Ranger General Chat

[Eirlys]

Hi Heathbar!!

 

And good attitude smurray

 

*sings* Go go Power Rangers... Mighty Morphin Power Range-errrrs!

 

(sorry, couldn't help myself )

[Georges]

So... Hi there.

I'm pretty sure the Rangers guild is where I want to be. 

Challenge Thread

[orcwarrior]

Guess I'll join the sudden flow of transplanted rangers....  Heathbar and Georges... I've just transplanted from the warriors due to focusing on a mix of strength and running, felt this would be a better fit.  Looking forward to it.  Ironic, as I'm a crappy shot with a bow and arrow.

 

I like the big picture focus of the new challenge format. I'm finding that I do best in staying motivated if my challenge goals are lining up with who I want to be in the big picture. Somewhere I was reading about changes in our lives sticking best if we internalize them...  "that's who I am," or, "I'm the kind of person who works out regularly" rather than "I need to work out this week."  I think it helps me to stick to things better.

[jacobmovingfwd]

Hey all!

I haven't done a challenge in a couple years, but I'm back!

I was a Ranger before, and though I'm pretty strength-heavy, I very much enjoy running, and it's part of my workout. I'm a cheapskate, otherwise I'd be at CF...

[BreakingThru]

I have a posting issue and thought I'd ask here. I don't seem to have all of my buttons anymore, like smiley faces, bold, fonts, sizes, etc. I can only post in html in both chrome and IE. I updated my signature this morning but had to do it with html tags. Any ideas? This just started. I didn't have this problem a week ago.

Thanks!

[HeathBar]

Hey all!I haven't done a challenge in a couple years, but I'm back!I was a Ranger before, and though I'm pretty strength-heavy, I very much enjoy running, and it's part of my workout. I'm a cheapskate, otherwise I'd be at CF...

Welcome back to NF! I'm the same way, I love to lift and run too. I've wanted to try CF but it's too pricey for me and the class times don't usually fit my schedule. Being a Ranger is close enough for me though.

[starpuck]

Ooooh hey, I was gonna ask the same thing BreakingThru! Missing that AND ... more importantly, hovering over my name only throws me to my profile, instead of to the plethora of buttons offering to show me: my content, content I follow, etc etc. I think something is amiss.

[nightlight]

 

I have a posting issue and thought I'd ask here. I don't seem to have all of my buttons anymore, like smiley faces, bold, fonts, sizes, etc. I can only post in html in both chrome and IE. I updated my signature this morning but had to do it with html tags. Any ideas? This just started. I didn't have this problem a week ago.Thanks!

this is a known issue. it's happening for all of us. the powers that be are working on it

[BreakingThru]

Cool. Thanks nightlight!

[dr3wcifer]

All hail the Powers That Be! May they swiftly bring me back my beloved ability to gif.

[idealistinfire]

Huzzah, issues seem resolved - at least on my end.

Anyway, I have question for y'all.  Currently, my challenge is set up that I do random workouts, some of which have loot attached (I get to pick a reward out of a Loot Jar, and could be rewarded with anything from getting to read all day to $ towards my tattoo, etc...).  Last challenge, I got the loot no matter when I did the workout, even if it was a week later than planned.  I'm contemplating the idea that if I don't do my workouts on the scheduled day, then I lose the loot.  I'm hoping that will help motivate me to not postpone my workouts, but it might backfire by encouraging a "eh, I just won't do the workout at all" mentality.  Thoughts?

[jacobmovingfwd]

Idealist,

 

I think the determinant there will be how strong are the rewards? If you don't want to do the workout, will the reward prompt you to do it anyway, or will you just say "eh, oh well?"

That's mostly mindset though.

[UH60guy]

My thought is rewards work best to encourage a specific behavior. In the past, getting yourself to do any workout might have been worthy of a reward. If you want to change your mentality that you have to do the workouts when scheduled, then yes, I would agree that I would only get the loot when doing it on time.

 

I wouldn't go into negative reinforcement (like lost loot) though- as that can have an adverse effect. Like for example in my current challenge, I'm rewarding myself for eating well, but no punishment for not doing so- punishment may encourage me to skip meals rather than have something less than healthy.

[idealistinfire]

Thanks Jacobmovingfwd and UH60guy - after giving it some thought, especially the "what part am I rewarding",  I'll stick to keeping the loot for any workout, even late ones, this challenge and the next one (once working out is second nature to me), I'll have it tied to doing the workout on time.  My bf says I'm too hard on myself, so perhaps this is one of those instances when he's right (don't tell him I said that! ) 

 

As to whether the loot is worth it or not, I have no idea.  It's a jar with over a 100 rewards, some of which are totally worth it and some of which are "eh".  I set up this system because random rewards given at random intervals is the best way to insure reliable behaviors, which is the reason why gambling is so addictive.  I figure, if I take the addictive part of gambling and tie it to my workouts, eventually I'll be addicted to working out and it won't seem like one more thing I "have" to do.

[I-Jo]

while I'm being super cranky pants for many reasons tonights...

 

I still hate the new challenge lay out.

 

big wall-otext and a quick route to glossy eye town.... and coming form SheWhoWritesToMuch.... that's saying something.

 

I'll re-read and re-evaluate tomorrow- but this may have put me out of doing challenges for good. 

[smurray]

Rewards are always a challenge in how to administer.  We have 6 or 12 week challenges in our workplace and if you met the weekly goals, your name went into the drawing for a gift card to subway, free week pass to a gym, or some health related item like a water bottle.  At the end of the challenge, prizes would be given to people who lost the most weight or walked the most miles, or whatever the challenge was.  First, people got discouraged when they didn't win anything during the drawings and they notice some winning multiple times.  Second, people were competing to the point that they were not developing healthy habits, but instead were pushing their bodies in an unhealthy fashion in order to win the main prizes.  I talked with one guy who one the weight loss challenge and asked what his plan was.  During the entire challenge, he ate nothing but grilled chicken and steamed broccoli.  In this case the reward had a negative impact on his healthy habits and he has gained back the weight he had loss plus more.  In rewarding, I believe in setting an attainable goal and when that goal is achieved, reward is given.  This past challenge, my reward was updating my signature with my new stats.  It was liking getting a badge for completing the challenge. 

[idealistinfire]

My main issue is that generally, no matter how awesome the reward, I will have days/weeks where I respond "it's not worth it" or "I don't have the money" or whatever.  Or I don't give myself a reward after I've done the work, which means the next time I know something amazing is coming, there's always a part of me that thinks "but you probably won't actually get it". The good thing I found with my current system is because I don't know what the reward, the surprise factor acts as a catalyst to me actually getting the reward.  It's like my Loot Jar is commanding me to take my reward.  Don't ask me why it works that way and doesn't work when I carefully plan out better and better rewards the more work I do, it just does.

[idealistinfire]

while I'm being super cranky pants for many reasons tonights...

 

I still hate the new challenge lay out.

 

big wall-otext and a quick route to glossy eye town.... and coming form SheWhoWritesToMuch.... that's saying something.

 

I'll re-read and re-evaluate tomorrow- but this may have put me out of doing challenges for good. 

It is a bit of a sudden change, but I believe the quick and dirty rundown is this:

1) pick an overarching goal that you want to achieve, be it something super specific (run a marathon) or super vague (be a better me) - not necessarily achievable in 6 weeks.

2) Next, pick 3 super specific goals that work towards the overarching goal for the 6-week challenge (run 3 times per week, etc...)

3) Optional: pick 1 life goal not related to fitness/food (i.e., save $10 per week or act like a kid for 10 minutes a day)

4) Optional: pick a mini-quest related to health/fitness but not necessarily your overarching goal, such as climb the nearest mountain before the end of the challenge

5) Explain why you want to reach your overarching goal (aka, your motivation for tough days)

 

I hope the other things driving you crazy clear up - or at the very least, you get a happy surprise soon.

[I-Jo]

still dislike it- I don't have over arching goals (well I do but they are much larger life goal type things)- and I'm not going to just make one up for the purposes.  so yeah- frustrated.

 

Thank you for the run down though.

 

enter grumpy cat meme

 

 

everyone else will burn up with the heat of a 100,000 suns leaving no one else but me here??  Really?  you shouldn't have- that's so sweet!!!!

 

happy surprise!!!  GO.

[CalvinHobbes]

It's your challenge and if you don't want an overarching goal you don't need one, it's merely a suggestion. 

[Eilyd]

Hello fellow Rangers!  I'm in this challenge again, though with a different focus than the usual.  So I moved over to the Druids, since the new thing I'm doing is yoga and I'm working a lot on self-control. My thread is here if you'd like to keep in contact.

 

Right now I feel about like this:

[I-Jo]

It's your challenge and if you don't want an overarching goal you don't need one, it's merely a suggestion. 

it does not present as merely a suggestion.

 

just saying- from a user POV.

[nightlight]

still dislike it- I don't have over arching goals (well I do but they are much larger life goal type things)- and I'm not going to just make one up for the purposes.  so yeah- frustrated.

 

Thank you for the run down though.

 

enter grumpy cat meme

 

 

everyone else will burn up with the heat of a 100,000 suns leaving no one else but me here??  Really?  you shouldn't have- that's so sweet!!!!

 

happy surprise!!!  GO.

 

 

It's your challenge and if you don't want an overarching goal you don't need one, it's merely a suggestion. 

 

 

it does not present as merely a suggestion.

 

just saying- from a user POV.

I think everyone who thinks this challenge is very different is reading too far into things.

 

Pick your three fitness/diet goals. Pick your one life goal. Now those goals are most likely all pointed towards some end game right? What's that end game, what's the main reason you're working out or dieting or learning how to do a cartwheel or whatever? That reason is your main quest. I-Jo, you said you have longer term life goals... Why can't one of those be your main quest? If not, I bet you have three fitness/diet and one life goal that line up pretty well together. 

 

Maybe try not taking a top down approach and instead build your main quest around your goals. Just a suggestion.

[direrael]

Yeah, to me it seems very similar to the old layout, but with a main idea to keep your eye on the prize, which is awesome! Personally, it really helps me to have that one thing hanging over my head that all of my daily training and such is working towards.

[laurabzz]

Hi Rangers!

 

It's my second challenge and I'm loving it. Just wanted to say hi!