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WOO! Second challenge! Quickie run-down Main Quest: Weigh 230 pounds by January 1st, 2014. Goals: 1.) 120 minutes of cardio a week. 2.) 80g of protein a day, 1 vegetarian day a week. 3.) BBW once a week. Life sidequest: -1 hour of deliberate religious stuff (meditation, prayer, study) a week. Elaboration Main Quest I need to focus on weight loss, for a bunch of reasons, mainly to make it easier on my back. Also, it's just a number I can use to gauge my fitness, etc. Goal 1 Last challenge, my goal was 90 minutes of biking a week. Some weeks I scraped by, some weeks I DESTROYED 90 minutes. Like 200+. So, I'm upping it to a 120 minutes minimum average. Goal 2 I tracked my food last challenge, and tracked my protein for a week as part of the mini-quest. This challenge, I want to make sure I get lots of protein (without going overboard) to build some muscle. Muscle burns fat better (I've heard) so that's how this fits into my main quest. I went vegetarian for a few months a year or two ago, and really liked it, plus I want to eventually go paleo, so this is a step towards that long term goal. Goal 3 I did the BBW last challenge, and ALMOST got through it three times in a row. Now, I just want to make it a steady part of my weekly routine. Life Goal This is a mental health thing as well as an I-really-need-to-study-my-own-beliefs thing. I may or may not have mentioned that I'm an Anglo-Saxon heathen, but it takes a lot of independent study. Which is something I've been failing on. Could be just meditation, prayer, writing, crafting, genealogy research, lore reading, whatever, as long as it's deliberate and in done in a certain mindset. I'd like for that one hour a week to be straight in a row as well. Rewards: Goal 1: 4 STA Goal 2: 3 STR, 1 WIS Goal 3: 3 STR Life Goal: 4 WIS So, some of you know me from last challenge, some don't. I was an adventurer then, and now, and might be for a while. We'll see. Regardless, I am back for round two, and pumped. Here goes. ----------------------------- WEEKLY REPORTING Week 1 Goal 1: 112/120 minutes Goal 2: 497/560g Goal 3: 0 BBW circuits Life Goal: Done! Mini-Challenge: Done! +1 WIS Week 2 Goal 1: Goal 2: Goal 3: Life Goal: Mini-Challenge: Week 3 Goal 1: Goal 2: Goal 3: Life Goal: Mini-Challenge: Week 4 Goal 1: Goal 2: Goal 3: Life Goal: Mini-Challenge: Week 5 Goal 1: Goal 2: Goal 3: Life Goal: Mini-Challenge: Week 6 Goal 1: Goal 2: Goal 3: Life Goal: Mini-Challenge:

Note: Edits have been made because I decided I would try the real-life role playing again. Let's get to it. I've done a 5k before, I've done push-ups before, but that ability has deteriorated over time. I also need to continue to improve my diet. And most importantly, I need to find something that I have a passion for. Goal 1: C25K (again) I've done the C25K program before, just about a year ago actually. Completed it, hurt my back lifting a window AC unit, aggravated it on a hilly mud/obstacle run, stopped running until about April. I was doing the Zombies, Run! 5K app, but despite loving the story and the character of the app, I just don't like the program. So I'm starting C25K over, which I have done and like, while simultaneously re-running the missions from the original Zombies, Run! app, which I did the first time. I'll be going for a run every other day*, first thing in the morning, lest it get too hot outside. By the end of the challenge I should be up to week 6, though my grading will account for the possibility of necessary repetition of a single workout or a week of workouts. Finished Week 6, A; Week 5, B; Week 4, C etc.. Reward +5 STA Goal 2: Bodyweight Strength Training I want to start getting into consistency again with improving my strength through bodyweight exercises. Minimally, I want to do 1 set of upper-body training (probably push-ups or pull-ups), 1 of lower-body training (bodyweight squats, squat jumps, or lunges), and 1 of core (leg lifts, sit-ups) to failure. This will be done every other day, on the non-running days.* Grading here is all about consistency. An A can only be achieved through fully following through with the schedule. A full letter grade will be taken off for each missed day, until F. Reward +2 STA +2 STR Goal 3: Cleaner, Closer-to-Paleo Eating (4 Cheat days left) I am not good at avoiding fake foods. I never have been. My diet rarely involves more water than soda and alcohol. I would rather eat a bag of chips than any kind of fruit or vegetable you could think to stick under my nose. I grew up believing with glee that bread, rice, and especially pasta should be the foundation of my diet, usually skipping fruits and vegetables and making cheese and meat my next two candidates for things I would maybe consider eating. I've been working on a change in general, but I need a kick-in-the-pants, stick-to-it plan. For the six week challenge, water is the only thing I can drink. I don't need to drink my calories. I am also eliminating cheese and anything that I might refer to as "junk food," i.e. most things at the school vending machines. I have six allowed treat days during which I can diverge from this, with the hope of using at most one per week if I use them all. On these days that I select, I must report here what I had that goes against the guidelines, in what quantities, and for what reason. If I don't, it's a strike. If I have any beyond six, it's a strike. A letter grade reduction for this goal will be made for each strike. Reward +3 CON Goal 4: Seeking Passion I posted a bit ago on the pub forums on my panic over grad school, my research job over the summer. Sure enough, the more I do my job, the more I'm convinced that something about what I'm doing is not for me. I have no passion for it. But what do I have passion for? Good question. I would quit my job if I had a dream to chase, but I don't. Weekdays for now might just be mostly 9-5, making money, riding my bike to school, making dinner, cleaning the house, blah blah daily grind. But I have the weekends! So here's the goal: Every weekend of the challenge, I must work on something I believe I could have a passion for. I will report back not only what I did, but how I felt while doing it, how I felt afterward, and whether I think further pursuit is warranted. Working on the same passion candidate for any number of the weeks is allowed, assuming I haven't definitively decided that thing is not my passion. Possible pursuits may include, but are not limited to: -Drawing, both in pencil-paper and digital form. -Writing stories or working on a book. -Teaching something to someone. -Starting a blog, or vlog, or something like that. -Designing a program centered around something I care about and beginning the implementation in code. -Studying material from a field in which I have taken no classes or few classes. Doing something of this nature and making a post about it for every week will warrant an A. Miss one and I get a C. Miss two and I fail. Reward +3 WIS Where I Am Now I'm 22. I am female, 5'5" and somewhere in the 190-200 pound range, firmly in the category of obese (and yes, I know BMI is BS, but for me there is no change my weight is due to muscle). I have been riding my bike to and from work for about two weeks now. It has made me a lot more conscious of my nutrition, my energy levels, my hydration, and my fitness. I've been drinking generally less soda (but haven't cut it out completely yet) and more water, eating more fruit and vegetables, eating less bread and cheese, and actually being consistent about putting on sunscreen. I am actually living on my own by myself for the first time this summer, so instead of moping about it and getting scared and lonely and depressed, I am trying to embrace the opportunity for independence, to understand what makes me feel good without having to consider other people. I get to be selfish, which might be good because I tend to be a bit of a doormat. Speaking of which, bonus goal: don't be a doormat. Don't accept people pushing you around, don't say you agree with things that offend you, be assertive. And my current "character" stats, I'll be a shifter: STR: 2 DEX: 2 STA: 2 CON: 3 WIS: 3 CHA: 3 Okay, that's all. I've not done great on previous challenges, so any comments as to feasibility would be really appreciated. *After a pattern of workout-break-workout-break-workout, a 2 day break may be taken without penalty.

What are your weekend riding plans?

Hit a high for hill climbs this year! 4766 feet of elevation gain! http://www.endomondo.com/workouts/204205813/848535

My name is Tory, Disco_Inferno, and this is my first challenge. I have always been active, I am a ski instructor for a living and love being outside. I am looking to keep active consistently during this challenge because I tend to go through phases of activity and inactivity based on where I am and my access to sports or gyms. So my overall goal is consistency. Goal 1: Diet Folow my ALCAT (food sensitivity blood test results) list of foods closely. This includes a primarily Paleo diet with no gluten or dairy. Although it has more specifics as well that include a range of other seemingly random items. - Learn to use my new juicer and have a fresh vegetable juice at least 4X a week. Goal 2: Exercise - Workout intensely at least 3X times a week... Meaning a combination of running more than 2 miles, weight training, squats, pushups, swimming more than a mile or the like. - Workout less intensely 3X a week... Meaning yoga, stretching, bike rides, or walks. Enjoy being outside in a slightly active capacity for at least an hour each day. Goal 3: Sports Learn to wake surf. After a vacation to Costa Rica to learn how to surf last month I want to continue 'surfing' on Lake Michigan as summer starts. Goal 4: Personal Successfully learn basic programming through the free site Codeacademy.com . Keep up with reading and grad school prep, but primarily set aside at least 3 hours a week to practice basic coding with Codeacademy.

hey Rebels! Long time listener, first time caller, etc. Right now I'm focusing primarily on getting to the point where I'm kicking ass and taking names at rock climbing (I've been climbing desultorily since last September, seriously from January) so my goals are mostly focused in service of that: upper body strength, flexibility, endurance, but without putting on too much muscle so I'm less to lift. I should also note that I have no natural abilities in this arena. In a real-life guild of assassins, I'd be the one filing the paperwork. But who's to say that thrashing away wildly against genetics, inclinations, and skillsets isn't fun, eh? With that hideous disclaimer, here are my goals for the challenge. The first three are definitely health/fitness related, with the fourth being a health/fitness/being a better person (to make up for all those lives I'm taking as an assassin, I guess? ) goal. Goal 1: Climb a 5.10 (indoor) route clean Just being able to scale a wall doesn't count if you're an assassin –– you need to be able to do it quickly, cleanly, and with enough energy to spare that you can ~get the job done~ once you're up there. I want to work on the 5.10 routes at my gym that I can do in (effortful) pieces until I can piece at least one together smoothly. Mini-goal within this one: climb at least 3 times a week consistently (and at least 6 routes each time I climb). +3 str +2 dex +2 sta Goal 2: #yogaeveryday Assassins need to be flexible, limber, and have the mental equanimity to tackle any situation they're thrown into. I need to do some form of yoga every day, whether it's going to a class, leading a vinyasa practice, starting the day with sun salutations, or even meditating or pranayama before bed. Mini-goal: go to at least 2 intermediate expansion or advanced practice classes at my yoga studio. It's impossible for assassins to get caught in a rut, why should I let my practice stagnate? +3 dex +1 wis Goal 3: Eat minimal processed food What it sounds like. I know I feel slow and tired when I eat tons of processed junk, but it just tastes so damn delicious. I'm not interested in totally cutting out sugar and processed carbs just yet (plus disordered eating history makes me wary of any cold turkey diet nonsense), but I'm down for giving this 80/20 thing a shot. I figure at 15-20 meals a week (combining breakfast and lunch into the delicious, beautiful mana that is "brunch" is one of my favorite things), 12-16 of them should be processed-food free. Mini-goal: Spend less money eating out! No more than 2 meals out a week, and that counts "snacks" at coffee shops. +2 con Goal 4: Drive less than 100 miles/week My whole goal is to be a badass stealth monster - why would I ruin it by driving around a clunker of a car that sounds like it's dragging chains the whole way? Try and replace some of that driving with bus, walking, or more biking. It's better for me and the environment, and saves gas $$. Mini-goal: At least one of the places I drive, though, should be to get the oil changed and that aforementioned chain noise checked out. +1 wis +1 sta

Welcome Scouts to the 4/15-5/27 6-Week Challenge. This is the thread for random conversations about whatever we feel like that's Scout related or challenge related. So, who's got races coming up this challenge? If you do, how are you feeling about it, if you don't then when is your next one and what are you doing to make sure you are prepared for it? Good luck with your goals guys and gals and have a good challenge.

I'm going on a journey this challenge. Over rivers, through forests & up and down hills to have a great adventure. If I'm going to have this great adventure I'm actually going to have to get somewhere over the next 6 weeks. Goal #1 - Bike 150 miles total (4 STA) - Some short rides with a few longs rides thrown in for variety I'm going to be having to move around a lot over the course of my adventure. So some body weight workouts are definitely in order. I never know when I might need to fight a troll or some spiders so I have to keep in tip top shape. But I can't forget about cardio/intervals in case the best option is fleeing as fast as humanly (or inhumanly as the case may be) possible. Goal #2 - Workout 4 days per week (3 STR, 1 DEX) - At least 2 strength workouts/week - At least 1 cardio/interval workout/week - Can do cardio and strength on the same days but it only counts as 1 towards 4 days/week - With the strength workouts, still working towards that elusive push-up - I also want to figure out other goals like that, I enjoy push-up work more than the rest because I feel like I have somewhere to go with it. So an ungraded side-goal is to figure out some other exercises that I can't do now, but would like to be able to do. Since we are traveling and living off the land, paleo seems like a great option as far as food choices go. So when I'm adventuring I'm sure it won't be too difficult to stay paleo. The difficulty will come when we visit with friends and other people we meet along the way. In order to keep my food habits on track no matter where my location I will be tracking everything that I eat. Goal #3 - Track all calories on Fitbit - Try to be 500 calories under each day (3 CON, 1 CHA) - My fitbit does a pretty good job of telling me how many calories I burn which is a good indicator of how much I should be eating. On a day when I'm super active, I of course need to eat more. I have been having a problem eating enough on intense workout days and not eating too much on rest days. - I've already been doing a good job of eating mostly paleo, so this won't be a graded part of this goal. - I will log all food before I go to bed each day (sometimes I write it down but don't log it till days later when its less helpful) On our journey we might have to leave our campsite at a moment's notice so it is imperative that the campsite and all of our supplies are kept neat and organized. We must also work as a team and help each other out with cooking and other chores. Goal #4 - Clean, straighten, organize for 15 min each day around my apartment (1 WIS) - Continuing this goal from last challenge to really ingrain it as habit - Like last time, when I'm home this becomes help my mom/grandparents with something for 15min/day After my harrowing journey I'd like to have a comfy home to come home to. I'm sure I will be tired after all that adventuring and it would be nice to sit back in front of my fireplace with a good book and relax. Goal #5 - Sign a new lease for next year (2 WIS) - Sub goals: By the end of Week 1: Have a list of at least 8 properties to check out By the end of Week 2: Contacted the owners of at least 5 properties to set up visits By the end of Week 4: Visited at least 3 different properties By the end of the Challenge: Have a lease for next year signed - I've been procrastinating on this for so long. Its a big step. I've lived in this apartment for 4 years and as much as I want a house with a yard, I'm not looking forward to all the hassles that come with moving. Starting Stats: STR: 7 DEX: 4.25 STA: 6.75 CON: 2 WIS: 5.5 CHA: 5.75 More starting stats to come

Loren Wade's Routine Challenge My last challenge was minimalism: I redesigned my living space, switched to a standing desk, sold 90% of my belongings, and sold my car in favor of biking. I currently lack overall discipline in healthy habits and a routine. This challenge will be focused on leveling up my life by following a loose schedule, eating right more often, writing again, and learning self defense.The Life Habit3 Hours Distraction-Free Writing WeeklyThe Fitness HabitsStronglifts 3x WeeklyKrav Maga 2x WeeklyThe Nutrition HabitPaleoLean Gains.Clean Paleo + Whey and Rice.Weekly Cookups.Nightly: Fish oil, Vitamin D, Natural Calm.​​​UpdatesMinimalism Room Before/After​Day 0Day 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6Day 7Day 8Day 9Day 10Day 11Day 12Day 13Day 14Day 15Day 16Day 17Day 18Day 19Day 20Day 21Day 22Day 23Day 24Day 25Day 26Day 27Day 28Day 29Day 30

Hi all, So on Saturday (4/27) I completed my first triathlon. It was a sprint distance, so 500 meter swim, 12.5 mile bike ride, and 3.1 mile run. I had a min and max goal time. The minimum time was calculated based on how fast I can do each event individually. The maximum time was adding in some fluff in case I had a problem, was really worn out during the run, etc. Min time: 1 hr 36 minutes Max time: 1 hr 57 minutes Actual time: 1 hr 42 minutes. !!!!!!!!!!! First, there were a few "unknowns" during my time calculation. I had to run an extra half mile after the swim to get to my bike (that added at least 5 minutes). And my bike was all the way back at the end of transition, so I had to run quite a bit to get out. Second, there are a few "records" that I'd like to share. In the pool, I swim 500 m in just over 10 minutes. I did it in 11 minutes in choppy, murky, jellyfish-ridden water, including some panic time when I swallowed a bunch of water and couldn't catch my breath. My fastest 3.1 mile run time is 30:24. I did the triathlon run in 31:43 after exercising for approximately an hour before that. I finished #23 in my age group (of 54 women). I was in 9th place coming out of the water!! If I had registered as an Athena (160lbs+), I would have finished in 2nd place!!! Next time, I will register like the true goddess I am! So... I feel like I crushed it and I've been glowing since. I've been doing a lot more weight training than I've ever done and I'm faster and have more endurance than I've ever had. I felt like a million bucks when I was done, not even tired. Ready to go again! WOOT!!!!!

This is my 2nd challenge so far, but my first one as a Scout. I'm starting a bit late as I have been away on business travel since Monday and I didn't have a chance to post before now. Fitness Goals: 1. Complete 2 day charity bike ride (Breathe NH) on May 18 and 19. In order to achieve this goal, I am following this training plan: Apr 15 Tue 10 - 15 mi, Thu 10 - 15 mi, Sat/Sun 30 - 40 mi Apr 22 Tue 10 - 15 mi, Thu 10 - 15 mi, Sat/Sun 30 - 40 mi Apr 29 Mon 10-15 mi, Wed 10-15 mi, Fri 10-15 mi, Sat/Sun 40-50 mi May 6 Mon 10-15 mi, Wed 10-15 mi, Fri 10-15 mi, Sat/Sun 40-50 mi May 13 (week of ) Mon 8-10 mi, Tue 3-5 mi, Wed 8-10 mi, Thu 3-5 mi. Note, the specific days of the week are flexible and I am also taking total mileage in a week into account, i.e. a shorter ride than planned on one day can be "made up for" by a longer ride on another day. Scoring: Complete 2 full days of charity ride (day 1 distance 45 mi, day 2 distance 32.7 miles) and meet 75% of training plan: A. Do not complete 2 full days, but meet 85% of training plan: B. Do not complete 2 full days, but meet 75% of training plan: C. Do not complete 2 full days, but meet 50% of training plan: D. Do not complete 2 full days and meet less than 50% of training plan: F. STA 5 2. Continue strength training 2 days per week: day 1: bench press 5 sets of up to 5 reps; bent over rows 5 sets of up to 5 reps; squats 5 sets of up to 5 reps day 2: deadlift 1 warm up set of 5 reps, 1 full weight set of up to 5 reps; squats 5 sets of up to 5 reps; standing shoulder press 5 sets of up t o 5 reps Scoring: 90% of plan: A 80% of plan: B 70% of plan: C 60% of plan: D Less than 60% of plan: F STR 3 STA 1 Diet Goal: 1. Limit fried foods to avg of 1 per week (not including 1st week of challenge). Scoring: <= 5 fried foods: A 6 - 7: B 8 - 9: C 10 - 11: D 12+: F CON 3 Level up life goal: Complete the following household tasks: 1) Clean all of the junk off of the kitchen table. 2) Organize the pantry. 3) Get quote from landscaping company to install patio / hot tub. 4) Get quote from construction company to look at roof and to replace sliding glass door. 5) Clean out the floor of the hall closet. Scoring: all 5 tasks complete: A 4 tasks complete: B 3 tasks complete: C 2 tasks complete: D < 2 tasks complete: F WIS 3

This is a little long and full of numbers...hopefully enough nerds will see this that this will not be a deterrent I've been considering buying a bike for about a year (since I got my house) but know a decent one is a pretty serious investment up front and for maintenance. I like biking but know that I won't do it much other than to ride to the train station so I'm wondering if it's worth it. I'm only considering financially though I fully acknowledge there are environmental, physical fitness and other benefits to biking vs. driving. Here's my situation: There are 3 train stations near my house. Station #1: 2.5miles from house and has bike racks Station #2: 3.8miles from house and has $4 parking Station #3: 6.2miles from house and has free parking I really never go to station #2 because it's so expensive to park. Assuming 6.2miles to station #3 each way, 27mpg and $3.80/gallon for gas, it costs me $1.75 a day to go to station #3. Because of the distance difference, I would leave the house about the same time whether I bike to station 1 or drive to station 3. Assuming I ride an average of 4x a week, 26 weeks out of the year due to weather, I could save approx $7 per week or $181 per year. So...is it worth it? I'm out of the loop on how much a decent bike costs since my last one was from Target after a bad experience buying a used bike (pedal came flying off). So factoring in up front cost, yearly maintenance and how long a bike is expected to last, are the savings worth the cost? Bike brands and suggested "look for this" or "watch out for this" are welcome. I'm not a fan of street bikes because we have a lot of pot holes and I have a tendency to drop off curbs...plus a mountain bike means I can ride the trails if I decide to. I don't need anything super fancy, just something solid. I'll be checking out a few local shops but have no idea walking in if they're overpriced or not and which features are useful/useless to me. Any help is much appreciated

So here in Beijing, when the weather is nice I bike everywhere. I commute 18km 3-5 days a week, and then bike around to and from errands, meetings, nightlife spots. In the past, I used to assume this was enough to take care of all the extra calories I took in, but obviously at some point it wasn't. Anyway, now that I've made counting calories a habit (but not an obsession), I'm counting my bike commutes which I started this week. LiveStrong says I burn nearly 900 calories on my total commute, which seems insane considering I don't go crazy fast or work up my heart rate that much. Obviously I don't want to count on those calories being burned if that's wildly inaccurate, but I also don't want to under-eat. My thought is that I just keep doing what I'm doing, food wise, and maybe have a banana smoothie if I get home if I'm feeling tired? I'm not, yet, but I've only biked to work twice this week. Just wondering if this is wildly off or if I'm on the right track.