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The Dawning of the Age of Pandora

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    #1

    The Dawning of the Age of Pandora

    I am starting on a new path to better health. I have tried and been successful for a time, then I fall off the wagon. The one time I was really consistently successful for a long time has been when I've been accountable (to someone else). Recently, I have been wondering why it hasn't been sticking. I listened to a podcast that said I need to find my "WHY". Why do I want to be healthier? And then they revealed something that may have been holding me back- they said the REAL WHY could be embarrassing... So here are my WHYs:

    * I have moderate/serious eczema- I itch all day, every day. I did WHOLE30 in January and found some definite food triggers- there are a bunch of them, like land mines. Sugar (duh). Alcohol (duh). Rice- SO BAD, also triggers asthma. Soy. Wheat. Dairy. and I think now I'm allergic to eggs- had a reaction to the flu vaccine this year- big welt and rash, still there a month later. But this isn't enough to keep me on the straight and narrow.
    * I want to reduce my inflammation load- I have digestive issues, skin issues, stress, and I know it's eroding my long-term health.
    * I have gained weight. I am no longer the woman I was before I had my son. I am not enjoying myself in the mirror.
    * I've given up and given in for others, raised my son, take care of my family, sacrificed for work, put others first (ALWAYS), and did not leave time for myself. I need to re-learn how to do that.
    * but the real WHY, the secret one- is that I have low self-confidence. I want to feel confident about myself, and I feel like having a body I've worked to care for will give me that.

    About a year ago, I did the FOUNDATION workout. I enjoyed it actually, and then lost my way. I found a log format that I liked, and I used it as a hand-written log to measure my progress. It helped me to see why some days were hard (no sleep maybe?) and others felt easier. It also helped me to monitor progress and keep motivated to push forward. So I will do that again, will post the template later tonight so I can copy/paste into my online log here. I'm also going to try to gamify my workout with the Age of Pandora. I am out of shape, but I know I can complete level 1 workouts in full, so will start there.

    I am really hoping to find some tough love out there. While encouragement is great, and we all need it, what works best for me is encouragement with a little finger wag along with it. Help me to question what doesn't seem to be working, call me out if I slack off, offer advice if I struggle. And if you want to join in, I'd love to have someone to enter the post-apocalyptic world with me! Thanks for listening.
    Tags: None
    • 5 likes
    #2
    Hey! Welcome to the hive!

    Let's get this thing started!!!
    Good luck on your journey...
    • 4 likes

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      #3
      Welcome
      • 2 likes

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        #4
        Welcome, nice avatar, my favourite superhero (other than Captain Canuck I guess)

        I read somewhere recently that people have only so many "Starts" in them, that they will try something, stick with it and drop it after a while. It was not a negative idea though, because every time you drop it, you get closer to the time that you start and then it just becomes part of your life. Most of us on this site have been there to one degree or another. I think that identifying your "Why" is really important, as it is something that a lot of people never consider.
        • 2 likes

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          #5
          Thank you for the support and encouragement! I also think that if I keep starting, eventually it will stick. Deep down inside, I am an optimist.

          Assessment day:
          situps (crunches): 28, no full situps
          pushups (knees): 18
          burpees(awkward): 12
          Day of the week: Tuesday
          Goal: start where I stand
          I got up early- ish to fit in my workout, but could really only afford a half hour. Took a while to get situated so I only finished the assessment.
          will try to do Chapter 1 of Pandora during the day and report back.

          log template for workouts:
          day of the week:
          goal:
          warmup/ stretch/ cool down:
          Muscle groups:
          exercise Reps
          xxxx xxx
          xxxx xxx
          difficulty (for me, 1-5):
          energy(1-5):
          notes:
          • 5 likes

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            #6
            HI and welcome to the Hive.
            • 3 likes

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              #7
              Half an hour is great, I wouldn't add "only" as a descriptor for it. 30 minutes is more than most people do.
              • 4 likes

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                #8
                Hey, I made it back! I gave myself 45 min today so I can wake up just a wee bit, and have time for stretching. This feels like a more comfortable time allotment. I did not get to it last night after work so I’m gonna just stick with mornings.

                day of the week: Wednesday
                goal: just get through it
                warmup/ stretch/ cool down: arm, neck shoulder stretches to warm up, leg stretches to cool down. Child’s pose for back.
                Muscle groups: felt like everything (lol) arms, legs, glutes

                exercise Reps
                Palm strikes 40
                Knee strikes 40
                Elbow strikes. 40
                half jacks 40 x 5
                half jack squats. 40 x 5
                side lunges 4 x 5

                difficulty (for me, 1-5): 4
                energy(1-5): 4

                notes: Pandora Chapter 1 parts 1 and 2. I am still alive.
                I thought maybe I wouldn’t make it after the second leg rep, but around rep 3 my lungs kinda remembered what cardio is and helped me out.
                • 4 likes

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                  #9
                  OK, so after today's workout it hit me why I did not stick with it last time. I finished Foundation fully, at level 1, then tried 90 days of Action, and hit a cardio wall maybe about 2-3 weeks in. Went back to Foundation and tried to do level 2, but the wall was still there. Got discouraged about going back to do level 1 Foundation again, worked at it for a couple of weeks, and then decided that was sucking my joy. It seemed too much energy to make a new plan so I gave it a few days to think on it and then the wagon left and I was lying in the road.

                  Now, with this reboot I see that this will again become a problem. So for now, I will do Pandora every other day with full cardio on the other days. I like step aerobics (shush your mouth- it's fun! and for a clutz, I like that I remember the choreo) and I already have what I need. I set up a "cardio arena" outside on the covered patio, with interlocking mats to hopefully help me retain some of my knee cartilage and muffle the sounds of galumphing elephants, WiFi, and a step. Tomorrow- outdoor cardio. I hope that if I start with cardio from the beginning, I will be better able to keep pace with the ramping workouts. The DAREBEE workouts seem to sneak in hard cardio when you least expect it- it seems so innocuous when I preview the next day's workout. I think it's the static images of the moves that trick me
                  • 5 likes

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                    #10
                    Ok today I decided to do just cardio for endurance. I am sweaty but could keep up. Did it inside, hubs decided he’d rather hear the muffled trampling of elephants from down the hall rather than from the patio outside the bedroom LOL.

                    day of the week: Thursday
                    goal: get sweaty, don’t die.
                    warmup/ stretch/ cool down: leg stretches, child’s pose.
                    Muscle groups: legs, core, cardio
                    exercise : Jenny Ford 25 min beginner step
                    difficulty (for me, 1-5): 3 not easy leash but totally doable.
                    energy(1-5): 3
                    notes: feeling a bit stiff in the legs from yesterday, but otherwise OK.
                    • 5 likes

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                      #11
                      I made it to Friday!

                      day of the week: Friday!
                      goal: just get through it
                      warmup/ stretch/ cool down: arm, neck shoulder stretches to warm up, leg stretches to cool down. Child’s pose for back.
                      Muscle groups: legs, glutes

                      exercise Reps
                      High knees: 10x4x5
                      Jump knee tucks (uh, jumps): 2x4x5
                      Wall sit: 30 sec x 2

                      difficulty (for me, 1-5): 5 wall sit was harder than expected, knee tuck jumpers did NOT look like the picture.
                      energy(1-5): 3

                      notes: stiff in the legs but was able to shake it out. Happy Friday everyone!
                      • 6 likes

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                        #12
                        Today I have more time to focus on my body. I am feeling pretty good considering the work ahead of me. I am enjoying the journey. I need to remind myself that it’s not about the destination or how quickly I get there. I am already noticing changes, it’s amazing how adaptive and resilient the human body (in reasonably good health) is. The HIIT is dislodging the junk in my lungs, and my aerobic cardio was already a lot better today than two days ago. I’m sore but nothing pulled or otherwise injured so I’m definitely winning. I am also logging my food not to derail my efforts, on LoseIt. I am striving for approximately 30/30/30 macros with appropriate calories for slow loss.

                        day of the week: Saturday
                        goal: treat my body like a temple

                        warmup/ stretch/ cool down: full body stretching as cool down, 30 min.
                        Muscle groups: cardio, legs, glutes
                        exercise Reps
                        Jenny Ford beginner Step, 25 min. With full arms today.
                        difficulty (for me, 1-5): 3 it’s in the good place
                        energy(1-5): 4 feeling good.
                        notes: I bought myself a present this week, unintentionally- needed Bluetooth earbuds for a video tour I was leading and narrating. Game changer! I got to have music while I worked out at any volume I want! ❤️❤️
                        • 3 likes

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                          #13
                          day of the week: Sunday
                          goal: take my time, stay committed. Pandora Chapter 3
                          warmup/ stretch/ cool down: stretches to cool down
                          Muscle groups: legs, glutes, core

                          exercise Reps
                          Jumping jacks 6x3
                          Heel click jumps 6x3
                          side leg raises 6x3 each leg
                          extended leg marches 6x3 each leg
                          butt kicks 6x3 each leg
                          split jacks 6x3 each leg
                          crunches 20 x 3
                          pushups (knees) 5x3
                          wall sit to failure- made it a whole minute in one go.

                          difficulty (for me, 1-5): 3 totally fine
                          energy(1-5): 4

                          notes: feeling good. Music makes a world of difference. I have a question about workout reps- do the reps mean total or each side for exercises that switch sides? I always interpret it to be each side, but that can end up doubling the workout in some cases. I got a lot of high knees and march steps in my future, want to prepare mentally lol.
                          • 5 likes

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                            #14
                            day of the week: Happy Monday!
                            goal: do it without too much cussing
                            warmup/ stretch/ cool down: stretches to cool down

                            Muscle groups: cardio, legs, glutes
                            exercise Reps
                            Jenny Ford beginner step, 30 min
                            difficulty (for me, 1-5): 3
                            energy(1-5): 3
                            notes: tried a different beginner workout. This one has a longer mid section and less warmup and cool down. ( and 30 full min Instead of 25) I think this is a good place for a while. Sweaty, red, but not out of breath and finish the workout fine.
                            • 5 likes

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                              #15
                              day of the week: Tuesday
                              goal: run! Without running. Pandora Chapter 4
                              warmup/ stretch/ cool down: leg stretches, child’s pose
                              Muscle groups: legs
                              exercise Reps
                              High knees 10 each leg x4 x3
                              Twist jacks 4 each side x3
                              side jumps 4 each side x3
                              squat jumps 4 x3
                              difficulty (for me, 1-5): 3-4
                              energy(1-5):3
                              notes: doing fine with the workouts. Hope everyone else out there is doing well too!
                              • 4 likes

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