WickedNicki

These are great! I could always use more flashing lights in my wardrobe.

Thanks a lot!

Yeah, I do not plan on running in the dark without my ears open.

OMG that's a great idea. I actually have some of those already.

Great link! Thanks a lot!

I should just do that. I hate to feel like I'm wasting anything.

Uh oh, you might be onto me. >.>

Thanks for the advice! Much appreciated.

I have this problem too. Has anyone tried anything that works to alleviate it yet?

Ok so my mostly black wardrobe isn't going to cut it? lol

You're doing great! I want to start running too and it's going to be a while before I'm in shape enough to do a mile myself. I HATED running in high school. But you've just inspired me more. I have NO reason not to do this! Good luck and keep up the good work!

I've never been a runner, but I would like to start. I'd prefer to do this after work, but by the time I get home it's dark outside and there are no sidewalks and not many streetlights on my street. What should I wear to be seen? Is clothing with reflective material enough? Or should I have a light or something? My neighborhood is in a quiet suburb in the boonies, but I've noticed drivers are often not paying much attention because there isn't anything to see. I'd rather not be taken out by one of them!

Dude, you are awesome! I wish I had known you in high school. I could have used your example to start on my own fitness path then. nice work, and welcome to the community!

My dear, being you is quite enough! Some people will never be pleased, including your own family. All you can do is let them figure out their own issues without taking it personally when your mom wishes you were some way or another. But it sounds to me like you already know that! My mom isn't necessarily supportive either. I bought a juicer for my birthday this weekend and instead of noting that I'm making a healthy lifestyle change she was more concerned about the counter space it would be taking up. What kind of animals do you have?

I juice! Before I had a juicer I drank Naked Juice and water and I was good to go.

I just bought a juicer and I'm really excited about it. I've heard that there are quite a few things you can do with the pulp. I'd hate to waste it. Can anyone recommend some good ideas?

You guys are awesome. Thank you very much for the support. It was great to read these first thing in the morning. It gave me the spirit to get up and actually DO stuff today. I got a lot done!

I'm obsessed with Pyramid Head! I don't know what it is about him, but I want to see what's under the pyramid. And I think if you like Silent Hill games you'll most likely enjoy Resident Evil as well.

Hi Megan! Your struggle is all too familiar for me. My family is similar. My mom and I are the only ones who are overweight and we've both bounced from diet to diet since I was a kid. I know what it's like to be comparing yourself to thinner family members and wonder "Why me?". But I truly believe everything happens for a reason and the people who go through the toughest stuff always end up being the coolest individuals I've ever met. Keep your head up! I'm new too and already feel like I made a great decision my seeking the support of the NF community. We can do this.

My name is Nicki and I'm from Massachusetts. This is me! I am a pharmacy tech and student in an online college program for medical billing and coding. I like Silent Hill and Resident Evil games and zombie fiction, and I adore anything written by Anne Rice. I have a cat named Sid and he is my child. This is going to be a long post and I am going to tell you things that I have not discussed with anyone ever. Please bear with me. I have followed Nerd Fitness for many months now. I am constantly inspired by Steve's articles and the success stories of other Rebels. With the way my life has been going lately I have decided it's time to majorly level up my life. But I can't do it alone and I know that now after months of trying. I need help and support from people who understand my situation and have the same goals as me. I can't be a solitary leopard anymore because it's only holding me back. You see, I have a cycle. I'll read a blog post, feel inspired, and decide to become a little more dedicated to being healthier. I'll come home from work and spend half an hour with the punching bag. I'll skip dessert. Then the next day I'll have salad for lunch and feel pretty proud of myself. After a week of this, I get bored. I have cravings. I cave in. Then I start the downward spiral. I figure, well, I've given in this much, I might as well have this cake too. Or I'll have a rough day and, knowing that cotton candy ice cream directly stimulates my happy place, albeit temporarily, I'll buy a pint and have my way with it. And I'll feel so happy WHILE I'm eating it. Afterwards...well, I'm sure you're all familiar with that guilt and the shot to your self-esteem. I'll get to the point where once again I feel so low that I HAVE to claw my way back up, read another Nerd Fitness article, and reapply myself. And throughout all of this, I talk to no one about what I'm going through. I do not vent. I keep my struggle to myself in a prideful attempt to seem stronger than I am. I am 27 years old this coming Monday. I'm 5'7 and 205 pounds. This is not the heaviest I have been but I have battled my weight since elementary school. I also battle anxiety, low self-esteem and depression and have told very few people about it. I link all of these to my self image. I've been The Fat Girl for so long that it has become my identity. Even though in the past five years or so I have become more comfortable in my skin, more confident and outgoing, still in the back of my mind is the Hello, My Name Is: FAT GIRL badge. I'm tired of it. It affects me every day. It's exhausting being so constantly obsessed with how I look, wondering what others think about me, being held back by no one but myself. Despite working for the same company for the past 7 years, I am still in a part-time position that does not pay me a living wage. The company is changing a lot and I am not sure of the permanence of my job. They will not hire me full-time, no matter how many times I ask, debate, and point out that I am a pharmacy tech and I'm smart and patients like me and I help them make millions of dollars every single day. (Where is that money going? Not to me, that's for sure!) I know I can do better. I see so many sick and unhealthy people every day. I don't want to be like them. Being unhealthy is expensive. I moved back home with my parents three years ago after my hours at work were cut and my savings ran dry. Now they want to follow my grandparents and move to Florida. I do not. My home is here in MA and I am devastated that they are leaving. The house officially goes up for sale on Monday. My birthday. Today my dad got laid off, so now the push for them to flee is going to be even greater. I thought that I would have more time to finish school, get a better job, and be able to afford my life here without them. I am completely unprepared. I feel like I have no stability in my life right now and am totally uncomfortable with that. I feel that I have not taken the steps required in life to become a fully independent adult human being because I still am not as confident and driven as I need to be. Things are not harder for me than for everyone else as it has seemed in the past. I realize now that I have been lazy. I have been procrastinating. I have not been living up to my potential because I've been eating things that are horrible and full of chemicals which makes me feel like The Fat Girl and lowers my self-worth. I have not been active and have not allowed myself to feel like the strong woman I know I am. I am scared. I've been panicking, even in my sleep. For the first time in my life I have to create my own stability. But I will not be defeated. I will be fierce and I will prove to myself that I am worthy of the life I desire. I'll be tearing my hair out through all of this and it's absolutely heart-wrenching saying goodbye to life under my parents' roof and the security of the house I grew up in. I'm going to be sad. Hell, I already am. I'm going to have days where the only thing I can think about is cotton candy ice cream and a good cry. I'm going to wallow in self-pity once in a while and escape to Silent Hill. But I hope that when I'm done sniffling and being psychologically damaged by video games I can reach my hand up and know that someone will help me back up and remind me that I am worth the effort. I've been trying to do this alone for too long. It's time to officially join the Rebellion.