iatetheyeti, and it shows: Tracking goals, progress, and diet

[iatetheyeti]

So apparently Scotland has decided that tropical weather is the way forward. Sure, it's nice to have the sun out and about, but I'm completely unused to the temperatures, so I'm getting a lot of headaches. Started carrying around a water bottle. Took two out with me today and came back with them drained, and that was just from walking around a city for a few hours, never mind any kind of strenuous exercise. Managed to get a war wound as well. Long story short, my thighs rub together, and there's this one stretch mark that always seems to come off worst. As in it's like it actually splits open. Hellishly painful.

 

Moving on...

 

The six week challenge has ended, which means I've got maybe a week or so to pick out and define some proper goals in order to sign up for the next one. That's basically my aim for this week. It's going to be a disjointed one. Between work, my birthday, and the crazy weather... yeah.

[iatetheyeti]

Gotta say, today was rather awesome. My brother took me to see Pacific Rim as an early part of my birthday present (it's cheaper on Tuesdays!), and I have to say I really quite enjoyed it. The main guy reminded me a little too much of Sam Worthington with the way he acted that particular part, and I'm a fan of neither, but that aside it was a good film. We found some plot holes to exploit and some horrific acting moments to make fun of (conversation enabled by a virtually empty screen), and overall had a great laugh.

 

For one reason or another, it got my properly psyched to work out, and I did so to the point where I thoroughly kicked my own ass (which probably isn't saying much because there's a lot of it to kick just now). I made a conscientious effort to focus on both form and speed, meaning I managed to get through it almost smoothly rather than it being all stop-start like it was before.

 

3 x:

20 bodyweight squats

10 push ups

progressive plank = 10/20/30 seconds

20 lunges

30 jumping jacks

 

--- 2 minute break

 

3x8 (per arm) bent over dumbbell rows (15kg/33lbs)

-- 1 min break between sets

 

Yoga circuit to cool down and stretch

 

Two things I'm pleased with today: weight upgrade and the yoga. I ordered two 5kg plates for my dumbbell and they arrived this morning, enabling me to adjust my weights better and create something that is actually challenging me properly. I got through the first set just fine, then halfway through the second one realised I was shouting at myself in my head in order to keep the momentum going. I completed the sets, but by that point I was dripping sweat. Job well done, I'd say.

 

And the yoga... that was interesting. The book provides a couple of circuits, but I think I'm going to end up putting a couple of my own together before long.

[iatetheyeti]

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me...

 

Actually, I hate birthdays. Especially this one. I woke up to a spider. Not a good way to wake up whatsoever.

 

So today my workout was as follows:

 

3x8 dumbbell rows (15kg)

Progressive plank - 20 sec, 30 sec, 40 sec

3 negative chin ups

12 sec static hang

 

Apparently I overestimated my ability to do negatives, because I barely got through those three, and the plan was for three sets of five. Still, it gives me something to work towards. Three sets of five soon? Yes please. One actual chin up followed by one actual pull up? Definitely yes please. I've got the means to train for it, all I need to do is push harder to ensure it does happen. I'm thinking moving my pull up bar to do inverted rows will be a sensible plan as well, one that didn't occur to me until today.

[iatetheyeti]

It appears that the heatwave is over, something which I have mixed feelings about. I'll be happy to be able to sleep at night a little better and not sweat every time I move a few inches, but I'll miss the sun. Today was decidedly grey and overcast.

 

Good workout conditions though. Today this happened:

 

Circuit x 3:

20 bodyweight squats

10 push ups

Progressive plank: 10/20/30 second

20 lunges

30 jumping jacks

 

3 x 8 bent over dumbbell rows (15kg)

 

3 x 5 kettlebell pullover (5kg)

 

1 x 5 goblet squat (5kg)

 

I found a kettlebell kicking about the place, so I figured why not. I'm getting better at the BBWW, or, you know, my slightly modified version of it. The only things I'm having problems with just now are generally my last 3-5 squats being a little shallow, holding proper form in the last 5-7 seconds of the 30 second plank, balancing well enough for 10 lunges per leg, and the last couple of reps in each set of rows. All easy enough problems to fix by powering on and perfecting my form.

 

I'm happy to keep adding to this for now, mostly because I keep coming out of it feeling as though I could do more. Not a hell of a lot more, but a little more. For example, from today's workout I know that I could probably accomplish 3 x 10 pullovers, and upping the goblet squats to 3 x 5 would give me something to work towards. What I don't want to do is exercise to failure, not on circuit days, but find a line where I can stop and think 'yep, that's enough for today'.

[iatetheyeti]

Things may or may not have been a little chaotic today. The heatwave ended with a thunderstorm directly above where I'm staying, so my brother and I went over to the next city to see The World's End. Didn't enjoy it as much as Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz, but it was a good laugh nonetheless. That little excursion meant that I had to squeeze my workout in before my mother got back from work and appropriated the living room.

 

So today was:

 

warm up (consisting of random push ups, burpees, jumps, and a little jogging on the spot with my knees hitting my chin)

 

Plank until drop = 1:11.4

 

3x8 bent over dumbbell rows (15kg) -- These need to be a little slower

 

3x5 inverted rows -- surprising success, especially with the pull up grip as opposed to the chin up grip

 

Attempted chin up = not this time

 

Static hang = 18 seconds - 6 seconds up on my previous

 

There are notes all over my work out log for today, which is unsurprising. For one, I need to structure these second cycle days. I'm strongly tempted to keep the jumping aspects, but I'm conscious of the fact that I'm primarily focusing on the simple things right now. So on that note I would move the first part of the work out to the garden. That way I can do more efficient jog/sprint warm ups and attempt to push my vertical jump without worrying about smashing the lights or punching a hole through the ceiling. So maybe something along the lines of...

 

Warm up - jog/sprint alternates

 

3x3 vertical jumps w/2min break between sets

 

3x10 goblet squats (there's a lot of heavy rocks kicking about the garden right now)

 

Maybe a few sets of kettlebell swings?

 

I may or may not add something else in there, depending. The second part is reasonably stable. The rows are still something I'm not perfect with, my last few reps tend to be wobbly, so I've still got something to work towards there. The plank until drop I will definitely be keeping. The inverted rows I've found I really enjoy, so I'll work on perfecting my form (and getting my chest to the bar). I'll also keep the static hang, which is harder than it looks. I doubt much else will be added in to the second half, that seems to be working just fine for now.

[Meta]

Hi Yeti, just wanted pop in to say that I enjoy your writing style. I hadn't popped into your battle log yet, but decided to after reading some posts in the Brigade. Putting you on my follow list since it sounds like you'll be posting your updates here instead of the Brigade thread?

 

How do you like kettlebell exercises? I've been thinking about getting a kettlebell for a while, but I haven't ever used one so I'm curious what you think!

[iatetheyeti]

Thanks!

 

Yeah, I'll be keeping my more wordy updates for here and my challenge thread, whichever fits the bill. I reckon it'd be easier (for me anyway) if I kept it very brief in the Brigade thread, there's so much going on there already!

 

I quite like using kettlebells, they're handy little things. Mostly it's for things like goblet squats, pullovers, and lateral raises, the grip on it just makes things easier that way. That and I'm not worried that the screw holding the weight plates onto the dumbbell is going to come off (cheap dumbbells, go figure...) and cause injury. It's got to the point where I will invest in my own set when I can afford it, as I'm nearing the point where my mother's single KB will become redundant.

 

Also, KB swings. I kind of love them.

[Hero]

Good to hear you're catching the kettle bell fever (Haha hey that rhymed! I'm a poet and I didn't even know it! bahaha.) Keep up the good work Yeti!!

[iatetheyeti]

Time to do some thinking out loud, I reckon, because quite a bit has changed since I first started this thread.

 

 

Strength

 

I read over my first strength related entry here and I couldn't help but laugh. I remember exactly what I was like after finishing three rounds of the BBWW for the first time, and the day after I felt like I couldn't move. When I compare it to what I'm doing now... It's progression, and it happened faster than I anticipated. This means I need to bring a little focus to what I'm doing. Right now I'm trying achieve one pull up, which I still think is a reasonable goal to have. I've got Steve's pull up progression article, and I have a nice little find from the depths of the internet that says some of the same things and a few different ones.

 

What I'm also trying to do is build a strong core. This is partly for health reasons, partly for kayaking reasons, and a little for vanity reasons. Luckily for me, this ties in with my preference for bodyweight exercises.

 

So what to do workout wise?

 

Well...

 

I put together what I consider to be a reasonable workout for this six week challenge, and I'm enjoying it. I have one based mostly on bodyweight and circuits, and the other geared towards furthering my progress towards a pull up. What I'll add to the second one once this six week challenge is done will be more grip/hand strength exercises. These will again serve more than one purpose. You need grip for pull ups, and you need grip and hand strength for bouldering and climbing.

 

 

Cardio Endurance

 

The running thing kind of flickered and died a while back. That said, if I can squeeze in one or two runs a week then I'd be happy. It doesn't have to be anything major (my physical abilities will not extend to major running), just something to add a little variation and, once I start back at uni properly, provide some stress relief. I figure it's healthier than hitting walls or housemates... The main focus of this, though, will be biking and hill walking.

 

There's an amazing ride that's got uphill, sections of downhill trails, road riding, and a few other different surface types. This was the loop that we did during our TCL training, one that I struggled on quite a bit. My aim is to ride this twice a week. The other day I won't be strength training or having a luxurious rest day is the day I pick a hill and go up it with a reasonable weight on my back.

 

A swim every now and then wouldn't be out of the question either.

 

Now I know that might seem like a lot, especially considering I'll be dealing with uni work. But here's the thing: it isn't. Going by the timetable they're sent, we've got quite a bit of time. Monday is kind of full, but the start time means a workout/run can be fitted in beforehand easily. Tuesday has just one lecture for an hour and a half in the afternoon. Plenty of time around that. Wednesday and Thursday are designated as practical days, though this doesn't always happen. However, it works both ways in that there's a workout both by having the practicals (one or both) or in the free time provided by not having them. And Friday to Sunday we have off. Plenty of time to dedicate to fitness and actual work.

 

 

Flexibility

 

I'm quite enjoying this yoga thing, and I'm more than happy to keep it going. And to be honest, as this is more a casual thing than anything else, I'm happy to keep going at it the way I've been going. Pick some poses, learn to do them well, and progress. The best part is that it can be done pretty much anywhere at any time.

 

 

Diet

 

Now this has changed. When I first started I was under the impression paleo was what I was going for. Turns out I meant primal. And another surprise was that it was easier to get to the point I'm at now than I thought it would be. At this present moment I'm at the tail end of summer, which means a couple more weeks of lodging with my parents before returning to Fort William, which means next to no input in what kinds of food get brought into the house. And yet I've still managed to cut most of the crap out of my diet and reduce the amount of grains I've been eating.

 

This will get a lot easier once I move, for obvious reasons. Hopefully it will be reasonably easy to get to where I want to be: not quite completely primal. I like my nights out, I like rice, and I have friends who insist on cooking for me from time to time. Is this a problem? Not at all.

 

 

And in conclusion, I think I actually know what I'm doing. Heh, that makes a change...

[Meta]

And in conclusion, I think I actually know what I'm doing. Heh, that makes a change...

Congrats! It's awesome that you have a game plan for after the 6-week challenge.

 

I think the mid-level of compliance on your primal diet is probably the sweet spot for most people. I've found that people who are really hardcore about paleo/primal/whatever tend to be a pain to hang out with around dinner time because there's so many places where there isn't really anything they can eat. Being able to enjoy cooking with your friends is important, I think, and totally worth the mid-level compliance.

[iatetheyeti]

Congrats! It's awesome that you have a game plan for after the 6-week challenge.

 

I think the mid-level of compliance on your primal diet is probably the sweet spot for most people. I've found that people who are really hardcore about paleo/primal/whatever tend to be a pain to hang out with around dinner time because there's so many places where there isn't really anything they can eat. Being able to enjoy cooking with your friends is important, I think, and totally worth the mid-level compliance.

 

Thanks! I figured I'd better start on it before I actually went back to uni, otherwise chances are I'd end up slipping into bad habits. Now to apply the same reasoning to actual studying...

 

Definitely! After these past two years, it's safe to say a fair chunk of my socialisation revolves around food, whether eating out, to a friend's place, or playing host. While I can slip in some primal recipes when it's me doing the cooking, I really don't want to be 'that person' everywhere else.

[iatetheyeti]

*activates resurrection spell*

 

And we're back with a bang and a crash. Quite literally, truth be told.

 

Yesterday two things happened: I went to the gym and found myself in the free weights sections for the first time. I then followed that up with my first mountain bike race.

 

This has given me a few good ideas for this next challenge coming up. I'm going Scout, that much is definite. There will, without doubt, be a focus on biking. The main quest is easy and as follows:

 

Increase endurance. Increase skill. Take another step along the path towards becoming a good leader.

 

The goals are still in flux, kind of. The general essence is as follows:

 

Bike: A two-parter. Distance and skill.

 

Miles to go: Hiking. Kayaking. Swimming. Walking. There will be a weekly target, and while the aim is to hit it, smashing it to pieces would be preferable.

 

Muscle and iron: Bodyweight exercises. Yoga. Weight lifting. Plyometrics. All the little things to fill in the gaps and make for a stronger, better body.

 

Lifestyle: Undecided. It'll probably incorporate keeping on top of my uni work to form good habits and make sure I pass this year with flying colours. I hope.

 

 

Until then, what can I do? Devise a plan. I will be utilising the gym for both the actual gym room and the pool, meaning a weekly plan will most definitely be in order. This needs to fit around my lectures and any club activity I've got going on. On top of that I need to find free days to take the bike out, or put my hiking boots on, or get the kayak out.

 

Then there needs to be what I do at home, exercise-wise. A lot of jumping about will be in order. I've been challenged to touch the kitchen ceiling, and right now I'm not jumping high enough to do that. Heh, should be interesting.

 

Over the next few days, alongside recording my own exercises, I'll be working out a few ideas for planning. Today, however, I plan to rest my aching body and count the bruises I got from the race last night.

[Jodi V]

Hey yeti!  Finally got my rear over here to follow your battle log I see you have sounded the battle cry for our next challenge!  Can't wait to read your missions on Monday!

 

[AshPS]

Yippeee I found Yeti!!! :triumphant:

[iatetheyeti]

Hey guys! Awesome to have you around

[iatetheyeti]

I'm happy today. Happy, happy, happy. Most of the funding I'm owed has finally come through, meaning I have a little extra cash. So this means not only can I feed myself, but I can go grab a gym membership and check out some classes.

 

So today I cranked out a ten mile bike ride with a full backpack. The ride between my house and town is becoming increasingly easier, so I guess something must be working on the legs. And that completely rules out me including that little commute in my challenge goals, which is a little peevish, but hey, could be worse. The distance I can make up easily enough by rising along the canal or up the Glen (for something that isn't completely flat...). Also Nevis Range, which, oddly enough, has a little bit of a hill to go up and come on back down again.

 

Timing may be tricky. See, I'm in uni almost from 9-5 on Mondays, then for a couple of hours Tuesday afternoon, and then potentially Thursdays and Fridays depending on if we have practicals or not. Sounds like a lot of free time, but it isn't. Apparently third years are expected to do a lot of their studying in their own time. Who'd have thought? Realistically I can expect to get to Nevis Range once a week (skills), Cow Hill maybe in the evenings a time or two (skills and endurance), and down the canal in the mornings a few times (speed/distance).

 

And around that I should be able to slot in gym time (which includes weights and swimming) easily enough. 

 

Heh, at least I appear to have the semblance of a plan right now...

[AshPS]

Woot Woot on the funding, lol!!

 

Extra money always make me happy! (nodding vigorously, lol)

 

And another woot on plans!

 

Wow, 10 miles- I am awed seriously.

[iatetheyeti]

Believe me, this coming through now is such a relief. I can buy food, pay back my small pile of accumulated debt (to friends only, which is a relief!), and even splash out to buy a daily paper. Heh, funny the things you miss...

 

Ten miles is becoming next to nothing for me, really. I think it has mostly to do with it being a necessity. I know there isn't a way around it, so I just get on and do it in order to get other things done. The joys of living out of town without a car... Not that I could afford to keep one of those right now.

[AshPS]

Believe me, this coming through now is such a relief. I can buy food, pay back my small pile of accumulated debt (to friends only, which is a relief!), and even splash out to buy a daily paper. Heh, funny the things you miss...

 

Ten miles is becoming next to nothing for me, really. I think it has mostly to do with it being a necessity. I know there isn't a way around it, so I just get on and do it in order to get other things done. The joys of living out of town without a car... Not that I could afford to keep one of those right now.

 

Yeah, believe me I can relate.

 

I think the bike idea is awesome. It does cost less. 

 

Well, wouldn't be so awesome on bad weather days......

 

I would seriously consider it if I wouldn't have to pull 6 kids behind me- or lead 6 kids behind me, that would be a nightmare, lol!

[iatetheyeti]

I keep neglecting this poor thing...

 

Ok, so I've come to the end of the road early with this particular six week challenge. The main factor in that decision was the uni exped I went on last week. First we start off with the stress, PMS, and lack of sleep in the few days before the trip. Then we put an hour's journey time in a minibus on a twisty turny road. Since I started driving, my travel sickness came back. I'm a bad passenger to have more often than not. So after that we have the slog. It was pretty hot, and at the same time the wind was biting, and we spent four of six hours going uphill through a continuous bog. Those other two hours were spent traipsing through grass only slightly shorter than me, grass that hid gaping potholes everywhere. I'm surprised I didn't break my legs. As it was, I managed to set off my hip pain again, and antagonise my left knee. I crashed my friend's bike the day before and injured the knee. Not my smartest move... Anyway.

 

Then we set up camp. By the time the tents had been set up, I hadn't been able to feel my feet for about two hours. The night was horrific for everyone in the group. It was so cold I ended up fully clothed in my sleeping bag for the first time ever, complete with a fleece wrapped around numb feet and a buff around my neck and face. There were rocks everywhere that the ground wasn't boggy. No sleep.

 

The first mountain we went up in the morning was over 900m, and I'll admit to almost bursting into tears several times on the way up. I couldn't feel anything from the shins down. My knee and hip were practically solid with pain. I was running through hot and cold flushes. I was exhausted. Yay hiking, right?

 

Long story short, the second day we spent eleven hours on the hills. Eleven. The ridgeline wasn't terrible after that first peak (despite it being one of the smaller ones), the ground was mostly solid and I managed to find a steady pace to keep me going. The descent off of it was horrendous, the valley floor wasn't much better, the climb into the next valley was worse, and the way back to the road was particularly bad. By the time we reached the intersecting valley I'd reached a place that was as close to my limits as I've ever been. The pain was just this thing that I was floating next to. I could still feel it, but it just didn't feel particularly connected to me. I'd run out of water and was only drinking when my friend forced me to because I didn't feel any real need to hydrate myself. I didn't feel hunger either. It was all really distant, but present enough that I knew I had to keep going to get to the minibus.

 

Fun times... Essentially I got back to my place at some stupid time of night and burst into tears when one of my housemates asked how it had gone. Embarrassing, but given that it resulted in dinner and a movie night, not such a bad thing.

 

Anyway, that resulted in a broken toe and something resembling emotional trauma. Last straw.

 

The time between now and the next six week challenge is going to be spent, well... gently. Yoga, swimming (in a week or so...), waist-up exercise... that sort of thing. I should probably also get back up to date on keeping tabs on what I eat as well. So the aim will be to shoot for daily entries of some sort in here, just generally keeping track of things.

[AshPS]

Take care of yourself and get rested up! Will be keeping tabs on you until the next 6 week challenge!

[iatetheyeti]

Ok, here goes:

 

Earlier start for me this morning than I've had since getting back from exped, a good thing, really. Physically activity has been kind of low, to say the least. I walked outside to take my housemate's tent down from the washing line... It wasn't a complete waste. Unfortunately, my weights are locked in said housemate's room and he's gone home for the week. However, what I did manage to do was the following:

 

3 x 20 crunches

3 x 10 modified push ups

3 x 7 stair dips

 

Not much, but hey, something. The 'modified' push ups were basically the same as normal ones, except I had a few books stacked under one ankle to support the leg as apparently resting a good amount of bodyweight on a broken toe is a bad plan. Who'd have thought? The stair dips basically consist of me standing on my staircase, pushing up and over the next step down, and doing a dip from there. This is essentially how I get up and down stairs right now, it's easier than attempting to twist my leg into a position where I can first put weight on and then push up from.

 

Tomorrow I get to go into town because no one bought kitchen roll despite me asking. Several times. Seriously, I'm the only one who has bought anything for the kitchen (the roll, tea towels, cleaning stuff) since getting here, and whenever I ask anyone else to pick something up it doesn't happen. Now everyone else has gone home for reading week, so hop-along gets to go where the buses don't go to pick this stuff up.

 

Normally I'm more relaxed about it, but my landlord came in and had a go at me for a few things that had nothing to do with me. Wrong place, wrong time, really...

 

Anyway. Food for today wasn't bad, but there could have been more of it. A lot more. Breakfast was coffee, which I've since decided is not a problem at all, I'm happy with it. Lunch was essentially most of a breakfast fry up. Tomatoes, mushrooms, onion, and a whole pack of bacon. Dinner was homemade wraps, frying steaks, homemade salsa (which I made way too spicy, but hey), lettuce, and sour cream in tortillas. A few of those and I was sorted. Except now I'm hungry again. I do need to find some decent snack food, or maybe some money to buy a lot more meat so I don't have to be stingy with it all the time.

 

I'm not really sure what I'm going to do for the rest of the night. Usually when the housemates are away and I'm this stuck for things to do I'll go for a walk. Heh, kind of tricky to do just now though...

[AshPS]

Good job Yeti on getting some movement in! Especially with that toe.

 

That sucks, yep, and isn't typical for the crap to hit en mass? Least ways that's my experience.

 

Money to buy more meat- I'm with you on that one. So expensive but I would prefer to snack stuff, any day.

 

Hope your doing awesome and the toe is getting better. Oh, and haven't seen the tats yet, lol.

[iatetheyeti]

Yep, everything hits at the same time without fail... Fun times, right?

 

The toe is coming along, the bruising is dying down, the swelling is going with it, and I've found a way to splint it that lets me walk using almost my whole left foot. Gotta say, overall I'm quite pleased with it!

 

You know, I'd completely forgotten about the tattoo pictures! Now that you've reminded me, though, here we go:

 

 

Excuse the dodgy picture, bad angle, lack of light, and just about everything else... Heh, never did get someone to take this for me, and as a result it looks squint (which it isn't, honest!). Anyway, this is my latest one, and probably the most self explanatory one, all the outdoorsy-ness in a nutshell

 

I reckon I'll put the other two up as well, just because I don't think I have on here yet:

 

 

My first one, and because it may not be clear in the picture (taken one-handed with an upside down DSLR, tricky stuff...), it's nine tally marks. I don't tend to like explaining this one, awkward because it's always visible, but hey. Essentially, I have a thing with numbers. Nine is my crazy person equivalent to a lucky or protective number.

 

 

My second one, fresh from the session. It's a vegvisir, an old Icelandic symbol designed to help the person who bears it through storms and rough weather. Heh, though I bear it in more of a metaphorical sense than the literal one.

 

 

Update later on tonight or early tomorrow!

[AshPS]

Definitely keeps life from getting too boring, lol!

 

Good on the toe!

 

LOVE the tats- those are awesome! Ok, question. Am considering getting one myself- how much pain is involved? I am not a wimp (have birthed 6 kiddos) but am curious what to expect.

 

Hope the day has been a good one!