Progressing despite Disruptions

My acceptance of chaos as the default status of my life has been the only thing that has helped me keep pushing forward over the past few years. I still make plans. I still have the intention to do certain things -- but then life happens and it is just chaos.

I've said it many times before, I don't function well without a plan. I like having a routine (not just for food and fitness, but for everything), and I like being able to stick to it. More than anything, the plan helps me measure my progress. Did I get things done? Have I accomplished anything within X amount of time? Or did I waste the past day/week/month/year sitting on the couch waiting for the perfect circumstances.

Not having a plan/routine stresses me out. I don't feel like I have any control over my life -- and the temptation to just say 'Fuck it' is really high. Things aren't going my way now so why bother?

Luckily, I those silly tantrums only last a short amount of time and I can move on. Some days it's easier to move on than others. Still, I move on.

My whole plan for the end of July (after returning from vacation) was to spend my days eating right, working out, and planning a good routine for August. I talked about gathering my tools for success - joining Weight Watchers, joining My Fitness Pal (I'm PlumpetalsFit if you want to add me), making sure to wear my FitBit every day. I also talked about researching food plans and trying to come up with some sort of eating program that will help optimize my training and break through this wretched plateau I'm stuck on once again.

Of course after all that, I am not preparing for yet another trip abroad. I do love to travel - however, this trip was unplanned and isn't really for pleasure. I'm anxious about it as I am worried about my brother's condition and I do hope that some breakthrough will be made while I'm there.

In the end, it's family first.

So, that's life. I'm getting on with things as that really is the only way. Of course I will plan (hahaha) some sort of fitness regime to follow while I'm abroad, but in the meantime, an update on how things have been progressing after my move to London in terms of my fitness.

I really have not had a proper weight lifting session for almost a year. After dislocating my wrist in November and going through a long healing period, my weight training recently has been more about recovery rather than increase in strength.

After moving to London, I set up a program to cover some basic lifts. My goal was to work towards rebuilding the strength I had when I was doing CrossFit regularly.

Today was my last training day of my program, and I'm quite pleased with how I've done. Given my circumstances (moving to London, going away on a 2 week vacation, then a 3 day weekend, and dealing with family stuff), I am happy with my progress.

Here's my chart (these are not all the exercises I did nor are they listed in the order of my program) --
4 sets x 10 reps each

London Fitness Progress

7 weeks 

Exercise	Start Weight	End Weight
Squats	20 kg	70 kg
Deadlift (quads)	20 kg	55 kg
Deadlift (hamstrings)	20 kg	50 kg
Chest press	20 kg	30 kg
Cable chest flies	9/side	13.5/side
Low row	13.5 kg	31.5 kg
Incline chest press (db)	5 kg/hand	11 kg/hand
One point row (db)	5 kg/hand	8 kg/hand
Push press	20 kg	30 kg
One arm shoulder press (db)	5 kg	9 kg
Thrusters	10 kg	25 kg
Lateral pull	22.5	31.5 kg
Cable pull downs	13.5 kg	40.5 kg
Row (db)	5 kg/hand	9 kg/hand

I still haven't reached the heaviest weights that I lifted before, but I really am quite happy with my progress, especially because I confidently completed all of the reps in excellent form but with some difficulty. I know that I was pushing myself, but I also know that I'm ready to move on.

I'm looking forward to continuing to build my strength.

After today's gym session of lifting, boxing, treadmill, and stretching -- loving my new Nike leggings - the color cheers me up :)