Hi! I'd like to introduce myself with a little background story...
In 2013 I embarked upon the journey to lose a substantial amount of weight. I want to say I did it because of health, but I did it due to constant taunting and poor body image. I come from a culture (mediterranean) where being told about your appearance/weight and whether you need to lose some is the norm and not seen as rude unsolicited advice.
My weight loss journey started off great. My friend's dad was a personal trainer who would put me on a fitness and diet program free of charge. I was motivated and gave my all. I then started working two retail jobs, walking to and back from work, and working out here and there. Coupled with a horrible I-don't-have-time-to-eat diet and stress, I lost 50lbs, going from 180 to 130lbs. After catching bronchitis swiftly followed by viral meningitis, I found myself at 120 lbs, losing muscle mass, all skin and bones.
By the end of 2014, I had gone back to school, and met someone who eased me into eating balanced, healthy meals and indulging in the occasional cheat meal. The difference between he and I, is he worked-out and I did not.
Though my philosophy is moderation, like most beliefs we hold, it usually isn't followed by actions and I ended up becoming quite the foodie.
I am now 150lbs and I am looking to do things differently. My goal is to get healthier and mind the inches more than the scale. I want to focus on a cardio program, because it is something I never cared for with some strength training. Aaaaand a diet4lyfe that lets me indulge in the occasional charcuterie, cheese and wine. I want abs. Never had abs. I want abs. I want to learn to say NO and become more assertive, be disciplined, confident, sleep better and be healthy.
If you Tl;Dr it, I don't blame you. I've been stalking the forums this past week so I figured I might as well join