Saphros - grind, eat, recover, repeat

[Saphros]

Hey y'all, so I bounce around usually between here and warriors (spent the last couple challenges I have done in there) but here I am again. 

 

Main Goal: Lose 30lbs before my wedding March 2017

 

Challenge Quest: Grind
So back in July I had a huge personal setback and have had a hard time getting back on the weight loss/healthy living horse. 

 

The goal here is to get back into the gym 4 days a week. Before my setback I was going 6 days a week and I have been going 2 days a week since July.

 

2 of these days will be cross fit inspired workouts with my personal trainer and the other 2 days will be lifting days.

 

Challenge Quest: Eat
Track everything. I am transitioning back into a gluten free system but hopefully a healthier one this time around. Last time I ate gluten free it was still junk food and oversized portions.

 

So the plan, aside from tracking everything, is to eat more wholesome, home prepared meals with appropriate portion sizes. Also to eat more protein and less carbs. Currently I am a lot of carbs and fat and maybe some protein if I feel like it. So I want to do a 40p/30c/30f macro.

 

Challenge Quest: Recover
The goal here is to find ways to recover both my body (sleep, foam rolling, stretching etc.) and my mind (meditation, reading, writing etc.)

 

I don't currently do much in the way of loving myself and it has started to cause me problems. I am super stressed (therefore stress eating.. Yay food addiction.. NOT), super restless, and not sleeping worth a damn.

 

So here is where I destress both my body and my mind by way of yoga and 8hrs sleep a night (body) and journaling (mind).

 

Challenge Breakdown:

Gym 4x per week = Reward A ($50 to local sporting goods store)
Gym 3x per week = Reward B ($15 to local sporting goods store)
Gym 2x per week = No Reward

 

Eating homemade meals 5x a day = Reward A (New supplements)
Eating homemade meals 4x a day = Reward B (New water bottle)
Eating homemade meals 3x a day = No Reward

 

Yoga, journaling & sleep 5x a week = Reward A (New leatherbound journal)
Yoga, journaling & sleep 4x a week = Reward B (New paperback journal)
Yoga, journaling & sleep 3x a week = No Reward

 

My reason for splitting up my reward system is because the "all or nothing" reward system hasn't worked in the past for me and someone of these, while still a challenge, will be easier than others. I know the challenge doesn't start till next week but I wouldn't mind having a reason to get a head start

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

This looks like a really well thought out plan. Welcome back to the Rangers! I'm a fellow eater of feelings so I'll be cheering you on.

[Saphros]

21 hours ago, Tanktimus the Encourager said:

This looks like a really well thought out plan. Welcome back to the Rangers! I'm a fellow eater of feelings so I'll be cheering you on.

 

Thanks Tank! I appreciate it! Need all the support I can get these days, my hole is deep and well dug. Hard to get out of I've figured out. 

[Mr_Willes]

Like Tank said you've got a solid plan.

 

Your workout plan sounds like heaven and the way i want to organize my workouts next year (when i can transition from Fitness to CF). Really try to get your protein in, i think if you make that priority your Eat Challenge Quest will be a lot easier, as Protein fill you up very fast there will be less cravings for other stuff. Recovery is something i'm struggling with myself, your goals are not achievable for me, so if you can stick to it, way to go!

 

A couple of tips:

• Check in as often as possible (keep the conversation with other rangers going), it's highly motivating
• Incorporate one or two "get out of jail free cards" for the whole challenge. These can be used when life intervened on your schedule and it was near impossible to follow it. This can keep motivation up even when things get really hard. Just be sure to have a solid thought about whether you want to use them when the situation occurs, they are rare and very valuable!
• Take every day at a time. If yesterday wasn't the best day, there is absolutely no reason to let that influence today. You can't change the past.
• If anything is bothering you or you have questions just put them here (or in a PM if you wish), united we stand much stronger!

Me too will try to check in to see how you are doing!

[arangast]

Nice plan, I have a similar struggle with food and not de-stressing, this week in particular has been tough.  I like your system for major/minor rewards depending on how your goals go, I might have to borrow that!

 

Good luck!

 

 

[Saphros]

Thanks mr_willes! I appreciate the support! I like some of the suggestions you have there, especially the get out of jail free card. My only concern is that I will use them more as an excuse to be lazy and not as a means to allow for life to happen. 

 

Thanks arangast! I'm hoping this system works a bit better for me this time around

 

First few days have gone alright. I've eaten out twice this week already but that should be the last. I'm not counting this week towards my challenge, as I wanted to use this week to get into the swing of things. So 5 days eating out to 2 isn't bad in my books. I've already got 3 days at the gym, my two with my trainer and one on my own. 

 

Training: on my own I am doing the SL 5X5 program again. I dropped the weight so I can focus on shorter rest times.

First session:

Squat  @ 155

Bench @ 145

Row @ 105

 

Trainer:

Bench 4x6 @ 145

5 rounds of

Agility ladder

2 burpees

2 broad jumps

30 single skips

 

3 rounds of

10 15lb ball slams

16 OH alt lunges @ 25lbs

26 bent over dumbbell rows

 

My next SL session will be tonight and my next trainer session is tomorrow night.

 

My food has been alright.

Yesterday:

Coffee 3c 3sw

2 pieces whole wheat toast with butter & peanut butter

Protein shake

2 lean Turkey pepperoni sticks

Mango quinoa salad

Bacon wrapped chicken & veggies

Three cheese sidekick

2 pieces gluten free pizza

2 nature valley fruit & but bars

 

Today:

Coffee 2c 3sw

Cinnamon raisin bagel with butter

Protein shake

Greek yogurt plain with strawberry jam

Tuna

Turkey pepperoni 2 sticks

Bacon and egg wrap

Mango quinoa salad

Chicken burger with potato wedges

 

[Mr_Willes]

13 hours ago, Saphros said:

I dropped the weight so I can focus on shorter rest times.

 

When i was following SL i got a comment on the resting times, and got advised just the opposite, don't lower your weight, lengthen your rest times. If things get hard, take 5 minutes between sets. That's also the general idea i got from Starting Strength (by Mark Rippetoe). Was it something you thought of yourself or was it advice your received from someone? Don't know if it's specific to your situation, but maybe a little research on the matter could change your thoughts about this.

[Saphros]

 

When i was following SL i got a comment on the resting times, and got advised just the opposite, don't lower your weight, lengthen your rest times. If things get hard, take 5 minutes between sets. That's also the general idea i got from Starting Strength (by Mark Rippetoe). Was it something you thought of yourself or was it advice your received from someone? Don't know if it's specific to your situation, but maybe a little research on the matter could change your thoughts about this.

It is a bit of both and for a few other reasons. Part of it is form stuff and nursing some sore body parts. I've been having issues with form on my squat and not feeling as comfortable under a heavy weight as I was under something a bit lighter. I've also been struggling with a bummed shoulder and really right hip flexors so dropping the weight felt like the better choice there too. And so when I was taking to my personal trainer about it we decided it might be better to drop the weight, work on form and shorten the rest times to get a better burn. I also wanted to shorten the rest times because right now I don't have hours to be spending at the gym.

Last night's session:

Squat @ 160

OHP @ 70

Deadlift @ 235

Sent from my LG-H812 using Tapatalk

[Mr_Willes]

17 minutes ago, Saphros said:

It is a bit of both and for a few other reasons. Part of it is form stuff and nursing some sore body parts. I've been having issues with form on my squat and not feeling as comfortable under a heavy weight as I was under something a bit lighter. I've also been struggling with a bummed shoulder and really right hip flexors so dropping the weight felt like the better choice there too. And so when I was taking to my personal trainer about it we decided it might be better to drop the weight, work on form and shorten the rest times to get a better burn. I also wanted to shorten the rest times because right now I don't have hours to be spending at the gym.

Last night's session:

Squat @ 160

OHP @ 70

Deadlift @ 235

Sent from my LG-H812 using Tapatalk

 

Act like i haven't posted that  

 

[Saphros]

Update: so the challenge officially starts today and I'm happy to be starting over. Week zero I did okay, but definitely could have been better.

hit my 4 day gym target ✔

hit my eating target ❌

hit my recovery target ❌

Some adjustments: I want to allow myself 2 exceptions to my food challenge - to allow for life to happen. During the course of this challenge I have some birthdays and other events to attend mainly my partners birthday and my best friends birthday.

Here's to the start of the challenge! And here's to genuine, lasting change.

Sent from my LG-H812 using Tapatalk

[Saphros]

Today was good! Went to the gym, ate fairly well, hit my calorie and macro goals, stretched before and after gym, overall I hit everything I wanted to today.

Training:

Squat @ 160lbs

Bench @ 140lbs

Row @ 110lbs

Skullcrushers @ 50lbs

Pushups

Felt really good! Haven't gone alone in a long time but I was happy to do so and it was much needed!

Sent from my LG-H812 using Tapatalk

[Mr_Willes]

Now that's the way you show this challenge you ain't here to mess around.

 

[Saphros]

So the first week is basically done and I feel like it went well.

 

Challenge: Grind

I hit the gym all 4 days, go me!

(sunday, tuesday, wednesday, saturday)

 

Challenge: Eat

I averaged 4 meals at home this week, so room for improvement there. I hit my macros most days (I really struggle with too much carbs, not enough protein) and ate fairly well.

 

Challenge: Recover

Didn't do so well on this one here. I slept well, instead of yoga I did more foam rolling and stretching and I didn't really journal once.. so fail there..

 

Training:

Today I hit the gym, had a personal training session.

Went a little something like this..

Back squat - find 3 rep max - topped out at 205lbs for 3 with no belt!

3 rounds steady:

30 sec battle ropes

20 dball slams

10 wall balls - finished in 8m 49s

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Well done on week 1. I wouldn't call recovery a failure, just room for improvement.

[Mr_Willes]

I agree with Tank, you didn't got everything you set out to do, but you also accomplished a lot of things on the recovery part, so calling it a fail is a bit harsh, it's like life, work in progress!

[mom2sjm]

The final week of the challenge!  Take the stuff that went well forward and don't worry about the rest.