Search the Community

Hello All. On one hand, this feels like a normal introductory post on the other hand, definitely is respawn in mentality. I am new to the Rebellion. Right now I need to head check, continued motivation to refocus all whole lot of things in life. I joined the rebellion last year, and then my personal life became a bit of a mess, unfortunately this also included the life of my partner who also joined up and we went on a unplanned preemptive hiatus... That would be the best way to put it. If you read my profile I have a lot of fitness interests.... However, I have been finding myself in dismal physical condition, unable to have the stamina, dexterity, fortitude, to even enjoy for any length of time what exercise I have dabbled in over the years. I desperately need to lose weight,(total goal is a whopping 72lbs!!) and I want to change this. I need to stop fooling myself. I also need to do more than walking around the neighborhood every few days. I have some fitness DVDs, but honestly, the living room needs work, I don't have the space to use them yet, and besides, as I said before, I need to regroup mentally . Also, and/or before. I need accountability. I need to permanently read erase some negative tapes regarding working out, especially at the gym, should I choose to try that again. I am posting this fresh from a trip to ring one of the local gyms in town, look pleasant enough and had options besides treadmills which I have no current interest in whatsoever. While I'm not in too much of a rush to identify with other guilds, I do feel lost as to *how* to go about getting to where I want to be, and need to find a place where I can challenge myself physically, and yet mindfully. I'm not sure what else am asking for here, but if anyone is inclined to read my profile and give me some feedback as to where to start as an adventurer/generalist looking to build some fitness discipline again, and further what other guilds besides Druid and maybe Scout might have some challenges that would be in line with some of my other interests. I would really be appreciative. In short, I love hiking, martial arts, dance (various styles) , archery, rapier combat. I also wish to build disciplines in meditation, various types of visualization and walking meditation, am interested in picking up tai chi and Qi gong. Some of these do relate to my actual spiritual and religious commitments,and priorities. I want to be able to swim. I want to be able to hike for as long as I desire to. I want to be able to dance for as long as I desire to. I want the stamina to be able to get back into martial arts. I Need to get healthy. Part of needing to get healthy is refining my diet further than I have already. This includes paying more attention to nutrition that does not conflict with my myriad of health issues. This can be challenging. Considering I have co-morbitity and dietary recommendations that can conflict with each other. I do plan on joining the Academy as soon as finances allow. Grateful to be here/be back. thank you.

Hello Newcomers! Greeting from the UK fellow adventurers, you can call me Iggy! ;-) To those who don't know me: I'm 25 years old, and I came to NF around 2 years ago because I was really ill and unhappy because of what living with asthma/well-over BMI affect my quality of life and approach with work and enthusiasm. That all has changed since last October, as I managed to reach neutral BMI for the first time + control my asthma after a 1 year+ of creating a sustainable/fun routine, and all thanks to the amazing NF community who guided me (and chewed through my winded-out posts!) challenge to challenge to make that happen. It transformed me, and it was a amazing/humbling experience. And even today, 11 months on, it's has stayed that way. My BMI is still neutral, I am so much happier and face my work with considerably more enthusiasm then before, improved other aspects of life, and I can't imagine living any other way. Coming back after quite a hiatus (and only reading a few posts here and there) it's great to see so many passionate people undertake their epic quests. And to those that do know me, you're probably asking something along the lines of: "Hey, it's been 9 months, what gives?!?" Current stats: 29/08/2016 167.2lbs F: 15.9% M: 41.8% This challenge presents: The Road to v3.0. October 28th is when I reach Update v3.0. This might all sound really confusing to newcomers, but it basically means that every year I set myself some big goals to reach and attain for. I'm really happy how v2.0 to v3.0 has gone so far, and I just cramming in as much as I can in order have the best update list ever to look back on! :-D Challenge Goals: (goal clarification pending!) 1: Continue current healthy eating regime and also include 2x simple 16/17hr fasts a week. 2. 30mins of exercise everyday for 6 days a week. Switch between strength training and running. If I did a lot of walking/physical movement at work, then i can give myself a 10min discount off my exercise session! 3. Set a challenge every week and complete it by the next week. Week 1 is exploring every visual design-based medium I can. Thanks everyone, and to your kind messages during the tough times, great to be here again! Going to probably go to bed soon as I feel a little exhausted writing this tbh xD Glad I finally got around to doing this, typos and all... Now for some peace...

Hey there, I'm ready to restart my life healthy! I'm looking for motivation and support! I'm a graduate student who needs some self esteem help and to get healthy! Anyone want to join and help let me know!

Jazzy started as something hit her on the head. She wished she could say that she had been meditating —she was sitting in the correct position, after all; hands on her knees, legs folded in front of her, back… slouched, chin on chest— buuuuut, she had been asleep. Not even in a very comfortable position, either. Who slept like that? He, apparently. She never knew it would be possible. She shook her head, blonde bangs falling away from her face for a brief moment before falling back into their original place. Searching for the thing that hit her, she found a bottle on the ground in front of her. She reached for it, her stomach getting in the way of reaching the bottle that really wasn’t all that far away. She grunted as she tried again, her claws just barely scratching the shiny surface, making it roll a little farther away. “Oh come on you stupid piece of—.†She rolled backwards a little then forward, onto her knees for a brief moment as she grabbed the offending bottle, then plopped right back on to her bottom, tail just barely moving out of the way. “Aha! I win, you stupid bottle,†she muttered at the bottle, holding it up for inspection. Inside it was no liquid, but a letter. What could it be? Could someone be in trouble and need help? Could it be a long lot love letter? And how had it fallen out of the sky and hit her on the head? Especially considering she was in a room, and this room had a roof. Inspired by curiosity, she pulled at the cork, her nails catching in to and pulling it out. “Come ‘ere, come ‘ere, come ‘ere you.†She shook the bottle opening towards her palm until the letter fell out. It felt… warm? And not in the ‘been sitting in the sun for a while’ kind of warm, but a living warm. She was suddenly regretting her decision to open this bottle. Well, she was here, she might as well go through with it. What could she lose by opening a warm piece of paper? Slowly uncurling it, dread growing in her chest. A light began to shine from it as she continued to uncurl it, causing Jazzy to squint and turn away from it. The light engulfed her as the final crease smoothed out and her world was gone. ************* Once upon a time, Jazzy could move easily, hop around in her fox form, taking Halloween candy from children, or just plain run around in her human form. Once upon a time, Jazzy could do gymnastics to an extent. She’d never been a full gymnast, but she could do things. Now she has hardly any balance to claim as her own. She was lucky to stay up right most of the time. Once upon a time, Jazzy knew who she was and would go out and do things. She enjoyed herself and her clothes and being seen by other people. One upon a time, Jazzy was a camera whore, taking selfies (though she hates that term) of herself and with her friends while they did things. Now hardly any pictures make it out of her, not even in her cosplays. Sometimes she remembers those once-upon-a-time days with a tear in her eye. Those days before she fell into that deep rut and barely moved from the couch. Those days before she lost herself. Sometimes she wonders who she is now and where she went. What happened to loud mouth Jazzy? What happened to confident, in-your-face, shy-but-made-friends Jazzy? Where did she go, and why can’t she be found? The old Jazzy stirs inside the current Jazzy’s chest, screaming to be let out, begging to live again. She wants to live, this new Jazzy doesn’t want to be here anymore. It’s time to find and break out the old Jazzy, bring her back to the light. ************* The orange ear twitched on top of Jazzy’s head, causing her whole face to twitch. Sunlight baked down on her face. She rolled over, wanting to escape the torture of the sky ball. Unfortunately, she was met with a face full of morning dew. Dew? Where did dew come from?! There was no dew in her bed! She jumped to her knees. Or, tried to. More like she groaned and pushed herself up as quickly as she could, staring wide eyed at the grass beneath her. The serene air was broken by a scream, and it took Jazzy a few moments to realize it had been her that screamed. This wasn’t her house. This didn’t even look like her cement forest, the place she called home. Hell, it didn’t even look like the desert she enjoyed visiting from time to time. This was… this was a meadow. She didn’t even know where the nearest meadow was. Did meadows even still exist? She spun, landing on her bum as she stared around, wide eyed. She wasn’t in California anymore. ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ Well, looks like I've decided to take another stab at the Nerd Fitness boards. I did three really good challenges, then fell apart, then stopped coming on all together. In the mean time, I've completed the big challenge I took upon myself and went 365 days without soda. It was tough and I've decided that I miss root beer too much to continue not having soda. I have, though, given, up Starbucks as of April 11. So here I am, rebooting myself and doing this again. I plan to rock it this time around! Long Term Quest: Lose 140 pounds Main Quest: Lose 10 pounds 1. Eat like the locals - I don't want to count calories, but my boyfriend is helping me to set up a proper way of eating. So my goal is breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner. I have very specific, 100ish calorie snacks that I can have. My boyfriend prepares and serves dinner and we have breakfast and lunch already planned out. Do this every day. 2. Following the purple brick road - My new job is a little ways from my house and I don't have a car, so I take the bus home. But to get to the bus I have to walk 8 blocks, half of them up hill. It's quite the work out, especially in this heat. This will be done 5 days a week, unless the school is closed and I don't have to go to work, or I'm sick. (This goal had to be changed because I got a new position at a new school, so I don't have the walk to the bus stop anymore) Ride the bike for 30 minutes every day. 3. Journal - This one works in one of two ways, depending on time and how I'm feeling. Both options include checking in every day. The first option is just an update about the day, maybe food pictures of dinner (cause I love my boys hoe cooking. Mmmmm). The second option is to actually write about Jazzy on her adventure. I want to try to write as much as I can so I can prep for NaNoWriMo this year, since I haven't don't it in years. Life Quest - Learn pixel art so I can teach my kids at school about pixel art and how to apply it to perler beads and eventually to cross stitch. This one will not have point assigned to it, but I wanna put it in writing so that I can hold myself responsible. Grading - On a spread sheet, each day I complete correctly will obtain a 1. At the end, each goal that is above 90% will be a pass, below that will be a fail. Reward - I will finalize points for each at another point. And a final reward... I know! One of my last challenges, I bought myself a shirt that says 'Good girls go to heaven, Bad girls go to Hell with Dean' but I failed and I've never worn the shirt. This will be my reward! Stats: Beginning weight: 292.1 lbs Current weight: 292.1 lbs Ultimate Goal weight: 150 lbs Minis: +1 CHA |

Ok, so here it is. I am making another challenge thread. I've been lovingly cajoled(actually, it's sort of a requirement to be in an accountabilibuddies group) into creating a challenge, and I think, I need to start breaking my REAL live challenges into 6 week, 1 week, 1 day plans. This challenge should have seen me starting in San Diego, but a double root canal(on the same tooth - that is - they tried to do one, and had to put it off for another day, so they still had to do all the same stuff the second day!) prevented me from going. pain, and sick from the antibiotics. but I'm here in Clermont, Florida, in the shadow of the Mouse. here are my simple goals again: Food Fitness Function Food - try to eat paleo with very soft food - not easy. Fitness - do something every day - movement(walking or dancing), strength - certain exercises, and physical therapy Function - yeah, I need to function. - something to do with the house/home every day. And working on my therapy for me. And, I'm reading books - and working on marriage issues - as in, exercising our marriage muscles with books, and counseling, and practicing good communication skills. This could be Family! My sig line is very barren, because I was so disappointed in myself, and felt that I needed to wipe out my past. but, here I am - I will try to post once each week.

Ready For Another Round... FYI: I just changed my name from Sokkasm to Korranation in case anyone is looking for the avatar A lil bit about me for those who haven't read my previous challenges: I'm a college student living at home with the folks. I thought about being an engineer, but that didn't work out. I got into a car accident a few years ago and that set me back a few semesters. I tried being an accountant but wasn't good enough for the college of business. My grandmother passed away last year. I was so busy taking care of my grandpa and the rest of the family that I neglected my classes and it hurt my gpa. So I'm floating on a mulitdisciplinary degree that doesn't do much (unless I can sell it) for any career. I live with an evil stepmother (Maleficent) and stepsister (Lilith) whose goal in life is to make my life hard. Most of my friends call me cinderella bc of this. All the stress of changing majors dealing with accidents and losses, and toxic people has lead me to put on 30 lbs. I've been here on NF for most of this grief. I've had to learn the hard way how to build a successful challenge, but I'm getting better. I hope to lose this weight that the stress that has caused it. Main Quest Remaster Being the Avatar I feel pretty beat up and defeated from my last challenge. I thought I had made S.M.A.R.T. goals, but they weren't attainable, realistic, or that timely. That left me with S.M. goals. So I'll make them SMALLer this time around so they're more attainable and realistic. I'll even through in a 5k marathon on the last day of the challenge to make things timely. Goal 1 Exercise (+3 STR, +3 DEX) I've pretty weak for an avatar. I've got to get my strength up so I can face off any baddy that stands in my way. CHALLENGE: run x3 per week CHALLENGE: yoga x2 per week STR : 3 (A=3, B=2, C=1) DEX : 3 (A=3, B=2, C=1) Goal 2 Eat (+3 CON) An avatars got to keep their appetite up to match their strenth right? CHALLENGE: stay within 200 calories of MFP goal CON: 3 (A=3, B=2, C=1) Goal 3 Sleep (+3 CHA) CHALLENGE: sleep 7-8 hrs CHA: 3 (A=3, B=2, C=1) Side Quest Read (+3 WIS) CHALLENGE: read 2-3 books WIS: 3 (A=3, B=2, C=1)

Getting straight back into it, since the downtime is cut to one week this time around. Whoooo! Introduction: I joined NF a week before the April 6WC started. At that point, I was five weeks into a new workout routine, and nine weeks into attempting to eat better. There are links to my introduction/origin story and my first two challenges in my sig below. Feel free to go rummage around in there. Anyway, my first two challenges went well, and now I'm ready to push on. I’ve gone from 255lbs at the end of January, to 232 at the start of my first 6WC, 223 at the start of my second, and 211 as of right now. It’s a work in progress. There's no specific weight number in mind (yet - this might change as the challenges go on), but I suspect it might be somewhere around the 170-180 range. Life Quest: I'll lift this straight from challenge 1, it still hasn't changed. Dress like a proper grown-up adult man, in clothes which actually look good on me, and make my wife proud to be seen with me when I take her out. The general aim is to overhaul my entire wardrobe by the end of 2015, getting rid of anything which falls into one of the following categories: baggy, sagging or ragged. My specific aim is to get properly fitted for one good quality, tailored, (possibly three-piece) suit, and get a good photograph taken wearing it. I'm sick of being disgusted when I look in the mirror or see a photo of myself. The wardrobe goal has been progressing slowly. There’s been one mass cull already, and another one will follow. Quest 1: …the Trail of Sweat As with my first two challenges, the metric used will be Calories Burned in exercise, only this time with a slight modification. No daily targets as such, just achieve a minimum of 20000 over the 42 days (last challenge was 10000.) How I achieve this will also be a little more flexible than before. It won’t just be limited to the cross trainer in the gym. I can also use the exercise bikes, the steppers, treadmills or even go outside and walk/run, using my phone app to track. This will hopefully prevent cross trainer boredom, which has been a potential issue. Again, going with the Spezzy Sliding Scale, rather than straight pass/fail. Achievable Points on offer: +2 STA, +2 DEX A - 20000+ (Points x 1) - Completed Aug 31 B - 18000-20000 (Points x 0.75) C - 16000-18000 (Points x 0.5) D - 14000-16000 (Points x 0.25) F - < 14000 (Fail. 0 Points.) Quest 2: Let the Bodies Hit the Floor The body hitting the floor will be mine. I will do 1000 burpees within the 42 days of the challenge. No daily targets, just get the 1000 done. Find a way, not an excuse. Achievable Points on offer: +2 STR, +2 DEX, +1 STA A - 1000+ (Points x 1) - Completed Sep 4 B - 870-1000 (Points x 0.75) C - 750-870 (Points x 0.5) D - 630-750 (Points x 0.25) F - < 630 (Fail. 0 Points.) Quest 3: Get the Fork Outta Here A repeat of last time. Let's stay mindful of CI-CO, get a consistent deficit happening, and keep getting the body fat down. Ideally looking to have an average daily deficit of 500 or more by Day 42. The official metric here will be Days in Deficit, and tools used will be my assorted phone apps (for tracking my calorie intake and daily walking), the displays on the gym equipment, and my Mifflin-St.Jeor magic number. Achievable Points on offer: +2 CON, +2 CHA A - 40-42 Days in Deficit (Points x 1) - Final Grade B - 39 Days (Points x 0.75) C - 38 Days (Points x 0.5) D - 37 Days (Points x 0.25) F - <37 Days (Fail. 0 Points.) Quest 4: Read ‘Em and Weep Continuing the effort to spend less time on pointless nonsense and become a better person, I will complete the following FOUR books during this challenge: 1. The Road to Character - David Brooks - Completed Aug 12 2. More Than Ordinary - Doug Sherman - Completed Aug 7 3. Love as a Way of Life - Gary Chapman - Completed Sep 1 4. 10% Happier: How I Tamed the Voice in My Head - Dan Harris - Completed Aug 21 Achievable Points on Offer: +2 WIS. A - Completed 4 books (Points x 1) - Completed Sep 1 B - Completed 3 books (Points x 0.75) C - Completed 2 books (Points x 0.5) D - Completed 1 book (Points x 0.25) F - Complete none (Fail. 0 Points.) Untargeted Mystery Quest: The Rabbit No scoring against this, but I’m going to log all of the mileage I accumulate from walking/running/cycling/gym, for use as a baseline as part of “SomeGuyFromScotland IV: I’m the Rabbitâ€. Sssshh. It’s a secret. Minis: #1: Thinking Deep - Done! +1 CHA #2: Be Brave - Done! +1 CHA #3: Leapin' Lizards! - Done +1 STA #4: Morale Boost - Done +1 CHA #5: Dining Hall - Done +1 WIS #6: Finish Strong - Done +1 STR Motivation: As before, new clothes. I started this year as a 42" waist on my work trousers, a 19" collar shirt, and all of my t-shirts were XXL and even those could feel tight. Progress has been made, and slowly the fat clothes are being shed. If sufficient progress is made by the end of this challenge, I may head to the tailor and take the first step towards the main goal, by getting measured for my suit. If I'm still a little short of where I want to be in terms of measurements (probably looking to get to 34" waist, 15/16" shirt collar, 40/42" chest, around there somewhere) , I'll get some new jeans and shirts instead. Progress (Completed September 6): As always, feel free to tag along for the ride. Your supports will be gratefully received.

Tune in, Tone up! As soon as you are able Woman I am willing To make the break that we Are on the brink of .......... So if you're tired of the Same old story Turn some pages Same goals. Lose weight, get stronger. Upping the intensity to maximize results. 1. Exercise Red hot mama Velvet charmer Time's come to pay your dues I am not messin' around here. 30 minutes a day, 6 days a week. Period. At least 3 of which needs to be cardio. Time to work on the middle section. 2. Nutrition. I don't know where I'm going But, I sure know where I've been Hanging on the promises In songs of yesterday An' I've made up my mind, I ain't wasting no more time Where I have been has been working. I am not reinventing the wheel here. Track calories on MFP, keep calories 1300-1700 range, carbs under 100 g ( dip down to under 50g 3 days), no processed, no sugar, no gluten. There are going to be times that I cheat. Not planning a day because I don't want to cheat, but won't beat myself up if I have a small slice of birthday cake at a party I attend, or I make homemade pizza. I still need to keep calories in check though. Pictures of my dinner plate nightly to keep me in check. 3. Dexterity Paranoia strikes deep Into your life it will creep It starts when you're always afraid Step out of line, the men come and take you away Why is stretching so hard? General stretching each morning. Either focus routine during the day or general stretching at night. Need to increase mobility in my hips in order to do another goal that I want to include in next challenge. Life goal. If there's one thing In my life that's missing It's the time that I spend alone Sailing on the cool And bright clear water I need to get things done, but also enjoy the summer before it is gone. Will have a to do list each week for projects and then a relaxing activity goal for me also. I will be editing later to add more specifics and a grading schedule.

My first goal for myself is to do my workout 3x a week for 6-8 weeks and build the habit of exercise time. Right now I'm doing an elliptical warm-up and cool-down because my joints are not good due to weight and genetics (so I need to build up before doing intervals if that's what I end up doing), and then a full body dumbbell strength routine (because my building has dumbbells so I'm using those). That and my one eating change, which is a lower-carb, higher-protein breakfast (Greek yogurt, berries, walnuts, maybe a tsp of honey instead of a bagel or a muffin). I managed to do my workout today: 10 minute warmup (elliptical) 2 x 20 seconds planks 2 x 8 floor press @ 12.5lb/hand 2 x 8 front squats @ 10lb/hand 2 x 8 standing military press @ 12.5 lb/hand 2 x 8 dumbbell row @ 20lb 2 x 8 pull-throug, 40lb 15 minutes on elliptical

Newbie here! 23 y/o 5'5", 170 lb./77 kg. female, tired of being tired. I'm in love with the idea of combining fitness with a level system. Brings me back to my WoW days. I made a challenge post for myself (in my signature)... might not begin until the next challenge cycle, though. I'd like to start on some of those goals (drinking more water, taking the stairs, eating more freggies), but in the meantime, any tips on getting started? My problem tends to be that I go too hard, too soon, and end up feeling like my heart's about to burst out of my chest, my throat's super tiny, and I'm about to fall over/legs are going to give out. I feel like I have no point of reference to get started. (I haven't really exercised since being in marching band three years ago). I don't have the money to join a gym, and I do spend most of my day sitting (commute, desk job, being tuckered out when I get home), so I'm looking for things I can do without much auxiliary equipment. Some tips would be helpful for: Stretching recommendations Exercises for building up endurance/strength Dietary changes (I'm a vegetarian and I eat WAY too much junk/carbs/processed stuff) Some of my long-term goals include: -Completing a Tough Mudder -Running a 5K -Generally being a badass Thanks so much in advance! You've all been really inspiring from what I've seen so far. I look forward to making progress.

Hi everyone! I'm back! Seems like I'm always taking breaks and then realizing how badly I need 6 week challenges. So, here I am again. I truly believe there is no shame in starting over again...and again...and again. It means you're trying. I just got back fro 5 days in Vegas, so my eating has been off the charts bad. I really need to wrangle this back in! BUT because of all the changes in the next month, I'm NOT doing a whole30, as much as I would like to, but instead, eating with whole30-like intentions, but keeping in mind there will be challenges like booze and dinner with friends. **For friends who have been wondering what I've been up to - feel free to skip over** Here's the quick version of my life since my last challenge - AKA April/May. I listed my house for sale in the middle of May - the market here is super saturated, and it still hasn't sold. I'm starting to consider renting it in the fall because I"m not willing to drop the price so much that I would be losing a lot of money. Either way, I need to move out by mid-september because i have obligations in BC, and also, my flight to camp is booked out of Vancouver. I'll be moving in with my sister in Surrey BC. Work is a dump, and calling what I do with my days "working" is a bit of a joke. I hate feeling like I"m wasting my time. But I'm in the process of getting ready to quit. It would be a hell of a lot easier if my house sold, but I can't do much about that. I'm starting to pack up my house and get ready to move. After this, I'm off to buy supplies (tape, makers, labels, etc) and start with some stuff I'm keeping but won't be needing. I'm constantly decluttering and getting rid of stuff. I just got back from 5 days in Vegas and all the eating and drinking has left me very ready for a challenge to clean up my habits. **end update** Because I've missed a challenge or two, it's always hard to not get overwhelmed and wanting to do ALL THE THINGS (my eternal struggle). GOALS 1) I want to cook meals at home both to save money and to eat better. The other goal within cooking at home, is to use up things that I have. With a big move coming up at an undetermined date, I'd like to empty more of my pantry. The goal is to eat at home (or someone else's home) 3 meals a day (packed lunch for work) seven days a week, for the 6 weeks minus one. I can allow one meal out a week, chosen thoughtfully. With the way things are I'm not going to be starting too strongly here, but it'll get better... week 1 - 4/12 week 2 - /20 week 3 - /20 week 4 - /20 week 5 - /20 week 6 - /20 week 6+ - /20 2) Morning Routine - I want to get up earlier and go for a short walk and do some mobility/rolling work. While walking a lot in Vegas, i was actually surprised by the fact that my feel getting sore was the worst that happened when walking in my (pretty minimal) sandals all day. I loved the fact that even walking on hard surfaces all day, despite the fact that I'm generally VERY sedentary, my knees and hips didn't hurt at all. I want to keep going with the walking momentum I gained and I also want to get back to my yoga tune up rolling. Week 1 - 2/8 Week 2 - /14 Week 3 - /14 Week 4 - /14 Week 5 - /14 Week 6 - /14 Week 6+ - /14 3) Evening Routine - I really want to work on handstands! I've never made this one a really big goal, but now I want to. I love all the people on my IG feed that do handstands everywhere! I want to be one of them. lol I don't want to put a time limit on it because I feel like it will take time to build up strength, but I do think just making myself practice every day will be enough for me. The other part of this is that I want to set aside 30 minutes of reading time before bed. To work on this, I"m going to start using my actual alarm clock to wake up, and putting my phone in another room. I easily waste 30 minutes in the morning and at night on my phone. I keep buying books on trips, start them, and then once i"m home, I never finish them! I have 3 to finish right now - David and Goliath by Malcom Gladwell, It Starts with Food - Dallas and Melissa Hartwig, and also the 4 Hour Work Week - Tim Ferriss. Week 1 - 2/8 Week 2 - /14 Week 3 - /14 Week 4 - /14 Week 5 - /14 Week 6 - /14 Week 6+ - /14 4) Bonus: The other thing I wanted to start doing every day is Power Posing. I just watched this ted talk on Netflix, and wanted to start incorporating it into my daily life. I'm going to be up against a lot of challenges in the near future, and some extra confidence could go a long way. Week 1 - /4 Week 2 - /7 Week 3 - /7 Week 4 - /7 Week 5 - /7 Week 6 - /7 Week 6+ - /7

Hello friends! About halfway through last challenge I had an unexpected visit from the Shadows. I stopped everything. I have since told them to move on and I am ready to continue my journey to healthy weight gain and being in better shape than ever. Food I'm taking a bit of a different approach this time. I have decided to try keeping track of servings of different food groups. I will probably still calorie count the first week or so to make sure I'm still getting what I need and adjust servings as necessary. I'll probably come up with some kind of point system for this. Fit Body weight workouts 5x a week, different muscle groups each day. I actually like my workouts and I feel much better when I do them. ReFresh Water- why is it so hard to drink water? I'm going to try some infused concoctions and eating more spicy food, goal is 1/2 to 3/4 gallon a day. Life Get my house in order--I would like to be able to have friends over and find things when I need them, but right now...yikes.

Setting this up quick on IPad. Will go back later and jazz it up. The last challenge helped get me out of my funk. This challenge is a time to move forward in my weight loss. Shooting for two pounds a week this challenge and I am not taking the two week break. I know.......you are all saying " get to the NAKED part" Nutrition. Quality calories and limiting calories/carbs. Creating a chart posted on fridge with daily calorie goals. Staying around 1500 and carbs under 75g. Will fluctuate and may change this later reflective of weekly results. No processed foods and pretty Paleo in nature with the exception of some rice, beans and potatoes here and there. Utilize garden as much as possible and always cook at home. Looking at maybe allowing one cheat day a week on the eating out/pre made goal but will still need to stay in calorie goal. Allowing one sugar/sweetener cheat a week but the catch here is that I must make from scratch. 7pts per week here +2 CON, +1 WIS Attention to myself. I have done a great job with my sleep goals and it is a habit now. I get about 7 hours of sleep with a set bedtime and set wake up time. What I am not consistently doing is giving myself a little pampering before bed. I did this for another challenge and I really felt relaxed before going to bed and also felt better when I woke up. This involves more of a facial instead of just washing my face, flossing along with the teeth brushing, good smelling lotion, good quality hand lotion, weekly spa bath with salts, and anything else I want to add. 7 pts per week +1 CON, +1 CHA Keep up and "kontinue" Worked hard spring cleaning and going through crap so I need to spend time daily keeping up with the house and paperwork. Continue going room to room and get to those pesky closets that are shoved full. Garage sale happeneing the first full weekend of June so will be able to get rid of some stuff. Need to finish filling all old paperwork. I will create a specific continue list each week. 7pts per week +1 +WIS Exercise. With the weather turning nice no excuses. 3 days a week strength training with home gym. Will test maximums this week and goal improvements. 2 days a week with cardio. Getting heart rate up for at least 20 minutes. Will use pedometer for some step goal challenges weekly. Utilize BBWW. A lot of improvement needs to be seen here. This is the break through category. Do or die. I like the way Petefeet does his exercise goals so I am going to copy him to begin with. Bonus week one which is now a Wed, Thurs, Friday, and Sat goals are: Squats 200 Lunges 150 Push-ups 150 ( I do a mix so regular ones count as one, knee counts as .5 and counter ones count as .25) 4 walks of 30 minutes each I will grade this based on a percentage done. +3 STR, +3 STA Dexterity My leg flexibility sucks. My hips due to the arthritis are so tight. Also some sciatica issues I think. Morning stretches a must and maybe at night also. ***** I have decided to goal myself with basic stretching once per day. I don't want to get ahead of myself and will re adjust if needed during the challenge but even just a good stretch once each day should make a huge difference***** 7pts per week +3 DEX Will grade the challenge weekly based on percentages and grades of A-F. Must get a C or better for total in order to level up.

EDIT: Since I joined in the middle of a challenge, I'm going to keep this post here, but not officially mark anything as completed or award myself points until I can start with the next official challenge. By then I can probably upgrade my quests to fit where I'm at, too! Introduction: Hello all, my name is Saera Windrunner, and this is my first challenge! (My name IRL is Kirsti, but for rp/character creation purposes, my name is Saera!) I'm a 23 year-old female, weighing in at 170lbs and measuring 5'5" tall. The BMI would consider me in the "overweight" category, though I don't necessarily look like it. For many of my teenage and young adult years, I floated between 125-135lbs, without really doing any regular exercise or keeping up with what I ate. But after becoming a vegetarian in September of 2013, I quickly jumped to 170. I'm still not entirely sure why that happened, but it required a new wardrobe and an adjustment in how I viewed myself. Today, I'm less worried about how I look or how others perceive and more worried about my lack of fitness. Most of my waking hours are spent sitting or lying down. My commute to work is 4 hours (round trip) on a train. I sit at a desk at work for 7-8 hours. Then when I get home, I sit on my bed or on my computer. Frankly, I'm not happy about it. I'm 23, in the prime of my life, and going up a flight of stairs makes me winded. Just thinking about having to go at a pace more than a brisk walk makes me feel tired. I also struggle with a sleep disorder, where no matter how much sleep I get, I still feel tired during the day. I haven't had an official sleep study done yet, so I'm not sure if it's narcolepsy, but for now I have "excessive daytime sleepiness." I'm on a strong medication that keeps me at least awake and functioning during the day. I've always said to myself, "I want to get fit!" but it never happens. Some days, I'm simply not motivated, and it's so much easier to just sit on my laptop and waste the day away. Other days, I'm motivated, but have no idea how to get started. I'm afraid of creating a routine or habit that's inefficient or dangerous. I'm not a professional, and I've never joined a gym. I don't want to start because I'm afraid of bad form, and the injuries that could result. My house is also filled with bad food. Neither of my parents like to cook, and my dad is really picky. I never learned how to cook anything, really. So it's always, what can I grab that's instant and tastes yummy? Usually that's a TV dinner, candy, donuts, Hostess cupcakes, ramen... crap. With ingredients I can't pronounce. Diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol run in my family. I already have borderline high cholesterol. I don't want to be unhealthy, and I don't want to get sick with anything if it could've been prevented. So, here's where I start. I feel like being on a forum would help me be accountable for my actions. I've also recruited a couple of friends to work on it with me so I don't get discouraged. Main Quest: I want to begin on my path to general fitness, feeling more energized and building strength along the way. This includes improving my diet. Quest 1: Drink more water. I usually bring a bottle of water with me to work, and I'm lucky if I finish it. Time to seriously improve my water intake. Not Gatorade, not juice, not soda. Just water. I'm hoping it will improve my energy, lessen my headaches, and make my pee clearer. I'm concerned with how cloudy/yellowed my pee is. Week 1: 16 oz./day Week 2-3: 24 oz./day Week 4-5: 32 oz./day Week 6: 40 oz./day Quest 2: Take the stairs instead of the elevator/escalator. I come across elevators and escalators daily during my commute. I'm usually motivated to take the stairs (up and down) in the morning, but not so much on my way home. My biggest obstacle is how much my legs hurt. They burn and get weak and shaky if I do too many stairs at a once. Time start building my leg strength to climb more and more stairs each day. Week 1: Climb up and down the stairs in/out of the subway station at a reasonable pace. Use handrails if needed. Week 2: Climb up and down the stairs in/out of the subway station at a brisk pace. Do no use handrails. Go up and down the stairs from the 7th floor (desk) to the 9th floor (cafeteria) once this week. Week 3: Climb up and down the stairs in/out of the subway station at a brisk pace. Do no use handrails. Go up and down the stairs from the 7th floor (desk) to the 9th floor (cafeteria) 2-3 days this week. Week 4: Climb up and down the stairs in/out of the subway station at a brisk pace. Do no use handrails. Go up and down the stairs from the 7th floor (desk) to the 9th floor (cafeteria) every day. Week 5: Climb up and down the stairs in/out of the subway station at a brisk pace. Do no use handrails. Go up and down the stairs from the 7th floor (desk) to the 9th floor (cafeteria) every day. Use the stairs to get from the ground floor to the 7th floor 2-3 times this week. Week 6: Zero elevator or escalator use. Use the stairs to get from the ground floor to the 7th floor every day. Quest 3: Eat at least one freggie a day. It's usually zero, so anything is better than nothing. Life Quest: Reduce time spent looking at screens. Suggestions: -Don't use my phone while lying in bed waiting to fall asleep. -Choose to look at the scenery, read a book, or take a nap on the train instead of looking at my phone. Motivation: This is the foundation for my epic quest. You can't build a solid house without a solid foundation. Don't skimp here and the rest will get easier. Also, skill points.

Chapter 3- Phoenix Ascendant The curse ran rampant and the cleric, intrepid though she might be, fell to hew knees. Her body ached and her heart hurt. She sat there, not ready to bow but feeling so very, very heavy. Her mind reeled- what had she done wrong? What could she possibly do to make things right again? Her fellows, her confidantes, those she cheered on so gloriously had been abandoned in favor of disappearing. Running away when things became too hard; running because she (wrongfully) thought she could never change. "Coward," she spit, speaking words between tears, "you've always been a coward." You are no coward, dear cleric, a voice said, you did not run from them. Your friends, your allies, you did not run from them. "But I did, I ran from them and I turned my back on the gods. I have lost my patron's favor, my might is gone." Your might is not gone, your patrons have not abandoned you. You must try harder to truly lose the favor of the gods. "But I had given such inspiration, such encouragement to have faith in the path, what can I do now?" she sat up, dirt still on her hands and tears on her plain face. When she looked up she saw a bird, something haggard and molting. Something older than time, reaching its end- as all things end. How could she think herself as finding a new beginning when faced with something so haggard? I came because your patrons have faith in you. I came because the gods of our land know you, and know your strength and your worth- "But I no longer-" Shhh, she heard the voice say. The bird flapped its wings, hopping as if trying to fly only to fall again. It tried, but fell again. The cleric's heart sank and she crawled forward. She reached for the bird. She held it close. "Stop trying to fly, you can't," she whispered, her heart aching, "sometime things end and you can not fly. Accept it." The bird thrashed, wriggling itself out of her arms again. She tried to pick it up again but it flapped, it pushed away. "Please," she pleaded, "you'll hurt yourself, it's too long-" It flapped again and let out what the cleric presumed were its death throes. It fell, flapped its wings and struggled to its feet. The bird took to the air ever so precariously; it began to glow a golden warmth before that warmth became sweltering. The gold turned white and suddenly there was a pop, a sound- a sound of pure magic and it erupted into flames. The cleric only watched in awe and confusion and horror as the bird smoldered away into nothingness. Each feather consumed, each squawk consumed by the sound of something indescribable. It fell, all ashes, into a large pile. Nothingness, it seemed. Nothing but smoldering embers and remnants of what it had been. The cleric pulled her hands to her lips. "Why would the gods do such a thing," she asked the voice. Her tears were daring to come again- what was her patron telling her? She could not understand. Quietly, she heard a chirp, a sound like fire and magic. She scrambled forward to the source- the pile of ashes. Suddenly, a smaller, young hatchling hopped forth. Brilliant reds and ambers and golden flame. It took to the air, wings and tail and eyes blazing. Her crowed a victorious sound, invigorated with the sound of youth and vitality. She understood- a phoenix. The cleric had only thought them a myth, but she had witnessed one's rebirth, had witnessed something life-altering. Sometimes, dear cleric, we must fall. We must give ourselves to the fire so we may rise again. ~*~*~*~*~*~* ~~~<-@ ~*~*~*~*~*~ Hello, lovelies! I crashed pretty hard last challenge. It is in the past. It is an ashen, dirty past. A sordid past, one full of debauchery and- okay, I basically just had to do an extreme overhaul of the medications I take, so I was taken out by medical crud. That said, I am back, I am alive. I am a tiny fledgling bird that brings the might of elemental fire and I will rise into glory. Think Conchita Wurst- Rise Like a Phoenix. I'll post a link to the video when I get back home and have time to go do things. I am a little (a lot) late on this challenge, so I'm pulling a freshman here and carefully slipping in the back of the lecture hall and hoping my professors don't notice. Without further ado, I give you my challenges: Fitness Goal - Water World: Go swimming 3x per week I like swimming. I like water. I even bought a new, cute swimsuit that (I hope) looks good on me. I have purposefully avoided poking new and exciting holes in my body until swimming season is over. I will put my lack-of-piercing-having into good use and actually, you know, enjoy water. I don't anticipate doing laps terribly well, but I do like to piddle around in the water and generally stretch out a whole bunch. PASS: A : 3x per week B: 2x per week C: 1x per week FAIL: no swimming. BOOOOOOO! Reward: Armor upgrade: Buy yet another new swimsuit. Let's face it, I am like a dragon hoarding swimwear. I really like it, and I totally have a shopping problem that I'm not yet ready to admit to. Lifestyle Goal - My Spirit Animal is a Camel: drink 64oz water daily I did a challenge similar to this the first time I did this, but it was only 32oz. I did end up judging myself on the 64oz scale though, which is bad form. Even when I succeeded, I didn't succeed. Basically, I figured out a good way to make this work: 32oz at work, 32oz at home. Home bottle stays at home, work bottle stays at work. A: 64oz per day B: 46oz per day C: 32oz per day D: 18oz per day FAIL: no water whatsoever that day Reward: Potion bottles: No, seriously, I'm treating myself to another potion bottle if I do this. I freaking love potion bottles and they make me beyond elated. Lifestyle Goal - Foraging for food: 4 vegetables per day I live of cheese and bread. I basically live like a starving prisoner- I eat bread, I drink water, and I eat cheese. Sometimes, I eat yogurt. Sometimes. Basically, I load up on carbs and act surprised when I feel super bloated. I have polycystic ovarian syndrome- my body does not treat carbs nicely. Basically, if I can start putting some veggies in my body I will be a happy cleric. A: 4 veggies per day B: 3 veggies per day C: 2 veggies per day D: 1 veggie per day FAIL: You didn't try putting vegetables inside of you at all. Shame! Shaaaaaame! Reward: Swim the waters of mnemosyne: Go on a float trip! See if the room mate or the girlfriend want to come, but basically if I pass this challenge I am going to go out and have a freaking blast being out in nature and enjoying the fun of it. Nature is awesome, veggies are awesome, and I kinda want to reward myself with toasted marshmallows on a real fire. Personal Development Goal - Wearing the Woad: Wear makeup 3x per week A lot of people have some problems with makeup. A lot of people have the impression of "I don't have to wear makeup to feel beautiful. Screw society's beauty standards!" Well, I agree with you. You are right. You don't have to wear makeup to look beautiful or feel beautiful. I, however, like wearing makeup. I like wearing makeup because I like painting up my face and putting shimmery, sparklie colors on my eyelids or finding a new lipstick that is an absolutely gorgeous color of finally, finally experimenting with fake eyelashes. I also like faking bruises and making myself look like an old person. In short: makeup is fun for me. In shorter: makeup makes me feel good. I make all sorts of excuses as to why I don't wear makeup to work. I'm not trying to impress anyone. I don't owe anybody anything; I don't need to be held to some ridiculous ideal of women in the workplace while my coworkers just wear polos and khakis and they're considered work appropriate. Nobody is going to see me, so what is the point? The point is this: makeup makes me feel good. Makeup is fun for me. I am actively avoiding doing something that I enjoy, that is fun for me, and I can do every day to set the tone for the day. Usually, I avoid it because I don't want to get out of bed and I only make just enough allowances to put clothes on and go to work. When I look in the mirror, I see a person who is only minorly put together, who got to work/times with friends/dates with minimal effort. It impacts how I sit, how I work, and how I view myself through the lens of other people. I am afraid people see me as lazy or slovenly because that is how I see myself. I project my negative emotions about my appearance on other people. So, enough of that! We are not putting up with that crap any longer. This time, I'm wearing makeup because, gosh darn it, I like it. I spent a lot of money on this stuff (because this dwarf will shell out some cash if it's a good pigment) so I want to put it to good use! PASS: A : 3x per week B: 2x per week C: 1x per week FAIL: Not a single time this week. Not even a little eyeliner left over from last night. Reward: Sidhe's Blessing: Go play at the MAC counter! Get some new shimmer eyeshadow, a new blush, or maybe even see what the fuss is about this lipstick! Get the tools necessary to paint yourself up like you've been summoned to the courts of the fae.

Hey all, My name is Kirsti (Saera Windrunner for RP). Just joined today, and I'm loving the concepts here so far. I've already started my first challenge. There's a link in my signature that'll tell you more about me and the challenge. I'm here because I don't really know where to start. I need motivation, and to be held accountable for what I say I'll do. I'm currently that person on the couch everyone else is lapping... I want to be out there running with them. A big goal for me would be to do a Tough Mudder. That was my initial motivation to get started on becoming fit. I don't know if I could do a push-up, or a pull-up. I get winded going up stairs. I eat like crap, and make excuses. It's time for that to change. Hello, my fellow Rebels. See you on the road to fitness!

Well, crap. I got my dates mixed up and I thought the challenge started this week. Last challenge I did really well in the beginning and kind of dropped off, but I'm still happy I got as far as I did. Main goal: Get up to a healthy weight- I've been a shrimp all my life and Steve convinced me I don't have to live this way forever. The plan: Goal 1: 1800 calories a day I know this isn't a huge amount, but for my size I think it will work. If I do this consistently, I'll probably bump it up a bit for the next one. Goal 2: Strength training 5x a week I've found that 5 shorter, muscle group focused workouts go better for me than three whole body workouts inspired by James Grage's Rewired Goal 3: 6-8 cups of water a day I have several reasons to keep this in check and make sure I'm getting enough. I had decent gains last challenge so I'm looking forward to seeing how far I can get this time.

So, here we are again. I took a much-needed break to get my head straight, and we're off again. BUT! I need your help! I'm starting off another 6-week challenge a day late(Asia.....). So, here are my goals! Main Goal: It's more long-term than six weeks, but I gotta start somewhere. I'm heading back to the States to visit my family and friends this summer, and I'm going to look and feel fabulous. As far as this particular challenge, I will lose at least 5 kilos while maintaining the good health habits that I've built up along my break from six-week challenges. I will do this in four parts: 1.) Go paleo. - I'm not quite paleo now, so I think that by the start of week 4 I want to have levelled up my diet to paleo. This will force me to keep the sacrifices I've already made, and make the ones I've been too lazy to implement thus far. 2.) Maintain a workout/run schedule. - Right now I'm about to start my third consecutive week of my workout schedule, as made by NF. I want to keep those up, doing bodyweight workouts 3x a week. I've also started the zombies5k to get back into running, as it was something I always really liked to do. I want to keep a steady running schedule of 3x a week. 3.) Get flexin' In recent weeks my yoga practice has been sporadic at best, and usually non-existent. I'd like to add yoga into my routine 2x a week. 4.) Hydrate Keep hydrated by drinking 3 liters of water each and every day. Life goal: Me time It's time for me to put some real time into improving myself. Time to say "no" to netflix sometimes and do something much more productive. Whether it's reading a book, taking a walk, spending time on sketching or studying Korean, I will shut off the electronics for at least an hour 3x a week and do something productive outside of my normal workout schedule. (I'm adding that last clause so I don't start whinging and say my workouts are part of my "me" hour, haha) I know that my goals are simple. They are somewhat ambitious for me, but if not now, then when? My life is changing for the better and my booty better get in gear. Spring has come and the excuses have gone out the door. Join me! Help me fight Legendary Laziness and give me the kick in the ass to get me up and running from those damn zombies. I promise I will post, good news or bad.

Didn't finish last challenge. Life got in the way. More later. This challenge KISS--- Keep it simple stupid. Not reinventing the wheel here. Eat right, exercise regularly and get enough sleep. Eat right. Back to a stricter Paleo for me. Protein and veggies for breakfast and lunch. I hate counting calories so I am not. I think that if I lay off carbs of any kind until dinner and then just have 1/4 cup I will be fine. Here come the headaches! I will take a cheat day once a week for sugar/alcohol. I have three birthday parties and two get togethers this challenge. Also water, water, water. At least 2 liters a day to start then move to three. Exercise. 3 days of weights and two days of cardio. Rest day Sunday and one other flexible day. Stretching every morning and night. Just basic. Now that it is nice out I can also get some functional fitness in working in the yard and gardening. Sleep. Bedtime between 10:30 and 11. No electronics at least a half hour before bed. Wake up 5:30 to 6. I have gotten to the point that I wake up on my own. On weekends I usually get up at that time, let the dogs out and sometimes go back to bed for a little while. I let my body tell me if it needs to catch up on some zzz's. Make up--- spend some time with friends here. Why is it that as soon as life gets busy we give up what gives us joy? I need some motivation. I will get to all my friends threads at least once a week. If have about 70 but I need to see who is still active. I will post here daily. Now http://youtu.be/6eZUZnH1oAc

Here's my current stats: Age: 41 Gender: Female Height: 5'3" Weight: 257.4 lbs (as of 9/20/2014) Weight goals: Short term goal: lose the next 27.4 pounds. This would put me at a 50 pound weight loss since I first started Weight Watchers quite some time ago. Mid term goal: Get below 200 pounds. Ultimate goal: 140 pounds, which is Normal for my height according to the BMI. Strength/performance goals: Do a pull up. Do a chin up. Do a standard push up (not a kneeling or inclined push up). I'm currently not able to sign up for challenges because I have a surgery scheduled for mid-November - I think it's safe for me to assume that the next challenge will intersect with that. According to my doctor, the surgery is fast recovery for most people - two days of rest and then back to work. But of course, she was talking about my sit-at-a-desk-all-day job, and not my ability to do squats or High Intensity Interval Training. She and I have a pre-op appointment in a month, and I will discuss my exercise regiment with her then and make sure I take all necessary precautions to ensure that I don't do ANYTHING during the recovery period that harms me physically or damages my ability to get healed up properly and get back to pursuing my goals. In the meantime, I plan to start a progressive weights and cardio program, and continue with the Weight Watchers food tracking program with an emphasis on increasing nutritious whole foods and reducing fakey chemical crap. Partly, this is because past experience has taught me that being as fit as I can be prior to surgery is one of the best things I can do for my healing process. Partly, I think it would be really easy to be a lazy bum until mid-November because why bother exercising if I'm going to be down for a few days? And that just leads to more lazy bumming after surgery. Bad habits lead to more bad habits. Goals for the remainder of this week (10/2/14 - 10/5/14): 1. Do the daily quests that are sent to me by Nerd Fitness email. 2. Design my weight-training program and decide which days my weight days are going to be. Dietary goals for the month of October: 1. Kick this soda habit I've developed for some stupid reason. 2. Track everything I eat, at least 5 days a week. Lifestyle goal for the month of October: Get at least 7 hours of sleep, at least 3 days out of the week.

oops, wrong one.

Ok, for real this time, I really REALLY want to get going with my chin ups and pull ups!! We've had an ongoing battle over the last two challenges, and so far I've lost. It's been a wee bit discouraging. No more! Even though I will never have this level of fluffy-tailed greatness, this guy is still my role model Main Quest: Achieve chin up (and then maybe even pull up) glory Quest #1: Keep up with the Beginner Bodyweight Workout 3x per week, gradually adding difficulty. Make sure to keep up the good stretching work! Reward: +4 STR +1 DEX Quest #2: Follow the Pre-Armstrong Pull up Program on non-BBWW days. Also, make a tracking chart.http://armstrongpullupprogram.com/the-pre-armstrong-workout-for-pull-up-beginners/ Reward: +5 STR Quest #3: Don't help the gravity nemesis. Eat well! Eat only 7 servings of grains or sugary treats per week. Also, REMINDER: two bowls of cheesy popcorn does not equal one serving. No cheating. Reward: +3 CON Quest #4: Floss floss floss! Cause who needs plaque weighing them down? I have never ever been able to do this consistently, and I really want to start. I think I will have more success in the mornings, since at night I tend to forget / be too tired to feel like bleeding. Floss 6x per week. Reward: +1 CON +1 CHA(Shiny teeth and nice gums mean charisma power, right??) I'm also going to make a better effort to keep posting on here, even if things aren't going super well. But of course I hope it does go well Grading:A= 85 -100% completed = Full points B= 70 - 85% completed = 0.75 points C= 55 - 70% completed = 0.5 points D= 40 - 55% completed = 0.25 points F= Aint gonna happen!!

Hi Nerdfitness! I'm very excited to begin my first 6 week challenge. I'm a little late, but alas, I'm still here. Better than pretending like my current habits are fine, right? Anyways, to introduce myself: I consider myself a hobbit: short, stout, loves to eat, but loyal, stubborn, and determined. Don't worry, I'm actually not that hairy! My goal is to be a wood elf: nimble, agile, strong and stealthy. I've never been "delicate" or "thin" my whole life, so that change will be difficult. But, I'm stubborn so I know I can get there! I'm a noob, which is why I'm posting to the Recruit guild. I'm still not sure where I'd fit in best, guild wise. My main quest is to loose approximately 30 lbs, to my goal weight of 170lbs. My current weight is hovering around 200lbs, give or take a pound or two in either direction. I've kind of stalled lately. I've been trying to prioritize fitness for the past two years and so far I've achieved a lot. I've already lost 30lbs, 7.5" since I've started measuring, I've gone down a pants size, and I'm starting to gain back some strength and stamina that I used to have 8 years ago. I don't mean to brag, but I find it very helpful to focus on what I have achieved, instead of feeling like a failure because I couldn't maintain a food diary or I caved and made a pizza. I have to remember that I'm not perfect, that this is a journey, not a race. As long as I do better than the day before, I've made progress. So, for my first challenge, here are my SMART goals: 1. Stop eating in the car: This means getting up even earlier to make breakfast and eat it at the table, instead of over my lap in a rush to get out the door by 6:30 am. This also means not getting fast food on the way home from work because my lunch was tiny and I'm starving. I've been doing this already, for the most part. Getting up early and making a better lunch is what I primarily need to do to achieve this goal. 2. Workout 1x/week: I should be able to make time for this, easy peasy. I'm focused on proper form instead of a number of reps and I will go to exertion on the strength exercises and record my stats. My workout will consist of a. 5 min warm-up/20 min breath-focused cardio/5 min cool-down -Breath focused cardio just means jogging until I hear my breath, then walking until I catch my breath back b. Body weight strength training: -Push: Knees on the ground push ups -Pull: Bent over rows -Headstand: Over head press -Legs: Body weight squats -Core: Plank holds 3. Hold myself accountable by journaling my progress: I will update my forum once a week, but I need to record my progress at the gym and meal prep on a daily basis to keep track of what I've achieved. I will upload photos of my journal to prove progress and be accountable. I'm very excited to do the challenge and I think my goals are pretty SMART. If you have suggestions for improving my goals, or tips on how to achieve them, let me know! I really appreciate your support! <3

Okay, so like my title implies, it's been a lot of half-assed (or less) challenges lately. Also to note, I think this is the latest I've ever posted a challenge, wheird. Anyway, this challenge is going to be 100% commitment. If you want to see changes, you need to make changes! I'm really trying to put myself, and my health and fitness goals first. I live by myself and don't have kids, so right now it's quite realistic to do. I know that in my last challenge I talked about trying AIP (autoimmune paleo protocol) but I spend a weekend ago prepping for it, and I don't think I can do it (right now anyway), especially because there is no "real" reason I really need to. That being said, here's what I'm looking at this challenge: Goals 1) Whole30+ - For where I am right now, I think a whole30 is what I need. It's strict (which I need) but not over the top (aka AIP). I've completed one good whoel30, and my second one was a bust! I do like how good I feel when I do it, and losing weight that I feel like I never can. 2) Exercise 3x per week - I teach fitness classes and therefore have a hard time working out for myself, but also the exercise I get in by teaching isn't very intense (because ya know, I have to demonstrate with great form, and be able to talk the whole time). So I want to work out three times a week for myself doing quick, high intensity workouts, for me! 3) Journalling - I made this a hard hat challenge a while ago, and by the end I really liked it. Especially the crap that I'm working through right now, I think this is really what I need! (more on my crazy-ish situation later...I have to run off and teach soon!). 4) Prioritizing to work towards my career goals - this one is a bit more vauge and unmeasurable, but what I would really like to accomplish within this is completing my paperwork to get my P. Eng, finishing up my dad's estate crap (aka compile 3 or 4 years of taxes and take it to my accountant), and continue to purge crap I don't need in my house and paint the walls. Basically i'm going to be moving across the country this fall to pursue my actual career goals. It's scary as hell because I'm finally doing it, and not just thinking about it. Other stuff that I would like to do here, but not quite as high on the list is: look into entrepreneurial schools where I'm moving, talk to people here doing what I want to do in another city, and looking for jobs in fitness that I could apply on when I move (ie. scouting out gyms and other centres to teach at). ...more to come later, but I've got to go kick some butts now! Tracking: 1) Whole30: 7/7 7/7 7/7 7/7 4/7 2/7 = 34/42 (81% A-) 2) Workouts: 3/3 1/3 1/3 0/3 0/3 0/3 = 5/18 (28% F-) 3) Journaling: 7/7 4/7 5/7 5/7 5/7 5/7 = 31/42 (74%B )

Goodness, how did it get to be Wednesday already? I'm still sticking with a fairly simple challenge this time. I had some success with the last one and that was very encouraging. I just need to focus on doing it, not if I think it's working or not. For those of you who don't know me, I'm a shrimp trying to gain some healthy weight and take better care of myself in general. #1 Paint the Fence No less than 1,800 calories a day. With three little ones, I sometimes struggle with getting enough to eat. When I pass this, I'll bump it up a bit. #2 Wax on Wax Off Body weight workouts 5x a week. I was pretty consistent with these last time. I really like doing them and I definitely have more energy when I stick with it. I've done the first two so far. #3 Sand the Floor Drink 6-8 cups of water a day. Again, Monday and Tuesday are done. #4... Not a clue here. If I think of something later, I'll add it.