Wow, I just spent some enjoyable time in here! Thanks for that. The pics are adorable, and I find your mind-searching posts touching and comforting too because I think you express a lot of what goes on in our own heads. It's very comforting to know I'm not the only one that thinks the way I do. Thanks for putting your self out there that way and congrats on where you are right now and the progress you are making.
mel
Thanks? You're welcome?
Sometimes, I'm just not aware enough of the clutter. It's there, and it messes with me, and in a small way I'm aware of it… enough to be made unsettled by it, but not enough to work on it and fix the problem.
It's like the messy garage. Somewhere in the back of your head you know it needs to be dealt with, but until you head out with gloves on to tackle it, it's just some bugaboo that drags you down.
On a related note, the garage is cleaner this weekend, and it's very nice.
A pria bar is 110 calories. A snack size cup of cottage cheese is 110 calories. One satisfies hunger much better than the other one. However, the pria bar does get points for being chocolaty.
But, remember that a single ghiradelli square is only 70-80 calories, and way better quality of chocolate. So you only need one. Esp if you get the dark w/ caramel.
Resting if you need to (and are too tired/overwhelmed to work out) is better than driving yourself into the wall at full speed. That day could be better spent upping NEAT, since if you go ahead and bang your head against that wall, you're usually just gonna lose those calories burned on lowered activity throughout the day, netting you nothing but exhaustion.
A good approach for balance can be as simple as a single question. Did I work out yesterday? If no, then you can likely do something today. If yes, then you'll likely be ok if today is only activity and recovery.
Having a clean house can do wonders for stress and anxiety levels. Chaos in view is chaos in mind. There's a reason Zen is so clean.
Having a way to chart progress, of any kind, is a good thing for those who always feel like they've done nothing or should be doing more.
I log what I eat. I make a list of todos and can see what I've crossed off. I have a log of my NEAT. I chart my weight. I still may feel at the end of the day like I've done nothing, but if I look at the paperwork, I can see otherwise.
If the task can be done in under 2 minutes, and there's nothing keeping you from doing it now, do it now. Then, it's one less thing on a list, one less thing looping in your brain, one more thing done for the day. Little things are easy to take care of. Why the heck should it be allowed to conglomerate with other little things to become a mountain to tackle?
If you have any time to read a book to help improve your life, and haven't read it yet, read Getting Things Done. You may not find everything the way he does it useful, but some of it is, the reasoning is sound and can help you find your own path, and there's so much less on your mind when you have a system.
Remember that a TO DO list is things to DO. Not vague ideas, not projects, not categories. Very simple things to do. This means complete sentences. DO NOT forget the verb. That's what's telling you what TO DO.
Don't wash dishes in hot water. Sucks for your hands, runs up your bills, and warm works just fine. That's why people invented soap.
Brush your teeth.
Always seek the path that requires the most movement. Consider it more NEAT. It may not be as efficient, but efficiency is for the mind tasks. The physical ones should require you being physical.
Work to become more self-aware. Mentally, physically, emotionally. Really understand what's going on with you. You can't truly move on till you find out where the hell you are now.
Understand how you really work best. Don't think you're really able to multi-task intensive tasks, you can't. Multi-tasking is for tasks that don't require focus. Most of your real work requires focus. Many things will steal that focus, and like meditation, it takes a bit before you're at that focus point. That's fine, it's how it works. Learn to use that.
Make every calorie count (esp if you're eating at a deficit). Make it fulfill some need. It's filling, it's packed with micronutrients, it's killing the craving, something. Everything eaten should be for a purpose. If your purpose is because you're bored, can't find something better, too lazy for real food, it was there… you're cheating yourself.
Don't live your life like you have to always be on one pedal or the other. Accelerate or break. It's a waste. Find the constant. Occasionally coast. Less wear and tear that way.
Don't forget to smile. Often. For no reason other than to give yourself a pick-me-up. Remember that smiles, like many other things, are infectious. And, when you smile, it makes other people wonder what you're up to. Add a little wink when they look confused. Guaranteed to bring about a little chuckle inside.
I didn't know there was a acronym for it! lol. I have never heard this site. Other than the onslaught of garishness that makes my designer-self cringe, that looks teh awsym.
Thanks!
OK, yeah. Terrible layout and very hard to navigate, but she has some great information. Basically, she does for house cleaning the same things we do for body recomposition: have a plan and stick to your plan, do a little at a time so you don't get overwhelmed, consistency of good habits leads to success.
liked your thoughts Aoife -
I have a love-hate relationship with the Flylady - like the ideas but the presentation and vibe get to me after awhile - my most valuable take-away: you can do [nearly]anything for 15 mins - so set a timer and start working
liked your thoughts Aoife -
I have a love-hate relationship with the Flylady - like the ideas but the presentation and vibe get to me after awhile - my most valuable take-away: you can do [nearly]anything for 15 mins - so set a timer and start working
HA!
That's my "system" for cardio.
True though. I've actually used that before at times. Just get up and do for a few minutes.
Cleaning can me a mine field, if one is not careful. When I was a kid I'd get distracted by all those things I was uncovering and seeing for the first time. It takes getting to the point to realize that it's not the STUFF that holds the memories, you do. The stuff just triggers it. If you don't use the stuff, take a picture and throw the stuff out.
Housecleaning is like a metaphor for much in life. It's never "done." It's just "until next time."
ok, so I am still worried about the calf a small bit, but more importantly, I'm averaging about 1200-1400 calories a day, and not really caring if I lift all I can. So I did squats that were light today, but really, really slow. Making sure I got good activation of everything. I decided to work my way up and when I got to 105 it was just the point in which it was really hard, so I stayed there.
The step-ups, which are normally in this workout for the glute work were not happening, the bench is too soft. So I just subbed in some bridging instead.
Skipped the shoulder prehab when I lifted up the 8s and realized even one rep was gonna be hell. I don't think they need to be in every workout anymore, anyway.
And that's about it.
The last 2 days I've not had a workout, and I'm down 2.5 pounds in a week with only 3 real workouts, if the summary page I'm looking at is correct. So really I'm ok with that. I think I'm doing a good job of balancing workouts, NEAT, and eating to create a decent pace now. I still really want to be down another 17 pounds by school start, but that really doesn't seem unpossible. (That would make 150, and back to an 6/8.)
I might get in some cardio tonite. I find it's good to do late, because then if I'm all exhausted, I can just sleep. Lately sleep has been shitty, so I'm thinking it might help tonite.
The proof:
music:
the pot - tool
army of me - björk
stitches - orgy
control - puddle of mudd
the hand that feeds - nin
heresy - nin
crawling - papa roach
fack - eminem
the real slim shady - eminem
So, amazingly, FACK is a great song to do planks to. The beat is perfectly on the second.
Don't live your life like you have to always be on one pedal or the other. Accelerate or break. It's a waste. Find the constant. Occasionally coast. Less wear and tear that way.
I love your introspective posts... This one really hits home with me, I feel like I am either on or off a lot...I need to learn to be in the middle more often.
So I did get in some time on the elliptical. No log page for it.
18 min
level 2 (steady, no program)
1.24 "miles"
I'm gettin pretty wiped, but doing well. Getting in all my supps, the workouts aren't that intense, and calories are low without dragging me down. They end up varied, from about 1100 to 1400, with the occasional jump above that. So far, doin ok.
I'd have to say that the biggest "well, duh" moment when reading FLTS is that when in a deficit I shouldn't be trying to train to get stronger. That's just retarded. I mean, I'm in a deficit. DUH.
The problem being that I'm almost always lifting while in a deficit, because when I'm not working out I'm not eating well and verse visa. So it's nice to have someone not try to drag my ass into the ground (Alwyn) when trying to lose and still seeming to have ramped up to a good pace (2.5 last week).
I'm also the girl who hates cardio, so would always just do HIIT, to get it done quick. But for some reason, cardio, esp HIIT is highly draining on me and I was almost always falling asleep after the shower before. Now is tiring, but not exhausting, and I'm just going at a rather moderate pace.
Funny thing is, that to lose weight in the first place, I started with a treadmill and just walked for a while. Never more than 4mph, just would up the incline when it became too easy. So I've succeeded without any speed before. I've never cared if I could run, I have no idea why I felt the need to…
I'm still not at the point of actually really following Leigh's guidelines. I'm not watching macros, for instance. But it's really helped find the balance between pounding my head in the wall and doing nothing. Macros take way more food planning, and I don't care enough right now. I make sure to get good protein, lots veggies/fruits, some good fats… it's working so I'm not motivated to worry more yet. Leaves me something to turn to if I slow down.
Still, it'd be great to go faster. Or at least not be afraid of slowing down. So I try to do a lot. My house (which really has been a total disaster in a huge way) is much better for it.
I'd have to say that the biggest "well, duh" moment when reading FLTS is that when in a deficit I shouldn't be trying to train to get stronger. That's just retarded. I mean, I'm in a deficit. DUH.
The problem being that I'm almost always lifting while in a deficit, because when I'm not working out I'm not eating well and verse visa. So it's nice to have someone not try to drag my ass into the ground (Alwyn) when trying to lose and still seeming to have ramped up to a good pace (2.5 last week).
I'm also the girl who hates cardio, so would always just do HIIT, to get it done quick. But for some reason, cardio, esp HIIT is highly draining on me and I was almost always falling asleep after the shower before. Now is tiring, but not exhausting, and I'm just going at a rather moderate pace.
Funny thing is, that to lose weight in the first place, I started with a treadmill and just walked for a while. Never more than 4mph, just would up the incline when it became too easy. So I've succeeded without any speed before. I've never cared if I could run, I have no idea why I felt the need to…
I'm still not at the point of actually really following Leigh's guidelines. I'm not watching macros, for instance. But it's really helped find the balance between pounding my head in the wall and doing nothing. Macros take way more food planning, and I don't care enough right now. I make sure to get good protein, lots veggies/fruits, some good fats… it's working so I'm not motivated to worry more yet. Leaves me something to turn to if I slow down.
Still, it'd be great to go faster. Or at least not be afraid of slowing down. So I try to do a lot. My house (which really has been a total disaster in a huge way) is much better for it.
I think we're in a similar place here, a similar "duh" moment... If I work out so hard that I overeat and/or lay around all day exhausted... duh!!! I love HIIT in how quick and efficient it is, love being "macho" and pushing myself - but I can't afford to do that when I'm at a deficit and have fat to lose. DUH!!!!!!!
Take the parts of Leigh's program that work for you. You can always add more if it's not doing enough... sounding very good Aoife!
I just need to get it into my head that I'm not what I used to be. I will be, but right now I'm not. I keep training like I am. I'm not. It sucks. But I'm not.
Zucchini, red and orange bell peppers, carrots, red onion, scallions, garlic, peanut oil.
Table spoon of peanut oil into the wok.
When warm, add chopped garlic, couple cloves.
Then diced onion and scallion.
Then, the peppers, zucchini, and carrots.
Toss on some rosemary, little salt, and some fresh grated white pepper.
Stir fry till done. Pile some in a whole wheat wrap. Eat. Yum.
Added Pork cubes for Otto, have no idea how that's turned out yet. Might add a bit of rice too in order to fill it out a tad.
Actually, it has no garlic or onion taste really, and the peanut oil is just lighter than the normal olive. I had a LOT of veggies, so that was mostly all ya can taste.
Ah, I see. I like how the cooking takes the pow out of things like garlic and onion. My aversion to peanut oil is mainly due to the fact that it's fatal to me.
Don't think I've ever used white pepper instead of black. What makes it different? Lack of rhythm and poor jumping abilities?
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Lol. I guessed that about the oil, hence another light oil would work too. Even olive, just I tend to always cook with it so… sunflower might be nice.
Lolz. I like white for the lighter taste. not so "peppery." It definitely does lack pizzazz…
I'm actually not a zucchini fan, and while I'd like to get more variety of veggies in my diet (i like all the staples of broccoli, carrots, peas, beans, leafys…), I usually find myself just confined to the same-old-same-old. This was nice and different. And none of the veggies do I usually like. But they're all really nice together, lightly flavored, and prolly would go great with some tofu. hmmmmmmmm
So, looking at what I'm doing next, I think I'm gonna go ahead and after my last 2 workouts of what i'm doing, go ahead and start the first part of OPT. It's 3 weeks, 4 lifts, 3 cardios a week, 1200 calories by my calculations. It doesn't look too taxing, about what I've been doing anyway, but without the big heavy lifts in the beginning. Since it's actually those lifts that are keeping me from working out sometimes, (when you're really tired, squatting heavy is not something you're excited to do), moving on is prolly best.
HELL was a little too intense for when I was trying to do it. OPT more fits in line with what I'm actually capable of and have been doing for a bit. My weeks start on mondays, so I'll start then. Till then I still have 2 more lifts scheduled and some cardios. Besides, that gives me enough time to make logs.
Leigh has a quiz to figure out what your activity multiplier is... far more useful than the standard ones you see. Coupled with the HB formula for BMR. Then, Opt has %deficits that you follow. My general calculated maintenance is about 1850. The first three weeks of OPT are a 35% deficit. So, 1850x.65=1200 (plus or minus a few calories). It would be different for others.
My issue is that it's summer. So, since I'm around the house all day, I don't get points for traveling to work or walking around an office all day. If I were in school right now (or working, of course) my maintenance would be higher, and so therefore so would be my intake at this deficit.
This one really hits home with me, I feel like I am either on or off a lot...I need to learn to be in the middle more often.
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