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This is my first challenge on my journey to become the best ranger (larper) of them all (in my area). I hope you enjoy reading. Leitmotif: Falling leafs I have started to declutter my home, but also my routines and habits. Everything that does not serve a purpose, makes me happy or helps me grow, everything that holds me back, I will let go of. A look out of my window shows, that there can be beauty in it, too. When you have a generalist approach to fitness, I think it's easy to fall in to the trap of trying to practice everything at once. At some points this summer, I lost focus and track of progress, sometimes, things fell off the wagon, because I was tired at the end of training. I need a clearer separation between my training focus (+3x per week) and the maintenance work (occasionally at my own leisure once every week or two). “...you have been chosen, and you must therefore use such strength and heart and wits as you have.” lotr Body Running After a failed first attempt and some form and posture correction training afterwords, I started CT5K again last winter and build up to a fourth day of weekly running in spring. In August, I turned one of these into a long run by increasing the time gradually to an hour and above. That quite revealed my weak spots: It's not the aerobic endurance that is lacking behind but my legs, knees, and hip flexors especially. I think, I need to strengthen them before pushing for longer runs again. I will skip the long run until further notice and introduce some strength exercises instead. I started to add strides (now 4×100m, 1min recovery) to my easy runs twice a week, as a non-taxing way to work on speed. The forest runs are where the fun starts. I run alongside, across or through a small creek in a nearby forest, jumping from stone to stone, vaulting over fallen logs, balancing and crawling. It's not so much about speed yet, but about the integration of techniques into a run as well as the adaptability and fluidity of movement. I will continue those as long as the weather allows and before winter is coming. Easy Run: 3x per week, 35 min each, split between a soft track (dt:„Finnenbahn“ fin: „Pururata“) and a forest trail. Pulse < 130 bpm Leg strength: 2x per week, on the evenings after the ERs Forest Run: 1x per week, 30 min My final goal is to be able to run the 5km in 24min on the trail if I need to, without hurting myself. (That's one of the benchmarks in my epic quest log. But this is still far of.) Climbing When a ranger is not stalking, crouching or running away from something (s)he is hiding in a tree munching apples and watching the surrounding countryside. But You need to get up there first. After learning swing ups, tuck pop-ups and different traversing techniques, it's time to master … well to manage the muscle up. At the moment, I can get to one kick muscle up, but only on a bar from standing. Mayor weaknesses being the height and explosiveness of the pull as well as the transition. Goal: Get to a couple of muscle up reps on a branch, starting from a jump, then reduce kicking gradually. Muscle up with kick: 3x per week, starting on a bar For height: seated L-sit pull-ups, get from sternum height to the halfway point between it and the naval. Supportive strength training: My strength routine so far was quite cluttered with exercises and I saw not much improvement in the last couple of months. For the next five weeks, I want to go minimalist here as well and reduce the volume to something more manageable. Performed after the muscle ups. Inclined one-handed push-ups, one-handed pull up progression, dragon flag progression Three exercises, in a rep range of 3-5, three sets each. (For those interested, I'm using the operator template from the book „Tactical Barbell“, as far as that is possible with body weight only.) strength training: 3x per week Heart „How much higher, then, is the pluck of the single scout who goes on some risky enterprise alone, on his own account, taking his life in his hand, when it is quite possible for him to go back without anybody being the wiser (...)“ Aids to Scouting Without getting into too much detail, the psychological aspect is probably my greatest weakness. (Among other things, I'm a chronic ruminator.) I am quite good at researching different models (e.g.: CBT) and exercises, less so at implementing them. In what is left of week zero, I will go through my old notes and decide on two or three practices to implement, then make an update to this section. (WIP Otherwise, I would postpone this post even longer. ) Note to myself: Can not be replaced with more pull-ups. Goal: Finally get a habit going 3x a week Wits Meditation Reflecting on my sessions in the past months, they were infrequent, long and of low quality. Let's see, if doing the opposite will help my practice. Anapanasati: 5x per week, in the morning, for a minimum of 10 min, expandable to 20min. Woodcraft Well I wanted to practice my bow drilling skills again and guess who just got volunteered to teach a few people at my community how to start a fire. The date is not set yet, but will be somewhere in November. This means, I need to collect quite a bit of material (tinder, kindling, wood) make some bows, boards and spindels, maybe get a tarp in case of rain. Goal: every one of my pupils gets a fire going Preparing the event 1x per week Practicing bow drill 1x per week Wish me luck!

Past couple challenges have fallen short due to various chaotic life things. Looking back on past challenges, one thing that served me well was strictly tracking and using that to decide a path forward. So rather than a list of goals, I really only have one simple one - Track. Bullet journal is already set up for the next 5 weeks to track: Drinking Water (in Liters) Alcohol (# servings) Fruits / Veggies (# servings, broken up by Breakfast (1), Lunch (2), Dinner (2)) Activity (to describe in writing) And.... that's it? Outside of challenge stuff, super excited for Critical Role Campaign 3. Also still watching The Black Dice Society and loving it. Recently discovered Vampire the Masquerade - LA by Night which is also pretty great. Also apart from simply consuming TTRPG awesomeness, I'm looking to join a D&D 5e campaign with some coworkers. So fingers crossed that works out.

I know it is not an obligation to do challenges, but despite my failure to keep up tracking and reporting, I WANT to be accountable for these things. And so I try again. Tai Chi - minimum three times per week I'm doing well with exercise, but I am intrigued by this practice as martial art that I can perform. As someone who didn't know I had a body until a few years ago, it is a way to maintain and strengthen that connection. One day I can imagine taking a class, but for now I practice by video or app. 3s - Big 3 and 3 Gratitudes Even when I'm not feeling as rudderless as I am now, my life is pretty free flowing. Not always good, as making the bed can end up feeling like the only thing I accomplished on my to do list. Step #1: create a to do list! And as much as I take time to breathe each day, I don't always take time to appreciate, be grateful. Read professionally and for leisure daily It's such an important part of my life, but often gets short-shrift. NF Check-in - share and/or comment 3 times per week minimum I am a loner by nature, but I don't always want to be. NF is a community, and I'm grateful when I discover someone is checking up on me. So I need to report in more often, and affirm others in their journey. NF is a community, and I want to be in community - not just dipping my toe in occasionally.

Harriet's Written Year Chapter Four: Greer, Daly, and the job in front of me. Last challenge we established that doing the job in front of me does not mean attempting to operate at a level I feel I should ideally be able to operate at. Nor is it doing the work I would do if I had better energy and recovery. No. It means starting where I am, and taking the next small step only when my footing is secure. Warcraft: the GMB integral strength workouts are helping me to work on the weaknesses that were bothering me: shoulder stability, single leg stability, and pulling strength. The way they’re set up allows me to auto-regulate and to push a little without overdoing it. Yoga is pleasant. Walks are important, and stairs are good for conditioning. Weaving: the writing project continues apace. I must continue painting. I also wish to include some reading in the evenings instead of listlessly internetting when my work is finished. I will read Night Watch and share any snippets that strike me. I will also read other fiction, non fiction, and spiritual books. Witchery: I shall continue meditation, walks, invocations, and try to add some readings. I made a commitment to a goddess that I would stop harming my skin and treat my face with unconditional acceptance. That means no tormenting of innocent pores or invisibly tiny blemishes, and no makeup, in order to establish a foundation of self acceptance without disguise or apology. Willowy: I will continue eating at a moderate deficit, but Mr Harriet wants to eat dinners together again, and cooking without oil/eating 900g of produce per day was a bit too much. So I will try to be a little less strict and find some nice compromises. Breaks whenever I want them. But I want to quit sugar because I eat it out of compulsion, and I feel sad as soon as it’s gone. I think it may also worsen my energy. Writ: I will continue reporting here daily and tracking my food.

This Cycle may or may not see me home the entire time - I may end up following DH on a trip; we may end up taking an actual vacation - who knows? We may just be here the whole time. If I need to adjust, adjustment protocols will be enacted. Nutrition I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: it’s time to shift some weight. I don’t want to buy a second round of new clothes. Cook paleo-ish meals (fake meats, soy and the occasional garbanzo bean are ok) with an emphasis on protein Go back to tracking macros. My scale had itself an electrical aneurysm and started muttering to itself all on its lonesome (it was seriously sad - poor little guy kept trying to weigh air, coming up with wildly different answers, until his batteries died). As it stands, I’m estimating my TDEE at 1541 based on my current weight and activity levels. I’ll start with reporting and tracking via MFP with an eye on coming in under calories and will strive to make protein a priority. We’ll see what that gets me re: fitting into some of my clothes again by the end of challenge and refocus from there. Movement Keep up with my 4x a week yoga with walks to and fro - hopefully in less than 115F temps, “windchill” of 125, and over 70% humidity. Fall, as it were, is coming - the news and the Ministry promised. As my schedule stands, and I hope it continues, I’ve got: Monday morning: Slow Flow (a mostly gentle class) Tuesday evening: Functional Flow (hella hard rehab style movements) Wednesday morning: Detox (a hard class with lots of twists and fun movements) Friday morning: Slow Flow (ha! I guess it’s slow? It’s usually hard and full of novel movement - same teacher as Wednesday’s class) With an 18-minute walk to and from. I also want to add more HIIT or Barre videos at home, but wasn’t quite meshing with that this past challenge. We shall see here and I’ll do what I can. I need to get on my ass about it a bit, but finding the balance between that and the don’t wannas has proven difficult without an actual tangible goal in sight. Enrichment I’m still playing both Stardew Valley and Cozy Grove and will pick Animal Crossing back up if they ever release an update. I’m currently working on an 18thc. shift & chemise set. After I finish that, I want to dye the rest of my medium weight linen with avocado pits, and jump to a modernized walking skirt/vest/petticoat project. I also have some crochet supplies on order - I want to do something with my hands again while watching tv at night. Sashiko sounded great, but is a bit fiddly for my hands at the moment. Hand sewing has been great, but I want to give crochet another go. It seems to hurt my hands less than knitting. I also want to keep up with my digital art practice, and still feel like I should be doing something actually useful instead of just killing time. It’ll ostensibly be cooler soon, so the pups would appreciate more evening enrichment. Although it’s going to suck mightily, walk practice and desensitization with Odin should go back on the docket. And that’s it. Nothing earth shattering, but without something big looming (like a mud run or series of 5ks), self-starting is not my strong suit.

I didn't get around to a wrap up last challenge and I'm not going back. *pretend I found the Edna Mode gif " I never look back darling, it distracts from the now"* Zero Week was rough. Kids and I all had allergy attacks and mine turned into a sinus infection/bronchitis. Luckily kids bounced back fast, the COVID test was negative, and I'm quickly improving with antibiotics. Run Run 3x a week, working towards a 30 minute 5k. Saturday mornings are reserved for long runs (1 hour or more). We're trying to decide where we'll be for Thanksgiving but either way I'm planning on running a Turkey Trot as my next real race. I don't know if I can shave a full 10 minutes off my current best (39:45 ish), but I do think I can meet or beat my all-time PR (34:45 right before I got pregnant with #2). Work Out Last challenge I did the NF Bodyweight Workout 3x a week. With the running I'm doing, this is not sustainable for my legs. So the new plan is: NF Bodyweight Workout 2x a week 30 minutes of Pa Qua once a week Pa Qua (or Ba Gua depending on how you want to westernize the term) is something I learned in Tai Chi classes. It's a circular form and I remember it well, so it's a good starting point for getting back into my Tai Chi practice. Meditation Meditate 3x a week (Headspace) I mean really this should be daily. But I'm not going to put that kind of pressure on myself. Working on mindfulness and forcing myself to slow down helps me be a more patient partner and parent. That should be reason enough to do it but I get in such a rush... That's enough for this challenge. I'm also trying to keep going with my other habits (Chores and Bullet Journaling) but maintenance is not fun to report or read about. Happy Fall, Y'all! (It's under 90 degrees. Amazing...)

During my previous challenge I took some steps back to joining you all again. I was asked what "getting back on track" means". @Harriet @Mad Hatter @Epsilonte For me, right now, it means not slacking with my morning and evening routines. Mindful eating. (I took a step towards this by having yoghurt with muesli and a smoothie, BAM. I've been having cookies or pastries with something for breakfasts for so many weeks ) Watching my posture and doing my fysio exercises and meditation. AND making time for more active sports. AND spending my time and energy more mindfully in general. I also have my first meeting with this person I was given the contact information of by the psychologist I went to an intake for in April... Or was it May... She had said my symptoms aren't bad enough. I need to learn still how to not down play the things I feel and experience. Probably going to ask for a meeting again after a few talks with this person. Let's call her C. Challenge goals this time will be: * Drink 4 bottles of water each day. * Again, find/go back to different ways of coping with boredom and nerves and a low fun meter than having food that ultimately makes me feel blah. Alternative name: snack on veggies and fruit and make your regular meals tasty af. (I've already been giving myself some gut rest this past week by not eating later than 7-8 PM mostly.) * Reduce mobile time to 16 hours a week. (Sounds like a lot still but this is a big cutdown according to my mobile use tracker app ) Even though I have done this many times, I have no mental space to think of a more SMART approach to these goals. Let's see how it goes!

Happy First Day of AUTUMN! (North Hemisphere - Happy First Day of Spring to ya'll Southerners!). So life has me starting a new job! I finished my Internship (basically cried in the end with people not wanting to see me go). Trying a job in Security (because Money... it pays more than any Janitorial job, but will have to stay grounded). My mom and step-dad getting married on October 9th, we moving out of the apartment by Halloween. A great time to make new habits as life goes into chaos... but a calm can be seen for the Holidays (honestly see myself working on the Holidays this year... because Overtime!) I have been LOVING NF Prime, (the Journey App) and had a realization of what are "baby steps." Small goals you can keep up for the next 3 years even on shitty days.... I have taken a weight off myself because I remind myself daily. My small things now will help make the best step better. I actually think I'm in the right mindset to back at getting NF Coaching, but this year instead of buying a couple months I want to save up for the whole subscription. So seeing if I can keep up the momentum for myself and see how that goes, as I save up. The only issue I have with NF's Journey App, is the continuing habits after the quest. So why I'm here, to help keep the momentum up. Currently my character is at level 28 after 1 month and half. I've decided to not step on the scale until Halloween, just to check in. Small changes make small changes.... The Scale only says so much. Now to the habits. Nutrition Habits I feel I have: ⭐Intentional eating is coming out, not a burden more of coming out when I eat food I know I want to sit down and enjoy (and gives my bedroom and car a break from the crumbs. ⭐Intentional on Drinking Calories...(Finally accepted Diet Drinks when I do want Soda, or intentional at home cold brew with cream at home). Idk if the weight is falling off, but I've made it a goal some days just to drink zero calories (or order Small... and noticing how big they are). ⭐Read Labels for Calories and Serving Size... Been intrigued by how this shifts how much I eat when I acknowledge both... Habits I will Be Working on! Meditation - Been working on this one for awhile, right now it just involves me turning on a chanting video that has me get out of my head before falling asleep (just listening to it, grounds me like crazy where I have listened to the whole hour without realizing_ NF Planning A Meal- Planning out Meals the Next Day NF No 2 in a Row - Enjoy my treat/rest, make the next option better! NF Walk - I'm at 7 mins currently (found a lap in the front of my house that works perfectly for this in the morning). Morning Routine After Walk - Making the goal to work out in the morning, so first a walk than breakfast/shower/getting life together (I work at 3 pm - 11 pm now). NF Dailies - A daily goal that the NF Journey gives will note here if I did it. YNAB - Check in on my budget transitions, bonus when I reconcile! Side Quest - Post daily, work on Konmaring my room (still working on this...) Yesterday's Results/Template: 9/21/2021 NF Walk (7 mins) 🍁Done after work Morning Routine after Walk - 🍁 Went to On the Job Training for 7-3, was presentable (can see why this shift would be appealing but meh). NF Plan Tomorrow's Meal 🍁 (Breakfast and Lunch was planned and made) NF "No 2 in a Row": (didn't start) NF Daily 🍁 Was "plan a meal", I planned out a Dairy Queen run when I couldn't say no to mom before driving out there (and ate it at the table when I got home). Post daily! 🍁 Konmarie? No... just not a day. Now trying not to eat more than 1 serving of cookies... if I'm hungry I'll batch cook

This challenge is all about cultivating the quiet strength of balance, and I can’t think of a better time to set that intention than at the new moon just before the Autumn Equinox. I’m focusing on the core elements that sustain me and bring me peace, security, and the quiet strength to be who I am in the world. Heal as I can, when I can. Eating Wellness Wednesdays Sometimes the gym Do not give in to despair. Writing (Dissertation is 12, 343 words as the challenge opens) Classwork Connections Allow no one to choose combat for me Sleep, regularly but also often Schedule as little as possible by the clock and calendar. Meditation, including small bits of sitting throughout the day.

Hello witches and wizards, and welcome back to Hogwarts this September! I'm Professor Annyshay, the current headmistress of Hogwarts. You've been sorted into your houses and are ready to tuck into a delicious feast. Now it's time for me to say a few brief words before we start the term. This year the houses will be working together to support general wellbeing. Gryffindor = Breathwork It takes courage for me to be present in my body without trying to change anything. Breathwork can be anywhere from 5-30 minutes. I'm aiming to do it most days of the week. Hufflepuff = Snacks I ten to skip snacks and go too long between meals and then get a bit shaky. I'm going to be more intentional about aiming to have a morning and afternoon snack. Ravenclaw = Writing I'm trying to get back into the habit of creative writing, but this will start with keeping my streak on 4thewords.com. That means writing 444 words a day. Slytherin = Decluttering Since I'm moving across country, I need to be ruthless with my possessions and get rid of the things that don't truly bring me joy. I'm going to try to do at least 15 minutes of decluttering each day. More details will come as you go through your time here, but for now... let's eat!

Hello. I am Stronkey Kong. I've been on NF for over eight years . I'm still fat and making the best of it. learning from my mistakes. 🤔 GOALS: MEDITATION+: Still practicing the Buddhism. Still on a meditation streak since March 21st. That's all fine and good, and is habit. Now I need to step it up and memorize the "King of Aspiration Prayers: Samantabhadra's Aspiration to Good Actions." The prayer/mantra itself is a guide to the essential meditation preliminary practices we do. It is also 259 lines long. But for the benefit of all sentient beings I will memorize it... in English at least. Then I'll start on the Tibetan. Settle in to the WIZARD TOWER: As some of you saw last challenge, I bought a house and moved in. While I'm almost done upacking, now is not the time to stop. So definitely want to get all that finished up this challenge. This weekend I got the bedroom in order by unpacking all the clothes, doing ALL THE LAUNDRY EVAR, and putting clothes away. There's one more box in there, then I need to get the office and kitchen done. MOVEMENT: Now that the house moving and all is tapering off to just regular chores, I need to start working out again. So I'll be lifting weights and following the Greyskull LP... M, W, F or S. It'd be great to get a little cardio and yoga on top of that, but that'll be a bonus. NOOM: Just showing up and getting it done. Weigh in, log food, read articles. I think that's all. I thought briefly about a writing goal, but maybe I'll add one when the office gets settled. And there will be pictures of and stories about this idiot...

Still need to figure out how to work in the Critical Role theme of past couple challenges but since buying Mass Effect Legendary Edition, I've been basically spending all free time exploring that storyline. (I love it, but I also need to pull myself away from the computer and get back to actually being a real person) This challenge is going to be all about nutrition & meal planning. Big Picture where I want to get to for nutrition in process of being written. To be added soon. SMART goals to continue taking the baby steps in that direction also in process of being written and will be added soon....

Jedi know how to deal with stress. They manage their emotions (or at least they're supposed to) and strive to be at peace. They train a lot, body and mind, to become resilient and flexible. And so, a challenge in three parts: Nourish the Body Follow the PFF rule — protein, fiber, and fat at every meal and at least two of those for every snack. The goal is to keep my blood sugar stable throughout the day. Eat lots of cruciferous vegetables. Drink more water (used to be great at this but I'm lagging). Tame the Bees Mind Do yoga at least three times a week. Breathe deeply while doing it. Reduce caffeinated coffee intake. Since I've got a lot of full-caff beans currently, taper down to 10g per cup over course of this challenge and supplement with green tea if needed. (This is kind of cheat, to reduce coffee and include green tea which I've always found to be less jittery without necessarily reducing daily caff intake, and then I'll adjust next round.) Train the Body Do physical therapy exercises every day. Stretch every day. Hopefully I'll be able to run next challenge! My knee is much better, almost 4 weeks after I bashed it, but it's too early to commit to a running goal.

So after taking it easy last challenge (not to mention hammering out an identity shakeup), I think it's time to get back into the game this go-round. Stuff's starting to get a little slack around here, and it's showing. And since people farting around with long, pointless introductions and other pleasantries is a personal pet peeve of mine, let's get to the damn challenge already. The (Agile) Routine Sprint Planning and Daily Stand Ups: 1. One-week sprints that shall be planned on Sundays with a retrospective on Saturdays. 2. Daily NF Stand-Up each day. What did I work on yesterday, what am I working on today, what are my impediments? 3. Daily planner checks. The Workout: 3 X per week. Inverted Rows and squats. -Still trying to get to the point where I can do a full pull up. Still can't do one yet, and after taking off the last challenge, I've fallen behind somewhat, but that's okay. I'll pick up with where I'm at. -I was doing Stronglifts 5X5, but the problem with Stronglifts is that it takes me almost an hour and a half from start to finish each session. That's fine on the weekends, but on the weekdays, given that I'm also doing things like preparing meals, doing CPE, doing all this planning stuff, and taking care of my sanity, it simply isn't sustainable. The Piano: 4. Sprints will include updates on my piano progress each day. Rather than spell all that out here, I'll say just keep an eye out for the "daily stand-ups." Alcohol: 5. Not gonna do it. Full year or bust, baby.

I joined NFR in Fall of 2019 and have failed every challenge. Every. Single. One. The last two challenges, I didn't even bother setting up because I knew it would be one two more fails. Nevertheless, I did attempt to lose weight during both. I've seesawed between 165 and 172 for over a year and a half. 2019: My lowest was 159 in May 2019, right before I went on vacation. I joined NFR in the fall at 178. 2020: My highest was 183. My lowest was 16 2021. In March, I was at my lowest at 162. Then I went on vacation. June 2021 began at 168, had two binges, and ended at 165.4. July 2021 began at 165.4, had one 5-day binge, and ended at 163.6. August began with an 8-day binge. POSSIBLE SOLUTION I wasn't even going to do this challenge, but I think I have finally found a solution to my problem. The reason I binge so often is because I haven't allowed carbs since 2021 when I actually hit my goal of 129 (from normal weight of 150) and maintained 134 on a low carb diet for a year and a half. (I gained 15+ pounds after binge eating carbs all summer). Then I got pregnant back-to-back, gained 60 and kept it on for 4 years. I need a diet that allows all foods, including whatever carbs there are. 2 months/challenges ago, I discovered Intermittent Fasting allows as much. I never would have considered fasting before, but I was desperate. The first I heard of was 5:2, which I thought sounded amazing for maintenance but seemed too slow for someone who is used to losing 10 pounds a month with Keto (if I don't binge, which I haven't successfully accomplished since 2012). So in June, I tried 16:8. It was hard. I can NOT cut out my first thing in the morning coffee and I can NOT not have creamer. So that meant I had to close my window at 6 pm. That cut out 6 hours of habitual snacking. I pushed through (except for weekends, and still ended up binging and only losing .6 a week even on weeks and weekends that I adhered perfectly. Because the loss was sooooooo slow, and I'm tired of dieting/deprivation AND being fat (come on, at least if I'm deprived always dieting I should be thin), I tried Keto AND 16:8 in July. That's what ended up triggering the 8-day binge last week. On Sunday, I ate half a doughnut, then a couple slices of cheesecake after church and then later went to the store for a slice of tuxedo cake. Really? Even on a typical binge, I only have one dessert on a day. Even if I have several helpings of the same dessert (which is why I almost NEVER buy more than a slice), I've never had several helpings and then, oh, let's go get something else too. So Sunday night (while eating the tuxedo cake), I read a book on Alternate Day Fasting which allows for eating bread and not counting calories every other day. But as I looked over a typical week, I knew I could never do it. One, the routine is always different -- 4 days one week, 3 days the next. Also, a Friday and Sunday or Saturday is always part of the mix. Not realistic. Not maintainable for life. The best I could tweak was fasting (500 calories) on Mon and Wed and allowing 500 on a Friday night but 100% that would feel like a diet and something that I could (and would) cheat on. But obviously, fasting 2x a day (4 times in a 14-day period) is NOT Alternate Day Fasting (7 fast days in a 14-day period). It's barely more than half. And even if I count both half-fast Fridays, that only 5x in a 14-day period. That can't possibly be enough to eat whatever I want every other day. So then I had to create calorie limits for the other days, which once again means it is not Alternate Day Fasting. That's when I realized that basically what I had created was the 5:2 plan. The one that inspired me to try IF in the first place. The one that I knew instinctively I could do for life to maintain. 2 days @ 500 calories 5 days @ Maintenance Calories - 500 (for me, that's 1400) for weight loss or Maintenance Calories (1900). It's probably the slowest of all the IF's, which is why I wasn't going to attempt it for weight loss. I want/wanted to lose 10 pounds a month, or at least 8. But looking back over the last several months, and realizing I am miserable/deprived all the time (or bingeing) and only losing 2-3 pounds a month, I may as well be happy/not deprived and not binging (because all foods are allowed in moderation) and lose 2-3 pounds a month (maybe/praying/hoping) 4 pounds a month. I wasn't going to come back to NFR until I could report a success, but I logged in today to check the challenge dates and realized it just started and that I would basically be skipping an entire challenge again. So I've decided to log my progress after all. CHALLENGE GOALS My goals are EXTREMELY modest. 1) Stick to 5:2 (eat mostly 500 / 1400 and NEVER more than 500 / 1900) 2) Yoga on Fast Days 3) Weights on Non-Fasting Days 4) Weight loss: Of course I would love to end this challenge at 159 (as I've wanted to end nearly every challenge I've ever done). And I don't really know my starting weight (due to the binge). So, I will consider this challenge / 5:2 a success if Sept 3rd's weight is 1.5 pounds less than this Friday's (8/14) weight.

Zero week. Day one. My last challenge was over a year ago. I was training to prepare for an intense period of zen practice called sesshin. While my training went well, I experienced a brain injury caused by a series of seizures. Since then, I have regained my ability to walk and speak clearly. I started working again in July. My over arching goal is to return to my dojo ready for anything. This challenge will reflect my first steps in preparation for my pilgrimage. Goal #1: Eat without distraction This will encourage mindfulness with eating. I tend to make better choices with nutrition and pay more attention to my level of hunger when I pay attention to what I am doing. In my life, this primarily means avoiding scrolling on my phone and not eating while driving. Goal #2: Move every day I am still overwhelmed with keeping up with domestic tasks and work. Whether I go on a several mile hike or take my dogs on a quick walk, I commit to move each day. I will try to incorporate sword cuts and will go to the ocean or mountains at least once each week. Goal #3: Keep up the good work I have been an occupational therapist for awhile but have always worked in the community or in mental health. I am currently working in a hospital. Interestingly, I find working in the hospital to be a good counterpart to rinzai zen training. I need to be aware of my surroundings and ready to act appropriately at all times. Working with people who have COVID-19 requires compassion and courage. Knowing when to push someone and when to encourage rest requires I practice wisdom. I will be a modern day samurai one day, gosh darn it. Aloha and mahalo for reading.

In a lot of ways I feel good about my last challenge, but I did fade a bit on MFP and my gratitude journal toward the end. So I'll work on those and pick up some new things. My Fitness Pal, and keeping to goals; Tai Chi - minimum twice per week Weight Training Three Times Per Week Gratitude journal entries three days a week 3 veg 2 fruit daily

A flock of sheep that leisurely pass by One after one; the sound of rain, and bees Murmuring; the fall of rivers, winds and seas, Smooth fields, white sheets of water, and pure sky — I've thought of all by turns, and still I lie Sleepless; and soon the small birds' melodies Must hear, first utter'd from my orchard trees, And the first cuckoo's melancholy cry. Even thus last night, and two nights more I lay, And could not win thee, Sleep, by any stealth: So do not let me wear to-night away. Without thee what is all the morning's wealth? Come, blessed barrier between day and day, Dear mother of fresh thoughts and joyous health! - To Sleep, by William Wordsworth As hinted by the title of this thread, I am carrying over my goals from the previous challenge period, and continuing my quest for better sleep, and more of it. Thanks to insights and pointed questions from my therapist, insights and snark from various members of this community, and some introspection of my own, I've managed to identify the two biggest obstacles to meeting my sleep goals: 1. Sleeping is not enjoyable. With exercise or other activities there's often some kind of joy or pleasure to be had just from the activity itself (walking or barbell lifting comes to mind), but if sleeping is enjoyable to do I haven't noticed, and it's unlikely I ever will, since I'm sleeping while it happens. Reading a book or watching my current favorite show, or playing more of my video game, that on the other hand is very enjoyable. 2. I have an established evening routine that is informal and super-easy to maintain. Any little change at all, be it setting up the coffee pot for tomorrow morning, or picking out pieces of my outfit for tomorrow, takes a lot more effort than to simply float along with the existing routine. The reason this is an issue is because I don't have a lot of energy in the evenings these days. More often then not I max out my mental energy bandwidth by making dinner. So I need to figure out how to overcome these. The first obstacle is the most difficult one. Thankfully I already started making some progress in my last challenge, and I have noticed that when I get more sleep at night, the following day is easier. This will be my focus: Sleep is a means to an end. Another hurdle for overcoming the first obstacle is that the universe has decided that there was not enough stress in our life this summer, and arranged to have a couple of things break around the house, along with the sprinklers watering our lawn, right in time for someone to back their car into my car while I was out picking up a grocery order. This is relevant because stress give me bad dreams, everything from merely uncanny valley levels of weird, to full-on nightmares. This makes sleep even more Not Enjoyable. Strategies for managing the stress are under development. The second obstacle is easier. I need to start small by building my new routine one thing at a time, and the parts of it that use up more energy simply need to be done earlier in the evening. For as long as mental bandwidth is scarce, I will try to avoid becoming too ambitious with this goal, and simply continue to do what I was doing in the previous challenge period. We can branch out later. And that is it. Onward! Lastly, those of you who don't know me very well yet:

Hello everyone. It's been too long. But also, the time is just right :) I am kind of still hanging out at the edges of the tutorial zone, and kinda gained a level and some skill points through sheer passing of time and showing up to kill mostly low – really low – level monsters here and there. My body is aching, and my brain feels like a messy bunch of... stuff. I feel like I have to blow some cobwebs off of my professional skills and knowledge. Like I lost my edge, ALMOST wondering if I ever truly had one. So I will start building that slowly back up now. First stop: re-introduce minimeditations into my life. Eat enough veggies every day (~300g) And make lists to live my life by because I cannot let myself think too much about routines right now. So a morning routine list, an evening routine list, hell, even a noon routine list, refresh my little "what do I before I sit down to get things done and before I start working" approach whatever comes up. A list with steps to get myself back to planning my meals, outfits, etc. A list with "how to start regularly reading legal articles again" and "how do I sit down to refresh my knowledge from my master's again". Since I am leaving to visit my grandparents on the 5th of August until the 26th, also lists tailored for my time there. Including a "how to manage my energy with family there without simply letting myself go with the flow. What do I NEED to relax and reset?" Maybe with different routine options depending on the days. Breaking down all tasks into laughably easy steps. Somehow without giving myself the FEELING that I am micro managing myself. It seems like a lot of underpants collecting, but I do not see myself as someone who has structure in her life anymore. I am spending so much time with filler activities these days/months. I might as well "fill" my time with list making and remembering how I can be. And then grab one, breathe and simply follow the instructions. I am ready to get back on my game. It will not happen overnight. I am not proud of what I have let happen, but I also refuse to be ashamed. Let's go! PS - I am also working with my fysiotherapist to get back to jogging and running. Her advice a couple of weeks ago was to stop doing so and build my ankles and knees up properly. Also. Finally bought some proper running shoes and they make SUCH A DIFFERENCE! Why did I torture my feet so...

It has been way, way too long since I last had a challenge. I suppose I should post an explanation. Goals: Post something every day. I should be able to manage that.

"Denn wer nicht kämpft hat schon verloren; nur wer fällt steht wieder auf." "Because the one who doesn't fight has already lost; only he who falls down gets back up." "Once more onto the breach, dear friends!" Life feels like a circle, a diamond soul, a tempered mind. Iron turning into steel, steel honed to perfection, "vorwärts immer, rückwärts nimmer" (always going forward, never back). When you are lost within the fight, it all can feel like it's not worth it, at times, yet, we keep going, as the tide slowly builds up. We become stronger and get better at the game of life. We gain confidence and become better human beings. The pressure never drops but we adapt, we grow from each blow. We forge onward. I forge onward. I will not let apparent pullbacks pull me down. I will trust my vision and keep pushing, riding the waves until I reach port. I am not drowned. I'm in the game. And I'll reach port. Finding Home Budget for home improvements then search for my next home. Make no compromise, it has to have space, a modern kitchen and an amenable bathroom. Once I get there, don't give up on it but take good care of it. Keep things bare but ordered, clean regularly. It has to be a haven for my people too. Spirit of the Wild Pursue my hiking guide training courses. Achieve the 4 days of internship required. Build a website to gather and crystallize people around the idea of being one within nature, a part of the whole. Take people out, build resilience, thrive through survival. True Strength Master my time and schedule. Set up dedicated moments to work out, find a place to shower and have a nourishing breakfast, keep work clothes there in order to be exercise ready when outside of work. Rest 7h a night with quality sleep, let go of worries and empty my mind. Practice Taiji. Wildfire Be unstoppable, roam free, find unexpected ways, find stability in momentum, raise from ashes, fall and stand up.

Hello. I am Stronkey Kong. I've been on NF about eight years . I'm still fat and making the best of it. I just bought and started moving into a house... aka WIZARD TOWER. For the next two weeks I'm going to be packing and moving things over. Then there are projects coming. Lot's of projects. The house is 101 years old. It's in good condition and the living areas are solid, but the basement gets quite wet and even floods when it rains heavily. I now have grass to cut regularly. More chores than before and a bigger space to maintain and take care of. Also, I am getting a cat. Soon. My cousin found a stray and can't keep her. I meditate and am for all intents and purposes a Tibetan Buddhist of the Gelug Lineage. I am have it in my head to hit the trails and do some camping this summer, tho I will be quite busy. Right now my fitness goals are basically: Stay functional and limber and don't throw out your back doing stupid shit. Eating so I can maybe drop a few pounds And get some movement in so I can push back some of the medical trauma that runs in my family. I am also writing my fantasy novel again, and reading for inspiration. And, yeah, here's that big list I keep bringing up at the beginning of these things. GOALS WIZARD TOWER: I finally have my Wizard Tower. But that means things to do... I have to finish moving out of my old apartment and into my house... goal is by Aug 14. I have one major project that needs to be done ASAP, install a sump pit/pump. I want to be at least ready to start on that by challenge end. I need to go through my home inspection reports, and make a big list of repair projects. Also, add to this, listing improvements I want to make, then prioritizing and scheduling, so I can plan ahead for the future. Also, making this place friendly for my new house mate, Arya: MEDITATE: maintain my current streak since March 21st (127 days) MOVE: I have plenty to do to keep me moving daily. There's plenty of house chores and projects. If not I can go for walks or do some exercise. NOOM: There's quite a bit of daily stuff with Noom: Reading articles daily. Weigh in. Log meals and water Try to hit calorie goal READ/WRITE -- Set up a writing space in my new place and strive for 15 min per day. And get back on following my writing success guidelines.

Last cycle was mostly eaten by long travel in the US + the recovery from that travel. On the trip, DH and I both came to the conclusion that we are tired of being fat, tired of feeling like poo, and are ready to go back to doing what needs to be done to return our bodies back to some semblance of the shape we like them to be in. Back to non-sexy basics it is, then. This cycle may or may not include more travel, and if that happens I’ll reframe as necessary. Nutrition My body seems to have been asking for less carbs for quite awhile, but my brain still has the ‘I’d be super happy to just eat rice & pasta with minimal toppings’ mindset, so I see at least a semi return to paleo in my future. This may take a Whole30 to kick brain back into what works for body, but I’ll start small while I work through some of the carbs in the pantry. General Guidelines: Up “safe” (non stabby) veggie content Continue on with my mixture of fake & real meats at home Don’t repurchase cooking oil; stick to my jars of fat + olive oil I can reliably find shiritaki & sometimes riced sweet potato for a substutity side Cut the extraneous breads at home Cut pasta at home unless it’s high fiber and/or protein Cut rice at home unless it’s fake Consider limiting white potatoes as well, in case my trigger switches back to that Keep chickpeas in my life in a limited capacity Keep soy products in my life - tofu and shiritaki are both fine Keep fake meats (at least the ones not including beans or legumes) in my life Chill with the peppers for a bit Keep my fake cheeses (at least the ones that don’t cause stabby stabby) Continue trying to reduce meal quantities if I need to Cut rice + extra helpings of naan with Indian nights No more appetizers with delivery Biryani limited to once every couple months - and only the best biryanis And I think that should do it. Not a terrible amount of restriction on top of the restrictions I already have in place to avoid GI issues - more of a reframing of my relationship to food back to when I chose foods because they were nutritious and delicious (also exciting) and not just empty quantity or a coating of a carb blanket in which to wrap myself. Potential difficulties will assuredly be had because I’m still in full pout mode about my brassicas. I miss my brassicas. Brassicas were the damn cornerstone of my diet when I ate paleo. All of them. With all meals. I’ll have to brainstorm non-brassica bulk veg for my bowl meal system since my loves are verboten unless I want stabby. We shall see what happens. Expect a lot of whining and rationalizing in future challenges. Physical Walking to and from yoga 4x a week + some time in the gym once a weekend while DH is home and can watch the pups + my usual Sunday mall walking. Not sure what I want to do in the gym, but an hour should do it. I’ll combo some deadlifts & lat pull downs (or the rowing machine) - maybe something else to hit biceps a bit - maybe some scorpions for lower back strength. Plus either the elliptical or treadmill inclines for a cardio hit. I’m thinking :30 weight cycles & :30 light cardio work. The Rest Dog enrichment is pretty strong with meals - I need to add some more training work in & break out that agility course again. I also want to go back to digital art creation - I’ve got a little pen pal, at least for the moment - so making physical art is also a good thing. Not sure what I want to do blog-wise, so I’m holding off on prescribing a goal here.

I am dropping the written year because I feel as though my priority needs to be the energy/fatigue. With energy, I will do my writing and painting. Without it, I won’t. I must see to the stability of the base of the pyramid before carving rampant phoenixes and curlicues upon the peak. Self realization and meaningful work rest upon the foundation stones of health and energy. My challenges will therefore be geared toward treating the fatigue seriously. From now on, all challenges will be focused on the four pillars of Healing Magic: diet, sleep, stress and movement. Given that many treatments and approaches are unproven, I need to start with a baseline of habits of whose wholesomeness I am already reasonably certain. Noviciate Healing Magic Potions 101: Avoid Poison The first lesson is simple: Do not take poison. Do not ingest alcohol, sugar, caffeine, or novel, heavily processed food mimics. Eat whole foods or lightly processed traditional foods from all food groups. Do not neglect leafy greens, fish, organ meat, or fermented foods. Do not consume honey in excess. See textbook for further details. This basic potions protocol should reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, stabilise blood sugar and energy, and provide a range of nutrients to support health. Further experimentation may be needed, however, to determine the ideal protocol for the individual. Also begin preparing for Potions 102: Fasting by gradually delaying and cutting down meals eaten on Sundays. For extra potions credit, begin learning the uses of common herbs and design two simple teas or infusions for relaxation and invigoration, and a turmeric brew for fasting. Defence Against the Dark Arts 101: Countering the Stress Hex To block the malignant stress hex, meditate for ten minutes daily in the morning hours. This practice has beneficial effects that are only beginning to be documented, but which may include reduction of inflammation and oxidative stress, and enhancement of immune function, cognition and mood. It also reduces the cognitive draining effect of all other activities, which is particularly important for those who are easily fatigued. All forms of meditation, mindfulness or prayer are acceptable. See textbook for base invocation to Hecate and an elemental alignment chant. In week 3, add a five minute practice in the evening. For extra defence credit, research two additional counters to the stress hex, such as massage and hydrotherapy, and determine how best to work them into the next module. Transfiguration 101: Ambulatory, Might, and Suppleness Spells A powerful form of healing magic, transfiguration can also be used to excess. Pair with adequate rest and stop in case of joint pain, unrelenting fatigue, misery, or high pitched keening noises. Walk daily in the morning for general healing effects and to absorb ambient nature magic. Perform short, low rep strength training in any configuration that involves 3 to 6 sets each per week, of the six main movement patterns (I trust there is no need to enumerate the magical benefits of strength work!) Engage in gentle stretching before sleep to promote calm and reduce any pain that could interrupt the somnolence enchantment. For extra transfiguration credit, visit the gymnasium (and research local virus status) to determine its suitability for transfiguration practice. Charms 101: The Somnolence Enchantment The somnolence enchantment is a powerful force for good health. There is scarcely any statistic that it does not buff, nor curse whose effects it does not ameliorate. But it has a lengthy casting time, requiring eight hours to complete. Prepare for sleep at 9pm and be in the casting circle by 9:30pm every night. Begin designing a preparation routine. Experiment to see what works. For extra charms credit, find smaller sized earplugs to block noise without hurting the ears.

Some housekeeping before the challenge: I changed my icon. I needed something new that reflects the music implied in my name. What better than a singing Pokemon? The pic is of my new PopSocket, as the old one broke after 3 years of service. It felt especially appropriate as this is my favorite workout shirt: Since I've been running consistently, I'm adding the scouts tag. Hi Scouts! I'm Mezzo, 30-something mom of 2 (Pumpkin 3yo and Sweet Pea 9mo) building a new life in a new town with my husband, Bard. Current Major Goal: Run a 5k in 30 minutes. I want to watch through my Ghibli collection. They are comforting and I feel drawn to revisit them as it’s been years since I’ve watched any of them. ❤️ Maybe I’ll post some musings as I go... THE CHALLENGE: Move! This is a maintenance goal, basically continuing from last challenge. Workout 3x/week (pursuing ‘real’ push ups/ first pull up) I'm taking Week 0 off due to a stab wound on my hand, but I'm going to do the NF Bodyweight workout, but increase the difficulty of the exercises as I go. I'm lazy and don't want to program anything too complicated. Maybe next challenge I'll mix it up. Run 3x/week (pursuing 30 minute 5k) Bard and I are running a 5k on August 7 and I’ll do another benchmark at the end of the challenge to compare my splits and overall time. 😊 Stretch This is the new part… I haven’t been very consistent about stretching for my workouts or my runs. 😅 So I’m folding that into my routine, warm up and cool down stretches. Clean! After working through the mountain of chores last challenge, I’m resolved to keep things from spiraling out of control. I tested some ideas last challenge and this is what I landed on: Daily load of dishes: Unload in the morning, load throughout the day, run in the evening. Daily load of laundry: Wash in the morning, dry at lunchtime, fold and put away afternoon/evening Bonus: I really want an outdoor drying line. I may convince Bard to help me install one! Vacuum/Sweep main level floors daily Technically these aren’t new since I’ve been trying to do them the last couple weeks, but I want to get them firmly ingrained as habit. So they are part of the challenge. (Look at me trying to convince y’all that I’m not over-extending myself this challenge! Is it working? 🙃 ) Reflect! This challenge I celebrate my one year NF anniversary and my birthday. I’m in a reflective mood. I feel less like I’m drowning and want to start putting some energy into reflecting on my journey so far and how to move forward more intentionally. Be more deliberate in planning my life instead of letting it happen to me. I don't know what that looks like yet, but hopefully this challenge will help me figure it out. I'm going to reassess my Epic Quest. Bullet Journal AM and PM habit. I already use my journal sporadically throughout the day, but again I want to ingrain the habit. The journal is open at breakfast and I list out my day while drinking my coffee and then again after kiddos are in bed as I strike things off and record memories and do some reflecting. Or sketching. Or something that isn't endless scrolling on my phone. BONUS: Eat! I’m not committing to anything specific here. It’s more of a support challenge for Bard. He wants to cut carbs in August. I’m not interested in dieting with him but I do want to be supportive and am willing to try different recipes. To be honest, we’re in a food rut so shaking things up isn’t a terrible idea. Sweet Pea will eat anything I offer her, and Pumpkin is not great with change of any kind but he will try things if given proper space and gentle encouragement. We’re talked about smaller, more frequent grocery trips for fresh produce and less food waste. Meal planning and prepping Keeping track of what’s in the fridge via whiteboard, again to prevent throwing out food. Researching eco products, reusable wraps and silicone bags and such. It's a whole challenge in itself really. Which is why I'm not committing to it. We're just talking about it and maybe we'll do some beta testing. (I also really wanted to include the gif. 😊 Food always looks amazing in Ghibli movies) That's enough, right? Happy chellenge-ing my friends!