Just want to introduce myself

[LS_DJ]

So I've only recently joined Nerd Fitness, though I've been trying to get myself in better shape since July of last year (2013). I left my girlfriend of 2 years because our lives were headed in different directions and I just couldn't commit myself to marry this girl. She was a really sweet person, but I realized she just wasn't the one that I could spend the rest of my life with. It was hard for me because I couldn't really pin point where our relationship could have been fixed, it was just something deep down I felt like I had to do.

We were very comfortable together, and while I had never been in very good shape, it spiraled to the point of getting out of hand. I was at about 250 lbs (5' 11") and I just felt fat as hell. So after I had broken up with my ex, I decided to seriously get my shit together and work out. So I went to the YMCA that my family has a membership to and started riding stationary bikes and doing the weight machines and try to do something about it from what I traditionally thought was the way to lose weight. It sorta worked...but not really. I lost like, 10 lbs but didn't really feel any better and felt like it took so much damn time out of my day. I got pretty discouraged and pretty lonely, though I always would remind myself that "laugh, and the world laughs with you. Cry, and you cry alone" (quote from the movie "Oldboy"). No one wants to be around a guy who is a bummer.

So I got pretty fed up with my routine. One of my good friends in my dental school class finally convinced me to come lift barbell weights with him. I was a total noob when it comes to barbells but I felt like I needed to try anything else to get motivated. So my buddy mike started me on Mehdi's StrongLifts 5x5 program. My very first day I squatted 180 lbs and felt ok about that, even though Mike squatted 330 that day. I decided that this is something I was going to really throw myself into, and I got Mark Rippetoe's "Starting Strength" book and really started learning about how weight lifting was the kind of exercise I needed to be doing.

So i started the SL 5x5 about mid-November of 2013 at about 240 lbs. I'm currently squatting 270 lbs (later today!) and am up to about 180 lbs on the bench press. I'm down to 220lbs but I am getting to a size where I can see the difference. People have started complementing me, saying I look much better, which really is a great feeling. I try to watch what I eat, I've done a pretty good job about avoiding unnecessary calories, and am trying to drink less as well...because i used to drink a LOT of beer.

My current goal for my linear progression is to get to squatting and Deadlifting 315 lbs, that number because it's 3 45-lb plates on each side of the bar, which looks legit, and it's a weight that makes sense for me to get to before I think about modifying my routine, perhaps moving onto Madcow or the Texas method. It's fun to have a goal and it's cool to be in the gym and actually be lifting some damn heavy things.

All in all, it's a damn revelation to finally do an exercise routine that I actually enjoy! Lifting days become my favorite of the week. I eat as much meat and vegetables as I can and then occasionally treat myself with some carbs for recovery. It's just a lot of fun to pick up and put down heavy things, man. It's also fun to explore all the resources available, and this is community I'm excited to become a part of.

TL;DR - Lift weights. It works. Roll tide

[Haikoo]

Welcome to The Rebellion! Glad to hear yo've found your niche (What?! Exercise is fun?!)

[Basement Cat]

Welcome to the rebellion!

 

It's great when you find something you enjoy, isn't it? Good job on those squats and bench presses!