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Hi all, I'm glad to see that you are still all around here. I am re-starting a health and fitness journey, and I need a small amount of accountability - so I thought of you all Here's the plan: Go to Gym Twice a week = pass Four times a week = Gold Star More than four = Diamond Parkrun Don't miss two weeks = pass three weeks out of four = Gold Star More than four in a row = Diamond Food choices Avoid obviously bad foods - don't give into unnecessary food choices = pass Stop eating - 1 hour after dinner (to allow for a post dinner snack) = Gold Star Take control of the types of carbs I eat = Diamond (a bit hard to define) Food tracking Give it a go - track two days a week = pass A little more effort - Track four times a week - on the day or next morning at the latest = Gold Star Superstar - More than four times a week, and timely = Diamond Bed time In bed before 11pm four days a week = pass In bed before 11pm more than four days = Gold Star Bring that time back to 10:30 for at least two days = Diamond It seems a lot, but there is a ton of overlap here. I'm in the habit of Parkrun, so that is pretty much an insta win - and I will qualify that i have to be within 30 mins of a parkrun - as I may be away for a few weekends. What I really need to do is stop the self-sabotage which I'm hoping this will help. So go to Gym means spending at least 20 mins in the gym After dinner is where I self-sabotage the most with food Doom scrolling after I've finished what I am doing in the evening and going to bed late is probably the most frustrating of the self-sabotaging that I'm doing right now. Here we go . . . 🏆 - no nice diamond emoji's so I'm going with trophy

Hellooo! Getting this in as a placeholder. I'm running my last challenge into 'zero week' as I got a bit caught out by a bunch of weekends away which drastically affected my points (or lack thereof). It's also keeping me a bit more on track this week which is good. So I've been pretty consistently under 11.5 stone now for most of the year which is great, and I definitely find this forum massively helpful to keep on track. For historical reference, I was 15 stone at the start of 2011 at which point I figured enough was enough, and did the classic 1200 calories + exercising to lose 4 stone in 9 months, which I then yo-yo'd back to 14, down to 12, before setling between 12-13 stone for a while until I found here in 2014. I'm generally happy with my size and fitness level now, though have had a few annoying injuries or general pain things going on (yay getting older!) most recently some weird nerve pain in my heel which means I've stopped going running in the mornings (which is VERY annoying but I don't want it to get worse). I've got an MSK referral in progress for hip pain I've been having for nearly a year (greater trochanteric bursitis) so am hoping I can tag the heel pain into that referral by asking if it's due to me changing how I walk because of the hip... I'll try anyway My September challenge is likely to follow the same format as previous - eating, exercise and sleeping, but I'd really start to try moving away from such rigorous tracking if I can as it's generally pretty exhausting! After I've seen whether I've passed challenge 35, I'll update here! Will note down any overeaty thing I have over the five weeks of the challenge, as I like to do!

Not long after slapping in the above placeholder photo, two of those angelfish started laying eggs on the leaves of one of the Anubias plants in the tank and beating the crap out of any other fish that came close, not to mention darting across the tank to harass the other two angelfish. So I go the breeding pair out of that tank and set up a 10 gal on the fly and yadda, yadda... they ate their eggs. <sigh> But now I know I have a breeding pair of angelfish. Time to move on. ====== Hi. I am Stronkey Kong. I've been on NF ten years. Lately it's church etc, and fish tanks that are getting me off the couch and not stuffing my face so we'll roll with that. This challenge will be a combination of a lot of the usual: a nutrition goal, a bed time routine, a morning routine, an exercise routine, and a fish tank based LUYL. When does life stop getting weirder? ========== Goal 1: Bedtime Routine-- In bed by midnight. I get home from work around 10:30 pm. That gives me an hour and a half to: feed the cat feed the fish feed myself (a small snack) change clothes, wash up, brush teeth evening prayer go to bed by 12 am. I can read in bed if I don't feel like falling asleep right away, but that's it. Goal 2: The point of goal 1 is to fix my morning routine. Get up at 8 am. Morning prayer. Feed fish/tank maintenance. Exercise Breakfast Read scripture Study Ukrainian or Greek Goal 3: Exercise Mon-Sat MWF = walk or something light TRS = KB, Ringfit, or jogging Goal 4: Ditch the soymilk and fake veggie meats. It's our liturgical calendar that has brought out this one. There's a lot of fasting in Orthodoxy, mainly in the form of giving up meat and animal products. My eating habits have veered toward vegetarianism, and so I have a lot of soy products around, so much so that it makes fasting not really feel at all like fasting. I don't really have to give anything up, I'm just switching the days where I eat tofu and veggie sausages. I should feel like I'm sacrificing something, and on fasting days I should always be at least a little hungry. Also, veggie stuff can be kind of expensive, and it's debatable whether its really all that healthy cuz it's processed yadda yadda, and I tolerate real dairy well enough. And there was recently a big study on diet that found that whole fat dairy was actually protective in terms of longevity (not counting butter). So I'll eat meat, milk, and cheese and just limit myself to tofu on fasting days... tofu is not a meat replacement, just ask a carnivore. LUYL: Breed Fish, Grow Plants, Make Money This goal will practically do itself as I require little added motivation to do this hobby. But I'm at the point where i need to tune it up and turn it around so it doesn't just become a money toilet. I have a couple of orders of plants, fish, and hardware coming. After that I need to stop spending and start focusing on growing and marketing and come up with a legit plan.

After some personal battles combined with the start of the school year requiring me to adjust my routine, I am ready to get back at it... for real this time. My goals for this challenge remain the same as the last, although some specifics have changes. I will be channeling great warriors, both mythical and real, as my guides, such as Kratos, King Leonidas, Geralt, Achilles, Beowulf, and more. STRONGER: GOAL: By the end of this challenge, I will have increased my physical strength by at least 10% as measured by an increase in number of reps to failure of kettlebell single-arm overhead press. HOW: I will pick "heavy things" up and put them back down for at least 20 minutes, three days a week; this will include mostly kettlebell training with some "greasing the groove" using resistance bands, random heavy objects, and my kids. Training will look like this: Sunday -- Benchmark (single arm overhead press to failure, count reps; 30 minute run, note distance) Monday -- Five rounds of: 200 meter run kettlebell clean and press x 2 each side goblet squat x 5 two-handed kettlebell swing x 20 rest 2 minutes Tuesday -- 30 minute run; record time Wednesday -- 5-10 rounds of: 30 seconds one-handed swing with left hand 30 seconds rest 30 seconds one-handed swing with right hand 30 seconds rest Turkish get-ups Thursday -- 30 minute run; improve previous distance Friday -- 15-45 minutes of: clean with left hand press with left hand one arm front squat with left hand one handed swing with left hand park the kettlebell, recover, repeat with right hand Saturday -- Distance run on trails; mark distance and pace FASTER: GOAL: By the end of this challenge, I will be able to run a sub-30 minute 5k as measured by a 5k run. HOW: I will run for 30 minutes at least two days a week, with a distance/endurance run at least one day a week and sprint/speed intervals at least one day a week (see 200 m run above). SMARTER: GOALS: By the end of the challenge, I will increase my daily use of Duolingo; I will increase my daily reading habit by at least 5 minutes a day; I will learn at least one new thing daily. HOW: I will set a reminder to complete at least the daily requirements to achieve a 30 day streak on Duolingo I will set aside at least 30 minutes of reading time daily I will use apps such as Humane and Kinnu to learn new information, as well as the NPR app and podcasts. CALMER: GOAL: By the end of the challenge, I will improve my mental health by reducing my angry reactions to stress. HOW: I will use a meditation app to increase my meditation/contemplative prayer practice from 10 minutes to 15 minutes. I will take 30 minute mindful walks to help clear my mind. I will write down what I am grateful for and create daily affirmations using the 5 Minute Journal app. I will practice a relaxing breathing technique (short inhale through nose, long exhale through mouth) and apply this technique in moments of stress and frustration. I will listen to music that elevates my mood.

I keep thinking that I'm going to be more consistent with posting and it keeps not happening. So I'm trying again as I'd like to be more active on the forums again. So a quick spoilered update for anyone who is interested: Last week, my 4 year old grandson started Head Start (for non-US peeps, it's a kindergarten readiness program. Similar to pre-K, but has some added bonuses). So he is out of the house from about 8 - 2:30. This also means that I need to be up and out of bed earlier to help my daughter get the boys ready. It also means that I have a very quiet household for 6 hours now that I didn't have previously. Additionally, I've volunteered to be a mentor for Go Girls Go! Monday and Wednesday afternoons. My child abuse and criminal record checks came back and I'm starting on Monday. So I'll have two days a week to get out of the house and workout. Plus, my new treadmill was delivered last week and we got it set up. This completely eliminates my excuse of not being able to run due to the temperature. My daughter has also expressed a desire to start using the treadmill and eat better, which is just another reason to do it as a family. Goals for this challenge: Wake up and workout at least three mornings per week through the challenge. Alternatively, find another time that works well for working out. The time isn't as important as getting back to consistency. Note: I do have three weekly workouts "planned" two run days with GGG and one dance fitness. These don't count for this Meal plan and prep (weekly) Work with my daughter as she has a number of healthy recipes to share Include food for the (almost!) 1 year old - specifically things he can take for breakfast and lunch Stick with the food that is planned and prepped. I don't necessarily care about the number on the scale, but it's getting higher than I'd like and it makes some of the physical things I like / want to do more difficult Stop planning things on Sunday to use the day to prep Tomatoes I love using pomodoro timers for work and I've started incorporating it into other aspects (like cleaning). It's actually been super helpful because I hate doing certain chores, but 15 minutes gets a lot of work done. Cross off my monthly tasks before the end of September Aim for 10 tomatoes of cleaning and 40 tomatoes of work weekly Note: for days off work, the number of tomatoes is reduce by 8 per day

Briefly, a Who I Am: I'm a 44 year old American woman living on a 10 acre woodland property in rural England I call Owlshire with my partner and 5 y/o son. I work in gamedev, our son is home educated (by ourselves and outsourced help), we have a bouncy adolescent golden retriever pup, a flock of plucky rescue hens, and as a family we enjoy nature and gaming. We moved to Owlshire not quite three years ago in the midst of the Global Pandemic/UK Lockdowns and we're still trying to find/form our tribe of fellow misfits and geeks. This challenge looks a lot like the last one, but with more travel. I turned 44 at the end of the last challenge, and my intention is to embrace the unknowns of our unique and quirky life and not worry so much that just because something changed that everything is "bad" or "wrong." Because it isn't at all! It just doesn't look quite what a past me thought it would look like! We are living an off-the-road-most-traveled adventure, and here be dragons. Dragon Form Building my strength and stamina and getting a sleeker dragon shape. Continue to aim for 80,000 steps a week. My weight at same or lower by the end of the challenge. Also, reduce snacking. This has become a real problem, I'm nibbling on something between nearly every meal and I'm not even hungry. I suspect it started as stress eating and has now become a habit I need to break. Dragon Wings Exploration and adventure at home and beyond. I have two overnight trips known for this challenge: A two day business trip to London. A three night trip to Devon for pleasure (my annual "Mum's holiday") There are some more in discussion but not yet defined. I decided not to do the cruise I was pondering last challenge, as it was causing me a lot of stress to decide on and figure out, and the whole point was a holiday plan that didn't stress me out. I haven't yet decided when or what I'll do instead. I also need to set up arrangements for trips which will happen later this year: Dragon Heart Vision, community, and mental health. Update Vision Statement One things I realized during the last challenge is that I was feeling out of sorts because life had deviated from The Vision. But actually, life was going in good--even great--directions. I'm still walking toward the same Mountain, it turns out; I'm just approaching from a different route. So I'm updating The Vision. I'm still working to align it and make the verbiage pretty rather than just a bunch of haphazard bulletpoints, but I'm already feeling better. Complete the Vision 2023 Update. Be more social Reach out and arrange things with local people. This includes with my family! Arrange regular games and outdoor activites with Enting Arrange regular date nights with Mr. Spirituality/Pagan Studies Spend more time on spiritual activities. It always ends up the first things sacrificed when things go sideways, and that's probably when I need it the most! For this challenge I'm focusing on lessons and learning as part of the pagan groups I'm in because it's easily measurable and pleases my inner Hermione Granger. Complete 3 lessons (including the one in progress) for my coven. Reinvestigate the Hearthkeeper's Way (ADF) to integrate in my practice. Dragon Horde Taking care of Owlshire, creating a comfy place to live. Continue the decluttering project. Look after my autumn garden. There are pumpkins!

Hi Everyone! I have a new handle on here, originally when I first joined I went by Kdognlog most of the time. I've been to Camp NerdFitness in 2016 and met some wonderful people while I was there but fell off the wagon very hard these last 7 years. But, I remembered this community and the old Nerd Fitness Academy were the only workout programs that really helped me lose my initial 15 pounds and now I want to go for round 2 since I've only gotten older and bigger. While this challenge is more about exercise goals I'm going to be approaching it a bit differently. For the next 6 weeks my main goals are: Clean and Maintain the cleanliness of the Batcave At least 10,000 steps every day Cook my own meals on the weekends. Boom, simple goals that I know I can achieve. If I throw in a real exercise routine I will post an update, but I am going with the Adventurer Guild so I'm going to be doing more hiking and maybe basic rock climbing if I'm up to it. But the main goals are just what I know I can get accomplished for 6 weeks. I'm happy to be back and I know this time it's gonna work out for me, I'll keep you guys updated regularly

I’m Ranger Hal. I hike, snowshoe, scramble, climb, and do search and rescue. I was doing pretty good about getting out regularly until the beginning of August. Then for various reasons, I just sort of stopped. So I need to get started again. So here's the plan. 1. Walk 2. Put away outdoor gear (unless it's drying out) 3. Wash dishes 4. Leave for work by 9am For anyone that was following the backpack project, I did finally buy the pattern. I have started ordering some of the materials. So the plan is to continue obtaining materials and get some cheap fabric to do a mock-up to make sure I'm happy with it before I use the expensive outdoor fabrics.

I’m Ranger Hal. I hike, snowshoe, scramble, climb (in theory, although not recently), and do search and rescue. My current goal is to workout enough to be able to keep up with the other people who want to do those things. There have been a number of trips over the last few years where I have either been turned away because the leader didn’t think my conditioning level was where it needed to be or I decided not to even ask because I didn’t think I could keep up. Last challenge was good. I walked/hiked/scrambled almost 138 miles. I want to keep that up and continue training hikes mostly in Zone 3. It makes me feel slow, but that's okay. Eventually, I should get faster, right? Group trips and SAR are going to be Zone Whatever because that's how they go. Also, I need to start thinking about a new pack. My trusty REI Crestrail (no longer in production) is getting worn in a few spots (in spite of minor repairs I've made in the past). I have this grand idea of sewing my own pack. Store bought packs often don't have the features I want, have features I don't like, or simply aren't built to carry the loads I might have to carry (I mean, most ordinary backpackers aren't going to strap an extra 15 lb of rescue gear to their pack in addition to their personal gear) without being a giant expedition to Denali size pack. I think it would be cool to make a pack that has exactly the features I want. I even have a pattern in mind to start from (but which I will likely want to modify a fair amount). But before I order the pattern, I have decided I need to finish two previous sewing projects. One is very minor. Just sew the button back onto a pair of office pants. The other is a bit more involved (but way less than sewing an entire pack). Pants are annoying. I hate pants shopping. They don't fit right. Especially hiking pants. But I did find a pair of men's pants that I like reasonably well. The only problem is that the waist is a couple of inches too big. So I bought a pair, took off the waist band and cut it shorter, and put the waist band back on. It was reasonably successful and they're currently my favorite pair of hiking pants. So I bought a second pair, but I haven't modified them yet. So that the second project, to take a couple of inches off the waist band of the hiking pants. So that's my challenge. Hike lots (preferably in Zone 3), fix two pairs of pants, and buy the pack pattern. I will try to continue sharing pictures of the flowers and stuff I find on trips. Y'all seemed to enjoy them last challenge and it helped me identify them because I want to learn the names of more plants and stuff.

It was during the Age of Chaos that The Carrion King was freed and his grand delusions started to infect only the most destitute and desperate with his madness. The Carrion King wandered the wastes and peoples were overwhelmed and corrupted by his insanity. When villages had their crops destroyed, peoples murdered, and entire civilizations razed to the ground, and the remnants that were left over were left to barely survive; they would resort to cannibalism. If the unfortunate souls were in this time of crisis and the Carrion King was near, the disposition of these fallen would change almost instantly. Suddenly they weren't starving naked savages in an ashen bowl of ruins that were scraping by on meager scraps of their felled brethren, but instead saw themselves in a palace with a lush banquet before their eyes. Their own emaciated and horrified neighbors' figures were seen by each other as laughing and jovial, healthy and hearty, as they feasted upon an endless buffet. As their pain and sorrow faded into merriment and mirth, they would all look upon in one direction as a large and proud king would make his way to the once-downtrodden peasants. His armor gleaming as the sun's golden rays scattered along the highly polished surface, scattered a million points of light. It was overwhelming.... It was too much to even bear to see the radiance this noble was basking in. All who looked upon him knew that he was their chosen to create and lead a new kingdom as everyone would fall to their knees and tears streamed down their faces in unison. The Carrion King had arrived. What would be seen to an outsider of this spectacle is the ragged and depressed reluctantly gnawing scraps of rancid meat off of bones only to look upon some hideous monster that looked like a disfigured vampire. As this creature came into view, the entirety of that ravaged village collapsed to their knees and give praise to this ghoul who walked among them. The Carrion King's madness would radiate from himself and infect others and in an instant, those new followers would gladly die for their new king. They would erect golden statues of him that were merely to an outsider a pile of bones. They would prepare for war with the toughest of armors and weapons, which were just rocks and sticks. This would happen, time and again, as other villages that were not going to survive suddenly had new life breathed into them when they were in proximity of The Carrion King, as they all shared in his grand delusion. These collectives became known as the Flesh-Eater Courts, and in an age of decay and ruin; they began to thrive... ------- This challenge is going to be a continuation of what I set up last time, which is the following: 1) Jobs = [Add New Job] + [Remove Old Jobs]. Start the new job and enjoy the process. As I pick up more hours, get the ball rolling on quitting the other ones so I can have a smooth transition into something that's awesome. 2) Physical Health = [Diet] + [Exercise]. I am going back to Whole30 and I'm doing it until I can't possibly anymore. It's supposed to be a 30 day detox. I aim to make it a permanent lifestyle. Exercise is going to be powering through the 3 lift days and 2 cardio days, and making gainz the whole time. 3) Mental Health = [Socializing/Accountability] + [Art]. I'm quasi-quitting youtube and videogames to invest time and effort into working on making warhammer minis and posting on NF. I need the accountability. I need to be able to motivate others and motivate myself. This is where I belong and should have been for years in a more serious sense. I want to be a Guild Leader that actually can step up and represent. ------- The above story bit is part of Goal #3 [Fun Stuff]. I have started working on a tabletop army of miniatures based off of the lore written above. Just like how in Dungeons & Dragons, Pathfinder, and others RPG systems, there is a lore/world already build. Written above is the 'standard lore/universe' confines that I'm working with. I'll be creating my army within this world, so I needed to post context for *my* story within the *world's* story. How I'm going to work on this challenge: 1) Jobs: [Add New Job] -I finished my onboarding although there are still some things to iron out. Apparently during the summer it is harder to find clients (according to the new job) so they are working on getting people for me to work with but it's slow-going. That's fine: I just want to make sure I have a foothold and a few hours a week before I start cutting out the other jobs. [Quit Old Jobs] - I was waiting to set up a dentist appointment before I quit Supermarket Job, since they pay for my dental coverage. I have an appointment set for mid-October, which is further out than I want. However, I talked to my bestie and he said there was a big place that took him within a week so I aim to contact them and see about setting up an appointment much sooner than mid-October. In about a week, Hospital Job will want to know my schedule for September (since they book a month in advance). The sooner I have clients, the sooner I can say, 'Yeah....don't book me for next month' which I REALLY hope I can do. Lastly is Nursing Home Job, and that's basically been reduced to seeing two clients in recent weeks, with one of them possibly moving back home which means I won't treat that person. The other person is hospice - no idea when they will pass due to complications so this job might 'solve' itself. If I have no one to do therapy with then I have no reason to work there and I can put in my 2-week notice. So things are happening, and soon, although not as soon as I want them to happen. 2) Physical Health: [Diet] - I'm starting Whole 30+. There's some milk around here and that's all that's been left for dairy. I have about 20 rx bars which are whole30 (just nuts, eggwhites, and cocoa, no sugar or any other shit in it) so I'm going to use that along with fruit to curb any craving. However, once news of the New Job has been ramping up, I've found less and less anxiety overall. Now I know all the shitty jobs have a shelf-life and I can do a job that I want and am passionate about so I see [Diet] starting slow and improving over time as the job-swapping happens. [Exercise] - I've been fairly consistent with workouts for a while now. M/W/F is lifting. Tues/Thurs is cardio. However with the new job, I'll be working long Tues/Thurs so I'll just swap my cardio for the weekends and it'll be fine. 3) Mental Health: [Socializing/Accountability] - That's where coming here matters. I've made a thread and my aim is to check on some people on M/W/F until it becomes second nature like it was in the past. I'm also toying with the idea of making an Accountability Group for art - because I know there are some people here on the forums that want to work on some art stuff and maybe we can egg each other on to create more. I'll see how I feel by the end of the week. [Art] - The story blurb above is the start. Next time I want to write *my* lore chunk and start uploading pictures of the progress that I make with my miniatures. --- For Today: I'm batch-cooking some stuff. I am attempting to make pad thai with zuchinni noodles and honestly after I fried them up with the Red Boat sauce and scallions and blended some roasted peanuts up for topping, it sure as hell SMELLS like pad thai. Fingers crossed it tastes as good as it smells. I also made some coconut curry chicken and pineapple. I fried and then cooked up a bunch of chicken breast and then threw it in the blender for a quick pulse so now it's more like chicken salad. I carved up a whole pineapple and used 2 cans of coconut cream and a bunch of minced garlic and yellow curry to simmer it all together. I also have some pesto ground beef (only a little left - I know there's cheese in pesto but I was using stuff up). as well as a bunch of green beans, broccoli, and I also fried thick eggplant slices and simmered them in marinara sauce. Finally, I made a quiche with 8 eggs, a roll of sausage, some fried up onions and 2 bags of spinach so that's my entire menu for the next week and a half, roughly. Now that I wrote this, I'll contact the new employer about when I can stop by this evening to look at notes and make sure my paypal card reader thingy works as intended and also find out about if there are any clients I'm working with tomorrow and doing intakes forms for. Then after I contact her, I'm going to do a load of laundry and check on some people on the forums. Then probably head to the new job to get things figured out. I'll see if tomorrow I can get some progress pictures of the mini army. Oh, and it's Wednesday so: Leg Day

Hi folks, hope everyone's been keeping well. I've had a week off challenging for the big 4-0 which I'm glad has finally come and gone! Surprisingly I weighed in this morning and haven't put too much on, though I have also started this challenge very hungover after birthday celebrations, and I have to do a night shift tonight at least the hangover meant I had a day nap so think I'll be able to power through, and it's working from home at least. So my last challenge went well and my general formula of walking/food/sleep seems to be working - I think I'll make a few tweaks, but largely follow the pattern. I've also been terrible at keeping up my physio this last week, so am hoping a new challenge will improve that. I think the one main thing I need to figure out is getting a sleep pattern that is more consistent, rather than just aiming for being in bed 8.5hrs before my alarm. I generally get up ~7am when I'm in the office, ~8am wfh and then whenever I wake up at the weekend if I don't have anything on. I also have a tendency to stay up late because I'm a night owl and am usually just more awake the later it gets. I want to see if I can more consistently get up ~7am through the week and do something meaningful before work on the wfh days so it doesn't feel like wasted time. Mondays I'll do the weights that I usually do after work, and maybe the other days I can do a fitness video or cycle. Or might start doing the weights twice a week. Will see how it goes, but I think it'll be measured by being in bed by 10:30pm, and light off by 11pm to allow for some reading. So the challenge (I think I was still doing calculations for total points based on 6 week challenges instead of 5, so have probably been underselling myself for quite a while!): FOOD Under 1600 calories for the day = 10pts Overeating one meal = 0pts Overeaty nonsense = -10pts Maximum = 350pts SLEEP In bed by 10:30pm/lights off at 11pm = 5pts Getting up at 7am = 5pts This was far too confusing so changing it to: In bed by 10:30 with lights off at 11pm = 10pts Maximum = 350pts but much more likely about half of this EXERCISE Walking 45mins per day, minimum 20min continuous = 10pts Walking 30mins per day, minimum 10min continuous = 5pts Home weights/youtube workout/cycling = 5pts Missing physio 3x per week = -10pts Maximum = technically infinite if I just do a ton of exercise, but assuming 3 per week on top of the walking = 425pts Total maximum = 1135pts, with pass rate of 750pts (giving myself hopeful leeway for the sleep trial to be a failure!)

Hello Again Rebels, Long time no see and it was me and not you. I've been away for several years after having gotten my health in a much better place, thanks in large part to this community. I lost 100 lbs in a year and 2 weeks (that 2 week still gets under my skin) and radically changed my life. Once I was in a better place I left the Rebellion for a while. It's been nearly 6 years since I've been around, and alot has changed for me, some for the better, some for the worse. I've found myself in a rough place and I need to get back in control of my health. I'm hoping that surrounding myself with a community focused on improving can help me as I get back to work on improving me. Time for a major respawn! 1. I've lost a couple lbs, but last month I matched my heaviest weight of 300lbs. Over this last winter I had a very bad case of Covid and was dealing with it for quite a while. I was on an oxygen machine for over 6 months. While effectively on bed rest, stressed, not moving, and eating my feelings, I gained alot of weight and lost what fitness I'd managed to maintain. Last summer I was hiking up and down mountains, now I can barely make a flight of stairs without huffing. While my fitness and health hadn't stayed at the level it was when I left the rebellion even prior to getting sick, I was fairly happy with... me. I still can't do many of the activities I would like to do. I just don't have that level of fitness anymore and breathing is still not as easy as it should be, but those are the exact reasons I'm working to get healthier again. I'm going to be working on walking to Mordor. Well actually I'm following along with Bilbo to the Lonely Mountain first, but those journeys will take much more than a 5 week challenge to complete. I'm just doing daily walking to try to get healthier and tracking my distance. Shooting for a absolute minimum of 1 mile a day and building up from there. Unfortunately I'm going to have to be doing it inside on the treadmill for a little while as wildfire season has started here in Montana and my weak lungs do not like the smoke. I much prefer walking out in the mountains (especially if there are fish to catch). I've had some family recommend a 30 day yoga for beginners thing on Prime Video that I'm going to work on too, but idk that it's an official part of the challenge for me. I would like to get more limber. 2. My nutrition has slacked and I want to improve that again. I do cook healthy whole food for many meals, and do really enjoy cooking. I cook mostly at a level 4 of the nerd fitness diet, just with liquid calories, and not tracking, so I hope to make it back to there over this challenge, starting back at level 1. My wife has several diet needs that I have to cook for, so our dinner is usually quite healthy, but I've been eating badly for breakfast and lunch. And working form home I snack far too much. I don't want to add on too many changes at once, but I think I will also be doing some intermittent fasting. I had great luck with it in the past and only eat breakfast about half the time anyway. Will just have a coffee in the morning (working on cutting out sugar from it, but that's gonna take a little bit), and then eat lunch and dinner. No eating before 11am or after 7pm. 3. In addition to decline if fitness and weight gain, I also fell back into an old bad habit with weed. No more smoking since the covid, but I've eaten too many edibles too often. Before covid, I did smoke almost daily and it was already a friction point between me and my wife. I recently ate the last of what I had and will not be buying any more! Ever. Period! I've tried quitting (smoking) weed a couple times in the past with some success lasing for months, but always came back to it eventually. Many people say it is not addictive, but I know for a fact that I have been, ... no I am addicted to marijuana. It is legal where I live but it's not good for me. While I don't drink much, maybe 1 drink a week, I've had more in the past when I took breaks from smoking. I don't want to replace 1 vice with another so the goal for this 5 weeks is sobriety. There's many other things in my life I'd like to work on improving, but for now I need to rebuild a healthy foundation to stand on while I juggle life. Next challenge I'll hopefully be able to build off of progress built in this challenge, and leapfrog on to additional improvements. I feel like I'm jumping back into a survival game were the other players are already geared up and established. I need to get my basics back, with which to rebuild and achieve more advanced tools and achievements. Time to grind! 5-Week Challenge TLDR: Fitness: Daily Walking, min of 1 mile a day. Goal of 30 miles minimum. Nutrition: Starting with the NF diet from lvl 1 "Help, I'm Clueless", and intermittent fasting skipping breakfast. Goal of reaching lvl 4 by end of the challenge. No weed, no drinks. Goal of 100%. No slip-ups.

Hi. I'm Stronkey Kong. Ugh... I just realized I've been on NF for 10 years, almost to the day... I have only 6.5 words to sum up the journey: I'm still fat, but still fighting. My main goal is to just improve and maintain my health, and hopefully lose some weight as I do that. I'm in the process of converting to Orthodox Christianity.... I only mention this because the feast and fast cycles (Like the upcoming Dormition fast) affect my eating and exercise activities, and it might inform some of my current motivations... and I scaled back some of my goals because this is coming up. Goal 1: Re-build My Morning Routine For almost a year I was on the afternoon-evening shift at work: 12pm -10 pm. A little over a month ago, I was moved back to the normal evening shift: 3:30pm - 2:00 am (BTW, I work 4 10's). Then last week they told me to go back to afternoons. Which is great because I wasn't enjoying the regular night shift, but one month was just enough to ruin my nice morning routine I had going before the change. Which was wake up, pray, then go for a walk. Then I 'd have free time to do whatever until work. It was nice. Now I need to get this back. So that's the goal, get back into my morning routine. Wake up: at 8 am. This includes bathroom, light the candles and incense, feed the cat, and start the coffee. I'm also going to add stepping outside to check on my plants and the weather. Pray: This includes all the morning prayers in my prayer book. Then any others that get added per my parish priest's instructions. Walk/Exercise: Then I grab my coffee thermos and go for a 1-2 mile walk. And in this challenge I'll also be adding exercise with walking. Goal 2: Fighting Gluttony. This is a multi-pronged strategy to combat my tendency to overeat. I got the first two from a podcast done by an Orthodox dietician. Bless and Give Thanks for Every meal: Pray for blessings on the food before meals. Pray to give thanks afterward. Kind of goes along with mindful eating. Mid-meal pauses: Stop halfway through each meal, assess my level of hunger, and consider (or even prefer) stopping. This too. Replace Bread with potatoes (or squash): Fewer carbs, more fiber, and more vitamins. Basically doing that as staple replacement. Bread (and pasta) is not banished, but it will no longer be the go to. And oats and rice other whole grains are fine too. Side quest: Try new potato recipes on the weekends. This last weekend I made fondant potatoes. They were fun, pretty easy, and they made the house smell amazing. Goal 3: Run Run on Tue, Thu, and Sat instead of or in addition to walking in the morning. I'm focusing on these three days because the weekly fasting days are Wed and Fri. I'll be eating less protein, and less over all on those days so less fuel/material for recovery. Do posture correcting exercises 3x per day-- I'm always slouching or hunching and this needs to stop. I'm gonna do some exercises (see video on another post below) 3 x per day. Just pick one and work on it for about 5 min. Sidequest 1: Go on 2 Fellowship walks-- These usually happen almost every Fri or Sat. Sidequest 2: Volunteer work-- I have one scheduled for Sat Aug 5 for an event with one of the food pantries. These can sub for exercise since there's quite a bit of physical activity. I will schedule another soon. Not sure if a spot will land during this challenge but we'll see. Sidequest 3: My cat is getting fat too. I need to chase her around the house more. Goal 4: Housework (to-do list) Outdoor stuff Buy a ladder Clean gutters-- pre-req no. 1 Clear gravel off concrete pads (can sub for exercise) Landscape with gravel? -- pre/co-req no. 3 (can sub for exercise) Dig a low spot for future rain garden (can sub for exercise) Plan, set-up space for outdoor gym? Connect outdoor water spigot Basement stuff Break down boxes Organize hardware and storage shelves. Setup a workshop area (smh) Clean and organize office De-junk-ify (whatever that means) Organize books-- sort by subject, set aside some for selling/donating Bathroom-- Tub repair (If I get this one done this goal is all win). Find a fix/replacement for the stupid claw foot I ruined -- might have to do bricks and boards... luckily the foot is in the back corner where it won't be seen Fit new fixtures. Re-connect plumbing Dining Room/Prayer corner/Studio corner-- I took down my power rack, and am re-claiming my dining room, which also houses my prayer corner, and I'm setting up a studio corner for painting. Basically figuring out a set layout and messing around trying to get it situated. Kitchen-- It's due for a deep clean and an organization overhaul now that the new fridge is situated. Attic crawlspace get up there and check things out lay down some boards over the rafters for gettin' around up there

A few years ago, I dyed my hair blue/green/purple. People called it mermaid hair. And over the past few years, I've come to realize that I felt like I'd become a (rather subpar) mermaid--a maiden, insecure, and trying to go (but often fighting) with the current of the waters around me. There's nothing wrong with being a mermaid, but I don't much like the water. Recently, I started having visions of the dragon. Of flying. Wisdom. Strength. And I've decided to embrace this image for my next chapter. I turn 44 at the end of this challenge, and I'm bored of feeling like an insecure maiden pushed wherever the water takes me. I'm tired of constantly being underwater. It's time to level up, transform, get out of the water, and head for the skies. So I disappeared a few months ago. A catch up on recent happenings: I'm starting to feel like an adventurer again.... The Challenge: Become the Dragon Dragon Form 80,000 steps per week. Action: Aim for at least 10k steps per day. Experiment with my daily diet. I'm plateaued at a weight I don't like and while it could have been worse given the stress of the last few months, I really want to start moving down toward my goal weight again. Action: Experiment with reducing/eliminating snacks again, but also avoiding more UPF (ultra processed foods). Dragon Wings Soar, and feel like an adventurer again. I have a lot of annual leave saved up, and itchy feet. We moved to Owlshire wanting a place we'd not feel like we needed a holiday from. But that doesn't mean we never want to go anywhere! I want to take some trips with the Enting--around the UK and possibly into Europe this autumn or spring, while we're not tied to the academic calendar. Traveling alone with Enting sounds like an adventure enough! Actually, though, he's a good little traveler. But first I need to research and plan them.... Action: Begin research and planning for a trip (or trips) in the autumn. Dragon Heart Work on my confidence and banish my imposter syndrome. I'm still new to my industry and the studio has moved me up very quickly. Most of the time this is because I was already doing the role and they were just changing my title to match. And it's not like I'm a newbie out of university--I had leadership roles in past industries, too. But it all feels... way more than anything I was expecting to happen. I need to catch up in confidence and own this. Action: Daily affirmations and spiritual growth. Dragon Horde There's a lot of clutter in our castle. I want to clear out some, so the rest of our treasures can shine. I also want to go through my wardrobe and get rid of anything that doesn't suit me anymore--in fit, in style, etc. I want a wardrobe full of things I love--and wear. Action: Sort my clothes and make at least one trip to the charity shops. Other spot decluttering at least once a week. Shiny Treasure Could I be a dragon without treasure? I realized recently that while I'll probably never get a tattoo, I do really like meaningful (to me) jewelry to mark life occasions. So if I feel I succeeded at this challenge, I have permission to purchase a piece of shiny jewelry. ... onward and upward!

So I've been completely off the radar for a while. I tried to come back, and wasn't super successful. So my full goal for this challenge is just to check in. This is super important to me as I've lost my gym (which means my non-family in person interaction) and I need to find some people again.

Clever Fox Wellness Journal: 5 goals over 6 months. Weight: <134 (this requires a 40 pound weight loss). Flexibility: Touch Toes (with legs only slightly bend, chest against thighs). Strength: Intermediate 1RM (per strengthlevel.com) for my age and gender. Fitness: 3.5 mile hike with 2,000 elevation gain (drop my time by 1-2 fitness levels) Ying Yang: Achieve balance in other areas of my life (instead of focusing exclusively on things I want to do and neglecting things I need to do) Last Challenge (Part 1) Results Weight: Lose 10 pounds: FAIL Make Yoga a habit: FAIL Make Strength Training 4x a week a habit: Success Increase Steps to 10,000 (from 4000): Success Minimalize the Entire House: Success Failed at the most important part (weight loss), but also have several wins that I shouldn't overlook. I'll come back to my failures in a moment. #5 (Yin Yang / Balance): Nearly the entire main floor of the house has been decluttered, organized, and minimalized. In addition to every surface area, every single drawer, cupboard, and closet shelf has been minimalized (purged & organized). All I have left on this floor is the laundry room. In the downstairs (I live in a ranch with a finished basement), I have my studio/office/library (tons of books to purge), the "cupboard under the stairs" (arts and crafts to organize), and the kids educational closet left to organize (but the latter two have been purged and minimalized). Every single box and bin even the ones in storage (except for 2 more) have been gone through and all accumulated trash, junk, and unused and never will be used stuff has been purged. #4 Increase Steps: Almost every day I made it to 10,000 steps. I didn't actually write it in my journal like I should have because I didn't record in my journal for most of the month because I wasn't eating right or working out (back to his failure in a moment), so I can't say for sure how many days I actually hit 10K, but it really was almost every day. I know, because I wouldn't let myself relax for the night until I hit so most evenings were spent pacing my house until I hit 10,000 steps. I can recall two days where I didn't make myself do it at all, and a few other days where I only hit 5,000 because I didn't even put the pedometer on until later in the day because I spent the morning or afternoon at the pool. Which brings me #3. #3 Fitness: I joined a gym. This is rather shocking as it was not the plan at all. At the start of this challenge I had actually just added a few things to my home gym. But then I found out that there is actually a gym right down the street from me (didn't even know it was there, it's down a little side street that is a dead end) that actually offers free childcare to members while they workout. Since I homeschool and my children are autistic, they are in desperate need of socialization, which means I can't just think, oh I don't feel like going today. I have to go because I've been looking for something like this for them, it gives them up to 2.5 hours a day with other kids, and of course I'm paying for it. So far, I seem to work out for about 1.5 hours. I go in the late morning and do a combination of barbell, dumbbells, and machines and then hop on the treadmill until I hit 5000 steps. This pretty much ensures that I hit over 10K by the end of the day (usually around 13K). Also, I definitely work out longer than at home. At home I usually run through 1-2 sets and hit each muscle group 1x. My workout lasts about 10-15 mins. And, I would only actually do a workout (at night) if it was a "good" eating day (which means I didn't workout very often at all). But now that I go in the morning (when the childcare is), I probably do 2-3 sets and hit each muscle group 2x (because of the variety of machines and barbell stations). Because of life and the gym being such an unplanned thing, I have not yet had a full consistent week. I worked out the last 2 days in a row, but my son is sick so not sure he'll be up for it in the morning. But perhaps I will go in the evening when my husband gets home. Okay, so now on to the failures. #2 Flexibility: I think I did yoga, aka stretching 2x the entire challenge. And Tai Chi Sword 0x. #1 Weight Loss: After the first week of July in which I lost 5 pounds, I gained 2 back immediately and basically spent the bulk of the challenge at the same weight I started at until this morning, when I was once again down that 5. So technically, yes, I am starting this challenge down 5 pounds from last challenge but seeing as how I re-lost the same bloody 5 pounds at the end of the last challenge/beginning of this challenge it just seems like an overall failure. Especially, since it was suppossed to be 10 pounds. And was basically 3. And if that was my body just being stubborn and holding on to fat, then so be it. But it wasn't. It was do to my horrid eating (mindless snacking) habits. And not working out for the bulk of the challenge because I got completely demotivated over my thyroid test results (which I thought indicated that I needed a higher dose and so didn't eat right or exercise while waiting for the doctor to call it in only to find out that my prescription does not need to be changed and weight loss at 45 is just hard. Grrr.).

Old Adventurer, checking in. Hi everybody! It's been a while... Although I haven't posted an actual thread in a dog's age, I have been doing a reasonably good job of updating (and keeping up with) my challenge spreadsheet over the last year or three. Unfortunately last month things kind of fell apart. There are lots of reasons for it but really no excuse; all I can say is that watching my solid habits evaporate was a pretty clear indication that I should be more public in my accountability. So here I am, stumbling back onto the NF forums, only to discover it's the very beginning of a new challenge! Perfect. Spoiler for life details (long, kind of self-pitying, TW for female-specific medical issues): It turns out that, much to my surprise and delight, my third brutal session of academic supplication, conducted while in the throes of at self-inflicted crucible of a trade certification program, actually ended successfully. Guys GUYS GUYS guess what GUESS WHAT?!? I got accepted to the University of Nevada Reno to do an MFA in creative writing with a full Teaching Assistantship!! AAAAAAAAAAAAUGH!!!! <ahem> Anyway. I'm moving to Reno. In about three weeks (!). I'll be teaching Composition I (ENG 101) and focusing deeply on the process and products of my own writing, in a program that not only tolerates but actively recruits and supports writers of speculative fiction (like the character-driven fantasy and light sci-fi I love to write). It's as close to the fulfillment of an impossible dream as I've ever come. I should be unspeakably excited and grateful for the opportunity -- but instead I'm exhausted and dysfunctional. So that's why we're here, right? For a CHALLENGE! This one is about metamorphosis. I intend to morph the stressed-out failure I am right now into a completely new identity as a successful professor and committed student, in a new city, with new people and new impossible challengesopportunities to excel. The closest alligator to the boat right now is my living situation. A hurried three-day house-hunting trip after my last massage class resulted in an application for a teensy 300 sq.ft. apartment in downtown Reno, which I *think* I've secured until next June. (Communication with the leasing manager person has been somewhat unclear, but they sent me a letter saying 'Welcome to your new home!" so I'm assuming I'm good.) Depending on some financial uncertainties that won't be resolved until September at the earliest, I may or may not be selling this house -- but it's in awful shape and needs serious repair before either renting or selling can be a thing, so regardless of how things may turn out I MUST pack everything into mobile storage. 3 bedrooms. All by myself. In less than three weeks. Oh yeah and figure out (and sort and pack and transport and possibly buy) what I'm going to need (and what will fit!) in my 10x30 shoebox in Reno. And also sort out how I'm going to pay for it all. It's, uh, not going well... Spoiler for challenge details and roadmap: I DO NOT WANT TO [BLEEP] THIS UP. It's the opportunity of a lifetime and a dream I've had for such a long time. That's why I'm here And in Week Zero, no less! Here's hoping for good challenge vibes to get me through this horrible process and on with my new dreamed-for life. Good luck everyone! Let's do this!

Atreus: Father, when will I look like you? Kratos: In what way? Atreus: Like bigger... when do I get muscles like yours? Kratos: When you work for them. Atreus: But Baldur was really strong and he didn't have any muscles. Kratos: My strength does not come from my body but both are honed by discipline. Atreus: What does that mean? Mimir: Means you've got the strength of a god no matter what, lad. But if you want the physique of one, you better start picking heavy things up and puttin' em back down. Atreus: Ugh While I am, of course, not a child, this advice sets the tone for this challenge. If I want to become stronger, I need to work for it. While I do not expect (nor want) to be as big as Kratos, he will be inspiration and motivation during this challenge. I have broken this challenge into four categories: STRONGER, FASTER, SMARTER, CALMER. If you've been following me for a while, you might notice that I have tried something different this challenge by setting SMART(ish) goals that are a little more specific. However, expect that my usual morning routine and past habits will continue. STRONGER: GOAL: By the end of this challenge, I will have increased my physical strength by at least 10% as measured by an increase in number of reps to failure of kettlebell single-arm overhead press. HOW: I will pick "heavy things" up and put them back down for at least 20 minutes, three days a week; this can include standard equipment, such as kettlebells and dumbbells, but also includes logs, stones, cinderblocks, and my children. Workouts will be MWF, which is both manageable and sustainable. BONUS: On "off days," practice "greasing the groove" by doing a single set of a low rep exercise with a "heavy thing," stopping well short of failure. Training will look like this: Monday: Strength workout Tuesday: Grease the groove Wednesday: Strength HIIT Thursday: Grease the groove Friday: Strength workout Saturday: Trail run Sunday: Rest and recover FASTER: GOAL: By the end of this challenge, I will be able to run a sub-30 minute 5k as measured by a 5k run. HOW: I will run 5k at least two days a week, with an endurance run at least one day a week and sprint/speed intervals at least two days a week. Training will look something like this: Monday: Sprint intervals Tuesday: 5k run Wednesday: Rest Thursday: 5k run Friday: Rest Saturday: Trail run (for endurance) Sunday: Rest and recover SMARTER: GOALS: By the end of the challenge, I will increase my daily use of Duolingo; I will increase my daily reading habit by at least 5 minutes a day; I will learn at least one new thing daily. HOW: I will set a reminder to complete at least the daily requirements to achieve a 30 day streak on Duolingo I will set aside at least 30 minutes of reading time daily I will use apps such as Humane and Kinnu to learn new information, as well as the NPR app and podcasts. CALMER: GOAL: By the end of the challenge, I will improve my mental health by reducing my angry reactions to stress. HOW: I will use a meditation app to increase my meditation/contemplative prayer practice from 10 minutes to 15 minutes. I will take 30 minute mindful walks to help clear my mind. I will write down what I am grateful for and create daily affirmations using the 5 Minute Journal app. I will practice a relaxing breathing technique (short inhale through nose, long exhale through mouth) and apply this technique in moments of stress and frustration. I will listen to music that elevates my mood.

Darci here. Been around these parts since December 2021, though I really never kept up with much. I've been a part of Nerd Fitness Academy since August of 2017 and NF Prime since November 2021. And I've fallen of the wagon many times. I've been off the wagon far far far more often than I've been on it. So I decided wagons aren't my thing. Since I'm not on a wagon, I'm left with whatever is on hand. Which, honestly, is my own two feet. Fortunately my feet aren't located on my hands or I'd be in some real trouble here. I digress. Going on foot is slow, but it's movement and I've found slow is best. The reason I fell of the damn wagon is because it was simply going too fast. Why not slow it down a bit and get my bearings? Things I want to focus on in 2023: 1. Journaling I have 3 journals, each providing something different: A Mystic's Guide To 2023: This journal allows me to write one thing I'm grateful for, check in with my mood, check off (yes or no) on food, workout, sleep, water, and nutrition (food = calories, nutrition = was it healthy), a daily mantra, sleep journal, ritual/meditation time, scripting my day, 3-6-9 manifestation, and a check in for the day using "one thing did I do to move forward today" The Witches Planner 2023: A daily check in with a spot to write things out (I usually write down what's heavy on my mind to get it on paper and out of my head), notes, to-do, and something I'm happy about that day. It also has a spot to write out weekly goals, positive thoughts, notes, budget, and main focus of the week with a spot at the end of the week to reflect. This planner provides a spot to reflect on each of the seasonal "holidays" or sabbats (Imbolc/midwinter, Ostara/spring equinox, Beltane/May day, Litha/Summer Solstice, Lughnasadh/First harvest, Mabon/Autumn Equinox, Samhain/Halloween/New year, Yule/Winter Solstice). I like this to help me reconnect with the seasons The Sisters Enchanted Lunar Planner 2023: This is where I write my current mantra/lunar intention daily. It provides a spot for tarot/oracle pulls or just writing out lunar intentions and sun goals for each full and new moon. I've spent the money already. I need to get my money's worth by actually using these planners. I'm a little over one month in of using them and so it's time to put it out into the universe that I shall continue for the next 10+ months left of the year. 2. Nutrition I have MyFitnessPal and use it often. I need to keep checking in on calories to be sure I stay in deficit. I don't typically control my dinner options so I need to track those ASAP so I may adjust my lunches and occasional breakfasts accordingly. I also loved fasting. Having an intense (to me) workout before work in the morning but trying to fast until lunch, 4-5 hours later doesn't always work out. Again, dinner is not in my control and happens after I'm off work anyway. So the goal is to fast whenever possible and be kind to myself when I'm simply too hungry to keep fasting on. When I need to eat after a workout, I will focus on protein (my current go-to is hard boiled eggs) I also want to become re-aquainted with my body. Years of not listening to it has caused me to no longer understand what it is telling me. I need to learn my hunger cues vs cravings/boredom/emotions/stress. I need to eat slower so I can give my body a chance to tell me I'm satisfied, not full or overstuffed. I also need to be able to recognize that signal and not be confused or miss it entirely. 3. Workouts I need movement. I need to be consistent with getting my butt out of bed so I can get some type of workout in. Currently working on The FeelGood Plan by Dalton Wong & Kate Faithfull-Williams. I'm in the market for a kettlebell and have printed out the NF Kettlebell Workout. I have the NF Bodyweight Workout. I have a rowing machine and a stationary bike. I have 2 pups that love walks. I have a yoga mat and youtube at my disposal. I have more than enough resources to get in a decent workout one way or another. 3 days a week is my minimum goal though my current workout schedule from The FeelGood Plan has me doing 4 days a week of workouts with Saturday being a "fun activity". 4. PE Licensure I am due to take my PE Exam this year, pass it, and get licensed as a Professional Engineer. I cannot get promoted nor can I get a significant raise until I do so or I'll max out my current level's pay range. I also am not eligible for annual bonuses for the company until I get promoted at least 1 more level up so that's a pretty good motivator. In addition, my company is offering a nice little bonus for taking, passing, and getting licensed as a PE while employed with them. I'll take that! Many financial motivators. I have a copy of one of the practice tests. I have most of my college engineering books and notes to refer back to. I simply need to DO the thing. My goal is to spend about an hour each week studying. First, take the practice exam and grade myself. Then note down what concepts I need to re-learn and study. Then, create a study plan and actually follow it. Once I get to the study plan portion, I need to schedule the test (it is currently $375 to schedule so I don't want to set myself up for failure. Especially since I can only take it 4 times a year until I pass). One hour every week. That's it. Just do the thing. Take the thing. Pass the thing. License the self. 5. Finances I need to get my budget up to date and keep it up to date. I need to actually stick to my budget every month and not buy unnecessary items or think I have extra money to spend when that extra should be going towards a debt payment. I need to focus on paying off debt and maintain my debt payoff tracker to keep myself motivated on it. Simple as that. Budget. Don't spend what's not in budget (or update budget for unexpected, but necessary, expenses). Pay excess towards debt. To get started: 1. I've managed to journal for the month of January. One month down, 11 more to go. The habit has started, now I need to keep it. I also need to determine how I'm going to continue it when I'm traveling and don't want to pack 3 giant journals everywhere I go. I might just have to digitize them for those times. Look at that, already found a solution. 2. I've been fairly good about keeping to my one NF Prime "Resolution Rescue" resolution I made: check in with myself before eating to ensure I'm truly hungry and not just bored/stressed/emotional or it's a habit to eat at that time. I've also been mindful about what I'm eating for the most part. Moreso than normal and that's a small step, but a step in the right direction nonetheless. 3. I've only missed 1 workout prior to today due to just plain being a lazy bum. I've missed 2 overall, the second one being today (2/6/2023) as I did my scheduled workout Thursday and Friday followed by unscheduled "functional fitness" on Saturday and Sunday in the form of moving my friends from one house to another and all the heavy lifting that goes with moving. My schedule was to work out today and tomorrow but there's no way I could successfully do 5 days in a row at that intensity and not a) burn out and b) potentially injure myself. Tomorrow is cardio, which usually means the rower, and I'll likely knock that out before my scheduled rest day Wednesday. Overall, the longest I've been consistent with workouts. Ever. That's a win. 4. I bought the practice test and it's sitting on my work desk. I've made a step-by-step guide and set out a goal to do it. 5. I have a budget. I need to update it, but it's there. All my bills and debt are listed. Simply need to fill it in. Other random notes: I'm on a Lara Croft kick, as in I'm idolizing her and wanting to play Tomb Raider (though I don't have my PS4 hooked up and I need to be spending my time more wisely than becoming addicted to video games again). Yet, today I'm feeling a little less Adventurer/Lara and a little more Ranger. I bounce between them daily. Maybe I'm both? Maybe I'll finally discover which I lean more towards this year? For now, I claim both. I also have a bit of Druid in me. I'm slowly introducing homesteading into my life. I need to plan my garden and start getting things prepared for this year. I love the idea of learning Herbalism. Nature is my best therapy. Yoga is something I don't particularly like, but I always come back to like a calling. And I have done a tiny bit of Tai Chi in the past and loved it. Once my current 2023 goals become a lifestyle that takes absolutely no thought, I might re-introduce Tai Chi to my life. We shall see. Baby steps here. Yoga will suffice. I have a goal of 12 books in 12 months. I'm behind right now in February's reading but I plan to spend this evening catching up while the man watches his show. I'm trying to make reading a before bed routine. It, unfortunately, hasn't helped with my budget as I've been purchasing books to keep up this goal. It all started as a way to get back to reading when I wanted to read, but felt I didn't have time combined with the goal of getting off electronics before bed to help me sleep better. Win win, except for my wallet. I prefer tangible books to ebooks, but man, ebooks are GREAT for the wallet. I'm a stepmom to 3 kids. One lives with us permanently and he turns 18 in March, graduates (hopefully) in May then he's living with us while he works and saves up to move out on his own. The other two, who are younger, come during the summer. Memorial day weekend until the first weekend in August. Those are the tough months. I have 2 additional kids I want to get as much possible quality time with and we definitely travel or get out of the house every possible second we can. Doesn't bode well for many of my goals. So here's to that challenge. Hopefully between the month already completed and the next 4-ish months before they arrive I've made these goals more of a lifestyle thing and they come naturally and easily rather than the current to-do list that makes it challenging at times to complete. If you've read this far, congratulations. Your reward is to stop "listening" to me babble on endlessly. Sorry 'bout that. Let's hope this is finally the year I keep up with things. If not, it's the year I've managed to keep up with something, anything, for a month at least.

Hello there. I have a habit of checking in and quickly ghosting. But with work stress etc the past few years have found myself slipping from the good exercise / eating habits I had previously built. Clothes aren't fitting quite as well as I would like. I've been making some progress on my own, but missed being part of the Nerd Fitness community. So trying this again, with a few goals on my first challenge back. 1) Drink Water, not Beer. Track Water Consumption. 🟩= >2.4 Liters 🟨 = 1.8-2.4 Liters 🟥= <1.8 Liters Track Alcohol Consumption. 🟩= >0 alcoholic drinks 🟨 = 3 or less alcoholic drinks 🟥= 4+ alcoholic drinks 2) Walk Track daily steps. 🟩= 10K+ steps 🟨 = 7.5K - 10K steps 🟥= <7.5K steps Commander, Execute Order: Respawn

So I bought myself a beautiful rose gold Clever Fox Wellness journal that last six months. Technically I'll start using the wellness journal in July which is also my birthday (I turn 45). But since the challenge started now, and since I am starting on Diet #456,872 today anyway, I'll consider theses last two weeks in June as prepping. The Wellness Journal has space for 5 goals to make over the 6 months. Weight: <134 (this requires a 40 pound weight loss). Flexibility: Touch Toes (with legs only slightly bend, chest against thighs). Strength: Intermediate 1RM (per strengthlevel.com) for my age and gender. Fitness: 3.5 mile hike with 2,000 elevation gain (drop my time by 1-2 fitness levels) Ying Yang: Achieve balance in other areas of my life (instead of focusing exclusively on things I want to do and neglecting things I need to do) NFR Part 1 Goals (first 2 weeks): 1) Get out of the 170's. Action Steps: a) Don't Snack in the Evenings b) Stick to Plan on Weekends c) Strength Train 4x a week Establish Habits: Drink 50oz water a day Drink Vega shake Drink Collagen Get 60+ grams protein A work project that's lasted the better part of the last 5 years should FINALLY be coming to a close at the end of next week as well, which will allow more time for me to actually devote health and wellness (and weight loss). NFR Part 1 Goals (final 3 weeks): 1) Get back to 162 (which is where I was the better part of Fall 2022) Action Steps: a) Don't Snack in the Evenings b) Stick to Plan on Weekends c) Strength Train 4x a week Establish Habits: Increase Steps (I seem to average 4,000) Yoga video (Hamstrings) Tai Chi Sword video (Mental Wellbeing/Balance)

In all fairness, for this challenge I rummaged through my past challenges to find one that I remember being deeply impactful in getting me out of a rut (which is certainly the case right now). I've modified it a bit to fit my current goals, however. I have been in some emotionally dark places recently, prompted by the death of someone close to me and being too much in my own head. I have been continuing to fight some demons, slay some dragons, and bounce between feeling like a failure as a husband and father and feeling hopeful that I really am doing as well as I can in the circumstances. This challenge, like many that have come before it, will have three categories: Mind, Body, and Spirit. It will be themed after things that give me hope: scripture, poetry, music, nature, fictional and real-life characters, motivational videos, stories of success and overcoming adversity, and of course lots and lots of time with family and friends. I will use a daily point system based on the level of personal difficulty. For example, even though I love to read it is difficult for me to sit still and focus for an extended period of time. Therefore, that task is worth more points. Every 250 points I will "level up" and will reward myself in some way (sleep in, eat a cheat meal, buy something for myself, etc.). Mind (17 points): wake up early Monday-Saturday (0445) -- (1 point) read for at least 20 minutes a day -- (5 points) learn something every day (via podcasts, articles, videos, apps, etc.) -- (5 points) complete the daily goal on Duolingo (Spanish) -- (1 point) journal daily -- (5 points) Body (22 points): intermittent fasting (nothing to eat after 7 pm or before 9 am) -- (5 points) practice some form of breath work -- (5 points) daily workout (fitness plan to be posted later)-- (5 points) integrate creative movement throughout the day (walking, hiking, squatting, crawling, sprinting, playing with my kids, etc.) -- (1 point) eat mostly (65%-80%) whole foods -- (5 points) no sodas and at least 11 glasses of water daily -- (1 point) Spirit (11 points): meditate at least 10 minutes daily -- (5 points) daily prayer/devotional/scripture reading -- (1 point) reach out to at least one friend or family member a day via message or call -- (5 points)

It's been a hot minute. So things and stuff have been going on and I've really been struggling. It's ironic because working out has been ridiculously consistent, but that's it. But I've also 100% been squirreling myself away and being sporadic with all aspects of my life. I chatted with @WolfDreamer this week and it was like a sign to try to get back on the forums. Then I found out the things and stuff may be "resolved" by the end of this week and it just seemed like everything was lining up. So without further ado - my challenge: Skills practice 3 x / week While I'm not following any sort of CrossFit program, I do enjoy learning new things and there is a laundry list of things related to CrossFit that I can't do, so I'm starting with practice 3 times per week. This is pretty flexible as I haven't thought through if I want to master one skill at a time or work on multiple. Check off all my monthly To do's before the end of the month I have found that manual checkboxes is what works for me, so that is what I'm doing. But I've got a list that needs to be done before we hit July. Similarly, have at least one week that I check off all my weekly boxes This is primarily chores, just so you know Schedule my certification exam and study

Amandaba's Quest for Half Dome Part 2 Photo of a part of Half Dome (not my photo) My last challenge I did well in remembering to bring my water bottle to work, brought lunch about half the time. Started off well with cardio but had a few set backs the last couple of weeks and only got a few strength training sessions in, so I'm going to try again with most of my goals. My goals are centered mostly around getting healthier so I can complete the Half Dome hike at Yosemite National Park next summer. My previous challenge goes into my injury history but long story short I've had back, knee, and ankle injuries in the past (all on my left side) that can make going up a steep incline difficult (not to mention my cardiac fitness not being up to snuff to tackle that hike) Incline trainer or hike twice per week. Now that the leaves have come in snakes won't be so common sunning themselves on the trails, so I can start hiking again. I know they really aren't a danger as long as I pay attention where I'm stepping. I cannot help that my monkey brain gets freaked out when I see a snake, so I tend to avoid the trail until mid-late June. However, since July can get hot and humid (and air quality has been an issue lately) I have the option to use the incline trainer at my gym. Strength Training twice per week. I am continuing on with the My Peak Challenge Ignite program. If I am not finished with the beginner month by the time this challenge starts I should be really close. Then I'll be starting the actual month one of the Ignite program. Bring lunch to work twice per week. In an effort to not only eat healthier but to save money for hiking trips I want to continue to work on bringing my lunch to work at least half the time. Use face treatment twice per week. -I've recently started an IPL treatment for my face. In order for it to be effective I need to use it twice per week consistently for at least 6 weeks. I was recently notified I won the parking lottery at work so I get parking from July-September so that should help with the exercise goals the ramp I will be parking in is the same ramp I use to park at the gym, so I will be walking past the gym to get to my car instead of taking the bus to my car then driving back downtown to go to the gym or walking in the opposite direction to a pay to park ramp to then drive out of my way to go to the gym. I might even try out my strength training at the gym so I don't have to rely on my being able to workout at home after driving 40 minutes. We'll see if it works out ok. The program I am following has videos to workout alongside-which is a big perk for me vs just going off a worksheet. I'm not sure if I'll be able to find an area, I would have everything I need in one spot either and the workouts thus far are timed rounds without much break between sets and pausing to move elsewhere each time also doesn't seem like I'd enjoy either. BUT I think I am going to try at least one at the gym to just get my workout done on my way to the car. Previous challenge: Amandaba's quest for Half Dome - Previous Challenge: 5/7/2023 to 6/10/2023 - Nerd Fitness Rebellion

I’m Ranger Hal. I hike, snowshoe, scramble, climb (in theory, although not recently), and do search and rescue. My current goal is to workout enough to be able to keep up with the other people who want to do those things. There have been a number of trips over the last few years where I have either been turned away because the leader didn’t think my conditioning level was where it needed to be or I decided not to even ask because I didn’t think I could keep up. I was thinking of making this challenge about rigging and rope practice for climbing and glacier travel, in addition to continuing some sort of exercise, but I kept adding things and it no longer seemed realistic. So I'm going to keep it simple and stick to the most important thing. I need to get out and walk and hike. So that's the challenge: walk and hike lots. I got a fancy new watch that measures heart rate (and a bajillion other things; this watch has way more features than I'll ever use, but I kind of wanted one that also had an altimeter, so it came with lots of bells and whistles). I'd like to do a couple of days a week in Zones 2-3. So that's the challenge: walk or hike and report the heart rate zone.