So new I am shiny -- and hello. ;)

[rani23]

Hi! I'm rani23 -- long time nerd but really new here to nerd fitness. I just discovered this site and just started the workouts and I am already hooked.

So, my story is that I'm 41, saw Star Wars when it came out when I was six, in the theater, and about 10 years ago, I weighed 361 pounds, at 5'11". I did another program, that involved watching my calories and first started walking, then running and then in about 8 months, I lost about 130 pounds.

Which was great -- but -- then I got a knee injury. A bad one. And my running days were over.

I have spent the past 7 years or so watching my weight slowly go back up and fighting it the whole time but not very successfully. Cardio for weight loss is really damn hard when you can't use your knees all that well. Two Christmases ago, I ended up at 301, and I spent last year doing my best to get that number lower and after about a year and a few months, I'm down to 276. I have felt just utterly frustrated by this whole process. I would do great for a while but then my knee would give out and then I'd spend a couple of weeks limping around and my weight would go back up. I knew how to eat healthy but I'd have a few extra calories here and there -- and I know you're surprised to hear that my weight did not go down much at all.

A friend of mine showed me this place -- and it made me laugh at first and then smile then I was hooked. I just did my first Rebel Workout on Tuesday, using the "Build Your Own Workout" and I did it as a circuit and it was fun. Doing the inverse body weight rows and incline push-ups made me feel like a superhero.

And for the first time in seven years, I am really looking forward to my workout tomorrow.

rani23

[Bumblebee4]

Welcome Rani23. We're all here for each other so feel free to post questions and let us know how you're doing as you go along.

[Rosen]

Welcome mate. Damn I am jealous, to see Star Wars when you are a kid would kickasss !

[Morrigainz]

Welcome and glad to have you!

You have already taken the hardest step - making the commitment. Now you just need to figure out how to maintain it I have no doubt you will succeed! This place is great for motivating and ass-kicking (when you need it).

Feel free to take a look around, and please ask questions!

[LessJos]

Welcome! Star Wars when it came out? That's cool. Not that I wish I was a few years older but that's one thing I would actually take on the years for :-)

[gymell]

Hi! I'm 43 and also saw Star Wars when it came out.

Maybe there's a bright side to your knee injury, because now that you won't be doing a lot of running, you can spend your time weightlifting. And for cardio, there's always rowing, which is far more tortuous than running!

[rani23]

The knee injury is still a PITA. I'm finding I am having difficulty doing squats and lunges. If anyone has any alternatives, I would love to hear them.

Deadlifts kinda bother it too but maybe I am doing them wrong.