Forcing Growth - Jenn's Journal

[alligatorob]

I'm getting surgery in about 3 weeks, which includes extracting my front tooth

I know that can seem traumatic, it was for me and it was not a front tooth. However now 2 years on I am really happy with my implant and without my defective tooth, years of tooth aches gone! Just be prepared for a relatively long process, and of course the bank account depletion that goes with it...

Your weight training looks good, I may do some copying.

 

[Jenniquest]

Just be prepared for a relatively long process, and of course the bank account depletion that goes with it...

Yup, it's definitely not cheap!!


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Well, I decided to get off my butt even though it's been raining all day. I put on my raincoat and walked to the clubhouse gym. Here's how it went!

exercise: sets x weight x reps
Standing Military Press: 4 x 45 x 9/9/8/8 +2 reps
Squat: 4 x 45 x 10
Barbell Rows: 4 x 55 x 7/7/7/6 +3 reps
Deadlift: 4 x 75 x 7/7/6/6 +2 reps
Bench Press: 4 x 65 x 5 +4 reps

My knees were bothering me today, so I just did light squats with more reps. Increased reps on everything else. My body does better with slow progression, so I usually take a weight and milk it for every rep I can get before adding more weight. Once I get to 4 sets of 9 reps on any exercise, I add weight and start with lower reps. This allows for progressive overload while my joints have plenty of time to adapt.

Today, I am tracking calories on my Whole 30 just to see if I need to cut back. So far, I haven't counted at all and I just eat whatever I want as long as it's compliant. But I don't want to gain weight on eating too many healthy foods, either!

I still have to run my one mile. Going to try a little later when it cools off.

 

[Emilyrose]

Well done on the gym workout Jenni. Sorry to hear life got a little tough for a while. You sound really motivated, and like Petal, I remember what an absolutely beautiful home you were renovating (building?) for yourself. More picture updates if you please!

 

[Jenniquest]

Well done on the gym workout Jenni. Sorry to hear life got a little tough for a while. You sound really motivated, and like Petal, I remember what an absolutely beautiful home you were renovating (building?) for yourself. More picture updates if you please!

Hi! Yes, we built the house and I will post some updated pics. The landscaping is finished and I have a pretty garden area



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Day 7 - Whole 30/ Day 3 - run 1 mile a day

Calories:


Finished my 1 mile jog:
1 mile jog: 12:24 / Previous time: 13:14

 

[Cate]

I just had gone back to your old diary to look at your house pics so some updates would be lovely

 

[Llama]

Especially of the garden!

 

[liza]

Your whole 30 plan is inspiring to me. Just like Cate's 30 days off alcohol...i could probably use a break from some bad habits but just not ready to go there yet!
Nice improvement on time for your jog!

 

[Petal001]

Good luck with the tooth work Jen . I still not fully read your updates but interest in your whole 30

 

[Jenniquest]

Thanks yall!

Day 8 - Whole 30/ Day 4 - jog 1 mile per day

This morning I decided to do some interval work rather than running 3 miles. I'm hoping it helps my regular pace, plus it just breaks up the monotony a bit!

It went something like this:

3 miles total
- 2 fast runs
- 3 decent sprints
- 4 hill runs
- walking in between

I'll do my 1 mile run later today.

I've really gotten sucked into some of the ugly negativity revolving around our election and political climate. Our country is currently very divided and the political atmosphere is utterly toxic. I'm guilty of participating in some of this negativity and I don't like it. So, along with Facebook, I need to stay off Twitter. I really want to clear my mind and cleanse my thoughts because right now I feel angry and resentful. I don't want to feel that way about anyone. It's not who I want to be and it doesn't make me happy. It also feels like a waste of time. So, I'm just going to shut down all social media and stop watching the news and instead read good books, spend time outdoors, and focus on being the best and healthiest version of myself.

 

[Llama]

Sounds healthy to me. I stopped watching/reading/listening to the news long ago because it stressed me out so much. Now I read up on things important to me if and when I have a chance to influence things but otherwise just try to be kind in personal interaction (and refuse to accept cruel viewpoints when people try to push them on me).
Your running sounds exhausting but rewarding!

 

[Jenniquest]

Exactly. If I can be part of the solution, that’s great. But I don’t want to be part of the problem. I’m a bit ashamed of myself for this behavior, tbh. I’m human though, and I’ll just try to learn from it and do better.

My heart rate was like a roller coaster doing these intervals!

 

[Llama]

Very consistent rises and drops though, right?

 

[Cate]

So, I'm just going to shut down all social media and stop watching the news and instead read good books, spend time outdoors, and focus on being the best and healthiest version of myself.

Good thinking, Jenn.

 

[liza]

I like that interval work--I'm working a little bit with that myself on my runs, though yours looks more challenging than mine. I do find even the less challenging type I do is improving my pace and ease of running.
Good for you for distancing from the toxicity and focusing on the positive instead

 

[Petal001]

Don't have FB, TWITTER , INSTAGRAM . This forum enough social for me plus my friends on whatsapp or Skype . Do it Jen you be a new person .
Good work yesterday

 

[Emilyrose]

Hey Jenn, the whole world is kind of obsessed with the 'politics' (although it's more pantomime at this stage) in your country, so I don't blame you for getting sucked into it. It really is not worth getting into Twitter spats over - you're not going to change anyone's mind unfortunately. That has to come from experience firsthand of the inequality that is rampant in our world.

In Ireland, we have a situation where we have migrant workers in meat factories living in houses with 8 or 10 other migrants. Some of them work the day shift and when they get back, they take the bed of the guy who works the night shift. And this is in a country where the amount of wealth we have is astounding - the amount of people that have holiday homes, properties to rent or put on Airbnb has taken me surprise and Covid has really exposed all of that.

That is one good thing about this pandemic - it's shining a light on the haves and have nots and making it clear how deep the rot that comes with money and privilege goes. We need to do a lot more for the most vulnerable in society.

If I owned a business and I knew that some of my employees were living in the conditions they are while I was driving around in my Audi, that would not sit well with me. I think everyone needs a wake-up call.

 

[Petal001]

Hear hear Em . Just been reading about that , how coincidental

 

[Jenniquest]

I like that interval work--I'm working a little bit with that myself on my runs, though yours looks more challenging than mine. I do find even the less challenging type I do is improving my pace and ease of running.
Good for you for distancing from the toxicity and focusing on the positive instead

Intervals do seem to really help speed! My quads were even sore today, lol. Probably from the sprints.

Don't have FB, TWITTER , INSTAGRAM . This forum enough social for me plus my friends on whatsapp or Skype . Do it Jen you be a new person .
Good work yesterday

I'm just really tired of all the fighting, and worried for my country, tbh. It doesn't matter who wins this next election - there's a real threat of civil war either way, imo.

Hey Jenn, the whole world is kind of obsessed with the 'politics' (although it's more pantomime at this stage) in your country, so I don't blame you for getting sucked into it. It really is not worth getting into Twitter spats over - you're not going to change anyone's mind unfortunately. That has to come from experience firsthand of the inequality that is rampant in our world.

In Ireland, we have a situation where we have migrant workers in meat factories living in houses with 8 or 10 other migrants. Some of them work the day shift and when they get back, they take the bed of the guy who works the night shift. And this is in a country where the amount of wealth we have is astounding - the amount of people that have holiday homes, properties to rent or put on Airbnb has taken me surprise and Covid has really exposed all of that.

That is one good thing about this pandemic - it's shining a light on the haves and have nots and making it clear how deep the rot that comes with money and privilege goes. We need to do a lot more for the most vulnerable in society.

If I owned a business and I knew that some of my employees were living in the conditions they are while I was driving around in my Audi, that would not sit well with me. I think everyone needs a wake-up call.

The big corporations in America are literally without a conscience as long as the money keeps coming. It's so corrupt and sickening it's hardly imaginable.

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Day 9 - Whole 30 / No running

I took a full rest day today because I was actually sore from the intervals and I had a story to write. So, I worked on my story the better part of the day and hopefully I can finish it up tomorrow. I had sweet cravings today and it was harder to follow my eating plan, but I didn't fall off. It has been said that days 10-11 are the hardest days on Whole 30. I think I got a taste of that today. Just gotta stay strong!!!!

 

[liza]

I had sweet cravings today and it was harder to follow my eating plan, but I didn't fall off.

Good for you! That does take strength to stick to that plan.

 

[Llama]

A rest day sounds like a good idea.