Piccolojones

Final Challenge Update: Balancing my Fitness: Saturday fell apart, but I still got a good workout on Sunday. +3 this week (+18 cumulative, Grade: B) +2.25 STR +0.75 CHA +0.75 CON Balancing my Schoolwork: I successfully made it so I didn't have any homework on Sunday. +1 this week. (+4 cumulative, Grade: C) +2.5 WIS Balancing my Social Tendencies: Nothing new to add to my previous update from this week +3 (+14 cumulative, Grade: A) +5 CHA As a quick recap, this is where I was 6 weeks ago: I feel like I'm well on my way to completing my main quest, although I can keep working on it. I'll be working on my next main quest for this upcoming challenge. Here are my new stats: Height: 5' 9.5" +0 (no surprise) Weight: 143 lbs -1 (that's actually a surprise to me. Apparently, my body's still in the recomposition phase) Waist: 28.5" -.5" (Evidence of that recomp) Current Work Sets Gains: Incline Bench: 145 lbs +40 lbs (This is huge. Plus, I surpassed my bodyweight for bench press!) Row: 130 lbs +5 lbs (I did deloaded some this challenge to make sure my form was perfect. Building back up again, but with better form) Press: 105 lbs +5 lbs (These suckers are getting ridiculously hard. Love it.) Deadlift: 215 lbs +5 lbs (I ran out of room on my bar, so I've just been increasing my set or rep numbers. So far up to 3 sets of 5. Chin-Up: BW+36 lbs +16 lbs (I maxed out the weight vest. Need to figure something else out for increasing the weight. I need to lock down my workout routine more. But even so, I kept making gains, and some of them are pretty impressive to me. Obviously, my bench gains were crazy, but I'm doing chin ups with 1/4 my bodyweight added on!

Update: Balancing my Fitness: So far I've got two this week, but I should have plenty of time to work out today for the third, and I think a group of friends is going to work out tomorrow, so that should push me up over my goal of 18. And of course, I'm still riding high from my bench press accomplishment on Thursday!! So far, +2 (+17 cumulative) Balancing my Schoolwork: Other than working out, my main objective for today is to complete homework. I should be able to finish it before tomorrow. Here we go! +0 (+3 cumulative) Balancing my Social Tendencies: This week I met an adjunct professor in the school library. I mistook him for a student. And then our school talent show was last night, so my dad and I struck up a conversation with a student and her mother. +3 (+14 cumulative)

Welcome, Kat! and good luck! I haven't used any of those apps, but I feel like I've heard about that type of app before. I think in general I just use Mint.com, which isn't really the same type of app, but gives a good overview of how everything's looking. Good job on keeping the spending down on vacation! I know that can be tough, with all the eating out and attractions and souvenirs. It sounds like you guys are making tracks on your budget. Good work! And I'll be praying for you and your husband; OT is hard on both spouses. This isn't going to be easy for you, but you can do it! As far as the investment fund stuff, unfortunately, I can't help you at all. Have you tried contacting one of Dave's ELPs? They're remarkably helpful, even if you don't end up going through with them.

Hope the new chiropractor works out! Maybe I wasn't paying much attention, but how are you doing on your social goals?

So tough, but I did it! 145 lbs bench press at a body weight of 143 lbs. Woo! It was crazy, my first set felt super heavy and I failed after 2 reps, but I rested a full 5 minutes, then went at it and powered through 5 reps. Then my last set I failed at 2 reps again. I feel so accomplished! Wooo!

Thanks, man. I'm pushing on strong, although I'm not getting out much this week, so I don't know when I'll meet someone new. I might just have to go for a walk on Thursday or Friday. Weeks? No way! I cleared my 140x5x3 on Sunday, so I'm due to hit 145 lbs tomorrow. I can do it, fresh, I just didn't want to rush ahead of my normal weight progressions. So I've been gradually increasing the weight, and watching as my weight stayed basically the same. Also, the Heroes vs. Villains PVP threw me off one week, because were doing overkill on pushups, so I didn't actually make any weight progress on my bench that week. I'm so ready for tomorrow!

Good job on the OHP. I echo Big Show's advice. Just keep going. I always make sure that I'm gripping super tightly, so I was gradually strengthening my grip as my weight increased. (Stronglifts has a slower progression that SS, it seems)

I how much our nerd sides shine through in something like this. "This element didn't quite seem fair, how can we tweak it to make it better? Sure it'll take more work, but LET'S USE MOAR NUMBERZZZ!" It's wonderful. Also, my ab hurts.

I think she meant, don't kill anyone, or cast any "ultimate" spells that, somehow can't be worked around. Thanks to that squiggly thing in our heads, though, even "ultimates" like a shield that, when deactivated, launches hallucinogenic poisoned, villain-homing darts, were able to be worked around by those crafty villains. But we don't want someone walking in and activating a hidden atom bomb just because they could throw down 15 points in a hit. That being said, I think it's appropriate to scale the size/effectiveness of our "attacks" to the number of points we can throw at something. So no saving the entire city with 1 point.

Update: Balancing my Fitness: That was close. Almost didn't get in 3. But I did. And I was incline benching 3 pounds shy of my bodyweight. I'm so pumped. This has been a goal of mine for a while now. +3 (+15 cumulative) Balancing my Schoolwork: Sadly, Sunday became a homework day. +0 (+3 cumulative) Balancing my Social Tendencies: I think I talked to new people this week? But I can't remember who! And I was too busy to update midweek.. I'll give it a +0 since I can't remember, but.. I'm still doing well. (+11 cumulative)

Be careful with that knee, man. Don't wanna mess that up. Ice. Or was it heat? I can't remember. But good to see you're still going strong. Glad to see you're OHP is going up again. I expect to see full sets of full reps at 32.5 next time you do them!

Good to see you back. Sorry about everything crazy on you. But just keep moving, keep lifting, and the results will come. Discipline+perseverance > Life's crap Keep going, man. You got this.

Too brain tired to be clever and role play this. But I've got a few things to add. More data entry, started an email campaign for the youth camp I'm on staff with, prepped for youth group (lots of stuff here, but I'll count it as one), prepped for course monitoring for our church's 5k run this morning, and helped my roommate clean our room a little bit.

Yay for discipline and momentum! Good job!

Not really sure how to do this in role playing, so I'm just gonna shoot straight. Got in some data entry for work, sent out a postcard to a new student, did some personal finance stuff. Not too bad for 5 minute tasks, even if they took a little longer than 5 minutes.

Do you eat before you lift? Or do you lift fasted? Also how long do you rest between sets? Don't move up in weights next time. Stick w/ 30kg and see if you can knock out full sets with good form. If you can complete that, then move up to 32.5. If you can't complete a set, DON'T DROP THE WEIGHT. Take a full 5 mins and try for another full set at 32.5. You get stronger by pushing against your limits. If you keep taking the weight back down, you're telling your body that it's okay to not lift 32.5, so it will take a LONG time to adapt properly to let you lift the 32.5. The key to these beginner programs is progressive overload. You should very rarely be regressing in weights.

I know this is a bit late, but this weekend was crazy for me. Here's my update through Sunday. Also, this week is an irregular school week, so it's definitely the time to get a move on my homework! Update: Balancing my Fitness: I didn't end up getting in a workout on Saturday (I forgot about a meeting I had), but I did get a workout in on Sunday with some friends, which was good. +3 (+12 cumulative) Balancing my Schoolwork: Homework monster was slain this week! +1 (+3 cumulative) Balancing my Social Tendencies: Remember that meeting? Well I was carpooling with someone I've never met before (that's 1), then talked with a new girl before and after that meeting (that's 2). Finally, on Sunday, there was a new girl at our college-young adult group that I got to welcome and get to know (that's 3) I'm killin this challenge! +3 for this week. (+11 cumulative)

I love that these two are reality, not your role-play explanations.

Now that the city has been secured, it's time to engage in the less glorious side of leadership. I plod over to my desk, pull out a stack of envelopes, pull out a charcoal nub and piece of paper. These correspondences were way overdue. And so, I begin to write... (Responded to an email that I've been carefully ignoring, but knew I needed to deal with.)

Yikes! I was wondering how you were knocking out so many squats. Almost 1000... I'm in awe! Good work. Final Tallies for the Week: Underground (V+2) Water Supply (Tied) City Perimeter (H+11) Looks like the villains were successfully pushed back from the city perimeter, but as all good villains (oxymoron?) do, they merely turned and took to the catacombs beneath the city. Tune in next week for the next chapter of our thrilling battle, HEROES VS. VILLAINS!

I just realized that you haven't been updating on the spreadsheet. I got you covered.