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Hi all, Wow, I haven’t been on here in a few years. I’m so glad this community is still here. I am looking forward to being active again. Last time I was here, I had good intentions of making changes in my life but really didn’t follow through. I’m starting at ground zero now and going to give it my all. Respawn point::::273.8 lbs Last month I met with a weight loss doctor. I got to a point that I am considering WL surgery. The consult scared me. I ended up seeing the doctor’s counterpart for medical WL (non-surgical) and she gave me some goals. I meet with her again on Tuesday and I’m hoping I’ll have kept the few pounds I lost off - I weighed in at 276.9. The goals she gave me were to track all my meals, weigh in every day, and eat 100g protein and 100g carbs per day (not the bread kind though). I did really well the first two weeks then fell off - yet I still weighed in every day so I’ll count that as a win. I’m nervous about my upcoming appointment and what she will say. As far as action and planning - I ordered some fitness equipment and it should be here in the next week. In the meantime I’m going to utilize the gym at my complex and just start somewhere. I just need to be mindful every day and focus on little victories. I’m also going to be active here again as it was a big motivator last time. Encouragement, advice, and support welcome!

So I've been out of the game for a few months now. I lost 20#s from July to October last year, and held pretty steady through all the food holidays, but in the new year, took a critical hit early on (was in a car accident the last week of December, had some stiffness, but a week later could not move my neck). So I stopped working out. Then February hit, I was still in recovery mode with my neck, but that's usually a pretty depressing month for me. I expected this and tried to counteract myself by talking to friends early, trying to reestablish connections so I didn't isolate myself, but I did, and gained back half what I lost. By end of March, I have full range in my neck again, but have had a really hard time getting my a$$ moving to pick back up. I have been snacking from coworkers' candy jar(s). And haven't paid much attention to what I'm eating. So first thing, I'm trying to re-dedicate to eating real, unprocessed foods, which I feel like will be difficult because I don't cook. I am making my lunches instead of going out for fast food. I'm trying to have a steady supply of home-cooked meats and veggies (granted, a lot of microwavable veggie "steamers" and the meat is still coming out half burnt :/ ) And, what seems to be the easiest to forget: I will eat "homemade" breakfast. Which means either some form of "overnight oats," a PB-Banana (+honey and Almond Silk) shake, or, if I completely space or crunch my time to tight, to have a ready supply of Nature Valley Bars, to keep my from reaching for that candy jar on the next desk mid-morning. As for exercise, I have no motivation for it at all. But I know, "screw motivation, focus on discipline" For this, I have the support of my Magwai, who is either super sweet and snuggly, but if I don't take her out for a walk (or jog, with intermittent stop-and-sniffs) she will turn gremlin on me. So thus far, I'm at least getting 30 minutes of walk/jog/sprinting in the morning, whether I like it or not. Ideally, I'll also be trying the Betty Rocker 30 day challenge as well (Just 15 minutes a day!), but again, energy and motivation are still very lacking. Mostly, I'm hoping to use this here as a kind of tracker or diary to keep tabs on myself, and why not do it with thousands of strangers able to view and track with me So, gearing up for Spring ReBoot!

Hi fellow Nerds. I was a huge fan of these forums a few years back. Then I got more involved with the academy and the facebook groups. Then I went to NF Camp 2016 and it was amazing!! Then it all went downhill. I gave up tracking and quit facebook and the groups. Little by little I've gained weight to higher than I've ever been. So! I restarted MFP! I'm going to try hanging around the forums. I'm moving in a month, so I will focus on food and tracking now. After the move, I will find some fitness classes. Wish me luck!

Greetings all! It’s been a while… So, today I’m respawning back to NF after a several-year hiatus. I made it through two consecutive only-just-barely-successful challenges back in the day, but then I got swept into the maelstrom of life and pretty much fell off the self-improvement wagon. Currently I am still in the same place in the same storm, soldiering along in the bloody trenches of scholarship and fighting desperately to make progress on my doctoral dissertation, but my body is starting to revolt against the fact that I’ve basically been using it to do nothing but carry my brain around for about two years now. I’ve recently suffered several bouts of crippling back pain which I know PERFECTLY WELL are caused by the utter lack of any significant physical movement in my life. The other day I stumbled over the Level Up Your Life book on my Kindle while searching for a citation. I let myself get distracted (bad) — but I am now inspired to try and climb back on that stupid wagon again (good). For a good long time now, my only exercise has been ballroom dancing. That was actually all right, when I had tough classes four nights a week and several hours of social dancing every weekend, but last fall my teachers had to close their studio and haven’t found another permanent location. So now I don’t even get much of that anymore My body has made it crystal clear that two group lessons one night a week and one or two social dance outings a month are not enough to overcome hours and hours and hours of desk-bound typing every day. Once upon a time I was a military officer, a martial artist, a solo backpacker…the list goes on. But I got promoted out of my unit and had to drop to the Inactive Reserve, I haven’t trained or fought (or even been on a mat or in armor) in over two years, and I cannot remember the last time I walked farther than back and forth to my mailbox (sigh). Dancing was keeping me sane, but when that slipped from “close by, easy to do” to “too far, takes too much energy” I stopped doing it regularly. Contemplating my past capabilities in the light of my current uselessness while also wrestling this bloody dissertation is hugely depressing — so, in the interest of keeping sanity as intact as possible, I am going to try hard to set aside any unhelpful expectations for the next four weeks. Whatever I was able to do in the past is not really relevant; right now I can only work with today’s capabilities. My dissertation involves some source criticism and ecocriticsm of Tolkien’s legendarium. Since I’m spending pretty much every waking hour in Middle-earth anyway, I figure I might as well use it to shape my respawn challenge Main Quest: TBD. (I’m having a hard time with visualizing any other goal than FINISH MY DISSERTATION. That singular focus is part of my current problem, but I am struggling to find the energy to imagine anything else suitably aspirational right now. If I come up with something I will edit this quest. In the meantime, the side quests will keep me gaining experience until I can move on. Maybe I can think of it as grinding to unlock the next quest level…) Quest #1: The Endurance of a Ranger (12 points) “Aragorn rose at once, and he led the Company forth upon the journey of greatest haste and weariness that any among them had known, save he alone, and only his will held them to go on. No other mortal Men could have endured it, none but the Dúnedain of the North.” ~The Return of the King MOVE. I will leave my house for the purpose of moving my body through space under its own power at least three times a week. This can be a walk (at least two miles), a run (at least one mile), a night of active social dancing (at least two hours), or anything else that comes up which makes me move significantly. One point per successful day, additional days get extra points. Quest #2: The Strength of a Dwarf (12 points) “Gimli the dwarf alone wore openly a short shirt of steel-rings, for dwarves make light of burdens.” ~The Fellowship of the Ring SWING. I will do 50 kettlebell swings, 20 glute raises, and 15 flying dogs three times a week (as described by Tim Ferriss in The 4-Hour Body). One point per successful day, no extra points — I’m working with the ‘minimum effective dose’ concept here and I don’t want to overdo anything, and with my back the way it is I don’t want to chance further injury. Quest #3: The Flexibility of an Elf Dance all ye joyful, now dance all together! Soft is the grass, and let foot be like feather! ~The Hobbit STRETCH. I will do a mindful stretching routine of at least five minutes at least three times a week. For the session to count, I must use a timer and follow an established routine (I will start with something from Sang H. Kim’s book Ultimate Flexibility, but I am not limited to it if I find something else I like). One point per successful day, additional days get extra points. Life Quest: The Home of a Hobbit (4 points) “There was a fearful mess in the room, and piles of unwashed crocks in the kitchen. Nearly every pot and pan he possessed seemed to have been used. The washing-up was so dismally real that Bilbo was forced to believe the party of the night before had not been part of his bad dreams.” ~The Hobbit CLEAN. I am a full-time graduate student writing a dissertation; most days I don't even get dressed, much less worry about cleaning more of the dirty dishes than necessary to wipe out a bowl and microwave something. Naturally, this means that the house looks like a war zone. Here's the problem with this reality: I have friends coming to visit from overseas for several weeks. They arrive next Sunday I MUST get things to the point where they won’t catch something in the bathroom or get bitten by a black widow spider in the bedroom or poison themselves in my filthy kitchen. This is a no-fail proposition as they are coming whether or not I get my act together…so I will give myself three points for the huge effort it is going to require me to exert this week. I get the last point when I clean up again after they leave. Total points to be successful: 40. If I’m successful in the challenge, I get to buy new dance shoes (I’ve been needing them for a while but they’re expensive and I haven’t been dancing as much). If I’m successful in the challenge AND I finish chapter 5 of my dissertation by April 15th, I get to buy new dance shoes AND celebrate with an outrageously nice dinner and night out (I *love* good food paired with good wine and craft cocktails, but I don’t ever enjoy them anymore because I begrudge both the time and the money). Extra points in one area are permitted to make up for failures in another. Come, then. Let us walk this path together for a while Good luck to all!

Hey guys, I'm back on the wagon here, after finding a different path to wander for the past coupla months. It's great to be here again! I've got a couple of new goals - long term and for this challenge. But one really cool thing that happened was a letter I found when I got back home. It's probably best if you just read it for yourself : Meraki Director of E.R.A. ㅡ Meraki Redacted, Redacted, interest@era.com 13 March 2018 To Infinity Zero, The Elite. Reconnaissance. Agency. are honoured to send you a letter of interest. E.R.A. is a non-military led sub-branch of United Nations Security Council Counter Terrorism Unit, dedicated to stopping major acts of destruction before they occur. We have seen your progress and ambition and have decided that you would be a good candidate for our training program and subsequent employment within our agency. Your role within E.R.A. will be as an Intelligence Officer, though this is all the information we can give you before you sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement with us. Therefore, any further detail will be provided to you at an information briefing in a few days time. The exact date, time, and location will all be sent to you when you respond to this letter signifying your interest. This briefing will also include an assessment for further character details and current skills that may not be known to us. This includes your knowledge, fitness, and social abilities - which will be key for employment with E.R.A. We expect that all of our agents to be at their peak performance in each of these areas at all times. Training will be provided during our training program, but there is a minimum level of competency we require to be able to train you to your full potential. The exact entry requirements will be given to at the briefing, along with information of what E.R.A. does, and what the training program will provide you with. We shall assess any progress needed to get to the requirements at the briefing, and further points of contact before acceptance. Thank you for your time, and I hope to hear back from you soon. So, of course I signed up and agreed to go. The exact details, of course, and going to be slightly more vague for you from now on, but seeing as how it applies to getting my fitness up and training, they allowed me to keep up to date with that on here! Just this morning, I got a follow up email for a more specific regime that I'm going to have to follow from now on. Thank you for your attendance at the information briefing that was held. We have decided that you are qualified to continue with the orientation, though we have decided that you need a period before acceptance into the training program as you are physically unable to complete the necessary requirements. To aid you in your progress, we shall have a different instructor interview and assess you at the end of five week intervals, until the date of the entrance exam. This is to ensure that you continue to be a suitable candidate and can hold up in our training program and work there onwards. Further details of the entrance requirements are provided below. Be able to run 5 kilometers in under 30 minutes. Be able to pull yourself up onto a ledge Be able to touch your toes Be able to hold a plank for 2 minutes Further skills may be of benefit to help boost your skill within the program. Basic computer security knowledge The ability to drive a car / motorbike Strong long and short term memory What you do with the rest of your time is up to you, but we advise that you develop some personal skills as well, in preparation for developing skills within the training program. The date of the entrance exam is at the beginning of September - the 11th to be exact. (Also happens to be my birthday, so hopefully some good luck will come from that) So I have five challenge spans for these sessions to get me to the first set of goals. The first instructor, someone called Demeter, emailed me shortly after with a set of goals, and they look perfect for turning into a challenge on here. To Infinity Zero, my name to you will be Instructor Hestia. I'm welcoming you into this probation period, getting you up to snuff and making sure you know the drill around here before you start facing some of the others. The first four week span technically starts on Monday, but I thought I'd email you now with my expectations so you can start working on them. By the end of this period, I expect that you will be capable of the following : Know your average 5k speed Your measurements over this span A consistent food log over this span The ability to hold a plank for 20 seconds I will be checking in with you again on Sunday 25th to see you progress. So, of course, this becomes a task. 1) Run 5k once a week. 2) Take measurements every Monday morning. 3) Record food consumption in journal. 4) Hold a plank for 10 seconds, then add 5 seconds each week. Do it every day. tl;dr Basically I was approached by a non military sub branch of the UN SCCCTU, who are counter terrorism, and look for people out of sixth form and university. Someone approached me about a potential interest in ERA (the branch's name), but told me that I wouldn't be able to get into the training program unless my health and fitness was up to snuff. But they're going to be training me for this! (Disclaimer : none of this is real - it is to trick my brain into treating it all seriously, but it's like any other story. There may be refinements in the future, and other areas I will be working on, but this is it for now.)(Also wow, sorry this post is so extremely long)

Recap! I am down 14# ! at the end of the challenge- week 4 you can see i started to fall off... lose steam... When I stepped on the Scale and saw '-14 lb' I freaked out a bit and couldn't believe it... I had been avoiding the scale if there was not change i would feel the work was not worth it- it has been a huge boost! Plan: The next Challenge: I have found a good audiobook helps be inactive be fun and not a chore. I finished Without Remorse (Jack Ryan Universe #1) Starring John kelly. https://goo.gl/TcWzSj The next book is Patriot Games (Jack Ryan Universe #2) ( https://goo.gl/GgyxEt )As my loot for this 4 week challenge I am eyeing an audible subscription! Back to the next challenge: for 'level 1' the challenge was simply tracking food (RE: first NFA mission) For level 2- Because food is emotion tracking is critical to success, I will continue with log food daily. In line with NFA missions I will add ' be active' Because the core obstacle has been 'habit' the focus will be consistency over 'quality'. lay RolePlay In the last challenge I wrapped up Without Remorse and learned about John Kelly and a brief introduction to Jack Ryan- it looks like in Patriot Games we will really get to know him.... Become him As my loot from last challenge I will be getting an Audible Subscription Since tha audio book is 22 hours and 1 minute I will have a target of 20-22 Listening movement: However the Meta goal is habit... so active 2-5 times a week or daily is better. Consistency Targets Continue Food logging: 5-7 times a week A - 7 days each week B - 5+ days each week C - 20+ meals the whole challenge Listening movement: 18 - 22 hours A - Listening movement 5+ days each week B - 3 + Workouts a week Moov work out 10+ minuets NFA Body Weight Work out C - 22 hours the whole challagne OR active 5 days a week Counts active IF any apply Google Fit says 1 Hr active for the day Log 5 + min Moov Work out 1 Hour plus of Moov a Active minutes Stretch Goal NFA missions Complete 75% of tasks of points per week Streaming One YT video or Twitch stream a week Domestic One 'Wall' tasks a week or 30+ min of progress *Wall - list of home projects or improvements NF recap Continue Food logging: Log with iEatWell 5-7 times a week Tt least 1 meal a day Easy picture Rate on how balanced Shows weekly summary Contingency plan: set total number of meals range Numbers: 4 weeks * 7 days * 3 meals = 84 meals 4 weeks * 5 days * 2 meals = 20 meals Listening movement: 18 - 22 hours Tracked activity that I can listen to an audiobook doing Good: walk, jog, bike, maybe Circuit weights Other: Cardio boxing,7 min+ Numbers: 22 hours / 4 weeks = 5.5hours / week 5.5 hours / 7 days = 42 minutes per day 5.5 hours / 3 days = 1 hours 50 min (110 min) per day

Back from a hiatus that was both from giving up and too much going on. (Rambly update in my Daily Battle Log.) Anyway -- I'm back - again! -- and I think I'm going to respawn everything, including over on my Academy profile. I just haven't been active in so long. On the bright side, having (re-)joined WeightWatchers, their new Freestyle program brings a lot of nutrition goals in line with the NF Levels. Other than nonfat yogurt being 0 Points, I think most of the 0-Point food list is at this point totally paleo. Anyway, my goal right now is to start getting things back on track (weight loss, fitness, finances, etc) and work on leveling up again.

Introduction: Hi all, I'm just your average MunckinLion (also Lil'Lion or just Lion) and this is my first challenge--after about two years I mean. I've lurked and munched away at snacks for far too long; I'm the laziest Lil'Lion in all the pride lands. I'm in college right now doing a Literature major ( so obviously I kind of like reading) but aside from that, I enjoy swimming and soccer.I'm trying to expand my interests! My ADHD brain makes me love trying new things, but makes me not so great at sticking with them. Main Quest: Lose 20lbs by June. I'm kinda doing a lot of fun stuff in June, so I want to at least feel good in my body Quest 1: Stamina +2, Strength +2 Go to gym 3x a week. 1 of these days MUST be swimming for it to count. Measurement: A = 4 weeks, B = 3 weeks , C = 2 weeks (Subtract 2 pt from total score if swim requirement isn't met) Quest 2: Constitution +2, Wisdom +2 Stay within 1,400 calorie limit daily. Ideally, because I'm only 5'1 I'd work with 1,200 calories, but that seems a bit too restrictive currently. Measurement: A = 28 days, B = 18 days , C = 10 days. Quest 3: Constitution +3 3L of water a day. I do a really poor job of hydrating myself Measurement: A = 3L, 28 days; B = 3L , 18 days, C = 3L, 10 days Personal Quest: Intelligence +3 Finish reading 4 books. I have required books for class, which will count towards this, but the real challenge will be getting myself to read something for fun~ Measurement: A = 4 books B = 2 books , C = 1 book

A wild Infinicca appears! Greetings and salutations, friends. My name is Infinicca, regenerating/respawning after several years off-site. I was formerly here under "Nicca", and was sort of a lurker/occasional contributor. In the time since, I've been up and down again. I had a bad illness which hospitalized me a couple of years ago, lost some weight, and then gained it all back and then some because I could eat again. I work from home and am also studying from home for my *gulp* law degree, and recently I've realized that I'm into the danger zone... I'm often tired, don't eat well, and sit in a chair for 12-14 hours/day. Something's gotta change. So after seeing the scale tip dangerously high one day, I decided to return to NF... and I joined Rising Heroes. I'm just a week in, and already feeling like I'm "doing" something (even though I've only just begun). I thought I'd add a 4-week challenge on to that for extra motivation, so here I am! GOALS: Lose 6 lbs. over these 4 weeks. (My long-term goal is to lose between 35-40.) Cut out mindless snacking. Exercise regularly. Wake up on time and with energy. HOW-TO: Lose: Exercise regularly (doubling up goals!). Cut out sugary drinks as able. My illness was gut-related and so I switched from coffee to Red Bull, and didn't give up the RB even when going back to coffee. (I say "as able" because I do get gut flare-ups on occasion which might prevent me drinking coffee for a time, so really I hope that I eventually won't need as much caffeine to function.) Log food intake and discover/edit habits. Cut out mindless snacking: Pre-portion midday snacks. I don't usually eat large meals and tend to "graze", especially working from home, so if I pre-portion I'll help avoid grabbing a handful of trail mix without thinking. Select healthier options that will keep me feeling fuller. That trail mix has a lot of added sugar. Drink more water. Log food intake (doubling up!). If bored (which is often when I snack), train myself to get up and do jumping jacks instead of reaching for something to eat. Exercise regularly: Follow NF Rising Heroes challenge of 3x/week full Basic Bodyweight Workout (incl. warm-up and cool-down). Walk at least 5x/week for 20+ mins/day. I need to be ready to walk at least 10,000 steps/day come April 16th. (I'm traveling, and there will be a lot of walking.) Make a schedule where I walk away from the computer/desk for at least half an hour and DO something. Wake up on time: Start going to bed at least 20 mins earlier. No more "just one more episode" Netflix nights. Stop spending hours reading until I pass out from eye exhaustion. (Example: I go to bed at 11:30, but fall asleep after 1:00 because I'm reading.) This can probably change if I go to bed even earlier and when I do start working out more, because I won't have energy to stay awake. Set an alarm and actually use it. Set multiple if necessary. Drink more water before bed. Wish me luck!

Ugh why do I keep falling off the bloody wagon?! Backstory - 125kgs (275lbs) in February 2013. 72kgs (160lbs) in November 2014. Engaged in October 2015, moved in with hubby to be. By September 2016 I was 90kg (198lbs). Got married in October 2017. Jumped on the scales this week after years of neglect and am back up to 102kgs (225lbs). I dont want want to get to 72kgs again, as I was severely restricting my eating and training twice a day five days a week. Looking for a happy mid point. Am comfortable and content between 78 and 85kgs so ultimately I’d like to be back there. Hello to my fellow respawners! Let’s hope it sticks this time!

Hi there! I haven't been back on NF in a while. Mainly because I didn't think I needed the support on here to lose weight anymore. But boy was I wrong! I actually lost more weight being on here than I ever have by myself. So how have things been? Well I lost a lot of weight after my baby girl was born. But being a new mother proved to be a lot harder than I was expecting. Add that to being only married one year haha, and figuring out what being a wife meant. So all in all, my hormones had been bad before and after giving birth they ended up being worse and my weight shot up. I've lost a bit but I'm still close to what I USED to weight before I started trying to lose weight! I'm not happy about it. But time to get back in the saddle right? Hormones are balanced, and the little one is two years old now. Biggest struggle will be diet because we're currently becoming debt free so our grocery budget is below $100 for two weeks. Also we love ice cream yuk yuk, not helping! The other struggle is being motivated to workout again. I used to be able to do 210 burpees just for fun! And now I can barely get to 20 I just don't feel like putting in the effort anymore. It's a huge mental struggle for me to get started in working out, I don't know why. I used to love working out... My goals are to drop 100 pounds and muscle up my physique. I really want to be athletic! And time is of the essence because next year my birth control is over and hubbie and I agreed to try again for another little one. I really want to be a lower weight for a healthier pregnancy this time around. Can't wait to get started!

Hi all, I have largely fallen off the wagon lately. I haven't been getting enough exercise, I've been eating rather too many sweets, and I'm wasting money on cabs more than strictly necessary. I'm not in bad shape, but I'm trending in a direction I shouldn't. Sticking to the basics this time, because I clearly need to relearn/rebuild them. Goal 1 - Do not be lazy (X/5) Walk to work unless the weather is awful or my lungs are in bad shape. Goal 2 - Limit sweets. (X/7) Do not eat anything not on my acceptable sweets list and eat those only in small portions. Acceptable list: dark chocolate, sweetened Greek yogurt, my homemade reduced sugar muffins, a bit of honey on oatmeal if I'm eating it with tart fruit. Goal 3 - Rebuild the workout habit (X/3) Do something, even if small, 3 times/week. Goal 4 - Rebuild the NF habit (X/7) Check in daily, either noting on my thread or visiting someone else. Because it wouldn't be one of my challenges without music:

My Hero is Jack Ryan- I met him in Hunt for Red October. (yes I met him in the movie not the book) I did a little bit of the Tutorial quests and found out his story started in Without Remorse. A huge reason I am 'ranger' Jack is because the audio book is great to listen to while being active. I have done Huge- 'Smarter' Goals in the the past and 'burned out' To Kiss it: My '1st' challenge is 'Establish Habit' This will be accomplished by 'doing something for a month' Over this last week something has become 'Food log' with a stretch goal of 'active regularly' The Rewards for completing the challenge may be: (one of the below) 1 month Rising Heroes Phone Streaming app Reflector

Well... the good news is, I know why I was getting so sick and passing out when I worked out! My resting heart rate without medication is between 140-200 bpm, and when I would exercise, it could easily go over 400 bpm with very little effort on my part. I am medicated now, but it's still going to be a long haul, and I have to take it easier than I have in the past. It's been 5 years since I have been on this forum with any regularity. In the last two years, I have been in 5 car accidents, had 4 surgeries, went from one medication daily to 13+ medications a day, and I've gained 50-lbs. Yikes. I am 5' 7.5" and 215-lbs. I have been in physical therapy for Bursitis in my hips, a dislocated sacrum, bulging disks and annular tears in my L4, L5, and L6 disks, dislocated ribs, soft tissue damage to my upper back, shoulders and neck, etc. It's been a rough couple of years for my body. I feel like I have taken one hit after another, and I'm barely holding on. I need to fix it. I need to get better. I need to start moving forward, onwards and upwards. Help me be brave; help me find the strength within myself to kick ass and stop feeling sorry for myself. I don't believe in myself; I don't really believe I can do this, and that is a big problem. I need to rebuild my confidence, rebuild my strength, balance and flexibility. It's possible. I can do it. I don't know how yet, but I can do this.

Truthfully, It's been a more than a couple years since I've been on this website, so "soft reset" might be too generous of a term. Still, I'm the same person with the same issues---now I'm just working with different stats. I was at a big university, but struggling with my mental health a lot, so I'm at a community college for now. I've lost a lot of the healthy habits I built, and being at back at home now has made me less motivated in my physical health. Right now I'm planning to focus most on water intake and calorie tracking using MFP. I'm hoping this time around I can work on the right kind of mentality to achieve my goals!

Hi all, So I've been here at NF for years, and did a challenge or two long ago, lurked a bit, and chime in on some posts from time to time throughout the years. Life sometimes gets in the way of our own betterment, but now is the time to begin again. Here are my goals for the upcoming 4 week challenge. 1) Cut out Soda’s 2) Clean Dirty dishes from the sinks 3) Excersize twice a week 4) Compile a list of all my bills to begin developing a budget. in more detail.... Cut out Soda's is a no brainer... I've done it before and went 3 months without, but they creeped back into my life and now I'm 3 or 4 a week... time to knock them out again. Clean Dirty dishes from the sinks.... sounds really mundane, but due to emotional issues in my life for the last couple of years they have piled up, filling the dual kitchen sinks, then the 8 foot long kitchen counter, and then a deep utility room sink... at this point, I am using only 1 plate, 1 glass and a knife, fork and spoon, which I wash after each use. I cannot cook as all the pots and pans are dirty, so Hot-pockets in the microwave or fast food has been my dinners for several months. It may take the better part of the whole 4 week challenge to achieve this one. Excersize twice a week... this one I've been hit and miss over the years.... I'll come on strong for a couple of months using home video workouts, then skip one, then skip another, then done... I have found I need structure, so I'm joining a gym, first time in my life. We'll see if this helps. Compile a list of all my bills to begin developing a budget.... This one ties into the emotional issues mentioned in the Dishes goal.... My wife and I separated a couple of years ago but she has still been maintaining the bills. We are just now beginning to divide the bills for the two households and I'm 23 years out of practice doing my own bills. So, with her help, I'll be gathering all the bills that are mine, and comparing that to my income, to see where I stand. I'll be checking in with my progress.

On Habitica, I came across this challenge: "10 Habits You Should Do Every Day" Welp, I need routine and everyday is kinda a routine thing to do. So here goes... Dailies Exercise: 10 squats, 10 pushups, Walk to the mail box, 5 minute stretch, except on Wednesdays when I run from Zombies Reading 1 Chapter a day Meditation 10 minutes of breathing and waking up at 8:00am Habits Project Time Two Hour Block on Wednesday and Thursday for animation/art projects Brain Buster Do a Sudoku every day Language Spend 30 minutes learning Sign Language M-F Podcast/TED Talk/University Lecture Watch one once a week on Wednesday Personal Management Just 15 minutes cleaning up around the apt Nutrition Eat veggies and fruits, drink water, be in bed by 12:30am Creative Recreation Personal gaming for the sake of a good time

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

And so another thread for whats probably the longest respawn ever (man what a lag ) I started my respawn the last challenge and it didn't worked at all (at least according to my challenge goals but more about that later. First what's going to be my accountability list throughout this year and my self choosen mantra for challenges and life in total: PMA! FIND REALISTIC WAYS TO IMPROVE WHILE KEEPING ALL THE POSITIVE THINGS IN MY LIFE IN MIND! My Overall Goals for 2018: Fitness: - Run a marathon in 4:30 (Status: Marathon booked for October) - make running a habbit again - do speed-work (interval sprints and all that annoying stuff) - Make Powerlifting a habit (Status: Gym found, form and technic needs a lot of work) - change Gym payment to automatic wire so money isn't an excuse anymore Finances: - Invest money for my future (Status: Planning at around 80%) - read up on the ETF - purchase a ETF - clean up insurrances - Read 5 books on finances - "Souverän investieren mit Indexfonds und ETFs: Wie Privatanleger das Spiel gegen die Finanzbranche gewinnen" - "Kümmer Dich um Dein Geld, sonst tun es andere: In nur 15 Minuten pro Woche zum Geldprofi" - "Antifragilität ‒ Anleitung für eine Welt, die wir nicht verstehen" - "DIE DIVIDENDENFIBEL" - „Lean Startup“ - „Das Kapital im 21. Jahrhundert " - „Investment Punk: Warum ihr schuftet und wir reich werden" - „Das Tao des Warren Buffett: Folgen Sie dem besten Anleger der Welt auf dem Weg zum Börsenerfolg!" -"Cool bleiben und Dividenden kassieren: Mit Aktien raus aus der Nullzins-Falle" -"Dividenden Investor: Die Krise des Geldes und wie Sie mit Dividenden ein Vermögen aufbauen - überarbeitete Auflage" Job: - Decide work goals for the next 2 Years (Deadline May 2018) - Go to at least 5 networking events - Facebook and events "class" - Reeperbahn Festival (booked) - Most Wanted Music Berlin - Read 5 books that help finding a job you enjoy - " 4 hour work week" - " Designing Your Life: How to Build a Well-Lived, Joyful Life " - "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change" - "Build Your Dream Network: Forging Powerful Relationships in a Hyper-Connected World" - "How to Win Friends & Influence People" -"Pivot: The Only Move That Matters Is Your Next One" - Magic Cleaning - Kondo Alexander Osterwalder & Yves Pigneur: Business Model Generation Ed Catmull: Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration Roger Fisher: Getting to Yes: Negotiating an agreement without giving in James Gleick: "Die Information" Maren Lehky: "Leadership 2.0" Kevin Dutton: "Gehirnflüsterer" Manfred Höfler u. a.: "Abenteuer Change Management" Personal Grow: - Learn Spanish - talk to the receptionist in spanish - try to order a table/meal in spanish - Make time for Date-Night at least once per week (and try to make something special twice per month) - Use Nerd Fitness Academy - DM a P&P round - prepare write up and coming event in advance (1-2 hours) - Try Wrestling training - Start a positive & achievement journal - update at least every second day - start preparing SMART goals - Participate in more VCA charity events - check helper pool once per week So for this Challenge I decided to start working on my mornings and my morning routine like I tried last month but this time I plan to do it more slowly and take in account what worked and what didn't worked: Challenge 1: Starting the day right Last time I tried to do a "how my morning should be plan that in retrospective totally failed this time I'll try to reverse engineer my mornings and based on that will try to incorporate changes. First week starting today till 18th February - Write down how the mornings actualy happened (when did I get up, what did I do, how was I feeling and so on) Second week: - monday try to create a weekplan that sets a wake-up time for every day and has 3 morning workouts in it - track how the days actually go Third week: - depending on the second week, when the workouts worked and I see that there has been free time. Try to add meditation to it. If not try to make week two goals work Last week: - track and evaluate, make goals/plans according to evaluation Challenge 2: Run to the Hills RUN FOR YOUR LIVE!!! (sorry not sorry since Maiden are the best band ever) I still have time to train for the marathon without getting in panic mode and to keep it that way I have to start training sooner rather than later. So for this challenge there will be some running goals - Find a running rout (20min) near my place and near my girlfriends place - Look for running groups that could fit my goals/tempo - Try if thursday running training can be part of my weekly plan (and where to move the movie day in that case) Challenge 3: A good breakfast I started preparing my breakfast sandwich in advance (using self made mayo (still needs improvement) and sandwich toast) and it's definitely and improvement on my wallet as well as my daily calories nonetheless there's still work to do - find a paleo bread alternative - prepare breakfast in advance - find out if putting fruit into my breakfast will increase my morning - reduce coffeee and more importantly coffee sweetener Challenge 4: Community work I really enjoy the supportiveness of the NF community so I want to participate in that again - Follow 2 NF rebels (will follow @Jonesy and 1 more ) and check in and leave a supportive message from time to time. - update my thread at least twice a week - participate in the mini So new goals, hoping to get more results than last time Still need to work out how to give points for this challenge, if you have good ideas please let me know

Hi NF! So, I was a regular way back in 2012-2013 but have since moved on to other fitness paths. But then I got an email about this great deal for the academy and guess what, I'm back! I'm now 29 (almost 30) and mom to a GREAT 17 month old boy (whom we named after a character from the Dune series. Talk about nerdy!). Unfortunately, I now have diastasis recti (BOO!!!) which means my core strength is not what it used to be AND I have to be really careful about certain exercises (no more crunches ever, but not sad about that Anything front loading that puts too much pressure on my stomach has to be built towards very, very slowly. Which is frustrating! I want to do my planks and push-ups again!). As a mom I'm way more tired, have less time to exercise (yay for 20 minute strength workouts!) and oh, I'm also still breastfeeding my son (go super mom!) and I can't really keep up with my calorie needs. I'm still pretty active in general, too - cycle to and from work 20-minutes each way twice a week, and lots more cycling as we don't have a car (or license). Lots of walking and chores etc. In any case, I'm looking forward to jumping back in, both here and with the academy materials. I still love being fit and nerdy things, so I have a feeling I'll fit right (back) in. Any familiar faces around?

Hey, I have finally decide that it is time to hit the reset button when it comes to my health, and well being. Had quit a few stumbles in the past year but slowly making progress towards smashing my goals once again.

Steve's email today contained a revelation for me: My health and fitness are exactly like video game bosses. Each time I die in a video game boss fight, there is a moment of frustration that is soon followed by a new resolve to do things DIFFERENTLY until I find the strategy to win. With my health and fitness, though, I act like the kid who throws the controller across the room and pouts when the words 'GAME OVER' appear! (I cannot stand that kid!!). So, here I am, respawning with a new mindset and a new outlook on what 'failure' truly means. It doesn't mean that I'm a failure, like my previous shame-filled thoughts would have me believe. Rather, 'failure' lets me know that I'm a student of life. It let's me know that missing a workout doesn't mean I've given up, or that I'm not good enough, but that I have an opportunity to learn and RESPAWN as a stronger, smarter, more eager me with another brand spanking new opportunity to succeed. My fitness journey started anew in August of 2017. I read a book called Bigger, Leaner, Stronger by Mike Matthews. That, combined with the discovery of the super motivating Nerd Fitness Academy led me to my longest streak of working out, EVER. Three months of five difficult, rewarding, result-producing workouts per week, followed by three months of zero workouts per week. Why did I stop, you may ask? The answer is... It's complicated. Let me try to break it down (yes, I am thinking of things as I write them and I do not already know the answer. I'm figuring it out RIGHT NOW): My workouts were getting difficult to the point of nausea during some (100 pound weighted lunges for 16-20 reps for 3 sets, BLEEEGGGHHH. Almost passed out on multiple occasions). The amount of weight I was lifting was starting to intimidate me, causing some pre-workout anxiety that started affecting other parts of my life. I would literally dread leg day and deadlift day. The workouts were getting to the point where I was nervous every time I stepped up to the bar. My workout times varied and I would let other less important things take precedence. This led me to have an erratic workout schedule which led to a loss of motivation (it was 10x harder to workout at night). I would feel bad after a week of little to no progress in my lifts, like I was 'spinning my wheels' and the 5-7 hours of working out that week was 'wasted' because I only went up 5lbs in a lift. Steve Kamb constantly says if you try to do the same thing you did before, you will fail. I believe that wholeheartedly. So now the question is, what will I do differently in order to avoid the problems listed above? I will tune down the weight and reps of the workouts that made me nauseous, namely weighted lunges. I will start light and increase the weight and reps SLOWLY. Fitness is not a destination but a lifelong journey. When I get to the point of being intimidated by the weight, I will figure out my new 1RM via a calculator online and work at 70-75% of that weight for the following month or until I feel comfortable and confident in upping the weight. I will workout at the same time each morning, regardless of how much other work I need to get done that day. My health and fitness will take priority, and let's be honest, 99% of other things are not important enough for me to change my schedule to fit around. Now, I understand things will come up that will take priority, and I also now understand that if I miss a workout because of these things, I will simply respawn the next day and continue on. Easy as that. Working out consistently, whether or not I see noticeable results that week, is never wasted. I was successful in being CONSISTENT, which is a larger goal than benching, squatting, or deadlifting x number of pounds. The act of working out five or more times per week is my lifelong goal. Being fit. Being capable. Being consistent. These things are more important to me than benching 250. That goal will come BECAUSE of my consistency. So, I will strive first for a regular, unchanging workout schedule with weight lifting goals being overall less important. There you have it. My respawn strategy. Is it perfect? Definitely not. Will I fail to heed my own words at some point? Yes. Does that mean I'm a failure? NOT IN THE SLIGHTEST. It is simply an opportunity for me to take a step back and evaluate why the failure happened so that I can get back in the battle with new knowledge and increased awareness. The words GAME OVER will linger only as long as I let them. Let's just press the start button and hop right back in stronger, faster, smarter, and overall BETTER than before. *presses the start button*

So so so many down and depressed days. Made it through the holidays. January hit and I became an emotional wreck on the verge of becoming an alcoholic. it's taken three weeks to recover from the worst episode yet, and my husband has found a dog to adopt that will be acting as a companion for me. we are working to get me in therapy, but this requires answering a phone call to schedule appointments, which I don't do. My grades are also severely slipping and I'm likely to not make President's List again this semester even though I've made it the last two semesters. This respawn, I'm going to be focusing on journaling, taking time to meditate, taking time to do my schoolwork, making plans for things I need to do like finish cleaning for the dog we're adopting and all the things she'll need. I also want to start exercising once a week while my doctor looks into possible Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. So today, I'm hitting the accept button on the spirit healer's offer in Dalaran, respawning, and dealing with the equipment damage and increased damage debuff while I get back up to where I know I can be. If anyone has any recommendations for planners or spreadsheets to help me track time and accomplishing goals, I'd love recommendations!

Hello all, my name is Fluffy_Shark (or Fluffy for short) and this is probably my third time respawning. I am 22 years old. I struggle with depression and anxiety and currently go to school full-time while working part-time. Lately my stress has been through the roof and I've resorted to eating copious amounts of sugar, and drowning myself in the internet, all trying to escape from my stressful world. I have never liked how I look and I have always felt weak and unfit. I haven't worked out in nearly 4 months and I'm sick and tired of it. I have so many things I want to accomplish in life but I barely have the energy to get through the day. Even keeping my home clean, and general adulting tasks seem nearly impossible to complete some days. I am also extremely socially awkward, sometimes even hanging around my friends is tough. I am a negative person and get upset or jealous when others are happy around me, I really dislike this part about myself. I do this because I don't feel like I'm ever enough, I never feel like I'm doing enough. Despite everything going on in my life, I desperately want to incorporate fitness back into my routine. I was happier and had more confidence when i was doing that. I also want to make a more consistent effort to focus on my mental health. I know I need to get a counsellor and I will be booking an appointment with my school's councillor. Outside of that however I want to start reading Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy again. I also want to practice my art skills everyday to get into a competitive design program. So my goals right now are as follows: Physical Health: Complete 2 NF workouts a week for a month Eat 1 serving of veggies a day for a month Limit myself to 1 sugary treat a day (I currently eat 1-5 so this is a challenge for me) Mental Health: Read Feeling Good for 10 min-1 hour a day Art Skills: Practice drawing for 10 min-1 hour a day My actions to make it happen: Physical Health Workouts: write workout in bullet journal schedule for that specific day 1 week in advance, pack gym bag with needed materials and put it on my bed (so I will see it and think twice before just mindlessly reclining on my bed). Progress will be tracked on here, bullet journal, and StickK (There will be a $10 penalty for every workout missed OR rescheduled) Food: Write a veggie to eat that day in bullet journal schedule, make sure I buy lots of veggies on my shopping trips Treats: Keep track of treats consumed in bullet journal and here, for every extra treat, there will be a $2 penalty, always have some kind of healthy snack with me like trail mix Mental Health Place book on bed and track progress on here and in bullet journal Art Skills I have already informed my friend to keep me accountable of this but i will also record my progress in my bullet journal, StickK, and here ($5 penalty on every day missed), Placing sketchbook and medium to use that day on bed Hopefully this new system works. I tried to change too much all at once initially but I think this is manageable. My physical health, my mental health, and my art skills are my biggest priorites right now aside from work and school. Wish me luck!

Hello there, I'm Sacculina and have been reading NF since 2010 or so, been part of the NFA since the beta testing for women only, and even started Rising Hero's during the first month, yet I have not made any lasting improvements to my health. I have found new friends through NF and even had the 20 seconds of courage to start my own group called the Nerd Scouts. I haven't been faithful to NF though. I started to read conflicting articles from The Greatist, MFP, etc which caused information overload. I had intense debates with other medical professionals which required me to start down the rabbit hole of research so I can prove them wrong, but I wasn't doing what I was proslyetizing. I fell victim of stress, burnout, and exhaustion. Mentally, I was not prepared to break bad habits even though I knew what needed to be done. I felt like I was wandering aimlessly with no one to point me into the right direction, my soul wasn't into guiding my corporeal body through the obstacles of life. So what changed? What made me finally get a grip? I'm still trying to figure it out. I adopted my dorky dog, Muggles, in August and he has single-handedly pulled me out of the soul-sucking darkness that was my anxiety and stress. Coming home to him and my husband makes me smile whenever I think about it. He has become my partner-in-crime during late night walks. Even my husband seems much happier. Unfortunately, he is also causes time to spiral out of control. One minute we are out on a walk and then next it's time to go to bed. Add a full time job and cooking. I am restarting NFA today. I will remove all the websites that I feel aren't helping me such as The Greatist, MFP, etc and focus on taking one step at a time. That's the end of my rambling. Have a good day, everyone!