[Arghlita]

Hi, this is my clever intro. I wasn't sure how to rate my level of experience as I am just starting out... again. I've been lifting, off and on, since I read a book by Joyce Vedral at age 15. At that time I was about 193 pounds and 33% fat. Without any kind of formalized help, I managed to bring my weight into the 160s and trained myself up from being completely unable to run to jogging at a decent clip.

Then I joined the Army at 17. I trained for athletic performance while I was in the Army, and took myself from flunking to maxing the physical fitness standards in under 18 months. However, I carried excess fat (around 25% fat and 155-165 pounds when my weight standard was 140!) and was eventually chaptered for overweight. I made the dumb move of quitting exercise cold turkey. Between that and hormonal issues, I put on 100 pounds. I took off 30 pounds with dieting and messing around with cardio before deciding to return to lifting seriously.

So now I'm back in the gym at age 25 with the goal of looking and feeling better than I ever did at 19. This time I'm dedicated, willing to stick to a plan, and closer to mastering the idea of eating for fuel. In some ways I'm very new to body building concepts, especially supplementation, but in other ways I've been lifting for a decade. At least I'm finally using all the advice that my personal trainers gave me regarding logging workouts and eating oatmeal with just a sprinkle of cinnamon rather than drowning in butter and sugar. And I found whey protein has started to taste good - I used to think it was a penance.

Hi!

[dton]

Hello!

[dnyc99]

Hi and Welcome Arghlita!

You've come to the right place. :yes:

Looks like you already have the drive/motivation to stay fit. :nosthumbs

You'll find lots of kind and knowledgeable people on this forum that can offer you extra help on following a healthy BB lifestyle.

Much success to you!!

Btw: Great to have another girl join IM!!

~D~

[pammiejoe6]

and closer to mastering the idea of eating for fuel.

girlllll this is prolly the HARDEST thing for me! i LOVE food!


so kewl to see another chick here at IM...we have been getting more and more females on the site recently so GIRL POWER abounds! whohooooo!

congrads on your success to this point woman! i know all about gaining 100lbs....i used to weigh 302lbs and am now FINALLY back on track with my eating and training and it feels SOOOOOO good!!

HI!

[powerman2000]

We are glad to have you as a part of our community and I hope that you will find lots of very useful information for your physique goals.

You might have some fun here too and make some friends.

[TestFreak]

welcome glad you are here...if you need anything let me know or ask anyone we are all here to help...good luck

[EME]

Welcome to IronMass.

It's great to have you here! :nosthumbs

- EME

[Pj-Macx]

Welcome to IronMass.. Great to have you here.. Enjoy the site..

[Arghlita]

Originally Posted by pammiejoe6

girlllll this is prolly the HARDEST thing for me! i LOVE food!


so kewl to see another chick here at IM...we have been getting more and more females on the site recently so GIRL POWER abounds! whohooooo!

congrads on your success to this point woman! i know all about gaining 100lbs....i used to weigh 302lbs and am now FINALLY back on track with my eating and training and it feels SOOOOOO good!!

HI!

Thank you for the kind words Pammie. The food thing is tricky for me as a depressive because no joke, it really *will* make me feel better. In my Army days I used to have an afternoon snack of fried chicken strips, a candy bar, and a diet Coke. After starting on Wellbutrin, I realized that I had been comboing the very foods that trigger seratonin and dopamine production. Now I know that there are other, healthier foods that do the same but I was going based on what my body knew about. If I'd tried eating salmon, maybe I would have started "craving" that.

I don't think I really do love food. I love the way some foods make me feel, and I also used to be self-abusive with food. I never went on any binges but I would periodically overeat in mini-binges that only I could see. For most people, 2 servings of ice cream as opposed to one is negligible. But it all goes to the same place!

Now I've started craving exercise. Some days it is hard to stick to my workouts because I want to keep going! But I know that I'm just starting out again and I need to take it slow.

[Arghlita]

Originally Posted by powerman2000

We are glad to have you as a part of our community and I hope that you will find lots of very useful information for your physique goals.

You might have some fun here too and make some friends.

Right now I need hope most of all. A lot of 20-something gals just want to return to their teenage figure. I was never completely satisfied because even though I was quite fit (I still remember my old CSM saying he'd never seen *anyone* do situps so fast with perfect form), I still had a jelly roll and flabby arms. I finally ended up here because stonecoldtruth took a look at my old photos from the Army and my current photos and told me he was sure that I could get the physique I wanted this time around.

I guess I'm looking for other people with the mentality of an athlete not a "dieter." Dieting support is great, but... yeah, well, but.

[Arghlita]

Originally Posted by dnyc99

You'll find lots of kind and knowledgeable people on this forum that can offer you extra help on following a healthy BB lifestyle.

Much success to you!!

Btw: Great to have another girl join IM!!

~D~

There are a lot more women here than I expected, and that's awesome. I see so few at my gym - only three of four serious lifters (I don't know about emotionally serious, but only that number actually touch *gasp* free weights!)

[Grunt76]

Good to see you here. It's nice to see a lot of girl power on an exercise forum for a change.

[DarkFalcon]

Originally Posted by Arghlita

I guess I'm looking for other people with the mentality of an athlete not a "dieter." Dieting support is great, but... yeah, well, but.

Exactly!!! Stick around here and read as much as you can, more importantly put into practice what you learn and you'll get there in a big way! Ton's of top notch people here that know how to get it done so use the best free resource around and ask questions! Welcome to IronMass! :bier: