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Lets just say I rolled a d20 on the death saves that incurred from my previous challenge's failure 😉 And alas, I'm back! Last time I jumped straight in on my challenge from point 0, with my end goal in mind but not an idea about how I'd find myself best exercising, or on what diet I'd be changing my eating. And I lose momentum as I realised I wasn't achieving my 5wc goals, but I was enhancing myself in completely different ways that I felt way more motivated in. To put it metaphorically, I cast firebolt in an enclosed area and went down at level 1 in my last challenge. So, having taken those weeks to work out my game plan and improve my lifestyle without the 'sidequests', I'm coming back with better short-term goals in mind! Quest One: Good Things Come In Small Packages Eat 1600kcal or less, 5 days a week. I'm already achieving this one but consistency is key! Quest Two: Learning the Lingo Learn 2 new BSL signs a week Quest Three: Home and Hearth Do a chore or a sweep around at least 6 days a week Allowing myself a point buy here where if I'm out on an evening after work, I can do more on a day off and 'make up' for a lost day (since, well, the results will be the same) I do plan to feature a fitness goal in the next challenge but with Covid restrictions extended in my area, my aerial hoop and pole fitness classes will only be every 2-3 weeks for now. But soon they'll be frequent enough that I can challenge myself with them, for sure 😋

So.. here we go again. I'm trying to get things on track again, after many changes. I decided to come back and do a challenge, to get the ball rollin'. I'm a biologist now, and started my PhD study a few months ago. Days have been crazy. Keep it simple, Joaquin.. Ok.. here, beginner mindset. Diet 1 soda max every week. Eat vegetables with at least one meal; and 1 fruit every day Fitness 3 yoga classes per week Level Up Your Life 5 minutes meditation daily. I've started journaling, almost everyday. I'll write these quests on a page and check them every night. Good riddance!

I'm new to NF and this is my first challenge. The last few days I have been lurking around in the forums and today I completed the planning worksheet, although I already had something similar in place this broke things down into smaller pieces than I have done before. So here is my challenge: Meditate - 6 days a week Walk - go for some sort of walk, 6 days a week Workout - 3 times a week, see below Eat better - but how?? Some details on the above list: 1) Meditate - I have done a little meditation over the years, and recently a bit more using headspace and insight timer on my phone. Like many things in life the starting is the hardest part for me, once I get going it is enjoyable yet I often talk myself out of it. I do believe if I can get into a semi-regular practice it should help both my physical (stress, high blood pressure etc.) and mental health (anxiety, depression). 2) Walk - I really need to get fitter and lose weight (again for both physical and mental reasons). Walking seems the easiest way to start doing this, I can stick my headphones in and listen to podcasts. Again the hardest part is starting, i.e. getting out of the door. Once I am walking I find it ok (although frustrating when it reminds me how out of shape I am). I am not setting a time or distance minimum to this as I think it will make me more likely to fail, and some walking is better than none. I will however continue tracking my steps, and have a sub-goal of increasing my steps done week-on-week (but if I miss this I won't beat myself up over it, moving more and more often is the key to this challenge). 3) Workout - some sort of workout. Details to follow but either a bodyweight workout (the nerdfitness one which I need to checkout or one that I have done previously) or maybe some light weights. A sub-goal here of increasing the amount I can do, but the challenge goal is to do this regularly. 4) Eat better - recent changes to my diet are going in the right direction, but with a long way to go. This challenge might be to just keep going in the right direction, or something more specific if I can think of it. I will be continuing my tracking with myfitnesspal as data is important to me. Increasing my water intake is also definitely a part of this challenge. I have chosen 6 days a week for walking and meditation as 7 is likely setting me up to fail, and 6 is more reasonably achievable. The last thing I want to do is "fail" and have the mental downward spiral that might follow. If I hit 7 days then bonus xp! Now to address the title - this challenge really is terrifying, and not only because it is my first. What I have set out in my challenge feels both so little and so much. As individual things they aren't much to do, and considering where I want to get to in life they are the smallest of steps. At the same time they seem thoroughly daunting and I can see the consistency being a real challenge for me. Only one way to find out how it will go...

My first (second attempt actually) on a challenge. 3 Goals: Get to a Healthy Weight Overweight at 96kg, healthy weight for 174cm is 78kg. THAT is the target. Confidence Boost Low confidence has made me the poster boy for bullying target, though I am fortunate enough that it did not happen to me. (I had great classmates.) And also, I want to feel what vanity feels like. That rush when someone tells you that you look good. Or that liberating feeling of stripping your shirt off just because you feel like it. (of course, within permissible boundaries) Handle Life with Gout 26. Gout-sufferer. Doesn't ring nice, does it? I understand (after countless doctors telling me that) - it is a lifelong disease. I want to learn to handle it - so the least I could do is handle it well-enough, that it doesn't become a lifelong bother on my mind. I heard some patients that handled it good, only relapses once a year, even once every 2 years. My goal is that. Action Plan: Get to a Healthy Weight Meet daily step goals of 10,000 (bought a garmin tracker just for this) Workout at least 4x a week Develop a Hydration Habit - 3litres a day. Confidence Boost Stop Picking on Skin. I have bad eczema. And made worst because I pick my skin when idle, scared, stressed, etc Cold Shower. Heard it is good for eczema. Lotion up after shower. Didn't do it because I thought it was a girly thing to do (is it though?). But I guess I have to now. I'm so dry. Handle Life with Gout Study on Gout. Uric Acid Blood test (or blood test in general) every 4 months. Develop and cook gout diet plan Keep a Gout/Pain Journal That is it for this challenge. Help me on this journey. Any advises are extremely welcomed. Thank you~

I'm new but I thought I'd post this before going and getting lost in the fun parts of forum life. I'm not 100% sure I understand the formatting required (if it is requried) but here we go: Quests: 1. Be more active 2. Be more social 3. Love myself more (yes that sounds ooey gooey girly and yes i'm trying to think of a better descriptor) 4. Get more flexible Challenge: 1. Do one activity per day. 2. Post pictures on social media 3x per week 3. Write down one positive thing about myself every day 4. Stretch every day

Alright let's get to work! Don't like the habits I've gotten into and the effects they're having on my body, mood, and energy, so let's make the change! 1) take a cold shower every morning! 2) 10 minutes minimum of meditation every morning! (Hopefully I'll start getting out of bed more than 5 minutes before I have to be at work) 3) Cut down to one carbonated beverage a day! (no bigger than a medium) 4) 30 minute walk every evening!

Current: Second challenge Nov 2nd, log start here. First challenge, September 20th - October X log ☆ Sept 20 is when I joined, 6 days later than the start but better late than never. I suppose this can be when I start. A brief journal entry then catalogging my meals and activity are what can be expected. I'll make each post a months worth I think... Food: diced tomatoes and eggs w/pinch of cheese, mudslide, dinner at sofa's so lots of galupse & dolmas, 3 chocolate covered cherries, 8oz coffee with a sneeze of cream Exercise: 10min walk though I suspect it was 7 because my husband is sneaky and got a new pocket watch that he wouldn't show me when I asked for the time... >u< I wasn't expecting to dive into NF today but it happened. I really need to grocery shop and donate the foods I won't be eating. Anywho, not a bad start. ♡

HALLO! My name is Bre and I'm a 24 year old librarian lady (sans bun) living in Georgia who likes to read and pet basset hounds. Fitness has always been a part of my life in one form or another. I was a dancer for 15 years, a tumbler for 6 years, played volleyball for 2 years, and beach volley for 1 year. The toll that dancing took on my ankles and knees and the bad lung capacity I was given as a baby-child has contributed to the fact that I really can't bike, hike, run, jog, jump, or anything that involves me breathing quickly or heavily for long periods of time. Now that I've been out of college for a year and a half, it's time to start concentrating on my health. The stress of college took a toll on my mental and physical state and I had to concentrate on getting my mindset in a healthy and positive place before I could take on anything else. Since I've managed to get a hold of that part of my life, I feel like I am ready to move on to creating a more positive body image for myself and to be proud to look in the mirror. I will be doing the 6 Week Challenge starting in January and I think my main goal will be to lose 15 lbs. by adjusting my diet and following a workout regime that may increasingly help my heart and lungs get stronger. My three smaller goals within that larger one are to 1.) Follow a strict Paleo diet with 1 Cheat Day, 2.) Create a week-to-week workout plan alternating strength training and reparations days with 1 rest day different from the cheat day, 3.) To begin practicing Yoga to help anxiety and clear the mind. I have been using ASMR videos to calm myself down every night and my Leaf to practice deep meditative breathing exercises but I believe that Yoga may work wonders for my mind and spirit. I am trying to build habits because habits are what work for me. It's very difficult for me to self motivate and gyms are a car wreck for my nerves so I will be trying my workouts at home with my Basset baby while updating on here regularly. A side quest I think I may take on is to get my sleeping patterns on a regular schedule. I can go from one extreme to the other when it comes to sleep. Waaaaay too little or waaaay too much. Figuring out my sleep schedule and then seeing what time working out works best for me will help tremendously. I'm so excited to join this community. I will probably be joining the Academy in a couple of weeks once I get my bearings on my workout life. First things first...tomorrow...BEFORE PICTURES dun dun dunnnnnnnn!!!!

I'm so happy!!!!!! 😀😀😀

It's, like, halfway through the challenge, but I always find challenges halfway, tell myself, "I'll start with the next challenge!" and don't do it. Nope. Not happening no more. So, here I am. I've recently started playing rugby, and I always feel bad when I start wheezing 10 minutes into a game because I can't keep up with the others (it doesn't help that my position requires a high work rate), so that will be my main goal and motivation. Bullet[point]-time: Main Goal: To increase cardiovascular enduranceMotivation: To be able to keep up with teammates and thus contribute to the game. Goal 1: Jog 1 mile every day. (This will take some figuring out during Thanksgiving break as I will be with relatives; will do update on how to navigate thru this.)Goal 2: Do interval running at least 2, preferably 3, times a week, or a similar, high-workrate cardiovascular activity (e.g. basketball) if unable to, for 1 hour. (Same problem as above; why am I not staying on campus?)Goal 3: Start eating regular meals again. No more skipping meals; at least 3 full meals a day. (This will be easier to do.) Life Goal: Ace my 4 finals/get an A on my final paper. I need it. I've been slacking. Finals are coming.

Hi fellow recruits. I am new to the forums so bear with me :-) I am a 51-year-old gal who is wanting to level up nutrition and fitness. I am still navigating through the Academy, and all the awesome information it has to offer. Main Quest– to lose 6 to 10 pounds during the course of this challenge; thereby increasing my health and wellness :-) Goal 1-MOVE-scheduling a walk;minimum of a mile, 3x-4x per week. Goal 2-LUNCH-plan ahead and pack/bring my lunch 4/5 workdays. Goal 3-SWEETS- to not eat any unplanned sweets/candy at work ( The location of my crappy eating ). I plan to use my fitness pal app to track my food along the way as well.

Hello! So this is my first challenge, so tell me if I'm doing it wrong... _______________________________________________________ From my Intro Post: A bit about me: My name is Beth; I am 33 in November; I am an American living in Australia, and I am a SAHM with a soon to be 4 yo and triplets that just turned two. I am currently 87.9 kg on Day 1, with some fused vertebrae from a car accident ages ago and some military service, and a deep seated need to do this right this time, despite the fact that I have been a 'bare minimum' type of person my whole life. Why I'm doing this: I'm doing this because I'm tired of using my current life (a billion kids and no sleep) as a reason not to like myself. I want to feel attractive, be proud of what my body can do, and when my kids say they want to be like me, I want that to be a good thing. _______________________________________________________ I joined right in the middle of the last 6-week Challenge, so I am super excited to finally start this one! My Main Quest: I know that wieght is not the be-all, end-all, but I need to drop a few kg to make my knees and joints less prone to injury. So my quest is to lose 6 kg in the 6-week Challenge. However, I want to do it in a way that improves my life in the long run... more activity, better nutrition! Part 1 - I want to consume NO LIQUID CALORIES for 5 days out of every week. I've already cut soda, and cut milk out of my coffees, but no alchohol, no juice... I really need to focus on water intake. Part 2 - I want to start running... so 3 times a week, I'm going to run... it doesn't really matter how long, as long as I give it an honest go, but I have downloaded Zombies, Run! so that will be fun. Part 3 - I want to branch out and try one new class every week. I am trying Zumba next week, and rock wall climbing the one after... I'm also thinking a martial arts, a yoga, and a sword fighting... I have to see what's available and plan ahead. My Side Quest: I have so many things hanging out around the place that need to be put together or built. So, that is my side goal. I am going to build the trampoline for the kids, the new bike for my son, the brand new kitchen that is going in, and the new garden beds out back. IF i finish those too early in the challenge, I will move on to all the crafting projects I have half started and dying slow, stifled deaths. Wish me luck! I'm a recruit because this is my first challenge, but once I'm seeing some results I am looking at the Assassins Guild

No Parkour roll practice today. Instead, I shall dance, dance, dance!

I am happy to announce that I am now considered pre-hypertensive rather than having a high blood pressure diagnosis. Current blood pressure: 124/92. I have experienced a steady drop in blood pressure. This is due to cutting out a lot of processed foods in my life, exercising regularly & eating kosher meats.

Allie's Journey Begins: Kiya & The Hourglass There is only an hour left until the clocks are turned back. While I will get the chance to repeat every minute of the next hour, repeating other things in life is a fleeting concept. While 1:08 AM will change an hour from now, there is no changing the candy corns that I ate during that minute (Halloween candy is a blessing and a curse). These poor choices have slowly piled up for me like sand trickling in an hourglass. I'm ready to flip that hourglass over. Now if only I was strong enough to do that... *A light autumn breeze flows through the bedroom window. As you sit in bed watching the curtains flutter, you notice a flicker of green peek through. Before you can get up to investigate, a small creature flies through the window and lands at the foot of your bed. Oddly enough, this creature is now sitting cross-legged with a broad smile on her face, looking at you expectantly.* "Umm... Hello?" "Pleasure to meet you, Allie! I'm Kiya. Are you ready to begin?" "Begin what, exactly?" "Your journey! We have quite the path set out for us." Kiya spent the next half hour or so explaining to me what her purpose was for showing up in my bedroom. At about six inches tall and varying shades of a glowing blue and green, Kiya is a fairy with quite the expressive personality. During the impermanent hour at the end of daylight savings time, fairies such as herself sense those who want to reach a goal, but have gotten lost in the past while trying to achieve it. This makes sense for me, as I want to lead a healthier lifestyle, but have fallen off the wagon many times in the past. She will stay with me while I strive to reach this goal, pointing me in the right direction and helping to cultivate the thing that I lack the most on this journey - discipline. "So, are you ready, Allie?" "Let's do it!" We then worked together on a list of goals that I can work towards over the next few weeks: Allie's Journey Begins Starting Weight: 150lbs Goal Weight: 120lbs 1. Exercise at least 25 times over the next 6 weeks 2. Minimize liquid calories to less than 300 a week 3. Keep a food and exercise journal 4. Don't go overboard during the Thanksgiving holiday Once we had finished our planning session it was time to rest up. While not a primary goal, keeping a normal sleep schedule will be important on the path to reaching my goals and living a healthy lifestyle. Kiya curled up on my over-sized stuffed panda while I lay down in bed and drifted off, hopeful about starting my journey and tackling the challenge ahead of me, one grain of sand at a time.

Presses [reset]. Hey all! I’m Morgan. I’m a 22 year old cis!female from Minnesota who has tried several times to get healthy. I struggle with clinical depression and am currently in a really low swing, but I’m hoping that focusing on these challenges and being surrounded by community will help. The above photo on the right lists my goals for the next six weeks. I’ll be posting a journal with my current stats (weight, measurements, etc) as well as a full body shot tomorrow. Cheers! -Morgan

Hi everybody, I'm LydiaJaybird. You can call me whichever part of that you prefer. This isn't actually my first challenge, though... About a year ago I did a couple challenges as ElfiKay - got up to running nine miles a week - but then I broke my foot. For a little while I tried to keep up with my diet and some non-foot-related workouts, but my foot took a long time to heal [and gave me a couple cruel periods of false hope where I thought it was better and then it got worse again... even got put back in my boot in February] and I lost heart. Stopped coming on here, stopped trying to diet, gained a bunch of weight, and got pretty depressed. Eventually my foot healed all the way back up and I was able to start running again this summer! But I had trouble keeping up with my runs, so I've come back to you lovely people with a new account. During that whole messed-up foot time period I made a couple attempts at different low-impact exercises to stay in shape - pilates [got bored], rock climbing [discovered a fear of heights... while 80ft up a cliff], and pole dancing [LOVE ITTTT]. So now I have a new passion - very similar to my old passion, actually. I danced [ballet, jazz, hip-hop, etc] until partway through college, and quitting is one of my biggest regrets. So now I have dance back in my life and I couldn't be happier about it! Due to a bunch of stuff that'll take too long to get into, I actually had to quit classes, but I've got a pole in my living room now, so I can still workout on it and practice. Yay! So now for the important bit - my quests for this challenge! Main Quest - Lose 12 Pounds I've managed to drop most of my broken-foot-moping weight, but not all... Right now I'm 2 pounds above what I was when I started in the forums last year... 12 pounds above where I was when I actually broke my foot So, I want to drop the rest of that weight. It's a lofty goal - I'll need to lose 2 pounds every week - but I think I can get there. Goals 1. Pole Dance - Do two strength workouts a week on the pole and practice tricks at least one other day. I've already figured out an upper body workout for Tuesdays, and a core/lower body workout for Thursdays. I'll use Saturday for that extra practice day. I'm also going to try to start recording my practices so I can see what I need to work on and see my progress. Assuming that I don't look like a harpooned whale, I'll post those here for accountability and moral support (I'm super critical of myself when it comes to dance... I need to make sure I don't beat myself up too much over not being good. Calm down, me, I've only been doing this since January!) But we'll see, hahaha. 2. Run - Run three times a week, using the return to running progression that my physical therapist gave me. 3. Keep Calm and Keto On! - My roommate and I started the keto diet together a couple months back and I love it. We plan our meals and get groceries together - then she cooks and I do the dishes. And she's an AMAZING cook - everything she makes tastes like Jesus himself blessed it. The only pitfall that keeps tripping me up is that she isnt very reliable... On the weekends in particular she's more reliable at being unreliable than anything. Which is incredibly frustrating because she doesnt share the spices part of her recipes with me (she generally just makes it up on the spot anyways), just the ingredients that have nutritional value, so if I try to make them myself it tastes awful. Also, I generally won't find out that she's not making a meal until it's past time to eat, so then I'm really hungry and end up just eating whatever I can get my hands on. So I need to start being prepared to cook meals for myself on short notice. I figure if I keep some extra eggs and frozen vegetables in the fridge, then I'll always have a quick, keto-friendly meal on hand. If anybody else knows some fast and easy keto meals that I can throw together last minute when Roomie falls through, please let me know! The gradings for this goal are to stick to my calories and keep it keto, no matter what. [1645 calories or less, 25 carbs or less] Life Quest Work towards Employment! I graduated this May... but I can't get hired. So I'm a part-time cashier. [it's not a problem of qualification, I graduated as an honors student with a double major in International Business and Management and a double minor in Japanese and Portuguese. 3.5 GPA couldve been higher, but thats what I get for studying two languages.] But I've got to keep trying. I keep hinging on opportunities that seem like they'll turn into something, and then when they fall through, I haven't applied to anything new in weeks. Ex. I recently interviewed at a bank, and have a company that's emailed me asking for an interview, and out of positivity/confidence in one of those positions turning into something, I haven't applied to anything in two weeks. So I need to make sure that I'm constantly working towards getting a job, not just sitting around waiting. Every week, I need to be able to list concrete things I've done to try to get hired until I receive a job offer. No more twiddling my thumbs while I wait for responses. Measurements Height: 5'9" Weight: 177.6 Waist: 30 Hips: 42.5 Grading Each goal will be graded weekly & be worth 1/3 of that week's total grade. Each week I get the chance to earn a point of extra credit by completing my Life Goal, so that's up to six points of extra credit possible! My final grade will be the average of all six weeks plus my Life Goal extra credit. I need to make at least a C (70%) to pass the challenge. Pole - percentage of completed workouts/practices. Running - percentage of completed runs. KCKO - 1 point each day for meeting calories and another point for meeting carbs. Total points/Total possible for the weekly grade. Exceptions - If I'm sick or injured (please noooo not again!), then workouts are excused. For rewards, I'm a little bit torn. Last year I rewarded myself with workout shirts/games, but right now I don't know if I can afford to do that. With my current situation, I'm on a very tight budget to avoid bleeding money from my savings on a monthly basis. I'd love to say that I'll buy myself some pole shorts or a new workout top, but I just dont know that I can afford it. I'd say that another good reward would be to let myself ask a weekend off to go hiking with Andy, my... uh... romantic interest? I hate modern dating..., but we're not allowed to ask off Fridays or Saturdays. Those are truck days. I could always completely cut extra spending during the month (what little I do... >.<) and use that to buy something? Idk, what do you all think?

You know that heart racing in your throat omgwhy feeling? That is the overall theme here... Also hi my name is Doll, this is scary! Once upon a time 3 years ago, I was super paleo with benefits (so many faux "but it's healthy!" desserts...) for about 2 years ish. I walked a lot and lifted a little. That is the extent of anything even resembling healthy. I have struggled with a variety of eating disorders since I was eleven, but even before then my food model wasn't very good (S.A.D plus extremely regulated in a bad way). The point is my weight fluctuates drastically frequently, I suck at stress, and I need to learn how to eat and be healthy. I know I'm a week late for the start of this current challenge but the faq said better late than never. Main Quest: Lose 20ibs by my birthday, January 8th Side Quest 1: Paleo whole 30 - Despite lying to myself about faux desserts, I actually really loved paleo. I've had lasting positive effects even though it was a couple years ago (always remained gluten free, no soy, very rarely corn, rare potatoes, rare beans). But I need to give it a proper go and learn how to eat. So here we go! (A= 30 days, B= 25+, C= 20+ | A +3con, B +2con, C +1con) Side quest 2: Paleo 80/20 - As mentioned, I am going to eat this way permanently again. For something to be successful it needs to be realistic for my situation. I do use dairy occasionally with no adverse effects, plus when I go on a date with my hubby you bet your buns I want to split a shake! That being said I can justify cocaine if I try hard enough, so some ground rules are in place: I define my 80/20 80= paleo, 20=holidays, special occasions, dates, family get togethers gluten free/relaxed, and the tiny bit of cream I take in my coffee. (A= as stated, B= Excessive dairy, C= lying to myself about what "special occasion" means | A +3 con, B +2 con, C +1 con) Side quest 3: 10+ min walk everyday - Pretty straight forward. Anyone can scrounge 10mins, and making it daily gets me in the exercise habit. I actually use to really love walking and hiking, sometimes catching "the bug" where I walked for like 4miles multiple times a day just cause I liked it. Also, it is easy to fit into like shopping or w/e. (A= as stated, B= missed 7 days total, C= missed 14 days total | A +3 sta, +1str, B +2 sta, +1str, C +1sta) Motivation: 1. I want to be a good example for my sisters and future children 2. To optimally manage my mental health 3. I want a healthy relationship with food 4. I want to be more comfortable in my skin 5. To be able to better participate in walks, hikes, and other outdoorsy things I once enjoyed 6. To to be able to be pregnant safely and have the energy to play with my child (disclaimer: I have jacked up ankles and very literally weak core muscles that don't even activate properly when exercised, so if I got pregnant while being overweight I likely could render myself immobile) 7. I want to be able to protect myself (maybe rejoin the dojo -sad sigh-) 8. To better my chances at having a long and healthy life with my loved ones 9. My husband 10. Myself Umm, I suppose my current stats should go next... Doll, female, age 23 220ibs sept 20, 2015 5'3" Waist:35" Hips:45" Arms:14" Thighs:27" Calves:17.5" I'm not shy, just nervous because socializing is just not something I do... Sucks the energy out of me! I saw others talking about what sort of nerd they are. My husband says I'm a jack of all trades nerd because I like a little bit of everything but I'd call me a DIY nerd. I never leave without yarn in my purse. I can talk about fallout for hours (PS I avg 800hrs per session..... ) , love anime (my spirit animal is Louis Armstrong), Junji Ito mangas, metal bands I can never talk about with anyone cause they've never heard of them :c, and getting up to DIY antics. Okay that's it. It took me like three days to figure out how to properly join NF, now I cross my fingers hoping I have done this right and figure out what is next...! ♡

Hi folks! I'm new to Nerd Fitness, and I'm just starting my First Challenge, but I wanted to pop in and say hi. So sad the Mario challenge is not open to recruits, but that is okay! It just means I've got to fishing this one, and stick around. As I said in my challenge thread, the Druid stuff is my home base. I've been practicing yoga, on and off, for 15 years, and teaching it for at least 5. I've been a devout Pagan polytheist for almost as long, of the organic farming, living in the woods, raising goats variety. But I've never had a strong connection between the yoga/fitness stuff and the being in the woods stuff. Over the past few months, I've been going for short runs in the woods, and while that is infinitely more engaging to me than running on the road or (ugh) a treadmill, I'm looking to bring some freerunning/parkour-style movement into that. Jumping, climbing, interacting with whole environment with my full body. However, while I am not in terrible shape, I quickly come up against limitations of strength, stamina, and stability. I've also got some trouble with my shoulder that is currently acting up, and I'm gradually rehabilitating an old ankle injury. We're briskly heading into winter here in New England, and while I want to keep getting outdoors regularly, I plan to use my indoor time to focus on bodyweight-based strength training, so I can do more fun jumping and climbing.

Hi there, I'm a white belt browncoat, just getting started with my first challenge. I'm 31, married and have a five-year-old to try and keep up with. I've read Nerd Fitness for a couple of years now but never got into the forums. In the last two months, all three of us signed up for our first martial arts class and we are hooked. The Monks' Guild looks like my home in the near future. Main Quest: Lose 50 lbs in a year. To be more specific, 4 lbs every month. Quest 1: Martial Arts Classes Attend three martial arts classes a week (since I'm jumping in the middle of this challenge, it works out to attending 13 classes) Grading: A=13; B=10; C=8; D=6 Quest 2: Homework Do two workouts at home on non-class days, the TMNT workout is preferable, but I'll settle for doing some air squats and pushups while making dinner (eight workouts for the duration of the challenge) Grading: A=8; B=6; C=4; D=2 Quest 3: Sweettooth I have a bit of a sweet-tooth and there is a large bowl (not mine) stocked with candy next to my desk. Let's limit this to one piece of candy a day (21 days) Grading: A=21; B=15; C=10; D=5 Motivation: I want to have lots of energy to play with my son and like the way that I look. Here's to the Rebellion.

Hey all! This is my first challenge, so I’m a Recruit. I imagine I’ll jump around between other guilds in future challenges--I’ll probably want to be with the Adventurers or Druids for most. Further down the line I definitely have some Assassin aspirations but could see myself hanging with literally any of the others at some point as well. I’ve got to stick to it first, though! Main Quest Lose weight: reach 175 lbs. That’s about 35 down from current weight. Run a 5k without walking. I’m probably not that far from this one. Do 3 bodyweight pull-ups. Pull-ups are my nemesis exercise. Right now I can't even do a single negative chin-up with any degree of control. Challenge Goals (tl;dr at the bottom) Get back into it. Years ago (2004-2008) I used to do a fitness class of mixed bodyweight and dumbbell exercises twice a week. I stayed moderately fit but only enough to maintain both weight and strength. I never really made strength gains, because I didn’t keep upping my game. I did the exercises, but I was a HUGE whiner and, not seeing clear improvement, didn't have the willpower or the motivation. Time to get back to where I was, then start pushing past it! This routine is still well below where I was, and probably below what I can do now, but I know myself: if I don’t start small I won’t stick with it. Goal 1: Do the Beginner’s Bodyweight Workout 3x per week as adapted to the following schedule: Week | BW Squats | Pushups | Lunges* | Dumbbell Rows | Plank | Jumping Jacks-------|-------------|-----------|-----------|------------------|---------|---------------- 1 | 2 x 10 | 2 x 10 | 2 x 10 | 2 x 8 x 15 lb | 2 x 25s | 2 x 20 2 | 2 x 12 | 2 x 12 | 2 x 12 | 2 x 8 x 20 lb | 2 x 30s | 2 x 30 3 | 3 x 8 | 3 x 10 | 3 x 8 | 3 x 8 x 20 lb | 3 x 25s | 3 x 25 4 | 3 x 10 | 3 x 12 | 3 x 10 | 3 x 10 x 20 lb | 3 x 30s | 3 x 30 5 | 3 x 10 | 3 x 15 | 3 x 10 | 3 x 10 x 25 lb | 3 x 35s | 3 x 33 6 | 3 x 12 | 3 x 18 | 3 x 12 | 3 x 12 x 25 lb | 3 x 40s | 3 x 35*rotate between static, walking, alternating, and reverse lunges each set Rest without cratering. I’m notoriously awful about giving up and not staying with things long enough for them to become habits. I need to allow my body to rest if I want to make progress, but I also can’t just chill out and be like, “naw, it’s a rest day, I’ma just recline and play WoW for hours until I fall asleep in my chair.†Bad idea. I'm not quite ready to start interval training on off days yet (hopefully I'll feel up to it by next challenge!) but I can walk. So I will. Maybe I’ll take the dog. He’s a pain in the butt and feels like he must sniff ALL THE THINGS but he needs the outdoor time as much as I do. If I start feeling the need to up my pace I may have to leave him at home, though. He's not much of an exercise dog unless we're actively running, and he'll only keep going for about a half mile. Goal 2: Walk down the hill and back (or equivalent) on 3 out of 4 rest days. Our apartment complex is one big ol’ hill. It’s just under a half mile with around a 7% grade to the front gate. Just say no. Willpower is like a muscle and my starting baseline of it is next to zero. I’ve got a lot of things about my diet to change, lots of good habits to build, etc., but as I was saying before, if I don’t start small I’ll burn out. Goal 3: Part 1) Say no to at least 5 food temptations per week (trust me, there will be way more opportunities than that--my office is a snack and sweets gauntlet that I must run constantly). Part 2) Cook at least 1 meal per week from base ingredients. I.e. I’m not making my own fresh pasta or anything, but the whole meal didn’t come directly out of a box. This is what I’m measuring, but of course try to make healthy food choices beyond this too! Battle the pit of despair. My partner has packrat syndrome and isn’t super on top of general upkeep beyond the ever-present clutter either. There’s only so much I can do about all his crap everywhere, but I can stay on top of chores. I’m going to start small (again) by picking one thing I have decent control over each challenge. This time it’s dishes. Life side-quest: completely finish one round of doing dishes by the end of week 1. Afterwards, maintain a healthy rotation: No dishwasher-safe dishes stay in the sink longer than necessary to rinse them No other dishes remain unwashed for 3 days Clean dishes get dried and put away within a day after cleaning. Motivation: I'm sick of hating what I see in the mirror. I'm not even that overweight but I already feel how much harder daily life is than when my weight was in the 170s. I need to get back to that point and stop hating the mirror first, then we can see about getting to liking it. Speaking of motivation, my user icon: it's an aon, a "letter" from a symbolic alphabet used in Brandon Sanderson's fantasy novel Elantris. This aon is Eon; it means willpower. I'm considering getting it as a tattoo, but it would be my first ink and the place I'd like to have it, on my left wrist, is very obtrusive, so it's kind of a flight of fancy at the moment. But thinking about it still gets me in the right mindset, so I guess it's serving its purpose even though it's not there (yet?). I also like that there's other symbolism attached to it as well--Elantris was Sanderson's first published work, and was only published after he kept pushing through rejection letters. The whole system of aons as they exist in the setting is that they act like equations with designs that are both functional and artistic, and which stem from a simple starting symbol. Kinda like I need to start simple and build off of success to keep going, huh? The Short Version: Goal 1 - Workout as listed 3x per week Goal 2 - Walk ~1 mile at no particular pace 3 out of 4 rest days. Goal 3a - Say no to 5 food temptations per week Goal 3b - Cook dinner from scratch once a week Life side-quest - Slay the dish monster and keep it from respawning

Hi all, Telion signing in here for my first (five) week challenge. (As always I'm late again). Main goal: be able to run 5Km in under 45minutes. Challenge quest 1: No double misses and 18/21 workouts achieved in five weeks Challenge quest 2: Be able to complete 5 REAL push ups by the end of the challenge Challenge quest 3: Keep a food and sleep journal. (Side quest, aiming for average of 8 hours sleep a day)

Hi, family! I am Kale. I am not new to Nerd Fitness, but I have recently turned over a new leaf (ha... kale... ha) in my life: COLLEGE. Basically, the Freshman Fifteen is real. I have not gained it haha, but my eating habits have definitely gotten worse since beginning college! Curse you, unlimited meal plan! I am trying to gradually work my way back to a mostly-paleo diet. My hope is to kind of kickstart my health getting back on track in these last couple of weeks of this challenge and get geared up for the next challenge. I never got around to making a character before, so I am very excited about this! Main Quest: I would like to lose 15-20 pounds. Quest One: Drink a cup of water before every meal! Quest Two: Eat all my vegetables and/or fruits first before eating the rest of my food! Quest Three: Get back on track with my C25K training! I have struggled finding places to squeeze that into my fluctuating schedule lately. I'm hoping to start going running 2-3 times a week again. Life Quest: Really apply myself in my Spanish studies- go above and beyond the call of duty! I am not going to bother with allocating points this time around because it's so far into the challenge. This is more symbolic than anything, and I think it's a good way to capitalize on this recent bout of motivation to level up my life! Yay levels! Kale out.

Hello, my fellow Rebels! I am an old follower of Nerd Fitness, however, brand new to the forums! I'm having a bit of a late start with the challenge, but as everyone on here says, better late than never, right? For this Challenge I'm going to focus on the Recruit Mini Challenges as well as work on refining my goals and formatting these challenges. I'm incredibly excited to be doing this because I've been looking for ways to incorporate myself into a bigger community to help motivate me through my journey. Anyway, enough about personals, I'll write an introduction and link it later. Main Quest: Build new habits, lose old, bad habits. I currently weigh 211 lbs. and I want to start with getting myself down to 180 lbs. in the next few months. I also want to be a full-fledged ranger, where I am incorporating lifting and endurance exercises to my everyday life. I want to be able to lift heavy, as well as, run long distances. Goal #1: RUN MORE. Follow my running schedule in the month of October. I don't want to cover a specific distance, I don't want to run a certain speed. I just want to build the habit of running, walking, jogging throughout my week. To help structure myself and build endurance for this, I will go outside for 30 minutes, the next day do a mile, the next 45 minutes, and rest. I will follow this routine until the month is over. If you're wondering why it's kind of wonky, it's because I'm a person who believes in versatility. If I do the same thing, the exact way I lose tract very easy. Measurements: A = Run 5 times a week B = Run 4 times a week C = Run 3 times a week D = Run 2 times a week F = Run 1 time a week Achievement: +2 DEX, +2 STA Follow a Consistent Running Schedule 26.0%26.0% Goal #2: For the month of October, I created a calendar to help create an exercise routine. This month I will focus on bodyweight exercises due to the fact that it fits my lifestyle currently. I will continue a consistent workout routine of Workout A, Rest, Workout B. I'll post my calendar below. Measurements: A = Complete workouts 3/4 times a week B = Complete workouts 2/3 times a week C = Complete workouts 1/2 times a week D = N/A F = Complete 0 workouts a week Achievement: +2 STR Follow a Consistent Workout Routine for the Month of October 37.5%37.5% Goal #3: Complete the "200 Squat Challenge". Measurements: A = Complete entire challenge B = Miss 1-2 days of challenge C = Miss 3-4 days of challenge D = Miss 4-5 days of challenge F = Miss 6-7 days of challenge Achievement: +2 STR 30 Day Squat Challenge 33.3%33.3% Life Quest: Learn to maintain my skin! I really want clear, soft, baby-like skin. I lotion myself every night but it isn't enough. I would like to build habits that help maintain my feet, face, and overall skin. To start my progress here, I will give myself at least one foot spa a week. +2 CON Mini Quest 1: Update goals to fit the SMART standardsl +1 WIS Mini Quest 2: Make some friends +1 CHA Mini Quest 3: The Library +1 STA, +1 DEX Mini Quest 4: Checking your stats Anyway, there we go, my first 6-Week Challenge! I can't wait to refine my story and write an introduction. I hope to get to know all, if not, some of you here in the Rebellion. Farewell for now. Typhiter's October Workouts Workout A Workout B 30 Day Squat Challenge

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