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After getting my bases covered in the last 4-week challenge, I'm ready to get back into my routine of burning fat, increasing my muscle, and conquering any obstacles that may be in my way. This will be the foundations I will lay out for the next few months, from which I will build better habits, and the starting off point for getting stronger. For those of you who don't know, My name is Bob, and I am a Barbarian To me, a barbarian isn't about being a shirtless guy, with an ax and an anger problem. No, there are several tenets to being a barbarian, and I have created quests for each one. I feel these tenets can be applied to any path, though I prefer the path of the assassin. I will earn my place in the assassin's through blood, sweat, and tears. Glory awaits. Let us begin. #1. A Barbarian is Strong A barbarian is strong. Whenever you see an image of a typical barbarian (i.e. Arnold), he's usually wielding a large weapon. Large enough that it almost looks impossible to be wielded by any normal human. And yet, he carries a large ax/sword/tree trunk wherever he goes, and you know it's more than just for show. Let the puny weaklings wield their rapiers, daggers, and staves. Your ax is all you need. But beyond that, a barbarian is strong in a functional sense as well. A barbarian climbs, jumps, runs, and swims just as well as any assassin. When a barbarian seeks out a target, nothing stands in his way from getting to it. Quest #1: Strength training 3x week While I did daily training during the last challenge, it was mostly walking to burn off calories. This time, I will be doing small bouts of 15 minute strength throughout the day, 3 times a week. Full body training. #2. A Barbarian is Tough I've found that whenever I've played Pathfinder or D&D, it's the barbarian class that's usually left standing when the fight is over. Wizards & sorcerers cast spells, paladins and clerics provide healing, and warriors and rogues deal out plenty of damage. But the class that's left standing, the class that's always there to pull your ass out of the fire, is the barbarian. And why not? Barbarians aren't trained or forged, they're born out of harsh environments, from the hottest deserts, the darkest swamps, and the coldest mountain tops. A barbarian is tough, both mentally and physically. Their bodies are designed to take pain, take discomfort, and keep right on pushing, and if you're going toe-to-toe with one, you'd better make sure you're weapons are sharp (and that you brought a few friends). Quest #2: Climb 50 flights of stairs Last challenge, I set a personal goal to walk over 25,000 steps in a single day (which I conquered BTW). My next physical conquest is to climb 50 flights of stairs in one day. This will by tough, but I know I can conquer it. #3. A Barbarian Controls his Fear It's pretty difficult to scare a barbarian. Their methods may be primal (i.e. smashing thing until said thing stops moving), but in a barbarians world, it's kill or be killed. With a strong body, and a vigilant constitution, a barbarian is near ready for anything that comes his way. And even if his target is stronger, faster, or scarier than he is, a barbarian controls his fear, rather than letting his fear control him. Fighting is the first option in the barbarians choices for conflict. Running, should be the last. Which is why if you ever see a barbarian, running in a random direction, you run with that barbarian. Because there is something scary coming the other way. Quest #3: Complete all stranger quests While I've been told I'm a funny guy, and I'm a great people person, breaking the ice is something that's challenging for me. For this, I will be conquering ALL of the stranger quests from the academy: better eye contact, compliments, and starting conversations are all in store. #4. A Barbarian Bares his Emotions When most people think of barbarians, they probably think of terms like "Rage", or "Anger", or "F#%$ing pissed the f$#% off you f@#$ing f%&*". It's pretty standard for a lot of a barbarian's power to come from his anger. Meditation, and subtle contemplation on the meaning of life, aren't usually part of a barbarian's schedule. He's far more interested in finding the guy that accidentally bumped into him at the pub, chopping off his head, hollowing out his skull into a soup bowl, and adding it to his collection. But rather than focus on just pure anger, I dug a little deeper, and noticed that a barbarian embraces their other emotions as well. When he's happy, he smiles and laughs. When he's sad, he cries. When he's angry, he makes soup bowls. This is something that we could all strive for. I remember when I was in college, my family would occasionally call me up, and ask me how I was doing. I'd usually reply with "I'm fine", when in reality my brain would be screaming "DUDE! NO! YOU ARE NOT FINE!!! YOU ARE TIRED, YOU ARE BROKE, YOU ARE LONELY, AND ALL YOU WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS TO FALL INTO A COMA FOR 3 MONTHS!!! YOU ARE ANYTHING BUT F#%&ING FINE!!!!!" To be honest with others, you must first be honest with yourself. Be true to yourself, and true to others. Quest #4: Write the letter I can't comment on this, as I want to keep it private. However, if something should ever happen to me, this will be my final farewell to the world. #5. A Barbarian Embraces Nature Most often you'll find barbarians in a pub, mingling with the other socialites. After a spot of tea, they'll then wisp themselves down to the local clothing shop, and find a pretty pink dress to wear to her majesty's ball that night. Oh wait... No you don't! You're more likely to find a barbarian in the woods, killing something, and then probably eating it. A barbarian is at home in the woods, where he was born and raised. Like the barbarian, nature is wild, unpredictable, brutal, and yet beautiful. While I enjoy hiking and camping, I know that I should be embracing the natural side of things more. I need to be real. Be authentic. Be natural. As much as I can. Embrace the outdoors as much as I can. Quest #5: Squat 15 minutes per day I know that squatting is one of the best stretches you can do, but I've never really committed to it. Now, I'm going to commit to it, with 15 minutes every evening. Side Quest 1: Volunteer 3 times. I will be volunteering this Thanksgiving at a shelter, handing out food to those less fortunate. All I'll need to do is volunteer 2 more times. No problem! Side Quest 2: Find my motivation. One of the early quests I haven't tackled is finding my motivation. I will take an evening to find out what moves me. What inspires me. What gets the gears in my head uh turnin'. Side Quest 3: Fearless: Reach out to the NFMG, and have them give me a quest. Crazy, unpredictable, and unexpected. I'll reach out to the Nerd Fitness Men's Group, and ask them for a side quest. The best quality a human can have, is being able to adapt. LET THE QUESTS BEGIN!!!

So after failing the last couple of questing months, I've decided it's time to get back to basics. To not only work hard, but work smart, and adapt to my daily life, rather than make a plan that I know won't work. For those of you who don't know, My name is Bob, and I am a Barbarian To me, a barbarian isn't about being a shirtless guy, with an ax and an anger problem. No, there are several tenets to being a barbarian, and I have created quests for each one. I feel these tenants can be applied to any path, though I prefer the path of the assassin. I will earn my place in the assassin's through blood, sweat, and tears. Let us begin. #1. A Barbarian is Strong A barbarian is strong. Whenever you see an image of a typical barbarian (i.e. Arnold), he's usually wielding a large weapon. Large enough that it almost looks impossible to be wielded by any normal human. And yet, he carries a large ax/sword/tree trunk wherever he goes, and you know it's more than just for show. Let the puny weaklings wield their rapiers, daggers, and staves. Your ax is all you need. But beyond that, a barbarian is strong in a functional sense as well. A barbarian climbs, jumps, runs, and swims just as well as any assassin. When a barbarian seeks out a target, nothing stands in his way from getting to it. Quest #1: Complete Daily Training My time has been extremely limited since I started working in my job 2 years ago. An 8 hours day, with a 3 hour commute, along with 8 hours a sleep per night, Means I only have 3 hours to myself. Now while I know that's more than enough time to get in a workout, that's if conditions were exact, and they aren't. Life is chaotic enough as it is, and I can't keep kidding myself in thinking I can get up every day at 5:00 AM to go workout. So, I'll be completing small workouts throughout my day. 3 workouts, each 10 minutes long, combined with a good amount of walking. Each workout will consist of calisthenic exercises, either focusing on the legs, chest, or back. #2. A Barbarian is Tough I've found that whenever I've played Pathfinder or D&D, it's the barbarian class that's usually left standing when the fight is over. Wizards & sorcerers cast spells, paladins and clerics provide healing, and warriors and rogues deal out plenty of damage. But the class that's left standing, the class that's always there to pull your ass out of the fire, is the barbarian. And why not? Barbarians aren't trained or forged, they're born out of harsh environments, from the hottest deserts, the darkest swamps, and the coldest mountain tops. A barbarian is tough, both mentally and physically. Their bodies are designed to take pain, take discomfort, and keep right on pushing, and if you're going toe-to-toe with one, you'd better make sure you're weapons are sharp (and that you brought a few friends). Quest #2: No Chips or Candy This will be a quest to develop my mental toughness (although there could be a physical toughness quest lurking somewhere in this post). Chips and candy are my Kryptonite, mostly chips. Although I've given up drive-thru food, as well as soda, these 2 are major hurdles I'll need to clear. Will I eat chips after this challenge is over? Probably, but for now, I will develop my mental toughness, and switch to veggies and nuts. This certainly is going to be challenging. #3. A Barbarian Controls his Fear It's pretty difficult to scare a barbarian. Their methods may be primal (i.e. smashing thing until said thing stops moving), but in a barbarians world, it's kill or be killed. With a strong body, and a vigilant constitution, a barbarian is near ready for anything that comes his way. And even if his target is stronger, faster, or scarier than he is, a barbarian controls his fear, rather than letting his fear control him. Fighting is the first option in the barbarians choices for conflict. Running, should be the last. Which is why if you ever see a barbarian, running in a random direction, you run with that barbarian. Because there is something scary coming the other way. Quest #3: Walk barefoot on broken glass "Bob you're crazy." You'd better believe it. Walking on broken glass has been one of those sideshow feats I've always wanted to do, but never had the balls to actually try. I've eaten fire, breathed fire, pounded nails into my nose, put pins through my skin, chains through my sinuses, and have even eaten broken glass. DO NOT TRY ANY OF THIS AT HOME. I'm gonna say it twice, because it probably hasn't sunk into your head yet. DO NOT TRY ANY OF THIS AT HOME. When it comes to sideshow feats, it's not a matter of if you'll get hurt. It's a matter of when. With walking barefoot on broken glass, there's no guarantee I won't be cut. All I can do is take all the necessary precautions, and give it a go. 20 seconds of courage right? #4. A Barbarian Bares his Emotions When most people think of barbarians, they probably think of terms like "Rage", or "Anger", or "F#%$ing pissed the f$#% off you f@#$ing f%&*". It's pretty standard for a lot of a barbarian's power to come from his anger. Meditation, and subtle contemplation on the meaning of life, aren't usually part of a barbarian's schedule. He's far more interested in finding the guy that accidentally bumped into him at the pub, chopping off his head, hollowing out his skull into a soup bowl, and adding it to his collection. But rather than focus on just pure anger, I dug a little deeper, and noticed that a barbarian embraces their other emotions as well. When he's happy, he smiles and laughs. When he's sad, he cries. When he's angry, he makes soup bowls. This is something that we could all strive for. I remember when I was in college, my family would occasionally call me up, and ask me how I was doing. I'd usually reply with "I'm fine", when in reality my brain would be screaming "DUDE! NO! YOU ARE NOT FINE!!! YOU ARE TIRED, YOU ARE BROKE, YOU ARE LONELY, AND ALL YOU WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS TO FALL INTO A COMA FOR 3 MONTHS!!! YOU ARE ANYTHING BUT F#%&ING FINE!!!!!" To be honest with others, you must first be honest with yourself. Be true to yourself, and true to others. Quest #4: Finish 2nd Tier of Homeless Kits, and be 50% done with 3rd Tier I've been creating kits for the homeless for the past few months. Each kit contains some basic toiletries (toothbrush, comb, razor, q-tips, etc.), some cough drops, a pair of socks, lip balm, and a paper containing contact information for all the homeless shelters where I live. Helping others has brought me a lot of joy and satisfaction; so much in fact that I'm switching careers to become more of a social worker. For this quest, I'll need to finish my 2nd tier in number of kits handed out (50 total) and at least 50% in the 3rd tier of kits handed out (80 kits, so at least 40 more kits total). #5. A Barbarian Embraces Nature Most often you'll find barbarians in a pub, mingling with the other socialites. After a spot of tea, they'll then wisp themselves down to the local clothing shop, and find a pretty pink dress to wear to her majesty's ball that night. Oh wait... No you don't! You're more likely to find a barbarian in the woods, killing something, and then probably eating it. A barbarian is at home in the woods, where he was born and raised. Like the barbarian, nature is wild, unpredictable, brutal, and yet beautiful. While I enjoy hiking and camping, I know that I should be embracing the natural side of things more. I need to be real. Be authentic. Be natural. As much as I can. Embrace the outdoors as much as I can. Quest #5: Cook 1 meal per week Since I've been eating better, convenience has been sacrificed for quality. I'm okay with that, but if I'm going to continue to improve myself, I need to eat better. Therefore, I need to cook more. So, I will be cooking one healthy dish per week. I'll post it online when I do. Side Quest 1: Donate all possessions not needed. If I'm getting rid of bad habits and influences in my life, I need to cut out material possessions that are cluttering up my apartment as well. This shouldn't be too hard, as I don't have a whole lot of things I don't necessarily need. Side Quest 2: Watch a new movie every week. One thing I realized is that I'm not taking enough time for myself. I have a Netflix account, and yet I hardly use it. Well, it's time to take some time for me, and watch some flix. Horror and Kung Fu movies, here I come. Side Quest 3: Walk at least 25,000 steps in one day. Could this be that physical toughness challenge that was spoken of before? Hmmm...... LET THE QUESTS BEGIN!!!

Hey guys, I just found out about this forum and I'm really enjoying reading a lot of the threads. I just wanted to say that for any of you guys that are interested, I have a YouTube channel where I post fitness/basketball videos, and I just released this video about this certain food that everybody needs to eat before and after their workout, and I thought you guys would like it. If you're interested, check it out and tell me what you think! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSoLDF08ZOs

Does anybody have any good advice/resources for conditioning your feet to run barefoot? I live in the city, and I'm mostly surrounded by concrete sidewalks. However, a few weird looks would be worth strengthening my feet, to be able to walk/run/play without having to worry about stepping on small rocks. Thanks!

My husband and I are expecting our first baby on January 1st. It was a surprise honeymoon baby we weren't expecting, but we aren't complaining We are really excited to meet little Squishy soon and know if we are having a boy or a girl (we want to be surprised). Our issue is, we are on a really tight budget. And thankfully we've had some help from friends and family, baby stuff still needs to be purchased. For one things, clothes. My parents had promised to visit, and bring a load of baby clothes my sister is not using, along with toys, stroller, bed sheets, etc. They then changed their tune and said when they visited they would buy us a co-sleeper, and a pack 'n' play. But...they have changed their tune once again and it's looking like they won't visit at all. So they lied. My husband says it's sad, because I'm not upset by them breaking their promise. I'm honestly used to all of this. My other sisters come first, and I will come last. My parents bought my twin a lot of baby things for her kids, and they still support them since my brother-in-law and twin live with them. And my older sister (I'm the youngest) gets financial support even though she has a job, along with their attention. My parents are using their vacation to visit my older sis in Missouri. Although we are in Ohio, they planned other things and already said they most likely won't be coming. So since we are looking at getting most of the things needed, we need to know what the baby requires before he or she arrives. We have: A mattress (hypoallergenic, organic, infant and toddler in one) A crib set coming later 20 Gerber 6-ply, prefold, fabric diapers Toddler car seat 9-piece Crib set Changing pad Totoro pillow that lights up in different colors 2 Pacifiers 2 One piece sleep bags 201 Huggies size 1 diapers We are planning on cloth diapers, me breastfeeding long term, and a natural birth. How many clothes should we get before the baby arrives? Doubt the baby will fit in newborn clothes by the way, this kid will be a big baby And it will be winter by the time the baby arrives so what should we get so the baby is warm on the ride home?

Tomorrow I'm starting my diet/less eating plan. I decided to go for mainly fruit, but I would like to have a hot meal once a day. I actually want to make it Paleo, but with a focus on fruit, do you have tips for that? The reason behind this is I tried the Atkins/low-carb diet, but after 3 days I just stop eating and start feeling ill, craving fruit. So, I'm just gonna eat fruit for breakfast, lunch and possible snacks while trying to make myself a healthy, warm dinner. I would also like some nice smoothie or fruity recipes to go with it. So, if you happen to have advices on a fruit-focused Paleo diet or smoothie/fruity recipes, please do tell! ~Renn

Ok so I went to the beach yesterday and apparently, when you don't do anything to protect your skin, you burn. Who knew right? So anyway, I got burnt pretty badly, and I was wondering if anybody had any natural remedies/ways to prevent sunburn in the future. Anything helps. Thanks

I found this article over on r/powerbuilding and found it very eye-opening. It gave me some great motivation since I'm hoping to get into the 181lb class anyway, and "Extremely Strong" is very doable at this point.