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Still sort of waiting for spring here, we've had a few warm days, but mostly it still feels like we're stuck in February, and thus the title of my challenge. I'm gone for about a week of this challenge. I have not decided whether I am going to eat at maintenance calories or deficit. Either way, I will track calories. My goals: Track calories Be at least 80% consistent in tracking and staying in calorie limit. Right now my problem with consistency is weekends when we eat out. I need to figure out how to handle that. I'm thinking I'm going to guestimate to the best of my ability and go with that number. Doing that will give me a good idea of the food amount I eat when I am out. I am not going to focus on weight loss this challenge. More on that below Planning: On Sunday or Monday morning, write out my list of things I want to accomplish for the week Each evening look at what the plan for the next day is Aim for 80% or more on of quest completion Workout: I have decided that I want to set strength goals this challenge My big goal is to do a full pistol. I am using the GMB's progression for the roll to pistols Here are my goals for that Roll to squat consistently without using my hands to assist, Be able to do 5 in a row: I am almost there roll to pistol on both legs Fitness plan The NF bodyweight work 3 x a week a zone 2 workout 3 time a week walking or gardening daily GMB Floor Loco 2 x a week if time and energy a sprint workout once a week, or as time allows Food Plan: I am switching to maintenance and taking a break from tracking calories. I still plan on using my knowledge of what I've gained to eat within a caloric maintenance. I will also practice my eating skills. I may track a bit, if I think it will be helpful. I may also do days with lower calorie goals, especially after weekends or days that were higher. I will weigh myself daily and record it. Once a week I will write down the average of the numbers. I will use that information to see how well I am doing at maintaining, and adjust if I need to. Creative goals: Make the wreath for my front door. I bought the supplies. I just need to make it Plant veggies in my garden Do some work on my scrapbook ( yes this is a vague goal, I just want to do a bit on it.

The hot, muggy air makes it hard for me to continue trekking through the jungle. Brushing aside the tall brush, I continue my trek toward the faint glimmer of water I see far off. Concerned about alligators, I keep a wary eye out. As I get closer, I can see the water. What I was hoping was a river is really only a swamp. Edging closer to the edge, I look around, trying to spot the spring. For centuries, there have been rumors that hidden in this jungle is the mystical fountain of youth. From it's water spring forth water said to give youth and vitality to all who drink from it. But all I see is murky water. I squat at the edge of the swamp, silent, listening to see if I hear anything. I tilt my head, is that the sound of water bubbling? Following the sound, I walk away from the swamp. I find a small spring with water bubbling up Could this be the spring? It sure doesn't look like much. Taking the glass container out of my backpack, I fill it up with the water. I take a sip of the water. It tastes good, refreshing my parched throat. Then I wait. Do I feel different? Nope. Perhaps the fountain was just a legend. I don't know when exactly it happened. It wasn't all at once. Just sort of gradual. It seemed that day by day I was feeling more energetic. Able to get more done. I enjoyed going for walks, and working in the garden. Little by little, I felt I was getting stronger. First I could do one pull up, and then another. I enjoyed using my muscles, and seeing what I could accomplish. I was more limber. I could squat, or sit on the ground when I wanted. I enjoyed eating healthy foods. Could it be that it really wasn't a legend after all? Maybe there was a Fountain of Youth and I had discovered it? Challenge goals: Food: Track on MFP- even if I am not going to make my daily goal Hit calorie goal Strength- keep working on NF bodyweight 3 times a week Cardio 3 x a week rowing zone 2, or maybe walk, running as the weather improves walking. trying for most days 10,,000 (yes,I know most is very non specific, I'm just using my judgement here, if I have time and the weather isn't awful ,walk, if it doesn't happen, no guilt) spring- running or rowing, about once a week, but it may be only once every other week Flexibility Floor Loco or Mobility with GMB I'm also trying to do a lot of yardwork, so no real goal for amount of days, just use wisdom and try and get some in as time allows Life_ Daily quest list- goal is to get 80% done Weekly quest list- I have so many things I want to get done this spring. A few big yard working projects. I need to decorate my guest bedroom. And scrapbook. Plus, just normal life stuff. Hopefully a weekly quest list will help me focus and conquer!

I had a wonderful vacation and am now transitioning back to real life mode. While on vacation, I drank from the spring of the fountain of youth. So, I figure I'm covered now, and don't have to do anything else to take care of my health. Just do whatever I want, and reap the rewards . I brought home a bottle, so I can take a sip if I ever feel I need to refresh myself. But, just for old times sake, the plan is to make a challenge this weekend

Hi all! I'm Stronkey Kong. Umm... yeah... still here. If you don't know by now, just ask... This is part 2 of a year long (or at least multi-month) challenge aimed at losing weight by training like a boxer. It's all about calisthenics and cardio with boxing training mixed in for fun and because hitting a heavy bag for 10x3 min intervals is an awesome workout. I have it themed and organized after "Mike Tyson's Punch Out!" on the NES. Here's how this will work... I have 3 Major goals (a catch all goal for the minor/tangential stuff): FIGHTING WEIGHT (FW): Hit 199 lbs (CRUISER WEIGHT, in the next 1-2 years. I'm 37 (almost 38) and 285 or so pounds... I want to get rid of the excess before 40. BOXING SHAPE (BS): I want to be in the kind of shape that boxers and other fighters are in so I'm going to train like them... lot's of cardio and calisthenics for foundational strength and conditioning, and bag work and boxing/martial arts drills for developing speed, coordination, balance, power etc. METABOLIC HEALTH (MH): Be able to burn whatever I put into my body: carbs, fat -- metabolic flexibility, learn to maintain the balance of calories in vs. calories out, and develop good eating habits. I'll be using LUMEN and BODY TEMP for metabolic feedback, and tracking diet with MFP. LUMEN is a gadget that uses the breath (O2 in vs CO2 out) to estimate whether you're burning carbs or fat BODY TEMP: I'll take my temperature with an IR surface thermometer around the same time I measure with LUMEN. My baseline/normal temp is 97.4 deg F. MFP: I'm using my fitness pal to get the macronutrient data I need to compare to what LUMEN suggests OTHER minor GOALS (OmG): All the other projects and things that I'm going to make the rest of life good. These things show up on my fight scorecard as little 15 min tasks that add points here and there. ======================================================== As the year progresses, I compete in successively more challenging FIGHTS. The GOALS are the basis for SCORING POINTS and getting KNOCK-DOWNS and KNOCKOUTS in the fights. Just like PUNCH OUT, Each fight will be 3 ROUNDS (weeks) in length. There will be 1 REST WEEK in between fights to rest, readjust goals, cut for weigh-in etc. WEIGH-IN will be the morning on the day before the fight and this will be my official weight for tracking weight loss in the fight. For each fight I will identify 3 KO techniques -- one for each of the first three goals. These are impressive and worthy enough to constitute a KO singularly. Then, I will have 3 TKO criteria -- again one for each of the three major goals that together (all three) constitute a TKO. Finally, even if I fail to KO or TKO, if I go the distance and do more good effort than bad, I can WIN by DECISION -- wherein I track good habits on the FIGHT SCORECARD for each round. There's a lot on the scorecard, and it includes things from my OmGs. Throughout the course of the year and 13 total fights, I will track my W-L-KO stats. For any W to count, regardless whether it's KO, TKO, or W by Decision, I have to track all three rounds. Adjustments for current challenge: Added a REST WEEK between fights Dropping prize purses ($$$) from fights -- I don't think these incentives are necessary, and I need to focus on budgeting other things. Expanding the FIGHT SCORECARD (ongoing) This challenge is currently scheduled as follows: Week 0: REST WEEK WEIGH-IN: Saturday, February 12 at 12:00 pm (-ish) Week 1: VS. Von Kaiser Round 1 Week 2: VS. Von Kaiser Round 2 Week 3: VS. Von Kaiser Round 3 Week 4: REST WEEK Week 5: VS. Piston Hondo Round 1 I'll keep the current fight, future fight schedule, and fight record on the second of each of these challenges so you (and I) can find it and figure out what the hell I'm currently doing at any time.

I'm still trying to lose some weight, so that's a big focus right now Endeavor 1: Lose 2.5 pounds by challenge end Use MFP 6 days a week Follow guidelines from eating skills *experiment, I've upped my protein to 120 grams to see if that helps with satiety. This is a guideline. If I have a day where I feel like eating more carbs than protein, that is fine. I just want to experiment and see how this works Reward: counted at end of challenge: 1 point for each day tracked 28+ points = 2 Constitution pts 24-27= 1 Con pt. 20 -24 = .5 Endeavor 2: Use my time wisely Daily: write out the top 3-5 things that need to be done; weekly: each week I will write out the top things I need to accomplish Reward; Counted weekly Daily : If I remember to write out 4 days, and get 80% success .5 wisdom, Weekly; 80% success = .5 wisdom 50% = .25 wisdom Endeavor 3: I am training L-sits and handstands.Things I want to accomplish 1: hit the benchmarks to progress to the next level by challenge end 2: video on week 1, pick out 1 thing to work on improving for each challenge, then video on week 3 and week 5 Reward: 1 to 2 points strength Experiment: I'm going to use less media. Yes, this goal is super unSMART. 😃 If I set specific rules, it just makes me cranky, and not want to do it. What I'm going to do is just try and stop and think before I just scroll through media. Idea is to use it less, but not be super strict. No reward, because there is no way to track. The idea is that I will be happier if I spend less time on the computer, so I am going to spend less time because I want to spend less time week 1 Endeavors: write out baby shower to do list - finish weeding side garden decide what to do with sage bush buy veggie plants email friend plant dahlias, lilies in container pots Week 2 Endeavors email friend calendar to do shower list text gal about wants for shower food plan shower food- decide where to get cake weed under swing mulch under swing plant veggies, flowers weed back bed Week 3 Endeavors decide cake and order if needed plan punch order cushions sweep/pressure wash swing put new canopy on swing take care of yard waste buy fence for veggie garden video L-sit, handstand yard list to do Week 4 put up fence around veggies yard waste baby shower: reminder notice buy prize for diaper raffle buy party favors buy decorations gazebo buy flowers/plant start planning devotional talk

Last month went well, let's keep it going The Morning Way: Follow my morning routine; Read Bible, eat breakfast, kitchen dishes away Set the timer so I have enough time to relax, but that I get going on my day;if I do this Monday through Thursday, then Friday is free reward.5 wisdom each week completed Mindful Eating Way Practice my eating skills Keep my super power values in mind-Joy and Self Control Do MFP 5 days a week Alternate: I'm going on vacation this challenge. I will mainly just focus on my superpowers and eating slow during that time Reward 2 points strength Shiny Way: I'm practicing the Pistol squat, also doing the L-sit practice 1 time a week to maintain 2 times a week pistol squat, 1 times a week L-sit: Grease the Groove: use my ottoman to practice the pistol when I walk by it: Each day a do it at least 10 times I get a sticker, I took a video of my pistol squat now, and I will take one at the end of the month to see how I improved. I also have a goal to feel more balanced and controlled in the movement. Reward; 1 strength for completing the workouts 1 strength for improvement other stuff: I am going to try and walk a bunch . Walking is great for my mood, and it helps me lose weight. I am currently on NF bodyweight level 4 Each week I will have a list of quests to complete This week's quests Write down things I need to do for vacation paint crown molding text friend about to see how her mom is send a note to other friend spend some time weaving

So 2020, eh? This is exciting! I can already kind of see the light returning to the world. The dark of the year is behind us. And as someone who has been doing kind of okay, managing s.a.d it still fills me with joy. I am 36 yo female from the north of Germany, Katrin irl, going by the handle Morag or Katrin Morag most everywhere online. I weigh 100kg, which is way too much. And I don't much like how bloated and stuff I feel. On a less depressing note: I did really well throughout the holiday season and into the new year. I am leaving break week with two more staple meals in my quiver, leaving me at a glorious all-time high of two. Yeah, I know, but the last 3 challenges were obviously worth it, because I now HAVE these 2 meals and am thinking about what else I like to eat regularly. One rice concoction is definitely needed, because the mushroom porridge I cooked in the past is kind of difficult because it has more than one portion (which is good, because it's a comfort food I sometimes prepair when I feel a cold come on or shark week or something, but calculating portion size is iffy with that one). Anyway so far so good. I am taking a weekly afternoon class of Korean, which is challenging and therefore good. I learned a lot but there is so much to learn still. The kids both need support for school work. Being a single mum, yes we co-parent but still, it falls onto my plate. And I don't mind that much, sometimes we are a bit overwhelmed, the boys and I. Luckily usually it's just one of us at a time, so it all works out. I have a twinge in my lower back / hip and it's keeping me out of the gym, which pisses me off, because of the lack of endorphins, plus I LOVE lifting, but I have called the physical therapy office and I may be able to get started on fixing it as early as next week. So progress. Phone call on Monday will tell. I need to implement a self-reflection habit of some sort, due to my therapist sending me out into the world on my own soon. Which is exciting, but also scary. So taking care of the things that pop up, when they pop up or scheduling them. All in an effort to keep stress levels managable. And I am kind of happy to not be in the gym that first half of January. But I miss the barbell. So theme? I wish I had an idea. Warning lable: there will be rambling wall posts, there will be food porn, there will be both hype and whine. And I am hoping for weight going down. Pain going away. Morag returning to the bar.

We have done a good job of keeping our town safe.For now anyway, Metropolis is free from villains. Which is great. But also, well, truthfully, kind of boring.What's a super hero to do when she doesn't have any villains to fight? I was sitting in my easy chair, reading a book, sipping on some pumpkin spice tea, secretly hoping I would be called out on a mission. So when my secret superhero phone beeped, I quickly darted over to check it. Hmm, it was a text from Jessie Graff. She and I had become buddies one day after I had saved her from the evil Villain Giganta. I opened the text and read: "Hey, EG, since you've scared all the villains away, how about competing on American Ninja Warrior? I'm sure everyone would love seeing a real super hero compete" Hmmm, I pondered it for about one minute. Then quickly typed back "Yep, I'm in" What a great way to train to fight villains! I quickly packed a travel bag and headed out the door. I was off to train with Jessie and the other Ninjas. I love American Ninja Warrior. I watch all the shows, and follow the Ninjas on Instagram. I find them super inspiring. So for this challenge ,I'm going to channel my inner Ninja. Over the spring and summer, I've gained muscle (yay) and also a small bit of fat. So this challenge will be about losing the fat before the dark days of winter set up. I've set up a game boar in my mostly forgotten Bullet Journal to keep track of my progress. In order to complete the challenge and win the level, I need to complete 4 obstacles 1 each week Obstacle 1: Quad Steps; 20 pts to complete Obstacle 2:Jump Hang : 22 pts to complete Obstacle 3:Flying Nunchucks 24 pts to complete Obstacle 4: Warped Wall 28 pts to complete Points: 2 points per day for drinking 64 oz of water/ 1 pt for 40 oz 2 points per day for tracking in MFP, and being fairly close to target deficit / 1 pt for tracking a good portion of the day Bonus points that can be saved for the next week : 1 point for recording all meals for the day prior to the day 1 point for 10,000 + steps Prize for completing the level https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BTBKLLF/?coliid=I3735BPMCGIC7B&colid=2FXN9I8R0TTC&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it Other stuff: I will be doing other things to lose weight, I just didn't want to have to track a bunch, so I focused on the main ones. I will be eating slow, eating veggies, eating my weight in protein, and mostly eating food that will fuel me the best. I am also doing a kettlebell program, and the NF handstand program. So expect to hear a bunch about that. Mini challenge goals Home Economics: Put summer clothes in extra bedroom and organize closet; Also buy some pretty candles Science: Watch a video on kettlebell windmills and video myself Math: I'm in a jump rope PVP, so I'll just double duty and see how many jump reps I can get in History? undecided

I'm a little late to the party, but know this, I have been fighting the war for a long time. However, my body has not been reacting at all to my nutrition changes. I talked to my nutritionist last night, and she's going to reduce my Cals to 2350 with 325c/120p/65f. I'm going to starve, but I'll be forged from fire. I also have gotten to the point that I need to practice Crossfit skills again. Freestanding Handstands into HS walks, Muscle ups, double unders and pistols, practice at least one a day.

Honestly, I don't have much of theme. Just sorta doing my thing. Which this time happens to be like this Goal 1 : Morning Routine Read Bible, clear kitchen, eat breakfast What's NOT happening this time; There is no time table, I've been trying to make it a habit to start at a certain time for over a year. Tried bribes, and punishments. I do it for a while, and then I just resent having to do it. I have made a great habit of getting stuff done before I sit down though. So, at lest for this month, I'm going to be happy with that. I'm going to start my day when I start it. I'm hoping that on days I'm busy I will get moving quickly, by allowing myself to take it a bit slower on days I'm less busy. Stat points 4 Stamina Goal 2: Mindful Eating I've been working at this as a soft goal, but I'd like some accountability. Right now what I am working on is to slow down my eating. So during dinner, purposefully placing my fork down between bites. I can do this at other meals times too, but I want to really make it a habit during dinner. Right now I am working on maintaining my weight, and eating slowly helps me be more aware of when I am full. 6 points Wisdom Goal 3: Work on my long term goals; scrapbooking, and home remodeling and post at least weekly in my accountabilibuddy group 4 points CON other stuff: I am doing Rings 1 program from GMB. It's a 3 day a week program.They also have an optional leg program to do on my off days. I'll do those as time and enrgy allows. I'm also following GMB"s Focused Flexibility plan. It's spring, so hopefully that means more outdoor time, and more geocaching. I use MFP. I find it keeps me accountable. But I don't have a goal for it. If I don't feel like doing it one day, or several days, that is fine.

Looking forward over the next six weeks, this Challenge Cycle coincides with the start of a new programming cycle. My parents are visiting until the end of the week, and I will once again have a place to myself. Then I have another friend coming to visit the week of my birthday, which is Week 2 of the Challenge cycle. Those of you who forget my birthday, Imperial Storm Troopers will come find you and may the force be with you. Finally, my new program finishes the week after this Challenge cycle, coinciding with a zero week. Then I'm off for a weekend on another vacation! For those of you who do not know me, I am Sam Ashen and I like to lift heavy things, go after light-weight snatch, clean and jerk. On an energy level, I have been falling apart since the beginning of the year. I stopped tracking and BLogging. So let's get all of that up and running again! 1. Score for Today! We are starting up the MFP tracking once again and I will be posting my score. There is no diet here and there is no such thing as cheating. There is a such thing as trying to set a new high-score on MFP. My PR for a single day is approximately 7000 calories, by the way. 2. Keep a Battle Log I spent several months on the Battle Log side of the Forum and let that die sometime early this year. This Challenge thread will serve as a Battle Log for now. We have programming that will keep me busy over the next six weeks. 3. Prepare for Human Interaction! I have a friend in town the week of my birthday and I'm off on vacation the week following the Week 0 following this challenge cycle. 4. Hang out and be social online! I have been kind of absent recently. 5. Don't forget the Random Thoughts! Who misses those?

So, this is me. Lightning. I'm back from a long journey that was full of arduous boss battles, too many enemies, and too many loves lost. I've learned a lot along the way, despite making some of the same old mistakes again. But, I've already spent enough time licking my wounds and enjoying a pity party for one. Lightning is known for trying to do it all on her own and she is (I am) still learning to ask for help. Now I need the help of a doctor because there is still some healing that needs to happen. But, I'm LIghtning and that means a little bad-assery also needs to take place. Good thing this doctor makes house calls. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The illustrious and nerdy-sexy Doctor Strange is going to help me get back into Boss Battle shape. I'm going to follow him into Kamar-Taj and emerge from this challenge stronger in both mind and body. Discipline Tracking my food with MFP every day. I need to reestablish this habit before I can even think about dieting. also 5 Servings of Fruit and Vegetables a Day. Battle Ready Bodyweight exercises 3x / wk Following the Startbodyweight program because I enjoy the progressions. Meditation Any type of positive mental exercise 5x / wk meditation, journaling, or the Superhappy App

I continue to struggle -thoroughly- with the same things over and over and over. So again: Selfcare and taking breaks. Kinda boring, isn't it? more soon

One last try... So here it is. I have not been able to manage my fitness, plus a full-time job and homeschooling my teen. I'm really not certain I'm going to be able to do it all. I'm thinking I may have to switch back to part-time work, but I'd like to try to make this work. All I know is that I'm tired and sore and my clothes are tight so I have to try something. I'm jumping into this challenge just to see if I can handle it for a week. I really want to drop weight, tighten up and regain some spark. We shall see if this works. Goal 1: Track food on MFP everyday. No limits on what I'm eating, its about getting back into the habit of tracking and taking an honest look at how much food I'm stuffing into my face. Goal 2: Complete 3 bodyweight sessions. I plan on doing (3 sets of) some form of push-up, row, squat, shoulder press, and plank. Goal 3: Eat 5 servings of fruit and vegetable (at least 3 should be vegetables).

I've neglected hypertrophy training for a while, but NO MORE. The next four weeks are going to be all about those gains... I just started a new mesocycle with sets of 8 for the big lifts, plus lots of accessories to address my weaknesses. In order to make sure I have enough energy for this work, I'm going to focus on bringing my calories back up after losing a couple of kilos the past couple of months. I'm aiming for maintenance since I'm just in my weight class at ~83 kg in the morning, but if I undershoot or overshoot a bit, it's not the end of the world - if I'm still at a deficit, then the volume will help me keep muscle, and if I bulk a bit, then a good chunk of the added weight should be muscle :D. Goals for the GAINS: Goal 1: Track calories on MFP and eat enough. I've been having trouble eating enough because I'm on a very restricted diet at the moment and have also just not been that psyched about food (exception: goat cheese. I CAN EAT GOAT CHEESE NOW!). It doesn't help that I haven't been tracking on MFP recently. However, in order to keep my energy levels up, I really need to eat enough. Calorie targets (rest day/lifting day): >2000/2250 (bronze level - must hit at least this) >2250/2500 (silver) >2500/2750 (gold - this lower limit is probably a little under my actual maintenance, though it depends on how much walking I do) Goal 2: When I go in to work, take a decent sized snack for the afternoon! In order to get enough calories (Goal 1), I usually need to eat four times a day, and if I wait from lunch until dinner at ~5:30-6, I'm foggy and hungry. To pass this goal, I need to either be at home for part of the afternoon (by 4 pm) and eat a snack/small meal then bring a snack in to work to have in the afternoon, before leaving work have a late lunch (~1:30-2 pm - happens sometimes on lifting days) and be back home by 5:30 pm Goal 3: Make sure I go to bed on time by enforcing a screen curfew (continuing this from last challenge). 8-8:30 pm on the nights I have to work the next day 8:15-8:45 pm on other nights using my computer or phone to track food or meditate after this time is fine Goal 4: Take time to de-stress each day. December is going to be very busy and I need to make sure I can turn my mind off when I need to. I'm going to try meditating again, but if it doesn't work well for me I don't want to force it. Other activities might be yoga, going for a relaxing walk, crocheting, reading...

Update from last challenge: Mobility is going better, Nutrition was static. I've been between 225 and 229 for the last 5 months. I'm getting better at the Crossfit skills including my first 5 muscle ups. No work was done on my rifle or gun. So part 2 of the 2nd half of the years goals: 1: Give praise in the Iron sanctuary. To do this, I must remain mobile and healthy. I know right? And since I'm sacrificing my gainz at the in the halls of crossfit. #makingcrossfitwarriorsagain Wait... I have to quit Crossfit because of time and money, so I'll be going back to the Bro gym and doing something. I need to design a WL/PL/CF style workout plan that I can do at the bro gym and not get kicked out. and still do mobility. Work Mobility every day to include lax ball to the thoracic area, quads, calves and lats. And do distracted stretches to help my hips and ankles. And the other various stretches my PT says. I have 4 times a day where I can really do this (morning, mid day at work, pre workout, evening.) So I don't have all of these all at once, but break them up and hit trouble spots multiple times if needed. With all that said, I feel the best I have felt in years right now. My shoulders are opening up, my hips are moving better, my ankles move well, everything feels good except my foot. 2. Stop being fat. Whatever I have been doing isn't work. Try new stuff. Details to come. 3: Be better at Crossfit. Train hard, rest when I'm dead. And I discovered that there are a bunch of skills that I suck at or just can't do. Some I'm going to practice these one or more of these skills 5 times a week. Over head squat: I need more shoulder mobility and maybe scapula strength to do this properly, but If I want a 225lbs snatch... I need to learn to get under the bar. Double unders: This is the one skill that is single handily preventing me from Rx'ing WODs. I need my own jump rope that is sized for me for me to truly progress. Current record is 11 dups. Muscle Ups: I have done 5 total, but I can't do them on queue. Be better. Handstands/handstand walks: Didn't you all watch Stongman's fury in the Xfit games? I could do some of that... but not the handstand walks, I want to be better. I need to actually do a freestanding handstand, stop being a bitch. 30" box jumps: Need to be more explosive with these. I can do 24" really easily now, its the next step. *space reserved for other things as I remember I really want to do them* 4. I've been working on prepping for Ragnarok all this year, but I didn't really know why. But now I do. Br0dinsdottir is on her way to reign havoc. So, I have lots of work to do to prep the house. Build various furniture, clean rooms, etc etc... So I will do all the things and maybe do them before the wife nags me to doing them. I have a dresser and a changing table that needs to be built. and of course, still do my gun stuff, like paint my AR. And those who were following last challenge, wife indirectly told me I should get a pistol for everyday carry and home security. But... Then her car broke down and we had to surprise buy a new car over the weekend. So I feel like I need to sit on my Christmas/birthday money for a while.

Bro's and Swolemaidens, You have fought wars, slayed epic monsters and rescued fair maidens or squires. But, now it's time to feast in the halls of Bralhalla. Now, there are a couple ways to feast! Challenge 1: MFP High Score That's right. You know you're going to eat it, we know you're going to eat it, Grandma knows you're going to seconds, might as well as add up all those calories of Boar and Mead. Track all those calories (best reasonable estimate) and post it here. Name total cals consumed 1st: 2nd: 3rd: 4th: Challenge 2: 1 drink for me, 1 water for me The Mead and Wine over flows yea cup, but you want to be up and hunting monsters at daylight. How do you do both? After you drink your 1 pint of mead, you have 8oz of water before you move onto your next glass of mead or wine. Tell us of your journey! Challenge 3: The true believer Now this one is not for the faint of heart. This challenge is for the true believer of nutrition. You have your macro's and you're only going to eat that. Grandma and Aunt Sally be damned. To do this, you must attend a holiday party and remain within 100 cals of your daily goal. (no, you can't add 3000 cals to your daily goal for one day!) You can make multiple attempts at all 3 challenges, show your work so we can celebrate your success (and judge what you ate!) This Challenge will expire with the new year...

Korranation's back onboard I had to take a break from the challenges for a bit. Here's a little backstory to it So here's the goals/objectives part. Part One - Food Pictures - take pictures of all food (excluding repeating meal prepped items). Totally stealing this from Deffy Tracking - Put all items in MFP the night before Snacking - all processed food snacking is banned. I found snacking on baby carrots gets me through the workday and working on a pomegranate gets me through the evening. Part 2 - Health Workout - I'll either do +30 min on the rowing machine or the modified NFA workout Sleep - Go to bed minus looking at the phone before 10:30 Water - drink +8 cups of water. Or drink 2 cups of water 30 minutes before every meal. Part 3 - leveling up Language - practice Spanish on duolingo every day. Gotta keep that streak bonus going. Learning - spend +30min every day prepping to apply for grad school. That means either writing a personal letter, reaching out to old professors for letters of recommendation, and studying for the GRE... or doing classes at khan academy or reading peer-reviewed papers. Loving - Do some self-care every day/evening. (e.g. some work de-stressors, other non-work ideas, avoiding the non-profit compassion fatigue pitfall, yoga... LET DO THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And once again, I'm back! The past several months my challenges have been pretty lackluster (and usually abandoned), largely because of lingering health-related symptoms (fatigue and insomnia, among others…) that have thrown me off track. What's been more difficult to deal with than the symptoms themselves, though, is how I've reacted to them - I've been putting many of my fitness goals on hold until my health is more stable and certain. As a result, I've been feeling stuck, frustrated, and a bit aimless for a while now - especially since I don't know when my health will be more predictable. While many of my goals still need to be health-related, it's also time for me to figure out how to work around set-backs and uncertainty, rather than waiting for a time when everything comes together (because that probably isn't going to happen!). I have made some progress during my hiatus, however. First, I switched my powerlifting programming to a RPE-style approach - I go in knowing what lifts I need to do and how many reps per set are on the table, but adjust the weight and volume depending on how I'm feeling. This has been a huge help energy-wise (I burned myself out on the Juggernaut volume) and mentally, because I don't feel like I'm failing when I can't keep up with my program (and I can push myself when I'm feeling good!). It's too early to tell how I'm progressing with this strategy, though - I'll re-evaluate in about a month. Second, a little over a week ago I met with a nutritionist who has experience working with clients with health issues and food intolerances. We talked for almost three hours about my health history, current issues, things I've tried, and goals for the next few years. One of the things that came out of my initial tracking for her is that I might have some sensitivities to FODMAPs - certain types of carbohydrates found in foods - so I'm going to go a "lite" version of the FODMAP elimination diet ("lite" because my choices are already pretty restricted on AIP Paleo). This will be temporary, though, and ultimately we hope to expand my dietary choices soon. Finally, I joined the instagram bandwagon and started posted lifting videos, largely as a way to remind myself of what I can still do (even if it's not where I'd hoped to be yet) and to help me see my progress over larger time scales. It's also encourages me to film my lifts regularly and check my form! My goals for this challenge are designed to keep this momentum going, and start channeling my namesake's determination once again. Goals: Nutrition Food Diary: Track my food intake and any symptoms 6+ days/week. Bonus: also track on MFP to keep an eye on my macros. This record is necessary for figuring out if I do have additional food sensitivities. First Fermentation: Pick up fermentation supplies (jars, weights, etc.) and start some ferments by the end of the challenge. Post Progress: Post something fitness or food related on my new instagram account at least 2x/week. Screen Curfew: 8:00 - 8:30 pm work nights, 8:30 - 9 pm weekends. Exceptions: I can use my itouch for music, meditation, and tracking apps, and my computer for MFP. This type of goal has always been the most helpful for me for getting me to bed on time, and I've also found that I'm more likely to do something ahead of schedule if I give myself a time range, rather than a specific cutoff (so hopefully I'll get off my computer at 8 pm some nights, rather than always 8:29:59 pm). LUYL Goal: Cold Turkey: Don't use the internet for non-work activities (e.g., social media) when I'm working. 30 min over my lunch break is fine, and I can also use my phone for sending Facebook messages to my boyfriend if need be. To help me with this goal, I'll be using an app called Cold Turkey.

Lightning is no more. I'm coming back to NF, after a couple of months off, as Batgrl. So much has changed in my life and I realized my Alter Ego needed to change too. So, my story in a nutshell... I returned to work after 20 years of being a SAHM, Homeschool teacher, freelance writer, and freelance graphic designer. I am inching my way towards my childhood dream of being Batgirl thanks to my new job in a library. But, figuring out how to combine work, the kids, the house AND fitness has been hard, really hard. Luckily, Batgrl knows how to lead a double life . Im ready to be a sexy librarian by day and badass crime fighter by night. I'm ready to have it all! Goal 1: Lose 10 pounds of fat Tracking with MFP Paleo I have slowly been putting on weight and even though the scale hasn't risen more than a few pounds I can tell that I've gained fat and lost muscle. I am also coming off of a week of complete debauchery (Gotham has a lot of naughty distractions) so, I need a diet reset. Goal 2: Buff Up Bodyweight exercises 3x a week plus 4th day of any exercise Mobility work 3x a week Goal 3: Clear Headed Fish Oil daily Medicine daily Weekly acts of Self-Care Life Goal: Librarians need to Read Finish two books Read a comic book Get advice on Batgirl comics

I decided a challenge where I treat myself like a queen would probably yield great results. be strong for yourself and the people that depend on you lift 4x per week (except week 4) use the resources you already have available I have a pull up bar I never use. pull up bar play, 10 mins per week be graceful and well-rounded run/hike/cardio 2x per week burpees 3x per week: 20 per session yoga 60 mins per week take care of your regal self stay within 13,000 cals per week no more than 800 alcohol calories per week manage your busy schedule 8/12: beach morning and family BBQ in afternoon 8/13: friend’s wedding shower 8/19: beach day 8/20: dad-in-law’s bday 9/1 – 9/4: camping trip 9/8: friend's bday outing 9/9: campfire hangout

Tranquility, I will find it with this challenge. As a Zenyatta main, it's my primary goal. Primarily because I have a few weeks of break from school after a year non-stop. *happily takes deep breath* This is technically my third challenge, though I think of it as my second. School turned into a beast with multiple accelerated classes at the same time work ramped up. It was the worst timing ever. I've been waiting for this break and challenge. Based on previous experience, I'm going with the KISS rule here, keeping it super simple. In the past, I've tried to tackle too many goals at once, and then when I failed on one, it felt like a huge overall failure when I had such lofty goals to start. Fitness Goal - Hit the gym four times per week, one of those being Sunday so that I can take the one-hour stretch class. It feels amazing and I'm always so happy I went. Food Goal - Track all of my food on MFP. I tend to stop logging when I go over cals or blog sugar on a day, and I fall off from there. All days must be logged or I can't see my progress. If anyone wants to join me on MFP, the link to my profile is in my sig - I'd love to add friends there! Life Goal - Be conscious of my sleep time and ensure I get enough. - Update NF. I read so many amazing updates with awesome stories and RP and so much creativity, and I feel pressure -completely of my own doing- to feel like I should or need to commit to the same. It's ridiculous, I know, totally of my own making. Maybe because I'm an artist and I feel a need to add flair everywhere. :-P So simple updates at least once every three days, and they need be nothing more than brief updates on my three goals. Speaking of responsible bedtimes, I'm heading off. Wishing everyone well on their goals this challenge!

Have some music: It's almost mid-July now. A LOT of changes heading towards me and mine. Little boy "graduates" from Kindergarten. Summer break for most of our fitness activities, most of all our regular schedule. Life is weird. And it never really changes to not being weird, when I think I almost got used to things, they change again. Not that that is necessarily a bad thing. It's just something that keeps me on my toes. This time without theme to go back to what is essential, what is REALLY important. I am aiming for a log-in every other day to every day with core data, and at least 3 times per week with a few words about what is going on. The goals right now are: log EVERYTHING (foodwise in mfp, challengewise in bujo and here). Drink enough water (2+L/d). Get enough oxytosin (stay in touch with supportive people, and support the right people in turn) how much and how often is to be determined, I am not quite sure what a good number is right now. Take a break in the early afternoons to sit with tea and check in with myself. That's it from me for now. Hope you are having an AMAZING SUMMER. I'll come check in with you in a little bit. Love you, my Ranger-friends, and rebels all. Katrin

Hey everybody =) I'm working up new themes these past few challenges. Last time was Dresden Files, and this time is another of my favorite worlds! I'm going to be spending most of this challenge focused on gathering data to figure out how I work best. That's going to include tracking calories, hours of sleep, energy levels, and more. I need to get to know myself the way Garrus knows Normandy. So, if anyone is looking for me this challenge... Yeah. Garrus is easily the best character in all 3 Mass Effect games (what do you mean they made a fourth one? You're clearly delusional.) There are lots of great personalities aboard Normandy, but nobody can hold a candle to this guy. So, goals. 1) We're in this 'til the end. Track one hundred percent of food intake with MFP. There's really not a lot of room for negotiation here. Normally I'm happy if I land 80% of a goal, but 80% of data is not good. In fact, it's pretty much useless. Which means I'm going to have to swallow my embarrassment on days when I go over, and log faithfully regardless of what the number is. 2) After what I've been through lately, calibrating a giant gun is a vacation. Gives me something to focus on. Yeah, things have been a little rough the past couple of months. Hopefully drilling down into numbers and spreadsheets will give my brain something to work with. The goal is to make entries in the daily log. This also has to be 100%. The entries are quick, only about 5 columns in a spreadsheet. I am recording the hours of sleep I got the previous night, the total caloric intake for the day, a subjective rating on my energy level (Poor, Fair, Good, Great, Awesome), and any notes I think might be pertinent. At the end of each week, I am recording the total of the 7 days' calories, a 'weekly deficit' (maintenance goal minus actual intake) and stepping on the scale to figure out where I'm at. 3) We can disobey suicidal orders? Why wasn't I told? Okay, so goal 3 has to be something physical, but hard physical work outside of my kung fu has a tendency to make me ill. And sad, because it sucks to be sick. Last two times I tried it I ended up with 12-day sinus infections that kicked my ass up and down and required antibiotics to treat. So, I'm disobeying that 'suicidal order' and I'm going to start by adding some simple chi gung exercises a few times a week. I actually know the ba duan jin (the Eight Pieces of Brocade) routine from a much earlier time in my life, so that's what I'll be starting with. Combine that with some half-hour walks at work (yay summertime) throughout the week and I should be getting some light additional activity without hurting myself. Honestly, I'm not sure why I'm so physically limited. Some people seem to be able to do ridiculous amounts of training and be fine. I apparently just don't have that ability, or maybe it's just a baseline of fitness I haven't reached yet. Regardless, all I can do is all I can do, so I'll do what I can.

Life is calming down into a more manageable tilt as we get settled into the new place and a stable routine. I'm back to tracking calories and macros, and there should be language and meditation metrics reported here, let's just see how thorough this durn contraption is.