FFVII Crisis Core – Part 60: Pulling Weeds

Summary: Side missions. The forces of Genesis and Wutai just won’t go away. The keep sprouting, and Zack keeps slaying. Given the sheer quantity of murder Zack has committed against them, their persistence is almost admirable.

Coldrun Fitness - Day 37

Dangerous day for calories because I'm going to the MINNESOTA STATE FAIR TODAY WOOHOO!!!  There's animals, rides, and a crapload of calories on a stick.

I'll probably have some cheese curds, a corn dog, some chocolate milk.  No idea about calories, but I'll assume it's 1200 calories total.  (Similar to a big Chipotle lunch.)  Just gotta plan around that to stay within my 2,400 limit.

FFVII Crisis Core – Part 59: Monster Mission Mash

Summary: Moderate multitude of monster missions. Made a minor modification to my method, making my missions more manageable.

Coldrun Fitness - Day 36

End of week #5 weight: 260.0 lbs
---
End of week #4 weight: 262.0 lbs
End of week #3 weight: 262.4 lbs
End of week #2 weight: 265.0 lbs
End of week #1 weight: 268.2 lbs
Start of week #1 weight: 275.2 lbs

Coldrun Fitness - Day 35

Tomorrow is my weekly weigh-in.  Two weeks ago was kind of an off week, with a couple of days way above my normal calorie limit.  I recovered and didn't end up gaining weight, but only lost about a half pound.

This week was much better.  Stuck almost entirely around my calorie limit.  The times I went above it were by no more than 100 calories, and I was usually below it.  I think I'll always be a little afraid that I'll have hit a limit of some kind, that I'll ALWAYS be [insert current weight].  That I'll have to eat super low calories amounts that I can't sustain to go any lower.

It's...

No.  I was going to say, "it's a silly fear," but I don't know that any fear is silly.  It may be unlikely to come true, or not harmful if it does come true, or unusual, but I won't invalidate it by calling it silly.

FFVII Crisis Core – Part 58: One Thousand Three Hundred and Fifty

Summary: Zack, Cloud, and Lazard head to Banora, and Zack goes to the Depths of Judgment. Then I make the grave error of doing some side missions. It is easily the most tedious part of the entire Final Fantasy series. And I’ve played both FFII and FFIV: The After Years. 

FFVII Crisis Core – Part 57: Director Protector

 Summary: Zack doesn’t get to see his parents in Gongaga, but sees almost everyone else. Lazard, Genesis, Hollander, Cissnei… the gang’s all here! And some are in dire need of s-cells.

Coldrun Fitness - Day 34

Coldrun Fitness - Day 33

Coldrun Fitness - Day 32

Coldrun Fitness - Day 31

Spam is usually my morning meat of choice (if it can be classified as "meat"), but I got a package of bacon last week and have been trying to cook it.  Frying it has been okay but flipping/rotating it takes attentiveness I don't necessarily want to spare.

Today, instead of frying it, I baked it for 15 minutes at 400 degrees, and it came out great.  Perhaps a mite crispier than I like, but if I take it out at 12-13 minutes I think it'll be perfect.

Coldrun Fitness - Day 30

At the start of this fitness path 30 days ago, I was wearing only XXL shirts.  I had old XL shirts still, but they were impossible to wear.  Just too tight.  I can now wear XL shirts.

FFVII Crisis Core – Part 56: Hunted

 Summary: Zack and Cloud flee towards Midgar. They’re pursued by Shinra, Genesis, and the Turks along the way. Cissnei [lol, wrote Cersei before I caught it while editing – Cissnei >>> Cersei] is awesome.

FFVII Crisis Core – Part 55: Ronin

Summary: Zack and Cloud bust out of Shinra’s clutches in Nibelheim.

Coldrun Fitness - Day 29

End of week #4 weight: 262.0 lbs
---
End of week #3 weight: 262.4 lbs
End of week #2 weight: 265.0 lbs
End of week #1 weight: 268.2 lbs
Start of week #1 weight: 275.2 lbs

FFVII Crisis Core – Part 54: Showdown

Summary: Zack takes on Sephiroth face-to-face at the Nibel Reactor. Sephiroth defeats him, but Cloud finishes the job in style.

Coldrun Fitness - Day 28

The day after not eating well, a new challenge presents itself: the temptation of "making up" for the lost day.  Of saying to myself, "Well, I'll just eat 1,500 calories and be back on track."  But that's a dangerous path.  It's a mentality of impatience and extremes that I'm fighting so hard again.

Instead, I'll stick to my plan.  2,500 calories max.  If I eat less, that's fine too, but my goal is consistency.  I believe it'll serve me best in the long term.

FFVII Crisis Core – Part 53: From the Manor Torn

Summary: Zack, Cloud, and Tifa return from the reactor. Zack heads down into the bowels of Shinra Manor, briefly sees a mysterious man (ooOoOOOoOo) inside, and Sephiroth does his seven days of research into heel turning. The game also pisses me off with a mechanic it’s used before.

Coldrun Fitness - Day 27

A rough week overall that has been difficult to keep under control.

Coldrun Fitness - Day 26

Binged yesterday evening, and gave up on doing my "to-do" list for the last couple of days.  I can recover from it and get back on track today.

Coldrun Fitness - Day 24

Coldrun Fitness - Day 23

Ate slightly more than I intended to today, but not much more.  The midday snack of nuts/yogurt/raisins bag from the vending machine was unnecessary.  So probably was either the orange juice or frozen yogurt.  But did okay.

FFVII Crisis Core – Part 52: Unstable Reaction

 Summary: Zack, Sephiroth, Tifa, and Cloud head up to the Mt. Nibel Reactor to check out what’s been going wrong there. Sephiroth learns the truth of his existence as a “monster” thanks to a surprise appearance by Genesis. He doesn’t take it well. Oh, and Cloud gets shot on the way out by a Genesis clone.

FFVII Crisis Core – Part 51: The Seven Wonders: Four (Laughing Safe)

Summary: Easily one of my favorite parts of Crisis Core so far; perhaps even my outright favorite. IT’S SO MUCH FUN!! A pure puzzle section with atmosphere out the wazoo (that piano music!! ) as Zack uncovers the mystery of the laughing safe in the Shinra Mansion.

Coldrun Fitness - Day 22

End of week #3 weight: 262.4 lbs
---
End of week #2 weight: 265.0 lbs
End of week #1 weight: 268.2 lbs
Start of week #1 weight: 275.2 lbs

FFVII Crisis Core – Part 50: The Seven Wonders: Two and Three

Summary: We solve the mystery of the next two Wonders – the “haunted” painting and Wonder Bomb. Crisis Core does a good job of scaring the crap out of me despite my early certainty in a mundane answer. Well-played, game.

Coldrun Fitness - Day 21

FFVII Crisis Core – Part 49: Casual Stroll to Nibelheim

 Summary: Zack finishes up business in Midgar before setting out on an iconic trip to Nibelheim alongside Cloud and Sephiroth. Hi, Tifa!

Coldrun Fitness - Day 20

Coldrun Fitness - Day 19

FFVII Crisis Core – Part 48: Open Cages

Summary: Zack putters around the Shinra Building, learning more about the rampant monster attacks at mako attacks the world round. Preparation for an upcoming mission with Sephiroth.

Coldrun Fitness - Day 18

Bad day.  Or rather, a bad few hours.  At the end of work, I had this very familiar feeling.  That I needed to eat, needed to do something, and needed to do it right now. 

Coldrun Fitness - Day 17

Coldrun Fitness - Day 16

Better day today than yesterday.  More organized, drank more water, and felt less driven by hunger.  Tried a new app today called "Errands" which seems like it'll really help me get organized.

FFVII Crisis Core – Part 47: Do You Want to Build a Wagon?

 Summary: Zack finishes off the wagon and acts all cute with Aerith.

Coldrun Fitness - Day 15

End of week #2 weight: 265.0 lbs
---
End of week #1 weight: 268.2 lbs
Start of week #1 weight: 275.2 lbs

Coldrun Fitness - Day 14

Coldrun Fitness - Day 13

FFVII Crisis Core – Part 46: Scavenger Hunt

Summary: Zack starts to work on building the flower wagon for Aerith, with the help of the kid he helped earlier.

Final Fantasy Series - Update

Good morning!  Been overwhelmed by work and outside stuff recently, but should be back to the 5-6 posts/week pace for my Final Fantasy playthrough starting tonight.  Thanks for your patience!

In the meanwhile, enjoy this cockatiel singing the chocobo theme song:

Coldrun Fitness - Day 12

Coldrun Fitness - Day 11

Coldrun Fitness - Day 10

Last week I ate at Chipotle three times.  This week, I'm going to try keeping it to twice, just yesterday and today.  It's expensive, but also easier to overeat from there than other places.

Coldrun Fitness - Day 9

Today was a tougher day.  I notice that my hunger and my disorganization are closely related.  On days when I have my shit together, it's easy to eat well.  On days when I feel like I'm procrastinating or putting off a difficult task, hunger serves as a distraction and it's very difficult to eat well.

I didn't totally binge today, but ate more than I otherwise intended.  I spent time organizing myself for the week, which should help.

FFVII Crisis Core – Part 45: Worst. Vacation. Ever.

Summary: I try to come to terms with some of the game’s repetitious elements at Costa del Sol. An awesome Sea Hulk fight saves the session from being a total loss.

Coldrun Fitness - Day 8

End of week #1 weight: 268.2 lbs
(Day 0 weight: 275.2 lbs)

FFVII Crisis Core – Part 44: Osmose Jones

Summary: Zack completes two campaigns – “Midgar City Development Department” and “Zack, the Treasure Hunter.” I come to grips with my long and troubled history with the spell Osmose. (Spoiler: it’s not that long or troubled.)

Coldrun Fitness - Day 7

Tomorrow's my first weigh-in day since I started.  Curious and excited.  Not nervous.  I feel good that I stuck with my plan of some walking, bodyweights, and most importantly ~2,500 cal max per day.