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Main Quest: Fit into size 7 jeans by Nov 27, 2015 I'm pretty proud of myself that I have managed to develop a consistent exercise regime over these past few months! I've noticed changes in my body and people have commented on how great I am looking. I feel stronger, happier, and more confident (WAY more confident) about myself. There IS such a thing as an Amazonian Hobbit, I am sure of it! SO! Develop excellent exercise habits and build a bunch of muscle? Check! Drop body fat so that I can actually SEE those muscles? Ummm............ I'm still in size 12 jeans, though they are loose enough that I need to wear a belt. I've been reminded again that I "can't out train my diet" and "can't outrun my fork" (thanks Steve for your latest article). I feel confident enough in the habits I've built of training regularly that I now want to focus on what I eat - amp it up just a tiny bit. I already have a solid foundation of decent eating (a far cry from the bags of chips and jars of salsa that I used to have for lunch) but I clearly either a) eat too much; or have the wrong proportion of foods...i.e., too much grains and not enough veggies/fruit. (Or could be both a & b, but we'll tackle this one at a time). Since I am not prepared to mentally challenge my portion sizes, I've opted for challenging the ratio of foods I'm eating. Huzzah! WHICH LEADS ME TO: EAT MOAR FRUITSNVEGGIES!!!!!!! Challenge Goals: 1. Eat (at least) ONE fruit per breakfast meal. +2 CON +2 CHA +1 STA I don't eat breakfast on Sundays and Wednesdays so that will be 5 whole fruit a week! 2. Eat (at least) ONE cup of veggies with each lunch and supper. +2 CON +2 CHA +1 STA The only exception to this is if/when I am eating at someone else's house. 3. Continue with current Exercise Regime! +2 CHA +2 STR +1 STA Includes: M/W/F: Stronglifts, etc., and PlanksForTheWin (I made that one up) TUES: Bootcamp & Jacobs Ladder THURS: Jacobs Ladder SAT: Cycling with a Friend (at Gym) *****M/W/F is mandatory. The other days are bonuses, since I am trying new stuff and have acquired a new workout partner for M/W and Saturday. Thanks for joining me! Questions, comments, hi-fives, and awesome gifs are always welcome!

I was thinking about starting a veggie of the week thread and I just want to see how into it people might be. If everyone is kind of meh, I might skip it. So each week I would pick a vegetable, one that is less loved or that people might not have tried, and I'll give a recipe and some recommendations for what it goes with. People could contribute their own, so it'll end up like sort of a weekly cookbook for a particular kind of vegetable. It would be sort of like an Iron Chef battle ingredient type deal. People can like the ones they try and enjoy. I wouldn't really stick to vegan or paleo, but since these are going to be side dishes in many cases, they will end up being both or one. I would also want people to give ideas on ingredients they'd like to see next. A couple of items I already plan on doing are cushaw (I'll probably wait to do this for the Holidays), Brussels sprouts and dandelion greens. I live near a landmark international market, so I have access to things like quince that our UK rebels eat but that aren't a big thing in the US. Suggestions don't have to be limited! I'm not sure if I'll take pics or not because I'm not a great photographer and the thought to sticking my phone out over a boiling pot of anything makes me take pause. So what do you guys think? Good idea? Suggestions?

Hi, I am a 26 year old college student majoring in Russian and planning a wedding with my fiance for fall of 2015. I am a huge Star Trek fan - nerdy jokes about warp cores have gotten me dates, that's how huge a fan I am. I am also a voracious reader of mostly fantasy but also sci fi and non fiction too. I'm particularly fond of epistolary novels and memoirs. As of my last doctor's visit I weigh about 235 pounds. I only get weighed there, but since I have a chronic condition I get weighed about every 3 months or so. From comparing myself to photos on a NF article I would estimate I am between 25 and 30% bodyfat. I want to get a caliper ASAP to start tracking that with some actual measurements though. Speaking of measurements, my current measurements are as follows Neck: 16" Shoulders: 22" Chest: 46" Bicep: 15" Waist: 44" Hips: 43" Thigh: 24.5" Height: 5' 8.5" My overall goal is to get below 15% body fat by my wedding in over a year from now. 10% would be amazing, but I don't want to stress myself about a six pack on a day that I'll ultimately remember more how I felt than how I looked. Besides, a flat stomach is a flat stomach under a suit or tux. To that end, I will be... Cleaning up my (our) diet(s)! Replacing grains and starches with vegetables and fruit. Reducing dairy is also on my mind, but not my focus this round. Daily grades A+ no grains or dairy A- no grains B 1 serving of grains C 2 servings of grains D 3 servings F 4 or more servings. A +3 CON B +2 CON C +1 CON Doing the Beginner's Bodyweight Workout 3 times a week Weekly grades A 3 times B 2 times C 1 time + an alternate workout like yoga D 1 time OR an alternate workout like yoga F No Workouts A +3 STR; +3 STA B +2 STR; +2 STA C +1 STR; +1 STA Annnd finally, I struggle to stay hydrated. I will be tracking my water intake. I carry a refillable water bottle with me, it's only a matter of using it more often. Daily grades A 3 bottles of water or equivalent amount of glasses. B 2 bottles of water or equivalent amount of glasses. C 1 bottle of water or equivalent amount of glasses. A +3 CON; +2 WIS B +2 CON; +1 WIS C +1 CON I'm using wisdom here because it will take a lot of mindfulness for me to notice when I am thirsty and drink water accordingly. My motivation...jeez. Well, I mentioned I have a chronic health condition. Well managed, I can live a normal lifespan. Assuming that I'm healthy, that is. Right now, I'm not healthy and I want to get to a ripe old age with my honey, meet my grandkids, maybe even great grandkids. I want to live long, happy, and strong enough to be there for the family we're going to build together - our family. Looking great on my honeymoon? That's just a bonus, and I mean that. *all grades will be averaged at the end for a final grade using standard percentages for calculations.

I'm not a big veggie person, though I eat a decent amount. But it's usually boring since I don't usually have a lot of time to prepare and I'm not the best, most creative chef. Sometimes, like on weekends if I'm free, I'll make stuff that takes more time, but often I just take out some plain frozen veggie mixes and cook them in bacon fat or toss some butter on them. I've tried throwing some seasonings on but they end up being either the wrong ones or not enough or something. Does anyone have any good, fast veggie recipes? I'm tired of eating the same stuff! My lunches have been so boring lately that I've struggled to finish them.

I’ve got 9 weeks until the Super Spartan I signed up for. I am also moving to another country 3 days after that. So my main quest this challenge is going to be further preparing for the Super and I’ll have a little side quest of getting things done to prepare for my big move. It’s going to be crazy, I am going to be busy, time is going to fly by! Last challenge I had a rough go after the halfway point, it looked like this: Week 1: 87% Week 2: 87% Week 3: 80% Week 4: 40% Week 5: 53% Week 6: 67% So this challenge I am going to add an extra rule in order to hopefully motivate me to keep at it throughout weeks 4-6. I am going to have to a minimum of 80% each week in order to pass that week. If I don’t get 80% I fail and get nothing for that week. I think it will work because I love seeing my stat points increase. I also need to post notes everywhere to remind myself that if I don’t put in all the effort I won’t get the points. SO my goals this challenge…. 1. Workout 3x per week. (STR: 2 DEX:1) I am changing up my workouts a little this go round. I love Love LOVE lifting heavy things but I need more practice lifting and moving my own body around. Once I relocate I am 95% sure I won’t have access to (and won’t be able to afford) a gym and weights so I will have to get a bodyweight routine under way. Instead of only barbell training I am adding my pull ups back in as well as some serious burpee work! Oh and hand stand practice too!!! I will have to separate my workouts in to barbells and bodyweights because I don’t have time in the mornings for bodyweight stuff. AM – Squats & Deadlifts PM – Pull ups, Burpees, & Hand stands 2. Run 2x per week. (STA:2) I don’t overly enjoy lots of running but I still need to keep doing it in order to be able to run the Super. I’m dropping down to 2 runs per week and I am pretty sure all the burpees from goal 1 will add some extra conditioning too. I will be doing 1 hill sprint type run and 1 long trail run each week. 3. 6 cups VEGETABLES every day. (CON:2 CHA:2) I had a food goal last challenge and I sucked at it….mostly because it was too vague and I allowed myself to throw in too many ifs, ands, and buts. This time I am really simplifying it. I am not sure if 6 cups will be way too much so I may tweak this goal after a few weeks. The plan with this goal is to eat all the veggies first so that I will be satisfied enough not to want any other snacky crap later on. 4. Post in my NF Academy battle log 4x per week. (CHA:1 WIS:1) I love the NF Academy women and have been slacking on my interactions with that forum. I want to keep this a big part of my life because it is a huge motivation for me to keep conquering my goals. When I am actively participating in the forums I am very successful with my goals so this should be a win/win. And then to prepare for my big move…..(WIS:2) - Change all addresses so my mail doesn’t get lost - Sell my futon - Sell my truck...stupid truck sell!!! - Move my horse and my dog :’( - Get extra insurance - Pack/purge more crap This is all stuff that needs to get done and in order to motivate me to get it done sooner rather than later (when I will be panicking) I am going to give 1 point for every 3 things I get done. Mini Challenge: I am going to participate as much as possible as long as it isn’t interfering with my other goals. So here we go again! LETS DO THIS!!!! **Any suggestions, critiquing, and comments are appreciated**

I don't know if any of you watch It's Always Sunny in Philidelphia, but it's one of my favorite shows. On one particular episode the gang was going on a road trip and made a stop at a street market. There was a group of vendors selling fruits and vegetables, and it came up in discussion that the character Charlie had never eaten a pear. I don't recall the dialogue in its entirity, but it came to surface that there are a lot of fruits and vegetables that he had not once eaten in his entire life as a 30-something year old adult American. I thought this was hilarious. Well I came to find out that my friend that had been living in my basement is exactly the same way. We were discussing cooking and diet, and he let it slip that he had never eaten a peach. I was taken aback, because how does someone living in America never, not even once, eat something as common place as a peach? The conversation continued and I found out that not only had he never eaten a peach, but he had never so much as tried to eat a brussels sprout, asparagus, pears, blueberries, and a whole host of other extremely common fruits and vegetables. I called bullshit on the blueberries, because I remember my mother-in-law making a cake full of blueberries and that he had eaten it. He revealed then that he had meticulously picked out all of the blueberries and thrown them in the garbage. Now I don't think that episode is funny any more. I'm mortified. What is going on in this country where we have food in abundance and yet people making unimaginably bad dietary choices, not only for themselves but for their children? Are there a lot of people like this? It still blows my mind when I think about it. Please tell me he is in the minority. Most people make their kids eat fruits and vegetables, right? Please?

Hey, so just a little background, I'm an 18 year old high school student from London, and have been trying to become healthier (eat clean, exercise etc.) for the past few months. As I live at home and my family aren't quite there yet with the decision to live a better life. I find that I'm surrounded by junk food and temptation, and I've been making bad decisions. So all in all I'm hoping this challenge is exactly what I need to get back on track. Main Quest Be stronger, leaner, and more awesome. Missions/Goals 1) I will workout for an hour three times a week. These workouts will include working towards my goal of 10 regular pushups (at 15 half pushups now) by using elevated pushups and gradually increasing the difficulty. I will also work on increasing the duration I can plank for, (my record currently stands at 1 min 23 seconds) and I'm aiming for 3 minutes in the six weeks. I also definitely need to improve my flexibility as it would help me get deeper with my squats, so I will try to work in some yoga. Maybe I'll be able to touch my toes, something I've never been able to do. 2) More veggies. I will eat a decently sized amount of vegetables (I'm talking at least half the plate) with lunch and dinner every day. Every single day. 3) Adequate sleep. I will get 8 hours of sleep, and actually wake up on time (6.30am on weekdays), and for three days of the week I will study for half an hour in the morning. Life Quest Get straight A*'s in my A levels, come the exams in June. Yep, that means I'm going to have to study a hell of a lot more. Yay. Motivation I'm 18 years old, and I think it's about time that I actually felt like it. I don't want to live a life of lethargy and sickness, I want to explore the world. And seeing as the world's a pretty big place, I've got a lot of walking to do. So either I build some legs of steel, and abs that can crush diamonds, or sit on the sidetracks and let my laziness get the better of me. So, all in all, I'm excited to start this challenge, and will be posting my starting stats as soon as I find my tape measure. To all my fellow noobs, good luck

I just discovered this magical place called Nerd Fitness about 2 weeks ago and love all the information I've received so far, however I am very new to Paleo and have some questions... I'm about 2 weeks into cleaning up my diet, gradually going Paleo (still eat sweet potato, dairy, oatmeal and sweetened tea/coffee). I used to eat TONS of carbs; at every meal and most snacks. The carb/sugar withdrawal has been difficult, because I've been feeling more hungry than ever before. I never had a sweet tooth before, and now just seeing a picture of a piece of cake makes my mouth water. Being hungry all the time makes me want to eat more, and I find that my portion sizes at dinner are bigger (although all protein and vegetables and some starch). My weight has always been okay (5'5", 120lbs, but only working out 2-3x/week), however I'm terribly worried that all the increased portions of veggies and protein (~50-70g/day) are going to make me gain. I mean, I've steered clear of real bacon, ground beef and egg yolks for the past decade, and I feel so guilty eating it!!!! Has anyone else had issues with gaining weight unintentionally? Especially because they are eating larger portions compared to pre-paleo? Or do I need to be strict with portion control and eat cashews or something after dinner? Also, on a different note, I need breakfast vegetable ideas (besides sweet potato). I can't have just bacon and eggs every day. Or would a fiber supplement be adequate/beneficial?

With your powers combined... Strength: 100 Push Ups (and finish 200 Squats) Physical Therapy for the ankle everyday (42 total) 97%97% Constitution: 1 orange vegetable, or fruit pretending it is a vegetable (and 2-3 greens per day) (42 total) 95%95% DexSinisterity: Practice writing left handed (everyday) 97%97% Stamina: Swim 5 miles per week (52800 yards all together) 101%101% Charisma: There will be no dishes on my counters before I go to bed 42 Days of Dish Free Counter Space 66%66% *BONUS ROUND* Wisdom: Lets extract all of our DNA! (from our collection of samples) Extract Samples, (80 total) 7%7% Scouts Mini Challenge Logic Assessed, Challenge Accepted Holding Doors and Less Cursing at Bad Drivers, Lovely walks in the rain Animal Yoga! Cosmic Cowgirl Collective Week 1 Ice breakers Week 2 The Core! Week 3 Get em' done The Numbers Current Jean Size --> 16 American (whatever that means), one of six size 14 American (whatever that means) Height --> 5'7" Weight --> 216 lbs Neck --> 15" Chest, over --> 42" Chest, under --> 38" Waist, natural --> 46" Waist fitted --> 44" Hip --> 47" Thigh --> 29" Calf --> 16" Upper Arm --> 16" Forearm --> 12" Wrist --> 7" Body Fat% Calculation --> range 38.43% - 50.64% with an average of 43.7%... Conclusion: I should get some calipers if I am truly concerned

So, I've tried a new "diet" regimen to jumpstart my progress. I've stalled in my motivation, and needed a kick in the tush. Mon/Tues, Thurs/Fri = Strict-ish paleo. No dairy, no grains. Sugars from fruit/veg only. I will eat peanuts, though. (Not peanut butter, unsalted peanuts in a nut mix for example). Sat/Sun and Wed = Free, healthy eating. A little pasta is okay, as are things like cheese and milk in my coffee Here's my reasoning: I don't believe in setting myself up for failure. Committing to 24/7 paleo is currently not realistic for the state of my willpower. I literally lasted SIX HOURS last time. 6. Hours. My parents are big cookers, and the weekend is when we do big family meals. They've been great at choosing healthier options, but no rice/pasta/etc would be too much to ask. Also, on Wednesdays my company orders in lunch for everyone. Free food. And it's always amazing. I can make healthier options, and there's no way I would be able to resist. I would smell that curry and totally fold. The result, week 1 - I dropped two pounds. Keep in mind, I did not work out at all this week (my play is in tech week and I literally have no extra time). So, I am dancing a little in rehearsals, but not much. And I dropped 2 pounds! That's awesome. What are your thoughts? Does anyone here do intermittent paleo?

The toe of my chucks made contact with a stone, sending it skittering away down the path in front of me. A chill wind pushed at me from behind; I hunched over a bit more, jamming my cold hands further into my pockets. Weather or no weather, I won’t be deterred from my walks. Taking alleyways, back roads, and the hidden footpaths of the moss junkies, I spent the last year winding my way around the deserted underbelly of my city. At the beginning, I avoided the lively upscale courtyards and the ghettos crawling with junkies with equal revulsion -- too many people, too much noise. I need solitude. My strategy took me to the edges where not even the social refuse cared to go. I explored the defunct docks, the boarded up mill, and the fire-eaten tenements of Broadpebble Road. Occasionally I encountered some other solitary soul, or maybe a small cluster of new rejects huddled around a barrel fire. Never two times, though. Days or weeks later, on my next pass through, I’d find the area empty once again. Either they moved on toward the more hospitable ghettos, or the bailiffs got them. Today I was exploring a new route through the deserted southeastern side of the city. Two decades ago this place was vibrant with merchants and artisans, the life-blood of my city. They kept us self-sufficient, creating all we could possibly need for food, fuel, household goods, and recreation from the materials gathered by workers outside the city walls. My city was a beacon to the surrounding territories, a shining jewel of independence on the banks of the Great River. The plague came slowly. A few merchants arrived at Mercy Hospital with ugly greenish-black boils, the like of which had never been seen before. The hospital found a treatment that seemed to work within hours, and sent the folks back to work. The next day, those people came back with more boils, oozing and raw this time, and more folks came in. The doctors and nurses kept trying to find a successful treatment, but each time something seemed to work, the affect was shortlived. Within a week, almost all of those who were initially infected had died. Despite the city’s ironclad policy about maintaining traditional burial ceremonies, those who died from the boils were immediately burned to ash and buried outside the city walls to prevent further spread. This didn’t seem to help, as more and more merchants and artisans in the Southeast District became infected, tried the treatments, and died. The city took drastic measures and put the district on quarantine; nobody in, and nobody out. Because the city could no longer rely on the district for supplies or food, the Mayor had to open up trade routes with three cities to the north of us. The rest of my city remained infection-free and survived, thanks to the generous trade agreements and low tariffs given to us by our sister cities. Within a month, the Southeast District was wiped out. The entire artisan and trade community was dead, and my city, once so self-sufficient, was now entirely dependent upon foreign trade for survival. Thinking about it now, an acidic chuckle rises up in my throat. We were so stupid. The city’s best scientists and doctors never figured out what caused the infection or why it ended so suddenly. Three centuries of medical advancement did us no good at all, because, as a cluster of independent researchers found out this year, the disease didn’t follow known biological infection patterns. It wasn’t actually an infection at all. It was magic. I know, I know. You don’t believe in magic, right? Neither did we. When the word got out, everybody said it couldn’t be. But the researchers had found the man who performed the magic. After a small demonstration of his abilities, he told us he had been paid, and that he had not been informed of the purpose of what he was asked to do. He told us that when he found out, he was so consumed with guilt that he surrendered himself and agreed to tell all in penance for his sins. The worst part is that this magic, which was used to poison the city-commissioned ink used only in the Southeast District to notarize transaction receipts, was brought upon us by none other than the three cities to the north. This discovery was made long after the plague had ended. By then we were so ensnared in rigid trade agreements that it was far too late to extricate ourselves. To this day, my city remains locked in forced trade with the three cities to our north, despite the now-open knowledge that it was those same three cities who conspired to murder hundreds of our own people. Rumor is that no one has been in the district since the plague finally ended two decades ago. I was only ten years old when the plague struck. I never saw anyone with the boils, but I heard such stories of them handed down at the Upper West marketplace that had been hastily set up to allow foreign merchants to sell us needed supplies and food. After the last merchant in the district had died, cleaners went in and scoured the area, removing all traces of the poisoned ink and papers. The man who made the magic created a neutralizer as his act of restitution. This substance was atomized throughout the entire district, where it was allowed to seep into the walls and floorboards of the buildings, into the panes of glass in the windows, and into the grime of the streets. Then the cleaners left, and the district remained boarded up for good. It stands as a constant reminder of what our sister cities, now our enemies, did to us in their greed. For the past two decades there have been near-constant rumblings of rising up against them to regain control of our economy, but so far no one has made an attempt. I’d been wanting to find an access point to the Southeast District for years. It was curiosity and some other, deeper pull that drew me to pace the edges of the city hoping to find a weakness in the wall. Last month, while traversing a narrow footpath nearly overgrown from lack of use, I found a gap. The ground had heaved up during the small earthquakes we sometimes get and the corrugated metal siding had pulled away from itself just wide enough that maybe I could get through. I didn’t try that day. I waited. For the past month I explored every possible route to get me to that same spot, at different times of the day, waiting and watching to see if anyone else ever showed up. Once in the foggy dusk a week ago I thought I saw someone a ways down the path, walking away from the wall, but I couldn’t be sure. I came back again and again, but never encountered that shadowy figure or any other soul. I finally decided it was time to make my attempt. That’s what brings me here today, walking down what used to be an alley between the textiles guild and the pottery guild. It was overgrown with weeds and the trash of two decades that had managed to blow over the wall. I expected to feel different here, eerie or spooked. Instead it felt like walking on any of my other quiet, overgrown paths. I turned a corner and walked out onto an abandoned street. I was deep enough into the district that I knew I couldn’t be seen from the guard tower on the far side of the city; the legislators had lamented publicly that the tower’s visibility was limited toward the southeast side, a fact that they claimed was a vulnerability to attack. Despite the cold wind, I felt my neck and shoulders relax and realized I had barely been breathing with nerves this whole time. My chucks took me forward until I came to a large, squat building at the end of the street. The windows were boarded up and the front doors were bolted with a huge padlock. The faded metal siding showed red rivulets where rainwater had rusted down the sides. I left the road and walked around the side of the building, trying to see through the grimed-over windows. Toward the back I saw another bolted door, except this one was made of wood. I’m no scientist, but I guessed that the wood was likely to be weakened by the direct sunlight and two decades of no maintenance. I lifted my chuck and pushed my foot flat on the door, beneath the handle. It creaked and shivered beneath my gentle pressure. I took a deep breath and kicked as hard as I could, and fell headlong inside when the door easily gave way. I sat up, brushed wood slivers off my knees, and looked around. The door behind me was mostly intact, though there was a jagged hole where the bolt had been. I would have to find some way to close it again when I left. I turned again to face the room. It was a very, very large room. Judging from the stacks of barrels and crates along the wall (these were what had obstructed my view through the windows earlier), this was probably one of the storage warehouses. In the back there were several horizontal metal rods, probably used for draping yards of textiles before cutting and bolting them for sale. The rest of the room was completely empty; either the warehouse had been empty before the plague, or the cleaners had taken a little “commission†for their work when they came in to scour the place. The floor was level and made of some sort of smooth stone. I dropped my bag, and the yellow wheel of one of my skates popped up through the bag’s opening. Oh, yes. I would make good use of this place. -------- I’ve sat out the past 2 or 3 challenges, and I am excited to get back into the game. I am tracking my goals on HabitRPG.com. My reward is that everything I do towards my goal gives me permission to funnel a certain amount of $$ into my California Trip Savings Account. There’s really nothing else in life that I want more than to go to back to California to see my brother again, so this has huge power as a motivator. Ultimate Objective: Develop derby skating skills enough that I can try out for the local roller derby team. What does this require? An improvement in all areas of fitness but especially core strength, leg strength, flexibility (particularly knees, ankles, and hips), endurance, loss of some body fat, on-skates drill improvement. What are the barriers? Current overweight, physical inflexibility, low stamina, habitual non-nutritious eating patterns, sugar addiction, low emotional resources, fear, anxiety, habitual internet use, staying up too late. Weekly morning workouts in the Southeast District: >>Two runs with yoga/cooldown: Weds/Fri (+2 STA, +1 DEX) >>Two bodyweight sessions: Thurs/Sat (+3 STR) <--every other week, the Thurs bodyweight session will be replaced by a Derby Lite: Off-Skates session. In order to get to the District to work out before work in the morning, I have to: >>Go to bed no later than 9:00pm / Wake up no later than 5:00am every day. (+3 WIS) --This will require use of ChromeNanny on my laptop to make social media and video streaming unavailable after 8:30pm. To fuel myself well and avoid hitting the wall during weekly derby skills training, I have to: >>Eat a seriously legit* serving of veggies at every meal, including brekkie. (+3 CON) >>Change my habit of buying something at the bakery every grocery trip, by buying something from the produce section OR Greek yogurt instead. When I am able to leave the grocery store without having bought ANY treats at all (produce/yogurt or otherwise) I get to put an extra $10 into my California Trip Savings Account. (+3 CON) *Seriously legit: a hefty pile of any of the following - beets, pea pods, brussels sprouts, bell pepper, carrots, broccoli, dark leafy greens, sweet potato (only on occasion), tomatoes, squash, etc. Not legit: a handful of frozen peas, a couple sprigs of broccoli on my pizza, corn in any form, etc. If it’s puny and I’m trying to persuade myself that it counts, it’s NOT LEGIT. Ongoing: Derby Lite practices - a 90-minute endurance, strength, and drills session every Tuesday night with my teammates. ------------------ Week 1 Check In Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Week 6

I'm kind of a big baby and because my mom never made me eat veggies as a kid, I don't like them now. I really need them in my diet though, especially because of how active I want to be... do you guys know of any way at all I can make them taste better because I'd rather not just sit there and gag every time I try to eat my three servings a day.

So I was cheerfully going to the gym, ignoring the lure of the dojo, and in pretty good shape. I was even considering getting some waistbands altered. Then I got complacent, lazy, and made excuses. I put on 11lbs between September and last Sunday and it's made the heaviest I have been I believe. My girlfriend booked me two hours one-to-one with David Pickthall, a British Kyukushin sensei, for two days after Christmas. It was awesome! I managed to look like someone that can move, if a little round, and I learned huge amounts about a style I haven't tried before. Off the back of that I want to sort myself out. I've done it before, but I know that I need to start slowly. 1) Train at least once a week with a martial arts club. I want to try some different places and find something enjoyable that will give me some challenge. 2) Drink a glass of water before every meal. I will be improving my diet, but that's a big thing to look at. Water consumption on the other hand is easy to measure and an important habit to build. 3) Train with colleagues once per week. This will be on Tuesdays with the other teachers in my department, after our department meeting. Could be body weight circuits or weight lifting or rowing or who knows what! Life goal: don't eat out at all. This is representative of my need to spend money more thoughtfully and less frivolously, and of my belly. It has to stop! I'd love to hear your thoughts, and look forwards to sharing success with everyone!

I like vegetables but I don't eat vegetable because I get busy and eat things like bread and random bits from the fridge while running around like a maniac. So today I'm joining up with the Rebellion and committing to my first 6 week challenge. I've been reading and enjoying the Nerd Fitness blog for awhile, so it seems like it's about time to take the leap. Here are my various quest-y maunderings... Main Quest (Started Jan. 10, 2014) To lose 10 lbs and build muscle. 3 Side Quests 1. BBW 3 times a week 2. Drink 4 glasses of H20 per day 3. Eat 4 servings of fruits and vegetables per day Life Quest I have a hard time sleeping, so my life quest is to get 8 hours of sleep a night. To do this, I plan to ban electronics from my bedroom and get in 'relax' mode thirty minutes before sleep time. Motivations To feel 'in-sync' with my body, to feel strong and confident and able to wear whatever I want without feeling self-conscious. I feel like if I felt stronger, I would be less 'cover-y' about how I dress and more like 'bam!' putting on a shirt Measurements and Weight and Height My scale tells me that I weigh 175 lbs. My doctor tells me I'm 5'2". And I did my measurements today which are as follows: Chest: 41 1/2" Waist: 37" Hips: 44" Closing Statement Um. Here we go. A little scared but want to make positive changes and I am so darned tired of feeling like a jellyfish. Want to be a bad ass. So I'm off to drink some coffee, er water that is...

Vegetables are great for you. I've spent hours upon hours over the past couple of years researching all the amazing things vegtables have inside them. I've juice fasted (the longest I ever made it was 13 days), I've gone weeks eating no processed food before, and I've read that given enough time my palate will change and I will grow to like vegetables. The problem is I hate vegtables. I realize a month isn't enough time to realistically change my palate. But I'm a father of three young children, I need lots of energy to keep up with them. I can't starve myself until I'm so hungry I can stomach vegetables. And I don't think a diet that is about 50% fruit will do me a lot of good either. Tomotoes literally make me gag and vomit if I try to eat them. Lettuce had the same effect on me until my 20's, something changed and I can eat it without gagging now. Brocolli used to have that effect on me but I found a painful process to change that. A sad as this is I spent time forcing myself to eat brocolli, vomit and then repeat. Now I can stomach brocolli (only raw, the smell of it cooking still makes me nauseous) but I don't enjoy eating it. I juice vegtables sometimes, but always with a fruit like pinapple that overpowers the bitter taste of greens. Here are the vegtables I enjoy eating: Carrots Spinach Celery That's it. I hate vegtables, they are disgusting to me. Mentally I want them but my palate hates them. I understand most people don't just love vegtables. But I seem to have a particularly bad time with them. Has anyone else had this difficult a time just getting vegetables down your throat? I'm all for the paleo diet. I was convined years ago it was the way to go. I love various fruits and nuts and I already eat only grass fed meat. Tons of fruit won't help me lose weight though, vegetables will, I want to eat them but I am having serious trouble doing so. * I apologize for my horrendous spelling. I'm currently at work and there is no in-browser spell check here. I depend on it heavily at home.

Hello everyone My name is Damien and it's my first challenge here on Nerd Fitness. I guess I could introduce myself by starting with my "struggle". I've been overweight since I was about 15, you see I have growth hormone deficiency and it made it all the more difficult to stay in shape during the teen years. I was in athletics, and I gave it my all up until high school. I finally gave up, mentally and physically. I became a recluse and packed on more pounds. Just a few months ago I was diagnosed with diabetes, although I don't feel much different and I refuse to take the medicine, I saw this as a wake up call. I knew I had to start doing things the right way no matter how much it put me out. I started to "reinvent" myself about a month and a half ago and it feels great. I started walking around my college campus every night just for fun, I'm now learning how to play guitar as well as speak another language besides english. I've started to eat much, much better these days. Although I don't follow the paleo diet (I'm living the college student lifestyle, what'd you expect?) I've started eating more lean meats, fruit and lots of nuts and granola; the last thing to phase in would be more veggies. Anyways, this is my first challenge and like every anime hero I've ever gazed upon in awe, it's time to find my true potential and work towards it like there's no tomorrow. (Drum roll please) Now, for my goals! Main Quest: Unleash True Potential (Lose Weight, Get in Shape) 1. Find a workout plan/circuit to do at least three times a week. 2. To get 8-10 hrs. of sleep every night. No more, no less. 3. To eat more vegetables, starting with one serving at dinner. Side Quests: Life Quest: To be more sociable in my new environment. Would like to hang out with at least 3 new people before the end of the challenge. On another note, any "Kenichi, The Mightiest Disciple" fans on here? That show really gets me pumped! I lost 15 pounds one summer just by working out while I was watching the show. I would watch an episode while taking it easy on an elliptical then when the episode was over I'd go really intense for 10 minutes (It was the inspiration from the show, I swear) and then go back to the show and start all over again.

My long-term goal is still to be awesome, as defined several months ago. Continuing with my quest, I still have several issues that keep coming up, so will address them this round, hopefully making some better habits. Physical Goals Eat low-carb. I define low-carb as anything below 100g of carbs per day, with 60g per day as the target to allow some overshoot. My goal is 100%, but I will count it good if I do it 80% of the time. I have been doing better lately, but not there yet. +2 STA, +2 CON, +1 CHR Work at learning a handstand. My long-term goals include a headstand, but handstands are more impressive. Steve just posted an article on how to gently pull it off. I will practice for 5min per day during the challenge. With any luck, I should be able to do it by the challenge end, since my major problem is dizziness inverted, not strength. +2 DEX, +2 STA Start tracking my workouts again. I used to track repetitions and weight, but my old PDA died and I have yet to find another app to do it well. I have a shiny android phone with a nice display (Nexus 4). I will find an app and start using it. +2 STRLife Quest I love playing my mandolin and violin, but don't do it enough to stay sharp. I will practice music for thirty minutes at least three times per week. Goal is five to seven times per week, but life has been a bit too complicated lately to make this realistic. +2 WIS, +2 CHR

*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!

This is a super low calorie soup and it turned out so yummy! It makes 4 servings Ingredients 2 chopped carrots 1 onion chopped 1 chopped leek 1 tin chopped tomatoes 1tsp tomato puree 1 litre vegetable stock 80g dried pasta 40g frozen peas Splash of Worcestershire sauce In a large saucepan fry the carrots, onion and leek, then add the tin of tomatoes, puree, stock and frozen peas. Bring to the boil then add the dried pasta shapes and simmer for a further 15 minutes It's suitable for freezing, so I have three portions in my freezer for the rest of the week Nutritional Info 106 calories 0.8g fat 3.1g fibre 3.9g protein 94.2% vitamin A

I am horrible about eating vegetables. I really don't want to or refuse to eat most of them. Right now, I'll eat lettuce for salads, carrots, corn, peas (though I'd rather not), potatoes, and celery (only if I have to). I know I need to do better about eating more vegetables, but I'm having a hard time finding "good" suggestions online. Everything almost always ends up being "You're an adult. Suck it up." and doesn't give any practical advice for where to start beyond roasting everything. I'm rather leery of cooked vegetables outside of potatoes. I don't know if I had a bad experience when I was younger that I'm blocking out or seeing stereotypical reactions to cooked veggies on tv is altering my opinion or what. So anyway, my question is this: Does anyone have any suggestions for what kind of vegetables I should start with to increase my palate? I've heard that jicama, if you can find it, can be a good start because it's sweeter and has an apple-like texture. I'm also going to try sweet potato chips. I don't think I'll ever get to eating them mashed - something about the texture (ironic, I know) of mashed potatoes bothers me. I'm also considering cucumber because I don't mind watermelon, even though it's not something I would regularly eat.

Hi, I'm Shukar and I'm a Scout. I'm also a huge Disney nerd. I decided this time around I was gonna merge the two things for the challenge, but first a little background. I'm 24 (soon to be 25), married, college graduate, working for a living. I'm 6'5" and used to be a fat guy, not I'm just a slightly suboptimal guy (around 210-220). I've run multiple half marathons and some recreational running with an upcoming marathon. For strength training I do mostly bodyweight work with the occasional kettle bell or other work. I've been having some issues with sticking to my diet and getting enough training volume for my tastes (specifically my runs) so those are things I'm hoping to work on this challenge. This time around I decided to do something different, because I was struck by inspiration while on a long drive. Each of my goals is based on a different disney movie/song! Go the Distance aka The Running Goal: (Hercules) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cja4NvIR1UU The running goal is first and one of my favorite disney movies and songs, Hercules! This one is probably the key song for this challenge which is why it goes first, set the tone early. Hercules wasn't just strong, he was determined. I'm likewise determined to go the distance to find what I'm after. So what am I after? • Go the Distance: I'm running a marathon on March 2nd, first step of my challenge goal is to finish that marathon, slow and steady, lightning fast, doesn't really matter to me (though almost certainly slow and steady) so long as I finish. • If I can be Strong: I want to do one run a week at least in the Luongos (barefoot shoes I won a while back) hopefully working up toward running a 5K in them before the weather gets incredibly hot. This part of my running plans doesn't kick in until after my marathon. • Every Mile, Will Be Worth My While: My goal is to get in 3 runs per week every week as a minimum, at least a mile each run unless there are specific reasons otherwise. The purpose here is consistency and pumping up mileage of some kind. Got to keep busy. Points: 2 Sta, 1 Con, 1 Str Let's Get Down to Business aka The Strength Goal: (Mulan) That's right, it's time to get down to business, to defeat the huns naturally. I indeed used to be among the saddest bunch you've ever met, but I've taken some steps to make a man out of me. Strength Training for the win! • With all the Force of a Great Typhoon: I started up a strength program last challenge that seems to be working out alright for me so far, but it's time to punch it up a bit. So here's the down low. Every day I'll do the Warmup and Skills sections of my workout plan, and 3 days a week I'll throw in the Strength and Cooldown sections of my plan. The goal here is to do at least 4 rounds of my Strength block each week, up from the 3 last challenge and moving toward the 9 that is the long term goal. • Mysterious as the Dark Side of the Moon: Streak Club. It has happened for the last two challenges so I'm sure it'll happen again this challenge, find the task, do it every day. It's pretty simple. Points: Str: 2, Dex 1 Bare Necessities aka The Food Goal: (Jungle Book) Sometimes life boils down to the simple things, the truly fundamental things. My diet is like that I think. It's never been the greatest, though the absolute quality has fluctuated a good deal over time. My goal with it this challenge is to try and clean it up a bit and take it back to basics where I can. Because it's important and I need to do my best with it. • Mother Natures Recipes: Vegetables, they are delicious when cooked right and horribly under appreciated. I'm guilty of that last for sure so this challenge I'd really like to increase my veggie intake. Sadly since I'm coming from such a low average the goal is a low 1 serving of something that is obviously a veggie every day. Mac and Cheese certainly doesn't count, potatoes might depending on preparation, get some color in there and some nice nutrient density. Real food, mostly plants right? • Then Maybe Try a Few: I don't eat hardly enough variety of different vegetables in my diet so this challenge a goal will be to try at least one new veggie that I've not had before each week. • If You Pick a Raw Paw, Well Next Time Beware: I've learned from past experience that gluten and my stomach do not agree all that well. Most of the time I can get by without caring all that much but around races I find that being strict about it for 3+ days before hand seems to help me get into the right place for a race. So that's the goal, gluten free for the 3 or more days leading up to my race. Points: 2 Con, 1 Wis Gaston aka The Life Goal: (Beauty and the Beast) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PK3x2DOoJIc No ones slick as Gaston, but darn it I've got to try. I pondered for a while what to put down for this goals song and this was the one I came up with. While I don't want to be like the guy, you've got to admit this song makes him sound kind of like a badass. Well I am a badass, obviously I mean look at the Disney themed challenge on Nerd Fitness, so this is clearly a great fit for me. • There's No Man in Town Half as Manly: I am not a naturally hairy man like Gaston, and honestly I'm kind of glad for that, and what I do have I try to keep trimmed nice and neat. As part of this challenge I'm making it a goal to try and shave every other day. That's an increase from what has been my usual level of approximately weekly for some time now, and setting it at every second day because that seems to be working alright for now and I want to stay consistent for my razor blade experiment. I do however keep a beard, so keep it looking sharp. • As part of this it's a goal to take good notes on the shaves and try to improve my end of the shave experience progressively (but not too much, might throw off the data) • As a Specimen Yes I'm Intimidating: I already dress fairly well compared to my coworkers but for the challenge I'm making it a goal to try and step it up wherever I can. Do the laundry a little more often if needed, maybe even go so far as to iron things, try and be more observant about what I'm wearing outside of work. Take the extra steps to try and look your best man. • Gaston is the Best and the Rest is the Drips: While I can't say as I smell bad or anything, sometimes I simply don't shower as often as I probably should, so this challenge I'm gonna try and change that. Shooting for showering pretty much every day. In addition I'll likely be playing around with some of my prep, thanks to Chammy and some info from r/Beards I've been playing with conditioner for example, and we'll have to see how that goes. • I'm Especially Good at Expectorating: As a further health goal I'm gonna try and start flossing and otherwise taking better care of my teeth. Yes this goal is coming about because I have a dentist appointment in the future for the first time in years, why do you ask? Points: 3 Cha, 1 Wis, 1 Con So here's some starting pictures I took, clothed partly because I dislike the way my belly looks on camera, and partly because dressing sharply is a goal so getting that in the image is handy. I apologize for the quality of the shots, camera and a mirror and all. http://nerdfitnessrebellion.com/uploads/gallery/album_64/gallery_2137_64_957956.jpg http://nerdfitnessrebellion.com/uploads/gallery/album_64/gallery_2137_64_1256645.jpg

Hello everyone! I'm new here. I just stumbled across this challenge while googling fitness-related things (which I tend to do whenever I feel like I should do something for my health, because researching is easier than exercising); since the timing is perfect, I figure I might as well give it a shot. About me: 26, vegetarian, grad student, tall, relatively slim but in terrible shape. Nerd at heart, if not in habit. My goals: 1. Go to at least 12 fitness classes (mostly barre and hot yoga) over the next 6 weeks. Ideally I'd like to go to two per week, but I know I won't be able to go to any over spring break, so I'm giving myself some room to maneuvre. 2. Do at least 15 minutes of yoga, stretching and/or dance on days when I don't go to a fitness class. Dancing at the bar will count, of course. I'm hoping to be able to touch my toes by the end of the challenge... 3. Eat at least three servings of vegetables per day. Keeping track will probably be the real challenge. 4. Work my way through the first three sessions of Learn and Master Guitar (lessons on DVD). I did this before (around five years ago), but I've forgotten almost everything. Students are expected to spend around 2-3 weeks on each session; I'm hoping to progress relatively quickly, since I've done them before. Tomorrow I'll do an initial weigh-in (I'm not too concerned about losing weight, but it might be interesting to see what happens). I might even post a picture... I'm looking forward to meeting all of you!

So, one of my goals for the next 6 weeks is to eat at least 8 servings of vegetables/fruits per day. I'm on day 3 and have come to the following conclusions: 1) That's a lot of food; 2) That's a LOT of fiber; 3) I'm not entirely sure what a "serving" of vegetables is and I don't know if I'm gauging it correctly. Does anyone have any suggestions? For instance, my breakfast this morning was the following: 1/2 cup mushrooms 1/2 cup onions 1 cup spinach 2 plum tomatoes (and one egg and a slice of bacon - but I hear those aren't veggies) I sauteed all of the veg and it cooked down to about a cup and a half. Do I count that as 1.5 servings? 3 servings?