November 2016 Review

I regret that I’m getting later and later with these monthly reviews, but at least I am getting them out. This blog has regrettably been a little neglected, and perhaps that is reflective of me neglecting myself and my health.

My word for October was relief! I’d say my word for November 2016 was RENEW: I tried getting back into a routine of going to the gym, I started tracking my food using myfitnesspal again, and I joined a Running Room half-marathon clinic, essentially renewing my commitment to running.

Continuing this feature I started in January here’s November’s monthly summary at a glance:

November 2016 at a glance
Starting Current Change To Go
Weight (lbs.) 216.2 220.4 +4.2
Fat (lbs.) 67.9 68.1 +1 33.1
Goal This Month Annual Average
Hours Sleep 8.00 7.40 7.13
Starting Current Change To Go
PMP PDUs 54 55.5 +1.5 -0.5
This Month Year to Date
Running KM’s 38 km 729 km

I guess the renewed part of the month was really trying to get back into routine and habits. After missing quite a few gym days in October due to illness and fatigue, I got back into the habit of hitting the gym 3 days a week.

And starting a new half-marathon clinic was symbolic of trying to get back into a running routine. I would have liked to lead the clinic again, but I suspected I would have little time. As it turned out, I was even busier than expected, so I’m glad I’m not letting anyone down by being an absentee instructor. Missed a few runs, but at least a got my long runs in.

 

Other highlights this month? Well, I fixed a toilet!

I’m actually pretty proud of this. A toilet at home was filling really slowly. It seems the “fill valve” was slightly blocked with sediment. I replaced the whole part with a replacement I got at a big box store. I learned a lot about how toilets work and felt good about succeeding. I guess renewal is another way of saying repair…

I replaced the “flow valve” on the left

 

In a different highlight, I attended “Light Up the Square” at Mississauga’s Celebration Square with Sharise. It was a rather chilly evening, but a nice way to get into the Christmas Spirit. We had delicious poutine from a food truck on site.

At Celebration Square for “Light up the Square”

Politicians and Santa on stage to “Light up the Square”

Posing indoor at a Mississauga City Hall by a Christmas Tree

 

And, I got my copy of the newest Pokémon Game: Pokémon Sun. I quite enjoy playing, but know I don’t have as much time as when I was younger and more carefree. I certainly won’t be having a video game relapse like in early 2015. But, I guess you could say I also renewed my love of Pokémon.

Picking up my copy of Pokémon Sun!

Pikachu! The franchise mascot!

Snorlax is so large it takes up both screens of the Nintendo DS. If I’m not careful my weight may balloon like this too….

My in-game avatar wearing a yellow shirt

 

 

QUANTITATIVE GOALS:

Goal: Reduce Body Fat to 35 pounds by the end of 2016
Status: I give up

Date Weight (pounds) Body Fat % Body Fat (pounds)
December 31, 2015 194.4 24.9% 48.4
February 2, 2016 194.0 26.9% 47.9
March 1, 2016 193.8 24.4% 46.9
March 28, 2016 198.4 25.5% 50.6
April 26, 2016 200.0 25.8% 51.6
May 31, 2016 202.4 26.8% 54.2
June 27, 2016 207.4 27.9% 57.8
July 26, 2016 208.6 30.3% 63.2
August 30, 2016 213.8 30.7% 65.6
September 27, 2016 215.4 32.2% 67.9
November 1, 2016 220.4 30.9% 68.1
December 2, 2016 222.8 30.8% 68.6

I did 18 separate workouts, and the weight didn’t change appreciably. In fact, I still gained weight. I think it really is about food.

But, I have been thinking about this number a lot. Yes, my weight went up, but my body fat has remained rather steady for the last 3 months or so. I think that’s telling.

I think I’m getting used to the idea of being a “big guy”. I used to think being skinny was the most important thing. But I kind of like being strong.

And I’ve been thinking a lot about my motivation of why I’m on this fitness journey. I guess I get all caught up in the hollywood-esque drama of beautiful people being ridiculously perfect on their weddings. But I’ve been looking at sample wedding website from real people, and that was motivating: These are real people, and they don’t look perfect, like hollywood’s elite millionaires. I guess it’s important to accept that I don’t have to look perfect.

That doesn’t mean I’ll stop; it just cuts out a bad body image motivator.

 

Goal: My average hours of sleep will be at least 8 hours per night in 2016
Status: Average 7.40 Tolerable

November 2016 Nightly Hours of Sleep

 

It was certainly above average this month. Not close to 8 hours a night. That was mostly due to consistency issues.

 

 

Goal: I will earn at least 6.5 more PMP PDU’s by the end of 2016
Status: +1.5! Done! Success!!

Right at the end of the month I finished off Managing and Controlling Stakeholder Engagement. Once I claim for my working hours in the new year, I will have enough PDU’s to renew for 3 more years!

Lots of lunch hours went into maintaining my Project Management Professional certification. I haven’t technically used the credential for anything. But, like my Master’s degree, I guess I’ll try to say that the advantage comes from the knowledge, not just the piece of paper. And maybe these pieces of paper will be important for my career someday.

 

QUALITATIVE GOALS:

Goal: Save Money

I worked A LOT in November. I think worked 3 of the 4 weekends. More money is nice, but more than half of that is lost to taxes anyways.


NEXT STEPS

 

I ended November with a lot of hope. This review is pretty late, so I know what happened in December, but I was hopeful when the month ended….


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 Comments (1) 

  1. Mark Young says:

    Fat-loss results generally come about 80% from diet, 20% from exercise.



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