BreakingThru walls

[BreakingThru]

Thanks Jarric.  I wasn't drinking too much, it was just most nights of the week.  One or two beers later and I didn't care about bad food choices.  I was sabotaging any progress I made that day.  Plus, I think it was disturbing my sleep.  I'll drop to once a week next challenge   I agree about the alcohol.  I've also been thinking about switching out my coffee for tea for a challenge, just to see how I feel after four weeks.

 

I made it to the gym finally this week (1/3).  From my phone:

 

W 4/20/16 Chest and bis
1a trx push ups 8, 8, 8
1b chin ups 3, 2, 2
2a trx flies 8, 8, 8
2b trx curls 7, 5, 5
- ladder 7 down burpees, up turtles 7:17!
- 15 min BP stairmaster
- 214 lbs

 

This was during my lunch break and it took about 1:30 with shower and drive.  Not too bad.  I just snacked on my lunch the rest of the afternoon.  Today felt good.

 

 

I shaved 30 seconds from my burpee/turtle ladder from last week.  Yey!  Once I get below 6ish minutes, I'll up the ladder to 8.  This is a fun challenge, watching my work capacity go up.  That's what the wall balls are supposed to be on leg day but I've been skipping those due to knee pain... soon though.  I'm disappointed about my weight.  It hasn't gone down since starting the challenge but I believe my body is shaping up.  I want to loose some weight so I can up my chins, haha.

 

 

[Rinna]

 

 I'm disappointed about my weight.  It hasn't gone down since starting the challenge but I believe my body is shaping up. 

 

 

 

Perhaps you are losing fat but gaining muscle. Then the scale wouldn't change. I'm gonna start some body weight stuff next challenge/first of the month. Got a Thor app  (Thor Fitness )  that had good reviews.  We'll see what happens. Right now sticking with diet (calories) and cardio. Have lost 4 pounds, so I'm pleased so far. 

[BreakingThru]

 

 

Perhaps you are losing fat but gaining muscle. Then the scale wouldn't change. I'm gonna start some body weight stuff next challenge/first of the month. Got a Thor app  (Thor Fitness )  that had good reviews.  We'll see what happens. Right now sticking with diet (calories) and cardio. Have lost 4 pounds, so I'm pleased so far. 

Thanks Rinna.  Good job on the 4 pounds!  I loose weight really slowly but I gain it back quick. haha

 

I made it to the gym Friday morning, really early:

F: 4/15 back and tris
1a assisted pull ups 40*6, 40*5, 40*4
1b assisted dips 25*7, 25*6, 25*7
2a trx rows 2 arm low 8, 7, 6
2b trx tricep ext's 6, 5, 6
- rope machine 3x1m, rest 1m, lvl 4
- KB swings 35lbs 25, 23
- row machine 10 min, 1920m concept 2
- 3.1 mi dreadmill 34:32
- 212 lbs. AM weight

 

It's Saturday and I have family over.  There's no way I'm getting a workout in.  Plus, just finished with tball and softball with the kids and a pizza party.  Sports are taking up my weekends!  I may get a workout in tomorrow morning but it'll probably be a run or DVD.

 

Oh!  Btw, on my 5k at the gym, for the first two miles I had my left calf locking up on and off.  But after the two mile mark, it mysteriously loosened up and felt great!  I could have kept on running forever but I didn't eat anything before the workout and I felt weak.  I wish my calf would behave.  It drives me nuts.

[BreakingThru]

It's Sunday night and it's time for my week three wrap up.  I thought I did really well this week but I failed to reach three of my goals!

 

First Things First (workouts) - 2/3 F

- Two hard gym workouts (and long ones)

 

Feed the Soul (meditation or walk) - 2/3 F

- Relaxing bike ride with the kids

- Relaxing walk with the kids at the college

 

Cleanse (less drinking nights, two allowed) - 3/2 F

- Family in town combined with weak willpower

 

Reach Out (NF allies) - Goal reached! A

- Did well!

 

Cheers to week four.  I'm setting my alarm right now.

[BreakingThru]

I started out week four with a morning workout.  I woke up at 5 sharp and just ran out of excuses.  I was tired, like I usually am Monday mornings.  Like a zombie, I dressed and drove to the gym.  I'm proud of myself and my energy was really through the roof the rest of the morning.  The afternoon crash hit me hard though due to the lack of sleep.  Here's my workout (copied from phone, + denotes PR's):

 

M: 4/25 legs and shoulders
1a kb shoulder press 45*7, 45*8, 45*8 +
1b max bw squats 17, 20, 20
2a db side raises 20*10, 20*8, 20*8 +
2b lunges 6, 6, 7 +
3a front hammer raises 15*10, 15*10, 15*9 +
3b bent over back t's 10*10, 10*7, 10*5 +
- dB shrugs 45*12, 55*12 +
- 100 squat wall balls 12lbs - 8ish minutes
- calf raises 190*12, 190*12, 190*12 + 
- 217 lbs. AM

 

SO I managed to get in the full 100 wall balls today and I didn't start my timer!  I'll have to do it next week for score.  My knee survived and felt ok afterwards.  I supposedly gained 5 lbs since Friday too... I think it's the beer and salt talking.

[Hilary_W]

5 AM - wow!  Great job on heading straight out the door and doing your workout. Glad to see your knee is cooperating so you can kick the scale to the curb next time it does a 5 lb bounce. Some water will probably take care of that for you. 

[Jarric]

 

I started out week four with a morning workout.  I woke up at 5 sharp and just ran out of excuses.  I was tired, like I usually am Monday mornings.  Like a zombie, I dressed and drove to the gym.  I'm proud of myself and my energy was really through the roof the rest of the morning.  The afternoon crash hit me hard though due to the lack of sleep.

 

 

Well done on getting up and going. I find the hardest part of exercising early is getting from your bed to going out the front door!

 

5am is a horrendous time of day though.

[Rinna]

Good job!

[BreakingThru]

I had a stomach bug for most of the week and just couldn't get myself to do much.  I missed some work too.  I did get a 5k run in on Saturday, 29:08.  My personal best this year (and maybe last year too).

 

Weekly wrap up:

I plan on doing lots of chores and yard work today to get my house ready for my daughter's swim birthday party next week.  That means I'll probably miss the gym.  I'm so far behind on my goals anyways.  This morning is a good time for the wrap up.

 

First Things First (workouts) - 2/3 F

- Two workouts in but I doubt I'll get a 3rd today.  I'll come back and edit if I do.

 

Feed the Soul (meditation or walk) - 1/3 F

- I only made one attempt.

 

Cleanse (less drinking nights, two allowed) - 2/2 A

- One more day but I'll keep it clean.

 

Reach Out (NF allies) - Only a few posts F

- Didn't do well.

 

[BreakingThru]

Challenge wrap up (4th for me):

 

First Things First (workouts, 3 each week) - A, A,F, F

 

Feed the Soul (meditation or walk, 3 each week) - A, F, F, F

 

Cleanse (less drinking nights, two allowed) - A, A, F, A

 

Reach Out (NF allies) - Only a few posts A, A, A, F

 

Hmm, according to the above, I get to count my "Reach Out" goal and my "Cleanse" goal for this challenge.  This will give me 50% towards level 4... I'm torn if I should keep my pseudo pass/fail scheme.  On my workout goal, on both of my F weeks, i did get in 2 of 3 workouts and those were all hard!  But I failed to build on my consistency of working out.  Maybe I should be punished for not squeezing in my 3 workouts for the week by leveling up slowly.  I set out to do 3 per week and that's 12 total.  I hit 10/12 throughout the challenge, which is really good but it's not 12.  I'm definitely not questioning the "Feed the Soul" goal.  I feel i really dropped the ball on that one.  

 

I think I'll keep the scheme for now.  There is something nice about keeping it simple and I'm trying to build consistency.  I can't be in beast mode one week with working out and only trot through the next.  It's best to hold back a little one week so I can keep hitting it the following week strong.

 

So, I have noticed my physique change a bit but my weight is the same.  I'm okay with that.  With the level of effort I displayed this challenge, I'm good.  I started using my fitness pal this week for a few days too.  I enjoyed it and may try to continue with it.  I set out to eat 2200 calories a day for three days.  Holy crap!  I was starving by the end of the 3rd day.  I don't know how I'll ever get used to eating so little but I'll try for a bit.  My fat isn't going to magically disappear.  I've been wanting to buy Bigger, Leaner, Stronger by Mike Mathews as well to help with my gym days.  To wrap it up, I have learned some new things about fitness, training, diet, and some personal things too.  This challenge was absolutely worth it and I'll continue with the next challenge.  I'll keep up my goals for the "5th" week too.

[Jarric]

Great job overall mate, and glad you're seeing some changes in yourself as a result (even if the scale hasn't noticed yet).

 

Personally I reduce the XP I get from a challenge proportionally if I almost reach a goal, but I see what you mean about going for a perfect score to build consistency rather than pushing hard for one workout.

 

I hope you get on ok with the calorie tracking. Personally I really enjoy doing it, and seeing everything I put into my body laid out helps keep me focused. I know some people hate doing it though!