WARNING!!! Longest Introduction from a Newbie that You'll EVER SEE! (Read if You Want)

[Gwenhwyfar]

Introduction

Hello, the name is Gwenhwyfar. That's actually my name in a way, it's the Welsh version of my name. My name is actually common, care to take a guess what it is? I'll give you a hint, it's Cornish in origin. Just look up Gwenhwyfar and you'll find lists on some sites that show alternatives to the name in different languages.

Another interesting thing I find is that Gwenhwyfar is the Welsh version of the name, Guinevere. So I share the same name as Queen Guinevere, wife of King Arthur. I'm quite fascinated with the King Arthur mythology, though I've never actually read much of the mythology, I have done some research on it. Now I need to just get myself to read the King Arthur stories, lol.

I'm fascinated with history of ancient and biblical times up to the Renaissance. I'm especially fascinated with Medieval culture and Renaissance. I simply love the clothes in that era. I'd love to handsew my own clothes of the Medieval times and wear them at Renaissance festivals. I've yet to accomplish that task, sadly. Someday though!

I find short introductions rather boring, I think long and detailed introductions from a person just coming here much more interesting and fun. So that's why I'm writing one. Of course, I understand there might not be some of you who don't agree with this and would rather just hop over here and just say hello without going through all the windy detail. But for those of you who appreciate a long, constructive, windy read; hopefully, you'll enjoy this.... I hope....

Anyway, onto more important things.

How I Came to this Community

Though I know it's not really important how I got here, according to the rules of the rebellion, I'll still explain a little how I came across this site (I hope it doesn't turn out to be long).

I started becoming more conscious of what I eat after getting my first job at a pizza place. I couldn't help noticing that I was starting to get tighter in my work pants after spending months eating pizza. I became even more conscious of my diet and got more into fitness was an incident when I was really stressed with having to juggle work and college one college semester, which is actually fairly recent. It didn't help that mom bought my favorite drumstick ice cream and I was gobbling it down like crazy.

While my weight was at a dissatisfying weight of 133 since I left high school, it jumped to 139 thanks to that incident and I'm having a hard time getting it back down and staying at 133 at least. I use to not care so much what I ate because I use to be able to eat whatever I want and not gain weight until I left high school. Hitting college sure took a turn of things and blowing at my sad little ego.

These incidents did help drive me to start watching my diet and exercising, but I think none of that really would have driven me without inspiration from my boyfriend. My boyfriend use to be very physically fit and shown pictures of how he use to be in the past, having a six pack and all. Listening to him talk about how fitness really helped him relieve stress and how he absolutely loved it and wants to get back into it put a drive in me.

I finally joined a gym, Planet Fitness, for its low fee and also to help give me more motivation in working out. I'm the type that needs to be the right environment to get the right drive. Just like I have the most drive to study when I'm at school or a library, I have the most drive to work out when I'm at the gym.

While working out at the gym, I started looking up things about how to properly work out and diet correctly to get the fastest results in getting toned and in shape. I read various articles from various sites until I ran into an article from Nerdfitness. Soon, I found myself going on a binge read on the blog articles, finding some of the reads helpful (I say "some" because I still need to try the others I've read). As I found myself increasing coming to this site for help, I thought it was finally time to join the community.

(Wow, that was kinda long...)

My Ideal Body Type

..... I want to look like this woman.....

JUST KIDDING!!!

My Real Ideal Body Type

These ladies are closer to the body type I dream of having! The first one might have her abs a bit too toned for me... I dunno... But I still definitely want to be slightly muscular but feminine; arms aren't like twigs and legs and abs nicely toned.

What I've Achieved So Far

- My weight has been yo-yoing, I'm struggling with cutting down sweets and I don't think the coffee is helping me keep down the weight. I still haven't figured out my diet plan, but I do know it should involve cutting out the junk food for starters. I'm not so sure about the paleo diet, I don't really wanna cut out wheat or dairy from my diet...

- Since teaming up with a personal trainer at my gym, he assigned a lot of cardio with strength training. I've noticed increase endurance in running and I don't run out of breath as quickly. I didn't have to slow down in the middle of running from my car to my work.

- I've generally been good about going to the gym, but I still miss some days thanks to waking up late and needing to get ready for work or poor mood or just laziness.

- I have noticed I'm not as snug in my work pants though my weight is still yo-yoing.

- Right now, I'm using GASP weight machines, but I'm trying to transition out of them as I become more comfortable with doing bodyweight exercises and eventually go to free weights. So far, I feel pretty confident about my squats... I still need to learn the other exercises.

Short Term Goals

- Get an established diet that I like.

- Go to the gym 6 days a week as I originally planned with the trainer.

- Learn to get up in the early morning to have time for all of my work outs.

- Spend time doing stretches throughout the day that'll add up to 3 hours, which will help make my fantasy of being a contortionist more of a reality.

- Switch from weight machines to bodyweight exercises and free weights.

Long Term Goals

- Get a toned body that I dream of and learn to keep it.

- Be able to fit these pair of shorts I bought last year and get in shape for my Wonder Woman costume for a comic con someday.

- Become more flexible like a contortionist? It's more of a dream so far....

- Learn how to juggle my fitness schedule, work, and college when the semester starts again.

- Learn Spanish.

- Be completely out of weight machines and using all bodyweight and freeweight exercises.

Goals That I Hope and Dream of Accomplishing Someday

- Get more into dance.

- Learn to do archaeological sewing (which are old techniques done by hand).

- Become a contortionist (I might be too busy with my other goals to achieve even a bit more flexibility right now, so I might need to put it to the side for now).

- Learn Polish and other languages after Spanish.

- Write a book.

- Make clothes.

- Probably anything in arts and crafts, I'll want to do, so let's just leave it at that. =P

....... WOW!!! I think I've taken the cake in making long introductions! OTL This happens a lot to me... I make them longer than I originally imagined they'd be... It's kinda funny cuz I'm not that chatty in real life, but I am on forums...

I do have to say that I did cut down on a lot of things I would have talked about, most I deemed unnecessary in this post as I saw how embarrassingly long this was becoming. But I guess I'll add it anyway and make it the shortest add ever: I was looking at the role play thing on this forum and kinda wish there were some arcane classes like sorcerer, wizard, and bard. I can see how those classes would fit, but oh well. Arcane classes are just my favorite type of classes, especially sorcerer. =P

[McGurgel]

Hey Gwen.

Actually it's not that long. I did such a monster too, but I agree with you, it's more fun to read a long introduction than a short few sentences.

I think your goals are absolutely achievable and you really don’t have to follow the paleo-diet. I’m with you, I couldn’t waive noodles and bread and…. Aww noooodles... yummie…

Inform yourself about unsaturated fatty acid and carbs with a low glycemic index. It will helps you a lot.

Btw 6 days a week in the gym is imho a little too much. Never forget, your body need to rest to build new muscles. But if it works for you, stick to it.

I prefer to have 3 strength days a week and 2 cardio. For my cardio, I’m a huge fan of tabata. A high intense interval training. You just need 4 minutes, but it’s really as effective as 45m running. Right after wake up it is the best time.

Uh maybe I digress…

welcome to this board. I wish you all the best on your way and in this com and so on and so on.

Stay healthy,

McGurgel

[Gwenhwyfar]

Thanks, McGurgel!

I was getting worried there weren't many people who would reply or read my post after seeing most of the other responses being rather short and not always implying they're really reading your post.

^^ It's nice to know you've taken the time to read my post.

I really had so much more to say, but with so much to say, it can get all jumbled in your head and you forget to say it. Also, the whole embarrassment thing that it might be too long to read.

While I have no doubt that the paleo diet is a good option to stay healthy, I also think that to completely deny wheat, rice, oat, or other grains, may deny some of the health benefits they may provide that others don't. I only read a touch of this, but there are studies that suggest women who more whole wheat weigh less. Also that wheat prevents type 2 diabetes (which is a really big thing for me since diabetes runs in my family on my dad's side). There's also studies that suggest those who eat whole grains have reduced risk of metabolic syndrome and lower insulin resistance.

Of course, this is not to be confused with refined grains, they do the exact opposite.

You can look here from where I got this information. I'm going to do more research on this later.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=66

I'll definitely study on unsaturated fatty acid and cards with low glycemic index.

You may be right that 6 days a week is too much, but I start to feel lazy and slobby when I miss two days of the gym. I don't think I'll ever be able to do 3 day breaks. I feel especially like I got out of shape after 3 days. For now, I'm going to try 6 days a week and see if it works out for me; properly see if 6 days a week works out for me! I feel like there's always something coming up that's been preventing me from doing 6 days a week... A lot had happened this past month... Funeral, cleaning days when I woke up late and could have made it on time for the gym, and so on... I wish mom would stop doing cleaning days on Thursdays, that's the most important day for me. It's when I do strength training on my legs. It's what my personal trainer assigned me to but I think I'm going to make a lot of changes to my schedule so I'll be doing full body training instead of separate days of training different parts.

You know, what I would have added to my introduction is a list of things that are preventing me from achieving my goals. I'll do it right now.

Obstacles to Overcome

- My poor time management is preventing me from completing my tasks.

- Getting up late is preventing me from going to the gym sometimes.

- Sudden things come up (funeral, birthday, baby shower, cleaning days, etc).

- Being a rather emotionally motivated person.

- Sadly, I discovered that I actually like going to the gym alone and just being in my own zone. This is sad because mom likes to come along and she has to come with me because I have the black card membership for Planet Fitness, which allows one guest to come with me. She wants to get fit too, but I'm finding her presence a bother. I don't like when mom goes next to me on the machines and works out with me, I don't want her to start talking to me so I can focus on exercising. I don't like feeling like I have to limit my time in the gym because mom will be waiting in the car for me or she asks me to cut it short, it's nerve-wrecking feeling like I have to cut my goals short because of her. I also feel like it's extra work when mom asks me to teach her some exercise moves I learned from classes in the gym, it feels like I've been thrown an extra load of work needing to teach her. I believe I also find mom more of a source of stress because she is my mom. Her tendency to be a bit too nurturing (trying to help me with things I can clearly do when I don't ask for help), rather protective, and otherwise just feeling restricting, just makes her presence at the gym rather restricting. I'm sure if she was someone else, I'd be more lenient on them exercising next to me or something. So with mom coming with me, it kills the mood for me to be going to the gym, my attitude with her is affecting my drive to work out.

Ways to Overcome my Problems

- Plan out my day either mentally or write it down and follow through!

- GET UP EARLY WHETHER I FEEL TIRED OR NOT! STOP BEING A SLEEPY HEAD! Just take naps later in the day if needed. Also sleep early so I can wake up early.

- Let mom know ahead of the time what I plan to do so it'd at least be easier on cleaning day.

- Learn to adjust my attitude and not let my emotions dictate me. If I'm not in the mood to do something, I'll get myself in the mood!

- I've already told mom that I don't like her using machines right next to me and that I don't want to be talked to while in the gym. I need to make some attitude adjustments with my mom, she came there to get fit too. While I did tell her those things, I still feel bad for telling her that and need to learn to be more lenient on this. I can find ways that it doesn't feel so restricting with her around, such as driving in separate cars so she doesn't have to wait for me, let her know how long I plan to stay in the gym and call her to let her know if I plan to stay longer so she doesn't call all worried in the middle of my workout (I absolutely hate having my playlist being interrupted by a call). Also learn to be happy with her asking for help in work outs rather than sour, teach her what I learned and such. There is just so much attitude adjustment I need to work on when I'm with my mom... I need to relax more around her...

[Determined]

Welcome to the fray! (Seriously, your intro was NOT that long!)

 

I agree with McGurgel about 6 days being a bit too much. Of course, that doesn't mean you have to laze around on your off days, either. You can walk, bike, swim, whatever.

 

Beware bread + diabetes. Bread of any kind converts to sugar in the body.

 

Good luck!!

[Gwenhwyfar]

Thank you!

 

I will look into this bread + diabetes thing more.  But doesn't everything contain sugar?  lol.

[McGurgel]

Hey Gwen.

Well not everything contains sugar no, but nearly everything contains carbs.

Yes whole grains are good to prevent type 2 diabetes but fruits and vegetables are maybe better.

What really matters is the glyx (glycemic index). Whole grains have a low glyx as well as most of the fruits have. So you don’t “have†to eat whole grains to prevent diabetes.

 

Hrhr I know this lazy feeling when I have some rest days. (Almost every weekend) ^^

Try this 6 exercise a week thing, but I you feel exhausted. Take a break for a week and start again with a lower frequency.

 

Hum this thing with your mother is really… well not nice.

You did absolutely right to tell her. She have to accept that she sabotages you if she does the those things. An exercise is useless if you quit at the half.

 

Your other “ways to overcome†sound good to me as well.

 

Keep going!

[Gwenhwyfar]

Yes, this thing with my mom really isn't nice...  I tend to have a sort of roller coaster attitude with her where we're getting along and then I find her annoying several weeks later.  I'm a rather moody person, which can be bad and I feel really sorry for acting like this with her sometimes.  I don't want to discourage her from working out.

 

I'm find that I'm struggling with time for 6 days and might really need to consider taking it down to 5.  There's really so much going on that keeps me missing one day.  I'm also a natural night owl, so no matter how I try, I can't seem to break the habit of staying up late and sleeping in past noon.  It's really a struggle...  I've only managed to yo-yo with my sleep schedule so far, lol.

 

Anyway, I'll try learning about the glycemic index when I start making more time for myself.

[Maledictus]

Welcome!  A little abrupt but it'll do

 

I assume the stretching is 3 hours/week?  I think 5 days/week is probably fine initially, then you'll be able to push your body more and require more rest, then possibly get more capable.  I find listening to what your body says it's capable of is better than sticking to a hard and fast regime, particularly when you start out and your ability/energy changes all the time.

 

re: the mom thing.. that's a puzzler.  Good luck with your goals.  Planet Fitness I've never been in but it has a bit of a reputation.  If you're reading up on stuff here I suspect it won't be an issue though (it certainly sounds like that anyway).

.

[Gwenhwyfar]

Thank you!

 

And actually, contortionists commit to a minimum of 3 hours a day in stretching.  To make more time for this, they usually stretch throughout the day while doing things so they won't be restrict to just stretching.

 

Here's a How article on this:

 

http://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Contortionist

 

Of course, I trust more on the video posted in there as it's from an actual contortionist, but the article looks like it might have been written by a contortionist as well with how well informed and written it is.

 

It's just me being a rather grumpy daughter with my mom, I've gotten better about it now.  Just yesterday, I told mom that she could exercise next to me and she stayed as long as I did exercising.  She didn't disturb my exercising at all.

 

Yeah, I think I'll just decrease to 5 days.  I'm going to have to schedule with the personal trainer to change my workout schedule soon anyway.

[Maledictus]

Thank you!

 

And actually, contortionists commit to a minimum of 3 hours a day in stretching.  To make more time for this, they usually stretch throughout the day while doing things so they won't be restrict to just stretching.

 

Here's a How article on this:

 

http://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Contortionist

 

Of course, I trust more on the video posted in there as it's from an actual contortionist, but the article looks like it might have been written by a contortionist as well with how well informed and written it is.

 

It's just me being a rather grumpy daughter with my mom, I've gotten better about it now.  Just yesterday, I told mom that she could exercise next to me and she stayed as long as I did exercising.  She didn't disturb my exercising at all.

 

Yeah, I think I'll just decrease to 5 days.  I'm going to have to schedule with the personal trainer to change my workout schedule soon anyway.

wow, that's a lot of stretching Glad to hear things have settled down a bit.

[Gwenhwyfar]

Thank you!

 

I just need to learn to be more easy with mom and realize she's not the enemy and just wants what's best for me.  ^^