Neila's Journal

[TopNotch]

I came across this. Thought it might help with your creatine journey.

 

[neilarey]

Monday, February 24th

Exercise

6AM
Gratitude Practice
Perfect Start Workout
2 Minutes Stomach Vacuums

Workouts Throughout the Day:
Exercise of the Day
Surgebinder Workout / recorded
Boy, That Escalated Workout / recorded
Extra Spice Workout / recorded
Clean & Press Workout x 4 sets
90 minutes walking on the treadmill


Food

Breakfast: chickpea oat pancakes with onion sauce + 200 g baby tomatoes + protein shake
12 AM Snack: kiwi & blueberry fruit salad
Lunch: potato salad with broccoli & lettuce salad with mustard sauce
Dinner: mushroom walnut chia patties with zucchini, green beans & peas + protein shake

Total Protein Today: 122 g



Sleep

Sleep Score: 80 (good)
✓ earplugs ✓ mask ✓ in bed by 10 pm

---

Tuesday, February 25th

Exercise

6AM
Gratitude Practice
Perfect Start Workout
2 Minutes Stomach Vacuums

Workouts Throughout the Day:
Exercise of the Day
Perfect Start Workout / recorded
Next Level Workout / recorded
Killer Core Workout / recorded
75 minutes walking on the treadmill


Food


Breakfast: tofu oat pancakes with yogurt with baby tomatoes + protein shake
12 AM Snack: strawberry & banana fruit salad
Lunch: creamy sweet potato with walnuts
Dinner: eggplant patties with rice & lettuce cucumber salad + protein shake

Total Protein Today: 123 g



Sleep

Sleep Score: 73 (fair)
✓ in bed by 10 pm

---

Wednesday, February 26th

Exercise

6AM
Gratitude Practice
Perfect Start Workout
2 Minutes Stomach Vacuums


Workouts Throughout the Day:
Exercise of the Day
Initiation Workout / recorded
Cardio Grind Workout / recorded
Second Spring Workout
90 minutes walking on the treadmill


Food

Breakfast: black bean mushroom patties with mixed greens, mashed avocado and tomatoes + protein shake
Snack: strawberry & banana fruit salad + protein shake
Snack: creamy butternut squash with walnuts
Dinner: tofu fish over rice with potatoes, broccoli and lemon dill dressing

Total Protein Today: 112 g




Sleep

Sleep Score: 73 (fair)
✓ in bed by 9 pm



MY CURRENT WEEK - in a nutshell



We have so much stuff coming up, it's CRAZY March is going to be awesome





@OJJJEM we used to have a mealplan for this... hold on, I'll find it... yes, here it is:



@Saffity R-A-S-P-B-E-R-R-I-E-S !!!!

@TopNotch Thank you so much! It was very helpful. I might actually be struggling with my sleep because I started taking creatine... I have all the same issues she did. Agh... And I am so thirsty ALL THE TIME. Sigh... power through-power-through... I just have to pooower-throoough.... I did notice increase in strength and my brain is functioning better despite being sleep deprived half the time

 

[FlowersandPetals]

I love the Plant Based Plate! Except potatoes… more like 3/4 to almost whole plate with a little bit of corn

 

[Mamatigerj]

I really like the Perfect Start + Stomach Vacuums workout!

 

[NightWolf714]

Oh! I've never seen a vegetarian/vegan plate like that before!

 

[neilarey]

Ah. Has it really been 10 days since I last checked in?

I am checking in now just to remind myself that I am alive. To say it's been busy... it doesn't really cover it. Everyone is sick so I had to pick the workload of 4 people on top of my own insane schedule. Predictably, I ended up having a mental breakdown on March 1st. No, no, it's not all bad. Although it was BAD, it was not a setback, now that I am looking back. It was more of a... stumble. I didn't spiral as I would have done in the past. I pulled myself together after a couple of hours and I've been going steady since.

It is impossible to recap my exercise, food and sleep in the 15 minutes I gave myself to update this log (yes, it's where I am at right now, allocating minutes of every waking moment) so I'll just do highlights. I really miss logging every day and I hope I'll be able to get back into the routine again soon (as everyone comes back to their stations).

So.. the highlights.
Apart from the LIVE TO WORK mode I have going on right now, I've been doing great with exercise and nutrition. Even my sleep is normalizing somewhat. I am just so tired at the end of each day I am pretty sure I fall into coma every night!




I have a nice morning routine going right now. I wake up waaay too early but I decided that instead of forcing myself to go back to sleep I'll just roll with it. Instead of rushing every morning to get ready, I activate "sloth mode" and enjoy the 40 minutes I do have at that point. I enjoy my matcha tea, do the Perfect Start + EC workout, meditate, have a nice loooong shower. It's been great.

I wanted to see if I could meditate some other time during the day but it's just not gonna happen. So I have this system where there is no pressure to continue after 5 minutes. I give myself 5 minutes. If I feel like I need more, if I have time, if I am feeling up to it - I add 5 more minutes - and so on.

I finally worked out a good system for adding pull-ups daily: I do two sets of MAX when I make my tea in the mornings one day and then only do 5 & 5 the following day so I don't over do it but continue progressing. So far so good.

My day officially starts at 6:30. I have no life after that, it's just non-stop hustle until 9 pm when my brain just shuts down. In the mornings, though, I get to have my me-time.
I do my treadmill walks (2 a day) but I take my laptop with me. It's the only way I can still do them.

Food wise I am following the Flexible Meal Plan we now have at DAREBEETS. It's my exact menu + protein shakes and small adjustments here and there to fit my macros. There is actually a ton of new stuff at DAREBEETS. I am very happy about that


Aaaand my 15 minutes are up. I do feel better having written this
I am going to have a quick break for lunch now (Broccoli Gratin today) and then it's back to the grind.

I hope everyone is having a lovely Friday. See you soon, hopefully!
Long Live The Hive!
And thank you for stopping by

 

[Mamatigerj]

Food wise I am following the Flexible Meal Plan we now have at DAREBEETS.

This is great; thank you!!!

 

[NightWolf714]

While I understand the benefits of hitting the ground running when you wake up, I tend to do the sloth mode as well. A half hour or so to check messages and things on the computer. Then I hit the ground running more. It's not for everyone, but it helps me ease into the day.

As for the meditation, my counselor and I was just talking about this. She talked about how she'll meditate while doing something else. Specifically, while taking the dog out to go potty, she'll practice some mindfulness. Or meditating while walking. Since things have been quite so busy, maybe something like that would help out some?

 

[graoumia]

There is actually a ton of new stuff at DAREBEETS. I am very happy about that

Me too, it is fantastic, can't choose which recipe to test. Thanks!

 

[neilarey]

I want to get back into the habit of journaling daily again. When I kept it up at the start of the year, it made a huge difference in my mental wellbeing. Not posting lately has definitely taken its toll - and I feel it.

Today, I listened to a podcast that said: “If you want to start journaling - or get back into it - just write two words.” That really hit home. All I need to do is show up. That idea resonates deeply with me.

Recently, I got back into doing pull-ups - or at the very least, a dead hang every morning. My rule? Touch the bar. That’s it. That’s all I have to do. And it works. After I make my matcha tea, I head to the gym for my Perfect Start Workout with EC, which I do every single day. The habit is already there. But before I begin, I go and “touch the bar.” Some days a dead hang is all I manage. Other days, I do pull-ups to failure. I’ve been cycling through variations - MAX on Sundays, controlled reps on Mondays, wide grip or hangs on Wednesdays, and so on. It’s not an exact system yet, but I’ve stuck with it for three weeks now, and I’m really proud of that. Especially considering how hard it’s been to look after myself with my current workload.

Something else I’m working on is cutting back on saying how busy I am. I am busy - I have a bladder of steel these days because I don’t even take bathroom breaks - but that’s not the point. Work expands to fill the time you give it. And I’m not a machine. I break. And now, at almost 40, I break more often.

So, I’m trying not to speak those words into the world anymore. Saying, “I’m so busy” or “Work is killing me” doesn’t help.
A) I can’t change my workload right now.
B) Constantly saying it just makes me feel worse.

So now, if someone asks: Am I busy? My answer is, “I’m fine.”

All that said, I am proud of what I’ve achieved so far this year. Even with a few “gutter days” (the count is up to 5 now), I’m in such a better place than I used to be.

I have two major goals for 2025:

1. Get in the best shape of my life.
2. Get DAREBEE in the best shape of its life.

The two goals clash constantly. But since everything else is basically on the back burner (social life? what’s that?), both are moving forward steadily.

I’ve built a morning routine I genuinely enjoy - and I stick to it. I even look forward to getting up each day. If I wake at 3 AM, I go back to sleep. If it’s 4 AM, I listen to an audiobook and drift off again. If I’m truly awake, I’ll listen to a podcast and plan the day ahead.
5 AM is my “get up and get stuff done” time, no matter what. That first hour is mine, and it’s precious.

I think I finally fixed my sleep - or at least, it feels that way. I changed two things and I’m not sure which one worked (maybe both):

• I stopped forcing myself to fall back asleep. If I’m awake, I’m awake. I let my body reset.
• I started drinking coconut water with ashwagandha at night - sometimes with a pinch of saffron when I can get it.

Now, my sleep score sits comfortably in the mid-80s, often climbing into “excellent” territory, even if I don’t get a full seven hours.

It’s spring now - though the weather didn’t get the memo. It’s freezing. My hair is dry, my nails are brittle, and my skin… don’t even ask. The pace I’ve been keeping has taken a toll. My eating disorder still pops in and out, but I’ve mostly got it under control. Compared to 2024, when bad days were a near-daily thing, five bad days in 2025 is progress. I know five is still five too many, but the difference is night and day.

Lately, I’ve been making “nourish bowls” - kind of like Buddha bowls, but I prefer the word nourish. They’re beautiful, satisfying, and take time to eat. The only issue? I struggle to make them fit into my macros. I’ll talk more about that next time, but I wanted to mention it now so I can loop back. I make one bowl, pause to appreciate it, feel gratitude for the food, and then dig in. It makes me happy.

Okay, that’s enough for today. I’ll write my “two words” tomorrow.

I need this therapy more than I can express. Even with self-care rituals scattered throughout my day, the rest of my waking time is work mode. I’m okay with that, and I’m proud of what I accomplish - but sometimes I feel like there’s no “me” in any of it. Just task after task. You know?

Alright-alright. That’s it.
See you tomorrow!

 

[Maegaranthelas]

I am very glad you're coming back to writing here, I was wondering how you were doing
I love the steps you are taking to nourish your body and spirit, and take care of yourself!
The only thing is, I would ask you to please not postpone using the toilet if you need to,
keeping it in makes you more prone to bladder issues and I don't want you to have to deal with that.
I often treat bathroom breaks as a good reason to check in with my body, do I need more water, a change in posture, a short stretch, etc.

Very happy to see you back here and learn from what is working for you.
Big hugs

 

[Fremen]

It helped me a lot to get out of the tunnel of "I want to get there by taking that road", sometimes I get lost, sometimes I find myself but the really important thing is to have fun doing it.

 

[Lady Celerity]

It's good to hear from you @neilarey . You have been missed.

 

[neilarey]

Hi!

Yesterday wasn’t exactly bad, but it was intense. High pressure from the start, and by the end of the day, I felt completely drained. The silver lining is I slept well - my sleep score was 89 (Excellent), and I woke up feeling noticeably better. My mind is clear, my body feels good, and I’m starting the day with a sense of renewed energy. It’s 9AM, and as I write this, I’m on the treadmill walking and working on my laptop. I just had breakfast and plan to walk for 90 minutes before settling at my desk to work.

One thing I’ve realized: journaling at the end of the day just doesn’t work for me. I’m too tired to reflect properly or even string coherent thoughts together sometimes. So I’m trying something different - journaling in the mornings while I’m still fresh. It’s not ideal for tracking the full day, but at least I’m showing up and giving myself space to breathe and set the tone. I’ll see how this goes.

Lately, despite eating (mostly) well and working out two to three times a day, I’ve been feeling… a little directionless. I’m showing up, checking the boxes, maintaining - but I’m not really pushing toward anything. That might be fine for cruising, but not for growth. I have personal goals I genuinely want to reach this year, and I’m starting to realize that “sometime by the end of the year” just isn’t a strategy. I need structure. A 60-day personal challenge with specific targets might help - something with measurable checkpoints. I’m not fully committed to that idea yet; work goals are butting heads with personal ones right now. Still, it’s something I want to come back to and refine.

One thing I am proud of is keeping up my 12,000 steps a day streak since January 1st! I think there were only about three days when I had to consciously go for a walk to hit the number - the rest, I cruised past it. That consistency has paid off. My body feels more mine - stronger, lighter, steadier. Alongside my daily circuits and resistance training (still loving Clean & Press, Second Spring, and Battle Maiden), I do WODs and EODs regularly, and I actually completed the Daily Crunch Challenge before it was even published. Now I’ve added it to my morning routine with the “touch the bar” habit. Five minutes of crunches on a Swiss ball every day - it sounds like a lot, but honestly, with how much time I spend in front of a screen, it balances out.


My macros have been the toughest part this year. I slipped into a bad habit of not logging, then trying to backtrack later - which, of course, just reminded me how off I was.

So I created a simpler system in Cronometer using a preset list of foods I eat almost every day (yogurt, milk, protein powders, etc.) with amounts initially set to zero. That way, I just adjust quantities and add extras without constantly editing recipes. Since my food routine is pretty modular, it turns out my tracking can be, too. It’s not perfect, but it’s more doable - and that matters more right now.

Today my focus is simple: don’t get overwhelmed. I still want to be productive, but I’m keeping my task list grounded in things 100% within my control. I’m collecting small wins, whatever form they take - work, self-care, a good meal. It all counts.



And lastly - I just want to say: I read your journals here every day. Even when I’m quiet, I’m always tuning in. Your logs ground me, inspire me, and remind me I’m not doing this alone. So thank you. Keep writing. It matters.

Now, time for me to dive into my next task. Wishing you all a peaceful, powerful day. Sending good vibes your way

 

[princess_sarena]

And lastly - I just want to say: I read your journals here every day. Even when I’m quiet, I’m always tuning in. Your logs ground me, inspire me, and remind me I’m not doing this alone. So thank you. Keep writing. It matters.

Thank you

 

[neilarey]

Hiiiiiii


I'm taking a short mental break between projects to write this

Yesterday started strong but went downhill after 5 PM. I was just done - maybe it was the exhaustion from the week, maybe hormones, maybe both - but I felt “meh” and wanted to eat everything that wasn’t nailed to the floor. And I nearly did. Sigh.

So today, I adjusted my macros again and gave myself an extra 200 Calories per day to fall back on, at least for the next week. Mental health comes first. I won’t be logging this Sunday anyway - we're visiting new friends and eating vegan Greek food, so tracking would be pointless.

This morning I couldn’t decide on breakfast, so I just made what I had planned for lunch: tomato pasta with cauliflower, tempeh, and TVP. It was glorious. I'm now hoping that a large, high-carb/high-protein meal like this will carry me through most of the day. Lately, I’ve noticed that I come back from my morning walks ravenous and start snacking - which a) makes macro management harder and b) is just super inconvenient. Why is this happening? Maybe I’m not eating enough to begin with. Testing that theory today.

This might sound odd, but a couple of weeks ago I went to a small anniversary celebration for a local specialty grocery store - one that’s been feeding me for the past 7 years. They stock local organic produce and hard-to-find vegan staples like soy yogurt, miso, nori, and tempeh. Without them, I'd seriously struggle to eat the way I prefer. I live in a lovely little Greek town, but it's not Athens - food options are limited. So I really appreciate this shop and support them whenever I can.

The event was actually super cool - I met the man who makes the tempeh I buy. He’s a small Greek producer specializing in fermentation. It was fascinating to talk to him. I hope I get another chance next time he’s in town. Has anyone here tried natto? I haven’t, but I did try making it once. It didn’t go well. Apparently, he used to make natto - I’m hoping he’ll start again.

I love fermented food. I started my sourdough starter about 10 years ago - it’s still alive and thriving. I bake sourdough bread at least once a month. I’m actually feeding it now so I can bake some tomorrow. A slice of sourdough with avocado? Yuuuum

The last few days haven’t been great overall, but I’m in high spirits right now and I intend to keep it that way today. Yesterday’s “collect small wins” approach didn’t quite cut it - so today, I’m chasing big ones. I’m tackling a major project after my treadmill session. I also need to schedule next week’s workouts. I recorded 3 out of 4 this morning - and I love all three. The fourth one is a classic strength split, so I probably won’t record it (no time slot), but Damer might. He’s swamped too though, so it’s a 50/50. I might just do it later today as my strength training session - give it a proper test run. It’s called: The Bane Protocol. “You merely adopted the weights…” Ahahaha. I love it.

Aaand… my time’s up.
See you tomorrow! Long Live The Hive!
And thank you for stopping by