Past two weeks has really been on and off for weight and weapons training. I have dropped my weight down to 170, a loss of 10-13 pounds. Twenty to twenty five to lose! I weighed it 170 almost two weeks ago. I have kept it there despite the indulgence of good food last weekend.
I finally have body measurements. Kind of wish I would of thought of that one sooner. I know the last time I measured my bust I was between 38 to 40 inches. I may be able to hit 36" again.
Upper Bust (above boobs) 40"
Bust (under boobs) 37"
Waist (good posture) 35"
Hips 42"
Upper Arms 15"
Upper Thigh 24"
Lower Thigh 18"
Calves 15"
At this point I know I need to lose weight off my waist, belly and hips. I don't have any comparison for the arms and legs. And those I want to tone, build muscles and definition.
I want to have obvious muscle definition, but not much more than that.
Leg lifts for stomach muscles-eight, push-ups-five. Much work needed here. I haven't been doing them and it shows! I have built my other reps up to 15 from ten. I alternate between slow and fast rep sets.
Friday, March 31, 2017
Saturday, March 18, 2017
Progress Report Second Week Of March
Fridays tend to be a day off from weapons and weight training. It tends to be my cardio day. Dancing the night away at my local pub with friends. Friday the tenth I managed both. I ended up with an hour to kill so I went ahead and did my weapons and weight training. Then I went dancing and drank to much....
Saturday the eleventh I woke up with the sinus congestion of a cold. I took a sick day and kept my shop closed. All I did was take care of myself.
Sunday I was still awful, but I drug my ass out of bed and do the bare minimum I had to then went home and back to bed and called out sick for my HEMA class. :(
Monday was a repeat of Sunday. Bare minimum at work and back to bed. By late afternoon I could breathe well enough to work out with my weights.
Tuesday I was mending. Managed a to survive a full shift at work. Trained with both weights and weapons. I also broke down and had a soda pop. I slept horribly. I managed about five hours of sleep on top the hour and half nap I had after work. I kept waking up every hour to hour and a half stressing about work for no reason.
Wednesday. Work went well and I had another soda. I got sidetracked visiting with friends and lost my time for weapons training. I did manage weights though. Wednesday night I fought my sub-conscious for sleep. Ended up with about four hours. Grrr..
Thursday. Work could of went better, but I did manage to get done what I needed. For the most part. Still behind on subscribing the re-set sections. Courtesy of an extra re-set of ALL 41 sections of wine. Weapons and weight training accomplished.
As I stated above Fridays are my day off and I instead I get a good cardio workout dancing with friends. I got an excellent work out too. I made all night since I behaved myself and only had three shots all night long. I played my guitar. Johnathon and I did 'House Of The Rising Sun. Best I have ever kept up with him on the guitar. (I play and we duet the song) They took off about midnight. Asked to keep an eye on things. Predicted 30 minutes, 45 tops before a certain person started shit. Twenty minutes. Helped to break it up. I passed a personal test. Yes I can and will do what is necessary without hesitation when needed. Small confidence boost taken with the knowledge to not get over confident.
I am really starting to try to rein in my negativity. The past eight months at work have turned me into a big whiner.
Saturday the eleventh I woke up with the sinus congestion of a cold. I took a sick day and kept my shop closed. All I did was take care of myself.
Sunday I was still awful, but I drug my ass out of bed and do the bare minimum I had to then went home and back to bed and called out sick for my HEMA class. :(
Monday was a repeat of Sunday. Bare minimum at work and back to bed. By late afternoon I could breathe well enough to work out with my weights.
Tuesday I was mending. Managed a to survive a full shift at work. Trained with both weights and weapons. I also broke down and had a soda pop. I slept horribly. I managed about five hours of sleep on top the hour and half nap I had after work. I kept waking up every hour to hour and a half stressing about work for no reason.
Wednesday. Work went well and I had another soda. I got sidetracked visiting with friends and lost my time for weapons training. I did manage weights though. Wednesday night I fought my sub-conscious for sleep. Ended up with about four hours. Grrr..
Thursday. Work could of went better, but I did manage to get done what I needed. For the most part. Still behind on subscribing the re-set sections. Courtesy of an extra re-set of ALL 41 sections of wine. Weapons and weight training accomplished.
As I stated above Fridays are my day off and I instead I get a good cardio workout dancing with friends. I got an excellent work out too. I made all night since I behaved myself and only had three shots all night long. I played my guitar. Johnathon and I did 'House Of The Rising Sun. Best I have ever kept up with him on the guitar. (I play and we duet the song) They took off about midnight. Asked to keep an eye on things. Predicted 30 minutes, 45 tops before a certain person started shit. Twenty minutes. Helped to break it up. I passed a personal test. Yes I can and will do what is necessary without hesitation when needed. Small confidence boost taken with the knowledge to not get over confident.
I am really starting to try to rein in my negativity. The past eight months at work have turned me into a big whiner.
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
Progress Report For The First Week Of March
It feels really good to be back on a regular training schedule. To get back to doing all those things I was doing daily for my physical and mental health. Stretches? Check. Weights? Check. Weapons training? Check. Weights to build strength? Check.
I have trained with my sword for the past six days straight. Three of them in snowstorms. Training dedication level? 110%! Four of them I have also trained with my polearms staff. Just handling exercises. I have also been back lifting weights as of the past six days. I have added a new set of exercises to my weight lifting. I am practicing my blocks (and footwork) with the weights. I can feel it in my ribcage and my thighs. What a better way to build strength for a solid block!
I have also been watching my diet again and have had only one soda pop in the past six days. So I am drinking water, remembering my vitamins and herbal supplements. I am doing my best to eat healthier, leaner and cleaner. I have added fruit back into my diet. I am working hard to stay away from the sweets. Hard for me to do....At this point the battle is in adjusting to the lack of sugar and the excess calories that go with it. Yesterday the cravings were the worst and I felt horrid.
Apparently I have also caught another cold, a mild one, but still. I can tell by the feel in my lungs. That umm, hot raggedy feel when it first hits your lungs. Explains why I didn't want to do anything over the last weekend and why I felt so bad yesterday. This is the bad thing about hot flashes. I cannot tell if I am having hot flashes or fevers at times until more symptoms kick in.
Part of the motivation to get back to all these healthy habits is the realization that my work hours aren't going to get any better anytime soon and that, oh shit I have four months left to meet my goals of losing that last thirty pounds and getting buff at the same time. So time to quit stalling, using work as an excuse and just do it! Also I enjoyed a Korean TV series about a street fighter-"Tong: Memories" that for some reason inspired me. I think it was the showing of the fact that even though he was very good he worked and trained hard to become even better.
All I can say is I did not realize how much missed my fitness routine and how much I enjoy it.
I have trained with my sword for the past six days straight. Three of them in snowstorms. Training dedication level? 110%! Four of them I have also trained with my polearms staff. Just handling exercises. I have also been back lifting weights as of the past six days. I have added a new set of exercises to my weight lifting. I am practicing my blocks (and footwork) with the weights. I can feel it in my ribcage and my thighs. What a better way to build strength for a solid block!
I have also been watching my diet again and have had only one soda pop in the past six days. So I am drinking water, remembering my vitamins and herbal supplements. I am doing my best to eat healthier, leaner and cleaner. I have added fruit back into my diet. I am working hard to stay away from the sweets. Hard for me to do....At this point the battle is in adjusting to the lack of sugar and the excess calories that go with it. Yesterday the cravings were the worst and I felt horrid.
Apparently I have also caught another cold, a mild one, but still. I can tell by the feel in my lungs. That umm, hot raggedy feel when it first hits your lungs. Explains why I didn't want to do anything over the last weekend and why I felt so bad yesterday. This is the bad thing about hot flashes. I cannot tell if I am having hot flashes or fevers at times until more symptoms kick in.
Part of the motivation to get back to all these healthy habits is the realization that my work hours aren't going to get any better anytime soon and that, oh shit I have four months left to meet my goals of losing that last thirty pounds and getting buff at the same time. So time to quit stalling, using work as an excuse and just do it! Also I enjoyed a Korean TV series about a street fighter-"Tong: Memories" that for some reason inspired me. I think it was the showing of the fact that even though he was very good he worked and trained hard to become even better.
All I can say is I did not realize how much missed my fitness routine and how much I enjoy it.
Friday, March 3, 2017
Back on the Wagon
Today I crawled back onto the proverbial wagon. I stretched properly this morning. I did weight training and I've watched what I have consumed. I have this goal to be fit-strong toned, lean and "mean" by the end of June. I have started regular training with my sword again. I need to work in polearms training too. By the way I love polearms too now. I believe I have turned into a non-projectile weapons geek.
As I am finally starting to adjust to being stuck in this graveyard lifestyle and being the boss of my department-whether I wish it or not-I have decided to find a way to do what I want and need to for me. Now that I am a bit more settled I can start figuring out how and where I can add back in these thing I desire to do. And that is getting fit, strong. Becoming the person I wish to be.
I want to be that fun, amazingly cool "bad ass" person to be with. Not looking for trouble or starting it. But if you mess with me, or mine......
As I am finally starting to adjust to being stuck in this graveyard lifestyle and being the boss of my department-whether I wish it or not-I have decided to find a way to do what I want and need to for me. Now that I am a bit more settled I can start figuring out how and where I can add back in these thing I desire to do. And that is getting fit, strong. Becoming the person I wish to be.
I want to be that fun, amazingly cool "bad ass" person to be with. Not looking for trouble or starting it. But if you mess with me, or mine......
Tuesday, January 10, 2017
Missed The Five Year Anniversary
I was planning on commemorating the loss of my father five years ago on the anniversary of his death. :( Just like most things I'd like to commemorate or celebrate I was too busy with work and snow shoveling. It blew everything else out of my mind and the occasion passed me by. Like most everything of this kind.....
Dear Gods and Goddesses, Great Spirit, Lord and Lady, my Ancestors...I am tired....so tired of keeping it together, working too much, too long for too little. I do not know how to ask for help and I don't expect it. It makes me feel needy and guilty. I find it hard to receive any-yet I am so very thankful for the help I do get. I know that I am just having a weak moment. And frankly even feeling (tired) this way in the slightest makes me feel so guilty and ungrateful for what I DO have. This is the part about being a single, independant woman that I hate....the double work schedule, and the burden of making a living and taking care of things rests completely on my shoulders.
I do know that one of these years it will get better. Today it just seems bleak. For the moment I have lost the battle. But I know I will not give up the war.
Dear Gods and Goddesses, Great Spirit, Lord and Lady, my Ancestors...I am tired....so tired of keeping it together, working too much, too long for too little. I do not know how to ask for help and I don't expect it. It makes me feel needy and guilty. I find it hard to receive any-yet I am so very thankful for the help I do get. I know that I am just having a weak moment. And frankly even feeling (tired) this way in the slightest makes me feel so guilty and ungrateful for what I DO have. This is the part about being a single, independant woman that I hate....the double work schedule, and the burden of making a living and taking care of things rests completely on my shoulders.
I do know that one of these years it will get better. Today it just seems bleak. For the moment I have lost the battle. But I know I will not give up the war.
Sunday, November 6, 2016
One Year Reflection
I thought I started studying Armizare in October when in reality it was September. Thirteen months have passed since I started this journey into HEMA, which stands for Historical European Martial Arts. It turns out it was mid September when I discovered our recently opened HEMA school, High Desert Armizare. So I missed my one year anniversary. Whoops. (sheepish grin) I am pleased that not only have I stuck with it I have become even more enchanted with it-ALL of it.
I remember being not so thrilled about the idea of grappling. But learning dagger sounded fun and cool too. So if I had to learn grappling and dagger to learn how to wield a longsword I decided I would still do it. I picked up sword work fairly easily. Well compared to the other two anyway. Out of the three I struggled the most with the dagger. Grappling wasn't far behind. For about the first nine months or so grappling and dagger work were my least favorite. Mainly because I found it to be difficult and awkward for me. I believe part of it was exhaustion after working a graveyard shift with too little sleep.
August and September it seems like we worked with swords completely. Three weeks ago we started working with daggers again. I am doing much better and am just as thrilled with it now as I am sword work. A clearer, non-sleep deprived brain, more experience in Armizare and a greater understanding of how it is a holistic system has made quite a lot of difference. I have a greater appreciation and knowledge of body mechanics and physics now. I love how just a simple move properly performed can bring an opponent to their knees.
At about that time a member of our sister school, NW Armizare put out a free app on google play "Pocket Armizare". A free phone app that combines all four of Fiore's manuscripts in one place and they are all cross referenced with one another. So if a play is found in all four you can see them all do to the cross referencing. To the gentleman who did this, "THANK YOU!" I happily downloaded it and have been scrolling through it. It is a handy reference to help remind me of what we did in the last class. I am amazed at how much of it we have covered this past year. With this app I can also make my own notes using what are me a key terms to remember the day's lesson.
I remember being not so thrilled about the idea of grappling. But learning dagger sounded fun and cool too. So if I had to learn grappling and dagger to learn how to wield a longsword I decided I would still do it. I picked up sword work fairly easily. Well compared to the other two anyway. Out of the three I struggled the most with the dagger. Grappling wasn't far behind. For about the first nine months or so grappling and dagger work were my least favorite. Mainly because I found it to be difficult and awkward for me. I believe part of it was exhaustion after working a graveyard shift with too little sleep.
August and September it seems like we worked with swords completely. Three weeks ago we started working with daggers again. I am doing much better and am just as thrilled with it now as I am sword work. A clearer, non-sleep deprived brain, more experience in Armizare and a greater understanding of how it is a holistic system has made quite a lot of difference. I have a greater appreciation and knowledge of body mechanics and physics now. I love how just a simple move properly performed can bring an opponent to their knees.
At about that time a member of our sister school, NW Armizare put out a free app on google play "Pocket Armizare". A free phone app that combines all four of Fiore's manuscripts in one place and they are all cross referenced with one another. So if a play is found in all four you can see them all do to the cross referencing. To the gentleman who did this, "THANK YOU!" I happily downloaded it and have been scrolling through it. It is a handy reference to help remind me of what we did in the last class. I am amazed at how much of it we have covered this past year. With this app I can also make my own notes using what are me a key terms to remember the day's lesson.
Monday, October 24, 2016
Waiting For The Other Shoe To Drop
One of the things I've dealt with this past year is learning how to live without a horrible anxious feeling. I knew nothing was wrong, bills were paid and I was doing things right. After living in that anxious, stressed, worried state for so long it took a while to get used to being able to live without a feeling of dread and fear, waiting for that proverbial other shoe to drop. Months later I would feel that dread. Getting busy at work seems to have helped a lot too. I didn't have time to notice the feeling.
I'm getting back into the swing of things again. I am back to training with my sword daily, practicing blocks and dagger strikes. I've picked up my weights and started with them again too.
Now I just have to keep up with taking better care of myself. As my perspectives change for the better I see things a bit differently, When my inner child rebels and wants to play I ask myself, "is this self-care? If not then are you honoring yourself? And the answer is generally no.
A little short and sweet, but I wanted to get it out.
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