Revah

I'd love to join in with this too! I'm working on increasing the number of knee pushups I can do in a set right now and this seems a good way to keep track.

Hi Wolf, I also dropped out of school at 17 due to anxiety and depression and had a few rough years afterwards. I know what that feels like - and it's awful having to figure out whether/how much of your past to disclose to employers and such. I am so pleased to hear that you've had such a great Easter and I hope this is a sign of good things to come for you! I do think that physical wellbeing has a big impact on state of mind, and it's your mind and spirit that determine the way you view the world, no matter what your situation. I've visited a few Unitarian churches and they're wonderful places - unfortunately not local enough for me to attend regularly, but it's something you might want to look into. Knowing the type of person you want to be, your 'best self' is the first step. You can become that person - through a lifetime of small steps in the right direction along that road. And I'm new here too, but it seems like NF is a good place to meet fellow walkers!

Let's see - I love Star Trek, have been to a couple of conventions (not in costume though, unless my Bajoran earring counts!). Stargate is perhaps even better and I had the biggest platonic crush ever on Daniel Jackson. Lord of the Rings got me seriously into conlangs and I used to maintain my own website on Quenya Elvish back around ther time the films were released. I love reading social/anthropological SF novels with alien characters who actually seem alien. Cherryh is my favourite author for that I think. Historical fiction is also awesome, as is fantasy with historical influences (I love ASOIAF!) I was in the SCA for a while. I love RPGs, both console-based and the online forum kind that are more like shared storytelling. I'm fairly intelligent (or so I like to think...), but I didn't go to college - I just read nonfiction on any topic that interests me. I have lots on sociology and physics. I love etymology and am overly amused by the literal meanings of things. I used to be heavily into political activism and describe myself as a libertarian radical-cultural feminist. I was a teenage goth and into pagan and alternative spirituality. I'm also asexual (my views on romantic relationships are similar to Sheldon Cooper's. ). I love learning new things too and tend to go through phases where I'm completely devoted to learning all about whatever it is that I've currently picked up on as being interesting (right now it's healthy eating and fitness, thanks to NF...) Oh, and I think Firefly was the best show ever and still can't believe it got cancelled. ...but I really don't like Glee. I think I get nerd points for at least some of that ^^

Thanks, everyone! I'm on my way to achieving a couple of them and will post with updates when I do. You're absolutely right; the reason I left it vague was because I'm still not sure on the details. I'll know it when I get there. My problem at the moment is that one arm is much stronger than the other (just tested out with a biceps curl at 5lb, I can do 8 reps easily with one arm and just 1 with the other). I've also got the issue that the next step up from my 5lb dumbbell is a 10lb dumbbell, which is sort of a big jump in weight. (I exercise at home, so I've got to work with what I have) I can do a couple of dumbbell rows with my stronger arm with it, but that's about it. So I need to get really comfortable with the 5s (20+ reps with each arm for each exercise I do regularly, maybe?) before I switch up.

My current FWP: My sister went shopping and now my kitchen is full of sugary donuts and pastries. Oh well. +1 to willpower, no baked goods for me today!

Really? Wow. ...then again, I was raised by a single dad and so a lot of the weird cultural trappings of femaleness that I'm reading about in the other thread just seem bizarre to me. Best advice a guy ever gave me as a geeky teenager: when you're freaking out over something, just ask yourself What Would Spock Do? Yeah, it's about as nerdy as it gets, but it sort of works. Yay for logic.

Okay, if I'm allowed to stereotype: I love the way men will listen to my problems and then actually offer practical solutions, or encourage me to come up with them on my own. It's just what I need when I'm a bit emotional and need something to kickstart my rational thinking again. Sort of - yes, I agree that sucks, now what can you do about it?

Bumblebee4, I'm sorry that you went through all that. :/ My family's got a pattern of alcoholism so I know how hard it is when family members suffer with addiction. All I can say is that given your circumstances, it's no wonder you're behind with paperwork and such. It can't have been a priority for you with everything else you had going on. My issue was depression. I've overcome it now, but some of the old habits stick around far longer than they ought to. I like the idea of 15 minutes a day. I think I could get myself started if I knew it was only 15 minutes that I had to do it for - and then if I get in the zone and want to carry on, all is good. I think I'm going to join you in that. Cold showers - eep! Saying that, I do turn the water down cold for 30 seconds after my nice hot shower. I do like the rationale behind it though. Perhaps a future challenge. Lists - I know some people swear by them, but they don't work for me, I get to the end of the day and look at my half-completed list and then don't carry on with it. I do go online first thing in the morning. It's actually a good thing for me because it gets me out of bed at 6am (or earlier!). If I don't get up, I don't have any internet time before leaving for work. I like getting up early, and I like the relaxation of a cup of tea and some internet reading before I have to properly start my day, so that's one habit I want to keep.

This is awesome. Thank you. It was so nice to come back and have a read of this thread and know that I've got people encouraging me, people who don't think that my goals are crazy. I think it's true ^^ that I just need to stop talking about it with them, the same way that I don't talk about my geeky interests with my family because I know they don't share them and are just going to be bored if I bring them up. The difference is that the person who is now being so negative is the very same person who used to complain all the time that I was too unhealthy and never got any exercise. I guess exercise is fine as long as I do it the way he thinks I should do it (excessive cardio, maybe with tiny pink dumbbells), but if I come up with my own plan, it's obviously doomed because being a sedentary person I know nothing about physical activity. Never mind that it's carefully researched and I don't have unrealistic expectations. I'm just going to keep on with the plan, and remember I'm doing it for myself and not for the approval of anybody else. I'm not an assertive person, so other people's opinions get to me sometimes - but hey, I've got to be the protagonist of my own story, not a side character in theirs, right?

Thank you all! It's true that I probably need to plan a bit better and make things that I can refrigerate. I love the idea of making my own veggie burgers so I'll try that, likewise with making big batches of food at the weekend and keeping it. I don't know about tinned beans specifically - I know that I don't like tinned veggies because they just don't taste right compared to fresh, I assumed beans (or anything else in tins) would be similar. Protein powder is probably a good idea. I'm dropping weight without trying to at the moment (4lb since I started cleaning up my diet all of a week ago!) and I'm worried about losing what little muscle I have A little smoothie after a workout might help fix that. Ack, and now I went and looked at my peanut butter and saw that it contains added peanut oil (not so bad) but also sugar! I guess next time I'll have to go for the expensive brand.

They keep respawning! Help! Seriously, I have problems getting things done. I spend far more time sitting and looking at pointless stuff on the internet and thinking about what I have to do than actually doing it. I find that once I get started, I'm fine. I can work 6 hours flat-out on an essay or paperwork or house cleaning or whatever I have to do, if it's necessary (I prefer not to get into the situation where that is necessary, but if I need to, I can do it.) So it's not that I'm lazy so much as that I just have zero self-discipline. It's the getting started that is seemingly impossible. Just one more YouTube video/blog to read/TV show to catch up on first, right? Anyone gone from inert to organized and want to tell me how they did it? I'm thinking of appealing to my inner 4-year-old and going for a sticker chart where I can track not only exercise but other life stuff too (different coloured stickers FTW!)

I've actually managed to improve my eyesight a little, without actively trying to. All I did was stop wearing my glasses when reading. I noticed that I could see the book just as well without them as with, so decided to give it a try. Two years later and I've gone from -6 diopters to -4.5. Now, I'm still reliant on glasses for everything else and I don't know if my vision will improve any further (and if it does, it's definitely a long-term thing) or if it would work for anyone else, but I was pleasantly surprised when I visited the optician, because as far as I know myopia doesn't usually spontaneously reverse itself, and my sight had been in steady decline since age six.

What do you do when the people you care about most aren't supportive? I'm new to all this. By that, I mean, I'm still struggling to finish my workouts with little 10lb dumbbells. Just for some perspective on where these comments are coming from. I talked about my intentions and goals with a family member last night, and these are the comments I got: - You shouldn't lift anything that heavy. - (upon my explanation) Wait, you actually want to build muscle? That's weird. Most women just want to tone. - Women don't use the weights at the gym anyway. - So you think that in a few weeks you'll be bench-pressing 90lbs? (laughter) (Note: I never said anything about quick or dramatic results! Just that I wanted to improve and lift more...) - I really don't think it's a good idea. So there's a part of me now that wants to work even harder and prove him wrong, but another part that's sort of disappointed that I won't be getting any support at home. :/ It does make it that bit more difficult to stay motivated.

So I'm trying to transition away from processed foods, and I'm finding I have a bit of problem with my protein intake. As it stands, it mainly consists of eggs, peanut butter, and meat substitute products (veggie burgers, sausages, etc.) Yesterday I actually looked at the ingredients list for my veggie burger and it's just too long which leads me to believe it's not as healthy as I imagined. So I need some new ideas, both for meals and quick snacks. Restrictions: - vegetarian, obviously - no cheese - as few ingredients as possible - I don't mind cooking, but I'm on a tight budget, so simplified ideas work best. (I have got spices!) I know the obvious answer might be beans, but the long soaking/cooking time means they're impractical for weekdays when I'm working (and I'm trying to avoid stuff that comes in tins!) The rest of my (new, improved) diet is mostly fruit, vegetables, porridge made with soya milk, brown rice, wholewheat pasta, potatoes, eggs, and wholemeal bread with peanut butter, if that helps any. I'm not currently cutting back on carbs, just switching out the white bread and doughnuts for slightly healthier options. My favorite meal when I have time to cook it is homemade vegetable soup - tastes great, lasts for days, and uses up all my leftover veggies. Any ideas would be much appreciated!

So I love this idea, and I want to track from the very beginning! For those who haven't read my intro thread, I'm Revah, and I'm hoping to make slow but steady progress. I've got a physical disability (-STR, -DEX ), so I won't be able to level up as quickly as most people here, but I'm determined to try all the same. Achievements already completed before joining NF: - Qualify as a teaching assistant - Travel abroad alone - Volunteer teach in Africa - Improve my eyesight (-6 diopters to -4.5) - Beat depression (one hell of a boss fight ) Level 1 Fitness Achievements: (to be upgraded once completed!) - 50 knee pushups - 50 bodyweight squats - Use 5kg dumbbells comfortably for high-rep workouts - 5 mile walk - 1 minute plank Fitness Challenges (things to try) - Go to a gym (and lift weights there!) - Take a belly dancing class - Try indoor rock climbing - Go Paleo for 30 days Fitness End Goals - Lift my own bodyweight - Go on a day hike of at least 15 miles, carrying backpack - 100 pushups - 200 bodyweight squats Short Term Life Achievements: - Create an inspiration board - Memorize Desiderata - Get a tattoo - Take an evening class in something I know nothing about - Get my iron level high enough to donate blood again - Write a statement of my life values and philosophy and post it online - Use rationality to overcome my anxiety attacks - 15 minutes declutter for 30 days Long Term Life Achievements: - Continue improving my sight - Buy a house - Publish a short story - Write a novel - Start my own business - Foster a child More to be added as I decide on them!