Ole

Briniel, be careful what you offer, lol. I just got graded on a bunch of assignments and did well, so I am ready to forge ahead I am halfway done the course and asking for a time extension as it was supposed to be done at end of June here. Ah well. I haven't been on for several days as I attended a retreat on the weekend. It was a yoga and meditation retreat and my first time trying that. I was really not enthusiastic going into it and I can honestly say it was worth every penny. I did 4.5 hours of yoga and went on several mindfulness walks and it was really special to me. I learned/remembered that I love to walk barefoot. This is just the kind of hippie sentiment I was concerned with expressing after a retreat, but there it is. I feel rested in an area that has been strained and ready to continue my exciting road to heavy lifting. Today I did weights. I have been eating about 70% as well as I would like to. I am being very curious about why I am so attached to my 'unwind' routine including some television and food time. It's like I fear my world will be thrown off its axis without it, and yet I don't think it serves me. I send love and peace and rejuvenation to all my fellow rebels here, as a hippie recently showed me, it feels nice to open to that connected oneness.

Well, four days in to my challenge and I am doing alright. The eating has been cleaner and I have planned ahead better for snacks when I am out on the job. (I work as a paramedic and can often forget that I won't return to the station until long after hunger strikes!) Today would be a weights day, as yesterday was yoga and I alternate the two, but I have some tight shoulders and back from my last workout. I have decided to go paddleboarding instead and do full body workout tomorrow. My trainer completely redid my program and I love mixing it up. I am also pretty stoked because I am buying an olympic bar and I have form building exercises in my workout. I hope to figure out those progress bars people have for the next challenge, they look neat, lol.

"- lunges seem pretty easy, until you actually try to keep your back straight" I laughed out loud, thanks for that!! Sounds like you are well on your way, I hope you have a great day tomorrow and wake up at the time you would like to. From Alberta, Canada to you in Germany, High Five!!

Well, thanks for asking Eskcanta and Briniel Day one I missed a workout and kinda ate some poor choices, BUT, I tossed half the poor choice in the garbage, so that is a small win. Today I met with my trainer and feel totally reenergized and I like my workout. I am taking my paddleboard to work with me tomorrow and my golf clubs... so after work I can play. Eskcanta; I think your game is neat and I like the radio contact we have! I am studying my monsters and love to hear how others meet theirs, thanks for the great visual. Briniel; That's great! Want to write my intro psych papers?? lol Good luck with that job search, such an exciting thing to do. Do you have a field you will specialize in?

Cool improvements on your planks and movie theater snacks, definitely inspires me to remember healthy snacks at work tomorrow.

Thanks for the replies! And the support Gknit- should we just start a group I wonder? I am heading over to read your challenge thread tonight. Briniel- Thanks for the pysch connection, can't wait till I am onto something other than introductory! Are you in Psychology in some way? Good luck on your quest as well, those darn old pants! I am hoping to get a profile pic up, but it won't go as of yet. I don't know if that is an account issue or what, but I am going to keep trying.

Hello! I have not done anything like this before, but I have followed NF for a couple years and like the values, so I am throwing in And only a few days late! My main goal is to fit into my 'healthy weight' jeans in six weeks. I have slowly been re-gaining weight since October, and faster in the new year. So, I have put on about 15 lbs (I currently weigh 155 lbs) and returned to some evening eating habits that don't support my goals. I used to consistently weigh 165 to 170 and got that down to 140 over the space of about a year, kept it off for a year. Life threw a few steep curves my way and I lost my way on that a little over the last 6 months. Do we all go through times when our escape patterns feel like a haven and a straight jacket at the same time? I hired a trainer to help me get proper form on a new basic weights routine and she can train me into heavy lifting. I have already started trying to figure out where I can put a squat rack ;p but my house is small! (I bet I will connect with creative home gym nerds in this region of the internet though!) I have eaten paleo fairly dedicatedly for two years, but I am not sticking to it as closely the last few months. This is another reason I think I am connecting in the right place. SMART goals to get there: ​Train on weights 3-4 times per week, checking in with my trainer every 2 to 3 weeks Do not eat 2 hours before bed. Starting with one hour before bed for the next week. Ease out of processed chocolate and into the paleo friendly homemade kind over the next two weeks Include fun exercise once a week- riding horses, SUP, mountain biking, golf or walking outside Get 8 hours of sleep a nightSide quest- Finish PSYC 1111- I am taking it online and I have to get an extension as I am half way through the course and time is up already. I can finish it in the 6 weeks of this challenge though! Also, I want to keep the house clean. My Motivation- I love riding and training horses. In September I have the opportunity to go ride with a horseman that is like a mentor to me. I want to be in shape for that! Also, I love how my body feels when I look after it, and I had not really done that in a focused way before the last three years. I want to live a fully engaged life with connection and vibrancy! When I am zoning out in the evenings with food and television it isn't as restful as I sometimes think and it hinders my body during the day. I would be into joining the smaller accountability group as well, if anyone wants to be encouraged occasionally!