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So I may not be clear on how this all works just yet, but I've always had success by stumbling forward. My first challenge is in my sig below. I am currently on Day 3. I have been successful in packing my lunch for work. Our cafeteria is staffed with legit chefs, and the food is restaurant quality (read: DELICIOUS!!!). So, part of my challenge is to bring my lunch to work for the 6 weeks in order to fill myself on nutritious foods that aren't chock full of sugar and processed carbs. Strength training is going well. I'm doing the Beginner Bodyweight Workout. I'm currently 6'1", 253 lbs. So, bodyweight workout is pretty significant. I made it through the first workout fairly easily. I did work up a good sweat and my heart rate was definitely elevated. I think I am going to ramp things up by adding another rep per exercise, per workout, in order to make things a bit more challenging. Running is my Achilles' heel, pun intended. Currently, I'm at my heaviest and, historically, when I've tried running, I am quick to develop shin splints and quit soon thereafter. After strength training on Day 1, I incorporated a stretching cooldown and discovered that my leg muscles are very tight, and not in a good way. Sitting on the floor with my feet tucked flat under me is a painful challenge. So I think that is a big contributing factor. I've been driving a desk for 13 years now, and my muscles have shortened as a result. Yesterday was Day 2, and I ran for the first time. It was a struggle! I'm using the C25K app from Zen Labs, and the notifications weren't working properly. All told, I still made it through a 30 minute workout with an average heart rate of ~152. I stretched when I got home and, boy, did that smart! I focused on stretching my calves and shins. It probably would have hurt less had I just doused myself in gasoline and set my legs on fire. After 30 minutes of stretching, though, my muscles definitely loosened up, and I'm not nearly as sore today as I normally would have been. So I think I'm onto something. If anyone here has any suggestions on heavy runners avoiding injury or how much discomfort is within the normal range, I have a virtual high five waiting for you! Oh and... cat .GIF!

I think I'm going about his backward. I'm introducing myself AFTER having laid out my challenge... or MAYBE you're just reading this out of order. At any rate, my name is Brad (username chord509). I am: husband of 17 yearsfather of 2 teenage boys41 years old6'0", ~250lbs (17.8571429kg, 17.8571429st)training mentor for a large computer manufacturerMy fitness journey has been a series of mis-starts. I lost some weight on Atkins and Weight Watchers in the past, but it's hard to keep a fat man down! Growing up, I was the skinny runt of the class. No matter how hard I trained for sports, I never got bigger and only marginally stronger. I graduated high school at 5'8" and 115lbs. In college, things changed when my wife became pregnant. Late night pizza and nachos cravings drove my wife's pregnancy. I was only TOO happy to oblige and eagerly participate. I saw my weight go from 165lbs to 180lbs to 200lbs... Today, I am approximately 250lbs. Tying my shoes, in itself, can be an aerobic event. I know what it feels like to be overweight and unfit. I now want to know what the other end of the spectrum feels like. In addition, my father is almost 500lbs. His method of transport is a walker. Without it, he is off-balance and prone to falling. He has had major surgery on both eyes for glaucoma, as a symptom of his Type II diabetes. I have horridly realized that I am roughly 20 years from the same fate if I don't change something. You see, I drive a desk for a living. Eight hours on my butt every Monday through Friday, and then the weekends are spent... on my butt playing World of Warcraft. My surname is Self, derived from Seawulfe, a Norse Viking clan. My ancestors were explorers and warriors, and I want to recapture that adventurous, conqueror's spirit. I'm not looking to pillage and plunder any villages, but I do want to conquer my diet and inactivity!

I am descended from a Norse clan called "Seawulfe." While my ancestors were brave adventurers who battled man and sea, I have lost my way and only do battle at a computer screen. I am a 41 year old training mentor with a large tech company in Austin, TX. I spend the majority of my day sitting in front of a computer screen. I come home... and sit some more (World of Warcraft, television, dinner table). I'm tired of wasting my life on my butt! My motivation is my father and my kids. My dad is morbidly obese with glaucoma and diabetes. He can no longer get around without the use of a walker. He has had multiple surgeries to relieve some of his symptoms. THIS WILL NOT BE MY FATE! Main Goal - Create and Maintain a healthy lifestyle of fitness A Viking warrior is a strong conqueror who is not afraid of a challenge. He lives, and loves, fiercely. He leads his clan by example, and remains focused on the battle. Subgoal 1 - Train for Battle! Winning the battle requires strength, speed, and endurance. I will focus the next 6 weeks on strength training (3x/wk) and C25K (2x/wk). 5+x/week = A STA+1 DEX+2 STR+2 4x/week= B STA+.75 DEX+1 STR+1 3x/week = C STA+.5 DEX+.75 STR+.75 2x/week= D STA+.25 DEX +.5 STR+.5 0-1x/week = F- No points Sugboal 2 - Fuel for the Fight You cannot fill the tank of a war machine with mud and manure, and expect to dominate on the battlefield. I have a bad habit of eating in the cafe on campus, 5x/wk. Instead, I will plan out my meals, and take my lunch. 5+x/week = A CON+3 4-5x/week = B CON+2 2-3x/week = C CON+1 0-1x/week = F No point I choose, today, that I will fight back. I choose to fight weakness with strength. I choose to run headlong into battle. Hear my battle cry, and tremble in fear!

.:: Good morning humans of Nerd Fitness! ::. ABOUT ME: My name is Sara, I’m 23 and I’m very late for this challenge! British girl currently living and working in Japan, I have been a Nerd Fitness Rebel for three months now and it has helped me build healthy habits and increase stamina. In a country (that I absolutely love but) where many women put themselves through harmful diets in an effort to look thin, I am glad to have found a community that puts emphasis on getting strong! In addition, I have been aspiring to live a more mindful and minimalist life. Meditation and decluttering my flat are hence part of the challenge! I am going back to the UK in a month for my cousin’s wedding, which coincides nicely with this challenge! CHALLENGE QUEST: build muscle and lose 4 pounds (of mostly fat!) 130 lbs -> 126lbs, complete a handstand. 3 STEPS FITNESS: Complete 3 cardio + 2 strength training workouts a week, first thing in the morning. Increase intensity of workouts weekly and keep record. FOOD: An average of 1’600 calories of healthy real foods a day. No starchy carbs after 5pm. MEDITATION: 5minutes, 4 times a week. SIDE QUEST: 30 minutes of decluttering my flat, 5 times a week. Fellow Recruits, よã‚ã—ããŠã­ãŒã„ã—ã¾ã™ï¼ï¼ˆI humbly put myself in you care/let's do this!!）