I am over 'starting again'... again. again.

[jessicatron]

Hello fellow nerds!

My name is Jess and here I am giving it to Sad Keanu. I've been dubbed Jessicatron by a fellow programmer since 2008 - just for kicks. I'm 27 and I'm in a healthy weight range. It gets worse. I want more. I want better.

I've had my fat stage in my early 20s when I always thought getting hammered, smoking a packet a day and 4am McDonalds was an awesome idea. I managed to turn my life around and get a personal trainer. I lifted. But I didn't understand about nutrition and couldn't get the results I wanted. So I gave up.

I met my to-be husband when I was 22. He's a health freak and always pushed me to be better. I was because of him that I got my personal trainer back (she's my bff now which is awesome), and turned my life around. Again. I was killing it at the gym every day. Being a girl and doing more cardio than weights and starving myself. I wasn't getting anywhere so I gave up. Again.

I started again when I decided to try paleo. I've since been doing it for 2 years. This is where i saw the most insane results without killing it at the gym. I felt better. I rarely got sick and when I did, recovery time was a day as opposed to the old 2-4 weeks. I started up with my personal trainer (who is probably rich just from me) and completely killed it. I was always up for a challenge. How do I make something more difficult, add on more weight etc. I lost a lot of weight. And then slowly but surely, negative Jessicatron got in the way. "You're not losing enough." "Your thighs are still massive" etc etc. I was so tired of this little voice in my head telling me that I wasn't doing enough. I wasn't getting far enough. My clothes were getting smaller but it wasn't fast enough. I wasn't skinny enough. I got stuck in the negative mental mindset. I lost sight of why I was doing this: to be healthy. Not to be skinny. I gave up. Yeah. That word. Again.

And now I'm 27. I'm too old for this crap. I don't want to be skinny. I don't want to be annoyed, depressed, negative and put myself down. I've been up and down for so long that I thought, wouldn't it just be nice to be on top ALL THE TIME?! After so much effort, after everything I've learned, after everything I know and after all the sweat and promises I made to myself - wouldn't it be sweet to just be one of those success stories I always read about?

So where I'm at is this: I'm not going to make any insane effort to do cardio. I'm an Aussie living in Poland right now and I walk almost 20000 steps a day. A lot of those steps are up and down stairs. I'm going to get back into those free weights. I managed to snag a barbell and some dumbbells. I'm going to continue on with paleo because that is awesome. And I'm going to figure out some kind of weights routine (hopefully with your help?) so I can rotate muscle groups each day. I plan on ditching the scales and going back to ye olde measurements to keep track. I want to be stronger and fitter and better.

So hellooooo, NF community!

[carmstr4]

I feel you. I'm brand new to the community but not to the game, either. Ditching the scale should probably be next for me, too.

[AKLulu]

Good luck, girl! Paleo is awesome. Welcome to the Rebellion! And if that ugly little voice ever comes back to tell you nasty lies about your thighs, make sure you reread this article: https://www.againfaster.com/en/blog/2012/02/09/embrace-them-thighs/

[jessicatron]

I feel you. I'm brand new to the community but not to the game, either. Ditching the scale should probably be next for me, too.

Ditch those scales, I say! I used to get so obsessed with them and it's not a healthy mindset to be in. I think it's all about the fit of your clothes and how good you feel (happy, rested, energetic etc).

Good luck, girl! Paleo is awesome. Welcome to the Rebellion! And if that ugly little voice ever comes back to tell you nasty lies about your thighs, make sure you reread this article: https://www.againfaster.com/en/blog/2012/02/09/embrace-them-thighs/

Thank you for the encouragement, and the great article!

[davidc]

All this paleo diet stuff is very interesting to me since it pretty much seems to be just made up many years ago by some gastroenterologist, not a nutritionist or registered dietitian. I did a good bit of research on it and could find no real scientific studies that back up it's claims. Most said it's not safe and there are other much better diets that have been well researched and created by real nutrition experts. I for one am not brave enough to experiment with my health with a fadish diet when there are others created by diet and health professionals and proven to be better for you. http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/best-overall-diets

[klaybae]

All this paleo diet stuff is very interesting to me since it pretty much seems to be just made up many years ago by some gastroenterologist, not a nutritionist or registered dietitian. I did a good bit of research on it and could find no real scientific studies that back up it's claims. Most said it's not safe and there are other much better diets that have been well researched and created by real nutrition experts. I for one am not brave enough to experiment with my health with a fadish diet when there are others created by diet and health professionals and proven to be better for you. http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/best-overall-diets

Without hijacking this thread and turning it into something besides an awesome welcome for an awesome gal, what research have you found that states paleo is unsafe? If you could PM me links to the studies I'd love to read them. Also, it's my understanding that a nutritionist requires no proof of education, depending on state or country. I could call myself a nutritionist if I were so inclined. A gastroenterologist IS a health professional?

Welcome Jessicatron! We are stoked to have you here! Can't wait to see you overcome Evil Jessicatron for good

[AKLulu]

All this paleo diet stuff is very interesting to me since it pretty much seems to be just made up many years ago by some gastroenterologist, not a nutritionist or registered dietitian. I did a good bit of research on it and could find no real scientific studies that back up it's claims. Most said it's not safe and there are other much better diets that have been well researched and created by real nutrition experts. I for one am not brave enough to experiment with my health with a fadish diet when there are others created by diet and health professionals and proven to be better for you. http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/best-overall-diets

That's an interesting opinion, David, and your point is well-taken. The paleo diet has been around as such for a little longer than most fads last, so I wouldn't really consider it a fad personally. I'd be interested in you PMing any of the articles you share with Klay to me. I like to keep an open mind and research things thoroughly too, but seem to have failed to find the things you're talking about. I don't like to experiment with my body too much either, but I can't think that a diet based mostly on good proteins and veggies is too bad for me

(Sorry for the hijack!)

[jessicatron]

Welcome Jessicatron! We are stoked to have you here! Can't wait to see you overcome Evil Jessicatron for good

Thanks, Klaymates! I am very happy to be here.

All this paleo diet stuff is very interesting to me since it pretty much seems to be just made up many years ago by some gastroenterologist, not a nutritionist or registered dietitian. I did a good bit of research on it and could find no real scientific studies that back up it's claims. Most said it's not safe and there are other much better diets that have been well researched and created by real nutrition experts. I for one am not brave enough to experiment with my health with a fadish diet when there are others created by diet and health professionals and proven to be better for you. http://health.usnews.com/best-diet/best-overall-diets

Fair opinion. I only know what works for me and I found that this works for me 100%. Not so much in the muscle gain/fat loss aspect, but in the general health aspect. Before I did paleo, I was sick all the time. I was sick for weeks at a time. It was absolutely frustration and I could never get better. After doing paleo, my immune system is so much better. I rarely get sick anymore and when I do, it's only for a few days as opposed to weeks on end.

/ending the hijack of this thread