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Hello, all. I'm Kat, and I run. Well, I try to run. Since early August I've been using the Zombies! Run! app to get myself to a point where I'm comfortable calling myself a litte-r-runner. I want to be a Big-R-Runner, though, and since that is a textbook example of levelling up, here I am. I live in Western Australia with my girlfriend, cat and enough yarn to dress the Sydney Opera House. I'm vegan (since April 2013), have a science degree (Ecology, Wildlife Biology were my majors, in case you're wondering) and I work for a giant hardware retailer, and really enjoy my job. My body's lived a whole lot of life in my 32 years and it's got some hiccups to show for it, like back problems, bad wrists and shoulders, and a bung foot. Excuses are boring, though, so I'm trying to learn how to work around those issues. I'm not much of a nerd, except about weird obscure things like knitting, spinning (yarn, not cycling) and occult science. I'm tough-minded, cynical and sceptical, though, so I figure I can quietly hang here and leech off y'all.

Hi there! I'm a 30-year-old teacher from Brazil. I have been struggling with weight loss for as long as I can remember. There are many cases of obesity in my family. My mom passed away at the age of 49 due to a complication after a stomach reduction surgery. She was 5'7'' and weighed almost 400lb. I don't want the same to happen to me! Because of the extra weight I carry, and the sedentary life I lead, I feel very weak and tired most of the time. I don't have the energy to do things, and that really upsets me. I simply don't have the disposition. Nine days ago I decided it was time to make some changes in my life, so I joined a gym. I have started working out, and, even though I enjoy it there, I didn't completely trust the instructor. Here is why: I told him I wanted to lose some weight and work on becoming a bit stronger. When I mentioned I was a vegan he immediately told me I would have to drink protein shakes with milk if I wanted to have muscles. "Vegans will never be strong", he said. That didn't sound right to me since I had already read articles about vegan bodybuilders. (And, believe me, that is not my objective at all!) I changed instructors, and kept on going to the gym anyway. I went there every day last week, worked on weight lifting and cardio exercises. I have always wanted to run, but never had the guts to do it. Last week, on the treadmill, I decided to give it a try. I remembered something about the walk/run technique, and just went for it. And that's how I got to Nerd Fitness. I was searching the internet for tips on how to run better. I read some articles on the NF website and got so inpired by the life transformations I was reading about that I decided to join the rebellion! I consider myself a total noob when it comes to exercising and dieting, so any words of encouragement and advise will be helpful. Thanks!

I'm new to NF. Stumbled across the site on an internet search and ordered the e books. Did my first bodyweight brigade workout this week and I couldn't believe how weak I am. Everybody has to start somewhere right? Main Quest - Be a role model for my family and friends by being healthy and fit, thus encouraging them to consider an ethical approach to eating by my example. Right now I am about 30 # overweight so I certainly am not likely to be much of a motivation for change. Motivation - "Be the change you want to see in the world" - Gandhi Smaller Quests for the next 6 weeks to help realize my main quest 1-Work out with my bodyweight brigade 3 x a week and run 4x week 2-Eat a plant strong diet free of added sugar, oil, and refined carbs 3-Drink 64 oz of water per day, replacing my diet soda habit Life Quest - Find a meaningful opportunity to do volunteer work in my community. When I was younger I volunteered with Big Sisters, therapeutic riding, homeless shelter and outreach, gave blood and platelets and many other things. As my career got busier and I was raising my kids it all fell to the wayside. Now my girls are basically grown (in college) it's time to give back again. I've been so blessed. current stats 51yrs old 5'5" about 160# chest 41 waist 39 hips 41 push ups 4 real ones chin ups 0 - can barely do negative ones I'm excited to get started on this 1st challenge. I've really enjoyed reading the blogs and I'm thinking about ways to level up my life and live the life I've dreamed of. I have some challenges related to my career, family obligations and my husband's chronic illness. I'm not going to let those things hold me back anymore, there is a way to work around them if I want it enough

Here's a recipe I came up with for post-ride recovery that isn't neon yellow and loaded with sugar. Unlike commercial electrolyte drinks, this has protein, more vitamins, and anti-inflammatories. 8 oz. Coconut water 8 oz. Toasted pumpkin seed milk and (or) almond milk 4 oz. Tart cherry juice I make the toasted seed milk myself, and I like using multiple milks to increase the nutrient profile. Plus then I can use the nut/seed meal in other recipes. I normally don't use a lot of fruit juices; they pack on the calories (and would you ever sit and eat 7 oranges in a sitting??). But, this recipe required a little glucose, and the tart cherry has some data behind it as an anti-inflammatory, so I'm thinking it helps with muscle recovery too. All I know is that when u subbed this out for Gatorade, I felt all the benefits, without the sugar overload. And it tastes like cherry pie, rather than Lab Red or what-have-you.

Alrighty! I'm following the Paleo diet as close as I can with the exception of brandy or tequila when I go out with my friends. I read that those two are ok for alcohol but really are they? Also Im on a very strict budget so I can't even come close to affording all grass fed organic beef, I can however buy in bulk from Sam's club. Is that ok to eat? I eat mostly chicken breasts or whatever I can get from my dad during hunting seasons. As for other things, Im completely dairy, processed foods, and gluten free, no butter or cheese. Im fairly against eating meat but im determined to be healthy and whilst trying to follow the paleo diet idk how to also be vegan, especially without soy or tofu. Can I drink kombucha on the Paleo diet? I use maple syrup instead of sugar for it to ferment but is that just awful to be drinking? also I was reading something about a cheat day about once a week to avoid having your body go into starvation mode, what do you eat on such a day to help maintain everything in your body without setting yourself back and to help avoid a plateau. Im definitely in and out of starvation mode but Im just never hungry and I dont know enough to know how to help myself. The article said something about getting lectins regularly to avoid this but idk what that mean. Lastly I have some questions about working out, there is so much info online IDK what to believe but here is what i think will help me lose the most weight healthily work out on mornings with an emtpy stomach start with streching and yoga tabata exercise bench press or push ups situps done. how should I modify that? do I really need to go to a gym? should i just do insanity or p90x? Thank you so much for reading and I cant wait till you peoples clearsome of my questions up for me

*trumpets* It's time for Challenge 2 and I am ALL OVER IT baby! New to the Ranger's Guild, I am a dwarfish-sized person at 5'3'' and 166.6 pounds. I've lost about 26 pounds since December 2012 thanks to daily exercise and, in the last few months, clean eating. I don't do this to look good, I do this to manage chronic depression and anxiety and to increase my chances of living past the age of 50. The fit me is a MUCH happier me. This is me at the end of Challenge 1, sporting my custom-made loot: Challenge 2 is going to be all about nutrition! I realized I was going way overboard on the dairy products so I have decided to give the plant-based lifestyle a try. This was partly influenced by reading ''The China Study,'' though I don't think that book is the last word on nutrition, it certainly made me think. I have located some good guidelines, ''The New Four Food Groups'' from the Physician's Committee for Responsible Medicine so for the duration of my challenge I will be adhering to those. Now, just an FYI, this diet is to be inclusive, meaning animal products are fine as long as my daily plant-based nutrition goals are met. My main objective here isn't to become religiously vegan, but rather to crowd out some of the less nutritious stuff with more of the nutritious stuff. It seems to make a big difference in my mood. On to the goals... Main Quest: GIVE PEAS A CHANCE (try a plant-based diet) Goal 1: Eat an inclusive diet consisting of mostly plants +5 CONAt least 1 cruciferous vegetable each day, a minimum of 3 fruit and 4 total vegetable servings a day.Goal 2: Walk 3,000 steps before 10 am +3 STAGoal 3: Try a new item of produce each week +2 CONSide Quest: 1 hour of job hunting/professional development each weekday +5 CHA Walking 3,000 steps before 10am has the very specific purpose of trying to get me to spread my exercise throughout the day rather than just cramming it in at the end of the day. This will also help me get up and around every morning so I can work on job stuff. The Side Quest is probably the most important goal. As of September 1, 2013 I am jobless and the sooner I find work, the happier I will be. The last time I was unemployed turned into a depression disaster that dragged out almost a year, and I am NOT letting it happen again! LOOT: Battle Gear. This wonderfully silly t-shirt. I guess I'm collecting t-shirts as my challenge rewards. Which is good, because my current ones are too big now! So there you have it. Daily conditioning workouts will of course continue as well as my 10,000 steps a day minimum. I have my spreadsheet made and rarin' to go! WOOO!

I'm a vegetarian training for my second marathon (it's in October--I have a long way to go). I'm an experienced half-marathon runner, but I'm just coming off an injury and I really need to start cross training better/smarter. Before the injury, I was up to 14 miles for my long run and had just completed my first half-marathon of the season. I'm also a vegetarian and I'm playing with the idea of becoming vegan for ethical reasons, so I'm going to use this challenge as a way to explore the field. I'm stuck in a breakfast rut and have a gluten sensitivity, so I'm worried it's going to be too hard and I'd love some pointers. My goals: Strength train 3x/week, including arms, legs, and core. Bike 2x/week, at least three miles. Eat one vegan meal per day. Seek out vegan breakfast options and try 1 each week during this challenge.

Hey, Sorry, I'm late, but here's the plan: Goal 1: Do 3 sets of my circuit training routine on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Goal 2: Be able to do 15 push ups by the end of the challenge. Goal 3: Follow my paleo-inspired, 90% vegan nutrition plan all of the time, 1 cheat-meal per week. Goal 4: Find a fitness group/friend to do fun exercises or cool things like climbing/capoeira/parkour together. Meet him/her/them (at least) once a week. Goal 5: Write 1 sentence / 20 words in English, every day. - Correct grammar and spelling, of course. This is my routine: Monday: lunges Wednesday: Friday: I will post my nutrition plan later.

Hey lovely people I gave up various types of animal food in stages, roughly a year apart. I started with dairy to see if it would improve my allergies and it did. As a child I'd wanted to go veggie but my parents reasoned that I should grow first (fair enough). As a grown person I have control over my food and budget, but I'm a lousy cook and often lazy - despite this the gradual cutting out of red meat, then poultry, then fish has been really successful, and I'm happier to be living a more ethical and less environmentally damaging life. Now I'm considering going the whole hog (ha! whole pumpkin maybe...) and going vegan. This will require a lot more work/cooking as many of my current veggie shortcuts are not vegan, and limit what I can share with my partner who is allergic to soy and raw foods. It'll probably also make my family crazy when I visit them! But I think it will be worth it. I guess I'm just trying to psych myself up - so please share your stories, advice, successes, failures, anecdotes, recipes, or anything else you want to say

Rincewind is best at running for his life. So am I - basically. I do endurance running. But I am pretty weak and I struggle with establishing an exercise routine (and sticking to it) to become stronger and more agile. - So today Rincewind is starting to learn some spells and write them into his magic book. - Will the worst wizzard on earth discworld finally do some magic? This is my first challenge - and I'm pretty late. So here are my small goals for this week. I will give 1 attribute point for each goal - hope that is acceptable? 1) Exercise routine [WIS +1] Write an exercise routine for 3 days strength and 3 days running. 30 to 60 minutes each. Has to be fun. Has to include a lot of variation. Has to be combined with music/youtube/etc to be fun. Consider doing it outdoors. 2) Nutrition plan [CON +1] Create a basic nutrition plan with 5 meals / day. Has to be 100% vegetarian and 80% vegan meals. Eat fresh plants every meal. Consider aspects of paleo. Plan protein consumption. 3) Make it real - make it easy. [WIS +1] Do at least 1 set of exercises w 5 reps following the newly-written routine (1). Eat 5 meals a day (2). Observe my nutrition habits. Take notes. Collect ideas how to make changes. What can I do immediately? What has to be planned? What would be the easiest way to get there? Communicate changes with my wife. 4) Build a support group. [CHA +1] Get in contact with at least 3 people who share my visions. 1 Has to be closer than 10miles to where I live. Los geht's!