75 Hard Challenge - Weeks 3 & 4 Wrap-Up

I'm combining Week 3 and 4 because really I don't have much to report.

I feel like I've finally settled into the challenge. Things are starting to become routine and I recognize when I've missed something...usually my progress pic. I have one picture from a week ago, when I am ready for bed, in my pajamas. I know, it's not going to show much progress but the picture was taken and that's what matters.

Reading

The required 10 pages of reading continues to be a highlight for me. At the end of Week 3 I was midway through "Think Like a Warrior" by Darrin Donnelly. I found this book on a recommended reading list for 75 Hard. 

The rules say to read 10 pages of something non-fiction, educational that can be used to improve any area of your life (part of the reason I read the Bible every day). However, "Warrior" is definitely wrapped in a fictional story that relates to "five inner beliefs that make you unstoppable". So I read this quasi-nonfiction book and enjoyed it. I would have liked it better if the story was real, but if you've read the book, you know that would be impossible. 

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly

The Good: Again, although this challenge is not a weight loss challenge, the weight continues to come off. Both weeks saw about a 2 lb. decrease and that made me really happy. My diet strategy is starting to become more focused. I started off deciding to follow the Mediterranean Diet. It's pretty opened ended...lots of fresh fruits and veg. I tried recipes. Some worked, some flopped but it didn't really feel like I was following anything specific. 

North African Peanut Stew
(mostly a vegetable stew with peanut butter mixed in, served over rice)
NOT a fan favorite, although I didn't think it was that bad.

 

I decided to clarify things a bit more in my head, so now my diet includes NOT eating after dinner. Dinner is the last meal of the day, no snacking. I have also eliminated refined sugar and sweets and for the most part gluten, but I'm not really hung up on the gluten thing...sugar is a big NO though.

The Bad: The only "bad" thing I can think of is that I have found myself chugging my last Stanley full of water at the end of the day. Everyday I start out with the best of intentions, but if I haven't started on my second one by lunch, I play catch-up right before bed and that is definitely not good. LOL

The Ugly: Ok, I hate calling any race effort ugly, and I'm probably only saying this because for once in a long time, I didn't get on the podium and there was a relatively small field of competitors in my age group. Nevertheless, the Lost Trail Half Marathon was not one of my better efforts. I walked at certain times when I probably should have been running. I tried to summon the determination David Goggins talked about in "Never Finished" but it just wasn't there. My legs were tired and I had no energy. (Maybe my double workouts were catching up with me?)

Taking a selfie mid-race is something I never do...
but hey, when you walked as much as I did, why not?

I thought about things I could have done differently after the race and moved on. No sense on dwelling on it. I just need to learn from the experience and try harder next time.

75 Hard Challenge - Week 2 Wrap-Up

So far, 75 Hard has been an interesting journey. I think the thing I am enjoying the most is reading. Now, don't get me wrong, I consider myself to be a "reader" (more on identity later on) and I am in a book club, but I read fiction not non-fiction self-helpy type books. Yuck. Or at least that is what I thought two weeks ago.

Task #4 is designed to teach you a habit that will benefit you greatly from now, until the day you die.  You must read something that is non-fiction, educational, and can be used to improve any area of your life. Whether it be about entrepreneurship, personal development, or a job/career related topic ... you must read AT LEAST 10 pages each and every day. That does not mean you can't read more than that, but you must read a minimum of 10 pages. You must physically read those pages ... meaning audiobooks DO NOT COUNT toward your 10 pages for the day.

I tore through David Goggin's "Never Finished" in four days. Next, I picked up "Atomic Habits" this took me a bit longer (finished it a couple of days ago) only because I purposely limited my reading to a couple chapters a day just to make the book last longer! 

Another "must read"

Atomic Habits and Identity

One take away from "Atomic Habits" was that I need to change my identity in order to change my behaviors. 

"...true behavior change is identity change...Your behaviors are usually a reflection of your identity. What you do is an indication of the type of person you believe that you are - either consciously or non consciously...once a person believes in a particular aspect of their identity, are are likely to act in alignment with that belief... 

• The goal is not to read a book, the goal is to become a reader.
• The goal is not to run a marathon, the goal is to become a runner.
• The goal is not to learn an instrument, the goal is to become a musician.  (See pg. 34)

Another aspect of "identity" is not letting one identity define you. "Lose that one thing and you lose yourself" pg. 248. (Talk about coincidence...this is basically the theme of my novel!!)

So, what is my identity or more importantly, what would I like it to be? What identity will keep me growing through this challenge and developing new, good habits?

• My goal is not to write a book, my goal is to become an author! 
• My goal is not to lose 20 pounds, my goal is to become the type of person that doesn't eat a bunch of crap or overeat.
• I like the runner identity from above :-)
• I do not want my identity to be an athlete, (because injury can take that away in an instance) I want to be the type of person that loves physical challenges and who is mentally tough. (stole that from the book too)

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly

The Good: My consistency is paying off. I am down 5-1/2 pounds since I started. However, as I mentioned before, this is not a weight loss challenge. Weight loss is just something that happens as a byproduct of doing the tasks. Actually, I think I am finally seeing the tipping point of the small positive changes I made earlier this year. Hard 75 has allowed me to continue with those changes and add to them. I have to admit that not snacking in the evening (a horrible habit of mine) has been tough. 

I love seeing colorful progress on my habit tracker.

The Bad: Hmmm...struggling to come up with anything other than the drinking 1-gallon of water everyday. Don't misunderstand...I am drinking it, but there have been days where I'm chugging pretty close to bed time and that is not ideal if you are trying to sleep through the night! I am still trying to establish a routine - wake up and fill my 40 oz. Stanley - try to have it finished by 11am. Refill and try to have it finished by 4pm. Refill and finish by 7pm with a topper of 8 more ounces.

The Ugly: I didn't think the two 45-minute workouts would be that big of a deal. HS and I walk the dogs every day...rain or shine because they would not allow anything less. So no change there, work out #1 done and it counts for the outside. HS now even checks if we need to take the long way home so I can hit 45 minutes. 

My furry accountability partners

Typically I will do a second workout such as a run or swim or a ride. Again, no big deal. However, I have not had a day off for two weeks and I think on Sunday it was catching up with me. On my 8-mile run my heart rate was elevated right from the start and I was running slower than usual for a warm-up. I stopped to rest a few times while HS, who was riding next to me, seemed concerned. 

I tried to come up with some alter ego like "Goggins" (gotta read the book) but couldn't decide on a name that motivated me. At around mile three, running straight into a relentless wind, I lost focus and tripped. There was nothing to trip over, just me not picking up my right foot. I could feel my balance shift and I fought to catch up with my downward momentum, hoping my left foot would finally get out far enough to stop the inevitable. It didn't. As I started my decent into the dirt, I put my hands out and crashed down on to my right side and shoulder. 

I had HS take a pic at the turn around...still looking and 
feeling pathetic. Pick up your feet!!!

I picked myself up. HS stopped and tried to figure out what happened. I think he was concerned it was related to my elevated HR. I grabbed my knees and started crying. Which I think made him even more worried. I told him I was fine and that I just needed to regroup...which is what I did. After a few minutes, I started running (sort of) towards the turn around at 4 miles. I wasn't giving up that easily although the last half of the run turned out to be more of a run/walk but I finished the 8 miles.

Here's to week three...hopefully injury free!

75 Hard Challenge - Week 1 Wrap-Up

Last week BFF (aka Spell Checker) introduced me to the 75 Hard Challenge. After successfully completing 6 days (I stumbled and started day 1 over) I can honestly say that I believe this challenge was an answer to my prayers. Thank you again, BFF!!!

Of course, many people may look at this challenge and say that it is arbitrary and stupid and there is no reason to do it or even stick with it, but I say they are wrong. Yes, it's not a training plan that you are compelled to stick with so you can cross the finish line of a race or get a PR at an event. It's not a diet promising miracle weight loss. It is a mental challenge. A toughness challenge. A hard challenge.

I believe I was introduced to this challenge for a reason and it is in my heart to complete it. I am very pleased with my progress and I am excited to see the changes over the remaining 69 days.

Adding a Post-it every night before bed

Difference of Opinion

Since Saturday afternoon (Day 5) was set to be busy and because we were hosting a Super Bowl party on Sunday, I decided to switch my long run to Saturday morning (still have races to train for). We walked the dogs and after we got home, I changed clothes and headed out on my run. Two things disqualified my walk from the challenge:

1) It was less than 45 minutes

2) It was done right before the run.

Note: There is a lot of conflicting info on the two workouts rule. I have been operating with the belief that they have to be separate and distinct, with a break in between, and at least one of the workouts has to be outside. I have read Reddit posts from people saying the workouts have to have a 3 hour separation. Here is the wording for Task 2 from Andy Frisella's website...

Nothing about the time between workouts
https://andyfrisella.com/blogs/articles/what-is-75-hard

So, when we got home Saturday evening after two appointments in Stockton, I climbed on the trainer and did a 45 minute ride in Zwift. It wasn't a programmed workout or anything too hard, but is was separate and it was the full 45 minutes.

Of course, HS found this to be irritatingly stupid. Why didn't I just walk longer in the morning? You ran for over two hours, isn't that enough? Most people don't run that long. Why not count the run as two workouts?

I tried explaining the rules of the challenge but was just met with more of the same queries. At the Super Bowl party, he even tried to get BFF's opinion on me not counting my run as two workouts. I think he was hoping to get her to admit I was being too strict about the rules. She may think I'm crazy, but she is the last person to ask about me sticking with something. Besides, this whole thing is her fault LOL!

Out of all my answers to the questions asked, I think the most telling was about who was tracking the challenge. The person tracking this is me. This matters to ME! I could cheat the rules (as I understand them) but I would know. I would want to start over. Everyone has different reasons, goals, measurements for this challenge (just check Reddit if you don't believe me) I am sticking to mine and only mine.

Weekly workout summary

Yes, I could count a short workout or say my 2 hour run is twice as long as two separate 45 minute workouts, but in my heart I will have known I haven't followed the challenge. I went to bed Saturday night, tired but feeling proud of my accomplishment. The job got done no matter what and I controlled what I could control (when and where I did my workout and what the workout was). This is the whole point.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Good: I consider myself a reader and I generally love books. However, I usually lean towards fiction or books about how to write a book. I have never been really into motivational, self-help books (unless you count the Bible). When I started 75 Hard, I was fortunate enough to have a book on my shelf ready to go, "Never Finished" by David Goggins. The challenge calls for reading 10 pages a day, I finished the book in 4 days. It was a great read and I could feel it stirring the embers of wanting more from myself. If you are doing the challenge, this is a MUST READ!

Must read!

Good: Weight loss. Although this is not a weight loss challenge or diet, I have lost 3.8 pounds since last Monday.

Bad: I wouldn't say it's entirely bad, but I struggle with the whole gallon of water. Yes, I am drinking the full 120 oz. plus a little extra, but I have a hard time drinking consistently throughout the day. If I could just sip a little every now and then, I wouldn't end up gulping an insane amount right before bed. This is something I hope to improve this week.

Ugly: The only ugliness was Day 1 (the first one). I failed on the workout timing and on the drinking water so I owned up to my shortcomings and decided to start over the next day. This was fairly easy with only 24 hours wasted and I wonder if I would be so willing if I was 61 or 71 days into the challenge. Honestly, if it's day 71, I'm drinking the gallon of water even if I'm about to put my head on my pillow ;-)

This Week

I am looking forward to settling in to the challenge as I sit here sipping my water. 

The book I am reading now is called "Atomic Habits" by James Clear and I will probably be looking for a new read by the end of the week. This book is almost just as interesting as "Never Finished" and I am learning so much about how both good and bad habits are formed. I think 75 Hard is giving me the opportunity to work on my habits and hopefully create new healthy ones by the time the challenge is over.

While reading about habit stacking and temptation bundling, I have decided that writing/working on my book needs to be factored in somewhere. I'm trying to decide on timing and location so I won't have any built in excuses or stumbling blocks. I think I will work on my book for 30 minutes after lunch in the living room. 

Today is off to a good start...time to go take my daily progress pic :-)