Please Welcome to the Class...

[Chrissy]

I've always been bad at introductions. Like that new kid that has to stand before the class and say something about themself, but can't find anything to say and says that they don't have hobbies. Yea, I'm that awkward kid.

I'm currently 20 years old (21 coming soon!) and have been overweight my whole life. I come from a family of other overweight people, which is probably why I've not really made a full attempt at weight loss before now. After finding NerdFitness, I skyped my dad and challenged him to a contest. Whoever can lose more weight (percentage wise) the other has to buy them something. If I win, I get an iPhone, but if my dad wins I have to buy him a nice camera. The contest ends when I come home (August 4th, tentatively).

This might be a good time to mention that I'm currently living in Berlin, Germany for study abroad. I've already lost some weight just living the European lifestyle (in general, I find there is more daily exercise and less nasty, preservative stuffed food here), but I'm ready to really take on the challenge. I want this year to be something I look back on proudly as a life changing experience.

Right now I'm working on doing some simple bodyweight circuits, since I don't have access to a gym. I feel that bodyweight exercises also fit in better with my end-end goal of being a traceur. That goal is still a few years and 70 lbs away, but I'm going to be working toward it. I'll also try doing more walking (evolving into jogging and running), but my reasoning at the moment is that it's too cold to go outside. With winter just now hitting Berlin like a brick, it takes incredible self-motivation just to walk out my door each day for class.

I'm going to be battling an old battle wound for my fitness: my knee. Right before I turned 18 I dislocated my patella playing Dance Dance Revolution (could there be a nerdier injury?) and had to have surgery six months later. It never fully healed and my quad is weak because of it. I don't want this to be an excuse, however, I want to triumph over it!

My starting weight is about 92 kg and I'm going to attempt to lose weight without access to a scale, so I won't know how I'm doing until I go home. I will, however, be taking pictures once a month to track my progress. I may or may not post them, depending on if I see a lot of progress.

So, my fellow classmates, may I take my seat now?

[Atalan]

Welcome to the Rebellion. No seats, though. We have running tracks and lifting cages and yoga mats, though!