Sambalina

Thanks, P! And where is your new challenge, sir?

Love the cover concept! It has princesses AND a ninja - how could it even get better? I'd have read it when I were a kid. Oooh, squats without a rack? Tough work! Well done on getting to where you are.

Hmmm, interesting! I was thinking it might be the wheat mixed in with sugar, but it could be the processing as you say. Whatever it is, it seems to make a difference.

Great challenge, Jenn! I go to meetups all the time here in Korea, and yeah, there's always a bunch of different abilities who go on the hiking ones. I've been tracking my budget these past few months, and I've found using an app on my phone helps me a lot. I can instantly see (as long as I've entered it) exactly where my money is going and if I need to alter my course of spending during the month. Anyway, subbed to see you rock this!

That is gorgeous!

Ooh, I only just saw this - yes! I am in South Korea, Evicious

Is there somewhere we should be going to sign up for this? Can someone post a link

Thanks guys! I'm looking forward to this one a lot. I might even add some more fun activities as I think of them (or anyone suggests anything). Thanks for the book suggestion, KI4WLG - I'll look it up. I'm on a bit of a sci-fi kick at the moment, so that might be perfect. I'm practising my goals this week and try to relax a bit more. My gym is closed, so I've been purposefully sleeping in (something I never usually do), and enjoying the heck out of the extra bed snuggle time. I've also been doing a dry run of my low carb goal and have done well these past few days. I might take a leaf out of Tankgrrl's book and make some nifty charts of my numbers Anyway, I am getting powered up to really rock this challenge!

I love, love, love your challenge, Thrillho! It must be so cool and inspirational to work out with your son - those are some awesome pics you've got of him squatting. A children's book and auditioning for Wipeout? Really - this challenge couldn't get much cooler! Totally subbing to both see your awesomeness and bug you about the pushups

Hi Blaidd! Great goals - I love the photography one - I almost included one like it in my new challenge Long flights are horrible. My tips: moisturize inside your nose (trust me!) and clean your teeth as often as you can - it totally freshens you up Brazil is gonna rock!!

Ok, new thread is up!

The aim of this challenge is gentle growth and self-nurturing. I feel like I’ve really been pushing myself these past few challenges, and even when I haven’t quite achieved my goals, the tension has been there to always ‘do more’. This challenge I still want to improve, but I’m going to shift the focus from ‘beast mode’ to ‘fun mode’ J . I’m not really following the rules for this challenge – my goals aren’t working towards my big target of bodyweight lifts, but I feel like I need this right now. I’ll still be lifting, just concentrating on consistency rather than upping the numbers to a pre-arranged goal weight. So, about me: I’m Sam, a 26 year old ESL teacher living in South Korea (originally from New Zealand). I’ve been lifting for six months, first two on ‘The New Rules of Lifting for Women’, and the last four on StrongLifts. I’ll be sticking with SL for this challenge, but only upping my weights by 2kg once a week(ish). I’ve been on NF for about 18 months, and this is my third challenge as a warrior. My boyfriend is away on a business trip for the first three weeks of this challenge, and I have a friend living in my tiny one room apartment with me for the same amount of time – both stressful things in their own way. Last challenge I had to deal with a couple of different types of illness as well as exhaustion, low mood, and higher stress levels than I want. Hence, this challenge focuses on relaxation, consistency, and over-all wellbeing. Here are my goals: Fitness: Go to the gym 3x a week. Lift heavy, lift light, do sprints, do yoga, walk on the treadmill – whatever, just get in there M-W-F and move around. My focus is on StrongLifts, but if I feel like some variety, I’ll do something different for a workout or two. Diet: Eat to nurture myself. I track all my food on about.com’s ‘Calorie Counter’ app. I feel better on a lower carb diet, so will aim for 150-ish grams of carbs a day or less. I’m pretty good on diet for the most part, there’re just a couple of things I’d like to work on minimizing. I used to think gluten made me feel ill, but have found I can eat regular pasta (very high in gluten) without a problem. I hypothesize that this is because pasta is made from durum wheat, which is different from the wheat they use for flour in baked goods (dunno why…I only know how my tummy feels). So, I’m going to allow the odd pasta dish back into my diet on special occasions. However, this challenge I want to stay away from all baked goods containing flour, as well as all liquid calories. For treats I can have dark chocolate or popcorn a couple of times a week. Life: Do all the (fun) things! I’d like to do all these things by the end of the sixth week: - Knit a scarf - Go somewhere new - Buy a new handbag - Cook a meal from a recipe - Stay at home and play games/read books/watch tv all day - Go to a meetup - Try a new makeup style using equipment I already have - Plan and research a new article - Celebrate getting published - Read a book club book - Try a new restaurant near home - Eat out alone - Go to a movie, incl. popcorn. - Eat a pizza - Volunteer - Read a new author And that's it

I love secret santa!! I'm definitely interested.... all the way from South Korea.

Date went awesomely I'm just going to play it by ear and see how I feel - thanks for the advice KI4WLG!

Thanks, you two Yeah, this challenge was a toughie. I must admit, I've let my mood kind of run me and have wallowed a little. Things at work and home have been a little neglected (nothing major, just junk stuff that I've kept putting off until 'later'). I've resolved to get out of my funk and get on with it! I didn't realise we had a two week break this time around. It works well because my gym is closed next week for renovations (fingers crossed they add a proper squat rack!!), and one of my goals for next time is gym consistency, so at least I should be able to start out right on the 11th I'm just going to keep logging here until the new boards are up. Great gym session this morning - up to 45kg on my squats, though they need to consistently be a little lower. I've added in some farmer's walks because my grip on my left hand is failing on my heavier deadlifts. I've got a very late date with KJ tonight - he's gone from crazy busy to psycho busy this week because he leaves for a three week business trip on Thursday to Italy and the States. He was so busy he didn't even have time to call me yesterday. After he gets back, we're going to have to have a sort-of assess the relationship talk (or something), because we'll have been dating for six months and I want to know if we both see a future in this, or if I should cut my losses and move on. I REALLY like him a lot, but if he's never going to have much real time for me - it's just too hard, and I'm too awesome for a 'part time' relationship. Once a week is ok when you're starting out, but it's just not enough to grow a solid base on for me. So, yeah. But maybe I'll wait until after Christmas. If I end up having to break it off with him I don't want to do it at Christmas! So, I'm going to try to update more here, as it keeps me focussed and is one of those tasks I've been letting slip. I need my nerds!

Woot!! Amazing progress! I am inspired by your graphs and your success - awesome, awesome work Tankgrrl.

Awesome, Blaidd! I feel like I'm always saying the same thing to you at the end of a challenge - but really, you always rock it and manage to be so encouraging to others along the way. You've made so, so much progress on yourself this challenge, not only physically, e\but mentally and emotionally too. You deserve to feel very happy with yourself. You've set up yet another strong base to launch from in the next challenge.

Here's to an awesome weekend, and better challenge feels for you next time, Dom! You've been great support this challenge - thank you for offering help and advice, even when you were struggling yourself. You should totally be proud of you efforts here

Awesome, Vix!! Way to show us how it's done I can't wait to see what you come up with for the next round - you're a beast!

Hey guys, I've been out of contact again - sorry! I am feeling much better this week, so should be set to start the next challenge from a good place This one has certainly been a struggle, and I can't say I've enjoyed it overly much. Well, not the challenge really, just being sick a couple of times, and heaps of stress, and low mood, and medical stuff. Here's to a more positive November!! So, my challenge write up. I'm not in it to win, so I'm not grading myself, and am dropping the stat points out. Here are my results: Increase my squats to 5x5 50kg at proper depth. Not even close! I'm currently on 42kg, and am working up by 2kg a week with a big focus on form and really feeling like I've 'got' the weight before moving on. This makes for much slower progress than I predicted six weeks ago, but I feel a lot more confident and comfortable going at this rate. I started lifting in flat shoes at Dom's suggestion, and I haven't felt any big improvement or anything, but they must have made some difference because I'm getting butt DOMS, which is a good thing No candy/ sugary foods for 6 weeks. While I definitely cut down, I didn't manage to cut out. This is something I really want to get a hold on, so I'll be taking it into the next challenge (third time lucky?), with some new techniques. I was aiming to get 80 points over 45 days, and I've got 60. That means I only managed about 1/2 the days of the challenge sugar-junk free. My snacks are never big, but they do add up (to a gain on 2kg and 2cm on my waist and hips over the past 6 weeks). Not cool. In the 'win' side, I've descovered a lot of my cravings can be satisfied with popcorn (home made, not microwave), which I will use in moderation over the next challenge to cut candy, cake, cookies, and sugary drinks completely! complete at least five Pinterest projects. This I did! I made some art, did some cooking (x2), pimped my gym shoes, and made a photo montage for my wall. As always, it was a lot of fun go to at least two meet-ups. Total success. I think I went on 4-5. I went hiking, chestnut picking, apple picking, on a food scavenger hunt, and to a book club meeting. All were great fun! Save at least $700 each month in the months of September and October. Mostly success here. I saved with a little to spare in October, but with some surprise medical costs and a very expensive hair cut in November, I only save $500. Still, not a bad effort $1200 in two months is pretty good going, and pretty sustainable. So, looking at it like this, it does seem like a fairly successful challenge, really. I made improvements in all the areas I wanted to work on, just not as much improvement as I predicted. That's ok. My next challenge is going to focus on fun, relaxation, and self-care. I'm looking forward to it

Haha, Dom - maybe they did!! So, I went back to the doc on Monday and got some antibiotics. I've never had this before - but I had to take four pills all at once and that was it. I did it Monday night and since then... well, it was like internal Armageddon! Nausea, gas, bloating, exhaustion, muscle fatigue, moodiness, cravings... not so cool. I'm doing my best, had an awful day food-wise yesterday, but am committed to making today better. I've already had a healthy home made smoothie for brekky, and have pre-made a salmon+spinach salad for lunch. My muscle fatigue is so bad that just turning over in bed makes me 'feel the burn' - it's really unpleasant, So, I skipped the gym this morning in favour of a gentle walk in the sunshine. I'll see where I am and how I feel tomorrow morning and might go then. So, to clear up some bacteria (that seems to be considered so harmless that in NZ we don't even test for it), I've been sick nearly all week This challenge, while not a failure, has definitely not been one of my better ones. I'm going to spend some time next week coming up with some goals that are fun, and probably attaching some rewards to them. Catch you later Nerds!

Happy Birthday, Blaidd!!

Awesome! Those are excellent numbers, Vix - well done! I'm totally using them as something for myself to aim for, if you don't mind How's your poor finger feeling?

Stay safe, Dom :I And I hope your shoulder is back, fighting fit, in no time!

Ditto to fluffyrin! How's it going now, Mac?