Robotify

I'm starting my challenge a bit early. I can't wait for tomorrow, and since it's tomorrow already in a lot of places I'll consider it an alright thing to do. Slow going here, the first step is always the biggest. Stair sprints today, gym tomorrow. Pretty good about logging for the last few days but we'll see if it stays consistent this week. I went to Yoga for the first time EVER yesterday and I liked it a lot, I think I'll go back tomorrow. Not sure if I should count that toward my end goal since I'm trying to make it at least weekly. I think I will just throw it in for now adjust fire as necessary. Looks like I need to clean and spend some time focusing inward today before my week starts. Which is good advice I think, since it'll clear my mind for Monday. 1. (+3 STR +2 DEX +2 STA) PHYSICAL: System Overclock: - Run 3 x week: [1 / 18] - Lift 3 x week: [0 / 18] 2. (+2 CHA) SPIRITUAL: Drive Degfrag: - Yoga 1 x week: [1 / 6] - Meditate 60 min x week: [0 / 360] 3. (+2 STA +1.5 CON +0.5 WIS) REGENERATIONAL: Power Cell Infusion: - Drink 72 Oz H2O / day: [1 / 42] - Sleep at LEAST 7 hours a night. [1 / 42] - Log Food & Exercise: [1 / 42] 4. (+1.5 WIS +0.5 CON) SPATIAL: Guidance System Calibration: - Purge Room: Not Yet Begun [ ] Closet / Dresser [ ] Desk / Floor [ ] Shelf / Cabinet [ ] Bathroom area / Refrigerator [ ] Car - Maintain Clean: 1/42

Well I wasn't planning on adding a lot about making products, but I can post some pointers if you'd like. I think that a good diet as well as a chemical free environment are both important to a healthy lifestyle, but it doesn't occur to a lot of people. All I found has been online, and my favorite resource so far for natural products has been Crunchy Betty. I've spent quite some time just researching things about natural living. So far I use: - Homemade Detergent - Homemade Dishsoap - Honey Facewash (I find that unfiltered raw honey works better than clarified honey for me, but your milage may vary. they're both approximately the same.) - Oil Cleansing facewash (I use both due to acne prone skin. I use the oil cleanse in the shower since it's easiest for me. I use an apple cider vinegar toner after oil cleansing) - Homemade Shampoo (I used to use this, smells AMAZING with coconut, rosemary, chamomile and almond soap) - Bi-Weekly Egg Conditioner - No Shampoo Method is what I'm currently working on. - White Vinegar Cleaning Spray I still buy toothpaste and deodorant but when I have more info in that I'll post it. I'm also still researching essential oil uses, and some unique ways of doing things. For example, lightening your hair with chamomile works fairly well, but mostly it brings out hilights. I'm going to try lightening my hair with honey / cinnamon / other things since there's natural hydrogen peroxide in honey, and whitening my teeth with charcoal. If you have questions though let me know.

Yes I have been doing the same thing with my hair. It's still getting used to not having shampoo but I wear it up in a bun every day for work (army dress code and all) so if I'm having a bad hair day nobody can tell. Mwahaha. I find that baking soda/water shampoo and ACV conditioner work great but I am still transitioning. I use a 1 egg and 2 tbsp olive oil conditioner on my hair when it feels like it needs it, put a shower cap on it and let it sit for about an hour. It makes it soooo soft it's unbelievable. Do you have a recipe for toothpaste you'd be able to share? I'm interested in trying it out. That's the last thing on my list that I haven't gone natural with yet which is probably not great since it goes in your mouth. I feel like I've hijacked this thread a litte. Um. Working out! Strong things! I did do some stair sprints today in mental preparation for the challenge tomorrow. Feels good man. :3

I'm right there with you on pull-ups as well as snacking. I wasn't able to do more than maybe three half-good push ups a year ago, now I can do them easily. It seems disheartening to hang on that pull-up bar and PULL and pull and wish I could get up there. It's all about steps in the right direction. Interested to see how you do!

Also if you know what restaurant you're going to beforehand, you can usually find their menu online. They often have calorie / fat / carb totals and sometimes ingredients on their website if it's a larger chain type of restaurant like Cracker Barrel or the Olive Garden for example (though I feel sorry for you if you're going there and trying to eat healthy).

Sooooo, I fit in to this category. (Hello world.) It seems that there isn't any space left on the signup sheet and I'm not about to mess something up by trying to mess with it. But I am excited to see how the next 6 weeks unfold. :3 Anyway. Um, I guess this is a place for introductions. I'm a 23 year old female in the US Army. I guess it seems weird that I'd join a fitness community, but the Army fitness program isn't all it's cracked up to be. I classify as a nerd for several reasons I suppose. Grew up on a steady diet of Nintendo and Playstation games in western Washingon state. Moved to Portland OR for a while, trying to tap into my hippie side. Then eventually (for my own reasons) I decided to enlist. So here I am about a year and a half later, wanting more from life yet again. I'm never satisfied with where I'm at. I guess that's good though. I've quit drinking and smoking, and I'm trying to run, lift, and center myself more. I need to clean up my act a bit. Meaning, mostly, my room. I am trying to cut out as many unnatural things from my life as possible, including things like the chemicals we put in and on our bodies. At first it was just food additives that I cut out, then I realized one day... what the heck am I putting on my skin twice a day? And in my hair? And in my mouth? So I started making my own hygiene and cleaning products, such as vinegar/water/essential oil instead of windex. Castille soap mixtures for dish soap. It's actually a lot cheaper. I am still buying deodorant and toothpaste since that's a bit much for me to concoct at this point. I'm trying to go all natural, as well as primal in terms of food. All I know is that my sense of smell has improved. A lot. And my skin is clearing up finally, now that I wash my face with alternating castor oil mix (in the shower) and raw honey (at the end of the day). It works. It really does. No more salicylic acid for me. Nope. One last thing. I'm strongly if the opinion that no matter what the problem is, there's always a solution. Can't find it? Make it. Don't like the view? Walk somewhere. Like that line from a certain movie about robots that I quite enjoyed; "You're a mechanic right? So BUILD something."

All the serious talk aside, there is a bit more about me to say. I hate weakness, love helping people, and feel that laughter is the second best way to get anything done (after hard work, of course). I talk too much. Way too much. And sometimes I feel awkward about it, so I cover it up by talking some more. I think I have a flare for melodrama, and also for sarcasm. I suppose that doesn't come across so well via text? Don't take me too seriously I suppose. (Read everything I say with a smirk?? No that would just make me want to slap myself. Don't.) I didn't mention diet in the above post as I am gradually figuring out my eating situation. I don't have a kitchen or any storage space. So yes. There's that. I am maybe 80% paleo? No refined sugars or processed foods, but I do allow things like protein shakes, ginseng extract etc. So it's not perfect. I make a majority of the products I use. I make my own face wash, dish soap, detergent etc. The ones I can't make are natural. I have to do physical training each morning as a part of my job, so I typically run four miles on Mon and Fri, go to the gym 3 days etc. But I'm not fulfilled by it, hence all training listed above is in addition to morning training. It's not as bad as it sounds. Really. Working from 0600 to 1700 five days a week is tiring, especially with the summer heat and variety of outdoor activities I have to do. My main problem is being motivated to do work after my 11-12 hour day is over, in the few hours I have before sleep. It's a mental problem, and this challenge is mostly aimed at reprogramming my poor brain.

PROLOGUE: _ I am a soldier. It is my job to be physically and mentally strong and resilient. In order to succeed in my chosen career, I have to work hard, constantly. Not having my act together is absolutely unacceptable. My workplace is actively seeking to purge those who are not useful and remove those who are sub-par. Budget cuts. I strive to succeed in the face of adversity. ---SYSTEM REBOOT IN PROGRESS--- ---Level 1 Cyborg Ranger---BASE SYSTEM SPECS: _Age: 23 YEARSGender: FEMALEHeight: 5'5"Weight: 140 LBStats: 2.0 STR | 2.0 DEX | 1.5 STA | 3.0 CON | 3.5 WIS | 3.0 CHA ((I don't really know what good it will do to post before and after images but here goes nothing. And yes my hair is wet, not greasy. XD )) ((02 JUN 2013)) ---Physical Training--- CURRENT OCCUPATIONAL STAT: _---2 Min Timed Pushups:.................39 | GOAL: 50---2 Min Timed Situps:..................82 | GOAL: 90---2 Mile Run:..........................13:37 MIN---Last recorded 5 mile run:............37:XX MIN---Last recorded 20k 35 LB Ruck March:..2:37 Hr OTHER: _---Max Cont Pushups:.....19---Max Session Pushups:..100+ in sets of 10 (because I had to)---Max deadlift:.........115 LB---Max barbell squat:....115 LB---Push Press:...........55 LB---Bench Press:..........95 LB---Unassisted Pull Ups:..N/A---Assisted Pull Ups:....100+ in sets of 10 (because I had to) ---GOALS--- 1. (+3 STR +2 DEX +2 STA) PHYSICAL: System Overclock: (+2 DEX +0.5 STR)....13:00 2 MILE RUN (+1 STA +1 STR).............Run 3 x WEEK *(+1 STA +1 STR).............Lift 3 x WEEK *(+0.5 STR)...........Do ONE unassisted pull-up 2. (+2 CHA) SPIRITUAL: Drive Degfrag: (+1 CHA).............Begin Yoga (1x per week) *(+1 CHA).............Meditate (Minimum 60 min per week) 3. (+2 STA +1.5 CON +0.5 WIS) REGENERATIONAL: Power Cell Infusion: (+1 CON).............Drink 72 Oz water a day **(+2 STA).............Sleep at LEAST 7 hours a night. **(+0.5 CON +0.5 WIS)..Log Food AND exercise (etc) daily ** 4. (+1.5 WIS +0.5 CON) SPATIAL: Guidance System Calibration: (+1 WIS).............Purge room ( ; 100 thing challenge?)(+0.5 WIS +0.5 CON)..Maintain clean (* 6/7 weeks minimum.)(** 35/42 days minimum.) TOTAL POSSIBLE: 3.0 STR | 2.0 DEX | 4.0 STA | 2.0 CON | 2.0 WIS | 2.0 CHAOPTIMUM POSSIBLE END STAT: 5.0 STR | 4.0 DEX | 5.5 STA | 5.0 CON | 5.5 WIS | 5.0 CHA ---PLAN--- --- (1.) I will be working the NF Dumbell Division Rank One, three day split with some extra bodyweight exercises thrown in if I feel it's necessary.The 2 mile run will be done twice: one at the half way point (during week three) and once at the end of week six. I will work on pull-ups consistantly and hopefully will accomplish them by the end of the challenge. On alternate days, I will incorporate a run. It will alternate between distance runs and stair sprints. My schedule will be similar to the following: WK| SUN | MON | TUE | WED | THU | FRI | SAT 1.| SS | A | LR | B | SS | C | RST2.| LR | D | SS | A | LR | B | RST3.| SS | C | LR | D | RE | A | RST4.| LR | B | SS | C | LR | D | RST 5.| SS | A | LR | B | SS | C | RST 6.| LR | D | SS | A | FR | B | RST Key: _ SS: Stair SprintsLR: Long Run (Min 4 miles)RE: Run EvalFR: Final RunRST: Rest --- (2.) I will be attending yoga and meditating on Saturdays. My yoga will be low-level and will essentially constitute as over-glorified stretching, but the balance and focus aspects are necessary for me at this time. --- (3.)My bed time must be NLT 2200 (10PM). I have to drink three bottles worth of water during the day, which should be easy. (should be. not that it will. should.) And I have to log my progress. That will be my biggest challenge. I will be using myfitness pal to log food and biometrics. I will be logging workouts in evernote or a notebook and uploading them here.I will update status here as often as possible (which should be daily). --- (4.)I will choose one section of my room per week to clean and de-clutter. Items not needed will be discarded and removed. The sections are:-Closet / Floor-Refrigerator / Dresser -Shelf / Cabinet-Bathroom area / Desk-Car That's five out of six weeks. The sixth thing will be to take an inventory of all remaining items at the end of week six. Intention is to catalog all items and determine if they should be kept or gotten rid of.I will also deep clean my room once a week, meaning sweep, mop, laundry, etc.

Women change shapes all the time and usually should invest in new bras every 6 months to a year. If you're losing weight there are some cheap effective bras out there that you can get (approx 15-20 dollars each if you get them on sale. if you're a strange size it may be more expensive but you can usually find some uncommon sizes on sale racks if you don't care what color they are). Bras don't have to be expensive, but if you're in a G-F range or have a tiny band size, you may have to do some digging for good prices. Bra fitting is a touchy subject for me since I worked in the women's intimates section of Macy's for over a year and worked for HanesBrands Inc (think Bali, Champion, Playtex etc.) for almost a year. I have been to bra fitting classes three or four times and have done fittings for probably at least 150 women, give or take a few dozen. Let me just say a few things and indulge my rambling for a minute here, for anyone who cares to listen; Before I begin; if you need a specific or hard to find size, the sales associates will know what brands come in what size. Just ask. A senior salesperson or manager who has worked there long enough should know off the top of their head. First, ALL BRAS FIT DIFFERENTLY. In every brand. In every style. You may be a certain size, but the cut of the bra will determine if it fits correctly or not. It's just like how you can wear a certain size of Wrangler straight leg jeans and find it absolutely impossible to fit into the same size of Levi's skinny jeans. They're different. This means you DO have to try the bra on. And grab a few different sizes. Second, if at all possible do not try to fit yourself. It pretty much doesn't work. Even if you know how. Seriously. I know we're fierce and independent, but holding the measuring tape in the correct spot is difficult even if you know what you're doing. I tried to show people examples of how to do a fitting on myself once or twice, but my measurement was usually different from my true measurement even if I was doing it right. Find at least a friend who can hold the tape in the correct spot for you. Better yet find a professional. Third, don't try to get fit for a bra if you're in a hurry. It will take a while to find the right size but it is worth it. Fourth, some people have a harder time than others finding the "right" bra. In the end it should just be comfortable and supportive. There is more to it than that, but if you're not comfortable (or for those who are never comfortable in a bra, if you're in physical pain) that's your body telling you something is wrong. Learn about "swing sizes" and how sizing works. It will help you find the correct size. My ribcage measured 28 actual inches before I joined the Army. I don't remember the number for my bust measurement, but I was approximately a 30D. I know that sounds impressive but it's not. Band size and cup size are a ratio, so I was about 28 inches around my ribs and 32 inches around the fullest part of my bust. 32 inches is the same measurement as most skinny men's pant waist band sizes; not very big. The important part was that there was a four inch DIFFERENCE from my band to my bust, which is A-B-C-D. Since I couldn't find a 30D (they don't exist) I had to go UP a band size. But the cup is a RATIO to that, so I had to go DOWN a cup size. Hence, a "swing size". I became a 32C, which, looking back on it, is kinda strange. Bras are weird. 32s are still hard to find but most big label brands like Calivn Klein, Wacoal, DKNY etc sell the weird sizes. When it comes to maintaining the bras that you own, the rule of thumb is, own about three of them and never wear the same one two days in a row. "Wear one, wash one, let one rest" is the adage I was given. Basically it gives the bra's elastic time to "reset" back to its original position and not lose its shape. Go ahead and wash them in the regular wash, preferably separate from things like coats and jeans that will stretch them out, but when possible let them air-dry. They only take about an hour to dry and the underwires won't come out this way. They last longer in general when kept out of the dryer, but do what you have to. Last, go to a place like a department store or an outlet store like the ones I worked at and ask if they offer fittings. Usually they do. Then let the associate help you find a size that actually fits. If you're worried about pressure to buy a bra then and there, go for an outlet store. (Hanesbrands Inc is the only one I can think of atm, all of the associates are trained bra fitters and don't work on commission!) Let the associates help you! It's their job! Find a nice one, who actually wants to help, and go with it. If they've been there for at least a couple of months they should know where everything is, what comes in the correct size, how several bras fit, and how to order you the correct size if you can't find it in the store, usually at no extra cost. Most of the time they're going to give you a "fiting bra" to try on. This is a standard "staple" they go to which fits a certain way on all body types. They'll give you this bra to try and size you, but they're not necessarily trying to sell that one to you. It's just to tell what fits! And don't be shy, bra fitters see a lot of women topless. A lot. Some women don't care at all and have let it all hang out without waiting for me to leave the fitting room. It is helpful for the bra fitter to take a look at how the bra fits to try and help you find one that works, but if you're not comfortable with that it's okay. A measurement can be accurately taken with a t-shirt on (not a jacket though). I could go on and on and on... there's so much you can know about this. It's not even funny. It's easier to be shown than told, so go find someone who knows what they're doing. If you don't like the salesperson, find another one! It's their job to help you. If you don't feel like you're getting good service, ask if there's a manager who can fit you "just to be sure" or if there's a "specialist." You can get a second opinion. Or you can find another store. Anyway. Good luck.

So I have a tiny living space, no money, and very little time, but I have an AMAZING method to make BP coffee that is simple and fast. Ready? I use a protein drink shaker cup (check it out; http://www.blenderbottle.com/blenderbottle-classic.html) instead of a blender. It gets a nice foamy head on it and mixes perfectly. Of course, I always add a scoop of protein powder as well since I have training every morning and this substitutes as my breakfast. But clean-up is easy, and a 20 oz shaker cup is only about $7-$8. I also use a french press instead of a drip coffee maker. It's easier to clean out (no nasty acidic coffee pot taste) and I don't have to spend any money on coffee filters. Generally I boil water, add 2 tbsp of grounds to the french press, measure 12.5 oz of the boiled water into my shaker cup, pour into FP and stir. Wait 5-10 minutes, add 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp coconut oil to shaker cup, add coffee, then protein powder, shake, drink, rinse, ready for my day. If you do decide to to this BE CAREFUL!!! The hotter the liquid you put into the shaker cup, the more pressure accumulates in it after the first shake or two for some weird reason. I'd say shake up your blender cup a bit, let some pressure out, close the cap again and finish mixing for about 30-60 seconds. I had an explosion once with cocoa powder and boiling water when I was trying to make unsweetened hot chocolate in my blender cup. I still have some brown on my blinds and ceiling fan that I can't get off...... :/

Thanks for all the replies! This is all really helpful. I have begun making more things in my microwave than I thought was possible before. My favorites so far are plain old eggs in a coffee mug (scrambled so the yolks don't EXPLODE......) and sweet potatoes. They only take 8 minutes. Who knew. I found this recipe ( http://paleomg.com/sugar-detox-pumpkin-cake-mug-chocolate-sauce/ ) for microwaveable paleo pumkin mug cakes. I modified it to use just one egg and I use canned pumkin and canned coconut milk... it takes three minutes to make, and it's delicious... and... I'm in love. It's pretty tough making do with the space that I have here but it's working. The cooking aspect has gotten MUCH easier, and I'm utilizing the shared kitchen downstairs more often since there's a stove and an oven. The storage issue is starting to become problematic now. My roommate and I share a TINY fridge/freezer, which she has mostly filled with things like boxes of frozen corndogs, popsicles and hot pockets, so there's not a lot of space left. I'm going to try and shove some meats in there. Steamer bags of frozen veggies will not fit unfortunately. Dried packaged foods are pretty expensive and full of unnatural preservatives here on post (Oberto?). I'm going to try making my own jerky (etc) and see how it goes. This is an epic quest in and of itself. I wonder if a lot of college kids who live in dorms have this problem? Well, I'm not sure how many paleo/primal dorm livers there are out there... But once I figure some more things out I may document it... for the greater good! (how heroic.)

That's good advice. I was thinking jerkey and tuna and the like. It's a bit expensive but it will have to work. We're not allowed to have "heating elements" in our barracks such as space heaters or grills, but people have them anyway so I may be able to figure something out.

Hey. Sorry this is long. I have a lot to say. If you want to cut to the chase, I won't be offended if you skip to the bottom. I really want to adopt a Paleo lifestyle, but I have a dilemma. A big one. The LONG Version: I live in a tiny barracks room. Yes I'm a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, active duty. When I say "tiny barracks room" think college dorm. Or smaller. I have one room key that opens to a shared bedroom with two beds. I can see my roommate's bed from my bed. There is no room divider. She has to walk past the foot of my bed and in front of the refrigerator (simultaneously) to get to her bed. We share a bathroom with a tiny sink, a toilet and a shower. There is no bath tub, since there's not enough space for one. (Our bathroom is basically a closet.) I have a small bathroom sink which is big enough to wash my hands and maybe wash some cups and silverware. Washing a pot or pan in there is out of the question as it wouldn't fit. I don't have a counter to prepare foods (even the bathroom counter has only 10 inches of counter space on each side), so I have to use my nightstand or the top of my dresser. (My hand slipped today and I got avocado all over my printer. Not so great.) I have a microwave and a refrigerator that I share with my roommate. I am no stranger to restrictive eating choices in adverse situations. I was a vegan for about 18 months in high school and refused to eat processed foods during or after that stint. Unfortunately my military career changed my food choices by necessity, as I was required to eat in a chow hall three times a day for six months. So far I've been eating my foods mostly raw, like vegetables, or finding "stupid food" that is quick to make while still being healthy. Don't get me wrong. I have changed my eating habits already but it's extremely difficult when you LITERALLY can't cook anything. I think there may be a community stove (the oven is broken) in our barracks common area, but I would have to carry all of my supplies over there to cook anything so I'd want to prepare a lot at once, maybe for a whole week at a time. I don't have a lot of time to cook anyway since I work 12 hours a day 5 days a week, sometimes more. Another problem is that I'll be going out to do a field training exercise next week. I'm not sure who here is familiar with MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) but there is no actual food in them. They provide carbohydrates, chemicals, colors, flavoring, additives, preservatives and salt. There is very little to no nutritional value in any of them and they're based on wheat products. They will be my only (ONLY) source of food for seven days while we essentially "camp out." If I can't find anything good to bring with me that will be easy to carry and last a week, I may just not eat when I'm out there. I'd rather be hungry (or "fasting" maybe. perhaps I can meditate on the standard American diet...) than saturated in chemicals, bloated and stopped up inside. TLDR: I need resources for recipes or food in general that I can live off of in one or both of two scenarios. 1) I have no place to cook food other than a microwave and can't change that for the next year. I need simple foods and/or recipes I can mass-prepare for a week (or more) at a time. 2) I will be in the field and need a week's worth of non-perishable lightweight food, or I may not eat at all. Any input is appreciated. I'm really just open to having a discussion about this because there are so many cook books and websites with dozens of recipes that would take forever to sort through. I plan on doing that eventually, time permitting, but any advice or comments are welcome.