Finisterre Goes to Wonderland

[Finisterre]

I love Alice in Wonderland, the show I'm in is based on Alice in Wonderland, Alice in Wonderland is super gifable...perfect challenge theme!  Admittedly I prefer the book to the film, and the animated is vastly better than the 2010 version, but book gifs don't work quite so well.

 

I liked my points method in the last challenge so will probably repeat that.  A google sheet means that I can update categories on the go so don't have to try to remember what I've done at the end of each day, and points are just fun.

 

Down the rabbit hole we go...

 

 

 

One side will make you grow taller, and the other side will make you grow shorter

 

 

As we all know, you can't outrun your diet (boo!).  And my diet is...dubious.  I seem to swing between eating really well and eating everything I can get my hands on.  Add to this new meds which have appetite increase as a side effect (double boo!) and I really need to take a long hard look at my eating habits.  I've started getting HelloFresh boxes, and whilst they're not the most cost efficient (it works out as ~£6.50 a meal, ouch!) but it's getting me cooking healthy food on a regular basis, and since the portions are actually massive I tend to end up with three meals instead of two from a lot of them.  Plus they're really yummy (and I genuinely am a terrible cook).  I also massively reduced my coke consumption in the last challenge so let's keep that up!

 

This challenge I'm being harsher on myself for coke drinking and fast food, but also more rewarding for cooking and keeping on top of my calories.

 

So points for this:

Portion of fruit or veg  +1

Bottle/glass of coke  -2

Bottle of other fizzy drink  -1

Take out/fast food  -10

Home cooked meal  +5

Daily calorie tracking  +2

Under calorie target  +1

 

 

We're all mad here

 

 

 

Or at least I am.  Last challenge I got a new diagnosis, a shiny new drug, and a shiny new therapist.  This challenge ends two days before I'm due to go back to my PhD so excellent timing for finishing sorting my life out for that fun and exciting development (ohgodpleasekillmenow).  This section is going to include specific mental health things as well as more general adult life things.  Because realistically a lot of the issues with adult stuff are a result of being slightly mad.

 

Psychiatrist appointment  +5

Therapy session  +5

Taking all meds  +1

Daily thought record  +1

Shower  +1

Bath  +2

Cleaning teeth  +1

Hour of tidying  +10

Completely sorted room  +25

Completely sorted flat  +100

Unnecessary spending  -25

 

I say, you'll never get dry that way

Get dry?

Have to run with the others.  First rule of a caucus race, you know.

 

 

I'm doing a half mudder at the end of the month, so much training is needed.  Run run run!

 

Going for a run  +5

Each km run  +1

5km in one session  +10

8km in one session  +20

 

 

Twinkle twinkle little bat/ how I wonder what you're at/ up above the world you fly/ like a tea tray in the sky

 

 

Can you stand on your head?

 

 

Circus!  Ciiirrrrccuuuuuuussssss

 

Ahem.  I like circus   Much circus etc etc  I've got moves to work on, rehearsals to get to, and I really need to get my flex work on again

 

Aerial class  +2

Rehearsal  +1

Double skinner  +10

Single toe hang  +20

Heel hang  +50

Forward belly spins/millwheels  +10

New move/transition  +1

Handstand work  +5

Juggling practice  +5

Hula hooping  +1

Splits work  +5

Backbend work  +5

Doing less than 4 stretch sessions in a week  -50

 

[lucky fire dragon]

Awesome theme!!!

 

Following,of course

I didn't even know that there is such a thing as a half mudder, now I am jealous

This is so cool,you have so many things going you love among the less pleasant necessities. I also love how you're warming to the cooking. All the yummy meals!

[Teancum]

Love the theme! And interesting points system - do you have a points goal that you are aiming for?

 

I too seem to swing between healthy eating and eating everything I can get my hands on - let us know any tricks you find to help!

[Finisterre]

14 hours ago, lucky fire dragon said:

Awesome theme!!!

 

Following,of course

I didn't even know that there is such a thing as a half mudder, now I am jealous

This is so cool,you have so many things going you love among the less pleasant necessities. I also love how you're warming to the cooking. All the yummy meals!

 

Thank you

 

Half mudder is amazing, half the distance and none of the really awful obstacles (I have zero interest in electrocution) 

I genuinely never thought I'd enjoy cooking but it's actually becoming quite fun

 

3 hours ago, The Scarlet Pimpernel said:

Love the theme! And interesting points system - do you have a points goal that you are aiming for?

 

I too seem to swing between healthy eating and eating everything I can get my hands on - let us know any tricks you find to help!

 

Thank you! I am aiming for points but I need to work out the target based on how many of each thing can realistically happen, and possibly using week one as a baseline. 

 

I've found that just not having crappy stuff in makes the biggest difference , but the discovery that my local supermarket is open to midnight hasn't helped

[Finisterre]

After some playing around with a spreadsheet I have come up with target numbers.  I've got a points aim per week in each section, based on what I think is realistically achievable but still challenging myself e.g. assuming no fizzy drinks in a week (challenging but feasible) but not assuming I'm going to eat 20 portions of fruit and veg each day (just not going to happen).

 

Diet:  90 points/week

Mental health:  85 points/week

Running:  20 points/week

Circus:  85 points/week

 

I also rounded up to the nearest multiple of five because it looks nicer...

These are subject to change if it turns out I've made a huge miscalculation in what I can achieve, and don't take into account any of the Big Bonus Goals (such as a completely organised flat or a heel hang) since the reason they're so high scoring is because I'm not entirely convinced they are achievable in the next four weeks.

[Finisterre]

So Week 0 has been a total non-event around here, but I am super excited about getting into this challenge tomorrow.  I've got my spreadsheet ready, I did a whole load of cooking on Friday so I have food for the next couple of days without too much hassle (because rehearsals mean getting home laaaate on Sundays), and I am ready to do this

 

Also waiting with bated breath for this challenge's mini challenge.  I had so much fun with the last one that I'm itching for the next!

[Finisterre]

So day one has been pretty decent!

 

Did have a glass of coke with lunch (but only one!), then went for a ride (not challenge related but always fun) and had rehearsal.  Managed to not do anything worse than roll my eyes at someone being particularly annoying and whiny, got the bones of a routine together for one section and we finished early  Refrained from stopping on the way home for food so have instead just finished my dinner of spicy sausages with roasted veg and mash, left over from last week ^-^

 

Tomorrow I've got a psychiatrist appointment first thing, then need to do my weekly shop but have the rest of the day free.  Mondays are total rest days since my weekends are packed with rehearsals, so will probably just spend the day napping and cleaning.

[Finisterre]

Today was a rest day so it has existed pretty much entirely of watching TV, snoozing, and eating biscuits.  

 

Had a psychiatrist appointment which was fine, we're basically sticking with what I've got going just now so not particularly exiting.  Ordered some bits and bobs for the rats, but only stuff that I actually need rather than things I want.  Which is hard y'all!  I love buying fun things for the rats!  But no unnecessary spending

I'm having a look for a birthday present for my dad just now which is a bloody nightmare quite frankly.  I have a reputation for getting people awesome presents but I am seriously tempted to just cave this year and get him one of the (boring) things he asked for.  He never appreciates the thought/effort behind presents anyway, I don't know why I bother *eyeroll*

 

Tomorrow's plan includes sleeping, making some sort of healthy meal (this week's options: pan fried cod, steak tagliata, and creamy pea and bacon pasta), potentially some tidying of the kitchen, and then trapeeeeeezzzze.  I love Tuesday nights ^-^  

[Finisterre]

Went for the pasta option today, turned out really well actually!

 

Did some tidying in the kitchen.

 

Tracked calories and was under my goal  OK so I was actually 92 over, but since that didn't include any exercise (seriously, does anyone have an accurate way of calculating aerial calories??) I'm going with under thanks to trapeze.

 

Class was really good, worked on loads of things

• Skin the cats (getting better, slowly but surely)
• Crucifix to sit (I'm getting up now, but muscling instead of using momentum)
• Double skinners (stiiillll can't get them back.  I know exactly what I'm doing wrong but can't stop myself :'(  Scott did say that my boobs aren't helping - they're big enough that they interfere with my ability to tuck >.<)
• Millwheels (slooooowwwllly getting closer to getting round)
• Star to ankles
• Shoulder stand to catchers
• Mermaid to toe hang
• Started the very very baby steps towards single toe hang - I got my foot to about 45 degrees and promptly fell off the bar ^-^  Which is of course why we learn to do these things very close to the ground and in a slight pike...

Then did some splits stretching at the end, focusing on hip squareness and building back up my quad stretchiness while I'm there - the plan is to be able to do a full split with the back knee completely bent so the back foot is up at my hip

 

 

 

Tomorrow's plan

• Go for a run, which should be a delight if the weather is as miserable as it was today
• Finish (??) the kitchen
• Organise food into portions and freeze
• Make another yummy dinner
• Possibly go to an LGBT vigil in the evening

[Finisterre]

So far today I've done the run - just over 3km in around half an hour so not the fastest but it got done.  I ran before I'd eaten anything which I think was part of the problem, my legs felt like they were going to jelly after the first kilometre and a bit which isn't so great.  Eat first, run later!

 

Got back to the flat and had a nice stretch session with a punnet of raspberries and a bottle of water.

 

Dinner was pan fried cod with lemony risotto.  Genuinely never thought I'd be able to make something like that but it was really really good!

 

Between all of that I was still over 800 calories under sooooo POPCORN TIME!  And now rat cuddle time, brought to you in conjunction with Crap TV Watching.

[Finisterre]

Had my second portion of cod and risotto for lunch today then went for another wee run.  Still felt like my legs didn't want to work but got another 3k in.

 

Dinner was steak with rosemary potatoes and roasted broccoli.  Very yummy, and lots of protein.

 

Had a pretty lazy day other than that really so not much to report.  I did get my dad's birthday present sorted out - I finally went "fuck it" and got him something he asked for plus some chocolates.  Nowhere near my usual standard but honestly I'm past caring with him.

 

I've upped my calorie goal slightly as I think I was aiming a little low, and suspect this might be contributing to my jelly legs running.  I'm still on a reasonable cut so hopefully will start getting back into the shape I was before I started my interruption.  Also rejigged my macro goals slightly to increase the protein aim.  Woo protein!

 

Tomorrow's plan:

• Make a vet appointment
• Possibly a run
• Washing
• Rehearsal

The rehearsal should be...interesting...after we had a couple of bombshells dropped on us at last Sunday's.  It's all gone a little bit "lalalalala everything is fiiiiiiiiiine" >.<

[Finisterre]

Week 1 Summary

 

Diet

 

Target:  90

Result:  45

 

The biggest issue here came from being at my parent's over weekends.  I totalled 35 points over the four days where I was not at my parents at all, and the biggest drop was on Saturday when I was there all day.  If we discount all the coke I drank whilst there my total goes up from 45 to 61 - still not as high as I was aiming but would have been a distinct improvement.  I calorie tracked on 4 out of the 7 days, and was under my goal on 2 of those.  

 

Ways to improve in week 2

• Calorie track every day (already buggered today, but from Monday)
• Stop.  Drinking.  Coke.

 

Mental Health

 

Target:  85

Result:  17

 

Meds were the strongest section here.  I missed taking everything on one day as I'd left my refill in the car and didn't remember until I was already in bed, but took my full dose of everything on six days.  The thought record and tidying were the biggest losers here - neither gained a single point.  I also managed to avoid any unnecessary spending which is a huge improvement over recent times!  I did buy my ticket for the Edinburgh Aerial and Acro Convention which was quite a wad of cash, but was totally planned for and not an impulse buy.

 

Week 2 improvements

• Thought record
• Tidying
• Carry on not spending

 

Running

 

Target:  20

Result:  16

 

Honestly I'm pretty happy with this.  I went for two 3km runs this week.  My ankle is still suuupppeer pissed off at me which is why I didn't go further or go for a third.  This week I'll be pushing through because the Half Mudder is next Sunday, but from week 3 onwards I might have to rethink this goal to give my ankle a break.  Sad times

 

 

Circus

 

Target:  85

Result:  47

 

Not the worst of the week, but certainly not the best.  Did get my four stretch sessions in (just) but spent three of them only doing splits work.  No juggling, only three handstand sessions, and only one hula hoop.  Didn't get any of my targets moves but worked on double skinners and started towards single toe hang

 

Week 2 improvements

• Any juggling
• Hula hooping
• More handstand work
• More back work

 

 

Overall

 

Target:  280

Total:  125

[Finisterre]

This weekend was actually pretty good all told

 

Friday

 

Didn't go for another run because my ankle was still having a hissy fit.  Rehearsal was fine, discovered I can get into a y-stand on a hoop.  Fun times all round!

 

Saturday

 

Got very grumpy about various class changes, and general bullshittery within the aerial company I train with so took Willow out.  Ended up going on a gorgeous 8km hack in the hills, including a bit of swimming on horseback and general middle of nowhere happiness

 

 

 

Sunday

 

Planned on riding again but didn't because it was pouring with rain so instead cleaned her bridle after yesterday's submersion then went to rehearsal.  We actually had a pretty good session - the moany sod wasn't there (and might be quitting, who knows).  We spent the first hour doing floorwork, including exercises on a beam, butterfly leaps and working on walkovers.  Walkovers have always terrified me, despite being bendy backed, but they went well with Scott spotting.  Just need to sort my legs out because I'm trying to take off and land on the same leg and it's just madness.  Then worked on our hoop act, including a lot of fast spinning until I thought I was going to throw up and lay on the floor till it stopped moving.  Fun times XD

 

 

[Owlet]

Yaaay pony pics! Going on a hack sounds like the best possible way to deal with annoying-ness at rehearsals. That's so cool you're working on walkovers, I want to be able to do them so bad! I'm not strong enough yet though, and they are scary. Any hot tips? Good luck with the running this week, hope you're ankle feels better!

[Finisterre]

On 21/06/2016 at 11:22 AM, Owlet said:

Yaaay pony pics! Going on a hack sounds like the best possible way to deal with annoying-ness at rehearsals. That's so cool you're working on walkovers, I want to be able to do them so bad! I'm not strong enough yet though, and they are scary. Any hot tips? Good luck with the running this week, hope you're ankle feels better!

 

Hahaha my best tip is someone you really trust spotting!  Also take off and land on different legs - I try to push off the floor with my left leg but then also try to land on it which causes much undignified flailing >.<

[Finisterre]

How is it Wednesday already??  Honestly I have been a disaster this week.

 

Monday

 

Woke up to find that one of my rat's had died in the night.  She'd been poorly at the end of last week and plummeted over the weekend so it wasn't a huge surprise but still sad.  I did spend the whole day moping and basically eating my own body weight in food so that was a thing.

 

Tuesday

 

Tuesday was actually going really well until I made the mistake of stopping at a service station on the way home from class and ended up with a whole load of hot cross buns.  I'd been tracking calories really well up till that point...

 

Class itself was really good though.  I'd been a bit concerned as the hoop class was moved into the same venue and we were sharing the rig, but each class was pretty quiet so it worked out ok in the end.  Worked on a couple of new moves (crucifix and amazon in the ropes), played with some old moves, accidentally made a move up (then promptly almost killed myself trying to replicate it) and did some more single toe hang work.  I'm still nowhere near being able to hold it but got my foot a little further before I fell off than I did last week.  Baby steps, baby steps.  When I first started working on single hock hangs I didn't think I'd ever be able to hang from just one leg, but now I'm totally comfortable doing it so if I keep drilling it the same thing will happen with toe hangs   Also did some splits stretching afterwards to keep that up, and invited my trapeze teacher to come riding with me and my sister at some point (as you do)

 

Wednesday

 

I was a lazy bum again today.  Had a nurse appointment for blood pressure, which was fine, and made a smear test appointment (apparently I'm a year overdue...ooooooooppps).  Decided to go "fuck it" and ordered a sausage supper for dinner.  And as soon as I finished eating my digestive tract went "lolnope" and I sprinted off to the toilet.  Guess that's my body telling me that it likes the good food I've been eating recently so need to remember that the next time I think a take away is a good idea!

 

I did force myself to calorie track.  It doesn't matter if I'm over what I'm aiming for, I just need to bloody well track it.