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Introduction: Hi, I thought having goals while building up a character sounded fun and motivating. I picked Orc and made her my avatar. I've started losing weight, though over the years, I've started too many times to count. I've started again. What week I'm in really depends. Officially, I started September of last year, but it's been such an up and down progress, and I've had many mini restarts since then. I reached the ten pound mark three times. I need to remain consistent. Main Quest: Well, I have myself a goal to lose 50 pounds by November 1st. I've lost 15, so that leaves 35. Quest 1: Keep track of food at least 6 times a week. It is when I stop tracking that problems start. I use iTrackBites, which calculates "bites" (points) like Weight Watchers. Quest 2: Three times a week, 20 minutes of moderate/high level exercise. Walking isn't much of an issue, but I tend to be lazy about it. Whether I walk faster or do more activities, I just need to challenge myself more. Quest 3: Drink at least a cup of water with every meal. Motivation: To feel and look better, and to not be out done on a hike by my 3-year-old son and my almost-60-father. Yeah, it's embarrassing when they are waiting for me.

Hello fellow nerds! I'm a 39 yo, father of 3 beautiful kids. Unfortunately, I've not been the best example for them as far as diet and exercise. I was always a super active kid and never had problems with my weight. In fact, I felt like a Q-tip: skinny little body/giant head (wonder what race that would be). My obese family members always said, "Watch out! The family genes will catch up with you someday!" Well, genes or not (probably not), I'm now almost 300 lbs (official start weight still to come) and severely unhealthy. Unfortunately, my kids are starting to look more like me now than when I was a kid. They are my main motivation. Yes, I want to feel better about myself. Yes, I want to be active and enjoy things I used to enjoy. But, most importantly to me, I want to be there for my kids. I want to be able to go outside with them and throw a ball around without being winded. I want to give them a good example of a healthy lifestyle they can have the rest of their lives. I want to be there at their weddings. I want to hold my grandchildren. Something has to change or I'm not going to have any of those things and my kids are not going to have me much longer! So, here I am. Challenge #1. Ready or not! Main Quest - To lose 85 lbs and improve my overall health Obviously, this is going to take more than 1 challenge! Its a big quest, but its doable. Challenge Quest #1 - To improve my diet Rather than completely overhaul my diet at once, I'm going to start by cutting a few things out of my diet and go from there. First, I'm going to cut out soda completely. I don't need it. So, why not? 0-3 = A 4-10 = B 11-15 = C 16-20 = D 21+ = F Challenge Quest #2 - Work out 3 times a week. I'm going to start with the Beginner Bodyweight Workout and see how that goes. 18-15 = A 16-11 = B 10-7 = C 6-5 = D >5 = F Challenge Quest #3 - Become a better "morning person". I am horrible at getting up and getting thing done in the morning. I usually sleep in as long as I possibly can, then rush around like a chicken with its head cut off trying to get out the door to work. I want to be able to get up, get a workout in, take a nice shower, have a nice breakfast, and get to work at a decent time. This will reduce the stress from my mornings and, hopefully, allow me to get home at a decent time to spend with my kids. During this challenge, my quest is to be out the door for work by 8 am. 30-20 = A 19-15 = B >14 = F Life Quest - Register for a section of the CPA exam and begin a set study plan toward it. I look forward to this challenge! I know I'm going to need all your help in finishing it! As this is my first challenge, please feel free to add any suggestions to improve my quests/goals, etc.

Introduction: Hello, I’m Kylee. I am an amateur artist/animator and I enjoy sewing and general crafts. Iâ€m about 160 ibs and I’m just finishing high school, so I want to make sure that I get myself set into a healthy lifestyle before going to college (in order to avoid the dreaded freshman fifteen). I also want to lose some weight and gain some muscle for cosplay, since I do a lot a crossplay especially. With the upcoming summer, I know from experience that I’ll likely lock myself inside for months marathoning movies and playing video game (shout out to Dragon Age for taking over my life for the last few months!), and I’d much rather use the time a little more productively. Main Quest: Lose at least 12 ibs by the end of this challenge. Quest 1: Walk for 10 minutes a day and work out 3 times a week. -Walk 10 minutes for 39 days, work out 18 times. REWARD: (+3 STA) -Walk 10 minutes for 30 days, work out 13 times. REWARD: (+2 STA) -Walk 10 minutes for 18 days, work out 9 times. REWARD: (+1 STA) Quest 2: Cut out sodas/sugary drinks and switch from coffee to tea (without adding sugar, of course). -No coffee or soda. REWARD: (+3 CON) -<5 cups of coffee or soda. REWARD: (+2 CON) - <10 cups of coffee or soda. REWARD: (+1 CON) Quest 3: Cook at least twice a week, following paleo guidelines. -Cook 12 times. REWARD: (+2 CON) -Cook 6 times. REWARD: (+1 CON) Life Quest: Work on my artwork at least 4 times a week, for at least an hour. -Work on artwork 24 times (24 hours). REWARD: (+2 CHA) -Work on artwork 12 times (12 hours). REWARD: (+1 CHA) Motivation: To be able to go through a convention looking AND feeling fantastic in my awesome cosplays. I also think this will help my confidence so I can branch out and get some more friends in the cosplay world. For additional motivation, I’m basing the money I get to spend at Geekfest on my stats earned. -10 earned stats REWARD: $130 -9 earned stats REWARD: $115 -8 earned stats REWARD: $100 -7 earned stats REWARD: $85 -6 earned stats REWARD: $75 -5 earned stats REWARD: $65 -4 earned stats REWARD: $50 -3 earned stats REWARD: $45 -2 earned stats REWARD: $40 -1 earned stat REWARD: $35 -Starting amount $30 I'm super psyched to start, but I want to start on the 8th with everyone else, so right now I'm planning out a bit and finding some good recipes

This will be my first 6-wek challenge and I've been psyching myself up for it. I won't be able to start on the 8th because I'm having a procedure done inside my nose to hopefully help my breathing. To make up for losing a couple of days I'm going to start a couple of days early. I hope that's all right! My main quest this year is to lose 50 pounds. At my last doctor appointment I was at 178. My motivation for this six weeks is to be able to wear a vintage Halston dress that I got for Christmas and am too big for - even though it will be too hot in July to actually wear it out of the house. SMART quests: walk two laps around the track at least four times a week (the track is two blocks from my house) do a basic weight-training routine at least three times a week (we have a bench and weights in the basement) drink two non-sodas daily (I love soda but it's expensive and we get juices and flavored water form the food pantry) Life quest: read three books during this six weeks tan for three hours a week (using sunscreen, of course!) Now I need to figure out how to get status bars on my posts so when I have achieved things I can share.

Greetings! I am TheReverend and this is my first challenge. I've always *known* I needed to get healthy because my family history is one of obesity and heart disease, but it was never a priority because I didn't think I was *that* bad. I was wrong. Last month my doctor gave me until the first week of July to lower my triglyceride levels or I would have to go on meds. He also said I needed to lose some weight (I was 5'10", 220). So I stopped eating double-cheeseburgers everyday for lunch and nixed the midnight snacks of chips & queso. I also started doing some moderate cardio work on a semi-regular basis. Although I've lost 10 lbs so far, I've done as much as I can on my own. Thus: this challenge. Here is my quest: Lose 20lbs. by the end of this challenge. (with 10 of those coming by July 2). Goal 1: Exercise 6 days a week. MWF bodyweight workout. TTHSa: intervals. I'd like to be able to lift with weights, but a gym is out of my price range. Goal 2: Eat 80-90% paleo. I will not have any chips or dairy at all. They are enemies, both to my gut and my goals. I have to be careful with meat though. At the aforementioned doctor's visit, I was also diagnosed with gout. In order to avoid another painful attack, I can't eat too much red meat and need to avoid seafood. I'd love some suggestions on paleo w/ gout. Life Goal: Be in bed every night, by 10:00, with no electronics. Wake up at 5:30, on TWTHFSu. Motivation: I don't want to be on meds. Also, it would be awesome to not have to hold my breath when I bend over to tie my shoes. Long-term Goal: Get my body fat percentage down to 15%. I look forward to questing with you all!

Hi all, This is my First Challange and I am eager to get started. One of the things I struggle with is holding myself to the fire when I am the only one as most people I know really dont care one way or the other ( at least not that they tell me about ) as to my health and fitness so when I get hurt or just dont feel like doing it I have noone holding me accountable to press through those times. I hope this will be that extra motivation I need to make my goal a reality. Pick a Main Quest. - My Main quest is to lose 50 lbs and get back in to shape.Pick 2 - 3 SMART quests - Exercise every day, ( Wether it is a walk for x amount of time or bike or push ups or weight training my goal is to spend time every day exercising. ) Cut out sodas, ( Simply it is my one big vice that I know I need to fix, ) Do a pull up ( I can do alot of exercises but have never been able to do a successful pull up. I'd like to change this. )Choose a life quest if you'd like to do one (completely optional). - Begin an apprenticeship programChoose a motivation. My Knees and back are in a constant state of discomfort from being overweight, also I'd like to be able to have a higher amount of energy and get back in to some hobbies that I enjoyed before.I look forward to my time here as well as the ability to provide encouragement to others as well as being challanged to keep up the good fight.

Main quest: Reach 70 kg or under by the end of 2016 - I suffer from idiopathic polyneuropathy caused (apparently) by pregnancy. The heavier I am, the worse the pain and numbness seems to be, so for now I need to focus on the scale numbers. Challenge goals: 1. Drink three litres of water every day - track on Plant Nanny A - perfect record B - missed target 6 days or less during challenge C - missed target 12 days or less during challenge F - missed target by 13 days or more 2. Walk a minimum of 10 mins outside every day - track on The Walk A - perfect record B - missed target 6 days or less during challenge C - missed target 12 days or less during challenge F - missed target by 13 days or more 3. Eat under my calorie goal six days out of seven - track on MyFitnessPal A - 6 days or less over calorie goal B - 9 days or less over calorie goal C - 12 days or less over calorie goal F - missed target by 13 days or more Life side quest: Italian practice on Duolingo A - 42 day streak! B - 420 XP but not a 42 day streak C - 360 XP F - less than 360 XP

Introduction: Hi everyone! I'm WannabePA. I'm in the middle of completing my training to become a Physician Assistant. I am also more unhealthy than I've ever been. My lifestyle is by nature sedentary, I don't get enough sleep, I am stressed all the time and eat to cope, and there never seems to be enough time to fit in exercising. 2 years ago, I ran my first half marathon, worked out regularly, and ate reasonably well. I wasn't super healthy (I ate way too much sugar and was overweight), but I was ok. Now I get winded when I walk up the stairs. I've gained 22 pounds. Main Quest: Be a healthy BMI and have a healthy body fat % by graduation (14 months away). My starting point: BMI 32.5 and 44% body fat. Quest 1: I will eat vegetables at every meal (or fruit with breakfast). I used to do this. Then school got crazy and my husband is working 2 jobs, so we fell into the habit of lunch meat and cheese sandwiches or box mac-n-cheese because it was easy and comforting. I'm starting with this small goal because I know school/jobs keep us very busy and overwhelmed. I want to get back into the habit that veggies (and fruits) belong with every meal. Quest 2: I will have no more than 1 alcoholic drink per day (unless it is a celebratory night with family/friends). I have developed a habit of sipping on beer/wine while I study at night. It's not a excessive amount, but it easily adds an excessive amount of calories to my day. Quest 3: I will do the Angry Birds workout with my husband on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Each day I will try to complete 1 more rep of each exercise than I completed the day before. I sit in class from 8-5 everyday. Then I come home, eat dinner, and sit some more while I study. A set workout will at least get me starting to move. Life Quest: Stick to the YNAB budget with my husband. Motivation: Every day in every class for almost every disease, we list "lifestyle modifications" as the best first step towards treatment, but we never actually talk about how to go about modifying your life. How I can ask my future patients to lose weight, exercise, or change their diet if I have been unable to do so myself?

I went to a fitness testing class sponsored by my company... and the results aren't pretty. There's a lots of graphs and fancy charts that describe how bad they are, but these simple, understated words, from my doctor summarize it well: "Your exercise tolerance is very low (<20th percentile). Please exercise regularly to improve your health" It wasn't always like this, and I'm surprised at how I've slid down over the years. No more. The problem isn't just exercising. It's designing my life around fitness. I want it to be fun and natural and something, not an annoyance that's done to hit the right numbers and then forgotten about. I want to *stay* at the right numbers. And that means designing something that will stay with me lifelong. I haven't had an exercise plan stay with me for more than a month, so far. And that's why I'm here. to make fitness something more than just a certain amount of time spent at the gym. To make it something that's meaningful to my life, and fits my personality. Which is one of inquisitiveness, exploration and curiosity. Boredom and routine are anathema to me. Which makes it extremely difficult to get into a standard full-body-or-split-reps-weights-blah-blah fitness program. Main Quest Develop a fun, motivating physical and mental fitness and diet routine, and maintain it for 6 weeks Quest 1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Do at least the 4 *marked fitness activities per week for 6 weeks. M: Weight Training* T: Dance W: Cardio* R: Yoga* F: Weight Training* Weekend (make up for any missed workouts, except for the weight training) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Quest 2 Eat home cooked food at least 4x per week. Quest 3 Meditate at least 1x day 4x per week. Life Quest Track the money I spend, get my finances in order.

I forgot to put in a little bit of a intro. I'm a 35 year old female who has been overweight her entire life. The lowest I've ever been (aside from childhood) was 215lbs about 2 years or so ago. Now I'm at 272 and very unhappy. I have been a gamer/geek since the age of 8 when my mom brought me home an Atari 2600 she picked up at a yard sale. Once I got my first Sega Genesis my love of art kicked in full swing and I started drawing everything game related. Nowadays my interests have slightly broadened (I no longer hiss at Nintendo things and do love them) and I have added sci fi, anime, comic books, novels, manga, and graphic novels to my collection of nerddom. Some of my fav things in the world are Batman (anything), Star Wars, Star Trek, Azumanga Daioh, Soul Eater, Final Fantasy XIV, any mmo really but I have a pure dislike for Blizzard games...and I have a love/hate relationship with Superman. As far as who I am, my love of games and such make up most of who I am as I'm a quiet black cat in the corner staring at everyone with big eyes until someone mentions something nerdy then my ears perk up and I slink over to listen. Main Quest: For my main quest, I would like to be 145lbs -or- a size 10. I say either or because I know myself and will want to add muscle if possible and I may weigh more with muscle on. Quest 1; Eat within my macros. According to IIFYM, this is my formula: CARBS PROTEIN FAT FIBER CALORIES Grams per day 27.2 163.2 157.2 54 - 68 2176 GRAMS per meal 6.8 40. 8 39.3 14 - 17 544 I know when I get hungry/bored, so I figure 4 times a day would fit that. 8am, 11-noonish, 2pm and 5pm. The carbs are a little high for me, as I am afraid of them, so I will stay around this, possibly go up to 40 on a special day. I don't know what I"m going to do about vegetables as they are full of carbs but eating purely meat is expensive and as it is I don't know how I"m going to get that much fat or protein as I don't really eat that much. Quest 2: Walk 4 times a week. I have been walking 3 times a week lately, and after reading The Primal Blueprint, I have learned that I need to walk to get the fat off. So I have been trying to walk and keep my heart rate at 55% of my normal. Math is not good for me, but my resting rate is 69bpm, so +55% of that is around 106bpm. When I walk I get up to 130bpm, and when I add a sprint in I get 173bpm, so, going over can't hurt I guess. Quest 3: Try to relax I see life in 50 shades of depression. I go to work, see skinny beautiful women, get the "you're a piece of dung" look from them, get frustrated, decide to stay at my desk the whole day, get mad at the fact that I have to eat, go home and not draw/write/workout while I sit in front of my computer and drown myself in wine and whatever else is handy. If I am at the store the same thing applies. Basically any time I'm not in my house that applies. I know I need to quit doing that but it's difficult when you know you are the equivalent of a troll/dwarf mixture and trying to look decent is like putting makeup on a pile of poop. So I'm going to try to relax and not think about it. My doctor gave me hydroxyzine pamoate which takes the edge off and gets the Sith in my head to leave me be, so I'm going to try that for a while. Stats: To come

Introduction: Hello! I'm Jozette (or zettarooski). I've been a long time nerdfitness fan, but this is my first six week challenge. I'm sorta active on the facebook group and I plan to attend CNF2015 in September! Very excited to be a part of this. Note - I am measuring all my quests in weeks instead of days. I think for most of them it makes sense. Also, I'm still getting the hang of the points system, so let me know if I'm totally incorrect on that. I'm open to any feedback!! Main Quest: My main quest right now is to have a rockin' bod for my brother's wedding in June 2016 (no real measurement goals like weight or jeans size because I hate that). I also want to begin to think more seriously about having a baby at that time and need/want to be healthy before that happens! Quest 1: Strength Train 3x/week Explanation: I do this already so more of a habit to keep up. Summer is busy so I know it will be more challenging for me to fit it all in. I work with a personal trainer who creates my program for me and helps me with form and new moves (but doesn't watch every rep I do). Measurement: A = 3x/week or more; B = 2x/week; C = 1x/week; D = 0x/week Reward: A = 3 (STR); B = 2 (STR); C = 1 (STR); D = 0 (STR); Quest 2: Walk 8500 steps/day Explanation: I have a fitbit that measures my steps. The first few months I wore it and didn't change too many habits to get a baseline of my typical movement per day. I then started at 7,000 steps/day and have increased it by 500 steps each month. Now I am at 8500! I plan to work my way up to 10,000 steps/day. Measurement: A = 59,500+/week; B = 55,000-59,499/week; C = 50,000-54,499/week; D = 49,000 or less/week; Reward: A = 3 (STA); B = 2 (STA); C = 1 (STA); D = 0 (STA); Quest 3: Tame the sugar beast! Explanation: I have been working through the Academy diet levels (to ultimately become pretty much palepo) and I have a list of items to work on. Defeating the sugar boss was one level I am very nervous about. And I keep putting it off due to obligations each month (oh, the 4th is coming up and I need desserts and beer! Oh, after that is our anniversary so I need to eat cake! etc.). I decided it is just time to tackle it. I am following Sarah Wilson's 8 week I Quit Sugar plan (a book and website). She has similar philosophies to Nerd Fitness - take small steps to achieve the larger goal. Each week has a separate theme. Her next group cycle for the plan started the same day as this challenge so it worked out perfectly!! This challenge is 6 weeks and hers is 8 weeks, but the last 2 weeks are really getting used to your new lifestyle, so I think they'll still match well. Measurement: Working on this - may make it pass/fail? Or different each week? Reward: PASS = 5 (CON); FAIL = 0 (CON); Life Quest: Read 20 min per day reading up on health information Explanation: I just haven't felt like I've had the time to read lately that I've wanted. Part of fixing up my diet is keeping up the motivation with reading blogs, books, magazines, podcasts, etc. It will also help to keep me informed on my choices! So I will spend 20 min/day reading health information Measurement: A = Read 7x/week; B = Read 5-6x/week; C = Read 3-4x/week; D = Read 0-2x/week; Reward: A = 3 (WIS); B = 2 (WIS); C = 1 (WIS); D = 0(WIS);

Main Quest: I am turning 40 in December. I would like to wake up from the zombie fog I have spent the last three years swimming through and lose 40 lbs before my birthday, setting myself up to start my next decade in better health. 1. Quest: Go to the gym. I just joined the gym at my work and my main quest is to get myself to the gym at least two days a week, three or four would be better. Right now I am working on cardo, but I want to be a heavy lifter and work myself over to the squat racks and barbells before the challenge is over. Grade Weekly: A 3 or more days. B 2 days. C 1 day. F 0 Days for the week. 2. Quest: Track food and eat enough. I track my food on myfitnesspal and have noticed a trend- most days I eat way to little, coming in just around 1300 calories. I'm 5'9 and 250 lbs. It's hard to fuel a body for excessive and lifting if you don't feed it enough. I already eat close to 80/20 paleo, but I need to remember to add in healthy snacks, fats or extras onto my meal. I need to be within 50 calories of my daily goal, not the 200-400 under that I am most days. Grade Weekly A within my goal range 6-7 days. B 4-5 days. C 2-3 days F 1 or less days. 3. Quest: Limit sugary drinks to one a day. I can't do artificial sweeteners, they give me headaches and brain fog. So far this year I have cut out sodas (Yay me!) except for the occasional order out of habit and spit out after one sip because it is nasty tasting. I do have a bad habit of sugar in my coffee/latte, and justify it with not eating enough overall. This will build on quest 2. If I eat all my calories I won't feel the need to hit the goal with drinking my calories. If I need to have a second cup of coffee to function for the day, it will not have sugar. Grade Weekly Pass/Fail Life Quest- Work on an earlier bedtime! I am great at going to bed at a decent hour on the day's my children are with me, but on the days' they are at their father's I find myself sitting up on the computer, or in bed reading fanfic until midnight. This needs to stop. The body needs optimal sleep. If I work the next day, bedtime is no later than 11 pm. On nights that I do not work, I will allow myself to stay up later. Motivation- Not only am I turning 40 this year, I also need to work on setting a better example for my children with a healthy lifestyle. They deserve a mom who has the energy to do things with them.

First some basic info about me. I've been following nerdfitness on and off for years and really enjoyed the various articles. However I never paid too much attention to the forums over here. Still I was aware of the 6-week challenge and I decided to see what the hype was all about. The main reason I decided to check in here today (and what a good day to check in it was seeing as the new challenge is just starting!) was because I found out today that I didn't get accepted in to any of the schools I was applying for. This mean that I'll have a year of doing nothing ahead. I just managed 6 months of working shitty job and when I was fired from that, just sitting at home because I was sure I could get into at least one of the schools I was applying for. So that was the depressing sad past any proper hero of any comic book, manga or movie has to have right? Right now I can decide to spend a year half heartedly looking for a job (and without proper education getting another one of those jobs that are underpaid, unrewarding and so challenging a trained monkey could probably complete the tasks in there!) OR I can focus on the year ahead and finally get a into shape and make my dreams come true! My whole life I've really been into the idea of working as a police officer or going into the military. However, I always thought it would be impossible since I was in such a bad shape. There have been a few times when i've gotten too cocky and thought I could get into killer shape fast, no problem but... Yeah. In the end I've started too hard, progressed too fast and eventually burned out and fell into a slump. Hopefully joining a fitness community will help me to have someone to tell me when I'm pushing myself too hard and maybe motivate me to go on when the hard parts come again I'll be adding my goals later when I've figured something proper out. Sorry for all the rambling, I just really wanted to post something here so I don't loose my wits and quit before I started!

I am almost 36 years old…..Mid Life crisis time? At my age I have already overcome so many obstacles. My youngest daughter has officially graduated High School. So now it is time for me to turn life around and focus more on myself. I feel lost and confused when it comes to diet/exercise/happiness. Over the last 2 years I have convinced myself that I need to hit more gym time and less sleep time (so wrong on so many levels) I am ready for change and figure this place is a good place to start. Main Quest – Lose 20lbs by end of year and learn to love myself all over again. Challenge goals – 1: Workouts - 3 Weight days and 2 Cardio days. Grading - There will be a total of 30 workouts so grading will be off percentage completed. 2: Sleep Sleep Sleep……. I really think lack of sleep is causing so many issues right now. I notice that the time between I actually lay down and when my alarm goes off is usually < 6 hours. I feel exhausted and cranky by midday. My goal this challenge is to get > 7 hours of sleep a night. I also ordered a Razer Nabu X which will help me track how my quality of sleep is. Grading - Percentage will be tallied from number of days I got over 7 hours of sleep.3: Clean up eating. I will eat primal 80% of the time. Grading - Percentage will be tallied from number of days I ate over 80% Primal. (Note: percent based on daily, not weekly, so if I eat on par all week, that does not justify weekend binge sessions)Life Goals – 1: Write down at least 1 positive thing that happened each day. Grading - Each day is worth 1 point, for a total of 42 points.2: Spend at least 1 hour per week doing something I really enjoy but put off because I feel I do not have time, like playing video games. Grading - Each week is worth 1 point for a total of 6 points.

I struggle with severe depression and anxiety. My primary goal always is to make sure that neither prevents me from living my life. Mostly because I frequently feel worthless. Exercising has helped (along with medication and weekly cognitive-behavioral therapy), but I'm still working on overcoming some mental blocks. Okay so.... goal time: main quest: to take care of myself: mind, body, and spirit. goal 1: exercise 30 minutes 3x per week -escalated running c25K grading: A= 3/3, B=2/3, C=1/3 F=0/3 goal 2: meditation, 10 minutes 5x per week grading : A= 5/5, B= 4/5, C= 3/5, D=2/5 F=0/5 goal 3: 2L of water a day grading: A= 2L, B= 1.5L, C= 1L, D=.5L, F=0L other stuff: Weekly schedule template Monday: Pilates Tuesday:C25K Wednesday: Pilates Thursday: C25K (and Therapy) Friday: yoga + walking Saturday: C25K Sunday: weight training Life quest: creative writing 3x per week (any amount even a sentence, progress is still progress) grading: grading: A= 3/3, B=2/3, C=1/3 F=0/3 Be mindful, be grateful, be present.

Ok, maybe not madness but I couldn't think of anything else to call this So, pretty simple challenge. I'm losing weight so I won't be making any major workout goals. Main goals: Get down to a healthy/lean body fat percentage ( I know it's not specific in terms of weight, but I don't want to set weight goals as I'm still putting on a little bit of muscle) Carry on eating 100% paleo Limit fruit to one piece a day Current height: 172cm / 5ft8inch Weight: (Set on night before challenge and updated weekly afterwards) Note. Strength train 6-7 days a week and have been 100% paleo for about a week. Before that I'd throw in heavy carbs fairly regularly.

So... Yeah. I'm Raini, and this is my first challenge. Obviously. Anyhow... Race: Hobbit (Strangely enough, Daddy is a nymph and Mommy is an ogre. Isn't THAT a combo?) Main Quest: Stick to my diet. Explanation: Well, I'm a horrid yoyo dieter. I have a rather nasty binge habit that I'd like to break. Whenever I look back, I always lament the fact that I could have been at my goal of I had only stuck to it. My diet is (and has always been) plant based; however my bingeing far outweighs my dietary choices. Despite the gross excess of calories, this has kept me in great health, apart from my weight. Besides that, I have horrible problems with staying committed to pretty much everything... I feel like this is a good place to start. Mission One: Drink a cup of tea upon waking. This will help me think/get my head straight in the morning. Mission Two: Make vegetables a large part of my diet. This will help by providing more volume without racking up the calories (unlike delicious potatoes, Mmmm..... ) Mission Three: Make meals that I actually like, rather than a nasty meal just because it's lower calories. Because my word, those yam noodles are just disgusting. Like munching on little worms bathed in formaldehyde. Life Quest: Create a weekly grocery list.

Main Quest: Get to 170lbs by wedding. I'm getting married in November of 2016, and I've been gaining weight as of late. Since I graduated college, I've gotten to my biggest ever, 250, and I'm not happy about it. I want to be healthy enough to live a long life. Quest 1: Walk for 10 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Walking can help me clear my mind. Right now I only walk at work. I need to walk outside of work and experience the earth. Measurement: A = 10 min for 30 days, B = 10min, 25 days, C = 10min, 20 days Reward: A = +3 STA, B = +2 STA, C = +1 STA Quest 2: Eat three square meals a day for 30 days, waking up in time for breakfast, eating dinner before dark. Right now I eat sporadically throughout the day, and usually I eat a lot. I need to change that habit. Measurement: A = 30 days, B = 20 days, C = 10 days Reward: A = +3 CON, B = +2CON, C = +1 CON Quest 3: Meditate for five minutes a day for 30 days. I used to meditate in high school, and I loved it. I feel like when I stopped I lost my connection to my mind. I want to get that back. Measurement: A = 30 days; B = 20 days, C = 10 days Reward: A = +3 WIS, +2 CON, B = +2WIS, +1 CON, C = +1WIS Life Quest: Write for at least an hour a day, because getting creative energy will help calm mind. It will also allow me to work on my scripts. Measurement: A = 90 days, B = 60 days, C = 30 days Reward: A = +2 CHA, B = +1CHA, C = +0.5 CHA Motivation: I want to be healthy for the wedding, and I also want to be able to channel creative energy. Also, being healthy might motivate parents to do the same.

Introduction: Hi all, new to the site and ready to throw myself into my first challenge. I'm five weeks into a new gym routine, and I think this will help keep me focused and accountable. Main Quest: Dress like a proper grown-up adult man, in clothes which actually look good on me, and make my wife proud to be seen with me when I take her out. The general aim is to overhaul my entire wardrobe by the end of 2015, getting rid of anything which falls into one of the following categories: baggy, sagging or ragged. My specific aim is to get properly fitted for one good quality, tailored, (possibly three-piece) suit, and get a good photograph taken wearing it. I'm sick of being disgusted when I look in the mirror or see a photo of myself. Quest 1: Continue going to the gym a minimum of 4 times a week. I mentioned this in my introductory thread, but I joined a gym on February 27th, and have made decent progress thus far. I've worked out a routine which I'm happy with: Cross-trainer/elliptical: 15 mins, currently at resistance Level 8. As a guide to illustrate this, the display which tells me calories burned is currently showing me burning between 150 and 160 on any given workout at this setting. Five weeks ago when I started, I was burning 200 calories in one 30-minute session, and dying by the end. I'd like to gradually adjust the resistance to burn 200 in this 15 minute blast. Weights: currently concentrating on upper body and arms, the cross trainer is really working my legs. Doing bicep curls, tricep extensions, chest press, shoulder press, pec fly for various sets/reps at weights varying from 50-70 lbs. Aim is to build this up to a point where I up each weight by 10 lbs and do 3 x 10 without failing in the third set. Cross-trainer/elliptical: repeat the 15 minute blast above to end the workout. Again, currently doing 150-160 in this session, I want to be burning 200 in this. Oh, as an accountability tool, my gym logs all my workouts and I can view my activity as a chart in my own personal login area. I'm willing to screenshot and share this chart on here to show my attendance. Attribute Point Metrics (5 total): Achieve Minimum 4 sessions each week + 2 STR, 1 STA Achieve 2 x 200 calorie Cross Trainer burns in one workout (Time limit 15 mins) + 2 STA Quest 2: NO FIZZY DRINKS! NO DIET COKE! NO MONSTER / ROCKSTAR / RELENTLESS! Water, coffee and skimmed milk only for the next 6 weeks. I've already cut down from 1-2 cans of any of the above daily to maybe 3 a week at the most. I'll cut those out. FYI, I was drinking the sugar free versions of the energy drinks, not that it's much better. Attribute Point Metric (5 total): Pass/Fail, no half measures, failure is not an option. + 3 CON, 2 WIS Quest 3: Lose the chocolate/cakes/cookies, etc. Chocolate is my nemesis. Always has been. When I was spiralling to the depth I hit before I joined the gym and found NF, I would do 3 or 4 bars a day. Toffee Crisp, Kit Kat Chunky and Lion Bar being the worst offenders. I've almost eliminated these, but there has been the occasional slip. Donuts and pastries/cakes also kill me. Once I start any of this crap, I invariably binge. So, complete cold turkey for the next 6 weeks to try to break the habit. Attribute Point Metric (5 total): Pass/Fail, no half measures, failure is not an option. + 2 CON, 2 WIS, 1 CHA Minis: #1: S.M.A.R.T. - Done! +1 WIS #2: Making Friends - Done! +1 CHA #3: The Library - Done! +1 STA #4: Checking your starting credits - Done! It's in the Sig! #5: The Cafeteria - Unofficial challenge Done! +1 CON #6: Choosing Your Major - Done! Wheeeeeee! Motivation: new clothes. I started this year as a 42" waist on my work trousers, a 19" collar shirt, and all of my t-shirts were XXL and even those could feel tight. Currently, I'm still wearing the 42" trousers (but the belt has gone in 4 notches - I just haven't had a chance to replace them yet), I've got 2 pairs of 38" jeans which I can now fasten comfortably, and a couple of XL t-shirts which are currently a little snug, but I can get into them - the XXL now feel very loose. Goal is currently 34" waist maximum, and t-shirts being medium to large. Oh, and as stated in the Main Quest, a proper suit. I can do this. I WILL do this. Edited to add: Attribute Points allocation by Quest

Introduction: I’m Allie! I’m 29 and will be 30 this Halloween. I embarked on a serious quest to lose weight two years ago. At that time, I was at my previously “fattest†weight: 316lbs. I tried NF about two years ago. Literally, right when my first “quest†was just beginning, my mom had another drug episode that sent me into a physical and mental downward spiral. Hurray! Fast Forward to 2015 (and a plethora of job, family and financial issues later; I’d explain, but I know you aren’t here to read a novel) and I’m at 329.50lbs Holy crap! I never thought in my life I would be this fat. It’s not even about how I look at this point: It’s my heart, my asthma and my physical well-being… Scratch that: it’s EVERYTHING! I also now have a job as a recruiter (graduated 2012 with my BSBA in HR Management; I finally “made itâ€). I also have the time to go to the gym after work. I tried waking up early before to work out, and I’ll tell ya: I can’t handle it. It’s the psych medicine I take at night (otherwise, Allie doesn’t sleep). I’m fine once I get all my sleepage, though. A morning workout is not in the cards for me. I have to start somewhere. Although my goals may look overly simple, I’m just trying to start from anywhere. My fitness level is seriously at “0â€. Main Quest for this challenge: Lose 10lbs by May 24th Attained by: Quest 1: Tracking Food via MyFitness Pal I tend to add my breakfast and then wait until the end of the day to tally up my calories. I feel like I don’t obsess if I do it that way. Grading (based on consistency) A: 6-7 days of the week B: 4-5 days of the week C: 3-4 days of the week F: 2 days or less per week Quest 2: Use Bodymedia/Log Exercise I just renewed my subscription. It helps me keep accountable to show me my steps taken/how lethargic I’ve been. I also like to know my activity. Grading: A: 6-7 days of the week B: 4-5 days of the week C: 3-4 days of the week F: 2 days or less Quest 3: Exercise I start with the recruit workout found on the academy and go after work every day (that’s five times a week) to a gym near my house. I will walk on the treadmill in addition to dumb bell exercises (I’m a desk jockey and I barely have time to move, at all, every day). Grading: A: 4-5 days of the week B: 3-2 days of the week C: 1 day of the week F: 0 days or less Life Quest: Try to be more positive. I feel myself let life get a hold of me and overwhelm me (especially work). I want to achieve this by mediation. I found calm.com and am learning a great deal about relaxing. It also helps me in regards to my bipolar. Motivation: I feel totally awful right now. I am in pain walking from my car to the door for work! I want to feel better. I want to be able to say “I’m going for a walk†and not dread it! Reward: I may reward myself with a UP Jawbone band. It’s much easier to wear than my bodymedia band.

Good morning! I am setting out on this quest for about the 3rd time. That's the charm, right? Somehow, I've always found myself back to my normal escapes and pursuits after 3 days to a week. I am an almost 50 homemaker with a lot to lose - not just weight! I am losing my health, my adaptability, my inclination to do anything, and my friends - as that inclination includes keeping touch. So, here I am again, and because of my past, it is even more imperative the quest is completed. Main Quest - Be able to camp and hike with my sister when she comes to visit on furlough. She is a missionary in Nigeria and doesn't have the chance to hike and camp safely. Breakdown - 1. Cut out processed foods for this quest. I don't want Mountain Dew, Chik-fil-A shakes, or creme puffs. Actually, I am somewhat gluten and dairy sensitive so I'm supposed to do that anyway - except the Mountain Dew (heavy sigh) 2. Walk every day. My dog will thank me! 3. Find a little magic in myself. I'm telling my friends and family I am doing this so I have encouragement. So help me out and get on my case if I don't post often. Thanks!

Hi, I'm Sue, and I'm looking forward to my first challenge. My primary goal is weight loss, but what I really crave is the energy and spunkiness I felt back when I was fit. Motherhood has slapped me hard. While it's been a joy at times, and I would never un-do my kids, I have spent most of the past 10 years feeling defeated and tired. Some people can gracefully parent and look after themselves at the same time. That has never been the case for me. My choices have been out of balance for a long time, and now I'm taking control of my own life again. My profile pic is for my own motivation. It is me before kids. While I know that I will never be 25 years old again, I'd love to be 50 pounds lighter by the time I hit 45. Main Quest:I want to get down to a healthy weight. I figure I may as well use BMI as a measure, so for me a healthy weight is 154; overweight is 185; and I started on 3/18 at the lovely obese weight of 211. My first target is to break down under 200. Then I'll strive to be overweight (he, he I love the irony of this being a goal). Finally, I'll work towards healthy weight (YEAH, mission accomplished!) Goals:I have a checklist of daily goals that I think of as my real goals. I award myself a point for every day I do everything on the checklist. I am hoping to turn these items into good habits, and checking them off each day is a way of keeping myself accountable. The main goals right now are exercise, portion control, and healthy snacking. Once I conquer these, I will re-evaluate and see if I can add more challenging daily habits.  Exercise – cardio MWF, strength TTh, free pass SS Only fruits/veggies while making lunches Breakfast – include fruits or veggies No kid breakfast leftovers 10:00 snack – Fruits or veggies Lunch – decide ahead on one serving Lunch – include fruits or veggies After work snack – fruits or veggies School bus snack – fruits or veggies Dinner prep – no excessive “tastingâ€ï€° Dinner – one serving (except veggies/salad) Dinner – include salad/veggies After dinner gum Bedtime snack – fruits or veggies I joined the rebellion this week when I had reached 10 points. I have a list of additional prizes that cost anywhere from 5 to 15 points each. Unfortunately, my daily goals don't really translate well into SMART goals. Therefore, I'm adding these: 1. Cardio: I will increase my running speed so that I can run through the local gardens in 20 minutes. My run around the neighborhood is now clocked by MapMyRun at a 13+ minute mile. I will reduce by 10 seconds each Monday. 2. Strength: My long term goal is to do a pull-up. I am doing dumbell rows now. My goal is to increase the weight on the dumbell every Tuesday. 3. Weight: I will lose a pound a week during this challenge as measured on Monday morning weigh-ins. I will lose this weight by sticking to my healthy habit checklist. Life Quest:I typed out a long description here, but it seemed really lame. To sum it up, I'm going to get my family organized enough to get to soccer practice on time, and I'm going to inspire my children to help with outdoor projects this year. I'm looking forward to having some company on this journey. Happy challenges to all!

Hello kids and welcome to my seventh challenge! A little about me... I'm 41, live in Nova Scotia (east coast), Canada, unattached (ended a 7 year relationship last fall) no kids (one cat), have WAY too many books and proud of it. I'm a boiler and refrigeration operator by trade, though my dream is to have a "bricks & mortar" used bookstore. I currently, have a part-time one that I run out of my basement in my spare time and my whole inventory is science fiction & fantasy (my passion). Should be a link to my stores facebook page in my signature. I'm also a Freemason and quite active in my lodge, which has helped offset my normal "hermit" habits and given me a new confidence in myself and abilities. As well I'm an avid "Clash of Clans" player and the Nerd Fitness clan is always looking for new members no matter your level. Main Quest: In August 2013 I weighted 267 lbs and my doctor said I had to shut up about my sore knees or die (great guy, bedside manner of a doorknob). So, I started trying to get healthy and since I'm a type "A" person I use www.loseit.com as my food log and calorie counter. I hit my goal weight of 180 lbs but lost steam/motivation last challenge and am back up to 185 lbs So my main quest is to continue my healthy lifestyle and improve my fitness level and get back down to 180 lbs To do that... Side Quests: 1. Keep my daily food log and weigh-ins with my loseit.com account. 2. Do at least 3 Cardio workouts a week (min 20 minutes), even if its just walking around my sub-division or playing on recumbent bike. Finding this hard to do during the cold winter months. 3. Do the following BBWW during the week. 75 Push-ups 100 Squats 100 Leg Lunges 150 Dumbbell Rows 5 x 25 sec Planks 150 Jumping Jacks Life Quest: My long term life quest is to finish my basement (couple current pic's in my gallery) and turn it into a bookshop/rec-room. To help keep me sane (ish), I also like to write. So I will be continuing the adventure of petefeet as he explores the world around him. I try and take parts from my real life and weave them into a story. So far.... (Check 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th , 5th and 6th Adventure's for written story) Petefeet is a halfling who was kidnapped by raider's as a small child and taken to a large human city and sold as a slave to the people running the cities gladiator arena. For much of his young life he was used as a servant, used to fetch and carry for the Masters and the gladiators. After many years of this, petefeet starts to realize that he wants more out of life and starts to secretly steal better food meant for the Master's and starts trying to copy the exercises done by the gladiators. Just when the Master's start to realize that something is changing with their normally meek and cowardly Halfling slave, an outside (Maybe the "Lady in Flames"?) force intervenes. How and when it happens is still a blur to petefeet, but one day he finds himself waking up in the middle of a crater out in the middle of the wilderness wearing nothing but his slave robes, which are now tattered and singed. Found by a young human girl named Jan and her Grandfather, petefeet had his burned skin tended, feed and dressed in old work clothes. In an effort to repay them for their kindness, petefeet offered to rid them of an giant rat that had taken up residence in their work hut. With nothing to protect his hands, our little Halfling wrapped the burned and tattered remains of his slave robes around his hands (like boxing mitts) and went into battle. It was during the battle with the giant rat that petefeet realized that the old robes held some magic (or was the focus for an innate ability or a gift from "Lady in Flames"?), for when he became scared, tiny sparks formed on the old robes covering his hands and when he punched the giant rat burns were also left upon the beast though petefeet received no damage. The more is was able to control his fear, the better he was able to hurt the beast. Since that day, petefeet has wandered the land, helping out where he came, getting into the odd bit of trouble and making new friends. He isn't quite sure where he is going, though is sure he will know it when he finds it. Currently petefeet is holed up in an abandoned manor house for the winter months as he tries to deal with emotional issues and be happy on his own, leaving the larger world for another day. The never ending winter has worn petefeet's nerves pretty thin, but it appears that spring might finally been at hand and that brings a sense of renewed energy to the halfling. Characters within the story petefeet = Me Giant Brown Bear = My friend Hal who I only get to see a couple times a year "Lady in Flames" (figure in petefeet's dreams) = Friend who I realize I'm falling in love with, and the knife edge I'm walking wanting to be more without losing what I have with her. Black Dog (figure in petefeet's dreams) = Depression & that insidious emotion called "Hope" Mickey the Cat (Mysterious Wizards Familiar?) = My cat named Mickey!

Hello! I was browsing this challenge for a good 45 minutes last night debating...but I'm doing it! On May 20th I have an appt with my doctor to talk about my husband and I starting a family (adjusting my medications, etc). Needless to say, this is daunting. Even more frightening? The habits I have built up that I do NOT want to pass on to a child. My main quest: Lost 8-10 pounds by this appointment. Incorporate a workout routine that consists of running/cardio and home workouts (mix of routines given to me in the past by trainers). And follow a Paleo diet 57% of my week (at least 4 out of 7 days). This may seem too small, but I'm trying to start off realistic. How will I do this? Sub Goal 1: Go on a jog with my husband at least twice a week (this isn't just a health thing, he LOVES to run and gets sooo pumped when I'm willing to do it with him). Sub Goal 2: Utilize our free weights at least twice a week for approx. 30 minutes (circuits). Sub Goal 3: Purchase 4 different vegetables and 2 main proteins for a week for prepped meals (I feel so sad typing this because as an adult I should be eating more vegetables....goodness) Life Quest: Complete one major cleaning chore every 3 days (starting on the 13th). Again....adulthood! My husband and I are both clutter-tastic. No apprentice should have to learn in such conditions! I know I have a skills to teach a child the ways of the nerd/geek...but I want them to live long enough to enjoy whatever makes them happy. Grading system: A - all sub goals met for week with life quest included B - sub goals met, but not life quest C - sub goals 1 and 2 met D - sub goals 1 or 2 with 3 are met F - goals not met for week I'm hoping this fits the guidelines. To be honest, I've been so impressed with some of your posts already I'm a little intimidated but will appreciate ANY input! Thank you! Jifu

Hello to anyone that reads this! I started a challenge, my depression took a huge turn for the worse after the first week, I gave myself a couple of weeks off to let my meds work their magic and here I am, about 18 months later, finally getting some semblance of a life with the umpteenth med that I've tried. So, here I am again. Main Quest Drop to a UK size 14 by Christmas. Goal 1 Drink more water, no crisps etc, continue intermittent fasting. Goal 2 Exercise 3 times a week. I'm not sure what exercise I'll do yet but I'll update when I have this figured out. Going to do the beginners bodyweight workout on a Monday, Wednesday and Thursday and I'll try to do some bunny yoga on the other days. I may not get a chance to at weekends as that's family time but I'll try my hardest. Goal 3 Try to get to sleep earlier. Fight the insomnia! Life goal 1 Slim down enough that I don't have as much of an overhanging tummy so I can use my lovely, lovely fabrics to make myself some nice skirts. Life goal 2 Get better at sewing so I can use my lovely, lovely fabrics to make myself some nice skirts. About me I'm Jangles, I'm 37, live in Scotland with my husband, two boys, two dogs and a cat. All the pets are boys. I have no idea how much I weigh as the batteries for the scales have disappeared from them and I keep forgetting to get more. I've always been overweight, or so I thought. Looking at old pictures of me, I wasn't but was always told I was by my mother. I was always fit though and that's what I miss and hope to regain. Edited as I still have no batteries for my scales so can't do a beginning weight. Also, would rather be fit than have a small number on the scales at the end of the day. Or year.