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... 'Cause the holidays are here. Wraps? Get it? It's a PUN Y'ALL i know shaar give it a rest ANYWAY For the final challenge of 2023 (that's only 4 weeks instead of 5) I'm going to continue setting some ground rules and foundations for what I want to start achieving next year. I feel I'm finally at a point in my life where I can actually start striving for more again and start challenging myself, something I haven't felt in a LONG time, and I'm excited to get on that train and have some BIG ASS PLANS. But first I really need to make sure my groundwork is set for success. This challenge will consist of two things: THING THE FIRST Continue to get intentional movement days under my belt each week. Last challenge was 4 days, but this challenge I'm going to up it to 5. I know I have the resources and time to implement this habit now, the biggest one being getting out of my own way and just DOING it. No more of this it's too cold out bullshit, or I feel lazy bullshit - I have a whole ass gym two floors below me (it's in my basement) and, remember shaar, intentional movement can be as easy as (and as IMPORTANT as) yoga and mobility. I'm aiming for a nice mix between boxing and lifting with an active rest day or two of walking and mobility work. I will continue to grow my discipline with myself and not shortchange future shaar by doing this EVERY WEEK. THING THE SECOND Living a mostly sober lifestyle has been AMAZINGGGGG for me. Granted I feel I'm at a point in my life where the timing is very right to make this decision, but the impacts of better sleep, less brain fog, and less inflammation and overall achiness have been huge immediate benefits. But! I still enjoy drinking every once in a while when it is planned and moderated right, and I feel last challenge helped me learn that and help realize and implement it. Since the holidays are here, I am allowing myself three drink tickets over the course of this challenge! That's three nights of drinking, whether it be out for an event, socially, or at home snuggled up and playing whatever dumb game I've discovered lately that brings me joy. (currently: the talos principle, because it makes me feel like a genius - so far) .... wait nevermind this challenge will consist of THREE THINGS. Eheheheh THING THE THIRD this is the wrapping up part right here Each week I will post a master list of things I am going to work to get done before the end of the year. This can be anything from practical things like finish cleaning out my pants drawer, or reorganizing the pantry, or framing and putting up the art I've bought, to little fun things like trying the greek place downtown for lunch I've never been to, or taking a walk on a snowy day and getting some pictures of holiday lights. I really want to get a lot of these lingering tasks done and dusted before the new year so I can put that focus 100% on me and my goals, so I figured I'd combine the "must dos" with some fun "want to dos" to make it a little more fun. Zero week counts for me! So I'll post a mini list tomorrow. OK! That's my little old challenge to end out this year! Aaaaaaa HYPE TIME YEAH LET'S GET ITTTTTTT

Wowie wow wow last challenge of the year AND my 50th - yike I’ve been here for a hot minute, huh? This challenge when completed, will be number 50 for me. And that’s just the ones I’ve successfully finished, not counting the pile of half-assed incomplete challenges where I’ve fallen into a void hole or something. LEVEL 50 IS PRETTY BIG! As always I’m so grateful for this community - for all of YOU - for always being here and being so supportive. Nerd Fitness has really seen me shoulder some of the hardest times of my life and somehow come out screaming on the other side, and I credit a lot of that to the support I’ve found here and the fitness and wellness that’s been a big help in keeping my head on straight. If I can repay even a little bit of that it’ll be my absolute delight. So, THANK YOU for helping me get here! I've also taken a big liberty and edited my ENTIRE opening post - thanks to Rangerbrain and everyone's DND characters popping up of late, I finally decided to sit down and not only write a character sheet for Shaar, but to retool my goals just a smidge to align with her classes. I've written for Shaar LOTS in the past, so it was an easy transition into an actual character format. And while I've written MANY character sheets in the past for my own creations, anything DND-related is so out of my wheelhouse, so this is all a bit of my own liberties (and my own fandoms) here. :3 Without further adieu... » Shaar kom Starkru bardic time-mage; of the furious heart, traveler 'twixt the stars Race: Human l'Cie Alignment: Chaotic Good Stats: STR 5 | STA 4 | WIS 7 | CHA 9 | CON 6 | DEX 3 Appearance: Shaar is short of stature, clocking in at a huge 5'3", but don't let that fool you; you know what they say about little dogs having the loudest bark? Yeah, that generally applies here. Long dark hair is often pulled into a high ponytail, various small braids woven into bits of it, adorned in kind with an assortment of small feathers and beads at their tie-offs. Jaw-length bangs frame a pale face that nine out of ten times is harboring at least a ghost of a smile, if not on her lips then lingering in forest green eyes. She is generally clad in dark colors as per her preference; layers of fur and leathers that seem comfortable and well-worn enwrap her small form, a pair of charcoal over the knee boots topped off by a light hooded cloak draped across her shoulders, fur-lined and dotted with various bone pieces and feathers along its hem. Despite her egregious nature she prefers to dress diminutively, save for a few special notations - her right wrist bears a gauntlet of sorts, a distinct covering of delicate bones settled in a single layer atop her forearm, all fitting together a bit too neatly - a single ring rests comfortable on her right ring finger, a set of pewter-cast swallow claws clutching a bezeled moonstone - and an intricately stitched leather belt slung low across her hips, housing more than a few sheathed short knives, and a small pouch containing... who knows what. Personality: Charismatic to a fault, there is a reason Shaar is a bard first and anything else second. She is a textbook extrovert and 9 out of 10 times will be not only ready, but thrilled to strike up a conversation with anyone, anytime, about anything at all. A patron acolyte of The Fury, Shaar is also a very steadfast and tenacious individual and can be very forceful in her ideals and beliefs, or defending those she cares about or shows loyalty to. She is always very off the cuff, joking and casual in most any situation - if you witness her get steely and serious, you know shit's hit the fan. She's got a temper and often swears like a sailor, but for the most part her heart is in the right place and she tends to funnel her wild exuberance into mostly non-reckless behavior. Talents: bard; There are many darkened taverns, in far-flung areas of the world, where legends exist of a small girl effectively shit-talking alpha thugs to the point of rendering them speechless. This is the legacy of Shaar - not only demeaning bullies and adversaries into a pile of mush with her continuous string of curse words and putdowns, but also flipping that skill completely around to support and enliven her friends at the drop of a hat. Nothing brings Shaar more joy than being able to bring laughter to a friend or ally in their darkest hour - well, aside from trash talking criminals, naturally. time-mage; A traveler and shepherd of the stars, not by choice, but by nothing more than circumstance and necessity, Shaar has the ability to hold the fates in the palm of her hand. Existing in multitudes across worlds, the burdens she has shouldered and overcome have opened the doors of locked away and arcane abilities, allowing her a myriad of resources to not only entrap and hinder her adversaries, but to benefit herself and her allies on the field of battle as well.. l'Cie; Shaar is a l'Cie - a human chosen by agents of the world's gods as servants to fulfill a focus or greater task. She knows very little of her racial upbringing, save that she is a patron of The Fury and that she harbors quietly long-lost attributes of the time mage, a sect of people little known to her world. CHALLENGE GOALS Bard [ "Cool story, bro~" ] A bard always has stories - I want to be more present on the forums. I know this is HARD for me because I'm always going 500 miles an hour but I want to work to share more with you all over this challenge; more updates, more wild stories from my life (because I have a LOT), more interaction with you, my friends! [ Provoking Cantrip ] Keep fitnessing, twice a week at the VERY least. Treadmill, lifting, see how your elderly-ass skeleton is feeling that day! And do it. Simple as can be. Time Mage [ Cosmic Deceleration ] My life is a textbook example of “man makes plans and the gods laugh” BUT, I’d like to sit down and hang some goals for 2021 that I’d like to strive for. I have a few ideas rolling around in my head already and a lot going on (AS USUAL) but it’d do me good to solidify that shit so I can hit the ground running - as always. It's time to look ahead and plot my course. [ Stellar Interconnection ] Y’all I feel OLD lately. My knees hurt. My shoulder gets in the way of *gestures vaguely at life*. My back feels like an old-ass oak tree. I know I can do better at this because I have in the past and duuuuh I also own a fair amount of GMB Elements. I know better in that everything in my body is connected and I need to set myself up for a good 20-30 minutes of stretching and mobility twice a week. Foam rolling, tennis ball on wall, downward dog, ANYTHING that gets my elderly-ass skeleton moving more than sitting at my desk all day. OK friends, that's all I've got! Let's finish this year out HOT and then show 2021 what we've got!! (Hey, it's almost like I'm a real bard, you know, the rhymes..... ehehe~ )

Hello everyone, and thank you for clicking on my thread! I find it hard to believe that I'm on my third challenge already, time really does fly. My last challenge started out well but I really fell off the wagon towards the end, and I want to do better this time around. During the last two months of summer my daily and weekly schedule would change all the time, and the inconsistensy of it made it hard for me to keep up a workout routine. Last week my studies started again, and after a whole week of being back at campus every day and still not taking time to work out, I'm tired of my sloppiness. I want to get back into a routine, get myself moving again and hopefully begin to feel better about myself. QUEST 1: Habit builder There are many small things I want to get into the habit of doing, that all will help improve the quality of life somehow. 1. Floss. I want to take care of my teeth so that they will last my whole life with a minimum of dental work. Flossing is too easy to forget or neglect, so it's time to do something about that. I will start small and work my way up. Week 1&2 - floss once a week Week 3&4 - floss twice a week Week 5&6 - floss three times a week 2. Wrist work. My wrists are quite weak and can sometimes start hurting when I'm doing pushups, handstand work or dips. Best case scenario they recover immediately (this is the usual case), but worst case is that they stay sore for several days, and during that time I can't put any extra strain on them. I have talked to a doctor, and she gave me a list of exercises I can do to strenghten the muscles in my wrists. Week 1 - do 10 reps of each exercise once a day Week 2 - do 12 reps of each exercise once a day Week 3 - do 12 reps of each exercise twice a day Week 4 - do 15 reps of each exercise twice a day Week 5 - do 15 reps of each exercise three times a day Week 6 - do 20 reps of each exercise three times a day 3. Skin care. Even though I don't wear makeup every day, I want to wash my face every night to get rid of the sweat and dirt that has gathered during the day. A clean face means less clogged pores and less zits to worry about. REWARDS: +2 CHA +2 WIS QUEST 2: Fitness I want and need to start working out regularly again. Strength training and my dance squad practises are a must, but I also desperately want to enjoy running. I completed a 10k race two weeks ago and I'd like to get better at running that distance. Getting out on the run is usually the hardest step, so I recently purchased Zombies, run! in the hope that the missions there will get my gaming mind hooked and make the getting out-process easier. My schedule will look something like this: Monday - strength training Tuesday - dance practise (+ running) Wednesday - strength training Thursday - running Friday - strength training Saturday/Sunday(whichever fits better that current weekend) - running Fortunately I have quite few classes this fall, but I suspect the workload on at least two of them will be quite heavy. Therefore I need to try getting my workout done before I start any schoolwork. I know myself well enough to know that if I leave the workout for last I will have spent all my energy doing everything else, and no workout will be done. In other words, bring on the morning workouts! REWARDS: +2 STA +2 STR +2 CON QUEST 3: Music I started taking piano lessons when I was five and stopped when I was sixteen, and by now my skills are way below the level I had when I stopped playing. Since I stopped taking lessons I've played occasionally, but I want to get into it again. I used to be able to play so many beautiful pieces almost perfectly, and I really, really want to be able to do that again. To accomplish this, I will spend at least 15 minutes playing anything I feel like on my keyboard every other day. I have lots of sheet music and my sister has more, so there should be no shortage. REWARDS: +2 WIS +1 DEX The Heart Asks Pleasure First was one of my favourites to play. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dPS-EHl-FE LIFE QUEST: So you think you can plan Fun fact: I love calendars. I love writing down at what time everything should be done, and I love having a schedule to follow. Logically it then follows that I'm good at getting stuff done too, right? Well...the problem is I get distracted. By a video, an interesting discussion nearby, an instant message, these forums, you name it. I also think I sometimes don't realise how much time I spend trying to do something, but it amounts to nothing because the actual working time is maybe 10% of the total time I've spent doing it. So, I want to try a kind of reverse planning: I write down what I spend my time on so that I afterwards can see how I really spent my day. Yes, this means writing down "spent 10 minutes checking Facebook" when I do that. Yes, I totally stole this idea from Batwoman's challenge. It was too good not to take. I hope this also will give a better idea of how much time I need to reserve for the important things like schoolstuff, and how much I can spend on fun activities like visiting my parents or fangirling on tumblr. Then I will also know if I have the time to help out in the student restaurant when they ask me for help or not. REWARDS: +1 CHA +1 STA

Throughout this next year (from now to possibly October next year), my overall goal will be this: Graduate, and do it right. Do well academically, push things physically, and keep things afloat mentally. Here’s the thing, I had a scare last week. It lasted all week. I found myself on that tiny little ledge of awkwardness between having failed too much and having not failed enough. I couldn’t go back and repeat third year, and I couldn’t go forward and do fourth year. That left the option of suspending studies, and that meant all hell would break lose. For the past week I lived with barely any money to buy food, the threat of eviction hanging over my head, and the knowledge that I may not be able to graduate at all. I was terrified. And yesterday, it got fixed. Just like that. A lot of academic red tape got cut through, people started communicating, and PK, my amazing personal tutor, ploughed through everything in order to make sure I had all the information and all of the options open to me. He fixed it, and I am so very grateful for it. I’m still not sure it’s sunk in yet. Thing is, it’s boosted my motivation for just about everything right now, and I’m going to take advantage of that to get myself back on track in the major aspects of my life. At first I wasn’t so sure how to do that, and then, after visiting the Assassin’s Den thread and declaring the penguin as my spirit animal, I thought “Hey, why not penguins?†And thus this challenge was born. It’s a very basic habit-building based challenge, but it’s what I need right now. The crazy stuff starts next time... Goal One: Pick yourself back up again I’ve gone downhill in my physical fitness. I’ve let habits slip into non-existence. Sure, the physio held up pretty well, but that was about it. So this is the bit where I commit doing at least this small handful of things per week: Biking to uni Short night walks before bed Stretching daily Bodyweight workouts and yoga at least three times a week One ‘exploration’ day per week Specific details will pop up in my battle log at some point soon. Not quite sure how I’m going to grade this one, we’ll see how it goes. +2 STR/+2 STA Goal Two: Food, glorious food Now that I have the money, it’s time to start buying the right stuff again. My fridge should be bursting with greenery and meat (though not green meat…) and all sorts of nutritious goodness. I should be cooking my meals, making smoothies, planning ahead for those inevitable days spent cooped up in the uni library. My cold turkey happened when I was broke, so now I have to make it stick. No processed food, no crap, no takeaways, nothing like that. I suppose the exception would be if it was a special occasion, but that can only happen very rarely. So, for this goal: First and foremost, hydration is key. Coffee does not count as hydration. Veg. Three portions a day. Every day. Fruit. Make an effort to hunt down some fruit. Two portions a day. Pasta = Once a week only, this includes noodles. More fish needed, three portions a week No alcohol unless it’s Friday or Saturday or a special occasion I think that covers all of my current problem areas. If any prove too difficult or too easy, they’ll be adjusted as things move along. I reckon it might be easiest to tally things up, give myself a grade at the end of each week, and average them out for the final result. +2 WIS/+3 CON Goal Three: Sleepy This one is simple. Up at 7am on uni days. Up at 8am other days. Bed by 11pm uni days. Bed by midnight other days. If out drinking, find a bed to sleep in, not the floor. Now, this is going to have to be gradual. I don’t have much choice but to get up at 7am on uni days, but for days off I’m going to start at 8:45am. Second and third week it’ll be 8:30am. Fourth and fifth week 8:15, and final week 8am. +1 WIS/+1 CON/+1 CHA Goal Four: Academia This semester I have three modules: Inclusive adventure, critical aspects of adventure, and dissertation sessions. I also have to power through a lot of groundwork for my research project. As of right now I have next to no idea what’s going on in IA and CAoA, but what I do know is that the other two will be along the same lines, revolving around environmental and adventure therapy impacting on mental health issues. So I have to work. A lot. I want to establish a habit of working for at least three hours a day for five days a week by midway through this challenge. The other two days will be an hour and a half. I’m hoping that by that point I’ll have more knowledge about what I’m doing, and will be able to adjust my end of challenge targets accordingly. +2 WIS/+1 CHA So there you have it. It might be an underwhelming comeback, but hey, gotta start somewhere (again!). I have plenty of ideas for next time around, but none of them will actually work out if I fail to establish healthy habits now. Can’t keep winging it forever…

Ahoy ye mateys! Omg he has a little hat! The names Rookie and I am finding myself back at the Adventurers door step I hope you will have me back! Last challenge I joined the Scouts to help me focus on my upcoming 5k Color Run (July 26). During that challenge I focused on doing my C25K, eating clean without counting calories and doing exercises/stretches to help with my horseback riding. During that challenge another challenge popped up between my future SIL, Mum and my friend... If I lose 55lbs by August 2015.. I get a free trip to Positano, Italy! So my focus is back on losing those pounds and getting a killer bod. Main Quest: Get to (and maintain) 190lbs by August 2015. Sub Quests: Do BWW twice a week (probably Thursdays and Saturdays) BBWW reference A: 2 workouts B: 1 workouts F: 0 workouts Journal my food daily (1 optional day a week) A: 6-7 days journalled B: 4-5 days journalled C: 2-3 days journalled D: 1 day journalled F: 0 days journalled ..... NOT SURE YET D: for my third one. -paranoid this thing will get deleted- Thinking something to help upper body strength. I suck at that but that could get covered in my BWW. Life Quest: Readddd more I miss reading and I have a lot of books. I would like to read some and then donate the ones I don't want to keep. Starting Stats: (I will update this closer to the challenge start date) Height: 5'10 Weight: 241.4 lbs Fat %: 41.1 Water %: 37.6 Muscle %: 34.1 Bone: 4.2lbs Motivation: To be more athletic for horseback riding I'm a bridesmaid at my brothers wedding August 2015 Positano Weightloss Challenge August 2015 (if I get down to 190lbs by then.. .FREE TRIP) Rookie my puppup He has too much energy. I really need to invent something to siphon it from him. Yup. Dat face!

The past two challenges I've been with the Rangers but for this challenge I wanted to take a step back and join the Adventurers again. I've found over those two challenges that while I was exercising and eating ok, there were far too many cheat days. I need to start back near the beginning and work on getting that consistency. Make exercising and eating healthy the norm. My holiday starts the beginning of week 2 but I'm determined to keep this up while on holiday. Main Quest To be stronger, faster and happier! (Same as always) 1. Fitness a. Exercise 3 times a week. b. Hard Hat challenge - Planking 30 day challenge I'm not consistent with my workouts, I start out well but then one minor slip and I loose the routine. I will be doing the BodyWeight Level 2 from the academy. I also want to improve on my core so am doing the 30 day plank challenge as well. Will do this as soon as I wake up. 2. Diet a. Hard Hat Challenge - No Coke/Pepsi b. Food Log Drinking coke/pepsi is something I have struggled with for months. I managed, about Feb time, to complete 30 days of No Coke. I want to match that and even exceed it. I got a lot better last challenge in making the better choice but about midway through I struggled and fell several times because my parents brought cans for the fridge. I've talked to my parents and they will no longer buy coke for the house. There's only one bottle which is for when my sister visits. It is so much easier when the temptation is not there. I've started my food log this week and I'm finding it quite interesting. I didn't realise I ate so much bread or chocolate/ice cream (dessert like things). I am going to keep doing this and in week 2 reduce intake of one food and then again in week 4. 3. Life a. Chores everyday b. Driving at 3 times a week. Now I am back living at home with my family I want to help out more around the house. That means making sure certain chores are done everyday - e.g dishwasher emptied, dinner tided up, hoovering, washing...things like that. I don't like driving. But it is essential. I need to make sure my driving skills are kept up. That's means taking the car out 3 times a week - even if it is just to the shops in the next town over. (The only weeks this won't be possible is the first and last in august as I'm on holiday and the last week my sister will have the car) Anyway that's my challenge: I'll actually be starting on Monday as I have a job interview tomorrow (Yes!) and then moving all my stuff down from Newcastle to Bristol over the weekend. My uni life will be officially over

I'm going into my last two weeks as a college athlete. It's exciting but also a bit sad because I had a lot of fun fencing for my college the past few years. My goals this challenge will reflect grinding out the last two weeks of competition, then finding a way to wind down from the season and recover from the effects of training hard. I'll also be focusing on eating healthier (because I've honestly sucked at that lately) and adapting to a new, self-motivated routine. Main Goal: Build a routine 1) Eating - Create a daily/weekly meal plan. It's okay if I eat out but I want to track that I'm getting enough protein and produce and cut down on the grains. I know on the average day (especially off-days and competition days) I'm not eating enough to sustain the amount I'm training. +2 CON, +2 CHA, +1 WIS 2) Walking - I have a fitbit, which I have been ignoring lately. Want to average at least 10K steps daily, with the goal of increasing to 15K steps at least 5 days a week. Walking is awesome and good for you, and hopefully the weather will transition to being warmer which will make walks even better. +2 STA, +3 CHA 3) Work-Outs - Need to do some thinking on this. I need something active to begin after season ends, but I also should take some time to recover. Most of the workouts will likely focus on general fitness maintenance and a lot of stretching. So maybe yoga, swimming, etc. +2 DEX, +2 STR, +1 STA

Several months ago, I made the decision to set off for my first adventure. Well, apparently I wasn't ready to leave the comforts of my life of peasantry. I became disheartened with my lack of visible progress and gave up on myself and headed back to the tavern. Since that failed adventure, I began attending classes at my local Kaia F.I.T. I just finished my first CORE session, during which I have made progress on my strength and endurance. I began going on weekly nature hikes with my family. I still can't "see" a difference, but every day I feel stronger, faster, and more flexible. It has given me the confidence to move forward. I WILL become my own superhero. Although for the purposes of this quest I am going to record my visible stats, I refuse to let those numbers be an indication of my self-worth. Instead I will also be performing a "fit" test at the beginning, middle and end of the challenge to gauge my growth. Taraniztika, the Peasant (starting point) Visible Stats Height: 5' 10" Weight: 182.4 lbs Bust: 41.5" Waist: 36.75" Hips: 43.5" Arms: L 12" / R 12" Thighs: L 22.25" / R 22.25" Fit Stats Plank Hold (time before failure): 0:57 Push-Ups (# before failure): 10 Forward Bend (fingertips to floor): 9" The Main Quest: Preparing for the Adventure of a Lifetime I must prepare my mind and body for a life of adventuring as a Ranger. The main purpose of this quest is to develop healthy fitness and nutrition habits that will eventually turn into lifestyle changes. (re)Starting the Fire Before I can move onto trail running and long distance hikes, I must be able to build my endurance. By the end of the challenge, my goal is to be able to run 1 mile without stopping. To accomplish this, I will workout three time per week, following the 4 weeks to 1 mile program on the Personal Running Trainer app. Each run will be followed by 10 minutes of stretching. In order to build a solid foundation, I will repeat workouts when necessary. Accountability: A - Meet requirement for 'B' and be able to run 1 mile without stopping B - Complete ALL scheduled runs (18 total) C - Complete 14-17 runs D - Complete 10-13 runs F - Complete 21 Days My blog is up! You can find it here. I. WILL. SUCCEED. The last time I tried my hand at a challenge, I failed because my sights were set on the wrong target. I was so focused on the lack of change in my outward appearance that I quit before I could make lasting progress on my inner strength. I will not do that this time. I will succeed in making changes to my lifestyle so that I can be the best me that I can be. I tell my girls that it's what they do that makes them awesome, not how they look. It's about time I take my own damn advice.

Hello all. I discovered Nerd Fitness late last spring and it's been a great step forward in my weight loss and health improvement endeavors. I started working with the body weight brigade regime over the summer and made the move from low carb to predominately paleo in the fall. My biggest problem is getting a regular routine going so that I'm able to maintain new habits even when my schedule gets hectic. I'm a grad student and I tend to have a few months of relapse at the end of each semester. I've been getting back into the swing of things since late December and I really want to work on making exercise, cooking, and writing a more permanent part of my daily life rather than an afterthought that hits me at 11pm. I'm finally at a place in my life that I have a bit more control over how I schedule my days and I really want to take advantage of that and get my haphazard life in line. CavalryCalhoone Level 1 Ranger Str 2 Dex 1 Sta 2 Con 2 Wis 4 Char 4 Challenge Goals 1.) Finish a body weight brigade workout 3x a week (Sta 2, Str 3, Dex 1) 2.) Eat 80% paleo (still occasionally consuming greek yogurt, hummus, cheese, soy milk or wine) 6 days a week (Con 3) 3.) Cook at least 3 meals a week myself ( Wis 1, Con 2) 4.) Write at least 400 words a week for journal or fiction (Wis 3)