Hey Everyone!

[JamesOfTheNorth]

Hello fellow nerds/rebels! 

 

I wanted to take a quick minute to introduce myself and tell you a little bit about me.  I'm 26 years old, and I am a professional cook.  I'm 6'2" and weigh about 280 pounds.

 

Now, I know that cooking in a restaurant doesn't exactly sound like a sedentary job per se, and it definitely is not.  And that's the problem I am faced with. My job is extremely physically and mentally demanding, and not being in shape makes it very, very difficult.  On busy nights, it feels like being slammed into a wall while running a marathon, and the next day I have to get out of bed and face the fact that my whole body hurts and do it all over again. Being a big guy in a busy restaurant is not a sustainable practice. 

 

That's where nerd fitness comes in.  I love, love, LOVE what I do, and I'm pretty damn good at it.  I don't want my being in poor shape to force me away from it in a few years.  I have dabbled in fitness on and off since high school (where I was at my most active) and much like quitting smoking, it never stuck.  But I've quit smoking, and I can do this too.  It is no secret that working in a restaurant is a recipe for bad habits, and I don't want to be the guy who can't hack it when I'm 35.

 

My longterm goals are just to be in better shape, and not feel like I've been in a fistfight when I get home every night.  I want to build my strength and endurance, and I don't so much care what I end up looking like along the way.  Short term, I want to drop a Chef's coat size by June 1st, from an XL to a L (if you've never worn them, an XL is like wearing a XXL hoodie, they run big)

 

I found nerd fitness, and in addition to being a giant nerd myself (and don't be fooled, a lot of cooks are), I really like the general attitude I see here about getting in shape.  There's no Jillian MIchaels (or Gordon Ramsay) style yelling and borderline assault happening. Just a community of like minded individuals who want to be better everyday than they were the last day.  And as a cook, I can respect that.

 

My RL profession means that I am Focused, determined, persistent, and can take a beating and come back for more. I hope that these skills, with the support of the Rebellion will get me to a better place.  I'm a cook, and I want to be able to keep on cooking for as long as I can, and be in killer shape while doing it!

[Pat G]

Hey JamesoftheNorth, welcome to NF

Talking to my own mates, you don't exactly get much recovery time as a professional cook, early starts, late nights, irregular meal times etc etc. Good on you for enjoying what you do, you make the world a better place

 

Have you got a plan on how you're going to get into the shape you want to be? a Recipe?  (mine is: coriander, shallots, Vietnamese barbecue pork, onion, grated carrot, sweet vinegar, pate, S&P, all on a hot crunchy white roll)

[JamesOfTheNorth]

I've been doing the beginner bodyweight workout 3 times a week for strength training, as well as mixed cardio at the gym for endurance. I have been eating paleo-ish. I try not to think about if something is 100 percent paleo, instead I've been making a very focused effort to aviod processed food, sugar, and most non rice grains. It's pretty awesome how it is forcing me to rethink how I cook at home, and as a byproduct my increased creativity is kind of a motivator. I purchased a set of adjustable dumbbells today to supplement my home workout.