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Last challenge started out with the best of intentions, but life doesn’t always recognise that and sometimes will punch you in the gut, just because. After that it’s easy to roll over and decide that maybe now isn’t the right time to get back up, maybe it’s best to wait until life has focused on someone or something else. ...but such a time does not exist. The best time is NOW. I’ve tried pushing through with different methods, and despite having many failures, I’ve also gained a better idea of what works best for the different mindsets I find myself in most often. So I’ve simplified things down to the bare bones in order to minimise the stress that goal setting can have on me, and I’ve worked out a points system for it all that I can keep track of easily. MOVEMENT Do SOMETHING every day. Maybe I have a long shift and only have time for ten minutes of circuits, or maybe I have a day off and time for a full on workout. Maybe I’m feeling happy and motivated to work on deadlifts, and maybe I’m upset or anxious and would feel better taking a walk. As long as something gets done every day. Three points will be awarded for ‘full size’ workouts, a combination of bodyweight and weighted work, including warming up properly, cooling down and stretching, and work on the foam roller. Two points will be awarded for ‘regular size’ workouts, which will be counted as something that hits most of the above points, but not all. For example, warming up, working on deadlifts, then stretching afterwards. One point will be awarded for sporadic movement throughout the day, like that ten minute circuit session mentioned above, or a grease the groove approach to pull ups or pistol squats, or a few sets of push-ups here and there. No movement, no points. ***EDIT: In a slight adaptation to the above, I'm adding in a couple of small essentials that should be done daily: Mobility work: Use one of the NF Yoga mobility mini-sessions. They're all ten minutes or less, so it's not a massive time commitment. Grip work: In this case, dead hangs. Basically what I've been doing most days of this week. Every time I go past the bar, I hang from it for a while. My grip strength is shocking, and not in a good way. NUTRITION I was getting back on track in the food department, and then my fridge and freezer went kaput. Unresponsive landlord is unresponsive, so I’m making the best of it for now. It means that tins are my friend, I have to get creative with any accidental bulk cooking I do (which happens a lot), and I need to find new and interesting ways to keep the right kinds of food in my diet. Three points for three meals. A protein shake will be counted as a meal at breakfast time only, and is best accompanied by some fruit or other snack. Two points for two meals. One point for one meal plus consistent grazing. Trying to avoid this, although it’s happened a few days since the fridge went. I feel crappy after days where I haven’t eaten properly, so I can only imagine what is happening to my insides. A no point day is not an option. MIND I am first and foremost responsible for looking after myself, and that includes taking time out to do something enjoyable or nothing at all. I’ve recently changed jobs, and although I’ve only had two shifts at my new job there is a noticeable difference in atmosphere. Throughout those two shifts I’ve run into several pub regulars who have all, without fail, commented on how much happier I seem. I’d like to keep that happiness. Therefore I will take thirty minutes every day to set everything aside and do something purely for me. Three points for the full half hour. Two points for up to twenty minutes. One point for up to ten minutes. No time, no points. Although with my new shift structure there really is no excuse for not having time... REWILDING I am happier when surrounded by nature, and yet I don’t include enough of it in my life. This isn’t going to be a points goal, but I will aim to do something every day. It can be as simple as watering my small collection of plants, opening the curtains to let the daylight in, or sitting out in the garden for a little while. It can be going for a walk and turning the music off for a while, foraging for edibles in the glen, or setting up a riverside camp fire to cook a meal. So long as I’m making an effort to do something, that’s what counts. The rewards part is something I’ve not quite figured out yet, but I’ve got plenty of time to think it over, and while it is nice to get something tangible out of it all, it’s not the most important thing. The important thing is that everything will be logged here, and I mean everything. What I ate, what I did, and should the worst happen, what I didn't do and why. ***EDIT: Rewards System I've done some sums and have decided that the maximum number of points I can earn in this challenge is 243. That's accounting for full nutrition and mind points daily, a full size workout every second day, and a workout every other day. Based on that I've split things up very roughly, figured out what will both motivate me and further my progress, and have come up with the following rewards: 0-120 = The knowledge that I tried my best, and next time will do better! 121-174 = Been there, done that, got the t-shirt (the nerdier the better). 175-200 = The knowledge that I'm getting a grip on this healthy living business (fat grips). 200-243 = A congratulatory pat on the back (plus a shiny sandbag). I debated the consolation prize thing, but in the decided that if I didn't even get halfway then there's no point. The t-shirt reward will do nothing to further my progress, that is motivational enabling that's come about purely because I've got my eye on a few different ones, and want an excuse to buy one. Grips are self-explanatory and varied grip training will help massively for bouldering. The sandbag (which does not have to be shiny!) is for training variation. That way I can train inside, or just as easily take it out for a walk.

Who am I? I'm 24, female, living in Melbourne, Australia and studying for a BA while working part time. I've tried to get into a habit of fitness and healthy eating many times but I always seem to fall off the wagon. So right now I'm focussing on doing fewer things but doing them really well. THING ONE: LIFTING I have the old Rebel Strength workout ebook and I'm working through the Barbell Battalion, rank 1. I'm focussing on hitting my workouts every time, taking time for warming up and cooling down, and great form while lifting. That's all I'm focussing on right now. Everything else will come with time.

Already time for the next challenge, woo! February is going to be an interesting month for me. I am going to Wicked Faire with some friends, and that's the 19th to the 21st. I want to look my best for the faire! Also, I have to wait until the 19th (Match Day) to know for sure if I got an internship for the next year. It looks good, but nothing is guaranteed and the suspense is killing me. My basic plan is to try an keep as busy as possible until the 19th, making progress on my dissertation, lifting, biking, trying to lose this persistent and annoying bit of belly fat I've accumulated, working through the ACT workbook, and pursuing my hobbies. I don't have specific goals in mind just yet, but I've been doing a good job making and mostly completing comprehensive to do lists every day. I'll update with specific goals when I figure that out. I'll also hopefully be continuing the saga of Sovellis, though I still need to wrap up the last challenge. Does anyone know how the leveling works now? For once I actually feel like I deserve to level up and would like to take care of that.

Fala Goes Hunting Fala Fourtusk snorted twice, decisively. She lifted each foot, stamping her trotters down through the thin frost and into the moldy leaves underneath, settling herself firmly against the earth’s grounding. Her energies were jumpy and electric in her boar form on a good day, but on this morning the woods were murmuring in a worried sussurus of windblown leaves. There was nothing for it- Fala had to ground deeper and find her way to the Arch Dryad before whatever the treegirls were mumbling about came to be. This stretch of woods was hers and she would guard it to her last dying breath. The bristles on her humped red back stood on end as the green growing energy of the forest spilled up into her. Her eyes took on a faint green glow as she turned, dowsing this way and that seeking the trail. She turned, circling in place, reaching… Ah! There! A faint whiff of apple came to her, sweet ripe scent out of season. Fala ran, surprisingly fast despite her humped shape.The apple scent led her deeper and deeper into the glen, had her dodging and ducking through tunnels of briar. As she came closer to the heart of the forest, she began to see ripples of energy, apple green tinged with red and gold. The smell of blossoms was all around her and she felt saliva pool in her mouth as she craved the sweet tart taste of the end of season’s orchard windfalls. She twisted and strained, pulling herself through a narrow opening in the brush and stumbled out into a sunny clearing. The space was circled with apple trees, a ring of ladies in waiting surrounding the great central tree, the home of the Arch Dryad of the Calderwood. Fala rushed to cross the space, nodding to the treegirls as she passed, barely making time for formality. The weight of the forest’s ominous potential rode her, driving her inwards like a whip’s lash. She skidded to s stop before her matriarch and slid to her knees, transforming into her half human half boar shape on the fly so that she could speak the tongue of the treegirls. She waited panting, for the Dryad queen to acknowledge her, her breath panting into the silence, a harsh and grating sound. The Syrwoman looked up, confused, to see the Arch Dryad bent in concentration over the prone and bloody body of- a human? --'--,--@ Hi all and welcome to my new challenge! I realized that I was missing writing fiction as part of my challenges here, and I had a bit of an idea for a story to act as a metaphor for some issues I am having in my life surrounding my body image and my relationship with food. I plan to update daily and to pair story posts with my successes and failures on the challenge as well as 4 weekly updates to make sure that Fala's story actually gets finished! Challenge goals to come in the next post.

So, last time I was on these forums I more or less disappeared from the middle of a challenge. A lot's happened since then: A low back tweak(which I have since recovered from), a Christmas trip to visit my Grandmother which ended up being much more somber than I expected, once I realized her state of cognitive decline - and a terrible case of food poisoning to cap it all off. Of course all of that was minor in the grand scheme of things. Two weeks ago, the love of my life was coming over for dinner. She had been down on herself, stressed out about her new job, as well as some lingering injuries that had prevented her from being as active as she like to be, and had taken a toll on both her fitness and body image. All the time I tried to be supportive. I always let her know I loved her, and I never doubted her a step of the way. I could tell she was upset, and so I asked her what was wrong. What ensued totally blindsided me. (Her) "I need to break up with you." (Gory details of conversation removed, as they don't really need to be on a public forum) (Me) "I'm really sorry I didn't do more for you when you needed it. I love you and want to do a better job helping you through this. What can I do?" (Her) "I don't want you to change yourself for me. There's nothing wrong with you, the problems are mostly in my head, but I don't think I can be happy with you over the long run and right now I just need to be alone" Long story short, there are several major stressors in her life(new job and family situation, among others), and I've always tried to be sensitive to that and do my best to be a positive factor in her life. She told me she was overwhelmed, stressed out, depressed, and "just needed to be alone right now", along with discussion of things that she needed that she didn't think I could do. And yet, as she walked out the door, she left me with "I love you." And so I am here. Single, again - when little more than a month ago we were looking forward to shopping for a house together. Right now I'm a bit of a wreck mentally, just trying to make sense of it all, and trying to avoid either blaming myself, or descending into bitterness and blaming my (now ex). She is truly a good person - she's going through some really tough times and deserves kindness and empathy, not anger. And so, that leads me to this challenge. Everything here centers around 1 point: Love myself. Heal. Goal 1: Get my head in the right place This has left me something of a cognitive wreck. Not to rehash my past too much, but this is the second time in my life that I've had a "Surprise! I'm leaving your life!" event with a significant other. Though the circumstances the first time were very different and more external to the relationship, I've long had a deep, dark fear of sudden abandonment by someone close to me due to events in my past. Between this The goal here is pretty simple: I'm going to do a few sessions with a professional to help me make sense of my head. The actual number of sessions is really more in the category of "as long as it takes" at this point. I need to stop blaming myself, and work on moving forwards - but at the same time I want to take an honest look at what I did and did not do as part of this relationship that might have contributed to problems. Long story short, I'm going to do what it takes to become a better person through this. I've got an appointment next Monday, and I'd like to do this weekly, at least in the near term until my thoughts are more under control. Goal 2: Stay positive So far I'm (mostly) doing okay at this one. Prior to this breakup I was mentally much stronger and healthier than I had been at any point during my adult life. I'm better equipped to deal with awfulness right now than at any point in my past, but I still need to stay strong, and not slip into negativity. The goal here is pretty simple - at least once per day, I will remind myself all the things I like about myself, and why I am a person worthy of love, who will find love again. For Today: I'm still in (nearly) the best shape of my life - and am doing well by most objective standardsI have a good job, and am regarded as a strong performer with high potentialI'm in good financial shapeI am intelligent, honest, kind, and loyal to a faultWhen I look in the mirror, I can honestly say that I like the person I see. I couldn't always say that in the past. Goal 3: Keep Moving I need to keep on doing things that are both good for me, and keeping up with my responsibilities as an adult: Go to the gym(or run outside) at least 6 days a week. It's OK if the emotional trauma leaves me mentally drained and I can't summon the will to do the same volume I'm accustomed to. It's not OK to lie on the couch in self-pity.Figure out what I'm doing with my house. Long story short, I'm in a situation where I've sold my house and I have a finite length of time to figure out what I'm doing for my next living situation. I need to lay out a strategy thereGet to work on my Masters' thesis. I guess this is one of the (only) bright sides to being single - once I get my head in the right place, I should be able to knock this out more quickly than I otherwise would have.Stay ahead of the curve at work. Lay out a plan of attack for the next several weeks so I can do my job efficiently and effectively. Eyes are on me, and now is not the time for excuses. Goal 4: Find someone new Okay, this is a process. There's no silver bullet here - but I'm 33, I generally hate the dating "scene" - whether it's going out to bars, or the whole online scene. The first goal here(along with getting my head in the right place), is to figure out an approach. I have some ideas, but still need to settle on a path forward. Here are some possibilities, among which I'll probably choose several: Join activity groups. Like-minded people often click when they meet.Reactivate online dating profiles: Online dating has generally been a disappointment for me(save my ex), but casting a broad net never hurts. Being in a smaller town is something of a liability here.Talk to friends: One of the best leads it talking to friends and seeing whether they know anyone that's a likely match. They know enough of who I am as a person to help find someone that might be a good fit, and the odds here are probably better than random individuals on online dating websites.The goal here isn't necessarily to find someone NOW - it's to do the right things, to give myself the best chance of success. What happens, happens. Updates will probably be more of a journal of my thoughts than workout logs. I will survive, and become a better person through this - though it will certainly take time. "Out of the night that covers me, Black as the pit from pole to pole, I thank whatever gods may be For my unconquerable soul. In the fell clutch of circumstance I have not winced nor cried aloud. Under the bludgeonings of chance My head is bloody, but unbowed. Beyond this place of wrath and tears Looms but the Horror of the shade, And yet the menace of the years Finds, and shall find me, unafraid. It matters not how strait the gate, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul." -William Ernest Henley, "Invictus"

So, I had a battle log back in '11, but since it's been so long and my training has shifted, I thought I'd start a new one. I'm currently following a program from Catalyst Athletics - Jessica's Complex & Competition Cycle, picked because I liked the complexes in the training. (I'm in Week 6) I'll only list my working sets unless someone asks to see my warmup sets. Monday 12/7/15 Exercise Clean & Jerk - 38kg (2+1)x2, 40kg (2+1)x3 High-hang snatch + Snatch - 30kg (1+1)x2, 32kg (1+1)x3 Clean deadlift - 56kg 3x2, 59kg 3x3 Back squat - 61kg x4, 65kg x1, 61kg x4, 67kg x1, 61kg x4, 68kg x1 3 sets, no rest: 15 back extensions, 15 sit ups Food Breakfast: plain oatmeal w/ dried cranberries, coffee Morning snack: apple Lunch: SmartOnes frozen meal Afternoon snack: rice cake Dinner: Pho Dac Biet, Goi Cuon, 2 glasses wine Water 8 - 8oz cups

For a few days now she had felt like someone had been following her. Must keep moving forward. "Stay away from the shadows" that old lady had said. But why? she had been traveling at night since, if it was dark anyway there were no shadows to fear. Right? For the first time she was venturing out into the sunlight. She looked back to make sure no one was following her, and that's when she saw it. she had two shadows... The shadow beast The first few days of 2016 have been interesting. I wasn't even sure I was going to do this challenge until late last night. Feeling like I need to make changes for my mental health rather than weight loss/physical goals. 1- Move at least 30 mins at least 4 days a week. Ideally this will be 5-6 days a week, but with lots of plans on the weekends this month, 4 days is way more realistic. Kung fu classes, walking, biking on the trainer, bike rides outside (still a bit cold but one can hope right?) Yoga all count. As long as it's extra in addition to what is done just day to day for life stuff. 2- Take vitamins daily. It's easy, I should be doing it, i just tend not to, that's going to change. Track with Habitbull. 3- Self care at least 3 times a week- meditation, taking extra time to do hair/nails/make up, (I will be coming up with more things to add to this list) Life goal: Read! Been watching too much TV lately. Also have a goal of 52 books this year. Book list for challenge 1: A Manual for cleaning women If the oceans were Ink Illustrated Guide to becoming one with the universe Tempting fate (Immortal descendants book 2)

Hi, This will be my first challenge as an Assassin! I’m excited I’ll be turning 40 at the end of November and am planning to have the greatest year yet. Here’s what I’ll be working on this challenge: Quest #1: Keep getting stronger and increase flexibility A - BBWW 3 times a week (2 STR, 1 STA) B - Yoga 2 times a week (2 DEX) 1 day per week BBWW can be replaced with another activity - cross-country skiing, biking, stacking firewood, dance, fitness mini-challenges, etc. (I want to encourage myself to get outside more and to do things with other people whenever I have the opportunity.) Grading: Quest #2: Gain weight and eat healthy A - Gain 1 pound per week (1 CON, 1 CHA) I will continue to eat 3000 calories or more per day to increase my weight, including at least 100g of protein. I’m adding in a stress-free day each week where I just get to eat when I’m hungry and not worry about calories. If this adversely affects my weight gain, I’ll revisit. Grading: B - Cook 3 meals a day and bake or prep freezer meals once a day (1 CON, 1 CHA) I will cook and bake daily to keep my refined sugar intake lower, my protein up, and my diet healthier. *Eating a homemade freezer meal counts as cooking that meal since I’m still eating healthy homemade food and that’s the point of prepping them - to keep me on track when I have an off day. Grading: Quest #3: Improve and maintain good mental health Do two things daily that are good for my mental health (1 CHA, 1 CON) This can be anything that improves/maintains my mental health - art, time in nature, counseling, sharing/vulnerability with trustworthy people, pushing myself to do things that I would rather put off/are scary, etc. Grading: Life Quest: Simplify and calm my surroundings A - Get rid of 10 things every day (1 WIS) Grading: B - Work on a house project each day, even if it’s only for a few minutes (1 WIS) Grading: *Birthday celebrations are special days, no penalties. *This leaves me 1 point to WIS for knowledge gained by completing this challenge and 1 point to assign where I think I really earned it over the 6 weeks.

I've always wanted to and tried to work out, and this summer/fall has been the only consistent time I've done it. But I've always dealt with a massive block to this and that is my anxiety. Working out makes me feel horrible. For years whenever I've tried, I've felt like complete s*** afterward and had to walk it off for half an hour to calm down. And this wasn't a physical thing at all, just severe emotional anguish. I don't know if this is really anxiety or not. It's more accurately described as deep, deep feelings of wrongness and horror for no reason. I'm not actually afraid of anything in particular. But anxiety is the closest description I've got. I know I could be doing so much more if I didn't have to take breaks in the middle of exercise just to calm it down, and if I didn't have to take an entire week off occasionally because I was too physically worn down from an attack to do anything at all. This is so frustrating to me, and keeps me from being who I want to be. And it's not just something I can power through, if I don't let myself deal with it it'll become worse and worse, and be a threat to my mental health. Does anyone have any experience dealing with similar things? Everyone says working out is supposed to release endorphins, and help with stress. But it's the exact opposite with me, where I'll just be ready to die from the emotional pain it gives even when the soreness is appealing to me. I'm thinking about seeing a doctor for this.

Druids can be Pokemon masters, right? I think so. So that's my challenge goal! Challenge Goal: Building habits for integrated health. Continue to improve my eating habits and attitudes, get into better shape, learn things I'm interested in and develop in my work, and keep learning to be kind to myself. Or, rather... Become a Pokemon Master! ----------------------------------------o|o|--------------------------------------- BRAIXEN - Exercise || Current level: 18 || Cumulative EXP: 1440 || Next level: 60 || Fennekin, the Fox Pokémon. Fennekin expels hot air that can reach nearly 400 degrees. It likes to snack on twigs. Goal: Set aside 30min/day for exercise. Ask myself: what does my body want right now? Ability: To get in the mood to work out by watching a 5 minute Youtube video gets me in the right mind state first! TASKS ----------------------------------------o|o|--------------------------------------- NATU - Eating well || Current level: 17 || Cumulative EXP: 1310 || Next level: 140 || Natu, the Tiny Bird Pokémon. The Natu moves around by hopping and always seems to be staring at something. Goal: Develop a healthy attitude towards food. Gradually move away from emotional eating (too much chocolate!!) and replace it with healthier coping strategies. Ability: Replace food craving with a positive action - when the urge to emotionally eat strikes, listen to a Polish lesson instead, or doodle, or play around on the synth for five minutes, or do squats - whatever whatever! After, if the urge is still there, I can act on it. TASKS ----------------------------------------o|o|--------------------------------------- ABRA - study Polish || Current level: 19 || Cumulative EXP: 1500 || Next level: 100 || Abra, a Psychic Power Pokémon. It sleeps eighteen hours a day, but employs telekinesis even while sleeping. Goal: Study Polish each day! Ability: in If I lack motivation, go for a short walk (maybe to the grocery store?) and listen to a podcast. Even small successes build up! TASKS ----------------------------------------o|o|--------------------------------------- MEW - Psychological Wellbeing/Daily Goal || Current level: 15 || Cumulative EXP: 1260 || Next level: 40 || hell yeah I can have a mew. That's the beauty of choosing whatever I want. 8D Ability: To give me a psychic hug. :> TASKS DAILY GOALS ----------------------------------------o| BADGES o|--------------------------------------- Of course, I'll be taking on the Indigo League during my quest - can't become a Pokemon master without doing that! Inspired by this nifty challenge. ^__^

What’s This? What’s This? There’s Yoga Everywhere! What’s This? There’s Smiling in the Air! Hello and welcome to RoseofMay’s third six week challenge! In saying goodbye to Halloween, we begin to approach one of my other favorite holidays: Christmas! What better way to work through this new challenge than with some help from some of the friendly folk of Halloween Town? In this challenge, I am going to continue working with yoga practices, sharpening my food habits, reminding myself of the good times, and simplifying my day with a little practice of time management. Quest One: Sally I am going to be looking for yoga routines that engage your core. I’m certain that nearly every routine and pose does that, but I want to focus on strengthening that area. In addition, I want to work on breathing and finding my center. My goal is to do 15 minutes of core strength work 3 days/week, and 5 minutes of stretching and breathing exercises every day. Quest Two: Lock, Shock, and Barrel...or Calories, Sugars, and Fats I am determined to get into the good habit of keeping track of my food. I also want to put forth the effort to keep an eye on my sugar and fat intake. Staying within my caloric intake is important, but I noticed that despite coming in under that number, things such as sugar and fat would go overboard. Sugar more than anything else. That said, I am going to work to be mindful of the amount sugar things have, good sugars vs bad sugars, healthy fats, and looking for filling foods that will help me feel satisfied rather than hungry an hour later. Calories/Day: Sugar/Day: Fat/Day: Quest Three: Jack Skellington As the weather is growing colder, it means that moods will begin to decline in our house. I have decided to use one of my goals to make sure that I help not only myself, but my Mom. We will take the time every day to make a list of 5 things that make us happy. We will keep them tucked away in a special notebook so that whenever we are feeling down, we can refer to it. I think in doing the above, we will be able to see that there are so many things for us to be happy about should we be having a less than stellar day. Life Quest: The Mayor I need to work on my time management. I know that I could be accomplishing a lot of things if I managed my time better. Stop procrastinating until the last minute for things like projects, dinner, phone calls, cleaning...etc. Get it done early and not worry about it later. Doing this with everyday life will just help make everything go smoother. To accomplish this, I am going to make daily to-do lists along with a weekly to-do list. Instead of trying to narrow down a concrete routine, knowing what I should be accomplishing on a daily and weekly basis will help me prioritize my time. This includes time for myself!

Daily Do's for Mental Health (Oh snap! Girl just threw down some Comic Sans! REBEL!) Daily "I Am" Journal - Taking those affirmations from my last challenge and putting them to practice. Here's one from yesterday: (I have a shitty camera on my phone, but it is good enough!) Regular Journaling at least 3-4 times a week. Did some yesterday too!Taking meds routinely. I am BAD at skipping doses. I need to get back into my routine of taking my BP meds, vitamins, and Zoloft. Getting Sh** Done Walk the Dogs - Mon, Wed, Fri. Trigger time will be as soon as I get home from work.Thursday's grocery shopping days. Designating a new shopping day because I was doing it on the weekends and I hate it, so I stopped doing it.Continue with my morning Yoga "Practice" - trying out a new word! (Not going to count this into the challenge, but I want to at least make it somewhat important by officially stating that I will try to continue. It helps me stay on track .** Life Goal! ** Art shows and contests! There are 2 coming up. I will be submitting my Watercolored Forest to the Pioneer Days art show in a couple of weeks. Then there is our local Comic Con, hopefully I can get something fun drawn up and submitted in the contest. I'm excited!

I finally got it up! It was a crazy week. This is my 4th challenge!!! I've lost almost 25lbs since I joined the rebellion in June. If you'd like to know more about me, check out my battle log. This time I'm trying to get a little more into the quest. Tackling each goal as a youma. When it comes to writing I don't feel so creative but I gave it my best shot! With a new pendant in hand. Doe emerges from the battle. Burgundy ribbons falling over her shoulders. Her old fighting wears: oversized jogging pants, old grey work shirt, and pink canvas sneakers have been replaced with sparkly grey leggings, Nerdy Shirts, and a new awesome pink and grey sneakers with the ankle support she needs to continue the good fight. The first week may have threw her off balance, but she aims to be victorious over the next 5 weeks. The light is at the end of the tunnel, but many obstacles lay ahead. Four youma appear, and the only way to beat them in through steady Kujichagulia: self determination. It's a principle/day of Kwanzaa. Self determination:"To define ourselves, to name ourselves, speak for ourselves and create for ourselves." or as Sailor Moon might say... A pink sparkly engineer that goes to the rooftops? Now that takes Kujichagulia! Temptation Last time it was proven: calorie counting works. I won't fall into old habits, it always seems like "oh okay I got this healthy eating thing down now..." But when you're a short girl with a short attention span and a sweet tooth, it's easy to get tempted I have a clear calorie goal to meet. 1200-1500 depending on day. 1200 regular days 1300 on dance days, 1500 on gym days or full field days 5% tolerance (1800 on Thanksgiving because the day after thanksgiving will be a free day - going to Napa) 35 HP A. 30 Points or better B.21 -29 Points C: 18-20 Points F : Less than 18 Points +2CON Row on!:60,000 meters on the rowing machine Last time I really enjoyed having a quantifiable fitness goal. It really gave me something to aim for. I've really started to like the rowing machine. It's such a good workout and not boring like some other things. A:50,000m or more B:40,000 - 49,999m C:30,000 - 39,999m D: 25,000 - 29,999m F less than 25,000 +2STR +1DEX +1STA Temporal Tempest I'm studying for the FE Exam (Engineer in Training Test - if anyone else happens to be studying let me know!) I need to study at least 8 hours a week (it is a 6 hour test after all, used to be 8) and work problems 30HP A:25+ hours B:15-25 hours C: 10-15 hours F: less than 10 hours +3WIS +1STA Chaos This demon tempts one to plunge right in, no need for planning or refection. That's not so! In order to win the war, I need a plan. I need to plan to make that plan. Goal Set aside at least 30 minutes on Sunday to Plan week. 10 minutes each morning. 5 minutes for reflection. 3 pts for Sunday planning. 2 points for morning planning. 1 point for reflection. I've got ADD, a textbook case so this is going to be incredibly hard but I am determined 24 possible points a week. 123 HP A:110 Points or Better B:90 - 109 Points C:75 - 89 Points D: 60-74 Points F: Less than 60 Pts +2WIS +2STA +1CHA

Hi everyone and sorry for the long inactivity. Why was I gone? So for those of you who don't know... In the past (also explained in the challenges) I have seriously been struggling with myself. I simply don't feel happy, I went to a psychologist and she found I have more than just a depression, which sounded very eerie, but ends up there's something to do about it. But I felt like I was in a very deep pit that I couldn't climb out of. Then I got a badly bruised rib, I felt even more horrible... Then I went on holiday and whatnot. Basically, things were horrible and busy at the same time, which is why I couldn't find the energy or time to do a challenge. But here I am, back in business, hoping I can do something again here. Why am I here? Honestly... I feel I kind of >have to< be here, like I will let people down if I'm not..? But of course I am also here for myself. I want to make a change to my life style, as I have tried many times before, but simply failed, or did a half assed job. Even in the challenges here. I started to notice I have to make my challenges smaller, take baby steps, because when I want too much I lose my energy and motivation, I get stressed, I start binge eating and feeling friggin' horrible about it afterwards, I feel like I can't do anything... Basically I get this mental shit storm that seems to go on and on forever. BUT I want to prove to myself that if I take baby steps I don't have to go through that horribleness again. I want to allow myself to make mistakes. I want to be nicer to myself, comfort myself, say that it's okay and that it's going to be alright... That my feelings are legit, but that I am strong enough to crawl back to feeling better. But I can't do that alone... Which is the real reason why I'm here. I'm here for you guys, because I need you. I'm going to be very open about this: I have felt suicidal for a longer time... Never acted upon it, though. And finally these horrible thoughts cross my mind less and less, which is great, but I do have my fallbacks at times, where I just don't know what to do. Where I don't have energy, not even to do grocery shopping or clean my house, or wash my hair... It's real bad. Previously I've not been so open about this, but I realise I have to be, so people understand my situation slightly better. And I hope that, when I am in such a horrible place in my mind, I will be brave enough to post it here and ask for support. What will I do? Here we come to the part where I explain my challenge. Basically I want to lose weight, but I can't seem to get it done. I don't have the mental strength to stay away from biscuits and chocolate. So instead of trying to deny myself these things, I want to have a look at getting some healthy habits while still allowing myself to have biscuits and whatnot whenever I'm in a binge eating mood. I know right now I can't stop myself from doing such things, so I'm going to have to accept that it happens instead of beating myself up about it. But I can compensate a little bit with healthy habits, right? Habit #1 - Fruit for breakfast Well, it says it all. Previously I would either have sandwiches for breakfast and sometimes even biscuits, because it was the first thing lying around (from previous evening) and I'd think "Oh you know, I'll just finish that so it's out of the house" and next thing you know I'm already in the shop buying new biscuits... So it was never really out of the house. But if I stick to having fruit for breakfast as a rule, that should go better... Right? At least, I hope so. It may take away a little bit. And yes, I know fruits have sugar in them too, but I'm pretty sure eating fruit is less bad than eating chocolate covered oreo's for breakfast. Habit #2 - Squats Now there's a little story to this. On 9GAG (yes, that's right) I came across a wonderful inspirational picture. In the first place I thought "Haha, too long, not gonna read", but I guess I was too curious to actually let it go. And so I read the text on the picture. First reaction: But even though the text in this picture is directed towards men, it still did inspire me and so I commented on it. The OP was very nice to me and told me that he had lost 13 kg in 3 months through "intermittent fasting". I Googled it and found out that's nothing for me. xD And I was honest about that to him. But he also said I should do squats, that it helps and that it's good for your butt. Well, I already knew that, but there was something in the way he said it that I immediately did 20 squats. And later that night 25 more. And this morning another 25 squats. Man, I got inspired! So I want to do 25 squats every morning and every evening. It's not much, but it's something. It's better than doing nothing. 25 squats gives a bit of a burning sensation in my legs, but I don't get a muscle ache from it and I can easily take the time to do 25 squats. Habit #3 - Water Now, I've had water goals before, where I told myself I should drink at least 2L of water a day, or 1.5L or something. But I find it hard to keep track of that. I think I drink enough, but just in case I want to change this goal to something that's easier to keep track of, something smaller too. Every morning, before breakfast, I have to drink a glass of water. It's said to start up your system, to burn stuff, so who knows. It's worth a try, right? How do I measure my goals? Like in previous challenges I will make daily lists of goals I have to achieve. They will look like this: Week X - Day X - [day name] Glass of water - win/fail Fruit for breakfast - win/fail Morning squats - win/fail Evening squats - win/fail 3 wins per day means I've won that whole day. 4 wins per day means I get star status for that day. 5 star statuses in a week means I get to post a picture of a star for that week, to show off my awesomeness. Week 1 (win count = 5, star count = 3) Day 1 win * - Day 2 fail - Day 3 win * - Day 4 win * - Day 5 win - Day 6 win - Day 7 fail Week 2 (win count = 3, star count = 1) Day 8 win - Day 9 win * - Day 10 fail - Day 11 fail - Day 12 win - Day 13 fail - Day 14 fail Even with this challenge it's clear that this was a bad week for me... I struggled a lot this week, mentally. Week 3 Day 15 win - Day 16 win/fail - Day 17 win/fail - Day 18 win/fail - Day 19 win/fail - Day 20 win/fail - Day 21 win/fail Week 4 Day 22 win/fail - Day 23 win/fail - Day 24 win/fail - Day 25 win/fail - Day 26 win/fail - Day 27 win/fail - Day 28 win/fail Week 5 Day 29 win/fail - Day 30 win/fail - Day 31 win/fail - Day 32 win/fail - Day 33 win/fail - Day 34 win/fail - Day 35 win/fail Week 6 Day 36 win/fail - Day 37 win/fail - Day 38 win/fail - Day 39 win/fail - Day 40 win/fail - Day 41 win/fail - Day 42 win/fail

The important part isn't to focus on measurable achievements, it's actually doing stuff. Gotta learn to reward the effort, not just the success. Rather than having a number I shoot to achieve, I will focus on doing and effort to do. So long as genuine effort is made it will be considered a success. Quest 1: Training and Preparation The beast of business demands many a sacrifice. It demands energy and motivation...things I am no longer willing to give. The creature must be slain. The first step is to prepare meals despite its orders to be lazy and give over my energy and motivation. This will anger the beast. Cook more/eat out less +3 WIS, +3 CHA Quest 2: Power Ups In order to actively fight the beast I must have sustenance that will fuel me for the battle. Nutrient density is key. It will give me the energy and mood boosts to defy the monster. Eat more veggies +3 CON, +3 STA Quest 3: Healing Spells There will be times the creature will win and I will make its demanded sacrifices. In these times it is important to recoup. Meditate when overwhelmed +3 WIS, +3 CON Side Quest: Map Making When others traverse the same path as I it can be helpful that they know the way I have been. Work on blog more actively +1 WIS Life Quest: Make our 11 acre plot my new home Step 1: Get a portion fenced for chickens +1 STR *COMPLETE* Step 2: Get a house +1 WIS

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

(I'm starting my battle log over now that I know myself and the rebellion better.) I seriously need to ditch a bunch of this fat I'm carrying. It makes wardrobe management a daily difficulty. I also want to have more fun, and that's just easier in a stronger, more energetic body! I want to always be up for a race or a dance party with my kids! Also, I struggle with mental health (my diagnoses are chronic major depression and borderline personality disorder.) Also also, I moved halfway across the country a few years ago to be near my in-laws, and I still haven't made many friends or found much to love about my new home. So... My progress goes in fits and starts, and it's often two steps forward, one step back. Goals! Weigh 175 pounds (starting at 235 pounds on 1/1/15) Do a standard pushup Do a standard pull up Learn archery Make miso (in progress) Make Moroccan fermented lemons Knit something that's not a rectangle (in progress) Crochet an afghan (in progress) Knit or crochet a sweater Write a novel (in progress) Take my kids to the Oregon coast (done June 2015) Visit Maine Visit the Mediterranean coast of Spain, France and Italy

Though I never stopped tracking the leveling-up of my life, I wasn't commenting on the NF forums. My old battle log is now inactive. Here comes some more! Me? I'm a family man, physician assistant, sci-fi novelist, and triathlete. I have sucked at all of those except the PA at one time or another, but visualizing myself as a video game hero changed my perception, and I changed my level of success.

Objective: Build up a better self-image to help boost confidence and motivation. Hopefully to gain better mental health and positive attitudes towards exercise, diet, & life. Quest 1: post daily affirmations, in any form (picking something I like about myself or posting a motivational picture or quote). It will be a big challenge for me, I am a very negative person. Quest 2: Daily morning yoga and/or Piriformis muscle stretches and/or meditation. Going back to a staggering-type challenge, waking up 5 minutes earlier. Then I will increase by 5 minutes each week. My herniated disc has healed but having troubles with piriformis muscle. Chiropractor gave stretches I need to do every day. Quest 3: Frequent journaling. I have gotten close to pinpointing the sources of my depression. Journaling has helped me notice triggers and realize which emotions are a result of other emotions. Quest 4: Daily belly to spine posture practice, as recommended by my chiropractor. Gotta strengthen my deep inner core. Life goals: Set up doctor, dental, and hair appointments for myself and my kiddo.

So in less than a year and a half, I've lost 2 of my uncles and my grandmother. Both of my uncles were on my mom's side, and both were in their early 50s. Both died of heart issues. I'm going to operate under the assumption that there's a little bit of genetic predisposition there! (Even though their father is about to turn 90...) I don't know much about heart health and I feel the need to learn. So for this challenge, I'm going to learn and share something new about heart health, especially preventative measures, each week. Just one new thing each week. I think that's totally doable and beneficial for me. I also took a heart risk assessment a few months ago at an EMS conference. The only risk factor was my weight. I scored really well on everything else. Because this is the only knowledge I have (for now!) and I'm already trying to lose weight, I need to focus on it harder and do better. I have been hitting my macro goal almost every day and haven't had any fat loss. I'm going to track everything religiously and stick to the macs as much as possible for 2 more weeks. If I still feel like my ship is sinking, I'm going to rethink things. Maybe drop my calories or cut down on some carbs. My great-great grandma, my great grandma, and my grandma all suffered from Alzheimer's before they died. I have a Lumosity account. I originally got it to help me with delaying Alzheimer's. I haven't been using it much lately. I need to go back to using it at least 3x a week this challenge. I've also read research that learning new things helps slow the progress. So I think I'm going to work on learning guitar. At least 1 online lesson a week 20 minutes at least. I need to think some more. I've felt very negative and kinda down on myself lately. I feel stressed & closed in. I know part of it is that my house needs cleaning, but I'm never home. The workouts from my online fitness class that I have done have been too hard. I have to modify or bring down at least half the exercises every time, either because I can't do them or because of my tailbone. It's getting really frustrating. I have been sick, both my stomach and some kind of congestion crap. Between the coughing and the stomach issues, on top of work and life, I feel exhausted. So part of my challenge may be to clean house and take care of me for a little bit. I did some more thinking! I am going to limit myself to 2 episodes on Netflix a day on days that I work. If I'm home, 3-4 episodes or 2 & a movie a day if I'm off. I used to never watch it and now I even work out & eat in front of it. I did some serious thinking on it, and I developed that habit this winter. I was really lonely and so I'd put on series I'd seen before just for the noise. Self care got me thinking: "how do i do that?" I'm spending most of my time working, doing a workout that makes me feel stupid, or traveling. 1. I can change my attitude about the workout. 2. Structure my time at home a little better. 3. Stay home more. I think I'm going to work on structuring my time at home better. It used to be fairly routine. I came home from work, ate a snack, made dinner, cleaned some, went for a run/workout, showered, then ate dinner. But when I had to quit running and working out for a while, I got all thrown out of whack.

What a week it has been! I'm glad to be back and I'm really, really excited for this challenge. Although... I have realized there's more I need to do before this weight will come off. I mean, technically, I have lost weight since I joined NF, but I sure hope I can get to where I'm losing more than 5 pounds a year... But first, I need to quit drinking so many calories. Which leads to: I need to learn how to relax, reward myself, comfort myself, nurture myself, have fun, celebrate good times, deal with bad times... without reaching for a wine bottle. It's been hard since I moved here, but I've been here for 3 1/2 years now, and it's time to figure out how to live. Here. Healthily. It's not lost on me that this is the challenge that will move us (or most of us... or some of us, anyway...) from winter to spring. Right now, I only have a couple of plants started, but by the end of the challenge I'll pretty much have the whole garden planted. It's a good time to prepare for a season of growth. To level up this challenge, here's what I need to do: 1. HARDHAT CHALLENGE!!! Yes! I am going 30 days without wine! (I actually started on the 17th. Sorry I didn't say anything. This week was turmoilriffic and I was being a bear. If I had tried to tell you guys about it, all you would have heard was GRRRR.) 2. FIX UP THE BAT BEAR CAVE! Specifically: - (Re)organize my spices. Mix up the blends I'm out of. - Get my loose recipes organized into a binder. - Go through the loose recipes and things saved online and figure out a. what I'm never going to actually try and b. what I should try now-ish because it would be a good fit for my slow carb diet. - Create lists of recipes I know I and my family like, and recipes I want to try. - Try at least 4 new recipes (that work with the slow carb diet.) - Get at least 2 slow cooker dinners bagged up and in the freezer. 3. ...BUT ALSO, GET OUT OF THE CAVE ONCE IN AWHILE! - Learn to use the mass transit here. Specifically, ride the bus twice. Once has to be by myself or just with the kids. - Initiate 4 social events... I don't mean big event events... I just mean, it has to be my idea to hang out with someone. Else. Someone who lives outside the cave. I started on this a bit last challenge, and I need to keep this ball rolling! 4. BREATHE... I wasn't sure how to write this into the challenge, but I do not want to let it slide! I used to do breathing and relaxation exercises regularly, but I've gotten out of the habit as I've been using wine to relax. Time to switch back. So, at bedtime, and when I feel tense or anxious, I'm going to breathe and consciously relax my muscles. Tied in with this is, well, figuring out how to do all the other things I've been using wine to do. The past few days have gone very, very well. When I find myself thinking that I'd like a drink, I figure out why, and then I figure out what I'm actually going to do. Accomplish a task? Sit and read? Hang out with my kids? Send my husband a smiley text? I look forward to seeing what this challenge brings

I'm trying to pay attention more to my diet because I'd like to lose weight or at least body fat (5'6", 164 lbs). However, I also have a tendency to obsess about food and fitness, and I don't want to fall into that again. Because of that I've been hesitating to count calories or set restrictive negative goals ("Don't eat X"), but I'm worried that without restricting in some sense I won't be able to improve. At the same time there's part of me that feels bad for even wanting to lose weight because I feel like I should be "over" that and just be happy with working out to get stronger, and eating healthy for its own sake. Does anyone else struggle with this?

Hello Assassins! I'm Claire, and I finished up my very first challenge last session. I'm excited to join a guild this time around. I've been thinking quite a bit since then about what goals I want to set, and where I want to aim for. I've ended up deciding that I want to feel stronger, more resilient, more capable and happier, and I've chosen goals that I hope will help me get there. I also want to make sure that I cover both the physical and emotional/mental side of things. I've had a rough couple of years health-wise, but things are looking pretty good at the moment. Main Quest I want to feel stronger and more capable in myself, both physically and mentally. Quest 1: To Dance Again! (2 DEX, 2 CHA) A couple of years ago, I was dancing pretty frequently. I like partner dancing, and I've dabbled in various different ballroom and latin styles. Then a combination of dodgy knees and depression stopped me, and now I haven't been dancing for... 18 months? probably longer. So, my goal for this challenge is 1 Dancey-type activity per week Hopefully these will involve getting out of the house and interacting with other people, but if I need to do something at home that will count as well Quest 2 Stand on one leg (2 DEX, 1 STA, 1 STR) My ankles have always been my weak point - they get sore when I run, they get sore when I walk too long, they get sore if I hold them in a funny position.... so this challenge, I want to strengthen them, so that I don't have to constantly make excuses for them. My plan for this is Part A: ankle exercises every day Part B: Single leg balances 5 days a week Quest 3 Control the Snacks (4 CON) Overall my diet isn't bad, and I don't want to absolutely give up any foods, because then I get cross and unhappy. But I do have issues with eating way too much of some foods, and then feeling sick and guilty afterwards. So this challenge, I am aiming for: Maximum of 1 indulgence food a day Life Quest: Mental Homework (3 WIS) I want to look after my mental health, and I tend to keep putting it off as something that's not important and can wait till later. Well, later is now. This challenge I want to: Part A: Do mindfulness 3 days a week Part B: Write in a journal 2 days a week Grading I've never understood letter grades - I didn't use them growing up - so I'm just going with percentages here. I have finally allocated stat points! Measurements Height: 180 cm Weight: 95.9 kg Arms: 32 cm Chest: 115 cm Waist: 91 cm Hips: 112 cm Thighs: 68 cm Calves: R 45cm L 44cm Before Photos (Please forgive my dreadful picture taking skills)

My main goal is to stay "sane" for the next two weeks between challenges. To acheive this goal, I'm going to: Take my medication daily. Not take on any extra projects. Feed my spirit daily. Attend my addiction recovery program on Thursdays. Attend church on Sundays. 15 minutes of grounding meditation every day.

Waanie stays balanced After a successfull challenge to keep myself from overworking myself, I will continue to focus on my mental balance. Furthermore, I started climbing with some of my colleagues, and I would really like to become better at that . The trick is to take good care of myself, both mentally and physically. A lot of exercise and mental strain is fun, but it can easily lead to injuries/illness. Therefore, I'm going to focus on keeping the balance . 1. Take some mental rest at least 5 minutes a day, 5 times a week This can be yoga, meditation, foam rolling, stretching or anything else that lets me be alone with my thoughts and relax. I had this goal last time and it helped me a lot. Balance exercises like the tree pose or crow pose also count . 2. Stretch after every workout Nowadays I climb twice a week, and I often forget to stretch after that. My muscles are starting to get shorter, especially my quadriceps. To keep my muscles long and recover faster, I must stretch after each workout I do. 3. Do two workouts a week that focus on core & glute strength While climbing, I use almost all my muscles, including my abs and glutes. However, these muscle groups are not trained enough to keep my posture good. To keep the back pain at bay, I will therefore do two workouts a week that focus on core strength and glute strength. If I feel up to it, I can also add other exercises to better my posture, but I must take care not to overwork some of my muscles. Planks and bridges will definitely be included . 4. Track my workouts I will roughly track my workouts. Not too detailed, but more things like "biked to work" or "climbed", just to see how much I'm doing and for future reference. At the moment, I think I bike around 100km a week, climb twice a week and take walks from time to time as well. We'll see what I really do in a week . Have a nice challenge everyone!