RainbowRivaini

Well, today I took my before pictures...and I just about cried. I've been at this for about a month and a half I think, and I've only gone down about half a pound. I think I know why, and I'm working on a plan to fix it, starting with regulating my exercise. I've been doing more cardio (walk/runs with Zombies, Run and the elliptical at the university gym with Netflix lol), which is awesome, and much better than the nothing I was doing, but it's been intermittent and lacked any kind of strength training because, let's face it, I'm afraid of all the weight equipment at the gym and I'm too afraid to ask for help. I have severe anxiety and just getting to the gym is a huge accomplishment for me. But as of today, I have a plan. Cardio: Go for a run or to the gym (depending on how I feel/weather/whatever) every day M-F. Weekends my schedule doesn't really allow for it but I tend to do a lot of walking anyway. This will last at least half an hour. Strength training: Darebee's Shepard Workout: http://darebee.com/workouts/shepard-fem-workout.html#sets Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. I started it today and I only managed two sets rather than the three they recommend for level one But that's still better than zero sets, right? And I completed all of the exercises, even if I did need to modify the pushups and shoulder taps for the time being. Can I get some feedback on this plan from anyone more knowledgeable than me? So, like, probably anyone, because I have no real idea what I'm doing, lol. I'm 38 lbs away from my first goal, at which point I'm going to re-evaluate and see how I feel, and will probably want to drop another 15-20 after that. Is this a reasonable schedule? Am I over/under doing it? Is this the type of schedule/balance that will help me to lose weight? Now, on to revamping my diet...but that's for another post in another category.

Pasta is my biggest food weakness, so I feel you there! I'm pretty new here too but so far I've found this to be a really great place. Welcome! I'm glad you've joined us. You can do this - I believe in you!

(Very) mini woot time! I'm still very early in my journey and for me, exercise is the hardest part. SO HARD. I'd much rather sit and watch netflix or play a video game than exercise, especially after work (I work customer service at Best Buy, so I'm on my feet all day). So I made a deal with myself. If I followed my gym plan (at least three times a week was my goal, since I'm just starting) for two weeks, I would reward myself with the really, really excellent gym bag I found. Well, look what I now own! And now I'm even more motivated to get to the gym because if you think I don't want to show this off you are WRONG. haha.

Oh my god, I love this site. I've just found this thread as I've been poking around this morning and I'm so grateful. I'm a 30 year old bi female, and while I'm lucky to live in quite a liberal area, I've still had people be extremely judgmental at times (a guy I went out on a couple of dates with recently accused me of "leading men on" among other things). Did anyone else have the experience of not realizing they were lgbtq+ until later in life? I knew deep down I was different all through high school, but I didn't know why. It wasn't until I was 23 and watched Farscape and realized I was very, very attracted to Claudia Black that I figured out that I was bisexual and that that was even a thing I COULD be...and man did that ever make high school make sense in hindsight. Lol

Oooh, that's a great idea. I might do that as well, especially since I'm getting myself an awesome gym-specific bag today as my reward for sticking with my exercise goals for the first two weeks. Thanks!

Congratulations on your respawn! I'd love to be fitbit friends. I believe in you. You can do this!

Thanks everyone for the encouragement! I did make it to the gym today for some cardio after work and I'm feeling sore but good about it. I can't wait until Friday...it's payday and I can finally get some decent food into the house. lol. And now, I'm going to go lose myself in Mass Effect for awhile, because I've earned it. haha.

Hey everyone! I just wanted to pop in and introduce myself. I'm a big fantasy and sci-fi nerd, a gamer...and in what is probably the worst shape of my life. Oops. I've been trying for about eight years to lose the weight I've been gaining, but I've had no success so far, no matter what I've tried. I know now that what was really holding me back was my mindset, and after an experience I had today, I think I'm realistically in a place now where I can get down to business. At least, I hope so. I've struggled with anxiety and depression my entire life, although I was only formally diagnosed seven years ago. I'm a university student and a separated mother of one kiddo. I was in good shape in high school (I've never been terribly athletic, but I was in a medieval recreation group and did rapier fighting) and for a year after when I lived in the Netherlands as an au pair because I rode my bike everywhere...but once I got back home, everything started going downhill and as the weight came on, my self-esteem and feelings of worth went way down. I've struggled with myself ever since, and I've done my share of yo-yo dieting and trying to change everything about my life at once in an attempt to be a "better person". This time, my changes are smaller. I can use the gym at my university for free, and I've started with a goal of going at least three times a week. So far, so good (for the last two weeks). I'm watching my portions without letting myself go hungry. I bought a fitbit, which I love because I can have walking competitions with my friends and my hugely competitive side LOVES that. I've been playing Pokemon Go, which encourages me to get out and walk more and isn't hard to make myself do because it doesn't feel like exercise, it's just fun. And today? Today was huge for me. I was planning to go to the gym after class, but I forgot my hair elastic when I packed my gym bag. I have long hair and I'm prone to overheating, so I can't work out without my hair tied up. It annoys me AND overheats me, neither of which is good when I'm trying to get myself going. Now, in all of my past attempts, past!me would have been like, "well, that's that, no workout today," and jumped on the bus and come home and crashed out in front of netflix or a video game. Present!me, on the other hand, used the opportunity to walk home (about a 35 minute walk in my current state of fitness) and then did the beginner's bodyweight workout from on here. I'm sore, tired, and proud of myself for doing that, even when the bus pulled up to the stop just as I was leaving campus and I could have easily gotten onto it. I looked at it, turned Hamilton up a little louder, and kept walking. I think this time might be the winning one, and I really hope so. I'm grateful to have found NF, the articles have already been a huge help to me and I'm hoping I can push past all of my shyness to become active on the forums as well. And this became a novel which I was so not intending, lol, so I'm going to shut up now, oops. If you read this, thanks, if not, don't worry I don't blame you! haha.