Tamaskaaaa =D 10/27 edit.

[Tamaska]

HELLO! =D 

 

The big main goal:

Lose weight. 

My current weight is in the 280-290 ball park range. The over all goal is to drop down to 180lbs. I know 100lbs are not going to go away in six weeks though.

 

To start on the journey of weight loss I will need to do the following.

 

Change my eating habits.

1. Reduce sugar.

2. More protein and fiber

3. Remember to eat

4. Apply what I learned in nutrition class to my life

5. Most meals need to be homemade. Less pizza, burgers and what not.

 

I'm currently keeping a food diary for the week leading up to the challenge. From there I will review it and seek advice on the forums and across the internet for ways to add healthier diet options to my life. This includes, but is not limited to learning what veggies supply which vitamins and minerals. Ways to cook or add those veggies to my meals so my taste buds don't die. Packing my meals for work the night before so I have no excuse to order a pizza because "Oh no, I'm working a 12hr shift and forgot to bring food". >.<

 

Set a schedule:

1. Go to bed at a certain time

2. Wake up at a certain time

3. Have my meals and snacks at certain times

4. Make room for exercise.

 

As it stands right now, winter is coming (pun intended) and this marks the beginning of what has habitually been the start of some of my deeper depressive episodes. I want to change this. With my depression comes long hours of sleeping, not eating properly by either not having an appetite or binge eating a few big meals that have no nutritional value what so ever. To fight this I'm going to keep myself on a schedule. No matter how shitty I feel I know that this schedule must be kept. Sleeping long hours and not eating or over eating is not going to make me feel better so it makes sense to do something that will help me feel better in the long run.

 

Exercise: 

1. Learn how to spell exercise and not need spell check to edit it for me.

2. Practice Yoga for an hour four-five days a week.

3. Find a place to go swimming.

 

I've never learned how to spell exercise properly I always spell excersize or exersice so... that needs to change lol. I am currently 280ish pounds, running, jogging and high impact workouts are not going to be my friend at this stage of the game. I know the moment my knees or my hips start to ache from running I will immediately lose all interest in working out because I can do some amazing mental gymnastics to avoid anything I don't really want to do. So, yoga is the option I have chosen to start me on my journey of weight loss. I will also start looking for a place to go swimming. I LOVE SWIMMING and since I live in the Pacific North West outdoor swimming is not recommendable. So, AQUATIC CENTER HERE I COME! =D 

 

This is where my progress bars will be. 

 

Each week the progress bars will be updated.

 

Eating.

Week one progess%

Week one progess%

Scheduling.

Week one progess%

Week one progess%

Excercise.

Week one progress%

Week one progress%

[ExpectJade]

Looking forward to it! 

[Solunaria]

Go team!

[insanity]

Hmmm... still waiting... *looks at watch*... *Twiddles thumbs*...

[Tamaska]

Changing eating habits.

 

Look at that pretty teal color!!!!! 

 

LETS GET STARTED! 

 

Reduce sugar. 

 

The limit for added sugar for a woman is 6 teaspoons according to the American Heart Association. ( will include link at bottom of post). So, for the next six weeks I will monitor the sugar I add to things such as tea and oatmeal. I will also monitor the sugar in things I drink or eat such as soda, hot cocoa or bread and pasta.

 

Every day I meet the quota of 6 or less teaspoons of sugar is an A or 100%. If I go over I will take away 10% for every teaspoon I have added over. 7= 90, 8=80, 9=70 and so forth. At the end of each week I will average out my daily sugar intake and find my score for that week. This will repeat weeks 1 through 6. 

 

 

 

More Protein and fiber.

 

I'm not counting the amount of grams and suggested servings for this just yet. If a meal I eat has a meat/meat replacement w/ protein it counts as protein, if it has veggies or a healthy grain option it counts as fiber. If something I eat has a good source of protein it will count. 

 

The goal is that each meal I eat must have a protein and a fiber with it. so, breakfast needs one of each. Lunch needs one of each and dinner needs one of each. Everyday I will need to have eaten 3 proteins and 3 fibers for an A. Should I miss one of either it is a B. If I miss 2 of either one its a C. if I miss 3 I fail. Each day's total will be added up and averaged out at the end of the week giving me my total for that week.

 

 

Remember to eat.

 

Three meals a day plus a healthy snack before lunch or before dinner is the goal. All of them counts as an A. If I miss the snack its a B, if i miss a meal its a fail. 

 

Nutrition Class.

 

I took a beginning nutrition class in college and then I took a more condensed version of it in my medical assisting classes at another school. I will be doing research on the nutrients I need to be having for optimal health. Each week I will do research on a vitamin and mineral. I will post a list of foods that provide the said mineral and vitamin. 

In total I will I have 6 vitamins and 6 minerals. I'll figure out which vitamin and mineral I will be studying on Sunday at the end of the week. I will have a paragraph (4+ sentences) minimum on each vitamin and mineral. I will then list four or more food items that have the said vitamin and mineral in it. I will post links to each source I use to find this information.

 

If I post 1 paragraph about each vitamin and mineral with the listed foods here in this forum it will count as an A. Should I miss a vitamin or a mineral it counts as a C and if I miss both it is an F. At the end of the six week challenge I will average out my total score and have my end grade. 

 

Home cooked meals.

 

Most of the meals I eat during the week need to be from home. I've edited this section to give myself some leeway. Less take out, less pizza and what not. Once or twice every so often is fine, but not every day of the week that I have work. I'll become more strict on my dieting habits later once I've got other habits down pat.

[insanity]

YAY.... sounds like a good start.

[Tamaska]

Thank you insanity. =3 

I'll keep editing and adding stuff as the deadline for the new 6 week challenge gets closer. Keep your eyes open. =3 

[Sythez]

Looks good. In spirit of such things...

 

 

Good luck and look forward to reading your success!

[Tamaska]

Schedule

 

Waking up.

 

Set an alarm. Do not go back to sleep after this alarm has gone off. 

Alarm is set for.... 

If I wake up and do not go back to sleep after this alarm has gone off: A

If I go back to sleep after the alarm: C

If I dismiss the alarm and miss my scheduled breakfast time: F

 

 

Going to bed. 

 

Get ready for bed 1hr before bed time. Shower, jammies, brush teeth, etc. Turn off game stations and stop dicking around on my phone.

Alarm is set for.....

In bed by the top of the next hour and not dicking around on the phone: A

Still playing on phone, but in bed: C

Missed bed time, still dicking around on phone an hour after bed time: F

 

 

Meals

Breakfast within one-two hours after waking up.

Ate all the food and it included a protein and fiber: A

Did not include a fiber/protein: B

Did not include either/forgot to eat: F

 

 

Lunch

Around noon.

Ate all the food and it included a protein and fiber: A

Did not include a fiber/protein: B

Did not include either/forgot to eat: F

 

 

Dinner

Approximately 6-7pm ( depends on work)

Ate all the food and it included a protein and fiber: A

Did not include a fiber/protein: B

Did not include either/forgot to eat: F

 

 

Snack

Either before lunch or before dinner. Must be healthy. ( No donuts, no candy/sugar etc)

On days I work 12hr shifts it can be after dinner.

 

 

Exercise hour for teh Yogaaaa. 

Before or after work. Take a shower afterwards. Don't be gross.

Did the full workout at the scheduled time: A

Did the workout, but not at the time: B

Forgot the workout all together: F

[Tamaska]

Exercise

 

Learn to spell exercise:

 

I did: A

Did not: F

 

Yoga

 

Did it for the hour needed: A

Did it part of the hour: C

Did not do it at all: F

 

Swimming place

 

Week one:

Googles is your friend. Look up places to go swimming.

Did this: A

Did not: F

 

 

Week three:

Visit these places/get more information on them.

Did this: A

Did not: F

 

 

Week Six:

Have a plan to make swimming a part of your day along with your yoga.

Did this: A

Did not: F

[Tamaska]

Looks good. In spirit of such things...

 

 

Good luck and look forward to reading your success!

 

Thank you! <3 I appreciate this! 

[Tamaska]

Vitamin Week one.

 

 

 

 

 

Mineral Week one.

 

 

 

 

This is where the lovely sources of information go =D

[Calanthia Cobbin]

I like how extensively you thought this out! It makes me feel like such a slacker hahaha I'll have to look at yours for a model sometime

[Calanthia Cobbin]

I like how extensively you thought this out! It makes me feel like such a slacker hahaha I'll have to look at yours for a model sometime

[Tamaska]

Week one day by day progress

 

Eating:

 

 

• Day one:
• Day two:
• Day three:
• Day four:
• Day five:
• Day six:
• Day seven:

End of week total:

End of week status =D%

End of week status =D%

 

Scheduling:

 

 

• Day one:
• Day two:
• Day three:
• Day four:
• Day five:
• Day six:
• Day seven:

End of week total:

Did you do the thing?!?!?! %

Did you do the thing?!?!?! %

 

Exercise:

 

 

• Day one:
• Day two:
• Day three:
• Day four:
• Day five:
• Day six:
• Day seven:

End of week total:

So.... how are you?%

So.... how are you?%

[Tamaska]

I like how extensively you thought this out! It makes me feel like such a slacker hahaha I'll have to look at yours for a model sometime

LOL I only do this so extensively because I'm a procrastinator and a lazy schmuck. If I didn't do it this extensively I'd be pulling 100's everyday for eating a brownie or just looking at veggies at the super market. If you need help setting something up this extensive just let me know and I'd be happy to help you. =D 

[Luciana Valerosa Culming]

Looks like you are trying to do a lot of things. It's usually recommended for recruits to only take 3 quests and one sidequest for their first challenge. Because too many changes at once can be overwhelming.

So What's your starting point? What of these things are you already doing and what's a new habit you want to form?

Perhaps you can test your plan in this week and make adjustments in week zero if necessary. Have a good challenge

[Tamaska]

My starting point? I'm working from ground zero pretty much. Any physical activity I did was at least 5 or so years ago beyond the basic walking to work and what not. Five years ago I was in high school, I did the bare minimum for PE class and did two years of wrestling. While I pushed myself for the team the changes I made to my life for those two years didn't stick. I've tried to get interested in martial arts or the gym now that I'm an adult, but nothing really fits because I always felt alone or too tired due to my depression and crazy work schedule. Now my work schedule is set concrete and specific. I work Tuesday- Saturday 3pm to 11pm. Sometimes it changes, but its mostly just adding a few extra hours to my shift to make it a 12 instead of an 8.

 

I'm setting up a routine; get up and go to bed at a certain time. Eat three meals a day plus a snack and then do yoga once a day. Those are the things I want to start doing. Its a foot up from my daily BS of forgetting to eat, going to bed at 7am or whenever I feel like it and waking up an hour before work to get dressed and head out. Realizing I forgot to eat anything since yesterday, ordering a pizza and devouring it in my eight hour shift then not eating anything until the next day again. While it seems like a lot, its more or less just imposing rules on chaos and disorder. I know I'm not going to get 100% on everything all the time, but for the next six weeks these are the things I want to focus on because they're important to me. The schedule helps me regulate when I'm hungry, regulating when I'm hungry reminds me that I need to eat something other than pizza or a hamburger, then the yoga helps me to just have an hour to myself to stretch and unwind. Not sleeping all day has its benefits as well lol. I'll have more energy, I'll have more time and be more focused on the things I want to get done. 

[Luciana Valerosa Culming]

Ok, that sounds reasonable. I thought it was more because of the swimming and spelling exercise. I thought the last one was a metaphor.

I don't know, if you'll manage doing yoga evry day, but you can at least aim for it. And it makes a difference if you aim for 20 minute workouts or longer sessions. So yeah. You seem determined. You can do it.

[Blaidd]

Welcome Tamaska.  I like that you have a pretty good idea of where you'd like to go.  I would however caution that you look at less complex goals. Perhaps choose one or two sub goals for each quest (or even condense some of them together e.g. wake up at 6am and go to sleep at 10pm etc).  It can get very overwhelming to have so many goals to try and achieve. 

 

You might notice that someone has added a tag to your post.  This is not to box you into a corner but rather because your goals or lifestyle have links to the guild you've been tagged and we'd like to bring you to the attention of one of their guild ambassadors. These ambassadors will be able to offer you advice, encouragement and support on your goals.  You don't even have to wait around for them to come introduce themselves to you, you are more than welcome to pop into the Adventurers' board and introduce yourself to the guildies there. I am also around to answer any questions that you might have so do not hesitate to PM me.

 

Good Luck with your challenge

AB xx

[Tamaska]

XD The spelling bit I was serious about... I never learned how to properly spell exercise cause I say it funny. Ex-sir-size is how I pronounce it and I guess its supposed to be pronounced Ex-er-size.

 

I also just want to look into places to go swimming, google it a few times and look around where I live at places that might be options. Make up my mind and then just go visit the places to see what its like there. Then, eventually decide if I want to add swimming once or twice a week in exchange for yoga. It's not set in concrete, its just an option I want to explore for the future.

 

Thank you for the welcome Balidd. I appreciate the concern you and Luciana have voiced over my goals. I'm still in editing mode since I just kind of barfed up goals and ideas on the fly while I was at work. I made them complex because that's what I feel like I need to have them be so the lazy/depressed part of me that I'm trying to break isn't wiggling around looking for loop holes. Cause if I say "wake up at 10" and I set my alarm for 10, that lazy asshole part of my brain is gonna acknowledge the alarm and then go back to sleep telling myself 'You woke up, you turned off the alarm, its all good' or some whiny 'but I'm still tired' x____X I am my own worst enemy when it comes to my depressive episodes.

 

As for the adventure tag, ohhhhh, a shiny tag thingy ma jigger. I GET TO MEET AN ADVENTURERE PERSON!!!! -freaks out and wiggles all happily.- I was wondering what guild I'd go into eventually. I'mma go lurk on them and maybe pester them as a form of saying hello. <3

 

Thank you Luciana and Blaidd.

[Bast]

Welcome, Tamaska!

 

It looks like you've got a pretty good well laid out plan!  While I do agree with the others about trying not to bite off more than you can chew, I can definitely commiserate with you on being my own worst enemy!!  My advice is to give yourself some wiggle room and remember to be flexible...which is what the Yoga is for, right!?!  LOL!!  

 

Personally I found the do or don't and letter grading system too constraining...so I set up a point system...every thing I do gets a point, don't do it and no point...then add up all the points to figure out my score.

 

Also, I noticed you're doing yoga and swimming for your "Ex-sir-size" (LOL) because impact would be painful...have you thought about body weight workouts?  There's no impact, often no equipment needed, and easily modified.

 

Don't worry about joining guilds just yet...take your time to check them all out...each one is different, and although you may seem like a good fit in one right now, by the end of the challenge, your interests regarding fitness may have changed as you learn and discover new things (I know mine surely did!).

 

And finally, the most important of all these shiny pennies...Have fun!!

 

[Archon]

Welcome Tamaska.  I like that you have a pretty good idea of where you'd like to go.  I would however caution that you look at less complex goals. Perhaps choose one or two sub goals for each quest (or even condense some of them together e.g. wake up at 6am and go to sleep at 10pm etc).  It can get very overwhelming to have so many goals to try and achieve. 

 

You might notice that someone has added a tag to your post.  This is not to box you into a corner but rather because your goals or lifestyle have links to the guild you've been tagged and we'd like to bring you to the attention of one of their guild ambassadors. These ambassadors will be able to offer you advice, encouragement and support on your goals.  You don't even have to wait around for them to come introduce themselves to you, you are more than welcome to pop into the Adventurers' board and introduce yourself to the guildies there. I am also around to answer any questions that you might have so do not hesitate to PM me.

 

Good Luck with your challenge

AB xx

 

Hi Tamaska!

 

I would have to second the wise advice of the Blaidd. Challenge burnout is a real thing. For some it happens mid-challenge, for other near the end of a challenge, but the best advice I can give is to start small & simple. Consider picking one thing to focus on a week.

 

You have some great goals, now you just have to turn them into habits! I started at just under 280 lbs a few months ago and am down to 245 now by having made small lasting changes. Wish you the best of luck on your challenge and feel free to stop by and witness some of the shenanigans going on in the Adventurers' threads. (Someguyfromscotland, Deftona, & Redeaglespirit all are full of hilarity and horribleness).

[Meushell]

Nice goals. I tend to want to throw an extra C in exercise too. I'm like...

"'Excercise'

That doesn't look right.

'Exercise.'"

Then sometimes that looks wrong, so I spellcheck and see that it is right.

[Sythez]

Hey Tamaska! How goes the first couple days of the challenge?