Topherdrew: Challenge #1

[topherdrew]

Ok.... first kick at the can with these challenges.... and I know I should have started this on the 4th (more on this below!) but here we go!  There are 24 days left in this challenge cycle, including today.

 

Physical

Start each morning with 3 sets of 20 pushups.  [# of days: 24/24]

 

Mental

Read for at least 30 minutes at night before bed.  [# of days: 10/24]

 

Social

Attend one "games night" with my friends.  [# of games nights: 1/1]

 

Nutritional

Cut out all soda.  [# of days: 24/24]

 

[RocketbikeNinja]

You should include "create Challenge #2 before Challenge #1 is complete." for next time!

[m rips]

Those look like pretty solid goals, good luck!

[FlyingJen]

Hooray for games night! I just decided to add playing a game every day to my challenge. Even if it's just 5 minutes of something on the computer. Good luck! 

[topherdrew]

Update for 7 April 2016

 

So I'm excited to be posting my first update to my challenge!  I realized that when I made the challenge I inadvertently made it after "the morning" and so yesterday's pushups were done around 6pm instead of in the morning.... but by gosh I'm counting it!  I also did my pushups this morning before my shower, so the counter sits at 2! Woo hoo!!

 

Also, I found that putting the electronics away before bed and reading for 30 min+ put me in a more relaxed state for sleep and I had little to no trouble falling asleep.  The flipside however was because I had such a good sleep, I ended up waking up nearly 15 minutes before my alarm went off this morning!  That will take some getting used to.  Anyway, as stated in the "What's everyone reading?" thread, I've currently started "Vortex", the sixth entry in the Fate of the Jedi storyline.  Chapter 1 was finished last night.

 

Almost ordered a soda at lunch.... like 2 hours after I made the challenge... but caught myself and ordered an iced tea instead.  This one might be my toughest challenge, as I've replaced regular and diet soda already with Coke Zero... still not great for you and so I'll see if I can go the rest of April without.

 

So far, so good.... all journeys start with a couple small steps, right?!

[RocketbikeNinja]

19 minutes ago, topherdrew said:

Almost ordered a soda at lunch.... like 2 hours after I made the challenge... but caught myself and ordered an iced tea instead.

 

This is perhaps the most awesome thing about your update.  Small consistent changes turn into large life changing habits.  Nice!

[m rips]

Yes you must start small, you're off to a great start! Congrats thus far

[topherdrew]

It's funny because I've done the "cut the soda" thing once before.  In university it wasn't uncommon for me to have 5-6 Cokes a day.... some cans, some bottles!  I remember saying to myself, "enough is enough" and I cut it out completely cold turkey.  I had severe caffeine withdrawal for about 3 weeks!!  Cutting it out this time won't be as drastic, as I usually only had one every day or every other day.... but still.  If I can cut it to the point where I don't miss it... then only have it on special occasions (like in the odd mixed drink... amaretto and Coke doesn't work without Coke!!) then that will make me happy!  Thanks for all the encouragement!

[topherdrew]

Update for 8 April 2016

No soda.... check!  It helps that we have none at work... only bottled water, so I drink that.  Or office coffee... which is a last resort!  I could drink tea, but I'm not much of a tea drinker.

 

60 pushups this morning... check!  Included in there one of my sets of 20 was elevated, so that I could check that off of my character quests and level up.  I'm close to level 3 now.  (woot!)

 

30 minutes of reading... check!  Enough time to finish chapter 2... which was smaller than chapter 1.  Noticed I was starting to nod off while reading.... and I noticed I was falling asleep before midnight.  I've usually been a "stay up till 1am, still get up at 6am" type... I need to sleep more.  Perhaps reading before bed will help me with that!

 

Guys night.... not yet.  Some dates are planned, and the front-runner appears to be Friday, April 29.  That's cutting it close to the end of my challenge... but that's out of my control!

 

So far... so good! 

[Koaladle]

Awesome progress! Replacing soda with better choices (black coffee, plain tea, water) is going to make you feel SO much better. Increasing my water intake has been a consistent part of my challenges since I've joined, and it has never disappointed me. 

 

My husband and I started reading before bed and it has helped our sleep a ton. I used to fall asleep reading all the time as a kid, but a bunch of moves as an adult cut down my book collection and I got out of the habit. There is no joy quite like a good book. :-)

 

I hope you have a great weekend!

[topherdrew]

Update for 9 April 2016

 

Still on track for everything!  Seemed to have mysteriously pulled both calf muscles... but was still able to grind out the pushups this morning.  Got 2 chapters in last night during my 30 minutes so that was satisfying... and was able to drink 3 full litres of water!  Basically every time I go downstairs for a soda, I'm coming back with a water.  Well... sometimes I'm going down for water too... it's not all cravings!

 

Must... keep... going!

[Koaladle]

WHOOOOOO HABIT CHANGE! I hope you're as proud as a puppy with pizza.

 

[topherdrew]

 

WHOOOOOO HABIT CHANGE! I hope you're as proud as a puppy with pizza.

 

MMMMM... puppy with pizza....

 

[topherdrew]

Update for 10 April 2016

So the pushups were completed with minimal pain, as my calves are still kinda sore from... something... from the weekend.  I'm really not sure when exactly it happened, just that they were overworked in a 3-day period I guess.  Today I can at least walk.... and shoes help.  Phew.  Getting old sucks.

 

Drinking 3 litres of water a day means there's basically no room for any other drinks (except coffee)!  So I was successful in having no soda again.  This one might be the easiest of the tasks to complete.

 

I need to find ways to stay awake through reading.  It shouldn't take me a full 30 minutes for one chapter.... but I find myself nodding off.  I think I need to start the reading a little earlier each night.  I'm trying to get it in before midnight each time (another silent goal that I'm having a tough time reaching... bed before midnight) so I'll play with the timing on this one.  Got it in though... five chapters down.  Boy I've missed these characters!

[RocketbikeNinja]

If you're nodding off while reading, maybe you need the sleep?  Why not just turn out the light?

[topherdrew]

 

If you're nodding off while reading, maybe you need the sleep?  Why not just turn out the light?

 

Interesting thought!

 

If I wasn't reading though, I'd be staying up late playing video games or something else that occupies my mind.  Reading is a different kind of occupying.... and one that is less engaging to all of my senses.  The whole point of reading was to have that "wind down" period between keeping an active mind and sleeping.  My sleep has been much improved the last few nights, probably due to the reading.... none of this "falling asleep with thoughts racing through my head", you know?

[Koaladle]

I love the water goal. :-) Whenever I focus on water consumption, the rest of my dietary goals fall right into place. Soda and juice are sirens for junk food. 

[topherdrew]

 

Update for 11 April 2016

Well yesterday was probably my most "slack" day.... it was a Monday... I forgot my indoor gym shoes and had to modify my workout... I ate more than I wanted to... barely made it through my challenges.... BUT.... 

 

If that's the worst of my days, then that's not bad.

 

The good?  Well, I did manage to get in the 3 litres of water which meant no soda.  I just need to be better at spacing as I'm finding I'm consuming at least a litre after 9pm.  That can't be good.  I was up peeing a few times before finally falling asleep! 

 

However... that meant I was alert for the reading last night, so that's good.  Also it was a really long chapter, so no problems hitting the 30 minutes.

 

The pushups this morning... well... I had to rush to get them in.  Tuesday mornings are usually early mornings for me... I work 7:30am to 4:00pm so that I can pick up my son from school and we go out to dinner.  We do this once a week.  It takes me 45 min to get from work to his school, we have a few hours together, then I drop him back off with his mom afterwards.  It's a great part of my week!  (Except the dropping him off part...  )

 

All told... it was a bit of a struggle... but I did it.  Better planning needed, so I will modify accordingly.

 

25% of the way through the pushups though...  WOOT!

[topherdrew]

 

I love the water goal. :-) Whenever I focus on water consumption, the rest of my dietary goals fall right into place. Soda and juice are sirens for junk food. 

 

The water goal is part of the Academy quest "Nutrition: That's What I Call High Quality H2O".  I'm now on day 4.  I need 5 of 7.  I probably won't keep up 3 litres when it is done, perhaps 2... we will see.  I'm finding it easier to just grab water instead of anything else though.  I'm only drinking coffee and chocolate milk after workouts otherwise.

[Koaladle]

I naturally tend towards 2-2.5 liters, but 3 is a little much unless I've had a hard workout or I go outside in the summer (Florida is miserable--hot and humid, slowly taking your soul...). If I go to the zoo and chase down a four year old in July, I'll knock out 6 liters just trying to stay alive. Point being, I think the point of the NFA goal is to kick-start an easy habit that gets you attuned to the water consumption your body needs. 

 

Oh, and one user instituted a water curfew for her challenge, where she had to drink all her water by 7pm so she didn't stay up all night. 

 

 

none of this "falling asleep with thoughts racing through my head", you know?

 

My husband got me reading before bed again, and my sleep has improved immensely. Sometimes I fight to stay awake and keep reading, but more often I take the opportunity to drift off without the drama. I agree with RocketbikeNinja: your body is relaxing, so get the sleep rather than worry about a time quota. You can always make up the time for funsies on the weekend.   

 

[topherdrew]

Update for 12 April 2016

No soda... achieved again, and even went out for dinner to Montana's with my son!  Ordered water instead... so proud!  My son's chocolate milk looked soooooo good though... 

 

Reading was late, but achieved.... stayed up later than normal online gaming with my brother.  He's a new dad so this is our best way to interact as he now lives about 30 min away.  Gives us a couple hours of just "hanging out" so that's cool.  But this time it was 12:30am before we knew it!  

 

Pushups... done and done.  They get easier and easier.  I could probably add more... and I might before the next challenge.  Otherwise I'll just step it up in May.

 

Woot!

[topherdrew]

Update for 13 April 2016

 

Short update tonight because I forgot to post it earlier!!  Still hitting on all cylinders.  Finished the pushups and the reading... and no soda.  I've actually got a case of 12 bottles of water with me in my room where I spend most of my time when I'm at home.  Really helps... it's a deterrent.  Not gonna leave to go downstairs and get a soda if I have something to drink already up here!

[Koaladle]

I do something similar--my at-hand foods. I manipulate my laziness into eating veggies because they're close!

 

How was your weekend?

[topherdrew]

 

Update for 19 April 2016

 

Been a busy couple days... and realized I haven't updated this.... I feel bad!

 

The Good

Well, I've been keeping up with the push-ups and the no soda.  I don't even miss soda anymore.  Been drinking so much water that I don't have time/room for soda!  The pushups have just become part of the routine.  Something that I do before I put on my clothes for the day.  I need tougher challenges next month!

 

The Bad
The reading has fallen off the last three nights... in some cases for good reasons (long, late night chat with my mom because my grandmother is rounding the final turn on that track called "life") and in some cases for not so good reasons (stayed up too late doing other things... then valued sleep over 30 minutes of reading).  This challenge will be "re-attempted" next month.... perhaps with modification.  However, I will still close out the month and get back to reading.... I'll make a more conscious effort to do so.

 

The Ugly

There isn't any "ugly"!  Though the 29th still hasn't been firmed up for our "games night" and if that doesn't go I'll be SOL....!

[Treva]

Came for the Captain America references.  Congratulations on giving up the soda!!! that's something I know a lot of people struggle with but not drinking soda has a huge impact on health.  Go you!!  That's really hard to do and it sounds like you've been doing well with it!

 

Sorry to hear about your grandmother--is there flex in there for not reading for Really Important things like Sleep?  I know I've had to give up some of my challenges this week for school and sleep.  Especially sleep.  Sleep's the best.

Game nights sound awesome and I'm infinitely jealous.   sounds like you're doing awesome, congrats!