Xephyra

I officially booked my flight path back to my starter zone! Nax, the specific dates are aug 24 to sept 8, and Miz and I are going to NERO for the sept 2-5 long weekend. There's really no plans set in stone for when we get there, other than going to Nero, and at least going tubing once. You're invited I've been so motivated to LARP again that I'm pushing myself to get in shape for the event. I also may need to revise my fitness goals a bit tho... I did like two or 3 T25 videos, and got bored, so I did a Max30 on the same day (which also happened to be a mauy thai day). I'm thinking I may interchange the two... I get bored too easy. I also haven't finished Max30 before, but I have finished T25, so there's some extra motivation right there. I'm already 3 videos in a row in, and going strong. Today I did sweat intervals after my morning job, then mauy thai in the evening. And I am loving my Ninja! I made a chocolate cherry smoothie tonight (chocolate protein powder, frozen cherries, half a banana, almond milk) and Miz have been making smoothies too. And the other night we hit up wendy's after I got off work at 8pm, and I got the bbq chicken salad. So swapping my thinking from "no fast food" to "choose the better option" is really helping. I'm not at official weigh in day (I save that for mondays usually) but I weighed this morning, and I'm down 3 pounds!!! I'm super proud of this.... One thing that makes is incredibly hard for me to loose weight is having hypothyroidism. I'm taking meds for it to keep me from ballooning, but it's still excruciatingly hard to loose. Thus the focusing on general health, flexibility, and mauy thi thechnique. But still, seeing those little quest rewards builds momentum! Onward! To waffles! WAFFLES HO!

I know I'm a little late jumping in on this challenge, but I figure better late than not at all. Life has been attempting to pull me into a mediocre timeline, and I've been doing my best to battle the forces of "WORK"/"RESPONSIBILITY"/"ADULTING" as much as I can. I've literally scheduled time to just sit down and play for GW2 or ESO with Mizorex... As intro's go... My name is Xephyra, and I am a Fox. I consider myself an Adventurer/Assassin taking levels of monk. With Archery skills... Is Bard a thing here? My starting zone in New Brunswick, Canada, But I'm currently questing in Alberta. Anyhoo, after my last challenge here I managed to get my mind around getting healthy, but I'm afraid my habits just have not caught up yet... It's like "hey I'm doing good cuz I did a 30 minute cardio video!" *eats 3 fruit roll ups, some ice cream, and a peanut butter sandwich* T.T There's also a lot of free food at both jobs, and my willpower resource just get depleted too fast! So for this challenge, I'm going to get a little drastic. I need something that's going to be a challenge, cuz I know I have the background and willpower to get results. Swift kick in the ass skill activate! Fitness 1 - Beachbody's T25 video every other day 2 - 2 Mauy Thai classes per week 3 - 2 evening walks per week. I found I wasn't doing the Max30 as often I wanted. SO I've decided to switch to T25. I've completed it once before, and It helped me get in the best shape I had ever been. It also starts with a lower impact Alpha phase to build up to the later challenges. I've also opted to do the videos on alternate day with my mauy thai class. Muay thai is on monday/wednesday, so T25 will be on sunday/thursday/friday. Leaving tuesday and saturday to rest. This also leaves saturday open to outdoor adventures! The walks are more for Miz, so they may be sporatic. I feel that writing this all down somehow makes it more....what....solid? Nutrition 1 - 30 day Smoothies challenge 2 - Fast Food - go for the salad/healthy options 3 - Try out batch cooking at least once. I've done a 30 day green smoothie challenge before and it did a world of difference. I finally bought a Ninja blender so I don't have anymore excuses (except that thing is bloody load). I also need to realize that despite my best efforts I've been eating out at fast food places more (/sigh), so my goal here to make the better choices. Wendy's has some very good salads these days lol. And I want to try to take a day and batch cook a week's worth of meals, to take to work for both me and Miz. Which will be it's own challenge... I can't cook to save my life...which is why smoothies are awesome. Leveling my Life 1 - Add to my Savings - $200 per pay check = $400 for this challenge 2 - Read 'A Geek in Japan', practice Katakana alphabet 3 - Dedicate at least 5 hours a week to Sewing projects/cosplays These goal's are more for fun that will lead to a better me, or future potential. I want to save up for a trip to Japan... I have a friend going in a couple months, and another friend going in November. I want to go for my birthday in April 2018. I have a little saved up now, but now I have a goal in mind. I took a year of Japanese language in university, but with no practice I've lost most of the skill. I'm hoping it will come back to me. I also need to manage my time better and get down to sewing... I have a two outfit cosplay commission for the end of september, and I have to do some work for myself. Quest Loot Reward - I've had the money saved up and set a side for a couple months, so when this challenge is complete, and I crush it, I'm getting my next tattoo. I just need to actually pick a studio and book the appointment. Ok! So that's where I'm at. I also just found out today that I got approved for vacation time at the end of Aug (something I was originally declined when I applied back in February). Miz and I are going to visit our starting zone. SO now I'm totally unprepared... And even a little embarrassed to see people that saw me healthier and thinner before I left home. Mauy thai is helping, and I'm really falling in love with it, it's really helping me develop more self esteem and willpower too. But I really need to get back to at least that level, or I wont even be able to keep up at NERO LARP!!

Hey petefeet! You were so supportive with Nax on my first adventure, I thought I would follow you along on this one I like the idea of mini-life quests, I may have to use it. I'm a little late for this challenge, but I'm sure that's fine. Good luck! I'll be floating in the background....lol ~Xephyra

Kinda... My phylosophy is that if I'm paying for something with my hard earned dollars... I do it/use it. So I went to both mauy thai classes this past week. Miz on the other hand was just too sore from tuesday's class to go thursday... There was a mild fight. T.T Mild meaning; I got huffy, and he got fed up and went to bed. So I'm being as supportive as I can, but that annoyed me. We're paying for the class, so I figure we should go. SO! This week, we're going monday and thursday, in hopes that Miz will have an extra day to recover in between and go to both. I'm already getting into the class so much, that I've started picking out future gloves and gear. However... due to mauy thai (and the soreness) I did not get both my insanity workouts done this week. Only one on monday (tabata power at 9:35). I'm not sure how I should score this week. My challenge goal is to do 2 insanity a week, but it's mostly to get in two intense workouts per week. Mauy thai is pretty intense. My fitbit goes a little nuts each time lol. Should this week be quest complete? I did 3 intense workouts, techinically.... Otherwise, I'm doing great with adding veggies and limiting the crap out of fast food. Miz is even cooking tonight! I'm going a little overboard with my savings this challenge, since I got some back pay from one job so I put it all away for later. I'm particially saving up to travel back home to NB for a couple weeks, but that depends on time off at work... I can't request vacation time until at least a year in. As per my side quest though... that's going to half to wait T_T I just don't have the extra fund just yet. The back pay I got would not have covered the lesson/rental gear/lane fees so I decided to wait. April however, archery will come up again... It's a 3 pay month for me, and my birthday month. I kinda feel like for the first time, I just want to treat myself. I may even buy the Ninja blender kit at work, and get back on my smoothie path. So yeah, that's where I'm sitting... I've got a lovely evening of ESO and the Arrow series (and a lovely glass of wine). Guess I'll contemplate more quests tomorrow. Night darlings! ~Xephyra

I actually did not work on Nax's Darth maul cosplay, just his Loki. Maul has certainly inspired Talon tho, and I found out there's a 501 group out here in Edmonton. Huge cosplay community, and I will be getting involved this summer. Mauy Thai has gone so well, that Miz and I signed a 1 year membership. Last night we actually got to spar with others, the Sensai really pushed me out of my comfort zone. But I thinks it's a good thing... Miz is 6'4", and hits hard (my shoulders hurt from just holding the pads!) so he got to spar with guys his own size. There are even other girls in the class. Challenge goals are going very well too. Still managing to keep fast food consumption down, and making healthy choices to boot. I strongly believe that every diet has room for bacon and French fries, but I've cut back significantly. I'm getting really good at stir fry veggies too. A little bit of olive oil, pepers, mushrooms, and snow peas and I'm a happy camper. I'm even trying to learn to make homemade sushi, just to have another 'fast food' to make better at home. I'm trying to put more into this challenge, and the forums, so I really appreciate the encourage ment. I've used several different diet/fitness sites, and this one feels the most 'right'. So thank you, all my Rebels!! ~Xephyra

So here it is wednsday, I'm worn out from lack of sleep and working 9 days straight. Having two jobs means days off rarely coinside, so I work pretty much every day. This is the part of the game my willpower resource is at maybe 25%, and I can't find a health well on this lvl. Also, pretty sure there's a boss battle coming up... Last week i completed my goal of only getting fast food once all week. Yesterday was a 14 day, with not enough time in between to venture home and back. Today is the same. I feel like that at the end I'm not going to want to go home and cook, and I'll just want a cheeseburger the size of my head! Should I try to avoid it all together? Or prep now for the inevitable binge? And thanks for the tip, Luciana! I've been training a lot with just body weight and agility(assasins), but I've been thinking of joining the monks sooner than later. I really liked the class Miz and I took, it was hard and really challenged me. Miz also got an eye opener over just how out of shape he is... Thanks for the link to the courtyard. Will have to pop back in later... Back to work I go!! ~Xephyra

Good evening my darling Rebels! I wanted to make a sizable update as it is sunday evening, and there has been much questing during this week. So I managed to complete the miniboss of Insanity Max30 Friday Fight. I made 9:05 for my time, which isn't terrible but I used to be able to make i to the first greak (15 min) with now break. I know I can do better. However, I am feeling proud that I have completed 2 whole Max30 workouts this week, just as my quest dictates. I work at a starbucks, which makes my morning coffee very easy to make unhealthy. I think me personal storyline will continue when I can master the cafe misto instead of the grande chocolate mocha, with raspberry, and whip cream. It's so easy to just get something filled with sugar and fat there... I get free drinks while on shift! Most days if I get food I choose oatmeal or a banana (thus the 'at work fast food not counting' clause in the original questline). Tho, tomorrow morning I will try just cinnamon in some black coffee. I've managed to whish any "second" coffee drink to a tea all this week. Defiantly flexing my willpower resource here. I think the biggest obstacle in my hero's journey is........MIZOREX. This is the character alias my significant-other goes by in every game we play together, so it shall be his here too. He has literally become a bump on the couch, and does nothing. He's the MEGA BOSS OF LAZY. "/sing" I want adventure in the great wide somewhere! I want it more than I can tell!! "/sing" But he's still just playing games and watching youtube vids on his ass. I get that he works a very active profession as an electrical engineer, but at the end of a day there's so much potential. I just want to see him excited and motivated again, but it takes a toll on me when I'm so excited to level up my own life. I am making at easy as I can for him to follow and join my party, but he hasn't quite accepted my party request yet. I've been slowly making my way thru the book, "Level up your Life" and defiantly applying the ideas to life. I'm gamifying everything, and it's inspiring me to follow thru in random things I thought I could never do. Why not learn new skills? I signed up for a mauy thai class, and will try a tai chi next week. I am also coordinating with a local archery range to try and get a lesson booked! Also, Naxius, if you read this darlin', can you share a couple picture of your Loki cosplay? I can share some of the ones I have too, and possible Else and Captain Sunsui, but it would be nice. I'm thinking about my next cosplay atually... characters that I would like to exude... I'm thinking I'm going to finally just go ahead and build Darth Talon, and maybe even the Green Arrow, from the series. I live close to a leather warehouse, and my industrial sewing machine would make the Arrow's outfit easier. Onward! to waffles!!! WAFFLES HO!!! (*The Gamers 2, Dorkness Rising" ....look it up) ~Xepthyra

Update time! And totally earlier than I thought I would lol... Probly cuz I'm sitting at one job killing 2 hours before the other one starts T.T I had a weird moment the other day where I realized I hate working two part time jobs. So I've been branching out my other businesses; coffee and costume design. I officially have my first client that wants to do a costume for Edmonton expo in August! I have no idea who the characters are, but I'm going to get sewing again! On the challenge quest side, I'm going strong without fast food. If I only get it once this week, I feel like I want to make it count. It's pay week so I might treat myself... But no junky cheeseburgers!! Also did my insanity workout Monday. Lasted 9:05 minutes doing Sweat Intervals. I'll be doing Friday Fight on Friday this week too. This isn't my first time doing insanity. I really like the instructor, so I've completed regular Insanity once, FocusT25 twice, and got about half way in Max30. This will be my second attempt, and I'm stagering the workouts. It might take longer to finish, but I will complete Max30. Hopefully going to Mauy Thai Thursday evening. My adventure buddy, Mizorex, was being a sicky pants Tuesday so we didn't go. Should be a fun adventure. And finally... I found an archery range close to where I live!! So I will actually get to complete my side quest! It's bloody expensive, but I think it will be worth it.

Why do I feel like your going to crawl in there with another pile, with your awesome Dex score... Then roll a 1 and you start the avalanche! Lolol... I am inspired by your clutter monster battle... I'm thinking I need to get rid of some stuff now. Like, Miz inherited a bunch of 1970's furnature just before I arrived in Alberta. Most of its hideous, and does NOT fit in our apartment... Side quest time! Either sell or find a bump...

I am having far too much fun laughing at the obvious way you describe everything, Nax. I miss your face.... I read out-load most of the first post to Miz across the room, we were both laughing. I really enjoy your writing style. I am totally following this epic tale of the conquering slacker hero ;P

Welcome to the challenge! I'm also pretty new myself, and this is my first challenge. I made my first post last night XD I think that by posting on here publically, you can think that you just made a commitment to all the supportive people here. It took me a long time to swap the mentally, I used to be the same way. The public support will really help you thru. Also, good on you for reducing soda!! It's tough, but you can do it! I beleive in yooooo!! ~Xephyra

Greetings and salutation to my fellow Rebels! How goesth the battle? My name is Xephyra, and like many I dream of adventure. Adventure in far off lands, fighting monsters and seducing bar maids. I have recently left my starting zone in the maritimes to venture anew in the plainslands of western Canada. I am a brand new, shiny Rebel. I discovered nerd fitness about a year ago, and thought it was perfect, but for some reason never did anything but read some articles and look threw the professions. Now I'm back, and thanks to another rebel, I'm getting into these challenges and forums. So I've picked some quests, planned out a level 50 character with achievements, and decided where I want to be. This isn't the start of my hero's journey. I've been at this for a long while... Before I left home to move across the country, I was in pretty good shape, and about half way to be weight goal. Made smoothies everyday, was able to run, did yoga and zumba all the time, excellent will power to get things done. Now I'm a potato...Working 3.5 jobs to get as much school debt paid off as I can, I don't have a lot of time around that for just me. MOTIVATION Obviously I want to be healthier, stronger, and have more endurance and flexiblity. But mostly, I want to cosplay the badass females from videos games and comics. I want to be the strong warrior Darth Talon, or be able to hold hand stands like Harley Quinn. I want to loose this weight, and get in shape so I can do the things my idols do. LEVEL 1 REBEL CHALLENGE DIET - Reduce fast food consumption to only 1 meal per week.* - Add vegetables to one meal at least once a day. - Switch from sugar/fat riddled coffee drink to black coffee or cafe mistos 80% of the time. FITNESS - Add two 'insanity' Max30 workouts to each week. Any order, just do them. LEVELING UP MY LIFE - Add $50 from each paycheck to savings (total $200) - Sit down and plan out new business strategy. Sample coffee to 2 new people a week *This does not include food purchased from work...I make good choices there. SIDE QUEST Challenge runs from feb 29 to mar 25... pick one weekend and book an archery lesson! This quest depends on funds, but is an excellent date night activity that doesn't involve food or sitting for a long time. Hopefully this layout will give me something to work towards. I didn't list in my quests, but I'm also going to update my challenge thread at least once a week, if not more. I'll take sunday evenings to post progress, aggravations, and successes. And so, as she set upon her quest, Xephyra could only wonder where her feet were taking her. This was only the beginning of her epic tale, but all she could think was, 'I can't wait to try out was mana potions taste like!' ~Xephyra