Support Caster's Quest to Less-Squishydom

[Kimnaran]

Hello! I'm a veteran (?) dieter who also play D&D with Pathfinder as most familiar system. My PC class of choice have been/ is unfailingly support-caster with minus Strength modifier, barely passable Dexterity (mostly for rolling Initiative) and obligation-amount Constitution. It.. quite fits. This caster would like to improve squishyness and worry less about survival.

 

GOALS

This might look a lot, but most of it (aside from moving) I'm already doing though more accountability/better record would be great. 

 

I. Lose Over-Capacity

-2 Strength modifier. Starting weight 65.2 kg (143.7 lbs), target weight 63 kg (138.8 lbs).

• Weigh everyday.
• Take 'before' (and 'after') pictures at the beginning and end of challenge (my week starts at Monday so it'll be March 20 to April 16 for me).

 

II. Rationing Rations

Food matters. 

• Meal prep (enough for) 5-6 days out of a week. I have been taking up Paleo/Primal Diet since last year, though it ebbs and flows (I like to bake/feed people with gluten-foodthings). Lately I have been tinkering with Perfect Health Diet as well. Still tweaking my optimum food composition. 
• Keep a food log.
• Random Encounters: Socializing-proofing. My diet's bane of existence are those eating out socializing sessions. The food are usually overpriced, not that delicious and almost always not paleo-friendly. Love the activity and company, but rarely the food. The last few times I managed to either bring my own prepared food/meal or only order a small appetizer/ half portions. Going to count all the wins on this!

 

III. Casting Stat is Not End-All

DCs and associated Skill Checks aside, the idea of being here and suffering exercising is to build physical stats. While I prefer to stay back and watch other people fight for me, the situation is/will not always be ideally so. So I must prepare and get stronger. 

• Build CON (stamina) (still not sure how to measure this). 
  • Do cardio/walk around total of 3 hours per week (while listening to audiobooks/ lectures).
• Raise DEX & STR (flexibility and muscle strength). 
  • 60 minutes of Ballet Beautiful, 2-3 times per week.
  • Mini Side-quest: Take pictures of bending/toe-touching & split 'befores' and 'afters'.

 

 

 

EQUIPMENTS

• Cooking kit + ingredients + containers.
• Digital scale.
• Yoga mat.
• Elastic/ resistance band.
• Running/ crossfit (?) shoes.
• MP3 player set.
• Fitness Bullet Journal (Traveler's Notebook insert).

 

REWARDS

• Week 1: Ballet Slippers
• Week 2 & 3: Sports Shoes for Outdoors
• Week 4: New Body Mist/ Leggings

 

 

Goodluck everyone!

[Bookish Badger]

Welcome to the Rebellion! You have a lot on your plate, but the goals all look sensible and realistic.

 

And you can do a LOT of conditioning with bodyweight alone, or with minimal/improvised resistance equipment, if a gym sounds like one of the inner circles of hell to you. The Assassins Guild specializes in bodyweight exercise; you might want to lurk there for ideas. 

 

Good luck to you! Have a cat:

[NeonJabberwocky]

Helloo fellow newperson~! I sympathize hard- I play Druid as my favorite class, and who needs physical stats when you're just gonna spend most of the game as a dinosaur, anyway? 8D *coughs* But. Not so much an option in real life.

 

Anywho, I'm cheerin' you on!

[Kimnaran]

@Bookish Badger Yeah, it's quite a lot. The hardest thing is likely how to keep it (and recording it) consistent. Most of them are rather automatic/already became a habit, and others an ongoing experimentation effort. Totally new about the non-cardio ones so kind of worry about those.

 

'Inner circle of hell' is kind of.. apt really. The nearest gym to me is the more expensive kind/franchise but to choose another would add to the transport cost and maybe make me less likely to go. I joined a gym long ago once-- to be fair it was ..likely the entirely wrong kind of gym (the owner was a national bodybuilding athlete) and hated the experience, but this gym has classes and cater to more women/office workers so it-- should be better? I hope? I'll look around the Assassin guild at the time being though, thank you!

 

@NeonJabberwocky Thank you! Tried playing druid in 5e but the campaign didn't go far enough to shapeshift into interesting creatures. What system did/do you play on?

 

● ● ● ● ●

 

So. I'm thinking of feeding/menu composition + meal prepping. Never succeeded with counting calories, but I do have a kitchen scale and can weigh the bulk of my ingredients. The Perfect Health Diet provides a guideline of the volumes/weight of each foods to take and I tried following the ratio for few weeks-- the result is not gaining weight but not losing either. I've had success with no-grain/low carb/higher protein paleo/primal before, but experienced blackouts while on it. After reading the PHD book, it seemed that adding 'safe starches' would fix the blacking out (I did have random 'gorging myself with steamed cassava' bouts while on paleo). Maybe I'll halve the recommended amount. 

 

BTW meal prepping is relatively easy in my current circumstances: living alone and working from home. I only need to cook/prepare one meal for each day since breakfast is the same thing everyday (a variation of Bulletproof Coffee) (not a morning person and avoid making decisions of what to have for breakfast). The food then halved for two meals and can just add fruits/random egg dishes to round the menu. When the challenge starts it'll be my 4th week of trying meal prepping, the most obvious/immediately apparent advantage is that there's less wasted fresh produce, but still have ways before able to meal prep in any efficient manner.

 

... Anyway, trying to find a way to track all these goals. I think I'll be opting for physical/analog (final) record in the end? Some sort of Bullet Journal spread? Oh I reduced the flexibility goal after checking what the challenge entails. Haven't come up with a schedule for the non-cardio ones as well. Hmm. *rubs hands*

 

 

 

PRE-CHALLENGE TO DO LIST

• Decide on a method/spread to track goals and logs.
  • That includes the recipe/composition of foods (weekly?),
  • Weigh in (daily),
  • Total bulk-weight of those/major ingredients (weekly),
  • Cardio/walking hours (weekly) (should I note the lecture as well?),
  • Non-cardio/bodyweight/flexibility schedule (daily?), and
  • Food and exercise logs (daily).
• Decide on a schedule for non-cardio/bodyweight/flexibility routine. 
• Decide on challenge thread updating schedule? Maybe have some ideas on what would merit an update?

 

Oh, TIL (bonus quest?):  

• One should keep gym shoes indoor only/clean, 
• There is such thing as Mall Walking as a form of exercise. Considering that weather is temperamental where I live and no shortage of unnecessarily-huge malls, could totally do this (as long I manage to resist the lure of pretzel and cream choux bakeries).

[Bookish Badger]

There are plenty of Bullet Journal aficionados lurking around here. There was/is a thread dedicated to them but now I can't find it  

 

My only suggestion is to not get distracted by all the "pretty" out there. (i'm personally kind of allergic to it) Start simple and work up from there. Here's a good link if you're just getting started: http://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/blog/how-to-bullet-journal

 

[lynneta]

Sounds like you.got.alot.going on but you have it all laid out  in a specific way.I look forward to.watching your progress.im new here as well.but people are really.friendly.

[Kimnaran]

On 3/16/2017 at 9:28 PM, Bookish Badger said:

There are plenty of Bullet Journal aficionados lurking around here. There was/is a thread dedicated to them but now I can't find it  

 

My only suggestion is to not get distracted by all the "pretty" out there. (i'm personally kind of allergic to it) Start simple and work up from there. Here's a good link if you're just getting started: http://www.thelazygeniuscollective.com/blog/how-to-bullet-journal

 

 

Oh! I think I found it, is this it? I've been bullet journalling on and off for awhile, but yes, tried the pretty and after like-- the 2nd month, couldn't be bothered anymore  I have never used bullet journal for fitness/diet.. let's see how this goes. Hmm. Will definitely upload spreads after they come together!

 

 

On 3/17/2017 at 1:03 AM, lynneta said:

Sounds like you.got.alot.going on but you have it all laid out  in a specific way.I look forward to.watching your progress.im new here as well.but people are really.friendly.

 

Hi! Glad you think so  here's hoping it'll work. Goodluck to you too!

 

● ● ● ● ●

 

Update on my pre-challenge to do list, 

 

On 3/16/2017 at 3:20 PM, Kimnara said:

PRE-CHALLENGE TO DO LIST

• Decide on a method/spread to track goals and logs.
  • That includes the recipe/composition of foods (weekly?),
  • Weigh in (daily),
  • Total bulk-weight of those/major ingredients (weekly),
  • Cardio/walking hours (weekly) (should I note the lecture as well?),
  • Non-cardio/bodyweight/flexibility schedule (daily?), and
  • Food and exercise logs (daily).
• Decide on a schedule for non-cardio/bodyweight/flexibility routine.
• Decide on challenge thread updating schedule? Maybe have some ideas on what would merit an update?

 

I'm still tinkering on what to do with weekly/daily reports, but that last bullet about updating thread? Yeah. I'm adding another goal. A clause, maybe? 

 

<-- Here's the kind that easily get obsessed/distracted by a new project and pour All! The! Time! and effort into it until the drive putters and coughs itself into an unmoving heap of fluff. There should be a-- system (self-imposed rule?) that would not allow me to meander around the internet/books to read about fitness/diet. Stick with the pre-determined goals/activities and stop tinkering (atleast until the challenge ends). Will need to think a bit more about what would merit updates and to achieve that, but either way I should stick with it. 

 

On the other hand, currently wondering if I should change the 3rd goal to not-gym-oriented. I have several friends who are gym goers and will ask around about their experiences. I have also decided on/ have changed the flexibility/bodyweight program:it's going to be 60 minutes of Ballet Beautiful; which is stretching and limbs moving while the rest of the body stay dead still (..keeping a posture). Tried the movements and the result was comically tragic (randomly laughing (at my own fail) probably made it harder). Should be fun. 

 

 

PRE-CHALLENGE TO DO LIST

• Figure out updating schedule and time-sink failsafe. Should I limit how many hours I can spend on it? 
• Figure out weekly spread for Bullet Journal. 
• Figure out logging method(s). 

 

Until later!

[HappyDragon]

Welcome to the challenge, from another newbie!

 

1 hour ago, Kimnara said:

I'm still tinkering on what to do with weekly/daily reports, but that last bullet about updating thread? Yeah. I'm adding another goal. A clause, maybe? 

 

<-- Here's the kind that easily get obsessed/distracted by a new project and pour All! The! Time! and effort into it until the drive putters and coughs itself into an unmoving heap of fluff. There should be a-- system (self-imposed rule?) that would not allow me to meander around the internet/books to read about fitness/diet. Stick with the pre-determined goals/activities and stop tinkering (atleast until the challenge ends). Will need to think a bit more about what would merit updates and to achieve that, but either way I should stick with it. 

 

I've heard of the term "procrastiplanning" for spending lots of time planning a task instead of actually doing it. I've certainly been guilty of it myself. My advice would be to not overthink the little things, and instead just go ahead. After all, it's only 4 weeks, so the little things can be tweaked next challenge

 

Good luck with the goals!

 

[Bookish Badger]

19 hours ago, HappyDragon said:

I've heard of the term "procrastiplanning" for spending lots of time planning a task instead of actually doing it.

 

I love "procrastiplanning!" (as a term I'd never heard before, I mean). I do this constantly.

 

When I'm in the legitimate planning phase of a new project I think of it as "dithering," which I've learned is part of my method - attempts to shortcut it end badly so I embrace the process and roll with it.

 

Once I've passed a reasonable planning phase (usually to avoid the real work, which won't be as fun and/or I'm afraid I won't be able to pull off) I've always thought of it as "analysis paralysis." "Procrastiplanning" also has a nice ring to it.  

[Bookish Badger]

20 hours ago, Kimnara said:

Oh! I think I found it, is this it?

Apologies for the double-post, and yes, that's the thread I meant!

[NeonJabberwocky]

On 3/16/2017 at 4:20 AM, Kimnara said:

@NeonJabberwocky Thank you! Tried playing druid in 5e but the campaign didn't go far enough to shapeshift into interesting creatures. What system did/do you play on?

 

Super late response- but 3.5e. Pretty similar to 5e from what I hear- I've never played fifth. It's always heartbreaking when a group falls apart before the good stuff >= My current group is the longest-standing game I've ever had; almost two years now <3 Mooosssst of them have lasted a handful of sessions and then piddled to a stop.

 

Also, yeeeah, I sympathize with this procrastiplanning phenominon. I've been known to do that. BUT, if I don't kinda-sorta obsess over a thing I'm getting into, I'm... likely to bounce off to something else interesting and be entirely uninspired to pick that project back up later. A happy-medium amount of obsession is good for me xD

[Kimnaran]

On 3/18/2017 at 3:48 AM, HappyDragon said:

Welcome to the challenge, from another newbie!

 

 

I've heard of the term "procrastiplanning" for spending lots of time planning a task instead of actually doing it. I've certainly been guilty of it myself. My advice would be to not overthink the little things, and instead just go ahead. After all, it's only 4 weeks, so the little things can be tweaked next challenge

 

Good luck with the goals!

 

Thank you! Less overthinking and tinkering, definitely. ..Well I hope. For the time being I'll try emptying the head/ distract myself when the urge to overthink turns up. 

 

 

22 hours ago, Bookish Badger said:

 

I love "procrastiplanning!" (as a term I'd never heard before, I mean). I do this constantly.

 

When I'm in the legitimate planning phase of a new project I think of it as "dithering," which I've learned is part of my method - attempts to shortcut it end badly so I embrace the process and roll with it.

 

Once I've passed a reasonable planning phase (usually to avoid the real work, which won't be as fun and/or I'm afraid I won't be able to pull off) I've always thought of it as "analysis paralysis." "Procrastiplanning" also has a nice ring to it.  

 

22 hours ago, Bookish Badger said:

Apologies for the double-post, and yes, that's the thread I meant!

Yeah that sounds about right --putting most of the work at the beginning. The continuation after that is what I'm having problems with? (Because it prematurely feels -finished' already? False sense of completion after having this perfectly planned 'thing'?). Let's hope that limiting exposure/time would work for my brain. 

 

 

17 hours ago, NeonJabberwocky said:

 

Super late response- but 3.5e. Pretty similar to 5e from what I hear- I've never played fifth. It's always heartbreaking when a group falls apart before the good stuff >= My current group is the longest-standing game I've ever had; almost two years now <3 Mooosssst of them have lasted a handful of sessions and then piddled to a stop.

 

Also, yeeeah, I sympathize with this procrastiplanning phenominon. I've been known to do that. BUT, if I don't kinda-sorta obsess over a thing I'm getting into, I'm... likely to bounce off to something else interesting and be entirely uninspired to pick that project back up later. A happy-medium amount of obsession is good for me xD

Oh! I heard 3.5 is best from several friends, haven't got to try it though. 5e is a bit-- over simplified? But I started with Pathfinder so.. Agree with a friend that said 5e is good for short/one-shot campaigns and to introduce to new players, there's little tweaking/variations/confusions. But I feel the casters are debuffed in general because it's harder (impossible?) to stack spells. My longest games (2 of them) went for about a year, and after that the games just fiddled away to inactivity. I have been toying with the idea of learning to DM and host my own. 

 

Yes! A good sprinkle of obsession is a great thing. Here's hoping for that goldilocks zone for productive obsession. 

 

 

● ● ● ● ●

 

Updates on to do list,

On 3/18/2017 at 2:10 AM, Kimnara said:

PRE-CHALLENGE TO DO LIST

• Figure out updating schedule and time-sink failsafe. Should I limit how many hours I can spend on it?
• Figure out weekly spread for Bullet Journal. 
• Figure out logging method(s). 

 

Figure out updating schedule and time-sink failsafe. Should I limit how many hours I can spend on it?

I decided to limit the time logging into the NF forum/ tweaking the Bullet Journal. I'll check the forums 3 times/week and all the updates/responding should be concentrated at those times. 

 

Figure out weekly spread for Bullet Journal. 

Done. My weekly spread will be basically an aggregator to 'feed' the main challenge spread. Not done making tables yet though, should be able to upload tomorrow. 

 

Figure out logging method(s). 

Anything goes. A note app, dropbox, behind a receipt, in (any of the) inserts of my Traveler's Notebook. It can be compiled later into the fitness/challenge insert/booklet. It's more important to keep a record somewhere than trying to keep it perfect and tidy (trying to keep it tidy had been my pitfall because postponing > forgetting/ the day already changed). I'll be thinking of a way/BuJo spread to compile it though. Since I'm counting the bulk weight of my foods/ingredients, the compiling method should serve that. 

 

Also decided to change 3rd/fitness goal into less-gym-oriented sounding one. I'll.. decide later whether I'm going to join a gym or not. Putting the original goal under spoiler for archiving purposes. 

Spoiler

III. Join A Training Hall: I (Multi-parts)

The idea of paying (quite an amount, around here) to physically suffer is, well, had been unappealing. Lately though, I'm starting to accept that it's unlikely (for me) to build physical strength without joining a gym. Would like to get my money's worth however, and considering the current physical condition, one session of gym/class might take few days/the whole week for me to recuperate. So here's aiming to build basic fitness first. 

• Build stamina (still not sure how to measure this). 
  • Do cardio/walk around total of 3 hours per week (while listening to audiobooks/ lectures).
• Raise flexibility.
  • 60 minutes of Ballet Beautiful, 2-3 times per week.
  • Mini Side-quest: Take pictures of bending/toe-touching & split 'befores' and 'afters'.
• Set aside/figure out budgeting and equipments.

 

 

PRE-CHALLENGE TO DO LIST

• Finish making Bullet Journal spreads for the challenge. 
  • Monthly/ main challenge spread.
  • Weekly.
  • 'Today I Learned' 
• Set up mp3 player/ lectures to listen during walking. 

 

See you tomorrow and goodluck all for the challenge!

[Kimnaran]

18 hours ago, Kimnara said:

PRE-CHALLENGE TO DO LIST

• Finish making Bullet Journal spreads for the challenge.
  • Monthly/ main challenge spread.
  • Weekly.
  • 'Today I Learned' (postponed)
• Set up mp3 player/ lectures to listen during walking.

 

+

• Take 'before' pictures.
  • Body, from 4 angles (front, sides, back)
  • Toe-touching/bending, side split, front split.
• Decide on weekly goals.
• Take pictures of Bullet Journal spreads and upload them.

 

 

 

 

WEEK 1: Goals

1. Survive first week. 

2. (Eventhough it'll hurt and quite possibly pathetic) stay through the 60 minutes program of Ballet Beautiful. It'll probably get better at some point.

   • Had the realization that (one of?) the reason why joining a class is 'more effective' than doing exercises at home is because one cannot escape from a class. However you feel silly/ feeling like making a fool of yourself, you kinda have to stick there because leaving midway is more embarrassing than huffing and puffing. So yeah. Hang in there, me.

Reward: Ballet slippers. 

 

Oh. Also meal-prepped enough for 4 days, will do the rest (2-3 days) and restock vegetables/fruits tomorrow. 

[Kimnaran]

Hi~ 3rd day and it's going well so far. I can't do a few movements of Ballet Beautiful but doing it anyway, and tried walking with the new shoes. The rest.. well I made curry and some chili laden tempeh/egg thing (feeling carb flu coming in and stocking up on cooked eggs). Going to have a beef bowl with lots of greens today. Found it's easier for me to give up grains than legumes, however-- what's with that? So yes, I'm eating tempeh and pre-soaked/sprouted kidney beans (in the curry and 3 days worth of chili in the freezer). 

 

Thinking of buying another pair of shoes as outdoor/mall walking shoes (mall is indoor, but other people's shoes are..not). Well, my shoes are mostly thin ballet flats and heels, it might be a good idea just to have that option to be more mobile while outside. It's a strange thought, since I'm the kind that aim to move/being under sunlight as little as possible.

...Won't go as far as saying/thinking/promising that I'll do any form of exercise outdoors, though. 

 

For the time being I food log using a notetaking app, but am looking for weekly bullet journal layouts. Hmm I'd like one that can be dissected into ingredients.. I'm probably thinking about tables again (yeah, I'm in bullet journal because of tables). 

 

 

TO DO LIST

• Find a layout for food logging. 
• Decide whether to buy outdoor sport shoes. 
• Sleep early/around or before midnight. 

 

See you!

[Kimnaran]

Reporting, I think my body was/is a bit shocked with the addition of 6 exercises in a week, each going for an hour (though they're not intense) and couldn't make myself do the scheduled Ballet Beautiful yesterday. Arriving home late last night was a factor too, yeah. 

 

 

Made for it up today, but still feeling a bit tired. Tomorrow I'll be meal prepping and grocery shopping after church. Will be making nomnompaleo's Wonton Meatballs (..gluten free dumpling wraps might happen, we'll see), tofu-egg-and-scallion wraps, Egg Foo Young and bone broth thick sauced veggie thing. Since there's no limit for how many veggies allowed to be consumed, switching the tracking to whether I eat any that day or not. 

 

Other than that, the challenge is going fairly well (down a few decimals weight wise, but officially I'll report weight progress every Sunday), though eating out happened yesterday-- but Mexican with boyfriend and friends was worth it. 

[HappyDragon]

Good job so far! It's a beautiful journal you have created!

[Deciduous]

x

[Kimnaran]

So TOM showed up rather early and I was --out of commission for most of Sunday. Fun. Anyway, did grocery shop and meal prepping (eventually) and I'm set for the next 6 days or so. Still have frozen chili around in case of boredom/ laziness as well. 

 

@HappyDragon Yay! Thankyou! 

 

@Deciduous Lol I'm glad it *cough* doesn't seem like over-planning. Yeah for a program to be successful it should be somewhat.. livable, I suppose. Even with meal-preps and IFs, one cannot keep avoiding eating out especially with people whose company are actually welcome. Goodluck, you totally can do it!

 

 

● ● ● ● ●

Week 1 Overview

I. Lose Over-Capacity

• Weigh everyday. ✔

  • Starting Monday at 65.2 kg and Sunday weigh-in was 64.1 kg. So lost 1.1 kg (~2.4 lbs) this week.

  • This Monday's weigh in returned to 64.5, but I hope that's TOM thing. So far the program seems to work despite the exercising (it's harder for me to lose weight when I get active, but probably healthier that way). 

 

II. Rationing Rations

• Meal prep (enough for) 5-6 days out of a week. ✔

• Keep a food log. ✔ Haven't moved the Week 1 log from my phone to BuJo yet, but I think I like the layout format I'm using so far. Going to put 'moving/counting food log immediately' as one of this/2nd week's goals. 

• Random Encounters: Socializing-proofing. ✔ There's that Mexican dinner, but didn't do too badly. I really don't want to be that girl that orders only salad in a meat restaurant. 

 

III. Casting Stat is Not End-All

• Build CON: Do cardio/walk around total of 3 hours per week (while listening to audiobooks/ lectures). ✔ Did 3 hours.

• Raise DEX & STR: 60 minutes of Ballet Beautiful, 2-3 times per week. ✔ 

  • Did 3 times/sessions. Suffering and there are parts I still can't do, but-- improving tiny bit by bit (keeping notes after every session to track what I can/not do).

  • Thinking of supplementing with something else that'd help with spine/ back flexibility. The program builds core but feels like I need more support for the back.

    • I'll add it at 3rd week? 

    • Looking into yoga and Belly Dancing (and wandered to Combat Fitness.. but that's probably for next challenge. Not enough muscles yet).

 

+ + +

 

WEEK 1: Goals

1. Survive first week. ✔ YAY!  

2. (Eventhough it'll hurt and quite possibly pathetic) stay through the 60 minutes program of Ballet Beautiful. It'll probably get better at some point. ✔ ..It.. it actually did get better. 

 

Reward: Ballet slippers. The store is out of my size, but it should be restocked next (this) week. Bought the outdoor sports shoes (almost at the same price because it was heavily discounted). 

 

● ● ● ● ●

 

Forward!

 

 

WEEK 2: Goals

1. Continue!
2. If the outdoor running shoes arrived, try Mall Walking. 

3. Look into programs (preferably 45 minutes-1 hour long) that would help with building back/ spine flexibility. 

4. Record food log into BuJo spread. 

 

Reward: 2nd week to 'pay' for the outdoor sports shoes/ ballet slippers if they become available.  

 

Oh right. One more thing: my current tracking system is not very accommodating for recording eating out; I can count the bulk weight of foods I prepare myself, but I have no idea how much the meat in a burrito weigh (No. Bringing pocket digital scale to restaurants is out of the question, Brain.) -- gonna have to think a bit about that. 

[Kimnaran]

Rambling about (future) D&D class and where to go from here training wise:  

 

Spoiler

While researching videos/programs to do, I'm wondering what (D&D-Pathfinder) class I'll be aiming for with the addition of certain branches (?) of activity (current class would be pure INT Witch). Ballet and bellydancing (well, dancing in general) would be straight up Bard, empty handed combat would be Monk.. rather than empty-handed, I prefer the idea of knife fighting and there are bellydancing performances with swords; it's most likely (hopefully not) unusable in normal day-to-day life and we're not even getting to the-- rightly scary laws around bringing a knife anywhere, but can make prop knives* or substitute 1lb dumbells ('aerobic dumbells') for them.

*) Prop knives could be made to have fantasy flair/ornaments/flavor. Actual knives are not that expensive but I don't want to jump around holding something sharp. 

 

Rogues, then? 5'4" with thin bones (not..small? I'm medium sized but the bones are thin) so unlikely will get sturdy enough to build the amount of muscle to face anyone head on game/battle wise (being a Paladin would be cool but here's neither Good nor Lawful ). Have never played a Rogue before.. so.. DEX based.

 

Quote

Dexterity measures agility, reflexes, and balance. This ability is the most important one for rogues, but it’s also useful for characters who wear light or medium armor or no armor at all. This ability is vital for characters seeking to excel with ranged weapons, such as the bow or sling.

 

You apply your character’s Dexterity modifier to:

• Ranged attack rolls, including those for attacks made with bows, crossbows, throwing axes, and many ranged spell attacks like scorching ray or searing light.
• Armor Class (AC), provided that the character can react to the attack.
• Reflex saving throws, for avoiding fireballs and other attacks that you can escape by moving quickly.
• Acrobatics, Disable Device, Escape Artist, Fly, Ride, Sleight of Hand, and Stealth checks.

 

So speed, agility, reflexes, deftness of hand/weapon handling, flexibility, balance, grace (as in moving manner), the ability to hide and move quietly. Hmm. As it is my programs are for building balance, 'grace' (posture) and flexibility so it's about the right direction. To fairly build agility and speed (and later reflexes) will need to lose more weight while strengthening the core and build stamina. How.. do one even learn weapon handling? ..will think about that later.  I'm into dancing but not ... particularly Bards? Used to dance when younger but it was never for performance and more for 'moving in purposeful manner', which is partly why I'm averse to gyms/weightlifting/machines. I'm sure there are people who enjoy doing them (my friend does, for one, she likes the challenge aspect of heavier lifts) but when I tried it felt-- like a chore.

 

Well the future class is probably somewhere between Bard and Rogue. DEX/CHA/INT or DEX/INT/CHA. ..Guess I'll get building DEX first. 

 

Oh I found a prospective yoga-for-bellydancing program to try. It's lots of bending. I have very little idea of what I'm doing but let's try anyway. 

[Kimnaran]

Well the last two days I've been pretty much inhaling this-- box of traditional pastries BF brought from vacation (not his fault for bringing me food, I asked for the pastries... just didn't expect I'd eat them so quickly. They're so flaky and good). Still actively moving, but damage control must commence diet wise. Let's see. I think I've gone (lots) over my carb quota as it is, so no more additional carbs and focus on vegetables and bone broth for the rest of the week. Avoid having milk and might add another hour of exercise too to 'flush' the sugar high. 

 

There's still 4 days. I would like to atleast stay around lower 64 kg. 

 

The outdoor shoes arrived and promptly returned to the online store. The brand run smaller sizing than others, it seemed. After it's refunded I'll buy another model of the same brand, this time one size bigger. So no mall-walking this week yet. 

[KaitSith]

17 hours ago, Kimnara said:

Rambling about (future) D&D class and where to go from here training wise:  

 

  Hide contents

While researching videos/programs to do, I'm wondering what (D&D-Pathfinder) class I'll be aiming for with the addition of certain branches (?) of activity (current class would be pure INT Witch). Ballet and bellydancing (well, dancing in general) would be straight up Bard, empty handed combat would be Monk.. rather than empty-handed, I prefer the idea of knife fighting and there are bellydancing performances with swords; it's most likely (hopefully not) unusable in normal day-to-day life and we're not even getting to the-- rightly scary laws around bringing a knife anywhere, but can make prop knives* or substitute 1lb dumbells ('aerobic dumbells') for them.

*) Prop knives could be made to have fantasy flair/ornaments/flavor. Actual knives are not that expensive but I don't want to jump around holding something sharp. 

 

Rogues, then? 5'4" with thin bones (not..small? I'm medium sized but the bones are thin) so unlikely will get sturdy enough to build the amount of muscle to face anyone head on game/battle wise (being a Paladin would be cool but here's neither Good nor Lawful ). Have never played a Rogue before.. so.. DEX based.

 

 

So speed, agility, reflexes, deftness of hand/weapon handling, flexibility, balance, grace (as in moving manner), the ability to hide and move quietly. Hmm. As it is my programs are for building balance, 'grace' (posture) and flexibility so it's about the right direction. To fairly build agility and speed (and later reflexes) will need to lose more weight while strengthening the core and build stamina. How.. do one even learn weapon handling? ..will think about that later.  I'm into dancing but not ... particularly Bards? Used to dance when younger but it was never for performance and more for 'moving in purposeful manner', which is partly why I'm averse to gyms/weightlifting/machines. I'm sure there are people who enjoy doing them (my friend does, for one, she likes the challenge aspect of heavier lifts) but when I tried it felt-- like a chore.

 

Well the future class is probably somewhere between Bard and Rogue. DEX/CHA/INT or DEX/INT/CHA. ..Guess I'll get building DEX first. 

 

Oh I found a prospective yoga-for-bellydancing program to try. It's lots of bending. I have very little idea of what I'm doing but let's try anyway. 

The DM in me approves! Also, Yoga-for-Bellydancing?  That sounds like a lot of fun.  I'm with you on the group-fitness vs. solo-fitness.  I need accountibility like whoa.

[Kimnaran]

18 hours ago, KaitSith said:

The DM in me approves! Also, Yoga-for-Bellydancing?  That sounds like a lot of fun.  I'm with you on the group-fitness vs. solo-fitness.  I need accountibility like whoa.

 

Yeah, the yoga is included in a bellydancing program and many movements seem to stretch/strengthen spine/torso and hamstrings. Still looking around, but it looks like a good place to start!

[KaitSith]

5 hours ago, Kimnara said:

 

Yeah, the yoga is included in a bellydancing program and many movements seem to stretch/strengthen spine/torso and hamstrings. Still looking around, but it looks like a good place to start!

Is it more fun first, exercise second? Or exercise first, fun included?

[Kimnaran]

5 hours ago, KaitSith said:

Is it more fun first, exercise second? Or exercise first, fun included?

 

Hmm. I was thinking about this after seeing my friend's gym instagram videos. I probably will never be one of the people who find exercise/exerting myself to be 'fun' (I believe lazy, everything-provided-for housecats to be the last stage of karma surplus before ascending as Buddhas) and since at this point I have little idea/image of the body to aim for-- mechanical sort of exercising wouldn't hold. This might change as I get a better idea of the things and shape(s) my body are capable of?

 

Possibly triggering body image thing?

Spoiler

I used to be quite a bit heavier than currently am, and for some reason came to believe that underneath all that fat to be a strong amazon with thick, athletic, Fighter/Barbarian bones. The kind of character that can swing around a great axe and chop orcs. Got smaller and it-- turned out not so. My wrists are weak, my hands and feet tiny, the bones sharp, and it became clearer that the smaller I get-- the smaller I'll get. There might be some lingering disappointment about that and likely contributes to why I'm stuck at this body for few years already.

 

I'm not really looking forward to becoming smaller (and in -now I realize- possibly erroneous association, weaker, more vulnerable). Well atleast I have my resting bitchface. 

 

I suppose that's a good way to look at it. Probably will never get muscled like my friend had become, and won't get to swing a great axe, but-- maybe being a DEX person wouldn't be that bad either. Perhaps rather than between 'fun' or 'functional' exercise, I like the idea of having a 'theme'-- a romance of a kind while working with what I'm (currently) capable of. Since there are problems with my back, taking ballet and bellydancing hopefully helps with posture and flexibility and this leads to looking into dancing and how it would translate into fantasy theme. And here we are?

 

 

Oh, the first good thing from keeping with exercising this 1.5 weeks had been realizing that losing weight is not just for vanity, or fitting into dresses. The extra weight I'm carrying hinder my body from doing things it should/may be able to do. So yeah, the fat must go! 

[KaitSith]

On 3/30/2017 at 2:04 PM, Kimnara said:

 

Hmm. I was thinking about this after seeing my friend's gym instagram videos. I probably will never be one of the people who find exercise/exerting myself to be 'fun' (I believe lazy, everything-provided-for housecats to be the last stage of karma surplus before ascending as Buddhas) and since at this point I have little idea/image of the body to aim for-- mechanical sort of exercising wouldn't hold. This might change as I get a better idea of the things and shape(s) my body are capable of?

 

Possibly triggering body image thing?

  Reveal hidden contents

I used to be quite a bit heavier than currently am, and for some reason came to believe that underneath all that fat to be a strong amazon with thick, athletic, Fighter/Barbarian bones. The kind of character that can swing around a great axe and chop orcs. Got smaller and it-- turned out not so. My wrists are weak, my hands and feet tiny, the bones sharp, and it became clearer that the smaller I get-- the smaller I'll get. There might be some lingering disappointment about that and likely contributes to why I'm stuck at this body for few years already.

 

I'm not really looking forward to becoming smaller (and in -now I realize- possibly erroneous association, weaker, more vulnerable). Well atleast I have my resting bitchface. 

 

I suppose that's a good way to look at it. Probably will never get muscled like my friend had become, and won't get to swing a great axe, but-- maybe being a DEX person wouldn't be that bad either. Perhaps rather than between 'fun' or 'functional' exercise, I like the idea of having a 'theme'-- a romance of a kind while working with what I'm (currently) capable of. Since there are problems with my back, taking ballet and bellydancing hopefully helps with posture and flexibility and this leads to looking into dancing and how it would translate into fantasy theme. And here we are?

 

 

Oh, the first good thing from keeping with exercising this 1.5 weeks had been realizing that losing weight is not just for vanity, or fitting into dresses. The extra weight I'm carrying hinder my body from doing things it should/may be able to do. So yeah, the fat must go! 

I hear you!

I am bigger than I have ever been, but I am also strong and really flexible and I am afraid of losing some of that (Which is ridiculous, but fears are fears are fears)

Dancing always sounds like fun to me but working on fitness solo/alone is probably the least fun way that I can think to spend my time.  I would rather be doing anything else besides working out solo no matter what the exercise, and often always make everything else a priority. 

 

I like the way you are going about it, this mindset change you have: making it a fantasy thing = brilliant.  Especially with belly dancing because there are FABULOUS COSTUMES!! involved. I'm all about a fab costume.  I'd probably even do a hip-hop dance/ Zumba class thing if I could spin it into a fantasy thing.

 

Congrats on the good revelation, as well, that's a big win.  Hope the rest of your week goes as successfully!