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When I was a kid, I took a personality test (this was in the days before social media...it was printed on a sheet of paper, and you had to write your answers with a pencil). It was one of those tests that asked you to imagine a journey, and to describe the things you saw on it. At one point, the adventurer came to a fork in the road before an impenetrable wood - one path was broad and smooth, and followed a gently flowing river; the other narrow and ascending to trace the edge of a rocky cliff. Which path would you choose? I said, "I go straight ahead, cutting my way into the woods." On the "other side" of the wall of vines and brush, I imagined a thick overhead canopy, but a cool and leaf-strewn floor with puddles of water from recently fallen rain. I bent and took a drink, then plunged ahead. In this phase of life I continue to emerge from years of contemplation in which I tried to move away from a more aggressive nature and make peace with the world as it is. To a certain extent, that has been helpful. But there is a part of me that has been neglected, and the long road to integration requires that I plunge into some difficult terrain from time to time. In this challenge I will continue to reintegrate martial arts practice, further re-wild my diet, and press onward in the way of the peaceful warrior. Body: Fuel - 6 cups of colorful fruits and veggies daily minimum (target 9), plus clean protein and healthy fat for balanced macros and calories. Hydrate - 4 liters of water per day (green tea counts) Strengthen - minimum 2x aerobic run & 2x taekwon-yo (taekwondo with yoga and pilates conditioning) weekly (Target 3 each) Mind: Sleep - to bed by 11, up by 5:30 on weekdays -- we're trying a shorter sleep window as a minimum and counting the fifth cycle as a plus. Happiness Project - prune dead end "wants" (projects I'll never actually do), practice mindful enjoyment when negative self-talk starts Read - non-fiction audiobooks on commute, fiction at night Soul: Home - do something daily to improve the family home, beyond chores (actual do it this time) Meditate - daily in morning or bedtime or both, micro-meditations throughout the day Friendship - stop to listen, ground anxiety, seek connection. No points, just doing my best. Happy hunting!

I started the previous challenge weighing more than I have ever weighed in my life. After a regimen of strict paleo, I ended the previous challenge down 10 pounds. Let's see if I can keep the downward trend going while introducing some new rules to improve sustainability... The Meal Plan should following pretty strict full paleo rules, except: Social: Don't let The Meal Plan interfere with choices about where to eat in social situations. It should never come up in conversation unless someone else initiates it. As a corollary, don't let The Meal Plan interfere with choices about what to eat in social situations. I should be able to find something to eat that perfectly or nearly perfectly conforms to The Meal Plan without making a big deal about it. 80/20ish: Cheat meal or cheat item(s) in a meal is okay once or twice a week in non-consecutive meals. (Should this be non-consecutive days?) With more of a macro lens I could consider just the aspects of the cheat meal that actually cheat. (ie: if you consider a fajita then really only the tortilla is against the rules, but the tortilla accounts for nearly half of the calories!) The occasional dessert should fall in this category. It seems like I have no real problem with ice cream, whereas I probably should avoid glutenous desserts During this past challenge I was only tempted to cheat when I was hungry, so it's likely that by eating the paleo parts of the meal first I will curb most of this desire I was ready to allow up to 1 cup of rice with any meal and not consider it a cheat, but 1 cup is ~200 calories(!), and I don't trust myself yet to know how to limit the rest of the meal around it. Please weigh in on how realistic you think the rules are. I think I will do better with some strict limits, so I will probably have to add corollaries to the 80/20 as I go. Let me know if you have any good ones. Thanks in advance for supporting me this challenge! I've stocked up my Bat Cave with fruits, vegetables, and proteins. Let's do this!

The Time Management beast can't be a dragon. It just can't. So it's a gnome. It looks innocent and harmless, and you don't even think you need to wage battle, let alone that it would be a tough one if you do. But gnomeses are sneaky and little and their teeth are sharp. And they are worthy if diminutive foe. And boy oh boy to I have a swarm of gnomes coming down on me! I am just straight up short on time this challenge. I have a LOT of things that need to get done. I have a lot of prior commitments. And I am trying to get a job in a new city, so depending on how that goes, I may have a whole 'nother set of things to take care of! Naturally, what bugs me the most about this is is not KNOWING which immediate future I am planning for... So yes. This challenge is about getting stuff done, but it's also largely about staying sane while I do it. So here are the various gnomic categories that will be occupying my efforts: 1. American Sign Language Class: Every Tuesday and Thursday, except April 27th. I have barely enough time to eat supper after work, and I don't get home until after 9pm, so Tues/Thurs cannot accommodate any further scheduling, unless it's before work. (Blergk!) 2. Workouts: twice a week 3. Disc Golf: I have been bitten by the competitive disc golf bug, and I am determined to get better and do well in tournaments this year! There's a tournament this weekend, and one May 6-7 that will fall under this challenge. Obviously I also need to get lots of practice in - this doesn't have a specific schedule, but will be taking up a great deal of what little spare time I have. This also has a secondary aspect, which is that the hubs and I are 4. Purge the house. If we ARE moving, we need to seriously downsize the absurd amount of possessions we have. If not, this is still a good thing to get done. We have more space that we need in our current abode, and it has just collected clutter, and I'm done with it. So some of these things will be part of my goals, and others are just challenges that I will need to work around to get my other goals done. Without further ado, here are my goals! Eat: But not gluten. Less than 120g of carbs each day. At least 80g of protein. Simple, yes? 1 pt per item per day. Bonus point for carbs below 80g. Bonus point for dairy-free days. A - 84pts B - 74 pts C - 63pts D - 53pts +3CHA Bike: 130 kms. Ease into it for week one, then bike commute daily for weeks 2-4. My bus pass runs out at the end of April, at which point I will switch to bike commuting. It's not far at all (4.2km one way) and takes me about 20 minutes (closer to 15 once I'm in shape!). I need to rent a locker, since I'll be showering at work, and I need to get my stamina back up! The biggest obstacle with this is that I am usually completely wiped out for the first week or so until I get used it again. If I miss a day, I can make up the kms with other biking, that's fine. Weather and sleeping in happen sometimes... I also have a physio appt sometime during this challenge I think, so I'll have to drive that day. A - 130kms B - 115kms C - 100kms D - 85kms +3END Workout: Twice a week. Gym sessions. One on Sundays, one weekday morning. Yes, I'mma have to get up damn early for this. Sigh. A - 8pts B - 6pts C - 4pts D - 2pts +2STR, +2DEX Steps: Take at least 308,000 of them during the course of the challenge. That's 11,000 per day. I have a goal of averaging 10,000 steps per day over the entirety of 2017. I'm a little behind on this right now, so I'm aiming to gain some ground. A - 308,000 B - 299,000 C - 290,000 D - 280,000 +2END PURGE: Get rid of excess possessions. Donate and sell if possible. Throw away if not. Clean as we go. There are a couple rooms that are especially daunting, and so they will be the primary focus of this challenge. 1. Basement Storage Room #1 - this mostly contains camping gear, old shoes, winter gear, supplies for our business and a giant wooden thingy that was rescued from a job site for absolutely no purpose other than to take up room in our house. 2. Basement Storage Room #2 - this is full of recycling, cardboard boxes, tools and assorted building supplies. 3. Craft Room - this one is all on me. I have a LOT of crafting supplies. Like... a lot. The only other thing this room contains is the cat litter and one bookshelf.. and it is full. That being said, every other room in the house needs this treatment, except the upstairs bathroom, which is the only one I've completed so far. So I can still get points for other rooms, but no bonus prize unless I get the 3 big ones done. 10 pts awarded for each primary room complete. 2 pts each for any other room. A - 30pts B - 20pts C - 10pts BONUS PRIZE for 40 pts achieved. TBD. +3INT

Guys! I've lost my wind, and I need to get it back! I was totally trampled by some kind of respiratory virus during the last two weeks of the previous challenge. I'm only just getting over it, and my lung health and overall endurance is pretty not great right now. This challenge is about recovery and getting myself back up to my previous workout levels. Incidentally, my DH bought me the WiiU remastered Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker game to help keep me from losing my mind during my convalescence. So I'm currently playing that (for the first time!) and conveniently it's an appropriate theme! Goal One: "Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food." I am going to get better a lot faster if I eat properly. What does this mean? 1. Cut out the gluten. It for sure does not help my breathing. The best way to make me want this SO badly is to tell myself I can't have any though. I am going to accomplish this by not being crazy restrictive with carbs. Lesser evils. I will still aim for under 150 gram of carbs per day - this is higher than my usual 100g goal, but it means that I can have rice/potatoes if I need to to avoid the much greater issue of wheat. (1 pt per gluten-free day. Bonus point for carbs below 100g. -1pt for carbs above 150g) 2. Restrict the dairy. While I can handle dairy okay, it's not the healthiest thing ever, and is probably my biggest indulgence. Aiming for 3 dairy-free days per week. (1 pt per day). 3. Eat enough protein. Not only will this support my recovery, but it will crowd out less healthy food choices. 80g per day ( 1 pt per day) A : 68 pts B : 60 pts C : 54 pts D : 48 pts Goal Two: "Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time." I am wildly behind my yearlong walking goal (10,000 step average for 2017), because i was averaging between 2000-5000 steps while I was ill. Not only is walking a good way to build my endurance back up, but I will make up some ground on this goal at the same time. Aiming for 11,000 steps per day. A : 308,000 pts B : 294,000 pts C : 280,000 pts D : 266,000 Goal Three: "Tough times never last, but tough people do" My intent for this challenge is build back up to the level of workout I was at before I got sick. This will be accomplished by 3x workouts per week, of increasing intensity. Likely 2 of these will be gym workouts, and a supplemental yoga/kettlebell/bodyweight whatever, but as long as I hit 3 sweaty sessions per week, I'm okay with whatever it is. A : 12 B : 10 C : 8 D : 6 Goal Four: "I don't mean to be a diva, but some days you wake up and you're Barbara Streisand." I've decided to add a sleep/wake up goal. I feel better when I have more time in the morning, and I've been staying up too late to get that lately. The goal, on weekdays, is to be in bed by 10pm, lights out by 10:30. On the other hand, I want to be up by 6:30 at the latest. I'd like to get this to 6am, but baby steps. 2 pts per day. A : 40 pts B : 30 pts C : 20 pts D : 10pts

Alrighty, so I am back once again, trying to get any kind of momemtum going. #1 Food: Paleo, no added sugar #2 Lifting: 2x Week, Continue NRoLfW plan #3 Walking/Hiking: 2x Week minimum Starting Stats Weight: 163.3 lbs Body Fat % (per scale): 42% Waist: 35/40 Hips 42 Thighs 37 Neck 13 Calf 14 Bicep 10 Bust 40/36

December, I've got your number this year! I am taking a full on running head start on New Years awesomeness, and this challenge is where you're going to witness it all go down! Okay, so the specifics are a little vague right now - I need to sit down and plan a little more closely, but I wanted to get started anyhow. Update: Real Goals! 1. Eat so good. Calories: 1300-1800 per day. Carbs: <100g per day Protein: >80g per day 3 possible points per day - target is 18 points per week. A : 72+ B : 63 C 54 D : 43 F : 42 or less 2.Workout so bad. 2x per week gym workouts A : 8+ B : 6+ C : 4+ D : 2+ F : 1 or less 1x per week play with kettlebell. I'm not even putting any guidelines on this, except that I pick it up and do SOMETHING for a least 10 minutes, just so I don't get out of the habit altogether. A : 4 B : 3 C : 2 D : 1 F : 0 3. Crochet ALL THE CHRISTMAS PRESENTS! My goal is super minimal Christmas spending. (Actually, not all the gifts are crochet. I'm including all homemade gifts under this category.) We're not doing gifts for my side of the family until Jan 7th (Ukrainian Christmas!), so I have some extra time for a couple items. 1. Girl's Hooded Cowl #1 2. Girl's Hooded Cowl #2 3t. Girl's Hooded Cowl #3 (J7) 4. Girl's Toque #2 (J7) 5. Boy's Hooded Cowl 6. Men's Slippers (J7) 7. Ladies Scarf #1 (started) 8. Ladies Scarf #2 (J7) 9. Men's workout shirt 10. Boys poster #1 11. Boys poster #2 12. T-shirts that are getting mailed. (x3) 13 T-shirts for everyone else. (x9) 14. Women's workout shirt 4. STEPS! Yeah yeah, I'm bringing it back. Weekend step challenges with @Hiroro should help with this Gotta get going with that fresh air! Aiming for 70,000 per week. Go big or go home. A : 280,000+ B : 250,000+ C: 220,000+ D : 190,000+ F : 189,999 or less.

Like the title says. I'm doing this 40 day "bootcamp" thing, that consists of 2x per week bootcamp classes, unlimited access to other fitness classes (zumba, bikram yoga, kettlebells) and a meal plan. Unfortunately having seen the meal plan, I'm pretty disappointed. Not that the meals themselves are bad, but it's so poorly put together that it would be a total pain in the butt to follow (no batch cooking, lacking portion sizes on many meals, no indication of how many servings a recipe makes, no guide for substitutions or explanations of overall philosophy or targets on anything.) I'm going to follow the basic nutritional schema for it - Paleo + non-gluten grains and legumes + minimal dairy (basically just a little cheese here and there), but use my own recipes and planning. I'm playing with using 21 day fix portions, so we'll see how that part goes. As for the workouts, I am aiming to hit a minimum of 4 classes per week. My sister is gunning for 5-6/week although I'm not sure if that's sustainable. We can dream though. So I'm going to do this as a 5-week challenge starting on Oct 24th, since the bootcamp will then run for the whole length of the challenge. The food part: I'm going to track macros, and report meals and data here. Since I'm playing around with things right now, I'm not going to make a really specific food goal, but I will lose a point for each variance to the above plan (Gluten, alcohol, sweets, junk food, excessive dairy, carbs over 120g) 1 pt/day for reporting here. Aiming for 6 points per week after subtractions. A : 30 B : 25 C : 20 D : 15 F : <15 The workout part: This is easy. Go to at least 4 classes per week. Bonus points if I do any of the at-home body weight workouts they've given us. If I do 10 at home workouts, as well as meet my overall class goal, I get to buy some new workout clothes! I pt per class workout: A : 20 B : 16 C : 12 D : 8 F : <8 The drinking part: I really cut back on alcohol consumption last challenge, which was good. I am aiming to completely cut it out for this challenge though! Exciting. It's unnecessary, expensive and totally contrary to my goals. A : 0 alcoholic beverages B : 2 C: 4 D : 6 F : >6 And I'm leaving it at that. I'm not adding a life goal, because I really want to put my full effort into nailing this, and I don't want another goal distracting me, or giving me a false sense of success.

"They're everywhere! The walkers are everywhere!" The shout reaches me from across the field where I see Russ sprinting over the horizon with terror on his face. Looks like we'll be moving on, and quick! Our little group has survived so far, some a bit worse for wear, but who knows how long that'll last. We even have a pregnant woman. I run into the farmhouse where we've been staying and alert the others. Our vehicles are always packed - we've learned that much over the last few months - so it's just a matter of getting everyone in as quickly as possible. We've loaded up just as Russ reaches us. I can see the walkers coming over the hill. A huge herd, bigger than any we've yet seen. I do a quick headcount as Russ catches his breath: He and I, Kathy, Nancy, Leigh, Brennan, and the Jean sisters. The older of the Jeans is pregnant. She lost her husband before we met. We drive as quickly as we can. I'll miss that farmhouse, but we never end up staying anywhere for long. We plan to drive away from the herd, then circle around and hopefully get out of their path. Just as we make the turn I hear a honk from the car behind us. What do they think they're doing! Don't they know the walkers are attracted to noise!? We stop the car, and as I get out I hear their's sputtering to a halt. Out of gas. There are no other cars on the road to siphon from. Looks like we're on foot from here on out. There's no hope of trying to circle around the herd now. We'll just have to hope that we got enough of a head start to out-walk them until we can find a safe place to hunker down and let them pass. We've done this before. We'll hunt for food, take care of any stray walkers we see along the way. Survive... *** Quests: Out-walk the Walkers - Walk 10,000 steps each day Smash Some Zombie Brain- Do the NFA level 3 body weight workout 3x/week Hunt for Food- Eat paleoish with 4 or less variances/week So I've been watching the walking dead recently, and got some inspiration for a quest! It's time for me to go back to basics a bit, as I've been having a hard time keeping up my challenge goals through the whole 4 weeks. I really want to change that this time. Otherwise I'll be eaten by zombies!!! I've been all over the place the past few months, but this next month is slightly more stable, so I'm hoping I can get back in the swing of body weight workouts, and remember why I'm eating healthy to overcome the sugar cravings. Here's to a great challenge, and surviving!!

This challenge I am all over the map, so I am going to format it as 5 separate, but related, weekly challenges to accommodate the change in circumstances: Zero Week (Edmonton): The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy Eat less than Zaphod Beeblebrox: For those who don't know, Zaphod Beeblebrox has two heads. And for the past couple weeks I've been eating like I have two heads (and two stomachs), but no more! This week I will eat strictly paleoish, with no variances. Just to prove to myself that I can. Find Ford Prefect: Ford Prefect is a wonderful travelling companion that can get you just about anywhere. I am on the search for a new bicycle that can help me exercise and commute while I'm in Hinton (See week 4) - I want to find one by the end of the week if possible, and ride it once I get it. Until then I will walk/run at least 3 times. Escape the Vogons: Vogons are big ugly aliens that will recite you terrible poetry until your brain explodes. In order to escape them I will need to build my strength. To do this I will do a body weight workout 3x this week. Don't forget your towel: We're going to Hawaii next week! Which is exciting, but is also a lot to get ready. I will complete one thing on my pre-Hawaii list each day this week Week 1 (Hawaii): The Restaurant at the End of the Universe I'm not bringing my computer, so I'll be MIA this week. I'm being a little more lax on my goals, but don't want to let too loose... Eat as healthy as possible at Milliways Milliways is the restaurant at the end of the universe, where you can eat while watching the universe explode around you. I'll be eating out a lot in Hawaii, but while enjoying the delicious food, I'll try to pick healthier options when possible Search for the ruler of the universe with Zarniwoop: In order to find the ruler of the universe, I will roam the beaches and swim the oceans of Hawaii by getting at least a half hour of dedicated exercise each day Week 2 (Hawaii/Edmonton): Life, the Universe and Everything Discover the answer to the ultimate question of Life, the Universe and Everything: Get at least 42 minutes of exercise each day in a combination of walking, biking, and body weight workouts Help Slartibartfast prevent the robots from assembling the Wikkit Gate: Prevent the robots from getting the necessary parts by eating full paleoish with no variances while in Edmonton Week 3: So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish Learn to fly with Fenchurch: To learn to fly I will ride my bicycle each day to prepare for using it to commute in Week 4 Join the "Save the Humans Campaign" I will save THIS human by eating paleoish with 4 or less variances. Take Marvin to the mountains to see God's final message to His creation: We'll be living in Hinton Alberta (yay back to the mountains!) for the next four weeks while I'm doing a clinical elective for school. As such I'll have a few things to prepare. So I will do one thing each day to prepare for Hinton Week 4 (Hinton): Mostly Harmless Steal The Guide Mark II In order to steal The Guide I will bike to and from work each weekday Kill Agrajag (again) Agrajag will take the form of my food cravings and I will kill him by eating paleoish with 4 or less variances. I realize that this seems complicated and ridiculous, but I think it's the only way I'll stick to my goals over the next month - by taking it one week at a time. Wish me luck! I should do alright if I do as the guide says and DON'T PANIC!!

Guys, I'm actually really excited about this challenge! I feel like I mostly start challenges feeling like I need to reset; respawn. But I was just picking up steam as the last one ended, and I gotta tell you, it feels really good to start with some momentum! I just started bike commuting again this week - it's going WONDERFULLY well! I have honestly barely been on my bike since I stopped biking to work last fall, and I thought it was going to kill me. But, it turns out that I'm actually in much better shape than I was at this time last year. Whaddaya know?! 8 months of kettlebell classes might just be paying off. Which isn't to say it's not getting my heart rate up, or anything, but I actually still have energy to do stuff after I get home. Major win there. And it took very little time for me to get back into the routine, and I really enjoy it. It's a great way to get the blood moving before my desk job takes over (although I did get one of those fancy sit-stand desks, so that mitigates it a little.) I promised (someone? Who was that... ) a while ago that I would do a Hot Rod themed challenge... but I think I'm just going to make it a Andy Samberg theme, since that'll give me a little more material. Thus, without further ado: Goal the First: The part with the biking and the butts Actually, I don't want my butt to go anywhere. I like my squat butt. But I could really stand to lose the spare tire. I digress. The goal is to bike to work. On all the days I work. For the length of this challenge, that ought to be 18 days (I've got a 4 day weekend in the middle). I'm going to allow myself to make up for any missed days with cycling outings of greater or equal length of the round trip commute, however. A = 18 B = 15 C = 12 D = 9 F = <9 +3 END +1CHA Goal the Second: The part with the balls of iron and the sweat So the other day, as I was leaving class, one of the guys stepped out of my way, and was like "After you". So like the lady I am, I said "Thank you." And he said, "No sweat." And I was like "Hahaha but actually - a lot of sweat." Because that room is stuffy AF. Even when we open the door. So, as readers of my last challenge may recall, the place I do kettlebells at is having a promotion right now that involved unlimited classes. Now, there are really only a couple other classes that I can make it to, beyond the ones I already do, but it's feasible to do at least three classes a week at the moment. I'm not really wanting to commit to going 3 times a week though. But I'm going to aim to do so at least twice this month. A = 10 B = 8 C = 6 D = 4 F = <4 +2STR+2END Goal the Third: The part where we eat more better and less worse Maybe one day I will formulate this goal in the perfect way that will lead to unprecedented success. In the meantime: Carbs >100g Protein >80g Calories >1800Kcal 3pts per item per day. Aiming for 16 points per week. Obviously (you would think) I need to be tracking properly for this to work. A = 64 B = 56 C = 48 D = 40 F = <36 +2CON +2CHA Goal the Fourth: The part where I get my sh%t together, or whatever In the interests of accountability, I'm porting over the items that didn't get done from my last list, and adding a few to replace the ones I did do. -Prep garden beds for planting. -Build raised bed in back. -Take donations in. -Organize entry way and front closet. -Take in cardboard recycling. -Clean out broom closet. -Organize hall closet. -Plant the front bed -Plant the new raised bed (see item 2) -Remulch apple tree A : 8+ B : 6+ C : 4+ D : 2+ F: 1 or less +3INT Because I'm too legit. Too legit to quit.

It's both wonderful and also rather annoying how much my mood improves once I start getting regular doses of sunshine. This beautiful weather has me playing outside, getting the yard/garden in order, and generally energetic and optimistic about life. I think you'll find that reflected in this challenge! Goal One: Move it! Part A: Kettlebells 2x per week Same old, same old here. Tuesdays and Thursdays, we kettlebell. Go muscles! Part B: Go for a bike ride 2x per week My bicycle situation has been resolved! (Bike was stolen in the fall. I am taking over hubby's bike - which was actually too small for him, and fits me just fine - as we have found a new-to-him bike.) I'm planning to start bike commuting full time in May - my bus pass runs out at the end of April, and I don't want to buy a new one until September at the earliest. I need to get my cycling muscles back! The 2x per week thing is a bare minimum, and ideally should include one longer ride (10km+) per week. My commute is just over 4k each way, so that should be good. I also plan to bike in to work a few times before the month is over, but that will be in addition to these rides. A : 16+ B : 14+ C : 12+ D : 10+ F:<10 Goal Two: Eat it! Good food, that is. Hiroro reminded me of something I said a long time ago about fighting cravings with deliciousness, and it made me realize I was missing an opportunity there. I kept making these healthy, but uninspired meals, and then not feeling satisfied and either eating something else entirely or in addition. So I am going to combine more interesting, healthy meals with some good old fashioned food prep to minimize room for error. That's the strategy in order to get to the following goal: Metrics: 3 points per day, 6 days per week Carbs: <100g Protein: >80g Calories: <1800 A : 70+ B : 64+ C : 58+ D : 52+ F: <50 Goal Three: Step it! Get over 222,222 steps in the next four weeks. Just for fun. A : 222,222+ B : 202,202+ C : 180,180+ D : 167,167+ F: <159,159 Goal Four: Live it! This is a laundry list of things I'd like to accomplish in the next month. -Remove all leaves and other dead vegetation from the yard, front and back. -Prep garden beds for planting. -Prune trees. -Build raised bed in back. -Organize spare room closet. -Take donations in. -Organize entry way and front closet. -Take in cardboard recycling. -Clean out broom closet. -Organize hall closet. (Can you tell I have a closet problem?) A : 8+ B : 6+ C : 4+ D : 2+ F: 1 or less

Shorter version of my big long preface on January's goals: I disappeared last March but now I'm back. I didn't go completely off the rails with fitness, just updating. I changed jobs and that took a lot of my time and it felt too overwhelming to try to update things with everything else going on, especially when my updates are all "I'm surviving, not thriving, and have no time for anything besides the basics of not gaining weight etc." And actually I just got a pretty nice promotion in December and I know it'll be months before I'm comfortable in my new role, so the potential for disappearing is still there, but I feel a lot more comfortable in what I can manage now than I did when leaving a ridiculously shitty job last Spring. I'm much healthier and happier than I was, so I think I can take on more than just focusing on work again. My 2016 theme is "Opportunity favors the prepared." I'm in a better position to pursue a career opportunity when I maintain my network and resume and take time to build my skills. I'm in a better position to go on an amazing last-minute hiking trip if I'm already active and working on being fit. Sure, it's nice to dream about moving to Germany, but it's a lot more likely if I speak the language (classes started in January). And in general, luck seems more likely to come my way when I'm keeping myself happy, healthy, and fulfilled via self care and pursuing my interests. I want the abilities behind me to say yes when I want. And if the last few years are anything to go on, fortune does not seem to favor the person that spends hours everyday staring at her phone or the TV. I am planning on short monthly goals with overarching fitness/career/self-improvement and care themes throughout the year. January was used to re-establish and ingrain foundation habits, including eating well, exercising, and trying to be mindful of how best to keep the habits going forward. February I'm going to try to keep up with what stuck, try new strategies for what didn't, and build on last month's momentum. Eins! Continue with last month's successes. Be mindful of my eating patterns by sticking with Paleo and/or tracking on My Fitness Pal. Keep going to the gym 3-4x/week. Write a new letter to my month-from-now-future-self reminding myself why I'm doing this and read it everyday. Zwei! Incorporate activity into my daily life. This was a goal last month and outside of going to the gym more often and more consistently, I really didn't do a great job with this. I especially didn't manage the spirit of the goal- I want general activity to be second nature. I don't want to think twice about a daily evening jog or a fifteen minute yoga routine when I wake up. I don't really have a strategy to accomplish this yet and I'm taking suggestions. Drei! Find and curate happiness. Last month I was very apprehensive about having so much on my plate- very involved new job, German classes, sewing classes, all these goals, vacation- I don't have a great track record of maintaining parts of my life without letting other parts of it go to hell. But I planned and I had backup plans at the ready for when I failed to plan and I tried to stay focused on just what I need to do each day without losing sight of the bigger picture and ultimately I found that a lot of joy in the things I was doing. Though it took energy, I felt energized by the satisfaction of learning something new/ being social/ whatever. But to continue this I need to put in more energy than just showing up. So I'd like to complete at least one sewing project outside of class this month, read the book for book club *ready Player One by Ernest Cline), and devote an extra hour of German study each week. Nebenprojekt! Sleep. A late add to last month's goals that still needs work. But ironically it's getting late so I'll have to elaborate later. I kind of tie this in with the fitness goal, though. I think that will be all. I easily get excited and want to do all the things, but it doesn't work out well so they will have to wait for future months.

While I know New Years Resolutions are, at best, poor goal setting form, and at worst, a self-defeating waste of time, boy I am I ever a sucker for a fresh start. It's totally arbitrary and illogical, but I figure that I might as well harness the excitement, eh? I decided to look back on the last few New Years. Back in 2013, I started the year at 169 lbs. Right before my first NF challenge. Whoa. I've been doing this for 3 years. And while in those three years I have not quite had the revolutionary success that I dreamed of... well, I've started each New Year a little lighter than the previous one. 2014 was 158lbs. 2015 was 156. And I rang this year in at 153. It's not much, but it's in the right direction, at least! And I'd rather be flirting with the 140s than the 170s. Of course, it's not all about the weight, now is it? I've made some incredible friends on these boards. I've fallen in love with Kettlebells, and my overall fitness level is so much improved. I can definitely still do a chin up, and almost do a pull-up. I freaking biked to work more days than I didn't last summer (after basically not using a bicycle since I was a child), and plan to beat that this year. 2015 wasn't the best year of my life. I lost my brother-in-law, and my Grandad. December ended on a particularly bad run, and depression and anxiety were edging in on me. But I am turning this new leaf with a vengeance. I want to be athletic. I want to be muscular. I want that incredibly adorable black skirt I bought to FIT. And goddamn it, this is the year. Goals: Workouts: Back to the usual schedule. Kettlebell classes start up again this week. I got a couple workouts in over the holidays, so at least I won't completely die this first week back. Kettlebells 2x per week Additional workouts 1x (NF Yoga) A : 12pts B : 10pts C : 8pts D : 6 pts F : <6pts Eat Good Food: Mostly Paleo, if metrics fall in line, I'm likely doing ok. 1300-1800 calories Carbs: <100g, Protein: >80g 1 point per item per day. Target 18 points per week. A : 72+pts B : 66pts C : 60pts D : 54pts F : <54pts Pushup/Pullup Work: I wanna be a badass. And being able to do this stuff is a prerequisite, I'm pretty sure. I can do like... two, maybe three pushups in a row. Right now I can do one chin up, maybe two in a row when I'm feeling particularly beastly, but not regularly. I can barely do one pull up from standing (ie, not full extension). 3x per week: 4 sets of max pushups (start with regular, go to knees as needed) 3 sets of 10 eccentric pull ups. Continue with random chin ups and pull up as I pass the bar in the hallway. A : 12pts B : 10pts C : 8pts D : 6 pts F : <6pts Life Goal: READ. I've been seriously missing out on reading lately. Part of it is that I'm just so awful at returning library books that I am scared to check them out in the first place. But I just straight up need to get better at that. My mother in law also has a pretty decent library that I have at my disposal. I usually just read books I've already read before to get me to fall asleep at night... and while I don't think there's anything wrong with re-reading, I'm a bit pathological about it. Therefore I'm stipulating that I need to read books that I haven't before. Once I get into a book, I won't have any problem reading it often, I just need to get one! Read 5x per week. No time limits, no certain amount read, just do it. A : 20pts B : 16pts C : 12pts D : 8pts F : <8pts A'ight. Let us do this shit.

It was one of those cold, clear nights of winter that find most people huddled in their warm houses, watching the glow of their televisions while eating popcorn. But not this group. They had chosen a spot deep in the woods, far from civilization. The only lights to be seen were the stars above and the the campfire glowing brightly, around which they sat. Enjoying the warmth of the campfire they sat quietly around it, once in a while pausing to grunt at one another, or to take a drink of their ale. It was into this group that the stranger entered. Dressed entirely in black, she stealthily made her way into the campsite. Her goal was to blend in quietly to this group, observing them from a distance. She had heard tales of their heroic feats, and wanted to see if there was any truth in the rumors. She sat down, close enough to hear and watch them, but hopefully not close enough they would notice her. As she sat, the wolf that had been sitting amongst the group, turned to face her. Slowly, deliberately, the wolf began to walk toward her. She remained motionless, waiting to see what the wolf would do. As the wolf reached her, it turned its’ face to the moon and let out a long,low howl. The wolf’s howl alerted the group to her presence. They all turned to face her, grabbing their swords and axes, preparing for a fight. Calmly she stood up, removing her hood, she said “ Please, I come in peace, I have heard of your heroic feats, I too seek the harder path,the one tread by heroes. I seek to learn more of your Ranger guild. From out of the dark, a bearded man wielding a flaming sledgehammer appeared. “Who are you and why should we allow you entrance into our Ranger guild†he demanded. Not daunted by his fierce looks, she replied†I am Elastigirl, Slayer of Omnidroids, Destroyer of Syndrome, Hero of Metropolis†One of the group who had been sitting closest to the campfire stood up, “I have heard of her, I will vouch for her bravery and goodness†The sledgehammer wielding man turned to him, “Chaplain, you would vouch for anyone. You see the good in all. You would have everyone be a Ranger. Turning back to her, he gazed at her silently for a few moments, as if trying to read her mind. She confidently returned his gaze, knowing that just as she had much to learn from the Rangers, she also had many valuable skills to teach them. After a few moments he spoke again, “Very well, since the Chaplain himself vouched for you we shall let you in for a little while. But understand, the Rangers are an elite group, and if you wish to take part in our mission you must prove yourself†Elastigirl nodded her approval. “Very well, I accept those terms, give me any challenge and I will complete it†This challenge I am switching over from Assassins to Ranger. Right now, my big focus is on kettlebells. I am following Pavel’s Simple and Sinister program. My big goal right now is to be able to complete 10 full Turkish get ups with 35lbs in under 10 minutes and to be able to do `100 44lb. swings in under 5 minutes. I have been working on this for 6 months, and am still in the process of working toward that goal. My goals for this month are focused on things that will help me reach my big goal, look good doing it and, have time to pursue life goals, and a bit of Ranger adventure along the way Goal 1: Track food 6 days a week Points 4-5 days=5 points 6 days= 6 points 7 days= 6 points plus a bonus day to use on another wee Goal 2: Workout plan; Focused Flexibility from GoldMedalBodies. There are two main poses I am working to improve. My task is to do two stretches for each pose, and foam rolling.I will do the stretches at least 4 days a week. Simple and Sinister: Swings 4 days a week; Turkish Get Ups 3 days a week, the 4th day I can choose a different strength workout. Points: FF done= 1 points per day SS done= 1 point per day Goal 3: Track progress: Focused Flexibility: pictures week 1, end of week 2, and end of challenge Simple and Sinister: videos week 1 and 4 Points 2 per picture/video Goal 4: get up at 7:30 at least 4 days of the week Points: 5 points a day Goal #5 Ranger Initiation Be a Ranger (Ranger yoga, rucking, sledgehammers,bro-crow, etc) Video/photographic evidence at least twice Take part in at least three of the Ranger mini-challenges Points Completion= 10 points Life: turn extra bedroom into craft room 10 points Scrapbook; finish vacation scrapbook 10 points Look up hikes/ plan fun vacation ideas 10 points Update Epic Quest for 2016-10 points WEEK 1 point total 43 points WEEK 2 point total 58 points 180 points= Elastigirl proves herself Ranger worthy and will reward herself ; prize still undetermined 170 points= Elastigirl proves herself Ranger worthy, but she feels as if she could have worked harder,so she does not buy any reward.

This is a continuation of my last challenge... pregnancy is weird and therefore goals are uber basic and all about maintaining what strength and health I can while EVERYTHING is changing. Goal#1 Be Prepared Lift Once a Week. I need to be doing this. I've already majorly checked my ego at the door, and I've discontinued crossfit because the gym didn't have enough options for scaling way down on the weights (its a brand new place this year, still getting equipment), but I can go to my little community gym and get it light squats and deadlifts and continue to train pullups with assistance. At least until much further along in my pregnancy. I know things will need to scale more one relaxin sets in and I need to start protecting my joints. But if I do the work now, I'll be much better prepared for labor and what will probably be a life without the gym for at least several weeks postpartum. Goal #2 Slimy Yet Satisfying Just eat real food, as much as possible. Aversions to eggs, the smell of cooking meat, and other things has thankfully passed now. But my eating habits took a serious hit and I'm having a rough time getting back to reality. I need to eat at least one serving of veggies and one of fruit a day to even remotely feel okay about my diet. For the purposes of this, potatoes don't count. Neither do peppers if they are on a pizza haha. Goal#3 The Lion Sleeps Tonight In bed by 11pm, no excuses! I'm a night owl, and new schedule at work means one day where I won't be home for the night until about 9, so anything earlier than 11 is probably never going to be realistic. But I NEEDS the sleep. Bonus points for naps. I'll still be doing some yoga, the occasional hike, and definitely playing/training with Meg, but I need to keep my expectations in check and know that I'm just not going to have the energy to do all the things, and that's ok.

So I fell off the face of the planet last challenge, and I think I'll let my Meg tell you why: WARNING: Frank discussion of hormones and lady business ahead, skip to goals below if you only care about lifting etc. For anyone who has read any of my challenge threads in the past year and a half or so, know that I have been trying to figure out what on earth is wrong with my hormones, cycles, and fertility, and was like 1 test away from an official diagnosis of PCOS, after YEARS of telling my doctors that I was certain I had it. So finding out that I was pregnant literally while waiting for a referral for yet another PCOS diagnostic scan was such an amazing surprise. Though, to be fair, I had a pretty good idea that for the first time in at least a year, I actually ovulated (long unpredictable cycles generally don't allow for the right hormonal conditions for releasing eggs). In fact, my ovulation predictor kit (pee sticks into a machine most mornings each month) had never once gone above "low" readings, and went to "high" for a couple days and then actually gave me a "peak" reading! That's what should happen every month for "normal" people. Two weeks later, I had cramps that I assumed were a period finally coming on (I think by then it was about day 40 of my cycle). But this persisted for about 4 days without a period, and that's not typical for me. Plus, I had the added bonus of being at about 10% of my normal energy levels, needing naps after work and being completely drained just from doing a load of dishes. So I bought an early pregnancy test, and was thrilled to see that it was positive! Mr. Princess was asleep after working a night shift, so I spent the day just enjoying the news privately, and getting an official blood test done to confirm. I told him when he woke up that evening. Since then we've told our family and friends and announced on facebook last week. I had my first appointment last week and heard a few heartbeats, and now its very very real to me. Between nausea and fatigue, my house is a disaster, I've been eating practically an all starch diet, Meg is bored, and time is just flying. But now that I'm nearing the end of the 1st trimester (already) a lot of this yucky feeling should pass and get better. So these are my goals, with the overarching theme of reclaiming my groove for the rest of this pregnancy (within reason) and to enjoy this new roller coaster I'm on. Goal #1: Bring It On Exercise 3 days a week. Work on just getting in some exercise each week. With the fatigue, I have a rough time even getting out enough with Meg for her exercise. But I can usually make it through the first 20 minutes of something and get over the hump and feel good, so if I can force myself to do that a few times a week I'll be happy. Still hiking and lifting, and occasional zumba or yoga. Goal #2: I've never liked your spinach puffs. Eat as well as I can stomach. Before being pregnant, I assumed I'd be able to just force myself to eat healthy despite any morning sickness etc. Boy was I wrong. Fried eggs for breakfast? NOPE. Cooking meat and veggies for dinner? GAG. Even feeding Meg her kibble is enough to turn my stomach. So, I'm going to make the best choices I can for how I feel each day. I'm trying to at least limit straight up sugar, and when I feel like eating something good, jump on that opportunity for healthy eating. I've been eating a lot of mexican food, which all things considered is better than eating fast food. Goal #3: Lady with a baby coming through. Just enjoy the process. I want to be able to enjoy this time, despite the obvious setbacks to my healthy lifestyle and the puking and such. I am so happy that this is happening, and I want to record these changes and milestones. So I will be doing one journal entry a week, just to get a general idea of how things have progressed. I'm not a journal-er, so this is probably all I can commit to accomplishing, but it'll be cool to be able to look back on someday.

Hi! I'm Catherine (Cutebug) and this will be my first Challenge as a Ranger. I've been indecisive about my guild and staying as an Adventurer, but I think I have found my home. My Main Goal, as always, is to LOSE WEIGHT. Challenge #1 - Cut Out Dairy (cheese and milk) for 6 weeks. This morning, while walking to work drinking my tea, I felt the usual bit of "ickiness" from drinking milk. I don't *always* feel icky or bloated when I have dairy, in fact, it's mostly only if I have lots of cold milk, but it does occasionally happen. And I thought to myself, WHY am I making myself feel icky??? This may also result in me cutting out most, if not all, of my caffeine, as I can't drink tea without dairy milk, or else I get painful stomach feelings and slight nausea (before you go suggesting dairy alternatives, those don't work for my really strange random problem, unfortunately). I'll use coconut milk for any other "milk" requirements. Challenge #2 - Hike and/or Swim Weekly I recently fell off the hiking wagon. I'd like to pull myself back on. Also, I have challenged myself to swim across a lake at the end of summer, so I should probably do some swimming... Challenge #3 - Go to the Gym Twice Weekly I've been visiting the office gym once weekly for the past couple of months. It's been GREAT. I've finally started Deadlifts and Squats, which I couldn't do before due to lack of barbell. The gym also has a pull-up bar as part of the rack, so I'm training for that as well. I'd like to start going TWICE weekly instead of just once. This week will be my first 2x week. Personal Challenge: Make SeedBombs and Enact Guerilla Warefare on My Neighbourhood! I found this lovely sunflower flourishing in a vacant lot during a drought. The vacant lots around here are often littered with people's discarded appliances, furniture, and Tim Horton's garbage. I thought it was so amazing that this one flower randomly made its home in a place like that. So I am going to help nature reclaim the empty spaces and make the neighbourhood more beautiful. I'm also going to go forage for blackberries down the street because it seems like no one else is doing it. Mini Challenge: See that tractor tire in the first photo? I'm going to complete that movement I am starting in that photo. Right now I can only flip the tire from the inside. I'll keep trying and keep training in the gym until I can flip that sucker like they do in all the CrossFit videos and photos! Here's what I can do now

Hail, adventurers! I found this site through a friend and I'm stoked! I've been a gamer my whole life and the approach really resonates with me. I'm also deep into healthy, deacadent eating and joyful exertion. But lately, my exercise has lacked purpose and my eating habits have fallen into a pit of bread. This seems like a timely invitation to re-engage! I used to train in contortion and I've long thought that taking it back up would be a great way to give my workouts some direction. So without further ado, here are my goals: MAIN QUEST: I want to know that I can. I have a naturally strong, flexible body, but I want to be proud not because of my genetic gifts but because I worked hard to develop them. I want to create and perform a contortion act. SIX WEEK CHALLENGE GOALS: 1. Eliminate sugar and wheat from my diet. 2. Contortion train 3X/week. 3. Be able to reliably hold a handstand for 30 seconds. Optional life goal: Stop biting my fingernails. Looking forward to helping support you all on your various quests!

SEIZE THE DAY! Alrighty, Princess Heather is back in action! I have been MIA around here for the past few weeks, and it was due to me being in a bit of a funk and also lots of life happening. I have been promoted at work, from office manager into a sort of project coordinator, responsible for overseeing several ministry teams and being the point person for outreach and service projects for my church. It's a fun environment, and out biggest service project(s) of the year happen at the end of September so I've got lots going on for that. We are also in the midst of TTC, and keeping healthy for that is another major priority, leaving less and less time for internetting. Which is also at odds with a blogging project I'm trying to get off the ground. For anyone who was following my last (pitiful) challenge, I more or less accomplished all my goals with reading and with workouts, but food was a bit more elusive. Still trying to reign that in, but I know it's miles better than my diet was 3 years ago that I need to just keep trucking and not worry about being perfect. Goal 1: Quit being a hater... to myself I give myself way too much grief when I'm not perfect, which is of course all the time because perfection doesn't exist! I'm always fluctuating between being content and being critical, and while I've been making progress on this over the past 3 years especially, I want to make this a goal this time and hopefully improve my self talk habits and tip them towards contentment. Which I have to remind myself, is different from complacency. It's not about accepting me as I never bothering to improve again, its about making sure to be happy with how things are in the moment. Measurable goal: Post one thing each day that I'm happy about in my life, because there is always SOMETHING to be happy about. Goal 2: Come at me bro (science) Just kidding, though I love me some Dom. I've been struggling ever since I effectively took a semester off from lifting in the spring. I was so swamped with finishing my graduate capstone that I lifted maybe once a week if I was lucky, and it wasn't really with any direction or program. I've been trying to get restarted since, without really doing any tracking and without really ensuring proper protein or carb intake to fuel and recover... it's just been a mess. And no results. So I am going back to basics, and redoing New Rules of Lifting for Women. I had really great success with this the first time, and I expect that I can progress through it faster that I did the first time. This will give me a direction, and something to track, and a good new foundation for being strong. I just want to regain my BW squats by the end of the year, which I feel is not out of reach if I'm training with purpose. Measurable goal: Lift 3x Weekly Goal 3: Deal With It.... and do a Whole 30 This goal will start on September 22, and go to October 22, so ending right before the challenge ends. I will be a teensy bit lenient with added sugars in things like organic and clean BBQ sauce (for bbq pineapple crock pot chicken), but more or less will follow the protocol. I have been back on the juice (caffeine) and I'm already weaning off that again, and I have been SUPER tired and I think its a result of being too low on carbs when I'm not eating crappy ones. Carbs are easy to get when you binge on gummi bears, but harder when all your carbs some from carrots and brussels sprouts. Whole 30 is okay with potatoes now, and I will allow white rice smothered in coconut oil in case of emergency... which makes me think I should keep rice in my office's fire extinguisher box. Measurable Goal: Finish Goal 4: Publish something on my fledgling blog I have a blog that I have like 5 incomplete posts for, with nothing whatsoever published. I want to post at least one thing each week of this challenge, regardless of length or content. That's only 6 entries, not insurmountable. I have some pics of meal prep already, nothing unique but I have to start somewhere. Measurable Goal: 6 Blog Entries BONUS: Get a logo made by my design type friend.

*Obligatory Disney Theme* I'm PrincessHeather, and I am a bad nerd.... or at least I have been since about January, or possibly as far back as October. I moved up to Alaska about 8 months ago, and since then I have been preoccupied with things like: searching for a new job, starting a new job, setting up our new home, completing final year of graduate school including a research project, and being maid of honor in a wedding back home in California. A little more background, particularly of things I've been wrestling through in my head for a while now. I have been underweight, and I'm currently "overweight" (according to BMI anyway). I've had some disordered eating patterns and very critical opinions of my body. But something I've been trying to get through my head for the past year or so, is that I am awesome anyway. I've become so much stronger phsycially and mentally, and whether I'm fit/lean/skinny/fat/purple, I am a "real woman" and I matter. I was distinctly pleased to read this in my inbox this morning (from Summer Innaman): Treat her with love, respect and never feel the need to justify or change your ways to please anyone else. You are extraordinary. Believe that and any changes you want will flow easily. And if you decide not to do that, you are still a Real Woman. So, that's enough of a rant about body image and all that. But its important because being in a good place mentally always really influences how well I treat myself. And treating myself well, combined with being free of my old stressful job and free from the stress of grad school, is going to help me prepare for my next big life goal. Oh and hey, I'm going to start actually grading and awarding points again GOAL #1: Improve Overall Fitness (Strenght +2, Stamina +2, Dexterity +1) So like, I mentioned, BMI thinks I weigh too much. However, I'm trying really hard not to let that get me down, and remember that is doesn't take into account all of my muscle and its just another number. BMI can kiss my (modest) squat booty!! However, I do get more winded than I would like while hiking and bicycling, and I lost a lot of strength and endurance during the last crazy semester. But I now have more time and renewed dedication, so my goals are to simply get into a lifting routine and do SOMETHING every day, whether its hiking, yoga, zumba, or yard work. I've been doing this the past two weeks, so I just want to seal in those habits over the course of this challenge. Lift Twice WeeklyBe Active Everday GOAL #2: Heal My Hormones (Constitution +5) My next big life milestone is to have a kid. It's always been in our plans to have kids after finishing school, and we're in a good financial setup to do so as well. We've enjoyed 5 years of marriage, being just us and travelling a ton, and we feel ready to take on baby making and raising! BUT, I've had hormone issues for a long long time, and while I've started to see some improvements just over the past 2 months as I changed to a less stressful job and finished school, I want to be doing everything I can to be prepping my hormones and body for a new adventure. Schedule a Dr appointment for full blood panel to get current vitamin/mineral/etc levelsSleep at least 8 hours a nightLimit caffieneEat Paleo (PrincessHeather Style)Track hormone symptoms GOAL #3: Enjoy My Freedom (Wisdom +3, ) I'm free! I finished school and my job doesn't destroy me every day, so I need to be enjoying my extra time and doing things I love. Plant my veggie garden (Bonus: build greenhouse structure for fall use)Finish 4 halfway-read books TL;DR I'm free from the strings of grad school and crappy job! I love me, and I'm awesome! Goals: Fitness: Lift 2x/week, be active everydayHormone Health: Sleep, Eat WellEnjoy Life: Plant a garden, read some books Starting Stats Weight: 143 Neck: 13 in Natural Waist: 30 Hips (at hip bones): 38 Hips/Glutes: 41 Thighs (each): 23.5 Calf: 14 Bicep: 10.5

Moving right along, footloose and fancy free Alright, so for the viewers just turning in.... I'm PrincessHeather and I'm one of the Warrior guild leaders. I was once a severe calorie restricter and cardio punisher, but I have since see the light and I try to eat a mostly clean diet (paleo/primal/WAP mix) and lift heavy things. I started with completing the New Rules of Lifting for Women program, and then as life got busy things have sort of gotten off track and I'm finally in a place to get things back on the road, so to speak. I have about 1 month to finalize all elements of my final grad school project (after some major hiccups), and will graduate before the end of this challenge. I have also been unhappy in my job for the past 3 years, and I just this week left that job and started someplace new, which so far is just awesome! And I'm pretty happy and comfortable and adjusted to life in Alaska now, it's like 35 degrees and I'm not even cold! So things have fallen into place after all being thrown into overdrive last fall, and my hope is that will new focus and routine and the weight of grad school lifting off my shoulders, I'm going to be able to get my health in check and be better equipped to handle whatever new stuff life throws at me. GOAL #1: SURVIVE FINAL MONTH OF GRAD SCHOOL This is pretty simple, its pass/fail, as in GRADUATE OR ELSE. Final presentation is on May 13th. MEEP! GOAL #2: Get into routine with fitness again. I need to establish a new routine, as my job is in a completely different part of town and I'm already learning a new commute and job routine. Its, the perfect time to get things established. I was NO good at planning my own workouts either, and if left to my own devices I completely neglect upper body work. SO, I have embarked on going through the New Rules of Lifting Supercharged program. I know that Stronglifts and such are far more popular on the boards, but honestly that method has alwasy devolved in me doing squats or deadlifts and then going home, so it's just not righ for me. Supercharged has "basic training" up first which is split up into A and B workouts. Goal is one A and one B a week. Summer is also approaching fast, which means that GOAL #3: Stop eating like a crazy person! When we moved, all my habits and meal planning and cooking routines sort of got ruined... moving across the country will do that. I got hooked on junky stuff while travelling, and I'm really only now being more discplined and/or deliberate in the things that are worth it in terms of junk food or less than ideal choices. I'm trying to meal plan for real now, since that should also mean having more leftovers around for lunches, and keeping our grocery budget in check in a place where produce is super pricey. Let the internet hilarity ensue, like Statler and Waldorf here! TL;DR Version: 1. Graduate, it's that simple. 2. Lift 2x/week, at least one bonus activity (hiking/zumba/yoga/etc). 3. Rough meal planning is a must, and eat well. Starting Stats TBD