Another Newbie Intro
So where to start...
I'm 28 and currently over double what a healthy weight for my height is. At the start of this year, I decided that after years of looking family members as a carer, it was time to look after myself.
I started going to a gym near my work after every shift and hired a personal trainer for the first few months to get me comfortable with working out. In addition, I did a nutrition course through my gym.
By June, I was 14lbs lighter and, due to the amount I toned up, 2 whole dress sizes smaller. My confidence was my biggest improvement as people could really see the difference, I was feeling fantastic and full of energy.
Unfortunately, shortly after this, I lost my job, had to cancel my gym membership and it is only recently I've found work.
The first thing I did upon finding work was find a gym, again close to work. But its not working out as well I really want it too. I've stepped into the gym twice and found out I've actually regained 7lbs.
I've two main obstacles.
The first is that I am one of the fussiest eaters you will probably meet. I buy healthy food with all the good intentions of wanting to look after myself but actually eating it is a whole another barrier I cannot seem to overcome. I've wasted so much money on food which has just gone off in my cupboard/fridge.
Tied in with that is that I cannot cook (and again get over the barrier of trying to cook.) As a child I was kept out of the kitchen and at University, I was the girl who stocked her section of the freezer with ready meals. The few times I have tried to properly cook in my flat (not just whack some processed food in the oven), I've set my fire alarm off. This disturbs the other 40 odd families that live in the building.
Although I did a nutrition course, it did not really cover food aversions or cookery skills.
My second obstacle is my new job. My job involves a shift pattern than changes regularly and I don't get home until between 9pm and 12am. I'm struggling to adjust to this routine. My sleep pattern is messed up and now I need to go to the gym before work whereas before I went afterwards.
In addition, my commitment to learning to cook is much harder because I'm conscious that cooking after work means potentially waking up other families with my fire alarm. I've thought about getting like a crock-pot but right now money is really tight after a period of unemployment.
I certainly don't want to use these obstacles as excuses but its hard, really hard to motivate myself right now when I'm going through an intensive training period at my new job.
But I do remember that I've made a commitment to myself to get healthy and how great I felt in June. I know I'm pretty much in my element once get in the gym, I just need to get back into the routine of going.
My biggest concern is my nutrition. I won't lie, it is really overwhelming and I've no really idea where to start. I also know it let me down earlier this year because I could have lost more weight and kept it off if my nutrition was better.
So I think I should end by explaining why I am here. I've tried to be a member of other internet weight loss communities in the past but I've found them so judgemental, particularly about my food aversions which I want to overcome, that they aren't really supportive in help me find solutions.
But I know not all groups are the same so I'm hoping this community will be more welcoming and that by getting involved that my weight loss journey will get back on track.
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