Hilary plays with the Mountain

[Hilary_W]

The mountains don't bend so I will meet them on their own terms. Strong, tough, vertical ...  this is a return trip to NF for me after taking a break.  To ease into my new (fitter) life I will:

 

1. Play outside every day - bike, run, hike ... whatever the day brings.  No allowances for weather, but some activity adjustments will be made to accommodate my 4 year old. (He has more energy than me - will keep up with him and learn to play all day.)

 

2. Adventure - try 1 new activity each week.  Working towards freedom - take risks and push my boundaries a bit.

 

3. Work on a pushup habit - oh so good for the body.  Will be kind to myself and work on them slowly.  

Week 1 - 50 P/U any style each day (in small sets)

Week 2 - 60 P/U each day - 30 any style, 30 proper P/U (in small sets)

Week 3 - 75 P/U each day - all proper P/U (in small sets)

Week 4 - 100 P/U each day - all proper P/U - do all sets within 2 hour window

 

4. Home made meals for the win - Build a habit of planning my meals and avoiding impulse buys at restaurants and coffee shops.

7 days/week track all food intake with a scale and app

plus

6 days/week commit to only eat food and drinks (coffee) made at home

 

Tracking - have set up a chart on the wall and will get a big Check Mark for each successful achievement.

A - met all goals for the week.

B - missed no more than 3 items in the week

C - kick myself in the pants and make up lost time next week

 

The reward after the 4 week challenge - 

Straight A's - new necklace + massage and spa day

Mostly A's, some B's - massage only

Anything with a C - no pampering for me

[Elastigirl]

Love the idea of a wall chart and the check marks for success!

[Ravis]

I know I'm a DC (district of columbia, not DC comics) geek when I read Hilary plays with the Mountain and get a mental image of Hillary Clinton's face on Oberyn during the fight scene with the Mountain on GoT.

love love love the reward system (and that it's not revolving around food)! Get that spa day!

[Hilary_W]

At last, the key to writing my own origin story has been unlocked. Picked up Steve's new book and started reading it tonight.  I've read many great stories inside the forums but couldn't find a way to unlock my own story until now.  This changes tonight!

 

As for the challenge, "A" today:

1. Play outside - took my son and his friend to the park for 2 hours - bags of fun. Level up - tomorrow I'll do Steve's playground workout.

 

2. Adventure - writing my origin story (thanks Steve K.)

 

3. Pushup habit  

Today I did Full  6, 10, 8, 6 and Knee 20 = 50 any style

 

4. Track all food and stay away from restaurants. Level up - Feel a bit hungry tonight so have implemented a Battle Plan to Slay the Munchies Dragon tomorrow. (The battle plan involves soaking chick peas overnight so I can make hummus tomorrow. Raw veggies + hummus for the win.)

Fat:		Prot:		Carbs:
62.51g		89.67g		190.11g

[Jarric]

Following along, looking forward to that origins story!

[Tateman]

Good luck with the goals.  I hope to get my son involved in some of my goals again too   I use to do my workouts in the back yard, and he would mimic me sometimes

[Hilary_W]

8 hours ago, Tateman said:

Good luck with the goals.  I hope to get my son involved in some of my goals again too   I use to do my workouts in the back yard, and he would mimic me sometimes

Yes, it sure is nice to get the kids involved and helps manage time, which is in such limited supply sometimes.  Today I was trying to do some pushups and my little guy ran over, plopped down on the floor right beside me and head butted me.  'lil stinker.

[Hilary_W]

Day 2, "A":

 

1. Play outside - took my son to the Lion's playground in town and ran into another parent with a boy the same age.  The other parent and I spent over an hour taking turns chasing the kids around the park. Lots of fun. Later on my son and I biked around the block for 1/2 hour.  Not enough biking to get the heart rate up but it was good to be outside and the boy liked it immensely.  I'm on a break from work and my son is really happy to be getting so much Mom time.

 

2. Adventure - writing my origin story (thanks Steve K.) - will publish soon

 

3. Pushup habit  

DOMS paid me a visit today - triceps hurt when I tried to do pushups.  I guess I forgot to warm up.

Did all knee pushups 10, 10, 7 head butt from son 8, 15 = 50 any style

 

4. Track all food and stay away from restaurants. 

Today I implemented the "Make Hummus" Battle Plan in order to Slay the Munchies Dragon. Supplemented it with the "Bake Banana Bread with the kid" maneuver to have yummy treats in the house so I can stay away from coffee shops/restaurants.  Banana bread has some many calories but the habit I'm working on right now is to build my skills at keeping food in the house in order to minimize impulse buys at restaurants.  Later on I'll work on healthier treats at home.

 

Tracked meals like a boss but when I saw the fat content for the day realized that Pistachio soup was probably a bad idea. It tastes good, though. Two more servings in the fridge for leftovers and then I'll say 'bye to that particular recipe.

 

Fat:		Prot:		Carbs:
88.04g		60.67g		178.97g

[Elastigirl]

Great start to your challenge. I was never able to do on origin story until I read the examples from Level Up Your Life either. But I am super glad  I did. I find that a story stick in my brain,even better than quests, and it motivates me.

[Rurik Harrgath]

With both a Play and Adventure goal, you've more than captivated my attention!

[BreakingThru]

Pushup goal and a kid in the mix.  I'm following.  I find it both challenging and rewarding to get the kids involved.

[Tateman]

2 hours ago, Elastigirl said:

Great start to your challenge. I was never able to do on origin story until I read the examples from Level Up Your Life either. But I am super glad  I did. I find that a story stick in my brain,even better than quests, and it motivates me.

haha, that's awesome

[mom2sjm]

On 4/4/2016 at 8:21 PM, Hilary_W said:

Level up - tomorrow I'll do Steve's playground workout.

 

I was going to suggest this when I saw you have a boy child!  Boys are awesome, I have three!!

[Hilary_W]

11 hours ago, mom2sjm said:

 

I was going to suggest this when I saw you have a boy child!  Boys are awesome, I have three!!

Wow, three boys must keep you really busy.  Good thing you have the magic lasso to make them tell the truth! 

[Hilary_W]

On April 5, 2016 at 10:02 PM, BreakingThru said:

Pushup goal and a kid in the mix.  I'm following.  I find it both challenging and rewarding to get the kids involved.

Yes, the kids take it to another dimension, don't they.

[Hilary_W]

Day 3, "A":

 

1. Play outside - went bike riding around the block several times and then took my son to the pool for an hour.  He doesn't swim yet but we threw the ball around, went down the water slide and went in the hot tub.

 

2. Adventure - writing my origin story (thanks Steve K.) - will publish soon - still polishing it

 

3. Pushup habit  

DOMS is still here - shoulders and triceps hurt a bit.

Did full pushups 6,8,10,10 plus knee 16 = 50 any style

 

4. Track all food and stay away from restaurants.  Had snacks in my bag which helped me resist the temptations of my two favourite coffee shops when I walked down the street today.  Also, a grocery list helped me keep to a strict 2 item grocery purchase without any impulse buys.

 

Need to find leaner cuts of meat but am doing well with my veggie intake.

 

Fat:		Prot:		Carbs:
94.64g		78.42g		208.55g

[BreakingThru]

Awesome day three!  I'm always impressed by people who can track calories.  I used to in college when I had a bit more me time but with kids and all, it gets tough.  Good job!

[Charlie_Quinn]

What a great start to your challenge! Well done! I'm looking forward to reading your origin story.

[Hilary_W]

Origin Story:

 

Hilary lived a quiet existence as an electronics technician fixing equipment older than she was.  While striving to follow rules laid down by old men who called themselves wise, she struggled with the suspicion that her life was being wasted. She diligently tried to "make smart decisions" but time and again found that the people she cared about the most were being harmed as a result of her career choices. 

 

Close friends showed her the path to freedom. Several friends retired with dignity and then proceeded to Facebook about their Wonderful Lives. They frequently showed off their Happiness and Good Health when they met our hero for lunch. Cries of "no regrets" and "so glad I made the leap" were commonly heard in casual conversation.

 

Summoning up steely nerves and buckets of optimism our hero made the leap to freedom.  She trusted that she would land on her feet or at least do a respectable combat roll and come out unscathed.

 

Our hero created MONTCLARE to be a better Mom to her son, a more patient daughter to her parents and, most importantly, to become her own champion.

 

Montclare has taken the summer away from employment to concentrate on the people and things that matter the most to her. Specifically, she will commence bringing JOY, ADVENTURE and GOOD HEALTH back into her own life so she can be a better human being to those she cares about.

 

Step 1 in Montclare's battle plan is to Complete This Challenge and bring play, adventure, strength, awareness and discipline back into her life.  Also, she is returning to her 100 pushup goal with intent to crush it this time!

 

(True Fact of no significance to anyone except me - The S.S. Montclare was the ship my Grandfather travelled on when he immigrated to Canada to start his new life.)

[Jarric]

Love the origins story. And congrats on the straight A's so far.

[BreakingThru]

Great story!  I may have to create one myself.  Wishing you the best.

[Hilary_W]

Jarric and BreakingThru - Thank you.  I think the story will be a game changer because it makes the challenge more meaningful and fun.  I didn't know how to start writing one but Steve's new book lays it all out.

 

Day 4, "A":

 

1. Play outside - played basketball with my son at the outdoor playground.  When he ran off to play on the swings I did some body weight exercises.  There were 5 other parents there who all stayed far, far away from me while I exercised. 

 

2. Adventure - origin story written - next adventure was signing up for a drawing class on the internet. I am not bad at technical drawings done with a ruler and proper symbols but am horrible at artistic drawings. The first assignment was a self-portrait that was to be published on facebook for the group to see. Found 10 seconds of courage and completed the assignment. Woot!

 

3. Pushup habit  

No pain today - next task is locking in the habit and improving my form.

Did full pushups 5 sets of 10 = 50 full P/U

 

4. Track all food and stay away from restaurants.  

Tracked everything and took snacks and water when I went out.

 

Fat:		Prot:		Carbs:
78.95g		105.32g		167.55g

[Hilary_W]

Day 5, "A": Good day overall - added squats and lunges to the playground activity

 

1. Play outside - played ball hockey with my son and tried to teach him some stick handling.  He resisted and continued in his mistaken belief that all shots should be slap shots.

 

2. Adventure - drawing class continuing

 

3. Pushup habit - full pushups 5 sets of 10 = 50 full P/U - still working on form to keep my elbows locked to my sides

 

4. Track all food and stay away from restaurants.  

Tracked everything and took snacks and water when I went out.

 

Fat:		Prot:		Carbs:
50.92g		89.82g		252.15g

[Elastigirl]

Love the origin story. WOOT for signing up for a drawing class!!!

[Hilary_W]

Day 6, "A": Slower day than usual - spent the morning out of the house with my son but we both sat on the couch all afternoon watching movies and snacking.

 

1. Play outside - 30 mins - played Tball with my son using a Little Tykes baseball set.  1 hour - kicked the soccer ball around and let my boy goof off at the playground

 

2. Adventure - drawing class continuing

 

3. Pushup habit - full pushups 5 sets of 10 = 50 full P/U - still working on form but am ready to increase reps at the end of the week

 

4. Track all food and stay away from restaurants.  

Tracked everything and ate in today.  It's been a good week for home cooking and eating in.

 

Fat:		Prot:		Carbs:
75.14g		115.21g		211.32g