Rook37

Greetings all, I had a quick question. For the last couple months, I've been doing a lot of general fitness things, working out an hour 3 times a week, cleaning up my diet, trying to get a decent amount of sleep each night despite work, etc. Recently I've become engrossed in the masterpiece that is The Witcher 3 (I'm late to the party, I know), and I was wondering if any of you guys knew what NF class Geralt would fall under, if I wanted to point my plan in a direction that would get me as close to a Witcher as possible without the mutations haha. My guess was Ranger, cause of the endurance to track monsters and people over distance as well as the strength to take them on. Monk could also be a possibility because of his proficiency at hand to hand combat. What do you guys think, both about the class or advice on adjustments I can make to take steps towards that goal?

What's the purpose of working out blind? It seems interesting, but I feel like whatever you're doing - unless you're stationary the whole time - would be much more difficult without sight. But maybe that's just me haha

Howdy. So, as the title said, I'm not sure which class I should pick to participate in the Challenge with (based on my goal(s)). To start off, as embarrassing as it is for me to admit, this is something like my sixth or seventh time in the past couple years trying to pick up the ball. Again. My first issue, which I know is really something that only I can fix, is my motivation to keep with it. I'm always really gung ho for the first week or so, and then I'll get a busy day at work and come home to errands, and have (seemingly) no time for a workout. I've previously gone with the Assassin class because I wanted to focus more on being able to move my own body weight before moving on to full on weights, wanted agility, and prefer strength over size. Currently, my goal is to lose a good bit of weight quick-ish (in the healthiest way possible), and/or at the very least drop a couple inches from my waist while adding inches to my neck. Now, for honestly having no clue what I want or what to do in the fitness world, my goals are only so specific because that's what I have to do for the military. I'm somewhere around 50lbs overweight for my height (5'9" and ~220lbs last time I was weighed). I haven't weight since a couple months ago, and have no idea how much I've gained from my sedentary lifestyle and not-so-great-but-not-horrible eating habits. I have yet to fail a PFA, but I'd rather not fail at all, and losing those 50lbs and/or inch differences in around 10 weeks is where I'm at right now. I know dropping weight quickly is unhealthy and I want to stay far away from that, but I have no idea what to do beyond "eat better". As for inches, I think lifting does that? I really don't know. I've cut most soda out, but rather frequently end up drinking at least two sugary, caffeinated drinks a day, be it soda or energy drinks. My wife and I have started cooking at home again, which is good. I've gotten into the habit of foregoing breakfast, having a small, not very good for me, lunch (think convenience store sandwich, or something along those lines), and then having a home-cooked dinner. Here in a couple of weeks, I'll be on a ship working outside mostly (and it's frickin hot here), so there's that to help me with getting moving and sweating. I'd like to have a headstart though, and be able to get there with the ability to go for a little bit without needing to have a break. We're also going to be getting a puppy at the end of August, an Australian Shepherd/Louisiana Catahoula mix, so I expect her energy level to get us both outside on a regular basis. As a final question, how can I encourage my wife to join me? I know that having a workout buddy can make all the difference because of accountability and an added level of fun and friendly competition. She's expressed some discontent with her body, and I'm not sure how to bring up the subject - past attempts have ended poorly due to her receiving a much different message than I was trying to send. I've suggested we go hiking together and check out a rock climbing place, to which she gave a good response. But whenever I bring up going to the gym or pool provided by our apartment complex or even staying in our home and using the FitDeck that I have, she seems very against it and for whatever reason that discourages me from doing it myself. I think that's everything. If y'all want any more info, just ask.

Howdy. So, as the title said, I'm not sure which class I should pick to participate in the Challenge with (based on my goal(s)). To start off, as embarrassing as it is for me to admit, this is something like my sixth or seventh time in the past couple years trying to pick up the ball. Again. My first issue, which I know is really something that only I can fix, is my motivation to keep with it. I'm always really gung ho for the first week or so, and then I'll get a busy day at work and come home to errands, and have (seemingly) no time for a workout. I've previously gone with the Assassin class because I wanted to focus more on being able to move my own body weight before moving on to full on weights, wanted agility, and prefer strength over size. Currently, my goal is to lose a good bit of weight quick-ish (in the healthiest way possible), and/or at the very least drop a couple inches from my waist while adding inches to my neck. Now, for honestly having no clue what I want or what to do in the fitness world, my goals are only so specific because that's what I have to do for the military. I'm somewhere around 50lbs overweight for my height (5'9" and ~220lbs last time I was weighed). I haven't weight since a couple months ago, and have no idea how much I've gained from my sedentary lifestyle and not-so-great-but-not-horrible eating habits. I have yet to fail a PFA, but I'd rather not fail at all, and losing those 50lbs and/or inch differences in around 10 weeks is where I'm at right now. I know dropping weight quickly is unhealthy and I want to stay far away from that, but I have no idea what to do beyond "eat better". As for inches, I think lifting does that? I really don't know. I've cut most soda out, but rather frequently end up drinking at least two sugary, caffeinated drinks a day, be it soda or energy drinks. My wife and I have started cooking at home again, which is good. I've gotten into the habit of foregoing breakfast, having a small, not very good for me, lunch (think convenience store sandwich, or something along those lines), and then having a home-cooked dinner. Here in a couple of weeks, I'll be on a ship working outside mostly (and it's frickin hot here), so there's that to help me with getting moving and sweating. I'd like to have a headstart though, and be able to get there with the ability to go for a little bit without needing to have a break. We're also going to be getting a puppy at the end of August, an Australian Shepherd/Louisiana Catahoula mix, so I expect her energy level to get us both outside on a regular basis. As a final question, how can I encourage my wife to join me? I know that having a workout buddy can make all the difference because of accountability and an added level of fun and friendly competition. She's expressed some discontent with her body, and I'm not sure how to bring up the subject - past attempts have ended poorly due to her receiving a much different message than I was trying to send. I've suggested we go hiking together and check out a rock climbing place, to which she gave a good response. But whenever I bring up going to the gym or pool provided by our apartment complex or even staying in our home and using the FitDeck that I have, she seems very against it and for whatever reason that discourages me from doing it myself. I think that's everything. If y'all want any more info, just ask.

No, I'm not actually going there, but I'd like to. I just wanted to learn another language haha. I actually wanted to learn Russian, but German had more resources available. As for exposure, the only thing I've done is started listening to Rammstein. Like you said, it's increased my passive understanding. I've been able to pick up a few words before Duolingo taught them haha. Currently, I'm having trouble with pronouns and conjugation. I'd love to get to the point that I can read/listen to native speakers and actually understand what they're saying. I'm expecting dialect to be a big obstacle though

Sorry about the dramatic topic title haha. I've just been trying to teach myself German, and was wondering if any of y'all knew any good resources. I've been going with Duolingo until I save up enough for Rosetta Stone. Anything in particular that you guys recommend?

Yes. My situation made this way more fast paced than it should have been, so I've had maybe 2.5 weeks to arrange movement of mine and my wife's things to San Diego, and starting the process for an apartment before I go to school in Mississippi for a month, then get 2 days before I have to be in San Diego.

I'm in the Navy, so my company isn't the most helpful for moving. They're just like, be here by this date, and its up to us to find out everything else. As for location, my orders say that my command is in Imperial Beach. My wife and I are just about polar opposites. She wants the full-on, in your face lifestyle of the city, and I want a more country, laid-back atmosphere

Hey guys, I got told that I'm getting transferred to San Diego, CA aaaaalllllll the way from Groton, CT. Having never gone west of Chattanooga, TN, I know nothing of the wesy coast. My wife and I are trying to find an apartment (we won't be there until the end of March though) and set up a new housing budget to go with our recurring payments, and we don't know anyone from there or anything about the area, and u was hoping some of you guys could help out. Any recommendations on where to live? Estimated utility costs and the like? Traffic conditions during commuting hours? Honestly, any information you guys can give will be more than we had before. Thanks in advance!

Maybe its because I'm so young, but that seems super old haha

Yes, eventually. We both want kids, but me being the cynical person I am I don't think this is the kind of world to bring someone into... but regardless we both want a family. For the pension I've got a ways to go. 18 years to be exact. And there's just something about "starting" my life at 38 that doesn't quite appeal to me

I've also got a passion for riding motorcycles, if that makes a difference

Hey guys, For all of you guys that are well traveled or just feel like sharing experiences, where do you guys feel is the best place to live? Okay, that's probably not enough info haha. As some background, I'm 21 (in a day), recently married (6 months), and Active Duty in the U.S. Navy with about 4 years left on my current contract. I'm oroginally from the southern Appalachian region in western North Carolina/north Georgia, and my wife is from upstate New York about 45 min north of Albany. She wants to move south of the Mason-Dixon line, and I wouldn't mind coming back to my birthplace in the end either. But as far as what she wants, that's about as much as she's shared. I think it's just because settling down is so far off. Extra tidbit, she wants me to stay in for the full 20 years because it's a stable decent-paying job, while -though I agree- I want to get out because I don't like being forced to work under irritating, self-important, idiots (but will I ever escape that?) But as for me, I've been tossing potential places around my head for a while. I've thought about going back to north Georgia/western North Carolina, Washington state, Alaska, Montana, outside of Austin, and even outside America like New Zealand. Thinking about it just now, outside of the obvious factors for choosing a place to live - taxes, financial, crime, etc - I want a place that can has options for open water sailing and hunting. If there's any more info I should give or whatever, tell me

I'm definitely gonna take the advice on going back to things I was interested in. There's a pool and gym on base for me to use. I have issues finding good resources, that aren't financially intensive, to learn Russian. Its something I've looked into a couple of times, but I just could not find a good online source with no actual person to use as a learning source. There's also seasonal/location specific things I enjoy, like sailing and learning to shoot a bow and gun in order to start hunting. As for the idea of mastery, I would love to master everything I do. But at the same time, I've got the urge to be a jack-of-all-trades, to not be amazing at anything but have a working knowledge of a wide array of things.

I definitely agree on the friends thing. I just don't really have anyone around me that's into anything that I am, or at least that I know of. Its a pretty niche-y, nerdy bunch I work with. And the couple of them that aren't nerdy are generally unpleasant to be around haha

(Duplicate)

Okay... I've never thought to just do it when I felt like it. I've always just forced myself, like "Okay, I want to do this, and I'm going to do it now" kind of thing. Thank you for that. It has been a little disheartening to habe fallen away from music, since it was such a big part of my life growing up

Well yeah, haha. I just don't understand why I drop them, because I've thoroughly enjoyed every activity I've tried to make into something I regularly do. Even to the point where I'm actually getting good at it. But then for some reason, I just stop. And I'm always too "busy" (or actually busy, sometimes), I get moved somewhere that doesn't have facilities (i.e. a pool or a climbing wall), or some other load of crap I tell myself. And then I actually believe it! So when I decide that I want to start again, months down the road, its the same story all over again

I think this is more of a question for myself than you guys, but I'll ask anyway. How do y'all start new hobbies? I'm currently really into Magic: the Gathering, and have started and subsequently quit everything else I've tried to take up. I've started guitar, swimming, climbing, drawing, beatboxing, hell, even just trying to stay up to date on current events. And a couple other things only to give them up in a week or two. I'm not sure if it's just that I'm too lazy and apathetic or I just tell myself I'm not good enough to continue, maybe a combination of the two. I guess what I'm saying is, I want to put something in my life that's a more worthwile and productive investment of my time, energy, and money. Any tips or suggestions you guys can offer would be beyond appreciated. /pityparty

My wife an I usually make a couple of tuna sandwiches. We've also had apples and plums on occasion

Hey guys, I had a question about, as the topic suggests, liquid meals. It seems weird, I know. Don't get me wrong though, I love chowing down as much as the next guy, but for whatever reason I really enjoy drinking foodish stuff (smoothies, protein shakes, etc). Combine this with hearing lots of different things about eating/drinking and I've got a good bit of confusion. I normally only eat once a day, which is usually a big dinner. And while I've started cleaning up my diet by drastically cutting back on soda and fast food, I feel like my ungodly slow metabolism is hurting the most at the moment. I've heard that: - drinking more, especially water can speed up metabolism (would this even count for that?) - eating more, but smaller, can help lose weight and/or increase metabolism - the intermittent fasting idea I'm trying to implement (that I'm probably screwing up pretty bad haha Long story short, I'm asking: 1.) Is it better to eat more, smaller meals rather than one big-ish one 2.) Are liquid meals a viable option nutrition wise and feeling full wise? If so, what are some ideas for breakfast/lunch/in-between? 3.) What are some ways I can raise my metabolism in general? It also might be worth noting that I haven't gotten into a workout routine. I decided to take it one step at a time and work on diet first. Also, I'm on the road to quitting smoking, by trading that addiction for one to sunflower seeds.

Hey guys. Not sure if this is where I should ask this here, but I figure it couldn't be too off. I have a question on how to lose inches from my waist and/or gain inches in my neck. Now, normally I wouldn't be too concerned with these numbers, but the Navy makes me care about them. About three months ago as part of checking in to a new command, they weighed me. Being 5'9", they say that I should weigh 185 which is where I'd like to be, but I've never been that light in my life. Since I'm overweight, they tape my neck and waist, and subtract the waist from the neck to make your body fat percentage. If it's 22% or higher, you fail. When I arrived, I was 216 lb, 15" neck, and 38" waist (so 38-15=23% body fat) and now a PRT is coming up, and my division did an unofficial weigh-in. And much to my dismay, despite looking smaller (at least to me) and feeling smaller, all my numbers went up. 222 lb, 16" neck, 41" waist, 25% body fat I'm having hard time wrapping my head around this since, to me, I look and feel smaller and my clothes feel like they fit better. The official weigh-in is in a couple of weeks, and I'd really rather not fail, so any tip you have to gain/drop a couple of inches on the neck/waist in two weeks would be awesome. I wish there was some healthy way to drop 40 pounds in two weeks though haha

Hey guys. Not sure if this is where I should ask this here, but I figure it couldn't be too off. I have a question on how to lose inches from my waist and/or gain inches in my neck. Now, normally I wouldn't be too concerned with these numbers, but the Navy makes me care about them. About three months ago as part of checking in to a new command, they weighed me. Being 5'9", they say that I should weigh 185 which is where I'd like to be, but I've never been that light in my life. Since I'm overweight, they tape my neck and waist, and subtract the waist from the neck to make your body fat percentage. If it's 22% or higher, you fail. When I arrived, I was 216 lb, 15" neck, and 38" waist (so 38-15=23% body fat) and now a PRT is coming up, and my division did an unofficial weigh-in. And much to my dismay, despite looking smaller (at least to me) and feeling smaller, all my numbers went up. 222 lb, 16" neck, 41" waist, 25% body fat I'm having hard time wrapping my head around this since, to me, I look and feel smaller and my clothes feel like they fit better. The official weigh-in is in a couple of weeks, and I'd really rather not fail, so any tip you have to gain/drop a couple of inches on the neck/waist in two weeks would be awesome. I wish there was some healthy way to drop 40 pounds in two weeks though haha

So, I was recently introduced to this theory that there's a certain way you should eat based on your blood type. Me being type A, it says I should eat a mostly vegetarian diet. I've never thought about trying vegetarian, and I'm currently trying to integrate Paleo into my lifestyle. Does anybody have any experience with this theory? Should I switch over from Paleo to this or stick with the former? Thanks in advance

Yeah, I wasn't planning on getting one now. I was more looking for opinions on what to look for or at in order to pick a bike to start saving for