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Hello everyone! I kinda bummed out of the last challenge before it ended. My apologies on that. As an update, I ended up falling off the wagon for about a week. So my husband and I bought a new mattress because the old one was making my back hurt. While the new one was super comfortable, I couldn't sleep through the night. I kept waking up over and over again. So, all week I was sleep deprived. There was one night I went to the gym as it was regularly scheduled, and I ended up breaking down crying in the middle of the gym floor. I went and got my stuff and left without working out. That's how sleep deprived I was. So, starting then I said "fuck it" and ordered a pizza. After that, the next day I had a cinnamon roll and some skittles and leftover pizza for dinner. Then after that... you get where this is going. Well, starting this week I've been doing awesome on food, not so much on the gym. So, I'm going to go ahead and start this challenge with my totem: The Wolf. This challenge will be wolf themed, so bring on all the awesome wolf pictures and gifs! For me, the wolf is a symbol for my ferocious nature and need to fight through my challenges as well as protect those close to me. I can also be cute, fluffy, and cuddly at times. Hehe... but I also can bite. I am also going to have this challenge extend through 2 challenges so to speak. So for this challenge set and next challenge set, I'm going to continue to have the same goals to try and change my habits. The reason for this is because I feel that 4 weeks really isn't enough for me. I'm going to turn it in to 8-10 weeks instead (if you include zero week) to try and get those good habits going. I haven't been successful in getting back to where I was, so I'm trying to change it up a bit while still having similar goals. I'm also going to make some goals I plan to reach by the end of 2017 and I want to have my challenges be a way to get me there. So, here's the thing. This first week I am not going to the gym because I'm actually trying to get ready for Epic Nerd Camp (ENC) (Not affiliated with Nerd Fitness). I leave on Saturday and will be back on Wednesday night. This week I'm packing and getting everything ready, so I really don't have time for the gym. I AM trying to walk more during the week though while at work. That's one of my goals. Moving more. However, I'll get to that in a minute. So let's get this started!!!!! Goals for the end of 2017: I think these are goals I can reasonably accomplish in the next 4 months. The hardest ones are going to be the last two. I'm going to up my game though and fight to get there! I haven't lost any weight in a long while. It's time to push harder! Goals for this Challenge: Goal 1: No more than 2 variances per week A variance in this case is considered anything that is not healthy. If I go out to eat, but I choose a healthier option than I normally would, that does not count as a variance. If I have a sweet treat or dessert, that counts as a variance. No more than 2 per week (Excluding my vacation week). Goal 2: Work out 3 times per week I think I've been looking at this the wrong way, so I'm going to change it up for now. In the past my goal has been to go to the gym 2-4 times a week depending on the challenge. If there's some reason I can't make it to the gym, I instead just don't work out at all. For this challenge I'm going to consider doing body weight exercises at home or swimming laps in my pool a work out as long as it is at least 30 minutes of continuous activity. Goal 3: get at least 7,000 steps a day One of my problems I think is that I've stopped getting up and moving. I need to get up and move more. At work, I sit at a desk all day. I need to get up during the day and move around. When I do that I have more energy and can take care of more things. I have more energy and am more productive. So, to start, I'm going to try and get back to doing at least 7,000 steps a day. Goal 4: Report to my Accountabilibuddies daily I will not only be updating this every day that I can, I will talk on chat with my accountabilibuddies every day and tell them what I am going to do to set myself up for success that day. We do that most days, but I have been slacking on checking in with them. I think with more support I'll be more successful. Ok, let's do this!!!!

Don’t call it a comeback~ ( Hey Noctis took like 10 years ok, I’ve only been dormant for a few months. ) NERD FRIENDOS!!! Hello, it is me, your caps lock hyperbole Ranger, coming back from a short hiatus of Doing the Thing on my own to continue Doing the Thing here, with you, better, harder, faster. It’s good to be home. <3 ANYWAYS in true Shaar fashion my quests are quite customized to my current Obsession du Jour - HEH you thought it was gonna be FFXIV, right? Or maybe Persona 5?? Aaactually I had this challenge written up for a few months ago but I never used it, and I’m still over the moon for this stupid game, so I’m gonna roll with it and jump back in head first with my wonderful Chocobros to lead my way. EYES PEELED, MOUTH CLOSED LET’S DO THIS. __gladiolus amicitia______ less bitching, more killing. Gladio is the king’s shield and bodyguard. He’s also my favorite character - tough as nails, he takes no shit (and has no qualms telling you how he really feels), thrives on the fight and never hesitates to be the first into the fray. He also reads in the car and does one armed pushups at camp and loves being outdoors and has a gruff sense of sass-mastery and LOVES CUP NOODLES (I’m sure they’re great for macros maybe ok). He definitely fits into the ‘protector’ trope which I also feel I fall into, so that’s probably why I like him best. He’s also HELLA STRONG and I need to tighten up my lifting routine. SERIOUSLY. I’ve been struggling lately with a decent weight loss and eating to support my new status quo, and it’s been shaking up my lifting routine. Right now I’m looking to stick in the gym at LEAST twice a week without burning myself out. A - 2+ lifting days weekly B - 1 lifting day weekly F - Get rekt kid ____ignis scientia______ you can remain awake long enough to eat. Ignis is the chief strategist of the royal family and is Noctis’ personal advisor and right hand man. He’s fills out the ‘brains of the party’ role really well, and having grown up alongside Noct, has assumed a sort of caretaker position towards the prince. He is also your designated driver for the majority of the game and cooks up some MEAN ASS FOOD when you camp, and also discovers lots of recipes along the way. Ignis goes hand in hand with Gladio here (teehee); I need to start logging my food again. Not going to work towards anything numbers-wise, just track, and see where I’m at currently, and where I can improve. A: 7 days a week within tracking parameters B: 6 days a week within tracking parameters F: 5 days a week (or less) ___prompto argentum_____ i’m toootally into chocobos!.... don’t take that the wrong way. Prompto is Noctis’ best friend and the fun-loving life of the party. He loves chocobos, puns, shootin’ things, and most importantly, taking pictures. Prompto takes lots of candid shots of your journey that you can save and share and it’s pretty much the best thing ever. HE’S SO ADORABLE AND HAPPY BLESS HIM Here is my social quest. POST HERE. I’ve fallen off the forums a bit but I realize how much I’ve missed hanging with you guys, you are my friends, and that means the world to me. So; be present. A: Post 5+ times weekly B: Post 3-4 times weekly F: Dude where are you? ___noctis lucius caelum________ no time to stop. we keep moving. Noctis is the main character and playable hero of the game, a prince that’s on a road trip with his friends/guards/groomsmen to go get married and have adorable hijinks with on the way. He really grows into his role and starts to shoulder more and more responsibility along the way; eventually through the storyline he begins to collect the Royal Arms, a variety of weapons used by kings of old. For this challenge I’ll channel Noctis to be my “collection crew” - to keep track of the little things and my weekly to-do lists to make sure everything gets done. This list will be a hodgepodge of things I will assign myself at the start of each challenge week, so it will change weekly and will include but is not limited to - multiple mobility sessions, epsom salt baths, mental check-ins, cleaning/organizing, and other tasks that pop up and need to be dealt with. A: Weekly tasks completed B: Over half of weekly tasks completed F: Less than half of weekly tasks completed PHEW OK I THINK I'M READY!! Onward to greatness, teamwork styyyyle!

I'm back with a shiny new program! No barbells this time (well, they will make an appearance later in my program), but I am still focusing on strength. For those of you that followed my previous thread, you'll remember my disillusionment when I realized that a lot of the authorities on strength training are d00d-focused. And the self proclaimed father of them all is a sexist turd. (Not all male fitness gurus are sexist by any means, but there is a lack of representation of women in the sport, which had me feeling excluded at times.) With the help of some friends, I found some female lead and focused programs that I feel good about supporting and don't make me feel like an inferior piece of garbage. So... I have chosen the Girls Gone Strong 12 week strength training program! Since I just had a three week summer break, I am going to get right to it. Here are my goals for this challenge: Document workouts in my bujo and create a blog post for each block of training (4 blocks 4 weeks each = 4 total blog posts for this program) Meal plan with Mr. Z every weekend before grocery shopping Meal prep every week w/ Mr. Z (including snacks!) Reflect for 5 minutes in my journal every night before bed Now get to werk!

I'm posting this now, while I'm thinking about it, because this challenge starts on my birthday and there's a chance I'll forget. 1. Meal Prep This gets top priority because I somewhat fell off the wagon, although this week is going alright. As I book more trips for the year, it's becoming important to not spend money on stupid things in Pittsburgh, like fried cheese and fancy hamburgers. It also helps to keep my weight in check. 2. Lifting Just make it to the gym 3x per week, do the big lifts & fun accessories. ROM on my leg is still not at 100% and I'll have 2 weeks off in August, then another week in September and I need to be in good hiking shape for both, which means walking & hiking a lot weekly. I'm not going to give myself big gains goals, but I am digging working up to heavy singles & doubles so we'll see what happens. 3. Hiking So in August I am going to Iceland and I haven't yet figured out how safe it is to leave camp set up and wander (may vary by location) which means I very likely will have to carry everything everywhere. To train for this, I need to do a few long loaded hikes (with this specific backpack, so I'll look ridiculous doing this in a city park). Stretch goal will be to get to Dolly Sods, WV for a backpacking overnight trip but I'm not doing that alone and I won't make any of my goals dependent on other people. This goal is pretty vague, let's just say I need 2 loaded hikes at 10+ miles in the next 4 weeks. 4. Reading I want to read the Sagas of Icelanders before I leave. It's almost 800 pages so this is pretty much a commitment to daily reading.

Hi All...long time no talk. EDIT: I will put original GIF just in case y'all havent seen GoT last season yet...a real spoiler for once!(Thanks CM) But seriously if you're worried about spoilers from last season you need to step up your TV game... Lets recap whats been going on in life and fitness since I did not have a challenge last go around. Memorial Day BBQ at the gym included doing two Hero WODs, Bruck and DT, followed by copious drinking which made for a long rest of week due to soreness and hydration issues. Spartan Race the beginning of June went decently well. Struggled through some obstacles which I knew would be issues and some that I was a bit surprised I couldnt do. But the company @RedStone @CourtnieMarie @raptron was great and look forward to keeping OCRs on my radar for fitness events...just likely not this year because $$. Spent last week eating BBQ and Southern food in Alabama while on a business trip and then 5 day vacation for 4th of July full of parties all whilst doing pretty much no physical activity. Spending most of time outside of work doing the capstone project for my Masters program which cant be done soon enough...6 more weeks...not that I'm counting. So that basically wraps up what would have been my last challenge...goods and bads. Now to move on and focus on getting back in a rhythm. Fiance yesterday reminded me that we have our engagement photoshoot in like 2ish weeks and I went to try on a shirt I want to wear and it was a tad tight. Turns out the lack of focus has lead to an 8lb weight gain since the Spartan which was already a 3lb gain since the Warrior Dash. That needs to be brought back down and then some and will be the metric of importance in this challenge. I know it wont all happen in two weeks but some progress needs to be made. In the past, I have used events as motivation but without any of those on the horizon I am trying to work with a set weight goal in mind. The number in the crosshairs is 300lbs. I havent weighed in the 200s since freshman year of college 6 years ago. I was as high as 365lbs and now have been sitting in the 320's for a while. This time last year was my lowest at 307. So goals to start along the path to reach that: Goal 1 - Figure out nutrition plan Been bouncing all over the place with nutrition in the past. Paleo, IIFYM, Eat to Perform, and Renaissance Periodization have all gone through their trials. I am still not sure which one I liked the best and I learned some good from all of them. This goal is to lock down a specific path forward to nutrition. Not sure yet if that involves macros or tracking but that will be something to consider. Goal 2 - Track foods every day - *Temporary? Like I said above I am not sure if new nutrition plan will include MFP tracking but for now this is a step towards some accountability as I find the right program Goal 3 - Return to workout schedule Wednesday and Friday morning strength and conditioning classes have been the go-to workouts during the week. Then when weekend time allows it, Saturday and/or Sunday classes or open gym. But weekends have been busy so looking into adding another morning during the week. Ideally it would be Thursday but three strength days in a row is kind of tight especially in that order...Bench, Squat, Deadlift on consecutive mornings. Right now this goal will be 3 mornings a week and then the weekends will be extras. Goal 4 - Track weight Theres no way to tell if I am losing weight if I am not actually weighing in. I used to be in a habit of doing it every morning. But have fallen off of that. Need to get back to doing this at least 2-3 times per week so I can track fluctuations and losses/gains throughout the week and challenge. Anyways that got long and thinking is hard after a 5 day weekend and only one cup of coffee so thanks for making it through all that and following along!

So, last challenge I did ok. By week 4 though I was having difficulties. I've been crazy stressed by school. It's to the point that I"m looking for an online tutor to help me. I've never had a class THIS hard before. So, I began to stress eat. Starting today though, I'm calling on the Winchesters to help me fight my demons!!!! So, with Sam and Dean at my side, I can totally kick this challenge's ass and get back on track!!!!! Demon #1: Ruby (HP: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO) As Ruby fed Sam's addiction to demon blood, so has she fed my addiction to sugar and high calorie foods. With Sam and Dean's help, I will vanquish Ruby back to hell by limiting my sugar intake to 2 sugary snacks per week. Demon #2: Alastair (HP: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO) Alistair... the demon who tortured Dean and taught him the tools of the trade in hell. To withstand his torturous blades and then kick his ass with the Winchesters, I will need to be strong and resilient. Every time I go to the gym and work out is an attack on Alistair. I will go to the gym and work out at least 2 times every week. Anything above that is a bonus attack on Alistair. Demon #3: Crowley (HP: OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO) Crowley, the King of the Crossroads and the King of Hell himself. His power is the power of temptation and deals. He makes his deals so tempting by trying to make us give in to our desires. I refuse. I will not let him get the best of me. I will resist having a variance in my diet more than twice a week. I can't let the bastard win! Join me in this demon hunt! We will get there! With the Winchesters at my side and my NF friends cheering me on, we can make this happen! Demon 1 (Sugar): 0/2 Demon 2 (Gym): 0/2 Demon 3 (Variance): 0/2

After a very stressful (AND SUCCESSFUL - HELL YEAH THIS ASSASSIN IS GOING TO LAW SCHOOL) last challenge, I'm going to try to keep this one simple and relatively easy to follow. Here it goes: 8 sessions of Krav Maga (2/8) 10 Cardio Sessions (11/10) 8 Body Weight/Weight Lifting Sessions (7/8) 25 Handstand Sessions (4/25) 25 Meals made at home (22/25) 30 Meditation Sessions (15/30) 25 Flexibility Sessions (6/25) Go through closet and donate clothes (0/1) Start packing to move (0/1)

With the upcoming release of the Fate/Apocrypha anime i decided to go with a Fate Stay Night/Fate Grand Order theme. In short this is a anime/game where Heroic Spirits from histroy/mythology fight for a Holy Grail that will make any wish a person has come true. The show/game has 7 different classes and i have those sorted with the goals i have for this challenge. Saber: Train my body I am going to continue with my Startbodyweight Routine on MWF and on the off-days i will GtG (Greave the Groove) on my Pistol Squats and Archer Pull-ups to get better with them. With the goal of doing 10 reps on the off days. Start Bodyweight Routine on Monday, Wednesday & Friday [3x a week] = __/3 = __/21 Greave the Groove on Pistol Squats & Archer Pull-ups, 2 reps everytime i am in my hall-way - Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday/Sunday [3x a week] = __/3 = __/21 Archer/Lancer: Improve Endurance Last challenge i made a great start again with running and i noticed good improvements, for this challenge i am going to run 3x a week. On week days a run of 3,5 - 4 km and in the weekend go for a 5K run. Each time trying to run longer and with fewer breaks. Run 3,5-4 km on Tuesday & Thursday [2 times a week] = __/2 = __/8 Run 5K on Saturday/Sunday [once a week] = __/1 = __/4 Assassin I am going to continue my Headstand Training and my daily #5 Minute Flow. I saw nice improvements with my Headstand Training ending the last challenge with a hold time of almost 2 minutes. Everyday i am going to start the day with my #5 Minute Flow and on Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday/Sunday i am going to hold the headstand. #5 Minute Flow [Every day] = __/7 = __/28 Headstand Training [3x a week] = __/3 = __/21 Caster In the past i used to do a little bit of Duolingo to learn a new language but i always half-assed it, this challenge i'm going to up the ante by practicing German & Swedish. I am also going to read 3 light novels of Spice and Wolf volumes 6,7 & 8. And cook atleast 4 new easy recipes from "15 Minutes Paleo". Duolingo German & Swedish [Every day] = __/7 = __/28 Spice & Wolf Volume 6,7,8 [Read all 3] = __/3 Cook 4 new recipes from "15 Minute Paleo" = __/4 Rider/Berserker: 100% Gaming Darksiders I didnt quite finish Bioshock Infinite in the last challenge so im putting it on hold for now. For this challenge i am going to 100% complete Darksiders Darksiders [Every day atleast a hour] = __/7 = __/28 Ruler: Support Besides to the people i regularly follow i am also going to follow 3 other Rebels and encourage them all 5 days a week. And update everyday on my own progress. Follow & encourage 3 other rebels [5x a week] = __/5 = __/20 Update own progress [7x a week] = __/7 = __/28 Master: Other Didnt really know where to put these goals so i decided to put them in other. These goals are mostly orientated towards my daily habits. Like cleaning and tracking my food (for the first time). Use my Pomodoro system to clean my apartment every day [7x a week] = __/7 = __/28 Track my week days food with MFP [5x a week] = __/7 = __/28 The next post i will explain a bit about the Fate Universe. How it started, what shows/games there are and the best watch order and upcoming movies/shows. And each day i will explain a bit about a Servant class with a bit of History of the Heroic Spirit i picked for that week.

Marathon, done. House, moved. Time to get back into weightlifting and saddle up. I have had a lot of things up in the air, but I need to get into a groove that works for me so I can get going forward on something other than “run a lot.” Goal #1: Get back into a weightlifting routine. 3 days a week minimum, I want a schedule that works for 5. That means I get my commute manageable and find a weight room that’s accessable. 3,000 points Goal #2: Track food and weight. I’m going to try to bulk up after losing so much upper body muscle mass to my marathon training. I want to have my weekday meals planned and calories estimated every week. 3,000 points. Goal #3: Learn horseback riding. I’ve started basic lessons and I want to get to the level where I can ride a trail on my own before my honeymoon in August. I have one lesson per week and I want to do 1 day of “homework” per week (educate myself on something related to horseback riding). 1,000 points *Fun fact* this seems to be the one picture of a DBZ character on a horse on all of the internet: Goal #4: Maintain running. 5k runs at least 3 times a week an long runs (15-20k) on the weekend. 2,000 points. Goal #5: Nesting. I have random projects from moving and I want to complete at least one per week. We scaled up from a tiny 1 bedroom apartment to a 2 bedroom townhouse with a basement. I need storage in the basement, the kitchen organized, DVD/Blu-ray storage, all living room furniture that isn’t a TV stand, a table and chairs for the dining room, a drink station (dry bar), a desk for the office, and a bicycle/storage for said bicycle. 1,000 points Why are the points in thousands?

In April/May I was completely derailed from my goals. Now my goals seem like an insurmountable and mountain that is as difficult to climb as the cliffs of Insanity. However I'm going to continue on and make small steps to get back on track starting now. Ok, so let's set up this challenge! Go to the gym at least 2x/week Resist sugary treats with an allowance of no more than 2x per week. Don't go out to dinner more than 2x/week This way it's simple, it's measurable, and it's a start in the right direction. One of the hardest things has been getting back into the gym. I'm hoping that by the end of the month I'll be back to going to the gym 4x/week, but for now even just going 2x/week is better than what I have been doing. I will be posting pretty much everything I eat and what I do at the gym to keep myself accountable. I have found myself having less energy and my knees have been hurting more since I stopped my routine. Time to get back into it!

Hey guys! First post here, but I have read a few so I think I get the idea. My goals this month are a little more broad, but I plan to get a little more specific in the future. Long story short, this month is a rough one for me. Last June, my brother (technically half brother, on my dads side, but we were brothers. Closer than most I would say) took his own life. Needless to say that was a HUGE devastation and shock to me and the whole family. My training and care for my wellbeing went away for quite a while. But, over the last couple of weeks I have been getting back in the gym, and getting my life back together. SO, on a lighter note, here are my goals for June... Training: My broader goal is that I will strength train AT LEAST 4 days a week. I like doing all 5 workdays, but 4 is what I require of myself. My specific goal, however, is I would like to have a clean 240 bench max, a clean 285 squat max, and a clean 435 deadlift max. I pushed 235 bench today actually, which was a new PR, but it was very sloppy. My DL max, last I tried which was last week, was 425. I think that shouldn't be a problem. My squat max will be the bigger issue, as I have always neglected it. I'll keep you updated though! Nutrition: I started on Monday tracking my food a lot better. I have 2 goals for this, one is to stick to my food plan and stay as close to my macros as I can with a 90/10 approach. Basically only allow foods not on my plan 10% of the time. Two, that 10% of the time, it can't be junk garbage food like sweets and fast food. I have developed almost an addiction to that crap. No more! Life: This one is on a more serious note. I am HORRIBLE with communication. With my Dad, my Mom, my friends, everyone. Being the moth of the year anniversary of my brothers death, I want to make it a point, to start calling and talking to my family and friends, and be more invested in their lives. Especially my Dad, as he was the one that found my brother, and will be having a really hard month. Cherish the time you have with the ones you care about. It would rock your world to know how fast it could end. Thank you guys for all of the support and advice from the Facebook group. I hope to be more active here in the future! Let's get this shit done!! -Ben

There’s something about Thai Green Curry. Its wholesome, incredibly flavorsome, and it will pack a serious punch when the right ingredients are used. There’s a reason why Thai cuisine is starting to be more regularly consumed all over the world and a reason why Thai outlets and restaurants are becoming more commonplace. The best part – Thai curry is very easy to prepare, cook and digest. Its also relatively cheap. All the boxes for a fantastic meal have been firmly ticked. This Thai green Curry recipe is precisely the type of dish that will suit a workday evening meal for one, a weekend treat for two or even a dinner party that you decide to host. Its as versatile as it gets. That’s why we’re keen to help you with this Chicken Thai Green Curry Recipe . Ingredients • 2 raw chicken breasts • 300 grams of Sugar Snap Peas • 1 White Onion • 250ml Coconut Milk • 1-2 Green/Red Chillis • Green Curry Paste • 1-2 Peppers – Red/ Yellow/ Green depending on preference. • 1 tablespoon of Coconut Oil (14ml/grams) • 100 gram White Rice (per person; Thai Sticky or Basmati/ Jasmine Favorable) • 500 grams of Mushrooms • 1 Clove of Garlic Instructions In a saucepan, bring water to boil and add Thai Sticky Rice. This will be cooked for 15-20 minutes. For 100 grams of rice (one person) 2-3 cups of boiling water will suffice. More water can be added later depending on preference In a wok, add the tablespoon of coconut oil and simmer gently. Coat the Wok in the oil once it has melted. On the meat chopping board and using a separate meat knife or meat scissors, cut the chicken breasts into small bite-size chunks. (Ensure hands are washed after.) Add the chicken to the Wok, cook through and ensure that the chicken no longer bears pink. This will take roughly 10 minutes (for optimal results, keep the temperature low to ensure that the chicken remains succulent Using the vegetable Chopping board and the vegetable knife, cut the garlic and onion finely, the pepper into strips, the garlic, the chillies and mushrooms Now add all the vegetables to the Wok and fry lightly until the vegetables have cooked through (onion and mushrooms brown) Add the Coconut Milk and Thai Green Paste into the Wok. Simmer for a further 15 minutes on a very low heat. This will let the garlic, green curry paste and coconut milk infuse into the chicken and vegtables Revert back to the Thai Sticky Rice and ensure that all the water has absorbed and the rice is sticky and cooked through. It should not appear hard. If this is the case and if all the water has been absorbed, add some more water. Once at the desired consistency, serve the rice. Serve the Thai green Curry and place over the rice. Optional: Place in fridge if being eaten later For pictures and more on the recipe including nutritional information: Sautéed Garlic Chicken Thai Green Curry Over Sticky Rice

We all love a sweet potato. Whether its baked or boiled; whether as sweet potato fries or sweet potato mash. They're so good we just cant get enough sweet potato recipes. We all need more of them and thats why we’re here to help. This healthy recipe is ideal to prepare for lunch at the Office or can quickly be assembled as a delicious, wholesome evening meal. Whats more its quick to prepare, nutritious and punches a host of vitamins and minerals. Ingredients • 2 raw chicken breasts or sliced chicken breasts • 1 courgette/zucchini • 1 Red Onion • 1-2 Peppers – Red/ Yellow/ Green depending on preference. • 2 medium sized sweet potatoes, • 1 tablespoon of Coconut Oil (14ml/grams) • 250 grams of Asparagus – spear heads • 200g Spinach • Garlic, salt and pepper to taste Instructions Take the 2 sweet potatoes and use the potato peeler to remove all of the skin. Discard of the skin as this is not required. Using the vegetable Chopping board and the vegetable knife, cut the sweet potato into small chunks or cubes (The smaller these are cut the quicker the sweet potato will cook.) Bring the sweet potatoes to boil (these will take roughly 15-20 minutes) Now prepare the vegetables: slice the Peppers, Courgette and Onion. Place these in a small bowl On the meat chopping board and using a separate meat knife or meat scissors, cut the chicken breasts into small bite-size chunks. (Ensure hands are washed after.) Add the chicken, courgette/zucchini, and onion into a baking tray or glass dish. Mix together and add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil and garlic/salt and pepper. Place the tray or dish in the oven at 200 degrees. This will take roughly 20 minutes to cook. (for optimal results, take the tray out of the oven after 10 minutes and stir with a wooden spoon and place bake into oven) Place the Asparagus into a second cooking pot and bring to boil (cooking time 5-10 mins) Wash the raw spinach and add to a serving bowl. When sweet potato is soft, remove from boil. Drain. Place chunks into a bowl. With the potato masher finely mash the sweet potato until the consistency is even and all clumps have been removed. This is now sweet potato mash. Remove the dish from the oven; let the chicken concoction stand for a few minutes. Remove asparagus from boil and add to serving bowl Now add chicken to serving bowl and the previously sliced peppers. The Chicken Vegetable Medley and Sweet Potato Mash is now served and ready to be enjoyed! Optional: Place in fridge if being eaten later For pictures and more on the recipe including nutritional information: Chicken Vegetable Medley and Sweet Potato Mash

Hey guys, Wasn't sure to put this in another category but as I'm a vegetarian leaning towards vegan I thought I'd get more refined advice here. So I'm mainly a runner (minimal soles / barefoot(ish)) but I want to bulk up. I have a rack in my garage with weights and like doing the 5X5 compound strength training. But I have 2 issues. I need to lose about 5kg of body fat. I'm 65kg and would rather that was made up of muscle as this is in my ideal weight range but I've got plenty of spare flab around my mid section. I know a protein shake is important for muscle growth, but worried its going to slow down my fat loss. I'm an intermittent faster between 8PM and 12PM each day. What should I ideally be eating? My main diet is plant based with lentils, beans, tofu etc. Bonus question: Should I also take a protein shake after a 10km run or is it too much for that? Just looking for some direction really. Any help is greatly appreciated

Hello fellow nerds! I'm not really sure how to start this, so I'll do a little presentation. I'm 28 years old and work as an IT developer. I'm 1,65m (+/-5.4 ft) and now I'm 51kg (+/-112lbs). I've been following the Nerd Fitness since 2013, my fitness journey started in 2014 so I don't consider myself a newbie anymore, but I'm far from being an expert!! I've always been a skinny girl weighting about 48kg (my "normal") or less. I used to eat all the things, yes all the junk food. When I started working my eating habits were just awful. The lunch was always in some place nearby the workplace or just a sandwich, and the dinner was just some cereal or chips... I can say I'm a bit lucky because I live in Portugal and our typical diet (Mediterranean) is one of the healthiest in the world, so it is easier to eat out and not eat fast food. When I was young I was very very active, always running, biking, playing football (soccer for USA people :p)... I always loved exercising, but then college come and then stressful jobs and it all got in the way until I started to have some health issues (nothing serious!). I took a look at myself, at 25 feeling always tired and with no time for anything in a not-so-good relationship and that was it. And I know now that I was very depressed for a long time. In this 4 years I've fixed a lot of things in my life (doing a very small step at the time). I'm going to do an orderly list with the mains steps but ALL of the points are still under improvement! 1 - learn to be alone/my self love - it was all very poor 2 - my sleeping habits - sleep more 3 - my eating habits - eat less junk, cook more 4 - my relationships - leave toxic people behind 5 - my exercise level - was nonexistent and I found again my child passion for exercising 6 - my social/emotional intelligence - was very very low Nowadays I have a quite good routine and I'm being able to gain about 1kg a month! I prepare all my lunches for the week on sunday. I always have a proper breakfast. I take to work always my lunch, one big snack (usually greek yogurt) for the evening and 2 pieces of fruit. After work and on the weekends I go to the gym (no more than one hour in the gym per day). Currently my training plan is based on this one https://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/built-by-science-six-week-muscle-building-trainer.html On mondays I have toastmasters (public speaking skills :D). My main goals with my training, diet (not temporary!!) and overall lyfestyle are: - be stronger; be healthier; have a good posture; improve my confidence and self esteem. I want to share my experiences with you because as I am always looking for inspiration and often fail to find it, I hope that I can get some from you and give some back! I'll be posting my workouts, meals and overall progress. Main goals for this month: life - read one book fitness - add 5kg to all my main lifts (squat, bench press and deadlift) diet - always have a proper diner

Grandkai: Making minor Updates This challenge i am going to focus on improving/updating certain aspects of my life to make it a bit better & healthier. Goal 1: Strength & Skills [Max points: 42] - Startbodyweight Routine 3x a week - Learn/Practice the "Headstand" every day with the help of Beastskills.com tutorials Last challenge i had great progress with everything. And i am so happy with the program i am going to continue with it this challenge. Goal 2: Cardio [Max points: 8] - Run or perform a HIIT workout 2x a week. Last challenge i dropped the ball on this one. Was hoping to run with a nice Spring sun but that wasnt happening. So this time i have 2 back-up HIIT workouts from Darebee which ill do instead if i cant run outside. Goal 3: Nutrition [Max Points: 94] (Im going to count every day with out drinking soda & ordering food) - No more soda at home or work. Only if i go out (which basically never happens), or when i am at my parents. - Drink 2 Liters of water everyday. - Make 1 smoothie every week. - No more ordering food No more soda, i used to buy a 1,5liter bottle of coca cola when i ordered some food. And i would almost drink it empty the same night. That cant be good for you. I used to order food 2-3 times a week, not a whole lot but i want to save that money and eat the meals i prepared for myself. Smoothies are something i want to try out, so 1 each week to try it out and see how easy it is to make. Goal 4: 100% Gaming [Max points: 17] (All the achievements i need for both games) - Finish Halo CE Anniversary - Finish Bioshock Infinite I started with Halo CE last challenge and just didnt finish it, am about 8 achievements short and those arent really hard to finish. I had Bioshock Infinite already 100% but then DLC came out and i had more work to do. SO i hope to finish as much of those achievements as well. For this challenge i am going to use a point system. I am going to aim to get 90% of the points on each goal. I was thinking of doing something like i did a few challenges back where i got a figure to motivate me even more. I have one in mind but my IKEA DETOLF is getting kinda full. And i know i need to get a new one with all the pre-orders i have for the rest of the year.....i will think this one over.

Hey y'all! Military kid settling down at a college in the south, trying to be her fittest self. I like weightlifting but I mostly do bodypump classes because I'm really nervous about lifting weights by myself. I used to love running but I've gotten out of the habit, I'm working up to it with long jogs. I'm really insecure about my body and I want to work towards being more fit and confident - i guess that's my ultimate goal. I'm home for the summer and trying to stay on track with my fitness goals, which got really off course around the end of the semester (when it comes down to passing accounting and going for a run, accounting always wins) I love nutrition and healthy cooking, my girlfriend is gluten free and I can't have dairy so we eat mostly paleo. Tips for paleo thai food are very welcome; that's our next challenge. I'm trying to build structure in my routine by walking every day (since I live in suburbia and work a desk job over the summer) and also running and doing small workouts throughout the day. If anyone has good sites for online workout videos I would love suggestions! Right now I'm just using youtube to look up old bodypump classes. I also love learning languages, travelling, knitting, dancing, hiking, and making friends! The last part is where you come in, I'd love to get to know some other rebels on similar quests!

I'm late to the party, but that's ok. I got back from my cruise and then got sick. I'm still fighting the illness and it's driving me nuts. I want to get back in the gym. I'm still trying to eat healthy though. This challenge (or what's left of it) I will be focusing on getting back on track with nutrition and fitness. I will pretty much have the same goals as last time: Level Up Cooking: I will cook my meals all week and limit my eating out to 2 times per week. Level Up Fitness: I will go to the gym 4 times a week. Level Up Snacking: I will choose healthy snacks and limit sugar intake. I've been sick, so my Level Up Fitness will not be on par until I recover. Until then, I need to get back to healthy eating.

Hey everyone, My name is Marco, I'm originally from Germany and now I've been living in Taiwan for more than 6 years. I always do sport, however, in the past I struggle to keep the momentum. Once I stopped exercising bad habits occurred and weight gain happened rapidly. I told myself never again! Half a year ago, I changed my diet, started to do intermittent fasting and stopped drinking alcohol. I started going to the gym 3 times a week, but this past few week I've been focusing on preparing for a dragon boat competition. Just this week I could make my dream come true and combine passion with work! I'm working at a place where people are passionate about to share nutrition tips & education. I'm very excited meeting you all

Last challenge started really well! Then I got stuck. Like a deer in the headlights. Except I'm not a deer. I'm a DRAGON. I'm FIERCE and CAPABLE and - NOOOO STOP THAT !!!!!!!!!!! I got totally derailed by the end. I had some extra external stressors, and I let them get to me. It affected my sleep, which then affected my ability to Do The Things - too tired to go to the gym, too tired to resist buying coffee and sweets at school, etc. Sooo... I can't think of anything to change, so I'm gonna just try the same stuff again. But I'm gonna... somehow bring myself back to my original intent, with regularity. So I can keep with my goals, and not fall off the wagon as much. Hopefully????? And also get more sleep!! 1. Work out 3x per week 2. Eat healthy 5x per week 3. DO NOT BUY FOOD AT SCHOOL 4. Read the Bible 3x per week 5. 9:30 bedtime

After a successful tracking chalenge last month, this time, I'm focusing on bigger, greater goals! This time with a reward (other than the happiness of seeing the scale tick back ^_^). So let's push our inspiration: This is Valkyrie. She comes from the Marvel Universe. She KICKS A**. Who would not want to become like her? GOALS - How it all starts 1- 4 weeks, 4 kilos lost. No excuses, just hard work () 2- Maintain exercise schedule: 3 weight sessions, 2 full dance sessions, 1-2 dance practices, 2-3 biking sessions 3- Continue nutrition tracking and good habits 4- Meditate or write in my journal daily POINTS - A necessary evil 1- 10 points per kilo - MAX 40 points per week (to stay healthy) 2- 3 points per weight lifting sessions, 1.5 for dance, 1 for biking, extra point for practices towards pistol squat (at least 10 on each leg) - MAX 20 points per week 3- 2 points per day (14 / week) + up to 6 points weekly for bonuses (for weeks with no desserts, no bread or other special things that are otherwise allowed) - MAX 20 points per week 4- 2 points per day when it is done (14 / week) + 6 points if done every day - MAX 20 points per week Total 100 points per week, 400 points for 4 weeks (I MULTIPLIED IT IN MY HEAD!!!) REWARDS!!!!!!! - What we look towards Out of a MAX of 400 points: - >360 points: the 5 tshirts I want to buy (probably in 1 size smaller!) - >280 points: 2 t-shirts -<= 280 points: a strong word of encouragement and the right to start again in 5 weeks I will try to post 2-3 times a week to talk about progress. Now let's go fight! "A day may come, when we lose. But it's not today. 'Cause today, we FIGHT!" Rap Monster

Hey! You can call me Kiffle and this is my first 4 Week Challenge for Nerd Fitness. I like to think I'm pretty active in general and decent at making goals, but I always love trying new ways of doing both of those things. I'm not new to fitness or nutrition at all, but for the sake of starting a new challenge (and sort of falling off my last one due to life) I'll start here! So, here we go. FITNESS GYM WORKOUT 2X/WEEK WITH AN UPPER/LOWER BODY SPLIT (AT LEAST 60 MIN) RUN 1X/WEEK (AT LEAST 1 MILE) NUTRITION EAT 80% CLEAN EVERY DAY (5 OUT OF 6 MEALS/SNACKS) STICK TO SERVING SIZES REGARDLESS OF "CLEAN" OR "NOT-SO-CLEAN" LEVEL UP! PAY OFF FRESH START LOAN TWO MONTHS EARLY (ON 05/10/17 INSTEAD OF 07/10/17) I look forward to successfully completing these quests. Baby steps, right?

I'm on my first year of college, and really struggling with eating healthy (and properly portioned!) food. No kitchen, a dining hall that's only open at certain times, and a menu that I can't control is leaving me floundering. Anyone have tips from their college days?

A few days ago, I had a major fitness breakthrough. I cranked through more pull ups than I’ve ever done in my life. 8 + 6 + 6. I have never been able to do 8 pull ups in a row, let alone two follow up sets of 6 each. And I’m pushing 40. I was elated! Pull ups are an exercise I have long struggled with. And I’m turning 40 this year. I’m sharing because I think my breakthrough has largely been due to nutrition. First, about a year ago, I started trying various different diets, Paleo, Whole 30, low-carb, low-glycemic index, etc. I did not really lose any weight on any of these diets (nor was I trying to), but I found I do better on lower carb diets of pretty much any kind: more energy, more muscle, lower body fat, better performance, near elimination of hangry moments. Throughout this endeavor, I repeatedly came across the notion that I probably should be eating more protein for my body size. Two weeks ago, after a convincing conversation with a good friend who was also making a more concerted effort to increase protein intake, I gave a higher protein diet (my target is 150 – 160 grams per day) a try. Ten days later, I’m busting out more pull ups that ever before. I suppose I’m sharing this because it has taken me so damn long to figure out that nutrition is so much more important to health than I ever gave it credit for. And now I want to help others to learn what I’ve discovered. For me, proper nutrition is turning out to be the foundation component for my day-to-day well-being. Sure, exercise, sleep, and time with friends and family are all important, too, but nutrition has the most noticeable effect and figuring this out has been like finding a skeleton key to health. Good luck and good eating

OH HI. Some of you (probably not a lot) already know me but I'll introduce myself anyway: I'm Virago! I've been a Nerd Fitness reader for a loooong time, I went to CNF 2015, and I even used to post here sometimes - but I'm horrible at forums Anyway, since I'm also the Rebel Support Leader at Nerd Fitness, and since I'm going to be helping Spezzy out with the forums now that she's COACHING FULL TIME FOR NF (AAAAAAHHHH HOW COOL IS THAT!!!!?!), I'm going to take another crack at a battle log. I've always wanted one here, and just been too scared/overwhelmed to do it. Well guess what: it's respawn time!!! More introductions (and, you know, battle-logging) to come, but for now I'm going to hit publish before I chicken out. LET'S DO THIS, NERDS!