ParkstheOreo

Quick late night update: Week one was rocky but successful. I stayed beneath my calorie limit every day but one, and I got plenty of sleep. I didn't work out as much as I wanted to, but I'll get a fresh start on that this week. I went to the gym tonight and broke some personal gym records, but honestly I try to do that with each visit Week 1 = success, but not my best. Week 2 = Trying harder!

Yep! I already made 3 dinners of rosemary lemon chicken, sweet potatoes, and broccoli.

Hey y'all, Parker here again! The last challenge didn't go too hot because I had very minimal planning and dedication. I underestimated the difficulties that would arise, but this time around I'm going to buckle down and succeed. I'm going to revisit my last goals and try to make these a habit by the end of the challenge: 1. I will be counting my calories for every meal and keeping a log. I aim to consume a maximum of 1300 so that I am at a deficit, and I will be sticking as close to paleo as I can. 2. I will cook at least 3 meals out of the week at home. I will probably focus on a particular meal (i.e. cooking at least 3 dinners out of the 7 at home instead of eating out). 3. I will get 8 hours of sleep every night. Besides tonight, I will try to be in my bed with electronics off by midnight. Level-Up Goal: Shoot and edit a promotional video for a business in town I'm really looking forward to this and to seeing a real change in my body by the end of the year. I've been working out consistently since 2 challenges ago and have lost some weight, but I feel like this challenge will be the boost I need to solidify it all. I'll finally be changing what I eat to meet healthy standards. Good luck with all of your challenges too, rangers!

Did I miss somewhere in the feed that said we would be pausing/stopping the rp section of this thread? Just curious Way to go on pushing through despite all these set-backs btw. You’re really inspirational and encouraging!

Sorry for the really late update, y'all. I think I'm going to need to do a hard reset from the challenge and ramp things up on the next one. I got off track because I was out of town and in the ozarks camping for a week, and then I ended up leaving one of my jobs and getting swamped with bills when I came back. Long story short, I have been very distracted. BUT, on the bright side, I have been getting 8 hours of sleep consistently as well as eating right at 1300 for the majority of the challenge. I will do my best to finish this challenge well, but next challenge I plan to get an A!

(Sorry guys, I’ve been without a signal the last few days. I went camping further out than I thought!) Ryx keeps her composure as she all but glides through the crowd and over to the stage to adjust things to her liking before the set. She knows eyes are on her and she would argue that she is just as suspicious of everyone in this room as they are of her, but that’s nothing new to the life of a drow. She knew how to be both aware and unassuming, though. It wouldn’t do to be shadier than what people already assume she is. As she moves things about she surveys the crowd. A few nods are exchanged with the usuals and cool smiles are graced to the new ones. Her gaze lingers on those who are more unfamiliar, particularly so on those reaching for weapons. Such things typically do not go unnoticed as they are common in her presence, and she is never eager for conflict outside of her stories. She would pay special attention during the set to the dark paladin, but at least the woman speaking with the bar keep appears more keen about a rowdy group off to the side. Perhaps the large armored man was her protector. She did come from upstairs. Maybe she had a task at hand? Ryx would keep this in mind for later. She enjoys getting the details from travelers to help spin new stories. Once things are to her liking she grabs her flask and raises it in greeting as she paces the stage, addressing the crowd confidently, “Hail and well met, travelers, adventurers, and those full of spirit-“ here she leans down to clink her drink amiably with what appears to be a regular patron- “I have returned to many new faces, but fear not; I return from many new places, with stories to cure what ales you!” Her regulars raise a drink with a cheer and with that the cold, distant composure natural to her race gives way to reveal a more jaunty character. She deftly whips her black lute from her back, not unlike one unsheathing an axe, and begins to play a tune well known across the land just to get things started. All the while she meanders the stage and glances around the room as she weaves her fantastical tales.

Thanks! Can't wait to see how we both do

I’m definitely more proficient at playing instruments than I am singing BUT I am a pro at prose. My voice may be average but my wit is as sharp as my rapier also do we need to let you know our race and all of that good stuff?

Thanks! I’m excited about these because I’m adding intensity to my last 4 week challenge. I expect to see a much different me at the end of this challenge compared to me at (what will be) 10 week’s ago! Also, do I need to have any PM discussions with you concerning my bardic role~?

Congrats on coming up with such a cool challenge! The updates have me on the edge of my seat and it's only been 2 days. Do you have room for a bard? I would love some some first-hand experiences to add to my arsenal! It would feel good to get out of this fortress of solitude, so to speak, but I understand if I'm late to the party (pun fully intended).

You've got this! Way to go posting your progress so soon. I honestly end up doing it twice a week max because it's so hard for me to remember on the daily that I have other people I can keep updated frequently besides myself.

Hey guys! Parker is back for her second challenge in a row. The last challenge was a glorious success and en lieu of this progress, I am keeping my last goals through this one because they became healthy habits that I will continue to maintain! Now I'm going to ramp things up a bit and build off of those goals and their momentum. 1. I will be counting my calories for every meal and keeping a log. I aim to consume a maximum of 1300 so that I am at a deficit, and I will be sticking as close to paleo as I can. 2. I will cook at least 3 meals out of the week at home. I will probably focus on a particular meal (i.e. cooking at least 3 dinners out of the 7 at home instead of eating out). 3. I will get 8 hours of sleep every night. Besides tonight, I will try to be in my bed with electronics off by midnight. 4. Level-up Goal - Apply to 20 different jobs within my career field. (And if it's necessary for applying, have at least 3 clips prepped to use on my demo reel) I am very excited to crush this challenge like I did the last one. I feel like Izuku when he realizes how much needs to be done before his body can handle All Might's ability. The task is daunting, but manageable, and I am so expectant for the amazing results I will be proud of down the line. Let me know how y'all's challenge is going and don't be a stranger!

Ok, I know we're past this challenge but better late than never, right? This four weeks went spectacularly. I am proud of myself and definitely more self-aware and confident after spending this time focusing on small goals. I have picked up a momentum that I don't plan on losing, and while I'm waiting on the next 4 week challenge I am going to keep drinking that water and being aware of how much/often I eat. Also, I not only cleaned my resumé up, but also got at least three opportunities to use my skills for pay! I might be working at my local Fox station at my first ever full-time, salaried job within the next week or so, I will be creating a promotional video for a local business in town which I can add to my demo reel, and I'll also be helping a friend with wedding shoots. I will admit there was one downer. I went to check my bmi and blood pressure at one of those lovely free machines that H-E-B (the largest grocery chain in Texas) offers, and my bmi went up nearly a whole point somehow? I am fairly confident that I have been consuming less calories than I was prior to the challenge, so i'm not sure what that was about. Also it said that I gained 8lbs, but I would like to think that this is from muscle. Correct me if I'm wrong, though. Regardless, I am proud of how well I did with this challenge, and I am ready to tackle the next! I might keep up with the One Piece theme since that has stuck with me through childhood, but I'm also considering My Hero Academia. We'll see!

Hey there! Sorry everyone, I've been very busy over the last 2 weeks, so my updates for week 3 and 4 are in this short little post: I DID IT! This challenge has gone better than any of my prior ones and I am so proud of myself. Out of all of my goals, I only fell short once, and that was just one day where I drank less than 2L of water. I feel absolutely amazing because of all of this. I will give a better update tomorrow since that will be the official last day of the challenge. I'll be checking out my bmi and weight tomorrow as well. I didn't let myself look at anything from the second day of the challenge all the way through to today, and tomorrow we'll see if much has changed in the last four weeks.

Thanks! I'll do my best I'm too much on a roll now to stop!

Update #2 for week #2 This one will be pretty short in the fitness goals section, y'all. Just a quick review: Food Journal: I've kept up with writing down EVERYTHING. Yeah, crushing it. Workout: I've done 2 of my 3 for this week, woohoo! Water: Still on track with the 2-3L of water per day! Now for the main part of this update, which is super exciting! This pertains to my Life Level-Up quest, which I totally forgot to update the status of in the last post. I'm happy to say that it is going smashingly! I finalized my LinkedIn profile and met with that professor to talk about the next steps for getting me some entry level positions. From that meeting I gained a lot of confidence and insight, as well as clear steps on how to move forward. I will be visiting with the Career and Professional Development department at my school next week to have my resumé workshopped, and then I will be meeting with the same professor to fill in holes in order to polish two resumés geared towards my areas of interest. He provided me with many resources both online and through personal connections in order to help me do my homework and feel confident going into the job market. This pirate is about to have as much charisma and charm as Sabo, confidence and excitement as Luffy, and competence and success as Ace!

Ahoy, Rangers! Update #1 for week #2 is here. It has been smooth sailing so far and week one was a TOTAL success in my opinion! Food journal: I have kept up with my food journal every day of the challenge thus far. Not only that, but it has allowed me to track changes in my diet and I'm trending more towards healthy options, smaller portions than my previous over the top stats, and I'm resting at a steady 500 calories less each day than what I used to hit on the daily. All of this means that I have a great formula to keep my hunger satisfied and my calories at a deficit to cut this unhealthy weight. Workouts: I did not one, but THREE this first week and I'm super pumped. I alternated between gym 3A and 3B from the nerdfitness academy track and felt like a boss after each. I took Sunday and Monday off, and after I'm done typing this update I'll be headed off to Gold's to start this week's regime. Water: I've hit 3L most of my days, and I've always at LEAST hit 2L, so I'm feeling pretty confident. 2L is enough daily on the regular, so 3 is just my push goal. Either way, I'm getting properly hydrated and I feel GREAT. Overall this has been the best first week of a challenge for me yet! I'm blasting those healthy, happy fitness vibes and really looking forward to seeing what changes have happened over a consistent 4 weeks of this

Alright guys, I'm going to try to update at least 2 times a week, but with no particular schedule. That being said, here's my status update: Everything is pretty ship-shape around here! I have already been keeping a food journal for the past week and a half, so this is just a fun continuation. I have taken notice of my food patterns and adjusted them in positive ways. I can now look at the log and smile when I remember my meals! It has been a week of "firsts" so far. Yesterday I played tennis with a friend for the first time and really enjoyed it. Also, today was my first day back in the gym in a couple months and my first time doing Gym 3A on the academy track. I did a hard reset so everything is feeling brand-spanking new and I'm loving it. I updated my LinkedIn Profile and tomorrow morning I am designing and cleaning up my resumé, then going to meet a past professor to talk about networking and internship opportunities. Lastly, I think I'm going to edit the thread to have a more "pirate" ranger feel, because I've been on a One Piece kick the past couple weeks (and all of my childhood, haha). Rangers can be pirates, right? So I'm changing the thread name a bit. Same vibes, different tune - Setting Sail: A New Ranger and a Strong Start. Have a good night/day, Rangers!

It doesn't really feel that way in practice for me. I have a camelbak water bottle that's exactly 1L so I just drink 3 of those between 8AM and 11PM. Not bad, I'd say. I exercise more frequently now and I feel like it's just enough considering that! I wouldn't aim for any more though, haha. Would you suggest a different quantity?

Glad to be here!

Oh shoot! Sorry about posting in the wrong place. Thanks for the move

Hi guys! It's a new challenge, a new season of life, and a new opportunity to grow into myself. I know I have a lot of potential for cool things, and I'm owning that here in this challenge. I'm owning the fact that I'm not where I want to be; I'm owning the two sub-par jobs. I'm owning the nervousness about being done with college. I'm owning the bad choices I made before. I'm saying that I'm ok and the strength within me will always be greater than the challenge before me. I'm new to the Rangers and proud of myself! The theme for this challenge is strong starts and new beginnings. We're keeping it simple and treating it like the epic undertaking that it is. Missions: 1. Keep a food log of every meal eaten during the week 2. Do the workouts for Gym 3A and Gym 3B at least once a piece each week 3. Drink 3L of water every day First summit: Until I find paid internships, apply for at least one full-time position in my town doing work relevant to my skill set I hope to get to meet a bunch of you and run at your side. If we're being honest, I operate best with accountability and I'd love to find that here and be that for someone else. See you in the woods!

Thanks for the response! I feel a bit more encouraged about this all now.

I bought a nifty moleskine that's dotted instead of ruled and I am keeping track of both in it! And it shouldn't be hard to play Quidditch considering I am a member of the Quidditch club at my university!

LOADING... Hey guys, I feel like I'm currently in the "loading screen" portion of life, meaning that I'm finally getting my head in the game and my butt off the couch, but I'm not sure what the game is. This is a place of anticipation and expectancy, however. I'm finally facing my fear of commitment to myself! I've been making small changes in my life despite the fear of failure or the fear that I'll somehow be the ONE person on earth that making healthy changes doesn't work on. I have some basic goals for this challenge (which I forgot to post about LAST Sunday) and hopefully throughout this week my mystery theme for this challenge will reveal itself~ Consistency is Key - 1. Keep a food log of every meal eaten during the week 2. Keep an exercise log of every bit of exercise done during the week 3. Drink 3L of water every day Teamwork makes the Dream Work! - Have one miscellaneous community workout weekly (Ask my friends to play frisbee/basketball/Quidditch/ect.) I'm really looking forward to putting some success on my sleeve this challenge. I wonder what'll happen! How will this unfold.