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Some of you with particularly good memories might remember that I did a challenge with a very similar title last year. That's because the time has come again when I get to go to Download Festival. First and Foremost As you can see I have an awesome line-up to see in a couple of weeks, so I need your recommendations on who I should check out this year. All recommendations are more than welcome, and I will try and see as many of them as I can! Actual Challenge Stuff Plan For those of you who followed last time, I ran a format based on "actions per day", lovingly pinched from an NF blog article. Basically anything I do which is a positive self-care action - whether that's exercising, eating well, looking after my money, getting some sleep or taking care of my mind - earns me a point. I just aim for as many points as I can reasonably earn every day. Workouts Full workouts count for 5 actions because a.) they're something I particularly want to focus on and b.) they take a lot longer to complete than most other actions. Because of the way this challenge works there's no rigid structure to my main workouts, but there is a plan for these and for some other bits I want to focus on. No penalty for mixing it up or moving things round if I want though! The Plan: Stuff Wot I Can Do So although there's no limit to the different things I can do to earn points, I found it useful to have a cheat sheet of the kind of things that earned points to help get my numbers up. So we have: Morning Routine Evening Routine Stuff to Avoid Stuff I Can Do And that's it! I've been pretty bad at keeping up on here so I will make an effort to be better this go around. Aside from when I'm at Download (Thursday week 2 to Monday week 3) when I will be totally off the grid, earning no points and feeling no guilt about it!

And here you thought @shaar and the guy from the latest Mad Max movie were the end of it... They pretty much rock their way into battle, killing people with face-melting solos and ear-bleeding amplification I'm back with the Rangers again and -after what feels like way too long- Crossfit.h. If you've followed me recently, you'll remember that Monster Magnet analogy/epiphany from a couple of weeks back, which has led to the Noise Marines as theme for this challenge. I'm still not done saving enough to purchase TEW 2016 from last challenge, but since saving money worked as motivation, I'll keep updating that thread and use this one as an expanded/transitional challenge. This challenge also ends exactly on the date of the SRLF's birthday, meaning once I got my game, savings continue in order to present her with an appropriate birthday gift. POWER CHORDS Never knew how much I needed speakers on my boots until now 3 workouts per week is the bare minimum. Doing those earns me 1 Euro in savings. Any extra workout, race, competition etc earns me another one. WELCOME HOME (SANITARIUM), LICK IT UP See what I did there? Every day of Domestic Rangering earns me another 1 Euro in savings. Also, because quid pro quo works for my lazy butt, I will not allow myself any computer time (which sadly includes TEW) before I'm done with all of the Domestic Rangering. CHAOTIC FREESTYLE SOLO More than just random notes on a badass axe Former nutrition rules paid too much attention to the letterring and killed the spirit of the goal. Having some croutons in the salad won't kill me as bad as eating an entire cake (that's for Nurgle scum) so I'll earn 1 Euro in savings for every day of clean eating: no sugar, alcohol or processed carbs but giving myself some leeway when judging performance. BLOW YOUR SPEAKERS WITH ROCK AND ROLL We also invented dubsteb before it was mainstream This is the catch-all thingy for leftover goals. +1 in savings for every day of sticking to my Secret Goal and another one for every hour spend on working my dissertation (haven't had any luck with this one yet). DESTROY PUNK ORK Everyone knows Orks suck at music. So will I if I eat or smoke like an Ork. -1 for every day of orky eating, -1 per cigarette smoked. Shortlist +1 for the baseline of 3 workouts/week +1 for every extra workout/race/competition +1 for every day of Domestic Rangering +1 for every day of acceptable nutrition +1 for every day of hitting my Secret Goal +1 for every hour spent on my dissertation -1 for every day of eating like an Ork -1 for every cigarette smoked NEW CHALLENGE, GO!

-==Begin Log==- Quest Objectives: - Increase endurance and aesthetics of physical structure - Explore wasteland locations as needed - Experiment with creating enhanced nutrition using common sources - Retrieve rogue synths per Institute instructions - Ask out that hot Assaultron in Goodneighbor (hiking, food, gym, and probably a lot of workout playlists)

So I'm finally posting my new challenge! I've already started today, but finishing the last one yesterday buggered up the preparation side somewhat. So without further ado.... Why have one festival themed challenge when you can have two? At the end of week 1 I'm off to Ramblin' Man Fair: Not a camping weekend this time, just two day tickets, so shouldn't be quite such a pause in my goals for this. I love a bit of classic rock and prog, so this should be a great weekend out with my Dad. To Goals! The Final Countdown - 25XP What? Finally counting down my smoking, to be virtually smoke free by the time the next challenge rolls around. Why? I'm sick of not being able to keep up with people, be it walking, swimming or manual work, because I've spent the past 11 years deliberately destroying my lung capacity. I'm also training for an OCR at the start of October, and running training and smoking do not mix. How? Follow these rules: No smoking at work At last challenge, no smoking at home, at the gym (or climbing gym) or in the car Count how many cigarettes I have and track on here This should mean that I have several completely smoke free days throughout the month, and only really smoke socially. I have however set the XP really high as I'm expecting to fail a fair bit whilst I adjust. Still of the Night - 10XP What? Get to bed at a sensible time, and get up at a sensible time too Why? Because I need sleep to recover from workouts and get stronger, not to mention to keep me sane and awake at work. And I hate sleeping in and rushing or feeling like I've wasted half a day. How? Every night I will be in bed by 11pm, or within 1 hour of getting home, whichever later. No more "up to bed at..." though, must be in bed, lights off, by that time. Workday mornings I will be out of bed by 7am. Punishment: I will do 1 burpee for every 5 minutes late I get to bed, 1 burpee for every 5 minutes late getting up, 5 burpees for every time I hit snooze and 20 burpees if I turn my alarm off and go back to sleep. Seen this work for a couple of people, so hopefully it'll work for me too. Runnin' Wild - 15XP I forgot Lemmy drives the truck in that video... What? Get in some running training in preparation for the OCR. Why? In preparation for the OCR, I just told you! It's 14km, I want to make sure I complete it, and hopefully complete it without too much injury. And the futhest I've run in one go is 5 miles, so definitely going to need a lot of training. How? Stick to the Runkeeper plan I'm currently working on - usually means running 4 times per week on days beginning with T and S. Blind Man - 5XP What? Track weight and body fat % weekly. Why? I'm not currently calorie/diet tracking, or sticking to any sort of plan. I'm just trying to eat sensibly intuitively. So if I'm not tracking what's going in, I at least need to keep an eye on the result, otherwise I'm blind to it (see, the song totally fits). How? Sunday nights, before bed, weigh self and then measure self and input into this handy spreadsheet. (Not my work, all credit to @Geek On Fire for making this). Killer on the Loose - 10XP What? Keep up strength training the the gym and bouldering. Why? Because I want a level of functional strength that I'm never held back from enjoying myself by my body. Plus the aforementioned OCR, the bouldering particularly will help with that. And because it's fun. And of course to look good naked . How? 2 sessions minimum in the gym or bouldering per week. Bonus: +5XP for 12 sessions in the challenge. A Better Man - 15XP What? Sort myself out to sort my house out (or vice versa?). Why? Because tidy house tidy mind, and also it would be nice to be able to have friends round without worrying about the state of the place. And hopefully if I keep on top of the simple things it will make my life easier. How? Do the following every week: Clean kitchen or clean bathroom Hoover either downstairs or upstairs At least 20 minutes tidying a room Run a load of washing at the weekend, and put out to dry Prep breakfasts on a Sunday (preferably for the whole week) Housekeeping: I expect to find some loopholes in my challenges as I work through - I will enjoy them for the week and then all known loopholes to be closed on Mondays. Expect profanity, long rambling stories and a lot of Pokémon GO! in this thread. Please feel free to join in with any of these. All units may be in metric or imperial, SI or non-SI, Gregorian, Julian or Aramaeic, Lunar, Solar or Nebular, or just plain made up. So that's pretty much all from me, lets rock on with this one!

So, last challenge was ok but kind of fizzled out towards the end. But that's fine because I'm taking a two week break as I'm off here at the weekend: Download is the biggest rock and music festival in the UK (and occasionally the biggest music festival in the UK), and it's going to be awesome. This will be my 9th consecutive year, and I just cannot wait to get there. Whilst this is the most awesome, and strangely relaxing weekend of my year, it's definitely not the most healthy. Much much beer will be consumed, very little sleep due to a combination of that beer and the sound of 100,000 partying (and wanting to party with them), whatever food is closest to hand and many many miles of trudging through mud. All in all I'm going to need a few days to recover when I get back, so I'm starting this challenge on 20/06/16, running it for four weeks, and then I'll go straight into the next challenge without a rest to get back in line with everyone. So, on to my METAL goals: Down with the Sickness - 15XP What? As with my last challenge I'm cutting back on smoking, with the intention of quitting over the next couple of challenges. Why? Because I'm starting to notice it hampering my fitness. I exercise more or less every day, I'm pretty lean, but I still get out of breath a lot quicker than my non-smoker friends. Particularly I want to be able to improve my swimming times and not get so puffed out when hiking. How? Follow these rules: I do not smoke in my car I do not smoke at home I do not smoke at the gym Maximum 8 cigarettes per day, any day. This is designed to allow me the occasional cigarette break at work, and the occasional one when out drinking, but to break the habits of smoking when I'm bored or hungry. Until It Sleeps - 10XP What? Get better/longer nights sleep. Why? My body needs sleep to recover from workouts, my mind needs sleep to recover from life, and I found that this was getting easier and I was getting up to swim more last challenge out of this. How? In bed every night by 11pm or within 1 hour of getting home, whichever later. Iron Man - 10XP What? Keep going to the gym to become strong like iron man. Why? Because I want to be strong enough that I never have to turn down an activity I want to do, or be unable to help my friends. Also I'm discovering some new muscles I didn't know I had, and it looks awesome. How? Go to the gym minimum 2x per week, sticking to my current plan. Bonus: 12 gyms visits throughout the challenge - bonus 5XP (providing main goal is hit) The River - 15XP What? Swim in the mornings before work Why? Because I want to hit some new PRs. And it wakes me up in the morning. And it makes me feel fitter in general. And it makes my shoulders look awesome How? Swim at least 3 days per week (expected to be mornings before work, but can be any time). Rewards: New prescription goggles. Bonus: +3 XP for any week where I swim 5 times (cumulative) (providing main goal is hit). Kuss Mich - 10XP Can't find a video for this. It's a Rammstein track anyway. What? Keep brushing my teeth like an adult. Why? Because otherwise they'll all fall out. And at 27 years old it's ridiculous that this even needs to be a goal. How? Brush my teeth at least twice per day, at least once with sonic brush. Floss at least once each day. Wasted Years - 10XP What? Make some time for myself to do stuff I really enjoy. Why? I seem to spend a lot of my spare time watching re-runs of old TV shows on the sofa, rather than making the effort to spend that time on something new or more interesting. I'm actually too lazy to enjoy myself at home! I also burned out a bit last challenge, so want some along time where I feel like I'm really recharging. How? At least 1 hour per week doing something alone that I actually enjoy. Could be playing computer games, watching a new show, reading etc. I Can Only Count to 4 - 15XP What? Do at least 4 adult tasks every weekend. Why? Tidy house, tidy mind. I feel better in a nicer environment. Also, these things need to be done anyway, and procrastination does not help. How? Pick any 4 things to do. Sample list in spoiler (though if something else comes up I can do that). A little housekeeping: It's hard to crowbar in songs to fit these goals, so I'm open to suggestions if you can think of better ones Challenge runs 20/06/16 - 17/07/16 as mentioned above Units may be in Metric or Imperial depending on the the phase of the moon, my waistline and your shoe size Volume will never be in US Imperial, because I don't understand why your pints are smaller than ours Song recommendations and devil horns in replies are strongly encouraged

Welcome everyone If you followed my previous challenges, this is going to be familiar, but for everyone else here's a brief introduction: I'm 25 from the UK, and I specialize in gymnastics, weightlifting and bodyweight skills of various styles (video: summer training sampler). I'm also a software engineer, mental calculation competitor and amateur composer. I put way too much chili sauce on everything. Mmm Because my topic titles are clearly now just calendar-related puns, here's an infographic depicting a variation of the March of Progress that I do not want in my life, and I'll get right on with my challenge: Goal #1: the list: yep, I'm having another list of goals and workouts, because this format seems to work well for me . I'm hoping the weather will soon improve so I can so more outside as I was slacking during February. +0.25 for each, maximum of +6.00: weightlifting (double points!) bodyweight (10 exercises) jumping training (6 exercises) <-- something I need to focus on for gymnastics bouldering 1-arm push-up, handstand or bar muscle-up training session <-- summer 2016 goals! gymnastics class And bonus items - mostly stolen from my previous challenges - are: cartwheels: learn decent cartwheels on each side round-off: learn this gymnastics move front handspring: do this consistently on floor front flip: land this safely on floor front flip: bonus points for landing it on floor handstand walk: do a full 360-degree rotation in a handstand without immediately falling over handstand: 10 second static handstand bar muscle-up: I'm working towards it! back squat: 105kg (PR) change phone contract: I should be able to move to a cheaper one and I've procrastinated this for 2 months... create piano cover: of the death metal piece "Lost Reality" by Mercenary. It's the heaviest song that I actually like, even though it starts with some aggressive vocals. In fact, that's one of my reasons for wanting to make this piano cover - I wanted to find a way to provide an equivalent effect with a piano (whilst hopefully making it pleasant to listen to). I've finished working out roughly how to play this on the piano, but I need to tidy a lot of details and create the sheet music. create piano cover: bonus point for making a piano recording of this. Done - here's the video new sport: try some new activity - yep, did roller-blading new sport: try another new activity No goals this time for mental calculation since I'm taking a short break from that - last challenge I got to where I wanted to be for now Goal #2: pull-ups: I've neglected these over recent months, and while last Summer I could do them weighted with 30kg, now I find sets of 5 bodyweight ones a struggle... So for this challenge, I want to do 3 sessions of pull-ups each week. Minimum is: 20 pull-ups each set must be 5 or more reps These can be parts of workouts I'm already doing - just extra motivation to get out and train +0.25 STR per week Goal #3: rest properly: Laptop off by 01:00 every day. I did this last 2 challenges, and I had much more energy and was happier and more successful as a result. It means I'll get about 8 hours of sleep but won't have rush around brush teeth etc. just before sleeping! Scoring: for each week: 7 days with laptop off by 0100: +0.25 CON two "cheat" days are allowed anytime during the 4 weeks I'll start this at 2015-02-29 01:00:00 for 28 nights. Goal #4: eat clean: recently I've been eating like a moron, and now my body expects 50g of sugar during the afternoon Furthermore, lots of my energy is coming from poor-quality sources like chocolate bars. It's not good for my body... I get sugar dips now and my face feels fatter because that's where I carry extra fat, and my skin quality has deteriorated. Anyway, in March I shall have a cleaner diet and I'll get back to how I've been for most of the past 3 years I shall use the following rules: no soda or chocolate bars from the vending machine at work at most one dessert or pastry per day (usually I have 2-3) drink before eating if dehydrated Every week I get the following points: broke rules 2 times or fewer: +0.50 CON broke rules 4 times or fewer: +0.25 CON Good luck everyone!

The beginning part sounds a lot like Frog's Theme from Chrono Trigger. Later there is a very Zelda-ish riff. It's not a remix, it's original. One of my epic quests is to play a packed concert and MAGfest. I haven't decided what kind of show I would do though. Music like this? A remix concert? I don't know. Do you guys partake in game music, remixes, or MAGfest?

G'day! A West-Aussie here, and massive metal-head (I endeavour to name each of my challenges after a metal band) and most certainly a nerd. I recently finished my Bachelor of Games Design and am looking forward to paving a career in video game development. I do love my movies (every sort) and my books (I will admit I haven't and don't read alot, but it is one of the things that I really wish I did) and table-top gaming is a big favourite of mine. I have lost about 20kg(~45lbs) over the last year, and am ultimately looking to lose that amount again over the next year, which is certainly negotiable as I would like to put some more muscle on, which would offset some of that weight. I discovered this wonderful community a couple of years ago, thanks to my sister Rachy87. Last year I was rather absent from the community, but I still pushed myself ahead and lost that 20kg. This year I want to be more involved, more focused and go that extra distance. At the age of 25 now, I have weight to lose and muscle to gain. These are my current goals and aim at getting my health in check. Later down the road I will look to strength, speed and aesthetic goals, but health is more important at the moment. I am still in Act I right now! Current Stats: H: 182cm (6"0') W: 90kg (200lbs) (I always do my best to include conversions, because I know that there are many fellow Rebels that are used to different units, but always keep in mind that these are rough conversions I do mentally) I bought a FitBit last year, and it's tracking certainly held me accountable for what I was doing, and as a gamer I was determined to keep getting better and earning those badges! I will incorporate my FitBit and it's tracking into my goals where appropriate and possible. Right now I have back issues, this is related to my pelvis tilt/spine curvature, and am fixing this with regular visits to the physio. I have mostly sorted this now, but I am still in pain everyday. The reason I mention this is because it will effect my goals and how I go about achieving them. Health is the priority, so goals will be down-tuned as necessitated. Main Quest: A Funeral Mist It feels as though years ago I cast off on a journey to escape Sodom, pass through the badlands and descend into the caverns of hell and further onwards to the cesspools of the deepest corners of Hell. A hard earned and tiresome journey it felt. And yet it was just my mind casting off and dreaming about it. As of late I have been doing some real travelling, been truly trying hard and have been looking to escape these walls. A funeral mist now lays upon those thoughts of escape, as I now realise the true journey ahead of me. My mind reborn into the present, I seek to pave the way out of here, and truly pass over the badlands, this time not some fantasy or dream. My pained back being the most likely source of contention out of here, an injury too easily sustained in this madhouse we call Sodom. But still taking the reigns for myself and trying my hand at a better existence is a true testament to my will and conviction. I think back to those dreams of the caverns and what felt like a dragon's force pushing me forward, this is what keeps me going and looking for a way out of here. This place is mayhem and I seek to escape it soon. I just need to get my footing and I will be out of here... Main Quest Objective Alpha: A Brick in the Wall I must journey through this city and find any gap in the walls, any lapse in the guard, any possible way out of here. Something I can aim for to escape. I will walk up and down these walls until I find it. Walking is the main focus of this goal. Keeping my fitness up while my back is injured is hard, but walking is good for it, and it helped me lose 20kg already. I can't walk for long periods of time, but if I aim to lots of shorter periods each day I can get there. I feel it might become complicated trying to track this intricately as I need to start and stop walking and sitting so much at the moment. So I think aiming for a step count on the FitBit is appropriate here. A: 9,000+ Average steps a day over the challenge period - the recommendation is 10,000 but I don't want to be needlessly pushing myself if it will make my back worse B: 7,000-8,999 Average steps a day - 7k is my current daily goal for my fit bit, so if I get it to go off every day, I know I will get a B on this one for sure C: 5,000-6,999 Average steps a day D: 3,500-4,999 Average steps a day - my current daily average is just below 3.5k, and I consider a D a less than average grade, so I feel this suits for making at least a small improvement F: <3,500 Average steps a day - this means I am actively doing less than I am now, which is the opposite of progress! Main Quest Objective Beta: Not the Rack My back causes me great pain throughout the days of searching for a way out, but I quarrel not, for it is not as though I had to suffer the rack, like many that live here. Although part of me wonders if a short time on it might just fix the issue, without going too extreme of course. As has been, and will continue to be, said, my back is causing me problems at the moment, and caused stagnation in my weight loss and fitness gain. It is under control and I have plenty of exercises to help with the pain, and to also help the problem. I am rather particular about making sure I get them done, but I am still a bit lax, and with going for a job interview today, there is a greater chance of me being distracted from doing them. So I want to spend this time focusing on getting all the exercises done every day. A: Don't miss a single day for my exercises AND do at least 2x the reps for each exercise - doing extra reps has been encouraged, and I generally do try to at least twice as much, so I feel confident about this one B: Don't miss more than 1 day over the whole challenge C: Don't miss any days during 3 or more weeks of the challenge (i.e. if I miss a single day, once a week for 3 of the weeks, it will count as a C) D: At least one full week, and no more than a total of 7 days missed over the whole challenge F: Anything outside of the D requirements Main Quest Objective Gamma: The Oncoming Thirst If there is one thing I know of the badlands, especially from my dreams before the funeral mist of my dream-self, is that it is hot and dry, and little water can be found out there. I must stock up if I am to travel to the obsidian gates. Dying of dehydration is a real threat, and a feeble way to go when I am trying so hard to escape this place. I have been getting lax in my water consumption, and in this Aussie heat you really notice it. I need to get back to a proper daily routine of drinking water, I won't lie you do feel better when you keep your fluids up (and when they aren't sugary fluids!). A: Average of 2.5L a day over this challenge - it is January and this is WA and I am expecting to get back into a fitness routine... ...if anything this may even be a bit low, but I think it foolish to consume too much B: Average of 2.1L a day C: Average of 1.8L a day - not quite to daily recommended average of 8 glasses, but a massive improvement and undoubtedly a great benchmark D: Average of 1.5L a day F: 3 or more days with less than 0.5L of water - this can fail me from an A. The point of this quest is consistency and habit, not just drinking big to make up the average Life Quest Objective: Knowledge is Power, Talk is Cheap If I am ever to get out of this place I am going to need the eyes and ears of others. But I will also need to ensure I know who I can talk to and when I can talk to them. I need everyone's knowledge, and to get that, conspicuously or not, I must talk to them. The more I chat, the more I will learn, and the better my chance at making it out of here. The more I learn about outside will be important too. I need to know what is really out there, and how to overcome what I find. Confidence is something I have always struggled with, and the desire to entire a career such as game development, especially as an indie developer, means I need to network. To network I need to talk. So I think for this challenge this will be my life goal. Communication, especially with people I don't know, don't know well, or haven't communicated with in a long time. Even it is a small amount, or even an un-reciprocated attempt on my behalf, it is something and it will work towards my confidence and ability to network. A: Small talk with someone I normally wouldn't 4+ times a week, every week B: Small talk with someone I normally wouldn't on average 2+ times a week C: Small talk with someone I normally wouldn't on average once a week D: Small talk with someone I normally wouldn't at least twice over the whole challenge F: One person over the whole challenge might be one person that I choose because I know they won't engage or some other excuse, 2 or more (for a D) means I am at least trying Time to start the real journey! The last 4 chapters were just a dream, not comes the real deal. Thanks for reading, thanks for any replies you leave, and good luck to all of you taking on challenges yourself! Cheers, -Radact

And so begins my next challenge, The Path of the Barbarian! This is not only a way to get fit and stay fit, but a way to connect with the great outdoors, regardless of weather conditions. Because a Barbarian does not shrink from a little cold and a few snowflakes! I'll be drawing heavily on many barbarian-esque influences to flavor this challenge. This includes historical barbarians (Gauls and other Iron Age Celts, Germanic tribes, Vikings), as well as fantasy-inspired barbarians (Conan, D&D, etc). I will also top it off with plenty of folk/viking/pagan heavy metal! On to the challenge itself: Goal 1 - Barbarian Mobility: This is the primary focus of the challenge. A true Barbarian should be able to traverse all kinds of terrain, even while carrying a heavy load, even over snow and ice. I will be going for a 20-30 minute ruck (basically walking with weight on my back) 4 times per week. Location isn't really important. I should be able to adapt, whether it's a ruck through the woods or simply through the neighborhood. As winter starts to set in (as it undoubtedly will within the next month) and groomed ski trails become available, I will start substituting crossing country skiing (or XC skiing) for rucking. XC skiing has become a real passion of mine of the last couple of years. Either way, snow or not, I will get outside 4 times per week and put some miles/kilometers behind me.Goal 2 - Primal Awareness: To survive, a Barbarian needs to be in tune with what is happening around him. The goal here is simply to meditate every day, for at least 8 minutes, to keep improving mindfulness and awareness. In addition to meditation, I will also make a daily list of tasks/priorities to complete (in the morning or immediately after work), and make sure I get to bed no later than 11:00 PM. Also for this challenge, NO VIDEO GAMES! Video games are bad for me. After all, a Barbarian should have a strong sense of what his priorities are, and be well rested, in order to be effective and strong. Barbarians don't play video games anyway. Clumsy fingers. Goal 3 - Hold the Heathen Hammer High!: A Barbarian must be strong and able to wield his weapon! For this goal I will complete a sledgehammer workout 3 timers per week. Part of the inspiration for this goal comes from here. The rest comes from the likes of Thor and Wulfgar. I may at times replace or augment this workout with bodyweight exercises (pull-ups, push-ups, squats) and training with a nunchaku. Part of the reason for this is that as I write this, I don't actually possess a sledgehammer. I hope to obtain one by the end of the weekend. But if I don't, and have to order one (I want a very specific size), I want to at least be able to do something in the meantime. Conventional strength and endurance training through body weight exercises will fit the bill. As will some time spinning my nunchaku. I have developed quite an affinity with the nunchaku, as I have re-learned how to relax my muscles when using it. Many aches and pains, especially in my back, have subsided since I started the practice, so I expect that even once I get into the full swing of sledgehammer training (hah, nice pun), I plan to keep up training with the nunchaku.

Blacker than the blackest black, times infinity! Yup, you guessed it correctly, it's heavy metal's cartoon version of Spinal Tap... Quest 1: Nutrition - Eat according to the Zone diet. Cause that's, like, metal. - In all other cases, avoid extras by resorting to water instead. That includes avoiding as much coffee as possible, because there's not Duncan Hills around and all the other coffees are just not black enough. - Track all the food in my battle blog (Time, Quantity and Quality) instead of flooding this thread with boring details. Anyone interested can follow the daily link provided Quest 2: Workouts - Crossfit, at least 3 times per week. Because it's the most brutal way to work out. - On days not visiting the box, do a placeholder workout or an outdoor activity. Like, riding a Thunderhorse. Quest 3: Band Manager - Visit NF daily. Post daily on this thread and my Battle Log. Catch up with people's threads. - Follow at least one new recruit (preferably an aspiring Ranger) every week. - Post an educational or motivational article or video every day. Life Quest: Facepunch! The new job has been confirmed! It's on a subject I have no experience with and considering the level of things, I have to justify getting picked over a more experienced colleague by lots and lots of hard work to catch up with everything! This goal is hard to set in stone for the entire challenge, so it will be broken down into weekly mini-quests Week 1: Spend at least 2 hours a day reading stuff for the new job Done Week 2: Adapt to a new town and job Done Week 3: Make the short trip back home count Done Week 4: Whatever that was, Done Week 5: Lolwut? Done Weight when this thread was posted: 84.7 kg Weight on the official start day of the challenge: 82,5 kg Weight @ Apr 23: 80,1 kg before training, 79,4 kg after Weight @ May 4: 77,2 kg after training Weight @ May 11: 76,9 kg after training Weight @ May 18: 76.3 kg after training Weight @ May 22: 78.6 kg after training Weight @ May 25: 77.9 kg after training

Just did this for the first time in my life yesterday. Decided to make a video to commemorate it. That last one is pretty sloppy, but I'll take it!

Howdy! Big metalhead here (which is where I get the inspiration for my challenge titles from \m/ ), hailing from West-'straya I am currently studying games design and looking for a career in the video game industry. Having gone from an extremely active childhood, to an extremely chillaxed adulthood, it would be a lie if I didn't say I have some weight to lose. I carry most of it in my rum-belly, which as far as I know, is one of the unhealthiest ways to carry weight. I used to play footy (AFL) and spent a little bit of time in the gym focusing on general strength. Having reached the ripe age of 24 exactly one week ago, my focus is on getting my health back in check, rather than purely cosmetic goals. With a good 20 odd kilos to lose, this is really the prime focus for me. Drop the weight and get fit, as these are two very different things, and I understand that, but they are both important to be as healthy as possible. I would like to focus on my strength at the same time, as it is something I would like to get back, after years of pushing keys rather than weights. Current Stats: H: 6'00" W: 105kg BF: ~33% MAIN QUEST: RISE SON OF SODOM Chapter 4: Mayhem within the Trinity I know very little of the time I have spent here of late. Hellspawn overwhelmed me again, and left me here to rot. I still remember travelling from Sodom, through the outlands and battling my way down the tunnels into the outer cesspools of Hell. The large obsidian gates were a sight to see and that memory certainly has not faded from my mind. But the long string of battles and skirmishes I had as I descended those tunnels has blurred into one blurred, sprawling mess. I let the rabble of this shadowed halls get the best of me, but I have pulled a second wind and must dust myself off, find some food, something to drink, a way to traverse this unlit tunnels and ultimately reach those cesspools. My journey was staggered and pulled to a halt, but it has not come to an end. Their voices linger against these barren walls, and their stories lay locked within the brimstone itself. From what I have gathered there is a trio of Hellspawn rabble that call themselves the Trinity. They keep the weaker beasts of these tunnels in line. It sounds as though they control them with an iron fist and an image of strength, inciting fear within those scattered out here. However there is another story that seems to line these walls. It sounds as though the three of them have gotten into squabbles over who should look after what artifacts, loot, food and who gets first go at unsuspecting wanderers of this place. These stories are old and newer stories seem to layer on slower and slower. When they do they tell a tale of increased decay and hate between the Trinity, and although they still reign over this place, some of the other rabble are whispering rumours of a desire to try and over-throw them. I see no need to get involved with the politics of the bottom feeders, but maybe taking out the trio will give me a better chance at escaping this place and reaching those outer cesspools. Maps, artifacts, tools and less resistance would all be beneficial to me now, weak and on the back foot. I fell off the trail with the last challenge and I didn't participate in 3 challenges since then (I think it was 3...). I do want to change my lifestyle and get my health in check. I want to continue to be involved in the NF community. I apologise for my absence from NF, and I hope to get back into the rhythm of things again with this challenge. I have really put myself on the back foot since I stopped my participation with the NF community and I am looking forward to getting back on the road to a healthier future. I haven't been focusing on or maintaining my fitness, so this challenge I will go back to basics and really try to get into real, hard-set habits. Food and water consumption, cardio workouts, weights workouts and trying to reduce my weight will be the main focus here and now. The reason behind including the word trinity in the title for this quest is because I want to focus on setting up the foundations to getting healthy and maintaining habits, and I want to represent this by being successful and even just partaking in 3 consecutive 6 week challenges and building them on top of one another. A want to focus on a more long term attempt, and I think 3 is a good number to do this. MAIN QUEST OBJECTIVE KAPPA: FEAST ON THE CADAVERS OF THE WEAK I am weak, disoriented and running off the back foot. I need to eat and drink, and the only way to do that in these desolate halls of barren brimstone is kill the Hellspawn and to feed off them. Their blood will restore the power I have lost over these passed... However long it has been. I must find and defeat at least a couple of these rabble in order to restore myself to health and carry on with my journey. If I am to take on any of the Trinity, I will need my strength and power at full force. Watching what I eat and drink is, I think, one of the most integral things in getting healthy. I have been good ever since I first started here on NF, and have almost completely foregone with the large consumption of energy drinks I once used to consume. However I could wrangle in my consumption a bit more. Food is the most important aspect here, and it is definitely something I could improve on. I don't frequently eat excessive amounts of food, or unnecessarily unhealthy foods, but I do every now and again, and if I can get this in line I should be able to make things easier in the losing of weight department. I also feel that observing, monitoring and reflecting on everything I intake is good way to understand myself, my body, my habits and my health. -Every day I will give myself a grade out of 5 for how healthy and appropriately portioned the meals are that I have. -Every day I will give myself a grade out of 5 for how much water I have consumed, offset by any unhealthy beverages I have during the day -Every week I will give myself a grade out of 15 for how appropriately timed my meals were. This is to do with the fact that I often (97-99% of the time) skip breakfast altogether and/or sometimes have a late lunch. This gives me a score out of 500 (510 to be exact), which is a good way to gauge, monitor and reflect on how I am eating and drinking every day. A: 425+ (4.2/5 every day for both water and meals and 12.0/15 every week for meal timing as a minimum to get this grade) B: 385+ C: 350+ (3.4/5 every day and 10.8 weekly as a minimum) D: 290+ F: <290 (2.8/5 every day and 9.2 weekly or less is a fail) Water Scoring: 1.0L = 0; 2.0L = 5; :. Every 1/5 is equal to 200ml over 1 litre. Probably the simplest scoring for my water intake I have done so far, and I like it Soft drinks will deduct from my score of water by 50% of the amount I consume, i.e. a 375ml can of coke would reduce that days score by ~200ml. This is because I personally feel that these sorts of drinks are quite dehydrating and I should have a least 1 glass of water just to counteract them. Energy drinks will deduct at a rate of 100%. So a 500ml can would reduce the daily score by 500ml, as the caffeine in this is much more dehydrating. Alcoholic beverages will be the same as energy drinks. I don't have a lot of these beverages so it isn't going to be a hard thing to monitor and score and everything like that. I have gotten into the habit when I am at gigs, where I have 2 rums then 2 waters, 2 rums then 2 waters, etc etc, throughout the night. So, as long as I stay with that (which I should now, it is a habit I have been building for probably a year now), I can just disregard the alcohol and water from any gig night. This may sound like it will complicate things, but as I said, softies and energy drinks aren't things that I have often, and given that I will just ignore what I drink at gigs, there will be very little adjustments I will have to make along the way. MAIN QUEST OBJECTIVE LAMBDA: RACING THE SHADOWS These tunnels are blacker than I remember. Being disoriented certainly doesn't help either. The blast of fire through the tunnels cast strange shadows and create illusions on every turn. The stories that have filtered into these walls can only lead me so far, and describe where I might find one of the trinity, however to get out of here and bridge the gaps I will have to follow the light of the burning wreaths and race the shadows that follow them. Cardio. It is important and I don't partake in this sort of exercise anywhere near enough. I am about to go back to uni, however I maybe changing to a different campus soon, so I have to develop habits outside of the walks I would take to and from the train station. My previous challenge saw me try and get out and go jogging. Ultimately I didn't, and so I think I will try and really focus on this one again, but with a bit more emphasis. This is all an effort to focus on health, not about how I feel about jogging. A: 3+ hours of jogging AND 6+ hours of walking AND 1+ hours of other cardio exercising (e.g. exercise bike) AND 2+ dedicated exercises every week B: 2+ hours of jogging AND 4.75+ hours of walking AND 30+ minutes of other cardio exercising AND at least 1 dedicated exercise every week C: 1+ minutes of jogging AND 3.25+ hours of walking AND 10+ minutes of other cardio exercising every week D: 15+ minutes of jogging AND 2+ hours of walking every week F: Anything less than D. Any workouts that I do with Nim or Rachy will boost my grade up for that week. The aim is to drop down the grades as I fail rather than build them up and cut them off the second I fail. I feel that that would be conducive to a less motivating environment and restrict overall success. MAIN QUEST OBJECTIVE MU: MINI-BOSS BATTLE 1: FIGHT THE FIRST OF THE TRINITY If I am to escape these wretched tunnels I must find the Trinity, defeat them and use whatever benefits I can get from doing so to get out of here. Those outer cesspools are within reach, but I need the strength to get out of here. Fighting and defeating the first of the Trinity will take all my strength, hopefully I have enough, but it will also allow me to build it up too. This is going to be one tough battle. Strength is something that will help me on my way to get healthy, and I want to build it up again anyway. I feel that if I can get into a routine with both cardio and weight exercies then I can form a synergy and help myself out in that respect. A: 9+ weights workouts every fortnight (+/- 1) B: 7+ weights workouts every fortnight (+/- 1) C: 6+ weights workouts every fortnight (+/- 2) D: 4+ weights workouts every fortnight (+/- 2) F: Failing a D once and gaining a D once or worse. Much like the cardio, this will be a matter of downgrading my grades for each fortnight I don't do as well, rather than cutting off all better grades as a result of an early failure, which won't motivate me to get out there and push harder. LIFE QUEST OBJECTIVE: SHED THE NEEDLESS DEBRIS Ancient halls of brimstone and blackened stone decays and crumbles over time. The debris litters the ground in the tunnels down here and slowly the dust lifts and falls on me, as I rub against a wall it crumbles a little bit on to me and it ultimately collects up a decent amount of mass. This added baggage drags me down and makes progression slower. I need to clean my self, dust away the debris, traverse more efficiently and try and reduce the weight I am carrying around with me. I want to keep this challenge simple and I want to focus on trying to lose weight. So this life quest is about a personal health milestone. For a few months now I have been hovering around 104-106kgs while I have sort of trying to watch what I consume. Which is a decrease since I started here on NF (109 was where I was at the start). So my goal here is to get out of the triple digits and into the doubles. Realistic and healthy weight loss is considered to be between about 0.5 and 1.5 kilos a week. So 6 weeks at 5 kilos means about 0.85kgs a week, which is within that range. So I think it is doable! The challenges are all about having a go, so I shall! A: <99kgs B: <=100kgs C: <101.5 kgs D: <103.5 kgs F: 103.5+ kgs Reasonable, possible and a good foundation, let's hope I can do it! Thank you so much for taking the time and reading this, it means that you are supporting me and it really means alot, thankyou

G'day! A West Aussie that is a massive metalhead (which is where alot of my challenge titles will most likely be derived from \m/ ), currently studying as Game Design looking into the future for a career in the Indie Games industry. I have a good chunk of weight to lose to be healthy, and almost all my excess weight is on my stomach, quite a specimen of a beer gut actually (albeit mostly a result of rum), which I understand is more unhealthy than the weight itself. At the age of 23 I now have weight to lose and muscle to gain, this is my goal and is there purely to get my health in check, rather than to look good and achieve strength goals, however I know I will have these goals later, but that is just ACT II, no need to focus on that yet! Current Stats: H: 6'00" W: 108kg BF: 31% MAIN QUEST: RISE SON OF SODOM Chapter 3: Only a Dragon's Force to Get Through Hell Having travelled from Sodom to the Gates of Hell, my journey has been perilous and enchanting. I have gathered much strength, vitality and power. However as I descended into the tunnels on the outer reaches of Hell, battling an array of Hellspawn, one of the pesky blighters caught me off guard, smashing me into the blood warm brimstone at my feet. Being dazed and confused in the darkness was perilous in itself, and all the attempts I made in deciphering the Necronomicon and to remove rot allowed the defiling Hellspawn to swarm at me. Battling for a long while I finally gathered composure and footing, fighting the last of the stragglers, only to find the bottom of the first set of tunnels. I still have a long way to go to reach the outer cesspits of Hell itself, and I still have more to learn about myself, I have strength and power to gain yet, and only perseverance and commitment will get me there. I must fight more Hellspawn, drink their blood, eat their flesh, getting stronger and more powerful. There are still the wreaths of flame to contend with yet, as I made very little progress of late, so my stamina and speed will be surely tested here too. I still want to develop new, better habits, and to break the old and not so good ones. I want to get fit and healthy and work towards a fresher and happier lifestyle. The last challenge was a flop as I didn't put enough effort in, and so I really want to pick up on my dedication and push harder this time around. I would like to maintain the goals I set in challenge 1 and hopefully bring to light some of the ones from challenge 2. Effectively this will a combination of the 2 in an attempt to get back on track and into rhythm. Last challenge I aimed for more difficult goals, and I was unable to determine whether I could take them on or not because I simply dropped off all together. This time I will set goals with all of this in mind and see where I can go. I would like to stress that this will be similar to the previous 2 challenges as I have to get back on track and into a proper rhythm before tackling anything new. MAIN QUEST ETA: RIP THE FLESH FROM THEIR BONES Throughout my journey I have drank the blood and ate the flesh of those I have slain, and it has increased my power and sated my thirst. I must maintain this consumption in order to proceed and gain the strength I need to take on the beasts of the Underworld. I must take nourishment from all of the Hellspawn I slay by drinking their blood as it spills and ripping their flesh from the bone. I must feast like I am in a great hall, to feel the power of a throne, to mentally propel me through these dark corridors. Water has been a significant part of my first 2 challenges, because it is an important thing, and I simply do not consume enough of it, let alone being in the habit of drinking it. Summer is coming here in the land of Oz and already the days are constantly in the mid-30s (between 90 and 100 F) and it is only November (February is generally our hottest month), and so I think it imperative I get into drinking water as much as possible. Like in challenge 2 I will also be rating my eating habits. I still don't want to get into calorie counting and diets and all of that, I want to remain casual with my consumption habits. So instead I will grade my ability to watch my portion size, the healthiness of what I eat and the appropriateness of when I consume it (in my first few years of uni I would only have 1 meal a day and I wouldn't even snack on anything), now I eat maybe 2 meals a day - lunch and dinner - and lunch is sometimes late, so I want to get a bit more sorted with that, and I also want to grade my snacking as well. X: 2.40L average per day, 50/60 food score at the end (~8.5 food score per week average). A: 2.25L average per day, 45/60 food score at the end (~7.5 food score per week average). B: 2.10L average per day, 40/60 food score at the end C: 2.00L average per day, 35/60 food score at the end D: 1.80L average per day, 30/60 food score at the end (~5 food score per week average). F: <1.8L average per day, <30 food score at the end Both conditions must me met to achieve a grading.Water consumption will be effected by the calculated standard deviation, and is based on the average weekly score, and the standard deviation will simply be the average sd as well.If a standard deviation of less than 0.35 would allow me to get a higher grade it will.If the standard deviation is greater than 0.7 it will automatically drop the grade down by 1 level.Food score is worked out at the end of each week.I will grade my self every day for food portions (out of 10), healthiness and appropriateness of the days diet (out of 10) and my snacking habits for the day (also out of 10).This score will be scaled down to a weekly out of 10 score.Although it may not look it, this is a super simple record and organisation of my consumption habits, both water and food.[Edit] Standard deviations loosened slightly, it has been advised that water intake shouldn't be so constantly high, even in summer, so rather than lower the whole score table, the ability to sway on days is now more acceptable. MAIN QUEST THETA: THE LAVA DASH These halls I wander in search for the outer cesspools of Hell are rumoured to be flushed with wreaths of flame, to obliterate the Hellspawn that try to escape this place. This are fast and constant blasts of intense Hellfire and will singe my very soul to dust. I must race these flames if ever I am caught out by them, but they are quick and will follow me for a good amount of time. This will serve as a grand training of my stamina, endurance and ability to run and sprint as needed. For to traverse the River Styx I still need to boost my running ability. I really want to focus on my cardio more, and the last challenge featured a combination of both cardio and weights, and I don't think for this early developmental stage that this is a good option. So I am splitting them out again. Last challenge I wanted to focus on jogging more than walking, as I am quite shy about going out and jogging, and so I want to try and push my self to go and do it. X: 225 points A: 200 points B: 180 points C: 160 points D: 135 points F: <135 points I do look the points system because it allows me to work my sessions around whenever I can do them, and setting a time limit per time period doesn't really promote going that extra distance.For every half hour of walking I get 1 point. Simple as that.For every 20 minutes of jogging I get 3 points.Going to a gig is a bonus 5 points, and if I spend at least an hour-hour and a half moshing/milling I will extend that to 10 points. \m/[Edit] For every 15 minutes on bike I get 2 points, I forgot that we had an exercise bike at home, so I may as well utilise it! Scores slightly increased to account for the addition. MAIN QUEST IOTA: WIELDING AN OLD DEMONIC KHOPESH I recently stumbled across an old rusty khopesh when stumbling through these dark tunnels. It is massive, and most likely was once wielded by a demon, whose brutish strength and gargantuan size would have required it to be so encumbering. This is a very large, very heavy piece of rusted metal and it is quite the challenged to wield and swing. I feel that I should use it to fight some of the weaker Hellspawn, for wailing this large khopesh will really give me muscles a work out, and hopefully train me to take on some of the lesser demons in the outer reaches of Hell. X: 45 points A: 42 points B: 36 points C: 30 points D: 25 points F: <25 points I wanted to focus on getting into a routine for my weights workouts, and focus on doing 4 sessions a week.The points will be determined by conducting weights sessions.2 points for full workouts and 1 points for quick workouts.Only a maximum of 5 workouts per week, to force myself to rest properly.[Edit] 2 points for group workouts (or equivalent solo workout), to try and encourage us to get back into them, or at least to get more exercise in for me. LIFE QUEST OBJECTIVE: THE POWER WITHIN As I journey through these corridors the only thing around me is often only me. Throughout my journey so far I have fought to increase my power, learned things about myself and strived to push myself. If I am to take on the likes of strong Hellspawn, lesser demons and other abominations in the outer cesspools of Hell, let alone as a travel the the heart of Hell itself, I must find more power within myself and draw on it and grow it to monstrous strengths. Only by working on understanding myself, pushing myself and getting myself to do more than I am comfortable doing, can I draw out the true raw power of my being in order to rip apart my foes. I must nurture and develop my inner strength and this time in solitude is the time to do it. So far in my NF journey I have learned more about myself, and got myself in the habit of setting goals, something I have always strived in my life to not do, for the sake that "without goals, you cannot fail" and because cbf. Motivation is also one thing that NF has provoked in me, as I have general be lacking of it for as long as I can remember. So this quest is focused on pushing myself to go harder and do things that I know I should, but often don't because I don't feel like it and am happy to push it back to a later date. Getting into the indie games industry means that I will have to set deadlines myself, and so I need to get into a habit of motivating myself. So in order to do this, as an initial step to push myself and to get a basis for my level of self motivation, this challenge will focus on over-achieving on my 3 core goals. This also focuses on a secondary purpose, to do even better in the areas I defined in my 3 goals - motivatception So for those wondering the X grade on the above challenges are the stretch goals that will feed into this quest. A: XXX - All 3 quests obliterated B: XXB - 2 quests with exceeding success, however the other challenge cannot be less than a B C: X-C - At least 1 quest exceeded, the other 2 cannot be less than a C grade F: No exceeded quests or an F or D grade acquired from any quest. Well with these quests it may not seem like a lot, and that I am just re-doing the first 2 challenges, but I feel that they will reinforce habits and build a great foundation to then develop up from. Also I think that if this challenge goes well enough I will take the next challenge as a part of the Monk guild finally, which is something to aim for, it will depend though, as I may feel that the next set of quests and goals are more adventurer base, but I think it is still a good thing to think about. So here we go! [Edited 25/11/13 due to more options for focus during the challenge, allowing them to be (hopefully) slightly easier, but requiring more effort and input still]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUNiazZ5fj4 As the cold winds blow and winter's chill fills the air, strength, endurance and courage are needed to survive the harsh conditions of the north. Only through diligent training can one ensure survival through to another summer... This challenge we're doing something a little different. For one, I'm starting a new workout routine - Stronglifts 5x5 - as well as looking to focus more on life changes rather than fitness ones. Simplification is key here. Simplification and minimalism. Main Quest: Drop to 6% BF, 32" waist. I was working towards reaching this before this challenge, and came damn close, but not quite. So it continues to be my main quest, with a slight upgrade. I fit into size 32 pants (measuring tape still says 34" though), but I'm looking to get muscle definition in my abs, so that's the update, right there. Six pack, or whatever... In order to hit this goal I am driving forward with several sub goals, which will be worked into this challenge. Run a mile in under 7 minutes. Steadily increase my Squat, Deadlift and Pull Ups in weight and number. Do Salmon Ladder Pull-Ups. Because... seriously. So where are we going this challenge? Let's see... Quest 1: Be strong like the bear... [str] I started Stronglifts 5x5 last week, so technically I'm going into week two. The goal here is to get in three workouts a week through the entire challenge. Simple enough. However, in order to successfully make it through, I also need to have the weight increases expected through Stronglifts, which is 5 lb per lift per workout, and 10 lb each workout for Deadlifts. Do able. Quest 2: Be like a leaf on the wind... [Dex] I have been neglecting my stretching and yoga post-workout, doing only 5 minutes or even none on occasion. So this challenge, I need to do 10 minutes of yoga/stretching every day - in the morning on non-strength training days and after my workout on the others. I have a routine I go through 4 times, so this should be easy, I just need to stick to it. Quest 3: Be still like the pool... [Wis] Another thing I've been neglecting is my mental state. While I am happier and healthier than I've been in years, I still have been avoiding meditation and other mindful activities that used to bring my joy. So for this challenge I propose that I meditate once a week, and write in a journal twice a week. That is all. If this quest is successful I may increase the frequency in the future. Life Quest: Simplify, minimize [Wis] My quest to get rid of extraneous belongings and empty my house of boxes continues from last challenge. I was highly successful but there is more to do! So this continues, with the goal being get rid of at least one box a week. However, in addition to boxes I have begun examining my video game collection critically. I own a significantly higher number of games that I have never played that ones I have. so for this challenge I will attempt to play through several of them. I'm in the process of playing Castlevania: Lords of Shadow on xbox, F.E.A.R. on PC and Super Mario 3D World on Wii U. I plan to beat all of these games, and start Dishonored on 360 and F.E.A.R. 2 on PC before the end of the challenge. Fitness Quest: Trudge ever onward [Con] As winter has arrived, travel becomes harder, harsher and more inconvenient. This never stops a Ranger though. I need to continue walking and moving around outside, completing 50 mile of walking before the end of the challenge, as well as some running and other efforts. So those are the goals for this challenge. Hopefully, they will make me healthier, happier and wiser. Let's start 2014 on the right foot.

G'day! A West Aussie that is a massive metalhead (which is where alot of my challenge titles will most likely be derived from \m/ ), currently studying as Game Design looking into the future for a career in the Indie Games industry. I have a good chunk of weight to lose to be healthy, and almost all my excess weight is on my stomach, quite a specimen of a beer gut actually (albeit mostly a result of rum), which I understand is more unhealthy than the weight itself. At the age of 23 I now have weight to lose and muscle to gain, this is my goal and is there purely to get my health in check, rather than to look good and achieve strength goals, however I know I will have these goals later, but that is just ACT II, no need to focus on that yet! Current Stats: H: 6'00" W: 107kg (2 less than I started my first challenge) BF: 31.5% MAIN QUEST: RISE SON OF SODOM Chapter 2: A Testament ov Fire, Descend to Hell I have recently travelled from the cesspool that is Sodom, escaping the shadowy, violent streets, into the outlands, ragged plains of dirt, sand and rock. I have duelled many an Outlander, and fled many more. I have escaped my shackling cell of that decrepit place, and have journeyed unto the looming obsidian gates of Hell. It was a journey of strength, willpower and endurance, put I am here now. The next step of my journey is to penetrate the threshold of the gargantuan gates and race down the tunnels and halls to the outer cesspits of Hell. Into the shadowy tunnels of brimstone and rock, I will test my mettle against the Hellspawn and harsh environment, but it is the only way forward for me, and it shall be a journey indeed. I want to bring myself out of old habits and place my self on the path to a healthier lifestyle. More exercise, cleaner diet and a greater overall sense of happiness. I want to maintain the goals and quests I set in the previous challenge, and build upon them. I also want to further focus on getting my weight in check this time around. I was able to attain A's across the board last challenge, so this time I would like to focus on making the challenges a bit more difficult and assertive, without being to excessive and grindy. MAIN QUEST OBJECTIVE DELTA: HELLSPAWN BRAWLING I have fought with many an Outlander on my journey, building my strength up, so that I have a chance of tackling tougher beasts on my journey. However as I descend into this tunnels before me, I will have to take on Hellspawn, rabble they may be, but tough and swift in their brawling. I will have to take them on if I am to build the strength to be able to survive a battle with a demon, for they would easily have me for lunch if I were to reach the outer pits right now. I must attack the tunnels at full speed, for tales suggest that wreaths of flame race through the tunnels, to prevent the Hellspawn from escaping, and I have a long way to go until I can escape the halls of stone and tunnels of brimstone. I have spent much time running from the Outlanders, for many that I stumbled across were raiding parties, and I certainly did not have the strength to take more than one or two at a time. My running and stamina will be tested to breaking point here, and it will be a great thing. For all the progress I make and endurance I gather, the less likely the River Styx will catch me unawares, and cast me to the abyss. I would like to maintain the progress I made with my 'To Bruise a Demon' and 'Running the River Styx' quests I had in the previous challenge. I was successful in getting A's in both of them and so will push myself more this time around. The last challenge got me and my body prepared for getting into exercise routines, and now I must start developing these routines. Also the last challenge I had the loophole of walking instead of jogging and still getting an A, so this time I want to focus on getting out there and jogging. It is a big step for me because I don't much enjoy it, but I certainly don't feel comfortable jogging around the neighbourhood. Progress is what we are after though, so progress is what we shall aim for! I will also upkeep the group workouts that I do with Nim-aera, Rachy87 and Brentos. A: 150+ workout points. B: 115+ workout points. C: 95+ workout points. D: 85+ workout points. F: <85 workout points. And how am I assigning these workout points? Well... For weights; every session that sticks to the routine I have planned out is worth 2 points, every routine that is decent enough, but isn't enough to satisfy my routine, or an acceptable equivalent, is worth 1 points. For every week I get 5+ points, I get 1 bonus point, if I manage to get a full 8 points, I get a bonus 2 points. A maximum of 4 sessions a week count towards the score, this is to ensure I have rest days. Therefore if I have at least 2 rest days in a week, I get 1 bonus points. This means that I can get a maximum of: (4 x 2 points a week) x 6 weeks = 48 points, then; 48 + (2 x 6) = 60 points for completing 4 full sessions every week, then; 60 + (1 x 6) = 66 points for doing every workout and having at least 2 rest days a week. For group workouts; every group workout gets 2 points. Completely all 6 group workouts gains me 2 bonus points. This allows for: (6 x 2) + 2 = 14 points. For cardio; I don't want to limit the points on cardio, as I want that to be the main focus here, but I also want to limit the points on walking, therefore making jogging the primary goal to this quest. For every 15 minute jogging session I will get 1 points, and for every 15 minutes longer I get an additional 1 point. If any single jogging session goes for more than 40 minutes, I get 1 bonus point, if for some crazy reason I manage to jog for 2 hours, then that session will get an additional 2 points on top. Probably won't do that, but at least it has been defined! For every 90 minute walking session I will get 1 point, and for every 45 minutes above that I will get an additional 1 point. If any single walk reaches or exceeds 3 hours I will get 1 bonus point. Walking will cap at 10 points per week, and/or 45 points for the whole challenge. This may seem quite convoluted, but it my way of showing the NF community how I am going to keep myself on track. MAIN QUEST OBJECTIVE EPSILON: CONSUMING THE BEFALLEN Throughout my journey I have consumed enough blood to sate my thirst, for all the running and duelling is draining, both of dehydration and of power. As I barrel down into the depths, as the heat rises, and my battles with the Hellspawn rage on, my thirst will grow and I will have to continue to sate that thirst. Not only that, but now I am out of food, and there is nowhere I can go for it, I will have to spare the carcasses of the Hellspawn I fell, for nourishment as days pass without a Hellspawn in sight. I will have to be careful in my consumption of flesh and blood, but I must sate the thirst, hunger and power. In the first challenge I maintained a great water consumption per day thanks to my quest objective 'Discard the Holy Water', and I would like to solidify that water consumption as a true habit, as is the aim of these challenges. However, I feel that I need to control two other consumption related things, my portion size and the very occasional, but notable, binge eating. I don't really know how to measure these two in regards to the challenge, but I will attempt a grading system, each time I don't watch what I eat I will remember that, and score myself out of 5 (for each thing, dependent on what I do) at the end of each week. A: 2.0L of water, 55/60+ score. B: 1.8L of water, 50/60+ score. (This is the water level required for an A in the previous challenge) C: 1.6L of water, 45/60+ score. D: 1.4L of water, 40/60+ score. (This requires a 3.5 from both portion size and binge eating scores each week to attain) F: <1.4L of water, <40/60 score. MAIN QUEST OBJECTIVE ZETA: REMOVING THE ROT Throughout these halls and tunnels, is nothing but sebaceous corpses, the sulphourous dust from the brimstone, the rot of all the decaying matter, dirt and slime. As I traverse through them I will be littered with all of it, not to mention my own blood and sweat, and the blood from the Hellspawn I shall slay along the path. If it all lingers on me it will slowly begin to rot my skin and flesh, so I must find the salt pools that boil from the heat beneath, and cleanse my self of this rot. The rot could undo me, and it is the last way I would want to go. I want to get this challenge underway, and off the top of my head I can't think of anything simple enough for myself to aim for this challenge. However Brentos had a quest in his last challenge that involved the brushing of his teeth, and this got me to thinking. Having had cosmetic dental work done, I don't look after my teeth near well enough, and I haven't worn my retainer in a long while. I feel that dental hygiene is important, and for health reasons too. Not only that, but as I am a metal head and have long hair, I admittedly do not take enough care of that either, not overly health important, but if I combine it's maintenance with that of my teeth, as a general sort of thing, I think that is still I good health/diet/fitness quest to set, so thusly, I shall. Ultimately I would like my hair to be longer, and sit nicer and look shiny more often than it does now, my hair isn't actually that bad, but every now and again I allow knots to get a little bit too far out of control. Ultimately I just want to feel comfortable with the way I treat my teeth, my folks payed for braces for me, so the least I can do is wear that retainer and keep them a little bit straighter, and I would like to be able to eat ice-cream without the concern for that aweful feeling, especially with summer on the doorstep. A: Brushing teeth twice or more a day, wearing retainer every day (with the occasional miss), brushing hair daily, improved overall hygiene and maintenance. B: Brushing teeth twice a day, wearing retainer five nights a week, brushing hair five times a week, improved dental and hair maintenance. C: Brushing teeth once a day, wearing retainer thrice a week, brushing hair thrice a week, improved hair maintenance. D: Brushing teeth once a day, wearing retainer once a week, brushing hair twice a week. F: No improvement from how I am now. LIFE QUEST OBJECTIVE: DECIPHERING THE NECRONOMICONS As I travel through these hallowed halls, and the tunnels that link them, I am bound to stumble across the old tomes of the Underworld's Magisters. These tomes hold knowledge on Hell itself, what lingers within it's bounds, and ancient knowledge of many things, and survival could be dependent on them. That dark magic within the pages will give me strength and will to push passed and vanquish my foes. I must find these Necronomicons and decipher their texts. I am starting back at uni, and I would really like to smash through the work, stay ahead of the curve and just ride the wave out once I have all the assessments done. It would be hard to track this for the quest but I will try and manage it. A: 250% work rate (Try and get through 2.5 weeks worth of work every week, this is ridiculous, but I know me, and I know if I try I can achieve it). B: 200% work rate 2:1 weeks worth of work a week. (the w words here make that seem like a bit of a tongue twister ) C: 165% work rate 5:3 weeks worth of work a week. D: 135% work rate 4:3 weeks worth of work a week. F: Just doing the work as it come or falling behind is a fail on this. This is not about passing or failing, or going to class, it is about getting ahead of class and assignments. Time to descend into Hell and see where exactly it is that that party awaits! -Radact The edit was due to a nerf I did to scoring when I first wrote this up - the weights bonus points - were originally 8+ and a full 12, but it should have been 5+ and a full 8, this is because I originally had the workout points at 3 for a full, proper workout, but nerfed it to 2. I only just noticed... derp.