Self-portrait

 I made a self portrait.

The girl in the picture has a dimple which replicates the lines of her straight hair.

I showed it to my friends. They bleated that a goat does not have long hair, forget straight.

Why cant portraiture cross species?

would it be easier on them if it was a half portrait?

Length wise or breadth wise. One or the other symmetry will hurt.

Or like a Rorschach, the transformation might seem easier to consider like comparision than understand the link between whats in my head and who I am or who I see me as in my head. 

Was this my way of removing the blemishes and adding the ideals or vice versa of exaggerating the beauty first and then removing the ears and horns.

Or is it part of portrait with a girl and then I realised I didnt have to draw myself, that the poise of the girl reflected mine and hence there was no need to draw me.

Look in there, its multiple self portraits that assembled to become a human.

***************

After seeing a friend's self portriat of an animal, I got this idea....

Twisting superwoman

 Twisting Superwoman makign fitness more fun for you with a challenge. Its a progression from Feel good Fitness by Alysia Montano who is an olympic runner but didnt start out "born with a passion for running" but she loved to move.

WK 7 Day 4

9/10

Upper Body workout

Even with lower weights, the lateral raise of alternating but keeping the other hand lifted with weight was so tough. Even the stretched out arms up in the air and down. 

Hannah Eden pushes you to do your best. Read about her Iceland bike trip which she refers to in the exercise video. She said the toughest part about it was starting.

9/11

Core & Abs

This didnt happen due to allergies.

WK 7 Reflection

 Reverse crunch, seems like I am flying.

I have now shifted to oats + chia + honey.

More protein has different effect on men and women

Have been feeling great these past few days in terms of energy to do exercise as well as enjoying them.

It was in one of this weeks exercise videos, I heard from probably Rebecca Kennedy, that its the mind that gives up first and that your body is more capable of doing things than you think it can. Once you condition your mind and body, its then the turn of the physical fitness reality to feed back into the mind of being more capable.

Jillian's opus workout

 Jillian's opus workout looks like very challenging with pistol squats and what not.

OPUS

WK 7 Day 3

 9/7

Legs & Abs

48 min Legs and more

Labor Day special.

9/8

remaining from 1 hour core workout

Wk 7 Day 2

 9/5

Cardio +Abs

I did about 30 min of ONE HOUR Full STRENGTH Bodyweight Workout | Level 2 w/ Rebecca Kennedy. This had squats, planks and jumping jacks. Some of the level made it cardio. Rebecca Kennedy has great energy.  I enjoyed todays workout a lot especially due to yesterdays break probably.

Adding 100 more calories, since I have lost weight at 6 week check in. 

9/6

Another 1 hour core workout good enough for 2 days.

was sweating from 30 min of this core exercise.

The cardio blowout of going into star plank is something.

Crucible

 A crucible is "a situation of severe trial, or in which different elements interact, leading to the creation of something new." according to Warren Bennis

In Time to lead, the author calls President Roosevelt's illness(polio) as his transformative event or the "crucible". He says that it taught Roosevelt persistence, resilience, patience and compassion for others.

I could say that my bouts with fitness have become a part of my identity now, showing me my determination and desire for fitness.

This Jillian Michales video on satiety shows you how important it is to drink enough water for the body. I wonder how many times we can get the taking care of the body equation wrong. I didnt know that micro nutrients are important in regulating the hormones ie that they are closely related. By giving the body all it needs well, it will take good care of the body.

WK 7 Day 1

 9/2

Cardio+Abs

I have about 23 minutes left from this clutch life day 2 cardio

This felt so good. It had abs in it which I did in the core workout. I circled back to circuit 1 to make it a 30min workout. Enjoyed it so much. I recalled that it was this explanation that the lateral moves are not done in gym, that made me like the instructor.

1 more pound to go for pre-pandemic weight.

9/3

Upper body hybrid

Lets do clutch life day 3 strength

This has about 12 min of strength training but maximum reps. Intially I thought I will repeat it thrice but also had a backup of strength bodyweight workout. I did 18 min of that.

9/4

became a rest day. Little comics. It was supposed to be core and abs day but fizzled into a rest day which I mistakenly didnt right down after correcting a mistake of dates in one place but not another.

Value Based Goals Reaching - Spartan

 ok, dont go split a book and say its not a value. I had to make one up to reflect this person's determination..

Value Based Goals Reaching - Aesthetic

 Happened upon this Mamak Sessions - Jordan Yeoh.

Jordan Yeoh started out wanting to look good but has found his identity in becoming a fitness guru.

When Mamak said Jordan's exercises are tough, I didnt think I would be giving it a try. It was a tough but fun exercise. Next time hopefully, Ic an maintain the intensity all through better than last time.

Who's up for Level 5 bodyweight exercise. Its tempting to take on the challenge.

WK 6 Day 3

 8/31

Upper Body Workout

This Hasfit workout was great too. I wondered if it would not be to the Leg workout level. Wiht variety of moves it was fun and challenging. With the second round of pushups, I didnt have to put my knees down. I reduced the weights on some of the moves.

Can you microwave chia seeds? Yes.

9/1

Core + Abs

For this day we have 60 min plank workout which should spill into 9/3 workout as part 2.

This is awesome. Such tough moves but definitely going to come back to them again.

Many exercises are so new. The climb up the rope with your leg extended high, earlier I wouldnt be able to mvoe at all, now I see some progress.

WK 6 Day 2

 8/29

Cardio

I was wondering if it should be jump rope or kickboxing and I just realised that the perfect workout is in my lap. Jordan Yeoh's Level 4 workout.

This is a wonderful challenge as I expected it to be since it is level 4. I saw a level 2.5 somewhere, which means there are many gradations.

I didnt know what to expect other than it going to be tough.

When the jumping jacks started again, I htought it was a mistake, I was expecting the exercises to go in sequence like 1,2,3 and so on.

And then I figured

that it is going

1

1, 2

1,2,3 ...

and so on.

By the middle of it, you do all the exercises at once. Luckily there is a break between each of these sets.

Now the comedy I thought we will build it up again like that in the reverse. 

It turns out that this is bell curve type where you gradually shed an exercise in the later half. This is where I lost the hop in the exercises. Surprisingly I kept it for the jumping jacks. With each time I saw, the lag in reaction from Go to Jumping Jacks.

Loved this exercise. Even the last fun quirk bit where the exercise is changed on you.

Switching it up. Enjoyed all the exercises and the breaks.

8/30

Core+ Abs

At the Home core workout by Ashley Conrad, followed by 20 Min ab workout . This has good music.

This felt good. I was sweating by the end of it.

Not sure if it was Conrad's authoritative tone or the last 2 weeks core and abs workout, my reverse crunches were rocking. Also loved the plank walkouts and walk ins.

Dead bug seems a bit like reverse bird-dog.

Feeling like practising - did some scapular exercises and about 25 of the Level 1 Squat to Headstand progression.

When we get the gym back

 Quads

Weekly Reflection - 6

Wow, already into WK 6.

While doing reverse crunch in the ab section, I felt like I lifted something as opposed to the week before, where nothing was moving. 

Looking at the measuring cup in the Dana Linn Bailey video, I felt stoked that professional body builders use this method of eating. That is part of the planning - especially the meal prep. Its amazing to see how when you have your major chunks of macros divided out, there's still flexibility for that occasional corn cob snack and you see hwo the numbers add up bonusly lets say to protein like legos falling in place.

I have a set date in mind for the goal. But I also have the workout plan written for another 30 weeks.

I have added some vacuums, scapular exercises and even the dowel one where I lift myself up in prepartion for the pull up. I want to be able to exercise for fun/time pass too. This is not to say that I am bearing the other daily regimen exercise it. I love it and feel great but want to feel more strong to be able to do even more fun stuff.

This week, I enjoyed 2 workouts a lot. HASfit Leg workout and Jordan Yeoh's cardio.

A study shows that you will enjoy your workouts more if theys tart with vigorous intensity and go down. With HASfit, the first one was easing into it and then it stayed all the same vigorous, yet I loved it because I was doing something challenging. With Jordan Yeoh's, its a triangle format where it ascends in intensity  and then at the half point it keeps going down.

WK 6 Day 1

8/27 

Leg Workout + Standing Abs.

Wow, that leg workout from Hasfit is the toughest workout I have ever done probably. But feel so good too. With strength training, I have never been so out of wind or didnt push myself so.

So the abs has to wait.

8/28

Day 7 Core 

Because of yesterday's workout, this had to be the low impact versions. Even though it was leg workout yesterday, with dumbells in hand, I feel it there too.

Value Based Goal Reaching - Faithful

If being faithful is what you live by, planning is your savior. 

5 Thing syou need to know before you start your fitness journey. Dana Linn Bailey refers to Trifecta organic meal delivery as her go to meal or to go meal.

Value Based goal Reaching - Authority

Strength by itself is not seen as a value but as an intense quantifier.

Sophie Butler after a gym accident, has learned a new meaning of fitness - of being strong and using her physical strength for its function purpose. In the process of doing that she has tapped into her ability to influence and become an authority and advocate for inclusiveness in fitness for all. 

If someone were to use their inclination for Authority to reach fitness, they would delve deep into how fitness works, whats behind each move, what impact does it do. Fitness instructors fit the bill. The ones who design workouts. 

Sophie does workouts in her wheelchair. 

Those who gain authority or competence in the subject of fitness have probably gone through the experience of benefits of a fit life or getting fit and want to share that with others. They want to create a safe space for a community's unmet need.

Authority or courage is in the defiance of whats not catering to all. 

With authority, you can redefine strength.

Value Based Goal Reaching - Adventure

 Josh Gates of Discovery Channel is always on the go for Expedition Unknown.

For a person who values adventure, they would be excited by a new workout each day. Or it would have to be something different each day like battle ropes, tire hauling. They could probably also be inspired to take challenges like the seal fitness training or challenge. 

Then there are the right off the bat rapid water rafting, bunjee jumping, skydiving, mountain climbing, rappelling, hiking and other such activities.

WK 5 Day 4

8/25 

I thought its WK6 next. But not so fast. We have 1 more day.

Chest & Triceps

8/26

Day 6 core down. Funny thing about it is, today I wrote it down as Day 5 correcting initial 6. Turns out that Day 5 is rest day. I skipped part of an exercise in this series one day, That makes up for it.

Feeling good about adding 10 minutes abs everyday.

Havent heard of vacuums before.

0 to 5 pullups in 22 days

AthleanX introduces so many concepts - Extinciton training, German Volume training

Reverse crunch is getting better similar to W's.

While doing a clamshell kind of exercise in the lower abs section, lying on the back, I was wondering how its similar to donkeys kicks.

WK 5 Day 3

 I have done half of this jump rope workout. Time to finish the other half.

30 min of the second half. And 10 min of standing abs. I was curious if it was more effective. Not just calories and heartrate wise, which it was higer, but Sara Haley of The Daily Sweat says that standing moves also  strengthen deep core muscles that help stabilize you while running.

Moving to standing Abs.

I could feel the effect of back and biceps in the back.

8/24

Core and standing Abs

Day 4 of Core. Didnt realise the abs was 20 minutes. Couldnt do planking after that. May be in the evening.

In the reverse crunch, I could lift something. Last week, nothing was moving.

In the single leg deadlift, do you tip over? Here's a suggestion of Staggered stance deadlift

No Matter What

 Does your Motivation depend on mood?

Then you need a dose of 'No Matter What'.

Another way is to be part of a community.

Weekly Reflection - 5

 Because I was going to add a new 2 abs workout challenge, I took the measurements after 2 weeks. I didnt take my starting measurements. After two weeks of sarting, I came across the shifting your mindset away from scale by Autumn Calabrese, which is when I took them. I saved them for a rainy day motivation but had to it starting of the week, for comparision. I am already astounded by the changes. There's a been a reduction everywhere.

The same abs workout now shows more calories burn and higher heart rate each day.

The weight is stalling but no worries. There's body measurements to rescue and body fat % is going down.

A detour - We check weight everyday but wont do measurements everyday as it takes some time. With weighing machine, you just have to prop yourself on it. If there was a way to make weighing harder like calorie locking it.

I came across The flat curve in the Withings chat and was surprised how you go into a career with your view and how the reality changes your philosophy.

And there will be some feast days. The show goes on.

The never ending fitness journey

 The never ending fitness journey

or the Lifetime Fitness.

What is Fitness?

There are some behavior theories that we can look to, to help us stick with the behaviors that help us.

Learning Theory. Knowing that there are 32 different ways, shows how each person would have to make their fitness journey unique to them.

Personal Trainers Need to Know Learning Style Theory

Wk 5 Day 2

 Back & Biceps

There's two choices, 40 minute Back & Bicep

or 24 Minute Back & Bicep + Abs

Went with the 40 minute. Its from HASfit, they have many more videos and are ar patreon hasfit too. It was good. I couldnt do some sets with 8lb so went with lower. I felt sweat. I loved the focus on breathing and I didnt have to maintain the count. 

After T Swings, I couldnt do any of the I swings with the same weight.

TIY could also Tone it yourself.

The last back exercise on the plank had a great range of motion. Seems like a good one to do, if you ever have muscle knots.

8/22

Core and Abs

Done with plank exercises in the morning. Will tackle core and abs in the evening.

some elliptical.

Value Based Goal Reaching - Challenge culture

 If you heard of waterfall or Agile, you will know what Challenge falls under.

Image: dotdev

A  Challenge is something that makes you reach some milestone that you desire and inturn also makes you get into your desired habit. The carrot keeps you going. Its also a short time frame, hence agile or sprint. If you are someone who needs to see proof, every once in a while, then you conquer the world and self through challenges.

The proof is in the energy you are 'pudding' in. (Its from a Kindergarten note joke)

When I thought I was wasting time at a busstop waiting for the bus, I would walk to the next stop, to meet the bus there. Pushing myself each day, one day when I had no other work in the world, I managed to walk about 7 miles from place of work to residence. Here the carrot was being able to do my own locomotion without the need of a bus.

You too must have built up some super powers like this.

This peak first and then the next. If your adrenaline is running high, then you time them too.

You might tag family and friends and compete with them or with strangers in races and contests.

A challenge pushes you till the last ounce, promising you a brave new world/rest after the beep.

A challenge is a sane way of getting to the new behavior. In the pox Balance theory, current you, challenged you and the challenge are the three points of the triangle. If you make the challenge work for you with a better you, then you adopt the challenge for the future, because it leaves a positive taste. 

How to Plug Consistency Leaks

Image: Researchgate

Now I am looking at my last week goals this day and surpassing them. If a day's achieved is less than any of the surrounding, then I am trying to beat that. I dont know why we have to have this connection, but it must mean some relatable thing improving over time.

Trying to reach new heights by pushing the local maxima each day. 

Behavior consistency as used in Fitbit is one way to motivate to atleast repeat the past and from there take the fillip from Achievement. Imagine my thrill when I realised my steps would be easily met with a walk opportunity that I forgot.

Consistency provides a chance for measurement. Have you seen this message on Apple for some of the trends? It takes 180 days of activity to start your trends. If you don't see your trends, keep wearing your watch and closing your rings. When there's enough data, you'll get a notification that your trends are ready.  There needs to be a pool of data before you can understand the trend and get some actionable data. Many digital tools can help you with this - counting steps, calories. Which then can help you decide which behaviors to shun and which new good behaviors to take on.

Part of maintainining routines is creating routines for predictability. It is the Festina Lente mentality. What got me thinking about consistency leaks.

But we need to get ahead too. 

Spartan

Focus on one thing. In this cultivation theory, like the person with an orange in his head and a mass media praise of apple makes him swiftly change his likes. With limited time and attention, very few things get our actual attention. My focus had moved to enjoying my favorite activity of reading first thing in the morning, which relegated exercise to the vagaries of the day. Gift of done is the handsel, you give yourself each morning. Having your routine written down day by day, makes you accountable to make it happen. Apply Leibig's law of the minimum to the scarce attention, you then see that you accomplish the few you write down and keep you head and shoulders clear. 

Fewer things, fewer distractions.

No Surprises

Just like how it is better to have your meals preplanned, instead of regretting unplanned meals, our daily lives of workout are consistent with all the plan and prep of workout done beforehand such that all that remains on the day of coronation is to be present and execute the plan.

Have an arching goal.

To be consistent, is to meet yesterday's goal and surpass which means the bar needs to get higher each day in some aspect. We might not do what we can but will definitely try a lot to do what we cant. Like the spider in the King Bruce story, we should be cross the chasm to get to the other side.

WK 5 Day 1

 Legs and Abs

22 Minute Leg Workout

This also happens to be a 780 Rep Challenge. Great exercises for a time when you are stranded in home without gym equipment. I can imagine how being in an open space would want you to do these kind of stretching out of yourself exercises.

8/20

Core and Abs

I was able to do some of the crab toe touch better than last time, in one of the table top positions I held it better than before.

WK 4 Day4

 Its Dumbell revolution for the lower body. I dont think I have ever done fire hydrants with weights before. The abs workout too had abs screaming. Had to take micro breaks.

8/18

Tomorrow. Core. Abs, 

Same core, same abs But today the heart rate went up.

Was able to do some plank taps.

Few months ago, I used to be able to do the lateral plank walk in Insanity. Slowly getting back there.

Its funny I dont remember the music last time.

Monthly Reflection - Month 1

Initially your goals bring energy to you and as you make progress, your energy improves. For the last 4 weeks, I was doing cardio twice, upper and lower body for 4 days of the week and walking on the alternate days. 2-3 months of weekend inactivity has taken a hit on fitness. Today's surge in energy has made me take on more. Good chance to insert core workout and some abs workout. With the abs, I could feel it.

Probably I will add the abs workout to everyday's especially when that day's workout is in the 24min timeframe. 

Its been a month since I came across The fitgurl Total Body Turnaround program. Since then, I have been watching my macros. For a long time now, I have been fitnessie. Sometimes, alesson that comes across sharply is the need for intensity which Jillian Michaels identifies as one of the four tenets in her The 6 keys to unlock your genetic potential for Ageless Strength, Health and Beauty.

Of the four tenets, Intensity, progession/variety, recovery and consistency, adding one extra like intensity with 60 min elliptical workout compare to 30 min has worked wonders for me. I had consistency pat down before that. But during the pandemic, weekend consistency wasnt there. But now I  am in a place where I can bring the energy required.

Success doesn't come from what you do occasionally, it comes from what you do consistently. - Marie Forleo

Knowing when your consistency is dropping down is the key.

A Stanford study identified the top four reasons for weight loss goals as being kids role model, lifestyle, health and clothes. Antony Lolli is a raw story where he wanted to be healthy and enjoy family time. Brittany has to run, its doctors order - meaning for health issues. Unsupersize me in Cuba opens whole new world for Ridiel. 

I have heard some stories of people who went into fitness competitions or went on to become fitness instructors, because they wanted to change and be role models for their kids. Clothes fitting well is a bonus.

What makes us go on this journey? There is an innate desire to be able to do something that you are not able to now. For example, a pull up. When skies open up, you are exhilarated to keep going on. When its cloudy you make your own sun and energy with all the emotional, mental and physical prep. Its not always about adding things, sometimes its weeding out bad foods, habits and beliefs. 

Consistency is the soil. Intensity is the water. Nutritious food is the rain maker. 

There will be hurdles. Jumping over them hurdles and continuing to run makes you stronger. 

Weekly reflection - WK4

This week's reflection is about how weight creeps. Put otherway how consistency leaks.

Circumstances do not make the man, they reveal him  - James Allen 

I didnt react quick enough for the tide.

I weigh myself everyday. I know it should not be done everyday but I am in a place where daily movements do not effect as much as the need to know that things are on track due to the history of adolescent obesity.

I chalked my pandemic weight gain to difference in lifestyle and flipped all switches - exercise first, movement first and need based relaxation. I was surprised how from good process of lowest weight last October in the last 2-3 years, it kept creeping up. Even January end, it was all downward trajectory. Sedentary weekends and stress in February -March timeframe, hit it hard. Pandemic only overstressed that system and the turbines came off the belt, which was a wake up call.

Even though our diet and activity might be under control, external factors like stress and change in lifestyle can affect the weight surreptitously. Monitors will help but we should be on the lookout for changing. Looking at the activty tracker, weekends were all quiet during the weekend which adds up to double whammy with both activit and calories taking the opposite undesired direction.

Body can withstand a binge eating week without many long term effects.

Any consistent unintential trend beyond a week should be a red flag. There are always things that can be improved to stop the rapid weight gain.

I have also started reducing protein to see if I am overdoing it and also to stretch the protein supplement further. The process keeps getting finetuned.

Introducing.......

VBGR - Value based Goal Reaching

This also made me wonder how each one's goal reaching journey could be different based on their values. Here's how a  VBGR Authenticity would look like compared to VBGR Achievement. This could be worked further to find the kind of values from your supporters. Beliefs like self-efficacy too can propel your journeys. This is different from the framework where there is tightness between the value of your goal and your belief. 

In terms of exercise, if the workouts are shorter, I am adding short 10 min workouts to them so they are closer to 30min.

I went to my diary and jotted down goals with 1.3lb/week weight loss. These are superimposed on the goals of a 15 year old journey when every new day was lighter me. At that time I didnt check my body fat percentage or care about good nutrition. This time they are on my side. In that sense its a healthier new journey.

WK 38 is the magical final goal. 

Here is last week's WK3 reflection.

Value based goal reaching - Achievement

What moves you each day? Is it the miles? Or the time of exercise to the round number of 30 min, 45min? Few more steps, getting to the next thousand for the 10000. Pumping your heart rate. All things that can be monitored.

Speed, Endurance, Stamina. All these make you feel strong and powerful.

You might have heard of apps where you are paid for achievement of health goals.

In a stanford study, it was found that achievement motivates differently depending on how far and close you are to the achievement. After say 3000 steps to 7000 steps, increments of 1000 steps will motivate you but after that you have to start thinking about the 10000 goal.

When you are working on a 30 min workout, from 9 to 21 min you could go by 5 min increments and then the 30 min is so much closer, a bigger achievement and it has the contour line of 30 min.

Another paper that studied millions of myfitnesspal users in their goal setting and achievement in activity tracking apps brought many insightful things to light.

Salient points of the study:

1. With first week behavior, the study was able to predict 79% of the time, the people who would reach their goals. Earlier studies have said that 21 day is the new behavior adopting window, but even 7 days adoption of new behavior is more likely 

The activity tracking apps help you in goal adjusting too. Once you set your goal, if you dont get close to it, it gets the goal post close to you and hopefully when you both meet, its starts being the coach and pushes the goal post away from you, challenging you further. Adaptive Interventions Vs Static intervention

When you follow a program, in the end you are recognized as a graduate - for example P90x grad.

Value based goal reaching - Authenticity

Our values can determine how we reach our goals.

 Authenticity as your guide can lead you towards intuitive eating. Developing authenticity, can lead to acceptance and self-compassion. Authenticity is not a starting point. It is when you get somewhere closer to your true self, through the journey. Having found that true self, it will get easier to find people who you gel with, whose struggles you can understand, empathise with and relate to and offer support. If you get comfortable and open yourself to receive support and motivation from others, you will be off to a great start in reaching your goals.

You need a good milepoint that you can reach for the beginner's high to stretch a bit further when you start. Like Maya, you can find you inner warrior, but first you have to deal with the demons and myths weighing you down.

Setting the goal is not the hard part. We already have our goals in mind. Its saying it loud and confidently that we want it and it can happen. Own the goal, before you can get it. 

In this story, she wanted to be the 'fitness girl'.

In reaching your goals

Lessons from Maya:

Is there someone to push you?

Imagine, someone like Shaun T rallying yout to push and dig deeper.

Are you excited?

If not, find that route. Find out the bus number.

When someone acknowledges that your achievement ( reducing body fat percentage in this case) doesnt come easy, it is motivating to keep going on. You need that cheer leader on your bus.

Identifying discrepancies between your adaptive self and authentic self can develop authenticity. If you find that you are not as consistent as you would like to be, look at the million data points, consistency can be downgraded to 50-70% to still see results. Looking deeper at this distance between your 'belief' eg. I am a fitness person and 'action' I workout consistently, you can see where the dial should go.

In various stages of life, your priorities are on a lazy susan. There was a time when on that movement dial,

I was a 9 - working on the elliptical an hour a day, each day for a whole year

I had to dial it down to 7 - when I was maintaining weight.

Pre-pandemic I was at a 4

But looking at the effect of change in lifestyle, I have dialed it to 5 now.

Through all of this journey, at the core, I am person who enjoys exercise, fitness and now I am trying to be more mindful about the macros. It is good to unleash yourself in different dial positions.

My authenticity take - I was blind to macros and thought that cutting down food would do, another mindset problem I had as a cardio first person was to move to weight training which I have done successfully over the last two years but had great hesitation in focusing on the food. My friends who have followed Taub's or the low carb and intermittent fasting would say how 80% of weight loss is chalked to food, I wanted my way to work. I had to realise that it didnt. It has always been about the 'how-to'. That extra knowledge.

Seeing the sheet where people write down how satiated they were after each meal or even Maya paying attention to what she is eating is akin to meditation, being aware of yourself in relation to the food you take.

All these ups and downs can be taken as a good gauge of self care, to keep our body and mind in balance.

Clean and Whole foods

Bodybuilder Lee Labrada shared the simple diet and training plan that keep him shredded at 60

WK 4 Day 3

 8/15 - Upper body

I did a 24 min workout dumbbell workout revolution. I dont think I have done a tricep overhead extension before. It has always been dropping it low in that position.

To top it off, I did a 10 minute Upper body workout by Pamela Reif. I hav enever done her exercises before. This is good, sicn emost of the exercises are in kneeling or planks. While doing the dolphin plank, even though there's arms as wellas head to stabilise, I had the tendency to want to roll my headover to somersault. Wackybirds, had to keep taking breaks. I felt nostalgic of all the Shaun T arms exercises in Insanity. 

8/14 - Walking day

WK 4 Day 1

Made it a Kick boxing day. Has been a long time. 

Last year around this time, I was doing a lot of kickboxing. 

I went with my own pace unlike this powerful kickboxer who was all about adding hops. The more she stressed on how this is going to help with mental agility, I could see how I was slowing down :) It was fun to keep the blood, sweat and tears flowing.

When its jump rope day or WK4 Day 2

 Jump rope is good for the body and the brain. I have to learn the boxer shuffle.

8/11

Which is tomorrow... ok not exactly.. its walking day tomorrow and then jump rope day.

8/12

Muhammad Ali jum rope workout. I had fun with the jumping and skipping like a boxer, right or not and even pulled some punches.

10 Minute jump rope and ab workout

2 more pounds to get to prepandemic.

Healthmate has a nice chat feature which tells you some good information about body pointing you to articles for deeper dive .

Squat and a Kick

Anything that increases the awareness of what you are eating is likely beneficial

Know your food.

I have my hands on Foods that harm, foods that heal from Readers digest. It is two tips from readers digest that changed my life during undergrad. One, that even walking helps in weight loss and two that you can control your appetite.

The book talks not just about food but cures for some common conditions. There are some case studies too which show how for example how increasing awareness of food by going greocery shopping for fresh produce in a community program made him healthier.

We will be cooking Asparagus sometime this week. The first I ever heard of asparagus is in the The Luncheon by Somerset Maugham. I hope Benjamin Franklin with gout knew to stay away from Asparagus.

Katie Austin daughter of Denise Austin, shows a squat and a kick move in the end. The reason to preface this section with so much food is the ratio of importance of diet compared to activity.

Tomorrow is walking day

 I just found my book where I lost weight about 15 years ago. I found another book earlier which was very close to my ideal goal. This first precursor to that journey starts at my prepandemic weight. To get there I need to show a patience of a week or two and then I take a retravel of that journey.

For the first time, as I kept reaching my goals, it was unbelievable each time. 

At that time, since I was young, it didnt matter I was having white mocha. This time around, I am making it healthy.

There is a Personal weight loss plan course on coursera.

You begin with your SMART short and long term goals of weight loss.

For your action, you choose the plate from the choosemyplate.gov

It lists all the types of food and quantities you should hit each day to meet your calorie and macro goals.

As a teenager, when a dietitician provided me with 5 or 6 options for each meal, it was too overwhelming. Now most of the time its the same food that I eat for weeks together and then there's a switch. 

WK 3 Day 4

 

35 minute bodyweight hiit workout with upper body & core focus

Loved the lunge to press movement. Peacock style balancing and curling is fun too. Had to modify the crab toe touch. I made it into crab toe kicks. 

I should have done the mountain climber with the toe dragging instead of mountain climbers on kness, not sure if its even a thing. Didnt realise that mountain climbers would be doable even with back problems.

Community building

 

Community building 101:

- Make it a cause worth fighting for
- Commit daily for best chances
- Members should feel a sense of validation every time they show up
- Curate founding members
- Begin by growing organically
- Facilitate bonds between members

— Greg Isenberg (@gregisenberg) August 9, 2020

Fitness Myths playing a musical chair.

While reading this seven of the biggest myths in fitness debunked, I wondered how do I as a fitness person react to stopping old moves and picking up new ones. One of the recent craze is the HIIT move. It is more about finding out which is more effective than the ones that need to be forgotten.

Crunches are something that have fallen off the fitness wagon. HIIT is on.

Even though strenth training should come first, cardio is so much fun but if it doesnt work then I can train myself to do less of it. That elliptical, I love it, but strong body and fitness that works first.

I just bought into the 'dont squat past your toes'. Need to tread back on that. Or is that forward?

Reflection at week 3

Over the last 3 weeks of Fit gurl, I have been watching macros. I cleaned up weekend calories which boiled down to portion control. Over the week, I have added more protein intervention. In terms of exercises, every alternate day is a walk day. I swapped today with yesterday's Legs & Abs day, a Jada Kelly's Legs & Abs workout. Its almost like having a workout partner.

I have always loved exercise but I did realise that with the pandemic weight gain, I had to change my lifestyle a bit. Usually I am at computer most of the time which means a lot of sitting . To over come that, I had to get first thigns first done.

Finish movement for the day. Sit only when you need to. Stand or walk when you can.

I had to get intentional about the kinds of food that I was going to have for the week. I used to rely on the, I will take care of exercise by having an exercise workout tab open and will get it done by the end of the day. Little shift in time, I am starting the day off with walk or exercise.

I have started drinking lots of water which has trained my body to feel thirst.

About 3 pounds burn off, I will be at pre-pandemic weight and then onto the next goal. 

If you are trying for some kind of transformation, some things that will help

Time frame

Looking at my major transformations, it did not take longer than 3 months but I did keep up the changes for yeas together. If you have a date that you want to get fit by, it helps. This is more for getting into the habot with a smaller horizon and then inertia should keep you going with your chosen good habits long term. 

Goal

The first time it worked for me, I kept up with my extended exercise time from 30 mint o 1 hour because it worked for me. I was melting pounds every other day. At that time, I did not have a goal. Later I had a goal and reached it which will require more research and plan. You could start off with health, fitness, strength goals and put reasonable numbers on it as your process gets refined.

plan of exercise 

In different phases of life, your fitness definition might change. You might have limitations too. When I have a chance, I like to rey out new exercise videos. There will be some which you like to go back to. I like jump rope dudes. Currently I jump rope twice a week. You might have a personal referred exercise of being want to be able to some move. For example pull up. That is your motivator. Or pole vault. 

Diet

Diet is a big part. My friends keep reminding me that it is 80% of weight loss puzzle. At first, I found the macro counting tedious, but now I roll with it. Lots of prep goes into having the right things in front of you, so you dont chow whats in the fridge if it is not well chosen.

Your motivators 

You could watch transformation videos of others over the weekend. Listen to videos of your favorite coaches. Helpful reminders for the middle of the week. I took some measurements last week but forgot to take them this week. Thats a bonus that I will keep it for another day that I might need a pick up.

Concepts in your day

 Notice all the concepts you use today.

It being Friday, the weekend has to be the major concept.

Fika sounds like its not the tea, its who you have it with.

Water reduces anxiety

 Drinking water improves exam grades. Where do you conspicuously remember seeing water next to people, making for its own art work. In all conferencs and where delegates meet. Drinking water increases concentration. This works byt the way of a practical joke. Drinking Water frees up attentional resource used up by thirst. A rich man throws money into another prayer's lap, so God can pay attention to him alone. 

Drinking lots of water

 Water reaches the skin last

It has not been even 2 weeks of drinking more water than usual but I have already started noticing my hands glow and a few days ago, I woke up in the morning and found "radiant glow" in my face. This has happened only twice before in my life. One time it was a summer vacation where I sweat a lot and felt very thirsty and kept drinking lots of water. A couple of people who wouldnt be into noticing such things asked me what I had done. It might have stayed so for about a month.

Another time I chalked it to water from fruits.

I am not a natural water drinker. If I push it, I dont drink the normal 24oz too (ya that bad). Somehow I got into the habit and now I am guzzler who actually feels thirsty. Great sign. 

You could say that water is the natural moisturiser of your skin.

I have also been having baby spinach for about a week now which is cleaning skin from inside out and yogurt too.

WK3 Day 1

I didy try some upper-body hybrid with kneeling stance. Lat Pulldowns with dumbbells. 

If for straight-bar curls you have done the right way of doing biceps without alternating, what do you do for alternating biceps curls? 10 different ways to do biceps curls. Underhand vs Overhand Lat pulldowns

Latissimus Dorsi Vs Biceps Brachii or the Lateral Pulldown – Wide Or Narrow Grip?

No Exercise Day

WK2 - On No exercise day I do walking. The Farmers Walk is a way to take it to the next level.

WK2 Day 3

Right way to do biceps

Removing all the rice cup size and mug cup size confusion, baking spoon/cup sizes is a good way to pack your food.

Although counting the macros is work, its like a tangram with some surprise pieces some times. Had to eat a peanut bar in a hurry. I was excited that garbanzos has lots of protein. I was shocked to see the carbs in that. To think we will size up the macros of a food is too much to ask of ourself. 

When I was at the right height of kneeling to watch a device, I wondered if kneeling is a good exercise. As kids it was a punishment but who knew all the core benefits of it. How Kneeling Stances turn upper body exercises into ab workouts. Should try this on the next upper body day.

Sometimes I wistfully think about days where I didnt have to think much about cooking during maintaining weight. I would cook some frozen mixed vegetable which would be enough for lunch and dinner along with some brown rice. Meet the protein count is bit of work.

Wk2 Day 1 Exercise

Quad Extension at home