thanks, Jefner13!  I really appreciate you taking the time to respond.

-Heatwave

[Heatwave]

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[Heatwave]

 

Week 3 (Day 30) since starting the 6 week challenge.  (Day 60 since starting from scratch.)

 

This past week I didn't get to lift weights 3x during the week because of my kid's sports and work.  However, I did work out twice and did my sprints twice.

I was happy that I was able to run one more sprint than last week. I did reach my goal by eating before going to work.  Which I'm glad I declared that as one of my goals, because it motivates me... because I still really don't feel like eating that early in the morning.  Trying to make that a 'habit'.  I feel like working out has become a 'habit'... sprints are still a challenge, but strangely...  I feel so good after doing them.

 

This week's goals:

1) Eat a boiled egg and protein shake before work.

2) Lift weights 3x this week

3) Sprints 2x this week... run one more sprint than last week.

 

I started eating sweet potatoes over the past two weeks as well.  I took a cooked sweet potato for my work lunch one day and it actually worked out better than I thought.  Maybe I should set a sweet potato goal each week?

 

-Heatwave

[Heatwave]

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[Heatwave]

Checking-In with my week 5 progress:

 

I’ve been able to keep up with eating something for breakfast this past week.  But I must admit, I forgot this morning… so I ate as soon as I got to work.

 

I did purchase a body fat caliper and I “think†I’m at 23%, but not really sure because I feel like the caliper might be defective.  I contacted the company and they refunded my money and said I can keep their product.  I took a tape measure base reading of my flexed bicep at 13.5â€.  I’ll check that again in a month.  Just trying to find other ways to track my progress instead of just the weight scale… it helps motivate me.

 

Last night my wife, kids and I went to a Mexican restaurant and I ordered a steak fajita so I could eat just the steak and veggies.  I didn’t eat the tortilla, but I did break down and eat the free chips and salsa… and then the rice and beans.  It’s hard to keep on track when eating out?!

 

I’m traveling again for the next few days… so I won’t be able to go to the gym.  But my goal is to do sprints as least twice during my trip.  My second goal is to not drink soda while traveling or eat any junk food.  (I need to write this down/post it – so I will keep on track.)

-Heatwave

 

[Heatwave]

Week 6 (Day 72 from starting from scratch)

[Heatwave]

 

Six Week Challenge Results:

 

1)Don't drink soda anymore

2)Lifting heavy things 3x a week

3)Sprinting 2x a week

4)Eating something for breakfast (Boiled Egg + protein shake)

5)Eating mostly paleo

6)Increased Deadlift weight by 65 lbs.

7)Noticed a difference in my photos - despite not 'losing' much weight.

 

Next challenge goal: 

1) Read more Nerd Fitness archive blog posts,

2) Start tracking calories (MyFitness Pal?)

3) Side quest: Have more 'good' sex with my wife.