Sterre works harder

[sterre]

Last challenge, I moved from Tokyo to Edinburgh and I actually handled it pretty well overall, all things considered. This time, I'm going to shift a few of my goals around a bit because I noticed there are some things I'd like to do that I slacked on (like running) and some other things that I've been tracking that I've done pretty well and consistently without really trying so I think they're habits by now (like getting outside and walking for a bit every day). I'm also thinking I could use to get into a bit better shape and since things are in the process of settling down, I can work on that a bit more.

 

Main Quest: Trim my waistline

I don't own a scale and probably won't for a bit, but a measuring tape will measure progress here. It's been a while since I've measured so I don't know where I am right now, but I think getting down to 70 cm eventually would be good (I've been there before and I'm pretty sure I'm not there now). I'll be measuring my waist at the start of the challenge, midway through and at the end. This one will be pass/fail based on Δw = wf - wi (where wf is my final waistline measurement, wi is the initial and Δw is the change) is negative, then I pass and if not then I fail.

Measurement: Pass = Δw is negative, Fail = Δw is greater or equal to 0

Statistics: +2 CHA

 

Quest 1: Yoga

I've been doing okay with doing yoga regularly, but a lot of the time I don't do it very long or don't work especially hard at it. This time, I would like to do at least four yoga sessions a week (the final week will be three) that are at least 15 minutes long for a total of 15 sessions over the challenge. I'll also aim for yoga routines that require me to work a bit harder.

Measurement: A = 12+ yoga sessions, B = 9-11 yoga sessions, C = 6-10 yoga sessions

Statistics: +2 CON, +2 STR

 

Quest 2: Running

In previous challenges, I was tracking my walks too, but I'm being pretty good about getting out and walking most days so I think I can go a challenge without tracking them. Instead, I will focus on running. I intend to run three days a week (two in the final week). I'm going to aim for 5 km each time, but since I've been slacking on running for the last month, I'll take it easier when necessary until I'm back into it.

Measurement: A = 9+ runs, B = 7-8 runs, C = 4-6 runs

Statistics: +2 STA, +2 DEX

 

Quest 3a: Food

I will aim for five servings of fruit or veggies a day. It's possible I'm already doing this, but I'm not keeping track so I don't really know. I'll be borrowing whitewineandcathair's system from last challenge and making a little (hopefully) rainbow chart to keep track because that seemed like a fun system.

Measurement: A = 104+ fruits and veggies, B = 78-103 fruits and veggies, C = 52-77 fruits and veggies

Statistics: +1 WIS, +1 CON

 

Quest 3b: Drink

I'm going to track my booze intake and try to keep that to one a day or seven alcoholic drinks a week. This is possibly going to be a bit harder since I tend to not really pay attention to how much I'm drinking and I think that booze is delicious. I'll add a bit of wiggle room here, allowing myself to go over by as much as 20% (or 31 drinks over the course of the challenge instead of 26) before I start being penalized.

Measurement: A = 31 or fewer drinks, B = 32-36 drinks, C = 37-42 drinks, Fail = 43+ drinks

Statistics: +1 WIS, +1 CON

 

Life Quest: Work

Finally, I need to find a job. I'll put in at least one application a week and I'll be hoping that employers around here are happy with emails instead of phone calls since I don't have a phone yet. I'll also try to find a bit of tutoring work to tide me over until I find a full time job.

Measurement: A = 4+ job applications, B = 2-3 job applications, C = 1 job application

Statistics: +1 WIS

 

Total potential statistics gain: +2 STR, +2 DEX, +2 STA, +4 CON, +3 WIS, +2 CHA

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Great challenge. I'll be following along again.

[spooky]

following along again

[Gaming_Jeweler]

Following along again. Good luck with the job search.

[Briniel]

Are you kidding? You didn't "handle it pretty well overall", you rocked it!! Getting straight A's while in the middle of an across-the-globe-move and you "handled it pretty well".. pfffff

[Sunmage]

Are you kidding? You didn't "handle it pretty well overall", you rocked it!! Getting straight A's while in the middle of an across-the-globe-move and you "handled it pretty well".. pfffff

 

Now everything has been said

 

Welcome back!

[sterre]

Are you kidding? You didn't "handle it pretty well overall", you rocked it!! Getting straight A's while in the middle of an across-the-globe-move and you "handled it pretty well".. pfffff

 

It's all about setting goals that are definitely doable instead of ones that are ambitious when you know you aren't going to be able to deal with ambitious goals. Now I can try to be ambitious.

 

Now everything has been said

 

Welcome back!

 

Thanks!

[sterre]

Day 1 is going well so far. I ate five servings of fruits and veggies by lunch and I did a nice, long yoga session. I won't have a final update on everything until tomorrow though since I won't be online at the end of the day, but I plan on mapping tomorrow's route so I can go for a run in what will hopefully not be high winds and rain and checking on everyone else's threads while I have the chance.

[Girl-Meet-World]

 

 

I moved from Tokyo to Edinburgh

That's so cool! Serious respect for being able to take such a journey half-way around the entire globe. <3

 

 

 

I'll put in at least one application a week and I'll be hoping that employers around here are happy with emails instead of phone calls since I don't have a phone yet.

I should probably do something similar, but it takes 20 seconds of courage for me to phone, I'm just too shy

[sterre]

That's so cool! Serious respect for being able to take such a journey half-way around the entire globe. <3

 

I should probably do something similar, but it takes 20 seconds of courage for me to phone, I'm just too shy

 

I'm not very good at calling people either. I was doing pretty well for a while when I was in Canada (because it was sometimes necessary to make phone calls), but I haven't had to use a phone too much for more than two years (except when house hunting, I had to make some phone calls because my partner never felt like doing it). I definitely prefer email overall.

[sterre]

Week 1, Day 1

 

In all, my first day went pretty well. I got some serious yoga done, ate tons of fruits and veggies and didn't drink too much booze.

 

Main Quest: Trim my waistline

Since this quest requires some measurement, I did it shortly after waking up. As I suspected, I'm a fair bit above 70 cm, but my waistline isn't much different from what it was back in August so that's not too bad following the last couple months. There's definitely a lot of room for improvement though.

wi = 79.5 cm 

 

Quest 1: Yoga

I had a relatively long yoga session. I didn't time it, but it was definitely longer than 15 minutes and it was definitely reasonably hard work. I did a daily stretch routine, 3 sun salutations, standing poses, standing balances and seated stretches. I made sure not to rush through anything and I think I did well. (1/4 yoga sessions for the week)

 

Quest 2: Running

I did not do any running, but I planned a new route that's a bit closer to home so I could go for a run on day 2. (0/3 runs for the week)

 

Quest 3a: Food

This one I did really well on. I started the day with some orange juice along with my breakfast. Then I had leftovers consisting of kale, onion and Brussels sprouts which had been sauteed in a bit of butter with some peanut butter, salt and pepper, carrots and potatoes and lentil with tomato, red pepper and garlic for lunch. I had a banana for a snack, then later I had half a glass of apple juice cut with sparkling water (the effect is a bit like pop, but it's not) and some stuffed peppers (stuffed with rice, lentil, tomato paste, black olives and garlic). In all, I had 8 servings of fruits or veggies. (8/35 servings of fruits and veggies for the week)

 

Quest 3b: Drink

I had half of a 500 mL bottle of beer split with my partner (who has decided to join me in cutting down on drinking, at least for the start of the challenge).  (1/7 drinks for the week)

 

Life Quest: Work

I still need to start working on this one.

 

Day two is going pretty well so far too. I got a run in, though I didn't end up running the entire way because some parts were steeper for longer than expected and I'm not entirely positive I followed the route I selected. I did run for 32 minutes in total though. I also got some yoga done and I'm doing pretty well with the fruits and veggies so far today as well.

[Briniel]

What a great start into the challenge Also...

 

 

I had half a glass of apple juice cut with sparkling water (the effect is a bit like pop, but it's not)

 

 

Apfelschorle!!! Great stuff. I don't drink it anymore due to the don't-drink-calories-rule that I implemented some time ago and still follow even though it's not in my challenge, but I used to love that stuff. Especially in summer, so refreshing!

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Great way to start the challenge.

[sterre]

What a great start into the challenge Also...

 

 

Apfelschorle!!! Great stuff. I don't drink it anymore due to the don't-drink-calories-rule that I implemented some time ago and still follow even though it's not in my challenge, but I used to love that stuff. Especially in summer, so refreshing!

 

Eh.. I figure that when it's half juice and half water it's not going to be too bad for calories. It's definitely refreshing.

 

Great way to start the challenge.

 

Thanks!

[Briniel]

No, it isn't bad calorie wise, it's just a really strict rule

[sterre]

Fair enough. Rules are rules, I suppose.

[Waanie]

Great start of the challenge . Those stuffed peppers sound very tasty, it's always nice to see delicious recipe ideas with plenty of vegetables in them .

[sterre]

Great start of the challenge . Those stuffed peppers sound very tasty, it's always nice to see delicious recipe ideas with plenty of vegetables in them .

 

Thanks! I'm not sure if it's so much a recipe idea as a general meal idea since I wouldn't even be able to reproduce what we did (I dumped in some spices, my partner dumped in more... he was mostly taking care of the cooking while I mostly chopped the veggies). It's definitely a more fun way to cook than doing everything oneself though.

[sterre]

Week 1, Day 2

 

Second day was also pretty good for the most part.

 

Quest 1: Yoga

I did a bit shorter session, but it was still longer than 15 minutes and still what I would call a good session in the sense that injury prevention is important. I did a daily stretch routine and yoga for runners.  (2/4 yoga sessions for the week)

 

Quest 2: Running

I went for my run. I didn't manage to run my entire route (I stopped and walked here and there, I might also have deviated from my planned route), but I ran for 32 minutes and 32 seconds, so that's a success. I'll be trying a route that's hopefully flatter or at least easier to follow next so I can see where I am a bit better. (1/3 runs for the week)

 

Quest 3a: Food

Lots of veggies again. I left my full notes at home, but I ate nine servings of veggies, fruits (and fungi). This included a leftover pepper and giant salad for lunch and a veggie-full pasta sauce with dinner. (17/35 servings of fruits and veggies for the week)

 

Quest 3b: Drink

I had a full 500 mL bottle of beer. At the moment, I'm mostly counting "a drink" by the Canadian standards (which means that 341 mL of a 5% beverage is "one drink"), so this one was technically a bit more than one, but my drink on Monday was a bit less. Added together, they're 2.2 drinks so I'll go with that as my current total since that seems reasonable. (2.2/7 drinks for the week)

 

Life Quest: Work

Still no progress. I might end up doing most of my work on this on the weekend since I'm trying to finish editing a thesis for someone back in Tokyo (he wants it for Friday) and I'm only online for a limited time each day during the week while we don't have the internet at home. I'll be able to get online longer on Saturday since my partner's officemates don't come in on the weekend though.

[Briniel]

Nice work on your second day! I'm really impressed with your veggie intake, you've almost got 50% of it covered already and here I am, struggling to eat more than one meal with veggies...

[Gaming_Jeweler]

Thanks! I'm not sure if it's so much a recipe idea as a general meal idea since I wouldn't even be able to reproduce what we did (I dumped in some spices, my partner dumped in more... he was mostly taking care of the cooking while I mostly chopped the veggies). It's definitely a more fun way to cook than doing everything oneself though.

 My husband and I cook the same way.

[sterre]

Week 1, Day 3

 

Day three was another relatively productive day, except that most of what I did was edit this guy's thesis. Which was becoming painful.

 

Quest 1: Yoga

I did a really good yoga session. I started with a daily stretch routine, did some sun salutations, standing poses, yoga for abs and seated stretches. I'm nice and sore today as a result.  (3/4 yoga sessions for the week)

 

Quest 2: Running

Rest day. (1/3 runs for the week)

 

Quest 3a: Food

I ate seven servings of fruits and veggies. (24/35 servings of fruits and veggies for the week)

 

Quest 3b: Drink

I had a grand total of zero drinks. (2.2/7 drinks for the week)

 

Life Quest: Work

Still no progress.

 

Today is shaping up to be a rest day in general as I've been trying to finish up editing this thesis since the guy wants it by Friday. I also decided I didn't like the running route I'd planned and didn't realize that when I deleted the route I didn't like, I wouldn't be able to calculate a new one while not online. Oops. My legs were feeling rather sore too so I might be better off. I planned a new, less hilly route for tomorrow.

[Briniel]

Nice work yesterday!! Especially on Quest 3b

I wish you best of luck with finding a running route you actually like. I live near a big river, so there's plenty of long, flat stretches. One more reason not to move away from the city (where it gets more and more hilly)

Your yoga routing sounds so nice. I need to find a good stretching routine again to get back into the groove of things...

[sterre]

Nice work yesterday!! Especially on Quest 3b

I wish you best of luck with finding a running route you actually like. I live near a big river, so there's plenty of long, flat stretches. One more reason not to move away from the city (where it gets more and more hilly)

Your yoga routing sounds so nice. I need to find a good stretching routine again to get back into the groove of things...

 

Well, the route I tried on Tuesday was nice (it was in a nice forest, along a river and lake part of the way and full of people walking their dogs), it's just too hilly for me right now. I think that hills are something I'm going to have to get used to unless I want to start running laps around the football pitch in the park near my house, but I need something a little less extreme so I can run the entire time until I get used to them.

 

For the yoga, I'm basically doing the fourth week of about.com's 30 days of yoga, but with the yoga for runners routine as well on days when I run (I'll probably replace the seated stretches with it tomorrow).

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

What if you do a hilly route but just start by walking it and building up to running the whole way?