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I am amazed (and a little humbled) at how creative everyone else has been with their personal goal descriptions/classes/shows/daemons. My goals for the year are not nearly as interestingly laid out. I just tend to make a lot of lists. After job hunting and moving across the country exactly a year ago and dealing with a sick/needy dog and a new job since then, I have Gained a ridiculous amount of weight - I'm at least 15 pounds heavier than I've ever been in my life and I'm a very short person My BF percentage has gone way up I've lost sooo much of the hard won strength I had 2015-2016, from nearly two years of aerials (silks and trapeze, mostly) multiple times a week. This has led to: Frustration with myself and my lack of self discipline Somewhat poor self image (not too bad, though, I'm generally pretty even keel about these sorts of things) My clothes not fitting (I don't want to buy all new clothes, because they are too expensive) Inability to do even the most basic things whenever I do suck it up and go into a silks class. I can do basic climbs now. That is basically it. No more "perfecting my inverts" or "keeping good form and tightening my core in multiple level drops," no, I can...climb. I can't even do a solid pull-up. This frustration leads to not wanting to go to classes, which leads, as one might guess, to me getting even weaker and heavier. So my main fitness goals for 2018 are to: Lose weight, at LEAST to the point I was before I moved (about twenty pounds). Eventually, the goal would be to be even leaner than that, as I also gained a bit in grad school I hadn't lost yet. (About 10-15 more pounds, depending on muscle mass.) Get back into aerials, at least in the "one class a week," "pursuing new goals," "doing a single studio show" sort of level. The level where I won't embarrass myself if I go back to visit my old studio. Do some cross training with hiking/rock climbing/boxing/dancing/gymnastics. I didn't do enough of that before, so this will be a newish goal, rather than a respawn of an old goal. A lot of the assassin quests relating to parkour and gymnastics looked interesting, too, and I know I tend to neglect lower body exercises because of a wonky hip joint. I still need to think through which other life goals are important to me. I tend to be pretty unrealistic about the sheer number of things I can achieve in a year. For the January challenge, I have decided to: Drink at least 64 oz of water a day. (This should be easy, but, well, I've fallen off the wagon in so many ways.) Have a 500 calorie deficit 6 out of 7 days a week. (No specific diet plans yet, I just need to get in the habit of limiting junk food and eating out.) Stick with the NF workouts at home this month. Attend at least one class/activity a week, such as yoga, pilates, rock climbing, or boxing (the stuff in my immediate neighborhood). I may end up having international work travel, so this one may get scrapped, but as long as I'm at home, this is a goal. Hit my 10K step goal each day. And...just because everyone else seems to have a cool sci fi tie-in, my current favorite sci fi shows are probably: Farscape (this has been my favorite for years, so probably won't get dethroned) Battlestar Galactica (but the ending blew, and it's too dark for me always to want to watch it) Killjoys The Magicians I am currently watching SG-1 from the beginning just because I've never seen it and I want to see Ben Browder and Claudia Black in the later seasons, and there are enough episodes that it should keep me busy for quite awhile. This has nothing whatsoever to do with any of the rest of my goals. I have no gifs. What am I even doing. :/

First challenge time! Yay! Can you feel the antici...pation? My Overall Goals: Lose at least 16kg to get back to my weight before I landed in the hospital Keep my platelets at a safe level consistently (between 80,000-150,000 per liter of blood) Get a job performing at Universal Studios Japan Look fantastic for upcoming weddings, including my own! An explanation behind these goals, for anyone who didn't see my forum introduction: I have Hashimoto's hypothyroid and polycystic ovaries, diagnosed as a teenager for both, and despite having a healthy diet and lifestyle I have struggled with my weight for most of my life (as in, I did competitive karate 3-5 times per week for 10 years, avoided soda, wasn't a big chocolate person, loved produce and seafood, and yet never got below a BMI of 24 or a size 8). in 2012 I hit my goal of getting back within my healthy weight range and feeling strong and fitjust in time to move to Japan, and I kept myself at that level for almost 2 years when I landed in the hospital with a serious case of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, or dangerously low platelets. A healthy person has around 150,000 platelets per liter of blood and I was down to less than 1,000 and was literally bleeding to death internally. I was bedridden for a month, under strict medical observation for another 9 months, and on a fairly high dose of prednisone during that time as well. By the time I was off of the prednisone and observation, I had gained 9kg and lost almost all of my strength; I couldn't exercise, I could barely stand to be out walking around to run errands like usual much less do yosakoi dance training or intensive exercise like before, and the withdrawal symptoms were so bad I could barely move some days. It took at least another year to get past that, and another year before I had a handle on what diet helped keep my platelets at a safe level and was approved by the doctors to exercise more than just daily activity levels and basic stretching. I'm still not allowed to exercise outside without someone there in case I injure myself and can't stop bleeding, and I get exhausted super easily. So I've gone up 16kg in total since hospitalization. The ITP is chronic and will never go away and it has taken a while to accept that, but now I think I'm finally at a point where I can start living with it instead of being held captive by it, and I want to get on that with a group of like-minded geeky types who support each other with our different challenges on our journeys! So...that's the why behind the goals! This Challenge's Goals Lose some weight, any amount Stick to my platelet boosting diet Prepare songs for Voice Kobe's competitive open mic night Which leads to my challenges... Challenge 1: Attend at least 2 aerials classes per week I usually make 1 class per week but May I have more free time so I'd like to try to increase that! A bit worried because April 29-May 3 I am out of town, which means I only can go once the week of April 23-30, and May 3-7 is Golden Week so I don't know if the classes will be cancelled or not. Challenge 2: Do body-weight strength training at least 3 times per week I never tried strength training outside of what we did in classes as warm-ups, so I'm starting very slow with a beginner body-weight workout, maybe 3 sets of 8-10 reps per exercise for about 20 minutes to start. Challenge 3: Eat at least 1 fruit or vegetable serving with every meal I already do this most meals, but not all, so I just have to push myself to get something in with every meal, not just 3/4 of them! Challenge 4: Practice my new music at least 4 days a week I used to practice a lot but the last 3 years I've only done voice work and sporadic practice while I recovered from being sick, so I need to get back into it.. I'm not really planning on doing week 0 since I spent a few days doing the planning worksheets, but I'm tracking it anyway just to get in the habit. Spreadsheet time! https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1qsXaDLCN-YDY37wFC1bKEJCbEEqGdmaZqcuk1mRt218/edit?usp=sharing Here's hoping this goes well!

Previous challenge: So I didn't technically pass my last challenge, but I did succeed in getting some good habits going. Hopefully I can build on those habits and actually pass this time. Theme this time is Game of Thrones. Main Quest - Lose weight - 4 lb minimum I lost weight at the beginning of my last challenge, then gained it back, then stayed steady. So. Let's try to actually lose some weight this time, hmm? Goals 1. Best Laid Plots, Plans, and Schemes - plan all my food for the week either the Friday or Saturday before. Write down my daily plan each night before bed. 2. Feast Accordingly - Eat less than 1500 kcal/day, and drink at least 80oz of water (tea counts) 3. Do Ya Know How to Swim? - Use that shiny new gym membership and go swim for 25 minutes 3x a week. Walk at least 15 minutes 3x a week. Rest day once a week. Life Quest Be an adult! - Adult at least once or commit an act of self-care every day. Measurements Height: 5'9" Weight: 205 lbs Waist: 33.5" Hips: 46.5" Thigh: 29" Grading Each goal will be graded weekly & be worth 30% of that week's total grade. Life Points are no longer extra credit as that provided little incentive for me to actually DO said Life Quest. Instead, the Life Quest will also be graded, worth 10% of the week's total grade. My final grade will be the average of all four weeks. I need to make at least a B (80%) to pass the challenge. Best Laid Plots, Plans, and Schemes - 10 points total. 1 each night for writing down my plan (yes, I know it seems weird, but writing things down is legit. You can plan out how you'll react to possible pitfalls, and you're more likely to do what you intended if you wrote it down.) 3 points for planning my food for the upcoming week. Feast Accordingly - 21 points total. 1 for each day's water, 2 for each day's calories. In order to curb my horrible 'all or nothing' attitude I tend to get, where I gorge after realizing I failed anyways, I can also lose points for this goal. Every 200 kcal I go over 1500 is -1 points. Do Ya Know How to Swim? - 9 points total. 2 for each swim, 1 for each walk. Swimming seemed like a good idea with my knee. I no longer have to wear a brace, but I'm wary of jumping straight back into running and aerials. I want it to heal all the way, not become a recurring problem. So, for now at least, swimming. Adulting/Self-Care - 7 points total. 1/day. Exceptions - If I get REALLY sick, I can be exempt. But I have to be SUPER DUPER sick. So sick that I can't even walk for 15 minutes or do a little bit of cooking. I seriously doubt I'll get that sick. *knocks on wood* Motivation Besides the outright self-loathing that is quickly developing from the massive amount of fat on me right now, I've also got some material motivations for the challenge! Passing the challenge earns me a new pair of bangarang leggings, specifically the Sylvanas pair I failed to claim last challenge. Losing more than 4 pounds earns me the Nozdormu pair as well. Tracker Plots & Plans Feast Accordingly Swim Adult Total Week 1: 8/10 14/21 5/9 6/7 33/47 (70%) Week 2: 1/10 2/21 1/9 1/7 0/47 Week 3: 0/10 0/21 0/9 0/7 0/47 Week 4: 0/10 0/21 0/9 0/7 0/47

So I've been on here before, and every time I'm on here I improve myself. And then something happens (I find excuses) and I drift away from here - broke my foot & got depressed, then moved to Florida & got busy. And once again I find myself back at the beginning of my quest. So I'm respawning at level 1, and I'm really hoping that you guys will be able to help me push on through to get some progress going again. (Really, though, I do markedly better when I actually get some response on here then when I get crickets... so please excuse me for being needy and help me out by dropping in on this thread lots!! I will try to keep it fun with lots and lots of gifs. The theme is Lion King. You're welcome.) Main Quest - Lose weight - 4 lb minimum I have really let myself go here with excuses... "Oh, my schedule is too early these days to go running anymore." "Oh, I forgot to prep my food over the weekend... just gonna have to order delivery all week." "Oh, I blew my knee out, better sit on my ass and stuff my face to feel better." And now I'm MASSIVE. It's really embarrassing and I'm very over it. I would like my clothes to fit again, thank you very much. So I need to drop the pounds. The minimum is four pounds. One pound a week is hardly a stretch, after all, but I'd like to lose more. I'm not setting my goal any higher, though, because I have a history of trying to do too much to soon, and burning out. Goals 1. Be Prepared - Do all meal planning Friday, shopping Saturday, and prepping on Sunday. 2. What's on the menu? - Eat only the food prepared. NO MORE DELIVERY. AT ALL. NONE. 3. Move it! - Walk for at least 15 minutes a day. Life Quest Professional development. 1 point for each chapter I finish in the psychology of success book I'm reading or 2 points for each section I finish in my CPCU text. I want to take the next CPCU exam before the year is out, and I don't have lots of time left to do that. Measurements Height: 5'9" Weight: 205 lbs T-T Waist: 33.5" Hips: 46.5" Thigh: 29" (I'll need to measure myself before the challenge starts) Grading Each goal will be graded weekly & be worth 1/3 of that week's total grade. Life Points are unlimited extra credit that can be added to my final score! My final grade will be the average of all four weeks plus my Life Goal extra credit. I need to make at least a B (80%) to pass the challenge. Be Prepared - 7 points total - 2 for each workday meal that I prep on Sunday (gotta do the whole week on Sunday), 1 for planning everything each Friday. What's on the Menu? - I know this goal seems redundant after the first one, but it's not been unheard of for me to have food prepped in the fridge and still find a way to eat trash. So this is extra incentive to not take the points for prepping the food and then just not eating it. I'm going to grade this one a bit backwards too. Rather than earning points as the week goes on, I'll start with full points and try to keep them all. I start with 14 points (lunch & dinner every day. I'm not worried about breakfast). Each time I eat "off-menu", I lose a point. Move it! - So normally this is where I would put something about doing aerials/pole, bodyweight exercises, or running. But instead I'm settling for a 15 minute walk each day. Each day will be one point, so 7 points total. 'Why Jaybird? That won't make a big difference!' Well, first of all, my knee is still kinda kaput. With the help of my brace, I should be able to get back to more intensive exercise in the next couple weeks, but for now? Walking is just about it, and at least I won't be sitting on the couch. Second of all, putting pole as a measurable goal is really a cop out, cus I love going to class and don't need to reward myself with points for going. It's cheating, really. Third and finally, walking 'just' 15 minutes a day may be small and more or less inconsequential, but it adds up. Especially since the 15 is just my minimum. I've got a treadmill desk, and I can easy put in a couple hours playing World of Warcraft, if I have the incentive (points!) to do that instead of lounge on the couch watching Netflix. Exceptions - If I get REALLY sick, I can be exempt. But I have to be SUPER DUPER sick. So sick that I can't even walk for 15 minutes or do a little bit of cooking. I seriously doubt I'll get that sick. *knocks on wood* Motivation Besides the outright self-loathing that is quickly developing from the massive amount of fat on me right now, I've also got some material motivations for the challenge! Passing the challenge earns me a new pair of bangarang leggings. I'm thinking the Sylvanas ones! Losing more than 4 pounds earns me grip gloves for pole. Tracker Be Prepared What's on the Menu? Move it! Prof. Dev. Total Week 1: 7/7 10/14 7/7 1/0 25/28(89%) Week 2: 3/7 9/14 4/7 0/0 16/28(57%) Week 3: 7/7 11/14 4/7 0/0 22/28(79%) Week 4: 0/7 14/14 0/7 0/0 14/28

So I totally dropped the ball on the last challenge. I love autumn, but I also tend to hit a big mental-health rut this time of year as it gets darker and colder. I've been awful about exercising and meditating regularly lately, which is unfortunate as those are things that help keep me feeling ok. This year it kind of crept up on me slowly so I didn't even realize I was getting progressively more and more miserable until I had a total meltdown yesterday. Goals this time around (keeping it really simple as I tend to be overly ambitious and then get frustrated/unmotivated) 1. STRETCH AND WATCH VIDEO TUTORIALS. One of my goals last month was to focus on stretching more, specifically my splits. I was horribly inconsistent with this. Another thing I've been meaning to do is spend more time watching online tutorials on Lynda.com since I have a subscription that I barely use. I realized that if I stretch while watching tutorials I'm more interested in both and it's super efficient to get two things done at once. 2. MEDITATE AND USE SUNLAMP EVERY DAY. I've been meditating fairly regularly for over a year, and when I do it consistently it noticeably improves my mental health. I am more able to stop myself from getting into negative thought loops and downward spirals and to realize that I can acknowledge a bad mood without feeding it. And since it's getting darker it's time to get out my bluelight sunlamp and use it as part of my meditation. I also need to start using my light alarm clock (it gradually starts getting light before the alarm goes off). 3. LESS NAPS. This has been a perpetual struggle for me. I work from home and often hit a big energy slump in the afternoon and take a nap, which always ends up being about 2 hours. I rarely wake up feeling better afterwards as my brain seems to reset to kind of depressed, which negates whatever exercise, etc. I've done in the morning to get myself in a good mood. I also am much more productive if I do stuff during those two hours and obviously sleep better at night. My goal is no more than one nap per week. Just for funsies, here is the video of my trapeze performance that was part of my last challenge! There were some serious weather challenges but I'm happy with it overall.

I hope it's ok for me to post here as this is only my second challenge! I joined NF back in April, did my first challenge with the Rebels, and then kind of lost track of things. I've been active in the FB group, but not here, and I want to change that. Part of the problem was that I felt like I was wasting too much time messing about online, but I think posting here is actually useful and I love getting feedback and having a sense of community. I think I also got ridiculously over-ambitious with my first challenge and burned out by the end. I set myself 16 initial goals, and probably added a few things along the way (that were things I was doing anyway). I tracked everything using a Google Sheets spreadsheet, which worked well, but I ended up just feeling like I was checking boxes for the sake of checking boxes. Since then I switched to an analog tracking system for exercise, meditation, food, mood, time spent on Facebook, as well as my general calendar and work scheduling, which has been working much better for me. So, for this challenge, I'm drastically simplifying. My goals are: DIET: For the past few weeks I've been trying to reduce my spending on food due to some unexpected and expensive car repairs, as well as realizing that my financial situation isn't as healthy as I'd like. This has actually resulted in forcing me to be more creative and think of ways to use things that have been lurking in my pantry for a long time. I've also been eating healthier as I have only been buying essential items instead of empty snacks. I've also been more mindful of how much food I prepare for each meal, as well as making sure that I'm not throwing out leftovers just because I don't feel like eating them. My goal for this challenge is to continue being mindful about the food I purchase, prepare, and consume, and find new ways to be more cost-effective. EXERCISE: I have two upcoming aerials performances- next week I'll be performing ambient lyra at a fundraising event at a bar, and in October I'll be performing at a Harry Potter-themed event. I'm doing one act on static trapeze as a Dementor (yay I get another use out of my skeleton bodysuit!), and also a duo lyra act with a girl who is being Harry's stag Patronus. One part of my goal is to work on my Dementor trapeze act. I'm reworking my ongoing trapeze act which started as Pris from Blade Runner, and then was adapted last year for a Grim Reaper act for Halloween. Hopefully I'll get some good pictures to share! The other goal, which is more long term, is to focus on developing my split. I just turned 39, and although I am far away from having a full split, I want to have it by my 40th birthday. Some time ago I was actively working on improving my split flexibility and made definite progress, so I know I can do it if I really focus on it. LIFE: I am finally admitting that I have too much credit card debt and my financial habits have been disorganized and ineffective. It's not a huge amount of debt, and I've been sort of ignoring it, but it's not going to go away on its own. I am going to take stock of my expenses and make an actual budget, rein in unnecessary spending, start saving more, and pay down my credit card debt. I'm looking forward to being more active here! (The spreadsheet of doom): (New and improved analog tracking):

this is also a repost of my respawn, but I plan on posting the updates daily here too. So I'm starting a respawn, but trying something entirely new, so as not to go insane (you know, insanity is trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, right?) So I'm starting this respawn by 1 actually posting my plans, for some accountability, 2 following the academy plan after 3 starting wih an elimination diet to really find out what will work for me, what has been sabotaging me, and also to push myself to be more creative, and resourceful in my cooking and prep. So as a first step, here are my before pics: Here are my starting measurements: Weight: 268 lbs Neck: 16.5" Chest: 47.25" biceps: 15.5" waist: 48" Hips: 51.25" Thigh: 27" Calf: 19.5" Here is my big why (in two parts, one is my big why overall, and the other is my big why on why I am doing the elimination diet. ) The Big Why My big why for this journey to being healthier, happier and stronger is to feel comfortable in my body. I want to be confident that I am not a hindrance to my dreams. I also want to pass my confidence with my body to any children I have and may have in the future. I do not want to see them have the same unhealthy relationship with food that I did, or same self-consciousness that led me to not follow my passions and dreams as fully as I should have because I did not think I could because I was “fat” I also just want to feel in control of my eating. When I give in to my eating habits I feel out of control and feel like a failure. I am tired of feeling like a failure. I want this confidence back: The big Elimination Diet Why: I am doing this elimination diet for several reasons. I want to get to the bottom of what causes me illness, or pain. This way I can tailor a nutritional plan just for myself and give myself the biggest chance for success. I also want to reset my eating habits, start clean, and build a sustainable basis. I also want to experiment with several new combinations of food. I want to discover more about myself during this journey. This is not a weight loss diet, this is not a fad diet. This is merely a science experiment to really teach me the consequences of not sticking to the lifestyles I will have chosen. I also want to prove to myself I am stronger than my struggle, I CAN DO THIS. I can stick with something. I can.

So I'm starting a respawn, but trying something entirely new, so as not to go insane (you know, insanity is trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, right?) So I'm starting this respawn by 1 actually posting my plans, for some accountability, 2 following the academy plan after 3 starting wih an elimination diet to really find out what will work for me, what has been sabotaging me, and also to push myself to be more creative, and resourceful in my cooking and prep. So as a first step, here are my before pics: Here are my starting measurements: Weight: 268 lbs Neck: 16.5" Chest: 47.25" biceps: 15.5" waist: 48" Hips: 51.25" Thigh: 27" Calf: 19.5" Here is my big why (in two parts, one is my big why overall, and the other is my big why on why I am doing the elimination diet. ) The Big Why My big why for this journey to being healthier, happier and stronger is to feel comfortable in my body. I want to be confident that I am not a hindrance to my dreams. I also want to pass my confidence with my body to any children I have and may have in the future. I do not want to see them have the same unhealthy relationship with food that I did, or same self-consciousness that led me to not follow my passions and dreams as fully as I should have because I did not think I could because I was “fat” I also just want to feel in control of my eating. When I give in to my eating habits I feel out of control and feel like a failure. I am tired of feeling like a failure. I want this confidence back: The big Elimination Diet Why: I am doing this elimination diet for several reasons. I want to get to the bottom of what causes me illness, or pain. This way I can tailor a nutritional plan just for myself and give myself the biggest chance for success. I also want to reset my eating habits, start clean, and build a sustainable basis. I also want to experiment with several new combinations of food. I want to discover more about myself during this journey. This is not a weight loss diet, this is not a fad diet. This is merely a science experiment to really teach me the consequences of not sticking to the lifestyles I will have chosen. I also want to prove to myself I am stronger than my struggle, I CAN DO THIS. I can stick with something. I can.

DAY 1. Joined NF. Still reading through things. Joined Assassin Guild as it fits the best with my circus background and goals (half of which are in service of being a better aerialist, and the other half are just general life-improvement things). GOALS 1. Develop a home fitness program that I enjoy and actually stick with. Belonging to a gym was not working for me (money, transportation difficulties, lack of space at free weight stations [bros!]) so I quit. But I don't want to quit exercising- I want to make it more regular. That's why I joined here- community and accountability will help a lot! 2. Improve stamina. Start running again. The weather is improving and there is no excuse! My cardio fitness sucks and I can tell after climbing a rope or silk a couple of times! 3. Get stronger. I feel that I have lost strength over the past couple of years. Although I do circus classes 2-3 times a week I no longer do regular strength training. I have been working on incorporating bodyweight exercises into my day [during small computer breaks, using Coach.me app and google sheets to track] and feel better already. Want to add in some free weight exercises too. I have a full set of free weights but probably need to get a bench. 4. Improve flexibility. I have already developed a morning routine including 15 minutes of stretching, but I could probably do more. Want to be able to do a full split on at least one side if not both by the time I turn 40 (1.3 years to go!). Would like to be able to do a full pancake straddle. I had a mysterious shoulder pain / RSI problem that lasted for about 5 months and has just begun to improve over the past month with a concerted effort at stretching regularly. Keep stretching and being mindful of potential injuries. 5. Keep meditating and focus on positive mental health. Since the new year I have been pretty good about meditating for at least 10 minutes every day. My morning routine now includes 15 minutes of sitting meditation, which I do right after the 15m stretching. It has definitely helped improve my mood and mental self-control. I have kept a daily journal for many years where I mostly just write what happened that day, but this year I started keeping another one where I specifically focus on listing 3 good things that happened each day. I think this has been very helpful to cultivating a positive outlook. I have struggled with depression in the past (mostly mild with occasional brief bad spells), and am always trying to find strategies to stay in a healthy place. (I took Zoloft for a couple of years in college but haven't done medication since then. I think regular exercise and other strategies such as meditation have helped me far more than medication ever did). 6. Work on improving my diet. I have been vegan for 15 years and I think I eat a fairly healthy and varied diet . I try to eat more whole foods and less processed foods, but there is always room for improvement. I tend to eat too much if I am eating something I enjoy. I probably eat too many simple carbs [pasta!]. I also plan to play around with eating smaller meals more frequently- I have done this in the past and it helped with keeping my energy level more consistent throughout the day. 7. Develop better sleep habits. I work from home and tend to be nocturnal, which can lead to difficulties. I tend to stay up too late, get up fairly early in the morning (7:30am), then take a nap in the afternoon, and then have difficulties falling asleep at night. Over the past week I have started working on cutting out naps (except for a once-a-week indulgence) using another Facebook habit group for accountability. The first two days I ended up feeling even more wired at night, but I'm starting to feel things settling down and actually have been tired at night so I think it is starting to help. TODAY'S VICTORIES (via Coach.me challenges) 15mins general stretching AM 15mins sitting meditation (music) AM Tricep dips- 30 (legs fully extended) Abs- 70 situps, 95 crunches, 42 leg raises, 60s plank Handstand- 1min wall hold, 1min wall hold alternating feet off wall every 15s, 10 (tiny) handstand pushups [can't get all the way to the ground yet, also I can feel this is too much for my "bad" shoulder so this is something I want to work on gradually improving]. Bodyweight squats- 130 [two sets of 65] Split stretching- 2m20s wall split stretch Pushups- 16 (didn't go as low as I could have)

Last challenge ( http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/78224-lydiajaybird-gets-routine/) I focused on building a routine of weighing in regularly, only eating at home, and waking up on time. Did a pretty good job and lost 4.5 pounds to boot! Woohoo! (Dropped another pound as of this morning too ) Main Quest - Improve my routine and maintain it through the move to Florida For this challenge, I'm going to add to the routine some (reintroduce regular running and carb counting!) while refocusing on the trouble areas from last time (waking up on time). The big difficulty for me is going to come after March 18, which is when I'm moving to Florida! I got a job down there (YASSS!!! AT LONG LAST!!!) & am packing up everything and moving on the 18th. So here is the challenge: dont lose my routine in the chaos of moving. It's really easy to say, 'oh the kitchen is all packed up, guess I gotta order delivery', because that is a VERY valid excuse. So I need to find a way around that. Gonna have to eat on the road on the 18th, so I need to have lunch and dinner packed already so I don't stop for fast food. Gonna need to make sure to pack all my kitchen stuff by the door of the Uhaul so I can grab it immediately and be able to start cooking immediately, rather than trying to dig through boxes to find things. You get the gist. Goals 1. Get up & Go - Wake up at 6-6:30 2. Keto in the Kitchen - Eat only from-home food and keep track of carbs. 3. Routinely on the Road - Get out and run/walk three times a week. Life Quest Lose weight! 1 point extra credit/pound Measurements Height: 5'9" Weight: 184.5 lbs Waist: 31" Hips: 44" Thigh: 26.5" Grading Each goal will be graded weekly & be worth 1/3 of that week's total grade. Life Points are unlimited extra credit that can be added to my final score! My final grade will be the average of all four weeks plus my Life Goal extra credit. I need to make at least a B (80%) to pass the challenge. Get up & Go - Last time I was grading based on whether or not I got up on time, but I found that it was making my bed in the morning, reading before bed at night, and what time I went to bed that determined how well I did. So, that's what I'm going to grade on. 1 point for reading before bed, 1 point for going to bed by 10pm, and 1 point for making my bed in the morning. 3 points total. Keto in the Kitchen - 1 point for each meal made at home, 1 point for counting & reporting carbs. So 4/day possible. (Note I'm not grading on HOW MANY carbs I eat, just that I keep track of them. I've found that keeping track is more than half the battle when it comes to keto - if I'm counting, I'm generally in ketosis. I fall out of ketosis when I stop counting and get lazy.) Routinely on the Road - 1 point for getting out and either walking or running. I'm saying walking OR running for two reasons. 1) While I say that that's 3 points/week, there's 7 days in a week, so I COULD get up to 4 points extra credit by going for extra walks throughout the week. Hopefully this will encourage me to get in the routine of getting up in the morning and going outside, even if not to run. And after all, this challenge is all about routine. 2) I have gotten BAD about my runs.... It's cold and I can't stand to go run in the cold. It's miserable. Your body is hot, but your skin is cold. Your nose is running faster than you are, and it hurts to breathe. UGH. So on particularly miserable mornings, this lets me say ok, its freezing, so I'm just going to bundle up and walk instead. Compared to running, that sounds like I'm losing, but considering that otherwise I wouldn't be doing anything at all, I call that a win. Exceptions - my parents are helping move and its my mom's birthday on the 18th!!! So I don't lose home-food points for when we inevitably take her out to dinner. Also, if my parents want to take me out at any other point, I don't lose points for that either. Partly because I think its really rude to refuse when somebody wants to do something nice for you, and partly because my parents are health-nuts, so I'm not really concerned about what kind of food we'll end up eating. It'll be some nice restaurant with good, healthy options. Motivation I don't want to have to start over again after getting settled in Florida!! I want to settle into good habits that I'll keep for the years to come. Also (and this is shallow, but here goes), I want to look good in Florida! I'm starting a new job and I want to look great in my work clothes and make a good first impression with my peers. I'll be joining a new aerial studio down there and I want to feel confident walking in, not intimidated by all the gorgeous girls there. And it's Florida! It doesn't get below 50, so it's practically ALWAYS swimsuit season. My body is not swimsuit season ready, and it needs to be, haha.

As I gain momentum in some areas, I'm getting a better idea of what my weaknesses are. They're essentially all mental. For this challenge I'll be working mostly to keep up with my current workout and eating plans, BUT the twist now will be to try to shift the focus to: making my mentality about health a lot more positive. So to find my goals, I've got to know my weaknesses, right? What I want to work on is my wide array of Bad Ideas about health/fitness and body image. I've talked to several trusted friends and I'm finally coming to terms with having a lot of unhealthy ideas about my body and how to treat it. This challenge will be a lot of nebulous, strange goals with the idea to Be Less Problematic About Myself. I'm a fledgling aerialist! And starting my second session of aerial lessons as of the first Sunday of this challenge. So the first goal is: Outer Strength -aerial class 1x/week, bodyweight workout 2x/week -to shake things up here for this challenge, I want to try out one new exercise each week. Most will probably be gathered from the internet and be aerial- or acrobat-specific. Last week I learned a wall variation for practicing v-sits: this week will probably be a new trick on rings! I've discovered vimeo and may share aspects of my workouts for form-checks or just to give a more human voice to this internet persona :> For now, this is my instagram, this is my vimeo. Inner Strength -2 servings fruit/veg a day, no more than 3 outside-bought coffees/week, continue weaning off sugar with no more than 2 sugary things/day Shake It Off -bit of a mix here! I want to get my splits and work on my back bends, to help with my 'shapes' in aerials. I will work on flexibility for at least 10 mins for 3 days/week, OUTSIDE of my warm-up/cool-down mobility stretching. -work on hand balancing at least 3x/week, and my workouts CAN count toward this goal -unfollow people on sites like tumblr/instagram that make me negatively compare myself or perpetuate harmful (to me) ideas about diet/exercise. I'm already well on my way to this and it's helping! -stop focusing on the end-goal and enjoy the journey. I'm going to pick 3-5x/week when I start spiraling with negativity and either meditate or just practice redirecting my thoughts if meditating isn't an option. I'd like for this to be 'every time', but I know that just means I'll feel bad and guilty when I don't do it every time! This goal will probably be on my list for a long, long time to come... I have a LOT of bad reasons I'm as invested as I am in exercise and eating habits, and I want that to change! And mostly I just want to be able to fully enjoy my aerials classes without worrying that I haven't lost weight. I've gained a LOT of self-confidence and coordination and strength since joining up for my first-ever group class on January 10th. Every time I leave class, I can't wait to come back! I've found my Thing, definitely.

Our protagonist: a 24 year-old massage therapist and full-time student. She's never really done something like this before - organized sport? Not since middle school! But she seems to have found a new hobby... The prologue we've finished: she started aerial classes 5 weeks ago with a roommate, and is developing her love for this outlet. This chapter: continuing to gain skills with silks. Continuing to gain strength outside of classes, to progress further during aerial sessions. Fuel the body that's taking her on this journey. Juggle all this with the return of a full semester of classes. The solid goals: a. aerial class 1x/week, full body workout 2x/week, *try out open practice 1x if able I've got 3 more lessons left in this session, and then will need to purchase another! so this month will see me finishing up that, and continuing to develop myself outside of class. Money-willing, I also want to get to the studio to practice specific skills at least once during this challenge! But bodyweight workouts at home are free, so I can definitely do those. c: b. 2 servings of fruit/veg a day. Having one as my goal went well last challenge! Now to increase that consistency. To do so will require a lot of meal planning, as Tuesdays and Thursdays I need to bring lunch AND dinner with me to campus (I commute a far distance). Lots of mini-mini-goals to make this one possible! c. No more than 2 sugary snacks/day! This might sound high for a goal, but trust me, I eat a LOT of junk food right now, even alongside my healthy choices. Increasing fruit & veggies will help push them out, but I'm also going to need to focus on turning aside the bad choices as well! Mini-goal of 'no more than 3 outside-bought coffees/week' as well, which may very well be the hardest part of this challenge for me. As we can see, this is largely the same as my last challenge in the rebel forum! As I join the Assassins Guild, I'm gonna focus on increasing my strengths gradually, and shedding my bad habits just as consistently. Slow and steady! I know too great of a change will just result in me cracking under the added pressure of school and binge-eating junk, and talking myself out of workouts. Honestly, the easiest part of this by far will be the silks classes! They're giving me the motivation to do everything else. I want to get better at silks - everything else will follow.

Introduction: This is my first challenge! You can read my Battle Log here to learn more about me and my daily life, but the basics are that I'll be turning 26 on the very last day of this challenge, I'm a fitness blogger and a photographer, I work as a stripper, and I was a dance major back in college. I'm hoping that this challenge will keep me on track for working on my flexibility, which I've tried to improve for years but always let fall by the wayside pretty quickly. I'm also mostly recovered from disordered eating behaviours, so my goals may be a bit more vague than others because I don't let myself focus on calorie or weight numbers. Main Quest: Feel better, physically and mentally, about myself and my body by the end of winter. Quest 1: Do at least 20 minutes of yoga or stretching a day, at least 4 days a week. Measurement: A = 4 days a weekB = 3 days a weekC = 2 days a weekF = 0-1 day(s) a weekQuest 2: Drink at least 8 cups of water a day, averaged weekly. Measurement: A = averaging 8+ cups a dayB = averaging 6+ cups a dayC = averaging 4+ cups a dayF = averaging less than 4 cups a dayQuest 3: Increase upper body strength by doing 20 push-ups a day of any variety. Measurement: A = do push-ups 7 days a weekB = do push-ups 5+ days a weekC = do push-ups 4+ days a weekF = do push-ups fewer than 4 days a weekLife Quest: Go to two dance/aerials/fitness classes during the challenge. I want to try new things! Measurement: Pass = do 2+ classes during challengeFail = do fewer than 2 classesMotivation: I felt fantastic in college, my ED notwithstanding. I did yoga, Pilates, and numerous dance classes, and I ate more vegetables than I do now. I felt powerful, I was strong, and I miss feeling that way. I've always wanted to be a superhero-type person, nimble and agile and good, all while caring for myself and the people around me.

What’s good, Rebels?! I’m back again to try to finish a six week challenge. First challenge with the Assassins! Life Update: Depression sucks. I’m sure a lot of you know that. I moved out to Los Angeles about a year ago with hopes of find a job in the film industry. After 10 months, several hundred applications, and a couple dozen interviews, I was completely burned out and feeling extremely low. I had been working in a cupcake & ice cream shop, and while it was fun in the beginning, many factors led it to become one of the most draining jobs I’ve ever had (not to mention the amount of weight I gained because I couldn’t control myself from devouring the product). A couple weeks ago, after a particularly awful interview, I had a stroke of inspiration and decided enough was enough. I quit my ice cream job, and decided to pursue some other interests. And as soon as I decided to catch my breath and stop searching for a job in the film industry, everything fell into place in the most beautiful and unexpected way. Now I have 3 jobs. It might sound crazy, but the schedules actually fit together like a flawless puzzle. I work for Tempest Freerunning Academy, an aerial arts studio, and an elementary school. The elementary school job is just something a friend was able to set up for me that works really well with my schedule (plus, I freaking love kids). Parkour and aerials are two things that I have followed for years, and have always wanted to try. But being the chunky/ clumsy lady that I am, I figured it would never be in the realm of possibility. But it turns out there were two positions that opened up right as I hit my low point, and I feel like it was God saying “I’m game if you are.†Its a chance for me to work towards becoming a person I never thought I could be. So this challenge, I’m going to learn how to fly. (or at least start to) Goals: #1. Attend at Least 1 Aerial & 1 Parkour Class a Week I get free classes at the aerial studio, and Tempest. I need to take advantage of that. It’s scary for me, because I’ve never been one for group exercise, and I’m extremely out of shape. But it will be good for me, and I’ll learn how to do things I never thought I could do. #2. Post At Least Twice a Week (/Finish the Challenge) I always fall away from Six Week Challenges. Not for lack of trying, but I let me schedule consume me sometimes. But I’ll have the time available with the new jobs to get stuff done. Another thing I should absolutely take advantage of. Besides, this community rocks and I want to be a more active member of it. #3. Prep At Least Two Meals A Week My schedule is crazy. And if I’m not careful, I’ll end up eating out every day. I can’t afford that! So hopefully I can pack myself some food and cut down on my food spending for the next month or so. #4. Don’t Step on the Scale This one is for my mental health. I get obsessive over numbers. If the scale isn’t consistently going down, I get super discouraged. I need to stop relying on it as my source of results. I just need to chill a little bit, and focus on how I feel, and how I notice my body changing. No scale for six weeks will be tough, but I think I really need it. *Bonus*: Climb the Silks/ Get in the Lyra/ Do a Pull-up My upper body strength is minimal, and it’s needed for both parkour/freerunning, and aerials. I just want to be able to move my own bodyweight. I’m not sure if I can get there in six weeks, but I’m damn sure gonna try! Let’s get to it!

Nightcrawler_Bamff Joins the X-Men! Nightcrawler awakens in the medical center of the X-Men's mansion after his defeat by the Blob. Professor Charles Xavier is at his bedside. "Welcome back, Kurt. How do you feel?" "Like I was hit by a bus" "You took quite a blow, but with a couple days rest, I expect you'll make a full recovery." "I am sorry, Professor. I failed and Blob got away." "No, Kurt, he didn't. Your efforts kept him busy long enough for me to arrive and telepathically subdue him. The police were able to handle him from there." There was a knock at the door and with Professor X's beckoning, a tall man dressed in dark blue and yellow with a visor covering his eyes entered the room. "Kurt, this is Scott Summers, Cyclops. He is the leader of the X-Men." "Hello, Kurt. I hear you are the one we need to thank for stopping the Blob." "But I failed. It was the professor who stopped him." "Without you, Professor Xavier would not have gotten there in time and there would likely have been numerous injuries, if not fatalities. As part of a team, one is able to accomplish so much more than they would be able to on their own. I watched the footage from the encounter; your skills are impressive. With some training, I feel you could be a valuable member of our team." "And you do not mind the way I look?" "Don't hassle me about my shades and we'll call it even." "Zen I shall give you my best." Challenge 10(!!!!) Time to start training for the X-Men! Main Goal: Slim down and tone up. We got tickets to San Diego Comic Con this summer, so I need to look my best to try to fit in with all the amazing costumes I know will be there! Gymnastics: Continuing to work on back handspring combinations and aerials. Specific Quests: 1. T25! Got the program from a friend and I will be following this workout program IN ADDITION TO gymnastics workouts. I've done P90X and Insanity with great results, but got burned out from the minimum of one hour workouts seven days a week. I'm really excited about this program because it is supposed to be Insanity condensed down to just 25 minutes a day. 2. Eat right! I will be following the Weight Watchers program throughout the challenge and tracking my food/activity points. 3. Splits! Haven't made too much progress the last challenge, but going to continue working on these. Wont be devoting as much time to this as previous challenges due to time constraints (see "life" section!!). Stretching sessions will happen once daily, seven days a week. Life: Yet another super busy challenge! 1. School: I'm currently taking two classes, which are turning out to have a lot of homework and will need to be my priority. 2. Star Wars costume: I decided on Kyle Katarn because his costume is relatively simple and goes with my friend's Mara Jade costume. I would like to have this costume at least most of the way completed by the end of the challenge. 3. X-Men costume: Continuing to upgrade Gambit. By July, I will need to have an extendable staff, boots made of foam and warbla, inside pockets added to the trench coat, and sew a bodysuit. Current Gambit:

Nightcrawler_Bamff in the Danger Room Story: After touring the upper grounds of the mansion, Kurt and Professor Xavier descend to a hidden compound deep under the school itself using a hidden elevator. The first room they enter is small and empty other than an ornate, curved desk. Xavier pulled out a small, cordless machine that he had been carrying . "This is Cerebro. It enhances my telepathic abilities and allows me to locate any person on the planet and differentiate between human and mutant. I first learned of your brother's deeds and was on my to see if I could help in any way. I am truly sorry I was unable to get there in time to help. I then found you and felt your pain along with the fear of the villagers nearby and knew what was coming next." After placing Cerebro in the center of the desk, Xavier leads Kurt down the hall to another empty room. This room, in contrast, is massive. A football field could easily have fit. The walls, floors, and even the ceiling, all metal, are covered in scorch marks and deep gouges. "This is called the Danger Room. It is here my students learn to control their mutant abilities and how to use them to benefit all of mankind, mutant and human alike. Together they form the X-Men, which I am extending the offer to join to you. First, however, I think you may like to experience the Danger Room first hand." With the push of a button, all manor of obstacles and bars spring from hidden compartments within all surfaces of the room. Nightcrawler's eyes light up as he sees this massive jungle gym. To an acrobat this room is like a candy store is to a child. Forgetting his fatigue from merely hours before, he is eager to stretch his now sore muscles. "I have set the danger level to 0. After you warm up a bit, I can increase it to show you a little more of it's capabilities." Challenge Eight: It's been a year since I joined Nerd Fitness!! Happy anniversary to me!! This will be a two part challenge. Wizard World Comic Con will be here January 23rd and I still have a ton to get done by then. Due to these time constraints, the first half of the challenge will put more emphasis on weight loss via diet and the second half will focus a little more on activity. Main Goal: Gymnastics! Always! No specific goals for this challenge, but I am currently working on aerials and will soon start working on moving my round off-back handspring-back tuck on to the floor from the tumble track! Specific Tasks: 1. Weight loss! It's easier to throw your body around in gymnastics if there is less body to throw! Time to lose some of that "holiday spirit" I gained through Christmas time...several pounds of it...For this I will be tracking my Weight Watchers points daily throughout the entire challenge, with additional constraints applied to the first half of the challenge. Part 1: Definitely not the most healthy way to do this...but I am going to crash diet to get ready for the convention. Gotta look good in costume for the pictures!! I am normally allowed 29 points daily with an additional, optional allowance of 49 points to spread throughout the week if I choose. For the first half of the challenge, I will be dropping this allowance to no more than 6 points per meal and no points available for snacks. This means a maximum of 18 points per day. Fruit and vegetables are zero points, so I will be eating a lot of them.Part 2: The heavy constraints will be lifted and I will go back to being allowed 29 points daily and 49 extra weekly points if I so choose to use them. 2. Exercise! Cant do gymnastics if I get all lazy!! Some sort of exercise is to be performed every day off from work during the challenge. Part 1: Gymnastics counts as required exercise.Part 2: Gymnastics does not count toward required exercise and I will have do do some sort of exercise during the day in addition.3. Splits! Because flexibility! My normal routine is: Part 1: I will work splits every dayPart 2: I will work splits every day, twice on days off work. Life Challenge: Costuming again! Working on completely upgrading my Gambit costume I made a few years ago: With less than three weeks until the convention, I know I wont have enough time to get everything done. I knew that when I first made the plans. Whatever I am not able to finish can be reused from the previous costume. Reference picture:

Nighctrawler_Bamff Refocuses Rescued from a misguided mob by a mysterious telepath, Nightcrawler now finds himself on a small jet with a man he knows nothing about other than his amazing and terrifying power. "Danke for the timely rescue, mein freund, and excuse the mistrust, but may I ask who you are and where we are going" "Of course, Kurt. I am Professor Charles Xavier. I run a school in New York for young mutants, teaching them to use their abilities to aid mankind. My students form a team called the X-Men. You will be safe there and, if you are interested, we could use someone with your gifts." "And if I refuse?" "You will be free to leave and I will fly you anywhere you would like. This is an offer, Kurt, not a demand. I only ask that you give it some thought. The choice will be yours." Kurt is given the opportunity to be alone with his thoughts as they continued their long flight to America. He takes the time to think back on all he has accomplished in the short time since he began performing for the circus he had been raised in. Translation: Time to review past challenge goals and get back on track! I have not been doing well, especially with eating habits, for the majority of the last challenge and need to refocus. Main Quest: As always...Gymnastics tricks! I am continuing to work on back handsprings and aerials. Goals: 1. Track Weight Watchers points! The program works well for me, but I have fallen out of the habit of tracking what I am eating and, since it wasn't a part of the last challenge goals, I disregarded eating healthy all together and have been steadily gaining weight over that time. Time to knock that off! 2. Exercise! All days off work must include exercise or a workout of some sort in addition to gymnastics. 3. Splits! Still working these. Haven't really been giving it my all and feel like the progress pictures that I stopped doing after the first challenge that I worked on these would help motivate and will show the slow progress. Life Goals: 1. Cake! So! The baby shower cake I made for my coworker was so successful, one of her friends has hired me to make her baby's first birthday cake! First cake I've ever made that wasn't a gift! Still working out details, cake is to be finished 12/3/2014. 2. Choir! Continue practicing for Christmas Choir. Concert is 12/14/2014. Already have most of it memorized pretty well, but will need to keep working on it until then. 3. Costume! Comic con is in January! Need to get working on my upgraded Gambit costume! Not planning to finish this within this challenge, but need to make some good progress.

I love swing dancing. I've been doing the lindy hop for just under 4 years at a local club, just as a hobby. But during the last 3 or 4 months, I've started to really get into it and I'm very jazzed (get it?) to take my dancing to the next level. My ultimate goal is that I want to be able to do some swing aerials. Right now, I am too overweight for this, and (more importantly) not strong enough to hold my own bodyweight during aerials. I probably have between 30-35 lbs to lose. But more than weight loss, I really want to focus on my strength and endurance. My first challenge was all about kick-starting good habits and changing my behaviours around food and fitness. My second challenge was al about increasing the intensity of my workouts and keeping better track of my macros. This challenge is about becoming stronger. Let's get ready to rock ... step, triple step... Main Quest My ultimate goal is to lose about 30 lbs and be able to hold my own bodyweight for swing aerials. Specific goals 1) Be a dancing fiend - I'll be working on some more advanced dance techniques and I'm also hoping to learn how to lead (I have been a follow for the last 4 years). 2 hours per week = 12 hours total. +2 STA, +2 DEX, +1 WIS 2) Be She-hulk - I will do some strength (e.g. BBWW) or circuit workouts. 2 times per week = 12 strength training sessions +4 STR 3) Be a smart eater - I will plan my meals 6 days per week, for a total of 36 days with a mealplan. +4 WIS Life Side Quest Be handy My husband and I have lived in our condo for almost 7 years now and all we have done is paint the living room. We have a long list of things we've been meaning to do for a couple of years. These range from major renovations (replacing flooring) to simple tasks (hang pictures, organize kitchen cabinets). I aim to do 8 home projects (renos, organizing) during this challenge. +1 WIS, +1 CHA Declaration of Motivation "I do not try to dance better than anyone else. I only try to dance better than myself." - Baryshnikov Starting Stats Weight: 192 lbs Chest: 42" Waist 34.5" Hips 41" Grading Scheme Main Quest 1) Dance 2 hours per week A = Danced at least 12 hours during challenge B = 9 hours + C = 6 hours + D = 3 hours + F = Did not practice dance 2) Strength train twice per week A = Strength trained 12 times during challenge B = 9 times C = 6 times D = 3 times F = Did not do any strength training 3) Meal plan 6 days per week A = Stuck to meal plan 36 days B = 27 days C = 18 days D = 9 days F = Never stuck to a meal plan Side Quest - Complete 8 home projects A = Completed 8 home projects B = Completed 6 projects C = 4 projects D = 2 projects F = Did not complete any home projects --- "I want her to be a flapper, because flappers are brave and gay and beautiful." - Zelda Fitzgerald

It seems it is time for Dinobytes to begin her journey. The youth whose destiny is to lead Hyrule and save the princess of destiny. *Quest: lift acro partner and build routines* The time has come to test thy courage...The Great Deku tree has been cursed... The Great Deku Tree needs help to break the curse by:scaling the spider's webs and vines*goal 1: improving silks skills/acro: practicing each move thrice, thrice/week and creating/attempting one new acro move per week.just because it is so unstructured, I'm going to make a silks log shortly and post my progress there*A = complete full set of tricks 9x per week B = 6x per week C = 3x per week D = 2x per week F = < 1x per week gathering health hearts/rupees,*goal 2: fighting the appetite with portion control, purchasing all paleo fuel and, in doing so, saving money by eating out less.Because free food should never be denied. Especially home cooked/baked* A = 7x a week B = 6x a week C = 5x a week D = 4x a week F = 3x a week slaying monsters,*goal 3: working out at the gym 4 days per week*A = 4x a week B = 3x a week C = 2x a week D = 1x a week F = none at all and defeating Queen Gohma *life quest: earn my flight wings by studying each day for at the minimum 1 hour for the three boards (I think only 2 will take place during the challenge timeline right before simulator testing)* A = 7x a week B = 6x a week C = 5x a week D = 4x a week F = 3x a week Dinobytes enters The Great Deku tree bravely... I'm trying out a new format for challenges! let me know how you guys like/hate it! my starting stats: age: 21 height: 5'3" weight: 138 Feb 16th body fat percentage: 19.64% Feb 17th (likely to be inaccurate) waistline: 79-83cm Feb 17th (this is flexed-relaxed measurements)

This is an anti-challenge. There will be no SMART goals and no grading. For the next six weeks, I intend to do what appeals to me, attempt what makes sense to me, and generally stay focused on qualitative life improvements. The following areas are likely to be focused on and discussed during this anti-challenge: Weight Loss I hope this is a surprise to anyone who is familiar with me. I am one of the biggest opponents of the scale for health tracking that there is. If you tell me that you want to lose weight, 99% of the time, I'll tell you that you have the wrong goal. There is, however, a time and a place for all things. Specifically, I am not strong enough, nor do I have enough endurance, to hold myself up for skills on the silks and the trapeze. In order to give this some redress, I am planning to up my strength to weight ratio by increasing my strength and lowering my weight. I will focus primarily on fat loss without sacrificing muscle growth. The goal is not to look sexier, or to see the pounds drop. It is purely to be able to have more fun in aerial class. If I happen to look sexier without the giant bulge around the middle, well, I suppose that is a risk I'm willing to take. At the beginning, I will be doing short experiments with various protocols from the Four Hour Body, including the slow carb diet, some supplements, and applications of cold as an avenue of weight loss. I started my first experiment last Monday, and while the week isn't over until tomorrow morning, the results have been surprising. Aerials I'm taking a mixed aerials class once a week at a circus school. I'd go more often, because I love it that much, but it is godawfully far away, and very non-trivially expensive. There are likely to be videos if I happen to take any. I weigh nearly 290 lbs. If I can learn these things, anyone can learn these things. I hope you find amusement and inspiration in my attempts. Juggling, Handstands, and GMB These are all things I enjoy and are often part of my training. I may try to get back into Parallettes One, or not. I'm doing the Juggling PvP, and mostly working on daily handstands. There may or may not be videos. Miscellaneous Anything else I feel the need to talk about or get off my chest, like failing at the NaNoWriMo, struggling with work, struggling with finances, or just plain struggling to get through the day.