30 DAY CHALLENGE WEEK ONE

So today is day 7 of the 30 day challenge and I just wanted to give a little update.  So far, I'm going strong -  NO cheats!  I'm already tired of grilled chicken and brown rice, but I'm just gonna have to deal.  And I miss my morning coffee with creamer like crazy, but it gets easier every day.

I did my first weigh in 7 days ago (on day one). My starting weight was 142.6 and my starting body fat measurement was 23.8%.  It was a bit of a shock to see that body fat percentage. The last time I had it measured it was 20.5%.  Today, I did another set of measurements and  I'm down to 141.6 and 23.4% body fat!   Hell Yeah PROGRESS!

I'm still posting my meals on Instagram if you want to follow me and see what I'm eating.

Healthy, delicious food. Yum.

I also have been managing my calories daily with the myfitnesspal app (follow the link if you want to try it out). I have my calories set up so I will not lose more than a pound a week.  So far I'm right on schedule.  As a rule, calorie counting is a huge pain in the ass, but it works if you do it correctly.  If you're looking for a good calorie counter app, I really like myfitnesspal. It is fairly accurate at calculating calories (I calculated my own and manually overrode the recommended amount).  The app allows you to search for practically any kind of food and you just enter it and it tracks calories and sugar and protein (and honestly more information than you need).  As long as you measure your food correctly the app will do the math for you. It even has a barcode scanner.

**NOTE: My meals are portioned based on my own body and my daily needs, which means they may not be the correct quantity of food for anyone else.  If you are interested in starting a diet plan please talk to your doctor first**

30 DAY CHALLENGE

So lately I haven't been as strict as I should be with my food.  To change this, I am starting a 30 Day Clean Eating Challenge.  This challenge starts tomorrow morning at breakfast.  I'll be posting most of my meals to Instagram if you want to follow and check my progress (or just be nosy, I don't mind).  I'll be posting updates roughly once a week about my progress here.  Anyone who wants to join be feel free to jump in any time @fitforgaming on Instagram or Twitter.  

My rules for the 30 Day EAT CLEAN Challenge:

• No soda
• No more sugar in my coffee
• No alcohol
• No fast food (pizza, burgers, etc.)
• No junk food (chip, popcorn etc.)
• No candy
• Two cups of veggies a day
• Limit sugar after noon and only eat natural sugar (fruit, agave, honey)

These are my own personal rules. If you want to join, feel free to follow them as I've listed them here, or modify them as you need to fit your lifestyle.  As long as you are making progress to a healthier you, that's all that matters!  Make sure to let me know about your progress too!

GAME ON!

**NOTE: The meals I will be posting will be portioned based on my own personal stats (height, weight, gender, age, etc.).  This means that my portion sizes may not match your portion sizes.  As always talk to your doctor before you start a diet plan.**

WHEN GAMING HURTS

I waited until Christmas to get Mists of Pandaria, so I didn't have it until a couple months after the release. Naturally, I needed to catch up to all of my friends who were already level 90.  I swear I have no idea what happened that Christmas - I spent the entire day grinding levels on my laptop.  When I stood up to get some food after about 6 hours, I almost fell flat on my face.  It felt like my body forgot how to work. 

Now, don't get me wrong - it was totally worth it. I love a good gaming marathon.  Especially after putting up with people at work all day long, sometimes it's nice to get home, sit back, relax, and kill some zombies... for 8 hours at a time.  But when you do game for those long stretches, keep in mind that you can be putting your body through some extra stress. Why did my body refuse to support me? It was basically revolting against me. Here are some tips to make the gaming marathons a bit more enjoyable.

1. Swollen Ankles
This is a problem for anyone who spends a significant amount of time sitting down.  Both your circulatory (blood) system and your lymphatic (think gross body fluid drainage system) work with a system of one way valves and rely largely on muscular contractions to help move fluids.  Basically your muscles work to pump blood back to your heart.  This is especially true in the legs, which are further from the heart than the upper body.  When you spend too much time sitting down you aren't using your legs (duh), so gravity takes over and fluids can pool in the ankles, feet and calves.  To help prevent this, get up every hour or so. Do some calves raises, stretches, and walk around.

**If you have excessive swollen ankles, or your ankles remain swollen even when you are not staying seated for a long period of time you should see your doctor to make sure you do not have a vascular or lymphatic problem**

2. Carpal Tunnel
Carpal tunnel is a common problem if you spend a lot of time typing.  It's more common in writers and office work than gaming, but its still a computer problem so I'm including it here.  The bones in your wrist (carpal bones) are small and the spaces between the bones are also small.  So if you spend a lot of time using your hands, you are putting stress on all the muscles and nerves that have to fit in those small spaces.  One nerve in particular, the median nerve, has a tendency to become really irritated.  That's what carpal tunnel is: just your median nerve (see the picture below) becoming irritated because you're putting it through a lot of stress. This condition feels like tingling in the fingertip (most commonly the middle finger) and can lead to numbness and extreme pain in the hands, wrist and fingers.  As this condition worsens you may also feel cramping and may experience your muscles being "stuck" in a certain position.

It would be funny if it weren't so painful.  Again stretching may help this condition (in its early stages). You want to focus on stretches that extend the wrist fingers and elbow.

Other things that can help to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome are good posture while typing and wrist support.

maybe not a pastry but you get the idea

3. Upper Cross Syndrome
This basically just means you have bad posture.  Pretty common in anyone who spends a significant amount of time on the computer.  The syndrome is characterized by rounded shoulders and a forward head.  Basically, picture the way you sit in front of the computer.  When you remain in this posture for extended periods of time it becomes your body's default posture.  The problem with bad posture is it weakens some of your muscles (in this case the ones in the upper back and front of your neck) and causes other muscles to be tightened (your shoulder and chest muscles).  This can lead to decreased circulation, tension headaches and extra wear and tear on your body.  Again, stretching your shoulders, chest and neck will help, but this needs to be combined with strengthening exercises for your upper back and neck.  If you can maintain proper posture and use an ergonomic (fancy word for something that supports good posture) chair while you're at the computer you should be able to prevent this.

4. Headaches
Sometimes just the strain of staring at a TV or computer screen can give you a headache.  Your eyes have muscles just like the rest of your body, and just like your legs and arms, your eye muscles can get tired.  If you are experiencing a headache, it's time to take a break and rest your eyes.  You can also practice visual acuity exercises to help your eye muscles. These are exercises that help improve your eyes' ability to focus and track (unfortunately they won't help improve vision).  And make sure you are drinking enough water while you game. Keep yourself hydrated.

5. Limbs Falling Asleep
That awkward moment when you were doing a battleground and forgot you were sitting on your foot for 30 minutes.  Yeah - that will make your foot fall asleep.  But it can be more than that: maybe you're not sitting on your foot, but your legs or feet still keep falling asleep.  This is similar to what I mentioned before with the ankle swelling.  The less you use your leg muscles the more blood will pool in your lower extremities, decreasing your overall blood flow (the cause of your pins and needles).  Again, you should get up every hour and walk around to prevent this from happening.  Proper support for your body also makes a huge difference.  Ergonomic (means it aligns your body) chairs help support your hips and low back which can help with blood flow.  Compression is yet another cause of decreased blood flow.  You want a chair with some padding (in the right areas).  The padding will help support you body without putting too much compression on any one area.  

If you have any questions for me, ask in the comments. Or if you'd like an elaboration on any of these points, let me know.  Feel free to let me know any other conditions you'd like me to write about - just ask :)

**Please remember that all recommendations made here are based off of my personal experience and education and are meant as general guidelines.  Every person is an individual and if you are experiencing any chronic pain you should see you doctor: they know you and any limitations, injuries or conditions you have and will be able to advise you on what is best for you as an individual.  

WARLORDS OF DRAENOR

So as of now, Warlords of Draenor is set to release on December 20th 2014. While I know this date could be pushed out further, I AM SO PUMPED!!  I'm sure I will be taking off time from work for a "holiday" (i.e. level grinding until my eyes bleed).  They are making so many changes to the game: some I am so excited for, and some I am very hesitant about.

1. YOU CAN BREED PETS. As someone who spends an embarrassing amount of time playing Pokemon, the idea of epic battle pets is beyond exciting.  I may pee my pants when I get my first one.

2. New Character Models. WHAT? I might actually be tempted to make a human female - if she no long runs like a complete tool.  Seriously though, awesome job Blizzard, because they all look amazing.

3. Quest Items are No Longer Stored in Bags. Score!  More room for when I spend hours farming so I can make 200 gold ......

 4. Heirlooms Now Get Their Own Page (Like Mounts Do). Awesome, I no longer have to keep mailing gear back and forth.  Too bad I now have multiple copies of certain gear items :\

5. Garrisons Allow for Off-line Farming. Interesting. I'm not sure what types of resources will be gathered.  Is it only resources that help build the garrison? If so AWESOME.  But what about resources for leveling professions?  Yes, that makes it more convenient for leveling your own profession, but also would affect the realm market on the AH.  Currently you can use your MoP farm to get resources for professions, and yes it helps (I use it for Trillium), but you don't get enough to make any serious money off of it.  So this is something I'm on the fence about. We'll see how it plays out.

 6. Number Squish. Basically, Blizzard is scaling all the numbers in the game down.  This is something I am OK with.  From my understanding, it shouldn't affect anything in terms of game play.  It will be a bit confusing in the beginning as we will have to rethink what "big" numbers are in terms of stats, but I think the numbers will make more concrete sense once they become the norm.  After all 200, is a much easier number to wrap your mind around than 200,000.  Though seeing a lowly 200 pop up for a crit will be a let down at first.

 7. No New Classes or Races. Aw, sad face.  I need more healers than the five I already have.  MORE HOTS!  Honestly while I love new classes and races there is still more than enough content in the game to occupy my time.

 8. Gear Stats will Change Depending on Your Spec. When I first heard about this I was pissed. But given time to think about it, this seems pretty productive from a raiding point of view.  It means that now all plate wearers will essentially use the same gear, all mail wearers have the same mail, etc.  The stats on the gear will change depending on what specialization you are.  In a raid situation, it means that less gear will be wasted.  It also means you no longer need two sets of gear for an off-class (Huzzah for more bag space).  This is going to make playing your off-spec much easier, but I also anticipate many LFR wipes caused by people with gear playing specializations that they don't understand (and I'm including myself in this category).

9. No Reforging. As a holy pally I have never had to worry about hit caps and parry and block and all the other BS that tanks and DPS had to worry about.  I didn't even have soft caps like druids so reforging for me has always been a pretty easy, painless procedure.  I will be sad to see it go, though. With all the new changes to to stats I suppose it makes sense.  Most of the stats we currently reforge are being dropped from the game entirely.  Of course I also thought the idea of reforging seemed a bit like cheating in the first place.

10. No more Hit, Expertise, Dodge, and Parry. WHA?!  This doesn't affect me directly so I'm not super passionate about it but it definitely changes the game play.  At first glace it seems to simplify the game which is a double edge sword.  I do, however, think that given enough time we will all become used to it and it won't be such a big deal.  Prepare yourself for all the veterans ranting about casuals and how hard things used to be though.  Something to note - these stats are being removed from the gear. So actually, dodge will still be a stat for tanks and what not but will no longer be a stat on gear ..... it's weird and confusing.

11. Change to Racials.  Honestly, I'm not going to go over the whole list. Check out the video below instead. But it seems to me that humans still have the upper hand especially in a PvP situation.  Even though I'm on the Alliance, this has always bugged me a bit.  Other than that, most of the changes seemed balanced and made sense when considering all the other changes being made.

12. "Stacking the Deck" Buff. This is a buff you get for entering a dungeon in a pre-made group that will help give bonus valor.  AW YISSSS!  This will make weekly capping easier. And I'm of fan of anything that encourages people to make friends.

13. More Things To Do While Leveling. For most of us, leveling a character is the most boring aspect of the game. We just want to get to the end and get gear.  Blizzard is trying to make the leveling more enjoyable by adding in more events and wandering bosses and other content of that sort.  I think this is a great idea, but I'm not getting too excited until I see how it pans out. I'm a bit worried it will just be recycled material from MoP, which did make questing much more enjoyable.  If this does work out how it's supposed to though, it's a win-win, and will make leveling more fun for everyone.  To credit Blizzard, the notes all make it seem as though they have put a lot of thought into changing how people level.

14. Fewer Daily Quests. Thank God.  There were times when I would do my dailies at night - I mean late night, like really just the morning - and one time I can remember, as I was turning in my golden lotus dailies, ALL the exclamation marks popped up again.  The dailies had reset.  I wanted to cry.  For those of you who hate dailies, join me in rejoicing! The new expansion promises much fewer or no dailies.

15. The New Zones. So far, all the artwork for the new zones has been very appealing to me.  Despite playing for the Alliance, I am most intrigued by the tribal look of the orcs. I think I may have to take a spin on the Horde side.

Seriously how pretty is that.  I loved all the zones in MoP and I'm super excited about this map also...  

16. More Legendary Quests. I really like the idea of legendary quests.  And once I got my cloak I felt so accomplished.  Overall I'm glad these quests will continue. I think it improves end game content. Just don't ask me how I feel about it while I'm actually working on the quests.

17. Major Overhaul to Class Abilities. Again, at first glance, this seems to simplify the game.  For the most part, spells are being removed. This makes sense for many spells, since the stats are also being changed so drastically.  Yes I'm a fan of not having clutter on my UI, but I also appreciate that the ability to use all the class spells or abilities at the right time in the right situation is the difference between an excellent raider and an OK raider, so I'm not in favor of this change as a whole.  How it will affect raiding and game play remains to be seen.  I'm trying to stay optimistic but honestly when i was reading the pally notes, I was just getting pissed off.  Seriously, stop taking my spells I like them.

18. Time Travel. Bleh. I'm not a fan of time travel story lines in general.  I think that the expansion overall will be fun to play, but I'm not really happy that we are time travelling.  I'm sure I'll have moments of nostalgia and moments of realization when I come across new content that gives me a better understanding of the World of Warcraft lore, but I'm also mentally preparing myself for all the time travel paradoxes (which is why I don't like time travel in the first place).

Of course all the new content is subject to change until the actual release, but I'm super hyped!

Let me know in the comments which changes you are more excited about and which changes piss you off.

If you want more info on the changes check out http://us.battle.net/wow/en/ They have lots of forums and fun things to play with.  Also, check out YouTube: Trade Chat with Panser has some great videos that really break down some of the major changes

THE CATCHER IN THE RYE

WARNING: SPOILERS

So this week I finished reading The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. This was my first time reading the book. It was an interesting perspective since I am much older than the average high school student, which I would assume its typical audience.

I have to say at first I hated Holden.  He seemed like a little spoiled punk to me and I was just pissed that I was going to have to read two hundred pages about him.  I mean all he does is complain about all the boys in his dorm which is annoying and he refuses to take responsibility for himself.  He fails almost every class and he ruined the entire fencing meet and he doesn't even seem to care.

Slowly though, we begin to get a bigger picture of Holden.  The first glimpse comes when we learn about the death of his younger brother Allie.  Holden still loves Allie and only has good things to say about Allie.  In fact, throughout the entire novel the only characters that Holden seems to genuinely like are all children younger than himself.  He speaks very highly of his younger sister, and he also enjoys helping a little girl at the park and two boys at the museum.

Holden slowly becomes a very complex character.  The reader slowly begins to realize that there was at least one, perhaps two traumatic experiences in Holden's childhood which have left him unable to develop emotionally and socially at the same rate as his peers.  The obvious event is the death of his brother Allie.  Holden never reveals how Allie dies but the reader is meant infer that Holden somehow feels guilty about his brothers death.  Holden repeatedly talks to Allie throughout the novel and he also consciously changes his memories to include taking Allie on a ride to the park when in reality he feels guilty about having left Allie behind that day.

It isn't until the end of the book that the reader learns there is another hidden theme of Holden's childhood which is more impactful (in my opinion) than the death of his brother.  Holden has run out of cash and doesn't want to go home so he stays over at his old English teachers apartment.  In the middle of the night Holden wakes up and his teacher is petting him on the head.  Super creepy, seriously this scene makes your skin crawl.  Holden immediately leaves (which he should) and then goes to a train station to think.  This is where Holden makes two very telling statements.  He comments about how he knows perverts because this things always seems to happen to him. WHAT?!  Not okay.  And this is where the reader learns that somewhere along the line Holden had been molested.  What is worse is this seems to have happened repeatedly though we don't know if it was by more than one person. Holden then trivializes the experience and wonders if he over reacted to what his teacher was doing.  Makes sense I can't tell you how many times I've woken up with a former teacher petting me. No big deal right?  It is unclear if the death of Allie and the molestation are connected events in Holden's childhood but either way both clearly still affect him.

Suddenly everything make sense: Holden's nostalgia, his emotional immaturity, his connection to children and the way he despises almost all adults and teenagers.  Another part that clicks is Holden's sexual life.  He mentions how he is unable to "get sexy" (his terms not mine) with a girl unless he really likes her and how when girls ask him to stop he always stops.  At first I was like 'well go Holden' - way to be respectful of girls (pretty much the opposite of all teenage boys ever) and not try to convince a girl to get too serious before she's ready.  But then we learn that in fact his response may be due to an adult molesting him somehow when he was younger (I still give him props for respecting girls though).  Talk about baggage.

NEXT PARAGRAPH CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS

If that mind bomb weren't enough, J.D. Salinger then pulls an awesome plot twist.  By the end of the book we realize that there is obviously a lot of mental anguish still going on for Holden and possibly some mental disorders, the least of which would be ADD. But then Salinger adds in something else.  Holden starts feeling physically sick.  He get nauseous, and at first I was like well he does have a drinking problem. I bet he's hung over.  The symptoms start to increase though and Holden starts becoming light headed (not as common with a hang over but still possible), and finally he passes out.  At this point we are worried about Holden's mental and physical well-being and this is when we learn the truth: Holden is actually in some type of institute.  MIND BLOWN.  He has been the whole time and we're just listening to one of his stories.

So despite being annoyed at the beginning of this novel, Salinger won me over.  I still don't really like Holden but as I started to under stand him I became sympathetic towards him.

I am currently reading Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.  I will be posting about that in about two weeks if you want to read along with me.  Let me know your favorite parts of The Catcher in the Rye in the comments.

FEEL COMFORTABLE IN YOUR GYM

I first started playing World of Warcraft because of my friends, and I didn't really know much about the game.  The only reason I even ended up as a healer was because no one told me what talent trees were (back when we had talent trees and you could bounce back and forth) so I spent my time leveling a holy paladin.  My friends were very much into the competitive raiding scene, so I got to be a part of a raiding guild before I even knew what raiding was.  So one night I'm online doing my dailies and I get a whisper from one of the raid leaders asking if I want to heal Naxx, and of course yes I do (this was before LFR too, so this was my first time raiding .... ever).  So I get all my potions and flasks and repairs and I get all ready and I listen to the raid leader explain the fight even though every one knows it except me and I'm super nervous.  I mean my paladin is in greens and some blues and everyone else is in epic gear.  So here I am super nervous just praying that I can keep the tanks alive (that's all paladins did in WotLK) and the raid leader calls for us to get into position.  So that's when I auto run straight into the boss and wipe the whole raid.

My point is, new situations can suck.  You feel out of place and on edge and sometimes you do dumb things just because you're nervous and aren't focused.  So before you decide to just Leeroy Jenkins the gym, check out these tips and play with a little strategy.

1. Scout it out Beforehand

If you are looking for a new gym or you just purchased a new membership, make sure to go on-line and check out the reviews.  Different gyms cater to different groups of people, and one key to making sure you feel comfortable is to pick a gym that will allow you to see results but also puts you in an environment that doesn't overwhelm you.  For example, Planet Fitness is a gym that advertises that they "aren't a gym" and what they mean is they encourage all sorts of people to work out, but do not support those who wish to do power lifting or Olympic lifting.  Planet Fitness can be an awesome gym if you have felt uncomfortable in bigger gyms in the past.  On the other hand if you are interested in power lifting like dead-lifts or Olympic lifting (cleans and snatches) you will want to find a gym with proper equipment, like a cross-fit studio.  Read the reviews on Yelp, they will give you an idea of what people like and dislike about the gym.

2. Get a Tour

One of the major complaints I get from my clients is that they don't know where things are located in the gym. They don't want to look silly wandering around so they end up on the treadmill for 30 min and then leaving.  This is a simple fix. All you need is to ask for a tour when you sign up or when you come to the gym for the first time.  Make sure to ask questions: trust me the staff have given this tour a million times and are bored with it, your questions will make it more enjoyable.  If you are looking for specific machines and you don't see something, just ask if they have it.

3. Plan Your Workout

Knowing what you want to do before you walk in the doors give you purpose and direction which means you spend more time working out and less time looking around, unsure and  wondering if the huge guy next to you is judging how much you can curl.  Having a plan will help you feel more comfortable.

Plan: IMMA GET SWOLLLLLLL!!!!!

4. Plan an Alternative Workout

We all have those plans that just never work out.  Plan an alternative workout so that when someone is hogging the equipment you need you already have something else planned.  Having a back-up plan will help make sure you get that workout in so that you don't feel insecure and leave just because plan "A" was ruined.

Plan B: IMMA GET SWOLL AS HELL!!!!!

5. Know Your Gym Traffic

Every gym has days and times that are busier.  These times will vary depending on the gym.  If you know that you won't work out if the gym is crowded, find out when it won't be crowded.  On the same note many gyms have an unwritten schedule where most people will do a workout on the same day (Monday is international chest day).  If you want better access to equipment, flip your schedule around so you are doing something different from everyone else.  Talk to the front desk staff: they can usually give you a good idea of gym traffic.

6. Bring a Friend

Having someone that you know helps in a new environment.  This way even if you do something ridiculous at least you're not the only one doing it.  Plus a workout buddy helps make the workout more fun and will hold you accountable.  Most gyms have a guest pass policy - ask about it when you sign up.

7. Take a Class

If you have no clue what you should be doing and don't want to be by yourself, but can't convince a friend to go with you, take a class.  Classes will put you in a team environment and there is an instructor so you can follow along instead of trying to come up with a routine all by yourself. Added bonus: classes are a great way to meet new people who may turn into workout buddies.  If you've never tried a particular class before, I recommend going 15 minutes early and talking to the instructor.  Let them know what your fitness level is and any injuries you may have and they can let you know if you need to modify any of the activities.  Talking to the instructor will also help you feel more comfortable in the class, and in general classes are very friendly and welcoming environments. 

8. Buy a Session with a Personal Trainer

Okay, I may be a bit biased on this one.  Yes I know personal training can be expensive, but one or two sessions can pay off huge even if you are on a tight budget.  Working with a trainer means that you don't have to think.  The trainer will do all the planning and instruct you on how to do the exercises properly.  You won't have to look around wondering if you are doing it right because the trainer is there to help you with that.  They can also help develop a program for you so that when you are not with them you know what you should be doing.

9. Stick to Your Guns

If you have worked out before and you have an old routine it may make you feel more comfortable to stick to that for awhile until you become used to the new environment.  There is nothing wrong with a little repetition, your muscle memory will give you a sense of familiarity even if the environment is new.

This is how Sansa Stark made it as far as she has. She remembered her training, learned her environment, and look at her now: BAMF!

10. Look for Private Workout Areas

Some gyms have areas that are private or lower traffic.  For example some gyms have a specific area that is for women only to work out in.  Or perhaps the gym will allow you to use an empty class room as long as you are respectful of the class schedule and the space.  These small areas of low traffic help you to workout without an audience (avoid the gym creepers).