Redimagination: Challenged Again

[redimagination]

I'm returning to doing challenges! I gave up after failing challenges and not focusing my goals properly. But I have just finished reading Steve's book and have the motivation to make a difference to my life again!

 

So here we go.

Goal: Get to the gym

Reason: I haven't been to the gym much recently (thanks to illnesses, injuries and people dying). I need to reintroduce it as a habit in my life. I enjoy getting stronger and want to be able to do awesome things with my body.

What: Go to the gym three times a week following the StrongLifts programme to get my lifts back to what I was achieving in 2014. Simple as that.

How: Plan when I'm going to the gym into my week.

Bonus points:  additional physical activities (stop sniggering at the back) like yoga, walks, etc.

 

Motivation: Being awesome and ready for anything life throws at me. Zombie apocalpyse? Survived. Need to save the galaxy? Sorted.



Goal: Prepare lunches for work
Reason: It is cheaper, healthier and less limited.

I calculated how much I was spending buying lunch and tea on work days and it amounts to over £1000 a year. That doesn't include additional treats! Plus the amount of calories eaten and choice of food (as a veggie) just isn't worth it.

What: as it says on the tin. The day before I start work I will prepare enough lunches for the week that are relatively low in calories and consisting of lots of veggies and protein. I will also spend time trying to find new recipes to keep the variety up.

How: reminding myself of how much I'm spending on food and what it could be spent on.

 

Motivation: Think how many awesome adventures £1000 a year could provide.


Goal: Reduce time wasting
Reason: I kill the time between getting home from work and going to bed, or my days off, by sitting on the sofawith my iPad and browsing Internet and social media. No matter how bored of it I am I keep doing it. It is easier than finding something to do. Even things I want to do.

What: every night after work spend 30 mins with no internet usage. On non work days this will be two hours (broken up in to however it is needed) and does not includetime spent on other parts of my challenge i.e. Gym, food prep. Time should be spent either working on epic quest (e.g. Writing, learning, planning) or other things that need to be done (otherwise known as adulting)

How: Every week I will write a to-do list for the week of things that need to be done and I will work on my epic quest list.

Bonus: for every extra 30 mins per day

 

 

Rewards: paying for CrossFit beginners classes if I consistently achieve my goals (it ticks off my goal of trying new fitness things and summoning courage of going into completely new social surroundings). If mostly achieved a new piece of workout gear.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Welcome back. Those are really well crafted challenge goals. Looks like Steve's book is already paying off.

[redimagination]

Thank you! I definitely feel that it has helped!

Was aiming to go to the gym today but my disappearing cough made a reappearance so gave it a miss today.

Plan for next week:

Gym: Tuesday, Friday (I can go during the day) and Sunday.

Will be cooking my lunches for the week later today which is just lots of veggies and protein.

To do list has been written!

[lilbichy]

Welcome back!  I am glad his book helped motivate you.  I like you goals.  Adulting is hard.  I find myself mindlessly surfing the internet at home, bored just wasting time, putting off things I really should be doing.  Hopefully your to do list will help you!  I look forward to following your progress this challenge.

[redimagination]

Thank you! It is so easy to do isn't it? No matter how much I tell myself "oh I'll do it tomorrow/ tomorrow will be better" it just doesn't happen.

So far so good!

Not a gym day today anyway but I got a little yoga practice in today with some meditation after. My gym visit tomorrow will be based on how much my lungs are protesting at being lungs and coughing.

It took a while but motivated myself to make my lunches for the week yesterday. I ended up out for about three hours and walked about 7 miles which is the most I've walked in a long time and really tired me out.

Less Internet time tonight! Spent 30 mins on planning the novel I want to write (epic quest related). Plus yoga (as mentioned) and a big load of dishes!

Feeling good about it all just now!

[redimagination]

So after yoga yesterday my cough has been horrible and woke me up during the night which is hasn't done in over a week (yes, I have had this cough for a while and yes I have been to the - rather rude- doctor).

So no gym visit today for the sake of my lungs. Not considering it a fail as I would have gone if I was well enough. Will see how things go. If no change I may have to reconsider my first goal.

Today I ticked a big (as in it didn't take long but have been putting off for so long) thing off my to do list. But my to do list is getting smaller which is positive! Going to do some writing stuff in a little bit too.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

I hope you get better soon.

[redimagination]

My cough is getting worse again so definitely no gym. If it doesn't get better by the start of next week I will reconsider this goal so I can still work towards something.

My eating hasn't been great snack wise but I did bring all my own lunches to work. Instead of my usual £22ish spent on work food I spent a grand total of £2.45 (ingredients cost came out of main shopping budget).

My 30 mins a day is going well. I've got most things of my to do list checked off, I have got some household chores done, I have listed things on eBay to declutter and get some pennies, I have worked on my novel and overall I'm feeling good about this. It is amazing what can be achieved just by getting off the internet.

I also cooked tonight (a job usually reserved for the boyfriend) which went well. Took a while to motivate myself but after getting my passport pictures done and noticing the difference from my last one I was motivated to not have take away!

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

That's great about the progress as seen in pictures. What are you going to do with all that extra money?

[redimagination]

Some of it I am going to use to treat myself with (like new workout clothes, days out etc) and some I am going to put in my savings for my trip to New York in June. I am saving anyway but a little extra won't hurt and make sure I have some savings for when I get back!

[redimagination]

Delayed week one summary:

So the week went mostly smoothly with the annoyance of health reasons getting in the way of going to the gym. But I have been keeping up with not having internet time and making my lunches for week 1. Sunday however I was a little hungover so didn't do anything productive and just slept all day. Overall though I think week one went really well.

My cough is starting to go. I'm going to set a temporary challenge for this week as a stand in for going to the gym and that is to look after myself and make the best choices for my health (resting when needed, saying no to unhealthy things, making effort to eat healthy, doing what I can to make this cough go) it's not a great goal but I am just using it as a stand in. Hopefully next week I will be back at the gym.

To do list for the week has been made. I am off today so I am going to be doing lots of less exciting productive stuff to get it out the way and hopefully more fun stuff like writing tomorrow. Last night I was just too tired to do anything. And I didn't make my lunch for work yesterday but I have stuff to make lunch for the rest of the week.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Heal up and set those boundaries to keep yourself healthy.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Did you get better? How was week 2?

[redimagination]

Ah, week 2 wasn't great. My energy levels were at like 0 the whole week and I'm not entirely sure why. I wanted to do things but I just couldn't. Which is why I haven't been on here much.

I didn't make my lunches in the end. The day I was going to do it my bf was going to make soup which would have done for lunches the rest of the week but then he made something else instead but by that point I was too tired to cook. I spent about £20 but if I manage to stick to preparing for the next two weeks I'll still be making significant savings.

As such I haven't kept up to date with my to do list. But hopefully this week goes better. I'm going to update my list today, do some cooking and then some writing, I've already taken care of errands this morning.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

When you're sick you're sick, and if you have no energy you need to rest. Sounds like you're starting to get active again, do what you can within reason.

[redimagination]

Yeah I have a real problem when I'm sick trying to get myself to stop. Yet when I'm well I will gladly sit around for hours not doing anything.

I am feeling a lot better. My cough has pretty much gone but I'm still feeling really tired. I don't believe that is helped by my body waking up at 7am this morning despite not having anything to be up for. But I managed some writing preparation.

I'm going to be out today so lots of walking outside. Will see how long my lungs hold up for. If I feel okay I will see about going to the gym tomorrow but I'm not going to push myself. If all goes well I will be going Tuesday after work. And then Friday during the day.

But I will see how things go!

[redimagination]

I went out yesterday. I was walking for about 2 and a half hours (give or take) but ended up sleeping for 12 hours. I am still tired now so I have decided no gym today.

 

Instead I have had some me-time, done the dishes which had been neglected and started writing but I am falling asleep so probably won't be writing much. I have some lunch prep to do later (though I have just realised I need to go to the shops for a few things).

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Keep taking it easy. All that sleep is letting your body heal. Do what you can and don't give up.

[redimagination]

Yeah that became very apparent this morning. Felt so tired and exhausted despite having slept quite well.

My plan is some gentle yoga in place of the gym tomorrow to help me relax and hopefully get some more well needed sleep.

[Rurik Harrgath]

A relaxing yoga session sounds like exactly what you need while still getting some exercise and recovery work in.  Eat well and sleep hard.  Hopefully you bounce back soon!

[redimagination]

Yeah I've made sure I'm making better food choices. Lunch was made for the week with lots of veggies.

I have a three day weekend coming up also which should help!

[redimagination]

Last day of the challenge today!

I will write up a proper report later about how it has gone.

It is my day off today but I'm too tired to actually get stuff done. Tired thanks to recovering from being ill and fighting off another cold which thankfully hasn't taken hold and not getting much sleep all week and getting woken up at half 6 this morning. So today isn't going to be that exciting or productive as I'm just too tired. My eyes feel like I have been up for days. I may nap later if I can manage.

But for now. Some very gentle yoga!

[redimagination]

Here is my end of the challenge report!

 

So my goals were to: get to the gym, prepare lunches for work and, reduce time wasting.

 

Getting to the gym: I didn't manage one visit. Without context this sounds like I performed horribly. Unfortunately/ fortunately it was only down to my own health. This has been an ongoing problem. I have managed a few yoga sessions in this time. Towards the end of the challenge I have started to feel better only tired and exhausted thanks to the illness and poor sleep. I will tackle this in my next challenge.

 

Preparing lunches for work: Okay I managed this pretty well. Apart from one week I have made lunches for every work day. Lots of veggies and protein. I have saved more than £65 this month. Over a year that would be £780. Much better things that money could be spent on! I'm going to keep this up but I think I am getting it mastered so, in itself it won't be my challenge next time.

 

Reduce time wasting: Something I have managed quite well. Considering I have been so tired and found doing anything difficult. I have written quite a bit and started planning a novel (there is a lot to work out in it). I have also made to-do lists and be able to tick many things off in a week. May not have always been perfect but I have managed quite well. I think next challenge I am going to work on this.

 

My next challenge may be quite similar but will be adding new things to try and push myself.

 

Overall, I am quite happy with how the challenge has gone.

 

Reward wise, I can't offer myself the first reward but I will be buying some new workout gear.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Good job on this challenge, keep that momentum going forward and focus on doing just a little bit more next time.