10th time is a charm...?

[Changedsoul]

Hey all,

 

I've been creeping around here for a little bit now and finally decided I was going to post something. 

 

To give you a bit of a back story, this is not my first attempt at getting fit. I've tried more times than I can really count and have given up each and every time. Mostly because the things that I was doing to try and get fit were.. well boring to say the least. I am not a runner. I hate running with every part of my soul. But I always thought that I needed to run in order to be one of those "fit skinny girls". To say the least it never worked, not only did I hate what I was doing, but I hated it so much that I never stuck with it long enough to get to where I one day hope I will be. I like sports, but feel myself to be too big to really join a team or play with anyone of any skill. What I really love to do though is lift big heavy things. In high school, I was that girl showing up all the guys on the machines. Then I got fat and gave up on that too.

 

So here I am, 24 years old, 5'3" and weighing in at 224lbs. I want to start strength training, lose a rather large portion of my weight and become stronger in the process. 

 

I would say that my specific concrete goals are to loose 105lbs. So that would bring me down to 130. To do that I plan to work out 3 days a week, or rather I have just started working out three days a week. Tues, Thurs, and Sat. I do go to a ladies only gym, but they don't have great strength training equipment. They have tons of machines and cardio stuff but not a great selection of free weights. Any advice on where to start with that is more than welcome. My last and most important goal is to transition to a more paleo-type diet. My whole life I have eaten really whatever I want, whenever I want, and in whatever quantities I want. Hence why I am where I am. So far I have been cutting back on my sandwiches. So on the days that I work out, no bread or grains of any type as much as I can (I haven't done a big grocery shop in the last week so I've been doing what I can with what I have). On the days I don't work out, I've been limiting myself to one meal with grains.

 

So that's me. I feel I have found a home here and plan to come out of hiding a bit more.

[Basement Cat]

Welcome to the rebellion, ChangedSoul!

 

If your gym doesn't have a good selection of free weights, you can try bodyweight workouts. Here's some resources you can check out. The important thing is to take small steps and build on them. You seem to have that down, so great!

 

Good luck with your goals and keep us posted!

[mevre]

yay, welcome to the rebellion!!

first of all, congratulations on taking the first step! haha even if it is a step you've taken several times already, it's the most important one. 

the only solution i have to your lifting quandary is bodyweight exercises. but then, i'm a ranger through and through and of course i would say that.   it is something to consider, though. for more alternatives that are actually based on free weights and stuff, check out the warrior's guild. lots of badass lifters who are friendly and give good advice over there.

a note about diet: good job! most people don't realize that diet is at least 80% of the reason their body looks the way it does, if not more. so, good for you for knowing what you're getting into! something huge that i've realized in the last half a year concerning diet is that the battle is lost once the food you're trying to avoid is in the house. the war against junk food is fought in the store, not in the house.

i would also suggest tracking your calories for a week or two just to get an idea of where you're at. because as we all know, the one thing you HAVE to do if trying to shed weight is live in a caloric deficit.

and last but not least, an inspirational picture!

i dunno, maybe it'll help some day down the road when you feel tempted to throw in the towel. i hope you never have to use it though!

[RES]

Welcome to the rebellion....nothing to add to the above except that I totally love that picture!!

[Changedsoul]

Thanks guys for the warm welcome!

And I love that pic mevre! Def gunna print that out and stick it on my wall!