shaar

Love you too, my dude. For all the years, and all the good times, and the bad ones too. You're gonna be great, I just know it~ ❤️

Hiiii everyone! Sorry long time no post. If I'm to be fair, I'm pretty checked out. 😅 Although I've been lurking on everyone else's threads on and off and reacting, so there's that! Honestly things are going AWESOME over here. January has been my most consistent month of workouts - I'm averaging 5-6 days of boxing, lifting, and active rest by walking, and reserving one day for strict rest and foam rolling. I'm at the point where zeroooo of this feels like a chore and it's something I look forward to - I've managed to integrate my workouts into my everyday life which is a HUGE thing for me and I'm really grateful I put forth the discipline and building blocks to make this work. I'm about halfway through my 4 week boxing and dumbbells program (and LOVINGGGGG it), and I'm thinking when I complete that I'll probably go to boxing twice a week and try to incorporate some heavier lifting 1-2 times a week too. I'll need to work on some programming for that so I can target my progression and goals, but that's a next month project. Nutrition is going great, I'm tracking every day and I'm consistently over 90g of protein most days! The tracking helps me visualize so well what's going into my body and having to log unnecessary snacks (or less than optimal meals) is definitely an eye opener for me, and either keeps me away from idle snacking or turns me towards a better option if I'm really hungry. I weighed in at 147 on Saturday and that's 7lbs lost since the beginning of December. Meal prep is still a consistent thing and we are enjoying trying out new recipes with different macros and ingredients. I can 100% see where the consistency of my workouts is upping my BMR and allowing my body to burn fat more efficiently, I can absolutely tell that I'm in a recomp phase right now and when I look in the mirror I feel HAPPY. My clothes fit better! And I still have a ways to go, but I'm on the right path. Overall I'm STOKED that I'm able to not only hold myself accountable for all this shit day in and day out, but keep pushing forward. And I can credit a lot of it to being in a great mental state, and having the time I need to devote to myself and my goals. My discipline is right where it needs to be, and it hasn't been this solid in about 5-6 years. So this will probablyyyyyy be my last post here for the foreseeable future. Obvs I'll still be on my IG accounts (fitness & otherwise; they are in my last post) and will lurk around here every now and again - and of course, if you ping me here, I will come. I'm glad the forums are still a source of comfort and joy for a lot of you, and I hope that in the future they will only continue to improve!! I love you guys and wish you nothing but the best, remember, you GOT this and you can make ALL OF YOUR FUCKIN DREAMS COME TRUE!!!! I BELIEVE IN YOU ❤️

HUH, this is news to me! Do you only get access to this as a part of something paid? (Like a NF program or coaching or something?) I am now seeing I am in Forum Friends as I mouse over the icon, hahaha!

Same - this is my last challenge too. I just don't have it in me anymore if I'm not enjoying it. ❤️ You are going through a LOT right now and that comes first!! But whenever you feel you can take a breath or two and actually feel like being social (v important, and something as a semi-introvert i understand 10000%), shoot me a DM on IG or Discord or something and we will make it happen!! Legitimately can't imagine how hard this is for you. Sending lots of love your way! I'm still struggling with not being present here in the future too, it's just so wild to wrap my mind around. I'm used to change but this one just hits different. Facebook groups would be cool, and honestly I LOVE Discord and am very active there because of my gaming crap, but I wish the NF Discord had more tailored channels for chatting about different goals and fitness-related things instead of just one big lump where it's kind of vague.

I think for me it's a mix of both; nostalgia for the "good ol' days" but that energy just isn't here anymore - you are right and I agree I definitely feel like I'm talking to myself a lot of the time and it's just like, why am I putting my effort into this and prioritizing it over other things if no one cares? It's hard to think on honestly. I will definitely still lurk and pop in now and again but I just don't have it in me to keep spinning my wheels and keeping up a challenge when it honestly has very little benefit to me at this point. Which is SAD, and deflated, because this place has been so so important. But now... I just don't see it getting back there. Yes to this 100%. I feel like at the start I'll really -try- and follow everyone and do my best but it just always falls into a predictable lull and I'm like, eh. Ok.

I feel that there is some unintended irony here especially regarding recent family squabbles with your dad... GRATS on the HoF, you're FAMOUS NOW!

HAHAHA I LOVE THIS!!!! So glad you two are together again and he's having a blast exploring and getting settled in a new place!!

I love birdwatching!!!! What app do you have? I use Merlin and I'll always pop it on when I'm outside walking or hiking to try and find new birds. I don't have binoculars yet tho, let us know how you like them! It must be so frustrating with your work... it almost seems like being stuck between a rock and a hard place, because any part time job would just detract from your daily work, and while it is money, I think it might just exhaust you more. Not an easy choice to make either way. I wish I had a better answer for you than "I'm sorry that sucks but please be kind to yourself".

Oh WOW, catching up and I hope you are feeling better today!! Soooo much stuff going around, and I can't imagine how much goes down at daycare with kids and germs and ugh!

That is COLD for you guys!! Hell that's cold for us here in New England too. Stay safe!!!! Sov you are such a bright light here, I'm so glad I got to know you and become internet pals. ❤️ Your energy and positivity always make me smile and I hope you achieve everything that you add to your really amazing journals, and then some!! I swear sometimes it was colder when I lived in North Carolina!! I'm sure living by the ocean had something to do with it, but it still sucked - southern winters really are the worst. Stay HECKIN WARM and heckin convenient!! SAME. We have toyed with buying one but they are so bigggg, plus I still have my old Planet Fitness membership so I just go there weekly for their treadmills. The hype will still be here, IN YOUR HEARTS I think you joined before me actually, I remember you and kzacher welcoming me when I joined up and we bonded over Riddick and chaotic metal music! Those were the dayssss~ You're exactly right with the Steve analogy, and that's exactly how I feel. The bitterness is definitely personal; since leaving my job last year (and even before I left) I've really been on a search for community, whether it be online or finding a group in FFXIV that isn't full of memelord 20something WoW refugees It's been a struggle to find somewhere to fit in, and I look back fondly on these forums as the absolute perfect community back in the day. It's not that to me anymore and I'm still searching so it's kinda a thorn in my paw. BUT, that's my own problem and it will get better! Hahahaaa yup I'll be 44 this year. XD I still feel I look young for my age but ALSO feel I've aged a lot in the past few years! I credit exercise, lots of water, lots of sleep, and minimal alcohol and sun exposure. (And good genetics) Aaaaa so not phony, but phoning it in like.. not really having my heart in it, just doing the bare minimum to keep going, at least on here. Yeah I guess forcing myself to keep coming back is a good way to put it too! Your insta picture the other day was SO HAPPY it made me smile ❤️ And cats ughhh I swear our kitten is hitting his TEENAGE years and becoming a rude boy!!!

It is DEFINITELY real winter!!! I hear you on the blankets and hot beverages, I'm only going outside for errands and groceries this week - the wind is bitter cold!! I hope you guys stay warm and safe (and full of bread and milk, haha!) Don't underestimate the workout power of shoveling too! It's a serious full body workout IMO

Yeah it is hard for sure - a big part of my life! But I need to get better at letting go big parts of my life when they've outlived their time, and this is definitely a good test of that. ❤️❤️❤️❤️ Big hugs to you now and always - change is good and the perfect opportunity for growth and new horizons! Likewise - change is hard!! A good quote my boxing coach always brings up is "if it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you" and boy if that isn't right. (PS - I showed my husband pictures of Maple and he absolutely wants to steal her!!! ) The path is different for everyone, but we do the best we can with what we have! My gratitude to this place and everyone here is overwhelming, and probably why it was so hard to make this choice!! GOOD MEOWNING it is a whole 12F out right now (feels like 2F) and I have just gone outside in two pairs of pants and two sweatshirts to warm up my car and clean it off.... we got a good 5-6 inches of snow (and a little ice) allll day yesterday and it made the roads just hell. (Icy hell not flame hell obvs) My hands are FROZEN but a nice cup of hot tea is helping with that. Going to be heading out in an hour or so to run my errands and go to WalMart.... I am reeeeeally jonesing to get outside for a walk but I know paths will be shitty and it's only supposed to get to 22F today. I will wait until next week when it gets back into the 40s! And do some deadlifting today, heheh~ So grateful for our basement gym, especially during this time of year, where I can just pop downstairs and do some lifting or boxing or yoga or mobility or whatever the heck I want. ❤️ It was a lot of work and investment but well worth it.

I mean... Dawntrail is looking pretty sick... and honestly if it's one thing to look forward to and keep you hanging on then FUCK YEAH Dawntrail!!!

I love that this is a thing of joy and excitement ahaha! Also using the fireplace is amazing - kind of surprised you have fireplaces down there at any rate! I hope the cold weather stays just cold enough to be refreshing, and not too cold to cause any accident or damage for you all.

Hello friends! It's time for a WALL OF TEXT So in light of Things Recently I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. Actually, I can’t lie - as I mentioned in Tank’s thread, this is honestly something I’ve been chewing on for a while. And while it is for different reasons, I Agree With Tank™, and this will be my last challenge here on the forums. I’ll still keep my username and be around to lurk and whatnot, and will stay in the Discord (even though I’m not active there, I don’t like the single channel yell-into-the-void format much) and if something eventually does change with the forums in the future to make being here more engaging and worthwhile for me, I’ll definitely be back, but honestly (sadly) I just don’t see that happening. I’ve been here for nearly 10 years now and without delving into the past decade of trials and tribulations that have been my life, this place changed me for the better in so many ways. It’s HARD to make this decision. But if I’m honest with myself, I quietly made this decision a while ago. The forums just aren’t what they used to be for me - and for those of you that still love being here PLEASE don’t take this personally, as my opinion comes from a place of history and nostalgia and positivity, and I’m happy that this place can still be something wonderful for you - but the energy and engagement here is a dull flicker compared to what it used to be. I’ve honestly felt myself bitter at the forums lately because they’re not what they used to be, and that makes me sad. Like others have said, I keep coming back because it feels like home. But on the other hand, a big part of me feels like I don't fit in here anymore, if that makes sense. (It probably doesn't, but that's ok). And I feel I’ve been phoning it in - coming here to post a challenge and “try again” and have a good week of excitement before it begins to drop, engagement gets lower, and to be real I feel like I’m talking to myself a lot of the time in my own thread. Again I want to reiterate that I’m not blaming anyone or anything in the LEAST because Life Happens, and I get it, but it’s just not what it used to be for me. I even have way more time during my day and I just... don't want to be here as much. Change happens. It’s natural and okay. A big part of 2024 for me is letting go of things that don’t serve me anymore - jobs, people, friendships, etc. - and I’ve always been the person that struggled with letting stuff go, instead just letting things past their expiration date linger, trying to stick it out juuust a little longer and try a little harder to get things back to the way they were. But I’ve finally learned that doesn’t work most of the time and in the long run it isn't good for me at all, and so I’m taking this opportunity to back away and put to rest something that doesn’t serve me anymore. I’m going to be transferring all of my fitness-related posting over to my fitness-related Instagram account that I started waaay back when I was on the highkey NF train, so I’m not going AWAY, just moving platforms. I’ve renamed my account and will spruce it up a little shortly, but if you’d like to keep in touch with me I’ll be chronicling my journey at @fvryheart now (i will eventually make it public), and of course my main account is @elrohiir as well. I’m honestly EXCITED about this switch, which means it’s the right decision for me. I look forward to being able to record my journey with more photos and short posts, and hopefully be able to connect with more people on a similar fitness journey as me, because that’s one of the big things I miss about these forums. ANYWAYS that’s it, I’d say sorry for my wall of text, but I’m really not sorry because after being here for so long this is a big decision for me and I’m allowed to talk about it as much as I damn want. :3 I’ll keep updating through the end of this challenge, too! So there's that. Aaaaand I need an asprin and my heating pad after today's boxing workout because WAOW are my shoulders sore still~