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Hi there! Names Ba'sini'on, but you can call me Bas if you'd like 😄! I've decided to join in on the challenge because I'm sick and tired of being overwhelmed by the holidays! I'd love to be able to lose 60 pounds because my excessive weight has led to my joints always aching, and causing havoc with my hormones. I'm already doing a lot with working at home, homeschooling my kids, caring for our home, etc. But I know I can fit in a workout if I put my phone down once in a while. I'm determined to get out of the habit of always stressing and retreating into my phone to block it all out. Also working out creates a calm head space for myself and ever since I stopped my habit of walking, I've been nothing but a big butterball of stress and anxiety. My goals aren't just for me, my kids and husband really need me to be present and not hiding away. I'd also like to get my stash of yarn down to where it all fits in ONE tote. Not the 4 it currently is bursting out of 😒 (Not my yarn! I'm not that organized!) GOALS Workout 60 min. 5 days a week - I'm going to focus on my cardio heath by walking and getting my 10,000 steps in. Weight training is my fun time, so I will be putting a lot of effort into hitting a PR by the end of this challenge! Practice Stretching or Yoga - I'm really stiff with a lot of aches and pains. I know stretching will really help with relieving the tightness I'm feeling. Limit My Phone Time to 2 Hours a Day - It seriously is a big problem 😑 Complete 3 Crochet Projects - It seems like a lot to finish these all by the end of the challenge. But these are Christmas gifts that were supposed to be finished LAST YEAR! So they need to get done. There was so much I wanted to make a goal but, I only have so much time in a day. Hopefully I will succeed!

Let me try and work out how to add files... I am here.

The air temperature hovered just above freezing and a steady rain was falling, beading off my oilskin cloak and moistening the short blonde hair that escaped from my hood. It had been dark for four hours and I felt vaguely angry trudging through heavy piles of wet leaves and straggling up slippery wet hills. I wanted to be home by my own fire, not out in the woods on a rainy December night. Start a fire, my subconscious begged. Please, it's getting late. Can't we rest for the night? Try harder tomorrow? "Nope," I answered myself, leaning on my bow to pull myself up a steep hillside. "Rested too long at the inn at dinner. We've got ten miles to go yet tonight and we won't get there by making camp." The winter holidays were the time of rest for many in the kingdom, but not for the archers of the Movement. This year, my assignment would take me far across the country to the Golden Sea, where the legends said it never rained or snowed; but before I could embark, I had to complete the tasks I had left undone before my journey home to Middle Earth just a week before. The next month would be grueling and I would rarely be home. The hours of bouncing for hours on a public coach or sitting cramped with dozens of others on a boat would wear on my body; the days of conducting my business with strangers and deferring rest and recuperation would wear on my mind. The coming weeks would be a test of my endurance in every way. I shook myself as I reached the top of the hill and extended one hand, generating a burst of yellow light to illuminate the rocky path down. The balance between my shadowy ice powers and warm healing powers was unpredictable, but for now, the light was winning out. It was time to make as much progress as I could before the ice overtook me.

December finals season is the absolute worst. Need proof? Here you go: 1) Lot's of people and media expect you to be happy because of the holidays. 2) 0 daylight. 3) Lot's of food to stress eat. 4) Finals. BUT I am finally approved to ease into working out again which means I can combat stress and stress eating by channeling all my energy into pretending yoga is fun. (JK I love yoga but I like other things that I can't do more.) So to celebrate my return I'm going to try and take it easy (yet again). Goals: 1) 3 Workouts a Week 2) Only order/go out 3 times per week 3) Drink a water before any other drink (Ex: Drink a full glass of water before a beer/wine/pop/coffee) 4) Meditate 5 minutes every morning 5) Stretch 10 minutes a day 6) Write down but don't stress out about what I'm eating That's it. That is all I am asking from myself for the next four weeks (in terms of healthy things - I've got a TON of studying to do). Wish me luck and apologies in advance if I'm not stopping by your challenges as much as I should be. I'll get back into the hang of it soon! Going into this challenge like:

Quick sketch of what I'm thinking of this challenge: It's going to be busy at work, it has the potential to be stressful, and I need to manage that: Sleep - check in with the Black Ribboners a few times a week, and continue to work on habits. I may start modifying wake up time, Cooking - eat some damn veggies (I've been slacking...made a huge amount of braised pork shoulder Sunday though, so I'm set for protein for the next several days). I have both broccoli and Brussels sprouts in the fridge though, so there's no excuse. PT - the shoulder is doing better, but still need to keep with the PT. We're on a 3 week cycle at the moment, since I just need to focus on the exercises I've been given. Continue the nerve glides throughout the day Do the full mobility work 2x per day. Do the band work at least once per day (it's supposed to be really easy, so if it feels good, can do more). Suburi, because, suburi Take, or at least plan a small road trip (maybe to the coast), because I have a new car (zoom zoom) to finally replace my dearly departed subaru. Retool my 401k - I was reviewing it the other day, and noticed there are some things I need to re-balance, and funds that I want to shift. So - research and update. I don't think it will take all 4 weeks, but I do need to set aside some time to dig in. Have fun - it's the holidays! (i.e, tap my inner Arch Chancellor).

So, December is my least favorite month. I've never been officially diagnosed or anything, but I suspect that I have a touch of Seasonal Affective Disorder. I sometimes struggle with bouts of depression and the struggle gets much worse in the winter months. Basically I just want to hibernate and have little motivation to do anything. On top of this, I struggle with bad feelings about the holiday season, because I'm not personally that into the whole thing for a slew of reasons I won't bore you all with. Nothing awful or traumatic, just a bunch of personal idiosyncrasies really. But I also feel the need to make an effort because of my family and also just feeling like only grumpy assholes don't like the holidays. It all just tends to become a downward spiral of depression, stress, and anxiety in which I feel bad for feeling bad because after all it is THE HAPPIEST TIME OF THE YEAR (TM). Every year I joke about just going away somewhere, but this year I'm going to figure out how to make it work for me and not be miserable. Goals for this challenge: EXERCISE AND SELF-CARE 1. Go to yoga class once a week. I was going fairly regularly to yoga but started slacking off in the fall once they changed the time of the class I was going to regularly to 15 minutes earlier. I'm awful at mornings and 15 minutes earlier just doesn't work, but there are a bunch of classes later in the morning that I can certainly go to. I went today and realized how much I had missed it and how good it is for me. 2. Stretch. At least 15 minutes of stretching a day, focusing on working toward splits and preventing ongoing shoulder problems resulting from computer overuse. 3. Meditate with sunlamp. I've been really good about this and I think it's helping! Keep meditating at least 15 minutes a day, with sunlamp to fight the SAD. 4. Other exercise. If I don't have an aerials class or yoga, do at least 15 minutes of exercise every day. Pullups, pushups, abs, weights. SURVIVE AND THRIVE THE HOLIDAYS 1. Daily check-in. Is there anything holiday-task related that I need to do today? Is there anything that I am dwelling on that is making me upset? What can I be positive about today? 2. Prepare for the New Year. As much as Christmas makes me unhappy, I totally look forward to the New Year- starting over, making new plans, etc. Part of my plan for December is to try to view this as a period of cleansing/planning/trial by fire in order to start the New Year fresh. What can I do to be ready to enact positive changes and new projects in the New Year that will stick? This year I'm also thinking of rituals to do on New Year's day that will hopefully become a tradition. So far I'm planning on doing an hour-long meditation and going for a long walk in my local park (assuming the weather isn't bad enough to create unsafe conditions, but it's a paved 4.5 mile loop trail so as long as its safe to drive there it should be ok to walk.)

Hello fellow nerds, I am a person who, if I have someone to compete against, can be dedicated but without a specific goal has a tendency to be a little ADD, oh look a cookie! So here is the challenge Starting thanksgiving day you will have several ways to earn points 5 points for every mile run( no stoping to catch your breath) 15 points for every mile of swimming( no stoping to catch your breath) 10 points for a heavy lifting session 2 points for every mile walked 15 points for an hour long group class Food: 5 points for a veggie salad meal(iceberg lettuce doesn't count ) 5 points for drinking a minimum of 50 oz of water in a day 5 points for a green smoothie meal 2 point for turning down a sweet by a well meaning friend or family member Deductions: -5 points for skipping a workout just because you don't want to do it or try to make a lame excuse. -3 points for EACH piece of candy, pie, cake,cookie,sweet,or confection consumed( I make these for Christmas presents so I have to resist them being in the house all month) -5 points for drinking less than 30oz of water a day If this sounds like something you want to do let know and we can get started!

Bast Assassinates Holiday Horrors Well, it's that time of the year again...when we all go nuckin' futs trying to find, create and give the Holiday Spirit. But I can't help but be reminded of the filk "12 Pains of Christmas", especially after how the last few years have gone for us...all stress with no giving, just taking on the parts of others...it made us (me, especially) feel like everyone around us were taking advantage of our loving and generous natures. I would always end up over doing it...working too hard trying to make everything "perfect"...and end up not enjoying anything. But not this year! I plan to take the baby steps I need to so that I can have an enjoyable Holiday and destroy all the things that create havoc! Epic Quest: Stealing Christmas from Fibromyalgia This will be my first Holiday Season with the Rebellion. So I'm looking at what I can do to keep Fibro at bay instead of ruining what should be a happy and enjoyable time of year. Throughout this Quest (Main and Life) are little things that, if I do them, can help reduce my stress and allow me more time to enjoy the Season. I will continue to post in my updates a weekly Fibromyalgia inspiration, as well as when I feel I need a little extra motivation. I also hope that this helps others who also fight this (or similar) battles. I've contemplated adding scoring to this aspect of my progression, as it is present on each of my Quests for every 6WC...but I'm not sure how to score or award. So for now, beating Fibro is its own reward...it always is!! Main Quest: Baby, It's cold... Since I began with the Rebellion, I've worked on inch loss vs. weight loss. I do pretty well during each 6WC, loosing an average of about 7 inches, but severely falter during each break, regaining an average of 5 inches! And this round was no exception...I had gained back all but 1/2 a pound and 1 inch from my starting stats last 6WC!!! AAARRRGGGG!!!!! I need to work on breaking that cycle!! So this round, I'm going to focus on maintenance rather than loss, which if I'm successful, will come in quite handy during the Holiday Feasting! So I'm going to grant a point for maintaining my beginning inches, with only a +2" fluctuation from beginning stats. Bonus points will be awarded for any loss over 7" (since I tend to loose 7" per 6WC anyway). On an interesting side aspect of this, I'm going to try a little experiment...I read a blurb on Facebook a while back, about freezing fat cells and thinking it was a hoax, I did some research. I discovered that not only wasn't it a hoax (I found several scientific articles and research papers on the subject), there are also companies (mainly stateside) that do it as a non-surgical alternative to liposuction. It's called "cryolipolysis", and there were a couple of the medical reference articles that suggested that similar results could be accomplished by using ice packs a few times a week. So I'm going to try it. Keeping in mind, it's an experiment, so points are for conducting the experiment, not the results! However, ending the experiment before the end of the 6WC due to any ill effects will still result in a success. Grading: 1 point = applying ice packs to "pooch" for 1 hour <3x / week> 1 point = maintain inches with only +2" fluctuation from beginning stat <1x / week> 1 point = bonus for each inch lost above 7" 4+ points possible per week --> 24+ possible total Reward: +1WIS, +1 CHA Beginning Stats: Weight - 124.5 # Ribs - 30" Waist - 30" Belly - 34" Quest 1: Reindeer Games So a few changes this go around...I didn't include yoga last round, and it really showed! I've lost a lot of my flexibility just in that short amount of time! So I'm going to do the Do You Yoga's 30-day Yoga Challenge. If I do it 5 days a week (Monday through Friday), then I'll complete the entire thing by the end of this 6WC. When trying out Parkour Training last round, I discovered one of my issues was endurance...especially in the area of running...but since I'm waaay out of practice, I'm going to take the advice of a Ranger (who's post I read on another's thread) and try the C25K program (couch to 5k), which builds you up slowly, with workouts 3 times a week. My other major problem was that I can't take a hit like I used to, so I'm going to also work on body conditioning...other wise known as "impact training" or "armor building". I'm going to do this twice a week, between the c25k days. I know I'll probably be starting small, so it'll be a do or don't thing, rather than a how much or how long...I don't want to over do it and end up flaring! My hubby wants for us to run together, but he's been running regularly (as part of his PT), and we are at totally different speeds and stamina levels...that and he wanted to do it in the evenings, but that's a bad time for me...my energy is best early in the day, and by the time he get's home, I'm busy cooking dinner and I definitely don't want to run after dinner and before bed!! So we compromised on doing evening walks three times a week. We've tried to do this before, but always peetered out pretty quickly...I'm going to add it for now as a regular point, but may make it a bonus point later (if we only do it once a week or so...). I've also been asked by some potential students for me to teach Belly Dance again...so I'm going to check out the possibility for that. If I do it, it may replace the Hubby walks or just get added to the system. But that'll be a wait and see. Last round, I totally failed on adding a new activity each week...so this time, I'm going to add it as a bonus point. My other bonus point will be the usual weekly mileage. I'm sticking with the 20 miles for one point grading, but that 20 miles will have to be non-workout mileage...between the runs and the walks, that'll be a couple extra miles each week alone! I will be tracking my mileage for each workout...just to see how much (and how far) I'm going! Grading: 1 point = Do You Yoga 30-day Challenge <5x / week> 1 point = Couch to 5k <3x / week> 1 point = armor building impact training <2x / week> 1 point = Hubby walks <3x / week> 1 point = Bonus for new activity/class attended 1 point = bonus for 20 cumulative non-workout pedometer mileage for the week 13+ points possible per week --> 78+ possible total Reward: +2 DEX, +2 STA, +2 STR Quest 2: Seasons Eatings So this will be somewhat of a repeat from last round. We have waaay too much food in this house that needs to be eaten...there's a PCS tradition among Military Families, that when it's time for a family to PCS, all their food gets given to their friends who are staying (movers won't pack the food). This is why we have a deep freezer and a regular freezer full and a pantry that's overflowing...we had several friends PCS during this past year!! It'll be out turn to PCS in about a year or so, and I don't want to continue this particular tradition. I've tried to give away the food that was given to us, some stuff went to others that we knew, but for the most part, it all stayed with us, but it now has to go!! So the challenge will be to cook healthy meals using primarily the current inventory. Shopping will be limited to regular use items (milk, coffee, cat food, toilet paper, etc) and recipe fillers (like onions or seasonings, etc) so long as the bulk of the recipe utilizes current inventory. Once certain aspects of the inventory get used up (like protein or veggies), then they can be purchased and a new inventory list created and kept so that we know what we have and how much of it! I realize that Thanksgiving is smack in the middle of this 6WC and the Holiday Baking Season will wrap it up, but that's OK. By that point, there should be enough of a dent that I will actually have somewhere to put a turkey!! Grading will be for each meal in which inventory is utilized, with the goal of using as much as possible! Hubby was concerned about possible failure here, so currently, the goal is for 5 meals a week...but this may get adjusted if we go way over regularly. A bonus point will be awarded for each area that is able to be cleared, organized and inventoried. Grading: 1 point = each meal utilizing current inventory <5x / week> 1 point = bonus for each area cleared, organized and inventoried 5+ points possible per week --> 30+ possible total Reward: +1 CON, +1 WIS Quest 3: Batteries not included... As slight adjustment on an old classic...Over my past few challenges, I've been really good about getting plenty of rest and relaxation...which is crucial for someone with Fibro...but I've noticed that my before bed routine is a bit lacking. I have on my daily task list as my before bed routine to clean the kitchen (now, I just put away leftovers), put things on the launch pad (get things ready that I need to go out the door with the next morning), wash face, brush teeth and lay out clothes. All of which, doesn't normally take very long, but I just don't seem to get it done... I also find myself getting a bit burned out from doing my self-guided meditations. I figured this would be a great time to do the Do You Yoga's 30-day Meditation Challenge again. And of course, I need to go to bed 8 hours before I need to get up. All three of these I will do 5 times a week (Sunday through Thursday) to get a jump start on the work day the next morning! I'm also going to grant a bonus point for pampering. This will include things like doing a hair treatment, facial, mani/pedi or even soaking in a hot bath. It will not include anything that would be considered maintenance or "special" care due to injury or illness. Grading: 1 point = Before Bed Routine <5x / week> 1 point = Do You Yoga 30-day Meditation Challenge <5x / week> 1 point = go to bed 8 hours before alarm <5x / week> 1 point = bonus for pampering 15+ possible per week --> 90+ possible total Reward: +1 CON, +1 CHA Life Quest 1: Harnessing Holiday Havoc I still haven't gotten these habits down, so this will be an almost complete redux from last round...with one exception...I'm adding the Flylady's Holiday Cruising Missions. Granted, they've already started, and will technically end before this challenge, but there will be a few final missions that will go up until Christmas, plus clean-up missions after. One thing I'm going to work on here (and in cooperation with LQ2) is doing things more timely. It may seem like a lot, but before this duty station, I was able to get up at 0600, do all these things, work 2 part time jobs, fix dinner, and was able to relax a few hours between dinner and bed at 2200! Now I just need to figure out how I did that! I'll probably run a timer during the first week to see how long it takes me to do all my tasking (without getting sidetracked) so I can assess where I need to focus on improving. Grading: 1 point = Weekly Home Blessing (WHB) <1x / week> 1 point = Daily Cleaning Routines <5x / week> 1 point = Daily Zone Missions <5x / week> 1 point = Daily Zone Detail Cleaning <5x / week> 1 point = Holiday Cruising Missions <5x / week> 1 point = Area decluttered and organized <1x / week> 1 point = bonus per box cleared 1 point = bonus for 10 items sold 22+ points possible per week --> 132+ possible total Reward: +1 STA Life Quest 2: The Holiday Line Up... And here's another redux...I'm doing OK with the scheduling, and NF posts and updates, but the daily emails keep getting vastly overlooked. This round, I'm going to work harder on scheduling "a time for everything"...I seriously need to track my time and activities so that I know where my time is being spent and on what...since I'm not getting much accomplished that I would like, and my days aren't particularly any shorter than they were when I lived in Negishi and got all this stuff done and worked 2 part-time jobs!! Grading: 1 point = creating & maintaining schedule <5x / week> 1 point = daily emails <5x / week> 1 point = NF weekly update <1x / week> 1 point = NF minis, posts & ambassadoring <5x / week> 16+ possible per week --> 96+ possible total Reward: +1 WIS Life Quest 3: Deck the Halls with Holly or Money... In case you hadn't noticed, my Life Quests are all pretty much repeats from last round. It's not that I'm unimaginative...I mean, I kinda am (but that's not why), it's just that I still need to work on improving in these areas! For this one, I'm incorporating "practical applications" as bonuses for both Herbology and Finance. It hurt me when I was sick...I was using what I had already learned, but was too ill to actively study (spent an hour reading the same paragraph at one point). And I'll be assisting (possibly teaching or teaching the one who will be the instructor) with a class later this month on Holiday Budgeting, so there's a practical application in Finance. I still need a job, so the same bonuses for applications and interviews/follow-ups will apply. If I am able to procure a job, then this aspect of this quest will be completed and I'll adjust the figures accordingly. Grading: 1 point = Herbology unit completed with passed exam <1x / week> 1 point = Herbology homework / projects <1x / week> 1 point = Financial Continuing Education work <1x / week> 1 point = Financial study (read article, book, magazine, etc.) <1x / week> 1 point = research job opportunities <3x / week> 1 point = bonus for Herbology practical application 1 point = bonus for Finance practical application 1 point = bonus for each application submitted 1 point = bonus for each interview / follow-up 7+ possible per week --> 42+ possible total Reward: +1 WIS For the Guild: An Assassin for all Seasons... I don't think I'll have a choice in whether or not I participate in the minis again this round since it will be Hubby's first time as an Assassin, so this will be interesting. Since the minis always have us divided up, more or less at random, into team, we could be allies or competitors...but either way, we'll still have a lot of fun!! The theme this time is "Super Mario Assassin All-Stars", but only the sign up has been posted so far. Per usual, this will be a do or don't scenario. If I participate, I get a point and whatever the reward that gets allocated by the awesome Guild Leaders! I will be serving, once again, as an Assassin Ambassador, so I'll be doing my part, along with my fellow awesome Ambassadors, to help usher in the latest victims, er, I mean, Recruits! LOL! Grading: No grades, just a do or don't. Reward: TBD per mini Next Weeks Focus... Monday starts the Challenge, so I'll be working on posting my beginning stats and measuring a few things (like time for tasking and mileage staring stats for run, etc.) so I know where I started to accurately chart my progress. We've got a lot to do and only six weeks to do it, so let's get started! See ya'll in the Challenge!! Ready or not, here I come, Week 1...

Another new challenge, another fresh start! And speaking of fresh starts, I am starting a new job one week from today! I am very excited, but also quite nervous, as I know it is going to be a huge change from what I'm used to, and I will have so much to learn. That, combined with the inherent stresses of the holiday season, mean that I really need to keep my mental state managed, and not resort to eating and drinking my stresses away (especially since it's not so much "away" as it is "later"). GOAL ONE: Eat like a reasonable human being who is perfectly aware of what foods don't agree with her. Because I am that thing I said. I am going to stick with the same metrics goal I had last time, because I really do feel best when I eat like that. I really, really, really need to remind wheat that he is not welcome also, because I know eating it makes me feel crappy, but I do it anyways. And particularly as the holiday baking starts appearing everywhere, I could use a little extra self-control - I don't even LIKE cookies... I just like Christmas, and somehow that translates into eating cookies. And whatnot. 1. Eat less than 120 grams of carbs per day 2. Eat 80 grams or more of protein per day 3. Don't eat any wheat! (Not going to stress about small amounts, like in sauces and stuff, but no bread or baking.) 1 point per item per day = 21 possible points per week. A : 120pts+ B : 105pts+ C : 90pts+ D : 75pts+ F : <75pts GOAL TWO: Yoga, yoga, yoga! Simple. Do a minimum of 15 minutes of yoga. Every single day. For scoring purposes, I'll give myself one day off per week, but still aiming for 7. Self-guided, use a video, go to a drop-in class, whatever. A: 35pts+ B : 30pts+ C : 25pts+ D : 20pts+ F : <20pts GOAL THREE: Prepare outfit and lunch for work the night before. This will both help keep my meals on track, and reduce the stress that is a hectic morning. 2 possible points per work day. A: 55pts+ B : 50pts+ C : 45pts+ D : 40pts+ F : <40pts GOAL FOUR: As usual, I am going to try to make as many Christmas gifts as possible. I have had the horrid realization that this means I will have to make a minimum of 3 gifts per week if I'm going to get through my list! Time to get started... A : 18 gifts B : 15 gifts C : 12 gifts D : 9 gifts F : <9 gifts So there we have it. A challenge which will (hopefully) keep me on track, calm, cool and not a crazy person. Let's do it!

Not sure if there is a thread for this already but folks the holidays are here and with them come some of the most delicious and most likely most terrible kinds of food you'll see. Thanksgiving is horrible, true, but after that pumpkin pie, pecan pie, Pumpkin beer, fried turkey, and breadrolls come gingerbread houses, eggnog, various holiday parties with peppermint snacks and for me...my one weakness: Worse than flan and arroz con dulce is this delicious, Puerto Rican concoction of awful proportions. There is no way I can think off to make this drink 'healthy'. You have evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, coconut milk, cream of coconut, rum (WHICH MUST BE FROM PUERTO RICO), egg yolks, cinnamon all mixed together into a glorious treat. I love this stuff, not just because I have a weakness for coconut flavors mixed with eggnogs but because it's the one thing I can make that reminds me of my culture. I will make it again and I will not feel guilty for drinking it; this is a holiday only affair, meant for Christmas and New Years. I know its' oh so very bad for me, that each 4 oz glass contains some ungodly amount of sugar, but it's delicious. So Felicidades my friends, this wonderful Holiday season. Fellow Rebels, what is your favorite Holiday treat? Inquiring minds must know!

I am going to be away from home/the gym for 2 weeks and want to come up with a body weight routine that I can do in the meantime. I will be busy with family stuff a lot and likely won't have large chunks of time to exercise or get really tired. I want to design a plan that I can do for these 2 weeks that won't require me to change/get really sweaty, can be broken up and done in little time chunks throughout the day and that doesn't require equipment or a lot of space. I've been exercising pretty hard the last 2 weeks (about 40 min a day, 20 cardio and 20 weights) and I don't want to gain weight/lose muscle over the holidays (even though I know this is likely impossible with barely any exercise and eating extra food lol but hey a girl can dream). So what do you think would be the most effective? I was thinking: 200 squats 100 alternate lunges 200 standing cross body crunches 20 pushups 36 tricep dips 40 crunches 10 reverse crunches

Anyone else planning on making some/all of their holiday gifts? I've been doing this to an extent for a number of years, but never give myself enough time and always end up buying a few things at the last minute. I want to make as many as possible this year! Most of the people I exchange gifts with don't need anything, nor do they particularly want anything, and I feel like small, thoughtful handmade gifts are the way to go. Also I hate shopping. I thought it'd be fun to have a thread to share ideas and progress on handmade gifts. My mind tends to go towards sewing and knitting projects, but there are so many possibilities... small woodworking projects, mix tapes, chapbooks of poetry (yours or collected favorites), food gifts, soap or candles, pottery (if you have skillz), paintings, jewelry! Options, so many options.

Goal: Don't have a Crappy Holiday Motivation: Don't lose momentum over the holidays. Keep on track with paleo, continue working out. Do. Not. Binge. It just makes me feel awful. Eat like crap, feel like crap, look like crap. Don't have a crappy holiday! Plan: Eat mostly paleo, try a few days of Whole30. Leniency on Christmas and NYE. Run 3x/week, strength train 3x/week, do some extra cardio of walking or elliptical if I want to. Go to OA meetings if I feel it will be helpful. Points: Keep it simple. Follow the plan I lay out for myself. If I follow the plan, I get a point, if I don't, no point! Since there's no leveling up or attributes for this challenge, I'm making my own incentives. If I get the first 7 points, then I can buy new black boots (which I really need anyway). If I complete the full challenge, then I can buy a sunrise alarm clock!!!

I love that saying: "to pull yourself out of poverty, you have to work like a horse, and live like a saint." So true ! For me - thankfully - it's not poverty that I'm stuck in but just a work-related rut, and I have to work extra hard for three weeks to get myself out of it. So my main quest is actually my life goal: A I have to finish a paper by August 12th. It's something that I should have done months ago, but you know how it goes. It's not part of my current job, but lots of good things will happen if I manage to finish it, and lots of not-so-nice things and hard-to-repair difficulties will follow if I don't. So to do this, I will get up at 6 in the morning and work on it for three quarters of an hour every day (except Sunday). That should actually do the trick. I've been doing that for three days now and it works a treat. (BTW I think I should mention that this is actually an major effort for me, since I will of course continue to work full time, and be a mum-of-two full time, the rest of the time, at the same time. So this will be on top of everthing else that need to be done each day. Hence, work like a horse. I wouldn't want to be doing this for more than 3 weeks. ) B I'm doing a half-marathon in September and I'd like to improve my pace A LOT. Right now I can only just do a 10.30 min/mile pace on a 10K, which is kind of pitiful. I'd like to scrape at least 1.5 min (.5 min for this challenge) off my pace in the long run. To achieve this, I will keep to my running plan go running with the club twice a week do speed training on Saturdays (tempo runs one week / intervals the next) get my miles in on Sunday for the half continue my BW training - slimmed down a bit - with push-ups, planks, squats, and pull-up progressions in lieu of strength/cross training lose a bit of mass eating mostly paleo (with some dairy and beans) As you may have noticed my main quest / life goal is only three weeks away and I'll go on a (hopefully well-deserved) holiday after that - so I've decided to treat myself to surfing lessons if I achieve goal A. Obviously I won't go running with the club while I'm away, but I'll try and get my miles in anyway. So that's it ! Only two easy goals ! Yay for simplicity ! EDIT: I have adjusted this a little ... Everybody's cutting this challenge so why can't I, right ? Join in the misery ! Let's see how this goes. Stats: Weight 73kg / 159 lbs Waist 73 cm