Another new kid!

[urbanLingo]

Hello all!

I've been reading this site for a while now, but I figured it was high time to stop being a lurker and join the fray. Quite excited to meet some cool new people in what I have clearly seen to be an energetic, supportive environment. I apologize in advance for how long this post will probably become.

While I was skinny and energetic as a little kid--never has there ever been or will there ever be a more enthusiastic playground Red Ranger--in 4th grade I met a mustachioed man named "Mario," and it was all downhill from there. From then on, I wholeheartedly embraced a completely sedentary, video gaming lifestyle. . By the end of 2009, I had around 218 pounds draped on my 5'10" frame. I was incredibly self-conscious, easily out of breath, and basically had zero self-confidence.

In my last semester of college, which started in January 2009, I decided I had enough. By this point, I had become comfortable with cooking, so I ditched the dining hall completely and reined in my caloric intake. I also enrolled in a hapkido class, meaning I was participating in between 6-8 hours a week of martial arts (3x a week plus the occasional Saturday morning extra review class). By the end of the semester, I was down to 190. When I graduated without being able to find a career job, my budget made more martial arts a non-starter, but I did join the local gym. I fussed around aimlessly with weight machines and the elliptical, and managed to get down to 172, yet with no discernible increase in strength. However, in recent months, I've fallen off even that pathetic wagon, and have risen a little bit to 180, with about 23% body fat.

And then I found this site. After reading up on old posts, checking out Mark's Daily Apple, and doing some other research, I was sold.

Over the past couple of weeks I've been transitioning my diet towards paleo principles. Not just because I read it on the internet, but because it also jives very well with my dad's experience (he recently changed his diet to something very similar, but not identical, to the paleo/primal model and has seen fantastic results), and I figure, what with him being my dad, we probably have similar genetics. I've also just begun what my friend Stephanie--yes, a girl--would call "real weightlifting," --aka compound movements with free weights--though it's kind of scary for me. It makes me feel very self-conscious, as I feel like all the muscular people in the gym are wondering "who is that skinny loser struggling with a 95-pound bench press?" But I just remind myself that those muscular people had to work to get to that point, and press on (see what I did there? )

I do have some questions already. My main one is about how much to eat. I'm pretty much the definition of skinny-fat: spindly, weak arms that look like they were ripped off an xkcd character, attached to a soft midsection with a bit of a belly (though much less than before, thankfully). That makes me confused as to whether I should be following the bulk up or slim down paradigm, as I kind of want a bit of both. I'm not much concerned about my actual weight on the scale, but rather body composition. I suppose that the thing to do is probably the standard bulk-then-cut deal, to build muscle mass and then lean out, but as someone who used to be obese, I'm always terrified that I'll just end up like that again. Thoughts, experienced rebels?

My goals are basically to get stronger and faster so that, once I am able to afford martial arts classes again, I can do them and focus wholeheartedly on perfecting the techniques, rather than exhaust my energy trying to simply keep up with the physical demands of all the movement, as I did last time. I'm also really interested in looking at Parkour/Free Running down the line, but I feel that requires much more base strength, speed, and endurance than I have now. And though I hate to admit it, I am kind of tempted to go for six-pack abs, not because they serve any real purpose, but just to prove to myself that I can do it. At the very least, having a flat stomach for the first time since being six years old would be amazing. I know these results are not something that will happen right away, but I figure if I can keep track of everything, and see the progress, I'll stay motivated.

Health-wise, I also want to take better control of my diet, to help ward off the diabetes and heart issues that run rampant on my father and mother's side of the family, respectively.

I'm terrible at keeping up with forums but hopefully will do a better job sticking around here. And sorry for the ridiculously long post...but hey, there's a reason my best friend calls me Captain Verbosity. Hmm....maybe that should've been my username.....

[wildross]

Welcome to the fora!

To grow muscle, you have to feed it. It grows on protein. If you are encouraging it to grow via lifting, and feeding your body reasonable amounts of protein, you will add muscle, not fat. That and cutting down on processed foods while doing more "work" (ie, lifting) should deal with the fat as well.

And you're right. We were all smaller than we are now at some point and walked into a gym and fought being intimidated. Just cause some of us can use the "big boy plates" doesn't mean we've lost our manners. (I hope).

[urbanLingo]

Welcome to the fora!

Just cause some of us can use the "big boy plates" doesn't mean we've lost our manners. (I hope).

It's true. A few months ago (before I really was trying to lift with free weights, but while I was kind of experimenting with it), some Abercrombie-looking guy was mocking me for nearly collapsing under a 75-pound bench. Another guy, who was probably twice as strong as the guy mocking me, said something to the effect of "well, at least he's trying. What do you have to say for yourself?" I've never seen him again, which kind of sucks, but at least I know that some people are on my side, y'know?

[c14jenniferjames]

Just to reinforce that, as well... I'm brand-new to lifting, and instead of making fun of me in the gym (I look absolutely ridiculous sometimes, you should have seen my first attempts to clean), a lot of the guys come up and give me tips and help me with form. Everybody has to learn sometime--all of them have been there, done that!