chriskra

Read Thrawn, it was a pretty fun read, but it seemed kinda forced when storylines kept coincidentally coninciding. I haven't gotten to any other EU stuff, but the ones that have gotten high praise are: - Darth Bane series - I, Jedi - Rogue Squadron

The Kingkiller Chronicles is an AMAZING series! Not saying that it surpasses LOTR or anything like that, but Rothfuss writes beautifully and I think that it is a MUST READ for fantasy fans.

awesome answer. thanks man!

I was wondering what kind of meals are ideal to eat before and after workout? Specific nutrients I should be focusing on as well as just ideas of some meals that you guys eat in these situations. Thanks.

Hey. I started here about a year ago, and at the time everything was going well. I had my diet going right, I worked out regularly, I was getting healthy. Then life happened and about 6 months ago I just flat stopped worrying about my health and fitness. I eat whatever is delicious and convenient and I don't get any kind of exercise except for walking at work. I am unhealthy! It is time to turn that around. I have a lot of things to work on, so for now I'm just gonna focus on one or two things at a time, and I think getting back involved with this community will give me some motivation. Here's to a fruitful journey!

In reality I don't mind plain water. I was just thinking of it as an occasional thing when I'm craving something sweet.

So I am sure everybody has heard of these new water flavor enhancers they have been selling for the past year or so. I tried one the other night for the first time (Mio Bluberry Lemonade) and it was DELICIOUS! Which brings me to my question. It has zero calories, so where are those flavors coming from and what are they doing inside my body? More importantly, is this an acceptably healthy way to add some literal flavor to the most important, frequent part of my diet?

Sorry I havent been checking in on many of your challenges, has been quite a hectic week. I will rectify this matter ASAP (tomorrow). Forgive me? Core: Today I upped my rolling planks by 15 seconds, making each hold (left, center, right) last for 1 minute each. Although this seemed like a small change, it kicked my butt! But, that's the beauty of it. I'm sure if I keep doing it, it will be easier next week and so on, and I may even be increasing it beyond that before too long. Leveling up my core! Side note: was laying down on my floor after handstand work and reached up while simultaneously having my hand on my stomach, and though I still have a little belly fat, I haven't had abs this hard since... ever! It's nice, and I know that as I continue to branch out and try new feats of fitness this will help me substantially! Stretching: same ol same ol. Yoga every other day or so, and when I don't do that I just put a 1/2 hour tv show on and stretch until it's over. Handstand: Put in my first real handstand work today since very early in the challenge. I still get a little dizzy/lightheaded when I roll out of the handstand, but hoping this starts to decrease as I practice more. Don't see a logical explanation of why it should, but also don't see any other way to work on this particular aspect. So, hoping! Get Rich: Since I read this week's chapter last week, I already know what is expected of me in the next few days. I will start working on this and will come back with details once I have completed it. Burpees: So, I have changed my tactics with burpees. I felt like doing them everyday was wearing down what positive work I had been doing on improving my knee stability/comfort. So, I have begun skipping a day between each workout and then just catching up all at once. So, for example, I skipped the 20th, but then did 41 burpees on the 21st. Worked out well, and actually gave me a good workout and got my heart rate going. I feel like after this challenge I may continue to use burpees as a warmup exercise, since they seem to activate a lot of different areas of the body. And in doing those 40 in one day, I feel more confident that I will be ready for where this challenge will lead me. In other news: Before I did the Level Up Club, I was always on the outside of fit, looking in. I knew in theory what I needed to do, but never jumped in and stuck with it. With the help of NF, I have successfully made being fit and healthy a regular part of my everyday life. And I like it... A LOT! Until next time, comrades! Keep on keeping on!

Get Rich!: Week 2 was about optimizing your checking accounts. My checking account was good the way I had it set up, but I switched my savings account to an online bank (ING) that offers a much higher interest rate. I found a few checking accounts that I will keep my eye on as my financial needs continue to evolve, and may eventually switch over. But for now, I think my basic bank accounts are set up for success! Not a bad way to end week 2! Tomorrow is week 3, so time to start kicking ass all over again!

yeah, the yoga is really helping. I need to make it a little more regular though, but I have even started implementing some thing I have learned during my regular stretching sessions. Core: I finished the week with 27.25 minutes of total core work, which puts me at 51.75 so far for the challenge. Also, that is an increase of almost 3 minutes from the first week. I want to set another secondary goal of increasing my total each week, so next week at least 28, but more likely 30ish. Flexibility: Back on track with this. Did a great yoga session last night and a solid 20 minutes of stretching after my little workout tonight. I like the increase in flexibility, and now my focus is on working more on my hips, groin, and calves. Handstand: Did some wall work the other night, but still really need to ramp up this if I want to make my goal. I attempted the stage 4 hollow body, which is legs and arms extended. Was only able to do 20 seconds at a time, but did 3 reps. Will try this again tomorrow. Burpees: 19 down, 81 to go... Getting easier, but at the same time, I know that its about to get really intense in these next few weeks. Hope you are all having a great weekend!

Havent read any of them. Where should I start? (after I finish Game of Thrones, of course)

Hows everybody doing? So i have realized thus far that my goal of doing a handstand and handstand pushups is going to need a lot more work than I am giving it... Which is in truth, very little. So I need to step that up. As far as my other 3 goals, I am pretty on point! Planks are up to par, as is my financial life goal. My stretching goal had a few days of slacking, but I am back on track. Bkeller, I am jealous! I am trying to hit the slopes next weekend, I havent been at all this year and I got the itch! You every check out the snowboarding "Quests" on Fitocracy? They sound challenging and fun for getting yourself ready to max out the mountain. Now everybody go out and kick this weekends ass! Check back with you guys on Monday!

Welcome! I wanted to come to the intro's board and check in on a few people, and then I saw your thread name. It grabbed me, because that is so true. So many people will say they want to get more fit and healthier, but you can sit there talking about it, or you can take that first step! Then its just one foot in front of the other from there on out. An idea for your online RPing. Maybe every once in a while, tie some kind of fitness into your RP activities. Like if you do a certain action, do X pushups. Or X blah blah blahs. It's like a game within a game. Couldnt hurt, right? Best of luck buddy! See you on the front lines!

I've been wanting to start the obstacle races as well! They sound like just my flavor of crazy! I think I am gonna start with Warrior Dash and Run For Your Lives! though. Tough Mudder, Go RUCK, and the Spartan Trifecta are goals for a little while longer down the road. Best of luck to you man, you definitely have come to the right place!

Welcome! This is a great place to be if you need that extra push to get yourself on the road to recovery (of confidence and self esteem) . Main thing you can do is just start making small changes and keep building on them. Make sure every day you are a little bit healthier than you were the day before, and happiness will surely follow. As for the diet thing, portion control and accountability can go a LONG way. And while Weight Watchers may not be the ideal plan, its what works for you right now. So go in there, knock it out of the park, and when it is time to move onward and upward, you will be that much more ready! Good luck!

About to start playing and seeing if anybody else wants to get down on some multiplayer mayhem?

Ok, been a busy week so haven't been able to update yet. But here goes: Core: Been working my core as usual. Began implementing a little hollow body and some Superman to get the muscles I may be neglecting. Monday: 3 sets of rolling plank (45 sec. ea. left, front, side) for 2:15 per set. Total: 6:45 Wednesday: 4 sets of rolling plank for 2:15 per set. Also 2 sets of Superman (0:40, 0:50). Total: 10:30 This puts me at 41:45 so far for the duration of the challenge, a little bit less than 28%. So I am on the right track! And I will probably include some hollow body tonight, which I wasn't originally going to include in this total, but since realizing how much it kicks my butt, I think it is sufficient for this challenge. Question: Is it bad to do core exercises every day? I know it doesn't function the same way as other muscles, but not sure how so. Or if I should approach it differently while training? Flexibility: This one has been pretty good. A few misses, but mostly hits! I have begun implementing yoga as my flexibility work a few days out of the past week. I really like it! It guides me through it, which is nice, but also presents a few poses that are challenging, so I will be able to track progress by how I advance through these. And, for that matter, being able to add more difficult movements as I get better. I already notice that just in my hamstrings I am much more flexible! I can bend over and put about 2 inches more of my hand onto the floor than I could before. I am almost touching my head to my knee. Side Bonus: Since starting the yoga, I have had minimal to no knee pain. I have even resumed some of the activities that I had been forced to quit before, and still feels good! This made me so happy! I still plan on strengthening my hammies and such to support the knee better, and practice better running technique when I resume my Zombie 5k, but this development made me feel quite awesome! For accountability purposes, in Week 1 I hit 130/140 minutes, and so far this week I have done 45/60 not including today. So I need a win tonight! Handstand: Ok, so this is where I have been slacking... I really need to start progressing in this area. I have done a few wall walks, but not enough to progress. I think that this is the goal that I may not be able to accomplish, so I don't know if that has just discouraged me or what? I also get a weird blood rush when I handstand then roll out, which I assume will go away with practice, but I don't know... Bottom line: I need to step my handstand game UP! Will make that the focus of the next few days! Burpees: 16 days down, 84 to go! That scares me just typing that. I have gotten to the point where I have to break it up into multiple sets now, but I am able to get a little bit better speed and form, so I don't mind the trade off. I just can't shake the feeling that I am going to HATE this challenge by the time it is over. But I guess that's why its a challenge, right? If it were easy, everybody would be able to do it! I will have to find something cool to reward myself with if I finish this. Get Rich: I just got off the phone with the agency that holds my last big debt. I set up a payment plan and will continue to work toward ridding myself of this last thing restricting my financial development. Which in itself if financial development, I guess. So, PROGRESS! I have yet to fully read the chapter of the book for week 2, but that will happen between today and tomorrow. So my plan for tonight is: 17 burpees (sets of 9/8) Hollow Body - Legs Extended (max hold for 3 sets) Wall walking (6x10 seconds) (for real this time!) Yoga (30 minutes)(only counts for 20 minutes, which is the daily max)

its official, had to break today's down into 2 sets (8/6). I wasn't as energized as usual, but not taking any credit away from the burpees themselves, which are doing a sufficient job of kicking my butt!

Sorry to hear that, but better to take care of your body so that you can do lots of burpees somewhere down the road! I was having some knee issues, but think I have rectified that with the yoga I have just introduced into my life. For a minute there I thought I might have to drop out as well, but come to find out I don't think the burpees arent affecting my knees that negatively after all. So anyway, I have done up through Day 13. And man, it is getting tough! I can still finish them in one set, but those days are numbered. Is there a rule on how fast you are supposed to do them? because I sometimes don't have the quickest transitions to and from push-up position. Good luck to everybody, and just remember that we are in this together! Keep on fighting the good fight!

you just use muffin pans for those? That is quite a novel idea, and very inspirational! Carry on.

thats a good idea, and very inventive. Thanks, I'll try that. Actually I did some beginners yoga last night and felt good this morning without decreasing workout intensity or anything. So between those two things, I think I will be on my way back to 100%.

Kinda had a chill day today, but a couple of updates. Burpee Challenge: Day 12 is in the books, and I am damn near the point where I am going to start having to break them up into multiple sets. I don't really understand how I can do 25 or so pushups in one set, but by the time I'm doing my 10th or so burpee my arms are HURTIN'! Also, in my constant struggle to eliminate my knee pain (which is annoyingly keeping me from Zombies, Run!) I have had a few moments of worry that at some point, I may have to take a few days off from this challenge. And it is getting to the point where catching up from that would just be brutal. So I hope my knee spontaneously repairs itself and that doesn't become an issue. On the chance that such spontaneity does not occur, I plan on starting to do some hamstring work, thinking that may do the trick. Flexibility: So I have been thinking about something and wanted to run it by the guild for review and your thoughts. I know I initially stated that I would stretch twice a day for ten minutes a piece, but was thinking I would change that to just 20 minutes total per day. Tonight I am going to take a stab at this beginners yoga routine, and am thinking that when I do stuff like that I don't really need to do a whole nother stretching session. Do you all think this is an acceptable amendment to my goal, or should I just stick to my initial plan? I will move on accordingly based on your opinions. Get Rich!: Did more research today on credit, and laid out some very specific steps I am going to follow to try to rescue mine. I think that as long as I follow them and continue to be smart about bills and such, I will be doing everything within my control to improve my score. Granted, it will take some time, but progress nonetheless. Until next time, fellow assassins! Farewell.

welcome! I like how you have your goals set up, very assassiny! where u from in Hawaii? I'm Oahu raised, but currently transplanted to the east coast. I miss home

i have found capers to be good in my tuna salad... just a thought! all your food looks delicious. I have this bad habit of checking up on you at the end of the night and you make me very hungry. So thanks for that... in other news, the fact that you juggle makes you that much more awesome in my book... and you were already starting off pretty high. How have the handstands been coming? advancing in hollow body?

Generally a good rule of thumb... Haven't heard of it? Must be really hard, haha. But phoenix, congrats! I am thinking of starting to work in some crow to help me with my hand balance for my eventual (hopefully) handstand. Also going to try the shrimp crawl since I have been looking for a way to strengthen my hammies without any equipment. Keep it up! Looks like you are killing it so far!