Gus

I think everyone has slightly different body chemistry, so what worked for John may be different. I have cut out coffee about 95% and have almost cut out everything else. Cutting out ginger is even hard, for me I cut out everything, and just touch the nightshades from time to time. When you say UV treatments helped, I understand that, as my eczema is not an issue during the summer, nearly at all.

Hey CB3- I have been away, and apologize for cutting out like that. Thanks for the kind words. I have given up on this challenge. However, I also have been eating Paleo five days a week making progress. Your progress seems to mirror mine, maybe there is a massage school near you that you can get an inexpensive massage and help yourself with hat back pain. This week is still going, maybe another quick workout, I was doing Core workouts around the home, you may be able to find them to be fun. Good job on your Excel and your Story.

I think some people fear the success that is around the bend for us, we fear the people we will become and what growth waits for us then. I could view growth and the fear of that growth as a person's understanding that this mean there are multitudes of growth areas in seas of an uncharted territory that they have let to grow within. How that person navigates through those waters is scary and there are killer whales, as well as some islands we could own if we just stopped our ship for a moment to walk around on that fertile land. Your story sounds like their could be a lot of detail to work with and to use. That could be fun, and a lot of hard work, are you using an outline? I was in a pretty negative place last night, sorry about that here is the link to my blog. Here There is a ton of my faith in there, so... I'll let you read. There is some photos here and there too. I am in the same boat as far as the diet, for the most part, The issue: free-Dominoes Pizza at work. Two small pieces. You have been very smart and given yourself enough room for not beating yourself up about it. Jump on tomorrow and go for it, just try to get any workout you can so you won't start with an I'll wait until this Monday or something. Anything will help a good bit. Great job on the spreadsheets. Excel rocks, is that what you're using?

Your goals are graceful to yourself, that should allow you not to beat yourself like many people do when they don't achieve 100% that whole self-sabotage thing creeps it's head in on me. What is your story about? My writing has grown pathetic and I have not written anything creative or non-fictional in a bit. My blog is not a whole of fun to read as it is about the search for identity. Still looking as it were. How are your workouts with the weights going? How did it go last time through on the challenge?

Today I had a good day. I sold 152 CD's and put 300.00 of the 322.00 into my savings account. This is an unfinished goal from last Challenge. I read some of the book I Will Teach you to be Rich and found that at the start of the book to cut down mercilessly on the things you don't need and spend on the things you love. Today I showed a great deal more commitment toward the Paleo Goal and ate my meals, by eating less and as well maintain strict guidelines. I am pretty excited. The weights were fun and the Angry Birds that I have modified somewhat to meet my needs also went well. I got in 8 chin ups over 3 sets and 3 awkward pull-ups. I completed 60 lunges each leg over 3 sets, 75 push-ups over 3 sets and 50 push-ups. Tonight we had a half of a Turkey Breast, Broccoli, and half a sweet potato. Completed a project of installing 4 GB of Ram in this old computer, and after having some garbage security software removed it is running larger applications well. Didn't turn up the desire to get a new anything.

That is great to hear, this is one of my current goals. Flexibility is so important to continued healthy exercise.

My pharmacy called earlier this morning and the cortisone lotion is ready for pick up, as they were out. Thanks for letting me know it worked for you.

I re-adjusted my grades that are mathematically correct, and the paleo eating goal will allow for less trip ups. The running goal needed to be re-adjusted because I completed it in the first week. Goal 1: Complete a physical standards test: 1. 50 push-ups 2. 4 pull-ups 3. 40 lunges – body weight 4. 40 squats – body weight 5. Complete a 5K in less than 31 minutes • Complete all 5: A • Complete 4 of 5: B • Complete 3 of 5: C • Complete 2 of 5: D • Complete 1 of 5: F 5 Bonus points for 10+ reps of 1, 3 & 4 - 5 points for each additional pull-up – 5 points for another mile ran Goal 2: Get to be a flexible guy… Seated Meditation Leg High Forward Fold Downward Dog Leg High Bent Knee Warrior I & II Plank Knee to Nose Tree Goal 3: Eat Paleo 80 percent of the time Track the food is very helpful, but it will only be important to track the number of poor meals. It would be good to know what led up to these events. Grade A: eat 128 - 115 meals that are 100% Paleo Grade B: eat 114 - 102 meals that are 100% Paleo Grade C: eat 101 - 89 meals that are 100% Paleo Grade F: eat less than 89 meals that are 100% Paleo I’ll pretend I’m studying for my Grad degree and anything below a C is Fail. Goal 4: Play better guitar Learn 2 nice solos for acoustic Sing and play 4 songs, which are not four chords wonders Get together and play with a friend and make actual music, cover or not 1. Lola – The Kinks 2. The Killing Moon - Echo & the Bunnymen 3. You & I - Wilco 4. Wild Horses – The Rolling Stones • Complete all 4: A • Complete 3 of 4: B • Complete 2 of 4: C • Complete 1 of 4: D • Complete none: F

You are so ambitious. The office task with the amount of detail into the project is great. The fun in getting your hands on the crafts and the reclaiming your ability to see your family at the swipe and touch of of a pad or smartphone would drive me to complete and thus, enjoy the fruits of my labor.

Thanks a bunch. I mean a whole bunch.

I got in a successful run. Here is the breakdown: Approx warm up: 4:00 min. Total distance: 3.37 Average speed was 5.1 during the run. Warm down approximate: 3:30 min. Total time: 40:37 Final result... Psyched! Different muscles hurt a bit. The pain in my calf is basically wimp pain as far as the knot it felt like from last challenge and my run last week. Played this ridiculously easy chord change from C to Am9 which is basically an easy ring finger exchange with the pinky many times. Sang parts of You and I, from the second verse and chorus a good bit. 100% paleo today,, until dinner. I have to break this addiction to tomato soup, as well as many others. and tonight will not be the day. I need to research if the soup alone is enough to qualify as a nightshade vegetable as I've described my issue with eczema via an article in a 2009 article in the online Daily Mail: Here - http://nerdfitnessrebellion.com/index.php?/topic/25090-eczema-help-hopefuly/ Purchased a used curl bar, with some odd weights that, uh, oh, don't match, but equal 50 pounds.

Thanks for the knowledge. I also am working on a 5K plan. Thanks for the validation... wink, wink...

Today is purging day for me. I have eczema and have had it for many years. My doctor told me it was idiopathic and to continue on dealing with it. He wrote me a script for the Cortisone, that is a bit more medicated than the over-the-counter. I want to rock climb. I want to climb in shorts on a wall with people who, as cool as they may be are not going to be grossed out by the patches on my legs and arms. It really isn't that bad, and I have a little more help with this article for the Daily Mail written on 2009 concerning a popular chef in London. This may help people who have a real suffering of eczema, as I hope it helps me. I'll let you know. So here is the article. It speaks mostly concerning the need to discontinue Nightshade vegetables and cut caffeine intake, which is going to be difficult. Tomorrow, I will cut down on the coffee, and I will give away the large amount of peppers I bout for the Paleo section my challenge. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1165509/My-cure-eczema-cutting-deadly-nightshade-says-MasterChef-judge-John-Torode.html

The strength to complete so many things on a 6 day per week, is really strong. Your goals are realistic and manageable, and you are still requiring yourself to to be stronger. I fell in to the 5x a week trap, for myself, last challenge. I hope you are able to keep your challenge fun. Thanks for inspiring me and helping reflect also.

That is a a really touching story. It is worthy of short film or something great. Thanks for sharing.

The post is on point, and on time 20 seconds can change your life. Before I read the post I had been putting some stop-gap measures into my life. I met with my therapist today who stated that she wanted to do an expensive psyche exam on me. This, I feel was an attempt to turn up all the bells and whistles, on my weaknesses, and my strengths (which costs more???) that if I needed them turned up, my brain would have started to show me these things without her influence. So I got in gear, and Did It Now, swallowed, picked up the phone and politely (much more politely than I am being now,) called her up and let her know I felt she was not coming from a place of beneficence and I have transcended the scared little man who came into her office about a decade earlier. Boom! She asked me if she had angered me, hoping to take on some transference issues. I was going to be looking at a lot of spent in her office weakening myself. She, in a desperate measure than brought up need to reflect on my day-to-day growth in a non-'grandiose' way, at a last ditch effort to cop some more money from me. I'm as narcissistic as can be, I have loads of issues, but do I need to be worked out by a therapist and straightened out on her rack, and then beg to come back for more? The sad part is how open her calender is, and the way she had told me, in a half-hearted attempt to fire her before, she stated: "most people come back to me." I have a mental health diagnosis, I AM not a mental health diagnosis. This 'helper' had been asked many times by me to help me cope with cognitive skills. Now I know why I never received lessons on coping, she was betting on my laziness to cope and or find coping skills on my own, and then did up my treasure chest of insurance. Folks, if any of you are therapists, I am not trying to be a jerk. Therapy is good for many, for a time, but if the client hasn't grown, or if they have grown and you are holding on to them, then print a newsletter, or find some other way to garner new clientele.

I have updated the paleo portion of this challenge after some great help. Also, I have decreased then pull-ups I will complete in this challenge as this is very difficult for me at this time. I have reduced the guitar goals as well, but still want to have more ability to play and sing, have more stamina in this area and as well, just be a better all-around player with more music theory knowledge. So here is the challenge and the grades associated with each: Goal 1: Complete a physical standards test: 50 push-ups (full range of motion) 8 pull-ups 50 lunges – body weight 40 squats – body weight Run a 5K and not walk Goal 2: Get to be a flexible guy… not like Gumby, just be able to be more flexible Successfully complete this cheap yoga DVD we have at home and participate in a yoga class Goal 3: Eat Paleo 80-90 % of the time If I eat 5 times a day that allows one meal to be non-paleo - this can be fun. Eat a Paleo Breakfast 100% of the time Monday – Friday Cut out self-sabotaging trips to Farmburger or some fail restaurant, thinking that just because it’s grass fed, or it’s just a little rice, I can eat a bun, and/or have a root-beer float… don’t kill my progress with behavior of a 12 year old is what the goal is here Cut out dairy in my coffee… all of it Goal 4: Play better guitar Learn 5 nice solos for acoustic Sing and play 5 songs, which are all not four chords wonders Get together and play with a friend and make actual music, cover or not Grades for each Goal: Goal 1: Complete a physical standards test: 1. 50 push-ups 2. 4 pull-ups 3. 40 lunges – body weight 4. 40 squats – body weight 5. Run a 5K and not walk • Complete all 5: A • Complete 4 of 5: B • Complete 3 of 5: C • Complete 2 of 5: D • Complete 1 of 5: F 5 Bonus points for 10+ reps of 1, 3 & 4 - 5 points for each additional pull-up – 5 points for another mile ran Goal 2: Get to be a flexible guy… Seated Meditation Leg High Forward Fold Downward Dog Leg High Bent Knee Warrior I & II Plank Knee to Nose Tree Goal 3: Eat Paleo 80-90% percent of the time Track the food is very helpful, but it will only be important to track the number of poor meals. It would be good to know what led up to these events. Grade A: eat 160 – 144 meals that are 100% Paleo Grade B: eat 144 – 128 Grade C: eat 128 – 112 Grade D: eat 112 – 96 Grade F: eat 95 or less Goal 4: Play better guitar Learn 2 nice solos for acoustic Sing and play 4 songs, which are not four chords wonders Get together and play with a friend and make actual music, cover or not 1. Lola – The Kinks 2. The Killing Moon - Echo & the Bunnymen 3. You & I - Wilco 4. Wild Horses – The Rolling Stones • Complete all 4: A • Complete 3 of 4: B • Complete 2 of 4: C • Complete 1 of 4: D • Complete none: F I will add the points after the challenge as to what is appropriate. For, myself I have learned that I learn a lot about myself afterwards. I'd rather not put any constraints on myself at this time, at least in this manner. Let's get excited for the challenge...

Thanks for the input in a big way! First the fun stuff, the guitar. Since putting the challenge together I've been playing a good bit, but you are correct. I'll 86 the nearly impossible to sing, Karma Police. The bridge in Lola is tough, and the Open G tuning in Wild Horses is very approachable, while getting the singing to match is difficult. Showering after a workout might help my singing if I didn't feel self-aware in there as well. I won't do the Killing Moon justice, but hey, my wife loves me. After inablity to complete the last challenge in a successful manner I will slow down as well on some others as well. You and I is a pretty, and sweet song, so that will be good for my wife, although it's not an audacious love song. The paleo grading system you have helped me with is ideal. The Supported Headstand at 42 and being more than 15 pounds over weight may also be a big challenge. I'll sub-out that pose. The bandwidth on my end may be a bit thin for this accomplishment. I must get through the calf issue and FINISH the 5K without walking. I want this bad. Also I'll knock the pull-ups down to 4. That was the goal from the last challenge. I'm at 2. I can do 4 okay chin-ups, although I know pull ups are a whole different ball of wax. Thanks for the well wishes. I'll make the changes tomorrow... although I should DO IT NOW, but my butt and back hurts.

Gus Challenge 2 Overall Goal for Challenge: Be nice. To myself, to others and care more, kinda by caring less… After some self-effacing moments in the last week or two, I realized that I need to chill and I was incredibly hard on myself in many ways. My enthusiasm was making it hard for others to get to know me. Sometimes I feel like I have this knowledge or insight that no one else has, which is fantastically ridiculous! I have so much desire to help; I piss people off and make them not want to listen to a word I say. Growing up each day at 42, blissful pain. After realizing that I need to have a whole lot more of one thing, and that is fun, and that may mean cheap and fun ideas. We are climbing our way out of a recent deed-in-foreclosure, which means we have to put a butt load down on a home in order to get out of an apartment, which is basically a hole in which we throw money, and a ‘filing cabinet for yuppies’… thank you Mr. Narrator. We’ll come up with some fun, cheap things to do and do them. I was ever so close to turning my cable on to watch the NBA again and after my wife and realized the ridiculous idea of watching my favorite team & game be marginalized by superstar fouls and marketing for awful beer, cars I don’t want and food I’m not going to eat. I said to my self: self, “I can start going to a gym with that money, a cool gym, centered around rock climbing. It will be a great new hobby, and I can get outside of my head on a wall, instead of ‘Climbing Up the Walls.’ So, after tracking my measurements, BMI, body fat, and weight loss all at once I’ve realized I need to relax on the numbers, and move in a direction of achievement. Numbers can mislead. I feel that while I feel good about what a statistic says, I feel empowered if I achieve something. Prior to my last challenge I was less active, and pretty weak. The challenge stipulated that I work out 5 times each week. I only achieved that once during the 6 weeks. This goal will have to be more achievable. I want to be stronger and fit all-around. I want to be able to run. I will have to work up to this goal. I have some frickin’ pain on the outside of my left-calf in a specific spot that started during the last challenge and it’s going to be an obstacle. So here is the challenge and the grades associated with each: Goal 1: Complete a physical standards test: 50 push-ups (full range of motion) 8 pull-ups 50 lunges – body weight 40 squats – body weight Run a 5K and not walk Goal 2: Get to be a flexible guy… not like Gumby, just be able to be more flexible Successfully complete this cheap yoga DVD we have at home and participate in a yoga class Goal 3: Eat Paleo 80-90 % of the time If I eat 5 times a day that allows one meal to be non-paleo - this can be fun. Eat a Paleo Breakfast 100% of the time Monday – Friday Cut out self-sabotaging trips to Farmburger or some fail restaurant, thinking that just because it’s grass fed, or it’s just a little rice, I can eat a bun, and/or have a root-beer float… don’t kill my progress with instant gratification is what the goal is here. Cut out dairy in my coffee… all of it Goal 4: Play better guitar Learn 5 nice solos for acoustic Sing and play 5 songs, which are all not four chords wonders Get together and play with a friend and make actual music, cover or not Grades for each Goal: Goal 1: Complete a physical standards test: 1. 50 push-ups 2. 8 pull-ups 3. 40 lunges – body weight 4. 40 squats – body weight 5. Run a 5K and not walk • Complete all 5: A • Complete 4 of 5: B • Complete 3 of 5: C • Complete 2 of 5: D • Complete 1 of 5: F 5 Bonus points for 10+ reps of 1, 3 & 4 - 5 points for each additional pull-up – 5 points for another mile ran Goal 2: Get to be a flexible guy… Seated Meditation Leg High Forward Fold Down Dog Leg High Bent Knee Warrior I & II Plank Knee to Nose Supported Headstand Goal 3: Eat Paleo 80 percent of the time This is basically Pass/Fail, so I will add this: Eating Paleo 100% of the time each day can add two points to my overall grade. Goal 4: Play better guitar Learn 5 nice solos for acoustic Sing and play 5 songs, which are not four chords wonders Get together and play with a friend and make actual music, cover or not 1. Karma Police – radiohead 2. Lola – The Kinks 3. The Killing Moon - Echo & the Bunnymen 4. You & I - Wilco 5. Wild Horses – The Rolling Stones • Complete all 5: A • Complete 4 of 5: B • Complete 3 of 5: C • Complete 2 of 5: D • Complete 1 of 5: F

I lost nearly ten pounds during the challenge, so I will go a little easier on myself. I added a bunch of muscle as well. I learned a lot for sure. Most about setting outcomes and goals. The money saving goal was the biggest lesson. The final grades differ a bit from my final post on my thread due to me seeing how others were a little more kind to themselves, as we all should be. Here is the rundown: Goal 1 - Complete the Beginner Body Weight Workout A. 3 sets 100% reps of the workout - Grade A STR + 2.0 and DEX + 1.5 Goal 2 - Work Up to Working out 5 days per week Worked out 5x/week one time during the challenge - Grade D STA + 1. , worked out 5X in 1 week, only once Goal 3 – Do 3-5 unassisted pull-ups Can now do two quality pull-ups - Grade B- for 2 pull-ups from none STR + 1.0 and DEX + 1.0 Goal 4 - Save 500.00 to put toward debt Incomplete) are you kidding me? No, must be at least 250 or more. Grade F I did not participate in any mini-challenges because I caught the bus late on this one. I should give myself a point to wisdom for selling an SUV and deciding to use public transportation. Overall Grade: C-

Got in a short, but strong workout that was a test of my abilities going into the next challenge. Not a fantastic first effort of a challenge, I learned a lot for sure. Most about setting outcomes and goals. The money saving goal was the biggest lesson. Here is the rundown: Goal 1 - Complete the Beginner Body Weight Workout A. 3 sets 100% reps of the workout - Grade A STR + 2.0 and DEX + 1.5 Goal 2 - Work Up to Working out 5 days per week Incomplete) unable to workout more than 5 days per week more than once - Grade F, worked out 5X in 1 week, only once Goal 3 – Do 3-5 unassisted pull-ups C. 1 pull up, no jump - Grade B- for 2 pull-ups from none STR + 1.0 and DEX + 1.0 Goal 4 - Save 500.00 to put toward debt Incomplete) are you kidding me? No, must be at least 250 or more. Grade F I did not participate in any mini-challenges because I caught the bus late on this one. I should give myself a point to wisdom for selling an SUV and deciding to use public transportation.

I should have put this on paper rather than up here before counting chix. Here's the deal: we have a little negative equity to make up on both cars, too much to pay off, then we would have a car payment. We don't have the title, and I feel pretty stupid, but I have been ripped off before and this time I just learned a simple-- very simple economics, that a 5th grader could have figured out. We will hopefully be able to pull of selling one car at least and hopefully come up with the negative equity on that. I do feel pretty good about my bravery to sell two cars, that are both kinda cool, and not be tied to objects, just a loan. So now we'll pay off the other car as we can. No harm done, a little egg on my face, and a lesson learned... couple actually. Did the BBW in full today with no pain. I did only 3 sets of 16 push-ups, rather than 20, and dumbbell rows only with 20 pounds. I think the things like over head press, pull-ups, dips are the real ones to stay away from.

Thanks for your support and sorry I haven't been there this week or last weekend. De-cluttering is really healthy. Great job!

Thanks Laureleye- Great suggestion! I just need the energy back and some healing in my shoulders. I hope it is not rotator-cuff issues, but it has got to be less resistance and no weights for all things shoulders for a minute. I'm hoping for tendinitis or something easy like that. I will not make five workouts this week, I missed today which mean just 4 workouts. It is important to not risk an injury. It sucks for a minute to only get it done once in the six weeks, maybe the next challenge. Yes, I feel a bit bummed, but I wasn't doing ANY workouts prior to November 24th, and those were truly pathetic until about a week before the challenge when I started the BBW. I'm going to finish on a downbeat, but not toasted with an injury. We have a pot of gold hopefully coming up this week! Saving money was always my biggest worry and complaint. My wife and I are making a move to fix this issue for those things that come what may. Check it- We're selling both cars, and buying a lower cost vehicle. NO car payment, and hopefully a check in our pocket when leaving the lot! Fan-Freakin-Tastic! We'll have caught up some issues and be making steps in the way of buying a home, and hopefully having a child. Pardon me if 3 or 4 workouts this week isn't killing my self-worth, y'know? This week has been a test run of MARTA, the transit system here in Atlanta, and our ability to cope with my wife and I having different schedules. Coping infers crisis though; by no means is this a crisis. Things will happen, but we'll get over it. Who cares... savings, savings, savings. Please keep your fingers crossed that we can get this done.

Good question, my right shoulder, mostly is having some- not good pain that I think is coming from too much work in that area. I am thinking I will have to do Body Weight, Running or Core. Friday I did Upper Body Weight. Going forward, will I keep them up? No, I think I am going to have to switch up some of the stuff. I am thinking Angry Birds, and Running. I really need some advice about the next steps. I want to do some running as a goal. I really like the body weight stuff as a whole, but not sure if I'll take a challenge off to figure out my goals. One thing is for sure, I am not going to try to workout 5 days a week again. 4 has got to be the norm and then do more if need be. Remaining Paleo, more often, is really important and needs to start. Steve's friend Saint who lost all that body fat is an inspiration. Reattempting a 500.00 dollar savings and beyond is huge. Getting some organization done at work is huge, but more important some at home is something I'd like. Got the book. I Will Teach You to Be Rich is the actual title and is a guess what??? A SIX WEEK program, very cool, huh?