Well, uh, hello, I guess?

[Sherlock Hulk]

Hi there. I am new to NerdFitness; I heard about it about a year ago but never dove in, so here I am now! 

 

My shortened version of my story:

Very athletic in high school (cross country runner, swimmer (backstroke and butterfly), tennis, and summer softball), so I ate and did whatever I wanted to my body, and once I hit college I continued the same lifestyle minus the sports....so I gained weight. And gained weight. And gained weight. And here I am, 12 years later and 80 pounds heavier, trying to get myself to lose the weight and be strong again. 

 

My problem is that I will stick to something for about 3 months and then quit. I don't know how to make myself go past that 3 month mark. I even got a job at the local YMCA last year hoping it would give me a reason to work out. Didn't work (and I don't even work there anymore). Another problem is that I have an hour commute to work each day, making 2 hours in my car every day, and by the time I get home it's pretty late. And I have no willpower over sweets. I'm actually eating a brownie at my desk right now (she said sheepishly).

 

I really don't care if I drop the full 80 pounds. I really don't care if I lose ANY weight, as long as I don't have so much body fat and I am strong and in shape. So I am hoping that this place, this welcoming place where you are expected to make mistakes and overcome them and don't already have to be super fit to join, will help. If there is any advice, please share. I need all the help I can get!

[matty_mcfly]

Welcome welcome.

 

So do you have any ideas of how you want/plan on attacking the goal of getting strong?  And what have you tried in the past?

[Sherlock Hulk]

Well I am now considering using NF method and doing strength training (I really liked lifting weights in high school), and I have used Couch to 5k in the past to get back into running, but never really seem to get anywhere. As far as eating healthy, I really don't know what else to do. I have tried a lot of different methods and I always go back to my terrible eating habits. I really feel that the trick is changing my mindset about all of this, but I don't know how to do that or where to begin. I'm not sure what it is, but it always seems to be that 3-month mark of giving up, and I can't figure out why....

[matty_mcfly]

I always support moving iron.  Always.  I personally hate "traditional" cardio. I just cant get up for that. I'll say that both Stronglifts and Starting Strength are pretty awesome beginner programs for weightlifting.  I did Stronglifts and as I said in another thread it is very, very boring.  Its the same exercises week after week after week.  But being able to add weight every session, push your body past what you thought it could do and see very easy to calculate progress is fucking awesome and keeps you chasing PRs.

 

As far as diet goes.  I had a shitty diet and switched over to paleo/primal for a few months.  I jumped in completely and changed everything and it was great cause it taught me self control and what was good and what wasn't.  It was great for a foundation.  I've since just started to choose better healthier foods.

 

It really helped thinking "I don't eat this" as opposed to "I can't eat this"

[Sherlock Hulk]

Thanks for the advice. I read some of the stuff on the Stronglifts and the "I can't" vs. "I don't" mentality, so maybe this will help. I am going to start that ASAP!

 

And I am always up for more advice and tips!