Matsu's Here to Change The Game!

[Matsurika]

Hello Everyone!

Okay so MAYBE I can't change the game - but I sure have some competitive bones in me.  I have been hovering around these grounds for a lot longer than I want to admit . - To be quite honest - I had a hard time figuring everything out - and I still am.

 

I figured the best thing for me to do is to start with an introduction.  And you'll get quite an introduction!!!  I'll give you a whole cruddy story, my challenges, my obstacles, my achievements and ultimately my goals!  

 

****** Scroll past until you see a line of stars if you don't want my whole story!*******

 

On one fateful day in the late 1980s, a child was born.... Wait - a little early? Maybe too detailed?... okay lets jump ahead to where I actually started to care about myself!

 

Okay - lets paint a photograph.

 

My upbringing wasn't always about how good the food was that we ate.  I never learnt that I should eat properly.  The only thing that I learnt is that junk food is a treat and that I can have some once per week. I remember in high school, I used to eat a lot of chips, pop, and just over all a lot of non nutritional food.  My mother was over weight and too busy putting food on our plates and my father wasn't around too much either.  Food was never an important source of energy, it was something I did when I was hungry and bored.  

 

I remember a day when I decided no more junk food, no more chips, no more chocolate bars, no pop, no juice... nothing.  I ate healthy-er... but still not healthy healthy, I essentially lowered sugar and salt intake a heck of a lot.  This change alone, helped me get into the fittest shape I'd been my entire life.  Throughout my last year of high school, I dropped from a 18 to a 12/14 and I felt great.  While in high school, I did badminton, competitively swim, I would walk/roller blade/bike EVERYWHERE I wanted to go.  Over all my life was active.

 

I eventually moved to a city, moved in with my one of my brothers.  Everyday I would Rollerblade 8 kilometers and I was more and more conscious of my eating habits.  My brother and I were working together, buying healthy foods and as a team we were doing great.  I managed to get down to a size 9.  I was fit, I could do things I was amazing.  I eventually started going to College.  I had to drive to school as I went to school from 8am-4pm and worked 4pm-10 pm every night.  Saturdays I would work 9-5 and I would party every night.  My clean eating turned into eating out and over the following 8 months I gained a good amount of weight.  In November of that year - My brother passed away.  He was in a bicycling accident with a transport truck (http://ghostbikes.org/london/caleb-losier) . For a good 6 months after this nothing changed.  I ate takeout (for the most part), I refused to look at a bike, I didn't do anything other than continue to work, school, and party (booze, and lots of it over the weekends).  I had met my now husband while in college, we started dating a few months after my brother passed away and he's helped me through a lot of tough times.  I made it to a record high of 230 lbs.

 

I got the talk from my mother - 'You really need to get control of your weight before you lose control of it'.  I knew I had to do something.  That feeling that I had when I was fit - it was amazing.  The first thing I did in the fall, was cut out all takeout.  I stopped for 3 months straight I was on a 'no eating out' rule.  I did extremely well and never caved.  That december I had my first gall bladder attack.  I was down to about 215 and in the new year I had to monitor my fat intake and cut out all drinking for fear of another gallbladder attack.  On top of this, my other brother and I joined our first gym.  We went to the gym 5 days a week, we were each others personal trainers and gym buddies.  We discovered Run Zombies 5k training and we did incredible!.

 

In the spring, I was driving to work one day thinking Why am I driving?  My brother biked 25kms/day - surely I can do 20.  This was an internal battle.  Could I? Should I?  I went out and bought my baby.  I love it.  She rides gentle and is responsive.  Everything I could ever need in a bike.  Once I started biking, I was hooked.  Now I was biking, running, and weight lifting.

 

By that fall I was down to 184lbs!!!(writing this I crave to be here again!) I started having some knee issues and decided to ease off a little bit.  Over the winter I ended up putting back 20lbs. March I had my gallbladder taken out and I was biking and running again. I got married that fall(last fall) and after that, my knee decided to fully give up at 194lbs and I've been in physio for over 8 months now trying to nurse it back to full health!.

 

I don't know if I'll be running again.  But I will definitely use machines on cardio days that help me with cardio when I get to that point. I currently do have a gym membership, mainly for Yoga (I got my husband in on this too!).  I enjoy classes as it pushes me a little bit more.

 

 

My last 5 years have been spent working on understanding what I need to eat, how much I need to eat, what I need to do, and how much I need to do it - in order to become healthier.  There is so much information out there.  I have been working on finding stuff that I love.  This makes it better for me!  I have struggled with information overload and with 'some things are okay and others aren't'.  I LOVE Nerd Fitness' articles and find them to be up my alley and more informative and the stupid womens health magazine ever was for me.

 

 

 

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About Me:

 

Current Weight: 204lbs

BFP: Apparantly 40% 

Height: 5'6"

Sex: Female

Age: 26

Favorite Activities:  Biking, Rollerblading, Hiking/Exploring, kickboxing! (with a good knee )

Job: 2! 1. Technical Support Specialist 2. Photographer (most of my time is spent on my butt!)

 

 

Strengths:  

- Dedicated

- Strong willed

- Active

- Confidence (I haven't mentioned how awesome I am yet have I?! )

 

Challenges:  

- I am Asthmatic.

- I do not do well doing things on my own.

 

 

 

GOALS

 

These were the Health/Fitness goals I set for 2015

 

Health/Fitness:

• My biggest goal for this year is to 1000kms in total – tracked through Strava: Total so far: 398
• Walking/Running: Walk/Run 500km this year Total so far: 60km
• Eat more green smoothies I was doing well at the begining of the year (up until May) 
• Overall, make better food choices I've been doing great until this summer! Even right now it's not as bad as last year
• Do an event with a friend! I need to postpone this due to my knee (no relapsing!)
• Go Kayaking I've been canoeing, but kayaking is still happening!
• Bike from Cambridge to Paris and back COMPLETED !!!!

My overall goal for 2015 was to become more active.  I believe that I have accomplished this goal thus far.  When I realized I was falling behind in my biking, I made a challenge to bike a minimum of 3 separate days a week for a month, this helped!.

 

My goals while on Nerd Fitness/Long Term Goals. 

1. I would love to see 150 (even 159) on the scale.  The lowest I've ever weighed was 155 and I remember that feeling.  I know that going back to the weight I was at when I was 20 may be unrealistic, but I know that it is achievable!

 

2. Overall, I want that feeling back.  The feeling of not wanting to be anything else then I am right now.  I am 'happy' with who I am, with my body.  But I want to be proud.  I am not proud right now.  I want to be fit and I want to know my limits and push them.  This is my ultimate goal

 

3. Fit in a size 10 shorts that I have kept! 

 

4. MAINTAIN my weight when I have dropped.

 

How do I expect to do all of this?  

1. I will eat better.

2. Learn more about eating properly/portioning.  

3. I want to exercise more - I need to start strength building again.

4. Integrate myself in this community and support others

 

 

My big big goal/Reward - Once I am at 160 (or at a place where I have that amazing I'm Proud of myself feeling) and I've been there or under for 1 full year, I will be getting a tattoo.  My first (And I dare say only).  It's a dragonfly that I designed when my brother passed away.  To me it will symbolize every single person who has helped me achieve my goals in life, and remind me that I am strong, and that I can be who ever I want to be.

 

 

Thank you all for your time! I really appreciate it and I apologize (like a true Canadian!) for the super long post!

 

Feel free to poke/prod/cheer or what ever other shenanigans(I meant awesomeness!) we do here!

 

 

***Edit Adding these photos***

 

Here's where I want to be again! I CAN DOOOOOO IIIITTTTT!!!!!

 

 

Here's where I was at 184!!!

 

 

And Here's where I pretty much am! This was in March

 

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Welcome to the rebellion! That's a pretty amazing story. I'm asthmatic myself, and have been known to eat my boredom. You already know you can do this, so keep up the good work.

[Fatal]

Getting down to roughly 150lbs is also my long term weight loss goals. Keep at it!

[Tasha]

Hello Matsu, welcome to the Game!

 

I'm also Canadian, 5'6" and have a goal weight of 150 pounds (though I just turned 30, so a little older)! Unfortunately the only time I ever saw that weight on the scale, I was severely anemic and I am looking forward to seeing it while healthy and active. Currently I'm at 210, down from 242 last summer.

 

You've got some great goals and everything is well outlined! I'm looking forward to cheering you on in the next challenge. The tattoo is a great idea for a reward, I've been pondering one myself, but likely a nice shopping spree will be my reward!

[Matsurika]

Hello Matsu, welcome to the Game!

I'm also Canadian, 5'6" and have a goal weight of 150 pounds (though I just turned 30, so a little older)! Unfortunately the only time I ever saw that weight on the scale, I was severely anemic and I am looking forward to seeing it while healthy and active. Currently I'm at 210, down from 242 last summer.

You've got some great goals and everything is well outlined! I'm looking forward to cheering you on in the next challenge. The tattoo is a great idea for a reward, I've been pondering one myself, but likely a nice shopping spree will be my reward!

Nice!! That's my immediate reward for getting to my goal! Glad to hear we're in similar boats!! Let me know if there's anything I can do to help!! We'll cheer each other on! I'm looking forward to my first 6 week challenge

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[Matsurika]

Getting down to roughly 150lbs is also my long term weight loss goals. Keep at it!

Nice! I feel like it's apparantly a nice number haha

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[Matsurika]

Welcome to the rebellion! That's a pretty amazing story. I'm asthmatic myself, and have been known to eat my boredom. You already know you can do this, so keep up the good work.

Boredom eating is horrible... I hate it so much!! but it's nice that I recognize it so I don't just do it. I stop [emoji1]

Edit: p.S. Love your name bahahaha

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[BeaVer]

Hi and good luck!

Seems like we have a lot in common!

I'm not Canadian,

but we're practically the same age, have the same height, same hair (I love red hair), and we both want to have the weight we had when we were 20 years old  

 

I look forward to your progress!

[Matsurika]

Hi and good luck!

Seems like we have a lot in common!

I'm not Canadian,

but we're practically the same age, have the same height, same hair (I love red hair), and we both want to have the weight we had when we were 20 years old [emoji14]

I look forward to your progress!

I re died my hair red at 190 it was a goal of mine. Red hair ftw!!! glad to hear I'm not the only one! What are you doing to get to your goal?

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[BeaVer]

this week I start my 4th week of the beginner body weight workout, which is to prepare myself before I hit the gym with my bf and start lifting the heavy stuff I also do sporadic walks between workouts.

 

I have also been altering my diet since the beginning of this year. Just took a step at a time to change my eating and drinking habits. 

[Matsurika]

this week I start my 4th week of the beginner body weight workout, which is to prepare myself before I hit the gym with my bf and start lifting the heavy stuff I also do sporadic walks between workouts.

I have also been altering my diet since the beginning of this year. Just took a step at a time to change my eating and drinking habits.

That's awesome . I managed to talk my hubby into a gym membership. Our goal was to start with 1x power week doing yoga. From there up to 2 then 3. Yoga would help him out so much and help me with my knee . They have so many other classes that I'm interested in too eep!

I don't do well with home workouts. I guess it's like working from home - there are other things I'd rather do haha.

Good luck!!

this week I start my 4th week of the beginner body weight workout, which is to prepare myself before I hit the gym with my bf and start lifting the heavy stuff I also do sporadic walks between workouts.

I have also been altering my diet since the beginning of this year. Just took a step at a time to change my eating and drinking habits.

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[Tanktimus the Encourager]

It seems counter intuitive, but squats can really help out with knee issues (if done properly and at the right time). Don't do so without guidance, but the load bearing stress can strengthen the ligaments. Body-weight squats can help. However, the best exercise is what you actually do, so stick with what works.  As for the name, for a long time I was just tanktimus, then a blog post from Steve helped me realize my real-life superpower is encouragement.

[BeaVer]

It seems counter intuitive, but squats can really help out with knee issues (if done properly and at the right time). Don't do so without guidance, but the load bearing stress can strengthen the ligaments. Body-weight squats can help. 

 

I second that! I have very bad knees and when I do my squats, I have never any kneeproblems

 

 

I'm lucky my bf allready has a membership and he goes 3 times a week, no need to convince him. He needs to talk me into going haha

[SgtCap]

Ive had knee problems for the last part of 15 years and have replaced every ligament in my left knee with 0 cartilage left. Ive found that just take it easy, no running and use proper form on leg day. I like to wrap my knees when I do legs so as to provide more stability through out the movement. 

[Matsurika]

Thanks for all of the knee input!

I have something called patellofemoral syndrome - Long story short, I have hyperextention through my knees (they go really far back!) and my knee cap has a lot of extra movement. My right leg managed to get a imbalance of muscles so one muscle was working super over time and kept tight 99% of the time.  This would pull on my knee cap and move it off to the side causing my pain. 

 

Still working on balancing my muscles out, I feel like squeezing things with my legs (oh dear wow) would be my next muscle to work on.  Right now at Physio I'm being electrocuted while doing 1 legged squats on a shuttle board. bahahaha  

 

Will continue with squats though, I've been exercising a long long time and know alllllll about formation

 

 

@Tankimus - I just love Tankimus! But Love to hear your super power I'm sure you'll be pushing me along!!

 

 

@BeaVer - LUCKY! I'm a little jelly right now

 

@SgtCap - Ouuuuffff - Sounds like a bunch of fun times! I'm sorry to hear about your knee .  I have a knee brace I always forget to wear when I'm doing things that I should require more stability on.  I always try to keep it in mind!

[BeaVer]

You can do it!

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

I've never said this before, but maybe you need a thigh-master?

Still working on balancing my muscles out, I feel like squeezing things with my legs (oh dear wow) would be my next muscle to work on.  Right now at Physio I'm being electrocuted while doing 1 legged squats on a shuttle board. bahahaha  

 

[Matsurika]

I've never said this before, but maybe you need a thigh-master?

I laughed out loud at this while on the phone bahahahaha will look it

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