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Level 1 Boto Scout Stats Weight: 206.8 lbs Height: 5'8" Neck: 15" Waist: 42" Hip: 42" Upper Arm: 15" Thigh: 27" Chest: 43" Calf: 16" Forearm: 12" Daily Workout (non-challenge) Swim between 2000 - 3000 yards / meters depending on pool Workout sessions are comprised of a mixed batch warm up, middle distance sets, drill sets, sprint sets, and a cool down and typically last between 45 - 90 minutes. 6/7/2013 Workout Current Challenge Progress Goals Nutrition: Maintain a Veg-Centric Omnivore diet with as little processed food as possible, locally and sustainably for myself and for the environment. Fitness: Reclaim the ability to do almost anything. Life: Get out of debt; Travel anywhere, everywhere; Earn Master's Degree Thank you to wesb1898, Jonsey, and Kibcy for formatting ideas.

Those who have been following along will recall that I recently realized that attention deficit disorder (ADD) runs in my family and that there are many indications that I also struggle with ADD-typical behaviors, such as unreliable memory and concentration, impulse control, and difficulty managing emotions. I have decided not to pursue a formal diagnosis at this time, as I am not wanting to take medications. However, I do want to try some more holistic approaches to supporting my brain health and function. Interestingly, most of the demonstrably effective holistic approaches follow along the same lines of the general health prescription: exercise, get outside in green spaces, be mindful, reduce sugar, increase Omega-3 (and possibly other key minerals like iron, zinc, and magnesium). So why haven't these things worked in the past? I think I try to add too much all at once and it becomes too overwhelming (remember the emotional regulation issue?). Plus, I flit from solution to solution, but don't really build one cohesive plan out of all of it. Each challenge I try new things, and the previous challenge habits sort of evaporate. So this year, I am going to go slow. No, slower than that. I will start with only adding good habits -- not deleting bad ones -- for at least 5-6 months. I will have an actual plan for accumulating and integrating all the habits so I don't lose momentum. And most importantly, I am going to focus on nourishing my physical and mental health, rather than losing weight. If nourishment leads to weight loss, that's lovely, but it isn't the measure by which I will be judging success. Let's get started: Reflection The Bullet Journal has been wonderfully supportive, functioning as my external hard drive, keeping me focused and aiding my memory. This is a maintenance goal, but I am keeping it here so it doesn't wander off. Elemental Magic Spending time in the elements -- see what I did there? -- has been shown to increase concentration, memory, and impulse control. The goal is to smell the earth and feel the sun (fire)/rain (water) on my face and the wind in my hair. Every. Single. Day. The quantity of time doesn't matter right now; the biggest barrier is just putting my shoes on and going out. The only exceptions are violent weather --thunderstorms, flash floods, hurricanes -- or violent illness. Every day or violence. 😂 Mindfulness and Movement I find moving meditation the most palatable form of mindfulness, and I find it easiest to achieve in the water. The goal is to swim at least once a week, barring violence. More would be nice, but I need to start small in consideration of the obstacle of driving distance to the pool, which creates time availability issues. I can add yoga or maybe taekwondo forms practice in later challenges to have more accessible at-home mindfulness, but I don't want to add too much right now. Nourishment The goal is to start the day right by nourishing my body and brain. So the day begins with adequate protein for my weight, some complex carbs in any quantity, and an Omega-3 supplement. I am going to say it here so I remember: it's okay for food to go to crap after breakfast. It's okay to not create a caloric deficit. I don't have to have a whole salad or a giant bowl of oatmeal, just a little bit of fiber for practice. If I really need pancakes, I can have them at lunch. Just use my start-of-the-day energy to get breakfast right. The rest will come later. Thank you for checking in on me! 2024 is going to be our year of revolution!

TLDR: ⏹️ daily photograph of to-do-list (doing optional), ⏹️ daily 2L water, ⏹️⏹️ gym 2xweek. Long: I am keeping things relatively small this challenge, mostly wanting to get back in the habit of regular check-ins. Looks like I’ve been AWOL since Feb/March, so a brief update on the life stuff that’s happened since then/thereabouts. Health: I have been diagnosed with ADHD and been taking meds for it after coming off the old anxiety meds, they help very much and while I am the same person much is different about how I go about my day-to-day. While I still get RangerBrain(TM) it is now less fueled by chaos. Being hydrated is important for my meds to function correctly. The meds are still affecting my appetite but no longer to concerning levels, I am able to lose weight now (unclear if from new meds side effect or old meds had a sticky-weight side effect), and have been slowly trending down since March at a sustainable level. Once ‘healthy’ weight is reached I will have to take care to eat enough to maintain, and currently I have to take care that I eat enough nutritious food because I am full quickly. My shoulder is almost entirely healed, I cannot sleep on that side still, and I have to take care when doing things at extended range (outstretched) but otherwise close to ‘normal’ and no longer seeing the physio. My personal trainer sold his gym last month and moved interstate which is so sad (for me! He’s living his best life lol), so I have signed up for a ‘fitness passport’ which allows me access to lots of different gyms. I have specifically joined the one at my work, so I can prioritise working out when I am on campus. I may increase my in-office days to two this challenge, or I may find another closer-to-home gym to get my second weekly workout in, yet to be seen. Work& Study: I started a new job as a manager in HR in March. I like my team, they like me, it is going well. It is also one day in the office and the rest WFH which works very well for me. I have finished my permaculture design certificate, and cert 2 in Auslan, and am now taking a break from studying. Love & life: Mx and I are still going strong, semi-regular river walks and snorkeling when the weather permits. Mx has also been assessed for ADHD and will be starting meds soon. We have made some new friends with a couple and Mx plays magic with one of them one evening most weeks, we sometimes go birdwatching the four of us, and Mx is running a DnD campaign for the four of us plus Mx’s sister. For challenge purposes I will likely refer to them as BirdFriend (they/she/he), MagicFriend (he/him) and Sister-in-Law (she/her). Our decade long campaign is currently on hiatus as one of the members (Best Lady) is finishing her placement for speech pathology. Both cats Mischief and Mayhem are doing well, though Mischief still needs to lose some weight. CHALLENGE GOALS PROPER Goal the first: take a photo of my ‘do-to-menu’ each evening. I don’t have to do all the things on the list, I don’t have to share the photo with anyone, but I must take it. It is a modified version of the daily, weekly, monthly and seasonally lists from UFYH. Goal the second: Twice a week go to NewGym. This can be the gym at work, or any of the gyms that take the fitness passport. If I go Zumba-ing with Best Lady, this also counts. If I do a massive birdwatching walk, or a big snorkel/swim I may substitute for one gym sesh. Goal the third: drink 2L water each day. I have a cute water bottle with measurements on it and the weather is warming up, so this should be achievable. THAT’S IT! Looking forward to following along with old nerdfriends and new and wish you all the best for your respective challenges!

Salutations and good health! I am pleased to have found the Rebellion after mourning the decay of Fitocracy for many years. I have been doing some kind of fitness activity for the past 15 years, but as an overweight office worker it is easy for me to fall out of shape quickly. Recently, the romantic siren call of the Triathalon has caught my ears and I am toying with preparing for one. I've never done a Tri before, and the last time I buckled down and did a training plan (6 years ago) I ended up getting freaked out after getting kicked in the head at a lap swim and yelled at -- if I can't be brave in the pool, how would I withstand Lake Michigan!? But I am a mom now and have taught my daughter that being scared is part of being brave, and so I am ready to try this again. Only ... I don't have a swim suit. Or a bike. And I haven't run a mile all year. Last summer I ran with a friend, but we did slow-paced intervals and I want to be a 30 minute 5K gal. So I'm basically re-spawning. My challenges three are for each aspect of the Triathalon.... 1) Run a 13 minute mile (I know I need a 9:30 for my speed goal, but I can do speed work later) 2) Buy a swimsuit (anyone have a recommendation for large bellies and long torsos?) 3) Save $50/week ($250 total) toward a new bike Here's a picture of my secret possum scarf -- a very expensive silk vestment I purchased to enchant my work day. It is like a cloak of invisibility for anxiety. On the outside I look competent, but secretly I am a shrieking anxious possum. I'm ready to possum-shriek my way through a triathlon! Or at least through the first baby steps of training! My name is Aubrey, but y'all can call me Aubrazilla

Hi Everybody! I have been extremely lazy and gaining a lot of mass in my desk job. Back to work! To counter act this and reclaim the jeans -- size 14 baby, I shall do the following for the next 3 weeks as a start: Fit: Workout Every day Swim! Bright and Early at least 3x per week -- if stormy Row on the machine Good morning Strength Train at least 3x per week No VRV or Netflix until Strength Training is done Yoga at least 3x per week Must do Yoga before phone call with SO Walk 10,000 steps at least 3x per week No Internet browsing until steps are made Nutrition: Reduce Liquid Calories... again Black Coffee or just a bit of cream Drink More Tea La Croix instead of Mountain Dew or Coke Cola Maybe don't drink a beer or two everyday No beer/wine before life quest is done at the very least Life: Clean my apartment Sunday --> Meal Prep Monday --> Laundry Tuesday --> Kitchen Wednesday --> Vacuum Thursday --> Bathroom Friday --> Car Saturday --> Groceries Daily --> litter box & Dishes BONUS! Cook 80% of meals at home Savings from eating in go towards roof rack for my car Woo! Tracking

Get up at the same time each day Swim at least 3 times each week Practice eating to fullness, not stuffedness Bonus: Post about the stuff

>.> <.< Drink 1 gallon water Strength Train or Swim Practice Spanish

Hey Scouts! I took a long break with the Rangers while feeling very down and out about the job rut I was in. I have since acquired new employment, and will be moving this weekend. In the midst of all of the change, I am going to get back into my scouting roots. My scouting is a little different as a swimmer, but still aiming for distance while constantly adding improvement on speed Since this is about the 5th challenge of 2017, I think I might have a plan for success. By my count, there are 37 weeks left of 2017. By the end of the year my goals are: To be active for most of the day To kick my habit of buying and eating processed food To learn to relax and de-stress In order to get a little closer to those year goals, I am going to take a stab at the following for May: Swim 1 mile each day Aim for 30-minute mile by end of May Ditch my Starbucks Habit Stick with Homemade French Press and Home Cold Brew Practice Guitar daily Play Everything is Wonderful by Everclear to the end by the end of the month

I have been having trouble with keeping challenges going. Taking a simple tack for the moment and will aim for the following in the next 4 weeks: Daily Salad Daily Workout Daily Spanish

Coping with final Weeks... Better late than never...that has sadly become my motto over the last few months..6 1/2 months, to be exact... Anyhoo...I successfully completed the last 4WC (YAY!), and now for a new one... I ended the last Challenge with the Glucose Screen...and during the break, the results were "abnormal"...so I had to do the 3-hour Glucose Tolerance Test...it will probably come back "abnormal" as well...they have you drink 100 grams of pure glucose (sugar) within 5-10 minutes, then see how long it takes your body to process it. First of all, the stuff is NASTY!!! Second, I don't consume that much sugar in an entire day, much less all at once!! And to make matters worse, what passes for "medical professionalism" in the Navy skew their data criteria..according to the AMA (American Medical Association) and the ACOG (American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology) have "normal" range set as between 140 and 180 (blood glucose levels)...however, here, they say there is no "window"...it MUST be less than 120 to be considered "normal"!! So this may come back to bite my butt this Challenge, and I'll have to make some adjustments... This Challenge will be very similar to the last one...tracking my weight gain, being active, eating right, relaxing, and preparing for what is to come within the next 10 weeks (or so)...however, I'm adding drinking more water...I've noticed that I've been a little lax in that capacity, so I definitely need to work on that... I will also continue the same weekly increments I set up from my Lessons with Dr. Frankenstein 4WC at the start of the year, since those weekly increments keep me on track with my physical progressions. Although each of my weeks actually "start" on Wednesdays, I'll keep with the Sunday through Saturday schedule of the 4WC...so each of the 4 weeks will begin in one progression and end in the next...confused yet? I sure am... Once again, I'm not focusing on much of a theme...I don't have the time, and can't come up with one cute or clever enough... For now, I'm putting down some bare bones...I'll figure out grading scale (do or don't, pretty much), point allocations (based on new NF format), and rewards (besides getting healthier!) and add them in as necessary. I will try to update daily..hey, the key word here is "try"... Quest 1: Controlled Weight Gain... Although technically, I'm well under the "recommended" weight gain..(5 pounds in 29 weeks), but the Dr. says no worries...I'm healthy and the kid's healthy and that's what matters! However, I do need to make sure that I don't gain more than about 1 pound a week and definitely don't loose any, either!! So I'm just going to monitor my weight (which does fluctuate a bit due to occasional large meals and random bathroom inadequacies...) to make sure I don't gain too much too fast nor loose any. <1 point for each week on track> Week 29: 130.5 pounds Week 30: Week 31: Week 32: The Plan for Next Week: I'm going to weigh myself every morning when I get up...after I go to the bathroom (mainly cuz the kid ain't waiting for me!) and before I eat... Quest 2: Don't be a slug... As I get bigger, and the fatigue gets worse (and life gets in the way...), it would be easy to just be a bum and stay in a comfy position...However, that won't do me or the kid any good... I need to get up off my fat ass and do SOMETHING!! So, several things I had planned (hoped?) to do last Challenge didn't happen (or didn't happen as much as I would have liked...). However, some new things are coming about to make it easier to be more active... First of all, Bon O'Dori season is upon us..and once again I have signed up to participate! This will be my third (and final) year to do it (we will PCS before next Summer), so I'm going to take full advantage! Dance practice starts on the 14th, and will be every Tuesday, with performances in late July and August. This will be a once a week goal. <1 point> Second, the Outdoor Pool is now open on weekends, and will be open everyday starting on the 17th. This will (hopefully) inspire me to do better at my "Buoy Training"...I just hope they let me on the water slide! LOL! My goal here is to do this at least once a week. <1 point for each session> Last, but certainly not least, @Alexandrite sent me a great Prenatal Yoga video that she said did wonders for her! I plan to use it at least once a week! <1 point for each session> Last challenge, my goal was to clock at least 15 miles per week on my pedometer (non workout related), but I didn't do so well. It seems that using the handrail for balance (which becomes more and more "off" the bigger I get), or pushing a cart, or carrying something (a bag, arm purse, etc.) seems to keep my pedometer from registering those steps (my pedometer is part of my wrist watch). I've also noticed that when I'm sore or tired, my gait is a little off (I start to waddle more), which also throws off my pedometer... So this round, I may lower that goal to 10 miles per week (non-workout related), until I figure out how to account for all those steps my pedometer isn't counting... <1 point for 10 miles> So as it stands, I have three activity goals per week, plus 10 miles of "extra" walking on the pedometer...and of course there's always room for "extras", like outings, and I do want to work on doing my Belly Dance...I know it will be helpful in the weeks and months to come...I would like to at least try to do some modified Barre and Pilates, since they are both highly recommended. <1 point for each "extra"> Bon O'Dori Practice: <1 point each> Buoy Training: <1 point each> Prenatal Yoga: <1 point each> Extra: <1 point each> The Plan for Next Week: I'm going to attend the first Bon O'Dori Practice on Tuesday, do the Prenatal Yoga video, do Buoy Training (either at the indoor or outdoor gym), and keep up the pedometer tracking and extra walking. This Saturday, we have the JATA BBQ Party, so I figure between Friday and Saturday, I'll be doing a lot of moving and lifting! Quest 3: Necessities... As always, this one's easier said than done...I'm already pretty good about eating healthy and taking my meds with my meals...but I do forget sometimes...or I just don't want to eat when I'm feeling particularly queasy... And when I do eat, I can't eat much..no room with my tummy's downstairs neighbor vying for more living space! LOL! This may also get "evolved", depending on the Glucose Tolerance Test results... <1 point each day that meals and meds are covered> I need to increase my water...recommended is at least 64 oz per day...or 1/2 your body weight in ounces (which puts me currently at 65 1/4 oz). I do have limited precious space in my belly these days...so I may have some trouble getting all that water...much less increasing the amount as I gain weight!! My water bottle is my buddy...I carry it with me pretty much everywhere! It holds 20 oz, is very durable (metal) and keeps my water COLD!! So if I aim to drink three of them a day, that'll give my 60 oz of just water...I think that's pretty darn close enough (especially since we aren't counting tea, juice or milk...)! <1 point for 3 water bottles consumed (60 oz)> And speaking of the gizzard denizen...that's where sleep issues come into play as well...apparently my bedtime is it's party time!! Hell, lately, ALL the time is party time!! LOL!! We've been pretty lax about our bedtimes lately...especially during the week! So my goal is to go to bed at least 8 hours before I have to get up...so since the "regular" alarm goes off at 0600, I need to be in bed by 2200 (10 pm)...but I'm going to try to shoot for 2100 (9 pm), which will give me time to get into bed, situated and comfy (which gets more and more difficult as the days go by...)! <1 point for in bed no later than 8 hours before wake up/alarm> I've been OK about resting, putting my feet up and taking naps when I have the time...it does help...some. But I would like to get better about relaxing, resting and doing little things to pamper myself while I still can...like soaking in a tub, doing my nails, etc. <1 point each pampering activity> Food & Meds: <1 point each> 60+ oz of Water: <1 point each> 8-hour bedtime: <1 point each> Pampering: <1 point each> The Plan for Next Week: I'm going work on drinking more water, try to start fixing dinner earlier so I'm not eating so late, go to bed earlier each night (Hubby needs this one too!)...I will set my phone alarm to remind me when to start cooking dinner as well as gear for bed... I'm going to try to soak at least twice, and see if I can still reach my toes to give myself a pedicure (my toe nails are becoming talons!!)...and, of course, sit and rest with my feet up if I feel too tired or at least every evening after dinner to help reduce swelling in my feet and lower legs before I go to bed... Life Quest: The Clock is Ticking... Here's another repeat...and just like last Challenge, this one's interesting...this will include multiple aspects of preparation...laying the proverbial ground work so that either the action is one that can make life easier later or will provide proper information to be utilized at the appropriate time... One way to prepare is by registering for / taking a class, watching a video or reading a book/magazine/article about what's going on now, and how to prepare for what all happens in the coming stages! I do read the daily articles via the Baby Center and WTE apps on my iPad...but I'm not going to count each article, just that I've read them for the day. Maybe an "extra" point if I am able (and do) actively utilize the information. <1 point each "educational" activity> Another is meal prep...basically stocking the freezer with pre-prepared meals that are "heat and eat"...when I cook a meal that is freezer friendly, make a double or triple batch and freeze the extra for later. And since I cook healthy and from scratch, I know these will be exponentially better that what one might find in a store's freezer section!! I also means that when life gets painfully hectic (in more ways than one) once I get closer to the 40th weekly increment, I won't have to worry about cooking...or relying on Hubby's cooking! LOL! Towards the end of the last Challenge (end of May), our deep freezer had an "accident"...and we lost pretty much EVERYTHING...including ALL the pre-prepped freezer meals I had already done!! So, my ultimate goal is to have at least 30 pre-prepped freezer meals prior to Week 40...that's 10 meals per month (June, July and August)!! <1 point each meal prepped and in the freezer> One more preparation is in regards cleaning and organizing...We've got too much stuff here and our spare room is PACKED!! So for starters, I need to clear out clutter...sell, give away or trash what we don't need/want/love and ship home what we won't need in the next year. Next, organize the "stuff" we do need/use...especially the things that will be useful around the 40th weekly increment and after... I definitely got behind on this between the Freezer Fiascos and PCSing friends "gifting" what they couldn't (or didn't want to) take with them...so now I have even MORE to deal with!! <1 point for each decluttering/organizing activity> I still need to re-examine our budget (with Hubby) and plan for the upcoming expenses...and purchase what needs to be purchased in advance so it can be set up with time to spare before it becomes necessary...I like to have a little wiggle room (read relaxation) before the "have-tos" set in and take over! <1 point for each pertinent fiscal activity> ...and then there's the garden...this will be our last season in this house (PCS due by next Spring)...so I need to downsize what I've got. I also need to stay on top of my succession plantings and weeding so that by the time the 40th weekly increment comes along, it will be pretty much self-sustaining with minimal effort...just harvest and enjoy! And, like most everything else, I'm behind on... I may count the physical gardening as part of my activity "extra", and only the downsizing and organizing here...we'll see... <1 point each garden activity> Prep Work: <1 point each> The Plan for Next Week: There's still sooooo much to do!!! Take photos of stroller and model info... Follow up with company on the stroller/car seat research... Register for July Childbirth Class Confirm date and register for private Breastfeeding Class in July... Discuss and adjust budget with Hubby... Research Breastpumps... Order Breastpump... Add at least one Freezer Fodder Meal to the Weekly Menu... Finish Beef Bone Broth & Freeze... Package and Freeze Chicken Bone Broth... Clear off DR table from friends' PCS "gifting"... Remove JATA "Summer" party supplies & decor from storage room, distribute at BBQ, and trash what no one takes... Work in garden (doubles as activity)... Post sale items on Base Craigslist... Work in Project Room to clear some space... Work on Calendar Pages... Continue NF updates... Finish NF Character Sheet... Support the Assassin's Guild: ~ No Power In The 'Verse Can Stop Us ~ Mini Challenge I may not be as able-bodied as I used to be, but that doesn't matter...I'm here to support my guild!! This Mini's theme is Firefly..which is amuising since Hubby and I just started re-watching the show! LOL! These are always a do or don't, which includes posting and updates as necessary. I'm just hoping I can keep up!! So this week's mini is to choose berthing (sign the "crew" roster) and learn the ship's layout by wandering around (walk or run for a crew cumulative of 100 miles). That's easy enough...I don't know if I'll have the time to go for any formal walks (no way I can "run" while smuggling this beach ball! LOL!)...but I'm sure I can put a dent in the crews required mileage!l Welcome Abooard the Assassin's Pride! Week 1 Mini: Find a Berth and Settle In - Walk/Run: Week 2 Mini: #2: - Goal: Week 3 Mini: #3: - Goal: Week 4 Mini: #4: - Goal: Et Al... No PvPs or Accountabillibuddies, but I have been able to sign up for the Guild Mini this time!! I'm also going to try to be better at lurking, um, I mean, supporting...yeah, supporting Alexandrite and black_daquiri. They are great at giving me pointers and suggestions to help me along the path they have tread before me, I want to do my best to cheer them on as they go the road ahead! I also want to do a Weekly Inspiration...perhaps a little less Fibro, and more to remind me that all this "suffering" is worth it...

JUNE 2016 It's all about the suit. Though given my skill set is up there with Aquaman, I am pretty functionally useless, but I'll adapt. (not aiming for this suit, I just loved the art) Goal #1: Fit in the Suit Swim Suit Size Reduction --> 38 (May run into July Challenge). Currently I am in a size 40, the largest in competitive suit size to my knowledge. Do you know how hard it is to find a comfortable suit at this size? Nearly impossible. (I have given up caring on color -- I currently have a pink ,purple, and yellow suit because chlorine kills all color, and this was all I could find). So I want to whittle my way into a smaller suit size, mostly so I can find suits more easily. The other reason for this is that it is a good metric for taking mass out of the knee problem equation. Swim a lot --> 3 days (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) with masters at least, maybe 2 more sets on my own. Strength train regularly --> none of this I don't want to sweat today bull shit. 3 days (Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday) Eat well --> I am leaning more towards primal, but I am not a zealot about it. But primal meals are so much easier to throw together and just eat. It forms well with my lazy nature. However, I prefer heated up food, so I need some bread in my life when I work at the fish hatchery and do not have access to lunch heating devices and when we have eggs I only really have time to stuff a sandwich in my face between moving buckets around. I know, just use lettuce... no, I will not just use slimy lettuce where things fall everywhere and I need about a whole head of romaine and six chicken breasts to feel like I ate something. It takes too long and it is too expensive. Goal #2: Choose: Use Your Powers, or Try to Fit In? Be Outside It is already feeling like summer in southern AL. That means most days are about 35*C and 200% humidity (might be exaggerating on that humidity). Nevertheless, and despite Zika carrying mosquitoes that might whisk me away due to their massive size, I need to go outside more. In May, I moved quite a bit, but can I move more? I have much needed yard work to do. Once that is done, I can garden, read, grill, almost anything outside. We have a giant yard, but it looks more like a reclaimed forest that is inundated with mosquitoes. I am going to murder most of it just to destroy the prospering mosquito habitat. Then hammock stakes because there are no trees that are handily spaced apart for hammock stakes and a grill, and we should be good to go as far as relaxing and cooking and growing of food is concerned. Note to self: obtain sweet potato slips and chicken wire.... and squash and melon seeds. Goal #3: Know the Real Enemy Read All of the Things! With so much dead time at work for the time being, I have rediscovered reading. I missed it. I am going to institute a dedicated reading hour. This will not be during work, but I will continue to read when I have nothing to do for more than 2 minutes. It will help me unplug from my computer, which I lay or sit at too frequently and I get to learn new things, at least when I read scientific journals. Or relax and let my mind wonder when I delve into a novel.

I've decided to try out this four week challenge thing. I sort of started off in NF going straight for a battle log and marathon training and didn't stop to do something shorter. I've since gained a knee injury that requires recovery and I've always flirted with the idea of doing a triathalon. See what I did there? Eh? T-R-I swimming? You'll laugh later. I am going to try and build up to swimming 3.8 km (the distance swam in Iron Man competitions). So, I’ve come up with a steady buildup to swimming the distance (link). This shouldn’t be too bad because I’ve been working the past six months to build up to marathon running condition. The only problem I see is getting my distance swims in with any accuracy. The pool at the Y is pretty crowded on Saturdays so I don’t think I’ll be able to get 76 laps in on the last day. I think my only hope will be to find some open water to swim in (link). The legality and safety of some locations is fairly questionable, but at least I’d be able to look up the distances I’m swimming. I might try to cap it off with a swim in Walden pond and a rambling post reflecting on my challenge. I also need to GAIN some weight. I’ve dropped down to almost 150 and I think I can see my heart beating. I’m going to kick up the calorie count, but I’m also going to try ramping up my fat intake. I’ve been reading Eat Fat Get Thin (link) and the portion of the book that isn’t 30 day diet dreck is well researched nutritional analysis based on studies undertaken in nutrition wards instead of population correlations and diet journals. I see a lot of avocados and trail mix in my future. My goals: Build up to swimming 3.8km. Eat 3000 calories per day. Get back under a barbell. Strengthening routines for IT band syndrome (thanks @Dilnad).

So April, it ended yesterday. The challenge went really well until last week. I have no idea what exactly happened, but I was all about the "Nope!" That being said, the only thing I really didn't adhere to were my Workout plans (sorry Chetara), and my Mini Challenge to not eat a bunch of sugary things, with the punishment of sprints. But it is May now, and time for new things! I will be the terror that flaps in the night! Down with the Sugar! While I really miss cereal box toys, I am going to continue on my path of sugar destruction (in my diet). I will sprint -- though not on land because that worked out very badly for my left knee, for every gram of sugar in a pastry - - or burpees, I hate those almost as much as sprinting, and I can do them if rained out or traveling. Raw or cooked whole fruit and veggies are ok, typically because of the high fiber to sugar content, and the body does need some sugar to fuel the cells, just not a cupcake's worth everyday. Overall I am going to aim for 50 g of sugar per day, tracking on MFP, and if that gets to be manageable, squirrel down to the newly recommended 25 g per day. Go the Distance I need to get moving again -- I have been averaging between 60 - 70 miles for each month. With summer coming up, I want to increase that swimming and walking distance to between 80 - 100 miles for the month. I am aiming for 80 miles with a stretch goal of 100 miles for May. Count De Money! Sadly, money does not grow on trees, so I will be tracking my spending for May, with the reward of a new and shiny timing belt for my car! Not much of a reward, but it is time!

So I have noticed that I do the best in challenges if I theme them with nostalgia from my childhood. So: APRIL 2016 -- Thundercats! HOOOOOOOOO! Make a Workout Schedule -- Stick to it Swim -- MTWR 45 to 90 Minutes -- Good Effort For thinking about going swimming FSaSu... +1 Strength Training -- Add a Push Up, Pull Up Progression, and a Squat to what you can do each day Make Sure to Stretch throughout the day (Swim Alternates, just in case of storms or if serendipitous times occur: SCUBA diving or Kayaking, Archery, Disc Golf, Hiking.... wow I need ideas for fun activities to do while it is lightening) Whip that Mountain Dew Addiction -- Success if no Mountain Dew is consumed through challenge (pass/fail!) Chuck the Stress -- Panthro Says Relax Read, Listen to Music, Write, Color -- Anything that turns my brain off from the incessant worry mode for 30-minutes Keep Spanish Lessons in Sight I will finish the Duplingo Tree! Bonus: Practice not being clumsy with random balance drills

Quest 1: Swim! 3 - 5 days per week. Quest 2: Portion Control! (no limit to the vegetables) Quest 3: Finish the Duolingo Spanish Tree Quest 4: Do the thing! -- The Strength Training Thing -- 1 - 3 days per week.

A day late (yesterday was holiday, so...) My second challenge of the year is go back to basics, and by basics I mean swim, bike and run, oh, and paleo, my first Whole30, which ended up being something like Whole47 went great, lost some weight, felt a lot better and made some food changes that keep on two years later, BUT, some other healthy choices have become less and less common lately, so: 1. SWIM, finally, back in the pool (today was my first of the year): Goal is simple, swim every weekday, unless out of town. 2. BIKE, At least one 20k+ ride, MTB preferred. At least two lunch-commutes (5k round trip, on a 16-inch bike), per week 3. RUN, get back to running, or at least walk-run, Goal is two runs per week. 4. WholeFebruary, 28 days, grain, milk, sugar, processed food and leguminose-free. (already on day 2), no cheat meals, no exceptions (works for me!). On a side note, going back to my previous (long ago) challenges, I realized a reading goal started as a NF goal, 12 books a year, well, I did it for two years and last year I read 24, this year is 24 again and it's not even a goal anymore, it's more of a house-rule now, cool stuff.

We just had a challenge, now to see if I can keep up the progress Maintenance for Life: Swim 4-5 days per week 0%0% Drylands 3 days per week 0%0% Keep eating veggies (at least two cups per day) 0%0% Keep swapping tea for soda & Keep life latte free 0%0% New Stuff: Level up at life: Save Money, Save Calories -- Make Dinner Every Night 0%0% Level up my Diet: Choose Fruit Over Sweets 0%0% Life + Diet Bonus: Save Money, Complain Less -- Make Your Own Coffee and Tea 0%0% Level up my Fitness: Introduce Yoga 2 days per week 0%0% Fitness Bonus: Make sure to walk at least 3 miles per day 0%0%

Main Quest: The Quest for the Uncreaking Body! GUARDIANS of the micro-GALAXY Goal 1 (diet): Eat All of the Vegetables -- pick 2 cups each day from the 21-day Fix list Ate 2 Cups Vegetables per Day (52/52) 100%100% Goal 2 (diet): Replace Soda with Tea Chose Tea Over Soda (26/26) 100%100% Goal 3 (fitness): Move Naturally -- Get up to Swim Daily Swim Each Day (17/26) 65.4%65.4% Bonus Fitness Goal -- Move Naturally -- Drylands Daily *Bonus Fitness (17/26) Dry Lands* 65.4%65.4% Level Up at Life! Goal 4: Save Money -- Via Coffee Shop Shenanigans -- Replace sugary drinks with brewed coffee or Espresso and lemon Chose Brewed Coffee (26/26) 100%100%

My last challenge ended in a bad case of mono. Still recovering, little things are now becoming big achievements!! Like being able to do the dishes with out getting dizzy or having to sit down, driving with out neck pain and being able to work a full 8hr day!!! needless to say I'll be keeping this challenge low key. Mostly focusing on my eating while slowly incorporating in more physical stuff when I'm up for it. 1- Take pictures of my meals so i know what I'm eating. Don't eat anything unless there is a photo of it. I have a tendency to snack on unhealthy foods, mostly because its easier to eat crackers and candy than it is to make a salad. 2- Do something crafty once a week. I've got several projects in the que: building a fairy garden in a small green house (5hrs), finishing a friends baby quilt(15hrs) and finishing Christmas decorations/presents (1hr). 3- Be more social- not sure what to put here, will fill it out later.

Because Saxophones The Search for the Non Creaky Body -- Chapter 16 -- Back in Time Just Keep Swimming and Seek Natural Movement for Alignment, Flexibility, and Strength Eat Cleaner -- Caffeine, you only think you need it Get Caught Up -- Anxiety Strikes When Procrastinating Week 0: Timecircuits on! -- Start the new schedule Week 1: Get up to Speed Week 2: All of the Power! Week 3: Cross the Genres -- Er, Crosstraining Week 4: Seriously Week 5: Rock On Week 6: Last Chance

Still on the quest for the non-creaking movement! Some mini quests to find your way! Diet Goal: 90% meals made at home -- too much fat, salt, and sugar out there -- not enough veggies and fruits Exercise Goal: Back into a routine -- hit the pool and the strength training with flexibility! -- MWF Swims, SuTR strength training or yoga Life Goal: Relax, damnit! -- this escapes me -- always anxious -- always feeling crazy -- so, got to rediscover activities that mellow me out Week 1: Try It Week 2: Stick With It Week 3: You Got This Week 4: Stay on Target Week 5: Almost There Week 6: Epic! Sometimes you have to grind to level up a bit Total Swim (10/18) >= 90% = +2 sta 55%55% Strength and Flexibility (12/18) >= 90% = +2 str, +2 dex, +2 sin 66%66% Dine In (44/120) >= 90% = +2 con 36%36% Make Time To Chill (24/42) >= 90% = +1 con, + 2 cha +2 wis 57%57%

I Want to Not Be Creaky When I Move! 1. Obtain A Healthy Weight (or just start with whittling at the 15lbs keeping me above 200lbs) Get My Feeding Habits Under Control! Pay Attention to Portion Size... Meal Plan with the following in mind: Eat as Many Nutrient Dense Foods as PossibleEat a Lot of Vegetables and FruitsEat Some Quality Protein & FatsLimit Hidden or Added SugarsB12 DeficiencyIron DeficiencyNeed More FolateNeed More CalciumGet Plenty of Sun -- I need the D -- The Vitamin DDrink Enough Water and: Limit SodaLimit Coffee​Starbucks: Get thee behind me -- or to a Nunnery -- Either way -- No!Limit AlcoholExercise! Swim/Bike/Run or Walk with some mini-goals: Swim Up To Two Miles In Under an Hour (In a Pool)Swim a 200 Butterfly with Good FormBike Anywhere in FairhopeRun/Jog a 12 - 15 Minute Mile Walk to regain strengthSprint a little too? Participate in a TriathlonGrandman May 30, 2015?Swim > ¼ mi, Bike > 18 mi, Run > 3miParticipate in a Marathon SwimOcean Springs Osprey May 2, 2015?Swim > 2 mi2. Be Flexible! Stretch Warm UpCool DownFoam Roll/Massage Yoga Balance DrillsCoordination Drills3. Be Strong! Lift Heavy Things and Put Them Down *4. Be Multilingual (Bonus Round) One Spanish Lesson Each Day (choose at least one): Listen to a podcastRead a Spanish novelDuolingo PracticeA chapter of grammarVocabulary FlashcardsOne French Lesson Each Day (choose at least one): Listen to a podcastRead a French novelDuolingo PracticeA chapter of GrammarVocabulary FlashcardsSwims (11/18 Days) 61%61% Runs Long Walks (9/18 Days) 50%50% Bike (3/18mi) 16%16% Strength and Flexibility Training (13/18 Days) 72%72% Stick With the Meal Plan (15/34 Days) 44%44% LIve Without the Starbucks (17/34) Days 50%50%

Hi I am starting (again). This is how I am going to do this, since I'm late: 1. create goals now and start them 2. create more relevant goals when the next 6 week period comes up and start on level 0. No level-up for me since I'm late. My goals: I want to run 5k by June 14th from sedentary status. I want to start doing casual lap swimming, so I will be doing this as part of my cross training. I will be following the schedule below: Week S M T W R F S 1 Rest 1.5 m CT 1.5 m Rest 2 m CT 2 Rest 2 m CT 1 m Rest 2.5 m CT 3 Rest 2 m CT 1.5 m Rest 2.5 m CT 4 Rest 2.5 m CT 1.5 m Rest 3 m CT 5 Rest 3 m CT 1.5 m Rest 3.5 m CT Update progress once a week, probably Sunday, as a summary since my logging will be done mostly with pen and paper.I decided to update daily/as often as I remember/can because it keeps me accountable (see below). I will also be side-questing by preparing for grad school applications and starting work on my summer job in a couple weeks. A little background: I haven't been very active lately and although I really dislike running (despite running a half marathon a couple years ago) I know it's a relatively easy and surefire way to get me back into the "Exercise is a thing I should do" mindset. As for the progress bar in my sig, I will update as 4% = 1 day of non-rest completed

Syren Rocks Out (To Bad 80’s Music) Physical You betcha, another strength training goal. I just can't get it down to a habit, so I keep trying different things. I know strength training is good for me... I just hate it. I'm going to try an every day approach this time for 20 - 30 minutes each session. Rolling Due to all the aches and pains I frequently acquire, despite the phenomenal amount of stretching that I already do, I want to add in foam rolling to my regime. So everyday, one of my muscle masses is going to get rolled. Safety Because I always need an extra challenge, I would like to make my left foot my dominant pool exiting foot since the right tends to be swollen nearly all the time due to an old soft tissue injury. The right one works, but why overburden it? Manic Do something Scouty almost every day. This will probably be swimming majority of the time since it is the thing that I love. I am still aiming to get in a least one kayak trip, one SCUBA trip (more adventurey), a couple of walk/runs, and biking excursions throughout the challenge. Fire In the vast experiment of trying to follow the paleo/primal path a bit, this challenge I am giving up the legumes for a bit, or giving better effort to do so. Keeping up with the low EtOH consumption as well. This challenge: The things about legumes that I love -- peanut butter, soy sauce, refried beans, red beans and rice, hop’n’johns, black bean salsa, the Pooh Bear -- the best smoothie ever Stop drinking soda pop! Take Stats and I have a hate hate relationship, and because of this, I am retaking my experimental design class. I understand the content, but I could not express the understanding properly on my exams last year. I do not like pressing the restart button when it comes to class work, so this year I am trying something different: 30 minutes of stats each day to get the wording on my essay exams just right. The math is not really involved in this class, it is theory and application of stats in biology. I may be writing a lot of posts about this class since re-writing is one of my study necessities. Bad Yay, more teeth cleaning challenges! Devoting a whole 4 minutes a day to the brushing instead of just willy nilly throwing the brush in there. 2 minutes in the morning, 2 minutes in the evening. Must maintain the flossing though. Physical Fitness Training (0/36) +2.5 Strength 0%0% Exit Stage Left (0/36) + 1 Sinisterity 0%0% Foam Roll (0/36) +1 Dexterity 0%0% Scoutyness (0/36) +2.5 Stamina 0%0% Legume and Alcohol Free (0/36) +2 Constitution 0% Soda (0/35) +1 Constitution 0%0% Study Experimental Design (0/36) +2.5 Wisdom 0%0% Proper Brushing of the Teeth and Flossing (0/42) +2.5 Charisma 0%0%

Anyone who dropped in on my last challenge will know that at the start of the challenge I discovered swimming, which has quickly become my passion and finally a form of exercise I really enjoy. The thing is my fitness level was starting below zero, and although I made a lot of progress over the last 6 weeks I still have a long way to go. My new discovery has been so life changing that I have been completely re-thinking my life goals. My life quest is now simply thus: I want become a better swimmer (which will make me fitter, stronger and healthier in the process, so wins all around). The next big step on this journey for me is to join a Masters swimming club, but I am still a LONG way off of doing this in my book. But fear not, I have a cunning plan, and step one is this current challenge. Unlike my last challenge thread I'm keeping it quite simple so I can concentrate on my goals, no theme, no story, just effort. 1) A Thousand streams - Swim 1000m per session I ended the last challenge managing 650m total per session, and I have since upped this to 700m. I want to increase my total distance to 1000m over the next six weeks, but without adding time to my sessions. I will achieve this by decreasing my rest times between intervals, alongside (hopefully) constant improvements to my technique. The goal will be to add 50m per week each week, and I will grade out of six. I will be maintaining my three swims a week, and I will be swimming freestyle the whole time. 2) Just keep swimming – Swim a constant 200m I need to work on my aerobic fitness rather than my anaerobic. I currently start each session with two laps (50m total) but from there on in I swim 25m then rest and repeat. While my overall fitness is improving I need to increase my long swim as this has remained the same since I started 7 weeks ago. I will grade this out of 8 (one point for each lap I can complete continuously by the end of the six weeks). As above freestyle is my style. 3) And stretch.... Flexibility and Mobility exercises I am going to try my best not to get injured, as this has been my main nemesis in previous fitness regimes. I am limited on what I can do out of the pool as I am currently undergoing diagnosis for hip problems (and in the pool as well as I have been told by doctor and Physio to stay away from breast stroke for the time being). I am currently learning all I can from the Swim smooth coaching book, and I will complete the flexibility and mobility exercises recommended for swimmers that I can. I will put together a workout from these and complete them three times a week (probably after swims). Grade out of 18. Side Quest – Fish are friends...and also food.... No life quest this time around, but a side quest instead. I had a big win with sorting out my snacking last challenge. This time my sights are aimed on lunch. I need to properly fuel my body for my swim sessions. I want to explore different options for lunch other than my staple of a small sandwich, bag of crisps, apple and banana. I don't cook or do anything in the kitchen so I need to change this, I started with a mackerel salad last week and really enjoyed it. I will find a new recipe/lunch idea each week and make it for myself as a bit of an experiment. Grading out of six again.