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The crystal broke from the violence. The deceptive tranquility had been destroyed in the tumult. Surrounded on all sides by battle cries, the screams, the collisions of weapons, of swords against shields, arrows into flesh, and louder weapons still rebounded forcefully off the stone walls. It was disorienting for the one who fought free of the crystal. Years of sedentary submission had left her dazed. But the skirmish in the throne room grew more riotous by the moment. Another desperate push was being made. As her eyes began to adapt again to receiving light, she saw the gleam of light on axes, daggers lancing through the air, the flash of firelight on shields, and shadows of bodies in motion. The snap of bowstrings joined the shouts and cries. "Miss?" A stranger's voice. "Hey, we need to move!" She forced her muscles to move. How long had they been stagnant? How long had she gone without the warmth of sunlight? Rain on her skin? She reached out for the voice that sounded close and that encouraged her action. She felt the support of hands bringing her to her feet. How long had she been without interaction from others? How long had she gone without support? "Who are you?" "Rehua... Rehua Syraha." -- -- -- -- -- And so... we start at the top. Hello world, I'm Erin, but will happily respond to either my given name, gamertag, or my alter ego's name. I'm a gamer of over a decade, I have explored outer space, the bottom of the ocean, alien and fantastic places, interacted with a myriad of creatures and people, and all from the comfort of a chair near a console or my computer, if not from the pages of a book. My hobbies include writing, drawing, crafting, and daydreaming. With aspirations of getting my first book off the ground, I soak up everything I can about writing and fantasy almost through osmosis. I could probably talk about writing, fantasy, armor or weaponcraft, or ponder "what if" questions for days. I find that when I can fantasize/novelize my experiences, such as the written blurb you see above, I can throw myself into the gamification of my activities a little more easily. Besides, something about imagining it makes it just a bit more fun. Incidentally, I'm just as happy to talk story in this way for other's stories, if they want to either craft their own stories or join mine. And now, down to business, shall we? Main Goal: I'm here to get myself moving again. I want to be up and about more often than naught, especially if I can help it. Because a recent change in my life through most of my plans off kilter, I'm planning on nudging my live back into balance. I'm hoping to attain another job, to establish a habit of going out for a walk every day (hopefully a little bit longer every day), and bring balance to my diet.In other words, my main goal is to bring my life back under healthy control. Fitness: Ten to Fifteen Minutes of Walking - Whether on treadmill or out and about the neighborhood, something that would desperately be important to someone who just recently was broken out of stasis or hibernation is to begin all efforts to get them functional again. Walking, as a basic human function, is considered the healthiest thing a person can do. If they can do this well, then they are in decent shape. Of course, from such a point, one can build other strengths. As for when I'll be walking, I want to be able to do this in the early afternoon, probably around lunch time. Diet: Avoid drinking sugary drinks, such as sodas or juice.] Replace these drinks with water or tea. Eat one fruit or vegetable with every meal. (Fruit or vegetable in question should be mostly unprocessed. Light cooking is acceptable for vegetables like potatoes and yams.) LevelUpYourLife: Meditate five to ten minutes daily. - The main purpose of this meditation is to clear my head, or to practice keeping my attention focused on a certain point. For this particular kind of meditation, I'll be focusing on my breathing. What part of my breathing? The sensation of breathing as I feel it through my body. Well.... I'll be checking in here, with my subgoal of logging in and reporting my progress in the evening before my evening bedtime rituals. Wish me luck. (I'll accept all forms of support.) Thanks for reading! See you on the field.

For 35 years he has travelled the world, searching for truth and meaning. He has ridden the storms of the 7 seas and experienced the beauty of numerous lands. Having trained in several schools of knowledge, but mastering non, he searches still... ... aimless, except for the constant drive to seek what is missing... ... without direction, but with a desire to be better... ... borne from self-reflection of the innermost sanctuaries of the heart and mind... ... he comes. The time is ripe, his goal is sure. The field of battle awaits. Coming forth into a new dawn, he chooses a faction, a guild of brothers and sisters. Ones who, like him, were once lost in a world of self-doubt and misery, but now shine like the sun with the bright rays of strength and determination. Now I truly begin my journey... --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hey all. That's my story. My name is Tim. I'm 35 years old. I have a wife and six children. I'm active duty and have served with the US Navy for 16 years. I've lived in constant flux with my weight, habits, and plans. I've been fit, then out of shape time and time again. I'm sick of it. Now that I've found a place where I can merge my love of fantasy with the desire to lose weight and get in shape, I hope I can stick with it. I look forward to meeting a lot of you and working with you toward common goals. Main quest: Lose 60 pounds by 2019. Basic quest 1: Eat for fuel, not for fun. Basic quest 2: Cardio / strength training 3-4 times / week for 2 months straight Basic quest 3: Yoga / Tai-Chi 2 times / week for 2 months straight. Side quest 1: Earn Bachelor's Degree by 2019. Side quest 2: Help someone else join the rebellion.

Greetings to all of you! I am Lunael and I set out on my path to live a life closer to nature. I want to roam the forests, climb trees and learn about all sorts of animals and plants. I want to explore the wilderness, quick with my feet and quick with my bow. First of all, I want to get my diet in order, freeing myself from emotional eating, sugar addiction and guilt feelings. I want to increase my fitness, but slowly this time, and start to do archery again. Thus, I began my first official challenge this year at 5th of February and those are the rules CHALLENGE GOAL: Reduce BF-percentage to under 30% (thats about 3%) until 1st of April Food: Absolutely no unhealthy sweets/snacks during lent Fitness: Strength workout at least twice a week (current Level: Bodyweight 1) Relax: One nap a week (at least 5 min) Fitness/Relax: One yoga session a week (at least 5 min) Personal: Try out archery this year DONE! So far, the challenge runs fine. I track everything I eat and all workouts in my fitbook. I found a new and very nice archery club and shot some arrows for an hour (now I am waiting for the wheather to be suitable again). Until now I have done three workouts a week, but I try to keep the pressure low to avoid stress and emotional eating. I increaed one rep of one exercise in every workout to make tiny progress every time. Week 1: Structured my workout schedule, completed the recruit training and chose the exercise levels as well as cool down and warm up programs. I took all measurements and a before photo. Started to increase daily water intake and made more healthy food choices. Week 2: Started the "no sweets/snacks during lent"-Quest and got a membership in an archery club. Completed Yoga Water 1. Week 3: Continued to follow my plan, did some more research and decided for some loot/rewards to keep being motivated. Also created my alter egos origin story. That's where I'm at! If I am lucky, I can practice some archery on sunday - hopefully, the weather will allow it!

of the questions of these recurring, Of the endless trains of the faithless, of cities fill'd with the foolish, Of myself forever reproaching myself, (for who more foolish than I, and who more faithless?)Of eyes that vainly crave the light, of the objects mean, of the struggle ever renew'd, Of the poor results of all, of the plodding and sordid crowds I see around me, Of the empty and useless years of the rest, with the rest me intertwined, The question, O me! so sad, recurring -- What good amid these, O me, O life?Answer. That you are here -- that life exists and identity, That the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse. The first thing I thought when I first came here was, "What if I drown amidst this gargantuan forum?". So many posts and threads bombarded my sight, it feels daunting to even start lurking here. Then this poem popped into my head. It portrays how I currently feel quite accurately and reminds me that as vast as life or this forum may be and as insignificant as I may feel in the face of it, I can still contribute something of myself and that makes all the difference. So hello, how are you and do you happen to love "Dead Poets Society"? Because that is my ultimate favourite movie ever. Omgletsgushaboutitplease. And you, whoever you are, strolling around the Introduction forums, be it other newbies like me who are looking to feel less alone in this huge place or regulars who enjoy greeting fresh bloods, I just think that you must be a very warm, friendly individual or in a serious need of collecting good karma. Now I should probably share my health goals. Its been a long while since I last checked my measurements and last I remember it was 143 lbs, 4'9". I aim to lose 2 pounds 4 weeks from now. I know, I know, I'm starting small. I've done the beginner's bodyweight workout twice this week and I jog 20 - 40 minutes 3 times per week. So I'm not concerned about staying loyal to my exercise routines...it's my diet that I'm devastated with. I live with my family and we eat a lot of carbs and never enough vegetables. I ate a slice of pizza for dinner last night for goodness sake! I need a buddy to pair up with and help keep me disciplined on eating healthier. Anyone want to be my diet buddy? Would be a bonus if you're a (South East) Asian like myself since you'll understand my palate. I'm planning on cooking for myself more and more often so I can control my nutrition and calorie intake. Also, anyone else use myfitnesspal as a daily food journal? Let me know so we can add each other and learn what good things to eat. For those of you struggling to manage a healthy diet like me, holler at me and could you please tell me how you improve your situation? 'tis a pleasure to meet everyone!

The Great Sisyphus Challenge of Valyria Watersinger as told by DrCompanion Chapter 43 Never Give Up, Never Surrender Valyria stared into the dirty mirror, forcing her eyes into objective focus. The hideousness of the sight glared back at her in defiance and pain; every curve, every lump screaming at her to look away. It had only been a few short years ago since its last race, its last lift, and it knew it all too well. The void of sadness left behind had long since burned away, leaving only jagged clumps of regret in its place. “Yes, the medical issues could be considered a reason, but...†Valyria thought as she continued to stare, disgust rising like bile in her throat, “there are no reasons that are truly acceptable.†She knew this stray line of thinking was nothing more than a leftover mechanism of the mind, developed from her difficult upbringing and subsequent abusive first marriage. But, as with all learned responses, she recognized it for what it was and swiftly shoved it aside. Valyria took a deep breath and raised her arm. Touch... open... touch... focus... touch... click. Turn. Touch... open... rinse... repeat... She turned off the bathroom light and walked upstairs, the newly created images forever captured via pixel. As she sat on the edge of her bed, she opened her Gallery and looked at the pictures. She willed herself to find that spark within herself that she knew lay there. Bravery is not being unafraid. It's being afraid and doing it anyway. Valyria looked up at her wall. The images of success, the race bibs and medals hanging there, reminding her of those moments of bravery garnered only a few short years ago. The smile on her face in each and every picture whispered to her. She knew what she needed to do. Memo app in hand, she began to scribble out ideas, both vague and specific. The scribbles became a list. The list became a plan. She let her thoughts flow freely and allowed her limits to dissolve. Her hand moved with deliberate speed, jotting down anything that came to mind, eliminating any negativity that tried to enter into this new world. “No more negativity. There's been too much of that already. I will find a way. I will work the problem.†After she could scribble no more, she chose four goals to continue her journey with; four seemingly simple goals that would challenge her to find her strength yet again and sacrifice her known comfort level. Unlike the four books in 'The Time Machine', these would not be kept secret. She would declare these goals in a public forum best suited to her needs, where support and care would be found to assist her on her new adventure. Valyria closed the app and placed the phone on the table beside her bed. Curling under her covers, she considered the journey she was about to undertake. Her eyes quietly closed and a soft smile curled along her lips as a final thought drifted through her sleepy mind... “The game is afoot, Watson. Let us begin...†The Goals of Valyria Watersinger 1) drink 1 gallon of water per day (preferably not all in the evening) 2) eat a vegetable with one meal every day 3) deliberate activity 2x/week (doesn't matter what it is as long as it's conscious and active) 4) play with the kids for 1 solid hour every day (no tv or electronics, get down on the floor or outside)

Hello All, Im Tkbird45. Im just recently graduated from High School. Im 18, and im ready to finally shed those baby pounds so im below the Freshman 15 for college. Anyway. Im Male From California, San Diego Im 6'2" I am a bit chubby in the midsection and thighs and would concider my "race" to be either Human or Half-Giant. Weigh 236 lbs as of today. I go to the gym once a day. Im currently transitioning into the Paleo diet. And i take protein powder and creatine. My ultimate goal is lose my gut and go down to 175 lbs, i weighed about that much about 2 years ago and was in much better condition health wise and would really like to get back to that. Similarly i would like gain muscle, so that i can visibly see it, my goal is not to look like a body builder but to appear fit and healthy.

Seriously, though, I can't. But I'm going to learn. First things first. I'm an 18 yo, 1,70m (5' 7'') and with a 21 IMC. I've never been overweight, but a couple of years ago I lost weight very quickly and got down to something like 49 kgs, which was a big shock - mostly to myself. Since then, I've put on the weight back, but it hasn't come back as just muscle, unfortunately. I'm not a fan of fast food and I do eat pretty healthy, but what you would consider a "normal" diet. Not Paleo, not vegan, etc. I do try to eat a minimal amount of carbs, though. I didn't use to be a big fan of exercise - and running, even though I do it from time to time, isn't something I truly enjoy. And I've just signed up at a local gym, but I'm feeling a little intimidated by the bulky, ripped guys that lurk around the weight area. I have the upper body strength of a ten year-old, and at this point just don't know where to start! Any help would be appreciated! I'm in this for the long run! (no pun intended, still hate running )

Hello NF this is my 1st post and im trying to clean the mess my life has become. LONG VERSION Im a bit of a procratinating bast**** so i wanna try and turn small steps into habits while i set myself up bit by bit. Im 1,75m and my current weight is 78kg , being 66kg my lowest all time. Im a 22 year male and currently coursing engineering . Yeah im an engineer , trust me . I have some questions regarding how much water i should drink everyday, i used to drink a lot and i lost the habit, ever since i've been noticing headaches and sometimes i just dont feel fine for the whole day. Someone told me it can be a minor dehydratation. Im doing nothing for so long my body grew stiff as a stone i would very much apreciate some guidance on stretching as i never been very fond of it. Im in for high kicks and flexiblility but i think i just need a place to start. I have wrist injury for 2 years now ( and never even looked for the treatment ) so i cant lift unless i wrap it up some bandages . . . Is this unhealthy ? I learned it from boxing classes... Gosh i made this into a giant post sorry SHORT VERSION: - how much water to drink daily (mililiters please) ? - stretching basics or some good post about it - is it unhealthy to workout arround wrist injury wearing bandages to "fix" it so it wont hurt ? ty in advance English is not my native language, im trying my best xD

I have lost track of how many challenges I have done now. I am pretty sure this is number seven or maybe eight but either way, I am back again to cause trouble as much as possible. Many of you might be wondering why I titled this challenge, Here comes the Boom. The main reason that is that I just watched that movie again and it is stuck in my head. I also like the title because that is what I plan on doing with my Karate training. It's time to bring the boom and literally, kick my kicks up a notch. The last challenge really brought my kicks up to the next level but it's not time to rest, it's time to bring it and that's what the plans are for this challenge. BOOM!! Here is the song with a video of parts of the movie that I found on Youtube. Here is my challenge: As always, this is a work in progress. 1: Keep up the kicks or keep the kicks up..... My side thrust kicks are better than ever before and now that I know I can improve them, it's time to get real. My plan is to do anything and everything to keep improving my kicks. I spent a lot of time working Tabata magic on my glutes and hips over the previous six weeks and that is the plan for this challenge. I plan on using the same movements, side leg raises, donkey kicks, glute bridges and a few others to keep things going but I also want to add stationary side thrust kicks at least five times a week to the mix. I was only doing the kicks once in a while but this time, I need to do them more often. I don't do much more than five or six kicks with each leg but that needs to be done more often. This includes getting more stretching in, especially HFS. 2: Learn to do the Turkish get up..... I bought a really good book by Pavel about how to do the Turkish getup and kettlebell swings and I need to use it. Even though I read it from cover to cover, I am fighting with the getup. I plan on starting small and doing partial getups but by the end of six weeks, I would like to have a full getup on both sides. 3: Pull up or chin up, time to get back to the basics.... I used to be pretty good at pull ups and chin ups when I was young. About 30 years ago, I could bang out over 20 at a around the same bodyweight I am at now and I would like to revisit those numbers again. I am not sure if my shoulders will let me see those numbers again but I would like this challenge to be a test pilot to see if I can find some of that former glory. 4: Write not wrong..... I have been doing a lot more writing than before but I am still not publishing enough. With that said, I really need to publish more blog posts across all my blogs. I also plan on finishing up the text for my first kata book. I know that I planned on finishing the kata book a long time ago but this time is different, right? Yep, it is. More to come....

Hello there! If you're wondering about the title of this battle log: it's a reference to the wonderful ballet "Coppélia" about a mechanical doll who is mistaken for a living human being. I somehow identify myself with Coppelia, since I always felt just "existing", not "living". So today is the day Coppelia becomes alive! One hout ago I hopefully smoked my last cigarette. I already threw away the rest of the package. My goals for the next week may appear huge, but somehow I feel like I need a kick-start. I will set moderate goals in the future. So here they are, I - not smoking again - only one cup of coffee a day (Tuesday I reached the 6-cup-a-day mark, this can't be it!) - eating four healthy meals a day, with no snacking inbetween (healthy being defined as lack of sugar and white carbs) - go running two times, doing strength two times - going to the student's secretary for organising the last things for my semester off - getting a first appointment for financial consultations - making appointments for every doctor I need to see I think I will be tough, but doable. For too long I ignored the things I needed to take care of, or what my body asked for. Also, I'm a little scared what will happen in the future - will I be able to change? What happens if I change, will I be happy with the result? But I'm highly motivated, life means developement. So that's what I'm gonna do. Love, coppelia

I joined the newsletter email blasts thing over a week ago, and I thought that I should post something here as well. Here's my background: I am a tall, skinny, awkward guy living in the northern Canadian Tundra. I've always been skinny but since moving out of my parents place and into my own I've noticed my waistline getting bigger and my budget getting smaller. I've never worked out in my entire life, and joined a gym last year. It was the worst experience as my trainer didn't help me at all, and I ended up feeling like I wasted m time and money. The biggest issues I face are not knowing how to work out, and what that means. I also found out recently that I don't know how to eat. In fact, eating is a huge issue. I've found myself not eating all day (just drinking coffee) until late at night when my girlfriend gets home. I've begun reading the blog posts on this site and have found a great amount of information, all of which makes sense to me. All this is a little overwhelming to me so I'm going to try to work on one thing at a time (like learning how to eat, then learning how to work out) which should help ease myself into a routine of fitness. I don't know how this all works, but I'm looking forward to hearing what all of you have to say and I'm excited to start learning more and more about the fitness world. Thanks for hearing me out!

It is not hard to tell, that this world around us is coming close to the end. Does it need to? No.. we all know it doesn't. Home is something strange, something ever changing yet the perpetual dullness never seemed..comforting. I, myself, and my one true companion Halen are not destined to stay within these walls. These ever imprisoning walls. With escaping, one must prepare. Starter Quest: Main Quest Part 1 Preparing for the Escape Run one mile per day, with Halen to get his and my bodies warmed up for the escape Drink at least 60oz of water a day Perform routine each day (differentiate muscle groups each day besides quick recovery area such as forearm and calves and abs) (This, since it is during a current challenge, will just be more of a warm up to move into the next which would be Part 2)

Braaaaaiii-*cough* God, I hate it when that happens.... Hello all you warm-blooded beating heart fellows! I'm Ceysth, your average radioactive zombie come back from the dead to terrorize and eat share with all of you my quest to restoring myself back to a better me. Here's a little info about me to get you guys started: I'm a 26 year old male, 5'11" and 220 lbs. I'm out of shape (21% body fat last I checked) and I'm looking at getting back into a physically fit status. Back in high school, I used to be an instructor in TaeKwonDo (hence why I'm connecting with the Monks here) and I would very much like to get back to that level of fitness. Since high school, I joined the military and became a nuclear engineer (Hence the radioactive part of the race) and due to the incredibly high academic requirements of that job, have pretty much let myself go. So what am I looking for? Well, I'd like to get the strength and flexibility of a martial artist's body back and to raise my endurance as well (maybe cross class a bit into some assassin? Shadowdancer anyone?) I'll have my goals posted up in a bit, but for now I just want to join a friendly community of like-minded nerds (who are 20% cooler than the non-like minded nerds who troll) Strengths: Adaptive and able to learn new things quickly. With the right motivation, I can be very very dedicated. I also love Apples more than Applejack. I consider that a strength. Weaknesses: I'm a foodie...which is a double-edged sword. I love eating good food, and trying new food. But that leads to caloric intake problems. So that's me in a nutshell, and I can't wait to get started working out with you guys and leading the charge into a fitter nerd-dom. Cheers.

All messed up all messed up Hey there! My Main Quest Living without health problemsBe able to wear snugly fitting topsImprove stamina Three incredibly specific goals (diet and fitness related) that will help me achieve my Main Quest: Visit the gym three times a weekEat glutenfreeReach level 3 in every Angry-Bird Mission My Side Quest Life Quest Attend every lecture. Bring into my mind that I need every single lecture and it's awfully bad if I miss one.Call and visit a friend I haven't seen for a while every week.Save 50€ per month to be able to visit Bueno for a while in the semester break and have money for new clothes and a haircut as reward for accomplishing the Main Quest.Attend every "First Attempt" of the exams.

Hello everyone! This is my first nerdfitness challenge and i plan to make it count. Main Goal: Lose 15lbs so I can see how much better I look in the mirror and feel how much more energy I have to keep going Mini Goals: Do at least 1 body weight workout per day (though I guess not today ) Drink only water (again...not today...but lemonade and tea are mostly water) Walk every day for 20 minutes (I accomplished this!!!!!) Life Quest: Get at least an 85% in all 4 of my college courses this fall (on track atm) Diet/fitness side quest: Join a martial arts class (going to be difficult unless my parents help pay..) Beginning weight: 212lb

Hello my name is khawar and im new to all this but SUPER excited! my goals are for this challenge are: 1) Gym at least 3 times a week The number three may seem like a small number, but i know that i can most likely stick to this and perhaps i might even go more, but im all about small tasks at the moment and consistency. When i do go, the workouts will be intense and fun and will look to challenge and improve after each workout 2) No more soda pops Yes, this is the biggie, my weakness. I love those sugary drinks, but going to replace with loads of water and green tea. Plus with the summer approaching, not likely in the UK but we can hope, water will be best form of hydration. 3) Juicing more often I suffer from excema and asthma, but i have juiced and made the green juice, and it has helped. Plus its good studies to support weight loss, inspired by the movie, fat sick and nearly dead and fitlifetv on youtube. 4) At least 3 full music tracks I love music and rapping and singing, so im going to put my lyrics onto instrumentals and get ready to release my mixtape during the end of the year, but i need to start so i will hopefully start by the first three tracks. There you go, love this site and this community, got loads of artices still to read, and i leave you with my favouite quote, " The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be" Ralph Waldo Emerson

Hi everyone I posted here a few weeks ago, and I saw that the challenges are starting again, so I thought I would join in this one. 1. Exercise plan I have the Nerd Fitness guides. I am going to follow the weekly plan laid out in the running guide. I am starting at level 1. I'm going to be walking/running barefoot. I'm also going to do the body weight brigade level 1 for the gym workout days. I want to work up to being a runner, but I have to start slow. I'm going to grade myself on a percentage on daily basis on how well I think I exercised, and with a letter grade at the end of the challenge. +2 STR +1 DEX +2 STA 2. Diet plan I have been doing the Paleo diet for a few months and it has worked, but a week ago I relapsed pretty hard. I need to stick to it now, as I still have weight to lose. I'm going to use Cron-o-meter to track what I'm eating. I'm not going to eat after 6 pm either, to do a bit of the intermittent fasting. I am going to allow myself to have a cheat day every week. It'll probably be on the days when I play D&D, as no game is right withought chips and Mountain Dew. I am going to do the same thing and grade myself on a daily and overall basis. +2 STA +3 CON 3. Sleep plan I have trouble with staying up late. I am going to go to sleep earlier, let's say at 10 pm. I'm going to try to sleep for at least 8 hours a day. I am also going get up earlier as a result. This will help out my schedule so I can exercise before I do anything. I'm also going to keep a dream journal. I'm going to grade myself similarly to the other plans based on when I go to sleep, and when I wake up. +2 CON +1 WIS 4. Family plan I haven't been spending enough time with my dad recently. He's as much a friend to me as a father, so I'm going to spend more time with him. I'm going to try to spend two days a week hanging out with him. I'm going to grade myself on a weekly basis based on how much time I spent with him. +1 WIS +1 CHA Stats: Height: 6'1" Weight: 247.7 lbs Waist circumference: 40" Chest circumference: 43"