*peeps from around the corner* Hiya.

[werwolf]

Hello all.

I'm the werwolf. My journey on this path of fitness began about a year and a half ago when I was (finally!) diagnosed with hypothyroidism after suffering with symptoms ignored by medical professionals for about 16 years. After all that time of being told by doctors that I was just fat and lazy, I gave up trying to improve my fitness and became what they said I was. My philosophy was that if you're going to die of an obesity-related disease, you may as well hasten the journey. I didn't pay any attention to my eating habits and moved my body only out of necessity. After my diagnosis however, all that changed.

I consider my thyroid medication my 'magic' pill. I know it isn't magic. I know that eating healthfully and exercising regularly will improve anyone's physical fitness. But you have to understand that for me, doing both of those things NEVER made any difference before, it was just an exercise in futility, frustration, and increased self-flagellation. The medication is what has finally enabled my body to function normally and for that I am still in awe.

All that being said, I've lost 150lbs so far. I'm trying to find out who I would have been all along if it weren't for the busted thyroid gland in my neck. At this point I just feel weird most of the time. For example, I had no idea that most people can feel their hip bones through their skin when they lie on their backs. Or that my body is shaped much like Geoffrey Rush's in Quills. (Which is even more disturbing when you consider that I'm female.) So I'm deep in the process of establishing a new 'normal' for me. I've still got about 40-50lbs to go if I want to be safely within a healthy BMI, but I'm in no hurry. It's not about losing weight or being a more socially-acceptable size for me (I was competely at ease with my appearance before); I'm in it for my health and well-being long term.

Hence I've joined in with all you lovely people! I hope I haven't rambled too much my first time out. I shall endeavour for brevity next time.

[Alethea]

Hallo hallo! Welcome to the boards. You'll learn that the more rambly, the better here. We as a group do love our words.

That's amazing about the hypothyroid diagnosis. I'm so glad you're on a healthy path now! What's sorts of stuff have you been doing/want to do? The possibilities are endless!

If you are interested, come join our 28 day challenge! It's a great way to meet people and push yourself to do accomplish something great.

[werwolf]

I'm glad that I now have a place to say this without feeling like a total dick: *clears throat* I love my gym.

Now, I'm SO not one of 'those' gym people. You know the kind. The ones that spend a lot of time yelling and, for some unknown reason, clapping. They jump out of bed at 4am because they just LOVE *clap* THE GYM *clap.* I don't claim to have more energy when I'm done. (When I'm done at the gym I'm mentally/emotionally glad I went, but I am physically tired because I left it all on the floor.) I don't offer other people unsolicited advice on their form. (Actually, it's like pulling teeth to get me to speak to anyone at all when I'm there. I get the tunnel visioin. lol) And I don't have a prefered brand of equipment. (I got a heart rate monitor for Christmas and luckily my more technically-minded brother did all the research to find which one worked for my purposes.) BUT... I do love my gym. I love feeling like I've accomplished something for the day. I love being able to get away from my family and have some alone time. I love the mental break it gives me because I'm focused on what my body is doing and not worrying about whatever else is going on. I love that it makes me feel tired and sore, but in a happy way. And I love that it's part of my search to find the me under the layers.

Right now I do cardio six days a week and I've just started strength training three days a week. (Like many of the female persuasion my upper body has a lot of catching up to do strength-wise compared to my legs.) I like to take the classes offered at my gym because they're more entertaining for me than just using a treadmill, (or walking many viscious circles around the neighborhood, as I did before I got my membership) which I find soul-sucking. My gym has a pretty nice mix of cardio options, most of which also include some element of strength training as well, so I do step, kickboxing, yoga (my favourite), and some dancy-type cardio. I'm pretty excited about my new weight training too. I am all about the dumbells and not the machines. The machines scare me a little. They look like torture devices.

So that's me. Unabashedly loving my gym... but only in private.

[Plex]

Howdy wer,

I too love my gym. It has helped me figure out more things about myself mentally while I punish myself physically then I ever would have suspected. and yes, I even love the gym music over the radio.

[Jabba the Hupp]

I really love my gym time. I do get the tunnel vision too but I like to think of it as me being In the Zone.

I hate my gym music though. I go nuts if I forget my ipod at home.

Congrats on getting onto a healthy lifestyle and welcome!

[Lowenna]

150lbs! Well done, that's some serious weight loss. You must feel a lot better being so much healthier.

I'm totally with you on the gym machines looking like torture devices, I struggle to work out what your meant to do with some of them. I stick with my body weight exercises, trying to be as natural as possible with my workouts. When it warms up a bit (yeah it's not that cold, but I'm an asthmatic wuss) I'm going to go out side to run and do my squats and push ups and things.

[realJWade]

Habari, werwolf. Thank you for inspiring us with your story, and I know we can, in our turn, inspire you to finish your journey. Kwa heri!

[werwolf]

Thanks everybody! I'm seriously digging this message board. I honestly can't wait for the challenge to start!

[Cacophony]

Howdy howdy!

I love the fact that you have a realistic goal about what you want and how you're getting there. No need to peep... most of us don't bite and I'll try to tone it down far enough so I don't scare anyone. No promises... *sighs* I'm blessed with an overly eager personality that tends to come with much clapping and pom pom waving given the opportunity. It hides the whip in my back pocket. *wicked grin* Keep posting, keep active, and I look forward to seeing you around the boards. =)

[Brometheus]

As a fellow thyroid sufferer, I understand your pain...just got mine almost to normal about a month ago. Now I get to actually do the weight loss. 150 pounds is an inspiration

Oh, and I wouldn't worry too much about brevity. If you've noticed, most of us...well...ramble a bit. It's okay, it helps with the process.

[werwolf]

Howdy howdy!

I love the fact that you have a realistic goal about what you want and how you're getting there. No need to peep... most of us don't bite and I'll try to tone it down far enough so I don't scare anyone. No promises... *sighs* I'm blessed with an overly eager personality that tends to come with much clapping and pom pom waving given the opportunity. It hides the whip in my back pocket. *wicked grin* Keep posting, keep active, and I look forward to seeing you around the boards. =)

It is weird that I'm more interested in the whip? I picked the trainer I did because I knew she was going to beat me up and demand my best. I love her (and love to hate her) and I think she sees me as some kind of challenge because I have an odd combination of physical limitations and the strength of a bull, so we do well together. There was another trainer, whom I also really like on a personal level, but I thought I could play the adorable card and worm my way out of things with her.

As a fellow thyroid sufferer, I understand your pain...just got mine almost to normal about a month ago. Now I get to actually do the weight loss. 150 pounds is an inspiration

Oh, and I wouldn't worry too much about brevity. If you've noticed, most of us...well...ramble a bit. It's okay, it helps with the process.

Hypothyroids unite! Seriously though, when my bloodwork came back and I found out that there was a medical issue happening and that it wasn't all my fault... I nearly cried. (Of course I didn't cry, because I'm all big and strong and stuff. Grr.) It was like a light went on in my life. ... I'm still more than a little annoyed that it went untreated for so long and that I spent far too many years feeling ugly and worthless (not to mention being put on INSANE restricted-calorie diets by doctors who just assumed they weren't working because I was lying about how well I was sticking to them). BUT, that's all in the past and there's nothing I can do about it now. What I take from it is that it made me focus on other things about myself that I felt good about, like my brain, and I get to be one of the few women I know who isn't crazy about her weight because from my point of view it's always better than where I was.

[Brometheus]

Yes, stupid doctors. I fired mine, quite gladly, for refusing to dispense the meds I needed to fix the situation. He wanted to put me on a low fat calorie counting F'd up diet. I'm almost to what my current doctor calls normal, and I love it. Each day seems like it's getting a little bit better

We do express our feelings here, I'm not afraid of a good cry or two...especially after Cacophony busts out the whip

And good job on the trainer. Pick the evil SOB who's not afraid to tell you who's boss. I've hated every trainer I've worked out with because they're good at pushing me past what I thought were my limits. It just comes with the territory, right?

[spezzy]

hey werwolf! just getting around to having the time to read this (been busy with um, the challenge )

but!

I'm the werwolf. My journey on this path of fitness began about a year and a half ago when I was (finally!) diagnosed with hypothyroidism after suffering with symptoms ignored by medical professionals for about 16 years.

THIS has also happened to many people in my family, including my mom. I don't know why they dont just automatically test people for it.

I get tested for it now every year when I go because so many people in my family have it. I've pretty much just accepted that my thyroid is going to go bad at some point, but I figure that's fine - its the only thing that runs in the family and is easily fixed after diagnosed

Now, I'm SO not one of 'those' gym people. You know the kind. The ones that spend a lot of time yelling and, for some unknown reason, clapping. They jump out of bed at 4am because they just LOVE *clap* THE GYM *clap.* I don't claim to have more energy when I'm done. (When I'm done at the gym I'm mentally/emotionally glad I went, but I am physically tired because I left it all on the floor.) I don't offer other people unsolicited advice on their form. (Actually, it's like pulling teeth to get me to speak to anyone at all when I'm there. I get the tunnel visioin. lol)

me too only... ive come to accept that i have to talk to everyone, because everyone talks to me.

well done on the weight loss, glad to have you here

[Cacophony]

I'm not afraid of a good cry or two...especially after Cacophony busts out the whip

That's not crying... *looks innocent* You're mistaking the sweat dripping into your eyes for tears. Really. And that gasping noise is just you sucking wind. I'd never push anyone to the point of actually CRYING. Unless I thought they were faking it for sympathy. Then I would. *beams happily*

[werwolf]

Clawed, spezzy, Cacophony... I love all of you. lol

[Cacophony]

Clawed, spezzy, Cacophony... I love all of you. lol

I'm kinda fond of the group as well. I'll be touching base later to see how everyone is doing with their challenges! First: Groceries. And Coffee.

[Brometheus]

Clawed, spezzy, Cacophony... I love all of you. lol

Awww, well thanks

[Brometheus]

I'm kinda fond of the group as well. I'll be touching base later to see how everyone is doing with their challenges! First: Groceries. And Coffee.

Yeah, the group is awesome. And the challenge, well, it's been a challenge (w/ the diet). But today can be different, tomorrow's a new day, and I will do it! I have admiration for werwolf and her ability to deny herself peanut butter for the better part of the challenge...

[Plex]

Peanut butter is an addiction. Seriously, I need like PB Anon. I have a jar i just stare at every day, longingly. Then I go eat breakfast. Eggs and Bacon!

[prefect42]

Peanut butter is an addiction. Seriously, I need like PB Anon.

At first read, I interpreted "Anon" in the Shakespearean sense, and thought you just really needed some peanut butter ASAP. Good lord, but I am a nerd.

Welcome werwolf! I've seen some of your posts in the Challenge thread, but finally wandered back in here and saw your origin story, as it were. So glad to hear that the hypothyroidism is getting under control and as a result, you can actually have some control over your physical fitness. You've come a long way already and it'll be great to see you get the rest of the way under the NF banner.

I also just had to pipe up and say woooo Quills, and simultaneously laugh that there was discussion of whips just a few posts later.

[werwolf]

Forsooth perfect, you are a nerd. Yet methinks that being a nerd 'o the Bard averrs one with utter coolness. Or so saith the girl who owns a blood-stained shoulder bag with the words "Out, damn'd spot!" on it.

And... ain't nothin wrong with the Marquis or whips.

[dna]

belated Howdy.... welcome in *though even i'm a newbie here*

[Cacophony]

belated Howdy.... welcome in *though even i'm a newbie here*

No rules against newbie's saying howdy! Get in here, DNA!

[Gowaduv]

Hi Wer- I hate doctors for sooo many reasons; that my day job is appealing insurance claim denials for them doesn't improve my opinion. I also have an intermittent arrythmia because my doc didn't know how to manage a med that I was on and I honestly thought I was going to die when I went through withdrawals after he said he didn't want to give me a refill so I could wean off, "becasue the dose you're on isn't that high and there's this heart problem."

Do you know what they call the guy who graduates at the bottom of his class in med school?

Doctor.

That said, I'm very very glad someone finally figured out your thyroid issue and 150 is really an amazing accomplishment (don't attribute that to the thyroid meds- your body still had to do the work to get rid of half a million calories). Congrats on avoiding the machines, too- they're accidents waiting to happen, and guess who comes out on the losing end. At least with free weights you have a pretty good inkling when something's about to go wrong. Plus a good weight workout will get your heart pounding and your body will have to learn new ways to adapt to an oxygen-starved environment. I'm looking forward to reading of your progress with being ever-less-big, stronger, and stuff. Grrr.

[werwolf]

Thanks! I'm sorry to hear about your arrythmia, that must have been really frightening (which can't help an already irregular heartbeat). Do you wear a heart monitor when you work out?

Also, I seriously love your signature.