Shaun1105

I've started off this week a bit slow, actually. I've lost momentum on the food journalling, having another birthday party (oldest son's 11th) means diet is way off again. Workouts going not too badly; got a good workout in at work on Monday night, but then because I was awake until Tuesday evening without sleeping I decided not to do a Tuesday workout. Today I didn't get much done because of me sleeping in, party preparations, plus I was installing a dishwasher - excuses, excuses I know. I've done some simple bodyweight stuff a few times today but not really a workout. Tomorrow is a new day and momentum will be re-established!

Nearing the end of week 2. Put off my big tire workout too long (should have done it Tuesday when I had plenty of time). Trip to Toronto on Wed/Thursday made it not feasible, and so I had to do it at the end of my second day of work after my shift. Which meant doing it in the dark in zero degree Celsius temperatures: 3 tire flips, 3 burpees. Repeat -with a few breaks - until (nearly) exhausted. I gotta say I feel good - not just from the actual workout but just because I actually made myself get out there and DO it! This is the power of the Challenge.

Big tire workout complete. I feel very tired but very good.

My first week went quite well - better than this current one actually. Birthday celebrations - both my sons' birthdays are in November - have meant the diet goal is lacking (though journalling continues). Got a workout in at work today though, which is helpful. Unfortunately I've left my big tire workout to the last which means I have to work 12 hours then come home to a cold November night and workout on it. With my luck it will be raining too Note that there's no way I would do this if it weren't for this Challenge (and the Awesomenauts)!

First week results, pretty positive overall: 1. Workout every day. I'll give myself a B+ on this one. I did some kind of vigorous physical activity on each day. My two day shifts at work I played some pretty intense basketball games so I didn't do any extra workout at home on one of them. Other days I used the tire, kettlebells, or bodyweight and got a workout in. 2. Big Tire. As you may have seen in the post above, I completed this first thing. My plan is to do it again on Tuesday. A. 3. Diet/ Food Journal. The food journaling I did complete 100%. I found on several occasions it helped me make better food choices because I didn't want to write the junk food down. In terms of % primal/ paleo I definitely didn't do as well as I'd have liked so I'll give myself only a C on that part. 4. Bible Reading. Almost missed one day but remembered right at bedtime. Typically read at least a chapter, so I think an A is in order. So for this week upcoming I need to dial in the diet and maintain momentum on the workouts.

Great goals overall - I commend you especially on the cold shower one. I tried that for a while (not in a Challenge) and know that it isn't exactly fun. I agree with Steve that progress pics of the basement are needed

Great goals! I love that you have a financial one as well. So many people don't have any emergency fund at all.

Hello sirs, If I may, I'd like to join this group. I had previously listed myself in another group but it seems like it never got off the ground really. This is my second challenge and momentum is certainly something I need - without it I tend to grind to a stop (or worse go in reverse) in the realm of diet/exercise. If the floating-brain headed character (edit: Wikipedia tells me his name is Voltar the Omniscient) is still available that's who I would choose!

I guess I should peruse the other categories in the forum more often! Christ-following Nerd here - anyone else happen to be United Brethren in Christ?

Good luck with your goals! If you would like help with your budget, let me know. I can send you a spreadsheet and help you evaluate where you can make spending cuts and make a plan to get out of debt. Being in the UK I don't know if you're familiar with Dave Ramsey, but I am a Financial Coach trained by his organization.

The IF will be great for you if your body can handle it. Good luck on all your goals!

Got the first tire workout done early in the challenge. I flipped the tire across my yard and back (6 flips total) then 30 seconds of sledgehammering it. Brief rest then repeat for approximately 15 minutes. Super fun - I'm thinking my 2nd goal will be the easiest to accomplish... but we'll see how I feel about it once the snow flies. My lungs were burning from the cold air today already. I hope to be able to increase the time I can do this workout as the Challenge progresses. I seem to be having problems adding pics to this post, but here are some for proof Big Tire Workout 1

I need to lose fat (stop gaining it first, actually) and get back to regular workouts, which I've almost never been very good at. This Challenge will spur me on to doing both. Fitness Goals: 1. Complete a workout 6 days a week during the challenge. These will either be bodyweight or kettlebells. I know leaving only one day of rest seems like a big goal for someone who doesn't work out already - but I find for myself that doing something daily is easier than trying to set a 3 or 4x/week goal because then it's too easy to say I'll catch it up another day. This goal will mean waking up very early some days when I have to work at 7am. 2. At least one workout a week is to be with my big tire. I picked up a tractor tire (5 ft? diameter, pretty heavy) like 2 years ago and I don't think I've done more than 3 workouts with it ever. Which is pretty sad. I moved houses in December '11 and I only moved the tire to my new place like 3 weeks ago. 3. Improve diet. I've been WAY off the paleo/primal wagon for the past few months and I've been slowly but steadily gaining fat. I will keep a food journal with the goal of at least 70% paleo eating. Life Goal: Actually just made this goal on Saturday with a friend of mine before realizing an NF Challenge was imminent. We will each be striving to read our bibles daily. Minimum requirement is picking up an actual bible and reading one verse. Yes just one verse. Our aim was simplicity so there was absolutely no excuse not to do it. Obviously most days I hope to read quite a bit more. I have a real desire to be in excellent shape one year from now. The only way that happens is to get started today. Let's do this. S

I haven't really considered my class until now - but I'd like to think of myself as an aspiring Ranger. My workouts are varied but revolve around bodyweight, kettlebells and some strength work. I'm not a great runner but would like to improve my 5k time. Doing parkour a dream of mine but I need to improve my endurance and also I've always been too big to do it well, imo. In non-fitness life I do consider myself an expert at little but very good at as much as possible. Things I could conceivably teach or coach others in would include: budgeting/money management, chess, scrabble, kettlebell basics, and several forms of poker (the HORSE games).

I just started the slow-carb diet on Aug 11 so I will report back with what types of gains/losses I am making. Maybe it will be in it's own thread if I stick with it. I'm coming to it as a previously very strict primal eater, who lapsed into merely being mostly gluten-free out of convenience with the rest of my family. So the slow-carb approach isn't much different from how I used to eat with the major exception of eating legumes. This time I've also cut out all dairy (except cream in coffee) so we'll see how that goes too.

Let's get a card-counting team together! It's not illegal, it's just frowned upon....

Finally got my first tattoo yesterday! [ATTACH=CONFIG]3371[/ATTACH] When I first decided earlier this year that I was going to get a tattoo I was planning on going with text - probably a bible verse. I even started rereading the New Testament with a highlighter to note stuff that I thought would make a good tattoo. Then after doing some research I decided against that; a picture is worth a thousand words and all. Anchors have been a christian symbol since the first or second century, and I thought it would make a pretty cool tattoo. Essentially based on Hebrews 6:19-7:1 and/or the hymn We Have An Anchor. I like bold, traditional tattoos and Chris Lombardi of Hand of Doom Tattoo in Buffalo, NY did a fantastic job. I couldn't be happier with it. (I'll replace this picture with a healed one eventually)

Welcome to the Rebellion! Good luck with your goals. Running a 5k is a great one - i did my first ever last year. When you start achieving your goals, confidence is sure to follow!

Have her stop eating wheat, in any form. If she does that for a month and sticks with whatever exercise she's doing now she will make progress. Then if she wants (she won't because she'll feel so much better) to go back to wheat, she can; compare the results and see what she thinks. Edit: Didn't see the above advice by Silentplanet about cutting out bread when I posted. Would have quoted it if I had - great advice as of course bread is typically the biggest source of wheat in the diet.

Done. Good luck!

I have the same procrastination problem you do, seems like I always have. I don't know that it's because I have zero self-discipline, it's just that I apply it very selectively. For instance, I can't seem to lose weight unless I'm involved in a competition for money, but if I am I can turn down any dessert and even pizza. Part of it is consistency. I was able to write a blog post daily last summer for like two months, but when I had to take a week off (went camping) I totally couldn't get back into it. I can keep a fairly strict diet, but if I allow myself to cheat, it turns into a binge. So I guess my advice is to just tell yourself you're going to do something, get started, and keep the ball rolling on a daily basis. If you find yourself stopped, repeat the process.

There is actually a workplace version of the course and it should not contain lesson 13 on giving/tithing. Either that hasn't always been the case or your workplace ran the course using a church package. I still think giving is important for everyone, but of course someone who isn't a christian probably shouldn't give to a church.

I'm going to be getting a tattoo in the very near future; I have an appointment booked for May 15th. I have wanted to get one for quite a long time but I always wanted to be in better shape first. While I am not all the way to where I want to be, I've made enough progress that I'm just going to go for it. I'm starting out on my shoulder but I may already be addicted (if that's possible) because I'm already planning on this first one as being part of a half-sleeve and I have a chest piece planned already. And a notebook with a couple pages of ideas on other tattoos I'd like to get someday. I've started a tumblr about me getting a tattoo, and it's also a place for me to save tattoos and art that I like. Check it out if you're interested: Steadfast And Sure Tattoos For the posters above discussing Christians getting tattoos, check this out. More and better pictures here.

I agree that you should go with the back, however if you don't want to do that then I'd just say to err on the side of bigger rather than smaller. How do you feel about your thigh?

I don't think the idea of not observing one's sacrifice on Sunday is really about "cheating". Lent is a period of sacrifice as you prepare for the Easter season and remember Jesus' sacrifice. Sunday is always a day to celebrate the Resurrection, so it's ok not to fast from whatever it is you've given up; though I don't think there's anything wrong at all with choosing to continue abstaining. Particularly not if indulging on one day will make it more difficult for you during the rest of the week. I wasn't brought up doing much of anything for Lent, but other years I have given up coffee, candy, or pizza. I didn't give it much thought this year, so haven't really made a plan for it yet. I will definitely be endeavoring to read/study more during Lent than I have been.