Search the Community

Hello All! So a bit of background to start things off. I have been lifting consistently for a bit over 2 years now. Last year I trained for and competed in my first strong woman competition, and I managed to walk away with a couple first place event medals and a 2nd place overall. I loved lifting heavy but it seems to have some not so great side effects for me. Once I started with a trainer specifically for powerlifting/strongman I kind of blew up from 164 to 193 (currently around 185-188). Now my measurements weren't up as far as I worried so I know some of it was in fact muscle gain but some was straight up me eating all of the things. I've also started having some joint pain and I am not a spring chick anymore, my current trainer said it was part of being an athlete... This mindset is not something I can run with. So I have decided to try out a new coach starting in July and this is going to chronicle my new journey. I will be tracking macros, measurements, lift videos, and workout's here, and an FYI there may be progress pictures in here of me in a sports bra and full coverage underwear, short shorts or a bathing suit bottom but that is TBD after they are taken, lol.

Hi everyone! I am new to the Rebellion! I have already posted two questions and have received replies that have made me nothing but more positive. I really do love it here. I am still learning to navigate, and I am super excited to try a 4 week challenge when the next one starts. So here is my story for those who would like to get to know me: I am a young female South African, 25, 154cm height. BMI .29 (considered obese). I am a little person in this huge world that it, yes, trying to get smaller. I have been struggling on and off for over a year trying to lose weight and get fit. Of course no one ever decides to lose weight and then actually loses it without also making the decision alongside to be serious, dedicated and disciplined as well. Only the past 4 months have shown me some results. Small results, but nevertheless they are still there. I was concentrating on resistance training, and then for the past month I have also added strength training. I have about 20-25kg to lose, give or take. I have made the decision to start working really hard for it this month. My main concentration will be my weight training alone in the mornings and dumbbell routines that I do with a friend in the afternoons. I will also be adding in some HIIT and Yoga. So I am planning to have a lot of fun this month while creating everlasting habits that will keep me fit throughout my future life. I am also on a paleo diet of only meat, vegetables and now and then some fruit. The only things not paleo are my protein shakes. I try to keep my calories up to 1200. I have been told that I can eat more than this and still lose weight. I know that I can eat more because of my training and still lose weight but I eat like a bird and veggies keep my calorie count super low which makes it difficult to sometimes reach a higher caloric intake (most of the time I even struggle to reach 800). I also don't want to force myself to eat more than I can fit in and overfeed myself unnecessarily. I use the application Fitnesspal as my food diary. It helps me keep track easily. My goal this month is drop one size at least, and I have made the decision to be discipline enough to reach that goal. I will be forcing myself not to be lazy and to complete all my exercise tasks even when I really don't want to. There are posters of beautiful fit women all over my gym room to help motivate me and I have a file where I will record all of my progress and activities. This helps me with motivation as well because I love planning and recording things. I am a "list-person" if you know what I mean. I am very excited to be a part of this community and to have somewhere I can turn when I need advice, inspiration and motivation. Also, I am happy to help anyone wherever I can as well. My advice might not be abundant as I am still a newbie in all of this but I can help motivate and inspire where I lack any advice or knowledge! We can all accomplish our dreams and reach any goal that we set for ourselves. Cheers!

Overview / Motivation: While things are still chaotic on the home front, there is a bit more of a routine emerging which opened the door for me to reconnect with my weights. This challenge will focus on identifying my current level of strength (after whatever I lost post baby being born) and start building from there. With all the new challenges with our new normal, this is also a good time in my life to reestablish my inner athlete - something I blog about which is focused on viewing our professional life (or whatever our current state of life may be) as an athlete. We focus on improving our respective game and working to become world class in what we do. I've lost my way a bit on this with all the craziness and need to rediscover this focus and discipline. Main Quest: Define my current fitness level while I adjust to life with 2 kids and no sleep Side Quests: Average 3 Weight Training Sessions / Week Points Potential: STA+5 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% D= Average > 60% F= Average < 60% Complete 10 minutes of foam roller / stretching daily Points Potential: DEX+5 Grading: A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% D= Average > 60% F= Average < 60% Complete 1 Heavy Bag Routine / Week Points Potential: STA+2 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% D= Average > 60% F= Average < 60% Life Quest: Read Death by Meeting by Patrick Lencioni Points Potential: WIS+3 A= Read > 90% B= Read > 80% C= Read > 70% F= Read < 70%

Main Goal I'm going to Blue Mountain, Ontario, in October for the 2017 OCR World Championships. I could register right now as a Journeyman as I have completed the requisite three or more qualifying events since the last Championships. I don't want to just show up, though. I want to qualify as an Age Group competitor by earning my spot through competition. The black Finisher medals are things of beauty. I want one. I'm going to earn one. How realistic is this goal? On July 30, 2016, I finished 24 minutes behind the OCRWC qualifier time for the 50-54 age group, and before this challenge is over, I will have moved into that age bracket. I am combining a Half Marathon training plan with personal run coaching to increase my speed over distance. This past February 25, I ran the Spartan Sprint in Arizona while sick as hell and finished 15 minutes off the OCRWC Qualifier time for the 50-54 age group. I'm using my 10k time as my guideline for improvement, since it's the same distance or longer than my two A races for this year. Over the past year, I've knocked 7 minutes off my PR for 10k and am working to shave off another 12 minutes by the end of July, when my two most likely qualifying events are held: Savage Race Chicago, July 30 Conquer the Gauntlet Des Moines, August 5 Both have obstacles that are unique compared to other obstacle race series and while I've been training for them, they will be fun no matter what happens. I'd love to qualify before then, but these are the most likely based on skill and expected competition. What will it take for me to get there? I'm going to need to be transformed. Transmogrified. But there's no magic machine that will get me there, no magic pill. It's going to take me, getting out of my head, casting off my own perceived limitations, and pushing beyond my comfort zone. Because what I want is on the other side of comfortable. Fortunately for me, there's a big "Not Comfortable" looming on my horizon - I am participating in the Montana Spartan Beast on May 6. That gives me just under three weeks (including Week Zero of this challenge) to get my climbing legs under me. I'm not starting from zero, but I am not where I need to be to finish this race and walk afterward. Goal: Faster Much like my Spartan Beast finisher times. If I want to be faster, I've got to run, consistently. During the last challenge, I put on more consistent miles and started getting the hoped-for results. I also did a 2-mile speed test and found out I am capable of much faster than I thought - about an eight-minute pace for one mile and significantly faster than that over a half-mile. Now it's time to learn to go even faster and to sustain pace for as long as I can. I'm going to stick with the following schedule until my coach, Josh, tells me he wants me to switch it up: Week Zero: Incline Trainer Monday, 3 miles Tuesday, 4 miles Wednesday, 3 miles Thursday, Incline Trainer Friday, 5 miles Weekend Week One: Incline Trainer Monday, 3 miles Tuesday, 5 miles Wednesday, 3 miles Thursday, Incline Trainer Friday, 6 miles Saturday, Incline Trainer Sunday Week Two: Incline Trainer Monday, 3 miles Tuesday, 5 miles Wednesday, 2 miles Thursday, Rest Day Friday, Montana Spartan Beast Saturday Week Three: Incline Trainer Monday, 3 miles Tuesday, 5 miles Wednesday, 3 miles Thursday, Incline Trainer Friday, 8 miles Weekend Week Four: Incline Trainer Monday, 3 miles Tuesday, 5 miles Wednesday, 3 miles Thursday, Incline Trainer Friday, 5k Saturday (Autism 5k), 11 miles Sunday Yes, that's six days per week where there is a "move forward with purpose" goal. This is what it's going to take for me to meet my goal. I'm either going to commit, or not. It's acceptable for me to do hill training instead of incline training as long as I do it with the same heart-rate based goal of 125-150bpm. Goal: Stronger My plan here has been working. I'm physically more capable of doing the functional things I need to do to complete a course. I don't have to be the size of the Chrysler building to flip a 400-pound tire or beast the Spartan Herc Hoist or whatever; mostly, I just need to be able to move my own body weight, and then some for good measure. Part 1: Week Zero: Lift Day Tuesday, Lift Day Thursday, Obstacle Academy Friday, OCR WOW Weekend Week One: OCR WOW Monday, Lift Day Tuesday, Lift Day Thursday, Obstacle Academy Friday, OCR WOW Weekend Week Two: OCR WOW Monday, Lift Day Tuesday, Lift Day Thursday, Montana Spartan Beast Saturday Week Three: Lift Day Tuesday, Lift Day Thursday, Obstacle Academy Friday, OCR WOW Weekend Week Four: OCR WOW Monday, Lift Day Tuesday, Lift Day Thursday, Obstacle Academy Friday, OCR WOW Weekend Part 2: Continuing the Grease the Groove training method I stole gratuitously from @Big_Show. I'll be recording the total number of pull-ups completed every day, not just full dead-hang strict pull-ups. During the last challenge I averaged 11 pull-ups per day, and I was able to see a noticeable difference when doing body-weight work at Obstacle Academy. Now it's time to push that to the next level. I want to average at least 20 per day over this challenge. Part 3: Yes, Part 3. Because I'm backing away from Boot Camp at my gym, it's time for me to make sure I am getting regular strength endurance work in my everyday life. In the spirit of the Grease the Groove pull-up accumulation, I am aiming to accumulate 200 push-ups per day. Challenge Plan Summary Goal: Smaller Smaller me is easier to hoist over a wall me and easier to move forward me. I'm seeing the expected positive results with my food logging and nutritional planning, and I'm going to continue my plan from last challenge with the tweaks Traci would like me to make. The end of this challenge will put me about ten weeks out from my July 29 Savage Race target; more than enough time for a transmogrification.

Overview / Motivation: By the time this challenge starts I should be getting used to life with our second child and limited sleep. When we had our first child, I ended up going on a 4 month workout hiatus and I REALLY want to avoid that this time around. I want to embrace the change at hand and create as much of a daily structure as possible in order to be the best husband and father I can be while taking care of my health. It won't be easy, but nothing worth while ever is! Main Quest: Maintain my current fitness level while I adjust to life with 2 kids and no sleep Side Quests: Average 3 Heavy Bag-Resistance Band Circuits / Week Points Potential: STA+5 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% D= Average > 60% F= Average < 60% Complete 1 NerdFitness Yoga Sessions / Week Points Potential: DEX+2 Grading: A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% D= Average > 60% F= Average < 60% Average 140 grams of Protein / Day Points Potential: STR+3 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% D= Average > 60% F= Average < 60% Life Quest: Read The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz Points Potential: WIS+5 A= Read > 90% B= Read > 80% C= Read > 70% F= Read < 70%

So I currently have less than 3 weeks until I leave for my trip to Italy, I am going to try to lose a little over 1lb a week in order to get to the goal of 180(180.whatever works too) before I head to pasta land In order to get this done I will be focusing on 3 things... Meals: Prep all breakfasts and lunches using the containers that help with portion sizes, and plan all dinners in advance including my 1 "cheat meal" which can be anything but must be portioned well. Training: I am doing a 15 day HIIT challenge starting in 2 days (along with my usual training), after that I will make sure I do 2 days of cardio for at least 45 min (stair master, max trainer, low impact) per week, and 25 min on the stair master after every normal workout. Culture Crash Course: I failed at properly preparing for this trip language wise, time to focus and get as much learning in as possible. Italian lessons every day until the trip, with at least a solid 30 min to an hour on weekends. I will be posting updates daily for accountability on meals (which start on Saturday since I have my catered stuff until Friday), and language. Starting Weight 185.4

Overview / Motivation: I'm very excited for this challenge since I may need to do some temporary overhauls to my challenges for a while after this one. My wife and I are expecting baby #2 around April 20th, so I'm anticipating needing to go into maintenance mode for a while during our adjustment period to no sleep and increased craziness. To add to that fun, I am working to launch my blog before the baby comes as well, so likely during this challenge. So in the meantime, let's push some weights around and get after it! Main Quest: Hit the following benchmarks in strength and stamina: Bench Press 250 lbs. Squat 250 lbs. Complete 20 Pull Ups Side Quests: Average 3 Weight Training Sessions & 1 Heavy Bag-Resistance Band Circuit / Week Points Potential: STR+5 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% D= Average > 60% F= Average < 60% Complete 2 NerdFitness Yoga Sessions / Week Points Potential: DEX+3 Grading: A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% D= Average > 60% F= Average < 60% Average Running 2 Miles / Week Points Potential: STA+2 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% D= Average > 60% F= Average < 60% Life Quest: Read Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy Seals Lead and Win by Jocko Willink & Leif Babin Points Potential: WIS+5 A= Read > 90% B= Read > 80% C= Read > 70% F= Read < 70%

So last challenge I think I finally started getting things figured out... I also found out last week that I have not lost any strength, and have in fact gained some, and I am down 7 inches total since the start of the year. Part 3 is going to change some things up a bit, since I no longer have to embrace my hellish workouts because both my trainer and I hated them. Goal 1: Keep With The Check Boxes Aim to do better than the previous week (until I consistently hit good marks each week). Sundays will not count, that is my "no fitbit" day. 2. Meal Planning For The Win 30 days of healthy lunches, and 30 days of planned meals (Blue Apron Dinners from Wed-Fri acceptable). - Have first two weeks planned out before official start date of the challenge - Finish 1 other weeks planning each Sunday - 1 "F'it" or dinner out meal per week acceptable - Actually measure food 3. Solidify A Workout Routine I tend to fail at consistency lately when it comes to workouts, I normally get at least 3 days in but I would like to make sure I am getting in 5-6 days of activity weekly. 3 weight training days, 1 accessory day, and 1 "whatever I want to do but I better do something day" minimum per week. Life Goals! - I got the shirts (though some are still on back order), this month I have to get them printed or at least have a print shop to go to once the T-Shirts are in. If I get that done quickly enough, I need to set up a photo shoot by the end of the challenge, and start getting our stuff put on the site/social media. - Curtains! Since I didn't do that last challenge. Lets Do This!

Overview / Motivation: Returning to the Rangers following a challenge with the Druids focused on getting my mind right for a high impact 2017. I'm keeping with the same formula of weight training, yoga, and cardio that I used through most of 2016 as I was pleased with the gains. I do need to start building back up my cardio shape, so not super excited to lace up the running shoes again, but it will be worth it. For the non-physical portion of this challenge, I am working through Michael Hyatt's book on building a platform. I am ramping up to create a blog focused on leadership and building your best self, and I've found some great nuggets in this book already as I inch closer to going live. Looking forward to a solid challenge. Main Quest: Hit the following benchmarks in strength and stamina: Bench Press 250 lbs. Squat 250 lbs. Complete 20 Pull Ups Side Quests: Average 3 Weight Training Sessions / Week Points Potential: STR+5 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% D= Average > 60% F= Average < 60% Complete 2 NerdFitness Yoga Sessions / Week Points Potential: DEX+3 Grading: A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% D= Average > 60% F= Average < 60% Average Running 3 Miles / Week Points Potential: STA+3 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% D= Average > 60% F= Average < 60% Life Quest: Read Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World by Michael Hyatt Points Potential: WIS+4 A= Read > 90% B= Read > 80% C= Read > 70% F= Read < 70%

Welcome back to a Galaxy Far, Far Away. While this is a new challenge cycle, the goals are pretty much the same, because consistency builds habits, which leads to progress, which leads to success. Consistency will take focus, and this man told this annoying kid something really important about that: And, unlike much of what was scripted for his little green Master, he's not patently wrong. Main Goal I'm going to Blue Mountain, Ontario, in October for the 2017 OCR World Championships. Anyone who finishes three or more qualifying races in a single year can register to race as a Journeyman. I could register right now. I want to qualify as an Age Group competitor instead, meaning I have to earn my spot through competition. Sweet Baby Jesus, look at those things. I hope they are just as awesome again this year. I have my sights set on two possible qualifying races this year: Savage Race Chicago, July 30 Conquer the Gauntlet Des Moines, August 5 Every road race I am signed up for leading up to these events is a training run and I will be disappointed if I don't set a PR every time out. I don't have any timed road races during this cycle. I do have my first two Spartan Races of the year: I did this venue last year and it was awesome. It was also just as hot and cactus-y as it looks in this picture and yes, cactus spines are a pain in the wherever. Last year, when I earned a 5x Spartan Trifecta, I had my sights set on three mountain races that kicked my butt, and I considered all the other races training runs for those three. Not this year. In 2017, every Obstacle Course Race I am signed up for leading up to Savage and Conquer are going to be run at red-line. That means I am running back-to-back days in potential 85 degree heat as hard as I can and taking as few breathers as possible. We'll see how that works out. In my favor is the fact that the course is hilly but not mountainous, but that also works in the favor of actual runners, so there's that. Whether I wind up qualifying or not, this will be a good early indication of whether anything I've been doing - accumulating miles, weight training, obstacle training at Obstacle Academy - have helped at all, and it will help identify existing weaknesses. I'm more than just fairly obstacle-proficient; at any given race, I expect to complete nearly every obstacle. But right now, at my best, I am a middle-of-the-pack runner. This year I am focusing on Becoming Faster while Staying Strong and Improving My Endurance. And I am doing this by continuing What I Know Works. Goal: Road Training The plan for this challenge: Week 1: 3 miles Tuesday, 4 miles Wednesday, 3 miles Thursday, 8 miles weekend. Week 2: 3 miles Tuesday, 4 miles Wednesday, 3 miles Thursday. Weekend run will be replaced by Spartan Race. Week 3: 3 miles Tuesday, 5 miles Wednesday, 3 miles Thursday, 9 miles weekend. Week 4: 3 miles Tuesday, 5 miles Wednesday, 3 miles Thursday, 10 miles weekend. This is the schedule. Period. If I think I will have issues sticking to the schedule, I should probably find a way to get ahead of the schedule on any given week. Goal: Strength Training Part 1: Week 1: Boot camp Monday, Lift Day Tuesday, Lift Day Thursday, HIIT Friday, Obstacle Academy Saturday Week 2: Boot Camp Monday, Lift Day Tuesday, Light Body Weight Workout Friday, Spartan Race Saturday/Sunday Week 3: Boot Camp Monday, Lift Day Tuesday, Lift Day Thursday, HIIT Friday, Boot Camp Saturday Week 4: Boot Camp Monday, Lift Day Tuesday, Lift Day Thursday, HIIT Friday, Boot Camp Saturday Part 2: I will be working on my pull-up proficiency to get back what I had two years ago (and surpass it). I have a pull-up bar at home. Every time I pass through the door, I need to do a couple. Not to failure, I'm stealing the Grease the Groove training method from @Big_Show. I'll be recording the total number of pull-ups completed every day, not just full dead-hang strict pull-ups. This should be a double-digit number daily or I'm not trying. Goal: Plate Training More of What I Know Works, but I'm refining this, because I work with smart people. This will take more discipline but account for variation in my activity levels. This means I'm going to have to do full, weekly meal planning and pre-preparation. This is a ramp-up of what I've been doing. I know it works. And I know that given the proper amount of focus, I can achieve my goals. Pictured: goals.

As I am quite overwhelmed by the sheer amount of awesome posts Rangers have in this challenge already, I am going to keep this simple. This is my 2nd challenge. I am still getting the lay of the land and beginning to understanding the ins and outs of it all.. I will say I feel a certain amount of connection with Rangers.. I travel quite a bit for work and I normally wear a hoodie when I travel. So besides thinking this is what I look like sitting on the plane, and the fact I am often either exploring new cities every month or new places in cities I have been to, I also love the fact the Ranger description is a cross between Warriors and Scouts. I want to say my main physical activity is running. But I did start lifting weights and other gym stuff last month and I am really loving it. So I feel the kindred spirit of people who explore and strengthen. All that said.. On to this 4 week challenge.. This month I have two work trips planned already. 3 days next week and 4 the following week. I know when I travel I have to be very disciplined for my workouts and doubly so for my eating. I am hoping writing it all here will help keep me accountable (well, I know it will). I have already planned out in my calendar what days I am running and what days I am going to the gym for the next 8 weeks. I took the travel into account. So now its a matter of getting it done! My 2017 goals as they relate to my 4 week challenge.. - Finish Montreal 1/2 marathon Sep 24th, 2017 - Accomplish 3 sets of 8 unassisted pull ups (currently at 0) - Lose 50lbs by EOY and/or bring down body fat to 25% or less. (Currently down 5lbs) (On this note, happy to say I am down to 224 from 229 at the begging of the last challenge) woot woot! - Eliminate bad debt So my challenges will look very similar to last month with some tweaking.. I am also going to try a point system.. Q1 - Run at least 3x a week and at least 15km/week. BONUS points if I run over 20km, TRIPLE point score if I hit 25km in a week Every run over 3k +1, every week I get my 15km of runs in is +1, 20km +2, 25km +3. (I have not hit 20k in a week in a long while) Bonuses allowed as long as I do my 15km: any one run over 10K +1. And if I beat any of my PRs, also a +1. Goal: 17 points! (3 runs per week, 15k per week, one bonus) Q2 - Strength train 2x a week As I am so new to weight lifting and strength training in general, I can't set any numbers so I will simply put a +1 for every time I go to the gym and get my workout done. Goal: 8 points! Q3 - Track what I eat for at least 3 days a week, every week. Breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks I think I am doing pretty good watching most of what I eat. No soda, no fruit juices, etc... Last month I tried just cutting white bread and white pasta but that did not work for me in the end. This month I am going to concentrate on tracking to see where it is I am messing up most of the time. I also know that if I try to do it every day, I will fail. I use My Fitness Pal for tracking. So I want to track 3 full days a week. More if possible. +1 for each full day tracked. So +3 for each week I get 3 full days of tracking in. If I get more in, great +1 each. Goal: 12 points! Q4 - Create budget with specific caps on weekly extracurricular expenses (ie. restaurants, entertainment) and don't go over caps. My work situation is changing this month, so creating a new budget is a necessary part of the plan. +1 for creating the budget. +1 for identifying the specific "entertainment" line item weekly. +2 for each week I stick to it. Goal: 10 points! Q5 - Rest days Last but not least, I am adding this one in because I have a tendency to over do things. Friday and Sunday are usually my rest days. Saturday is usually my long run. I can do only one rest day a week if needed but would rather stick with 2 but not more. So simply at least 1 rest day but no more than 2 a week is a +1 for the week. Goal: 4 points! There we have it.. Away we go!!!!!

My last challenge of 2016 really fizzled out. I got sick, I got overwhelmed with the holidays, and I feel like I am starting over from scratch. That's not true, though. I have actual metrics from where I was, and where I am now, and progress is undeniable. But I'm not where I want to be. Main Goal I'm going to Blue Mountain, Ontario, in October for the 2017 OCR World Championships. Anyone who does three or more races in a single year qualifies to race Journeyman. I could register right now. I want to qualify as an Age Group competitor instead, meaning I have to earn my spot through competition. Sweet Baby Jesus, look at those things. I hope they are just as awesome again this year. I have my sights set on three possible qualifying races this year: Savage Race Chicago, July 30 Conquer the Gauntlet Des Moines, August 5 Every road race I am signed up for leading up to these are training runs. This year, I aim to take that training seriously. My first race of the year has been switched due to being over-committed. I didn't run on New Years Day, instead I'm running a 10k on Jan 28, so that will be my first event of the year. My goal is to shave 2 minutes off my finish from the Moustache Run at the end of November. Last year, when I earned a 5x Spartan Trifecta, I had my sights set on three mountain races that kicked my butt, and I considered all the other races training runs for those three. Not this year. In 2017, every Obstacle Course Race I am signed up for leading up to Savage and Conquer are going to be run at red-line. It would be great to qualify for OCRWC early and be able to build some confidence going into October. We'll see how that works out. I'm more than just fairly obstacle-proficient; at any given race, I expect to complete nearly every obstacle. But right now, at my best, I am a middle-of-the-pack runner. Now I have to Get Faster and Stay Strong. And in order to do these things, I have to Stick With What I Know Works. If you've ever followed me before, you know what's coming. Goal: Run Blah Blah Blah I believe the actual quote turned out to be "That's not how the Force works!" Not my favorite thing. I have a plan, however, and it was actually going well for the last half of November and, well, I feel like I'm back to Square One. Yeah, I know I'm not. But it feels that way. My plan says to run on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and once during the weekend, with my longer runs coming on Wednesday and the weekend. I have a training plan and enough races on the schedule to keep me moving forward. Game on. Word up, Frink. Goal: A Jedi's Strength Flows Blah Blah Blah Luke Skywalker, elder abuser. I will bitch and moan about how little weight I can lift right up until I don't anymore. It's on me to make that happen. My lifting classes are every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, now that my XFit class has been removed from the schedule (sad man, sigh). That makes my weekly schedule look like this: Tuesday: Lift day Thursday: Lift day Friday: HIIT Saturday: Boot Camp You will see lots and lots of photos of whiteboards in the coming months. Goal: How Grow You So Big Blah Blah Blah Pictured: Me, the morning after Christmas, lounging next to a chick in Slave Leia garb and some dude in brown Every. Damn. Challenge. It is amazing how fast my body wants to revert to its previous state of not awesomeness. I'm back to tracking daily. Macros: 1750-2250 calories per day125-150 grams protein35+ grams fiber<2800 grams sodium 2017: The year I stopped calling myself "Old, Fat and Out Of Shape" and took myself seriously. You're going to get tired of seeing me post these things.

Last challenged started with me starting a new job, having some areas of life running smoothly as far as nutrition and learning to live in this RV...and wondering if I should bother with a challenge...since there were only 3 (now down to 2!) left this year, and they encompass my birthday, thanksgiving, Christmas, etc...I'm just going to take the rest of the year to get everything in place to knock 2017 out of the park! (I work for a minor league baseball team, you can expect more bad puns like this...) Yep, still planning on doing this!! Immediate goal is to pay off/down debt...when my wife was 'restructured' this year it was a huge challenge to find the money to move and keep up with the bills, we both have student loans that are affecting our debt/credit ratio that we need to address, I would also like to pay off the vehicles early since having two car payments is a struggle right now. The progress on this is going better than expected... I've made my other goals more specific as I've noticed some issues (I)nvigorate - my movement and strength training goal, aiming for 5 days a week (Joined a gym, will be going a minimum of 5 days a week, when I am on break I plan on working on more of a weights, etc, routine...for now I'll work on getting my endurance back...never thought I'd be so glad to see a treadmill! LOL) (V)ariety - social goal, aiming for getting out and doing something 'fun' once a week (this needs no adjusting...I'm almost overbooked!) (Y)in and Yang - Work on life balance - get enough sleep, leave work on time (when not required to stay) no bailing on events I say I'm going to (unless financial) (Sleep is still an issue...work tries to throw me out unless it's an event night LOL) I don't do nutrition goals anymore because honestly, I don't need to...I plan menus and my shopping list for the week and stick to it, with my current cash flow situation I've had no choice...I know how crappy it makes me feel when I cheat and it's not worth it... I enjoy power walking, kettlebells, and yoga...I don't like stressing over getting a certain number of these in a week so as long as there is something done five days a week I'm okay with that...I'm just trying not to gain right now, I'll work on losing in the future, it's not a focus right now...I'm trying to stay sane And on to the next Last challenge of 2016!!

Overview / Motivation: I'm writing this up on my 33rd birthday... I can't believe that I am actually 33 years old, nor can I believe that this year is almost over. Like most years, it's the time I begin to reflect on the past year to appreciate all the good stuff that happened, and begin planning for the next year. For some reason as I approach the end of this year, I am struggling to figure out if I made real meaningful progress since this time last year. Deep down I know I've grown a great deal, but I'm not sure if I am closer to beginning to make a larger impact in my life, and on the world around me. I want to live a life of impact - a life of significance. While I am doing my best to be a great husband, father, and co-worker, I know I want to impact more people. I am not discouraged, but rather hopeful that I make more steps towards understanding the 'how' around making that type of impact. I'm putting a bit more pressure on myself now as my wife and I are expecting our second child in April (another girl, thus my book choice for this challenge). I want to be a source of inspiration for my wife and girls, rather than a wandering lost middle aged dude. I look forward to seeing how I change my personal and professional development over the next year to make bigger strides - these NerdFitness challenges are a large part of that development, and look forward to embracing the grind over the next year to make great things happen. Main Quest: Hit the following benchmarks in strength and stamina: Bench Press 250 lbs. Squat 250 lbs. Complete 20 Pull Ups Side Quests: Average 3 Weight Training Sessions / Week Points Potential: STR +5 Grading: A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% F= Average < 70% Average 2 Body Beast Cardio Sessions / Week Points Potential: STA +5 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% F= Average < 70% Average 2 NerdFitness Yoga Sessions / Week Points Potential: DEX +2 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% D= Average > 60% F= Average < 70% Life Quest: Read & Explore: Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters by Meg Meeker, M.D. Points Potential: CHA+3 A= Read > 90% B= Read > 80% C= Read > 70% F= Read < 70%

So as the title states, I have FINALLY sold my house... as in I just got notification that I am richer 5 min ago I also have my competition in a week and a half, and I am starting to feel the nervousness of it creeping in. This challenge will be a bit wonky due to the comp happening, and then me changing things up afterwards to recover properly and then start losing some body fat. Dec 1-10 Goals 1. Hydrate and keep up with protein. - minimum of 66oz of water and a minimum of 160 g of protein a day (OMG, thats a lot of chicken) 2. Train smart the week of, last heavy day will be Tuesday, Wed/Thur/Fri will be mobility, light weight, stretching, ect only. 3. Have fun at the competition! I have worked hard and made some serious gains on weights... I can now overhead press 140, and farmer DL 350. Weather or not I get pwned or throw out some ownage myself I will have a positive attitude and figure out if this is something I want to continue doing (at least competition wise, not giving up all together... F that noise). Post Dec 10 Goals 1. Let your broken self heal. I am horrible at this thing called "resting". I need to make sure my body heals/is rested before I go back to being a badass. 2. Track everything, and match your cut macros from nutritionist, keep drinking all the water. (Christmas will be my cheat day besides 1 weekly cheat meal) @RedStone I may be hitting you up again for accountability! 3. Start adding cardio.... DUN DUN DUN! (There would be a gif here but work interwebs are crappy atm).

Okay, so I wanted to say something about Rogue One, but, who needs to do that? I'm going on opening day. Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. Instead, because my challenge goals are revisiting and continuing What Works, I'm going back to something awesome. Work it. Main Goal I'm going to Blue Mountain, Ontario, for the 2017 OCR World Championships. Anyone who does three or more races in a single year qualifies to race Journeyman. I could register right now. I want to qualify as an Age Group competitor, meaning I want to earn my spot in competition. Good Lord, the medal porn. I hope these things continue to look this awesome. To this end, I have to Get Faster and Stay Strong. And in order to do these things, I have to Stick With What I Know Works. Goal: Macros Never be Porkins. 1750-2250 calories per day 125-150 grams protein 35+ grams fiber <2800 grams sodium Ideally, it's going to be lightest on rest days and heaviest on days where I lift. This is a work in progress. As long as my averages are within my goal range, this is a success for this challenge. Everything gets tracked and reported here. Goal: Strength Training Dash Rendar, the double-breasted turkey of the Star Wars Expanded Universe. Weekly Schedule: Crossfit-style class Monday Heavy lifting Tuesday, Thursday HIIT Friday Boot camp Saturday During Week 1 of this challenge because I'll be racing in Florida, and will be dropping my Thursday, Friday and Saturday sessions. Otherwise, everything gets tracked and reported here. Goal: Run, Dammit I wonder if having a puppet master would make me run more consistently. I have a half-marathon training plan that I paid for, and a running coach who has agreed to track my progress and keep me moving forward. Use these resources. Follow the plan. I am schedule to run four days per week: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and one day per weekend. The Plan says Saturday but also says I can run Sunday instead. My GF and I have agreed to run every Sunday after I finish teaching class at the gym. We're going to keep each other accountable and start working toward our goals. My measurable goal: 10k in under an hour. Far more achievable than doing the Kessel Run in under 12 Parsecs. As I mentioned, I will be guiding my GF through the swamp in Florida at the end of Week 1 to complete the Jacksonville Spartan Super, which will complete my Fifth Spartan Trifecta for 2016. I don't want to downplay this as "no big thing", because if it weren't a "big thing" people like me wouldn't train for them and judge their fitness by them. It is a big deal. One Spartan Race is a Big Deal. One Trifecta is a huge deal. Five Trifectas is a huge deal. I'm proud of what I've done this year, and I understand what I need to do to get where I want to go. Specifically, standing in this picture. Finally, I will continue to preach Peace, Love and Understanding, until I feel that this world no longer needs it. I stay far too silent on far too many things in the name of not rocking boats. I won't speak politics or whatnot here in the Jedi Temple, but I will continue my mantra, because this world is an awesome place, and it gets better every time we remember to make it that way. Peace, Love and Understanding, friends.

Overview / Motivation: I think the 'aches and pains' thing has been an underlying theme here and there for a while. In this case, I'm not only thinking about the physical aspect but also the mental part as well. I've been keeping up with a pretty consistent regime of working out (and finally incorporating more cardio than I have in the past - trying to balance out my prior 100% lifting approach) with the mental aspect as well - continually learning and exploring new concepts in leadership, motivation and growth. All that said, I'm still feeling physically beat up most days, and mentally uninspired (related to work mostly). I want to make this challenge the first of many to start shifting my mindset at work since I do have a great job with high potential growth, and being more mindful about ways to improve the way I physically feel - whether that be more yoga, stretching, massage, foam roller, chiropractic work, physical therapy etc. My goals below are consistent with my recent ones, but I look forward to tweaking or augmenting going forward to get me feeling the way I know I can be feeling. Main Quest: Hit the following benchmarks in strength and stamina: Bench Press 250 lbs. Squat 250 lbs. Complete 20 Pull Ups Side Quests: Average 3 Weight Training Sessions / Week Points Potential: STR +3 Grading: A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% F= Average < 70% Run 4 miles per week Points Potential: STA +4 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% F= Average < 70% Average 3 NerdFitness Yoga Sessions / Week Points Potential: DEX +4 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% D= Average > 60% F= Average < 70% Life Quest: Read & Explore: You Win in the Locker Room First: The 7 C's to Build a Winning Team in Business, Sports, and Life by Jon Gordon & Mike Smith Points Potential: CHA+4 A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% F= Average < 70%

I thought about actually running this challenge in the druid thread, but I really like it here and my main focus is still my strongman comp in Dec. This will be more like a lady dwarf scampering happily through the woods with her battleaxe noticing the cute animals and pretty flowers, but really she is just terrorizing everything in her path without noticing. I decided to add some druid traits this time around because I feel like I have my weight training down, and to keep focusing on that is kind of cheating. I will continue to log my weight workouts here, but that will not be a goal this time around. Goals! Focus: Focus more on the good, and less on the uncontrollable. This month I will start using my new planner which focuses more on life goals than what meetings I have for the week. I think this will help me focus more on the important things, and less on the dreary things I have no control over. Calm: Find ways to enhance my daily calm. Clean bedroom and guest room, enjoy the outside while it's actually nice out, notice the small things that make you happy throughout the day. Balance: Balance out the heavy lifting with more walking, yoga, and stretching weekly. Balance out your lazyness/game time with something constructive like learning Italian (can do gaming and Italian WoW'ing with Co-Worker and only speaking Italian). Balance your body with proper nutrition, and more water (54oz min daily). Special Goal: Check in more, and share more with others. I have a tendency to think what I have to share isn't good enough, so while I look at everyone's challenges I don't always speak up. I want to work on this since it's a confidence issue really and something I need to work on.

I'm jenko - 41 year old female. Married with a 16-year old. I used to be in excellent shape, very active, strong, etc. Then I had some injuries which were a foreshadowing of my RA - joints started swelling and I had chronic pain. I took to the couch with a bag of chips and soda and stayed there for four years. I gained 50lbs. Finally, I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. My long term goal is to get as fit as I can, eat clean, stay mobile, and improve my health. Can't say I'd mind looking great either! Currently I have knee issues and a shoulder issue, but I'm able to work around both as long as I stay smart at the gym and disciplined. Goals for Challenge Weight Train: 2 days/week Diet: 1400 cals/day Activity: 5,000 steps/day Weight Loss: 6+ pounds Weigh-in Schedule: 10/24/16: 191.6lbs 10/31/16: 191 lbs 11/7/16: 11/14/16: 11/21/16: 11/26/16: Looking forward to the challenge. Let the games begin!

Hello All! Not sure if this is the right place for this, but I have a question! (as does everyone posting..) I have discovered, that I like lifting heavy things. I've been doing it a few months now. But recently, I also discovered that I like running. Is it possible to get better at both while not hurting myself/over training? I'm worried about insufficient recovery time if I try to do both activities. Is it okay to go on runs on my rest days? I have always done HIIT sprints in conjunction with my workouts, but now id like to focus on improving my longer runs. I'm not sure how to juggle the two, and if its even safe/healthy? hhhaaalllppp

During this challenge I'll be continuing on my 2016 mission to earn five Spartan Trifectas. Each Trifecta comes from completing one of each of the three Spartan Race distances - Sprint, Super, Beast. I completed my first Trifecta back in May when I survived the Montana Spartan Beast. I've been nursing some minor injuries, training, and doing a few shorter or less-brutal races since that race in preparation for my two biggest challenges of this year: The Breckenridge Spartan Beast on 27 August The Killington Spartan Beast on 17 September There's a strong chance these are the two most brutal courses on the entire Spartan calendar: Breckenridge due to the altitude, and Killington due to the fact that last year, there were complaints that the course was not hard enough. I'm more than a little terrified of both. Being terrified isn't going to help me complete either event. Training will. I'll continue with my usual regimen at my gym, which is heavy weights on Tuesday and Thursday, except on race weeks, when I'll skip lifting on Thursday but do a body weight set instead. I'm consistent enough with this that it doesn't need to be a goal, it's just a thing that I do. Goal: Ascend the Spire This is Minnesota and there is no "Up" here, not like there is in Colorado and Vermont. We have a couple hills - and by "a couple" I mean, like, ten - but no mountains. I've been running hills all summer, and emphasizing significant change in climb when I've run trail, while being smart about this ankle problem I've had since I limped down the mountain in Montana. I tweaked it again in Illinois at the end of July when I ran the Chicago Savage Race (also a blast, btw), but it's healing and caused me less issues than my right last weekend at the MN Terrain Race. As long as I continue to wear my brace, I should be fine. Goal: Run 3x per week, 2x with significant elevation change. Goal: Hold Fast This thing will be back on the course at Killington. Holy crap. DO YOU SEE THIS? LOOK AT IT. This looks horrible. Beyond the fact that there's a swim in a lake in Vermont in September, I struggle with rope grips like this. If only there were somewhere that I could do grip-specific training... Oh yeah. They opened a gym five minutes from my office. Goal: 1x/week training session at Ninjas United Goal: Strength Flows from the Force I'm stressed out. All. The. Time. I have a senior-level software development job that has taken more time in the last year than it did in the first three, and that doesn't appear to be changing any time soon. I have a second job as a personal trainer that takes time. I am a single parent of five kids, including two in middle school, which starts back up in three weeks. I am a volunteer leader with my church youth group. This year I accepted a nomination to the church board because literally nobody else would do it. I've adjusted my race schedule for the remainder of the year to compensate, but I'm flat-out tired all the time. It's time to make sure I can feel the flow. And I suck at this part. Goal: Spend 30 minutes per day in meditation and prayer. I'm going to do my best to keep this thread current and active. Keep me accountable, Rangers.

Overview / Motivation: Pumped up for another 4 - week challenge. I enjoyed seeing some of my goal numbers (Bench, Squat & Pull Ups) build back up over the last challenge and hoping to keep that momentum going. I've still struggled with getting up early to knock out some workouts, and therefore want to build more of an Iron Will (mentally and physically) to create a higher level of consistency and discipline. Adding NF Yoga back in since I am still feeling pretty achy each morning and need to be more intentional about combating that since I refuse to believe the way I feel at 32 years old is how I need to feel from now on. I'm also excited for the mental aspect of this challenge - specifically with the book, "Life as Sport". I'm still trying to build out my leadership style, and this books seems like some good content to help marry the athlete's mindset with business or other non-athletic professions. It's a good next step in continuing to build a fortify a winning mindset. Main Quest (revised for 2016): Hit the following benchmarks in strength and stamina: Bench Press 250 lbs. Squat 250 lbs. Complete 20 Pull Ups Side Quests: Average 3 Weight Training Sessions / Week Points Potential: STR +3 Grading: A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% F= Average < 80% Complete 2 - 2 Mile Runs per week Points Potential: STA +3 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% F= Average < 70% Average 4 Planks / Week - hold for 2:00 Average 2 NerdFitness Yoga Sessions / Week Points Potential: DEX +4 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% F= Average < 70% Life Quest: Read & Explore: Read the Phoenix Project by Gene Kim (WIS) Read Life as Sport: What Top Athletes Can Teach You about How to Win in Life by Jonathan Faver (CHA) Points Potential: WIS +2, CHA+3 Grading Pass / Fail

So I am putting good vibes out for my house to sell ASAP, so in the title it goes! I have completed all the work I wanted to on the place, and really it's an adorable small house in a great location so I don't think I will have any issues getting it sold. And now that all that crazyness is over I can re-focus on my nutrition, and fitness. Goal 1 - 5 workouts per week (3 weight days, 1 orange theory day, 1 event training day) stepping it up even though the competition I registered for may fall through. Goal 2 - Follow my nutritionists orders, prep cook twice a week minimum, and measure everything for breakfast and lunch. Goal 3 - Taking Care of Business - This is a 3 part-er A. Take care of my body - drink water, stretch, work on wrist tendinitis because it's only getting worse) B. Take care of the house - do at least 1 chore daily + dishes C. Take care of business - I worked really hard to get a T-shirt startup going and due to both my friend and my life going for loops we fizzled out, I need to get a formal schedule going again so that by the time I move to my hermit hideaway I will have a somewhat stable income stream.

Hello, friends! I'm working on my respawn and have been doing pretty well for the last two weeks, at least in terms of consistency. I'd been thinking of journaling about my struggles and remembered that I already have a place I can do that! So I'll update this as often as possible, but as a full-time grad student, part-time graduate assistant, and part-time counseling intern, time is a very difficult thing to find. Anyway, hello again! I'll write more after my classes today.

I'm back for a quick challenge! I'm inspired this month to really up my game in a few areas of my life, and I've found Nerd Fitness to be a great source of support and accountability. So, here goes. The Avengers are a team; one where every member really needs to work together to be effective. So I'm going to tap into the various aspects of my fitness life to build a team that will support me in reaching my goals over the coming months. Here's the goals: 1. Figure out if I can run with a sports hernia. That is, figure out if I can manage the pain associated with it, and still be a solid runner. (Before you get all worried, this is with my thorassic surgeon's blessing.) 2. If so, make an 81 min or better time in the upcoming Hot Chocolate 15K 3. Figure out where the big game is going to be in September so I can have a successful archery hunt for elk and/or mule deer. Since running fitness contributes to all three goals, that's going to be the first part of my challenge's triumvirate: 1. Run like Quicksilver! Ok, so technically he isn't one of the Avengers anymore (since he died in Ultron, but technically lives on in the X-Men franchise...), but I'm still going to count him here. The goal is to run three times a week, with at least one "long" run. Those long runs are at 4.25 miles right now, and need to build to 9 in September. I'd also like to run faster, so one of those runs is going to have to incorporate speed work! That's either a "tempo" run or an interval run, once a week. Having a sports hernia might put a damper on things. But, I've been assured by the docs that I can continue to run and lift without any concern for it getting worse. The only question is, can I handle the discomfort? Because that's basically the only symptom, and it only happens when I'm running. 2. Shoot like Hawkeye! Yep, that's right, I want to get a solid 50 yard shot. So I'm going to go up to the range and practice, practice, practice. Or at least practice enough to be super accurate at 40 yards. The goal is to hit the range at least twice a week, shooting at 40 and 50 yard targets. 3. Gather intel like... Black Widow? OK, yeah, not my role model, but the world's greatest spy probably knows where her enemies are going to be. In my case, this means I'm going to put the hours and miles in to figure out where the deer and elk are. What this means in real life is that I'm going to hit the backcountry to scout for elk and deer sign at least twice during this four-week challenge. II'll be working on dropping about 10 pounds in the next two months, to get back down to race weight. So I'll be monitoring my calories, but probably not reporting that here. I'll likely try to revert back to full-on paleo living, though having my in-laws around makes that VERY hard, and they're here for another two weeks.