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My last challenge was kind of a disaster, but as it was said in Batman Begins, "Why do we fall?" I think this challenge is going to be more focused on getting into a groove. I also think that I wasn't really being active on this forum and utilizing the community for support. The idea of an alternative meal prep was also pretty bad because I underestimated my laziness. So anyway, here are my new goals: Fitness Goals 1. Improve Jiu-Jitsu. Jiu-Jitsu has been described as being a marathon, not a sprint. Taking this into account, I've decided to set my goal to a minimum of two classes a week. I feel that two is good for easing back into things after almost a month of being out of the gym. Three would give me growth. Anything more would be extra credit. So, I plan to improve Jiu-Jitsu by increasing my attendance. A - >3 Classes/Week B - 3 Classes/Week C - 2 Classes/Week 2. Run a 10 minute mile. I have never really been into running. Throughout school I was considered fast despite the fact that I never finished a mile in under 30 minutes. I did slack and end up walking for the most part, but I want to add running into my non-existent fitness regimen. So, I plan to use the Zombies Run! App and go for runs at the same frequency of attending Jiu-Jitsu classes with the addition that I'll run a mile at the end of the week to check my progress. Grading will be based on my timed runs. A - > 10 Min. Mile B - 10 Min. Mile C - 10:01 - 11 Minute Mile Nutrition 1. Meal Prep The last challenge, I planned to prep all my food and cook my food the day I eat it. I have the time, but I'm also lazy. So, I'm going back to meal prepping the more traditional way and cook everything on Sunday for the week. I'll cook meals taking into account that I'm probably going to eat out once during the week and once on the weekend. While I won't put any restrictions on what I'm going to eat when I go out, I won't call them cheat meals as I'd still like to try to get a health-ish option. Life Goal 1. Get a job. I was able to pass the tests to get my A+ Certification. So, I'm going to try to get a job in everything I qualify for. Accounting as well as IT. So I plan to put in two applications each day. Hopefully something sticks because I would like to feel less like a free loader when my wife has to go to work and I'm unemployed.

It's been awhile since I've been on the boards. Now that I'm not working a job that has me at my computer all the time I can handle checking into the boards regularly. I missed the community and goal accountability, but I just couldn't stand the idea of spending my down time looking at a screen and possibly being pulled into work again. I'm keeping this challenge simple. Simple is pretty much all I can handle right now, anyway. This will just be a basic tracking challenge. Track everything I eat for the remainder of the challenge. If I "win" at tracking, I earn a new pair of shoes to replace my worn out ones. There will be jiu jitsu training updates sprinkled in of course, because this is me and jiu jitsu = life.

After a roller coaster half a year life is finally settling into something resembling a routine! I've got a real job, my own place, and am learning how to be an adult all on my own. It feels a little like going off to college right after high school, everything is kind of exciting and scary and sometimes I have trouble focusing on the things I should. So, I'll be taking baby steps as I return to challenges. Main Priority: Get my work schedule under control over the course of this challenge. My work is largely self-directed, and while I've taken measures to keep myself on task, I still find my work hours dragging well into the night. There's no good reason for this. I could easily finish my work every day, but I get distracted and put off tasks. I have a little catch up to do the first half of this week with a freelance job I took on, but by the end of this week (and for the remainder of the challenge) I want to be done working by 5PM. Weight loss: My weight has stayed right around 175 for the last 2-3 months. Honestly, during all the craziness of the new job and apartment hunt I am happy to have maintained the 50 pound loss and continued my training. Now that I have more mental space though, I'm ready to say goodbye to these final 25 pounds. This first week I want to make daily tracking a requirement. I'm not even going to say I have to hit some weekly number, just get back into tracking everything that crosses my lips. Depending on how this first week goes, I might add a weekly limit for the official start of the challenge. Get Creative: I've had such a difficult time focusing on anything the last few months. It's been almost half a year since I finished a book, which is just crazy and so unlike me! As I get my work schedule under control I want to use some of that recovered time for creative pursuits like writing and music. I got a fancy pants keyboard a couple weeks back and have declared that no sheet music may enter my home while I learn to play by ear. For this challenge I want to establish a daily habit of practicing music theory and experimentation on the keyboard...let's say 15 minutes of keyboard practice a day to start. It would be great to work in some creative writing, so I'm shooting for two 30 minute writing sessions each week. No specific jiu jitsu challenges this time around. I still train a ton...if anything I train a borderline unreasonable amount. So of course jiu jitsu talk will happen on this thread, it just won't be a specific part of my challenge. It's good to be back!

OH LOOK. A CHALLENGE. Let's not be too hasty, though. Leon has an important question. Now that that's cleared up, let's go! MAIN QUEST: Get to my goal weight and be able to defend myself in the (unlikely) event of an attack. QUEST 1: Beat Seifer in the Struggle tournament! (+3 WIS, +3 STA) It’s really hard to be all that you can be when you have no clue what you’re doing. And Roxas knows the basics of Struggle, but he’s nowhere near ready to take on Seifer. Except that he really has no choice because that’s the luck of the draw. So to make sure that we’re not caught off guard, we need to practice. Because practice makes perfect and all that jazz. Also, practice means you won’t tire out two rolls in. CHALLENGE: Get to randori/open mat at least once a week PASS: Made it to at least one randori/open mat FAIL: Didn’t go to randori/open mat QUEST 2: Move those hips! (+3 DEX, +1 STR) Demyx’s Nobodies can move like no one’s business, and that hip mobility is just what I need to get better at jiu jitsu. So it’s time to take some lessons from the dancer Nobodies and Demyx. Well, maybe not Dem-Dem; he just likes to run away. But his Nobodies for sure. CHALLENGE: Complete three hip mobility workouts a weeks A: 3 workouts completed B: 2 workouts completed C: 1 workout completed QUEST 3: Be healthier than Captain Jack! (+2 CON) Hush, Jack. Captain Jack Sparrow really wants to know why the rum’s gone. I’ll tell him why. It’s because rum has no nutrients. (It does, however, have really awesome mellowing powers.) I have an issue with vegetables (it’s really complicated), so I have to get my nutrients somehow. Hence a vitamin. And since I’m wanting to get pregnant in the near future, may as well make that vitamin a prenatal. CHALLENGE: Take my prenatal vitamin daily A: 7 days taken B: 6 days taken C: 5 days taken LIFE QUEST: Be stylish like Kairi! (+3 CHA) I have a really hard time dressing like an adult because I really like comfy clothes. Well, dressing like an adult is a necessity. And with my wardrobe being kind of… limited, the dressing nice is kind of easy now. So, it’s time to up my game with hair and make up. Le sigh. CHALLENGE: Dress nicely - clothes, hair, make up - three times a week. Post a picture to keep accountable. A: 3 adulting days B: 2 adulting days C: 1 adulting day Point breakdown: STR : 1 DEX : 3 STA : 3 CON : 2 WIS : 3 CHA : 3 REWARDS: A overall: Seat upgrade for Wicked B overall: Mici date pre-Wicked C overall: Moar wicking socks MOTIVATION: Hit that goal weight! I’m so. Freaking. Close. Don’t be afraid when I’m running on the streets because damn are people creepy! Don’t get sweeped by the same sweep four times in a row! Figure out how to do the offense thing! Before pictures: Measurements: Neck: 13.8" Chest: 37.6" Waist: 33" Hips: 40.2" Thigh: R: 24.5" L: 24.2" Calf: R: 15.5" L: 15.6" Bicep: R: 12" L: 11.8" Weight: 166.8 Dress/pants size: 8

So I've been thinking about learning a martial art. I've always been intrigued by jiu jitsu and after a brief search, there is a Royce Gracie Jiu Jitsu school in the next town over. GRACIE STYLE JIU JITSU!!!! It's $80 / month with unlimited classes, and even personal classes (included in the cost according to the site) So my questions are, is $80/month a good price? (I'll also be spending an additional ~$60 in travel expenses per month) And, is jiu jitsu a good martial art to learn compared to Taekwon-do, mma, or karate?