The challenge is going well. I am starting to consider the challenges this challenge insists.
No Dining Out: the challenge is to prepare our own meals, instead of buying them. If we weren't on a meal plan, this might be a little easier since we wouldn't be restricted to only vegetables, fruits, and lean meats. Otherwise, I could just buy some boxed frozen dinners, chips, and lunch meat, and make pretty easy meals out of that. We have already decided what will be for dinner for each night of the week, so planning is not too difficult. The biggest challenge about not dining out is overcoming laziness.
Being on a meal plan (ie restricted diet, but I don't like to refer to it with negative words) means that we are consuming about twice as many vegetables and fruits. And that's really good for us, so I am happy! But. Those fruits and veggies ain't gonna wash and chop themselves either. I spent about an hour and a half yesterday cleaning and preparing the vegetables. So now when I want a snack, I just need to reach for the bag of carrots or the container of cucumber slices. Salads will be quick and easy to prepare because the lettuce is already washed and torn. The time for all that cleaning would have to be spent at some point. If it hadn't been knocked out in one very long fell swoop, it may not have ever been done. I hate to say it, but laziness has triumphed in the past, and dinner came in a bag from the drive through window, and the veggies spoiled from the bitterness of rejection.
I think I will be able to meet all my goals this week. The meal plan is being followed, and I haven't gone out to eat. As long as I go get on the treadmill now, I'll have a perfect 3 for 3 day record of exercising every day. I'm feeling good!
Other reasons why I feel good today: Kara taught me how to drive a standard, and then we went to the store and back without stalling out even once!
and
I had an interview for a teaching job at a Christian boarding school at 1230. I only got the call at 11, so I wasn't really prepared. I don't know how it will turn out, but I am encouraged that I might get a teaching job eventually.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
August Challenge: Day 1 & 2
We started last night, with dinner. It was beef fillet (about 6 oz), Greek salad, and boiled yucca.
Kara and David came over just as we finished eating. David and Ryan killed Zombies on the Zombie level of Call of Duty 4.2; Kara and I went to the fitness center.
I "ran" for about 11 minutes at 6.5 mph, with a little bit of brisk walking in between, so about a mile. It was tough! I haven't ran or exercised in over a month, and I am feeling it! Then I did chest presses on the machine; 3 sets of 8 at 45 lbs.
Today, Ryan and I had fresh mixed fruit for breakfast: strawberries, orange, blueberries, and grapes. I boiled some eggs, and had one as a snack. I'm about to go wash and prepare a fridge full of vegetables for salads and snacks: lettuce, carrots, celery, broccoli, cucumber.
Dinner tonight is fish fillet, asparagus, and whole grain brown rice. Dinners will usually have a type of starch, since there's not really any other starches in the meal plan.
I want to try to do one of those dance videos today. If Kara comes over to work out again, I'll do some leg presses on the machine.
Beginning stats on day 1:
- 139.6 lbs
- 11 minute jog
- clothes: very snug
Kara and David came over just as we finished eating. David and Ryan killed Zombies on the Zombie level of Call of Duty 4.2; Kara and I went to the fitness center.
I "ran" for about 11 minutes at 6.5 mph, with a little bit of brisk walking in between, so about a mile. It was tough! I haven't ran or exercised in over a month, and I am feeling it! Then I did chest presses on the machine; 3 sets of 8 at 45 lbs.
Today, Ryan and I had fresh mixed fruit for breakfast: strawberries, orange, blueberries, and grapes. I boiled some eggs, and had one as a snack. I'm about to go wash and prepare a fridge full of vegetables for salads and snacks: lettuce, carrots, celery, broccoli, cucumber.
Dinner tonight is fish fillet, asparagus, and whole grain brown rice. Dinners will usually have a type of starch, since there's not really any other starches in the meal plan.
I want to try to do one of those dance videos today. If Kara comes over to work out again, I'll do some leg presses on the machine.
Beginning stats on day 1:
- 139.6 lbs
- 11 minute jog
- clothes: very snug
the august Challenge
I hate running.
But I know that if I'm going to get into better shape, it is the one thing that will get me there. The exercise that I do enjoy includes weight training (on machines; free-weights + reanna = dangerous), group sports, and most recently zumba. Other factors involved in getting into better shape include healthier eating, and getting proper rest.
I'm doing ok on getting enough rest. I drink plenty of water. I take my vitamins and supplements, though I'd like to get onto a good multi-vitamin (of the pre-natal sort). So with the beginning of a new month, I am giving myself a month-long challenge.
My fitness goals:
- no dining out
- stay on the meal plan
- do some kind of exercise every day
An explaination of the goals:
- No Dining Out. The purposes of this goal are twofold. One) to save money on unnecessary spending when we have plenty of good food at home. Two) to resist indulging in fried, fatty, or overly processed food.
- Stay on the Meal Plan. The meal plan includes vegetables, fruit, light dairy, and lean meats. Goal #1 is key because the savings will most likely be transfered into spending on goal #2.
- Exercise Every Day. Our apartment has a fitness center with weight machines and cardio machines. I also have access to some dance workout videos through Netflix. Now I want to make good use of these resources.
Ryan is in on this, too. He found a great deal on beef filet at a meat market. We also have chicken breasts and fish filets. The fridge is full of vegetables and fruit. There are some non-meal plan foods in the pantry that I'll allow myself to snack on until they run out, but I will not buy any more.
I will try to chronicle my progess during this challenge. There will be a few blips throughout the month, I'm sure. This weekend will definitely be one, since it is Ryan's graduation weekend! There is a church retreat we're going to in a few weeks, too. But everyone knows that calories at a church function don't count, right?
But I know that if I'm going to get into better shape, it is the one thing that will get me there. The exercise that I do enjoy includes weight training (on machines; free-weights + reanna = dangerous), group sports, and most recently zumba. Other factors involved in getting into better shape include healthier eating, and getting proper rest.
I'm doing ok on getting enough rest. I drink plenty of water. I take my vitamins and supplements, though I'd like to get onto a good multi-vitamin (of the pre-natal sort). So with the beginning of a new month, I am giving myself a month-long challenge.
My fitness goals:
- no dining out
- stay on the meal plan
- do some kind of exercise every day
An explaination of the goals:
- No Dining Out. The purposes of this goal are twofold. One) to save money on unnecessary spending when we have plenty of good food at home. Two) to resist indulging in fried, fatty, or overly processed food.
- Stay on the Meal Plan. The meal plan includes vegetables, fruit, light dairy, and lean meats. Goal #1 is key because the savings will most likely be transfered into spending on goal #2.
- Exercise Every Day. Our apartment has a fitness center with weight machines and cardio machines. I also have access to some dance workout videos through Netflix. Now I want to make good use of these resources.
Ryan is in on this, too. He found a great deal on beef filet at a meat market. We also have chicken breasts and fish filets. The fridge is full of vegetables and fruit. There are some non-meal plan foods in the pantry that I'll allow myself to snack on until they run out, but I will not buy any more.
I will try to chronicle my progess during this challenge. There will be a few blips throughout the month, I'm sure. This weekend will definitely be one, since it is Ryan's graduation weekend! There is a church retreat we're going to in a few weeks, too. But everyone knows that calories at a church function don't count, right?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
