bildungsroman

Well, I have to admit that so far, this challenge is kicking my ass =/ 1. Win! This is the only part going well, as I went to all of my kung fu classes last week and will definitely make it this week as well. I've also been doing kettlebells at home to get my strength back to where it was (and be able to do all the push-ups again in kung fu). 2. Fail. On the meal part, I'm doing well, almost 100% paleo, and consistently eating two veggie portions per meat/fish portion. On the drinking front... well, after I've been away for so long, a lot of friends want to meet up for beers... every day =/ So every time I eat paleo all day, I ruin it at night with a beer or two. Last week I can only count one full paleo day because of this. 3. Major Fail. I can't seem to get an idea out that sticks. I've tried freewriting, but that usually ends up being me babbling about how I can't write... I guess you can't force inspiration, right?

Agreed, I'm up for that as well, particularly as I've been slacking on push-ups lately and could use the motivation. Here's hoping for a belt in the cooler side of the color spectrum!

Mid-week 1 update: 1. Win! I went to my first kung fu class in three months. Oh bruising and soreness, how I've missed you! 2. Draw! Oh the meal front, this kind of dinner has been my staple this week: Unfortunately, a post-workout beer with some IRL monks slightly derailed my paleo goal. In general, that will be the hardest part of this challenge, as while my meals tend to be paleo, especially at home, it's the drinks that get me every time... 3. Lose! I'm already behind on the writing goal, and it seems that getting back into writing fiction is a whole lot harder than I expected it to be. The blank page (or screen) remains my enemy.

I love this format! It doesn't matter what your school's belt structure actually is, as this will just be for us Monks here on NF. Perhaps we could combine exercises to make things streamlined (and for those who will want to brag about their belt in their profile, you don't want 20 different ones So for example, it could be something like: White Belt: 1 push-up, 5 bw squats, 1 pull-up, 1 burpee Yellow Belt: 10 push-ups, 15 bw squats, 2 pull-ups, 3 burpees Orange Belt: 20 push-ups, 25 bw squats, 3 pull-ups, 5 burpees ...and so on I'd suggest keeping it bw only, since not everyone has access to weights or gym equipment. Also, what IS up with all the first-time Monks? This is awesome!

Great goals, what kind of kung fu do you practice? Good luck on the writing goal, that's one of mine as well (and the toughest to follow, it seems).

Yeah, what JediJem said - if you drop out, consider yourself on the receiving end of some chain punches =) But seriously, awesome to have you back, and I'll try to be far more active myself now that I'm not constantly traveling.

So when I first saw your challenge title I got really excited, thinking there's another Buffy fan in the dojo. But then I read your goals and I'm still excited - I love how meticulous you're being with keeping track of your progress and meals, and the goals in general. Awesome to have you here!

Thanks!

Wing Chun Kung Fu. It's my third year now (with breaks) so I'm hoping more and more stuff will start to stick.

Since I already had #2 in mind when I went on a big grocery shopping expedition yesterday, I bought a boatload of fresh and frozen veggies. Here's to a good start of the challenge with today's breakfast:

After three hectic months abroad, I'm finally back home in Poland, and actually looking forward to a little stability (which should also be a big help in the goal-reaching area). I still have a lot to catch up on, so I'm going to keep it simple with just three goals this time around: Fitness/diet goals: 1. Resume kung fu training - at least 2X per week (STR +5 DEX +2 STA +1) The first few days will suck hard as my body remembers what it's like to do a push-up or hit a bag for an hour again, which is why I'm allowing myself to start off at just twice a week, and then increase to the normal three times per week after the first month. Grading: +1 point for every training attended. 12+ pts = A, 9 pts = B, 6 pts = C, 3 pts = D 2. "Eat real food. Not too much. Mostly plants." (CON +3) I'm going back to paleo, with the exception of one cheat day per week (mostly for the beer). I want 2/3rds of each meal I eat to consist of veggies, with 1/3 protein of some sort. Grading: +1 point for each fully paleo day. 36+ pts = A, 30 pts = B, 24 pts = C, 18 pts = D Life goal: 3. Write 300 words. Every. Single. Day. (WIS + 4) I failed at this goal last time around, so this challenge it will be my top priority. Since I get paid to write non-fiction, I haven't written fiction in ages and I really need to start flexing that creative muscle more. Grading: pass/fail - 12,600 (300 words X 42 days) or more words written by the end of the challenge.

Word, especially since next challenge I plan to maintain the fitness stuff but really tackle getting into the habit of writing every day.

Wow, so I managed not to update at all, but believe it or not I did remember this challenge. And, thanks to some epic fails (and crazy scheduling once again), I now know what to do next time =) Fitness/diet/health goals: 1. Learn to meditate + make it a habit. (WIS +2 STA +1) - Nope. However, I did read a great book on the topic. Honestly, I was on "vacation" for half of this challenge so I just didn't feel stressed enough to need this. Once things return to normal and I have more work, I'll get serious about meditating. Right now, I was enjoying life so much the thought of learning to meditate was stressing me out more, so I let this one go. 2. Work out 30 minutes 3x/week. (STR +3 DEX +2 STA +1) - I stopped timing myself, but I did get into a decent routine. B 3. Stop snacking. (CON + 3) - I did pretty well at this one, as I was actually aware that this was a goal, so whenever I'd mindlessly go to grab some food out of boredom, most of the time I stopped myself. B+ Life goal: 4. Write 300 words. Every. Single. Day. (WIS + 3) - Epic Fail! I lasted two days before throwing in the towel. This will be my main goal next challenge.

Oooh, what is that about?

Thanks!

So I dropped out early of the last challenge once I realized that I was trying to do way too much while spending time on three continents in the span of a month. Since this time I'll only be on one continent (though not my current home and with some traveling as well), I'm giving it another go, though I'm going to keep it fairly simple and not that ambitious in hopes of actually finishing. Luckily, I got some great ideas from you guys about goals and learning to meditate that I get to incorporate this time around. Here we go! Fitness/diet/health goals: 1. Learn to meditate + make it a habit. (WIS +2 STA +1) I've been stressed lately and I think it would help refocus my life and maybe give me more energy during the day. Either way, it's worth a shot, and I've never tried before. The plan: Week 1: start trying out different methods to find one that works; practice every day Week 2-4: 5 minutes of meditation every day Week 5: 10 minutes of meditation every day Week 6: 15 minutes of meditation every day Grading: +1 point for every meditation session/attempt. 42 pts = A, 35-41 pts = B, 28-34 pts = C, 21-27 pts = D, 26 or less = F 2. Work out 30 minutes 3x/week. (STR +3 DEX +2 STA +1) The plan: When I'm home: kettlebell routine, punching bag When I'm traveling: push-ups, Steve's hotel workout when I can, or at least some sort of activity that has me moving regularly Grading: +1 point for every workout. 18 pts = A, 15 pts = B, 12 pts = C, 9 pts = D, 6 or less = F 3. Stop snacking. (CON + 3) Seriously, just stop it. I eat far more often out of boredom than out of hunger, and I need to curb that habit if I'm going to maintain/lose weight when I don't have time to work out as much as normal. The plan: Keep no snacks around the house, only eat full meals (2-3x day), stay out of the kitchen when procrastinating. Grading: -1 point for every time I snack, starting with 50 points. 42+ pts = A, 35-41 pts = B, 28-34 pts = C, 21-27 pts = D, 26 or less = F Life goal: 4. Write 300 words. Every. Single. Day. (WIS + 3) I'm writing a lot, but it's all paid word and all non-fiction. I haven't written fiction in ages and I feel like I need to start flexing that muscle again, so I've started a separate journal for daily writing. Grading: pass/fail - 12,600 (300 words X 42 days) or more words written by the end of the challenge.

That makes three of us! I missed you guys too, and I'm definitely going to try to stick this one out, even though my schedule is as chaotic as ever and will be until June. But I'm keeping this one simple. Baby roundhouse kicks =)

Soooo.... Life really got in the way of this one, though not in a bad way. After a week of lying on beaches, wandering through favelas (slums) and walking enough to give my feet mega calluses, as well as a LOT of flying, I haven't been on the internets in what seems like ages. Add to that a boatload of work and a move this week, and it looks like I'm going to take all of your awesome suggestions and use them for the next challenge instead. Good luck to you all this challenge, and I'll be there for the next one!

Sweet! Well, this is the place I tell you guys I'm crowdsourcing my goals this challenge and need some ideas =) http://nerdfitnessrebellion.com/index.php?/topic/24775-bildungsroman-you-tell-me-what-to-do/

That's very much my problem, actually. If I'm working at home, I'll snack on almonds or cookies (if they're around) not out of hunger, but as a break from work or whatever. This is definitely something I'd like to fix, thanks for the idea!

Hi Monks! I'm going to do this challenge a little differently. Since the last challenge I focused on fitness and only had one diet goal (which I failed miserably as I got busier with work), this challenge I want to focus exclusively on diet. I will still try to make some sort of work-out schedule, but I will be traveling during a lot of it, working a music festival for 10 days of it that will barely allow for sleep, much less for working out (though I will be biking from venue to venue, yay), and in general my life will be highly irregular during the next few months. Since I won't be home for a couple of months, I also won't be going to kung fu =( That said, I want your ideas on how to improve my diet! My goals are fairly simple: lose fat, keep the muscle I have, and develop a more sustainable diet. Eventually I'd love to get down to and sustain a 20% body fat ratio (around 27% now). My stats: 170 cm (5'7") and around 61-62 kg (135-140lbs). Want to get down to 125-130lbs. My habits: I tend to do OK with a paleo-esque diet, I eat lots of meat and love me some veggies (in meat sauce), but I also still eat bread occasionally and drink beer more than occasionally. My kryptonite: Social eating, beer Diet goals: So, I want you guys to give me three diet-related goals for this challenge! Something challenging but doable given my hectic life, of course =) This will be an experiment for me to see if I can lose fat solely through diet. Life goal: Learn to meditate. I've been ridiculously stressed lately and I think it would help refocus my life and maybe give me more energy during the day. Either way, it's worth a shot, and I've never tried before. The plan: Week 1: research meditation techniques Week 2: start trying out different methods to find one that works; practice every day Week 3-4: 5 minutes of meditation every day Week 5: 10 minutes of meditation every day Week 6: 15 minutes of meditation every day

Woot, congrats Spauracchio! And remember, with great power comes great responsibility... and minions! MINIONS!

So, how did everyone end up doing? For me, it was a mind win, body fail. I finished my book (big yay), but as I was working on that non-stop the last two weeks, my diet that had been awesome for a month completely deteriorated, and it all came out to a wash =/ Measurement-wise, I lost maybe a kilo in six weeks (which makes me want to congratulate @deckyrd even more! It would take me a year to lose 10 lbs...), and I definitely look exactly the same, despite being consistent in doing my kettlebell workouts and going to kung fu at least twice per week, 3x most weeks. Which proves that it is all about the diet, so that's going to be my main focus next time (which is perfect since I'll be traveling for most of the next few months and won't be going to kung fu for a while). What about you guys?

Well, here we are, six weeks later. I think I single-handedly proved the "willpower is a limited resource" theory, if it still needed proving. I was doing really well for the first month, when I had a normal amount of work. But for the last two weeks, and particularly the last three days, I've been working about 20 hours a day, and eating whatever was around me, and since I've been working in cafes mostly, that means eating bread again in the form of sandwiches almost every day for a week. The more I worked, the less willpower I had to resist ordering a brownie with my fifth cup of (black) coffee. And in that time, I'm pretty sure I completely undid whatever good I had accomplished, diet-wise, in the entire previous month =( Exercise-wise, I did fine. Swinging a few kettlebells or punching a bag are great ways to take a quick break from sitting at a laptop all day, so I kept up with my workouts, though I haven't been attending kung fu as much as normal just because of time constraints. But since diet is the most important, and I completely failed the diet part of my goals, I've seen no changes whatsoever, body-wise. I just took measurements and I did manage to lose a whole 4.5 cm total... which is not much, considering I'm still about 20 cm higher than I was last summer. Starting to have a "what's the point of all this again?" moment =/ Anyway, there was some good news, even if the changes weren't as impressive as I had hoped: Starting point: Weight = 64 kg (eek!), height = 170cm, body fat = about 30% (double eek!) Ending point: Weight = Haven't weighed myself yet (don't have a scale at home), but judging by my belt loop I'd say I'm back down to my normal 61-62 kg, height = 170cm, body fat = 26.91% Fitness + Diet: 1. Lift right! (STR +2 STA +1) Do a kettlebell routine I developed 2x per week, plus 20 push-ups every single morning to wake up: A+ 2. Train right! (STR +2 DEX +2 ) Go to kung fu training 3x per week: B 3. Eat right! (CON + 3) I recently read Tim Ferris' 4 Hour Body, so I'm going to take this time to experiment with his paleoesque diet and eat paleo 6 days a week with 1 cheat day: D Life: 1. Write, write! (WIS + 5): PASS! Hit the "send" button yesterday! THE BOOK IS DONE! OK, so that last one was really the most important part of this challenge for sure, and I'm thrilled that it's over. I'm also glad I've developed a daily push-up habit, except I don't really see any results from that either, especially since on post-snowboarding days I've been so sore all over I could barely eke out a few sets. So all in all, I'd say this challenge was a win for my mind, fail for my body. But at least I leveled up a bit, right?

So, how did everyone else do? I think I single-handedly proved the "willpower is a limited resource" theory, if it still needed proving. I was doing really well for the first month, when I had a normal amount of work. But for the last two weeks, and particularly the last three days, I've been working about 20 hours a day, and thus eating whatever was around. Since I was mostly working in cafes, that means a lot of sandwiches and cake after not eating bread for many weeks. And in that time, I'm pretty sure I completely undid whatever good I had accomplished, diet-wise, in the whole previous month =( Exercise-wise, I did fine. Swinging a few kettlebells or punching a bag are great ways to take a quick break from sitting at a laptop all day, so I kept up with my workouts, though I haven't been attending kung fu as much as normal just because of time constraints. But since diet is the most important, and I completely failed the diet part of my goals... yeah.