Habits

Stepping back briefly. 

I've been thinking a lot about why I have trouble losing weight in any meaningful way.  I believe it's because I suck at adulting.  There's no one way to be a functioning adult of course, but as I examine my life, I see that I'm missing so many of the fundamental building blocks that compose the kind of life I envision.

Theory: if I build these blocks effectively, it will help me lose weight in the short-term and set things up for a healthier life going forward.

That's my new challenge for myself.

Some of these habits I want to build are more personal than I'm comfortable sharing.  Others I'll write about here.  Not all habits are directly fitness-related, but most will have at least tangential benefits.  Limiting myself to starting one habit per day.

More details on what this habit-building process will look like tomorrow.  

FFIX – Part 62: The Last Temptation of Zidane

Summary: Garland lays out his plans for Terra and Gaia. Strikes out against Zidane, who hits a sort of rock bottom. A little help from his friends.

FFIX – Part 61: The Terran Genome Project

Summary: Zidane dives into his unsettling heritage, his friends on his heels.

FFIX – Part 60: Walking the Spirit Road

Summary: Shimmering Island. Terra. The Invincible. Bran Bal and its strangely empty citizens.

Coldrun Fitness - July 29, 2016 [in progress]

Two days left this week.  One aiming for ~3,100 cal, the other for less than or equal to 2,600 cal.

FFIX – Part 59: Guard Break

Summary: The party splits and busts into the four elemental shrines, preparing the way to the Shimmering Island. Amarant continues hurtling down his character arc.

Coldrun Fitness - July 28, 2016 [complete]

Ended up with a heavy binge yesterday.  That's okay.  Today went better.

My goal for the next two days is to have one day at or below 2,600 cal, and the other day with a bit more flexibility without being as heavy a binge as yesterday. Maybe... in the 3,100 cal max range.

FFIX – Part 58: Upside Down

Summary: Into the disorientating Ipsen's Castle. Elemental seals. Amarant growth. Odin's sword.

FFIX – Part 57: Daguerreo Types

Summary: Finishing up before Ipsen’s Castle. Tetra Master. Choco. The watery library of Daguerreo. THE FOUR ARMED MAAAAAN

Coldrun Fitness - July 27, 2016 [complete]

Managed to stay below 2,600 cal yesterday to my surprise.  Just like yesterday, I'll have leeway today to go higher than that if I want.  My goal this week still is to have five days at or below 2,600 calories.  Three down.  Just have to do well in two of the next four days.

Coldrun Fitness - July 26, 2016 [complete]

The last two days, stayed at or below 2,600.  Woohoo!!  Today, I'll go a bit easier.  If I hit 2,600, awesome, but mainly my goal is just to not all-out binge.

FFIX – Part 56: Ozma the Great and Powerful

Summary: Tons of Choco stuff. Cleared the chocograph treasures (with one notably rage-inducing chest among them). Mognet Central. The beautiful Chocobo’s Air Garden. Oh, and got my ass handed to me by a swirling ball of colors and pain.

Coldrun Fitness - July 25, 2016 [complete]

Started out the week well yesterday.  Let's see if I can do a second day at 2,600.

FFIX – Part 55: Paradise Found

Summary: The hunt for Chocobo’s Paradise bears fruit.

Coldrun Fitness - July 24, 2016 [complete]

 Good.  This week finished well. 

The best weeks for me are not where I try for perfection, but rather where I try to do just a bit better than last week.  More relaxed, lower pressure, better success.

This coming week, my food goals are to have five days at or below 2,600 calories.  The other two days, just try not to go on full-out binges.  I think I can do that.

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7/24/16 morning weight: 265.8 lbs - Dropped a couple this week which feels great. Only going to weigh-in on Sundays.  No point doing it sooner.  Just adds pressure.

FFIX – Part 54: Like a Duck to Water

Summary: General exploration. Dali. Quan’s Dwelling. Choco evolves. Return to Chocobo Forest and Chocobo Lagoon.

FFIX – Part 53: Auctioneer

Summary: Exploring the world in the Hilda Garde 3. Forgotten Continent. Mist Continent. Treno.

Coldrun Fitness - July 23, 2016 [complete]

Last day of the week. I'm okay with going over 2,600 calories today, but will not to do a full on binge. If I can stay below 3,000, that'd be awesome.

Coldrun Fitness - July 22, 2016 [complete]

FFIX – Part 52: Queen Garnet, Queen Dagger

Summary: The party settles on a next step. Dagger returns to Alexandria.

FFIX – Part 51: Mog Versus the Volcano

Summary: Return to Esto Gaza, and an unexpected return to a volcano. Eiko saved. A heartbreaking sacrifice. The end of “Zorn and Thorn.” Enter Hilda.

Coldrun Fitness - July 21, 2016 [complete]

Two days this week at or below 2,600 calories.  Going to try for one more in the next two days, either tomorrow or Saturday.  The other day I'm just going to try not going on a whole-hog binge.

Coldrun Fitness - July 20, 2016 [complete]

Trying again.  Calmly as I can.  Goal for the rest of this week: three days at or below 2,600 calories.

FFIX – Part 50: Angels and Demons

Summary: Exploring the Desert Palace of Kuja. One of the best settings in the entire FF series.

FFIX – Part 49: Digging Deeper

Summary: Team Zidane delves into the mysteries of Oeilvert. Team Dagger orchestrates a prison break.

FFIX – Part 48: Remembered

Summary: Kuja captures the party and forces four of them to go to the Forgotten Continent on an errand.

Coldrun Fitness - July 17, 2016 - Planning

Meal planning for tomorrow:

Breakfast: Bagel with light plain cream cheese. Chocolate milk. (630 cal)
Morning snack: Iced skim chai. (150 cal)
Lunch: Chipotle burrito bowl. (1,000 cal)
Afternoon snack: Bottled mocha frappuccino. (180 cal)
Dinner: Chicken sub. (490 cal)

Total: 2,450 cal

FFIX – Part 47: Worth

Summary: Return to the mostly empty Black Mage Village. Exploring the eastern half of the Outer Continent.

FFIX – Part 46: Red if by Land, Blue if by Sea

Summary: Lots of Choco stuff. Naval exploration. Chocobo Lagoon, Hot & Cold, and chorograph hunting.

FFIX – Part 45: Feeling Froggy

Summary: Zidane goes potion-hunting in Lindblum, attempting to reverse Cid’s curse. It doesn’t quite work as intended.

FFIX – Part 44: No Words

Summary: The party recovers in Lindblum, dealing with recent traumas best they can. A new mission: to cure Cid, get an airship, and move on Kuja. Too bad that Kuja has a mission as well.

Coldrun Fitness - July 11, 2016

Going to weigh in just whenever I feel like it.  Only will track when it goes down.  No pressure for the days it doesn't go down, since it's such a fluid thing.  Will just watch for longer-term trends.

Starting weight (7/10/16): 265.4 lbs
Morning weight (7/11/16): 264.6 lbs

FFIX – Part 43: Chaos Theory

Summary: Kuja attacks Alexandria. Bahamut. The city’s holy namesake comes to its defense. Invincible. A new character, and yet the oldest character, enters the field: Garland. What a monster of a session.

FFIX – Part 42: The Tetra Master

Summary: The auction house and Tetra Master tournament. Vivi returns home. Freya on Kuja’s trail.

Coldrun Fitness - July 10, 2016

Everything old is new again.  I'm back to my old high weight, and yet I'm weirdly okay with it.  Not sure why exactly.  Just feeling calmer.  I think that's a good thing.

Starting weight (7/10/16): 265.4 lbs

FFIX – Part 41: City People

Summary: The party returns to Dark City Treno. Special focus on Eiko and Amarant. Quina’s back! Catoblepas.

FFIX – Part 40: Love Letters

Summary: A session that reminds me in the best way possible of a wacky Shakespearean comedy, with all the silliness and heartbreak and joy that entails.

FFIX – Part 39: Dagger Ascendant

Summary: The aftermath of Kuja versus Brahne. Dagger prepares for her coronation. The party rests in Alexandria. More of Dagger's past revealed. I acquire a new ship.

FFIX – Part 38: Showtime

Summary: Back to the Iifa Tree. Leviathan, Bahamut. Kuja’s Mistborn versus Brahne’s military and eidolons.

FFIX – Part 37: Lost and Found

Summary: Lani temporarily kidnaps and steals from Eiko. Rescued with the help of a red-headed bandit. Peeling back mystery from Dagger’s past. A new party member!

FFIX – Part 36: Mist Tree Machine

Summary: Into the Iifa Tree. Peeling back layers of the mystery onion that is the whole Mist-Kuja connection.

FFIX – Part 35: Lost Summoners

Summary: Madain Sari. Dinner. Wall of Eidolons. Self-doubt all around, and a little crush from the tiny summoner.

Coldrun Fitness - July 9, 2016

Been mentally checked out for a while.  Back.

Going to try planning out my food for tomorrow:

• Half Cajun breakfast. (800 cal)
• Bottled mocha frappuccino. (180 cal)
• Macaroni and cheese. (640 cal)
• Iced chai tea latte. (150 cal)
• Pasta with sauce. (550 cal)
• Frozen yogurt. (180 cal)

Total planned: 2,500

I also plan on walking for about an hour and a half.