AustralMoonBear

I'm back after almost bang on a decade. Not the same human I was last time in almost any way, but still struggling to shrink my gut... On the upside I'm stronger (physically and mentally) than I have ever been, so I'm here for motivation, accountability and good company.

Long term: exercise Short term: 3 breaths, hard as you can in through the nose and out through the mouth. It sounds silly but it really does work, and the more you do it the more effective it gets.

My gym (something closer to a corss fit box really) had a horse massager (similar to what's in the vid). It felt amazing after a workout but I don't know how much it actually helped.

I spent so long with martial arts instructors drilling me to ki-up with a strike that I almost ki-up at the peak of lifts. I consider grunting loudly far less embarrasing than a good loud "HIYAAAA". On a related note it always makes me chuckle when a researcher "discovers" something that often passes for common sense.

I'd go with Jiu-Jitsu too - I currently do gym and martial arts but the soical and "club" aspect of the martial arts makes me much, much less likely to skip sessions without a good reason.

I switched from Iphone3GS to Galaxy SIII about 2 months ago and couldn't be happier, that has a lot to do with moving from a closed to open enviroment though. The S3 really is a huge phone so have a good think about that against your hands - my fiancee finds my phone hard to use and ends up holding it in one hand and tapping with the other whereas my hands a big enough to still use my thumbs.

Doing my first ever swing dancing lesson tonight!

I've met some great PT's and some woefull ones. In my the independents and small companies (who may work out of the big gym's but not for the gym) are a lot more passionate, educated and willing to listen.

That video may be the best argument I've ever seen for something you can do with a weight machine but not with free weights. *thinks about the barbells and overhead hoist* Although.... Waldo - Your video reminds me of one of my Evil Instructor's old drills; squatting, jumping front kicks. Multiple sets of 20 per leg.

My thinking would be that if rice is an absolute staple for you (and a really enjoyable one) then cutting it completley will make you more likely to not stick to the diet. I don't eat strictly paleo because I can't do without my milk, but I'm ok with that. If you want to remove it I'd say do it slowly, a little less each day then only every second day etc. at least that way you could work you're way through the bag you have and then decide if you want to buy another bag.

My sex drive generaly spikes on rest days during a heavy exercise period, not so much post work out. That being said I agree with a "high T" state powering workouts on.

Interesting article, but why is any of that women specific? I'm emphaticaly not female (the beard should be a tip off) and I'm the main cleaner in our house for most of the reasons listed above. For me it's particularly about accomplishment and stress reduction, a coule of small tasks (clean this specific surface, vacum that room) is a good way to get the ball rolling for the day or cap off an otherwise frustrating day of work.

I could actually imagine doing that between heavy squat sets or similar... Want to rest the legs but elevate heart rate for a bit.

"In response to someone who hit himself in the testicles when deadlifting: "You either have very short arms or very long nuts."" This made me laugh so hard (and I still chuckle when I think of it) I had to leave the office and go outside.

Yes!

Simple way to tell would be if you can lift the bar and then a 45lb plate (or one in each hand) - if there's a significant difference in the feel it will at least tell you that something is up.

I immmediatley thought of bigm's sig when I read the OP; "It's the easy way out, and we here at the Rebellion don't take the easy way out. We find the hard way and we conquer it. We make it our bitch." -awsd00 I can sort of understand the "take it easy" advice for those just starting on exercise, but to be honest if a workout is easy I tend to get bored and either stop doing it or start experimenting until it's hard.

I had a similar problem at one point - hadn't realised I was pulling my head back and tensing my whole neck up with every lift. Sort of a full head and shoulders grimace. Once someone pointed that out and I broke the habit the problems went away. Second for acupuctre to relieve symptoms as well.

I love the idea of standing in my kitchen, holding a rock, trying to figure out if I can eat it

Thank you guys. I have no words for how awesome this community is and how much it helps knowing you all have my back (but then, you already know that... you're part of it). The good news is Diz looks like making a 100% recovery (Wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooho!!!) The "bad" news is that she'll be in the rehab ward here for a month >_< That means she's spending about 8 hours a day working with physios, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, nurtitionists, in the hyperbaric chamer etc. The medical team here are amazing and are commited to not just getting her "well" but back to 100% function. So I'm taking this as the opportunity it is, while she's busting her ass every day to recover I'll be doing the following: Going Paleo! At the moment the only food I have access to is what I've bought in the last week. No stash of snacks, no huge bag of rice. To add to the challenge I have a (only) a microwave and electric frying pan. Crossfit (I know, I know, dark side... cool aid etc.) I signed up for a one month on ramp program and did my intro session this morning. After discussing my situation, plan and goals with the head instructor she informed me that if I'm not there as planned (or call her with a damn good excuse) she will be turning up at my motel and dragging me out. Write I'm a wannabe writer who never has the time to write, well now I get kicked out of the hospital at 8pm sharp so I have the time. Now to do it. [ATTACH=CONFIG]6141[/ATTACH] So for me the current challenge is over, but the reall one is just beginning... *Walks out to a dramatic soundtrack*

Second on experiences. If you're wine drinkers kick start a cellar (ask for really nice bottles or interesting ones). Dumbell/barbell set?

I exercise. Anything really - running, burpees, pushups. Just throw myself at something as hard as I can until I've burnt off enough energy that the emotions are a bit dulled. When I was a practicing martial artist I found sparring great - the immediacy of a friend trying to take your head off really puts things in perspective.

So this is my post effectivley ending this challenge. After what had been a tough couple of months things were looking ok. Diz (my fiancee) was doing her dive master in Cairns for 3 weeks and I was working in Melbourne. Then Diz got a neurological bend (nitrogen bubble formed in her brain). She's been successfuly evaced to Townsville for hypabaric treatment and is begining her rehab here. She's effectivley had a minor stroke, affecting spech, vocabulary, fine motor skill, balance, short term memory, co-ordination... Pretty much everything on the right side of her body. We don't know how long she'll be here or what the end state will look like. I'm living out of a motel to support her rehab, thankfully my company has a Townsville office and were willing to let me work from here. I'm eating as well as I can and exercising (thank you nerdfitness bodyweight resources) but the goals are completly out the window. She followed all the dive guidlines, didn't do a rapid ascent, apparently this can "just happen". Balls.

Hmmmm wonder if we can do weights underwater.... THAT would be an interesting experience.

Thank you everybody for the support. Other rebels have said it before, and many will say it again, but this community continues to amaze me and restore my faith in humanity. Other than my father-out-of-law making up a scottish heritage for the english departed during the eulogy things went relativley smoothly and we came out mostly unscathed. In much happier news, I'm a certified rescue diver now!!! Turns out they intentionaly mislead you on the assesments to creat a stress reaction so that your testing is more realistic to an emergency situations. The total swim test (and my resluts) were: 200m swim in under 8 mins (I hit 4:30) 400m snorkle (with fins) in under 12mins (8:10) 5min tread water with a 3lb weight over your head Retrieve a 25lb weight from 1.5m depth (no fins) without pushing off the bottom 25m underwater swim (no fins) 20sec hold breath, 10 sec breath, 20sec hold breath, 10 sec breath, 20sec hold breath All this is done back to back and then you perform your rescue skills. This was one of the most mentaly and physically fatigueing weekends of my life, total of about 12 hours in the water, the second day in 13 degree ocean. Loved every minute of it!!! Now, my goals recap: 1:Change is for life, not for snacks - $1.40 spend on a can of diet coke so far 2:Rope, choke, snap, log - Actually did this this week 3:Splish, splash, gargle, bubble - Only one formal pool session during the week but I think the 12 hours in the water makes up for it 4:No hibernating! - The meals took a real nose dive, being away from home 4 days. But my fiancee is now away, so this is where this goal really kicks in. Now... to find a jump roap (or "borrow" a network cable)