NeverThatBored

I love that there's a place for this. Fitness Get better at yoga Learn to do the splits. Any splits. Master crow pose - Learned it for a while but haven't worked on it and can't currently do it Do a headstand Be able to do a friggin' seated wide-legged forward fold properly Wheel and bow poses Try out martial arts again - I used to do karate and I'd like to get back into some sort of martial art DONE Get strong - I'm mostly focused on bodyweight exercises for now but I love weights too. I'd like to easily be able to lift 50lb bags and the like mostly for showoff purposesDONE Stop being winded by stairs Run a 5K DONE Walk 5 hours / week DONE Do 100 consecutive push ups Try CrossfitDONE and DONE Improve my footwork so it stops being so embarrassing I no longer even remember what this meant?? Learn to dance well enough to not be embarrassed Buy a bike and relearn how to ride, then ride around everywhere DONE - can't ride on the street with cars but I'm comfortable on a bike now Get better at swimming IN PROGRESS - I took 2 classes but need more work Food/Diet/Cooking Conquer my sugar addiction Learn more basic cooking techniques by heart Roasted chicken Roasted veggies - DONE Baked potatoes Chicken pieces Sauces Vinaigrette Participate in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farmshare DONE Grow my own vegetables (when I have a garden someday) Finance Pay off my student loans much sooner than 10 years (current plan is 4 1.5 years to go) DONE Open a Roth IRA for retirement DONE Max out yearly contributions to IRA DONE One day become a landlord Hobbies Finish a damn novel. I've won NaNoWriMo several times, but I never actually get to an ending. Once I get to an ending, I can actually start editing and trying to make a story good. Learn to write short stories, because of the problems above Become competent in a coding language of some sort Learn to make basic apps Learn to draw respectably Learn to play the Harmonica. Because it's cool. Started learning to play the ukulele instead - but it's related! Learn basic Japanese IN PROGRESS Learn whittling DONE (very basics only) Other Get a cat Hike up a mountain (not a scary steep one though) Learn basic handy skills like carpentry and basic plumbing Go to a film festival Travel somewhere by myselfDONE Finally learn to drive on highways DONE

So I joined the Return of the Walkers PVP to go with my walking, which has already been motivating. ^.^ I'm sore from that workout yesterday, but in that nice way that makes you feel like you're making progress. I think I'll post in the form check topic soon to make sure I'm doing some of the exercises correctly though. I don't want to get too far in and feel like I'm making progress only to realize later I've been doing everything wrong. I just scraped by on having dinner before 8 today. My mouth was numb from the dentist and I didn't really want to eat like that, but I managed just in time! I'm finding that that goal has been easy to meet so far, which is surprising given how snacky I usually am after dinner. I guess telling myself food is off limits after 8 just helps me resist those cravings. I also completed Miniquest 2 today.

Raincloak - Yeah, it seems to run in my family too. But if someone with an otherwise healthy lifestyle has high cholesterol, does that then mean they should take statins? That's where the doc is coming from. I'm suspicious of the fuss too, but reluctant to act like I know more than my doctor. Peelout - I'll share when I get the results! The first reading was like 330 for my overall number.

What a great goal! I've never had much luck with splits, but it would feel so good to manage them. That chart looks like it will be helpful in getting you there.

Miniquest 2 complete! I had already created the signature, and I went and followed Ferngirl and ABlessing since they were late joiners like me. I wish I could follow everyone, but 16 pages of challenges is a lot! I'll definitely be following more than two though.

Hello! I was a late joiner too. I really like your goal to buy more local food. It's so easy to just go to the regular store, but it feels so good when you support local farmers and it's often better for you too. If you need any help with finding yoga videos, let me know! I know of a few. I'll be following you to offer support throughout your challenge!

Hi Ferngirl! Those all sound like great goals that should support the exercise you're already doing. Sugar is one of my biggest struggles too. It's great awesome that you're improving your posture! I was thinking of tackling that for the next challenge. ^.^ What's worked for you so far?

Definitely scrunchies. My hair is curly so when I use regular hairbands (meaning the ouchless) my hair still gets tangled, but I've found that using scrunchies doesn't have the same problem. As for "guy scrunchies" I'd just say there's no reason to get one specifically for guys. I don't think there's really any way to make them different for dudes.

Thanks for the recommendation! And my doc's not pushing at this point. She just made it sound like that's what she'd tell me to do if the results are confirmed.

So many good books on this list! I just started reading Super Mario: How Nintendo Conquered America, by Jeff Ryan. So far it's really interesting!

I just got the second blood test this morning, so I'll report here when I have the numbers. If it's confirmed, I'll probably to make lifestyle changes to lower the cholesterol first before I agree to take medicine for it. I'm really reluctant to take it because of side effects that especially seem stronger in women and because I just dislike medicine unless it's really necessary. But on the other hand, despite new evidence and opinions questioning the benefits of statins for primary care, it might be hard to say no when my doctor tells me I might develop heart disease if I don't take them. Because that's really scary. We'll see what she says.

I'm completely late, but I can't resist joining in the fun! I think I'll aim for Silver. I'm walking as a part of my challenge, so I have some miles already.

Awesome challenge! 100 pushups a day is uber impressive. I did a 100 push ups challenge a couple of years ago (to build up to 100 consecutive) and I stopped at around the 40 consecutive mark. But I couldn't handle it every day - my arms would be like jello if I tried push ups two days in a row. You must be pretty strong!

Seconded! Kondo's book is not specifically about minimalism, but her method is the perfect explanation of how to declutter for a minimalist lifestyle. A few of her other key points: Don't just throw away a few items gradually - declutter everything in one big push and if you do it right (using her method) you'll never have to do it againWhen it's hard to let go of possessions because you feel bad for discarding them, say thank you to them for what they've done for you and that makes it a little easierStart with things that are easier to go through like clothes and once you've built momentum and willpower finish with the things that are hardest, like mementosCherish the things you do have - fold clothes properly, be gentle with your things, appreciate them for what they do for you

I've had good luck with Old Navy's athletic gear, which is pretty affordable. They might be worth checking out.

I have a bunch of different ways, so if one of the methods doesn't work, I can still try others. Preventatively, purging all of the bad stuff from your kitchen/other places where you keep food means that it's much harder for you to give in to whatever you're craving. Lately I've found (counterintuitively) that if I really focus on the the unhealthy food I'm craving and what it's made of (white flour, sugar, etc.) and how those components can harm my health, I find that the craving subsides and I lose my appetite for it. I'm having more success with that method than I have with others in the past. Some things, like pizza, you can recreate in healthier ways (like cauliflower crust pizza or blending a frozen banana to make a surprisingly close ice cream substitute). Other times, if I think about the components of whatever you're craving (are you craving something salty? crunchy? with tomato sauce and cheese?) I can think of something similar that has those categories. It's never a perfect substitute, but it usually helps conquer the craving. You can try thinking about or cooking something new and exciting that really appeals to you (but is healthy) to get your craving instincts focused on the delicious new thing instead. You can also just try to wait it out if all else fails. If it's still weighing on you and draining your willpower after a day or two, it might be easiest to just have a small amount of what you're craving so you can get on with your life.

Hey, great work! That's some impressive squatting.

Office clothes suck. Even when they "fit" they don't seem to really fit. Makes you wonder who they're even designed for. Good for you for going on the trip you've been dreaming about!

I know what you mean about the cooking! They say that learning to cook helps you eat healthier (which it does), but when you like cooking too much you just start cooking too much unhealthy stuff too!

I love how you're using your username and pinterest to help you stay motivated! Keeping yourself encouraged and motivated is the biggest part of the battle.

Gotcha! Thanks for the explanation. ^.^

I've decided that my reward should I complete this challenge is to buy either that new set of dumbbells or a membership to NF Academy.