Fitness Padawan

Here is the space I just made for my zazen (seated meditation) practice. I'm excited that I have a designated space for it now. Try not. Do or do not. There is no try - Yoda

Look like some pretty good goals. I look forward to seeing your progress Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I am looking forward to seeing how your challenge goes. Good luck! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll be sure to try them. There are quite a few options out there, so I should be able to find something I like. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Thanks for the tip. I'll have to try it Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hello all. I have joined the Monks for this challenge as I focus more on my martial arts training in goshin ryu ju jitsu. I have laid out my goals to help with that endeavor. I need to lose weight and increase my general fitness as the first stepping stone to level up my ju jitsu training. Here are my goals for the next 4 weeks: Fitness: 1) Eliminate soda completely. This has always been a hard thing for me. I have been having diet soda lately, but I would like to eliminate it completely. + 25 XP 2) Workout a minimum of 6 days a week, totaling 24 workouts in all. +25 XP 3) Stay on eating plan. My wife and I have been using the 21 Day Fix portion control eating plan for a while now and I think it works well, when I stay on it. +25 XP Personal: 1) Meditate for 10 minutes each day. I have been meditating off and on the last few months and I find it to be helpful in dealing with stress with work and home. +25 XP With everyone's encouragement, I hope to crush these goals and level up!

Well, I've spent some time away figuring out my health, fitness and life goals out, but now I'm ready to jump back in with a challenge. I will be joining the monks as of this challenge because I have made my martial arts practice, goshin ryu ju jitsu, my primary outlet for my physical fitness. Everything I do will to be geared towards improving my practice and technique. I'm working on my specific goals for this coming challenge, so stayed tuned. I look forward to getting to know you all.

Stayed within my calorie budget today. Taking a rest as I walked over 16,000 steps at work today, although that's pretty normal for me. I also studied my French, as well. Good start to a good challenge.

This is nothing short of epic. I shall be following along to see how you progress through the the year. Hope the Swedish education goes well. May the Force Be With You!

Thanks for the support, my friends. I have changed my life goal to something a little more trackable. I'm working on learning French and I plan to practice for ten minutes each day. I weighed myself this morning, but forgot to get a picture before putting on my clothes for the day. I'll get one this evening after work. Here are my starting stats: Weight: 201 lbs Body fat %: 30 I hope everyone crushes their goals!

True story! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There has been an awakening...have you felt it? I have. I have returned from self-induced exile to take up a new challenge in my journey to a healthier life. I am choosing the Rangers because I feel I fit best here. I don't want to just run, or lift weights, I want to be flexible and ready for anything. Here are my challenge goals: Health/Fitness goals: 1) exercise 5 days a week. This can be going for a run, martial arts class, or a 7 minute workout on my Carrot app. 2) track all my food intake on myfitnesspal and stay under my calorie goal 3) get 7 hours of sleep a night. That means I need to be in bed by 9:00-9:30 every night during the week. Life goal: To continue learning a new language, French. I started a while ago using the Duolingo app on my phone, but I dropped off. My goal is to practice for ten minutes a day, every day. There you have it. I will update as often as I can. I will also post a picture with my body stats on Monday morning to start the challenge off right. May the Force be with us all Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hey guys! Sorry I haven't posted any updates. I have been meaning to post, but other things demanded my attention. I am eliminating soda from my diet this week and so far it has been going swimmingly. I went grocery shopping Monday night and that's usually a weakness for me, but I walked right past the soda coolers without a second thought. The rest of the week thus far has been pretty easy, mainly because I haven't kept soda in the house for a very long time. I usually get it at my mother-in-law's house and when I'm at work from the vending machines. I'm at work today, so this will me my next big test. It was easier back when the machines didn't have credit card readers on them, but not much I can do about that. I work weekends, so I have today, Saturday, and Sunday to get through. On my other goals, I met my workout goal quite nicely. I did two strength sessions at the gym, my regular martial arts class on Tuesday, and ran with my wife Tuesday and Thursday. We are supposed to run again Saturday, too, so I'm on track for that goal. My sleep goal is still a work in progress. We get the kids in bed and then still have things we want to do afterward that is hampering that particular goal. Hopefully it will get better as the challenge goes on. Hope tall are doing well on your challenges! I'll try to check back in later

Greeting, Rangers. I have been dormant for far too long. I have had more false starts than I can count. But that ends here. A little about me: I have done a few challenges in the past, but never with any great success. I have a huge problem with a lack of willpower. I'm addicted to processed sugar and carbs. I don't get enough sleep and it causes stress on me and my family. These are my enemies. And I will defeat them. Here are my goals, subject to refinement: Fitness: 1) Reduce/eliminate processed foods. This will be done by removing one food item from my diet per week for the duration of the challenge 2) Get more sleep I will be in bed by 9:30 regardless of what is on TV. DVR was invented for a reason 3) Get a minimum of 5 workouts in per week. These will be a combination of strength, cardio, and martial arts (jujitsu) As of right now, I don't have a life goal, but I may add one in as I get myself on track with my other goals. I have found that I work best if there is an incentive waiting for me at the finish line, so to speak. In past, I purchased a NF t shirt as a reward for going a month without soda. I have not come up with a reward as of yet, but I am open to suggestions. Here's to a new challenge, a new year, and a new me!

Ok. Here goes. I have never officially finished a Six Week Challenge. I always got lazy and just gave up. But what would have happened to Middle Earth if Aragorn had given up? Or Frodo? Or Sam? Things would have been very different. They had many chances to turn back, only they didn't. And I should learn from their example. I have been working on good habits lately, so may be ready to see this challenge through to the end. Here are my goal: Fitness/Diet: 1) Run 3 times a week. I have been using Adidas miCoach for the last couple of weeks to train for a 5k in April that a whole bunch of my family and friends are doing. I need to keep it going through the challenge. 2) Continue Mark Lauren's You Are Your Own Gym 10 week Basic Program. I am starting week 3 this week and should finish week 8 by the end of the challenge. Haven't missed a workout yet, but that will be tested with Thanksgiving and a trip to NYC coming up. 3) Eat less than 1850 calories a day and track it with MyFitnessPal. This is going to be the hardest part of the challenge for me because I have fallen off from doing this the last couple of weeks and have seen the results on the scale and in the mirror. Life Goal: Read the book "Raising Your Spirited Child" by Mary Sheedy Kurchinka. I have a 5 year old daughter who is the love of my life. Unfortunately, we don't always get along. She is the most stubborn, headstrong and intelligent person I have ever met. This book will hopefully give me some insights into how to effectively interact with her without fighting. My wife read it and said it had some good info. Motivation: My motivation for this challenge is to become the husband, father and person I was born to be. To be happy with the body I have and the family I have been blessed with. Here is where I am starting this challenge: Weight: 174.3 lbs BMI 25.01 Body Fat: 22.56% Bicep Right: 12 in Bicep Left: 12 in Forearm Right: 11 in Forearm Left: 10.5 in Thigh Upper Right: 24 in Thigh Upper Left: 23.5 in Thigh Mid Right: 20.625 in Thigh Mid Left: 20.75 in Calf Right : 15.5 in Calf Left: 15 in Neck: 14.625 in Chest: 36.625 in Shoulders: 44 in Waist: 36.625 in Hips: 35.375 I will update all my stats every Monday along with a picture and post my workouts and calories eaten every day. Now, onto grading myself. I like to keep this part simple. I will get one point for every workout, run,day I stay under my calorie goal, and chapter I read in my book and grade myself on a percentage scale similar to what is used in schools. Running: 18 points total YAYOG: 26 points total Diet: 42 points total Book: 20 points total Well, here goes nothing!

I usually don't keep soda in the house, either, but my wife got it for a recipe and its been in there ever since. I did have two the other day, before the challenge, but I've been good ever since. I have loved writing in my journal and I look forward to it most days. Finding the time at the end if the day is the hardest part for me. I can write for pages if given the chance, it's just finding that chance that's a challenge. Keep up you're good work, too!

These goals are awesome. Good luck and I'll be following!

Well, the first two days of this challenge have been going great. I have not slipped up once. And that's with temptation all around. There are currently three or four cans of Coca-Cola in my fridge right now that my wife forgot to take to her mom's house that I have not touched. I won't lie, I've thought about it, but I resisted. Same goes for sandwiches and even some Amish friendship bread a friend had at work today. I'm pretty happy with myself so far. I have also created a spreadsheet on Google Docs that I can share with you guys to see exactly how well I am doing. Give it a look and tell me what you think! Here's the link: 6/3 - 7/14 6 Week Challenge

Well, I have historically not done well with sticking to a 6 week challenge. But it would seem as if this one is destiny. The last day of the challenge, July 14 is the same day that I do the Spartan Race for the second time. For the last 7 or 8 months, I have seriously fallen off the fitness wagon and gained about 12 pounds from my lowest weight ever. Now it seems fate has come calling and I will answer by doing this challenge to prepare myself for the Spartan Race here in Pennsylvania. Also, I have changed my class to Ranger because I want to focus on total body strength and endurance. I want to be ready for anything. Here are my goals: Fitness/Diet 1) Log a minimum of 1 activity on Fitocracy every day. It can be anything from running, bodyweight work, or even yoga. It's the habit that's most important to me. 2) Cut out grains, junk food, and soda. Not going strict paleo, per se, mainly due to my family members not being on board with it and for ease of cooking meals. 3) Run 10+ miles per week on average or 60 miles total Life Write a minimum of 5 journal entries per week. This is a must. I have had anger issues most of my life and I had been seeing a counselor for a while to deal with them. Unfortunately, his practice closed down, but I felt that I made enough progress that I didn't need to find another counselor for the time being. Instead, I decided to keep a journal and express any thoughts or negative emotions I may have there instead of directing them at my family. So, I purchased a Limited Edition Hobbit Moleskine notebook and have been writing in it ever since. I haven't been as diligent as I would like, but this challenge will help with that. Grading myself: I noticed on other challenge threads that people were grading themselves on their progress. I never did this before and this time I think it will help. I am going to us the grading scale used at most colleges to gauge myself on my progress. For example, I want to log 1 activity a day on Fitocracy. That is 42 entries for the entire six weeks. If I miss, say, 4 days, then I calculate the percentage I did get, which in this example would be 90%. Here's the scale I'm using: A+ (97-100) A (93-96) A- (90-92) B+ (87-89) B (83-86) B- (80-82) C+ (77-79) C (73-76) C- (70-72) D+ (67-69) D (65-66) F (below 65) Starting point: Weight: 166.8 lbs BF%: 20.1 I will not be getting on the scale again until after the challenge has ended. I want my focus to be on my goals. I may post a new pic every week, but I'm not making it a priority. Here's to a new challenge and good luck to everyone else!

Monday = DOMINATED!!! Paleo all day except for my morning coffee and the orange Popsicle I had as a dessert to end the day. Ran 2 miles at an easy pace with no knee pain and meditated for 5 minutes before bed. Felt great to get a good start to this challenge. Did not get 7 hours of sleep though. That's going to be a tough one all around just because of my work schedule. I have to be up at no later than 4:30 AM to et to work on time. So getting to bed by 9:30 is a challenge due to my 10 hour workday and trying to get household stuff done along with a workout. Here's to another day!

Well, last challenge went ok. Didn't reach all my goals as I ha planned, but I did run on a regular basis. Didn't always get my mileage in, but I got my but out there nonetheless. I call that a win. His challenge is going to be all about building on that habit and Malik g myself faster, stronger, and all around more awesome. Here are my goals: Diet/Fitness: 1) eat 80/20 primal 2) run 10 miles weekly w/ sprints once a week 3) bodyweight circuit 2x weekly Life goal: Meditate for 5 minutes everyday, preferably before bed. Mini-goal: get 7 hours of sleep Sunday night through Wednesday night Here's to another great challenge!

Well, my challenge this week was to go from Tuesday to he end of the challenge soda free, and I did it! I put my willpower to work and defeated my opponent with ease. I will keep the momentum going in the off week and carry it over into the next challenge. AROO!!!

My biggest hurdle is my lack of commitment and conviction to the choices I have made. I have been doing well with my running and I would be better on my bodyweight workouts if I hadn't bruised my ribcage running the Spartan Race. I have also gotten many projects done around the house as well. My biggest hurdle has been going without soda. I have done six weeks without it before earlier this year, so I know I can do it again, I was just lazy. But no more! I didn't have any soda today and I shall hold to that until the very end and my doppelgänger has been beaten and lays broken on the ground at my feet. I will be victorious! AROO!! AROO!! AROO!!

Well, I have gotten back into the running aspect of this challenge, but strength exercises are a no-go. While traversing an 8 foot wall in the Spartan Sprint on Sunday, I slipped a little and whacked my chest on the top of the wall. I thought little of it at the time, but now, four days later, it still hurts. I think I have a set of bruised ribs. Not painful enough to be broken, but still bothers me. Running doesn't aggravate it, so I will continue that, but I think I will leave the bodyweight exercises off the schedule for now. Maybe try and get swimming in if it doesn't hurt my chest too much. I have created a photo album of the race on Sunday if anybody wants to see how things went. Hope everyone's challenges are going well! Pennsylvania Spartan Sprint 2012

Ohhh, this is a good one. I'll have to find some time this coming weekend to crank these out. Great challenge!