Darwin

Kicking arse, Angelblaidd! Awesome work. Thanks for sharing your thoughts about why you struggle with overeating - given your story it makes so much sense that you'd be left with a sort of "must eat now while there is food available" program running in your subconscious. It makes me feel incredibly lucky - and a little ungrateful - for growing up being able to take three meals a day for granted.

So... Barbell press 40kg Squat 60kg Deadlift 105kg Bench press 55kg I am a very happy bunny Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

...I'm basically turning into a Warrior , by the looks of it... Lifts up to: - Dumbell press 17kg - Deadlift 100kg, but form needs work - Bench press 55kg - Squat 57.5kg Body weight about 77kg. Time to go eat, raaaawr! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Hey, thanks LuckyMe I am seeing progress, which feels great - last workout deadlifts were up to 90kg, squats to 50kg and dumbbell press to 17kg. Woop! I've also put back on almost half the weight I lost whilst in Nepal Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

Barefoot walking also makes a really awesome form of meditation; I find that focussing on the feeling of the ground underfoot makes me feel very - * tries to find better word, fails* - grounded.

Awesome work

Man it's been a while! Posting to the forums has kinda gone out of the window lately... Status update: - stretching has been happening at least once most days and I have started to see an improvement in flexibility, which is encouraging - meditation not so much; sometimes it happens, mostly not. - on a more positive note, workouts are going as planned - here's my current stats: Deadlift 87.5kg Squat 47.5kg Overhead dumbbell press 16kg Dumbbell bench press 24kg Improving every workout, too, which makes sense - before I started this I'd lost 7kg in 6 weeks, and a lot of strength, so I'm starting from kinda a low baseline. So here's to getting back on track!

Thanks Chanda. Yeah, it's good so far - very readable and goes into enough depth about physiology in the early parts to give me a better idea about what's going on when I do resistance training - like why, say, overhead presses, overhead dumbbell presses and handstand presses can be dramatically different in terms of difficulty with the same weights, and why different rep ranges are are useful for different things. Yesterday was a bit of a fail - no meditation, one set of stretches, no time on the forum and the lifting session I'd planned didn't happen. So today it's time to get back up again! One set of stretches down so far.

Come on in Yeah, don't beat yourself up about the RTI - if you get ill, you get ill - not your fault! Any chance you could convince the snack stall at work to carry a couple of healthy items?

Good to have you here, Morning_Witch - solid set of goals, too! Giving up coffee... *twitches* lol

Update time! I've had a couple of days off (day of 22hours of travelling, then day of horrific jet lag) but that's ok, I think. So today, for your entertainment ladeesaaandgennelmen... A lifting program. Three days a week: For each, three warm up sets plus three work sets at 5RM - bench press - squats - deadlifts - dumbbell shoulder press ...aaaaaand that's it! For the Strong Like a Warrior subchallenge, I'm reading this: http://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Gravity-Systematic-Gymnastics-Bodyweight/dp/1467933120 - I have in mind doing a body weight routine for strength a couple of 6 week challenges down the line because handstand press ups and one handed press ups and the like are MADE OF AWESOME

I feel your pain! One of my challenges this time round is just this - trying to stretch out my hamstrings - I can't sit at right angles either In about six months of pretty inconsistent attempts at stretching I've gone from not being able to touch my toes to being able to place my fingers flat on the ground when warmed up - so keep at it!

That's awesome - one and a half hours of massage - wow!

Oh, and yeah, Chanda, I love that quote Granny is kinda channeling Voltaire there - "The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient whilst nature effects a cure"!

Woop! Yeah, that mini-challenge is ON - just finished reading Practical Programming for Strength Training, so I'm putting that into practice by writing up a lifting program (I've been using bodyweight exercises from Convict Conditioning and r/bodyweightfitness whilst away). Oh, ok Evenewbie - is it a US one then? Status report... Strength training - workouts going as scheduled, although today's was a bit half-hearted to be honest/ Meditation is 4 by 4 - I've been trying out using a prayer bowl, which was an interesting change, though I think I'll stick to zazen for the most part. Posting here - I missed out yesterday (I forgot...) but hey, back today! Stretching - only one session yesterday, rather than two, but otherwise on track. Man does it hurt though.

I'm also a fan of the Pomodoro technique; I find alternating 20 minutes of work with 10 minutes off, or 25:5, depending on my energy levels and ability to concentrate, works well.

Hey Lindsey_M, sounds a well-balanced set of goals - the "eat something raw" one is a cool idea

So, status report: Two days in... Up to date on all goals except posting here - I posted twice the first day, but not on this thread. Giving myself a free pass on that one though since it was the first day!

Hi again! Thanks Sunmage, I'll check that out. I'm 6 foot 2, so about 188cm or thereabouts. Sorry Evenewbie, I don't understand - what is IFMSA?

I'm really interested that you're fasting as one of your goals - is that for weight loss or more of a mental/spiritual exercise?

Hi LuckyMe - Im a med student and have been on elective there, which was pretty awesome. Stunningly brautiful country, and the people are as friendly and generous a lot, on the whole, as you could hope to meet. Also, Nepali tea and momos are made of win

The young man donned his cloak, patterned with holy sigils and bright swirls of colour. Taking a deep breath, he set off into the wilds... 1) Mental Discipline: Ten minutes a day of meditation - my practice has been way off lately so it’ll be good to get back into the groove Allocation: WIS 3 Grading: 100% - A, 90% - B, 80% - C, 70% - D Exceptions - none 2) Posture Brings Control: Hamstring stretches! I have really tight hamstrings, partly cos I’m tall and partly because of cycling, and it’s stopping me from keeping a straight back when meditating or doing deep squats. By the end of this six weeks I want to be able to sit upright with a straight back, with my legs outstretched in front of me, like a normal human being So for this I’m going to be doing at least two sets a day of hamstring stretches Allocation: DEX 3 Grading: Success, plus 90% of days - A, 90% of days - B, 80% - C, 70% - D Exceptions - time off allowed if I pull something, I guess 3) Strong in Mind and Body: Strength training three times a week. No excuses! I’ve been in rural Nepal for a few weeks with no gym, but have been doing a reasonable job of keeping up with bodyweight strength exercises. Looking forward to having barbells to lift back home though! So this challenge has three parts: - write out a lifting schedule (something approximately like 5x5 or similar) - go to the gym three times a week - each session, complete all the lifts I’d planned to Allocation: STR 4 Grading: 100% of sessions - A, 90% - B, 80% - C, 70% - D. Only sessions in which all sets have been completed count Exceptions: alternative exercises can be brought in if the gym is closed, or the barbells are being hogged by a rugby team! 4) Buff the Squad! Post daily in the forums including at least one post on the squad thread, one in a thread in the Druid’s forum and one on my challenge thread. Offer support and encouragement Allocation: CHR 3 Grading: 100% - A, 95% - B, 90% - C, 85% - D Exceptions - if there is no Internet! I may not be able to post this Friday as I’ll be flying back to Blighty

Druid here! I will sacrifice a goat at the standing stones this morrow, that we may be victorious in our quest!

Progress update: 1) on ten pull ups at the moment - my main issue is going to be eating enough calories and protein, consistently, to gain muscle (I tend to forget to eat a lot!) 2) using a grip building spring-loaded thing to build grip strength - next climb session in a couple of days 3) did my stretches for yesterday ok. I was reading on my back with my legs propped against the wall to stretch out my hamstrings (I'm so inflexible I can't stretch my legs out at right angles to my torso yet!) which seems to work well. Housemate thinks I'm mad though! 4) first few lines of HSB coming along nicely - having trouble with the chorus though, with moving between fretboard positions quickly enough. It'll come, though.

Congratulations on pulling off a standing handstand I've been trying that myself, to my housemate's hilarity and the repeated concussions don't seem to have done me any lasting ham sandwich fhthendhd