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I want to enjoy my holidays, the summer, the free time.

Late to the party, whoops, but I did just return from vacation on Monday. I trailed off on the last challenge but don't feel terrible about it because it was insanely hectic - not the most stressed I've ever been, but definitely the most major events in a month. Plus at the beginning of the challenge I wasn't planning on the Italy work trip, and then that happened in the middle of everything. My healthy routines were thoroughly disrupted, but I still squeezed in a little exercise and some vegetables. I'm thrilled to be home, and in my own kitchen and bed again (not at the same time, obviously). After eating out most meals for three weeks, I am excited to cook balanced, delicious meals at home. Overall Goals My general life goals have changed a bit because, uh, I'm pregnant and all - so weight loss is no longer the primary aim. I weighed myself this morning and was unpleasantly surprised by the number on the scale, but the internet tells me it's normal to have gained 4-6lb at this point even though the baby is only the size of a raspberry, so I feel better about it now. I'm going to stop weighing myself at home because it makes more sense to focus on make healthy choices each day. I've cancelled my NF Coaching because I already feel a bit overwhelmed, and through work I'm going to be assigned an RN who will advise on healthy eating and exercise throughout my pregnancy. But I have even stronger reasons to eat healthy, and I won't be drinking ha, so I'm going to focus on paying attention to how I feel - more frequent, small meals seems to sit better with me these days. I am currently working to use up a lot of my pantry/freezer food which has been accumulating for...a while. I also want to declutter since we mayyy buy a house and move before the baby comes. Goal #1: Cook all the things Make (nearly) all our food at home, avoid relying on processed food. I'd like to get in a good pattern of meal prep and eating at home pre-baby. Document food here. Goal #2: Feel the burn Work out doing whatever feels good. Right now that's barre but I'd like to try to get running again if I can do it without chest pain. Aiming for working out 3x/week minimum, and walking on other days to aid digestion and circulation. Goal #3: Feed the fire Take extra kind care of myself. Give myself an 8-hour sleep window. Nap if needed. Meditate daily. I have FIVE WEEKS before our family vacation when we tell the family, and I have already told random coworkers in Italy (because finding out I was pregnant the week before the trip was anxiety-inducing), a couple coworkers I am closer to (because we were on vacation for a week and they wouldn't have figured it out from the not drinking anyways, and this way I was able to talk to a friend who had twins last year about it), and another friend (who I stayed with on the way to and from the Florida vacation, because we're close and it was nice to do it in person). Between now and the official family announcement at which point it will be public, I will probably tell a couple more friends because as an external processor keeping secrets is not my strong suit. It still feels completely surreal, but in the best way.

This is my plan for the two week break: 1. Finish my previous challenge! My two most important goals still have one week left. One is about running mileage (need 17 miles this week to hit my standard benchmark or 41 to hit a stretch goal). For my other goal, I need to get in a quality threshold training workout. 2. Figure out my next challenge. That's the magic faerie dust. I'm always trying to tweak the plan a little. Looking for that small change that will make a big difference. The next challenge will have a couple of intensive weeks at work followed by a trip to run a marathon. Those two things are actually pretty compatible because the intense work will be when I'm tapering with running. The other part of this is playing around with my gym routine. I'm gonna try out some moves from the flexible steel program @Sloth the Enduring mentioned. I'm also gonna try out some of these hip flexor exericises. And I've been meaning to try TRX-assisted side lunges. So I'll see which of those things I might adopt during the next challenge. 3. Do summer things. Go paddling a couple times, take a yoga class or two, do a miserable yoga adventure shoot, finish reading my "serious" book (so I have more time for reading trashy beach-worthy novels), try grilling oysters, 4. Work on my new sushi list. This is a list of chores. When I finish it, I get to buy sushi :-)

I have been trying to opt for outside activities. Thinking of new fun things such as hiking in the woods fishing climbing and beachcombing. Feeling fatter than ever but choosing to ignore that voice. I've been trying to eat healthy. I had a great breakfast option of veggie omelet while on vacation. But need to focus on packing healthy snacks and eating at home more. But....I am meeting my goals of exercise, eating veggies everyday. Still need to work on the pray/meditate time. We get ourselves so busy in this world. Must slow down. We went jetty fishing and lots of hikes across the rocky beaches. Even walking on windy, sandy beaches is more exercise than you notice! Going to try to focus more on food intake. Do hard things!!

Moving from the Adventurer's Guild to the Rangers. It may be a temporary move, but I'm excited for this change. I still have an Adventurer's heart, but I needed to mix things up a bit. Goals: Returning to a challenge similar to my second one. Expect a lot of self-care as well as a lot of nature and love and music and joy as I seek to make this a positive and awesome summer. Get Rest: Wind down at sunset (limited/no technology), moderate/light physical activity (yoga, stretches, etc.) In bed no later than 10:30 pm (unless impossible because of work, etc.). Wake up when your body feels ready (no alarm). Nap in late afternoon if necessary/possible. Get Fit: Follow the Primal Blueprint Exercise Plan; below is the simplified version: Monday – SprintTuesday – Lift Heavy Things/Bodyweight ExercisesWednesday – Move Slowly, Play or RestThursday – HIIT/WOWFriday – Move Slowly, Play or RestSaturday – Lift Heavy Things/Bodyweight ExercisesSunday – Move Slowly, Play or Rest 10,000-12,000 steps/day Get Spiritual: Daily Scripture reading/devotional Integrate prayer throughout the day Get Fed: Eat as close to Paleo/Primal as possible at least one meal/day. Avoid processed foods. Listen to your body: eat when you're hungry rather than when you "should." Intermittent fasting at least 3 days/week; this must be mindful rather than just "skipping breakfast." No soda for the entire challenge (none, zero, not even a tiny cup). Drink at least 64 ounces of water/day. Get Connected: Call mother daily Visit grandfather at least once/week Speak to a stranger at least once/day (irl, not online). Visit with a friend at least once/week (irl, not online). Get Smarter: Read everyday for at least 30 minutes Use a brain-training app such as Peak daily. Listen to a podcast at least once/week. Get Some Sun, Sand, and Surf: (Going to the beach at the beginning of June, so even though I will only be there for a week, I felt the title was fitting). Spend at least 30 minutes/day outside. Get at least 15 minutes total/day of direct sunlight. Get near, in, on, or under water every day. At least one hike/week. Get in close contact with the earth: walk barefoot, dig in the dirt, rub against a tree. I'll quote Frank Forencich here: "...get out of the house and into the world. Scratch your back up against a tree and bushwack your way up a hill. Climb some rough rocks and plunge your feet into the creek. Give your eyes a rest and massage your body with the biosphere. Your body will love it."

I know I want this challenge to be about summer and getting more in touch with my primal self (this includes movements, diet, rest, etc.) as well as my spiritual self. I'll get my goals figured out and add them in later. For now... an infographic to serve as the rough draft of my challenge:

The last challenge was challenged by deadlines and a lot of travelling for different reasons. This excursion is threatened by heat (too hot to run!) and the easy summer life (hello drinks with friends! hello lazy evening at the river!), but with a bit of discipline it should be easy to avoid these traps. Run 15 km a week. Obtain 15 points from bodyweight exercises. Every 10 Burpees adds 1 extra point Every 20 Situps/Squats/PushUps/Leg lever/mountain climbers adds another extra point Study write 6 pages for a thesis. learn 30 min french a week.

Bro's and Swolemaidens, Its been too long. And I need to awaken from my Br0din sleep. When you last saw your lifting god in action, I was adjusting to a new boss, new work internet restrictions and figuring out tapatalk (why do I keep getting unsubscribed from treads!!!!) In the last 6 weeks: 1. supported the wife in her whole 30 quest. Cooking was fun, food tasty, but I stalled my weight loss cause I didn't count cals, because I didn't want to stress her out. Turns out she didn't whole 30 almost perfectly. 2. A coworker past away. Being the good guy I am, I volunteered to come in to work 2 hours earlier (that's 4AM now) to help cover his shift until new people can be hired and trained. 3. A manager asked me if I was interested in a position that he was trying to hire for the last 3 months. I think I'm a shoe in for it, but patience is a virtue. 4. 5-3-1 has been very successful for my bench strength. I don't mean to brag, but I got new PR's of 5@290lbs and 3@315. So, now to the future. 1. Count all the cals so I can get down to 205. (today, I'm at 217.4, but was at 212 10 days ago) 2. Continue 5-3-1 for bench. Be awesome. 3. Get Tan. stop looking like this: and start looking like this: So, shirt off tanning oil on, and play my stupid phone game out in the sun. 4. troll @Flex Luthor as every opportunity presents itself. 5. get sleep, don't be afraid to take a day off from the gym Yeah, your right. Sleep when your dead. Gym now.

Well, on one side, I thought there was a 2 week pause, and secondly I'm still working on the same goals than last challenge, so this one is going to be pretty similar to the other. Except this time I'm going to be AWESOME. Keep enjoying the summer. Take it seriously, really, there won't be another summer until next year. Keep on planning and doing activities that I could not do during school time or in winter weather. Meditate. At around 11 am. Try to make it every day. Really, it's good for you. Yes, it's good. GOOD. Did I mention it's good? 30 DAYS IN A ROW!!!! GOAL ACCOMPLISHED!! Move. I've been slacking on this because of the high temperatures, but now that we're back to the usual 35-38 ºC I can go back on track. 20 minutes of cardio activity (almost) everyday. By cardio I mean hiking, walking, biking, tap dancing or C25K, not crazy cardio. Random choice. Work out 2-3 times a week. Bodyweight strength training with some dumbbells if needed + 10 minuts of mobility work. Please, please, do that damn first push-up once and for all. I've been dreaming about opening that thread on the Woot room for too long... Eat right. Substitute sugary things or bread for fruit during 3 weeks. Fix things gradually. Start with breakfast. Next 3 weeks cut a bit on fruit to return to normal non-hiperinsulinemic state. Select new recipes for breakfast and try them during a whole week. Recipes must be rich in protein and fat to be satiating. See how much it improves sugar cravings through the day. Eat more fat. Fat everywhere. Take a spoonful of coconut oil everyday (besides the usual fat intake). Music practice and stage fright. Go from 6 segments of practice to 15-18 8-10 and get “Winter spirits†ready to be listened by fellows nerdfitnessers. WINTER SPIRITS UPLOADED TO SOUNDCLOUD!!! GOAL ACCOMPLISHED!! Add 1 segment every 3-4 days. Be sure I work enough in the piece and not get caught in technique (yes, I like technique, I am that weird). Don't skip the breaks. Instead leave the flute and squat, stretch, breath, drink some water or stroke the cat. And what about anxiety? Anxiety is rather well right now. Of course it's summer and that makes everything easier because there are no time restrictions whatsoever. Anyway, I'm preparing for the winter, so I'll keep on doing my regular exercises such as breathing, relaxation, affirmations, and taking my supplements. Not appearing here as a goal doesn't mean it's not important, but I think I have good habits right now and it won't be difficult to keep them during the holidays. When this challenge is over it will almost be school time again and I'll have to refocus on it, but it's ok right now. To improve my commitment with all these goals, all my tasks driving to them are now at habitrpg. I've created a little zenLara that is already at level 5 and has a white wolf cub. I don't want her to die, I want her to level up, I'll do my best. Points: Summer. Máx. 2 WIS points. Meditate. Máx. 3 WIS points. Move. Máx. 2 STR points, 2 STA points and 1 extra STR point if I get to do the push-up. Eat. Máx. 2 CON points. Music. Máx. 1 DEX, 1 WIS, 1 CHA.

My ultimate goal is to fit comfortably into UK size 14 trousers. To do that, I need to drop a dress size and I want to do this by losing fat. I feel like I've got a good grip on workouts and food / diet so this challenge is about getting through a stressful time at work by looking after myself and really making me the best sozzielou I can be. 1. Bikini rebellion! CON+1 WIS+2 CHA+2 The #bikinirebellion is a free course by Neghar Fonooni which works on both mind and body. I'll be immersing myself in it and completing the instagram challenges. A = Completed all the days B = Missed a couple of days C = Did the majority of days F = Didn't really keep up with it. 2. Canada! WIS+2 CHA+3 I'm going to be visiting my BFF in Canada this August, so lots of things need planning! A = All planned and paid for B = Mostly sorted, forgot something small C = OK but forgot something fundamental F = Never made it to Canada 3. ACV! CON+2 CHA+2 STA+1 I've heard many great things about apple cider vinegar, so, having weighed up the pros and cons, I've decided to try it out. My goal is to have 10ml diluted in a glass of water twice per day. I'm treating this like a 30-day hard hat challenge for the whole of the 6 weeks. Pass = Never miss 2 days in a row Fail = Miss 2 or more days in a row.

Welcome back to everyone who's been following me before For new readers, I'm an amateur gymnast and weightlifter from the UK, and I also do climbing and slacklining and any other random things that catch my wandering attention... Last challenge I set myself a huge checklist of strength and skill goals, and completed a modest number of these items. I also got quite frustrated and bored with chasing PRs all the time, and decided that my for this challenge I would have more of a process-based approach. So this challenge, I'm working on goals that will not have much immediate gain, but will make me prepare me well to do cool things in the future. Challenge #1: strength preparation: I've picked a few very difficult skills that I'd like to master one day, but are much too difficult to manage them in a single challenge. My goal is to work towards each of these so that in a few months or years, I might be able to do them! For each skill, I have a list of exercises to do each week. My plan is to do these, plus a similar amount of other exercises that will advance me towards this goal: (1) Manna (now: can almost hold an L-sit) 60 seconds L-sit (or seated advanced tuck hold) broken into as many sets as necessaryhamstring stretches (on two separate days)Other useful exercises will include: core exercises (2) Iron Cross (now: very good at ring dips, can't hold any form of front/back lever) 3-sets to failure of Bulgarian ring dips (in L-sit if possible) (at least 10 reps total)to strengthen bicep tendons - 1 set extreme-RoM pec flys OR 3 solid attempts at tucked back leverOther useful exercises will include: chair-assisted iron cross; partial-RoM iron cross; deadlift to strengthen bicep tendon; ring pec flys (on my knees) (3) 1-arm chin-up (now: can do a weighted pull-up with +25kg added) 3 sets to failure of either weighted pull-ups, archer ring rows, or 1-handed rowsOther useful exercises will include: partial-RoM archer pull-ups Scoring for this: each week I have six things to do: manna exercisesmanna extrasiron cross exercisesiron cross extras1APU exercises1APU extrasIf I do the following I get stat points: 3 of these: +0.25 CHA4 of these: +0.25 CHA & +0.25 STR5 of these: +0.25 CHA & +0.50 STR6 of these: +0.50 CHA & +0.50 STRTotal available: +3.00 STR & +3.00 CHA Challenge #2: hand balancing: It's finally warm outside again, so I want to get back into training handstands and other sorts of hand balancing. Last summer I worked a lot on handstands and eventually managed a 10-second freestanding handstand. I got a video of my progress up to this point: The handstands always involved a lot of walking on my hands to keep balance, so my emphasis now is to get better at static handstands. I also want to practise: crow posecrow pose to handstandhandstand against wallcartwheelskick-up with left leg to handstanddrills for good body positiontuck and straddle entry to handstandEach week I'll get +0.25 DEX for practising enough and +0.25 DEX for practising different things to what I'm used to (so I learn, rather than just drill the same things). If I get at least +2.00 DEX then I'll award myself +1.00 STA as well. Total available: +3.00 DEX & +1.00 STA Challenge #3: driver's licence: simple "life" goal here to stop me from procrastinating: study for and pass my driver's theory test (UK). The test should be easy, but I need to take a proper look at the material for anything I don't know, and book a test. +1.00 WIS Challenge #4: intermittent fasting: I've had mixed thoughts about intermittent fasting (where you fast for a large proportion of the day to keep your body in "rebuilding mode" for as long as possible, and then have your calories during the rest of the time). I tried this last year by occasionally taking large evening meal and fasting until the following afternoon, but I didn't like that much. This challenge I'm going to investigate having a regular fasting schedule for an entire week (not yet sure of the protocol) to see how my body responds to this sort of rhythm. +2.00 CON Challenge #5: understanding Spanish: last challenge I practised speaking lots (and probably will continue this challenge) but felt I needed to work on vocab. I also found that listening to the news on the radio is too difficult. Therefore this challenge I'll do each of the following each week:add 50 Spanish words/phrases to Mnemosyne (a spaced-repetition vocabulary-learning software) and keep up with this traininglisten for 30 minutes to something in Spanish that's easier than the newsI get the following stat points for each: 3 weeks: +0.25 WIS4 weeks: +0.50 WIS5 weeks: +0.75 WIS6 weeks: +1.00 WISTotal available: +2.00 WIS I look forward to the challenge, and to seeing what everyone else is up to this challenge! Good luck ~~ CHALLENGE LOGS ~~ Manna (core): +++_++Manna (ham1): ++++++Manna (ham2): +++_++Manna (extra): +++_++ Iron Cross (dips): ++++_+ Iron Cross (bicep): +_++_+Iron Cross (extra): +_++++ 1-arm PU (plan): +_++_+ 1-arm PU (extra): +++++_ Handstands/vol: +_++__ Handstands/new: ++++++ Spanish - mnemo: ______ Spanish - listen: ______ Driving theory: will not complete IF week: completed a week of overnight 14-hour fasts (on average) (Friday 1st May - Friday 8th May)

Wild Colonial Grrl who is becoming Batgirl is still Rehabilitating as Oracle whilst finding and setting up a new Batcave! Here's the back story... Been living in my parent's house for nearly 3 years caring for my Grandmother whilst they live out a dream and travel around Australia in a Winnebago. Now they are back and I am preparing to move out. 113 days ago I was practicing TKD sparring and blocked a black belt's kick on a funny angle and got three injuries for the price of one: broken radius, wrist capsule sprain and ongoing thumb joint arthritic flare up from a misaligned joint that I wouldn't have known was a problem for 10-20 years otherwise. I put on a bit of weight again during this and struggled with my emotional well being. I want to be Batgirl by the time I am 40. Today I have 317 days remaining of Project 365... It doesn't feel like I'm getting far yet. Ongoing stuff I live with is chronic but well controlled asthma, severe arthritis under the L kneecap (wearing the bones away slowly from a dislocation many years ago) and a tendency towards anxiety and depression that I am getting better at catching early to medicate appropriately. I don't like change, I don't like that currently I am sharing my living space with my parents although we are doing ok so far, moving is stressful, end of the work year is stressful, having a bung wrist is stressful and I need to manage these things without eating all the chocolate and white flour carbs as well as finding a healthy medium through xmas parties and start of summer BBQs. Soon I will try the Donkey Kong method of planning for these things - Barrel (prob): Jump/Smash (strategies) - stay tuned! Epic goal: fit by 40 (be the batgirl) Challenge goal: Get moved and give myself a better Batcave for the future... Or something like that and keep healthy/sane(ish) along the way. Exercise: I used to do TKD and PT sessions twice a week and yoga: 2 cardio, 2 strength, 1 stretch. I am slowly getting some of those back and walking most days for at least 30mins.Through disruptions of moving and approaching xmas I will - walk at least 5 days per week. Do 1 cardio TKD or park run per week, and 4+ strength and stretching sessions over the 6 weeks. Rehab: Do as told! New instructions will be given on Monday and a new splint... Will fill in current details then.Week 1-4 wear new brace, do stretching and and strengthening exercises. Then see therapist again for next step... Well being: Awareness... Diet may come into this - have I made myself feel unwell, if so how?*do positive things that help my sense of well being* note what feels better and worse... I know that's a bit vague... Umm... Will note daily physical and emotional state and what has helped or hindered. The move:Started this Thursday of last week... Found and have applied for 3 new places. Will see how they go, then move to next step... Will set weekly tasks based on stage of process. Week 1:Find suitable homes Visit houses Get application forms Fill out application forms Apply and breath (repeat 1 -5 as required)Already doing step 5 for the first time, so may have a new set soon... Really, I"m doing this anyhow. It is not a challenge. Getting rid of stuff as I move is a challenge. I need to declutter in this move... I was thinking week 1 - 1 item per day, week 2 - 2 per day and so on. This gives me 147 items i needs to remove from my life by the end of challenge. I am going to round this up to 150 items in total and get at it! It's kind of a weird challenge... and may need some refining later... but it's something to keep me in the game with the aim to Level Up my life by the end of it.

We interrupt this previously scheduled program with an adventure on the high seas!! (Part A) Our summer challenge opens with our hero lying, soaken and shivering, on the wooden deck of a ship heading away from the realm of the recently-defeated Frostking. The lump on the back of her head and resulting head-ache leave her confused and disoriented. The rolling of the ship doesn't contribute positively to her general altertness or ability to engage in witty reparte either when the ship's captain notices her beginning to stir painfully. "Oh, good. I was beginning to think that we'd made a bad investment," a burled tenor carried to Chris' ears over the crash of waves against wooden planking and the screams of gulls overhead. "Investment?" Chris croaked, feeling the back of her head gingerly. It seemed more or less intact, although her hand came back covered with a mix of blood and salt water. "Aye, lass. We paid good coin for you based on your reputation." "Reputation?" Chris frowned, vexed at her inability to do anything more complex than echo the man's comments. The black-clad man at the wheel smiled at her a moment before concentrating back on a point on the horizon. "Aye. You're said to be a reasonably good fighter as well as a good cook, when you take the time to bother. As it happens, we have need of both since a recent .... encounter .... left us a hand short." Chris glanced at the man and suppressed an obvious response since the man was handling the wheel with one hand and a silver hook. She had no doubt he would not find her observations amusing, but she was glad to note that her own brain seemed to be resuming its irreverent, agile, and quirky line of thought. "What makes you think I'll do either for you?" Chris got carefully to her feet and quickly grabbed the railing next to her as the ship shifted beneath her. The captain's smile was indulgent as he responded, "Because if you don't give me your word that you'll do so, you will spend the next six weeks below decks, chained to the bulkhead." He looked her confidently in the eyes for a moment. "That's why." "I could give you my word and then break it." Chris responded, shivering. She was soaking wet, no doubt from having made the passage to the ship on the floor of a leaky dingy, and the air this far north was still very cold. "As I said ... you have a reputation." The man shrugged negligently. "Either way, you'll be going nowhere for a few weeks. And if you want to eat something other than hard tack, you'll have to cook it. No one else on this boat can manage anything other than grilled fish .... and they cook it like it was damned." Seeing Chris' frown of confusion he added, "burned .... to a crisp. So, unless you like charcoal, you'd best take up the chore until we make port." Looking wistfully at the quickly retreating shore, Chris ventured the important question, "And where IS port?" "None of your concern, miss. You'll find out when we get there. In the meanwhile, I suggest you spend the time convincing me that I didn't make a mistake in taking you on. If you prove useless, you'll be on the slave block when we arrive. I can't afford to carry cargo that doesn't help pay its way .... one way or the other. So ..... " he looked Chris-Tien over as she trying - unsuccessfully - to let go of the support to stand on her own. " .... today, get your sea legs and find something dry to wear. We have enough fresh food in stores to get us by for a day. Tomorrow, you can decide how you want to spend the rest of this voyage." Raising his voice, the captain called for his first mate, "Mr. Smeed!!! Get Miss Jinn here something suitable to wear and a hammock out of the way of the rest of the crew. And then show her where the galley is." Plans for my summer have been changed and then waylaid and then put through a blender. Unfortunately, I don't think they'll end up served over ice with a nice umbrella. I'll be filling in for an office manager at the university while hubby continues to job hunt. (He does have a nice opportunity, but I've learned not to get my hopes up.) Hence, the pirate theme. Plus it just sounded like so much fun. Turn lemons into lemonade .... or maybe a nice rum punch .... and enjoy having no idea where the trades will take us so long as there is promise of gold at the end!!! Ultimate main goal of the challenge: continue to reduce body fat % ... down to under 34% Contributing goals: 1) (Fitness) "You're more active than most of the women I know!" (2 STA, 1 STR) a - 10,000 steps per day - running or walking. Does not require being chased by anything. b - FitDeck workouts 3 x per week Grading: 1 point each per day. Ideal points per week = 10; per challenge = 60. 2) (Nutrition) Enjoy the fruits of the islands (3 CON) I will get points for protein sources, fruits, and veggies. Subtract points for sweets, alcohol, and refined carbs. (Corn counts as a vegetable during the summer!!!) I'm going to remain neutral on sauces to see how the summer stacks up this way. Grading: 1 point per serving, positive or negative. Let's call the ideal day = 10; week = 70; challenge = 420 3) "All hands on deck!!" (2 WIS, 1 CHA) Do at least one of the summer activities (see below)* AND enjoy the back deck daily. Grading: 1 point per activity and one point for deck time per day. Ideal per week =14; per challenge = 84. 4) "Were there monkeys? Some terrifying space monkeys maybe got loose?" (3 WIS) Spend an hour each day jettisoning excess cargo and organizing what's left. We may be packing and moving by August if hubby's tentative offer actually comes through. Grading = 1 point per hour. Ideal per week is 7; per challenge = 42. 5) "I was learning to fence, fight, anything anyone would teach me." (1 WIS, 1 DEX, 1 CHA) Spend an hour learning something or taking a class. Grading = 1 point per hour. Ideal per week is 7; per challenge = 42. Points allocation at the end will be based on the unofficial, extended stats points system: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AoRugFL8_cvBdF9DOWI3MGlaRTRSRDhsS0RsRDR6Z1E&usp=drive_web#gid=0 SHORE LEAVE There are days when summer should be savored, and I claim leave to enjoy days or situations: ⦠June 9 - driving back from having braces tightened. Ice cream may be the only thing I can eat. And rum. ⦠June 11 - 13 - conference with my daughter. No rum. Maybe strawberry magaritas. ⦠July 4th - a national holiday in the USA. I will enjoy it - hopefully with a pirate theme. Rum and a luau spring to mind. Perhaps something from this list appeals: http://drinks.seriouseats.com/2011/10/cocktail-101-five-essential-rum-cocktails-mojito-daiquiri-planters-punch-hurricane-mai-tai.html * Summer activities 1. Summer run playlist(s) 2. Finish a book 3. Geocache 4. Garden and landscaping 5. Kayak 6. Hike 7. Rock climbing (indoors) 8. Swim laps 9. Attend a major league baseball game (beer and hotdogs permitted) 10. Attend a minor league baseball game (ditto) 11. Eat sm'ores 12. Have a cookout 13. Have a picnic 14. Attend a parade 15. Rotary Gardens 16. Do a charity run/walk (June 28) 17. Do a 5K fun run 18. Camping 19. Fishing 20. Watch a drive-in movie 21. Watch a summer blockbuster 22. Manicure 23. Pedicure 24. Attend a festival, cookout, barbecue, fair, etc. 25. Watch the World Cup matches - beer and hot dogs .... or rum and hot dogs ....... permitted So .... if you followed all the way to the bottom, congrats. You should have the OCD checked, mate. But if you continue to hang out here, I hope you will have more story to read, more gifs and pirate movie references to savor, and plenty of motivation to encourage you to go out and seek your own fortune - for the greatest treasure in the world is good health. Oh, and family. And a nice MLT sandwich. And the spreadsheet for the summer challenges is at: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13-GqbbM6m8EROAeAkA7RJx-fDTyW5jRvrGHJJcPVBcU/edit#gid=858398765 Assassins Mini-Challenges: Week 1: +1 Dex Week 2: Forgot about it! Week 3:

2014 Scout Summer Solstice run sign-up sheet Northern Hemisphere Version The Summer Solstice (longest day of the year) is approaching. In fact, it's a week away, and with a long-arse day like that there's bound to be at least some time in there to fit in a 5k run. This mini challenge is for people to pledge to do at least a 5k run on Saturday 21 June at any time of day. Since it will be the longest day of the year, let's all wear some yellow on us, that being the colour of the sun. Southern Hemisphere Version The Winter Solstice (shortest day of the year) is approaching. In fact, it's a week away, and with a long-arse night like that there's bound to be at least some time in there to fit in a 5k night-time run. This mini challenge is for people to pledge to do at least a 5k run on Saturday 21 June at any time of day. Since it will be the shortest day of the year, let's all wear some yellow on us, that being the colour of the snow you're not suppose to eat. Equator Version It will probably be hot again on Saturday. Sod it, let's all run. In yellow because it is the colour of yellow things. (Don't worry about the movie reference in the title, Zooey Deschanel masks and whimsical demeanours are strictly optional at this event)

I actually made some good measurable, visible progress last challenge, so I want to keep the momentum going this summer. However, after 14 challenges, I've noticed that I tend to lose some focus/drive after about 3-4 weeks. I always try to finish each challenge because I'm tenacious like that, but for the next 3 months, I'm going set goals in 4 week increments. I don't consider myself officially entered in this 6 week challenge, so I don't know if I'll be updating this thread a bunch, but you can follow my daily adventures in my battle log. I'll be keeping my eye on all of my fellow Rangers and other Rebel friends. Good luck to us all!

Aaaand I'm back. Well, I was always around, lurking/creepin' on the forums and dutifully reading my biweekly NF emails, so let's say I'm back and actively participating. So, let's get down to business, shall we? Main Quest: To lose 10 pounds and/or 5% bodyfat. Bikini season is soon upon us, ya'll. SUMMER IS COMING! Current stats: 142 lbs, 28% body fat, 5'5", single white female (j/k j/k). How to do it? 1) Ketosis. Can I get an "Amen"? I'm pretty much in love with the ketogenic diet. After going full paleo since the beginning of the year, I started playing with ketosis for a month now and love my results. I've been following a "paleo" version of it, so no dairy but lots of coconut and olive oil, fish, fatty grass-fed goodness (I'm salivating), etc. I'll follow a paleo-ketogenic diet 97%. By 97% I mean, one "off" meal a week that will probably throw me out of ketosis, but it better be so worth it. I've tried having "weekends off" or even one "off" day a week, but have found that my weight jumps up 5 pounds, then takes all week to get back to my pre-cheat-day weight. Yes, I do weigh myself everyday. Yes, I know doing that doesn't give me the most accurate information about true weight loss. But I like to start my day off knowing I'm making progress, cos usually it's a good number. So anyway, paleo-keto 97% of the time. I'll be tracking my macros and calories on myfitnesspal, aiming for 1400 calories a day (this is surprisingly hard for me to hit. I find myself eating coconut oil off a spoon sometimes to get that high). 2) Drink a gallon of water a day. A ketogenic diet is naturally diuretic, so keeping a close eye on hydration is key. I know I don't drink enough water daily. After I left my water bottle at a doctor's office a few weeks ago, I've haven't been putting effort into my water intake. 3) Follow Barbell Battalion Lvl 1 Started this last week and am OBSESSED with the barbell! So basically for this challenge I'll be at the gym 3x/week following the workout plan. Gotta get dem stallion legs. Motivation: Again, SUMMER IS COMING! More specifically, I'm taking a river trip down in Austin in June with a huge group of folks. I want to look hella good in that new bikini I'm going to get myself when this challenge is complete. #epicloot

So I'm off to Serifos in late October 2014. My goal is to lose as much weight as possible, but sensibly, between now and then...but also changing general lifestyle. Anyway, I'm currently 5'6 and am a size 20-22 (UK), depending on what style of clothing I'm wearing. Today I needed to get a nice summer outfit that would be a goal to fit into. Here it is: From Tesco, so not expensive. The top is loose and will have a tanktop with it eventually. It's a size 14. The shorts are a size 14. 22 to size 14 is a lot... but I tried them on earlier and, surprisingly, there is only 3 inches that I need to loose before I'll be able to wear these with the button done up. So I think that's pretty attainable. I had two books arrive today (Paleo food book, and a Primal Blueprint book), as well as 20-min workout DVD that only cost £5. So I am keeping motivated, for now. Long may it continue!! Night all Bluehorn out.

"Well well well, what do we have here, an AWOL ODST trooper returning back to Firebase Alpha." This is my quiet little re-entry back in to the world of Nerd Fitness, proper strength training, the Warriors Guild and finding an income. I'll try to stick by the challenge script. For a bit of a background, as of the 18th of Sept, I'll have been without employment for a whole 365, an achievement which hasn't appeared on my XBOX, gone through the drag of 6 months of failed job applications and interviews and of not having daily objectives to achieve, went back to university to start a Masters in Project Management and now I need to hit the streets again and get out of this (more on that later). Even without work life has been hectic: I've planted a church with some good friends in a close by city, have played my first season of soccer since I was 6, (Regular season Wins:2 Draws:2 Losses: 14) Go Citylife FC! Have limited my own training by bungling up my shoulder nicely. Have started training a younger guy in the Ways of the Warrior out of my garage. Challenge main quest: Back to basics 1. Regular garage strength training 3x a week, rehab permitting 2. Run 2x a week, LSD or sprint sessions, to be tracked and posted here. 3. Rugby skills every week. Challenge life quest: Get an Income 1. Find employment via the traditional methods regularly, apply for 5 jobs per week If any are available. 2. Cold call 10 companies, either phone, face to face or email. 3. Complete initial market research for start-up. Challenge side quest: Shoulder wellness Shoulder hasn't been fully functional in a long time. Exacerbated the problem about 6 months ago, went from impingement on any over hand vertical pull, pull ups, lat pull downs, to being unable to bench, OHP, hold my arm out horizontal. Finally sucked it up and went to the docs, initial assessment was an inflammation of the supraspinatus tendon. Ultrasound shows an impingement. Recovery: 10 days of anti inflammatory tables as provided by the doc. Steroid injection scheduled for this Thurs, 48 hours without any resistance after that. Build up shoulder from the ground up, rotator cuff health. More later Peace

So! It's that time again, already. I was going to name this challenge "Mir gets jacked and swole" but Bigm came up with this in chat and I thought it sounded more awesomer. Goals! 1. Eat to perform (I think) - doing some research on this now and this weekend. No more cutting. I realized that it will be easier for me to cut and actually have some success if I build MOAR muscles. So, that's the plan. Grading scheme and stats to come. (+2 CHA for dem gunz and dat ass) 2. Pick that shit up, dammit - I want a 200# deadlift. I've been wanting it for over a year, and I think I'm getting close. At SSS, I *almost* had 185, and yesterday I did 145 for 10. According to ExRx, my current 1RM is 193. If I'm eating right, I think this should be doable. (+4 STR) 200+ = A195+ = B190+ = C185+ = Dless than 185 = F(side note: does this sound reasonable?) Get that goddamned pullup - yep. Bringing this one back. I'm so close. And I'm doing a LOT more pulling work (and just ordered a pullup bar to grease the groove at home) so I really think this is possible. I just remembered that I have some resistance bands at home, and I was able to do 3 pullups (2 with black band, 1 with blue band, not consecutive, on I-bar which OW! hurt my hands). So let's shoot for the stars, shall we? 2+ consecutive pullups = A2 non-consecutive (but within a short span) = B1 pullup = Cnose to bar = Dno progress = F 3. Booze goal. Same as last challenge. None during the week. BUT! This time. I'm making it a goal I'm almost certain to fail - because I'm adding the caveat that I do not drink more than my husband. I believe this will be graded subjectively. (+5 CON) 4. Gah life goal. Gah why do I suck at life. I have so many things I need to work on, I can't decide. I have options of showering every morning before work, spending time with Mr. MirGSS, remembering to take meds every day, cleaning house, doing yardwork...ugh. I will decide later. Need MOAR coffee. UPDATED 4. GO TO WORK EVERY DAY. Every day. I mean, every day that I'm scheduled to. Yup. This one is going to suck and probably be a large fail. Graded on percentage of days I make it to work. (+4 WIS) EDIT! Changed up life goal because this is what I said I was going to do for this challenge like a week ago and I kind of forgot until just now. Also made pullup and DL one goal because I wanted to add in something else which I forget what that is right now. I may make it either water or running. EDIT #2! I remembered I wanted a booze goal redux. Sigh. Why do I do these things that make me cry.

Eth's Challenge #7 Eth Stands the Heat and Stays in the Kitchen Hello again, fellow Rangers! I'm back for my seventh (wow, really, seventh?) six-week challenge. For those of you who don't know me, I'm Eth, a 26-year-old male software developer based in (or very near) Atlanta. With the beginning of summer (here in the Northern Hemisphere, anyway) taking place during this challenge, the theme of these goals will have a little something to do with that. Goal #1: These Plates are Hot (+3 STR) This is all about continuing to hit my targets on the 5/3/1 plan. I think it'll go a bit better this challenge than it did last time (especially if, y'know, I don't get hurt again) because I'm not trying to cram two four-week cycles into five weeks. Like last time, I'll be grading each of the big 4 lifts separately and taking the average to get the overall goal grade. A: Hit all cycle 5 targets during weeks 1 and 2 of the challenge. Hit all cycle 6 targets during weeks 4, 5, and 6, and go beyond the minimum number of reps for the final work set at least once during the cycle. B: Hit all cycle 5 targets during weeks 1 and 2 of the challenge. Hit all cycle 6 targets during weeks 4, 5, and 6. C: Hit all cycle 5 targets during weeks 1 and 2 of the challenge, but miss at least one cycle 6 target. D: Fail to hit all cycle 5 targets. Repeat cycle 5 during weeks 4, 5, and 6, and successfully hit targets then. F: Fail to hit all cycle 5 targets after repeating the cycle. The targets are: CYCLE 5 SQUAT BENCH DEAD OHPWeek 1 185x3 110x3 205x3 90x3Week 2 195x1 115x1 215x1 95x1CYCLE 6Week 4 185x5 110x5 200x5 85x5Week 5 195x3 115x3 215x3 90x3Week 6 205x1 120x1 225x1 95x1(All weights in pounds. Because of the way the math works, the OHP targets are the same for both cycles. Week 3 is a deload week.) Goal #2: Burning Up the Pavement (+4 STA) I have two races scheduled during this challenge. The first, a 4-mile race on June 15, will not be measured by this goal. It's really more of a warmup for the main event: the Atlanta tradition that is the Peachtree Road Race, a 10k that takes place on the morning of the 4th of July featuring me and 60,000 of my closest friends. I ran this race for the first time last year and finished in 1:13:20. This time, I want to break an hour. A: Finish in under 1:00 B: Finish in under 1:04 C: Finish in under 1:08 D: Finish in under 1:12 F: Finish with a time of 1:12 or greater I know I'm faster than I was last year, so I should have no excuse for not managing at least a C here, barring another injury. Goal #3: Heating Up the Kitchen (+4 CON) I'm stuck in a rut with my cooking. I keep making the same two or three things over and over, and I think I'm growing weary of it. Lately this has led to me eating out more (not necessarily always bad) and eating more fast food (definitely bad). Time to rein this in. This will be a two-pronged goal: - Cook 5 new recipes this challenge. - Limit myself to no more than 5 fast-food meals for the entire six-week challenge. For each one that I fall short by, I lose a letter grade, and I take the lower of the two grades. Thus, if I limit myself to only three fast-food meals, but I only cook three new recipes, I get a C. If I cook six new recipes, but I get fast food eight times, that's a D. Goal #4: I Gotta Cool Off (+1 STA, +1 DEX, +1 WIS, +1 CHA) The time has come to do something I've needed to do my entire life: learn to swim. I'm not talking competitively or anything here, just "be able to go out into the lake without drowning" swim. This one is pretty much a pass-or-fail goal: can I successfully stay afloat in a body of water more than five feet deep?

Here is my abbreviated story: Mildly overweight my whole life - Got married - Got pregnant - BAM! Officially Fat (162lbs - 207lbs) My husband and I want to start trying again in September, so I'm trying to lose as much body fat/weight as I can by that point. GOALS!! 1. SLEEP! My husband and I just joined a gym. We will be getting up "early" to go (aka a reasonable time according to the rest of the world). For that to happen I need to go to sleep at a reasonable time. Goal: In bed, asleep by 11pm Sunday - Thursday nights. Exception: Wednesday nights that I work (Every other week) (CON 2, WIS 1, CHA 1) 2. FOOD! My attitude toward food has been halting my progress. I'm in the process of figuring out my TDEE. I want to reduce my calories to equal weight loss of 1 lb per week. Otherwise I want to eat primarily veggies, meats, fruit, nuts and berries although I am allowing carbs and sweets in moderation. Goal: Eat within calories for 1lb weight loss per week (Estimated right now 2030/day, 14,210/week) Record in MyFitnessPal (CHA 2, WIS 1) 3. GET STRONG! I have been loving the results I am getting from the Beginners Body Weight Circuit. I want to add weight to my squats and dumbbell rows as well as continue to increase my push-ups. Best as of now: lifted 15lb with rows, 0lb extra with squats and 4.5 full push-ups Goal: Body Weight Circuit 3x a week. Increase weight for rows, squats 7 full push-ups in a row (STR 3, CHA 1) 4. HAVE FUN! Something I am loving about joining this gym is all the new ways I can exercise. It's actually fun to exercise again!! I want to keep that going. I want to try new stuff- classes, swimming laps, water aerobics, HIIT I'll be mixing this up with some old favorites - walk/run, hiking, yard work Don't count toward goal - cleaning, shopping Goal: 3-5 hours of moderate exercise per week. May include Body Weight Circuit (approx 75 min/week) (STA 1, DEX 1, CHA 1) MEASURING PROGRESS Weekly Weigh-ins on Wednesdays 3 and 6 week Measurements, BF% and Pictures Starting measurements in RED 3/22 4/19 5/6 5/24 Chest (38) 38 36 41 35.5 Waist (38) 37 36.5 36.5 37 Belly Button (43.5) 43 42 40 41.4 Hips (47) 45 44 44 43.5 Right Thigh (28.5) 28 27.5 27 27.5 Left Thigh (27.5) 27 26.5 26 27 Right Knee 18 18 17.5 17 Left Knee 18 18 17.5 17.25 Weight 197 193.6 194.4 194 Upper Arm Right 15 13.5 13.5 14.5 Left 15 13.5 13.5 14.25 Lower Arm Right 11.5 11 11 11.25 Left 11 11 11 11 I will post my body fat percentage in the next few days. I want to do it at home and get it done by the RN at the gym. This challenge ends at an opportune time since my husband and I are going on vacation right after this is over... I'm going to have to wear a bathing suit in front of a TON of family I haven't seen in a year... Great motivation.

Hi, there! New nerd here. My name is Sarah and I am 25 years old. Most of the time I feel much older than that, but let's be honest, in the not-so-distant future I will consider these years as some of the best in my life - if not the best. That's why I am doing this challenge - to continue to push myself in the hopes of unveiling a better understanding of myself and my purpose in life. There are two good, big things I have worked hard to achieve in my life: 1) My relationship with my boyfriend, Shelton, who loves and supports me unconditionally. 2) A fun job in a challenging industry where I feel constantly engaged. I feel like these are good, big things because they encompass two main things that people often search for: love and stability. I, myself, have searched for them in the past and through a series of rather interesting events, manifested both for myself. So, while I am fortunate to have these good, big things "figured out" (so to speak), I still feel the desire to live a fuller, healthier life. And that starts from within. All that being said, there is no doubt that my journey continues to evolve in life, and that in the process, I evolve as well. That's why I am proud to categorize myself as an Adventurer and take on this challenge. It comes at a rather serendipitous point in my development, as my life has often been measured in summers. And I'm really excited about this summer, because I finally feel the drive to reach a new level and to use the NerdFitness community to my advantage. So, without further adieu, here are my four goals for my inaugural Six Week Challenge and how I plan on holding myself accountable. sarahlp's Summer of Change Health Goals Go to one gym class a week. (Stamina 5)Currently I pay for a gym membership, but haven't used it in two months. This bothers me.My gym offers evening classes on weekdays and morning classes on Saturdays. I can make time to attend at least one.Accountability: Upon arriving at gym, I will tweet my thoughts/location/plan using the hashtag #summerofchange.UPDATE (6/12/13) - So... my gym is currently offering two classes right now: Yoga/Pilates @ 8:15 AM on Thursdays and Zumba on Tuesdays and Thursdays @ 6:30 PM. The Yoga class is out because of my 8-5 job and Tuesday nights are out because we joined a bowling league (so fun!). The counselor I'm working with only stays late on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I'm going to have to switch my Tuesday sessions with her to Thursdays now, and my ideal time to meet would be 6 PM. I don't really know how I'm gonna make this goal work, but it turns out the counselor and gym are on the same street, so maybe if I can meet the counselor at 5:30 PM I could make it to Zumba each week at 6:30 PM. Also... not to sound like Debbie Downer, but I really am not excited about Zumba at all. So, that doesn't exactly help my motivation. Has anyone been? Is it that bad?Be active three hours a week outdoors. (Dexterity 4)It's summer! My favorite season! I should spend more time outside sweating.Activities include: walking, jogging/running, swimming, playing with dog, etc.Accountability: As I play outside, I will Instagram/tweet pictures of fun things using hashtag #summerofchange.UPDATE (6/12/13) - I realized that I really don't like walking/jogging with my phone in hand. I also don't like slipping it in my waistband or bra, because then it gets all sweaty (cute, I know). I will keep myself accountable for this goal by logging my times in my Google Doc. That seems to be working much better! Also, who has time to Instagram when you're trying not to get run over by crazy people?Plan four healthy dinners a week, on Sundays. (Constitution 3)When dieting I have always been good about eating healthy snacks/meals during the day, but have to work extra hard when it comes to evening meals/snacking.Accountability: At the beginning of each week I will set out a dinner meal plan for the week, and post an update in this thread and on my personal blog, sweetandsavorylife.com.UPDATE (6/12/13) - I have decided I am taking a break from blogging and just focusing on the basics: me, my health, work, this challenge, etc. I will continue to post my meals weekly here though! Life Goal Begin attending weekly counseling sessions. (Wisdom 3)​This is personal need of mine, one that I really can't sum up in bullet points. At times I struggle greatly with keeping my emotions in check and in an effort to live a happier life I have decided to talk to a counselor to get a better understanding of my compulsions and feelings.My first appointment is set for June 18, with subsequent appointments to follow.Accountability: I don't plan on sharing with anyone really that I am doing this because it does feel so personal. But, I journal daily on my current emotional state, and as I learn things in my sessions I will share them here in this thread.***Extra measures of accountability: NerdFitness Challenge Tracker Google Doc. Feel free to take a look!*** Foreseen Obstacles to Overcome - Game Plan(s) Needed! Zac Brown Band Concert - 6/21Destin Trip - 6/29 to 7/5Coming Soon Current WeightPicturesOkay, guys and gals, I think that about sums me up for now! I really am so stoked about these upcoming weeks and can't wait to engage with this community! Rave on, Sarah

So, I was looking through pinterest, and this "June Abs Challenge" keeps popping up. Except it kind of sucks (200 situps by the last day? Not interested). So, two questions: 1. Does anyone know of a better "Abs Challenge"? 2. Who wants to join me?

To the San Francisco Bay Area Rebels: I scored an internship in Alameda for this summer, so I will be out in the Bay Area for all of June, all of July, and a very brief part of August. Yay me! But I know no one in California. No friends, no acquaintances, not even a good enemy to graciously welcome me with an easily foiled attempt on my life. This makes me sad. I would love to meet some Californian rebels while I'm out West. Any takers?