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My first-proper-challenge-in-a-while, settling-in-back-home, fairly-flexible-goals challenge went pretty well. I also identified a few things I need to work on, which will be the focus of this next challenge: GOAL 1: Putting the final food pieces together a) Track every day using MFP. Right now I'm too sensitive to calorie/macro levels (and too bad at staying close enough to my target without logging) to not track. The goal is to run a slight deficit, but I'm not setting any explicit limits now because I'm not sure what the sweet spot is -- however, I do have one macros goal... b ) Get 130+ grams of protein each day. 140-160 grams is better. c) Properly start the reintroduction phase of the AIP diet. Use a food journal to keep track of any reactions. d) Eat at least 1/2 pound of liver/week. e) Take ALL the supplements. I'm pretty good about this, but there are 2-3 doses that I tend to miss. GOAL 2: Mobility a) Mobility WOD style mobility work at least 4x/week. Because yoga isn't enough for me these days. b ) At least 3 15+ minute yoga sessions/week (outside of my warm-up and cool-down for lifting sessions). Because yoga is really helpful even if it's not enough! GOAL 3: Screen curfew No phone or computer screen time after 8 pm, with the exception of "I'm alive" type texts and meditation apps. Carrying this over from the previous challenge because I know I won't keep it up unless it's an explicit goal. Bonus points for putting away the phone/computer before the cut-off. LUYL GOAL: Meditation Meditate at least 6x/week before 5 pm. I've had good meditation streaks before, but have had trouble making it a consistent habit, possibly in part because I usually meditate before going to bed. While that's great for unwinding, trying to work my weak meditation muscle when I'm really tired isn't setting me up for success -- hence the time component to this goal. Bonus points for also meditating before bed and for reading Full Catastrophe Living. Other miscellaneous notes: Lifting program is still a version of 5/3/1... just deloaded so I'm not expecting to hit PRs this challenge (besides high bar squat PRs since it's the first time I've focused on them in a while). I'm travelling the first week of August and will probably not lift that week, but I do plan to keep up with my goals. The dog theme is because 1) cutting sucks and dogs make everything better, and 2) I have an orientation on July 26th so I can start volunteering at a local dog rescue! Please spam my thread with many many more dog photos.

Okay! Last challenge was reasonably successful! I ate more protein for breakfast, tracked most of my meals, and kept up with my workouts. Q1: 25 g of protein for breakfast every day. I found the whole "Eat protein for breakfast" quest last challenge more confusing than motivating. Like...only protein? How much? So, yay for quantifying things! 25 g of protein to start off every day. Q2: Workout 3 times per week. I have had this in every challenge, which makes me wonder if, indeed, this counts as a challenge. But it keeps me accountable to have it here. Three times per week. Q3: Check in with other Rebels at least once a week. I have felt lonely so I'm going to go to the Accountabilibuddies and see if I can find somebody to hang out with. I run a business, which means I spend a LOT of time on the computer, and often I just can't make myself stay any longer to check in. So I'm going to make it part of my challenge! Life quest: I am still working on my business website and feel like I'm making good, exciting progress. My life quest is to have the site launched by the end of the challenge.

Wow, May was... May was a lot. it was a lot of stuff, and I did it all, but I didn't feel awesome while doing it. June is here and I feel like I'm not prepared for summer! So I'm doing a "SUMMER I AM HERE AND I AM LOVING IT BY GEORGE, LOVING IT OR ELSE" challenge, in the sense that I need to have some regular things figured out so that I can be my awesomest all the time. So this challenge I WILL SEIZE SUMMER LIKE I SEIZED THIS TINY FRUIT SNACK FACSIMILE OF RAPHAEL. MONKEY WRENCH we are going on an Epic Journey with the boys cross country for 10 day right at the end of the challenge. That's right. Seventeen, Twelve, my husband, and I. it's going to be amazing. and possibly smelly. we are camping and I don't really know how long we will be in the car every day. so, the end of week 3 and all of week 4 will be.... interestingly patchy. OK GOALS GOAL 1: MORE PROTEIN, MANAGE CALORIES. MORE PROTEIN went really well last challenge! I averaged in at about 144 g. For this challenge I want to get above 120 g. I ALSO would like to keep eating at about 2000 cal/week, and I have been very flexible in eating back my logged (via fitbit hr) exercise. I'm a little worried about this goal while I travel. We'll see. GOAL 2: MOVE MY BODY I did slack a little while I was overwhelmed in May, and I want to get back into good form. Good form means getting better at * YOGA - I did some yoga on friday and MAN it felt good and MAN it pointed out that my leg and hip flexibility actually really is not doing so hot. [bonus I can do this on the road, also]. I would like to do 1-2x a week yoga * HOOPING - I do want to practice and get better. I got a much smaller and lighter hoop, and I really need to practice to be able to hoop on-body with it. I'm planning to ring a hoop on the road also. yo, though, I'd be happy to get in 30 minutes a week for this. * RUNNING - my next race is a 5 mile run on 8/7. That means that, until we get back, I need to stay comfortable with 3 miles so I can crank it up to 5 miles during the month of July. 3.5 miles would be better until I leave. I would like to do 2-3 x a week running. * OF COURSE TKD. of course. To my benefit, I am also participating in a "be fit" challenge at work which tracks active minutes. I am currently in the top 25%. If i keep yoga-ing and running and hooping I will stay good, but I really do need to keep up. The top contenders are exercising at about 1+ hours a day. I'm coming in at about average of 45 minutes a day. This challenge runs for 6/1 to 7/31. also LEAVE ROOM FOR THE MINI. GOAL 3: MORE DISCRETE AND USEFUL MEASUREMENTS Here's something I didn't do at all,and which I am super disappointed in myself from last challenge. so, I'm going to do it this time. I will be lenient on this goal while I'm traveling, though. LIKE, I won't be able to weigh myself, because I have a wifi scale and I am NOT going to travel with it. and it would be pretty weird to take underpants photos in rest area bathrooms, for example. but the rest of the time: * photos every week, and for sure start and finish. * use my goofy skuplt thingamabobby every week, and for sure start and finish. * tape measure every week, and for sure start and finish. ok and also backstory! I'm karinajean, 39, live in NY state, commute to NJ about an hour each way (so lots of time in the car). I joined the NFA in October 2013 and over the last 2 years I've gone from 206 to around 183. I practice tae kwon do several times a week, take weapons and boxing classes in addition, and have an overarching fitness goal of doing good form push- and pull-ups. I have a crazy mean (yet super sweet) cat and live with my husband full time and my stepdudes 1/2 time. I motorcycle, knit and spin, and am endlessly ignoring how messy the house AND YARD is. I'm an ASSASSIN because I like doing all the things, and because I want to be able to do push-ups and pull-ups -- these seem like very efficient movements that will exercise my upper body and core, and if I can do those and run and do martial arts (NINJA) I will feel totally strong and fit and capable. The MERMAID comes in because I saw it in a dream when I was a very young child and I believe it. looking forward: I have a bunch of 10Ks lined up for the fall, which I'm excited by. we are, as is our tradition, going to the beach in August. I'd kind of like to spend July in some kind of a cut, maybe not eating back my exercise calories (that's worked really well for me in the past). if I'm going to keep eating this much protein I would like it to be more fun, too.

Oh, look at this! The next challenge is up and I was actually paying attention! This is very exciting and unprecedented. Right in the middle of this challenge, I'll be closing on our house and one step closer to moving to Colorado. So my big sweeping goals for the month are something like this: Pre-close: Continue to camp out in my mostly packed house, packing, doing the billion things involved in selling a house, trying to eat the random stuff left in my pantry and keep my dog company. [/img] She only really needs whipped cream. Post-move: Dog goes with the husband in CO, I move into a family member's winter home (with wi-fi again, thank god), and really buckle down on a CO job search and what my next move is. And through it all, some constants in the form of my semi-regular goals: Eating- Continue to track on MFP (if anyone wants to be friends there, I'd really like to spy on people's menus), try harder to hit macro goals, and eat at least one serving of vegetables for every fruit serving (0 for 0 doesn't count). I'm finding my carbs are mostly coming from starches and sugar and I aim to adjust. Sleep- Set a bedtime, phone off, for 10pm or 11pm if I got a nap, every night. Reading a paper book is okay while I transition. Sweat- Not actually because I don't really sweat, I just pass out and that's a problem, but I digress. Activity, daily. I think mostly walking at the dog park pre-move and sprinting in the pool post-move, with bodyweight or gym days sprinkled in. This is going to be my downfall, but I have to do it. For fun, practice German more consistently. Pre-move use my some language software I have, Post-move get back to DuoLingo with extra web resources. Okay, that's the gist. This is still week 0 so it's a dabble week. I.e. I've eaten well today but I'm about to destroy some ice cream. Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

Main Quest: Get below the obese weight range, and hit a 200 lb deadlift, 150 lb squat, 100 lb bench press, and 75 lb overhead press. Motivation: Move my body like I want to, and feel good about the way I look There are several things I want to do physically that are really difficult because of my size. I want to do eagle pose in yoga, but my thighs get in the way. I want to climb pikes peak and sprint really fast, but I feel like how heavy I am really slows me down and makes this more difficult. I want to do a pull-up, but my strength to weight ratio is not great enough. Most of these will be easier the stronger I am and the less fat I have. I also would really like to look good in cosplay sometime. Last Time on Adventures With Grizzy: New Home, New Habits Set up most of my living space in my new home! Cut out my soda habit once and (hopefully) for all! Exercised every single day! Approached my previous PRs on the deadlift, squat, bench press, and overhead press! Tried yoga and decided to make it part of my routine! Started tracking my food again! Started eating more vegetables! Lost 6 pounds! This Episode I'll be trying to surpass all of my previous PRs by at least 10% and weigh less than when I started the challenge. I would be pleased to drop under 200 pounds of bodyweight. I've gotten really close to the point where in previous cycles of lifting, I have stopped because it got really, really hard. I want to push through those walls and get stronger while continuing to drop some fat. So I'll be focusing on lifting, proper nutrition, and other exercise that doesn't inhibit my recovery. I would also like to keep up the good work from last time, so despite them not being part of this challenge, I'll report any slip-ups with soda and take measures to actively integrate vegetables into my life. Stats Sex: Female Height: 5'5" Weight: 204-ish; fluctuates Squat: 120 lbs, previous PR 130 lbs Deadlift: 160 lbs, previous PR 165 lbs Bench: 80 lbs, previous PR 85 lbs Overhead Press: 63 lbs, previous PR 65 lbs Goals Complete 10 or more lifting Sessions I can't get stronger if I don't make an effort to get stronger! Details: Starting Strength Allows for up to 2 days rest between each session Grading based on percentage out of 10 Strategy: The best days for me to lift are Monday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday due to fuller schedules other days of the week. So I'll start out doing Monday, Thursday, and Saturday. I've found recently that I occasionally need more than one rest day between sessions in order to have adequate energy and not injure myself, but beyond 2 rest days is normally just me getting lazy, so even if I'm busy I NEED to lift after 2 rest days. Loot: A punching bag for a grade of A A pull-up bar for a grade of B Track food, keeping a caloric deficit and a higher level of protein If I'm going to gain strength and lose weight at the same time, my diet should be tuned to support this. Currently I average 1548 calories a day, which could be a little higher for my height and weight, and 80g protein per day, which I want to increase. Details: Weekly caloric intake average of 1500-1750 Weekly protein average of at least 100g Grading based on average of % differences from goals Strategy: I really like big dinners, so I've been successful in lowering my calories limiting breakfast and lunch to less than half my daily caloric intake, which allows me to have a dinner which I find satisfying. I've been incorporating more protein-dense foods into my breakfasts to help with my protein intake. Yogurt or a green smoothie with protein powder mixed in is usually what I've been going for, and on occasion I'll have some kind of eggs. I'm working on cuttin out more grains from lunch and dinner in order to make room for more protein. This has involved slowly developing an appreciation of salads over sandwiches or lettuce wraps over buns or zucchini noodles over penne. Loot: A new pair of pants for an A. A new t-shirt for a B. Active recovery with walking and yoga To burn more calories and get better recovery, I want to do some exercise everyday that won't detract from my lifts. Details: Do either the morning mile or at least 20 minutes of yoga daily Grading based on percent of days I did at least one of these Strategy: I'll do one of these in the morning before work, while my SO is in the shower. The timing works out really well, since all of them take 20 minutes. Loot: A craigslist treadmill or yoga mat and yoga towel for a grade of A. A new pair of sneakers for a grade of B. Life Goals Finish 4 books I have an overall goal of finishing 52 books this year, and I've been slacking on my reading the last month or so. But I love reading! So it's time to pick it back up. Details: The New Evolution Diet by Arthur De Vany Deadline by Mira Grant The Book Theif by Markus Zusak Bands of Mourning by Brandon Sanderson Grading based on % of books finished Strategy: Deadline is an audiobook, which I've been listening to whenever I go for a walk alone and frequently at work when I have something mind-numbing to do. Finishing this won't be a struggle. I'm less than 100 pages from finishing The New Evolution Diet, and I can finish it off with just a few reading sessions during breaks at work. I actually will probably be done with this before the official start-of-challenge. I'll need to put more effort into finishing the last two, just because they are longer and I'm not far into them. If I can set aside 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes at night, I think I can finish both of them by the end of the challenge. Loot: A new comic book collection book for an A. A new single issue comic book for a C. Break the Reddit/Imgur habit I'm sad to say I'm addicted to Reddit and Imgur, and I don't derive much enjoyment from it. I want to quit. Details: Every time I open a reddit or imgur tab out of habit, I should quit out immediately and record that I went to the website. If I decide not to quit out, I need to record the time I start, when I stop, and the number of pages/posts I look at. This will be pretty hard to record accurately, which I'm hoping will motivate me to avoid it just so that I don't have as much to track. Loot: A movie date if I have stopped visiting both sites by the end of the challenge. Mini-Quests Schedule a consultation for my wisdom teeth Do registration for the cars Walk or bike over to my friend's house Take some progress photos and find previous photos for comparison Finish 30 days of yoga from Yoga With Adriene Finish the 30 day squat challenge Do 50 consecutive squats Go a full day without using the internet Clean out my home office Try one class each of these kinds of yoga: Mindful Resilience, Mat Pilates, Restorative

>> through the expanse of the boughs and the woodlands a wayward ranger comes; one that to some will have an unfamiliar face, unremarkable as many others that may pass through these parts, but to some still may make them take pause and go, "... oh. OH!" as of late she has been taciturn in traveling these lands - venturing alone into the wilds, experiencing their unfathomable lightness, unbearable darkness, their stony soils and airy depths. her victories and struggles both kept close to her chest. she is fatigued and dirty but yet she returns, to the greenery that embraces her heart, to the natural world that stirs her soul; to her home. Hey guys. It's been a while...but after a stint with the Assassins and a self-imposed forum break I'm returning to my Nerd Fitness roots (pun intended) to take up the mantle of Ranger again. <3 Let's be real, I'll never NOT be a Ranger (my last challenge was pretty much Rangerbrain in challenge form), and honestly this challenge is going to be part Ranger and part Druid because I need them both right now and I'll have 4 challenges - 2 physical, and 2 mental. So I've had a lot going on in my life - and when I say a lot I truly mean A LOT. I'm dealing with some sensitive issues (that I won't be posting about publicly yet due to the nature of it all; someday, but not yet) and on top of that life has been exceedingly difficult this year. I allowed myself some time away from the forums because I had been getting pretty overwhelmed with everything altogether but I think my time has come to get active again, as much as I can without my head exploding. I miss my friends and nerds and this amazingly supportive community like WHAT and I'm ready to challenge myself again!!! This challenge is going to be WAY toned down compared to my previous endeavors - I'm still halfway through my gigantic FFXIV job quest battle - but I know I can't throw myself in full force yet. I'm giving myself some basic priorities that are starting to fall by the wayside, in hopes I will be able to regain my Forum Footing. I will, obvs, be sticking with the FFXIV theme - from the wiki Gridania is one of the three main city-states of Eorzea, and is home to vast, dense woodlands and coursing rivers. The cityscape is a mosaic of labyrinthine waterways and great wooden structures, so gracefully constructed they seem a part of the surrounding environment. It's a pretty fitting place for a Ranger to re-gain her bearings, no? (PS I made all these GIFS myself, YEAH!!!!!!!) I'm also naming all of these quests after FFXIV Bard talents because I'm a WICKED NERD, and bards are pretty Ranger-ly, and the class pretty much embodies my goals this go-around: "Upon hearing the word bard, most folk are like to be put in mind of those itinerant minstrels, fair of voice and nimble of finger, who earn their coin performing in taverns and the halls of great lords. Few know, however, that bards in fact trace their origins back to fierce bowmen who took to singing in the heat of battle, that they might fortify their spirits with anthems beseeching the gods for victory." 1. Enliven Easy peasy. At least 100g of protein per day. 110 would be optimal but at this point I'll settle for triple digits. My diet has actually been extremely efficient with few slip-ups overall but I really need to hone in on this to get the most out of my lifting (and recovery, ugghhh). A - 5+ days of 100+g B - 4 days of 100+g C - 3 or less days of 100+g 2. Iron Jaws This one's easy too - at least 4 days of activity. Right now I'm still hitting the gym 3 days a week to lift (which honestly is pretty amazing, through everything I still make this a priority, yaaaass) but that 4th day will be integral, especially on the weekends when I need it. It can be anything; walking, hiking, yoga, tree climbing... <3 A - 4 days of movement F - Less than 4, YOU DONE SCREWED UP 3. Manasong I've been battling my own personal Black Dog lately and it is equal parts - exhausting - maddening - introspective - fascinating - scary - frustrating - did I mention exhausting?? I'm pretty pro at dealing with life being a butt but lately it's been more consistently difficult than ever, and I find myself getting less present and more tuned out to everything, including taking care of myself. I need to fight for myself more and be mindful to do at least one kind thing for me each day; something that refreshes me and makes me smile and gives me a little boost to keep going. A - 7 days of kindness <3 B - 6 days of kindness C - 5 days of kindness 4. The Warden's Paean Lovingly borrowed from the ever-inspiring @spookyfoot, I'll be making a few gratitude lists each week to remind myself just how AWESOME things are! I won't let the bad things umbrella over all the good I've got going on. (Seriously Shaar stop listening to Sigur Rós and do this.) Ideally I'd love to write these out with colored pens and paper and photograph them to post here, something like a written meditation, but typed will work just as well. As long as I can get into my head and retrieve the comforts and victories, that is the goal, at least 3 times a week! A - 3 days of gratitude each week B - 2 days of gratitude each week C - 1 day or less of gratitude each week BONUS QUEST!!!! POST MORE SCREENSHOTS OF LOIC REMY!!! Ahem. Sorry. Anyways................. That's all I've got. *^_^* It's good to be home, guys. <3

A couple months ago I tried the Nerd Fitness Academy nutrition quest that had me eat only protein and carbs for breakfast, and I couldn't do it. I got stomach aches when I eat protein-heavy meals first thing, though I noticed that any day I could force myself, my typical energy-crashes went away. This was a huge benefit, but come days I just couldn't do it. Does anyone have any experience or suggestions in handling protein? Eggs seem to be the worst, though even whey protein or sausages sometimes were too much to face.

I'm allergic to vertebrae fish. Meaning I can't have bass, salmon, or tuna. All meat rich with protein and can make dinners varied up a bit. *sigh* However, I can have shrimp, crab, and other shellfish. So, my question is, what are some recommended meals I can make that keep protein high and Paleo diet true?

It's May, and unfortunately, I'm still up on that damn plateau. 164 pounds. Yes, my jeans are getting loose. (Go me!!!) Yes, I'm finding that I can trot up the stairs (with a pack on) instead of crawl up them (really, I never crawled .... just wanted to). Yes, I am attacking days with more energy and resolve than I have in oh, about 10 years. (And I warn people in my office that I AM A SHARK. They think I'm cute and energetic.....what do they know???) But sooner or later, that scale IS going to reflect the new reality. Or else!!! So, I need to exert discipline - train harder and sacrifice things that are holding me back. (Yes, I'm looking at you, wine and pizza. Don't think I didn't notice that you account for the majority of my calories each week.) I really need a big, solid goal to work toward that puts me back into the "training for" mindset: Warrior Dash 2017!!!! Soon enough to be serious, but far enough away to be feasible. I'm taking Margaret Schlachter (from Dirt in Your Skirt) as my Jedi Master. Her book is an easy introduction that is getting me started. There's probably better, more in-depth books out there, but I don't want to become an underpants gnome. I've got enough to get started and a year to work on upper body strength and agility. And mental toughness. Getting off the plateau (Get down to 162 lbs or less) It can be difficult to find your way down if you've lost the trail. Trust me, I get lost fairly often on hikes, and I know this to be true from experience. So, what's the plan????? 1) Use your body!!! 28 days of OCR fitness training, based on Schlacter's example workout .... which is mostly bodyweight training. That schedule includes rest days, and I've already planned out how to gradually increase the challenge over the coming year. Plus, it also involves preparing to run 5K, which will keep me in training to do fun runs, like the Color Run and a Zombie Run. 2) Embrace the obstacles in front (or below) you. Do obstacle-specific training. Every non-rest day. I'd randomize them, but I'll have to allow for passing on exercises that require equipment that isn't readily available on that day ... like the bouldering wall at the campus gym. 3) Keep moving!!! It's one of my favorite ways to tackle a dungeon. It's not efficient, but it eventually you will get out. Or die, which is another way of finding the way out on the corpse run. In this case, increase step count to 11K per day. And don't die. 4) Travel light. (That's what I'm trying to do here .... Didn't you see the goal above? Oh yea, I did see that. But do you realize that you're talking to yourself???? Must be the heat and dehydration. You better get off this plateau. Yea, like I'm not trying .....) Keep net calories at 1375 per day BUT distribute over 5 or 6 smaller meals each day. 5) Live off the land!! (Cuz there ain't much cake and ice cream up on that there plateau.) Increase protein. It's at 75 grams average right now, which is low for trying to build muscle. Aiming for 82 grams. I think protein powder is going to be my new friend. And low sugar jerky. And salad greens and carrot sticks. Cut out the wine, eat less pizza even on Friday, and fill up on fruits and veggies.

After planning comes... Action! Trigger warning: I post pictures of food and tempting stuff. @Naxius So yeah, I am going to start swimming this month and hopefully keep at it all summer. Since my knee is not showing any sign of getting better, I had to find and alternative to running and high impact sport, so obviously, like every recovering athlete in the making, I went for swimming. In addition, I have decided to start trying something new. NerdFitness might be a fitness-based website, but I don't think I am the only one that has found the community amazingly supporting in all areas for life. It is truly amazing to get to see the "behind-the-scenes" of people's progress, when normally you only get to hear the success stories. It really makes you realise that in the end, everyone is just doing their best to try and balance busy lives while staying healthy. Anyhow, I don't just want to level-up my fitness level, but level up all areas of my life - Emotional, Physical, Spiritual and Mental. Now as all Nerds know, it is not a good idea to try and do too many things at once, so every month I will focus mostly on one aspect, with one week . The last challenge was mostly a mental one - I focused mostly on self-discipline, study and overall setting the ground for what is coming now, which is the physical practice. Aside from the holistic approach, there is also a bit of non-formal learning theory applied here that I might get into a further post. So, what does this challenge concretely look like? Well - here it goes: Health - Physical 1) Get your cardio Go swimming 2x a week The number is dictated by my budget, unfortunately, as I have quite a few things to pay for this month. I am going back home for the holidays though so I will be able to go more often then. 2) Nourish your body I have started to suspect that one of the reasons my knee is not healing is that the time of injury (whatever it may be) also coincides with the time I decided to try and go on a diet because I had started spotting my abs. This period was, however, also combined with what I suspect is a real underestimation of my current physical activity, which lead to a cycle of binges as well as one week in between where I was constantly eating - but eating junk. Which in turn was followed by a week where I barely ate anything because I felt so sick... sooo... yeah... Because of this, I figured I should try eating instead. Eat between 1600 and 1800 calories Get at least 103g of protein 5x a week 3) Fight mindless snacking This has been a problem lately... it has always been, really, in my life. I had managed to curb it at the beginning of the year thanks to, um, having barely enough budget to eat, but it has come back with a vengeance lately. So, yeah, that needs to stop. No mindless snacking: if I want to snack, I need to take prepare the snack, like our moms and grandmothers did for us when we were children. So, let's say I feel like a slice of bread with nutella on it. This is what I would have to do: take out the bio-nutella equivalent and the orange juice and put it on the table together with cutlery, plates and glasses. Take out the bread, toast the bread, put it on a plate. Sit down, serve myself, then put everything back. I am pretty sure that should be too much effort 9/10. Once a week, fast till the 9th hour This is a fasting method I have found where you don't eat anything until 9 hours after you wake up, then break the fast with a light meal, and have a hearty meal later on for dinner. This is to teach myself to be patient with food - part of the snacking issue comes from just not being able to wait until the next meal. This should train it. This is also why I have a calorie range - I should be eating around 1650 calories a day form what I gathered, so going over on certain days will ensure I make up for the deficit I will certainly have on fasting days. So those are my health goals for the physical aspect of my life. Social - Emotional Blogging practice I really want a blog one day. Check in daily into NF Post a daily animation on my Tumblr (here, for those interested, though it's mostly a collection of mind blurbs and some of those are in French) Art - Spiritual Draw I haven't drawn anything in weeks and it's starting to get closer to months Set aside at least 1h per week to draw. Post progress picture. Learn - Mental Finish the edX Nutrition Course Nutrition and Health Part 1: Macronutrients and Overnutrition It's excellent, approaches the whole question of nutrition from a biological and medical standpoint while being very honest about the limitations of research. It anybody has the time to audit it or wish to get a certificate, they will re-run it this month. I have been on and off it for months, no thanks to the "self-paced" format. I really, really want to wrap it up over the next couple weeks and move on to Part 2. Work on the assignments of the course at least 4 hrs every week. That is it. I think you can see how this works - there is a "main area" for development, and then small goals for all the rest. They rotate. Side Quest: Monkey Level 2. I have not forgotten, no. ^^

"Focusing on many things" is an oxymoron. Time to focus. Hardstyle. THE QUEST: 300 Kettlebell Swings every day, for 28 days. SIDE QUEST: Track the macros 6 days a week. Roughly 184 grams of protein daily.

In the words of Maester Yandel, “The People of the Stormlands are like unto their weather. Tumultuous, violent, implacable, unpredictable." They are also some of the strongest, toughest, and most ready for war. I said in my last challenge that Dorne is my favorite of the seven kingdoms, but my favorite houses are all Stormlands, especially the Marcher Lords who guarded the lands of the Storm Kings of old against their enemies to the South (Dorne) and West (the Reach). Rather than doing a history challenge, I'm going to highlight the many amazing characters in show and book who are Stormlanders, and try to emulate them in some small way. (Once again, I’ll try to avoid spoilers, but there may be a few for Season/Book One that I can’t white out without whiting out the whole thing) I must start, of course, with House Baratheon. Storms End Durran’s Point, Shipbreaker Bay– King Robert Baratheon is a once-powerful man, now gone to seed. A man with enormous appetites and enormous temper, as well as a once-enormous strength. It’s folly to look to Robert for an example of wisdom, but for strength, stamina, and natural charisma, he is a paragon. I will honor Robert’s appetites (especially his love of hunting and meat) by ensuring I make my protein goals each day. Straight percentage of protein servings eaten. CON 2 King/Lord Stannis Baratheon embodies the implacable nature of Stormlanders. A grim and determined man, he survived a siege at Storms’ End during Robert’s Rebellion, until Davos Seaworthy smuggled in onions and salt pork. He also tirelessly leads his armies on forced marches during the War of the Five Kings, including through the unforgiving Northern autumn. I will honor Stannis’ endurance by putting one foot in front of another for the entirety of the challenge. 50,000 steps per week. STA 2 DEX 1 King/Lord Renly Baratheon, the youngest child of Lord Steffon Baratheon, is seen by many as Robert come again, in his hale and hearty youth. Like Robert, and unlike Stannis, he has the ability to make friends of his allies, binding men and women to him with love and admiration, not merely grim duty. As lord of Storms End, his support from the Stormlanders in unsurprising, but it is his alliance with Highgarden through Margery and Loras Tyrell which enabled him to boast that “You may have the better claim, but I have the bigger army”. Renly knows well that an army marches on its stomach, and the rich, fertile lands of the Reach are his best allies in face of the coming winter. In honor of Renly’s vigor and appreciation of beauty, as well as his alliance with Highgarden, I will add more produce to my diet. 5 fruits and veg daily – percentage of success. (to succeed, one serving of leafy greens or salad is necessary) CON 2 CHA 1 Moving south into the Red mountains brings us to House Selmy. Harvest Hall, in the Marches. As a major Marcher house, House Selmy has fielded many mighty warriors and fine knights. In the late second century after Aegon’s Conquest, no living knight is more famous and admied than Ser Barristan Selmy of the Kingsguard, called “the Bold”. He entered a joust at age ten as a Mystery Knight, and won renown not only on the Tourney field, but also serving as a member of the Kingsguard under King Jaehaerys II during the War of the Ninepenny Kings, King Aerys II during Robeert’s Rebellion, and King Robert I during Balon’s Rebellion. He is currently serving Daenerys Stormbord as Queensguard, and offering not only a strong sword arm, but also much-needed advice and insight into Westeros. In honor of Ser Barristan’s wisdom, I will keep up with the Omer daily. WIS 1 Continuing into the Marches brings us to another Marcher stronghold, Blackhaven, seat of House Dondarrion, in the Marches. While less famous than Ser Barristan, Lord Berric Dondarrion is nonetheless an honorable and able knight. Founder of the Brotherhood without Banners and walking miracle, Lord Berric is resurrected by the Red Priest Thoros of Myr and becomes more symbol than man, protecting the smallfolk from the ravages of war. However, Lord Berric’s renewal is a double-edged sword, as his memories and self are disappearing under the weight of mission. To honor his sacrifice and attempt to not fall into the trap of losing self in my mission, I will meditate and stretch 5 times per week. Stretch/Meditate 5 per week. A contemplative or restorative yoga session can work. WIS 1 DEX 1 Swinging southwest, we leave the Marches for Tarth, and island in the Narrow Sea, seat of House Tarth of Evenstar Hall. Its best-known scion (apart from Ser Galladon Tarth of legend, wielder of the sword Just Maid) is Brienne of Tarth, former member of Renly’s Rainbow Guard, now in service to the women of House Stark. Despite being no knight, Brienne is a model of knightly behavior and chivalry. She trained her entire life, and became strong and skilled enough to win the great melee of 166 knights at Bitterbridge, besting Loras Tyrell and much of the combined chivalry of the Reach and the Stormlands. She also fought and bested Ser Jaime “the Kingslayer” Lannister (though admittedly not at his best). In honor of her dedication to her cause and hard work, I will train for strength four times a week. Train for strength and health four times week. A video, a bodyweight, or a shovelglove session all count. STR 3 This leaves (among famous Stormlanders of recent history) two other “houses”, scattered and unknown. The first is (so spoilery for the books that [seriously] don’t read this unless you’ve read all the books through Dance or never ever intend to. I was going to leave this out completely, but I couldn’t. This is going to be all whited out, forever, because he doesn’t exist, as far as anyone in the Seven Kingdoms is concerned, and his goals are also hugely spoilery. Fair warning, seriously don’t read this. Also, for those of you who have, I’m going out on a limb and writing my opinion of what’s really going on, going a step beyond what we actually know. So half of this is fan theory/headcanon. Ok? Ok.)**** Ser/Lord Jon “Griff” Connington of Griffon’s Roost, located on Cape Wrath. A close friend of the late Prince Rhaegar Targaryen, Connington fled Westeros after the Battle of the Bells. While exiled in Essos, he joined the Golden Company, where he fell in with Blackfyre supporters and eventually was chosen by Illyrio Mopatis and Varys to be protector and guide to Aegon “Young Griff” Targaryen, a pretender to the Iron Throne and probable Blackfyre heir. (The Golden Company is literally led by Bittersteel’s gilded skull. He’s totally a pretender.)**** The second is the lost scions of House Baratheon, true (if not trueborn) heirs to Robert. Scattered throughout Westeros, got on highborn ladies, commoners, and prostitutes, there are Stones, Waterses, and Storms aplenty with the blue eyes and black hair of their father. Relevant to the current tale are Mya Stone (Robert’s probably firstborn) of the Vale, Gendry {Waters} of Kings’ Landing, and Edric Storm. In honor of these other Stormlanders, dispossessed and scattered, I will try one new thing over the next four weeks, once for each. Ideally, something climby for Mya, hammer for Gendry, educated for Edric, and ???? for Connington. This is purposefully vague, but it needs to be something a little big. Cooking a new dish would count, ordering a new thing at a restaurant wouldn’t. CHA 1 (I don't know why no one makes Edric Storm fanart)

Starting Stats: I'm a female engineer in graduate school. My weight fluctuates between 130-135#. That's kinda it. Still doing StrongLifts gotta max out those #n00bgainz No theme - just random gifs Struggling with some sleep issues, but It'll be fine. This is basically the same as my last challenge.... so For exercising purposes, since it's basically my graduating semester with a thesis defense and all, I'm going to be nice about workout goals and aim for 5 workouts a week. Ideally, this will be 3 lifting sessions and 2 yoga sessions. If it's an exhausting week or life happens, five yoga sessions is acceptable. [5 lifting session not that much. Sorry Br0din!] Goal 1: 5 workouts a week - I'd also like at least one 'cardio' day per week (not included in the 5), this will be defined as a single event that involves me walking/running/biking 2+ miles (Walking at work during lunch counts, but I usually only go one mile. Time to step it up!) I have a 5k March 5th, so that takes care of this week! Mobility hurts. Do mobility for a minimum of 5 minutes at least 5/7 days of the week. This is partly because I'm struggling a lot with the front rack position for both front squats and power cleans. Mobility helps, but I need to make it a goal or I'll forget! Goal 2: 5 mobility sessions per week, greater or equal to 5 minutes each. Massages count. Fuel is also difficult. I'm instituting a protein minimum of 75g 80g every day[that I track, still aiming for 5 days a week with that], and for each day I go over 100g I get a point. ! may come up with some rewards for different point values (like new protein powders maybe?) - totally forgot about the point thing last time. Maybe this time? Goal 3: Protein @80g 5/7 days School is difficult right now. I need to make it habit to work on school stuff for 30 minutes a day. Since master's thesis is happening, I will not run out of work until it is defended [late April]. No exceptions. If I have a migraine, I will take meds and maybe read some articles I have printed. This will NOT be a weekly total kind of goal, since I have been in the habit of pushing stuff back until I have a day off, then on my day off I get a migraine, then I am mad and guilty and upset, and nothing gets done. 40 minutes a day. Not that hard people! LUYL Goal: 7/7 days with 40 minutes of schoolwork each (I'm studying wind engineering - can you tell?)

Holy crap guys! This is my first themed challenge of 2016, and I’m hoping it will be a silly/weird/fun one! This month is definitely going to be an adventure - the Crossfit Open is in progress, podcasting is getting super serious, St. Patrick’s day and my Mom’s birthday are this month, I’m going to be making some big adjustments in my diet, there are serious changes happening at work, I have some health stuff going on to plan for, aaaaand I’m partaking in my first ever Ranger Mini Challenge. So, in light of all this, I figured what better theme to cover all the shenanigans than... ____________________________________________ Adventure 1 - I don’t want to hurt you, but you should know - things get crazy when I’m hungry. Meet protein goal no less than 5 days/week. +2 CON | +1 STR | +1 WIS Per my coach (who is also a certified nutritionist), I tracked my food all of last week to find my baseline intake for protein. Starting this week, she wants me to increase my intake to 145-150g per day - slightly less than 1g/lb. I’m averaging about 82g/day right now, so this is going to be somewhat challenging for me. To take a little of the guesswork out of it, I’ve come up with a super basic daily meal ‘plan’. It only lists proteins, everything else (sides, veggies, how the protein is cooked or served, order in which I eat them, etc) is up to me when I’m doing my weekly meal prep. The majority of my protein is going to come from shakes (protein powder), chicken, fish, eggs, and greek yogurt. Other suggestions are welcome Adventure 2 - Puncha yo buns! Increase Crossfit to 3 WODs + Open every week +3 STR | +2 STA At the end of the last challenge (so, last week), I made the decision to upgrade my membership at my crossfit gym. RIght now I have the 3x/wk plan, but I have always had the intention of one day upgrading to the unlimited option. Well, I think now is that time. I’m becoming more confident in my abilities, I’m starting to lift heavier (though nothing crazy yet), and I really want to put more time towards attaining my goals. My membership won’t upgrade until the middle of the month, but because of the Open we’re allowed to come in to complete the WOD (or re-do it). This is the perfect time to start getting into a 4x/wk schedule, join in on the Oly class weekly, and then eventually crank it up to 5x in a later challenge. Adventure 3 - Let’s go kick their digital bootays! Participate in my first Ranger Mini Challenge +2 STA | +1 DEX I think it’s finally time that I join in on the Ranger Mini - and what a time to do so! I was part of the generation that grew up on the original Pokemon show, it was a big part of my childhood. I can’t believe the franchise has reached it’s 20th anniversary already... Anyway, my team is in the next post. Adventure 4 - Ah nah...I am not getting eaten by zombies tonight… Keep on top of my research for the podcast +2 CHA | +1 WIS For those of you who do not know, my friend and I host a horror themed podcast where we talk about a different movie every week. We started working on this at the beginning of the year, and now we’re about 10 episodes into recording. At this point, we’re looking to add more structure and elements to the show - reformat it a bit. We’re branching out to video games, books, possibly comics, and whatever else we can find. This is awesome and I’m super excited, but it also means more research and time working on it outside of the ‘studio’. Recording is done every other week, which gives me plenty of time to complete my set of show notes. It’s going to be a matter of making the time, and setting up a prioritized schedule for myself so that I’m not going crazy at the last minute (which is what I’ve been doing…). For this I’ll be using my new-ish planner; I’ll fill it out in 2 week sections to keep the work manageable and spread out. I’ll post pictures of my planner if necessary to keep myself on track. What I have to do: - create check list of topics - set schedule in planner - complete research/type up show notes

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.

This is going to be my food log for 1 month. I keep a MFP account (veggiejulia, feel free to add me). However, my macros have been kinda of loosey goosey lately. Hence, I am going to do a 1 month food log here. It's only for 1 month at the moment, due to the fact that I already keep an MFP log. Calories - around 1700, up to 1800 on workout days This: Macros- Carbs - 144 g - 35% Fat - 64 g - 35% Protein - 124g - 30% Dates - February 22 - March 21 Focus for this month - Stay under 1800 calories, - Can have one free day a week where I eat 2000 calories - Stay under 145g carbs on non-workout days, 175g carbs on workout days I can do this!!

All righty, guys - I've officially decided to jump in on the February challenge. Given the events in January, I wasn't sure if I was going to participate, but fuck it. I need this community, and the battle log just isn't the same. So, building off of last month, here are the goals: Quest 1: Continue attending Crossfit 3x/wk. The last week of this challenge is also the first week of the Open, in which I am participating. Yay. | STR +2 | DEX +1 | STA +1 | Quest 2: It's probably a good idea to get some kind of exercise in everyday in addition to CF. Therefore I'm going to start small with a mini workout that I can do as soon as I'm out of bed or home from work. (in no particular order) :30 Plank 20 Goblet Squats 15 KB high pulls 10 Turkish get ups (5 per side) | STR +2 | DEX +1 | Quest 3: It's time to up the protein with a daily morning shake. Thanks to my CF buddy, I have a good recipe to start me off and a brand spanking new tub of protein powder. This will be super easy to set up the night before, so all I will have to do is dump it all in the blender, mix, and pour. | STA +1 | CHA +1 | Man, this is so true...totally thought mine came without a scoop and started using my scale... Quest 4: The main focus of this challenge - working on getting my nutrition sorted via meal prep. I used to do this every week, and then I fell off it. I'm going to start with just preparing breakfast and lunches every Sunday, with dinners planned but not cooked until needed. It's probably going to be close to the same thing every week, but it's something. | CON +2 | Quest 5: Journaling at least 5 days per week. In order to stay sane and keep myself afloat, this is going to need to become a habit. Get my thoughts and events from the day down on paper and out of my head. Length of time spent writing and length of entry do not matter. | WIS +2 | CON +1 | Quest 6: Finally, keep up the Domestic RangeringTM. I'm going to keep with 15min/day, but I also want to incorporate two 1hr blocks of time to scrub down the bathroom and kitchen. | WIS +1 | It's the month for ALL the cleans: Crossfit cleans, cleaning up my nutrition, and doing actual around-the-house cleaning.

Hi, everybody: My general goal: Lose 15 pounds before my sister's wedding on April 8. (8 weeks). I've never really tried a diet quest because I really fucking hate diet changes. But I'm at my highest weight ever, despite bodyweight workouts and trying to be more active. So, it's time to try something new. Q1: Document all my food. I use YouFood, my username is traaki. I'd love to have some accountabilibuddies over there! Strengths: I've done this before and was fairly successful unless I was drunk or hungover (surprise). Weaknesses: I'm shy about it and feel rude for whipping my phone out every time I eat. Q2: Eat a high protein, low/slow carb breakfast every day. Eggs, beans, salsa, veggies, lunch meat, lentils, spices, hot sauce, cottage cheese. No more waffles and sweetened yogurt. If I must eat those, I will eat them later in the day. I will need to prep for this pretty intensively--mornings are not my best time, but it's also the time of day when I eat on my own the most so I don't have to worry about getting my partner involved. Strengths: I love eating lunch for breakfast. Weaknesses: If this morning is any indication, I'm going to need to plan out these meals. I'm reaaaaal slow in the mornings. Q3: Do 100 pushups/100 squats program 3 x week. I tried this a while back and had good success with it. I basically just got bored when it got really hard, I think, and stopped doing it. But I'd like to get through the whole program. Now that I can do squats at least some of the time (!!!!!) I'm really looking forward to this. LQ: Take daily action! I'm doing a different challenge for marketing my business this month. My LQ is to read the program materials every day and take the actions I've planned for myself each day. I took new measurements on Saturday--those are in my battle log. I really want to see how these diet changes affect things since I struggle so much with the diet changes at all, so it's kind of a respawn point for me.

I've been working on leveling up for a few years now - travel, running, better discipline for my business - but Level Up Your Life reminded me to apply leveling up to more areas, and to have more fun with it. I've always been a huge bookworm (and movie fan), and so it was natural to put together my quests around all the characters I want to be: Daniel-san (a wimp who got strong + mad skillz), Tony Stark and Pepper Potts (two sides of the same coin: mad scientist and businesswoman), Nathan Rahl (wise in lore), and a lot more. Thinking this way, and setting milestones and goals, has really helped me get it together. Right now I'm on my second four week challenge (but this is the first time I've posted here about it): Physical 30-45 minute workouts three times a week limit myself to 1 mile runs (I'm in my final weeks recovering from a hamstring injury) Food eat 100g protein, and 3 veg, per day limit myself to 3 servings of carbs / day (yes, that's an improvement) Languag Study Irish 10 minutes a day, 3 days a week So....hi. And, now what?

Hi, I'm new here! I tried to post once before, but I don't see my post so I'm trying again. Preemptive apologies to anyone who sees this twice! I don't eat meat so I'm relying on vegetarian sources of protein. Everything I eat has far more carbs compared with protein. For example, 100 grams of garbonzo beans contains 19 grams of protein but 61 grams of carbohydrates or chia seeds provide 4.5 grams of protein but 12 grams of carbohydrates. Protein powder is good, but if I blend it with almond milk and fruit I still end up with a huge amount of carbs compared with the protein I consume. I have googled articles on vegetarian sources of protein and they all suggest foods with moderate protein/huge carb content. Could anyone here give me some new ideas? Thanks

In this Fallout themed challenge, the Wasteland Scavenger (that's me) must scour the wasteland for supplies, and be ready for danger at any moment. Though danger seems to have a (rather convenient) habit lately of regularly stopping by every Sunday. The simple version: Repair weapon condition by completing workoutsRegenerate action points by eating proteinCollect water by drinking zero/low calorie beveragesScavenge ammo by doing choresSneak up on enemies by holding planksDefeat the weekly boss and live to scavenge another dayThe complex version [edited Jan 09]:

So I've been shamming the past year, hiding behind the concept of Easy Strength for a bit too long. I've convinced myself that I train smart, but I realize that I've forgotten how to train hard. No more. Time to increase the ability to move large loads long distances quickly across broad time and modal domains through constantly-varied functional movement executed at a high intensity. So I went ahead and put some mad money down to commit to a year at a local CrossFit box and signed up for a competition on the 30th, outsourcing all my training programming to someone else so I am forced to work on stuff I suck at (i.e. Wall Balls). Because if as a coach you don't believe in being coached yourself, that kind of makes you a hypocrite. All the increased lactic work is going to require some new dietary adjustments, and because little guy Chris Spealler outweighs me by 10 pounds, I may need to get some gainz going. The mission is simple: Accountability in Rangering-up 1. Box Attendance: 5 WODs a week. Turn up, log-on, and grind-out. Simple, yet somehow hard to do. 2. Protein: Consume 140g of protein a day. You can't be a meathead without meat. 3. Supplementation: Simple--Fish Oil and Creatine. Exercise virtuosity, in both the gym and the kitchen. Let's see how this goes. Glad to be back, Rangers.

GUESS WHO'S BACK! Back to the Monks for a brand new year! W00t! You awesome Martial Warriors remember me as BlackTezca and you may also remember me as a gif-crazy-make-your-browsers-crash-artistic-nutsy-code-MONKey! I have started out my journey in Nerdfitness in my introductory post From Lurker to (Newb) Rebel!, outlined last years daily struggles in BlackTezca's Daily Battle Towards Feline Greatness and had my final, most violent, uber challenge of 2015 known as BlackTezcas' 7th Trial: An Artsy, Geeky Amazon Pumps Up! Now this time I am here with a new inspiration! I want to take on this new challenge, this quicker, fast-paced challenge with the lackadaisical care and ease as the best of the best heroes. A hero who is heroic as a hobby! Which mean that things are fun while adding strength, dexterity, stamina, and all that jazz! I want to ONE PUNCH the crap out of this challenge and begin this brand new year with ultimate power! Thus the theme of this challenge shall be... Watch this show... Not only do I have a theme that is meant to decimate, I am returning to my Monk folks in order to enhance the foundation I have laid out last year and become the amazon hero I was meant to be. I have started out kickboxing which helps with my conditioning and technique and now I want to further my knowledge of Muay Thai beyond the bag and into the (light) sparring ring! I want to work with partners to learn clinching, practice footwork, and (lightly) punch them . Also, Considering it was just the holidays, I want to have my diet strengthened further, as well as get back to enhancing my core and agility. Not only that, but I also need to get my act back together for my art and even add on my novel planning for that! This is needed to enhance my mental agility as well! All this is needed in order to continue my main quest (may change when it comes to tying in Character Creation): My Main Quest is to be as POWERFUL and BATTLE READY as Wonder Woman I have worked out and lined up my quests and though the format is shorter, I am still gonna tackle my challenge format as I have had before! I really have been working on the challenge format as well through out last year and while the character creation may impact this challenge, it shouldn't impact what I have laid out here. I'm gonna be interested in how to add this as a 'quest' for the character as well as what kind of background I'll give her. Also will give me some ideas for art! Without further delay, here are the first quests of 2016!! Bang Silverfang: Muay Thai Sessions for finesse and technique application Details: I have just started going to Muay Thai classes with Easton to add with my kickboxing classes. Kickboxing is about learning techniques and conditioning, while Muay Thai is about finesse and working with partners in order to practice techniques learned in kickboxing along with gaining advanced knowledge. They also include sparring drills, which are ton of fun. I want to solidify this class as part of my full training and thus I needed to come to Muay Thai at least once a week this challenge. Contingencies: Weather may prevent me from getting to class. In this case, I need to consider and acceptable substitute. Sometimes, the coaches would change up the kickboxing class to be more of a partner/Muy Thai class, so I should be able to count those here as well. Tracking: I'll be tracking the Muay Thai sessions using MyFitnessPal ( username BlackTezca ) with the workout listed as 'Judo, Kickboxing, Martial Arts' for this thread. This thread will also be updated with details of the class. Grading: A for Muay Thai at least 4 times this challenge - 20 exp ( 2 Dex 2 Sta) B for Muay Thai at least 3 times this challenge - 15 exp ( 2 Dex 1 Sta ) C for Muay Thai at least 2 times this challenge - 10 exp ( 2 Dex ) F for all else Genos: Handstand practice for added core stability and diligence Details: I need to get back in the saddle for handstand practice since I have yet to actually reach the handstand last time! Thus time to get back into gear and make this a habit so I can finally each this goal in 2016! Contingencies: None for here. I can strengthen my wrists if I need to do that instead and this is a low impact practice. Tracking: I'll be tracking the handstand practice using MyFitnessPal ( username BlackTezca ) with the workout listed as 'Calisthenics- Light/Moderate' for this thread. This thread will also be updated with details of the practice. Grading: A for Handstand Practice at least 5 to 6 a week - 20 exp ( 1 Dex 2 Str ) B for Handstand Practice at least 3 to 4 a week - 15 exp ( 2 Str ) C for Handstand Practice at least 2 a week - 10 exp ( 1 Str ) F for all else Saitama: 100 gram of protein for an undefeatable hero! Details: I have been okay with upping my protein and have noticed that for the most part, I can hit 100 g of protein. So let's make this a challenge! Let's make sure I consistently hit that protein goal and really fuel my muscles as much as I can. Since its' still winter, I'm not limiting my carbs just yet, but that will be coming up as an idea for Spring. For now, let's EAT ALL THE MEAT!! (and eggs...and yogurt...) Contingencies: None. I should be able to stuff my face with yogurt and protein bars if I need to and while I don't want to go over my calories too much, I'm NOT cutting. Thus the daily amount should not scare me. I need the protein, I need that fuel! Tracking: I'll be tracking the stretching sessions using MyFitnessPal ( username BlackTezca ) with extra accountability done here. Grading: A for 100 g of protein 6 to 7 times a week - 25 exp ( 2 Con 1 Wis) B for 100 g of protein 4 to 5 times a week - 20 exp ( 2 Con ) C for 100 g of protein 2 to 3 times a week - 15 exp ( 1 Con ) F for all else Tastumaki aka Terrible Tornado: An Esper uses her mind for power...Empower my mind Details: So as I have planned and mentioned last challenge, I want to start a novel for next year! Though I aim for writing it during NaNoWriMo, I do want to start planning it out using the snow flake method (planning on getting to step 5 here depending). I also have character portraits to draw and will use this novel for inspiration! Here are my character portraits to do: Theresa (done but have a chibi fun image being worked on)Connor (second protagonist)Human 'cattle' escapee who like an older brother figure to the macguffinThe magcuffin character. May hold cure for 'vampirism'Extra Credit: character portraits for Starpuck and Mrs Feanor peeps.Let's hope I get far...without stressing out! Contingencies: I won't be able to keep track of this too much when I'm on ski trips. But while I'm not drawing those trips, I can brainstorm my novel and send ideas to myself through email, or save it on a google doc. Thus still adhering to this quest! Tracking: I have an art Tumblr and I also have a DeviantArt (WATCH ME FOR ACCOUNTABILITY). I shall use those and this thread to keep track. I shall also post up WIPs of my work on this thread and I will also count ideas and brainstorming I come up with during my daily status. So ya'll will be here to listen to my ramblings! Grading: A for at least 30 minutes 4 to 5 days a week - 25 exp ( 2 Wis 2 Cha ) B for at least 30 minutes 2 to 3 days a week - 15 exp ( 1 Wis 1 Cha ) F for all else Bonus Quest- Speed O Sonic: FASTER FASTER DOWN THE MOUNTAIN!!! Details: It's ski season!! W00t! Time to work on my speed, making cleaner turns, stopping more quickly, and just getting braver on the slopes! This is a seasonal quest and I want to track and reward my efforts for these excursions! Also, gives me a fun fifth quest too! Contingencies: I have rented the places, booked hotels, but sickness is always a possibility. Thus why this is a bonus! I rather be healthy enough to make it down the blue (or even black) runs, then sick and hurt myself. Tracking: I'll be tracking the skiing funtimes using MyFitnessPal ( username BlackTezca ) with the workout listed as 'Downhill Skiing' for this thread. I'll also, of course, be updating this thread with details of my adventures! Grading: A for Skiing this challenge! - 10 exp ( 1 Sta) F for all else This may look like a lot for the first challenge of the year but at the same time, considering all my quests are in chunks (except for the skiing one which is mostly for funsies) this shouldn't be too bad! Maybe not one punchable, but surely worthy of an S-class hero such as myself! Here are some starting fitness measurements: Starting Measurements: Date: 01/04/2015 @ 6:20 am Weight: 129 ***Body Fat***: 21% Waist: 23 Waist @ Navel: 23.5 Hips: 34.5 Neck: 12 Chest: 32 Left Bicep: 10.5 Right Thigh: 16 Wrist: 5.5 Forearm: 8.5 I'm really looking forward to a new year with my Nerdfitness peeps and to check out all the changes that have added to the rebellion! This may look tough, however, challenges are suppose to be tough in order to be fun and make sure we keep pushing out limits. Not everything can be so easy! Let's go my fellow Monk folks and KICK SOME ASS!!! Let's become... ULTIMATE HEROES!!! (That hopefully won't get bored by being ultimate heroes...)

This will be a multi-part challenge, spanning at least the first 3 challenges of the year. I'm keeping the first one simple, and will focus on some good foundational stuff. Like Lara Croft, parkour, climbing, combat, and outdoors exploration are all totally my jam. I even have a passing interest in ancient civilizations, and will likely be scrambling around some Mayan Ruins in the early spring. Main Quest: Parkour all of the things!!! Climb all of the things!!! Balance in mind-bending ways! Play with weapons! Look like someone who could compete on ANW. 2015 and how we arrived here: Major goals for 2016 My overly full schedule: Goals for this challenge: I'm keeping things very simple and foundational this challenge, as I already have an overburdened schedule. Goal 1 - Be agile like Lara (fitness) Lara can balance on challenging objects, pull up easily onto things, and perform flips without breaking a sweat. My goal is to collect an average of 10 minutes of skill work/day, the skill work divided between: Kipping pull ups, Rail walking, Front walkovers, Back walkovers, Forearm stand/scorpion, and weapons play. Right now, I can do kipping pull ups, but I get nothing at all from the kip as my technique is poor. But kipping is much more efficient in parkour and will also lead me to a muscle up much sooner. Forearm stand and scorpion will help with the core and shoulder engagement needed for handstands. Rail walking is important for parkour, and I constantly need to improve. I'll post a video of my current status with the walkovers. And weapons are fun! ungraded sub-goal: I'm horrible about prehab and foam rolling if I don't force myself to do it. So, the goal for this is to also average 10 minutes/day. Goal 2 - Proper fuel for exploration (diet) Surviving in the wilderness is impossible without proper fuel. This goal is simple: Track protein, and manage 110 g/day (I'm open to suggestions on the number. I weigh 145 lb). ungraded sub-goal: minimize soda and alcohol. Goal 3 - Stay mentally sharp in the wilderness (life) Lara had to be mentally sharp to explore, find new artifacts, do tons of parkour, and thrive in the wilderness. And this requires excellent sleep. For me, sleep is the foundation for improved productivity, good muscle recovery, and reduced anxiety for me. The goal is to set a solid bedtime routine, where I stop eating food after 8:30 pm, I drink some calming herbal tea, electronics are turned off by 10:00 pm, and I read after that until falling asleep. On weekends, everything can shift back an hour. The goal is 6 days/week of compliance with this plan. ungraded sub-goal: Make at least 2 animated graphics for Xcode apps. Continue working through tutorials and messing around with some of my partially finished apps.

This is my 14th challenge here at Nerd Fitness. You would think I'd have it all together by now and not need to continue to plan my life around every 6 week period of the year. However I know damn well that the moment I stop gamifying my life by participating in these challenges will be the moment I drop everything and revert back to the fast-food loving, couch-surfing lump of flesh I was nearly two years ago. Quick recap for those of you who haven't seen me around - I am a 24 year old human of the female variety living on the southern coast of Western Australia (that's in Australia!) working in hospitality in a locally owned small cafe in the "city" of Albany. I am currently stumbling my way through minimum skills training for Roller Derby, which despite being pidgeon-holed my entire life as the unfit & uncoordinated child of my family, am loving to death! Therefore any of my fitness and nutrition decisions are currently revolving around whether or not it will benefit my skating career. It is giving me something to hold onto for motivation when I have none left and need to decide on things like what to eat or whether to stay up all night playing The Sims. SO! Without Further Ado, Challenge Number 14 shall proceed as follows; Teagarden is Subtle, Like a Brick. or will be, once she learns how to hit people on wheels! Main Goal Enjoy Every Day of 2015 Current Goals: Become combat-ready for roller derby Become good enough to be an awesome jammer (get faster, hit stronger) Keep feeling healthy and happy like I have been the last 3 months Prepare for the next period of my adult life (purchasing a house!) Quest #1 - Do Physio-prescribed exercises daily (6 / 14) Getting stronger entirely will have to wait until I can rehab my knee to be completely trustworthy and so I can skate again. Quest #2 - Keep Breathing (2 / 6) Do 1 HIIT session every week. My lungs need to get used to hard and fast movement in short bursts, because that's mostly what ends up happening while I'm skating. I would do more then one session but as I'm already skating 5 hours a week for derby training I can't afford to burn myself out. Bonus points for cycling daily to rehab my bung knee. Quest #3 - Feed the Demon (9.5 / 42) Eat 140g 100g of protein daily. no point working out if I am just burning any muscle away instead of building it up onto my skeleton. I am not the biggest or the fastest skater so I need to work harder to make my presence known, and to do this I need to eat the right stuff! like, chicken, and steak. And protein shakes. Quest #4 - Farm the Gold ($625 / $1,500) Drop $250 into my savings weekly. I have a budget written out which takes into account the rent / mortgage payments I don't currently pay (because we rent from my mother-in-law and I pay all the bills while Mr. Tea pays the rent; it works out even in terms of paying our living expenses) but $250 is almost what I will be paying once we buy our house and start having to pay it off. If I can put $250 into my savings every week until April (when the tenant moves out of the house we intend to buy) I should have around $30,000 I can use as a deposit to make our overall home-loan smaller. I've also slacked on this a bit lately and this last week especially has seen me haemorrhaging money as all my objects reach their used-by dates. Bonus Quest - Save money to update items EDIT 19/11/2015: Donate extra money to worthy causes that you would otherwise waste on inanimate objects $50 donated so far. Ranger's Gonna Ranger: Star Wars Mini Challenge! Week 1, General Movement: Cycle 30kms (30 / 30) - complete! Week 2, Stealth and Tracking: Sneak around the bird watching walk, sneak up on birds (0 / 1) failed due to sickness Week 3, Rangerly Hobbies: Find a Geocache! (3 / 1) complete Week 4, Rangerly Showcase: create food using leftovers, photograph Week 5, Week 6.