sick and tired

[Destructra]

Hey kids -

My name's Jessie and I'm overweight and loathe it. I've had bad nutrition examples from my childhood that I haven't been able to fight through - until. . . I just recently started eating a diet of mainly unprocessed foods. For about a month now I've been steadily dropping a few pounds every week even though I'm just STARTING to EASE my way into this craziness. I stumbled-upon this site and felt like I found something great.

So here I am, ready and willing to learn. Actually excited to put the suggestions on this site into action. Start leading the life that I have wanted to for ages.

I still LOVE bread and butter and candies. LOVE THEM. After cutting back tremendously on those naughty foods I found I started feeling better. My sleep patterns became more regular, I woke up not hating my alarm clock as much, and I've had the stirrings of excitement for a potentially awesome future. Eff yeah! I got totally derailed this Christmas and paid for it. I only gained 2 pounds back but my body was pissed. I felt like ass, not just upset stomach or general unease; my body was staging a coup against my bad decisions. Now almost a week later I'm getting back into the swing of the Paleo ways and my body seems to be slowly forgiving me. Sorry dude! Hopefully I learned my lesson and will not soon be repeating that bad news.

Due to a really shitty (Can I say shitty here? I tend to swear a lot but I'm holding back remarkably well) event - my awesomely amazing dad passing away - this October I've been a bit of a hot mess. I found a therapist and have been on an antidepressant and am reaching out to my friends for support which has been a tremendous help. Unfortunately I have TEMPORARILY moved back into my parents' - now mother's - house which is FULL of the bad food I was raised on. I have tried desperately to get my mom to junk all the junk but to no avail. She's obese and requires a cane for mobility so I do a lot of the household work and cook - it's absolutely crushing to see my mom this way and know that there's a solution but she's just not willing to give it a go. I've pleaded my case but week after week she buys cookies, cake, ice cream, and all kinds of processed food. I think this will be my biggest road block. My comfort foods are horrible for me and now with them being so readily accessible I worry that I'll just give in more than I will progress.

I am incredibly fortunate to have found my exercise niche - roller derby. I've been involved in the sport for 4 going on 5 years now and it's my favorite thing to do other than making things. I have decided that 2012 will be MY year. I hope to be chosen for my league's travel team and master the skills that have kept me reffing for most of my time in the sport. I dig the advice on this site as well as the tips but what I found most appealing was the balls to the walls (again, is that kosher?) enthusiasm. I finally feel that within myself and am so excited to see it in such abundance here. I just got outdoor wheels for my skates instead of upgrading my old indoor wheels (wheels are a huge thing in derby and there's a lot of variance so it's not unusual for an avid skater to have 4 or 5 sets of different wheels) and am determined to skate my neighborhood EVERY day. I HATE running, can't stand staring at something for a long period of time (so gyms are no bueno), and have the inability to follow exercise tapes (I can't repeat the moves if the instructor is facing toward me - maybe it's my coordination or some faulty brain wiring) (holy crap I just realized I said exercise TAPES) so roller derby is my perfectly matched JAM.

So here's to 2012 - eating right, exercising, and bringing back that enthusiasm for all things awesome that has been missing for quite some time.

B's to the W's (See? I can censor myself!)

Cheers,

Jessie

[alexgator]

I empathize with coming having parents who aren't exactly great role models. Both of my parents are badly overweight but keep right on the path of fried foods and large portions. My hope is that my healthy lifestyle will inspire them to take control of their eatings habits as well. My mom is doing a 30-day Paleo Challenge with me and she recently bought herself a treadmill. Is you mom open to a lifestyle change at all?

Roller derby sounds SO fun! I can't skate to save my life xD I try to, though! Maybe I'll start skating.. Just for the heck of it.. I don't want to fall..

Welcome to NF! Sounds like you're well on your way to health already. Congrats!

[ETFnerd]

Welcome to the nerd fitness derby... look fwd to reading more of your interesting story...

[Moxie Hart]

Welcome!

I just bought myself derby skates and started skating again. Its a great bum workout to say the least! I haven't dared show up for the local derby teams yet but I'm hoping to eventually. My daughter is starting the junior derby this January

[sashi]

Welcome! Like Alex, I've always looked at derby girls and said, "Man, they look badass! I totally want to do that." And then I remember that I can't skate because I get terrified of having less control over my feet and their connection to the ground.

[sumdawgtwigg]

Welcome! Interesting story! Also, sorry about your loss. It's great to see that you're pulling things together and feeling better. Sounds like you're off to a great start, keep it up!

[Destructra]

@ alexgator: Unfortunately my ma has a million excuses for changing her diet - and actual reasonable excuses for not being able to do a lot of physical activity. I'm trying to get her to do the swimming pool exercises. . . I think I'll pose the diet as a way to help ME - that might just do the trick. Thanks! AND - totally do some skating - it's amazing for your quads and core - just make sure to bend your knees! For serious - broken tail bones SUCK.

@kindlevixen: You bought skates and haven't gotten out there?? DO IT!!! Derby girls are EXTREMELY intimidating by their looks - but 99% of us are super excited to help "fresh meat." You'll make friends with your fresh meat class - because they're all there learning from the ground up too! So. . . GO! Do it!!! And yay for your kiddo doing derby too - I WISH I could have had that as an extra-curricular activity option!

@sashi: I was terrified of skating when I started - I broke my tailbone which was the longest and most painful injury I've had during my 4 years skating - so if you ever get the courage up - try it! Not with skating rink skates though - those things are awful.

@ sumdawgtwigg: Thanks! I'm gonna try!

[IndigoBanshee]

I like to watch roller derby, but I'm a total wimp about getting hit. LOL! Takes a lot of guts to do that, I think.

I also live with a junk-prone parent. He has been declaring that he's going to do paleo with me for two weeks now, starting today. He made it to... breakfast... and gave up. I just kinda keep going on my own, and I try to make meals for both of us at night that he would like. He does like a good stirfry - and having someone cook for him!

[alexgator]

Ahh good advice on skating o_o I severely bruised my tailbone once wrestling. Oh my gosh it was painful. Good luck to you and your mama :] Mine's been cooking Paleo for me for the past few days. Oh it is GOOD to be home for a bit!

[ebm1224]

i'm sorry for your loss but it sounds like you're handling it the best you can. it just takes time.

congrats on getting started and kicking ass with the derby chicks! i keep meaning to make it to a match (event? game?) because it seems fun (based on my massive experience of watching that drew barrymore movie). but it's so important to find something you like to do for exercise...it's often the difference between sticking with it or giving up. one activity i really like are fitness classes. they're like the videos (what are videos again? lol) but in real life so it's a little easier to follow i think. plus you sort of feed off the energy of the room and the instructors can be super-motivating. i like cardio kickboxing the best probably but zumba, step, and spin can be fun too.

you should definitely tell your mom that keeping the crap out of the house will help you too...and maybe offer to do the grocery shopping/cooking...at least a few meals a week. you can also pre-cook some healthy stuff once or twice a week. i love pre-making salads and cutting up fruit in advance. makes it easier to stay to healthy options. and water aerobics are great for thosewith mobility issues. maybe you and mom can attend a class together? there's also something out there called "chair dancing" for those with mobility issues. i read about it once on sparkpeople.com and it might be something she actually enjoys.

anyway, sorry for the long post but glad you're here!

[Moxie Hart]

@kindlevixen: You bought skates and haven't gotten out there?? DO IT!!! Derby girls are EXTREMELY intimidating by their looks - but 99% of us are super excited to help "fresh meat." You'll make friends with your fresh meat class - because they're all there learning from the ground up too! So. . . GO! Do it!!! And yay for your kiddo doing derby too - I WISH I could have had that as an extra-curricular activity option!

Oh I totally know! I haven't met a derby girl yet who wasn't really really helpful. I've been skating with the kids on tuesday nights and junior derby starts next week. I plan on bringing my skates and checking it out but I don't think I can commit to fresh meat training yet. :-/ I need to check it out and see. I really really want to tho!

[scott82962]

For about a month now I've been steadily dropping a few pounds every week even though I'm just STARTING to EASE my way into this craziness.

D -I think you'll find that you're actually easing your way OUT of the craziness and into sanity.