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My name is Patrick. I'm 24, 5'7", and a vegan. I've also been pretty scrawny and a terrible runner. Lately I've been doing a lot of body weight exercises and lifting to try and be healthier and hopefully gain some mass. I had pretty much given up on running though. But I frequently think about the cardio benefits, the stamina, everything that comes with it. So yesterday on a whim I went out for a run for the first time in a year. To my surprise, it went much better than the last time I attempted, which I remember as being a painful, difficult experience. Instead, I kept my pace, I was having fun. Until the cramps killed me after about a mile. But it excited me. So now my goal is to be able to complete a 5k race, without walking, at a reasonable time in comparison to other non-athletes my age. But I really want to build on that in the future. MQ: Be able to run a 5K without walking in six weeks. Q1: Walk/run the 3.5 mile loop by my apartment every other day, lessening my walk time progressively. Q2: Track my diet, which I've never really done before, to make sure that my running doesn't devour what little mass I've gained through strength training, which I'm worried about. Q3: Use light yoga and hip/leg stretches on my rest days to increase flexibility in these locked up areas. LG: I want to change my lifestyle to one that is more fit and active permanently and be the strong, healthy bookworm instead of the pale, scrawny one. Motivation: Me. I want to feel capable, I want to have energy and sleep soundly. I'd also like to actually be good at tennis, which I enjoy playing. Also, I quit drinking as well as other bad habits and having training to do helped me fill that void and transition into a new approach to my life.

Hi, I'm Breanna, I'm super new to fitness and I hate talking about myself, but here I am. Main goal: Reach 130lbs by my 24th birthday (Sept. 20) Fitness/Nutrition goals: 1. Add a workout class on Fridays (I already take a PiYo class on Monday and a spin class on Wednesday) to get myself in the gym three times a week. 2. Replace 3 glasses of sweet tea a day with water (I'm attempting to cut down my sugar intake. I usually have 5 or 6 glasses just in the hours after dinner. Southern girl problems...) 3. Eat one serving of vegetables a day (This is really unimpressive, but I'm a very picky eater and I hate cooked vegetables so this is actually my biggest challenge) Life goals: 1. Learn 2 new Russian phrases a week. (My husband and I are planning to go to the 2018 World Cup and we're trying to learn Russian before then) 2. Get up at 7:15 every morning (I don't NEED to be up until 7:30, but I always feel rushed and have no time for breakfast) Finding a workout routine that works for me has been a long process. I can't do impact workouts because I have issues with my spine. So I'm in love with my PiYo and spin class because they don't require jumping or running or anything of the sort. Eating healthy has been a little more difficult because my husband and I are really picky eaters. So getting in the one serving of vegetables a day is going to be pretty hard. But I'm hoping that after six weeks that will just feel natural to me.

My name is Lauren, I'm a 25 year old Bostonian living in San Diego. I have always hated running, with a passionate fervor people usually reserved for supervillans. But with my move to San Diego and escaping the frigidity of New England winters I've found myself compelled to be outside as often as possible. There is this great place to walk near my work where I usually go to avoid traffic before heading home. I see people of every age, size, and athletic ability walking, running, biking, and rollerbladding around this large pond. These people and the beauty of the area has really inspired me to take on this challenge. So in six weeks I am going to conquer my nemisis! Or more like give it a swift kick to the shin and see if it kills me. My Quest: Be able to run a 5K without walking in six weeks. Q1: Walk/run 3 miles every other day increasing my speed, including going the full 5 miles once a week to increase endurance and stamina. Q2: Actually stretch and roll out my muscles after running so I am better prepared for the next run. Q3: Eat healthier and lighter lunches so I am not weighed down for my runs. LG: I want to incorporate running into my workouts so I can truly appreciate living in a warm climate where being outside all year long is possible. Motivation: My mom and I have signed up for a 10k in October. Our goal is to be able to run at least half of it, if not the whole thing. I know this will be hard for her and if she can do it, so can I! Also I'd like to be able to go for a run with my friends rather than shying away and feeling inadequately fit.

Hey everyone! This is my first challenge and my first NF post! I'm a little apprehensive about starting this now because it's the normal madness that is the last few weeks of school, but I figure life will always have a little bit of crazy so I may as well start now. My goals are this: Main Quest - To leave college in better shape than I started (more knowledge, better grasp on life, running a faster mile, and weighing less). 6 Week Goals - To run twice a week (rather than my current none) and obtain more knowledge on strength training. To eat vegetables I actually like once a day. Life Side Quest - Keeping my grades up! Thanks so much for the support guys! I know I'm starting small but this is pretty big for me. Also, I wanted to make sure I could actually accomplish my goals, particularly when finals roll around and I start my 9-5 internship for the summer.

Hi all, I'm sharktoast (it's a reference to the show Psych) and this is my first challenge and post on NF. From January to early March I was doing a group C25K program through one of the running stores here in Seattle, but I sprained my ankle pretty badly and haven't been able to run since. I've managed to keep up my yoga practice for all but 2 weeks since January, though. I'm planning to do a 5k at the end of May and am really hoping to be able to run at least part of that. My PT is going to evaluate how I do with running on a treadmill this week and we'll see if I'm ready to try again. I'm doing this challenge because I joined NF quite a few months ago but have been really lazy, and I need a little (big) push to move forward. Also I'm a full-time nursing student set to graduate in December and I'd like to be stronger when I enter the workforce in order to make it through 12-hour shifts. Main Quest: Complete the Big Backyard 5k on May 31st in less than 45 minutes, running at least 20 of those minutes. Quest #1: Go for a 20 minute walk at least 2x per week. I haven't been walking, let alone running, since I messed up my ankle, but my PT and I both know I can walk just fine for a little while. Quest #2: I will start taking the stairs up to my classroom at school. All three steep flights! Quest #3: I will stop buying iced mochas every day. I love them but I know regular coffee is better for me. Life Quest!: Keep up with my school reading for the whole quarter. Usually I keep up with it for the first couple of weeks and then let myself get too far behind to keep up. Motivation: I want to eventually be able to answer a call bell without getting winded.

HI! I read the emails of nerdfitness every single week, yet I've never participated. NOW, I'm going to join in and do my first 6 week challenge. Main Fitness Goals -Run a 10K -Run less than a 9 minute mile -Be more strict about my paleo eating lifestyle (the hardest part of fitness) -Hit the 157 weight mark. Last year I weighed 200 pounds and now I weigh 170. I've completely changed my lifestyle and have come a long way but I feel as if I'm starting to plateau. I'm going to use this challenge for myself to push myself harder than I ever have. Other goals -Build up my savings account with not spending money on going out and sticking to my budget -Make my meals at home -Only eat out once a week It seems like I have a lot of things I want to accomplish over the next 6 weeks but it really is all the things I already do... I just need to "level up" and do them better. good luck everyone!

Hello fellow recruits, I'm Jason! I'm a 38 year old geek who grew up on Transformers, Star Wars & all of the great nerdy things of the early 80's & beyond. Over the past several years, I've let my health, weight, and overall life kinda spiral downward. I'm working on changing that right now. Currently, I'm 6'5", I weigh 300 lbs and I'm dramatically out of shape. My quest is to lose 50 lbs by the end of the year, and another 50 before I turn 40. I want to get back to the 200 lbs I weighed after I got out of the Navy at 25. Goals to help me complete this quest: Give up the Ice Cream. Drink a pitcher of water every day at my desk, more with dinner. Eat a small but healthy breakfast every morning before heading to work. Follow Along with the 30 Days of Change program. More fruit, more veggies, less candy.I've already started by working on the Couch to 5K program and I'm signed up for the Beat the Blerch 10K in September, but that's a little beyond our 6-week challenge here. Also, every Sunday I've started attending "Church". It's a 4 block set of stairs that goes from 10th & Howe (here in Seattle), down to Franklin Street underneath I-5. It's crazy steep & intense. I've only been able to go down & up twice. I jog the mile & a half from my apartment to the stairs, then run up & down. If you happen to be in the Seattle area & would like to "attend church services" with me, please let me know. *laugh* I think this should do it for a first post. Let's kick this 6-week's ass.

Hello Everyone! I was/am a running who fell off the bandwagon about a year ago since then I have put on about 25 pounds but more importantly I have been getting little to no exercise (the occasional jog or class but nothing consistent). This challenge aligns perfectly with a new training run program I am doing in ATL area. (In Training for Peachtree (which is our big 10k race every July 4th)) so here I go! Main Quest - Weight loss of 6-12 pounds over 6 weeks. Follow Training Program working out 5-6x a weekOne Coke a dayIncreased Water intakeAchievements Work on during Vacation Cruise (4/22-4/27)One Dessert a day on Cruise5k outdoors in 30 min or less.

Hello all, my name is Carrie, or cdubz. I just joined the NF community, although I'm not a newbie to health and fitness. Even though I've known what I have to do to get healthy, I've only really gotten serious about it two to three weeks ago and have already seen an improvement in my overall health. So, let's get down to it! Goal 1: Complete the Couch to 5k. I start week 3 tomorrow, so I should be finishing up with this around the time the challenge is over (I do it every other day instead of taking the weekend off like it tells you to, I find this works better for me.) I started this once before a few years ago and got to week 6, but I stopped because I developed plantar fasciitis. I've been taking steps (heh) to ensure it doesn't happen again, but any other tips or tricks you have would be appreciated. Goal 2: Get under 200 lbs. I don't normally focus on the scale so much, but this is still important to me. I find that I just feel better under 200, for instance I don't get heartburn as often. Since starting three weeks ago, I'm already down from 215 to 209.5. Goal 3: Start strength training again. I started doing this, but then I caught a really bad bug and just gave up for awhile. I know this is important for me because not only do I not want to lose muscle while I'm losing weight, there is a history of osteoporosis in my family and I want to do what I can to help prevent that. I want to do a minimum of 2 times a week of squats, deadlifts, overhead presses, rows, and bench presses. This should be doable because my husband and I recently took an unused room in our house and turned it into a weight room. Goal 4: Work on better sleep habits. I have horrible sleep habits right now; it's not that I have trouble sleeping, I just get caught up doing things and before I know it it's 2 in the morning and I have work at 8. Plus, I'm just a night owl and love staying up late. I realize this isn't realistic for my life right now as I just started a new job in January and I don't want to leave the impression of being chronically sleep deprived, not to mention this is bad for my health and fitness goals. My goal is on weeknights to get to bed by 11 and wake up at 7, starting tomorrow since I am typing this at midnight (I live in Atlanta, GA). I'm going to set reminders on my phone and computer right now to alert me when it's time to get to bed. Goal 5: Quit drinking soda. I have done this before, in fact I've gone up to a year without drinking soda. This links with goal 4 since I usually start drinking it again the day after a late night because I need the sugar and caffeine due to lack of sleep. Goal 6: Start taking steps to help my hypochlorhydria. In case you've never heard of it, that means I have low stomach acid. While my case is pretty mild, it's still horrible. I've had heartburn before that's lasted for four hours. I'm not sure what exact steps I'm going to take with this yet, so my goal for this first week is to seriously research specific things I can do then post back by the 19th with my action plan. I have a history of cancer from both sides of my family, and it scares me to think that this can lead to cancer of the stomach and esophagus. Life Quest: Get my house in order. The past few weeks have thrown my home into absolute chaos, everywhere I look something is out of place. Once a week, I'm going to pick one room and work on getting that room organized. That's all I have for now. Time to get some sleep so I can be strong for tomorrow.

Hello Nerd Fitness Community, My name is Mike. My race is elf and my guild/profession is Scout. This is my first challenge, and could not be more excited. I have been wanting to get in to better shape, build some lean muscle, and be healthier overall for awhile now. The problem was I never knew where to start. Recently, I was introduced to Nerd Fitness and immediately knew this was the community to help me achieve my goals. That being said, here are my goals for my first six-week challenge: 1. Go to the gym a minimum of 3 days a week. 2. Eat Paleo six days a week. (Pick one day on the weekend as a non-Paleo day - mainly because I love cheese and pasta too much and need to ease into this way of eating lol) 3. I am running a triathlon in June. I will follow the prescribed training routine a coworker is providing me to condition for the event. Thanks for letting me be a part of this awesome community. - Mike

Hey! I thought about what the most important thing to focus on is now, and the answer is simply why I started working out and eating better in the first place, mental and physical health. So my main goal for this challenge is to get my depression/anxiety/diabetes under control. These are my three goals to get me well on my way: Goal 1: Successfully run two miles without walking. Goal 2: Lose 20lbs. Goal 3: Meditate daily for at least 15 minutes. Here goes! I've got this!

Intro: I'm Veronica and has been struggling with self-esteem issues since I was a kid. 3yrs ago I balooned to 170lbs and became so freakin afraid that I would reach 200lbs. Now I'm 5"1' at 146lbs but my inner voice still tells me I'm fat and ugly. I would very much like to rectify that. Main quest: Lose 25lbs within 6 weeks. Lose 15lbs within 6 weeks. Quest 1: Do Intermittent Fasting 2x a week with 2-4 normal days in between. (Eat-Stop-Eat method) A=2x a week for 6 weeks B=1x a week for 6 weeks C=1x a week every other week Quest 2: Run 15kms total mileage per week. A=15kms per week x 6 weeks B=complete 15km 5 weeks out of 6 weeks C=complete 15km 4 weeks out of 6 weeks Quest 3: Eat veggies for lunch everyday except for IF days. A=eat veggies for lunch for a total of 30days B=25 days C=20 days Motivation: Because I want to summon the Triforce of Awesome. Because Giving up is simply not an option.

Intro:Another person circling back for a full reboot, I think I last did a challenge in 2013, so a full fresh start back at ground zero is in order. I am 27, 5'2"(and a half) and would say I'm about average weight wise. I like to go hiking(if you can call it that in fl) with My FIance and our 2 dogs, ride my horse and be a bum at home and eat greasy food and play video games. Oh and I am trying to grow some of my own food! Main Quest: Run a 5k nonstop -seriously no walking -signed myself and my 4 legged jogging buddy up for a 5k in August, so I have some time Goals: 1. C25k at least 2x per week 2. No soda -No not even sometimes -No not even with alcohol in it 3.Strength work out 1x a week -Minimum to be considered is a work out is the beginner body weight work out Life Quest:Track all my Spending -My fiance swears I'm constantly spending money -I want to know how much I actually spend a week -What of my spending is neccesity vs because I want to

Hello and welcome to my challenge thread! I attempted to complete the last challenge, but had difficulty keeping up when I started a new job. So, here I am trying again! Obvs I'm a HUGE Orphan Black fan. While I'm completing this challenge I will be doing a rewatch of Season 1 and 2 to get ready for the premier of Season 3 on April 18th. I'm setting my attribute points to be allocated at the end of the 3 weeks mark. After that I will update to allocate the other 5 points. I will receive full points if I get an A average. Each of my challenge goals are related to a different clone. I will be updating here every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, possibly in between as well. So, welcome to the trip man! Thanks for following! Main Quest: Run the Rock and Roll Half Marathon on June 13th so as to be able to outrun any Proletheans or those who wish to harm the clones.Goal 1: Get into Allison shape by running 3 to 4 times a week, 3 miles each workout. (A= 4 days, B=3 days, C= 2 days D= 1 day F= 0 days) Goal 2: Get into badass, street smart, Sarah punk shape by strength training 2 times a week. (A=2 days, B=1 day, C= 1 or 2 days half assed attempts at strength training, D/F= 0 days) Goal 3: Eat like Helena...kind of. 2 fruits and 2 veggies daily. (A= 28 each fruits/veggies, B= 14-27 fruits/veggies, C= 7-13 fruits and veggies, D= 1-6 fruits/veggies, F= 0 fruits/veggies) Life Goal: Make crazy science with Cosima...or ya know...read 3 books during the challenge. (A= 3 books, B= 2 books, C= 1 book, D/F= 0 books) Motivation: My partner has been getting on the fitness train in the last few months and we joke that we are going to be a power fitness couple Mainly, my motivation is her. I want to be healthy and pursue outdoor adventures with her.

Hey, so I decided to give this character stuff a try and I'm gonna take part in this challenge. Because I was in the Marines, I was in pretty damn Good shape, however life outside the military and as a family man has caught up with me. This challenge is about restoring my fitness level. I'll be working out 4 out of 7 days in the morning before work. The plan is to do the beginner body weight workout, and might add exercises depending on How difficult it is to complete. Also will alternate between short runs (less than 1 mile) and long runs (over 1 mile), short runs, long runs, short runs, long runs. Main Quest: Drop 35lbs I'm 5'8" and I gained 35 pounds since I got out of the service and I find myself sorting through clothes to find something that might fit. I Don't wear over half of my clothes because of this. Getting back into shape also includes going back to my military standard weight, 180lbs. Quest 1: Run 3 miles under 28mins. Part of our physical test included a 3 mile run. My best time was somewhere in the 22 minute range. However I can't run 3 miles to save my life. By the end of this challenge, I want to be able to run 3 miles in less than 28 minutes. Measurements: A: 28 minute 3 mile B: 29-30 minute 3 mile C: 31-32 minute 3 mile D: 3 mile combined running + walking Rewards: STA +2, CON +1, CHA +1, DEX +1 Quest 2: 15 Pull Ups Max set Another part of our fitness test, in my prime I was able to do 16 pull ups and currently I sit at a measly 4. I will work on these and be able to do 15 by the end of this challenge. Measurements: A. 15 pull ups B. 10-14 pull ups C. 5-9 pull ups D. 1-4 pull ups Rewards: STR +2, DEX +2, CHA +1 Quest 3: Cooking 5 dinners/lunches One of the things that has aided my weight gain is my eating habits. My goal is to cook 5 dinners/lunches (left overs will be lunch for work). I already have them planned for the week but it's always hard working a lot and then going home to cook. It's too easy to swing by McDonald's. So here goes, fixing my eating habits. Measurements: A. 5/5 meals B. 4/5 meals C. 3/5 meals D. 2 or less meals. Life Quest: Save $20 per week. It might seem like a small amount, but I'm terrible at saving money. Time to start putting some aside. Time to get back to my old self! I'm not sure I got the stat points right. 10 total right?

Hi All! Intro: About a year ago, I realized that while I had gotten back down to the healthy weight I was in college, my body composition and sense of physical capability had declined. I think of myself as a pretty active person - I walk to/from work every day, run twice a week, swim, hike, and occasionally go for a leisurely bike ride. But I've lost strength, and as I'm solidly in my late 20's and sitting at a desk all day, I've also noticed a loss in flexibility. I'd like to keep pushing myself, a small step at a time, to get stronger and maintain my mobility well into my 80's. With health and fitness goals, I've always struggled with reaching out for help, support, and accountability.So I was excited to discover this challenge and am looking forward to putting this bit of the NF philosophy into practice. Main Quest: There's a cool-looking 12 mile trail run on May 30th that I'd like to thoroughly enjoy. To thoroughly enjoy it, I want to prevent and avoid injuries during training and the run, and be in good condition to run the whole thing in no more than 2:15 without feeling totally beat up afterward or the next day. I think injury prevention includes taking proper care of myself, and I want to build habits of regularly stretching, foam rolling, and doing more strength/stability work. Quest 1 - Reduce Stiffness, Increase Mobility: Stretch every night before bed for at least 10 min. This will be a nice way to wind down the day and will be a way I can build stretching into my daily routine for the long term. Measurement: A = 6-7 x/wk B = 4-5 x/wk C= 3 x/wk D=1-2 x/wk F= 0 x/wk Quest 2 - Release Tension: Foam roll for at least 10 min twice a week. I expect to do this on Tuesdays and Thursdays after my runs. Measurement: A= 10-12 sessions total B= 8-9 sessions total C= 5-7 sessions total D= 1-4 sessions total F = 0 sessions Quest 3 - Staying Strong and Steady: Do at least 20 min of body weight exercises at least once a week, using Mark Sisson's Primal Blueprint Fitness as my guide. I expect to do this on Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays. Measurement: A = 6 sessions total B = 4-5 sessions total C = 2-3 sessions total D = 1 session F = 0 sessions Life Quest Set up at least one information interview/exchange with someone in environmental/ecological restoration. I'm thinking about going to grad school and want to make sure this is the direction I want to take with my career. Motivation As I described above, I want to feel mobile and strong, even when I'm older. Life is all around better when I feel strong, healthy, and active. I also love trail running, and I really want to enjoy the run in May, injury-free. Looking forward to leveling up with all of you!

Hello fellow rebels, I've been passively observing the NF rebellion for quite a while and decided to finally take part in it by doing my first challenge - so be patient, please! Introduction: I'm a 25 y.o. girl passionate about all things related to culture/languages/interesting people. I seem to periodically sort of lose my fitness goals (and myself) because of so many things going in my life all the time, and same happened recently. Because of that I never really live up to my full potential - there are always complexes and anxieties that seem to hold me back in one way or another, making me feel inferior to others... Last year, I've made some serious changes in my life and it has been pretty good on 'brains' fronts (i.e. I went back to school to study what I am really passionate about), and I will probably be starting a new job in April so I really want to just feel good in my skin I'm not really overweight but let myself down since last year (was a keen runner) because of superhectic school/injury/laziness and feel very unfit. Main quest: Become completely happy with and aware of my body (no matter what I wear) so it can match what's 'inside of me' (I hope it's not too vague...) Accept myself. Quest 1: Stop binge/emotional eating and find other ways of dealing with stress/loneliness etc. It's a big challenge for me, and I've been living an expat life in various places for as long as I can (almost) remember and am not really rooted in any supportive community. I'm giving up sweets and snacks for lent, so hopefully that will help a tiny bit, but I know the biggest part is finding alternative ways of dealing with stress. CHA 0-5 points. Quest 2: Get back on track with running so at the end of the challenge I can very comfortably run 5k. Three running sessions pw, a mix of intervals and longer runs. STA 0-3 points. Quest 3: Do three basic bodyweight trainings pw so I can remember what muscles feel like, and manage to carry all the heavy books to uni I usually need to carry. STR 0-3 points. Side quest: Ban completely time-wasting websites which I tend to browse when I'm bored/tired/whatever. WIS 0-3 points. Additionally, I'm practising a face care routine aiming to better the condition of my skin and make it appear more youthful. Based on the condition of my skin and the end of the challenge, I can get an extra point for CON (since I'm trying to make it look younger, let's say it counts towards ability to resist damage ) I'm keeping track of my goals in a chart I printed out and hanged in my room, and I'll grade myself looking at the % of goals fulfilled out of the ones planned. The only difficulty might be the website thingy, so I suppose I'll just try to honestly look at how time was spent, plus have a look a browsing history Any help welcomed, especially in the emotional eating and learning to actually love fitness departments

MY FIRST CHALLENGE YAAAY Let's get straight to business. My main quest is super vague, but it involves being comfortable in my skin, energetic, and proud of the choices I make. My goal for this challenge is to comfortably fit into pants one size smaller than what I am wearing now. THE PLAN: 1. Roughly 90% Paleo diet for the whole 6 weeks. 2. HIIT jogging/running at least 4x/week for 30 minutes. (Hoping to achieve a 5k time that is 30 minutes or less.) 3. Strength training 3x/week featuring the beginner bodyweight workout. Add one rep to each exercise every week (or every day if I can handle it, which I will discover soon.) Side Quest: personal scripture study for 30 minutes every day. I'm not the best at updating every day, but I will definitely update as I can and as I feel I need to, for woot! days as well as the tough days. I just want to prove to myself that I can stick with this for six weeks. I'm tired of making excuses and I'm tired of giving less than I've got. I have some physical recovery to go through that I need to be mindful of, but I would like to give it the best that I can on any given day.

I've been around the NF Boards for awhile now. I've started a challenge or two, but never followed through. I've started an assassin challenge before, but I thought I'd follow the rules and join the recruit ranks since I never finished. Goal 1 Endurance: My endurance is crap. I'm very strong for the first 20 secs(Beastmode FTW!), but I quickly lose steam. It doesn't help that I smoke cigarettes either. I'll never get on Ninja Warrior being a badass for only 30seconds. Challenge: Run at least 2 miles, 3 times a week. Goal 2 Combating the Office Spread: I worked in the field forever, but have spent the last year in the office. After sitting on my butt for a year I'm getting a little pudgy round the middle. So... Challenge: Abs, baby! 5 1min planks a day, along with at least 100 crunches. Goal 3 Cleaning the Muddied Halls: I think waaaaaaay too much. I tend towards negative, and if I do not make a daily concerted effort to remain positive I quickly sink back into the mud mentally. I think that mental &physical fitness go hand in hand. Challenge: Keep meditating 10 mins a day, at least 3-5 days a week. Personal Goal: I get antsy if I don't do something creative. I play guitar and drums everyday, as well as write stories/books/screenplays often. I've been working on an album for awhile, and in the next 6 weeks I'm going to finish writing, and being the recording process if possible. I play everything, all the guitars, piano/keys/synth, bass, drums, etc. It's a slow process, but one I enjoy. Anyone interested can give a listen here. https://soundcloud.com/fairyunnatural

Intro:- I'm male, 44 (45 at the end of April), 5' 8" and slightly overweight (12 stone = 168 pounds). I'd like to be nearer 10 stone (140 pounds) and lose my beer belly (despite giving up the booze 5 1/2 years ago the beer belly persists) but I'm not fixating on that, I'm assuming my weight will drop and my belly reduce as I improve my fitness and diet. I'm married and we have twin girls (it's their 5th birthday today). I work in IT and my job is pretty sedentary, but I did join a running club last year and completed 5 half marathons last year, remaining injury free all year (PB = 2 hours 2 mins). Unfortunately I picked up a tibial stress fracture at the beginning of this year so haven't run since the end of the 1st week of January. I've never been that keen on weights at he gym (frankly the free weights room intimidates me, so I avoid it), but have been receiving Steve's emails for about a year or so and I'm sold on the idea of bodyweight training. My upper body and arm strength is poor Main Quest:- Complete the Loch Ness Marathon, 27th September 2015 Q1:- Complete a 6 mile run (no time limit) by 5th April. (6 miles = 4 stamina pts, 5 miles = 3pts, 4 miles = 2pts, 3 miles = 1pt) Q2:- Be able to perform 105 pushups (3 x 35 with a 2 min rest between sets) (A = 3 strength points, longer than 2 min rest = 3 pts, lower reps + more sets = 1 pt) Q3:- Be able to perform a single proper pullup by 5th April (A= 3 strength points, hang for 1 min = 2 pts, hang for 30 seconds = 1 pt) Motivation:- to be a good role model to our girls so that they see exercise as a good, enjoyable experience rather than something to be avoided or a punishment.

Hi everyone! I'm Crar and after falling on my face when I tried to complete a challenge last year, I'm back to try again! I think my problems last time around were putting too much on my plate at a time when I wasn't able to handle making big changes. So this time, I've gone for some smaller, more achievable goals that should still help me to level up. Main quest: This is simple, and my same goal as last time around. Fit into a pair of jeans that have been waiting in my wardrobe for over a year. They are skinny and a dark purple/aubergine colour. 3 goals to get me there: - For the duration of the challenge, I'm giving up crisps. There will be no Cheetos or Doritos in this challenge. Crisps are my biggest weakness and so this is a habit I'd love to break asap! - Cook one new paleo recipe each week. I'd love to eat more paleo foods so I'd like to take the time to explore what I can and can't eat under the umbrella of paleo foods and hopefully find some foods I really love. - Run at least three times per week. I already love to run but I'm only running once/week at the moment, but when I first started doing C25K last year, I ran every other day. I'd like to get back there. I'm going to measure this by the distance I run throughout the challenge. Scoring: - No crisps (in total for the entire challenge) = A, 1+ bags of crisps = F. Points available: 3 CON - Meet the goal of 1 paleo recipe each week = A. Miss one week = C. Miss 2+ weeks = F. Points available: 3 WIS - Running total > 120km = A, 100-120km = C, < 100km = F. Points available: 3 STA, 1 DEX Points fully awarded if A grade, half points if C grade, no points if F grade. F in more than one area means a failed challenge. So that's me. My current weight is 76kg (around 167lb). Let's see how that changes in 6 weeks time! Looking forward to meeting other recruits and hearing about your challenges!

I guess I'm a little late getting started. Hopefully I figured out this part enough. This really looks like a fun way to get healthier and reach goals. I don't have any of the RP stuff yet, I still need to read a bunch of that stuff and figure it out. But I noticed this challenge had just started and wanted to get in here and get working on things. Introduction: Hey rebels, I’m new here and this is my first challenge. I’m 40 year old IT manager, and I need to get my health back on track before I really get too old to do that. I also have a 10 year old daughter I want to set a good example for. I can already see her making some of the same unhealthy choices as I make, and I want to be a good role model for her. I’m planning on walking/running for the exercise portion of my first couple challenges, but the main changes I need to make are nutrition based. Main Quest: Do a 5k run/walk in May with my daughter. Quest 1: Walk for 30 minutes 3-4 times per week. Quest 2: Stop drinking soda and eating fast food when I’m in a hurry. Quest 3: Go to bed by 10pm so I don’t wake up tired all the time. Motivation: To get healthy and set a good example for my daughter. GH.

Greetings all! I finally decided to take the plunge and make an account for my first challenge! Where do I start without blathering on? Hm. Current job = crap; trade school = 95% done. Yey! I'm about 173 lbs of blobby shape. Two summers ago, when I got a gym membership and worked up to being able to run around nearly non-stop for several hours in my martial arts's grand melee, it was exhilarating. Juggling work/school/mental health last year didn't leave much room for running, so I'm back to square 1. With classes winding down, I have more time and mental fortitude to go running and doing the things! Main quest: I want to get down to 160 lbs by the end of June. To this end, a few friends and I have begun to train for a 1/2 marathon later this year. I also love the idea of the Walking to Mordor quest, so I'm adding up my distances for that as well. First step to losing weight: getting active, so let's focus on that this round. Quest 1: Gym twice a week for at least 30 min, but ideally 60min. Measure - A = 12 sessions, B = 10 sessions, C = 8 sessions Reward - A = +3 STA, B = +2 STA, C = +1 STA Quest 2: Body weight circuit at least once per week. Measure - A = 6 sessions, B = 5 sessions, C = 4 sessions Reward - A = +3 STR, B = +2 STR, C = +1 STR Quest 3: Walk around the block at least twice a week (2 miles each). Measure - A = 12 walkies, B = 10 walkies, C = 8 walkies Reward - A = +3 CON, B = +2 CON, C = +1 CON (because sun is good for morale and staves off SAD) Life quest: 365 days of positivity! I made strips of construction paper and I'm writing one positive thing a day about what I did or how I feel about myself, then taping them into links and making a chain of positivity to hang in my apartment. Measure - A = don't miss a day, B = need to make up 2 days, C = need to make up 4 days Reward - A = +3 SAN, B = +2 SAN, C = +1 SAN (woo promoting mental health!) Motivation: I love the feeling of my body having the energy and ability to do the things I ask of it, for as long as I ask it to do them. This pace might seem a little slow, compared to other posts, but I'm trying to be realistic as to how much I'll be able to complete consistently at this point. There will be plenty of challenges this year to stretch myself with and lots of things I want to work on. Let's Go!

Hi, My name is Thais, thats my first challenge. I have always been kind of active nerd, sport's fan and all.... but a couple of years I let myself go and got overweight for the first time in my life, that was when met My fitness pal and start take running more seriously, I lost 6kg very fast, but like everything in my life, I got distracted/bored and stop improving, so now, I'm more than year late on my goal to run a half-marathon and still in need to lose 3 kg of fat. I already participate of two 10k races, go to gym sporadically, run sporadically and pretend to diet (It's not ideal, but still is a great improvement from 2 years ago). My goal this year is change the sporadically for regularly, eliminate the “pretend†part of my diet and finally run my first 21k. for the challenge, my main goal: lose the last 3 kg of fat. goal 1: workout at least 4 times a week 4 times: A 3 times: B 2 times: C 1 time: E Goal 2: Cut out soda and sugary drinks - Sugar is my mistress and worst enemy, so soda is my starting point rated weekly No soda: A 1 time: B 2 times: C more than 2: F Goal 3: Run 10k in less than a hour. (my best time is 1:03) I’m still thinking how rate this one. Life goal: one easy and one hard, go to sleep earlier and keep room my straight . Motivation: I’m turning 32 and my life is very far from where I wanted to be. So, I want to finish the challenge get more focus and discipline and finally put in real life all this potential that my friends and family see in me that I never really reach.

Introduction: Hi I am Michelle and this is my first challenge. My persona is Morwenna Gwavas, a human who is 168 cm, or 5'6", & overweight. I'm 44 & never married & have no children. I do share my home with a ginger cat named Dublin, & he's great company. I'm starting out as an Adventurer as most people do, but my goal is to be a Ranger/Assassin hybrid. I like to cycle, but I got out of it when I started working straight nights, or graveyards, as most people call it. Then that job ended, & I never got back into it. In the past few weeks, I've started going outside & walking almost every day - next to cycling & swimming - my favourite & second favourite exercises - walking & hiking are right up there as far as what I love to do, physically. I'm currently out of work but looking for work, & I want to change my lifestyle into a more active one that'll help to reduce my health issues - migraines & exercise-induced asthma. I also have hay fever & other seasonal allergies, which doesn't make being outside easy all year, but I'll go outside anyway. I want to find healthy ways of combatting these instead of using allergy medication or to rely on puffers. NOTE: The Rewards that I have here are taken from a sample post (at the bottom of the page linked here) that I copied & pasted here as the template for my post. From what I understand, they fit. I'm trying to figure this all out, & I'll edit it once I come up with my own. If someone knows what the letters in the Reward parts stand for, please post them in the comments section to my post. Thank-you! Main Quest: Reach my goal weight of 64 kg by my 46th birthday - 6 March 2016 - although there's a possibility that I could reach this months sooner. Quest 1: Walk for 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week. Measurement: A = 30 minutes a day for 3 weeks. B = 20 minutes a day for 2 weeks. C = 10 or less minutes for 1 week. Reward: A = +3 STA, +2 STR, B = +2 STA, +1 STR, C = +1 STA Quest 2: Do either Body Weight Workout or Angry Birds Workout, 3 days a week. As I type this, I've not yet decided which one I'll do. Measurement: A = 3 days a week. B = 2 days a week. C = 1 or no days a week. Reward: A = +3 CON, B = +2 CON, C = +1 CON Quest 3: Drink no pop for the duration of this challenge. It's my biggest dietary challenge, & I'll turn to water, whether plain or flavoured, or chai tea (hot or cold) when I crave Coke, by far my biggest challenge in this area. Measurement: A = 42 days pop free. B = 36 days pop free. C = 30 days pop free. Reward: A = +3 WIS, +2 CON, B = +2WIS, +1 CON, C = +1WIS Life Quest: Be in bed by 10 PM, 11 PM at the very latest. I'm not getting a proper rest, & I'm going to shut off my electronic gear a minimum of 15 minutes before hitting the hay. Measurement: A = 42 days, B = 36 days, C = 30 days Reward: A = +2 CHA, B = +1CHA, C = +0.5 CHA Motivation: I'm going to be 45 in about a week-&-a-half, & I come from a long line of people with health problems related to a love of food - usually healthy, but not always, & quite often in gluttonous amounts. I don't want to stop loving food - it's a good thing to enjoy - but I want to eat to live, not eat to live. Also, I love how I feel when I've earned a good sweat through hard exercise, & I want to be thin for the second time in my life. I'm not talking skinny-size-0 or anything like that. I mean thin for me, which is being a size 14 or size 12. Any smaller than a size 12, & I'm getting into unhealthy territory for my build. Some people would say differently, but I know better. When I was a size 12 before, I know that was the lowest I could ever be & still be at a healthy weight. I want to be healthy & fit & be able to ride my bike all day. I want to be able to hike & to swim without having to stop every so often because I'm out of shape. I can already walk for long periods of time - on flat ground - with no effort, but I want to be able to do more than this. I don't want my weight to stop me from climbing trees & up cliff faces if I feel the urge to go up one, & I want to be able to go really fast on my bike if the urge hits me - right now my weight stops me from going fast. I want to live life to the fullest, & being fit & healthy can only help with that.