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Alright! I'm diving in. Am I even doing this right? Main Quest. To do a single proper pushup. SMART quests - Strength train 3 days a week (don't push too hard, be safe) and walk at least a mile the other days. If I am ill, I am allowed to rest. Drink at least 1 liter of water a day. Figure out how to eat healthier within capabilities. Choose a motivation. I'm tired of a flight of stairs exhausting me. I'm done with constantly worrying that one misstep will cause me to injure myself. I want to get strong and healthy. I need to strengthen the muscles around my joints to hold them steady, since they aren't going to do it themselves.

One week off, and back to the challenges! This challenge, I want to continue with my lifting, and add sleep to my goals. So here we go: Main Quest: Obese No More. Last challenge put me off of actual pounds dropped as a goal. I feel like I'm still learning about what works best for my body, and weighing in once a week was not a reliable way of tracking weight loss. I think I need to keep doing what I know get results (lifting), add a little cardio to round out my workout routine, keep working on what I eat and seeing what works, and start getting more sleep because that is a crucial part of fitness. So my goals are as follows: Quest 1: Workout: 3 days a week of lifting, 2 days a week of cardio. This time, I'm not adding in cheat days. I get graded on accomplishing this, or not. No excuses. Quest 2: Tracking food every day, without exceeding daily point allowance by more than 5 points daily. Weight Watchers permits 49 extra points per week over the daily allowance of points. I find if I exceed the daily allowance too much, I don't really lose weight. I actually intend to keep very strictly to the daily allowance - I may go a point or two over on weekdays, but the extra 5 points is mainly for weekends. Which means if I eat out with friends on weekends, get a drink, etc. I have to really carefully plan that day. I think this is the kind of discipline I need right now - not letting myself let things go just because it's the weekend, and carefully choosing what I eat when I eat out. Quest 3: 7 hours of sleep. I'm going to try to work up to this slowly, because I don't think that I can just start off with 7 hours of sleep a night, every single week. As it is, I normally get between 4 and 6 hours of sleep a night. So I'm going to work my way up to it as follows: Week 1: 7 hours of sleep for 3 nights. Week 2: 7 hours of sleep for 4 nights. Week 3: 7 hours of sleep for 5 nights. Week 4: 7 hours of sleep for 6 nights. Week 5 - 6: 7 hours of sleep every night. I'm also trying out an app that tracks sleep cycles, and also trying to turn off the TV, computer, and getting off my phone by 10 o'clock every night so I have an hour of down-time before bed. Sleep is a work in progress. Life Quest: Complete two leather things. One thing I want to finish is a leather bag for myself, themed on Welcome to Night Vale. The other thing will be one of two commissions - either a leather bag, or a knife sheath (probably the bag, honestly). It's possible that I will get all 3 done, but I'm only working towards 2 for the next 6 weeks. Point distribution for this challenge: Quest 1: Workout: +2 to STR, +2 to STA Quest 2: Food Tracking: + 3 to WIS Quest 3: Sleep: +4 to CON Life Quest: Leather: + 2 to CHA, +2 to DEX

Alright folks, I'll begin my battle-log here, as it seems I have been able to begin my training again. A brief story regarding my injury and return to lifting can be found here: The best crunch sound my body has ever made. Before my injury, I weighed in at 231 pounds as of the last record in my calorie tracker. My lifts were roughly Squat at 385, Deadlift 495, Bench 265. Yes, lopsided, I know. Today I weighed in at 178 pounds. A loss of about 12 pounds since my most recent re-injury. Friday's workout was Squat and Deadlift. 275 5x5 on squat, 315 2x5 on deadlift. Will probably back both of these down while I continue to focus on rehabilitating my back and shoulders. Goal is to have a program in place by the end of this week to get me to the upcoming challenge. Right now I am just throwing weight on the bar based on feel. Very scientific. Today I did incline bench press. Managed 5x10 at 95lbs. This was frustrating for me, but I really have to take it slow. Followed it up with a lot of cable column accessories: rear delt retractions, front and side delt raises, external rotations at the elbow, all at around 20-25 pounds. Moved on to biceps, 4x15 at 80 pounds, superset with triceps for the same reps and weight with no rest between. Ended with a dropset for biceps ranging from 70-25lbs for toomanyreps. Short term goals- get back to a point where I can train overhead press. Right now doing even the bar feels slightly unstable, so I will likely stay with incline until I can finish building up support. Also would like to increase body weight back up over 200 pounds. Eating at a maintenance of ~2500 right now, but will increase to roughly 2750 as soon as I have a program roughly mapped out. Finally, I'd like to keep up my running on off days. Just around 2 miles a day. As the next challenge date gets closer, I will set out a more specific set of six week goals, but this is the rough direction I am heading. Thanks for reading, Mr. B

Well, here I am again. A little blurb for those who don't know me: I'm a stay-at-home-mom who really needs to lose some weight. I think this will be my 4th challenge, but I've rarely finished for various reasons. Last challenge I stayed out, opting to do a Battle Log instead, but I didn't even stick with that. But I really need to change. I need to lose this weight, not only to feel better, but so I can be there for my little girl. I want to be able to keep up with her never-ending energy. While listening to Pandora, this song came on, and it was part of the reason that inspired me to do a challenge this time around (as well as some pushing from Teros. )I've heard it before, but this time, it resonated with me for different reasons than it has before. Lately, I've been struggling with depression a lot. I've had to force myself to get out of bed, and even then, I normally stayed on or near the couch. A couple of weeks ago, I actually got to the point of suicidal thoughts and almost reverted back to cutting. I'm still struggling, but I can see the light outside of the cave. So, I'm going to attempt to keep things simple this challenge to help me get back up on my feet. I'll be focusing on creating habits that I can stick with and that will help me achieve my weight loss goal. My Main Goal is to get down to 130 pounds, which is about 80 or so pounds. Of course I'm not going to lose all that in one challenge period, but at least I can get a start. To achieve this goal I need to: Log all the foodz! Normally when I log food, I just get "close enough" or I give up halfway through the day because I decided to scarf down an entired frozen pizza or something. Not any more. I need to get back into the habit of food logging and log everything.Exercise. Last November I joined a gym and I haven't been very consistant about going. I enjoy being there, but getting there is the battle. So, I need to get to the gym at least 3 days a week, though I'm going to try and start going 5, but only 3 are neccesary to pass. I'm also going to start measuring how much I walk in a day, as on another forum we're starting the Walk to Mordor challenge.No Soda. My husband has to have soda in the house, so it's a huge temptation. I have gotten better about drinking more water, but I really need to cut this sugar demon out. My goal is to have 3 or less sodas the entire challenge.I do have a Life Goal of becoming a better housewife. I really suck at doing chores and the like. There's some sort of mental block going on there that I'm struggling to get over. I have a few simple steps that I can take to start going in the right direction. Get some clothes on. One bad habit of being a SAHM is not getting dressed some days. It's way too easy to just stay in your PJs when you don't have anywhere to go. So, I need to start getting me and my DD dressed when we get up. Simple chores done every day husband works. I recently read somewhere about a mindset that another SAHM started to take, and that was "If my husband is working, than I need to be working". That doesn't mean that you need to thoroughly clean the house everyday, but I need to be spending less time on the computer and other things that aren't completely productive. Here are some simple things that I need to get done every day DH is at work:Wash dishesHave DD pick up toys at end of the dayClean up after cookingMake sure most (if not all) my stuff is picked up​I'm still working on a grading scale for everything. As for the point system, I'm going to take a page out of our guild leader's book and just divvy them out as I think I earned at the end of the challenge. Will be less stressful at the start, and at the end I can accurately gauge which stats went up. Come Monday, I'll post my starting stats and all that jazz. Just gotta survive the weekend first.

Hi all, So Ive been doing SL 5x5 since last February, and I really like the program....Ive definitely gotten stronger and I actually look forward to going to the gym. My question is actually two or threefold. I know SL 5x5 is designed as a "beginner's" program, and that eventually you have to graduate on to a more advanced lifting program, but when do you know to do that? Secondly, in that year I had two major breaks: one was from mid june until sometime in August when I was having a lot of back/hip/ankle pain that kept me out of the gym, and then the same thing happened again from just after thanksgiving till around christmas. Even so, my lower body lifts (DL and Squats specifically) still seem pretty solid (205 and 210 respectively), but my upper body really seems to be lagging (only 90lbs on the OHP and 130lbs on the bench). Should I focus more on the upper body and stand pat with the lower body stuff? Should I throw in some accessory items (curls, rows, flys, etc)? Lastly, everyone and their cousin tells you if you want to lose fat, you have to do cardio. Like a shit ton of it. And I HATE cardio......plus, Ive heard (dont know if its true) that doing cardio after lifting weights basically burns up all the energy for muscle growth, thus leaving you weaker (or at least no stronger than before.) Thoughts? Ideas? Aspersions on my character? Thanks in advance guys (and gals) ^>^

"Hey fatass! Hey, hey fa- yea, you! Why dont you go to the gym you disgusting piece of lard?"<---------very rude individual trying to be mean "Yes my buns are fat.....from squatting over 200lbs you tool. Now go fuck off"<----------Me, now squatting 210

Between Heaven and Hell.. Anything is possible. "Now I realize that there is no righteous path, it's just people trying to do their best in a world where it is far too easy to do your worst." -Castiel For the very first time in my life I have signed up for a 5K run, which is something that I never would have figured possible for a figure like myself. I know that I can do it, and I want to keep that mindset, not just at the beginning of year. I did already register, why waste the registration for a no show due to lack of self esteem and quit before I even try. So this challenge I plan on working towards getting into the habit of walking regularly, and building up my stamina/endurance. And of course being healthy comes for the ride with that overall quest as well.. so eating healthy is really something I want to stay more focused on as well. The strength is just a side challenge, to keep myself motivated. Goal #1: Highway to Hell You don't have to be ruled by fate, you can choose Freedom. And that is something that I believe is still worth fighting for." -Castiel Walk, walk, walk, and walk more until you fall to the ground and you cannot move. Pain is just another way of your body showing you that you're still alive, and well. I walk a block, and my legs are aching for me to stop.. but not anymore. I need to crawl before I can walk, and walk before I can run. I'd like to go for 3 walks per week, and try to pay more attention to the distance I am driving/parking to where I could have walked. Maybe if I acknowledge it more, I will create a new change in my life. +5 STAMINA AWARDED: upon completion of 3 walks within the week. BONUS +1 STAMINA – awarded for walking more than 3x. Goal #2: You are what you Eat. “Hey, see if they've got any pie. Bring me some pie. I love me some pie. “ -Dean Food is my worst battle, even more than exercise. I love me some exercise when I get to it, but I do love me some food to.. and not the healthy stuff or devils vegetables. A great big greasy burger and some onions, with some ice cream after for a finale. Being a woman is great, but pms is my weakness.. I eat crap for that week, and then carry on for the few weeks after that, and then POOF! It's that time again. Doh! So, my goal is to cook a healthy meal five days a week. +5 CONSTITUTION AWARDED - A or B grade 6-7 times per week – A 4-5 times per week – B 2-3 times per week – C 0-1 times per week – F Goal #3 - Slaying the Beast “These punishments, they’re almost poetic. Well, actually they’d be more like a limerick, but still...†- Dean I've found that through a previous challenge on another website, that I enjoyed strength training with weights. I would love to explore this new found love. I have a set of 5 and 15lb weights that I can use, now will be the fun of exploring different exercises. Knowing that I enjoy it, I don't want to set a goal to do a certain amount each day per week, but rather to LEARN a new type of exercise each day +5 STRENGTH AWARDED: A or B grade 6-7 learned – A 4-5 learned – B 2-3 learned – C 0-1 learned – F

So I started the current 6 week challenge with a new lifting workout, which is designed to progressively add to how much I lift as I go along. I also set losing 6 pounds (1 pound per week) for one of my goals. I figure with eating right and getting a lot of exercise, that would be fairly easy. Then, for two weeks in a row, I gained 1.8 pounds each week. The following week I lost 2.8. This week, I'm down .2. So basically the loss has begun, but I'm still up .6 pounds from where I started. On the bright side, I'm getting leaner - my belt is on a tighter notch than it has ever been. I had to tighten the laces on my boots. I can even see muscle development in my shoulders already. Clearly I'm getting results. But the change isn't happening very fast on the scale. This is the point where lots of people who have never lifted a barbell in their lives nod sagely and say "of course, because you're gaining muscle." A quick cruise around google on the topic is showing that this is definitely a thing that a lot of people experience. I feel encouraged by my change in appearance and the sudden loosening of things. But losing those pounds was one of my goals for this challenge. I'm also obese (started the challenge at 261 pounds and now I am up to 261.6), and so weight loss is my ultimate goal. I'm assuming a few people here have experience this same issue. Should I just leave pounds lost out of my goals in future challenges? How long can it take for substantial loss to start showing on the scale during a progressive lifting program like this? What has your experience with this been?

Like most normal females I have been under the assumption I need to eat little calories to lose weight. I've been dabbling in weightlifting the past 6 months and have decided to take it a bit more seriously and try to become strong. I'm in the process of cleaning up my eating and have a plan of attack, but after reading stuff I'm afraid I'm not eating enough (1000-1200 calories a day) to be healthy. What is a good way to measure you're eating enough without counting calories, and if you are, how much should I be eating. Honestly I'm terrified of eating more and just simply gaining all the fat back. I know if I continue strength training it shouldn't happen, but I'm really afraid. Any tips? Recommendations?

Hello NF Family I have been doing a little research on plant based protein, and am wondering if this would be paleo. I love protein shakes before weight lifting, and for 3 months now have been living the paleo lifestyle. Ive dropped over 20 lbs in that time, and do not plan to go back. BUT... I do miss the protein and BCAA's that come along with the protein shake. Please let me know if you think I should shit can this idea: www.allstarhealth.com/de_p/30844/NUTRA_FUSION_plant_fusion.htm Thanks in advance John

I decided I needed a challenge this go-round! It’s been too long and my fitness “plans†are turning into more floundering and soon I’m not going to know which way is up! Goal 1: Training this is a multi-faceted goal in that I’d like to continue incorporating short runs, yoga, and BW circuits in my training. However, the biggest part will be trying to include at least one real lifting session per week. Since I recently moved, I lost the use of my previous gym. I’ve been making up for it with plenty of BW work, but I miss the weights. Ultimately, I’d like to get the following in in each week: 1 weight session – will involve finding somewhere to do this 1 yoga session 2-3 short running sessions 2-3 BW circuit sessions Goal 2: Food Depending on how much I work out each week, I’d like to stay between 12,000-13,000 total cals. Given that, this goal also includes some other restrictions: NO packaged crap candy – it was starting to creep in too much here and there as Fall maturedLimit THREE pints of ice cream over the six weeks – this might seem silly but I need it. It’s starting to become a habit that I go get myself a pint of frozen yogurt every weekend. NOT okay. Goal 3: Money/Adult Beverages I’d like to cut back on how much I’m spending on alcohol. If I looked into it, I probably drink every weekend. Maybe every other weekend this includes city bars where drinks are just too expensive. When I know I am going out, I will set a beverage budget of $40.I will offer to be DD whenever one is necessary.I will set a 6-week budget of $100 for liquor stores.I’ve never done this before so I’m not sure if this is too much leeway, but I think just tracking how much I’m spending and being aware of it will help with this one. The game is afoot!

Main Quest Goals Build strength Increase cardio fitness Increase muscle mass Decrease visceral fat Maintain low levels of depressionMethods Stronglifts 5x5 covers #1 and #3 and a bit of #4 HIIT on non-weight lifting days covers #2 and #4 following 30 Days of HIIT from http://neilarey.com Cycle to work every workday covers #5 and a bit of #4 and #2 Side Quests Clean eating unprocessed foods reduced sugars Paint kitchenMotivation I went to my wife's diet/fitness place, had myself measured, listened to the trainer about what I need to improve on and decided to do something about it. I'm not far from my goal and that's what seems to make it somewhat elusive: losing the last 10lbs is harder than the first 10lbs (so I believe) and that is why it has been difficult for me to reach the final goal.

Well Hell yeah I can fat!!! If it was a hit tv show I would get my big ass up on that stage and shake my belly better than Rihanna can twerk her fine ass lol. no but seriously I'm kinda fat, Ive been told so on a few occassions. My favorite time I was told I was fat was when I was at a bar and this smoking hot chick told me that I was cute for a fat guy and her friends agreed. She followed it with "I would have to be on top though. No way Im staying under that for long." to which I replied "well arent you just the yellow diamond of bar sluts." and all her friends laughed. :-D I am 6'3 and weigh over 341lbs. I dont see myself as fat though. when I look in the mirror I see a chubby guy sure, bit of a belly but not obese or anything. then I look at a friend or family members pic taken of me at a family get together or wedding or kickback whatever and I'm like damn Ive got to do something about this. cause guess what I'm fat! So I plan to dedicate myself to this log. I want to start it to keep me accountable and honest. ultimately I would like to get down to under 250lbs. I weighed that a few years ago and it was a good weight for me. I could run for awhile and was in pretty decent shape back then. I never really lifted heavy except for when in high school I was the strong skinny kid back then. As a man though I really only did dumb bell work and lifted/dragged heavy bags and body weight exercises. I use to attend a boxing/kickboxing gym and took both classes to keep the self defense skills up and have fun which it was. I sometimes wonder how I got this heavy and really I just let myself go. I have no one to blame but me. I stopped exercising, stopped going the the gym, drank a few beers every night, smoked cigarettes, ate crappy food, sat on my butt at work. Its all my fault. I would like to change all this. I have a growing son who is my life and I would like to stick around as long as I can for him and maybe one day my grandchildren. I over the course of the past few weeks have changed up the diet going mostly paleo with the exception of a few dairy products like cheese and milk that I am keeping and will work out 6 days a week walking atleast a half hour every day then build to jogging a bit/walking a bit and so on and some form of BW/DB strength training 3x a week for atleast 30 minutes each strength workout. I realize the results may be slow at first and I am okay with that. I didnt gain a extra 90+ lbs in a week I am not going to lose it all in a week but as long as I continue to make progress and am one upping my life everyday I will be a happy guy. I am also working on quitting smoking and plan to be done after this weekend. I thought of gradually cutting it out but cold turkey may be the best way and save any drinking for just the weekend instead of a couple every night. I will post todays workouts this evening feel free to comment and follow along. plus I will try to log my meals for the day any suggestions on good but not overly expensive meals are appreciated as I am still learning this paleo thing. God Bless, EV

Why a Rockstar? A few people have called me a rockstar on different occasions in the past few months. The first time I was embarrassed then a few more people said it. I realized I loved it, so I am owning it and embracing my inner rockstar! I have recruited my colleague and we are planning to have a rockstar school year together. So rockstardom is an on going project of awesomeness. What is a Rockstar? What qualities of a rockstar do I want in my life? Confidence: A rockstar oozes confidence. Mind, body & spirit confidence is my aim. Kick ass body: A rockstar is in shape and ready to rock all night. I want to be up for whatever adventures come my way or I make happen. Fearless, A rockstar takes on life's challenges and lives large. Fun: A rockstar doesn't take life to seriously. Stylish: A rockstar dresses with confidence and personal style and is not afraid to be noticed Rebellious: A rockstar follows their own heart and lives a creative passionate life.Entourage: A rockstar doesn't do it all alone, they have support staff. I want to develop my own "support staff" and a positive rapport with the people around me. Favorite Rockstar Role Models:Sting: I love how Sting walked away from the security of a teaching position and followed his passion for music. I love how chooses to work with other amazing musicians and is open to many different styles of music. I love his writing skills. The man can write gorgeous lyrics! Eddie Vedder: I love his crazy, fearless 50 feet jump and crowd surfing awesomeness. I love his giving humble spirit. Patti Smith: I love her courage and her heart. She has an amazing ability to love.Joe Strummer: Risktaker with passion and meaningful purposeful rebelliousness! My road to RockstardomBlissaplineBodyloveFoodlove (Diet) Awesomeness Planning (Weekly Planning)"Entourage" (People-love)Confidence & Fearlessness CreativityBeauty & Style Blissapline I got to continue Blissapline! It is a joy to do I want to make this the priority. Inner work comes first and is the most meaningful to me. Daily Blissapline is spirit work; it gives me confidence and a calm attitude to take on the day. Yoga: Morning stretching and sun salutations Meditation: Silva methodGratitude: 3 or more per dayAdd:Kindness: Say something nice to a student before homeroom and during each class. Each week I should have said something nice to each one of my students, especially the ones that are quiet. Gold star program! for students in my AP class. Kindness to my family everyday. Blissapline Goal: Complete Daily Blissapline each day of the challenge (42/42) BodyloveWeight: 149.5Waist: 32" Hips: 41" Chest: 32" Bust: 41" Lt leg: 22" Rt leg: 22" Lt arm 10.75" Rt. arm 11.75" Bodylove Goals: Goal Weight: 140# Goal get my waist down to 30" Stay comfortable in size 6 Lifting Squat: 105# goal 145# Bench: 55# goal 75# Row: 70# goal 90# Overhead: 50# goal 70# Deadlift: 110# goal 130# Weight lifting goal: Lift weights 10 times this challenge. Foodlove Stay away from nuts and dairy Drink lots of water Limit breads, waffles, cake, cookies, etc... Limit sweets Eat good stuff; meat, fish, veggies Foodlove goals: No chocolate for the whole challenge! I don't always do well limiting my chocolate I think I need to be 100% chocolate bar free (I will get my chocolate fix with cocoa power in my coffee. Awesomeness Planning (Weekly Planning) Sunday: Awesome planning & Grandparents NightMonday: Creativity day (Life Drawing class); O & me Gym Time & Crockpot nightTuesday: J & me Time Wednesday: O day (Piano & Tae Kwon Do lessons)Thursday: Health Club Day; Lift and sauna after workFriday: Social Night (Happy Hour or Art Masterminds) Saturday: Family Fun Day Monthly Special Days at least one during this challengeFriends Night for OFriend Night for me (Concert w/RL 10/4)Happy Hour w/work friends (9/26)Guys' Night (Boys only movie night 10/4)Date Night (10/11)Nature or Outdoor Fun Days (Fall foliage hike)Family Health Club Night (9/27)Art Masterminds Night Spa Day - Henna hair treatment and facial (9/19) Awesomeness Planning goals: Each Sunday I will spend an hour planning for the week and checking my calendar . Each week I will plan time for health, work & fun. "Entourage" (People-love)What I mean by this is; the people who help me and I help them as well, win/win situation. I already have a daily babysitter to get J on and off the bus and helps out evenings and weekends as needed. I want a work assistant, I had a great kid last year who was awesome and loved to organize things, this year I have kids that hang out after school and make my room worst rather than better. So I need to find another good helper. I am going to delegate more "jobs" in the classroom. I am going to find a financial advisor as well, I am not managing my money effectively I need to get better at this and if I have help it will get done. Entourage Goal: Find work and finance helpers to make my life better. Confidence & Fearlessness I want to develop this but I am not sure how I am going to address this…. Maybe a mantra and a bold action of some kind... Creativity: I am taking a life drawing class. I want to have some new work to enter into shows. I have only done two shows this year. Beauty & StyleSkin: I have had problems in the past with break outs and redness, I changed my diet and things improved.Hair: I went all natural with my shampoo, I want to keep experimenting with natural products. Next is toothpaste and cleaning products. I want to figure out an all natural deodorant.Style: I love Zulily on-line shopping with awesome prices; but no returns. So I am buying more dresses and skirts. For a number of years wore black pants to work everyday. I am not going to buy any black pants!!! I had a closet full of boring black pants. I am going to wear dresses or skirts and tops with great shoes or awesome boots. I love wearing dresses. This makes me happy. Beauty & Style goals:Keep away from nuts and dairyTry two more all natural beauty productsBuy more colorful dresses and skirts, cool shoes & boots (Fall and Winter wardrobe) Have fun with what I wear, enjoy my clothes and my body Reward:???I am not sure… Money for a trip?A chocolate bar?

This is my first quest here, as the current quest is nearly finished, this 6-week challenge shall be the one that starts on November 10th. I shall provide an update on how close I am on the first day. MAIN QUEST: Increase my strength so that I am able to lift more than my own bodyweight. Goal 1: Squat with a barbell 110% my own bodyweight (5 sets of 10). Goal 2: Bench press 110% my own bodyweight (5 sets of 10). Goal 3: Bent over row a barbell 110% my own bodyweight (5 sets of 10). Life side quest: As this quest ends on the same day as my semester, my life side quest is to achieve at least 50% on all of my essays due this semester. The bodyweight referred to in each of the goals is that of me at the end of the challenge, not me at the start. Thanks for reading, -SB

Last challenge was in fact a mid-year crisis; I bombed on all goals and bailed out of the entire thing a week early. No XP for me. I’ve spent the last two weeks reflecting on what’s been going wrong with my goals lately and trying to plan ways to improve and get things back on track. I have been using the workout plans that Steve has been selling on Nerd Fitness and Nerd Fitness Academy – and they’ve been really great at getting me started. But I keep hurting myself – nothing major, but I keep tweaking things just enough that I find myself back in the starting block more often than I make steady progress. So, I bought and read Lou Schuler’s The New Rules of Lifting for Life and The New Rules of Lifting for Women to learn more about 45-year-old women lifting and progressing safely. I also bought a set of super bands to help with pull-up training and as a way of building in some variety in the workouts in the future. Nothing says “commitment†like spending money, eh? I have been working on 4 major goals for the year: fitness, mental training (meditation and idea generation), completing a quilt, and non-fiction reading. This challenge, I’m abandoning all the other goals, and will be focused entirely on fitness. This doesn’t mean that I’m entirely abandoning those other goals, but I won’t be giving them the same emphasis as fitness will have these next few weeks. THE BIG GOAL: MAKE FITNESS A HABIT Mini Goal #1: Complete a weight workout 3 times a week. I’m using the beginner’s workout plan from The New Rules of Fitness for Life for the first 4 weeks of this challenge. We’ll see where I am then before deciding on the plan for the last 2 weeks. Grading: 18 possible points. A=16-18 points (+2STR, +2DEX), B = 13-15 points (+1STR, +2DEX), C= 10-12 points (+1STR, +1DEX), D = 8-10 points (+1STR) Mini Goal #2: Defeat the Lazies. During the summer, the only reason I have to get up at 5:30 am is so I can workout before anything else. During the rest of the year, I have to get up around then in order to make sure my eldest is awake in time to get ready for school – and I have no trouble getting up then. When I don’t have to get up for anyone else, I negotiate with myself; “If I don’t work out today, I can do it tomorrow†“An extra hour of sleep would do me more good right now...†etc. And that’s got to stop. For the next 6 weeks, I’ll get up at 5:30 every day – (gulp) even on weekends. Oh, I don’t think I’m going to like this. Grading: 42 possible points - A= 37-42 days (+2WIS, +2STA); B= 31-36 days (+2WIS, +1STA); C= 25-30 days (+1WIS, +1STA); D= 19-24 days (+WIS) Mini Goal #3: Walk at least 2 miles every day. I usually park about a mile away from my office, but this summer I’ve been making excuses to park closer. No more excuses: if I park close in the morning, I have to fit in those two miles somehow, even if I have to go back to the gym and get them in on the treadmill. Grading: 42 possible points - A= 37-42 days (+2CHA, +2CON); B= 31-36 days (+2CHA, +1CON); C= 25-30 days (+1CHA, +1CON); D= 19-24 days (+CHA) That's it. This changes up the workouts a bit to better accommodate my mid-aged self, so hopefully I won't tweak anything this challenge, and gets to work on my major impediment to regularly working out: the lazies. Onward!

So, the new semester of school is starting at my college, and I'm looking to be in the gym more this semester. My plan so far is: Monday: Yoga in the morning, then swim laps in the evening Tuesday: Weight lifting in the morning, then rock climbing in the evening. Wednesday: Yoga in the morning, then swim laps in the evening Thursday: Weight lifting int he morning. Nothing else planned. Friday: Yoga at noon, rock climbing in the evening. Saturday and Sunday are mostly off days/free days. Will this be conducive to building muscle and getting my body toned and strong? Is there anything that won't work recovery-wise or something I should be careful of? Thank you for any and all help.

Hello All, New here, but a frequent "lurker". I am not sure where this post belongs as it has a few questions, both in relation to wanting to lose body fat but also my lifting/exercise. I am looking to lose weight 23y/o about 5"4 - not sure about weight or bf% atm (last weigh I was 70-72kg). I was following a keto diet up until recently I realised it made my binge-eating really bad and generally, I just wasn't happy. Now I am kinda just eating "primal" (i.e mainly fruit and veg) but also kinda just letting myself have a treat now and then, and not berating myself over it... 80/20.. making sure I get enough protein.. I want to lose some body fat - but I am not sure how much I should be eating (atm tempted by 5:2 just because if I go overboard one day I might feel like I balance it out.. ) and all calculators etc are different. I sort of have a desk job, I have a 20 minute walk to/from work, and although I sit down a lot during the day I am often walking around the office, 2-3/5 days I am lifting boxes of paper, packs of waters, boxes etc. I do a circuit class on Sundays, have a 1/2hr PT session once a week where we are currently doing circuits and I workout on my own 2-3 times ..atm heavy lifts followed by some isolation or kettle bell stuff and sometimes cardio.. I was eating 1800cals (total daily not net) - but also having binges so I can't say whether this worked.. I generally prefer eating like say a lower cal number (BMR?) and then when I worked out eat the extra calories so my net = that cal.. I don't like aiming for the same everyday.. Not sure what to do with my lifting as well whilst I calories deficit and really work at it.. Deadift: 100kg (1RM) Squat: 70kg (3RM) Bench: I can do 5x5 47.5kg but I did do 50kg although I think my PT held a lot of it - I am not that confident with this.. OHP: 30kg (5RM) Row: 40kg (5RM) I am currently doing a 5/3/1 sort of thing with my compounds and then any assistance work is 4 sets 8reps.. is this okay to continue? I know I might not hit PRs etc whilst eating less. but atm I wanna focus on fat loss as I can tell I have good muscle tone developing and I know I am quite strong.. Any input or help will be greatly appreciated - kinda on the verge of giving up and feeling like I will never shed the fat! x

jtggodqos - go bigger Main Quest ultimately, I will achieve a body weight of 130lbs and a body fat percentage under 25.Goals Exercise: I vow to adhere to the following workout plan every day, with the rare exception.Mon, Wed, Fri: upper body (bench press, military press, seated row, bicep curl, sometimes tricep curl, lat pulldown)Tue, Thu, Sat/Sun: lower body (calf raise, squat, sometimes lunge)Diet: I vow to consume no more than 1700 kcal every day, with the rare exception.Alcohol: I vow to drink only socially; no more solo drinking, with the rare exception.Writing: I vow to work on either of my novels at least 30 minutes every weekday, with the rare exception.My Motivation I vow to adhere to the above requirements, because I'm fucking sick of how I look, and I'm tired of this Depression.healthy eating and regular exercise are good for the body, alcohol is not; and writing is good for the soul.Notes the "with the rare exception" clause must be validated by Brian -- if he deems it acceptable, then I can evoke it. this ensures I don't let myself "cheat" too much.I must input every day's progress on both my spreadsheet AND my NerdFitness thread. this ensures accountability.Links spreadsheetMyFitnessPalFitbitFitocracy Numbers Date: 06-05-14Weight: 167.0 lbsBody Fat: 38.4%BMI: 27.0Lean: 102.9 lbsFat: 64.1 lbs (my goal is lose 40 of these)Neck: 34.0 cmBicep: 30.5 cmForearm: 26.5 cmChest: 93.5 cmWaist: 95.5 cm (ew...)Hips: 105.0 cm ("Shamu hips", as my dad always called them)Thigh: 63.0 cmCalf: 38.5 cm Total Scores Week Zero: 1/26Week One:Week Two:Week Three:Week Four:Week Five:Week Six:Total:

Character sheet Character name: VARELSE | Level: 0 | Class: WARRIOR | XP: 0 Race: HOBBIT | Size: MEDIUM | Age: 25 | Gender: F | Height: 5' 55'' | Weight: 172 lb MAIN QUEST I feel like I should write some previous information about me, my goals and why I'm here, as this is my first complete challenge in this rpg NF. Nine months ago I was fit enough to feel comfortable with me and my body. I started working, studying a postgraduate, preparing a lot of exams... and I stop doing sport and eating healthy. In seven months I gain 20 kg (44 pounds). Meanwhile, I have been struggling with depression, but I'm better now and with enthusiasm to start a better life. My goal, as corresponds to any start, is very ambitious: I want to be fit (around 125 lb or 19% of body fat), strength (being able to lift at least my own weight or even more if possible), fast and healthy. I also want to be wise, like ancient Stoic Sages, and smart, achieving my intellectual goals. I want to be confident, proud of myself, I want to recover my self-esteem, but more than that I want to be loyal to my principles and don't care about other people think of me. SMART QUESTS Goal #1: Back to basics (+2 STR +1 STA) I have started with Stronglifts this week, so I should stick to this routine during the next 6 weeks (the ideal is to keep this goal for the next challenge too, which is the optimum lapse of time for SL, I think). For grading, I will look my complete workouts: A = 18; B = 15; C = 12; D = <12 Goal #2: Improve my diet (2 CON +1 CHA) I'm going to focus to start with Whole30 for the next challenge (maybe). As I have a lot of work to do, I'm focusing on one good habit each week (they're accumulative), which are going to be: No snacks/coffee from the vent machine (week one), no processed food (dairy included), no wheat (week three), no grains (week four), no legumes (week five), no nuts (week six). Whole30 by the end of the challenge. Grading: 42 (-1 point each bad day, according to the goal of the week): A = 35-42; B = 30-35; C = 18-30; D = <18 Goal #3: Move frequently at a slow pace (+2 CON +2 STA) I spend most of the mornings at the library and most of the evenings working at an academy (i. e. sat down). I also am aware of I shouldn't start running with my weight and into a strength workout such Stronglifts, so I'm thinking on walking like my ancestors. Walking an hour after my work (I finish my workday at 8 pm) and before dinner could be a good and healthy option. I live next to the sea, so it could be an inspiration, too. I'm going to grade only taking account on work days, so: A = 30; B = 18-30; C = 12-18; D = <12 LIFE QUEST I want to be as stoic Sage as I could be. #1.1: Stoic meditation (+1 WIS +1 CHA) Morning and evening meditations in order to planning my day and to think about the things that happened to me. Keep a journal to make balance according with I have said. Each day I did my meditations will be a 'day done', so grading: A = 42; B = 30-42; C = 18-30; D = <18 #1.2: Sleep (+1 WIS +1 CHA) Not going to sleep later than 12 am nor waking up later than 7 am (preferably from 11 pm to 6 am). the same as #1.1, but without taking account of weekends, so: A = 30; B = 18-30; C = 12-18; D = <12 #1.3: Productivity (+1 WIS) Plan with the Pomodoro technique and work using them (at least 7 pomodoros). The same as #1.1: A = 30; B = 18-30; C = 12-18; D = <12

And since I just turned 45, let’s call it a mid-life crisis as well. The other day, I put on the Patagonia shorts that almost 2 years ago fit me like a sausage casing. They still fit the way they did 18 months ago – much better than when I joined the Rebellion, but still a tad snug. And I reviewed the weight stats from the last year and realize that I have made no progress at all. Granted, I have had a few injuries - the past couple of months I've been out with a tweaked back and stitches in my hand and has really set me back. I still feel that I should be further along than I am. I’m still in much better shape than I was 2 years ago, but I will get back to that point if I don't do something different. Life in general is good. I really like my life, but feel like I’ve gotten complacent and haven’t been working more on improving myself like I should. I have got to get out of this rut. I want to keep the 2014 goals, but must rethink my approach. 2014 Goal 1: Deadlift my bodyweight (170lbs/77kg)/do a pull-up. Currently deadlifting 125lbs/56.7kg/hanging 5 seconds Challenge Goal: It is not enough to aim towards getting in to the gym 3 times a week for weight lifting. This challenge, I will get up every morning at 5:30 and go get some exercise. I can stretch in my room when I get back, but I’ve got to get out of the house and work out. An early morning walk is acceptable a couple of times a week, but I’ll be in the gym at least 5 days a week. I’ll do some sort of weight workout 3 times a week. · Deadlift: January Start: 125 lbs; Challenge Start: 115 lbs · Squat: January Start: 105 lbs; Challenge Start: 95 lbs · Bench Press January Start: 75 lbs; Challenge Start: 70 lbs · Overhead press: January Start: 60 lbs; Challenge Start: 55 lbs Grading: A= 37-42 days (+2STR, +2CON); B= 31-36 days (+2STR, +1CON); C= 25-30 days (+1STR, +1CON); D= 19-24 days (+1STR) 2014 Goal 2: Make meditating a habit Take time to slow down and think daily. Meditating is fine, I guess. I don’t think I’ve been doing it long enough to see many benefits. I am rather captivated by James Altucher’s practice of coming up with and writing down 10 ideas daily. It makes sense to me that trying to come up with new thoughts (or at least getting old ones down in writing so I don’t have to keep coming up with them) has to be good for me. So, I think I’ll try it. On a sort of related note, I deleted Facebook and Twitter from my phone so I can get rid of those distractions when I’m not at a desk or laptop. Challenge Goal: Meditate for 10 minutes every day. Write down 10 ideas immediately following. Half a point if I do one without the other. Grading: A= 37-42 days (+2WIS, +2CHA); B= 31-36 (+2WIS, +1CHA); C= 25-30 (+1WIS, +1CHA); D= 19-24 (+1WIS) 2014 Goal 3: Complete a king-sized quilt. Machine or hand pieced, hand quilted. This is going fairly well, all told. I haven’t made much progress the last couple of weeks because I’ve had to rip out and re-stitch the same bit 3 different times. Frustrating. Challenge Goal: Work on a sewing project at least 10 minutes every day. Grading: A= 36-42 days (+2DEX, +2STA); B= 30-35 (+2DEX, +1STA); C= 24-29 (+1DEX, +1STA); D= 18-23 (+1DEX) 2014 Goal 4: Read one non-fiction book outside of my comfort zone every month. This is something else I want to keep up. June’s selection is Sister Wendy’s History of Painting, which I have yet to start. Pass/Fail Pass = +1WIS, +1STA, +1CHA Keeping up with the garden is still on my list – we’ve had a few hot days and the lettuce is starting to go bitter, but the sugar snaps are coming in, and there are a few tiny squash on the vines out there.

*sorry, I couldn't find the name of the artist for this Prologue The Nyun cast ever deepening shadows upon the Endless Forest as Lielet tread through hardened snow toward its great base. She could feel the last sign of civilization at her back - the golden light from the Five Wolves Inn - she grit her teeth, willed herself not to turn and answer its beckon. Lielet sucked in the cool evening air, bracing herself for the long and uncertain journey which lay ahead. The goal was the abandoned Queen's Army tower midway up that snow-covered monstrosity, but she had only a crude map from her mentor to know its location and many miles yet to go to reach it. The Endless Forest at the base of the Nyun was a place where even the Grey Men feared to travel. There were few who dared pass through the shadows of the forest; those who did were reluctant to tell of it. It was as though the forest was capable of magic, binding their mouths from spilling its secrets. Lielet could not help but take one last glance back at the inn as a few stray notes of song from its hall drifted on the harsh wind. It was warm inside, filled with the comforts she loved most: mead and roast meats. Perhaps I should just wait another day. It could be that the weather improves somewhat on the morrow, she thought. The wintry landscape was silent but for the crunch of snow under her boots as she shifted from one foot to the other in indecision. No. Frer Linn didn't die for me to just waste my time away in an inn. Taking a deep breath, she turned about and crossed the Five Wolves Inn's last warding circle. Main Goal: Complete the Temecula, CA Spartan Sprint on September 14th, 2014 Upon crossing that last threshold of safety at the edge of the Endless Forest, Lielet felt the cold's bite sting at her cheeks. What once was a silent, looming forest became a fearsome labyrinth of pines which buzzed with the dark energy of the Nyun's malevolent heart. I cannot believe that I thought I was ever safe, she thought with some scorn for her naivete. I still have so much to learn. Sub-Goals: 1) Reduce body fat percentage from 34% down to 30%. 2) Increase my bench press, American deadlift and squat to 95lbs., 165lbs. and 110lbs., respectively (5x5). 3) Be able to accomplish one full pull up. Lielet drew her cloak closer about herself, willing herself to remember the mantra which Frer Linn taught her back at the abbey. She lost countless months to the Dread Slumber spell inflicted upon her by that faceless demon at the edge of the hamlet Melrose. When she awoke in the West Fields abbey two months' time previous, she was dismayed to find herself corpulent and without any memory of her warrior past beyond the name her long dead mother gave to her: Lielet. The wind began to pick up as the last of twilight was eaten up by the inky darkness. It invaded her cloak, chilling her to the bone. A howl, loud and cutting caused her to stop in her tracks. That's too close. What am I walking into, so unprepared? Life Sub-Goal: Dedicate at least one hour per day to writing. Her hand found the hilt of her dagger. Movement ahead. In between the trees, she saw a shadow skulking. Yet, there was no sound from its motion. Is that a man? Do my eyes deceive me? Or is it a wolf, scouting for the pack? Replacing the inescapably cold, looming forest, a dreamlike vision overtook her senses. She saw a woman - it was herself! But unlike her current attire, designed to keep her hidden from the beasts of the Forest, she was garbed in a fearlessly bright red cloak. Unlike her current soft state, her body was honed into weapon-like form. Surrounded by a starving wolf pack, she picked them off, one by one. The image disappeared from her view when a cold hand rested itself upon her shoulder. Disoriented, Lielet tried to remember what to do, clumsily grabbing again for the hilt of her dagger and brandishing it. With a shaking hand, she whirled about. "Lielet," she heard a man's voice call out to her. There was no man about her. Is it the shadow figure? Or, is it the forest? "Lielet, you forget who you are. You forget what your true name is." "What?! Who are you?! Show yourself!" she demanded, turning about in circles, her knife cutting aimlessly through the air. Another howl sounded in the near distance, followed by an answering howl. Wolves. They come for me. "You are Red Puma," the voice continued, "and I will help you to remember it as you make your way through this forest." Red Puma? she thought with a snort. This spirit must think that he is funny. "Trust in me to hold off those which might hunt you, hindering you in your quest. However, my power to keep the beasts and demons at bay is only as strong as your efforts to survive." "Who are you!?" Lielet yelled loudly. She was met only with the ominous buzz of the forest and the answering howls of the predators which hungered for her flesh. /// I have been working out in the gym for the past seven weeks, however I have had a pretty sedentary life for the last couple of years. Before that, I was in excellent shape. At 25% body fat, I was strong and fast, albeit a bit stocky. That's just my body type, though. Current Stats Age / Gender: 33 / F Height: 5'6" Weight: 177.8 lbs. Body Fat: 32-34% Bust: 37" Waist: 31.5" Hips: 40" American Deadlift: 150 lbs. 5x5 Bench Press: 85lbs. 5x5 Squat: 95 lbs. 5x5 Goals and Plans Main Goal: Complete the Temecula, CA Spartan Sprint on September 14th, 2014 I chose to sign up for an obstacle race because I wanted some concrete goal to push toward. Theoretically, you don't need to be a 22% body fat athlete in order to complete the sprint, which is the entry level of these races at 3+ miles and 15+ obstacles. Without knowing specifically which obstacles will be part of the race, I need to strengthen my weakest physical aspects (core and upper body, balance) while cutting fat for ease of mobility. I have 14 weeks until the race, which means I have 2 challenges to get myself in the best possible shape to show what I can do. 25% of Final Grade Sub-Goal: Reduce body fat percentage from 34% down to 30%. In order to accomplish this sub-goal I will aim for 10 calories/lb, per day. I have a crap, underperforming thyroid, so I’m going off of experience as to my needs. I will aim for .67g of protein/lb per day. To start, that will be approximately 1778 calories per day with 119 grams protein per day. I will also be practicing "clean eating," continuing the whole grains/whole foods style of eating I've been doing for the past couple of months. I'm also going to be attending one to two boxing and Krav Maga classes per week as cardio conditioning. Being leaner will definitely help me to get through the Spartan. Grading Scheme: Average of Daily Grades; A = 90-100% "on it", B = 75-89% "on it", C = anything below 75% 25% of Final Grade Sub-Goal: Increase my bench press, American deadlift and squat to 95 lbs., 160 lbs.. and 110 lbs., respectively (5x5). I will be continuing with my four to five sessions of upper/lower body splits per week. I have seen remarkable improvement in just the last month. Only a month ago, I was scared to DL more than 80lbs. Been there. Done that. Boom-fist. I also will be performing accessory exercises to support the "big three." I'm not sure that being able to pull/press more weight is particularly going to help with my Spartan goal, but it couldn't hurt. Grading Scheme: Average of Weekly Grades Based on Progress; A = 90-100% on it!, B = 75-89% on it, C = anything below 75% 25% of Final Grade Sub-Goal: Be able to accomplish one full pull up. I have never completed a full pull up. For a sub-goal, this goal is pretty major. Accomplishing this will be as big a deal as getting married and graduating college were for me. I plan on using a couple of techniques: the negative pull up and assisted pull ups. Upper body strength, from what I can gather with the Spartan race photos and videos, is super important. I've read that being able to do a muscle up is a good idea for getting over a couple of the obstacles. Considering that I can't do a pull up... Yeah. Pull up. I'm comin' for ya. Grading Scheme: Average of Weekly Grades Based on Progress; A = 90-100% on it!, B = 75-89% on it, C = anything below 75% 25% of Final Grade Life Sub-Goal: Dedicate at least one hour per day to writing. As a writer, I'm going through a bit of a slump. I need to get my ass back in gear, which begins with simply sitting in front of my computer for a dedicated hour (minimum) per day. Yes, juggling writing, fitness, marriage, a job and a demanding cat is quite a handful. However, that's what I want to do and who I want to be. I want to be a writer-athlete-geek-wife-pet owner. I'm so close. I can do this. Grading Scheme: Average of Daily Grades; A = 90-100% on it!, B = 75-89% on it, C = anything below 75% /// If I succeed in completing the first 3 weeks of my first challenge, I will award myself: STR: 4 | DEX: 1 | STA: 2 | CON: 2 | WIS: 1 | CHA: 0 Upon completing the second 3 weeks of my first challenge, I will award myself: STR: 1 | DEX: 0 | STA: 1.5 | CON: 0 | WIS: 1.5 | CHA: 1 Since I'm going to be working on some overall awesome stuff I'm not going to micromanage points based on my subgoals. Instead, I'm going to use whatever my grade is from the above goals and award myself points adjusted according to the following scheme: A=100%, B=80%, C=50%. As an optimist, I don't think I'm going to fail out, but if I do... 0%.

Greetings, NF! I've been a lurker for the past month or so, and your stories, along with those at r/fitness and r/loseit, have inspired me to join and introduce myself. First off, here's my obligatory progress album: http://imgur.com/a/MNLWI#0 I have been lifting off and on for the past 3 years, ever since I started and completed P90X in 2011. I was very fit, active and strong in college. However, a little over a year ago I graduated and moved to a new city away from my friends and support group and worked a shitty job, which unfortunately led to a period of depression and drinking too much, and then dealt with unemployment for almost 2 months, which didn't help either. This led to general laziness and weight gain. I just re-started my fitness journey a few weeks ago after an honest look at the scale and needing to take breaks during flag football revealed that I am just not in good shape. I was up to 235 pounds at 6'0", almost 50 pounds from my most fit weight of 180. So I bought a planner, started meticulously counting my calories to a significant deficit, cut down my alcohol and carbohydrate intake, and started working out 4-6 times a week. I've already dropped 10 pounds so far, so something is working! My goal is to lose 30 pounds by March 29, which is the date I'm getting married. My fiancee has been incredibly supportive through my depression, unemployment and current state of "could be better" physical health. We'll be going on a delayed honeymoon in July to somewhere sunny and gorgeous, so I am trying to get in great shape before then. I know I can do it; I dropped similar weight in 3 months in 2011 with P90X after I broke up with my high school girlfriend, and now I have a little over 7 months. The honeymoon is going to be something I want to remember for the rest of my life as a wonderful, joyous experience - not one where I was worried about love handles and posing for the camera just right. My goals: Cut down to 190lbs by March 29th, then bulk for 9 weeks, and cut for 4. Fit into my old 34/32 jeans Run a 4.60 40yd dash again Join the 1000 lb club (currently at 885 lbs between the big 3 lifts) Complete The Witcher 2 on Dark Mode How I'll do it: Weight lifting 5x/week: emphasis on high weight, moderate reps (8-12) HIIT Training 3x/week: 2x gym, track, hills, biking, or rowing; 1x football, ultimate frisbee or other sport on Saturday. Sunday is a rest day. Count Calories: Consume between 1500-1800 kcal/day Limit Alcohol: Beer is allowed only on weekends, and then only in moderation (1 of my favorite beers packs 255 kcal/12 oz!) Home cooked food: Cook everything on Sunday to meet macros (45/30/25 Pro/Fat/Carb) Happy to join the Rebellion!

Hi, everybody. I've been biding my time working out and anxiously awaiting the next challenge so I can get my noob on... But that just won't cut it. I want my social exercise peer support NOW! Even if nobody comments on my battle logs, I just feel like I've got to get my efforts out there. After all, I am an extrovert. Since I usually try to cram as many exercises into my 75 minutes at the gym as I can, I'll not present my logs as a full-on log. Instead, I'll stick to posting commentary on my new PRs and/or frustration with staying at the same weights or deloading. I also started taking Krav Maga classes and may pick up boxing, so there should be a few posts here and there about how I'm doing energy-wise at those exhausting pursuits. /// STATS Age: 33 Gender Identity: Female Weight: ??? will weigh in today at new gym's scale Height: 65.5 inches Body Fat (calipers): 34% Bust: 37.5 inches Waist: 31.25 inches Hips: 40 inches PREVIOUS LIFT American Deadlift: 145lbs. 5-4-3 Bench Press: 75lbs. 5-5-5-5-5 Squat: 110lbs. 5-5-5-5-5 Hip Thrusts: 145lbs. 5-5-5 Iso-Lateral Row: 100lbs. per arm 5-5-5-5-5 Turkish Getup: 15lbs. 5 Okay... Off to my first (and likely only, since it's free) session ever with a trainer. We'll see what she says.

Subtitle Is truly needed to do cardio? Some random info: 5'55'' 170 lb, a bit more than 2 months without doing anything healthy (but I used to do regularly 9 or 10 months ago). I am trying to go back to my old healthy habits, and I'm thinking on starting the next challenge with warriors. I want to focus on strength, because it is quick (I don't have much time nowadays). So I don't know if it could be a good idea not to do cardio and try to achieve the best results as possible with weight lifting and diet. What do you think? If I should do some cardio (because I am pretty overweight), what would you recommend me and how to schedule with SL? I think this is enough information to start my new plan. But I understand that the most important thing is to plan a good diet according to my weight, my objectives and the (little) sport that currently I do. Thank you very much, guys!