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I tried to find a good gif or even a pic of T H E V O I D but there aren't any. You can't take a pic of T H E V O I D because it's nothing. Just nothing. Interesting that there are gifs of nothing, but not T H E V O I D. This one is close though. I briefly considered making my challenge theme T H E V O I D but that wouldn't be right either. T H E V O I D is not a theme. It's not anything at all. A little like this, but not really. My challenge isn't going to be nothing. It's going to be more challengey than my last two challenges, which were just battle logs. Not that I regret that. There is no regret in T H E V O I D. Like this, only more, and less. My challenge to myself is to become more than I am now. More strong - weight training and pull-ups will happen. More comfortable - my house needs work. More inspired - I want to read something for fun. More peaceful - ukulele will be played. And I realized that T H E V O I D isn't just nothing. T H E V O I D is the potential. It's what isn't there the instant before something brilliant and beautiful happens. Sometimes T H E V O I D is big, and sometimes T H E V O I D is small. But any time we push, and stretch, and grow, even just a little, we push it back. The tiniest flame beats back great darkness. A little hope heals. A little faith moves mountains. And with just a little effort, I am going to conquer T H E V O I D. Here I go.

I'm keeping this super simple. I'm going to try to track calories and stay on my daily MFP target. I'm going to try to run three days per week. I'm going to try to cycle to three days per week. I'm going to try to play my ukulele a little bit each day. That's it. One point per day for each thing I do. 123GO!

Same Bat-challenge! Kinda. This challenge I will: Get at least seven hours of sleep five nights per week Stretch five times per week Practice ukulele with kid #2 twice per week Daily tracking will be in my battle log, and by gosh I really need to start doing the weekly summaries again, to help me keep track of what I'm aiming for! Standard warning: I'm queer, genderqueer, poly, and kinky. I keep this pretty SFW, and anything otherwise will be tagged as such and put under a cut. The photos I share here are SFW, but if you follow any links to my Instagram page, some are a little less so! Enjoy!

Edited to add my disclaimer: I'm queer, genderqueer, poly, and kinky. I keep this pretty SFW, and anything otherwise will be tagged as such. The photos I share here are SFW, but if you go to my Instagram page, some are a little less so! Enjoy! It's time to switch things up. I'm maintaining well at just over 140lbs, even while I was eating whatever on vacation. I'm biking thanks to the nice weather, stretching every now and then, spending time with people who lift me up, and generally feeling pretty good. With that, I'm going to focus on two things from previous challenges. UKULELE and SLEEP. My husband plays electric bass and my older kid has requested to play drums at school next year. Both the kids like joining my husband on percussion (djembe or tambourine) while he plays, and we just got my friend's old drum kit. My younger kid has been writing their own songs, and they both love to sing. My husband did this to our basement yesterday: Isn't it great?? Obviously it's a work in progress, but EEE! Excited! So I've got to really learn how to play my uke after all this time. The goal is to practice five times per week for at least twenty minutes, and to learn four songs, starting with Stairway to Heaven because I love the opening bit. There may be videos. NO PROMISES. Sleep goal is at least seven hours, five nights per week. I may add in a cleaning goal, but I'm worried that will be overambitious.

Hi fellow Druids! During the last challenge I made a fundation of three good regulair habits; meditating every day, doing yoga at least three times a week, and writing through stuffs that is going on in my life. I'll keep doing this. However, this challnge I'll be focusing new things. Unstuckifying things that correspond with my work-in-progress plan of 2015: Unicycle: I've got the most awsome boyfriend ever, Mr. Piouscat, and last year he gave me a unicycle. And I've not mastered it yet. No, I downright s*ck at it, because I've not put down the work. This have to change, spring is here and what is more awsome than riding a unicycle? How: getting up on Lalaith (yes, that's her name) every single day (except from when I am house sitting at the end of this challenge), and do what I can. This will earn me three sparklepoints (***) Upside down: This is to some degree a metaphor for doing new things and building habits. The 21th of April will mark the start of this year's Summer holiday (sometimes you just have to love the world of academia), which will mean a lot of time for trying new things and catching up with friends and family. This year has been crazy busy, so I've barely had time for people. On the other hand I want to work with my inversions, yoga-wise. Because they are playful beasts in many ways, and bring new perspectives. I love handstands, headstands, shoulderstands and pretty much anything that turns the world (and it makes me clean the appartment more often, as breathing in piles of dust is slightly overrated). Anyways, my goal is to master Flash Prep (one leg up) by the end of this challenge. This a-symetrical pose is a real challenge for balance, (upper-) body strenght and awareness. AND I think working towards it will help my unicycling. How: Adding (some kind of) inversion to all my yoga sessions. This might be playing with a handstand or simply doing a Dangling (standing forward fold) in a yin sequence. Adding (at least) the flash prep hands to my "formal" three-times a week practice. Working towards 90 sec. side planks on each side. Doing all of these will add three sparke points (***) for each time practiced. Ukulele: starts April 21. The story of my beloved ukulele is pretty much the same as with the unicycle. Seriously, picking it up every day (and make sure it at least stays tuned) does make a big difference. Three sparkle points (***). University: starts April 21. Next year I'll start working on my MA theisis. And I need to re-take a class. This means that even though school is out, doesn't mean it's over. At least 10 min of dedicated work every day will do. This might mean brainstorming, writing emails to professors, banging head against the wall, or pondering about the inner workings of logistic regression. It's all good. Gives three sparkle points (***) Underground: starts April 21. I am a photographer (no, not my day job but never the less a photographer). And I love the darkroom, I love prints, I love printing! Both digital and the more old fashioned way. The darkroom fasilities of the Student Photography Club is under ground;) Goal: Work with printing at least four days a week. Gives three sparke points (***) each for each day. Bonus Any of the things from my past challenge gives one sparke point (*), e.g. meaning that a good yoga session will earn four points (****). For clarification: My goals are pretty open, by any means, and are based around a minimum of requirement rather than reaching some maximum of perfection. This is mainly because of past experiences with goal setting, and by now I know what works (for me) and not:) Right now I do yoga at home, sometimes guided by audio (soundcloud), video (mat2mat or youtube), making my own sequences or freeflow. Styles: strala, forrest and the occational yin I'll do the calculations later for max/min grades etc later:) . All kinds of encouragements, advices, cheering, smilies, likes, hugs and lurking are equally welcome . – Including words (in any language) starting with the letter U (I'll start: underfundig , one of many Norwegian words for stange Good luck everyone!

Hi everyone, I attempted to post on Tuesday but failed majorly due to my lack of forum knowledge. Anywho, I'm coming to this game a little late but have started since Tuesday and I'm really focused on making it through this 6-week challenge with y'all. I've been a Scout by trade for many years (cross-country and track in high school and college) and have only recently looked at other training styles. But I signed up for the Philadelphia Triathlon in June and so I'm keeping my scout shoes on and bracing myself for the task ahead. In the meantime my fitness/nutrition goals are primarily focused on leaning out for the event. My fitness goals are mapped out for me, as I'm following a triathlon plan and am currently using Starting Strength for weightlifting. Hopefully, the two aren't negating each other! These nutrition goals include: -drink AT LEAST 2 liters of water per day -proteins and veggies with every meal (like a lot of veggies) -less than 100g of carbs per day This is basically the Level 7 nutrition plan, but I've fallen off of this bandwagon many a times due to my friends Ben and Jerry and other sweets that I have trouble resisting. I really hope this challenge is going to keep me on track! Bonus: Life Goal -Either an acting, improv, or ukulele class! I'm finishing up an acting class right now, but would really like to explore more and also improv seems really awesome, so I'd like to find that. And and and I have ukulele that I've barely used...so it's time to get some motivation and play that ish. Thanks guys! Any triathlon/nutrition/life tips would be greatly appreciated. -Alessandra

Goals for this Challenge: Swim once per week Train with weights once per week Train with my bodyweight once per week Do a sun salutation every weekday Ukulele practice three times per week I'm not tracking food this time since I feel like I've got that under control. I want to swim more, I want to start weight training with my big muscly friend. I want to keep up with bodyweight training. I want to keep my flexibility. And I want to actually learn now to play my uke. So there you have it. I am feeling very uninspired. Going to do it anyway.

Hey guys, this is my 1st anniversary fitness challenge! I'm back to kick ass and take names. Getting back into things after being sick and the holidays derailing everything. I've already started and am feeling good. I'm sticking with the same goals again this challenge because I need to make sure I keep doing them and I have not had a good track record when I've added new things. It's all maintenance now, for the rest of my life, but if I keep it up I'll keep getting stronger and better and faster. Goals for this Challenge: Stretch 3 days per weekSledgehammer or swimming 3 days per weekNo S-Diet Updated! Goals for this Challenge: Stick with my diet and exercise planChase the shinies (1 activity/week)That's right, I'm giving myself permission to do fun stuff ... but also setting an expectation for myself that I'll make time for the other fun things in my life, like: Rope (still have to get to level 2!)WritingUkulele (my sister is getting married in August and I want to write her a song)Hula hoopPhotographyAssassin mini-questsI'm also open to suggestions/dares! Life Goals: Get a new freakin' job For reference, my January and December photos (underwear warning!) January's will be posted on Monday - 1 year later!

GENERAL THREAD WARNING: I am queer, genderqueer, polyamorous, and kinky. This is my thread, I don't censor myself much, and I will put NSFW warnings on anything that might get you in trouble for clicking on at work. Ask if you'd like links to the sites where I post the really NSFW stuff. Ok folks! It's time for challenge number four! What the heck does that mean? Well, I think it means I'm loosing steam. I've hit my weight goal (WOOHOO) and have been making some steady improvements in my overall fitness, so a huge part of me wants to scale way back on my efforts. It's the complacency monster, oh noes! I'M JUST GETTING STARTED! What's the point of just doing this for six months and then quitting, RIGHT? Can I get a hell yeah?? So! I acknowledge that working out isn't all that fun for me, even though I really enjoy how I feel afterwards!I confess that I hate logging all of my food, even though it's super helpful for actually loosing the body fat I still want to be rid of!I admit that I could hold steady where I am indefinitely ... BUT I WON'T. I'm here because I want: To gain strength and flexibility to be a better rope bottom and self-rigger.To gain strength and dexterity to be able to wrestle guys and legitimately win.To be able to do pull-ups and handstands because that would be amazingly cool. January vs July photo (underwear warning!) Six months, holy crap! I'm going to look amazing in a year! My goals for this challenge: Do a workout OR stretch/yoga OR swim EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. of the challenge (one point per day = 42 points total)If I work out, I will also do yoga because I need to stretch, but that doesn't get counted twice. I figure that even if I'm sick I should be able to do some kind of stretching. Things that count for this: ABWW and any kind of bodyweight workout routine, inversions and hollow body holds, hooping, rope bottoming, biking, lap swimming, wrestling, my usual stretch/yoga routine, walking more than 12 km. i.e. if I get sweaty and/or tire myself out, I'm covered. But workout, stretch/yoga, and swimming will be my main methods for this one. Participation in the Assassin's mini-challenge may count - I'll check when it's posted! Log my food (one point per day = 42 points total)As in actually put it into MFP. Don't just write it down. I need to know how many calories all that stuff is, not just make a list of what it was (though that's helpful, too). This fat isn't going away by itself. People won't be able to see my glorious abs unless I get rid of some more of this stuff! I can't stop until I've reached a body fat % I'm happy with, and I'm not there yet. I'm getting closer, but there's still a ways to go. Do something creative (two points per week = 12 points total)This is for ukulele, writing, photography, rope topping, modelling, making arts and/or crafts, and hair maintenance for myself or others. I may up the points goal for this depending on performance! I don't want to completely abandon my creative pursuits while focusing on my body, but I can't justify filling up my challenge with non-body oriented points, so this is the compromise I have thought up. Life goal: Get a new freakin' job (one-hundred and fifty points lol)This one is done, finito, kaput. It's time to leave. Onward!

MY BIG GOALS: To gain strength and flexibility to be a better rope bottom.To gain strength and dexterity to be able to wrestle guys and legitimately win.To be able to do pull-ups and handstands!For this challenge I will: Continue on with the advanced bodyweight workout from the NF blog, working towards doing all of the movements without assistance. I don't expect to completely achieve that during this challenge, but I will be satisfied as long as I can see that I'm needing less and less help to get things done. (STR)Swim 1.5km on alternate days with the aim of participating in the Toronto Island Lake Swim again this August. (STA)Keep up with yoga for stretching after my workouts to keep gaining flexibility, working towards getting my feet touching the top of my head in Full Camel and King Pigeon. I don't expect to completely achieve that during this challenge, but I will be satisfied as long as I keep at it and see progress. (DEX)Keep working on my core and on balancing in Crow/Crane and handstands. I would like to be able to balance in Crow/Crane for several seconds, and I would like to be able to start holding a handstand without having to rely on a door/wall by the end of this challenge. (STR+DEX)Schedule: Alternate workout days with swimming days, with no more than two days break if needed (for illness, tiredness, or other extenuating circumstances).Yoga at least after workouts, with bonus points for yoga on off days.Balance practice two or three times per week (Crow/Crane, Tree, handstands + hollow body holds).Optional: Squat for 30 minutes every day for the squat challenge. (DEX+STA)Do the hand exercise video twice a day. (DEX)Life quest: Get a new job (so, work on my resume and start getting in touch with my contacts). (WIS)Extra secret bonus quest!! Practice my ukulele once per week. (CHA)And on top of all this I walk about 3km every weekday just as a part of my regular routine. When the summer rolls around, I'll add in a goal about keeping up with that, but until then, it's safe to assume I'm walking five days per week. Here are my progress pics from January to April 12th. WARNING! UNDERWEAR!