It's interesting you all bring it around to 'smart" vs 'sport' -- I am a college professor with a Ph.D. Lately I've been wondering if I headed to 'smart' because I thought "sport" was not for me. You know, if I couldn't be sporty, then I somehow had to demonstrate I WAS smart... and what better way?
When I was little, I was the nerdy little girl in geeky glasses who read books 24/7 (including while walking to school and under my desk at school). I had zero hand-eye coordination and failed at everything in gym class (picture me hanging limply on the bottom of the rope, swaying back and forth ).
So imagine my amazement when I discovered weightlifting. Wonder of wonders, I was good at it! In fact - thanks to toting around 100+ extra pounds of fat for most of my life, I was stronger than almost any other woman in the gym. It was love at first rep. It's silly, but I was so excited after my first session in the gym that I couldn't sleep that night.
(fortunately, very little hand-eye coordination is involved )
Heather, I never thought I could have them both either.
Meg, you say little eye-hand coordination is involved, but I dropped a weight passed to me by my trainer the other day! watch out!
I can't believe at 40 that I'm discovering so much MORE about me, especially when there's so much LESS of me! Maybe I can have it all, too! Though, I didn't fall in love with weight lifting as fast... in fact, not sure I'm there... BUT, I don't dislike it, and like how I feel after, and the results. Surely that counts for something!
Hmm, this is all very interesting to me, because I was *both* smart and sporty! And a band geek! I played on the school tennis team as a Freshman, and played volleyball 4 years of HS and into college.
But I do know what you mean - the girls who were *really* good at sports had a reputation of being a bit too masculine, if you know what I mean... So the rest of us sort of just dabbled at it - no extra workouts, no lifting...
What got me was when, in the college years, the activity tapered off, and my eating didn't change. I was always a "brick house" as my Mom would call me, when I was playing sports, but then I lost LBM and gained fat, and graduated from college truly out of shape.
I've struggled with my weight ever since - geez, given that history, it should have been more than obvious to me that the "answer" is the workout.
Meg wrote: "For me, even walking in the door at 257 pounds may have been the hardest thing I've done in my life..."
Thank you so much for this thread, Meg and others. It is SO encouraging to me, a relative beginner at consistent exercise. A few weeks ago, for the first time in my 55 years, I joined a gym (the YMCA). I am starting with pool exercise due to physical limitations, and use resistance bands at home for strength training. But every time I go past the Fitness Center, I look in the windows, and imagine myself in there someday...not needing to use my walker any longer...standing up straight and strong, and healthy.
For me, I had to get to the place that I wanted this so bad that I was willing to put on a swimsuit at 387 pounds and appear in public! I cannot put into words how difficult that was...but I am stronger for having chosen to do it. You are right...it is WORTH it.
Thank you for encouraging me...I truly appreciate it. I have no one here in 'real life' (yet) that is doing this with me, so I am so thankful to find people like you and the others here that are strong, determined, and positive.
You are an incredibly brave, strong woman ... and one day you WILL be standing tall in the Fitness Center. Most of us don't have anyone in real life who struggles with our weight issues and that's why 3FC is so important. No matter how alone we feel, there's always going to be someone here who understands exactly what we're going through and is going to have a hug and helping hand.
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Wonder of wonders, I was good at it! In fact - thanks to toting around 100+ extra pounds of fat for most of my life, I was stronger than almost any other woman in the gym. It was love at first rep. 
It's silly, but I was so excited after my first session in the gym that I couldn't sleep that night. 
)
