Howling at the Moon

[DireWolfCurse]

Goal Setting and Baseline Information: 

 

Current Weight: 160.1 lbs

Height: 60"

Chest: 41"

Hips: 42"

Waist: 34"

 

Ultimate goal: Achieve 130 lbs.

- Mini Goal - Achieve 150 lbs

 

Other goals: 

- Stop drinking any soda

- Decrease to size 8 in jeans size with no muffin top

- Get an A on final exam for Prep Course (12/13)

- Enroll in Clinical Practicum

- Start studying for boards

 

I'm finally motivated to do this, and I have joined a new gym I'm comfortable visiting. 

 

My Plan:

- Go to gym 3-4 times weekly (at least) and make it a habit I won't break

- Plan meals weekly to avoid eating out (especially fast food)

 

[DireWolfCurse]

I went to the gym this morning before work. I did 20 minutes running/walking on the treadmill. The good news is I'm gaining stamina. The bad news? I don't think I'm doing straight miles without having to walk anytime soon. 

 

I did some squats today - 100 lbs, 3 sets of 10. I'm not as strong as I used to be, but I'll get there. I like the machine at my new gym, because it supports my back. I've hurt it before and ended up out of work for too long. I'm hoping to improve core strength as well. 

 

Progress toward quests today:

1. I did 10 incline push-ups, and 10 knee push-ups. The knee ones are too easy now. 

2. Replaced a sugary drink with water. 

3. This is my 3rd day with no soda. 

 

I was considered "Borderline Diabetic". My last HbA1c was excellent in September, however, at 5.2. I still get low blood sugars, which is concerning to me. I had one on Monday between lunch and dinner, and ended up going home HANGRY. I was driving my man crazy, because I wandered around Wegmans with no idea where I was or how I'd gotten there. I'd even pumped gas, and I couldn't remember how much gas I'd put in the car. I couldn't tell you how much I paid for it. I don't know why my BGs are too low, I'm definitely eating a lot more than I was, and trying to eat snacks in between meals. This is now becoming difficult, however, because the office has implemented a new policy against keeping snacks at our desks, even for emergencies. 

 

Another thing is, I recently saw my doctor, and my blood pressure is low often. It's common to go below 90/60. When it drops suddenly, I tend to get dizzy, and sometimes I pass out. I have to be careful about this at the gym for obvious reasons. I mentioned it to my trainer, and as long as I stay hydrated and keep in touch with my doctor, I'll be fine. 

[DireWolfCurse]

I haven't weighed myself in over a week. Friday is usually my day, but Thursday was Thanksgiving. I did have an awesome workout today, however, and I'll be going again tomorrow after I drop off Minime at his dad's. I'll have a lot more time to do everything tomorrow. The little daycare place in my gym has odd hours dependent on when their daycare providers are available, so they end up closing early often. Today I was scheduled to go at 11:30 but they called and said they were closing at Noon, so I had to rush my workout at 11 instead. During the week, I go before work, so time is also limited. 

 

I did do 40 minutes on the treadmill, on the Fat Burn program. Lots of uphills, started at Level 7 (just picked a number). It seemed to increase and decrease Inclines every 2-2.5 minutes, so I ran at 5.2 MPH until the incline was at 7. After that I did my squats. My legs are killing me, and I only did 100 lbs on the squat machine. I'm slowly working my upper body, but that's where I ran out of time, because the day care was closing. 

 

Tomorrow, I plan on running for a mile straight without having to walk. Either way I'm run/walking 30 minutes, after I get the rest of my workout in. I'm going to focus on hand weights and abs tomorrow. I haven't had time to work on my ab routine at all, and I need to, because I have back problems sometimes. 

 

I'm getting there. I'll check back soon.

[DireWolfCurse]

This is my start to my 4 Week Challenge. 

 

First mini quest: Is my quest SMART?

 

1. Are your goals able to measured and tracked? I use MyFitnessPal to track all progress.
2. How will you track them over the course of the challenge? Using MyFitnessPal, which I will make public my diary. 
3. How are you grading your goals? Is there a reward for effort? I am rewarding my effort. If I keep it going, at the end of my challenge, I plan on buying myself some new workout clothes. 
4. Are you trying to build multiple habits or is all your energy focused on your main quest? I'm trying to build multiple habits. It is tough, but I can do it. 
5. Do you have the time to complete all the goals you've set? Yes I do. Plenty of time. 
6. Do you have a plan on altering the goals if you become ill/injured? I do plan on changing them if I get injured. There's always a Plan B. 
7. Are your goals realistic? Can you scale them down to fit your life better. even if that takes longer? Definitely realistic. 
8. Are you giving yourself any rewards or accountability? I am rewarding AND being accountable. 

[DireWolfCurse]

My Challenge is to: 

 

Diet Goals:

1. Swap out one soda daily with water. 

2. Prepare meals for the week on Sundays, and plan meals more often in order to bring to work. Only allow myself 1 meal per week to eat in cafeteria.

BONUS: If I make it all 5 days bringing my lunch. (Worth 1 XP per week = 4 Points) 

 

Fitness Goal:

- Go to gym at least 3 days out of the week.

BONUS: Going to gym 5 out of 7 days

 

Level up my life:

- Save $20 per paycheck

 

 

So far: 

Diet - 

1. I have not drank any soda in a little while now, so I am surprised that at first I had a lot of migraines. Now, I don't really even want it anymore. Does anyone else who has stopped drinking soda felt grossed out by it a little? 

2. The entire last week, I did not buy my lunch. All 5 days, no buying. 

 

Fitness - 

- I have no excuses, I only went to the gym twice last week. It was a busy week for me. This week coming up, I need to figure out my schedule a little better and make sure I go. I like going in the morning before work, but my schedule has been very all-over-the-place lately. This week, I plan to go today (Sunday), tomorrow, Wed, Friday, and perhaps Saturday. I don't know if I'll actually be able to do it, but I'm planning on it. 

 

- Life Quest - 

- I have not gotten paid yet, so I can't save anything just yet. I get paid Friday (I'm bi-weekly). Even still, it's Christmas and my boyfriend whom I live with might lose his job. If he does, I won't save anything until my job reimburses me for my tuition expenses, because we'll need everything for bills. So hopefully that will not happen. 

 

[DireWolfCurse]

Today's progress: 

 

Diet - 

1. No soda again today.

2. I brown-bagged my lunch all week last week. I did end up having some low blood sugars during the week, so this week I plan on bringing enough snacks so that I do not have this problem before I drive back home. 

 

Fitness - 

- I went to the gym today around 1:30 pm. I have a program I started with a personal trainer. So far it consists of:

 

December 11, 2016

EXERCISES	Calories	Minutes	Sets	Reps	Weight
TOTALS:	496	71	25	149	364
Cardiovascular
Running (jogging), 5.2 mph (11.5 min mile)	218	20
Walking, 4.0 mph, very brisk pace	60	10
Elliptical Trainer	109	10
Strength training (weight lifting, weight training)	109	30
Fitbit calorie adjustment	0	1
Strength Training
Machine Squat			3	12	100
Hip Abduction, Machine, Seated			3	10	90
Back Extension			3	15
Seated Row, Floor, Machine			2	12	45
Standing One-Arm Dumbbell Curl			2	12	12
Bench (Chest) Press, Machine			2	12	35
Kickbacks, Bent, 2-Arm, Dumbbell			2	12	10
Seated, Low Lat Pull-In, Two-Arm			2	12	50
Front Raises, Straight Arm			2	12	12
Abdominal Twist, Seated, Machine			2	15	10
Abdominal Crunches			2	25

Exercise notes

30 second plank 

Very tired today, try planks first thing next gym day

 

- Life Quest - 

- Again, I get paid Friday, so I'll update this again Friday. 

[Laghail]

Following along, have fun getting back into the swing of things at the gym!