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So, after successfully completing my first challenge, I decided it's time to join a guild and continue on in this crazy, nutty world of the Rebellion. I'm still working to get fit for myself and to get fit for cosplay. I do a variety of cosplays, and this year, I'm aiming for: Erwin Smith of Attack on Titan Tsukiyama Shuu of Tokyo Ghoul Thranduil of The Hobbit Cecil Palmer of Welcome to Night Vale and Makishima Yuusuke of Yowamushi Pedal! I commute to work on my beautiful Bianchi Advantage, but I have asthma, so the endurance that many other endurance athletes have is limited by my illness. But I don't care. I can't grow stronger and I can't let my own illness keep me from enjoying what I love. I can push myself at my own rate and my goals for this second (and hopefully very successful plan) are as follows: My goal? Continue to slim down so my very feminine shape can fit these more masculine body types! Last goal, I tried to get from 170 to 165! I went above and beyond and managed to get myself to 162! Now, I want to drop another 5, so I'm aiming for 157. To get to this goal, here is my strategy! 1. Ride 100+ Miles! Spring is coming and my days on the gym bike are coming to an end. Last cycling season, I managed to go just a bit above 300 miles! This year, I want to go more, so my first challenge is to pedal 100 or more miles during this first 6 weeks. I will be including hours pedaled on my lovely bike and miles pedaled on the gym when I go with friends towards this goal. Prize: 3 STA and 1 CHA (cause really, pedaling 100 miles in 6 weeks is a lot for me! 8D) If I get more than 100 miles, then I get an extra 1 CHA. Grade: A: 100-90% B: 89%-80% C: 79%-70% D: 69%-50% F: <50% 2. Heading Towards Paleo I've been working for a paleo diet slowly but surely. I've cut (most) processed grains and refined sugars, I've reintroduced meat to my diet after a long stint as a vegetarian, and slowly, I've been purging my pantry of the remaining non-paleo foods I have and replacing them with paleo items. But, there are still some things lingering and now it's time to get rid of them: Quinoa, lentils, falafel, chickpeas, barley, pasta, peas, TVP, and malted milk powder. I can't just throw these out, as much as I'd like. I'm poor. So my goal is to get rid of these last remnants over the course of these 6 weeks by eating one meal a day with one of these items in it and one snack. The other meals and snacks in my diet will be 100% paleo! At the end of the 6 weeks, either these remnants will all be gone and replaced with new items, or whatever will be left will be so minimal that it can be thrown out without guilt and new paleo items can be introduced to my diet. Prize: 3 CON 1 WIS Grade: A--get rid of it all and don't break the meal plan more than 2 times! B--get rid of most of it, break the meal plan no more than 3 times! C--get rid of most of it, break the meal plan no more than 4 times! D--more than a bit is left over, break meal plan 5 times! F--quite a bit left over, meal plan frequently broken! 3: Getting Stronger (and more flexible!) I really wanna work on my core strength and the flexibility in my legs, to help make me a better cyclist and to help make me look a little more trim! So, this go around, I'm going to be completing two Neila Rey challenges. The first is the Ab Challenge! The second is the Flex Challenge! Five days a week for the next six weeks, I'll be doing these sets, with two break days per week! I hope to see some results and have taken some before photos to post with after photos. I'll also be tracking how much my splits improve day to day. : ) Prize: DEX 2 STR 1 Grade: A--DO THEM ALL! Don't miss a day! B--Do them all with make up days! C--Do most of them with make up days! D--Do them, but don't keep to schedule. F--Eh, you tried, but not really. Finally, my life goal: Last challenge, I studied for, and took the GRE! My scores were amazing and I'm really proud of them! Now it's time to get into graduate school. Over the course of this challenge, I plan to gather my resources for applying (transcripts, letters of recommendation, etc.) and apply to all three schools of choice! It'll take time and quite a bit of money, so I'm going to have to cut frivilous spending and use my extra income to pay for my applications and transcripts. All broken down, it should total out to one school every 2 weeks, though I suspect the time line will vary! Prize: 2 WIS, 1 CHA Grade: 3: ALL THREE APPLIED FOR! 2: TWO APPLIED FOR! 1: ONE APPLIED FOR! .5: GATHERED MATERIALS AND MONEY, BUT DID NOT APPLY. Pedal on and get going, Dandizette! You can do this! Over and out!

I failed my first challenge here. But, like my hero Erwin Smith, I don't intend to make excuses. It is 2015 and I am back and this time I am going to get things done! Since December, I've been using a website called PopSugar to inspire myself. I finished their 30 Day Squat Challenge just yesterday, so I know that with their printable resources I can inspire myself. This is because I can have them on my wall, looking at me, I can get myself inspired to go and do them in my own home. I'm decently fit. I have asthma, but I can cycle for upwards of an hour at a regular pace of about 80rpm. But I'd like to do more. I'd like to get to 150 by May. Main Quest: Get from 170 to 165! If I'm going to look svelte in my suits and titan killing gear, I need to lose some weight to accomplish this, I shall complete my mini quests. Mini Main Quests: (or how I'll achieve my main quest!) Quest 1: -Start tracking my meals and eating more healthfully. With this goal, I'm going plan my meals, keep track of what I'm eating, and see where I can improve. I can post these on my wall for inspiration too! Reward: 3 WIS. Grading: For every two pages filled and kept to of the six I have printed, I will get 1 WIS. Quest 2: -Because it is winter, hit the stationary bikes at the gym three times a week just to keep myself in the habit of cycling for when the ice melts and I can get back out on the real road. Reward: 4 STA Grading: 2 STA point at the first three weeks successfully completed, another at six weeks. 1 will be rewards if I complete this with a 90% or higher success rate. Quest 3: -Do the PopSugar Body Weight Work Out. I will do this every other day during the course of the challenge. Reward: 2 STR, 2 CHA Grading: 1 STR and 1 CHA at three week mark, 1 STR at 6 week mark. One extra point CHA if 90% of the work outs were actually completed. Life Side Quest: TAKE THE GRE! I have been pottering around since I graduate with my history degree. If I am going to get full time work as a library employee, I need my masters. And I need to become a librarian. The first step to that is to take the GRE. I've already signed up and have been studying since December, so this is sort of a roll over quest, but I don't care. -Schedule 3 study sessions with my engineer friend to brush up on my math. -Study two hours a day for six days a week. -Take the GRE February 9th and report back with results! Reward: 3 WIS Grading: JUST TAKE IT AND MAKE IT INTO 50%. This year is going to be an intense year of crossplay for me. Last year, I did Jean Kirschtein, Cecil Palmer, and Erwin Smith. And I looked pretty good from the waist up, but from the waist down, I'm still not happy with myself. Here's a photo of me as Jean Kirschtein with my swell pal as Sasha Blouse. From the waist down, I still have heavy set thighs and can do with toning those up, especially for crossplay because the characters I'm going to tackle this year are even more: Erwin Smith, Jean Kirschtein, and Cecil Palmer again, but I am adding Tsukiyama Shuu, Makishima Yuusuke, Thranduil AND a Pokemon Bug Maniac trainer class! Fortunately, I've got until May to get into shape. So, rather than focus immediately on 'problem areas', I'm going to start by changing my habits at their core. Because the only way to change yourself and keep weight off is to do things slowly, consistently, and all over, rather than some hard core, area focused work out that promises results, but nothing lasting. And, what's not to like about getting a second degree, studying, and generally bettering my place in life? I don't intend to make excuses, but I do intend to become fabulous!