Suzaqu Wears Prada (not really)

[Suzaqu]

So I'm going to be starting a new job on the 25th and I'm really excited! I have been looking for work since December when I moved with my husband, so this is going to be a big change from what I've grown used to. It's only part time for now, but could evolve, so it will be a nice transition. My overall goal is to keep in the good habits I've built while I've had all this free time. The title and theme of this thread is a nod to another job interview where the role turned out to be as an executive assistant and the movie was discussed as the image of a good executive assistant. So in honor of not having that job, I'm having it as a thread theme instead. Also I loveeeee this movie! As usual, I'll be doing a Monday start, so my challenge will run the 18th-14th.

 

 

Quest 1- Workout 4 times a week: Keeping it basic this round, I just need to keep exercising! Also, I want to try to do at least 2 workouts a week with my new baby that came in the mail today! [+2 STR]

 

 

So excited! I haven't picked up a kettlebell since I did my training in October/November, so I'm excited to see how it goes. Since it's been so long, I also want to post form videos at least twice this challenge, to make sure I'm being safe and effective

 

Quest 2 - Side crow!: So close! I have a 2-3 second hold on each side, but I'm aiming for 5. I also want to start training the unsupported version, hopefully the kb work will help with the arm strength part of that. I need to work on my side crow 3 times a week. [+2 STA]

 

Quest 3 - No alcohol 3 nights a week: Exactly what it sounds like. It's a good habit I've built, but having the internet accountability is helping me a lot, so I'm keeping it in my challenges. [+2 CON]

 

Quest 4 - Splits: Again, so close! I need to work on my left, right, and middle splits at least 4 times a week, doing PNF and whatever else I want/need  [+2 DEX]

 

Quest 5 - Mindfulness: This one is shamelessly stolen from @UnquietBones. I will make a concerted effort this challenge to recognize when I am happy or treating myself and make sure that i am enjoying it to its fullest! I will post here 2 times a week what my happy thing is. [+2 WIS]

 

(Chanel makes me happy)

 

Happy challenge everyone!

[ixaera]

Love this movie!! Nice challenge

[Suzaqu]

Also, just realized that this is the notepad I used to sketch out my challenge/points:

Quite appropriate I think.

[raptron]

Woooo, let's go! 

[Suzaqu]

Even though it's zero week, I did first KB workout and wanted to share! I'd love feedback if you have any. It's my first time designing a kettlebell workout, so I really know nothing. I tried to hit the whole body, and I think I did. I only have one 25lb kettlebell, so that's also a little limiting.

 

2 rounds of the below list, in intervals of 30sec on 15sec off, 15sec between rounds

• Two handed swings
• Goblet squats
• Cleans (left and right, separate intervals)
• Carries (waiter first round, suitcase second round, L+R)
• One arm swing (L+R)
• High pull (L+R)
• Russian twist
• Skull crushers

I know I'm missing snatches, but I can't snatch the bell I have, it's too heavy. The next bell I'm planning on getting will be lighter.

[Suzaqu]

18 hours ago, ixaera said:

Love this movie!! Nice challenge

Thanks, I forget how much I love it until I watch it. Last time I immediately wrote it down so I'd maybe remember it for a challenge theme, and it worked!

55 minutes ago, raptron said:

Woooo, let's go! 

Suicide Squaddddd!

[Suzaqu]

The DOMS are real! But it feels so good!

 

We went on a walk today to our corner deli for lunch. It's actually 2 miles away, but it's name is literally "The Corner..." On the way there and back I was complaining about being sore, so my husband reminded me to stretch and roll when I got home. He's learning so well  I'm feeling a lot better and may hit a short kb session tomorrow depending on DOMS, or we may go hiking, weather dependent.

[Mad Hatter]

Great challenge as always.

 

[karinajean]

love it, and congrats on the new job!

[Suzaqu]

On July 17, 2016 at 3:27 AM, Mad Hatter said:

Great challenge as always.

 

Thanks! I try at least, we'll see if I succeed

 

7 hours ago, karinajean said:

love it, and congrats on the new job!

Thank you! I'm really excited (and nervous) to start!

[Suzaqu]

Week 1 Day 1

 

And so it begins!

 

I did a kettlebell workout today, which felt amazing! I think I'm getting back to the point where I'm comfortable in the moves and can work on performing them better, instead of just doing them. Hopefully I'll get a form video up this week or early next. I realized that last time I totally forgot deadlifts! How could I forget those!? So I decided to streamline my cycles a bit and I like the program I came up with, at least for this week. I wanted to try 4 rounds, but I could feel my form slipping during the 3rd round.

 

3 rounds of the below list, in intervals of 30sec on 15sec off, 15sec between rounds

• Two handed swings
• Deadlifts
• Cleans (left)
• High pull (left)
• Clean (right)
• High pull (right)
• Skull crushers

I also realized in the middle of the second round that I really needed chalk, which I of course don't have. So I found my vanilla dusting powder from Lush (it's basically scented talc and cornstarch) and it worked perfectly! I think I may just keep using that, since it takes me forever to use up any of it normally, and it made my workout smell nice

 

After that I did my crow and stretching. I managed to hold a 7 count on my left side! (probably about 4 seconds or so, I count fast) I think the kb work woke up my muscles and helped me balance. I was worried about the ordering, but I think it worked out. I then went on to stretching and had another success, I sat in my left splits! It's not pretty, my right hip is a bit up in the air, but I did it, finally!

 

As for recognizing when I'm happy, I had a really nice night. A friend told me that Blue Apron puts all of their recipes online, so you don't actually need to buy from them to cook their stuff, so I made this and it was really good! I then went on a nice walk with my husband to catch pokemon and we are now drinking a really nice rosé, perfect for this hot weather. (I'm hearing the angel whisper, any other Bitch Sesh listeners on NF?) Definitely a happy evening. I'm taking this whole week to treat myself, so there may be more than 2 mindfullness of awesomeness reports this week.

 

(not from TDWP, but it had to be done)

 

Tracking:

Workout:    1/4, 0/4, 0/4, 0/4

Crow:         1/3, 0/3, 0/3, 0/3

Alcohol:      0/3, 0/3, 0/3, 0/3

Stretching: 1/4, 0/4, 0/4, 0/4

Happy:       1/2, 0/2, 0/2, 0/2

[lucky fire dragon]

awesome start to a powerful challenge, yay you 

Congrats on the splits on Day 1, whoohoooo!!! That must have been such a glorious moment. If I was you I would have squealed my whole house down

 

And left side crow w00t w00t

 

Also congrats on the new job, such exciting stuff!

[Mad Hatter]

4 hours ago, Suzaqu said:

I also realized in the middle of the second round that I really needed chalk, which I of course don't have. So I found my vanilla dusting powder from Lush (it's basically scented talc and cornstarch) and it worked perfectly! I think I may just keep using that, since it takes me forever to use up any of it normally, and it made my workout smell nice

 

 

Now that's girl power right there.  

[raptron]

Hahah. I love the dusting powder MacGuyvering. Sounds like a perfect day with Pokemon and rosé

[Suzaqu]

17 hours ago, lucky fire dragon said:

awesome start to a powerful challenge, yay you 

Congrats on the splits on Day 1, whoohoooo!!! That must have been such a glorious moment. If I was you I would have squealed my whole house down

 

And left side crow w00t w00t

 

Also congrats on the new job, such exciting stuff!

Thanks! I was way too excited and it was probably good I was home alone, because there was some victory dancing.  It was a day of wins, yesterday, a great way to start the challenge.

 

17 hours ago, Mad Hatter said:

 

Now that's girl power right there.  

Or is it girl powder? eh eh? I'll see myself out...

 

5 hours ago, raptron said:

Hahah. I love the dusting powder MacGuyvering. Sounds like a perfect day with Pokemon and rosé

I was really proud of myself for coming up with it  It was a great evening! I love a dry rosé way too much.

[Suzaqu]

Week 1 Day 2

 

It was an okay day overall, I had to get the car fixed because there was a recall and the dealer was a little insane, so I wasn't in the best of moods.

 

But I managed to turn it around enough (but no happy moment to share today), but tomorrow will involve one of two adventures, both of which will be awesome, it just depends on which one I choose.

 

I did 5 circuits of the mini challenge bodyweight stuff and got it done in 18 minutes, including rests, which I feel is pretty legit and represents enough strength+cardio to count as a workout. It certainly got me warmed up enough for stretching. I once again hit the splits on the left, so I think that one is here to stay. Now I just need to get the right down! In similar news, I got a true 5 second hold on my left side crow, and couldn't even really get up into the right. So strange! I think kb yesterday and the stuff today tired out my legs and arms enough that my body was having none of it.

 

No drinking planned for tonight, so I'm precounting as motivation

 

Tracking:

Workout:    2/4, 0/4, 0/4, 0/4

Crow:         2/3, 0/3, 0/3, 0/3

Alcohol:      1/3, 0/3, 0/3, 0/3

Stretching:  2/4, 0/4, 0/4, 0/4

Happy:       1/2, 0/2, 0/2, 0/2

[Elastigirl]

Crows and kettlebell-awesome challenge!

[Mad Hatter]

16 hours ago, Suzaqu said:

I love a dry rosé way too much.

 

No such thing.

[raptron]

^^^

[Suzaqu]

9 hours ago, Mad Hatter said:

 

No such thing.

 

7 hours ago, raptron said:

^^^

There totally are! I thought I hated rosé (I can't stand sweet wine) until I tried some in the past few years. There's a big resurgence in rosés apparently and dry ones are amazing. They have a lot of the crispness and minerality of dry whites with a bit more of the fruit and body of a red. Southern France has some good ones, the one I was drinking yesterday was from California. I highly recommend trying them out again if you are a dry wine person, they are so good for summer!

[Suzaqu]

Week 1 Day 3

 

Good day! The change in the mini means that I completed the first task, so no more lunges and squats for me! Which is good, because I was walking funny all day due to thigh/butt DOMS.

 

The only challenge thing I did today was happy stuff. In the morning, I went on a walk down to the park near my house which has both a pokestop and a gym right next to each other. I put out a lure, battled several times to take down the gym and ate goldfish crackers to relive the childhood glory. 

 

For lunch, I went on an adventure and got an oreo overload bagel!

 

 

Several months ago I found an article about this bagel on buzzfeed, and assumed I'd never eat it. Then I realized it was less than an hour away from me! So I told myself that once I got a job, I'd make a trip there as a celebration a few days before I started, and I did! It's an oreo bagel, with oreo cream cheese, and, of course, oreos in the middle. Ommmm nommmm nommmm. And it was good! The cream cheese was surprisingly not very sweet, so I could actually eat the bagel in one sitting. It was definitely a happy day (other than pokemon being down this evening, grrrr and I made sure to fully enjoy it)

 

Tomorrow I should be back to actual fitness things  and fun times too!

 

Tracking:

Workout:    2/4, 0/4, 0/4, 0/4

Crow:         2/3, 0/3, 0/3, 0/3

Alcohol:      1/3, 0/3, 0/3, 0/3

Stretching:  2/4, 0/4, 0/4, 0/4

Happy:       2/2, 0/2, 0/2, 0/2

[Mad Hatter]

12 hours ago, Suzaqu said:

 

There totally are! I thought I hated rosé (I can't stand sweet wine) until I tried some in the past few years. There's a big resurgence in rosés apparently and dry ones are amazing. They have a lot of the crispness and minerality of dry whites with a bit more of the fruit and body of a red. Southern France has some good ones, the one I was drinking yesterday was from California. I highly recommend trying them out again if you are a dry wine person, they are so good for summer!

 

LOL I also love a dry rosé. I meant there's no such thing as loving them too much.  

[ixaera]

Sweet wine fan checking in! I usually save them for special occasions though, because the drunk to calories ratio is not great.

[Suzaqu]

7 hours ago, Mad Hatter said:

 

LOL I also love a dry rosé. I meant there's no such thing as loving them too much.  

Hahahhaa, I'm sorry I totally misread that! I clearly love them a lot, jumping to defend them as I did  I've had that debate with rosé haters before, so I jumped to conclusions, sorry again!

 

7 hours ago, ixaera said:

Sweet wine fan checking in! I usually save them for special occasions though, because the drunk to calories ratio is not great.

Wines, especially sweet ones are a bad drunk to calories ratio, but quite easy to drink, so the drunk to time ratio is quite good, for me at least when I do drink sweet ones, or dry ones for that matter

 

 

[raptron]

On 7/21/2016 at 10:12 AM, Mad Hatter said:

 

LOL I also love a dry rosé. I meant there's no such thing as loving them too much.  

And I was agreeing! Haha!