Hey there!

[Inksplat]

So, I was just recently introduced to Nerd Fitness, and immediately fell in love. And when I saw that it was just about time for a 6-week challenge to start? Well, I knew I had to jump onboard.

My name is Scott, and I'm a 27 year-old male currently living in Baltimore, Maryland. I'm about 6'2" and currently 315 pounds, with a son due to be born on August 31st. And I'm looking get as many years with him as I can manage.

I've been overweight most of my life, and even during my best attempts to get healthy, I never quite managed to get where I wanted to go. The first time was about 5 years ago, and I was 315 pounds. I cut calories, followed the conventional wisdom, and lost 90 pounds in less than a year. Unfortunately, I felt like crap the whole time, always tired, and despite being down to 225 pounds, I had a long way to go still.

Unfortunately, I didn't make it. I moved across the country, got engaged, and slowly put the weight back on. Hit about 265 when I discovered Good Calories, Bad Calories, by Gary Taubes, and that really changed the way I looked at things. I very quickly dropped back down to 225. And then with some family illness and travel and then cake & food tastings for my upcoming wedding, I had the perfect excuse to screw it all up again.

By the time of my wedding, I was around 270, and that was in November of 2011. About a month ago I hit 325, the highest weight I can ever remember being. And that just wasn't working for me.

My problem has always been that I've never been in shape, even when I managed to lose the weight. My first run through, I was "lifting weights" in the mornings, but never got any stronger. I did an hour on the elliptical every morning, then walked 2 miles during lunch every day, and finally, did another two miles (or a bike ride) after work. But I was always tired, and always hungry, and still plenty fat.

Second time around, going Paleo, the energy and hunger weren't problems any more, but the only exercise I did was a nightly walk. So it was just incredibly easy to slip back down that slope.

This time, I'm looking to do it right. I'm looking to keep as much muscle as I possibly can while dropping this 100+lbs, and looking to actually get into shape.

My long-term goal is to hit 10% body fat before my son's 2nd birthday. And really, I've never had such a selfish reason before. The first time, it was to impress my future fiance. The second time, it was because, well, I had been thinner before! This time though? All about me. I'm having a son, and I want to be able to play with him, and I want to be able to play with my grandkids.

I know I'm only 27, so that might seem silly, but my dad died at 40 from MS, and his dad died at 32 from kidney disease. Despite neither being genetic...its hard for me to not feel ridiculously mortal now that I have a baby on the way.

And, so, here I am! Joining the Rangers, and hoping to learn as much as I can.

[illuminatus]

Hello Inksplat, just joined myself. Sometimes it takes those life events to kick us into gear. Hope to talk to you around the forums