It's Dangerous to Go Alone

[jessleigh]

Hello fellow rebels!

 

I'm a 26 year old software engineer that needs to take back control of her physical and mental health.

 

This is the log where I'm going to keep track of my food and activity, as well as possibly flesh out my Epic Quest goals. I joined the NF Academy last week and I've realized that there's no way I'm going to get through it without holding myself accountable. This seems like the perfect place to do it.

 

I recently quit smoking and that has been going super well. That's a great first step toward taking charge over my physical wellbeing.

 

There are a few missions in the NF Academy that ask you to share things, so I'll be doing that here as well.

 

BEGINNING MEASUREMENTS (9/16)

 

I'm not proud of these, but it's important to have a starting benchmark, right?

Weight - 296 lbs

Chest 51.5

Stomach @ navel 50

Ribcage under bust 42

Hips 58

Arms L 15.5 R 16.5

Thigh L 31 R 30

Calf L 19 R 18

Neck 16

 

BIG WHY

 

One of the mindset module quests in the NF Academy is determining your "big why" for doing things. What's going to keep you going after the initial excitement of starting a new routine wears off?

 

- I'm sick of feeling like I'm not at home in my own body.

- I feel like I've gotten caught in the classic nerd trap of creating a false dichotomy between a "life of the body" and a "life of the mind." I can't have a healthy mind without a healthy body and I need to start taking care of all of the pieces of myself. I'm smarter than the way I've been treating myself.

- Shopping for clothes is a nightmare and bras in my size are suuuuuper expensive.

- I want to feel confident and awesome next time I give a talk at a technical conference. 

- I know that I am strong and capable. I need to start acting like it.

 

DAILY LOG - MONDAY 9/19

 

Breakfast

- Leek and parmesan puff from Argo tea

- Large iced chai from Argo tea

 

Lunch

- Wow Bao Thai broth soup

- Wow Bao veggie bowl with lettuce cups

- Diet Coke

- Applewood smoked bacon jerky

 

Snack

- Chobani hazelnut chocolate yogurt

- Mango La Croix

- Maple bacon jerky

 

Dinner

- Vegetable beef soup

- 8 squares of 85% cacao dark chocolate

 

8+ cups of water? yes

 

Activity

- Went on a 15 minute walk - started listening to Audible special edition of Dracula

 

DAILY LOG - TUESDAY 9/20

 

Breakfast

- 2 Coldbrew coffees

- Chobani hazelnut/chocolate yogurt

 

Lunch

- Large hot and sour soup

- Diet coke

 

Snack

- Chobani hazlenut/chocolate yogurt

- 1 large kiwi

 

Dinner

- Beef vegetable soup

- Veggie & cheese mix (2 celery stalks, 2/3 yellow bell pepper, 1 avocado, 2 small slices of brie, 2 small slices of camembert) 

- 2 coconut La Croix

 

8+ glasses of water? yes

 

Activity

- 20 minute walk while listening to Dracula

 

[Guest]

Greetings and solicitations! Er, wait. Saultations. Yeah, that's the one.

Congrats on quitting smoking! That's a wonderful first step towards health.

I like this log a lot, you've outlined your starting point, and why you want to get healthy. That's always difficult to recognize (it was for me, anyway). And everyone starts somewhere! You're in a good position to kick this health thing's (toned) butt! You got this! 

Also, WHAT IS MAPLE BACON JERKY AND WHERE CAN I GET SOME BECAUSE THAT SOUNDS AMAZING?!

[jessleigh]

2 minutes ago, VintageCustard said:

Also, WHAT IS MAPLE BACON JERKY AND WHERE CAN I GET SOME BECAUSE THAT SOUNDS AMAZING?!

 

Maple bacon jerky is exactly what it sounds like. You can get 3 oz packages of it at Walgreens. That's the only place I've really seen it. It's pretty fantastic. The worst thing about it is that my cat likes it as much as I do and he'll try to intercept it on the way to my mouth.

[jessleigh]

DAILY LOG - WEDNESDAY 9/21

 

 

Breakfast

1 chobani hazelnut and chocolate yogurt (5 oz)

1 cold brew coffee

 

Lunch

Seaweed salad

cucumber salad

6 piece philli roll

pineapple strawberry lacroix

 

Snack

1 large banana

2  string cheeses

 

Dinner

1 bowl of beef vegetable soup

2 slices of mushroom brie

2 slices of camembert

1 Mr. Goodbar

2 coconut la croix

4 squares 85% cacao dark chocolate

 

8+ glasses of water? yes

 

Notes:

Had a really hard time with sugar cravings today.

Wanted to eat more cheese. Decided against it.

 

Activity

Morning

Warm Up

30 sec each of 

marching in place

jogging in place

jumping jacks

arm circles (both directions)

hip circles w/ toe touch

Bodyweight workout 1A:

• 3 sets of 10 assisted bodyweight squats
• 3 sets of 10 wall push-ups
• 3 sets of 10 doorframe bodyweight rows

Cool Down

Mild stretching for 5 minutes

Evening

15 minute walk while listening to this week's Extra Hot Great podcast

[jessleigh]

DAILY LOG - THURSDAY 9/22

 

Breakfast

1 cold brew coffee

1 glazed doughnut

 

Lunch

Hummus

Baba ghanoush

1 pita round

3 falafel

1 zucchini cake

2/3 of microwave steamed veggies (corn, carrots, green beans, peas)

2 Diet Coke

 

Snack

Large banana

Diet Coke

 

Dinner

Bowl of beef vegetable soup

Coconut LaCroix

 

Before Bed

Warm milk with turmeric

2 squares 85% cacao dark chocolate

 

Notes:

Very difficult time getting up this morning. My cat was super cuddly and it’s not a bodyweight workout day. I was hoping to get some yoga in this morning, but I’m kind of sore from working out for the first time in a long time yesterday. Might try to do yoga tonight.

Also, I know a doughnut is not a great breakfast, but I really wanted it and decided to allow myself one doughnut breakfast a week at my local coffee shop. I’ve been avoiding them for the last couple of weeks, but I think I enjoyed it more since I’ve committed to making it an occasional thing rather than my everyday breakfast.

 

Activity

Completed Water Series A Yoga session (after work before dinner)

16 minute walk while listening to Science Vs: Hypnosis (before bed)

[jessleigh]

DAILY LOG - FRIDAY 9/23

 

Breakfast

1 cold brew coffee

Fage 2% yogurt cup with blood orange

Diet Coke

Mango La Croix

 

Lunch

Antipasti salad from Boni Vito

- mixed greens

- red cabbage

- salami

- pepperoni

- ham

- tomato

- cucumber

- provolone

- anchovies

- croutons

- blue cheese dressing (note: this is not good blue cheese dressing. do not order again)

Side of bread

Cold brew coffee with coconut milk

 

Snack

Chobani peanut butter dream

string cheese

 

Dinner

small miso soup

12 pieces sashimi

6 pieces philli roll

1 bottle of Sam Adams

 

Before Bed

Warm milk with turmeric

4 squares of 85% cacao dark chocolate

 

8+ glasses of water? yes

 

Notes:

- If I get a side of bread I will probably eat it, even if I tell myself I won’t. Avoid ordering things with sides of bread.

- The blue cheese dressing on the salad was bad. Too sweet. Do not order again.

 

Activity

Morning

Bodyweight workout 1B

Warm up

3 sets:

Good Morning - 10 Reps

Standing Wall Walk - 5 up and down

One Leg Balance - 5 seconds per side

Wall Slide - 8 reps

 

3 20s front planks

(I only made it to 18s on my second plank)

 

Stretching cool down

Evening

35 minute walk while listening to Summer Knight

[Koaladle]

I'm going to take a leaf from your book and work on incorporating NFA goals into my monthly challenge. I update solely out of my battle log and run the challenges by the calendar month, which i like a lot, but NFA progress has been slow. 

 

Also, I'm a big fan of your attention to detail. O.O Get it!

 

[jessleigh]

So I had a very unimpressive start to the 9/25 - 10/22 challenge yesterday. I went to a wedding on Saturday and spent pretty much all of Sunday watching Archer, wishing away my hangover. So I'm effectively starting the challenge a day late.

 

Hooray for lackluster beginnings!

 

I did, however, drink 8 glasses of water. So that's something at least!  

[jessleigh]

DAILY LOG - MONDAY 9/26 - CHALLENGE 1 DAY 1

 

NB regarding 4 week challenge: due to some complications over the weekend involving weddings and hangovers, I am bumping my 4 week challenge by a day so that it starts and ends on Mondays instead of Sundays. I know it's technically cheating, but I need to do this to motivate myself.

 

Breakfast

2 large coffees with a splash of half and half

glazed doughnut

 

Lunch

Chicken Cesar salad from Goddess and Grocer

2 Diet Cokes (cans)

 

Snack

Peanut Butter Dream Chobani flip

String cheese

 

Dinner

Beef panang curry with jasmine rice

9 squares dark chocolate (85% cacao)

 

8+ glasses of water? yes

 

5+ minutes of meditating? yes

 

 

Activity

Evening

15 minute walk while listening to the Dusted podcast after work. (Dusted is a must listen for any Buffy fans out there!)

Water Series A yoga

 

Notes:

- Croutons on the salad were spongey instead of crunchy. Not bad, but consider before ordering again

- I love listening to podcasts while I walk, but I really want to get into the habit of listening to books while I walk. Starting tomorrow I need to double down on listening to my audiobooks during dedicated walking time.

- Dear future me: YOU WILL LIKE YOURSELF BETTER IF YOU WORK OUT IN THE MORNING RATHER THAN WAITING UNTIL RIGHT BEFORE BED.

[jessleigh]

DAILY LOG - TUESDAY 9/27 - CHALLENGE 1 DAY 2

Breakfast

1 pint Stumptown chocolate cold brew coffee

Peanut butter dream chobani flip

1 packet of EmergenC dumped into one of my water bottles

 

Lunch

Salad:

- Iceberg and romaine lettuce

- Artichoke hearts

- Carrots

- Cucumbers

- Celery

- Cherry tomatoes

- Hardboiled egg

- Croutons

- Blue cheese dressing

Bison Meatballs in tomato sauce with cheese

Diet Coke

 

Snack

String cheese

Baby carrots and red pepper hummus

Nature valley peanut granola bar

 

Dinner

Philadelphia roll

Seaweed salad with cucumbers

Assorted tuna sashimi on a bed of sushi rice with mushrooms

Diet Pepsi

Mr Goodbar

Before Bed

8+ glasses of water? yes

5+ minutes of meditation? yes

Notes:

• Good lunch. Would order again
• Reiterating from yesterday: you’ll like yourself better if you work out in the morning instead of waiting until you go home from work :\

 

Activity

After Dinner:

28 minute walk while listening to Summer Knight

3 x 10 assisted squats (using doorframe)

3 x 10 wall push-ups

3 x 10 bodyweight rows (using doorframe)

stretching cool down 

[jessleigh]

DAILY LOG - WEDNESDAY 9/28 - CHALLENGE 1 DAY 3

 

Breakfast

Stump town coldbrew coffee no milk

Peanut butter dream chobani flip

1 packet of EmergenC dumped into one of my water bottles

Lunch

Sring mix salad

• chicken
• black olives
• blue cheese crumbles
• red onions
• cucumber
• mushrooms

Diet Coke

Snack

Diet Coke

1 avocado

White tea with 1 splenda packet

Dinner

Pan fried chive dumplings

Pork massaman curry with brown rice

Melon sour hard candy

Notes:

• Tasted the salad dressing before putting it on the salad today. Was sweet and gross so I decided to eat the salad dry
• Third day in a row I'm noting that I would be happier with my life if I did my workouts in the morning like last week, but for some reason I can't make myself get out of bed. What's up with that?
• Yoga is better with kneepads
• Don't do Water Series B within 3 hours of eating a big meal. Too much time spent on stomach. 

 

8+ glasses of water? yes

5+ minutes of meditation? yes 

 

Activity

After Dinner:

15 minute walk while listening to Death Masks -  I'm officially doing a relisten (Summer Knight - Cold Days + Side Jobs) through Dresden for upcoming LARP

Before Bed:

Water Series B Yoga session

 

[jessleigh]

DAILY LOG - THURSDAY 9/29

Breakfast

glazed doughnut

black cold brew coffee

diet coke

Lunch

Diet Coke

Salad with Grilled Chicken, Guacamole, Salsa, and Salsa Ranch dressing

Chobani chocolate haze craze yogurt

Snack

Banana

Black tea

String cheese

Peanut granola bar

Dinner

Garden salad with peppercorn ranch

Jumbo hot wings

Chocolate cake

 

8+ glasses of water? yes

5+ minutes of meditation?  yes

 

Notes:

• Wasn’t feeling great and used it as an excuse not to eat great. That made me feel even worse. Skipped my workout because of all of that silliness. Do not reproduce.

 

Activity

5 minute walk after taking out the trash

[jessleigh]

Well, as it turns out, depression, winter, and the election were just about enough to kick the shit out of me.

I started going to Krav Maga a bit after the election. Going to really make a commitment to keep up with that in 2017, especially since I had to sign a 1 year contract. 

 

I feel like I'm starting over from square one. It's not the best feeling in the world, but at least I'm not giving up, right?

[jessleigh]

Hey hey. Found my old battle log. Time to revive this long dead thread.

 

In a previous life I would have started over rather than picking up a 4 year old battle log, but I think the continuity is important here as a message to myself that it wasn't a failure. It was just a hiatus. After my last post in December 2016 I gained a lot of weight and had some very serious health complications, but I've made a lot of good progress in the last 14 months and I want to start being more intentional about recording it and giving myself credit.

 

NEW BASELINE MEASUREMENTS (8/20)

 

Weight - 325 lbs

Chest 54

Stomach @ navel 53

Ribcage under bust 44

Hips 61

Arms L 16 R 16.5

Thigh L 32 R 30

Calf L 19.5 R 19

Neck 16

 

[Sloth the Enduring]

Welcome back.

[cd667]

Good to have you back. We've been waiting!