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Next Challenge: http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/53947-tea-one-foot-in-front-of-the-other/ Tea's Zombie Preparedness Strat They are coming! The zombie outbreak has started! According to the CDC We have approximately 6 weeks before the virus spreads to where we are. Here is my strategy to avoid ending up a zombie buffet. Main Quest Fat Loss! I will be following Fighter Diet's 6 Week FDXtreme program Nutrition- Following FDXtreme guidelines Weights- 3 days a week Cardio- 40 min 5 days a week. Starting with walking working my way up to running and using my Zombies Run! App. Goals- If I hit these goals I will survive and level up, If I do not I will most likely be eaten and become a zombie! 1. Lose 10 lbs of fat 2. Get into my size 16 pants 3. Be able to run to the headland near my house Increased Fitness Starting Stats: Squats, bodyweight ass to grass- AMRAP in 1 min - 26 Push-ups- ARAP in 1 min - from knees 25 Assisted Pull ups ARAP in 1 min- 14 Plank- 1 min 20 sec Weight- 231.8 :nightmare: Bodyfat% 40.6 :nightmare: Lean Mass- 137 lbs Fat Mass- 94lbs Finishing Stats: Squats bodyweight ass to grass- AMRAP in 1 min Push-ups- ARAP in 1 min Assisted Pull ups ARAP in 1 min Plank Weight: Bodyfat%- Will I survive?? Grading System: Weight Training- 33.33% per day. Goal for the week: 100% Cardio- 20% per session. Goal for the week: 100% Nutrition- 14.28% per day. Goal for the week: 100% Week 1: Weight Training-100% , Cardio- 100%, Nutrition- 100% Week 2: Weight Training- 100% , Cardio- 40% , Nutrition- 100% Week 3: Weight Training- 100% , Cardio- 100% , Nutrition-100% Week: 4 Weight Training- 33.3% , Cardio- 20%, Nutrition- 100% Week: 5 Weight Training- , Cardio- , Nutrition- Week: 6 Weight Training- , Cardio- , Nutrition-

Like Bruce Wayne, I laid off the grid for a while, learning how to push my body and mind further than I ever expected. I am now at 206 pounds, have been caffeine free for almost a whole month, and I'm not being so self-critical! As a result I am only 6 pounds away from my short term goal. Quest: Lose 4 Pounds --> Goal #1 Continue with my workout schedule. I am running a lot because I have a 10k coming up on August 30th (Disneyland Run), a 5k in November (the Avengers run at Disneyland), and then another 10k in January (the Star Wars run at Disneyland). This is my workout schedule right now but I would like to incorporate another weight training session on Sunday. 100 percent scale measurement applied. Monday: RunningTuesday: DanceWednesday: Weight Training (with an actual trainer) and DanceThursday: Day OffFriday: RunningSaturday: RunningSunday: Running --> incorporate a weight training session. Any recommendations are welcomed! Stats: +1 STA, +2 STR Goal #2 Continue being caffeine free! I'm not entirely caffeine free. I am drinking decaf coffee (I enjoy the taste of bitterness) and no soda. I would like to keep it this way. When I'm on caffeine, I feel happy but when the rush leaves me I feel like shit. And it's a drug. There I said it. Caffeine is a highly addicted drug so no bad things in my body. Permanently. Same 100 percent scale measurement applied. Stats: +1 STR, +1 WIS, +1 CON Goal #3: I am cutting down my carb intake. According to myfitnesspal.com my carb intake should be 220g but I will be lowering it to 175g. My protein intake, 91g, and my calorie intake, 1810 calories, will stay the same. I will take cheats. If you would like to follow me, my username is lilangie9584. Weekly 100 percent scale measurement applied. 3 cheats 2 cheats 2 cheats 1 cheats 1 cheats 0 cheatsStats: +1 STA, +1 WIS, +1 CON Life Goal: Work has implemented a dress code. WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! I like my jeans, witty jeans and hair up in a bun. I have to start dressing like a girl. UGH... So I will be revamping my clothes. *tear* Same 100 percent scale measurement applied. Stats: +1 WIS, +2 CON

My good friend has suggested I do the Stronglifts.com workout: 5 sets per exercise, 3 exercises/workout, 5 lbs increase every workout. Workout A: Squat, Bench Press, Barbell Row Workout B: Squat, Overhead Press, Deadlift Alternates between A&B for a full body workout every other day. The purpose is strength, and strength is my primary goal in weightlifting. A secondary goal is cutting enough body fat to get HD muscles, but again that's only secondary. Weightlifting and being able to lift more and more makes me feel very proud of myself. My primary motivation to weight lift over other workouts is it builds my self-esteem to see that measurable progress bar. I just wanted to know if any one has tried Stronglifts and what you think of the program! I'll probably start it on Monday if there are no absolutely horrid reviews. In the following bit, I just copied and pasted the "info to put in post" so forgive how long this is going to be. I would like your input, though, if you can stand to finish it all! Fitness Goals Exercise Preference Body weight: fun for at-home.Power lifts: sexy?Olympic lifts: sexy?GPP: Unsure. My muscles recover more quickly now that I've changed my diet to include more protein. I'm not as flexible as I'd like to be. My body is pretty adaptable and my muscles have a good amount of starting strength. I'm still working on my low to moderate intensity cardio endurance, but my weightlifting endurance is pretty massive with regard to heavy weights.Current Physical Stats Gender: femaleAge: 23Height: 5' 8"Weight: 145, more or less. It doesn't concern me too much.Previous Training History Past Programs: when I first started strength training I just went to the gym and intuitively did exercises (mostly dumbbell and machine isolation) based on how muscles felt. I wanted to lose the weight I had put on as a freshman, so I was really dedicated. I went on the elliptical and swam,as well.How long: a year before I moved to more aerobic stuff and took some fitness classes. Now and then, I went sporadically to weight train and I had a tendency to overdo it in the gym and wreck myself for days or weeks. That's terrible for habit-keeping...and health.Current Training Present Program: None. I've been experimenting. How long: I've been training for a little under a month. Current working weights: whatever I think I can do that won't injure me. Sometimes I'm scared to do really heavy stuff, because of how much I hate not being able to go to the gym due to my injuring my muscles. That might be attributed more to bad form or inexperience, I suppose.Current Diet Normal/Paleo/Vegatarian: High protein. Low carb. Primarily good fats. Only sugars I get are from fruit. I'm just trying to balance my diet rather than cut anything out (except sugar, but I've been doing that for longer than I've been wanting to lift).Daily Calories: 1,600 if I eat like I'm supposed to, though I probably should consume more. That's something I need help on, but that's for a different thread.Daily Macros: Protein I try to keep 100-145, if I can. Carbs I keep under 100 (or try. Sometimes I indulge, and that's okay). Sugars I try to keep very low. Low low low. Fats I try to keep at least lower than proteins. I'm more balancing my diet than hitting specific targets, except for protein.Current Resources/Limitations Gym Access: I'm at university, so I have unlimited rec access included in my fees. Work/School Schedule: 9-5 job (more or less) and then class 6-9 Mon, Tues, Weds.Time Allowed: You mean "allotted"?

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:

I'm notoriously bad for wanting to do ALL THE THINGS! I get involved with a lot, and then don't get to put my all into it and focus on a few things. This challenge I really want to focus on the basics and tracking my progress. The last couple challenges I've gotten off track and focused on health things that, while important, aren't the big things. My ultimate goal is to lose weight. I would like to get back down to ~150lbs or less. A few weeks ago I noticed my pants were a bit snug, and weighed myself for the first time in a couple months and I'm currently at my heaviest ever (and not for the good reasons). I want to stop moving in the wrong direction. I think the reason that I've never really succeeded with losing weight in the past was because I was actually pretty happy right where i was. But now that's changed and I need to and do this! Goals 1) Whole30/paleo - I'm currently doing a whole30 but it'll be over on June 23. After that I plan to eat strict paleo. My goal is that I stick largely with the whole30 approved foods, but I'll be allowed to combine ingredients to make things that aren't allowed on whole30. I will be allowed 1 non-paleo meal/snack a week. The goal is that when it's non-paleo it's not "looks like I'll have a giant fast food meal" but instead "hmmm, maybe I do want a glass of wine/beer, fries with that" A - 6 weeks B - 5 weeks C - 4 weeks D - 3 weeks F - <3 weeks Grade + can be awarded if I ate 100% paleo. Grade - if I had more than 1 non paleo meal/snack. 2) Monday night workout - This is to be a test drive of the class I'm planning for my fall strength training class. Between a good workout here and the Group Power class I teach Thursdays, these should meet my strength training requirements. If I have a sub for a class (I already know I do on June 26th because i'm going to Tegan & Sara! I need to make up the workout by attending a group power class. June 25th I'm starting an aerial silks class, and I plan to continue practicing aerial hoop on Sundays! A - 6 weeks B - 5 weeks C - 4 weeks D - 3 weeks F - <3 weeks 3) Walks - minimum of 3 - 30 minute walks per week. I have a gorgeous park right behind my house and there is really no reason not to do this. 30 minutes is a short time, I just need to DO IT. I spend all day at a desk, I need more movement in my life. Life side quest Create list of 3 important things to get done for the next day. I think that by choosing this one, I can incorporate other tasks (some listed below) into here without getting overwhelmed. Life stuff: work on business plando fitness conference sponsorship stufftalk to kinesiology department head about cptdecorate house/prepare for condo-versary housewarming partymake plans to see people more oftenTracking: I stopped doing things this way a while back, and I think I need to pick it up again: 1) Paleo - 6/7 6.5/7 3/6 4.5/6 0/6 0/6 = 20/38 2) Workouts 2/2 2/2 1/2 2/2 2/2 0/2 = 9/12 3) Walks - 2.5/3 2/3 2/3 1.5/3 0/3 0/3 = 8/18 Three things - 7/7 6/7 3/7 2/7 0/7 0/7 = 18/42 Starting stats (pre-whole 30) May 24: Weight: 159.5lbs Bust: 38" Ribcage: 33.5" Biceps: 12.5" Waist: 33" Hips: 39" Pants-level: 37.5" Thighs: 23"

So.....here I am to start my battle log. I am a 49 y\o female who is starting over AGAIN to lose weight and try to get into good enough shape to run a full marathon. I have run a bunch of half marathons so I have a good idea of how to train and what to expect. I have taken some time off of running and working out in general to allow my body to heal from several injuries and to allow my adrenal fatigue to subside and learn to manage it. I have gained a lot of weight during my downtime and I want to lose it. I am about 190 lbs, 5'7" and work in tech so I sit a lot. I was about 160 lbs 3 years ago just before all the injuries and other stuff hit me so I know I can lose it. It will just be harder for me since I have to deal with the adrenal fatigue as well as the regular changes a woman goes through at this age. Basically my metabolism has ground to a halt. I decided to try to go as Paleo as possible with my diet. I have good days and bad days but am continually trying to cut out bread, starchy things and sugar from what I eat. It has made a difference. Pre-paleo I was gaining weight quickly but now I seem to have stopped the gain and have even managed to lose just a little. I am feeling better than I have in a while and have been able to start running again. I have been running very slowly and have learned to start super slow and increase my speed as time goes on in a run so that I can control my heart rate and breathing and in turn can control the adrenal fatigue. I am ok with this as long as I can run without injury. But, I need to get stronger so that I can maintain my slow run for a marathon. I started some of the weights and other exercises today. I went out to the turf grass area at my club and ran sprints, did lots of dynamic warm up exercises, tried some explosive exercises (jumping and skipping), did pushups and planks, did some ab work and then went to the weights and did squats, bench press and tricep press downs. And finally I did lots of stretching especially my hip flexors. I am expecting to be sore later on. Todays goal was to see if any of the things I did cause me pain and I was really pleased that I did not have any pain. I have been looking for a good weights workout for runners and found this http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/strength-training-for-runners-how-to-do-it-right.html It looks much like the exercises that I have done with a trainer in the past and seems pretty reasonable. If anyone has any comments or input on good routines for runners please let me know. And, I can always use a positive word of encouragement. I remain UNDEFEATED!!! -- TXRunnerGirl

Lanier looked around the training hall. The others seemed so much more adept than herself at just about everything. She tried to look away and focus on her ale. The others made the journey seem daunting but, she smiled, exciting too. Would she really want to join the guild and train once more if she didn't feel outclassed and outcast? Would she even bother if she didn't feel like the underdog? Probably not. It would have to be a challenge. A seemingly unsurmountable challenge for her to pick up her cloak and journey from her home to here, in this den of unsavory others. They with their steely glances and dragons and strength and skills. She was a blank slate to them and she liked it that way. Hmph, question would be whether to keep it that way. To keep to her own status quo or find a new one. At the bottom of her ale she found that it wasn't so much the new status quo she was seeking but herself deep within. Now she glanced up and found the inn filled with comrades. People she could come eye to eye with. Mow she could train. Finishing off her ale she stood, turning and throwing her cloak open to reveal her side arms, and tossing her mug against the wall behind her. It grew quiet for a moment, a lull, and then chaos ensued as soul for soul brawled for their worth in this mangy dusty den of an inn. With a bloodied curled lip and a smile she walked from the brawl to begin. This is the second challenge that is part of a 90 reboot. I started out depressed, backsliding from progress I had been making and without any reliable metrics. While I didn't carry out my challenge the way I thought I would, I learned quite a lot. From day 1: my 'fat' pants were tight, my mood was awful, and my BMI was 25. Now: Bf%33.1 BMI:24.3 Pants size: slightly comfortable My main goal is to drop that BMI to around 22. I will do this by sticking to a low fat diet with low goiterogen content,(which I also need to lower my cholesterol) monitoring honestly what I eat using myfitnesspal, And exercising at least three times a week. I am loving doubles, cycling and yoga, bodyweight and yoga, HIIT and breathing. I will also take my flonase twice a day since apparently allergies make my oxygen deplete. I find breathing very useful for weight loss. Side quest: pull up without assist- I am at about 60lbs of assist and have added negatives and hangs at the monkey bars. Side quest: splits-some days better than others. Still have a long way to go. Yoga is helping lengthen my tight hamstrings and ligaments. I am trying to include about 5-10 minutes of stretching each day. However long until my knees begins to complain. Life quest: Pay off debt. Dave Ramsey baby step 2. Probably 2more years but with summer work travel heating up, I hope to make good progress. I could use some more myfitnesspal buddies if anyone wants to add me. I am lanielouo0 on MFP.

Hello! I am completely lost. My name is Kricken , and I am brand new to all of this. I'm 5'3 and about 140lbs. I started dieting about a year ago, and doing treadmill workouts about six months ago. I've lost a total of 20-30lbs over all. The problem is, I absolutely dread it . I recently read Staci's article about lifting, and I really identified with it. I would LOVE to start weight training. The problem is, I have no clue where to start, what weights to pick up, or what exercises to even do. I'm not trying to walk in anywhere and hurt myself because I don't know what i'm doing. I would be grateful for any kind of help! Thanks!

jtggodqos - go big, or go home Main Quest I vow to return to a healthy lifestyle, incorporating good eating habits and exercise into most every day. Goals Exercise: I vow to adhere to the following workout plan every day, with the rare exception.Wed, Fri, Sun: lower body (DDR or calf raises, squats, lunges)Thus, Sat, Mon: upper body (bench press, military press, seated row, bicep curl, tricep curl, lat pulldown)Tue: rest; cardio optionalDiet: I vow to consume no more than 1200 kcal every day, with the rare exception.Writing: I vow toboth journal and write one poem every day, with the rare exception. Side Quests Minis: I vow to at least consider the Mini Quests each time, though I am not required to participate. 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, 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 Icon for Hire - "Get Well" lyrics

Hello! I’ve been over at the NF Women’s Academy since October (Yay beta group!) and have decided to come over here and complete a challenge. It will be a challenge in itself keeping up with my battle log over there and the challenge over here but I know it will be worth it. I have started most of these goals at the beginning of March so it will just be a matter of becoming more disciplined with completing them. I am going to have three main quests over the next 5 ½ months. · Conquer the Fort Mud Run (July 12) · CAMP NERD FITNESS!!!!!!! (Sept 18) · Super Spartan Race (Sept 26) · Move to New Zealand (Oct 1) YES!!! For this challenge (and next challenge) I will be focusing on the Conquer the Fort Mud Run. Preparing for this race will tie in to preparing for the Super Spartan. As for the third quest, I will be working on it in the background for this challenge and slowly bringing it to the forefront as the months pass. So back to Preparing To Conquer The Fort! Mission 1: Get Stronger. · Weight train 4x per week · Finish Academy Barbell Battalion levels 1&2 and start level 3 · M/W/F/Sa · Each workout completed has a $1 reward! I have a super duper workout/life journal that I created and it has basically every day planned for the next 5 ½ months. I workout in the mornings, M/W/F at 6am and on Saturdays at 8am. I am really loving the barbell workouts they are so much fun and different from the dumbbell workouts I was doing from October to March. Mission 2: Get Faster. · Run 4x per week · Progress from run/walk intervals to a steady 6km run · M/W/F & Sa or Su · Each run completed has a $1 reward! I have been going to the gym after work and doing about 5km of run/walk intervals. I am up to walking 2 minutes and running 7 minutes. I am hoping that in the next week or so most of the snow around here melts, so I can move from the treadmill to trail running. Once I can trail run I can also bring my dog with me! Mission 3: Get Better. · Handstand practice 4x per week at least 10 minutes each session. · Progress from no handstands to tripod/headstands and eventually somewhere down the line handstands · Tu/Thu/Sa/Su · Each practice session has a $1 reward! Handstands are just plain cool. They also help with core strength and balance which is also cool. I haven’t started my handstand practice yet so I am completely new to this one. I chose Tuesdays and Thursdays because I do not have a lot to do on those days but any day of the week is ok really as long as I get 4 sessions in. Mission 4: Get Cleaner….? · Mid-week clean 1x per week · This includes dishes, sweeping the floor, and at least 1 load of laundry on Wednesday or Thursday · Each week complete has a $1 reward! I do a good house clean on the weekend but during the week my house becomes quite the mess. Now that it is spring and things are wet and muddy it transfers to me and my dog. My dog sheds year round so there is always tons of hair….I shed year round too. I do loads of food prep Sundays and if I don’t do dishes during the week there is a GIANT pile to do at the end of the week. In order to be able to have clean workout clothes for Saturdays and nice clothes for the weekend I need to do some laundry during the week also. If I do not I am in old raggedy clothes to do my groceries and I am trying to get away from that habit. I have chosen to give myself $1 rewards for each successful goal I achieve. I have a total of $78 in rewards that I can get over the course of this challenge. At the end, I get to spend it on super fun stuff! Probably more workout clothes. If I do not complete something, I am giving the money to my sister. This won’t be happening though, no way! So that’s it for now I think. Super excited to finally be back here to complete a challenge. I cannot wait to get to know some of you too!

so. yeah. um. I guess it's like, what, week five or so? and I still haven't made a Challenge Thread? ugh. Brian said I needed to come back here. he said that the support and motivation I got from my fellow Rebels made a difference. trying to do this on my own isn't working. so here I am. I'm back. it's just going to be really hard to balance keeping up with y'all's posts, do a 40hr week job, attend grad school, volunteer with Frontier Girls, workout every day, eat healthy everday, role play, and still have a social life. :/ but I'm gonna try. jtggodqos - hopeless Main Quest I vow to return to a healthy lifestyle, incorporating good eating habits and exercise into most every day. Goals Exercise: I vow play adhere to the following workout plan every day, with the rare exception.Mon, Wed, Fri (after work): DDR, 3 setsTue (before work), Thu (after work), Sun (after church): weights, 2 sets of 10 (bench press, military press, seated row, bicep curl, tricep curl)Sat: rest (extra sleep is encouraged)Diet: I vow to follow an altered paleo every day, with the rare exception.Alcohol: I vow to not drink on the following days, with the rare exception: Monday, Wednesday, and Sunday. Side Quests Minis: I vow to at least consider the Mini Quests each time, though I am not required to participate. 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, and my alcoholism is good for nothing. 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

Here's an article I wrote in answer to an old debate that really shouldn't exist in the first place!. I tried to keep it objective, but it seems to have been better received in the bodyweight community than by weight lifters! http://www.startbodyweight.com/2014/04/weights-vs-bodyweight-exercises.html

This seemed an incredibly appropriate quote given my focus on strength training. I have found that I was much weaker than I anticipated as a starting point. As a prison drill instructor I could do 300 lunges and 150 pushups in a 45 minute workout with the inmates, but I have found that my bench is a pathetic 80 lbs, and my squat equally disappointing. I realize building endurance and building strength are two different goals. I realize that the weight I am pushing now is the seed, the gains I will make in the future the harvest. So as a 38 year old woman I will sow the seeds daily and see where it takes me. As a fitness buff for quite some time here is the routine I have developed: Four days weight training 2 days upper, two days lower. One day steady state cardio, one day active rest, one day complete rest. Here are the routines: Upper A Lower A Upper B Lower B Bench Press x3 Glute Bridge x3 Shoulder Press x3 Squats x3 6-8 reps 6-8 6-8 6-8 Barbell rows x3 Deadlift x3 Pull up (assisted)x3 Lunges x3 6-8 reps 6-8 6-8 8-10 Incline DB press x3 Single Leg Squat x3 DB Bench x3 Romanian Dead x3 8-10 10-12 8-10 10-12 Lat Pull Down x3 Bulgarian Squatx3 Seated Cable Row x3 Seated Calf Raise x4 8-10 8-10 8-10 10-12 Lateral Raises x2 Back Extensions x3 Lateral Raise x2 Abs x5 10-12 8-10 10-12 8-15 Dips (assisted) x2 Standing Calf Raises x4 Barbell curl x2 10-12 6-8 10-12 DB curl x 2 Abs x5 Cable Tri Ext. x2 10-12 8-15 10-12 All start with a 20 minute warm-up, light jog. All exercises are weighted. When I can exceed the rep goal for the sets, I increase the weight. Steady state cardio day is a light jog for one hour. My eating consists of fat, protein and carbs (in that order) carbs are all vegetables and limited fruits. Feedback is appreciated. I will post my changes in weights used as I progress. This will be my first six week challenge so the official start is April 14, though I am already lifting. I would appreciate feedback for any suggested changes prior to the official start date!

What! It's new challenge time? HECK YEAH!! So the last few challenges have been very successful. I've gone from just doing bodyweight workouts and strict Paleo to lifting and eating 2200 calories and 200g of carb/protein. Since joining NF, I believe I've lost around 17 lbs, but more importantly a 9% drop in BF. And that's with very little gym/workout time and no "extreme" dieting. My body composition is changing which is what I want. My main goal is health and aesthetics. I want to look good with my shirt off. Ryan Reynolds good. So good that when I take my shirt off, women think in their heads.... And my wife to think... Is it a vain goal? Sure, but I've never been even close to that type of body. I'm at the lowest weight ever in my adult life. I wear a smaller jean than I did in high school (when I could lift more). So yeah, I want low body fat and cut abs. With that, I've been building good habits and have great support from my wife. I love to lift (following a semi-starting strength program) and will continue to do this. I got the nutrition down, I know how to change and modify things, so that's not really a challenge. I know that I need sleep to recover and build strength. These aren't challenges anymore. So I need your help. There is a poll, with some things that I could challenge myself with. I'm willing to try new things, personally I want them to be fitness related. I don't have much time for any sports to play. Please vote and leave a comment. At the end of the week, let's say Feb 28th (unless there are clear winners) I'll pick the top three and carry them through the rest of the challenge. Thanks for the help! EDIT: Currently I lift 3 times a week with alternating programs. Day 1 = Bench, BB Row, RDL, Good Mornings, Dips, DB Curl and DB Hammer Curl Day 2 = Squats, OHP, DL, Leg Press, Calf Press, and Pullups EDIT 3/3/14: CHALLENGE GOALS 1) Pushups!! (+5 STR) I will get a baseline number of pushups performed in one set. I will then try to improve that by 25% by the end of the challenge. If I exceed that before the end of the 5 weeks, I will then at 10% per week. 2) Planks!! (+5 CON) Same with the pushups. I'll try to improve plank time by 25%. Exceeding that value before hand will add 10% per week. 3) Sprints!! (+3 DEX, +2 STA) I will shoot for 8 runs. I will either do it after the gym or while the gym. Never done sprints on a treadmill, but I will try. I like keeping my workouts concentrated since I don't have much time to workout as it is.

About me: My name is Stephen. I am a 28 year old male - father of 2 - Married - Working on my Bachelors in Network Administration I live in Pennsylvania I am about 220lbs at 6'1 (This Pic is a few months back when I was training - I put on maybe 8-10lbs since then : / ) I recently stopped working out and I of course regret it I made huge strides - 250lbs to 212lbs - almost doubling my lifting abilities in every area The issue is, I lost my motivation. I was working towards becoming a police officer but due to me being a juvenile diabetic, I realized it would be a liability. I love computers and I know I can be successful in this field, diabetic or not. The issue is, working with computers requires no fitness specifics. I want to do this for me. I am a nerd at heart and I stumbled across this forum and saw it as a sign : ) I am going to Florida in 4 months and I want my goal to be a reality: Main Quest – Build enough muscle and lose enough fat that I am comfortable without a shirt on in public 3 Goals each week Work out at least 3 times a week including 1 dropset Get 8 hours of sleep Cut out junk food – Focus on Protein based meals I hope I can join a team where people who have similar goals want to encourage each other Please message me and I will provide a cell number or email address or w/e so we can become accountability partners or even better accountability teammates : ) Thank you God Bless

Had an epic week this week and I just can't contain it anymore I need to shout out to the world how awesome I am (no one at home really cares) So you guys are it. So after ages of blah blah boring life and routine with nothing much changing. I have managed to PB sumo deadlift 62.5kg x5 (137lb) PB front squat 47.5kg x2 (104lb) boo-yeah!! Stand up on the clean bit of the wave and turn to miss someone while surfing wooo i'm still learning and generally catch the white wash and don't often stand so was super amazed with myself Rode a motorbike (for the 1st time) round a mates property and i didn't crash/hurt myself (which was my fear) in fact had an awesome time and can't wait to try again, hopefully today when the rain stops :D:D ps I'm not normally this full of myself

Hi all! I'm relatively new to weight training in the gym and I've got what are probably some of the most basic questions in the world! I'm hoping someone can help! Currently I weigh about 55kg (120lbs). I'm currently doing bench presses and squats with a barbell and I can currently do the following (sorry, here in the UK we work in kg but I've converted to lbs as best I can!): Bench Press - 45kg (Approx 100lbs)Squat - 65kg (Approx 140lbs)My main issue is although I can do these weights my form tends to suffer a little bit and I really don't want to do any damage to myself or end up with poor form. Is it best to drop the weight right down and really focus on getting my form right? Also, just from experience (I've only been doing this around 3 weeks) am I lifting too much weight to begin with? Thanks guys, I'm sorry it's so obscure and it's probably really stupid, simple answers that I should know but I had to ask! Ant

After fasting for 30 hours I went to the gym on my lunch break and hit 355 pounds on the deadlift for one rep. Most I've ever deadlifted in my life. I ripped the crotch out of my jeans and have to work the rest of my shift with a hole in my pants, but it was worth it. I feel awesome.

I'm really excited to be joining Rangers this challenge! Woot! I'm coming over from Adventurer's for my third challenge because I think my goals are pretty ranger-like. I want to be flexible and do backwalkovers ninja style, but I also want to kickbox and be strong like bull and be able to squat heavy. I also enjoy the occasional run. So, here I am! First off, Happy New Year everyone!!! I'm really looking forward to kicking some major butt his year as only a nerd can. Anyway, last challenge I began my battle for recovering my backwalkover. For those of you who don't know, the first half of this is a back walkover: Last challenge I just foucsed on getting stronger and more flexy. I succeeded, and can now do a backbend without fear of falling on my head! This challenge I want to work on handstands. They use pretty much the same muscles as a backbend kickover (which will be my next phase to backwalkover awesomeness) and will get me used to the feeling of being inverted again. In order to do this I'll be doing the 28 day handstand challenge, and I'll also continue to work on my cardio, strength and flexiness... Cleaning has also been a big part of my past two challenges and I am going to continue with that since I am really happy with the results I am seeing so far in my sparkly apartment. I started using FlyLady last challenge and am going to keep with it for this one. I whittled down what parts of FlyLady I'm going to focus on a little more than last challenge, because even my already mini-Fly-Lady-ing was a bit much. I gained a bunch of weight over the holidays, despite my holiday mini challenge to not over eat and to exercise a bit. I guess it could have been worse, but I am seriously teetering on the edge of 200 lbs (199.6!). I've never actually gotten on the scale and seen 200, and I feel like as much as I don't care about weight and only care about how I feel that would make me feel completely awful. So here's to the new year and getting far far away from 200! Anyway, on to the specifics of my challenge! MAIN MISSIONS: GET STRONGER I have aspriations to eventually start doing some real weight lifting (probably next challenge!) so I want to build up my strength even more with body weight work outs before moving up to the next level in the strength training world. I'm also having trouble finding a gym near me that doesn't charge $8 billion a month due to the fact that it offers yoga/pilates/kickboxing/whatever classes included in its fee. I just want to lift things up and put them down! Hopefully by the next challenge I'll have some success with that. So, I am going to continue with my ABWW routine, modified with assisted pull ups and chin ups, and replacing the one legged squats with sumo squats. This time around I'm only going to do it twice a week, but with 3 circuits per work out. That's the same amount of circuits just crammed into less days. I'm hoping to be more motivated to actually work on the other physical aspects of my challenge with the extra free day every week, since they definitely fizzled last challenge. And here is my motivation, the ever adorable Samantha Wright: What a bad ass. This mission can get me a potential +3 STR. It is based on purely percentage completed, but I rounded off boundaries for points earned so I don't end up with crazy decimals like I did last challenge. 90-100% = 3 points 75-89% = 2 points 50-74% = 1 point 25-49% = 0.5 points 0-24% = 0 points GET MOVING I will do yoga or cardio 2x a week, depending on my mood and schedule. That can be two cardios in one week, two yogas, one of each, whatever. Just get moving! This mission can earn me a possible +3 STA. Same percentage system as above. GET INVERTED 28 day handstand challenge. It will happen. I can do this for the last 28 days straight, or spread it out as the challenge goes on (obviously what I'm going to try to do). But by the end of the challenge, I should have 28 days on handstand practice behind me! Grading will be in 2 parts. First, just a pure percentage of if I completed all 28 days. This is a potential +2 DEX. 90-100% = 2 points 75-89% = 1.5 points 50-74% = 1 point 25-49% = 0.5 points 0-24% = 0 points The second part is if I can successfully do a "good" wall handstand by the end of this challenge. This is purely pass/fail. If I can do it, I get +1 CHA. If not, I don't. Hey, if a cat can do it I feel like I should be able to, too. SIDE QUESTS: Diet Side Quest: Get 11,200 healthy calories a week. This is an average on 1,600 calories a day. I am going to grade myself by week because I don't mind if I eat a little over one day and fast a bit the next, as long as I am on target for the week I'll pass. For now, healthy = no obvious cheese and no obvious bread. I am not going read ingredients, if a jarred tomato sauce happens to contain parmesan or something that doesn't count. I will eventually take it that far, but not yet. "Obvious" bread means something clearly bread-like as a part of my meal. This includes bagels, pasta, pizza dough, etc. Again, not checking labels just yet. I will allow myself 3 cheat meals a week to include one of both of these items (read: PIZZA), but only if this does not put me over my weekly calorie goal. So the grading for this is in two parts, for a total of a possible +3 CON.The first part is worth +2 CON, and is based on the number of the weeks I hit my calorie goal. 6 weeks met = 2 points 5 weeks met = 1.5 points 4 weeks met = 1 point 3 weeks met = 0.5 points 2 weeks met = 0.25 points 1 or 0 weeks met = 0 points The second half of this grade is based on the healthiness of my meals and is worth +1 CON. Basically, if I limit myself to my 3 cheat meals a week, and therfore have 108 or more healthy meals under my belt at the end of the challenge, I will get the whole point. The amount of points earned is based on the number of healthy meals I eat during the challenge, the maximum being 126 (which is 3 meals x 7 days x 6 weeks). 108-126 healthy meals = 1 point 87-107 healthy meals = 0.75 points 65-86 healthy meals = 0.5 points 42-64 healthy meals = 0.25 points 0-41 healthy meals = 0 points Hopefully the healthies plus the staying more on track with calories will make me feel fresh and not so bloated and awful, as I have been the past few weeks. By the end of the challenge me and my tummy will feel fabulous. Life Side Quest: Fly Lady it up! I will do the weekly home blessing, and the week's zone detail cleaning each week for +1 WIS, based on the same point to percentages as the above missions. I will do at least one load of laundry each week and fold/put it away within 24 hours of getting it out of the drier for +1 CHA, and do the week day daily missions and swish & swipe each weekday for a total of +1 WIS. Here's my grading spreadsheet that I will update throughout the challenge, which will automatically calcuate my grades at the end: And that's that. I'm out.

(From http://spotmegirl.com/)

Hi guys, I'm a noob! Just joined the forums! Welcome me? :3 I am a female gnome (thus I titled this topic "Gnomalina" hehe); 23 y.o. 5'2 and apple body type, currently at 133ish lbs. I got so much weight to lose specifically in the midsection/torso! (fun fact: another reason being a "gnome" race makes sense is that I was a miner in Runescape and generally like gems <3) I want to be a Warrior Druid. Now lemme explain; I think there should be a Warrior Druid guildbecause I believe it's very applicable to females: Warrior: I'm super weak and want to be strong and healthy, first of all, but the second reason I want to be a warrior is to build muscle in the right places. Did you know you can make your butt bigger, not just lifted but bigger, with weight training?? As an apple-bodied female who wants curves, http://improveyourfemalecurves.com/ is very inspiring for me. + Druid: I seriously need to eat more vegetables and am thinking of going raw. Also, I am very pro-organic/natural and sustainability. AND I am getting into meditation and yoga for emotional/health reasons (to accept life, gain insight, and have less stress) and for dance-related purposes. I take bellydance and it's really important to me: Kundalini yoga might help, plus I need a stronger core. And besides, flexibility is always a good thing for a girl to have >.> = Smexy Gnomalina: I wanna have serious curves yet health and spiritual vitality along with it. I want to and intend to feel good about how I look while being at peace and even more agile than I already am. So yeah. That was my intro with my race/class Wanna be part of this supportive and fun community.

Main Goal: Lose 10 pounds and fit into a size 11 from a 13. Goals: 1. Eat Paleo 6 times a week minimum. 2. Workout a minimum of 3 days a week. 3. Drink 80 ounces of water a day. Side goal: Start a Zumba or fun class 1 day a week. Good luck everyone with your first challenge!!! -T

Main Goal: Lose 10 pounds and fit into a size 11 from a 13. Goals: 1. Eat Paleo 6 times a week minimum. 2. Workout a minimum of 3 days a week. 3. Drink 80 ounces of water a day. Side goal: Start a Zumba or fun class 1 day a week. Good luck everyone with your first challenge!!! -T

Just wanted to introduce myself real quick! I'm Tess411, I'm 18 years old and my goal is to learn basic weight-lifting techniques and keep track of what I can lift! When I first began to work out I was incredibly focused on cardio, but I realize now that I have basically no strength. I would say my superpower right now is endurance- I ran my first 5k a couple months ago and I love it. To sum it up, I'm an elf that wants to be a Ranger (So far. It seemed to be the one I resonated with most.) MAIN GOAL Complete P90xMISSIONS Play kickball and soccer in my sorority's leagueDo 10 pull-upsTouch my toes (My flexibility is pathetic, haha!)LIFE QUEST Find a new job related to my major (Nursing)No fast food!I really can't wait to get more active on this site and hear about everyone else's goals! Don't be a stranger now! :] If you have any suggestions, please don't be afraid to share, because I'm about as new to weight-lifting as you can get!

HI! I'm SidderK. Since I didn't do too well on my first challenge, I figured I'd take it a little easier on the second challenge. Since the world is our playground, I decided to tone my body since I do have more fat than muscle and get the gist of my weight. Main goal: To tone my body 1) Jog/Run 3x a week 2) workout on weights 3x a week 3) Yoga 1 or 2 times a week Life quest: Play a song on the keyboard by heart. I'll try to post a picture a picture up when I can and the progress that goes along with it. Good luck everyone!