Cory's Quest for a Healthier Life

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Sometimes just making small changes will do the trick. I like your self-awareness Cory.
 
I made a couple of consecutively bad choices today. Skipped dance and got take out, so I haven't gotten any exercise and my calories are probably up around 2500-3000 (it can be hard to be sure with take out). Why did I do this? Probably as a function of the bad choices I made over the weekend. I didn't get enough sleep last night, I didn't grocery shop and meal prep last night when I got in, and I'm really disappointed at how poorly I've been doing with food in the last week. Makes sense, right? Unhappy about not eating well......so I continue to not eat well. I think I need to set some really simple goals over the next couple days to buoy my mood and confidence that I can still do this. Let's say that tomorrow I will just try to eat under my sedentary maintenance calories (2300) and go to the gym. I should be able to do both of those things and it'll feel good to not feel like I failed something. I do not deal well with feeling like I failed. Not trying to sound cocky at all, but it's not something I'm generally accustomed to feeling.
 
I think setting simple goals is a great idea! Maybe write them down...in large letters...you know, just as reminders. I use to do that all the time with Positive Thoughts. I had sticky notes all over my house, things like, You CAN do this! and Fear is the great mind killer! and Desire is the starting point for all achievement, and anything I read that positively motivated me. So, I was constantly reminded everywhere I went that I needed to stay positive.

No one is a failure...until they give up in their own mind!

And you know what, You CAN still do this...and you will, I'm sure. I was real proud of myself a couple of days ago because my wife wanted to go thru In and Out Burger. Probably never heard of them but they are the absolute best...and I was really wanting one with fries...until I looked up the caloric content...what a buzz kill! 450 for the cheeseburger, 395 for the fries, and who eats fries without catsup? So I didn't. But last nite I wanted some Fritos..so...I rationalized...looking at the damn bag...160c 10 chips! So...okay...I'll have ten chips....and then another ten...and another ten....Bam! 480 calories...they sure were good though!

But don't feel bad about it. Just move on sweetheart, nothing to see here...You will regroup and be fine! Every now and then a little rain must fall....insert an endless number of very annoying cliches.... :)
 
I’m in to re committing to diet if you’re up to it. Drank 2 glasses of wine tonight :/

It’s okay but I’d like to make sure February is a good month
 
Thanks guys. Feeling a little better about things. Jenni, I'd totally be up for a challenge. There's a whole subforum for it. We should talk about the rules/goals.

So, after much tinkering last night, I think I finally managed to organize a schedule that will let me dance 3-4 times a week, lift twice a week, and do either Highland Games or Strongman training once a week. This took a lot more thought than you would think because certain things can only happen on certain days. Like, I don't have a lot of options in terms of where I stick dance classes because they happen on certain days and at certain times. Same thing for Strongman/Highland Games. There are group sessions that pretty much only happen on Saturdays (or occasionally Sundays). The only things I can really "move" so to speak are lifting days and rest days.

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That's one busy schedule. I can do one rest day per week because I only do light weights and 33 minutes cardio and can do them before I even leave home in the morning.

You're showing a lot of determination and dedication.

I'd not be in for a food challenge because that would probably mean assessing calories for what I eat. There's nothing in my current diet I'd be wanting or willing to forego.
 
I was thinking the challenge focuses exclusively on diet. We all do different stuff for exercise, but diet is where many of us seem to struggle. For that reason, I think keeping the focus on diet alone would be most helpful - for me, anyway.

As for the diet itself, I think it can be individual. Like I may focus on a calorie goal for the month, but another might want to stay on a keto diet or follow their weight watchers plan for the month. It could even be staying within a specific macro range.

I'm open to any ideas, though!
 
Well done with the schedule! That is a GREAT idea!

I'm going to follow your lead and try to make a schedule of my own.

You ladies are going to kick my ass on the food-watching in Feb. I'm spending a week up in Whistler and it's gonna be tough staying away from the wine and restaurant meals. I also have a date night with my wife on Friday which really should be renamed "drink night with my wife" ... but I'm game!!!
 
Hey Jenni,

Diet gets pretty darn personal :) I am on a low(er) carb / high protein unofficial eating plan. I kinda want to stick to that as I've seen some positive gains in the last month. I'm also trying to follow SHRED's lead and cut back on sugar. So, best thing for me is probably a monthly calorie count. Gonna set my goal at 56,000 calories for February. Nervously excited.

OK, sorry for usurping your diary page with this stuff, Cory.
 
Hale: I probably should have another rest day, to be honest. I'm going to stick with one for now and take extras as I need them.
Jenni: Would totally be up for a challenge like that.
Brent: Schedules help a lot. I usually have one, even if I don't post it here. Mine has just changed slightly since I'm trying to incorporate that specialty training.
Cate: It's actually not too far off of what I've been doing/have done in the past.
FeelingGooder: It's not my favorite set up, but it's kind of what I have to do if I want to fit all of my activities in. I'm playing it by ear and will take extra rest days as I need them.
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Had a great zumba class tonight. It's the one year anniversary of the place I've been going to opening. Place was liiiiiittttt. They did a free hour and a half long class where all the instructors took turns. It was so great because all of the people there are like.....the top 6 out of my 10 favorite instructors. All of my friends were there and we all danced up on stage with each other. It was just a really good class.

Slight change to the schedule. I've decided to split my specialty training into blocks. March through September will be Highland games focused and October through February will be Strongman focused. It's probably more productive to split the year like that than try to split my time between both all year round. So, I'll probably do Highland games practice 3 weeks a month and Strongman 1 week a month until October and then that will flip flop.

Managed to keep my food goal of staying under 2300 calories:
Breakfast: Bagel with peanut butter and a banana - 535 calories
Lunch: Turkey sub, doritos, and a cookie - 949 calories
Dinner: Fettuccine alfredo with roasted vegetables - 770 calories
Total: 2254 calories

Would have been less, except there was a lunch and learn at work with food provided and doritos are hard for me to say no to. I think I'll keep the goal to stay under 2300 for the rest of the week and maybe go down to under 2000 next week.
 
I tried Zumba once and man it was tougher than it looked! It's a lot of booty shaking for an hour! :D

PS I started the Challenge thread. Link is in my sig! Woot woot!
 
Today was a good day. I hit a new PR lifting and did good with food.

Breakfast: muffin - 460 calories
Lunch: pork loin with grilled veggies and rice - 732 calories
Dinner: bacon, eggs, and roasted veggies - 492 calories
Total: 1684 calories

Exercise:
10,000 steps

Squats:
120 lbs for 1x5
135 lbs for 1x3
150 lbs for 1x3

Bench:
70 lbs for 1x5
75 lbs for 1x3
85 lbs for 1x5

Lat Pull Downs:
75 lbs for 3x10

45 degree hyper:
Body weight for 3x12

Banded side squats:
BW for 3x20

Ab bench:
25 lbs for 3x15

Super psyched about that 150 lbs for 3 squat. Last time I attempted that weight, back in......I think it was August, I could only get 2. Then I basically didn't lift for 4 months while I house hunted. Really excited to have been able to do it today. I don't know if I could have without my brother and his girlfriend's encouragement. I have one more heavy session where I might be trying to set a deadlift PR (have to look at the book for back in August vs. what I plan to lift and see). Either way, this session and the next one are the heaviest ones in the cycle and then next week I will deload before I start a new cycle with the weights bumped up.

Also, day 3 with no soda. I'm trying to make it through the month of February.
 
Great job on the PR and calories. Good luck on the challenge.
 
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