Max

Well, back in civilisation again and sitting at the desk at home after a solid stint out bush. I think the weight loss was going well right up until the last night before coming home when I bundled into a pub owned by our drilling team. Wow... what a night... 4 days ago now and nearly recovered. Let's check the Goals... Goal 1: 1kg per week. Nope, haven't made yet but have lost some cms - table below. Only lost about a kg since first post 2 weeks ago. Since this goes up and down each day it's nothing major. I had previously lost 3kg the week before which I assume was fluid. Going to have to work harder... Goal 2: Guitar Had no chance while out bush but on returning picking it up again. Practising 3 times a day since I got back. Got Pink Floyd "Wish you were here" sounding not entirely horrible. Picking up some country style strumming with Jon Denver's "Country Road" Just had a crack last night at Lady Antebellum's "Need you now". Simple to play and sounds great Goal 3: Beginners Weight Workout Just did my second one. First one I did, felt terrible and very un-enthused by my results. Have decided to stop trying to have everything "now". Instead I am doing a half hour walk in the morning, half our at lunch and a half hour after dark when the kids are in bed. The morning one is a real wake up call and great at getting rid of the cloudy head Goal 4: Make a table Nothing since I've been back home (or while I was away for that matter). Distracted by other things in the yard and shed that needed immediate attention due to extreme heat and rats getting in to the chooks. Waiting for the weekend... In general, although the goal performance isn't flash, I am happy with my overall behaviour and practice (except that one night at the pub). I'm drinking a few litres of water ever day and eating fruit for snacks. I've had about 3 bits of bread and a small serve of pasta in the past 2 weeks. Otherwise it has been all Paleo - meat, salads and nuts. So my general feeling of well being has certainly improved. I did over 100 hours at work last week, plus travel, flat out at home from dawn till dusk and still have good energy levels and concentration. [TABLE=class: cms_table] Body part metric change head (you never know...) 59 no change neck 42 -1cm chest 106 -8cm stomach 105 -5cm hips 98 -2cm upper thigh 58 no change calf 40 no change upper arm 32 no change fore arm 29 no change weight 84.2 no real change height 165 5'5" [/TABLE]

Nice work Geba! I like the idea of not having small change to buy drinks. Can you hide it somewhere as a savings stash at home? Maybe where nobody else will look? Like the cleaning cupboard or something? That right there would be a nice reward as well I reckon for your efforts. I should have done that when I stopped smoking now I reflect on it... Would have saved around $50/week right there. Wonder where it goes now... hmmm... I reckon Herro has done a good job of matching your goals to abilities. Really important to get that balance right and not go too hard too soon. Sounds like they are enough to push you but not enough to break you. Maybe you could use your kid for weights, if they stay still long enough of course. Keep on keeping on!

Cheers for the support Well, I've managed to setup an internet connection and wireless network for our camp just so I can update my progress here! and get some tunes. It is an achievement since we are 50kms away from the nearest tower and about 80kms from the nearest town. Now, if only I had scales or a measuring tape on hand... No guitar available so no news there. Planed flat all my reclaimed timber for the table just before I left for work so at least that made some progress. Eaten only 1 bit of bread this week and only because there was no other choice that day. Salad for lunch today. Fish and salad last night. Feeling pretty good so far and not getting those sluggish patches throughout the day. We have a great cook who makes sure we do the right thing. Now she knows I don't eat as much as the drillers all is well with portion sizes.

Have to agree with emptyknight... I hate running and finding 30 minutes to do something I hate doesn't work. I struggle to find 30 minutes for stuff I do like! Running is for children or guilty people. Exercises are for ad breaks. I reckon there could be something like a drinking game for Game of Thrones though. Maybe every time they say their house motto you have to do 10 burpees. We did the same for one of those cop shows. Every time the blood-nut (red head) turned sideways we had to drink. Ah - CSI Miami it was. Check out (pun intended) the Hotel workout. I work away from home at least 80% of the time and stay in lots of small rooms. Travel is part of my job and excuse re weight and fitness and bad eating. I'm just starting too on this.

OK, glad I checked in to update my battle log. Ready for my first challenge. Being the first such challenge with NF, I'm keeping things simple. Goal 1 Lose weight: 1 kg/week over 6 weeks (2lb/week). Goal 2 Guitar: Practice 3 times per week. Get back into plucking not just strumming. Just heard "Hey There Delilah" and figured I could play that again. Goal 3 Beginners Body Weight Workout, as instructed, every other day. Goal 4 Complete making a dining table from scratch using a stack of old timber I scrounged. Every man should be able to make their own furniture. Turned 40 a few weeks ago. After a few rounds of "Drunk-Fu" (Martial arts + beer) it hit home that I am badly out of shape. Joined NF a few months ago but I travel a LOT for work and used that as an excuse for getting out of condition and not setting a challenge. Starting factors in accurate metric measurements and estimated imperial units... [TABLE] Body part metric measurements old fashioned estimates head (you never know...) 59 23" neck 43 17" chest 114 45" stomach 110 43 1/2" hips 100 39 3/8" upper thigh 58 23" calf 40 15 3/4" upper arm 32 12 1/2" fore arm 29 11 1/2" weight 85 194 height 165 5'5" [/TABLE] About to head out bush for work for at least a week or so. 12 hour days, living in containers, surrounded by emu's, drillers and 3 cornered jacks. No guitar, no table making. Internet via 28kbps satellite. Slow start but will push the fitness and diet.

Not me but I have looked at it wistfully and talked about it with some mates. We're thinking about setting one up here for Cubs and Scouts in South Oz. We have a commando course called Challenge Hill which would be ideal for the event.

I thought to myself, "man, wish we had cool stuff like that here in the Antipodes..." Turns out we do and it is in a few weeks! Sweet, time to get the kids dressed up for a walk in town http://www.adelaidezombiewalk.vacau.com

BANG! Sounds great. Was talking to a couple of Burke's about it last night. Moving house this weekend plus the weather is lousy then out bush for a bit. (Not much parkour action where I'm going. Or trees, or anything) Will be there in a few weeks.

Gday Pat, You SA as well? Or St George? If I don't come back then you'll know I'm from convict stock Fortunately... Heysen trail is lots of small segments, not all in one hit. Couple of good walks through the Adl hills as well. Training... hmm... No really tightly held interests - I lose that, along with the plot, easily. Variety would be the key there. I'd LIKE to do really cool parkour stuff, Jackie Chan style. I CAN do the basic workout (2 reps twice a day), on my way (eventually) to parkour in the future. I NEED to do strength work (all over) for protection from injury and better overall posture. This weekend I'm going to be moving house. Gamifying that and making it into a full weekend epic training session is the only way to make it bearable...

Your life, your body, your mind. Gotta fight for them. Definitely a comms issue My tips for issue resolution... Always be clear about your issue first, follow with a compliment, ask what they think should be done from your choices. "I don't like asking for dietary stuff when every day you do such an awesome job of putting up with every one else's stuff. What do you think we should do? Do you want me to cook instead? Take turns? Prep/buy food?" NEVER compliment then criticise. Makes people wary of your compliments. Be concise and focused on the point. Don't then tear into them about sleeping habits, grooming, etc Never use the word 'but'. "I like your pasta but..." 'but' = 'every word before this oner is a lie' If they are not listening; be patient and stick to your guns. Then get the fork... I have used these techniques (even the fork) to resolve client and staff issues for decades (and I worked with a lot of chefs). Treat them all like rock stars or sports players. Sometimes they need praise, other times a kick in the butt to perform.

Cheers for the welcome's. I've no dramas for a catch up with anyone, anywhere. Got mates all over the traps. I'll be out 'near' Broken Hill next week, Melbourne after that and then Tassie later in the month. 'near' = about 200kms west... Any of you interested in having a crack at parts of the Heyson trail, let me know. Very hard to get anyone 'enthusiastic' (dumb) enough to do the top half of the trail with transport being the main issue. Arbite, I reckon we could do 3 degrees of separation here in Radelaide.

Yay! More South Aussies! Mate of mine works at the Scout shop - Phil. Say G'day if you see him - tall bearded outdoorsy type. We are both scout leaders. I tell the kids that he's the shining example and that I'm the dire warning... I got my Fila's at Amart's in Norwood and my wife says there are some down at Harbour Town as well. They get a bit of a beating from places like birthdayshoes.com because they are a bit thicker than the vibrams so less natural for barefoot running. Still zero fall. For treking though, that suits me fine! Really fantastic for bushwalking. I'll never walk with boots again. Also, they are only 4 toes so that little toe isn't so hard to get in and doesn't get sore. Not doing the city-bay. Too many guilty culprits there for my liking. Check out Trailblazers.org. 50km hike from city to Mt Lofty raising money for Operation Flinders. I won't make it this year though, too busy,fat and lazy

Yep, a skip here. A bloke from the land down under, the land of Forex. Not sure if you've got others about the traps, but you have now. Married with 3 daughters and, so far, indestructible. 40 has stopped sneaking up on me and has chosen to have a crack at me Kato style this year. I work as a DBA in the mining industry, exploration mostly, and have to travel a lot for work. Mention computers or data at a mine site and you'll see giant hairy men crying in their beers... I'm on the road for about 2-3 weeks a month and the other week working from home. OK; the money is great, the destinations rock, the people are terrific and the conditions are certainly nothing to whinge about. But... it does have its costs as well. It grossly outweighs other parts of your life. Physical health and weight cycles up and down, there are impacts on relationships and family, fatigue and mental health are always under close attention as well. So, like all jobs, it has its pro's and con's. Relationships are OK as we've been doing this as a family for a long time. I tell people "It's not bad. Just like having an affair with a married woman..." Right now I'm dealing with the cons head on and the most major one is my physical health and teaming up with NF is a natural progression for me. My personal fitness goal is a bit like that American Thingy (Dream?) where the older guy (Kevin I think his name was) just wants to look good naked. I'm not interested in the bit where he hooks up with a young lass - too much trouble I reckon. Taken me decades to train my wife... ouch! For me, it's being able to wear a Bonds singlet ('wife-beater' as they are known colloquially) comfortably. I don't need six pack abs for that, just general fitness and less body bits that laugh with me. That's the final goal... Got quite a few smaller goals before I get there though. With 15 concentrated years at the keyboard my entire body has taken a beating due to ongoing neglect. Locked joints, weak muscles, no flexibility, trapped nerves... I want to work for more than 30 minutes before I feel pain get up without aching not have to recover on a Monday after a weekend of gardening or light work make the time I have with my kids more valuable to me and them (less work recovery (i.e. TV, snoozing)) Do 1 rep of the Advanced body weight workout Never pay another Physio due to my own neglect and life choices I love walking. I do a lot of hiking in my Fila Skeletoes (cheap version of Vibrams that do an excellent job in rough terrain). Clocked up over 300kms of bush walking in one pair so far and aiming at doing the Hanson trail here - over 1500 kms from memory. I hate running. Running is for children and the guilty. I mean it. Show me a runner and I'll show you someone who's guilty about something or other, or just a kid at heart. I've quit smoking, reduced my parmy intake to fortnightly, down to 3 coffee's a day now (instead of 10), exercising as often as I can in small breaks and (insert drum roll) dropped my facebook account. So far I haven't died of any of these but have needed help on a few and each was done as a gradual step over a period of 6 months or more. Look forward to being a part of the rebellion and swaying other nerds to the cause.