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SEIZE THE DAY! Alrighty, Princess Heather is back in action! I have been MIA around here for the past few weeks, and it was due to me being in a bit of a funk and also lots of life happening. I have been promoted at work, from office manager into a sort of project coordinator, responsible for overseeing several ministry teams and being the point person for outreach and service projects for my church. It's a fun environment, and out biggest service project(s) of the year happen at the end of September so I've got lots going on for that. We are also in the midst of TTC, and keeping healthy for that is another major priority, leaving less and less time for internetting. Which is also at odds with a blogging project I'm trying to get off the ground. For anyone who was following my last (pitiful) challenge, I more or less accomplished all my goals with reading and with workouts, but food was a bit more elusive. Still trying to reign that in, but I know it's miles better than my diet was 3 years ago that I need to just keep trucking and not worry about being perfect. Goal 1: Quit being a hater... to myself I give myself way too much grief when I'm not perfect, which is of course all the time because perfection doesn't exist! I'm always fluctuating between being content and being critical, and while I've been making progress on this over the past 3 years especially, I want to make this a goal this time and hopefully improve my self talk habits and tip them towards contentment. Which I have to remind myself, is different from complacency. It's not about accepting me as I never bothering to improve again, its about making sure to be happy with how things are in the moment. Measurable goal: Post one thing each day that I'm happy about in my life, because there is always SOMETHING to be happy about. Goal 2: Come at me bro (science) Just kidding, though I love me some Dom. I've been struggling ever since I effectively took a semester off from lifting in the spring. I was so swamped with finishing my graduate capstone that I lifted maybe once a week if I was lucky, and it wasn't really with any direction or program. I've been trying to get restarted since, without really doing any tracking and without really ensuring proper protein or carb intake to fuel and recover... it's just been a mess. And no results. So I am going back to basics, and redoing New Rules of Lifting for Women. I had really great success with this the first time, and I expect that I can progress through it faster that I did the first time. This will give me a direction, and something to track, and a good new foundation for being strong. I just want to regain my BW squats by the end of the year, which I feel is not out of reach if I'm training with purpose. Measurable goal: Lift 3x Weekly Goal 3: Deal With It.... and do a Whole 30 This goal will start on September 22, and go to October 22, so ending right before the challenge ends. I will be a teensy bit lenient with added sugars in things like organic and clean BBQ sauce (for bbq pineapple crock pot chicken), but more or less will follow the protocol. I have been back on the juice (caffeine) and I'm already weaning off that again, and I have been SUPER tired and I think its a result of being too low on carbs when I'm not eating crappy ones. Carbs are easy to get when you binge on gummi bears, but harder when all your carbs some from carrots and brussels sprouts. Whole 30 is okay with potatoes now, and I will allow white rice smothered in coconut oil in case of emergency... which makes me think I should keep rice in my office's fire extinguisher box. Measurable Goal: Finish Goal 4: Publish something on my fledgling blog I have a blog that I have like 5 incomplete posts for, with nothing whatsoever published. I want to post at least one thing each week of this challenge, regardless of length or content. That's only 6 entries, not insurmountable. I have some pics of meal prep already, nothing unique but I have to start somewhere. Measurable Goal: 6 Blog Entries BONUS: Get a logo made by my design type friend.

The struggle to fit into the size and shape that today's beauty industry makes women feel like they ought to have in order to be happy, healthy and successful in life has always haunted me. Limbs too thick, hips too wide, legs too short, not enough chest, too much booty, etc etc etc, has always left me feeling like an outsider very unable to identify with other women and with the entire industry that makes me feel like I'm not a real or beautiful woman unless I look like all the advertisements tell me I should. I'm not fat, but I'm not skinny. I'm not hideously out of shape, but I'm not fit either. I work an unpredictable job with a lot of uncertainty as to when I will be home and when I will be living in a hotel or in a camp, and for how long, well who knows. In the midst of life's chaos, my main quest is to strengthen my body and live the healthiest life I can. I want to live a lifestyle whereby my self-esteem does not rely on unrealistic physical requirements placed on me by society. Put in more specific terms I believe the best way to improve my self-image and help myself to stop caring what others expect me to look like is to reduce my body fat percentage while increasing my muscle mass. As a female I know I will not become "bulky" by doing this. I am also not concerned about my scale weight so long as I am seeing real progress in the mirror, in how my clothes fit, and in how strong I feel. After some careful reading, and because my job requires physical capability, I know that weight loss is simply not enough to level up my life in terms of emotional and physical well being. Being thin and weak will not improve my self confidence. Being strong and lean will. It is just as important to look good as it is to feel good, and to feel strong, and capable of handling a physically demanding job that will only degrade my body over time if I am not strong enough to handle its rigors. With that intent in mind I will list my missions that will bring me closer to this goal: I will do a strength-training workout at home with dumbbells (because I have them, and I am still very intimidated by the gym and its inhabitants) at least 3 times a week I will increase my protein intake and follow the Paleo diet as closely as possible (this is not always 100% possible because I am often subjected to situations where I have no control over my menu for weeks at a time due to working out of remote camps... in these cases I do my best to select the most simply prepared food items consisting mainly of meat and vegetables, as humanly possible) I will eliminate unhealthy food items that have weaseled their way into my diet, such as replacing chemical and sugar-laden coffee drinks at work with unsweetened teas and reducing froyo excursions to once a week or less. Motivation As Daenerys Targaryen often tells herself before she makes a bold move, "If I look back, I am lost." If I do not push forward, I am lost. Living sick, weak, and unhealthy is no life to live and I do not want to go back to that. Without health and fitness it is easy to lose oneself in negative energy and depression and that is no way to live. If I go back, I am lost. The only clear path to improving happiness and confidence comes through improving health through diet and fitness. With improved health comes improved mood, and this is the best starting place for a more successful and happy life, equipped with more ability and resolve to handle the challenges that life throws at us.

It's the week leading up to Valentine's Day and for most single people it's the week we dread the most (before weddings and Christmas where nosy aunts ask us when we're getting married). Otherwise couples are fretting over what they should be doing to spoil their significant others to their expectations - chocolates, dates, overpriced roses, sexy underwear, wedding proposals, etc. While gradually catching up on all the articles that i've missed over my vacation, i came across the article on body image and i realised that despite all of the fretting, i haven't really spent a lot of time loving and fretting over myself. I'm running around getting to gym or preparing lists for groceries or meals for the week or something and balancing my new relationship and i'm not slowing down to actually spend a moment on me that doesn't involve changing my body in a way that i think others want to see. Do i even love the body i'm in (even if i'm trying to change it)? Perhaps others are doing the same thing? Are they forgetting to love themselves and their bodies? Are they putting others' needs ahead of their own? For these reasons, I have decided on this week's mini quest. Your task for this week is two fold. 1. To love yourself; to do something that is especially for you. Whether it is something small like drawing a hot bubble bath, pouring a glass of wine, locking the bathroom door and spending just 20 minutes with a book or daydreaming in the tub. Or getting a manicure/pedicure/massage/facial. 2. Find three things in your life or about yourself that you love. Think of three things about your life, your body, your personality, your job or your home that you are grateful for, that you value and that you love. The catch: it has to be something you've had an indirect or direct influence in (not something that is completely out of your control - like something someone else did for you). It's all about you. After completing this task, you will earn +1 CHA (if you're into the RPG thing) and a heart of self love (to be used at another point when you need it).

Hey y'all! I'm Rose, a college student and nerd that is struggling to get fit. I've been on the chubby side since the fourth grade (I've also been a bit of a bookworm since then too, I'll read any piece of fiction I can get my hands on). I've tried and failed several times to get fit, and I'm hoping y'all can help me out! My Mission: To have a positive self-image, develop healthy habits to bring into the real world, and have the strength to take on the adventure that is life. ​My Motivation: There's two parts to my motivation. One, I want to look good so I can be more confidant and actually enjoy getting new clothes and such. The other is that I want to love my body the way I think God would want me to. I'm deeply rooted in my faith and while He loves me no matter what shape I'm in, I want to respect and love this body that He has blessed me with. My Goals: 1. Keep a food and activity diary daily A: Miss one day or lessB: Miss two daysC: Miss three daysD: Miss four or more days2. After week 1 make one adjustment each week to make healthy diet (ie: cutting down desserts, running a calorie deficit, etc.) A: Achieve at least 4/5 goalsB: Achieve 3/5 goalsC: Achieve 2/5 goalsD: Achieve 1/5 goals3. Workout at least four times a week (3 strength training days + 1 fun day) A: Workout 4/4 timesB: Workout 3/4 timesC: Workout 2/4 timesD: Workout 1/4 timesLife Goal: Pick out a new devotional book for the new semester and set aside 15 minutes each day to read it once classes start up again. Well the easy part is over, and the hard part begins.