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I think I'm going to take some time off from challenges, there's just not much of a point for me anymore. Move to a battle log instead. I'm bulking at the moment, have been for a couple months now, and plan on continuing through until the spring. Though I'm probably going to do a 2 week minicut in early December to trim a little of the extra fat off. Workout Log Key: I use a lot of easy to write shorthand in my workout log, which greatly increases the data carrying capability without long written out notes, however it does make it a bit difficult to read without a means of decoding it. Starting with the basic: Exercise Name - Reps or time in a set I try to add the unit (secs/reps) as much as possible, though I do forget from time to time. From there I add a lot of modifiers: / = Forward slash indicates that it is single limb work, and that the set is broken up per limb. I always use the convention left/right. 3/3 means 3 reps on the left, 3 reps on the right. , = delimiter between sets. 3,3 means a set of 3, a break, and then another set of 3. n = negative reps. 5n1 means a set of 5 with a negative rep at the end. 0n3 means a set of 3 negatives. c = cluster reps, can have a modifier in () to denote a nonstandard pause time. Standard pause time is 5 breaths. 3c3 means a set of 3 reps, a 5 breath pause, and then another set of 3 reps. 3c(10br)2 means a set of 3 reps, a 10 breath pause, and then 2 more reps. m{} = myo-reps, I'll usually add a () and note pause time. 10 m{3,3,3,3}(5br) means that I did a 10 rep activation set, took a 5 breath pause, did a set of 3 reps, took a 5 breath pause, did a set of 3 reps, etc... (repeated 4 times total). I often use multiple pause timings when doing myo-reps. Going past what was done, I also have 2 grading scales in use to note how it was done. The following is added to the rep/hold numbers above for each individual set to grade the set. Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE), notes how "hard" the set was. I use shorthand to note the standard RPE scale: z = RPE 10, need to be mentally prepared for that output (making noises helps as well), true failure/edge of failure, very slow grinding final rep. y = RPE 9, might have a highly motivated rep left in the tank, failure or edge of failure when training calm, slow grinding final rep. x = RPE 8, left a rep in the tank (2 or more if highly motivated), rep speed slowed down noticably and there is a slight grind, but not close to failure. e = RPE's 7 and below, several reps left in the tank, did not lose rep speed, easy work. Rate of Perceived Technique (RPT) notes how good set form was. I'm going to use my own form rating system at first: ++ = Very high quality form, no major issues, any issues with the form are extremely minor. + = Average/above average form. No major issues, though there are some definite problems with the smaller details. - = Below average form. Major issues possible (though not severe), smaller details need a lot of work -- = Poor form, major form problems.

Here I am at the dawn of time. Again. This time of wellness to not make time for illness. It's been a rollercoaster to say the least and somewhere on my journey I lost my path and am stumbling through the woods, a bit disoriented but since I'm writing it down here, I feel confident in my abilities again. Now there's a win already! I have several goals but this time, I'm toning them down a notch. There is already so much pressure from work and family - and let's be honest, mostly myself - that if I cannot control other people's behavior, at least I should be kind to myself. Now, let's see what we got: Goal 1 Nutrition: I want to meal prep every Sunday that is followed by a work week. I get terribly hungry around lunch time and it is better to prepare before I eat up all the cookies around the office - and we have loads... I also want to only eat 2 units of sweets per day, i.e. one cookie at work and maybe one piece of chocolate at home. Or if anyone brought cake into work: one piece of that and one virgin cocktail after hours and then that's it. Goal 2 Training: Strength train twice a week for at least 3 months as well as do one handstand exercise from the NF Rings&Handstands - since I bought it, might as well use it! Goal 3 Yoga: Attend Monday yoga class at least 9 times in the next 3 months (including Holiday season) as well as practice at least 15 minutes on my own on 5/7 days of the week (here all kinds of yoga are allowed; breathing, meditating, asanas,...). Goal 4 Adulting: Adulting is hard work and there certainly are more days than I like to admit when I want my mommy to come back and take control over my life But let's be realistic, I can do it all on my own if I show up for myself and with showing up I mean: On Saturdays check in with my budget and finances. Also, hoover every Friday even if it is just me and the cats in the house - clean the cat hair, Bonaventa! Last but not least, even if it is your most unwelcome chore in the world: Wipe down those floors on the first day of every month. Come on, that is not too much to ask! Remember how good it feels when it's done? So this is the current 3 month plan. I'll track my progress this time to see progress and a big check-in in March

I've always valued the feedback I get at Nerd Fitness. I've tried challenges, though, and haven't done well with them -- they take too much of my time, which is already pretty limited. I also tend to use them more as progress logs than habit-building tools. I don't really have a lot of trouble with willpower at this point: if I'm writing about my experience and have the perspective to pick my goals, I'll build the habits I need. So with that in mind, I thought I'd start a workout log so I'll have a lower maintenance way to track my progress and get feedback. Right now most of my goals for the next 4-6 weeks are based in my gymnastics and strength training, so the majority of this thread will be my workout logs. I may shift or add more types of notes as my goals shift. Legend Since my training is primarily bodyweight, I use a notation that allows me to log a lot of variables. I log weight (if used), sets, reps, my rate of perceived exertion, and my form quality. Form: a: high-quality form maintained throughout the set. No issues or very minor issues b: one form flaw, which I was able to notice and correct during the set. c: one or more form flaws which I noticed but was not able to correct during the set. d: crappity crap. Ended the set because form broke beyond margin of safety or my quality standards. I have certain form standards for each exercise I do. It's not always "perfect" form, it's a matter of what I know I need to work on or what I consider a minimum for safety. I'll try to note them down for posterity. RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion): I shamelessly stole Waldo's system for grading his RPEs, which he outlined in his blog post. For that matter, my form quality notation is also based on his. Waldo being something of a pioneer of bodyweight training on these boards, I've also borrowed a few other aspects of his notation: /: denotes left/right reps in a set of a single-limb exercise. For example, 5/3 reps on a pistol squat means 5 reps on my left leg, 3 reps on my right. (): used for my eccentric exercises where I need to note both reps and time under tension. For example, a set of pull-up negatives shown as 3(6s) is 3 reps of 6 seconds each. That's about it. Any notation keys I might miss will go up here.

Though I have been at the gym pretty consistently for 3 weeks or so, I will restart my battle log with my reborn alter ego of Gaelic Samurai. Inspired by my heritage, my deep interest in Japanese and eastern thinking, my family in Japan, and by the picture, Wolverine and his relentlessness despite all the troubles. Yesterday was a weight session and I started with bench after the warmup. Then it was arm day, good choice doofus it was a Monday AND the New Years crowd, and all went swimmingly. Bench 3x5 @180lbs EZ Bar curl 3x10 @50,60,60 DB Hammer Curl 3x10 @25 EZ Bar reverse curl 3x10 @40 Triceps Pressdown 4x10 @ 50,57.5,57.5,65 Push-ups 2x20 Overhead Tricep extension 2x15 @15,20 Weight Lifted this session = 9925lbs

Hey there! So in this little thread, I'm gonna be posting (hopefully regularly) about the workouts done along with some of the dietary stuff. Feel free to drop some protips or critique the hell out of me. The biggest problem I've had is trying to keep the focus on changing myself. So who am I? I'm shy of 300 pounds, out of shape, and have some shoulder issues. I also participate in some heavy combat through a group called the SCA. I'm not going to recruit for them but I will be referencing it during some of the workouts, as it's just as intense. You'll see me refer to myself as David, PandemoniumRave, or Malik in these entries and I'll try to keep the confusion to a minimum. The picture attached was taken a few months ago and will serve as the "Before" picture. I'm going to do a monthly progress photo just to see where I'm at and what's improving. So here goes nothing. It's time to be great again.

Diet Drink tea when I first wake up instead of soda. Drink more water during the day. -Note: My average drinks consist of only Dr. Pepper and maybe one to two small glasses of water each day. Fitness Complete the NerdFitness Bodyweight Workout at least 1x per week. Level Up Your Life Write 1000 words a day at least 3x each week. Smoke at most seven cigarettes a day instead of nine. Epic Quest One day I wish to become a Personal Trainer and/or a Fitness Instructor at a Gym. It is my heart's desire to help people better themselves. I want to teach them how to train and teach them how to love doing it. First things first, though, is that I need to get in shape myself before I help others get in shape. I also need to learn the very skills I want to teach. I also want to become a power lifter some day. I am saving up for any and all equipment I will need and/or a gym membership. (Sadly gym memberships are very expensive around here.) I don't know anything about it; not the lingo, nothing. But, I am studying and I figure I should work on cardio first anyway.

Snickie has not fared well in the first half of season 1 with the Crystal Gems. Let's hope she can turn things around and get out of Pearl Point debt! Amethyst - Food Gems don't need to eat, but I do. Gotta make sure that what I'm putting into my very human body is actually good for humans! Amethyst isn't a good example, but she can put away all the junk food I don't eat. Record each meal and snack in my handy dandy spreadsheet. +1 point per paleo (Wahls) food group represented in substantial part Wahls groups: leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, colorful fruit/vegetables, meat/poultry/fish, seaweed, etc. -1 point for non-paleo food group represented in substantial part non-paleo neutral: plantain chips, oatmeal, vodka sauce from a jar (I checked the ingredients mkay) New scale effective on Week 6! Steven - Music Steven is a friggin' musical prodigy, and heaven knows I don't practice enough. The Gems all have their own musical talents and leitmotifs as well. One day I can hope to be as good as Steven. +2 points for the first full 60 minutes of practice (0 points if less than an hour), +1 point for each additional 30 minutes -2 points if I don't practice at all Exception: illness; 3 hours or more of rehearsal Connie - Academics Academics are life right now. College and stuff. I'm terrible at completing large assignments on time and actually studying, so here: +1 point per 30 minutes per subject (partial credit given) studied or assignment worked on PDE: +1 point per problem worked (since these tend to take a long time anyway) -n points on the (n-1)th day after it was due and not turned in +1 point if Japanese was studied Garnet - Physical Jasper is out there somewhere. I need to be in top physical condition to be able to combat her when she comes. +1 point per exercise type attempted (at least 10m) +1 point for dance - dancing is important for fusion. +1 point for NF mini-challenge items -1 /day if non-exercise streak exceeds 1 Exception: illness, injury The Human Population of Beach City I'm human, so it's important to do other human things. +1 for getting 7 hours or more of sleep at night +1 for each additional hour, not to exceed 10 hours -1 for each nap taken -1 for getting less than 6 hours of sleep +1 for each 15 minutes of meditation +1 for each day that I make my bed Peridot - Logging If I don't log about it (or at least throw down numbers and details in my spreadsheet), then does it really exist? o_o How am I supposed to keep track of all the good things I've been trying to do if I don't, you know, log them?! +1 for each day that I log things into my spreadsheet +1 for journal entries Handdrawn images coming soon! (No more broken IMG codes and no more ZIBBITs. )

WARNING: SPOILERS FOR STEVEN UNIVERSE. The world of Steven Universe has many facets (lol pun) which need to be balanced and addressed. Here are my goals missions to become a well-rounded Gem Fusion It's very important to be able to physically synchronize through dancing in order to perform fusion. I can work on this through various means: Zumba (Mondays and Wednesdays when I don't have orchestra or practice) Other cardio dance routines Swing dance (Tuesday night class) In addition to physical synchronicity, I must be mentally and emotionally sound in order to maintain stability. Meditation (3*30m/week) (Basically I just sit down somewhere with my hands doing like Stevonnie in the episode Mindful Education. Which happens to be the sacral chakra mudra, which I only know because I randomly looked it up years ago and I had to look it up again just now. Interesting that they chose that one. But anyway. I mostly zone out. Feels good.) Music http://66.media.tumblr.com/edeab642c38d9c1536cf0a01734307ff/tumblr_inline_o0lj4d2f4O1sirzhl_500.png[/img] Steven is something of a musical prodigy. He and most of the other Gems have use song as a means of expression and have done it well. Practice clarinet: 1h/day Exception: amount of ensemble rehearsal exceeds 5h Exception: amount of performance exceeds 2h, does not include pep band game performances Bonus points: practice 2h without neglecting homework Negative points: practice does not include Kroepsch Finger Studies Negative points: practice does not include use of a metronome or tuner During practice, to improve shaping and expressivity Record myself singing etudes and literature and technical exercises Listen to said recordings Emulate the shaping naturally made by the voice on the clarinet. Exaggerate, then reel it in. Studies http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/5b5ddad38ff36cf3d5e6b79fab8cb61c.jpg[/img] Just because Steven doesn’t go to school doesn’t mean I can neglect my habits. After all, look at Connie! Assignments will be completed on time. Homework will take precedence over physical activity and entertainment. Even if I have to block YouTube (I usually don’t due to listening assignments). Addition: longer, less straightforward assignments receive an index card with an outlined process Negative points: homework turned in late or not at all Negative points: homework turned in incomplete Negative points: 30m+ spent on YouTube goofing Negative points: homework neglected for the day (I have plenty of long assignments I could be working on) Negative points: losing sleep in order to complete an assignment I procrastinated on Combat https://cdn1.lockerdome.com/uploads/0819ffd867baacf6f194598fdedae100445e55c77e849a40fee05f21996630b4_large[/img] The Gems are almost always fighting. While I prefer a more peaceful, non-confrontational lifestyle, it is still important that I am physically fit and able to take care of myself. Beginner bodyweight circuit Build one set beyond the requirements of the basic exercises, then split into multiple sets and build those up. Never run a circuit for 2 days in a row. I can, however, run individual exercises (i.e. push-ups) as long as I don’t hurt myself and don’t run individual exercises more than 3 days in a row. Sonic mini-challenge: complete the various acts and challenges for points. The Gems work as a team. Food Gems don't need to eat, but I do. I can't live on fish pizza, donuts, fry bits, and Cookie Cats alone! Heck, even Amethyst is affected by the various things she eats (cloud, rotten burrito) Points for each meal that follows the paleo and Whole30 guidelines Negative points: a meal does not contain any “healthy” element (fresh fruit, fresh vegetable, meat). I.e. No meals consisting entirely of pasta with salt and maybe sauce from a jar! Breakfast instant oatmeal is neutral. Negative points: allowing fresh foods to rot and having to throw them away. Food for social outings will be considered on a case by case basis. Report It’s important to log my thoughts and things I’ve done. Just because I’m not a Homeworld Gem doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t be filing reports for my own sake. Detailed daily reports will continue as in log_Snickie [exercise], but with the physicality categories changed from Guild type to Goal type as designated above. Weekly reports will continue here with summaries under each category. I will keep a written journal by my bed and journal in it when the world isn’t out to drown me in homework from teachers who think theirs is the only class that matters. This doesn’t have to be updated daily but it should be updated at least weekly. Clarinet practice journal falls under Music. This should be updated with each practice session and lesson. Pearl Points. Pearl Points will be awarded or detracted with every weekly update according to how I did with each facet of the challenge. Rewards TBD after doing some math as to how many I can earn, lose, and how to reward them. It'll probably end up on a GPA scale and each letter grade will be.... something. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1i_0LP-2zByg-QIV-SzoKOzroJlblX3ut6NjZfAF3VfQ/edit?usp=drive_web

I am on my fourth lifetime since High School. From the "He didn't know any better" to the "College in a new land" to the "Might as well join the military" and finally in the "Adulting is weird, and everything is different, and I've become complacent." The current journey has me lost. I cannot pin down why I am going, and indeed I am going no where. Fitness is definitely a key contributor to my happiness over the years, and I can honestly not remember the last time i was this inept physically. I was already on a low road before I broke my tibia and fibula at the ankle. After 8 pieces of metal and now almost a year of recuperating, I am basically 50 physically instead of 31(not meant to insult any of you more developed nerds out there.) I have a ton of experience with fitness, but kind of overloaded myself with options and ideas. So I found the nerd fitness academy after buying Level Up Your Life, and a simple straightforward workout plan is what I needed. I will track workouts, weight, and general eating here and see how it goes, and hopefully future ruts and bumps won't pull me off my trusty chocobo this time.

Starting the log for my first 4 week challenge! Challenge goals here. My base level is: - I walk to work most days, for 45 minutes aka just over 2 miles. I try to walk back as well - so on a good day I walk for an hour and a half. - According to the scale in the changing room at the gym, I weigh 57 kg. I'm 152 cm tall. - For the past 3 weeks I've been going to the gym at least 3 x a week, also attending Pilates classes. A PT at the gym has set me up with the following programme: Warm up on treadmill: 5 min at 10 incline, 5-6 kph. 5 min at 5 incline, 6.5-7.5 kph. 5 min at 2 incline, 8-9 kph. 5 min at 10 incline, 5-6 kph. 5 min at 1 incline, 8-9 kph. Weights: Leg press 4 sets of 10, 31.5kg. Deadlifts 4 sets of 10, 10kg. Kettlebell swing 4 sets of 10, 10kg. Inverted row 4 sets of 10 (bodyweight). Bent over row 4 sets of 10, 7.5kg. Clean and press 4 sets of 10, 5kg. Squats 4 sets of 10, 10kg. I don't mind saying that this takes a while to get through - about 1 hour 15 min all in, so doing it 3 x a week on my lunch break is a real challenge! Some days I've split it in 2, and just done the weights or just done the treadmill (but for longer and faster intervals). I'm trying to stick with giving my muscles rest days from weights, though - not hard to justify, as some days when I've done "the whole" routine my legs are certainly telling me about it! Sunday 17th July - attended 1 hour of beginner Pilates at the studio near my house. Signed for a block of beginner sessions to be used at will over the next 9 weeks. The Pilates class at my gym is mixed-ability and therefore a bit... "aspirational", also I can't always make Thursday evenings so this will give me Monday, Wednesday and Sunday options. Fasted. Spent 2 hours on my novel at writing group. Monday 18th July - no exercise today as I was in court (thus away from gym location). Fasted. Spent 1 hour on my novel in our riverside garden. Blocked out a plan for the rest of the month to ensure I can schedule in enough weight training and Pilates classes as I have SO MUCH coming up that could knock me off-challenge: 4th - 8th August going on holiday in Avignon for a long weekend. I'm thinking taking some spare kit and the Beginners Bodyweight Workout. Plus, all that walking and exploring! 12th - 14th August attending a nerdy conference in my home town (but staying in a hotel with a gym... if I can bring myself to use it...) 25th - 29th August attending Frightfest film festival. I'm staying 50 min walk away so I'm hoping to get at least that much exercise in daily!

"It is time to stop lurking" - Tippeh, 6/9/16 at 9:53pm Well okay I said that a few times before but this time, I mean it I'm tired of being tired. I'm tired of recording my "progress" on scraps of paper I end up losing anyways. I'm tired of starting over multiple times and being just as confused as before. I used to do full body HIIT workouts mainly doing calisthenics 2-3 times a week during the start of my college years and I remember just how AMAZING I felt and looked everyday. Then family issues, changing majors, not eating enough, and life happened. Therefore I fell of that luxurious wagon. So it is time! In fact what really helps is that my fiancee will be gone for most of the week for the next 2 months on business so that leaves less temptation for me to eat out/grab fast food with her. Therefore I'm hoping to establish a pretty solid habit of eating clean and working out regularly before I start my last semester of school this fall (will still miss you hunny!) Long-term Goals: To bulid a habit of working out 3 times a week (minimum) To eliminate processed foods out of my overall diet and instead fuel myself with wholesome foods To feel more energized and full of life for every waking moment To be stronger, especially in my upper body and hamstrings To someday be able to squat double my bodyweight To someday be able to do 10 pullups with relative ease Lastly when I succeed at the above, I know I will look much more lean, "toned", and strong. So my last goal is to look aesthetically awesome! Like Wonder Woman awesome! Short-term Goals (now until Sept. 1): Go to the gym 4-6 times a week Lower body twice a week Upper body twice a week HIIT 1-2 times a week Have 3 meals and 2-3 snacks everyday. No counting calories, just going to listen to my body when its hungry and when its satisfied Rotate between chicken, beef, pork, and fish for variety For example have chicken every other lunch and pork chops on the alternate days, etc. 1-2 servings of veggies per meal (whatever is in my fridge) 1 serving fruit per meal Fruits and nuts for snacks Be able to squat 100 pounds comfortably (hopefully more but we'll see!) Be able to 2 pull ups Be able to do 20 pushups in 1 minute Get a part time summer job (hopefully Rita's will call me in the next few days)! Wow it is cool seeing my goals written out so neatly. In a way, I hope it's not too much, too soon for me but I have a feeling it'll be okay. I'm definitely open to your guys' thoughts and tips though. Otherwise, creep away

I have been working for days to come up with a good challenge theme and I just wasn't having any of it, so I figured my birthday coming up (tomorrow) would be a good way to reflect and set some new goals up for the year. Reflections/Plans: As some of you know I started work on opening a fitness apparel online shop with a friend (updates on this to come soon, we have our first official design created and I seriously can't wait to show you guys). This was in part due to the fact that I want to move home to MI, and need to find ways of making a decent income once I get there. My second idea has been to start training people, and maybe run a set of cross training type classes. I know I have the passion for it, and I have learned a lot (yet have a lot left to learn) so I spoke to my trainer about it and he had no hesitation in saying I was good enough to train people. My current self-imposed issue is I don't look like a trainer because I don't know that I would go to someone who didn't. The initial plan is to get back up to MI in June of next year, so I have 1 year to get into a better physical form and learn all I can from my trainer about the business and see what certifications would be best for me. For my plan to work I need to focus on 4 main things, and honestly these may be my goals for far longer than this 4 week challenge. Goal 1: Training Plan for a 6 day program, 3 days strength/circuit training, 2 days cardio, 1 day stretching, and 1 rest day. Goal 2: Drink water like it's going out of style. A minimum of 64 oz every day. I have made this easy to track because my boyfriend got me a bucket of gatorade (took like a week to drink it, and he was helping) which is 64oz. I have to empty that at the least every day. Goal 3: Find a proper nutrition plan that doesn't hinder training, but is also effective for weight loss. The Ketogenic diet worked really well at losing weight, but I was exhausted all the time, didn't have any want to eat, and lost some decent strength. I need to find a more balanced approach that I can stick with long term, and maybe it will eventually help others Goal 4: Get my Ducks in a row. In order to be able to move up north again I will need to pay off any frivolous debt and practice living on a smaller scaled budget. We will also need some training in home repair/fixing up, and sell both our places. So this will be a multi functional goal. Part 1: Debt payoff plan, and proper grocery allowance followed. Set a debt payoff plan that is manageable (because I am known to be overzealous in paying off debt so I have to use a CC to get gas, ect....), and find a proper grocery budget and follow it.

Character Name: Arcelas Feristorm Race: Nord (Tall fair humanoid) Class: Ranger Day One: Just woke up from a drunken stupor. The creature lying next to me barely looks human let alone female. Well, that barkeep was right, that drink will knock you on your ass. I sneak out of the motel room, leaving my +8 pants and Dagger of Danging. Gods help me, I mutter as I jump out the window.

Okay, These 4 week challenges are great and all but I think for now I am going to amalgamate everything in the one log. That way my disjointed rambling posts will have some sort of backstory and probably make more sense. xD If you don't know me already (sheesh!) I am 24, australian, working in hopsitality, learning roller derby, and trying to live my aussie dream of owning a house with my lovely partner and gardens and no people and shit. Yeah! Most concise intro so far. Last challenge I focussed on tracking my food (having just come back from a 2-week holiday including an all-you-can-eat buffet) and trying to do some exercise and keep my house clean. The house cleaning plan got de-railed a little bit because everything ended up getting packed up and dragged over to our new house, so I have a clean slate to start again with good housework habits. (also, Mr. Tea said he'd buy me a dishwasher so booyeah!) For the next 4 weeks (at least, probably longer!) I want to be focussing on unpacking the rest of the boxes and throwing out anything I don't need, cleaning the old house, ticking off things on my house-moving list, and getting some sort of garden happening, as well as keeping the new house looking somewhat presentable. Awesome! I also want to re-route my derby focus to be working on the last few things that I need to pass my minimum skills, as well as get good at skills that come in handy in games but aren't necessarily skills that are demanded of you. I've been feeling a bit 'meh' about training since coming back from holiday but we've also had a string of public holidays depriving us of all our training sessions, so I need to get back in there! DERBY SKILLS LIST; 27in5 (currently 24) 360 transitions (at faster speeds!) side-skating / T-skating backwards crossovers pushing through walls core bracing THE HOUSE MOVING LIST: Get a mailbox - done, just need to put up Organise internet - waiting for tech support - still. Call the electricity company Order Gas Bottle Build a dog-fence Put in doggy door - completed (thanks dad!) Clean old house - Put bins out at old house Grab lemon tree from old house Take a load of rubbish to the tip Change addresses at various places (requires mailbox!) - Vehicle license + new license photo. - Car Insurance - Debit card - Superannuation - Work - Dentist - Spotlight (:P) Unpack Rooms; - Formal lounge - all the spare furniture is in here - move extra furniture to the shed - Ensuite - need to move a chest of drawers in for storage space - Craft Room Just gotta put my desk back in there Misc. Things Put up a washing line Oil the hammock stand Change ensuite shower head Stockpile wood for winter Got a good few weeks worth at least; ~ 8-10 wheelbarrow loads for now.

So this is it – the beginning. Although actually, everyday there is a beginning, a middle and an end to something. Anyway, it is the start of me being here, pursuing my current goals, trying to become the person I’d like to be. The status quo: I am currently about 10 kg overweight, with about 10 to 15% excess body fat. I have an issue with my self-image, self-imposed pressure and loneliness, resulting in a strong tendency for emotional eating. Fixing my diet without overdoing it is quite hard for me. I suffer from slight hypothyroidism that is sometimes hard to get controlled, which often leads to dizziness, weakness and depression. Allergies and some food intolerances complete the picture. Another thing I struggle with is relaxing and be easy about things. I stop having fun when I feel I HAVE to do something instead of CHOOSING to do so. I am shifty, headstrong and sensitive and need to live in balance with my intuition and instincts. What I like: - running, hiking, swimming, biking (except in winter) - ballroom dancing, archery, skating (I suck at the latter) - yoga and meditation - singing, drawing, books, movies, games and podcasts and cooking the BIG WHY 1. SELF-CONFIDENCE: I want to be proud of myself. I want to feel like someone who could impress others, or someone who might be capable to be a hero if I'd have to be one. Also, I want to live a lifestyle that makes me feel secure by knowing that I choose wisely. 2. ATTRACTIVENESS: I want to buy various clothes, not only those that hide my stupid body the best :-/. I want to recognize myself in the mirror. I want to wear a swimming suit or attractive underwear without any second thoughts. 3. CARELESSNESS: I miss the way I felt when I was so fit a few years ago. I want that feeling again, lighthearted and simply fine with who I am, never being afraid of being judged by others. 4. FAMILY AND FRIENDS: I want to feel at level with my friends or old classmates. Especially my sister - I don't want to feel second class anymore every time I am with her. I cannot get closer to her as long as this stands between us. And she sets the standard preeettty high! Also, all my family is constantly talking about their fitness classes and I don't want to feel so left out. 5. HEALTH: I don't want to feel controlled by any sickness, nor struck down with any of the symptoms. No pain, no sadness, no weakness. 6. SKILLS and TRAITS: I want to have skills and traits that I can say, represent me. I want to be elegant, gracious and have the petite body my build is actually structured to have, I want to be cat-like, a little mysterious, strong and most of all: free and full of emotions. Who I want to be: Just recently I realized, being shifty isn’t bad at all. It means, I am curious, that I value freedom and do my own thing. It means I am versatile, giving my body and mind always new challenges, and that I am open to new ideas and impressions. I can imagine myself roaming around the city, doing whatever I feel like to do, taking a nap when I am tired, going for a run if my feet won’t hold still, lazily sipping on coffe while drawing a picture for hours, trying to do things I suck at simply for fun, or being grumpy and chill out. If I follow THAT ideal, I MAY do anything, instead of HAVING to do any of it if I don’t feel like it. Challenge #1: Reduce my body fat percentage to less than 30% until end of April 1) not eating any sweets/unhealthy snacks during lent 2) 2 workouts a week 3) one nap a week (at least 5 min) 4) one yoga session a week (at least 5 min) 5) try out archery this year DONE!

So at this point making it to my scheduled workouts as a goal is kind of cheating/easy A... Which is awesome, but I need to move on from my new easy mode. Also, I ended last challenge with a 2lb weight loss after I finally got my ass in gear and I want to keep the momentum up. And it's time for some serious spring cleaning (In FL it's already back in the damn 80s so there is no excuse with the amount of work that needs to be done to the house). Goal 1: Embrace the Keto I have notice on a ketogenic diet I tend to feel better in general, and it does help with losing weight. I have to stick to a 90% keto/ 1 non keto friendly meal a week max. Goal 2: Embrace the supplements Not a crazy amount, but I need create and stick to a set that helps me feel better and get stronger. I must have fish oil, MCT oil, magnesium, and a probiotic daily. Goal 3: Embrace the Clean Ben (my SO) and I finally got a decent amount of work on the house done this past weekend, but we both still have SO MUCH STUFF.... And we tend to let chores go to hell by mid week. This challenge I will make sure we clean up the kitchen daily, have one larger (1hr+) project to work on during the weekend, and spend an extra 20 min 3 times a week to keep other areas clean. This weekend, and possibly the rest since it's a super huge job will be tearing up the back deck so that we can redo it. The people that installed it never sealed the damn thing so it was rotten by the time Ben bought the house. Fortunately only the top and railing need redoing, and we can save the frame.

If you keep track of your workouts and enjoy the feeling of writing something down as opposed to inputting numbers on your phone, then do I have the product for you! It's a mystery as to how this notebook came into the hands of the military, as most things we get issued come in two conditions: broken or useless. It's highly coveted, often tactically acquired from the "cool" supply guy. It's this: Behold it's glory. The green notebook. It's durable, lightweight and the perfect size to throw in a bag. The paper takes ink very well and if you are so inclined, it does fantastically with a fountain pen. Forget the spiral bound notebooks that fall apart, forget expensive and bulky hardbound memo pads. Get yourself one of these. You will not regret it.

Welcome to Alias investigations! This is my battle log/journal to help me keep accountable, plot out my long term goals and so I can be in a better place for the when the time comes to start my first challenge. Client information Day Zero Name: Jess Physical appearance Age: 30 Weight: 100.7 KG Height: 5'4.5" Body build: Pear BF% 53.3 Body Water% 34.5% BMI 37.4 Goals Drives and motivations: I'm sick of being fat. I feel uncomfortable in my skin. Its like I feel myself getting fatter. I'm getting a belly sag. I feel tired all the time, to the point that its disrupting my school work. It needs to stop. Immediate goals: Log all food daily on this blog. Stop buying Coffee whilst I'm out. Stop eating sweets after dinner. Ban the chocolate. Long term goals: Lose weight to a healthy range. Start exercising three times a week. Start Yoga classes after Christmas. Feel better in my body and about myself. Plans to accomplish these goals:

Take Your Before Pictures: done Date of photo taken: December 30, 2015 Time: 16:03 Front, left side, and right side profile A bathing suit picture.

OPTIONAL QUEST: Drink Water STATUS: doing Quest 7: Drink water A - 13 cups or more B - 12-10 cups C - 9-7 cups D - 6 cups below

OPTIONAL QUEST: Sunday Mass Log STATUS: doing Quest 5: Go to mass every Sunday. A - Yes, I did! B - I went to mass on a weekday.

I'm slightly fed up with pen & paper, so I'd like to switch to an android app for logging my workouts, in the hope that it will be more efficient. However, I've checked out several so far, and none have met my needs: Ability to log lifting sessions AND conditioning workouts in the same app.No ads (I'm perfectly willing to pay for the app, though).Quick, straightforward interface.Ability for me to plan workouts ahead, then check off things as I do them (editing on the fly to reflect what I actually did if I go off plan).Ability to change the date/time of a pre-planned workout without re-entering the workout I plan to do.Doesn't require integration with my smartwatch, social media accounts, etc.Doesn't require location to be on during my workout (even if I were to do a hike or trail run, I'll enter it manually kthx)The level of permissions requested by the app must be reasonable and un-creepy.Bonus points if it has a 1rm calculator or other useful tools like that.Any suggestions?

Hi everyone, I did my first challenge two months ago and everything went quite well. The challenge helped me to lose some weight and start training again. As it is being difficult to me to start a challenge on time again, I have decided to start a battle log to keep track of my progress. My intention is to write down everything related to my workouts and diet for the next three months, at least once a week. I'm starting at late March, so it will finish at the end of June. My numbers after a week off on holidays (I will deload more or less 10%) are at this point: SQ: 75kg DL: 85kg BP: 55kg BR: 55kg OP: 30kg BW: 85kg BF% around 25% (hopefully less, I must check) My main goal is to stick within the SL5x5 program for this three months, and to get under 80kg and 20% BF. Tomorrow is my first day after my little break, I will update soon telling how everything is going.

Main Quest - Establish a Craving-Control Habit In more nerdy terms, I'm hoping to learn how to run from the black riders that plague my quests (black riders = cravings)! Previously, I focused on what and how much I eat. This has not sustainably changed my choices around food. I want to shift my focus to my habits around food and cravings. Writing has always been a powerful tool for me to explore my life. My words are more meaningful to me than numbers and naked data. Here's what I'm hoping to accomplish in terms of daily goals (hopefully establishing new habits). Notice - I will pay attention to the cravings, triggers, and coping strategies I use. I am using Eating the Moment to help direct my experiments. Record - I will record my observations in the Recovery Record app after each meal and whenever I notice something important related to my eating. Journal - I will spend at least 5 minutes every night reviewing my day and my eating habits in writing. Say Grace before each meal (life goal). Deepen my yoga and meditation practices (side goal). For each goal >90% accomplished, I will choose one of my "big rewards list" (ie, fancy sports bra, digital scanner, new fitness equipment, etc) at the end of the challenge. Extras - quiet time, studying, mindfulness, creating, cleaning, focused movement, decluttering - for greater than 25 activities per week, only counted once per day, I will randomly roll one of my "weekly rewards" at the end of each weekly wrap up. Glad to continue in fellowship with all the Rebels! Let's do this.

Call of the Wild - Grant intuition, might, and swiftness to yourself and nearby allies. I figured I would go into full swing with the ranger vibe, so each challenge I will be learning a new ability based on ranger skills. For this challenge I will be focusing on gaining intuition, might, and swiftness. My Main Quest: Be able to deadlift my body weight, this is a focus for the beginning of the new year so this may take more than just this challenge. I am focusing on strength instead of just weight loss in order to see results more regularly, and keep myself going through plateaus and rough patches a bit more easily. Side Quests: Intuition (Food): Be mindful, observe, and listen to my body. Plan breakfasts and lunches, prepare meals ahead of time, and eat what I know is good for my body. 80/20 ratio (4 cheat items per week max, this would include a meal or more than 1 actual glass (not bucket sized glass) of wine, ect.) for occasional indulgences, and at least 8 cups of water per day. Track everything in MFP (or note if you can't track it on here as well as notify my trainer), and take advice from my trainer on eating properly. A - 80/20 ratio all 6 weeks B - 80/20 ratio 4/5 out of the 6 weeks C - 80/20 ratio 3 out of 6 weeks F - Anything less Might (Weight Training): Weight Train 3 times a week. A - 3 weight training days all 6 weeks B - 3 weight training days 4/5 out of the 6 weeks C - 3 weight training days 3 out of 6 weeks F - Anything less Swiftness (Cardio): Have at least 2 dedicated cardio sessions. A - 2 cardio days completed all 6 weeks B - 2 cardio days completed 4/5 out of the 6 weeks C - 2 cardio days completed 3 out of 6 weeks F - Anything less Life Quest: Save up for an elliptical machine (this may take more than 6 weeks, but make sure to put money away each paycheck).