Blade

"Taking it easier" doesn't sound applicable here, at least based on my experience crawling through attics retrofitting insulation. Awesome real world application of fitness!

Today was good food-wise, not as good other-goal-wise. Ate well, grocery shopped and made more food, and am feeling pretty good about setting a solid foundation for eating much better than I had been in recent months. Spent the past few days trying to nail down meal plans and figure out what food I could grab in a pinch when I didn't have time to cook. On the job and fitness side, it's been slow going. I've had a few nagging injuries over the past few months, and have been frustrated that I'm not back to my pre-injury state. Will do my best to ramp up slowly, but for better and for worse, I tend to either dive into things or avoid them altogether. Similar deal on the job front. Hoping that with the food side of things sorted out, I'll be able to move my pants-kicking energies to working out and finding a job. Appreciating this challenge and being able to click around and see other folks working hard on their lives. Keep it up, ya'll. Daily Goal Progress: 1) Running: None, got busy 2) Chin-ups: None, off day 3a) Food log: Logged all food 3b) Measurements: N/A 3c) Fast: Complete for the week 3d) Booze: 0 drinks (Weekly Total: 1) 4) Job apps: 0 new apps sent (Weekly Total: 1) 5) Cold Shower: showered late last night, so no shower today (6 Week Challenge Total: 3/4) 6) Woodworking: no work done, but a couple new tools came in! 7) Financial: spent some money, but on food and metro fare, so pretty necessary Food Log: Going strong. Not full paleo, which wasn’t a goal anyway, but I’m trying to lean that way. Doing well so far. And I somehow managed to keep walking past a half dozen jelly donuts on the bakery clearance rack while at the grocery store today… big win! Breakfast: one egg, 3 pieces turkey bacon, half an onion, salsa, hot sauce, homemade tomato juice Snack: banana Lunch: tuna in 2 large lettuce leaves, 2 corn tortillas with PB and J Afternoon Snack: 1 pc turkey bacon Dinner: chicken, broccoli, mushrooms and onion with tomato sauce and one egg Dessert: apple with PB, almonds For Tomorrow: Actually run. Complete two job apps. Read a little. Do landscaping work.

From Massachusetts, spent 4 years in Maine for college. Loved my time there. Haven't been back since '09, but hopefully one day soon...

If you're ever in Winslow, ME for some reason, check out The Lobster Trap. Overlooks the Kennebec River, has great seafood and local beer, and a beautiful view, especially when it's warm. Which is basically two weeks in July. Kidding! Sort of...

Awesome! You're on your way to a Ron Swanson-level epic-stache. Nice!

Welcome to the Rangers and to C Squad! Your goals look great, but I have to say... between 8 pull ups and getting a PhD, it seems like your STR and WIS numbers should be higher. Best of luck with everything!

Well before my time, and I had to go look up the reference, but that works for me!

No wonder the Eye of Sauron always looked so angry and inflamed. Couldn't see and needed some eye drops.

You're doing awesome. I can relate to having to turn down treats - I had to drag myself past the bakery counter today at the grocery after spotting a half dozen jelly donuts. So dangerous. Best of luck with your goals, especially the Diet Coke. Never been a fan myself, but I've had friends, professors, and relatives who would no sooner give that up than stop breathing, so extra good for you!

Sweet, an epic battle. Thanks for linking to the AoM article - I may have to test myself against it sometime in June to see how I measure up to you manly fellas. Best of luck to both of you (and ever so slightly more to Loren - fellow Ranger and Lycan, after all - gotta support the home team)!

Great Odin's raven, I love that song. And Top Gun in its entirety, for that matter. Wish I lived closer to Indiana so I could take you up on the punching for $30/hour offer - sounds like one heck of a deal. You've got good goals and, from the sounds of it, a good plan. Get after it!

Love the avatar pic - that's totally badass. I don't know if you're a Lord of the Rings fan, but your dilemma with second breakfast made me chuckle. In seriousness, though, I find that eggs and oatmeal are the best breakfast foods for keeping me full. I love cold cereal, but like you, I'm starving a short time later. I don't think it's bad to be hungry when lunchtime rolls around, but if you're starving, it sounds like you should be eating more earlier in the day - especially if it's following a workout. That's just my two cents - best of luck with your goals!

Welcome to the Rangers, and to C Squad. Best of luck with your goals!

Your goals look terrific. How's the progress going so far?

Damn those nefarious wizards. Love your second goal - I can definitely relate to the outrage that results in not using something that you've sunk valuable time and effort into. Best of luck with all your goals. I have a feeling you're going to knock them out.

I agree with Crooked. The scale definitely doesn't tell the whole story, and Steve wrote a good article about it here. That said, I definitely understand the desire to lose a few pounds. I'm shooting for the same thing, but making sure I add measurements into the equation - i.e., body fat, using a measuring tape around my stomach, etc. Welcome to the Rangers, and to Squad C! Best of luck, you'll do great!

Best of luck with the 5K. You're right - the only possible downside of the Rangers being so popular is the huge amount of content to try to sort through. I've subscribed to a few folks who look interesting and/or have similar goals as I do, and I try to say hi to folks who haven't gotten many responses in a while. On the plus side, lots of great people to pull motivation from!

Great goals, and with an avatar like that, I can't imagine how you won't succeed. Best of luck!

Meat sale for the win! Stick with it, you've got some great goals!

Nice progress. Talking to adolescents (or anyone, really) with issues and giving them a little help trumps most everything. Good for you! And thanks for sharing the Rippetoe link - I'm laughing my ass off right now. Favorite thus far is this: "...what should my ideal body weight be for this program? Have you made a table for this, or what do you recommend?" - Trainee "Your ideal bodyweight as an ectomorph at 6' 0" will be 214.378 lbs. There. Happy? And if you lose or gain a pound, I will have you killed. It is important to be ideal.." - Rip

I'm happy to be doing it in May - if this challenge were starting in November... oof, don't think my brain's that tough. Thanks! Wish I were closer to a body of water to jump into, that sounds like an awesome mid-run break. Good luck with your challenge!

Awesome, awesome life goal. You'll have a blast.

Nice goals, welcome to the Rangers. Best of luck!

The next time I'm approached by some random person who I don't want to talk to, I'm definitely saying "Sorry! Pancakes!" and running away. And I apologize for adding absolutely nothing of value to this thread. Best of luck with the clean eating!

Progress today - ate a lot better, got some work done on job apps (though not as many completed as hoped - several partially done), and got some body weight exercises done. Planking has come a long way, I'm happy to say. I took my cold shower right after working out, and it didn't feel as ice cold as it has the past couple days. Either I'm turning a corner, or I need to always shower right after a workout when the blood's flowing. On to tomorrow! Daily Goal Progress: 1) Running: None, off day 2) Chin-ups: None – dislocated thumb still nagging – got through a bunch of planks, push ups and squats though 3a) Food log: Logged all food 3b) Measurements: N/A 3c) Fast: Complete for the week 3d) Booze: 0 drinks (Weekly Total: 1) 4) Job apps: 1 new apps sent (Weekly Total: 1) 5) Cold Shower: taken (6 Week Challenge Total: 3/3) 6) Woodworking: no work done 7) Financial: spent $72 on train ticket home from a wedding Food Log: Much better than yesterday! Breakfast: three eggs with half an onion, salsa and hot sauce, homemade tomato juice Snack: banana Lunch: tuna with peas and carrots, turkey bacon Afternoon Snack: PB and J on a tortilla, protein powder Dinner: chicken stir fry, split pea soup For Tomorrow: Continue the improved eating. Grocery shop for more healthy food. Run. Complete five job apps. Read a little. Hopefully do some landscaping work.