Primeval Shines On

[The Borg Queen]

 

The place where all the Week 0's live, from a hopeless challenge addict

[The Borg Queen]

My goals from the beginning of this year:

 

MAJOR, MAJOR GOALS:

1) Get my weight down. I usually ignore weight, but this time I have to focus on it. I weigh 178 lbs!! My ideal weight is 145. So I have a long road ahead of me, however I think with a firm commitment to diet I will be able to get it off in 6 months. Related: Currently a size 12-14, would like to be a size 8. 

2) Run better and faster! I signed myself up for 5 half marathons this year. I ran one of them yesterday, and ran it 2:28. I know I can do better. You know I can do better. I plan to make it happen through a combination of regular speed work and hill repeats. But more than anything, success in 1) will lead to success in 2). Related: I have a marathon this year in the fall. So there's that.

3) Be better. At my career and relationship. I plan to accomplish these through a series of mini challenges for myself that include For Career: DIY professional development, more networking events, workshops, and applying to business school? Woah that would be amazing. For Relationship: Spend quality time with BF, read self-help books on how to communicate, and also actively do nice things for my SO.

[The Borg Queen]

Today in my challenge journal, I wrote:

---Those were my goals at the beginning of the year, 4 months ago.

 

1) Review "Get my weight down:" At the time I actually weighed 183 (got a new scale). Currently at 175. So progress there. Also, firmly a size 12 at this point, so lost some inches. Keto has worked for me... not as fast as you hear about from others, but I did make progress. I've had some success.

 

My plan all along was to eat keto until I lost a few pounds or until it got too hard, and then switch to Paleo. I think I'm at that point now. I would like to continue doing LC Paleo, just emphasize more vegetables in my diet. Overall, I would like to strongly de-emphasize dairy and animal fats but instead switch to healthy vegetable oils- avocado, olive oil, hemp oil, coconut. Lean proteins- chicken breast, fish, etc. Vegetables- cruciferous, kale, greens, beets, jicama,celery, fresh things. Eggs okay. Nuts and seeds great too. (Listing everything out like that makes my mouth water-Good sign!)

 

I think if I eat like that, and do a bit more trail running, it will be impossible not to lose weight. 

 

2) Review "Run better and faster:" What I'm doing is working, however I can't rest on my laurels with running... I have to keep working on it. I feel that currently my 25 mile/week goal is working for me, so I should keep doing that. Could really up my game if I do more trail running, so I'd like to get into doing more... once per week, to begin? 

 

Also, according to Strava, I am "trending faster" on all of my routes, so I think obviously my speed work is effective. Tuesdays are for speed! 

 

3) Review "Be Better:" Seriously spent some time thinking about MBA school. Serious, serious. Just about done with the app but having second thoughts about whether it's a good idea or not. My main concern currently is finances, especially since I recently paid off my final student loan from undergraduate ed. MBA school would put me about $30 k in the hole, which seems like a huge burden. I have to figure out if it's worth the investment.

 

Instead of business school, I have been chewing on the idea of starting my own business. I've always wanted my own business. Will have to think more on exactly what my business would do... **** Future challenge- brainstorm business ideas!

 

I have been very consistent about practicing meditation for the last 4 months, and I have to say that I think it is having a strongly positive impact on my ability to handle stress and problem solve at work, and also problem solve in personal relationships. Overall, I function better. This has been a great goal and I'm happy to have it. 

 

Read some valuable books... "Lean In," and also outside of challenge "The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck." Learned a lot about how to buckle down and take responsibility for myself. +++ so much more about being better at work, and life. 

------

 

Lots of win, there! Many things to look forward to. 

 

Going to start myself a battle log with a copy of this entry, so I don't lose it. 

 

...And as you can see, I did just that. 

[The Borg Queen]

Final Report: Challenge 16

 

Goal 1 Distance

Run 25 miles per week 75/100

Not my best month of running. My excuse is that I needed about two weeks to recover after that half marathon. Will try harder next challenge.

 

Goal 2 Strength

Yoga class: 1 per week 1/4

Pushups: 3 x per week 10/12

Squats: 3 x per week 9/10

Feel great about my progress with squats. Initial max was 20, and max in the last week of the challenge was 60. Very happy with that. My progress on pushups has somewhat leveled off. Having trouble breaking 42 pushups in a day, or doing more than 10 in a set. And yoga... did not happen. Lol.

 

Goal 3 Diet

Track calories using MFP, 7 days per week 18/28

100 g protein per day... Perfect protein 20/28

You may notice that I missed a few in there. Not the best diet month. Haha. 

 

Goal 4 Meditation

10 minutes of meditation, at least 5 days per week 16/20

Slacked off a bit in the final week, but otherwise did pretty good

[Twilight]

Re: your thread title, I now have this song in my head