Spyderkl Posted September 15, 2013 Report Share Posted September 15, 2013 Hi. My name's Karen, and I've been lurking here for a really long time. Mostly struggling with a lot of things - feeling like I'm too old for all this (and I won't be able to sustain any gains I make), anxiety over meeting new people, things like that. I've started before, with good intentions of going to the gym - but my anxiety made things a lot tougher and I only lasted a couple of weeks. Then there's the torticullus. It started a couple of years ago when I couldn't move my head any more. It's also called cervical dystonia, http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/spasmodic-torticollis/DS00836, and when I'm really tired it hurts like a bitch. But exercise and stretching does seem to make things better, when I feel good enough to do it. Meditation seems to help too, so I've already started doing that. I just didn't include it in my challenge goals this time. I'm hoping that doing this first challenge will help motivate me. I want to be well enough, strong enough, to do things with my family. My daughter just participated in her Outdoor Education* class last week and loved the day-long hike they did. I don't know if I'd be able to do that myself, especially up in the mountains. So, I start tomorrow. I'll post a before picture here after I take the kid to school. *Outdoor Ed - when kids go to "summer camp" for a few days to a week. Usually right before middle school. It's early o'clock. Do you know where your towel is? My Battle LogMy First Challenge!@Spyderkl Link to comment
Spyderkl Posted September 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 16, 2013 First day of exercise - done. I was surprised at how much I've retained. I'm going to Level 2 on the squats for next time, as I did 15 per rep with 60s in between. Same with the planks - I was up to 70s today. Not so much with the pushups and one-handed rows, but that's okay. I had 11, 11, 10 and 9 for the incline pushups and 10, 10 and 10 for the rows with 15lbs of dumbbells. So far I haven't had any dairy at all. Toast with margarine and nutritional yeast for breakfast with 2 cups of coffee. We'll see how the rest of the day goes. ETA: I guess I should post my measurements as of today, since I can't bring myself to post a "before" picture. AGE: 51HEIGHT: 5'0"WEIGHT: 168 lbsHIGH BUST: 39"CHEST: 42"WAIST: 38"HIPS: 44.5"UPPER ARM: 13.5"FOREARM: 8.75"THIGH: 22"CALF: 15.5" Yes, that's definitely as embarrassing as posting a picture... It's early o'clock. Do you know where your towel is? My Battle LogMy First Challenge!@Spyderkl Link to comment
Spyderkl Posted September 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 17, 2013 So I've slipped already with the dairy. Last night, we had cheese rice with dinner. The rest of the day was better than usual - no cheese toast for breakfast and ate pretty reasonably for the rest of the day. Breakfast: 2 slices wheat bread with margarine, tomato juice, 2 cups coffee.Lunch: 1/2 C. guacamole with 1 oz. tortilla chips.Dinner: Morningstar Farms "chicken" patty on a bun with 1/4 tomato and ketchup, 1/2 C. cheese rice, 1 C. steamed carrots.Snack: 1/3 bag lite microwave popcorn. So far today: Breakfast: 2 fried eggs with 2 t. oil, 1 slice wheat toast with margarine, 2 cups coffee. Let's see if I can lay off the dairy today... It's early o'clock. Do you know where your towel is? My Battle LogMy First Challenge!@Spyderkl Link to comment
Spyderkl Posted September 18, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 18, 2013 Yesterday was better, food wise. Tacos with no cheese seems...weird. But doable, especially with more salsa and pickled jalapenos. Lunch was rice and leftover ground beef, and dinner was 2 6" flour tortilla tacos with 1T ground beef each, pickled jalapenos, salsa and coconut milk "crema". Breakfast today was a peanut butter and tomato sandwich (2 med. slices sourdough, 1T peanut butter and 1/2 an oven-dried tomato, with bacon salt) with my usual 2 cups of coffee. I did the Angry Bird workout again today. It's nice to get to the next level, but a little discouraging when it takes SO MANY tries to get to complete the reps for the next level. I was a 0 for the body weight squats today. But I did wind up doing more than Monday. I have gotten to Level 2 in both the body weight squats and the planks, so that's past my goal for those. For my Life Goal, I've got an idea for a couple of "trick-or-treat" bags. My daughter needs one for this year; she claims she can't find the old Dracula-head basket she used to have, and a pillowcase isn't going to work this time. So I can at least sew up a couple of bags and get the embroidery started on them before the end of the week. It's early o'clock. Do you know where your towel is? My Battle LogMy First Challenge!@Spyderkl Link to comment
Spyderkl Posted September 20, 2013 Author Report Share Posted September 20, 2013 I worked out again today. WARNING: TMI AHEAD Today is the first day of my period. I managed to get an acceptable-to-me workout with everything but the planks. I toughed out 78 seconds worth but couldn't do any more. My lower back is screaming at me (metaphorically. Probably). I do feel like I have more energy after working out today, even though my lower back and abdomen are unhappy. Diet is...doing. I had a peanut butter and oven-dried tomato sandwich again yesterday for lunch and we had "breakfast" for dinner. Thursday is the kid's longest day, so dinner is usually at 7 instead of 6. So we strive for easy and quick. 2 scrambled eggs, 2 turkey sausage links and iced tea with stevia. 1/3 of a bag of light microwave popcorn for snack yesterday evening. This morning, 1/2 of a 6" ham, egg and green chile burrito - no cheese - and 2 cups of coffee. After my morning chores, I want to finish up the kid's trick-or-treat bag and start embroidering the other 2 I have cut out. It's early o'clock. Do you know where your towel is? My Battle LogMy First Challenge!@Spyderkl Link to comment
Spyderkl Posted February 24, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 And three challenges later, I'm back. This time, I can't give up. I promised my doc I'd at least do a little exercise every week. Plus I want to go hiking when my BiL and his family come out this summer. So I have to. So far...Today I did a little more than Sunday. 33 jumping jacks20 bodyweight squats5 lunges each side10 hip extensions5 hip rotations each side10 leg swings each leg10 side leg swings each leg11 knee push ups10 spiderman steps10 10-lb dumbbell rows15 sec. plank Basically the dynamic warm up minus the jump rope and one circuit of the beginner workout. I decided to put the moves together for now; I'm hoping to do a whole circuit along with the whole warmup at the end of 6 weeks. I kind of fell down on the "make a meal plan for breakfast and lunch" thing today. I have to do it the night before, or I won't in the morning. Which means tonight after the dishes are done. Tomorrow is Boo's 13th birthday, so I'm not sure how the eating will go. It's early o'clock. Do you know where your towel is? My Battle LogMy First Challenge!@Spyderkl Link to comment
Spyderkl Posted February 25, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2015 Hello. Back again. Today went a bit better. K and I had breakfast together, so that was a little easier. He tends to cook low-fat and low-sugar, so that helps. An egg-and-kielbasa biscuit (1 large egg fried with cooking spray, 1.5 oz kielbasa cut into strips, all on a biscuit with some mustard). Normally I'll be doing a food log on another program, but I was pretty happy not to be flailing about this morning. I set another goal for myself: to practice flute every day, starting for at least 20 min. and working up to 30-40 for the end of the 6 weeks. My left knee was killing me yesterday after my workout. It's alright today; my legs were a little stiff this morning, but I was able to walk that off. It's early o'clock. Do you know where your towel is? My Battle LogMy First Challenge!@Spyderkl Link to comment
Spyderkl Posted February 26, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2015 So. Today's workout was...not the greatest. My left knee is oh so sad today. And I was feeling more than a little winded from the jumping jacks (got 33 in today, I was hoping for more). There's a distinct possiblilty I'm getting Little Bear's bad cold, so that might be it. I'll try working out again tomorrow and see if it goes better. Eating? It's better. I decided last night I'd have the leftovers for lunch; rotini with olive oil spray and cherry tomatoes. Mmm... We're having Chinese for Little Bear's birthday this evening, so that might be a problem. K and I had scrambled eggs for breakfast along with coffee. Off to meditate and see if I can get it together enough to practice after. It's early o'clock. Do you know where your towel is? My Battle LogMy First Challenge!@Spyderkl Link to comment
Spyderkl Posted March 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 2, 2015 Well. This weekend wasn't a total loss - but bad enough. I did work out and practice yesterday, so that"s something. I actually made a decision as to what we were having for breakfast Saturday, and I made a plan for today. We had dinner in on Thursday - the weather was uncooperative, and we live exactly in the middle of nowhere, so we got takeout from Little Bear's favorite restaurant. And I practiced flute! Yesterday and today. My neck is still shaking and not doing what I want it to do. But. But I was able to get 5 minutes in each day; after not having done this for a few weeks, that's not so bad. My tone sounds slightly better today too, which is good. The mini challenge in the Practice Room is doing basic exercises - which is both doable and exactly what I need. It's early o'clock. Do you know where your towel is? My Battle LogMy First Challenge!@Spyderkl Link to comment
Spyderkl Posted March 3, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 3, 2015 I worked out some today - about 15 minutes. The good news - I did 45 jumping jacks, 15 lunges (each leg), 12 pushups and 15 sec. plank. The bad news - I only did 20 squats. I was hoping to do more. And I couldn't make my arms get through 10 dumbbell rows. There's always Thursday... I did plan out breakfast for today, and for the rest of the week. I have ingredients laid out for scotch oats tomorrow (and Thursday and Friday at least), so that and coffee is breakfast. I think I'll be having soup for the rest of the week, as it's supposed to be cold until Friday. Flute's a little different matter. I AM going to practice today, and I'm aiming for one more minute than yesterday. Lame, I know. It's early o'clock. Do you know where your towel is? My Battle LogMy First Challenge!@Spyderkl Link to comment
Spyderkl Posted March 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 Yesterday's practice sucked. I think I made it for two minutes. Today, on the other hand, I fought my way through to 10. Today, the longer I practiced, the easier it was to get my neck into a decent playing position. It's still tiring - hell yeah, it's tiring - but ever so slightly better. I practiced piano before my student comes over this evening too, so that may have helped. It's early o'clock. Do you know where your towel is? My Battle LogMy First Challenge!@Spyderkl Link to comment
Spyderkl Posted March 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 10, 2015 I'm guessing that I was supposed to do a new battle log for each challenge. *sigh* Next time. This week, I only worked out twice. In my defense, there's been a lot going on. We've been preparing for 6 13-year-olds to invade our house for the kid's birthday party. Goodness, I'm glad that's over. But so far this week I've done the beginning strength training workout once. Getting ready to do that in a few minutes for today. I'm taking the challenge for week 3: tracking all my food intake for the week. I had been tracking it on my phone, but I've switched phones this past weekend and need to decide where I'm tracking meals. I guess here is as good as anyplace: it'll make me write every day on here if nothing else, so that's something. Today:Breakfast: 2 pieces whole wheat toast with .5 T each of tahini, 2 cups of coffee with stevia.Lunch: 1 insta-ramen with an eggDinner: Not yet, but I think it'll be potato and soyrizo tacos. I've had 3 glasses of water today while studying; hoping to get some more in this afternoon. ETA: I did the beginner circuit today! The entire circuit, plus a warmup of hiking up and down the stairs 10 rounds. Other than my shortness of breath (yeah, I'm definitely feeling that damn cold now), I feel...not awful. Maybe on Thursday I'll try two circuits. It's early o'clock. Do you know where your towel is? My Battle LogMy First Challenge!@Spyderkl Link to comment
Evermist Posted March 17, 2015 Report Share Posted March 17, 2015 You can actually post your progress in the challenge thread! That way, more people can flock in and offer support! Sorry to hear that things have been a little bumpy for you, but you're doing well despite that! All the best Link to comment
Spyderkl Posted February 2, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2016 Okay. Today is Feb. 2, 2016, and two days into the new challenge. If I keep getting up, maybe this time I will make it to the end. Today is also a snow day. I've been getting out and walking for 3-4 days a week. My goal is at least 2 days a week, because I had heard this storm was coming. I did shovel a patch for the dog this morning (6AM shoveling - whoo!), and if A can be talked into it, we'll play in the snow once it stops. It's early o'clock. Do you know where your towel is? My Battle LogMy First Challenge!@Spyderkl Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.