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Atrytone Buckles Down: Phase 1


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So. Hiking the West Coast Trail (WCT) is still my current longer-term goal and my tentative timeline has it booked into 2018. Given that we’ve just passed into 2017 I have about a year and a half to get all my gear and training in. Gear is almost complete thanks to generous family members during Christmas. Training is the difficult part and what I really need to focus all my energy on now. The holidays were not great as far as food and exercise goes so I really need to sort that out. I hope that by setting this challenge out in phases that I’ll feel more accountable and determined to complete my goals.

 

Goal One: Stop Eating Like an Asshole

There are a couple segments to this goal:

i) Stop eating after 8 pm - I have been overeating and eating constantly and eating right before bed. I’m not eating because I’m hungry but because I feel like I need to. I have to add a small addendum to this because my family usually eats late - I can eat after 8 pm but only if I’m actually hungry and if I plan on staying up for at least two hours following the end of my meal. This is perhaps an arbitrary timeline but I need to pick something and stick to it.

ii) Stop eating for the sake of boredom - see above over/constant eating. I rarely stop to determine if I’m actually hungry or if I’m bored but even when I determine I’m just bored I go ahead and snack anyway. Not anymore. If I determine I’m just bored when I go to eat I will make myself a cup of tea instead. It takes a little time and effort so hopefully it will distract me from my boredom and serve as a tasty reward for overcoming the desire to bored-eat.

iii) Cut back the junk - when I am eating I’m generally eating junk food or other unhealthy goodies. I need to start saying no to the temptations present this time of year. Christmas and the holidays are over and I need to make healthy snacking decisions again. Fruits and veggies need to be reintroduced to my snacking repertoire.

 

 

Goal Two: To the Bridge and Back

Where I live there is a bridge approximately a 15 minute walk away. I think it’s something like 1.2 km away distance-wise. My goal for this Phase is to walk to it and back everyday. I think I was being too easy on myself with the 10 minute walking goal before. This time work is no excuse not to do my walk. While there are a couple different routes to the bridge it’s a pretty boring route. I’m choosing it because it’s a decent landmark and will help me work on my consistency.

 

Goal Three: Daily Mobility

I will begin doing a daily stretching routine. This Alan Thrall routine to be specific. This is just to get my body moving and keep me flexible. I really haven’t done much physically speaking in the past couple months.

 


Goal Four: Don’t Let Fear or Common Sense Slow You Down

This is something I literally had tattooed on me so I wouldn’t forget it. And yet here I am. I am constantly afraid or anxious and it does get in the way of doing things I would like to try. So I want to do something that scares me at least once a week. This could be asking for a day off work, meeting strangers for a hike, going somewhere high up, etc. Anything that I’m scared to do is a candidate for this goal.

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following for buckling and general awesomeness :-)

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                                        the year of living trippily

                                      Final Boss, Part 2    Boss, Part 1  Previous:    Adult Content

    Brain Weasels    Choose Your Own Adventure Woman of Mystery -   Worth i Simplicity     

Spoiler

 

                                     Take it Outside II

                                             Take it Outside

                                    Even More Current: 52 Days

                                    Currently Current: 100 Days

                               Current: Queen 2: Electric Boogaloo

                                            Queen of the Jungle

                              THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE CHALLENGE

                                      Apart six: Amazon  (part 5)

                                        (part 3: The Wickening)

                                               (part 2) (part 1)

 

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Following to see your progress with Goal #1! Those are real things to tackle that can make a huge difference.

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"You can't climb the ladder of success with your hands in your pockets." - Arnold Schwarzenegger

"The important thing is not to think much but to love much; and so do that which best stirs you to love." - St. Teresa of Avila

Current Challenge: Seeks Balance | Battle Log: Ye Olde Battle Logge | NF Character: Public Profile | Strava 

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1 hour ago, jstanlick said:

Following to see your progress with Goal #1! Those are real things to tackle that can make a huge difference.

 

Goal One is going to be pretty brutal but it's definitely necessary. Thank you for the support!

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Day 1 mobility and walk done. I did them early since I tend to be more active in the mornings. Here's hoping I find the stubbornness and discipline to keep this up all challenge.

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I had a bit of a rough patch last night. I get fed if I work the afternoon kitchen shift at one of my jobs. This means that I'm usually full by the time I get home just after 8 pm. However, this usually doesn't stop me from eating whatever my parents have made for dinner as well. For the past two nights I've managed to say no to food after eight. 

 

Last night, even though I wasn't hungry, I had a nearly overwhelming urge to eat something. I managed to abstain but it was difficult. I hadn't realized how unhealthy my eating habits had gotten over the holidays. It seems as though I want to eat just to kill time. I hope that by being more aware of these bad habits I'll be better able to overcome them.

 

Oh, and I managed to resist a mini candy cane at work (I love candy canes) solely by the grace of the wrapper being difficult to open. I'm beginning to think that Goal One is going to be the real challenge and the rest of it just fun stuff to get me in shape for the WCT.

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2 hours ago, Atrytone said:

Last night, even though I wasn't hungry, I had a nearly overwhelming urge to eat something. I managed to abstain but it was difficult. I hadn't realized how unhealthy my eating habits had gotten over the holidays. It seems as though I want to eat just to kill time. I hope that by being more aware of these bad habits I'll be better able to overcome them.

Nicely done on abstaining! That's not easy to do late at night.

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"You can't climb the ladder of success with your hands in your pockets." - Arnold Schwarzenegger

"The important thing is not to think much but to love much; and so do that which best stirs you to love." - St. Teresa of Avila

Current Challenge: Seeks Balance | Battle Log: Ye Olde Battle Logge | NF Character: Public Profile | Strava 

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So I just realized I need to track some measurements to determine if Goal One is having any impact. So since I'm most self-conscious about my waist/stomach/hips area I'll measure my waist and hips now and then again at the end of this challenge.

 

Spoiler

Waist: 30.5"

Hips: 39"

 

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This weeks Goal Four complete. I emailed someone from the local Search and Rescue chapter regarding possible training/volunteer opportunities.

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Had a bit of a nibble issue today with half a dozen or so macadamia nuts. Had two cups of distraction tea and one cup of before-bed tea. Wasn't feeling super hungry tonight and there was no family dinner so around 7:30 I got myself some cheese cubes, pickles, pickled cauliflower, and pickled beets to munch on. 

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So I didn't walk to the Bridge today but I'm going to make an exception. I hiked along a newly opened point-to-point trail today. However, since I didn't have a ride at the other end I treated it like an out-and-back. It ended up being 14 km rather than the ~2.5 km to the Bridge and back. 

 

I am very sore.

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I don't have time for a big update but mini-version go: still eating like an asshole occasionally but I've stuck to not eating after 8 pm and trying to curb bored eating. I see this goal going well. I fell down a little on the mobility bit and need to get back into that but I've been nailing my walking. And I did one thing that scared me this past week. I already have something in mind for the upcoming week.

 

In other news it's my birthday tomorrow and I'm totally planning on taking a leisurely hike followed by time with friends. Assuming I don't get called into work of course! 

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

 

large.cat_birthday_cake_large.jpg

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                                        the year of living trippily

                                      Final Boss, Part 2    Boss, Part 1  Previous:    Adult Content

    Brain Weasels    Choose Your Own Adventure Woman of Mystery -   Worth i Simplicity     

Spoiler

 

                                     Take it Outside II

                                             Take it Outside

                                    Even More Current: 52 Days

                                    Currently Current: 100 Days

                               Current: Queen 2: Electric Boogaloo

                                            Queen of the Jungle

                              THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE CHALLENGE

                                      Apart six: Amazon  (part 5)

                                        (part 3: The Wickening)

                                               (part 2) (part 1)

 

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On 1/15/2017 at 8:25 AM, Atrytone said:

In other news it's my birthday tomorrow

Happy belated birthday! I hope it was a great one!

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"You can't climb the ladder of success with your hands in your pockets." - Arnold Schwarzenegger

"The important thing is not to think much but to love much; and so do that which best stirs you to love." - St. Teresa of Avila

Current Challenge: Seeks Balance | Battle Log: Ye Olde Battle Logge | NF Character: Public Profile | Strava 

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