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So I was urged to join Nerd Fitness by a friend of mine (and fellow Xena fan). I notice there's already another couple of Xenites on the boards (hello @Xena and @sieBauen, nice to meet you!) so I feel I'm in good company. I've been getting into fitness related stuff for the past four and a half years: mid-distance running at first, and then added some bodyweight training and then HIIT and weights for the past year. I've recently got my first weight lifting routine, courtesy of a personal trainer (eep!!) and am informed that apparently what I am looking to do at this stage is classed as 'bodybuilding'. Seems a bit hardcore for me, but I tend not to do anything by halves, so there you go. I also do yoga (somewhat sporadically) and am pleased as punch with what little progress I have made over the years. I've never really aspired to be a 'Xena' (I have the height but I'm never going to be 'willowy' enough) so I thought I'd aim for Gabrielle - athletic and toned with abs of steel and guns to die for. I've lost 12.6 kg (about 28lbs) over a long period, and hit my target of 70kgs a while back. I'm now mostly looking to maintain body weight while building muscle and losing fat. This is proving the tricky part as I seem to be hovering around the 23-27% body fat mark, and losing it is proving very challenging. Reading up on the dietary side of things (never my strong-point) for some pointers, and I am currently doing a sort of... non-specific, high-protein, low-ish-carb... thing, and we'll see how that goes by the end of this six week training block. Considering doing a short-term keto stint in the new year, for a couple of months or so, and any advice/encouragement/warnings would be most welcome! I've joined the 'Ranger' class as this seems the most suited to me with my running/weight training combo, ticked off all my boxes so far (Level 14 FTW!) and uploaded photos of me mucking about in my Gabrielle costume. Hurrah!

I am 26, just moved back to my (small) hometown and I have anxiety so getting to the gym has been a bit of a struggle. I have driven all of my family and friends (and coworkers) crazy by talking about my workouts and muscle pain and I just want someone to talk to that has the same struggles and complaints. I have been looking into eating better and fitness on and off for almost 10 years and have made quite a few changes but there is still room for improvement. Goals I want to get up early enough to walk my dog every day before work. We walk Saturday and Sunday and every Monday and Tuesday she brings me her leash and is heart broken when I rush out the door. There is a class at my gym M W F and I LOVE it but I only go once or twice a month. I would like to go twice a week. I try to eat between vegetarian and vegan. I am off fish (except sushi once a year) and pork. I live in a farm community so things like tofu and sietan aren't always available but there are some amazing delivery services now. But I want to work on meal prep and less snacking. I'm working on my mental health and trying to get into better routines. I am trying to be more flexible. I want to squat 100lbs. (I'm only using the bar now) I want to do 5 pull ups. I'm working my way up on the assisted pull up. I want to do 15 pushups. I want to jog a whold 5K without walking. Got some solid goals that will be easy to reach and replace as I continue. But I'm mostly here to have someone to talk to. "People throwing weights around gives me such anxiety that sometimes (like last night) I have to leave the gym."

Sharing my "Big Why" for 40 xp My mental and physical health are the foundations that I intend to build the rest of my life around. My physical health has a bearing on my mental health, because it affects how I feel about myself, how outgoing I am, how comfortable I am in my own clothes, etc. Eliminating my related insecurities gives me back the day to day mental energy that will be vital to me achieving my aspirations.

Hey Rebels, I just joined the rebellion on Monday. So, I am still in the phase of thinking "this is going to be awesome." I sure hope it is. Here is my intro post. History – 48 yrs old. Happily Married. Two kids, 5 & 11. Life Groups Pastor at Compassion Christian Church. Retired Navy Chief. I have struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember, even in the Navy. When I was initiated, oops I mean "trained", as a Chief, I had gotten in pretty good shape. I began to love running, I even ran two half marathons but then injured myself training for a full, recovered and then injured myself again the next year. After retiring from the Navy, I have gained about 50 lbs of fat in the last 2.5 years and lost any muscle I had in the Navy. I haven’t run in 2 years. I have chronic back & knee pain that has been a convenient excuse for being lazy and unmotivated. The pain is real, but I have used it to keep my butt firmly planted on the couch. I am good at starting things and suck at finishing things. Goals – Lose weight. I would like to weigh under 200 lbs. Build enough muscle to look good naked. Avoid injury by pushing too hard, too fast. Change my future. I am looking forward to the journey with y’all.

Hey everyone! This isn't my first time trying to jump in to the world of fitness, but this is the first time I've had a good reason to, and the first time I'm getting social about it. So I'm really excited to be here and excited to get to know everyone! I go by Evan in this little corner of the 'net. I'm a trans guy who recently started hormone replacement, and I want to start getting fit so I can achieve that androgynous body of my dreams (that's only the most shallow level of my Big Why, though!). Hormone therapy has really taught me, for the first time in my life, the value of small, slow changes. The changes are so slow that at times it feels excruciating, but they are happening. This has inspired me to ease into habits that, in other times of my life, I have dove into at full force, only to pull away a few weeks later. I'm already happy with the results, and my journey has only just begun. I'm going to be posting more details about what I'm planning to do over in the 4 Week Challenge forum. I'm stoked to get started!

Greetings fellow rebels! I listened to an interview Steve did on a podcast a couple years ago (I know, I'm super late to the party) and have been reading the newsletters since. I joined about a year ago, but never posted anything or marked any goals on my profile. I was "too busy" and it fell by the wayside, as our health and exercise habits do sometimes. But here I am. I joined the academy yesterday (finally) and I'm doing this. I have been battling weight for 15 years. It was weird to me at first, I was fairly athletic in build prior to having children, but after my first baby, I gained over 100lbs. I was depressed, ate all the wrong things, and formed some really terrible habits. I also started taking medication for Bi-polar Disorder... which made me gain even more weight (another 30 pounds - give or take). I had my second child, and stayed in the same cycle of bad habits and eating the worst things! I was drinking 44-60 ounces of soda a DAY. I was eating WAY too much sugar, and my portions were out of control. I knew I had a problem, but I made the "I'm too busy" excuse for years. I was still in college (online, because I had two kids at home and my husband was going through the Police Academy) and had a pretty busy life for sure, but I lived across the street from a gym... First world problems, right? I graduated from college in 2013, after I moved back to my hometown, and I started thinking more about my health. As an aside, my hometown is a tiny little blip on the map where nothing ever happens. I have a big yard by city terms (almost an acre) and still - I made the time excuse. Even up until a couple of years ago, when I was working at a photography studio - literally in the same building as a gym, where I had a free membership - I made the time excuse (I feel like a total chump for that now, I am currently paying for that membership because I don't work there anymore). At the beginning of the year, I wanted to do something about it. I just couldn't find the right motivation, I hated the gym. My husband started going, and we both changed our eating habits. I was logging food into MyFitnessPal, but I hate the way that feels (I get bored with it, and I stop doing it). Then I found it. I found my reason. I was browsing a facebook page for our local Scottish Festival (My husband's family heritage goes back to Robert the Bruce of Scotland, through the House of Stuart) and I saw the Valkyrie games. Let me note here that I have been attending and following this for years, I don't know why it hit me differently this day. I went home and told my husband "I want to do this" and showed him a video of a woman doing the Caber Toss. I think he was laughing inside, but he's a good supporter so he said okay. I talked to a friend and co-worker of mine the next day (she has a degree in Exercise Science, so she seemed like the logical place to start). I signed up for the gym membership and started going and lifting. I started out pretty small 6 weeks ago, I could barely squat and deadlift half my body weight and I was able to move the bar on bench press just a little bit. But it was something. I still haven't touched a treadmill, and I don't think I will for a while. I'm not a fan, because when I have gone in the past I felt like it was an endless road to nowhere - I have never lost any weight from walking on a treadmill. I started at 216lbs, I didn't take before photos because I didn't want to have to look at them. I started taking measurements shortly after that. When I weighed myself yesterday I was down 15lbs! In a few short weeks, I have lost a pant size and changed my eating habits completely. I just finished 30 days of the keto diet to try to reset my metabolism (based on the recommendation of the friend I mentioned earlier) and working on portion control. I have increased my squat to 160lbs, deadlift to 175lbs, and bench press to 75lbs (with the bar). I am doing Yoga once a week (they offer a class where I work) but I'm going to start doing it more. My flexibility has already improved so much in just a few classes! I'm a work in progress, but I'm doing it. And I'm excited to be a part of this group! Now I just have to find out what guild to join!

Hello! I'm Miss Fortuosity. I'm a 30-ish mom of three, cosplayer, crafter of various things, and new rebel. Kinda. I did a search in Google assistant one day (for something vague and possibly not even fitness related), and the result it gave me was an article from nerd fitness. I kind of- well, I was shocked. Nerd Fitness? As in, fitness for NERDS like me? I signed up for the emails right away. Learned about the Paleo diet. Steve said it worked. I collected some underpants on it. My husband and I had a family meeting and we decided the whole family should do it. He bought a cookbook called everyday paleo. I've been stricter than he, and my kids still get dairy products, but it has made a DIFFERENCE. My son is better at focusing. My hubby is finally starting to shed fat. I had a baby in September. I'm now 10 pounds lighter than my pre-pregnancy weight. I've lost 30 pounds since January. This is the best site I've ever found to help me get back to where I'm healthy, and happy. 30 down, 40 to go. Thanks to God for throwing me that out of context search result on Google. Thanks to Steve, and his rebellion, for working so hard. I'm finally on my way!

Hi everybody! I am just joining up here, and working through the first week's challenges. I am not on FB, so I'm hoping I can dive into the community here! I'm in my mid 20's, and looking to get stronger to extend my adventuring years longer =) My full big-why is below. Glad to join you all! About 9 months ago, I began calorie counting and lost 35 lbs. I look a lot better, and my clothes fit well. Everyone comments on how good I look - my parents, my mother-in-law, colleagues. But the accomplishment is just that I was able to eat less. I’m not proud to tell them that I look lighter because I stopped eating so much pasta. I want my story to be “I look great and feel great because I am strong”. I want to be able to go on adventures without thinking twice about whether I can physically (and mentally!) do it. I fell in love with my husband because of his adventurous spirit. He was always trying something new, up for any challenge. One of the reasons I married him was because I wanted to have that kind of life - to create that kind of family for our future children. At first, I could keep up with everything. I was a college athlete, and in good enough shape. But I’m getting weaker - and I’m too young for that! We’re about to hit 5 years, and I’ve loved all of the new things we’ve done -- backpacking, longboarding, biking through Italy. I want to be able to keep adventuring. I need to have something in my life that is mine to control. I have a full time job, and am doing graduate school in the evenings. My vacation time belongs to my parents and my in-laws. I am feeling like a ping-pong ball, bouncing around and not getting to take a rest with things that truly are important to me. I am tired, stressed, and my body hurts nearly all the time. I need to take some time for myself, to build my mental and physical strength. “You can’t pour into others if your own cup is empty.”

Hey everybody! I'm Dorothy...a wife, stay at home mom of three (one in college, one in high school, one in middle school), working as administrative everything to my husband's and I landscape business and I started a blog last month to meet and encourage people on the wellness journey like me (spirit, soul, and body). As for this body thing, I'm an ok size, 5'10" 168 lbs, so my weight loss goal is only bout 18 lbs and to get rid of this small inner tube around my belly haha! I'm dedicated to moving at least 20 minutes a day (by coming here and being accountable - definitely ready for the next 4 week challenge); and eating as clean as I can with family members who are all picky (goal is mostly vegetarian for me; 1 meat meal a day). I'd love to hear your story and connect with you so we can both sing our victory song together I'm Feeling good already in taking this leap on the forum Peace and blessings!!

So, all...I've recently turned 58 and hit my highest weight ever for my 5'10" frame (265lbs). I've been struggling with high blood pressure, visceral fat and a stalled metabolism. I'm out of breath walking up a moderate 100 foot hill to my morning meeting. My current physical state has me overwhelmed, feeling very vulnerable, struggling with self esteem, and caring less and less about the way I look. The bloating and heart-burn I experience lately disgust me, and I have zero motivation to work out. Somewhere along the way, I got lost. Recent efforts this past summer to exercise and eat cleaner did help me feel better, but yielded no results in weight loss after 3 weeks. I was disillusioned to say the least ("crushed" would describe it better). The lack of results I assumed was a product of my age. I always got good results earlier in life, and was never afraid of hard work-outs and daily gym time. But once I got back to work, all the good habits went away...with a vengeance. The good news is, a little over 3 weeks ago, I got the job I always wanted; Executive Chef at a busy hotel overlooking the Hudson river in New York. I have a great staff and an even more awesome management team supporting me. My days mostly begin at 4am and often end after 8pm. Most of my co-workers are surprised at my long-haul energy, and I usually arrive before, and leave after my Sous Chefs. I love my work and the challenge, and want every edge I can get to keep this job and excel at it, along with the rest of my life. I know that improving my overall health and improving my strength and endurance are the keys; but as I said before, I'm overwhelmed. Where do I start? How do I fit a workout plan into my work schedule? What the hell do I eat? I seriously feel like I don't know anything anymore, except that it looks like its time to come back from exile and join the rebellion. I welcome the advice and critique of all...

Hello all! I'm brand new here! I've stumbled on NF articles in the past, but this is my first time participating in a challenge. I'd love to meet some new people on here! Please introduce yourselves and share your quests! A little about me: I'm 27 and from mid-MO. I'm 5'7", 260 lbs, and ready for a better lifestyle! I've done some running and general gym work outs in the past, but have struggled to get into a routine. I saw a nutritionist for a few months and was able to develop some good habits. Unfortunately, my bad habits still tend to outweigh my good ones, so I'm excited to knock those out. My Quests (over the next 6 months): 1) Lose 20 lbs I think this is completely achievable, but only if I can succeed at Quests 2 and 3. I'd like to lose closer to 50-80 lbs overall, but I'm starting small 2) Meal prep This might be the hardest one for me. I don't like cooking. I struggle with finding new recipes and actually trying them out. If you have any recipes to share, please do so! I'm always looking for something quick and easy (and healthy) to make! 3) Run a 10K Also totally achievable, but only if I get my butt motivated. I need to find a routine that I don't dread doing. It's cool if I don't like it because I'll probably still do it. But if I'm miserable, I'll just tell myself I can go tomorrow. Not a great work out plan. This will also include starting some strength training at the gym. I'm starting at the very beginning on this, so I plan to start with some bodyweight exercises and gradually work toward using the machines and equipment at the gym. I'm looking forward to starting my first challenge! I know I won't achieve quests 1 and 3 in this challenge, but I can start to develop some good habits that will get me there! Please post your quests and anything else you'd like to share! Can't wait to start working with everyone!!

... Or at least I convinced myself I can. Hi there! I'm Blethan, and though I'm not new to NF (I was here once many moons ago, but I got very, very lost since then) I'm starting fresh. A little about my goals is that generally I'm here to learn to become more happy and healthy. I can get easily intimidated, so a community of people with similar interests and goals suits me down to the ground! But generally, I want to work on my fitness (getting lean and strong), my mind (building a more positive attitude to life) and to chase my wild personal goals. A bit about me, I am an animator/illustrator by trade, and I love my job, but have big dreams for my career going forward. I love all things crafty (drawing, painting, crochet are my go-to-guys, but I'lll pretty much have a go at anything). I love TV and films, particularly Sci-Fi and Dark Comedies, and I'm also a big wrestling fan; everything from WWE to local indie shows. Also I'm a sucker for a good RTS game, open-ended games and creative games, and also pretty much any game that is just beautifully made. I've started a Battle Log (which can be found here) which you're more than welcome to read / reply to! I'm looking forward to starting the next 4-week challenge soon, and I'm already prepped and raring to go. So, what would be your top tips for newbies? What kinds of goals are you aiming for? And are there any there any other crochet-loving, wresting fanatics on the board (its a pretty odd combo I'll admit XD)? TTFN, Blethan.

Hi all, This is Ganesh Incarnate and I am new to Nerd Fitness forums. I just started out with the Nerd Fitness Academy (finally!) and I am excited (already on Level 3) about my prospects!

Hi There! I'm Ratynda, and I couldn't be more of a newbie if I was just born. It's been years since I have overcome my shyness to join a forum of any kind, so I'm already one step ahead! I started reading Level Up Your Life about a week ago and immediately felt drawn to the philosophy of re-framing life as an adventure worth having, so I couldn't help but sniff out more info. Several sniffs later, here I am! Over all, I could best describe my life to now as astoundingly normal in almost every way. I've always been a big gamer and had tried several fitness pursuits that ended up in the dump. For years I have lifted weights on a wavering but consistent basis, to some not-to-be-sneezed-at results, but ultimately I have never achieved the drastic results I used to dream of. This trend sort of carried over in my life as I sunk deeper and deeper into an MMORPG-shaped hole over my late college years and fell back on several physical, mental, and interpersonal skills that I could have - and should have - been learning. Now that I'm graduated, I'm at my next threshold: I can either settle with my bland office starter job and a slow burnout of shallow relationships and hobbies, or I can dive head first into adventure and work towards improving and re-defining everything that I am. Can you guess which one I chose? Today, I live by two major mottos: "Do everything with intention" and "Let yourself be a prince before you become a king". I remind myself every day that I must actively participate in everything life offers, but also that I am allowed to be young and let myself discover new things without expecting myself to have perfected everything. Of late, I have re-ignited a fire for health and have branched out to try a number of different realms of fitness including yoga, meditation, weightlifting, and some weekend cardio. I may not know my exact path or destination yet, but I will make an adventure out of discovering it, working hard to be the best version of myself, and making plenty of like-minded friends along the way. Hopefully Some of you guys feel the same!

So, here we go! I'm going to commit to my first challenge. I'm posting here in the Rebels forum because I'm not entirely sure of what guild I fit in - although I have some hunches. My background and what I do most often would put me on the fence of Monk and Druid. I could probably lean toward one or the other depending on the goals I plan out but for now I'll stay neutral. I also found that awesome character/guild generator quiz and plan on using it to help sway me and it's just really fun. I was always an RPG fan. Q1: Daily Meditation: Trying to find 5 minutes a day to meditate; also would like to do 15 minutes of Ki breathing at least twice a week. Q2: Workout 3-4x/Week: Planning to start the Couch to 5k workout which helps gain traction on one of my EQs. Other bodyweight workouts, yoga or strength training at the gym. Q3: Meal Planning: I need to better plan the meals I take with me to work. Planning on Sunday nights for the week or packing leftovers from dinner the night before to take the next day to avoid grabbing whatever I find or buying lunch in the cafe at work. Q4: Reading: I would like to read more - this could be books, articles, websites, etc. One night a week set aside to reading for at least an hour, no tv, no phone, just reading. I'm sure I'll come back to either edit or expand this, but I needed to get something down to help me get started. Super noob, first challegne on NF even though I've been a member of the Academy for over a year. I have also joined Rising Heroes and will be incorporating that into my challenge goals as well. - 60W

Hi everyone! I'm part of the Rising Heroes program and I'm following the 4 week challenges too. I love finding like-minded people for encouragement, inspiration, resources, ideas and humor! I'm 44 and run an MMA and fitness gym. I've been boxing and practicing Muay Thai for years, and I'm a blue belt in Jiu Jitsu. I lift and do conditioning too with the goals of cross training and aging with strength and grace. As for leveling up.... I have too many directions I want to go, gotta narrow it down! I look forward to getting to know others here!

Hi! *waves* My name is Gemma, alter ego "The Emerald Eagle", and I live in Melbourne Australia. I am a country girl at heart, taking every opportunity to get out of the city and head into the bush - camping, hiking, 4WDing, or any other adventures we can find. In my 9-5 life I am a Product Owner for an IT company which works with the education industry. I have followed NF for about 2 years, and been a member of the Academy for about 18 months. In that time I have yoyo-ed up and down, and some huge successes and some definite road bumps. In 2017 I have not made new years resolutions, but I have re-prioritised my life to make the important things a priority; myself, my family, and my health. As part of that I wanted to grow and so, despite never really using a public forum like this before, I wanted to jump feet first and start documenting my journey here.

So, I joined the forums about six months back after having them bookmarked for a while. I've been keeping a rambling daily battle log as well, as much for a place to vent as a way to record progress and setbacks. I'm a forever-beginner in fitness; I enjoy the barbell, but seem to fall off the wagon every 5-6 months for various reasons, the most recent being depression and joint pain. [Doubly frustrating when those two issues can be eased by... you guessed it! Lifting weights.] I don't think I've ever entirely managed to get my Epic Quest distilled into a tidy mission statement - there's too dang much I want to do before I die (or live forever out of pure spite) - but the biggest goals are increased, consistent fitness and better (mental and physical) health habits; and get more Japanese culture and language under my belt. I currently take Japanese language lessons on Saturday mornings (at a school targeted at Japanese kids) and try to fit in lessons on how to wear kimono properly as best I can, with the goal of obtaining my teaching license eventually (for a tidy sum... savings goals are also included in my Questing...) I also take Tea ceremony lessons every month and have been for 13 years now; given my larger American frame, it's a challenge both in grace and clothing choices, since there are strict requirements on what can be worn in the tearoom. (And being built like a Minnesotan draft horse, kimono that will fit size US 12/14 hips are few and far between! So I need the $ to order custom-made and the fitness to squeeze into Japanese size 'large' items.... And the sewing skills to manage alterations as needed... And if you give a Nerd some Knowledge... There's a definite mouse/cookie paradigm going on here. ) Other habits I'm trying to cultivate: Get up earlier than 10-minutes-before-commute-time so I can do more in the mornings (proper nutrition, pack better lunches, gym/C25K/etc) Learn to enjoy run/jogging activities. I'll be restarting on Zombies Run again. [This is a 'maybe' goal, because I love the *idea* of going for a run, but I've never enjoyed it and my knees are my most painful inhibitors when it comes to activity. Since I live in SoCal, outdoor cardio is definitely an early-morning thing before it gets too hot. Spend more time and energy (mental/physical resources) on meditation and spiritual goals [Pema Chodron's audio courses, for example] Money and time in abundance. Saving, not-spending, not-spending-stupidly, and making positive things into easy, mindless habits so that I stop shopping to feel better or collecting underpants in the form of things that "might" do something for me, or have potential (but no action... I have so very many blank journals, art supplies, sewing supplies...) Declutter (see above re: shopping) and actually USE the materials I've accumulated, or donate/sell/discard. Read the KonMari book(s) and apply liberally. Just because something "might" be useful or is cute or pretty does NOT mean I need to have it/buy it/keep it/store it. Now to train my lizard hindbrain to accept that fact. Get my Etsy shop up and running. It's been open a year, but doing poorly. (Novice entrepreneurial skills need leveling up. Making business cards on VistaPrint is Not Enough.) Anyway - this is me, saying "hi" here, and hoping to join in the Rebellion more fully. どうぞよろしくおねがいいたします！ I'm also part of the Academy, Rings and Handstands course, and just joined Rising Heroes (though the jury's still out on that one...) - hit me up if you want an accountabili-buddy on Facebook, MyFitnessPal, etc.

This thing. Soooo, my story! I'm a recent college grad, in my 20s. I lost about 60lbs when I went away to university, but after coming home & getting a 99%-of-the-day desk job, I've become lazy/unmotivated. Gained all my weight back. :"/ I used MFP during my first journey but it's boring to me now. As a gamer, I hope this site will give me added motivation to get moving & do new things. I also have PCOS, so it makes my journey challenging but it's by no means impossible. If I've done it once, I can do it again. I'm still trying to get the hang of things around here, so I'd appreciate any guidance for a n00bie like myself. My goals -- to be able to run long-distances again. Endurance & strength for kickboxing. Incorporating my hobbies in a positive way so I'm not always sitting on my butt. Having endurance & confidence to tackle a whole con day. Hmmmmm, I guess that's it. Gonna push myself to try new things & get back into the game! Sooooo. Uhm. Bye. D:

(( This post is meant to be in Roleplay - something I haven't typed in for ... oh... close to 20 years. I may use phrases and whatnot that are LONG outdated - like the double parentheses - those used to use used to denote a comment from someone's "mun" or "mundane" - the person behind the keyboard, and NOT the character in the story. Lines that start with a * are meant to denote actions, as this was what displayed on the screen when someone used the old /me command in IRC. Want to learn more about me, check out my character. Replies to NOT have to be In Character (IC) and I don't intend to reply to everyone IC either - no pressure, I just wanted to give my creative writing a little dust-off! )) * Lenore enters, a svelt high elf of undetermined age. She has long, light blond hair, and pale skin that seems to glow with life and health and perhaps a hint of magic. She may have green eyes, or are they blue? She wears green leather knee-high boots over simple leggings. An unadorned brown travelling robe completes the ensemble, seemingly too simple for the mystery she holds. * Lenore nods briefly and flashes a friendly smile to the room. She scans for a table and selects an empty one along a wall, where she waits for someone to take her order. "Mead, if you please." * Lenore drinks in silence for a while, contemplating her words. After finishing her drink, she drops a few coins on the table and clears her throat. She stands and addresses the room: "Greetings, patrons. I am looking for supportive friends, adventurous types, perhaps Monks or Druids, but I am not choosey. I am out-of-practice and need to train my body and rejuvenate my mind through Mindfulness or Meditation. I am recently "respawned", whatever that may mean, and am new to the area." * Lenore frowns slightly, "I wish to retire for the night, but please leave a reply with this barkeep, here, and I will seek you out." * Lenore nods to the room again, and moves toward the door, her steps purposeful and perhaps a little too quick. * With a slight pause at the door, Lenore takes a breath and exits. You realize she never removed her travelling robe. (( seeking Accountbilibudies and working through the Level Up Your Life book. I'd like to lose 25lb and become more confident and even-keeled, increase my meditation practice and become more Stoic in my actions ))

Hi there! My name is Kristen and I'm new to Nerd Fitness forums! I've actually been following Nerd Fitness Academy and I've been on the Rebel Women FB page, but this is my first time checking out the forums. Forums, in general, are completely new to me, but I think being connected with you all here will be a super valuable resource! I've already lost 20lbs following the program and eating paleo (yay!) but I want to reach my doctor's "recommended" weight which is 175lbs. I'm currently 225. 50lbs... YEESH. I don't think it's impossible, but it will be difficult, which is why I would love to have a "Jedi council" of friends to help guide me in this journey. I never thought I could lose the first 20lbs, so who's to stop me from losing the other 50lbs? My game plan is simple... Level up by taking small steps. Eating paleo 80/20, working out 5 days a week (NF bodyweight plan & Wii exercises). Things I could use some help/advice with: Epic Quest List: I have no idea how to structure quests. I know what I want to do, but I'm not sure how to create steps for the quest. Bullet Journaling: I think this is a huge thing for Rebels to help them track progress, and I want to get on board! Not sure where to start though... Jedi Council: Looking for people to level up with! Either that I can mentor or that would be willing to mentor me. Guilds: Still deciding what guild to join, but I'm leaning towards Adventurers... Thanks for reading Rebels!!

So, I'm actually really nervous about this. It's silly, I know, but I'm a shy person so hello everyone! My name is Chells, I'm 29 and female. I've got PCOS, so there are some hormonal issues to work around. I'm also far, far, far above where I should be body weight wise. I've managed to get to a point where I'm not having chronic back pain any more through exercise, but I can't manage to translate that into weight loss. I'm here because I don't know what to do. I've tried a lot of ways to lose weight. I've paid for expensive trainers that I could barely afford, tried a variety of diets, tried a lot of different work outs and haven't been able to make any progress. Even worse, none of the things I've tried have felt good to me. You're supposed to feel better when you work out, right? Even after months of doing so with a trainer, it always felt horrible. My goals are to lose 15 pounds by the new year (or even just move the scale a bit), to be able to walk at a quicker pace (I get out of breath quickly), and to find ways to be healthier over all.

Hey All, Daniel aka Dragonmore here. I joined Nerd Fitness about a year ago, but I have not been a very active member. I started focusing on my diet out the gate and going more Paleo and have cut out some of the worst offenders (soda, bread, pasta). It has helped, but the body-weight exercise focus this month (better known as Assassin Awareness Month) has pushed me over the edge and I want to be the Hero of my own story by getting into the best shape of my life and be a Jedi. I like Anime (and speak Japanese too), and I am a die hard video gamer, and I could talk at length about games. Best game of all time? It's a tie between Crono Trigger and Final Fantasy VI (both on SNES of course). Currently playing plenty of games including Overwatch (love tracer if you can't tell from the topic title) and several Alpha / Early Access type games such as the Best Damn Space Sim Evar!: Star Citizen. Want to know more about it? Let me know, as I love sharing info on games. Already own it? Shoot me a note, as I would love playing with more super cool people. Back to the Fitness. At time of writing this, I am 270 lbs and ~30% body fat, and I am ready for change. My goal is to reach 15% body fat and be able to do handstand push ups (like Goku in DBZ) and a one handed handstand (like Luke in Empire Strikes Back). I intend to do all exercises at home with little equipment cause while I have no fear of going to the gym, I feel like going to the gym is a waste of time and money when I can get a great workout at home with minimal equipment and using body-weight exercises. I wanted to join the forums specifically cause poking around I found the community is awesome, and I would appreciate the support and need the encouragement and coaching to follow through with my goals. So thanks all and look forward to getting fit with you all, Dragonmore

Hi there. My name is Elissa and I'm (obviously) pretty new around here, though I've been lurking for a few weeks now and I really think this place can help me out. I've been working out on and off for the last year or so and what I really need is the ability to keep on track. Also, not to give into the temptation that is my office's junk food table. Or at least, not as often as I have been. I'm strongly considering the druid path along with my general gym attendance, mostly because I have some anxiety issues and everyone from my doctor to my mother to my best friends have recommended trying yoga and meditation as a way to help. I'd also like to lose a bit of weight and build better eating habits, as vegetables were more or less foreign to me until quite recently and I've been known to live on nothing but pasta. Not exactly a winning combination, especially when you include the aforementioned junk food table. So...that's who I am (sorry, I suck at introductions)! Very excited to meet new people here!

But I need help. I honestly usually tend to be an introvert in the internet world and I'm not really experienced at forum and chatting in general. So, this is a huge step for me. Huge scary step. I feel like everyone is watching. But yea, as a person I'm very very proud and I don't like for others to know that I'm weak or that I didn't succeed in something. I like for people to think that everything comes naturally to me and that everything I do is a success so I hate for people to know that I fail. Anyways, lately, after having two babies, my body has gone to shit and I haven't been happy. My libido is suffering too as I don't feel sexy anymore... and no mater what I have done to lose weight I end up gaining 10lbs more. It's frustrating. And it's a severe ego blow. Nonetheless, I seem like I can't do it on my own and I need guidance. I'm very confused and lost. Right now my measurements are as follows: Bust 43 in, Waist 33 in, Hips 45 in. I'm 5'0" and I weight 178 lbs. My bmi says I'm obese. I have no idea what my fat percentage is and i just finished ordering a skin fold caliper. My goal is to get back to measurements and weight I was when my husband first met me, which was like 5 years ago. Bust 34 in, Waist 24 in, Hips 34in and 130 lbs.