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Overview / Motivation: I'm writing this up on my 33rd birthday... I can't believe that I am actually 33 years old, nor can I believe that this year is almost over. Like most years, it's the time I begin to reflect on the past year to appreciate all the good stuff that happened, and begin planning for the next year. For some reason as I approach the end of this year, I am struggling to figure out if I made real meaningful progress since this time last year. Deep down I know I've grown a great deal, but I'm not sure if I am closer to beginning to make a larger impact in my life, and on the world around me. I want to live a life of impact - a life of significance. While I am doing my best to be a great husband, father, and co-worker, I know I want to impact more people. I am not discouraged, but rather hopeful that I make more steps towards understanding the 'how' around making that type of impact. I'm putting a bit more pressure on myself now as my wife and I are expecting our second child in April (another girl, thus my book choice for this challenge). I want to be a source of inspiration for my wife and girls, rather than a wandering lost middle aged dude. I look forward to seeing how I change my personal and professional development over the next year to make bigger strides - these NerdFitness challenges are a large part of that development, and look forward to embracing the grind over the next year to make great things happen. Main Quest: Hit the following benchmarks in strength and stamina: Bench Press 250 lbs. Squat 250 lbs. Complete 20 Pull Ups Side Quests: Average 3 Weight Training Sessions / Week Points Potential: STR +5 Grading: A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% F= Average < 70% Average 2 Body Beast Cardio Sessions / Week Points Potential: STA +5 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% F= Average < 70% Average 2 NerdFitness Yoga Sessions / Week Points Potential: DEX +2 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% D= Average > 60% F= Average < 70% Life Quest: Read & Explore: Strong Fathers, Strong Daughters by Meg Meeker, M.D. Points Potential: CHA+3 A= Read > 90% B= Read > 80% C= Read > 70% F= Read < 70%

Overview / Motivation: I feel like I've been turning the corner and rediscovering a level of fitness that I can feel good about again! With that said, I am shifting from surviving the island to escaping the island for this challenge and will be going for all 5 weeks! I'm preparing for my trip with my wife to Nice, France and therefore am kicking it up a notch and working through the Body Beast Lean Beast phase mixed with NerdFitness Yoga and running. On the non-fitness side of the house, I want to work on my mental state more, and dig into Simon Sinek's book, "Start with Why." I've been wandering a bit in my day to day professional life with an unclear 'why,' and I have a growing desire to do something in the health and fitness space - a huge departure from my existence in government contracting thus far. Therefore, I want to better explore my "Why" to start to figure out what drives me and find a path that I can truly be passionate and excited about. While that journey will require more than reading just this book, I feel it will be a good start! Main Quest (revised for 2016): Hit the following benchmarks in strength and stamina: Bench Press 250 lbs. Squat 250 lbs. Complete 20 Pull Ups Reach 180 pounds (Complete!) Side Quests: Average 5 Weight Training Sessions / Week Points Potential: STR +5 Grading: A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% F= Average < 80% Complete 1 - 2 Mile Runs per week Points Potential: STA +2 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% F= Average < 70% Average 3 NerdFitness Yoga Sessions / Week (Use any video) Points Potential: DEX +3 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% F= Average < 70% Life Quest: Read & Explore Simon Sinek's "Start with Why" Points Potential: WIS +5 Grading Pass / Fail

Beast Mode – Defeat the Beast & Globetrot Challenge Overview / Motivation: So in full disclosure, I should have completed the 90 day Body Beast Workout plan during the off week between challenges, but due to Memorial Day, early morning baby wake ups and a pulled neck muscle I essentially took the week off. With that said, the beginning of this challenge will cap off the 90 day workout plan (plus some extra days) followed by a transition into a mix of leveraging the Body Beast guided workouts as well as some more standard workouts (i.e. I haven’t performed a legit bench press rep since I started the workout out routine.). I’ll be scaling back the number of workouts per week to give myself more time for recovery, and also because for 2 weeks during this challenge I will be traveling throughout the Scandinavia countries for a study abroad trip as part of my MBA. Since my access to a gym or time for exercise is a big unknown, this challenge will be a mix of working out and a bit of finding as much of a mental balance as I can (stretching, more walking, keeping a journal and meditating). Between my family, work, and school my mind is all over the place, and I need to take action to put at least my mind in better order. The two weeks away (while I will miss my family very much) will be a good opportunity to have a central focus on experiencing my time abroad and take some time between plane rides and bus trips to be a bit more introspective. Main Quest: Hit the following benchmarks in strength and dexterity/stamina: Bench Press 300 lbs.Squat 300 lbs.Complete 20 Pull UpsComplete 20 Minutes of Hill Sprints (NerdFitness Academy: Ranger Quest) Side Quests: Average 3 Weightlifting Routines per week Points Potential: STR +3 Grading: A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% F= Average < 70% Complete 14,000 steps or more per day & perform 2 cardio activities per week (Body Beast Cardio or outdoor run) Points Potential: STA +5 Grading A= Average > 12,000 steps per day; Average > 90% cardio B= Average > 11,000 steps per day; Average > 80% C= Average > 10,000 steps per day; Average > 70% F= Average < 10000 steps per day; Average < 70% Consume 120 grams of protein per day and stretch daily Points Potential: CON +3 Grading A= Average >= 100 grams & average stretching > 95% B= Average > 90 grams & average stretching > 85% C= Average > 80 grams & average stretching > 75% D= Average > 70 grams & average stretching > 70% F= Average < 70 grams & average stretching > 60% Life Quest: Journal 3 times / Week & Meditate Nightly Points Potential: WIS +4 Grading A= Average > 90% B= Average > 80% C= Average > 70% F= Average < 70%