Dusk

Yup! Everyone is passionate about something. Unfortunately most people just think I'm weird. xD

Reeeead theeeeeem! (It seems that this book series is pretty much all I've been talking about on the forums lately! I think I'm obsessed haha)

Yeah! This place is great for encouragement and accountability. I wouldn't be successful either if it weren't for the Rebellion- I've tried so many times before, and this is the only thing that's given me the right "push" to really get going! Ah, ok. Cool! I'd love to get into weight lifting, but right now it's bodyweight for me. I don't have a gym, nor am I strong enough. Meldo is the Quenya word for "friend" - it's the predecessor to the Sindarin "mellon" heard in the LoTR films. Quenya is to Sindarin as Latin is to English. I chose the Rangers because of the rangers that are featured in fiction - Aragorn of Lord of the Rings, and Will and Halt of The Ranger's Apprentice series. They are just so awesome, and I want to emulate them!

Yeah! It's a great series. Its theoretically oriented toward kids, but its so intense at times that I wonder why - it's a great adventure story even for adults! (Though it could be questioned whether I am one of these 'adults' - I'm really more like a 5 year old inside ) What on earth is a stroopwafel?? It sounds delicious, whatever it is!

Hey, don't worry about it. Everyone slips up, especially right in the beginning. Life gets in the way A LOT. But today is a fresh new day! and I hope it is a wonderful and blessed and less-hectic-than-yesterday day.

Do you bring your own lunch from home? If you pre-portion your food for the day, then even if you had to scarf it down between activities, you could ensure ahead of time that you don't eat too much. Then the only danger is avoiding vending machines/cafeterias/etc, but it sounds like perhaps you're busy enough that that would be somewhat easy to avoid anyway.

That's an interesting idea! I've never heard of such a thing. But then again, I don't go to sporting goods stores much. Yeah! I'm looking forward to it. I have an unhealthy desire for shiny things (maybe I'm part bird?). Unfortunately, Ranger training takes at least 5 years, according to my beloved books, so I have quite a while to wait for my shiny silver oak leaf.

Yesterday (Day Eight): All goals met Today (Day Nine): Still working on it. Went waaay over on food today - I cheated a little with my old lover Gluten, with a ham wrap at lunch and a little bit of angel food cake after dinner (it was my daddy's birthday). Walked around for half an hour-ish on my lunch break. Need to read my Bible and do my strength circuit still. And need to be strict with the Paleo the next few days to make up for my cheating! But that's why I allow myself 80/20 adherence - so I can have cake every once in a while!

Hello, fellow aspiring Ranger! It sounds like you are making some awesome progress so far! Even if you can't see it. Like others have said, since you see yourself every day, it's hard to pick out minute differences. Just wait - eventually you will be able to see the changes and it'll surprise you. Besides, you're fitting in smaller clothing now! I think that's as good an indication of your progress as any! What made you decide on the Ranger guild? May your paths be green and your arrows true, meldo.

Ah, ok. It's from The Ranger's Apprentice series by John Flanagan. Congrats on a good first week and a chai latte! Don't fall completely off the wagon, but don't feel bad about a little cheat food either. (If it makes you feel better, today is my dad's birthday so I'm having the same struggle xP)

Ah, ok. Cool! I guess I'm using my challenge thread for what the battle logs are supposed to do xD Oh well. Ah ok. I shall take a look! Yay! ^^ Heheh you're welcome. It's my favorite way to take my coffee (though I won't say no to whipped cream on occasion).

How's your challenge going, Dandizette? AoT sounds very interesting... I shall have to get ahold of an episode and see if I like it. Did you like the coffeeeee??

Tyolka, can I just say how amazing you are? It's hard enough changing one's lifestyle in the first place, but you are attacking much bigger challenges than I can even imagine - and with such zeal! Your enthusiasm is contagious! And hey - even though your goals may seem small to you right now, they will only help to firm up the foundation, the mindset of health, so you can keep going later on! I am so proud of you for taking this step to improve your life. I know too many people who are where you're at right now, who are doing nothing to fix it, and it makes me so sad. I'm so happy for you! Nerd Fitness is great for the "lightbulb moments" - I always knew I should exercise and stuff, but I never really got the push I needed till I found this place. I mean, come on - combining fitness and everything I'm geeky about?? It's seriously one of the best things ever! One of my goals is cutting out soda too (and candy, chocolate especially is EVIL and I cannot resist it's power). Try replacing your sodas with coffee or tea, sweetened with a bit of honey? That's what I'm trying to do whenever I get a craving for something sugary - have tea or some fruit instead. Also, I just wanted to point out that it's kinda funny that Mountain Dew is your kryptonite, as they are both green

Of course! I'm being very careful, and I've modified my routine so that it doesn't involve or stress out my knee. I'm also wearing a knee brace/wrap/thing, at least until it heals and I can work on strengthening it and not relying on the brace anymore... So, not to worry. Week Two begins today! Huzzah! Oh my goodness, do my shoulders and hamstrings hurt. Yay strength training!

DAY SEVEN Eat more, eat clean: [x] Move 30 minutes: [x] Strength circuit: [x] Read my Bible: [x] Week One is complete! The grades are in: Eating: 100% - A - Ate 1500+ calories a day, 80% Paleo, no candy or soda Moving: 100% - A - went for a walk or did some kind of physical activity every day Workouts: 100% - A - Did 2 strength circuits and one sprint day Bible: 85.7% - B - Read 5 pages every day except for day 1 AVERAGE CUMULATIVE GRADE: 96.4% - A We're 16.7% done, folks! Keep going strong! We only have to do this five more times

Day seven is on track so far. I just did a half-hour slow, slow, slow walk on the elliptical. No knee pain, so that's good. I can continue to do that until I heal, if/when I don't do my walk during my lunch break at work. I'm on track for food as well; after dinner I should be good. Haven't done anything else yet, but there's time. I plan to do my adapted bodyweight circuit just before dinnertime. Already thinking about rewards for progress... Once I lose my belly flub, I might go buy myself some new clothes. But the real reward is when I become a level 8 Ranger - I plan to buy myself a bronze oak leaf. Per my favoritest book series, which I have already mentioned a few posts ago , apprentice Rangers receive a bronze oak leaf pendant after one year of successful training. Its the sort of symbol of the Ranger Corps. And, having had my eye on the Ranger guild ever since I joined the forums, I fully intend to base my training off of these lovely book characters. They do some amazing stuff. (Once I determine how long it'll take me to "graduate", I'll replace it with a silver one, signifying full Rangerhood.)

Yes!!! Read them!!! It is my favoritest book series in all the land. (Well, one of them.) And if you're gonna be a Ranger someday too, those books are great inspiration for our role-playing on here! Yay Rangers! I'm so excited to finish this challenge so I can officially join the guild! I talked with them a little in their chat thread last challenge, but it felt kinda awkward since I wasn't actually a Ranger and, for that matter, wasn't actually doing the challenge either.

Well, ok. Let me clarify because I'm bad at using words, k? I meant "scale back my entire workout so that I don't have to use my knee but can still get stuff done". I just started this challenge, I don't want to be out for the count just yet! Especially if there's still things I can do. After some (careful) experimentation last night, i discovered that I can do all my bodyweight exercises except for squats without having to use my bum knee, or I'm able to modify them to get my knee out of the way. So what I think I'll do is do 3 strength days per week instead of 2 strength days and one sprint day, until I'm healed and can, you know, run again. Yeah, I may go to a doctor, as this is not the first time it's happened... It seems pretty minor each time, and I'm able to walk on it soon afterwards with only minor pain. But, then again, I've never had knee problems before. Hre;alskdfhnerhfnsekhrfhrm.

DAY SIX Eat more, eat clean: [x] Move 30 minutes: [x] Read my Bible: [x] I sprained my knee. Or something. Doing the stupidest thing, too! Like, it could have been while I was working out yesterday, or doing yoga this afternoon, but nooo. It was while I was changing my clothes. Come onnnnn. *sigh* So, now I'll have to scale my workouts, both strength and sprinting. Like I didn't anticipate having to do. Arrhgalskdhfaerlfh. I've no idea what I'm going to do now. Halp?

GOOD FOR YOU COMPANION!! It's this kind of forcing yourself to do it that will eventually turn you into the super-duper-est companion the Doctor has ever had! Thumbs up and applause and hugs all around! Go you!! Ooh nice! Awesome rewards all around. As for me, when I become a level 8 Ranger, I'm going to buy myself a bronze oak leaf pendant, because in my favorite book series (The Ranger's Apprentice) the apprentice Rangers receive a bronze oak leaf pendant after they've successfully completed a year of training.

It really is. Not even a huge number of people have looked at my thread (compared to some threads, anyway) but even just committing to posting something here every day is enough, because what if someone looks? Corned beef hash is a wonderful, delicious, crispy thing. I wish we had more meat in this house, but my parent's aren't eating Paleo, so there's a limited amount of everything I'm allowed to eat. But... corned beef hash will definitely do until I can get to the grocery store. Also, started re-reading my favoritest book series in the universe today - The Ranger's Apprentice by John Flanagan. Gathering inspiration for my own Rangerly adventures after I SUCCESSFULLY finish this challenge! (Because I AM TOTALLY GONNA WIN, subconscious, and you KNOW it.) Lagging behind today. I'll have to get my booty in gear. Maybe I'll go do some yoga for my requisite daily movement. And eat more corned beef hash, because yum.

DAY FIVE Read my Bible: [x] Eat more, eat clean: [x] Move for 30 minutes: [x] Strength Training: [x] I had to do my strength training late late late in the evening today, or else risk disappointing my guildmates. But I did it, huzzah! Boy howdy, posting here every day is doing wonderfully at forcing me to keep all my goals. And now, to bed. Zzzz