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Hello! I am joining the assassins for the next challenge as I am focusing on body weight work. Now let me start off by saying i am a beginner. In fact, I am lower than a beginner. I had a rough pregnancy that i couldn't exercise at all during. Everything (especially my core!) has suffered. However after being diagnosed with coeliacs I am determined not to get osteoporosis so time to stress those bones and muscles! STATS Mother of 2, wife of 1 Shift working nurse 5 elevated pushups 10 lunges (5 each leg) 20 dumbell rows with 3kg 20 squats (about the only exercise i get with my kids ha ha) 10 sec plank PLAN Meal Plan: Every week have a plan and have shopped for it by the beginning of the week Beginners Body Weight Routine: 3 times a week Yoga 3 times a week Do something I enjoy every day (gardening, sewing, knitting, play piano) Simple but effective! I found a place in my town that does aerial hoop and silks classes I wanna try out so maybe as a treat if I do well this challenge?

Hello my fellow Rangers! Well, I had grand plans of setting up this thread this past weekend when I returned from a trip and didn't get there. Then the week started and here we are! I have no grand, over-arching quest or goal right now. Mainly because I'm so incredibly overwhelmed with work; so overwhelmed that I can't seem to find the time to apply to other jobs! Ugh. So, perhaps my over-arching quest is to keep my sanity. Mission 1: Stick with Hero's Journey bodyweight training. Mission 2: Run twice a week (not much, but I'm working on being gentle with myself). Or general cardio - ideally I'd like to get to the pool. Mission 3: Get caught up on all my comics! Comics waiting to be read (and this will be updated once I get home): Aquaman Rebirth #8 Aquaman Rebirth #9 Green Arrow Rebirth #1 Green Arrow Rebirth #2 Green Arrow Rebirth #3 Green Arrow Rebirth #4 Green Arrow Rebirth #5 Green Arrow Rebirth #6 Green Arrow Rebirth #7 Green Arrow Rebirth #8 Green Arrow Rebirth #9 Wonder Woman Rebirth #5 Wonder Woman Rebirth #6 Wonder Woman Rebirth #7 Wonder Woman Rebirth #8 Wonder Woman Rebirth #9 The Killing Joke The Man Without Fear Magnus Chase and the Hammer of Thor (ok, not a comic, but I would like to finish it). Spell or Highwater (ok, another book, but it's nerdy, listening to it) Simple, nothing earth-shattering. . .

How's that for a catchy thread title?? I'm Shenani, mom of three, and in need of a health overhaul. Any other parents of wee ones here? My husband is a HUGE nerd, but this is my first foray into nerdery! I'm excited! Question: the Druids is where my heart is, but I've done yoga and meditated for many years. Should I join something more out of my comfort zone? Or stick with what I know?

I'm back! Here's to the third challenge of the year! *cheers!* This challenge I want to work on something I did not do so well last challenge, with slight modifications. Goal 1 Make vegetables my friend For this challenge, I would like to focus on eating vegetables three times per day, five three times per week. I will track this with MFP. I plan on having enough vegetables available for me to eat three times per day. Grades A: 18-20 times B: 14-17 times C: 10-13 times D: Less than 9 times Goal 2 Eat more of the good stuff The good stuff I am referring to is protein. This challenge I would like to focus on eating 35% of my calories from 90 grams of protein at least 5 three days per week. I will track this with MFP. That equals to 630 calories per day from protein. (I would like some tips on how to get this much protein in, so please, advice me ) Grades A: 18-20 times B: 14-17 times C: 10-13 times D: Less than 9 times Goal 3 Step up my step up game I'm taking a huge leap this challenge and getting started on c25k. I have read some information on it and downloaded the app on my phone. I plan on doing the runs while at work. Grades A: 10-12 runs B: 6-9 runs C: 2-5 runs D: 1 run or less Life Goal: This challenge I would like to have some physical activity with my daughter. I think going on one walk per week with her at the park would be great. We rarely do things like that because on the weekend I just go to the gym. I would like to include her in being able to get exercise as well, especially since she walks and would enjoy walking around outside.

G'day all, I'm Dan, the new Nerd Fitness Rebel Family Correspondent, Steve has granted the very important (and very awesome) task of writing about all things family for Nerd Fitness (you can check out my first article here). I'm a father from Adelaide, South Australia with two (soon to be three) amazing kids. I work as a fatherhood specialist in a large non profit organization, where I help other dads become the best they can be. In my work I run prenatal classes, playgroups, fatherhood courses, provide counselling and opportunities for parents and their children to bond. I'm super excited to be writing for Nerd Fitness, but I really want to know what all you parents (or parents to be) would like to read, or learn more, about? Through my work, qualifications, and life experiences as a parent, I have a wide range of knowledge relating to parenting, sleeping, eating, child development, mental health, sensory issues, pregnancy, pre and postnatal health, relationships, and much more. So let me know what you Rebel Parents would really like to see on the Nerd Fitness blog. I promise I'll try to keep the dad jokes to a minimum ('Dead-lifts'? More like, 'Dad-lifts'! Amirite?!)...I'll show myself out. Also, feel free to get in touch, either just to say 'G'day!', or ask a question at any time. -'Down Under' Dan.

I'd really love to follow other women who have very young children. I have a toddler, too, but since she's at daycare and old enough to entertain herself a fair bit, she's not my challenge - it's my almost three month-old who's a challenge. She needs me 24/7, which makes it hard to fit in workouts, cooking and so on. Additionally, I tried sleeping her in the cot during the day (we co-sleep at night), but a hiccup meant that while she slept beautifully for three days, now she won't sleep in it at all ... so I have to stop trying for a few days (meaning she sleeps in a wrap or carrier with me, or in arms), and then go back. I'd love inspiration from other mothers who have managed to fit in workouts or adapt them to their babies!

Name: Hammlin "Hammi" Race: Wood Elf | Class: Footpath Ranger Leader Level: 19 (STR):44.25 (DEX):41.25 (STA):32 (CON):31.25 (WIS):31.5 (CHA):27.25 Motivation: Get back to basics, rebuild a foundation, and refocus with my new priorities. 2016: Rebuild my lifts, ruck more, possibly do another Spartan Main Quest: Relocate My Me. (Jan 4 a Jan 29) Missions: 1. Lift. The bar for this one isn't very high... Get to the gym and lift something once a week. 2. Steps. Getting back up to my daily walks has proven hard to me, mostly because I keep wanting to bite off more than I can chew. So the plan is week 1- 5k per day, week 2- 7.5k per day, weeks 3 and 4- 10k per day.. 3. Water. Still not drinking enough to keep myself from getting dehydrated with nursing. After each nursing session I will drink 12oz of water and have a snack. Life Quest: 4. Center I have gotten terrible about the time I spend reading my Bible since I stopped working at the church. This challenge I will choose a devotional to read and spend a minimum of 10 minutes each day working on it. Tracking will be done in my phone. Bonus: - I joined the Safety Team at my church, so now that the baby is here and old enough for Kids Min, I need to get back to serving. - I really want to do a GORUCK challenge this fall, once I'm no longer nursing, so I will continue to ruck on some of my walks. My Story (challenge history- it's lengthy, feel free to ignore...): 19. Finally, I approach the small town that I had set out for ages ago. It doesn't seem as vibrant as I thought it would- it feels a bit lackluster... I collect a key from the inn and set up my room, before heading out to explore. I figure that I can stay here for a while to regroup and resupply, as the looming mountain ahead of me taunts. Every morning I wake up and see it... staring at me... 20. I awaken suddenly to a sound that is both foreign and familiar- a cry. Looking down on the dot next to me a tiny little elf looks back at me expectantly. I look around th room to see who this little guy belongs to while he continues to gaze in my direction. All at once the past few months flash before me- he's....mine. Not totally sure what to do or where to go, I pick him up gently. He smiles at me and I realize the reality of my situation...

I had our beautiful daughter 4 months ago, and now I've reached a point where it's time for me to start working on improving things. I'm not so much in a 'rut', as that I'm coming out of the fog of new-parenthood and there are things not going so well which I want to do something about. Special shout-outs to Teros, DarK_RaideR, ShadowLion and Phayze, who each in their own way inspired me to come back for another challenge, and also inspired how I approached this challenge differently to others I've done. This challenge fits more with the Adventurers than my usual Assassins guild stuff, it's not fitness focused at all but is about getting my mind and body back to a state where I can later go back to some more fitness-based goals. My 4 goals are focused on improving things I am unhappy with which I have control over - and to ignoring everything else for the time being. Main Quest: Build a foundation of basic mental and physical wellbeing, from which I can reach for fitness goals in the future. Goal 1: Nutrition a. Make a list of foods I will and will not consume over the next 6 weeks, based on my histamine sensitivity requirements. b. Plan meals for 2-3 weeks in advance (and maybe repeat the same meal plan(s) for the rest of the challenge, if it's easier and I'm not too bored with them). c. Plan my shopping trips for the week and put in my calendar (with a baby, it's hard to get to the shops sometimes!) d. Plot all 'off-plan' days/meals/treats at least 2 weeks in advance. This goal is to address issues I've been having with my skin, as well as overall health and energy levels. Because I'm breastfeeding, I can pretty much eat whatever and not put on weight, however this eating pattern has led to some persistent eczema which has officially driven me to the wall. It must be stopped, and I know from experience that eating well will be my best strategy! Goal 2: Sleep a. Prepare for sleep coaching, following sleep plan instructions in weeks 1 and 2; give simple instructions to my partner so he can help. b. Take a nap during the day at least three times per week, for at least 60 minutes, in a separate room from Baby. c. Go for a walk of at least 10 mins every day. d. Start sleep coaching from week 3 or 4 of the challenge. As other parents can understand, my sleep is shithouse at the moment. Baby girl is still little, and will likely wake up 2-3 times a night for the next couple of months. What I want to work on is getting her to go to sleep on her own, instead of while she is breastfeeding - that's what sleep coaching is. If she can fall asleep on her own, I will save both of us 30-60min every nap and at bedtime, because that's how long the current routine is taking us and it's driving me batty! I'll also be taking naps to try and address my sleep deficit and going for walks to ensure my body clock stays mostly on track. Goal 3: Mood a. Write in journal every day, including gratitude exercise. b. Continue to do 4-7-8 breathing exercise 2+ times per day. c. Do re-framing activities and other strategies from psychologist to help improve mood and outlook on life. d. Engage "quiet berzerker mode" to summon courage to raise issues which are bothering me, with relevant people. This is probably a bit of an unusual goal, but I've been wavering close to the edge of depression off and on for a while now, and I need to take charge and do something about it. Most days are good, some days (nights, mainly!) are truly awful, so proactive steps are what I need to stay ahead of the Black Dog and not let it spoil this wonderful time of my life. Goal 4: Personhood a. Organise time to myself - 3 or more 30+ minute blocks each week (ALL by myself, without baby, doing whatever I want to do, not housework). b. Book/organise/plan activities in advance so I don't waste time deciding what to do, even if it's only the day or morning before. c. Do the Things, and enjoy myself! It's true what many say, for me at least, that when I became a mother I felt like I died - the old me is gone, she's never coming back, and since I came out of the newborn-sleep-deprived fog I've felt like I don't know who I am. I need to take time to do what I want to do, again, so I can find out who this new person is, other than just a mother. That's a worthy thing to be, don't get me wrong! But it definitely isn't all I am, either, and it's very important for me to give time to myself in other ways. Not all of these goals are track-able, and I'm not going to determine stat point allocation now - I'll decide at the end of the challenge what I feel I deserve to award myself. I'm going to do my best to keep updating here on the forums, as well as following a few people. I usually do this on Tapatalk on my phone while breastfeeding for what feels like 12 hours a day, so there may be a lot of short, one-hand typed mini updates! Now it's time for me to start down the path to Wellbeing. Will you join me?

Hello my fellow Rangers, I have been extraordinarily poor about posting - not cool and I'm sorry. I am recommitting to posting and staying in better touch with this community because it makes me a better person. In the past, my challenges have focused around running and preparing for a half-marathon in October. Well that goal has been sidelined because my Achilles' tendons (yes, both legs) have rebelled and I need time to rehab. The good news is that the doctor gave me the green light to keep lifting! She encouraged me to find other cardio as well. Overall Goal: Cut body fat by 3% Mini-Quest 1: Keep on my lifting schedule (Stronglifts 5 x 5) which means lifting 3x's a week. (Strength points) Mini-Quest 2: Stretch my Achilles' tendons every day. (Agility points) Mini-Quest 3: Read The Compassionate Samurai. The Quartet: Orchestrating the Second American Revolution. (Wisdom points) I'm keeping it simple because I have tendency to overload, not post, get anxious, not post, get more anxious and give up. A little about me: I am an attorney who does regulatory compliance for a creditors' rights firm - at least that's my alter-ego. I'm married and have two wonderful boys who turned 6 and 3 earlier this month (July). I have severe anxiety and just adopted a dog (Fillmore) whom I am training to be my psych service dog. I'm a member of Academy and going to CNF2015!

Running Up That Hill Nerd Fitness Challenge #41 I heard this song on the radio the other day - Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush (1985). Since then it keeps coming to mind, especially during the running part of my crossfit class. I figured I might as well use it to keep me motivated! Main Quest: to prepare myself for Unleashed at Stadium Bowl Unleashed 2015 will take place up and down the 1,628 stairs of Stadium High School (Tacoma, WA) August 2nd and raises money for the rescue animals of Kindred Souls Foundation. http://unleashedatstadiumbowl.org/ Mini Quest 1 “be running up that road†add 3x weekly running to my routine. +3 STA 600-1600m per 3x weekly run. can be counted if completed during xfit class and/or combined with stair training. Mini Quest 2 “be running up that hill†continue uphill battle of maintaining my current weight and bf%. +2 WIS +3 CON struggled with this goal last two challenges - thus the "uphill battle" feeling. my plan is to continue to log my meals daily on MFP (keeping net carbs between 70-100g and protein between 96-107g) to help maintain current weight and body fat% (120-125lbs/20-22%) - knowledge is power, right? will be weighed every other week on scale that shows bf% to hold me accountable. Mini Quest 3 “be running up that building†1x weekly training to run up that "building" aka Stadium Bowl. +1 STA + 3 DEX train on stairs (60-100 steps in elevation) for 15-25 minutes and keep track of total steps climbed. Life Side Quest: a Greater Understanding “And if I only could I'd make a deal with God And I'd get him to swap our places I'd be running up that road Be running up that hill With no problems†Kate Bush commented on the song saying “I was trying to say that, really, a man and a woman can't understand each other because we are a man and a woman. And if we could actually swap each other's roles, if we could actually be in each other's place for a while, I think we'd both be very surprised! [Laughs] And I think it would lead to a greater understanding.†While I’d love to swap places with my boys (that includes the husband unit) so we'd have a better understanding of each other instead I'll be using these lyrics as inspiration to prepare myself for a different kind of understanding... Work daily on my Spanish (10 minutes – 1 hour) +3 WIS In September I will be traveling to Mexico to volunteer with Esperanza International. It’s my hope that if, between now and then, I put forth a regular effort to learn/understand some Spanish the experience will be that much better! If you've followed me before you know I track my progress the old fashioned way (with pen and paper) in a journal and then I post a picture here to NF. Here is my starting stats/goals page for this challenge! Looking forward to getting started June 8th! Check back often - encouragement and support needed (and appreciated)!!

Hello Fellow Rebels! I'm starting from scratch. The last few challenges I've to structure "just so" and failed. Well, I've learned from those failures; I've learned that I need to be simple. What does that mean? It means that I'm focusing on one thing and trying not to get sidetracked. The One Thing? Running. I signed up for the Philadelphia Rock 'n Roll Half-Marathon this year. I ran that same half-marathon two years ago on a broken foot (suffered at mile 3) and I want to do it again - just not with the broken foot. I need to stick to my schedule. So, shortly, I'm going to post my schedule here and, I'm hoping, you guys will hold me accountable. FOR THE REBELLION!

Parents, READ THIS. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amanda-king/stay-at-home-parent_b_2558642.html Or, TL;DR types, just read this: This was written by a stay-at-home mom, but it's important for all parents to remember that they are human, that they deserve to take care of themselves...and so do their partners.

So my little man has high functioning autism (Asperger's), and I figured I'd share some of what helps us... Here is a link to the Google Doc for the levels system we use: clickity clack This is a cool thing I was taught, where kids have certain priviledges they earn based on certain behaviors - with the ability to not only be brought down a level (very similar to 1 2 3 time out), but that there is a very concrete way to earn those priviledges back. Another thing that I have found that helps is martial arts - he is in tae kwon do, and his teacher focuses on self discipline and participation. It really helps that when he is there, he is encouraged to make loud weird noises (he does a lot of vocal stimming), but they teach him to do it in the appropriate way and at the appropriate time. He also loves acting and performing, it gives him a chance to get out of himself and get a lot of positive reinforcement for focused and obedient behavior. Now, this wouldn't work at school unless he has a teacher that is on board with it, but I learned about this in a class (I'm getting my teaching degree) - instead of having a punishment where you remove all stimulus, sometimes we have to encourage these kids to overload themselves with stimuli. I have a sensory box I created that has something to engage each sense - a scratchy paint brush he can run along his arm or touch with his fingers, a really soft angora scarf, a smelly candle, a tin of sour candies, a book I made filled with peaceful pictures (like the beach and forests filled with green trees). The coolest bit of the sensory box is (I think) is an mp3 player. The teacher suggested choosing about 7-9 minutes worth of music, starting with an unpleasant/discordant piece of music (say, any short Arnold Schoenberg 12 tone piece of music), then a calming piece of music (maybe Moonlight Sonata by Beethoven), and then an energetic piece of music (Aida's Triumphant March by Verdi). She also said that it could take a kid a couple cycles of this unpleasant/calming/energetic to reset their mind, but after a few tries it usually works very well - my son usually only needs one go around, but I loaded up my little player with about 45 minutes of music, so that he didn't have to hear the same 3 songs on repeat (though sometimes he likes that, and derives comfort from it). She also said that what may be unpleasant or energetic to one kid could be completely different than someone else's definition - so don't feel like you have to stick to my choices here.

So. I am a happily married mother of two, 6 and almost 3 years old. Our youngest (I'll be calling hir baby from now on) recently fell seriously ill and is now in Intensive Care with the rest of the family staying at the Ronald McDonald House. We have been informed that the process of (re)investigating baby's condition(s) is going to take at least a month from now, probably double, possibly triple that time. This of course means I will have to adapt my on-going challenge. Since the main goal of this challenge was to boost my rehabilitation from burn-out, I still need to make those changes just as badly, if not even more badly, now that there is a crisis to deal with. My original challenge looked like this: Main Quest: To be mentally and physically fit enough to work 75% by December 22th 2015. Quest 1: Meditating for at least 7 minutes every day. I manage to meditate for a few minutes once in a while, but I want to make it a daily thing. Measurement: A = 7 minutes for 35 days, B = 28 days, C = 21 days. Reward: A = +3 WIS, +2 STA, B = +2 WIS, +1 STA, C = +1 WIS Quest 2: Do a full yoga routine 3 times a week. Same thing as with meditation. I do some Kundalini Yoga now and then, but want to build a habit. Measurement: A = 15 days, B = 12 days, C = 9 days. Reward: A = +3 STR, +2 DEX, B = +2 STR, +1 DEX, C = +1 STR Quest 3: Eat 5 freggies a day. I usually have at least one or two, but want to build the habit of having it with every meal. Measurement: A = 35 days, B = 28 days, C = 21 days. Reward: A = +3 CON, +2 CHA, B = +2 CON, +1 CHA, C = +1 CON No Life Quest. I want to be able to concentrate on my health. Motivation: I want to be able to take care of myself, my kids, my marriage and my patients. In that order. I am thinking of formulating my adapted challenge something like this: Sitting down alone and undisturbed for 7 minutes in a row, let alone doing strange singing and breathing while stretching myself to death on the floor for half an hour, is hard to arrange given that most of the time I am either by baby's hospital bed or in a room with the rest of the family. And of course, work will have to wait. Family is what's important for the time being. New Main quest: To keep myself as mentally sane and physically healthy as possible for as long as it takes for baby to get well. Quest 1: A few minutes in silence, alone if possible, no screens allowed, If no other opportunity arises, two minutes in the bathroom with the lights out, my hands covering my ears will do. To be done every day, more often if needed. Quest 2: A short walk outside, in daylight if possible, with or without company. Just a few minutes will do, if that is all that day's schedule has room for. Quest 3: Same as before - five freggies a day. This has been quite easy so far, but also a very effective way of boosting my well-being and my cooking, as well as the general eating habits of our family, so I will keep this goal from my old setup. Rewards: Since there is no way for me to assess exactly how hard and in what ways these quest are going to be challenging (it all boils down to the state of my baby and the rest of the family), I will have to wait at least until the end of this challenge to make a decision about how many and what types of ponts to award myself. Motivation: Simply put: I am the queen of this family. I am one out of two in charge and the only one who can do what I do - there are no substitutes. I am obligated to set a good example as well as to partner up with my king to make wise short-term and long-term decisions. As I have no personal guard, I myself have to see to my safety and well-being, keeping my head cool enough and my heart warm enough. And since my lands are in a crisis, the need for a healthy queen has never been greater. So. What do you guys think? I like the idea myself, but I need support, badly.

Fellow Nerd Parents! When I saw this I immediately fell in love with the idea: DINOVEMBER! Ever day in the month of November you set up plastic dinosaurs in a scene of chaos as though they came to life in the middle of the night! This is just what I need to get some creative juices going and really enjoy something fun and silly with my kids! I'm getting my dinosaurs ready tonight!

Main Quest Lose Fat and build Muscle Run 3x/weekAcademy workouts 3x/weekno processed food with the exception of Spark ( way better alternative to Monster, Rockstar, Redbull etc) Life Quest Re-establish Daily Routine aka Flylady Before Bed RoutineMorning RoutineAfternoon RoutineFollow Zone missions Fitness Side Quest Pull up...Just one... WHY AM I HERE? **My husband deserves THAT wife too!!!** *****MEASUREMENTS**** Feb 24 Jan 2 Weight: 181.2 187 Thigh: 25.5" 26" Hips: 41.5" 44" Waist: 34" 35" Bicep: 12" Didn't measure

Hello all, I am a newbie here. First off, let me just say how relieved I am to have found a community of nerd/nerd-ish type folks who are into fitness. I'm a serious grammar nerd, and I notice that most folks here seem to be able to spell and write. It's nice. So here's my question. I've just had two kids in two years. Evil Minion 2.0 is now 11 weeks old. I'm 5'5". Before my first pregnancy, I was about 142 lbs -- solid, not overweight, pretty muscular. Before my second pregnancy, I was around 168 lbs. -- overweight and unhappy with it, but still able to power through my workouts. Breastfeeding did not help me lose a pound. I looked better than I might have because of the amount of muscle I carry. Today I'm sitting at 184 lbs. I am overweight, edging into obese territory. 5 weeks ago I started working out again. I'm running and lifting weights, but often skip weight training days in favor of running because that's my stress relief and as a defense lawyer and mother of two, I am freaking busy. I am also in the military and will have a PT test in about 4.5 months. If I don't lose about 15 lbs before that test, I'm screwed. I'm breastfeeding exclusively, and it's going great, but I'm not losing any weight despite working out and keeping my calories at about 2000/day (a minimum to keep supply up). I'm easing into the paleo diet. I'm optimistic about it because it makes sense to me, but I worry about keeping up my milk supply. Does anybody here have honest to God experience with breastfeeding while going Paleo AND losing weight? At this point, I need to prioritize losing weight over breastfeeding so as not to get kicked out of the military, but I want to continue to breastfeed if at all possible. Any advice will be highly appreciated.

I'm going to be a Dad in June! I have every intention of remaining committed to my running and overall fitness throughout the kid's life, and a running stroller seems like a great way to minimize time spent away. What brands, features, and details should I be considering? A reasonable price is, of course, welcome, but I'm okay with spending extra if it means a better experience or a safer ride.