Lauragee might actually be an assassin

[lauragee]

Hi - I'm not 100% sure if I'm a ranger, a druid or an assassin, but I think I'm going to start here for my first challenge! 

 

My goals:

 

1. complete the 21 days to strength yoga video series for a second time. Exactly how difficult this will be depends on how diligent I am about finishing my first run through this series before the challenge starts. If I don't finish first (which I probably won't) I'll complete my first round before starting the second. I'm trying not to judge my success based on whether I reach particular yoga performance goals, but some things I would love to see during this challenge include kicking up into an unsupported handstand for the first time, entering headstand by raising both legs together, and improving the strength of my hip flexors in a straddle position.

 

2. 12 HIIT workouts. Bonus goal: bring the number of rounds per session up to seven or eight.

 

3. Eat fruits and vegetables and100-130g protein (and take mineral supplements) on at least 20 days.

 

4. Finish series of 7 yoga nidra meditations (first one is already done). Bonus goal: finish second series of 7, too.

 

Bonus, bonus goal: pursue my goal of learning hypnotherapy by practicing on at least four people.

[Manarelle]

Looks like you've got a well-rounded challenge. Were you able to get the yoga series finished before the official start? How are things going so far?

[lauragee]

Mostly awful, actually! I was doing such a good job staying motivated and making progress through the first two weeksish of my new yoga series, and then I just completely ran out of motivation just in time for this challenge. For the last ten days I've been, well, not doing yoga. Or HIIT, or to be honest even eating very well. 

 

The only good news is that I was making progress on some of my specific pose goals before that time, like I can now pretty much lift my legs directly into headstand, for one thing...and my hip flexors were definitely getting stronger, but that was before I took a giant break. 

 

I guess there's one other piece of good news, which is that I finally got my mat out and did day 16 today. That was ok and I'm happy to have broken through my new habit of not doing my workouts (at least once), but also I'm not feeling nearly as strong as I was two weeks ago. So, challenge or not, I might decide to skip back to the beginning of my 21 day sequence rather than getting discouraged struggling with the last few days. I figure I did the first part before and it worked pretty well, so...

 

I'm really hoping and planning to be back on track with at least yoga and eating well, but I'm also about to be starting a couple of weeks of travel, so that's an extra challenge that I need to try to plan for.

[lauragee]

Three successes today: 

 

I ate fruits and vegetables, and did my strength yoga for the second day in a row. Also, I did decide to reset to day 1 of my video series without finishing my first round, and FWIW I felt much stronger and more capable than I did the first time around - I wasn't able to do the full expression of every move, but I did make it through the whole video without too much trouble. This is a pretty exciting result for just sixteen days on this program (interrupted by about ten days off, no less). 

 

I'm having second and third thoughts about whether I want to try to keep up with HIIT, too. I like the idea of it, but in reality that's most of what I've been putting off, and I don't want to sabotage the possibility of having a functional exercise routine at all by trying to be too crazy about it. 

[lauragee]

Ate real food, did my yoga program day 2. Again, struggled some, but felt stronger than I did on day 2 last month. Happy I got in my yoga session even though I was getting ready for our trip all day and finally got around to it at almost midnight...hope I keep it up tomorrow while actually traveling, though! I did make lots of extra food today so we'll have something reasonable to bring on the road.

[Manarelle]

If you're not feeling the HIIT, I would definitely say drop it in favor of something you'll stick with. Even "just" walking if it helps you build a habit of doing something exercise-y. How'd yesterday go?

[lauragee]

I did end up skipping yesterday because of a rough day of traveling...but I just did my yoga for today, which was really my top goal (and I have a healthy dinner made already). I think I'm ok with missing a day now and then, as long as I can get back on track right away and not have it turn into a week or so of slacking off like it did last time. 

 

I'm still feeling good about my second time going through this yoga program. Last time I said I was able to at least limp along with it, but what I meant was that even if I had to drop out for a second, I'd get back up and finish the workout. This time, I'm not able to do the full expression of all the poses, but I've actually been able to manage a decent attempt at everything so far. Yay for progress!

[Manarelle]

On 7/21/2017 at 6:45 PM, lauragee said:

I did end up skipping yesterday because of a rough day of traveling...but I just did my yoga for today, which was really my top goal (and I have a healthy dinner made already). I think I'm ok with missing a day now and then, as long as I can get back on track right away and not have it turn into a week or so of slacking off like it did last time. 

 

Taking a day off isn't a bad thing, and sometimes necessary for both the brain and the body. Glad you were able to get back to it, and that the yoga is going well for you! Close to the end of the challenge, things still going well?