New Rebel here,

[the_walrus0]

Hi there!

 

My name is Rebecca. I've been a nerd as long as I've been overweight so...my whole life?

 

A little background: I have been overweight since I was a child. As a teenager I developed some EDs, mostly bulimia. I attempted to achieve unhealthy thinness with anorexia but when I'd end up binging I'd throw it up. I eventually managed to get my calories down to 800 a day, though I had no idea what calories were. I just kept eating to an almost non-existent minimum. I was working out 2+ hours a day. I managed to get down to 160lbs(5'8) but then I started to drink and use drugs. I put all the weight back on and then some. My ED morphed from starvation and bulimia into binge eating disorder.  

 

Once I learned what calories were and how they really worked I started intentionally trying to eat way too few of them again, but I would always binge.

 

This went on for 5ish years until I was 19 when I finally gave up drinking everyday, using drugs and smoking cigarettes.

 

I'm about 1 month completely clean of alcohol, about 2 years completely clean of smoking and using. It's great, I'm a much happier person.

 

After recovering from substance abuse about a year ago I had a lot of healing to do. I started doing yoga and trying to love myself. I've taken care of a lot of problems, patched things up with my family, got into college and made the decision to lose weight the healthy way. Since then I've done a lot of research on health and fitness.

 

Just recently I was finally able to go primal, aside from peanuts, and I am finally in control of my binge eating disorder. I've lost almost 20 pounds and I've started working on fitness to help set some short terms goals while I work for long term weight loss. I love working out. Whether it's yoga, hula hooping, running/walking, dancing, lifting or bodyweight exercises I am definitely in love with it. I have a lot to learn about lifting weights though. My knowledge extends only to the knowledge that you should have rest days, you should warm up and you should use proper form. As of now I just lift 10-15lb freeweights at the gym. I'm terrified of barbells, the squat rack and the benches. I can't do a pull up yet.

 

I'm here because I want to level up my life! My binge eating is under control, the scale is going down and my energy is going up. I'm excited to meet new people. I've got about 120lbs to drop before I'm in a normal weight range, but I'd love to be toned when that happens!

 

 

[4114fly]

Welcome. I can relate to the binging and other abuses. Keep busy with the positives.

[CactusWren]

Hi there, welcome! I'm in the same boat with weights. Gotta start somewhere, we'll get there!

[SkullHands]

Welcome to the Rebellion. What a journey you've made already. 

 

How is the yoga going for you? It's something that I keep wondering if I should give it a go... but I wouldn't know where to start.

 

Good luck on your journey ahead. With the victories you've already achieved I'm sure it'll be no problem for you.

[Jay87]

Hey Rebecca

 

Congrats on the success thus far and glad you're here! Hope we can all support you on your journey.

 

Very best. 

[the_walrus0]

Welcome to the Rebellion. What a journey you've made already. 

 

How is the yoga going for you? It's something that I keep wondering if I should give it a go... but I wouldn't know where to start.

 

Good luck on your journey ahead. With the victories you've already achieved I'm sure it'll be no problem for you.

 

Yoga did really good things for me. Before I started doing yoga I didn't believe in the things my body could do. I had a hard time being present and calm. My sleep was often interrupted and I had frequent night terrors. Yoga calms me. It gives me something outside of my head to focus on. Yoga is often slow compared to most exercises. I feel like I'm flowing from pose to pose, pausing to enjoy the benefits before moving on. I wouldn't say yoga helped me lose weight or get fit, because it didn't, but it did help me love myself and appreciate what my body could do. Without it I might never have started educating myself on strength training. Before yoga I did cardio like it was my job.

 

I still go through bouts of night terrors when I'm stressed out or going through a lot of changes, but they are not as frequent and tend to subside when the stress is taken care of or I get used to a new routine/change.

 

I consider yoga to be part of my meditation with the added benefit of being more active than sitting on the couch. Of course I continue to do only beginner routines and haven't moved on to intermediate stuff yet.

 

You could start with a Sun Salutation. There are different variations but they tend to follow a set pattern. It's what most yoga DVDs will start you out with. It's also very energizing and refreshing.

[the_walrus0]

Thank you all for taking the time to reply!

 

I just started Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred so I'm hoping it will help give me more confidence in the gym. She does circuits of strength and cardio for 30 minutes at a time. By the end of it I'd like to be down another 10lbs and ready to start my own circuit training.

[SkullHands]

You could start with a Sun Salutation. There are different variations but they tend to follow a set pattern. It's what most yoga DVDs will start you out with. It's also very energizing and refreshing.

 

Thanks for the info and the advice. I'll check out Sun Salutation and give it a go when I'm home alone 

 

Good luck with the 30 Day Shred.