New Nerd in Town checking in!

[Maria]

Hello, everyone!

I've been around a couple of days, wanted to wait with my introduction until I had pics and measurements, which in turned I wanted to wait with until my period was over, so the numbers would look a little better. (Yes, I'm that kind of girl, that will actually TALK about it with men around...)

I'm from Sweden, 27 years old and a student. Actually, I will have my last written exam tomorrow, so why not spend a lot of time here today instead of studying? I might have to work on my procrastination...

I might have kept my shape, but I don't eat as healthy as I want to and I'm poorly weak. I go for a jog 0-2 times/week (mostly 0...) and from time to time decide to do push-ups and crunches and stop within a month or two, even with good results. I've had some life crises the last couple of years, but am now on track and have decided I want to be strong! I won't go to the gym, I tried it for a month and hated it. My room is ridiculously small, so I will have to do with bodyweight and dumbbells. I will also work on my cardio endurance and are about to sign up for two 10K races, one in June and one in August.

I also have bad acne, which I've concluded is because of hormones and food. If anything it got worse when I tried LCHF and I've found that dairy in general and cheese in particular is bad. Sugar, lots of carbs and crappy fat-filled fast food seems to make it worse, too. I'm going to clean up my diet a bit, even though I won't do it so far that I feel like crap every time I cheat (which happened with LCHF, which in turn made my life quite hard, because I often eat with others and can't afford to be that picky about what to eat. I need to be able to eat some bad carbs from time to time...) I'm quite interested in IF and a food window, because left on it's own, my body doesn't seem to want breakfast, but as soon as I do eat, I can cram quite a bit for the rest of the day. I'll have to read up on it a lot more, first.

My biggest nerdery is my hair, and to some part skin care. I want it looong, which is a challenge since it is slower-than-average-growing, fine and fragile. Thankfully there are a lot of it. After four years I've gone from APL (arm pit length) to very close to BCL (butt crack length) and I'm hoping to one day be able to sit on it (=classic length). I quit regular shampoos when I started my hair journey and it was the best thing I could have done for my hair. Don't be afraid, I still wash it, I just choose gentler methods, like eggs or conditioner. Oh, well, I could be talking about this forever...

I also am a big fan of board games. Dominion is my all time favorite, but I have a new love affair with 7 Wonders. Also play Settlers, Puerto Rico, Ticket to Ride, Spank the Monkey (I believe they changed that name when releasing it abroad ), Race, Bohnanza, Scrabble, Carcassonne and like a hundred more.

I spend to much time watching TV-series and movies, considering I don't own a TV. Doctor Who is, well, The Man, but I have a special connection to Star Trek Voyager too. And I watch lots and lots of other shows like Friends, The Guild, Community, HIMYM, Once upon a Time, Glee, The Big Bang Theory, The Nanny etc etc. I don't like creepy shows, or people getting killed, so I'm a bit limited as the truly nerdy shows go...

Well, guess it's time for the fun part:

(Yikes! I have a little scoliosis, it doesn't really bother me more than that I need a little more core strength than others to compensate for it. So I tend to forget how visible it actually is. I really tried to stand up straight in those pics!)

And as the nerd I am, here are my hair (with braid waves, even though my hair is a bit wavy naturally too) and a close up of my latest life leveling: colorful streaks!

And the numbers:

Hair (from frontline, over the head and down to the ends): 95 cm

Length: 172 cm

Weight: 62 kg (don't own a scale, but based on my belly fat right now, that should be about it.)

Biceps: 28 cm

Chest, over the breasts: 84 cm

Chest, under the breasts: 70 cm

Waist: 70 cm

Hip: 86 cm

Ass: 99 cm

Thighs: 56 cm

Calves: 38 cm

Max push ups: 0

Max pull ups: 0

Max planking: 70 s

My goal is to visibly lower my body fat %, get stronger in my upper body, get more flexible in my lower body (it takes 10 minutes of warm up and 10 minutes of stretching for me to reach my toes) and to be able to jog 10K in one go. I would like to be able to do at least 20 push ups and 5 pull ups/chin ups, but it will take me quite a while to get there. Oh, and of course, hair to sit on!

[Stavs]

Hey there Maria. It's nice to be getting people from all around the world on these forums. You look like you are starting off in good shape already, and being able to go for 10k runs, I would call that pretty fit . Good luck with your strength goals, and being able to sit on your hair haha. Don't hesitate to ask questions.

[StrengthIsBeauty]

Welcome to the Rebellion! Next week starts a new 6 week challange! Pin point some goals and join in 8^D

[Morrigainz]

Welcome! I lurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrve your hair and your APL/BCL ahahahaha. Do you usually wear it down? I have a TON of VERY THICK hair...right now it is long but I'm thinking about getting it cut again...it just gets to be so much to deal with.

Ditto what Stavs said...just wait until you get into serious weightlifting...it's so much different than cardio, and totally awesome in its own way. Have you run races before, or are these two your first?

[Maria]

Thank you, everyone! I already feel at home here.

Hey there Maria. It's nice to be getting people from all around the world on these forums. You look like you are starting off in good shape already, and being able to go for 10k runs, I would call that pretty fit . Good luck with your strength goals, and being able to sit on your hair haha. Don't hesitate to ask questions.

Well, I can't go for 10K YET, I haven't done any jogging since the snow arrived, but then I could only go for 1.5 km before I had to walk. And that was jogging slowly. But I know that I can get there in 3 months. My body is a good example of slim =/= healthy/fit. I might look nice, and I can walk forever, but anything more than that is almost impossible...

Welcome to the Rebellion! Next week starts a new 6 week challange! Pin point some goals and join in 8^D

I've been keeping my eye on that, it will be a great start joining in with everyone.

Welcome! I lurrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrve your hair and your APL/BCL ahahahaha. Do you usually wear it down? I have a TON of VERY THICK hair...right now it is long but I'm thinking about getting it cut again...it just gets to be so much to deal with.

Ditto what Stavs said...just wait until you get into serious weightlifting...it's so much different than cardio, and totally awesome in its own way. Have you run races before, or are these two your first?

I rarely wear it down. Wearing it up protects the ends better, and since it is fine it flows and tangles very easily. So wearing it down is for special occasions. If you need any tips at all for up dos and handling a lot of hair, check out the unTamedTresses forum in my signature, it's my second home now. And these will be my first races. Even better, it looks like a couple of my siblings will tag along, too.

[Morrigainz]

I don't wear mine down often either...just too much hassle. Easier to put it up in a bun and forget about it! I will definitely check out that forum though. I could use some new tips.

I love doing races with people - helps keep you motivated and push through the hardest parts. I'm sure if you work at it you will be able to do 10k no problem. I've heard with races that you really only have to train for half the distance - adrenaline will carry you the rest of the way.

[Maria]

I don't wear mine down often either...just too much hassle. Easier to put it up in a bun and forget about it! I will definitely check out that forum though. I could use some new tips.

Do it! And beware of the Hair Toys! I have the town's most dressed up hair while exercising.

[shutterpillar]

I just hope to get my hair down to my waist, much less sit on it! Good luck to you with your hair. its gorgeous.

And good luck on your fitness goals!