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Glad to see you've been making steady adjustments with weights for weight training. That's hard to do, but it looks like you've kept up with it nicely. Your food looks great! That jambalaya looks bomb DOT com. Can I have the recipe?! And was that Dutch Babies? Yummo! I've noticed that you miss out on your spa treatment from time to time. Make sure you take that downtime for yourself, Terinatum. Plus, it's nice to have a little pampering every now and then. You work so hard, you deserve it! Keep it up with the food. I seriously want recipes. Lucky you have a badass friend helping you with your food goals! Way to go!!

Hahah! That's awesome that you got your husband on Ingress. Now you have a partner in crime who can help you out. I'm glad to hear that you've stuck to your goals, albeit with a few stumbles. I don't blame you, though. The weather totally makes me not want to do anything sometimes. Plus, transitioning to a different source of food is hard. Our bodies naturally build up desires and cravings for foods we've had all our lives. It's why I have the hardest time letting go of bread as I transition to paleo. Living in Germany as a child totally spoiled me on brotchen! Oh mein Gott! I'm also glad to hear that you and your daughter will have time together. Sometimes pride or fear get in the way of asking for our parents to be there for us, but you totally did the right thing. That love and support is so crucial and necessary with surgery. Keep it up, Zen Master! And thanks for inspiring me and urging me to push on.

Thanks everyone! So...get this! I flew down to Texas and I've kept up with my workouts AND got my friend who never works out to work out with me. Hah! Update for Week Two: Friday: Interval Running for 15 minutes, and 10 minutes of running at a 9 min per mile and 20 minutes of stair climbing. (Crazy cardio day!) Saturday: Yoga for 30 minutes. Desert routine with Pocket Yoga App. Sunday: BBL2 with Resistance Bands. Traveling and working out is hard, but it's kinda cool to know that I inspired my friend to get on it. Maybe I can get another person in on the Academy! The Big 3-0 is tomorrow!

Hey hey! I'm subbed now and I'll be cheering you on! Stick with it. You've got great goals!

Hey all! Apologies for the extended AFK time from here. Between traveling back out West and then getting ready for my 30th Birthday Celebration down in Texas, I've been hopping around quite a bit. I have, however, managed to stay on top of my goals. Mostly. Here's the low-down: Week One Did BBL2 two times with resistance bandsOne day of yoga/stretchingThree solid days of writingJournaled every nightSo, for those keeping track. I was slightly behind going into this second week in my weight training workouts and cardio and writing, but not by too much. Here's a snapshot of Week Two: Completed two DDL2 workouts with 10 and 15 pound weightsOne day of YogaFour solid days of writingJournaled everyday; approximate 1.5 pages a day.I'll get my second day of cardio/yoga in tomorrow and I'll get my third weight training in on Saturday. I need to catch up to my goal, so next week, even though I'll be in Texas, I'll have my resistance bands with me to work out four days of the week. (I should make this a mini-boss goal! In fact, I will!) Other than that, things are going great! When I met with my advisor two days before I left I was confident, calm, and composed. His words and detached nature didn't bother me at all for once. I explained to him what I was doing, what I felt was missing from our conversations, and what I didn't need from him, which may have been a bit of a shock for him. Still, he wasn't offended, and, even if he had tried to offend me with some things he said, he didn't succeed. I've got such a great mindset about my project and work right now that, short of outright insulting me, there isn't much stopping me from making good progress. I mean, I even went out to dinner alone at a semi-formal restaurant with a book and a pen for taking notes for my diss chapters. No shame. No worry. I've got this and I'm going to finish by the end of June. No question. I leave for Texas this Saturday and my big 3-0 is on Monday! I'm looking forward to the warm weather, fun times with friends, and keeping up with my workouts. The time away will be nice, but I'm not giving up on my goals even though I'm a little behind. That just makes me want to do even more to finish up my writing each day and catch up. I'll be updating again daily for the next three days and, hopefully, most everyday into the next week. Thanks for the cheers, all! Challenge progress continues; I'm unstoppable. (So...I cheated a little on that haiku!) ;-)

Day Two Day of rest. We have snow here today, so I didn't go out running. I did get some light walking in, but that was about it. Today was mostly spent enjoying the company of my friends here and absorbing the time with them because it's the first time it has felt mostly positive to be back here.I wrote 750 words today(!), but not yesterday...but that's ok! One day at a time and always time to recover in the future.)Journaled last night and I'm about to journal again tonight. Learning to let go of thoughts has been so incredibly helpful. Sometimes you stumble upon what you need most in your life, and I know I've been fortunate enough to find that in my life in this moment.Tomorrow may be a kind of hectic day. I would like to do BBL2, but it's looking like walking around for two hours will have to suffice since I won't be able to get to my bat cave to workout until the evening. Laaaaaame! It's not an excuse. I'm literally bound to my friend's schedule if I go on campus, unless I hail an expensive cab or Uber it back. So, BBL2 on Thursday and Saturday, Bikram Yoga on Sunday. That'll be a complete week of workouts without missing any workouts for my goals. Hope you all are doing well!

It's worth your time. I was thrilled to hear it through for the full hour. I don't think I've ever learned so much that felt so timely and personally relevant from one program before. (I love my NPR!)

Just dropping by to check in on you. Hope you are doing well and recovering as best as you can.

Looking forward to trying this out! Another fun round of minis I suspect, Terinatum. Thanks for doing different things each time.

Looks great, Terinatum! I would suggest trying out barley oats in place of oatmeal or as another food to try out. It's as flavorful, but it's consistency is better and it's gluten free if you are into that. Kale is one of my favorite vegetables/greens. If you haven't tried it, get on it. You may need to pre-soak it in a salt water bath to soften the leaves, but you don't have to do this if you don't want. I usually cut it up into ribbons, fry it up like a stir fry, add in lemon juice, about a third or half cup quinoa, and avocado cut in cubes. Sometimes I add a parmesan cheese or Annie's Shiitake Sesame dressing to it for added flavor. Leeks are also worth checking out. You can use them for stews, soups, salads, and stir fry. They are pretty versatile and they add only a light onion taste to any dish. Also, I think you could check out shallots if you like garlic and onion. Those are great! Though, they're really only for adding flavor to a dish. Have you tried spaghetti squash? If not, I strongly recommend it too. This is one of my favorite recipes: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/spaghetti-squash-i/ I think it's great that you are responding to your body and making proper adjustments with weights. I've had to learn to do the same, especially after getting tennis elbow for a week or two. I'm curious to see how this goes for you. Subbed! Rock it, T-dizzle!

Thanks for the feedback, everyone! I am even more motivated to move forward with the support and cheers from you all. Pre-Challenge Day Did Bikram Yoga for the first time and I LOVED it. In fact, I'm planning on going to a studio I found around my home once I get back from my trip to visit my advisor out east. I was impressed with myself at not only being able to fully endure the full 90 minutes, but I was also impressed with the fact that I could do the various poses fairly well. Sure, there were some I could only do the first or second extension of, but I was able to do all of them. The yoga I've done in the past six weeks must've helped for sure. (So, I'm adding a Bikram mini-boss to my challenges above.)Journaled as part of my "good path" routine. 1.5 pages. It's interesting to see how your perspective changes over time and when you are able to challenge yourself to see things different and to let go of thoughts altogether. In fact, it reminds me of this story I head on NPR's Invisibilia Program about thoughts. Totally worth checking out if you haven't heard it and if you struggle with negative thoughts or emotions. Day One Did BBL2 B with added variety in resistance bands (that were 12-15 lbs, by resistance). (I did BBL2 A on Saturday, so that's why I'm starting with B for the challenge). The workout went very well and, despite the yoga yesterday, my body felt pretty good. I didn't push it too hard with the resistance bands because of the yoga yesterday. My goal is to be injury free.I'm jumping on 750words.com right after this post, so I'll update with progress after.I'll journal later this afternoon or tonight, and possibly update this post to reflect this.

Solid quests and lots of cardio! Way to go at it strong. Curious to see how cleaning up the diet goes. I drink bulletproof coffee most mornings, and I definitely like it. I'm not sure if it meets all the claims people make about it, but I do notice that I'm not necessary as hungry after having it. This has allowed me to nosh on something smaller for breakfast instead, like a hard boiled egg or two or a couple of clementines. Good luck! Subbed.

Subbed! I'm curious to see how the transition to Whole30 goes. I have a friend who has gradually done it do to brain shunt/compression issues and it has helped her out immensely, but the process was very slow before she noticed any real benefits. Hey, hey! C25K! Get it! I'm sure you'll rock it. And, random, my best friend is always trying to get me on Ingress. I hear it's quite fun. Get out there an enjoy taking over those portals.

I really like your writing goal and the plan of action for it! Interesting and fun motivation with the points, too. I am curious to see how it all works out. Random: I'm getting a tattoo in late March, but had I seen your plan, I think it would've motivated me more in a different, and engaged way. Very cool! Also, sub'd!

I met with a mentor today who was familiar with some of the troubles I have faced over the past five and a half years of the PhD process who commented, "You stand for something. You stand for protest; you are a symbol of righting wrong. They know that, and they fear it. You strike fear in them because you are a fighter who not only held them accountable when they needed it, but you as you stand now, you've also shown them your mettle as adult and as someone you truly knows how to persevere. Be emboldened by your strength through all of that to now and never look at the past and all the difficulties that arose as a negative or as some weakness or character flaw; it is, instead, your finest attribute. Look to it, embrace it, and let it serve you as press on." His perspective challenged my thoughts on the troubled past with my department and the tedious PhD process; I had never considered my actions in this incendiary fashion. Was I really this person? Had I become a symbol and not realized it all this time? I reflected quietly. My voice and my actions shook them up, so much so that many combatted me with threats, public humiliation, and ostracism. Yet, despite their fury and despite all the uncertainty and pain, I remained. My tenacity, or perhaps my masochism, kept me together and steeled me even in my darkest moments and lowest lows. Why had I not seen this before? And why had I given in to their insecurities and taken them as my own? "Quitting isn't really an option for you," he continued. "If it was, you would've done it already, and you would've blamed yourself for it. Somewhere inside, you know that the past and all you've endured are not because of something you did wrong, but because of who you are and what you represent to them. You are revolutionary because you challenge the way things are, and in that you are a force to be reckoned with in all you do in your time there and even beyond." My mind spun as he spoke. His perspective was not only positive, it was powerful. I suddenly began to realize that I did not need to change my behavior or actions to conform to the system for the sake of the process; rather, I needed to devise ways to make the system work for me in the process of finishing up and moving forward. I needed to see myself as the person I was all along, not the person I was made into because of others. I was change and I was strong, much stronger than I had ever given myself credit and more powerful than I realized. "Be who you have been all along," I told myself, "and have the courage to go as far as you possibly can." Inspired by my meeting and the personal revelations in conversation with a mentor, I'm going into this challenge reminding myself to go as far as I possibly can each day and week of this challenge. While my goals haven't changed much from the last challenge, my mindset has in how I have reconceptualized myself. Also, to make things more eventful and fun (and since my goals are so similar to the previous challenge), I'm adding in some "mini-boss" battles along my challenge every week or two. Quest One: Weight Train to Win Do Bodyweight Brigade Level 2 or Dumbbell Division Level 2 or Resistance Band Routine or Yoga any other weight-training related exercise at least 18 times (approximately 3 or more times each week). A = +3 STR, +2 CHA; B = +2 STR, +1 CHA; C = +1 STR, +.5 CHA Quest Two: Capitalize on Cardio Interval run for 15-20 minutes or Run 3-5 miles or Bike (15-40 minutes) or Stair Climb (15-20 minutes) or Swim (20-60 minutes) or other cardio at least twice a week or at least 12 times total. A = +3 DEX, +2 STA; B = +2 DEX, +1 STA; C = +1 DEX, +.5 STA Quest Three: Disentangle the Dissertation Write for my dissertation at least five days of the week—regardless of how good it is—and edit it the next day. Using 750words.com, I'll attempt to write at least 750 words or three pages during each sit-down session. The optimal goal would be to have approximately 54-63 pages total (or roughly two dissertation chapters) done by the end of this challenge. A = +3 WIS; B = +2 WIS; C = +1 WIS Life Quest: Find and Follow the Good Path I consider myself "chaotic good," which means I fight for others, but my unpredictable and free spirit also allow me the freedom to go carve out my own path. As part of following my own path, I'm challenging myself to find the good in each situation and to reframe the negative in a way that best serves my interest. I'll do this by not only challenging negative thoughts in the moment, but by also journaling everyday, even if only a page, to disassociate the negativity and further reframe the negative to find and follow the good path for me. A = +2 CON; B = +1 CON; C = +.5 CON Random Mini-Boss Battles (more may be added later) Pound the Puller on High!: ​Complete one legit pull-up without assistance Outrun the Octagorn: Complete a mile in 8 minutes or under. Dive into the Waters of Win: Swim laps for thirty minutes without stopping for more than a two minute break once. Battle with Bikram: Do Bikram Yoga at least once a week or four times total in one month (given that I am traveling a bit in March). Really excited to kick off this challenge and continue the progress I am making. Even more excited to be continuing on with all you crazy runners and stunners!

Thank you! I really appreciate that and all the support you provided along the way. I'm looking forward to the next challenge!

WAY TO GO! You did great with this challenge. 750words.com worked for you, huh? I'll have to look into it myself. Really great to hear that you are rocking the workouts, especially with the kettlebell. I started that too, but had to temporarily stop because of tennis elbow. Keep on rockin' it! DAYUM!

This is such a cool idea! I'm flying across the country and will be in an airport or in the air for a whole day this week or else I'd be game. Good luck, everyone!!

This was probably the best challenge I've had. It was the one I completed without any major stumbles and it was the one I felt most comfortable with in both my guild (all you awesome people) and in my goals. The long version is here, but the tl;dr is: Weight Training every other day: A I did have to modify the program in the last two weeks because of tennis elbow and the need to rest a bit more, so next time I'll revise the goal to be a bit more flexible. Interval Running at least two times a week: A This was easily met, but the most important lesson I learned was to not overdo my cardio, which I am prone to do because it is so liberating for me. Writing that damn dissertation, one chapter at a time: B-/C+ Nothing really went wrong here. My motivation for writing comes and goes, and I am easily distracted when I choose to prioritize other things. I'm learning to challenge that mindset by being more consistent and scheduled, as I am with my workouts, and as I learn to challenge my negative thoughts about the process and my advisor. All in due time, and all things to take into account for the next challenge. Overall, I am impressed with my progress and glad that I was with the Scouts for this challenge. There is no question: I'm sticking with you all for the next challenge too!

Day Thirty-Nine I decided to only do yoga today and to modify my workout goal just a bit. With the tennis elbow, I do not want to overexert and create more damage or create another injury. So, 30 minutes of light yoga. It felt sort of like a letdown for me, but I know have to be safe.Day Forty Day of rest. I spent the day relaxing, cleaning, reading, and enjoying some meditation. I wanted to go swimming, but I took the day off from all workouts.Day Forty-One Ran for 45 minutes, walked for 20. Although I haven't been doing weights much this week, my cardio has been strong. And, you know, it's helped keep me in line with my goals, even if I cannot safely do the weights.Day Forty-Two Last day of the challenge!? Holy hell! I did the stair-stepper for 30 minutes today and walked for 30 minutes. Surprisingly, I was a bit winded by the stair-stepper this time. My heart even fluttered a bit, which was unusual, so I took the step level down a few notches from my normal level, which seemed to help. Not a good sign on the last day! Hahah! But...after that, everything was fine. The walk was great and the outdoor air was refreshing. Though...I am actually missing my free weights. Never thought I'd say that.So...time to wrap this up, albeit a day late because I've been preparing for a flight out East and taking care of last minute things, here's how my challenge went: This was the best challenge I've had so far! Not only did I complete it through and through, but I did it with consistency and with measured improvements along the way. I learned a lot of things about lifting weights, and I also learned not to overdo it with my cardio, which helped cement my strong progress. As far as my goals went... Quest One: Do Bodyweight Brigade Level 2 (A and B, 3 to 4 times a week as cycled) or 21 workouts total. A = +3 STR, +2 CHA; B = +2 STR, +1 CHA; C = +1 STR, +.5 CHA I was able to do 19 workouts. I modified during the second to last week to drop the goal to 20 and then I modified just this last week to include yoga because of my tennis elbow. I have taken time off from the weights and have focused on bodyweight for the time being and cardio. I have since bought a tennis elbow compression sleeve, which I will use during the next challenge when I pick up the weights again in a week. I'm calling this a full win because I didn't anticipate any minor strain and I still made it to the end with success. So, I'm added +3 STR and +2 CHA. Quest Two: Interval run (following Steve's recommendations, of course) at least twice a week or at least 12 times total. A = +3 DEX, +2 STA; B = +2 DEX, +1 STA; C = +1 DEX, +.5 STA This was easily accomplished, but I had to learn to not overdo my cardio. After the first week, I quickly learned that 2-3 hours of mixed cardio at the gym is not healthy. I mean, I can do it because I'm crazy and like to push myself, but it's not going to help build muscle and it is more likely to result in strain or injury. So, I learned to tone it down and truly keep most interval runs down to 20 minutes and my long runs to 50 minutes. Sure, I can do my 10ks and other longer runs, but they need to be once every other week, not every other day or so. Obvi! +3 DEX, people! Quest Three: Write a page and a half for my dissertation at least six days of the week—regardless of how good it is—and edit it the next day. Approximately 54-63 pages total (or roughly two dissertation chapters). A = +5 WIS; B = +4 WIS; C = +3 WIS This was probably the hardest part of this challenge for me, as it was last time. I managed to finish a chapter and revise a previous chapter, but I didn't finish two WHOLE new chapters. Not yet, anyway. I'm about halfway into another chapter, and I'm struggling with it because, among dealing with my advisor, I am tired of writing it. Motivation fluctuates with this project for so many different reasons, and I find myself easily distracted by anything that is not the dissertation. Even NF can be a distraction if I allow it. Still, to have completed 33 pages for one chapter and revised 12 of another, that's not too shabby. It could be worse, too. I could've not gotten anything done. So...If we go by chapters, it's a B and by pages, it's a C. So...I think a 3.5 WIS is fair. Plus, it is a reminder to develop a stronger strategy for writing for the next challenge. After all, I'm not going to finish this damn diss if I don't learn how to get past the BS from my advisor, get over any writing apprehension, and just write it up and finish it. And...*DRUM ROLL* As far as measurements go: Neck14.8"Chest39.8"Bicep12.75" (I know, BIG CHANGE there! Hahahahaha!)Waist35.3"Hip​38.2" Thigh24" Slimming down and gaining a little muscle! (I think.) Though, my biceps are stronger. I know it is just going to be one of those things you see develop much more over time. Weight, which I hardly ever do now, has changed too! I lost about 5.5 pounds over the course of this challenge, but it was gradual and mostly in my thighs and hips. I'm not sure if much muscle was gained, though I do know my calf muscles are strong and well developed. When I last weighed myself on 12/20/2014, I was at 165 pounds. I'm now at 159.5. I don't have a goal weight, but losing inches (and pounds) is nice, particularly in my hips and thighs. I look forward to the day that my chest and stomach are flatter, but, again, that's the ongoing battle of my main quest. So! This next challenge starts in a week, and I'm revving up for it. I'm going to stick with the Scouts because, let's face it, YOU ALL are awesome. Plus, I loved the balance challenges, which turned into balance practice before my cardio days. (That really has been so useful, Terinatum!) The next challenge will be similar to this one with quests, but I'm going to revise the quests just a little and do some mini-boss battles along the way to spice things up. I think the weekly or every other week variety of mini-bosses I'll throw in there will help spice up the routine and motivate me to do things in line with the challenge that push me in the same direction, but in a different way. Thanks for cheering me on, everyone! As I get ready to return to the East for a short trip and to visit with my advisor, coming here and having support from you all has been helpful. I am hopeful that my next challenge will be as successful as this one, if not more so! Maybe then I'll be able to show the gainz, the flatter stomach, and even bigger smile.

Glad to hear you are well and in recovery! Good luck with it and stay positive.