NeverThatBored is Nice to Herself

[NeverThatBored]

Hi All,

 

I’m NeverThatBored and this will be my 5^th challenge at Nerd Fitness. I’ve produced mixed results so far, with challenges 1 and 3 going well and challenges 2 and 4 going less well. In my last challenge, I took my challenge 3 goals and made them slightly harder, but I learned that that slight hurdle was much larger than I imagined. So for this challenge, I’m modifying those goals again, but I’m trying a different approach.

 

My health is holistic, and my accomplishments on different goals play off of each other. With that in mind, I’ll treat this challenge more like a game where I can earn and allocate bonus points to cover for areas where I struggle. I want to take less of a strict pass/fail mindset, which discourages me easily, and instead adopt a more compassionate attitude towards my efforts.

 

As I’m arranging this challenge, I’ll need to balance the point values for each goal so that they’re roughly equivalent. Whatever action earns a bonus point has to be equal in value to the point I’m replacing. This challenge already feels more fun than my last one since I'm such a point junkie. J

 

Goal 1: Walking +2 STA +1 STR + 1 DEX

96 miles of total walking, rucking for 36 of those miles + at least 6 runs (138 points total)

 

Walking regularly maintains my health, and it will get harder with winter starting and the sun setting earlier. Rather than trying to increase my mileage a bit each challenge, I just want to maintain a healthy mileage, period. I plan to walk 5 hours a week based on the primal blueprint recommendation – for me, 5 hours per week equals about 96 miles of walking in six weeks. Every extra 5 miles above 96 can be redeemed for a lost point somewhere else in my challenge.

 

Rucking = carrying weight on your back while you walk. Last challenge I rucked about 24 miles. This time, I have a system set up to make it easier, so I can increase the mileage a bit more.

 

I’ve also been running on and off for a while now as I try to correct my running form and overcome shin splints, and I want to work on that a bit more this time. I will run at least once per week (for any length that I choose) for as long as the weather allows. I’ll run a slow 2 miles per run at most, so I can count running mileage towards my walking total. Every additional run per week earns one bonus point to distribute for other points lost this challenge.

 

Goal 2: Strength +3 STR + 1 CON

3 workouts per week (18 total)

 

I’ve been struggling to get above 2 workouts per week, so I’m repeating this goal again this challenge.

 

I have two types of workouts: the BBWW and a bootcamp workout class. I use a modified BBWW where I gradually increase the difficulty of moves or add more moves. Here are some possible modifications I’ll add as I get stronger during this challenge:

 

• Get 15 pushups per circuit more comfortably again (I’m mostly here, but struggling with the 3^rd set lately)
• Add weight to lunges and squats
• Add a new motion or switch to a more difficult pushup, plank, lunge, or squat (offset squats?)

 

Goal 3: Food +3 CON +1 CHA

19 points per week in general, but modified from week to week as described below

 

I want to move away from an all or nothing mindset, so I’ve chosen to explore a new way of measuring success. Even without “cheat†days last challenge, I found that if a day was shot, I would just keep eating badly that day because I had already lost the point. Steve’s recent article on cheat days was timely. I’ve never loved the term, since I associate it with dieting rather than trying to make healthy changes to how I eat. So, I want to eliminate the concept of cheat/treat days from my life. I want to make this goal positive instead of negative. I want to encourage good eating rather than punishing bad eating. Here’s what I have:

 

• I will eat 19 primalish meals per week, meaning no grains or refined sugar and limited cheese and processed foods. This makes my goal additive rather than restrictive (3 per day on weekdays and 2 per day on weekends, or redistributed as needed). Any extra primal meals over 19 can be redeemed for a lost point elsewhere.
• I will reduce this number by 1 meal per weekend and 2 days per weekday on days my boyfriend stays with me or I stay with him
• I need to think about this one more, because this encourages what I think of as “YOLO eating†where I just eat whatever. Instead of cutting out these meals completely, I might change these dropped meals to 50% meals (so a bit of rice or an appetizer is ok, but not pizza)
• That would mean 1 primal meal, 1 anything meal, and 1 50% meal each day – with bonus points if I turn the 50% or anything meals into primal meals instead
• I will never have two non-primal meals in a row – I think this is a cornerstone habit if I get it right, so points lost from two consecutive non-primal meals cannot be redeemed (-1 penalty per meal or snack)
• I will not worry about this over Thanksgiving (likely a 4 day period with family), though I’ll still try to eat primalish and avoid consecutive non-primal meals when the opportunity presents itself. Any primal meals I manage during this period will earn me a bonus point.
• Snacks…what to do about snacks – I think that I will never eat more than one non-primal snack in a day (includes sugary beverages), and never eat one adjacent to a non-primal meal (-1 penalty)
• I will not eat after 8pm on days where I’m not forced to (Aikido and bootcamp days don’t get me home until 8ish, so I have to make exceptions on those days and some travel days) (-1 penalty)

This plan still penalizes bad eating in some places, but I think it feels much more positive overall. I’ll see how it goes and adjust accordingly. The snacking rule might encourage junky eating, so I’ll probably end up modifying that one.

 

Goal 4: Life Goal + 3 WIS

Spend my time more intentionally (42 points)

 

I’ve been doing well with reading daily, so I can maintain that habit without making it a life goal this time around. The reading goal has made me think a lot about how I used to read all the time naturally before I found my attention getting sucked up by managing my email, reading blogs, keeping up with airing shows, etc. I’ve realized that I really want to spend my time more intentionally. It’s totally ok if I want to spend my free time playing a game for hours, but I need to choose that rather than just letting it happen to me.

 

I can do whatever I want with my free time, but I need to do it intentionally rather than letting myself get sucked up into internet browsing, games, etc. by default – I don’t really know what this looks like for me yet.

 

For now, I will do one thing each day to spend my time more intentionally. Examples of this include: take a step back from something I’m doing and ask myself if I really want to be doing it, give myself quiet time to see how I’d want to spend the time, stop trying to force something to happen that I’m resisting, turn off or eliminate some kind of notification, switch to a different activity and see how I feel about spending my time on it instead, etc.

 

Other

Maintain/improve yoga time, continue Aikido, and ride my bike while I can – these aren’t measured, just things I’m working on as bonuses.

 

So, in short: 5 extra miles walked = 1 run = 1 strength workout = 1 primal meal

 

[NeverThatBored]

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[NeverThatBored]

Man, I always feel like my posts are absurdly long. 

[The Reel Godfather]

Good stuff, can't wait to see your progress.  I upped my main challenge goal from last challenge, hope I did not bite off more than I can chew, primally speaking!  Would love to hear more about your Aikido journey.

[Archon]

• Add weight to lunges and squats

.... Hot

 

Man, I always feel like my posts are absurdly long. 

Long posts are awesome! Following your journey and wishing you a great challenge!

[fleaball]

Man, I always feel like my posts are absurdly long. 

I do the same, don't worry!

[Sylvaa]

Man, I always feel like my posts are absurdly long. 

 

Yup - on this page too! 

 

I totally love that you give yourself a chance to make up points (if needed) by going above and beyond your baseline. That's a really awesome idea - I might steal it.

[NeverThatBored]

Yup - on this page too! 

 

I totally love that you give yourself a chance to make up points (if needed) by going above and beyond your baseline. That's a really awesome idea - I might steal it.

 

You should! This is my first time trying it, so I can't say for sure, but I think it will encourage a healthier attitude about missed points. 

[NeverThatBored]

Man, I really miss being able to go buy discount Halloween and Easter candy after the holidays. It's better for my health not to, of course, but it's so satisfying to buy discounted things. 

[NeverThatBored]

Cooking up a storm to prepare for the start of the challenge! (Both by preparing food for the week and finishing non-primal foods from this past week.)

[fleaball]

Cooking up a storm to prepare for the start of the challenge! (Both by preparing food for the week and finishing non-primal foods from this past week.)

I'll  be over in 10 minutes. 

[The Reel Godfather]

Cooking up a storm to prepare for the start of the challenge! (Both by preparing food for the week and finishing non-primal foods from this past week.)

 

Mmmm....finishing those nonprimal foods, had a bit of that in my day too!

[NeverThatBored]

Sooo, I ran into a challenge with that food I prepared. I cooked a bunch of chicken thighs, only to find out my thermometer lied and they weren't cooked through all the way. So now I have to figure out how to finish cooking them after they've been partially cooked.

 

On the bright side, I've done a lot of things today!

 

I started off the day with some yoga mini-sessions, and then I went on this week's run at lunch time. I went rucking for 1.75 miles after work, and soon I'll be heading off to Aikido. 

[NeverThatBored]

You guys can stop worrying now. I have successfully cooked my chicken more thoroughly. 

[fleaball]

I read this and wanted to comment but class started. x_x Sorry I was useless, but yay for chicken being not deadly!

[NeverThatBored]

I think my life quest is going to be hard to remember for a while. I soft of did it yesterday (unintentionally) when I paused at one point while I was reading and thought about whether my computer needed to be open. I'll let that slide since it was the first day.  

[Blonde-E]

Good challenge! I like your point structure and totally hear you on the all or nothing food strategy. Glad to hear the chicken won't knock you out on week 1.

[The Reel Godfather]

You guys can stop worrying now. I have successfully cooked my chicken more thoroughly. 

 

Oh good, Salmonella is not a good weight lose strategy.

[AshPS]

Hello there! 

 

I wanted to stop in and welcome you to the new challenge! Fabulous to have you along for a new Adventure!

 

 

Man, I really miss being able to go buy discount Halloween and Easter candy after the holidays. It's better for my health not to, of course, but it's so satisfying to buy discounted things. 

 

Lol, a person after my own heart, frugal!!

 

But seriously, you are totally right, discounted or not, it's a good thing you didn't buy it. If you'd bought it you'd be tempted to eat it and that wouldn't help your goals. Or you wouldn't eat it and then it really wouldn't be a discount. 

 

So awesome job on resisting! 

 

 

 

You guys can stop worrying now. I have successfully cooked my chicken more thoroughly. 

 

Sorry, this so made me laugh. I'm glad you got it all cooked. 

I can't find my thermometer most of the time.....probably because my little gremlins make off with it, so I tend to just cook meat for the longest possible time without killing it. Another reason why I also love using a crock pot and slow cooking in the oven.

 

 

 

I think my life quest is going to be hard to remember for a while. I soft of did it yesterday (unintentionally) when I paused at one point while I was reading and thought about whether my computer needed to be open. I'll let that slide since it was the first day.

 

 

Habits can happen so unintentionally. I have a goal to l limit sweets to once a week and I almost took a piece of Halloween candy yesterday without even thinking about it.   

 

Practice, practice, practice......that's the awesome thingthing about these challenges is that they give us the chanchance to practice that.

 

Awesome goals and I look forward to watching you kick some butt this round!  

 

Have a wonderful day!

[NeverThatBored]

I did a thing at work today that I've been sort of putting off since April. It only took me about an hour. And now I'm finally free!

 

It's amazing how much psychic stress that kind of thing puts on you. I think I might try to incorporate reducing psychic stress into my life goal somehow...

[NeverThatBored]

Some random updates...

 

I made zucchini chicken noodle soup and parsnip fries for dinner. Yum! I should make soups more often. I think I need to eat more at lunchtime, since I've been hungry or weak by 3-4pm the past two days.

 

I'll be flying to my boyfriend's in DC tomorrow night and working remotely from there for the end of my week (long distance sucks, but working from home sometimes does help). That means I'll reduce my primal meal goal from 19 meals this week to 14 primal meals and 4 50% meals. Of course, bonus points are available. 

 

My heel was hurting after a while on my run yesterday, and today I'm limping a bit from related pain in my calf. I suspect I tweaked a muscle or something. :/ It doesn't prevent me from walking, at least. On my walk today, my new shoes started poking a hole in my heel, so I had to turn around early. 

 

I also had bootcamp class tonight, and we did a lot of back exercises, which was interesting. 

 

I've been staying up too late lately, since I often get home from bootcamp or Aikido at 8:30ish. I need to get back into going to bed earlier, because I can feel the difference. Of course, I think eating primal usually helps with that since I find that I get drowsy and pass out much earlier when I'm eating primal. 

[Luciana Valerosa Culming]

Finally I found your new challenge. I somehow couldn't remember your guil and searched everywhere. Now I'm sooooo behind.

 

Edit: I hope your next week gets better. You seem to be a little down. Or it's just my imagination. *sending hugs*

[NeverThatBored]

Edit: I hope your next week gets better. You seem to be a little down. Or it's just my imagination. *sending hugs*

 

I don't think I was feeling down, but thank you for the hugs anyway!  

[NeverThatBored]

Update!

 

I'm back home now after spending Wednesday night through Sunday morning with my boyfriend. Overall, while I can't say I did well exactly, I did a lot better than I have in the past, so I feel pretty good about it. 

 

Strength

I've done one bootcamp and one BBWW so far this week. I was slow to motivate myself while away, so I ended up doing the workout on Saturday instead of Friday. I SHOULD do another one today to stay on track even though that would mean foregoing a rest day. We'll see.

 

Either way, I'm going to do some mountain climbers for this week's mini.

 

Food

12/14 primal meals for the week and 4/4 50% primal meals (actually 3 + 1 skipped meal, but I'm counting it as 4)

 

This isn't bad, all things considered. There was a bit of unhealthy snacking not captured here. I wasn't paying enough attention to snacks because I was so focused on meals, so I failed to record whether I lot any points in the snacking department. 

 

Walking

I've walked 15.23 miles so far this challenge, so I'm right about on target. I've rucked 3 miles so far, which is a little low. But I only have a rucking backpack set up at home, so 3 miles out of 3.5 days seems a lot better. I can easily make up those extra three miles this coming week.

 

Intentional Time

I don't think it makes sense to do this while I'm away from home at this point. I'm level 1 on this quest line, and doing it while traveling is more like a level 10 challenge. I swear I'm not just saying this because I forgot about it completely.

[NeverThatBored]

For today's exercise in spending my time intentionally, I want to list the things that exert psychic stress. If I can reduce or eliminate some of these, I think it will be easier to spend my time more intentionally. 

• Procrastinating on any sort of phone call
• Procrastinating on any sort of work thing
• Keeping tabs open that I'm only theoretically interested in reading
• Uncertainty about life/career next steps
• General clutter (in other words, I should KonMari everything)
• Social anxiety causing me to downplay nerdy aspects of my identity
• Holding onto the idea that I should do a lot of different things, when I'm better off just focusing on what actually interests me
• Popups and notifications
• Having an RSS reader as a Chrome extension instead of its own program (if anyone can recommend a good RSS reader, I'll love you forever)