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It's time to get on the famous bandwagon again! And I'm PUMPED!!!! Things has been hectic for the last couple of months but I'm finally ready to do this! I'm going to keep it simple this time around also - just going to have two goals. RUNNING! 3 times per week I will go for a jog/run/brisk walk and I WILL love it! (I actually have a race 19th of May I'm training for) FOOD! I will limit my intake of sugar to two days/week. This includes everything that isn't "food". So candy, sweets, chips, soda, you name it. And you know what? I will love it! I will also try to post pictures on here as much as I can. I will also be signing and checking off running and food as much as I can. Feel free to take a sneakpeak into my main questline also. Let me just say - BRING IT!

Hey guys, Posted in the introductions yesterday and someone suggested I take the post and make it a challenge, however after reading the challenge rules I feel that it would be more in place here! This will not be a daily log for me though, I may well update it every week, however the main reason is to keep track of my monthly progress pics, measurments and reviews! I was always a bit vague with my goals in the past, and to be perfectly honest I’m not entirely sure how to set realistic goals at the minute. Previously, I based them on the weight I was lifting, always striving to lift something heavier, however I don’t even know my starting weights for all exercises at the minute and it’s probably going to take a few weeks to get there. So setting short term goals, and even some long term goals, is going to be something I will be looking towards doing very soon. Saying that however, my goal at the minute is to attend the gym, and get back into the habit of cooking and preparing meals. My girlfriend and I did a monster shop at the weekend, filling the fridge with nothing but healthy ingredients, a rough meal plan will let us know what we’re having to eat on a daily basis and the ability to throw together shakes and homemade protein bars will mean that I’ve never short on calories! I’m going to take my goals on a week-by-week basis, like I said just starting the habit up again. This week I plan to: Take a lunch to work every day this week. Go to the gym on Wednesday and Friday. Go for a hike on Saturday. Obviously I’m doing more than this, but I also know the negative effect setting too many or unrealistic goals can have. I took my measurements and progress pics yesterday and they are as follows: Gut (belly button to belly button) - 33 inches Chest - 39 inches Arms - 13 inches Legs - 19 inches I’m looking to put a little bit of size on (through beginner gains) so hoping to see these increase over the next few months. DIET My diet is going to consist of a lot of whole foods along with supplementation. The majority of my meals will be home cooked using fresh ingredients, I will have some things from a packet purely for convenience but the ingredients of these will be closely monitored. I’ll be looking to have a diet high in protein (1g+ per lb of bodyweight), moderate carbohydrates (200g and below) and moderate to high fat intake (around 70 – 90g). Once I get it up and running on MyFitnessPal I will post up some macros. A sample day of eating will go along the lines of: Breakfast Shugart Shake (Whey, Peanut Butter, Banana, Almond Milk) 550 cal Lunch Chicken and rice 400 cal Pre-Workout Homemade protein bar (essentially oats, honey and whey in bar form) 300 cal Post Workout Whey shake 100 cal Dinner Chicken and white carbs (potatoes, rice etc) 450 cal Pre-bed snack Cashew Nuts 300 cal I will be looking to eat somewhere between 2100 - 2200 calories per day, I know this may seem quite low but I know from past experiences that this is roughly my maintenance window. On my rest days I will sub out the protein bar for nuts and the white carbs in dinner for something a little lower on the glycaemic index. I’m allowing myself one cheat meal per week, in fact an entire night off on a Friday. I know that this will obviously effect my overall progress, but I also know that this is paramount to my mental health (overprotective, I warned you!). But I’m not dumb, and any chance I can to take this in moderation, or skip over it entirely, I will. At the same time, I want to be able to enjoy a night out with my friends should the need arise. WORKOUTS As for the gym itself? I’m going to be doing a lot of big the big lifts, focusing mostly on compounds with some isolations that I enjoy (It’s got to be fun, right?!). I like to use progressive overload, constantly increasing the weight on the bar, however the rep range will be 8 – 10, which is quite high for this technique as it’s usually utilized to gain strength quickly. I’ll be doing 3 full-body workouts per week and I’m still in the process of working out the specifics, however it will look something like this? Cavehill is around 1 and a half hours hike. I mentioned earlier that I’m not overly fussed on the program I’m doing or the diet that I’m eating, I just want to get back into the habit of working out, eating well, tracking my macros, hydrating and just generally being awesome again. However I do believe that what I have in place at the minute will give me a solid base to work from and I will revise it in 3 months’ time and make changes as required. Well thank you for reading, that is me and that is what I plan to do. I hope to be active on the forums and I look forward to meeting you all Andy

Hey guys, my name is Andy! I've been a Nerd Fitness fan for quite some time! It's actually the thing that got me really interested in the gym, leveling up and life and just generally trying to be awesome! I swear I started this post with the intention of keeping it short and sweet, but once I started typing I couldn't stop! It's ended up as an absolute monster of a post! I've hid most of it in a spoiler, this is mostly about my history, where I came from and what shapes me now. Feel free to read it if you like, however if not, don't feel bad. It was mostly for me to get it out of my head and down onto paper, it actually really helped HISTORY I was always a bit vague with my goals in the past, and to be perfectly honest I’m not entirely sure how to set realistic goals at the minute. Previously, I based them on the weight I was lifting, always striving to lift something heavier, however I don’t even know my starting weights for all exercises at the minute and it’s probably going to take a few weeks to get there. So setting short term goals, and even some long term goals, is going to be something I will be looking towards doing very soon. Saying that however, my goal at the minute is to attend the gym, and get back into the habit of cooking and preparing meals. My girlfriend and I did a monster shop at the weekend, filling the fridge with nothing but healthy ingredients, a rough meal plan will let us know what we’re having to eat on a daily basis and the ability to throw together shakes and homemade protein bars will mean that I’ve never short on calories! I’m going to take my goals on a week-by-week basis, like I said just starting the habit up again. This week I plan to: Take a lunch to work every day this week. Go to the gym on Wednesday and Friday. Go for a hike on Saturday. Obviously I’m doing more than this, but I also know the negative effect setting too many or unrealistic goals can have. I took my measurements and progress pics yesterday and they are as follows: I’m looking to put a little bit of size on (through beginner gains) so hoping to see these increase over the next few months. DIET My diet is going to consist of a lot of whole foods along with supplementation. The majority of my meals will be home cooked using fresh ingredients, I will have some things from a packet purely for convenience but the ingredients of these will be closely monitored. I’ll be looking to have a diet high in protein (1g+ per lb of bodyweight), moderate carbohydrates (200g and below) and moderate to high fat intake (around 70 – 90g). Once I get it up and running on MyFitnessPal I will post up some macros. A sample day of eating will go along the lines of: Breakfast Shugart Shake (Whey, Peanut Butter, Banana, Almond Milk) 550 cal Lunch Chicken and rice 400 cal Pre-Workout Homemade protein bar (essentially oats, honey and whey in bar form) 300 cal Post Workout Whey shake 100 cal Dinner Chicken and white carbs (potatoes, rice etc) 450 cal Pre-bed snack Cashew Nuts 300 cal I will be looking to eat som ewhere between 2100 - 2200 calories per day, I know this may seem quite low but I know from past experiences that this is roughly my maintenance window. On my rest days I will sub out the protein bar for nuts and the white carbs in dinner for something a little lower on the glycaemic index. I’m allowing myself one cheat meal per week, in fact an entire night off on a Friday. I know that this will obviously effect my overall progress, but I also know that this is paramount to my mental health (overprotective, I warned you!). But I’m not dumb, and any chance I can to take this in moderation, or skip over it entirely, I will. At the same time, I want to be able to enjoy a night out with my friends should the need arise. WORKOUTS As for the gym itself? I’m going to be doing a lot of big the big lifts, focusing mostly on compounds with some isolations that I enjoy (It’s got to be fun, right?!). I like to use progressive overload, constantly increasing the weight on the bar, however the rep range will be 8 – 10, which is quite high for this technique as it’s usually utilized to gain strength quickly. I’ll be doing 3 full-body workouts per week and I’m still in the process of working out the specifics, however it will look something like this? Cavehill is around 1 and a half hours hike. I mentioned earlier that I’m not overly fussed on the program I’m doing or the diet that I’m eating, I just want to get back into the habit of working out, eating well, tracking my macros, hydrating and just generally being awesome again. However I do believe that what I have in place at the minute will give me a solid base to work from and I will revise it in 3 months’ time and make changes as required. Well thank you for reading, that is me and that is what I plan to do. I hope to be active on the forums and I look forward to meeting you all Andy

Back in Black! Actually, I am wearing black today so that works out perfectly! I’m gonna keep this short and sweet for now just to get my goals down and mentally prepare for the next 6-weeks! Enjoy! Goal #1-Stick to the program! This is pretty self-explanatory if you’ve been following me at all. I have workout ADD and jump from one program to the next cuz it’s either to time consuming or I get bored. But I have found a NICE program with this “Minimalist Muscle†from the one and only, Pat Flynn! I have altered the program a little bit to fit my schedule but still have the same components of the program. I started this past Monday, the 2nd and will continue it for at least these 6-weeks. Possible points: +2 to STR, +1 to CHA (CHA for the ability to stay focused on 1 training program, lol) Goal #2-Get in Basketball shape A group of my friends and I will be starting a competitive rec league Jul 13th. Now, I say get in basketball shape cuz it’s TOTALLY different than just being in shape. Guess I’m back on the sprints J haha. My main focus is getting my dribbling skills back and the ability to drive to the basket. My jump shot is pretty much on point right now so I just need to stay consistent with shooting the ball. I need to practice my dribbling skills at least 3x a week and should be on the court at least 2x a week for suicide sprints and other basketball conditioning drills. These two can coincide with one another. Possible points: +3 to STA, +1 to DEX Goal #3- Counting sheep…time to SLEEP, dammit! Self-explanatory, again. I didn’t do too hot with this goal last time so I wanna bring it back for a 2nd go-round. But this time, I will be getting my 8+ hours a week-at least Sunday through Friday since I work during the week and try to workout in the early AM to spend time with Heather and the Pups. Possible points: +4 to CON Goal #4- Re-New Re-New is the marriages program that Heather and I started at our church. It’s a 16-week course and our 1st closed group meeting with our new leaders was last night!! We had been going for over a month doing open groups and all that. I have looked forward to going every week and we had to originally wait for leaders to come available and last night started our 16-week journey to a better marriage! I am so unbelievably stoked for this goal! SO, it’s very simple. Go each Wednesday night, do the required reading and “homework†and let God take care of the rest. Possible points: +4 to WIS So, there we have it ladies and gents! Ready to rock and roll as usual! Wolf

Did a 1RM on my squat yesterday Went from 315 to 345 lbs in about 3 months! WHOO!

Formerly mild mannered Johnny Shoes has decided that he wants to go into all out beast mode and transform into a superhero. It will not be an easy quest What does being a superhero mean to JohnnyShoes? It means being an inspiration to others, shining a light into the darkest parts of people's lives and providing them with hope and guidance. With his Jedi counsel and the support of his classmates, friends, and community, Johnny Shoes' goal is to see something that he hasn't seen in a very long time: The number 2 as the first number on his scale, the time scale? By my 35th birthday. Current weight: 365 Goal weight: 299 Start Date: 2-24-14 Goal Date: 6-12-14 A break down of the numbers: 15 weeks until my 35th birthday. That equals 4.4 lbs per week until Birthday. Is this achievable? I believe so. Here is how the next six weeks of my life will bring me closer to my goal of becoming a superhero. GOAL ONE: 2200 calories a day of delicious and nutritious foods. My current school and work schedule allow me Sunday and Monday to prep meals for the week. I will fill my lunch bag with things that give me calories, vitamins, minerals, and health. There will be days in which I will make the decision to eat food with friends, I will eat as cleanly and healthfully as possible on those occasions. +1 con +2 wis +1 cha tracked by % days achieved GOAL TWO: Burn 750 calories a day through movement. The loseit! app has a tracker of how many calories I burn in activities. I will NOT count regular walks to class or cleaning the house. It must be calories that I intend to burn above what my BMR dictates. +2 sta +2 str tracked by % days achieved GOAL THREE: Drink water. I have to learn to love water again. I hope to drink 144 oz of water per day. This will flush my system and keep me happy and cramp free. +1 wis (get it...wizz..pee..water?) LIFE QUEST: Convince 1 person a week to change their lifestyles to a more healthy one. I want to use my drive and determination to inspire people to become more healthy. I love all my friends and colleagues as I do my family. I want them to be around for a very long time. +1 cha +1 wis SIDE QUEST: Increase my yoga move catalog. Just going to try out some new poses and hold them for longer. This will feed into my second goal of burning calories. +2 dex +2 cha This calorie cut back and burn takes about 12,250 calories off my body per week. This is an intrinsic weight loss of around 3lbs per week. This is below my goal, but I intend on pushing it up in the next two challenges. I also believe that my body will get my metabolism jump-started and I will shed the weight like crazy at first. My motivation is complex. I have been fat for my entire life. I remember shopping for "Husky" pants when I was going into 2nd grade. I've played sports, and enjoyed them, but after high school they just went away. Food has always been a celebration and a comfort for me. Whatever pain or joy I experienced I would consume food to bury it. This has to stop. I need to eat right. Do, or do not, there is no try. I have to go on a 5 week field camp where I climb hills and cliffs and take geologic measurements. That will happen in June of 2015. I don't want to die or make a fool of myself there. I'd like a girl's first impression of me to be independent of the weight, but to focus on my smile (which is amazing). I want to take the stairs, I want to walk to the park, I want to enjoy the things I enjoy to the fullest. There is always the chance of failure, shit happens, but I will continue on my path. Even if I don't hit 299 on 6-12-2014 I will be a better person and feel better about myself for the journey that is taking me there. This first challenge back may not seem like full on beast mode, but if you remember...it took Goku like 13 episodes to get his spirit bomb charged, it's going to take me awhile to get going. I attached a picture of me that was taken on 2-20-14 as my "Day 1" Let's see how "Day 42" looks... the superhero training begins...now.

I know, I know… I said I wasn’t gonna change my name… Hello everyone, most of you knew me as The Wolf. And now, I am Animal Man! There are a lot of reasons why I changed my name, but one of them has to do with me outgrowing The Wolf. I feel like my skillset would be limited to just one animal…so I call upon “The Red†and the entire animal kingdom for this challenge. Another reason I changed my name is my current obsession with the DC character Animal Man. It has to be the best comic I’ve read, hands down. Not only is the “style†of Animal Man right up my alley, but I can relate to him on a lvl that holds the high regards of my other favorite hero, the Flash. I honestly can’t get enough of Animal Man, and have volume 3 pre-ordered. I’ve read volume 1 at least twice and making my run through volume 2 for a 2nd time! This challenge, I will be dipping into “The Red†and calling upon my fellow animals to assist me. For those of you who do not know what “The Red†is; well let me explain: The Red is a force which connects and pervades all animal life in the universe. It is intended to be the force from which a number of animal-powered heroes get their abilities. I started doing this in real life too…and scary enough…it worked! Anyone who’s followed me knows about my love for sports. I recently got back into softball and this is the 2nd “season†I’ve participated in. Last season I had trouble at bat. I wasn’t keeping my eye on the ball and kept striking out! Naturally, this pissed me off cuz I know my abilities are much more keen than that. The 1st game of this season started out the same. I struck out twice at bat..and looked horrible doing it. This past Monday, I went 3/3 with 2 RBI’s! Before the game I told myself I needed patience… just a little bit of it. So I called upon the patience of the crocodile. This ancient dinosaur can sit still for extended periods of time waiting for its prey and strike without warning! THEN…I reached farther and called upon a creature, which in my eyes may be MORE patient then the croc. I called upon the patience of a trapdoor spider. HAVE YOU SEEN THOSE SOB’s HUNT? It’s incredible! Low and behold, it worked. I remained calm, kept my eyes on the ball, and hit with relentless aggression. I realized, then, that I was more than The Wolf…I had become Animal Man! This 6WC I will be calling upon The Red and it’s abilities to get me to the finish line. I am continuing my minimalist approach to fitness, so of course I will be posting on that throughout the 6-weeks, but my powers will be used for more specific goals this go-round. I’m very excited about this change cuz I think it will reflect my creativity a LOT more and help me stay focused J Character Stats Name: Ryan aka Animal Man Age: 25 Height: 6’2 Weight: 185lbs BF%: 7.5 STR: 15 DEX: 15.5 STA: 12.5 CON: 17 WIS: 12.5 CHA: 12.5 GOAL #1: Strength & Power of the Rhinoceros Beetle: The Muscle-Up The rhinoceros beetle is one of the strongest creatures on Earth. It can lift up to 850x their own body weight. For a human, it would be like lifting 65 tons!! I will call upon the strength and power of the rhino beetle to get a muscle-up. Back when I 1st started here at Nerd Fitness, I attempted a muscle-up and pretty much tanked it. This was ALMOST a year ago today when I constructed my 1st challenge thread w/ NF! I didn’t keep up with the progressions and every movement was ugly and sloppy. But then again, that was a fresh, young, new Wolf. This time around, things will be different. I have the progressions down now and I want to get my 1st HIGH QUALITY muscle-up be the end of the 6-weeks. BUT, to really make use of these new found powers of mine…I would like to knock out 3! Yes, 3 Muscle-Ups! (I realized that I was closer to getting 1 muscle-up then I initially thought.) So I wanna challenge myself! Possible Points: +3 STR +2 DEX Goal #2: The durability of a Tardigrade aka “The Water Bearâ€: Recovery is key The tardigrade, or the Water bear, is considered the most durable “creature†on earth. Straight from Wikipedia: Tardigrades are notable for being one of the most complex of all known polyextremophiles. An extremophile is an organism that can thrive in a physically or geochemically extreme condition that would be detrimental to most life on Earth.[3][4] For example, tardigrades can withstand temperatures from just above absolute zero to well above the boiling point of water, pressures about 6 times stronger than pressures found in the deepest ocean trenches, ionizing radiation at doses hundreds of times higher than would kill a person, and the vacuum of outer space. They can go without food or water for more than 10 years, drying out to the point where they are 3% or less water, only to rehydrate, forage, and reproduce. I will call upon the durability of the water bear to maximize recovery and increase the amount of time I spend on mobilization. I have 2 off/recovery days a week and I need to make sure and get the most out of those 48 hours! I MUST mobilze 2x a day on training days and 4x a day on off/recovery days. Possible Points: +2 CON +1 CHA Goal #3: The fasting ability of an Echidna: Intermittent and Micro Fasting The echidna, or spiny anteater, (OR Knuckles from Sonic the Hedgehog, lol) is one of several nocturnal, burrowing, egg-laying mammals. It lives in Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea. It is toothless and covered with spines. It has a slender snout and an extensible sticky tongue used for catching insects, such as ants and termites. The echidna can abstain from food for a period that may exceed a whole month without it having the least effect on its vitality. Lack of food does not weaken it. The secret behind this may be that the anteater eats greedily, filling its body with extra fat that burdens it. When food decreases due to an increase in their numbers or during their migration, anteater's involuntarily fast. Hence they lose extra weight and restore their activity. Anyone who follows me knows I’m a firm believer in Intermittent fasting…which is basically “not eating for a while.†I like to go from one dinner to the next day’s dinner..and that’s usually from Sunday night to Monday night. So, in this regard, I will call upon the fasting ability of the echidna. The goal is to continue my intermittent fasting ONCE a week and Micro fast (basically skip breakfast) 3x times a week. *When I micro fast, I have an 8 hr window to eat. So my 1st meal would be around noon, and my last meal around 8 PM.* Possible Points: +1 CON +2 WIS Goal #4: The forbearance of a Trapdoor Spider: Patience is a Virtue The trapdoor is difficult to see when it is closed because the plant and soil materials effectively camouflage it. The trapdoor is hinged on one side with silk. The spiders, which are usually nocturnal, typically wait for prey while holding on to the underside of the door with the claws on their tarsi. Prey is captured when insects, other arthropods, or small vertebrates disturb the 'trip' lines the spider lays out around its trapdoor, alerting the spider to a meal within reach. The spider detects the prey by vibrations and, when it comes close enough, leaps out of its burrow to make the capture. This goal will cover 2 specific things: My wolf pups and Softball. I need to be more patient in life and stop expecting everything to run at superspeed. With the pups, I need to realize their young…and their lack of patience should not affect my own. I can’t let them “disturb my trip lineâ€â€¦ I love them TOO MUCH! So I HAVE to do better at letting my own lack of forbearance tarnish the cherished time I have with the pups. In softball, you have to keep your eye on the ball. Once the ball gets close enough, with patience, you can smack the hell outta it! I need more patience in my life and I will call upon the forbearance of a trapdoor spider to complete this goal. I will limit myself to yelling at Race for misbehaving or pooping his pants…and always remain calm with Declan, he’s only a baby. No more than 1-2 mishaps per pup for the next 6-weeks because if I can keep that up, it will become something of a habit going forward. And NO MORE STRIKE OUTS in softball! Possible Points: +1 CHA +1 WIS Along with my 4 goals, I also have the 100-day push-up challenge. I’m on phase 2/day 5 @ 150 a day. Phase 3 marks another 50 added and so on and so forth until phase 5 when I’m up to 300!! I also wanted to add a bonus goal: BONUS GOAL: The “Brisk Walk “endurance of a Lemming In the Arctic tundra, over-population and a scarcity of food sends lemmings on mass migrations at high speeds. Researchers clocked one trek of the petite mammals at almost 10 miles a day. For the weak, the pace of the journey is just too much and they are left behind to die. Brisk walking is AWESOME for you. And if you have the means, walk outside. The best times to brisk walk are right after you wake up in the morning, while your body is still in a fasted state and RIGHT after your workout as a cool down. Pat Flynn recommends brisk walking EVERY day and stands by it 100%. I’ve began to feel the positive effects of it and wanted to add it in as a bonus goal to keep myself accountable, so I will call upon the endurance of the lemming to brisk walk at LEAST an hour a day. Possible Points: +2 STA And there you have it folks. The new and improved Wolf is now the unstoppable Animal Man! The only difference this go round is a name change ladies and gents. I am still the same crazy, funny, positive person as before..but I may be even better this time. A good friend on here once said that “If you are not broken yet, you will NOT be broken at allâ€. This is the unbreakable version of me. I hope you all enjoy! A-Man

Main Quest: To complete the Spartan Beast, December 14th/15th. 1) Running - The Spartan Beast is a 10-12 mile obstacle course. I enjoy running (when it's not hot as blazes outside) and can currently run about 4-5 miles slowly (~13 min mile) without much trouble. This step is to utilize RunKeeper to train for a half marathon. Starting Tuesday, Sept 17, I'll be running 13 miles by the time of the Beast. So, I'll need to keep up with the schedule in the app, running 4x a week. By the end of the challenge, I will be running 6 miles at race pace (average 10 min mile). 2) Strength Training - Addressing the obstacles...This is tentative to change, as I plan on joining the women's Nerd Fitness Academy once it opens up, but mean while I've got the Rebel Strength Training guide and a set of dumbbells collecting dust...I would like to work through the Rookie Workout...by the end of the challenge I will be ready to graduate to Level 2 Recruit. 3) Eating to Fuel the Body - I know eating better will improve my energy levels and how much I'll be getting out of my workouts. Right now I try to eat my veggies, but I often succumb to fast food when work is really stressful or I'm pulling overtime, and my department almost always has some kind of yummy processed baked treats to boost morale. So for this step, I'm going to start by choosing 1 day out the week (pre-determined, not randomly when I feel like it), where I will only eat what I bring from home. This means eliminating that trip to Starbucks/Chick-fil-a and ignoring the donuts on the center table. Every week, I'll add one more day to the "only food from home" list, and by the end of the challenge I will be in my second week of strictly enjoying my home-cooked numnums. Life Quest Find Time to Read - It's so easy to find myself in front of the boob tube after a day of work, but I feel guilty about it, like I'm wasting time...I feel like watching TV is even more wasteful than playing World of Warcraft (no offense to those who play! I'm a recovering addict trying to find reasons to abstain)...Anyway, one of my bucket list goals is to read all the books of The Well-Educated Mind. So I'm going to read for at least 1 hour a week. This could be broken up in 3x20 minute time period, or all at once, but I just need to activate my imagination and exercise my intellect in ways outside of work. The book I'm choosing for this challenge is Mrs. Dalloway.

I found a really good walking stick; but that's not what this is all about. Before I get started with the story I'm going to explain why the following was a big deal for me. It may sound like a sob story at first but you'll just have to bear with me. I was born with a genetic disorder known as Marfan Syndrome. Now, if you Google this condition you're going to get a lot of pictures of very deformed individuals. I, however have a mild case of the disease in comparison to the advanced cases you are likely to see. I have multiple skeletal deformities which have caused scoliosis and hip dysfunction. These are the important things to remember about my condition. Everything else would just be adding to the pity pile. I decided I wanted to go backpacking. Yeah. Now knowing that I have scoliosis and hip problems you're probably wondering why I would ever want to hike for days with a heavy backpack. The answer starts with a video game and Nerd Fitness. I was a lot like Steve whenever he came to the wonderful affinity that eventually led him to creating this community. My game of choice, however, was Skyrim. Hopefully anyone reading this is familiar with Skryim or has invested hundreds of hours into the game since it has been released. If you have, you know how easy this is to do. The game is incredibly immersive, and very modable. I downloaded mods that enhanced the immersion of the game even higher. Backpacks, camping, basic needs, anything that made me feel like I was there, or being that character. Something to take me away from the life I was living. The fact that I needed pain killers just to make it through a work day (I work as a retail manager so I walk briskly on concrete floors all day). I had always been an outdoorsmen so these types of mods appealed to me. I loved to camp and practice survival skills, but my conditions 'prevented' me from putting everything together. I stumbled upon Nerd Fitness whenever I had had enough. I had been broken. I just recovered from a kidney stone and I was in more pain physically than just about any other time in my life. I was smoking heavily and basically living on energy drinks and Aleve. I read some of the articles and my first reaction was basically; “Holy **** this guy is awesome!†So I continued reading, found the basic body weight exercises and got motivated. It sucked. The first week of doing these circuits was very painful, but I had the willpower to push hard. I felt worse than I did before I started, but there was a feeling right after the workout that told me it would all work out in the end. So I pushed even harder. I tracked my progress, how many reps I did, how long it took me. I also started eating better. I cut the energy drinks out and only drank water, milk, and green tea. I cut out crap food and replaced it with more nutritious filling foods like almonds and dried fruit for snacks. I also quit smoking after a few weeks, which was obviously the best cardio exercise I could have possibly done. Eventually I started to feel good, and then I felt a lot better. I had more energy, I felt stronger and more in control. I wasn't having migraines and my kidneys were operating as designed. My lower back felt better, with the exception of a few flare-ups. I eventually found a way to stabilize my hip using exercises several times a day. So one night playing Skyrim I was unpacking my tent, setting up my camp fire. And then it hit me. Like getting Fus Ro Dah'd off the Throat of the World. I could be doing this for real. I had the skills, I had a lot of the equipment. I just needed a proper pack, and I would be set! Now, don't assume that I just jumped into this without doing any research. I spent hours researching backpacking in general, and where to backpack. I spend a good deal of money updating my equipment, too, which has an interesting motivational effect. It's harder to not do something whenever you're spending a ton of money on it. At least it is for me. Right, so I had my gear, had my route, just needed to work out the logistics. This is actually where my first 'beast mode' moment comes. I know; logistics and 'beast mode' don't always go together. Originally I was going to have my girlfriend follow me to where I was going to get off the trail, park my car, then have her drive me to where I was going to get on the trail, then just hike to my car. Well, due to travel time and when she got off work I wouldn't hit the trial until evening and have three hours to hike six miles to the shelter area, set up camp, and cook dinner before nightfall. I wasn't so sure about that. So then I had two options. I could drive out solo and park where I was going to start, hike six miles, camp, then hike six miles back. That didn't sound like it would be worth it to me. I wanted something I would be proud of doing. My other option would be to park at the end, hike eleven miles, camp, then hike the eleven miles back. That sounded more like an accomplishment. I pulled up the elevation profile for that section of the trail and it didn't seem so bad (elevation profiles don't really tell you a whole lot about a trail unless you really know what you're looking for). I made the plans for the weekend, reserved my site at the shelter area and waited. When I got to the trailhead I parked, got my gear out, put my pack on (which took forever to adjust to my oddly shaped long thin torso) and turned on my camera to take pictures of the signs at the trailhead. Long story short the card was junk and I left my camera in my trunk. I figured I would be thankful without the weight. And so I started off. The first thing I noticed was that the trail was very eroded and the rocks had my ankles sore after a few miles. I was feeling pretty good, regardless. The ridge in the morning was beautiful and I got to explore some awesome rock formations. I tracked my pace at about two miles per hours which was pretty fast for a beginner backpacker. The thirty pounds on my back started to dig in after about five miles, and I found myself desperate to see the next mile marker. It felt damn good to reach the half-way point. Here, I knew that it wouldn't matter if I turned back or pressed on. It was the same distance, and if I was going to hike six miles I would rather be victorious at the end. I had lunch and kept moving. The last four miles were the hardest. My feet were starting to get sore, I knew I had blisters but I didn't want to stop long enough to mend them. I figured I would have plenty of time to deal with them whenever I got to camp. They weren’t going anywhere. The trail grew more varied, and going downhill was almost as bad as going uphill because I had the weight of the backpack trying to push me faster down the hill. I was still in high hopes. I was accomplishing something. The more suck I drug myself through, the bigger my smile would be at the end. At two points the trail was so steep it zig-zagged up the ridge. I was fairly beat by the time I made it to the shelter area, but I spent some time checking out my surroundings. I even made it there two hours before I thought I would (which I later realized wasn't really a good thing). No one was in the lean-to like shelters but it was early yet. I found the tent site fireplace and set up my Hennessy Hammock near it but far enough away to avoid sparks and a particularly nasty looking dead limb on one of the trees. I had run out of water, and the pump at the shelter site didn't work or the water level was too low, so I hiked about a mile back to get water from a stream. My blisters were very apparent at this point and it was a challenge to get back up the hill to camp. I set about purifying the water and getting dinner ready while I looked at my feet. One foot had three blisters the size of quarters and the other had two smaller blisters. It was bad. I knew then that I should have worn different boots or different socks. My first aid kit was well stocked with everything but foot care. My best solution was band-aids and duct tape. For the next few hours I ate, nursed my fire, and just kind of hung out, reflecting on what I'd done. I was beat, but I felt good. I was doing this. The next morning I rolled out of my hammock later than I wanted to. The night was full of broken sleep. The widowmaker I purposely avoided fell in the middle of the night, so I woke up every time there was a gust of wind after that. When I put my feet in my boots and stood I almost went to my knees. The blisters on my feet felt worse than before. I wasn't sure if I could go on, but as I was pondering this I was putting fresh bandages and tape on my blisters, slipping on fresh socks and putting my boots on. For me the trick to staying motivated is momentum. It makes the world go round after all. If I stay moving it is easier to stay moving. I hurried up with breakfast, repacked my bag and headed out. My feet were feeling better, but that could have been a bit of mind over matter. Being that my return trip would be a mirror of my first trip I knew what to expect. Dispite my feet being in the condition they were in I felt good. I felt at once worn out and worn in. I was tired, but my body was starting to understand what was expected of it. Again, the final four miles were the hardest, but I pushed through them, taking breaks every mile to have a drink, or just take a breather. Never more than five or ten minutes. It was all about momentum. I found a walking stick that made the climbs and descents a bit easier. When I saw my ridiculously yellow car parked in the nearest spot to the trail-head I found a bit more energy to push harder. When I eased my pack into my trunk it felt like I was letting go a thousand pounds from my shoulders. It was more than my gear (which I have since shaved a few pounds from) I was shrugging off years of thinking I was too broken to do anything. Years of excuses and justifications. I sat down on my bumper and pulled my boots off to rest in the sun for a bit. I found who I was out there. No longer would my life be defined by the deformities that make my body different. The things that are different about me would henceforth become my armor, a shield to protect me from the hardships in life. You could say that the ridge reforged me into a new man, but I'd like to take the credit for that. I'm proud of the 22 miles I did during those two days, and there is no one that would take that from me. I plan on working my way up to doing all 70 miles of the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail in a five day trip. It's going to be hard, but if I just maintain momentum I'll be fine. Those miles taught me a lot; what I needed to do differently, and what I needed to invest in (better boots and socks mainly). I'll be stronger next time, better prepared. I hope to do a weekend on the trail before winter hits, and I hike a few miles with my gear on days that I'm not doing strength training. I guess what I want people to take from this is that sometimes things have to be broken in order to be rebuilt, and that most of the time YOU have to be the one that does the rebuilding. You'll thank yourself for it afterward.

DISCLAIMER: this includes "offensive" language, idgaf. Little background info here, I'm living in Colorado for the summer, working, and trying to save as much $ as possible. That being said, I workout at the "fitness center" of my apartment complex. Little tiny weight room, waay too many treadmill warriors and not enough lifting. So what happen wuz... I go in, headphones in, ready to go, gonna set some new PR's, psyched up for my lifting session. I warm up, and begin my PR work set. I do 5 sets of 5 reps every workout, and I'm on set 3 when I stall halfway up on a squat. In that moment, I thought of the videos I'd seen of Arnold lifting, and he sure as hell didn't give up when it hurt, so I went berserker. I let out an animal growl, and finished the last two reps in my set. (Woot) After that, the berserker didn't wear off. I'd felt this before. Back in high school I did some lifting, and sometimes I'd get into this zone, where I was an animal in the gym, practically superhuman it felt like, lifting heavier and longer and harder than I ever thought I could. My workout partner never could understand how, and I still don't. I attributed it to my pre-workout powder (a now banned Jack3d original; sons of bitches, I loved that stuff). Now, however, I don't use any supplements, so apparently I can unleash this completely naturally, which is awesome (woot) So, I continue in this elevated state, thru set 4 (woot), occasionally growling, etc. Then on my last set, it got hard as hell, so I roared if you will, on my middle two reps. Then, on my last rep of my last set, as I'm driving up with everything I have, somebody vigorously pokes on my back. I roared again, finished my rep, completing my PR (woot), and whirled around at who the hell just nearly wrecked my last rep. It was some managerial crone who had apparently been scolding/ talking/ yelling at me for a while now, meanwhile, the rest of the weight room is staring with mixed expressions from contempt to shock. So I take out my earbuds, and the first thing she says is: get out. I said excuse me?? She says, you need to leave right now, because YOU'RE DISTURBING THE FITNESS ENVIRONMENT. Wait. ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?? I laughed and said pardon me ma'am, but I AM the fitness environment. If you couldn't hear your reality TV over the sound of my working out, that's too damn bad. She said thats very funny but that i was an insolent shit, and I had to leave or my fitness center privileges would be revoked. Well that set me off. I launched into how ridiculous that was, how idiotic a policy that was, how the "fitness environment" she spoke of was bullshit, etc, etc. And I'm not leaving till I'm done. And then returned to my workout. She left... AND RETURNED WITH SECURITY!! Two fat guys with mall cop written all over em. Well I didn't want to fight em, so I left with the "security" telling the center how fucking stupid it was haha I will return tomorrow, and tomorrow is a PR deadlift day, so they're in for a real treat I'm very darkly excited. So, a PR thru and thru, discovery of a lasting animal berserker mode, and getting kicked out for being too intense. Woot, woot, and woot, bitch.