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Hey there, I'm trying to create a new device for night-time runners. Trying to get a grasp of what runners want! It would help alot if you could do this quick-survey for me! Thank you so much (its a google doc so no virus!) Also if there is anyway to make my survey better please let me know! http://goo.gl/forms/KxhtnlDPFol7skT33

Just a little shout out to the Assassin's guild. Thanks to the encouragement they have provided me over the last 18 months, I have dropped a whopping 108 lbs!!!!!! Current Weight is 200 even. Still going strong but had to give a shout out. I m sure people will as how this was done so here is the short version: 1. water intake increased by approx. 30% 2. small portions with multiple meals over the day/night 3. body weight exercises such as planks, pushups, etc. 4. plenty of patience while waiting for results. Was about 2 months before i saw noticeable change that's it. simple,

Quick place holder for zero week. Preview: Suburi will be maintained, and if the weather cooperates, may involve naginata suburi outside, so I can actually swing a blade without knocking things off shelves, knocking over fireplace tools, or putting holes in the ceiling. Measurements will be taken. They may even be recorded. Metrics baby, yeah. Travel plans...they are a happenin' Weight will be lessened. Pratchett will be quoted. Also - hell dropped a couple of degrees - I actually went for a walk today.

New Challenge! HUZZAH! I'm breaking it down into a transition program: I'm 20 pounds from my first weight oriented goal, and I haven't decided what I want to do when I get there yet... SO, this challenge will focus on maintaining the good lifestyle changes I've made, while the next challenge will address what I actually decide to do! 1: Ranging. I will walk/jog/hike for an hour at least 6 days a week, with extra credit for a 7th day. The walks have been really good for keeping my head clear, and that's helping me keep the nutritive goals steady! This works out to 25 miles per week, which also helps me stay on track for 100 miles per month, something I've been able to do each month of 2016 so far! 2: Foraging. Continue to maintain daily tracking on My Fitness Pal (citizenkade23 if you wanna be pals!). I am aiming for a daily caloric deficit, and I'm down almost 60 pounds since I got started. The other key component is following the Nutritarian lifestyle, so no processed foods. THIS HAS BEEN A LIFE CHANGER. 3: Fortification. I will work out with a series of body weight exercises at least 3 days a week. This is my least favorite part, but I have been able to drop body fat and build some decent tone, and I know that this is the only way to keep the weight loss healthy. 4: Communion. I need to work on my hobbies, since I enjoy them, right?

I'm all alone again. No instructors. For the past semester I had been working out at this awesome gym with this great PE instructor and for once I was getting results! It was expensive as fuck, but I have never been so strong, safe & pain-free. But a new semester arises and things changed a lot. I'm really, really broke, like, really broke. (For a change, huh?!) I gave up working to finish Law school (this is my last year and I have a shitload of things to attend to so I can get my degree). I have to pass the "bar" (local license examination) and turn in my senior thesis. Also, I'm preparing for a very competitive public post (attorney for the State). On top of that, I thought it'd be a good idea to take up German too. (May I just say... NERD!) So there you are. I have no time to go to the gym and very little money to find solutions with. Thankfully, there's a gym in my condo, fairly well equiped, the only two major things I feel are missing are safety bars on the squat rack, which have served me more than once, and a bar where I could hang from for pullups and stuff. And the PE instructor of course. (I miss him so much...) With losing my instructor and my gym routine, I have just kinda let things... slide... and I'm currently some six weeks without regular exercise (I have randomly hit the condo gym, no routine tho). I'm going fucking crazy. As in crazy crazy. Craze ass bitch. Touring crazy town. Looney tunes. Bananas. Just last Saturday I had a panic attack sitting in my living room alone trying to watch a movie. I feel depressed and anxious and losing control of shit. I feel like crying and lose my appetite. I have intrusive thoughts and can't focus on work. Working out's my goddam zoloft and I know that. Have known it for some time. Overcame fucking addiction with it. Yet I let it slide. Shouldn't have let it slide. So goddam hard to do it by yourself. So I came back to NFR, maybe the community can help me keep the routine going. We shall see how it goes.

Now with 1000 Elephants!!! err....cuts with the sword.... Read your Pratchett. Following hot on the heels of the last challenge.... is the last challenge. I'm keeping the same primary goals, to whit: It does you good to get out in the fresh air... "We have swept well. Let's go to the gardens, for is it not written, 'It does you good to get out in the fresh air'?" First assignment - get outside. I have a yard to putter in and clean up during spring, an old, old maple I need to get some more mulch under (probably another 4 yards, if I actually want to get to the drip line), a park with trails under trees nearby, and well, it's Seattle- there's green space everywhere. +1 for a walk +5 for general outdoor activity (cleaning up the yard, tending to some of the beds around the house, etc). +10 (or more) for any possible big work - like mulching out to the dripline (that might be in the next challenge). Minimum to pass - +20. Practice, for out in the world "We'll slice our way there," said Lu-Tze, and he stopped and turned. "You think you can do that?" "I've done it hundreds of times--" Lobsang began. "Back in Oi Dong, yes," said Lu-Tze. "But there's all kinds of checks and safeguards in the valley. Oh, didn't you know that? Slicing in Oi Dong is easy, lad. It's different out here. The air tries to get in the way, Do it wrong and the air is like a rock...." Second assigment - Kata and Suburi. This takes on some special meaning to me now. I'll detail it more throughout the challenge, but essentially I'm receiving a teaching license in my martial art. My training brother and I have been tasked with setting up the date and event, etc (we're both receiving license), I've got a lot of thoughts going on behind this one. In the dojo, with the familiar faces and small number of students we have, things are somewhat easy. We know each others' faults and strengths. It's helped learn how to 'see' as a teacher, but there's still so much to learn. While it's not part of this challenge, a larger quest in this year will be establishing my own school, and navigating all that entails, and being ready for the real world of students I'm not familiar with. So - Suburi (cuts only) - +1 per session. Bonus point for naginata suburi, which will have to be outside. Kata or waza practice - +1 per class or session at home. (certain techniques with the naginata can be done with a bo or don't go overhead, so can be done inside on rainy days). "Her house! So amazing! A palace! New sheets every other week! And cook? Just to taste her Beans Baked Upon the Toast a man would give up a cycle of the universe!" (Lu-Tze, expounding upon the Way of Mrs. Cosmopilite) Third assignment - practice the Way of Mrs. Cosmopilite. It's spring cleaning time folks. Closets to empty, porches to clean, bokken to sand an oil, and all that jazz. There are a lot of little projects to get done, and a few big ones, and it will help keep me from too much couch time. +5 for project. Also - cook often and healthy. I'm not a bad cook. Not amazing, but I enjoy what I make. Need to just keep check on this habit. More veggies, fewer leftovers, and using them up when there are. "Ook." Fourth assignment... Not sure yet. Place holder if I think of something else. Options include kettlebell fun, meditation, and duolingo (Spanish), or possibly something dance related. Then again, I may just play with any or all of those. Ook is a very useful language. Unless otherwise specified, +1 for a useful activity (fun things included). I will just be using points for tracking, and may award bonus points as I see fit.

Hello fellow nerds! I'm going to India this summer for about 3 weeks. The first week I have free for my own travel, the second 2 weeks I will be chaperoning a group of college students as they learn about global poverty and social innovation in Mumbai. I really want to go to Delhi and see the Golden Triangle sites - particularly the Taj Mahal, the Gandhi historical sites, and the Red Fort. Do any of y'all have advice/insight on: 1) travel arrangements for a single woman (I'm planning to book into a travel group so if you have suggestions that would be rad) 2) sites NOT to miss that wouldn't be on the beaten path 3) footwear/clothing for monsoon season (I lived in Cambodia for a summer, so I know somewhat but India's monsoons are a bit more torrential than Camodia's - also, I could reasonably live in my chacos for the whole trip or do I need close-toed shoes?) 4) Food advice? Being a total gringo, anything you'd recommend or avoid? I figure the collective wisdom of nerd-kind is as good a place to start as any travel book. Thanks!!

of the questions of these recurring, Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill'd with the foolish, Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew'd, Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me, Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me intertwined, The question, O me! so sad, recurring -- What good amid these, O me, O life?Answer. That you are here -- that life exists and identity, That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse. The first thing I thought when I first came here was, "What if I drown amidst this gargantuan forum?". So many posts and threads bombarded my sight, it feels daunting to even start lurking here. Then this poem popped into my head. It portrays how I currently feel quite accurately and reminds me that as vast as life or this forum may be and as insignificant as I may feel in the face of it, I can still contribute something of myself and that makes all the difference. So hello, how are you and do you happen to love "Dead Poets Society"? Because that is my ultimate favourite movie ever. Omgletsgushaboutitplease. And you, whoever you are, strolling around the Introduction forums, be it other newbies like me who are looking to feel less alone in this huge place or regulars who enjoy greeting fresh bloods, I just think that you must be a very warm, friendly individual or in a serious need of collecting good karma. Now I should probably share my health goals. Its been a long while since I last checked my measurements and last I remember it was 143 lbs, 4'9". I aim to lose 2 pounds 4 weeks from now. I know, I know, I'm starting small. I've done the beginner's bodyweight workout twice this week and I jog 20 - 40 minutes 3 times per week. So I'm not concerned about staying loyal to my exercise routines...it's my diet that I'm devastated with. I live with my family and we eat a lot of carbs and never enough vegetables. I ate a slice of pizza for dinner last night for goodness sake! I need a buddy to pair up with and help keep me disciplined on eating healthier. Anyone want to be my diet buddy? Would be a bonus if you're a (South East) Asian like myself since you'll understand my palate. I'm planning on cooking for myself more and more often so I can control my nutrition and calorie intake. Also, anyone else use myfitnesspal as a daily food journal? Let me know so we can add each other and learn what good things to eat. For those of you struggling to manage a healthy diet like me, holler at me and could you please tell me how you improve your situation? 'tis a pleasure to meet everyone!

Well I'm a few days late to the party thanks to a giant city-closing snow storm and a whole slew of medical non-sense, but I'm here. This challenge is not going to be a normal challenge for me. I absolutely just need to focus on stress management and deal with whatever is thrown at me over the next few weeks. Even if things turn out best case scenario, I will have a lot going on, and self care is going to be very important. STAY SANE: Get my diet in order. I lost 5 lbs last challenge and I'd like to keep that momentum going. But let's be honest here - i don't eat when I'm stressed. Not "I don't eat well," just, I don't eat. So I'm going to focus on trying to keep my diet as healthy and normal as possible, while actually making a conscious effort to keep eating. - Eat! - Make good food choices - Don't eat crap I didn't bring to work (occasional popcorn allowed if I'm not eating enough) Strength Train Regularly. I feel better when I work out. I am going to be making up time at work from medical appointments and this massive snow storm. But I need to make an effort to stay active. - Exercise! Aiming for any kind, 2x a week. Preferably weight lifting Work on Decluttering My House. I made some good progress on decluttering last challenge. My kitchen is looking a million times better. I still have some areas that need work in there, as well as most of the rest of the house (eep!). Decluttering is something that takes my mind off stress and brings me peace. I need to keep it up in some form, even while dealing with life. - Get rid of something significant and measureable every week! MOTIVATION "You're going to go through touch times - that's life. But I say, 'Nothing happens to you, it happens for you.' See the positive in negative events." "Be strong when you are weak, brave when you are scared, and humble when you are victorious" PROGRESS

Over the last two weeks I've been planning and charting my exercise and diet, and I would really appreciate any advice or comments at all about what I could do to improve how I'm exercising or what I'm eating, or any comments or suggestions of any kind! Thank you!

JEZARAEN - FINAL COUNTDOWN Hello again! I actually made it through my first challenge as a Ranger. I'm SO excited!! Clearly Rangers is where I was always suppose to be ha ha. This will be my last challenge for a few months as in early March I will bringing my baby girl into the world. And pretty much for at least the first 6 months my NF challenge will be KEEP THE BABY ALIVE - FOR THE LOVE OF GOD This Feb challenge will all be based around getting myself ready for giving birth and being as fit and healthy as possible to give my little girl the best start in life. I will be taking things very slowly but want to remain as active as possible during these next 4 weeks. My goals will be pretty similar to last challenge as they worked quite well and helped me through the pregnancy. LET'S DO THIS! MY MAIN QUEST I want to be a role-model for my future kids. I want to be fit, happy and healthy. For me the way to get there is by getting down to a healthy weight (between 68kgs-72kgs approx based on my height) and being generally fit for all sorts of situations that may crop up in life. Running, strength training and mobility will be my main focus. I want to have a base level of fitness that sets me up for any challenge. FEBRUARY 1ST-26TH CHALLENGE FINAL COUNTDOWN (Do-do do do....do-do do do do) GOAL 1 - Swimming Last challenge swimming was an absolute Godsend so I want to keep it going. I am going to scale it back to 3 days a week though only because I am finding that I get tired very easily and I don't want to put my body through too much stress. Rating at completion of challenge: A] 12+ classes (25XP) B] >10 (20XP) C] >8 (15XP) D] <5 (10XP) E] <3 (5XP) F] 2-0 (0xp) GOAL 2 - Mobility Purchasing NF Yoga has been such a great decision. I never know when I will need a nap or when I will have energy so being able to do classes at my own time and pace has been AMAZING. I want to keep up the momentum. Rating at completion of challenge: A] 12+ classes (25XP) B] >10 (20XP) C] >8 (15XP) D] <5 (10XP) E] <3 (5XP) F] 2-0 (0xp) GOAL 3 - Knowledge I have been a bit slack with my reading. I have all these great pregnancy resources so now that I am on maternity leave I want to make sure I actually read the stuff! I am thinking if I can do at least an hour of reading a week that will definitely get me through most of it (I am an extremely fast reader, just lazy) Rating at completion of challenge: A] 4 hours of reading (25XP) B] >3 (20XP) C] >2 (15XP) D] <1.5 (10XP) E] <1 (5XP) F] 0 (0xp) GOAL 4 - Sleep zzzzz I have been finding that my energy levels are slowly getting less and less. Having a giant watermelon squishing your organs might have something to do with it ha ha. So I really want to make sure I'm resting as much as possible. Sleep is crucial at this time. I want to get at least 8-9 hours of sleep a night as regularly as possible. Rating at completion of challenge: A] 20+ days of over 8 hours sleep (25XP) B] >17 (20XP) C] >15 (15XP) D] <12 (10XP) E] <8 (5XP) F] 7-0 (0xp) GOAL SUMMARY ​I will be trying to post as regularly as possible in my thread. Can't promise it will be every day but I will definitely try to make it at least every second or third day. I am excited about setting myself up for a strong & healthy birth! FINAL COUNTDOWN!!

JEZARAEN - A NEW GENERATION Greetings! This is my first challenge with the Rangers and I'm super excited to kick off 2016 with some great goals and focus. I've attempted a few challenges over the years but never really put in the effort or time to really follow through. But with the new format of 4 weeks and with 2016 being a HUGE year for me I decided it's time to take my health seriously and stop making excuses. Being a Ranger appealed to me because I love the idea of being equipped for any situation. I want to be able to take on any challenge the world may throw at me with my kick-ass skills. MY MAIN QUEST I want to be a role-model for my future kids. I want to be fit, happy and healthy. For me the way to get there is by getting down to a healthy weight (between 68kgs-72kgs approx based on my height) and being generally fit for all sorts of situations that may crop up in life. Running, strength training and mobility will be my main focus. I want to have a base level of fitness that sets me up for any challenge. JANUARY 4TH-29TH CHALLENGE Couple things you should know about me. I'm 27, I live with my husband in Sydney, I love RPG games, anime and reading, and I'm expecting my first child in mid March. Hence all my goals this challenge will be pregnancy related in some way or another because it's hard to avoid the watermelon I'm currently carrying 24/7 ha ha. GOAL 1 - Swimming Swimming has been great during my pregnancy as it is easy on my joints and allows me to move my body without feeling like a beached whale. Rating at completion of challenge: A] 16+ sessions (25XP) B] >13 (20XP) C] >12 (15XP) D] <8 (10XP) E] <6 (5XP) F] 4-0 (0XP) GOAL 2 - Mobility Yoga has been part a big part of my life for over 6 years now. I always notice a difference by physically and mentally. I love my yoga just need to actually do it and stop making excuses! I have a current membership with my local Bikram studio and I am also now a NF Yoga member so my aim is to do at least 3 yoga sessions a week! Rating at completion of challenge: A] 12+ classes (25XP) B] >10 (20XP) C] >8 (15XP) D] <5 (10XP) E] <3 (5XP) F] 2-0 (0xp) GOAL 3 - Nutrition What mummy eats, baby eats. I like keeping track of my food as regularly as possible so I can pick up on what makes me feel nauseous or less energetic. Of course life happens so if I can average out around 5 days of tracking a week I'll be super happy! Rating at completion of challenge: A] 20+ days of food tracking (25XP) B] >17 (20XP) C] >15 (15XP) D] <12 (10XP) E] <8 (5XP) F] 7-0 (0xp) GOAL 4 - Sleep zzzzz Sleep has been one area I have been particularly slack in, which isn't good for me or the baby. I really want to focus on maintaining good sleep habits because in a couple of months time it will be a luxury I hardly get to indulge in. Plus I get cranky when I'm sleepy. The aim is to get a minimum of 7.5 hours a night as many days as possible. Rating at completion of challenge: A] 20+ days of 7.5 hours sleep (25XP) B] >17 (20XP) C] >15 (15XP) D] <12 (10XP) E] <8 (5XP) F] 7-0 (0xp) GOAL SUMMARY For all my goals I will be keeping track through my FitBit and MFP so to be kept accountable. I will also be trying to update here as frequently as possible. I'm excited to start 2016 of strong. BONUS XP: 1) 4xA rankings at end of challenge (20XP) 2) 3xA rankings (15XP) 3)2xA(10XP) 4)1xA(5XP) LET'S DO THIS!

Happy new year everyone!! This is my 4th official challenge and my first one with the rangers *waves* I hung out with the adventurers June through October last year and had great success with getting fitter and healthier. Then there was a huge gap due to a bad cold, a bad challenge concept and a resulting lack of motivation. Then christmas happened. Now I'm back and I plan on rocking it! I decided to join the rangers since the new adventurers description doesn't fit me anymore and I thought it's time for something new. My quests this challenge sound a lot like jack-of-all-trades so I hope I'll fit right in My overall goal/motivation This whole thing started last June when I saw a photograph of me that did not at all match up with my inner sense of what I feel/look like. I don't have a lot of weight to lose (I don't need to lose anything, but it wouldn't hurt, either) but I want to be fitter and slimmer and replace some of my fat with muscle. It's not only about how I look, though; I've realized during the last challenges that I feel better (physically and mentally) when I eat and act healthy. I want to feel that way again and I want to create habits that I can actually stick with. There's also stuff that I want to be able to do simply because it bugs me that I can't, but more on that later. If that's not tangible enough yet: I want to fit into several pairs of jeans I bought a few years ago and grew out of in a manner of months. I want to climb the stairs to my appartment without catching my breath. I want to be able to run to catch the bus without feeling completely winded afterwards (I'm getting there!). My quests for this challenge Get healthy again! - drink at least 2l of water a day (tea counts, too) - avoid industrial sugar and white flour - eat more servings of vegetables than the week before I have had good experiences with the first two during the last challenges to the point where they were second nature. I will use this challenge to get there again and gradually focus more on what I eat (instead of what I do not want to eat). The third quest is a step in that direction and will gradually get more difficult. I'm usually good on fruits, but my veggie consumption is something I can improve on. I'll track the liters of fluid-intake, the number of meals that were healthy to my standards and the servings of vegetables each day. Get moving again! - do some sort of fitness activity 3 times a week (running, swimming, badminton, rowing or workout) - do more yoga than the week before - do more push-ups than the week before I've had trouble with my knees recently so I'm not sure what kind of fitness I can manage and made the first quest here very flexible. I used to go running two times a week during the last challenges but my attempts to get back into this habit in December were not to my knees' liking. I'll see what I can do there (and get help from the doctor if I must). I'm not really in the mood for yoga right now but I know that it felt great during the last challenges when I made it a daily routine. I also think it might help with the knees, so it's in there. I'll try to find routines that fit into my daily routine, maybe post-running or before bed or something. The last quest here is something that's been bugging me for a while: I can not do one proper real push-up. I've tried many times, I've worked my way to knee push-ups last challenge but that progress is probably undone by now. I really really want to be able to do at least one, so I'll gradually do more and more knee push-ups each week until I get there. I'll keep in mind to do some pulling exercises, too (hence the rowing) and plenty of planks, but I didn't put up individual quests for that. I'll track the number of fitness activities, the minutes of yoga practiced and the number of knee push-ups each day. Life-Quests (since I haven't had enough, apparently) There are several things that I want to work on in the new year. I've already made a plan for all the household work I've been neglecting, but it's not gonna be part of this challenge (I tried to incorporate it all, it's just too much). There are some things I really need to focus on, though, and some things that I've been wanting to prioritize for a long while so that's what I'll do. - send out more job-applications than the week before - do office work at least 6 hours a week These are things I have to do. I currently work a 2-day-job that gets the bills paid and an office job (the second quest) that goes into paying back my student loans. There's not much left for me and I don't want to live on my boyfriend's money. I'll either find a second part-time job or a full-time job this year so I can finally be financially independent and have money left over at the end of the month. - take time for singing 4 times a week - read for work more than the week before I sing in a jazz-choir and take singing lessons, these both count for the first one. Additionally, I want to take more time to practice, learn new songs, learn ALL the lyrics of songs I know and so on. The reading for work is for my part-time job where I need some more background knowledge for some new areas I will work on in the future. I've been wanting to do this for ages but never got around to it. So here goes. I'll track the number of applications sent, the minutes of office work completed, the number of singing-sessions and the minutes of reading accomplished each day. I know this sounds like a lot, but I've already slimmed it down considerably and some of my quests will allow me to ease into it gradually. Plus, my goal is to reach a solid 80% instead aiming for perfect and giving up the first instance something goes wrong. I know I can do it if I prioritize right (and stop wasting lots of hours on facebook and the likes) and I want to do it, if only to prove to myself that I can get my shit together Fancy spreadsheet incoming!! I haven't thought about stat points yet (I've heard there'll be a new system which might make them redundant?) so I may or may not add these later. I added the stat points to the spreadsheet. I think I'm going to stick with this system for now. I also added a new statpoint category called "Willpower" because I realized I need one. It's like stamina for the mind *wooh* I have thought about what to do in case of sickness or other unforseen circumstances. I will allow myself to make some adjustments if I really need to, for example - reduce the number of fitness-activities if my knees give me too much trouble (e.g. if the only thing I can do is swimming, I will only manage to do that once or twice a week) - change the "do more than last week" quests to "do at least as much as last week" if I struggle a lot, get sick or find it unrealistic (this might happen in the job-application quest) - reduce the number of office work hours if there's not as much workload as expected I will stick to my water and food quests (the first two) in any case. I know this is something I can do even when sick (in case of the water, especially when sick) and something that became a habit in the past, so these are non-negotiable. That's all for now. I hope you all have an awesome start into 2016 and great success with everything you've set out to do. I'm looking forward to sharing part of the journey with you ) Edit: Mini-Feats!! Strength Feat: Complete a full body-weight workout, like I used to do; try my hardest to reach my old PRsAgility Feat: do at least one NF yoga mobility video each dayStamina Feat: go to the local pool again and see how many (all-out) lanes I can complete in a row without taking a restRanger Class Feat: Animal Companions: have two clicker-training-sessions with my cats

Happy New Year! This year is going to be AWESOME! Now on to the challenge... Complete my morning and night time routine at least 5x a week I am experimenting with a new morning and night routine. I have always had healthy teeth and I generally have good brushing habits, but I have been noticing that my teeth have not been looking so great. I have been doing a lot of research lately about natural oral hygiene and want to give some of it a try. Every morning: Oil pulling, relax with kitty while waking up, workout (strength, yoga, elliptical, etc depending on the day), brush with homemade tooth powder, floss, homemade mouthwash, wash face, get ready for work. Every night: repeat teeth routine, wash face, get ready for bed, stretch, read Healthy Meals My husband and I have been struggling to plan meals lately. We love to cook, but we often do not plan ahead, so come meal time we are stumped about what to have. We are experimenting with planning a day ahead. The goal is to cook 5 days out of the week, but hopefully we will be able to do all of them. Mastering the Pullup For those of you following along. The last few challenges have been focusing on push ups. I can happily announce that I can now do 5 push ups (15 in a full routine)! When I started NF I could not do a single regular pushup! Now I am aiming a little higher. It's time for PULL UPS. My plan is to work on pull ups 3 times a week. Right now I can pull myself up half way and hold it (couldn't do that when I started NF!) Seeking Knowledge and Improved Skills Complete a combination of 30mins of skill advancement 3 times per week. This can include studying programming, practicing clarinet, juggling, etc.

I didn't use my battle logs nearly enough before, which doesn't help in a situation where logging and writing down things could improve the outcome. Face, meet palm. So I sat down and listed everything that I should be doing throughout the course of the day along with things I want to be doing. The things that I should be doing aren't pressing. The list includes tending to the house and prepping meals. During the school year, it includes making sure my little [step] brother is up, fed, and sent off to school with lunch. With the summer, I have more time to start a concrete routine that I hope to develop and build on to in the future. For now, I'm going to focus on the present; on the today. Outside of fitness, I have also made myself a daily cleaning calendar. One room a day with a few overlaps of everyday items (dishes, laundry if needed) and I won't feel so overwhelmed. I think feeling overwhelmed or that you have so much to do in a short period of time makes you less likely to accomplish anything. That's how I usually feel, but there are plenty of ways to conquer that feeling. I just have to do it. While life and depression can play a large part in not wanting to do things, there are also the notoriously evil laziness and procrastination that lurk in the shadows. I am guilty of allowing them to run my life most of the time. Especially lately. This is why I am going to utilize battle logs to establish a routine before jumping back into six week challenges. I loved the challenges, but they're not beneficial if I am not executing them properly. I can list all the quests I want, but if I'm not completing them? There is no success. Get a routine in place. Follow the routine flawlessly. Have a good grasp on the concept and ideals of the routine and then begin challenging myself. After many lists, I think I have figured out a good starting routine that will allow me to establish myself. MorningWorkout (Yoga, Walk)Bathroom RitualsLaundry (if necessary)BreakfastKitchen/Dishes (if necessary)Dinner prep (if necessary)Cleaning (room/area of the day)AfternoonLunchProjectsLaundry (continued from morning)EveningDinnerKitchen/DishesDowntime I don't want to begin with specific times because my days are never the same. Sometimes we go out, have appointments, soccer games, etc. that we need to tend to. That doesn't mean that I can't get these activities in before heading to bed. My goal is start sleeping better again so that I am up preferably before 9 AM. This would allow me plenty of time to get in a morning workout before departing for the day In addition to sticking to a routine, I need to make sure that I am recording what I'm doing, what and how much I'm eating, and sharing my journey here while offering my own support to others who are embarking on the same journey as I am. Mana and Health pots are ready, I'm well-rested, my inventory is repaired and ready.

I am happy to announce that I am now considered pre-hypertensive rather than having a high blood pressure diagnosis. Current blood pressure: 124/92. I have experienced a steady drop in blood pressure. This is due to cutting out a lot of processed foods in my life, exercising regularly & eating kosher meats.

My Story Continued: A year and a half has gone by since the rebels of Nerd Fitness last saw my face (posts), but I have returned. When you last saw me, I was returning to a better place after 4 months in a dangerous world. I was positive. Making strides to improve nourishment in life: mentally, physically, emotionally. But there was a darkness on the horizon, an evil yet to be determined (diagnosed). The darkness is now clear. The evil had a year to take it's toll on my body and mind. Then a year more to ravage my inner being. I feel myself breaking, but I will not give in. This is my last push to fight back and become the assassin I truly am. I have new obstacles to manage, new reasons to fight, and more to work for than ever before. So here is my quest. Full Story: So, I am coming back to Nerd Fitness. Last time I was here I was doing well but was in the process of being diagnosed with endometriosis. Turns out I had a 15lb cyst growing on an ovary which led to getting a pregnancy like belly. This put pressure on different organs and things which caused pain during working out so I had to stop in order to make sure I didn't rupture anything by accident. Had surgery, started a special birth-control like pill to stop cyst regrowth, meds gave me weight gain and mood swings (not nice). At follow-up with doc a year later we decided that I should try no meds for a while to see if I can get my mind and body back on track WITHOUT the cyst growing again. Deadline to find out if I can do it: January 15th, 2016 = ultrasound day. Good news is I am out of the stressful job I had and into the one I liked. I am full time now (I get vacations and sick days!) and on a great career trajectory. I also started blogging. It is a craft and food blog though I truly considered doing a gaming vlog channel instead! My husband and I moved into a larger, nicer home and no longer have a roommate. We are getting married in the new year though we are already commonlaw. So why am I back? Because I need to write my plans somewhere other than a notepad. I need to be held accountable so that I can get consistent. Consistency is my downfall especially with the busy life I try to lead (not well). So here is my plan/quest. The Return of Emlily Main Goal: Return to post surgery state by January 2016 Food Goal #1: Eat 5 servings of fruits or vegetables a day Fitness Goal #1: Walk 5000 steps a day (tracked with my Fitbit or other device) Life Goal #1: Keep one room in the house to my peak standard *The food, fitness, and life goals must be kept for 30 days straight. Once this happens I will award myself points equal to 10 times the number of goal they are. Once I max out the bar below, I level up. My own take on the RPG system. Level 1 0%0% Food Goal #1: 5 Servings of Fruits/Veg for 30 Days 13%13% Fitness Goal #1: 5000 Steps for 30 Days 3%3% Life Goal #1: Keep a Room in Peak Shape for 30 Days 3%3% Stats (Current / Goal): 210lbs / 195lbs Size 16 / Size 14 I plan on posting pictures soon. You can see some from pre/post surgery on my blog (over a year old now). Again, because my busy life I just don't know how often I will be posting. When I first started on Nerd Fitness back in 2012 I spent more time here than actually changing my habits and I don't want to fall into that trap again. So 2x is what I am planning on.

Heyas, in the last few months i've looked through tonnes of blogs, studies and articles. Learning so many interesting things about health and nutrition, yet barely implementing anything i learned. Over the next few challenges i plan to change this. I will gradually add in interesting practices over time, instead of attempting everything the start. With the end goal of being the healthiest i can be, even if i only keep that up for a month. I'm going to attempt to enchance my nutrition, cognition and physical health as much as i can over that time period, im curious as to how i'll feel by the end. I'm making this post to help me commit to doing this. Between now and the start of the next challenge, i will work on losing an additional 4 kg of weight and restarting my excersise program. Which i stopped for two months after a wrist injury. My own personal challenges will look like this. Just a little warning, im not a doctor or nutritionist or anything like that. I feel confident enough that i can do these things without harm, but i'd imagine that some of these practices could be harmful to some people and i could always be wrong. I tried my best to be unspecific about some things, like the diet. Do your own research First six week challenge will be focused on the fundementals: Stick to diet, generally low-medium carb with an emphasis on whole food and individual nutrients, eating enough high quality carbs to sustain exersise. I made my own (as perfect as i could make it) diet plan, that i plan to stick to over the time period. It may sound boring, but it actually includes most of my favourite foods. I will also cook the meals differently every day, like curries, salads, stews and stir frys ect for variety. It generally includes fermented and properly prepared food, and i am attempting to eat food that is higher in rarer trace minerals. Such as silicia and boron, as well as vitamin k2 (among other things). So basically more plants like cucumber/avocado, quality pastured animal produce and perhaps natto(im undecided on soy, but i only plan to eat 10g four times a week).Reduce alcohol to once a fortnight and attempt to eliminate Softdrink entirelyStart meditation for five mins a day, working up to 30Stick to exersise program, generally strength training with hiit cardioFix up sleeping patterns, bed by 11pm, wake up by 7:30- 8:00amJoin yoga, preferably bikramTHe second set of six weeks will be focused on unnessessary things that may still offer benefits for me. My own intermittant fasting protocol.Cold exposure (already doing, but i figured id list it anyway.)Heat exposure (hence the bikram)Backwards/ barefeet walking, slowely working up to jogging. I figure it will work out different muscles.Exposure to nature.Experiment with suppliments. Not really things like vitamins or minerals, more like adaptogens or nootropics. With the goal of further improving cognitive performence or memory.I will update this when the next challenge comes along, good luck with your own challenges. :]

Right, so I did like three challenges successfully-ish, but then I moved and started college and it all sort of fell by the wayside, but midterms are over and Christmas is soon and I'm back! Unfortunately I've lost most of my progress and am starting from square one again, but at least I know I can do it now. Goals will be updated in the progress bar, and here. They are: Sleep: 7-8 hrs sleep every day Food: 1200 kcal, 16 hr IF 5 days a week, and one day of 24 hr IF. every meal has fruits/veggies (1st week), cut out pastries, chips, chocolate, cookies (2nd week), cut out all other junk food, oatmeal with whey protein for breakfast (3rd week), 24 hr IF twice a week (4th week). Exercise: 5 days a week, 30 min (week 1), 6 days a week, 30 min (week 2), 5 days a week, 45 min (week 3) 6 days a week, 45 min (week 4), 5 days a week, 1 hr (week 5), 6 days a week, 1 hr (week 6). Preferably do strength, cardio, and yoga at least once a week each. Overall Goal: 45 kilos by Christmas Mini-goals: (5 days a week) 30 min of music 30 min of language All homework done on the day it was gotten, and revise on Friday Lesson plan and to-do all on Sunday (prep for next week)

Hey everyone! So a year after abandoning my physical health in order to focus on studies, i've finally decided to start paying more attention to my health, although the most important exams of my life are closer than ever. One of the reasons i'm doing this is because the last thing i want is to fall ill right before my papers. I need to get fit again. I WANT to get fit again. MY GOALS They're pretty simple really. I have long term goals and short term goals. SHORT TERM GOALS 1. Be capable of doing 100 body-weight squats and 1000 skips with my jump-rope on any given day. 2. Gradually lower coffee consumption to about a cup every 4-5 days. 3. Stop eating when i'm bored. 4. My arm strength is ZERO, LITERALLY ZERO. Any help is welcome. 5. If I'm not sleeping or working out, i should be studying. LONG TERM GOALS. 1. Ace my exam. 2. Become capable of running 10k on any given day (I could do that earlier). 3. Become strong enough to climb onto the second story balcony of my building from the outside. I'll be keeping a log of my progress. Any one who shares the same goals, or would like to offer me help on working ion my arms (my experience with weights is nonexistent) please reply --Nia

I have been doing stronglift 5x5 on and off for a year or so. I am a 5'5" female 160# and I am in my 40's and a healthy active person. I lift occasionally. I was fairly consistant and worked my way up to 150# squat and 175# deadlift. Then I was having shoulder issues and stopped for 6+ months. I just started back once a week lifting (SL5x5) and 20 minutes running (learning chi running) twice a week. Easy pace focused on form not trying to push myself. Shoes are tight, like my feet are swelling and when I bend my knees it feels like a tight, like there is swelling there as well. Any suggestions for dealing with the swelling?

Hey all. I've been gone for a while due to some personal life issues and professional life issues. Now I'm at a new job and in a better place and officially getting Back On Trackâ„¢. Some of you may know me, many of you may not. I've been here for a couple years now, and I have to say, it's good to be back. Backstory. When last I traveled these realms, I was a member of a famed RPG Fanatics and an Adventurer aspiring to be a Ranger. During my sabbatical, I had some time to reflect, and while this stance is still a natural one for me I've decided to push my training, both mentally and physically, into a new direction. I am focusing my goals on strength, endurance, agility and overall wellness, as well as clarity of mind and thought. To this end I lift heavy, move fast, practice buddhist meditation and attempt to fuel myself with only healthy, natural things. In the past I: Drank too much. Ate too much. Slept too little. Thought too hard. These days I'm refocusing my energy on, simply put, being happy. And now, it's time to return to place that provided me some accountability and support. Physical goals: 180 lb 8 percent body fat Squat 2.5x my BW Deadlift 3x my BW Bench 2x my BW Row 2x my BW Overhead Press 1x my BW Get back into parkour and rock climbing Bike 5 hours a week Salmon Ladders! Mental goals: 5 hours of medication a week (in any split) 5 hours of writing (non-work) a week 3.5 hours of reading a week Life goals: Get married (date set - Sept 2017) Save for the future Travel the world (one trip per year starting in 2016) Downsize my wordly possessions Spend more time with my loved ones Go hiking and camping more often (reconnect with nature) These are my outstanding goals... here are my more immediate, SMART ones: Work the fuck out: I need to get back into the gym. My work schedule is not helpful for this because of my life situation, but we're working with it. Plan is to go at 6am MWF. Missed today because I only got three hours of sleep last night, but I did a light BW workout. Plan is to either go TThS this week, or just go WF and move forward. Restarting 5x5 plan, but also am going to start seeing a personal trainer in Sept., so that might change. Fucking sleep more: Over the last six months I have slept about an average of three hours per night. Between some personal shit that went down, changing jobs and a few other things, sleep has simply not been my thing. SO! From this day forward, a minimum of six hours a night is MANDATORY for living. Bedtime is 11:30. Wakeup time is 5:45. Let's do this. Be fucking agile: I'm going to get back into parkour again, but first I need to ensure my joints are healthy. Therefore, I need to start stretching every day. I've decided to adopt a stretching routine showcased by some parkour instructors here (click for YouTubeness), which takes about 5-10 minutes every morning and touches every joint without the full requirements of the previous yoga routine I was doing. I am going to do this every morning. NO EXCEPTIONS. Eat only what fucking nature provides: One of the biggest problems I've had over the last few months is the desire to eat. Not eating crap, but simply not eating... I just haven't wanted to. Because of this, and the therefore necessity to force myself to eat, I have eaten mostly crap... so I've gained a little body fat since last year. Not much, but a little. Time to destroy that and get back on track. Therefore, I am going back to my strict modified Paleo diet. Potatoes are allowed in moderation. Liquor and wine is allowed in small doses every couple days. But no grains. No sweeteners except for honey and maple syrup in miniscule amounts. Very little fruit. Low card, high fat, high protein. Grass-fed. Organic. Beast mode shoveling salads and steak in my gaping maw every day. I'm not going to start tracking my food just yet (until I have my meeting with the PT and we discuss diet I don't want to mess with it, plus it's time consuming), but I'm eating clean. Clean the fuck up: I started a new job two months ago, and with that new job came... more money. Thankfully. Anyone who knows my previous situation understands what a blessing this is. However, my apartment is still cluttered and I need to focus on cleaning up my life in a variety of ways. Less booze. Less time spent watching TV shows (I just started MASH however, so that might get a pass for my nightly viewing of 1-2 episodes). Less "things." I recently got back into Magic: the Gathering due to some friends, so I'm rebuilding a few decks and selling the rest of my 3,000+ cards (anyone interested?). Sell my comics. Sell my excess vinyl. Start selling DVDs and books. Start getting rid of the crap that is cluttering up my place, and gain peace of mind. I'm also going to be donating a TON of stuff to Goodwill (mostly clothes) and buying stuff that actually fits (already started this process with a few new, very nice, dress shirts. Next are some pants and new gym clothes and shoes). It's time to clean this motherfucker up and sort out my life. I also need to buy new computers for both myself and my fiancee, so some of this will help pad the savings account while I drop that insane expense (we're both gamers, so we're talking $1,500+ computers). Might do that next Spring though... we shall see. That's about it for me this time around. Joining mid-challenge means I won't be holding myself accountable in terms of a level for my avatar here, so this is just to get back into the swing of things! See you all on the flip side.

So for the majority of 21 years of living on this Earth, I have had the WORST digestion of all time; I was a baby with severe colic, struggled to worship the Potty God throughout my entire childhood (ie, going number 2 was a difficult experience, and doctors could not pinpoint the answer as to why, and chalked it up to that oh-so-ambiguous IBS), and tried every remedy under the sun to relieve my problems; I suffered from a confirmed (via stool test) candida infection last summer, got small intestinal bacterial overgrowth early this spring, and am currently restoring my stomach acid levels as I transition from 2 years as a vegan into a mostly plant-based paleo eater. Anywho. For the past month, I've been back to my childhood Potty God worshipping struggles- my pipes were backed up, to say the least. I attacked it with massive doses of magnesium, probiotics, fiber, and swedish bitters. Still no solution. This was very heartbreaking, as I am currently writing a book all about Digestion! But then, recalling my research, I managed to alleviate it with fantastic results! I feel like a new person. There's a weird sense of accomplishment when you are able to pass a damn good BM- easy, and oh-so relieving. I don't feel like there's something sitting in my gut. My body is like a well-oiled machine, absorbing nutrients and making do with the benefits they provide. What goes in, finally goes out. I am blown away by this victory! I am enjoying my food again, and not worrying whether or not it will make me feel even fuller and uncomfortable. This is all knock on wood, but so far, I am seeing tons of benefits. What I am doing involves zero laxatives, detox pills, herbal formulas, or complex rituals. It's just a combination of faith, good research, biology, and and determination.

Heyas, i've been look around at meditations recently and am spoiled for choice. From my research i've found a few that are particularly interesting. These are mindfulness, qigong, nada yoga, loving kindness and zazen. I was wondering if it would be better to experiment, or just pick one and roll with it. Have any of you tried any of these styles? :]

Welcome to my Battle Log! I'm here to kick some tail, bust down brick walls, forge new paths, and take the enemy down! Join with me! I welcome hi-fives, advice, and "go get 'em"'s! Stats: Name: LyricalSharon Height: 5'1 3/4" Weight: Don't know for sure but it's somewhere around 150 lbs...will update soon! Other Stats: Erm.... lemme dig out my measuring tape here... will update! Picture: Yeah I just ate. Talk to me tomorrow morning. Main Quest: Fit in size 4 jeans by Nov 27 2015 (Current size: 10/11-ish) Three Goals: 1) Take dog for a walk 5 days a week 2) Do Angry Birds Workout on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 3) Have a glass of water with every cup of coffee I drink Truth be told, I have a bit of a battle plan beyond these three goals. These three are great steps to train me for bigger baddies - the biggest baddie of course is fitting into those size 4's, which I don't think I've been in since I was.... well, nevermind. Imma take it down! But here's the upcoming battle plan: Quest to get me on the path to kicking the Main Quest's behind: Complete the April 2014 Sun Run! (10k) How will I accomplish this quest, you ask? Let me tell you: 1) From now until January 19, complete the first 3 goals outlined above. 2) Before January 19, invest in some decent running shoes. 3) Starting January 19, embark on the 13 week beginner's running program (designed specifically to train couch potatoes to run 10k by the end.) Sounds complicated, but I've done the running program before, and it's a great way to get in shape. It is based on walk/run interval training. I just can't do it at the moment because I don't have proper running shoes, and well, it's Christmas time. Between travel and presents, it's a financial no-can-do. (Excuses excuses, I know. Maybe I'll put it on my Christmas wish-list.) So instead, I'll get my butt in gear and walk and strength train - because I CAN do that! Also, the Angry Birds workout is tiered enough that I can keep on it for a while and still be challenged. There's nothing like working out and feeling bored - something that drives me cray-cray! (Yeah I went there). Ok fellow Rebels! Let's dooooo iiitt!!!!!!!