I wanna be the very best, like no one ever was...

[kfwhite]

Hello Nerd Fitness! 

 

I wish I had realized I should use my RPG/OC name for my user name, but oh well. I'll change it once I'm able. I am not yet registered for Nerd Fitness Academy, but it's the first thing I plan to do once I get paid at the end of this week.

 

I've been trying half-heartedly and unsuccessfully for almost 2 years now to get fit, but Nerd Fitness is the best idea/program I have come across, and I'm incredibly hopeful that this time I will be able to push through and make it happen will all the support of my fellow nerds.

 

The biggest pitfall that I have encountered, like many people, is with my diet. I'm a second year college student, and it's incredibly difficult to eat healthy and avoid grains, especially since I grew up a picky eater and avoided most vegetables like the plague until about 2 years ago. My palate is changing, and I'm trying new things but I am definitely not a salad eater. I do love to cook, and I would be thrilled to be able to make all kinds of healthy/paleo meals for myself, but I'm stuck in the dorms again this year. Second semester of last year, I swore off the dining hall (almost) completely, using the kitchen in my dorm hall to cook, but I only have time to shop and cook once, maybe twice a week, and I don't have a lot of space to store food, especially fresh food. 

 

I would like to humbly ask all of you for advice on my biggest challenge: finding delicious healthy/paleo recipes that I can make in my dorm kitchen, that will last about week in the fridge, and won't make my tiny college coin purse sad. I especially have trouble with breakfast. I would eat scrambled eggs every damn day, but I can't make them in a microwave, and I can't access the kitchen every morning.

 

My goals (my Level 50, I think Steve would say) are to get down to my goal weight (about 50 lbs to go, though with muscle gain this isn't as important), to be able to run a 5k in 23 minutes, to become highly skilled in martial arts, to be able to deadlift 1.5 times my bodyweight, to be able to do 5 pull ups, and to get below 20% body fat. That's more goals than I even expected for myself, and they will probably change over time, but they're just different ways of quantifying the mental and physical health I hope to achieve.

 

Thanks in advance for all your help, everyone. I'm excited to be a part of the rebellion.

 

-Kimberly, "Celestria Nebula" 

 

[Yraen]

Welcome to the Rebellion Kimberly. Afraid I can't help you with the recipes since the only thing I really know how to make is chili.

Also(Shameless guild promoting) I saw that you put your guild yourself down as a monk. Might I recommend, do to the varied nature of your goals, that you consider the rangers instead?

[kfwhite]

I'm not really sure which guild I would like to go with yet. I like playing Assassins in video games, I like the martial arts aspect of the Monk, and I like the adaptability and "jack of all trades" aspect of the Ranger. I just put one down for now, until I can get a better sense of the way the Academy and the different guilds work. Like I said, I'm not actually registered for the Academy yet. I guess I'll find out! Thanks for the suggestion, though!

[Yraen]

Completely understand that. I should point out(and should have in my first post) that in the forums here you're not tied down to one guild. You can switch which one you're in between challenges based on your goals for that one. I don't know how it is in that Academy though.

[Deidara]

Hi!! My heart goes out to you, friend. Swearing off the dining hall is tough.

Does your dorm kitchen have an oven? If so, you can roast root vegetables and sturdy things like broccoli and leeks and they'll keep pretty well. Sweet potatoes will even still taste good cold! It also helps to find something that you can enjoy raw if you don't have a lot of time for cooking - I like to snack on radishes and cucumber. Fruit's good too.

Root vegetables are actually pretty great because you don't even need to refrigerate them. Same goes for citrus and apple/pear/sturdy fruits. You could make a basket or something instead of taking up precious fridge space.

Oh and just, most leafy greens do not last very long. Kale and chard keep the best in my experience, and they also cook up pretty well.

[RoseAndWick]

Guess what! I make scrambled eggs in the microwave all the time !! I learned this trick at a coffee shop I worked at that made breakfast sandwiches all you have to do is have 2 bowls and some non stick spray. I like to stuff my eggs full of veggies (I put a cup of spinach and anything else I want ...I love salsa!) but you can put whatever you heart desires... Anyways just mix the eggs and chosen add ins in a bowl, spray the other bowl with non stick then pour in the eggs, microwave 3-5 minutes then stir and microwave another 2 minutes and voila! You can also wait to add the veggies till after the cooking to retain nutrients

Another great trick we use in our home is to cook up a weeks worth of chicken breast, cut it up and use it throughout the week in wraps with veggies or in chicken tacos (our favorite). All you have to do is microwave the chicken/tortillas!

One last tip... GEORGE FOREMAN! Plug that baby into the wall and cook ANYTHING on it in your dorm room (if this is even allowed I guess haha) when I'm finished using mine (I use it everyday) I just wipe it down with paper towels and then sanitizing wipes till it is sparkly clean again! Scrambled eggs are a cinch to make on this, as is chicken, grilled veggies, paninis, etc etc.

Oops I have another tip (I hope I am helping not annoying) have you ever tried using a nutri bullet (or other single serve smoothie maker) I fill it 1/3 way with spinach and the rest with fruits and peanut butter and water (my favorite is berries-blueberries to be exact) you can't taste the spinach and it really fills me up. Best part is that as long as you rinse out the blade and cup immediately after eating it you have zero dishes and it takes up no space

I live in a 5th wheel as we traveled the US for my fiances work and so far at different times our stove, microwave, and fridge have broken so not only do I know what it feels like to have zero space, but I have also lived without the essentials so had to get creative with meal options hence the many tips. I really hope some of this helps you on your journey, I have many more where that came from but I'll stop for now . I wish you lots of luck and can't wait to watch your progress!

[kfwhite]

Thank you so much! I will definitely have to try those eggs in the microwave. I tried it once before and it didn't work, but I will try again! I will have to double check about the George Foreman... We're not allowed to have toasters, so unfortunately a George Foreman might not fly! I have looked into a magic bullet, and I do have a small blender at home that I need to practice smoothie-making with. I love strawberry-citrus smoothies. My dad makes strawberry-mango-orange juice smoothies that are to die for!

 

I will definitely look into more recipes for root vegetables. I haven't really come around to eating raw vegetables yet, but I will work on it!  

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Welcome to the rebellion. It is certainly tough eating healthy while in college, especially when living on campus. Dining halls are definitely run by the Empire.  You are far more creative with your options for cooking in the dorms than I ever was. Good luck (and welcome to the Rangers).