Improving Enforcer25

[Enforcer25]

My name is Sean, I'm 48, getting back into exercise. I'm  a homebrewer and love electronic gadgets. I have been working out for a few years, but never consistant. I always want to look good for summer, but always fail, I'm hoping to change that this year. This is my first challenge, so I kind of went with the guide for some of these. The first is to eat a salad at work, eat oatmeal at breakfast at work and no energy drinks.

 

The fitness will be the gym 3-4x a week

Level up my life will be to meditate 5 minutes a day.

 

So here is my list

Oatmeal for breakfast at work

Salad for lunch at work

No energy drinks

Meditate 5 minutes a day

Go to the gym 3-4x a week

 

This is a small list, but it's my list and I feel is doable. 

 

I have some bigger goals in 2018, pay off credit cards and vehicles, buy another rental property.

 

[Koaladle]

These are great goals to start! Everything is reasonable and makes a great leaping point for more intensive efforts.  

 

[Laghail]

Hey welcome to the rebellion sean, lots of gizmophiles around here for sure. What program are you running at the gym?

[Enforcer25]

Laghail, I finished tactical barbell and kind of fell off the wagon. I have a bad knee and so avoid squats for now. I'm mainly doing weights and some bodyweight exercises along with rowing and heavy bag on non weight days. 

[The Real Syl Mil]

I love your list! Small and doable is the way to go. I started mediating about 3 years ago with only 2 minutes a day and now I can't imagine life without it. Have you tried any apps? I use Insight Timer now, which is free. I love it because you can see people meditating from all over the world! When I was a newbie, I really liked HeadSpace. I think there is a free trial for that one and then it is $12-13 a month after that. Good luck! I luck forward to tracking your progress!

[Enforcer25]

Thanks, Syl Mil, I'll look into those apps, I've never meditated before, but is something I want to do. I look forward to following your progress too.

[Laghail]

1 hour ago, The Real Syl Mil said:

I love your list! Small and doable is the way to go. I started mediating about 3 years ago with only 2 minutes a day and now I can't imagine life without it. Have you tried any apps? I use Insight Timer now, which is free. I love it because you can see people meditating from all over the world! When I was a newbie, I really liked HeadSpace. I think there is a free trial for that one and then it is $12-13 a month after that. Good luck! I luck forward to tracking your progress!

 

1 hour ago, Enforcer25 said:

Thanks, Syl Mil, I'll look into those apps, I've never meditated before, but is something I want to do. I look forward to following your progress too.

 

A good free option too can be Calm. Decent free content with a subscription option that I've never tried.

[karinajean]

hey and welcome! I like your goals for this challenge. you said you're focusing on bodyweight stuff minus squats, do you have anything in particular you're working on? have you seen a doctor for your knee, or maybe a physical therapist?

[Enforcer25]

1 hour ago, karinajean said:

hey and welcome! I like your goals for this challenge. you said you're focusing on bodyweight stuff minus squats, do you have anything in particular you're working on? have you seen a doctor for your knee, or maybe a physical therapist?

Hi Karinajean, My knee has degenerative arthritis, I will probably do bodyweight squats again and stretching I believe is helping. The bodyweight stuff I'm doing is mainly push-ups and assisted pullups in addition to using free weights. Right now I'm working on being consistent going to the gym. I always do well for awhile and then slack off. My new strategy is to go workout and do whatever exercises I want as long as it hits the major muscle groups. I sometimes also get overloaded in reading to much and trying to find the perfect workout, so I'm second guessing what I'm doing. The new philosophy is to get to the gym and work on the diet.

[Enforcer25]

4 hours ago, Laghail said:

 

 

A good free option too can be Calm. Decent free content with a subscription option that I've never tried.

Thanks

[RES]

The best goals are the ones that are attainable, yours look to be that! I also love gadgets and always want to look good for the summer (being in FL that's a high bar for me to reach  ) welcome to the rebellion!

[Enforcer25]

1 hour ago, RES said:

The best goals are the ones that are attainable, yours look to be that! I also love gadgets and always want to look good for the summer (being in FL that's a high bar for me to reach  ) welcome to the rebellion!

 

Thanks, looking forward to my progress in 2018, just got a Garmin vivoactive 3 for Christmas, liking it so far.

[RES]

9 hours ago, Enforcer25 said:

 

Thanks, looking forward to my progress in 2018, just got a Garmin vivoactive 3 for Christmas, liking it so far.

I looked at those but went with the Samsung Gear Fit2 Pro since I have the Samsung phone...I like that they play nice together, (translation: I can turn off my alarm in the morning from my wrist instead of searching for the phone  )

[Koaladle]

3 hours ago, RES said:

I looked at those but went with the Samsung Gear Fit2 Pro since I have the Samsung phone...I like that they play nice together, (translation: I can turn off my alarm in the morning from my wrist instead of searching for the phone  )

Hahahaha, that sounds dangerous! If I have to be up earlier than normal and set an alarm. I need to hide the thing entirely. 

[RES]

8 minutes ago, Koaladle said:

Hahahaha, that sounds dangerous! If I have to be up earlier than normal and set an alarm. I need to hide the thing entirely. 

Many times I only get up because we're still living in an RV and my wife likes to turn on the lights when she gets up..which happens way too early in my opinion! 

[Enforcer25]

4 hours ago, RES said:

I looked at those but went with the Samsung Gear Fit2 Pro since I have the Samsung phone...I like that they play nice together, (translation: I can turn off my alarm in the morning from my wrist instead of searching for the phone  )

 

I looked at that, but then work was nice enough to give me an iPhone for work, plus side got rid of my old phone, downside, always available. lol, I had a note 4 and if I had an Android would have most likely gotten the Gear. I just downloaded an app for lifting and will test it out tomorrow.

31 minutes ago, Koaladle said:

Hahahaha, that sounds dangerous! If I have to be up earlier than normal and set an alarm. I need to hide the thing entirely. 

This would be me, I'm up at 3:40 am, way too tempting to fall back asleep.

[Enforcer25]

24 minutes ago, RES said:

Many times I only get up because we're still living in an RV and my wife likes to turn on the lights when she gets up..which happens way too early in my opinion! 

 

A guy I worked with just retired, him and his wife sold everything and travel in their RV all over the US. They setup nomad residency in South Dakota, they love it, it has been a little over a year and no signs of slowing down.

[RES]

3 minutes ago, Enforcer25 said:

 

A guy I worked with just retired, him and his wife sold everything and travel in their RV all over the US. They setup nomad residency in South Dakota, they love it, it has been a little over a year and no signs of slowing down.

My wife was 'restructured' out of a position about a year and a half ago when we were living in MS, neither of us really wanted to be there so I left my position, she accepted a job here in FL, and we decided to purchase an RV with her severance package and stay in it for a year in order to pay off some debts and get settled. I was good for the first year, I'm over that now  I'm ready to get into a place where I don't have to crawl out of the end of the bed every morning because there is NO ROOM. It's also the off season at my job so work doesn't consume 18 hours of my day. We had two contracts on places that have fallen through, we have another one now that (fingers crossed) looks like it will close...and then i will no longer have to fight for mirror time in the morning  

[Enforcer25]

8 minutes ago, RES said:

My wife was 'restructured' out of a position about a year and a half ago when we were living in MS, neither of us really wanted to be there so I left my position, she accepted a job here in FL, and we decided to purchase an RV with her severance package and stay in it for a year in order to pay off some debts and get settled. I was good for the first year, I'm over that now  I'm ready to get into a place where I don't have to crawl out of the end of the bed every morning because there is NO ROOM. It's also the off season at my job so work doesn't consume 18 hours of my day. We had two contracts on places that have fallen through, we have another one now that (fingers crossed) looks like it will close...and then i will no longer have to fight for mirror time in the morning  

 

RV life fulltime seems like it would take a special breed, living for a year is pretty impressive too. Smart plan to downsize and pay off bills. That is my long-term goal this year, my wife and I want to pay off our credit cards and cars. Hoping you close on your place. Good luck

[RES]

15 minutes ago, Enforcer25 said:

 

RV life fulltime seems like it would take a special breed, living for a year is pretty impressive too. Smart plan to downsize and pay off bills. That is my long-term goal this year, my wife and I want to pay off our credit cards and cars. Hoping you close on your place. Good luck

While I'm glad we did it the way we did, I'm happier it's coming to an end. I've managed to improve both of our credit ratings, sold her house in MS, and got all of the credit cards except one paid off. It's a good time to move forward  

[The Real Syl Mil]

16 hours ago, Enforcer25 said:

 

Thanks, looking forward to my progress in 2018, just got a Garmin vivoactive 3 for Christmas, liking it so far.

 

I just ordered the vivosmart HR last week. I'm still waiting for it to arrive. I hope it's all I've hoped and dreamed it to be...

 

[A Phoenix Rising]

Confucious says 'to move a mountain begin by carrying small stones' so I think you have chosen very SMART goals.   Your NF clan believes in you. #SmallStepsBigResults

[karinajean]

On 12/29/2017 at 4:24 PM, Enforcer25 said:

Hi Karinajean, My knee has degenerative arthritis, I will probably do bodyweight squats again and stretching I believe is helping. The bodyweight stuff I'm doing is mainly push-ups and assisted pullups in addition to using free weights. Right now I'm working on being consistent going to the gym. I always do well for awhile and then slack off. My new strategy is to go workout and do whatever exercises I want as long as it hits the major muscle groups. I sometimes also get overloaded in reading to much and trying to find the perfect workout, so I'm second guessing what I'm doing. The new philosophy is to get to the gym and work on the diet.

 

 

really astute observation about yourself! I am also an "underpants collector" in that I like to read lots of things and not do them. awesome philosopy to just go to the gym and do a thing  

[Koaladle]

7 hours ago, RES said:

 I'm ready to get into a place where I don't have to crawl out of the end of the bed every morning because there is NO ROOM.

We were camping in our driveway for a few months waiting to repair some hurricane damage and believe me I know that UGH THIS IS CANCELED feeling! XD 

[The Real Syl Mil]

3 hours ago, karinajean said:

just go to the gym and do a thing  

 

I love this philosophy! I think I will order a shirt.