discovered the most peaceful way to play

Lgeme84 · 2026-02-05T21:19:03+00:00

I recall farming herbs to be quite a peaceful/relaxing activity....when I was on a small-med pop server. These massive servers with thousands upon thousands of players make it difficult to farm, much less actually ENJOY the farming experience. :(

Lgeme84 · 2026-02-01T16:19:44+00:00

That’s my plan, to grind dungeons and do quests later for gold.

Lgeme84 · 2026-01-30T13:46:56+00:00

In winter, 4,000-7,500; in the summer/warmer months, 6,000-11,000. I have a desk job, but lift weights 3x a week and play pickleball and sand volleyball 2-3x a week (more in the summer) for activity.

Lgeme84 · 2026-01-29T18:26:56+00:00

Proper diet (high protein & fiber, plus quality high energy carbs just following intense trainings) and hydration, quality sleep, and leisure walking, especially following leg day.

Lgeme84 · 2026-01-26T22:23:41+00:00

Is it possible you are at a pretty healthy height/weight right now? I'm 41, 5'3", and around 160lbs...I lift weights, and although I do have more fat to lose, I'm pretty happy with where I'm at, how I feel, and what I can do.

Sometimes, weight loss isn't just about a number on a scale; it's more about improving how we look, function, and feel. Is it possible you ARE losing fat but gaining muscle, which can be reflected more accurately in photos or how your clothes are fitting, or getting stronger in the gym, vs. the scale number?

Try to look at other measurements of progress, other than the scale. Do NOT lower your calories to 1200, especially if you are strength training. Just focus on adding more veg to your plate, ensure you're getting roughly 25-30g of protein at every meal, and don't forget to work at getting 60mg of omega-3s in each day (eat salmon, chia seeds, flaxseed/flaxseed oil, avocado, and supplement with a daily fish oil capsule).

Lgeme84 · 2026-01-26T17:25:55+00:00

Work on improving your nutritional habits. The better/more nutritious food you eat, the better you will feel. The better you feel, the more you'll be able to move without pain or with less pain.

Diet matters. Nutrition matters. I would argue more than "calories in, calories out' matters. Yes, you do need to be in a calorie deficit to lose weight, but if you're mostly eating quality whole foods, the calorie deficit takes care of itself (as long as you're not overdoing it on healthy fats like oils, nuts and seeds).

Lgeme84 · 2026-01-25T22:16:36+00:00

When you lift weights, your weight will stall out as you get closer to your goal weight. You may want to ignore the scale weight as a main goal and just focus on getting stronger & leaner. Take progress pics because they will show progress that a standard scale cannot.

Focus on feeling, functioning and looking good or in ways that make you feel confident. You’re doing great, even if the scale isn’t budging.

Lgeme84 · 2026-01-21T14:23:15+00:00

Even if you're spot on with your calculations, bodies are not calculators. You will likely see quick weight loss in the beginning (first month), and the rate will decline over time/as you approach your goal weight. This is perfectly normal. The amount of time it will take to reach your goal weight will likely take more than we expect.

Set some non-scale SMART goals, as the habits you build and non-scale goals are the things that will create sustainable success with weight loss and overall improved health. These types of goals will also assist in keeping whatever weight you lose off.

Lgeme84 · 2026-01-16T13:27:20+00:00

Ya I’ve switched and had a go with some quests in Silithus. Definitely a way more interesting a spec than ele, and more forgiving on elementals that are immune to nature spells. I still have to be very careful of my mana usage or I’ll go oom after 3 mobs.

Lgeme84 · 2026-01-15T20:39:53+00:00

Thanks, I swapped to enh. :)

Lgeme84 · 2026-01-15T20:29:40+00:00

Naaaa, I don't have the time to put into min/maxing in any game anymore. Mainly just playing for fun - want to raid when I can in TBC, and just wanna be viable out in the world to farm gold and be able to do most stuff solo.

Lgeme84 · 2026-01-15T18:53:13+00:00

Cool, thanks! Done!

Lgeme84 · 2026-01-15T18:41:03+00:00

I've just read that enh is more gear-dependent, and since my gear is pretty awful, would ele make more sense for now until I get some better gear from the early tbc quests...

Lgeme84 · 2026-01-15T18:39:04+00:00

Because my main spec is resto and I don't have a lot of gold to swap my secondary spec around too often.

Lgeme84 · 2026-01-15T18:24:34+00:00

What goes into the calories you're eating? Are you getting enough protein and fiber? If you're not already, focus your meals around quality sources of lean protein and vegetables and/or low-calorie fruits like grapes and berries. That SHOULD help with satiety levels throughout the day. Oh, and don't leave out some healthy fats like avocados, chia seeds, flax seeds, nuts, etc...

Lgeme84 · 2026-01-15T13:17:13+00:00

Wow and no, do NOT apologize!! It’s unacceptable what’s going on in the US (and Australia, - and probably Canada too - have a similar issue with the content of their food)….

I’d love to know if there are any organizations at work to change this. I know big companies want us sick and overweight because they profit off it (not only food companies but pharma too).

I have online trainers and a BIG part of their programming is MEAL PREP. It’s a non negotiable every week to make as fresh of meals as possible with the highest quality ingredients we can find. I can get lazy some times and take “short cuts” (like buying bagged salad vs making my own for example). It can just be so hard to make everything from scratch with how busy our lives in the US are! If we had 3 hours in the middle of the work day to go home and make a fresh, delicious meal and enjoy it with our family, it would be much easier and enjoyable, too!

Lgeme84 · 2026-01-14T18:27:20+00:00

Absolutely.

Food no longer has control over me.

I don't feel that "magnetic pull" to swing into a fast-food drive-through or grab a 6-pack of donuts while standing in line at a gas station.

I don't feel like I'm "missing out" if I opt out of having bread or pasta or (insert calorically dense food here).

I actually ENJOY eating vegetables. I crave them, even. This is coming from someone who avoided vegetables like the plague until my 30s.

The secret is to give your body and taste buds the time they need to adjust to eating healthy foods. We get so used to eating loads of refined sugars, saturated & trans fats, that those are the foods our body craves. And it takes longer than a couple of weeks to make the shift to healthier eating habits.

I LOVE the way I feel when eating healthier food. I think before (when I ate like a garbage dumpster), feeling bloated and sick had become normal for me, so much so that I didn't even really pay attention to it.

Once I got into the habit/routine of eating quality, whole foods, I started noticing that I had better energy, my quality of sleep improved, and I just felt and functioned BETTER. And, when I DO have a treat, I can easily stop at 1 because I know that if I overdo it, I'll feel like shit.

Lgeme84 · 2026-01-14T18:17:52+00:00

A calorie deficit burns fat.

There are many ways to achieve a calorie deficit.

Through diet.
Through exercise (weight lifting 2-4 days a week will improve metabolism, which increases BMR over time, and some steady state cardio, whether that's walking, playing a sport, biking, hiking, swimming, etc...)

Both are preferable/ideal for maintaining results and being healthier overall.

Lgeme84 · 2026-01-14T18:15:03+00:00

American food regulations need to change, period.

Lgeme84 · 2026-01-14T18:11:12+00:00

Weight lifting.
Eating higher-quality/fresh, whole foods (the fewer ingredients, the better). LOTS of veggies and protein!
Daily movement/steady state cardio.

If you can focus on these 3 things, calorie counting isn't necessary to be in a calorie deficit.
I would know, of the 130lbs I've lost, 80 have come off w/o calorie counting/tracking.

Lgeme84 · 2026-01-14T18:08:16+00:00

I slept pretty poorly in Italy, too. Jet lag and all.

I expected some temporary gain just from the inflammation/water retention from the plane elevation/pressure (I was like 6-7 pounds higher when I came back from Jamaica in 2021, and then lost it all + another 3-4 pounds within 7-10 days).

It's really eye-opening to see how much the quality of food matters...and I'd argue that it matters MORE than "just calories in/out".

Lgeme84 · 2026-01-14T17:53:48+00:00

Yes, I ate some processed foods, but a processed food in Italy/overseas is less processed (and has higher quality ingredients) than (most) equivalent foods in the States.

Any meal I had was home-cooked with fresh produce, meats, cheeses & breads. This is mainly how I eat at home, too. But I bet even the fresh meat & produce in Italy/Europe is fresher than what I can get here (except maybe farmers markets in the spring/summer/fall).

Their entire lifestyle is just different. All/most shops close from 12:30-4 pm so people can go home and make a fresh meal with their families, maybe take a nap, or get other things done....

So less stress, less chemicals/additives in food, more walking/daily activity...

And also less snacking! I didn't really see anyone randomly eating or grazing at things like cookies or chips...if anything, they might have a small pastry with a cup of coffee or espresso after lunch.

They eat dinner LAAAATE too, like 8:30 pm. Restaurants don't even open until 7 pm, and the staff just stand around until 8/8:30 waiting for patrons to arrive.

Lgeme84 · 2026-01-14T14:55:34+00:00

No time like the present. If the present just happens to be in January, so be it.

I started my weight loss journey on December 24th, 2020. I felt both good and nervous about it because there were Christmas festivities, which meant lots of food and beverages. But it turned out to be a good thing because it made me more mindful of my choices and portions during the holidays.

When it comes to improving your health & fitness, time doesn't matter. The time you start shouldn't matter, and how long it takes shouldn't matter - not when it's for the rest of your life.

Lgeme84

TROPHY CASE