The sobriety club

I have a goal this year to loose the last 10 Lbs. I lost 20 last year but the last 10 are the hardest. I've got to put more time into my workout, but 10 minutes of planks would suck. Do you do them 1 minute at a time for 10 reps?
When I took up Shawn's challenge last year I wasn't generally timing them, but would vary between a minute and three minutes. Beginning the challenge, I thought 10 minutes in one shot was impossible, but made a point of adding 30 seconds a day until I made it to 10 minutes in one go. There is no denying that 10 minutes at once is really hard. I had to change positions frequently: elbows to extended arms, resting one foot on the other, shifting my weight forward and back.

Once I achieved the 10 minute goal, I started just adding 10 minutes in chunks into my morning flexibility routine. It usually works out to be 4-5 minutes at once after some basic stretches. Another 3-4 minute shot after I finish my prone leg work. Then I finish whatever is left of the 10 minutes (I save at least 2 minutes for this) fully extended arms and 1 leg focusing on breathing - 8-10 breaths depending on how calm I am. Once a year or so I'll redo the 10 minutes at once just to see if I can still get there.

I doubt if it does anything for weight, but I think there is a pretty strong core inside my belly donut.
 
I drink very seldom nowadays, on an evening in summer a couple of beers or on a special occasion one or two glasses of single malts.

Used to have a abundant lifestyle. Became father at a young age, 21, and after my relationship stranded I felt an urge to "catch up". Moved to an other city and was basically partying every night. Lots of booze and other substances. I could function in daytime and put everything down when my son was there with me. He needed a father and not someone to party with. That went on till I was 35 in 2017. In July of that year two officers came to visit my house with the news that my son passed away. My whole world shifted directly under my feet and there was no limit to anything anymore. 2017 till 2018 was basically a completely intoxicated year. One morning I woke up and realized that this was going to be my own death. Got help from some friends and started thinking about some decisions. Biggest eye opener was that if my son is brave enough to make a huge decision at his age of 14, than why can't I? Stopped drinking and all other crap (except for smoking). Got my mind straight and decided that I was going to pursue my dream. Half way 2018 I packed up all my stuff and moved to the North of Sweden. Now living here I can say that it was the right decision for me and put me back on the right path. Also this lifestyle I am having right now made me pick up the guitar again as there is peace in my mind and time for actual learning. Finding this forum and meeting all you guys here just confirmed me that this is what was to be.
 
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I started this thread, and I went a good 6 weeks or so post injury without drinking at all. I have had a few since then, but far fewer than I would have had otherwise. Mostly it's been stuff I really missed, like wine with dinner and whatnot.

Congratulations, John.

Like many others who have either resolved to get clean or moderate their drinking, I've learned to know my limits, simply because more than what I can personally tolerate causes ill effects. While my personal preference is for no more than 2 beers, or one-half glass of wine and a beer per evening with either a meal or snack, or the alcohol alone followed by a snack with tea. I typically don't prefer drinking heavily because it causes disassociated and disorganized thought processes with me. (read: it messes me up, and will cause a bad case of the blues.)

Only thing I can do is unwind and decompress after a gathering or party, and realize that the only thing I learned much at a bar or party was likely what I ordered for a meal that showed up. My reality is that as I sit here, at the computer, I can see more clearly and work better than trying to drink at a bar or party. And those shots you folks do? That's "my printer cranking out reports". I don't think there are alternatives in my instance. I am handed work to do, and it gets done. Can't say drinking alcohol ever help me do my work better.

This is not heavy drinking, and I don't recall a time whenever I drank heavily. My Dad was a heavier drinker, perhaps 3 to 4 Manhattans over the course of 4 hours, though he did so modestly at home, and never got behind the wheel after drinking. In time, this did a number on his liver and kidneys. My Dad lived the last 4 years of his life on peritoneal dialysis (home kidney dialysis) and his quality of life suffered.

Although this is not mean to scare you sober, it is a fact of my family, and perhaps others who have experienced similar issues with alcohol.
 
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When I took up Shawn's challenge last year I wasn't generally timing them, but would vary between a minute and three minutes. Beginning the challenge, I thought 10 minutes in one shot was impossible, but made a point of adding 30 seconds a day until I made it to 10 minutes in one go. There is no denying that 10 minutes at once is really hard. I had to change positions frequently: elbows to extended arms, resting one foot on the other, shifting my weight forward and back.

Once I achieved the 10 minute goal, I started just adding 10 minutes in chunks into my morning flexibility routine. It usually works out to be 4-5 minutes at once after some basic stretches. Another 3-4 minute shot after I finish my prone leg work. Then I finish whatever is left of the 10 minutes (I save at least 2 minutes for this) fully extended arms and 1 leg focusing on breathing - 8-10 breaths depending on how calm I am. Once a year or so I'll redo the 10 minutes at once just to see if I can still get there.

I doubt if it does anything for weight, but I think there is a pretty strong core inside my belly donut.

Definitely helps the core. I was up to about 5:45 at one time when I had to stop because of my hand surgery last year. As bad as my back was (and there were times I felt it doing planks), I could feel a difference in core strength in just a month or so. When I started, I was getting to maybe 1:30 in one shot, so it was usually about 8 planks to get to 10 minutes. By the end, it was usually 3. It's something I'd love to start up again - just have to dedicate time to it.
 
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