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I decided to formally go ahead and do a battle thread since it seems like I am actually sticking with this fitness stuff. (Touch wood.) I've never been good at online introductions, but I'll do my best. I'm a nerd, obviously. My hobbies are medieval re-enactment (mainly through the SCA,) archaeological experimentation, woodworking, writing, Scottish country dancing and pipe smoking. I also run a podcast on Viking Age History called Norse by Northwest. I'd always been a fairly outdoorsy person with fair fitness, but I moved from Scotland to the US and gained a ton of weight. (A few images below to show the journey so far.) I struggled with it for a long, long time and just couldn't seem to shed a pound. Eventually I went to my Doctor who went through a lot of options with me and convinced me to try a month of Phentermine. That actually worked really well. I lost weight at a reasonable and healthy pace and was only on it for one month. But it led to a further diagnosis of Chronic depression related fatigue. Basically, I needed a stimulant of some kind added to my antidepressant to really get me feeling human. The antidepressant stopped me from being suicidal, but I was still just trapped in a fog and never able to really engage or get anything done. So I got put on a really low dose of Adderall and it has totally changed my life. I feel like myself again. I have a reasonable amount of energy. I'm actually happy. I get chores done during the day and I'm not completed incapacitated by having to make a decision on a thing. At any rate, I started hitting the gym every weekday on my lunch break. I would do two days of weight training and three days of the C25K. On weekends I'd attended fighter practice for the heavy armoured combat I do. I've now completed the C25K and I am running 35 minutes twice a week and doing weight training three days a week. My 'Big why' is twofold. First, my Daughter, Freya, was born in November of 2017 and is growing like a weed. I want to be fit enough to keep up with her and healthy enough to be around for her for many years to come. I also really want to look better in my medieval garb. I make clothes that I am really proud of and then I put them on and think about how much better they would look if I were a bit more trim. It's vain, but maybe not too bad of a thing. My goals are modest. I don't expect washboard abs or biceps as thick as my neck. I'd like to get rid of most if not all of the beer belly and have better strength and endurance. I'm making good progress so far and trying to just stay patient and continue to make healthy choices. So, on to the pictorial proof. Pictures of me from before I moved to the US where I was in really good shape. Then pictures of me after I moved to the US and was really fat. Finally, a chain of progress pictures showing my weight loss over the last few months.

The name is Aonghus and I do not have a 'Viking bod.' I don't expect to end up looking like something from a romance novel. I'm more likely to appear on the cover of The Very Voluble Viking than the Very Virile Viking. But I am working towards regaining my health and a level of fitness I am happy with. My hobbies are medieval re-enactment (mainly through the SCA,) archaeological experimentation, woodworking, writing, leatherworking, historical brewing, Scottish country dancing and pipe smoking. As part of the SCA I am just getting into heavy fighting and my arms are jelly three fights in. (Hard to defend yourself with a shield when you can keep the shield lifted up.) So it'd be really nice to be in better fighting shape as well as looking better. I'm really just getting back into fitness after a rough couple of years. I moved from Scotland to the US and gained a load of weight. I think I've finally found the Big Why I actually needed to push me forward. I'm just not happy when I look at myself in the mirror or pictures anymore. I just gained an amazing daughter, our first baby, and I want to be alive for a long time for her. Able to play with her and take care of her. The doctor told me I am on the verge of pre-diabetic and that was a big wake up call. But, honestly, the really big thing has been being so unhappy with how I look. And I am just... tired of it. So, I am going to go ahead and try a challenge. I'm working hard on the small changes so that I don't overwhelm myself. Big quest - Actually achieve the 3 smart goals consistently. Smart goal 1: Do my C25K run 3 times a week. No matter what. there are 7 days in the week for me to use for this. Smart goal 2: Work on reducing my sugar intake. Just try to make better choices and keep tracking my food so that I can learn what has more sugar than I realised. Smart Goal 3: START getting my gauntlets or helmet padded. I don't have to complete either of these by February 1st. I just have to actually get out to the armouring workshop and get started on them. It seems like I should be able to achieve these and measure them easily enough. They are also things that'll make me feel better about myself and help to build and maintain positive habits.

I have been cutting for far too long, it's time to regain my size and strength. So what better theme than the Mightiest of the Avengers, the Strength of Asgard, the Odinson: Thor! The Strength of Thor: Lift thrice weekly: On the Moon's day, Tyr's day and Thor's Day Feasting with the Frost Giants: Consume calories of the count of Three Thousand Four Hundred daily. Say nay to grains and sweet cakes when possible. The Chariot of Thor: Threaten the dwarves into forging a helm worthy of the Son of Odin. Then ride mine chariot to and from Midgard twice weekly: on Odin's day and Frigg's day. Odin's Teachings: While in Midgard, endeavor to learn the ways of magic and do works that please Odin. Onward! For the Glory of Asgard! ((I decided midway through writing this post to attempt to stay in character for the remainder of the challenge, we'll see how that works out))

Allright folks! Challenge #3 start tomorrow and that'll be awesome . I was reading other challenge around here to find what I could do for this one. My main quest hasn't changed, I still want to be around 10-12% bodyfat someday. There's a long way to go but I've done a long way in the last 3 months too! So, same quest this challenge, lose at least 1% body fat. The difference though, I want to be more consistent. The first 2 months were really good and awesome. But since it's now an habit, it's less interesting and such... I'll need to focus on the good things! GOALS - Workout everyday (+4 STR and +4 STA) (Miss 1 day = B, 2 days = C, 3 days = D, 4 days = F like FAIL) - Refocus on Paleo and have only ONE cheat meal per week (+4 WIS) (Have 1 extra cheat meal = B, 2 = C, 3 = D, 4 = FAIL) Not really related to fitness: - Don't play video games 2 days in a row (+3 WIS) (THIS ONE WILL BE HARD) (Play 2 days in a row one = B, twice = C, etc) SIDE QUESTS - Move to my new home - Go outside more - Be a better lead at work I'm a Lead Level Design (for Ubisoft), that's my day to day job. I'm pretty "new" at it and it's not easy! I really want to be the best lead ever and make my people grow! Also, summer is coming, I'm SO looking forward to it. I'll be able to use my bike again and do 1h of footbag per fay soon, that'll be so great Ha, peaceful days incoming.

Hello ComebackConn here to create this thread for the level 1 rebels group The Einherjar. We are a small group who have decided to challenge one another to our first six week challenge. Eight will start upon the road but some may fall. Those who do fall will have to reward those who win in a way that will be decided as we go on. That's all for now. ComebackConn Signing out

Hi nerdfitness ! I've completed my 1st challenge at the begining of this week so I've decided to start loging my stuff. That seems to be a cool habit here I'll post about what I eat, how I'm training, which game I'm playing and stuff like this. A STORY I'm a designer working in the videogame industry (for Ubisoft) since 2005. When I started, my weight was around 130 pounds. At the begining of 2014 my weight was at 191 pounds. Over 8 years I took 60 pounds ! THAT'S TERRIBLE. That needed to stop and change fast. I started to workout and eat better on Jan 6th. I discover nerdfitness around Jan 14th and that was a total revelation. I took all information I could find on this awesome website. I've learned stuff about bodyfat and I found a life goal. Be around 10-12% with muscle definition. I started to eat paleo right away (you know Steve is really convincing ! haha) I started to do bodyweight workout level 1. After 2 weeks, I changed to bodyweight level 2. The goal for my 1st challenge was to be at 175 pounds, from 191. That was not that easy for the melting was pretty fast, good for me . I've started my 2nd challenge on monday Feb 17th. So I'll see how it goes. MEASUREMENT (Feb 19th) Weight: 170.5 Body Fat: 17%ish Wrist: 7in Bicep: 12in Waist: 34in Hips: 36in Torso : 37in PROGRESS The progress I made so far with pictures

Hi, I'm Tipwel, a Norse Adventurer. For the last 8 years or so, I was gaining weight every years because of lazyness, staying on my butt and not doing much physical activities. The Fat Evil God of Lazyness as all over my mind and body. Seven weeks ago, I woke up a morning and said to myself, "This is over !". I took my shield, my helmet and my axe and went out of town searching for a way to kill that Evil God. My journey started there. One week later, after wandering with no specific path, I found am awesome hidden community. The Nerd Fitness community. That was a warm welcome. I went to the tavern and started listening to other adventurers. What they were saying, what they were doing. I took every pieces I could gather and learned how to defeat the Fat Evil God of Lazyness. Before this journey, there was a challenge. My challenge was to kill that Fat Evil God. I knew I was able to do this soon or later so I went to the community blacksmith and bought a new axe, a new shield and a new armor. I started to eat really well and doing some workout. Stoped going to tavern completely and passed my evenings training myself with only one goal in mind, defeat that Fat Evil God. I found him easily and that was a hard fight. My plan was to defeat him in 6 weeks, but I was well prepared. I took him down in 4. I've leaned a lot of stuff from that fight and along the challenge and also helped a lot of my fellow Norse friends to do the same. That was a double win for me. Now, with the Fat Evil God of Lazyness is defeated, my journey continues. My new goal is to be able to fight better and be stronger if I ever encounter another evil monster. ---------------- MAIN QUEST My ultimate quest is still to be at 10-12% body fat with muscle definition. Six weeks ago, I was aroung 20%. Now after 6 weeks, with 3 differents "sources" of calculation, it looks like I'm around 17%. My main quest for this challenge is to be more fit and healthier. So I want to lose at least 1% bodyfat. I'm now at something like 15.5% body fat. GOALS - Do a homemade twisted bodyweight level 3 with negative pull-ups, chin-ups, rows, etc, every two days. - Go to the gym at work every 2 days. (STR) A - Haven't missed one workout. +4 STR - Still do my 20 minutes of cardio training every other days (STA) A - Same here +3 STA - Meditate 10 minutes per day or every two days. (WIS) FAIL - Well, I totally failed this part. That was not really a priority... +0 ! - Do 5 pull-ups in a row (STR) Achieved on march 2nd +3 STR SIDE QUESTS - Still eating Paleo every meal except 1 or 2 (I don't want to lose it and become crazy) - Do the 30/30 Squat PVP challenge. - All the accountabilibuddies mini-quest MOTIVATIONS - Now, it's me and especialy my firends/co-workers. I'm auto motivating myself when I look at me in the mirror. I lost 20 pounds in 6 weeks and SO MANY people told me how incredible my "melt down" was.