JCC 2018 Fitness Goals

Anybody have any tips on managing a sweet tooth? It's my Kryptonite, I have no issues eating healthy throughout the day, but man after dinner I always seem to end up with some kind of chocolate in my fridge or pantry that I can't resist. I don't buy any of it at the grocery store, it just kind of winds up there, whether through being sent home with dessert after a family dinner or what have you. Maybe a good substitute, or some willpower advice. I'm in good shape, I hit the weights four times a week and jog twice a week, but I know I could kick that good up to great if I could just lay off the ****.

 

Not sweets, specifically, but I've had other things that are negative to my health (fried food, beer, pizza, soda)?that I've struggled to kick. What I found was two things that worked for me.

First, I set up a voucher system where I had to earn the right to have whatever it was I was trying to put into moderation. Sometimes, that was related to working out, other times it was a professional goal. Something that would challenge but not stretch me. I made sure someone knew how I was earning and how I'd track "spending" my vouchers. (I made actual physical coupons I'd turn in).

Second, when I did cash in, I made sure it was something worthwhile. Because I learned early on that if I was trying to curb pizza, for instance, and I only let myself have the cheap cardboard like grocery store stuff... Well. It didn't solve my craving and I just hated myself. So I'd earn pizza, and get indulgent pizza that I loved. I imagine sweets will bring about a similar concept.

 

I made my first protein shake before I went to gym to do the elliptical machine Thursday. I try to walk my neighborhood multiple times a week. Doing everything equals 1.7 miles. Jogging is still a hassle for me and I need help with that.

 

The Couch to 5K app was a life changer for me in that department.

 

Before I start eating something indulgent, I decide how much of it I'm going to have. Take that limited amount, put the rest away before I eat anything. If I think I'm going to eat just 2 cookies and sit there with a whole bag full, there's no way I'll stop with 2, so get the rest put away out of sight.

 

I managed to drop 13 kgs this year as I was training for a fitness test. In the next couple of months, I am aiming to run 3 miles in 19 minutes (managed to get it down to just over 20 mins).

Unfortunately, all this has meant that I haven't been giving any attention to weight training, especially big compound lifts. As a result, my strength has noticeably diminished. Does anyone else struggle to fit weight training around cardio?

 

Oh, yeah. I haven't done weight training all year. It's ... well. Something has to give. Cardio and Yoga get the priority. The only strength training I get is repeatedly lifting babies and car seats.

 

So I weighed myself. 200.4. Just a little more and it will be the first time I'm below 200 in years

 

Now that I'm back in this region of Colorado, there's plenty of cool hiking areas for me to choose from. It'll be like the good ole days! Except I'm out of shape. And timid.

My mother hinted she might get me a camera sometime. If not, I'll take care of it once I find a job. I can go out there and take some nature photos for y'all. Maybe some of me when I'm confident I don't look like a weird druggie anymore!

 

Just finished a training session with a new PT. I experienced deadmills for the first time as well as bear Crawls and many other new and interesting ways to inflict pain on myself.

I actually enjoyed it, I'm finding a balance between cardio and strength by incorporating lots of dynamic movements and bodyweight exercises. Hopefully, this will give me the functional fitness that I need. I am not, however, looking forward to tomorrow's DOMS.

 

I can relate to people eating junk, the stress with my mom’s surgery (she came through fine but so far none of her symptoms have been fixed by the surgery) has caused me to eat more sugar, carbs and fatty proteins than I have in awhile.

I’ve been eating and ordering food I know will not sit well.

Case in point, I would have been fine with the barely sweetened Chocolate alone chia pudding I bought this morning, but the desire for the Underwest Dark Chocolate donut (which I did not even like when I tried it last year) won out.

I’ve got some nice, barely sweetened milk chocolate in the fridge that I haven’t touched in a week. I might throw the remaining pieces out.

Still waiting for the humidity to break so I walk more.

It has been a rough year for me since being let go from my old job and mom’s health issues.

So I need to turn it around. I allow myself pizza as I adore it, but I am grateful there are places like Pret where I can try to eat better during the day. Once I get more greens into me and walk more I think it should be better.

 

It's basically 1/2 way through the year and with increased walking/bike riding most days for roughly 30 minutes, I've lost 7kg. I'm only 3 kilos away from my ideal weight

 

Walked again today and ate veggie for day three (though chicken tonight).

Feeling a bit better, so I think I will alternate veggie and protein days. The banana-nut milk-nut butter smoothies at Juice Press are good, but I cannot see those being a M-F thing. 2x a week and eat various things at Pret (they thankfully have enough vegetarian mains and stuff to balance that grilled chicken avocado salad I like so much).

Hoping the heat will break after tomorrow’s storms.

 

I need to work on better breathing techniques while running. I can run at least four miles, but I think I would feel so much better if I didn’t swallow so much air. I also need to work on strength training even though I detest it.

 

I've been walking in the evenings before sundown. The air is fresh, there's a nice cool breeze, and a clear view of the mountains once you hit the gravel roads. It feels isolated, but not creepily so. The neighborhoods here are pretty quiet. You might be lucky to hear a barking dog or automobile tires lazily rolling by.

I want to camp out with a friend when autumn comes. We can forget the modern world's drama and get back in touch with the simple basics of nature, and what it is to just live.

 

My foot is feeling better so today was my first run in about 40 days. It was short and slow, but pain free. My fingers are crossed that the plantar fasciitis is gone.

And today is the 13th anniversary of this event: July 19, 2005, first and only Midnight Madness Marathon begins right on time as the temperature drops to about 100F, and ends at 4:05:33 after 4 laps around the six and half mile perimeter road of the Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait. What was I thinking?



That was my sprint to the finish line. I can still feel the cramps in my quads and calves when I look at the picture.

 

So I went to the gym. And for 1 mile, an entire 14 minutes I jogged the whole way non stop. The first time ever in my life.

 

Not my best day. Skipped the gym this morning to help Mama with the boys and then had ice cream for dinner.

 

"You have taken your first step, etc."

Congrats, and keep up the good work.

 

Looking forward to healing from double pneumonia and listeria already. This blind-sided me, but I am so grateful to my older sister and the Emergency Room team for saving my life. Had my sister not brought mom home from rehab that day I would have either died or suffered permanent brain damage.

Scary.

 

Holy pudu, @Master_Lok, glad that didn't happen!

Your movie reviews just wouldn't be the same if you had brain damage.

 

@Master_Lok Goodness. Sorry about that. How the listeria thing happen? Get better soon

 

Can you imagine how boring those reviews would be?

Seriously though, I am so grateful for the timing.

Ate something that was tainted. What is the question as listeria can incubate for a few days before revealing itself. It went right into the blood, lungs and my brain.

Thanks for the kind words.