I want to get a burn with the rest of them!

[Sysno]

Well to get started: My name is Ashley, I'm 20 years old, a nice clean 5 foot tall woman, and I've been eating paleo for a couple of weeks. Right now I'm down 10lbs (water weight being most likely the culprit), which puts me at 135. I have a small bone structure so I'd like to lose another 20-25lbs; I know there's a goddess under this! Most of all I'm just looking to be healthy, not thin.

I've been browsing this site for awhile now and it seems perfect for me, I love cooking so I enjoy reading through the recipe section and hope to contribute there as well. I also think the whole level system and challenges are awesome, a great motivator (I'll probably end up being a ranger). I'm also probably going to need a lot of help with figuring out a solid workout plan.

I'm pretty busy; I work 2 jobs and attend college full-time. So finding time for me to exercise is difficult; yet I find time for near-weekly DnD meets. I've always had a nice diet, but not necessarily a healthy one. We never kept junk food or soda in the house, but our diet was mostly pastas and other carby delicious foods that I could never resist. So far on the Paleo diet I've had no real cravings that can't be fixed with something paleo friendly. My only problem so far is trying to get enough calories into my busy day.

Despite being so busy, I love video games. My top-down Zeldas, my fancy JRPGs, my occasional shooters (like L4D or Gears), and you just gotta love that steamy Nathan Drake.

I've lived in southern Florida my entire life and never liked the beach. The sun, the sand, the... people...but it is time for a change! I want to lose weight to be comfortable at the beach. This doesn't mean I'm going to be one of those beef jerky women who spend every day there, I only want to go once. I have fair skin and no matter how much sun screen I put on, I will burn. It will be a good burn though, a proud burn. When it peels I will think, "Good job Ashley, you've been so healthy, I think you deserve something unhealthy today, the risk of skin cancer".

I would also like to take advantage of the water, perhaps kayaking. I enjoy going on walks and I want to try some weight training after reaching my goal (I won't mind gaining some weight back as long as it's muscle). Another goal I have is completing the 7 mile bridge run next year.

Once this semester of school is over I'm going to become a part-time student, I'll have more time to join a gym or start renting kayaks (until I know I'll use it and feel confident enough to buy one). For now my plan is keeping my grades up, diet, walking and some home cardio.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to make suggestions!

[Photobrandon]

Welcome Sysno!

 

Sounds like you are off to a great start, and starting in the right place; the kitchen.  I hope you like it here, its a great community, lots of supportive and knowledgeable people who are usually glad to help with any questions along your journey.  Any idea what you want to do for workouts once your schedule clears up a bit (2 jobs + full time school, yikes!)?  If you need some ideas of where to start, these workouts are pretty decent on limited time:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/12/20/the-20-minute-hotel-workout/

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/03/10/angry-birds-workout-plan/

 

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

 

I look forward to reading your challenge thread when the next one starts, and keep joining chat, always nice to have company in the middle of the night =)

[Sysno]

Wow! Those workouts totally can squeeze in my schedule. I'll probably start with the Beginner Body Weight workout after a nap.

I'm not quite sure what I'll do for workouts later on when I get the time. I have a friend who is going to college for "exercise science" right now (he's going to school to become a Physical Therapist) and I'm sure he'll be ecstatic when I ask him to set me up with a regimen.