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Hi, I am starting my six week challenge a week late but I think it's important I start a challenge. I'm not new to personal challenges - I have had a thing for boss battles over the years. So far my challenges have been: Cycling from London to ParisRunning the Mexico City marathon (from London; now live in Mexico City)Doing the six week get quick fit challengeGoing LEVEL TEN paleo for six weeks (it deserves capitals) After the six week challenge, I felt like a different person - all lean and clean! So I am looking forward to this challenge. However I am totally new to forums and to some extent, socialising. I have been battling with depression for the past year after having to come to terms with abuse in my childhood and one of the effects was that I suddenly much more of a recluse and struggled to socialise. This is my reason for the title; I am not concerned about the diet and exercise so much but I am a little worried about the forum. So my goals are the following: Year quest: Gain strength and weight - Currently bench pressing max one rep of 55 K / 120 lbs and dead lifting 70 K / 155 lbs. I weigh 77 K / 170 lbs and I want to weigh 80 K / 175 lbs but I want to keep my body fat as close to 10% as possible. 6 week quest 1: Work out 3 times a week and increase weight, form or reps on each visit. I use a Google sheet to record gains. 6 week quest 2: Go on level 10 paleo but add milk and oats on workout days to aid weight gain. I use myFatSecret to record calorie intake and I aim for 3700 each day. 6 week quest 3: Meditate 10 mins 5 days out of 7 to improve mindfulness This last quest ties into my Life side quest. As I mentioned, I am a victim of abuse from my early teens and I now know that I have to remember what happened to me in order to accept and forgive myself. I anticipate that this may trigger depression again but I still have to do it in order to deal with the root cause. So my Life side quest is: 3 days out of 7 actively attempt recall of memories of abuse and record it in my diary. This is also why I need the meditation to keep me on the straight and narrow. My psychotherapist will be helping me but I also need to help myself. So that's me: ex Londoner but Mexican at heart; married to Mexico and a Mexican; and happy father of three English Mexicans. Root for me and please show me the benefits of being part of a society - in my 40 years, it's my first time!!

Better late than never. I'm in a funk, and have barely lifted in the last month, so this is a 'just get started and see what happens' challenge. Inspired by Peelout, I'm going to work on some habits, and try to update every day. Weigh daily - started 4/7 (pretty consistent for the last several years, but when I stop doing it regularly, I inevitably gain. Doesn't always keep me on track, but it helps.) Floss daily - started 4/13 (been working at this for a long time, but never really committed to EverySingleDay.) Touch the Iron - started 4/16 (this challenge only. Lift every single day. Anything counts.) Start Something 3 x 5 min - started 4/16 (this challenge only. work from a list and work on three different things for at least 5 minutes each. starting is the hardest thing.) That's it. Two good days so far. "Workout" yesterday was just the bar OHP 3 reps for 10 min EMOM. Today was 10 min EMOM mixture of power cleans, front swats, deadlifts with light weight.

Yeah my last challenge started to fall apart after being taken off meds during the last few weeks. Now I seem to be much better now (getting quit use to it now). Art 1) So past few days now started a challenge for myself of drawing an art piece a day for a year (today be day 10) and putting it on all my social media. I gave myself minor guidelines; use circus arts and some use of geekness. I like to make sure that keeps up. No missing days (not even when sick...though I don't have to worry too much on quality if sick...atleast drew something). Must be posted by midnight. 2) Must join an art competition (no matter how small or big just do it). 3) Network with other artists. 4) Finish that program I have to help with getting started with freelancing. 5) Make a schedule. And keep it up. Fitness 1) Run atleast once a week. (Thanks Capt). 2) Use Charity Mile everyday. 3) Work on making my back even more flexible. Fear 1) Start take ownership of my life (and that I'm the only one keeping myself unhappy). 2) Learn to put my foot down for once because my family getting pretty bad now about walking allover me (even my younger brother did this to me a few times) and at work (so much drama over that). 3) Have a backup plan if things go south. 4) Do something that really scares me...have so many of them. (Bonus if I work through other fears) Bonus Points Apologize to people I hurt over the years (from my depression).Get a new job to replace current.Keep off depression meds without a problemGet under the skin of that one coworker and ruin her rule over the day crew As usual using my made up unicorn peso system...don't ask me how it works. I still don't know it works. It's like the currency of string theory. Rewards One fun thing I want to do (preferably in the city). Hopefully this goes lot better than last time

I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something. - Samwise Weight: 208.8, Sunday Morning Goal #1 Resist Getting on the Scale for 42 Days I suffer from depression and from instant gratification. I can run and lift weights for days but if I don't lose any weight, I start to give up hope that I will ever be less than 200 pounds. When I do lose weight, I feel happy and am high as a cloud. I let the stupid number of the scale dictate how I feel for the day. So for the next 42 days I will not be getting on the scale. This is hard and scary for me. I was thinking about it for an entire week. I was even crying thinking how hard this was going to be. I will not have a cheat based system for this goal. A >38 B >34 C >30 D >26 F <25 Goal #2 Resist Caffeine for 42 Days At the beginning of the year, I began drinking decaffeinate coffee (which I enjoy!!). But lately I have started drinking regular coffee and pounding down the cokes again so for the next 6 weeks. Caffeine will be leaving my system. This will have a cheat based system for this goal because I tend to fail when I don't have it. Grade Scale: Week 1: 3 cheats Week 2: 2 cheats Week 3: 2 cheats Week 4: 1 cheats Week 5: 1 cheats Week 6: 0 cheats A >33 B > 30 C > 27 D > 24 F <21 Goal #3: To not give into my brain that says… I'm too weak, too tired or that the weather isn't perfect for a workout. I am gearing up for my Coast to Coast challenge. I have never ran a half-marathon so I have to put in the time. But sometimes I don't even want to get out of bed. So this time I will be forcing myself out of bed to run. Of course I so go to the gym on Mondays, Fridays, and Sundays. On top of that I dance on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. So my goal is to not miss a day for 42 days (Minus my rest day). I will not have a cheat based system for this goal. March 1 - 5 mile run March 8 - 6 mile run March 15 - 7 mile run March 22 - 7 mile run March 29 - 8 mile run April 5 - 8 mile run A >36 B >32 C >28 D >24 F <20 Goal #4: I am my worst enemy. I look down upon myself constantly that I am not good enough, smart enough, pretty enough, educated enough, etc, etc. So for the next 42 days I will creating a wall of affirmations in my bedroom. This will be right above my bed. I will not have a cheat based system for this goal. A >38 B >34 C >30 D >26 F <25

Hi again, everyone. Just in time to make a new thread, as the new challenge starts tomorrow. Strangely enough there's nowhere where I can subscribe myself that I am actually joining the challenge. I don't know how this is possible, but I wanted to join in anyway. Summary of last challenge Last challenge was so incredibly easy, compared to some previous challenges I had done, but I had to get back to the basics, because I let everything slide, I got in a depression and things simply didn't go my way. In the end my challenge became more of a blog where I could express my feelings that were galloping through my body like Epona gone wild. Nothing came from the daily goals I had set myself. I was tired, I couldn't bring myself to do any of it. I had such easy goals and I still managed to fail. However, I did do some other things that weren't part of my challenge, but that definitely helped me grow as a person and feel a bit stronger. My plans for this challenge I want to make this challenge very basic for myself again, just like last challenge, and simply try again. I will pretend I am a level 1 rebel, because that's where my health is at right now. In these 6 weeks I want to make sure I get a bit of rhythm back in my life. This means giving myself strict rules. Having a daily rhythm is very important to make a depression go away, so it could only help with my mental state, right? And I want to prove to myself that I am still capable of winning challenges (it may sounds stupid, but I doubt myself so much lately) and keeping my promises to myself, because that's actually what it is. Goal #1 - Getting a sleeping rhythm This is so difficult for me. Every time I said I need to sleep at least X hours a night, but this doesn't help. I will get my hours of sleep, but the rhythm is nowhere to be found. Therefore, this challenge I have to go to bed between 22:00h and 00:00h and I have to wake up between 07:30h and 9:00h. If it so happens that I won't be able to get these hours, because I have to wake up earlier, or because there's a party and it gets late, I have to sleep at least 8 hours to still make it count. Goal #2 - Fruit and vegetables I find it very hard these days to eat fruit and veggies, so this is going to be a thing. I need to eat fruit and veggies every day. This may be separately the way they are, but green smoothies also count. I am not going to put a minimum amount of this, because that'll be too hard for now. I need to learn to start THINKING about having this every day, so that's where I'll start. As soon as it becomes a habit I can increase the amounts of fruit/veggies I eat, but that will be for a later challenge. Goal #3 - Water A good way to lose weight (or so I've heard) is by drinking lots of water. It will fill you, so you don't get hungry that easily. It'll also make it easier to stay away from snacks. This challenge I need to drink at least 2 litres of water a day and if I have the urge to snack I first have to try and see if I can make it go away by drinking some water. Grading system Like in previous challenges, I will be using my own grading system. But this time I will make it a bit more complex. Previously I used to get my daily goals together and I'd say "I need to win this many per day to win that day", but this had a loophole. I could completely neglect one of my goals, while doing the others perfectly and still win my challenge, but this time it won't go like that. I am not going to neglect my goals. I will not let myself down. So this time I will simply count my wins per goal. There's 42 days in one challenge, so I need to win 30 times for each goal. Every extra win is good and for every 5 extra wins I get a star at the end of the challenge. Extra goals throughout the challenge I would like to get some extra goals throughout the challenge, in order to encourage myself to do some stuff that needs to be done. These are not necessary to win in order to win the challenge, but for every 3 wins in these extra goals I get an extra star at the end of the challenge. - Subscribe at a doctor's practice - Make an appointment with a doctor at the new doctor's practice - Make an appointment with a psychologist at the new doctor's practice - Buy sports bra - Buy sports shoes - Get insurance for my motorbike - Visit grandpa on my motorbike - Get rid of all extra boxes/bags that are still standing in my room - Find a work placement - Make show reel - Download and install Microsoft Office on my laptop - Finish drawing for Guynio (G, if you read this: it's still a surprise what it is, huehuehue) - Bring money to the bank - Sell couch from my room at my dad's place online Log of the challenge Goal #1 - Getting a sleeping rhythm (wake 7:30 - 9:00 and sleep 22:00 - 00:00) Week 1 - 6 wins Week 2 - 6 wins - add up to 12 Week 3 - 5 wins - add up to 17 Week 4 - 4 wins - add up to 21 Week 5 - 3 wins - add up to 24 Week 6 - 5 wins - add up to 29 Goal #2 - Fruit and vegetables Week 1 - 4 wins Week 2 - 6 wins - add up to 10 Week 3 - 5 wins - add up to 15 Week 4 - 5 wins - add up to 20 Week 5 - 4 wins - add up to 24 Week 6 - 7 wins - add up to 31 Goal #3 - Water (min. 2 litres) Week 1 - 5 wins Week 2 - 6 wins - add up to 11 Week 3 - 4 wins - add up to 15 Week 4 - 5 wins - add up to 20 Week 5 - 6 wins - add up to 26 Week 6 - 7 wins - add up to 33 Goal #4 - Medicine (for "bacon and beans", so no real challenge goal, just as a reminder for myself) Week 3 - 5 wins Week 4 - 4 wins - add up to 9 Week 5 - 2 wins - add up to 11 Week 6 - 0 wins - add up to 11 Weight for curiosity Start - 94.0 kg or 207.2 lbs (Monday, 23rd of February 2015) End - 95.3 kg (Tuesday, 7th of April 2015)

This is technically my 3rd challenge, I think. But I didn't finish any of the previous ones and I forgot about this website for 2 years. Depression makes goal upkeep hard. I've recently been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, hypermobility, and I may have IBS, but I'm kind of sick of doctors, so I haven't gotten a diagnosis. All this on top of my depression, anxiety, and crippling body image issues. BUT being in better physical health is supposed to help with all this, so I want to break my "barely scraping by" inertia, and actually do something with my life. I've been meaning to start Whole30 to address my food sensitivities but keep putting it off because junk food is comforting. There is also a significant possibility that I will be moving later this year, and thus will need to interview for a new job, and thus will need to fit back into my suit, seeing as I cannot afford another one. I've gained a whole lot of weight in the past few months, that is doing nothing to help. This challenge is going to be about getting myself back to being able to function. I'll be working on eliminating inflammatory foods, starting a gentle exercise routine, and establishing a more regular sleep schedule. Goal 1: Diet I already know that cheese makes me feel like I've been poisoned, but it's hard to give it up because it's so yummmyyyyy. BUT I am making the commitment to discovering how I feel with out it, or other problem foods, which I intend to identify, in my system. I've chosen to follow the Whole30 program, which eliminates grains, dairy, legumes, and processed sugar. My house is already prepared. To carry out the program, I need to Meal plan each week BEFORE grocery shopping, so I don't make 10 million and 5 trips to the grocery storeRefrain from eating out, just for the duration of this challenge, since Whole30 is REALLY hard to comply with outside the houseDesignate 1 day per week to be a prep day so I have food to eat even on days when I lack the spoons to cook anything. Or move at all. ​Goal 2: Exercise I'm starting from an extremely sedentary lifestyle. I walk to and from work 4 days a week (1 mile each way. Up a really steep hill on the return. It is death. It makes me want to collapse in the middle of the sidewalk. On bad flare days, I have done just that.) But otherwise, I do nothing. I intend to Start every morning with some sun salutations to wake up my body and mind and center myself to be able to take on the day before moving on to some focused stretching. My hip flexors are constantly far too tight and my lower back is a permanent knot. I've chosen Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday as my workout days. The workout plan I'm following is a slightly modified version of one a physical trainer built for me a few years ago. (Modified to make a little easier on my body.) Goal 3: Sleep My sleep schedule is erratic, at best. I either sleep far too much, or am awake all night (I'm writing this a 5:30 am, for sanity's sake). Sometimes it's because I don't feel like going to sleep, while other times I just can't sleep. I have to be awake by 7:30, so 8 hours of sleep means going to sleep at 11:30. I intend to aim for bed between 10 and 11:30 Current measurements: bust - 44waist - 36"hips - 44butt - 47thighs - 28R arm - 13.5L arm - 14.5

Life has gotten in the way with almost every single challenge I have done. I want this time to be different. When I manage to stick with the diet I lose weight quickly but food has been my comfort and distraction from depression for a long time and breaking that habit is proving more difficult than anticipated. Each time I think I can do it and each time I slip up. Each time I think it will be different but so far it hasn't. When my motivation flags it all seems pointless. I want to change this. Right now I am attending therapy and taking my meds to help alleviate the symptoms and hopefully be better equipped to make positive changes in both my life and diet. Main Quest: Become more comfortable in my body Starting weight: 198.4 lbs (90 kg) Quest 1: Follow primal/paleo diet Cook more regularly/eat out less 80-20 rule +3 WIS, +3 CHA A= 7 days of primal/paleo meals per week B= 6 days of primal/paleo meals per week C= 5 days of primal/paleo meals per week D= 4 days of primal/paleo meals per week F= 3 days of primal/paleo meals per week or less Quest 2: Eat at least one vegetable a day Eat more veggies daily +3 WIS Pass/Fail Quest 3: Meditate at least 3 times per week Meditate when anxious +3 WIS A= 3 times per week B= 2 times a week C=1 time a week F= 0 times a week Side Quest: Work on blog daily Life Quest: Make our 11 acre plot my new home Step 1: Get a portion fenced for chickens +1 STR *COMPLETE* Step 2: Get a house +1 WIS

I've been depressed for the last month. It's been getting a little better, but I'm still having a lot of trouble taking care of myself. I'm doing ok at keeping going to the gym (usually twice a week), so that's not really on the goal list. I have some vague goals there, but mostly just maintenance and slow, steady improvements at this point. Good news is my hip is a lot better as long as I make the gym regularly. So all my goals are self-care oriented right now. Goal 1: Skin care I've been having a lot of eczema breaking out lately. It itches like crazy, then I scratch, then it gets worse. I have a prescription cream (which I cleverly refilled last week in prep for this challenge). My skin improves if I use the prescription every day, so that's my goal. Goal 2: Teeth care I should be using fluoride regularly and I don't (otherwise I take pretty good care of my teeth). I don't fluoride because it drives me super crazy for a lot of reasons, but I want to try. So use some form of fluoride daily (I have 2 or 3 lying around the house - some of them because of my partner and some because I kept trying to buy new fluorides to try to find one I can stand). So daily fluoride is the goal. Goal 3: Mental health I don't have a specific and reliable self care routine, and can't come up with a specific thing I can seriously do every day. So my daily care is to choose one of the following: clean up, poetry, or visual art. Pretty much anything else I can think of that falls into the "treating myself well" that is specific can be substituted, as long as I do something every day. Cleaning up doesn't have to take very long or involve anything big. In fact, smaller is better. I have a section of my bedroom that really needs to be fixed up, which makes a great target. The one requirement for "cleaning up" to be successful is that I MUST throw something away. That tends to be the hardest part, and I have a lot of junk and pseudo-junk because of it.Poetry can involve writing poetry (not something I usually do, but sounds fun), reading poetry (just downloaded a bunch of free books and samples of interesting looking stuff to my kindle in prep for this), memorizing poetry (cuz that sounds interesting and kind of fun, if I can find any poems I like). Poetry came up a few times looking up daily self care and mindfulness types of things, and is something specific I can actually do.Visual art can be pretty much anything: drawing, painting, sculpting, papercraft. I've dabbled in all of them and have supplies for pretty much everything (or can easily get them). I only do those kinds of things for fun, but that's kind of the reason this is on the list. Side Goal: Writing This doesn't fall into self care because my long term specific goal is to write a novel. It's more of a work-like hobby than a relaxing thing. I haven't been writing much at all since I got depressed, and only just started reading for fun again in the last week. Because it's so hard when I'm feeling depressed, I'm not measuring this. I just want to try to make space to write every single day: pen and notebook out, even if I don't get a single word down.

Instead we have to respawn right at the beginning. Or, in my case, further back than I was before. Losechester. I gained 20lbs instead of losing any, didn't get any healthier, and probably dug myself deeper. So, here I am again. Trying to fix whatever in me it is that's so broken. I've been making some lifestyle changes which so far involve a. buying a blender and drinking a lot more smoothies. b. cutting way back on eating bread - one or two pieces a week now as opposed to every day. c. drinking way less than I was. I was spending Thurs-Sun drinking beer and now...I'm not. d. Pilates several times a week. I started with one day a week, then two, then three - this week I'm doing four. I genuinely like Pilates, and it's helping my back. My back is a total disaster area. Since I have zero fitness or strength that's not helping, and having muscle knots that push into my arteries and make bloodflow a sometimes thing, it's actually been pretty good for me. I'm enjoying it, which I was not expecting. Doing those four things helped me lose 10 of those 20lbs in a week, but then it just...stopped again. So I'm stalled out worse off than I was before and I'm putting off weighing myself again as long as humanly possible because I'm only going to get angry and discouraged. I tried doing the zombies, run! app and that...didn't go so well. I get asthma when I run and for some reason i thought going for a run in the cold would be a smart thing to do. I wheezed for two hours afterwards and I'm pretty sure that anything that causes wheezing like that is, in the long run (and in the short run) not very good for me. I'll have to find some other way to get my cardio in because I'm not playing the "can you breathe now" game. I also stopped taking my anti-depressants, which is probably a bonehead move but I'm full of those. I'm now less apathetic, but I'm also more likely to spend an afternoon lying in bed crying, or having little fits of self-directed rage the likes I haven't seen since highschool. I guess you win some and you lose some. Eventually I'll go talk to my doctor, but frankly, I think she's kind of stupid and I'm not fond of her. I don't know. I'm so sick of myself. I've hated my body all my life. It's never done what I want it to, it's broken in half a dozen ways, and I deeply resent not being able to trade out. Thinking about it like a substandard vehicle instead of part of me isn't helpful, I know, but I've never been connected to it, or fond of it. Not sure what I should be focusing on since I don't have any goals. I just want things to be better and that sort of half-assed goal-making never got anyone anywhere.

Hi friends! I'm looking for an online sidekick (or multiple sidekicks)! I would love to just chat, encourage, and keep each other accountable. I'm new to the forum, but a longtime Nerd Fitness fan. Here's some stuff about me: 20 Years Old College StudentMarvel Comics fan (been reading them since I was 6 years old!) Some Other Things I Love: Doctor Who, Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Firefly, Sherlock, and DisneyHobbies: Musical Theatre, animation, and cooking. I know, I'm weird. My fitness goals/info: I'm trying to gain muscle and stamina. Losing weight isn't a huge need for me - I'm an "Elf" looking to become an "Assassin". But I'd be totally okay with shedding a few pounds! I have been on a Paleo diet for 2 years. (I'm allergic to gluten and lactose intolerant, so it kind of made sense. ) I have tons of paleo recipes and tips if you're looking to join the club!I'd LOVE to get into parkour, but haven't figured out how yet. What I'm looking for in sidekicks: People who want to work together and motivate each other to reach our goals and be healthy. Gender doesn't matter. (Although I especially love to meet other SuperWomen!) Similar health goals would be great, but is definitely not a necessity. I prefer people around my own age. (18-25ish) Would be good with e-mail/forum/pm conversation. Just wants to make friends and get fit!Sorry I know that's a lot! lol But if you're interested, just let me know. I love to virtually "meet" new people so don't be shy.

Last challenge was a complete failure, so I need to take some time off from Epic Questing to get my head back in the game. My mental fortitude took an ass kicking last challenge and without working on my Wisdom stat I don’t feel like I’ll be able to keep levelling up effectively. I just want to have fun with this one and stop stressing so much! I also miss the druids and now that spring is here I want to be mindful enough of the outside world to truly enjoy it. MAIN QUEST: DIE HAPPY Simples. Current quest: Cheer the f*** up. Step 1 - One long meditation session a week. +1000 points I get stressed trying to remember to do so many things a day, that I figure I'll just give myself one session to remember to do and be done with it. I should try to make it over 20 minutes but to be honest, as long as I'm meditating I'm winning. Step 2 - One long yoga session a week. +1000 points Same thing as with the meditation. I get so stressed and guilty about not doing everything I should that I freeze and do nothing. Should be at least half an hour of yoga, but any yoga is pretty much a win right now. Step 3 - Keep a log of how I feel day-to-day. +100 points p/day I'm getting better at noting what changes my levels of happiness and affects me greatly, but if I can actually see it and write it down I can then work out what I need to do to avoid dramatic mood swings and dips in motivation. Some things I could log; -work hours -weather (if it affected actions/mood of the day) -positives / negatives about the day -sleep quality (time awake, / sleeping, feel upon waking) -foods, if they had an effect on my body. -different moods throughout day, what changed them. !! Bonus Missions !! These are things I should do but don't always feel like doing and I'm not going to guilt myself into doing them. I want to create triggers for good decisions based on how I'm feeling or what I'm not doing. - Extra meditation or yoga sessions during the week. +20 points per session - Use bodyweight exercises to release anger. +100 points - Be creative if I'm sitting around fidgeting. +50 points - Attempt to talk to someone in my social circle about how I’m feeling / what I’m thinking. +200 points - Get out of the house. +50 points - Clean something, anything if feeling bored. +100 points - Say something nice to myself. +10 points per nice thing - Add a serve of steamed vegetables to any meal. +20 points per serve of vegetables

Hello Challenge #2 As it turns out, I won't focus on Monk training quite yet. I am struggling to get out of my lethargy and the days becoming shorter, colder and damper aren't helping (wow, Scotland is not going to be fun in Winter!) Luckily, I know exactly what I have to do to combat this, here's the plan... Six week quest - Control the downs, invite the ups! #1 Goal : Center my mind (and lower cortisol levels) (+5 WIS) -> Meditate every day from 20 minutes to 1 hour with Peace Revolution videos -> Take 1 minute to center with deep breaths whenever emotions or stress get overwhelming #2 Goal: Give each day a chance (+2 CHA +1 WIS) -> Sleep at least 8 hours -> Wake up with the dawn (approx 7:30 for now) -> 5 Tibetans yoga right after waking up #3 Goal: Healthy body for a healthy mind (+3 STR +1 CON) -> No sugar at home -> Eat 1 leafy green and 1 root veg every day -> Drink 2L per day -> 3 BWW per week #Life goal: Do more of what I love <3 (+3 CHA) -> Sing every day -> Learn Momoiro Sparkling choreography -> Take a whole pampering afternoon every week -> Do at least one of these things every day: watch an old film, read a Poirot, have a soy latte, skype with a friend or family, make fresh mint tea, pretend to be Ella Fitzgerald, write a letter to someone, make dinner with friends, cuddle a stray cat, make Christmas decorations, check in on NF. Motivation: Depression is hard to overcome because it leaves automated pathways to the land of I feel miserable and Meh, apathy day today Kingdom. Well, I don't want to let these automated reactions get the better of me anymore! In fact, I've been successfully exterminating them for over 2 years now and it can be tiring sometimes. I love that the brain is plastic, synaptic connections are remodeled all the the time so that's exactly what I'll be doing for the next six weeks, active and conscious brain rewiring. Very actively and very consciously so. I know how to be happy, I just need to control the frequency and intensity of my down moments. Daily Victories: There will be daily victories this challenge, it's an awesome idea I took from Starsapart and it will help with staying positive oh so much. Today's victory = I created this thread Can't wait to hang with you awesome people again and meet more inspiring superheroes! Edit: Evaluation method. I will give myself percentages of success each week for every item. 7 days out of 7 = 100%, 6/7 = 85%, etc. Then I'll round it up to evaluate each goal and the final average at the end of the 6 weeks will tell how many points I'll get. Yes, this challenge is all about Wisdom and Charisma

Now that I've nearly finished my first challenge, it's time to start a battle log. A bit of background: I'm a 42-year-old who has dealt with depression for most of my life. The dozens of medications I've tried over the years have never really helped, so I've come to the conclusion that pharmaceuticals may not help me. I've been in therapy most of that time, and have only now found someone who might really be able to help me muck things out. My challenge focused on improving my mental health through decreasing my isolation, increasing exercise, and improving my nutrition. From here on out, I'm going to build on those foundations. I saw a real improvement in my physical health over these last six weeks, if not my mental health - but after being depressed for 33 years, I can't expect miracles. I need to be patient. I consider it a miracle that I've found a community like this one to help me be accountable and to feel less alone in my quest. I'm a writer, I like archery, I play World of Warcraft (Earthen Ring FTW! I'm in the AIE guild on the Horde side, and have a number of Alliance characters as well), and I have a young daughter and husband here in Vermont. I spend hours every day listening to audiobooks and podcasts. I am always looking for new recommendations, so let me know what you love! Podcasts I can't live without: The Morning Stream (and most other Frogpants shows, incl. The Instance)Sword & LaserTED Radio Hour99% InvisibleFavorite recent books: Ready Player OneRedshirtsTraveling in SpaceThe Outlander seriesCode Name Verity/Rose Under Fire Exercise goals To walk farther and faster than before (I do about 18 miles a week in good weather)To rehabilitate my bad knee and stick with the PT I keep forgetting to doTo continue the yoga I've come to loveNutrition goals Now that I've completed the draconian elimination diet I started in September, I'm easing back in with reintroducing one food at a time to see if I react to anything. I don't miss sugar or processed foods, so I want to stay in that mode and continue to eat healthy.I need to get my vitamins back in balance and restore health to my gut, which I'm doing through supplements and probiotics. I need to be disciplined and stick with it.Life goals I've almost completely isolated myself, except for being with my family. I need to reconnect with old friends and make a concerted effort to make new ones.I need to be able to work again.

Well I'm getting a late start this time but better late than never. Main Quest: Lose 10 lbs (4.5 kg) Starting weight: 195 lbs (88.5 kg) A= 10 lbs lost B= 7 lbs lost C= 5 lbs lost D= 3 lbs lost F= Less than 3 lbs lost Quest 1: Follow modified primal/paleo diet for at least 1 meal a day Follow cabbage soup diet +3 WIS, +3 CHA A= 7 primal/paleo meals per week Pass/Fail B= 6 primal/paleo meals per week C= 5 primal/paleo meals per week D= 4 primal/paleo meals per week F= 3 primal/paleo meals per week or less Bonus: +1 WIS, +1 CHA for every week of 100% meal compliance Quest 2: Light weight lifting at least 3 times per week +3 STR, +3 CON A= 3 times a week B= 2 times a week C=1 time a week F= 0 times a week Bonus: +1 STR, +1 CON for every week of lifting every day Quest 3: Meditate at least 3 times per week +3 WIS A= 3 times per week B= 2 times a week C=1 time a week F= 0 times a week Side Quest: Reduce credit card debt by 5% Starting debt, $10K :/ +1 WIS Bonus: +1WIS for every 10% reduced Life Quest: Make our 11 acre plot my new home Step 1: Get a portion fenced for chickens +1 STR *COMPLETE* Step 2: Get a house +1 WIS *COMPLETE* Step 2.1: Get house moved onto land +1 All Stats Step 3: Get house hooked up to water, septic, and electric +1 WIS Step 4: Build functioning bathroom in house +1 STR, +1 CON Step 5: Build functioning kitchen in house +1 STR, +1 STA Step 6: Move into house +1 STR, +1 CON, +1 STA Week 2: W- meditated, primal meal TH- primal meal, meditated F- meditated, primal meal 189.4 lbs S- meditated, primal meal SU- meditated, primal meal Week 3: M- primal meal, meditated 192.3 lbs T- meditated, primal meal W- meditated, TH- F- S- SU-

Life has gotten in the way with almost every single challenge I have done. I want this time to be different. Main Quest: Lose 10 lbs (4.5 kg) Starting weight: 195 lbs (88.5 kg) A= 10 lbs lost B= 7 lbs lost C= 5 lbs lost D= 3 lbs lost F= Less than 3 lbs lost Quest 1: Follow modified primal/paleo diet +3 WIS, +3 CHA A= 7 days of primal/paleo meals per week B= 6 days of primal/paleo meals per week C= 5 days of primal/paleo meals per week D= 4 days of primal/paleo meals per week F= 3 days of primal/paleo meals per week or less Quest 2: Eat at least one vegetable a day +3 WIS Pass/Fail Quest 3: Meditate at least 3 times per week +3 WIS A= 3 times per week B= 2 times a week C=1 time a week F= 0 times a week Life Quest: Make our 11 acre plot my new home Step 1: Get a portion fenced for chickens +1 STR *COMPLETE* Step 2: Get a house +1 WIS

I had been thinking that I might give this challenge a miss. Feeling a bit rough and I need a bit of a wind down, put my feet up, cup of tea, that kind of thing. Then I thought "why not make a challenge out of that?". Challenge Quest Relax, kick my feet up and maybe learn a few new things along the way. My idea for this challenge is to have a list of things and try to tick off as much as possible in the 6 weeks. It's a sort of bucket list where the end point isn't my death (well, at least I hope not haha jokes about one's own mortality). The List: -Solve a Rubik's cube in under 2 minutes (Progress: need to buy one) -Get a six pack (Progress: I suppose I'll do a picture log) -Learn The Elements song (Progress: about 15 out of 102) -Sort and clear unread emails (Progress: 147) -Clear credit card (Progress: a way to go yet) -Don't watch or read the news for 20 days (Progress: 0 out of 20) -Improve random object recall up to 30 (Progress: 12 out of 30) -Read 5 books from my collection of unread books (Progress: 0 out of 5) -Sleep 240 hours (Progress 0 out of 240) -Stay ahead of my brother in PS Trophies (Progress: will check later)

Building on the quest from my last challenge, I want to keep making progress against depression and continue the exercise and diet habits that I started in September. I don’t need to focus this challenge on the same diet and exercise goals, because I feel that those are ingrained now, but I need to work on other things that help me in the same direction. And that's my main quest: I’m still hoping to be able to work again, rejoin the world and become a grounded, happy person. Back in September, I had to go on an extreme elimination diet; I’ve since been able to reintroduce most everything, thank the gods, but still want to keep up with the good eating I was doing. I’ve also been walking as much as 20 miles a week, and it’s gotten to the point that I really miss it on a day I don’t do it. I’m now THAT person you see out walking in the rain. I’m still extremely isolated, though, so I need to continue to work on my social habits. Halp!My goals I will reach out to a friend at least once a week, and meet the challenges I’m undertaking in therapy. I will stick to the physical therapy I need for my knee. Srsly this time. I will drink at least 8 glasses of water a day. Because migraines bad.My life quest I will keep a daily journal. My motivation As before, I want to be truly happy for the first time in my life, for myself and for my family.

I am just putting this here so that I don't forget where I put it! Thoughts for my next challenge - SIMPLIFY! CONSTITUTION FOOD - healthy! I have several things coming up as does everyone. Nerdgiving - a meetup of Nerds in Boston to do a Spartan at Fenway, and a thanksgiving meal after. There will be a burger run - Wahlburgers. Thanksgiving - I allow myself a traditional Thanksgiving - just to give my mind the satisfaction that I have eaten this obligatory meal. WildRoss will be turning 55 - with the beginning of that celebration being the Spartan, then a power lifting meet, then a Ruck - with Wufkar. My plan for these events is to be mindful of my eating - and track it in My fitness Pal. No dairy. (no ice cream) No grains - lazy grains, like just picking up a biscuit to fill my face. No added sugar - except for a piece of pie - maybe. No processed foods. I would like to keep eating out to only while traveling. That doesn't mean traveling to my doctor's appointment! WISDOM - Reading books about healthy anything...to create my plan for next year. I will list those here. STRENGTH - I will start a basic strengthening program now that my neck is healed. Something I can do while traveling. I will post the program here. (TTAPP rehab program probably - 3x a week when home) STAMINA- getting back into walking. I want to log at least one walk each day - which has been a problem when WildRoss has been home. I allow him to walk the dog, and I skate - and I don't mean roller skate. I'd like to get up to 5k by the end of the challenge. I will try to add some jogging into the mix, which would put me into the c25k possibilities. DEXTERITY - I will do my yoga dvd at least 3x a week - need to find a way to swim... CHARISMA This will be difficult for me this time, as I need to pull back and focus on me. Write one Blog per week RPG I have nanowrimo group, a prayer group, a promises group, I'll continue the ART group here...and that gets complicated when I'm trying to do simplify. Goal - write on one person's thread a day. SPRITUAL - I have a faith in fitness study to do, and I will be doing Bible Studies alone with my story - I want to do an inductive study of Isaiah - but Christmas is coming, and with that, Advent - which is a very meditative time for me. I am going to focus on my Thankful studies and my Advent studies - and count those as a win. CON - 1 miss per week = 3 pts ( 21 meals a week - 147 per challenge) WIS - 3 books per challenge - 3 pts (1 eow) STR - 3 workouts per week = 3 pts (21 str workouts) STA - 6 walks per week - 3 pts ( 42 walks) DEX - 3 yoga per week = 3 pts (21 workouts) CHA - 7 posts per week = 3 pts (49 posts) SPR - Fitness study = 1 pt, Thanksgiving = 1 pt, Advent - 1 pt. Mini's = whatever

Frell me dead. I have just started working out regularly as a manner to fight the depression that I have been going through as a result of losing my decently paying job. Through the insurance provided by my employer (for whom I had been working mostly as a way to have insurance and pay the bills, but worked hard I did), I had been seeing a psychotherapist and had started taking an anti-depressant and a stimulant (to combat whatever role my ADHD had been playing in my depression). In addition to the medical approach, I was also starting to use physical activity to ease my woes. My father had depression when I was growing up, and he says that his constant bike riding and hockey playing are what keeps him sane. I had started a six-week, twelve-class sword fighting program, which started getting me active, and I have just joined a gym so that I could supplement the activity during the week. And I was getting so much better. (This has all been laid out in my introduction post from just over a week ago). Yesterday, I had my second appointment with my psychiatrist, and had gotten my second month's supply of medication, and I got the boot. The line they gave me was something along the lines of 'We appreciate all the hard work you've put in, we really like you, but—the company is going through a rough patch, and we're worried that when you start graduate school you won't be able to put in the overtime that your seat requires.' Ugh Luckily, I was insured when I saw the doc and got my drugs ($45 vs $400), and that I have been winding down appointments with my therapist (the last one was this week, and the next one isn't until mid-January). But now I'm finding it difficult not to just sit at home and play Minecraft all day. I'm going to try to get my stuff together to go to the gym after I post this, but I think I could use some frelling encouragement right now.

First challenge. http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/50587-candace-koller-improve-health-despite-depression/ It started off well but then life got in the way. Now I'm right back up to where I was when I started with only 4 days left to lose 5 lbs. That's not going to happen unless there's a miracle. Diet plan, modified primal/paleo. Mostly meats and vegetables. No fruit or fruit juice, nothing with added sugar, and a little heavier on the dairy, a lot of cream and cheese (and cream cheese). Goal carb intake below 50g. Goal fat intake at least 60% of my calories from fat.

Life has taken a very dark turn. The daily stresses are wearing me down. I can no longer do the things I once could. I can't handle what I once could. This challenge will have to be much simpler than the previous ones. My goal has been for a long time now to defeat "the girl in the mirror" who still bears the scars. Maybe instead I should be loving her. Starting weight: 182 lbs (82.5 kg) Starting body fat percentage: 42.8% Starting Muscle percentage: 23.8% Main Quest: Stay Alive Quest 1: Get out of bed every day Quest 2: Eat at least something every day Eat 1 primal meal on weekdays +3 WIS, +3 CHA Bonus: +1 WIS for weekend primal meals A= 5 primal meals a week B= 4 primal meals a week C= 3 primal meals a week D= 2 primal meals a week F= 1 or less primal meals a week Quest 3: Meditate at least once a day Drink plenty of water +1 WIS, +1 CON A= 8 cups a day B= 7 cups a day C= 6 cups a day D= 5 cups a day F= 4 or less cups a day Side Quest: Improve mental health enough to change at least one quest to a more challenging one *COMPLETE* +1 all stats Add diet quest *COMPLETE* +1 WIS, +1 CHA, +1 CON Add exercise quest +1 STR, +1 CON, +1 STA, +1 DEX Add body fat percentage quest +1CHA, +1 DEX, +1CON Add muscle percentage quest +1 STR, +1 CON, +1 STA Life Quest: Make our 11 acre plot my new home Step 1: Get a portion fenced for chickens +1 STR *COMPLETE* Step 2: Get a house +1 WIS *COMPLETE* Step 3: Get house hooked up to water, septic, and electric +1 WIS Step 4: Build functioning bathroom in house +1 STR, +1 CON Step 5: Move into house +1 STR, +1 CON, +1 STA

Hey all! Life has been kicking my butt again and causing me to give up on lots of my goals. I've had enough hospitals and illnesses and it's time to battle myself and get back on track. I will not be scoring myself this round as I beat myself up too much about the ratings and that's not my goal. Instead I will be keeping track with a spreadsheet. I will share it here weekly and will write down my successes and failure daily. I also track on myfitnesspal and fitbit so those are huge helps. Goal 1: Take vitamins and supplements daily. I've been so relaxed on this and I now feel sluggish and tired all the time again. Goal 2: Drink more water. Seriously, I can't seem to make this a routine to get enough water. A minimum of 6 cups of water a day and one cup of tea. Goal 3: Eat healthy. I'm not going to make it harder than it needs to be but the take out ends, the junk food leaves, it's all over. Summer is long over birthdays are over I have no excuses. I need to eat healthy foods all day long. Goal 4: I am adding a fourth goal because It's busy season around here. My business is busy, my husband is busy at work and kids are loaded with activities. I just didn't schedule any activities for myself so I have to move my body 3x a week. Doesn't have to be fancy, doesn't have to cost money but it does have to get my heart rate up, make me sweat or relieve the cramps of sitting. If anyone wants to join, we have been doing challenges on the fitbit recently that have been a good way to get moving a bit more than may have happened otherwise. Feel free to message me your username, I'll friend you and add you to the challenges. Also looking for friends on myfitnesspal who will help keep me accountable with my food and water intake.

Looking at how my life has been lately, I may bring up dark topics, like depression, suicide, sadness, vulnerability... 1) I will commit to one Random Act of Kindness every week Jitters suggested it'd be helpful to look for opportunities to help other people. Not just opening a door for someone, or a compliment, but something they will remember, and smile about. 2) Zenhabits 1000 cuts "Over the previous challenges, I have several times tried working out as a solid set of bodyweight exercises with a warm up, exercises and streching. It has felt intimidating and pressing to obsess over it and have it as a unyelding chunk. Then, during the Planksanity I found it fun to do planks in small 1-2 minute doses over the day. So it turns out The Zenhabits Thousand Cuts Fitness Program, as described there, http://zenhabits.net/1000-cuts/ is small things along the day. A few pushups there, a pull up when you pass the bar, run when you feel like it. Making them more frequent, harder and preferably something playful given time. So for future comparison, run until I have to stop, 10 push-ups or 1 minute good-form plank are sufficient each for one point." This has worked before, I got results with it, I felt better. I can do 10 push ups, a little planking, a few lunges... I feel like shit sometimes, both mentally and physically. Human beings are meant to move, and when that doesn't happen, it leads to all kinds of problems, right? So I have to get off my butt. 3) Find three significant / beautiful / good things I am grateful for, every day. (I remember Liberator did the same thing before, so tip of a hat her way ) There has to be, and are, good things in my life, I know it. I forget/don't want to look for them sometimes, and still they are there. I am alive. I bought vegetables instead of candy. My workday wasn't a complete disaster. I still did some productive things. 4) Go to work, every day, on time, and do focused, productive work. Last week, I used almost three full workdays on computer games, NF and other shit not related to work. That is unacceptable. I am not proud of it. They pay me to work there, and then I cheat on them like this? Makes me feel horrible. I wouldn't go and steal from the cash register, or lie to my co-workers, but what I am doing is so close I might as well have. It isn't right. I do not want to be that kind of a person. Also, I will not cut a single meeting with my therapist, and I will be honest with them.

Hey everyone, I am Rawglor. I found out about Nerd Fitness awhile ago on another forum and was given some little pushes to join by a member there. He thought it would be very helpful for me. So finally I have joined. Although I won't be participating in any challenges yet. I have struggled with depression and anxiety since I was 13. And the biggest problem I have is having a part of me that is very against me. I'm always very critical of myself, have negative views, beliefs, and thoughts about myself, and can only counter these so well for so long before I run out of willpower. My current living situation/existence is very isolated as well. And I am also so stuck in a vicious cycle of depression and self-defeat that I find it very, very hard to be social or friendly whether in real life or online. Anyway. I have been trying, for the past few years, to improve myself and my life in many ways. I've tried therapy, meditation, stretching, body building and different exercising, massaging, supplements, self-help books, and other things. Last year around this same time (November), I started working harder than ever before (it was I first started massaging often). And in January of this year I had the two best weeks of my entire life. I was healthy, I felt very healthy. I was stronger than ever and getting stronger very fast. I was getting much better sleep (I started needing only 8 hours of sleep and waking up feeling rested). I was very happy. I had much better endurance and much more energy. I was learning much quicker. My brain functioned better. I had little to no anxiety, depression, or stress. I have my own theory as to why. It is now that time of year again, and I am starting to feel the same again. Needless to say, I want to feel like that again, so I am now starting to do the same things again and am start to work harder. So the plan is to start stretching, messaging, and meditating daily again, with a little exercise thrown in. I'm going to be looking through this site, reading blog posts and forum posts, reading some new books, and dusting off some old stuff to help with motivation. But the real problem is burning out again. And it's not so much about getting tired of doing so much everyday physically, it's more mental. Fighting all my negative thoughts, trying to change my negative beliefs about myself, and doing something permanent about that part of me. I don't care what anyone has told me about what most people are like, or what they are like. How happy a person a can--or should be. How much any one person can handle doing. What is or is not realistic, etc. I really, really want to be who I was last January, all the time. I want to be strong and healthy. I want to be happy. I want to learn things and accomplish new things everyday. I want to be always growing--always becoming smarter, stronger, faster, better. I want to sleep great at night. But I think I need some help. Something other than family and therapists. I'm just not sure where to go or who to ask. Rawglor, TLDL: I don't have one, sorry.

I think I am going to just keep putting my woots in one place... I had put in my 5k woot....then had an injury on the last 5k that has put me into a boot...and because of that pain med issue...I missed this important WOOT... Stat results from the first challenge of 2014! 2/24/2014 weight: 232#(I managed to lose 15# since the beginning of the last challenge) wrist 6.5" SAME forearm 11.5" DOWN 1/2 INCHES Hips 52" DOWN 2 3/4 INCHES Neck 16 SAME USN STATS BODY FAT: 57% DOWN 7% FAT MASS: 132# DOWN 24# LEAN MASS: 100# UP 12# And I've gone from not being able to walk more than 10 minutes to being able, before the injury, to walk a 5k a week. My resting heart rate has been dropping from over 100 to into the 80's My blood pressure is dropping from borderline hypertensive to below 120/85 regularly, with some very excellent readings the shin splint issues have been addressed with a brace the hips are responding to rehab exercises the acl was recovering nicely prior to the foot injury, but awareness will keep the healing going! Since I am disabled because of various reasons, I consider this success story to be a huge WOOT...and wanted to share for those that may need the encouragement. If you are struggling with injury, disability, depression, eating issues - contact me...I'll hold your hand and we can walk this path together!