Jump in! The water is great!

[Josh Cross]

I've been lurking for about three months now but have been too scared to actually post in this forum because I knew once I posted that would be it, I would be exposed, and thus...accountable.

Accountability is fucking scary.

I used to be fit. I was a junior high/high school wrestler, did track and cross country, swim teams every year from age 6-15. And then...something happened. I'm not even sure what exactly, whether it was just fear of growing up or something else I'm not sure but suddenly I was drinking every weekend and started smoking cigarettes/weed. Cut to fifteen years later and I'm a 32 year old alcoholic that still smokes way too much weed (to the point where it's absolutely affecting my work/personal life) who is so horribly out of shape that, while still being skinny, can't climb a flight of stairs without panting.

So on November 19, 2011 I quit smoking cold turkey. I decided that if I didn't do something right now this hunk of flesh wasn't going to last another 30+ years. I realized that I didn't *actually* want to die and that all of my bad habits were just a form of lashing out. My doctor, who had smoked for 30 years, gave me the best advice ever: Do anything you want. Eat whatever, drink whatever, do whatever...literally doing *anything else* is better for you if it keeps you from smoking cigarettes. So I did that, I ate and drank ALOT. My soda consumption shot up to like a case every two days. My thinking was that this was all part of a process and that once I had really gotten out from under nicotine I could move on to the next step.

Which I did! I started going to the gym and rowing (which for some reason I totally love) and running. I still wasn't eating particularly well and was still drinking too much soda/beer but at least I was getting a sweat every day. I began to notice, however, that I wasn't really getting results. I wasn't getting stronger and my body wasn't looking any better. I needed a plan.

So this website. I feel like now that I have a decent pair of working lungs it's time to get really serious about this. I want to get back to where I used to be when I could swim for hours or run for miles. I'm going to be a Best Man at my best friend's wedding in two months and want to look better. I want to change careers and become an EMT (hello real life White Mage) so I need to be faster and stronger and have more energy. I have a two year old nephew that I want to chase for the next 10 years so I need to be more agile and sharpen my reflexes.

I'm thinking General Adventurer for now with an eye toward a hybrid Scout/Assassin. I'm really looking forward to getting to know some of you pretty awesome people.

I know I can do this. The harder the noob levels are the better the end game content will be, right?

I don't have a choice anyway. Now I'm accountable.

[Sambalina]

Huge welcome, Josh! Your story is very inspiring. You deserve huge congratulations for all the goals you've met so far, and should be really proud of yourself for taking this step to join in the community and level up. I've got massive respect for anyone who does work as an EMT, those guys are simply amazing, and make a difference in so may lives - wonderful goal!

I'm an adventurer too, and it's a great place to be/start. You'll find all the support you need.

So, what's your plan? How and what do you want to do with your diet? What kind of changes do you want to see in your body and strength? Pretty much anything you want to do, someone on here can tell you how

All the best, and again - welcome!

[tigersheart]

welcome aboard and grats on the courage to finally post. Yup accountability sucks! but is good as well

good luck to you, I wish you the best

[CakeBanisher]

Accountability = utterly terrifying. I lurked for over a year before I finally joined up. Weird how something that is ultimately a good thing is so scary. Also, totally inspired by what you've already accomplished, and what you're aiming for next! I have a lot of respect for both! And there's nothing like chasing a two-year-old to sharpen your reflexes Welcome and good luck!

[Josh Cross]

Thanks guys! I'm still sort of in the "drown in information" stage I think.

I'm really looking forward to the next 6-week challenge. I keep wanting to put together a thread and distribute points and all of that stuff but I think I'm going to wait until next week when more information is put out as to how this next one is going to work. That and other people will be doing it who have done it before so I'll have an easier time following along. Having played Final Fantasy XI for most of my lazy years the whole model is perfect for me. (Another thing I had to just quit cold turkey last winter...noticing any sort of addictive trend yet? lol)

My diet goals are pretty noob at this point. I really need to work on cutting out beer/soda and carbs. My whole diet is bagels/sandwiches/pizza/crackers. I'm like...the carbiest carb-eater ever and pretty much always have been. Definitely one of the 6-week goals will be to cut out all alcohol and most carbs (especially stuff like bagels...my god are those things just carb-factories). A six week break from alcohol will be the longest period of time I've gone sober since I was probably fifteen years old so that will be VERY interesting.

So far I've been doing the beginner body-weight routine every other day and going for LONG walks with a playground ball on my off-days/running on the elliptical at the gym if it's raining or too windy (playground ball RULES!). I have a pull-up bar I welded together so every day I go out and tug on it at least 3-4 times. By the end of the August I'd like to be moving onto the second body weight routine and able to regularly run 5 miles without feeling like I was going to die. I have pins in knee from an ACL tear a few years ago but I think I can build up to basically anything as long as I take it slow. Today (Sunday) which is usually my "Off From Everything Day" I'm going to try beginner yoga just to try it out, I'd like to have several options for things to do between strength routines (or maybe even things I can *add* to my strength routines).

[Sambalina]

Sounds like a great plan.

And I don't think your diet goals are nooby at all, they sound very sensible and pretty challenging.

Bring on the next challenge - I'm really looking forward to seeing your progress (plus, looks to me like you'll be a huge asset to the adventurers!).

[ellisd012]

Looks like a great start! Quitting smoking shows that you can do anything...it's a tough monkey to get off of your back (>12 years without cigs myself now!) It really sounds like you are committed to succeed and are working a good plan. I will be getting in on the next challenge myself, likely as a scout...I like to run...so see you around...and thanks for your comments on my finishing a marathon...it was a great experience (maybe I'll try a 50k next).

[BadWolf]

Welcome! Looking forward to seeing your progress in the next challenge. Cutting out all beer and carbs is NOT a noob goal at all, in fact it sounds really tough to me. You probably already thought of this, but definitely come up with a meal plan ahead of time so that when you're hungry you can have an apple at hand. It's really frustrating for me when I'm feeling hungry and I can't find anything to eat. In those moments I'm more likely to buy something unhealthy. Good luck!

[magi192]

Welcome! Accountability is crazy scary, but sometimes, it can make the difference between getting up or staying down. I'm also thinking of becoming a Scout/Assassin, so I'm pretty happy I'm not the only one thinking about that path!

Cutting out all carbs is not a n00b goal at all. It will be tough, especially if carbs currently make up most of your diet (my battle is with with white rice). I agree with BadWolf, you should take the few weeks before the next challenge to create a meal plan and restock the fridge. You can also try to take things slowly and make weekly goals to replace one of your staples with another (i.e. 1st week: replace alcohol with water, 2nd week: replace pizza with meatball salad, etc).

[Sea Level]

Welcome aboard! I haven't been here long, but already I know this is an awesome group!