Strength and Punching Goals

[EnbyFitness]

One thing they don't tell you when you start jumping rope is that you might pee yourself a little. The solution to this is apparently... to continue to jump rope, because these are the very muscles that help with this issue. That, and peeing before starting.

I've been doing bodyweight strength training and jumping rope everyday! I used to go to a boxing gym that's nearby but their prices became crazy expensive. Don't get me wrong, they're a specialty gym and I get it, but I just can't afford it anymore. Lately, though, I've been more inspired to workout on my own (a certain website might have been helpful...) and use a little punching bag my friend bought me. Another person has to hold it, but it's helpful when someone is. I've been doing a bunch of these challenges at once. I'm weak right now but I want to get buff and punch hard. It's great stress relief.

• 3 wall push up holds
• 40 air bike crunches
• 72 side leg raises
• 54 squats
• 48 plank rotations (they make me want to die but I'm still doing them)
• 80 raised arm circles (the upper body light challenge isn't as light as I hoped lol)
• 18 w-extensions
• 18 prone reverse flys
• 2 minute punches
• 47 jump rope skips in a row!

When I started a couple weeks ago I couldn't even do one skip. Now when I do twenty I'm not even super out of breath. That's what working at something everyday does for you! I am persistent and this will make me strong!

Also that cauliflower mash and mushrooms were really good with baked chicken. I may not have cooked it long enough to be mash (oops) but cauliflower rice and mushrooms? I ain't complaining lol.

 

[Mamatigerj]

Welcome!

 

[aku-chan]

 

[Ereshkigal]

Welcome

I'll be following your journey as my goal is to go back to boxing... and you're only 20 steps ahead of me after all!!

 

[Deadoks]

Welcome

I looove jump rope!

 

[Fremen]

Welcome

 

[EnbyFitness]

It is me and my partner's seven year anniversary today. We celebrated by him holding up the punching bag so I could do a workout.

I lie. We're also going to Olive Garden and watching Lego Batman, the same movie we watched on our first date. I know this is a fitness community, but I AM overloading on carbs and getting dessert to celebrate tonight. I'm actually a little scared because I've been eating well for a while, so suddenly changing my diet might make me feel, uh, not great afterward, but I do not care. It's a special day! Pasta is imperative.

On another note, does anyone else's menstrual cycle change when they start exercising? Or is mine just being weird right now?

Exercises today:

• 44 arm circles, 3 sets, for a total of 132
• Boxer Arms on the punching bag, giving me a total of:
  • 210 power punches
  • 210 speed punches (I don't have a speed bag so I just punched as fast as I could)

Shorter workout than usual today, but I'm switching it up a bit to avoid overtraining my muscles/mix things up so I don't get bored. I made a very detailed Google Doc of all the workouts I want to do because I am extremely neurotypical.

My partner also made the Chickpea Walnut Sausages for breakfast with some eggs. They were so good, especially with the yogurt on the side! I would totally recommend it!

Also, to everyone who said hello: HELLO! To @Ereshkigal, I started following your journey, too! I promise you, I'm not as ahead as you might think. And to @Deadoks, I ended up loving jump rope more than I thought I would. It's hard and exhausting but so much fun! This seems like such a supportive corner of the internet; I hope to post more about my journey tomorrow! See you then!

 

[Knyte]

Verrrry cool!! I miss the dojo for the punching bag. When I was training, it was sooo satisfying when you KNOW you've got the proper technique down, and you can feel the power just unload from your feet, all the way up to your shoulder and through your arm.

I, too, have a skipping rope. I was never great at it, but good enough that it started to click. It's also a very satisfying activity - rhythmic and somehow soothing You just might inspire me to work towards it again...

followed

 

[Anek]

Hello and welcome!

 

[EnbyFitness]

Between a job interview in two hours, two papers due Monday I may have procrastinated on a bit too long, and finishing up training for my internship tonight, I have a busy day ahead of me! Exercising and this website have become my newest hyperfixation, so much so that I almost forgot I'm still in grad school and need to do classwork... whoops. Anyway.

I ended up not eating pasta last night; that salmon was delicious and except for copious amounts of butter, reasonably healthy. The chocolate lasagna was not healthy and me and my partner ate it all. This morning I had a strong sugar craving for breakfast, but I fought against it and ate almond butter + berry oatmeal with a bit of cocoa powder mixed in. I'm going to eat sugar on special occasions because life is short, but I'm also determined not to backslide into addiction. My stomach does feel a bit funny today, tho I still think it's worth it sometimes. Me and my partner talked about how we get along well together and how we've been able to be patient and adapt to each other, while still pushing the other person towards a better direction. It's been seven years, and I love him more than ever. I'll take a small stomachache to celebrate that.

I did take a break on my class project to do a light workout:

• Unplugged Level I, adding up to a total of:
  • 60 chest expansions
  • 30 shoulder stretches
  • 60 side leg raises
  • 30 back rotations
  • 30 back arches
  • 30 cat stretches
  • 30 supermen
  • 30 body folds
  • 30 bridges

To @Knyte , I agree that punching is extremely satisfying, especially when you feel your whole body getting into it. I'm admittedly a pretty angry person, so it helps with managing that stress a lot. And I'd totally recommend jumping rope! It's weirdly addicting, especially once you get into that rhythm. It's like you just want to see how long you can keep it going for.

Alright, I gotta eat lunch and shower. I'll need an Uber to get to this job. Biking wouldn't be too far, but I'd have to get on a major highway for half a mile and, well, pardon me if I'm a little scared by that. Anyhow, wish me luck!

 

[Mamatigerj]

Good luck!
And a belated Happy Anniversary!

 

[EnbyFitness]

I think my city has the worst public transport in the universe because I spent two hours yesterday coming home for what would've been a ten minute car ride. I also spent some of that time talking to a homeless man, who was fairly nice until he asked for my last name and number. It's official: if I get this job I'll need a bike.

I also did well on my training last night, which means I'll officially be answering calls for a suicide hotline. I'm nervous about it, but I think I'll be okay. I'm also making some progress on my school projects, although maybe exercise is raising my metabolism, because I'm not certain my Adderall is working as well as it used to. People are telling me meds can be affected by diet, exercise, water, all sorts of things, so I need to talk to my doctor when I see her. All these meds are new to me, but I guess this is just what you have to deal with. I also finally started menstruating (because everyone asked lmao) after spotting a while, which was also pretty unusual for me, but I'm guessing that, again, diet and exercise might've played a role with my cycle. It's weird how bodies work.

Anyway, I did another light exercise today:

• Standing Mobility with extra credit, adding up to a total of 10 minutes stretching

Consecutive Days of Working Out: Let's go for broke and just say 19. I did for maybe two weeks before starting this account, so... why not lol.

I also managed to buy an exercise mat so I no longer have to do this stuff on the floor, along with a runner's belt/fanny pack for when I go outside and still my phone and keys. I'll let you know when I try it on while jumping rope; I think it'll be tight enough but I worry that the contents inside will bounce around and cause distraction. We'll see.

To @Mamatigerj , thank you! Hopefully I get something soon! I'll keep ya'll updated for sure. Bye for now!

 

[EnbyFitness]

I've got to make this post short because I've got a hot date today! And by hot date I mean that me and my partner are going for a picnic. We're packing a black bean salad and oranges. Yum.

I did another round of stretches today:

• Unplugged Level II, adding up to a total of:
  • 100 chest expansions
  • 50 shoulder stretches
  • 100 side leg raises
  • 50 back rotations
  • 50 back arches
  • 50 cat stretches
  • 50 supermen
  • 50 body folds
  • 50 bridges

Even though it is labeled as a light workout, I am sweaty.

My partner hurt his leg doing the daily workout yesterday; he thinks he overdid it on the lunges. He still managed to exercise with me today, tho, doing one set of the daily workout beside me. It was kinda nice, just the two of us doing our own separate thing together.

In food news: he made a lentil loaf with some mashed cauliflower yesterday. It was delicious and nutritious, unlike meatloaf and mashed potatoes (tho I love mashed potatoes). He also made the Banana Bread without the dates and had some leftovers for breakfast (all those recipes are amazing!). I may have had too much fiber because now I've got mad farts lol.

We also had a weird fight last night--the kind people start when they're moody or touchy to begin with--and then our cats got too rough and almost destroyed his (our?) computer, which diffused the fight as I tried to help him fix it. I don't understand couples who don't fight; I feel like they're probably too similar to each other. Fighting can be productive and healthy in a relationship. It's okay to fight as long as you're not mean to each other.

Did I mention I got a black bean salad to make? This will not help with the fiber situation but I can't help that beans are delicious. See ya'll tomorrow!

 

[EnbyFitness]

Hello! Today I have to go to my social work job so I did my workout early:

• 56 squats
• 120 standing shoulder taps
• 120 bicep extensions
• 42 air bike crunches
• 18 sitting twists
• 18 tricep dips
• Fix It! with extra credit, adding up to a total of:
  • 50 side leg raises
  • 50 back leg raises

We bought the Walmart brand of plant-based vanilla protein powder yesterday during our groceries. It says you can just stir it directly into cold milk but it's a little clumpy tbh, plus it's got a lot of sodium and some artificial sweeteners BUT... it was cheap, and I'm probably not going to use it too often, and I'm doing my best with what I have. Once I finish grad school and get a good job I might shell out for the nicer stuff but for now I'll be as kind to both my body and wallet as possible.

We used it in the Oat Bars with Yogurt for breakfast this morning. Friends, this is the first Darebeets recipe that I wasn't super fond of. They were sticky and didn't hold together too well, and they were very sweet. They weren't bad--the fact that they were so easy means I'll probably make them again just for convenience sake--but they were not my favorite. I'll try the protein bars next and let ya'll know if it's any better.

The picnic yesterday was so nice! After the picnic we went on a walk and ran into some demon cosplayers, one of whom accidentally dropped their tail on the sidewalk. I had to run into the bookstore and give it back to them. Then me and my partner did groceries, and when we got home he made some homemade chicken nuggets and sweet potato fries. They were good but a little heavy. We'll probably try the vegan alternative soon.

Alright, I still have a lot of schoolwork to do that I've barely started. Bye for now!

 

[MadamMeow]

Welcome to the hive!

And what an interesting time after your picnic. I'm glad you and your partner got to do that!

 

[EnbyFitness]

Once again, I have lentils on the stovetop. I think they will be good with the mushrooms and arugula; ya'll already know I'll give you my review afterward lol.

I was supposed to officially start my internship with the suicide hotline today and answer calls. Instead, I had so many tech issues that me and my supervisor kind of just... hung out and talked. I asked a lot of questions, and she was very helpful, as well as funny and sweet. I'm super nervous, but I think I'll be okay. Hopefully I can start taking calls tomorrow, and I probably won't share a lot of details here, but I'm scared in a good way, if that makes sense.

After I got off that meeting where I had to sit still for three hours (!), I was very excited to do some stretches:

• Spine Mobility with extra credit and no separate reps, adding up to a total of:
  • 40 alt arm/leg extensions
  • 40 back arches
  • 40 back extensions
  • 40 reverse flutter kicks (hard!)
  • 40-count knee hug stretch
  • 40 knee rolls

I also attempted to try and start breathing correctly during workouts. My instinct is to breathe in doing, say, the push-up, then breathe out coming back up. You are supposed to do the reverse, and this is actually super helpful and makes the workout easier, but it's hard to remember. Breathing is such a no-think activity that it's hard to bring it into consciousness. I guess that's part of why meditation is so hard, too. But it's also funny what a difference a breath can make.

Deep thoughts aside, I indulged a little again last night at our local monthly non-binary tea party. I had three cups of tea, some cookies, and a chocolate croissant. No one but me and my best friend showed up so we just talked for a long time, and then they gave me their pull-up bar that they do not use. Now, if only I can put it into the door correctly...

@MadamMeow Thank you! Walking and spending time with him is always fun, with or without demon tails involved. I really love his company.

Okay, I have a paper due today that I haven't started on... hopefully my Adderall works and gets me through it after lunch. See ya'll tomorrow!

 

[Ereshkigal]

I also attempted to try and start breathing correctly during workouts. My instinct is to breathe in doing, say, the push-up, then breathe out coming back up. You are supposed to do the reverse, and this is actually super helpful and makes the workout easier, but it's hard to remember. Breathing is such a no-think activity that it's hard to bring it into consciousness. I guess that's part of why meditation is so hard, too. But it's also funny what a difference a breath can make.

My boxing coach told me something that might help: imagine you're diving under water and getting back to the surface to breathe... how would you control your breath?

 

[EnbyFitness]

Hi all! Today I had my first official day at the crisis hotline and took my very first call! Things went good, but my supervisor lost internet connection halfway through my call and it took them an hour to get back online... so I only had the one call lol. Still, it went alright. I also downloaded a chrome extension that tells me to stretch every time I open up a new tab, plus another health one that looks promising? If they work I will let you know. I can sit down for hours at a time and not realize it, so reminders are nice for me.

I threw some punches today!

• 78 back leg raises
• 20 second tricep dip hold
• 270 punches
• Side Quest Level I, adding up to a total of:
  • 60 punches
  • 60 overhead punches
  • 60 backfists
  • 60 side chops (I feel like I'm a video game character swinging a sword when I do these lol)
  • 60 elbow strikes

Another light workout that made me sweat. My cat tried to attack my exercise map while I was warming up... what a goober.

The mushroom & lentils were good! Very hearty and meaty for a vegetarian dish. I could not find tahini in the grocery store so I used peanut butter instead and it was tasty. I'd recommend it. I had leftovers for lunch today, and another breakfast bar with yogurt for breakfast with a banana. I am the epitome of health.

@Ereshkigal that's a really good visualization. I had to think about it for a moment because I first thought of someone choking for air but "control your breath" means not doing that. I'll have to think about that on my next workout.

My partner is coming home soon, and I still have to walk, do my chores, and do more schoolwork. It never ends. Bye for now!

 

[MadamMeow]

Sounds like you had a pretty cool day. Definitely let us know if the extensions work well. I'm a chrome gal myself.

 

[EnbyFitness]

To whoever created the Black Bean Pasta: you did an amazing job. My partner said he preferred it over to Olive Garden. I've never tried vegan cheese before, but it was honestly so good. I'm so proud of me and my partner: we've been eating so much better and he's been able to lose some weight. More importantly, he says he feels a lot better. I'm so happy for him, and for us. We used to eat out all the time and now we love home cooking. It's nice. We also went on a walk together after he got home from work, and, I don't know, yesterday was just so nice. I'm just so in love with him still, after seven years... maybe more than ever.

Romantic babblings aside, I had a very intense workout today:

• 1 minute high knees
• 132 bicep extensions
• 1 minute 20 second wall sit (shaky legs!)
• 40 step jacks
• 16 side jacks (I'm pretty sure I did these wrong)
• 3 minute balance hold (I almost lost balance a couple of times and had to catch myself on the counter nearby but I managed to only keep one foot on the ground the whole time, so I'm counting it)
• 4 minutes running (I could not breathe lol but I made it)
• Some jump rope (I tried to start day one of the jump rope challenge and could not make it, will try again later)
• 80 wall push ups
• 60 calf raises
• Unplugged level III, adding up to a total of:
  • 140 chest expansions
  • 70 shoulder stretches
  • 140 side leg raises
  • 70 back rotations
  • 70 back arches
  • 70 cat stretches
  • 70 supermen
  • 70 body folds
  • 70 bridges

I had to raise my arms above my head for some of these stretches and I was so stinky and sweaty lol. It was a great workout! The fanny pack I told ya'll I got? I brought it with me for my run and it did not work. It bounced around everywhere and threatened to slip loose. I might try again just holding it in my hand, but we'll see.

I had the frozen yogurt for breakfast. I enjoyed that, too, although I prepped it the night before so it wasn't exactly frozen. This was intentional; I thought about eating frozen berries and realized... nah. The protein powder in the yogurt is soo good.

I have a friend coming over to watch the Rocky movie with me. I've never seen it, but he says the first one is the best, and the rest get cheesier as they go on, and he is a major fan of all of them. I'm excited. I also have a job interview tomorrow with an ice cream shop. My partner says this is good, as working there will probably make me hate ice cream. I hope so because I don't want to backtrack on my healthy eating habits.

@MadamMeow They're working out so far! They are Sedentia, which gives me nice reminders to look away from my screen sometimes or fix my posture, and New Tab Stretches, which are easy to ignore but still help me to do them sometimes. I'd recommend either one.

Okay, I've got schoolwork to do before I see Rocky. I got a busy day tomorrow, too, but I'll try to see ya'll then! Bye for now!

 

[EnbyFitness]

I know I'm fifty years late, but Rocky is so bad it's fun. "Don't be a stinker, be a thinker"... Really? And what is with the No Kissing sign in the back of Rocky's gym? Why would he punch raw meat without gloves? Why do he and Adrian have no chemistry?? Why is he so dumb. Me and my friend laughed at it the whole time. It was great. While I'm not going to wake up at 4 AM to gulp down five raw eggs and then go for a run, I did manage to get some punches in:

• 3 Wall Push-Up Holds
• The Final Bell Level I, adding up to a total of
  • 300 punches
  • 60 uppercuts
  • 60 hooks

I waited for my partner to come home so he could hold up the shield for me. My punches are still weak, but I'm working on it, slowly but surely. After Rocky was done me and my partner had Mahi Mahi fish with a side of Avocado Tomato Salad, which made for a tasty combination! I want to try to eat more salads when we eat meat; I think it'll be a nice way to balance out the meal. I've also been looking at a lot of weight gain/high protein recipes, and there's a lot of good ones. After I exercise I notice I have a ginormous appetite, which is good, because I'm constantly snacking on fruits and nuts and cheese trying to gain some weight. Yum.

Also: I got the job! I'll now be working at the ice cream shop for minimum wage with a bunch of high school kids... with tips. I need this job so I'm excited.

Anyway, my partner just made fish sandwiches, so I'm heading out now. See ya'll later!

 

[Maegaranthelas]

Ooh, congrats on getting the job!
And hey, even bad movies can be a good inspiration to work out. I may have more than once been motivated by watching Cats (1998)

 

[MadamMeow]

Congrats on the job and for watching Rocky!

I'm about an hour away from Philadelphia. I got to try to run up the famous steps he does in a scene a few years ago. Was no where near the shape I am now, it was more walking, lol.

 

[Mamatigerj]

Hooray for the job!

 

[EnbyFitness]

This morning I was able to get a lot of schoolwork done in a good amount of time! This is rare and good for me. I have to attend a local meeting for one of my classes in March, so I jotted that down in my planner. I've got to use that more, especially now that I've got a job... I need to get better at keeping track of things.

A mix of light and intense today:

• 1 minute 30 second elbow plank (I didn't think I could get through it but then I did!)
• 2 minute punching nonstop
• 100 raised arm circles
• 20 second dead hang... not too hard, but still harder than it looks
• 3-ish minutes of jump rope. I kept tripping and starting again. I suspect that the timer is throwing me off, making me feel weirdly rushed.
• Sitting Fix, 20 secs each of
  • Scapula Stretch
  • Shoulder stretch
  • Corner chest stretch
  • Quad stretch
  • Hamstring stretch
  • Hip flexor stretch

For breakfast I had a big, big bowl of protein oatmeal, complete with blueberries, chocolate chips, maple syrup, nuts, peanut butter, and protein powder. Then after my workout, I still felt like I couldn't eat anything, so I got a small bowl of Greek yogurt and unsweetened granola. Maybe I overdid my breakfast and need to increase my calories more gradually. I found a website that boasted 1,000 calorie breakfasts, which is, uh, a lot more than I'm used to, so I should probably work up to that. Or maybe I'll just make some weight gain shakes and take them with me when I start working. I'll try it and see.

@Maegaranthelas @MadamMeow @Mamatigerj, thank you!!! I'd been job hunting for two months and it was brutal, so I'm glad it's over. I won't lie, a part of me does want to run up a flight of steps and throw my hands in the air now, but maybe I should get basic running down first. Or maybe instead of carrying bricks I'll get some wrist weights. I still don't think I'll be drinking raw eggs, though.

I have a meeting to catch in fifteen minutes, then a three hour shift with the hotline. Thanks again for all the support. I'll try and catch ya'll tomorrow!

 

[EnbyFitness]

I've got DND today! My friend is coming over and we're probably gonna grab some lunch before then. We usually hang out every Saturday, but we were both busy last week, so now it feels like I haven't seen them in a long time... even though it's only been a week. They are a bigger person who has a job that requires a lot of strength on their part, and apparently were once apart of their brother's fight club. When they said "go ahead, try to hurt me" and raised up their hand. I punched it... they said they felt nothing.

What I'm saying is, my ultimate goal is to be able to hurt my friend, or at least be able to make their hand sting a bit. Don't worry, I told them about this goal and they laughed. It's all in good fun.

Anyway, here's why my shoulders hurt:

• 80 wall push-ups
• 50 step jacks
• 50 air bike crunches
• 150 shoulder taps (that last set almost got me)
• 150 bicep extensions
• Man Down, adding up to a total of
  • 30 knee rolls
  • 30 bridges
  • 30 count stretch and hold (two different stretches)
  • 30 reverse flutter kicks

My partner made me a small breakfast--only two scrambled eggs--and I got hungry during my workout. I reminded him of my weight gain goal and he told me he'd give me more. In the meantime, I did make myself a nice banana protein smoothie after and it was so good, I tried to stop myself from drinking it too fast and failed.

Gaining weight is a weird goal. Every time I look up "high protein" meals I inevitably find "to lose weight" or "low calorie" beside it, as if being thin is what everyone wants (or is what's healthy for everyone). I tried looking up "weight gain oatmeal recipes" and instead found articles on why oatmeal can stop you from losing weight, which is... well, I'm not a nutritionist but I'm gonna go ahead and call bullshit, but also, why is this everyone's goal? Why can't we all just eat healthy and stay active and take care of our bodies in ways that work for us? It also normalizes a culture of eating disorders, which just sucks. This has bothered me for a long time... what does everyone else think?

Also, I'll be going to another state next week to see my partner's mother, who has cancer. It's going to be good to see her, but I also know it's going to be a sad trip. I'm going to try to fit in some exercise while I'm there; I think it'll be a nice act of self-care during this hard visit. I'll probably bring my jump rope and keep practicing. I'll also try to keep updating this log, as is now habit.

For now, my friend will come over soon and we will grab lunch... maybe I'll ask if I can try to punch their hand again. It's worth a shot. Bye for now!

 

[Maegaranthelas]

There's a podcast called Maintenance Phase that unpacks a lot of diet culture stuff, and they concluded that 'thin' has just become a substitute for 'healthy,' as so many dietary practices and weightloss medications are really really bad for you. It's very strange!

That's a fun workout goal to have =D

 

[GentleOx]

Back in college, I used to want to gain weight for the rugby team. Had my protein powder, and protein bars and ate a ton at the cafeteria. Now I'm 18 kg heavier and I'm not sure how I feel about it.

 

[EnbyFitness]

Okay, well, I know exercising before bed is somewhat controversial, but despite my busy day I was not trying to lose my streak!

• 30 second elbow plank
• 144 arm circles
• 1 minute 30 second squats
• 5 push-ups (I couldn't go too low but!!! I did it!!!)
• 42 reverse angels
• 300 punches on the punching bag
• The Final Bell level II on the punching bag, adding up to a total of:
  • 500 punches
  • 100 uppercuts
  • 100 hooks

Friends, this means I threw a grand total of 1,000 punches tonight... after which I laid down on the floor and tried to catch my breath. I was sweating like crazy. That last set was the worst, but I threw every punch like I meant it, even when I felt like I couldn't keep my arms up anymore. I'm working so hard on this; victory will be mine.

In life news, we woke up, had to clean the house, put our poor cats in a cage, and drive an hour to hand them off to my parents to take care of them before we fly tomorrow. The house feels empty without them. Then I had last-minute schoolwork to do (as always), clean some more, and wait for my partner to wake up from his nap so I could throw some punches on the shield. I wish I had space for a bag in the apartment, but for now, this is the best we can do.

@Maegaranthelas I'm not a big podcast listener, but I'll try to look into that one. I really agree that skinny has become people's first thought for health, even though that's not true. It's also funny; it wasn't that long ago that fatness was a sign of beauty and wealth. I wonder if our culture will ever cycle back to that. That being said, @GentleOx I can empathize with being conflicted with weight gain, even if that was a goal of yours. I hope that you can navigate these feelings and figure out what feels comfortable for you!

Alright, I got very last minute school work to do that's due tonight... see ya'll tomorrow before my flight!

 

[EnbyFitness]

Okay, so I think that the idea that you shouldn't exercise before bed is a myth, because I slept really well last night. Then I woke up, finished cleaning the house with my partner, and worked my arms!

• Biceps & Triceps Light, adding up to a total of
  • 90 extended clenches
  • 90 overhead clenches
  • 90 side extended clenches
  • 90 tricep extensions (I did these so wrong lol)
  • 90 bicep extensions
  • 90 speed bag circles

It's funny how simple something is, but how hard it gets when you have to do it 90 times.

Friends, I don't have any updates because it wasn't that long ago that I entered my last log, so I'm going to cut it short here. I've still got to shower and pack. I don't think I'll be able to do anything too intensive on my trip, so I'll probably just continue working on three challenges: better legs, easy abs, and upper body light. Short enough to squeeze it in everyday, but enough of a challenge to keep me going before I get back. I'm basically working on a bunch of challenges all at once, so this will at least get me a little farther along. I'm debating about bringing my jump rope still... I'm not sure.

Please wish us a safe flight! See all of you tomorrow!

 

[Maegaranthelas]

I also usually exercise before bed, it really helps to go to sleep with some circulation, because mine is very poor and I can't sleep with cold feet xD
Have a safe journey and a lovely time

 

[Mamatigerj]

Wishing you safe travels.

 

[EnbyFitness]

I didn’t break my streak!

No time to talk, but last night I did Before Bed and I just got done doing Daily Fix (I’ll edit and add links later).

30 DAY STREAK!

I’ll (hopefully) have time to talk tomorrow. See y’all soon!

 

[Maegaranthelas]

Whooooh, 30 DAYS

 

[MadamMeow]

Congrats on 30 days!

 

[Mamatigerj]

Cheers for 30 days!

 

[Deadoks]

Congrats on 30 days!

 

[Fremen]

Congrats

 

[EnbyFitness]

I woke up at 4 AM this morning to get to the airport, got on the plane, fought back motion sickness, watched a lady try to start a fight once we landed with a different passenger and tried *not* to puke on her, got home at 10 am, then had to get ready for my first day at work at noon, got done training at 3pm, had a workout:

• 50 squats
• 1 minute 30 seconds high knees
• Back & Biceps Express with 8 lb dumbbells, adding up to a total of
  • 80 alternating bicep curls
  • 40 bent over rows

helped my partner get our cats back, helped my partner get his computer back after it was getting fixed, ate dinner out (we deserved it today lol), did groceries, then did school because I had an assignment due by the end of the night and hadn't had a chance to do anything all week. I just now finished.

I am tired and going to bed now lol.

To everyone who cheered me on for my 30 day streak: Thank you!!! Regular updates resume tomorrow. For now... I think I'm going to pass out. Good night!

 

[Deadoks]

yeah!

 

[aku-chan]

Congrats on 30+ days!

 

[EnbyFitness]

Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming. That trip was more hectic than I thought it'd be, and we didn't even do that much: mainly just watched tv with his mom and ate a lot of Puerto Rican food. I didn't have internet where I was staying, and I had nearly no time for exercising. I had to hit my 30 day streak right before bed.

Today has been much more restful than yesterday. We got a meal planning app and are going through the free trial before deciding if we want the subscription. I think it'll be useful in tacking my macros to help with my muscle/weight gain goals. For lunch, it gave us a banana smoothie with nut butter, oatmeal, and cottage cheese. I love all of those things; my partner does not and did not enjoy the smoothie at all. Oh well, more leftovers for me...

My workout today:

• 24 side bends
• 12 twists
• Back & Biceps Express with 10, 8, and 5 lb dumbbells, adding up to a total of
  • 80 alternating bicep curls
  • 40 bent over rows

The reason for so many dumbbells? I tried going up in size and halfway through my second set of bicep curls, my left arm kinda... gave up. It couldn't go up all the way. So I had to go back to 8, but then it happened again, so then I went to 5. The rows were done with the 8 lb weight. I'll rest for a bit and then try this workout again with 10 lbs; I want the extra credit but the gym has no 16 lb weight so... 20 it is. Wish me luck; I might need it with this one.

My arms feel super noodley now. I asked the guy who works at the gym if I could have a scale, but he said they used to have one but it got stolen. Feels like a weird thing to steal, but then again, people are pretty weird. He said he'd talk to management about getting a new one in for me. I've never been a fan of tracking weight, but I should probably start doing that, for obvious reasons. I am a super tiny person right now. I would like to know how tiny so I can go from there.

My arms are going to be a bit sore... bye for now everyone! See you all tomorrow! Thanks again for rooting me on for 30 days!! I'll make it to 60 before you know it!

 

[Maegaranthelas]

I found that taking a protein shake after the weight training reduced my muscle soreness quite a bit.
However, challenging new muscle groups will probably give the ouch anyway :')

Well done on keeping up your streak even on hectic days, that's awesome!

 

[EnbyFitness]

I found a heavy bag at the flea market today

It was lightly used and very cheap. I thought about it for a few minutes, then realized I would be foolish not to buy it. The rest of the day was spent walking back to the apartment, to my friend's car, buying the bag, then buying bags of sand. 50 lbs was way too light... and honestly, at 200, it still moved around a lot during my workout:

• 1 min 40 sec elbow plank
• 60 shoulder taps
• 10-count plank hold x3
• 10 push-ups
• The Final Bell level III, adding up to a total of:
  • 700 punches
  • 140 uppercuts
  • 140 hooks

So I'll probably have to open it up again and redistribute the weight some more, or else buy more sand... I have to say though, throwing a nice hook on the bag feels so nice. I just need to fix it so my downstairs neighbor won't be bothered.

Still messing with my meal planning app. I've never had canned salmon before, and I didn't know you had to remove the black parts, so the fish chowder tonight was... um, crunchy, but that's my fault, and it was good otherwise. Now I know for next time. It also recommended chocolate avocado pudding, which was actually pretty good.

@Maegaranthelas I try to time my workouts so I eat some protein right after, but it doesn't always work out that way. Maybe I should keep, like, an emergency protein shake or bar on hand, lol. And things have been pretty hectic, but it's crazy what motivation a simple streak is. Thank you for your good vibes!

Alright... I need to actually do some school tonight. I have another crazy day tomorrow, but I'll see ya'll then!

 

[EnbyFitness]

Today I woke up, had a shift with the suicide prevention hotline, helped some folks out, then got up and did a very long workout:

• 30 side bends
• 144 bicep extensions
• 80 side leg raises
• 1 min 40 sec elbow plank
• 60 squats
• 40 sec calf raise hold
• 15 min walk
• 42 air bike crunches
• 18 sitting twists
• 36 bridges
• 78 side leg raises (yes, I did these again)
• 1 min 30 sec squats (repetition, woo!)
• 15 push-ups (still can't go very low at all)
• 3 wall push-up holds
• 40 step jacks
• 12 side jacks
• 20 sec dead hang
• 3 min jump rope (a lot of stop and starts)
• Rest & Rec, adding up to a total of
  • 20 knee-ins
  • 10 back stretch #1
  • 10 back stretch #2
  • 20 knee rolls
  • 10 butterfly stretches
  • 10 forward folds

By the time all that was done, I had to shower real fast to get to my social work job. Then we went to Walmart to buy a rubber mat and more sand for my heavy bag, but there was nothing good, so we'll try again another day.

I'm a little emotionally exhausted, because me and my partner had to talk about money today, and we ended up getting emotional and hurting each other's feelings, and I was mad for a while until I got back to the living room and tried to stay mad but then ended up crying on his shoulder and we talked it through some more until we understood each other better. So I'm a little worn out and will talk more tomorrow... even though I have a lot of school due tomorrow I haven't done... I should probably do that. Bye for now!

 

[EnbyFitness]

Hello everyone! Today was my partner's first day back at work after his vacation, so I had the morning to myself. I spent an hour in bed playing on my phone, got up, had myself some coffee and breakfast, diagnosed a fictional person with depression for class, realized my Adderall wasn't really working, read some fanfiction, and then finally did my workout:

• Side Quest Level II, adding up to a total of
  • 100 punches
  • 100 overhead punches
  • 100 backfists
  • 100 side chops
  • 100 elbow strikes

Then I cranked out a three-page essay and went to Aldi with my partner. We talked some more and apologized to each other. I remembered how much I love Aldi. Everything is so cheap and there's a lot less waste than Walmart. I think we'll probably start going there for groceries. I also did some digging online and found some crazy helpful websites, one of which was a guide to muscle building and the other tells you how much protein/nutrition per American dollar something is. Hopefully these resources help other poor people looking for their gains, lol. If you have any more, I would like to see them.

I still need to polish my essay and do some tiny last minute assignments, and then I should be okay. Thank you to everyone for the hugs; yesterday was stressful but me and my partner talked things through. I think it was a fight we needed to have, and ultimately we had it because we both care about the other. I love him so much. See ya'll later!!

 

[Maegaranthelas]

I'm glad you were able to talk things over! Fights can happen, and I would 100% prefer them to the seething resentment that builds when nobody ever talks about the issue. So yay for healthier communication

 

[EnbyFitness]

I do not know why, but I could not go to sleep last night. I stayed up, alternating on hyperfixating on making a list and writing a story. I kept trying to get my brain to turn off, but ADHD makes that kinda hard, so I think I got maybe 3 hours of sleep last night? My partner thinks it was because I read something on my phone before going to bed. I feel like that's probably a big part of it. I was able to wake up and do my shift with the suicide hotline alright, so that's neat. Then I ate rice and veggies and chicken for lunch, did some reading for school for a couple of hours, and did my workout right before my partner got home:

• 24 W-extensions
• 24 prone reverse flys
• 90 wall push-ups
• Back Work, adding up to a total of
  • 70 reverse angels
  • 70 swimmers (these almost killed me)
  • 70 W-extensions
  • 70 back arches

I laid on my mat after the fourth set and said out loud, "I can't do this anymore... No, I can!" I took a moment to catch my breath, then finished the set. I was so sweaty; that workout was a lot harder than it looks. My partner got home right as I rolled up my mat, he ate the lunch he forgot to pack for work and I ate an apple with peanut butter yogurt dip (yum!) and then we went on a little walk. He's taking a nap now. He didn't sleep much last night, either, and got out of bed at 5 AM. We are tired people. I'm going to see if I can't make dinner tonight, but my appetite is a little off, and my mouth feels weirdly dry, even though I've been drinking a lot of water. I don't know; I'm tired just writing this down, lol.

That being said, I'll take it easy before going to bed tonight. @Maegaranthelas, I completely and totally agree. Open communication for the win! Bye for now!

 

[MadamMeow]

I try to not look at my phone or computer screens for the last hour before I go to bed. It helped me in my case, but if you have to give in, try to at least remember to toggle the setting that takes out the blue light.

 

[EnbyFitness]

Hello! Yesterday was one of those days where time didn't make any sense, and I still thought it was noon when it was already 3pm... my partner had the day off so we were lazy all day, save for our trip to Lowe's to go get some more sand and a mat for my punching bag. The thing is now sitting in my apartment surrounded by a sleeping bag to keep my cats from clawing at it. Then, before bed, to keep my exercise streak, I did some Insomnia Yoga. Stretching is so nice.

Today I went to my new job, learned how to make waffle cones, and tried to serve some folks ice cream. My manager asked if I wanted to make myself any so I could practice and I said no... I don't want to eat more junk food just because I'm working there; I want to stay on track. Then I got out of work, did some homework, made some chicken and bean quesadillas with my partner (okay, I mostly watched him make it, but I did help), did more homework, and finally I got to my exercise:

• Fallback with extra credit, adding up to a total of
  • 30 W-extensions
  • 30 prone reverse fly
  • 30 reverse angels
  • 30 superman extensions
  • 30 swimmers
  • 2 minute stretch

Then I had a little protein shake. I am happy. I think me and my partner are going to delete this AI meal planning app because it's too expensive; we're going to try instead to work tether on keeping groceries within our budget while still focusing on healthy foods. I might be going a bit overboard, though, because now I'm finding myself hyperfixated on it and working on meals everyday for the next month... oops. Something about meal planning clicks a little too hard with my neurodiverse brain.

@MadamMeow I just played with my phone and adjusted the settings for it. I don't tend to look at my phone for too long before bed, but hopefully that helps if/when I do. Thanks for the advice!

I'm going to bed soon... maybe after I do a bit more meal planning and hyperfixating... good night, and I plan to see ya'll tomorrow!