rememberyourpromises

Thanks, Rainelf! I have the rewards in my head, but I think I agree it would be helpful to write them out. Main Quest: 2K Calories / Day Not that successful... I learned halfway through the week that I really should cut out red meat, so that threw off my meal prep a bit. Strength-Building: Work Out 3 times per week Definitely doing well here, going to spin a lot and walking the dogs. Goal-Keeping: Do one "goal-related" thing per day I've done much better keeping track this week-- this is probably a 7/7! Writing: Write 1 chapter I did get some writing done this week!

I just participated in the last NF Challenge for the first time in a while, but I was surprised when it ended! I think when I first did a challenge some years ago, it may have been 6 weeks... but in any case, I'm ready to start again and rejigger my challenges. Main Quest: 2K Calories / Day I wasn't really successful here last time. I had a few good streaks, and then I tried to use up some shakes we had, which weren't a very "filling" use of calories, and it was hard to get back on the wagon. So I'm going to try this: Small rewards for "new record" streaks: 5 days in a row, 6 days, 7 days, etc. Strength-Building: Work Out 3 times per week I was relatively successful here, eventually hitting the 2x/week goal and starting spin classes. Now I'm going to try to push it up to 2 spin per week and one other activity. Goal-Keeping: Do one "goal-related" thing per day I found myself losing track in there... So, I want to make sure I do 1 goal-related thing per day: post to NF, read a chapter of the NF book, do the NF academy, update my "goals" whiteboard, etc. Writing: Write 1 chapter I have been re-working this thing I have been writing mentally for a while, and I want to get restarted on it again. If I can get 1 chapter written in the next four weeks, it will be more than the last four. Here I go again!

Main Quest: Only 3/7 days... Not a successful week, mostly because I prepared meals that, while sticking to the calorie count, were not filling at all. Many of the calories were used up by these shakes we are trying to use up. So, next week I'm back to meals that will be a bit more filling while still within the count. Automatic thoughts: Same as last week Cardio: Nailed this one... I did the elliptical one day, then did spin twice! So I'm getting going with that. Keep on reading: Finished a book this week, still going with this.

Thanks! Willpower is definitely finite, but it definitely grows stronger with more use... this week, I didn't eat when I went out to trivia with friends to a new place with lots of good food, and I didn't snack while making lunches... a few weeks ago, I couldn't resist much at all. I'm glad I finally broke through the blockade of willpower there... Main Quest: 5/7 days! One day was a failure (though I only ate extra 'good stuff'), the other was an expected off day... Going for 6/7 next week. Automatic thoughts: Not really having success here, again... though I am still working on these without writing. Cardio: I didn't get through to them about the free intro spin class (I'll try next week), but I did do a Barre class with my wife... she got a "bring a man" bingo square out of it... wow, it was really hard! I am still sore. But, it was a very good workout. Keep on reading: I finished the Mistborn series, now it's on to Ready Player One. I'm also still reading Steve Kamb's book. Still keeping up with this habit.

Very nice progress! I like the plan healthy meals goal... I've been trying that out too, and I think it's definitely worth the time investment...

I definitely agree... Sometimes it's an achievement just to stick with a routine... and I bet the mindfulness has good side-effects. Definitely keep it up!

Very cool idea... keep it going!

Thanks for following up, and sorry I haven't been checking in! That's honestly tougher than it should be for me. Main Quest: I've had relative success here... as in, I've had many days of failure, but fewer than before. Last week I think I had 5 days of 2000 calories, which is good, because I struggled to even make it through 1 day, and then through 2... Last night, we went out to trivia, and was able to turn down free pizza... though this willpower does take a toll in other areas. Automatic thoughts: Not really having success here, although I am keeping up with a daily tracker. I've attempted such things before with no success, but I've been going for more than a week with this app. Hopefully I will be able to grow that tracking ritual into a journaling ritual. Cardio: No luck here, either. However, I'm scheduling a spin class for this Saturday-- hopefully this will "break the seal" on working out for me. Keep on reading: I've managed to keep up with my reading and cut back some on the phone time, including getting rid of some addictive apps, though I mostly credit Brandon Sanderson's writing for that. I've been falling behind on my nonfiction, though. Overall, I've made very good strides in sticking to 2K calories per day, although this effort is sapping my productivity in other areas. I think things will get easier as I rebuild that atrophied willpower muscle.

Very cool-- I like the way you're making it into a story! Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

Very nice! Sometimes it can take a lot to get to those 5 minutes... then it's easier the next time!

That's neat to hear! We're just getting started, but we're enjoying it.

A lot has happened since I was last here... I was swept up in a dead-end job working insane hours doing something I absolutely hated. Somehow, some way, I made it out of a terrible field. I interviewed for my dream job and didn't get it. Then, a year later, I applied and interviewed again, and... I didn't get it. A year later, I tried a third time and... I finally got it. Now I love what I do every day, and I actually have time to live a life outside of work. It's taken me a long time to recover. But now, I'm starting over, and I'm excited to join the challenges again! I am also doing the NF Academy as well. Main Quest: Eat 56,000 Calories or Less! For the past few years, I've done on-and-off meal prep. I even got down to 210 once, but then it came back when work got too busy. Now I've finally reached a point where I am using my food scale and prepping meals for each day carefully tabulated for 2000 calories. The hard part will be not eating outside of that at events, etc. I did pretty well this past week. I thought by challenging myself to eat only 2,000 calories per day for these 28 days (= 56K), that will help me stick with it. Side Quest: Challenge at Least 1 Automatic Thought Per Day in Writing In this book I'm reading, Robert Burns' Feeling Good, I'm supposed to challenge one automatic thought per day in writing. 28 thoughts doesn't seem like that many. Side Quest: Build in Cardio at Least Twice Per Week Whether it's the ballroom dance lessons I'm taking or the elliptical in my basement, I want to start building in workouts again. I also plan to join a spin class and, if possible, join a tennis group. Side Quest: Keep on Reading I'd like to keep reading every night-- at least one chapter of nonfiction and fiction. This involves putting the phone down... which can be the hardest part. So, here I go!

I’m back! I haven’t been keeping up with the NF community very well, but it really helps to know you guys are here. I did my first six-week challenge back at the start of summer, but I didn’t see it through to the end. I finished my second one consistently, and I did well! At the beginning of the summer, I couldn’t run for a minute without getting winded. Now I’ve completed the Couch-to-5K program, run several 5Ks myself, and I ran a “real†5K. (And got a medal for first in my category!! ...because I was the only one in my category… my time was 40:00… but that’s OK because I finished!) Another goal was to quit the internet. For five weeks I failed miserably, but by the end, I had succeeded. I didn’t do that well on my other goals, but I learned from them. I had trouble with Angry Birds, mostly because it required new equipment and set-up once you get up a couple levels. But now I can complete the Basic Beginner’s Bodyweight Circuit (which I couldn’t do before). I also had trouble eating well and tracking it. Now I have my fiancee ask me about my food, which really helps. I also am switching to paleo, or paleo-adjacent. I’ve noticed that every time I gain weight, it’s because I’m eating tons of bread, pasta, rice, cheese, etc. So I’m cutting them out and sticking to chicken, fish, veggies, and sweet potatoes. It’s been delicious so far! I don’t do well tracking my goals online or with apps. Here is how my fiancee and I track our goals: Main Quest: Get to 215 lbs (I’ve never been that low for my adult life!) -- Finish weeks 1-5 of Couch-to 5K, with running instead of jogging (To speed up my time! Also, only 5 weeks because I have to redo days sometimes if I didn’t finish well enough.) -- Do beginners bodyweight workout 3x per week. -- Eat paleo for most of the week (All but 3 meals!) Side Quest: Get one big wedding project done every week Week 1: Fine-tune the big pieces: the guest list, the budget, the website Week 2: Design logo, programs, game-board, centerpieces Week 3: Week 2 cont. + Photographer shot list Week 4: Prepare save-the-dates, shower cake-- everything we need the engagement pics for Week 5: Collect all paperwork Week 6: Figure out who is paying for what My fiancee’s Main Quest: Get down to 117 -- Run 3 days every week -- Do not eat out! -- Only eat candy once per week Side Quest: Do IT band exercises every day Thanks guys!!

I appreciate all your comments and encouragement! Remembering to comment on the site is going to have to be one of my future goals. In the meantime, I have a physical whiteboard I'm using to keep track of things. I'm just going to update here for now, rather than start a new thread. On the third challenge, I plan to actually start on time and keep up with posting. For now, I'm still putting my life together. My first challenge: Obviously I stopped posting here entirely, and I also let two out of my four goals go completely undone... but I completed most of Couch-to-5K, and I caught up with BARBRI! I also took the bar, lived in three different places, and moved into a new home-- it was a busy time!! Current points: I rejiggered my character stats as if the new rules were in place when I started. Because I completed the first three weeks of Challenge #1 before stopping, I consider myself level 1, and I distribute the initial ten points as follows: STR 0, DEX 0, STA 0, CON 2, WIS 4, CHA 4. Because I managed to get a "B" on the Couch-to-5K goal and an "A" on the BARBRI goal (while failing the others), and because I think on my first challenge I get to distribute one point each, I'm left with the following as I start the second challenge: Level 1, STR 0, DEX 0, STA 0.75 (I got a B in C5K, so that's 75% of the 1 point I would get), CON 2, WIS 5 (Initial 4 + 1 for the A in BARBRI), CHA 4. Not taking it too seriously because Rising Heroes is apparently coming out. New goals: Main quest: Get to 215 lbs 1. Run a 5K in 35 min (I did one in 40 min the other day... I'm just guessing here how much I can accomplish in 4 wks) (3 STA, 2 DEX for an A) 2. Reach Level 3 in AB for everything (3 STR) 3. Track food every day (3 CON) Side quest: Quit the internet 4. No time wasting on internet (I'm very close to this!) (4 CHA) Honestly the biggest challenge this time around (apart from the fact that I've failed the first week starting out) is that my workout room isn't set up yet.

Wow, great goals and great progress! Meditation is something I've always wanted to get into as well, so it's inspiring to see someone succeed at getting into it. Very cool-- keep it up!

Wow! Very cool spreadsheet, that's a great idea! Great job on your goals, it looks like you're making progress! It's impressive that you're taking on more goals too! Keep it up!

Thank you!! That helps to hear! I will keep at it! I think maybe I wasn't making the inclined push-ups challenging enough, which is why the transition was so tough. Well, I think I've been doing bent over rows since the beginning, from the videos I've found, but I'm not sure I have it right. I want to try inverted rows but I won't be able to get the equipment to do it for a while. The bigger problem is that I have no space to work out at my parent's house. Only one more week until I move in to my own place though, and there I will have space!

Thank you! I'm struggling to keep up but I'm doing OK! Doing great on Couch to 5K! Right on schedule and extending my stamina! Less well on eating more fruit/vegetables. Been keeping up all right, but not great. Only one more week before I'll have more control over what I have in the house-- but until then, I'll have to do better! I've really fell behind on Angry Birds. Moving from inclined push-ups to normal push-ups is very difficult, and I've struggled to figure out inverted rows / bent over rows. That's no excuse, though. I've been keeping up on the bar stuff, but it's been eating up my life! I get up, work, go to sleep. I only have time for one other activity, really, and it's either Couch to 5K or some other errand.

Hey, awesome job! You're really keeping up! I might recommend sprouts as a new food. They're great on sandwiches, and I prefer them to lettuce. Keep it up with the gym, but don't overtax yourself. Are your shins doing better? What did you make today?

Hey, here's my results! This week I did pretty well in all my goals! Leaving town I successfully completed Week 1 of the Couch to 5K program! I was dying after the first two, but by the third I ended it with a bit more dignity! I did it thanks to the support of my best friend!Learning to forage I successfully ate fruits and vegetables as part of every meal this week! Mostly melons, bananas, apples, and mixed steamed vegetables.A wooden sword I'm doing well on Angry Birds! I did it the three times as I aimed for.Squats Level 3, Pushups Level 2 (transitioning between inclined pushups to normal ones was really hard), Back level 1 (I don't have the equipment yet for inverted or bent over rows!), Planks Level 2Learning a trade Semi-failure! I fell behind once this week! I'm caught up now, but it was somebody's birthday, and I didn't wind up having time to keep up. I'll have to do better next time!

Thanks for your advice! I might follow your advice on the dip station!

Thank you!!

I'm liking the Angry Birds workout so far, but I have a couple of quick questions. I couldn't find these answers by a quick search of the forum. Please let me know if I should be posting this elsewhere, or how I could find these answers on my own! I'm not sure how to deal with the weight level for the rows. Usually if I am working with dumbbells, I up the weight once a weight becomes easy. But with this, the reps are the test, not the weight. I'm not sure how to know if I'm using enough weight to justify going past level 1.For level 2, I'm not sure how to do inverted rows without special equipment. Are there any tricks for this?How much incline is enough for incline push ups?Any news on a Nerd Fitness app with something like this? I'm using the pen and paper sheet, but I'm just curious!!Thanks for any help!

Hello, everybody! I'm excited to join the NF community and start my first six-week challenge! One thing I loved about video games when I was a kid was the sense of adventure when you first left your hometown to start a journey. What attracted me to Nerd Fitness was the prospect of using that sense of adventure to build a system of motivation and accountability! So, here we go! Nord Adventurer: Level 1 1 STR | 1 DEX | 1 STA | 3 CON | 5 WIS | 4 CHA Mission #1: Shades of your journey await! [Jun 3 - Jul 15] Leaving town (( 2 STA / 2 DEX )) I've run on a regular basis before, but it's been tough keeping a schedule. This program will keep me on track! Complete weeks 1-6 of the Couch to 5K programComplete between weeks 5 and 6 of the programComplete up to week 5 of the programetc. Learning to forage (( 3 CON )) I'm working on replacing bad foods with good ones, and I actually enjoy fruits and vegetables when I actually eat them. Keeping track will make that happen! Eat fruit or vegetables as part of every meal (three times a day)Eat fruit or vegetables, on average, between 2 and 3 times per dayEat fruit or vegetables, on average, 2 times per dayetc. A wooden sword (( 3 STR / 2 DEX )) I've never really liked going the gym and working on machines, but I'm really enjoying working out with body weight (although I'm not very good...). Do the Angry Birds workout every other dayDo the Angry Birds workout three times per weekDo the Angry Birds workout between 2 and 3 times per weeketc. Learning a trade (( 3 WIS )) I would do this anyway, so making it part of my six-week goals is less about making sure I do this, as much as it is recognizing how much time this will take up! Instead of Barbri competing with my six-week challenge for my time, now it's part of it! Complete all BARBRI assignments on time and catch up on the optional stuffComplete all BARBRI assignments on timeFall behind 1-3 timesetc.My understanding is that, three times per week, I should update this page with my progress and also post on my teammates' pages... Now, I've got to figure out the accountibilibuddy/guild system, and ask some fitness questions... A world of dreams and adventures with fitness awaits! Let's go!