Sora.2

Hello everyone! My name is Sora, and I'll be joining the Rangers this time around if you'll have me (previously a scout). The last challenge was my first in a very long time; I rejoined after a long hiatus, and semi-successfully completed my challenge with the scouts. I'm hoping to join the Rangers as I begin to explore different types of workouts. I have historically been a distance runner (cross country and track team in middle and high school). In about a month, I'll be a Freshman at the University of Michigan, and I'm hoping to try out something new. For this challenge, I want to explore different types of workouts and begin to find something I might like to do in the future. For this challenge, I will be centering around a theme from the Anime "Magi: Adventure of Sinbad" which recently finished airing. I'm currently studying abroad in Japan until August 12, so I appreciate the idea of adventure. Goal 1: Workout! Workout 5 days a week, including some mix of running and non-running exercises. One of the main ideas behind what I am trying to accomplish is based in working out. Like Sinbad, I want to try to live like other people do and experience different ways of life. Through this, I hope to find the best fit for me. I will continue running as it's what I know I am capable of. Otherwise, I will try to find new workouts to incorporate. I don't have access to a gym or anything, so body weight workouts will probably be in store. If you have any ideas for what I should try out, please let me know! Goal 2: Try Paleo! Have 6 paleo meals a week (try new recipes or make good choices out). I am currently living on my own and cooking for myself, so I would like to try to learn some new recipes and eat in a new way. I like the philosophy behind paleo, and I've wanted to give it a go for a while. This will be a little difficult due to being in a small apartment in Japan (limited kitchen and living in a country that eats a lot of rice). However, I will give it my best shot! Let me know if there is a recipe I must try! Goal 3: Smile! Brush teeth every morning and night (bonus points for mid day). Smile more. Over the past year I've become less consistent with my oral hygiene due to a wacky schedule. It's time for this to stop. Sinbad is known for his charm, and a big part of that comes from his smile, so I want to have a smile that I am confident in! Life Goal: Study the world around you! Study Japanese 7 days a week (at least 5 days of two hours a day [consisting of grammar, vocabulary, and kanji], and another 2 days of review and practice). I am in Japan, after all, so it's about time I become better at studying Japanese. I've taken a few years of classes, but I have a lot of review that I need to do. In the last challenge I improved, but now it's really time to step it up. Part of Sinbad's travels is him learning about new places and other ways of life, so what better way to do this? Overall Goal: Look Good Naked I'm hoping to cosplay Sinbad at Youmacon (the first week of November). In order to do this character justice, I want to improve my overall figure and become more confident in my appearance. Rather than having a goal like "lose X amount of weight/bf/etc", I'm simply trying to make habits that will result in that on their own. I don't want to worry about the numbers, only the work. I will have this as my overall goal for the next few challenges leading up to November! Thanks for having me, Rangers! I look forward to working among you.

HELLO AGAIN! I know I'm a bit late with my summary, but Saturday night I got on a bus to Tokyo. The next morning I began climbing Mt. Fuji. On Monday Morning at about 4am , I summited, and then the next day I speant in Tokyo. Now I'm back! Goal 1: Workout! Run 5 days a week, and incorporate body weight exercises... week 1: 2 days / week 2: 3 days / week 3: 4 days / week 4: 5 days I know I didn't always run 5 days a week, but looking back I was usually close. I struggled a lot more with adding the body weight exercises. I did, however, do the more as I progressed (although not to the level I had planned). I'm hoping to focus on this more in the next challenge. Grade: B- Goal 2: Cook! Cook 1 meal a day at least six days a week. At least one recipe must be new each week. I think I cooked closer to an average of 5 days a week. I made a few new things, but I know I didn't always get a new recipe every week. I was usually pretty good about it though, and only failed to cook when I was too busy focusing on other aspects of studying abroad. I'm satisfied. Grade: C+ Goal 3: Hydrate! Drink 100 Ounces of Water a day, and limit soft drinks to once a day. I got the Water goal maybe 90% of the time, but I wasn't great at focusing on limiting soft drinks. I had a lot of sports drinks on the really hot days to help stay hydrated. Another goal for the next challenge. Grade: B+ Life Goal: Daily Routine Complete at least three of the following each day, and complete all of them at least: Week 1: 1 time Week 2: 2 times Week 3: 3 times Week 4: 4 times Tasks: Read (20 minutes), Vlog (Film one video OR Edit one video), Study Japanese ( 1.5 hours), Clean (including laundry, dishes, etc. Basically anything in my apartment), Adventure (go somewhere I have never been before), Draw (1 completed sketch of 30 minutes working on full drawing) I didn't always get this. I procrastinated on Japanese a lot and rarely got 1.5 hours when I did. I was decent about Adventure. Drawing and reading not so much towards the end. Vlogging I improved. Cleaning was done regularly. Grade: C+ In Summary: I did do better as the challenge progressed. I didn't always get everything, but I kept trying for the entire challenge regardless. I thing I made some progress, and I'm happy to be back. I'm going to try to prepare for the next challenge better so I can start for day 1 as well! Thank you to all of you who supported me. I hope that I can get to know you all better and be a better supporter in the future. Good job everyone! Overall Grade: B-

Wow! Great Job! Keep it up and finish strong, new Hobbit Sorry I haven't been checking in much, but It's pretty cool to have returned to see this.

Tuesday Results: Goal 1: Workout A run was had. Shorter than I would like, but the main point of this goal is to consistently fit it into my schedule (rather than to improve skill) so that I can step it up more easily next time around. Ab workout as well. Grade: A- Goal 2: Cook I started my morning after the run with grocery shopping. I just made spaggehti at 11:45 pm. Better late than never. Grade: A+ for fitting it in regardless of the rest of my schedule Goal 3: Hydrate Stopped tracking after 92 oz or so, but I drank at least 3+ more glasses after. Thanks, 97 F weather. Grade: A Life Goal: Daily Routine While getting ready to run, I found out that we were rescheduling our Osaka trip due to a friend's illness, so we are going Thursday now. This allowed me to do the above, and: Study Japanese (I spent time reviewing vocab, but didn't get to review a whole chapter of content as scheduled). Do Dishes Do laundry (half) Vlog (renewed software, edited 1.5 vlogs, but still trying to catch up) Read (doing as soon as I log off) I'm heading out to Nara to see the deer early tomorrow morning, so hopefully I can study on the train or something. I should be back in the evening and be able to fit in everything else. Good luck everyone!

It's pretty similar, with the exception of the seasonal menu (except for the Teriyaki burger and Filet-o-ebi (shrimp)). The seasonal menu right now has a Okinawa Pineapple shake, Citrus Cheesecake McFlurry, and Melon Soda Float. You can also choose a salad, corn or chicken nuggets rather than fries if you so choose. DAY SEIZED! thanks for your support

Monday Results Goal 1: Workout Woke up. Vry tired. Said would run this evening. Did not. Grade:F Goal 2: Cook No cooking was done. Grocery shopping was attempted, but the store was closed after my adventure getting there. Grade: F Goal 3: Hydrate Didn't track, sadly, but I was drinking a lot. Grade: B- Life Goal: Daily Routine Today I woke up and went to work. Then I spent a few hours finalizing my Tokyo trip for next weekend (booking accommodations, bus tickets, and MT.FUJI) Then I went shopping with some friends. We intended to find a new grocery store, and got side tracked. We figured since it was the fourth of July, we should celebrate by eating Japanese McDonald's. After that, we ventured into some new stores, and ended up getting contacted by a friend to pick up cake and decorations for a Surprise birthday party for our RA. Ultimately, we made it back around 11pm just in time to catch her getting home from her family celebration. It was great fun, but didn't contribute to my success in these goals. Now, I am off to bed. Tomorrow, I'll be in Osaka, and the next day, Nara. This week is definitely my most cram packed, but I'm having a good time. Hopefully I can salvage more of the remaining days. ONWARD!

Sunday Results: Goal 1: Workout Run: Check Grade:B Goal 2: Cook No cooking was done. Grade: F Goal 3: Hydrate I stopped tracking after I knew I was going to reach my goal due to the heat Grade: A- Life Goal: Daily Routine I studied, cleaned, and Had a nice adventure to Mimurotoji in Kyoto to see the temple and Hydrangeas. Very fun trip. Grade: B (still had other goals for the day that I wasn't able to complete due to the adventure running too long ) ONWARD!

Saturday Results Goal 1: Workout Today I woke up to find 2 things: 1) despite waking up early to avoid the worst of the heat, it was already about 90 F outside 2) my running partner failed to sleep last night and thus bailed on me as a result, no run was had. We planned to make up for it This evening but unforeseen circumstances occupied our time tonight. grade: F Goal 2: Cook I cooked spaghetti. Yay! Grade: A Goal 3: Hydrate I actually tracked my drinks today, and I met my goal. At least something good came out of the 90 F heat. Grade: A+ for getting >100 oz Life Goal: Daily Routine I had a lot more energy today, so yesterday's extra sleep was ultimately the best choice. I woke up and read about 30 pages from my textbook for my study abroad course. After that, I made progress to catching up on my Japanese schedule. I also did Laundry and dishes. I also planned to Edit a Vlog, but I wasn't able to because when attempting to book accommodations for my Tokyo trip, I had some trouble that took 3 hrs longer than expected. Overall: A for effort (and getting back on track, even if I didn't get a Vlog done). I really want to nail week 4, and be as prepared as possible before I go to Tokyo and Fuji. Maximum effort, let's go!

This week's results: Goal 1: Workout Good News: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday I got up and went for a morning run with my friend and running buddy. Bad News: On Monday Afternoon/Evening, I spent most of my time moving into a single apartment (just down the hall, same floor/building) after some roommate issues. It was quite exhausting moving everything, unpacking, and cleaning out the old apartment. The next morning I slept until about 1 pm. I also failed to run Thursday (My buddy and I woke up, met and then decided we were too tired and it would be better to lay on the floor watching stupid videos. So, partial fail. I have been doing ab workouts after runs again, and today we also added in push ups and squats again. We're both beginning to take it much more seriously as we found out we got the time off of work to go climb Mt. Fuji in a little over a week (!!!!). Overall, C+ Goal 2: Cook I have done better, only not cooking on Monday and Wednesday. As a result of missing Wednesday, I made up for it by cooking twice on Thursday. Today I made curry for the first time, and it was pretty good for a first attempt. Overall, B. Goal 3: Hydrate I have been really bad about tracking hydration, but I have been trying very hard to drink a lot. I'm fairly certain that I have been meeting my goal or coming close every day, but I need to start tracking again. Overall, B. Life Goal: Daily Routine I don't remember what I have done every day, but I know that most days haven't been great due to weird stuff this week (like moving). Thursday I did well, nearly catching up in my Japanese studies. Today, however, I failed to accomplish anything from this list after work. I was unusually exhausted, and my 30 min nap turned into 1.75 hours. I did get myself to cook after that, but the day simply went too fast for me. I'm heading off to bed now in hopes that I can get some much needed sleep and have a early start tomorrow to catch up on some of these goals. My apologies for my inactivity, I really want to do a better job holding myself accountable and supporting all of my scouting comrades. I'm trying to make myself log in every day from now until the end of the challenge. Have a good weekend everyone and Keep moving forward.

Good Luck getting back on track. You can do this!

Fri-Saturday Results Goal 1: Workout Yesterday I quite simply didn't work out. Fail. Today though, I went for a 20 Min Run and did some stretching as well as a little bit of ab work and push-ups. Tomorrow I am planning on running with a friend in the morning, so hopefully we both wake up in time. Lol. So I earn a grade of a "C" between these two days. Goal 2: Cook Yesterday I made bacon cheese burgers (not exactly healthy, but I still cooked it from scratch with the limited ingredients I could get my hands on in Japan. So I'm proud!) Today I Made Beef and Broccoli (this time with all of the ingredients) and it worked out much better. Delicious and worth the effort. A+ on this one. Goal 3: Hydrate Yesterday I reached my hydration goal. Today I need one more glass before bed. Almost there! A- for this because I've been chugging a glass before bed to make sure I finish. I need to start drinking earlier in the day! Life Goal: Daily Routine Yesterday I got a Vlog up and that was about it. I was preoccupied finishing my Binge of OITNB season 4. I have no regrets (a once-a-year indulgence). Today I did better. I went grocery shopping, cleaned my room, worked on my budget for the month, and did 15 min of Japanese vocab (not as much as I wanted, but I procrastinated too much to fit more in before bed. It's a start, though). Overall, a "B" for this goal. Have a good weekend everyone and stay strong!

Welcome back! I am doing a cooking challenge too, and I am trying to use the forums more often as well. We got this! Good luck!

Tues-Thurs Results Goal 1: Workout For various reasons, I haven't ran the last few days. Mostly, it has come down to my lack of will to wake up and run in the morning. My evenings keep getting consumed, so I don't have time to run when I would prefer to. I know, excuses, excuses. I did do a 8.5 mile walk/hike today in Kyoto with some friends along the Philosopher's path, which was pretty beautiful (and tiring!) Goal 2: Cook Because I knew I would be out today, I cooked twice yesterday. First, I made french toast in the morning. Then, I made Omurice for the first time at night. I also had leftovers that helped me get through today without eating out. Goal 3: HydrateEach of the last three days has been better, with today being peak hydration. I did a good job drinking 85% water, and was over 100 oz. Life Goal: Daily Routine I've edited 2 vlogs, read once, studied Japanese 0 times, and worked on 0 sketches. However, today I went on quite the Adventure in Kyoto, which was well worth my time. I'm hoping to get on Japanese and drawing over the weekend, and keep editing vlogs before I lose my free trial of my software OTZ I hope everyone else is doing well!

Good job with your goals and Keep moving forward

I'm glad to see you haven't given up. Here's one of my favorite quotes from one of my favorite people to send you into week 2 with

Awesome to hear about your innovative sandals Mad respect. Also, Love the Inside Out Clip. Good luck in Week 2! Keep up the good work!

Welcome to the Scouts! I too have returned from a long leave of absence, and it's good to be back. I look forward to seeing you accomplish these goals. KICK BUTT!

Awesome! Good luck!

In awe of your workout abilities. Those Distances (sometimes 2 a days) AND Lifting?? Awesome! Keep of the good work! Let's show week 2 what we've got!

Monday's Results Goal 1: Workout I didn't budget my time well today, so it became to late to go for a run. HOWEVER, I decided that it would be a good time to establish a baseline for Push-ups/squats/sit ups as I hadn't done anything like that yet. I basically went until I felt I needed a break before doing more. I'm hoping to improve these numbers as I go on through this challenge (I haven't done much but run for the last 6 months, so I need to add these back in!). Push-Up: 10 Sit up: 25 Squat: 45 Goal 2: Cook This morning I revamped yesterday's breakfast with B.A.T. Toast (Bacon, Avocado, Tomato), and another piece of Avocado toast with a sunny side up egg. Delicious! I also made garlic bread this evening while my roommate made spaghetti. Goal 3: HydrateI procrastinated a little this morning, but I'm almost done! I have about 20 more oz to drink before I go to bed, and I am on track to do so. Much improved from yesterday!Life Goal: Daily Routine I FINALLY was able to sort out my Vlog editing process, and got my first one edited for the challenge. This took a while though, so I wasn't able to make Japanese a part of the day. I was, however, able to get all of my laundry washed (now folding!) and I'm going to read when I get into bed, so this is a win for today! Good start to week 2

The app I have been using reminds me on the hour, but when I'm working, I can't check my phone. I also am having trouble navigating access to fluids, as the break room is in a different area then me, so I can't keep a water bottle on me. We also only get one 15 minute break most days, so It's not like I can go in often. The good news is it's only part time, so most days will be shorter than Sunday was, allowing me better access. At home, I'm trying to use a larger glass and fill it up every time I empty it. I think I may buy a nice water bottle to carry as an incentive to drink more, though. I'm usually much better about water, but the options here are much more interesting to me than what I have back home. Part of the experience is trying new things, so I'm doing my best to balance water and other things. The B.A.T. salad thing was wonderful, and I transferred it into B.A.T. Toast this morning, as well as a peice of Avocado toast with a sunny side up egg on top. Yum! Thanks to both of you for checking in and keeping me motivated

Sunday's Results Goal 1: Workout Unfortunately, I was working the majority of the day, and didn't make it out for a run/workout. My day started a few hours earlier than normal because we had neighborhood clean up, which our elderly neighbor's decided should start shortly after sunrise. Then I speant most of the remainder of the day working, getting off at 9pm, at which point I was too tired to run. Next time I have a day like this I won't have an obligation in the morning, so I'll begin my day with a run. Goal 2: Cook I WAS able to be proactive in this goal knowing my schedule, and made breakfast so I wouldn't have to worry about lunch/dinner (as I was working). I had a plate of bacon, Avocado, and Tomato (kind of like a salad?). I also had part of a mango that I included in a cup of Mango Calpis (If you've never had Calpis, especially Mango Calpis, you MUST try some at an international store in the US). It was probably the highlight of my day. Goal 3: HydrateI was so busy I didn't get to track much, but I'm sure I didn't reach my hydration goal. I was thirsty all day (Ironically enough, I was surrounded by water, as I work as a waiter on a dinner cruise). Life Goal: Daily Routine I suppose neighborhood clean up counts as a chore, but otherwise nothing was accomplished (besides some Japanese used at work).

HAHA true. We did walk a ways to and from the train stations and at the beach, but nothing too intense. I think the latter fine print seems more likely, although I'm in Japan right now and I've found it quite difficult to meet people here.

Today's results:Goal 1: WorkoutI was out with a friend all day, so unfortunately I didn't get a run or workout of any kind in. Goal 2: CookThe bad news: I only made toast today. The good news: I didn't eat out. Between leftovers and what I had at home, I got by. Goal 3: HydrateI met my goal, although only half was water. The other half was "Aquarius", a Japanese sports beverage that helped me survive the heat today. Life Goal: Daily RoutineI woke up this morning to find that the software I was downloading worked! I'm still learning it, but the trial should get me through the next week. No vlog finished, but one started as I sort through files. I also did laundry today. This morning and afternoon, I ventured to Omi-Maiko beach with a friend. We enjoyed swimming in the surprisingly clear lake, and relaxing on the beach. Adventure ftw! It was a great easy to spend the 90 F day. I also got in some reading while there, so A+ for this goal today.

Today's results: Goal 1: Workout I completed a 2 mile run this evening with a friend. We weren't running all out but it was fun! Goal 2: Cook I followed a recipe for Beef and Broccoli stir fry. It was alright, but I'm sure it would have been better had we found all of the ingredients before the grocery store closed! Goal 3: Hydrate I am finishing up my last glass for the day today, and I met my 100 oz goal! Again! Although, too much of what I logged today was soda/juice. Although I stayed hydrated, I need to avoid them more. I just couldn't help myself when I went to Karaoke and had the drink bar with friends! Life Goal: Daily Routine I attempted to get new software, but had some computer issues today, so the vlogs stil go unedited. I didn't study Japanese, but I did work at my internship today and had a little practice there. I will once again read before I go to bed. I probably would have had more time for all of this had OITNB season 4 not come out today. I count this as half credit, but I need to do better.