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So I have a confession. After my initial enthusiasm on joining the Nerd Fitness forums and the success of my first two challenges, my zeal for exercise has dimmed a bit. That is to say, a lot. That is to say, I haven't really done any non-incidental exercise for...two months now. Shameful, I know. I was doing so well...running barefoot for 20 minutes, doing pistol squats and cranking out 8 consecutive pull-ups. And now...I barely managed four rather sloppy pull ups the other day and I can't even remember what it feels like to RUN, let alone run barefoot! I have decided, however, that it's time to get off my lazy gluteus maximus and change my ways! I don't want to discourage myself by trying to jump right back to where I was two months ago, however, so I have a plan that should help me to ease back in. Main quest: To make exercise a natural, joyful part of life. Right now I'm working on habit-building to that end. My goals for this six-week challenge are very simple: 1. Work out three times a week. I'm not counting my Monday night partner dancing class, because I have been doing that anyway, but other than that I plan to be fairly flexible with myself - the aim is just to get myself moving again regularly. But my tentative plan is to go for a short run once a week (it's okay to intersperse running with walking at first if I need to) and to do a simple body-weight circuit twice a week. I will detail what I plan to include in that circuit below. 8 reps each of: "Push" - push-ups "Pull" - bent-over dumbbell rows with my new 5kg dumbbells OR inverted rows OR pull-ups (hopefully, by the end of the challenge at least!) "Legs" - bodyweight squats holding my two 5kg dumbbells OR assisted pistol squats OR unassisted pistol squats holding one dumbbell for counter-weight (hopefully, by the end of the challenge) Then hold a plank for 30 seconds (initially - I'm planning to increase the time) Repeat three times. 2. No soft drink (or fizzy drink, or soda, or whatever you call it where you come from!) I felt it was time for a diet-related goal since I haven't done one in my last two challenges, if only because I want to increase my CON stat points! This shouldn't be too difficult, as I only drink one, maybe two per week at the moment. I will allow myself to drink soft drink at my birthday party which is on the 29th of March, but other than that I'll stick to drinking water, milk, orange juice, tea etc. I don't really care about the sugar in soft drinks as I am a perfectly healthy weight for my height (maybe even a little on the light side), but steering clear of carbonated drinks is a good idea if you plan on avoiding osteoporosis in your older age, which I do! 3. Life goal - Do at least fifteen minutes of study every week day (Monday to Friday). This goal may make it seem as if I have ridiculously low expectations of myself, but honestly, I would be chuffed if I could make daily study a habit, even in such tiny doses. I always come home tired and grumpy from the hospital and feel like it's not worth opening a textbook because I don't have enough time to do any serious study, and in any case, I want to go to bed early tonight/watch tele with my family/waste time on the internet instead! The end result of this is that I'm always trying to get my study done on the weekends (which are inevitably busy anyway). Fifteen minutes is manageable. If I have time to brush my teeth and wash my face before bed, I have time to study for fifteen minutes. I will be setting a timer, Flylady-style for this goal (in fact, that's where I got the idea - her philosophy that you can do anything for fifteen minutes!) Grading will be as follows: Goal 1: Work out 3x per week = A = STR 3, STA 2 Work out 2x per week = B Less than that = F Goal 2: Drink soft drink at my 21st and ONE other time = A = CON 5 Drink soft drink 3 or 4 times during the challenge = B Drink soft drink 5 or 6 times during the challenge = C More than that = F Goal 3: Study five days a week = A = WIS 5 Study four days week = B Less than that = F Wish me luck! Suguru