QengpuBenal

Well, he hadn't had any contact with her or their son in almost 14 years (their kid is 14). Then about a month ago she called us and said that their son wanted to get to know his dad. We found out they were currently homeless, and had been for 8 months. So, we offered to let them stay with us until she can get back on her feet. It's not too bad. She's nice, my husband gets to know his son, and it has become abundantly clear to me that he has less than no interest in her whatsoever (he is always telling me about the latest annoying thing she has done).

Name: QengpuBenal Race: High Elf Class: Scout Attributes: Strength (STR): 2 Dexterity (DEX): 2 Stamina (STA): 2 Constitution (CON): 2 Wisdom (WIS): 4 Charisma (CHA): 3 Total: 15 Level 1 QengpuBenal's Main Quest: Complete the qualifying course on American Ninja Warrior This quest is very ambitious, and is more long-term than I think I am supposed to be shooting for. However, it is also something I really want and is turning out to be huge motivation for me! (July 29- Sept 8) Missions: 1. Run. The first major hurdle that I need to tackle in finish my main quest is my weight. I currently weigh 199 lbs (although this is 9 lbs less than I weighed at the start of the current challenge). Running is great for building up my stamina and for helping me drop those pounds (or inches as the case may be). Since I have revamped everything mid-challenge, I am changing my grading system to reflect the amount of time left (3 weeks). 10 Completed: A 8-9 Completed: B 6-7 Completed: C 4-5 Completed: D <4 Completed: F 1 completed Reward: (+2 STA +2 CON) 2. Strength Training Along with losing weight, I need to build my upper body strength. Upper body strength and grip strength are major elements of any American Ninja Warrior course. I know this is going to be an area of major challenge for me, so I want to start off tackling it right away and not wait until I have lost the weight. Right now, I can do half of a full push-up. I can hold my body when I get down, but I can't push it back up. To help with this sad state of affairs, I will be using the Gorillas Workout on my iPad 3 days a week. Again, the requirements here have changed to reflect what time I have left in this challenge. 9 days Completed: A 7-8 days Completed: B 5-6 days Completed: C 3-4 days Completed: D <3 days Completed: F (1 day completed) Reward: (+2 STA +2 STR) 3. Food. We all know that a big part of changing how you look is changing what you put in your mouth. So, for this challenge, I am going to focus on eliminating grains and sugar from my diet. I still feel that moving towards paleo is the best thing I can do for my health, my weight loss, and my strength training. Throughout this challenge I have been doing pretty good with this challenge. However, this week I stopped keeping track. I am giving myself a pass for week 3 because I feel that I did eat grain and sugar free more often and because of my actions yesterday. Yesterday, I did eat grains and sugar in the form of 2 hot dogs with buns and 3/4 of a bag of popcorn. However, I turned down the Chinese cookies at lunch, the food at the county fair, and the cake and ice cream at last night's welcome home party I attended. Overall, I am very pleased since pre-NF me would have indulged in everything and probably had seconds of most of it! Week One: Eliminate grains and sugar one day. (Conquered!) Week Two: Eliminate grains and sugar two days. (Conquered!) Week Three: Eliminate grains and sugar three days. (Conquered!) Week Four: Eliminate grains and sugar four days. Week Five: Eliminate grains and sugar five days. Week Six: Eliminate grains and sugar six days. 21 days = A 16-20 days = B 11-15 days = C 6-10 days = D (6 days completed!) 0-5 days = F Reward: (+3 WIS) Life Quest: 4. Spanish. I am going into a field in which being able to speak Spanish would be a huge advantage! I have a lovely app that I can use to help me start learning the language. Ideally, I want to do at least one lesson three times a week. This goal is also remaining unchanged. In fact, this is one area in which I have really been excelling. I really love the app I am using [it's called Duolingo and can be used to learn Spanish, German, French, Portuguese, and Italian (it can also be used to learn English if you speak French, Portuguese, Spanish, or Italian)]! So far, I haven't learned a lot of stuff that's going to be super useful in my line of work, but I have learned stuff. Plus, my goal with using this program is to establish the habit so I feel more comfortable spending the money to buy the Rosetta Stone program. 18 lessons = A 15-17 lessons = B 10-14 lessons = C (10 lessons completed!) 5-9 lessons = D 0-4 lessons = F Reward: (+2 WIS, +2 CHA)

So, I totally bombed the last half of this challenge. I've been feeling extra tired and lethargic lately (thanks to my narcolepsy). I'm looking forward to the next challenge, though! I plan on totallyh rocking the next one!

I'm giving myself a D. I started off great, but fizzled out about halfway through. I'm looking forward to starting fresh with the next challenge!

Woohoo! I just finished my run, and I ran the entire first half of my mile without stopping/walking! That's a first for me! The last time I ran that far without a rest of some sort was twelve years ago! What makes it even better is that then I walked for a bit less than a quarter mile before running the rest of the mile! I'm feeling awesome and so strong!

Have fun! Chicago can be fun...or so I've heard. Considering I only live two hours from it I really ought to go see for myself! LOL!

Things have definitely gone downhill for me over the last week. At least, goal-wise they have. My husband's ex (the mother of his son) called us last week. They hadn't spoken in well over ten years. Anyways, she wanted to let him know that his son wants to get to know him. They talked for a while. I talked with her for a while. At one point we discovered that they have been homeless for the past 8 months. She has gotten the FAFSA done for this coming school year, and she will be able to get a place as soon as her student loans come through. However, that's still a ways away. So, we invited them to come live with us until then. Naturally, this took up a lot of time discussing things and working through how everyone (especially I) felt about it. It's been stressful, but I think everyone is happy with the decision. They will be moving here sometime in July (as soon as we can afford to fix the truck and go get them). So, I haven't worked out since last Wednesday, and I won't be working out today either. I've got to take the kids to the airport (a few hours away) and put them on the plane to my parents' house. Then I have to drive home, get dinner for my husband, take him back to work, and clean the house. I haven't been listening to my app at all, and my water consumption has slacked off (although I'm still getting more water every day than I was before the challenge started). As for my website....I have discovered that it's hard for me to get much accomplished with the kids at home. There are just too many interruptions and too many things that need my attention when they are around. I'm hoping that I can get things rolling again tomorrow. I'll finish the week off strong and be prepared to dominate next week!

I went for the swimming today. Managed five laps in 20 minutes and by the end I had finally managed to figure out how to breath while doing it! I think I'm going to swim again tomorrow. Then run Friday and take Saturday and Sunday off. Next week I'm going to start a new five day training plan. I'll run on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I'll swim on Tuesday and Thursday. Hopefully that will help with this problem! Thanks for the advice and suggestions everyone!

I got up early this morning and headed to the pool. I quickly discovered that I had forgotten everything I had learned in that long ago swim class I took as an undergrad! I spent 20 minutes there and managed five full laps. I had to stop between each half lap to catch my breath. The last lap I finally managed to figure out the breathing! I had tried to breathe like I do when I run (in through the nose, out through the mouth). The nice guy in the lane next to me told me to reverse it and I found that worked so much better. I still spent the entire time feeling like I was right on the edge of drowning! I must say, while the swimming was definitely a workout, and I plan on adding swimming to my workouts, I much prefer running!

Well, that was my initial plan. Last week I ran a mile five days a week. Well, I say ran, but I had it split up into wallk-run intervals so I only ran about half a mile. Also, my running is most people's jogging! I did run a bit more on my two runs today and yesterday, but still not all that much. In regards to shoes, I have a pair of Asics Gel-1140s. I'm pretty sure they were designed for running, but I'm not 100% positive. I was with a runner friend of mine when I bought them and she said they were good running shoes. On the other hand, they are pretty old. I bought them in Budapest back in 2009. Maybe I need to invest in a new pair? I'm not sure about my running style. I have been trying to hit with my mid-foot first, but it makes for an awkward run, so I may be slipping into heel-first too often.

Ok. I'm frustrated because I didn't do my run this weekend, and I was hoping that taking those two days off would be enough. Oh, well. I guess I'll try getting up extra early tomorrow morning and doing laps at the campus pool for half an hour!

I think it's great that you're sticking with the challenge. Modifications just mean that you are paying attention to yourself and setting yourself up for success!

Ouch! I tried doing wall assisted handstands today. I had to enlist my 8 year old to push my legs up. Then I couldn't actually push up, I was just resting on my head. I managed to stay up for less than a second each time. I think I'll try planks instead tomorrow!

Hey, guys! I need help! After my run today my right knee and shin are aching very badly. It's not a muscle ache, though. More like an ache in the bones. Anyone have any advice or tips for dealing with something like this? I don't want to stop running and loose all the progress I've made, but I don't want to injure myself either.

I'm trying to track stuff via a spreadsheet (link in my sig). I usually do good at the tracking for the first day or two of each week. Then things go crazy and I forget to do it. I have been making progress...slowly...on the website. I'm hoping to post a link to it by the end of the challenge. Right now it's still not really far enough along for me to be comfortable sharing it yet. In regards to my running, today was the first day of stepping it up! I did two weeks of walk, run, walk, run, walk, run for the mile. Today was the first day of run, run, walk, run, walk, run! I was way more tired at the end, but I did manage to get through it! I've found having my 8 year old daughter running with me really helps with the motivation! Too bad she's flying to her grandparents' house for the summer next week!

So, the universe apparently got tired of me trying to lie to myself. Last night I decided to have some popcorn. I told myself it would be the last time I had popcorn. Of course, I've said that before...many times. I made myself a bowl of popcorn, and then the popcorn maker stopped working! It just broke! I guess the universe decided that something needed to be done to make sure this really was the last time! I'm taking the hint!

Wow! I'm impressed! I wish I was doing as well as you are!

Okay, so week 2 did not go as well as I had hoped it would. I ended up getting into a really funky sleep pattern due to having to drive long distances for various reasons! I ended up sleeping from 3am to 11am or noon pretty much every day! I didn't do any work on my website really. I didn't use my hypnotherapy app at all. I did semi-good with drinking water, but the last couple days of the week I fell off the wagon there. On a positive note, I ran five days out of the week! My girls have been running with me (my 11 year old does it barefoot, and I cringe at that thought...too much gravel around our neighborhood!). On the flip side, it's a new week starting! I got up at 9:30 this morning, so I am starting to get my sleep schedule back on track! I a good breakfast and lunch, and I already have a decent dinner planned! I'm going to listen to my hypnotherapy app tonight, and I managed to do the week 2 mini-challenge this morning! So, I'm not going to beat myself up over the last week. I'm just going to work harder this week!

Sounds like you are doing good! I think that eating goals are always the hardest! You can do it, though! And you'll feel sooo much better in the end!

I totally understand about the heat getting to you! I've gotten in a bad habit of sleeping in until 11 or noon. Makes my "morning" run so much more difficult! Also, thanks for mentioning librarything.com! I checked it out and it looks awesome!

I'm glad that things are starting to look up for you! Depression definitely sucks! It sounds like you did an awesome job looking at what you needed and not beating yourself up because what you needed was different than your original plan! I must say that you ability to be realistic and adjust impresses me mightily!

Sounds like you're having a pretty good challenge! Can't wait for the blog link!

Sounds like you're making some great decisions!

Hi! I'm one of the newbies! I don't run barefoot, but I am starting to run. My daughter prefers running barefoot when she joins me, though. So, I was wondering if you could point me to any good resources for her. I don't want her to hurt herself, but I also want to encourage her to do what she enjoys! Maybe someday I'll be willing to risk my feet and join her!

Where did you get those leggings? They are all kinds of awesome! Also, yay for running in the rain! I also tend to slack off when it's raining. Rain always makes me want to curl up with a book and a big bowl of buttery popcorn!