Do Life Challenge - Weeks 5 and 6

I have been a bad challenger and buddy for these past two weeks. I can't even really remember what Week 5 was since I didn't see it until Wednesday or Thursday, then went hiking on Friday for the weekend. So I'll just move on to new goals that I came up with on the tram for 5. I haven't met them yet.

Week 5 - new goals

1. Do knee exercises every day for at least 5 mins - I made a post on the Do Life forums and got some great info, so have been doing these.
2. Do weights/strength training 3 times a week for at least 30 mins, including abs - I've been doing my chin-ups, push-ups and tricep dips at the park, but not really for 30 mins.
3. Two pieces of fruit per day, ideally one of these at home. I have fruit at work, but always opt for something less healthy at home.
4. Limit take out/eating out to once a week.
5. Three alcohol free days per week - reduced from no drinking on a school night. Sometimes after a hard day's work you just need a glass of wine.


Week 6. 

• Did you push hard this week?

Not really. The race then hiking destroyed my knee, so it's mainly been walking and chip-ups. I did go for a bike ride that was really fun.

• How about your buddy? Did you stay connected?

Deb sent me a great hiking work-out, which you can check out on her blog. Unfortunately I didn't get it until I returned, and by then my knees were shot so I didn't do it. I finally got around to sending her a workout yesterday: 

Deb's Outdoor Adventure Workout! 

1. Warm up run to a local park (ideally around one or two miles away)

2. 10 x chin-ups on monkey bars. If you can't do chin-ups, then try reverse ones where you jump up and lower yourself down slowly

3. 10 x push-ups on park bench, or stair if you want to go lower

4. 10 x tricep-dips on the bench or stair

5. 10 x ab lifts (hang on to the bar and with your legs straight lift them to 90 degrees)

6. 10 one legged squats (with the other leg on a step or something like that)

7. Step ups on the stair for a minute

8. Repeat x 2 or 3

9. Jog/run back home

10. Stretch the hell out of your legs and everything else (because stretching is important)

11. Feel happy and slightly smug. 

Deb also completed the Valentines Day 10km run with her partner, but I don't know how that went. Hopefully she ROCKED it! 

• How have you improved since day one?

I haven't been keeping up with my push-ups. I tried them yesterday but only did 18 rather than the 26 I did initially. Sometimes it's all mental, and that didn't work for me. 

Because of the knees I've stopped running, and have decided to focus on cross training and strength work for the time being. So chin ups are getting easier, and my quads/knees are gonna be SO ripped by the end of my knee exercises.

• Any outstanding stories or news to share?

Um... I got the fabric for my wedding dress and tried on the mock-up of it. That was pretty outstanding! Also, my cat Scamper is sitting on my lap and arm purring away right now, and this is nice.

• How did you do life?

I decided to try making lemonade from the lemons that life is pushing at the moment. Unfortunately I went back to lemons last night (angry run that I knew I shouldn't do because of the knee but needed to because of a shit day, and even the run was shit!), but today will be awesome. As will the rest of the week. 

Here are some pics from the hiking top to Mt Howitt and Crosscut Saw in the Alpine National Park. I love the pic of my brother amongst the flowers :)

Onto week 7. Let's make sure it's better than the last two weeks!!