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Challenge Summary core workouts: 11/12 sessions = 92% fruits and veggies: 94/140 servings = 67% drynuary: several/0 drinks = 0% successful mornings: 14/20 mornings = 70%

Week Four Summary core workouts: 3/3 sessions fruits and veggies: 20/35 servings drynuary: several/0 drinks successful mornings: 3/5 mornings

I ended up paying for YogaGlo for the month, as I love the studio feel when I connect my laptop to the speakers in my spare room. The downside is that they've rearranged things a bit, and I could swear they used to have an option to filter by props... reading each and every description because I don't have a bolster, chair, or a proper belt/strap is kind of a pain. Tonight I did a 30min Hatha video called 'Catch Your Breath.' Nothing from the session really jumped out at me, and I have all my usual video complaints; trying to look at the video took me out of my practice mentally, and my breath was (ironically, considering the name of the video) ALWAYS out of synch with her instruction. I'm not sure how a studio is so different... maybe instead of being a tiny laptop person on the floor, I'm able to see the instructor through my periphery? I haven't been to many classes, but I'm usually much more comfortable in them than when I do a video. I also did a root chakra meditation video, which was nice, but not actually what I'm going for, as far as mindfulness. I did a short practice Monday night, and will probably continue to do my usual morning meditation style at night, though I would actually like to finish the chakra series as well.

Yay, thank you! Basically, it's about keeping only the things that spark joy, and sorting through things by type, not location. So, you'd gather all your clothing, coats, shoes, hats, etc. and go through them at the same time, not one closet at a time. Thanks! I'm hoping to add some things to my self-practice. I find videos incredibly distracting/not at all relaxing. Thank you! Hopefully the whole process helps my house be a little more "user friendly." Thanks!!

The new schedule is going to take some getting used to. I’m used to writing up my challenges on a morning off from work… I haven’t had one since the new forums were up. Theme, pictures, and grading scale to come a little later. As I said in my last challenge, I think much of my problem with completing my challenges is that I don’t have any real fitness goals, like weight loss or a lifting/running record. That being the case, the “one fitness, two diet, and one life goal†thing was causing me to pick sort of random goals that I had no motivation to complete. After working on my Epic Quest** a little, I’ve decided at least “two Druid, and one Innkeeper†goals are my new framework for challenges. I'm switching over to the Level Up Your Life xp system, and will have no more than 100xp per monthly challenge, and no more than 25xp per monthly goal. I'll level up every 100xp, and will switch over to using my Level Up Your Life character stats once they catch up with my current forum level. Mix it up. I’ve become a little bored with my usual yoga routine, and would like to try several new routines and styles this month. I’ll take a look at YouTube, but I might just pay for YogaGlo for the month, instead. I’m not a video person, and I find YogaGlo pretty tolerable. Try two new yoga routines each week. [25xp] Get more Headspace. I’ve been doing really well getting my morning meditation in, and would like to add in a few night time sessions as well. Evening meditation four times each week. [25xp] Be a Social Caterpillar. While I've been doing mostly alright for the past few years, last week my social anxiety reached "if anyone looks at me, I'll kill myself" levels, and I'd really like to have the skills and abilities to deal with that sort of thing when it comes up. Complete the first four weeks of The Mindfulness and Acceptance Workbook for Social Anxiety and Shyness. [25xp] Spark joy. I’ve jumped on the bandwagon and read The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. I do think a lot of my lack of motivation for both yoga and my food projects** is the general feel of my house, which isn’t exactly messy, but could use some work. (Plus, this is the first time I’ve lived alone and I’ve got two long-term relationships to de-clutter.) Use the KonMari method... clothes [10xp]papers [5xp]kitchenware [10xp] **My Epic Quest is to grow, cook, and serve food… and to make sure others can eat. I’m an assistant pastry chef, and am hopefully moving to a new job this year. I was volunteering at the community kitchen last year, but my hormonal/depression/anxiety issues are getting in the way, so I need to get that under control. I’d like to get more involved in the community gardens this year, which is my second year having a garden with them. But, this is all part of an upcoming post…

Captain's Log: January 30, 2016 Pilates 100 20 x single leg stretch 20 x single straight leg stretch 5 x roll ups 5 x corkscrew (each side) 5 x single leg teasers (each side) 5 x double leg lifts 30 second low plank 30 second high plank 30 second low side plank (each side) 30 second high side plank (each side) sage tree pose (each side)

Week Three Summary core workouts: 2/3 sessions fruits and veggies: 22/35 servings drynuary: several/0 drinks successful mornings: 3/5 mornings LIke I said, Week Three didn't go so well. I've spent all weekend going over a few books and making a plan for future challenges, and will HOPEFULLY have the next challenge written up tonight. Today's workout done and logged.

Captain's Log: January 29, 2016 Pilates 100 20 x single leg stretch 20 x single straight leg stretch resistance band stretching 5 x roll-ups 5 x double leg lifts 5 x corkscrew (each side) 5 x single leg teasers (each side) wide-legged forward fold high lunge lizard pose low lunge runner's lunge Warrior Flow Total time: 30 minutes

Thanks. You guys have definitely got me curious about the whole thing. Though, the one blog post I did read about it was pretty down on books... My books aren't going anywhere.

Workout done and logged. I don't think I ever mentioned the two workouts from last week, but they are also logged. So, given that the original post in this thread mentions hormones and birth control, I don't think it's Too Much Information to mention that last week was my first period on the new pill, and that obviously it didn't go so well, emotionally. I called the doctor and got another brush off... when I said my left ovary started hurting during the three weeks between prescriptions, it was suggested that it "might be digestive issues." Um. (More information on the whole situation all over this thread.)

Captain's Log: January 26, 2016 mountain pose forward fold wide-legged forward fold side lunge pyramid high lunge lizard pose low lunge runner's lunge bound angle cow face double pigeon sun salutations x 3 various attempts at sage tree, during which I learned Pilates taught me to do a weird side plank that does not lend itself to yoga side plank variations single leg stretch x 20 single straight-leg stretch x 20 total time: 40 minutes soundtrack: Classical Romance

Also, as this is my second failed challenge, and the second time I've used the 'Builds a Better Core' theme... I guess I'm done with that.

Week Three... didn't go so well. I'll write up an actual progress report on Thursday morning, but suffice to say, a bottle of Pinot Grigio was involved, and I've therefore failed this challenge. I'm going to continue on with everything else as best I can, though. As I suspected, money and winter got in the way of my fruits and veggies challenge. I had exactly zero last Thursday, because I had none in the house. I went out for fruit Friday morning, and ended up stopping for a bagel... and a smoothie... and cat treats. It was maybe $18 in all, but I really can't spend any money on non-essentials right now, and it's hard to go out (rather than a quick stop on the way home from work) without spending excess money. I think the biggest problem with my challenges is that I don't have any Epic Quest that I'm trying to achieve, so the usual "two diet, one exercise, and one life quest" are mostly just whims at this point, and it's hard to keep up on whims just to say that I did it. After reading Level Up Your Life, I've pretty much realized I don't have any physical Epic Quests, so my future challenges may focus on the other things that are important to me. I think my goals should be to get my body, my house, and my life into a good routine so that I can do the other things I need to do. Level Up Your Life suggests putting obstacles between you and distraction, and I also need to remove obstacles between me and my goals. For instance, as a person with a hummingbird-fast metabolism, I have trouble finding a time to workout on a work day where I am fueled enough not to be dizzy, but not post-meal sluggish. I planned on buying my Funko Pop! reward with Amazon credit card points, but I think I'll be buying The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up instead, and joining many of you in your KM goals. I've been looking at bedding and furniture I can't afford right now, but I think getting the house ready for a makeover will be a good goal for the first half of the year. I've thrown out a LOT of junk this month, including cleaning the terrifying spice cabinet last week, but getting a system in place will be fantastic.

Captain's Log: January 21, 2016 high lunge low lunge lizard pose runner's lunge Warrior Flow: wide-legged forward bend side lunges pyramid triangle warrior I warrior II reverse warrior extended side angle reversed warrior revolved crescent lunge high lunge warrior III dancer It's been so long since I've done my Warrior Flow that it was pretty tough to get through again. 30 sec low plank 30 sec high plank 30 sec low side plank (each side) 30 sec high side plank (each side) 5 x mermaid twist (each side) sage tree pose 25 x single-leg stretch 25 x single straight-leg stretch 5 x double leg lifts 10 x roll-ups Total time: 32 minutes

Captain's Log: January 19, 2016 Pilates 100 20 x single-leg stretch 20 x straight single-leg stretch 10 x double leg lifts 10 x roll-ups 10 x single leg teasers (each side) 10 x corkscrew (each side) 30 second low plank 30 second high plank Total time: 18 minutes

I wanted to share my messy, doodle-filled "bullet journal." Sometimes snarky motivation and Friends quote help me get through the day. I've also recently added a Gratitude journal page to it, to sort of counteract the snark.

Woo!! Good job!

Glad you enjoyed your walk... I'm sure your friend enjoyed the support and company. Have you considered "temptation bundling" your stretching with something else you'd like to do?

I've been having trouble with mindfulness as well. I'm trying to get into the morning meditation groove, then I'll work on being mindful throughout the day. Good luck with decluttering and moving rooms. It sounds like it'll take some effort, but it'll be worth it for your girls.

Great work. That festival sounds so cool... being involved in something like that would be amazing. I mean, I am in no way musical... but it sounds awesome.

Congrats!! Looks like a great week. I've been having a little trouble keeping up with the forums, myself. Welcome back? Maybe?

I hope your kitty is doing as well as he can be. And hopefully you are doing OK both emotionally with that, and physically after the accident.

Sick and cold is pretty much always a recipe for comfort food. Don't be too hard on yourself... it sounds like you bounced back to better eating pretty quickly. I'm glad you enjoyed it, at least.

Lovely gratitude prose. I just started a gratitude journal, and I love the style of that.

How is the challenge and cheesecake-making going?