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Hi! My name is Cheyanna Miller and I'm 18 years old. I'm a hobbit, it's as simple as that. I'm 5'3 and 245. I love food. My goal is to lose 100 pounds overall, but my short term goal is to lose 15 pounds in the next six week challenge. Another goal is to cut out all soda and sweets from my diet. I am going to be starting the Paleo diet to help put my diet on track. I want to be an Assassin. It's going to be a lot of hard work and dedication, but I am ready for the challenge! 👊

Yay this is my first challenge! I have no idea what I am doing but here it goes… Please let me know if I am doing this right… especially with the points! Goal 1: Create healthy habits While my overall goal is fat loss, I cannot at this point reasonably expect that I will lose a certain amount by the end of six weeks especially since I have not even settled on a diet plan that fits me yet. That is why my first goal is to discover and create healthy habits to base future fat loss on. I may (this would be ideal) lose fat during this challenge but it cannot be my focus if I do not have a solid foundation to base it on first. I will make this process more tangible by settling some ground rules that I know I can follow. No sodas or sugary drinks (this level is already very low anyways) No alcohol (same) with two cheat days for special occasions No bread items 6 days a week (this will be a bit of a challenge for me but I have noticed an increase in energy when I limit just bread so I think this will be good) No added sugar (this includes desserts) with 4 cheat days and allowances for dark chocolate In addition, I will keep track of what I eat and limit portions to only what I need. I will essentially be following the No S’s diet with no snacks or extra portions. Also SLEEP WELL: I want to get at least 7 hours of sleep a night If I go off track, I will take .5 points away for every day this happens. This will be 2 constitution points per week for a max total of 12 Goal 2: Work out at least 3 times a week in some capacity for 30 minutes. I will take things slow because I need to let my legs rest from the shin splints so it will mostly be bodyweight at the beginning and then maybe some light walking in a few weeks. I may try some yoga. If anyone has any advice for exercises and or cardio that I can do while giving my legs a rest that would be awesome! This will be 2 strength points per week of exercise for a max total of 12 Goal 3: Continue to educate myself on different types of diets and being healthy. I will be more successful when I know exactly what is happening to my body when I do different things. I will do research on exercise and make sure I am following the correct form for sure so I do not become injured. In addition, I will learn about nutrition and get better at measuring out correct portions for myself. I will learn at least one new thing each week for 2 points per knowledge gained. First, third and fifth week will be about diet, and the even weeks will be about exercise. For every extra piece of knowledge I pick up I will get 1 point. Minimum 12 knowledge points I will report once a week with a point update, information I learn and a grade for myself on the week. Height: 5’1†Female Starting weight: 159lbs Starting waist size 40†Body Fat %: 30-35%?? OVERALL GOAL: be happy, healthy, and informed

S I D E _Q U E S T _I V C R E A T E _Y O U R _O W N _F O R C E _F I E L D This week we will be taking lessons from The White Council of Middle Earth. No, not that lesson. The Strength of The Elves and The Maia comes from their Wisdom. The Wiser they are the stronger they become. Even Melkor was considered the wisest among the Valar before he became Morgoth. This week we will work on creating our own force field of peace, calm, mindfulness and wisdom; and use it to defeat The Necromancer. Spoiler Alert: If you haven’t watched The Hobbit trilogy — what’s wrong with you? — don’t watch the videos, they contain scenes from the last movies and the extended edition of The Desolation of Smaug. Why? Meditation can help you realize just how far and fast our minds can wander from what you're supposed to be doing at the mo— OH, LOOK! A SQUIRREL! Got it. Okay. How am I doing? Okay, monkey. Got it. Okay. Okay, look out for the other monkey. In the age of multitasking ninjas, hyper-scheduling wizards, and Cheechoe’s Cat Memes and Gifs, that alone can be a huge help. If you are, indeed, part of the Monks Guild, you have attempted to practice meditation in some point in your life, so I won’t go into details on why we need to meditate. It’s what we do, it’s how we roll. We take up the practice of mindfulness meditation to increase focus, lower stress and maintain present the forgiveness and compassion we show others and ourselves when we fail. We know our physical health cannot be dissociated from our mental and emotional health and that there’s a close relationship between physical fitness and mental and emotional fitness and willpower. Fatigue, weakness, lack of stamina, physical exhaustion, or just our everyday life can drain our willpower. The experienced, tough and well-conditioned Monk who takes up the practice of mindfulness meditation has a feeling of fitness and confidence, and is much less susceptible to many of the factors which undermine our willpower. So, when you feel overwhelmed by the Shadows of Mordor, low on willpower and morale, I want you to do this: Stop, smile, and breathe. How? Let us start our mindfulness meditation challenge by emptying our mind... * snorts * Nah, sorry. I’m just kidding. Mindfulness meditation is perhaps the most accessible form of meditation. And it's not about clearing your mind but rather focusing on one thing. When the mind wanders, the meditation isn't a failure. Our brain is like a wayward GIR Unit, out of control. Catching it and putting it back to the object of focus is what meditation is all about. It can be as simple as focusing on your breath. As you breathe, your mind will wander and other thoughts will come rushing to you. That’s okay! That’s what your mind do. Don’t let those thoughts fester like Orcs; make a conscious effort to always go back and focus on your breathing. What you’ll need Nothing. Mindfulness meditation requires only that you’re willing to concentrate and notice what's happening around you and, in most cases slow your mind down and follow your breath. You can do it lying down, in a chair, in savasana, in your daily commute, after yoga, in the shower, while your wash your bowl, or if you’re a fancy monk: using a zafu or a zabuton and seated on seiza. Even if you do it only for two minutes, it counts. It's dangerous out there, take these You start focusing on your breath, and after a brief victory, in comes the squirrel... Here are a few techniques you can use. Count your breath: As you breathe in, count 1 in your mind, and as you breathe out, count 1. Breathe in, count 2. Breathe out, count 2. Continue through 20, then return to 1 again, like a string which attaches your mindfulness to your breath. When the count is lost, simply return to 1 and keep trying until you can keep the count correctly. Seek inspiration: If you are inspired by Eastern spiritual traditions —which being here I’ll assume you are— you might reflect upon the principles of your martial art. You can also use a candle, a flower, the smoke from incense or any other object that has meaning for you. Lightly allow your attention to sit there, quietly and peacefully. Recite a prayer, mantra or a positive affirmation: A mantra literally means "that which protects the mind." So reciting a mantra protects you with spiritual power. It is also said that when you chant a mantra, you are charging your breath and energy with the energy of the mantra. Do a Guided Meditation: Guided meditation is akin to guided imagery, a powerful technique that focuses and directs the imagination toward a conscious goal. You'll find a lot of guided meditations, both free and for sale, around the web. If you are currently practicing meditation or have practiced it during some part of your life. Please share your advice, technique, app, and experience below. Now, go. Wield the light of Earendil and Create a Force Field capable of sending Sauron back to the filth from which he came.

Main Quest: Fit into size 7 jeans by Nov 27, 2015 I'm pretty proud of myself that I have managed to develop a consistent exercise regime over these past few months! I've noticed changes in my body and people have commented on how great I am looking. I feel stronger, happier, and more confident (WAY more confident) about myself. There IS such a thing as an Amazonian Hobbit, I am sure of it! SO! Develop excellent exercise habits and build a bunch of muscle? Check! Drop body fat so that I can actually SEE those muscles? Ummm............ I'm still in size 12 jeans, though they are loose enough that I need to wear a belt. I've been reminded again that I "can't out train my diet" and "can't outrun my fork" (thanks Steve for your latest article). I feel confident enough in the habits I've built of training regularly that I now want to focus on what I eat - amp it up just a tiny bit. I already have a solid foundation of decent eating (a far cry from the bags of chips and jars of salsa that I used to have for lunch) but I clearly either a) eat too much; or have the wrong proportion of foods...i.e., too much grains and not enough veggies/fruit. (Or could be both a & b, but we'll tackle this one at a time). Since I am not prepared to mentally challenge my portion sizes, I've opted for challenging the ratio of foods I'm eating. Huzzah! WHICH LEADS ME TO: EAT MOAR FRUITSNVEGGIES!!!!!!! Challenge Goals: 1. Eat (at least) ONE fruit per breakfast meal. +2 CON +2 CHA +1 STA I don't eat breakfast on Sundays and Wednesdays so that will be 5 whole fruit a week! 2. Eat (at least) ONE cup of veggies with each lunch and supper. +2 CON +2 CHA +1 STA The only exception to this is if/when I am eating at someone else's house. 3. Continue with current Exercise Regime! +2 CHA +2 STR +1 STA Includes: M/W/F: Stronglifts, etc., and PlanksForTheWin (I made that one up) TUES: Bootcamp & Jacobs Ladder THURS: Jacobs Ladder SAT: Cycling with a Friend (at Gym) *****M/W/F is mandatory. The other days are bonuses, since I am trying new stuff and have acquired a new workout partner for M/W and Saturday. Thanks for joining me! Questions, comments, hi-fives, and awesome gifs are always welcome!

The first part of the Top Secret Mission I was working on last challenge was completed successfully. Operation Birthday Adventure for my Hobbit was a success! He had no idea about the adventure, nor did he know anything about part 2 of the Mission: We are going to New Zealand! (Yes, I am just a little excited) Because our trip will be happening right in the middle of this challenge, I am going to alter the challenge format to fit my life circumstances. Part 1 (Weeks 1 & 2): Prepare for the trip Part 2 (Weeks 3 & 4): Enjoy the trip Part 3 (Weeks 5 & 6): Recover and start holiday preparations I have tried to keep a kind of consistency in the goals and tracking, even though the intent changes during each part. To simplify tracking and comparison across the different sections, I am going to be using a point system. The point goals will be the same for all goals and challenge parts. Fitness Part 1: Trip Boot Camp I need to get ready for this trip! In true Nerd Fitness Rebel style, we have a very active trip planned. We are doing many activities ranging from hiking to canyoning to mountain biking, to river sledging (We are going to Hobbiton and the Weta Workshop, too, though). I had been hoping to be much more fit by this point. Unfortunately, I have had a hard time developing the habits and maintaining much of my strength and aerobic fitness gains. As a result, I need to maximize the time I have and make sure I make as much progress as possible in the next 11 days. My goal is to do walking (or another aerobic exercise) AND either yoga OR a bodyweight workout EVERY DAY between now and the trip. Is that a tall order? Maybe, but it is less than 2 weeks, and I really need it. I will give myself a point for every kind of exercise that lasts longer than 20 minutes. Bodyweight workouts done in sets throughout the day counts, as long as the total time is more than 20 minutes. Part 2: Keep the Balance In this part, I will enjoy the trip, and balance the pre-arranged activities with yoga/stretching and BWW where necessary. I planned a variety of activities for us, but most are either hiking or a lower-body focus. To help maintain my ability to stay active, I want to make sure I stretch often and a lot, and do bodyweight exercises for upper body and core. A point for each activity lasting longer than 20 minutes, but 1 point each day needs to be a complementing activity when possible. Part 3: Moving through the winter By this time, I hope to have been more active than usual for about a month. I want to maintain increased fitness through the winter, but will need to adjust my habits to make it work for the regular daily grind. As above, I will give myself a point for each activity lasting longer than 20 minutes, with a goal of doing 2 different kinds of movement, aerobic exercise, flexibility or strength training each day. In the mindset of Ido Portal & GMB (Gold Medal Bodies), even just playing with moving my body in different ways will count for this. The main focus is getting myself in the habit of being out of my chair and moving more often so fitness truly becomes a habit. Goal: 14 points per week Mental/Emotional Health This one is pretty much the same for all parts of the challenge. I need to care for my mental/emotional health so I stay more positive and calm, and am able to enjoy our adventures more! I will get points for: Meditating for at least 5 minutesAsking myself my positive questionsJournaling (about feelings)Seeing how unexpected circumstances just happen instead of only being my fault. This counts even when I have to talk myself into it. Goal: 14 points per week Life Quest Part 1: Get ready for the trip! There is SO much to do before we leave. I will award myself points every time I complete a to-do item from my preparation list. I may award points for partial completions if the task takes a lot of time. Goal: 100% packed and prepared by 11/20 (around 14 points per week should do it – depending on how I score certain items) Part 2: Enjoy the trip! While on the trip, I want to focus on being present – both in the places we visit and with my family – and making memories. I will award myself points for actions that work towards this end: taking pictures, connecting with the family (games, conversation, etc.), meeting new people, journaling (activities), etc. Part 3: Re-establishing habits There are a number of habits that I am just really starting to have established, and I want to re-focus on them upon our return. I will give myself 1 point for each day that I do one of these habits (I reserve the right to add to this list ): Have social time with someone outside the family, or significant social time within the familyDefeat fear or procrastinationAsk the kids to help with choresWorking on my healthy pregnancy business for at least 1 hourGoal: 14 points per week Grading: I will be grading this challenge similar to how I graded the Silver Lining challenge – based on need for support rather than letter grades. I kind of stole the grading right out of there: 0-3/need more support; 4-6/A good start; 7-9/Nice –keep it going; 10-13/Great!; 14-18/Wow, Amazing!; 19+/â€I am the Dragon†Just to get everyone in the mood, here is what I understand is the actual Air New Zealand in-flight safety video currently. I will let you know if it is true after we have taken the flight. Also, For obvious reasons, there will be a lot of Lord of the Rings references throughout this thread. I will not necessarily *try* to have that as a theme, but how can nerds like my Hobbit and I go to NZ and NOT talk about LOTR?

A simple Hobbit in Hobbiton, Kareesh never thought about going on an adventure like the well-known Bilbo Baggins. Yet, as is usually the case, adventure finds one whether they want it to or not. For Kareesh, it happened one afternoon as she was outside tending to her herbs. A strange sound reached her pointed ears. She straightened herself and looked around to see what on Middle-Earth could be making that noise. She could scarce believe her eyes. Just a few feet away from her, a giant blue box was appearing out of nowhere. It could only be this strange object that was making that strange sound. Blue eyes watched with curiosity, and with a touch of healthy fear, as it came fully into view. Before she could do anything more than close her gaping mouth, a door suddenly appeared and swung open. Out jumped a male human wearing clothes Kareeh couldn't identify. They looked to be something of a suit, but it's likeness had never been seen before in Hobbiton or the entire Shire. "This is new," the man said pulling on a pair of dark-rimmed spectacles. He peered around before finally noticing Kareesh. "Ah! A native! Could you by any chance tell me where I've landed?" It took her a few moments to find her voice to answer the stranger. "Uh…oh, yes. You're in Hobbiton," she said as politely as her shock would allow her to. "Hobbiton, eh? Never heard of it. And that's strange…" A look came across his face which Kareesh couldn't quite tell what it was. Worry? Confusion? Excitement? Or perhaps a bit of all of them? Before she could contemplate it any further, it was gone replaced by pure excitement. "Anyway, I'm the Doctor, and you are…." "Kareesh. Kareesh Greenhand, sir," she replied. And, though she hardly knew it at the time, this was the start of Kareesh Greenhand's adventures… And with that, I've started on my third challenge. I decided to do a theme this time around, though I couldn't decide if I wanted to do something relating to Middle-Earth or Doctor Who, so I figured "Why not both?" I've never written the Doctor, so sorry if I butchered him. He's surprisingly hard to write about. Anywho, onto the real reason you're here. My challenge. I've taken bits of information from my previous challenges and hopefully I'll do a lot better this time around. Some of the things I've made a bit more broader, which I'm hoping will keep away the discouragement that I often run into about halfway through. Main Quest Get down to 125-130 pounds. Quest #1 - What About Elevensies? As a hobbit, I love to eat. But, once I'm out travelling with the Doctor, nutrient-dense meals are going to be more important and I won't have time to eat chips and dip. For this challenge, I need to track my food intake with MyFitnessPal. I also need to stay in the 1400-1500 calorie range. I'll take a look at this around week 3 and see if I need to do any adjusting on that. Quest #2a - The Road Goes Ever On and On Before the beginning of this challenge, I'm going to be getting myself a pedometer and start tracking how far I've walked in a day. My overarching goal is to walk to Mordor from the Shire, and from Mordor to the Grey Havens. It is very unlikely that I'm going to accomplish all that in 6 weeks, but this is a start. Quest #2b - Run! Okay, I'm not going to be running, but I am going to be moving in that direction. For 5 days a week, I need to be doing something active. Whether that's a long walk, dance cardio, yoga, anything! If I want to be a good companion for the Doctor, then I need to be able to handle myself in dangerous circumstances. Quest #3 - Pop is Rubbish. I Hate Soda Pop. Okay, no, I actually love it, and that's a problem. So, this challenge, I'm going to limit myself to only drinking 2 sodas a week. My husband "has" to have soda in the house, so it's going to be a little bit difficult, but as I found in the past challenge, I can go days only drinking water, so I'm going to do that. Maybe a bit of juice or something if I get the sweet tooth thing going. Life Quest - Pedil edhellen? Though most of the time while travelling with the Doctor, you don't really need to know any other languages thanks to the translation circuit, but sometimes it doesn't always work. Which is why I'm going to be taking this time to learn Japanese. I know a tiny bit, but not a whole lot. So, for 5 days a week, I'm going to be studying Japanese with some text books that I bought.

[First of all, can I tell you how hard it is to find pictures on the internet of female rangers/amazons or pretty much ANY female protagonist that isn't either hyper-sexualized or, conversely, uber-cute? Sheesh! I just want a tough female ranger/amazon picture that isn't scantily clad. C'mon, people, I am more than my "assets"! /rant] 8K's, Muscles, and New 'Dos! (also known as, "Train for an 8k, part 2!") For those that have run the hidden pine trails with me, my goals this challenge are similar to last challenge. The last couple weeks of the challenge last time got derailed slightly; iphone glitch, travel, hiking trip, friends visiting (dangit it's getting out of schedule that does it.....darn you, life); I want to continue on where I left off. RUN T/TH/SAT My non-NF Scout friends are not letting me off the hook for running the 8k. They are even driving 5 hours (each way) out of their way to come and get me. srsly. Therefore, I must run. All that driving can't be for nothing. I need to pick back up on the 13 week walk/run program. LIFT M/W/F *Stronglifts 5x5* That's right. I'm going to start Stronglifts 5x5. Slightly nervous here... but I am excited at the thought of learning how to DL and all that jazz. It's kind of amusing tho that the program is specifically geared toward guys. C'mon, women like to lift to, brah! I really do want to continue with building core strength... so I also am going to include: MUST PLANK 30s, and 30s on each side too. MUST DO 10x3 back raises. I figure that core will be built doing Stronglifts too, which is why I am not upping the back raises challenge from last time. TRACK ERRY DAY That's right. I'mma continue to track my food, via pictures. Why? Because having to post pictures of the 15 chocolate covered mini-donuts that I want to consume is a wonderful deterrent to unhealthy eating. I've actually been eating more healthy (as far as home-cooked meals go), especially this last challenge. The only thing I am going to change is, I don't want to come back and explain what I just ate. (Unless you ask, then I'll be happy to share). I just think one more step creates that much more of a barrier to consistent tracking. Life Quest: I GOTS MA HURR DID! EVERY WEEK I'm embarking on my very first non-fitness related quest! Huzzah! I figured that if I am going to have the body of an Amazon, then I should at least have awesome hair to go with it. I usually stick my hair up in a ponytail, or braid it down the back. Or I pin my bangs back. That's it. BUT THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So.... Every week I need to look up a new hairstyle and try it out! And, I'll post pictures!

Fellow Rangers! I am writing you this from the depths of the Canadian Amazon Jungle. My adopted tribe has sent me here as part of my transformation from hobbit to Amazon warrior. Though I am a hobbit, my Ranger class suits the skill set needed to become a true Amazon warrior - that is, an Amazon must be equipped and ready to handle many situations. The (non-NF) Scouts I met during my last challenge have invited me to train for and complete an 8k run in October, so my tribe has sent me here to train with them. Of course, I represent the Amazons and so must attain excellence, so I must compete against as well as train with these Scouts. So my Challenge is: TRAIN FOR 8K RUN (Part 1)! 1. RUN! STA +3 CHA +1 DEX +1 My tribe has given me scrolls containing ancient scout training. I've already started it - Tuesday will mark the beginning of week 3 - and it will continue past the end of this challenge. 13 Week Beginning Runner's Handbook - Run/Walk 10k training - TUES/THURS/SAT - track on Nike+ *edit: iPhone quit. See below post. Cuz I'm lazy. 2. LIFT! STR +3 CHA +2 There is a small Amazon training arena near where I live. There, I am to lift heavy things repeatedly, 3 days a week. I am NOT to skip core bodyweight exercises, but must do at least 30 seconds of planks and 3 sets of back raises. MON/WED/FRI 3. TRACK! STA +3 WIS +2 I failed in my last attempt to track what I ate with words and numbers, so this time I am to track with pictures. I must send them here regularly. ERRY DAY *edit: for the time that I am without an iPhone, I can log what I eat here. Edited! Let's keep the awesome thingie cuz it's awesome!

I've been a bit too obsessed with the Hobbit lately (it happens, I'm a Tolkien nerd), so I'm basing my challenge off that. I might make it an ongoing journey to Erebor or something over the next few challenges. How is my adventure going to start? Well, let's see. Quest #1: Weekly macros I want to meet my macros on a weekly basis. That way if I'm a little low on protein and high on carbs by Saturday, I know to adjust. Weeks are going to run from Mon-Sun to fit with challenge weeks. If I get within 10g of my goal for each of my macros, I get an A, within 20g a B, etc. If I'm exactly on target for each of macros...I get something amazing 'cause it's so not going to happen haha. Quest #2: Workouts/Week = 4x I need to up my exercise...badly. I've been keeping up with karate really well (missed one class in a little over 3 months), but everything else has fallen to the wayside. So, I want to work out 2x/week outside of karate and long walks with the dog will not count unless they're 4+ miles. That being said, I may log walking miles as a 'Walk to Erebor' thing to keep myself amused >> I'm being such a nerd today For this, I'm grading out of 24 and giving one point per workout. Quest #3: Keep a tidy smial yeah, I went there I need to emulate the hobbits and keep a clean smial apartment. This means weekly cleanings and laundry-doing. I should try to pick up after myself during the week too. This is graded by how many weeks out of 6 I succeeded. Life Quest: Going to try the writing thing again that just didn't happen last challenge. Should be easier because school is ending in 2 weeks!!! 500 words/day -> 21,000 for the challenge. I think the journey to Erebor is a good way to express my main quest to get down to 150 lbs. After all, Gandalf replies to Bilbo, "No. And if you do...you will not be the same."

I'm a very driven hobbit who works harder and harder until she accomplishes her goals. Often I push a bit too hard... until I fall completely to pieces. Last challenge ended with the threat of falling to pieces. I don't want to go there. Maybe if I take enough time to stop DOING new stressful things, I will enjoy BEING the hobbit I am. Maybe it's time to simply be my whole hobbit-y self. Maybe it's time to refocus on the things that I know are good for me. Main Quest: Lighten the Load At the end of this challenge, I plan to hike the presidential traverse in New Hampshire with friends. I'm going to use this challenge to care for my body as a whole and hopefully drop fat in order to tackle this challenging new hike! Starting Stats (7/14/2014) Weight - 177.5 lbs Caliper Body Fat - 26.1 Body Fat Calculated - 27.2 Waist - 38" Hips - 41" Chest - 38" Thigh - 25.5" Arm - 14" 1) Whole Mind [+4 STA] - Meditate 6 days per week I need to get my mind back in the right place. I've been flirting with meditation for a while and finding that it really helps me to be aware and accepting of myself in the moment. I'm commiting to follow the plan outlined in Full Catastrophe Living and use the matching app that has the guided meditations. One week down, seven more to go. 2) Whole 60 [+4 CON] Last challenge showed me that I will game any food system that I come up with. Also it's too easy for me to "get behind" and give up on posting photos of my food. I started a whole 60 (my longest yet) on 7/14, which means that I'm currently finishing up day 12. Sept 11th (the first day of our hike) will be day 60. Perfect! I already feel so much more at home in my skin. Anybody wanna be good food buddies? 3) Whole Body [+3 STR] - Bodyweight Training 3x per week. I love doing bodyweight stuff at the playground (or at home when it's raining). Plus, this will give me the functional strength that I need to lug my pack through Mordor the Presidentials. Side Quest - Foam Roll [+2 STA] Time to get my IT bands ready for the mountains. No more excuses. Life Quest - Make Music [+2 CHA] - 3x per week This is good for my soul, mind, and mood. Sounds like the perfect supplement to a challenge searching for wholeness. Ready, rebels?

Hello, everyone! Having finished my first challenge, I'm pleased as punch to join the Rangers for this challenge. Really, this will just be a continuation of my last quest to learn how to lift and test my limits with strength training while eating clean and stretching to prevent injury. I'm a Hobbit Bounder who's just trying to get stronger and get lean while keeping up my endurance. In real life, I'm in the military so while my personal workouts will be focused on the StrongLifts program (on week 5!), daily PT tends to focus more on cardio and circuits. This will be a fairly long post as I spell out my goals, where I'm at, and what I did today. I welcome any words of advice or encouragement and am happy to answer any questions about my own experiences. Anyway, here's where I am at. Current Stats Squats: 115lbs Bench: 90lbs Row: 90lbs OH Press: 70lbs Deadlift: 145lbs Pullups: 8 3 Mile: 24:30 Height: 5'1 Weight: 130lbs Main Quest:I want to learn how to lift with good form, and test my limits with strength training. Along the way, I'll be putting on lean muscle and losing body fat. In light of upcoming weigh-ins, I need to stay under 132lbs despite putting on muscle mass. Side Quest:Score a 290 or better on the CFT. Quest 1: Get Stronger. * I will do StrongLifts 3 days a week.* It has been interesting navigating my personal workout schedule around PT on Mondays-Thursday. So far, I've been doing Sunday-Wednesday-Friday. Wednesday has been variable because while Monday's Run Day (usually sprints), Tuesday has often involved brutal amounts of pullups such that lifting that afternoon would hold promise of dropping a bar on myself. So! The plan is to stick to Sun-Wed-Fri for now. Current Status:- July 28: Today for PT we did a Shamrock Drill variation. Essentially, it's 6 cones set up in a line, 25m apart. We started at the first cone, sprinted to the second station's exercise. Then we sprinted back to the first, then to the second to repeat its exercise before moving on to complete the third station's exercise. After you complete each station for the first time, you sprint back to the beginning and re-do every previous station before moving on to the next. Twelve was the random number picked between 10-20 for the number of reps to complete at each station. The first station was an overhead press (35lb plate) to simulate ammo can lifts which are part of our upcoming CFT (more on that later). The second was bodyweight squats, then burpees, then situps, then pushups. In all, we did 60 overhead presses, 48 squats, 36 burpees, 24 situps, and 12 pushups. At the end, we did bodyweight . Basically, whenever the song says Down, you squat down and hold until he says Up again. I promise, the song seems absurdly long when you're doing it. As a note, yesterday I to Lost Mine Peak in Big Bend National Park (5mi round trip, 1300ft gain, 2:35 including numerous pictures and lunch at the top), so my legs weren't too happy about that squat drill. Anyway, that was this morning's PT. For this afternoon's StrongLift workout... Today was Squats (115lbs), Bench (90lbs), and Row (90lbs). So far, the squats, bench, and deadlift have been progressing steadily. Rows are getting a lot better and today felt good. The overhead press is definitely my weakest exercise so far, but that has been improving as well. I've taken to videoing my last set to ensure I'm keeping good form even when tired. Still resting only 90s between sets except for squats. I'm now resting the full 3 minutes between sets. I'm super excited to put on 45lb plates for my squats soon. Quest 2: Eat Real Food and Stay Under 132lbs.* The chow hall here is pretty good and I've been doing a decent job of eating right.* Sugars and desserts are still right out.* Beer and bourbon still counts as real food and are very much in (but in moderation). * Stay in weight regs (132lbs) while still lifting and eating healthily. Current Status:This weekend was spent mostly on the road (again) with a 5 hour drive out to Big Bend National Park. So food hasn't been the best, but as of today I'm back on track. This morning I had 2 scrambled eggs with mushrooms, peppers, tomatoes, cheese, and salsa with a cup of fruit (cantaloupe, grapes, strawberries). We have a test tomorrow, so I stayed to study through lunch and snacked on sunflower seeds (which are very low in calories yet distracting and time consuming to eat). For dinner I had meatballs with spinach and a small slice of broccoli quiche. With clothes, on my scale, I weigh exactly 132lbs. This is bad, because the scale in the office may or may not be calibrated the same and usually a 2lb buffer provides some room to breathe easily. Hence the skipped lunch and rather small two meals. We weigh in on Thursday and while I usually don't have to starve/dehydrate myself to make weight (which is depressingly very, very common in the Marine Corps) I might do it this time. Being overweight is essentially criminalized with a lot of harsh consequences, so it's better to avoid that altogether. And since I've started lifting, I've definitely put on muscle mass. My shoulders are bigger and my quads are pretty huge. I look strong and solid, but the alternative to making weight is making tape, and the process for taping females is absolutely ridiculous. In order to make tape, they have to measure my hips, waist, and neck. They calculate everything with [Hips + Waist - Neck] and for my height (5'1), the total has to be under 51" (51.5" is right out!). I just taped myself and depending on how generously I'm taped, I'm sitting between 51" and 53" which is borderline just like my weight. As a note, the hip measurement is absolutely ridiculous. *facepalm* In all, as awful as it is and as much as I advocate healthy body image and not obsessing over one's weight as a sole measure of fitness and health.... I think I'll be eating very little until Thursday. Which is kind of awful because we're doing a practice CFT on Wednesday. Oye. Quest 3: Rejuvenate.* I will stretch for at least 10 minutes after every workout and use this time to quietly reflect. * I know I'm prone to injury if I don't stretch and warm-up properly.* I am constantly being stimulated by technology and other distraction. 10 minutes of quiet to myself will be novel, and will hopefully give me time to reflect and gather my thoughts. Current Status:I've been doing a good job of stretching. So far, I've rarely had soreness persist more than a day, and when it has, it's usually been caused by morning PT. I've also been doing a decent job of stretching and warming up before workouts, so I haven't suffered any injuries yet, just minor twinges that go away after a bit. But this will stay a quest because after having been injured before, I'd much rather stay healthy than have to recover. Side Quest: High CFT* Traditionally, I've always done well on the CFT. I'd like to keep it that way. * For females, max points is: - Movement to Contact: Half mile sprint in under 3:23 - 61 Ammo Can Lifts (35lb overhead presses) in 2 minutes - in under 3:01* I'd like to score a 290 or better. Last year I got a perfect 300. Current Status:On Wednesday we're taking an inventory (practice) CFT, so I'll see where I'm at. Ammo Can lifts have never been an issue for me, even before lifting. I'm fairly confident my arms have gotten stronger. Also, we're allowed to bend our knees and essentially do push presses, so that portion is fairly trivial. I've also done the MUF in under 3 minutes every time. It's 3 minutes of utter pain and misery and burning lungs, but thankfully it's only 3 minutes. Hopefully I can do it again this year. My biggest trouble is the half mile sprint, which is conducted in boots and utes. I think to work on my side quest, I'm going to have to do more sprints on my own to ensure my time is good.

Hi everybody, this is my first 6-week challenge and one of my goals is to strength train three times a week. I've been pretty proud of myself since I really started to strength train two weeks ago. I've even moved up from 10-15 lb weights! I'm currently doing the Dumbbell Division workout on the NF Academy. The last couple days though have been hard. This is how I felt like after my last workout: Today's workout consisted of deadlifts (3×8), Push Press (3×8), Lunge (3×20) (10 per leg), Rows (Since I can't do pull-ups yet), and Hanging Knee Tuck (3×10), All with 15lb weights, except for the hanging knee tuck. The first set through I feel fine, the second set I feel tired, and I am pretty exhausted by the third set. Also, since I'm so short (4'11") I have to climb up the machine to reach the pull up bar where I'm two feet off the ground, then jump down afterwards, so the whole ordeal requires extra effort for me. So, my main question is am I supposed to be so tired when I get to that third set? Or should I use less weights? Should I be feeling like I need to take a nap afterwards? Will this all pass when I get stronger (and if so, when??)? And last, but most importantly, can a hobbit become a warrior?? Any help is greatly appreciated!

LyricalSharon..... HAS JOINED THE RANGERS! W00T W00T! .....and has the heart of an Amazon.... but currently the physique of a Hobbit! And in order for that to change, LyricalSharon is challenged to become MOAR GOODER!!!!! Starting stats: LVL 2 STR 4 DEX 0 STA 4 CON 4 WIS 2 CHA 0 CHALLENGE GOALS I am keeping the momentum of the last challenge going, and am adding goal #3. 1. MOAR WATER! +3 CON As I transition from Hobbit to Amazon, I must learn to hydrate like an Amazon! So, For every cup of coffee I have, I must drink a glass of water. (Ok ok, so most Hobbits drink tea. I'm a North American Hobbit.) 2. MOAR EXERCISE! +3 STR +2 STA +2 CHA Amazons don't sit at home slouching and waiting for things to happen! They are ranging about (get it?? Ranging? Bahaha!), traversing the jungle, using their wits and skills, defending their land! I must get out and do SOME sort of exercise EVERY DAY except Sunday. 3. MOAR TRACKING! +2 STA +3 WIS Amazons always know what's going on in their territory. They are experts at tracking! They track prey, enemies....and in this case, the eating habits of a very hunger-driven Hobbit! I must track FOODS EATED erry day on MyFitnessPal. (I will award myself STA at the end of this because I HATE prolonged detail work. Gah! But it must be done.) MOTIVATION I want to be able to run, jump, and play be active with my youth and not be out of breath after 5 minutes hike the phenomenal trails in my area look great and fit into my jeans cuz I'm out of clothes that fit Nope. Actually, my motivation is BE MOAR AWESOME!

This is my 3rd try at my first Challenge.... and I FINALLY have made it past 3 weeks!!!!! WAHOOOO!!!!!!! I know that might not seem like a lot to ppl, but the fact is, I'm more than 3 weeks in, and still here. Plus, I FINALLY FINALLY!!!!!!!!! got to level up. I'm no longer level 0!!!!!!! Hahahahahahaha muahahahahahahaha bwahahahahahahahahahaaha!!!!!!!!!!

Main Quest: Fit in size 7 jeans by Nov 27 2014 (Current size: 10/11-ish) 1) Be active every day except Sunday The goal is basically "be more active" - but it gives me the freedom to be active in whichever way suits my day. I had previously tried to structure my goal so that on particular days I did particular things, but it was a little constraining for where my life was at. I mean, I have to put in the effort to just suck it up and do it, but I think this will give me a lot more mental freedom to just do something each day. And, if I choose to go to the gym and workout, awesome. If I choose to take the dog for a 30 min walk, awesome. If I choose to run, awesome. As long as I do something, this will work. 2) One glass of water for every cup of coffee. I am keeping this one the same from my previous attempts at challenges because it actually worked out really well. It kept me hydrated and it also gave me a definite goal that was easy to achieve. Thanks for joining me on my journey!

...but that's what I'm doing. I have had a lot of trouble in the past with getting my endurance up, because I have a lot of knee issues. Walking is pretty safe for me though, and I must have read Steve's post over a hundred times before working out a plan and starting it a couple of weeks ago. Since I've only just started, I thought I'd see who wanted to walk to Mordor with me? If you have no idea what I'm talking about, go back and read the article, it's a good one. I started a incremental walking program that I found online, and have been walking just about every day. I figured out my speed, and am keeping approximate track of my miles. If you want to participate, join in here with your miles once a week, or whenever you feel like it. We can all help keep each other accountable. Yay, accountability! I'm currently 19.3 miles in, which puts me at the beginning of day two of the trek. http://home.insightbb.com/~eowynchallenge/Tools/Bag_end/bag_end.html So, any takers? Also, for more experienced members, if I'm posting this in the wrong spot, let me know. I'm pretty sure this is where it is supposed to be, though. lol.

Hey All! If you've met me before, you'll remember that I jumped into the last challenge with only 2 weeks left in it. I wanted to get the hang of things and strike while the motivational iron was hot. It was a great way to figure out what worked and what didn't. It also caused me to realize that I automatically equate weight-loss/getting fit with eating right... not necessarily the goals that I chose to accomplish my challenge quest. Old habits die hard, eh? ANYWAY! Welcome to LyricalSharon's FIRST FULL CHALLENGE!!! I gotta say.... boyoboy am I looking forward to levelling up!!!!!! For real (also known as frealz) and levelling up in order to get attribute points. Yeah! SO! This is my MAIN QUEST: Fit into size 4 jeans by Nov 27 2015 (yes, yes, I know it's a long ways away but I'm a 10/11 right now, and I can't remember the last time I was in a size 4.... and if I get to a size 4 before the date, then part of the quest will be to keep myself in a size 4.) My Three Goals: 1. Take la mutt for a walk or run 3 times a week (last time I put 5 but that was crazy. This is more realistic.) 2. Do Angry Birds workout 3 times a week. 3. Drink one glass of water for each cup of coffee I drink. What's my motivation? I want to be able to stop feeling frustrated anytime I try to dress in something other than hoodies! Every time holidays come around, or some special event where I have to dress up, or even if I just want to look nice, I get super frustrated trying to find something that doesn't make me feel like I've got water wings and an inner tube strapped to my body. Hey, just even being able to sit down and not have a muffin top spill out of my jeans would be nice. So basically, my motivation is, to enjoy getting dressed! Thanks for joining me on this challenge!

Fourth Challenge [ January 14th – February 23th ] (I know that's not right, but for me it is Initiate Trials Where I came from... Where I went to after this.... BACKGROUND STORY William Waldgeist left the chamber with a smile on his face. He'd just finished the last part of his trial of the Force successfully. He didn't know it, because the examiners had told him. They were forbidden to do so, but each time the youngling had felt a spark of achievement. Others of his friends, who had done this trial before, had on occasion had the same feeling. On one side this made Bill happy, but on the other side it made him anxious. Younglings who were strong in the force were considered to be needed an even more harsh evaluation in the other two trials! --------------------------- High over the constant noise of Coruscant there was just silence when the High Council of the Jedi Order started it's session. Master Verra rose to give the other members of the council an overview over the first parts of this year's initiate trials to discuss how they should proceed. There was little disagreement and no open controversy, until she reached the end of the list: "William Waldgeist, Katarn Clan, youngling here at Coruscant. Finished with the trial of the Force, halfway through his trial of Knowledge, not started the trial of Self-Discipline yet." "He passed the trial of the Force with flying colors, all examiners - including myself - were deeply impressed by his immersion in and manipulation of the Force", Master Kil'Noan added solemnly, "now I know, why you have been so adamant about this boy, Grand Master!" Before Yoda could answer, fellow Jedi Master Sandrin Grell cut him off: "Great power leads to over-confidence and arrogance, which is an open pathway to the dark side! Can we be sure, that there is enough wisdom and self-discipline in him to balance that out?" Master Verra consulted his notes, before she answered: "His trial of Knowledge is going well so far, he is ahead of his peers. So, there is enough reason to believe that there will be wisdom to balance out his powers one day." "It will still depend on how this trial ends...", Grell stated, "he could still fail!" "And there is then the matter of his trial of self-discipline, of course", Yoda interjected, "this the crucial one will be! Not an ordinary trial but a rigorous one it should be." "I agree", Master Grell said a little surprised. The other council members signaled their consent, which Master Verra recorded in her trials notes. -------------------------------------------------- MAIN QUEST – Passing the Trial of Self-Discipline Goal 1 : Meditate and Fast (+2 CHA/+2 CON) Fasting as in intermittent fasting, I might experiment a little with different variants this time, though. Meditating as in I don't know yet. ;-) But I experienced a LOT of stress in the last months generally and the last two weeks especially. Technically the stress period isn't over, but things slowed down a little bit again. I want to use that time, to clear my mind and figure out some stuff about the future course of my life. Also, there has always been something on my mind (usually negative) and Grading: A - 6 weeks of IF + at least 35 daily meditations B - 5 weeks of IF + at least 29 daily meditations C - 4 weeks of IF + at least 24 daily meditations D - 3 weeks of IF + at least 20 daily meditations F - less than 3 weeks of IF + less than 20 daily meditations Goal 2 : Walk through middle earth (+3 STA) I saw this at ApfelStrudis last challenge and I had to copy it. Although since I saw The Hobbit last (and I actually read the complete book compared to LOTR); and that book comes chronologically first - I'll do the journey towards Erebor. Well, techically Rivendell comes first anyway. And I have no idea, how far I'll come anyway, but the following is an educated guess. Grading: A+ - Reaching the Trolls A - Reaching Weathertop B - Reach Midgewater Marshes C - Reach The Forsaken Inn D - Reach Bree/The Prancing Pony F - Not leaving the Shire Goal 3 : Hand-Standing and stuff (+1 STR/+1 DEX) Meaning not only handstands, but everything where I need to hold my own weight through my hands. Including especially crow stands and related stuff, since I managed to learn those (for a few seconds anyway) last challenge. If I can get access to paralletes or rings, that would count for this goal, too. Grading: Consistency measuring A - 35 days B - 29 days C - 24 days D - 20 days F - less than 20 days Basic life : Work out and eat right This is not a goal, there won't be any stats awarded for this. But I want to track it anyway. This is the essence of my healthy life, which I've acquired over the last year: 1) Only paleo food will cross through my lips, 2) Do my calisthenics workouts twice a week for every split, and 3) Go to every karate practice. LIFE QUEST – Passing the Trial of Knowledge Grading: same for each goal, consistency measuring again A - 35 days B - 29 days C - 24 days D - 20 days F - less than 20 days Goal 1 : PolSci Final Oral Exam (+1.5 WIS) Goal 2 : JapStud Final Oral Exam (+1.5 WIS) Goal 3 : DevPsy Module Written Exam (+1 WIS)

I attempted the last six-week challenge, but failed. =( But I have learned from my failure, and can now create an even better plan! Main Quest: Create a habit of exercising! Goals: 1. Stretch enough to place hands flat on floor with legs straight. (I'm not too far from this, so it shouldn't be too hard. I can currently place my fingers flat on the floor. (I'm double jointed, so I do mean that.)) 2. Pack a lunch 4/5 of the time instead of eating fast food garbage. 3. Do some form of exercise, doesn't matter what or how much, every day. My volleyball class counts. Life Quest: Do your homework religiously. (I'm a college kid.) My motivation is to better myself. My motto is "a little better every day", so I'm just working on that. Oh, and it's hobbit-y because I'm lazy and enjoy comfort, but can put up with a lot. I plan to do much dog walking in this quest, and hobbits did much walking. I'm currently very hobbit-y, and thus my quest is hobbit-y. In addition, I can be a lot like gollum, lurking creepily and arguing with myself, and he was a hobbit. More hobbit connections!

Rebel Base, meet your newest recruit. The Rundown: Vitals: Name: Debello Race: Hobbit Class: Adventurer working towards Ranger/Monk (see below for Monk creds) Age: 23 Height: 5'7" Weight: 223 lbs Waist: 38" BMI: 34.9 Current Fitness: - Can run 3 miles in 30 minutes without injury - Struggles with moving furniture - Embarrassingly out of breath after climbing the two flights of stairs to his Hobbit Hole (apartment). Short Term Goals: - Weight < 200lbs by June 1 - Go full paleo on 3/18 and stick with it 100% until 4/18, then evaluate if it's for me - Run 5k in 25 minutes by July 1st Long-Term Goals - Become a certified private pilot - Be in an entrepreneurial position - Lead a strong and healthy family Monk Creds: Black Belt in Renzoku Jiujitsu Purple Belt in Shorin-Ryu Karate 6th-kyu in Bujinkan Ninjitsu (just promoted!) The Fun Stuff: What people pay me to do: Make software/websites Favorite Game Right Now (it changes often): Civilization V Steam Name: Debello Things I suck at but wish I didn't: Golf, League of Legends I'm looking forward to fighting alongside all of you. Should be a ton of fun!

I can't believe I found this site. I grew up playing AD&D and science fiction, physics and comic books have been life long passions. I have no idea how I ended up a hairdresser. Anyway, I have never done something like this before, and I'm scared. I posted PICTURES, for crying out loud. I am neither in shape nor well. I feel like I'm headed into Mordor: my well-intentioned clients are constantly bringing goodies to the salon; the boss buys us take out; my colleagues enjoy a good happy hour after work; my shifts are usually 10-12 hrs long without a break so when I get home it's binge then bed. It's making me unwell and it's time to level up. ! So here I am, level 1 hobbit druid/adventurer ( tai chi and cycling). I hope to find some friends here along the way to keep me accountable as I carry the ring (spare tire?) To be cast off Mount Doom, and if someone here needs a Gandalf or a Sam when orcs are about or they're tempted to steal the ring, I will be happy to oblige.