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VeganResistance's lifestyle diary.


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So, basically i thought I'd start a bit of a semi-regularly updated journal detailing my physical exercise, measurements, progress photos, and how I'm feeling.

 

Images from last week posted at the end of this writing.

 

I have some set things that I have as routine:

* Start the day with a shower (and drink a good amount of water), followed by Kum Nye, as I learned from Waking Up For Beginners - The Kum Nye takes about 20 mins and some days is extremely challenging, and other days doesn't seem too bad, as most things seem to go anyhow.

* I then go through three sets of either chin ups or pull ups - I'm thinking I'll start the Armstrong program soon for this..

* Next stop is the kitchen where I make myself breakfast which is the same most days:

Local(ish - and minus bananas) fruit, mixed with Tahini, Lecithin, Pumpkin and Sunflower seeds, Almonds, Brazils, Apple Cider vinegar, flax Seed Oil, Cinnamon, Ginger, Nutmeg.

* Next I'll get onto whatever I have to do in the day. Most mornings I need to give myself two hours before I can leave the house. If I'm rushed I'll just grab some fruit for breakfast.

 

* I try to cycle everywhere. I live down a hill, so always get a bit of an incline

* On Wednesday evenings I go to a gymnasium - $10 for almost two hours, so much fun and really supportive people. The gymnasium is huge - a couple of sprung floors, the rings, bars, tramps, crash pads, etc. I've been working on my back flips and front flips (I can't do either from the ground yet) and handstands, but also play around on everything else - been playing lots with the rings and was proud of my latest achievement of climbing up the vertical rope to the rafters and back using just my arms. also, it's about 11km away and I try to have enough time to cycle there and back.

* Once a week I go for a run with a fellow vegan, started two weeks ago, where we did 8.5km, and last week was 9km.

* I try to work physically demanding jobs - usually I work in industrial Rope Access, but at the moment it's quiet so I am hopefully getting some general labour/construction work.

* I go through a few Asanas each day.

 

* I almost never eat any processed foods. I don't smoke cigarettes and the only alcohol I consume is homebrew wine or the occasional vegan red wine (I do rarely have something else, but itś uncommon.

* I am totally vegan (I thought I needn't say this but it seems there are a few people here who do consume some animal products)

* I don't drink coffee , or black or green tea.

* I occasionally do have some chocolate.

* My biggest negatives against my healthy living is that I smoke weed a few times a week and my sleeping patterns are all over the place (I prefer to be up til around 2 working on various projects, but when I'm working I usually start at 7, so they get messed up a bit)

 

So as far as exercise goes, in summary, Kum Nye in the mornings, pullups/chinups, bike everywhere, Wednesday gymnastics, Thursday runs, and generally trying to keep fit. I need more stuff. Hoping to make it to Sunday parkour meetups at the moment.

 

So, last week (and I have NO idea how to pose btw):

http://valec.ritualmedia.co.nz/images/00006.jpg

http://valec.ritualmedia.co.nz/images/00008.jpg

http://valec.ritualmedia.co.nz/images/00009.jpg

^ Just casual, no tensing for that one.

 

And omg my flatmate just presented me with a plate of fresh baked wholemeal bread, mediterranean styled lentils and a spicy chickpea dish, with a side of guacamole. Wow ......actually I've just finished that now and have been given a plate with some vanilla soy icecream and plum sauce with mint chocolate. She's so bad for my health, but I've got to indulge sometimes

 

Peace out, will post some daily updates in coming days.

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Alrighty, so the last couple of days, Tuesday and Wednesday.... Well, I did shit all really, a real slide actually.

 

I've been doing my morning Kum Nye, and doing the usual breakfast, even caught up on a bunch of sleep Tuesday night which was great, BUT...

 

I've been going through a pretty bad break up at the moment, and am finding myself not pushing myself to do what I know I should be doing.

 

Tuesday I didn't even do any pullups, which I do every morning. Just some Kum Nye and the rest of the day pretty much inactive. Wednesday I pushed myself into it, did some Asana's during the day, but by about 4pm was cracking open a bottle of red and rolling a J, and blew off going to the Gymnasium, which is really getting to me - I was quite looking forward to it, especially given I missed it last week. I've also been eating a heap of glutenous stuff and not too much raw foods aside from my breakfasts - not really how I want to be eating.

 

Today has been better. Started the morning with Kum Nye, some Asanas and pullups (7-3-4 - I really need more strength!), had an afternoon of cycling around the city running errands (some good inclines in it), then went on 9km run this evening (and let me tell you I regretted that wine). Been eating a lot of fruit today, a banana kiwifruit smoothie after the run, and a dinner of spicy black beans with a big salad (and my salads have everything in them, not just lettuce and tomato - I've got brocolli, courgette, carrot, cucumber, avocado, beetroot, radish, etc etc)

 

So today I feel like I'm on the up again. Tomorrow I am hoping to start the Armstrong programme and to work more on my Sirsha Asana.

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Hi,

I think your daily routine is OK. Smoking pot is not extremely bad in my opinion, but it can make you lazy and stray away from your exercise plan (at least in my case). I suggest you to exercise during the week, and smoke pot on weekends. I did like that, and during the time I lost my need to smoke pot at all, I do it very rarely now. Now I am an exercising junky:)))

What are your goals considering your physique? I think you have good potentials, everything is in the place (proportions), you could just put on some muscles, if you want to. With right gym plan, you will have success for sure! You are also a young person, and I heard that it is easier to put on muscles when you're young. I started exercising in 35, and now I wish I did it earlier.

All best!

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Hey vege,

 

Thanks for the feedback. I've been cutting right down on the weed, which is good. Bad for the lungs and bad for my mental state I reckon.

 

My goals are to get a lot more strength, speed, stamina, and springyness! I don't care about getting huge, but I do need more muscle. I want my muscle to be packed as tightly as possible with good strength. I look at people like Bruce Lee and Tony Jaa and think I'd like to have a physique more like that than say a schwarzenegger (not that I'm ever going to be at that level, but you should get what I'm saying I hope).

 

So all-round fitness would be it.

 

Present specific goals are to start entering into 11km runs, and then look at other events, and to build a lot more strength in general. Just to dedicate myself to working out and watch the numbers grow

 

Yesterday I FINALLY committed to starting the Armstrong program:

AM pressups (knuckles):

15-10-7

 

PM Chinups:

5-4-4-2-2 (this feels embrassingly low)

 

I have yet another great injury - I've taken a good chunk out of the inside of a couple of my fingers on my left hand, so I skipped Gymnastics again this week

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OK, so this morning pressups: 15-10-7

Afternoon chinups (Day 2 of Armstrong program): 1-2-3-4-4 (re-reading the docs I should have done another set, whoops)

 

I'll probably do more chin-ups or some Asana's this evening. My Sirsha Asana is getting much better.

 

Also, I've been cycling HEAPS recently

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Yes, Bruce Lee's physique is also more my goal, than Arnold Schwarzenegger's. Maybe something in between, precisely:D

Just keep on doing the program and don't worry about the numbers. I bought pull up bar couple of months ago and first I couldn't do more than 2 or 3. Now I think I can do 8 at maximum effort, when not exhausted (as I am now, on this program)

Consistence, patience, and strong will, these are our best friends! May the spirit of Bruce Lee be with you!

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Really liking the way I'm feeling atm....

 

This morning:

Pressups - 16-11-8 (so proud of upping every set by one rep!)

The usual breakfast, but skipped Kum Nye (been waking next to a beautiful womyn a bit recently which is taking some time from my morning routine - but well worth it )

 

PM:

Armstrong week1, day 3: Chinups 3-3-3 Pullups 3-3-3 Chinups 3-3-3 (could just barely get my chin to the bar on the last rep)

Followed by some homemade pumpkin soup with brown rice and homemade gluten-free seedy bread.

A wee bit of cycling.

 

Now off to a vegan potluck Have made a massive winter salad.

 

My vice for today has been snacking on a little(well, maybe not that little) vegan brownie a flatmate made yesterday.

 

My lungs feel great! And my arms feel worked out, but not like jelly

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Yesterday:

Morning pressups: 15-12-9

AM chinups (Week1, Day4): 5 or 6 sets of 3 reps (I was talking to my flatmate during all the breaks between sets so a) wasn focused, or stretching or doing any crunches, which I'm trying to incorporate), and b) I lost count.

 

Went out last night, drunk a little bit, ate too much sugary food and went to bed too late.

 

Today:

 

Needless to say I have felt a bit tired today.

Morning Pressups: 16-13-10

 

Followed by the usual fruit salad breakfast.

 

Cycled about 10km

 

Lunch: A vege salad (spinach, beetroot, red cabbage, carrot, seeds), banana and golden kiwifruit with rice milk smoothie, and some home-made gluten free bread.

 

PM armstrong routine - Week 1, Day 5. I repeated day two: 1,2,3,3,2 - not so good today!

 

Dinner - A tomato, chickpea, lentil creation provided by my flatmate, with some gluten free seedy bread. I also added some raw carrot and raw organic tofu, and will no doubt mae something else in a couple of hours.

 

Feeling way tired now, but have a heap of work to do.

 

Peace out

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vege,

 

Thank you! I so needed that. I've been really really slack!

 

As a bit of a history, up until recently I've been totally without sugar, cafiene, gluten,alcohol, and living with just one other person who is also into the same stuff and who also worked out a lot. Moving from living with her to living with a bunch of junk food eating unfit uni students and realising that I felt quite controlled during that relationship (which I don't really blame her for, I think I was naturally way too submissive in a lot of ways) has led to me sliding quite a bit.

 

If I used to touch the tiny-est amount of something I don't usually eat I'd be really hard on myself, like way over the top (this was also apparent in other areas of my life). So I feel like I've done the rebelling now, re-affirm that I don't like the affects of that stuff on my life and I sure as hell don't need it, and can get back into being an 'almost straightedge' fit, lean, fast, vegan fighter

 

I had a good think about this yesterday when feeling so tired and made a resolve to keep up with avoiding the crap I don't want/need.

 

And after yesterdays post I ended up eating a good chunk of homemade pizza (wholemeal base, lentil tomato topping with fresh avocado and hummus), and then later doing a bunch more pressups, I didn't note down the numbers so I can't remember correctly how many I did, but it was good to get some more in.

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So totally still on the program.

 

Right, a re-cap of the last four days:

 

* Tuesday:

First day of two days break from the Armstrong Program.

 

Started the day with three sets of pressups, on the knuckles, as always (I also have wooden floors, my flatmate recently spotted me and exclaimed 'Holy shit!', which is a very motivating response. I didn't count them, just carried each set until I couldn't go any further.

 

Cycled probably 20km, in the rain, with some good uphill moments.

 

Finished the day with another three sets of pressups.

 

* Wednesday:

Once again, three sets of pressups which I didn't count (it's supposed to be my break day! )

 

A heap of walking.

 

Back to gymnastics! It been three weeks! I was real rusty (I had only had two sessions before the break) Two hours of practicing jumping higher, front flips, getting my (pre)backflip techniques.

I went with a couple of guys I'm starting to become friends with, but boy did one of them stink of meat and eggs when he got in the car! Gross! They're circus performers so can do some pretty fancy stuff, which makes me a little self conscious, but they also helped with some technique so that was great. I am determined to get faster and higher than them (one day)!

 

Didn't warm down or stretch out afterward as we carried on until the lights were turned out on us and we ran to the car (it was raining), and once I got home I had to deal with some personal issues. It is two days later and the front of my thighs still ache!

 

* Thursday

2.5 hours sleep! - as I mentioned above, had some personal stuff that I had to deal with on Wednesday. I then woke at 5am.

 

First thing for the day - Pressups! 13-11-10 - that lack of sleep really affected things!

 

The reason I had to wake early was to catch a van to another town with some other animal rights activists. One of my friends chained himself to a factory farm (pigs) back in April and it was his trial date so we went down to have a bit of a demo outside court.

 

So after brekky I walked to where we were meeting, got there early so did some yoga and ran around the block (it was on a hill so a good sprint was had)

 

After court I walked for about an hour to my brothers place. Oh and I swung around in some trees a bit.

 

By this point my thighs and Trapezius were really feeling achy!

 

Week 2, Day 1 chinups: (on my brothers washing line, which was a bit too low and too fat): 6(just)-3-2-2-(almost)2 - I was really tired!

 

* Today

Got a really good sleep!

 

Morning pressups: 16-14-11

Afternoon chinups (Week2, Day2): 1-2-3-4-3-3(only barely on the third one)

 

I am eating so much! But I have been eating really well, almost zero on wheat, sugar, chocolate (I say almost because John's partner made a heap of muffins for court and I had a couple, they had all the nasty stuff - wheat, chocolate and sugar! But also wholemeal and fruit....)

Also negative on the drinking.

 

I feel great! Although my body feels like it's had a pounding, mostly in my thighs and Traps. I think if I wasn't feeling so worked I'd have had higher numbers today. I am noticing physical change too, I'm gonna wait until the end of week two and take some progress shots.

 

Also, I recieved a flyer for four free gym visits so I'm booked to go in on Monday.

 

Right, I'm off to make some seedy GF bread.....

 

Vegan Power!

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Week2, Day3

Morning pressups: 17-12-11

Afternoon: Chinups: 3-3-3 Close-grip pullups: 3-3-3 Wide-grip chinups: 3-3-4

 

Got some cycling in this evening (with a pretty big hill).

 

Breakfast - fruit salad

Snacks - Home baked bread

Lunch - Leftover Thai curry with lotsa tofu + some salad.

Dinner - Dhal + Brown Rice with Black Beans.

And then a bit of Apple and cherry crumble .

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Thanks Robert and vege!

 

Today:

Morning pressups: 15-15-14

 

A couple of hours of cycling around town, up n down some hills, with my backpack and back basket getting progressively full until the last few km's were with a very heavy weight, including one arm holding a portable jumpstart unit! (good for balance practice...)

 

Chinups (Armstrong Program Week 2, Day 4): 3 reps x 12 sets (actually the very last rep was only half up, for all of my straining I couldn't get my chin over the bar) - wish I noted down how many sets I managed last Sunday, but I know it was a few sets less. These were done just prior to dinner.

 

Eating:

Breakfast: Fruit salad and 2x pieces of my seedy GF bread.

Snacks: Banana, Pear, some nuts

Lunch: Tofu thai curry and some fruit crumble and a slice of bread with spinach and tomato

Snacks: Salad, bread, tofu, dates

Dinner: Dal with freshly made hummus and some raw tomato. Bread with salad topping.

 

Getting stronger!

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It's all taken a bit of effort today...

 

Morning:

Pressups: 15-13-11

tadasana, Uttanasana, and some other asanas which I don't know the name of.

One set of pullups just before I left the house.

Cycled around a fair bit, again.

Sirsha-asana, not sure how long I held it for, but constant improvement with this one.

 

PM:

More cycling (including a really big hill, and some other hills), and given that I still haven't fixed my front derailleur this could have been easier.

Pullups (Armstrong week2, day5): decided to repeat day one, but to switch to pullups: 8-6-5-4-4 (Really pushed myself to get my chin up and over on the last rep, I thought I might bust an artery....)

 

Went and looked at a couple of gyms. Got one that I'm going to join in a couple of weeks, but until then will be starting a few free sessions at a different gym on Friday. Looking forward to it, although I'm still unsure of whether I'll actually use a gym much.

 

Eating:

Fruit Salad with nuts and seeds.

Snacks throughout day: bananas, pear, walnuts, a soymilk, mandarin, bread (GF, seedy), carrot, some GF sugarless fruit loaf, a chocolate truffle (hand made by my lovely partner, how could I say no?), lentil sprouts.

Dinner: Brown rice with Urad Dhal and raw spinach, brocolli, tomato, capsicum, avocado + homemade hummus.

 

Also just found that I DID note down last weeks day 4. 5 or 6 sets of 3. I doubled this yesterday! And I've been really hard on myself for not having enough strength. Progress can be seen in the figures and attitude

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AM Pressups: 16-14-12 - the first set may actually have only been 15.

PM chinups (Armstrong Program Week 3, Day 1): 6-5-4-4-3

 

As per usual, a bunch of cycling today, those hills were difficult with achy legs.

 

Tuesday + Wednesday:

Didn't do much Tuesday, just a bit of cycling.

Yesterday I started the day with... PRESSUPS... 16-15-14 and spent the evening at gymnsatics. Once again working on my bounce, front flips and handstands. Climbed the rope to the rafters and back down, felt a bit tired. Ensured I warmed down and stretched this time to lessen the intense feelings in my thighs this week.

I've really got to improve my bounce!

 

Been feeling a bit hard on myself. I want more progress! Especially being at gymnastics with amazing trick jumpers, gymnasts, tumblers and circus performers, it's hard to not get a bit down about not being able to do sh*t all. But I'll get over it. If only I could just pull of a forward flip!

 

I look forward to heading to the gym tomorrow:

 

And I have some new things I want to start on from tomorrow:

* re-introduce Kum Nye into my morning routine (since starting the armstrong program I've pretty much dropped this)

* start a routine to work on my mid section (I'll decide what after my gym visit tomorrow)

* There are some others, like fitting in more running, but small steps otherwise I'll not keep to it.

 

AND I took some new shots today:

http://valec.ritualmedia.co.nz/images/fitness/PB040003.JPG

http://valec.ritualmedia.co.nz/images/fitness/PB040004.JPG

 

I don't think there's a huge amount of difference from my last shots, but I think my back has a bit more definition...

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Just be patient and do your pull ups I see progress in shoulders and arms! Back also seems to be more defined. You do more push ups then in the beginning, right? You should be satisfied with what you have achieved! Bigger results will come if you persist. Just work out and eat a lot!

Why do you want to go to gym? Shouldn't you do only Armstrong program while on it?

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You are doing great and I really like your journal. I will be a follower. I have some questions for you if you don't mind.

 

Why is it good to not eat wheat? I don't eat much but occasionally I make tacos with whole wheat wraps and I also eat some crackers that I'm sure have wheat in them. What are the benefits to not eating wheat? Does it help you get more ripped? Do you eat oats/quinoa/barley or any other grains. If not, again, why? The reason I'm asking is I'm trying to modify my diet and make it better...

 

What's the difference between a pull up and a chin up?

 

Also, my upper body is really weak. I would like to get on track to being able to do 1 pullup. What should I do to make this happen? (I'm a woman, btw)

 

Your progress pics looks fabulous by the way. You had a good, lean body to begin with and I can already tell that you are changing in your most recent photos. Are you doing any cardio?

 

Feel free to check out my journal. lol I have lots of different kinds of things in there. Not just about working out and eating.

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Thanks for the encouragement! I think I've just been too hard on myself, I tend o compare myself to other people too much, even if they're years ahead of me in experience....

 

vege, this program is for marines! I'm sure they don't just do a few chinups and pressups each day.... I'm heading to the gym because I have a free 7 day pass and I thought I better use it - I'm planning on working my midsection and legs, I will be keeping away from working my upper body.

 

Oh and I forgot to write what I was eating yesterday: HEAPS of good whole foods

 

mizzourunner, I stopped eating gluten (what, oats, barley, rye) as my ex partner wanted to cut it out and it was easier if I did too. After stopping I did notice a change, if I ate gluten I'd have less energy, and often feel heavier with the digestion. I think about 80% of the population is supposed to have issues with the digestion of gluten - and when you mix glutenous flour with water into a paste I can understand why. I have decided, for the sake of my bank balance and convenience that I am happy to re-introduce some wholegrain glutenous grain into my diet.

 

And I eat other grainy things - buckwheat, corn, quinoa (not very often because it's really expensive), millet, rice. My breads are typically a combination of oranic buckwheat, corn, rice flours with a starch (potato or tapioca).

 

A pull-up has your palms facing toward you, a chin-up is with your palms facing away from you.

 

To get to one pull-up I would probably suggest trying three sets of press-ups every day, if you have access to a gym then use the lateral pull-down machine. However both of these are pushing exercises, I don't think there's much of a replacement for pull-ups I'd suggest to just hang from the bar and pull for three sets would probably help too, if you have a friend around then get them to wrap their arms around your legs and assist you over the bar.

 

For cardio I'm cycling a decent amount every day, go to gymnastics on Wednesdays, and every Thursday I run about 9-10km, but I haven't for the last couple of weeks due to other things needing my time

 

Just had a quick read of your journal, I will definitely keep following

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And I eat other grainy things - buckwheat, corn, quinoa (not very often because it's really expensive), millet, rice.

I'm just curious - how much does quinoa cost per kg in your place? Here it's about $12.5!!! I hate that, because quinoa is my favorite. I wonder how much does it cost in South America where they usually grow it...

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Quinoa is about the same here. Way too expensive for me unless I feel like something a little exotic. I can imagine that it's getting really hard for those who have traditionally had it in their diets, given that they probably can't 'compete' with the global marketplace.

 

Today:

AM

Crossover box pressups: 17-18-16 I used a couple of books as the 'box', with Bill Pearls 'Getting Stronger' on Top to keep me motivated

 

Kum Nye - instead of holding the poses for 2 minutes each I cut it down to a minute because by this point I was a bit hungry and I hadn't done it in so long. Felt good though!

 

PM:

Cycled a few km's to the gym. Probably just a couple of km's. I was runninglate though so it was a good effort.

Gym: Worked on an abdominal crunch machine, did leg lifts, some hip machines. I forgot to take a pen and can't remember my exact sets or weights :/ I didn't have much time to spend there today. Their showers are awesome!

Cycled back from the gym.

 

Armtrong Program, Week 3, Day2: 1-2-3-4-5-4-3

 

Eating:

Seedy, nutty Fruit Salad

A complex vege salad

Some home baked wholegrain bread

Banana

Quinoa Salad (it was a cafe, I splashed out, YUM! The other option was potato wedges...)

Kumara salad

A couple of bliss balls.

 

I wish I had some tofu right now...

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vege Thanks for the tips!! I will definitely try them!

 

And I eat other grainy things - buckwheat, corn, quinoa (not very often because it's really expensive), millet, rice.

I'm just curious - how much does quinoa cost per kg in your place? Here it's about $12.5!!! I hate that, because quinoa is my favorite. I wonder how much does it cost in South America where they usually grow it...

 

I can't believe quinoa is so expensive where you live! I buy it out of the bulk bins at my grocery store and its about $3-5 per pound. I guess I'm just lucky?

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