Hello! Transition from being a runner

[Robert]

Hi everyone! I am new here (obviously).

I am a vision scientist, working towards a PhD in the field of cognitive science. I am currently studying how people look for things, as in "how do radiologists find tumors in x-ray images?" or "How do I find Waldo?"

For recreation I draw, paint, exercise, and read. And I am an on-again-off-again gamer. I also enjoy doing different or unusual things (for example, within the last year or two I spent an hour and a half in a sensory deprivation tank, visited several cults, and flew a plane).

I once lost over 100 lbs, and have kept it off to this day.

I had been distance running, and got as far as a half-marathon. Soon after that, though, I injured both my knees (chondromalacia). Currently, two years later, I'm in my second round of physical therapy and am effectively giving up distance running.

So, I'm transitioning into finding a new healthy lifestyle. Since I stopped running, I gained a bunch of weight, and became significantly less fit (I had also stopped doing every other kind of exercise).

My current fitness goals (and shorter-term subgoals) are:

- Be able to walk up stairs without pain

- Finish this round of physical therapy

- WALK a marathon

- Walk a half-marathon

- Walk a 10k

- Walk a 5k

- Slowly build up my walking distances (this week goal: 3 mi / crosstrain-biking / 3 mi / rest / 3 mi / 4 mi / crosstrain-biking)

- Get my bicycle fixed (currently I am on a borrowed bike)

- Develop a flexibility fitness plan (possibly incorporating yoga and/or tai chi)

- Develop a resistance training plan (using mostly free weights and body weight)

- Get (and maintain) six pack abs

- Lose 19 lbs (to reach my "ideal weight")

- Join a gym for the sole purpose of having one (or more) personal trainer sessions, so that I can learn proper form to all activities on my plan

- Do 60 consecutive pushups (which I could once do... Currently I am doing sets of 25)

Due to my apparently permanent knee injuries, my fitness plans and challenge goals will all be omitting anything that is high impact.

So... Hello! It's nice to meet you all!

[Hiraedd]

Hi Robert! Nice to meet you! Can I just say that I think you have a super cool job? Cognitive science has always been something I found fascinating, and I love your latest project! So neat.

Sorry to hear that your knees are bad now, but we're super glad to have you join us! I'm sure you'll find lots of comradarie and encouragement around here to help you meet your goals. Jump in where you are and get started! Another "official" 6 week challenge starts up in 2 weeks, so maybe do some thinking about which goals you want to work towards first and what steps you're going to take to get there. (and as far as the six pack abs go, they may not be worth the effort, unless they are super important to you. Check out Steve's article here for some more info on it.)

Good luck with all your goals!

[Robert]

Thanks a bunch, Hiraedd!

As for the six pack abs, that's just a "that would be really nice" ultimate end-goal. I definitely will get my weight and body fat %ages down, AND I want to resistance train (including my core), so I figure that I'll shoot for six pack abs (and generally more developed muscles) but still be happy if I fall short.

I'm certainly not going to do weird ab-targeting exercises, though.

[AverageFish]

Welcome to the ranks of fitness walkers!

[Draco]

Eagle or Griphon? Welcome Robert! I was hoping if I kept talking about the rebellion I might see you on here one day!

It's probably not a good time frame for you, but there's currently a player-versus-player going for the six pack - they're ending at the end of the NEXT challenge, not this one, so you would have until about Christmas. Winners judged by both quality of 6-pack AND most insane improvement.

I just bought a beginners Yoga DVD, so I'm sure we can share that around if you'd like. Have you done it before?

I also had a lot of people helping and offering exercises to help the knees and ankles- check threads that I've posted in or ask me later and I'll give you the links.

Building a basic routine is going to be part of my second challenge, so maybe we can compare notes on it.

See you at the party later!

P. S. you're rocking the push-ups either way - I've worked myself up to 11 as my max set so far. . Somehow I doubt I'll hit my challenge goal of 40 in 3 sets by next week. Lol

[Laureleye]

What a cool job. I have bad knees and have been building them up slowly. I can finally do 3 sets of 5 lunges. Good luck and take it easy

[Robert]

Eagle or Griphon?

That is a Penn Station eagle, captured well outside of its normal habitat.

Welcome Robert! I was hoping if I kept talking about the rebellion I might see you on here one day!

It's probably not a good time frame for you, but there's currently a player-versus-player going for the six pack - they're ending at the end of the NEXT challenge, not this one, so you would have until about Christmas. Winners judged by both quality of 6-pack AND most insane improvement.

It's going to take me much longer than that, but thanks for pointing it out to me.

I just bought a beginners Yoga DVD, so I'm sure we can share that around if you'd like. Have you done it before?

I also had a lot of people helping and offering exercises to help the knees and ankles- check threads that I've posted in or ask me later and I'll give you the links.

Building a basic routine is going to be part of my second challenge, so maybe we can compare notes on it.

See you at the party later!

P. S. you're rocking the push-ups either way - I've worked myself up to 11 as my max set so far. . Somehow I doubt I'll hit my challenge goal of 40 in 3 sets by next week. Lol

Thanks!

[Robert]

Welcome to the ranks of fitness walkers!

Thanks!

What a cool job. I have bad knees and have been building them up slowly. I can finally do 3 sets of 5 lunges. Good luck and take it easy

Thanks! That's great, glad to hear other people are working past their bad knees. I'm definitely going to take it easy and go slowly; I've learned my lesson.

[Robert]

Today was originally supposed to be a rest day, but I had to change my schedule around to accomodate a hurricane.

So, I did my "long walk" today, 4 miles! I also discovered that there is a set of stairs in my local park that has shallow steps, so I slowly walked up one flight of steps (with very little pain, so that was a success).

Tomorrow, if there is power I will use a treadmill for walking. If not, I guess it will be a weight training / flexibility training day.

Current weight: 188 lbs

[Critter]

Today was originally supposed to be a rest day, but I had to change my schedule around to accomodate a hurricane.

The NerdFitness Be a Hero thing must really be getting to me. I see you type this and I think, "Here at NerdFitness, hurricanes exist to up the challenge rating!"

[Hiraedd]

LOL Critter, I think it's getting to us all. I had a similar thought process!

And Robert, great job so far. You might want to start a thread in the battle log section to track everything. It will make it easier for people to find and follow up on what you're doing (they probably won't think to come to the introductions thread to find it). Keep up the good work!

[Laureleye]

I also discovered that there is a set of stairs in my local park that has shallow steps, so I slowly walked up one flight of steps (with very little pain, so that was a success).

Stairs...Yay!

[Draco]

Haha Robert, you thought I wouldn't find Internet access with 81% of Long Island out of power. But Target has free wifi now!

Seriously though, I'm glad you're not letting the knees keep you out of the game. Play on!

[Robert]

Thanks Hiraedd and Laureleye!

You might want to start a thread in the battle log section to track everything. It will make it easier for people to find and follow up on what you're doing (they probably won't think to come to the introductions thread to find it).

Ah! Okay, good call. Did it: http://www.nerdfitness.com/community/showthread.php?19853-Robert-s-daily-battle-log&p=321097#post321097

Question: When the challenge starts in a few days, how do people handle having both the challenge board AND a battle log? Is it normal to post in both, or to only use the battle log when not currently in a challenge (or for goals other than those used in the challenge) or what? Casually glancing through those forums didn't really make that clear to me. I guess maybe everybody just does whatever seems best to them?

[Hiraedd]

As far as I know, whichever you prefer! I always log in my challenge thread, but I can see how that will perhaps not work so well when one challenge comes to an end and a new one begins, so... yeah. For now, I'm going to keep logging in my challenge thread and then in the next challenge just link to my old one in my sig so I can still find the progress records when I want them. Either way, you probably should link to your battle log and your challenge thread in your signature so people have easy access to them.

Cheers

[Robert]

As far as I know, whichever you prefer! I always log in my challenge thread, but I can see how that will perhaps not work so well when one challenge comes to an end and a new one begins, so... yeah. For now, I'm going to keep logging in my challenge thread and then in the next challenge just link to my old one in my sig so I can still find the progress records when I want them. Either way, you probably should link to your battle log and your challenge thread in your signature so people have easy access to them.

Cheers

Thanks for answering my question, and for the suggestion! For some reason I didn't even think of putting links in my sig, or even notice that anyone else had any in theirs, haha.