Deckard

8-18-17 Log Tough day yesterday! But made all the better in that I got to see the Chicago Symphony Orchestra play the Fellowship of the Ring live! An absolutely great time. -Recorded everything I ate. No distraction-free meals yesterday, but will bounce back today. -2 mile walk in the morning. I may remove the bodyweight circuit portion of my challenge. The walks are going well, and I'm enjoying them. Incremental steps are crucial for me, so maybe I will introduce strength training into next month's challenge rather than trying to do it all at once. - No piano yesterday but I'm back at it today. -No AICP studying, but I'm here at the library right now for a long study session. What I'm learning so far is not to let missing a day get in the way of bouncing back the next day. If I miss a meal recording, just make sure to do it tomorrow. Miss a study session? Don't pull your hair out, and just do it tomorrow. This cycle of guilt and shame at myself for not following through always impacts my progress more than just picking back up where I left off. So overall, things are going well. Until next time!

8-17-17 Log - Recorded everything I ate. No distractions at dinner. - 2 mile walk in the afternoon - No AICP studying. I think this one is gonna be the big issue for me, so it'll be important to prioritize this during the day. It's an intimidating exam, so breaking my procrastination will be crucial here. - 60 minutes at the piano. I'm currently working on an arrangement of the Star Trek First Contact theme. Just about finished with page one of a three page score.

Thanks J3NN! I'm trying to learn from past experience of being too ambitious starting out, and restricting my goals to what I think is achievable. Thanks for the encouragement!

Greetings all! New here on the boards but I've been familiar with Nerd Fitness for quite a while. I'm 31 years old, a brand new father, work as an urban planner, and recently woke up to realize I've gained 30 pounds over my normal weight over the last 2 years. Remarkable how slow and steady it was to make it all seem normal. But suddenly my clothes don't fit and I can't run a mile anymore without some serious exhaustion. So here I am at 202 pounds, with some not great attitudes toward food (lots of bingeing and overeating), and some frustrating body image issues after a life of being used to being 170 pounds. This challenge is going to be very conservative . I need to get a handle on portions, get an idea about what I am actually eating every day and what kind of exercise is right for me at this time, and be kinder to myself after a few months of beating myself up over this weight gain. Without further babbling, here goes: Long term quest: Get back down to my fighting weight (170), get stronger and leaner, and develop a healthier and more enjoyable relationship with food. Secondary quest: Pass my AICP (basically the Bar Exam for Urban Planners), and develop my piano repertoire. Fitness Exercise: Three bodyweight circuits per week. Daily 2 mile walks on off days. Food: Overall goal is to get a hold on bad habits and develop a healthier relationship with food. One mindful no distractions meal daily. Write down everything I eat for the duration of the challenge. AICP Study: Daily exam study of at least 45 minutes. Long intensive three hour sessions on Saturday and Sunday. Piano Daily practice of at least 20 minutes a day focused on one piece. No moving on to a new piece until the current piece is complete. And that's all. Short and sweet. I hope to use this page as my daily log and post here regularly. Look forward to following along with others. Cheers all!