I am one excited n00b.

[Darth KitKat]

Hello! I just discovered Nerd Fitness like three days ago. I've been absorbing all the information as fast as I can!

 

About me: I have never been fit in my life. Last year I decided that I wanted to be fit and attractive. I did the classic "do tons of cardio and count few calories" thing. I'm 5'6" and I dropped down to 98 lbs at my lowest. I was mostly happy with my changes, but I still felt weak and kind of pathetic when it came to anything BUT running. I was really slim, but didn't feel like I had a great body. I realize now that I was-- and am-- skinny fat. Augh! I've gained some (fat) weight now and I'm at about 105 lbs, am less slim, and I am not satisfied with my body because the composition is so flabby and so poor. (I can't for the life of me do a pull-up right now, I'm pretty sure.) I just ran my first 10k last week and realized that running alone isn't doing it for me. I've been trying for a long time to educate myself properly, and it was when I found Nerd Fitness that I felt like a light bulb turned on in my head. Everything makes so much sense! I'm still trying to figure things out, but I feel like I belong here.

 

My last long-term goal was simply to do a 10k in less than 60 minutes, and I devoted a lot of time to that. Now I'm switching things up. Here are my new goals:

 

1. I'm going to SLCC in a couple of weeks. I want to lose a couple of inches around my tummy so that I can fit more trimly into my Steampunk gear.

 

2. Having discovered this website, I started the Paleo diet IMMEDIATELY (I'm on day 3, yay), and almost completely. I'm really trying to figure out what my personal needs are and how to live the diet properly. I think it's going to take me some time to get it figured out, but I'm determined to. I'm trying to go almost full paleo for the next six weeks. In conjunction with that, I'm altering my workout plans to include less running and much more strength traning. I have no gym access, so it's all at home stuff. I have a few dumbells and a park a few blocks away with monkey bars. I've written up a new routine, based heavily on what I've learned from NF, and I'm just going to use it and go from there! I'm doing the "photo-taking" thing as my measurement method, since I don't really care about losing pounds, but I want to lose flabby inches and gain muscle.

 

Anyway, my battle plan is not terribly epic, I know, but I've been really frustrated with what I've done with fitness so far, and I never feel that it's enough. My biggest problem is that I'm smallish, but still chubby. People tell me a lot that I "don't need to worry about it" because I'm "skinny enough," as if skinny=healthy. And I'm seriously not even very skinny-- I'm just kinda average. It's really frustrating-- I don't want to be average, I want to be AWESOME. My dad has had a lot of serious health problems due to his poor eating habits and such. I don't want that to happen to me. I've been working out regularly for about a year and a half now, minus some slip ups (especially around the holidays). I've learned how to get good at staying motivated and picking myself back up when I stumble, which is great progress. Diet has always been the worst part of fitness for me because SWEETS are my kryptonite. Ugh. But I really, really, really want to level up from Padawan to Sith! I would really love any help in getting me on a solid path. So, I'm really just so pumped to be here, to further educate myself, and to get down and get sweaty with you all.

 

tldr; Diet is hard for me, exercise is something I'm used to. I just need to figure out how to do it RIGHT. Trying Paleo+strength training!

 

-KitKat

[Barfly]

What? Strength training and paleo are totally awesome!

Welcome to NF

[CaptainTightpants]

"Last year I decided that I wanted to be fit and attractive. "

 

I don't know you, but please, I am utterly certain you are already attractive. It's a myth that a person needs to be fit in order to be attractive.

It's not a myth that being fit will make you feel more confident, stronger and more assertive.

Change your mindset and you will begin to see things in a different light. Attitude is Altitude.

 

You are already attractive. It exists inside you.All women are. What you want is the physical  fitness to KNOW what is inside you is true.

You sound like you're on your way. 

Keep fighting the good fight

[Darth KitKat]

"Last year I decided that I wanted to be fit and attractive. "

 

I don't know you, but please, I am utterly certain you are already attractive. It's a myth that a person needs to be fit in order to be attractive.

It's not a myth that being fit will make you feel more confident, stronger and more assertive.

Change your mindset and you will begin to see things in a different light. Attitude is Altitude.

 

You are already attractive. It exists inside you.All women are. What you want is the physical  fitness to KNOW what is inside you is true.

You sound like you're on your way. 

Keep fighting the good fight

Thanks! I guess that actually sums up how I feel. People tell me nice (or mean) things, but unless I KNOW that I'm a beast, and I do the work for it, I'm not going to believe it when they say it. This is fitness, to be sure, but it's primarily self-confidence and personal satisfaction I crave. I guess I'm kind of egotistical because nobody's opinion moves me much but my own. Until I can really conquer my demons, I'll never be very pleased with myself. I just want to feel assured, every day, that I was as good that day as I could be, and that I can be better tomorrow.

[crazyjerseygirl]

I'm gonna say a slightly scary thing here, but I promise, it's cool.

You said that you are 5'6" and 105, that is very light for that size.  When you start strength training you might see some weight go on.  Don't freak out!

Remember, you are going for health and a good look, not a number.  You might be healthy at 120.  My incredibly silm 5'8" sister is healthiest at 130.  So don't freak out if you start putting on muscle weight!

 

Also I am sure you are lovely, because ugly people don't cosplay. 

[Darth KitKat]

I'm gonna say a slightly scary thing here, but I promise, it's cool.

You said that you are 5'6" and 105, that is very light for that size.  When you start strength training you might see some weight go on.  Don't freak out!

Remember, you are going for health and a good look, not a number.  You might be healthy at 120.  My incredibly silm 5'8" sister is healthiest at 130.  So don't freak out if you start putting on muscle weight!

 

Also I am sure you are lovely, because ugly people don't cosplay. 

Don't worry, I'm not scared of weight going on! (I used to be, but I know better now.) I think I'm too light and I need to gain weight-- as muscle this time though, not as fat. Thanks for reinforcing that thought though! <3