Tziganette

@Sylvaa hahaha me too! I decided on growing a mix of mints, and I ordered seeds online. Kinda nervous! Update: Week 1 is going great! I cooked a paleo meal yesterday. Today I worked out, hiked AND cooked a breakfast (turkey and bacon and spinach and sweet potato patties yum!), and ordered the aforementioned seeds. Dailies have been completed. Now I'm off to read the introductory chapter to ADF's Dedicant Path [pulls out spellbook and starts reading]... it's actually all online, and only as magical as I want it to be

Hey adventurers, no story time today, sorry. Maybe I'll come up with a chapter later for this challenge, but I've been working on my Statement of Purpose for grad school so much recently that I don't feel like writing! These are building on my previous challenges getting my sugar intake down, improving posture, improving strength, improving nutrition, and hopefully one day be able to be a real life D&D bard adventurer! LHT twice and hike every weekChin tucks and quad stretch every morning and eveningOnly 1 sweetened drink per dayPrep a Paleo breakfast and dinner for the week every weekSpend 2 hours sewing each weekLearn level 0 spells: read 1 chapter of ADF Dedicant Path every weekGet (and don't kill) an indoor cat-edible plant From last challenge: go on a camping trip and stay in food budget.

Sounds like a fun goal to work towards! Good luck!

Fantastique! Je viens de Colombie Britannique, où tous le monde parlent anglais, mais j'étais dans une école primaire immersion française. Oh gosh, I'm sure that's rife with mistakes, I haven't written French since college! You got this girl.

Oof, this week has been rough. I planned an awesome camping/hiking trip in the Shenandoah National Park. My husband was on vacation and I took a long weekend. Day 1 of long weekend I developed a cold with fever, sore throat, and runny nose. Darn! So we cancelled the trip and have been bumming around. This means I definitely did not achieve the camping trip goal, although I set a new date for early November. I also forgot to do chin tucks for a couple days, so that goal is blown too. However, we are (barely) staying in food budget still, and I DID manage to go for a little "hike" today. All I need to do is find some energy to sew today or tomorrow and I'm golden on the rest of my goals. I have cut back on the sugar somewhat, although my willpower took a hit the last couple days while sick. I drank a bunch of ginger ale, which is my comfort pop. I haven't been eating dried fruit, though, and less dark chocolate as well. @mom2sjm thanks for the link, I'll definitely use that chart when I'm up for a big no sugar challenge! That website seems like a great resource.

The forest noises surrounded us as we tromped ever further towards the spider nests. After a couple more hours hiking, my feet seemed to stick to the ground. In fact, my whole body seemed a bit sticky. “Hey guys?” I called, getting farther behind as I struggled to unstick my feet from the ground. “Um, I’m a bit stuck…” Mog hurried back to check on me. “Oh dear,” he said, “It seems you got splashed with some Sugar Beast residue when it exploded.” “Is it fatal?” I asked, tears coming to my eyes. “Oh no,” Quarnik was quick to cut in. “You just have to rinse off.” Luckily there was a stream just a hundred paces away. The party quickly formed a bucket line and dumped several water kins over my head. The sticky residue rinsed away, and I was able to continue on! So… this week. I have followed my goals, technically. However, I’m pretty sure my sugar intake is way up from what it was, even though I haven’t broken the 1 sweet rule. I’ve been chomping down way too many dried figs and adding pumps of sugary flavor to all my drinks at work. Oh dear. I need to refocus on what’s important and not let my goals be counterproductive - an excuse for bad behavior.

Jealous! I would have been stoked to get a heron. I actually have a tattoo of a bittern...

So true! In the spring, I was doing so great with the Academy! My friend stayed with me all summer, and even though she cooks healthy food and loves to hike, just having a buddy around all the time was enough to derail any progress. My current goal is to create a new baseline, so that when I fall off the fitness wagon I won't revert back to 0. Instead, I'll revert to one LHT session per week. And hopefully I can keep getting that baseline higher and better.

I haven't been checking the boards much yet this challenge, so I'm just joining in here now. Great challenge! It is super FUN, and to me that's kinda the point of Nerd Fitness. If I can make fitness fun, it is WAY more doable!

Hey Hyrulian, sorry your week didn't end on a high note. I hope things are going better. What is your new tattoo?

My Party: Mog: level 3 Acquisitor. Planning and financially backing the adventure. Quarnik: level 2 Ferengi, protege of Mog. Also pretty good with a phaser (at least, good for a Ferengi). Manitou: Tauren scout, knows the way to the spider's nest, also rudimentary skill with a compound bow. Me: level 1 adventurer, magical silk expert. We were on our way. My spirits were high, even though I was struggling a bit with my pack. The sun was cheerfully shining through the leaves above. My boots made a cheery crunching sound as I trod on early fall leaves. Gradually, the sunlight faded as we penetrated deeper into the forest. Manitou, scouting ahead, called a halt. He heard something moving further up the path. I peered nervously up the trail. Soon, I saw a great big oozing form pushing through the trees, trampling and consuming sticks and small creatures as it advanced. "The Sugar Beast!" Mog gasped. "I heard tell of this evil being, but never thought to see it with my own eyes! Quick, everyone, focus on something important to you! Think of your goals! Think of your challenges! Summon you patronuses!" I focused my mind, thinking of the great adventurer I one day hoped to be. Slowly, a shadowy winged predator appeared beside me - a harrier! And the great beast before me seemed to shrink. Soon it was no bigger than a sugar cube. Manitou chuckled beside me. Mog guffawed. Quarnik giggled. I laughed with the others, and the beast squirmed in discomfort. Then, with a squelching noise, it popped out of existence! "Good work, party," Mog squawked. And we moved forward with our mission. Probably won't post all my updates like this, haha, but maybe... Sugar craving has been a real thing this week. Getting through it though by remembering the challenge, and why I'm doing this! Also did the Pottermore patronus test and got a harrier, which is apparently a bird of prey. A bit confused, since I never heard of it, and it doesn't even live in North America! This is all part of how the new Pottermore disappoints me. I was a proud Hufflepuff, then got resorted into Slytherin. My patronus was a doe, now it's some bird that lives in England. Oh well! I guess I can look at it as an alternate dimension.

Awesome positive spin. I'll be following along

This is a fantastic challenge. I also like that you're grading system is consistent with the challenge - pure positive reinforcement. I think one problem with gaining self esteem based on a romantic relationship is that those tend to end more often than not. Even marriages have a low success rate. Not to be negative here, I just want to make a suggestion. If you need external reinforcement to feel good about yourself (most people do), maybe try cultivating friendships and family relationships. Those are less likely to sweep the mat out from under you and can be long-lasting sources of mental health. Good luck!

I don't know about gyms, but I was a chiropractic assistant for two years. I'd say the #1 important thing to look for in a PT is how they teach you good form. I'd do a session with them before signing up for a subscription. See if they pay attention to the details of what they're teaching you. You want someone who'll take the time to make sure the fundamentals are right. They're there to encourage you, but they're also your second pair of eyes to make sure you don't get hurt! I don't know if there is a sports chiropractor near you, but if there is I'd ask him/her for a PT recommendation.

Hey, you got 3/5! Don't get too discouraged! And congrats on the E for Core challenge

Worthy goals! I know I will never survive the zombie apocalypse, because I am a very slow runner. My husband is fast, and he's made it clear what his survival strategy is... (you don't have to be fast, just faster than the slowest person you're with haha)

I just used a silly mash up of many universes - Star Trek, Firefly, Harry Potter, D&D. I find it amusing to imagine them all coexisting in some weird alternate dimension. Thanks, you guys!

The lighting was low and brooding. I was pulling the five-hundredth tankard of ale that day in a bustling tavern at Persephone Docks. Even though the planet-time was late, I could still hear ships coming and going outside. During a quieter moment, something caught my ear from a table nearby. A pair of Ferengi conversed in hushed tones. The word "adventure" caught my ear. "What we really need for the adventure party," a young, perky-lobed Ferengi was saying, "is someone who knows about magical textiles and who will take a pitiful cut of the deal. We're already splitting this loot three ways, I'd rather not take on another equal partner." I sidled closer so I could hear the rest of their conversation. Sure enough, they were forming an adventure party! The Enchanter's Guild was running low on fabrics suitable for magical robes, and was offering a high price for quality silks. The Ferengi were planning a raid on a giant spider nest, who were known to spin silk extremely well suited to holding enchantments. Lucky for me, I studied tailoring magical robes with Madame Malkin for four years, so I can identify good silk. I walked over to their table. "Refills, gentlemen?" I proferred two tankards brimming with butterbeer. "No," the older Ferengi croaked, "Your prices are too high here, it's highway robbery!" "These two are on the house, if you'll let me sit down and drink with you. My shift just ended, and I believe I have exactly what you need for the adventure you're planning." This is my second challenge, and first challenge as an Adventurer! My first challenge. This one is quite a bit more ambitious, and I hope I'm up to it! Posting this here now, but I will be starting the "graded" portion on September 25. 1. Trail Rations: 1 sweet per week (excluding fruit or dark chocolate, which I may eat in moderation).2. Traveling on foot: 1 hike each week. 3. The spider nest is more than a day's journey: Plan an overnight backpacking trip.4. An adventurer needs confidence (improve my posture): wall chin tucks 3 sets of 5 every morning.5. Complete MAC application.6. Brush up on my tailoring (level up my Crafting skill!): Spend 1 hour sewing each week.7. I only get a pitiful cut of the loot: Stay within food budget this month.

My first challenge is done! I give myself an A. Although I struggled a bit the first week and ate some gas station food that wasn't technically fast food, I improved greatly over the rest of the month. Kept up completely with the rest of my goals. I think I'm definitely ready for a more challenging challenge next time! Thanks so much for all your support, rebels! I'll be heading over to the Adventurers Guild for my second challenge, but I will definitely keep up with you all.

It will eventually be filled in with doodles and leaves and such. Yours looks awesome! I always get dizzy and nauseous, so good for you usually taking it like a Keeper. Are you in Canada?! I'm originally from BC, but am perma-stranded in Virginia (Apparition gone wrong). Timbits are consumed in abundance every time I go home, along with coffee crisps. Too bad there's no HEALTHY nostalgic foods... maybe pepperoni sticks count? I blame the trolley lady for addicting us all to candy.

Game and gamer music. I like to feel like I'm in the middle of Dragon Age! Lately it's been:

Oh gosh as a Slytherpuff this makes me SO HAPPY. Thanks for sharing Badger! I also got a tattoo last week! It is all over my back, and twinges a bit, but still able to workout. It's all line work, though, and those heal the fastest. Sounds like you got something pretty elaborate on your arm? As for takeout bombing - just more motivation to not lose two in a row! (Or three or five or whatever)

Don't lose hope! I have been married for four years and we've always said we SHOULD find ways to encourage each other in fitness. We finally found something that (hopefully) works for us! You will too.

Somehow I just read your post... I thought I was already following you, but I guess not! Fixed that! Yay Hufflepuffs! Love the breakdown of your quests soooo much! I may have to change from my D&D story-mode to Hogwarts, we shall see Good work on your goals! My three cats are so food-crazy, there is no way I could forget to feed them! They circle me and meow incessantly in the morning until I feed them. I have to feed them in separate boxes so they all get their appropriate rations - one is fat, one is skinny, and one is just right! Oh, and no one tell Professor Sprout that I have three cats! I convinced two of my year-mates to tell her they each have a cat, so that I can keep them all at Hogwarts. I don't want to land in detention, so keep it on the DL!

Doing great, thanks! This week I actually convinced my husband to create an Epic Quest character, so I have extra encouragement at home. We're treating it as a competition!