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Welcome to my Challenge! I'm going to do a little bit more structure this time than I have in the last few challenges. I'm feeling pretty good lately and I think it's time to step up my game a little. Goal One - Mindful Eating I've been working on this for a long time now. Some days are better than others, but I've been somewhat consistent with it and as a result my weight has stabilized at 205 lbs with a standard bloat-deviation of +/- 5 lbs. After many months of working on mindful eating principles and contemplating my life choices and goals, I have finally, finally come to terms with weighing what my body wants to weigh when I eat in a manner that I am comfortable with eating. I just feel like I can be a little more disciplined than I have for the last two months, and I feel that it's reasonable to expect my weight to creep down as a result. So this is the goal. I want to practice mindful eating every day, and as a secondary result I want to lose 5 lbs, so that I'm at 200 +/- 5 lbs. At this weight I can be as active as I want to be, and since I'm not planning a career as an underwear model, the spare tire is totally acceptable. I just want to be at peace. Goal Two - Daily Exercise Oh, the struggles. Over the course of the last few months I've built a reasonably consistent running habit. This is a big deal for me because I love running but I'm very prone to injury, usually because I'm pushing too hard. As a perfect example of this, I currently have a ligament in my right ankle that is giving me grief. So here at the beginning of the challenge, I'm gong to be walking instead of running. But once that calms down, I'll ease back into running 3 days per week. The challenge will be to get some kind of exercise on the non-running days. This can be anything - walking, weightlifting, kettlebells, bodyweight, yoga/stretching. Anything at all. Just something, every day. Goal Three - Duolingo I am a firm believer in rewarding oneself for small victories. I started learning Spanish on Duolingo earlier this year, and I want to continue with this habit. It only takes a few minutes a day to win, although I typically do more like 15 to 20 minutes a day. My streak is currently 230 days. This goal should be easy, I'm just rolling along. I'm going to give myself one point per goal per day. These are all things I can do every day, except that I won't exercise on Sunday, so I should be able to accumulate 20 points per week. I'm going to start updates today, but I won't start counting points until Jan 3, so that in 5 weeks I can accumulate 100 points. I love a nice, round number. I think that's it! Cheers!

Hello everyone! As you can see in my signature, I've been around here for quite some time already (in September I'll be member of the Academy for 2 years). I'm building my character and already had many ups and downs. I love doing the challenges, but I had to stop them as I had to organize my scedule differently and couldn't start and end appropriatly. I've started to write a independent blog about my journey, but I really want to be around this forum too because this community and it's support is so awesome!!!! I will post here some small News more frequently I think (but not daily ). And I (re)discovered my love for making videos - as an art and design Nerd I started a channel on YouTube because there I can do whatever I want (yes, also Rainbow video thumbnails ) and try out things without any pressure. And I noticed, that even with having to edit everything, it's easier for me to talk into the camera - I'm more focused and the things just come out and then it's done and I can concentrate on uploading everything and not thinking about corrections for hours. Yesterday I updated my Journey and today I want to do the same here! Thank you for reading - all about my weight loss is in the video: Yours, Elanor aka Jaana

Hello all! It's been quite some time since I was last part of the scouts or the NF community. You may remember me from my previous account, username "Sora". I made a post HERE yesterday detailing my absence and change of account. Regardless, I'm back, and that's what's important! Part of the reason I'm starting this challenge a few days late is my account troubles, but I figure better late than never. So Let's Go! This Summer, I'm completing an internship in Japan, near Kyoto. Some of you may remember my challenges from the past that led up to my first trip to Japan, and I'm really happy to be back in this amazing place. However, I have found that I haven't been living a very productive life while I have been here. It's been almost a month, and I'm sick of being unproductive and wasting this amazing opportunity to improve myself. So, for this challenge, I have decided to channel Saitama from One Punch Man and work towards a better me through aggressive repetition. Goal 1: Workout! Rather than taking Saitama's workout directly (100 push ups, 100 sit ups, 100 squats, and 10 k of running everyday for three years), I'll be adapting it so fit my my current fitness level and timetable: Run 5 days a week, and incorporate body weight exercises... week 1: 2 days / week 2: 3 days / week 3: 4 days / week 4: 5 days The idea is to get back into running consistently again, while adding in some other moves to make myself more well rounded. I'm hoping to try out some types of fitness in the next year, so the body weight work (primarily push ups, squats, and sit ups) should help me gain some strength outside of distance running and improve my overall fitness level. There is also a good chance that I'll be climbing Mr. Fuji in July during my trip to Tokyo, so I'll need all the strength I can get! Goal 2: Cook! Cook 1 meal a day at least six days a week. At least one recipe must be new each week. This is my first time living and cooking 100% on my own for an extended period of time, and I've been wasting a lot of money the last few weeks eating out. The food here is AMAZING, but I need to start eating a little healthier and economically. My Goal here is to expand my cooking ability through consistently cooking and trying new recipes. One of my ideas for the next four week challenge is to work towards a paleo diet, but I think the first step towards this goal should be simply cooking in general. Goal 3: Hydrate! Drink 100 Ounces of Water a day, and limit soft drinks to once a day. At home in Michigan, I'm usually much better about staying hydrated. However, since my lifestyle changed significantly when I moved here, I have found myself drinking less. It's also much hotter and humid here than I am used to (yay rainy season!), so it's even more important that I am intentional about my hydration. I also need to try to avoid the many options that the plethora of vending machines here have to offer (Japan has the highest ratio of vending machines to landmass of any nation worldwide). I have downloaded the "iHydrate" app to track my progress. Life Goal: Daily Routine Complete at least three of the following each day, and complete all of them at least: Week 1: 1 time Week 2: 2 times Week 3: 3 times Week 4: 4 times Tasks: Read (20 minutes), Vlog (Film one video OR Edit one video), Study Japanese ( 1.5 hours), Clean (including laundry, dishes, etc. Basically anything in my apartment), Adventure (go somewhere I have never been before), Draw (1 completed sketch of 30 minutes working on full drawing) I have a lot of things I want to accomplish while I'm here, and the only way I'm going to be able to do that is by consistently practicing all of them. I've been doing fine doing them individually, but the problem for me has been giving attention to all of these things at once and finding the proper balance. So, through this goal, I'm hoping to slowly add more on to my plate and adjust to the balance gradually. IN SUMMARY: I'm hoping to slowly add more onto my plate as the challenge progresses. Through repeating everything consistently, I'm hoping to become a hero like Saitama! I'm super excited to be back among the NF community, especially the scouts. I'd love to talk more with you all, and I hope we can all reach our goals together! Let's go!

MAIN QUEST: Lose Weight Feel Great! To hit my goal range of 125-135 and do it in a healthy way! Goals (diet and fitness related) that will help me achieve Main Quest: I have managed to GAIN some weight back. I need to get back on track!! I feel like I have always done better when I do a challenge revolving around pounds lost, so I am going to go back to that at least for a while! I am also doing a Challenge Du Jour for workouts, if anyone wants to join me, here's the link: https://www.teambeac...ingRepId=558773. I am working on getting 10,000 steps a day again, and am paying myself $1 for each day I do it, I know that's not a LOT but it buys art supplies! Speaking of art, that's one of my side quests... get working on developing my art skills! And my other side quest is blogging and vlogging! I am really wanting to step way out of my comfort zone and start a YouTube channel and actually vlog in 2016!! 1. #LoseWeight - get to 199 during this challenge A: 199 lbs B: 200-201 lbs C: 202-204 lbs D: 205-206 F: 207 or more lbs Ability to earn 3 CON points. 2. #FitGirl - Challenge Du Jour workout every day, with one rest day a week as an option A: 22-24 days B: 19-21 days C: 15-18 days D: 12-14 days F: <14 days Ability to earn 2 STA, 2 STR points, 1 DEX points. 3. #10000Steps - 10,000 steps on my FitBit every day! Plus I get $1 for each day I do this! A: 25-28 days B: 22-24 days C: 19-21 days D: 15-18 days F: <15 days Ability to earn 2 STA point, 1 DEX point PICK YOUR SIDE QUESTS Side Quest 1: #ArtsyFartsy - I want to get back into art, so I will be working on the following each day: -handlettering -brushlettering -drawing -coloring with Copics and colored pencils Grading: A: 25-28 days B: 22-24 days C: 19-21 days D: 15-18 days F: <15 days Ability to earn 1 WIS and 1 CHA point. Side Quest 2: #TalkAboutIt - I want to start vlogging and blogging once a week I will get one point for blogging and 1 point for vlogging Grading: A: 8 (4 blog posts, 4 videos) B: 6 (3 blog posts, 3 videos) C: 4 (2 blog posts, 2 videos) D: 2 (1 blog post, 1 video) F: 0-1 Ability to earn 1 WIS point, 1 CHA point #FitGirl - 0/6 - 0/6 - 06 - 0/6 - 0/24 #10,000 steps - 0/7 - 0/7 - 0/7 - 0/7 - 0/28 #ArtsyFartsy - 0/7 - 0/7 - 0/7 - 0/7 - 0/28 #TalkAboutIt - 0/2 - 0/2 - 0/2 - 0/2 - 0/8 Mini Challenges: Mini 1: Mini 2: Mini 3: Mini 4 Mini 5 Mini 6: Rewards(these might change... especially if I just end up buying the stuff before I lose the weight. I'm awful lol): Start: 219 Goal 1: -30 lbs: 190 or waist size 35" - Lightboard Goal 2: -40 lbs: 180 or Waist size 34" - Jane Davenport Supplies Me Drawing Course Goal 3: waist size 33" - New Pair of Cross Trainers Goal 4: -50 lbs: 170 or Waist size 32" - Copic Clothing Kit & Clowder Course Goal 5: Waist size 31" - IKEA desk chair Goal 6: -60 lbs: 160 or Waist size 30" - Blackwing Subscription Goal 7: -70 lbs: 150 or Waist size 29" - Anchor tattoo and wrist quotes Goal 8: -80 lbs: 140 or Waist size 28" - Lionheart tattoo Goal 9: -90 lbs: 130 or Waist size 27" - New wardrobe - shopping spree!! STATS: Female/41 Start Weight: 219 (BMI 40.1) Current Weight: 207 - UGH!! Goal Weight: 125-135 Height: 5'2" Jeans size: 14-16 Diet: 21 Day Fix I reserve the right to change my challenge week to week if I get bored!! 03/11/13 04/22/13 09/18/13 10/02/13 10/23/13 11/11/14 Bust: 38" 38" 38" 38" 36" 37" Breasts: 45" 45" 45" 44" 42.25" 43" Belly: 42" 40.5" 39.5" 38" 37" 38" Hips: 45" 43" 43.75" 43" 43" 44" Thigh: 27" 27" 27" 26.5" 27" 26.75" Calf: 17" 16.5" 17.5" 17.25" 16.5" 16" Bicep 13" 14" Wrist 6" 6" Neck 14" 14.5" Butt (lol) 47" 47.5" Ankle 9" Forearm 8.5" 02/02/2015 02/10/2015 02/22/2015 04/10/2015 07/21/15 Total inches lost from 3-11-13: Chest: 39" 39" 38.25" 38" 39" 0" Waist: 40" 39" 38.25" 35" 34.5" 7.5" Hips: 41" 41" 39.5" 39.5" 39" 6" Right Thigh: 26" 25.5" 25.5" 25.5" 25" 2" Left Thigh: 26.5" 25.75" 26" 25.5" 25" 2" Right Bicep: 14" 13.5" 13.5" 13" 12.75" 0.25" Left Bicep: 14" 14" 13.5" 13.25" 13" 0" Right Calf: 17" 16.5" 0.5 Left Calf: 16.5" 16.25" 0.25" Total: 200.5" 197.75" 194.5" 189.75" -18.5"

End of the Year Habit Building Main Quest: Build Habits For a Life of Fitness Attend Krav Maga class twice a week. (Tuesday and Thurday.) Execute MadBarz Basic Beginner routine 3x a week Follow Body Building Revealed diet routine Side Quest: Bring GPA up to 2.8 or better Find an app that reminds me of homework Input homework after every class that has homework Complete homework as soon as I get home Motivation: I don't know why I started to lack in my habit of working out everyday. I was seeing results and I have a dream of becoming a fitness model and personal trainer. Maybe I didn't have clear goals, but now I do. So this time, next year, I can hope that all my hard work has landed me in a gym where I can start personal training. I just want to help people. I guess my ultimate life goal is to be a kick ass lifesaving firefighter. That should be my ultimate motivation. So every day of my life from now on, I will act as if my life and other lives depend on it … because it does. Just a side note: I will be recording my physique and progress via workout journals, pictures, and videos! I'll be making a YouTube Channel tonight! Hopefully I can get some subscribers! And Eventually I will make it BACK to the Assassins guild. This is my 3rd challenge, but the first challange I shall fully commit to!