Honeybee

Another week and I'm still doing it! I had a really bad eating day on Sunday. Friday and Saturday were also not great because I allowed myself to have wine on the weekend. I can't be too hard on myself, though, because I have managed to do some sort of a workout on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Now that the weather has improved, I decided to try running again. I got the Zombies Run 5k training app and it's going well so far. General exercise doesn't seem to give me the same stress relief boost that it did two weeks ago, so I'm hoping that adding running will help. Work has been crazy and I kind of feel like I'm drowning most of the time. The only goal I'm failing on it writing--I need to pick up the pace on that one. I'm taking the day off work on Thursday, so I hope I have some time to catch up.

Oooh interesting chocolates! I big-eating night yesterday, too, so I'm postponing my weigh in until tomorrow morning. Why is food so YUMMY? Glad your squash is going well. And surfing? We just got 13 inches of snow!

Happy birthday! I really like your goals, although they all seem too difficult for me. Major kudos for picking some really big goals! Regarding your water goal, are you not really a coffee or tea drinker? I think I could cut out pop completely, but not my morning coffee or afternoon tea. I like your screen time goal too. I know I should cut down too, but it's so hard to step away! What other kinds of recreational activities will you do?

Thank you! I'm a little behind on the writing challenge, so I'm hoping to have a wonderfully creative weekend and get at least 3000 words written. I've been really hoping the weather would improve and I could do a little jogging outdoors, but we got another foot of snow yesterday. Minnesota is so confused about seasons this year.

I love your exploring goal! I'm embarrassed to admit how much I don't get out of the house. I may have to adopt a similar goal for the next 6WC (if you don't mind.) I can really relate to all of your goals! Run/jog for 10 minutes straight is something I'd love to be able to do. I will work on that one with you as soon as the weather improves--we went from 80F and sunny to 12 inches of snow in just six days! I'm glad you're doing well with your goals and hope you get out of your funk soon.

I totally feel that way right now--if I follow the recipe, it has to turn out well. Not always! Tonight I'm trying some chicken in the crock pot. We got a crock pet for a wedding gift 2 years ago, but never used it until today. We'll see how this one turns out! I also get super addicted to video games, so I've had Skyrim for ages but never tried it. Started this week and I'm officially hooked! I came home from work today intending to play Skyrim first and workout later. Instead, I forced myself to exercise first. I tried the beginner bodyweight routine for the first time--lots of fun! I managed 4 circuits and I even did 45-second planks instead of 15-second planks. And I added 50 bicycle crunches at the end of each circuit for good measure. I think I'll try the advanced bodyweight workout over the weekend. Every time I watch the video of Steve doing inverted rows at the kitchen table, though, I picture me flipping my own table over onto my head. Edited to add// I'm really psyched by how well the beginner bodyweight routine went! I didn't know I could do a 45-second plank, much less four of them in a short time. I can tell I'm making progress!

Hi fellow Maintenance Maestros! Thank you for stopping by! I also appreciate the recipes, Dominic. Until the last month, I had never done any cooking, really. I'd never browned hamburger meat, I'd never cooked a frozen chicken breast. Nothing. So I love the easy recipes. I still don't enjoy cooking at all, but I feel proud of what I'm learning. I'm an adult--I should be able to feed myself. I took a rest day yesterday and now my leg (right above my ankle) hurts like crazy. Leave it to me to injure myself on a rest day! I'm going to work out very carefully today and avoid using that leg as much as possible. I'm also hoping to play some Skyrim this afternoon (I only worked 6 hours today) to reward myself for doing so well in the 6WC.

I'm claiming +1 STR for 15 minutes of core exercises each day. I'm really happy to have learned some new exercises that work my core. I like a little variety!

Please share some recipes in your challenge log! I am a cooking newbie but trying very hard to learn how to cook some healthy meals during this challenge. I'd love to see what you're cooking up!

Thank you! I did 3 very ripe bananas, 3 eggs, 1/2 cup peanut butter, and 1/2 tsp baking powder. It made 13 small pancakes. Very yummy if you're craving a sweet breakfast treat. I felt a lot of soreness today, so I didn't get to work out as much as I'd like. Still, I managed to do about 30 minutes of exercise. I added dumbbells to my regular routine--how great that was! Less reps and more sweat = happy Élan. I hope to do some yoga this evening while watching Game of Thrones. I had a bad bad bad weekend for eating, but I tried to make up for some treats by eating lots of protein. Turkey burgers ftw!

I love how positive you are! I just read through your challenge thread and I feel SO motivated to go kick some ass. Well, kick my own ass in a workout. And then I will make that face in the gif. Glad you're back at the gym now and so happy about it!

Thank you for the motivation! I love that you got your whole office into the wall sits. I totally forgot about them until I saw your post--they're a nice way to add in core work. I'm having fun with the mini challenge and I can really feel it! Today I feel pretty sore for the first time since this challenge started. I got on the scale and I'm down two pounds since last week. I don't know if that's good or bad! I'm taking it as a good sign that fat is coming off. Aaaaand I finally made those 2-ingredient pancakes. I added peanut butter to mine. Here they are:

Awesome! I'm glad to have a core-working partner. What attribute point are you going to assign to it? I am thinking + STR.

Had another bad day yesterday and felt awful by the time I got home. Still, I managed to eat a healthy dinner and do a 35-minute workout. I got a full 7 hours of sleep last night at woke up at 6am feeling super energetic! I danced my way out of bed and toward the coffee maker! I'm not sure I've ever had such a good morning. Let's hope this energy sticks with me throughout the day. For the second Adventurer mini challenge, I'm focusing on my core for 15 minutes each day. I started last night and actually had a lot of fun. What's everyone else doing for the mini challenge?

I'm going to spend 15 minutes per day working my core! I'm not sure if I'm particularly good at that, but I will be after this challenge.

Week one progress report: 1 set measurements taken, 1 weigh in 4 30-minute workouts, 2 60-minute workouts 1 new meal cooked 2200+ words written Mini challenge #1 completed for +1 WIS Yesterday was a bad day, so I wanted to type these up to give myself some motivation. I'm right on target! I had the day off yesterday, but I let work anxiety get to me. I have a long day at work today and I WILL exercise when I get home.

Congratulations! Off to read his challenges logs for some inspiration.

Thank you so much for the recipe suggestions! I am a total kitchen n00b so I need all the tips I can get. I don't like eggs, but I love quiche... so that's a fantastic idea to get more eggs in my diet. Yum! Here are some recipes I'd love to try during the challenge: http://thehealthyfoodie.com/2011/12/08/zucchini-fritters/ http://thehealthyfoodie.com/2013/03/11/tuna-fish-patties-and-quick-coleslaw/ http://mypersiankitchen.com/kuku-sabzi-persian-frittata-with-fresh-herbs/ http://glutenfreefix.com/3-ingredient-peanut-butter-cookies/3115/ http://www.theburlapbag.com/2012/07/2-ingredient-cookies-plus-the-mix-ins-of-your-choice/ Just cataloging for myself and for anyone else who wants to try some supposedly easy recipes.

The beloved REST DAY has arrived. My arms and back are especially sore from yesterday's workout. As much as I want to keep pushing, I know it's better if I take a day off. Still, I'm planning to do some yoga for relaxation before bed... and maybe a few squats for good measure. Today, I worked on challenge #3 by cooking dinner in the oven. I shot for simple this time--I roasted all the random veggies we had hanging around in the fridge. I'm doing well on eating, but I am not getting enough protein. I'm going to try to add more chicken, tuna, and omelets into my diet--they seem like the easiest for someone who cannot cook.

Another day, another good workout! I did 30 minutes of Zumba + Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred. I also earned +1 WIS from the first mini challenge by revising my goals. I'm TIRED! I think tomorrow will be the perfect rest day. I hope to push through the exhaustion and finish strong by taking my car to the car wash, filing it up with gas, and making the long drive back to my apartment to see my husband. I visited my parents for the weekend and gave him space to work on his thesis.

That's me too! I can make a mean grilled cheese, but that's about it. I'm lucky my husband loves to cook, but he's trying to gain weight and makes really high-calories dishes (lots of pasta and cheese sauces!) It's time I learned a few things for myself. I've been married for a couple years, but I haven't made much progress. Although I started a little late, I reviewed my exercise logs for the week and so far I'm right on target! I'm also down a pound since I last weighed myself one week ago. This afternoon, I did 30 minutes of Zumba, one episode of Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred, and took the dog for a walk for 20 minutes. Yay! Celebrated a strong Saturday with sushi.

Hi! My name is Élan. Welcome to my second challenge thread on NF. I tried my first challenge at the same time last year, but didn't quite finish. This time, I'm going all the way! My job is very high stress, so I've set small goals so I won't get burnt out. Starting stats: Age: 23, Height: 5'6.5", Weight: 125, BF%: ~23-24% Upper Arm: 10, Forearm: 8.5, Chest: 34, Waist: 27.5, Hips: 37, Thigh: 20, Calf: 14 Level 1 Adventurous Elf STR 1 | DEX 2 | STA 2 | CON 3 | WIS 4 | CHA 3 Challenge #1: Learn how to take proper measurements and take them weekly. My fitness journey is about changing my body shape and adding muscle, so I don't think my scale will be of much use. I've always thought measurements would be the best way to track my progress, but never got around to learning the proper places to measure. During this challenge, I will take my measurements every weekend and hopefully make a habit of it. Scoring: A - Take a full set of measurements six times B - Take a full set of measurements five times F - Take a full set of measurements less than five times Bonus - Take before & after progress pics and post them here in challenge summary Reward: + 2 WIS Challenge #2: Four 30-minute workouts each week Right now, I'm still trying all different kinds of workouts. I haven't exactly found my groove yet. With this challenge, I'll be a bit vague and try for four 30-minute workouts per week. By the end of this challenge, maybe I will have found my best workout style. This will be my hardest challenge, but my workout can be light yoga or a walk if I'm feeling exhausted from work. Scoring: A - 24+ 30-minute workouts B - 20-23 30-minute workouts F - Less than 20 30-minute workouts Bonus - Extend one of those 30-minute workouts each week to 60 minutes Reward: + 2 STR, + 1 DEX, + 2 STA Challenge #3: Cook a new meal each week. I don't mean a basic salad or a turkey sandwich--I can handle those. I'd like to cook something that involves the oven or stove at least once each week. My current diet is a mix of frozen meals (for lunch), takeout, and meals cooked by my husband. I've already done a great job cutting out takeout/fast food, but now I'd like to develop basic cooking skills so I can be responsible for my own healthy eating. Scoring: A - Cook six different meals B - Cook five different meals F - Cook four or less different meals Bonus - 3 or less "Lean Cuisine" or other frozen meals Reward: + 3 CON, + 1 CHA, + 1 WIS Challenge #4: Write 2000 words each week This challenge is made to encourage my creativity to come out. Often, I feel like creative writing is a waste of time when I have other things to do (household chores, work, exercise, cooking, etc.) I know I shouldn't feel that way, so I'll try to encourage my writing with a challenge. Scoring: A - 12,000+ words written B - 10,000-12,000 words written F - Less than 10,000 words written Bonus - 15,000+ words written Reward: + 1 STA, + 1 WIS, +1 CHA There we go! About two weeks ago, I started my own little challenge to try to get healthy and fit. This will take it to the next level and ensure I can really see my results, even if they don't show up on the scale. For each challenge "bonus" that I successfully complete, I'll buy myself a new fancy item of workout clothing.

^ You too! How was the weekend? QueenBee, how are you doing? My yoga practice has been a little lazy, but I've been doing some every day. I even taught my husband some poses!

How were your 30 mins? Did you do yoga yesterday? I skipped yesterday, but I figure I'll have plenty of time to meditate over the long weekend. I'm off to work now.

I'd love to hook up with NF folks on Twitter. I have two accounts: @withElan < This is me. Lots of tweets about refugees, nonprofits, writing, blogging, etc. @DoGreatnet < This is my blog's twitter stream. I post how-to articles, positive news stories and inspirational quotes.