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I have never felt the need of a battle log before, but my planning feels unwieldy and it would just make sense to have it all on NF since this is where I work out my plans and progress. So! This will not be a battle log of daily updating. It will be a battle log of bird's eye view planning and archiving, to ensure that all of the challenge quests have at least a general sense of direction.

Hope. Isn't that what the new year brings, and inspires us to look ahead and plan for a brighter future? Future Us has yet to live up to our grand visions, but should we stop dreaming? Of course not. That's the point of the plan - to turn a hopeful vision into reality. So I have a plan. It's a lot like last year's plan, which did not survive real life all that well. Mostly because I wrote it and then worked off my vague memory of it only when I felt like it, then ditched things when it was clear I couldn't achieve them. Not the best follow-through. This year, I am going to work on integrating my plan better with my challenges and not bailing when things aren't going as I'd hoped. You miss 100% of the shots you don't take; you'll never reach 100% of the goals you never strive for. Progress not perfection. Etcetera. My goals for this challenge are a mix of habits and setting up Future Me for success. I hope. (It's long. Brace yourself.) STR Exercise daily with GMB programs. Make a list of specific movements that could be interesting to build towards, such as a pullup or pistol. I have my exercise scheduled; I have just been ignoring it. Stop doing that. This was a regular enough habit not too long ago that I'm hoping it will come back quickly. The second goal is to combat the "but I don't know what I want to do!" excuse with "you can do this, and this is how you can get there, and this is what you should do first". Because I'm lazy and I will absolutely cop out if I let myself make excuses. DEX I will build a skill tree to figure out which movements "unlock" harder skills. See above excuse in STR, except the problem with DEX skills is always "oh, I can't work on that, because I need to be able to do x first" and then find out I need another thing before that, and then get discouraged. So, skill tree idea. What are the basic moves that unlock other things? Learn those. Planning in winter when the great outdoors isn't fun to play in seems wise. CON Plan a walking route for later adventure. This got postponed for Covid, but I still really want to do it. Need a route that will hit accommodation and food sources at reasonable intervals, avoid busy roads, and otherwise be fun and doable. Plus planning this is exciting and makes it more real. INT Read two books per challenge, one fiction, one non-fiction, both of a different genre/topic than previous challenge. This is a new thing I am trying. I tend to order a lot of things on one topic, then either never read them, or consume a lot on a limited range of topics but never really digest it because it's too much to really process and take on board. And then never rarely read fiction, and ignore my classics goal. So. One fiction. One non-fiction. That's probably more books than I'm actually reading right now. I'm allowed to read more if I really want to, but not on the same topic or in the same genre for a whole month. Exceptions for books that are for other goals rather than for interest (ex. travel guides for walking route planning) and my breaktime language practice books. WIS Find a study circle and join it. Read Quran every day, even if only a handful of verses. Pray every day, even if just a quick prayer of gratitude. I will try to build these habits. I sort of had them, but then lost them. Fingers crossed they come back reasonably easily. The study circle is a bit of a stretch goal with all of the other planning. It's going to take a fair bit of work to find one that I can mesh with, but it would be very nice to have a little bit of community, even if it is online. CHA Properly investigate the volunteering options I have identified and commit to at least one by the end of the challenge. In my battle log I listed the options I'm currently looking at that work with my skills, interests, and restrictions. But I can't possibly do all of them, so I need to make choices. Occupational Get all my Amazon stock listed. Finish up VO booth. Really need to get buttons, get them sewn, see if that whole system works, and try something else if it doesn't. My whole plan in this category is held back by this, so DO IT! I also went through my books again, so I have another pile of potential stock to be listed. I would like the space more than I would like a tiny wall of books, and I really don't want to have to move them again. Art & Tool Practice fiddle every day. Find a tutor for fiddle. Have another look at the many organization categories that need purging and make some sort of realistic plan for this. Make a list of things I would like to try (ex. plant dyeing, knife throwing, beadweaving) but never have, and try one per challenge cycle. One session of trying it out is fine to fulfill the goal. I already have fiddle on my schedule and had the habit, but lost it after the move. It's another "hope it comes back easily with a little effort" goal. Finding a tutor to teach me basic stuff I may be messing up is very Covid-dependent, but I can at least do the research. I already have a list of categories of out-of-control stuff somewhere that I just need to find and review. And brainstorming list should be an easy fun thing. Not sure if I'll get to actually doing one of the things on it this challenge, but I hope so! Language Make a plan to practice listening, speaking, reading, and writing into my regular routine. Schedule this if necessary. Think up one major challenging event or activity in each language per year. This can be attending an event, travel, or some other immersion activity, such as taking a course or writing a story. Continue my daily Duolingo lessons in at least one language per day, as well as my Arabic lessons through Bayyinah (at least two per week). This is another that sounds like a lot but really isn't. I am already doing Duo every day (100 day streak hit recently; woo!). I have been working sporadically on finding opportunities to practice my skills, but integrating it better, like by lurking on a Discord in that language, would be both easier and more fun. Just takes a bit of work on the front end to think up ways to make it easy and fun. This sounds like a lot. It might be too much, especially for habit-building. But the habits seem so small, and most of them are things I was doing until recently. And the rest are one-off research projects. If I don't finish them, they can carry over and it's not a big deal. I am worried about mixing one-off goals and habits. Historically, this has never gone well for the habits. Hoping that scheduling the habits will help, but I fear this is the triumph of hope over experience. Wish me luck!

I have been MIA on NerdFitness for quite some time. A few days ago I got a random bug to plan an introvert adventure. Some where nature like. Alone. As I've fleshed this idea out I'm leaning towards a rustic (hike in!) cabin, or maybe camping + hiking. This kind of trip would require some training and planning. I'm kind of out of shape and have never done anything like this before. A four week challenge is perfect for getting me started on prepping for my adventure. Move your feet I will go on a walk once a day. It can be long or short - just so long as I do it. Condition/Endurance Twice a week I will do some combination of: run/walk intervals, hiking, or rucking (bad weather sub: rowing machine) Strength Training Twice a week I will strength train: weights at gym, body weight at home, or rucking. I can't count the same rucking session for both Condition/Endurance and Strength Training. Life Goal: Plan the Adventure Pick a date and location, make a plan of what to do while I'm out adventuring, figure out what gear and supplies I'll need & make a packing and shopping list. Let the adventure prep begin! Edited to Add: I have some on going self improvement projects that I didn't include as part of this challenge, but still want to update on! 100 days of Fiddle/Violin Practice Any length practice so long as I do it, can be fiddle music or classical music. Sick and travel day contingency plan: listen to pieces currently working on, or use a music theory app to do some music theory study. Read 24 books in 2018 Pretty self explanatory! I'm going to at least partially work through Book Riot's Read Harder challenge to help expand my reading choices.

I have touched on this subject a time or two in my previous challenge titled "Birth of a Legend" but I am having problems fine-tuning our eating habits. I have been stuck in a rut trying to figure out a plan or menu per se that is affordable, caters to toddlers tastes and my dislike of pasta, and a hubby who prefers savory and rich meals that are super filling. This is where my problem is though. If we're going to start losing weight together we need to cut back on our caloric intake and burn more by exercising. But what is a good medium ground between the nutritional and caloric needs of a man and a woman? Men need more calories than women and from my experience, us women retain fat easier. Our budget is $250 for two weeks of meals breakfasts lunch and dinners. Any and all ideas are welcome and appreciated, hope to hear from y'all soon! P.S. What would be a good way to wean off of the fatty empty calorie foods to those that'll give us the energy to be able to start our workout regimen?

So after originally posting in the Ranger's forum I've been thinking on the journey ahead. I am stiff, and could probably stand to do a primer to get back into fighting form, so to speak. So Would I or should I join the Druids for a time since yoga is going to be a big part of my beginning or will it be okay to stay with the Rangers since they're more a cross-fit/ functional fitness minded group? Any and all suggestions are welcome and appreciated... Within reason.

This is January 8th 2018, I have not yet thought about my "Good resolutions" for the year. I just came back from 2 weeks of vacations during which I did nothing but what I wanted, search for serenity and truth and introspected while trying to identify what I want from life. I know 2 things: - Currently my life is NOT what I want my life to be - It will NOT magically change by itself, I need to plan / think / act in order to get what I want My vacations were good to identify what I want from life (hint: less work, more TIME, the one thing no one can buy), so now I need to plan HOW to get there. In 2018 I will likely have to or want to: - Change jobs - Change countries - Find more people who share my values and my sense of humor - Have time for ME - Do what is good for ME This is a tall order and I thus need time to see how I will get there. So I will take January to plan how to do that without sacrificing good habits. As a "side", I also want to get back on track with nutrition after 2 weeks of just "eat whatever you want, see or are offered". I have not dared weighting myself yet, but I am pretty sure I gained weight. So this first challenge of 2018 will be spent closing down unfinished business and planning for the rest of the year. These are 4 key questions and 1 norm question I should answer: - (Norm question) What mix of nutritional restriction and exertion do I want to have in my life? * What will be my weight/health goal? * How much do I want to restrict food, versus make smart nutritional choices? * How much exercise do I want to do on a regular basis and what is the place of strength training in there? Should I try PT? - What kind of job do I want? * What responsibilities, level of management? * What type of future do I want to have beyond this job? * What do I like to do at work? - Where should I live? * What country/city will enable me to be happy and have time for me, while not making me uncomfortable? (also offers a job which meets the conditions above) * How do I manage to be close to my family, independent and safe? * Where can I entertain myself, meet people (see next point!) and learn in the same place? - How do I meet new people (despite being afraid of meeting new people and having a terrible track record a meeting new people)? (Note: New people is considered as a large group, but I would also like to meet people who specifically share the same values as I do and also have some common ideas regarding humor or having fun, aka people who read but also enjoy music and imaginary worlds) * What activities should I try and do to meet new people ? * What places should I try to go to meet new people? * What should I do to ensure I continue meeting people once I met them for the first time? - How do I make sure I make myself happy beyond work? (aka happy things) * What makes me really happy? (Hint: Binge watching reruns does not qualify, Discovering a new season of GoT may) * How do I set time aside to do these things? * In an ideal world, how do I share these things and times with people? - How do I make sure I do the right thing for me? (aka reasonable things) * What are the right things? (Especially in terms of nutrition and exercise, but also in keeping or not people in my life) * How do I make sure to do them 80% of the time without making myself miserable? (How do I make them work with the happy things?) * How do I ensure I do not feel bad, feel guilty or worse ashamed if I am not doing these things? I will try to think about these things and test some ideas out this month and throughout the year, to see what works and what does not, and come up with a plan. Weekly goals: - By Jan 14: Establish norms for nutrition and exercise. Focus on 1 key question and identify answers - By Jan 21: Test answers for 1 key question and identify answers for a second KQ. Identify people who can help with answers (e.g., professionals such as headhunters and coaches, friends, family members) - By Jan 28: Test answers for 2 key questions and identify answers for a third KQ. Start discussing potential answers with key people to see what they think - By Feb 4: Test answers for 3 key questions and start finding answers for a fourth one. Start writing down what it means and how it is shaping up to be. After Feb 4, there will be unanswered questions. Live with it. Life cannot be planned .

Lincoln's Log Stardate [-4]94845.5 Well, I'm back. I decided to start here at the respawn point since I've been gone so long. These last few weeks have been very hard for me. My depression is coming back, due in part I think to the coming holidays (So it begins...), but also because of a couple of hiccups I've had in my personal life. Part of me thinks they aren't relevant to fitness, but they are hindering my ability to function, and that makes them relevant. Short version is this: I'm caught in a negative feedback loop of thinking "nothing ever works out" (which is a blatant lie though try telling the little twerp in my brain that). My 75 gallon aquarium didn't work out, so I had to deconstruct it (which ended up being for the better, so if there are any saltwater enthusiasts out there, let's talk! I need advice), I ended up not getting a job I really wanted (my brother got it, and I feel bad for feeling jealous), and I've started going back to Kung Fu but my social anxiety is preventing me form staying for the whole time (I'm very out of practice, and I'm a brown belt, so I feel like I'm expected to perform at a higher level). So yeah, that's why I've been out for a while. I'm starting to TRY to get out of this hole. I've started preparing all of my meals for the week (turkey and salmon burgers FTW), and I'm drinking a gallon of water every day. I'm also going to Kung Fu twice a week, and I'm planning on starting to do some Yoga in the mornings (next paycheck will be for the NF Yoga download thing). I also plan on starting to do strength training twice a week, though it would help if I could find people to work out with (I'm friends with three bodybuilders, just getting the courage to ask for their help is tough. That's how bad my self esteem has gotten). Anyway, that's my respawn report. Thank's for reading End of Log

Good morning community! Haven't posted much but thought I'd launch with a request. I've been dieting for about 3-4 years and am fairly happy with what goes into my body (thank god for myfitnesspal). Last September, after seeing I'd flat-lined for awhile, I found the "basic" bodyweight circuit. I've been doing that regularly (and added some weight/reps) but am wondering if there are other things I could/should be doing (I've shared the circuit with some others and they refer to it as a cardio circuit). I'm looking for some more strength training options to add in. Below is my typical week's worth of activities. Body weight circuit (typically 3x per week): 20 body weight squats (I'd added a dumb bell but my knees started acting up) 20 pushup (sometimes I elevate my feet on an ottoman) 20 lunges (10 each leg, alternating) 15 second planks (left oblique, center, right, then leg lift) 15 "curl rows" (just upped to 40 lbs) 30 jumping jacks 15 one arm "military press" (just upped to 20 lbs) I can finish 3 sets of the circuit in about 20-25 minutes Typically (~60-75%) I'll take the dog on a quick 2-3 mile walk after On alternate days I try to go for a 3 mile run (average 9 minute mile the first mile then slightly longer on the second two miles) My equipment is an exercise mat (so I don't have to plank, push-up on hardwood floor) and bowflex select dumbbells (dial/select weight thingies) Any input is appreciated

We all have 24 hours in a day. Somehow I manage to spent the majority of it f-ing around on Facebook. Zero Week: Going to try to figure out where all the time goes. Breakdown Monday: 1030 Wake up [WAKE UP TO BREAKFAST--50 minutes] Breakfast to 1120 Schoolwork to 1230 Lunch and video watching to 1430 Gym (and driving) to 1730 Traffic to 1820 School and drive home to 2115 Cook and DDF to 2205 Driving etc, bet at 0000 Tuesday: Wake up at 0500 0600-0700 class GB, school work to 0930 class to 1030 clean, etc to 1200 Take the dogs out, try to sleep to 1730 [OVER 5 HOURS UNACCOUNTED FOR] Schoolwork to 1900 BJJ to 2100 schoolwork, cook, DDF, etc, bed at 0000 Wednesday: 0940 wake up 1240 breakfast [4 HOURS UNACCOUNTED] GB Foundations, presentation, memes to 1600 driving and school to 2100 Thursday: 0500 wake up 0600-0700 class [90 minutes unaccounted] 0830-0900 class 0930-1030 class no idea after until Saturday morning. Eventually I will continue with my previous challenge: weekly task priority list, and CFE programming. In addition I will be working on my gymnastic skills by hitting up GB's Foundation program. 1. Prioritization Same weekly task list in descending importance. It has been working so far. 2. Addition by subtraction Statues are made not by adding, but by subtracting. I will find one thing to take a way per week. 3. Program Minimum GB Skills and CFE Programming. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Week 1 1) Task List: High Priority [x] Grocery [ ] Meal Prep [x] Final Exam (Wednesday) [x] Final Paper (Friday) Moderate Priority [ ] vehicle maintenance [ ] dog park [x] laundry [ ] organize closet Low Priority [ ] writing [ ] Duolingo [ ] organize desk 2) Addition by subtraction: This week will be an attempt to cut out the Ginger Ale (which will probably lead to me drinking more water). I seem to have been averaging 12 cans a week. 3) Program Minimum: GB Foundation [x] Front Lever [x] Side Lever [x] Manna [x] Straddle Planche [x] Hollow Back Press [x] Rope Climb [x] Single Leg Squat Sunday: [x] Rest Day, [ ] 1 hour study, [ ] 1 hour paper Monday: [x] Power Cleans, Pullups, HSPU, Rows, [x] 1 hour study, [ ] 1 hour paper Tuesday: [x] Squats, Dubs & Wall Balls, [ ] 800m, [ ] 1 hour study, [ ] 1 hour paper Wednesday: [x] Power Snatch & Ring Dips, [ ] 1 hour study, [ ] 1 hour paper Thursday: [x] 1-mile repeats, [ ] 1 hour paper Friday: [ ] Bench Press, KBS, [x] Finish paper Saturday: [ ] Run & Pullups, [ ] 200m repeats ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Week 2 1) Task List: High Priority [x] Grocery [ ] Meal Prep [ ] vehicle maintenance [ ] BJJ video (Ryan Hall Deep Half entry) [x] USA Gymnastics modules Low Priority [ ] organize desk [ ] writing [x] laundry [ ] organize closet [ ] dog park [x] Duolingo [ ] grad school application (letters of recommendation, goal statement, CV, writing sample by 15 Jan) [ ] 8weeksout modules 2) Addition by subtraction: Clear email, and unsubscribe from lists. 3) Program Minimum: GB Foundation [x] Front Lever [x] Side Lever [x] Manna [x] Straddle Planche [-] Hollow Back Press [-] Rope Climb [-] Single Leg Squat CFE Sunday: [x] Rest Day Monday: [x] Snatch; HPS, MU, Run Tuesday: [-] Press; Barbara [-] Sprint Ladders Wednesday: [-] Deadlift; Rowing Thursday: [x] 2k repeats Friday: [x] Squat; Power cleans, push press, front squat Saturday: [-] HSPU, SDHP, K2E [x] 100m repeats ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Week 3 1) Task List: High Priority [x] Grocery [x] Meal Prep [x] vehicle maintenance Low Priority [x] FAFSA [x] VA certs [ ] grad school application (letters of recommendation, goal statement, CV, writing sample by 15 Jan) [ ] BJJ video (Ryan Hall Deep Half entry) [ ] organize desk [ ] writing [x] laundry [ ] organize closet [ ] dog park [x] Duolingo [x] 8weeksout module 1 2) Addition by subtraction: Clear open browser tabs on laptop by the end of the week. 3) Program Minimum: GB Foundation [x] Front Lever [x] Side Lever [x] Manna [x] Straddle Planche [x] Hollow Back Press [x] Rope Climb [ ] Single Leg Squat CFE Sunday: [x] Rest day Monday: [x] Clean cycling, [-] Burpees Tuesday: [-] Rest day Wednesday: [-] Push Press & Box Jumps, [x] 30-sec. Repeats Thursday: [-] Thrusters & C2B, [-] Hang Power Clean, Ring Pushups Friday: [-] Bench Press, 400m & OHS Saturday: [x] 60-min Run ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Week 4 1) Task List: High Priority [x] Meal Prep [x] Parking Sticker [ ] grad school application (letters of recommendation, goal statement, CV, writing sample by 15 Jan) [ ] Budget Spreadsheet Low Priority [ ] BJJ video (Ryan Hall Deep Half entry) [ ] organize desk [ ] writing [ ] laundry [ ] organize closet [ ] dog park [x] Duolingo [ ] 8weeksout module 2) Addition by subtraction: Clear open browser tabs on laptop by the end of the week. 17 total on computer. Then proceed to phone. 3) Program Minimum: GB Foundation [x] Front Lever [ ] Side Lever [ ] Manna [x] Straddle Planche [x] Hollow Back Press [x] Rope Climb [ ] Single Leg Squat CFE Sunday: [x] Rest day Monday: [-] Squats, Cindy Tuesday: [x] Dubs, Ring Dips, Power Cleans; [ ] 5-min Intervals Wednesday: [y] Push Jerk, 800m, Muscle-ups, Push Press Thursday: [ ] 800m Friday: [ ] Snatch, Clean Saturday: [ ] 60-min Run

So, December is my least favorite month. I've never been officially diagnosed or anything, but I suspect that I have a touch of Seasonal Affective Disorder. I sometimes struggle with bouts of depression and the struggle gets much worse in the winter months. Basically I just want to hibernate and have little motivation to do anything. On top of this, I struggle with bad feelings about the holiday season, because I'm not personally that into the whole thing for a slew of reasons I won't bore you all with. Nothing awful or traumatic, just a bunch of personal idiosyncrasies really. But I also feel the need to make an effort because of my family and also just feeling like only grumpy assholes don't like the holidays. It all just tends to become a downward spiral of depression, stress, and anxiety in which I feel bad for feeling bad because after all it is THE HAPPIEST TIME OF THE YEAR (TM). Every year I joke about just going away somewhere, but this year I'm going to figure out how to make it work for me and not be miserable. Goals for this challenge: EXERCISE AND SELF-CARE 1. Go to yoga class once a week. I was going fairly regularly to yoga but started slacking off in the fall once they changed the time of the class I was going to regularly to 15 minutes earlier. I'm awful at mornings and 15 minutes earlier just doesn't work, but there are a bunch of classes later in the morning that I can certainly go to. I went today and realized how much I had missed it and how good it is for me. 2. Stretch. At least 15 minutes of stretching a day, focusing on working toward splits and preventing ongoing shoulder problems resulting from computer overuse. 3. Meditate with sunlamp. I've been really good about this and I think it's helping! Keep meditating at least 15 minutes a day, with sunlamp to fight the SAD. 4. Other exercise. If I don't have an aerials class or yoga, do at least 15 minutes of exercise every day. Pullups, pushups, abs, weights. SURVIVE AND THRIVE THE HOLIDAYS 1. Daily check-in. Is there anything holiday-task related that I need to do today? Is there anything that I am dwelling on that is making me upset? What can I be positive about today? 2. Prepare for the New Year. As much as Christmas makes me unhappy, I totally look forward to the New Year- starting over, making new plans, etc. Part of my plan for December is to try to view this as a period of cleansing/planning/trial by fire in order to start the New Year fresh. What can I do to be ready to enact positive changes and new projects in the New Year that will stick? This year I'm also thinking of rituals to do on New Year's day that will hopefully become a tradition. So far I'm planning on doing an hour-long meditation and going for a long walk in my local park (assuming the weather isn't bad enough to create unsafe conditions, but it's a paved 4.5 mile loop trail so as long as its safe to drive there it should be ok to walk.)

Rangering back up again, due to my incessant need to do all the things all the time. I imagine the main goal in this challenge would be prioritization, time management, and accountability. 1. Weekly Task List Because I've gotten used to [what I perceive as] chaotic and overwhelming schedules, I tend to wing it in life. Not only does it make my schedule even more unmanageable, I tend to miss a lot of important stuff as well. As said in Extreme Ownership, discipline equals freedom. I'll be working on my task list and priorities at the beginning of the week, and do my best to accomplish them. 2. Follow The Program I'm running a marathon on the first week of January, and I'm not sure why. I tried training for it classically by slowly ramping up the miles but the volume was killing me and eating up my entire day (even though I was able to hatch some sweet Pokemon out of it). Now I'm following Brian MacKenzie's 12-week program from The 4-hour Body, as it sounds more in line with my situation and goals (i.e. having a life other than running) and programming for oneself sucks. We'll see what happens. I would also like to maintain 1-2 BJJ sessions a week, and get some handstands in; nothing too crazy--just play and practice. 3. 22 Push-ups I was tagged by one of my students in the 22 Push-ups 10 days ago. I'm doing it. I'm not tagging anyone; I'm just doing it and if someone sees it or makes a donation, great. But I'd like to see it through, with 12 more days to go. Whether the movement is helping or not is beyond me, but I have had my own (now funny) experience(s) with it, so I don't really think I doubt my [primary] intentions. 4. Side Quest: Sleep Tracking Because I love sleep.

I was going for an alliterative title, but looking up "holiday" in the thesaurus led me to "event," which suggested calamity -- er, I hope not catastrophe -- not any better crisis -- I give up I also tried "hiatus" as the seed, which brought up caesura -- ah, if only it was a hard "c" coffee break -- which I have a habit of skipping (right, @Chronosus?) Anyway.... Guess that I'm doing on the last day of the challenge?? . . . . . . . Flying to ENGLAND. Move over, Toothless. I'll be in England and Wales for most of next challenge. This will be my first time back in the UK since I finished my Master's there August 2015, and to say I'm excited is a bit of an understatement. So this challenge is going to be travel prep + some more health troubleshooting + further cementing some habits. Goal 1: Develop skills for easy, reasonably accurate scale-free tracking Calibrate my eyes: Practice eyeballing weights of meat and sweet potatoes. Use the scale to determine how far I'm off. Define macro units: One loose tracking method I've used before is to define macro units (e.g., 1 tablespoon of coconut oil = 1 fat unit), convert my main foods to those units, and then just track those instead of counting calories. I need to come up with reasonable units based on my current eating habits, make a list of how different foods roughly translate to these units, and figure out what my targets should be on lifting and rest days. Clearly defining what I need to eat on a day-to-day basis should also help with efficient grocery shopping. Goal 2: Learn KStar's travel tips A while back I spotted some mWODs on how not to be a mobility wreck post traveling. I need to track those down, watch them, and figure out what I can implement so I don't spend the plane rides unbearably uncomfortable. Goal 3: Take a holiday from the fruit Stop eating fruit for two or three weeks and see if that helps me sleep better (proposed mechanism would be by keeping my blood sugar more stable). I suspect I tolerate starches better than simple fruit sugars. Afterwards: can try re-introducing some fruit (especially berries), but limit to 5 servings/week because I don’t need to go to town on fruit. Goal 4: More meditation Meditate at least 3x/week for 20+ min. I'm going to see if fewer, but more focused meditations works better for me than shorter daily meditations, which have been feeling perfunctory. LUYL Goal: Set a schedule Plan blocks of time for my main activities (research, lifting, walking, cooking, etc.) on Google calendar at least a few days in advance. The schedule does not have to be followed at all, though I will try to accomplish most tasks, albeit not necessarily at the planned time. The goal is to consider how I need to plan my time to get certain things done, and to impose some (optional) structure on my day since I don't have much external structure. Continue slowly increasing the amount of time I work each week (though this does not need to be monotonically increasing). Track the amount of time worked so I know if I'm making progress. Work needs to be distraction free (e.g., no phone or Internet surfing), but I'm lifting my 30 min. minimum length requirement from last challenge since I can get a lot done in 15-20 min spurts between chores (laundry, cooking, etc.). I will probably be around even less than usual because of that work goal, so apologies in advance for disappearing! 31 days 1 hr 51 minutes and 40 sec til my flight lands

Starting Measurements: Weight: 135.4 lbs Fat %: 30 Bust: Waist: Hips: Squat: 66 lbs OHP: 31 lbs Bench: 30 lbs Deadlift: 110 lbs ---- Quest #1: Trains to face the Red Bull Being brave enough to face the Red Bull will require an extraordinary measure of strength. Continue SS Programming 3x per week +3 STR Quest #2: Escapes from Mommy Fortuna Escaping from the Midnight Carnival requires dexterity of movement to sneak away from Fortuna and the Harpy. Foam Rolling 3x per week (training off days) +2 DEX Quest #3: Eats a taco Gaining strength and dexterity requires getting enough fuel in the tank. I am not looking to hit numbers for this challenge, because I think that would set me up to fail. Just to get in the habit of tracking. Once I have data for the month, I will look at adjusting my diet to hit the numbers. Track protein & calorie intakes 6x per week +2 CON LUYL #1: Travels on and on It’s a long journey to find the other unicorns, and that requires a plan. This quest is aimed at getting me to consistently plan out my days, so I’m not just floating through my days without know what I’m supposed to be doing. Bullet Journal 5x per week +1 WIS LUYL #2: Sparkles and shines A small habit to get shiny. Shine Your Sink 7x per week +1 STA LUYL #3: Talks to the butterfly I need to actually practice the lessons my coach is giving me. This is a target to build space into my schedule for that. Vocal Practice 3x per week (training off days) +1 CHA

Hey - I'm an Assassin by trade, but this challenge I'm going to be hanging out here with the Warriors, lifting heavy things, and hopefully learning a lot I started weightlifting 2 years ago, very inconsistently and with no structure to my workouts. I've had good results, but now I need some focus and forethought. Oh, and to give some idea who I am: 25-year-old male from UK1 metre 85 (6 foot 1 inch)73kg (160#) (11.5 stone)back squat: ~100kg (220#)deadlift: up to 140kg (308#)bench: 67.5kg (148#)overhead press: up to 45kg (99#)weighted pull-up: +31.25kg (69#)As well as weightlifting, I do Assassin things like gymnastics, climbing, gymnastics rings, handbalancing, bodyweight exercises, slacklining, and more gymnastics. The challenge just finished was all about making a compilation video of what I'd been working on - you can check it out here: Now for this challenge, I'm going to be on holiday in Morocco in mid-October, so I'll be starting immediately: Goal #1: solid weightlifting: I want to go into each of my weightlifting sessions with a clear plan - and then execute that plan. I've been chasing 1-rep maxes too much, so I'll be dropping down to the ~5-rep range for this challenge. I usually lift weights on Thursday evenings. I need my muscles fresh for gymnastics on Monday and Thursday, so I rarely lift on other days, and need a 2- to 3-hour workout on Thursdays to compensate... Points available: +5 STR (up to +1 for each weightlifting session planned and executed according to plan). I'm open to suggestions for how to plan my workouts - at the moment I'm doing 20 reps at 80% of my 1-rep max, as fast as possible and split into as many sets as needed. Goal #2: study form: my weightlifting form has too much guesswork in it, so I should make a serious attempt to educate myself more on the correct form for the 5 lifts I'm working on (squat, deadlift, bench, OHP and weighted pull-up). Points available: +2 WIS (+0.50 for each of the 5 lifts ({deadlift, squat, bench, OHP, weighted pull-up}) but not counting the first) Goal #3: core work: core work is essential for a gymnast, and I've been slacking recently. I should do an extended core workout (about 15 minutes) once per week and a couple of days before gymnastics so my DOMS doesn't interfere with skill training. I will do this also in Morocco. Points available: +3 STA (+0.50 for each weekly session - max 6) Goal #4: plan for gymnastics: I've also stagnated on gymnastics and keep drilling the same bad habits, so for this challenge, each time I train (1-2 times per week) I must have one or two new things to work on, and actually spend time on them during the session. Points available: +3 DEX (+0.50 for each session - max 6) Goal #5: get things done: to continue with the unintentional theme of planning in this challenge, I shall choose one substantial item from my amorphous to-do list every day and do it. I must choose the item by lunchtime, usually to be done in the evening. This starts on Thursday 10th September and continues until Thursday 8th October, skipping Friday 18th - Monday 21st September because I'm on a trip for those days. Points available: +1 CON & +1 CHA depending on number of days completed: grade A: 21-25grade B: 18-20grade C: 15-17grade D: 12-14 Good luck everyone - let's all have plenty of successes this time around ~~~~ TRACKING ~~~~ Goal #1: solid weightlifting: tally of sessions: 2: +2.00 STR Goal #2: study form: studied: OHPdeadlift +0.50 WISGoal #3: core work: once per week: week 1: YESweek 2: YESweek 3: -week 4: YESweek 5: week 6: Goal #4: gymnastics plan: list of planned skills: ring handstand; round-off: +1.00 DEX Goal #5: get things done: (failed challenge)

Hello, everyone! Wow, what an usual post for this part of the forum, no? I thought I'd do so here, though, not as a means of picking myself back up after failure, per se, but to really become reacquainted with the forums, and to state where I'm at personally. When I first signed up several months ago, I was not in good shape. Digestion was a wreck; turns out I had a case of S.mall I.ntestinal.B.acterial.O.vergrowth. I was still fighting my past as a former vegan, trying to push away ANY opportunity to eat animal foods, and eating soy from tempeh and tofu, which it turns out my body absolutely HATED. On top of that, I was committing to taking too many aerobics classes at my gym, which basically canceled out any progress I would make when it came to lifting. In my personal life, I was struggling to find work as a newly certified yoga instructor; I was so consumed by yoga that I was in a state of denial, thinking that all I had to do was teach yoga and be happy. Other aspects of my life were out of control, from the minute things such as cleaning up my workspace, getting my workouts in (yeah… I skipped, a lot), setting up priorities, surrounding myself with things that brought me down (I was subscribed to a lot of vegans waxing poetical against paleo and meat eating, as well as believing that all meat eaters deserved to die; not a good state of mind to have I believe, even if you're vegan- I also was letting myself be guilted by former friends I knew way back in high school who were essentially bullying my lifestyle and choice to not go the traditional route and enroll in college…). Anyway, I had things that needed to be straightened up pronto. Around mid April I should say, I first decided to slowly add back in some meat. I still do not eat animal foods every day, but I am getting close to doing so. My stomach acid is very low, especially after having SIBO, so I'm currently supplementing right now to boost it up; major improvements so far, as it no longer feels like there's food sitting in my gut for hours. I also kicked the SIBO infection to the curb, which is no easy feat. Digestion is still a matter of maintenance, but so far, I've improved dramatically. With my workouts and nutrition, I'm going to preface by saying I'm a natural hard-gainer, with a bit of endomorph thrown in; I can certainly feel an improvement or change post workout. But visually, I'm an ectomorph through and through. I've tried the old fashioned approach of eating everything in plain sight, but because of my former IBS struggles, yeast infections, and recently, SIBO, doing so was not good both for my digestion and state of mind. Now, I just try to focus on investing in nutrient-rich, whole foods; leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, squash, fermented foods (kefir, kraut, kimchi, pickles, miso, kumbocha), chicken liver (don't knock it till you try it), eggs, fish, chicken/turkey, etc; I take L-Glutamine (post workout and in the afternoon, mainly for gut health), a good multivitamin, HCL (for low stomach acid), probiotic (doctor's orders), and a fermented greens powder that's also good for gut health (Vitality Greens by Body Ecology). That's it. At the gym, I lift 4X a week; 2X Upper, 2X Lower. I work on my core once or twice a week. HIIT once a week. Long Hobbit walks a few days a week, depending on time and the weather. Yoga/Foam Rolling/Deep Stretching (YIN) DAILY; good for the body, good for the mind, and good for the spirit. I used to struggle at using the 20 pound barbell back in March, now I'm at 30 pounds, and am close to using the 40 pound one. I use the machines as well, and have varying set weights I've managed to improve upon; too much to list here, but I'll say I've jumped up quite a bit since April on all of them! I can see some improvement physically; there's a bit of size to my lower body now, and some of my workout pants are actually starting to tighten up a bit. My upper body, though still thin, has gotten a bit of definition at last. Same for my core, which is the hardest to really 'tone', as my IBS can flare up and cause a bit of bloating on occasion (which is why I avoid eating out whenever I can). Otherwise, I'm finally starting to see some 'gains', even if they are small. The best results have come from my performance. Well, I think I'll stop here, but I just want to say to all of you reading this, that consistency truly is key, and fine tuning along the way isn't so bad either. Just commit. Persist Until Something Happens Yours Truly, The Dragon

Hello, fellow Rebels! I've already made an intro ( Don't Slay This Dragon! ) to myself, but I'll describe my body type to help set some background- Petite- 4 foot 9 inches tall Bone Structure- Small. Delicate. (Have been 'tiny' all my life). Fast metabolism. Ectomorph. Cons: Too much muscle gives a bulky appearance; I've been there. I end up looking more 'boxy' and get a thick waist. Dietary Restrictions: IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). Cannot digest dairy. Currently plant based, but have been incorporating animal foods a few times week for dinner for the past few months. Goals: Body Sculpting - Strength, flexibility, and stamina - Tone (there I said it- as any other word escapes me at the moment): Arms (especially the shoulders), core, and calves. - More flexibility; I need to be careful, however, as I am hypermobible in my back. Currently training to become a certified yoga instructor. A lithe physique. Panther like? Lean, strong. Something that can be maintained and not unrealistic (ie, NOTa bikini competitor's body). Some good examples are dancers. Zuzka Light. A body that relatively stays the same all year round, and is healthy and fit. Current Training Schedule: Mon- Strength Training, Abs, Yoga/Stretching Tue- Rest Wed- Body Pump (strength training based) class at gym, Yoga Thur- Body Combat, Martial Arts-Inspired cardio class at gym. Yoga/Stretching Fri- Yoga, Pilates Sat- Strenghth Training OR Body Pump class at gym, Yoga Sun- Yoga (light), active-rest day I was noticing subtle improvments for a while, but now I've reached a plateu, ad it seems as though nothing I can do is going to give me any muscle/tone. Weight range: 7.5- 40 pound weights; I alternate between light dummbell work and the machines at my local 24 Hour Fitness. Ideas and observations are welcome!

So I'm going to make this easy on myself, and literally copy and paste from one of my previous challenges, what I would consider my most successful challenge. *** [The following content copied from here] Goals: Diet- Nothing is drastically changing here. I have a chart of foods to choose from, and each meal and snack is a combination of different foods from different groups. Simply put, I get a point for each food that falls under my plan, and a negative point for anything that is outside of the plan, as in extra food, sweets or alcohol. Unlimited non-starchy vegetables are allowed, so no worries about going hungry. My point goal for each day is between 11.5 - 12. The total points for the entire challenge will be 483-504 for a perfect score. Now, as long as I follow the plan 80% of the time, I will still pass the challenge. (CON 2 STA 1 WIS 1) Like I said, I've made up note cards and have the points all broken out so it will be easy to keep track of. And it's not that different from how I eat most of the time now anyway. Point goal for each day = 10. Total points for perfect challenge = 390. Fitness- Focus on strength training, while continuing my cardio to show results. As far as which workouts I will do, that I will not be including as part of the challenge, only because I plan on trying some new things soon. For the purpose of the challenge though, just making sure I do include strength training 3 times per week is what I want to focus on. I also plan on keeping a journal to track progress. (CHA 1) Strength training – 3x per week = 18 workouts (STR 2) If I manage 2x per week = 12 workouts (STR 1) Convict Conditioning Cardio – 5x per week goal, 3x per week pass = 18-30 cardio workouts (DEX 1, STA 2, CHA 1) Preparation – Planning is everything. I’ve found that how well my day goes, at least weekdays, depends almost entirely on how well I prepared for it the day before. So, point for every day that I make all necessary preparations for the next day. Total points = 42 39. (STA 1, CON 2, WIS 1) Life goal: Update more, and include more detail in my posts. *** *** I'm dealing with a different set of challenges this time around though. Well, I possibly am. Let me explain. I work a job, Monday - Friday, 8:30am-4:30pm. That was what I was doing earlier this year when my challenges went fairly well and I was focused. Now, I work that job, but I have another job. Typically I work second job Wednesday - Saturdays, 5 or 6pm to anywhere from 10pm-2am. It's at a bar, hence the undetermined schedule. Suffice to say, this is difficult, even when I'm not trying to work out and eat well. I had decided on Saturday that I would quit, that the little bit of extra money I've been making has not been worth the physical and emotional exhaustion I feel almost constantly. But I'm not sure yet, and I'm still trying to make up my mind on that. I'd like to give this challenge a go either way, and I feel like whichever choice I make will definitely affect how well I do. I've been thinking non-stop about this today and yesterday and will continue to do so.

Hello everyone, and thank you for clicking on my thread! I find it hard to believe that I'm on my third challenge already, time really does fly. My last challenge started out well but I really fell off the wagon towards the end, and I want to do better this time around. During the last two months of summer my daily and weekly schedule would change all the time, and the inconsistensy of it made it hard for me to keep up a workout routine. Last week my studies started again, and after a whole week of being back at campus every day and still not taking time to work out, I'm tired of my sloppiness. I want to get back into a routine, get myself moving again and hopefully begin to feel better about myself. QUEST 1: Habit builder There are many small things I want to get into the habit of doing, that all will help improve the quality of life somehow. 1. Floss. I want to take care of my teeth so that they will last my whole life with a minimum of dental work. Flossing is too easy to forget or neglect, so it's time to do something about that. I will start small and work my way up. Week 1&2 - floss once a week Week 3&4 - floss twice a week Week 5&6 - floss three times a week 2. Wrist work. My wrists are quite weak and can sometimes start hurting when I'm doing pushups, handstand work or dips. Best case scenario they recover immediately (this is the usual case), but worst case is that they stay sore for several days, and during that time I can't put any extra strain on them. I have talked to a doctor, and she gave me a list of exercises I can do to strenghten the muscles in my wrists. Week 1 - do 10 reps of each exercise once a day Week 2 - do 12 reps of each exercise once a day Week 3 - do 12 reps of each exercise twice a day Week 4 - do 15 reps of each exercise twice a day Week 5 - do 15 reps of each exercise three times a day Week 6 - do 20 reps of each exercise three times a day 3. Skin care. Even though I don't wear makeup every day, I want to wash my face every night to get rid of the sweat and dirt that has gathered during the day. A clean face means less clogged pores and less zits to worry about. REWARDS: +2 CHA +2 WIS QUEST 2: Fitness I want and need to start working out regularly again. Strength training and my dance squad practises are a must, but I also desperately want to enjoy running. I completed a 10k race two weeks ago and I'd like to get better at running that distance. Getting out on the run is usually the hardest step, so I recently purchased Zombies, run! in the hope that the missions there will get my gaming mind hooked and make the getting out-process easier. My schedule will look something like this: Monday - strength training Tuesday - dance practise (+ running) Wednesday - strength training Thursday - running Friday - strength training Saturday/Sunday(whichever fits better that current weekend) - running Fortunately I have quite few classes this fall, but I suspect the workload on at least two of them will be quite heavy. Therefore I need to try getting my workout done before I start any schoolwork. I know myself well enough to know that if I leave the workout for last I will have spent all my energy doing everything else, and no workout will be done. In other words, bring on the morning workouts! REWARDS: +2 STA +2 STR +2 CON QUEST 3: Music I started taking piano lessons when I was five and stopped when I was sixteen, and by now my skills are way below the level I had when I stopped playing. Since I stopped taking lessons I've played occasionally, but I want to get into it again. I used to be able to play so many beautiful pieces almost perfectly, and I really, really want to be able to do that again. To accomplish this, I will spend at least 15 minutes playing anything I feel like on my keyboard every other day. I have lots of sheet music and my sister has more, so there should be no shortage. REWARDS: +2 WIS +1 DEX The Heart Asks Pleasure First was one of my favourites to play. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dPS-EHl-FE LIFE QUEST: So you think you can plan Fun fact: I love calendars. I love writing down at what time everything should be done, and I love having a schedule to follow. Logically it then follows that I'm good at getting stuff done too, right? Well...the problem is I get distracted. By a video, an interesting discussion nearby, an instant message, these forums, you name it. I also think I sometimes don't realise how much time I spend trying to do something, but it amounts to nothing because the actual working time is maybe 10% of the total time I've spent doing it. So, I want to try a kind of reverse planning: I write down what I spend my time on so that I afterwards can see how I really spent my day. Yes, this means writing down "spent 10 minutes checking Facebook" when I do that. Yes, I totally stole this idea from Batwoman's challenge. It was too good not to take. I hope this also will give a better idea of how much time I need to reserve for the important things like schoolstuff, and how much I can spend on fun activities like visiting my parents or fangirling on tumblr. Then I will also know if I have the time to help out in the student restaurant when they ask me for help or not. REWARDS: +1 CHA +1 STA

'Ello! I have previously done challenges with the Monks, but I’m taking a different approach this challenge. I completely bailed on the last challenge I started, which was a few months ago. None of the changes I’ve made throughout challenges this year have stuck. I felt really low, so at the beginning of August I joined the NF Academy. Since then, I have spent a lot of time reading and reviewing the information, and completing some of the beginning challenges, but now it’s time to really make some changes. I’m gonna be honest. I don’t really want to participate in this challenge. But I NEED the challenge. So even though I missed the start date, I’m still joining. I need the push and the accountability. Even when I do poorly on the challenges, I do better than when I’m not in a challenge. So here I am. And here are my goals: Walk to Mordor I will complete a 5 minute minimum daily walk. I'll do this first thing when I get home from work (first thing in the morning on weekends). I tend to plop onto the couch after work "just for a few minutes" and it turns into the whole night wasted in front of the TV. In the past, I've always liked the idea of working out in the morning before work, but it has never been a success for me. Working out right after work, while annoying, has worked for me, so that's what I'm going to do. I'm also going to track my miles and chart my path to Mordor. (1 point each day = 42 points total) Academy Workout I’ll be following the NF Academy plan that I've chosen to follow, consisting of bodyweight workouts. I'll pair these with my after work walks for the days they fall on. (3 points each week = 21 points total) Preparation I will have lunches ready for the week on Sundays as much as possible, the night before at the latest. This means completing any meal prep necessary. I'll also plan dinners on Saturday or Sunday for the following week and complete any prep needed for those. This has been a goal of mine in the past that I did really well with, and I believe contributed more to my success than anything else I've done. I'll be adding to it, by having workout clothes set out each night. That way, when I come home from work, they are ready for me to change into. It doesn't sound like a big deal, but when I get home, I just want out of my office wear and I'll put on the first comfy thing I find... which is, occasionally, my bathrobe. Not cool. (1 point each day = 42 points total) Motivation Simple. I want to feel better. In every way.

I'm notoriously bad for wanting to do ALL THE THINGS! I get involved with a lot, and then don't get to put my all into it and focus on a few things. This challenge I really want to focus on the basics and tracking my progress. The last couple challenges I've gotten off track and focused on health things that, while important, aren't the big things. My ultimate goal is to lose weight. I would like to get back down to ~150lbs or less. A few weeks ago I noticed my pants were a bit snug, and weighed myself for the first time in a couple months and I'm currently at my heaviest ever (and not for the good reasons). I want to stop moving in the wrong direction. I think the reason that I've never really succeeded with losing weight in the past was because I was actually pretty happy right where i was. But now that's changed and I need to and do this! Goals 1) Whole30/paleo - I'm currently doing a whole30 but it'll be over on June 23. After that I plan to eat strict paleo. My goal is that I stick largely with the whole30 approved foods, but I'll be allowed to combine ingredients to make things that aren't allowed on whole30. I will be allowed 1 non-paleo meal/snack a week. The goal is that when it's non-paleo it's not "looks like I'll have a giant fast food meal" but instead "hmmm, maybe I do want a glass of wine/beer, fries with that" A - 6 weeks B - 5 weeks C - 4 weeks D - 3 weeks F - <3 weeks Grade + can be awarded if I ate 100% paleo. Grade - if I had more than 1 non paleo meal/snack. 2) Monday night workout - This is to be a test drive of the class I'm planning for my fall strength training class. Between a good workout here and the Group Power class I teach Thursdays, these should meet my strength training requirements. If I have a sub for a class (I already know I do on June 26th because i'm going to Tegan & Sara! I need to make up the workout by attending a group power class. June 25th I'm starting an aerial silks class, and I plan to continue practicing aerial hoop on Sundays! A - 6 weeks B - 5 weeks C - 4 weeks D - 3 weeks F - <3 weeks 3) Walks - minimum of 3 - 30 minute walks per week. I have a gorgeous park right behind my house and there is really no reason not to do this. 30 minutes is a short time, I just need to DO IT. I spend all day at a desk, I need more movement in my life. Life side quest Create list of 3 important things to get done for the next day. I think that by choosing this one, I can incorporate other tasks (some listed below) into here without getting overwhelmed. Life stuff: work on business plando fitness conference sponsorship stufftalk to kinesiology department head about cptdecorate house/prepare for condo-versary housewarming partymake plans to see people more oftenTracking: I stopped doing things this way a while back, and I think I need to pick it up again: 1) Paleo - 6/7 6.5/7 3/6 4.5/6 0/6 0/6 = 20/38 2) Workouts 2/2 2/2 1/2 2/2 2/2 0/2 = 9/12 3) Walks - 2.5/3 2/3 2/3 1.5/3 0/3 0/3 = 8/18 Three things - 7/7 6/7 3/7 2/7 0/7 0/7 = 18/42 Starting stats (pre-whole 30) May 24: Weight: 159.5lbs Bust: 38" Ribcage: 33.5" Biceps: 12.5" Waist: 33" Hips: 39" Pants-level: 37.5" Thighs: 23"

Meal planning is my greatest weakness. I can never figure out what I need from the grocery store & I can't figure out how to plan meals for more than just one day. As a result, me doing well is me eating the exact same breakfast, lunch, & dinner every day until the next week when I go to the store again. Me doing bad is me not having enough/the right food from the grocery store & having to either go back or eat out. I feel like a babe in the Lost Woods. How do you plan meals for an entire week? (Or for longer - I know there's superhumans who do all their grocery shopping for 2 weeks or longer) How do you get the right groceries? How do I adult? If there's already an article, somebody please link it here. If not, Steve - help please! All other advice welcome & in fact requested.

Last-minute sign up. (Oh and has anyone played Ragnarok Online back when it was actually cool? I was a perfect dodge assassin but never reached max level so it was useless, haha. But fun.) On to the 'max' level irl now, though! And for motivational (? yeah, whatever) purposes, have a turtle! Awww! Main goal: Don't give up now! Keep exercising and keep eating healthily. How-to #1: Exercise 3 times a week (BW, stepmania, swimming, 'hill' walking) and at least 4 walks on top of that. I've been walking a lot lately. I've realised that while exercise is good, feels good and makes me feel strong, it doesn't counter the stress as much as simply walking does. After walking for about 10 minutes I (almost involuntarily) sigh, draw a deep breath and I can feel tension leaving me, muscles relaxing and my shoulder going down to where they should be. I also just really like being able to look around and be able to see fields, trees etc. Luckily, it's about a five minute walk into 'nature' (all man-made but still, open enough and green enough to count). So I simply have to do this more often. I've also got back into BW work after changing my routine around a bit (different exercises) and I want to keep getting stronger. How-to #2: Actually prepare lesson plans. I thought I'd be able to get away with simply making a list of what I'd like to cover during each lesson (I teach English). I guess that was rather naïve. This challenge I want to make actual lesson plans (so what I'll teach, how long everything is supposed to take etc.). It takes some time, but should keep my confidence up and hopefully my stress levels down. The second week of the challenge I won't be teaching any lessons because it'll be test week, so that week this goal is a freebie. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxsOVK4syxU What teachers make - Taylor Mali (Spoken word, and epic.) How-to #3: Take myself seriously. Eat right (which means primal 80-90% of the time, grains allowed twice a week, preferably keep it at 1) & don't downgrade my issues during appointments. Eating has been fine in general but... I've started to incorporate more sugar and grains for 'variety' and to make it easier to come up with dinner options which also please my husband. He's certainly entitled to his pizza, but when making dinner I should focus on healthy and tasty. If that means rotating pretty much the same 10-or-so-meals, so be it. Husband's pizza (or other non-primal) days will be my fish days or veggies/meat he doesn't like. I'll start seeing a therapist around the end of January and I'll like to help myself (that's why I'm going, right?) so I need to make sure that I make it clear how difficult coping can be for me. I don't want to waste money or time by making things sound rosier than they are. I have my husband to keep me accountable for this. If anything I think it'll be better to make things sound slightly worse as opposed to better. (Funnily enough just before going for appointments I have lots of 'good moments' or 'days'. Yeah. Some positivity: Look at yourself after watching this - Nick Vujicic ---------- I'm not sure how much I'll be posting, but I want to create a weekly summary on Sundays (remind me if I skip ). - Pretzle

Hi Nerd Fitness Community! I've seen various blips of information filtering into my life for a while now from Nerdfitness; the community on facebook, Steve's blog and email updates etc. t-shirts!!! and I've decided to do something about leveling up my own life overall. I've got a tonne of aspirations and a life full of tasks and chores, no shortage of motivation, or enthusiasm to get the stuff done (that I'm good at) but I'm permanently tired from having too much going on at once. What I could do with is pointing in the right direction to leveling up generally. I seem to remember seeing categories for structuring these goals to level up in all aspects. Does anyone know where the list is as I can't find it. Once I've got those categories set down then I can work out what needs to be in them and where from this list of tasks - big small or otherwise, and set to with working out how to get them done - THE FUN WAY!!! If I structure my goals in the same way that you're all structuring yours then it becomes measurable and I can join in with you all on the 6 week challenges! - thanks for having me on board

I'm very new to the NF community and while I'm not sure the 6-week challenge format will work for me I'm hoping it will at least help me make some friends here. My theme for the challenge is The Blank Canvas. I've always been very bad at goal-setting because I'm easily paralysed by indecision and the enormity of committing to any one path, and that reminds me of the terror of a blank canvas or blank page. So this is me dipping a tentative toe in the goal-setting waters. Main Missions To run 5K shod without stopping or slowing to a walk by the end of January. To run 1K non-stop barefoot by the end of January. Side Missions Volunteer at a trail-running event in February to give myself some insight into how competitive running events work and get a sense of how to go about managing a longer run for myself, as well as network with other Perth runners. Research, and possibly make contact with, any group of barefoot runners in Perth, to ask questions about transitioning and hopefully get some encouragement so I don't give up on the whole barefoot thing. I'm feeling pretty demoralised by it. Goals To assist in achieving my main goals, I plan to maintain a 6-day exercise week. THIS HAS BEEN AMENDED - the current plan is in the quote box. - Fridays and Mondays will be (shod) running days, when I will complete at least a half-hour Zombies! Run! mission (preferably an hour). - Saturdays and Tuesdays will be biking days, when I will ride at least half an hour attempting to maintain an elevated heart rate, as far as practicable and safe (I'll be mostly riding around suburban streets). - Sundays and Wednesdays, I aim to walk/jog some distance barefoot to a nearby park (there are lots so distance will vary) to complete the Beginner Bodyweight Workout. This goal is tentative at this stage due to the demands of my job and my deep and utter loathing for the BBW. I know it features strengthening movements that will assist me in my aim to be a better runner, but if it has the effect of turning me to the dark side (i.e. hating the whole challenge) I will drop it unceremoniously.

My third challenge is finished and I am anxious to begin my fourth! There are six more days until the next six week challenge starts, so I thought I would start a battle log and prepare. This thread is where I plan to "think out loud," strategize, and apply what I have learned in the last three challenges to make my fourth the best one yet! I did a quick brainstorming exercise tonight and came up with my theme and "storyline" for this coming challenge. It is really just an extension of my motivation and main quest from this past challenge: But now I plan to take it to the next level of "gamification," and actually create a storyline based on the fantasy world of my current novel. And, I am going to go to the source and have my main character teach me how to be as fit, focused, and unstoppable as she is! This could get interesting...