The Reveal aka My In Progress Photo Update

A very long overdue post. It's not a final one, just a progress report, but I've wanted to share some of the success I've had in the last year+. I waited because of reasons involving family, who hadn't seen in in over a year and didn't know the changes I'd made. Now, however, I am posting online again. Just hadn't posted on the blog. This is also the first time I'm posting pictures of myself on here. May have more in the future but not very often. For other pics, check out my instagram account @fiction2fitness where there is me, other stuff and of course, cats.


Starting off with the picture that I took back in September 2014 to use for my updates like this one. I started on the little journey weighing in at 211 lbs (not my heighest), which was pretty heavy for being only 4'11.5" in height. The picture wasn't right away, so the weight had dropped a little to 209. I tended to fluctuate over the years between 205 and 220, so it wasn't unusual but I did make the decision to try and eat a bit better and add some exercise to my life around that time. And yes, there is a lot of laundry soap because of sale prices plus coupon. ;-)

I also put together a progress photo from two family events. The first image was taken back in 2011 at my older stepsister's wedding in DC. I weighed around 220 and the dress was a size 22, though was more of a size 20 and had issues with my capri pants being too big on that trip. We had a great time out there. What I remember most is dancing with my grandma (grandpa passed away a few years beforehand) both slow and fast songs, and hoping she didn't really know what some of the lyrics meant. It was fun. May not like some of the photos of me but the memories are better. Things were a little different in 2015 for younger stepsister's wedding, but not by much. We were in Colorado at a small place, in November with the ceremony outside (it was not that cold, at least). Being around family was the best and we had a good time. My dress was a size large from the junior's department and I still don't like pictures taken of me. Either way, time with family was great, I was just a little smaller.

And this is just me from the gym with my struggling posing attempt (might work on that in 2016, lol). Over a year later, from 211 to around 140 lbs. I've fluctuated between 136 and 140 since before the wedding to now, varying during the months. However, in those months I also managed to lose inches in waist, hips, and chest during as I measure once a month.

Summary: That is me. Still working hard and gyming in 2016. My stomach still sticks out some but I'm making slow progress. I'm working on getting into the 120's and will go from there once I make it as I'm taking the slow route. Have some plans for fun things, new adventures, maybe some filming and of course writing.

Stay tuned for more blog posts about both fiction and fitness.

Weight Lifting: Stronglifts

I plan to write about cardio but first, I am going to do a post dedicated to weight lifting. This one gets dedicated to Stronglifts because it's the routine I went to first and there will be others discussed later. I'm not an expert, this is more about the general aspects of lifting in particular while working on fitness and weight loss, but do research and consult a doctor when necessary.

My Background: I first did weight lifting back in high school. While we didn't do any for most of the sports back when I played (none for volleyball or basketball), during the few years I did track, I was in shot put and discus, so that meant lifting as part of the practice. I remember doing bench press with my best friend. I also remember avoiding squats. Because we weren't the top, the coach focused not on us so we didn't learn things like cleans and snatches. But we did do some lifting with the bar along with a few machines. Then I took a class in college (the one I first attended required one) where I did more circuit type with machines and became acquainted with the leg press. Not much over the years except the occasional gym with machines as the options are limited in small town Utah and Wyoming.



I decided to try Stronglifts based on a couple of reasons. Compound moves are good for beginners and that concept made sense. I didn't have Starting Strength or New Rules of Lifting (both are books). Ice Cream Fitness is similar but has few different lifts as it also incorporates accessory lifts with each workout. Pull-ups never interested me, which some programs try to help people accomplish, but they just remind me that I'm short. In the end, I went with the simpler approach that had a couple of lifts I was familiar with and a little less that I'd have to learn compared to some other beginner programs.

Web site: http://stronglifts.com


However, I will admit that after learning the routine, I didn't use the site much. I watched the videos a couple of times to see the form and such, but that is all. I don't get any emails and I don't have the app. I just recently got a phone that can even do apps but I don't keep my phone with me while I workout. I use a small notebook from the dollar store to record each session. The creator is entertaining if you watch the videos that show the workouts, but beyond that, I don't follow him or anything else.


Workout A:
Squat 5 reps for 5 sets
Bench Press 5 reps for 5 sets
Row (pendlay) 5 reps for 5 sets

Workout B:
Squat 5 reps for 5 sets
Overhead Press 5 reps for 5 sets
Deadlift 5 reps for 1 set

5x5 is a the general rep scheme with the noticeable difference with deadlift. It's a progressive overload focused workout, so each time the idea is to increase the weights each when possible and de-load after 3 fails (missed reps and unable to get proper form are fails). I didn't always move up, in particular when the weights got heavy on squats and deadlifts, and like many my overhead press is still on the weaker side. I also was in a calorie deficit. On a side note: I do have bad knees, arthritis in my back, problems with my hip, elbow and wrist but I am always cautious and have seen a doctor but have found the lifting doesn't aggravate any of them with good form.

Verdict:
It was fun. I started with just the bar for many of the lifts and had never done rows, deadlifts or rows before. I did have a trainer at the gym help at first in order to learn the proper form on each lift and that was very helpful. There are also many videos on youtube that are helpful as well. I made it through 12 weeks using the program before I took a week off from the gym (due to getting sick) and I did enjoy lifting.

Stats:
Starting Numbers * End of Week 12 in lbs

Body weight: 188 * 175
Squat: 45(bar) * 150
Bench: 45(bar) * 85 (90 but not 5x5)
Overhead Press: 30 * 65 (70 but not 5x5)
Row: 30 * 105
Deadlift: 65 * 200 (4 reps, 197.5 for 5 reps)


Overall, not bad for 12 weeks of lifting. I enjoyed it even though some of the lifts had me curse under my breath *cough* overhead press/row *cough*.  I do recommend lifting as part of fitness goals because it definitely has many benefits but there are some who won't like it. Just like I don't like spinning, at all.



That's my overview of Stronglifts. Next up in the distant future will be New Rules of Lifting for Women. I'm in the middle of Stage 1 now.

New Year Goals and Past Reflection

Wow am I late. So, yeah ummm... We're in 2015 and have been for a few weeks now. But I am going to post here and reflect on the end of 2014 and the goals I have for 2015 anyways.


2014 ended pretty well. Started walking in September and that quickly became an almost every day event. Then in the end of October, before the cold weather really set in, I joined a gym. Started lifting weights in November and I'm still doing that. Lifting weights 3 times a week(stronglifts program) at the gym and doing other stuff when I feel like it on the other days. I didn't go with PF but ended up at the 24 Hour Fitness location, which is better suited for my goals even as a beginner with lots of weight to lose. Though I might look to transition later as I would like to learn some of the olympic lifts that we don't have much room for at current location.

Here are some fitness goals that I posted in October 2014:
Run 5k (color run 2015)
Deadlift (learn how)
Kayak
Jump high enough to block (HS volleyball, could never do)
Take class on hand to hand combat
Lift heavy weights ;-) (will be more specific once I get to some weights)

I am signed up for 2 5k runs so far. Pride Glow Run in June up in Portland and a Bubble Run Portland in August, which is a type of color run. So, going to be reaching that goal in 2015 for sure and might even add one more in September if I can find one I want to do.  I do know how to deadlift now and last night I lifted 190 lbs, which means that goal is achieved. I'm doing 145 squat, 85 bench and 65 overhead press so I'm starting to lift heavy weights (at least they are still heavy for me but also making progress to lift heavier). We'll count that one. Just need to try the kayak, work on jumping and find a combat class and those will all be done.

I've also steadily been losing weight. Though I have a no picture policy in place at the moment, on facebook in particular, I have a goal for November and might be posting actual pictures here on the blog then as well. Have a big family event to attend and want to surprise all of the family as I will have not seen them in almost a year and some since I weighed like 220. Back on October 26, when I posted a weight update, I was 194.2. I am now down to 175. It was faster at first but now I'm going steady at 4-5 lbs per month, which is a good rate since I still have a fair amount to lose. Lifting while eating at a deficit can be a challenge at times but it's manageable.

Now to move on and discuss what I want to do for the rest of this year. I have lots of goals, of course, and some are writing while others are fitness related. How much I get done will be seen in December because I've got a lot of writing to do and it's getting a little slow right now. Hope to pick things up in the next couple of months. February Editing Month maybe?

Goals for 2015
Submit novel to agents
Edit 3 novels
Finish 2 novels
Run three 5ks
Blog more often
Learn more lifts and try out a different lifting program or two (NROLFW perhaps)
Get to the Overweight range (currently still Obese) = lose 20+ lbs hopefully by November


More posts to come. I have writing topics to discuss, plus a few posts on lifting. I'm hoping to be less silent on here for the rest of 2015.


Big plans for this year? How is your fiction and fitness going?

Silence Reason Holiday Edition: Retail

Yep, I work retail. So, that is part of my reasoning and apology for the long silence on this blog. Retail and holidays tend to be a bit on the chaotic side starting around Thanksgiving, even when your retail is pharmacy focused. (I don't work in pharmacy, it's just a key part of the store.) On top of that, we had a new hire just stop showing up weeks ago so that put us down a person during a time when we needed even more. Short staffed and holidays with 10 days of increased hours the store was open made for a long few weeks.

I didn't work the Friday after Thanksgiving, so that was nice, though we aren't anywhere near as crazy as other retail stores that day. Our big coupon stuff is actually on Thanksgiving and we get more in that morning, I think, than the day after.

However, I also work a good part of my shifts in photo department, so the weeks leading up to Christmas are the busiest for that department. Cards, calendars, photo gifts and just lots of pictures get printed within a short amount of time so by the week leading up to Christmas Day, we are just overwhelmed with orders while dealing with technical issues that always happen at the worst times. And I worked Christmas Eve till after midnight, and then close shift on Christmas Day. I kept busy this year.

So, I've mostly worked for the past month or so and not much else. Well, not much in the way of writing or blogging. I've written maybe over 1,000 words on the Snow novel and a couple online things that needed done. But I've also gone to the gym 3-4 times per week. But I'll talk more about that in the next post, which will include updates, 2015 plans and more. Later I'll have some fitness only posts so look forward to thoughts on fitness with the blog and a couple just about lifting weights.


I hope everyone had a great set of holidays and are ready to rock 2015.

IWSG Finish Worry

It's a new year and while there are many going with resolutions and goals (I did my goal post this morning) it's also a good time for an Insecure Writers Support Group post.

Right now in my writing I'm at the editing phase, or at least the trying to edit around work and slacking off phase. And I'm back to a familiar insecurity: can I ever finish?

This is an insecurity that was first faced with just finishing a novel first draft. 2 years of attempts at NaNoWriMo and only getting up to 14,000 words on a single story certainly made me wonder/doubt back then if I could actually finish a single novel. Never imagined I could write a whole novel, let alone doing it in a month. But oh have I changed on that front. Now I just wrote 165k in November and have 4 finished first drafts with 5+ in the middle of with promise of finish. But a finished first draft isn't the end of the process.

Will I ever finish editing? Will I ever get something ready to submit?

I don't know yet because I haven't done it before but like NaNo, I'm going to keep trying until it happens.


Do you worry about this?

2012 in Review

Time to look at 2012 and how it went.

It has been an interesting year full of good and bad for the world and everyone in it. I had quite a few changes go on during the year but luckily not too many very bad things.

Timeline of 2012 in blog posts reflection
January - New Year and Goals
4 blog posts during the month: progress report, goals, pick what I read, worldbuilding magic

February - Writing or Editing
1 post: novel writing month or editing writing month

March - Worldbuilding
1 post: gender roles in worldbuilding

April - A to Z blog Challenge
27 posts: won't name them all, went through alphabet for blogfest

May - Prep for June
1 post: camp nano

June - Moved
1 post: goals

July - Settling In
2 posts: July goals, progress

August - Still Settling
1 post: August goals

September - NaNo Thoughts
3 posts: the one, nanowrimo ideas, novels chosen to prep

October - NaNo Prep
1 post: nanowrimo

November - NaNoWriMo and New Job
3 posts: why nano, crazy word counts, December

December - End of Year Goals
1 post - December goals



Past Goals Revisited

I had many goal posts and progress reports as some months that's about all I posted. But now it's time to look at the whole year and the goals I made back at the beginning of January.

2012 goals


- Finish at least two first drafts of started novels: Angel/Demon, Thomas/Kyle, OttoHahn in E Minor or Lighting the Wall.
- Edit two novels.
- Be ready to submit to an agent by the end of the year.
- Reading 50 books
- Keep track of all fiction written, word count wise

How did I do?
- forgot to keep track of word count as of February
- read 47 books thanks to online manga
- editing turned out more a challenge and took longer to do the notes and get started on changes so both the edit goal and submit goal didn't work out
- didn't finish any novels but came close with a brand new one I started in nanowrimo
- wrote many flash fiction scenes, couple chapters in novels listed above but also in 2010 nano novel, wrote 165k in new novel (which will be 2 novels in rewrite) for nanowrimo this year and made some progress in non-writing goals that include moving out on my own and finding a new job.

2013 goals and January goals will be next.

http://www.wallpaperzhd.com/happy-new-year-2013.html#

Why I take part in NaNoWriMo

Thanks Sam

Okay, so I totally had the intention to do this epic "Why I do NaNoWriMo" post and to have it scheduled to post on day one of National Novel Writing Month. Yeah ummm *points to date of this post* if you hadn't figured it out by umm knowing what the calendar looks like right now, I will out right state: Epic Fail!

Not only did I not get this post written in time, but I didn't even get it done before I reached 50,000 words. Yeah, I won NaNo already and I haven't written the post on why I take part in the activity in the first place as I had planned. I really did intend to have it written, I promise but well, here we are on day 12 and I'm just now writing it and for the sole purpose of taking part in a half hour sprint when the section of my novel (yeah, i'm still writing after 52k in 10 days) didn't have a section at the moment that was sprint worthy. But that's okay, right? Right. Cause I say so.

But back to the promise I made to myself that none of you knew about but I'm pretending you knew about in order to make my hopefully 2k words in 30 minutes make sense and to get that word count somehow anyways even though it won't count towards my nanowrimo count.... Yeah, I admit that made no sense. The promise! I did start a blog post for my Why I Write for NaNoWriMo topic. I really did. I put in the title, a greeting and a picture of a fish and well, that is as far as I got before November 1st when I started writing.

And for those that wonder why there is a fish at the top of this picture, well it's because of the awesomeness that is Dory from Finding Nemo. She has a saying that goes "just keep swimming" so a close friend of mine gave me the idea that I needed an image with the phrase "just keep writing" and one of my other friends actually made the image for me. Thanks Sam! even though you never read my blog, I'm thanking you twice in this post anyways. So, yeah, now my signature when I do posts on Writing.Com in relation to NaNoWriMo, I have this picture of Dory that says Just Keep Writing and I love it. (just keep swiming, Dory montage) This is another fun thing to look at. I like the picture in part because it says to write but also in part because of her expression. Poor Dory looks so lost and confused but she's encouraging no matter what. So, I look at that picture and say to myself, just keep writing. It must be working because I'm at around 58k right now, and will have 60k before I go to bed tonight.

Now, after that long ramble, back to the topic and maybe even though it seems a little obvious at this point, I will give you all who may or may not even be curious about the answer to the big question of today's post.

Why do I, Dawn Embers, take part in National Novel Writing Month?

Because it's Awesome! and.... because I'm crazy.

That is pretty much the basics of the answer. I love national novel writing month and the strange challenge to try and write 50,000 words in one month even though I do honestly write off and on all year long. There is something great about a community geared event where a large number of writers in combined force get together and reach towards the same goal of writing a novel (well novella but honestly novella writing month just doesn't have the oomph of novel writing month) all at the same time during November. I like that. I come from a small town where if there are 3 people who are writing and willing to admit it out loud, that is saying a lot. Granted it's a little different now that I'm living near Portland which has one big artsy writerly community, but the small town world is what I spent most of my life in and being anti-social, I get most of my socialization from writing outlets like Writing.com and the NaNoWriMo Site. So, I think it's great.

And well, let's be honest. Anyone who tries to write 50,000 words in a month is a tad crazy. The ones that do it in 15 days are a bit nuts, and well, I'm flat out insane. Last year I did it in 11 days and since I got off to a good start this year even though I'm writing a freaking young adult novel (see vent elsewhere) I managed to keep a steady pace of 5,000 words plus or minus a thousand words a day. Which, is what led me to my 52,000 words in 10 days for 2012. I have no problem admitting that this is completely insane but I will also point out that my goal is to write the whole novel in one month and since my novel is a fantasy (even though it's also young adult) the novel wasn't going to be under 80k. In fact, it was supposed to be 80k but now I'm guessing the end result will be over 120k so I had better keep writing once I get this blog post done.

The real question may be why do I try to take part in it almost every year, with crazy writing goals like 100k or so. Why do I try to write new novels when I have 5 novels that are in first draft stage? Why do I start new ones when I need to edit the novels I wrote the years before? Will I ever do anything with those novels? How can they be any good if I write them within a single month?

Wow, talk about question overload. My apologies for this blog being so long (but hey, 2k words yay!) Okay, I will answer them in sections because I asked the questions and even if only one person cares about the answers, oh well. That's what happens when you follow a blog about writing, especially the one dedicated to my person writing only. hahaha I mean, thank you!

Why do I try to write new novels when I have others going?

Well, I think this is another question where the simple answer is this: I'm just that crazy! Yes, I like to multi-task and I'm used to having many ideas in my head because even when I'm writing one idea, I am often thinking about all my other ideas in my head. When I'm not writing, then I'm daydreaming about all of my ideas, though usually one at a time, in order to keep them fresh and the ones I think about the most, that draw my attention the most are the ones that get written. But those are never single novels, there are several ideas that I think are so great that I want to write them. I don't have a single one idea that I think about the most in comparison to some of the others. I don't have one novel that screams out to me "I'm the one!" Nope. I have several ideas that I love, that I want to be writing, so during most of the year, I work on more than one at a time. Only during these crazy mad dash months (national novel writing month, march novel writing challenge, even a couple failed camp nanowrimo attempts) do I even bother trying to write on a single novel at a time, and even then it doesn't always happen. Last year, for example, while I wrote 125k for the month, I was actually working on more than one novel for that count. I am just that kind of writer. I need more than one story to work on or else I struggle. It's just how I function. Sure, I wish I could be the one that dedicates all their time to a single novel and is able to get the book out and edited within 3 years, but that's not me at this point. Instead, I will continue to work on several novels and get them done some day.

Next question: Why start a new novel when I have so many going?

Besides looking at the above answer, I will admit this is not always the case. Well, for nanowrimo I have a tendency to start a new novel because the "rules" require it be a new novel. However, I do have a group on Writing.com that is dedicated to people who want to be rebels and maybe write on novels they had already started or that want to write towards a different word count (like 20k in a month, or 30k, or maybe even editing instead of writing that month) and that group is year around. However, for like the March writing challenge I have attempted a few different years, I haven't always started new novels. In fact, the year that I first wrote 50k in less than 30 days was in 2010 when I worked on a novel I was already 15k into before the month started. I had planned to write 25000 words for the month, so that seemed reasonable as it wasn't nanowrimo. But then by the end of day 12 I discovered I was already at 35k and if I wrote 15k in three days, then I would be able to say that I had written 50k in 15 days. So I did. That month I ended up writing 65k total and that novel ended up being my first novel that was long enough, ending at about 90k. I'm going to be editing that novel in December after I finish this crazy version of young adult fantasy that I have going on right now. So, there are times when I don't go crazy and start yet another new novel. I do use month challenges throughout the year to try and get an already started draft done.

Why do new ones instead of editing?

This answer question is a little different than the ones above because I can't be fun and play crazy. The truth is editing is hard and it represents a new stage for me. While I have worked as an editor for a small publishing company and for a college newspaper, and I have edited my writing to a small degree like fixing the glaring typos (which I do during nanowrimo too, I even delete and fix things when I do these silly writing sprints. I'd be so much further if I didn't use that delete button but it would be so much worse too). I have never actually edited a full novel before and as much as I hate to admit it, the thought intimidates me a little but that will end soon. I spent part of this year, in february and beyond getting my edit notes ready for 2 of my novels. The only reason I let myself start writing a new novel this year was on the sole idea that I would get it done and then in December I would not be allowed to work on any new first drafts. That's right, after national novel writing month ends this year, I will not be working on a first draft until 2013, assuming the world doesn't end before then. I am going into editing mode as of December 1st. I will edit my 2 novels, I will make the writing something that is readable for my beta readers and I will start to get ready for the next stage in this crazy writing life. I am going to get something ready to submit to agents. Granted I started one of the novels back in 2007 so it has taken me a really long time but that is one thing that I have found nanowrimo has also helped with. It has proven something to me and that is this one fact:

I can write.

Sure, it's not the greatest thing in the world but I know not to submit my first drafts and hopefully soon I will be able to say this:

I can rewrite.

I can edit.

I can submit.

And I hope you all are still here to cheer me on.

(And yes, if you are curious: When I wrote this blog post using write or die, I managed to write 2k in 30 minutes.)

First Insecure Writer's Support Group Post

This is going to be a bit of a contradictory post. The main topic is the Insecure Writer's Support Group but I also want to mention something awesome first.

The awesome part: this blog has 200 followers and it took less than 2 years. I'm so excited. And now that I have more time to blog, I will maybe even get more followers. Thank you everyone that is following this blog. I really appreciate it. You all are awesome!

Now to the main topic.

Here is the information about the group, first, the Insecure Writer's Support Group (IWSG) from Alex J. Cavanaugh's blog.
http://alexjcavanaugh.blogspot.com/p/insecure-writers-support-group.html

"Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer."


Now for the part about me. My insecurity for this post is the question, Will I finish anything to send out?

I am one who does many projects at once, and that makes it hard to finish anything. That time factor always seems to make me anxious because I have to do things that draw in an income since I'm an adult (surprised? lol) but at the same time, I love writing whenever I can. But I've spent 5 years working on writing so far and I haven't sent a single query out. I don't have a book ready yet. So, sometimes I am insecure about whether I will ever make it or not.

Anyone else feel like that? Make sure to check out some of the others but don't worry, you don't have to read every blog cause there are so many. ;-)

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