Must Get in Shape, Must Defeat Kal-El

[KneelBeforeZod]

Well, I've read Nerd Fitness before and used some of the recipe's when I tried unsuccessfully to lose weight. However, I am a newbie and have been reading over the info and now I just need to get some things in my life back on track. I've been reading over the blogs and success stories and finally had to say, "If you're not happy with your life now, why wait? What can we do to start fixing it now?"

 

As with any quest I will start with where I am at the beginning. My real name is Michael, I just turned 30 last week and life has been kicking me in the proverbial groin for the last couple of years. I was at a job I hated until I got fired, am the fattest I've ever been (363lbs, 50 waist) and as a result I don't fit my old clothes at all, and I'm having money troubles that make me thankful we don't have debtors prisons. I suffer from depression, but I'm at a very low point to a degree that I don't even bother with the one thing that has always brought me joy: writing. However, nothing good has come from my crying and worry and thus the first step begins today. 

 

Now, I have set some goals for where I want to be on my 31st birthday. I'm writing them all down here so I can reflect on them and give myself the motivation. As I move closer, I can look back on this and say, "Yes, we made some fine progress! But, the journey isn't over." To that end, I have three quests:

 

1. Fit into my old, swanky clothes...buy nicer, skinny guy clothes. I used to be a fashionable fellow, the type who was Mad Men before the show. I know how to tie everything from a double windsor to a bow tie. I know how to fold a pocket square. However, I can't fit into any of my suits and the one that barely fit me ripped at a wedding this last weekend. I'm setting this as a goal rather than the generic "lose weight" because I know that's not enough. However, if I'm able to put on my old Tommy french-cuffed shirt and back into the stone grey suit, I know I'm back. 
   
   Other reasons why I'm making this goal: 1) So I feel good when I wake up in the morning and because 2) I want to walk the streets of Rome on my next visit without being in pain and panting. 
2. Be financially Stable. Not rich, per se, but not having great anxiety about checking my mail as there is another overdue bill or constantly having overdraft charges because I really need food and to pay my rent. If I'm still making the same at 31, then I want to sell enough of my stuff and cut my expenses so that I don't do stupid things.
3. Become a word smith extraordinaire. While this post is poorly-written, I'm actually quite the word smith when I work at it. I used to write all the time and it brought me so much joy. I can read a book, review it, and publish it in a respectable place. I used to dream and plan my own novel while writing short stories. I can do it again, and this time even better!

I know that these goals are hard and I'm not going to be the Eager Beaver I was in the past who gets tired by trying everything at once. So, here's how I'm starting my quest:

• Cutting out all fast food. If I eat out, it's for a social reason not to shove carbs down my gullet. This will save money and help me drop the inches.
• Starting the Paleo diet, one step at a time. I've gotten rid of all sugar and I'm going to slowly eliminate all carbs from my eating that isn't from fruit or veggies. Soda, hard cider, and beer will be the hardest to go without, as I consume them every night. I'm mostly there now, but I can accomplish this.
• Start an exercise program. Right now, I'm committing myself to walking briskly for 15 minutes a day. Next week, I'll start the nerd fitness program in the mornings and slowly up the ante, asking myself each week, "Can I do more? If I do, won't I feel like Rocky at the Art Museum?"
• Start writing on the weekends. Write what I enjoy, as much as I can. My initial goal is to do just 100 words on Friday and another on Sunday. If I'm really enjoying it, I'll write more. 
• Look for work in a more fulfilling place. Hear that, Chicago, I'm coming back!
• Visit this post, and the forum in general every Tuesday to see where I've come along and to encourage others. We will do this, boys and girls. 
• I'm taking a picture of myself today, as soon as this post is done. I'll take a shirtless picture on the second of each month and check over my other goals. I can do this, and this will be the mind candy that gets me to the end. 
• No more excuses, no more, "But I'm tired, but I'm poor, but I'm stressed and depressed and splurging money on junk when I should be exercising or writing makes me feel good." I know what self-indulgence does, and it doesn't lead to joy. Just more pain. 

So, to end this long post, I am hopeful! Writing this actually makes me feel better already and I think this time it will be different. I've failed, but I'm picking myself up and getting ready for round 3. If anyone else in the NF community is full of advice, let it come. I'm okay with harsh criticism if you need to tell me what's what. Also, if you want to message me here and be my accountability buddy and fitness pal, that would be great! Especially if you happen to be in New England and love comics, philosophy, HP Lovecraft, and old black and white flicks. 

 

Here we go, once more into the breach! Rah!

[KneelBeforeZod]

That was really long. Wow. 

[Polaris]

Hi there! I'm a fan of comics, Lovecraft and philosophy, and also a (wannabe) author; I do have a novel planned out that just needs typing, and possibly two sequels for it. Though I'm on the other side of the world, but still.

 

I read about your goal to become a word smith and I was thinking, have you tried NaNoWriMo? I did that last November with the aforementioned novel, and while I later realized I must rewrite the whole thing (need to switch from 3rd person to 1st person POV... ouch), it was a great way to get the ball rolling. I know 50k words in a month is an intimidating goal, but I think Camp NaNo starts/ed this month or the next, and you can decide your own word count goal for that.

[The Tin Man]

Hi and welcome!

 

It looks like you have a lot of goals and have identified good ways to ease into them.  It looks like your baby steps start with this:

 

-No fast food

-Cut out sugars

-Walk 15 min per day

-Write 100 words on Friday and on Sunday

-Look for jobs in a better location

 

As Athena said, this is great but still quite a lot.  Where are you in the cutting out fast food and sugar areas?

 

And actually beware of this sentence: "Writing this actually makes me feel better already and I think this time it will be different"

 

Writing or talking about goals can stimulate your brain like you have already achieved them.  Don't let the high from planning how to change your life distract you from actually doing it.  

 

Good luck and I'm excited to see you around!

[KneelBeforeZod]

Tin Man, Athena:

 

Thanks so much for the warm welcome, the encouragement and the advice! I guess I made this long because I'm used to overcoming great obstacles, and a few years ago actually accomplished a list like this over the course of a few months, but looking over it I do see that it is ridiculously long. Plus, I want this to be a permanent change. Athena, I'll definitely take your advice to not let myself fail everything if I've failed one thing. Also, I'll be sure to come on here if I've gone off track and re-think some of my goals. I know that this will be a difficult journey and I may have to adjust myself along the way, but I very much want to stick with it.

 

Tin Man, I have doing well in cutting fast food and sugar, but still have to constantly remind myself. I'm about a week into giving up sugar and lo and behold I accepted a mocha that my co-worker made today without even thinking about it. I mean, there I was drinking and enjoying it and when there was about an inch left I remembered, "Crikey! You're not supposed to drink this, bub." The hardest part will be to have the self-awareness, I think. I so easily eat and drink without thinking that I wouldn't be shocked if I was a sleep-eater.

 

Once again, thanks for the encouragement and advice! I'll definitely keep it all in mind. 

[KneelBeforeZod]

Ohh yeah, I took my starting photo shortly after I posted my goals on this thread. I'll take one on the second of each month (with Google calendar to remind me). I'll be curious what progress I make after a month. 

[KneelBeforeZod]

Athena, not only are you named after my favourite member of the Pantheon, but your advice is sound. So, I do need to say that I keep failing at the walking and the writing. To say it clearly: those goals were too hard and I see that now. I am much better at the dieting (I did goof and eat some corn chips with a friend) then I have been in the past. No sugar, no sweets. However, I can't make myself write as my job keeps me busy while I am aggressively persuing new, better paying work and trying to do that while constantly making sure I stick to a diet is very, very hard. It sounds ridiculous, but it's almost impossible.

 

On top of that, I had a bad relapse in depression. I didn't do something stupid like eat a bag on Funions but it took some motivation out of me. I tried what you said and after a day of saying, "Hey, if you're moving forward you're still winning. Good job at getting up this morning and working through this. Let's make tomorrow a better day," I found I could still make better decisions. So, that's good for future reference. 

 

As for the exercise, I have been walking briskly three times a week but I think I need to scale down my over-eagerness and try to find something I can do a little bit four or five times a week. Anyone have advice? I've never been a morning person, even after I worked two years at a job that required me to be awake at 4am. However, is morning really just the best time to exercise? What so you?

 

Thanks for the support, yet again! I hope my check-ins aren't too weird

[Guest]

KneelbeforeZod - Welcome! I am a newbie, too, and struggle with depression and anxiety. Congrats on getting motivated - we can do this!!! =D

 

And actually beware of this sentence: "Writing this actually makes me feel better already and I think this time it will be different"

 

Writing or talking about goals can stimulate your brain like you have already achieved them.  Don't let the high from planning how to change your life distract you from actually doing it.  

 

Tin Man - This is a great point! Our brains don't know the difference between what we experience and what we imagine, which can work positively (like when visualizing what we'd like to achieve or how to do something, etc.), but there is the downside as well. Thanks for this. I'm coming to realize that it's important to remain realistic, and not stray too far into either territory of extreme optimism OR pessimism.

 

Also, my therapist pointed out to me once that as a person thinks "I don't want to ____" they are actually visualizing the very thing they don't want to do, and their brain gravitates toward it even more. So, she says instead to think "I want to ____ (the opposite action)". Reframing it that way forces your brain to picture, and move toward, the positive change! =)

[KneelBeforeZod]

So, anyone who might be following this. I ran into some big, big ol' hurdles. But I'm back and going to do this. 

 

Read my newest intro, here: http://rebellion.nerdfitness.com/index.php?/topic/50706-starting-again/