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Recently, looking for ambient music and environment mixes, I stumbled across a number of Skyrim-inspired mixes, and I was inspired to start up an old copy of Elder Scrolls. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed the game ... even as it frustrated me greatly at times. Being in a reflective mood, I realized that many of my struggles in the game have similar roots in my daily life. Long story short .... I'm back to focus on foundational basics: nutrition and movement. Some RPG fun. And dragons, trolls, and zombies .... oh my!! Longer Version A player can rush through Elder Scrolls and finish in 33 hours. Or you can take hundreds of hours if you explore the world, learn skills, make items, and do side quests. I always tended to be one of the players who are so focused on the main story-line quest that I end up at the end under-geared and under-prepared ... only to be frustrated that I can't finish. In the mundane world, I often have a similar problem in that I neglect planning and preparing for basic, foundational health in the rush to prepare lectures and labs and assessments. I sacrifice the good in favor of the urgent: the next batch of emails, the next meetings, the next thing that someone else "needs" (wants!!!) me to do. So ... this challenge is aimed at establishing a more productive cycle of preparing for monster encounters before going out to complete a quest. You need both to advance in the game and in life!! Drink Your Potions Between masking and days of back-to-back classes and meetings, I was often slightly dehydrated this fall, which contributed to sinus infections and the whole host of other symptoms: irritable, poor sleep, and increased DOMS. I don't want the spring semester to be a repeat of that. For Christmas, I was given a 32 oz water bottle with time/amount goals on the side. Going for 64 oz every day seems like too much, but I am willing to set a daily goal of 32+ oz. My course mentors may have to entertain the students while I run down the hallway for breaks .... Restore Health and Stamina In Skyrim, you can make mistakes with what you eat and drink. In fact, if you haven't played it before, you have to experiment with items and ingredients to find out what the results are, and some things are definite Frankenfoods ... with unexpected results. I've been eating a lot of less-than-nutritious stuff lately. In part because of the holidays and the hold-over attitude that cookies etc are a reward that I deserve etc. So, it's time to shift back to eating real, nutritious foods. I've set a goal that I will eat at least ONE serving of vegetables each day. Trust me when I say that this is a stretch goal. Train to Skill Up You develop skills in the game (and in life) by doing the activity. If you want to level up your skill with a bow ... you have to shoot at things. Shocking. I'll give myself props here because I didn't completely give up on exercise during the fall semester. I didn't do as much as I wanted, but I didn't stop either. In fact, until December 8th, my weight was holding at 158 (not quite the best weight of the year, but not shabby) because I was running and walking consistently. It was the strength training that I started really neglecting after Fall Break. This goal is multi-part, but I think I can manage: At least 20 minutes of exercise daily. Cardio, strength, yoga, staff spinning, whatever. Get to CrossFit class once per week. I am still often suffering from DOMS 3 days after class, despite water, protein, stretching and rolling. It's just going to take time to build up the muscles. 60 pounds on my lat pulldowns by the end of the month. When I can go to the gym with hubby, he can also help me manage the bands for assisted pullups. Prepare for Monsters!!! Truly, I spend enough time in the "tavern" that I can cook ahead and get ready for healthy food, drink, and activities of the following day. I am committing to taking Friday night and all day Saturday off of work (gasp!) so that I can cook ahead and have chicken and veggies prepped for lunches have a protein shake available for pre-workout have my devices charged and workout clothes ready for the week Long term goals for the YEAR of the Great Dragon Hunt Last year, I reduced from 168 to 156 (and bumped back up in the dumpster fire + train wreck of Fall Semester ....). This year, I want to get back into the "normal" weight category for my height, age, and gender: 150 (or less). And I want to do a pull up again, damnit. Those are the two measurable things that encapsulate a whole lot of life style changes along the way.

Respawning 5 years his after last post, with starting stats 50 pounds heavier than his last character, Stag looks to the sky and finds inspiration in the form of a technicolor nebula: 18 constellations, 18 skills to level up. He picks a few stars to follow for 4 weeks, and sets off on a journey toward holistic vitality. Goal 1: Bike Across Connecticut. Go to the gym and stationary bike for 6 miles 3 times a week. Gain ~6 EXP Hours toward Biking. Goal 2: Day to Savor the Flavor. Mindfully eat for 24 hours: Mindfully savor 2 meals a day for at least 25 minutes each. Gain ~20 EXP Hours in Nutrition. Goal 3: Counseling Apprentice. Complete 14 hours of course work and career development outside of class each week. Gain ~50 EXP Hours in Research and Counseling. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ How Does This System Work? Why Are You Doing This? Rational: When I used to use the use the forum, it was cool to role play 6 week challenges with D&D'esque RPG stats. I enjoyed the role playing and leveling up, but I never really played D&D, so it always felt a little detached for me. I also didn't like how stats leveled so quickly with each challenge, and how these inflated stats felt very arbitrary. My 20 STR could like very different than your 20 STR. I resolved to make my own system based on the RPG I know best: Skyrim. This was a blast to design, tapping both into my digital art and spread sheeting interest. I enjoy emphasizing the Nerd in Nerd Fitness. Why these skills?: These are just skills that I enjoy perfecting and/or are important to maintaining my vitality and health. If someone else were inspired by the system and wanted to try it, they would pick there most important 18 skills. Starting Stats: In Skyrim there are 18 skill trees. The dragonborn always starts with twelve level 15 skills, five level 20 skills, and one level 25 skill. Although I have some experience in all the skills with my skills nebula, I allotted the twelve level 15 skills, five level 20 skills, and one level 25 skill based on my relative past time investment in each skill. Skill Leveling: Skill leveling is set up such that a skill begun at level 15 will take at least 10,000 hours of effort to reach level 100. The 10,000 hours is based off of Malcolm Gladwell's 10,000 Hour Rule, a proposed number of hours of deliberate practice required to reach "expert level." It is an oversimplification of what it takes to master a skill, but it still provides an aspiration rule of thumb. Every time I invest time honing or engaging in a skill, I earn EXP Hours. However now all skill practice is created equal. I created a formula to account for this: F = Level of Focus. It is measured on a scale of 1 - 10, with 10 being perfect, absolute focus, and 1 being no focus. D = Level of Deliberate Practice. It is measured on a scale of 1- 10, with 10 being highly conscientious and deliberate skill building and practice, and 1 being engaging with improving not even on the radar. R = Relevance of activity to the given skill tree. It is measured on a scale of 1 - 10, with 10 being extremely relevant, and 1 being only the slightest smidgen relevant. P = Percentage of the time spent engaging in the activity. It is measured on a scale of 1 - 10, with 10 being 100% engaged in the activity, and a 5 meaning only actually engaged in the activity 1/2 of the time. T = Time spent engaged in the activity in minutes. EXP Hours = F * D * R * P * T / 10,000 / 60 True to Skyrim skill leveling, skills level on an exponential curve. It takes significantly fewer EXP Hours to level a skill from 20 to 21 (13 EXP Hours) than 86 to 87 (224 EXP Hours). The formula for skill leveling is the same used in Skyrim's leveling system, but with an additional divider so it takes exactly 10,000 EXP Hours to level from 15 to 100, rather than 528804.0234 EXP Points: L = Current skill level. EXP Hours Required to Level Up a Skill = 2 * ( L ^ 1.95) / 52.915 Outputs from this formula are rounded to the nearest whole integer. Character Leveling: Character leveling is set up such that by leveling 13 skills to level 100, the character will reach level 100. 13 skills is kind of arbitrary, but it makes the XP Character math easy, and the 13,000 hours required is ~1.5 years worth of cumulative skills practice: An impressive feat. Just as in Skyrim, a character levels up in the Nebula Skill System by accumulating enough XP Character to cross a level up threshold. XP Character is gained every time a character levels up a skills. It is a simple formula: S = Skill level the player has just leveled up from. XP Character = S * 2 The formula for amount of cumulative XP Character required to level is unaltered from Skyrim: C = Current character level. Amount of cumulative XP Character required to level up = (12.5 * ( C ^ 2 ) + (62.5 * C )) - 75 Whoa, This Seems Pretty Complicated: It is definitely a lot, but this spreadsheet will make keeping tabs all the maths easier. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Quick About Me Hey! I'm Nathan. I'm a 26 year old counseling graduate student from CT, USA. I'm hoping to lose about 60 pounds, develop an enjoyable relationship with eating wholesome foods and moving my body, and generally improve at the things I enjoy doing. It's nice to be back. Thanks for reading!

Wonder: n. a feeling of surprise mingled with admiration, caused by something beautiful, unexpected, unfamiliar, or inexplicable. Respawn. In my head, this takes place as a horse-drawn wagon ambles along a mountain road. My wrists are bound and I think (again), 'who am I to be this time.' Are our lives driven by the gods or fate, or do we act as the architects of our destiny? Maybe both? Either way, I am here now and an entire unwritten tale calls to me. Calls me to become greater. So let us go then, you and I...and remember: do or do not -- there is no try. Hero's Journey on Darebee. For the purposes of this challenge, I need to have completed at least 25 workouts by the end of the challenge period. Meal Planning. Practical Paleo + pancake cheat day. The broad goal is to minimize time-invested while eating as clean as possible. Adulting on Legendary. I need to work intelligently, efficiently, and tirelessly. There is much to be done and 'extra time' needs to be invested in relationships. http://waitbutwhy.com/2015/12/the-tail-end.html Accomplishments can be earned in the following areas: Toft and Croft - the house is cleaner/more organized/or improved. Coin Purse - anything from increasing financial knowledge to paying down debt. Guildmaster - professional activity - networking, interviewing, or attending membership/continuing ed. events Binding - relationship building with friends and family. Wonder - do something that creates this feeling in yourself or another. Potage le Magnifique - plan those meals. Adventurer Like You - get bigger, stronger, faster...to adventure of course. *Bonus* stay injury free (a.k.a. avoid arrows) Revised 4/27

Hey Druids All of my previous challenges have been with the Assassins, but I hope you don't mind me visiting, since my goals this go-round are closer to this group's style. After some adventuring... I seem to have taken an arrow to the knee, and to let my body recover I'm going to lay off of high-impact workouts and stick to yoga, pilates and meditation along with tracking my food this challenge. I'll have to see how my knees and strength are doing after this challenge to know if I'm ready to go back to running around and jumping off of things, but for now I need the (deceptively, I know) calmer discipline of re-balancing and core/stabilizer strengthening given by these disciplines, which are beneficial all the time any way but this time I'm just going to take everything else off the table and focus on them, since I've completely neglected them in other times that I've had them on my challenges ^^; So to keep these issues from sneaking up on me (or getting worse from my boneheaded abuse of my joints the moment they stop hurting perpetually) I'm going to try to focus there exclusively. So, much like a Dragonborn visiting High Hrothgar, I'm hoping to visit the temple and learn from the wisdom of those who probably have WAAAAY more experience with Yoga, Pilates and meditation than I do. Main Quest - Earn Your Thu'um (getting back on my feet) Sidequest 1 - Focus: Meditation. I can try to control external factors as much as I want, but until my mind's in some semblance of order there's not going to be much permanent progress with other stuff. Meditate 6 days a week, at least 10min. Sidequest 2 - Food: Between the knee injuries and lack of food discipline during the holidays, I've regained all of the weight that I had lost and gained extra back. *groan* So along with the exercise to try to burn some cals and rebuild some muscle tone on the weight front, I'm going to try to make sure that I track my food every weekday (I use Lifesum, I'll try to figure out how to link that on here) and even just the act of tracking food can do a lot to control intake by making oneself aware of the actual amount going in. Track food 5 days a week Sidequest 3 - Fitness: Yoga and Pilates - 3 30min sessions of Pilates (M/W/F) and at least 2 shorter (15-20 min) Yoga sessions (T/H) to work on core strength and muscle/tendon strength around joints. Work out 5 days a week, but GENTLY and listen to my body. Lifequest - Guitar. There’s something about playing music that’s very therapeutic, plus it helps keep certain pathways in the brain working and I could use a bit more organization there. Plus I just really like playing guitar (so long as no one’s there to hear how bad I am lol) Went ahead and made a tracking worksheet for this challenge, linked here

It's been quite a while since I posted on the forums. I spend a log of time on social media and lost in my own thoughts, but I need a space to work through the cluster quark that is my life. I have a lot of stuff going on - personally, professionally, emotionally, physically. My plan is for most of the entries here to have some structure, but some may turn into just a stream of consciousness. I plan to update at least twice a week, probably never on weekends. At first, the posts maybe more, possibly multiple a day. This morning, I hit a 'new' all time high on the scale. I knew it was coming, but it's still devastating, at least emotionally. Hence, the respawn. I'm starting at the beginning. Approaching this as if it's the first time I've turned on a new game and must work through the tutorial. I see a new character. I see a new class. I need something different because status quo is status done. Name: Raidne Current Race: Dwarf Current Profession: Rebel Goal Profession: Assassin I've been sitting on the Ranger team for a while. However, I've made not progress or real changes. Time to try a different approach.

Hello everyone! This challenge shall be themed after one of my favourite games evah, The Elder Scrolls V - Skyrim. I’ll be channeling 3 in-game groups of characters: The companions, The Restoration Mages at the College of Winterhold and the Graybeards. The Companions: Tamriel's Fighters Guild has no presence in Skyrim. Instead, warriors seeking adventure and kinship may join the Companions, in Whiterun. The members of this brotherhood favour honor and physical prowess. The Companions represent training, 2 Crossfit classes and 2 Bodyweight sessions a week. The Restoration Mages: Restoration is a rather unpopular specialization among the wizards of Skyrim, especially novice ones, since the harnessing and conquer of nature’s destructive powers seems more appealing to them. Until they need a healing spell to save their lives, that is. Restoration represents nutrition, the most unpopular element of body recomposition. Sure, exercise is all nice and fun; harnessing and conquering the destructive powers of fitness. But no amount of exercise will recompose your sorry arse if you keep stuffing your face with pizza and cake. Eat paleo with a weekly variance allowed, making daily posts of macros and caloric intake as shown by MyFitnessPal The Greybeards: Masters of the Thu’um, the Way of the Voice. The Greybeards live in silent isolation atop Skyrim’s largest mountain called The Throat of the World. The Greybeards represent study. They study words of power to develop(in the course of a lifetime) a deep understanding of the words in Dovah-Zul, the language of dragons. Hopefully it will not take me that long to achieve sufficient understanding of the psychology textbooks to get my degree. I'll study for at least 2 pomodoros every day Companions(Training) Restoration Mages(Nutrition) Greybeards(Study) Got good news from the surgeon after a complete check, which I absolutely hated BTW TMI ALERT! He confirmed that the hernia was A-ok and the pain was caused by a swelling in the blood vessels around the area which would mimic the symptoms(pain, dissconfort,etc), probably due to a physical effort done with improper technique, causing to much preasure inside the abdomen while bracing. I descibed in detail to him what CF is and he cleared me to do it but sad to give it the rest of the week to rest, so I'm starting again just in time for week 1! Watch the sky travellers!

If video game characters just had one chance to fight the boss,video games would suck. But we get to respawn any number of times. Just like I am doing now. Hey,it's just my second try. After my respawn about a year ago,which started off tremendously great(http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/65325-skinny-nerd-completes-25-push-ups-in-a-single-workout/), I got sidetracked by a number of reasons all of which I won't bore you with here. I guess my colossal undoing was mostly because of my constant need for motivation to do something. If I didn't feel like it, I gave up. So,I guess,in my first try,the boss won after all. And now I'm hitting 'RETRY' again. I won't say that I'l defeat the boss once and for all this time. Instead, I'l just say that I'm ready to fight the boss one more time.I won't say that I won't fail like I did last time. I'l just try something different this time. Instead of relying on motivation, I think I'l stick with discipline. I'm going to take emotion out of the equation. Maybe I won't be able to do it this time. Maybe it isn't as easy as it sounds. But I'm gonna try nonetheless. Today, after almost months of half-assing my vastly aberrant intermittent workouts, I finally did a workout that almost made my tongue drop out. Push ups:5,4,4,4(17) with 40 second breaks Squats:10,10,5,5(30) with 40 second breaks Planks:25 seconds,25 seconds(50) with 40 second breaks And it felt good!! Previously I used to dread that feeling. But today it was great. Maybe I'l just be passed out on my bed the next two days.But it definitely will be worth it. Like the title suggests, I just visualized how Tyrion would handle the fight with the Skyrim boss dragon Alduin. Weird crossover indeed, but I guess it would be fun nonetheless Although, in my story, Tyrion uses a Nightingale Bow to fight Alduin instead of the crossbow which he used to kill his father Tywin in the finale of season 4. And he fires the first arrow right at Alduin. And he isn't giving up yet

Time to make myself at home... Disclaimer: I make liberal use of four letter words and skyrim geekery. Ah, Whiterun... So, I survived my respawn and I've come to the first major city in my journey. While it might be temping to blow through the next points in the main quest line (I mean dudes, there is a dragon to slay and everything) there is a whole city to explore, side quests to be had, and grinding to be done. Keep it simple, asshole. You can't do this... Until this stops happening... Which means... moar grind. The reason my respawn went so well is because I kept my goals simple, achievable, and focused on building good habits over time and I focused on continuing the grind anytime something didn't go my way. My goal this challenge is to continue that, and just like last time I'm going to keep simple. So, here's the plan. Off-Challenge Week Since I didn't get my up right away and my kiddo is on spring break this week, I'm going to make this real simple: Track intake every day. Assemble the fucking dip bars I never assembled during my respawn. Two things. Surely I can do two things. 4 Week Challenge: Weight/Tracking: 1. Track intake daily. I started to make this more complicated, but that's me being a perfectionist asshole. I'm losing weight, so why over-fucking-complicate the matter? Movement: 1. Go to yoga 4x total. 2. Do the /r/bodyweightfitness recommend routine 4x total. So, I'm hanging with the assassins for this challenge because I'm taking on bodyweight workouts. While I love yoga and don't plan to stop, I find that it isn't enough for me on its own for several reasons. It is hard to make the time for 90 minute classes more than twice a week, and while I love my yoga studio and their restorative focus, I find myself wanting more of a challenge in my fitness world. I've also never been able to stick to a self-directed program, but with my insane life and schedule it would really serve me to find something I like doing that I can do at home with yoga as a supportive and restorative practice that complements this. Life: 1. Make every day a non-zero day by accomplishing something in one major area: family, home, business, fitness 2. Aim for 5k fitbit steps per day. 3. Go the fuck to sleep: In bed with no screens (except Kindle) by 11pm nightly. Continuing my non-zero day goal from my respawn. This time, I pledge to keep up daily with progress posts on this. I'm putting my fitbit steps goal here and not in movement because for me getting steps in isn't so much about moving for the sake of movement... it's about getting off my ass to do some extra housework or going on an adventure with my kiddo. I spend a lot of time at my computer (self employed, do a lot of work from home) and too much of that time is me fucking around (ok, procrastinating). It's cool to sit at my desk if I'm, you know, working. It's not so cool if I'm wasting my time doing nothing useful or rewarding. I've failed at every NF sleep goal I've set so far so I'm trying to make this one as easy on myself as possible. I can read in bed as late as I want... just so long as I hit the sheets at 11pm with no screens.

Last challenge I sustained an injury to my shoulder; too many weeks later, I finally recieved a diagnosis: AC Separation. I was not informed what grade of separation I have, so I'm assuming it's somewhere between a 1 and 2 (based solely on my observations in the mirror on how large of a bump I now display). I am currently in the process of trying to begin physical therapy - that is to say, I'm waiting for the powers-that-be to re-exam me and make their magical medical computers spit out an appointment date. In view of the aforementioned injury, I have determined this challenge's title will be the tongue-in-cheek "Unarmed Attack". This is amusing to me, if no one else. So, on to Challenge Goals! Main Goal: Finish a 2nd challenge. Last challenge I was once again hijacked by the call of duty (NO, not the game), so I would really like to redeem myself here. Very little about my goals from before have changed. WEAPON UPGRADE! I finally decided to buy a Fitbit Surge. It arrived last Friday, and I have been very pleased with it thus far. Aside from tracking my heartrate as a bit high (or maybe I need to get my blood pressure checked? Compared the Fitbit to an actual armband cuff at the clinic; Fitbit is approximately 12bpm higher.), everything works smoothly and is easy to use. I went for my first run with it this morning and was especially pleased with the GPS performance. No more carrying my phone around with me to record my routes! Subgoals: 1. Bodyweight workout 3x a week I already know I have to keep my right arm out of the mix. I also know that I don't want to work just my left arm and risk creating more of an imbalance than I'm already going to have by the time its partner is finally healed. PT will help with this, although I'm still a little unclear how to record the military exercises on Fitocracy (ex: the 8 count pushup. It's just a burpee, but instead of doing a single pushup you perform two. If you think burpees are easy, then this is the next level up for you! Not that I can do those now with my stupid arm, but you get the point... wait, what was my point again? Um....) Anyhoo, PT is M/W/F - assuming the weather is good, and other work responsibilities don't get in the way. Yes, you read that right: my current unit eschews the traditional Army standpoint ("If it ain't rainin', it ain't trainin'!"). All it takes is the beginning of a sprinkle and everyone goes, "Welp, guess we'll wait until next time!" It's a little wierd, a little fun, and a little disappointing all at the same time. It also means that I have to take full responsibility for T/Th workouts, and any days PT is deemed more of a hassle than a benefit (which is more often than you might think). Ergo, the following: Focus on what I can do, sans my arms - squats, lunges, calf raises, flutter kicks, bicycle/regular sit-ups, V-ups, leg holdsTrack progressRecord progress on Fitocracy and NF 6WC threadScoring: Every workout for the week performed, tracked and recorded = 3 pts -1pt every workout not performed, or tracked and recorded 2. Walk, Jog, Run x5 a week I *really* miss my spin class, but I need to focus on getting back into running. Walk, jog, or run 5 days a week (hashing does not count, because that's just weekend fun)Track progressRecord progress on Fitocracy and NF 6WC thread Scoring: Every walk, jog, and run for the week tracked and recorded = 5 pts -1pt every walk, jog, run not performed, or tracked and recorded 3. Food choices x7 a week I fell completely off the bandwagon when my work interrupted my last challenge. Because of this, I want to aggressively focus on eating clean and staying at/under my caloric limits. I'm hoping this will be easier now that I have my Fitbit; it syncs with MyFitnessPal, which automatically adjusts my 'Calories Remaining' according to how many Fitbit says I've burned. It's especially nice because they sync up automatically throughout the course of my day, too, so every meal I record shows the adjusted amount available according to how active I've been up to that point. Technology, FTW! Stay at or under 1500 calories a dayTrack daily intake on MFP and NF 6WC threadScoring: Every day caloric goal is met = 1 pt Every food choice for the week tracked and recorded = 7 pts -1pt every day caloric goal exceeded -1pt every food choice not tracked and recorded Total # of points possible: 132 pts Total # of points currently: 0 Total Points ***********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************Beginning Stats: Mid-6WC Stats: Final Stats: Weight: 183 Lbs Weight: Lbs Weight: Lbs Waist: 32.5 in. Waist: in. Waist: in. Arms: Arms: Arms: - R: 11.5 in. - L: 11.5 in. - R: in. - L: in. - R: in. - L: in. Thighs: Thighs: Thighs: - R: 22.25 in. - L: 22 in. - R: in. - L: in. - R: in. - L: in. *********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************** Weekly Points Week 1: SG 1 - 1 Week 2: SG 1 - 1 Week 3: SG 1 - ? Week 4: SG 1 - ? Week 5: SG 1 - ? Week 6: SG 1 - ? SG 2 - 3 SG 2 - 4 SG 2 - ? SG 2 - ? SG 2 - ? SG 2 - ? SG 3 - 2 SG 3 - 2 SG 3 - ? SG 3 - ? SG 3 - ? SG 3 - ? Totals: 6 7

Placeholder for now, but yep... I'm joining this challenge!! Right, let's do this, 2015: time to finish strong! I'm a little wary about forum challenges, because I tend not to be a prolific forum poster. I'm in need of a little extra boost/respawn, though, and I'm really enjoying the facebook community of 2015 campers as well as interacting with the awesome folks at my battle log, so I'm going to give it a shot! I'm not going to worry about strictly compiling my challenge for now - to quote your friendly neighborhood pirate, "They're more like guidelines, anyway." There are 3 areas I'll be focusing on in the next six weeks - the usual, of course, but this time with some added Skyrim flavor. I don't have very broad gaming experience, but KOTOR (my first! <3) and Skyrim are without question my faves. Those of you who know me probably also guessed that the most recent Tomb Raider is up there, too (I don't want to buy an X-BONE to be able to play the next one in November, though! BOOOO). Anyway, let's FUS-RO-DAH the next six weeks! I'll be climbing my way to High Hrothgar for that sweet, sweet view and some dragon meditation by focusing on food, movement, and learnin'. [cue "Dragonborn" theme here. HYUHHH!!]

It's time for me to face my fears. I will no longer stand and watch in silence as the Imperial oppressors enslave our homeland. As a Nord, it is my duty to fight, even though I am not yet strong. I am joining the Stormcloaks in their fight for the freedom of Skyrim. To become a valued member of the rebellion (and not die in my first battle), I have to improve my strength and endurance, so that will be my main quest for this challenge. Quest 1: Become strong! How am I supposed to fight with that big two-handed axe if I can't even lift it over my head? To become stronger, I pledge to go and lift heavy things (and put them back down) three times a week, following the Stronglifts 5x5 programme as closely as possible. I want to hit the following milestones: Squat: 60 kg Bench press: 40 kg Deadlift: 90 kg (surpassing my bodyweight about halfway) Overhead press: 30 kg Quest 2: Become tireless! Wearing heavy armour all day takes its toll, and no one needs a Stormcloak who can't run a kilometer (or a mile, but we frown upon these Imperial units here) without collapsing in exhaustion. To the end of improving my endurance, I pledge to complete the Couch to 5k programme that I've already started, in order to be able to run for half an hour without stopping. Quest 3: Become agile! All this training for strength and endurance will be for naught if it makes me stiff and immobile. I need to make sure I stretch my muscles between workouts, so I pledge to do a stretching routine - this one to start with - after my lifting workouts. Life quest: Stay alert! Fighting while sleep deprived is not a good idea. It's impossible to be at my sharpest while being exhausted, and with everything that is at stake, I need to make sure that I'm at my best. So to make sure that I'm getting enough sleep, I pledge to get 8 hours of sleep every day - with my schedule, that means the measurable thing is being in bed at 11 pm on weekdays. (I don't have a fancy Dwemer device that will let me measure how much I am actually sleeping, and don't intend to get one anytime soon, so I will instead keep track of my bedtime.) I'm looking forward to the challenge!

Main Goal: Finish a 2nd challenge. Subgoals: 1. Bodyweight workout 3x a week I already know I have to keep my right arm out of the mix. I also know that I don't want to work just my left arm and risk creating more of an imbalance than I'm already going to have by the time its partner is finally healed. Ergo, the following: Focus on what I can do, sans my arms - squats, lunges, calf raises, flutter kicks, bicycle/regular sit-ups, V-ups, leg holdsTrack progressRecord progress on Fitocracy and NF 6WC threadScoring: Every workout for the week tracked and recorded = 3 pts -1pt every workout not tracked and recorded 2. Walk, Jog, Run x5 a week I *really* miss my spin class, but I need to focus on getting back into running. Walk, jog, or run 5 days a week (hashing does not count, because that's just weekend fun)Track progressRecord progress on Fitocracy and NF 6WC thread Scoring: Every walk, jog, and run for the week tracked and recorded = 5 pts -1pt every walk, jog, run not performed, or tracked and recorded 3. Food choices x7 a week I was doing exceptionally well at this last challenge, and I would really like to continue the momentum. It feels especially important since I'm still being held back by (yet another) injury. Stay at or under 1500 calories a dayTrack daily intake on MFP and NF 6WC threadScoring: Every day caloric goal is met = 1 pt Every food choice for the week tracked and recorded = 7 pts -1pt every day caloric goal exceeded -1pt every food choice not tracked and recorded Total # of points possible: 132 pts Total # of points currently: 0 Total Points ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************Beginning Stats: Mid-6WC Stats: Final Stats: Weight: Lbs Weight: Lbs Weight: Lbs Waist: in. Waist: in. Waist: in. Arms: Arms: Arms: - R: in. - L: in. - R: in. - L: in. - R: in. - L: in. Thighs: Thighs: Thighs: - R: in. - L: in. - R: in. - L: in. - R: in. - L: in. ************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************************ As an ardent Skyrim fan (and always a Khajit), I have determined that the theme to this challenge is going to be completing the Blessings of Nature quest, due to the restorative/healing theme. I'm going to split this quest up into 3 two-week mini-quest lines. Orphan Rock In it the quest, the player must revive the divine Gildergreen tree in Whiterun by first locating and retreiving Nettlebane, a knife capable of cutting the parent Eldergleam tree and obtaining its healing sap. Nettlebane is currently in the possession of the Orphan Rock hagraven; a particularly nasty creature who has no intention of giving up her treasure. Week 1: Travel to Orphan Rock SG 1 - 0 pts (Total # Possible: 3)SG 2 - 0 pts (Total # Possible: 5)SG 3 - 7 pts (Total # Possible: 14) Total - 7 pts (Total # Possible: 22) Comments: Luck was not with Evicious as she set along the road on her quest. Wolves plagued her journey; cold, rainy nights were followed by heavy, humid days; any game she might have sought seemed to have fled from the scent of the wolves on her heels, or else stayed sheltered in secret places far from the beaten path. The only other creatures she encountered were a few stone-eyed hunters just as hungry as she, and some rogue bandits splintered off from their mobs seeking road-worn marks. She was shot in the shoulder during one such an encounter. A pair of fur-clad thugs surprised her at a bend, no doubt assuming that a lone khajit would add an exotic appeal to their current wardrobe. But the archer of the pair was a poor shot and missed all her vital organs, in spite of having the element of surprise. Evicious gutted his partner before he had even stepped from the shadows; a short chase through the trees and the archer also met her daggers, greeted by their red smile beneath his scruffy chin. It was, perhaps, the first bit of luck she had had thus far - but the price was piercing, and the pain of it drained her. Stubbornly, she managed to stumble through the long dark of her injury to Orphan Rock. There, she had her second helping of luck: a soldier from the nearby Stormcloak encampment spotted her before she could proceed to confront the witches ahead. It did not take much convincing before the Khajit allowed herself to be led to the warmth of the nearby fire, and the soothing elixirs from the medic's store. Week 2: Slay the Hagraven SG 1 - 0 pts (Total # Possible: 3)SG 2 - 0 pts (Total # Possible: 5)SG 3 - 7 pts (Total # Possible: 14) Total - 7 pts (Total # Possible: 22) Comments: Evicious stayed at the Stormcloak camp for several days to nurse her wound. Finally, on the eve of the 7th day, she strung her bow and headed up the hillside to an outcropping of rock overlooking the hagraven's lair. By sunrise, the filthy creature's corpse lay stinking outside its shelter; its coven of witches fallen to equal ruin, their bodies strewn amongst the weeds. Evicious held her breath as she rummaged among her victims, then laughed as only a cat can as her claws closed upon Nettlebane's hilt at last. She returned to the Stormcloak's fire triumphant and was much celebrated for her deeds. The soldiers raised mugs in her name and promised to commission a song in her honor, to be sung by the finest bard on Ulfric's coronation day at war's end. The commander also acknowledged his appreciation with a rope of sausages and a brace of pheasant to add to her pack. By midday, she was purring as she set out for Danica and the temple at White Run. Eldergleam Sanctuary Having obtained Nettlebane, the player must locate the hidden Eldergleam Sanctuary in order to retrieve the healing sap. The sanctuary is guarded by several spriggans, including a Spriggan Matron. These creatures may be avoided - but only with great difficulty. Far better to slay them and return the Eldergleam Sanctuary to its original disposition as a place of peaceful pilgrimage. Week 3: Find the hidden Eldergleam Sanctuary SG 1 - 0 pts (Total # Possible: 3)SG 2 - 0 pts (Total # Possible: 5)SG 3 - 0 pts (Total # Possible: 14) Total - 0 pts (Total # Possible: 22) Comments: Week 4: Retrieve the Eldergleam's healing sap SG 1 - 0 pts (Total # Possible: 3)SG 2 - 0 pts (Total # Possible: 5)SG 3 - 0 pts (Total # Possible: 14) Total - 0 pts (Total # Possible: 22) Comments: Whiterun Gildergreen Once the player has obtained the Eldergleam sap, they must return to Whiterun and give it to Danica, Kynareth's priestess and the Gildergreen's caretaker. She then applies the sap, and the Gildergreen is revived. The player gains the favor of the people of Whiterun, as well as the divine blessing of Kynareth. Week 5: Return to the Temple of Kynareth in Whiterun SG 1 - 0 pts (Total # Possible: 3)SG 2 - 0 pts (Total # Possible: 5)SG 3 - 0 pts (Total # Possible: 14) Total - 0 pts (Total # Possible: 22) Comments: Week 6: Revive the Gildergreen SG 1 - 0 pts (Total # Possible: 3)SG 2 - 0 pts (Total # Possible: 5)SG 3 - 0 pts (Total # Possible: 14) Total - 0 pts (Total # Possible: 22) Comments:

Full Disclosure: I have yet to finish a single 6WC that I've started. Main Goal: Finish the challenge Subgoals: 1. Weight lifting 3x a week Work with PT to determine personal weight lifting planTrack progressRecord progress on Fitocracy and NF 6WC threadScoring: Every workout for the week tracked and recorded = 3 pts -1pt every workout not tracked and recorded 2. Running Cycling Walking x5 a week Run Attend spin class Walk for 30 minutes on the treadmill 5 days a week (hashing does not count, due to the walk/run nature of following the trail)Track progressRecord progress on Fitocracy and NF 6WC thread Scoring: Every run for the week tracked and recorded = 5 pts -1pt every run not tracked and recorded 3. Food choices x7 a week Track daily intake on MFP and NF 6WC threadScoring: Every food choice for the week tracked and recorded = 7 pts -1pt every food choice not tracked and recorded Total # of points possible: 90 pts Total # of points scored: 55 Total Points Beginning Stats: Mid-6WC Stats: Final Stats: Weight:178.4 Lbs Weight: 176.4 Lbs Weight:175.8 Lbs Waist: in. Waist: in. Waist: in. Arms: Arms: Arms: - R: in. - L: in. - R: in. - L: in. - R: in. - L: in. Thighs: Thighs: Thighs: - R: in. - L: in. - R: in. - L: in. - R: in. - L: in. As an ardent Skyrim fan (and always a Khajit), I have determined that the theme to this challenge is going to be climbing the 7,000 steps to the Throat of the World and delivering Klimmet's supplies to the Greybeards. Progress Report Week 1: SG 1 - 0 ptsSG 2 - 0 ptsSG 3 - 7 ptsTotal - 7 pts Comments: I tried cycling at the beginning of the week, and immediately decided the ankle needed more time to heal. I focused everything instead on my diet and R.I.C.E. While I did participate in my kennel's Blue Moon Howler, I took the Turkey trail instead of the Eagle; I did not participate in our Saturday hash the next day, as my ankle felt stiff from the night before. The beginning of Week 2 looks to be more promising. Week 2: SG 1 - 1 ptsSG 2 - 0 ptsSG 3 - 7 ptsTotal - 8 pts Comments: I feel like this week was a complete failure. Work interfered with every single workout and completely sapped my motivation to do anything after COB, as well as make any good decisions food-wise. But I did accomplish one tiny weight lifting session, and I did track all my calories (well, the beer numbers got fuzzy on several occasions... but I made my best guesses). So while I didn't make any progress in the direction I want to go, I did manage to maintain SG 3 in spite of everything and I squeaked in a point on SG 1 - and that's one thing more I did this week than last. I'm going to take a deep breath, congratulate myself for hanging on to the best of my ability, and move into Week 3 as a respawn. I don't expect to see many changes to my starting stats, but that's ok too: halfway there still leaves plenty of time to get where I want to go. Week 3: SG 1 - 0 ptsSG 2 - 3 ptsSG 3 - 7 ptsTotal - 10 pts Comments: Slowly but surely, my ankle is beginning to feel better. I made a point to get on the treadmill at work after lunch three times this week; my PR was an entire hour averaging between a 15 min and 20 min pace. Food choices were 80% excellent. Now I just need to start including weightlifting, and I'll be well on my way to ending this 6WC in victory. Week 4: SG 1 - 3 ptsSG 2 - 4 ptsSG 3 - 7 ptsTotal - 14 pts Comments: This week was much, much better! It was a short work week, which was nice - although that did mean I only got in 3 sessions on the office treadmill. My husband and I went to Tucson to visit the Pima Air and Space museum though, and that visit racked up almost 4 miles of walking! Ergo, I gave myself an extra point for SG 2. SG 1 makes me really proud: I am limited in the office workout room a little - there is no bench for presses - but there is just enough room for squats and deadlifts. My squat form is still off due to the sloooooow recovery of my ankle; I won't add weight to the bar until I can correct that. SG 3 has been a huge help in learning what it feels like to be make GOOD dietary choices. I don't always stay under my caloric goal number; sometimes it's been worth it to go over, and other times I've looked back on a meal and thought, "Well, that was disapppointing." This week has seen the biggest increase in my points. If I can get a 5 in SG 2 and keep the rest of the numbers the same, I will achieve maximum points for the remainder of this 6WC. Week 5: SG 1 - 1 ptsSG 2 - 4 ptsSG 3 - 6 ptsTotal - 11 pts Comments: Started out a good week, and ended with a dislocated shoulder over the weekend. FML. Week 6: SG 1 - 0 ptsSG 2 - 0 ptsSG 3 - 5 ptsTotal - 5 pts

Hey everyone, this is my first challenge with the Warriors and I am both really excited and nervous. I tend to get a "little" geeky with my challenge designs FYI, but tends to be the only way I can have fun with them. Please share your thoughts and comments! I wish everyone a great challenge! Also, I am super stoked for ESO on PS4 Becoming the Dragonborn In this challenge all main quests reward XP and all side quests reward Rep the goal of this challenge is to get enough XP to level up: XP to level up: 717/1,000 XP 71.7%71.7% Stats for Leveling Up: STR-4 DEX-2 STA-4 CON-2 WIS-2 CHA-1 Healing Quest: Expansion Pack: Defeating Miraak PLP Challenge Starting weight: 173.6 Starting Pic: Ending Weight 161 Ending Pic: Quest Log Blood's Honor Glory of the Dead The College of Winterhold Traversing Skyrim The Dawnguard The Blades Also, to be accountable I have been a tool with money. Through the last challenge I ran up my Credit Card, by lying and justifying to myself. So as a bonus- at the end of the challenge: for every $100 paid of my CC I will give myself 20 bonus XP Bonus #2: If I reach Rivendell during the challenge=50XP I finally settled on a reward! I will be buying a steel mace for ancient Hindu warrior/wrestling training next challenge This thing is awesome! Check out the article on it on the blog: The Art of Manliness The Mace I will be buying

Cultist Have Attacked You And your only Hope is to unravel the mystery of the Dragon Cult This quest is to unravel the mystery of the Dragon cult and defeat Mirakk, the original DragonbornTo do so you must become strong and unbreakableThis will be done through the quest of PLP (Push-ups, Lunges, and Pull-ups)If you can do 10 of each: on day one you do. Then day two you do 11 and so on. No rest days, it is time to become unbreakable!If you can not do 10 of each: start with one and add one each day.The quest will take 60 days-Please update the thread with your progress, as you complete quests, plan, starting reps, and reward! Day 1-10: DragonbornUnraveling the mystery of Solstheim's Dragon CultBy completing 10 days you have unraveled the mysteries and are ready to move on in your quest Day 11-20: The Fate of SkaalFree the villagers and the city of Skall-so that the people can aid you in your quest Day 21-30: The Cleansing StonesPurify to the All-Maker Stones to Prepare to enter the Deadric Realms Day 31 through 40: The Path of KnowledgeRetrieve the Black book From the Oblivion Realms-you are almost strong enough to defeat Miraak Day 41-50: The Gardener of MenBraving Apocrypha: Traverse the Oblivion Realm and get reach the Summit of Apocrypha to finally battle Miraak Day 51-60: Defeating MiraakThis is where things get real and it all comes down to the final ten days!Defeat the original Dragonborn and save the world How far can you go in the quest to defeat the Dragonborn?

Hi All! I'm about to start medical school (in July!) and during the rest of my time off I want to make sure I solidify some of these good habits and be at the top of my game during school, when I'll have less time for everything. I joined a gym at the end of February to prepare myself for a recent ski-trip (my first challenge) and now I'm looking toward being able to do a pull up and being able to do longer distances when I run/hike/cycle. I've also started to dabble in yoga and I hope I can explore that more as well. I also love the culture I've seen here so far I am a huge fan of Skyrim, I have done a few different cosplays (Khajiit pictured here and an AVATAR driver from the James Cameron movie among them) and look forward to doing more as I feel more fit and comfortable with my body. I'd also love to be able to do some of the things my RPG characters can do (like using bow/arrow effectively..). I've also been a furry artist for a number of years >.> Currently weight 136 lbs at 5' 5" - I'm trying not to look too much at the scales but instead focus on how I feel. Weaknesses: I have scoliosis, which has made some of the abdominal exercises a bit difficult for me due to back pain (I can't do leg lifts very well or certain yoga poses) - though I'm hoping building abdominal strength in other ways might improve the back issues. I also love sweets.. so cutting out those from my diet has been proving a bit difficult! Glad to meet you all! I'll do my best to be present for the challenges presented here and I'm looking forward to inspiration from all of you

Dearest fellow Assassins, Please forgive my late posting. I have been largely involved in the Civil War and so most of my time last week was devoted to that but now I have climbed the 7000 steps and my training has begun. Unfortunately, I am no dovahkin and so the Greybeards- who have so graciously offered their assistance- tell me that I must train hard if I am ever to learn the Thu'um. My first goal is the basic shout known as Unrelenting Force. I will work for the next several weeks focusing individually on each of the three words that composes the shout as well as the entire shout as a whole. 1) The first word is "Fus" which is translated into the common tongue as "Force". I must master what it means to create force with one's own will and so I will go to the gym three times a week for strength training. 2) The second word is "Ro" which means "Balance." Force is nearly useless if it is not controlled and directed. I must master the forces in my body and find a balance so that I can use my force right. For this, I will be practicing the art of flexibility and balance three times a week on different days from my strength training with lots of exercises especially the dreaded technique of placing one's feet where their hands were and their hands where their feet were. 3) The final word is "Dah" and means "Push". This is arguably the most important part for all the motivation and creativity in the world means nothing without the extra push. I plan on giving myself that extra push by shying away from drinking any liquids other water. Also on my seventh day (in which I am doing neither strength training or dexterity work) I will put all the words together and practice the shout as a whole through the sport of Parkour. 4) Seeing as I am still an alchemist-whether I know Thu'um or not- I must continue my studies and so in the late hours of the night after I've completed my training and before I sleep, I will study my books for an hour so that my arcane knowledge does not falter during my stay at the Throat of the World. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them here in Ivarstead where my dearest friend Klimmek will take them and deliver them to me and then return with my responses. Thank you!

... but then I ate all the cookies. Long term goal: clean up the diet and complete 3 sets of 20 pull-ups. Be happier and stop comparing myself to others (ahem, social media). Expectations for this challenge: Get rid of the sugar and complete 3 sets of 20 pull-ups with the thickest pull-up assistance band. Stop mindlessly checking websites. Atmosphere: Work is insane because my workload has essentially doubled by taking over other projects and learning new skills. I'm working long hours and my schedule is unpredictable. Right now, my life is work and the rest of my life needs to be flexible around that. Goal 1: Slay the Sugar Dragon The Sugar Dragon is when you have epic cravings for sugar despite the fact that you just ate sugar. Moar sugar!! I've got to get rid of my Sugar Dragon, and this means eliminating all kinds of added sugar from my diet. Sodas, starbucks, candy at work, cookies, donuts, waffles, you get the idea. I've been indulging way too much lately and I just need to rein it in. I also find myself turning into a bit of a dragon when I don't have sugar. Uh oh. Goal 2: Climb up to High Hrothgar! Pullups! I can do about 6-7 pull-ups with an assistance band right now. My goal is to be able to do 3 sets of 20 by the end of the challenge. This is essentially adding a pull-up to each set in my workouts MWF. I also have a pull-up bar at home, so no excuses! Once I reach my goal, I can move down to a thinner band, rinse, and repeat. Goal 3: Be an adventurer again! Just move, and enjoy moving. My life right now is all about managing stress, so if I just want to walk on a treadmill for 20 minutes and listen to music, do it! If I want to do a hard lifting workout, do it! The goal is to just move for 10 minutes a day (even if that's stretching before bed). Most of the time I just want to lay in bed, so moving is key. Life Goal: Disconnect (oh the irony) I sit at a computer all day. And then when I come home, I watch TV, while checking websites on my phone that I checked all day, and I'll often use my laptop to check those websites some more (I'm looking at you, Facebook). So after work, there will be no more social media. Internet is fine if I'm doing something productive (booking flights, writing blog posts, etc) but it really needs to be kept to a minimum. I'm allowing 1 hour of video gaming or TV watching a night (gotta get my Skyrim in somehow) because I have a ton of other activities that get neglected: knitting, guitar, reading, puzzles, playing with kitties, preparing food for tomorrow, laundry, etc etc). Weekends are kind of free, but when I get that "hmmm, what am I going to do now" that typically leads me to mindlessly scanning pinterest, I need to shut it off and do something else. Skyrim and TV watching are mostly unlimited unless I find myself replacing my pinterest habit with Skyrim. That's it for now, more details about "scoring" later. See below! Also, this is my second attempt at a 1st challenge, so let's do this thing! Scoring Goal 1: I start every day with 3 points. If I don't eat any "extra" sugar, I get to keep all 3 points. If I go for 5 days without losing a point, I get 1 extra. A: 126 pts total (3 pts a day for 7 days a week for 6 weeks) F: <126 pts total Items to avoid: anything that is sweet for sweetness sake. Things like cookies, cakes, sodas, juice. Things that have sugar in them but are savory (like bacon) are acceptable. Also things like ketchup, bbq sauce, etc are acceptable. I'm trying to work on the treats, not every pinch of sugar in my diet. Goal 2: A: 3 sets of 20 assisted pullups B: 3 sets of 15 assisted pullups C: 3 sets of 10 assisted pullups There shouldn't be a reason I'm not an A or a B on this considering I can do 6-7 for 3 sets right now. Goal 3: Every day I move for at least 10 minutes, I get an extra point towards Goal 1. That way my motivation to move and my motivation to eat right are intertwined. A: 42 pts B: 35 pts C: 30 pts Life goal: Keep track of where I slip up and why. A: No more than one slip once a week. B 2 slips a week C: 3 slips a week

Yay, new DBL for Evicious! So the Army is now sending me back to Korea for a year. I had been notified that I would be deploying to AFG to take the place of a piece of shit warrant officer who should never have deployed in the first place another member of my unit who was returned for no fucking reason other than the fact that he's a piece of shit minor medical reasons. I was all spun up, packed up, and ready to go, only to end up waiting on orders for the next few weeks that never came. I learned later that was because orders had already been cut to send me back to Korea before the unit tried pulling me to AFG. I'd honestly rather have gone to AFG, too. My first duty station was in Korea, and while I adored the food (KIMCHI!!!!!!!!) and my unit there was... alright... I was really hoping to spend any other time overseas in different locations, rather than revisiting places I'd already been. Also, I can't take my fiance' with me and the timing is seriously screwing up my wedding plans. Obviously I'll make the most of it though. I'm definitely looking forward to the food (KIMCHI!!!!!!!) and I'm making it a goal to spend at least one day every weekend hiking one (of Korea's numerous) mountain trails that will be available to me. Depending on what position I end up filling in the unit, I may also attempt to complete some basic college courses while I'm there (much like I had anticipated doing when I found out I wasn't on the initial deployment roster here in LA). Who knows? I anticipate many open evenings and weekends, since I won't have my man there to keep me busy, and I want/need to stay busy and productive. A lot of what I am and am not able to do will depend on where on the peninsula I end up being stationed. Hopefully, I won't have to fight for every little thing and I can just roll through the year until it's time for me to come home. So that being said, here is what I will be using this DBL for: Tracking my weight Tracking my workouts Tracking my progress in other goals Random babblings

This will be my first challenge outside of the Adventurers, and I'm excited to join the Druids for the first time this round! "I Used to be an Adventurer Like You, But Then...." Like the guards in Skyrim, my adventuring career is being cut short because of my knees - though my problem wasn't quite as painful as getting hit by an arrow.... Quick background: A sedentary accountant wants to lose 20 lbs and searches the web. He finds DietBet, MyFitnessPal, Nerd Fitness challenges and the Couch-to-5K program all within a week and decides to try all of them simultaneously. He took the 8 week C25K program and tried to compress it into six weeks to fit the NF challenge, while running a higher-than-recommended calorie deficit to win his DietBet. His knee began to experience moderate pain, but there were only two weeks left. Instead of backing down, training was ramped up. Then the knee decided to become unstable and periodically just stop supporting him without warning, he began to stumble for no apparent reason, and training had to stop due to INJURY #1. Training picked up again during the next challenge, and everything as going well. Then when C25K suggested a 2 mile run, he decided to see how fast he could go. He clocked the fastest mile of his life... Then did a second mile without stopping. Knee issues returned, were ignored again, and he had INJURY #2. Trail running for the first time ever, across uneven loose rocks - Why bother slowing down? INJURY #3. Then this accountant discovers that he has a family history of horrible knee problems and multiple family members who aren't even supposed to climb stairs. Now, I love to run. But I love being able to walk even more, and I don't want to lose my knees to idiocy. So, though I do want to be able to run 5Ks again (and my accounting firm does one together annually), I'm going to take my time getting there and focus my energy on building a better body, not just one that runs farther or faster. MAIN QUEST: My Cousin's Out Fighting Dragons, and What Do I Get? Guard Duty. My goal is no longer to have short term achievements at the expense of long term health: it is to build myself up to have long term health, one baby step at a time. I plan to gradually restore my body to running ability, while doing what I can to prevent injuries and turning more of my focus to my other exercise loves: yoga and hiking. Quest 1: Rehabilitation I currently have a morning routine (that I follow most days) which includes daily stretching of my hamstrings, followed by a brief and extremely basic yoga session. In the evenings I stretch my hamstrings again. This Quest is to amp up my routine to strengthen or loosen (as needed) those parts of my body that are prone to injury: Stretch hamstrings & quads twice daily (not immediately before a run!). Plank daily. Some kind of upper back work daily, once I figure out how to do that (the muscles between my shoulder blades are exceptionally weak due to my usual hunched posture). And continue to grow my yoga routine gradually (I've been adding a single pose every week or two, as I become comfortable with them.) One day I hope to become comfortable enough to start varying the order or content of my yoga routine as my body directs. Quest 2: Realistic Needs: Eating... Food? I don't know if you've noticed, but unless you install a "realism" mod, you can get by in Skyrim for years without eating anything. Or sleeping. And you're rewarded for munching on every random "alchemy ingredient" you come across. Fancy a bite of Giant's Toe, anyone? I need to mod my life and start eating real food instead of whatever's at hand. But my diet has gone wrong in so many ways that I don't know where to start. Extreme levels of coffee consumption, addiction to sweets, lack of vegetables at most meals, not stopping when I'm full, mindless snacking.... I must have redrafted this portion of my challenge half a dozen times, with a different diet approach each time. So... this portion of my challenge will be an adventure in learning where I stand today and planning how to move forward. I will keep a food journal from now through the end of the challenge. Writing down what I eat, and how much, will give me an idea of where I can focus efforts to improve. This could also be an opportunity to practice mindfulness, as it should help to focus my attention more on what I'm eating. I will also record when I go to bed each day or how long I sleep. Sharing my journal isn't necessary, though I may post it if requested. I reserve the right to change this goal to a specific diet goal later in the challenge, or not - to be determined later. Quest 3: Returning to Active Duty Don't overdo! I've started C25K training again (today was the first day of Week 2). And I could make the training my goal. But I KNOW ME. I can't resist the opportunity to go further, faster... And do it today! So I choose the far more difficult challenge: to train SLOWLY. I do not get any credit for training. I will get credit for: - never running without a 46 hour gap in between runs (you know, a 6 am run on Tuesday is okay after an 8am run on Sunday). - never running more than three times in any seven day period - never running "just a little further" after completing a scheduled workout - not trying to time myself (unless at an official race) - never advancing to the next week's set of exercises until I've done the current weeks exercises for at least 5 sessions. - Stopping and walking directly home if I experience any joint pain ....trust me, this goal is going to be the tough one for me. I have run an eight minute mile, and I have run 5K without stopping to catch my breath... And my body wants me to do those things again. Holding back sucks. Quest 4: Desk Duty Do paperwork. I attempted this last challenge (halfway through), but quickly got overwhelmed. I am now going to try a different approach. This is long overdo, and I might as well tackle it while I'm on guard duty! Methodology: My intention is to grow into the Zen to Done method (at http://zenhabits.net/zen-to-done-ztd-the-ultimate-simple-productivity-system/) I am currently very good with habit 1: writing everything down. The other nine habits are all areas to work on. I intend to focus just on habit 2 for now: "process. Habit: make quick decisions on things in your inbox, do not put them off. Letting stuff pile up is procrastinating on making decisions. Process your inboxes (email, physical, voicemail, notebook) at least once a day, and more frequently if needed. When you process, do it from the top down, making a decision on each item, as in GTD: do it (if it takes 2 minutes or less), trash it, delegate it, file it, or put it on your to-do list or calendar to do later." I will give myself credit for preventing additional inbox pileup (not counting weekends) and spending at least some time 5 days a week on reducing the backlog. SIDE QUEST: Exploring Skyrim To bring back a lost love: hiking. I will seek out and learn about local trails for hiking or (when I'm ready) trail running. I will investigate local clubs and groups to find hiking companions. I will ask around NF for local Rebels who know the area's trails or who have the same goals. And I will go hiking at least once before this challenge ends. I have hiked only once since high school, and that was in the Grand Canyon. The beauty of it - of nature, of the companionship of others on the same trail - the camaraderie of strangers who depended on each other's help and were all too ready to offer that help to people they have never met. It made me want to cry. I seek to return hiking to my life, knowing that my life will be better for it.

Hi my already favorite people!! This is my second challenge outright, but I have a habit of lurking. I'm breaking that habit now!! Based off Panczo's thread, I like the division of the different goals, so I'm gonna shamelessly copy him on his four points (and I'll update this with a photo later): 1. Philosohpy: "One thing at a time"- focus on the task at hand- I have a horrible habit of not being able to just do ONE thing. I feel unproductive only focusing on one activity. Movies drive me INSANE. "Good is the enemy of the great" -Voltaire - Don't half ass two things, whole ass one thing! 2. Nutrition: No mindless eating. If I get bored and snack-ey, meditate and drink water. Whole foods/paleo- my diet now, just strengthen and stick to it <3 No wrappers! 3. Fitness: Daily yoga- already my normal routine, but I can do more. Walks and runs! - building up my endurance and patience, don't get bored. Think and move. Swim and surf- I just moved to Hawaii from AZ, so being outdoors is a MUCH more pleasant experience now. I love the forest and have plenty of that here, and beach too! So that's that. My idols for fitness and philosophy, at least fictional character wise, are the elves in most fictional stories- tall, like the wind, graceful, natural-and Princess Mononoke, as close to a wolf as humans can get. I'll be cross training with the scouts and assassins, I think, at least a little, and have a definite interest in Monk for next time. I'm also a "professional" (pffft that word sounds funny) cosplayer and while most of my goals are simple self improvement, looking good in costume is a huge plus!! I'm so happy to be here with you guys!!

I found a really good walking stick; but that's not what this is all about. Before I get started with the story I'm going to explain why the following was a big deal for me. It may sound like a sob story at first but you'll just have to bear with me. I was born with a genetic disorder known as Marfan Syndrome. Now, if you Google this condition you're going to get a lot of pictures of very deformed individuals. I, however have a mild case of the disease in comparison to the advanced cases you are likely to see. I have multiple skeletal deformities which have caused scoliosis and hip dysfunction. These are the important things to remember about my condition. Everything else would just be adding to the pity pile. I decided I wanted to go backpacking. Yeah. Now knowing that I have scoliosis and hip problems you're probably wondering why I would ever want to hike for days with a heavy backpack. The answer starts with a video game and Nerd Fitness. I was a lot like Steve whenever he came to the wonderful affinity that eventually led him to creating this community. My game of choice, however, was Skyrim. Hopefully anyone reading this is familiar with Skryim or has invested hundreds of hours into the game since it has been released. If you have, you know how easy this is to do. The game is incredibly immersive, and very modable. I downloaded mods that enhanced the immersion of the game even higher. Backpacks, camping, basic needs, anything that made me feel like I was there, or being that character. Something to take me away from the life I was living. The fact that I needed pain killers just to make it through a work day (I work as a retail manager so I walk briskly on concrete floors all day). I had always been an outdoorsmen so these types of mods appealed to me. I loved to camp and practice survival skills, but my conditions 'prevented' me from putting everything together. I stumbled upon Nerd Fitness whenever I had had enough. I had been broken. I just recovered from a kidney stone and I was in more pain physically than just about any other time in my life. I was smoking heavily and basically living on energy drinks and Aleve. I read some of the articles and my first reaction was basically; “Holy **** this guy is awesome!†So I continued reading, found the basic body weight exercises and got motivated. It sucked. The first week of doing these circuits was very painful, but I had the willpower to push hard. I felt worse than I did before I started, but there was a feeling right after the workout that told me it would all work out in the end. So I pushed even harder. I tracked my progress, how many reps I did, how long it took me. I also started eating better. I cut the energy drinks out and only drank water, milk, and green tea. I cut out crap food and replaced it with more nutritious filling foods like almonds and dried fruit for snacks. I also quit smoking after a few weeks, which was obviously the best cardio exercise I could have possibly done. Eventually I started to feel good, and then I felt a lot better. I had more energy, I felt stronger and more in control. I wasn't having migraines and my kidneys were operating as designed. My lower back felt better, with the exception of a few flare-ups. I eventually found a way to stabilize my hip using exercises several times a day. So one night playing Skyrim I was unpacking my tent, setting up my camp fire. And then it hit me. Like getting Fus Ro Dah'd off the Throat of the World. I could be doing this for real. I had the skills, I had a lot of the equipment. I just needed a proper pack, and I would be set! Now, don't assume that I just jumped into this without doing any research. I spent hours researching backpacking in general, and where to backpack. I spend a good deal of money updating my equipment, too, which has an interesting motivational effect. It's harder to not do something whenever you're spending a ton of money on it. At least it is for me. Right, so I had my gear, had my route, just needed to work out the logistics. This is actually where my first 'beast mode' moment comes. I know; logistics and 'beast mode' don't always go together. Originally I was going to have my girlfriend follow me to where I was going to get off the trail, park my car, then have her drive me to where I was going to get on the trail, then just hike to my car. Well, due to travel time and when she got off work I wouldn't hit the trial until evening and have three hours to hike six miles to the shelter area, set up camp, and cook dinner before nightfall. I wasn't so sure about that. So then I had two options. I could drive out solo and park where I was going to start, hike six miles, camp, then hike six miles back. That didn't sound like it would be worth it to me. I wanted something I would be proud of doing. My other option would be to park at the end, hike eleven miles, camp, then hike the eleven miles back. That sounded more like an accomplishment. I pulled up the elevation profile for that section of the trail and it didn't seem so bad (elevation profiles don't really tell you a whole lot about a trail unless you really know what you're looking for). I made the plans for the weekend, reserved my site at the shelter area and waited. When I got to the trailhead I parked, got my gear out, put my pack on (which took forever to adjust to my oddly shaped long thin torso) and turned on my camera to take pictures of the signs at the trailhead. Long story short the card was junk and I left my camera in my trunk. I figured I would be thankful without the weight. And so I started off. The first thing I noticed was that the trail was very eroded and the rocks had my ankles sore after a few miles. I was feeling pretty good, regardless. The ridge in the morning was beautiful and I got to explore some awesome rock formations. I tracked my pace at about two miles per hours which was pretty fast for a beginner backpacker. The thirty pounds on my back started to dig in after about five miles, and I found myself desperate to see the next mile marker. It felt damn good to reach the half-way point. Here, I knew that it wouldn't matter if I turned back or pressed on. It was the same distance, and if I was going to hike six miles I would rather be victorious at the end. I had lunch and kept moving. The last four miles were the hardest. My feet were starting to get sore, I knew I had blisters but I didn't want to stop long enough to mend them. I figured I would have plenty of time to deal with them whenever I got to camp. They weren’t going anywhere. The trail grew more varied, and going downhill was almost as bad as going uphill because I had the weight of the backpack trying to push me faster down the hill. I was still in high hopes. I was accomplishing something. The more suck I drug myself through, the bigger my smile would be at the end. At two points the trail was so steep it zig-zagged up the ridge. I was fairly beat by the time I made it to the shelter area, but I spent some time checking out my surroundings. I even made it there two hours before I thought I would (which I later realized wasn't really a good thing). No one was in the lean-to like shelters but it was early yet. I found the tent site fireplace and set up my Hennessy Hammock near it but far enough away to avoid sparks and a particularly nasty looking dead limb on one of the trees. I had run out of water, and the pump at the shelter site didn't work or the water level was too low, so I hiked about a mile back to get water from a stream. My blisters were very apparent at this point and it was a challenge to get back up the hill to camp. I set about purifying the water and getting dinner ready while I looked at my feet. One foot had three blisters the size of quarters and the other had two smaller blisters. It was bad. I knew then that I should have worn different boots or different socks. My first aid kit was well stocked with everything but foot care. My best solution was band-aids and duct tape. For the next few hours I ate, nursed my fire, and just kind of hung out, reflecting on what I'd done. I was beat, but I felt good. I was doing this. The next morning I rolled out of my hammock later than I wanted to. The night was full of broken sleep. The widowmaker I purposely avoided fell in the middle of the night, so I woke up every time there was a gust of wind after that. When I put my feet in my boots and stood I almost went to my knees. The blisters on my feet felt worse than before. I wasn't sure if I could go on, but as I was pondering this I was putting fresh bandages and tape on my blisters, slipping on fresh socks and putting my boots on. For me the trick to staying motivated is momentum. It makes the world go round after all. If I stay moving it is easier to stay moving. I hurried up with breakfast, repacked my bag and headed out. My feet were feeling better, but that could have been a bit of mind over matter. Being that my return trip would be a mirror of my first trip I knew what to expect. Dispite my feet being in the condition they were in I felt good. I felt at once worn out and worn in. I was tired, but my body was starting to understand what was expected of it. Again, the final four miles were the hardest, but I pushed through them, taking breaks every mile to have a drink, or just take a breather. Never more than five or ten minutes. It was all about momentum. I found a walking stick that made the climbs and descents a bit easier. When I saw my ridiculously yellow car parked in the nearest spot to the trail-head I found a bit more energy to push harder. When I eased my pack into my trunk it felt like I was letting go a thousand pounds from my shoulders. It was more than my gear (which I have since shaved a few pounds from) I was shrugging off years of thinking I was too broken to do anything. Years of excuses and justifications. I sat down on my bumper and pulled my boots off to rest in the sun for a bit. I found who I was out there. No longer would my life be defined by the deformities that make my body different. The things that are different about me would henceforth become my armor, a shield to protect me from the hardships in life. You could say that the ridge reforged me into a new man, but I'd like to take the credit for that. I'm proud of the 22 miles I did during those two days, and there is no one that would take that from me. I plan on working my way up to doing all 70 miles of the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail in a five day trip. It's going to be hard, but if I just maintain momentum I'll be fine. Those miles taught me a lot; what I needed to do differently, and what I needed to invest in (better boots and socks mainly). I'll be stronger next time, better prepared. I hope to do a weekend on the trail before winter hits, and I hike a few miles with my gear on days that I'm not doing strength training. I guess what I want people to take from this is that sometimes things have to be broken in order to be rebuilt, and that most of the time YOU have to be the one that does the rebuilding. You'll thank yourself for it afterward.

Is that cool, or what? I know it's been around forever, but I stumbled on it again and just thought I'd share it here. Both Lindsey and Peter are incredibly talented people, and what I find really inspiring about them is how they do their own thing with their music - not seeming to care if they fit in with the mainstream genre, they make the music and music videos that they want. That concept can be applied to most other areas of life, but is often lacking in ourselves for a variety of reasons. These two are a great example of what tends to happen when you take control of your own life and put your efforts into doing what truly makes you happy: you end up creating a beautiful, unique, and highly appreciable thing that wows the world. :-)