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It's that time of year for me. Time to bowl in the USBC Open Nationals Tournament. This year it is in Las Vegas again. I bowl on June 2nd and 3rd. I always have a blast bowling this each year. This will be my 11th year in a row, 14th overall. This year, at least I have been able to get back out and do some bowling in a league. I won't be a complete mess haha. The only problem I'll have is flying back on the 4th. I'm going to miss some of the Pokemon Go Fest! Hopefully, just like the first hour or so of day 1. I skipped last challenge. I was sick during the first couple of weeks. Had my doctors appointment. Things were looking pretty good, but I was put on even more medicine. I had a choice to get higher dosage on one of them as well. I decided to not do that, and attempt to get my eating in control. Then on Friday the 29th, something happened to our old lady cat. She was 22. She did have some trouble getting around, but still jumped up on the couch etc. The morning of the 29th, she was just a different cat. It was like she had a stroke or something. Would not eat, and was aimlessly wondering around the apartment. Barely would open her eyes up. Could hardly walk. Just seemed like she had no sense of anything. I spent quite awhile with her on my chest. I was trying to give her a place she would feel secure to rest. Spent a lot of time crying. It was pretty clear, it was time. We called to get squeezed in over at a animal hospital. Doctor pretty much agreed there was nothing to be done. So, we sent her on her way. My oldest son is just a year older, so he knew her his whole life. It was quite the hit to us. So yeah, not exactly how I imagined coming into May. I'm kind of all over the place. like sitting here at 2:30 am making this post, instead of getting the sleep I should be haha. Ok, enough bringing things down! Once again, let's try to get things on track. I have Vegas to bowl in, plus I really need to get much healthier. While I was not in last challenge, I decided to start making a goal list. Not so much things to get done now, but as of things to eventually do. This challenge needs to be the stepping stone into getting me headed towards my goals. For those that have followed me in the past, I am sure that my goals will be very similar to ones I have had in the past. Goal #1 - Sleep I always seem to have to get this one established again. It's just too easy for me to stay up till 2 or 3am. My youngest has finally gone back to in person learning at school as well. So now I am having to get up early to get him there and back. In general though, I have too many days that I feel tired and run down from lack of sleep. Since I am getting up early, I need to get to bed a bit earlier then I use to as well. Some nights, it might be harder to do, but we shall see. 10:30 PM, I am to get off the computer or whatever. Then I get off to reading asap. At 11 PM I need to head to bed. If I feel like I am not getting enough reading time, I might get to reading earlier, like 10 PM. I'll see how things feel in week zero, and adjust if need be. 20 points each day. 140 points for the week Goal #2 - Movement This will be a big factor for future goals. I've really done almost nothing. Groceries, or caring water jugs up stairs from time to time. Then bowling once or maybe twice a week. Really, very low activity level. I need to change this. Week zero, my only exercise goal, is to get out and walk each day, No time frame, no step count. Just make an actual choice to go out and walk. I have been temped with adding in some meditation in as well. Like walk out someplace, then sit and mediate. Then walk more. Just something to help clear the head. Though I do get that with bigger walks too. I would also like to get into doing some workouts. Like a Monday, Wednesday, Friday split. I think week 1 I will start this. Probably just some bodyweight stuff to start. I did get myself a pull up bar and resistance bands to do assisted pull ups. I just have to try it out. I also think I want to start in slow here too. Like do at least once exercise from my list. So even if I just do feel it, just do 10 squats or something. I'll most likely do more, but I figured I would have the "do just one" to at least keep me going. It use to work for me back in the day for walking. I'd tell myself "You can give up 15 minutes at least to walk" I hope that I start off with the baby steps, then I can add on more in week 2 or 3. Honestly, just have to see how things go. Walking every day, M, W, F workouts outs (Do at least one Exercise) 10 points each day for walking, 10 points each day for workouts. 100 total points for the week. Goal #3 - Get food under control I really have been struggling on what I should do for my food. I've not been happy with my blood sugar levels. I really don't want to be on the medication I am on right now. I know, I could get myself back in a range I want fairly quickly if I went back to eating Keto. Obviously, I need to lose weight, That can be done doing any real method of eating. I just have to eat less then I burn. Eating Keto doesn't magically just make you lose weight. I felt it did help me though, with cravings and such. Still, I feel like it might not be the best long term for me. At some point I will want potatoes, or popcorn, and pizza. From my previous doctors appointment, I wanted to see if I can eat like I normally have been eating, and see what effect the medicine would have on me. It is better, but I'm not that happy with it. Though, I didn't exactly steer away from eating all the things. This challenge, I'm not going to eat a certain way so much, but I do want to make sure I am eating in a calorie range at least. Funny enough, I think when I did eat Keto, I was also eating more vegetables a better foods then just junk I have been eating. Main point of this goal is to track what I eat. Hopefully, work on better choices of foods to eat too. Lower calorie/higher volume foods and such. Baby steps first, just track and stay in my calorie range. I know there are some days I will just be hungry and want to eat. I want to try to have an upper number to not pass. Track food 7 days a week. 2,000 to 2800 calories. I'd like to range 2200-2500 on average I think. So hopefully, not too many higher days 10 points each day, 70 points each week. There are many other things I want to do, but I really want to keep it much more simple to get me started off again. Here is to getting all the kinks worked out in week 0, then having a really good challenge! Measurements: Start / Finish Chest - Waist - Bicep (L) - Bicep (R) - Thigh (L) - Thigh (R) - Weight - Points: Week 1 (05/08 - 05/14) - 0/310 Week 2 (05/15 - 05/21) - 0/310 Week 3 (05/22 - 05/28) - 0/310 Week 4 (05/29 - 06/04) - 0/310 Week 5 (06/05 - 06/11) - 0/310 Total Challenge Points - 0/1550

Hello. I have reached a point in my fitness journey where I don't know what to do. I have always been very slender (5'8", 115lbs) I have started my weight gain journey consuming weight gain shakes both Optimum Nutrition Mass and sometimes Boost Plus and eating a moderate protein based diet. I do weight training (occasionally) and natural cardio (walking, cycling and stairs) I have noticed some weight gain as I am now fluctuating around 120lbs. Problem I am having is that some of the weight went to my belly and waist. I'm sure it has alot to do with the sugar content in the shakes. I don't want to have to lose body weight just to get a flat stomach as I am already too slender (bmi 17.48) Are there any tips to get a flat stomach while gaining body weight? I'd like more weight everywhere but not my stomach. I've added a few photos for reference. Some days are worst than others. I honestly feel like the photos don't do my belly fat any justice. It's (sorry for clarity)

It's been awhile... Rather than try anything fancy I'm just going to load an old Assassin Creed game I've already completed and try out New Game+. This way I can ease into the gameplay and remind myself how the controller feels in my hand and what weapons work best for my style of play. Going off of memory, I'm choosing the following weapons, shields, etc... Weapon: Body Weight exercises 3x a week Shield: Track food every day Armor: No gluten Health Potion: 3 cups of water/tea (replacing the mega amount of coffee I drink) Animus: Sleep 7 hours I'm going to do a week zero and see how it goes. I haven't been very motivated to exercise so that will be my biggest challenge. In fact, I won't put a time limit on the amount of exercise I do in a day. I think I'll just focus on Bulgarian Split Squats, Side Planks and Push Ups.

It has been a year and few weeks since last I visited. A lot has happened since then. One major move from the Rockies to New England and a massive change in career and lifestyle. What drove me here? What else but a job my husband took. It's been an interesting, albeit stressful, year, gaining 40 pounds along the way. I finally got back to some semblance of eating healthier in November. It's been going great and I have lost 21 pounds by eating a ketosis diet! Yaay me! I'm here again to take the next step as I have plateaued so I'm looking for motivation, success stories and an exercise plan to regularly follow as much as I can given my wacky work schedule as an assistant volleyball coach. Outside of tossing balls in the gym, I've been pretty sedentary. Time to get off my lazy butt and work out regularly and get to that next mile stone --- another 20 pounds. Eating is nailed down. Somehow, I managed to dig deep and work through most of the rough mental days that would have ordinarily led me to eating fast food, ice cream, and mindless snacking. I haven't been perfect. A snack here and there, a meal, a whole day, a whole week even, but always managing to reel in the mindless gnashing and getting back on track sooner, and for much longer than in the past. I'd say 80% of the time I've been right on target. I finally found that discipline I needed. It's not easy. It's a constant battle, and I know now it will never ever go away. It is a demon that lurks just beneath the surface and I have to fight it always. Part of this shift was a mental resignation to accept the process of what it takes to lose weight, to know my goal, but to focus on the present. One big motivation was looking at the scale everyday. On a ketosis diet, the weight melts off. It is amazing how much weight you see falling off your body in the first week, sometimes two weeks! 8-15 pounds sometimes! Once the initial 'cleansing' passes, the weight levels off to a more normal level 1-2 pounds a week what I think is actual fat loss. Those first two weeks are critical to keep the motivation going, at least for me. Instant gratification that I'm losing weight!! I ramble.... Time to start exercising. One of the perks of working for a university is free access to the weight room, and exercise classes. Time to take advantage of this benefit. I've signed up, I only need to show up. First week Complete at least 2 body weight sets four times a week Morning yoga daily complete one spinning class First 2 body weight sets completed tonight. woohoo! Next Yoga in the morning Tuesday morning spin class Check out my actual journal for progress should you be interested.

Hey folks. Bardic Garlic here. Very bardic. Very garlicky. A professor. 30. I live in SE Asia after 12 years in the USA. At the end of this challenge, I will be in California for a conference. I need to get ready to dish it out. This bard of the orient is going to face the giants and the gods! (The American folks are literally giant for me. I'm 5'5 (165 cm)). To get to Asgard, I will need to get approval from each god. SACRIFICE: I sacrifice bubble tea for Odin. My replacement is black tea with no sugar. HEIMDALL of BIFROST: Eat the rainbow. Taste the rainbow. - Track a visual journal of my food. - Make sure that each week I eat the vegetables, fruits, or grains of all 5 colors: red, yellow, green, black/purple, and white. ODIN of the GALLOWS: For 9 days and 9 nights he hangs... in a dingy pub downtown. - Pull up + Chin up 90 times for 3 out of 4 weeks. - Run at least 9 km a week - Improve my bench press and squat to 99 kg by the end of the challenge. (Stuck at 90 kilos for a while. Tips highly appreciated) THOR of the HAMMER: They ask for his fists but not for his feels. - Each week, sympathize with people who make you upset. - Reconnect with at least 3 friends. LOKI of the TRICKS: Craft him the tales he won't forget until the rebeginning. - Spend 6 hours a week on my lab manual. - Spend at least 2 hours a week on creative writing. That's it. Looking forward to hear from you all!

Original by Sidsel B on DA ABOUT ME: I am a 36 year old genderqueer person who lives in the Chicago suburbs. I am a clinical psychologist who loves fantasy novels, table top role playing games, and fiber crafts. I used to be extremely active, but between schooling and working, the active hobbies have fallen by the wayside. We are currently house hunting and looking to move back into Chicago, so I will be transitioning to public transportation for commuting. I need to be able to move my body and do so with confidence and without hurting myself. I also miss cute clothes and having a style that better matches my gender. It is really hard to find stylish clothing when you are fat that is not hyper feminine. So yeah, that's me, taking a crack at being accountable. 4 WEEK CHALLENGE: GOAL 1: Diet. I am going to resume eating at my low-carb macros, tracking on Myfittnesspal. I will have 50g of carbs or less 6/7 days with one day off since we rotate food responsibilities on game days and I can't control the options. I will log food and count calories all 7 days. GOAL 2: Fasting. I plan to do 2 24 hour fasts weekly on Monday and Friday. Since I did not fast today, I will make it up by doing it tomorrow. For this month I am allowed 3 cups of coffee on fast days, one of which can be bulletproof, plus 2 cups of broth if I feel like I need it. Unlimited water. GOAL 3: Movement. I plan to walk for 10 minutes 5 days a week. If it is too rainy, I can substitute with rowing on my rowing machine. I always overdo cardio and end up hurting myself or killing my motivation, so I am going to stick to super slow build up. LEVEL UP MY LIFE: Work. I am starting anew job next week and I am feeling very nervous. Plus, I have not worked with adults regularly for over 2 years. To help with this and improve my competency I am going to work through the Learning ACT workbook throughout the challenge. Because a lot of the content is review for me, I am assigning myself multiple chapters a week. I only have 2 hourly clients out of a planned 25, so I will have plenty of down time for personal enrichment. I'm shooting for 2 - 3 chapters a week, finishing all 11 by end of challenge.

Howdy, My name is Emrys. I'm a 27 year old rebel and brand new to the world of weightlifting. I've spent a long time playing the on-again-off-again game with working out and I want to make it stick this time. I've finally accepted that I absolutely loathe cardio and prefer to get down with strength training. I found NF through furious Google searches and joined because I'm looking to add some structure, get more committed to my fitness, see some gains, and make some friends! First 4 WEEK CHALLENGE: GOAL 1: Diet. I'm a big time snacker so I'm trying to cut down my snacking to no more than 200 of my 1200-1400 daily calorie intake. GOAL 2: Fitness. My job is 90% sedentary so getting moving is tough. I'm a walker but I want to do more. I'm trying to get to the gym at least 1x week. GOAL 3: Language: I've recently decided to get serious about re-learning Spanish. I purchased the Rosetta Stone program and want to do at least 5 activities on the app daily. LEVEL UP MY LIFE: Debt. I have one student loan in repayment (the rest thankfully in forbearance) and want it gone by the end of 2018. I plan to pay at least $100 on it every non-rent pay week. Side note: I'm also hoping to make friends and meet some folks in meatspace so please say hi! Emrys out!

In honor of Earth Day I'm going to: After a little reflection I realized that I've been too cute with some of my challenge goals. So, I looked over past challenges and made a list of things that worked/felt right and pushed aside the things that stressed me out or made me judge myself. None of these things are truly hard, I just need to be consistent and make a lifestyle shift. So here are my recycled goals... 5 servings of fruit and vegetables Fiber Probiotics Water/Tea 24oz Body Weight 3x a week (with cardio mixed in) Weekly Meal Planning Food Prep 2x/week Pack healthy snacks Mindful eating (going to try taking pics of meals for accountability/reminder) I will use my bullet journal to track my challenge. I actually have a chart that I made for a past challenge, but never used, so I'm going to recycle it and use it for this challenge.

So, this is me. Lightning. I'm back from a long journey that was full of arduous boss battles, too many enemies, and too many loves lost. I've learned a lot along the way, despite making some of the same old mistakes again. But, I've already spent enough time licking my wounds and enjoying a pity party for one. Lightning is known for trying to do it all on her own and she is (I am) still learning to ask for help. Now I need the help of a doctor because there is still some healing that needs to happen. But, I'm LIghtning and that means a little bad-assery also needs to take place. Good thing this doctor makes house calls. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The illustrious and nerdy-sexy Doctor Strange is going to help me get back into Boss Battle shape. I'm going to follow him into Kamar-Taj and emerge from this challenge stronger in both mind and body. Discipline Tracking my food with MFP every day. I need to reestablish this habit before I can even think about dieting. also 5 Servings of Fruit and Vegetables a Day. Battle Ready Bodyweight exercises 3x / wk Following the Startbodyweight program because I enjoy the progressions. Meditation Any type of positive mental exercise 5x / wk meditation, journaling, or the Superhappy App

Hey guys! Parker is back for her second challenge in a row. The last challenge was a glorious success and en lieu of this progress, I am keeping my last goals through this one because they became healthy habits that I will continue to maintain! Now I'm going to ramp things up a bit and build off of those goals and their momentum. 1. I will be counting my calories for every meal and keeping a log. I aim to consume a maximum of 1300 so that I am at a deficit, and I will be sticking as close to paleo as I can. 2. I will cook at least 3 meals out of the week at home. I will probably focus on a particular meal (i.e. cooking at least 3 dinners out of the 7 at home instead of eating out). 3. I will get 8 hours of sleep every night. Besides tonight, I will try to be in my bed with electronics off by midnight. 4. Level-up Goal - Apply to 20 different jobs within my career field. (And if it's necessary for applying, have at least 3 clips prepped to use on my demo reel) I am very excited to crush this challenge like I did the last one. I feel like Izuku when he realizes how much needs to be done before his body can handle All Might's ability. The task is daunting, but manageable, and I am so expectant for the amazing results I will be proud of down the line. Let me know how y'all's challenge is going and don't be a stranger!

The last few challenges I've been getting back into the NF academy by going through the mindset challenges. I still have a couple left to do, but I'm ready now to move on to the nutrition and workouts again. I figure it's about time I finally get with the program and see what happens. I've been finding fairly good success with keeping things simple, but still haven't seen the results I would hope for. My schedule has also been difficult recently, with lots of call, but now that's over for a while which is good timing. So it's time to dedicate myself a bit more to the process. Diet - NF level 4, No added sugar I've been doing IIFYM the last few months, and have been alright at sticking to my goals, but could do a bit better. I've found the times I overeat it's usually due to eating too much sugar earlier in the day or being hungry later, or else getting into binge in the evening. In looking through the nutrition module, I'd say I'm at a bout NF diet level 4, so I'm going to try to keep there and improve at having more vegetables and less bread/pasta. I'm also going to stay away from added sugar this challenge. I've done it before, but then I slipped back into old habits. As part of the "Face Your Demons" mindset challenge, I determined that sugar is definitely one of them, so this is my "stay away from it" phase where I can study my enemy and make a plan for when I face it again. Exercise - Bodyweight Workout 3 I'm at the Bodyweight Level 3 workouts, which I'll be doing on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I haven't focused on exercise recently, mostly because my back has been hurting and I've been feeling stiff. However, stretching on it's own hasn't been helping, and I think I need to build strength if I'm finally going to get over my pain/stiffness. Other I'll keep going through the mindset challenges. I'm not going to weigh myself again until the end of the challenge as part of a mindset challenge. I think it'll also be beneficial as I'm getting back into workouts and a more solid diet to judge how I'm feeling, and see how it all works at the end. I'll also continue tracking my APD score and trying to beat the previous month's average. I'm going to try to update here daily. Here we go!

In 5 weeks I will be heading into a new mission phase and it's time to start preparing. My handler sent me the key skills he wants me to brush up on: Hand to hand: Krav Maga (0/6 sessions) Increase Endurance: HIIT Sessions (2/28) Study Up: Finish Pre-law school books and assignments (0/6) Get Flexy and Handstands: Handstand Drills (0/25) Flexibility Sessions (2/25) Nutrition: Calorie Counting (3/25) Internal Peace: Meditation (2/25)

The Westerlands are in some ways the most mysterious of the Seven Kingdoms to we readers/watchers, because it is the only place we have never been with a POV character. Apart from a few stories and a flashback/dream swequence, we’ve never seen Casterly Rock, Lannisport, or even any of the Westerlands countryside. Known for their vast mineral wealth and fertile, hilly countryside, the Lords of the West have always been important, and none more so than House Lannister of Casterly Rock. Serving mostly as antagonists (except for Tyrion) through the first book, we started getting POV chapters from Cersei and Jaime soon after. More so than even the Dornish schemes, more so than the proposed Grand Northern Conspiracy, the Lannisters are involved deeply in the game of thrones, on several fronts of the war(s). The Lannisters have also always been a fertile house, with many cadet branches in Lannisport and throughout the Westerlands, and until this generation, usually a vast network of close, in-House relations. I’ll be basing my goals on the forward planning of House Lannister, which means potential spoilers for all books and the show. I’ll white out what I can, but assume spoilers for Book 1/Season 1 here, and white out could be spoilers for anything through Dance with Dragons. Sorry Kevan and Gerion fans – they’re relegated to a potential stretch goal/mini-game I’m thinking about. Going in Order of our introduction to each character, we start with fan-favorite Tyrion “the Imp” Lannister, dwarf son of the late great Tywin Lannister. He's currently serving with the Essosi sellswrod Company the Second Sons, attempting to get in with Danerys Targaryen in hopes of returning to Westeros Lord of Casterly Rock and getting revenge on his sister . . . Tyrion is the most-travelled Lannister, (except maybe for Uncle Gerion?), so I will also move about, walking 60,000 steps per week. This adds up to a little more than 8,000 per day, so it should be doable. Jaime "the Kingslayer" Lannister is everything a knight should look like, if not everything a knight should be. A member of the Kingsguard and probable best swordsman in the Realm, After his brutal maiming by Vargo Hoat, Jaime is currently on a redemption quest, to reconnect to what being a knight means. Less than two years ago, I worked out three times a week with a bodyweight progressing that gave me room to keep improving. I too, have a quest to redeem myself from my slack ambitions. I will train (luckily, not with Ser Ilyn Payne or Bronn) 3 times a week with some sort of weight, body or otherwise. My prenatal yoga will do. Queen Cersei Lannister is at the center of political life in southern Westeros. Attempting to maintain rule through Tommen, Cersei is also attempting to wrest power from her rival Queen Margaery and the regent Kevan Lannister. She also needs to regain her queenliness after her walk of atonement and extricate herself from the noose the Faith got around her neck due to her ill-thought-out machinations, at least until her champion can stand for her in trial by combat. In the interests of appearing pious and atoned, I imagine Cersei is eating somewhat abstemiously, avoiding large servings of meat and sweets in favor of simple meals to appease the septas who are always watching her. Then again, her drinking habits appear unchanged. I mean to eat five servings of fruits and vegetables daily, with at least one being a leafy green in order to count the day as a success. Fermented grapes don't count. Fermented cabbage does! Lancel Lannister, after his treason, murder, and adultery of book one, is currently on a redemptive arc toward the Faith Militant. Setting aside his marriage to Amerei "Gatehouse Ami" Frey and the attendant rights to Darry, he has chosen to join the Warrior's Sons as a result of guilt-driven dreams and visions. . . Lancel is spending his time (when not training) praying, meditating, and visualizing his life as he wishes it, free of Lannisters, Freys, and distractions from his goal. I intend to do likewise (without giving up my family, marriage, or worldly possessions, but making time 3 times a week to practice self-care in pursuit of my goal, which is a healthy pregnancy and labor. Genna Lannister Frey is the best Lannister. No-nonsense sister to Tywin Lannister, and aunt to the above listed, Genna is hilarious, schrewd, and sees through her family's dysfunction and schemes. Married to Emmon Frey, she is currently guiding him trough the political minefield of being proclaimed Lord of Riverrun by the crown while Edmure Tully (and his child in Roslyn Frey Tully) yet live. . . . I love this lady's cosplay! Genna holds the purse strings, and so marshals the resources to maintain herself, her husband, and their descendants as best she can, while also stabilizing the area for other Lannister interests, after the war between Riverlanders and Westerlanders that has ravaged the region. I need to marshal my resources as well, and I intend to do that by meeting my protein goals during this challenge. 3-4 servings of #grams/day.

I was in the Assassins Guild quite some time ago, but I've been an Adventurer since then. Last night, however, I watched Assassin's Creed - because Fasbender! And since I know I need to change things up with my challenges, if you all don't mind, I've returned for this round, and maybe longer. I want to Assassinate my challenges and I want to be the boss of my body... Wait no, that's not quite right. 'Want' and 'need' are purposeless words, like 'try'. A great being once said 'Do or do not, there is no try.' If I say I need to, or want to, do something, but then don't take the steps to achieve that something, then what's the point? I'm forty-seven years old, sneaking up fast on another birthday and a big hiking adventure trip to Glacier National Park, both in August. I've been stagnant with my weight-loss for too long and I've never really been committed to it, or to improving my fitness consistently. This needs to change. During this challenge I WILL BE the master of my body, I WILL OWN every bite of food or ounce of liquid I consume, and I WILL HAVE FUN! Stay tuned for more details, once I figure out what those details are. And in the meantime, please enjoy some Fasbender. I know I always do.

So here's the thing... I'm a bit paranoid about getting murdered. Young lady in today's society? Not the safest. So I started listening to a podcast called My Favorite Murder - which hasn't helped. But it also made me realize that my entire fitness regime is essentially about "Staying Sexy and not Getting Murdered". Goals: 1) Stay Sexy - 3 Workouts that are not Krav Maga per week (conditioning, running, climbing, weight lifting, pilates, dance, etc). 2) Don't Get Murdered - At least 2 Krav Maga Sessions per week 3) Here's the Thing... Eff Everyone - Can't move on or up without studying. At least 3 hours of studying per week (French, LSAT, or other intellectual pursuit outside of work) 4) Get Bendy. - Flexibility work at least once a day. No time limit but have to do something. 5) Get a Job. Buy your own stuff. Stay out of the forest. Collect some flags. - To Do Items (FYI - there's a lot of references throughout this challenge that may seem weird but come directly from Georgia and Karen - the hosts of MFM. I highly recommend listening if you are at all interested in true crime stuff.)

I'm taking a note out of @Jonesy's and @RogueLibrarian's pages and trying something new. Asa Pond takes on the mantle of an Assassin Assassins protect the innocent, fight the evil, and carve out a better future in the world. They do this in many ways - for me it will be: 1) Save the citizens: I signed up for a month of unlimited Krav Maga classes (paid already and everything). I should probably use them. Attend at least 2 classes per week of Krav Maga (starting January 15). Mission: Save 2 citizens per week (20 pts each - unlimited pts possible, 100 min) 2) Climbing buildings to escape enemies: One of the reasons I joined my current gym (other than getting recruited by the Kingsman) was because there is a huge climbing wall there. I have yet to use it and that needs to change. 1 Climbing session a week Mission: Avoid 1 enemy soldier per week (10 pts each - 50 pts min). 3) Eavesdropping I need to step up my language game - otherwise how am I going to know what my targets are saying. 2 hours per week of serious language study. Mission: Spend at least 2 hours per week eavesdropping on enemy plans (5 pts per hour - 50 pts min). 4) Collect Flags Other goals I have that are optional but important (2 pts each, 40 pts min): Spend 1 full hour cleaning X Spend 1 full hour studying X Get in a volunteering application. Read a full, real book (audible doesn't count) XX Spend time with a friend. Spend time learning something new X Change Bank Account Schedule an important appointment XXX 1 Session of yoga OR 1 cumulative hour of stretching XX 1 other type of workout (not climbing or Krav Maga) XXXXXXXXXX Cancel Old Gym Membership Take measurements and record for Team Havik Unpack and put away clothes from the holidays Grocery Shopping XXX Meal Prep XX Return Rented Violin Go to Book Club on the 18th *TBD*

Hello, I just discovered NF and am excited to get started. This will technically be a five week challenge with this week being "week 0". 38 year old female Diet 1. Log all food for the month in MFP. 2. Lose 2 pounds. 3. Research ways to incorporate more protein into my diet without going over my calories. Fitness 4. Begin a bodyweight strength program (3 days per week). Life 5. Successfully finish this semester at college! 1 research paper 3 tests 6 finals I've been working on my diet over at MFP for the last three months and have currently lost 9 of the 20 pounds needed to get back to my goal weight. However, I haven't done any exercises for the past two years due to serious illness (and very sporadically prior to that due to multiple injuries). Lv 1 "Novice" doesn't cut it, its probably more like Lv -2 "Invalid". Still, things have stabilized and I'm feeling pretty good about what I can acomplish right now. Thanks, and good luck to everyone on their challenges! https://www.nerdfitness.com/character/143414

I intend to be her.

ASA POND, HBIC We have the heroes of the world and then we have the saviors: Basically, I just want to embody them and own it.

Okay, will start with a short intro. A system admin from Maryland (hence the name), 46 years old, married and three young kids (as of this writing, ages 7, 5 and 2). I enjoy (or have enjoyed), pen and paper rpg, board games, playing Irish Traditional Music on the Concertina and other sundry instruments I dabble in, Amateur astronomy and hope to build my own telescope soon). About 6-7 weeks ago, I stood on the scale for the first time in months and didn't like what I saw... I can't remember if I hit 290 or not, but I was definitely in the mid to upper 280's. I had hit that weight back in my 30s and used South Beach diet and exercise to get things under control... Once the kids came a long however, it became harder and harder to get out the door early enough in the morning to hit the gym and easier and easier to reach for sugar to push me through my fatigue. Now though I realize that if I want to see my kids grow up and have kids of their own, I need to turn the tide. At first I tried diet shakes... and I lost a few pounds... emphasis on few... and I was hungry... a lot. So last week, with my wife's encouragement (She fortunately has never had my problems, even with gaining weight after the birth of our children, she could only described as thin, and is definitely fit), I ordered a rowing machine. Then realizing that I might need more, I started some basic body weight training to supplement it on Monday (it also will helped me get into the habit of getting up and working out). I am also working very hard to minimize simple sugars and starches in my diet (essentially South Beach without the induction phase). A little sugar in my morning coffee and some OJ mixed with seltzer in the evening... the rest of the time it will be water for my drinks (i.e., no soda). Right now I am concentrating my diet on lots of protein and veggies with perhaps a little brown rice or other whole grains. Now, for the workouts. Monday -- Body Weight day 15 jumping jacks to get started. Followed by the following circuit twice. 15 inclined push-ups using kitchen counter. 15 single handed rows using a gallon of water for weight... for each side. 10 bum lifts. 10 Not sure what to call them... press back and arms against a wall and then move arms up and down... harder than it sounds. Tuesday -- Cardio day Climbed the stairs in my house 15 times... Wednesday -- Body Weight day Repeat of Monday's workout. Thursday -- Got the rower 1.5 hours to assemble. Rowed 500 "meters", about 5 minutes. Fridays will be my weigh in day. Friday (Today) Weight 281 (cool, I am seeing pounds drop again). Rowed 550 meters, about 5 minutes for warm up. Twice around the body weight circuit. More coming soon. -- Bill

Since 1849, Kingsman Tailors have clothed the world's most powerful individuals. In 1919, a great number of them had lost their heirs to World War I. That meant a lot of money going uninherited. And a lot of powerful men with the desire to preserve peace and protect life. Our founders realized that they could channel that wealth and influence for the greater good. And so began our adventure. An independent international intelligence agency operating at the highest level of discretion. Without the politics and bureaucracy that undermine the intelligence of government-run spy organisations. A suit is the modern gentleman's armour. And the Kingsman agents are the new knights. Last I left you, I was injured and being sent on a recon mission for a week. It was a successful mission where much of the time was spent poolside drinking drinks out of pineapples. I'll have to thank Merlin somehow. Coming back was less fun as it was to a mess of work left undone. Things need to change. I am prepared to adapt and I shall transform. It is time to become a Kingsman. As my goals haven't changed much from last challenge, I shall refresh your memory and add a few edits as well: There are multiple parts to becoming a spy: etiquette, work ethic, intelligence gathering, and physical ability. Manners Maketh Man: It is time to start putting my training to work. I got some time in last week at a Gala but need to up my networking game. (2 networking/social events for the challenge) Take the Initiative: Some missions will require work that is... unsavory and comes with lots of paperwork. Paperwork is dull but necessary. Just because it isn't fun and glamorous doesn't mean you don't have to do it. Focus on getting work accomplished, even if it isn't enjoyable. Moving forward can only happen if you have the right skills to back it up. Intelligence Gathering: Study up - Language and LSAT. (5 days a week) Physical Ability: Hand to hand, running from explosions, keeping your head when in pain. All three (and more) are skills needed to become a Kingsman agent. These can be learned through proper training and focus, but all require a level of physical ability beyond the norm. Build the body and the skills will develop. (5 days a week) Let the training continue.

After last challenge where I tried to respawn in a more unstructured manner and didn't quite get it, I realized that I need some more structure to help guide me. For this reason I am going to more fully take advantage of the NF Academy, with a Star Trek overlay, because it's the 50th anniversary! As I join Starfleet Academy I'll explore all the major divisions, with a mentor from each to help me learn the ropes: Command - Kirk A Starship captain has to be physically fit in order to take on whatever challenges come his way. I will be working on the Nerd Fitness Academy level 3 workouts, working up to doing them 3x per week. Science - Spock The science division is all about making observations and testing hypotheses. This will be a key part of my challenge. I am going to try to identify triggers for my bad habits, and try implementing good habits to replace them. Medical - McCoy I'm doing a lot of my training as a ship surgeon (starting my surgery rotation in a couple weeks), so Dr. McCoy is here to help me keep some balance. Although the medical training can be quite intense, it's important to make time for my own health too. So I'm going to give myself permission to take some time to relax in between my school responsibilities and my health goals. Engineering - Scotty The engineering division takes care of starship maintenance and fuel supply. You need good fuel to keep the ship going warp speed. I'm going back to square 1 on nutrition and slowly building new habits into my diet. I'll be following the NFA diet levels, and trying to progress through them as I succeed. Helmsman - Sulu As a ship's pilot, you need to be flexible enough to get out of some sticky situations. To work on my flexibility I will stretch for 10 min at least 3 times/week. Communications - Uhura Communication is key to receiving help when you're in trouble and for staying accountable. I haven't used the Academy facebook page since I signed up, but I think the extra level of accountability will help. I don't know for sure what's holding me back, but by the end of the challenge I'm going to join it and make at least one post. Navigation - Chekov A navigator's job is to plan where we're going and how we're going to get there. For this part of the challenge I will re-read at least 2 topics from the academy each week, and plan which Academy challenges to try to tackle. The mini-challenge will also fall under this category. This challenge does have a lot of parts, but I think the structure will really help me get back on track. Also most of the goals are designed to build slowly, so that I can make small, manageable changes. Here we "boldly go"!

This is Harry Hart (aka: Galahad): He's a member of the not so secret service called the Kingsman and he's recruited me to join their ranks. But first - I have to make it through training. This is where we will be training: The rest of my group are pompous arses so we won't talk about them. There are multiple parts to becoming a spy: etiquette, work ethic, intelligence gathering, and physical ability. Manners Maketh Man: Luckily, I was actually required to take etiquette classes when I was young, so I don't need much in the way of this. Take the Initiative: Some missions will require work that is... unsavory and comes with lots of paperwork. Paperwork is dull but necessary. Just because it isn't fun and glamorous doesn't mean you don't have to do it. Focus on getting work accomplished, even if it isn't enjoyable. Moving forward can only happen if you have the right skills to back it up. Intelligence Gathering: Study up. Physical Ability: Hand to hand, running from explosions, keeping your head when in pain. All three (and more) are skills needed to become a Kingsman agent. These can be learned through proper training and focus, but all require a level of physical ability beyond the norm. Build the body and the skills will develop. Let the training commence.

I ran as an Assassin in the last couple of challenges, but it's time to check in with my Scout side this time. The Assassins are a high-octane bunch and I love pushing myself over there -- the Scouts are a little bit more low-key, and I think I need a little of that this time around. Well, the summer is almost over, and for teachers like me, that means it's time to take off the rose-colored glasses of vacation and turn toward new students, new co-workers, and my new job. I pushed my boundaries pretty far with my last challenge, so this challenge is about casting those gains and accomplishments in bronze. I don't want to lose the progress I've made or the momentum I've established, but things are going to be different as I get back to work -- so rather than work on doing more, better, faster, I need to maintain and shift my focus to my new job. So I'm setting a couple of job-specific goals which are of course non-fitness related. Specifically, I need to read some plays and prepare some lessons in preparation for teaching all-new theater classes at the school I'm headed to. Which is exciting! But intimidating, too. Of course, I've still got my eye on fitness, too, partially because my runs have been better than ever later and I want to maintain that, but also because I still have Savage Race to prepare for (September 24 here in Atlanta, WOO!). So: some simple running and body weight workouts every week, with my focus on maintaining if not actively improving. Finally, I'm still working on writing and getting published, so the third leg of my challenge will sit there. That means continuing to write every day and to send my completed work out. Goals, then! Goal A: Read at least 6 One-Act plays before school starts (Aug 1), prepare unit plans for the first month (at least) of class by the end of the first week (Aug 6). So this one will be done before the challenge ends, but that's okay! I need to read a few dramas and a few comedies, and I especially need to make sure to spend some time doing in-depth stuff with my introductory classes, since they'll need the most structure: I can always do scene studies and monologues with my more advanced kids. Goal B: Five workouts per week. Of those: three runs, with at least one of those a long run of 5+ miles every weekend (Savage Race will be a 10k or so after all), and at least two body weight workouts per week. Bonus points for doing some of my running barefoot. Bonus points for doing more with my rings, because rings are awesome. Goal C: 500 words/day on the current project, 4 submissions of my completed novel to literary agents. Same challenge and same goal as last time, because what I need most in this area of my life is consistency. Sometimes the simple challenges are the best. Get it, scouts!

"They're everywhere! The walkers are everywhere!" The shout reaches me from across the field where I see Russ sprinting over the horizon with terror on his face. Looks like we'll be moving on, and quick! Our little group has survived so far, some a bit worse for wear, but who knows how long that'll last. We even have a pregnant woman. I run into the farmhouse where we've been staying and alert the others. Our vehicles are always packed - we've learned that much over the last few months - so it's just a matter of getting everyone in as quickly as possible. We've loaded up just as Russ reaches us. I can see the walkers coming over the hill. A huge herd, bigger than any we've yet seen. I do a quick headcount as Russ catches his breath: He and I, Kathy, Nancy, Leigh, Brennan, and the Jean sisters. The older of the Jeans is pregnant. She lost her husband before we met. We drive as quickly as we can. I'll miss that farmhouse, but we never end up staying anywhere for long. We plan to drive away from the herd, then circle around and hopefully get out of their path. Just as we make the turn I hear a honk from the car behind us. What do they think they're doing! Don't they know the walkers are attracted to noise!? We stop the car, and as I get out I hear their's sputtering to a halt. Out of gas. There are no other cars on the road to siphon from. Looks like we're on foot from here on out. There's no hope of trying to circle around the herd now. We'll just have to hope that we got enough of a head start to out-walk them until we can find a safe place to hunker down and let them pass. We've done this before. We'll hunt for food, take care of any stray walkers we see along the way. Survive... *** Quests: Out-walk the Walkers - Walk 10,000 steps each day Smash Some Zombie Brain- Do the NFA level 3 body weight workout 3x/week Hunt for Food- Eat paleoish with 4 or less variances/week So I've been watching the walking dead recently, and got some inspiration for a quest! It's time for me to go back to basics a bit, as I've been having a hard time keeping up my challenge goals through the whole 4 weeks. I really want to change that this time. Otherwise I'll be eaten by zombies!!! I've been all over the place the past few months, but this next month is slightly more stable, so I'm hoping I can get back in the swing of body weight workouts, and remember why I'm eating healthy to overcome the sugar cravings. Here's to a great challenge, and surviving!!