IntroDUCKtion*

[Sqthreer]

Hi. My physical name is Blake, I'm just about 28 years old, and have only recently realized that my general health is super duper important.

 

I've seen and browsed about seventy-two bazillion websites relating to health in my life, most of which have just been in the past six months or so. Nerd Fitness is the first one that really caught my attention and didn't overwhelm me with the feeling that there was some profit-related scheme motivating the information being given. I don't necessarily identify myself as a nerd, but of all the different breeds of humans you have on this planet, I am the most comfortable around nerds.

 

Here are the reasons I am not a nerd:

• I am currently playing Pokemon with an emulator on my smartphone
• I am a speedcuber
• Numbers and words often cause me to be intrigued
• I've spent about 400 hours playing Minecraft since March 2013
• My cat, Bunny, is my second best friend
• Data entry and document design are probably the most fun things to do
• I know how to download things from the internet and not get a virus
• I understand all the video game references made on this website

GOT IT?

 

Here's a short version of the fitness section of my life:

Since March of this year, I've lost fifty pounds (down from 260). And I did it the healthy way! I bought a nice bike and used it to commute to-and-fro work and everywhere else I went (about 70 miles a week) and I slowly corrected my diet. In the past couple months I have begun strength training and have been phasing myself into Paleo-style eating. And it's just been swell.

 

I gotta say, there is almost no greater a feeling than finally doing something you've been fantasizing about and urging yourself to do most of your life. I hope to be able to get and give some answers through this community to keep myself and others motivated to keep doing it.

 

* Unfortunately, the pun in my title has no purpose.

[Terinatum]

Here are the reasons I am not a nerd: NOT? You mean, are!! ;-)

• I am currently playing Pokemon with an emulator on my smartphone
• I am a speedcuber
• Numbers and words often cause me to be intrigued
• I've spent about 400 hours playing Minecraft since March 2013
• My cat, Bunny, is my second best friend
• Data entry and document design are probably the most fun things to do
• I know how to download things from the internet and not get a virus
• I understand all the video game references made on this website

GOT IT?

 

Here's a short version of the fitness section of my life:

Since March of this year, I've lost fifty pounds (down from 260). And I did it the healthy way! I bought a nice bike and used it to commute to-and-fro work and everywhere else I went (about 70 miles a week) and I slowly corrected my diet. In the past couple months I have begun strength training and have been phasing myself into Paleo-style eating. And it's just been swell.

 

I gotta say, there is almost no greater a feeling than finally doing something you've been fantasizing about and urging yourself to do most of your life. I hope to be able to get and give some answers through this community to keep myself and others motivated to keep doing it.

 

* Unfortunately, the pun in my title has no purpose.

 

 

Well, I like the pun anyhow! 

 

Hi and Welcome! I'm really glad you poked your head in (yes, futile attempt at a pun - not knowing pokemon, it's a shot in the dark for me).

 

Man! You've been kicking this new lifestyle, in style! I hope you are feeling the pride of self-compassion and motivation. I think perhaps you are by what you've written. 

 

So, what things are you looking to do? We have threads for all sorts of things, some you are already active in. Paleo is here and endurance sports with biking is here. What are some of your mid and long term goals? Are you still investigating new things?

 

Okay enough of the third degree. Welcome and have fun. PM me anytime and I'll do what I can for ya! We all will.

[Sqthreer]

I am definitely feeling some serious prideage. It's pretty great to be able to look in a mirror at my naked pink body and not scowl in disappointment. And not to just see the change, but feel it. I can tell that I'm becoming a stronger, more disciplined person. It's pretty great!

 

What I'm looking to do is acquire some informational ingredients and spices that I can stew together with my own recipe and serve it to anyone who wants some. I would love the chance to help anyone who is going through a similar transition with my own steaming bowl of info-goulash. 

 

I'm not big on sports ('cept table tennis) so biking, for me, is just a casual and practical utility. I sometimes do it for fun too I suppose, but I don't see myself taking it much further. Paleo/Primal-related stuff, on the other hand, has been very fascinating to me. I know I'm an animal, and I love doing things that make me feel like one. Vigorously gnawing on a big chunk of meat in the middle of a forest after a nude swim in the river sounds like the perfect day to me. 

 

Goals: I spent most of my adult life meticulously choosing long- and short-term goals, some realistic, some totally absurd. I've created countless lists and small "goal-reaching programs" for myself, very few of which worked, and almost none of which lasted. One of the biggest reasons I'm finally seeing some success this year is because I just let go. I began noticing that the positive achievements I made happened automatically and without scrupulous tracking. It seemed like the more I focused on the end-result, the more likely the evil part of my mind would interfere and sabotage my progress. Vagueness has saved me from this irony. This summer I have simply been taking it a day at a time and being more impulsive instead of compulsive. A lot of information I've read advises against that kind of behavior because it leads to fleeting changes that eventually fade away into a painful failure. I can't say I fully understand why it's working for me, but having failed enough goals and become so used to failure that I stopped being surprised when it happened, I can tell that this is different. That being said, my long-term goal is to develop a lifestyle that I'm proud of (I'll figure out what that means along the way) and a short-term goal is to drop that last nine pounds to get to an even 200, then I'll see what I want to do next. Regardless of what this (excessively long?) paragraph might imply, I'm not doing this totally aimlessly; I have a direction, but it isn't one I think should, or could describe. It feels natural and instinctual, like the migratory behavior of your earth-birds. They're headed in that direction because it feels right and they just know to.

 

Holy smokes. I can't seem to post in forums without really wordy paragraphs :/ Sorry if the strain of reading my replies is causing you ocular trauma. 

 

Thank you for your cheery friendliness! It's a nice welcome :]

 

P.S. I missed your pun at first, but that's a good sign. I think it's important to make jokes that no one acknowledges so that you can feel sneaky and make this face:   >:}

[Terinatum]

MY EYES, MY EYES !!!

they're bleeding!!!

ROFL I knew I liked you!

 

And you're right to not mess with what's working. If scheduling and asking yourself to do things on command doesn't get results, then you know you don't need to bother with it. Doesn't matter what works for others, it's you we're working on.

 

So 9 pounds huh? Not bad. I'm aiming for 200 (got 16 1/2 to go) as well and then hopefully 185, but I'm losing fast enough now that the actual number isn't too concerning. I too have been playing (my food of all things) a bit by ear. I tried last challenge to eat at home and cook. And I tracked it. It wasn't bad, but it made me pretty stressy. Now, something has changed in me. So the tracking I'm doing in my challenge this time isn't so stress inducing. Don't know why, but I ain't screaming about it!

 

You are so obviously in a great place with yourself, it's really enjoyable to see. I'm sure you'll find folks playing with recipes around this site. Plus there's lots of threads with off-topic stuff going on too. I'm currently doing a Pathfinder (D&D rpg) play-by-post. It's my second one and I really like it.

 

Okay, well, I'm off to respond to other posts so enjoy your evening -- if you're anywhere near Vermont - or whatever time it is for you now. I'll stop competing for longest paragraph! lol

 

Cheers!

 

* wasn't sure if you realize something? You look like Steve Kamb, the founder!

[0gravity]

Welcome, sounds like you have a really good start already! Best of luck to you with all of your goals.

[Terinatum]

I can't believe I missed this the first time!

 

I know I'm an animal, and I love doing things that make me feel like one. Vigorously gnawing on a big chunk of meat in the middle of a forest after a nude swim in the river sounds like the perfect day to me. 

 

ROFL Yes!

[shaar]

I feel the need to add some ducks up into this post.

 

 

Aww yiss.

 

WELCOME!  I feel you on the long-term goals -- I would always make something HUGE, like running a marathon or swimming in a triathalon -- and eventually get so mired down in the daily details and the fact that progress wasn't happening "quickly" enough for me, that I'd just flame out.  I've definitely learned that fitness is a marathon and not a sprint, and good things take time... so,like you, I'm taking things day by day and reveling in the small victories, like being able to up the amount of weight I can shoulder press, or losing a couple of inches off my waistline.  You got this!

[Sqthreer]

 

MY EYES, MY EYES !!!

they're bleeding!!!

ROFL I knew I liked you!

 

And you're right to not mess with what's working. If scheduling and asking yourself to do things on command doesn't get results, then you know you don't need to bother with it. Doesn't matter what works for others, it's you we're working on.

 

So 9 pounds huh? Not bad. I'm aiming for 200 (got 16 1/2 to go) as well and then hopefully 185, but I'm losing fast enough now that the actual number isn't too concerning. I too have been playing (my food of all things) a bit by ear. I tried last challenge to eat at home and cook. And I tracked it. It wasn't bad, but it made me pretty stressy. Now, something has changed in me. So the tracking I'm doing in my challenge this time isn't so stress inducing. Don't know why, but I ain't screaming about it!

 

You are so obviously in a great place with yourself, it's really enjoyable to see. I'm sure you'll find folks playing with recipes around this site. Plus there's lots of threads with off-topic stuff going on too. I'm currently doing a Pathfinder (D&D rpg) play-by-post. It's my second one and I really like it.

 

Okay, well, I'm off to respond to other posts so enjoy your evening -- if you're anywhere near Vermont - or whatever time it is for you now. I'll stop competing for longest paragraph! lol

 

Cheers!

 

* wasn't sure if you realize something? You look like Steve Kamb, the founder!

 

 

For a while, I was using the number on my scale as an incentive. It's been one of the most motivating parts of this whole experience, actually. To see it continuously go down and stay down really validated my efforts. I'm also at the point where weight has become less important and where being able to see what's changed is what really keeps me striving forward. Taking a picture every month is incredibly awesome as well.

 

It's hard to agree that I look like Mr. Kamb, but only cause I'm so much more familiar with my face I can see the similarities from my icon, though.

 

Welcome, sounds like you have a really good start already! Best of luck to you with all of your goals.

 

I think so too! A good start is a good way to start things  

 

I feel the need to add some ducks up into this post.

 

[DUCKZ]

 

Aww yiss.

 

WELCOME!  I feel you on the long-term goals -- I would always make something HUGE, like running a marathon or swimming in a triathalon -- and eventually get so mired down in the daily details and the fact that progress wasn't happening "quickly" enough for me, that I'd just flame out.  I've definitely learned that fitness is a marathon and not a sprint, and good things take time... so,like you, I'm taking things day by day and reveling in the small victories, like being able to up the amount of weight I can shoulder press, or losing a couple of inches off my waistline.  You got this!

 

YEAH! Focusing on your achievements is super helpful. Every little thing matters. It's also important to be able to identify things as achievements, I've noticed. Sometimes you don't even realize that you've just done something you have struggled with in the past :]

 

As for the ducks... I'm trying to understand what is causing the duck to behave that way. My current theories are 1) because it wasn't able to track where the treat landed it became easily frustrated and threw a small fit, or 2) it prefers its snacks to be mushed into dirt before eating. 

[Guzzi]

Hahahahaha! Awesome.

That is all