Ultrageek Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 Hi there. Found this site the other day through some random sequence of following links and it seems like support is a key thing I've been missing. As a gamer, role player, LARPer etc. the concept really grabs me and I'm keen to start levelling up, especially because I'd love nothing more than to LARP a barbarian and really look the part. I do not look the part right now. But this can change! I'm just not 100% sure how. After about an hour of random forum browsing, I still find myself with no clear idea of how to really get started here so I figure I'll come to the very beginning and see if some kind soul can set my feet on the path to awesome!Some info about where I'm starting from.I'm 32 years old, father of two, roughly 5'9" and about 100 kilos with about a 36 - 38" waist. My wearing trousers are 36" and loose, my work trousers are 38" and tight. Go figure. I am not happy. Ideally I'd like to lose about a quarter of my bodyweight but that's what I obsess over least. If I was 100 kilos of pure muscle, that'd be pretty cool actually. 75 kilos (12 stone) seems like a decent weight for a healthy guy. What I care about more is losing about 6" of gut. My life long dream is to have a 6-pack. I've never had one even back when I was 18 and wore a 28" waist jeans with belt. I wanna look like the guys on underwear ads. Unrealistic? Maybe, but just have a goal and you will reach higher. So I heard anyway.The tools I have to work with: plenty of bodyweight, an Olympic bar, two adjustable dumbbells, 2x 20k plates, 2x 10k plates, 2x 5k plates 8x 2k plates, 8x 1k plates, 4x .5k plates and a bench, a keen intellect, a willingness to try new things and a friendly competitive streak a mile wide. I do not have an overhead bar or door frame I am confident will take my weight.If anything else would be useful to know about me, please ask. Otherwise if someone would please be so kind as to show me where to go and what to do next I'm ready to get stuck in! 2 Quote Link to comment
SKMoss Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 Ultra, Let me welcome you to NF. I've been around a grand total of about 48 hours. Still waiting on a response to any of my posts, and I know how that feels. So HI WELCOME. It seems like you and I are in the about the same place in life. Different age, size etc, but need some changes. There's not a great way to go from Rebellion.nerdfitness.com back to www.NerdFitness.com. If you just use the link you'll go find the NF Academy. I just signed up for it. I love the idea of making it an RPG. I can not tell how effective it is yet. I've only finished a couple of quests so far. But like any other RPG I got a small boost from completing them. So far so good. I signed up for NFA because I needed to feel like I have some skin in the game. It's pretty inexpensive, but the little cash it takes to get in it, makes me want to keep going with it. I'm not the type that like to waste money, so I think it's a valid thought process. Anyway, Good luck in your questing. Quote Level 4 Barbarian AssassinSTA:0 | STR:0 | DEX:0 | CHA:0 | WIS:0 | CON:0 Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and go well with ketchup. 18%18% Main Quest: Lose 47lbs of fat, before 60th Birthday, December 31st, 2016 Starting 229 body weight * 33.1% fat = 75.8lbs/Current 215.7 lbs * 31.2% = 67.2 Loss 8.5lbs 0%0% Secondary Quest: 10 quality pull ups and/or chin ups in a single work out. 25%25% Secondary Quest: Drop comfortable jeans size from 36 to 32. Link to comment
TheGreyJedi-Ranger Posted December 1, 2015 Report Share Posted December 1, 2015 Your best starting points are small steps. This week, for example, you could try to eat 1 healthier meal per day and maybe do 2 bodyweight routines (try the beginner bodyweight routine on the main site?) After those two things feel ingrained, maybe build up to change more small things like cutting out soda, adding more bodyweight workouts/week, starting a lifting program, add more healthier choices, ect. Set a couple of goals, and maybe next challenge drop into the recruit section and do your first 6 week challenge. It takes 21 days to make a habit, and I've made several habits thanks to the 6WC! For now, start a battle log and take advantage of accountability. Logging what you're eating and/or when you're working out is good, the logs are also good for things like getting support and thinking through your fitness choices and/or your reactions/challenges (physical, mental, emotional) to your journey. The most important thing is to start somewhere. Start slowly. Eventually, things will build up. I started by cooking my own food (college/uni student) and trying to make healthier choices. Then I started running a bit. Then switched to bodyweight. At this point, I cook most of my own food, eat much better foods(and less of them!), lift weights twice a week, and work in two other workouts at home aside from that. If you want some more ideas, you're welcome to peruse my challenge threads, they've got some of my strategies, workouts, and occasional recipes. Mostly I just state what I eat in a few, but if you're curious about recipes, I'll gladly share. Hope this helps! Quote Grey Jedi Ranger Jedi Becomes Her Own Hero Jedi Battle Log “Keep Calm, Carry On, and Don't Freeze Up!” - Oboro Shirakumo (Loud Cloud), My Hero Academia Vigilantes Challenges: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #12. #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23, #24, #25, #26, #27, #28, #29, #30, #31, #32, #33, #34, #35, #36, #37, #38, #39, #40, #41, #42, #43, #44, #45, #46, #47, #48, #49, #50, #51, #52, #53, #54, #55, #56, #57, #58, #59, #60, #61, #62, #63 Link to comment
Ultrageek Posted December 2, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 2, 2015 Thanks to SKMoss and GonnaBaAJedi<3 for the welcome and advice. It's nice to see the evidence that I'm not alone here and I am going to see about posting my goals and progress while I wait for the next official challenge date. Hopefully by then I'll know a bit more about what it ll means and how it all works. I'm hoping to join the warriors because it's the lifting that really appeals but now I'm worried and possibly a little excited. You see this is the Rebellion. And I've already met a Jedi. I, myself, am Sith. However once you know why, I defy you to not be inspired as I was. You may not be familiar with my philosophy so here's the core of it in a nutshell. Peace is a lie, there is only PASSION.Through PASSION I gain STRENGTH.Through STRENGTH I gain POWER.Through POWER I gain VICTORY.Through VICTORY my chains are BROKEN.The Force will free me.So, you tell me, what part of that's not cool? This, then, is the Sith code. Be passionate about what you believe in! Use your passion to gain strength and power! Notice also that nowhere in there does it say you can or should be a d*ck. So, there you have it. Now I'm going to see if I can find somewhere relevant to post up my goals and start tracking my progress, then I'm going to lift some weights. I just started Stronglifts 5x5 again and am in the 3rd week. I figure I'll keep that going until I can jump into the next 6wc head first and start owning whatever it is I end up doing. Quote Link to comment
TheGreyJedi-Ranger Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 Thanks to SKMoss and GonnaBaAJedi<3 for the welcome and advice. It's nice to see the evidence that I'm not alone here and I am going to see about posting my goals and progress while I wait for the next official challenge date. Hopefully by then I'll know a bit more about what it ll means and how it all works. I'm hoping to join the warriors because it's the lifting that really appeals but now I'm worried and possibly a little excited. You see this is the Rebellion. And I've already met a Jedi. I, myself, am Sith. However once you know why, I defy you to not be inspired as I was. You may not be familiar with my philosophy so here's the core of it in a nutshell. Peace is a lie, there is only PASSION.Through PASSION I gain STRENGTH.Through STRENGTH I gain POWER.Through POWER I gain VICTORY.Through VICTORY my chains are BROKEN.The Force will free me.So, you tell me, what part of that's not cool? This, then, is the Sith code. Be passionate about what you believe in! Use your passion to gain strength and power! Notice also that nowhere in there does it say you can or should be a d*ck. So, there you have it. Now I'm going to see if I can find somewhere relevant to post up my goals and start tracking my progress, then I'm going to lift some weights. I just started Stronglifts 5x5 again and am in the 3rd week. I figure I'll keep that going until I can jump into the next 6wc head first and start owning whatever it is I end up doing. Excellent! I am a fairly chill Jedi myself, I've met several Sith here on the forums who are totally awesome! (I'm probably closer to a Grey Jedi though, Or a new republic one) Quote Grey Jedi Ranger Jedi Becomes Her Own Hero Jedi Battle Log “Keep Calm, Carry On, and Don't Freeze Up!” - Oboro Shirakumo (Loud Cloud), My Hero Academia Vigilantes Challenges: #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #12. #13, #14, #15, #16, #17, #18, #19, #20, #21, #22, #23, #24, #25, #26, #27, #28, #29, #30, #31, #32, #33, #34, #35, #36, #37, #38, #39, #40, #41, #42, #43, #44, #45, #46, #47, #48, #49, #50, #51, #52, #53, #54, #55, #56, #57, #58, #59, #60, #61, #62, #63 Link to comment
JadzeasCreed Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 Ijust started here as well.. For now I'm just a looker.. Doing my research plotting my strategy and figuring out how to bed beat my quests... Good luck reaching yours... Just look up on here keep track of your success and remember if you didn't do what you had planned today...tomorrow is a great day to start again! Quote Link to comment
Ultrageek Posted December 4, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 I like that philosophy. Goes well with other things I've taken to heart, things like: To make a mistake is no crime, to not learn from it is. I also like things like: "Pain is the feeling of weakness leaving the body!" and "Sweat is just fat crying!" I need more ridiculously macho phrases to help me remember not to take things TOO seriously. Anyone know any good ones? Also, thank you for posting. I'm hoping to make a bunch of new friends here. Any suggestions for how to really open my network? (Not that you're not awesome people, 'cause y'are! I just wanna meet even MORE awesome people!) I figure I need to post on boards like nutrition and guild boards when I get my class officially. I may have to tough it out in a smaller group until then. Oh, also, did you know how insidious sucralose is!? Damn stuff is EVERYWHERE! It's terrifying! 1 Quote Link to comment
JadzeasCreed Posted December 4, 2015 Report Share Posted December 4, 2015 Post on more of the topics.. Ask questions.. People will see them and help if they're I formed in the topic..like I said I'm super new like last week new.. So I'm not exactly positive on everything myself... I like the " loosing weight means you'll look good in clothes, exercising means you'll look good naked.". Saying but that's not a very manly one. Quote Link to comment
Ultrageek Posted December 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 5, 2015 Still cool! That's definitely getting added to the list. Thanks! Maybe we could start another topic somewhere specifically for inspirational / ridiculously macho sayings? now where should THAT kind of thing go . . ? Quote Link to comment
JadzeasCreed Posted December 8, 2015 Report Share Posted December 8, 2015 I'm not sure maybe there is a place to start a new thread Quote Link to comment
PoppaScotty Posted December 12, 2015 Report Share Posted December 12, 2015 Hey Ultra! Welcome to NF! (I feel weird saying it, I'm still new myself. lol...) For strength gains check out the warrior forums. You'll also want to research bodybuilding. That's where the size comes from. If you're really new, there's a lot of resources out there for guys like us. Stronglifts 5x5 is super easy to understand. Starting Strength is basically the strength training beginner's handbook. Muscle and Fitness mag has a website with a wealth of great information, so does Men's Health. I read that stuff whenever I'm not doing anything else. Have you figured out your 1 rep maximums yet? I'm going to figure out some of mine tonight so I have numbers to compare to as I progress. Quote Link to comment
Ultrageek Posted December 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2015 Hey Scotty! Thanks for your post. I have not figured out my 1RMs yet.I'm not sure how to do that properly. (Do you adjust down til you can or up til you can't? I only have my home weights to work with too) I guess I'll need to know them if I want to post on the leaderboards. Maybe there's a way you can make some kind of best guess based on working weight? Right now I'm focusing on a routine I stumbled across in a livestrong e-mail that says it's good for burning fat. I figure I'll use that as the basis for my first 6wc. If it works as advertised, great. Otherwise back to the drawing board. Once I can SEE my muscle a bit better, I'll work on adding to it. I'm kinda hopeful there's a respectable amount on me already and I never even knew. I'm a little concerned right now that I need to have spent the hundred dollars to join in properly and build a character and everything, which sort of sucks this close to Christmas. Maybe in the new year I'll have the spare cash for that. It's quite a lot to drop on something you can't hold at this time of year. (I have a missus and two kids plus assorted family members, their kids and various friends and THEIR kids) PS Just found out that I found these forums at THE worst possible time for 6wc. Too late to really join in because it was already under way, then when I find out I kinda could have jumped in anyway it was too late to do even that, then I find out there's a TWO week gap between this one and the next. So I'm not going to get to be part of a guild for about three months after I first joined. Honestly I'm a little bummed but realistically it's not a big deal. Just my lousy luck. Eh. First world problems. What can I say? 1 Quote Link to comment
projectme Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 Hi there! I've been in and out since August, but am back and committed to me more than ever! I'm still confused by some of the ins and outs of the site, but overall it's amazingly supportive. My one suggestion is to take baby steps. I kept over committing and would become frustrated and drop off the internet for awhile. Small things and stick with them Quote I'm a 33 y.o. mother of 3, wife to 1. I float between veganism and omnivorism, but will focus on Paleo during this mini challenge. I am a drama/dance/English teacher. Class: Aspiring Assassin. Main quest: Lose 10% body fat [0/10%]Sub-quest 1: Cook one new recipe per week [0/2] Sub-quest 2: Walk 6,000+ steps per day [0/2] Sub-quest 3: Read 1 book for pleasure [0/1] My mini-quests for this challenge:1.) I will do the body weight challenge X1, 3 days per week. Anything less? FAIL!2.) I will focus on a Paleo lifestyle, allowing dairy intermittently, but no to sugar and carbs except on weekends! And I will only drink water on a daily basis (over 64 fl oz).3.) I will respond in writing and with positivity per week to 5 or more other newbie NF rebels working on challenges (stolen from a friend!) Mini challenge: +1WIS Link to comment
PoppaScotty Posted December 14, 2015 Report Share Posted December 14, 2015 Ultra, I don't want to tell you how to determine your 1RM, but it's basically start light and work your way up. You can google it and get some great ideas on exactly how to determine it. (Because it's not just the "heaviest" you can lift... It's more like "a little more than you can actually warm up to".) I'd suggest finding one of those resources and following their directions. The way I did it last night was to do 5 reps with just the bar, then 3 reps with progressively heavier and heavier loads until I couldn't move it without losing form. I'll be posting numbers tomorrow night when I have more time. As for when to start, I suggest just jumping into SOMETHING. Every day we say "tomorrow" was another day we wasted that could have gotten us towards our goals. Not only that, but when you start a routine you'll find that you want to tweak and adjust it a little bit based on what your body tells you. I'm about to head out to the gym tonight for a light workout before I go home to bed. Good luck and keep at it! Quote Link to comment
Ultrageek Posted December 15, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 15, 2015 Hey there projectme. Is that Peach's crown in your profile pic? Always good to hear from other people. In all honesty my grand scheme to go paleo has settled down to a more gradual transition as we eat through what we had in the house from before and my new routine is building up from empty dumbbells to a weight I'm comfortable with yet challenged by. Mr. Scotty, good to hear from you again. You are a man (I think) after my own heart! Only the other day I was telling another newbie not to wait for the new year. I am exercising and slowly ramping up my weights for the next two weeks at least. What I am slightly unhappy about is not getting to join a guild until mid Feb when I started posting Dec 1 but I was reading the site and forums since mid-late Nov. No biggie. I don't need to be in a NF guild to lift. I just really want to get on board with the fun and games of the role play side too! But yes. The time is always now. So true. Quote Link to comment
fitnessgurl Posted December 15, 2015 Report Share Posted December 15, 2015 Hi!!! I just completed my first six week challenge and it was a blast! I can't wait till the next one! The rules for the next challenge are changing a bit; but probably for the good.Check out the recruits section of the last challenge. Everyone who is new starts out as a recruit so they learn how to set goals and allocate points. I'll try to help as much as I can. Feel free to add me as a friend. Quote L3 Human Ranger/Assassin Str. 6 Dex. 2 Sta. 1 Con. 12 Wis. 8 Cha. 3 https://www.nerdfitness.com/character/58014 Motto: Where there is life, there is hope. Soli Deo Gloria Link to comment
Ultrageek Posted December 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 16, 2015 Thanks for the post and the offer Fitnessgurl. I think I managed to puzzle everything out, but I'm a LONG way from sure on that bit. I guess the rules change won't really impact me on account of I've never done one before so I won't know any different. Maybe the time I joined WAS for the better after all. Somehow it all turns out well. I don't know how. It's a mystery. At any rate I'm super stoked to take part in my first 6wc next year and I'm NOT using the delay as an excuse to go back to all my old ways hard for another three weeks. I'm keeping up the weights routine (see my battle log for details, both of my current routine, my stronglifts 'progress', such as it was, and my diet, if such things interest you. I'd be lying if I said everyone's encouragement didn't help me make the right choices. If all of you are anything like me, seeing that someone else on the path has made another milestone or even just kept making progress towards it makes me feel good. Both for them and because if they can, there's no reason I can't too! So a big thank you to everyone who's encouraged me along so far and will do in the future! I won't let you down! Time to go to work now and have another great day! (I love my job) 1 Quote Link to comment
Ultrageek Posted December 27, 2015 Author Report Share Posted December 27, 2015 Hello again to anyone following this thread. It's been a while since I last posted but I'm still alive and still committed to the changes I've made. Just counting down the days until the diet change to 'mostly paleo' goes official. We're most of the way there now but there's still some leeway before 1/1/16. I heard a really motivational song on the radio on Christmas eve. Went like this: Win or lose, sink or swim / one thing is certain: we'll never give in / side by side, hand in hand / we all stand together. Made me think of this site and this community. I'm also reminded to mention that I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas, if you celebrate it and even if you're not Christian or religious at all, I hope you saw family and friends and had a great holiday. I'm probably going to leave this thread now in favour of posting all my updates to my battle log. If anyone wants to keep tabs on me, watch my progress or anything else, feel free to follow that or friend me, message me or anything else, really. Very shortly I'll be doing my first challenge and then I really won't be a newbie introducing myself any more. Quote Link to comment
fitnessgurl Posted December 27, 2015 Report Share Posted December 27, 2015 Hi hi! Quote L3 Human Ranger/Assassin Str. 6 Dex. 2 Sta. 1 Con. 12 Wis. 8 Cha. 3 https://www.nerdfitness.com/character/58014 Motto: Where there is life, there is hope. Soli Deo Gloria Link to comment
Anita Posted December 31, 2015 Report Share Posted December 31, 2015 Just joined, and right there with ya! Quote Link to comment
dncahn206 Posted January 1, 2016 Report Share Posted January 1, 2016 Welcome aboard! Quote Completed Quests: 1 Link to comment
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