OptimusPrimarch

7FG told me about that. I will have to make sure that I go to the next one

More or less. I kept pondering it and he gave me the nudge I needed.

Take 2, stupid internet. So I'm Mal, no surprise, we're both driven, quick witted, straight shootin', scoundrels who have a strong sense of what's right. I tried to model my theme around him and his quotes but at the same time it is important to just put virtual pen to virtual paper and get your objectives out there. No Cheating! (+2 Wis, +2 Sta) "Mercy is the mark of a great man" *STAB* "Guess I'm just a good man" *STAB* "Well, I'm alright" - Mal I was thinking about this quote a lot (because I love it) and I realized that each little stab was Mal running out of Willpower. So for this challenge I'm going to track all the times I opt out of being good at the things I've already changed and been smart about. Every time I order food that isn't thaaaat paleo. Every time I bow out of a workout or class that isn't for a legitimate reason. This is a tough goal because it requires a lot of brutal honesty but luckily I'm brutally honest. A: 0-3 slip ups B: 4-9 slip ups C: 10-14 slip ups D 15 or more I'm setting some pretty harsh numbers here given all the chances I have to cheat but that's the name of this game Stick Practice (Dex +3, Sta +3) "You got a wife? All I got was that dumb-ass stick that sounds like its raining." - Jayne Not a Mal quote but at least he was talking to Mal... Finally made it to redbelt (did my 1000 kicks for the grading like a boss thanks in no small part to the work I did in these challenges) and one of the new techniques is an 8 strike stick sequence that is awesome and great practice for coordination, shoulder muscle stamina etc. A: 2 hours of practice a week B: 1 hour of practice a week C: 30 min of practice a week D: 15 min of practice a week Time to cook (Wis +3, Cha +2) Zoe: So… are you enjoying your own nubile little slave girl?Mal: She wanted to make me dinner. Well, at least she's not cryin'.Wash: I might. Did she really make fresh bao?[Zoe glares at Wash.]Wash: ...Quaint!Zoe: Remember that sex we were planning to have, ever again? Sadly I don't have a "Saffron" to cook for me and I am REALLY bad about cooking, but I figure that I should work at changing that. Gonna start small with this one so that it is achievable and helps me work towards that "default state" that Steve talked about in one of his more recent blog posts. To give some reference this is a change from cooking zero meals at home a week... If I make food that can be used again for a lunch that won't count as 2, just as 1. Weekday breakfast doesn't count either since that's generally just eggs. A: 2 meals a weekB: 1 meal a weekC: 1 meal every 2 weeksD:1 meal every 3 weeks Sidequest: Get a Gym membership Same sidequest as before, I've moved recently and as part of using that change as a springboard for greater change I'll be aiming to either get a membership at the gym steps from my house or the gym steps from my work. Optional: Get a trainer. Given that I want to do heavy lifts if I do start getting to the gym I think having a trainer to guide me would be a good place to start to ensure I'm doing everything with good form.

*looks left* *looks right* You just had to go and make a Firefly theme challenge... Like you knew that it is my favourite thing ever and used that to try and lure me back... Like you knew that I've gotten my picture taken with Nathan Fillion and plan on doing the same again next month... Well played monks, well played. PS. I got Mal, and I aim to misbehave

Work and life have been keeping me away but here it is finally! Week 2 summary: Strength 3/3 Been sticking with upper body stuff unless I'm doing the Hapkido workouts which are essentially a variation of the BBW workout anyway. To change things up I've been doing sets of pull ups/chin ups. Stretch 1/1 I haven't been able to do a solid yoga session yet, the lunge-esque poses really fry my knees after a while so I've been a bit wary. Practice 1/1 Rolled up magazine as a substitute for stick and practicing my new stick techniques worked well here. Diet... ?/? Really need to pin that goal down

Thanks RP, honestly I'm not sure if it is my all time fav either, there are so many considerations... It is certainly in my top 10 though.

That's what she said? I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. In seriousness I hope so too, honestly I've been thinking about switching my strength stuff to circuits again to see if I can manage it.

I generally put plain Greek Yogurt, Peanut/Almond butter, Almond Milk & some protein powder in mine. Almond Milk & Protein powder are both chocolate flavoured so it tastes like a Reese's Peanut butter cup! Trout IS awesome.... All fish is awesome actually

Indeed I am fearless leader. I take a Glucosamine + Chondroitin combo pill twice a day. One of them fights inflammation and one is supposed to help rebuild/maintain cartilage.

Week 2, Day 4 Breakfast: 3 eggs Lunch: bunch o' cold cuts + veggies (was at a power lunch at a co-worker's house and had to work with what was available.) Dinner: Piece of Trout, bunch o' Asparagus & some peppers tossed in. Have a good soreness from my workout on Wednesday, but nothing in my joints, makes me hopeful that I'll be able to start working my legs more seriously and maybe even start deadlifts/squats with weight!

Seems to me like you might have made your decision about what style you want to focus on... Good stuff!

just chip small numbers off the rest time while you maintain the numbers and you'll get down to the 1-2 minute mark np

I guess I'm just always worried about not eating enough and burning muscle as a result. I felt like I could have gone a bit harder on the workout but I was pacing myself a bit to see how my knee felt.

Hapkido is good, working towards my blue belt now, 20 strike combo in 4 seconds is part of the grading... should be intense. There were too many junior belts for it to work out that way, so I ended up working with a white belt youngster on his techniques for the class.

good chunk of push-ups in there. Lookin' good Z. Love the detail as always, I'm trying to slowly work my way up to your level of logging.

Week 2, Day 3 Breakfast: 3 strips of Bacon & 3 Eggs Lunch: Giant burrito with tons of good stuff in it. Dinner: *mumble*peach and a bunch of almonds*mumble* So I was still full from lunch and by the time I was hungry again it was like 11:00 so I only did some snacking. Also didn't end up doing any grappling last night but I did get to run the workout which means it was a bit harder than usual. 20 push ups 5 slow squats (5 count down 8 count up) 100 criss-crosses (hold a crunch and scissor your legs back and forth) 20 tri pushups 15 lunges 75 in and outs (unsupported) 20 wide push ups 100 calf raises 10 dive bombers 90 second plank Was good and my quads are tired today, not sore, which is a very positive sign.

Week 2: Day 2 Breakfast: 3 eggs, bacon, potato (was starving so I figured that a bit extra here in the form of the potato was ok even though it isn't paleo) Lunch: Vegetable curry, with rice Dinner: Delicious Thai food. All in all yesterday was one of the least paleo days I've had since I started but none of my deviations were too bad. Going to Hapkido tonight instead of Thursday which breaks my usual routine a bit but it is the grappling class on Wednesday so it should be an interesting night! Gonna be glad for all those bridges from last challenge

The key is the presence you want to create for yourself on the interwebs. If you cultivate a positive image of yourself a sensible hiring officer for any kind of HR position would look on that positively because it is a marketable skill in that area now.

Gonna try and be a bit more thorough in my logging to help track things more easily. Week 2, Day 1: Breakfast: 3 eggs Lunch: big salad with egg, bacon, mushrooms and tangerine slices. Did a stretch set when I got home, focused on my back and hamstrings, legs felt pretty good afterwards. Dinner: 2 pieces of salmon asparagus green and red pepper and mushrooms. Snack: almonds

I usually use peanut butter (tsk tsk I know) but I have almond butter and should start using it for my smoothies.

Agreed, any recommendations beyond Paleo that can help avoid that trap?

I always do that, I meant hand.

also those puns were brutal...

looking good on that headstand! I should learn how to do those...

That recipe IS insane. Also Chef Neem is right about finding the right instructor it can make or break a school. On top of that you should also consider why you want to learn martial arts, some styles are more for self defense, others fitness, others competition and tournaments. Everyone will have a bias based on their style of choice but avoid the trap of "The best style" and instead focus on "best style for ME"