Hello, World!

[Jlailin]

Hello, hello!  My name is Julie, and I'm the quintessential shiny object chaser at the moment.  I stumbled upon this place last Tuesday, and I've been obsessively reading articles and lurking about.  I want to do all the things!  I want to strength train and learn how to dead lift; I love to dance, so I want to up my game and learn break dance moves; I want to get back into yoga;  I want to learn the rings; I have an incredible urge and an incredible fear for trying parkour.  I haven't joined the academy yet just because I'm trying to figure out what I want to focus on, but I want to do that too!

 

I've started IF, since I was actually pretty close to doing it already.  Eating right when I wake up makes me queasy sometimes, so I've skipped breakfast for most of my life.  I just had to switch up my timing of when I finished eating the night before to align it with when I started eating the next day.  It hasn't been too painful so far.  I haven't really changed what I've been eating yet, since it's not too bad.  I love to cook, so I rarely eat out.  Plus, I'm trying my hardest to not change too many things at the same time.

 

I've also done the Beginner Body Weight Workout twice so far.  My mind was blown when Staci's story and Strength Training 101.  I thought that because I exercised by dancing and doing other cardio classes that I would slim down, but I just never changed.  I was able to maintain my weight, but I was stuck at a certain level; it was so frustrating.  I had an inkling that I needed to do something with body weight because sometimes the kpop dances I do would have some crazy floor move that veered into break dance territory, and I felt like I always made more progress after those dances.  However, most of my classmates bemoan the floor work because the moves are more difficult (we're not really fitness focused, it's more about geeking out and dancing to kpop songs), so the week after I made all the progress it was back to dances without the fun crazy moves.  Now I know why.

 

Right now my struggle is trying to not do too much.  I'm still learning about strength training, and I know I need rest days to build the muscle--but I'm just so excited!  I typically dance 2-3 times per week, so I've been interspersing the body weight work out on alternating days.  I need to figure out how to fit all the other stuff I want to do in a training schedule, so I don't over-commit myself.  Gah.

 

Other things about me: I was born in Hawaii and am currently living in Chicago; I love food--both the eating and making of it; I like kpop and kdramas; I have an awesome cat that helps me do warm ups and cool downs by chasing me while I flee with his cat toys; I'm a business analyst in IT for a food company; I love to write, draw, and do all things artsy.

 

Anyways, I'm super excited to be here with all of you!  Onward to adventure!     

 

[Tialoredron]

Welcome to the Rebellion!

 

Looks like you have a pretty solid plan forward; next week starts a new 4-week challenge and that may be a great place to document your experience with IF.  I'd recommend jumping into the Rebels section at this site and is also towards the bottom of the main forums page underneath Current Challenge.  A quick look at the goals you are starting to set also seems like you might be interested in the Druid Guild.  Don't be afraid to poke around in the other guild chat forums and ask any questions on your mind!

[Jlailin]

Thank you, Tialoredon!   I'll check those links out, and figure out a 4-week challenge for myself.  I read some of the guild descriptions, and I think I'm somewhere in between druid and assassin.  I'm guessing I'll end up jumping back and forth for awhile.      

[Tialoredron]

No problem at all.

 

I joined the rebels from a long time ago and since then plenty of things have changed (along with things I haven't checked out yet cause I'm a lazy sometimes :D) but Spezzy has a first-challenge video walkthrough if you'd like a more clarified direction than what I can give.

 

Have fun and no worries about "Guild jumping"; some members jump every challenge depending on their particular goals they are looking to accomplish during the 4-week challenge.  Just by doing a thing you are already winning!