Desperation is the first step

thecagedsong

Member
Priestess from Saipan, CNMI
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 20
"The question isnt whether or not its possible, the question is do you have the courage to try?"
Been avoiding mirrors and scales for 9 months now, did not like what I finally saw, so I'm starting to change it. Scarred as a teenager from a crash-dieting mom, and busy with a full time job on a random island with no support system in my timezone. Everything feels overwhelming, but I can do it. Just need to figure out how not to injury myself at the same time.
 

thecagedsong

Member
Priestess from Saipan, CNMI
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 20
"The question isnt whether or not its possible, the question is do you have the courage to try?"
Thank you for your welcomes! Gonna need someone to keep me accountable, and I think this community it is.

To start, I'm going to begin with Foundation. I've started and stopped several times over the past nine months, and I've usually stopped because of injury. (I go too hard too fast and get hurt). I think I need something like foundation before I get into my preferred RPG fitness. I'm going to try to plan out when I want to work out on Sundays so I can adjust to the schedule for the rest of the week. If I miss a morning, I do it before bed.

I am going to attempt to do totals at the same time. For totals, I'm not going to be strict on the complete one card every day. Working at a salary office job these past 9 months for the first time in my life, I'm going to strive to complete the totals though breaks during my workday and see how that works for me.

Hopefully with these two I'll start to remember how to fit and prioritize exercise and diet into my life.

My next post will be pictures and a personal reward schedule.

For now, I've finished Foundation day 1 on level II
 

Hbomb

Well-known member
Ninja from AZ, USA
Posts: 55
"Trying to get back in shape after baby #4."
Welcome @thecagedsong ! I too grew up watching my mom try all the fad diets and workout plans. She sweat to the oldies, and I remember her going through all the food and throwing stuff out then buying a bunch of different stuff when Susan Powter was popular. I think it made me have body dysmorphia even to this day (I’m 39). You know, like it was her obsession, and so it’s always kind of been mine too. Interesting that there are so many with similar experiences. Are y’all 80’s kids?
As for Darebee, lots of awesome, kind people that will root for you and encourage you. It’s a very warm environment. 😊
 

thecagedsong

Member
Priestess from Saipan, CNMI
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 20
"The question isnt whether or not its possible, the question is do you have the courage to try?"
So much kindness! I was born in '95 so on the younger end of the spectrum it seems, lol.

So here's my motivation plan, inspired by darebee: I'm going to have a point system. Every day I have three opportunities to earn points. One darebee workout card, either Foundation or Totals, and one group exercise (there's pickleball near my house every day, swimming in the ocean with friends on weekends, or classes at my gym, etc.). Each card/activity is worth two points, and I get a bonus point for doing all three. I also can earn bonus points each week, for cooking three bulk prep healthy meals.

Totals card complete: 2 pts
Foundation card complete: 2 pts
group exercise: 2 pts
every 2-workout day: 1 pt
bulk prep healthy meal: 1 pt (bulk means three left over servings)

(Totals can roll over, I can take three days to finish a Totals card, that way none of my efforts are wasted if I only manage half a card on one day.)

The max I can make in a day for workouts is 7. At seven days a week, I can make 49 points/week, with plus 1-4 depending on how many bulk meals I prep.

I probably wont get the max each week, and I shouldn't because even though Foundation and Totals are lighter programs, I can't go too hard or two fast or I'll get injured, but this system rewards effort and discipline, and depends on how much I want it. I don't have a ton of variation to my life. Single woman living alone working full time in an office, I have more freedom to prioritize than most, and a decent amount of money saved up to let me buy things for my rewards. This is adaptable for the first month as I figure out what I still consider worth doing.

Rewards:
Massage.......................................................................75 pts
Buy archery target....................................................150 pts
Buy Pkm S/V...............................................................225 pts
Go skydiving................................................................310 pts

These are things that I personally want, they are not food related rewards, and will get over the initial hurdle of starting out again. After the approximate weeks 12 of an average of 25 pts/week (my goal will be to complete this in 12-16. it will probably get me through the holidays) I will set up for additional rewards based on what I want then and how much motivation I think I'll need to keep me striving to improve. Future rewards will be things like: buying a new book, pedicures, buying more archery gear (I already have a lot of it, just not a stinking target because I assumed there would be one on this island, but anyway), a day-trip to a nearby island, those sorts of things.

I'll record my points daily here, and we'll review in a week to see if this system is absurd or not.

Today I earned 8 points. I cooked one bulk prep meal that should last me until Saturday. I did my foundation card in the morning, totals throughout the day at the office, and played pickleball with my friends at night.

Today's points/total points:
8/8.

Wish me luck.
 
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thecagedsong

Member
Priestess from Saipan, CNMI
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 20
"The question isnt whether or not its possible, the question is do you have the courage to try?"
Checking in for day two! I completed a foundation's card, a totals card, and set up a group hike for sunday.

Total points for today: 5 (2 for each workout card, one bonus for a two workout day)
Cumulative points: 13

or
5/13
 

thecagedsong

Member
Priestess from Saipan, CNMI
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 20
"The question isnt whether or not its possible, the question is do you have the courage to try?"
Monday's Check in (Forgot to post)
Checking in again! Took sunday as a rest day, so no points.
Today was two workouts, foundations and totals, so another five points!

Cumulative points: 24

(almost at my goal for the week (25) with two more days to go!)
 

thecagedsong

Member
Priestess from Saipan, CNMI
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 20
"The question isnt whether or not its possible, the question is do you have the courage to try?"
Tuesday's Check in (fell asleep earlier than usual)

Tried to go play pickleball by myself, meaning I didn't have a friend go with me, but was too shy to actually join a game because everyone else seemed to be playing in groups of four. Of course, in hindsight I know that I could have just said. "I'm the only one signed up for the novice court, anyone want to play?" and nothing bad would have happened. Going to try to go again today, but earlier than last time, and won't be a coward this time.

I did get my foundation card and totals card, so 5 points to me!

Cumulative points: 29
 

thecagedsong

Member
Priestess from Saipan, CNMI
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 20
"The question isnt whether or not its possible, the question is do you have the courage to try?"
Here we go! Wednesday Day 7 of this routine, my first week, and I smashed my weekly goal of 25 points out of the park.

Today I did paddleball, foundations, and totals for a total of 7 more points.

Cumulative points: 36
 

thecagedsong

Member
Priestess from Saipan, CNMI
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 20
"The question isnt whether or not its possible, the question is do you have the courage to try?"
Saturday 10/8. Woke up dehydrated, fixed it with LiquidIV and a lot of water taken throughout the day, and got another foundation card done during the evening.

Todays Points: 2.
Cumulative: 40.
 

thecagedsong

Member
Priestess from Saipan, CNMI
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 20
"The question isnt whether or not its possible, the question is do you have the courage to try?"
Wednesday, did not rehydrate enough, still a little woozy, but drank a lot and the foundations *appeared* easy today, so I was able to get that done.

2 pts.

Cumulative: 47

short of my goal of 25 pts per week. But the point system makes me do some workouts even when I'm not feeling up to it. Raining all week, so activities with friends outside have been put on hold.
 

thecagedsong

Member
Priestess from Saipan, CNMI
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 20
"The question isnt whether or not its possible, the question is do you have the courage to try?"
Yikes, it's the following thursday, but stress and poor sleep and just everything kept me from posting until today.

Good news is that every time I think "i want [one of my goal prizes]" I'm reminded to work out. And even though I was ready to give up as a stupid idea, me getting in shape when I don't have time to cook and I'm constantly crying about everything else, because I made exercise a prerequisite to something else I want, I didn't let myself write off the two weeks of progress I already made. Weather and stress migraines aren't going to stop me from keeping on with this, even after a bad week.

Monday I got a plus one for meal prep, tuna and stuffing casserole.
Thursday, today, I got plus 5 for finally finishing a nasty totals card and doing my foundations.

Points this week: 6
Cumulative: 55
 

thecagedsong

Member
Priestess from Saipan, CNMI
Pronouns: she/her
Posts: 20
"The question isnt whether or not its possible, the question is do you have the courage to try?"
Saturday I did a double work out. I'm starting to run into trouble with totals because it keeps asking for pushups, and my wrists start aching at even the thought.

Anyway, Saturday 5 points. (A two hour self defense class with a friend, I'm giving myself 5 points for that one)
Monday 1 point for prep meals.
Tuesday 5 points foundations and totals
Today, wednesday, I only got through half a totals card, will turn in early. I think I was dehydrated today, so not going to push for a workout.

Points since Friday: 11
Cumulative: 66
 

TopNotch

Well-known member
Ranger from Australia
Posts: 1,610
"Motivation is temporary. Discipline is forever."
You could do push-ups on your knuckles, or you could try using handles. Or you could do wall push-ups or incline push-ups which don't put so much pressure on the wrists.
 
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