How to Be Awesome at Everything

[danibel]

I finally think up an absurdly appropriate journal title and, in the same moment, perhaps to dramatize the experience of being STRUCK BY INSPIRATION!, I proceed to spill coffee all down my front. What is my life?

#itsaprocess

Type A. Aries. Quick to anger, quick to judgment - working on it. Unreasonably insecure - working on that, too. Political science major, philosophy minor. Lifeguard, tutor, volunteer. Daughter, sister, step-sister, girlfriend. Native Rhode Islander (yessuh!). Pop culture junkie. Academia is purging my spoken vocabulary of "ain't"s and "y'all"s, and, I'm afraid, my personality along with it.

I'm a stubborn little kid who was told by people I respect to prioritize a life of the mind above all else, and I listened. I listened because I didn't want to disappoint those who had invested so much in my success. 25 lbs and dozens of nervous breakdowns later, I've come to realize what a stupid, stupid, stupid decision that was. A sound mind is contingent upon a happy, healthy body. It seems like common sense. I think school is slowly starving me of that, too.

It's all about balance and moderation. I'm sure you've experienced this, too: spend too much of your time on one aspect of your life - school, work, friends, family, romance, leisure, even fitness - and all of the others quickly unravel. You've gotta keep everything in an equilibrium for everything to be great, or at least decent, simultaneously.

Basically, to be happy, I've gotta be awesome at everything. Luckily, my confidence level is directly correlated to a decrease of blood in my caffeine stream, and I'm on my third cup today, so...

Let's do this.

And I see my professors at the gym now, too. I guess we're all learning.


Here are some other things that I do:
+ Sudoku.
+ Watch bad reality TV with my roommates.
+ Work on my undergraduate thesis.
+ Play video games and Magic: The Gathering.
+ Use my crock pot.
+ Learn the hard way.


If I don't panic and regret this post by tomorrow, this will be my fitness and nutrition log, but, seeing as I aim to live with as little stress as possible this year, and sharing my experiences is always a tremendous source of relief to me, I will probably yammer on about other things as well. I just hope that I'm bearable enough for you to follow along. You can help me with the knowing-shi*t-about-fitness part. (Please!)

May Our Lady of Gagalupe bring blessings upon us so that we might succeed in ALL of the important aspects of our lives. Amen.

[JJ_Fit]

Hiya! welcome to the journaling section!

I finally think up an absurdly appropriate journal title and, in the same moment, perhaps to dramatize the experience of being STRUCK BY INSPIRATION!, I proceed to spill coffee all down my front. What is my life?#itsaprocess]

It's all about balance and moderation. I'm sure you've experienced this, too: spend too much of your time on one aspect of your life - school, work, friends, family, romance, leisure, even fitness - and all of the others quickly unravel. You've gotta keep everything in an equilibrium for everything to be great, or at least decent, simultaneously..]

^^^This!

Basically, to be happy, I've gotta be awesome at everything. Luckily, my confidence level is directly correlated to a decrease of blood in my caffeine stream, and I'm on my third cup today, so....]

You bring da LuLz, but srsly...its about balance, you said, right?

I'll see your three cups of coffee and raise you an espresso!

Here are some other things that I do:
+ Watch bad reality TV with my roommates.
+ Play video games and Magic: The Gathering.
+ Use my crock pot.
+ Learn the hard way.]

Woot! Girl gamers rule *googling Magic: The Gathering* Im a World of Warcraft girl, mahself...
What have you been following? Big Brother, Jersey Shore...? /guilty pleasure LoL

May Our Lady of Gagalupe bring blessings upon us so that we might succeed in ALL of the important aspects of our lives. Amen.

Preach!

Good luck in all your endeavors!

[danibel]

Woot! Girl gamers rule *googling Magic: The Gathering* Im a World of Warcraft girl, mahself...

What have you been following? Big Brother, Jersey Shore...? /guilty pleasure LoL

I used to be a VERY avid WoW player, too. Then my account was permabanned. Now I play only occasionally on my partner's account, where I'm rocking a prot paladin on Thunderhorn. On which server do you play? Faction/class/spec? A/S/L?!??/1

My roommates watch all the "family"-oriented stuff on TLC (Kate + 8, Toddlers and Tiaras, Hoarders, etc), but I'm HUGE on Jersey Shore. I've been without cable all summer, though, which means I'm still behind on the most recent season because MTV is really weird about keeping full episodes on its website.

Thanks for dropping in! I'm glad to find someone with whom I have much in common.

[OCBB]

I've been reading your journal, and I feel like I know you.. because I'm exactly like you! And it's not just that I'm 5'5, 25 years old, Aries, coming from a family where I always needed to be perfect that I think we're alike. It's also because I'm insecure, always need to be good at everything, can't say no to anyone.. I was 160lbs at my heaviest.. Small world. I'll be following, if you keep up with journaling!

[danibel]

Taking a break from a reading assignment filled with some of the most dense, unreadable academic jargon I've ever seen. (Mumble grumble, social scientists.)

I mean, it's one thing to know and use the language of your discipline to convey your ideas to those WITHIN that discipline. That's... well, that's expected, isn't it? But it's another thing entirely to understand that language well enough to be able to re-translate your ideas back into something consumable for a general audience, or at least to an audience residing outside your particular discipline... e.g., me, a special snowflake whose demands for accommodation ought to be met immediately.

Yeah... no. End tangent. Business time.

Yesterday's ~nutrition consisted of 'nilla-coconut oatmeal, a veggie omelet, and then a full goddamn slab of ribs and whatever other garbage was on the plate with it (garlic 'taters, deep-fried onion strips, oh lorddd). The waiter put the ribs down in front of my partner because, of course, it would be the MAN who would order so much meat, right? But I was all, gurl sit down, thems my eats.

Except very politely.

Calories: unlogged. IT WAS A REFEED DAY. (Maybe.) Then we walked downtown for a Coheed and Cambria concert, where they was much dancing and singing and screaming and Rapture, where my soul was saved by Claudio's glorious hair and beautiful falsetto voice, and it was Good.

FLAWLESS.

[danibel]

I've been reading your journal, and I feel like I know you.. because I'm exactly like you! And it's not just that I'm 5'5, 25 years old, Aries, coming from a family where I always needed to be perfect that I think we're alike. It's also because I'm insecure, always need to be good at everything, can't say no to anyone.. I was 160lbs at my heaviest.. Small world. I'll be following, if you keep up with journaling!

Oh god, you are beautiful.

*sweating*

*heavy mouth-breathing*

Kidding!







... Maybe.

I read in your journal that you're in medical school. That's incredible - I wish you the best of luck and, if you are as similar to me as you say, you're gonna KILL it! I'll be lurking to see how well you're doing there, and with everything else.

Speaking of similarities, my father, mother, and step-mother are all in the medical field as a doctor, nurse, and clinical researcher, respectively. How's that for a small world? :O

(Which makes me kinda the black sheep of the family, but I bet you can relate to that, too.)

I hope I'm half as successful as you've been. Thanks so much for dropping in!

[danibel]

Hide yo kids. Hide yo wife. danibel's on a roll.

This is today.

Calories: ~1900

Protein: 116g
Fat: 103g (DANG!)
Carbz: 123g

(via DailyBurn)

Weight loss stalled out these past ten days or so. Been eating at a deficit for, idk, a month or two, with the occasional refeed. Eating at maintenance today and tomorrow, then I'll begin NROLFW Stage 4 on Wednesday. I hope it works; it did during my last two "off" weeks. Fingaz x'd.

Activities: sitting on my rump, surrounded by books and notes, with intermittent staring off into the distance due to boredom.

Calories burned: lol.

Maybe I should have started this journal when I was being a bit more diligent.

ADDENDUM:

We made this for dinner tonight. It was so good that it seems like a moral imperative to share it with you.


http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2010...as-recipe.html

My tastebuds tingled with ecstasy. Tears rolled down my cheeks. I turned my face up to the heavens, sighed happily, and said,

Thank you, internets, for delivering unto my mouth this amazing meal.

[danibel]

I have to take progress photos again tonight.



Here's the thing.

I feel good. When I look in the mirror, I'm generally happy with what it shows me. But when I see myself in photos, I'm always disappointed because what I SEE doesn't reflect the change that I FEEL. And I don't know which to trust, especially since it's obvious that I'm still overweight and, more specifically, an amorphous blob of whiny insecurity.

Anywayssss.

Calories: ~1800
Protein: 150g
Fat: 70g
Carbs: 134g

Meals:
+ 'nilla-coconut oatmeal
+ yogurt with blueberries and walnuts
+ CARNITAS
+ protein shake to get calories/protein up

Activities: I wish that flexing my brain muscle burned as many calories as my other muscles do. Today was another sedentary day so I could plow through the rest of my homework. Which I did. AND I managed to knock out another 1000 words for my thesis, so I'm very pleased with myself.

Tomorrow, I'll see if spots are still open for the kickboxing and boot camp class at the school gym, WHOOP WHOOP!

[danibel]

Here are this month's progress photos. For all intents and purposes, I consider them "before" pictures.

Over the course of the past month, I went from 161, to 166, then back down to 162. My diet wasn't TERRIBLE, but I think a few days of stress and sub-optimal eating choices did me in.

If that's not it, your guess is as good as mine.





I have until the end of the year to lose 12 more pounds - to get down to 150.


Reminder to self:
STOP SULKING. DO BETTER NEXT MONTH.

[danibel]

Weight: 162


Calories: ~1700
Protein: 140g
Fat: 74g
Carbs: 130g


Meals:
+ vanilla-coconut oatmeal (half-finished) (~260 cal)
+ protein shake (two scoops, made with skim milk) (~400 cal)
+ veggie omelet (veggies cooked in olive oil, three eggs with mozzarella) (~700 cal)
+ southwest stew (~340 cal)


Activities:

17 minutes of sprinting intervals (3min warm-up walking at 3.5mph -> 2min jogging at 5.2mph -> 1min sprinting at 7mph -> 2min jogging at 5.2mph -> repeat sprinting/jogging interval twice more -> 3min cool-down walking at 3.5mph).

I couldn't finish my breakfast this morning due to some stomach queasiness, so instead of doing my usual four intervals, I did three with a sprint at a faster pace (7mph instead of 6.8mph).

After a few minutes of rest, I did 30 minutes of walking at random inclines (two minutes each: 0.0% -> 5.0% -> 2.5% -> 7.5% -> 5.0% -> 10.0% -> 7.5% -> 12.5% -> 10.0% -> 15.0% -> 10.0% -> 7.5% -> 5.0% -> 2.5% -> 0.0%). I mixed it up a bit this time, instead of gradually increasing the incline by 2.5% (up to 15.0%) every two minutes. I could see these massive beads of sweat gathering on my forearms as I got to the higher inclines, and I was drenched by the time I was done. I've learned to love that feeling.

I don't trust the treadmill's calorie calculator, but it said I burned over 200 calories for each the HIIT and the cardio. A LIKELY STORY, TREADMILL.


Now that I'm officially enrolled in kickboxing and boot camp (yay), here's what my gym schedule will look like for the semester:

Sunday: boot camp
Monday: lifting (NROLFW)
Tuesday: kickboxing
Wednesday: lifting (NROLFW)
Thursday: off
Friday: lifting (NROLFW)
Saturday: off

[OCBB]

Oh god, you are beautiful.

*sweating*

*heavy mouth-breathing*

Kidding!







... Maybe.

I read in your journal that you're in medical school. That's incredible - I wish you the best of luck and, if you are as similar to me as you say, you're gonna KILL it! I'll be lurking to see how well you're doing there, and with everything else.

Speaking of similarities, my father, mother, and step-mother are all in the medical field as a doctor, nurse, and clinical researcher, respectively. How's that for a small world? :O

(Which makes me kinda the black sheep of the family, but I bet you can relate to that, too.)

I hope I'm half as successful as you've been. Thanks so much for dropping in!

Yup, I'm the black sheep of my family. Nobody is working in any kind of health-related field. And I'm the black sheep for many other reasons...

So, you're doig NROL4W? Do you like it?

[danibel]

Yup, I'm the black sheep of my family. Nobody is working in any kind of health-related field. And I'm the black sheep for many other reasons...

So, you're doig NROL4W? Do you like it?

It's the first workout program I've ever done, so it's a little difficult to judge. :x It's nice to walk around the gym with purpose instead of aimlessly, for once. Stage 3 was especially fun, except for the Body Weight Matrix, which seems to be the bane of every NROLFW girl's existence. I'm really excited to start Stage 4 tomorrow even though it's identical to Stage 2, which bored me to tears.

You're doing it too, aren't you? What do you think?

[danibel]

Weight: 163 oh god what is wrong with me


Calories: ~1750, probably closer to 1800 with whatever **** I put in my pre-seminar coffee
Protein: 154g
Fat: 57g
Carbs: 139g


Meals:
+ yogurt with ricotta, blueberries, and walnuts (~500cal)
+ protein shake (two scoops, two cups skim milk) (~400cal)
+ cottage cheese with blueberries, cinnamon, and peanut butter (~350cal)
+ southwest stew (~500cal)


Activities:
First workout in Stage 4 of NROLFW. Loved it! I wasn't too ambitious with my weight selection, though. I wanted to be sure my form was on lock.

All the weight listed here is TOTAL volume. That way, I won't confuse total barbell weight with individual dumbbell weight.

Front squat/push press: 30lb x 8, 40lb x 8, 40lb x 8
Step-up: 20lb x 8, 30lb x 8
Dumbbell one-point row: 30lb x 8, 30lb x 8 (my balance is abysmal)
Static lunge, rear foot elevated: 20lb x 8, 20lb x 8
Push-up: 8, 8
Plank: 60 seconds, brief rest, then remaining 60 seconds; repeat
Cable horizontal wood chop: 27.5kg x 8, 27.5kg x 8


I will now perform the evasive maneuver demonstrated below on my feelings of self-pity re: weight gain.

[danibel]

I keep trying to rationalize away my sadness, but there are good reasons to not be so discouraged: I just started a new stage of my program, I'm eating at a deficit again, I was doing a ton of cardio last week. My body is readjusting, I guess.

And other than the fact that I'm a pound heavier every time I go to the gym and that I'm experiencing menstrual spotting, I feel okay. I always power through my workouts, and I have enough energy to go to class and work, see my friends, cook and clean, do my homework, and write for my thesis.

So what's my ****ing problem?

Sorry. I'll get better.


Weight: 164

Calories: ~1700
Protein: 147g
Fat: 61g
Carbs; 121g


Meals:
+ (unfinished) vanilla-coconut oatmeal with cashews (~350cal)
+ protein shake (two scoops, two cups of skim milk) (~400cal)
+ tuna salad (~250cal)
+ ground turkey chili (~700cal)


Activities:

Intervals. Three minute warm-up, two minute jog, one minute sprint, two minute jog, repeat sprint/jog x 2, three minute cool-down. 17 minutes, 1.5 miles.

[danibel]

Busy day. Tired. But weekend is now.


Weight: 164, hnnnngh

Calories: ~1800
Protein: 152g
Fat: 74g
Carbs: 126g


Meals:
+ yogurt with ricotta, blueberries, and walnuts (~500cal)
+ protein shake (~400cal)
+ tuna salad (~250cal)
+ chili (~650cal)


Picking the collective brains of the ladies' forum for dietary advice. I must be doing something wrong. Will try to make changes shortly.


Activities:
Workout B of Stage 4 of NROLFW. I used an Olympic barbell for the first time today. It made me feel like my presence in the weight room was legitimate.

Wide-grip deadlift: 30lbs x 8, 40lbs x 8, 50lbs x 8, 50lbs x 8
Bulgarian split squat: 5lbs x 8, 10lbs x 8
Underhand-grip lat pulldown: 70lbs x 8, 80lbs x 8
Reverse lunge from box with forward reach: 5lb dumbbells x 8, 10lb dumbbells x 8 (damn, I hate these)
Dumbbell prone Cuban snatch: 8lb dumbbells x 8, 10lb dumbbells x 8
Swiss-ball crunch: 10lb dumbbell held overhead x 8, repeat
Reverse crunch: 8, 8
Side-crunch: 8, 8
Prone cobra: 120 sec, 120 sec


I like dachshunds.


Goodnight.

[danibel]

Calories: 1650
Protein: 144g
Fat: 47g
Carbs: 152g


Meals:
+ protein shake (400cal)
+ leftover chili (475cal)
+ salmon, rice, veggies, and salad with fat-free dressing at Longhorn Steakhouse (775cal)


Activities:
Shopping all afternoon. My wallet is lighter, but I got the last things I needed for the ensemble I've been putting together for GAGA'S MONSTER BALL CONCERT ON THURSDAY!

Six-inch stilettos. I am going to die. But if I do, at least I'll go out looking FABULOUS!


BLESSINGS AND PEACE BE UPON YOU

[danibel]

Calories: 1650
Protein: 154g
Fat: 47g
Carbs: 140g


Meals:
+ vanilla-coconut oatmeal (325cal)
+ leftover chili (650cal)
+ protein shake (400cal)
+ cottage cheese with cinnamon, peanut butter, and blueberries (275cal)


Activities:
I had my first boot camp class tonight. All the individual exercises were fairly simple - squats, box jumps, girlie push-ups, burpees, etc etc - but doing 3940284930284932 reps of each exercise in rapid succession was brutal.

I'm really excited to have a new challenge in my life, but dealing with my tendency for lightheadedness is really frustrating. I can push myself through muscle fatigue and aches and pains with willpower alone, but I can't do that with lightheadedness. If I don't stop, I faint. And I don't like either of those options. I hope it'll get better with time.

And here I was thinking that I'd do Navy OCS after college.

LOL, EMBARRASSING. I wouldn't make it through a DAY there.









(yet)

[danibel]

It's only my third day of eating 1600-1700 calories and I could barely get out of bed this morning. Not only are my legs as stiff as boards from boot camp yesterday, but my stomach is constantly churning and begging for food and I feel completely devoid of energy. I fell asleep on top of my homework after I had only been awake for a few hours.



Weak as hell.

I'm sure I will adjust eventually, especially after I've gotten used to these new activities, but right now, it's a challenge to get through the day. Luckily, the physical discomfort is totally bearable; I just hope that I don't get irritable with my friends and roommates.


Calories: 1650
Protein: 146g
Fat: 53g
Carbs: 125g


Meals:
+ vanilla-coconut oatmeal (350cal)
+ protein shake (400cal)
+ tuna salad (250cal)
+ leftover chili (650cal)


Activities:
Too sore and fatigued for the gym, and I spent the morning beating myself up over the fact that I'd skipped a day. Was afraid I'd hurt myself or pass out, though. Tomorrow is my first day of kickboxing, and if it's half as challenging as boot camp was, I want to make sure that I've rested as much as possible.

[thehobbes]

Hey there, nice journal! Workouts and diet is lookin' good! (Although the lowered calorie diet is even making ME hungry just reading, lol.) What kind of protein shakes do you drink to get 400 cals out of them, or are you just mixing the powder w/ milk?

An extra rest day is good every once in a while. Remember it's all fun and games until someone passes out and gets konked on the skull with a squat bar!

[danibel]

Hey there, nice journal! Workouts and diet is lookin' good! (Although the lowered calorie diet is even making ME hungry just reading, lol.) What kind of protein shakes do you drink to get 400 cals out of them, or are you just mixing the powder w/ milk?

An extra rest day is good every once in a while. Remember it's all fun and games until someone passes out and gets konked on the skull with a squat bar!

Yeah, I mix two scoops with two cups of milk and make a meal out of it... usually because I'm always in a rush to get from the gym to class or work, har har. It's probably the most filling meal of the day, and it contributes tremendously to meeting my daily protein goal.

I could tell that my body needed the rest, and since I'm feeling invincible today, I'm glad that I took it easy yesterday. I'm ready to work hard in kickboxing tonight, soreness be damned.

Thanks for stopping by! :O

[danibel]

I tried to post this last night, but the internet picked a convenient time to go down. So here's yesterday's:


I forgot to eat breakfast this morning (usually my most carb-dense meal), so I made it up after work with a massive omelet. And it was good.


Calories: 1675
Protein: 148g
Fat: 74g
Carbs: 88g


Meals:
+ a peach and whatever creamer **** was in my coffee (100 cal)
+ ENORMOUS VEGGIE AND CHEESE OMELET! (775cal)
+ half a protein shake (200 cal)
+ cranberry pork roast (600 cal)


Activities:
Kickboxing was pretty basic. Still, a good hour of cardio. The instructor made us do literally like five straight minutes of crunches, though, what the hell?

[danibel]

Have a busy day ahead of me. Better do this now - and stick with it!


Weight: 162 :O

Am I back on track?




Calories: 1650
Protein: 130g
Fat: 62g
Carbs: 144g


Meals:
+ fruit salad with raw cashews (325cal)
+ protein shake (400cal)
+ scrambled eggs with mozzarella (550cal)
+ 6-inch sweet onion chicken teriyaki from Subway (370cal)


Activities:
Workout A of Stage 4 of NROLFW. Listed as total weight, not individual dumbbells, where applicable.

Front squat/push press: 30lb x 8, 40lb x 8, barbell x 8
Step-up: 30lb x 8, 30lb x 8
Dumbbell one-point row: 30lb x 8, 30lb x 8
Static lunge, rear foot elevated: 20lb x 8, 20lb x 8
Push-up: 8, 8
Plank: 75 seconds, brief rest, then remaining 45 seconds; repeat
Cable horizontal wood chop: 27.5kg x 8, 32.5kg x 8


GUESS WHERE I'LL BE TOMORROW?!?!?!?!/1/1/17





STAY PRESSED, HATERS

[danibel]

One day of planned cheating turned into two. I knew I was gonna screw around with my friends before and after the show, but when I got back to MA, my roommates were all planning to go out for a 21st birthday. A few drinks later...

If it hadn't been so much fun, I might feel guilty. Oh well. Back on track.


Calories: 1650
Protein: 155g
Fat: 51g
Carbs: 150g


Meals:
+ yogurt with blueberries and walnuts (400cal)
+ protein shake (400cal)
+ cranberry pork roast (600cal)
+ strawberries, grapes, and cashews (250cal)


Activities:
Workout B of Stage 4 of NROLFW.

Wide-grip deadlift: 30lbs x 8, bar x 8, 55lbs x 8, 60lbs x 8
Bulgarian split squat: 10lbs x 8, 15lbs x 8, 15lbs x 8
Underhand-grip lat pulldown: 70lbs x 8, 80lbs x 8, 80lbs x 8
Reverse lunge from box with forward reach: 10lb dumbbells x 8, 10lb dumbbells x 8, 12.5lb dumbbells x 8
Dumbbell prone Cuban snatch: 10lb dumbbells x 8, 10lb dumbbells x 8, 12.5lb dumbbells x 8
Swiss-ball crunch: 10lb dumbbell held overhead x 8, 12.5lb dumbbell held overhead x 8, repeat
Reverse crunch: 8, 8, 8
Side-crunch: 8, 8, 8
Prone cobra: 120 sec, 120 sec, 120 sec

[Ameinseto]

I'm so sad I haven't found your journal before! It's quite hilarious. I have to say I am quite the opposite of you in the sense that I hate all things video games (my almost-twin brother got all the love for both of us, I'm afraid) and I'm not much into pop culture, but I seem to have a weird soft spot for Lady Gaga. That woman can entertain, if nothing else. Maybe I'm just excited to see some Michael Jackson-like story music videos again.

And that Dwight video was hilarious.

How are you liking Stage 4? I'm on NROL4W almost done with Stage 1 and loving it.

[danibel]

I'm so sad I haven't found your journal before! It's quite hilarious. I have to say I am quite the opposite of you in the sense that I hate all things video games (my almost-twin brother got all the love for both of us, I'm afraid) and I'm not much into pop culture, but I seem to have a weird soft spot for Lady Gaga. That woman can entertain, if nothing else. Maybe I'm just excited to see some Michael Jackson-like story music videos again.

And that Dwight video was hilarious.

How are you liking Stage 4? I'm on NROL4W almost done with Stage 1 and loving it.

Hi! I'm really happy that I managed to entertain, and that you have fondness for Our Lady of Gagalupe, blessings and peace be upon her. (:P)

I'm enjoying NROLFW so far. I actually kinda wish I had lost a little more weight before I began so I could eat guiltlessly at maintenance and perhaps enjoy more muscle growth, but that doesn't take away from my overall satisfaction with the program. I'm sure I'm losing fat from lifting and eating at a deficit, anyway. I'm glad to hear that you like it, too! Stage 1 was a lot of fun.

Thank you for stopping in!

[danibel]

On my mom's scale on Friday morning, I weighed 156. On the school gym's scale on Saturday morning, I weighed 166.

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO BELIEVE ANYMORE.





Calories: 1650
Protein: 150g
Fat: 45g
Carbs: 143g


Meals:
+ vanilla-coconut oatmeal with cashews and peach slices (550cal)
+ protein shake (400cal)
+ tuna salad (250cal)
+ chicken gyro with homemade tzatziki (recipe from livewell360) (450cal)


Activities:
Boot camp was canceled this week. HIIT instead. Did four "sprinting" intervals. One minute hard, two easy. Total of 25 minutes, with warm-up and cool-down.

[danibel]

The gym scale said 161 this morning. I don't trust it, though. Too erratic.


Calories: 1650
Protein: 157g
Fat: 43g
Carbs: 156g


Meals:
+ 'nilla-coconut oatmeal (325cal)
+ protein shake (400cal)
+ strawberries, grapes, and cashews (325cal)
+ leftover cranberry pork roast (600cal)


Activities:
Workout A of Stage 4 of NROLFW.

Front squat/push press: 30lb x 8, barbell x 8, barbell x 8
Step-up: 30lb x 8, 40lb x 8
Dumbbell one-point row: 30lb x 8, 40lb x 8
Static lunge, rear foot elevated: 30lb x 8, 30lb x 8
Push-up: 8, 8
Plank: 90 seconds (HOLLER), brief rest, then remaining 30 seconds; repeat
Cable horizontal wood chop: 32.5kg x 8, 32.5kg x 8


Throwing around the actual barbell makes me feel so ~legit.

[danibel]

Calories: 1650
Protein: 144g
Fat: 68g
Carbs: 116g


Meals:
+ half a protein shake as a lazy breakfast (200cal)
+ cottage cheese with blueberries, cinnamon, and peanut butter (300cal)
+ veggie omelet with mozzarella and ricotta (700cal)
+ chicken gyro with homemade tzatziki (450cal)


Activities:
An hour of kickboxing. Wasn't especially challenging, though.


I feel so fatigued and achy and irritable today. And the cravings! I don't usually get the standard menstrual symptoms while on the oral contraceptive, but I've been all over the place today.

Oh well. Still gotta take care of this week's thesis quota before I can sleep.

[lilly_julia]

A. this is the best journal I have ever read. Seriously. I love the toungue in cheek vibe, the poking fun at yourself, and the writing.

B. That picture of Keanu is gonna make an appearance in my nightmares.

C. **** the scale! Throw it out the window! Whenever I think I'm doing well and decide to step on it, it laughs at me. I mean, it literally throws its head back and guffaws. Actually, i still keep it around because it was a wedding present and is actually quite nice, decor-wise. But I never, ever step on it, I go by pictures and measurements and the mirror.

Losing weight and acheiving an awesome body takes a long time and whoever says different is full of it. Take it day by day. I'll be following along for sure.

Something tells me you.. might.. kinda, maybe, have a certain affinity for.. lady gaga? Tell me if I'm way off base here...

[danibel]

A. this is the best journal I have ever read. Seriously. I love the toungue in cheek vibe, the poking fun at yourself, and the writing.

B. That picture of Keanu is gonna make an appearance in my nightmares.

C. **** the scale! Throw it out the window! Whenever I think I'm doing well and decide to step on it, it laughs at me. I mean, it literally throws its head back and guffaws. Actually, i still keep it around because it was a wedding present and is actually quite nice, decor-wise. But I never, ever step on it, I go by pictures and measurements and the mirror.

Losing weight and acheiving an awesome body takes a long time and whoever says different is full of it. Take it day by day. I'll be following along for sure.

Something tells me you.. might.. kinda, maybe, have a certain affinity for.. lady gaga? Tell me if I'm way off base here...

Aw, that's so nice of you! I am very appreciative of your kind words. I'm actually just trying to obscure the fact that my life is, most often, excruciatingly mundane.

See, this is why Keanu is so sad. No one understands him. :'(

You're totally right about the scale. I know it's hardly the most objective or reliable way to track my progress, but my short-term goal is a measure of weight loss, so I want to be at least a bit mindful of what the scale tells me. But I will give a fair amount of attention to the measuring tape and the photos, like you do. And, yeah, I've begun to realize what a long journey this is going to be. I'm glad you'll stick around to remind me of that!

Finally, anything short of utter submission to the teachings of Our Lord and Savior Godga means living a life of sin, isolation, and despair.


im prayin 4 u tho