New and Ready to Sweat

[smazzon1]

"Ciao da Italia!" Hello from Italy! I'm overseas while I write this, and I couldn't be more excited.

This is my year. I'm going to get in the best shape of my life this year, inside and out.

After years of no results from treadmills and cardio, I finally got a trainer at my university (R U RAH RAH!) to learn how to lift weights last November. I slowly got stronger and stronger and soon people started to notice the difference. After six months, I put an inch of muscle on my arms and thighs. It's not a lot, but I was proud. I knew I was making some progress.

Unfortunately, my commitment still wasn't where it should have been. When the school year ended, I still went to the gym to lift but I didn't eat well since I have a love affair with chocolate and ice cream. Then I came to Italy for a six-week study abroad program. Between eating carbs ALL THE TIME (cornetto for breakfast and pasta for lunch and dinner), not having access to a gym (although I walk a ton here), and not having a solid training plan, I have definitely gotten weaker. I haven't put on any weight (again, thanks to walking up all the hills in Marche) but after I did one of the beginner workouts on this site today, my muscles are killing me. And they shouldn't be.

Anyway, long story short, as soon as I get back to the US where I have full access to a grocery store, a refrigerator, and a gym, I plan on giving it my all this year. I now have the tools to make my body into a lean, mean, fighting machine. Last time I was on a scale I weighed roughly 135 lbs at 5' 5". I would like to lose 10-15 lbs in fat and gain that loss and some back in muscle.

I don't think anyone read this far, but if so, any tips on getting started that Paleo Diet I've heard about let me know. Eating sweets is without a doubt my number one problem in my diet.

[Laney]

I totally hear you on the junk food! What's worked for me is slowly cutting it out and allowing it in moderation. Just full on cold-turkey and self guilt trips end up in total failure. Well, good luck and welcome!

[Thilde]

Yup, I totally hear you. I have a wicked sweet tooth. I am transitioning to an almost-paleo diet...one of the first things I did was start cutting back on sweeteners in all forms. Right now the one thing I am hanging on to is my morning oatmeal. I don't know if I will ever go full paleo (I might never give up my morning oatmeal!) but so far I have found the closer I get, the better I feel and the more productive my workouts are. I've seen it all over the forums: success is 80% diet...and I'm starting to believe it. Totally agree with Laney....cold turkey and guilt-tripping is definitely not the path to success. Welcome and look forward to seeing you around the forums!

[smazzon1]

Grazie millie, ragazze! Yup, I've heard that it's not good to go cold turkey. I was able to do that with soda my junior year of high school but chocolate is something else. I did make a New Year's Resolution to stick to dark chocolate, and for the most part have done so. I no longer eat Hershey's bars or any other "chocolate" bars they sell at the checkout line. Ice cream and cookies? Ugh, it's hard. But I still have to read the Paleo Diet blog and go from there. The only access to sweets I have over here is gelato.

Again, thanks ladies!