Search the Community

Greetings, Assassin sisters and brothers! Amberdisa, reporting for duty, freshly inspired from a (semi-)successful first NF challenge, ready to take the plunge again. There is a slight problem, however. I am scheduled to begin a long and winding travel marathon that will require me to leave my house on 12 Nov, visit at least two European countries with the possibility of up to two more, head back across the Atlantic to spend Christmas with family, and then go straight to an intensive residential session at school back in California before I finally get to see my poor little house again, well after the first of the year. This of course makes any sort of sustained commitment to specific physical activities quite difficult. Difficult -- but not impossible. Nothing is impossible in this rebellion...right? Right. So, in the spirit of all the friendly energy that sustained me last time, I shall take advantage of this exciting opportunity to structure my challenge as a Viking raid! Without all the pillaging and burning, of course. I'm a modern Viking, after all: kinder, gentler, more politically correct. I stick my sword in Resistance and other enemies of the rebellion, not in other Vikings or lesser folk. Unless they attack me. Or my friends. Or insult my parentage. Or look at me funny. Anyway. My main quest, given everything else that's going on, is to survive the long trip with eating and exercise habits as intact as possible, and to complete my required academic work. My motivation still remains to remember (and work towards becoming again) the fit, successful woman I used to be. (It's also to do eight pull-ups, but I learned last challenge that the Armstrong pull-up program takes far more willpower and energy than I'm likely to have on this upcoming trip, so I am consciously setting the battle with that particular dragon aside until next time. I hereby promise to myself that I will re-attack with gusto in January.) Quest 1: Haul on the oars DO SOMETHING PHYSICAL at least three times a week. It can be anything; a run (1 mile or more), a hike (3 miles or more), a bike ride (5 miles or more), a hotel room workout, a bodyweight workout, anything that is mindfully chosen as dedicated exercise. (I am explicitly NOT allowed to count up Fitbit steps on an active day and call it a workout.) 1 point for each legitimate workout, total 18. +5 spread out between STR and STA depending on what I actually manage to do (I’ll probably use Fitocracy points at the end of the challenge to calculate this out so it’s not completely subjective). Quest 2: Ale and salted fish Keep up my normal 16-hour fasting protocol at least five days a week. Extra days earn extra points. I may also earn extra points by breaking the fast with a slow-carb compliant meal as described by Tim Ferris in The Four-Hour Body. (In order for the meal to count, I must not eat any sugary or starchy crap until at least two hours after said meal). Yes, this should be easy for me -- I'm intentionally allowing for a lower level of challenge here so that if things fall apart elsewhere I can still recover. 1 point for each fasting day, total 30. +2 CON. Quest 3: Oar-dancing One of the reasons I've come to the Assassins is because I'm tight and clunky and slow and I've somehow lost (among other things) the excellent kinesthetic sense I used to have. My reward for the last challenge was a massage; the massage therapist made me stand up and bend over and twist around, and he said I had one of the worst cases of Anterior Pelvic Tilt (APT) he had ever seen. He then proceeded, with strong fingers in painful places, to demonstrate exactly how bad it was He suggested a few wimpy-seeming physical-therapy-style exercises. After some internet research I found a more robust set of movements designed to correct APT in athletes, which I here commit to execute at least three times a week. (I am allowed to skip the Romanian deadlift if I don't have access to a gym, which will be most of the trip.) Also, to improve that vanished kinesthetic sense, I will do at least five minutes of easy hand balance practice three times a week, to get me closer to that elusive handstand. I can hold one against the wall all day long, but the minute I have to maintain my own balance I just turn into hopeless jelly. 1 point for each APT session and 1 point for each handstand session, total 36. Extra points for extra sessions. +4 DEX. Due to the situation, my Life Quest needs to be structured in two phases, one for the outward venture and one for the return. Phase 1: WORD COUNT. I need to be a scribbling little Viking until the end of November. Completing my seventh NaNoWriMo novel would be quite a challenge in itself, but I'm in kind of a bind here because I also have not one, not two, but THREE fifteen-page papers due by Thanksgiving! So, yeah, crazy. Let's just call this the berserker part of the challenge, because FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION (slobber, foam, shield-bite)!! Ahem. Five points each for the papers and five points for the novel, total 20. +2 WIS. Phase 2: PAGE COUNT. In order to be ready for the first session of the next quarter at school, I have a massive amount of reading to do. (I did the math once, and it worked out to be about a hundred pages a day. I won’t know how much it will be this time until we get our syllabi this weekend, but it’s not likely to be much less.) In being honest with myself, if I don't do it before I hit my sister's house the week before Christmas, it won't get done -- so once I've finished writing my little heart out I get a day off (Thanksgiving, maybe?) and then I need to dive into reading my little heart out. Again, FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION. Five points for each course's first session required reading completed, total 15. +2 WIS. I shall now go and pack my húðfat. I have a school residential session to get through this weekend, and then -- when the big silver longship with wings sidles up to the pier next week -- I will be ready to embark on the next adventure! Good luck to all my fellow Rebels! See you on the beach!

October 19th (West Rocks Crag, Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada) sleep (prev night): 10hrs climb, top rope 5.8, two repeats 5.6 5.8 Climbed with girlfriend and another friend who led these routes trad style ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_climbing ). The weather was a very pleasant surprise, cool but dry after the previous day's chilling misty drizzle (Saturday's weather had been nasty enough that even a pumpkin chucking festival [ http://www.kemblepumpkinchuckin.com/ ] was not much fun ... and this from someone who usually believes "There is no such thing as bad weather, just improper clothing" http://www.pinterest.com/pin/285908276314294274/ ! ). West Rocks is a small disused quarry tucked in very close to residential areas and a high school - a great easy to access treat that can be included into relatively short breaks in daily chores and tasks by Owen Sound-ites who are willing to find a way. I've done a little bit of leading on trad, but considerably easier grades (5.1 - 5.3) and was mostly out to get my blood flowing and joints moving after a gym strength session a couple of days earlier when I did too much deadlifting too early in my current come-back process.

Hi there everyone! I'm currently traveling the world by myself (just about to hit the 3 month mark!) and I'm having a bit of trouble with eating healthy and working out while on the road. I'm staying in hostels which doesn't make for 1) any privacy 2) space to work out -- and most hostels in Asia are lacking a kitchen. Normally I might be able to go outside to work out but in the places I've been so far that hasn't really been much of an option (smog, no parks, etc). Well except for 3 weeks of hiking to Mt Everest Base Camp but that was just one giant work out in and of itself! I think my biggest problem is motivation/willpower. Traveling long term is EXHAUSTING. Anyone who has done it will know exactly what I'm talking about. It's tough to take the time to find something healthy after a long ass day of travel when the 7-11 is RIGHT THERE and you're craving a little familiarity food-wise. Or going for a run when your brain barely has the energy to pick up your towel to go lie on the beach. If anyone has had experience in sticking with eating healthy and working out while traveling on a decently limited budget (preferably in Asia though anything would be helpful) I could use all the advice I can get! It would be much appreciated.

After reading so many of these Epic Quests, I decided to follow along and do this myself! Now this is probably gonna grow when I discover something new that I want to try (a food, an activity, a country that piqued my interest) and I also included things I have already done (ego-boosting). This is a little overwhelming for me since it's all so big, but having this list will remind me of not only all there is to do but what have I done . Places to See JapanTokyoKyotoCherry Blossom SeasonGreece (Athens)Italy (Venice)FranceMonacoParis again (I WILL see the Louvre this time!)AvignonSpain(Madrid)ThailandMorrocoAlaska (See the Northern Lights)New Mexico (Santa Fe Balloon Festival)Go on a Cruise!MediterraneanScandinavian (visiting Viking Country!) Things to Eat Foe GrasGoat MeatFugu (the blowfish dish in japan)CricketsSnake WineOkanomiyaki Strengths to Gain Become strong enough to do pulls up (like...a pull up)Learn to Shoot (I don't like guns, but I have a home to protect)Ski down black runs Swim with SHARKSLife to Grow Pay down Credit CardBuy rental propertyBuy a new CarHave a family. (Which implies being a mom. Something that excites and yet scares me.Home ImprovementsFinish the BasementLandscape Backyard ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Things to be Proud of (as of 02/15/2015) Places to SeeVisited England (Harrogate, London, York, Leeds)Visited Italy (Florence, Rome, Piza, Livorno)Visited Spain (Barcelona)Visited Czech Republic (Prague! My favorite city)Visited Ireland (Dublin)Visited D.C (Our fair Capitol)Visited Austin, TX (My Alma Mater, Univesity of Texas )Visited Grand Canyon and Vegas (young days, plan on going back)Visited San Diego (and the ZOO! And the HARBOR!)Visited San FranciscoVisted SapporoSee the Snow Festival (2015)Ski in Sapporo Teine Resort (2015)Born in Puerto Rico (And yes I have gone back several times)Things to Eat Ate KangarooAte OstrichAte ElkAte VenisonAte SnakeAte BisonAte YakDrank (and made) Coquito (Puerto Rican Eggnog)Ate RabbitTraditional RamenSweet OdangoTsukiyakiStrengths to GainLearned to SkiLearned KickboxingLearned Krav MagaGet to 23% body fatLearn Muay ThaiLife to GrowGetting my Masters Degree (Nov 2012)Buying a house (April 2013, such a big deal)Getting Married with a solid relationship (personal big thing for me since I had feared being alone)Participated in NaNoWriMo and wrote a book (Nov 2013, plan on doing it again)Draw again, get my art better while doing this.Getting my 401k growing again (Lay off happened earlier )Getting hired as a Full Time Employee at my current company (instead of a contractor) (March 09 2015)Home ImprovementsRepaint the House

This group is for Rangers who are trying to get in shape (or stay in shape) while being away from home. I always do my best when I am home and can get into a routine. Unfortunately (fortunately?), I will be travelling for almost all of this 6WC. Do you travel? Let's team up and provide encouragement to keep everyone motivated even when on the road. Instructions: 1) Add your name to the Roamin' Rangers roster. It can be found on the Rangers tab on this spreadsheet 2) Introduce yourself and link us to your 6 week challenge. Here is mine. 3) Subsrcibe to the other members' threads. 3) Work hard, work together, stay focused. See you on the road... Members wovercast direrael P.S. You are welcome to join even if you aren't travelling during this 6WC...

Hi All, I'm a big believer in setting goals and then working to achieve them. I've learned that if I want to get in shape, I usually have to commit to something like a race, a trip, or something else where if I don't get my butt in gear, it will be painful. I recently just returned from a trip to Nepal where I was able to trek in the Himalayas. Talk about motivation to get into shape, that seemed to do the trick and it was a trip of a lifetime. Next year I'm hoping to trek to Kilimanjaro which is another adventure to help motivate me to train. If anyone has done this trek, I'd be interested to hear about your experience and what you did to prepare for it. Also...I recently stumbled across a competition that involves a 4-day 300 kilometer dogsledding adventure from Norway into Sweden. If anyone is interested in entering, you can do so until December 12th. Find details for that at: http://www.fjallravenpolar.us/about-polar/ I haven't ever done anything like this before, but I entered and you can see that here: http://bit.ly/mjdogsled I've finally figured out that traveling and adventures of all sorts seem to be the thing that motivates me the most. Seems like I've found other like minded individuals here. I'm inspired by so many of you. Thank you for sharing! MJ

Hello there! In previous challenges I've been working on strength and learning as much gymnastics as possible, and I'll be continuing with that this challenge I'll be starting the challenge in England (where I live) but halfway through the challenge I'm going to Southeast Asia for 3 weeks of adventures and fun. So when designing this challenge, I chose things that won't distract from my travelling, but that I can work on while I'm out there. Challenge #1: new movements: I started this idea last challenge and it worked super well, so I'm continuing this time. Every day, I should experiment with a new physical activity, or style of exercising. Real examples from last time included: learned a no-handed kip-up incorporated clapping pull-ups into my strength training visited a new gymnastics centre learned to kick-up into a handstand with my other leg For practical reasons, the activity for each day can be done a day early or a day late in needed, and I'll be even more flexible for the three weeks I'm travelling. For Friday 12th September - Saturday 04th October: one per day For Sunday 05th October - Sunday 26th October: travelling - seven over entire period Sep 12 - frontflips on bouncy castle Sep 13 - horse riding Sep 14 - rope ladders Sep 15 - () Sep 16 - sharks Sep 17 - negative 1-armed push-ups Sep 18 - clapping-behind-the-back push-ups on knees Sep 19 - () Sep 20 - () Sep 21 - CPR push-ups Sep 22 - () Sep 23 - () Sep 24 - superman push-ups Sep 25 - () Sep 26 - () Sep 27 - () Sep 28 - () Sep 29 - () Sep 30 / non-kipping plyometric pull-ups Oct 01 - leg-supported drill for glide kips Oct 02 - straight-arm machine pull-down for glide kip Oct 03 \ time-planned weights session Oct 04 - () holiday1: gymnastics rings / archer pull-ups holiday2: water-assisted bodyweight exercises holiday3: shoulder shockers holiday4: hotel room workout holiday5: cat's cradle dismount holiday6: clean & jerk holiday7: squat rack Maximum possible: 30 new things Total achieved: 19 new things: grade C grade A: 24-30 grade B: 22-23 grade C: 19-21 grade D: 15-18 +2 STA, +3 WIS Challenge #2: bodyweight skills: I have a list of skills I'm working on, so here is a selection to concentrate on that don't require specialist equipment... this way I can try them in the gym or park here, or on the beach in Thailand or the jungle in Malaysia. handstand 360 (rotate 360 degrees while holding a stable handstand) handstand walking (walk 8 steps forwards, remaining stable) handstand roll push-up with a clap behind the back 1-armed push-up glide-kip cartwheel bridge walking (walk 2 metres in a bridge) Maximum possible: 8 skills mastered grade A: 6-8 grade B: 4-5 grade C: 3 grade D: 2 +3 DEX +3 CHA Challenge #3: eat responsibly: for two years now I've been eating pretty healthily, but recently I've been having more sugar than usual, and eating impulsively rather than because I'm hungry. To be fair I'm almost always hungry - I need nearly 3000 calories daily and insist on having lots of vegetables, but I should keep an eye on this. This challenge will be marked entirely subjectively. Sep 12 - 14: (1) B Sep 15 - 21: (2) A / A Sep 22 - 28: (2) B / B Sep - Oct 5: (2) B / B Oct 06 - 26: (4) A / B / C / B achieved: grade B +2 CON Challenge #4: train hard with weights: earlier in the year I had some really intense weights sessions, and built up a lot of strength very quickly. Recently I've been slacking off, so I'm going to have another subjective goal to start having intense sessions at least once per week. To get a grade A it's also necessary to make at least a genuine effort to have some hard training in Asia. Sep 12 - 14: (1) B Sep 15 - 21: (2) C / C Sep 22 - 28: (2) F / F Sep - Oct 5: (2) A / C Oct 06 - 26: (4) C / C / B / A achieved: grade C +2 STR I'm going to be better at following other people's threads this time too, so I'm looking forward to seeing what other people are working on

Hello everyone! This is my second third challenge as a Ranger, I bailed on the first second because turns out writing a doctoral dissertation is really time consuming. Now I return to resume my quest to be an awesome Viking, but with a more specific goal in mind: In January I'm going to Guatemala to backpack through the jungle! It's going to be exactly like this. Exactly. So there is no way that I am going to become Arnold, ever (not in my genetics as a lady-type person) but I'm going to need some Strength and Endurance to get through my jungle trek. Especially if I run into a Predator. Quest the First - Endurance Endurance is not built up overnight, it is made by consistency and perseverance. As I am a triathlete I'm going to stick with cycling and running. I actually have a race on September 21 so the first week of this challenge is going to be pretty mellow, but to fulfill this quest I'm going to Run or Cycle 3x/week. Quest the Second - Strength I'm not sure yet how heavy my pack is going to be, but I do know that even a light pack feels heavy if you carry it all day. So I am going to do Strength training 3x/week. I am probably going to get a gym membership at 24-hr fitness, since that's where a couple of friends have memberships, but I will count any at-home bodyweight training as long as it's at least 30 minutes. Quest the Third - Fuel up Right My very first challenge, I challenged myself not to get delivery food, for I have a weakness for delivery food. In the jungle I will not be seeing any friendly people with boxes of pizza. So Restaurant/Delivery food max 3x/week. I'm not giving up Taco Tuesday because it is the best lunch when I have to teach morning and afternoon labs, and then I get two other times. This is pass/fail per week but I'm going to be a little more forgiving on this IF it is an outing with friends that's spontaneous, like I don't want to stay home because I already had my restaurant food that week, but then that will carry over to the next week, so I can "pass" going out 4 times in a week if the next week I only go out twice. The point is to make food myself at home! Quest for Life - Get a Job This is less related to the trip, but trips cost money! I am currently working part-time, which means my other part-time job needs to be finding a permanent (ish? Post-docs can be like one year) full-time position. I want this job to start in January, after I get back from my trip, which gives me basically three months to find it. This quest means 30 minutes every weekday of job searching/resume building. I mean ideally I'll do more than that, but there's the bare minimum. I didn't do an RPG thing last time, so I think I'm going to go back and edit my signature to start doing that. Here's my grading system for this challenge: First: 16-18 runs/rides = A, +5 STA13-15 runs/rides = B, +4 STA10-12 runs/rides = C, +3 STA7-9 runs/rides = D, +2 STA6 runs/rides = you tried? +1 STA<6 runs/rides = F +0 STASecond: 16-18 lift = A, +5 STR13-15 lift = B, +4 STR10-12 lift = C, +3 STR7-9 lift = D, +2 STR6 lift = you tried? +1 STR<6 lift = F +0 STRThird: Pass six weeks = A, +2 CONPass 4-5 weeks = C, +1 CONPass 3 or less weeks = F, +0 CONLife: Pass six weeks = A, +3 WISPass 4-5 weeks = B, +2 WISPass 3 weeks = D, +1 WISPass <3 weeks = F, +0 WISEXCEPTION: Finding a job = automatic A+! And that's my third challenge! Hopefully this time I'll manage to...

Hi, you can call me Arky I'm 21. I have been commercial fishing for 3 years out of bristol bay. I also have been involved in MMA at C3 in Everett, WA. Right now i'm beating the docks and traveling through Alaska having an adventure. I'ts a struggle not to fall into the drunken sailor stereotypes, but my diet sucks and I'm always on stand by. I have little to no resources so i'm bumming it. I keep myself motivated but I can't do it alone. I am new to nerd fitness and the guilds but I want to keep my health in check. As of now i'm in kodiak Alaska beating the docks. Can anyone relate? HMU 907-346-7294 arkimedes@icloud.com

This challenge is going to see me moving around a lot: my last week in Taiwan, a day in Hong Kong, 2 weeks in the UK, and then home to Michigan, USA. Because of that, I've changed my format up a bit and toned down the intensity. I want to keep moving forward, but I'm ok with slowing down a little. That being said, let's get started! My latest message: Welcome to Level 1, recruit. Your real training is about to begin, but first you have to get to your assigned training facility. With HYDRA still a very real threat, both from within and without, our facilities are now smaller and less conspicuous, and we're not going to draw attention by flying you straight there. Your journey will take place in stages, and at each stage you will uncover what you need to reach the next one. Stay alert, stay fit, and don't let your guard down. Good luck. MAIN QUEST: Become an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. The Challenge: Mission 1 - Stay Fit I know I probably won't stick to a set workout schedule these 6 weeks, but I still intend to be active and get in what I can. My travelling buddy in the UK is a runner, so I'll be working that in as something new, as well as some of my usual stuff. Here's the breakdown: Walking - 1 point/hour (I know I'll be doing a lot of this) Running/Dance - 2 points/half hour Strength - 3 points/half hour Goal: 100 points [to be modified if it ends up being too easy] STR: +2 STA: +2 CHA: +1 Mission 2 - Stay Flexible Yoga is something I know I'll be able to fit in, even if it's just a bit of stretching in the morning or at night. Goal: 15 minutes every day DEX: +2 WIS: +1 Mission 3 - Stay Fueled I'm not going to try to stay paleo for this challenge, because I know myself and know that I'll just end up over-eating junk on vacation if I do. Instead, I'll focus on making a few specific healthy choices. Goal: Protein with every meal. Veggies twice a day. CON: +3 Life Quest - Observe An agent has to be aware of her surroundings. Posing as a tourist with a camera makes for a good cover. Goal: Take at least 1 photo a day. WIS: +2 CHA: +2 Gotta run, or I'll be late for work. Will add more details later!

As with my first challenge, my overall life goal is to do good--all the time, as much of it as possible, everywhere I go, and in every possible situation. To be that person, I need in both their mental/psychological meanings and their physical/literal ones, strength, endurance, and adaptability ...like, a lot. So, with that level-50 endpoint in mind, over the next 6 (okay, I'm a little late, so it's more like 4.5) weeks I've got some baby-step goals to help me move in the right direction. GOALS: 1. Get up and moving with purpose for at least an hour every day. I read and research most of the day which means I'm sitting most of the day. I have the time and the flexibility (since most of the week I work from home) to get up and do something. I should take advantage of that, and I think that having something I have to do every day will keep me from falling back into old habits. +1 DEX, 4 or more days a week (avg) +2 DEX, everyday...like a boss 2. Eat more leafy greens. Right now romaine lettuce is my main squeeze, and while it has some pretty impressive nutritional stats, I need to start seeing other greens. To accomplish this goal I need to incorporate any of the following into at least 3 meals every week: kale, collard greens, swiss chard, bok choy, and spinach. +1 CON, three meals each week (avg) +1 CON and +1 WIS , all servings accounted for, and each veggie from that list gets a turn 3. Build strength and track my progress. My weekend job requires a lot of lifting and standing for long periods of time, so building strength would be immediately applicable to my overall goal. I'll have to workout 3x / week and track my workouts to accomplish this goal. +1 STR, 3 workouts, accounted for, each week (avg) +2 STR, 50 squats and/or 50 push ups (I'm at 30 right now with both of these, so I think I can make it if I stay on track) *. LIFE GOAL: Find and volunteer with 3 community organizations. My husband and I moved in November, and I still feel a little out of touch with our community. I'd like to spend some time during this challenge getting to know how I can help around here, and then, you know, actually putting in the time. +1 WIS, finding and reading up on services/shelters/charities in my new city +1 WIS and +1 CHA, at least 3 hours of actual volunteer/service time Actually writing this out has gotten me very excited for the next few weeks! This is my first quest with a particular guild (second quest overall), so I hope I make you proud Rangers!

So much going on this month! Turning 30! Competing in first strongman competition! Much work travel! Beach! My overall goal is to make a respectable showing at my strongman contest. It is August 23 and I still have some work to do before I can hit all of the weights. I am competing as a heavyweight womens novice, I started doing strongman at the beginning of May. It is at my home gym, so I am familiar with the equipment and will have all my friends and team mates cheering me on During the remaining part of my training time, I will be on the road for work for 2 weeks, and have been traveling the past 2 weeks (I get weekends at home), I found a great gym in my last location and am hoping to find more in my future travels. Events and weights below. I know I can rock the keg carry and I think I can do well in the yoke, though my best on yoke so far is 300# for 100 feet. I need to practice the stone carry, but I think I can do that too. Deadlift and the press medley make me a bit nervous though. As of my last attempt my barbell 1RM is 205, so maybe a bit more than that now. The barbell for 185x3 is easy, the axle for 215x2 is probably doable by then...the frame is a beast. Press stuff makes me nervous because I have been laying off everything overhead because my right shoulder has been wonky, but after a month with a PT, I am getting back to it at low weights. I need to work on some other goals, especially food goals which has been my weak point lately, but this is a start. Press Medley: barbell, axle, log– for time: BB-115#, axle-115#, log-105# Deadlift Medley – Barbell x 3, Axle x 2, Frame x 1: 185#215#250# Keg Carry – for time- 120′ (60′ down, 60′ back): 130# Yoke walk – 60’ for time: 350# Stone carry x 15′ and load to platform x 3 stones: 115#,130#,155# http://novastrong.com/strongman/strongman-showdown/

I need help getting back to disciplined eating. Four years ago I began a slow, consistently downward drop in weight that resulted in a loss of 60 pounds followed by a year of maintenance over a 3 year period. Since then I just can't get back into the healthy eating mode and have put 10-15 pounds back on. I am more likely to do "pain eating" than stress eating. I have knee and foot problems that can really kick my butt the day after cross-fit and/or volleyball and these can lead to treats to make me feel better. Even a slow walk on a track can leave me sore for a few hours or a day. I have had on and off chronic knee pain since I was 15 or so. My motivation is I want to have my walking endurance adequate to walk everywhere I want to go if I ever make it to Europe. I also want to have my body looking good enough that I don't hesitate to be in the pictures that are taken. Being able to sprint to balls in volleyball would be a bonus. Speaking of motivation, I would like to get feeling good enough that I am motivated to get the things that need to get done, like housework and yard work, done. Main Quest Drop 8 pounds by end of 6 weeks (as a start to continued self-improvement) and have good eating habits in place Quest 1 Each week do Crossfit, volleyball, yoga, or complete Beginner Body Weight Workout at least 5 days (hoping to get bench press up to 120) Quest 2 Limit my caffeine (regular coffee & decaf, tea, and chocolate) to 10am or earlier (did I mention the sleep issues?) Quest 3 Enter all my Paleo based meals at home (I don't eat out much) into MyFitnessPal so I can make sure I'm getting enough protein and other nutrients and not too much of the bad stuff.

Hellooooooo.... Well, for those of you that perchance glanced at my last challenge they will notice that I went from Shanghai > London > Canada. So now I'm in Canada and by the end of this challenge I will go back to Shanghai (yay summer holidays!!!). My last challenge focused on being centered, happy and as non-stressed out and healthy as possible during those weeks. It went fairly well for the first part of it, but by the time I got back to Canada I had an epic, epic burnout and spent about a week being a piece of exhausted flesh. That part is mostly OK now, but what I would like to gear up for is going back to Shanghai. And the thought of that makes me want to grab the kid and hide in the woods. 1. I don't want to go back to Shanghai. 2. I don't want to go back to Shanghai. 3. Seriously? We were not supposed to be in Shanghai this long. I've been away from Canada for almost 12 years now, that part is fine. But I was NOT supposed to get stuck in one place this long. A few years ago we were supposed to go to Brazil, then it was India, then it was Vietnam. Now...meh. Shanghai for another few years. OK, the positive parts are I have a fairly good job (which was very, very frustrating last year but they've PROMISED me certain changes this year which should make it better), I have a fantastic place to live, great friends there, a good support network and a serious quantity of vacation time throughout the year. Things could absolutely be worse. Also, right now I'm going to an AMAZING gym that is kicking my ass in all sorts of awesome ways and I'm totally loving. Air is clean, kid is happy, food is good, I get to see my family and it's a good, long visit. The goal: Go back to Shanghai happy to go, knowing that I've set things up for myself so that it will be a good school year. I'll have enough support, the kid will be getting everything he needs to keep thriving, and we have plans for some awesome holidays. Mini-goals: 1 tiny goal per week Week 1: Work out 4 times (I'll be away from gym at my mom's place, so this is a little tricky), hand in papers (finishing up my masters credits) two days early Week 2: Shop for food, don't buy any unnecessary crap. Week 3: Have fun with b/f while he's in town! Poutine only twice. Go out on at least two dates sans kid. Week 4: Keep working out! Week 5: Remain sane while packing, travelling on a plane with a toddler on lap. Meditate at least 10 min per day. Week 6: Do not sink into depressed coma when returning to Shanghai, see friends, enjoy life, sign up for gym. Daily Goals: Keep refrigerator free from gross food Do not go to bed with dishes in sink Buy one of those swiffers (f you environment!) for the kitchen floor. I have the reusable pads in Shanghai, but not here Keep bathroom clean Meditate daily using Omvana app if nothing else Big Goals: Retail Therapy: Only purchase the following (these are MAXIMUM numbers, I don't shop in Shanghai, it's all over priced crap and I'm really trying to reduce my shopping foodprint). It's soo easy to overshop when I'm here, but I want to buy fewer clothes overall, but more that are better quality that will last more than a season without turning to dust/unwearable professionally. So I really save my yearly clothing budget for when I'm here, and overall I feel like I shop a lot less. Also, I am personally trying to boycott any shop that does not meet minimum safety requirements in their manufacturing, which sadly cuts out quite a few (say good bye to H&M, Gap, Old Navy). -good quality shirts for work X4 -good quality skirts for work X2 -sandals for work, flats for work -tshirts X4 (literally I have zero right now, I just threw out my last one) -a good school bag -a few new workout tops Talk to the man: Make a specific list of what needs doing week to week and work out a schedule with b/f on how to do it. This year I was 'housewife of the year' despite working a full time job. This is not cool. Date night. It's happening. I mean, with my b/f. This is more a him thing than me thing, but for our relationship it needs to be a 'we' thing or there isn't going to be much left. Kid: OMG we have so much fun together, and I really hate going back to work but I know it's sooo necessary for both of us. So, we're going to keep doing Music Together, and I would like to find him at least one more weekly thing we can do together. I think soon he can start to help out more with food choices and planning, but he's just a toddler! Me! All me!!! Keep working out! I have a lot of resources I can use (I bought some very cool DVD sets before I came away for the summer I haven't touched, really), I want to keep on working out like I'm doing here (more weights than I've ever used before), get in some yoga where I can, and maybe even back to Muay Thai a little. I have even suggested we go to Muay Thai on date night since that's where we met to begin with. Make a gratitude board for our apartment in Shanghai. I'm not at all crafty, but I'm pretty sure I can handle this. I think it involves glue and some cardboard. No grading, I just do it or I don't. I could make a rubric and see where my 'areas of opportunity' are, but I don't know if that would help. I'll think about it. Dang, I need to get this paper finished, all I can think of is rubric and learning challenges. Tomorrow is very soon, I think I'm ready. The picture is my dad, lifting my kid.

So uhhhh hi. I'm going to Japan in the fall and I need help! I took a little bit of Japanese a number of years ago, but it's gotten very rusty and I also don't have anyone to practice with here IRL. So I was hoping for a pen pal, or a forum pal, or something, with which to converse and learn some new skills. I will also be working on the reading (re-learning the kana and learning many kanji for the first time) so some conversations may be taking place very slowly and painfully in roomaji. Doomo arigatou gozaimashita!

Challenge 3 begins! I feel like I'm getting back on track with this one. Right now I'm at a place where I don't want to look at the scale so, while there won't be measurements, there will still be a starting photo up soon enough. I do have measurements on my previous two challenges and on the photos in my album if you're interested. Motivation: I need to love my body in order to accept the love that others give me, as well as to allow myself to love others more freely. Challenge Goals: Sleep. 3 STA, 2 CON I didn't do well on this one last challenge, so it's back again. I need to get to bed at 10:30 pm regularly to get up at 6:30 am. I've also put my foot down with my husband - he's not allowed sleeping in the bed until he stops snoring. Harsh, I know, but I've been asking him to drop enough weight to stop snoring for a long time now and it really affect my sleep. It makes me sad and embarrassed to share this, but I'm finally sleeping through the night. I need to learn how to wind down at the end of the day and get myself into bed. Prevent evening snack attacks. 2 WIS, 2 CHA Have better/larger meals/snacks during the day, have dinner ready when I get home (crock pot, left-overs), get sufficient sleep, have snacks in a small bowl, chew gum or have tea in the evening, etc. Run. 2 STA, 2 DEX Daily, before work, I'll be up at 6:30 am to get in a quick jog on the treadmill. This will realistically range 15-23 minutes depending on how long it takes me to get downstairs. I want to make the run non-negotiable. I may take a break from it on weekends. Life Side Quest: Plan a vacation. 2 CHA I've booked tickets to Iceland and London, and returning from Paris. August 16-30. Eek! I have the stopover in Iceland all planned out at this moment, now I need to figure out the rest. Please provide any feedback, advice, etc. you may have for my challenge!

Soo.... After last challenge, my newbie challenge, I chose assassin as my guild. But it was a super hard choice, as I have a lot of yoga going on, have for a long time, and finding balance has always been one of the key focal points of my life. So this time I'm going to post here, because I feel like this challenge I need to bring in a little more zen, and a little less badass. A few things are happening in the next few weeks, most of which are awesome, but all of which are hectic, different, and prone to pulling me off balance. 1. End of the school year, YAAAAAAHOOOO!!!! 2. Ten days of personal development training in London. 3. 12 days with my inlaws. 4. 3 international flights alone with a toddler. 5. Going to visit my family in Canada (which will be awesome, and I'll get to be with them for a month). The background to this is, I'm a international school teacher in Shanghai, and my family lives in Canada. This is BY FAR not my first flight with the toddler on my own, but international flights are tedious enough on my own when I can quietly get bombed and watch bad movies, when I can do neither, it's a slow version of hell with a 25 lbs kid on my lap/running up and down the aisle. While in London my in laws will be flying in from Germany to care for the kid when I'm in class, which is fantastic for everyone. Then I go back to Canada and see my family with said kid, his dad/my boyfriend will eventually fly in for 10 days at the end, which is also great. But, it's a lot of moving around, a lot of being fed, a lot of times when I'm not necessarily going to be able to choose my own food (MIL is German, her food is awesome but heavy) a lot of jetlag, and a lot of disrupted schedule. When I'm back in Canada I can go to my dad's awesome gym, my brother's awesome MMA club, eat awesome healthy food. So...that. But that will be at the end of the challenge. That will be the prize. So, next 6 week, with the toughest being the mid 3, I'm going to prioritize BALANCE. Workout goals: - 3X a week: BWW/yoga workout. I'm going to try and get a prasara yoga book when I'm in Canada, but I'm totally comfortable with the workouts I've been doing and I'm going to keep on doing them. Also, I have two Barre PIlates classes left on my card that I'm going to use next week when I have a little extra time when I'm not working and the kid is at daycare. - 1 min where I do all the FULL pushups I can, with whatever time left in that minute in plank. Last week I did 15 pushups, then two days later only 10. - keep on working on my headstand to scorpion. Pre kid, this was not an issue, now it is. Pre kid I did 5X a week 90 min Muay Thai classes, I was buff. So this is taking some work, but I'd like to get back there, mostly because it's fun. - keep working on handstands as much as my shoulder allows it - prioritize backbends in yoga flow. I need to stay open to this whole thing. Especially when I'm in London. Other goals: As chez as it sounds, I have the Omvana app on my ipod and it's really working for me. It gives me 5-20 min meditations that i can just throw on while I'm on the bus to school, or on the plane, whatever. I'd like to do 5X a week. Create a packing list/what to buy list. Basically just get through the next few weeks as organized as I can possibly be. This part is obviously also going to require some flexibility and going with the flow. ENJOY the training. I'll be doing another section of my masters degree. I had a fantastic time two years ago when I did it, I had to take a year off when I had the kid, and I'm pumped to be going back. The location is outside of London in a converted manor house on what is now a golf course and convention center. So it's beautiful and kind of looks like Hogwarts. I'm really hoping I can get a bike and go back and forth by bike, it will be about a 30 min trip so that will be a great way to sneak in some more movement. Food: Keep it balanced. I'm actually in reasonably decent shape with this one right now, it should be OK. When I'm in England though, that will be harder. Not because good food is hard to come by, not at all, just because I won't be the one cooking all the time/choosing what I can eat. We'll have to play that one by ear. MIL can't be offended. Also, I'm a little tiny bit worried about what she will want to feed the kid, but you know, grandmas are for spoiling, and I am very prepared to let that go. Besides, he could use some fattening up. He's so freakin active that it's hard to keep weight on him anyway. Oh also? In England? Gluten free english muffins. I'm saved a lot by the fact that GF food in China is very expensive and often shit quality, so I just don't go over bready when I'm here. But there??? Granted last time I was there I was pregnant, but I ate a lot of english muffins and peanut butter. Both delightful in moderation. Grading...um? Yay or Nay? I don't really want to focus on this part, I just want to keep my eye on the prize. If things go awry, well I really have to keep my focus and let shit go. So that's it. I'm sure I'm leaving something out and I'm a day late posting due to random internet issues at home. It's not overly complicated at all, I don't even know if it's challenge worthy, but I want to stay focused and not get caught up and I could use some support in that area. Happy Challenging!!! P.S. "Balance. Timing." Were the only 2 words my old thai boxing instructor knew in English. He said them a lot. He was a million years old and could kick anyones ass. I remember him fondly.

What constitutes my version of the perfect fairytale? Let's find out (work in progress) 4. become fluent in Spanish 5. take a vacation to Portland 8. Move out of Florida by summer 2016, to the Northwest or Virginia (either would be awesome) 9. Start daily Ashtanga classes in a Mysore Style studio 10. Travel to Mysore to study for a summer, 15. hopefully somewhere in there, have an amazing relationship and live happily ever after with them 16. visit one new country every year with my significant other 17. Take aerials classes 18. Read all of these: 60 Most Recommended Yoga books + Al Kavadlo's Stretching the Limits + Some Ashtanga books + Yoga and the True Self + Books related to Yoga and Trauma My "I'm Possible"List (smaller meanwhile goals I want to achieve) 1. Do a handstand 2. Do a handstand straddle press 3. become proficient up to the Fourth Series in Ashtanga Yoga 4. Learn a 3rd language 5. Do humanitarian work to help save the rainforests 6. Eat in a way that honors my body 7. Run the Disney Princess Half Marathon 8. Go to Jerusalem for Tasneem's wedding 9. Visit Paula, Jenn, Vanessa, Sara and Hiram 10. help more people than I hurt, love more people than I don't, be a light for the world by being the best me possible. 11. live to see my great grandchildren 12. have a beach house 13. climb a mountain 14. dive the Great Barrier Reef 15. never forget to be grateful 16, Cosplay 17. LARP

Hi all. I've been lurking for a bit and receiving the newsletter since September. After a few off-again, on-again bouts with the beginner boydweight routine, I've found my niche self-crafted program/plan and it's been great. A few things about my situation: - I'm 28, 5'11" and 180 lbs. Definitely had been progressing toward the "skinny fat" realm before I turned things around and decided to build some muscle and change my diet - I travel for 48 weeks out of the year for my job. We move around via bus and stay in hotels all over the USA, Canada and Japan so being consistent with routines proves an interesting life challenge. Whereas travel for most people is special, for me it is the norm, and being in a home, able to cook my own meals and go to the gym is a rather special treat I'm here to look for other tips and tricks that other travelers may have discovered. Steve's article about his big trip from a few years ago and maintaining consistent exercise is very good, and I'm planning to go into a little more detail here with certain things that probably affect those of you who travel for your job a lot more than the average bear. Perhaps we can share tips and tricks and come out the better for it! Firstly, goals: packing on some muscle, being stronger, reducing that ever-encroaching beer gut, and feeling better about getting up in the morning. Resources: Nerdfitness, Couch to 5k, 100 Pushups, James Clear. A few years ago I did couch to 5k and 100 pushups and burned out pretty hard on both by about week 5. I think the problem is the emphasis placed on certain exercises rather than a more comprehensive approach to total fitness and body movements. And honestly I think both of these programs assume a level of fitness that is a little higher than your typical couch potato looking to get started, and can have the effect of burning out newbies who don't realize what they're getting into, and simply assume anybody should be able to complete these. I know I thought something was "wrong with me" when I couldn't keep up the demands of all those pushups and running in just 4 short weeks without feeling like death. A more striking recent discovery for me was that I could do a lot more exercise, in a shorter amount of time, in ADDITION to both of those programs and yet feel less overwhelmed and less tired by being more efficient with it and just breaking it down in a way that I could manage. Here are my habits, roughly laid out by category. Feel free to dissect and critique, and offer your own insight or modifications to these ideas. Cooler: I keep dairy, vegetables, berries, hummus and a few other things like kombucha and kimchi in a cooler. I change the ice out regularly. The Playmate from Walmart is a nice cheap option that has held up. I go through phases with the cooler and once in a while if we're in a decent city, I eschew it in favor of good restaurants for a few days. That presents certain risks like cooking with trans fats (there's really no way for you to know, but it's probably happening at many places) but it's also a nice break from the constant struggle to keep fresh, perishable foods in your system. I'm not a big fan of Greek yogurt but I like to eat it because of the protein to sugar ratio being great. However I recently found my new favorite plain yogurt and it's at many grocery stores all over the country: Mountain High. Pretty high protein content and it's not too runny. Dry food bag: I keep a bag with various nuts, carrots, sweet peppers (those pre-packaged bags you can get at the grocery store), dark chocolate (Green & Black's 85%), seeds (usually pumpkin), peanut butter, almond butter, and some granola (Bear naked is my favorite brand). Carrots and sweet peppers do not require refrigeration so this is a good way to save on cooler space and still eat very healthy. I like to dip the carrots in the almond butter and the peppers in the hummus. Also (and this is magic), whenever you see a Target, pick up one or two jars of their Raw Mixed Nuts. The brand is Archer Farms. It's a mix of cashews, almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts and pistachios. Raw, unsalted. AMAZING nutrition. I am pounding handful after handful right now in my hotel room. Given the tremendous difficulty of finding unsalted anything at grocery stores (because you're going to get a ton of salt in your restaurant food), this is a real gem at one of the most ubiquitous grocery store chains out there. DO IT. Eating out: Thai restaurants and diners. Seriously. These are almost everywhere now. Thai and Pho in particular seem to have exploded in popularity since I started this job in 2009, so all the better. At Denny's you can make this grand slam: 2 eggs, bacon strips, sausage, and a side of avocado. If you just did a workout, add some oatmeal too. Most Thai restaurants allow you to get more veggies instead of rice, or to sub in brown rice for more fiber. They also typically have some kind of chicken and lemongrass option with veggies. I was able to add extra veggies (broccoli, spinach and carrots) last night for just 2 bucks. I like to scan the menu and pick the curry dish with the best green vegetable mix. They are almost always willing to accommodate a more Paleo version for a few extra bucks. Also, Chipotle/Qdoba. It's basically the same thing. You can get the burrito bowl, hold the rice (or not if you've just worked out or you're running soon), add fajitas and guacamole, and go to town all in a quick lunch stop. Panera Bread is another good option for lunch if you're surrounded by a sea of chain fast food places. Soup, cobb salad, and sub an apple on the side for the bread. Equipment: I currently use a pull-up bar, the perfect push-up traveler version, 25 and 40 lb. dumbells, and a pillow for planks. I've found the perfect push-up is good for my wrists and makes the pushups quite a great deal more difficult for me. There are many instances in which some or all of this equipment is rendered useless. For example, the doors in the current hotel are all too wide for the pull-up bar and have no molding on which to hang it. The carpet here is too deep for the perfect push-up base to swivel. It's also raining hard and using the dumbbells outside the bus would get them all rusty. But I make do and modify the workout accordingly. Yesterday I found a set of stairs that I can do pull-ups under, as long as a buddy is watching to make sure nobody is about to walk down them and step on my fingers! Just doing regular pushups today, and I'll use my suitcase loaded with stuff for my rows. Routine: I've found that working out 6 days a week, focusing on upper body movements for 3 days, and lower body movements for the alternate days, works great for me. Saturdays are off and I just make sure I get a nice walk in. Upper body days this week have me doing pushups, pullups, wall handstands, overhead press, rows and dumbbell curls. Lower body days have me doing prisoner squats, split squats, lunges, reverse lunges, planks and running intervals. This way I get the core in almost every day. I want to give my feet more time to adjust to the Vibrams before I go into full-on interval sprints to avoid any undue injury, so I'm once again using the Couch to 5k program to help me work up to running a few miles a few times a week. I'm still in the training phase with many of these exercises so I'm focused on form. It's week 5 of getting back into it and thanks to keeping a detailed calendar of my progress, I haven't wavered this time. Finding gyms: typically we stay in the same area for no more than one or two nights maximum. Sometimes we have several days off in a given area, or we have jobs in the same area for up to a week. In these cases I do research ahead of time and call around to local gyms to see what kind of deal they will cut me. There are some other fitness nerds on the job with me so they can cut a group deal. For example, a couple of weeks ago we were in the same town for 5 days. I called two gyms and the second one gave us full access for the week for $20 each. Not too bad, as many places want up to $20 a day. I think of it as paying for the use of the pull-up bar and various grips, the bench press and squat rack, the dumbbells with more weight variation, and the treadmills if there is inclement weather. $4 a day to get unlimited access to deadlifts, bench press, cleans and squats? Sounds like a deal to me! I'll interrupt and make regular replacements to my routine with gym access. For example, I'll leave out the overhead press and regular bodyweight squats in favor of the power clean and squat rack at the gym. After struggling to keep up the beginner bodyweight routine with running 3 days a week last Fall, splitting things up like this still wipes me out, keeps my appetite up, and makes me more motivated to rest and keep to proper form. I believe in a detailed dynamic warmup, focusing on big movements at all times, staying hydrated, and keeping to a moderate intermittent fasting period (for me it's roughly noon to 9pm). Ever since cutting out drinking, my figure has changed, my motivation has gone up and I've had a lot more money to spend on the nutritious food that I need. Anyways, that's my story with fitness this time around. I really hope to stick with it and I think with the help of the community and Steve's newsletters, it's going to become a lifetime habit. James Clear's succinct newsletter is also a good motivator with sticking to habits. Does anybody else have tried-and-true travel fitness methods that work for you? Please let me know! I'm always on the lookout for other tricks to keep things going forward while traveling.

Hey everybody, hope everyone is well! I am an 18 year old currently hailing from Vancouver Canada, but will be soon heading off on an epic quest/pilgrimage/ adventure of a lifetime, into the great Australia. I plan for this trip to about growth, personal development, a search for some spiritual answers of sorts, as well as a way to get in the best damn shape of my life with no distractions. This promises to be tricky with no permanant state of residence, I'll be hoping to pull off the playground and hotel room workouts to achieve my goals. Anyways, enough about me, tell me about you! What do you have going on for you? What are your goals? Any advice for a soon to be vagabond in search of personal betterment? Looking forward to meeting all of your faces!

Hello fellow nerds! I am someone that works professionally as an audio engineer, (aka: the person that mixes the sound when you go see a show,) and I have recently begun a 6 month leg of a US tour. I'll definitely be living out of a suitcase for the foreseeable future and will rarely have access to a kitchen or fridge. Do any of you have advice when it comes to keeping control of a healthy diet while traveling extensively? My first chance to stop at home and my lovely fridge won't be until mid-April! I'm sure I won't be able to follow a Paleo diet, but any thoughts about restaurants or other options to keep myself from gaining a bunch of weight?

Hello from the snow plain of the Midwestern United States. I am a 25 years old male of Thai-Chinese heritage. Usually, that means a tall guy with automatic lean, slim waist that would take forever to fatten up for winter. Well, that's not me. According to my father, our family came from the hilly, rocky area of China. There, people are developed to be compacted and stout to withstand ever-changing topography and strong wind. They have to store fat for the time without food will be long and stark and the time they have to keep moving through windy terrain. 4 generations later, in the 5' 6" frame, (165 cm) I pack 160 lb (75 kg) of muscles and fat. The wind of Chicago can't even move a strand of my hair. (Imagine-- A corn-fed porcupine on steroid-- that's me!) When I was 22, I had a strange six pack on top of my belly that jiggles when I walk. That's the closest of a six pack I ever had. I want to work with what I have to be awesome. I want to be leaner, lighter on my feet, and more confident. However, I travel around a lot. It is hard to stick with a routine when I never settle. In a week, I am off to Bangkok. A week after to Varanasi, India. Another two weeks, back to Illinois. Then in four months I will be in Philly, and Taiwan... well, you get the picture. I let myself try new things and adapt to new customs a little to much that I can't keep a consistency of my own habit. But now I want to try to set some loose ground rules that are applicable to anywhere I go. So far, these are some that help. - Never have dessert/ alcohol unless you are offered- if so, have less than a serving - No red meat for lunch unless a meal is shared/ it is left over - If walking is applicable, walk, walk fast I read that you are encouraged to travel a lot in Nerd Fitness, so I am excited to get more tips and suggestions. Best, Tum

Fellow rebels! Next month I'll be in NYC for a weekend and then in Boston for a few days after that... this will be my fifth visit to NYC and I've lived for a couple of months in Boston, so I can skip stuff like the Empire State and the Old North Church, but I still want to be a tourist I like museums, the weirder the better, and most outdoorsy things (weather dependent). (I'm already lining up my NYC tradition - trapeze lesson at TSNY) So I'd love to know - where do you bring your friends in NYC and Boston? What's your favourite thing to do there? All suggestions welcome!

Hey ya-all! I'm Samathematics (Sami for short) and I'm from Florida. I've visited Japan, Ireland, Germany, Italy, France, Hawaii, the Bahamas, and most of the U.S. I do NOT know any other language other than some high school level French. At the end of this year I will be debt free! (Good bye, loans!) Next year I will start saving up for my Around-the-World trip which I plan to do for about 1 year starting June or July. Some (but not all) of my goals for this trip: Work for my board and food when I can.Visit every continent.Specific places: New Zealand, Seoul, Chile, Brazil (Amazon), Cape Town, (Am I brave enough for Egypt?), Iceland, ScotlandTravel Hack? (I just need to learn how...) I thought I would ask for a little help on my planning. Where would you visit if you were me and why?

I changed my display name: I was LuckyMe. Because wandering around: walking, hiking and exploring are my preferred methods of getting exercise, Wandern works better, I think. That, and "wanderer" was taken and I have wanderwegs on the brain right now… The Main Quest Take the girls on the Big Family Vacation to Europe. I’ve been able to tag along with my husband on his occasional business trips across the pond, so am not a complete noob at this travel thing. But, taking the kids and spending a good chunk of purely vacation time abroad is a bucket-list, level-up sort of life goal that we’ve been dreaming of for years. The Motivation Elder daughter is 15, and she’s already talking about looking for summer jobs and doing stuff that doesn’t involve her parents and younger sister. The window for the Big Family Vacation to Europe is rapidly closing. The Goals: Instead of three goals, I’m giving myself mini-challenges for each phase of the challenge. Phase 1: Pre-Departure (two weeks) In addition to the pre-departure checklist: Goal 1: I maintain my current level of fitness and avoid injury by getting to the gym and completing a Rebel Fitness workout 3 times a week. 6 points possible: 6 points = A , 5 points = B. An “A†will get me +3 CON, a “B†+2 CON Goal 2: I complete the Pimsleur German Level 1 up to Unit 20 (currently on 9). I finished Unit 1 in Italian a couple weeks ago, but need to have a few words in German so I can at least try. I’ve depended on my husband’s German skills in the past, but that really isn’t best. 11 points possible: 10-11 = A (+2 CHA), 8-9 = B (+1 CHA) Goal 3: Meditate 10 minutes 5 days a week. 10 points possible 9-10 = A (+2WIS); 7-8 = B (+1WIS ) Phase 2: The Journey (3 weeks) Goal 1: A digital fast: I will delete the work email account and all social media from my phone and bookmarks. No social media for the entire 3 weeks. No email except to let my parents know that we’re still alive. 19-21 points = A(+2 STA); 15-18 points = B (+1 STA) Goal 2: Meditate 10 minutes 5 days a week. 15 points possible 13-15 = A (+2DEX); 9-12 = B (+1DEX ) Phase 3: Recovery (1 week) In addition to all the stuff that will have built up while I'm gone: Goal 1: Back to the gym immediately: 3 Rebel Fitness (or Strength) workouts. 3 = A (+2STR), 2 = B (+1 STR) Goal 2: Eliminate carbs (down to 30 or so grams of carbs/day) for the whole week. 7 days = A (+2 CON), 6 days = B (+1 CON). I’m gonna have to log this (ugh.). Goal 3: Meditate 10 minutes 5 days a week. 5 points possible 5 = A (+1WIS);