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"Tank weazel, before you go toe to toe with the all powerful Ruskies you must overcome the deaded deads" Class: Dwarf Race: Level 1 MAIN QUEST Defeat the dreaded deads. Hit a national record deadlift (163.5kg @57kg) Quest One, consistency is cey. Keep up with prehab and rehab exercises so my hip stability improves. Quest Two, we need a battle plan! Sensible deadlift programming will be required. I know what works ok and what hasn't worked. Time to build on the ok. Quest Three, alchemy 101! Prepping sensible lunches and pre workouts the night before rather than relying on something decent being in the Boots fridge for lunch. Aim for one good source of protein with every meal. Motivation: For honour and glory! (Like seriously tanky, how long have you been stuck around the 140kg mark?)

I’ve been going to a gym with my college roommate for about a month now and have not been seeing the results I wanted. I have been feeling a lot better in terms of energy and feeling overall healthier because of all the researching I’ve been doing but I want to “bulk upâ€. Been a skinny guy all my life and now I need to have that change and get in the best shape of my life for the rest of my life. I want to gain muscle and maybe start lifting heavy eventually into power lifting. Main Quest I want to build up at least ten (10b) pounds of muscle by May. Goals I will eat 3500 calories per day I will work out at least four (4) times a week. I will get eight (8) hours of sleep every night Side Quest Life quest: Studying at least two(2) hours each day Stats Weight 150lbs Dealift: 6RM 135lbs Bench Press: 6RM 135lbs Pull ups: 10 Chin ups: 10 Push ups: 30 Scoring: A: 4 lifts per week B: 3 lifts per week C: 2 lifts per week D: 1 lift per week F: no lifts

Hi everybody, My name is Andy and this is my first challenge. I’ve been reading Nerd Fitness for a little while and joined the forums not so long ago. I’m a 28y old 5ft 11†guy and I currently weight around 150lbs (max). This sounds pretty decent and most people would be okay with that. So was I a long time. But I also remembered that I did lots of sports when I was younger. I did competitive swimming, changed to ice hockey and at some point I tried out Taekwondo for a while. This however, has been years (about 8ish) and since then all I’ve done is some recreational rock climbing and a bit of running for fun. I only ever did one official run (a 10 mile competition) in which I nearly died. I found I was missing a goal and so it was either: run faster/further or find another goal to work toward. When I pondered the options my old goal of not looking like a stickman resurfaced and I began researching bodyweight and other strength training and this is how I ended up here. Since then I started eating more and began a bodyweight progression for whole body exercise. I gained some muscle in the right places (though now looking at the pictures I just took, I'm not so sure :-/)and lost some of my late-twenties belly fat. But now it is time for the real challenge. As of 1st October I’ll be working at a place with near-free gym access and I want to dig into Starting Strength! Main Quest: Weigh 165-175lbs at about 12-15% body fat and do that while I’m strong and powerful! So, as the title says, I wanna go from jester Mat to blacksmith Perrin. I already got the beard ;D Quest 1: Do the Starting Strength routines three times every week from 1st October onward (before that, do bodyweight progression) Measurements: A: 18 (12 SS workouts + 6 BW); B: 15, C: 12 Reward: A: +3 Str ; B: +2 Str, C: +1 Str Quest 2: Eat 2700kcals consistently (500 above maintenance – estimation). This might change according to progress. Logging is done in MFP and a minimum of 100g proteins is required. Measurements: A: 42, B: 35, C: 28 Reward: A: +3 Sta, B: +2 Sta, C: +1 Sta Quest 3: To keep mobility/fitness high, I will be doing yoga or HIIT runs at least once a week. Measurements: A: 6, B: 5, C: 4 Reward: A: +3 Dex +2 Con, B: +2Dex +1 Con, C: +1 Dex Life goal: This is a hard one…I spent the last two years studying in another city, so I’ve lost a bit of contact with my old friends. I also used to play the guitar but it too has suffered from my absence and preoccupation. So, I will play guitar once a week and try to meet some of my friends at least once a week. Measurements: A: 6/6, B: 5/5, C: 4/4 Reward: A: +2 Cha +1 Wis, B: +1 Cha +1 Wis, C: +1 Cha Motivation: I want to feel in control of my life. I want to look and feel as confident as possible. In the end it comes down to being self-confident enough to do things I don’t do now, like apply for my dream job, make decisions without consulting everybody endlessly although it should be mine in the first place.

Although this is my first challenge, I don't plan on breaking any new ground here. For the past 5 weeks, I've been developing new habits which I would like to reinforce. While I feel like these habits are becoming routine, the environment is about to become more challenging. During the fall and the winter I spend a lot of time on the road with work and the next six weeks will be no different. I will have to complete the first two weeks and the last two weeks living out of a hotel room. On top of this, I will be meeting up with some old friends in Las Vegas for four days over the middle weekend. Here we go. GOAL 1 - Continue to increase overall strength following stronglifts 3 times a week. I've located a gym with a power rack close to where I'll be staying on the road so I've got no excuse to miss any workouts in weeks 1,2,5 or 6. The four days in Vegas will be a problem, but I will try and adjust my schedule to make up the workouts while ensuring I have enough recovery time during weeks 3 and 4. I'll accept missing one workout but no more. GOAL 2 - Continue to reduce BF% on my way to a 215 target. Drop 9 pounds over the challenge period. Edit: Starting weight on day 1: 245 even Track intake with MFP. Weekly intake of 15,400 kcal for an average of 2200 a day. I'm not going to worry about the Veags trip too much. I'm pretty sure most of the carbs will be liquid, but I'll make smart choices at the trough. During the 4 weeks of work travel, I plan to cook my own meals and avoid eating out. GOAL 3 - Take care of my back. Yoga four times a week on non lifting days Edit: scoring: 90% is an A. 80% - B. 70% - C. Less than 70% - F. If I can't do something 5 days out of 7 I don't think it's much of a habit. That's it. Should be easy, right?

This is my first challenge, and I'm brand new to the NF forums as well...so I am the rankest of the rank beginners. My nerdery of choice is typically JRPGs, especially of the 8- and 16-bit variety, as these are what I grew up playing, so my framework for my narrative will lean a bit heavily on that concept. That being the case, I will be setting up my challenge to mirror, in some ways, the steps one often goes through in a classic JRPG at the earliest experience levels--getting equipped, getting acquainted with the system, staying alive, and exploring the local environs. Not terribly exciting, I know, but I've languished many lumpy, chain-smoking years without a real routine, and I know if I throw myself into something extreme, I'll get myself into trouble quite fast. So here we go. Main Quest To establish a healthy, sustainable routine that can be built on in later challenges as my abilities progress. In game terms, I'm sitting at 0 XP with no gear and no clues to my name. I've got a long way to go, so the foundations must be established here. Quest 1 - Get Equipped and Get Out There I can't slay the monsters of my personal situation without weapons and experience. And in my case (as I am interested most in strength training and the Warriors' Guild), those weapons will be a beginner's strength training regimen and whatever basic weights that requires (can't be too much; like most low-level warriors, I've got limited cash). My low-level encounters "out there" (the slimes and goblins of my experience) will be a regular routine. I will assess myself in the following ways: I will gather my equipment by the end of week 1 (and do bodyweight exercises until I have it).I will do the beginner's regimen at least 3 times per week.I will track my performance to be able to chart growth and progress.Quest 2 - Get Acquainted With the System Like most adventures, this one operates according to certain rules and guidelines. If I don't know the way things work, I'm likely to make critical errors. To that end, I will also incorporate research and learning from others (fellow warriors, knowledgeable NPCs, etc.) into my daily routine. I will assess this in these ways: I will read at least one article on the NF site each day and actively seek ways to incorporate its ideas into my routine where applicable and safe.I will visit the NF forum daily to interact with and learn from others on the same path.Quest 3 - Stay Alive The biggest threat to low-level adventurers is death by careless risk taking and/or death by unpreparedness. This aspect of my quest will help to prevent that. I will take proactive measures to ensure that I stay healthy and that I can keep on fighting. Here's how that breaks down: Visit the Inn: I will get 8 hours of sleep per night. I will also work toward doing this at reasonable hours of the night. At the moment, I tend to sit up very late and wake up late, but by the end of 6 weeks, I will be going to bed no later than 11:00 PM, sleeping for 8 hours, and actually getting up by 7:00 AM.Get Unpoisoned: Right now my two biggest issues this way are nicotine use and diet soda consumption. I know these are toxic to my system. Quitting them both this challenge may be too much change all at once, but I will track my use of both, and then I will work to reduce my use of at least one of them by 50% at the end of 6 weeks. Life Quest One of the greatest problems I've encountered as my health has worsened, is a tendency to withdraw from other people and shut myself up in the house. My life-related side quest will address this by mirroring the JRPG starter-zone lesson of exploring the local environs. At least once a week, I will ensure that I not only leave the house entirely for most of the day, but that I go someplace I haven't been before and/or try something new while I'm out. As in many video games, you never know quite what you'll find exploring that may be useful to your quest. Motivation I've daydreamed about transforming my gaming heroics into something in the real world for years, so taking a step toward that goal and its effects on my happiness is certainly motivation. However, there's more to it than that. The longer I sit here doing nothing and poisoning myself, the worse my health will get. And eventually, it will get too bad for me to save it--and myself. To save my health, and, by extension, my very world, I'm taking up my sword and embarking upon this endeavor.

INTRODUCING THE QUESTS OF NEWSTART We begin at the beginning. My name is Newstart, and here in lays the plot of my first challenge. Im 44, 18 months post cardiac surgery. Fairly mobile, active and keen. Ex smoker, non drinker. trying to regain my life. I'm starting here at 145 kg (320 lb). I'm a science nerd, having an engineering degree, a chemistry degree and an interest in renewable energy (double major with the BSc). I live in Australia. I'm married, 7 kids, 2 dogs, 2 cats, 2 budgies, brown hair, blue eyes and a Sagittarius. I cook, clean and do washing. I even fold towels. I want to lose weight, get fitter, get stronger and keep on living. Main Quest: Become more by becoming less My main goal for the challenge is to lose weight. How much weight ? In the long run ~45 kg (99 lb) That's besides the point. It took me 44 years to get here, its going to take longer than 6 weeks to get to "normal". As long as I'm heading in the right direction I will be happy. Goal 1: Stay committed ! (STA & DEX) This is all encompassing. Eat well, sleep more, go to the gym regularly, take my medicine on time! For the sake of quest points I will focus on the gym. I am aiming for 5 times per week. It can be cardio, weights, a half hour, a full hour. Just go! Just do SOMETHING. A = 5 times (2 sta + dex) B = 4 times (1 sta + dex) C = 3 times (0.5 sta + dex) D = < 3 (0 sta + dex) Goal 2: Eat more to lose more ! (CON) Counter intuitive ? Maybe. Had to see Dr today and discussed my stalling weight loss. In his opinion my body may be in survival mode. My BMR is around 2700 CAL (large male) and my intake wavers around 1200 Cal. Due to drugs I take, I have no appetite. So the challenge is to get intake up towards 2000, eating 3 meals plus snacks per day. A = eat 5 times, approx 2000 Cal daily (con +2) B = eat 4 times, approx 2000 Cal daily (con +1) C = eat 3 times, approx 2000 Cal daily (con +0.5) D = eat < 2 times, < 1800 Cal daily (con +0) Goal 3: Lift myself or at least my equivalent (STR). As like most of us, I would like to do a pull up. Standing at the pull up bar, its soul destroying to groan and realise thats just from grabbing the bar. But I have a cunning plan . My favourite machine in the gym is the lat pull down. Currently I can do approx 100 kg. The plan is, at the end of the 6 weeks, be able to 3 rep 14 5kg. The logic ? If I can pull down 145 kg just using back/arm muscles, I can pull UP 145 kg. Hopefully by the end of the challenge I shall weigh less than 145 Be able to pull down 145 kg + weigh less than 145 kg = A pull up will be born !!. This theory will be tested in the form of performing said pull ups. A = 3 reps/pull ups (+ 2 str) B = 2 reps/pull ups (+ 1 str) C = 1 reps/pull ups (+ 0.5 str) D = 0 reps/pull ups + 0 str Life Quest: Live ! (WIS & CHA) Where to start ? I have been dead and its not that much fun. I have lots of things I could aim for. Live to a right old age. See my kids grow up Play sport Travel more Finish building my boat Build a race car Retire from work Read a book a day the list could go on. For the sake of starting the life quest, I will measure it by my success at the quest above. 2 > quests A rated (2 + wis & cha) 2 > quests B rated (1 + wis & cha) 2 > quests C rated (0.5 + wis & cha) 2 > quests D rated (0 + wis & cha)

Introduction: Hi, this is my first challenge. I've already been working out for a while with already some set goals in mind so I guess I'll just be aligning this challenge with that which is my desire to be a competitive olympic lifter. I've dabbled in a lot of sports before such as Taekwondo, Fencing, and Badminton but none of them has me hooked liked Olympic weightlifting. Despite those, I'm not really particularly athletic and this would be my first time dabbling with strength training and olympic weightlifting and given my age (28), I guess I have a LOT of catching up to do. Main Quest: Increase my lifts to the following: Back Squat: 82.5 kg => 100 kg Front Squat: 60 kg => 80 kg Clean & Jerk: 30 kg => 50 kg Snatch: 20 kg => 40 kg Sub Quest #1: Get at least 7 hours sleep every day. I have a bad habit of always staying way past midnight. Curse you Dimas, Klokov, and Youtube! Sub Quest #2: Eat a fruit or a cup of vegetables 3x a day. GOMAD does a number on one's digestive system, and some fruits and veggies will definitely help! Sub Quest #3: Drink at least 8 glasses of water every day. Sometimes I forget to drink water when I drink a lot of milk. I often find myself feeling pretty dehydrated, so this is to make sure that doesn't happen. Side Quest: Find other people who share the same passion for weightlifting. I imagine it would help a lot to be around people I could compete with. Alright, let's get it on!

So, I pretty much know how to do this fitness stuff. I’m also lucky to have a wise, patient and immensely knowledgeable ex-PT as a friend who has revolutionised my eating, taught me to lift heavy and given me the tools to stop hating being in my body. What I don’t have is consistency. I’ve made big changes to my shape over the past year… and then let my emerging muscle definition be reclaimed by wobble. I’ve lost 30 pounds over the past year and a half… and put 10 of them back on. I’ve done weeks at a time of consistent lifting… and then let life stresses push me back to having to start my programme again. I’ve eaten cleanly and sensibly for two months at a time… and then spent the following two months eating beige, sticky things. I currently feel waddlesome and ungainly in a way I haven’t for months. I want to stop feeling frumpy, uncomfortable and disappointed in myself and start feeling bouncy, strong and positive again So, I know I can do it, I just need to actually do it, consistently! MAIN QUEST Fit comfortably into my UK size 12 non-stretch skinny jeans. I fit into these jeans comfortably earlier this year and now they’re tight. By the end of the six weeks I want them to feel comfortable again. QUEST 1 Eat a maximum of 1850 calories each day. I am allowed one free pass of three days for alcohol only (I must stick to the calorie limit for food) when a friend visits me this month. Update: In week 2 I lost the plot completely with work and life planning, and had 7 straight days of eating stupidly. As a result, I reassessed how I eat and I have a new eating plan based around high days (2000 cals) on training days, low (1700) the day after and medium (1800) on any other day. A: 39/42 days ▪ B: 37/42 days ▪ C: 35/42 days Update: as a result of the above-mentioned idiotic eating, I can now only get a C, and then only if I stick to my calories perfectly for the remainder of the challenge. This is fine - I screwed up and getting a C (or a fail) would be a good mental reinforcement that progress won't come without learning consistency. However, I am giving myself an incentive to get a B. If I stick to my new eating plan 100% for the rest of the challenge, I get a B. This will be hard to do, so I think it would justify "cheating" on my original grading. QUEST 2 Work out four times a week (three days of my existing lifting programme + one cardio class, usually spinning). A: 22/24 days ▪ B: 21/24 days ▪ C: 20/24 days Update: I lost a whole week of training, partly through the aforementioned stupid week but also I was hampered by a hip injury (still ongoing and requiring daily mobility work and stretching). So, I'm going to be a little forgiving towards myself and give myself a chance to get a B. If I do all my workouts AND do my stretching + mobility routine every day for the rest of the challenge, I get a B. This might sound tough, but doing the stretching + mobility routine is really important and I should be doing it every day anyway. QUEST 3 Eat at least eight portions of fruit/veg per day. I used to eat loads of veggies but recently I’ve been lazy and I’ve noticed the difference in how I feel. A: 39/42 days ▪ B: 37/42 days ▪ C: 35/42 days LIFE SIDE QUEST I’ve been planning on finding myself a gig doing housesitting somewhere exciting via Trusted Housesitters but haven’t yet had the persistence to set it up. My quest is to send at least three emails to people needing housesitting in the hope of setting up a gig. If I’m not accepted, that’s fine, but I must make at least three approaches. SHINY THINGS!! My main reward will be feeling more bouncy and less waddlesome. However, I’m also allowed these additional rewards if I meet the above criteria. The rewards stack. Grade A: Nerd Fitness t-shirt (I’ve wanted one of these for aaaaaages but haven’t felt I deserve one, hence it being my top-level reward – I REALLY have to earn it to show off my NF credentials!) Grade B: £100 on new workout gear and/or new clothes for autumn Grade C: Massage I’m looking forward to creating my character and stats too STARTING MEASUREMENTS Chest: 39.5 Waist: 32.5 Belly: 39.25 (this is the one I most want to see go down!) Hips: 42.5 Weight: 164.5 lbs MOTIVATION I want to break my habit of inconsistency and stop the basics (sensible food, consistent workouts) getting in the way of the more exciting goals I could be aiming for. I have a hankering to one day squat 100kg, but I know I’ll never be able to aim for things like that until I get the basics sorted and stop letting my emotions and what’s going on around me influence what I put in my mouth and whether I exercise.

This is my first challenge - I'm pretty excited! Been powerlifting somewhat consistently for a little more than a year now but I've been unable to work out consistently for a couple months. My main goal right now is to be stronger than I was before my break. My previous lift totals were 335/260/430. My 3 specific goals: Squat 345lb Bench 270lb Deadlift 440lb I'll be following Jim Wendler's 5/3/1 with the following assistance work: Squat day - front squats and power cleans Bench day - weighted dips and DB rows Deadlift day - deficit deadlifts and rack pulls Press day - DB press and lat pulldown or weighted pullups Conditioning will consist of pushing a stroller up and down hills and hiking with another nerdfitness member.

Hi, I once attempted to complete the "old style" challenge but failed miserably after one week. I'm hoping to finish this one. I'm The_Captain, a 22 year old Finnish student and overweight. My interests are nearly all of nerddom: video games, movies and TV, board games and lately Magic The Gathering (I ordered my first deck, a Golgari graveyard play, just today!). I'm also going to try to write some flavor text for my challenge thread (it was meant to go up with this post, but school got in the way of writing it). Without further ado, my Challenge thread. I'd appreciate any feedback and critique that you guys come up with! Name: Bhaskar Alias: Break-Spear Race: Half-orc Class: Spirit Warrior Age: 22 Alignment: Neutral Good Main Quest: Lose 30 kg in 9 months’ time A very good and old friend of mine decided to give up the glorious (sad and lonely) bachelor life and is getting married next summer. I am way too large to fit in my old suits and I really don’t have the money to get a new one. So I need to get slimmer, stat. Also, if I might go on a slight misogynist slant: I need to look good for the bridesmaids and for the wedding pictures that my friends are going to cherish till death do them part etc etc. And it would just generally be healthier (though that’s a secondary objective after looking good ). As such I’m trying to get all the knowledge and accountability that I can find, that’s why I’m here. Goal: Bench Press back to 90kg 1 rep maximum – 4 STR, 1 CHAMy former one rep max for bench was a solid 100kg (well, a bit shaky 100kg). But that was months ago and it has decidedly dropped after I stopped hitting the gym regularly. I’d like to see that max up there again, along with the rest of the major lifts. This seems like a reasonable goal when I consider my current max is about 75kg. Goal: Run at least 72 km – 3 STA, 1 DEXRight, there is also a secondary reason for this being one of my goals: I downloaded the Zombies, Run! app and ran the first 18 missions for a bet with my family and they were all awesome! This way I counted that I can run 4km thrice a week, which fit quite nicely in with going to the gym four times a week. Drop soft drinks to once a week, instead of everyday – 2 WIS, 2 CHAThis just seems generally smart. I drink way too much of soft drinks (specifically Pepsi Max) and it is not good for my teeth or general health. I drink around one liter a day. Goal is to cut that to just one bottle per week. Going tepid turkey with the beginning of this challenge. Life goal: Finish at least two of my missing courses from last year – 2 WIS I’m studying management in University of Applied Sciences, and if I ever want to graduate I need to start finishing off my courses. I’m starting with the intros to International Marketing and European Media Law to be specific. Luckily our teachers are really friendly and flexible so I get to do both of these courses virtually in addition with my current course load for this year. Both require a learning diary of 15 pages, so easy peasy lemon squuezy (nope not that easy at all).

Background: Always been a skinny guy. 6'4, 165 now and metabolism has always been working against me. Sophomore year in high school I weighed 150 pounds and tried out for the football team(Which I worked for as a filmer/manager but wanted to play). Over the course of six months I gained fifteen pounds and overall was in the best shape I've ever been in strength/speed/athletic wise but didn't gain enough to where the coaches felt safe putting me in pads. Went I got to college I worked hard to get the freshman fifteen and got up to 180, most I've ever weighed. Now I'm 21, not in college right now due to finances(workin on it) and figured if I wasn't gonna spend this semester studying I am going to at least get fit. Haven't worked out in forever, so I"m back down to 165 and weak as water, but my metabolism has slowed down a ton in the last two years(let alone from when I was in high school) and I've got a lot better grasp of nutrition, finances, and exercising in general. Main Quest: -Gain at least 6 pounds of muscle by October 19th(I know we're on the July 28th to Sept 7th cycle, but I figured I'd just go ahead a day) Sub Quests: 1:Work out 3 days a week using the Stronglifts 5x5 Plan 2:Get at least eight hours of sleep a day for the duration of the challenge. 3:Consume at least 2500 Calories a day, and cut out potato chips from diet by the end of the challenge.

Hello! I've shambled in two days late for this... But better late than never! I've used this week to start this, now It's written, it's has focus and it's on Main Quest My main quest is to complete my 27/5 laps for my minimum skills I will do this by; -Go to every practice and give 100%- no more "I can't". -Create healthy lunches and snacks -Three gym visits a week; 2 are weights/resistance for one hour and 1 is cardio for half an hour Side Quests Life Quest Knitting! Work on the pattern I brought for my Kraken scarf, I want half done by the end of the challenge! Diet/Fitness Side Quest Get confident enough to move into free weights from resistance machines. What's Your Motivation? I want to play on the B-team for my derby squad! I want to prove all the gym guys, friends and other that I CAN DO WEIGHTS even though I’m a girl! The second point isn't to offend everyone, but I've had laughs, looks, mutters and "are you sure?" since I've told people! The gym guys are the worst, I had my induction on Monday and I was told in detail how I could run and watch my favourite shows, when I said I was there for weights he stopped mid stride confused! Same with the guy today who helped my find a pull down machine. So yeah. Screw that. I can and will do weights. And I can and will do this challenge!

Introduction Hey team, I'm SquirrelPatrol. I've been lurking on NerdFitness for a few months and have been doing alright with getting to the gym and eating more, but haven't really had much accountability. Right now, I'm studying abroad in Europe, and I'm looking forward to making a plan and sticking to it so that when I get back to my university next semester, I won't fall back into my old habits (as it is so easy to do in familiar places). Main Quest Gain weight and muscle Quest 1 Work out three days a week for at least forty-five minutes, focusing on building muscle. Quest 2 Drink a protein shake every day. Quest 3 Get eight hours of sleep every night. Life Quest Go to one cultural event every week. Motivation I love to act, and right now I'm long and lanky, so there are a lot of interesting, leading-man roles that I can't really be considered for. Also, if I choose to do this professionally, I'll need to have the stamina for eight shows a week every week.

Hiya! This is my first challenge! (Obvs because Level 1 rebels) Anyways, I've been lifting for the past year and a half. Because of this my body fat has slowly been going down, I feel amazing, and I've discovered a lot of things about myself. I've done a lot of self experimention as far as diets and work outs go, but I am now starting to plateau. So a challenge sounded like a good thing to try! So, let's get started, shall we? I'll post some stats first, then challenge goals and motives =] Weight: 140.8 Body fat: 21.4% Deadlift: 155lb Squat: 115lb Bench: 65lb (how embarrassing [emoji29] ) So! My main goal is to begin bulking. I'd like to get my weight up to 145 with out my body fat going up in the next six weeks. To achieve that I will have these three goals: -Get to the gym for 30 minutes five times a week. -Run ten miles every week. -Sleep 8 hours every night. Along with these quests to become awesome, I will have one life quest to help me become more awesome! Life quest: Study for my personal training certification five hours a week. For the past 7 months, I have gone through a lot of life changes, been diagnosed with things I wasn't prepared for, and had just a lot of crap piled onto my plate. So this has caused my exercise regime to fall to the side. I've felt very disappointed in myself, so I'm using this challenge to get back on track. Because of this my motivation is: -To quit feeling like a failure. To be awesome instead! I have plans to be a personal trainer, and a power lifter, to let my training fall to the side has really hurt my pride. But I'm ready to get back at it. I also have extra derpy before pictures! And my motivation posted on my steering wheel! Thanks for reading guys! I hope I posted this correctly. (Awki) Have a good day! And I wish you all luck as well!

Introduction: My name is Renae. I work full time, attend school full time online, and have a 10-month old daughter. All these thing seem to make me fall into bad habits of snacking, and overall eating horribly, and not getting a whole lot of exercise. Main Quest: Get into a healthy routine for working out and eating. Quest 1: Complete a weight-lifting session 3 times a week. I currently have a plan in place to do this. I just need to make sure it gets done. Measurements: A = 18 days total, B = 12 days total, C = 6 days total Quest 2: Walk or Run 3 miles 2 days a week. Right now the week days I am not weight lifting I am trying to do cardio sessions, but I haven't been trying hard at all with them. Measurements: A = 36 miles total, B = 24 miles total, C = 12 miles total Quest 3: Eat a bag of frozen veggies worth a day. I try to have a spinach salad before dinner every day, but I forget and I usually add cheese and dressing to it. I think eating the frozen veggies will be easier to accomplish and keep up with my veggie intake as well as keep me full. Measurements: A = 42 bags total, B = 30 bags total, C = 18 bags total Life Quest: Receive B grade or better on my final 3 classes. After many many years I am finally being able to finish with an Associates degree in IT Management. These past years have been crazy and I have had a terrible time with school and grades. Especially now with my child. I need to focus and finish off strong. Measurements: A = 3 B's, B = 1 or 2 Cs, C = All C's Motivation: My #1 motivation is my daughter. I want her to see her mother strong, physically and mentally. I want to be a good example for how to live. With that I hope to inspire my husband to lose weight and eat better.

I've been working out for awhile now and it's time for me to move out of novice into intermediate. I need to finally tackle the goal that's been sitting in front of me for over a year. My main inspiration for this round is Kaladin from The Stormlight Archives. While he is a grump, he is a wonderful combination of force and control. He accomplishes so much because of his discipline and dedication and while he is tenacious, he's capable of changing his tactics to ensure success. Main Goal: Develop functional strength while building stamina and control. Weekly Goals: Weight Train 3 Times Per Week Cardio at Least Once a Week Get Target results ​​First strict pull-up, ever. (FINALLY) 155 lbs. Barbell Press Life Goal Focus: start off each work day with 20 minutes of meditation, planning, or prayer. Set goals and expectations on how to conquer my day Bonus Quests: Know Thyself: Get a Bodyfat % reading from the on-campus Bod Pod. Reward: +1 Wis Find the Limits: Get numbers for my back squat and bench press maxes Reward: +1 Wis, +1 Str for the pair

Main Quest: Build strength, lose fat (end goal is 18-21% range, estimated current BF around 26-28% so this is a more-than-one-challenge type main quest) Missions: 1) Less than 100 g carbs/day (so the body burns fat instead of using sugar for energy) and 80-90 g protein/day minimum As little as possible (!) of this should come from added sugars in foodFollow Paleo/Primal principals as closely as possible (meat and veg, natural foods only) 2) Drink 2L of water/day (I'm horrible with this and it's dragging me down, so time to really grind in this habit!) Purposefully measure this out each day to know how much water I am taking in 3) Strength training 3 times per week (at least) and low-impact activity on off-days Weight lifting (dumbbells when available, Strong Lifts 5x5 at the gym w/barbell, resistance bands when on the road)Make opportunities to start Level 2 on the road to a pullup (I'm gonna go for the chin-up for now, or whichever I can get to first lol): Bodyweight Rows Life Quest: Consciously choose not to allow low self esteem or self-consciousness get in the way of living my life One way to accomplish this is to use public spaces to train toward pull-ups, such as finding a playground/park where I can practice bodyweight rows This is gonna be a tough one because for the next 6 weeks I will be on the road 80% of the time and I won't have control over my menu options. I'm gonna do my absolute best to crush this challenge, however. This time around it's going to be especially important to define success and map out how I'm gonna accomplish this stuff, so: For mission 1, I will track my food as meticulously as possible using MyPlate app on my phone while on the go. This is not so much for calorie counting as for nutrient tracking, to try to make sure I'm not going over my carb goal and not falling too far under my protein goal.For mission 2, I will use a water-tracking app on my phone that reminds me to drink water. I will actually listen to it, lol. I will pack the minimum amount of water with me for my day and make sure those bottles are empty at day-end.For mission 3, I will use work-out tracking apps (StrongLifts 5x5 and MyPlate) to keep track of my activity and make sure I don't miss more than one workout due to the chaos that is surely waiting for me (heh!) How I'll grade myself, based on missions 1) A = < 100 g carbs/90+ g protein; B = 100-125 g carbs/ 70-80 g protein; C = 125-150 g carbs/ 60-70 g protein; D = 150-175 g carbs/ 50-60 g protein; Fail = 175+g carbs/<50 g protein 2) A = 2 L + water; B = 1.5-2.0 L water; C = 1.0-1.5 L water; D = 0.5-1.0 L water; F = <0.5 L water 3) A = All 3 workouts completed each week; B = 2 workouts completed and other physical activity during the week; C = 1 workout and other physical activity during week; D = 0 workouts; physical activity during week; FAIL = sat around all week! I foresee Mission 1 being the most challenging with the lack of menu control and the complexity of the grading system I just made (jeez), but it's something to aim for and maybe even if I don't manage it this round I'll have a better idea what is realistic and aim for something more within my grasp. It's something to aim for anyway. The other 2 should be very doable and within my control, so I should have no excuses there!

Intro: Hi! I'm S@kur4-Ch4n! I feel like I wrote a novel in my actual Intro post, so for more about what makes me "me", please check out http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/51219-lets-do-this/. You might also know me as Gypsy140 on Fitocracy and various other places around the 'net. I chose this particular handle because 1) I've recently delved back into the underdark that is the Naruto fandom (obviously) and 2) I'm hoping to imitate the same major character shift that Sakura did--turning from a not-so-confident whiner into an ultra-strong badass! Hell yeah! Let's do this! The Highlights: 25 year old female from Texas5'1",155 lbs (US size 10/UK size 14)Married to Bandcamp, who also recently joined the ranks of The RebellionUniversity graduate advisor by day, doula-in-training and aspiring midwife by night (especially 4 am... babies love to be born at 4 am...)I have a rare genetic disorder: Pachyonychia Congenita. This is the reason I will never be a runner. Yay, chronic pain!Addicted to lifting, but still a novice (started in the last few months). I feel like such a badass whenever I get to throw around some iron! I also love pilates, yoga, and bodyweight workouts, but strength training is really my true love. Not sure if I'll join the Warrior guild, Rangers, or just hang with the Adventurers for a while in future. Thoughts? Main Goal: Build muscle, lose fat/inches, feel (and look!) better overall Missions for this challenge: Work out at least 3x per week. I need to focus on being more consistent and actually getting off my butt. Everything else will flow from there. This will likely be strength training 2-3 times per week and hopefully a pilates class once per week when classes start again. Until then, strength and bodyweight. Exercise will be logged using Fitocracy. A=3+ workouts in a given week B=2 workouts C=1 workout D=There is no D...because reasons. F=0 workouts. All aboard the failboat! Cook at least 5 dinners at home per week, eat breakfast every day, and make better choices when eating out. My job and lifestyle does not allow me to cook every meal at home and frankly, it's not realistic for me. That's okay. That being said, I can be better about the things I put into my body no matter the setting. My overall diet is not bad (focus on lean proteins, good fats, complex carbs/whole grains, and lots of fruit and veggies), but can always be improved. I am also actively trying to cut sugar and caffeine right now. Each part of this mission (dinners cooked at home, breakfast each day, better choices eating out) will be graded separately and then averaged for the weekly grade for this goal. Dinners cooked at home: A= 5 meals, B=4, C=3, D=2, F=1 Breakfasts eaten: A= everyday, B=5-6 days, C=3-4 days, D=1-2 days, F=0 days Better choices eating out (hard to quantify...): A= every time, B= the majority of the time, C=some of the time, D= very little of the time, F=didn't even try; someone save me from myself Get 7-9 hours of sleep each night. I'm terrible about this and it's really taking its toll lately. A=7 nights in a given week B=5-6 nights C=3-4 nights D=1-2 nights F=Not even once. I am now a zombie. Bonus Mission: Improve my big lifts (Deadlift 155>170, Squat 100>120, Bench 60>90, Press 50>60) I'm not making this the focus of my challenge and won't be grading myself on these right now, since I want to get better at this whole working out thing in general, but I will be working towards these goals. Next challenge's main goal will likely be more lift- or result-specific. Life Goal: Become a Productivity Ninja (borrowed idea from Spezzy!) Complete at least 3 big work tasks each work day Complete at least 1 "adult" task each day (chores around the house, running errands, doctor's appointments, etc.) Complete at least 1 self care task each day (read, take a bath, yoga to relax, craft something, play a game, meditate, spiritual task, massage, etc.). Stress and anxiety make me less productive, so they need to be taken care of as well to combat procrastination. Additional Stats: Since my main form of exercise is weight lifting and since muscle weighs more than fat, I can't trust the scale quite as much to determine if I'm making progress. I still weigh in once a week, but I think tracking my body measurements will provide more insight into how I'm doing. As of 7/24/14 bust:38" waist - at narrowest point: 31" waist - at navel: 36" hips: 40" chest/ribs (underbust):32" thigh:23" calf:14.75" upper arm (bicep, relaxed): 13" forearm:10" shoulder circumference: 43" neck: 13" I will update this thread at the end of each week with a brief recap and a grade for that week, midterm grade and level up at 3 weeks, final grade and level up at 6 weeks. Any and all input is welcome. Happy to meet you all and pumped to get started with this challenge!

Background: I'm a 24 year old about to graduate from art college with a bachelors in animation. I've been generally out of shape most of my memorable life, and I figure as I move from one chapter of life into another, a change in overall health and appearance isn't such a bad idea. Main Quest: My end goal is to lose 50 pounds, going from 250 down to a nice even 200. In the course of losing weight, I am also aiming to improve my posture. (I've had deplorable posture ever since elementary school). Mission 1: Do the BBWW at least 3 times a week every week. As of right now, I can do almost all of one circuit, but I hope to be able to do two full circuits at least by the end of this challenge Mission 2: At least 2 meals a day will be either home cooked and paleo OR paleo elsewhere. (I found a place nearby that does Pho just... well just perfectly) Mission 3: Quit soda and alcohol cold turkey. That seems pretty self explanatory. (Just to clarify, I don't have an issue with over-drinking alcohol or anything, I just don't want the sugars and whatnot that come with it.) Life Quest: Become financially independent. Given that I've been in school my whole life, I've always relied on my parents in at least some capacity for money. I'd like to get myself a job that will allow me to take over all of my bills and get a place to live on my own that isn't a student house. Motivation: My motivation for losing weight and all that is really just for the self confidence boost that comes with it. Being overweight for so long has led to self image and worth issues for much of my life and improving what I see in the mirror is one of the steps to overcoming that. I mean, it's not a HUGE deal that causes me to dive into depression or anything, but it sure would be nice. I've tried jumping on this nerd fitness train before, a year or so ago, but I never made any posts and when school got crazy I stopped working out and eating right for quite a long time. I started the process again June 1st and I've been keeping up on exercise pretty well, but food has been somewhat of an issue. Here's to correcting that! EDIT: Grading for Goals - Goal 1: A= 18+ workouts | B= 14 workouts | C= 10 workouts | D= 8 workouts | F= 4 or less workouts Goal 2: A= 14+ paleo meals per wk | B= 12 Paleo Meals per wk | C= 10 paleo meals per wk | D= 8 paleo meals per wk | F= 6 or fewer meals Goal 3: A= 0 cheats | B= 1 cheat | C= 2 cheats | D=3 cheats | F=4 cheats

Hi, I'm airinpie, 34 years old, female, and built like a German shotputter. I've always been heavy, and pretty muscular. Several years ago, I joined weight watchers and lost a bunch of weight, but since then have put it back on. I also started running at that time. I've mostly stuck with running, but NEVER gotten any better at it. I'm slow, but can go for a long time. Last year I discovered Crossfit. I.LOVE.WEIGHTS. Finally, something I was good at. I am strong, and it was nice to actually have a natural inclination for a physical activity. With very little focused effort, I was able to bench to 145# and deadlift #225 (I never maxed, but those numbers would have been higher). Everything was going great until I tore my meniscus. I had surgery in January, took it easy for a month, and started back with Crossfit slowly. Within another month, I tore the meniscus in my other knee. I had surgery on that knee a month ago. I don't remember an exact moment of injury either time, but I think I was either a form error, or "too much, too soon". Either way, I'm paying for it now. I'm going to have to take a conservative approach because I'm not 100% in either knee, and I DO NOT want another injury. My main quest is to get down from my current size 22, to a size 14. This won't happen in 6 weeks, but I would be happy to drop one size in that time. I'm going to do this by: 1. Do 2 cardio workouts per week. I intend to swim mainly. I plan to join a gym in August, and will try biking/rowing/eliptical and see how they feel on my knees. A = 12 workouts B = 9 workouts C = 6 workouts D = 3 workouts 2. Safely incorporate strength and lifting / knee rehab workouts 2x per week. I am able to do most arm, chest, back, ab lifts without negative impact on my knees. I am going to stay away from Crossfit for a little while, as I can only do very few Olympic lifts right now, and it's a pretty steep membership to pay for what I'm limited to. A = 12 workouts B = 9 workouts C = 6 workouts D = 3 workouts 3. Drink 8 x 8oz of water every day. A = 40+ days B = 30-39 days C = 20-29 days D = 10-19 days My main motivator is for my health and comfort. I want to be able to do all of the activities and sports that I enjoy easier and without pain. I've always been very active, and would like to be able to continue without any more injuries. Dropping weight will also relieve some of the stress on my knees. Looking forward to killing it with some fellow nerds!

Hi all! Excited to be here! Here's my quest and missions! Main Quest To get healthy, look good, and lose weight and get into my size 8 jeans again. Mission 1: Strength train at least 3 times a week (strength +3) I chose this mission because I know strength training is essential to losing weight, but don’t like doing it! I started the Dumbbell Division at the Nerd Fitness Academy and hoping this keeps me on track! A: completed 18 or more sessions B: completed 15-17 sessions C: completed 12-14 sessions D: completed 11-13 sessions E: completed 8-10 sessions F: completed 5-7 sessions or less Mission 2: Walk first thing in the morning, at least 5 times a week for 1 mile or 20 minutes* (stamina +2) I chose this mission because I know cardio is part of the weight loss journey, but I’m trying to focus less on this and more on strength training for now. I used to be able to run long distances but right now my body isn’t ready for it, so I’m hoping that this will get me going in the right direction to start this up again. A: walked 30 times or more B: walked 27-29 times C: walked 24-26 times D: walked 21-23 times E: walked 18-20 times F: walked 15-17 times or less Mission 3: Stay under 100g carbs, 5 times a week (health +3) using MyFitnessPal to help I had a hard time with this mission because I wanted a nutrition related mission but didn’t know what to pick at first. I finally decided on this because I’m pretty good at getting my vegetables and fruits in and my protein, but sometimes not too great at staying under my carb limit. A: stayed under 100g of carbs for 30 days or more B: stayed under 100g of carbs for 27-29 days C: stayed under 100g of carbs for 24-26 days D: stayed under 100g of carbs for 21-23 days E: stayed under 100g of carbs for 18-20 days F: stayed under 100g of carbs for 15-17 days Side Quest Create a game in Python (wisdom +2) Right now I’m still learning the basics, not sure how to break this goal down*** Motivation To feel confident about myself again. Successful completion of Challenge 1: 10 stat points Excited to be on my first quest! Good luck everyone! *I would like to add an addendum to say that if for some reason I don't get to walk in the morning (rain, running late, unexpected events), I can make it up by walking later that day. **Edited again to change my carb goal to 4 times a week. ***Edited one last time to learn SAS instead of Python since most jobs that I'm applying to requires knowledge of SAS.

First post. I just found NF 3 weeks ago. I started with the BBWW and am loving it. After years of junk food addiction, carrying 2 giant size babies, and a foot injury that left me sedentary for far too long my stomach is huge. And while I want to lose weight everywhere my main quest is to conquer my huge belly. Main Quest To lose 9 inches off of my waist. (This is not a six week goal - grin.) Goals to Achieve the MQ 1. Workout 5x a week. MWF is strength training. T, Th is cardio, primarily intervals on the bike. A = 30 B = 20 - 29 C = >20 2. Follow the No S diet. A = 40 + days B = 30 - 39 C = 20 - 29 D = >20 3. To use the squat rack at the gym. I'm currently working on form with weighted air squats and I'm still very intimidated in the free weight section of the gym. A = 10 B = 5 C = 1 F = 0 Life Quest To finally form the outline and spend focused time each week on a book I've wanted to write for years. A = 2 hrs. per wk B = 1 hr. per wk C = 30 min. per wk. D = >30 min. per week Motivation Statement My belly makes me feel ugly. I want to conquer the belly, wear a great pair of jeans without spillover and actually begin to like my body. I want to feel beautiful and be strong.

Introduction: My name is Joe, but my friends call me Coffee. I have always been a large. In college, contrary to most stories, I actually started to curtail my yearly growth and get down to around 255 lbs. That was going into my junior year. I am now 1 full year graduated and weighing in at 303 lbs. Weighing in consistently at over 300 lbs has made me realize it's time to change. I joined a gym earlier this week, and decided to join the forums here. This is my first challenge, and I'm looking forward to it. My main overarching fitness goal is to reach a maintainable weight of between 200-220 lbs. However, for main quests in challenges I will be making 6 week goals, as opposed to this giant goal. After this first challenge I plan on joining the Warrior Guild. Current Stats: Age: 23 Height: 6'2 Start Weight: 303 Current Weight: 299 Total Lost: 4 Level: 0 Main Quest: The Baker's Dozen. (lose 13 lbs.) Week 1: -3 lbs Week 2: -1 lbs Quest 1: Showing Up is 80% of Life: I (go to gym 5/7 days a week) STR +2 DEX: +1 CHA: +1 Follow 12 week program, and use that new gym membership. A: 5 Days 100% B: 4 Days 80% C: 3 Days 60% D: 2 Days 40% F: 1 Days 20% INCOMPLETE: 0 Days 0% Status: Week 1: 4/7 Days B Week 2: 5/7 Days A Quest 2: In God We Trust, All Others Must Bring Data: ( Track food intake with MyfitnessPal) WIS: +1 CON: +1 Use Iphone App and Web App to track food intake and calorie consumption A: 6-7 Days 100% B: 4-5 Days 80% C: 3 Days 60% D: 2 Days 40% F: 1 Days 20% INCOMPLETE: 0 Days 0% Status: Week 1: 7/7 Days A Week 2: 7/7 Days A Quest 3: My motto is: Live every day to the fullest - in moderation: (No Eating after 9pm) CON: +2 A: 6-7 Days 100% B: 4-5 Days 80% C: 3 Days 60% D: 2 Days 40% F: 1 Days 20% INCOMPLETE: 0 Days 0% Status: Week 1: 7/7 Days A Week 2: 4/7 Days B Life Quest: Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known: I (Read 1 Book A Week) WIS: +2 A: 6+ Books 100% B: 5 Books 80% C: 4 Books 60% D: 2-3 Books 40% F: 1 Book 20% INCOMPLETE: 0 Books 0% Status: Currently Reading Tuesdays With Morrie Week 1: 1/6 Books Read A Week 2: 2/6 Books Read A All of these quests will, when completed, point me towards the completion of The Baker's Dozen main quest, and my Master quest of getting to a maintainable weight of 200-220 lbs. Motivation: It's like the song from Mulan. I look at my reflection and I don't recognize who I see. I get disgusted looking at myself, and I want to feel good about my weight and health. Thanks for reading, I will keep you all updated. Coffee

Introduction: Hi Everyone! This is my first challenge with the NF crowd and I am SUPER excited! I have some things that I definitely need to work on... I am a HORRIBLE self-saboteur, so I feel I really need a place to talk to other people to not fall into my self-destructive habits. Training Background: I used to train/compete aggressively for Olympic Weightlifting a few years ago, unfortunately afterwards, between a series of injuries and academic commitments I quit the sport and it has been a massive life regret. I dabbled in some crossfit, long distance running, Muay Thai, but I always missed weightlifting profoundly. About 6 weeks ago I found a new local team and I started training again! I am very excited and want to sign up for the challenge to not screw this up. Diet background: Oh food and healthy eating - I have a gluten allergy, so I have to be very careful with what I eat. I try to be paleo w/ minimal dairy BUT I have a few mind monsters I need to get rid of. In the beginning of the year, I was doing a "super strict for 6 days, cheat day on 7th" type of meal plan which turned very self-destructive and brought me into a horrible place physically and mentally. Eventually it turned into a binge day/starvation day 48 hour cycle. I noticed my weight starting to creep up, which was very draining physically and emotionally. Then, a bit of good news - I had to travel for a few weeks, and somehow my eating habits are always better on the road (perhaps because my mind is occupied?), and I've managed to get back to where I was before it all started... the weight dropped and my eating habits are now much more normal. The biggest shock was that my training improved EVEN though a lot of my usual "rules" were broken - i.e. not eating immediately before/after a training session, not hitting the g number for protein, and all my other usual stressors. But now that I am back home, my biggest fear is falling into my old horrible set of habits. I am hoping between training with my team and having a support network I can abandon my binge-monster forever. Main Quest: Work towards getting into competition shape for weightlifting. Quest 1: Epically annihilate the binge monster - Eliminate factors that seem to screw with my appetite: ditch the diet soda and chewing gum. A = 1 soda/gum pack per week. B = 2/week C = 3/week - Have vegetables with every meal/snack and start with them when hungry - Try to eat by functioning off natural hunger/satiety cues instead of following strict timings and stressing when there is any variety in them. Reward: A = +3CON, B = +2CON, C = +1 CON Quest 2: Build strength - Measurement: Improve back-squat to at least A: 90kg 2x2 B: 87kg 2x2 C:85kg 2x2 - Train with my team as per plan 3x/week. - Never miss 2 workouts in a row Reward: A = +3 STR, B = +2STR, C = +1STR Quest 3: Improve mindset - Stop negative self-talk - Break free of self-destructive habits - When facing a binge/screw it moment, post and vent on the forum instead of buying a jar of almond butter. - A = 0 cheats/week, B = 1 every 3 weeks, C = 1 every 2 weeks Reward: A = +3WIS, B = +2WIS, C = +1WIS Life Quest: Continue to pursue my french studies by registering for night school at a university close by. Motivation: I wish I had something beautifully motivational like kids or family members to keep me going when things get challenging... but this is where I need the most help. The only person I am really doing this for is myself, which unfortunately, is not the greatest motivation for me, and which is why I need all of you wonderful people!! Most people are scared of failure... but I am scared of success! How weird is that!? Any time I set a new personal best or achieve a new goal, instead of being proud and happy like a normal person, I get freaked out a little and the self-sabotaging thoughts are stronger than ever? I need to change my mindset to "YES this is really you and YES you deserve this!"

Background: Back in April, I was your classic "skinny-fat". With my clothes on, I looked normal, slender even. But at 5'10" I weighed 163 lbs and had a body fat percentage of 21%. I decided I wanted to do something about that and began the Starting Strength lifting program, as well as tracking my calories to run at a gentle deficit. I now weigh 147 lbs, and have a body fat percentage of 12%. I want to go lower, but I also want to put on some actual muscle before dropping the remaining 2-3% body fat. Although I have been lifting regularly, my age (mid 30s) and calorie deficit have meant that my gains were anemic, and my recovery times poor. Main quest: I will build strength and muscle, while keeping my body fat percentage low. I will do this by: 1) Submitting a Form Check video of each of my squat, deadlift, bench press and overhead press to the Form Check forum. I need to make sure that I'm exercising safely and effectively! 2) Adopting a LeanGains style approach to eating, which means tracking my calories AND my macros to ensure that I am getting enough protein to build muscle. My goal is one gram of protein per pound of body mass per day (147g/day). 3) Adopting a LeanGains style three day split routine that focuses on the basic lifts while giving my body enough time to recover between workouts. Note: I have a pre-booked family holiday from in early August, and I am exempting myself from my quest for this period! I like binary results, so I'm going to keep the tracking simple. Each week, I'll update this thread with a progress report, and, each day, for each quest, I'll get either a 1 or a 0, depending on whether I did, or did not, do what I said I would do. At the end of the challenge, I'll look at my total score for each quest, and compare it to the maximum possible score. If I score 85% or better, the quest was a success. Life quest: I will successfully arrange and execute the house move I have pending at the end of August! My motivation: I want to be (even more of) a sexy beast.