[serotonin sarah]

I found this site through a google search for weight lifting - it was in some website's link list. I found some 5ib weights around my house and I want to start putting them to use, anyway.

I'm Sarah. I'm 20. I weigh 197 ibs. 125 is my goal and my healthy BMI. Well, it's not really my GOAL. To have that as an initial goal would be silly and discouraging - speaking from past experience. I actually set my goals by 5ibs. I've already lost almost 20 ibs in the past 8 weeks.

I don't really know how I started losing the weight. I've always been a big person, and losing weight has always been in the back of my mind, but somehow in the past few months I've actually started doing it. A few things have happened lately that may have actually contributed: I coldturkeyed a over-the-counter pill addiction. I wasn't aware how much they effected not only my mind, but also the joints in my body. While I was taking pills, any sort of physical exertion resulted in ridiculous pain afterwards and a lot of ibuprofen. Then I started taking Effexor. So between all that, I stopped over eating and only eating when I was hungry, and walking. I never realized how much I loved walking. I borrow my neighbour's dog, get my mp3, and him and I march around my suburb for about an hour and a half to two hours a night. Sometimes during the day, too. I'm not currently in school or working, so that's doable.

I'm not really watching my diet, but I try to avoid obvious fatty things such as pop/fast food/preprepared meals. And I'm drinking water. Lots and lots of water. Oh, and green tea.

Motivation seems to be less of an issue now that I've started to see results. That and I just feel so bad for my neighbours' dog who never gets walked. Some days, even if I feel like crap, I'll see him staring at me through the chainlink fence and I'll feel so bad that I go inside and throw on my 'exercise clothing' and go.

Anyway. I was happy to find a relatively sane and friendly weight loss community on the internet. I like everything I've read on the forums so far! Hi.

[boaterswife]

Welcome, Sarah! Those dogs sure can lay on the guilt without saying a word, can't they? Good for you for taking the initiative to kick an addiction and do something to help yourself. As a pet lover, I'm also happy that you're taking the neighbors dog with you! Companionship for you, exercise for him, it's a win-win situation! Good luck, and keep up the awesome work!