Mental health is my priority.
Drinks
Drink a gallon of water a day. ( I don't do this; because it's too much.)
Exercises
Exercise for two 45 minutes sessions a day. One of the sessions must be outside.
Accomplish these five items each day for 75 days; or, start over on Day 1.
My mother always tells me:
Do the same thing; get the same results.
I'm trying a new challenge called #75HARD this year as I work toward my fitness goals. Follow my journey; and, you might be up for the challenge too!
Kandice, Author of Blog (January 2023)
DAY #1 (2/20/2023)
I'm attempting this program a second time since January 1, 2023. The fifth day, I drank so much water that I had to visit the Instacare due to hyponutremia. Even though the doctor didn't verify this was the reason, I know this was why. A gallon of water was too much for me on the fifth day. I don't recommend anyone experiencing too much water--it's horrible.
Anyway, I wasn't planning on starting again; but, yesterday I realized that if I started it today, the 75th day would be the day before my first half distance triathlon--70.3 St. George Ironman. I've been needed something to challenge me as I complete my training; so, I was surprised when I felt motivated to start the program again after being knocked on my kiester. This time, I will lessen the water requirement and commit to the Betr Health eating plan and record my food on My Fitness Pal.
Visit 75 HARD if you want to know more about how to strengthen your mental stamina.
DAY #2 (2/21/2023)
The struggle is real. Planning ahead is key to this program. Low on sleep; but, will get after it day three differently. Shoveled snow for outside workout, which was an awesome way to check that off my list. Recording food in My Fitness Pal takes a lot of time. Eating good and drinking water carefully. Picture taken, need to read, then bed!
DAY #3 (2/22/2023)
Better sleep today. Had to leave gym early to get in outside workout. Was glad when I realized more shoveling needed to be done instead of lifting weights outside. Took me 50 minutes to shovel the driveway, back patio, and edge of roof. So far, planning is my weakness. Well, knowing what is priority is more of what I have a hard time doing. There is so much I want to do that it stops me doing what I need to be doing foremost. I think I'm doing okay. The days are just long; and, it feels as thought I'm cramming in the requirements. Is there joy to this??
DAY #4 (2/23/2023)
Pretty good sleep, but not perfect. It seems that on this program I can't get enough time in the day to do what's required...plus everything else I want/need to do. Prioritizing is, I suppose, what I'm suppose to learn. I'm so tired now and still need to read and take a picture. Not going to type anymore.
DAY #5 (2/24/2023)
Tired from the week, get to sleep in tomorrow, and get caught up on homework. Grateful for the time spent outside walking even though it's been late at night when I've been tired. I know I'm accomlishing something huge for myself by following through with what I've dedicated myself to doing.Did everything needed today, except for read, and will do it now. Very tired.
DAY #6 (2/25/2023)
Woke up refreshed after being able to sleep for the first time this week not having to go to work! Last night, my body adapted to the challenge of walking 45 minutes outside even though I was fatigued from a 3 hour hard workout at the gym. I started feeling more tired than the previous night; but, finished feeling stronger. As Andy Frisella says in his book, our bodies adapt to the challenges we give to them. Today was a major rest and recovery day very much needed.
DAY #7 (2/26/2023)
Another day of much needed rest. Went outside walking while snow was falling for an hour and a half. My feet were wet completely by the time I was finished. Didn't bother me until I had to warm them up after coming inside the house. It was nice being outside...after 45 minutes, I started to feel better. Made salad for the week and determined to continue choosing foods wisely. Still saving my reading 'til late at night before bedtime. Tired, but going to do it anyway. Can't wait until I'm excited to read and where I won't have to force myself of leave at last minute. Felt good today at church. Felt different. My consistency to this program is affecting me psychologically. Not sure how yet, but know something is changing. I almost forgot...my picture!!
DAY #8 (2/27/2023)
If today is any idea of what this week will be like, I'm in for it....so tired. Shoveled snow again today for outside exercise: 20 minutes in morning (a foot of snow!) and 35 minutes in the late evening after getting back from a hard gym workout. Ran errands, yada, yada...need to plan better. Still need to read; but, will get done bleary-eyed. Short an hour of sleep for tomorrow. Yes, need to plan better, cut out something.
DAY #10 (3/1/2023)
K, this 75 Hard is a work in progress. This was my last day of burnout completely. No time for walk even though I did two and half hours at the gym. My eye was twitching the last half hour and the drive home due to my lack of sleep. I'm looking at each day as "How am I doing better?" My goal is for constant improvement. I ate too much tonight. That's what I do when I'm tired. Tomorrow's a new day and will be Day #11--still going--not starting over since Day #75 is the day before my half Ironman. I'm looking at this as a continual life-long process, not a screw-up--beat-up self time in my life. I'm learning and moving on with positivity. Great program: This is just Kandice's way of doing it moving toward perfection altogether.
DAY #11 (3/2/2023)
Better day today. Rested mostly enough to function without feeling that twitching--except for now that I'm ready for bed. Still need more sleep. Did everything today except for the picture. I guess I will do that now--if I have to--jk. Done. No, seriously--it's 11pm and I feel like I am just trying to cram everything into one day with the attempt of at least an hour of tv or something no work, which I did tonight. I watched the news and felt responsible as I listened to the reality of horrible things that are not just happening but changing in the world. I then went for my walk. It was late, but peaceful as I walked through the neighborhoods with everyone inside their homes quiet. Need sleep...eye twitching.
DAY #12 (3/3/2023)
Did everything except for reading. Tired. Tomorrow is a hard 10K race--going to bed--no reading for me. Feel yucky at night, scared, nervous, worried, and anything other than happy. Time for rest, cuz I'm gonna need it.
DAY #13 (3/4/2023)
I missed recording this day; so, I'm making up for it today (3/5/23). I had a 10K race, which was a beast to accomplish due to the hills and the weather being cold. I did it; so, extremely happy about that with major improvement. I was so focused on that, I didn't read or take a progress picture. My focus was getting my 2 45-minute sessions in and motivating and adjusting my outlook on nutrition. Even though I'm not sticking to the 75-Hard 100%, I feel like I'm improving rather than doing nothing at all. Once again, my goal is to be able to do this program perfectly for 75 days straight; but am not going to beat myself up for missing something when I honestly tried my hardest. The concept is great; and, I'm sticking toward achieving that goal. The program is helping me work on improving more than what I was doing before I started the program. This Andy Frisella guy would say I'm doing it all wrong; but, I've tried it his way. It doesn't work for me. I'm doing it Kandice's way until I can do it his way. That's the only way I stay motivated to continue trying to do his program perfectly.
DAY #14 (3/5/2023)
Kept the sabbath day holy today. Rested. Ate well, drank enough, walked outside 45 minutes--all I could handle. Good day. Will put effort in tomorrow to complete all five things.
DAY #15 (3/6/2023)
Too late to exericse 45 minutes outside tonight. I've been at the gym 4 1/2 hours already. Planning and prioritizing is something I need to learn. I'll try getting up early or attempt again to get up early and complete this part of the program. The reading is something I'm really enjoying. The picture is something I don't do, even though it's simple. I feel small improvements with my eating and work every day to get at least half of my body weight in ounces of water. Even that seems too much. Overall, my mental state does seem sturdier, which gives me motivation and reason to continue with the program.
DAY #16-31 (3/22/2023)
Literally, gave up...been sick...third day not going into work. I think burn-out 'cuz no sleep and poor nutrition--a combo problem I need to fix. My conclusion? Not worth staying up late to get in outside workout!! This program is all about balance.
Nutrition Purpose
I've also recommitted to the Betr Health program, I'm mean recommitted with purpose. I've listed my reasons on paper, which mainly include motivation to omit gas/bloating (sorry for specific, but true), cravings, maintain regular bowel movements, have more energy, be more intuitive about eating--to build strong and healthy intestinal health (not gut health...I dispise the word 'gut'). Healthy abs is my goal ultimately. Then on top of that, I plan to also be more careful in choosing my recipes in my food plan wisely: variety of taste and realistic preparing of food. "Fail to plan; plan to fail." This is my purpose, which supercedes my initial attempts to work this program. The other huge realization for me is to omit meat next to zero--only eat sparingly--like the Bible says.
Recommittment
Feels like Day 50 or 60. I was surprised to see it was only Day 21, seriously. I thought, "What's the point of recording and doing this 75 Hard expectations when I'm not even doing the picture, which is the easiest part?" Well, I'm learning that if I don't spend the time to take it easy, then those choices catch up to me with either sickness, unneeded stress, confusion, and back-stepping ultimately. I've heard this happens; but, one has to learn it for self such as now. I believe this is part of being human. I needed time to process this food program in my head. The meat discovery was huge. I owe it to three sources:
1.) My Betr Health coach initially, who informed me of the dangers of Talapia, which took me to a You Tube video.
2. )A You tube video, "Is Talapia Unhealthy? The Truth About This Farmed Fish" -Dr. Josh Axe. When I first started the program, I tried so hard to like it. I just couldn't do it; and, when my coach told me it wasn't the best meat to eat and then after watching the You Tube channel, I was so relieved to know I didn't have to eat it! Crazy, I know.
3.) The documentary, "What the Health?" I watched it a second time, which was life-changing for me. I came across this source from a fireside at church one Sunday evenint titled, "Health is Happiness," given by Dr. Loyd in my neighborhood January 12, 2019.
I'm learning that this discovery is only the tip of the ice berg when it comes to what I need to learn about the foods I'm eating.
Reading/Exercising/Water
I've sort of kept the reading up here and there. My exercising at the gym has been enormous. Water has been sufficient, maybe a little short sometimes, but am playing it intuitively so I don't find myself up again with hyponutremia. It was confirmed to me by my personal trainer water intake for females is less than males.
Summary
Overall, the only thing that brought me back to my blog was the fact that Day 75 just so happens to be on the day of my first half Ironman (May 6, 2023-- St. George 70.3 Ironman); and, the fact that I plan to continue working towards perfecting my efforts of 75 Hard after the race. I've learned in the past that if I don't have goals beyond big goals, I stop. I refuse to let that happen. Forty-five days until my race! Anything is Possible.
DAY #32-47 (4/7/2023)
I'm not sure how this 75 hards works; because, if I did it 100%, I wouldn't function at a job to my fullest being on few hours of sleep...etc...balance/balance/balance...how? The answer I come up with is my spiritual beliefs that are important. I have a visual image/object lesson I've made for myself I learned when I was about high school age taught to me in church as a young woman. The teacher filled up a quart jar with ping pong balls labeled with important spiritual principles to live by according to my belief in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She had these balls inside the jar fitting perfectly surrounded by sand. She posed the question something like this, "What would happen if this bottle was emptied, how would you refill the bottle with the same items?" The ping pong balls don't fit if put in after the sand--with the sand representing everything else but gospel principles; but, if the ping pong balls are placed first, the sand fills in perfectly! I'll be honest. I am not making the gospel of Jesus Christ priority in my life; and, I need to do so if I want the blessings to become a part of my life. This to me is the balance that could make this 75 Hard work for me. My half Ironman will be here soon; and, I am going to need all of the help I can get to complete the race successfully. What better help can I recieve than from my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ through obedience?! Ironically, the Christian song I'm working on currently is on the topic of obedience. What a better way than to implement this experiment in my life than right now? That is exactly what I plan to do and see how the concepts of 75 Hard fall into place...or not. This is Easter weekend, which is a perfect time to put my priorities in place. This message from the prophet of God on Earth today helped me realize this.
DAY #48-75 (5/5/23)
I'm writing this entry 7/4/23 after the fact that I accomplished what I set out to do--the St. George's Half Ironman race on 5/6/23! Yes I did! I have to give credit to 75 Hard for being a program that pushed me and was a major help that gave me structure to my training when I needed it most. I have to say that my eating healthy has improved, my dedication to a rigid workout schedule improved, and overall an improved mental outlook on fitness and health. I can't say that I did the program perfectly; but, I tried to continue pursuing that idea of perfectness, which is more than nothing! I felt myself improving every day with new ideas and answers to problems I know I wouldn't have realized otherwise.
Today is July 4, 2023 and is a day I'm trying to reflect upon why I was able to even pursue such a goal. It was possible because of the lives sacrificed to keep our country free. I don't want to ever forget this or become passive about it. I found a well-said idea online of how to always remember which states, "Live your best life."
My plan is to continue working towards the concept of a perfect 75 HARD ideal--among my ideal too. Andy Frisella believes in the freedoms we hold to be priceless, which gives him reason to move forward each day working hard to never forget. If we all had this attitude and active conscious effort, great things can happen --and I believe will happen. Thanks to Andy's willingness to share his insights and especially to those who gave their lives to make the American dream a reality. May God bless you today and every day.
Freedom
is not Free
"Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth."
Abraham Lincoln
Link to: Pioneer Woman
Interested in knowing more about #75HARD?
Listen to Andy Frisella's 75 HARD introduction podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1012570406?i=1000469219351