Bride to be wants to commit to better health.

[Delirium]

Hello there nerds and nerdettes! This is my first post and primary challenge to myself to commit to healthier living and a happier life.

The past few years have been particularly rough in my life, but my knight in shining armour (or dark knight if that floats your boat) has finally arrived to rescue me and whisk me away to a better place. Thank goodness, I was starting to become impatient!

I have flirted with paleo and basic strength training in the past and even lost fourteen pounds doing it. I felt great, I looked great and then I managed to backslide into my gross old habits of midnight pancakes and watching reruns of Buffy. Gross.

Well, I have now have some very specific motivation and even a time limit to which I must adhere, so here I am, ready to rumble.

I'm five foot one, I weigh 120 pounds (not huge, I know, but very little of that weight is muscle and I am pitifully weak) I bruise very easily since dropping off paleo and my skin is looking very sorry for itself. I want to get back to the days where I did handstands every day and could dance around the kitchen without getting breathless.

I want to do this in seventeen weeks and four days, because that's when my white knight will be strolling me down the aisle. I plan to eat 100% paleo 100% of the time because I already know I can do it and I already know how fabulous it will make me feel. My problem will be exercise I am short, I am weak and I don't enjoy exercise yet, but I sure would like to.

Current stats:

120lb

Waist 28"

Hips 38"

Bust 35"

Upper arm 10.5"

If I lift kettle bell weighing 8lb out with an extended arm, I fall over. Weak!

Ok, that ended up being far longer than I intended it to be and I'm probably the only person who's going to read it, but I am now committed. As of tomorrow I WILL eat 100% paleo and I WILL work out at the beginner's body weight workout three times a week. I will do at least one handstand every day, but that will just be for the sheer joy of it

Happy trails my fellow nerds. Good luck.

[hawgsquatch]

Welcome and congratulations on the new life. I think that from your measurements and your age you are already in good shape. If you just want to tone up and gain strength you are starting out correctly. The body weight exercises are sustainable and amazingly effective over time. Be careful on the handstands; we wouldn't want you "crutching" down the aisle now would we. Have fun.

[Delirium]

Why thank you very much Hawgsquatch. It's good to have a little reassurance that I'm on the right track for what I'm trying to achieve. I can't wait for the positive effects of the paleo to kick in again and erase my bruises, ease my sore joints and help me sleep. Good luck on your journey too and keep on nerding

[Guest]

Hello and welcome, young padawan! You may think you're the only one reading it, but we all do. Mwahaha 

You look to be on the right track. Strength comes over time. Start out with what you've comfortable with, even if it's only a few pounds. Next time you work on building strength, add another pound or two. Slowly increase it, and your strength will follow.

I'm with you, exercise sucks. But I take an every other day approach, 1 day hard workout, 1 day fun workout (like swimming). I actually find I look forward to working out then, it's really weird.

Make sure you're getting plenty of water too your skin will thank you for it. Plus, getting up to pee every half hour can be a good workout in itself

Never be afraid to ask for advice and suggestions! Someone will have the answer

Have a fantastic wedding!

[Delirium]

Well thank you SillyAnneh. It's good to know that exercise can be more fun! I love dancing (and it provides a most excellent workout providing both cardio and core strength as there's nothing quite like trying to keep your balance whilst being whirled in a tight circle by a very tall person) but I can't get to my evening classes any more due to family commitments, so I've been rather dreading getting back to body weight work. I can do it though, I just have to find a way to make it fun. Normally I just crank my music up loud and do my best to make it feel like dancing anyway