Let's do this-Leeeeeroooooy Jenkinnnnnnnnns!

[Kuiken]

Hello everyone!

I've already declared for the Rangers before posting my Intro, but such is the "to do" list of a Gallifreyan. So let me go back to the beginning.

Back in 1981-wait no, maybe not the beginning then...let's try closer to the present.

Currently I’m a graduate student studying in South Africa, though I’m originally from the US. Back in the states I wasn't super fit, but I could do the wiggle dance with very little jiggle. I lived in Washington DC on a meager salary so my diet wasn't so much health conscience as it was an economic necessity and my long runs through the park were cheap entertainment. But all that was about to change-upon moving to South Africa, the dollar to rand exchange combined with the cheap (and delicious) food blew my mind and my waist line. To make matters worse, my running routine was now confined to a treadmill (the new neighborhood isn't very runner friendly), I was stressed from starting a new program in a foreign country, and my wonderful fiance, who loves to cook, had just purchased Jamie Oliver’s entire collection of books. I didn’t stand a chance.

But then! I was tired of feeling tired and I missed seeing my toes (they're exceptionally cute). Plus at some point I would have to go back to the US and I didn't want to have that awkward conversation which goes "wow-you’ve...changed....a lot....um....your hair is nice?" with all of my old friends. So I started counting calories and cardioing like my life depended on it. Which it kind of did. Socially at least.

In about 5 months, I was down from 76kg to 65kg and looking good, but getting bored. I wanted to add some muscle and drop some fat to get down to 60kg, but the scale wasn’t moving as quickly as before and I became discouraged. I tried starting a 6 week weight loss competition with my friends, but they quite 3 weeks in and I became more discouraged. Just as I was becoming resigned to my fate of adequate fitness, I found Nerd Fitness; the upside of which is that now I have a challenge, the downside being no more excuses of “well I’m stuck at 65kg anyway-might as well have that extra scope of ice cream!†(Steve owes the ice cream manufactures of South Africa a serious apology for their drop in sales).

For my character, I chose Gallifreyan due to my love of the Doctor (I’m getting my PhD pretty much so that I can introduce myself as “Hello-I’m the Doctorâ€) and my inability to be on time-I’m either too early or too late, but this is entirely due to the relative nature of time (this will probably be a life challenge at some point). The jackal is due to the adaptability of its nature-it’s not the fastest or the strongest, but it’s the most likely to survive and thrive in almost any environment. Very ranger like.

For my goals-I’m still working on them. This weekend’s challenge is to draw up a time schedule and determine what is and isn’t possible. Further postings to follow.

Wow-did you really read all that?! Don’t you have push ups or squats to be doing instead? Why am I still typing-don’t I have push ups and squats to be doing as well?! Let’s get to it!

[d00slip]

I might not have been here long enough to say welcome to the forum, but I can definitely welcome you to South Africa, so - baie welkom in ons wonderlike land, Kuiken

I'm glad to see there is another ice cream lover in our midst, I too am a firm follower of its creamy goodness. It seems like you have your mind firmly set on change, keep up the motivation and I'm sure before you know it you'll be a happy chappie

P.S - Biltong is your friend

[Kuiken]

Baie dankie-ek dink dit's baie mooi plek en ek geniet bly eso! (I'm not 100% on the last part of that sentence, but hopefully you get the idea-corrections please?).

Have you tried the Ola brand that comes in the red carton? Some of the flavors are choc nut italiano and vanilla symphony-SOOOO GOOD! If you haven't tried them, don't-they're like cocaine! Thanks for the encouragement-I'll keep that in mind when I'm walking past the ice cream bin in the grocery store.

And I'm loving the biltong! So much delicious protein and easy travel with. I'm still on the fence with driewors-thoughts? Maybe if I make my own with less fat?

Sounds like you're quite motivated yourself! I like the idea of doing a fitness test and then basing the goals off of that-I plan on doing the same thing this weekend. And I'm probably going to have to add getting stuff done at work to my life challenge as well; I think it's this winter weather that's pulling everyone down, but summer's coming soon!

[SirEarl]

welcome to the forums! I feel your pain about the time thing. I call it time disease.

[Kuiken]

Thanks! And glad to hear I'm not the only one suffering from time disease. We'd start a support group, but no one would ever show up on time for the meetings

[d00slip]

Baie dankie-ek dink dit's baie mooi plek en ek geniet bly eso! (I'm not 100% on the last part of that sentence, but hopefully you get the idea-corrections please?).

Very well done actually, almost perfect, the last part would be hierso (sounds the same as eso). Yes I know exactly which brand your talking about, Gino Ginelli, it really is like a drug!!