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Hi there! I am new to NF (obviously) but I have been doing a lot of reading and I agree with just about everything I have read here. This is a first for me compared to other fitness sites I have looked into which is why I created an account and started to follow the advice from the blog. I am seriously considering joining the NF Academy because I like the idea of having all this info easily accessible and having a concrete way of measuring my progress. In the past, I have given up way before I saw any results because I had nothing to prove to myself I was on the right track and because food is too good (how I know I am a Hobbit). I am hesitant, however, to buy into anything so quickly. My first goal is fat loss. I would like to get down to about 20% fat I think, and then really start to work on building muscle at that point. I made the terrible mistake of looking at the scale this morning and was disheartened (I’m still at the same weight) though I know this might be due to water weight or muscle possibly. (??) I have been doing the beginner body workout every other day and alternating with either a short interval run/jog, or some kind of walk to keep me active. Does this sound like a good track? I am 5’1â€, female, and 160lbs but the fat I am most concerned about is all on my abs. The rest of my body does not have much fat and I swear I am building muscle in these areas but not on my abs. Is this possible while still eating a calorie deficit? Will this still help with fat loss? I am concerned with keeping my workout habits safe and healthy for fear of causing my body more harm than good. My joints tend to make clicking sounds and I don’t want to do anything that might injure me… Any advice about this would be helpful!

A couple of weeks ago, I received an email. It was from myself, having sent it precisely a year before, packed full of predictions for the coming year: learn to do a backflip (90% likely) still living in Cambridge, UK (75%) England to win the football world cup (5%) (...) I wrote it to see how my view of the future would compare with how events actually turn out. The results showed me a lot about how we see the future, so I'm sharing them with the community here On average the predictions were reasonable. Out of 8 items I'd considered to be 40% likely, 3 happened (38%). Out of 12 things at 60%, 5 happened (42%). Both things at 85% did happen. However, my view for the future was clearly a lot more exciting and action-packed than my predictions! I didn't realise it at the time, but if my predictions had been accurate, I'd hardly have had time to catch my breath amongst everything else. To simulate this, I took some random numbers and interpreted these to determine what would happen in an example year - and got the following: still doing weightlifting and football changed career completely and bought a house composed more piano music, and went to another metal concert entered the Mental Calculation World Cup 2014 travelled to 2 new countries had an active love life learned to front handspring, to backflip and to handstand (more minor things) Imagine how much effort it would take for all of that happen in a single year! 2014 was a good year for me, but not quite this busy! Why were my predictions like this? I think there are several connected reasons: [a] We tend to make predictions - and plans - in isolation. Yes, if I made it a priority I could compose a metal/guitar composition, but then I'd be prioritising something else less. Maybe I'd be doing less gymnastics. Yes, I could've decided to change career, but after all the thinking and applying and admin and stuff and indecision, I wouldn't have as much energy for learning to drive or going travelling. I find that the same thing often happens in NF challenges - I choose several goals that would be reasonable if they were the only thing being worked on, but forget that when we have 5 goals like this, there just isn't enough motivation available to do everything One year is a long time! I've just Googled it, and there are various quotes to the effect that "you overestimate what you can do in a year, but underestimate what you can do in ten years". [c] I am overconfident. The items in my list that I assigned the most exaggerated probabilities to were the ones that would have caused me the most pride, for example achieving various gymnastic and strength goals. It's sobering to see this overconfidence illustrated so vividly, but it's actually something I value quite highly. It's so much easier to motivate yourself to do difficult things if you have an unreasonably high confidence in them. Taken to the extreme, you become simply deluded with limited ability to make useful plans. But in moderation, it can significantly help your progress towards your goals. Furthermore, you have more fun in the process if you believe you're always on the cusp of greatness (If you're an underconfident reader, it's worth working on increasing your expectations of the future for this reason) So how will all this change my outlook of the future? I'll still have the same optimistic viewpoint, but I'll remember to act as if life will change less quickly than I expect. And that means that if I want anything to change, it requires me to be proactive about that change, because I can't rely on the random fluctuations of life to bring about those changes for me.

Hello, My name is Aaren, but you can call me Neria if you want. It's finally nice to have the guts to actually do my first introduction post. To be honest, I was kinda intimidated, so I'll admit it has taken me a bit to muster up this courage. Just a little bit about me: I'm 21-years-old and I currently live in Canada. My lifetime goal (non-fitness related) is to become a doctor, or any job in the medical field for that matter, in any area of the world that needs medical attention. I believe that medicine may be my calling, so I want to pursue that and use these talents that I've been given to help others in need. Though I do love medicine and helping others feel better, I do have some geeky interests I have a strange fascination with Superman. Though I'm not as hardcore as I would like to be with the comics and the movies, I think I'm more into what he symbolizes. Superheroes just fascinate me in general, like the Hulk, Flash, Green Lantern, Batman, Sif, Wonderwoman, Loki (yeah I know he isn't a hero but I'm a Loki fangirl mostly because I admire Tom Hiddleston), if only I had the time to read the comics, so most of my ideas of superheroes are based on movies and tv series (sorry, don't hate me ) I also really enjoy Nickelodeon's Avatar series both the Last Airbender (not the movie by M. Night Shyamalan though) and Legend of Korra. I like the storytelling, the characters, and just the whole idea of humans being able to manipulate the traditional four elements. I also truly appreciate these shows because in some way they made me enjoy my own culture that I used to not be so fond of because it was mocked by some of my peers in middle to high school. One of my hobbies is playing video games as I've always found it stress relieving. I have probably loved video games since I was a child. The first console I ever interacted with was a Sega Genesis, but my fondest childhood memories were spent with the N64, the Gameboy Colour and the PS2 (Kingdom Hearts anyone? ), but I do believe that the main reason why I like video games so much is mostly because I loved the adventure that came with it, and I have found that I especially enjoyed open-world rpgs where there is a whole bunch of places that I can explore. At this moment, my favourite video games are LoZ: Ocarina of Time, TES V: Skyrim, Portal series, KH series, Assassin's Creed I and III, Mirror's Edge, Uncharted series, and the Last of Us. Surprisingly, these video games have developed my desire to want to be more adventurous myself. I like the idea of hiking, swimming, and climbing to explore this beautiful world that we live in because let's be honest, despite the realism of the graphics in the PS4 or Xbox One, it can never beat the reality of the Amazonian rainforest or the Himalayas. My ultimate workout goals are to become a parkour traceur (sorry if I spelt that wrong); to become a Wushu martial artist (modelling after the martial arts forms that Nickelodeon's Avatar series bases their bending after, specifically Northern Shaolin, Baguazhang, Hung Gar, and Tai Chi), and to conquer this American Ninja Warrior course like Kacy did in this video: http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=american+ninja+warrior+kacy+catanzaro. These seem like big, daunting goals, especially the last one, but it doesn't hurt to shoot for the stars (pardon the cliche). Anyway, for the parkour and wushu, I mostly want to be self-taught since classes do cost money, and I'm still a college student dealing with tuition (lol), but if it is better to do classes then I will consider it. My only issue is that I struggle finding time with working out in general. I know that it's a lame excuse, but I've always found it to be hard especially when I have school assignments to deal with and I'm struggling with lack of sleep. Granted, this was probably due to my horrible time management, but either way, I do struggle with this issue, so I prefer shorter, quicker workouts. I've also struggled with the motivation to workout, but I feel like since I found this site, it hopefully may not be as much of a problem. Another excuse I've struggled with is that I suffer from DeQuervain's tendonitis in my thumbs and wrists, so whenever it acts up, I struggle to do pushups, inverted rows, and hold heavier weights. (Maybe I'm not doing them right?) But I'd like to hear suggestions in stretching to help lessen the inflammation, while also still strengthening my hands and increasing my dexterity, since I'm also very interested in practicing surgery. Currently, I have the summer off, and I know I can start developing habits, right? So my first current quest is to develop the habit of working out consistently, and figuring out what kind of workouts I can do once I get back to school. (I know that that sounds vague, but I'll probably be more specific when I start my first log). As for the workouts, I'm very much open to suggestions. Anyway, I apologize for the long winded introduction, but I am looking forward to starting out my first challenge and levelling up. Thanks for reading! ~Neria.

Nerds! I feel like I've found my people. This is my first post and my first challenge - of hopefully many. Backstory I used to be a fit guy but for the last few years, I've struggled to find that fire. I'm plumper and softer than I've ever been. And depressed. So I signed up for a year-long coaching program to help motivate me. This coaching program has some great things to it, but I feel like I need an online community to keep me accountable or to just share my struggles and completed levels. My First Challenge 1. Lift weights at least 2 times a week. My coach has written up an awesome workout for me, but it's six days a week. I just don't have that much mojo yet, so I'm making a compromise. 2 days is a good start. 2. Outdoor endurance activity/HIIT workouts at least 2 times a week The weather is starting to get beautiful in Utah, so I'll be doing more hiking and biking. I'm also loving Insanity:Max 30 workouts, as well as George St. Pierre's Rushfit, so I'll do these workouts when I don't have time to get outside. 3. Follow the habits outlined by my coach This involves all sorts of things, but I have to check in every day on a web site and record if I followed my habit or not. The first few habits, I nailed 100%. This last habit, to eat lean protein with every meal, I'm at 50%. This will soon be near 100%. 4. Continue visiting Shaman to help boost WIS I'm late, but I can run! One Newbie Question: Is this where I log everything? Or do I start a separate Battle Log and just update this occasionally?

Hello, I’m Tami and this is my first challenge! Over the past couple of years I’ve been consistently adding on the pounds. Currently, I weigh 25 pounds over my ‘normal weight.’ I lack motivation to do anything. Usually start off great with most things and lose steam mid-way! This time I am really going to try to accomplish something (six week challenge) with results (losing 5 pounds)! I like the idea of ‘accountability’ and hoping this will help me stay on track and focus on what I want to achieve. Main Quest To lose 10 lbs by the end of the six week challenge. My Plan to do this is: Do the Beginners Body Workout (Mon-Wed-Friday) Do 15-30 mins yoga (Tue-Thu) Swim or Surf (Sat & Sun) Practice hooping daily 10-15 minutesSide Quests: Side quest #1: Track what I eat – keep a food log, starting with the six week challenge Side quest #2: Learn how to hoop. I’ve always wanted to learn to hoop and finally got around to buying one yesterday! Motivation I’m finally tired of feeling tired & being lazy I want to look & feel good, get strong, fit and more active!

Hello fellow​ NF rebels! I'm Sam, a long-time lurker but first-time poster on the forums. I live in North Yorkshire in the UK, and led a life that was completely devoid of any sort of healthy stuff until last March, at which point I realised that I didn't want to be the sort of person who's unfit and hates the way they look for their whole life. Anyway, I'm 24, female, live with my lovely partner and run my own French tuition business. I love every aspect of my life except my looks and generally poor physical condition, but am really proud with how far I've come. I have mild asthma which I always used as an excuse not to do any exercise as I always got out of breath within the first minute. After 10 months of concerted effort however, I can run 5 miles without stopping, do 70 squats and 250 sit ups. I still cannot do a press up however! I've been focusing on running and bodyweight exercises as I don't have a gym membership or a big enough house for any big equipment, but I did get a core bag (a.k.a a sandbag) for Christmas so that's a new addition to my fitness routines! Tl;dr version: I started getting fit last year, and now can run 5 miles without stopping. Aiming to do the Great North Run (a half-marathon) in September. Main Quest: To be able to run a half marathon on the 13th September 2015 Quest 1: Go on a run of any length at least 3 times a week. Measurement: A= ≥ 3 x a week, B= 3 a week at least 4 weeks and no fewer than 2 a week. C= 2 a week all weeks or more. Reward: A = +3 STA, +1 DEX, +1 CON, B = +2.25 STA, + 0.75 DEX, +0.75 CON, C = +1.5 STA, +0.5 DEX, +0.5 CON Quest 2: Go on a run of > 5 miles at least once a week. Measurement: A= 6 long runs, B = 5 long runs, C = 4 long runs. Reward: A = +4 STA, +1 CON, B = +3 STA, +0.75 CON, C = +2 STA, +0.5 CON Quest 3: Go to the doctors for a chest check-up Measurement: A = book appointment, go and follow through with any advice, B = book appointment and go, C = book appointment. Reward: A = +2 CON, B = +1.5 CON, C = +1 CON Life Quest: Finish my coding courses in HTML, JS and PHP Measurement: A = finish all three, B = finish two, C = finish one. Reward: A = +3 WIS, B = +2.25 WIS, C = +1.5 WIS Motivation: I mainly want to live a long and healthy life in a body which is working with me, rather than against me. I also am really enjoying seeing how far I can push myself and the rush that I get after each run. The vain reason is that I'm getting married in the summer and I would love to look my best, and to continue to look my best while I'm young! And in terms of my geeky credentials, I have recently got into coding in a big way, love Doctor Who and everything that Joss Whedon has ever done, (Firefly and Buffy are my absolute faves, although his version of Much Ado was incredible too) and hardcore French grammar. Also lists. And tongue-in-cheek statements.

Hi, I'm KaiNicole, you can call me Kai for short. This is my first time doing something so big for myself completely on my own...and I'm a bit of an introvert, so it's really my first experience publicizing myself at all. I'll pour myself into this anyhow, and hopefully it will help with my accountability! I tend to struggle with procrastination To help me with both that, and this, I'm implementing a tool called HabitRPG...it makes your habits into a role playing game . In the last week or so I've found it fits really well with my life and motivates me more than most things I've tried. (I've also tried monetary rewards...but I'm a little poor for that at the moment ) I'm a college freshman, so being healthy has been a challenge, especially for the first semester. I lost about 10 pounds in muscle weight and gained 15 in fat since the day I graduated HS. This is just a rough estimate, as I've never particularly cared what the scale says. I mostly care about how I feel, and at the moment I don't feel so hot. I used to run track and cross country when I was in high school, and I'd like to get back to feeling as good as I remember feeling, if not better. I plan on starting this semester right! This is my Quest to Conquer the Glacial Void of Depression (and start feeling better about myself in general) Quest 1: Walk/Run for at least 20 minutes a day, at least 4 times a week Walking between classes on campus and physical labor at work DOES NOT COUNT. (Those are just bonuses for being awesome and working hard )4 times a week because that's more days doing it per week than not doing it. Majority rules! 20 minutes because that fits well with my time constraints and combined with other, normal, activity throughout the day will make me fairly active and helping to combat the Void.Grade A: do all the things (and more); Grade B: about 3 times a week; Grade C: only twice a week. ​Quest 2: Get at least 8 hours of sleep per night This greatly reduces stress/anxiety, as I can think straight, and it also decreases chances of getting sick. All sorts of studies show that not getting enough sleep is extremely detrimental you your mental, emotional, and physical health. Besides, I love sleeping Grade A: still all the things and hopefully more; Grade B: about 7 hours of sleep; Grade C: about 6 hours. [i wonder if these grades are directly correlate to my actual school grades...] Quest 3: Cut soda from my diet entirely Not even the little Starbucks Refreshers that are part juice... Healthy alternatives include: H20, milk, and other things I have yet to think of. I'll drink coffee/tea for caffeine, but only if I must.Grade A: alternatively, NONE of the things; Grade B: I slipped and had some of the things; Grade C: I had a moderate amount of the things (about equal to what I'm currently at, having already been working on cutting back). Life Side Quest: Go to ALL the Classes Except, of course, should there be extenuating circumstances such as an earthquake, an extreme blizzard, Murtagh/Sasuke suddenly appearing and sweeping me off my feet, or the legit flu.Grade A: going to my classes=passing them! ; Grade B: a battle or two lost with the Void; Grade C: enough absences to be detrimental to my (actual) grades My motivation, to feel better about myself, has to do largely with the wonderful people in my life, without whose help I probably wouldn't have made it through last semester at all. To my mom and dad, for supporting me in everything I do and believing that I'm capable of so much I didn't think was possible before. To my little brother, for the unconditional love you offer me every day, and the joy in your smile and exuberant hugs when your silly older sister visits from college. To my longtime boyfriend, for although you came from the 'Outside' you have always seen past my demons and taught me how to truly cherish what we have together, and this is my manifestation of that, for in loving myself I can open my whole heart to loving you. To my best friend, who, despite everything I put you through, you are still my best friend, and I wish to be able to carry you through your hard spots as loyally as you have me. I love you all; I always will. Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed **I would also like to note that just because I have depression does not mean I am damaged goods, or that I'm eternally mopey. How some unbalanced chemicals in my brain say I should react to my surroundings isn't necessarily reflective of who I am, and it's my dream for everyone to understand that and have compassion for others that are struggling. I'm preaching the love, man!

Okay nerds, I have a project I've been thinking about starting for a while, and I want your help. I want to create a Nerd Fitness forum member motivational montage. Everyone that wants to participate will be included. It's pretty simple, everyone contribute a video clip of yourself doing something you love for fitness, be it lifting, running, climbing, flipping, or eating a salad. Be creative! Clips should be relatively short so that if tons of people participate I can squeeze them all in. If there is enough footage, I will make multiple videos. If we get enough involvement this will be a fun way to motivate each other and we'll have something great to show off to people when we're talking about the forum. "Yeah, those guys are great! Check this out." Along with your footage, comment on here letting us know that you've made a contribution, and throw up the name of a song you find inspirational or motivating. After we have a lot of video collected we'll have a vote to pick what song (or songs) get used for the background music. Any other ideas or suggestions are more than welcome! Let's have fun with this! Submit video clips to me at shortgorilla1@gmail.com

I lost 60 plus lbs in '14 then had a few off months including the holidays. There were some injuries and some illnesses and some excuses. Now, I'm back at exercising regularly (now 3-4x/week instead of 6). I just find that I hate strength training now. It's a chore to lift, i find a way to weasel my way out of it or stop before I'm through the workout I have planned and I feel this sense of revulsion every time I get ready to touch a weight. I feel bored instead of feeling energized when I lift. I can muscle my way through a workout but that's not a good foundation for a long-term plan. And it's no fun. Has anybody experienced a loss of enjoyment of an activity like this and what have you done to re-light the fire? Or lessen the ice that I'm feeling when I go to lift?

Alright, here goes. I decided to start my battle log over. My goals have shifted, I have shifted. I have found the focus and the groove I was struggling so hard to find before and my old battle log doesn't really reflect where I am at now. I am 8 months deep into the biggest transformation and evolution of my existence. At the end of March, I set forward on an epic quest to put my life back together and transform into the best version of myself. I wanted to see how far I could get in one year. There is 19 weeks left for me to reach that one year landmark. This battle log is to document these last weeks and what I am able to achieve in that time. So here are the details as far as my body image goes: I've lost 120 lbs. I've gone from a size 24-26 (3-4XL) to a size 12-14 (L-XL). I need to lose another 50 lbs to meet my goal weight ~ 2.6 lb loss per week - somewhat wreckless but not impossible. I want to fit into a size 6-8 dress size. Fitness wise this is where I am at now. Here's my benchmark: Squat: 150 lbs Deadlift: 180 lbs Benchpress: 90 lbs Chinup: 61lbs assist Dips: 40 lbs assist Best 5K time: 29:43 Best 10K time: 62:35 Swim 2000m: 55:00 I haven't been keeping an accurate logbook of all my workouts so I'm not sure on where I am at right now for everything else. Logging is going to start tomorrow. I really want to develop my workouts and keep better data records in the coming months. I am starting whole30 tomorrow. I have been eating mostly whole30 for the last while so this should be a fairly smooth transition. These last 19 weeks of my quest are going to require some refinement and my diet has to be seriously on point. Also need to figure out a better workout plan. I've been working out fasted (with the exception of coffee+almond milk) and that's been working out quite well so far. My day to day routine right now is 45min-1hr HIIT cardio per day + 1-1.5 hours of lifting alternating days between legs/ass - chest/back - arms/shoulders. I've been doing that about 3 weeks now and it's paying off but I feel like I need a bit more direction and structure in my lifting routine. Maybe a 3-4 week alternating plan to keep variety in there. Something I'll be working on in the next few days. “A warrior does not give up what he loves, he finds the love in what he doesâ€

Hi! I'm Laisa, almost 22 years old, from Italy. Before I start, I want you to know that my English could be faulty, so please don't bother my errors too much! I knew Nerd Fitness last year thanks to 9Gag and I found it awesome, BUT I started some exercises twice and gave up after 2 weeks everytime. That's my problem, I don't know what Perseverance is. The same applies to study (I'm a university student) and I absolutely hate it. I'm lazy and I know where to start, but not how to keep on. Sooo... THIS TIME I joined the Rebellion, hoping here I'll find some more motivation, maybe that's all I need? I don't like to say people I know that I want to lose weight because they wouldn't take me seriously, they know my attitude. This time I want to surprise them, I want to make it. I hope you guys help me. I weight 63 kg (about 138 lbs I think). Maybe I'm not SO overweight but I know I can reach at least 53 kg, that would probably be perfect for my body composition. It means a lot to me just because I mentally tend to give up easily. My problem is not dieting. The fact is that I always HATED sports. I've never found something good for me, I tried many things but not for long, again for the same problem. So I need to find a motivation strong enough to make me exercise. I want to HAVE FUN doing it (maybe not at the very beginning, I know it'll be hard). So, I want to change my body, the way I see myself in the mirror, the way I behave and take care about me. I want to grow up and this time I hope I can finally make it. ps: I'm a "occasional nerd". I love the fantasy world, Rpgs, manga & anime. The perfect evening for me and my bf is laying together on the couch playing videogames. I also adore singing and I want to look better on the stage, that's another point. I've always wanted to be an elf or a badass werewolf. I love nature and I study "Animal Welfare and Breeding" at University (I don't know if it could be translated like this LOL) and I've always dreamt of running wild in the forest. I think it'll be my super final goal. Thanks for your attention!

I am new to this whole Quest/ challenge But I am giving it a go! 2015 is my year. I am a desk working by day and a massage therapy student by night. I am currently at 250-255lbs. At my heaviest I was 275-280. I lost about 35 lbs and have since put back some of that weight. Due to bad habits,emotional eating along with stress a sick family member . Weight loss is a big goal of mine and many good things are happening in my life it is now or never so I am going all in. I have all my chips on the table and I am DOING this. Main Quest Lose weight I am currently at 250 - 255 lbs and would like to lose 25lbs by the end of April. My main goal is to weigh 175lbs or less. I know it will be hard work but I can do it! Life Goals: Fit in to wedding dress and look fabulous (it may be a while but still) Skydive and not have to pay extra because of my weight Challenge goals/ quests Change diet to cut out the unhealthy things and focus on delicious healthy food. January 2015 I will be doing a Whole 30 and after the month is over I would like to keep eating paleo. Fast food is not my friend.It doesn't even taste good. A = Whole30 compliant with no slip ups B= 1 meal a week not compliant C= 2 -3 meals not compliant D = 4+ meals F= Any whole day not eating paleo or whole30. Do the Level one Dumbbell workout or Body weight level 2 workout 3 times a week A= 3 workouts completed every week B= Workouts started but not competed C= Skip a workout D= Skip two workouts F= skip 3 workouts Move while I am at work set alarms and walk around during the day instead of sitting at the desk all day. Take stairs instead of the elevator. Its only 6 floors. Jes!

Hey guys! I came up with a fun way to stick to your diet. I'm posting to share it so that maybe it can help you guys out too. It's very in line with the gamer mentality we all have at NF. It's pretty cool if you can commit to the gameplay! So. Stickers. When I was a kid, everyone went rabid when the teacher baited good behavior with sticker rewards. If you had enough stickers in your sticker book, you touted them like merit badges. Puffy stickers with goggly eyes. Ecstatic smiley faces of every variety. Lisa frank. Hot wheel. Scratch and sniff. The animal ones with actual fuzzy textures. The giant sparkly metallic kind, envy of everyone in the whole class. There is great motivational power in stickers. Why not harness it to stay on track with your diet? I don't know about you guys, but diet tracking apps don't really work for me. It's annoying to upload pictures, browse databases, and key in portion sizes for everything I eat. It's awkward in public. It's WAY more convenient to keep a notepad and write everything down. And you can put stickers in a notepad! Plus, everyone's long term goal is to eat wholesomely, but it shouldn't be at the expense of never enjoying treats every now and then. Obviously a slice of homemade birthday cake is worth more than a handful of M&Ms for "something sweet" after lunch. I built this mentality of differentiating "special" treats into the game. Here are the rules I set up for myself personally in my sticker-diet book. It's a little complicated but I'm neurotic like that so it suits me fine. Feel free to steal this and adapt it for your own priorities. If you like it, get thyself to a Staples or craft store, pick out a booklet of little stickers that engages your inner-kid enthusiasm, and give it a shot! Here goes. The Sticker Merit Diet: GAMEPLAY Write down everything you eat. Every. Thing. If you follow your diet (*A*) that day, you earn a sticker. If you follow your diet for three days in a row, you earn a small reward.(*B*) If you follow your diet for a week straight, you earn a big reward! (*C*) There is NO PUNISHMENT for not following your diet. You just didn't follow your diet. This is a positive reward based game! Consistently aim to challenge yourself. I've been at this for about six months now, and it's still pretty tough at times. If it becomes too easy (you'll know when it is) to follow your diet for a week solid, modify it so you level up! Experiment with paleo, eliminate processed foods, or make your rules a little stricter. If you can sail through all your diet obstacles and you are happy with your lifestyle, mission accomplished! DIET RULES (*A*) You define your ideal diet. Think hard on your habits and where you need the most incentive to eat right. Decide your conditions for a healthy diet and aim to meet them all, every day, so you rack up your sticker badges. For me this includes: eat a salad every day, limiting myself to one unhealthy food serving per day, and eliminating junk food (soda, candy, potato chips, artificial cheesy things) entirely. An unhealthy food in my case is: one *~*SPECIAL TREAT*~*, one serving of white bread/rice/pasta, one serving of red meat, one serving of buttery/creamy/oily food (slice of pizza, miscellaneous food you might have at a restaurant, etc), 2 oz of high fat cheese, or one alcoholic bev. (*B*) Establish a 3 day reward. Find something small, repeatable, and something not unhealthy, for following your diet for 3 days straight. You could win a bigger shinier sticker, or an hour of guilty pleasure TV, a favorite healthy-ish snack, whatever. It has to be cheap; expense cannot be a deterrent in this game. (I use these popsicle things called Smoozies, they're tasty, treat like, and I can order them in bulk.) It works best if you can invest yourself in getting whatever it is, so that if you're halfway into your 3rd good day on your diet, and an enormous cake presents itself to you, you can withstand the temptation because you WANT the reward instead. The strategy: treat + sense of victory > impulsive eating. (*C*) One week reward! This is actually pretty tough to get, so the stakes are higher. For my 1 week reward, I let myself buy or do something fun for under $100. You can set your expense limit at whatever is reasonable, the idea being that you can do something nice for yourself without breaking the bank. It doesn't have to be expensive! I used one reward to get my nails done with gal pals, I used another to get a rocking new pair of gym shoes. A concert ticket, a new video game, or something that shows off your increasingly good-looking self. The one caveat here is that your reward cannot be food. Eliminate the idea that you can ever deserve to eat badly. ~*SPECIAL TREATS*~ This is the part of the game that keeps your sweet tooth in check while and diet realistic. That adage of nothing tastes as good as eating right feels is, IMO, baloney. Obviously whoever thought of that has not had my mom's banana bread. So identifying a sweet treat as *special* allows for some leeway in your diet. If a unhealthy food is Special, that means it will life-enhancing as opposed to just "tastes good because it has sugar and fat in it". Examples: A home made pie made just for you with love by your SO for your birthday. A lavish dessert at a fancy occasion restaurant. A regional specialty donut that is unique to the area that you are traveling to on vacation. A deliberate choice to indulge in an ice cream cone, because it is a perfect summer day on the beach and it's just what the doctor ordered. A cookie or two from the new recipe you're trying out. Etc! Special treats are NOT store-bought or mass produced. Special treats are NOT the kind of treat you eat "because it's there", or because you happen to crave it. They do not have high fructose corn syrup. Examples: a slice of your coworker's birthday cake from Walmart. The brownie that comes with your combo meal. Candy, cookies, chocolates, ice cream, pastries, extra whipped cream caramel frappacinos, or anything like that that you suddenly want when you're out grocery shopping or running errands. Etc! BONUS This is an optional part of the game. I let myself offset 1x high fat food, so that I can have 2 high fat foods in a day and stilly earn a sticker, if I complete one of the following bonuses. There is only one bonus credit per day allowed. 1. Have a second salad, so that 2/3 of the day's meals were dark leafy greens. 2. Go to the gym and complete a solid workout. 3. Earning a "gold star" at work; i.e. working a double or triple, generally kicking ass way above normal levels, getting shit done. Game on!

I'm really not sure where this question belongs, but this seems to be the best place. I've struggled with depression & anxiety for years, and started getting treated about three years back. I started on an anti-depressant that made me much happier and healthier. However, I still had a lot of trouble self-motivating. For instance, I've always wanted to get into shape, but never could convince myself to workout, let alone consistently. About a month ago I changed medications to something more specific to my disorder. Literally within the week I began seriously researching health and nutrition, and within two I'd joined NF and began working out. It's only been a month, but I haven't felt the drive wane since. I'm still not sure if this isn't simply "a phase", but I've honestly never felt so driven in my life. It's not a matter of convincing myself to workout. I simply want to, and want to get stronger, so I do. Have any of you rebels with mental problems found that some treatment or medication has had a really drastic effect on your motivation?

For the next size weeks on my journey to discover my inner dragon . . . my Main Quest is to lose 20 pounds. I have decided on three missions that will help me accomplish my main quest. They are measurable, and attainable. Mission 1: I need to keep my calorie intake at 1700 calories a day, or less, via my My Fitness Pal account (calorie amount determined with the help of one of my favorite Nerds, using this tool). Reward: +2 CON & +2 WIS Mission 2: Walk three miles a week. I don't mean walking three times a week, a mile each time, but a total of 3 miles over the whole week. That will be more attainable for me. I am using Map My Walk to help me measure and keep track of my walking. I have installed it on my iPhone and have used it a few times to test it out. It's pretty nifty, and will help me stay on track. Reward: +2 STR & +2 STA & +1 DEX Mission 3: Continue to do my core strengthening exercises, 5 times a week. In my last challenge, I was supposed to do this daily, and the truth is that I was unable to do so. I have noticed an improvement in my ability to walk, the more I do them, so I will continue to do them as part of my effort to keep myself mobile. Reward: +2 STR & +2 CON Life Goal: Attend my weekly meetings 80% of the time, or better. This is a personal goal of mine. I attend an addiction recover program, TOPS Support, and church meetings on a weekly basis. Or I should, and lately I've been slacking. So I would like to see myself improve this aspect of my life. Reward: +1 WIS & +1 CON My motivation: My mom is immobile, stuck on the couch all day because she is simply too large and too arthritic and out of shape to move. She can't get around without a wheelchair, and even pees in a bucket next to the couch because she can't get up to go use the bathroom. She can't participate in her own life, let alone the lives of those she loves. I don't want to be immobile, stuck in a wheelchair or couch, and peeing in a bucket because I can't get to a bathroom. I want to be able to interact with my four terrific kids, and future (far future, I hope) grandkids. And I want to be able to go out and enjoy the world, instead of staying in my apartment all the time because I'm embarrassed of how overweight and out of shape I am. The pain of staying where I am, and what I am (Wow, I'm starting to resemble Jabba the Hutt!), is far greater than the pain I will have to go through to free my inner dragon!

For only three days, I've been so grateful to have joined Nerd Fitness. But I never fully acknowledged the reason why I chose to do so (finally). It is because of the fact that this community seems so open, especially when it comes to going from unhealthy to confident and thriving. I gave an introduction to myself here (Don't Slay This Dragon…), voiced my exercise woes (over here Fail To Plan, Planning to F…_) and am coming to terms to with my current 'diet' (Former Vegan Considering Paleo). But over here, I just want to share with you the tipping point I came to which brought me here in this section. When the article about Respawning was first written, I thought it was the best post to have ever been made on this site. For so long, I rejoiced in the creation of a community that not only likes the same 'nerdy' things as I do, but also enjoys working out and staying healthy? Inconceivable! But why did I not join? It is because I assumed my then methods of eating, exercising, heck, even THINKING, were right for me. I ignored the important aspect of health- that everything begins and ends with your mind, and whether or not you choose to become the puppet or the puppeteer to your thoughts. With the mental aspect starting to strengthen, I then challenged my habits. As a vegan, I did question my own morality, but I also questioned the actions of those who abide by the lifestyle that veganism promotes. I was insulted for even considering going back to eating meat, even though it was for my health. I was tired of mainstream bloggers/celebrities/nutritionists/doctors etc telling me I was not doing a good enough job as a vegan. I was tired of my digestion going out of whack as a result of it. I was also tired of finding micro results on an otherwise macro fitness routine. I was lifting weights for seventy minutes. I did not see any improvements from the high reps. I stopped doing cardio, sure, but as a result, I lost a lot of agility and stamina. I was tired from lifting weights constantly, that it started to affect my posture/spine; my yoga instructor, thankfully, pulled me right out of that, and helped me to fix it ASAP (I have my youth and natural flexibility to thank on that part). Already, I am starting to find subtle improvements. I am getting close to making animal proteins a regular part of my diet. I am getting better at handling my digestion, and while it still needs some help, it has improved. I am also getting in the habit of loving myself more. I came from a past of abuse from a parent who did not see the beauty in me. The rest of my family does not know how to find my beauty as well- because my bone structore is small, and in the past I was once very sick, they think that sickness may have stunted my growth (I am 20 and could pass for your 10 year old sister), even though none of my doctors have declared this. Still, it hurts everyday to see your family look at your sibling, who is younger and taller and more developed than you, and feel not so beautiful. But on the other hand, that hurt quickly turns into an even greater sense of self love. I've realized that they are just missing out on appreciating a very unique person. I call myself a 'dragon'- it is my spirit animal, the one creature I have loved and respected for as long as I can remember. When I look in the mirror, I like to think that the person looking at me is a sort human-dragon hybrid. There's my face, strong, determined, and peaceful. My words are like fire. I have the confidence and lust for life to enable me to fly. My skin is covered with the scales that are thick enough to ward off the lowly voices and opinions of those who strive to bring me down. That's why I came to Nerd Fitness. To unleash my inner Dragon, and 'fulfill my destiny' (cue classic Clash of the Titans theme). And I also want to help inspire others around me. I have a ton of levels to complete in life, and already, I have finished one of them. And that is to be a part of something bigger and greater than myself. Thank you for welcoming me into this community.

Here is my respawn story: I start everything with good intentions, I have an idea, it's not unrealistic but it's never easy. I make a plan and then I fall off. and then the shame and guilt sets in and I want to hide under a rock to avoid dealing with the people I so proudly told my goals and now I have to tell them I fell off the wagon. Now this time I made a huge goal and told people, and now I am super embarrassed, (if you have been following my challenges then you'll know this already) I want to join the Royal Canadian Mountain Police. Whoot! but I need to get in shape, because well it's difficult to be a cop and be overweight... So here's what happened: My husband has been working nights, and my roommate is super sabotaging, so besides the wonderful people here, I am doing this alone. I really don't want to eat by myself anymore, it gets lonely. I am really really lonely. So I start to emotional eat because I miss my husband and my friends are not very supportive. I just have been finding any excuse to crawl under the blankets and watch Gillmore Girls. I also has injured myself 2 weeks ago and did minimal workouts as I could not do anything more than that, but then when it came time to get back into it, I just didn't do it. So.. repawning in 3..2...1 I need to get my rear in gear because I hate my job and all the drama bullshit that comes with it. I want to be that lady that goes to the opera and attends fancy wine tastings ( I love that crap) but I also want to be the lady who kicks bad guy butt and arrests them! I noticed my weight loss in a physical way earlier this week and it was jaw dropping (I may have gained it all back this week, or at least some of it) I knew I had lost the lbs, but I couldn't SEE the difference, until this past Monday. I couldn't believe how good I felt and I let that feeling go. I need to get back on the train and stop eating out and go back to the gym, I always felt amazing. My problems are emotional, not physical. So I need to deal with the emotions, instead of bottling it up and then binge eating a tub of ice cream while I cry. I started my respawn by finally sharing my dream with my family and was overjoyed that they took it quite well, and have been thus far, very encouraging. I also have made plans to meet up with friends (no negative friends and no fitness brought into it so that they can't say boo), I think this will help alleviate how lonely I feel. I also need to start being active again when I do see hubby twice a week so that it doesn't start the trend of not doing anything all week too, back to the dog park and I will just have to bundle up against the cold.

But guyyyyy~yyyyys! I'm TIRED! Seriously. Like all the time. Between a two year old, an eight month old, an hour commute each way to and from work, and time to pretty much make a (usually healthy) supper before crashing from pure exhaustion, I have no idea how to make the time to focus on getting into better shape. And just like the Ice Climbers (wait...what do you mean they're not in the new one!?), doing this on my own isn't even an option. I've gotta bring the missus with me. And that's a good thing. So...how do we do this? Getting up earlier is barely an option, when we get such horrible sleep each night that mornings are positively Romero-esque with all the shambling and the moaning and the crying. And that's just me! But enough with the excuses, and enough with even the legit reasons. I WANT to do this. We both do. But how the hell do you fit an hour's worth of decent working out (warm ups, cool downs, all that safety stuff) into ten spare minutes? Are there options for...micro-workouts? "I've got ten minutes here, I can do some kind of exercise that'll be beneficial in small doses, since a real workout is out of the question"? Hell. I'll fight me some boars.

Who am I? It might be that some day soon I'll get the proper answer to that question. It might be that day is years away. I can't say I'm in much of a rush to get there. Pseudo-philosophical babble aside... At the time of writing this, I'm a twenty two year old student with a bit of a spare tyre and lungs that only seem to work at a fraction of what they should be working at. On this site I've adopted the name Yeti, though I'm not unusually tall nor overly hirsute. And I do not thrive in the cold. Hypothermia and I have become close acquaintances over the years. If anything, I'm more a dwarf, short, compact, and with a love of shiny things. At the moment I'm a student in my third year of an adventure tourism management BA, and through university I have learned, and become, so much more. Not an over-dramatic observation either. Rewind back a few years and you'll find a near-silent, greasy haired, chubby teenager with zero self-esteem or confidence, wrapped in the midst of clinical depression, crippling social and general anxiety, paranoia, anger issues, and a few other unsavoury things. Everything came to a climax during 2010, and in the last few months of that year began, ever so slowly, to get better. I spent a little over five months volunteering in a country park before moving on to a six month contract at a museum, yet in the September of 2011 I entered my first year of uni almost mute, scared all over again. Didn't speak more than three words in a row to my housemate for all of a month. Kept my hat on and my head down in lectures. Didn't really venture out along unless it was at night. And then I moved out of my little room and into a smaller room a few roads down with a guy and the girl who would become one of my closest friends. That was the catalyst. Since then I've gained enough confidence to first join the uni clubs (mountaineering, paddling, biking), then progress to being on the committee of the mountaineering club. From there I became a class rep, spent a short and disastrous term as student vice president, and now hold the role of secretary in the newly establish student association. I have a fairly active social life, I've almost completely beaten my general anxiety into the ground and the social one is almost there, I have far more confidence even if I still don't think highly of myself, and though I still have bad patches, I'm now able to manage my depression well enough to begin to build the life I want to have. The result is this: What do I do? Not doing something to fill the hours, but doing something to feel alive. I have a deep love of adventure sports, one of the reasons I picked that particular version of the video up there. Mountain biking, both cross country and downhill, is something I thrive on. There's something about taking your bike through the wilds and back country of an XC run or going all out and just shredding it on some of the crazy technical features on a DH track that just does it for me. Adrenaline junkie? Probably, but just look... I also climb, which will be the focus of a lot of my workouts. At the moment I'm climbing at around a UK 5b grade, though apparently my local climbing wall sets routes that are actually harder than advertised, so that's only a rough guess. Couldn't say what bouldering grade I'm at, though it isn't overly high. Not that I mind, I'm relatively new as far as these things go, and my climbing experience on actual rock is limited to maybe a couple of weeks' worth of days down the local glen and a week in France on some lovely limestone. Spread that over the three years I've actually been climbing... It's been mostly indoors for me. One of my favourite views, one of my most difficult first attempts completed first time around... Then there's paddling. Admittedly, I'm more a flat water paddler than anything else right now. I love the white water stuff, but I'm not much good at staying upright or facing downriver in anything beyond grade two water. While I may not be much good in the cold considering my tendency to become hypothermic easily no matter what I wear, I've enjoyed skiing since I was something like eight or nine, give or take, and I enjoy snowboarding when I actually get the chance to do it. The more sedate activities I enjoy are hiking, power kiting (and kite-boarding), and slack lining. Why? Why do this? Why change? Why go to so much effort? Well hey, why not use some of this shiny university training to actually make some sense of why I feel the need to change. Of why I need to change now. According to Maslow, if not all of the lower four sets of needs are met then it will cause psychological unrest within a person. I can testify that this is indeed the case. Going by this, not even all of my biological and physical needs are being met. Sure, I'm breathing, I'm eating and drinking as best I can, and I have a roof over my head. But my sleeping pattern is shot to hell, and we're not even going into the subject of sex... Therein lies my first and most basic of intrinsic motivations: Get my life in order to sort out my sleep pattern (and honestly, wouldn't rule out the other one either). Shifting on up to the next level, I know my need for stability isn't being met on either a physical or mental level. Again, the motivation here is intrinsic. And then we move on to the level that is, perhaps, one I will never be able to salvage. My relationship with my family is strained at best with the exception of my brother and gran. I've only ever held down one quite turbulent and short relationship and can honestly say I have no idea how to even approach the idea of another. If we switch work group for uni group, well, it does get a little better. I have some amazingly solid friendships inside and outside of that group. That makes this motivation both intrinsic and extrinsic, I'd like to sort my life out in order to feel better about myself, but I'd also like to be able to feel more secure in my current relationships and begin new ones, the latter of which isn't so much for my own good, but something I want. I can just take the whole other two levels and work them into tens of motivations. Those, while being some of the most desirable things to achieve, will almost certainly be in the long term. The thing is, I want not only to climb harder, paddle further, bike bigger, and hike longer, but I want to look better, feel better. I want to look at myself in the mirror without having a bombardment of negative thoughts. I want to be everything I know I can become. And there's nothing wrong with that. It took a while to convince myself of it, but it's ok to go after what I want. And I'm going to do what about it? ​Work my ass off, and while we're doing the cliché bit, I'm gonna have fun doing it. Stress is definitely of the bad here, and something I need to work on reducing in a major way. So I'm going to take some NF advice and construct myself some levels, do the RPG thing. I'm estimating that, all in all, I'm shooting for level three, and this will be the battlelog that takes me to that level. So what is my level three? Graduate from university with a BA Hons. degreeHave £100 in a dedicated savings accountHave a full time jobBe able to swim five lengths without stoppingBe able to do a pull-upClimb consistently at a 6a levelHave ridden the Fort William downhill track from start to end without crashingHave a photograph publishedBe able to do five full pistol squats on each legVisited one European country that I haven't been to beforeClimb Ben NevisBecome proficient with one film editing softwareStart my plant-life sleeveMeditate regularlyBe able to cook at least five authentic Chinese recipes properly It might not look like much, and it might look like a lot. Either way, I don't have a set time to do it, it just happens to be what I'm working towards just now. When I can check off everything on that list, I reach my level three, and I finally upgrade my bronze dagger and leathers for a pair of short swords and some chain mail, and who knows, there may even be some extra swag involved. This battlelog will keep a record of workouts, yes, and it will serve as somewhere I can vent and plan and get plans out and wax philosophical about motivation and deeper meanings... Anything. Life goes here.

This first post is a crosspost from Rebel Introductions - I wanted to start my log here from the very begining. Back in April, my whole world crumbled and I was shattered into a million pieces. The details aren't important really, only the fact that I was broken. I saw my entire life reflected back to me. What I saw was a giant lie and an incredible amount of crippling fear. I lied to myself for so many years, lied to others. Lie upon lie upon lie. The fear of failure and defeat so complete that I was careening down a path of total destruction - I needed to crash land. So there I was, 31 years old and at my heaviest. A whopping 310 lbs. I was carrying the weight of nearly two extra people on my body. It was my burden. My shield from the rest of the world. My cloak that masked any of my potential. It was my excuse. Most people think of being broken as something negative, heartbreaking or devastating. For me, it was the opposite. It was the best thing that could have happened to me. I was broken from my old self. My 310 lb shell was finally cracked. This was my opportunity to evolve. To reach out and embrace the unknown. It was my defining moment. Over the next few months, I dedicated my focus entirely on rebuilding myself. I analyzed my behaviours, deciding which ones to keep and which ones no longer served me. I started establishing better routines, sweating daily and taking special care of what kind of fuel I put into my body. I was putting myself back together in a whole new way. I learned truths about myself instead of convincing myself of lies. Instead of only learning and reading what about I should do, I did it. I discovered that I am much stronger than I had ever dared myself to believe and I could do all the things I knew I should have done years ago. I kept reaching for my goals, even when I stumbled - I used my strength to pick myself back up. I let go of fear. I abolished doubt. So here I am now. I'm 100 lbs lighter than I was when I started on this path. 210 lbs and dropping. I used to think a number was my end goal and spent a lot of time obcessing over it. Over the course of this journey, I've become aware that it's not about reaching that magical number. It's not even about having an end. My path is to always keep evolving and reaching for something new. It's to set goals and do whatever it takes to accomplish them. To flex, shift and adapt as the path morphs and changes. It's about consistent progression and growth. Physical, intellectual, spiritual. The reason I find myself here at nerdfitness is that I believe it will give me the opportunity I need to level up on my quest. I am a lone wolf and tend to hide and keep to myself. I have a hard time relying on others, asking for help or even opening up. In all honesty, I needed a place where I could be exposed. So it is very nice to meet you, and thank you in advance. I joined the academy and I thought I would share my intended goals here as well. More accountabilty for the work ahead of me in the next few months. Here are the nitty gritty details of my journey. Long Term Goals * no definite time span however I would like to see these accomplished in the next few years. - Transform my body and my mind so that I am comfortable being naked - - Complete a Triathalon - - Write a novel - - Refine my photography and artwork - - Find a new avenue in life - employment/location - - Go on 10 day canoe portaging/hiking expediton to Maple Mountain - 2014 Goals I know the year is starting to run short but I have my sights set on accomplishing these by the year end Fitness: - Run 5K in under 35 minutes on pavement - *current time is at 49:08 on pavement and 37:39 on treadmill unlock: Concert tickets - Swim 3000m freestyle in 1 hour or less - *current distance for one hour is 1950m unlock: Trip to Ottawa to skate on the Rideau Canal - Run a 10K - *longest run so far is 6.5K unlock: New bicycle - Unassisted pull-up - *currently doing assisted pull ups at 100 lbs unlock: Snowshoes - Unassisted dip - *currently doing assisted dip at 70 lbs unlock: New backpack for overnight hikes - Do 10 pushups in a row - *currently can only do one single proper pushup unlock: Klipsh headphones - Increase flexibility - touch head to knees - sit in full lotus - *I can move my body differently with less fat getting in the way - take advantage Unlock: Meditation Retreat Health and beauty: - Weigh below 200 lbs - * welcome to onederland! Unlock: 2 night stay at Royal York in Toronto - Weight below 180 lbs - * move out of obesity and into being overweight unlock: NHL Hockey Game - Take better care of my outward appearance - * wear makeup, look pretty, buy clothes that make me feel girly, get a mani-pedi, etc Life and carreer goals: - Start writing novel - *develop plot, create story outline and characters. - Bring my photographs to art studio for framing and display - * stop hiding my work and reach out - Maintain a more organized and cleaner space - * when things are in order, my mind is in order - Pay down my debt by $1000 - *rethink spending Mind and Emotions: - Find peace in my path, let go of past mistakes - * I've let go of a lot but some days it still haunts me - reduce my anxiety - * remember to breathe - go out and do something social - * outside of my comfort zone - it has to be new and fun! Unlock: Spa day Measurements: Current weight: 210 lbs Waist: 39 inches Hips: 49.5 inches Neck 14.5 inches Calf: 16 inches Thigh: 26.5 inches Bicep: 14 3/4 inches * Note - The measuring tape I had was not ideal, I will be updating this as soon as the one I ordered comes in. My path and rewards: Fitness: - Minimum of 10 000 steps walking/running every single day - 2 consecutive weeks: 1 Home or Theatre movie pass 1 consecutive month: New piece of workout gear or gadget - NFA Workouts 4 X per week - 2 consecutive weeks: Home or Theatre movie pass 1 consecutive month:New article of clothing - Running 30-60 minutes per day 5 days per week - 2 consecutive weeks: New Book 1 consecutive month: New article of clothing - HIIT 2 days per week - 14 consecutive days: 2 episode TV Show pass 1 consecutive month: new article of clothing - Swimming 3-4 days per week - 14 consecutive days: New book 1 consecutive month: New piece of workout gear - 100 Squats and lunges, 1 minute plank per day - 14 consecutive days: 2 episode TV show pass 1 consecutive month: New shoes - Daily yoga routine - 14 consecutive days: yoga pants 1 consecutive month new vinyl record: - Keep to Paleo diet - NO SUGAR - Plan and prepare meals - Track all food in and meet macros - 14 consecutive days: 2 episode TV show pass 1 consecutive month: New vinyl record Health and Beauty: - Put on makeup - Straighten my hair 3 days per week - Make an effort to look pretty and dress nicely - 14 consecutive days: New makeup 1 consecutive month: Mani-Pedi Life and Carreer: - Write a minimum of 300 words per day - Write in my Battle Log at least 5 times per week - 14 consecutive days: 2 episode TV show pass 1 consecutive month: New gadget or toy/game - Organize photos into a portfolio and create a Flikr album (or similar) to showcase my work - rewrite resume * you can find an album with some of my photos in my profile - Keep to a regular chore schedule - - Put $175 per paycheque onto my debt - Mind and Emotions: - Meditate 5 minutes in the morning and at night - - Use breathing techniques to help with anxiety - - Watch less TV - - Get more sleep - - Read more books - So that's the map I have set out for the next part of my journey. The area is massive so there are a lot of different paths to take but they all lead to the same result. So long as I stay within the map of course. As far as 2015, I will set those goals when it's a bit closer to that time. For now, I have a lot to keep in focus and have learned that 3-4 month plans work best for me. “You're never given a dream without also being given the power to make it true.â€

Hi All, I'm a big believer in setting goals and then working to achieve them. I've learned that if I want to get in shape, I usually have to commit to something like a race, a trip, or something else where if I don't get my butt in gear, it will be painful. I recently just returned from a trip to Nepal where I was able to trek in the Himalayas. Talk about motivation to get into shape, that seemed to do the trick and it was a trip of a lifetime. Next year I'm hoping to trek to Kilimanjaro which is another adventure to help motivate me to train. If anyone has done this trek, I'd be interested to hear about your experience and what you did to prepare for it. Also...I recently stumbled across a competition that involves a 4-day 300 kilometer dogsledding adventure from Norway into Sweden. If anyone is interested in entering, you can do so until December 12th. Find details for that at: http://www.fjallravenpolar.us/about-polar/ I haven't ever done anything like this before, but I entered and you can see that here: http://bit.ly/mjdogsled I've finally figured out that traveling and adventures of all sorts seem to be the thing that motivates me the most. Seems like I've found other like minded individuals here. I'm inspired by so many of you. Thank you for sharing! MJ

Name: MasterContender Age: 22 Height: 160cm Weight: ~200lbs maxed at 220 Gender: Unknown Race: Unknown; Shows Bugbear attributes Location: Indeterminate; last seen razing villages and kicking a** in the mountains of Nepal Occupation: Unemployed college graduate- aka English Major Should you come across MasterContender, regard them as extremely dangerous. It has been known to have the ability to shapeshift and is trained in hand to hand combat. Rebellion Game Sheet Motivation I am joining the rebellion because I want to enjoy my body in its prime. These are the best years of my life. I want to spend them fit and strong and active. I want to go shopping with my friends without feeling self-conscious. I want to buy bras from Victoria’s Secret instead of Lane Bryant. I want to be stronger and more agile. I want to be strong enough to climb trees, buildings, and jungle gyms. I want to lift my own body weight over obstacles. I want to run without getting winded. I want to set a good example for my sisters and my mom. I want my athletic spirit to have an athletic body to live in. I want to see all the amazing things I know my body can do with proper care. I want to respect my body by strengthening and nourishing it properly. There is no difference between eating a box of donuts in one sitting and having a cigarette, and I’m crazy for convincing myself otherwise. Main Quest: Run 5k in Spring 2015Sub Quests Meet at least 45% of daily water goal 3x a weekUse “Water Your Body†application to log and trackIncrease running distanceProgress to week 3 of Couch to 5k programEat a balanced plant based breakfast and lunch 3x a weekLog meals using My Fit Pal or Noom for accountabilityLife Quest Learn to parallel park safely, efficiently, and with confidence!Fitness Side Quest Find a plant based milk alternative

6 WEEK CHALLENGE NOVEMBER 10TH - DECEMBER 21ST Hey all, Jezaraen here and super pumped to start a challenge. I have been a bit slack lately when it comes to discipline and motivation and I want to use this next 6 weeks to really work on building habits that will continue on to 2015 and forward! I have tried a few times now to successfully complete a challenge but to no success so far. I plan to change this! MY MAIN QUEST Stop yoyo-ing when it comes to diet and the food I put into my body. It's time to put my foot down and stop making excuses. The first step is to be specific with the food I put into my body, as well as focus on tasks that I know will help me develop a healthy mindset. My mind and my body need a fresh start. MAIN QUEST: Become a ninja and use world as my playground. SIX WEEK QUEST - NOV 10TH TO DEC 21ST: Lose 5 kgs! Goals to accomplish quest:NFA DB Level 2 (3x per week) STR +2Maintain Daily Food Log CON + 3Bikram Yoga (3x per week) DEX + 3Trumpet practice (2hrs per week) WIS + 2The reason for these goals is because each focuses on an area of my life that helps keep me feeling focused and happy. And the more focused and happy I can make the beginning process the more likely I am to follow through. It will also help with my emotional binge eating. I will post weekly updates to keep myself accountable and so I can monitor my progress. Let's get this done!!! Excited about going through this challenge and proving that I can follow something through.

I will no longer be posting in this forum. Thanks for following!

I need some motivational gifs to get me back on track. Please to be supplying the funny?