Not all those who wander are lost ... Now how did I get here?

[ShortStrider]

Greetings one and all.

 

Long journey to this place with many twists and turns.  It's been 46 years of wandering, and it's finally time to join the quest.

 

I was always the skinny guy.  Remember the old school comic ads where the guy gets sand kicked in his face?   That was me for a long time.  Then middle age caught up with me and I'm still that guy, but now with a gut and not nearly enough breath to spit the sand out.

 

My near-term goals are simple: get moving; stay motivated; hack some good habits.  This starts today!

 

Mid-term goals: join the next 6-week challenge on april 20 - may 31; small diet modifications (more protein and water). 

 

Long-term goals: get strong enough for 10 pullups; cardio enough to jog 5 miles; alter diet (paleo?) to aid in dropping 3 inches from waist.

 

I'm looking forward to the community and the support.  The hardest part is the starting.  The key is to take little steps, or be a ...

 

ShortStrider

[Luciana Valerosa Culming]

Your goals look good. Best wishes and hallo

[sylph]

Welcome to the rebellion!

 

 

It's only week 2 of the current challenge. If you're ready, you could pop over to the recruit section and start now.

[ShortStrider]

Hello to you too, Luciana Valerosa Culming!

 

sylph, good recommendation, and normally I would follow that!

 

Here's what I'm doing instead, and feel free to critique and give advice.  I'm here to "Do, or do not.  There is no try."  (Yoda, the best philosopher that never was.)

 

So, I'm following Steve's emails to the letter.  Day 1: 10 min walk; Day 2: 10 min walk and one small diet tweak (what I called "paleo conscious... or just eat more protein and choose less processed foods 2x per day); Day 3: Beginner's Body Weight Workout (one circuit each day for 3 days per week) and WOW did THAT tell me how out of shape I am;  Day 4: 20 min of vigorous movement (quick walk, well, I was pretty sore so it was more like a quick limp/wince/limp again); Day 5: BBWW (not as much pain) and a selfie; Day 6 (today): 20 min of vigorous movement (another quick walk, not nearly as sore today).

 

My plan for next week is to get up to 2 circuits of the BBWW and hold there for 2 weeks, and then add a 3rd circuit and hold there for 3 weeks, plus diet improvements along the way.

 

At that point, if my math is right, I'll be ready to start the next 6-week challenge on April 20 - May 31.  And I'll have spent 5 weeks developing the habit of exercise and diet improvement.  And THAT'S where I've fallen down with a dozen past false-starts.  I need to hack the habit.

 

In between now and then I'll be working on my SMART goals, researching recovery aids for old guys, researching a few specific target area improvements (I have old injuries to an ankle and an elbow and I have a tendency to develop shin splints incredibly easily).  Not saying they are stopping me, but I need to find a reasonable accommodation so I can stay in the game.  (Cheat code, anyone?)  

 

Oh, and I have to pick a guild.  Leaning toward Rangers, since I am a "Jack of All Trades" type, although I have done martial arts about 20 years ago... just not ready to get back into that yet, although it is something I've been thinking of.  I can say for me martial arts was a catalyst for me getting into shape 20+ years ago, since I was highly motivated to not get hit/kicked.  That training got me to run 5 miles at a crack, and to (once, and only once) be able to crank out 100 push-ups without stopping.  (Ah, the glory days.)  I also got injured (ankle and elbow reference above).  My thought right now is that if (BIG IF) I have to respawn I'll come back as a Monk, and dive into martial arts again.  But in looking at the guy I am now and who I want to be, the idea of "functional strength" is very appealing to me.  So hit me up, Rangers!

 

Plus isn't Tolkien's character Strider just totally cool?  The dude is a KING, and a bada$$ and you don't know it until like half-way through the book (the King part).  He can get along with elves and dwarves alike.  He prefers not to draw attention to himself and slip away undetected or underestimated by his foes.  Then when you least expect it, +3 damage points and game over!  Now THAT'S cool!

 

So, keep a watch out for me on April 20.  Until then, I'm out wandering.

 

ShortStrider

[Luciana Valerosa Culming]

Oh, and I have to pick a guild.

They want you to start in the Recruit section. So no guil for the first challenge...

I wanted to be strider, too, when I read the books the first time. And I cried when Gandalf seemed to be dead.

Your plan looks really good. I'm doing the circuit as well the next few weeks as part of my first challenge. I'm joining the monks for the next challenge.

[jimmy73]

Shortstrider, 

I am also waiting for the next challenge to start. In the mean time, your plan and goals look solid. One question, what are you training for?

I picked the Rangers because like you I want to be a Jack-of-all-trades.  

[ShortStrider]

jimmy73, great question.  I have two active boys, ages 7 and 9, and I'm tired of coming up with excuses not to run/jump/play with them.  As they get older, I want to do more with them not less and I'm very out of shape.  Not an exaggeration if I start from standing and break into a light jog within a small number of paces I'm set up for shinsplints that take a little while to become apparent and a long time to heal.  So I'm training to be a better example of health and fitness for them.

 

Luciana Valerosa Culming, thanks for letting me know about joining the Recruit section.  I viewed it and think this is going to fulfill a need that I have for structure, feedback and motivation during the early part of my journey.  I'm usually pretty good once I make something a habit.  It's the habit forming part that I struggle with.

 

To that point... 

 

Day 7: this was supposed to be a workout day, but only got 4 hours of sleep so I substituted 20 min of vigorous activity.  I actually feel very good that I had the emotion of regret over missing my morning workout. So... 

 

Day 8 (today): got my workout in first thing!  I've completed one week of the BBWW single circuit workout (3x per week alternating with an activity-only day) and day 2 was the hardest.  I think they call it DOMS (the soreness that happens the day after a workout).  Today was easier to complete the workout, so while I'm not saying I'm making improvements, I think my body is starting to get used to it.  My plan for Day 9: 20 min of activity (unless Steve sends me a note suggesting something else!) and then on Day 10 (Monday): I'm going to do 2 BBWW circuits and see how that goes.  I'm on a M/W/F workout schedule and I plan to hold with 2 BBWW circuits for 2 weeks before adding a third.  Once the first challenge comes around I'm going to have some thinking to do.  Strength training (weight lifting) has me curious yet fearful because I need a distraction during my training or I tend to lose interest (which is why martial arts was good for me).  I'm hoping that with all the extras that the first challenge brings with it in terms of support and encouragement that I'll be well set up for success.

 

Along the way I'm moving towards a higher protein diet in preparation for taking on a conversion to paleo.  Maybe at the first challenge??

 

Any encouragement (or help with DOMS) is encouraged!

 

ShortStrider