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Greetings friends, Jen of Arc's Origin Story is here: http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/user/43780-jen-of-arc/ I live on the Space Coast of Florida. I share an island with a few thousand other people and the Kennedy Space Center, where my husband nerds for a living. My first 6-week challenge as a recruit is here: http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/71448-jen-of-arc-joins-the-battle/ I work as a part-time editor and writer and have the dubious distinction of holding two B.A.'s, in English and History, but no teaching degree, which makes me a questionable contributor to the realm, at the best of times. In an effort to level-up my karma, I'm about to become a first-time foster mom--like any day now. It is ten kinds of crazy, but true. Running used to be my thing, but it just doesn't work for me like it used to. I found NF's articles about bodyweight training, so that's where I'm starting. I really should lose 50 pounds, but I'm starting with a goal of 10, by way of my three quests: to walk daily, eat only whole foods and no sugar until 5 p.m., with no snacks after dinner, and do a bodyweight workout three times a week. I just want to live a healthier, longer life. Joan of Arc is an inspiration to me because she held on to her beliefs no matter what. It may sound selfish to the old me (I'm a recovering Southern Baptist), but I want to believe that strongly in myself and my ability to accomplish my own goals and make my realm a better place for the next generation. Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more!

I know I want to be a Ranger, but boy do I have a lot of work to do. I joined the Academy a week or so ago. This is me moving forward.... The long view: 1. I want to be stronger, mentally and physically 2. I want to be more active 3. I want to live an interesting life My big goals: 1. 20% body fat 2. Strong arms (you can see the delts and biceps without flexing) 3. Running an 8 minute mile Here's my first 6 week challenge 1. Complete the 10 knee push-up quest. Currently I can do 3, and the rest are incline. 2. Complete :30 seconds of knee-highs without stopping or slowing down to a jog. Currently I can do about 15 seconds and then I feel like I'm going to keel over. 3. All beverages will be water (including Hint water, and water with a squeeze of lemon). This does not include my daily protein shake consumption which I consider to be my breakfast. I'm pretty close to this right now. Mostly I'm trying to stay away from juice. Zeus strike me now, I don't like coffee, tea, soda, wine, or beer anyway! Grading scale will be based upon the 42 days of the challenge. A = 92-100% B = 82-91% etc... Side quest: I will keep the kitchen counters clean every night. That means taking care of dirty dishes (including the dishes that everyone else leaves lying around), and emptying the dishwasher. - Ugh! It's scary what that statement says about me! Time to level up! So there it is....

My ultimate goal is to fit comfortably into UK size 14 trousers. To do that, I need to drop a dress size and I want to do this by losing fat. I feel like I've got a good grip on workouts and food / diet so this challenge is about getting through a stressful time at work by making good use of my spare time, looking after the basics whilst still indulging my creative side. 1. 200k steps! STA+2 CON+1 CHA+1 Strap on the pedometer, get up and walk around. A = More than 221k steps B = 211k steps to 220999 steps C = 200k steps to 210999 steps F = Fewer than 200k steps. 2. Powerpoint! WIS+4 My employers have provided me with an advanced course in Powerpoint, all paid for, but I need to find a few hours a week to learn it, practice it and take an exam. I aim to take my exam by the end of May. A = Learned, practiced and exam date set B = Still practicing, nearly there C = Still learning, not sure whether I could pass the exam but I will take it F = Nowhere near ready, will have to defer the exam. 3. Hydrate! CON+2 CHA+2 My body is showing signs of dehydration. This needs to change, since the weather is getting warmer and more water is needed. Also I'm aiming to lose fat and variations in hydration can affect measured body composition. I will be recording the amount of water I drink and making sure to drink when I am thirsty. My target is 3.5 litres per day. I'm treating this like a 30-day hard hat challenge for the whole of the 6 weeks. Pass = Never miss 2 days in a row Fail = Miss 2 or more days in a row. 4. Dolly garden! DEX+3 Does that sound rude to you too?!? My home storage facility (*coughs* - dollhouse - *coughs*) was built in June 2012 yet two of the rooms still are not decorated. Being an unconventional type, I want one "room" to be a garden. It needs paint, wallpaper, flowers and a fence at least. At the moment it's just a dusty white box which is full of random stuff. A = What a beautiful dolly garden! B = Mostly done but needs a little more work C = Shows signs of improvement but looks like a building site F = Still dusty and full of random stuff.

Hello! Total noob here, & I'm really excited to begin my first challenge! I came to NF because I'm tired of being a 25-year-old girl living in the body of Volstagg the Voluminous. I used to be fit & healthy and loved working out more than almost anything else, but an injury & financial and family stress in the last year led me to overeat again & gain over 90 lbs, and now my body can't endure the types of exercise I used to love without pain and damage to my back and knees. My self-esteem is at an all-time low, and I'm terrified to let anyone see what I look like now- I skipped all of my family's holiday parties, and when I saw a friend up ahead of me while I was out on a walk, I actually jumped and bolted in the other direction like a spooked cat (although I'm guessing shuffling away from her at top speed was probably far more embarrassing than my weight...). So, I'm here to begin the path to reclaim my health & self-respect, and level up my freakin' life! Huzzah!! Now that you've stuck with me through all that, on to the actual challenge: My Main Goal: Lose 10 pounds by then end of the challenge (Feb. 15). I wanted to go for more, but in the interest of being realistic, I think it's a pretty reasonable challenge for a 6-week period. Quest 1: Strength Train 2 times per week A= 12 workouts in 6 weeks, B= 10 workouts in 6 weeks, C= 8 workouts in 6 weeks Quest 2: Go for a 15-minute walk every day! (I wanted more, but this is best for my joints) A= All walks completed, B= 2 walks missed, C= 3+ walks missed Quest 3: Make my eating plan 3 meals and 1 snack per day. This has always been the optimal way of eating for me that leaves me satisfied and allows me to not overeat, as eating without parameters always leads me to bingeing. A= 40+ days out of 42, B= 35 Days out of 42, C= 30 days out of 42 Life Quest: Take some time to meditate every day, because It makes me a happier, whole-er, Spock-lier person who handles the challenges of life admirably instead of going all X,X,Y,Y,X on someone's car when they cut me off/try to kill me in traffic. (Next Life Quest: Move out of LA. *if only.....*) Motivation: I want to not cower & scramble for cover like Smeagol when I see people I know. I want to avoid having diabetes in my 20s. I want to actually feel what it's like to finish something and be proud of myself. I want to be able to know that I can take responsibility for my life and develop it into something positive, and let this victory seep into all other aspects of my life. And I want to give the middle finger to the crappy habits that I inherited from my parents. ...AND I want to be fit & kick ass again!! Thanks guys! Taika

Hello! Total noob here, & I'm really excited to begin my first challenge! I came to NF because I'm tired of being a 25-year-old girl living in the body of Volstagg the Voluminous. I used to be fit & healthy and loved working out more than almost anything else, but an injury & financial and family stress in the last year led me to overeat again & gain over 90 lbs, and now my body can't endure the types of exercise I used to love without pain and damage to my back and knees. My self-esteem is at an all-time low, and I'm terrified to let anyone see what I look like now- I skipped all of my family's holiday parties, and when I saw a friend up ahead of me while I was out on a walk, I actually jumped and bolted in the other direction like a spooked cat (although I'm guessing shuffling away from her at top speed was probably far more embarrassing than my weight...). So, I'm here to begin the path to reclaim my health & self-respect, and level up my freakin' life! Huzzah!! Now that you've stuck with me through all that, on to the actual challenge: My Main Goal: Lose 10 pounds by then end of the challenge (Feb. 15). I wanted to go for more, but in the interest of being realistic, I think it's a pretty reasonable challenge for a 6-week period. Quest 1: Strength Train 2 times per week A= 12 workouts in 6 weeks, B= 10 workouts in 6 weeks, C= 8 workouts in 6 weeks Quest 2: Go for a 15-minute walk every day! (I wanted more, but this is best for my joints) A= All walks completed, B= 2 walks missed, C= 3+ walks missed Quest 3: Make my eating plan 3 meals and 1 snack per day. This has always been the optimal way of eating for me that leaves me satisfied and allows me to not overeat, as eating without parameters always leads me to bingeing. A= 40+ days out of 42, B= 35 Days out of 42, C= 30 days out of 42 Life Quest: Take some time to meditate every day, because It makes me a happier, whole-er, Spock-lier person who handles the challenges of life admirably instead of going all X,X,Y,Y,X on someone's car when they cut me off/try to kill me in traffic. (Next Life Quest: Move out of LA. *if only.....*) Motivation: I want to not cower & scramble for cover like Smeagol when I see people I know. I want to avoid having diabetes in my 20s. I want to actually feel what it's like to finish something and be proud of myself. I want to be able to know that I can take responsibility for my life and develop it into something positive, and let this victory seep into all other aspects of my life. And I want to give the middle finger to the crappy habits that I inherited from my parents. ...AND I want to be fit & kick ass again!! Thanks guys! Taika

Fitness: Signed up to works once weekly soccer today, it is Monday nights starting today. This is part of a deal swung with the boyfriend, I play soccer once a week and he lifts weights/does kettlebells with me once a week! So those two will happen weekly. Found out on Halloween the dog gained 20 lbs in the past year, not a good look on a 7 year old great dane that started out at 130 lbs. So I'm putting him on a controlled intake diet from free feeding but I want to start walking/running him once a week. I need to get some reflective gear for him, his boots are reflective but we learned last week he doesn't like running in those. Or running with his poop tied to his collar. Food: I tried paleo M - F but then I just super overly binged on weekends. Instead I'm going to say all day every day I get one and only one non-paleo part of a meal or snack. If I eat two non-paleo snacks I get 20 bent over rows per arm and if I eat a non-paleo meal I get 20 burpees. I did this for a week and I felt good but I don't feel like I'm at all accountable >< mostly because the boyfriend just laughs at me while I do burpees and the dog just gets in the way and I don't track when I get busy... need to work on this. Stress: Work is really frustrating me lately. I'm not sure what to do because I really enjoy my job but my employer is becoming challenging, we've always been a pretty laid back office but they've hired a GM from the automotive industry and let's just say typically professionals are trusted to be responsible adults and make good decisions and the anomalies are treated on a case by case basis. This GMs approach is to create enough rules and make them clear enough that we don't need to think for ourselves and we feel untrusted. All I can think of to do is start morning meditation but I'm open to suggestions. Life Goal: I need to write up my statement of experience for work so I can apply for my license and get a 2% raise. In the next 5-weeks I need to sit down and do at least half of my statement of experience so I can apply. I also need to reign in my finances, I feel like over the past couple months I've done real bad with my money and it's stressing me out, I wake up at night thinking about it.

Main Quest I'm here to get stronger. I'm here to get bigger. Over the next six weeks I want to increase my lifts 10-15lbs. I've been doing Stronglifts since January, and I know I'm starting to plateau for the first time, so for this challenge I'm going to push myself harder because I've never tried my best at anything and I think it's time to start. Smart Quests 1. Continue following the Stronglifts program. This, so far, has been the most satisfying workout I've ever done, and I know it can make me even stronger. Lately I've been only doing it once or twice a week, so for 6 weeks I'm doing at least 3 times per week. I think this consistency also gives me the opportunity to increase my lifts. As of my last workout: My squats were: 175lbs 5x5 My Bench was 13lbs5x5 My Barbell Rows were 130lbs 5x5 Overhed Press was 115lbs with a couple missed reps Deadlift 220lbs 5x5 Standing Barbell Curls 60lbs. 5x5 Skull Crushers 55lbs. 5x5 (I do these 'cause I want big ass arms and I'm a grown-ass man and I do what I want) 2. Yoga or stretching for at least an hour once a week. My flexibility is garbage. What good is being strong if you can't move? I have some yoga and stretch dvds that I'm going to use either on Saturdays or Sundays, depending on which day I lift, to work on flexibility. 3. No more GD pop. I drink too much and it needs to stop. Beer only the night before a rest day. If I drink before a workout day, I'll skip it. Life Goals There's a big-ass garden in the back of my yard that looks like there should be a Predator hiding in it. Over the next 6 weeks I'm going to work to tame it so that it becomes a space we can enjoy. I may need to borrow some napalm. Motivation My motivations are twofold: first, my wife. I want to be big and strong and healthy so that I can always be there when she needs me. Second, my little brother is lifting regularly, and he's not allowed to be stronger than me. EVER.

The battles keep coming, so get up and fight. Growing up, I loved the animated X-Men series. In fact, those were my first comic books. I know I’m not alone, but Rogue remains my favorite of the X-Men. She’s got her own demons, and she doesn’t always get it right, but at her core she is good. And she’s kicking ass and taking names. My last challenge, I fell off the face of the (NF) Earth, and then I skipped the next challenge. No excuses. It was unkind (to myself, and to those I was cheering on). In that time, I completed physical therapy for a minor shoulder injury, my first 10K, and massage therapy for a minor knee injury from the 10K. After the race in January (with the internal excuse of the knee injury) I stopped exercising. And it's a problem. So now, this challenge, when I feel like the (fitness) odds are stacked against me, I’m going to hear Rogue saying, "Reckon that's too bad, hun," and get that sh*t done. My quest and motivation are ongoing... But honestly, the motivation STILL drives me. Epic Quest: Reduce my body fat to 24% Motivation: Increase my athleticism to improve my chances of surviving the Zombie Apocalypse or other End-of-World Scenario. (Also, more immediately, I want to look like “myself†in pictures. I currently look like a round version of myself. Which is obviously how I actually look. But it’s not how I think I look. I’ve got weddings to attend, people. Professional photos to be in.) Rogue says: 1. Agent Katia—ENGAGE!!! Ready to kick ass. I almost called this mission Agent Katia Goes Back to Basic Training, because before this week it’d been almost two months since I had done anything physically challenging (other than a camping trip and the occasional hike). But at the gym during zero week I realized I didn’t fall TOO far behind in my training. Not all is lost! I’m dong the Rebel Fitness Basic Training two days per week and interval runs with Zombies, Run! 5K Trainer two days per week. Goal: Hit the gym four days per week. [sTA 2 / STR 2 / DEX 1] 2. No more sugar, sugar. Bustin' through those sugar cravings. A few months ago I did the Whole30 and realized I have food sensitivities to dairy, sugar, and wheat. And a sugar addiction like whoa. I’ve been pretty great about avoiding dairy since then, but I need to cut out sugar and wheat, too. Sugar goes first. Starting NOW. Goal: Cut out refined sugars, honey, and maple syrup (and obviously the artificial stuff, too, but that wasn’t in my diet to begin with). Starting on April 28th at the beginning of Week 3, I will completely cut out alcohol as well. Ack. [CON 3 / CHA 1 / WIS 1] 3. Lights out, hun. Goodnight, sugar. I’ve tried giving myself a fixed wakeup time. I’ve tried telling myself to sleep a whole eight hours a night. I’ve tried not snoozing my alarm in the morning (and succeeded in the short term). It’s time to grow up and give myself an effing bedtime. That way I WILL wakeup on time, sleep eight hours, not snooze, AND get to the gym on time. (See how that all comes together? Rad.) Goal: Go to bed at 10pm worknights. [sTA 1 / CON 2 / CHA 1 WIS 1] I was debating setting a life goal, but I decided to stick with the basic three this time around. Maybe this way I can participate in some mini-challenges! Grading System Since I've fashioned each of these goals to be "Yup, I did it" or "Nope. Fail," I'm going to grade on rate of success. So: A 90% Success Overall in Challenge B 80% C 70% D 50% F Under 50% Why I'm A Ranger I’ve said it before, but it’s a great reminder to myself, so I’ll say it again. Other than my fat-loss goal listed above, but as implied by my main motivation, my ultimate goal is to be fit. Meaning I am strong, I run swiftly, I am flexible, I eat healthfully, and my body fat percentage is in a low, healthy range. And apparently I don't want to look like a round version of myself in pictures. So, I’m preparing for the long-term with immediate action. I approach fitness from a survivalist perspective (though, I'm pretty moderate about it). I want to be able to manage whatever situation I find myself in. Climb that tree to escape the Wargs? No problem. Run through the tangled jungle with the stolen idol to escape angry natives? You've got it. Hand-to-hand combat on a crane suspended over a city? Done. And I will one day be able to roll out of bed, fall straight forward, and start my pushups, Dark Knight style. I'm ready for action.

Fellow Nerds, I have been excited about this challenge for weeks now! It is finally time to put up or shut up! My name is Chris, and I am FINALLY not scared anymore! Not scared of the gym, not scared of failure, not scared of my abilities! I have been lurking for the past few weeks, getting ideas for the goals of my first challenge. What amazed me the most, was how much support everyone received...so I am here to support and be supported. Let's make some habits! Main Goal: (Reward Driven...) Get down to 220 lbs. I haven't weighed 220 lbs. since 2000, when I got out of US Army Bootcamp.Mission Goals: (I have a partner...) Weight train 3x per week, plus at least 1 full Cardio ONLY session per weekM-W-F: These are the exercises I have been/will continue to do. I have them broken up into push-pull partners for Super-sets, and typically do 4-5 exercises per session. Although I am a big framed guy (6'4", 259 lbs.) I keep the weight low, I need to keep the form perfect to avoid re-injury.Deadlift, Squat, Overhead Press, Incline Dumbbell Press, Uni-lateral Dumbbell Press, Bent-over Barbell Rows, Hip Thrusters, Push-ups, Inverted Rows, and Calves (Calfs ?)Cardio: Minimum of 60 minutes on any/all of the following: Elliptical, treadmill, bike, hand-bike, stair-stepper, etc.Complete a modified version of PLP-60 programI started on March 27th so that the PLP end will coincide with the challenge end date of 5/25Why it's Modified: Well the only "P" I can't do is the pull-up. So I bought a dip bar, and am doing inverted rows with the hope of being able to do pull-ups by the end of the program. Once finished, I hope to start over and do the program with pull-ups (maybe next challenge)!By May 25th, I will only drink one mug of coffee per day (not the triple venti, candy coffee type, BUT BLACK COFFEE)Typically I stop at Starbucks and get a Venti coffee (black), and then have at least 2 more mugs at work before 11 a.m. I am drinking a venti right now!Motivation: Wife & Kids: I want to be around for my wife and kids (I have 2 boys, 6 years and 10 months). And I NEED my kids to know the value of exercise, and the benefits it brings! My 6 year old is my partner...he is doing the modified PLP with me (because he wants to and he is COMPETITIVE), and he likes going to the "Kid's Club" at the gym, so we go on the weekends (sometimes both days) and I do my cardio!Pills: For the past year and a half, I have been on high blood pressure medication, high cholesterol medication, and am considered a pre-diabetic. I want off those pills! I go for my physical on April 24th, and will use the blood test results as a point of departure.Seersucker Suit: MY REWARD...I don't know what it is about a seersucker suit, but I have to have one. White w/ Navy Stripes...bow-tie...suede shoes...That just screams cool to me!I have already started on my goals. I joined the gym in January, I began eating Paleo in February, I started PLP in March, so I am on my way to building good habits. Before I started eating Paleo in Feb. I weighed 280 lbs. Now I am 259 and primed to continue! I do, and will continue to, keep spreadsheets with my bodyweight stats, PLP progress, and will probably make more...Nerds like graphs, right? I have those!

I started a week ago transitioning to a Paleo diet, via NerdFitness. Finally, today, I decided to join the ranks of the rebellion as I have seen some drastic changes within 7 days. When I woke up today, I was down 8 lbs since last Monday. With other things that took place over the week, I am a huge believer in the Paleo way-o-life, and find myself highly motivated. So... here goes... Main Quest: To lose 25 pounds My Missions: To drink 64 ounces of water a dayTo workout 3 times a weekTo limit any junk food/cheat meals to one meal a weekSecondary Quest: Life Quest: To pay $1000 in debt (from tax refund, instead of blowing it on other non-essentials)To sign up and acquire a date for my next certification at work Handicap: The only thing I am worried about is my recent discovery of a bulging disk in my back. It has limited me greatly over the past year, and I can push through it most of the time... But, it's still there. I will be seeking help - on here of course - on ways to work around it. However, the last time I met with my doctor in regards to this issue, he is limiting me to walking and stretching only. I have much weight to lose, but now have a hurdle in that journey. Any suggestions or advice regarding this is highly appreciated. Starting Point: Height: 5'8'' Weight: 265 lbs Activity Level: Low (Desk job and minimal activity throughout day) Lose 25 pounds%Lose 25 pounds%

Whenever you need to make a lot of progress in a hurry what do you need? We need a montage. This will be a six week montage going from fumbling my way through my tasks to mastery of them. By April Sixth I hope to master my chosen tasks. Goal 1 Bodyweight Mastery The ability to have your body and your complete control is a hallmark of an assassin. I have a series of movements I want to perfect. This will build upon the progress of previous challenges. Handstands-I will continue my handstand work. I want to be able to hold a handstand for 60s with wall support and find my equilibrium to move away from the wall. Pull ups- I did not reach my goal last challenge but made good progress. I want to be able to do 5 pullups by the end Plank-I need to incorporate more core strength into my life. I will hold a plank for 60s minimum every days. I will be participating on the flexibility mini challenge since my mobility needs a lot of work Goal 2 Eat Paleo I have lost fifteen pounds so far in the last few months and need to push further to see the progress I want. More than just working out I need to eat better. To that effect I will focus on more Paleo meals. While working at camp I will workout prior to supper. If I am having a rest day I will go back to my room and do schoolwork for 30 minutes to an hour. I will focus on cutting back on sugary coffee and sweets. My suppers are generally my weakness. But I shall overcome. Goal 3 Focus on Schoolwork I am making good strides but I need to keep the progress going. I want to go on a 5 module a week pace. More? Awesome. Less? Not so good. Tracking. Goal 1 Plank Days 4/ 4 5/7 5/ 7 0/7 0/7 0/7 Goal 2 Paleo happy days 2/4 5/7 1/7 0/7 0/7 0/7 Goal 3 School Pace 7/5 1/5 2/5 0/5 0/5 0/5

Red and his Band of Brothers were leaving the Library of the Ancients, heading to the nearest town to find some tranquility, but when they got there, the town was abandoned, not a soul around... not a living one, that is. For, the ground burst opened to reveal a Skeleton demon. "At LAST! You've COME! Now, I can EXACT my REVENGE!" The Band of Brothers looked at each other in confusion. "Uhhh... What are you talking about? We have no idea who you are." "GAHhhh... is THAT so? TAKE a GOOD look AT me! I'VE defeated YOU before WITH my MASTER present, BUT now I shall KILL you ALONE! I AM YOUR DOOM!" The Band of Brothers draw their weapons to face this monster. *cue Boss Battle Theme* "Alright, does anyone know what this guy's talking about?!" "Nope!" "Not a clue!" "FOOLS! You WILL die IN your IGNORANCE! Especiialy YOU Red!" The Demon slams his fist into the ground and Skeleton hands rise up to grab the Band of Brothers. Red was able to jump out of the way, and see that Skeletons have arisen from the ground. "Uh oh!" "I got this!" Red slashes at the Skeleton Demon causing him to jump back, while GC and Blue free themselves, "Heh, looks like we're surrounded." "I'll take care of this guy and you guys handle the skeletons that are behind us!" "Right!" 'OK Red, obviously this guy knows you from somewhere! So it looks like you're going to have to change things up a bit to defeat him!' Menos Tiempo! Alright, I'm already running a 5K and my time was 37:01, so now I've gotta shorten my time two-fold! I'll start by shortening my 1 mile time and then I'll shorten my overall 5K time! Current Times: 1 mile: 10:19; 5K: 37:01. Sta +4 Otra Vez! If I was defeated before, then that means that I have to relearn something I've failed before! I'll re-attempt my Handstand! I should be able to Kick-up into a Handstand and then work towards freestanding Handstand! Currently at Wall-Handstands. Str +2, Sta +1 Adaptar! This guy is moving like nothing I've seen before! I will have to learn to adapt and face each challenge 6 Rebels will give me! I don't know what skills he possesses, but if I can match them and beat them then he's finished! Points awarded depending on the Challenge +5 Conocer el Esqueleto! There must be a weak point to this Demon, I know! I'll re-learn the Skeleton anatomy by studying my books and notes and then I'll find his weak spot! Currently at random memory. Wis +3 VS VS For the 3rd goal! I'd like to ask 5 of you guys to give me an additional goal to work on, one for each week, and on the 6th Week, I'll think of something interesting. So if you want to help me with this goal, please post something, I've only got access to a limited amount of equipment, so if I can't do something you've offered, I'll let you know.

My first challenge on Nerd Fitness, so I guess I'm technically still in the newbie zone. I'm not entirely sure how to organize this post (this is its second iteration, haha), but I figured something is better than nothing, so here we go~ Main Goal: Begin Strength Training Complete routines 3x a week every week for the duration of the challengeWork in a powerlifting routine at some point in the challenge (ideally mid-way through!)Continue following paleo dietSide Quest: Get Organized Organize Semester 1, 2, and 3 notes by subject to prepare for NAVLEsAttempt cooking ahead for a week... There. Distinctly less cluttered than my first post. Classes start on the 21st so we'll see how this goes!

My goals for the next six weeks: Have a solid habit of going to the gym/working out at home AT LEAST four times a weekBuild the habit of eating all-paleo six days a week (except for breakfast-- granola bars are just so tasty and easy!).Be comfortably fitting into my jeans that are a little too tight right now (I have a particular pair in mind)Go to the next notch on my beltFit into my dress pants again!My reward: A brand new outfit! I love getting new jeans. I'm going to train pretty hard, so maybe I'll have even dropped a size! I have three weeks of working full-time, where it'll be easy to change my habits. I won't be around junk food much, and it'll be a regular schedule, and I can workout around it. Now, when classes start back for the final three weeks of this challenge... that will be the tough part. Junk food all around, a schedule that varies by my homework load. It'll be tough, but I CAN DO IT! I'm going to treat working out like a class, and make myself work out in one of my free class blocks. I'll just make it part of my routine! Good luck to everyone!

Checked this out around June 2013, rolled my ankle bad and trashed my fitness abilities... So here I am starting my adventure a bit late! Background: Race: Half-Gnoll. Based on a few D&D sites and how I view my current abilities; Dexterity and Constitution seem to be my strong suits. Currently, I am an intro-level endurance runner running around 8-11 miles a week in 2-3 sessions (when I get around to it) and I also play on a Gaelic Hurling team locally and scrimmage with a soccer team occasionally. However, just like full blood Gnolls, I am constantly caught up in the pack-animal behaviors, and only acting at a very reactionary level and then hibernate once I accomplish enough to survive. TL;DR: I run to eat and I run to drink... no consistency and bail the second I get a taste of success. Main Quest: Running a total of 520 miles in 2014, including a Half-Marathon in September 2014. Goals: [STA] Run 60 miles, averaging 10 miles a week. -Grading based on percentage of miles completed. [STR] Weight training 3 times a week, using dumb-bells and bench. -Grading based on percentage missed work outs. [CON] Lose 5 pounds, following the WWP+ program. -Grading based on pounds lost percentage. Life Quest: [WIS] Financial Tracking - Actively track all finances and make sure they are updated at the End of Week. -Grading 6wks * 7days = 42 days, percentage of days tracked. Motivation: Building the better Nerd: Dropping my love handles, seeing my abs for the first time, and get consistent to keep it up. Starting Stats: 36 year old male 5'10" 185.4 lbs -Once I get consistent on weight workouts, measurements will go here, 185.4 may not seem heavy, but you haven't seen me, it's all midsection and legs. Tracking will be done on a Google Drive spreadsheet, which if it works well I will share it out for others to copy and use.

Just in time for the 50th Anniversary special (and my birthday this month!) it's my wibbly wobbly, timey wimey challenge! TIME LORD style. Ooo eee ooo... (SO excited!) Epic Quest: Reduce my body fat to 24% Motivation: Increase my athleticism to improve my chances of surviving the Attack of the Cybermen, the Dalek Invasion of Earth, the Waters of Mars, or the Horror of Fang Rock To travel with the Doctor I need to: 1. Basically, RUN. "Run for your life!" You might not think it, but traveling in time and space requires some serious cardio fitness. Fortunately, I'm training for my first-ever 10K in January! Goal: Complete 2 sessions of Zombies, Run! 5K Training each week, while completing one Rebel Training workout, and either Pilates or yoga once a week for a total of 4 planned days of activity per week. And I need a failsafe: If I don't train to run twice in a week, it's an automatic fail for the week. [sTA 3 / STR 1 / DEX 1] 2. Just take the stairs. "Great big evil alien death machine, defeated by a flight of stairs! ...Oh my God!" Obviously it depends on when in time I encounter the Daleks, so I need to be ready in case these guys are pre-Seventh Doctor. Fortunately, I have an amazing opportunity work on this every. single. day. There are SO MANY STAIRS in my commute to work, but I usually opt for the escalator. No more! This challenge, I'm taking the stairs. Goal: Take the stairs Monday–Friday on my commute to and from work. [sTA 2 / STR 2 / CON 1] 3. Regenerate. "Am I...ginger?" Last challenge, I learned how important recovery is to a regular fitness routine. And I learned how much I've been neglecting that component. This challenge I'm going to work my way up to 8 hours of sleep on work nights. Goal: Week 1, get 8 hours of sleep at least 2 week nights; Week 2, 3 nights; etc. [CON 4 / CHA 1] Grading System Since I've fashioned each of these goals to be "Yup, I did it" or "Nope. Fail," I'm going to grade on rate of success. So: A 90% Success Overall in Challenge B 80% C 70% D 50% F Under 50% Allons-y! As an adventurer at heart, I’ve long dreamed of taking off in the TARDIS at a moment’s notice. Since I approach fitness from a survivalist perspective, I want to be able to manage whatever situation I find myself in. So I need to be ready. And when you run with The Doctor, well, you seriously run. Like, a lot. So with that in mind, I’m focusing my Ranger training on running while keeping up my strength and flexibility training. In addition to the rest of life, I’ve got a couple of newish things that I’ll be tackling on the side of this challenge. (Just IRL. I'm not doing them as side challenges, but I'm guessing I'll probably end up discussing them here!) I started physical therapy to work on a minor shoulder injury that simply hasn’t recovered since I messed it up in my first challenge in June. Theoretically, the PT will correspond exactly with the timeframe of this challenge. Kinda cool! In addition to that, last challenge I completed the Whole30 and discovered a few food sensitivities. I’m currently trying to process that information and figure out how I want to eat day-to-day. I’m going to chat with my doctor about seeing a nutritionist, but in the meantime, I’m sort of all over the place on eating. Kind of eating Paleo, kind of getting angry and eating the foods I’m sensitive to. It’s not the best. But I really want to focus on running this challenge and give my brain a break from thinking about food nonstop. I’ll save that for after the holidays! Ultimately, all of my goals this challenge can be boiled down to: Ooo eee ooo...

Hi I am Ashley, I've been lurking around this site for a few months now and joined today, so this shall be my first challenge. Let's see how it goes Main Quest: 1-Change eating habits (adopt a mostly Paleo lifestyle) 2-Lose some weight while I am at it. 3-Increase physical activity Side Quest: Life-Save money, live better. Wait a minute... Fitness-Hike up a mountain hillside without hyperventilating Motivation: To be healthy so I can participate in this adventure called life. Ready to commit to a healthy lifestyle, the first cut is the deepest or something.

"I have to admit, there's something I've been hiding from you," The Villager said out of the blue, "Huh? What are you talking about?" Red replied. "I'm not really who I say I am." "But you never said who you w--" "I've been, in fact, watching you from afar, and when you fell back into time, I saw this as an opportunity to observe you firsthand." Red with a worried look in his face, said, "You've been stalking me?" "Ha ha ha, no. I wanted to see if you're able to handle my little test. Interested?" The mysterious Villager asked. "But only take it if you're willing to face the possible consequences." "And they are?" "Oh you know, Death, Obliteration, the usual stuff." The Villager casually said. Red stood there, and finally asked, "Who are you?" "Allow me to show you." The Villager starts growing large, his skin becomes bright almost as if it's covered in scales, and there's an ancient presence that makes itself known. The Villager turn into a Dragon! But not just any dragon... Bahamut, the King of Dragons! "Here's my test! I'm going to count down from five and we'll see if you live!" "Wait, WHAAA?!" 5... If you want to survive my attack, then you must learn to stand! - Red must practice Wall handstanding for 5 mins every day, exceptions are the weekends... maybe. Current: ~30 seconds 4... You must build PREPARE! - Red must exercise 3 times a week, any sort of BW Exercises, but it has to be regulated. 3... Your strength must radiate from inside as well as out! - Red must learn to eat healthier, which has been and will be difficult with the upcoming holidays, this will be monitored by posting what has been eaten 2... The Final Tasks must be DONE! But that's not all! - Red has several things that has deadlines starting with Med School application that need to be submitted by Nov 15th, accepted or rejected, plans must be made: 1. Accepted: well... that's self-explanatory, prep for school 2. Rejected: Volunteering, Shadowing, getting a Job, possibly more school (i.e. another degree) ​1... MEGAFLARE!! - To amplify the difficulty, Red's sister is finally coming home on Monday the 11th, and with that, MORE things to unload/unpack/organize. Red's happy about it, but it does make things harder to do, challenge-wise. http://s23.photobucket.com/user/Kingpin943/media/Bahamut.gif.html'> VS "... Bring it on!"

Forgive rambly purple start. Or don't. I'm not a cop. Picture a sweeping plaza outside a massive stone castle in your favorite MMO, full of low-level new kids milling around in basic rags. One guy has stripped to his elvish undies and is running back and forth and jumping on stuff, some 13-year-old is spamming the chat with nonsense, a couple Lvl 80s are strutting through and showing off their fancy glowing swords and conjured ghosties, and then there’s me. schulace LVL 0 | Female | Human | Adventurer 5'9†| 157lbs | 23yrs Equipped: Yoga pants and a sports bra, neither of which have been used for yoga or sports. Also T-shirt, occasionally used for drinking tea in. I walk up to a group of cool-looking players and attempt to blend in. /wave Me: Hi guys! I’M REAL REAL BAD AT EVERYTHING :D CAN I DO A RAID WITH YOU??! I have failed to blend in. They respond: Yes, cause we spend $15 a month for this game so we can waste our time babysitting. > No you can’t, you have zero skills. Filthy casual. *walk off chuckling* This is kinda how I’ve felt about fitness my whole life, and I’m sure some of you can relate. I realize most people are nice and accepting and don’t react this way, but it’s just so scary to think about playing alongside them! How did they get so strong and agile and charismatic and AWESOME? Well, they had to grind it out killing low-level beasties and completing tedious delivery missions from those lazy ground-bound NPCs who CAN’T.. TAKE.. THEIR OWN... STUPID.. POTION INGREDIENTS... UP A FLIGHT OF STAIRS ugh… </rage> But now that they’ve done all that, the game really gets fun. So, it's all worth it. And since the graphics in real life are so well-rendered, I might as well try it, right? So here we go! Disheartened, I walk up to a nearby NPC. Me: Hey, NPC, I want to become a badass so I can wield the Enchanted-Legendary-Soul-Sucking-Glittery-Greatsword-of-Dismay-and-Kickassery. Any tips? NPC with ridiculous name: You are just who I was looking for! I need help! I need you to kill 20 giant spiders and bring back their feet for… reasons! And I also can’t do it myself because… plot holes…. It is your destiny! Me: *eyeroll* Okay Grand High-Elf Master Windsong Nightstalker. I’ll run your errands. > Accept Decline New quest added! My main quest is NOT to be a tank. Right now, I’ve got zero desire to end up running a marathon, benching my weight or biking across Canada. Those are higher-level dungeons for another time. For now, my main objective is just to get fitter than I am now - I want to lose the weight I’ve gained in college and build up my endurance, strength, balance and flexibility. I want to get past the Tutorial level in the game of fitness. Objectives 1. Stick to a healthy diet! I’ve chosen the plan Tim Ferriss outlines in his book, The 4-Hour Body (which I’d recommend to anybody). Essentially it’s a modified Paleo plan, but with no fruit, and one cheat day each week. I’ve already been doing this for a little while, so I know I can do it! Grading A: 42 days B: > 35 days C: > 30 days D: > 20 days F: < 20 days 2. Do either HIIT training or bodyweight training for at least 20 minutes, 3 days per week. I’ve done HIIT a little bit before, but have never stuck to it for more than a week or two. I’m REALLY out of shape, so for me this means jog-walking. I’ve given myself the option of bodyweight training as well because WINTER IS COMING and… well… frankly I’m legitimately scared I might hurt myself trying to run in -4 degrees Fahrenheit. Grading A: All 6 weeks B: 5 weeks C: 4 weeks D: 3 weeks F: 2 or fewer weeks 3. Drink at least 100 oz of water each day. Hydration is key, especially in the dry climate I live in, and I’m pretty bad at this a lot of the time. Grading to be determined daily A: 100 oz B: 80 oz C: 60 oz D: 40 oz F: 20 or fewer oz Side Quest I need to work on sleep. As I type this up, it’s about 2:30 AM and I’ve got a class in 5.5 hours. So, I’ve decided I’ll give myself bonus points for getting to bed by 11:00. Grading A: 42 days B: > 35 days C: > 30 days D: > 20 days F: < 20 days My motivation I want to rock a size 5 again. I’m also going on a cruise with my best friend in January (first time on a boat, I am fangirl excited), so right now that’s my most immediate motivation to get into swimsuit shape. But, getting results by then would really just be a bonus. I want to love my body for life. It’s go time. --- RUNNING SHOES +1 agility +20 stamina (x) TAKE running shoes [R1] EQUIP running shoes LEEEEEEEERRROOOOYYYY JJEEEEENNNKIIINNNSSS.

This is partly me thinking aloud (I guess not aloud - thinking atype?), but I figured I'd post it up because I'm interested in feedback from more experienced rebels! Greetings. This is gonna be my very first challenge! I've been trying off-and-on to get fit for a long time (more on my history and fitness level in my introduction post). I've nailed down some pretty healthy eating habits, but so far I haven't succeeded in sticking to a workout routine. So, my overall goal is to change this. My main quest: Forge a habit of working out at least 4x per week. So, that's sorted... but what's the next step? My problem is that there is a smorgasbord of things I want to get into, but I can't hope to tackle them all at once. I need focus! Things I want to start/get better at: YogaRunning (C25k or similar)Hip-hop danceCyclingBodyweight trainingFreerunning (probably should hold off on this till I gain a basic level of endurance)What should I focus on for this challenge? Should I pick one thing to try and do consistently for 6 weeks, or should I just let myself pick something from the list for every workout? What are your expert thoughts? Thanks for reading! Have a panda.

Hi everyone. So I saw the Six-Week Challenge email and decided to sign up. First timer here. Wrote down my goals and such, and excited to start working towards becoming who I really want to be. Here's what I have: Main Quest: A healthier version of me Goals: Be able to run a 5k without stopping Eat healthier options / start cooking more More nature hikes Side Quests: Life Side Quest – Pass history course Fitness Side Quest – Decrease mile time Motivation: I am doing this challenge to better myself, not only in my fitness stage, but in my personality and life as well. Any words of wisdom? Thank you!

Last we left our Hero, he, idiotically, flung himself across time and space... "Crap! I'm in some land I've never seen before and I've no idea how to get back..." "You know, it's pretty strange to hear you talking to yourself over there." The Villager said as he led Red towards the town. "We'll be there soon, it's just through this valley, we need to take our time and we'll be there safe and sound." But Red was lost in his thoughts, "So how did those words go again? Was it layer upon layer? or was it something else?..." The Villager simply carried on, "You know, if you keep forgetting to stop and smell the roses, you're going to miss out on a lot in life." Suddenly, an idea came to Red, "I've got it! I'll make my own spells and I'll definitely get the hang of Time Magic!... but first I need some things taken care of!" Reinciar! Re-establish an exercise routine! Other than lifting heavy boxes, I've done nothing towards an official exercise routine and it's bugging me, so I will now maintain a specific time and routine to exercise with! Starting with the Advanced Bodyweight Routine and picking a time to do it in! Hacer el pino! Re-attempt the Handstand! Ever since I've moved, I haven't touched my hands to the ground, I want to fix that and finally obtain this elusive goal Starting with wall-handstands, I will attempt to be able to hold a free standing Handstand! Tranquilo. Be still I've always wanted to learn how to meditate, and so now, I will learn to simply stop and try to meditate, everyday! Starting with 5 mins, I will try to increase that to 15 mins by the end of the challenge! La Lista para Hacer. To do List In order to truly enjoy and smell the roses from my new dwelling, I will need to have completed this list by the end of the challenge: ​Officially change address Finish Personal Statement Organize room Organize Garage Go hiking at least 3 times ​Apply to School and Jobs This is going to be interesting, I just got here like a week ago, and there are a LOT of boxes when 9 people move into a single house.... Hey, where'd that Villager go?

Hi there Scouts! I have never been a runner. Growing up I honestly found it quite boring unless I was playing tag or being chased by rabid squirrels, depending on which day of the week it was. Plus the associated pain and panicked breathing always wound up with me making a list of tortures I'd rather be enduring long before I'd reach the finish line. But then 6 months ago I went and did something stupid. Something that would make my momma hug me with pride before slap me for being so moronic. I agreed to do a marathon with my friend. My immediate reaction the next day was "WTF was I thinking?" But I am not someone who breaks commitments, so I began running. I started the C25k program, but I didn't care for the routine, so I just starting going a 5k every time and walked when I needed to. My first 5k was a milestone for me, even if it took me 35 minutes. I had obviously gone the distance before, but never without walking for a good portion of it. Pride and an accountabilibuddy kept me running 3 times a week, with HIIT as one of those. And it sucked. Every time. But then something happened. One day I realized that it sucked much less than it did before. That day I had run a 5k in under 32 minutes, which was a major milestone for me. And then I realized that I was actually looking forward to my next run. I wondered if I could get that time in the 20's, and then see about doing a 10k. And then maybe one day I might actually be able to do that marathon I promised my friend. Fast forward to a few weeks ago. I ran 12 miles in just over 2 hours. My marathon was tentatively planned for November. I was dominating it. I dropped a huge amount of weight, and felt the best I had felt in a decade. Unfortunately, something put it to a halt, as I developed a recurring sharp pain in my abdomin, and discovered I had a long-existing inguinal hernia. Boo. This brought my training to a screeching halt. I finally had my surgery last week, but will still be out-of-workout condition until October 4th. My friend convinced me that it was not worth signing up for the marathon in November, which now that I've actually felt my after-operation condition I am thankful for, but we agreed that I would do a half-marathon with my wife on the same day. So here we are today. My half-marathon is in 10 weeks, and I have another 3 weeks of healing before I can get back to training for it. All-in-all I think things are looking really good. Anyway, sorry for the long back story. Goals: Since I'm out of workout condition, I'm tailoring these to what I can physically do at the time. MAIN QUEST GOAL: Run 8 miles by the end of the challenge. I am not positive how my body will handle running after being down for a month, but this goal seems reasonable. Goal 1) Maintain a caloric deficit of 500 per day (a pound a week if you follow the 3500 cal/lb rule) Goal 2) Walk a minimum of 10,000 steps per day (I'll be using my Fitbit Flex to track this. Love that thing!) Goal 3) Absolutely no beer for the duration (wait, what? I know I did not just type that!) Possible side quests: Life Side Quest) Stay under budget on our weekly food money allowance (we spend WAY too much money eating out) Fitness Side Quest) Get under 12% body fat or 160 pounds (currently hovering at 18% at around 168lb) So those are my goals. I look forward to doing this challenge with you all, and thank you for your support!

Hello! I'm idealist. I'm a newcomer to this board and a college student. I discovered this board through googling 'parkour' (I've wanted to do parkour since freshman year), read a bunch of the links, and thought it was a breath of fresh air from the usual television-doctor type of garbage that took advantage of women's anxiety about their appearance and made money off of it. This cynicism stopped me from making any plans to improve my health even after my mom called me fat. Would I be giving in to their game? Don't get me wrong, part of my motivation for working out is getting rid of my gut and losing weight, but I'd also wanted to be able to DO more things. Like running. Part of what inspired me was the section about creating a superhero alter-ego and asking what they would do instead of giving up during a workout. I wanted to feel like I could live up to that and be more awesome. I've just finished my first challenge today and I would like to post about how that went. Don't get me wrong, I'm feel pretty good about how I did. I'm more comfortable with eating vegetables now. I've gone from having difficulty running even 5 minutes to running 20 minutes almost in a row for the first time today. As a lifelong hater of egg-dishes, I've made my first omelet. I've discovered that I can do a lot more things if I just try harder. Maybe I could even do a 5k in the not-so-distant future, and I've never really thought of myself as a marathon runner. Before: After: However, I'm still not exactly on the ball yet. I'm overweight. I haven't met my goal of doing strength training every few days (I've probably done it 7 times over 6 weeks!) I haven't met my life challenge of socializing more at all. I'm starting to slip diet-wise, buying sugary coffee drinks during the school day in order to get a quick burst of energy and eating sugary cereal for breakfast because it's easier than making my own meal. I'm worried about running during the winter because I prefer the outdoors to running on an indoor track or on a treadmill, plus the days are getting a lot shorter so I might as well kiss my standard after-dinner running goodbye . So I'll keep posting on this board so that people can get me to snap out of unhealthy habits. Not really looking for anyone to tell me I'm making too many excuses (I know that already), just some constructive criticism and encouragement would be nice. I enjoy literature (especially anything more modern/russian and poetry, Gibran and Whiman among my favorites), music (classical and rock in general), and some film/t.v. every once in a while. Although I like Kirk more, Picard was by far the better captain. I apologize if I come off as haughty, I'm just tired right now and tend to get rather too talkative when I'm like this. Goodnight!

I'm Kalimah. I was a super fit gym rat in high school, kinda fit in college, then started working a desk job and... you know the story. I hit a high of 169 lbs a few years back and decided enough was enough. I got a few sessions from a trainer, rediscovered my love of weightlifting and found out I could run, and lost 40 lbs in 6 months. I've maintained weight and size (mostly) since then but my muscle percentage has dropped significantly. I'm here to drop the fat, pack on the muscle, and look like the warrior I feel like in my head. Borrowing from what Rowan said, I want to be able to shake my D&D character's hand and be proud to stand next to her instead of not even being able to carry her armor. Main Quest: Build muscle, shed body fat. Goal 1: Lift weights 3x a week, 1 hour a day. The gym is a block away. There are no excuses for not going. Goal 2: Switch to paleo eating. What do vegetarian zombies eat? Graaaains. That's probably going to be the hardest part of paleo for me, but maybe thinking of zombies will help me not reach for the unhealthy carbs. Goal 3: Run on Sundays, increasing up to 4 miles by the end of the challenge. Motivation: Muscles are sexy, and confidence is too. I'm in this to get strong and look great. Pictures and measurements tomorrow! -K