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Now that my health seems to have stabilised and I've been back on the forum a reasonable length of time, I want to start a log of sorts to track my (any?) progress and hopefully my recovery. Of course what I really want to do is turn back the clock. I want to get back to where I was in 2014 before things all started going pear shaped. I saw some pictures of myself last night on Colin's (my bf) phone from 2014 and it was a bit of a shock to the system. I saw a young woman, full of life, smiling, and dare I say it - pretty. Now - I feel like an old woman, I look haggard, unkempt. I don't stride around with confidence and purpose, I shuffle around in pain and discomfort. I spend a good portion of my day asleep and I rely on Colin to an huge degree. When I look in the mirror I feel old and ugly. I want to be the other Guzzi again so that's what I'm setting out to do. My goal for 2017 is to try and get back to being the woman I was in these pictures. My plan to accomplish this involves: No. 1 - Post monthly progress pics I'm going to use this as a kind of doodle pad for my thoughts. There obviously won't be any workout logs but I plan to post my monthly weigh-in and progress pictures. I gained around 10kg whilst I was ill so although I'm definitely not "dieting" I am trying to get back to eating better and cutting out the boredom eating, which should have an impact on my figure. I will track these using the pictures rather than the scale number. I'm deliberately weighing myself in kilos so that I can't get hung up on the number. Kilos mean nothing to me. No. 2 - Post my food accomplishments The last 2 years have been pretty poor in terms of diet and nutrition. I couldn't cook because I was ill and Colin really couldn't cook because.... Well just because, apparently, so there has been a big reliance on food that goes from the freezer straight to the oven. I plan to slowly work on getting back to eating better. Of course this is totally dependant on my mobility and stamina so it's outwith my control to a certain extent but I'm hoping to see improvements in my health and mobility over the course of the year. I plan to posting my food related accomplishments, whether that's sharing a recipe that I've managed to cook or just doing the usual "food porn" photos. It's all about celebrating my successes in the kitchen and hopefully giving me the the confidence and incentive to cook again, when the mobility issues allow it. No. 3 - Be active on the forum I also want to feel young and carefree again. Now there's not much I can do about this one other than hope things improve and try to shift my focus away from the pain and mobility issues. Anything that helps me to do that is invaluable. One of the things I think was fundamental to my state of mind back in 2014 was the community here on NF. The members friends I made and the support I received had such an important role in shaping my mindset but more than that, their encouragement gave me real self confidence for the first time in my life. I was able to be myself, something I don't think I'd ever really been able to do before. That's the real reason I felt so carefree, because I was actually happy in myself for the first time. The last two years have kinda sucked the life outta me so I plan to find my confidence again. I can't really engage with people in the Real WorldTM because I'm fairly house bound and all my friends and family are hundreds of mile away, but I can be an active member of the forum again and help other people to improve their lives too. No. 4 - Search out opportunities for fun There's not a lot that I can take part in, I don't know from one day to the next what my mobility or ability is going to be so I need to try and make opportunities for fun as and when I can. I will write about anything fun in here because I want to focus on the fun stuff and not the times when I can't do stuff. "With out thoughts we make the world" is one of my favourite quotes and I truly believe it. If I can keep my attention focused on the things that make me laugh or smile then my perception of myself will follow suit and I will start to feel like a happy, fun person again. I already feel more optimistic just by writing this post. Win! I might also go waaaaaaay off topic and post some utter shite because, y'know, shits and giggles.

In 2017, I saw my country implode and someone close to me unexpectedly die. The stench of this year may never come out of my hair. 2018, however, is going to be a Year Without Steaming Garbage. I declare it so. The obvious opposite of trash? Recycling! Let's follow this metaphor into concrete plans! Reduce - bad dietary choices! - hide junk food & rum in cupboards so they're annoying to access; do not buy any replacements for these items - drink 1-2 days week/max - keep the house full of fruits & yogurt instead Re-use - items I already have! - no online shopping unless something is genuinely needed! (think carefully: do I actually require this thing, or will a similar thing suffice?) - if I feel like getting something new to me, hit up a library, thrift store or independently-owned business! - whittle down 4 books from my in-person TBR pile; then give to charity/sell to used bookstore (see below) Recycle - "let it go" - literally: go through clothes & other items I own, donate/trash what I don't use - figuratively: meditation. Download a meditation app & really give it a go. I've always failed catastrophically at meditation. This will be my final attempt before abandoning it for life. I will be sure to mark each failing with an Oscar the Grouch GIF so you can clearly, easily locate them. Though I imagine you'll be able to smell them from a mile away. JOIN ME!

Hey everybody, I only have a vague idea about what my goals will be and I'm too exhausted to write them down now.

Yeah, I said it. Years of half-hearted stretching hasn't entirely changed my life, shockingly, so it's time for a small change. Which means accepting that it's a long journey and starting it right. Concentrating on soft tissue is my way forward for now. I've been reading and listening to Coach Sommer at Gymnastic Bodies, and noting that most of my aches and pains are down to soft tissue issues (oh yes), and that they take longer than muscles to sort out. I'm in it for the long haul, and I'm going to do the Gymnastic Bodies Daily Limber every day to slowly loosen up and rehabilitate my body. Slowly. Also taking it slowly will be... my head. I've been banging on about mindfulness, with fitful practice for ages. When I meditate regularly, it helps, so I'm going to meditate, even for a short amount of time, every day. What else have I been talking the talk but not walking the run/walk with? Oh yeah, Couch to 5K. Taking it slowly at first, of course. Started it with my partner this weekend. Hooray! And I'd like to do more productive sitting down, so I'm going to see at least one play during this challenge. That'll probably do for now, though I'll keep working on my debt, and we've also started the guitar. A fullish New Year plate, hopefully not too full. 1)_Do GB Daily Limber every morning_____________ (28) 2) _Meditate for five minutes every day____________ (28) 3) _See at least one play_______________________ (1) 4) _Do couch to 5k with Ali three times per week_____ (12)

Welcome welcome welcome! Jaz Xiao Long here, joining the Crystal Gem squad for this challenge (Steven Universe is currently taking over my life) and the Assassins. I've been here once before, though due to life, I dropped out of it - that was two challenges ago. Now I'm back, and ready to give this challenge the business! Main Quest: Be as awesome as the Crystal Gems. All of them. Together. Like when they make Alexandrite. No one told me space rocks would be such nice role models. Side Quest 1: Start training to be as strong as Garnet one day. Going to be making use of the NerdFitness Bodyweight Circuit this time around, at least 3x a week. A: 18 workouts +2 STR, +1 STA. B: 15 workouts +1 STR, +1 STA. C: 12 workouts +1 STR Side Quest 2: Upgrade my flexibility. Try to get on Pearl's level. Look at that level of flexibility Pearl shows. This is everyday. I need this. Backflips would be so easy. I want to achieve this, and that includes some serious stretching, possibly yoga. A: Stretched everyday, +3 DEX. B: Stretched every other day, +2 DEX. C: Stretched every other other day, +1 DEX. Side Quest 3: Make room to eat right. Like Amethyst did for her omelette. At first, I was thinking about going Paleo again hence the beauty of Amethyst throwing milk and a bag of bagels on the floor to make room for an egg. However I'm going to focus on more just cleaning up my eating all together. A: 80/20 +2 CON. B: 70/30 +1 CON. C: 60/40 +0.5 CON. Life Quest: Enjoy the little things. Like Steven! He's so excited about the rock, I want to be that excited about a rock. I want to be that excited about a lot of things, so time to get my optimism on! So I plan on writing things I was excited about on a slip of paper, then dropping it into a mason jar. A: 42 notes, +2 CHA. B: 35 notes, +1 CHA. C: 28 notes, +0.5 CHA. Motivation: I've been really attached to the Crystal Gems as of late, particularly Garnet, and I want to be as powerful as these gorgeous space rocks. (I also want to do a Garnet cosplay later this year.) To me, these ladies are all about maximizing their powers and using their bodies and gem powers with a great functionality. Soooo time to level up! In summary: 3x a week bodyweight circuits, daily stretching to improve flexibility, 80/20 rule when it comes to clean eating, and enjoy the little things.

Battle Log. Here it is! I started this in 2012, inspired by Nerd Fitness. This is what I do instead of challenges now, as it's more long-term. i was doing both, but it was too much paperwork. I'll explain as I earn points in each of the nine areas.