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Hello everyone! After recommendation from a friend and newfound desire to get past this plateau I've been on for years, I decided to join Nerd Fitness! Main Quest Goal #1: To run my first 5k in a time that I'm proud of. My personal record running a 5k by myself was about 27:54, which is about a 9 MPH pace. I want to take this down to 8:30/mile if possible. I'm planning on training 3-4 days a week doing intervals and maybe distance once a week, but the 5k I'm planning on running is in a little over 3 weeks. So I need to get going on this! I'm training in Denver and running at sea level in Miami, so hopefully this helps a bit too come race day. Goal #2: I've been doing weight machines in the gym for a long time, and some simple dumbbell stuff, which has gotten me this far. I can now do 2 pull-ups and 5 chin-ups thanks to training on the assisted pull-up machine, I usually curl 25 or 30 lb dummbells, and I think I'm decently strong. But I don't think I've improved in quite a while. I'm not sure if I have to push myself more or that I'm not getting enough protein or something - it's not that I want to bulk up, but I'd still like to see some more definition. I'm at less than 15% body fat (it was last measured a few weeks ago at 13.3%, but I have a feeling those readings are not always accurate), about 5'6" and 120 lbs, but I want people to look at me and know that I'm strong. Right now I kind of look skinny and like a runner, which I'm not. My goal here is to start doing other excercises regularly that I'm not used to, like squats, burpees, and push-ups. Any other recommendations would be helpful, because I honestly don't know that much about exercises that aren't weight machines or cable machines. By the end of this 6-weeks I'd like to look different and feel stronger. I'm planning on doing these exercises during the same days that I'm training for the 5k. Side Quest I eat relatively healthy but I consume too much alcohol. I really like whiskey and beer, and now that I've moved to CO, I'm surrounded by awesome microbreweries that I want to try. And when I get there I want to try every beer they have. I am cutting this down to drinking once or twice a week maximum. A single beer with dinner still counts. I think this will not only cut down on the stomach fat that I'm pretty sure is due to alcohol, but also hopefully help my skin look better. Thanks for reading. I'm excited to get involved in the community here and to hopefully finally see some improvements in my life!

Greetings everyone! Here goes, my first challenge. I found the site a couple months ago and have been lurking around ever since. Time to really step up and get my self out there, so lets see. Main quest: To be able to run the full 5k non-stop (again). Quest #1: Strength training a minimum of 3 times a week. Haven't been able to stick with that one lately, normally good for a few days then just get lazy. Quest #2: Complete my runs at under the 9 min/mile mark, consistently. I can sometime hit that mark, or just right over it, but never more than just one day, after that good day I normally somehow hit the 9:20 to 9:50 min/mile mark again. (I am hoping the strength training will help slightly) Mini quest #1: Gain back 5 pounds (cause my wife asked for it), but I want it to come from the training, not the lazy body that I usually have. Mini quest #2: Give up soda! - This one I will need a ton of willpower, and help with. I drink on average, just one can a day of Coke Zero, and that is at lunch. I drink water all day long and really need something else by the time lunch comes along. I can't stand tea, never have liked it since I was a kid and to this day can't drink it. I have flavored water, and additives for water, but it is still not enough of a change to drop the soda. Okay so there is my list. I hope that I can power through this grind and gain the levels. Good luck to everyone else just starting their journey also.

Mild re-posting, not sure how to go about it but anyway... I'm goldfever, a 24 year-old chap from Bristol, UK. I work an office job during the week and study most weekends. I'm a keen cyclist (at least, I was) but experienced a few sucker punches in the past 6 months that has affected my waistline, and to an extent my general happiness. My main quest will be best measured by losing 5kg (11lb) to get myself down to 86kg (190lb) by the end of the challenge. By doing this I expect to have improved fitness, health and mental wellbeing. My goals to attempt to succeed in this quest include: Cycle the 8 miles to the office (& 8 miles back) twice a week: A: 3 times a week B: 2 times C: 0-1 time Go run twice a week A: 3 times a week B: 2 times C: 0-1 time Keep my office lunches healthy - soup or salad 3/5 times a week A: 4-5 times a week B: 3 times C: 0-2 times Go to a gym 4 times during the challenge A: 5+ times B: 4 times C: <4 times Limit myself to a maximum of 3 takeaways in this period A: NO TAKEAWAYS! B: <4 times C: >3 timesOther quest: Make responsible financial decisions (fix my motorbike and pay off some debt) Good luck all :-) goldfever

Hey y'all, This is my first attempt at the six week challenge, I'm determined to succeed. But I know I need back-up, if y'all have any advice for a first timer I'd appreciate it. My goals are as follow: Main goal: Be able to hold a run for 1 mile and begin building functional strength Grading scale: A: Run 3 times a week and strength twice a week B: Run 2 times a week and strength once a week C: Run 1 time a week and strength once a week D: Walk 30mins a day, no strength F: Do nothing Side Quest #1: Eat paleo twice a day A: Eat paleo twice a day for a week B: Eat paleo twice a day for 3 days in a week C: Eat paleo twice a day for 2 days in a week D: Eat paleo once a day any times during the week F: Do nothing Side quest #2: Focus on maintaining some resemblance of a social life Pass: Attend a social event 1 time a week Fail: Do nothing MarvelFanGirl

[Dr. Nick voice] Hi, everybody! [/Dr. Nick] I've been an NF lurker for over a year and a half and am finally joining what is surely one of the coolest communities around. I've always considered myself to be some degree of fat/pudgy, and to have man boobs more than pecs. I'd rather be strong than skinny though, and since November I've been slowly but surely working my way up to 4 days/week of working out or skiing. I'm enjoying weightlifting for the numerical progress I can track and seeing muscles pop out for the first time in years, and my 2-3 days/week of skiing lets me utilize those gains to have a lot of fun. I've had my share of chronic and acute injuries in the past, hence my thread title to keep my progress going for the whole 6 week stretch. MAIN QUEST: Ski better than I ever have before and shred at a mountain I've never skied. Once the snow melts, backpack 20 miles/day through any terrain with a full pack load (9 days of food, but still only 30 pounds). SIDE QUEST 1: Eat 1g of protein per pound of bodyweight. I've cut a lot of empty calories out of my diet, but I don't want to limit my muscle growth potential. Because eating is easier than writing for me, I need to keep track of it too. Measurement: A = 40 days, B = 30 days, C = 20 days SIDE QUEST 2: Do at least 1 lower body and 2 upper body workouts each week. I can mentally stay dedicated to a cause or goal, but I'm too good at giving up or letting things get in the way of my own desires. This will also be a barometer for staying injury-free. Measurement: A = 6 weeks, B = 5 weeks, C = 4 weeks SIDE QUEST 3: Ski as often as possible. I can claim the drought afflicting my local mountain town can justify skipping out on skiing because conditions aren't perfect, but I really shouldn't when summer is fast approaching. Measurement: A = 16 days, B = 12 days, C = 10 days LIFE QUESTS: Finish 1 nonfiction, 1 fiction, and 1 technical book. Meditate 3 times a week. MOTIVATION: I've never really committed to myself before - I don't know what I'm fully capable of. I have decent genetics and am pretty good at sports, but I want to actually experience the payoff of working toward goals and accomplishing things I never knew I could before. Due to a long history of injuries and being a playing catcher for a dozen years, I won't be surprised if something finally goes and I find out that I need knee or ankle surgery (the last time I had an ankle x-ray after a ski crash, the physician pointed out bone spurs starting to grow). I don't want to hold myself back with excuses any longer.

Paeli Profession: Adventurer (potentially Ranger or Scout… TBD) My name is Paeli, I’m a female half-giant (5'10", 195lbs) in my mid 20s. This is my first Nerd Fitness challenge. I enjoy cycling and was a bike commuter before switching jobs 2 years ago. I planning to resume that when the weather improves (after this challenge, most likely). My previous distance record bicycling was 60km in a day. I would like to exceed that. Brief history, I lost 100 lbs in 2012 & have maintained about 75lbs of that loss. My ultimate quest is to finish my weight loss in 2015! For now - I have challenged myself to take part in a Tough Mudder this summer. In order to prepare, I am training my strength with bodyweight exercises and doing a modified C25K program to build up my running endurance. Main goals: *Lose 12 lbs over the next 6 weeks! Ultimate quest (no time limit!) *Lose 43 lbs. Quest 1: *Develop ability to run a 5k (6mi) by doing run/walk intervals until I get there. Measurement: A = Run 5x a week. B = Run 3x a week. C = Run 1/2x a week. Or N/A. Reward: A = +2 STA, +2 AGI. B = +2 STA, +1 AGI, C = +1 STA Quest 2: *Be able to do a push-up with proper form. Measurement: A = full range of motion push-up. B = set of 12 knee push-ups with full RoM. C = 1 knee push-up with full RoM. Reward: A = +2 STR, +2 STA. B = +2 STR, +1 STA. C = +1 STR. Quest 3: *Avoid emotional binge eating on an on-going basis. (Stay within my dietary limits) Measurement: A = Stay within limits throughout challenge. B = Exceed limits once bi-weekly.. C = Exceed limits once weekly. Reward: A = +2 WIS, +2 CON, B = +2 WIS, +1 CON. C = +1 WIS. Motivation: I want to live a better life where I am not held back by my physical limitations. I want to impress myself with my ability to grow and push further. I want to develop the courage and confidence for every aspect of my life. I want to develop the kind of mental perseverance that athletes have.

Introduction: Hi! Karma here. This is my first time trying NF, or anything like it! I'm female, late 20's, and I had always been really active. College athlete and after college I did a few sprint triathlons, and began training for an olympic distance tri. My roadblock popped up a few years back...intense hip pain while running stopped me from pursuing triathlons. I've since had surgery and have been labeled with mild dysplasia, which limits some of my favorite physical activities. Anyway... Went back to school to be an NP and now I get so sucked into overworking and helping everyone around me, I neglect my own needs. Hopeful that I can find a community here, and with happy encouragement from like minded people, I'll get back out there! Main Quest: increase strength & muscle tone, especially around my hips and core. Find activities not bothersome to hip Quest 1: wake up early and get to the gym 4-5 days/week Measurement: A = 5 days week for 5(/remaining?) weeks B = 4 days/week for remaining challenge weeks C = 3 days/week, D=2-1 days/week F= 0 days/week Quest 2: Drink ~64 ounces water /day Measurement: A = ~64oz , B = < 50 oz, C = < 30 oz Quest 3: Eat at least 5 veg/fruit a day. Measurement: A = 5 B = 3-4 , C = < 3 Motivation: mental health, overall happiness and feeling well! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Greetings! I created an account here for 4 days ago, find this site on Imgur, got really inspired ! I have a background in sports, icehockey & mountainbiking - but the last 6 years my life (i'm 29) has been about stress, work, drink & eat. I have gained 25 kg (55 lbs) the last 6 years. The mails i got from this site has been informative and inspiring. And puts a lot of focus on the "dont do everything at the same time" wich is one of my lifes unintentional mottos.. I would really keep this first 6 weeks in a reasonable level - so i really can make it ! I have some issues with my body, such as arthritis and last year i suffered with a depression because of this, i got some meds that helped me with my mental issues but was a apart of my gaining of weight Main Quest Feel comfortable to be seen in just underwear in front of my loved ones, today i cover myself up even in front of my girlfriend that i haved for 7 years. My goal is to feel comfortable with this in november 2015. I also want to get my energy back - today i have trouble getting up in the morning, having trouble not to walk up to my bed as soon as i comes home from work - just to slack. Quit my antideppressive meds is one of the biggest quest for 2015, it´s goint to be rough - but it´s needed. Quest 1 Dont go to bed before 21.00 in the weekdays. Use the time between work and bedtime for more productive things, such as working out, prepare some food for the week. But the head goal is - DONT GO TO BED BEFORE 21. Quest 2 Dont use elevators for 6 weeks. Quest 3 Go with the Paleo diet for 30 days - with 2 cheatmeals per week. starting - 2015-03-03 I´ve done this before and i know a lot about it. http://www.nerdfitness.com/NerdFitness_PaleoDiet.pdf Quest 4 I love spinning classes, my goal for this 6 weeks is to attend at 10 spinning classes. I was attending at 6 spinning class before i got sick in the flu for about 3 weeks, so now i need to start from the beginning again. Quest 5 reduce my boody weight 5 kg - 11 LBS in 6 weeks. Life quest Read a couple of pages in a book before bedtime - I love reading, but i just have forgotten about it for some strange reason, the book has been overrun by my smartphone.. Today i fall asleep with my smartphone in my hand, almost every night. Todays weight (2015-03-03) 92 kg - 202 lbs

Hello! I'm a noob here, and would like to challenge myself. Unfortunately, this challenge will be a week shorter for me, but I thought that five weeks are better than nothing. My main fitness goal is to complete a marathon within tree years. Two yars ago I completed a 10K, but because of my hasty training routine, it cost me a severe knee damage, so now I should begin from scratch. A less distant goal is to run another 10K on the October 20-th (or earlier), and a 5K by the midsummer. For this challenge I'll be working on creating habits: 1) Weight training: Steve's Beginner Bodyweight Workout 3 times a week 2) Running 3 times a week according to a beginner's schedule 3) Eating veg salads no less than 3 times a week, and sugar products no more than twice a week. Wish me be consistent and strong!

Hi I'm Ethan, intro on myself: I'm 5'7" and I weigh about 167 pounds. My problem really isn't about my weigh but more of my self esteem. I've never really been proud of myself and I've never been good with dealing with people so it's been hard on my self esteem. I'm not sporty, I don't play outdoor games and even when I play computer games I usually play single player so even online I don't have friends. I'm not the type of person people like to hangout with so I have a serious problem with maladjustment(My level of maturity doesn't match my age). I found Nerd Fitness about 2-3 years ago and I've been popping in every once in a while checking out the site. I found out about the 6 week challenge a long time ago but since I wasn't familiar with the program and the forums I tried doing it myself a couple(dozen) of times but I failed each time. Sad Every time I tried formulating my own method of creating a real life character - the stats, the abilities, etc.. there was always something in the way that hindered any progress I made(been trying for 3 years now). So now I want to try something different and hopefully I can find fellow rebels/life players who have the same goals that I have and create the best character I can with this opportunity given... it has to start somewhere. Throughout those 3 years that I've been trying to create my character I've been experiencing the typical setbacks experienced by most beginners: Burnouts, muscle or joint pains(lasting days causing me to stop for MONTHS), loss of motivation, money problems, etc... So I know a lot of my weaknesses but still difficult to resist simple temptations(Sweets, processed food especially ha ha! ). I'm gonna try taking it slow and see if working with an accountability group would improve the results. Now onto the GOALS! Main Goal: Achieve the basic requirements to be a monk I actually want to be an assassin or a hybrid but since I have to go slow - monk it is! Primary Objective: Get Strong endurance and Stamina Be able to jog/run 3 miles continuously.(Jog for 30 minutes a day and walk around to get used to going outside)Learn how to swim (free style)Secondary Objective: Eliminate the fear of going out... Although it's a secondary objective it is the hardest hindrance to overcome. Countless times have I been demotivated because I'm afraid of letting people see me, afraid that they'd judge me which causes me to stop for months before getting motivated again. I want to do something that I'd be proud of myself, that in the near future I'd be able to tell myself 'I did a good job'.

I tried, I failed, I tried, I failed (give or take a couple of tries) and I'm back. Goals: 1: Cycle 5k in under 8 minutes. 2: Do 100 pushups. 3. Cycle 20k in under 50 minutes. I beat my last personal goals so I'm going to keep challenging myself with endurance and strength. Got an exercise bike and a bodyblade I use for practise. I can currently only do about 15 pushups, and all this is with an aim to eventually filter through to join the assassins.

Greetings! fifipommes (La Pomme), the newbie here. I’m a 35 year old writer/filmmaker, living between London, UK and Lagos, Nigeria. This 6 week challenge could not have come at a better time, as I woke up ready to kick my own behind into gear again (and this time it's personal - not that it ever wasn't ... moving on). Main Quest: Complete the Super Sprint at the London Triathlon on August 8th!! (Yes, i will) Quest 1 - (deliciously evil) Demon Sugar: Hi, my name is Fiona and I am a sugar addict. I was doing quite well with a pretty strict paleo diet and then I fell, face first, off the wagon and proceeded to wallow, gleefully, in the sugary muck. 6 additional Lbs and low energy later, I am ready to wean myself off the sugar again. This challenge I will be planning my meals ahead and preparing a few healthy (and tasty) options that I can leave in the fridge for time pressed situations or when I need a snack. I won't be eating much fruit to begin with but will allow myself to have a portion, if I want something sweet. I will remind myself that I am not on a diet; I am swapping unhealthy eating habits for healthier ones. If I slip up, I will not beat myself up and I will remember that one meal does not have to become a whole day, week, month, of unhealthy eating. Eating clean = 5 CON Quest 2 - Ranger Training I have a few months before the triathlon, so I'm going to focus on losing weight and building up some stamina for 12 weeks and then tailor my workouts specifically for the swim, bike, run. Weeks 1 - 12: Dumbell Division workouts (starting at level 1) three times a week, Couch 2 5k running program three times a week, yoga in the evenings (3-6 times a week 20-30 mins) Weeks 13 - 23: 10 week Beginner Triathlete program (alternating swimming, biking, running 4/5 times a week), kettlebell training 2-3 times a week, daily yoga 3x weekly Dumbbell Division, Couch 2 5k = 2 STR, 1.5 STA Daily yoga = 1.5 DEX Quest 3 - Sleep Patterns Is it possible to be a Vampire-Ranger? I have difficulty shutting off and going to sleep, even when I'm tired. I will work on establishing better bedtime habits (no reading in bed, no laptops in bed, no mobile phones in bed etc.) and try to average 7 hours of sleep per night. I will work on building a gradual "shutting down" bedtime routine, which will involve yoga/meditation in the evenings and unplugging myself from all the gadgets a minimum of an hour before bed. Improved sleeping habits = 2 CON Life Quest - Time Management Sadly, I am the Queen of procrastination. I will improve my time management by planning my day the night before, breaking tasks down and setting time frames for completion. I will eliminate online distractions by using Rescue Time to block the sites that I get lost on during the day. I will set appointments in my calendar to remind myself what needs to be done and by when. Better time management = 3 WIS Starting Stats: Class - Human Profession - Ranger Weight - 232 lbs Clothing size - UK 20 I'm looking forward to this challenge... ready to kick ass and take names! I'm also looking forward to seeing everyone else's progress. This really is a fantastic community and I'm glad that I stumbled across NF. The journey begins!

So... I've stopped counting how many times I've started doing this challenge and how many times I've given up or sort of forgotten about it. (As happened last time, but in my defence, exams were a priority then ). I just don't want to feel constrained by my weight. I don't want to breathe heavy because I walked three flights of stairs. I don't want to have to keep buying bigger clothes and having to settle for uglier clothes because they don't have a lot of nice clothes in bigger sizes. I want to feel good about my body. I want to be able to look in a mirror and smile. I also don't want to have to not do something because of my weight or my fitness level. Main goal Currently, I weigh 86 kg (190 lbs), and am 1.73 m (5' 8" ?) tall. Ideally, I'd like to lose 20 kg (44 lbs), but that's on a long term. For this challenge only, I'd be glad to say I lost 2 to 3 kg (4.5 to 6 lbs). Side goals: 1. Run 3 times a week. This one should be doable. I'll run once a week with my SO and a friend of mine, so I should at least go out once a week. Once on the weekend, and I probably will find some time during the week as well. A: Ran 18 times or more B: Ran 15 times or more C: Ran 12 times or more D: Ran 9 times or more 2. Sleep on time. (Get to sleep at 22:30 and get up at 6) Does anyone have any tips for this? When I was still in high school, this was easy, but now in college it seems so hard to get up early. Does anyone have any experience how to approach this? I need to figure out how to rate this as well. 3. Track calories accurate on weekdays. (Still track on the weekend, but less accurate is accepted.) The reason why I can track less accurate is because then I'm mostly home. Most of the times my parents cook, making tracking it harder. Monday till Friday I cook for myself, so it is easier to get accurate measurements. A: Tracked 42 days B: Tracked 36 days or more C: Tracked 30 days or more D: Tracked 24 days or more Does this all look reasonable? I think it does, but it's always helpful to have multiple perspectives! There's also a problem I have trouble with, and that's my addiction to chips (or crisps, or whatever else you call them). I don't especially like them, but for some reason I nearly always end up buying a bag from the store nearly each time I go shopping. And when I get home, I end up eating the whole bag in a few hours. It's a disgusting habit, and I need to get rid of, but I don't want to set myself up for failure. Is the best technique to get rid of certain food to do it cold turkey, or are there better ways? I can't wait till monday. But I'll start with most of these tomorrow, it's getting quite late.

Hello All, This is my first challenge since I just stumbled upon NF a week or so ago. I am really excited to participate. I am almost 40 years old weighing 15.2 stones. I am already pretty active. I bike, run and have started swimming. I am training for my first TRI this summer and want to be in better shape. Main Quest: Complete my first TRI in July. This Challenges Quest: Swim 300 meters without resting Quest 1: Train for that TRI! The TRI is getting closer each day. I want to make sure I can do the 1500M swim, 40K Bike and 10K run. Training now is important to that. A - Exercise at least 4-5 times a week for 30 minutes or more (Run, Bike, Swim) (+2 STA, +2 DEX) B - Exercise at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes or more (Run, Bike, Swim) (+1 STA, +1 DEX) F - Below 3 times Extra credit - If I do 2 Saturdays with a double workout then bonus points (+1 STA, +1 DEX) Quest 2: Lose the soda and drink my water I am horrible with soda, 60oz a day is normal some days. I want to elimate it. A - Drink 64 oz water and NO SODA! (+2 STA, +2 CON) B - Drink 40 oz water and NO SODA! (+1 STA, +1 CON) F - Any soda at all! Quest 3: Use MyFitnessPal to track my calories, exercise and weight. A - Track 5-7 days all food (+2 WIS, +2 CHA) B - Track 4 days all food (+1 WIS, +1 CHA) F - Less than 4 days My Motivation Im almost 40! My doctor has stressed several times to stay active and lose the gut. Life Quest: Get this move done! (+1 CON) I am in the process of buying and moving to a new home. My life goal right now is to get through that process without getting stressed out. I plan to accomplish that by checking in with my Loan Officer 2-3 times a week and start packing a little every week. Guild: Scout I am really excited to jump in and looking forward to meeting some of you.

Hi everybody! Ok I have done a challenge or two before but I feel like I want to start over this time. So here we go again. Main quest: Perform in a mini-tri race in august. Thats 600meters swim, 20km bicycle and 4km run. - My goal is to do it under 1h 20 min - Sub goal is to be able to do the whole swim with crawl and be able to do the whole swim without stopping. J-man goes Sylar - "Gathering the super powers Part 1" To complete this race within 1h 20min (or better) I need to gather some extra powers! So with the determination of Sylar its time to get what should be mine from some of our favorite!? super heroes! Watch out, here comes the finger! Aquaman: Goes without saying, swimming is the key here - I need to improve my crawl tecnuiqe so I can swim longer distances. Batman: I dont think there are any special needs for an extremely deep and dark voice in a triathlon (but what do I know? this will be my first one) No what I need from batman is his super speed from his extremely cool "bike"! The flash: Who would be a better choice to pay a little friendly!? visit to if you want to get some super speed for the running leg of the race? Superman: Ok, hes a though guy, it wont be easy to get into his head but for the super strenght of his it will be worth it. The stronger the better! Mr. Fantastic: Yes please! I can take some of that flexibility. Actually I think I will, please hold still! This wont hurt a bit! For this challenge I will work with all of my new super powers, but my main focus will be on getting the basics ready. That means focus on Aquaman, Mr Fantastic and Superman, for these weeks. Aquaman: Swim like a superhero! For these 6 weeks I will refine my tecnuiqe and aim for higher stammina. - I will vist the swimming pool atleast once every week. - At the end of the challenge I should be able to swim 200 meters crawl without stopping. Superman - lift like a super hero. Well... atleast build a stronger body. I feel like I need to be stronger not only in my legs but also in my core, back and shoulders. I believe a little more strenght will help me to be stronger in the swim and in the bicycle, and also help me avoid injuries. 1. I will build strenght by doing the big compound exercises (squat, deadlift, benchpress, military press, pullups and dips) once every week. 2. And to balance it and get some muscular endurance I will also do Grit strengt (or similair) once every week. (30min HIIT strenght training in group 3. Once every week I will do a bodyweight/barbell training set at home. Mr. Fantastic - Bend like a super hero So I've just started to lift things up an put them down(squats, deadlift and so on). I soon realized that I am more stiff like the hing than flexibel as Mr fantastic. So I need to work on this. - Before all training session I will follow a warmup plan involving several excercises to help get more movement. Actually I got two plans. I will do them both before each training session. I will also do some biking and running. Atleast one 20min spinning followed by 20min treadmill once every week at the gym. By the time of the next challenge I will shift focus to batman and flash!

Hey there! I'm Ash. I'm almost 24 years old, and its time I get my butt (and life) in shape. I enjoy running, and I'm a wannabe RunDisney addict. I have plans to run at least one half marathon this fall, possibly two, and most likely a full marathon next January. I need to start being more consistent with my workouts, and eating better to fuel them. I'd also like to lose some weight, I stepped on the scale yesterday and weighed in at 185, and ideally I'd like to be at least 140. More importantly than numbers however, I'd like my body to look as awesome as I know it can. I know to do that I need to clean up my diet, but I'm going to be on a vacation for the first week of this challenge, and so I'm going to start slowly with diet. So without further ado, I present my first 6 week challenge: Main Quest: I just moved to Florida around 5 months ago, and I'm returning home in May, so I'd like to look better than when I left. I'd also like to not only finish the races I mentioned above, but finish them strongly. Subquest 1: Finish Zombies Run 5K. I'm on week 6, workout 2. Then, start half marathon training. I want to be comfortable running 10 miles or longer before I start training for my marathon, that way I can focus on speed more than distance. Below is what my running schedule is going to look like from today until the end of this challenge. To succeed in this area I need to complete every of the italicized runs on my list. I can push them back a day depending on how sore I am, but one of my major weaknesses is not making time to run, so scheduling is not a reason to skip a run. At the end of the day though, as long as I get all 23 runs in I'll pass. (3 STR, 3 STA) Subquest 2: Practice yoga. At least 3 times a week. I'd like to commit to daily practice, however I'm going to start small. (3 DXT) Subquest 3: ​Drink water. Sometimes I drink way more than I need to, sometimes I don't drink at all. The first food related thing I'd like to accomplish is to drink 8 glasses (4 water bottles) a day, every day. (2 CON) Running Schedule: 2/20: Week 6, Workout 2. (moved to 2/21 due to travel)2/21: Easy Run. (just to keep me loose, add some miles to my weekly count) (2/22)2/22: Week 6, Workout 3. (2/24)2/23: Easy Run. (2/25)2/24: Week 7, Workout 1. (2/26)2/25: Easy Run. (skipped)2/26: Week 7, Workout 2.2/27: Easy Run. 2/28: Week 7, Workout 3. 3/1: Easy Run.3/2: Week 8, Workout 1. 3/3: Easy Run.3/4: Week 8, Workout 2.3/5: Easy Run. 3/6: Week 8, Workout 3. (AKA 5K)3/7: Easy Run.3/8: Easy Run.3/9: Rest.3/10: 3 Miles.3/11: 3 Miles. 3/12: Rest.3/13: 3 Miles. 3/14: Rest.3/15: 3 Miles. 3/16: Rest.3/17: 3 Miles.3/18: 3 Miles.3/19: Rest.3/20: 3 Miles.3/21: Rest.3/22: 4 Miles.3/23: Rest.3/24: 3 Miles.3/25: 3 Miles.3/26: Rest.3/27: 3 Miles.3/28: Rest.3/29: 4 Miles.3/30-4/2: My best friend is in town, I won't be running at all. 4/3: 3 Miles.4/4: 3 Miles.4/5: 4 Miles. Side Quest: Tidy up something in the house for 5 minutes a day. My room is incredibly messy (as is the rest of the house) and I feel like that really needs to change. (1 CHA) Week One Updates: Subquest 1: I'm 2 days behind on my running schedule, one day due to traveling problems (see below) and one day due to improper planning. Monday I should have gone in the morning, but I didn't know what the plan for the day was, and by the time we figured it out, I had to get ready to go. I said I was going to run at night, but we didn't get back to the hotel until around 9, and after several 4 am mornings in a row, I didn't have it in me. I also missed my run on Friday. I had time for it, but I just wasn't feeling it. It wasn't a training run though so I'm allowed to miss a couple. Looking at my schedule, I really can not miss any more training days. Subquest 2: I've only done yoga on Saturday, I did a 20 minute hamstring flow, so even when I practice tomorrow I'll be a day short. I'm not taking it as the end of the world though, that's still a pretty strong start. (As long as I actually do it tomorrow!) Subquest 3: I've drank so much water! Thursday I think I was at 7 glasses instead of 8, but that's the only day I've been short. Sidequest: I've been cleaning so much! That's actually one of the reasons I didn't practice yoga on Thursday, because I had to clean up a spot in my room. I'm getting there though. Since I got back from Cali I've cleaned for around an hour a day. That includes reorganizing my closet and dressers, and it is a huge feat! But when my room is impeccable its going to make me so happy!

Main Quest: to lose 10 pounds Goals: Nutrisystem, Keep up learning spinning, pray more Side Quest: Stick to paying off debt according to our budget plans Guild: Recruit I am a 49 yr old career mom of 3 sons. I lost myself along the way of raising my boys to men and packed on 50 pounds. I have all kinds of health issues now… high cholesterol, pre diabetic, obesity… I want to be back to my 125 and my healthy lifestyle. I used to be an aerobics instructor and I have always been athletic. I want this to be the beginning of my healthy me journey. I want to be off all meds that are fat related and I do not want to see “ obese†category ever again. This is going to be a very long hard journey for me. I am a shorty and the weight will not come off as fast as I want. I tore my piri formis muscle so most of the high impact work outs I like will not be available to me. So I got creative. I can ride a bike without killing my spine, so I took it to the next level. Spinning. It’s fast becoming my new thing so I want to learn how to do it the correct way and build on the foundation. Spin to be slim!

Hey guys, nice to be here again! I was taking on the 6 Week Challenge back in July last year and found this place very helpful and motivating. And I do have to say, it went quite great! The problem was that when I started to feel better about myself and the level of fitness I achieved over ~6 weeks, I just... stopped and abandoned my efforts. Sad story, but I got lazy When I saw that I had lost some weight and that pants were fitting nicely again, I skipped workouts, stopped eating clean and now I'm in nearly the same spot 5 months later. Current situation: Pants again are very tight and I'm mostly hanging around all day without much energy. I realized that I'm turning 25 in July this year and I want to celebrate my quarter-century of existence with being FIT and ACTIVE. So, there you have my big main goal and motivation: Be fit for my 25th birthday, or in short FIT FOR 25th! Yes, I do like cheesy slogans, sorry for that Let's break this down. Goal 1: Since I (most of the time) enjoyed the running and achieved my goal of being able to run 5km last time, let's do it again. Of course there are some lessons learned from last time and I know my lazy ass (did you read that part above about achieving goals and quickly stopping all efforts afterwards?). So let's do it BIG this time: I'm going to run the distance of a half-marathon by July 17th this year. This is not saying that I sign up for an event already, it's just about setting a high bar, a 21km long bar if you will. For measurability, let's say I want to run 3 times a week. Worked quite well last time, different overall goal should give me some additional ass-kicking. Goal 2: Pick up Body Weight Workouts again. Last time I did the beginner bodyweight workout, this time I will allow for more flexibility because I was not always in the right mindset and starting associating it negatively. 3 times a week 1 workout of choice: A) Beginner Bodyweight Workout Handstand Practice C) other choices I might come up with It's obligatory that I will do the BBWW at least once a week, otherwise it's cheating. The list above will likely be extended with some parkour-practicing stuff, but I'm not sure where I want to start on that yet. Goal 3: Eat healthy and consciously. I'll not go full Paleo again, but I want to mostly cut the bad stuff out. A) Only 1 night of drinking alcoholic beverages allowed per week. Currently on bad weeks it's up to 3 times :S Only 1 big non-Paleo-i-eat-what-i-want-meal per week. C) Only 1 unhealthy snack per week (e.g. Snickers when it gets late at work or nachos on the weekend if there's a movie night) So that's the plan! PS: One thing that I'm still doing despite quitting the last challenge ahead of time: Cutting sugar and milk from my coffee EVERYTIME since July last year. Habit changing does work and it will work again for me. PPS: I took starting pictures of myself

Hello Everyone, I am Akuyo, I enjoy candlelight dinners, long walks on the beach... Oh wait, wrong forum! Nah, to be real I am here because I've finally come to the 'it's time to make a change' point. My brother gets back from the Navy in late June and that will mean a lot more going outside and being active in sports related activities.. The shape I am in now ('Round') won't cut it for that. It's time to take back the days of my youth as a Soccer player for my highschool. Main quest: Run a 5k within the next 6 weeks. I used to run a 5k at least 3 times a week for practice.. Now I doubt I'd be able to walk that far without assistance (it's not THAT bad.. I think.) I will be using the Couch to 5K/Zombies Run 5K app to assist in measuring my progress on this Goal 1: Rule #1 - Cardio I will walk/run/jog for 20 minutes at least 3 days a week 18+ walks = A 15+ walks = B 12+ = C 9+ = D Less than 9 = F Bonus - Jog at least 3 of those walks without stopping by week 6 Goal 2: Cavemanization Paleo diet time Over the next 6 weeks I will have at least two meals a day that fall under the paleo diet. 84+ Paleo meals = A 77+ = B 70+ = C 63+ = D Less than 63 = F Bonus - Learn to prepare at least 1 new Paleo meal a week, I asked for a slowcooker for Christmas, so it's time to put it to use. Goal 3: Prepare for the Zombie apocalypse I have been trying out the Beginner Bodyweight workout, trying out new things and such, I want to continue that progress I will do the Beginner bodyweight workout 3 times a week 18 workouts = A 15 = B 12 = C 9 = D Less than 9 = F Bonus - Be able to complete the workout in a circuit 3 sets of each exercise in a row without stopping Second Bonus - Complete the Just 6 Weeks challenges - subbing Dumbell rows for pull-ups for the time being Life quest - Plan a budget for the new year with a savings goal - save something each month, I'll shoot for $25 or more each month with the goal of hitting $500 by the end of the year. I know this isn't required but should I complete the whole 6 weeks with A's in all categories I will reward myself by buying Bloodborne for the PS4 (I will have to tell my wife to NOT let me buy it if i fail..)

Hi all! Some time ago I realized that if Zombie apocalypse happened I would probably die at nearest fence, unable to climb it. Being eaten alive? Gross. But more seriously, I figured that being fit and flexible means better motorcycle riding for me, so less risk of injury and/or death. So, being an average European stopped being ok (average one can't do either pull up nor push up) and I started to do some cross fit. Irregularly, but still it got me 3 push ups!! Yay! But this Christmas season...boy, was I glued to the couch. I romanced with cakes and got married to a blanket. For my deffence: the blanket is fluffy, soft and soooo understanding Anyway, back on the wagon! Long term epic quest: - Save up enough money to buy a new bike in April/May. - Finish "Survival race". 5km of running + 20 obstacles in August-September. Diet goal: - Get back to more Paleo-like eating style. Not 100% though, but definitely cut out sweets, bread, potatoes, snacks. Cook at home more and take it to work. - Loose 3cm around waist? - Limit calories intake to about 1700 per day. Fitness goal: - Hit Crossfit Box 3 times per week (so far it was 2 on average). - Be able to do 5 full push ups at the end of the challenge. General life: - No beer/wine during weekdays, try to reduce booze drunk during parties. Less smoking during parties! Stinky chimneys aren't hot! - Once a week have a "beauty" session (at least 1 hour each): scrubbing, facial masks, nails and that other lady crap. - No electronics after 10pm on weekdays. Actually go to sleep around 11pm. For my first challenge I should stay humbe, I think. Let's see how much can I achieve in 6 weeks... Sorry for long post. Here is a potato for you:

Hi, I am Bine and this is my first challenge I live in Germany and love playing golf. Started running last year, still very slow – but I run J Same is with indoor rowing, slowly but enjoying it J I have lost 9.5 kg (20 lbs) in 2014 and now want to move on, but I only can do this by taking care of good nutrition and sports. I joined this challenge, because I hope that this can help me to overcome my inner weaker self... Especially in the first 3 months of this new year I want to assign quite some time to proper diet and fitness. During golf season in summer, especially the cardio part is getting down for lack of time ;-) but that will be another CHALLENGE... Main Quest: I’m 5’7’’ (1,71 m) at 164 lbs (74,5 kg) and want to lose another 18 lbs (8.5 kg) by the end of June 2015. Quests to Support my Main Quest: Row 42.195 m on the indoor rower. ​A= 42.195 m, B= 36.000 m (85%), C= 30.000 m (70%) Run a total of 42.195 m (Marathon-Distance) ​A= 42.195 m, B= 36.000 m (85%), C= 30.000 m (70%) Stick to my WW plan and only use the given points per week, without using the additional gained activity points A= 6 weeks, B= 5 weeks, C= 4 weeks Drink no alcohol at all and eat no processed sweet or salty snacks like chips, chocolate etc. A= 42 days, B= 36 days Life Quest: The evening before a working day I am in bed before 11:15 pm A= 25+ , B= 22+ (85%), C= 18+ (70%) Rewards: I like the idea somebody has brought up (couldn't figure out who it was but thanks to her/him) of being rewarded with a nice massage. I'll go for beauty treatments :-) 5 A's = Full package incl. massage 4 A's + 1 B = Full package 3 A's + 1 B/C = Light but still nice version :-) Looking forward to win the battle against my inner weakly self!

So, let's say I am Sam Gamgee's great-great-great-great-grandson, who now inhabits a world that has moved on a little since old Sam's day. I have traded in my linens for Under Armour and Goretex, and whilst I still do go barefoot in fair weather, I currently do not leave the house without my insulated pac boots. A new year has dawned, and the travel bug is munching on my calf. I see the now-famous old book sitting high up there on the shelf and immediately decide to follow in Sam's footsteps all the way to Mount Doom, hitting all the major highlights along the way, hopefully arriving before Disney's bid to purchase Mordor and turn it into an amusement park are approved. I also like the idea of walking in the footsteps of great people such as Aragorn and Legolas. Something about that rangery-scouty-assassiny coolness just speaks to me. And for good measure, let's say that I happened to flick through a copy of Men's Health in The Green Dragon and the article on Erwan Lecorre shamed and inspired me. And so my long-long-long-term goal is to cover 1,779 total miles (via run, hike or bike) as calculated by the Eowyn Challenge and discussed right here. My shorter long-term goal is to reach Rivendell (458 miles) before the dawning of 2016. And to aid me in this daunting challenge, my side quests for the next 6 weeks are as follows... 1) Cover 50 miles within 6 weeks. Wandering around the farm doing chores doesn't count, it has to be a dedicated run, hike or bike session. Considering the old man had covered 50 miles before lunch of day 3... I am using the fear of embarrassing failure as my motivator here. 2) Even after walking all that way, the old bugger still managed to heft Frodo on his shoulder and climb up a freakin' volcano! I'll make do with the NF advanced bodyweight workout twice a week. 3) While I am pretty sure there are a few coffee shops along the way, and cowboy coffee is always an option, I would like to at least attempt to limit myself to only 3 mugs of the good stuff per day, and only 2 mugs before 11am. And no more than 2 beers per day. And ideally drink one glass of water at some point in this entire 6wk challenge. I fear this will be my toughest challenge this time around... And my life quest : Stop mucking around, call the driving school and get a course booked. My motivation: this guy... While clearly never, ever, ever anywhere near his level of fitness, I used to be better than I am. I could go longer. I was faster. I was certainly agiler. I am now past 30, I creak too much, and will not go quietly into the night. Is anyone still reading this? I'm going to stop now before I say something stupid or geeky.

As you set out for Ithaka hope the voyage is a long one, full of adventure, full of discovery. - taken from C. P. Cavafy's Ithaka (I like this poem and I got to know it in a uni class on Lord of the Rings Online and MMOs . So.) I think this describes pretty well how I'm hoping to get the most fun out of the challenge itself and not just its results. Anyway, I'm Lee and I like running. However, I haven't done it in... 2 months, so I'm using this challenge to change that. (Edited parts in italics or crossed out.) Main Quest: I want to be able to run 10km. see "Motivation" Quest 1: go for a run 3 times a week attributes: STA (2), DEX (1) grades: A - 9 times in 3 weeks - 2 STA, 1 DEX; B - 8/3w - 2 STA; C 6-7/3wk - 1 STA; F - anything less Quest 2: do a bodyweight workout 4 times a week attribute: STR (3) grades: A - 12/3w - 3 STR; B 11/3w - 2 STR; C 8-10/3w - 1 STR; F - anything less Quest 3: fall asleep before 2am/1:45am/1:30am/1:15am/1am/12:45am attribute: CON (2) grades: A - 21/3w - 2 CON; B - 18-20/3w - 1 CON; F - anything less Life quest: complete the 30-day foreign language challenge; afterwards, keep practising vocab + grammar attribute: WIS (2) grades: A - 21/3w - 2 WIS; B - 18-20/3w - 1 WIS; F - anything less Motivation: Being happy with my body and proof I have enough willpower. Rewards: one episode of any tv show for each run/workout or two nights of sleeping 'early'

I'm Jenny and this is my first challenge. I'm a health and fitness yo-yo: up down up down. I have all the best intentions and no consistency. I've had periods in my life where I've been very healthy, and others where my behaviors were atrocious. Right now I'm trending toward atrocious and I've started to put on enough weight that I just feel. . .meh. My diet is enough to make a glutton blush, and it's time to admit what I've been doing to myself and just stop. My main quest is to clean up my diet. For me, that vague phrase generally means following a mostly vegan diet with little added sugar and refined carbs. Sugar is my downfall. My sweet-tooth is the enemy in the gates and I will expel the beast! My mini goals are 1. At least two strength training workouts per week. I'm a cardio queen and need to balance that out with weights. 2. Getting up regularly at work (at least once per hour). I have a desk job and I can practically feel my bum getting wider with each hour that I sit. Life goal: Adding meditation and mindfulness practices. I have an anxious mind and want to work on that by starting a regular habit of meditation and breathing exercises to combat my hilariously irrational, yet intensely real, fears. Motivation: Feeling good. I remember how excellent I felt when I was a vegetarian who worked out regularly and was always on the move. I want that feeling back. Wanting to lose weight so I look hawt at my upcoming wedding is my short-term goal.

Hello fellow​ NF rebels! I'm Sam, a long-time lurker but first-time poster on the forums. I live in North Yorkshire in the UK, and led a life that was completely devoid of any sort of healthy stuff until last March, at which point I realised that I didn't want to be the sort of person who's unfit and hates the way they look for their whole life. Anyway, I'm 24, female, live with my lovely partner and run my own French tuition business. I love every aspect of my life except my looks and generally poor physical condition, but am really proud with how far I've come. I have mild asthma which I always used as an excuse not to do any exercise as I always got out of breath within the first minute. After 10 months of concerted effort however, I can run 5 miles without stopping, do 70 squats and 250 sit ups. I still cannot do a press up however! I've been focusing on running and bodyweight exercises as I don't have a gym membership or a big enough house for any big equipment, but I did get a core bag (a.k.a a sandbag) for Christmas so that's a new addition to my fitness routines! Tl;dr version: I started getting fit last year, and now can run 5 miles without stopping. Aiming to do the Great North Run (a half-marathon) in September. Main Quest: To be able to run a half marathon on the 13th September 2015 Quest 1: Go on a run of any length at least 3 times a week. Measurement: A= ≥ 3 x a week, B= 3 a week at least 4 weeks and no fewer than 2 a week. C= 2 a week all weeks or more. Reward: A = +3 STA, +1 DEX, +1 CON, B = +2.25 STA, + 0.75 DEX, +0.75 CON, C = +1.5 STA, +0.5 DEX, +0.5 CON Quest 2: Go on a run of > 5 miles at least once a week. Measurement: A= 6 long runs, B = 5 long runs, C = 4 long runs. Reward: A = +4 STA, +1 CON, B = +3 STA, +0.75 CON, C = +2 STA, +0.5 CON Quest 3: Go to the doctors for a chest check-up Measurement: A = book appointment, go and follow through with any advice, B = book appointment and go, C = book appointment. Reward: A = +2 CON, B = +1.5 CON, C = +1 CON Life Quest: Finish my coding courses in HTML, JS and PHP Measurement: A = finish all three, B = finish two, C = finish one. Reward: A = +3 WIS, B = +2.25 WIS, C = +1.5 WIS Motivation: I mainly want to live a long and healthy life in a body which is working with me, rather than against me. I also am really enjoying seeing how far I can push myself and the rush that I get after each run. The vain reason is that I'm getting married in the summer and I would love to look my best, and to continue to look my best while I'm young! And in terms of my geeky credentials, I have recently got into coding in a big way, love Doctor Who and everything that Joss Whedon has ever done, (Firefly and Buffy are my absolute faves, although his version of Much Ado was incredible too) and hardcore French grammar. Also lists. And tongue-in-cheek statements.