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I would like to improve my confidence in myself by reducing my beer belly... in order to do this My main goal would be to eat healthier home cooked meals which would include vegetables and salad leaves twice a week. I will use a gym 2 times a week... undertaking 30 minute workouts on the crosstrainer and/or treadmill. To change it up I will use the weight equipment for 5 minutes to also gain muscle. At home I will do start off doing 20 sit ups every second day and 10 push ups every other day increasing this gradually until I can do 30. I plan to only have two cans of fizzy juice a week sticking to cordial (squash) and water the rest of the time. I also plan to level up in life by selecting the goal of keeping up with my housework every evening by doing the dishes every night and also the ironing. In order to keep me on track I have downloaded the HabitRPG app so I can add my goals and daily good/bad habits, this enables me to build up my character both in life and in the app. I have also bought a notebook to log what I am having to eat and drink as well as what exercise I am undertaking.

I'm an Amazon Wise-woman Recruit. I'm almost 6 ft tall, I weigh just over 200 lbs, and I sit around all day being sagacious. I want to be a Dunedain Ranger, meaning, I want to be fast, strong, AND live a long life, making discoveries and fighting worthy battles. For my first 6-week Challenge: Main Quest: To lose 10 lbs and to be able to do five real pushups in a row (not the knee-resting kind). Smart Quests: 1. To do a body-weight workout three times a week. 2. To eat whole foods and no sugar until 5 p.m. every day, then not snack after dinner. 3. To walk for 30 minutes every day. Life Quest: To write 3,000-4,000 words per day or spend 8 hours per day editing. (I am a writer/editor, and I need to ramp up my production. I work from home.) Motivation: I'm fighting for the energy, strength and lifespan I need to make my realm a better place for future generations. Background: Over the past couple of years weight loss has been harder than ever. I used to run, but now it seems to have no benefit for weight loss, only improving cardio fitness. I stumbled across Nerd Fitness a few times and every time I read an article I was impressed by the encouraging tone and strong research. Plus, I'm a nerd. So, I've decided to do a 6-week challenge using the body-weight workout, walking and trying to eat right. I sit a lot for work, so improving my metabolism would help a lot. My Origin Story is in my profile, if anyone's interested. --Jen of Arc

Hello All! I'm very motivated to have joined Nerd Fitness finally. I read a few articles a while back, got really impressed, a little motivated and then really tired and totally lazy... but, I'm back! and for real this time - even paid a fee and everything. 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. Who I am (my quest): I am somebody who will try a new type of physical activity at least once a month until I find something I love. I am somebody who weights less than 74 kg, and can do 10 pull ups, 50 push ups and the splits. How I'm going to do this: *drinking 4 cups of water per day (3 - 4 more cups that I drink on average) *flex training 10 minutes 3x per week *push ups/pull ups - one set of each 2x per week, gradually building larger sets *sleep by 10 pm (I can't control having to wake up heaps through out the night, freaking kids, but I can control when I start trying to sleep) *meditation for at least 5 minutes a day (I need to be more calm with myself and my family so I don't lose my motivation to be happy because of my anger) *Batcave chores for 1 hour per day (we are in a constant state of upheaval around here, and I'm fairly type A, so I need to tackle those big projects one bit at a time until they are done. It's good exercise and better for my mental health) Sorry that was so long, I wanted it out there, so I am held accountable by peer pressure but wish me luck!

I woke up this morning thinking, "Ooo, what if I made a character sheet of the new persona I want to be" Now, here I am posting on the NF Rebel forums What a crazy day. I'm extremely pleased to not only see so many faces here, but to see this has been around quite some time. Seems like perfect timing with this new challenge just about to start and all. Game on! My main goal is to reform my personality, to shake off my fear of photographs and mirrors, or instagram and twitter. To be as bright and shining a face on the outside as I feel on the inside. To buy suits and look sharp. To be out in public and turn off my sensors and just enjoy myself and laugh. Each day, each challenge, each level and attribute point, each of you, will help me realize my dream. Thank you for being here. Main Quest Lose 40 lbs by Dec 31 (256lbs - 215 lbs) Specific Quests Over the next 42 days (fromt Sept 14 - Oct 25) I will: 1. Lose 16 lbs (BF 30.1% - appx. 28%) 2. Lift weights at least 3x a week, at least 30 minutes a session, planning in advance what each session will be 3. Eat a 2000 calories diet every day during the challenge Side Quest To forgive myself if I have a lapse during this time, and to immediately get back on schedule

Hello, My name is Doll. I'm 23 and really love fallout, yarn everything, and tiny houses. I have lurked around NF for a couple of years but decided to really give it a go since I have become fed up with being stuck and not knowing how to eat. Zillions of eating disorders and weight fluctuations later, here I am! My goal is to lose the excess weight in a healthy way, develop a healthy relationship with food, and find my class. Im not sure where I'll end up honestly... Like waiting for the sorting hat! (Hehe!) Hello fellow newblets and senior fitfits alike. My first challenge is here . °u°; ♡ Thank you, I hope I did this right...

Introduction: My name is Sandra. This is my first challenge, and I think I need it. A couple years ago I embarked on a weight loss journey and lost 70 lbs. It felt good, but over the last several months its been creeping back on as I've become sedentary again and forgot about tracking my food etc. I'm also sleeping like crap. Not only that, but as I've become more sedentary all the old aches and pains are back, and worse than ever. I've been telling myself all summer I need to 'get more active', but apart from a few brief spurts here and there, I've mostly been sitting/lying around telling myself I hurt too much to move. I need the focus of a challenge, and other people to help me stay on track. My goals are fairly modest, but I'm going from zero again. Once I've mastered this hill I can look to climbing a mountain again. Main Quest: Move regularly again and use exercise and movement to regain stamina, endurance, flexibility, and reduce stress and joint pain. Hopefully that will also lead to some weight loss so I can fit into my clothes again and not look like a stuffed sausage. Weight lost matters less than how I feel - less pain, less stiffness, less exhaustion. Will be creating a 'pain/stiffness/exhaustion' scale from 1 (=none) to 10 (=most), with a goal to go from about an 8 (now) to a 2. Quest 1: Get Good Rest Getting enough sleep is crucial to feeling rested the next day, and also helps avoid overeating (using food to replace energy that wasn't gained through rest). a. Go to bed during work nights between 10 and 11 pm (goal to fall asleep by 11 pm). This will ideally mean 7 hours of sleep a night. If insomnia hits, I will NOT turn on the computer or play on my phone, but read quietly in a dim room until sleepy again. b. Make the bed every morning so that it is welcoming and ready for sleep at night. This includes clearing off bags, clothes, books, etc. Quest 2: Move it, Move it Avoiding stiffness and joint pain requires movement. I know this works for me, because it has worked in the past. Ideally this movement is low impact and regular, and includes a variety of movement so I don't get bored. a. Five times a week, go for at least a ten minute walk. If this becomes routine after a couple of weeks, add a day, and/or increase the minimum walk to fifteen minutes. If its cold or rainy or miserably hot, walk in the back halls (at work), or go to the mall. b. Work out for 20 minutes three times a week. One yoga or pilates, one cardio, and one strength, to work on flexibility, stamina, and muscle strength. I have dumbbells and a resistance band and a yoga mat and various exercise DVDs and youtube videos saved - its time to use them again. Quest 3: Track that Food Eating mindlessly is my biggest enemy. I like healthy foods and eat them regularly; but I also get sucked into eating far too many snacks and sweets, and all without thinking about it. My best success in avoiding this, while still getting to enjoy treats, was to track my food intake. Hauling extra weight on my joints is not good. Being mindful is good. a. At least five times a week, track all food eaten that day (breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks). No matter what it is, no matter how much, and no matter when. Tracking food helps minimize mindless snacking and leads to better awareness of portion sizes. b. No snacks from the vending machine at work. If I feel like snacking at work, go for a walk in the back halls instead. Any other snacks get tracked (see point a.) Quest 4: Prep for the new Cats Now that Icarus is gone, its time to get the apartment ready for new arrivals. In the next few weeks of the challenge I will go through all the cat stuff, purge what is old and broken. Carriers, cat beds, etc. will be cleaned and aired out. The floors will be cleaned thoroughly, and as much of the old cat hair will be removed from all furniture and other surfaces. Make sure the apartment is clean and welcoming to new cats. Reward: new cats! Very tangible, and very wanted. The golden goose at the top of the beanstalk. I *will* need help - buddies - to keep me on track. Without someone to be accountable too, its all too easy to fall into the procrastination trap of 'I'll start tomorrow', or 'It can wait'. Anyone who wants to be my buddy, let me know! And I will be your buddy too.

I guess that I will just start with the basics, and then go from there (you guys can learn my idiosyncracies as we go on or this wouldn't be very fun?!) So to begin... Why did I think I was to cool to start the challenge with everyone else? Simple answer, it was my birthday and my birthday weekend so I knew that I would be to busy to get much done in terms of thinking productively and getting ready to start on the primal track! I think that a Week 1 goal was to post some smart goals and here are mine! MAIN GOAL: I want to lose pounds by April 1, 2016 (about 2.5 lbs per week) MINIGOAL:I want to establish a good sleep routine In bed by 11:00, no more media except for a physical book after 11:00 MINIGOAL:Increase from 2 strength training days to 3 strength training days a week, what metric should I use to score this goal? MINIGOAL: Eat a sustaining breaking every morning Will need to think of alternatives to oatmeal? Freshly cooked eggs will work (if I use them) Does protein shake and bar count as sustaining? SUBGOAL: Create a compelling and creative Personal Profile (LinkedIn / Resume / CV) We shall all chat more soon!

Introduction: Hey there, my name is Andrew, a new recruit in the rebellion. As human former-adventurer, unfortunately I have let the retired life (i.e., the new one I have behind a desk and traveling for work) erode my level of health and fitness over the past few years, so I joined this challenge to give myself a kick in the butt to get back to where I was 10 years ago. Main Quest: While not completely trustworthy, my new scale says I'm at 23% body fat, which jives with what I'm seeing in the mirror, which is highest I have ever been. My main goal is to get this down to 15% or so, by losing body fat and increasing muscle mass. If this was a video game, that'd get me to the end of Vanilla before I come up with a new main quest for the next expansion. Quest 1: Because I travel four days a week for work, I eat out a lot which has been my Boss Level Nemesis the past six months or so. Too much of the bad food and drink has been the number one contributor to my bad health. For the next six weeks, I want to cut out the booze and do my best to eat a paleo diet (or the closest I can get) even when eating out. I know I can't be perfect since some of the meals are with clients so I have little choice on the restaurants or menus, but that doesn't mean I need to eat the bread at the table or agree to that second glass of wine. Success for this quest will be if I eat healthy for all but one meal a week. For every bad meal I eat a week outside that one cheat meal, I need to spend an extra hour in the gym. Failure to do that will cost me attribute points. Quest 2: While diet is important, I also want to build muscle to improve my overall fitness level. My second quest is to be able to do 10 pull-ups. Even when I was in good shape, these were always a problem for me, now...well let's just say they are my Boss Level Nemesis number 2. An A score would be 10 pull ups by challenge end, B = 8, C = 6, etc. Quest 3: My cardiovascular health is in the toilet...or perhaps below the toilet, like in the sewers. I played a game of pickup basketball a few weeks ago and a player much older than me actually stopped the game to make sure I was alright because I was looking so horrible. To say it was embarrassing was an understatement. To measure this, I was thinking of doing the three minute step test day one of the Challenge then test again on the last day to measure the improvement. I'll have to edit this quest because as of today, I have no idea how to judge levels of improvement, all I know is it needs to get much better. EDIT: So I did find some resting heart rate numbers after the 3 Minute Step Test and I'm going to base my Quest off of those. The numbers have ranges for my age group divided in seven buckets from "Excellent" to "Very Poor". Based on what I score I get tomorrow (the day before the challenge), I want to move up two categories since I already know there's no way I'll be the top three. That might not be reasonable in six weeks, but it'll be a good goal to aim for. Life Quest: I need to be a better father. The three days I am not traveling for work, I have custody of my autistic son. He's a marvel and clearly the best thing I have ever been a part of in my life, but I am not the best father I can be. I am his hero, and I feel I am letting him down because by the time the weekends roll around I'm exhausted and don't do nearly enough with him. We spend a lot of time on the weekends with his therapist working to improve his life via ABA, and while it has had fantastic results, by the time those sessions are over it's so easy for me to just order in a pizza rather than me cooking a healthy meal and for me to let him play his Playstation rather than us doing something physical outdoors. I'm hoping by achieving my three Quests, this one will partially sort itself out, but I know life isn't that easy. This one will take some serious effort on my part to be consistent. I have told him this, and he wants to help his daddy get back into shape (because he's stronger and faster than me already, he's six, so I'll give it to him ), so my sidekick is onboard. Motivation: My life quest pretty much says what my motivation is, about 90% of this is for my son...the last 10% is my own ego. Years ago I never said I'd let myself get out of shape, yet here I am about 10 weeks from my 42nd birthday and I am exactly what I said I'd never be. Any questions or comments are much appreciated.

Epic Life Quest Owning & Running Our Dream Homestead Farmers Market by NatalieMaynor, on Flickr This 6-week challenge Do my bodyweight training Mondays and Fridays (doing the thing is enough. no need to add yet)Take a lunch to work 4/5 workdays so I'm not eating fries or such for lunch every dayStick with the No-S Diet (no snacks, no sweets, no seconds, except sometimes on days starting with S)Walk at least 30 minutes daily Side Quest Meditate at least 5 minutes daily

Since I put up my “first†challenge with a week remaining in the previous 6 week challenge, I am going to call that a trial run and start this as my official first challenge. First, a little about myself and some background... First, my name is not “Tom†(yes, you will have had to have read Lord of the Rings to get that). Although I am trying not to define myself these days in “professional†terms, I will make an exception here and say that I am an enginerd at heart who sold my soul to the “business†side several years ago. All was plodding along while focusing on my career until some significant life events occurred relatively close together (divorce, moving for the 6th time for my career, dating again, getting married and mom passing away). Since then, I have taken a step back and evaluated my life, where I am and if I am happy. Believe me when I say that this was/is not easy for someone who thinks like an Engineer (all those squishy, non-logical, non-quantifiable “feelingsâ€). What I found is that I have spent so much of my life focused on career, money and “stuff†that I lost who I actually am. I know that sounds very funny, but believe me when I say that it really has been enlightening and the journey back to being oneself is a lot more difficult than you would think it would be (burdened with all these adult responsibilities)... So, with all of that being said, I am finding all of those long hours in an office and very little physical activity in my life has left me in poor physical shape. I have always been a very large guy (an old high school coach would call me “house†because he said i was built like a “brick s*%t houseâ€), but at 5’ 7†tall, I weighed 251 lbs with 33% body fat. Needless to say, I need to prioritze getting back into shape so I can start to enjoy other activities I enjoy again (camping trip on my motorcycle while exploring the U.S., target archery, hiking, etc). About 14 weeks ago, I started (or more precisely, I got serious / consistent) the strong lifts program to build my base strength. I am now currently at 238.4 lbs and 28.6% body fat. I have recently moved over to the “Madcow†strength program because, well, I am not 20 anymore and my body does a lot better with eh “light†day in after the “heavy†day. I am really enjoying strength training, and feel my body is somewhat built for raw strength, but I feel that focusing only on the strength aspect neglects improving other activities that I really enjoy such as camping, hiking, backpacking, archery, etc. In a nutshell, I put “warrior†on my profile because I am somewhat focusing on building strength as a foundation, but there is a large part of me that feels like a Ranger too.... Luckily, I just read that it is possible to have challenges in other guilds regardless of what guild you are registered with. Is it possible to dual-class like in the old Baldur’s Gate days??? Lifetime Quest / Goal: Be able to do a hike-through of the Appalachian Trail. Quest 1: Limit daily calories to 1956 calories/day. This was determined by myfitnesspal for a 1 lb/week weight loss. In conjunction, I will eat a minimum of 190 g of protein per day. I am not an strict Paleo follower, but believe in most of the principles and will follow a mix of Paleo/Eat Clean (more of a Eat Clean with a strong lean towards Paleo). This will be tracked through myfitness pal. Oh - I will also drink a minimum of 3l of water per day... Quest 2: Continue Madcow program and have the following lift #'s (for a x5 set): Sq: 275Bench: 225Row: 145Press: 135Deadlift: 275 (ugh... I love the results, but it just really beats me up!) Quest 3: Take my lovely wife on a very long overdue honeymoon and make sure she is treated like the long haired Italian princess she is! The only bad part of fulfilling this quest will be that it will be for two weeks right at the end of the 6 week challenge! Quest 4: Start incorporating stretching exercises into my daily routing. The metric for this to perform a 30 minute stretching routing (regular stretches, some kind of Yoga, etc) five times a week. This will be independant of “warm-up†stretches before lifting. This will be my start into some more "rangeresque" challenges as well... Side Quest 1: Stop looking at that traitorous, back-stabbing, filthy beast of a machine called the scale and just be happy that my clothes are looser and I am feeling better! Side Quest 2: Practice Archery twice per week with the goal of consistent groupings in the gold from 20 yards (bare recurve ILF bow).

Greetings friends, Jen of Arc's Origin Story is here: http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/user/43780-jen-of-arc/ I live on the Space Coast of Florida. I share an island with a few thousand other people and the Kennedy Space Center, where my husband nerds for a living. My first 6-week challenge as a recruit is here: http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/71448-jen-of-arc-joins-the-battle/ I work as a part-time editor and writer and have the dubious distinction of holding two B.A.'s, in English and History, but no teaching degree, which makes me a questionable contributor to the realm, at the best of times. In an effort to level-up my karma, I'm about to become a first-time foster mom--like any day now. It is ten kinds of crazy, but true. Running used to be my thing, but it just doesn't work for me like it used to. I found NF's articles about bodyweight training, so that's where I'm starting. I really should lose 50 pounds, but I'm starting with a goal of 10, by way of my three quests: to walk daily, eat only whole foods and no sugar until 5 p.m., with no snacks after dinner, and do a bodyweight workout three times a week. I just want to live a healthier, longer life. Joan of Arc is an inspiration to me because she held on to her beliefs no matter what. It may sound selfish to the old me (I'm a recovering Southern Baptist), but I want to believe that strongly in myself and my ability to accomplish my own goals and make my realm a better place for the next generation. Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more!

Hello from the UK! I've been fairly sporty since my teenage years ( I fenced at quite a decent level), but working in an office environment combined with a bad diet ( chocolate, lots and lots of chocolate!) for the last 15 or so years has led me to be a lot heavier than I should be. While on holiday in June this year I came to realise I did not like my body the way it is and that I needed to make changes; both to my diet and to the amount of exercise I do. I also realise that I was on the path to creating some serious health problems for myself. I joined the academy a few weeks ago after reading some posts on the NF blog and I've been lurking round this forum for a while now so thought I would give a 6 week challenge a go to make further progress with my main quest. My main quest is to lose 50lbs from a starting weight of 259lbs @ 5'8" In June. I cleaned up my diet by eating a paleo diet and started a C25k program to get moving again and I've already lost 28lbs. But my weight loss has recently stalled and want to keep my focus on slowly losing the rest of the weight I want to lose. So I've decided to join the forum and give the 6 week challenges a go.

So I got a little mixed up on the dates as I haven't signed into the website in over 3 weeks now so I'ma little late to the game, but I'm happy to say that I wrote this thread about a month ago and had it saved in a document. The point being that I have been following this regimen for the better part of 3 weeks now anyway, so I'm not to discouraged about starting late. So a little update before we get to my goals--the original document said I weighed about 240 pounds, I had to edit it because as of right now I am fluctuating between 225 and 230, YAY GO ME! So here's to me joining the rebels in our revolution to take the world by storm, one pound at a time! If you have any tips, suggestions, or comments--please feel free to help me out however you can! I really could use the motivation and advice!Also if you're interested in my background story--here's my intro thread: the way, call me Morph! Main Quest: I want to lose ~30 pounds (currently ~230). Goal 1: Workout at least 6 days per week. Morning routine of Steve’s body-weight circuit on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Running stadiums, flipping tires, etc. after work on Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Sunday -- 10 mile bike ride to the local park and back (20 miles total) Grades: A...Missing <= 1; B...Missing >= 2; C...Missing > 3; D...Missing > 4; F...Missing > 5; Goal 2: Change My Diet. No sodas or sweet treats (cookies, donuts, candy, cereal, etc.). No fast-food at work for lunch. Baked Chicken in my salad (Spring Mix ) with a boiled egg is my meal of choice. Sometimes I’ll throw in some Broccoli, Pistachios, etc. Grades: A...0 Cheats; B...1 Cheat; C...2 Cheats; D...3 Cheats; F...4+ cheats; Goal 3: Be in bed before midnight every night. If I’m going to be getting up at 6:30AM to work out on certain days, I need to be asleep before midnight. This will only allot me roughly 6 hours of sleep, but my sleeping pattern is too trained for well after midnight so I will break this one in slowly for the first challenge. This may seem like a stretch, but I haven’t gone to bed before midnight--in months, so this is definitely a challenge for me. Grades: A…<= 3 Cheats; B...4 Cheats; C...5 Cheats; D...6 Cheats; F...7+ cheats; Life Side Quest: I want to read a little from a book before bed instead of staring at my computer screen or cell phone before bed at least 5 nights per week. I tend to not sleep well. It got MUCH better after cutting out most of my sodas, but I think the rest of my insomnia is caused by staring at screens too much. I bought The Lord of the Rings Trilogy in one book, so it should keep me entertained for awhile yet. I love the movies, but never actually read the books before. Grades: A…<= 2 Missing; B...3 Missing; C...4 Missing; D...5 Missing; F...6+ Missing; Guild: Recruit. First Challenge. Motivation: I won’t lie. I am obese. I know I am obese, and something needs to change. I am 24 years old, soon to be 25 in September. I live alone and I’m getting to a point in my life where I want that to change as well. The problem is, I can’t look at myself in the mirror without feeling disgusted with my body, so why would anyone ever want me if I don’t even want me? This is my chance to #Evolve into something better. To learn how to succeed, first you must learn to fail. I hope that by sticking with NerdFitness and the community, that I can achieve my goals and restore my self-confidence.

Introduction: Hello! I'm Traaki, and this is my first challenge! Hooray! I joined Nerd Fitness Academy last week. I am a life-long dancer who has also dabbled in martial arts and barefoot running. I like activities that occupy my mind as well as my body (which is why I like dance classes) but I have a lot of history/baggage around dancing, which means I can talk myself out of class in the blink of an eye. I've gotten out of shape and want to feel more confident and powerful in my body again, so that's why I joined the rebellion. Main Quest: Lose 10 lbs by the end of the challenge. Quest 1: Walk for 13 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Measurement: A = 30 days, B = 24 days, C = 18 days, D = 12 days, F = 11 days or fewer. Quest 2: Touch my toes, every day. Measurement: A = 42 days, B = 36 days, C = 30 days, D = 24 days, F = 23 days or fewer. Quest 3: Do one 45 minute workout each week (break a sweat!) Measurement: A = 6 workouts, B = 5 workouts, C = 3-4 workouts, D = 1-2 workouts, F = 0 workouts Life Quest: Make an appointment with my doctor, dentist, optometrist and hair salon. I recently moved across the country and I've been putting off setting up those appointments because I don't know where to go. Measurement: A = 4 appointments, B = 3 appointments, C = 2 appointments, D = 1 appointment, F = 0 appointments Motivation: I have learned in other areas of my life to use small, concrete steps to build trust in myself and want to apply this lesson to my health and fitness (which as I mentioned earlier is a bit of a struggle). I want to have my old strength, flexibility and stamina back!

My name is Valerie and this is my first 6 week challenge. I've been a member of the Nerd Fitness Academy for about 5-6 weeks, and I'm really enjoying it. I have never posted here, but I am active on the FB women's group. I am a PhD candidate in my last year of school, and I'm working hard to keep both my mind and body in shape. I was born a runner, but I lost a lot of my fitness abilities when I dove headfirst into school. I want to take that power back and be proud of my strength, my body, and what I can accomplish. Over the last couple of years, I have moved from barely able to run a mile, to completing 5 1/2 marathons in good time, but I'm still trying to break that 2 hour barrier: PR 2:00:08 (seriously.) In order to accomplish my main goal (below), I must get stronger and faster. Since this is my first 6 week challenge, I'm going to start out with some pretty small Quests and step it up from there. Main Quest: Run my first full marathon in 4 hours in January 2016 at the Arizona Rock n Roll Marathon (my family will be there to cheer me on W00T!) Quest 1: Run a mile in 7 minutes and 30 seconds by the end of the 6 week challenge. My PR is currently 8:06, so I have to shave off 47 seconds. Measurement: A = 7:30 B = 7:40 C = 7:50 Reward: A = +3 STA/ +1 DEX ; B = +2 STA/ +1 DEX ; C = +2STA Quest 2: Drink Less Alcohol - this is the main source of my bad calories. I am SUPER social, and a social drinker. Measurement: # of drinks per week total - A = 7 or less B = 9 or less C = 11 or less Reward: A = +2 WIS/ +1CON ; B = +1 WIS/ +1 CON ; C = +1 CON Life Quest: In order to become as competitive as possible for the market, which opens in my field mid-September, I MUST get 1 more article accepted (at least on a contingent basis) to a major journal. I have been devising and outlining an article all summer for a specific journal, and now I need to just write the thing. My life goal is to have the first draft complete and ready for review by my adviser by the end of this challenge. Measurement: A = Finished and Submitted B = Still need to write conclusion C = 1/2 drafted Reward: A = +2 CHA/ +1 CON ; B = +2 CHA ; C = +1 CHA Motivation: Feeling good about my own accomplishments makes me proud of myself, and the direct result is confidence. I need to be confident and academically in a great place when I start interviewing late fall/winter. The more confidence, the more jobs I'll likely score. It only takes one - but I want the right one.

Hi all, I'm Becka and I'm a dragon (mainly because I write a web serial about dragons). My main quest is to lose weight and improve my general fitness. Goals: 1. Continue watching what I eat and achieve my 10% weightloss goal by the end of the quest (I'm already down 5% so this is another 5% loss) 2. Continue to do my ten minutes exercise every day. 3. Add in a modified version of the BBWW every Mon, Wed, Fri. I'm still working on the exact modifications here Life Quest: To write at least 300 words a day. I'll edit this with more detail when it's not bedtime. Becka

Name: Bouncer333 Age: 21 Race: Human Height: 5' 11 Weight: 225 lbs 237 lbs 238 lbs Taking a year off of school, and slowly trying to find a job that will work with me. This year I'm trying to make it my mission to help myself (since I've never had a time in my life where all I had to think was "what do I need to have a happier life"). One of my main goals is to help make my body easier to deal with, along with able to realize my ups and downs that happen within a month or year. I've chosen to try to eat Paleo, mainly for the ease and little stress (I'm on food stamps at the moment, so being able to pick up protein and produce kind of narrows down my worries). This next month also I'm doing a bunch of tests, from what I worried to be a bad neck injury actually looks to be more like a nerve issue. So I will be working with a Specialist by doing MRIs and a nerve test, just to double check. Knowing though that I don't have neck injury (or anything wrong with the joints of my vertebrates at least), makes me more willing to try out more strength training. Main Quest: fit in size 18W jeans with a flat belly. (What is muffin top?) Grading will be under the "stars" method. From "The Hundred-Foot Journey": '...one star means the food is good. Two stands for great. "Three is only for the gods." ' 1 star - at least 75% 2 stars - 85 - 99% 3 stars - at least 99.1% Quest - 1. "One cannot think well, love well, sleep well if one has not dined well." -Virginia Woolf Eat these main food groups: vegetables, protein, fruit, and sometimes dairy (mainly yogurt)- with of course seasoning and healthy fats. Everything else is for special occasions. Quest - 2. “It's a dangerous business, Frodo, going out your door. You step onto the road, and if you don't keep your feet, there's no knowing where you might be swept off to.†-J. R. R. Tolkein Wear Pedometer and keep track for “Walking to Mordorâ€, encourages to me to try walking daily Setup tracker belowQuest - 3. “To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.†– Buddha strength train 2-3 times a week (Tues. Thurs. Bonus: Sat or Sun) Daily Bonus Quest: “Writing is the only way I have to explain my own life to myself.†-Pat Conroy , in My Reading Life (Have not read but quote is true to me) Journal everyday either in a journal or making an update post on this thread. Make a template for daily journal Motivation: Being able to feel great, have a comfortable relationship with food, walk up 3 flights of stairs with ease, be able to wear all my shirts and pants that are collecting dust. Each day I add 50 cents (or 50 in monopoly money) to a wooden square "pot" knowing if I hit all my healthy dailies they go into the pot each day I can buy a membership to NF Academy along with my already set goals down and can continue being awesome. Walking to Mordor Step Tracker: (I try to keep track at noon, since its usually a easy time however sometimes I forget and it ends up being 3 pm. More working toward total steps then daily steps). Challenge Total: Steps: 109,645 Miles: 66.0495 Bonus/Side quests - these are to help me able to think about something else when I'm not doing well.

Hello, all! This is my second six-week challenge. My first one was the time before last. Except I only got through about half of it because I got sick XP And then when the next one started, I realized far too late when it started and never got myself to jump in late. But now I'm here at the beginning again! So, basic background info. I'm healthy, and pretty strong, but I would like to get rid of some extra weight. I think I can aim to lose between 5 and 10 ponds during this six-week challenge. I'll try to keep a sort of record of what I eat and my exercise and such. I'm going to use the same three steps as my first challenge. 1. Less sugar. This is a problem I've been trying to work on. I want to stop snacking on sugary stuff throughout the day, and eat less for dessert. I'm going to allow myself 1 piece of candy during the day, and then 1 dessert (though I may do that backwards, depending on circumstances). 2. More veggies. I like veggies, and there are plenty of ways in which I'd be happy to eat a lot of them. But sometimes I just don't... So I want to eat veggies with every lunch and dinner (or an extra lot during one meal, if I have to miss one). 3. Be more active. I'm fairly active already, and pretty strong. But some days I completely forget to do some kind of exercise (or I make some excuse not to do it). So this time, I want to do some form of exercise at least six days out of the week. I'm getting pretty good at running and biking, and I'll also do some body-weight workouts from this site (and possible try a few of their other workouts). I would like to get better at push-ups and pull-ups. As my extra goal, I want to write some every day. At least a paragraph, but I can sometimes do an entire chapter in an evening. (It's a story I'm writing as my graduate project - I'm actually editing. My first draft is done, so I'm mostly re-writing everything). Good luck, all!

Woof to all you great people from the Rebellion! I'm so happy I found this website, I have tried getting healthy in the past, but I had so little in common with the people who usually frequent fora on health/sports sites. So here's to hoping we all will get along better, because I love nerding things up! Okay, so more about the person behind the name. I'm a 22 year old girl (pretty old for a dog, huh?), I love gaming (RPGs and point and click games all the way!), boardgames, watching movies and series and drawing. I'm also learning how to play guitar. I'm a total Potterhead and The Elder Scrolls geek. I study biomedical sciences (basically: research on human diseases), already have a bachelor's and I'm busy in the second and final year of my master's now. I'm totally terrified of what the future has in store for me, as I have no clue if I'll be happy as a crazy scientist. But time will tell! As said before, I've tried to adopt a healthier lifestyle in the past, but it's been difficult. My boyfriend and I have been living together for 4 years and we both love eating and being lazy. Mainly unhealthy stuff, haha! French fries, hamburgers, spare ribs, nomnom, you name it! I've tried to eat healthier but when he has a big pile of meat on his plate and I only have some salad and a small piece of meat I get envious and fall back into my old habits. I've followed 2 5K running programs before (a Belgian one and Zombies, Run 5K training) but I quit right before making it to 5K due to losing interest in it. I'm not terribly overweight, I am usually around 136 lbs, but I would like to feel better in my own skin and feel proud when looking in the mirror and not have stuff flubber around I want to get a bit 'tighter' so to say and lose some weight around the typical girl areas (thighs, butt, belly) as well as getting a bit stronger! 120 lbs is my 'goal' weight, but if I look fit and toned while weighing a bit more than that, that's completely fine. I am not sure which path to take, but so far I'm leaning towards Assassin because 1. I love sneaky characters in games and 2. I am interested in body weight exercises! I also hope to find some accountabilibuddies here, but I see there's a special topic for that. I also have some questions about the beginner body workout, but I think I should ask them somewhere else? Love you all! Dog

CALLING ALL SUPERHEROES! Okay, guys. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Comrade Talls. I’ve been on my fitness journey for a few months now and a NF Academy Member since May 2015. I won’t give you my life story in the first post, but if you want the full scoop, my forum introduction is here. But here we go: First challenge. -- Up until a couple of months ago, I hadn’t read a comic book since I was a kid. I used to have a fairly respectable collection of comics when I was younger, but as I got older, I just kinda’ grew out of the hobby. FLASH forward 20+ years. I had been on my fitness journey for a month or two when I came into possession of a Green Arrow trade paperback. I consumed it in a day or two and completely fell back in love. I felt like a boy again. Maybe it was because I was on my own journey now, as well, but I found it to be completely inspiring. So I bought more. Soon, I was buying vintage Green Arrow comics from the 1980’s on eBay. In an effort to expand my superhero horizons, I decided to start following a second hero. Wanting to stay in the DC Universe, I took a leap of faith and picked a hero I didn’t really know anything about…except that he was the fastest man alive. That’s right. I’m talking about The Flash. As I began brainstorming my first 6-Week Challenge, I noticed a lot of themed challenges in the Rebellion Forums. This clicked right away with me, and I decided to channel my new-found superhero obsession by incorporating them into my NF challenges. So without further ado, I present to you my first 6WC: Superhero Training I: Main Quest: I don’t know that I’ve ever went on a proper run in my entire life. Sure, I’ve went on ‘jogs’ here and there…and I do a lot of walking, but I’ve never committed myself to being a runner. So my main quest is this: Run a 5K. I’m nowhere near this goal now, but my 6WC will be tailored to help me work towards achieving this. Goal #1 – Run at least 2x/week by starting the C25K program. I know the program is set up for 3x/week, but I’m 236lbs. and I don’t run at all now, so I don’t want to bite off more than I can chew. However, I will strive to get that third run every week. Every time I complete 3 runs in a week, I score a *bonus run* for that week. If I complete at least 4/6 bonus runs, I will obtain Flash's famous SPEED FORCE and buy myself a Flash-themed item at the end of the challenge. I’m thinking an awesome figure, statue or t-shirt. But the item is TBD. Goal #2 – Complete 3 Bodyweight Strength-Training Routines per week. I already do this now with NF Academy workouts (7 weeks strong, no misses!), but for my 6WC, I’m going to alter my routine up to be more Flash-friendly. The new workout schedule will look something like this: MONDAY – NFA Workout: Bodyweight Brigade Level 2A WEDNESDAY – NFA Workout: Bodyweight Brigade Level 2B FRIDAY – FLASH FRIDAY: Neilarey’s ‘The Flash’ Workout – Level 1 I also will be incorporating a variety of moves from The Flash workout into my Monday & Wednesday workouts to help jumpstart my superhero powers. Goal #3 – Eat a minimum of one fruit and one vegetable per day, at least 6x/week. Garbage in, garbage out, as they say. But if I’m going to go from absolutely no running to 3 workouts and 2-3 runs each week, I need to be eating the right food. I’m going to shoot for doing this every day, but I’m giving myself a 6x/week goal in anticipation of unforeseen circumstances (like a mini-vacation in August). Life Quest: Hit the books! I’ve been concentrating so much on my health and fitness the past couple of months that I’ve pretty much put my studies on the back burner. Currently, I’m taking a self-paced online course that I’m only about 1/3 of the way through. So as my optional side quest, I’m committing to studying at least once a week for a minimum of 2 hours. It doesn’t have to be two hours in a row, but I have to get the two hours in somewhere. Small steps to get myself back on track! Scoring: This is the part I’m a little shaky on still, but here’s what I’m thinking for my attribute points. If I do any of this wrong, feel free to let me know so I can edit it before the challenge begins. Goal #1 – Run 2x/week (12 base runs, with 6 optional *bonus runs*) 12 Runs – 100% | 11 Runs – 75% | 10 Runs – 50% | 9 Runs – 25% | Less than 8 Runs – 0% Upon 3 Week Completion: +2 DEX, +1 STA Upon 6 Week Completion: +1 DEX Goal #2 – Complete (3) BW Strength Training Routines per week, including Flash Friday Workouts (18 workouts total). 18 – 100% | 17 – 75% | 16 – 50% | 15 – 25% | Less than 15 Workouts – 0% Upon 3 Week Completion: +2 STR, +1 STA Upon 6 Week Completion: +1 STR Goal #3 – Eat a minimum of one fruit and one veggie per day, at least 6x/week. (36 possible days, excluding one available miss each week) 36 Days – 100% | 33 Days – 75% | 30 Days – 50% | 27 Days – 25% | Less than 27 Days – 0% Upon 3 Week Completion: +2 CON +1 WIS Upon 6 Week Completion: +1 CON Life Quest – Hit the books! Study for a minimum of 2 hours per week. 6 Weeks – 100% | 5 Weeks – 75% | 4 Weeks – 50% | 3 Weeks – 25% | Less than 3 Weeks – 0% Upon 3 Week Completion: +1 WIS Upon 6 Week Completion: +1 WIS SPEED FORCE BONUS: I’ve found that rewarding myself with new loot seems to be a great motivator for me, so I added a couple of bonuses to my challenge: Complete My 6-Week Challenge 100% - I buy myself a NF Flag to hang in my workout room. I’ve wanted one of these for a while, but this way I’ll be making myself earn it. Complete at least 4/6 of the optional *Bonus Runs* - I'll obtain the SPEED FORCE and buy myself an awesome Flash-themed item as mentioned above. Okay, Rebellion. This is what I’ve put together for my first 6-Week Challenge. How’d I do? Any and all feedback appreciated. Good luck to everyone else on their challenges, and I'll definitely be following along. Here's to an awesome 6-Week Challenge, Rebels!

Good evening fellow recruits, A little about me: 49 yo F, 5'6" (167cm), 156 pounds (71kg), attorney, mother of a teenager, owned by two cats and a very confused dog. I joined the Rebellion a couple weeks ago to jumpstart my weight loss and fitness efforts. My main goals over the next few months are to lose 10 (ok, 11) pounds before my birthday (December) and to try to PR at a half-marathon on October 31. My quests toward these goals, over the next 6 weeks, are: 1. Track my eating and drinking (all beverages, caloric and not, alcoholic and not) daily. I have the MyFitnessPal app on my phone. I will use MFP to track. I note that I do far better with my eating when I'm tracking; when I don't track is when I get sloppy with my eating. A = track every day (42 days) B = track at least 32 days C = track at least 21 days D = track at least 11 days F = track <11 days 2. Run four times a week, with one run being hill work or speedwork and one run being my long run. A = 24 total runs, including 6 hill/speedwork and 6 long run B = at least 18 total runs; at least 5 hill/speedwork and at least 5 long run C = at least 12 total runs; at least 3 hill/speedwork and at least 3 long run D = at least 6 total runs; at least 2 hill/speedwork and at least 2 long run F = <6 total runs OR <2 hill/speedwork OR <2 long run 3. Get into a strength training schedule on my non-running days. My quest is to strength train three times weekly. I am starting with the Beginner Bodyweight workout. After three weeks, I will re-evaluate to see whether it is time to move up to a more challenging strength workout. A = 18 strength training workouts B = at least 14 C = at least 9 D = at least 5 F = <5 My life quest for these six weeks is to engage in a morning meditation daily. A = every day (42 days) B = at least 32 days C = at least 21 days D = at least 11 days F = <11 days Motivation: I feel better physically and emotionally when I work out regularly and don't overeat. My moods are better when I run regularly. My joints feel better when I strength train regularly. I want to be strong and healthy as I turn 50 and beyond.

I have struggled with my weight for a few years now. I'm 5'2 and I weigh 164 pounds. I have started and stopped working out lots of times in the past few years, and I go back and forth on eating habits too. I hate the idea of going on a "diet", but I did have success with a combination of crossfit and Paleo a few years ago. I injured my shoulder doing crossfit, so I quit that, and I couldn't afford Paleo/became concerned about the amount of meat/almonds I was eating so I quit that too (I was probably doing it wrong, but it was what it was). I came across Nerd Fitness several months ago, got really excited about it and then back burnered it. This weekend I went on a mini vacation, and lots of unflattering pictures were taken of me, which was the tipping point in my motivation to change. I don't feel like my weight is holding me back from doing the things I love, I do mud runs a few times a year, and hiked the Guadalupe Mountain in West Texas recently, but I don't *look* good, or really even *feel* good. I do have PCOS, so keeping my weight in check matters in terms of future fertility and that sort of thing. In March I bought a Groupon for a crossfit gym, and went on and off, but it's too expensive to pay normal prices (I'm a teacher). I joined a normal gym in June, but I've only been like 4 times since then. I enjoy a mix of weight lifting, steady state cardio, and bodyweight interval training, so I'm going to try to integrate that. So here we go. Main Quest: Lose 40 pounds by June 2016. SMART Goal 1: Quit being lazy. Get to the gym and do SOMETHING 3x per week. On the line: +2 STR, +3 STA A: 3+ workouts/wk. +2 STR, +2 STA B: 2 Workouts/wk. +1.5 STR, + 1.5 STA C: 1 workouts/wk. +1 STR, +1 STA SMART Goal 2: Know thyself. Or at least what's going INTO thyself. *Track food/water intake every day, good or bad using iphone app. On the line: +3 WIS A: 40 days of food tracking +3 WIS B: 30 days of food tracking + 2 WIS C: 20 days of food tracking +1 WIS SMART Goal 3: Be the master of my own destiny. Prepare an average of 18/21 meals per week at home. On the line: +5 CON A: 18+ meals per week +5 CON B: 15+ meals per week +3 CON C: 12+ meals per week +1 CON Life Quest: Read 2 books, 1 fiction, 1 nonfiction. Reward: +2 Wisdom Current Stats STR: 0, DEX 0, STA 0, CON 0, WIS 0, CHA 0 And that's that. Looking forward to joining a group for support and feedback. The adventure begins!

Introduction: Hi! I am Padawan Hideyoshi and this is my first full challenge (started late in the previous challenge). I like outdoor sports and ice hockey, but my desk job and poor eating habits aren’t conducive to being active and healthy. I joined the rebellion because I need an extra boost of motivation to keep active and eat right and I do much better when I have challenges to accomplish and focus on, so this site is great for that! I have been up slightly over 200 lbs, and have made some progress with crossfit and a couple eating challenges and things like that, but I've found I can't make any more fat loss with crossfit alone, so I know I need to get my eating habits under control, not just for weight loss, but overall health! Physical Characteristics: 36 yr old male, 5'7" tall (172 cm), 185 lbs (84 kg). Main Quest: Lose approx. 30lbs (really aiming for about 15% bodyfat, i.e. 140 lb lean bodyweight + 25 lbs body fat) by my next birthday (Jan 2016), and complete a Tough Mudder in the summer of 2016. Quest 1: Follow “21 day fix†(Clean eating + portion control). I’ll use mostly paleo food sources, but I won’t track that aspect this time around. This system uses colored containers for the portion control, and each color corresponds to a type of food source – green is vegetable, red is lean protein, yellow in starchy carb, etc... My wife picked it up and I had pretty good success while I stuck to it before. Of course I undid that progress since, but I think if I give myself a little more latitude than they recommend I will be more successful. So, rather than 21 straight days; I’ll follow it during weekdays and just try to do the best I can on the weekends. Measurement: A = 5 days per wk following 21 day fix portions, B = 4 days per wk, C = 3 days per wk, F = 2 or fewer days per wk. Reward: A = +3 CON, B = +2 CON, C = +1 CON Quest 2: Drink 80 oz. of H2O each day; and continue soda limit of 2 cans per wk. Last challenge my goal was to limit to 2 cans of soda per wk, and I ended up having about 4 per wk. I will renew that part and also track water consumption. In the past when targeting that amount of water there wasn’t much room for anything else to drink, so hopefully that will be the case. Again, I will try to follow this strictly for weekdays and do my best on weekends with a little more slack then. Measurement: A = 80 oz. H2O x 5 days/wk; 0-2 sodas, B = 80 oz. H2O x 4 days/wk; 3-4 sodas, C = 80 oz. H2O x 3 days/wk; 5-6 sodas F = 80 oz. H2O x 2 or fewer days/wk; more than 6 sodas. Reward: A = +1 CON, +1 DEX, B = +0.75 CON, +0.75 DEX C = + 0.5 CON, +0.5 DEX Quest 3: Run 5km (about 3 mi.) 3 x per wk; and do the Advanced Bodyweight workout 3 x per wk. (I was recently layed off from work, so if I am able to find something soon I may swap out the adv. BWW for crossfit; as it stands now, I can’t justify the expense for crossfit). I am combining these so I can run and do the BWW on alternating days, but if I have a crazy day that I don’t get anything it’s not too much to do both on one day, so for reward purposes I’ll just count the total, but for application/actual tracking I’ll aim for 3 of each type of workout per wk. Previously I was doing crossfit 3 to 4 x per wk. I will add the running with the aim to bring my 5 km time down to 20 minutes. The reason to add the running is for mud/adventure races. Measurement: A = 6 sessions/wk, B = 4-5 sessions/wk, C = 3 sessions/wk, F = less than 3 sessions/wk Reward: A = +2 STA, +1 STR B =, +1 STA, +1 STR C = +1 STA Life Quest: Meditate 10 mins each day of the challenge. Measurement: A = 10 mins., 40+ days, B = 10 mins, 36+ days, C = 10 mins. 30+ days Reward: A = +2 WIS, B = +1.25 WIS, C = +0.5 WIS Motivation: To be a role model for my kids. They are almost 4 and 7. I am one of the biggest influences in their outlook and behavior. What I model in eating and exercise they mimic. I want them to create better habits while they are young than I did, and put them on a path toward epic success. Prospective Guild: Torn between the Rangers (I like Crossfit; I’m neither a distance runner nor a heavy lifter) and the Assassins (more of a wish I was… the idea of being a great traceur and free climber is attractive, but not necessarily firmly rooted in my reality!) Thanks to all the moderators, especially Blaidd! I can't wait to fully participate this time around! Looking forward to getting to know all the fellow recruits over the next few weeks... Hideyoshi

Newbie here! 23 y/o 5'5", 170 lb./77 kg. female, tired of being tired. I'm in love with the idea of combining fitness with a level system. Brings me back to my WoW days. I made a challenge post for myself (in my signature)... might not begin until the next challenge cycle, though. I'd like to start on some of those goals (drinking more water, taking the stairs, eating more freggies), but in the meantime, any tips on getting started? My problem tends to be that I go too hard, too soon, and end up feeling like my heart's about to burst out of my chest, my throat's super tiny, and I'm about to fall over/legs are going to give out. I feel like I have no point of reference to get started. (I haven't really exercised since being in marching band three years ago). I don't have the money to join a gym, and I do spend most of my day sitting (commute, desk job, being tuckered out when I get home), so I'm looking for things I can do without much auxiliary equipment. Some tips would be helpful for: Stretching recommendations Exercises for building up endurance/strength Dietary changes (I'm a vegetarian and I eat WAY too much junk/carbs/processed stuff) Some of my long-term goals include: -Completing a Tough Mudder -Running a 5K -Generally being a badass Thanks so much in advance! You've all been really inspiring from what I've seen so far. I look forward to making progress.

Back in High School I used to do Marshal Arts and maintained a pretty descent body weight average. Now time has taken its toll. I'm up 4 pant sizes and frankly, I've lost confidence in my physical body. So here I am to try to get that confidence back. Let's Get Going! Main Quest - Loose 2 pant sizes Goal One -Paleo Quest -- I've started the transition to a Paleo diet. This quest will be to eat full Paleo for the entire challenge. A= +4 Con (6/6 Weeks) B= +3 Con (4/6 Weeks) C= +2 Con (2/6 Weeks) D= +1 Con (1/6 Weeks) F= +0 Con (0/6 Weeks) Goal Two -Fitness Quest -- Start and complete the Beginner Body Weight workout. Completing 3x weekly. A= +2 STR (6/6 Weeks) B= +1 STR (4/6 Weeks) C= +0 STR (2/6 Weeks)