pdxguy

Thanks for the help.

I can't seem to find a search function in the forum so how do I find my thread in the masses of new posts that show up between my updates? Hopefully, you're not going to tell me to search the postings one by one. g

Well its been a couple of days since I started this so I thought that I should report my progress. Rowing: Broke 4,800 meters in 30 minutes for the first time today. Being able to do 5,000 in 30 minutes consistently is still a long time away as I was spent at 4,800. Weight Lifting: Today was my first time in the exercise room since my original post as I only go three times a week. I completed three sets of ten sit ups, two sets of ten leg lifts and one set of ten planks. This all on top of walking ~5 miles.

I've been meaning to get this post up but I had to read the instruction post several times to be sure I wasn't doing it wrong and I'm still not 100% convinced that I've got it right, So let's get started... Main Quest: Lose 60 pounds and increase my aerobic endurance so that I can ride my bike for a minimum of thirty miles. Side Quests: 1) Weight train 2-3 times per week (This will be the hardest for me as I really, really dislike weight training. Its so booooring.) 2) Increase rowing meters from 4,500 to 5,000 meters in 30 minutes 3) Be a weekday vegetarian. Life Quest: Travel more!

I'm ashamed to say that I've spent more time traveling in Europe than in the U.S. So my travel quest is to travel every state in the lower forty eight. I have no interest in seeing Hawaii and I'm saving Alaska for a separate trip. I want to see as many places unique to each state as possible. My goal to do the trip is 2017. I will be spending 2014-2016 planning, buying a tent trailer and working the kinks out with shorter trips. I joined NF to get in shape for the trip as I want to do a lot of hiking and explore a number of cities along the way and there is no way that I'm in shape for that currently. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

I've done some travel in Europe and the two cities that I'd return to over and over are Copenhagen and Barcelona. They are great places with lots to see and do. One tip, decide why you want to do your trip before you plan your trip. I like good food and photography, nature and cityscape. So when I plan a trip I look for places that offer me the opportunity to take some great pictures and eat food that I can't eat at home. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Congratulations on a good start. Having given up on finding a job I know how discouraging the job rat race can be. Working on a challenge like this can be very rewarding because it show you that there are still thing in ones life that can be controlled. Good luck on your first challenge. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Actually, no. I just signed up today and Sept 16 is still showing in the instructions: "After all of this is done, on September 16th, the challenge officially starts. " g

It always hard for me to write these introductions. I feel lie I'm either blowing my own horn or making excuses but hey, nothing ventured nothing gained. Right? Background I will be signing up for Medicare in a couple of months so I'll let you figure out my age. My advanced age brings with it the limitation that any form of high impact exercise is out of the question. Between mild arthritis in one knee and an ankle that sounds like rocks in a cement mixer high impact exercise is in the past for me. That said I am an active fitbit user. I actively compete with three to five other fitbit users to see who walks the most. Currently I am walking about 12,000 steps a day, that's five to six miles, and rowing thirty minutes three times a week. This may slow down a bit as we head into winter as it can be rather sloppy in western Oregon during the winter but I plan on maintaining at least 10k steps on average. All this activity is a rather recent change in my lifestyle. For most of my working life I've had sedentary desk jobs. That combined with my motto of "Too Much Good Food, Too Little Time" has lead my to weighing more than I should and having mild high blood pressure. My love of food has always been my Achilles heel. You can't outrun your fork especially when you don't run. Food: I love to cook and eat. Fortunately, with age has come a little wisdom. While I have always eaten a healthy diet compared to most of my peers, heavy on vegetables, more chicken than beef, I've never paid much attention to portion size and that added weight every year. Currently I am about 60 pounds overweight and lack the endurance to enjoy hiking and bike riding, two activities that gave me much enjoyment in my younger years. Goals: I have a whole list of things that I am going to be changing over the next year. Having recently retired I have made the decision that my new job is to change my lifestyle from unhealthy to healthy. So here are my health & wellness goals for the next year. 1) Lose 60 pounds. 2) Become a weekday vegetarian. 3) Crush my daughter in a bike ride, summer 2014. (Sorry if that sounds harsh but she's thirty and in good physical shape so I think she can probably handle me beating her in a bike ride.) 4) Hike Dog Mountain during the spring wild flower season. Dog Mountain has always eluded me and its about time I conquered it. Long term goal: Walk The Way, not for any religious reason but just for the experience. Well that's about it. If you live in the Beaverton, OR area and want to get together to compare goals and discuss failures and successes I'd be happy to meet you for coffee or a walk at one of TVPR nature parks. Just get in touch with me here on the NF discussion board. Good luck on you goals and may your successes be many. gary