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Happy 2022 everyone! I am totally aware of the fact that I am nearly a full month behind with all my New-Year-New-Me get-my-crap-in-one-sock energy here, but there were Reasons™ (there were Adventures™ too -- those were kind of fun, although in the end probably not unrelated to the Reasons™). But now I'm back in my (very messy and chaotic) hobbit hole and facing down several uninterrupted weeks of actually having to live my life instead of putting it off while concentrating on something more interesting (sigh). I want to use the last week of this challenge to rebuild my routines and habits so that I can actually consider attempting a full challenge next time. Some of the things I thought were totally at maintenance were (spoiler!) not quite at maintenance enough to survive the chaos of the last six weeks, so I'm just going to start there. Starting tomorrow (challenges start on MONDAYS dammit) and for the next seven days, every day, I will track whether or not I'm able to do these things (it might look like a lot to those unfamiliar with my challenges, but everything here used to be something for which I at least had a reasonable daily aspiration): PAI: Keep the magic number 100 or over (related to heart rate, see this PubMed link for the general idea) Outside: Spend at least ten consecutive minutes outside Morning routine: Meditation/HRV reading, Julia Cameron-style morning pages, my old teacher's daily Taiji form, and one set of, mm, let's go with ten twisty pushups Work/home routines: Do something to advance a writing project (YIKERS BIKERS I HAVE A BOOK COMING OUT SOON), spend fifteen minutes cleaning and decluttering OR do something to advance a home/tech project, earn one crown on Duolingo, complete my absolute tidying baseline of a made bed in the morning and a clean kitchen sink at night Evening routine: Fill out the to-do board for the next day, take supplements/brush teeth/wash face, tidy the bathroom, stretch or use the Theragun It's probably not a great idea to grade myself on any of this just yet. The point of the next week is to discover which of these old routines come back easily enough to be set as demerit options and which will need more solid focus next challenge. Daily updates are the goal but not a requirement -- it will get me in the habit of paying attention to these forums, which I do really believe is helpful (even if, when it comes down to it, I'm horrible at actually doing so). I know I'm late, but that doesn't make my good wishes any less sincere If you are reading this, please know I hope for you the best of beginnings to the new year, whether or not it has already begun!

I was struggling to think of a theme for this challenge - in NF of yesteryear, I loved doing fun, fannish challenges, usually with complex spreadsheets and real-life roleplaying. Last challenge, I picked a theme that felt somewhat interesting, but it didn't really reflect my goals and I didn't feel like I engaged with it aside from the goal post. As I put my goals together this week, hemmed and hawed over theme options, thought about roadblocks from last challenge, I realized... maybe I don't need a "theme." Maybe this month is just about simplifying and streamlining. So that's where we are. This challenge I'm using Habitica to track my info, and a spreadsheet to collect all that data and analyze it. Each goal has the Habitica tracker under the spoiler cut. And yeah, this feels like a lot of set up, but it actually should make it easier to track in the long run! 👟 Exercise The plan is to build on the awesome C25k success I had last challenge and add in even more exercise fun. I'm on Week 5 of C25k currently, and planning to stretch that week out a little since it's a steep change from previous weeks. Ideally I'll be finishing up the program right as this challenge ends. On the strength building side, I'm going to restart the ol' NF Bodyweight Workout, twice a week (thanks for the idea, @MezzotheLefty!) C25k 3x a week = 15 total NF Bodyweight Workout 2x a week = 10 total 🥦 Eat Paleo 4 Days a Week Okay, paleo-ish. I'll probably keep putting half and half in my coffee and using ketchup. So maybe this is more "low-carb" than paleo. But the idea is to eat more or less grain- and sugar- free, to fill my plate with vegetables, and to break out of the carbo-loaded diet I've been eating for the last 3 years. Hopefully some weight loss will come along for the ride. Notice it's only 4 days a week though, because, baby steps here. Even 4 days a week is better than I'm doing now. Paleo 4x a Week = 20 total 🍴 Healthy Food Habits IF 16/8 8 glasses of water a day No binge snacking No sugar before 4pm There's a lot going on here, but this is all stuff I've done before and been successful at, so the idea here is just to keep building these habits and keep up a streak of healthy days. There's nothing too challenge or restrictive, just reminders to not go nuts on the snacking or the sugar and to prioritize drinking water. Everyday = 35 total 🏠 Minimize | Organize | Optimize This is part of my on-going effort to declutter and beautify our house. I have a checklist in my Bullet Journal that's pretty granular - each space should take less than 2 hours. This includes: thoughtful decluttering, donating/selling anything we don't use, making sure this is the right "home" for everything that does stay, clearing space so that new things can come in or be relocated here, zhuzh-ing up the look to make it more beautiful or functional. The plan is to do 2 spaces a week. 2 spaces a week = 10 total Spreadsheet Of Tracking

Welcome! I’m the married parent of 4 kids aged 0-7. I’m ultimately an adventurer at heart, though I train similar to a lot of Rangers (and I’m something of a Druid Paladin which is also something of an equivalent to a Ranger). I love hiking, exploring, traveling, and other fun things with the family. Since shortly before joining Nerdfitness, my physical training is typically built around injury rehabilitation (which happens a bit more often due to autoimmune arthritis) and training to be able to travel, explore, and play with my family. I have a pretty effective Disney World training system, and try to ensure that at any point I’m strong enough to carry my whole family somewhere. That has become more difficult as the years go on but I can still do it for the most part. I am also an enthusiastic suburban homesteader bent on establishing an orchard and vegetable garden, so things can get pretty out-doorsy depending on my goals. My needs mean I do a variety of types of training, and my earliest two physical training goals were “run fast” and “be able to competitively play any sport I come across.” I prefer to avoid gyms and do a lot of body weight training. At the beginning of the year, we welcomed baby 4 into the family, my cat was diagnosed with feline dementia a couple months ago, and I am still on parental leave though I return to work next week. I’m not particularly looking forward to it, but C’est la vie. A couple of months ago, we discovered some nearby bakeries for sale, a way to give a physical location to our small cottage bakery, and are intensely investigating those. Timing has taken longer than we hoped but we’ve also figured out what we’re definitely not doing. That’s the whole point of due diligence though. We have several new fruit trees, including a kumquat tree. I look forward to getting those planted and to finishing my fence, whose remaining pieces are currently being shipped. Healthwise, we’ve been living the keto lifestyle for a little over 2 months, and we’ve found it to be incredibly easy to stick to 99% of the time, meaning we’re seeing more success and I’m burning less willpower on food-related stuff. I am a pound away from my arbitrary goal weight, though I’m still far off of my goal composition. The last time I was this weight was before I met Jessie and when I was a middle and high school wrestling coach. That is, one of the best shapes of my life. I want to be lean and strong, not skinny and weak. (Tried that and hated it). I have not been as dedicated to my calisthenics the last couple of months, so I’ve gone a little backwards but a lot less than I was fearing. But I’m not doing too bad for a guy who is just starting to sleep through most of the night due to infant care and who hasn’t really had the opportunity to run alone. Goals: 1. Sleep. As best as possible. I’m a nonfunctional mess without sleep and can sacrifice it for a few days ok but then I have to make it a super high priority to regain it. With le bébé getting older this is easier but with work starting back up next week, that adds a complication. 2. My basic calisthenics routine with Woody and Rex and Bo Peep. I need to get back into this as a regular practice, which I think will be easier with a workday and the associated schedule. Currently I’m back down to 4 pull ups and 28 push ups but I’m not as concerned about being able to build back up since I’ve been off, and I hear keto can reduce general performance as well. 3. Take one concrete step forward per day- at least one tangible, visible thing to make life better. This ranges from things as small as “dig out the replacement toaster” to as big as “reorganize the playroom.” I don’t have to complete the bigger ones as long as I make progress. 4. Take one concrete step forward per day career-wise. I need my job but I’m not satisfied in it and otherwise need a change. I need to hone/adapt skills and look for other opportunities. -> Currently, this involves working towards dramatically expanding a part-time business into a full-time business, which would have Jessie running that business full-time and likely have me also working it full time within the next few years. 5. It’s planting time. I have a raised vegetable bed to dig in, (and the veggies are protected on the porch), drainage to install, and permanent cinderblock sides to install. I have anti-deer fences to put in around my fruit trees as well, and I started a bunch of seeds last challenge. Also, one of my experimental seed fruit trees actually survived but I’m growing it larger before installing it in the back yard. I also have my grandma’s Japanese yellow rose to place, and I am building a small, raised pot in the front next to the garage for it. I also want to finish off the fencing (connecting neighbor fences to our house and installing a gate) so I can let the dogs out/delegate that job to someone else. Half of this job is done. An error in parts ordering meant I had to return and replace several parts to enable the usage of two gates. In addition, the beds and yard all need to be weeded to keep said weeds from totally taking over. 6. Therapy. I have a new diagnoses and new medication that have been, it feels, pretty life changing. I finished intensive therapy that was also insanely helpful prior to that and I am continuing with less frequent sessions. My goal is to better learn how to manage ADHD and how to be a more connected, present, and supportive husband and father. I had some big conversations with other family members that I think have been really helpful with our relationships, too. There’s a lot going on. I’ve started a lot more regular D&D sessions with the kids. We had a few false starts and some practice sessions but they’re finally getting into the Lost Mine of Phandelver. I’m seriously considering a TikTok channel detailing their exploits because they’re a lot of fun- a regular human fighter (who will likely become a Paladin) played by Woody,, a Dragonborn Barbarian who will 100% be multiclassing Druid played by Rex, and a higher level Tibbit multiclassing Druid and Rogue played by Bo Peep, who is a volatile sometime-companion and sometime-ally who can also wild shape into a dog.

Losing weight is boring and it’s not fun. It’s a lot more fun to read a book in bed until 1am while eating candy bars. I think to myself “If I just did these things, I could lose weight. So... We’ll see if I’m right 1. If I stopped eating after dinner. I eat snacks after dinner. Usually like another whole dinner’s worth of snacks. and those 1am candy bars? It’s one of my favorite things in life. But it’s so rotten for me. I eat too much, I have heartburn and have trouble sleeping, and then I wake up grouchy and sugar-hungover and sleep-deprived. So it’s so much more than just the calories, but damn, those calories. If I stopped eating, I’d cut calories dramatically without starving myself, and I’d sleep better. 2. If i just did the workout. I hate working out. It’s hard. I hate the feeling of my fat getting in the way of my body moving. I hate it! I hate how hard it is to breathe and that feeling of panic that “Oh shit, I’m gonna die right now” as I’m just trying to walk around the neighborhood. But working out will help me be stronger, and the more I do it, the easier it will be. And yeah. It’s boring as hell, but I don’t want to find out how exciting a heart attack is. 3. If I managed stress better We all know I suck at stress management. I mean. Y’all. I suck at stress management. I’m going to start with an hour every day just for myself. Where I turn my phone off, shut the door, and ignore the universe. It doesn’t matter what I do in that hour. Whether I’m working or relaxing, that hour is just for me and everyone else has to wait. Except for two days a week when I take four hours off to myself, and it’s best if they are in a row. It doesn’t have to be a weekend, it can be Wednesday and Thursday, but I need two days where I have an afternoon completely to myself to log off, shut the door, and recharge. My family is on board with this plan. So I am gonna do all these things for this challenge and report back in, and at the end of challenge I’ll get weighed and we can see how effective it is!

It’s time to have a some fun! In case you are on your phone and cant see my signature kinks Er..links, here is my epic quest. I was thinking about my Big Why and I realize it has changed a lot. I’ve changed a lot. I want to travel more, I want new experiences, and I want to be healthy and fit so I can really enjoy it without feeling weighed down by the Cupcakes of Days Past. In the past, I’ve struggled with making everything into Hard Work. Eating healthy is Hard, working out is Hard, and its not that it needs to be easy, but it grows in my head until it becomes this impossible monster, a titan of terror. So I want to remember the reality of the situation: each day is an opportunity to live, not just exist. My goals this challenge: Follow my workout schedule. cook more meals. I’m aiming for seven dinners this challenge. Write my morning gratitudes Go to my favorite park and hit the trails once a week. Okay! Lets have fun!

12 Week Hypertrophy Quest Quest Goals: 1) Increase Muscle Mass 2) Decrease BF% 3) Increase Strength In All Lifts Overview/Details Each working set should be performed to near failure with 12 being the most reps you should perform and 6 being the lowest. This workout utilizes supersets.Take a 1 minute break between each superset. Supersets are grouped by letter before them. See Quest Objectives for context. Increase weight on each set by at least 5lbs. Increase weight from week to week as well. By the end of the 12 weeks, you should be 10lbs+ stronger in many lifts. This program can be repeated with endless variation. If you begin to plateau, seek ways of making the workouts harder. An example could be adding some dropsets. SPLIT CHEST/BACK SHOULDERS/ARMS LEGS Quest Objectives: Day 1: Chest/Back | Warm-up 5 minutes of cardio A1) Bench Press 2x6 warm-up, 3x12 working A2) DB Row 2x6 warm-up, 3x12 working 1 - 2 minute rest B1) Hammerstrength incline Chest Press 3x12 working B2) Hammerstrength lat pulldown 3x12 working 1 - 2 minute rest C1) Cable Crossovers 5-7x12 working C2) Reverse Flye 5-7x12 working Day 2: Active Rest | Start with 5 minutes of cardio if you normally don't do cardio, and add 5 minutes to your average time of the cardio you do regularly. Increase total time by 5 minutes every other week. By Week 12 you should be doing 30 extra minutes of cardio. For the sake of this program, cardio is considered 150bpm+ for the whole session. Day 3: Shoulders/Arms | Warm-up 5 minutes of cardio A1) DB Shoulder Press 2x6 warm-up, 3x12 working A2) Standing DB Curl 2x6 warm-up, 3x12 working 1 - 2 minute rest B1) DB Front Raise 2x6 warm-up, 3x12 working B2) Tricep Extension 2x6 warm-up, 3x12 working 1 - 2 minute rest C1) Reverse Flye Machine 2x6 warm-up, 3x12 working C2) Barbell Curl 2x6 warm-up, 3x12 working 1 minute rest D) Skull Crusher 2x6 warm-up, 3x12 working Day 4: Active Rest | Do the same amount of cardio as you did on your first active rest day this week. Day 5: Legs | Warm-up 5 minutes of cardio A1) Squat 2x6 warm-up, 3x12 working A2) Leg Curl 1x6 warmup , 3x12 working 2 - 3 minute rest between A and B B1) Leg Extensions 3x12 working B2) Standing Calf Raises 3x12 working 2 - 3 minute rest between B and C C1) Weighted Walking Lunge 3x12 working C2) Lower Back Extensions 3x12 failure Day 6: REST Day 7: REST Let me know what you think below!

3/30/2016 "Not good," I told my impromptu sidekick. Jessica and I had been together since I plucked her out of a tree a couple months ago. Spring has come and winter walked away without dropping anything particularly fantastic on the ground. Oklahoma had become something of a crapshow to say the least, but it wasn't like this back in January. No, that's an entirely different story, but I guess we've got some time before the door breaks down. "How many of them do you think there are?" the teenager asked with a shaky voice. There is a hard pounding at the door of the safe room. We'd managed to find a particular jackpot of supplies, but it seems like we weren't going to stay safe for long. The pounding on the door came harder. "Come out and we'll be lenient!" rang out a very intimidating, masculine voice. "You know, Jess? The one thing I'm learning to hate more than zombies is survivors," I grumbled. Yeah, I guess I should catch you guys up-to-date. Tell you how we got here and how a scrawny teenager and I decided to be big damned heroes. More importantly, I need to tell you guys why I beat that seven day deadline. Maybe I'll get through the story before they break the door down. ____________________________________________ Hey lovelies! I'm back on Nerd Fitness. I fell off the face of the planet right at the end of my last challenge, but to let you all know: I successfully finished the January Challenge, even if I didn't actually get around to posting it. One of the big things about being largely housebound is that I now have a little more time to exercise and not working as much has made me much, much more creative with my food choices. It's pretty fantastic, all things considered. Thank you all the people who came and checked in on me, and I wanted to post this bit to you to let you know that I am fine! I missed the February and March challenges, not because of anything weird and woeful, mostly just because I forgot about it all and was like "Aw, crap, we're already a week into the challenge and I don't have any goals." So, I was carefully waiting in the wings for the April challenge so I could get back in the saddle, so to speak. I'll be posting goals tomorrow, just wanted to jump in and tell people I'm super excited to get back in the game and, finally, make some headway on the story I was writing.

Off Week Goals: Lost in the Woods Inara: You’re lost in the woods. We all are. Even the captain. The only difference is, he likes it that way. Mal: The only difference is, the woods are the only place I can see a clear path. What’s your business here? - Firefly, Eposide "Serenity" I'm back. Again. And where I am right now is the dead center of the woods. I just finished my EMT-Basic certification class (still waiting to register nationally), and got back from the anime convention I was going to. Since I was focusing on surviving 15 hour days during July and getting my costumes ready for the past two weeks, my life's been left to its own devices. Entropy did its work so I'm mostly at loose ends. Welcome to Respawn number I-stopped-counting-a-long-time-ago-but-here-we-go-again. I'm planning on focusing my challenge on tackling some of the Academy quests, so my off week goals are to get through the housekeeping bits of the Academy and into the meat of the nutrition and fitness quests. But, like I said, this is the woods. I'd been pretty familiar with the Academy, but the recent overhaul added a bunch of new quests (Exciting! Loud noises!) so I have no idea what I'm getting myself into anymore. So I'll be making up my off-week as I go. Day 1 (8/15/16): Mindset Snap those Before Photos - Done! Sent to my accountabilibuddy. Take Your Measurements - I'm taking these first thing in the morning because that seems to be best practice. Find your Big Why - Complete! This got me a Level Up on the Academy. Share your Big Why - Complete! See below. Square away the Galley (not Academy related)- Not today. Had to deal with medication withdrawal so cleaning wasn't a good option. Day 2 (8/16/16): Mindset Take Your Measurements - Complete! Results below. The Art of Goal Setting - Complete! Goals listed below. Start your Epic Quest - Complete! Share your Epic Quest - Complete! <-- Click it!! Day 3 (8/17/16): Mindset I heard about the 12 Week Quest emails for the Academy (which you can get here if you want them) that let you know which quests to do in what order if you'd rather move around between the different modules. It starts with a welcome email so I'll be getting my first mission tomorrow. Gimme The Loot! - Complete! When I square away my apartment by this weekend, I'm going to buy myself a PS3 so I can have friends over for movies and games. Customize Your Batcave - Join the NF Academy Facebook Group - I've been a member for a while, so I just ticked this quest off. Hail the Triceratocracy! Love you, Tricerasisters! [[Ok, I know I disappeared on this one. Super-legit excuse: my Academy account(s, actually, which was the problem) was in flux and I got panicked over whether or not I'd be attending camp. After emailing back and forth with Staci and Noel (the best!!!), my accounts are consolidated and I have access to all the things again. However, my accounts are consolidated under my new email address, which is tied to the account I wasn't using. So I've been rebuilding my Academy presence over the past few days.]]

Intro: The end of this challenge marks the first anniversary of me joining NF. At the end of January 2015, I weighed 255 lbs, hated myself, and constantly felt sick and tired. I started watching what I was eating, and then at the end of February took the plunge and joined a gym. I came across NF a week before the April 2015 6WC started. By that point, I was five weeks into attempting to establish a new workout routine, and nine weeks into attempting to eat better. There are links to my introduction/origin story and my first seven challenges in my sig below. Feel free to go rummage around in there. I’ve made steady progress through the challenges over the last 12 months, with just the occasional setback. In October, I was invited (and thrilled) to become an Ambassador for the Adventurers guild. Life Quest: There is an ongoing life goal to 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 continue to overhaul my entire wardrobe, getting rid of anything which falls into one of the following categories: baggy, sagging or ragged. Over my first four challenges, I set a specific goal of getting properly fitted for a good quality, tailored, three-piece suit, and get a good photograph taken wearing it, because I was sick of being disgusted when I looked in the mirror or saw a photo of myself. Having hit that goal, I kind of lost focus towards the end of 2015, so for now the focus is on getting back to basics, keeping it simple, and shooting for a fixed target weight of 180. With that in mind, the targets are almost identical to the last challenge. Once again, there’s no theme as such, so the quest titles are purely for my own juvenile amusement. Quest 1: “The Cleveland Steamer†7,000 calories burned on the cross trainer at my gym. Achievable Points on offer: +4 STA A - 7000+ (Points x 1) B - 6500-7000 (Points x 0.75) C - 6000-6500 (Points x 0.5) D - 5500-6000 (Points x 0.25) F - < 5500 (Fail. 0 Points.) Quest 2: “The Alabama Hot Pocket†500 burpees within the 26 days of the challenge. Achievable Points on offer: +4 DEX A - 500+ (Points x 1) B - 450-500 (Points x 0.75) C - 400-450 (Points x 0.5) D - 350-400 (Points x 0.25) F - < 350 (Fail. 0 Points.) Quest 3: “The Hoboken Squat Cobbler†500 bodyweight squats within the 26 days of the challenge. Achievable Points on offer: +4 STR A - 500+ (Points x 1) B - 450-500 (Points x 0.75) C - 400-450 (Points x 0.5) D - 350-400 (Points x 0.25) F - < 350 (Fail. 0 Points.) Quest 4: “The Hangry Pirate†Log food, stay mindful of CI-CO, and stay within my calorie target. Achievable Points on offer: +1 CON, +1 CHA A – 25-26 Days in Deficit (Points x 1) B - 24 Days (Points x 0.75) C - 23 Days (Points x 0.5) D - 22 Days (Points x 0.25) F - <22 Days (Fail. 0 Points.) Quest 5: “The Mississippi Mud Pie†No chocolate. Achievable Points on Offer: +1 WIS. A – No chocolate. (Points x 1) F – Had chocolate. (Fail. 0 Points.)

Jericho's Pilgrimage - Assassins are Adventurers Hello everyone and welcome to my challenge. It’s been awhile since I’ve done one of these but I feel more refreshed than I have in a long time and I feel really excited to dominate February. First just a quick head’s up, I’m a bard (according to the occupations?) and by that I mean I’m a writer and that’s the form my challenge posts take. I tell a story that relates to my challenge and is hopefully fun to engage in as well. So if you’re into heavy role-playing like this by all means, read my story. If, however, you don’t really care for stories and the such then I will be writing my challenge information is straight-talk like this. So just to keep things straight, Blue text will be for my story, for the role playing. Red will be for the real world. Enjoy one or the other or both as you see fit. So before jumping into it, I just wanted to give you a little bit of an overview of both the story and my challenge. The central idea is about trying to become a great assassin but by learning from all of the classes as well. This first challenge will be learning from the Adventurers since they didn’t exist last time I was on here and I feel they are my second class after Assassin. Anyway the gist of the challenge: Fitness Goals On days (M,W,F): Rock climbing Off days (T,R,Sa): Eat one fruit or vegetable Improved hygiene (brushing hair, waking up earlier etc.) Level Up Goal Write for at least 15 minutes everyday So anyway, that was the introduction to my challenge as well as the tl;dr to it. Now on to Jericho’s Pilgrimage, Chapter 1.Thank you for supporting me. Good luck with the challenge everyone. Ad victoriam.

!!!POST YOUR GIFT IDEAS THAT WILL MAKE YOUR ADVENTURES THAT MUCH MORE EPIC!!! World Scratch Map: https://www.touchofmodern.com/sales/1dea-me86ed8621-e380-48f8-b91c-006e73ea580b/world-scratch-map-blue-silver *booo, u have to scroll down a little; BUT IT'S STILL COOL! Cut Maps: https://www.touchofmodern.com/sales/cut-maps-55973fec-689c-4def-9e4b-5a301d228c12 TL Art: https://www.touchofmodern.com/sales/tl-art *has nothing to do with travel per se (unless you include mindscapes) but coolness factor dictates it be shared! SURVCO Tactical Credit Card Ax... BWAHAHAHA: https://www.touchofmodern.com/sales/survco-2b57b0a3-5ee2-41a4-a402-7c33332e35ba/survco-tactical-credit-card-ax *too kewl fer wurds! I wonder if it could get through airport security... either way, goin in mah wallet!

Hey! My name's Leafa. I just finished my first challenge last week! I'm so proud! But already I'm falling behind. I stopped doing my exercises on Tuesday and despite having lost 5 pounds over this week, I haven't been paying attention to my eating habits as well as I should either. My initial plan was to join the assassins but I really don’t feel ready to do that yet. So for this challenge I'm going to saddle up with the adventurers and really solidify those healthy habits. So what's my overall goal? I'm graduating in May and I want to look like a superstar in my grad photos. I'm not too big, I lost 10 pounds with my first challenge and I'd like to lose 25 more by May, which should be an easy target, I hope. I also want to make fitness and exercise a more prominent part of my life. For a poor student living in a place where winter lasts 6 months, kinda hard. For now my exercise mainly takes place in the basement of our apartment. Quest 1: Rituals (no goats will be harmed) I really want to develop a morning ritual. I love being up before everyone else and getting to enjoy that moment of silence alone with a hot cup of tea before the day begins. I sort of have my own morning routine but I want to change it to fit my workouts in before I start in the morning Morning 6:30 am Wake up, going to give myself 10 minutes to wake up 6:40 am Work out (100 jumps w skipping rope on MTWRFS, 2 rounds of basic bodyweight training MWF) 7:00 am Shower 7:20 am Hair and Makeup 7:30 am Breakfast, feed fish, make sure I've packed my lunch 8:20 am Leave for work I’ve given myself lots of time in the morning, but I need to make sure I’m done with the bathroom by 7:45 so that my boyfriend can take his shower. That being said, my biggest problem is getting up at 6:30 to even start. So I developed an evening routine to follow as well. Evening 9:30 pm Make sure lunch for tomorrow is made 9:45 pm Write in Journal 10:00 pm Wash face, brush teeth, feed fish 10:15 pm Read 10:45 pm Go to sleep Moreover,10:00 will be by tech curfew, no more Facebook, Reddit, Twitter, whatever. 80% of this stuff I already do,My biggest problems are getting up at 6:30 so that I have the time to exercise, and not going to bed by 10:45 to give myself enough sleep to wake up in the morning. Quest 2: Eat the Way I Know I Should The past few weeks, I've really been cutting down on what I put in my mouth. I'm making healthier choices and cutting grains out when I can, but I want to go further. I'm already working on this in different ways. Ever since September I've managed to cut down on eating out for lunch, so for this challenge I'm going to work on cutting down to eating out overall to one day per week (right now it's about 3-4). So here's how I'm going to do it: Continue to bring lunches to work, usually leftovers or salad in a jar.Start using my slow cooker more often with soups and stewsMake one new recipe a week from the 5 ingredient cookbook my boyfriend brought home.Have frozen veggies and pork chop on hand for easy suppersPlan suppers and stick to the plan Life Goal: Friendship is Magic! I didn’t make enough friends last time! So this time I want to post in at least 3 other people’s threads a week, give them encouragement, and hopefully make some friends along the way. I'm really looking forward to this challenge, can't wait to see how it goes!

So, who is SomeGuyFromScotland?: 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 four challenges in my sig below. Feel free to go rummage around in there. 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, 211 by the third, 203 by the fourth, and 196 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 175-180 range. And what does he want?: There is an ongoing life goal to 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 continue to overhaul my entire wardrobe, getting rid of anything which falls into one of the following categories: baggy, sagging or ragged. Over my first four challenges, I set a specific goal of getting properly fitted for a good quality, tailored, three-piece suit, and get a good photograph taken wearing it, because I was sick of being disgusted when I looked in the mirror or saw a photo of myself. This goal having now been achieved, I’m starting to think about the next level. There are two things I would quite like to do in 2016. One of them is write a novel and self-publish it on Amazon. I’ll probably hold off on starting that until the first challenge of next year, and make it an ongoing item in the 2016 challenges. The other, I’m going to start working towards in this challenge. So, without further ado, I bring you: Issue #5: SomeGuyFromScotland vs. The Cartel of Carnage Every good superhero comic needs one or more bad guys. Arch enemies, Supervillains, or just plain old Asshats. Spidey had his Sinister Six. Dredd had the Dark Judges. Every Avenger has his Dark Avenger, and SomeGuyFromScotland (with occasional comic relief from his exotic dancing alter ego Buff McSavoury and comedy sidekick Tartan Temptress) has… Mephistopheles – The self-styled Father of Lies, and the evil mastermind behind CoC. His true power lies not in his wisdom, but in convincing you that yours is false. Stronghold – The Cartel’s enforcer, he is brutality incarnate, a wrecking ball of strength, power and rage. Alluria – She is a succubus, the addiction who calls you like a siren. She looks good, but she is poison. Succumb to her, and your strength and willpower will be gone. Heisenburp – A former high school gym teacher who was driven to insanity by, oddly enough, the Insanity workout. Following his escape from the asylum, he was recruited by the Cartel to eliminate threats by forcing them to perform burpees until death from exhaustion. The Five Thousand – The terrifying result of genetic experimentation, The Five Thousand is a constantly regenerating being with a myriad of heads and arms. Chop one off, and more appear. The Five Thousand cannot be truly defeated, simply survived. Note: Targets adjusted on 30/11 to compensate for a complete bust of a phlegmy, sweaty, viral sick week. Quest 1: The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (The Five Thousand) “Long is the way and hard, that out of Hell leads up to light†The last chapter ended with the line “And when the hand touched my shoulder again, I somehow found the strength to run.†Now begins the next stage in my journey. I have always hated running. It’s time to get over that. I’ve identified a six week beginner’s 5k training plan and this is the first step towards my next small life goal, to compete in and complete an actual 5k. Beyond that? Who knows. Maybe I’ll tackle a 10k. Maybe I’ll never run again. This training plan calls for 18 sessions, three per week. I’ll record my time taken to complete 5k on each run, and hopefully the walk : run ratio will change significantly over the 6 weeks. Achievable Points: +4 STA A: 15 sessions (Points x 1) - Current Progress B: 13 (Points x 0.75) C: 11 (Points x 0.5) D: 9 (Points x 0.25) F: < 9 (Fail. 0 Points.) Quest 2: Iron Sharpens Iron (Stronghold) “Never easy, never clean, to be a beast among human sheep.†This is a fight to the death. As iron sharpens iron, so I must get stronger by battling the epitome of strength. The focus of the last couple of challenges has been primarily weight loss and fat burning, so cardio has taken priority. Now that I’m getting more comfortable, it’s time to re-establish a good lifting regimen. Two workouts a week with a focus on weights. Workout plans will be detailed below, but it’s based loosely on Stronglifts 5x5. I have no idea what my baseline will be, but the targets will self-adjust as I progress. Achievable Points: +4 STR A: 10 sessions (Points x 1) - Current Progress B: 8 (Points x 0.75) C: 7 (Points x 0.5) D: 6 (Points x 0.25) F: < 6 (Fail. 0 Points.) Quest 3: He is the Danger (Heisenburp) “You all know exactly who I am. Say my name.†Trapped in the lunatic Heisenburp’s underground lair, the only way to escape is burpees. He may be the Danger… but I am the One who Rocks. Achievable Points: +1 STR, +3 DEX A - 830+ (Points x 1) - Current Progress B - 750-830 (Points x 0.75) C - 670-750 (Points x 0.5) D - 590-670 (Points x 0.25) F - < 590 (Fail. 0 Points.) Quest 4: Lead Me Not (Alluria) “We gain the strength of the temptation we resist†The power of the succubus is temptation. Alluria is beautiful and almost impossible to resist, but she is poison. Do not succumb to her. Eat mindfully and continue the good habit of maintaining a daily deficit. Tracking purely on food logged against a daily fixed calorie target this time, instead of including exercise calories. Achievable Points: +1 CON, +1 CHA A – 40+ Days on Target (Points x 1) - Current Progress 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 5: The Wisdom of Solomon (Mephistopheles) “Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding.†There is only one way to defeat the Father of Lies: with Truth. Slightly different reading challenge this time, with apologies to Doc Feelgood for completely ripping this idea off from his recent challenges. I’ll use my YouVersion bible app, choose some reading plans and begin each morning with 15 minutes to read and absorb that day’s word and get myself right for the day ahead. Ideally, it’ll be six 7-day plans, but we’ll see where it leads. Achievable Points: +1 WIS A - 42 Days (Points x 1) - Current Progress B - 40 Days (Points x 0.75) C - 38 Days (Points x 0.5) D - 36 Days (Points x 0.25) F - <36 Days (Fail. 0 Points.) Minis: #1: Hoth Battle - Done! +1 STA #2: Yoga with Yoda - Done! +1 WIS #3: Combined Force #4: Recipe Book #5: Helping the Pilots #6: Blaze of Glory IRL Things: Following my triumphant performances as "Doo-Wop Backing Vocalist #4", Queen tribute Granny Tranny, Scar's Hyena Sidekick, and Augustus Gloop, I can now officially announce I will be making a return to the stage on the 7th and 8th November playing a WW2 soldier in our church's annual fundraising show, which this year is a seriously emotional musical named Hope & Glory. Thankfully, no speaking part this time. Just as a bit of background, every single penny raised at the shows, either from ticket sales, or the associated auction and raffle afterwards, goes to our Christmas giveaway where we give toys and food parcels to struggling families in our local community. At last count, the total given away over the last six or seven years is somewhere around £90,000. The Wolverine and I will be making a road trip to (not so) sunny Bradford, Yorkshire from Friday 20th to Sunday 22nd November for our annual church conference, but I’m not going to use that as an excuse to go off the rails, even though we will most likely be faceholing the world’s best curry at Akbar’s on the Saturday night, and if previous years are any indication, an outstanding fish and chips at Murgatroyds on the Friday. I do have two days’ wiggle room on the calorie challenge, but I’d rather not use both in the same weekend. I’ll be logging food as normal for those days, and attempting to make good decisions. In terms of workouts, I’ll just need to make sure I either have my schedule nailed, or get a slight cushion built up just in case. Oh, and this challenge ends right before my birthday. Pleasing.

In school? Studying for an exam? Super-huge thing coming up that you need to prepare for? Need support? Someone to hold you accountable? Then this is for you Trying to be healthy (work out, eat right, get enough sleep) juggle schoolwork, and work/family/social stress is tough...we can't promise to help you pass advanced accounting, but at least you're among others that understand what you're going through, and maybe pick up a few tips along the way

I finally got it up! It was a crazy week. This is my 4th challenge!!! I've lost almost 25lbs since I joined the rebellion in June. If you'd like to know more about me, check out my battle log. This time I'm trying to get a little more into the quest. Tackling each goal as a youma. When it comes to writing I don't feel so creative but I gave it my best shot! With a new pendant in hand. Doe emerges from the battle. Burgundy ribbons falling over her shoulders. Her old fighting wears: oversized jogging pants, old grey work shirt, and pink canvas sneakers have been replaced with sparkly grey leggings, Nerdy Shirts, and a new awesome pink and grey sneakers with the ankle support she needs to continue the good fight. The first week may have threw her off balance, but she aims to be victorious over the next 5 weeks. The light is at the end of the tunnel, but many obstacles lay ahead. Four youma appear, and the only way to beat them in through steady Kujichagulia: self determination. It's a principle/day of Kwanzaa. Self determination:"To define ourselves, to name ourselves, speak for ourselves and create for ourselves." or as Sailor Moon might say... A pink sparkly engineer that goes to the rooftops? Now that takes Kujichagulia! Temptation Last time it was proven: calorie counting works. I won't fall into old habits, it always seems like "oh okay I got this healthy eating thing down now..." But when you're a short girl with a short attention span and a sweet tooth, it's easy to get tempted I have a clear calorie goal to meet. 1200-1500 depending on day. 1200 regular days 1300 on dance days, 1500 on gym days or full field days 5% tolerance (1800 on Thanksgiving because the day after thanksgiving will be a free day - going to Napa) 35 HP A. 30 Points or better B.21 -29 Points C: 18-20 Points F : Less than 18 Points +2CON Row on!:60,000 meters on the rowing machine Last time I really enjoyed having a quantifiable fitness goal. It really gave me something to aim for. I've really started to like the rowing machine. It's such a good workout and not boring like some other things. A:50,000m or more B:40,000 - 49,999m C:30,000 - 39,999m D: 25,000 - 29,999m F less than 25,000 +2STR +1DEX +1STA Temporal Tempest I'm studying for the FE Exam (Engineer in Training Test - if anyone else happens to be studying let me know!) I need to study at least 8 hours a week (it is a 6 hour test after all, used to be 8) and work problems 30HP A:25+ hours B:15-25 hours C: 10-15 hours F: less than 10 hours +3WIS +1STA Chaos This demon tempts one to plunge right in, no need for planning or refection. That's not so! In order to win the war, I need a plan. I need to plan to make that plan. Goal Set aside at least 30 minutes on Sunday to Plan week. 10 minutes each morning. 5 minutes for reflection. 3 pts for Sunday planning. 2 points for morning planning. 1 point for reflection. I've got ADD, a textbook case so this is going to be incredibly hard but I am determined 24 possible points a week. 123 HP A:110 Points or Better B:90 - 109 Points C:75 - 89 Points D: 60-74 Points F: Less than 60 Pts +2WIS +2STA +1CHA

Now that Doe has learned she can be stronger, now she's got to be braver...and even stronger She's got to look within herself and beyond herself. Challenges aren't just about doing what she wants to do. It's about to doing things that need to be done. Sure, being magical girl is fun: you get cool clothes, awesome hairstyles, get to do cool things with awesome gear..you also you gotta be able to dance your way through an awesome transformation right? And then have the courage to fight and right wrongs. There's reason for all this, there's a Great Destiny to unlock! ^when non-writing engineers write. lol. I'm trying at least. Quest 1: Go to Dance Class and practice at least 2 hours a week(4 hours a week) I'm starting Tap Class on Tuesday, I used to tap in high school and I do miss dance. i'd like to think now that I'm a lot lighter that it'll be a new perspective. Should for some reason tap not work out - I do live in the Bay area so I could always find another dance class. This is in addition to me working 3x a week coz I've pretty much got that down now. #likeaboss A. 20 hours or more B. 16 hours or more C. 12 hours or more D. less than 12 hours +2 DEX +1 STA Quest 2:If you need to write it down: Limit refined sugar (Coz this *points down* gotta stop) I finally broke down and talk to my doctor....jerk put me on a diet! lol, I'm kidding I looked to him for advice because I hadn't the slightest clue with my health particulars(weight loss surgery in 02, low blood sugar, moderately active, weird metabolism) what the right thing for me to do is. He reccomended 1200-1500 calories with at least 100 grams of protein a day. 1200 on most days 1500 on days that I work out or have longer field days. That on half field days I'm likely eating more than warranted for a half day. The biggest problem for me is sugar, I have a major sweet tooth and I run a cupcake business I thought about the best way to make this a smart goal and I think refined sugar is the culprit. As much as I'd love to say NO REFINED SUGAR EVER AGAIN, I want a goal I can accomplish, a good measurable goal and so I came up with this based on about how much refined/added sugar I eat in a week now - about 250 grams - the equivalent of honey I add to tea(85g a week), a pint of ben and jerry's(108g), and a roll of starbursts (44g). A+ Less than 50 grams a week A. Less than a 100 grams a week B. 100-150 grams a week C.150-200 grams a week D. Over 200 grams a week +2STA +2 CON Quest 3: Stick to my budget Last month I didn't have a budget and my spending got way out of hand. I'm not out of the woods yet, so here it goes again. A. Staying under Budget B. Staying with 5% of Budget C. Staying with 10% of Budget D.Staying within 15% of Budget F. More than 15% over budget +2WIS +1STA SideQuest: Read "(50 Ways to) Get it Done When You're Depressed" Implement 5 tactics I'm not currently doing My depression has gotten pretty bad lately and unfortunately causing problems in my relationships. I make it through the day without crying and stuff like that but the ways I choose to handle depression are not always the healthiest for me or for the people in my life. I almost lost my boyfriend because of my depression, it was all very convoluted. A. Read the book sucessfully implement 5 tactics B. Read the book successfully implement 3-4 tactics C. Read the book, successfully implement 1-3 tactics D. Read the book. - Done 9/15 Tactics Chosen1. Focus Outwardly/Watch what I say2. Be Realistic about hours in a week3. Don't Wait until I want to do something to do it4. Avoid Isolation Always do your best5. Don't Judge my work until it's finish +2CHA +2WIS +1STA

It is not every one," said Elinor, "who has your passion for dead leaves.†― Jane Austen, Sense and Sensibility Initially this challenge was going to be easy. I thought I'm gonna take it easy. But I decided that I really needed to grow up and face some realities. Mostly in the way I handle stress and eating. So this challenge will focus on those goals. I love my current exercise routine, so I'm sticking to it and adding a couple yoga sessions a week at least to help manage stress levels. I'll track everything on MFP and my calendar, and share with you here. There is no grading system, no points or rewards. I'm not getting sidetracked by additional challenges this time. I had a major wake up call this past week with my dad and realizing how at risk I am for so many things like cancer, stroke, heart disease, diabetes, and the list goes on...I want to be healthy, and I'm not putting it off any longer. We're gonna have fun, but I'm very serious about success this time. Nutrition: The first three will be tracked on MFP · Eat 25-30 grams of Fiber 6 days a week. · Eat less than 100 grams of Sugar 6 days a week · Drink 6 glasses of water a day · 20 Healthy Meals: New recipes, tried, tested, and shared with you here!! Exercise: Track using stickers and stamps in my calendar again · 40 minutes of cardio 5 days a week -My Little Pony Stickers · Strong Workouts 3 days a week-Star Stamp · Yoga 2 times a week- Smiley Sticker Stress Management: · Meditate 5 minutes each morning and 5 minutes each night · Each Sunday, plan the next week-meals, shopping, work, workouts, appointments. · Make one night a week an Introvert Pampering Night. Paint my toenails, drink some hot tea, read a book. Whatever I need to recharge my batteries.

In school? Studying for an exam? Super-huge thing coming up that you need to prepare for? Need support? Someone to hold you accountable? Then this is for you Trying to be healthy (work out, eat right, get enough sleep) juggle schoolwork, and work/family/social stress is tough...we can't promise to help you pass advanced accounting, but at least you're among others that understand what you're going through, and maybe pick up a few tips along the way

Hello! Im back to try again. actually, I've been doing a lot - and getting much stronger and much more active...but at a much slower pace than I would like! But, I'm not hurting myself this time! (can I get a hoo rah?) Goals: create a schedule - Nutritional - eating whole foods a. prepping b. eating c. accountabiliby - mfp Physical - a. morning exercises - to wake up my body b. noon ish exercises - movement throughout the day - my fit bit c. evening exercises - stretching in bed. Healthful - a. magnesium protocol (including mag water) b. ACV water c. supplements as prescribed by nutritionist Spiritual a. Bible reading - accountability - youversion plan b. Bible journaling - create Bible journal c. Prayer time - create prayer journal Living arrangement a. unpack one box b. arrange one drawer/cabinet c. one project to paint per week This may look like alot...but, these are things I need to do daily. The living arrangement is because we are supposed to close on 9/18 on our house therefore, we start to do the finishing touches the following weekend, and then start moving in. I have no idea what my stats were. In a fit of depression, I erased them all. This is my respawn - I am starting over.

I've been staying away from challenges for the past several since I can't seem to complete them. Maybe it's because I have a limited amount of time to spend on internet forums and I just can't seem to stay on top of posting updates, following other forums and also giving feedback to other amazing NF members. All that being said, I'm going to give this one a try. I'm totally ripping off LadyShello - it's also been a year since I did my first challenge. So I'm going to post a challenge that is similar to that one. I've made incredible progress in the past year. I'm more fit than I've ever been. Here we go! The first challenge And here's the updated version. No points for now. I may add a grading system later. I've been consistently working out for the past year. I spent about 9 months simply doing bodyweight exercises and really loved it. That laid an excellent foundation for me. My balance improved, as did my muscle tone. I have more stamina and endurance. I definitely have more energy. A few months ago I made the decision to start working out with a trainer once per week. That has made a huge difference. I'm building muscle and feel great. I do still have a problem with sticking with my workout schedule. That will be the focus of this challenge as will my diet. While I've made changes there, I still have room for improvement. One other thing - I'm going on vacation during this challenge. Last year I started on NF when I got home from our family trip. I was tired of feeling rundown and not being as active. This year we're going on vacation a little later than usual so will be gone for nine days in early August. I won't be able to weight train that week, but will commit to doing bodyweight exercises. I'm 5'10" and I weigh 195 pounds. Last year I said 200 pounds, but was probably closer to 205. I was always fluctuating between 200-205. Main Quest - Lose 5 pounds by end of six week challenge. I still have a bit of a belly and would like to drop that weight if at all possible. 185 is a good weight for me, but I'll be pleased with 190 by the end of six weeks. Quest 1 - Weight training 4x per week. I have a workout program that was approved by my trainer and I would like to stick with it. I allow myself excuses for missing workouts and typically only get 2-3 sessions in each week. The weeks that I've made four workouts have felt great. I'll be on vacation 8/6-8/16 and will do bodyweight workouts during that time. Quest 2 - Diet - once again this is a challenge for me. I have no interest in going Paleo it turns out. However, I can make some real changes here. Actually I would like to consult a nutritionist for some real guidance. My goal is to research that and find someone that I can make an appointment with. I will use my network to achieve this and also internet research. Quest 3 - Limit caffeine intake. I love coffee and don't intend to quit. I know this about myself. However, I would like to make better choices about when I have it. I do drink an extra cup at work that is unnecessary. I will start by eliminating that cup each day. Life Quest - Last year my life quest was to look for a new career. Well, that happened and I've been in my current job since December. It's going really well and I just am so excited about the difference it's made in my life. So for this quest I will revisit my musical goals. I have still not bought a new saxophone and will make progress on that by the end of the challenge. I will at least have made a decision about what kind of horn to buy. I don't want to settle, rather I'd like to play test a few different horns and see if I can find something I really love. I have a good budget for this so want to take my time. Goal - I will play test 3 different saxophones during the six week challenge. I may even post videos of me playing and ask for feedback. Motivation - I want to feel better and look better and continue the progress that I've made this past year!

"Let's look on the bright side: we're having an adventure, Fezzik, and most people live and die without being as lucky as we are." --Inigo Montoya I'm glad to join the adventurers for the first time! This challenge is going to be fun/difficult/silly/ohgodohgodwhyamIdoingthis/AWESOME. I look forward to sharing with you and cheering each other on. I'm going to be planning out my goals soon, but for now, I just wanted to say hello! Things that I like Fluffy CloudsReading booksKnitting and EmbroideryMaking ListsUnicornsThe smell of a freshly-sharpened pencilExclamation points!!!FlowersCheeseburgersMovies! Things that I don't like: PuddingBugsPeople who talk during moviesHorrorPoop jokesThat feeling when someone asks you a personal question and you realize you've never really thought about it, and you blather on for 5 minutes about nonsense while you muppet flail frantically hoping someone will interrupt you BUT NO ONE DOES so you trail off, weakly muttering something in Gibberish.Walking through the detergent aisle at the market. That's a little about me :-D I'm going to work out my goals this week and will share them once they are beautiful and shiny looking.

I've always had a thing for mirrors, just not in the way most people think...While I cannot stand to look in one, mirror images of something are like my personal quirk...most people pay attention to the repetition like 12/12/12 in dates...I look for the mirror like 5/1/15 (yes, that is why I chose that day to get married ) This is my 11th challenge - my 'mirror' challenge (okay, I know, but for the purpose of this it is!) I have a short term goal to lose 20 lbs by my birthday, which is 10/31 (explain much? LOL) while I know it shouldn't matter, it will help me make peace with what I see when I look in the mirror...will also help me not have to buy new clothes because these are getting snug. The only real issue I have with food (besides that I love it) is my occasional cheats (aka ice cream) occasionally become too frequent! These need to be limited to no more than once a week if that. Otherwise we're very good about staying Paleo. I've started getting up and working on the elliptical again, which is cleared by my chiropractor...I really want to start incorporating kettlebells in there too a couple times a week...nothing outrageous to start, just the basics. I need to continue to work on the work-life balance...I can easily stay at work till 7pm, that's not healthy, especially considering I have an hour drive (one way) I've been doing fairly well at leaving at 5:30, earlier on days I have to see the chiropractor...the world has not come to an end and nothing imploded...I need to continue this...also need to continue to work on my course so I can finish by the end of the year, at least 30 minutes three days a week. So, goals this go round are 1. limit cheats, no more than once a week 2. continue working out at least 3 times a week, work on incorporating kettlebells 3. continue to leave work on time and work on course this is working towards my longer-short term goal of losing 20 lbs, without losing my mind in the process (assuming I had one to lose) Track in MFP to get a idea of how much protein and carbs I am consuming, as well as calories

In school? Studying for an exam? Super-huge thing coming up that you need to prepare for? Need support? Someone to hold you accountable? Then this is for you Yes, we know this challenge is almost over, but school has just started back for many...so come join us, we can't promise to help you pass advanced accounting, but at least you're among others that understand what you're going through!

Hello everyone! This is my first attempt at a challenge, so wish me luck and feel free to correct me if I have missed something. Main Quest: Steel yourself for war-Lose 100 lbs. My current weight is 396 lbs. This is a major detriment to my quality of life and I am going to turn it around starting today. Goal 1: Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war-Walk my dog for 45 minutes everyday. Goal 2: Si vis pacem, para bellum- Perform upper body work outs 4 days per week Goal 3: The greatest victory is that which requires no battle-Replace one meal per day with a full vegetarian meal. Life Quest: Ability without honor is useless-Pay off $900 apartment debt Motivation: My dearest Allison. I will fight this war so that we can live to old age.

You ever feel like everyone and everything just wants to suck the energy out of you? That's when you gotta do squats all over their face! (major points if you catch the reference) But seriously... During the last challenge, I almost got crushed under the weight of my own goals and my new job. I was hungry, exhausted, sore, beat up, and trying to impress an unimpressed boss. I need to eat more, sleep more, and workout different. There are two months left on my probationary period and I will secure my spot at this company. That's why... It's maintenance time. MISSION: MAINTAIN STRENGTH AND STEADY WEIGHT LOSS, WHILE HAVING THE ENERGY TO PERFORM ALL REQUIRED TASKS AT WORK Let's get straight into the quests: Quest 1. Eat less than 2275kcal but over 2200kcal per day. Check out my Battle Log for the nitty gritty. I performed most of the calculations on http://iifym.com/. With this method, I'm eating at least an extra 400kcal per day, while not going over maintenance calories. With the exercise I will be performing, I should still be slowly losing weight. I'm not going to sweat macros that much. I didn't last time and I lost 8lbs in 6 weeks. Though, I will aim for a 40/30/30 ratio, the 40 being protein (obviously ). I won't gade myself on them. Potential Stat Growth: 4 CON Quest 2. Lift 3x/Week According to Program. This is an experimental program, designed to maintain strength levels and increase my volume. Progressive overload finally hit a plateau last challenge. I needed to eat more. You can read my Battle Log for the minute details, as it is quite intricate, but basically I will doing the following: I will use the StrongLifts lifts and two accessory lifts of choice, but I will be progressing volume instead of weight. Deadlift, and the accessory lifts are exceptions. The goal here is to not beat myself up, gain endurance, drill form, and, of course, maintain strength. First, here are the Lifts/Weights: Barbell Squat - 315lbs Barbell Bench Press - 225lbs Barbell Deadlift - 350lbs Barbell Overhead Press - 135lbs Pendlay Row - 135lbs EZ Bar Curl - 80lbs Body Weight Dips, Chest Version - Unassisted I deloaded rows because I realized while watching a video that my form is awful. I use these weights and begin by attempting to complete a 5x5. Once I succeed at that twice consecutively, I progress to 5x6, then 5x7 and so on, seeing how far I can get by the end of the challenge. For deadlift I am going to follow normal StrongLifts protocol until I can do 1x5x365, simply because I have OCD and don't like 2.5lb weights. The 25's on the end will look better (I'm vain, whatever). At this point, I will add another set up to 3x5x365. If I get to this point, I will actually add 5lbs and start the number of sets back over at 1. Curls I will do until I can get 3x10x80 and then I will add 5lbs and repeat. On Dips, I will simply be attempting to reach 3x10xBW and after that, I will do 2x10xBW and then the final set to failure. I'm interested to see how this works out. I'm in the spirit of mixing things up and I'm interested to see how my body responds to higher volume. I will lift 3x/week. Monday Morning: Squat, Bench Press, Pendlay Row, Dip Wednesday Morning: Squat, Overhead Press, Deadlift, EZ Bar Curl My choice of Friday or Saturday at any time: Everything - I've done days like this, and particularly on Friday Nights or Saturday mornings when the gym is mine, it's glorious. Potential Stat Growth: 2 STR, 2 STA Quest 3. Perform 20 minutes of Stationary Bike HIIT, with a warm up and cool down, daily. I felt sluggish on my off days last challenge. This will keep the blood pumping, while not being too strenuous. Also gives me that little bit of cardio simply for my health, while also cooling down my legs on lifting days. Potential Stat Growth: 2 STA, 2 DEX Life Quest. Get 8 hours of sleep minimum. Try to get 10 on the weekend This is simple and logical. Sleep = Energy, health, and peace of mind. Potential Stat Growth: 1 STA, 1 CON, 1 WIS My grading system is simple. I keep track of each goal on a pass/fail basis daily. My final score is the passes out of potential passes as a decimal applied across my stats, rounded to the nearest whole number. Say I did 13 out of the 18 possible workouts for quest 2, I'd get 13/18 = 0.72 --> 0.72*(2 STR, 2 STA) = `1.44 STR, 1.44 STA --> 1 STR, 1 STA Looking forward to giving the routine a spin this week. Gonna cash in on some serious sleep tonight. This should be fun. Hello Adventurers!