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Hey y'all! So, yesterday - as everyone on the NF Camper FB group knows - I signed up for the 2016 Camp (and started a string of Supernatural gifs, because that's what this fandom does). Don't know anyone and thought I'd at least crawl out of my introverted hole and introduce myself and tell my story. 33, former fat kid, definitely a firm fit in the Warrior guild (though I tend to think of myself more as a Paladin - because of the skill trees and specs, but whatevs). I've been a work in progress since mid-2004. Formerly 270+lbs and delightfully ignorant to where I really was. Like I knew I was big, but apparently my 44" waist wasn't a wake up call. Now, I'm 195 and ~12% body fat and easily able to bench my old weight (though deadlift is a much better gauge of strength). Two things happened to get me started on my fitness journey. The first, a kid that I had mentored my senior year, which was his freshman year – gave me a set of dogtags. One was his and the other was his father’s from when he was a Marine in Vietnam. People work their asses off every day to wear those. To me, they were a tangible symbol of strength and dedication. I still pull strength from them today, twelve years after he gave them to me. The second – and this is how most people start their transformation – a single picture. There I was, 270+, in my formal uniform. I remember having to get it resized two weeks before graduation – and not in a good way. I saw the pictures a few days after graduation and I couldn’t stand to look at them. The flint had been struck, the fire was lit. A fire of rage - rage against who I had become because I know that person wasn't who I was meant to be. I tried the stupid things at first, I had no idea what I was doing. Hours of cardio on next to no food. I mean it’s calories in vs calories out, right? I was an idiot. Over the course of the next few years, I educated myself, I learned from fitness sites and friends of mine in the industry – from personal trainers to power lifters. It became the focus of my life. The better shape I got in, the happier I became and it reflected in everything: I was more productive at work, I could participate in more sports and meet new people, I became more confident and started going after the things I wanted – which made me even happier. Now, it’s not rage that fuels the fire, it’s passion. Passion for improving myself every day, to learn, to saying no to my own limitations and pushing for one more rep, one more plate on the bar, one last mile. I've accomplished so much since I've started, but I know that being a nerd has gotten me through those challenges and continues to push me. Continues to make me improve. From completing my first marathon to doing the Spartan Trifecta to my numbers in the weight room - I know that I was able to do them because of what I learned from RPG's. Twelve years on this path and I'm still motivated to make progress and learn. I am strong. I am happy. I am still on fire. (and I can't friggin wait for camp!)