Greetings :-)

[XiaoMeimei87]

Hello everyone.

 

Okay, so my story. I am an almost 27 year old third grade teacher. I have been ridiculously overweight since I was in middle school and it has been a constant battle. I have never been athletic or played sports so fitness has been a struggle too. However, in college I discovered I enjoyed pilates and kayaking. A lot of what holds me back with physical activity is embarrassment. I HATE working out where everyone sees me. And I would prefer doing outdoor things like hiking, but I wouldn’t want to go alone and would feel bad for holding back whoever would go with me so I just haven’t.

 

While I am sure there are multiple causes of my current condition, the primary one is that I have had chronic sinus infections since I was a kid. There was a period of 4 years in middle and high school where I was sick so much that I was in and out of the hospital, had 2 sinus surgeries, and missed months of school. During that time I was on Prednisone (those of you who know it are probably cringing right now), which is a steroid, on and off. The longest I was on it was an entire year. It took a month to ween me off of it so my heart didn't more or less explode. While I was on it, I jumped from a size 10 to, eventually, a size 24 and my heaviest weight of 282.

 

About a year ago I decided that enough was enough. I needed to focus on being healthier in every aspect of my life. I needed to listen to what my body was telling me and be a good steward of the body God has entrusted me with. One thing I decided was that I was not allowing a scale into my home. That wasn’t what this was about and I was not going to obsess and become a slave to that number. I was going to make healthier choices and, if I am being healthier, the weight should follow. As a result, I have adjusted how I cook and I am much more deliberate and conscientious about what I am putting in my body. Cooking has always been a passion of mine and now making delicious, healthy meals and finding new foods and new ways to eat things is a creative challenge I am loving. I also have developed an interest in growing and using herbs medicinally versus conventional medicine. 

 

My two best guy friends are both bodybuilders and cross-fitters and they have been a great encouragement and resource to me, but neither of them have been where I am or started where I am starting. I think that, without realizing it, I have been looking for that piece of community. And once I discovered this site and perusing the forums and such, I felt like maybe this was a good place for me. Although, I have to confess, while I would consider myself a nerd, I am not a gamer (I’ll wait for you to recover…) so I find myself somewhat lost with this whole guild thing and the like, though I decided on Adventurer class. However, in the couple of days since I have been on here, I have already found myself encouraged by members, so thank you for that.

 

I am delighted to say that since January 1, I have lost 26 pounds and am still losing. Slow and steady, right? That being said, I think I need to be doing more. I have a few goals. I want to lose another 15 pounds by the end of the year and be down to my goal weight of 170 by December 31, 2015. I have had back issues for the last few years so I would like to build my core to the point that it is no longer a hindrance to me and maintain that. Also, there is a good chance I will be going to Ireland with those two friends next July and I would like to be physically able to backpack around the country without holding them back. Finally, and this may sound ridiculously silly, I want to be able to rock a leather jacket. That's going to be my goal-weight splurge.   

[Doaheem]

Well the title of the forum is Nerd Fitness not Gamer Fitness all walks of nerdom are welcome here so don't feel like an outsider! One of us, one of us, one of us. *ahem*

 

That's fantastic progress you've had so far and it's great that you've found the conviction to take steps in the right direction and it's great that you have solid goals that you want to achieve! They may alter as time goes on but it sounds like you have a great foundation to catapult yourself from.

 

Your splurge is nothing silly. I want to wear a tight long sleeve henley and have it accentuate muscle and not rolls as well as rock a suit like Jamse Bond but alas I'm a good bit away from that. Don't sweat if it seems silly or not, it's what motivates you to be better and embody your inner Hero.

 

Anyway, welcome to the forum, enjoy your stay!

 

Douglas