Greetings!

[Lienne]

Hello!

 

I've loved reading all of the health and fitness tips on this site and, because I'm trying to reform my habits, I thought it would be helpful to get more involved. I'm a college student, and the battle against weight gain is pretty intense at the moment . 

 

I've been a vegetarian for three years, but I'm considering becoming a vegan because I tend to eat too much dairy (cheese, Gromit?) I may need a bit of help in this department because I have no idea how to ensure that I get enough protein. 

 

I have been in the habit of running 3-5 miles, 5 days a week but I'm really slow. I want to turn my 10 min/mile into an 8 min/mile. My ultimate goal is to run a marathon. I know that there are many of you out there with a similar goal in mind, so I'm hoping to stay accountable to all of you. I've been erging (indoor rowing) for a bit, but I want to become more proficient at this.

 

Also, I am trying to lose about 15 pounds. I'm 130 pounds currently, but for a petite lady, my weight needs to be at 115 to be average for my build. The extra weight is being rather stubborn and I'm hoping my transition to a vegan diet will help. I may not be going about this the right way, so I'm hoping to read some tips on this site.

 

I have a history of disordered eating originating from a time in my life when having enough food wasn't a guarantee . This has caused a lot of depression and anxiety. While I've been through counseling, I'm still trying to work out my relationship with food. If any of you have any experience and/or tips relating to this, they would be much appreciated. 

 

I'd also love to get involved in weight lifting, but I'm really intimidated by it. Maybe some of you have advice on how to start?

 

I really love reading and I've recently been working out to the World War Z audiobook, which I love so far! Also, I like video games like Bioshock and Dishonored as well as strategy games and board games. Fortunately there's plenty of people around to play Settlers of Catan with. I've also heard there's a Star Trek version...? I've read a bit of manga and I find myself attracted to the more serious genres. My favorites have to be Pluto and Monster by Naoki Urasawa. I'd love some recommendations regarding any of these areas too, as I'm always open to new things!

 

I'll continue scouring the site for fitness and nutrition tips, but I welcome any suggestions that all of you have. I don't have a lot of experience, so any advice helps!

 

Thanks!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ba'sini'on]

Welcome!

 

I'm slow at running to, but with more running comes faster time. What kind of marathon do you want to run? I run obstacle course races, and my upcoming one is the Zombie Race. If you want more information on them hit me up whenever.

 

You can PM me with any questions, need help, or just want to talk.

 

What other books do you like? I LOVE Bioshock and Dishonored!! I think Dishonored is better than Assassin's Creed The most serious manga I have is Claymore, Trigun, and King of Hell. I've also fallen for Attack on Titan.

[TheMormonRebel]

Welcome welcome!!

[TheMormonRebel]

If you need anything just let me know! I'd love to encourage / support or whateves!!

[Terinatum]

Hi Lienne, welcome.

 

Some thoughts:

"I want to turn my 10 min/mile into an 8 min/mile."

Definitely consider doing interval work. It's an amazing tool to use to get faster and last longer at those higher speeds. I started with the C25K program because I never really did running before. So basically you start at running for 1 minute and then walk for 2 minutes. As you progress you add more running time and less walking time. If the program isn't intense enough you could try a hiit program which is similar but you go fast, go moderate, go fast. So you never really stop running/cycling/eves.

The theory behind the intervals is based on the survival technique of humans. Fight or flight. So the stopping and starting is reminiscent of running from hungry animals, hiding or fighting them off some, and then running again. The heart works hard and burns more calories and breaks down the muscles more so you can recover more and increase your strength.

 

Weight loss/gain is a tough one for everyone. You may want to simply track your calories and get your BMR. It isn't exact but it'll give you an idea of how many calories you need just to live through the day! lol

Example:

BMR                                                1600 calories per day just to 'be'

plus exercise calories burned         + 250

minus 500 calories to lose 1#/wk   -500

total to consume, but not go over. = 1350 or less calories per day

 

Weight lifting is awesome. I started with BW exercises. Air squats is a great one to start with. Also push ups (levels differ -- wall, counter, stairs, knee, and strict, and decline when you start to be a badass about them! Inverted rows are good if you can find a space to do them. Bridges are awesome and so are planks. Here's the video section that Steve made up on YouTube.

 

Hope that gives you a bit to start with. PM me any time. Best of Luck, glad you're here!

[Terinatum]

Are you going to do a challenge this time around? Starts on Monday. Check out the Level 1 Juice Bar and they'll get you on track.