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And in the highest, greenest, airiest valley of all, where apricots are grown and the streams have floating ice in them even on the hottest day, is the monastery of Oi Dong and the fighting monks' Order of Wen. The other sects call them the History Monks. Not much is known about what they do, although some have remarked on the strange fact that is it always a wonderful spring day in the little valley and the cherry trees are always in bloom. The rumor is that the monks have some kind of duty to see that tomorrow happens according to some mystic plan devised by some man who kept on being surprised. In fact, for some time now, and it would be impossible and ridiculous to say for how long, the truth has been stranger and more dangerous - The job of the History Monks is to see that tomorrow happens at all.... Pardon any typos... In the Discworld books by Terry Pratchett, one of my (many) favorite characters is Lu-Tze, sweeper at the monastery, and legendary hero to the monks. Actually, the whole idea of a secret society that makes sure THINGS HAPPEN at the appropriate time and place is just fascinating to me. They feature prominently in Thief of Time and Nightwatch, and have a few appearances or mentions here and there. At any rate, for those of you interested in Discworld, Thief of Time is a decent stand alone - reading the other books with Death and family would deepen it though. For Nightwatch, it helps to have read the first two of the Guards series. Anywho...I was inspired to the Discworld angle by Sara Kingdom, who's just finished a DW themed challenge, and is continuing with it. It does you good to get out in the fresh air... "We have swept well. Let's go to the gardens, for is it not written, 'It does you good to get out in the fresh air'?" "Is it?" said Lobsang, still bewildered. Lu-Tze pulled a small, tattered notebook out of his pocket. "In here, it is," he said. "I should know." First assignment - get outside. I keep writing about walking - this is a good thing, but I'm stripping it back further - get my butt outside. I have a yard to putter in and prep for spring, an old, old maple I need to get some more mulch under (probably another 4 yards, if I actually want to get to the drip line), a park with trails under trees nearby, and well, it's Seattle- there's green space everywhere. +1 for a walk +5 for general outdoor activity (cleaning up the yard, tending to some of the beds around the house, etc). +10 (or more) for any possible big work - like mulching out to the dripline (that might be in the next challenge). Minimum to pass - +20. Practice, for out in the world "We'll slice our way there," said Lu-Tze, and he stopped and turned. "You think you can do that?" "I've done it hundreds of times--" Lobsang began. "Back in Oi Dong, yes," said Lu-Tze. "But there's all kinds of checks and safeguards in the valley. Oh, didn't you know that? Slicing in Oi Dong is easy, lad. It's different out here. The air tries to get in the way, Do it wrong and the air is like a rock...." Second assigment - Kata and Suburi. This takes on some special meaning to me now. I'll detail it more throughout the challenge, but essentially I'm receiving a teaching license in my martial art. My training brother and I have been tasked with setting up the date and event, etc (we're both receiving license), I've got a lot of thoughts going on behind this one. In the dojo, with the familiar faces and small number of students we have, things are somewhat easy. We know each others' faults and strengths. It's helped learn how to 'see' as a teacher, but there's still so much to learn. While it's not part of this challenge, a larger quest in this year will be establishing my own school, and navigating all that entails, and being ready for the real world of students I'm not familiar with. So - Suburi (cuts only) - +1 per session. Kata or waza practice - +1 per class or session at home. Passing minimum - +20 suburi, and + 20 kata I'll be working out a couple of other additions in the next day or so. Based on previous challenges, meditating isn't a real goal of mine. Conceptually I understand it's value, but I'm done, for the moment, with trying to force the practice. I may go more physical, and add in points for TGUs and/or swings - I've been feeling stagnant and some focused movement beyond kata might be useful. I may also look at diet, and some discipline there. I don't have a specific goal with regards to diet, but there are a couple of things to contemplate over the next day or so. I'm actually thinking points for water. Lastly - place holder for some adulting tasks. Some of the funk I've been in have to deal with a) work and b ) relationship balance. A few things to work out, but not sure how to assign points, if any, at the moment. Minimum total for passing (prior to possible add-ins this week) 60 pts. Reward - I have my eye on a particular bokken - lighter than my current, but still substantial enough for contact practice - a total of 100 (prior to add-ins) will be required for that. Happy February challenge, everyone.

I ran the farthest I've ever run on Saturday (22.5 km or about 14 miles). And if I keep up the training plan I get to say I ran the farthest I've ever run every Saturday for the next 6 weeks! *exception for the 17th because I have a 5k on Sunday, so I'm running Sunday* It feels crazy knowing I ran a half marathon and had to take two days to recover just 6 months ago, but here I am at work like running even further is nothing (though admittedly running much slower).

So my first ever power lifting competition will be in May of this year. I really want to get down under 180 before then to get in a lower weight class, and that goal is very doable (im at around 190-195 but currently terrified of the scale)... Initial Prep: Month One Goals Keep Working Out: I am now a master of getting to my weight training sessions each week, I honestly don't remember the last time I missed one. This go around I will be adding in my Max Trainer though (a new toy I bought for myself). 30-1 hour every day I don't have weights, and 30 min on weight days if I am not dead when I get home. Go Gluten Free: This one is going to be a pain, because bread and pasta are so dear to me but I need to work on weight management and this should be a good starting point. This in no way means low carb, but more to aim me in the direction of more vegetables/fruits (which I enjoy already) and will hopefully help with bloat and gas issues (because farting in front of burly dudes is never something a lady wants to do, even if she does PR a squat or deadlift). Take my BCAAs Daily: No Gifs could be found for this so here is a random Anchorman gif for your viewing pleasure: I was doing well with this for a while, but I need to get back on track with them. They help me drink more water and reduce cravings for stupid bad things.

Trudging through the knee-deep snow, Castle Black looms like a haunted fortress before my eyes. While doubt and fear boil beneath my skin, I remind myself that this is my calling; it has been since birth. I chose to take the black. What else was a poor bastard to do? It was squiredom or the Night’s Watch. The choice seemed clear before it became a reality. As the north winds rustle my heaviest cloak, I muse that I still have time to turn back. I could return home. I would risk being ridiculed and slandered for turning my back on the Night’s Watch, but at least I’d be warm, my belly full, and my bed soft. I could abandon this life all together - travel beyond the wall and join the Wildlings, foraging for warmth and battling hunger the remainder of my years. As these thoughts continue to torment my travel-weary mind, a voice calls out. “You there! Are you the lad Winterfell sent word of? Get in here, child. Don’t you know Winter is Coming? You’ll freeze your bloody fingers off.†I steady myself in place, heave a deep, shaky sigh, and begin my slow trek forward to the rest of my life. MAIN QUEST: Train for Half Marathon April is getting closer and closer. My main goal is to continue to train for the half marathon. I have a goal finishing time of 3:30:00, and I really, really hope to come in under that. The rolling hills of Kentucky might have it out for me, so I am looking for more hill laden runs as we get closer. I am in my final month and a half of training… and these next few weeks will be criticle for me to stay on track health, wellness, and fitness wise. GOAL ONE: Survive the Wilderness - Winter Running 3x per week It’s winter in Minnesota and for some stupid reason I decided to train for a half marathon. Baring risking frostbite (-10 or more with any kind of wind means 30 minutes til frostbite on any exposed skin), I want to get it all done outdoors. Like a champion. Or an insane person. Week One: 3/3 Week Two: 3/3 Week Three: 3/3 Week Four: 0/3 GOAL TWO: Forage the Forest - Fix the Bonking- 5x per week Bonking is apparently the term for when you gain weight during distance running training - say a half marathon. It comes from improper nutrition for the endurance sports. I am frustrated because I have been counting calories and staying within budget, marking deficit each week, and nothing is happening. I have been reading a lot, talking with Doodlies and Rangers, and I think my issue is a combo of low protein and low carbs. I am going to focus on getting my macros in as close as possible 5 days a week. (Macros: 135g Protein 180g Carbs 60g Fat - Will adjust as the body dictates, but roughly 40%, 30% and 30% and 1800 pre-workout calories). If I am within reason, I’ll get the point for the day. Leaving room for error while I adjust to this. Week One: 5/5 Week Two: 5/5 Week Three: 5/5 Week Four: 0/5 GOAL THREE: Combat Skills - Strength/Conditioning 4x per week My current half marathon plan includes one cross training day and one strength day. I’d like to add two ab/core days to my rest days. Those tend to not be big calorie burners, so I think that will still count as a rest day. My latest plan works abs/core into my usual strength days. I am modifying this to be hip flexor training. I have a series of three hip flexor strengthening moves (hip drive, front cross, and lateral raise) with resistance bands. These are going to help me get my pelvis in peak position for better running form. Week One: 3/4 Week Two: 3/4 Week Three: 3/4 Week Four: 0/4 LIFE SIDE QUEST: Standing Watch - Rewrite My Resume- 4 per challenge It’s been 8 years since I updated my resume. I’m not saying I am leaving my job, but I am saying that this isn’t smart. I want to be smart - because we never know what life may throw at us. My goal is to rewrite my resume and post it up on LinkedIn by the end of this challenge. There are a few tasks needed to complete this: gather my job descriptions (1pt), rework them into a basic resume (1pt), have a peer review (1pt), post my resume (1pt). If those tasks are done by the end of this challenge, it will be a success. Gather Materials: 1/1 Reword Base Resume: 1/1 Peer Review: 0/1 Post: 0/1 Week One Success: Acquire Direwolf Companion 9 points + (75% success) 12/13 Week Two Success: Acquire Longclaw Sword 10 points + (80% success) 11/13 Week Three Success: Acquire Plucky Best Friend 10 points + (80% success) 12/13 Week Four Success: Acquire Dragonglass Blades 11 points + (85% success) 0/13 Challenge Success: Promotion to Lord Commander of Castle Black 44 points + (85% success) 35/52 “Night gathers, and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death. I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. I shall wear no crowns and win no glory. I shall live and die at my post. I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the fire that burns against the cold, the light that brings the dawn, the horn that wakes the sleepers, the shield that guards the realms of men. I pledge my life and honor to the Night's Watch, for this night and all the nights to comeâ€

This post really has nothing to do with swimming as the title might suggest. Instead the next month will be about keeping some good habits I formed last month, working on some weak areas I observed, and generally trying not to get overwhelmed by my work and training load(s). I only have two months until I toe the line at American River 50 Mile and to be honest, I'm freaking out! The next six weeks will be the most important training block, but will also overlap with two separate week-long trips, trying out a new position at work, and taking two night classes. Whew! Things are moving, but they seem to all be coming to a head at the same time. As a result I'll likely have more than four standard goals. FITNESS & HEALTH GOALS - Goal # 1: Increase weekly mileage. Run 4 days weekly. Right now I'm comfortably running close to 35 miles each week. Over the next six weeks I'm going to add 10% mileage increase each week until I'm running 50 mile weeks in March. The breakdown will look like this. Week 1 - 37 Week 2 - 40 Week 3 - 44 Week 4 - 48 Week 5 - 53 Week 6 - 55 Goal # 2: Pack Lunch and Breakfast every work-day during February. This was a great success last month, and definitely saved me some money that can instead go to paying down debt and saving for travel later in the year. Goal # 3: Strength train twice weekly. Again, this was part of my last challenge, and I think it's valuable to being a good ultra-runner and important for overall fitness. I'll be following stronglifts 5x5 which I enjoy, is a simple program, and produces results. Goal # 4: All the little things! I have a really hard time remembering to foam roll, do hip and glute strengthening, basically all the little things that help me not get injured. The goal for this challenge will be to develop a 20 minute session that I can do most week-nights before bed that will help me to get rid of some nagging pains and be a more resilient runner. Goal # 5: Dinner time is winner time. Last challenge I noticed that my eating habits really deteriorate around dinner and the weekends when things are less structured. This challenge I'm going to focus on no grains, dairy, or sugar around dinners. And on the weekends I'm going to allow myself only one "off plan" meal. I'd love to get to my race 5-10lbs down from where I currently am and I know this will help. PERSONAL GOALS - Goal # 6: No skipping! I will now blow off class unless I'm traveling, I will not blow off my homework, period. Goal # 7: Try really really really hard at work, and be really really really nice to everybody. I'm being given a trial run at work for the position I want to move in to and I really want to impress everybody and show that I can hold my own and deserve the job. This challenge will be about knocking it out of the park when it comes to work. In addition to that I know one of the biggest things holding me back is how I present myself and how I work with others. My review from this year was stellar aside from that so it really is the only thing holding me back. I need to revive the old version of me who taught snowboarding, could take crap all day from dumb clients and do so with a smile on her face and the air that made everybody think they were having the best time ever. This challenge looks like a lot, and it is. But there is a season for all things, and this is the season for simplifying life outside of a few key areas, working really hard, and embracing the challenge. Come April I'll have more time on my hands to relax and decompress.

Greetings to all! I'm a 30-ish year old shieldmaiden on the Jedi path, starting on these forums to find some help and accountability on my journey. I am interested in a little of everything, strength training, running, martial practice, etc, so I'm expecting to head down the Ranger path. Basically functional fitness, building my capacity to face any challenge life may throw at me. If I can't do it for myself, I can't help other people with it either. I know I have a long way to go as far as fitness is concerned. I've never been able to do an unassisted pull-up in my life, and I'd love to work up to that. I've never been able to handstand or cartwheel either. I briefly did crossfit in the past but I am currently doing this on my own. I have an overcrowded local gym, some running paths, a yoga mat, and pullup bar at my disposal. Oh, and a lightsaber. I practice lightsaber stage combat and would like to be a better fighter and also get more practical fighting skills under my belt. I'm 5'5", 180-185lb right now, interested in losing some weight in the process but not concerned with the speed at which that happens as I am also interested in building muscle/getting stronger. It's also important to me to approach this in a body positive sort of way, because I know if I focus on numbers on a scale that don't move fast enough, I'll want to just give up on it. And that is not the Jedi way. As they say, there is no ignorance, there is knowledge. I'm admitting I don't know what the best approach is so I can learn - I know that too much all at once is also a recipe for failure. And that at the same time, that there is no try. So that's me, in a nutshell. Looking forward to the journey. May the Force be with you.

2016 Year of the viking, Challenge 1 Preparing for the summer raids So now that i have your attention with that grand opening. For me 2016 willl be the year of the viking, what does this mean? Well it means i will run the strongman viking run on all 3 lengths, 7Kms, 13Km and 19Kms and earn my viking torque. http://strongviking.com/ To get this done i need to get in shape for the runs and thus the theme of this challenge will be preparing for the summer raids. Because the runs will be around summer. How does one prepare for the summer raids? There are 3 parts to preparing for the raids. Part 1 Strength. The strength part of this challenge will be fairly simple. It will be focussed at boddy weight training to increase my effective strength. I don't have to be superman strong but strong enough to lift myself over some obstacles. I set up a little training schedule for myself. it is based on 3 days a week boddyweight training and i have to stick to 2 times a week for half points and 3 times a week on average for full points. This is a steep Hill but i like to push myself Part 2 Endurance. The endurance part will be all about getting my ass ready to run the 7Km's. This challenge i will start with the zombies run c25K program to get myself ready to run 5kilometers at the end of 8 weeks, I figure that with a little extra training the 7km's should be a piece of cake. The gradation for this challenge is the same as the strength part. 2 out of 3 on avrage only means half of the points. Full points is 3 times a week average. Together with the strength part i have 6 days a week of training. Part 3 General well being. In order to keep myself happy there also is the general well being part. This holds up 2 goals wich are more personal and not really Strongmen related. 1 Lose weight. Starting this new year i will try something new regarding my diet. I will intermittent fast on a low carb diet. The fasting part will be the folowing, i can start eating as soon as lunch time has arrived. 12:00 and i can't eat after 20:00. This gives me an 8 hour eating window wich should help me regulate what i consume. Combine this with a low card diet except for friday (Because cheat day reasons) i should be able to lose some weight. Depending on the new rules i will ad scores. 2 Work on posture. Part of this is taken along in my training regime with Pilates excercises, the other part is very simple. Watch my back and force myself to sit straight and stand straight. Same goes here, as soon as the new system is released on the 4th i wll make scores for this.

Hi! First, a short background. I'm Angela, I'm a 31 year old female that weighs 200lbs, 45% Body Fat. I have been exercising off and on for years but not regularly enough to do anything. For the last 5 weeks, I have been doing Strength & Conditioning training in a group personal training class at an MMA gym for a minimum of an hour per session 3 times per week. Example workout on my blog: http://thechickenscoop.net/bullpen-wod-2016-01-18/ I am less sore after every workout so I think it is time to increase activity. My goal is to increase strength and burn fat. I really enjoy lifting heavy but not sure how it could fit in with these workouts (which are sometimes high rep low weight or just body weight). I know that rest and recovery is important too. I also have a ton of workout DVDs including a bunch of Beachbody programs including T25, Insanity, 21 Day Fix, P90X, Les Mills Combat, Les Mills Pump, and Body Beast. I enjoy doing the DVDs and wouldn't mind adding them in between the other workouts. I could also try the Muay Thai classes at the gym on the rest days or the Boxing on the same day but at night. I'm also a member of the Nerd Fitness Academy so I have those workouts available also. So I guess my questions are this: Would adding lifting into an already intense schedule be beneficial or hurtful?How much exercise is too much (weekly, daily)?What types of workouts would be most beneficial to add in?Do you think any of my Beachbody DVDs sound like a good idea (even if its just one of the DVDs from a series)?Do you think I should just continue with these 3 intense workouts per week for now?Should I just add something super low intensity like walking?Oh, also, I am currently unemployed and bored as heck. I could technically do 2 workouts a day if I wanted to and take rest days in between. I am afraid of overtraining too though so I am afraid of doing too much. I haven't lost any weight so far since starting at the gym but I know that is 100% because of my nutrition, but that is a topic for another thread! So any input, personal experience, advice, or resources you have are welcome!

So after much debate, I've decided that the rangers are where I should be right now. I started with the rangers then went to the warriors, but my goals are more aligned with the rangers, so here I am! Where I want to get: Although I don't usually do New Year's Resolutions, this year I thought I might so here it goes: This year I want to be more consistent. That's it. Seems simple enough, but it's going to be rough. Last year I made quite a bit of progress, but toward the end of the year I began caring less and therefore my progress halted. I would eat what I wanted when I wanted and had no problem with justifying it. There were times when my training was the only thing keeping me from gaining weight (and even then it didn't always stop it). I have also had a lot of problems with changing workout plans instead of sticking to one for a while, which makes results hard to see. This year I want to correct both of these things so I can finish the journey I started a year ago. That being said, my goals are going to be focused on this kind of thing. markmið ++ Increase Bench Press to 225 lbs (+4 STR) ++ Continue MetCon type training or Cardio (+4 CON) ++ Get down to 230 lbs (+3 CHA, +2 DEX) ++ Keep cheating down to 1 day or 3 meals per week. (+2 WIS) I've developed an interest in crossfit, but don't want to pay as much as they want to charge. I've been experimenting with something similar on my own though. I want to be functionally fit and a "Jack of all trades", but I'm also not happy with how low my numbers are for strength. I don't want to be a powerlifter or anything, but I have a few numbers in my head for the big 3 that I can't shake. Lately I've been doing the Starting Strength routine with some sort of circuit training or cardio afterward (One day I created a circuit to do 4 rounds, another day I ran on the treadmill for 10 minutes). The circuits have showed me how out of shape I still am and what I want to be able to do. I also tried the wod "Linda", but not at the rx weights. I got half way through and thought I was dying. I'm still getting better though. My goal was to do 3 chin-ups by Christmas and I can do 3x3 now. MY STORY

So it's official... I am addicted to powerlifting. I made it official today and changed my class to warrior. I love feeling like she hulk after a workout, and adding 10lbs to my deadlift (even though I think I could have pushed further), and 15 lbs to my bench last 6 week challenge was awesome. For this challenge I plan to continue getting stronger, more consistent, and perfecting my form while loosing a few lbs. To do this I must: Combining Powers - Continue lifting heavy things, and add in some LISS/cardio on off days - I need to add at least 3 days of LISS consistently throughout my week. (A - 3 weight and 3 LISS days, B - 3 weight, and 2 LISS days, C - at least 2 weight and 2 LISS day) Juggernaut gets it. My fitbit will be with me always, and know everything - I wore my charge HR for a while but let it die and didn't charge it for about a month until today. I want to get more in tune with what my body burns during weight/LISS days so that I can better meet calorie needs while not going overboard. (A - all 7 days, B 5-6 days, F less than 5 days) Limit that sweet sweet pasta, pizza, and bread - I get 2 meals a week with that as a main facet of the meal. I am not going to go crazy if I have to add flour to a recipe, ect for now. Complete meal prep so that it is easier to stick to the program and healthy foods. (A - 2 meals, B - 3 meals, F - 4+ meals)

Hey there! This is my first 6 week challenge. I started week plans by myself from time to time, but I never sticked to it after the first motivation is gone. So, I (at least hope to) learn from the past and now focus on smaller, more reasonable goals. I will write down what I did the other day so I know if I slept or not! Goal number 1: Better sleep To archieve this, I want to stay away from my mobile, my xbox and my computer - devices that send out blue light - the hour before I go to bed. Since I am going to bed at 10pm to get my 8 hours of sleep, I need to stop at 9pm. In the free time I can paint, draw, read and exercise. Turn off devices at 9pm and fo to sleep at 10pm (On Sunday, Monday- Thursday. I want to try it out on weekends too (too not use devices), but I can sleep longer so I dont need to be in bed at 10pm ) Goal number 2: Habit of training I want to build a habit of training. I am starting a calisthenics bodywheight routine (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVlF6U0eZEw). At the moment, I am not sure what will be better for me, either do a split and work on my upper body on day one + stretching of my upper body and work ony my lower body + core + stretching on day 2 OR do the full routine on day one and do a stretch routine on day 2. I dont know if the first version will give me enough rest between the workouts, but I like the idea more since I am constantly building the habit to workout. In the best case, I can workout at 9pm and then do something else, but I dont know how it will influence my sleep. a) Train 6 days a week (or more) - If I cant do a full routine, I will do a back up short workout (and mention it here) b)Workout 3 days a week and stretch on 3 days a week EDIT: Handstands all the way There was a time where I trained the handstand a lot, but at the moment I can't do it anymore. But I really like the handstand, so I am starting again at point one and do them against a wall, trying to get a straight form before I try them without help ( that was my biggest problem before). I want to do ~5min of Handstand training every day. Do ~5mins of handstand training every day Goal number 3: Milk every day: In order to gain weight, I want to drink more milk. I read the GOMAD diet and liked the idea. But because of my purse and my stomach I will start with 2 L a day to see how it goes. Unoffical goals: These are goals I want to archieve at one point, but I know myself, and focusing on too much will throw me back. So I will try to do these but I can cut them back if I dont have time/energy/money/fun - Eat more - Participate in a martial arts course or breakdance course - Do more parkour videos Thanks for reading! More details + rewards will follow(hopefully) in the next days since it is already 9:30pm and I still want to workout ~ Gurkour EDIT (07.11.2015): I was sick so the challenge starts today

WARNING! THE FOLLOWING CHALLENGE CONTAINS SUPERNATURAL SPOILERS FOR SEASON 8. PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK. ALSO I HAVEN'T SEEN SEASON 9 OR 10 YET SO NO SPOILERS PLEASE! Welcome to the bunker bitches. I’m once again using this challenge to see what I can do and how far I can come. Last challenge I learned how to dolphin kick, and how to hold my breath. This challenge will be all fun and games….at least until someone gets shots in the chest with rock salt. My main focus will be to build up endurance, flexibility, and to have fun. (also Supernatural themed because I can) Main Quest: SEAL THE GATES OF HELL I get a lot of questionable doubt, both from myself and others around me. These are my demons. And they need to get back to hell. I want to build up my stamina and endurance, improve flexibility, and to gain strength. I want gain knowledge and use it as the lock and key to seal these demons away in hell. First Mission: ACQUIRE & SAFEKEEP THE DEMON TABLET I'll have to work hard to not only acquire the demon tablet, but make sure it doesn't fall into the wrong hands (*cough*Crowley*cough*) Mermaid training M & FParkour workout M-W-FO2 and/or CO2 training on Weds.This will work on my endurance, stamina, and strength. Things needed if I’m going up against demons. Second Mission: ROLL WITH THE PUNCHES When your trying to outsmart the King of Hell and run from Angels, while hunting down the things that go bump in the night…you gotta be kinda flexible. I will work on flexibility for at least 5 min or do yoga on my “off†days. Su-Te-Th-Sa Third Mission: DECIPHER THE DEMON TABLET It’s going to take a lot of work to decipher a tablet written in a language even Angels can’t understand. 5 min review vocab5 min grammar5 min reading5 min Kanji reviewI’ll have to do this every four hours (8,12,4,8). This will be on a point system. Each item is worth 1 “wordâ€, for a total of 16 “words†a day. Listening and reading podcast notes can substitute for 15 min of vocab, grammar, and reading. Fourth Mission: COMPLETE THE DEMON TRIALS There are three trials that need to be completed in order to seal the gates of hell. But I won’t know what these trials are until I decipher the demon tablet. Motivation: Always Keep Fighting I admire both Jared and Jensen as actors and as crazy human beings. Their characters in the show motivate me, but so does their campaign, Always Keep Fighting. That’s all the motivation I’ll need.

Morning all, I know I'm a little late to the party but better late than never right? I've let things spiral downwards for the past few years. From leaving university and getting a sedentary job I have moved less and less and eaten more and more. I'm getting married in just over a year so it's time to redress the balance, to eat less and move more and to get in shape for the big day, for myself and for my future. My current aim is to lose fat, it's that simple. any and all advice is welcome I am 27 years old, 5ft11, 290lbs and built like a brick shit house. I've done the whole Nerd Fitness thing before and just kinda spun my wheels for a year, making gains and then losing them because I wasn't mentally dedicated enough to the process and wanted all the results immediately. So the plan is going to be simple because I have learned that simple works best, the more weird and wonderful things get the more likely they are to go wrong when one of lifes little curve balls comes along. Goal One - Move a little more Ok so it is a little more complicated than that, but I have devised a workout that I find fun and interesting and that I can complete in the morning in an hour before work. 5 minutes warm up on the bike 3 sets of 5 reps of leg press, leg curl leg extension 3 sets of 5 reps of DB shoulder press and chest press 3 sets of 5 reps wide grip lat pull and reverse narrow grip lat pull 15 minutes (work up to 15 minutes) of sprints 10 minutes or so of kettlebell work at the end to tire me out. The plan is to do this M, W, F. Grading things A-F doesn't work for me, it makes it too easy for me to bitch and make excuses so I will either be successful or I won't. Goal Two - Eat a little less A little less calorie wise that is. My group are big on occassions and getting together socially and food is invariably involved. Whether it's beer, dinner snacks and dessert for football on Sunday or it's snacks at d&d there is frequently something going on. Trying to make healthier versions when everyone is eating the full fat doesn't work for me and I crash out. So what will work better for me is eating as healthy as I can whilst I can. Realistically this ten meals a week (the breakfasts and lunches of my working week). Ten healthy meals a week is going to be a good start for me, if I can manage ten healthy meals a week for six weeks then I am on to a winner. I will put a quick daily food log on here so please do call me out on my bullshit if you think I am being too easy on myself, i work best when challenged. Goal Three - Kill Sugar Here in the UK we have a chef called Jamie Oliver, he went over stateside for a bit to try and spread a healthier eating message, but his produces picked some of the worst places for him to try and give that message so he pretty much got chased out of the country. That's by the by, a little while ago he did a special on sugar consumption and how it's killing us all and whilst I knew sugar was bad (as we all do) this was a real eye opener. I encourage you to go and watch it if you can find it. So I am killing the sugar. So I am only allowed one glass of fizzy pop (what we call soda in the UK, we use the word soda for fizzy/sparkling water) a week and no more than two hot drinks (tea, coffee etc) a day. This is down from seven hot drinks a day and one or two glasses of pop a day. Goal Four - Positive Influence I am super lucky to have an awesome partner, awesome family and awesome friends. I think the slow spiral of weight gain has made me a less nice person to be around, perhaps unwittingly because I was down I was trying to bring others down with me? Anyway the plan is to be more positive and to be a positive and supporting influence for those around me. There is no metric for this I will just know whether I have done it or not

Hi everyone This is my first post on the forum but I've been following the NF blog for a couple of years now. I'm 23yo and last year I started going to the gym with a friend for strength training. He is a strength training veteran (rugby player for many years) so he acted as my coach in the beginning. Seeing as I hadn't done any sports in my life up to that point, I was apprehensive at first but after a couple of sessions the training really grew on me and became a really important part of my life. My body started to change and I started getting more confident and more motivated. I even kept training during my summer vacations last month. Enter disaster: three days ago I broke my left arm . The stupidest way possible, climbing on a tree. I had a fractured humerus and had an operation to place a plate and screws to repair the damage. The good news is that the surgeon told me there was no damage to any nerves or joints during the operation, so I should regain 100% range of motion and the bone should be completely healed in about three months. I will need about 6 weeks of physical therapy. The bad news is I'm feeling really overwhelmed and depressed about it and I don't know how to deal with it. I had planned to start a 5-day training program next week and on top of that I had a lot of activities with friends planned all around the country (I live in Belgium) for my last month of summer. Now I have to stay in bed with a sling around my arm. In the same time, I've read several horror stories round the net from people who have had similar accidents about how weak they were when they got back to training and how painful it was and how they couldn't train certain muscles etc. etc., which really freaked me out. I keep thinking about what I could be doing right now if I hadn't had the accident and how I destroyed my summer and the next few months of my life. I know this is not the way to go about it but I need help turning this around... Sorry for the WOT, thanks in advance to anyone who read through it

Hey evreyone! I recently purchased 'sacha inchi protein', never tried it before. I'm intolerant to milk proteins, so whey or milk isolate are definitely not an option for me, and I can't use soy protein with my thyroid medication. Sacha inchi protein has a slightly nutty flavour, but it's quite strong (in shakes for example). I can't find a decent recipe for it because it seems like it's so new! Does anyone have any experience with this protein? I feel like it could be of good use in baking! Thank you and keep kicking ass!

Yesterday, I joined this site, made my first challenge post, and became determined to start anew. Today, I'm putting that into action. It's not even 9am and I can already cross off some of my goals for the day. At least one fruit or veggie: check. This morning I had a banana on the train, and then got an omelette with cheese, mushrooms, spinach an onions with homefries at the cafeteria. Water intake: almost done my first bottle (16 oz.) Taking the stairs at the subway station instead of escalators: check. Hoping to notice a difference in how I feel based on what I'm eating.

Hi everyone, things have been crazy lately around here. So, an update. I'm fatter but I'm also pushing some better numbers again. I've been trying to stretch a lot and I have also been doing some more strength focused training to try and keep from overtraining. Bench press is back to 220lbs for sets in spite of my right shoulder. I pulled 300lbs for 5 reps on Deadlifts. The weight is going back up. I really wish I could try this in a gym where I was not forced to do negatives with deadlifts. Maybe sometime. Goals: 1) Work on Auxiliary muscle groups. Core and Rotator Cuffs in particular. 2) Don't get injured or make current problems worse. 3) 2,500 cal per day and 2,000 on off days. 200g protein per day with low carbs except for pre workout carbs on lifting days. 4) Drink lots of water. I should trim off bodyfat. Luckly, under the bodyfat, things aren't so bad. I didn't lose my base and if anything, I've been rebuilding it since that nasty right arm / brachioradialis / right front delt injury. Side Quest: Get String Arranging business website / support material done. I really hope I can show you guys this stuff once it goes live.

I've just started training for my first half marathon, it's in about 15 weeks in Birmingham in the UK. I'm a fairly fit 30 year old male, and I've run in the past but never beyond 10k in a race. I've got a Garmin 910XT, and I'm following their running plan, but I wondered if anyone with more experience could weigh in and let me know what they think of it? Personally after the first week, I've found I've practically been for 4 long walks (the easy/steady runs) because as soon as I started to put any effort in my heart rate shot up and I was told to slow down! For reference, my resting heart rate is around 55-60ish, but I can hit 190 on a run. It's the first time I've really trained for a run using heart rate as a measure, so I don't know if this is normal practise and in a few weeks I'll be laughing/crying, or if I should be pushing myself harder? Any other tips and tricks welcomed too!

EDIT: Since I joined in the middle of a challenge, I'm going to keep this post here, but not officially mark anything as completed or award myself points until I can start with the next official challenge. By then I can probably upgrade my quests to fit where I'm at, too! Introduction: Hello all, my name is Saera Windrunner, and this is my first challenge! (My name IRL is Kirsti, but for rp/character creation purposes, my name is Saera!) I'm a 23 year-old female, weighing in at 170lbs and measuring 5'5" tall. The BMI would consider me in the "overweight" category, though I don't necessarily look like it. For many of my teenage and young adult years, I floated between 125-135lbs, without really doing any regular exercise or keeping up with what I ate. But after becoming a vegetarian in September of 2013, I quickly jumped to 170. I'm still not entirely sure why that happened, but it required a new wardrobe and an adjustment in how I viewed myself. Today, I'm less worried about how I look or how others perceive and more worried about my lack of fitness. Most of my waking hours are spent sitting or lying down. My commute to work is 4 hours (round trip) on a train. I sit at a desk at work for 7-8 hours. Then when I get home, I sit on my bed or on my computer. Frankly, I'm not happy about it. I'm 23, in the prime of my life, and going up a flight of stairs makes me winded. Just thinking about having to go at a pace more than a brisk walk makes me feel tired. I also struggle with a sleep disorder, where no matter how much sleep I get, I still feel tired during the day. I haven't had an official sleep study done yet, so I'm not sure if it's narcolepsy, but for now I have "excessive daytime sleepiness." I'm on a strong medication that keeps me at least awake and functioning during the day. I've always said to myself, "I want to get fit!" but it never happens. Some days, I'm simply not motivated, and it's so much easier to just sit on my laptop and waste the day away. Other days, I'm motivated, but have no idea how to get started. I'm afraid of creating a routine or habit that's inefficient or dangerous. I'm not a professional, and I've never joined a gym. I don't want to start because I'm afraid of bad form, and the injuries that could result. My house is also filled with bad food. Neither of my parents like to cook, and my dad is really picky. I never learned how to cook anything, really. So it's always, what can I grab that's instant and tastes yummy? Usually that's a TV dinner, candy, donuts, Hostess cupcakes, ramen... crap. With ingredients I can't pronounce. Diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol run in my family. I already have borderline high cholesterol. I don't want to be unhealthy, and I don't want to get sick with anything if it could've been prevented. So, here's where I start. I feel like being on a forum would help me be accountable for my actions. I've also recruited a couple of friends to work on it with me so I don't get discouraged. Main Quest: I want to begin on my path to general fitness, feeling more energized and building strength along the way. This includes improving my diet. Quest 1: Drink more water. I usually bring a bottle of water with me to work, and I'm lucky if I finish it. Time to seriously improve my water intake. Not Gatorade, not juice, not soda. Just water. I'm hoping it will improve my energy, lessen my headaches, and make my pee clearer. I'm concerned with how cloudy/yellowed my pee is. Week 1: 16 oz./day Week 2-3: 24 oz./day Week 4-5: 32 oz./day Week 6: 40 oz./day Quest 2: Take the stairs instead of the elevator/escalator. I come across elevators and escalators daily during my commute. I'm usually motivated to take the stairs (up and down) in the morning, but not so much on my way home. My biggest obstacle is how much my legs hurt. They burn and get weak and shaky if I do too many stairs at a once. Time start building my leg strength to climb more and more stairs each day. Week 1: Climb up and down the stairs in/out of the subway station at a reasonable pace. Use handrails if needed. Week 2: Climb up and down the stairs in/out of the subway station at a brisk pace. Do no use handrails. Go up and down the stairs from the 7th floor (desk) to the 9th floor (cafeteria) once this week. Week 3: Climb up and down the stairs in/out of the subway station at a brisk pace. Do no use handrails. Go up and down the stairs from the 7th floor (desk) to the 9th floor (cafeteria) 2-3 days this week. Week 4: Climb up and down the stairs in/out of the subway station at a brisk pace. Do no use handrails. Go up and down the stairs from the 7th floor (desk) to the 9th floor (cafeteria) every day. Week 5: Climb up and down the stairs in/out of the subway station at a brisk pace. Do no use handrails. Go up and down the stairs from the 7th floor (desk) to the 9th floor (cafeteria) every day. Use the stairs to get from the ground floor to the 7th floor 2-3 times this week. Week 6: Zero elevator or escalator use. Use the stairs to get from the ground floor to the 7th floor every day. Quest 3: Eat at least one freggie a day. It's usually zero, so anything is better than nothing. Life Quest: Reduce time spent looking at screens. Suggestions: -Don't use my phone while lying in bed waiting to fall asleep. -Choose to look at the scenery, read a book, or take a nap on the train instead of looking at my phone. Motivation: This is the foundation for my epic quest. You can't build a solid house without a solid foundation. Don't skimp here and the rest will get easier. Also, skill points.

THE THREADS ARE UP ALREADY?! Dang it! That means it's time to get to work-Oh wait this doesn’t start until June 8th…Oh well! I’m posting this anyways! Ya’ll probably know who I am already. If not WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?! I'm BlackTezca, a generally loud, gif addicted, game addicted, movie addicted, anime-addicted, whatever addicted big old NERD. I already have my fourth challenge ready to go, though thanks to the longer break, I have some time to think on this challenge and tweak it before it starts. However, pretty sure this is how it’ll go! Just in case some of you are crazy enough to forget about me; I have several lovely links of my exploits, including my introductory From Lurker to (Newb) Rebel!, the interim and still awesome BlackTezca's Daily Battle Towards Feline Greatness, and of course the latest platinum selling hit BlackTezcas' 3rd Trial: An Artsy, Geeky Amazon Must FIGHT...In STYLE! Of course, all of these challenge are just working up to the final goal. The award that is nearing ever so closer to me, the glowing light at the end of the tunnel… My Main Quest is to be as POWERFUL and BATTLE READY as Wonder Woman So now that have that out of the way, let’s get down to business and check out my planned Side Quests!! This time I’m getting creative with names . You know...actually using my theme instead of having an excuse for more gifs! Fight Like Kamui: Do a kickboxing workout twice a week, preferably with Easton. Details: It’s time to get a bit more serious about kickboxing! Since I have a school, I need to utilize it as well as practice what I learn! Now, just in case something happens (class is CANCELLED for instance, basement renovation takes over EVERYTHING, etc), I will also do kickboxing workout at home to make up for it. I do aim for two classes a week, but I’ll keep myself sane and flexible for this instead. Contingencies: No Contigencies: Since I am counting the kickboxing workouts I do at home, this gives me a little more flexibility if I miss one of the two days I want to give myself for kickboxing in class. I should be able to make at least one class per week as well. Tracking: I'll be tracking the workouts using MyFitnessPal ( username BlackTezca ) and this lovely thread will be updated as well. Grading: A for Kickboxing Workouts twice a week (one must be a class) ( 3 Dex 2 Str ) B for Kickboxing Workouts once a week (must be a class) ( 2 Dex 1 Str ) F for all else Don’t Eat like Gintoki: Don’t binge! Don’t eat a crap ton of sweets! CHEAT LESS! Details: Ugh…so… I guess it’s’ time to be mindful ALL days of the week. I have been a bit more lenient on myself last challenge since I didn’t have a food quest, but that has slowed down progress and since I already workout 5 to 6 times a week, an hour each workout (or more) and I now do kickboxing, that means watching my fooding and drinking. Both of which I love but need to be kept in check. Using a combo of MFP and this handy calculator with this IIFYM calculator, I have calculated that I need to eat about 1467 (aggressive weight loss) to 1834 (maintaining) calories a day to lose a pound of week as someone in between moderately active to very active. That is quite doable. Throwing more from IIFYM, I need to eat 148 - 239 carb grams, 103 protein grams, 52 fat grams, and 26 - 32 fiber grams a day. I'll keep those values in mind while I’ll again aim for eating below the carb and sugar limit on MFP (ESPECIALLY YOU SUGAR) while not caring if I go above my fat (even the 52 fat limit) and protein limit (which I hardly do, thus I need more protein). The hard part is…I will aim to do this EVERY DAY OF THIS CHALLENGE, giving myself a few days where realistically I may bingecheat (Top Taco Denver Festival. Tacos. Tequila. I’m screwed that day). Contingencies: This always has contingencies. I need to be flexible in how much calories I allow. To maintain, I calculated that I need about 1936 calories a day as a moderate to very active short woman, which is a fair amount of calories. If I eat to that amount or slightly over (2100) and I’m not like crazy over my sugar, I shouldn’t be too hard on myself. However, I know I tend to eat sweets and drink more during the ‘cheat’ days I give myself and thus I go WAY over that. Therefore, I need to be quite mindful when I’m out and about. A lot more than I have been. Tracking: I'll be tracking the food and cheats using MyFitnessPal ( username BlackTezca ) and this lovely thread will be updated with my diet changes and plans. Grading: A for <= 6 Cheat days this challenge ( 2 Con 1 Wis) B for <= 8 Cheat days this challenge ( 1 Con 1 Wis) C for <= 10 Cheat days this challenge ( 1 Con ) F for all else Sleep like Sogo: ENFORCE THE SLEEP POLICY Details: So a while back, I enforced a sleep policy: My alarm for the morning starts at 6 am. If I’m not in bed by 11:15 pm, the alarm is set to 6:15 am. If I am still not in bed by 11:30 pm, the alarm is set to 6:30 am, etc. For each 15 minute chunk I am not in bed, the alarm is moved later to the morning by a 15 minutes. Thus I have a moving, flexible sleep policy which is working better than trying to enforce a bedtime. I still want to get up earlier, but this is flexible and thus better than a bedtime. Contingencies: No contingencies. I need the bloody sleep. It must be enforced. Tracking: This thread only. Not sure how to track it elsewhere for accountability Grading: A for 28 to 31 days of enforcement ( 2 Con 1 Cha) B for 25 to 27 days of enforcement ( 2 Con ) C for 22 to 24 days of enforcement ( 1 Con ) F for all else Don’t be like Housen: GO OUTSIDE! SMELL THE ROSES! Details: Housen is not a fun of the sun, being a Yato, and is kinda dick for it. I work out a lot inside and I don’t really do a ton of outdoor activities. I’m not taking about just fitness, but even fun stuff like check out festivals, or explore a park, take a hike, etc. So I’m making this my life quest for the challenge. I would like to do some kind of activity (short walk, visit an outdoor event, etc) at least three times a week in the outdoors. Contingencies: THE WEATHER! If it’s down pouring every day of the week, of course I won’t go outside cause I won’t have the sun. This is unfortunate and out of my control. I hope that I have most days that are beautiful to really enjoy this life quest. Tracking: I'll be tracking the outdoor activities using MyFitnessPal ( username BlackTezca ) and this lovely thread! Grading: A for 3 days a week of SUNSHINE ( 1 Con 1 Sta ) B for 2 days a week of SUNSHINE ( 1 Sta ) F for all else Practice like Shinpachi: Shinpachi practices his sword art (sometimes. He’s still a weak fighter) and I need to practice on some artsy stuff! Identify five items to improve upon when it comes to art. Practice (sketch, full painting, etc) on those items! Details: There are a few things I noticed in my art that need some work. HANDS! I HATE HANDS! I HATE EM! But I need to work on them Poses! Sometime I use the same boring static poses. I want to work on dynamism in my characters. Perspective. Ugh…this sucks. I need to work on this though. Along with adding dynamism in poses, I need to practice some perspective in backgrounds and sizes, and etc. Varying character designs. I have a lot of SAME face going on in my work. Need to work on this. Speed. I’m slow. I simply take too long with some of my pieces. I need to speed up on my work. So this would be a good time to do some 15 to 30 minute prompt work.Contingencies: Well this time I’ll be practicing on some of my weaknesses, so I’ll be doing more sketching work than actual painting which should take up less time. This will be more than just weekly practice depending on the topic of the week. Hopefully nothing blocks me or brings me down so I can keep at it. Tracking: I have an art Tumblr and I also have a DeviantArt (WATCH ME FOR ACCOUNTABILITY). I'll use those for tracking and on a weekly basis...like a weekly update or something, I'll post art on this thread. Though for this challenge, considering it’s sketch work, maybe more often than weekly. Grading: A for 5 items practiced, denoted by at least 1 sketch piece per item ( 2 Wis, 1 Cha ) B for 4 items practiced, denoted by at least 1 sketch piece per item ( 2 Wis ) C for 3 items practiced, denoted by at least 1 sketch piece per item ( 1 Wis ) F for all else Here are my beginning measurements for this challenge! This may change by June 8th, but hey, that might a mean a bigger loss in some inches or partial inches! I’m down for that! Starting Measurements: Date: 05/23/2015 @ 11am Weight: 130.6 ***Body Fat***: 24.91 Waist: 23.5 Waist @ Navel: 24 Hips: 35.5 Neck: 12 Chest: 33 Left Bicep: 10 Right Thigh: 16.5 Wrist: 6 Forearm: 9 This is a jam packed challenge! I’m back to five side quests! The art challenge is a little lighter this time around, which is good, cause once again that was one of the tougher quests! However despite how ‘easy’ the art quest seems, I make up for it in that food quest…UGH!! I must fight back everyday against my urges to binge on sugar and decrease the cheat days. That will be quite hard considering several factors (Top Taco Denver, MIL’s birthday along that same week), but as long I can be mindful of my eating, I should be fine). I’m a little bit scared though. Just a tad. … WISH ME LUCK!!!!

So my last challenge had a lot of slip ups but I am moving forward and looking to really make this year a good one for myself. I joined a GAME On! challenge with a buy in of 20 bucks, and I am taking my goals from that and implementing them here. Since that started yesterday this 6 week challenge is going to be more like 8! Train All The Days- 60 minuets of activity 5 days a week, 20 minuets minimum of activity on "off days" 6+ Days per week - A 5+ Days per week - B Less than 5 - F Drink All The Water- 3 liters per day, every day. 6+ Days per week - A 5+ Days per week - B Less than 5 - F Don't Eat All The Things - eat 4 to 5 small/proper portioned meals per day (1 quest bar/protein shake counts as a meal per day). I will stay under my 1600 calorie limit on heavy workout days, 1400 on light workout days. The game on challenge rules allow 1 meal and 1 day off, so I am sticking with that as the rules. No alcohol except 1 drink allowed with the cheat meal, and then on the free day. 6+ Days per week - A 5+ Days per week - B Less than 5 - F Life Quest: Save up for my Cruiser now that I have my motorcycle endorsement!!

Hello Everybody, My name is Aaron, a little about my self and my journey. I was one of those kids that played sports all throughout my child hood, So I'm not a stranger to physical activity. I played football, wrestled, and played lacrosse, when I wasn't involved in sports I was totally nerding out on video games and comic books. After high school I joined the Marines and served my country for six years and was deployed to a combat theater on three separate occasions. During this time I was probably in the best cardio shape I had ever been, weighing in at about 170, Most of my life I have been a chubbier kid but I always had a good strong foundation under the layers of mountain dew and cool ranch doritos. I left the military due to a medical separation, I tore every ligament in my left knee and have no cartilage left and have had four surgeries to correct this issue. As you can imagine this played havoc on my work out routine or really doing anything physically active. Even through that I still managed to stay in the gym and make some gains but I never really achieved the results I wanted because my diet was probably the worst it could have been. I got married at 29 and started a new job, this new job required me to be on the road for months at a time. During this time my diet took a turn for the worse(worse than before) and I ballooned up. When I got home from traveling my ex wife didn't recognize me and let me say she was no longer interested in me. That feeling of her being uninterested lasted for a long time and she finally decided to call it quits last July and moved out. The divorce was finalized in Sept. and I kind of went into a free for all of depression, anxiety, which was compounded by PTSD. I was like this for months, until my 32 Bday in Jan I looked in the mirror and couldn't believe that this was the person that I became and I didn't like it one bit. So I snapped a before picture to remind myself of what not to let happen again. So I went back to what I knew best, lifting weights. It worked well for a few weeks, I got stronger and my fat clothes finally werent being stretched to the max. I was kind of just fumbling my way through. Then I came accross NERD FITNESS and I was instantly intrigued and figured I would read through the page and gain a lot of knowledge. I was really impressed by how thorough and complete and fun the site was. I have been a member of Bodybuilding.com since it came out although its a great resource I didn't feel like I fit in that culture. So after immersing myself into this site and the Paleo diet I can say since Jan, I've gone from 5'9 267 to 5'9 214 and have gotten really strong. I couldn't have done it with out this website and am very happy to finally be joining the community. Thanks for letting me let some steam out, -Aaron "Winter is coming..."

Hello everyone, I made a little introductory post earlier in the introductions thread and thought that I would perhaps try and get myself off on the right foot with trying to get some opinions on what I should do as far as a weekly workout plan. In a normal week I'm going to a martial arts class 3-4 times a week (Haidong Gumdo, a Korean martial art where you train using a wooden (and aluminum in my case) sword for hour long classes. I feel like I should maybe be doing something else as well gradually to get myself doing something active 5-6 days a week. I've heard from some to look into weight training/body weight training and others suggesting jogging or running but with my martial art I wasn't sure what would be best as it seems like it's a bit of both since I'm doing a bit of cardio and light weight working given I'm using a sword for the majority of the class. The way my week normally goes is: Monday - Class Tuesday - Class Wednesday - Open (class starts an hour earlier which is hard for me to make as I get off work about 30 minutes before class starts) Thursday - Class Friday - Open (Same as Wednesday) Saturday - Class depending on plans with family Sunday - Open Presently I'm sitting at around 290 lbs and a 42 inch waist. I'm like to try and get down to maybe a 40 or even a 38 by the end of the year and try and get close to 250 or better. I've lost about 36 lbs since I started these classes about a year and a half ago but I seem to have plateaued a bit in the past few months and feel that maybe a change in things would help. As well, I'll be needing to look into my eating as well (which I will probably see about checking out the diet thread shortly). But anything anyone could suggest would be greatly appreciated.

Greetings, I need some reassurance or advice or scolding. I am running a half-marathon at the end of May. Weeks ago, I set out with a beautiful training plan to ensure I actually trained properly and added mileage gradually to avoid injury. WELLLLL, the best laid plans often go awry. I fell in love with my weightlifting/CrossFit-esque gym and routine (not 100% CF but draws on it), had a tweaked back for a week, then terrible shin splints for another week. Also, I really don't like running. TL;DR I fell way off the training plan wagon and just didn't run at all for a few weeks (I think four?). I began panicking about half-marathon and on Sunday I did an 8-mile run in 1:30 and felt really good. By the end, I was doing a run-one-song/walk-one-song routine, and I definitely could have kept that up for another couple of miles if needed. I have endurance in that I can recover quickly, but I really can't do a distance longer than 4-ish miles without walking. And I'm really okay with that since my love really lies with barbell work and some CrossFit-ish stuff. I go to the gym 4-5 times a week and work really freakin' hard during that hour. I walk a ton (minimum 6 miles a day) because I live in a city without a car. My question is, will I absolutely destroy my body with this half-marathon in 3.5 weeks? I am planning on doing a 9-mile run this coming weekend and a 10-miler the following weekend, and then taking the next weekend easier with a 5-mile run or something. These runs will be on top of my current gym routine, and then of course the week before the half I'm going to rest up. I feel like my CrossFit/weightlifting can carry me through strength-wise, and if I'm doing my run-one/walk-one thing (or run-two/walk-one depending on how I feel), then I THINK I'll be fine? My goal is just to cross the finish line. I'm not going for any records here or anything. I've been consistently training, just not training to run 13.1 miles. Willing to accept all forms of reassurance, support, criticism, and all iterations of "oh god you bonehead what on earth were you thinking?" ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

So, I'm a big fan of training montages, and I know I'm missing some classic ones that I haven't seen yet. Like Rocky...I really have to get around to watching that. What are some of your favorite training montages? They don't necessarily have to be fitness-specific. For example, the training montage from that movie Akeelah and the Bee where she practices spelling while jumping rope is an A++ montage. I'm just curious.