Search the Community

Last challenge recap: The goals went well, but I had IT band/knee/hamstring/glute issues going on in the background, which reeeeally messed with my squats. Thankfully, with the help of rest, ART, squat shoes, stretching, and all of the glute activation exercises, I’m back to squatting without pain (50 kg as of Wednesday). I’d be really happy with at least one bodyweight+ rep by the end of this challenge. So, how to keep the squats happy and forestall future unplanned deloads? By finding and addressing mobility issues and muscle imbalances BEFORE they start interfering with my lifts. Thus, the theme of this challenge: Becoming a Supple Lioness MOBILITY GOALS Learning [+2 WIS]: Having Becoming a Supple Leopard won’t help me much if I don’t make it past the first chapter. This challenge: read Ch. 2-4, subsections of Ch. 5 (squats, deadlifts, bench press, strict press, pull-up, rowing), and Ch. 6-7.Implementation [+3 DEX]: I have lots of mobility issues. I can’t fix them all at once. So, I’ll spend 15-20 min./day working on the mobility of 2-3 targeted areas. Priority goes to stuff that hurts, stuff that’s stiff/sore, stuff that tends to break, and finally stuff that I want to work on. I can mobilize additional areas if I have the time, but the targeted work comes first.Organization [+2 DEX]: I finally learned how Pinterest works and realized I could use it to save and organize videos and articles on mobility. Now I need to go back through my challenges and save all my old links, and also add any new ones I come across during this challenge. By the end of the challenge I should have 60+ pins associated with mobility. Link will be added to my sig and profile page. Yes, I have a board just for glute activation exercises.Assistance [+1 DEX]: go to my chiropractor/ART therapist at least five times over the course of the challenge (I took the unlimited care deal, so I might as well take advantage of it!)Feedback [+2 WIS]: I’ve noticed that it’s much easier to find my mobility faults when I film my lifts, and it’s also easier to see if I’m improving. For this challenge, I should film at least one set from10+ squat sessions5+ deadlift sessions3+ bench sessions3+ OHP sessions ALL THE OTHER GOALS so I keep up with the other stuff I’ve been working on (cause I know I’ll slack on some of them if I don’t have them down in writing): Lifting [+1 STR]: 16+ sessions over the course of the challenge. Currently grinding away at SS and will probably switch programs once my squats are back up to par.Keep moving [+1 STA]: Conditioning (even 5 min. counts), yoga (30+ min.), or walking (30+ min.) at least 2x/week.Food tracking [+1 CHA]: Track the food on MFP. Get 175+ g of protein/day.Food mindfulness [+1 WIS]: Sit down to eat. No food in front of the computer at home.Sleep [+ 1 CON]: Off the computer for non-work stuff (video calls excluded) by 8:15 pm. Notable upcoming dates: March 7: Mini-lifting competition within my lifting club—I’ll use this as practice for the push-pull.March 21-28: travelingApril 4: push-pull lifting competition (my first meet!)April 13: 1 year NF anniversary Tl;dr: Mobility: Read a good chunk of Becoming a Supple Leopard15-20 min/day of targeted mobility workBring total number of mobility pins to 60+.5+ PT sessionsLots of form videos (10/5/3/3 for squats/deadlifts/bench/OHP)Everything else: 16+ lifting sessionsConditioning/yoga/walking at least 2x/weekTrack the food, get enough protein (175+ g/day)Sit to eat, and no food in front of the home computer.Leisure computer curfew: 8:15 pm. These count as 2 goals with lots of subgoals, not 10 goals, right? (Don’t worry, most of these are semi-automated by this point.)

Hello! I just hit a goal squat of 150 lbs today, and I'm so stoked that I finally got off my ass and joined the forums here... Been reading NF for several years, but never got involved in the community before. I started doing the powerlifts several years ago, but never nailed down the forms, and didn't stick it out past 1 month. Now I've been going to the gym 3 x week for 7 weeks without skipping, following Starting Strength and dialing in form, and I'm starting to see real gains (starting working weight to current working weight): (Bodyweight: 140) Squat: 85 --> 150 Deadlift: 135 --> 185 Bench: 70 --> 97.5 Press: 50 --> 67.5 Power clean: 45 --> 70 I also worked at a new deadlift PR of 185 today, which is only less cool than 150 because it's not as pleasingly round a number. When I get to 200 DL, I'll do a touchdown dance. Off to rest, eat more, and decide on my next squat goal... Thanks, all!

So I've been gone from here for a while now. So long that I had to read the rules again. The bright side: I've been working out regularly for the past month and a half, and semi-regularly since October. My diet, however, is pretty much the worst it's been since...ever. So I figured it's time for a good old-fashioned "Hollywood reboot." Now, none of my goals from my first challenge are really things I want to work on right now, so I'm not just going to redo that challenge. And come on, when's the last time a series reboot stayed anywhere near to the original anyway? I was debating basing this on another book (Game of Thrones?) like my first few were based on The Hobbit, but I don't think I'm going to. MAIN GOAL: PREPARE FOR THE TOUGH MUDDER That's right, I signed up for a Tough Mudder! It's in May! However, the coworker who was going to do it with me moved 8 hours away and now can't do it. And two of my friends that were going to do it have a wedding that weekend. Also, with my life goal challenge, I may end up having to transfer to a different one. But regardless of all that, I want to be ready. That means running and strength training. Goal 1: Swift as a coursing river I hate running on treadmills. I get bored and it's too easy to quit. But I also got stranded the last time I ran outside (I went way too far and then the temperature dropped like 10 degrees and I wasn't ready for it), so I don't particularly like doing that, either. So I'm going to stick with the treadmill for now, though my distances won't be impressive. I'm planning on building up a tolerance for treadmills in the same way you build a tolerance for pain. Run twice per week Weeks 1 & 2: Min. 2 miles per run Weeks 3 & 4: Min. 2.5 miles per run Weeks 5 & 6: Min. 3 miles per run 3 DEX, 2 STA Goal 2: With all the force of a great typhoon I've been doing strength training at least twice a week since the beginning of December. The first 3 were 3x, but with the holidays and going out of town and my gym being closed, I only worked out twice the last two. I'm currently using Starting Strength. Strength train 3x per week 5 STR Goal 3: Once you find your center you are sure to win (Okay, now I'm stretching, but the first two worked and I felt like sticking with the random theme) My squats suck. I have zero hip mobility. I also have very poor mobility elsewhere, but the hips are what's really killing me right now. The plan is to use GMB's Focused Flexibility combined with just sitting in the bottom of a squat every day. This shouldn't take all six weeks, so when I get to the point that I can sit in a legit bottom squat for five minutes I'll move on. Focused flexibility as prescribed + Week 1: 10 min. in bottom squat throughout day Week 2: 15 min. in bottom squat throughout day Week 3: 20 min. in bottom squat throughout day, etc. until I finish 5 CON Life Goal So I've been speaking with my cousin's husband, who works for a company that I would love to work for. This job would involve moving across the country, away from everyone I know (although they're pretty much all 4-6 hours away right now), and starting new. That's semi-scary, but what's really scary is a) the amount of hours I'd be working (60+ per week), and the amount of responsibility I'd be taking on. My current job is rather easy, and has very little to do with my field (electrical engineering) except when I go out of my way to work on something that I, technically speaking, shouldn't be working on. So I'm mostly worried that I would fail miserably at the new job. A friend of mine told me that the fear of not knowing what you think you should know is actually called something, but I can't remember what it is (and I probably should. Oh no! There it is again!). Step 1. Write resume Step 2. Get resume reviewed Step 3. Apply Step 4. ??? Step 5. Profit TL;DR: Run twice a week, strength train thrice a week, work on mobility, and get a new job. I feel like I need more random photos/gifs in here, so here's one of the most adorable ones I've ever seen.

It's now been a year since I became properly active on NF. In that year, I've learnt a lot, built more confidence, and met some very excellent people. My first proper challenge was to get into a particular pair of jeans that stopped fitting over the previous Christmas period. I still can't get into them, and this makes me grumpy. It's now challenge... 8... for me, and I've said it before, but this time I want to make a concerted effort towards weight loss. Main Goal: Work at losing weight. No set amount of weight to lose, no set rate, but work hard, sensibly, and steadily, and be sure that what you have done is the best you can do. (Current weight: 105.5kg) Goal 1: Stick to the following weekly meal plan; with healthy snacks (nuts, fruit, veg) to make calorie total up to 1500kcal/day. (Menu is mostly based on recipes I like, that are easy to prepare, and have plenty of protein. I tried it out this past week, and it's gone well if you don't count the slip up that was New Year's and the day-long hangover that followed it. And the fact that it went well and I'm on holiday bodes for a successful set-up, since when I'm on holiday diet plans are rarely followed.) Edited to add: Thinking about calories and my activity levels, I want to add an extra 200kcal onto days when I'm lifting. - Monday: Innocent strawberry and banana smoothie and soy protein powder; Light mozzarella and tomato salad; Peri peri quorn chicken and rice (914kcal)- Tuesday: Innocent mango and passion fruit smoothie and soy protein powder; Leek and potato soup; Balsamic quorn pork with peppers and root vegetable mash (757kcal)- Wednesday: Overnight oats with strawberries; Quorn chicken and quinoa; Teros' sloppy joes and half - courgette spaghetti (910kcal)- Thursday: Avocado - baked omelette; sweet chilli quorn steak with edamame beans; Mushroom, pretend bacon and cream cheese pasta (860kcal)- Friday: Innocent strawberry raspberry and blackberry smoothie and soy protein powder; sweetcorn and chipotle soup; Sausage and pasta stew (1112kcal)- Saturday: Overnight oats with cocoa and raspberries; butternut squash and tarragon soup; sweet and sour pretend chicken and jasmine rice (1053kcal)- Sunday: Scrambled eggs and leftovers; curried carrot soup; barbecue quorn and root vegetable mash. (Depends on leftovers; aiming for around 1000kcal)(CON +3, STA+2) Goal 2: Drink at least two pints (1 litre) of water a day.- In addition, try to restrict what you drink to water and tea only. (CON+2) Goal 3: Starting Strength, three times a week.- Monitor progression but don't stress about the progression; as long as I'm doing the best I can do each session, that's enough progression, whatever that may be. (STR +3) Life Goal: Convert craft cupboard to home laboratory.Crafting is fun, but there may come a time when I can't do fieldwork any more. It's time to put the yarn away and save the blanket-knitting for then. - Week 1: Finish the craft project that's taking up space in cupboard. It's a snake figurehead for a longship; needs sanding and painting. - Week 2: Vacuum pack or give away enough crafting materials to provide shelf and table space for equipment and experiments.- Week 3: Research - What, specifically, do I want to study, and what do I need in order to do that? (I'm thinking marine plankton at the moment; might extend to marine invertebrates in general but I only have a tiny amount of space, which would suit plankton far better.)- Week 4: I have to visit parents that week since they have to decant all their things into storage so the council can replace their roof. Dad promised me he'd show me how to use his microscopes, microtome, etc. Retrieve lab equipment, particularly slides, a dissecting microscope, and that plankton net if he hasn't turned it into part of a bloody telescope mount like he has with every other piece of unsuspecting metal in that house. - Week 5: Start doing some science!(WIS +5) So happy the forums are up; last challenge was such a non-starter and I've been itching to begin this one. Considering starting an accountabilibuddies group for people who have set weight loss as their main goal, mostly because I want a boot up the arse every now and again and sometimes the best way to get that is to boot other people up the arse, thereby forcing yourself to work hard or look like a big hypocrite. Hmm. Here's to Year Two and more success with weight loss!

When I heard that a new challenge was starting, I was conflicted. I am currently doing Starting Strength, which is a Warrior skill, but I am an Assassin at heart. So, I'm with the Assassins. And that's just how it's gonna be. Arguments? Meet me in the back alley at midnight (I'll be the gal you won't be able to find until it's too late, because I'm an effin' NINJA). Goals: Starting Strength 3x/week (4 STR) I will be continuing my routine of Starting Strength every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. I also need to buy weights - I'm currently working with just the bar. Handstand practice, 10m/day (2 DEX) Two minutes on wrist work, then hollow body work and/or handstand practice using this as a resource. Keto (4 CON) Mostly fat and protein, lots of veggies. The very last day I'll allow myself sweets - the 15th will be the day I celebrate Valentine's Day with the hubby. I'll be good till then. Business 2 hours/day (3 WIS 2 CHA) To keep growing my business, I need to keep taking action. I'm working for two hours minimum on it every single day. I will probably work more on most days (5,6, 7 hours), but I need to establish a minimum. Schedule: M: Starting Strength T: P90X2 Mobility and Recovery W: Starting Strength Th: P90X2 Mobility and Recovery F: Starting Strength S: Mobility and Recovery S: Yoga Every day: Handstand practice

MAIN QUEST: Do my first pull-up. Mini-main quest: Continue my "year of consistency." I'll get my time in under the bar, continue working on mobility, figure out how to eat in a way that supports my health, strength, and happiness, and see what happens... This is my first New Year's with NF! Now that I have a good foundation for fitness and health, it’s time to work on the weak points. Which brings me to the theme of this challenge: Hakuna Matata a.k.a. Don’t Stress About Food I’ve been focusing on eating “clean,†and I definitely feel better as a result. However, that alone doesn’t mean that I’m eating optimally for my goals (whether that’s gaining strength or cutting bf%). I need to add more structure into my nutrition, but without getting frustrated by slow progress or bogged down by perfectionism. That brings me to my first goal: Goal 1: Counting with curiosity [+3 WIS, +1 CHA, +2 STR] I’ll be tracking food with the goal of figuring out what works best for me. Possible questions that I can answer with this data (albeit not all at once) include: What does “eating at maintenance†mean for me?What is a sustainable calorie deficit for me?Am I eating enough protein?Do I feel better if I eat more/fewer meals?How does my carb intake affect how I feel?In addition to tracking food on My Fitness Pal, every day I’ll also log how I feel (energy-wise, mood-wise, etc.). I tried something like this during my second challenge and it quickly turned into a fiasco because of lingering body image and food issues. Why will it be different this time around? I’m going to eat more, for starters. MFP now thinks that I’m a very active individual who wants to maintain her weight and therefore won’t tell me that I’ve exceeded my calorie goal on a regular basis. Turning my daily stats red isn’t cool, MFP. I will NOT measure my success by “results†(i.e., fat loss, which is an eventual goal). Any information that I gain from this is valuable. Also, there will be less frequent tracking of these results. I have a before photo and the fit of my clothes to track changes during the challenge, and I know my approximate starting measurements/weight if I want to check these down the road. Different motivation—this is for the lifts. I want to be strong for my size, and I don’t want inconsistent intake to mess with my progress. As a novice, I’ve gotten away with not having on-target nutrition, but that won’t always be the case. I *think* I’m better prepared for this challenge now than I was last summer. For one thing, I’ve fallen in love with lifting and it helps keep me sane. Life outside of the gym is going pretty well, too.So, that’s the big goal for this challenge. Other things I need to work on: Goal 2: Mindful eating [+2 WIS] When did eating at the computer become a habit again? For this challenge: always eat sitting down, and at least one meal each day should be eaten without distractions (computer, reading, etc.—music and conversation are fine). Goal 3: Conditioning 2x/week [+3 STA] I’ve neglected conditioning work since I started lifting. However, even though strength training is my main goal, I do want a base level of conditioning for my daily tasks, hiking, and powerlifting. This challenge I'll build the habit of incorporating conditioning of some form into my weekly routine. The workouts will probably consist of rowing since I hate treadmills, don’t fancy running in the cold/dark/wet, and don’t have access to a swimming pool unless I purchase another gym membership. Goal 4: Scheduling for sleep [+2 CON] I have trouble getting to sleep on time because of 1) evening workouts, and 2) messing around on the computer in the evening. To make sure bed time doesn’t get pushed back by these things, I’ll Get to the gym by 6:30 pm so I can change, warm-up, and be ready to lift by 7 pm. Stay off the computer for leisure purposes (Facebook, non-work email, reading blogs, watching movies/shows, Nerd Fitness…) after 8:30 pm. Ideally I won’t do any chores (e.g., grocery shopping) or school work on the computer after this time, either.Life Quest [+2 CHA] Go to two swing dance events (lesson, dance, etc.). Yeah, no lifting goal because getting the lifts in is now easy for me. This challenge starts at my 16th week of Starting Strength, and the workouts will mostly be posted in the battle log. Not quite sure what will be posted here... probably ramblings, food photos, and Lion King gifs (and please contribute to these ). I don't plan on posting much raw MFP data, but if anyone's curious about what I'm trying (macros, meals, etc.), feel free to ask. tl;dr: Goal 1: Track food on MFP without the tracking becoming a source of stress. Also track how I feel that day.Goal 2: Work on mindful eating (eat sitting down + one meal/day without distractions).Goal 3: Conditioning 2x/week (probably rowing)Goal 4: Get to the gym by 6:30 pm and get off the computer by 8:30 pm (at least for non-work activities) so I can get to bed on time.Life Quest: Start swing dancing again by going to at least 2 swing somethings.Lifts ( = Starting Strength) are in the battle log.

Placeholder Do things consistently. For real. More to follow ------------------------------- Goals: Starting Strength for the duration of the challengeHIIT 2 times per weekMaintenance eating Current 1RMs Bench: 150 OHP: 95Deadlift: 190Front Squats: 125

Hi, I've just hit 135lbs on deadlifts recently. I'm having this problem with the bar not slipping down my fingers. I'm using a mixed (left underhand, right overhand) grip. My left hand is doing fine, but my right hand is slipping towards my fingertips. Is there any way to fix this problem? I also think I have sweaty hands. Also, should I keep doing 135lbs, but give my arms enough time to recover before doing another rep? I'm doing Starting Strength, 1 set of 5 reps. They problem says increase the weight, but I already cannot grip 135lbs, how can I grip 140lbs? Thank you!

The short story for any new followers: The past few years I’ve been learning how to balance academics and health (esp. how to work around PCOS). I joined the Rebellion this past April, started powerlifting during my first challenge, and have been with the Warriors ever since. In September I hopped across the pond for grad school. I’m keeping many of the same goals from that first UK challenge and carrying on… MAIN QUEST: Do my first pull-up. Mini-main quest: Continue my "year of consistency." I'll get my time in under the bar, continue working on mobility, figure out how to eat in a way that supports my health, strength, and happiness, and see what happens... Goals for this challenge: GOAL #1: Take all of the supplements. [+1 CON, +1 STA] Right now, all of the supplements are Vitamin D, myo-inositol, and D-chiro-inositol. Omega-3 might be added. This is just a matter of remembering to take them every day (morning and evening) and sticking with the regime long enough to see if it helps. For anyone who is curious, the inositols are interesting critters. They’re the precursors of second messengers in various signaling pathways, including the insulin signal transduction pathway. There’s a growing amount of evidence that these processes are disrupted in PCOS, perhaps due to an inositol deficiency, and that inositol supplementation can alleviate symptoms. They also have little to no side effects—in fact, massive doses of myo-inositol (18 g/day!) have been used to treat psychiatric conditions such as OCD and depression. So, if nothing else, the molecular biologist/neuroscientist side of me is intrigued. I don’t think it will be a cure-all (and I don’t want to get my hopes up too much), but I’ll be very happy if it makes my other lifestyle choices more effective. Grading (at end of challenge): A = miss <= 2 doses, B = miss <= 6 doses, C = miss <= 12 doses, F = miss > 12 doses GOAL #2: Whole30+ [+2 CON, +1 WIS]: The Whole30+ continues (although I might add back occasional goat cheese soon). I started on Sept. 28, so at the start of the challenge I’ll have completed a Whole43 so far. Grading (weekly): somewhat subjective because there are a lot of Whole30 guidelines, but shooting for an A = Whole30 + mind fruit and nut portions + no tracking + eat enough to support lifting. Goal #3: SLEEP [+2 CON, +1 STA]: Turn off lights by 10:30 pm. Try to be in bed by 10 pm. Minimize evening putzing around on the computer. Grading (weekly): A = on time 6+ nights, B = on time 5 nights, C = on time 4 nights, F = on time <= 3 nights And, last but certainly not least… Goal #4: LIFT [+2 STR, +1 DEX] This includes maintaining mobility so I’m able to lift. More specifics: I’m doing Starting Strength at least 2x/week (almost always 3x/week). I’m microloading the upper body lifts. I joined my uni’s lifting club last challenge, so I have people to lift with! My “for fun†goal: this challenge I want to surpass my old 5 RMs from July/August: Squat: 70.5 kg (155 lbs) Bench: 45.5 kg (100 lbs) Deadlift: 79.5 kg (175 lbs) OHP (with good form): 25 kg (55 lbs) Latest pre-challenge, successfully completed working weights were Squat: 62 kg (136.4 lbs) Bench: 42.5 kg (93.5 lbs) Deadlift: 75 kg (165 lbs) OHP: 30 kg (66 lbs) so I can already cross off OHP . I should have plenty of time to make my other goals, but I know from personal experience (see Challenge #2…) that progressing isn’t as straightforward when the weights are heavy. Also, theoretically I could attain a bodyweight+ squat during this challenge, which would be fantastic (once again, see Challenge #2), but I’m not sure if I’ll hit it using my current programming. I’m going to use all of the tricks in the book (the book = Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training) to drag out the progression as long as I can, though. I’m also working on power cleans, but have been focusing on getting the form down (with the help of a coach from the aforementioned lifting club) rather than increasing the weight. Grading (at end of challenge): A = 16+ training sessions, B = 14-15 training sessions, C = 12-13 training sessions, F = < 12 training sessions And a couple of fun smaller quests: Fitness Side Quest: Climb the Tower [+ 2 STA] The uphill climbs on my hiking trips have been leaving me breathless—lifting just isn’t good preparation for walking up a seemingly never-ending natural staircase. Luckily, though, my graduate program’s home base is on the 9th* floor of a tower, so I have plenty of opportunities to walk up man-made stairs! I’m pretty good about taking the stairs when I only need to go ~1-4 flights, but I need some extra motivation for the long trips. With classes on floor 6 and my computer cluster on floor 9, I should be able to easily hit 50+ flights up the tower stairs every week. *That’s the 10th floor according to U.S. floor-counting rules. In the U.K., the floors are counted Ground, then 1, 2, and so on. Grading (weekly): A = 75+ flights, B = 60-74 flights, C = 45-59 flights, F = <45 flights Life Quest: Make a Weekly Work Plan [+1 WIS, +1 CHA]: Regular swing dancing is coming second to sleep at the moment, so in the meantime I want to work on some small time-management/productivity habits. This technique is from the Study Hacks blog (mentioned in a recent NF blog post). Grading (at end of challenge): A = 5 weeks, B = 4 weeks, C = 3 weeks, F = <3 weeks Note: I’ll be travelling the last week of the challenge and will modify my goals accordingly: “Supplements,†“Sleep,†and “Lift†will continue as usual. I’ve already started looking for gyms with day passes/free trials.“Whole30†will change to 1) Do the best I can with the options that I have, and 2) Allow a few deviations from Paleo, in a Whole30-sensible way (i.e., be mindful of what my body will tolerate, watch quantities, and return to Whole30 guidelines afterwards rather than spiraling into never-ending poor food choices).“Climb the Tower†and “Weekly Work Plan†will no longer be applicable (although I’ll do plenty of walking).

Challenge Date: Nov 3rd to Dec 21st, 2014 Introduction: Hi, I am reynalia, and this is my first challenge. I like to workout, play ultimate, and do regular things like watch TV, read manga, etc. I am a third year undergraduate college student, majoring in Biochemistry. I am working towards a better body in general, but my main goal is to be better at ultimate for this challenge. Main Quest: To build muscle and be in better conditioning for ultimate tournaments for the spring semester. This is perfect because the fall semester ends right after this challenge. Specific goals: To do Starting Strength 3x a week (18x throughout whole challenge, skipping a week for Thanksgiving break) Beginning lifts to current lifts: Squat 85lbs ->130lbs Bench 45->80lbs Deadlift 85 ->135lbs Press 45lbs ->50lbs [sTR +5 | A= 15-18x | B=11-14x | C=7-10x | D=3-6x | F=0-2x] Stretch my back every night to prevent reinjury and foam roll at least 2 times a week I injured my back two years ago and was diagnosed with a pinched nerve. The doctor said there is nothing I can do to fix it, but I read this PT book that gave me stretches to do, and they have helped immensely. Doing these stretches lets me prevent pain on a daily basis, especially after sitting in lectures for so long. [CON +3 | A=foam roll 2x a week and stretch for at least 5 days a week | B=foam roll 1x a week and stretch at least 4 days a week | C=stretching at least 3 days a week] Go throwing outside of practice at least 2 times a week. [DEX +3 | A=45-60 minutes a week| B=30-44minutes a week| C=15-29minutes a week] Side Life Quest: To do cleaning activities for 15 minutes every day. Don’t leave dishes in the sink overnight. [WIS +2] [A=washed more than half of the days of the whole challenge | B=less thank half] Write a smiley face on the calendar, and then tally them up for the days of the challenge. Diet Side Quest: To hit my macros everyday and have only one serving of sweets a day. Write “macros†on a successful day of the calendar. Remember to have more carbs on workout days and less on rest days. [CHA +2] [A=more than half the days | B=less than half the days] Strength Workouts: (write the date of the workout if completed- 3x a week) Week 1: 11/3/14 | 11/5/14 | 11/7/14 Week 2: 11/10/14 | 11/14/14 Week 3: 11/17/14 | 11/19/14 | 11/21/14 Week 4: 11/23/14 | Week 5: Week 6: I will have Thanksgiving (one week) and Christmas (two weeks long) break without a gym, therefore I will substitute using bodyweight workouts. Stretching- Week 1: MTWRFS(foam)S(foam) Week 2: MTWRFSS Week 3: MTWRFSS Week 4: MTWRFSS Week 5: Week 6: Throwing Week 1: 30 minutes (hucks) Week 2: None Week 3: None again.... Week 4: Week 5: Week 6: Also a side note: Make it to the first two days of Winter League for Dallas Ultimate. First game is Dec 13th, and second is Dec. 20th. Race: Half Elf Class: Adventurer Current level: 0 STR: 0| DEX: 0| STA:0 | CON:0 | WIS:0 | CHA: 0

Unidentified distress beacon has been tracked to a derelict space vessel in orbit above Tallon IV. MAIN MISSION To create and enforce good habits that will help me reach success in my life and in my profession. FRIGATE ORPHEON This mission will focus on preparing to assault my strength/flexibility goals (pullups, deadlifts and various pole tricks), assaulting my diet and keeping sane while preparing for the holidays and the release of a new xpac (WoW). We'll be following Samus Aran (of Metroid fame) as she explores what's left of the Space Pirate Frigate Orpheon above Tallon IV during this challenge. Scan Space Pirate Logs Boss: Parasite Queen Escape! Gold Quest / Varia Suit Malfunction SCAN SPACE PIRATE LOGS +2 WIS Read Starting Strength (400 pages) Prepare Log to track progress (for SS and for measurements/etc) Removed I'm at the point in my pole classes where I feel like I'm not getting stronger as fast as I would like. Or in other words, I'm impatient. However I want to read the book first to understand what the heck I'm doing and why. BOSS : PARASITE QUEEN +4 CON +1 STA 4 days/week No Grains Track Carb Intake Last challenge I read The Primal Blueprint. I'm not sure I can delve in 100% living where I do (my family loves their breads and constantly buys some. This isn't a problem when I live on my own with the exception of take out). So there are only 3 days a week where I can have grains. The other four are no grain days. The second part is not graded, but I'd like to track my carb intake to see the difference between grain/no grain days and see if I can keep it in the PB range automatically after. I believe a mostly primal diet can only benefit me after the experiments I did last challenge with eating. ESCAPE! +3 DEX +2 CON Splits 2x/week Removed Theraputty/Wrist stretches 5x/week (bumped from 3 on Week 3) Massage Roller/Ball 2x/week Removed We're not practicing splits as much in class (probably because we don't have enough time before next class) so I'm taking maters into my own hands. Cannon. Whatever. Speaking of hands, my wrists, fingers and forearms on BOTH arms are not too pleased with me. Right hand is normal with drawing and gaming. Not both. So I bought some theraputty (thank you for mentioning them sylph!) so let's escape this situation. GOLD QUEST / VARIA SUIT MALFUNCTION +2 CHA +1 WIS Pay off last 2% of Gold Quest Completed Dec 9th Make Gifts Pretty self explanatory. Pay off the rest of the Gold Quest and make gifts for the holidays. Samus does lose her upgrades and Varia Suit as she's escaping Frigate Orpheon, my equivalents are simply the gifts I'll be making MOTIVATION To feel better, more energetic and stronger. To lose weight to make learning new moves easier and fit in my old clothes. To help control my crohn's. To stop collecting underpants and ACT on my dreams. To enjoy life and keep momentum!

I started SS a few weeks ago, and I'm stuck at 55lbs on the press. I started at 45lbs which also felt really hard, but I can get through 3x5. At 55lbs, I can only get through one set of 5 reps. On the 3rd rep of the first set, I already feel my shoulders burning. This is probably from holding the weight up. Should I just keep the weight at 45-50lbs until it feels easy? Or should I keep trying 55lbs until I can finally complete the full 3x5?

I started doing Starting Strength a few weeks ago on MWF. Current lifts: (still steadily increasing weight every workout) Squat 100lbs Bench 70lbs Deadlift 100lbs Press 50lbs Recently, during ultimate practice, the coach started adding in track workouts, which include sprints and conditioning drills. Here is one example: Warm up: 10 minute warm up jog, dynamic stretchSprints: Do 10 40 yard sprints (width of a ultimate field). Rest 45s in between each.Conditioning: Set up 2 cones 20 yards apart. Sprint back and forth for 1 minute, then rest 1 minute. Repeat 5x. (Make good sharp turns when you get to each cone!)Strength: 2 rounds of: 20 squats, 10 lunges (each leg), 10 jump squats (for height), 20 calf raisesCool down jog, stretch.Here are my macros also: Carbs: 200g Protein: 115g Fat: 44g Fiber: 25g And I usually drink more than 8 cups a day, so I don't see the problem there. As for sleep: approximately 6.5-8hrs a night, depending on the workload and morning class times. Does this mean that I have technically working legs like 5 days a week? Is doing this okay? Will it be better if I change my workouts to Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday? I think that'll make me very tired because I will be doing sprints and squats on the same day. Advice on how to change things or leave things as they are please? Thank you!

Hi, I'm reynalia. I'm getting back into fitness after recovering from an injury for so long. I missed this challenge (Set 15th - Oct 26th) so I'm making a log. I will record my workouts. I started Starting Strength a few weeks ago, and am continuing strong. Still steadily increasing my lifts. Current lifts: Squat 100lbs 105lbs 110lbs 115lbs Bench 70lbs 75lbs Deadlift 100lbs 105lbs 110lbs 115lbs Press 50lbs 55lbs Main goal: Get a better body and be in great condition for ultimate Goals: (going to incorporate this into my first challenge coming up soon) 1)Starting Strength 3x a Week 2) Stretch back occasionally and foam roll at least 2x a week 3) Weekly track workout for ultimate Current stats: L Arm 10.5in (flexed)R Arm 10.5 in (flexed)Waist 24in (smallest point)Chest 31inAbdomen 26.5in (belly button)Hip 35 in L thigh 21inR Thigh 21 inL Calf 13.5inR Calf 13.5inWeight: 114 Current macros:Carbs 190gProtein 115gFat 44g So that's it! I will post occasionally, and my personal blog with things that are not related to workouts and workouts also, will be in my signature if that interests you. But this log will be for fitness only.

Hey everyone, first time warrior here. Bit of background and whatnot... Past Training Many years ago, back in high school, I trained in and taught parkour. I wasn't great at doing it, but I knew it very well and could teach it pretty well too. That involved almost exclusively body weight exercise. Problem is... I really don't enjoy body weight exercise. I want to be in a gym, moving heavy things repeatedly. That has always been more rewarding for me. So, here I am. Time to put up some weight. Last Challenge The last challenge was my first. It got me to care about working out. Thing is, I didn't really enjoy what I was doing. Toward the end, I was doing a mix of body weight workouts and pure runs. The body weight routine got easy for me, and I found myself with no motivation to make it harder. Running became a chore that I wasn't excited for anymore. But I've never had these problems with lifting. So, this challenge will be about resolve and finding my place in fitness. I need to turn my caring into motivation, and my routine into enjoyment. Main Goal Go to the gym 3 times a week and start power lifting. More specifics will be added as I find my current lifting abilities this week. Sub Goal 1 Gym 3 times a week. Simple. Sub Goal 2 Stretch before bed at least on the days I go to the gym. Aim for every night. Sub Goal 3 My nutrition got to be pretty good in the last challenge - when I cooked. If I don't cook, my eating isn't that great. So, to combat this, my diet goal will be the following: Go to the grocery store at least once a week. I don't have a car or any way to move groceries other than carrying them, so I can't buy more than about a week's worth of food at one time. I've found that if I have food to make, I will make it, and it will be healthy. So just by buying food I can easily make a good diet happen. Life Goal Go to bed no later than 8 hours before I need to wake up in the morning. Though my semester from hell may make this difficult. Time management is gonna be really important for me. I'm planning on following the starting strength program. It seems to fit pretty well with what I have time for and whatnot. So, here's to joining the warriors!

So, time for Challenge #3, take 2. There's more background in my previous challenges, but the short story is that I moved to the UK (hence dividing my weights by 2.2 to convert to kg) 10 days ago to start graduate school so things are a little crazy right now, although also very exciting. After lots of moving around and travelling, I need to focus on getting back on track fitness-wise. Keeping this short and simple: As before, my MAIN QUEST: Do my first pull-up. (For now, assisted pull-ups and chin-ups are on the agenda.) And starting a mini-main quest this time around: I want my year in the UK to be my "year of consistency." I'll get my time in under the bar, continue working on mobility, figure out how to eat in a way that supports my health, strength, and happiness, and see what happens... GOAL #1: Start a Whole30+. For the first couple of weeks of this challenge I'll focus on getting set up food-wise in my new home (learning where to shop, getting a lunch box, etc.), and then by the beginning of week 3 I'll start a Whole30+ (the "+" because I may need/want to extend it beyond 30 days). I'm following the entire Whole30 guidelines--no SWYPO foods, fruits and nuts in moderation, no tracking/weighing, etc. [+2 CON, +2 WIS] GOAL #2: Strength training 2x/week (preferably 3). I'll be doing bodyweight circuits for now and switching to barbells once I get a gym membership and a proper schedule (i.e., after orientation ends). Since I've been lifting inconsistently for the past several weeks and still need to work on mobility issues, I'm deloading quite a bit, with the goal of returning to my old 5RMs in about 6-8 weeks by following Starting Strength. [+3 STR, +1 CON] GOAL #3: Maintain mobility (esp. hips and shoulders). Grading: if I can't squat properly, I need to do more mobility work. What this will probably look like: mobilizing (yoga/static stretching) the day before lifting, with SMR as needed (probably post lifting), along with my usually stretching after workouts. [+3 DEX, +1 CON] Fitness side quest: edited after week two Weeks 1-2: Keep moving--i.e., do some sort of conditioning work 2x/week along with the strength training. For now, this could be dancing, walking, running, swimming... I just want to start forming this habit. Starting Week 3: Re-establish a proper sleep schedule--lights out by 10:30 pm on school nights, 11 pm otherwise, 6+ days a week. [+1 CON] Swing dancing LIFE QUEST: Infiltrate the local swing scene. [+1 CHA, +1 STA] Grading will be a little more subjective A-F scale 0-100 (British postgraduate grading scale*) for this challenge. *because when in Rome... The grading scale, for those that aren't familiar: <49: Fail 50-59: Pass 60-69: Merit 70>: Distinction I kind of like this grading scale better because while anything 70+ is great according to these standards, I can make the distinction between doing very well (a 70) and absolutely rocking this challenge (a 100).

Cheechoe's Flying Circus FEATURING... A Cheechoe A Challenge... ...Annnd A Bunch Of Nerds To Help Her Keep Her Head.. (pssst. That's you guys...) 1. MFP Tracking Track ALL THE FOOD 1800 cal/day as a baseline. I add in my exercise and my caloric allotment are adjust from there I get ONE CHEAT DAY A WEEK where I can go to 2500. ONE. TRACK EVERYDAY 2. Eat Primal No Processed Carbs No Nut Butters unless it's a cheat day and within my caloric allotment No Junk Food. I'll allow myself dark chocolate on my cheat days within '' '' '' My cheat days will NOT be cheats on Primal diet, only caloric intake Stop That. 3. Teach and Learn Admittedly, since I have bowed out of competing at the World Championships Tournament in Italy this year, I have fallen away from instructing. Some was travel, some was other life distractions, some was just being lazy; no more. I need to get back to sharing my knowledge and my passion. Teach TKD 2x/week On the same note, recently I have fallen out of the habit of attending the advanced classes. Pretty much since April I've been training at my DoJung only by myself on Saturday mornings. As much as I love my alone raining, I need to be around my instructor more. Now this will be tricky since I usually end up teaching the advanced class as soon as my instructor sees me walk in, but I always end up learning something from him or me those nights. Train in TKD 3x/week. Note: these will probably be on the same night of back to back classes; teach the first one or two, then take the last. Totally doable in a week's time. ****** ****** 4. Keep on Moving Barbell Strength Training 3x weekTKD training 3x week per #3 goalBike ride or rollerblade 2x weekOne long run per week (Long run = 5+ miles) ** Each week will include this laundry list of activities Punishment: Burpees (for the week) Reward: Being awesome (Another NF shirt if all 6 week go without failing) Life Quest: One personal "Adult Task" daily(Shamelessly stolen from Spezzy) Nononononooo.. >.> <.< Adult task here meaning: Laundry, paying bills, batch cooking, washing car, ....all those boring adult tasks that are all simple individually, but when stacked up during the work week make you want to throw a temper tantrum. Those ones. I want to do them daily so they don't all pile up at the end of the week and take up an entire day off.

Okay. Been in Afghanistan since December. Started working out with a buddy, who recommended Starting Strength before I hop on 5/3/1 with him. Started about two months ago with these maxes. Squat: 225•1 Deadlift: 275•2 Bench: 185•1 Overhead Press: 125•1 Then I started each exercise with just the bar. Adding 15-20 lbs on deadlift, 10-15 on squat, 5-10 on bench and 5 on overhead press. As of last week my new maxes are Squat: 275•5 Deadlift: 315•2 Bench: 185•3 Overhead Press: 135•1 Which brings me to my next point. What else can I do to increase my upper body strength? I've been doing assistance workouts every time. Focusing on upper body since I squat every workout. My last two workouts were Monday Squat: 240 5•5 Bench: 140 5•5 Deadlift: 270 1•5 Wednesday Squat: 245 5•5 Overhead: 95 5•5 Except for the squats, none of these were too difficult. It's just that when I get up there on bench and overhead, I simply can't push myself like I can with squat and deadlift. I'll keep updating, but any advice would be great. I'll be sure to keep track of assistance workouts as well. I'm also running on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Trying to get down to a 6:00 minute mile. At this elevation, once I get back to Bragg, I'll be kicking ass on runs.

Life has held a lot of changes for me lately. Thankfully, I hope, most have been for the best. What I want for myself is to be a better person. I want to be stronger, smarter, more thoughtful, and more in control of my own life. Sometimes it is only too easy to say "tomorrow" but we shouldn't. Tomorrow isn't always an option. Today I turn to Rent, a fantastic musical, to embrace the theme for this challenge. This challenge I live in the moment and I work to make myself better right now. Get your tushy to the gym 3x a week With the new work schedule this is going to be MUCH harder than it used to be. In an ideal world I will still get p at 5:30am like I did at the old job but instead of leaving for work at 5:45 I will leave for the gym instead. Keep in mind, I am not a morning person and am pretty afraid to fail this one. Still, 3x a week at any time is better than nothing and again, a mix of weight training and running. Plus, at least 1 hour of Yoga a week. 18 total gym visits + 6 Yogas! Str +2, Dex +2, Sta +2. STOP EATING TAKEOUT, for serious, it makes you feel like poo This last week I haven't wanted to cook when I get home at 6:30. 6:30 pm is really late for me, so I've been picking up food. Plus, since I'm not cooking then I'm not taking leftovers for work, so I'm going out again at lunch. This must stop, my wallet and my tummy are both against this. So, cook at least 3 dinners a week. Preferably paleo dinners (but lets not get carried away here.) 18 total dinners! Cha +3 Develop your mind as much as your muscles I've always been the brainy/nerdy/not-athletic person. All you here on NF probably understand this. However lately I haven't been challenging my mind nearly as much. It is great to be able to do stuff physically that I never imagined but I can't just do that. I want to write about 30 different journal prompts through the course of the challenge to make myself think. 30 total journal entries! Wis +3 Muscles, mind, and money... In the past I have set goals to not transfer monies from savings and to not use my credit card. They carry over to this challenge but they don't really need to, NF challenges past have done their job and not using those and planning monies better has become second nature now. This time I want to not only be on the defensive, I want to be proactive. I owe lots of monies (student loans, grumble grumble) and I hate that. This challenge I will pay off at least $1,000 of debt! Seriously, I want to see the numbers on my loans shrink and I want to feel more in control of my life. $1,000 total! Con +3 Bonus - the Jitters goal Jitters the clown, a man I'm very lucky to call a friend, has inspired me to do a bonus goal of 6 random acts of kindness (RAKs) this round. We spend so much time working on and for ourselves during these challenges that I feel like maybe it will be good to focus on others a little bit. I'm not sure what these RAKs will be but I'm thrilled to do them and to give Jitters the opportunity to comment "Nice Rak". (We all know that it is coming). 6 RAKs total! I'm not awarding myself any points for this, because I feel like this is a reward in itself. However I am inserting the caveat that if I fail this goal, no matter how I do on the others, I get no points for any of the other goals. Thank you for all being here for this, you are so wonderful!

This should be a straightforward continuation of my previous challenge, where I essentially began the Starting Strength Program, laying the foundations to becoming a beefly beast. For this one, I'd like to think I've earned the warrior badge and hope this group has my back while I continue to lay on the muscle. This challenge begins on week 9 of the program, and things are getting tough, the newbie gains/ eat as you much like window is coming to close (presumably), but I feel like I am much more informed and sensible about my plan. I aim to continue with the program, but this challenge is all about playing it smart and tracking my progress more closely. Stats: Bodyweight: 70kg/ 154lbs Height: 178cm/ 5'10 Age:22 Gender: Male Bench Press: 57.5kg/ 126lbs Press: 45kg/100lbs Squat: 80kg/176lbs Deadlift: 105kg/ 231lbs GOAL 1: The Lifts - Squat 100kg for the viewing pleasure of this here community I am sticking with the SS program and linear progressions. Upping 20kg should be possible, given that I am averaging about 5kg a week, but don't want to rush myself at the expense of compromising my form. That's why I want to get a recording of it uploaded onto the site by the end of the challenge- that way, I will not only get some constructive criticism on my form; but I know I will only commit to recording it in the first place (and getting some randomer at the gym to hold my phone...) when I am relatively confident in my ability to squat the weight. Current routine is 3 workouts a week (alternating): Workout A: Squat, Bench, Deadlift Workout B: Squat, Press, Deadlift I do assisted pull ups and sometimes extended back extensions as accessory work. I am open to a review of this routine- I am thinking about starting to alternate the deadlift with another lift, but a bit apprehensive about the power clean, and pendlay rows just seem like a downgraded version of the deadlift (take that as an off-the-cuff and ill-informed comment). End of Challenge Assessment: C- I have published the video, but it is me squatting 95kg with terrible form and technique. So not only did I not reach my target weight, but I haven not been practising the squat correctly. This is a real bummer. However, I did record it, something which I would not have had the nerve to do before this challenge and I do believe that it will be constructive in the long term for my squatting technique and ability. As for the rest of my lifting, it has been a real grind this challenge. I have felt real burnt out and not enjoyed a lot of my sessions. I am having concerns over my deadlift technique also, while my Bench Press does not seems to be going anywhere. I have grown a fondness for the overhead press. GOALS 2&3: The Diet - Track Food Intake and Body Changes Last challenge was to make sure I get 150g protein a day, and I have got that on lock now. Now I want to get a better picture of my overrall consumption as well as my body composition and track any changes. I would guess I have gained about 3-5kgs since 2014 began, but have no idea what ratio of fat:muscle that is. I have made moderate gains on the program, but I definitely feel softer in the gut area and still feel a bit uneasy about gaining fat in general (chubby teen -> scrawny adult). This could well be psychological, and according to most muscle building rates I am still under the desired weight for my age/height. My target is to get to 75kg, but I want be sure these gains are muscle. The only real way to know what's going on is to start tracking intake and changes. Weigh myself using the gym scales once a weekEat to a calorie and macronutrient target and adjust accordingly (2700kcal- roughly 365g carb/ 175g protein / 55g fat)Measure the calorie intake of my meals more closelyHave a clear indication of my body fat % by the end of this challenge In this spirit, I weighed myself today and bought some food scales. This will be tough in the first few weeks, since I am so unused to tracking exact quantities of anything other than protein (a large apple? a spoonful of cottage cheese? We don't do cup measurements in the UK). But once I build the habit and the portion sizes get more familiar it will become easier and I will be able to modify my body composition with more clarity. I'm open to reviewing my calorie target if people think it is too much/ too little. I used IIFYM, but this one thinks I should be getting 3k on lifting days, while this dude thinks I should shoot for between 3000-3800cals daily (well, at the beginning of the program). They all have me at ~1700kcal BMR. At the moment its about having a number and a target so that I have the power/knowledge to modify it if I want to. End of Challenge Assessment: B+ I have tracked my food intake to the best of my abilities. I have done this by weighing my food where possible and entering it onto myfitnesspal on my ipad. For better or worse, it is now a habit. The biggest liabilities to tracking have been eating out at restaurants and high calorie foods (principally peanut butter, jam and smoked mackerel) which have been tricky to monitor. I have not restricted my diet, just monitored it. I have weighed myself once a week for this challenge. My weight has essentially fluctuated each week between 69-71.5kg. I don't feel particularly enlightened about how my calories, bodyweight, muscle mass and strength increases relate to each other, but I have upped my intake to 3000 calories a day without any severe ill consequences (that number would have mortified me 6 months ago). SIDE QUEST: Cool it on the Condiments Aside from fruit, this is probably my highest source of sugar. I don't really have a huge problem with this. What annoys me is that I spend a lot of time thinking about, cooking and preparing food and whenever I sit down to eat a meal, I slather the dish with any side sauce I can think of (ketchup, mustard, sriracha, brown sauce, bbq, tabasco, branston pickle, mayonnaise, yoghurt...) and keep leaving the table to grab two more. Salt, pepper and lemon juice at the table. limit to one sugary condiment per meal. Apply to the side of the plate before sitting down. End of Challenge Assessment: A Like my last challenge, this wasn't really a problem. A few meals warrant two condiments (I don't want to live in a world where you can't have ketchup and mustard with your fried egg), but otherwise I have shown restraint and been happier for it. I am also a really tight bastard, so when I run out of a sauce, I simply don't buy another one. Alright. Thank you for your time.

Okay guys, I have problems. Granted, none of you can help with my mental problems, but my form ones can be whipped into shape, right? So I started strength training a week and a half ago. I have all sorts of issues, but my current one I wish to tackle is the deadlift. Also, it's the only one that I can easily record right now, so there's that reasoning as well. Anywho, Video: Now, I know I have a round back. I just have no idea on how to correct this. Also, the weight is only at 135# - and it can't get lower. My gym doesn't have plastic plates, so I'm stuck with the 135. Which is okay, because it feels pretty light for me. But I'm really clueless on what to do. I do need to re-read the Starting Strength section on DL form and tips, but I'm trying to read so many section of that book that I probably am missing some details that can more readily be pointed out here. So, halp plz!

I started my fitness journey 3.5 years ago when I decided enough was enough. I had put on 40lbs of unwanted fat since high school due to laziness. I am married and had one kid at the time but gaming (World of Warcraft) was my priority. I was addicted and I later learned my wife was ready to leave me over it. So I went running. First run was 2 miles and was it ever TOUGH! But I stuck with it and kept running even though I hated it. I signed up for a 5K race and after that I was hooked. I actually started enjoying the runs and looking forward to them. They became an escape from the world. That year I raced a half marathon as well, following Nike+ training programs, and finished with a fast time (1:35). I had traded one addiction (gaming) for another (running) and haven't looked back. The next year I followed other programs such as Insanity and P90X. By then I had seen my body changing, losing the fat. I started realizing I didn't want to be a skinny runner either, so I started looking for strength training programs, found SuperHero Workouts and followed that for its course, all the while still running. My new goal was to become a super hero for myself and my family (I wanted to look like Captain America or Thor). This last winter I have been using StrongLifts 5X5 by Mehdi and been seeing my max for squats, deadlifts, and bench increase. I temporarily stopped running to get more rest and see more gains. I was thinking of joining his online community but it costs $30 a month. Then I found Nerd Fitness. I love the simplicity and the wonderful advice. I purchased the strength plan and want to follow it now for more muscle/strength gains. I have been reading the Nerd Fitness posts for over a year but only recently learned how to access this community and I look forward to getting to know you and working with you all to improve ourselves. I plan on following the barbell strength training and using a mix of running and some crossfit to continue improving my fitness. My wife is a nutrition fanatic so I have been working with her for years to improve and maintain a healthy diet. I did try out the GOMAD diet I learned about on Nerd Fitness for a couple months and used it to bulk up. Last year I completed my first marathon, as well as a Spartan Beast. I have decided never to do another marathon because it is contrary to my fitness goals, though I learned a lot from doing one. I will be doing another Spartan this year and hope to improve on my time of two and a half hours. I am in the best shape of my life, and want to be able to say that for the rest of my life. Sorry for the wordy intro, but thanks for the welcome.

Hi all, So I decided to start the 'Starting Strength' plan yesterday, lifted 27.5kg for squats and deadlifts, and was pretty chuffed. However, I received the book this morning, and on reading it am a bit miffed to discover that my form has been off, for pretty much everything! Nothing catastrophic, but not ideal. So what do I do? Do I start all over again with just a bar to refine and correct technique? Or do I add some weight while doing this? Any help would be fantastic. Cheers! -LaylaVi

Main Goal: Loose Weight! Things started back in the summer at 284Lb, todays weigh in is 236 and my eventual goal is to get to 200. I've been doing starting strength since sept, and having been a desk jockey for 25 years shows in the lack of mobility and the subsequent form issues. Todo list 1. Eat Paolo - continue to eat paleo at a calorie deficit. I've stopped calorie counting, I seem to be fairly well into the swing of paleo, will start tracking food/calories again if weight loss stalls. 2. Starting Strength - 3 days a week SS workouts, with walking or moderate rowing on rest days. 3. Become a supple leopard. ok, first I'll have to read becoming a supple leopard. I have some basic stretching & mobile exercises that I've been doing, but this is as much an alien concept to me as lifting was, so i really need to read the book and improve here, I have multiple issues affecting pretty much all lifts, so need to concentrate on form & mobility and not worry too much about getting the weights up at this point.

So initially, I was debating do this challenge over at the Ranger’s guild, since I could get a lot more people to look at my form to get it corrected there. Then I realized I should stop being lazy and just use the “Form” subforum, and that really I love you guys all way too much to leave. And after reading a Budo-centered book recently that talked about how a martial artist should do a strength training program, it pretty much cemented the fact that I really don’t have to leave the guild confines any time soon. Which is good, because I’m really horribly antisocial and don’t like dealing with people. So this challenge is really the start of a New Goal for me. The first half of the year I really focused on weight loss, really just to see what would happen (since I had spent years as a fat guy who never could keep weight off). The back half of the year had me trying to prepare for the Spartan Race and figure out if I could hit my initial goals. For the most part, I succeeded on both of these goals. The Spartan, while I could have done better with my time, I survived. That’s all I wanted. For the weight loss, I did, at one point, hit the 50 pounds lost number (that was obliterated by getting laid off, but I’ll get there in a moment). Not only that, more importantly I went down from a size 42-ish waist to a size 34 waist. So, I hit my goals, and then went “Now what?” I’ve been realizing that while I thought I’d want to stop after hitting my goals (mind you, this is literally the smallest I’ve ever been in my adult life, and probably the last time I wore the size 34 pants/ Large shirt combination I was in middle school. Early middle school). But I’m finding that I’m interested in doing more fitness/physical things. Not just so I get in shape, but because I want to just see if I can do them and how my body reacts. So I want to rebuild myself so that I’m faster, stronger, and more capable of dealing with adversity (mental and physical) than I have ever been. So, I present my new main goal: More Strength. More Stamina. More Centered. So for this challenge, I’ve got a few things lined up. 1 ) Strength in Wisdom, +3 STR, +2 WIS a ) Get health insurance b ) Read all of Starting Strength c ) Find a gym d ) Perform 3 strength workouts per week So I want to build strength, but safely. So first order of business… I need health insurance. After getting laid off, I lost my health insurance, and I was banking a bit heavily on getting back to work within the 3-month grace period with an employer who’d cover that. Or at least give me an income that would allow me to pay the $200+ that insurance companies want me to pay. Needless to say, my plan didn’t work out, and I’ve been putting off dropping the cash to get the insurance. When I finally sat down to get the insurance before January 1, the website I have to go through wouldn’t accept my existence. So it’s probably going to require a very long, very annoying phone call to the state to get into their damned exchange, because all of the reasonably priced insurance places require me to go through the state. Secondly, I was told to get and read Starting Strength by Mark Ripptoe. So I bought it on my Kindle for $10 bucks and started to read through it. I’ve had it for like a week, but I’ve really only picked it up twice. I should finish it fairly quickly, but a bit of extra motivation here doesn’t hurt. I just finished reading the section on Squats, and now I’m 110% certain I’ve been doing them all wrong when doing bodyweight work. But in order to use the book, I need to find a place to do the lifting. There’s a Workout World down the street from me, that I need to go look at to see if they’ll allow squats and deadlifts. I meant to investigate it last week…. And then 14 inches of snow happened. So early in the challenge I want to check that out. If they won’t allow it, there’s a Gold’s gym also down the road that I can look into. Then we have to start doing heavy shopping for price in the area. Boston Sport’s clubs are right out, because they only seem to offer one cost: First born child. And to keep my going, I’m better off stating that I’m going to do 3 strength workouts each week. Body weight initially, then moving to the SS program that’s in the book. That should cover the strength part for the time being. 2 ) November Winter +2 DEX, +2 STA a ) Run with the November Project 4 times (either Stadium Stairs or Summit Hills) b ) Weeks with no NP runs do a run around the neighborhood (at least 2 miles) So AgentSka and Tin Man would not stop talking about this awesome group called the November Project who meet up at amazingly early hours of the morning to do workouts around Boston when I first met them after the Spartan Race. I wake up early for an unemployed guy (7:30-8AM), but they were talking early even for me. However, when AKLulu visited, I begrudgingly said I’d go (because Lulu said she was doing it, and she was on vacation. How can you argue with that?!?!). And they were a freaking awesome group of people. While snow borked up the initial plans, I still had a blast – even if the WOD did involve an obnoxious amount of burpees. So I want to go again. Stadium Stairs are Wednesday, and they run hills Friday. I’m concerned about the Friday runs because parking scares the crap outta me right now in Boston (see: 14 inches of snow and poor snow removal) and poorly cared for roads can lead to a heavy amount of injury (see: no health insurance). Oh, and they run FOUR MILES UP A HILL (see: RisePhoenix almost dying after hill sprints with Tin Man). But Stairs? I can survive stairs. Probably. 3 ) A Small Change +2 CON, +1 WIS a ) Eat no more than 2,000 calories per day b ) Cook 1 different green vegetable each week Fairly self-explanatory. I’ve gained a bit of weight since getting laid off due to stress, followed by a bunch of travel, holiday food, and general apathy when it comes to tracking food. My BMR says that for my size, I should eat around 2400 calories a day (assuming I’m an inactive lout). So but capping my calories at ~2,000, I should meet the 500 calories/day deficit with no problem. Really, if I’m strict with myself, I won’t even come close to that number. Projecting my meals for the rest of today, and I’m looking at maybe 1700 calories. Granted, when I start lifting heavy things, this may have to change. While overall I’d like to get down to 190#, I’m okay with eating more to help my strength-training goals. Speaking of food… I have a confession to make. I live on steamer vegetable bags. While not a horrible thing to deal with (they are extremely convenient after getting home at 8PM from the dojo), it does mean that my knowledge on what to do with vegetables besides “eat them raw” or “sauté with butter and garlic” is really limited. So I want to try and expand my base. So today I bought collard greens. I have no idea what to do with them, but I know you can eat them. Somehow. But you got to start somewhere, right? 4 ) Stretching the Wings +2 DEX a ) Stretch for 5-10 minutes before and AFTER each workout I am really good about stretching before I exercise. However, I’m really, REALLY bad at stretching after I work out. It’s horrible. Part of it comes from since I’m working out at home, when I’m done I can just jump right into the shower. So even when I actively think “stretch afterwards,” the shower just calls to me and wins that fight. This might change when I’m at a gym lifting. I at least then, I will likely walk past the stretching area and it’ll trigger in my brain. I also want to start doing this after aikido, as well. Again, I’m usually really good about stretching before class (even though we have a stretching segment before we start throwing people), but after I tend to not do anything. Less bad after aikido, since class limbers you up a lot and stretches you out anyway but it’s still a good habit to get into. I have so many ideas for this coming year, I’m trying to not overload myself with things that I want to do and accomplish. Too much, too early and I could burn out in the worst way possible. So I want to avoid that, at all costs. I want to build something sustainable, especially for once I get employed again. I have pretty low energy, in the grand scheme of things, so anything crazy and I won't be able to keep it going during the week. And to wrap this up, here are my starting stats, as of today. Weight – 209 pounds Neck – 16.25” Chest – 43” Gut at navel – 38” Waist – 37.5” Hips (wrap around) – 39” Thigh – 23 - 25” (depending on placement) Calf – 17”