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It's a new dawn, and with it comes a new day and a new year. Snowflakes fall outside my window, rare in this part of the Shire. I just had breakfast, and already my thoughts wander toward elevenses. I am Roswenthe. I am a hobbit, and a bard. As a bard, I dance, sing, play viola and ukulele, and most of all, I make my living by telling stories. Some here assign me the term "assassin", but I love people. Love to tell their stories, and love to hear their stories. Unfortunately, some bouts of ill health, along with many hours penning my epics, and the many snacks of hobbit life, has left me with some work to do to make my next journey. In early fall, I broke my foot, and it sidelined me from many of the things I like to do. I spent extra hours writing, but none dancing, and only in the past few weeks have been recovering to the point where I can dance again. MAIN QUEST I want to lose 15 pounds in the next six weeks, and gain some consistent habits. GOALS 1. 20 minutes working out, six days a week (not on Sundays) - plan to alternate walking with dance and Classical Stretch 2. I created a healing diet over the holidays, and I want to stick to it during these six weeks. It has similarities to Weston Price or paleo diets, but I do eat sprouted grains and slow-rise sourdough, along with more raw foods. I have done paleo in the past, and cannot accomodate the amount of fat since I don't have a gallbladder. 3. Drink at least five glasses of water every day. (Will go up next challenge) LIFE QUEST More than anything, I want to finish my current book, which is the third in a series, and move on to new projects. I'm more than halfway through, so I hope to finish it during these next six weeks.

This will be my second attempt to gain a level, my first challenge I took on too much too soon so for this challenge I will be defeating tiny level 1 rats as any good adventure should start!! I awake in to the thunderous booming voice that I've become familiar with as of late "BOY! Get out of bed you lazy sack of bones!" I sit straight up and look towards the man my parents sent me off to for training "Yes Sir, Good morning" "I'll be gone for a few days. Heard rumors of a dragon not far from here so I'll need you to man the fort until I return" I stand from my bedroll as I stretch I long for the day until I can take on a dragon myself, though I realize that day is a long way off and I have much training do to before that day comes "I've noticed a family of large rats has taken residence around our hut. I expect them to be eradicated before my return" "Yes Sir, I'll deal with them right away" He leaves and i begin searching the hut for a weapon to thoroughly bash the rats with. Finding nothing but a broom stick for a sword and the lid to a cooking pan for a shield I ready myself and set off. MAIN QUEST: Defeat the family of large rats (nice and simple) GOALS: Kill the rats (STR) My rats are push ups, 10 push ups equals 1 rat. to be done daily 2. Fight the rats (STA, DEX) This will take stamina so 30 minutes of cardio (Jumping Jacks, Jump Rope, etc.) to be done 4 days a week 3. Find the rats (STA) Gotta walk around and find rats in order to kill them so I'll be walking 30 minutes 5 days a week. And there it is hopefully i can follow through with this quest better than my last Wish me luck!

I keep forgetting to post in my log in here. I've been keeping up with my daily posts in the challenge forum, but I should be posting in here, too! I feel pretty good about today. Food: A Breakfast: 3 slices of ham with chipotle mustard (my new fave breakfast - filling and energizing), banana, coffee Lunch: Free lunch at work day (Free Mexican from the best place!) I had 3 small pieces of chicken quesadilla (cut into 1 inch x 4 inch rectangles), a little rice, and some guacamole. Then I ate my apple later! Dinner: 1 Roasted chicken breast with lemon pepper seasoning, steamed broccoli, and my chipotle mustard. After dinner snack: Peanut butter and banana Exercise: n/a Rest day! My freaking biceps need it. Owwww. General Health: B My new thing is to drink my 32 oz water bottle twice at work. Plenty of hydration and added bonus: frequent bathroom breaks! Negative points for adding sugar free vanilla syrup to my coffee. Average: A-. I'm really proud of myself. It's been a week and I am still rocking it. I haven't lost momentum yet! I know, I know. Call me when I lose 40 pounds. But still, this is big for me!

MissCoopette’s First Quest Race: half-elf ( snow elf variation) Height: 5 ft 5†Date January 6th to February 16th Main Quest “Become healthy: starting with my weightâ€. I want to lose around 40 lbs in total in the 6 week Challenge I will lose at least 15 lbs through healthy diet and exercise. To me it is not about the number I want to look, and feel healthy more than the number on the scale but currently I am borderline obese. I don’t know how it got to this point, with the stresses of school and moving and being in a long-term relationship I think I have been making excuses and justifying my actions; but no more! I am basing my journey on Elsa’s transformation from Disney’s Frozen. Elsa’s emotional transformation presents physically as well, I wish to overcome any psychological barriers that is preventing me from succeeding. “ To the Lonely Mountain†ie Get moving more - Start running and don’t stop. I am working towards running my first half marathon (April 6th). I am currently using the Runnersworld smart coach plan starting with 6 mi a week increasing distance and speed by about 10% a week. For a total of 45 miles ( 73km).I also want to increase my physical activities getting out and doing more challenging fun things as well as recreational activities such as ice skating, snow shoeing, snowboarding, and sledding. I would like to try yoga, archery, rock climbing, Zumba, parkour, crossfit, and/or join a sports team. By trying a varying amount of activities hopefully I can find the ones I love that will keep me motivates as well I can chose my profession. ( Currently leaning toward Druid) Rating - A+= didn’t miss a single day of the running program and tried at least three new activities and found one I enjoy. - A = Completed Running program but did not hit the goal pace ( within 20 secs) tried at least three new activities - B = Missed 1-3 days of the running program, tried at least 2 new activities - C= Completed the running program, at least I didn't give up. Tried something new - F= didn’t complete the running program. Stayed in my comfort zone and didn't try anything new Proper Nutrition - I usually have been a fad dieter, of course none of that has ever worked for me. I have never been able to stay with any of these. Instead I am going to start making small lifestyle modifications. I will start slowly buy eliminating bad habits and then slowly replace those with good habits. Each week I will either eliminate or add one item compounding each week. Starting with Eliminating empty calorie beverages, no more junk food/ replace sweets with healthier alternatives such as bake apples with cinnamon, drink more water, add 2 servings of vegetables a day, replacing white high sugar carbs with whole wheat or alternative paleo options, eat more protein. Rating - A+= successfully completed the task each week building on previous week. - A= successfully completed the task each week building on previous week with a treat day once a week - B= was able to incorporate many important principles concerning nutrition, was able to eliminate empty calorie food - C= started the shift to a healthier lifestyle, still made at least one permanent healthy change - F= Still eating junk food. Build Muscle - Start a strength training program consisting of mostly body weight exercises focusing on proper form. This first challenge will mark the baseline values for push-ups, squats, dead lifts, and pull ups. Ideally be able to perform proper push-ups starting with wall push-ups, once able to do 4 sets of 20 then upgrade to incline push-ups, and then full push-ups. Rating - A+ = Able to perform a set of 20 or more push-ups with correct form, - A = set of 10 push-ups with good form - B = Able to do 5 proper push-ups - C = Able to perform 2 sets of 20 incline push-ups and at least 1 proper pushup - F = Unable to perform a single push-up with correct form Bonus Life Quest “Let it Go†No more Conceal, Don’t feel, Escape. I am guilty of escaping the shortcoming in my life through reading, video games, and TV. I think this is due to my fear of failing, so I don’t even try. My goal is to “Let it Goâ€. Let go of the fear and be comfortable with who I am and just go for it. Do what I want for myself and forget the expectations of others.

Hi, I've come up with my shtuff for my first challenge. (As well as some personal background on myself). My main quest is to build muscle, of the cardiac and...well...normal kind. I've really never been super active. I sit in front of my computer when I'm at home, just kinda browsing the internet. I play lots of music, which doesn't really qualify for exercise, and i'm a full-time student in Engineering. I found NerdFitness on January 2nd, while searching for a way to get into this "exercise" biz. I'm a complete novice, so I didn't want to just show up to the gym, wander around aimlessly and embarrass myself. I've created three goals for myself: I'm going to stick to the Paleo diet (maybe not beer - That's a major part of my lifestyle as an Engineering student) for 6 weeks (the length of this challenge). If I succeed and I don't find myself craving sugar and grain anymore, I'll keep with it. I will complete the Couch to 5K running plan, which means I'm going to run 5km without stopping. I've never been a great runner. I have crappy endurance, mostly due to my asthma as a child.I'm going to complete the beginner Body Weight Circuit with at least double the reps (seconds) as the basic.​40 Squats​20 push-ups40 walking lunges20 dumbbell rows (With bigger dumbbells)30 second plank60 Jumping JacksMy Life Goal is to ask a girl out (as tough as that is being in engineering). Hopefully I'll have gotten into my first relationship by the time this challenge is over. Signing off BludEvil

This will be my second attempt to gain a level, my first challenge I took on too much too soon so for this challenge I will be defeating tiny level 1 rats as any good adventure should start!! I awake in to the thunderous booming voice that I've become familiar with as of late "BOY! Get out of bed you lazy sack of bones!" I sit straight up and look towards the man my parents sent me off to for training "Yes Sir, Good morning" "I'll be gone for a few days. Heard rumors of a dragon not far from here so I'll need you to man the fort until I return" I stand from my bedroll as I stretch I long for the day until I can take on a dragon myself, though I realize that day is a long way off and I have much training do to before that day comes "I've noticed a family of large rats has taken residence around our hut. I expect them to be eradicated before my return" "Yes Sir, I'll deal with them right away" He leaves and i begin searching the hut for a weapon to thoroughly bash the rats with. Finding nothing but a broom stick for a sword and the lid to a cooking pan for a shield I ready myself and set off. MAIN QUEST: Defeat the family of large rats (nice and simple) GOALS: Kill the rats

<insert cheesy video game music and an old "wise" character that always starts off the tutorial> "Hello traveler! Interesting to find someone like you in these parts! Thats...not to say that there is something wrong with you...more like...you appear awfully curvy for an elf... but never mind that, lets get to business!" All video games start with some easy challenges to help you learn the skills to be successful later...that is how I see this challenge. By learning how to improve myself safely, I will acquire the skills necessary to be successful in the future as well. Main Quest: This journey will be a long one, full of obstacles. There will be days when I will be forced to admit defeat, if only to recuperate my strength for tomorrow. My main quest will be longer than 6 weeks, it will be for life.... Though I suppose if I have to shorten it: I'd like to spend the next 6 weeks improving my self-image and confidence. I will achieve this through: 1) Working out with my personal trainer at least 1 time a week. (he will be leaving the country for the final weeks of the challenge, but has assured me that I will have homework!) 2) Cooking my own food at least 3-4 days a week. 3) Doing my back stretches 5 days a week and core exercises 2-3 days a week (not on a day I meet with my trainer, so working out in general, 3-4 days a week) Side Quest: As a Life side quest, I am going to try to think of something positive about myself every day. Whether it is "hey, you look good in that outfit" or "you were really patient today with that student". Why I'm Here (Motivation): I have lived my life with negativity. I have beaten myself up over being too fat, too ugly, too slow, too weak... and for the last 29 years, it has done nothing but make my life worse. It is time that I stop hurting myself, and start taking care and loving myself. It is time for me to take charge of my life, to improve it, not abuse it. Character: So...it seems like some people are choosing characters, while others aren't, and there are a lot of different forums that seem to conflict with each other on whether a newbie should be choosing a race and a profession... BUT if I should choose, I would say I am a human/elf hybrid....tallish, but curvy.... my "professional" goals are to be strong, be able to do what I want, when I want (ie rock climbing, hiking, scuba diving, etc.) and be able to have the endurance for long distances...so would that make me a Ranger? I don't want to win any races, i'm not made for running, but my strong lower body would suggest that hiking etc. could be doable. (Also, please feel free to give me tips, i'm super new at this! should i be more specific with my goals? i don't know!!!)

So... This is not my first playthrough, but it will hopefully be my first complete one. I found NF about a year and a half ago and got 1/2 or 3/4 of the way through my challenge. I tried again just before graduating college and traveling to Brazil (perhaps not my best plan) and gave up even more quickly. This time will be different. I'm no longer in school, so I don't have the excuse of homework and club obligations. I am a Jesuit Volunteer in Detroit, so I live in community and I know my six housemates will be totally supportive. Being part of this program will lead to certain challenges when it comes to developing a more healthy lifestyle, but I'm sure I'm in a better place than ever to really commit to that goal. Main Quest Lose about 50 lbs. and develop a positive body image Active Missions Cut down on my sugar intake I have PCOS and have always found it difficult to lose weight. I've recently started reading more about GI and GL, but I'm not sure I have a solid enough foundation to revamp my diet based totally on that. Part of my struggle is going to be that I live in community. I won't always be able to control what we buy/eat. We have a pretty strict food budget ($90 per person per month) and everyone gets a say in how we use it. I'm sure my housemates will be supportive, but I can't very well tell them, "No pasta! No bread! No processed snack foods!" In most cases, I can choose not to eat these kinds of things, but if someone decides to make bread pudding for dinner, I eat that or possibly nothing. So for this challenge, I will cut out sugary desserts and snacks. In addition, I will limit my consumption of other carb- heavy foods (no fillers like toast with breakfast, buttered bread with dinner, snacking on crackers, etc.) to only things that are essential parts of meals eaten as a community. A: >=40 days sticking to the above guidelines B: 36-39 days C: 32-35 days D: 28-31 days F: <28 days Develop a fitness routine Though there are certainly a lot of things that require my time (work, spirituality nights, community nights, community dinners, mass, one-on-ones, etc.), I know that there is a way for me to fit exercise into my schedule. I'm working towards being able to either go for runs or do bodyweight workouts in the mornings before work (I work around the corner beginning at 10, so it's totally feasible), but that's a struggle for me on multiple levels and actually relates to my third mission. I'd like to start with committing to at least 30 minutes of some form of continuous exercise at least 4 times per week. This could start off as walks during my lunch hour and will hopefully increase in intensity as I go along. I lead a very sedentary lifestyle and work a desk job, so just getting up and moving will definitely take some commitment. A: >=22 workouts lasting at least 30 minutes B: 19-21 workouts C: 16-18 workouts D: 12-15 workouts F: <12 workouts Start getting enough sleep A big factor in my health and lifestyle issues is my sleep schedule. I've actually been getting way more sleep than I did in college, but I'm still having too much trouble getting (1) enough sleep and (2) out of bed in time for work. As a JV, I'm really busy. I want to have the energy to enjoy my community and all the great things we have the privilege to do. I'd like to develop a more consistent schedule and shift it so that I'm going to bed and waking up earlier. This will evenually allow me to exercise in the mornings, when I never have anything scheduled. Success will be measured as follows and grading scale is the same as the first mission. Weeks 1 and 2 (weekdays): out of bed by 9:30am Weeks 3 and 4: out of bed by 9am Weeks 5 and 6: out of bed by 8:30am Weekends: 8 hours of sleep (this is the approximate goal for every night, but the time I get out of bed is less important on weekends) Life Quest Improve my Brazilian Portuguese I spent a couple of weeks in Brazil last summer and absolutely fell in love. Unfortunately, I can't speak to most of the people I met there. I want the relationships forged during that time to continue to develop and it's much more difficult to navigate a language barrier when you're on separate continents. I've been learning the basics of Brazilian Portuguese using a few different apps. The one that I've enjoyed the most is Duolingo. I want to make sure to stick with it. I've found that the repetition is really helpful. So even if I don't progress further through the lessons, working on them every day improves my comprehension. I will complete at least 3 lessons per day (these can be new lessons or strengthening learned skills) throughout the six weeks. The grading scale will be the same as the first and third missions listed above. I'm tired of being the chubby roommate. I'm tired of feeling unattractive and undesirable and unhealthy. I truly want to develop a lifestyle that makes me feel good about myself and my choices. I've tried lots of different things and given up on them when the going got tough. I'm ready and excited to make changes I can live with for a long time. I welcome any advice from the vets here and I hope to provide support for those who can benefit from it. Thanks for reading and good luck to everyone!

Hello! My name is Jess and I am a 24 year old programmer. I have been on the lazy side as of lately and I really want to get a jump start on getting active and healthy. This is my first challenge and I have to say I hesitated a bit before joining. Main QuestTier 1: To lose 3 inches off my hips and 1.5 inches off my waist. {Hips 50, Waist: 40.5}Tier 2: To lose 5 inches off my hips and 3 inches off my waist. {Hips 48, Waist: 39}Tier 3: To lose 8 inches off my hips and 4.5 inches off my waist. {Hips: 45, Waist: 37.5} Specific Goals> I will only eat when I am hungry {Choose the less processed options}> I will work do the Beginngers Body Weight Workout at least 3 times a week> I will drink at least 3 glasses of water daily {Try to stay away from juice unless its homemade juice} Life QuestLearn Polish and be able to keep up a conversation in it What's Your Motivation?I want to prove that I can finally do it. I can lose weight and stop using it as an excuse to not try new things. Plus I have a super active 10 month old Boxer puppy that I really want to be able to keep up with and maybe one day tire. (His name is Rook ) Age: 24Height: 5'10''Weight: 250-260lbsCurrent Stamina: Low-Moderate Measurement Update (found that darn tape!):Chest: 48'' (unbra'd)Arms: 14''Hips: 53''Waist: 42''Thighs:31.5''Calves: 19''Forearms: 10''Shoulders: 46''Neck: 14'' Beginners Body Weight Workout20 body weight squats10 push ups20 walking lunges10 dumbbell rows (using a gallon milk jug)15 second plank30 Jumping JacksNow I can't really do push ups yet, but I read the article and I will do elevated ones until I can do a proper push up!

Behold the N00b. Part of her can’t believe she’s actually doing this. The other part of her is like OF COURSE YOU’RE DOING IT, STOP WHINING. I haven’t officially joined a guild, but I’m leaning toward Ranger. I am somewhere between Druids and Rangers (since I’m all “yay yoga and eating plants!â€) but I REALLY want to build strength and endurance. And, I already have a commitment to working out 4 days a week: Mondays: Upper body weights Tuesdays: Pilates/Yoga fusion class Wednesdays: off Thursdays: Pilates/Yoga fusion class Fridays: Lower body weights Saturday & Sunday: off I want to add the dreaded cardio (ugh) to my life. I HATE it. Srsly, loath cardio. And, at the current time, I can’t re-arrange my schedule to add a cardio-intensive class (without giving up the strength training – which is NOT happening, I love weights). SO I want to challenge myself to add 2-3, 20 minute interval session into my week. I know I need to get my heart rate up for endurance purposes. It will be a challenge to make myself do it. Main Goal The Long-term goal is to be under 140 lbs (what I weighed when I graduated form high school – almost 10 years ago!) and in a size 8. Totally vain, I know. But I also want to be able to do unassisted pull ups, and to bench press the bar (and more!), and get into power squats (I LOVE squats). So weight loss, and strength building. Challenge 1 Missions: In addition to my 4 weekly gym commitments, I want to add 3 days of 20 minute cardio intervals. Tracking: 3 = A, 2 = B, 1 = C, 0 = F 3 minute Plank. I was able to go from DYING after 15 seconds to doing a 1 minute plank in about 2 weeks (crazy!). SO I’m going to focus on the control and strength to do a 3 minute plank (REACH!). Tracking: 3 minutes = A, 2.5 minutes = B, 2 minutes = C, 1.5 minutes = D, 1 minutes = F I eat quite a lot of dairy (vegetarian quick-protein). I KNOW I need to cut back. So, my goal is to only have 2 meals a week with dairy in them (sans my Greek yogurt in the mornings). Tracking: <2 = A, 3 = B, 4 = C, 4 = D, 5 or more = F Life Mission I’m in an online class – the FINAL class I need for an important certification – and I hate it. I am not committed to studying as I should. SO, I want to commit to studying 3 times a week. This is in addition to a full-time job, so making the effort is really hard. But 3 times a week. I’m gonna do it! Tracking: 3x = A, 2x = B, 1x = C, 0 = F Motivation I am tired of being tired. I’m tired of looking at things I’d *like* to do in life, but then telling myself I’m too weak, too out-of-shape, not an athlete, blah blah blah. I want to DO things! I want to walk the Camino de Compestela in Spain. I want to bike the coast of Ireland. I want to zip-line through the Costa Rican jungle. I want to live as fully as I can, and being strong will help me achieve those goals. There is is, I want to live more fully. That’s the motivation. BAM! Let’s do this.

I am a Human (I think I might be half-dwarf, but my mom is not fessing up) Cleric with the aspiration to hunt down evil assassins to the ends of the earth, all the while looking cool doing it to inspire people to do good. Let's start this now rather than later! I want to get the momentum up so, if ever this time is not enough to finish the challenge, then the momentum will carry me to the next. So... Anybody need healing? Story Quest (Long Term) - Epic, Dual-wielding, dragon-beating, assassin-kicking Cleric, think Nightwing with less angst. And the princess would be nice. Also, become the best example to kids on how to grow up and take care of yourself. Primary Challenge Motivation - The speed, strength and endurance to do awesome things like chasing down snatchers, crazies and hyper-active kids and to do it with style to inspire a community to do good. Main Quest Foundation to Begin Free Running training after accomplishing first challenge One round of Beginner Bodyweight Training Circuit three times a week, increasing with an additional circuit at the least every two weeks. Transition to Intermittent Fasting from two regular meals to one large meal for the weekdays and from three regular meals to two regular meals for the weekends Transition to Paleo Diet, reducing rice consumption from ten cups a week to five cups and reducing sodas and sugary drinks to three per week. Side Quests Start a table-top rpg after-school program for kids to eventually become LARP Get a date with a really cute princess and show her a good time

First Quest XD My Main QUest was originally titled "Become stronger & Be more Awesome". However, I decided to change it and focus my quest on something more specific. THE PULL-UP & PUSH-UP SCROLL Main Quest Requisites 1. Dangle from a bar for 30 seconds or more every other day. 2. Follow Steve's "how to do a pull-up guide" 3. Strength train every other day, using bodyweight exercises ******** CRAFT A WEBCOMIC Side Quest Requisites 1. Finish writing the script I'm planning for a webcomic. 2. Thumbnail the entire pages 3. DRAW! ******** REWARDS *Vibram Five Fingers KSO* (I can afford actually buy this right now, but I decided to make it as the main prize to make the quest more fulfilling) Conditions: Grade A (+) Pull-Up 1x1 (+) Push-up 1 x 5-10 completed 11/18/13 *Body Massage Treat* ( so i won't feel hopeless in case I don't achieve the main quest) Conditions: Grade C (-) Pull-Up (+) Push-up 1 x 5-10 completed 11/18/13 *********** GRADING A (+) Pull-Up 1x1 (+) Push-up 1 x 5-10 C (-) Pull-Up 1x1 (+) Push-up 1 x 5-10 F (-) Pull-Up (-) Push-Up 1 x 5-10 STARTING STATS Pullup=================O Dangle from a bar==============20-30 sec Pushps=====================1x 2-3 MOTIVATION "Be a better person. Improve. Live a happy life, a life more colorful than before. You only have one life to live. Make the most out of it" LET THE JOURNEY BEGIN!!!!!!!!!

Here are my goals! I am starting this challenge RIGHT NOW. My overall goal for the next 4-5 years is to complete Ironman WI. In pursuit of that I have these shorter term goals I had a setback a couple months ago, having knee surgery to fix a torn meniscus and then a lung injury/complication from the surgery. So I am working rehabbing and rebuilding my base over the winter. This periods goals: Goal 1: Endurance Training My target races for next year include a series of three bike rides (100km, 150km, and 200km), a sprint triathlon and an olympic tri. For this challenge, I am planning on 2-3 bike workouts, 2 swim sessions and 2 run sessions a week, but would like to keep it somewhat flexible in case my schedule gets crazy over the holidays. The goal will be to complete 6 cardio workouts a week. Grading: A: Completed 6 workouts/week B: Completed 4 workouts/week C: Completed 3 workouts/week D: 2 workout happened!!!!! F: Epic failure. I probably have a good excuse +1 STR +2 STA Goal 2: Strength Training I have been neglecting strength training, and I think it shows. My goal is to have 2 strength workouts a week to complement my other workouts. I’ll be working on bodyweight/weighted lunges, squats, pushups, pullups, and core work, as well as other strength activities to support running/biking/swimming. A: Completed 2 strength session/week B: Completed 1 workouts/week F: No strength. +3 STR Goal 3: Eat Paleo I’ve been working on eating paleo since September. Since completing a "Whole30 challenge" my diet has slipped again. I have psychological problems with eating out, so my grading scale is inverse on this one, based on how many times I "slip". A: Ate out 1 time / week B: Ate out 2 time / week C: Ate out 3 time / week D: Ate out 4 time / week F: Fatal Error +2 CON +2 WIS Goal 4: Meditate I would like to incorporate more meditation in my life. My stress levels are way too high, and I need to calm down. My goal is to increase frequency, rather than volume. I want to make it a goal to meditate 10 minutes every day. A: Meditated at least 10 minutes, every day of the week B: Meditated 10 minutes, at least 5 days out of the week C: Meditated 10 minutes, 3 day during the week F: Kept falling asleep instead of meditating, OR didn’t meditate at all. +2 CON +2 WIS Goal 5: Accountability I tend to stick with these things better when I keep track of them. To that end I am looking at tracking my workouts better and updating my (and my wife's) blog more often. I want to track daily workout and diet trends and post in the blog weekly. This one is pretty much pass/fail A: Maintained log 5X per week and blogged once per week F: Did not blog or was less than 5X per week for tracking + 2 WIS So, did I do this right?

As I awaken to in a strange new world I look around for clues as to how I got here, and more importantly, how to get home. A few feet away a notice a note stuck to the trunk of a tree with a dagger, it reads "Hello Elros and welcome to the land of Tut'R'Yull. We have been watching you for quite some time and it is clear to us that you are destined for great things. But first you must become stronger. We are watching." Hello all, I'm Elros the Half-Elf my stats are as follows; Age: 22 Sex: Male Height: 5'9 Weight: 145 lbs My biggest problem with fitness is following through, and from the look and feel of this community, I do believe I have found my cure. So let's dive in shall we. MAIN QUEST: Improve over-all fitness. GOALS: Get Stronger - Do at least 1 full circuit of the BBWW 4 days a week. (STR)Improve Core Strength - at least 10 minutes of core exercises 5 days a week.(STR)Improve Flexibility - At least 20 minutes of yoga when I first wake up 6 days a week. (DEX) PASS/FAIL A = 20 - 24 days. B = 15 - 19 days. C = 10 - 14 days. F = >14 days.A = 30 - 25 days B = 24 - 20 days C = 19 - 15 days F = >15 days.A = 36 - 31 days. B = 30 - 26 days. C = 25 - 20 days F = >19LIFE QUEST Put aside $25-$50 from each check, depending on the size of said check, towards paying off my student loans. (I don't 'have' to start paying them back till this summer so this'll give me a good boost) (WIS) MOTIVATION To eventually become the embodiment of the badassery that is Nightwing to defend the good people of Gotham!! (also to have more energy to keep up with my 1 yr old daughter xP) BBWW 3/20 15%15% Core workouts 5/30 16.6%16.6% Yoga 6/36 16.6%16.6% Money $25/$75 33.3%33.3%

Hi I am Ashley, I've been lurking around this site for a few months now and joined today, so this shall be my first challenge. Let's see how it goes Main Quest: 1-Change eating habits (adopt a mostly Paleo lifestyle) 2-Lose some weight while I am at it. 3-Increase physical activity Side Quest: Life-Save money, live better. Wait a minute... Fitness-Hike up a mountain hillside without hyperventilating Motivation: To be healthy so I can participate in this adventure called life. Ready to commit to a healthy lifestyle, the first cut is the deepest or something.

First Quest XD My Main QUest was originally titled "Become stronger & Be more Awesome". However, I decided to change it and focus my quest on something more specific. THE PULL-UP & PUSH-UP SCROLL Main Quest Requisites 1. Dangle from a bar for 30 seconds or more every other day. 2. Follow Steve's "how to do a pull-up guide" 3. Strength train every other day, using bodyweight exercises ******** CRAFT A WEBCOMIC Side Quest Requisites 1. Finish writing the script I'm planning for a webcomic. 2. Thumbnail the entire pages 3. DRAW! ******** REWARDS *Vibram Five Fingers KSO* (I can afford actually buy this right now, but I decided to make it as the main prize to make the quest more fulfilling) Conditions: Grade A (+) Pull-Up 1x1 (+) Push-up 1 x 5-10 *Body Massage Treat* ( so i won't feel hopeless in case I don't achieve the main quest) Conditions: Grade C (-) Pull-Up (+) Push-up 1x 5-10 *********** GRADING A (+) Pull-Up 1x1 (+) Push-up 1 x 5-10 C (-) Pull-Up 1x1 (+) Push-up 1 x 5-10 F (-) Pull-Up (-) Push-Up 1 x 5-10 STARTING STATS Pullup=================O Dangle from a bar==============20-30 sec Pushps=====================1x 2-3 LET THE JOURNEY BEGIN!!!!!!!!!

I guess this is where a Newbe posts their Challenge goals? My Main Quest is to lose 10 lbs by Jan 1st. Yeah! I know that is kind of crazy through the Holidays, but that is it! I believe it is achievable because I've been getting into this mind set for several months. I've already told my sweet husband that there will be no baking this year and he is OK with it. My three goals are: 1. Work out 5 times per week ~ not hard because I love working out each morning! My problem is sometimes I get stuck on e-mails and an hour goes by, it gets late, etc... 2. Drink water before each meal. Sounds easy, but it is not for me! I've overcome sodas and drink only herbal tea or hot chocolate. (I know, too many claories and sugar, but morning indugence!) 3. Walk my dog before dinner or sometime during the day. She loves walks, they are good for me, but when it gets cold... So, I have excuses and know I need to overcome them to reach my goals. Question? Is there a place to write your goals and check them off, or is this Challenge all self directed? I usually ride my bike at a nearby park 2 to 3 times per week. Last year I burned off 15 lbs., but this year not a one! I rode as often this summer, (16 miles per ride), but nothing burned off! Very exasperating! Thanks, in advance, for any tips! Good luck to each of you in your Challenge!

Hello all. I've been lurking for a while and decided to make an account and join a challege. This is my first challenge so I hope i'm getting the format right. Main Quest: Learn to enjoy exercising (does this actually count as a quest? does it need to be more specific?) Missions: 1. do beginner body weight workout 2-3 times a week 2. Do a stretch routine for flexibility 3-5 times a week 3. Post once a week in this thread with updates Side quest: 1. read 12 books in six weeks. Motivation: Prove to myself that I can stick to something and see it through. if i can do this, what else can I do? I want to be strong and healthy. Confession: I had a hard time coming up with something besides the beginner body weight workout. I'm really new to exercise and I actually don't like it at all. I don't enjoy the muscle burn and have never been able to push through it. So I hope by posting it in a public space it will help me to push through.

Forgive rambly purple start. Or don't. I'm not a cop. Picture a sweeping plaza outside a massive stone castle in your favorite MMO, full of low-level new kids milling around in basic rags. One guy has stripped to his elvish undies and is running back and forth and jumping on stuff, some 13-year-old is spamming the chat with nonsense, a couple Lvl 80s are strutting through and showing off their fancy glowing swords and conjured ghosties, and then there’s me. schulace LVL 0 | Female | Human | Adventurer 5'9†| 157lbs | 23yrs Equipped: Yoga pants and a sports bra, neither of which have been used for yoga or sports. Also T-shirt, occasionally used for drinking tea in. I walk up to a group of cool-looking players and attempt to blend in. /wave Me: Hi guys! I’M REAL REAL BAD AT EVERYTHING :D CAN I DO A RAID WITH YOU??! I have failed to blend in. They respond: Yes, cause we spend $15 a month for this game so we can waste our time babysitting. > No you can’t, you have zero skills. Filthy casual. *walk off chuckling* This is kinda how I’ve felt about fitness my whole life, and I’m sure some of you can relate. I realize most people are nice and accepting and don’t react this way, but it’s just so scary to think about playing alongside them! How did they get so strong and agile and charismatic and AWESOME? Well, they had to grind it out killing low-level beasties and completing tedious delivery missions from those lazy ground-bound NPCs who CAN’T.. TAKE.. THEIR OWN... STUPID.. POTION INGREDIENTS... UP A FLIGHT OF STAIRS ugh… </rage> But now that they’ve done all that, the game really gets fun. So, it's all worth it. And since the graphics in real life are so well-rendered, I might as well try it, right? So here we go! Disheartened, I walk up to a nearby NPC. Me: Hey, NPC, I want to become a badass so I can wield the Enchanted-Legendary-Soul-Sucking-Glittery-Greatsword-of-Dismay-and-Kickassery. Any tips? NPC with ridiculous name: You are just who I was looking for! I need help! I need you to kill 20 giant spiders and bring back their feet for… reasons! And I also can’t do it myself because… plot holes…. It is your destiny! Me: *eyeroll* Okay Grand High-Elf Master Windsong Nightstalker. I’ll run your errands. > Accept Decline New quest added! My main quest is NOT to be a tank. Right now, I’ve got zero desire to end up running a marathon, benching my weight or biking across Canada. Those are higher-level dungeons for another time. For now, my main objective is just to get fitter than I am now - I want to lose the weight I’ve gained in college and build up my endurance, strength, balance and flexibility. I want to get past the Tutorial level in the game of fitness. Objectives 1. Stick to a healthy diet! I’ve chosen the plan Tim Ferriss outlines in his book, The 4-Hour Body (which I’d recommend to anybody). Essentially it’s a modified Paleo plan, but with no fruit, and one cheat day each week. I’ve already been doing this for a little while, so I know I can do it! Grading A: 42 days B: > 35 days C: > 30 days D: > 20 days F: < 20 days 2. Do either HIIT training or bodyweight training for at least 20 minutes, 3 days per week. I’ve done HIIT a little bit before, but have never stuck to it for more than a week or two. I’m REALLY out of shape, so for me this means jog-walking. I’ve given myself the option of bodyweight training as well because WINTER IS COMING and… well… frankly I’m legitimately scared I might hurt myself trying to run in -4 degrees Fahrenheit. Grading A: All 6 weeks B: 5 weeks C: 4 weeks D: 3 weeks F: 2 or fewer weeks 3. Drink at least 100 oz of water each day. Hydration is key, especially in the dry climate I live in, and I’m pretty bad at this a lot of the time. Grading to be determined daily A: 100 oz B: 80 oz C: 60 oz D: 40 oz F: 20 or fewer oz Side Quest I need to work on sleep. As I type this up, it’s about 2:30 AM and I’ve got a class in 5.5 hours. So, I’ve decided I’ll give myself bonus points for getting to bed by 11:00. Grading A: 42 days B: > 35 days C: > 30 days D: > 20 days F: < 20 days My motivation I want to rock a size 5 again. I’m also going on a cruise with my best friend in January (first time on a boat, I am fangirl excited), so right now that’s my most immediate motivation to get into swimsuit shape. But, getting results by then would really just be a bonus. I want to love my body for life. It’s go time. --- RUNNING SHOES +1 agility +20 stamina (x) TAKE running shoes [R1] EQUIP running shoes LEEEEEEEERRROOOOYYYY JJEEEEENNNKIIINNNSSS.

I've been looking forward to this for a while. I joined NF about two weeks ago, and I've been doing my prep work for the challenge. A bit about myself, I'm scrawny, weak, and miserable. I started working out using the UFC Trainer for the XBOX Kinect, and have seen some noticeable differences over the past month. I've actually enjoyed pushing it, working out, getting better, and I keep at it as often as I can. Nerd Fitness gave me a new perspective; a way to plan out how my workouts will go, and what goal I can achieve at the end of them. Since we have some challenges here, I'm going to list each one and how to go about doing it. My Main Quest: After finishing up the last five days of my endurance training, I want to do the thirty day STR training for the UFC Trainer. I missed some days of my endurance training due to laziness, so my main goal for the STR training regimen is two-fold; not miss a single scheduled day, and to complete every single exercise. I'm not entirely sure how well my physical results are going to build up, or how much of a change I can predict, so I feel more comfortable with setting this minimal of a goal before jumping out and saying something naive like "I want to double my weight in a year in sheer muscle mass". So end game: Complete STR training Regimen for the UFC Trainer. Move on to the Advanced Endurance training if time permits. The three ways I plan to accomplish this are: Wake up early, cut out being lazy, and do the blasted work. My Life Side Quest: This is a basic and simple one; to finish my collegiate degree. I've made some mistakes, and am currently attending a community college with a minimal course load, working towards an A.A. My Motivation: Sturm Brightblade from Dragonlance; A Knight in Words and Deeds. So this is Day 1 of the challenge. Thus far, I'm a bit off-track; I woke up late, and instead of getting to breakfast/workout regimen, I'm procrastinating my workout by posting this.

G'day! Having recently found out about this wonderful community this shall be my first journey towards levelling up my life. A West Aussie that is a massive metalhead (which is where alot of my challenge titles will most likely be derived from \m/ ), currently studying as Game Design looking into the future for a career in the Indie Games industry. I have a good chunk of weight to lose to be healthy, and almost all my excess weight is on my stomach, quite a specimen of a beer gut actually (albeit mostly a result of rum), which I understand is more unhealthy than the weight itself. I played junior footy (AFL) for 8 years and went to the gym most days around the age of 18, so I had muscle mass and not much fat, and literally stopped doing both at the same time, however I continued to eat the same and combine that with drinking... At the age of 23 I now have weight to lose and muscle to gain, this is my goal and is there purely to get my health in check, rather than to look good and achieve strength goals, however I know I will have these goals later, but that is just ACT II, no need to focus on that yet! I consume alot of caffeine based drinks, but I know I have the ability to forego these drinks as, I have been doing for the last 3 years, every 4-8 months I do an entire 1 or 2 months with no caffeine consumption (except maybe one glass of coke a fortnight). Current Stats: H: 6'00" W: 109kg BF: 31.5% I walk to uni from the train and back again - this is actually about 20-30 minutes with a nice hill in the middle - 3-4 times a week - so I get approximately 90 minutes of exercise a week. I consume anywhere from 2L-3L of carbonated/sugary beverages per week - not including coffee. MAIN QUEST: RISE SON OF SODOM I must rise up from the decrepit slums of Sodom and bring myself to the fresh, warm, inviting sulphur pits of hell. I want to bring myself out of old habits and place my self on the path to a healthier lifestyle. More exercise, cleaner diet and a greater overall sense of happiness. MAIN QUEST OBJECTIVE ALPHA: DISCARD THE HOLY WATER The first step toward the road of glory is to discard the filthy waters of the holy and to pickup the goblets of blood. As I mentioned above, I consume up to 3L of sugary carbonated or caffeinated beverages a week, and to ensure the task is challenging enough for myself I will combine two tasks. I will reduce my consumption of caffeine AND soft drinks as well as increase my consumption of water. A: <500mL of the evil beverages consumed per week, consume >1.80L of water a day. B: <750mL of the evil beverages consumed per week, consume >1.20L of water a day. C: <1.20L of the evil beverages consumed per week, consume >750mL of water a day. D: <1.80L of the evil beverages consumed per week, consume >500mL of water a day. F: Consuming as much as do already My understanding is that 2L of water a day (8 glasses) is healthy and keeping in mind that I will not be giving up coffee inside this challenge, more water would be good to compensate for the coffee. MAIN QUEST OBJECTIVE BETA: TO BRUISE A DEMON The next step toward the road of glory is to build the strength of a demon. Again as mentioned I used to do weights at a gym a few years ago, so combining my knowledge from then with the great amounts of information available here I hope to get back into a routine. I have my own dumbbells here at home and I am more than happy to use things around the house to help out. For now my goal here is to begin using weights and develop a solid routine to build up on. A: Get into a solid routine, 4 days a week, increase weights across most exercises by 5kg over the 6 weeks. B: Get into a solid routine, 2-3 days a week, increase weights across most exercises by 2kg over the 6 weeks. C: Get into a routine, at least once a week. Get a grounding on what exercises to do and how to do them properly. D: Pickup the weights at least once a week. F: Picking up the weights a few times over the 6 weeks isn't enough, not succeeding 'D:' is a fail. As I begin this challenge I will get the base line for my current strength and routines, and I will post them up when I get there. MAIN QUEST OBJECTIVE GAMMA: RUNNING THE RIVER STYX The next step toward the road of glory is to become fit enough to run along the shore of the river Styx and still return again. Along with a regular weight routine, in order to get fit and ultimately healthy I will need to get into a regular cardio routine. A group of us (4 in total) are all getting involved with this 6 week challenge so we have our own little group IRL to support one another everyday, and with this we plan to do a group fitness session at the playground, thanks to Steve for the video we all watched together last night about it! ;D So my goal here is to exercise (including my uni walk) a minimum amount per week (excluding the weights) and to be involved in the group workout. A: 9+ hours of walking/jogging per week, goto all of the group workouts. B: 6+ hours of walking/jogging per week, goto all of the group workouts. C: 4+ hours of walking per week, goto at least 5/6 of the group workouts. D: 2-4 hours of walking per week, goto more than 4/6 of the group workouts. F: Anything less than 2 hours of walking is a fail, regardless of group workouts. Going to 3 or fewer of the group workouts is an automatic fail, regardless of exercise done. As there is always the possibility of illness and other commitments, and that maybe all 4 of us can't do every single group workout together, I would just like to add that if this happens I will endeavour to replace this session with my own routine that is at least similar in nature. LIFE QUEST OBJECTIVE: DO NOT BE INDEBTED TO HADES No debt should be owed to Hades, for when he collects, no restitution shall ever be had for the soul for the remainder of eternity. I would like to move into a career in the Indie Games industry, and I need to build a new desktop PC and get a decent financial grounding before I begin. So my goal here is to be in the black. I currently have debts and upcoming bills to the total worth of approximately $1,200. I don't want to owe any money to anyone at the end of the challenge, and any upcoming bills, I would like to have enough money to cover them and then some. Keeping in mind that more bills will be coming up by the end of the challenge. A: In the black. B: Within $200. C: Within $500. D: Within $1,000. F: More than $1,000. I do have uni debts, however given their large size and the way they are handled in Australia, there is no need for them to be considered in this challenge and have no bearing on me financially at this point in time. I am currently on CentreLink as a student (i.e. Student Welfare payments) which is impacted by how much I earn, so overcoming such a small amount can be more of a task than expected, in a 6 week period, but I think I am capable of it and it is worth a shot! Time to climb out of Sodom and into Hell where the party awaits, let us begin this journey! -Radact

I am looking forward to getting back on track and diving right in to this challenge. I have been coasting this summer and need to kick up the heat again and stop saying "I wish" and start saying "I have!" My Main Quest is to become a lighter and more fit person. Why: I want to prove to myself that I can.I want to become more disciplined and spend more time doing productive activities.I want to inspire those around me to be healthy.I do not want to be 60 years old and wishing that I would’ve gotten healthy when I got the chance.I no longer want to feel ashamed of the gut hanging over my belt. How: 1. 3 weight training workouts a week I am doing Level 2 of the Rebel Fitness Guide, and so I will be following that lifting plan, with a few modifications of my own to serve my preferences. I just added GymPact to my iPhone to help hold me accountable to this. 2. 2 cardio sessions per week These can be 10-minute interval training sessions or 20 minute light sustained runs, and can be done during my weight training sessions. 3. 95% of meals each week being spiritually Paleo I previously did an entire month of very strict Paleo dieting, eating only spiritually Paleo foods for every meal and snack. Spiritually Paleo means that I completely avoided dairy, grains, legumes, and sugary stuff, however, I tolerated a little bit of processed food (beef jerky with minimal sugar added or store-bought salsa with some preservatives for example) for the sake of practicality. Since the motivation of me eating Paleo is to lose weight in a healthy sustainable way, I make those allowances. Life Side Quest: Read two non-fiction books. I am currently on a month long break between MBA classes, and I want to take this opportunity to read a couple of books that will teach me more about life and business.

Names Kozwell and I've decided that it's time to get back on the right path. A typical day was about a cup of water in the morning around 6 AM and then Diet Coke or "Diet" Rockstars until I fell asleep at 2 AM in the morning. Lunch was some sort of terrible fast food pile of rubbish and dinner was something home cooked like a 8 oz steak, some vegies smoother and covered in butter or cheese-ish sauce. Throw in a few a beers or Whiskey and it was a "good day". It was just another typical day on this blue marble spinning around in the dark matter, when I decided that it was time for a change. I just started a new job and enjoying the view watching people jogging and being outside while I was looking over http://sugarstacks.com/ and decided I needed a drastic change. I started reading the Beginners guide to Paleo and thinking that I'm in my early thirties and this is completely do-able. I completed a round of P90X without dieing and being over 300 pounds. That was it, the next day was "Day 0." I decided to reset the system. Soda - Later, Unnatural Carbs - Gone, and Dairy - Peace Out. A month later and I can say that I've had 0 sodas, rockstars, dairy, fast food, bread, or terrible sneaky supper fatty/sugary (if thats a word) snacks. I'm the picky guy when I go out to eat and plain/green tea is a nice treat occasionally. I track everything on MyFitnessPal and FatSecret. I even track my sleeping pattens with an iPhone app called Sleep Cycle. I actually sleep at night and wake up well rested and ready to go. No need for coffee or that I need an hour to wake up while in the office. I spend Sundays grilling up all my food that I'll need for lunch and drink water like it's a second job. The Main Quest Run a 5k Missions 1) Work through the C25K program from week 1 to Week 6 (5 STA) A - Make it to week 7 - 5 STA B - Make it to week 6 - 4 STA C - Make it to week 5 - 3 STA D - Make it to week 4 - 2 STA F - Stay on week 3 or get worse - 0 STA 2) Weight training at least 2 times a week (Max 5 STR) Yeah I put a minus on stats! A - 4 Strength Training Days (per week) - 5 STR 2 STA B - 3 Strength Training Days (per week) - 4 STR 1 STA C - 2 Strength Training Days (per week) - 3 STR D - 1 Strength Training Days (per week) - 2 STR F - 0 Strength Training Days (per week) - (-1) STR Side Quests Start deadlifting like a Champion! Lose 20 pounds Life Quest Complete my training for my CCNA. Time to get Certified. Motivation If I ask for good work ethics from the kids I coach youth football, I better be a good example myself.

Not really too sure how to start this, so I'll just go at it. I've been on the site since January, but this is my first challenge. I've been slacking off for the last few weeks and was looking for some external motivation to keep improving, so...here we go. STARTING POINT: Weight ~ 224 Body Fat ~ 24% I've been doing the Beginner Bodyweight workout for several months with relative consistency, while increasing the difficulty over time. At this point I can easily complete the standard 3 sets in a fairly short time (my last attempt was roughly 14.5 minutes). Now, I do my own version with increased rep counts and the incorporation of inverted bodyweight rows. I eat roughly 80% Paleo on a good day, but those have been fewer than I'd like these last couple of weeks... Goal 1 - Cut out cokes completely by week 6 I am a Dr Pepper addict...recovering. I actually spent something like 3 months having maybe 1 soda a week, if that. By the end of this challenge, I will have dedicated myself to my fitness enough to finally kick my habit. I'll start slow, trying for every other day this week at the most. Then one every three days, the once a week. By the 6th week I want to have drunk no pop since week 4. Currently drinking ~ 1 per day A - No pop after week 4 B - 1 per week after week 4 C - 2 per week after week 4 D - 3 per week after week 4 F - Anything more than the above Goal 2 - Stop eating grain...again I'm a pasta nut, and eat out quite often due to my job. It's so easy for me to fall back into the habit of eating grains, and I have done so the last few weeks. For this challenge, I will be cutting back on grains (excepting rice) to no more than one meal per week. I was at this point a few weeks ago, I just want to get back to it. Currently eating grains ~ once per day A - No grain after week 4 B - 1 serving per week after week 4 C - 2 servings per week after week 4 D - 3 servings per week after week 4 F - 4 or more servings per week after week 4 Goal 3 - Consistent sets during workouts For the first 4 months or so I had done a decent job of stepping my way up to doing harder and harder workouts. In recent weeks though I have been letting myself slip and slack off on my workouts, resting for longer than necessary and not truly pushing myself. At the end of 6 weeks, my bodyweight workout sets excluding rests will consistently take between 5 and 6 minutes, and I will have increased the number of sets I do in each workout from 3 to 4. Last time for 3 sets ~ 10 minutes per set A - < 6 minutes per set B - 6 to 7 minutes per set C - 7 to 8 minutes per set D - 8 to 9 minutes per set F - No improvement Goal 4 - Dropping from 24% body fat to less than 20% body fat According to my estimations, this means losing roughly 10 pounds or so of fat-based weight. This isn't so much a separate goal in and of itself as it is a (hopeful) consequence of my first 3 goals. I've been hovering at the same weight for several weeks, and I am planning to use this challenge to kick start myself in the right direction again. A - Lose 10 or more pounds/drop below 20% body fat B - Lose 8 pounds/drop to an even 20% body fat C - Lose 6 pounds/drop to 22% body fat D - Lose Less than 5 pounds/no change in body fat F - Lose nothing or increase in weight/body fat I'm new to the forums, and to challenges in general, so is there anything I forgot to mention? Also, I'm not really certain how the "reward" system works here, anybody care to fill me in?

Some of my friends have a nickname for me: Superman. I have not turned back time by going in reverse, nor have I sacrificed myself to save the universe on any occasion. I haven’t even thrown my insignia at someone and have it turn into dangerous entrapping cellophane. I’m not sure why the name stuck, but it did; maybe it was the dark hair and glasses, maybe it was my dedication to ‘Truth, Justice, and the American Way.’ (pauses for grad school deconstruction of all those words) The fact is that I haven’t felt like Superman. At best, I have felt like Superboy: half the powers of Superman with twice as many problems. But I think that it is about time to change that… The good Superboy: not the bad Superboy: Like any good comic book, I have an origin story which I will term as my 'Smallville' Period. With health problems popping up in my family and just a general unhappiness about myself, I resolved to do something to stave off the end of my Krypton. I spent the summer getting serious about being healthy. I watched everything I ate and walked an hour everyday with weights to and from work. I lost 50lbs. over the course of 5 months, dropping from 240 to 190 pounds. Much like Superman, I was finding out I have powers! But I am still just a farm boy living with his parents. Thus, I resolve to turn Superboy into Superman! This Six Week Challenge is a part of a larger goal as I work towards finishing graduate school in June, but for now, here are my goals for the next six weeks: Physical Goals: 1. Become faster than a speeding bullet – Run a continuous 5K in less than 30 minutes (My current time hovers around 40ish minutes because I have to stop and walk). 2. More Powerful than a Locomotive – Drop down to 185lbs. and do 5 pull ups (I am currently at 195 and can do, well, none). 3. Able to Leap Tall Buildings in a Single Bound – Replace 4/5 cup a day coffee habit with 6 glasses of water and 3 green teas a day. (I can currently leap tall buildings in a single bound, but only with the help of large amounts of coffee. I need to kick the habit because it is messing with my body and mental focus.) Personal Goals: 4. Develop Super hearing – Be a more present listener – Can’t talk as much as I do now if I have super breath, right? 5. Create a secret identity – Clark Kent needs a job (http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2012/10/23/superman-clark-kent-leaves-daily-planet/#/0) and so do I. By the end of this six week challenge, I need to apply to at least six jobs/fellowships, so I am shooting for one-a-week. Spiritual Goals: 6. Learn the Ways of Krypton – Few people recognize the Jewish roots of Superman! Both his creators were Jewish and designed him to be the ultimate immigrant (He comes from his homeland, which he cannot return back to, and anglicizes his Semitic sound name (Kal-El) to Clark Kent; As he struggles to fit into his new culture, he becomes a nebbishy Jewish stereotype). To honor my Kryptonian roots, I want to learn a prayer week in Judaism that I do not know. (Though according to this article, Superman was a Methodist.<http://www.adherents.com/lit/comics/Superman.html>) I have got the gear, and the support network (a Justice League if you will, though for Superboy, the Legion of Superheroes would be more appropriate), so I guess the only thing left to say is... UP UP AND AWAY!