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IT'S DOCTOR WHO TIME! The Doctor is a Time Lord. He is able to travel in time and space and, along the way he helps people in need. Well, I’m in need of a reset and I’m hoping the good Doctor can help me with it. Let’s go back in time and start from scratch. Strength to do what is right (STR +3) I used to be really diligent about weight lifting but I have strayed. It is time to get back to being a badass. Big muscles won’t grow themselves. Challenge: Lift 3 times a week (Mon, Wed, Fri) 12 days = STR +3 9 days = STR +2 6 days = STR +1 I don’t need a sword! (DEX +3) Instead, I have arms and legs to do my bidding. Unfortunately, I’ve neglected their conditioning and now I have to catch up. A lot. Since I am grossly out of shape I now have to make sure I participate in as many kickboxing classes as I can. Challenge: Kickboxing 3 times a week (Tue, Thur, Sat) DEX +3 = 12 days DEX +2 = 9 days DEX +1 = 6 days Bonus, if I do at least 12 days a month, I get $20 from my insurance I’m down with extra money! I like bananas. Bananas are good. (CON +3) In order to lose the pudge I’ve gained over the past 3 months I have to really clean up my diet. No more crappy food, we’re going full on clean eating. Primal diet, here we go. Challenge: Keep strict Primal for the entirety of this challenge CON +3 = 4 cheat days or less CON +2 = 6 cheat days or less CON +1 = 8 cheat days or less I am accounting for the fact that I have a cheesecake challenge going on this year and I don’t plan on taking a break from it. Let’s hope a tiny slice a week doesn’t derail change If you see water on Mars, run. (CON +3) I have an incredibly hard time drinking enough water every day. I live in an arid state so I still dehydrate myself on regular basis. It’s time for a reset. Let's hope this reset will help make this better. Challenge: Drink a minimum of 90oz of water per day CON +3 = within 90% of the goal CON +2 = within 80% of the goal CON +1 = within 70% of the goal This will require some detailed tracking. I am hoping it will help get me in gear. Why do dreams have to fade so quickly? (CON +3) This is always the most difficult one to accomplish for me because I am super addicted to watching things. Once I get on YouTube, it’s at least an hour that gets wasted and I get easily addicted. Let’s hope I can make a change. Challenge: Go to bed by 10:30 on work night and by 11:30 on off night. CON +3 = 6 days/week or more CON +2 = 5 days/week or more CON +1 = 4 days/week or more Hello Sweetie! (Extra Credit) Cheesecake challenge continues! I have religiously (almost) made a cheesecake a week for the past 8 weeks and I’ve made some really interesting recipes. This trend will continue here. As a note, this isn’t a part of my challenge, but it will be a good place to keep things in order. I’ll be making the following: Cookie Dough Cheesecake Mint Oreo Cheesecake Cheesecake Brownie Swirl Low Carb Coconut Cheesecake

Hello! I am of the alchemical persuasion (i.e. I am a chemist). Also, I am new to the paleo / primal lifestyle! For me this mean lots of reading, and the one thing I keep coming across which I cannot understand is phytic acid. Mostly because I was interested in the no beans / legumes part of the primal lifestyle. Can anyone share some science based articles about phytic acid? I've read several of them which are on the 'paleo' websites and they leave me with a sour taste in my mouth. Also Scopus and ENTREZ searches haven't really shown me very much. To be clear, I don't want this to sound like I am hating on paleo/primal. It is clear from talking with folks that it works, I just want to understand the logic (if there is any).

My main quest is to lose weight and fit into size 10 clothing by my 39th birthday on February 27th. Currently I weigh 201 and wear sizes 16/18 clothing. The missions for this 6 week challenge that will help me achieve success in my main quest are as follows: I will be disciplined about eating a 100% primal diet. I also plan to follow the Primal Blueprint Fitness plan. Since I am not regularly exercising right now I will ease into this plan. I will walk every day during my lunch break (even if I am not feeling like it) unless it is raining. If it is raining I will need to make-up the walking on the treadmill when I get home from work. The only rainy day exception will be Thursdays when I don't get home until 9:30pm. I will also do some form of cardio one of the weekend days. The other day will be a rest day. Total weekly cardio will be a minimum of 3 hours. During the 6 weeks, after my body has adjusted to the daily cardio I will add bodyweight strength training two days a week for 30 minutes each. By the end of the challenge I will have added one sprint session of 15 minutes per week. (I am not sure if this counts as 2 large missions or 1 large and 3 smaller missions.) I plan on keeping track of my progress on the fitness missions on an excel spreadsheet. My goals for this 6 week challenge will be to break through the plateau that I have been on since September and to increase my strength and endurance. Since I will be performing in a small chamber orchestra (the first time since high school) for a Christmas Cantata in mid-December my life quest during the next six-weeks is to practice my violin for 30 minutes every day. The motivation for my main quest is to be happy with my body and be an inspiration for my children. The motivation for my life quest is not to be embarrassed during the Christmas performance.

I have a question for those of you who are doing a low glycemic index, primal diet. My wife has been doing this diet for about two months and has finally found a diet that her body chemistry likes and her mental approach can sustain. She has been steadily losing weight for these past two months to the point that she's lost about 22 lbs which is a fantastic result for her so the plan she's doing is working. Here's the question. She's telling me she needs to insert whey into her diet and I am pushing back for several reasons. First, she is being successful in her weight loss, something she has never been before so I figure why mess with something that is working. Second, the only times I've ever seen whey used is to build muscle mass and gain weight, both of which seem counter productive to her current goal of weight loss. Finally, the heavily refined powder, while a protein powder yes, seems to be counter intuitive to a low glycemic index diet. We would love to hear from you pros out there that can give us data/information/dietary reasons why this is or is not a good idea given the current situation/circumstances? My wife is a NF member as well and will be on this thread so if you have any specific questions about what she is doing or motivations etc please ask away as we are seeking some help in deciding if this is or is not a good idea for her diet. Thanks.

I am having a hard time changing my life around. I have the concept down of eating primal. I have been doing good for about two weeks, but took a turn down memory lane. I just need someone to motivate me and help me through this and work with me. A support system, people like me that are trying to live a healthy life. If anybody is trying to change there life around and are serious about it please help me and work with me, so we all can accomplish the same things and grow together. If anyone is interested in taking this journey together and getting to know each other please reply back, I would very much appreciate it. I need this so bad.

I want to get into lifting. I read the blog. I want to do this. The primal diet sounds up my alley for the most part (I will have to have a sad funeral for a package of Oreos of course, but I suppose the grief will subside in time). My main question for you guys is this: Has anyone else on here done Primal/Paleo and lifting with a diagnosis of Insulin Resistance? According to my doctor and nutritionist, I am SUPPOSED to eat carbs at meals, though very small amounts. And never as snacks. The idea is that my body needs some carbs to process insulin and keep my levels steady. I am supposed to only have whole grains though. Wait, I came up with another question: Do you guys think I could lift while still eating carbs with meals? I would be eating mostly veggies and proteins otherwise. Thoughts?