100 lb. Club - You are all so an inspiration

New here ... don't have much of anything set up yet... posted my bio in the sticky above...

I'm looking at the before and after pictures from all of you and thinking "This can be me!!!" .... you are all such an inspiration to me.

I've tried to lose but have fallen so many times it's not funny. I'm making it through the holidays with the concept of South Beach in the back of my mind, but I just can't commit right now because I'm going to be on the road a lot over the next two weeks.

But I look at the pictures and read the posts and know I can do it. It's all making me warm and fuzzy inside knowing that I'm not alone and if I need motivation I have a place to come to.

Thank you all in advance (you'll be hearing more of me in the not so distant future)

:hug:

Oh gosh, I remember going and looking at the before and after pics when I first joined too! They are SO encouraging!

Yes, you are absolutely right. You have found a wonderful place to be. Those pics can be you. Guaranteed.

:welcome2: I can't wait until we're reading your inspiring story and seeing your pictures!

I love to look at the before & after pics also. I am on my second month losing So I wanna pass this info to you & others.Just a helpful start When you get ready....Found it on the web browsing and it has been helping me VERY MUCH... http://www.3fatchicks.net/img/tulip-bar/slider-but5/lb/259/150/246/.png (http://www.3fatchicks.com/)
Principles
Weight management may be difficult to achieve, but it certainly is not difficult to understand. When you consume food or drink, you consume calories. Your body burns calories to function, burning significantly more calories when you exercise. If you consume more calories than you burn, you gain weight. If you consume fewer calories than you burn, you lose weight.
Because your body requires energy simply to stay alive, you burn calories even when you are not exercising. In fact, you burn calories directly in proportion to your body weight. On average, a male burns 11 calories per day per pound of body weight. The average female burns 10 calories per day per pound of body weight. These figures are just averages. Some people will be higher or lower, since everyone's metabolism is a little different. Fitness Record allows you to specify the value which is appropriate for you. If you don't know, it is suggested that you start by using the average value for your gender.
For example, if John weighs 150 pounds, he burns approximately 150 x 11 = 1,650 calories per day. If he exercises, he will burn additional calories on top of that, depending on the exercise activity. However, if he does not exercise, he must eat 1,650 calories per day, just to maintain his body weight. If he eats more, he will gain weight. If he eats less, he'll lose weight.
For the purpose of calculating expected weight gain/loss, one pound is 3,500 calories. Each time you consume an extra 3,500 calories more than you burn, you will gain a pound. For example, Jane weighs 130 pounds, never exercises, and eats exactly 1,400 calories every day. Her metabolism is burning 1,300 calories per day, so she are consuming an extra 100 calories each day. If she does this indefinitely, she will gain a pound in 35 days, since 35 * 100 = 3,500.
Fitness Record uses another term, called Behavioral Weight. The idea is that over the long term, your weight is determined by your behaviors, and is best illustrated by example. Consider Jane above, who eats 1,400 calories per day. After 35 days of this behavior, she will weigh 131, instead of 130. This means her metabolism will burn slightly more calories than before. If she continues to eat 1,400 calories every day, she will continue to gain weight, but at a slightly slower pace. Eventually, she will weigh 140, at which time her metabolism will be burning 1,400 calories every day. At this point, she will stop gaining weight, since she is consuming the same number of calories that she burns. Therefore, by eating 1,400 calories in a day, Jane is behaving like a 140 pound person. Her "behavioral weight" is 140.
Exercise contributes to your calories burned. If Jane were to exercise, burning an additional 100 calories each day, then her calories burned would be in balance with her calories consumed. She could eat 1,400 calories per day, exercise 100 calories per day, and continue to way 130 indefinitely.
You may now be asking, "Why can't I just eat low fat foods?" You can eat whatever you want. But, non-fat foods can still have calories. Check the food label to find out if eating the non-fat version of a food is really saving you any calories -- sometimes it's not. Many programs recommend moderating your dietary fat intake, and that is obviously good advice. Eating low-fat foods happens to be an excellent guideline for keeping your calorie intake low. In addition, moderating your dietary fat intake may contribute to your health in other ways. However, it will not alter the mathematics of weight management -- you still have to eat fewer calories than you burn if you want to lose weight.
The problem with the way the human body works is that calories counting is tedious and difficult. Most weight-loss programs, as well as the so-called "fad diets", focus on other guidelines which are simpler to follow than calorie counting. However, none of these guidelines alter the underlying principles of weight management.

wow JulieJ08 great before & after photos!WAY TO GO!

wow JulieJ08 great before & after photos!WAY TO GO!

Thank you :)! I think I'm due for some more in January.

Oh gosh, I remember going and looking at the before and after pics when I first joined too! They are SO encouraging!
LOL, me too! The first thing I did when I signed up on this site was sift through all of the goal stories and the goal photo album... And then the mini-goals photo album... Hehe! :lol: I was amazed to see so many awesome pictures, all in the same place. It's really a great source of motivation to see people who have done what you want to do; it proves that it's not impossible! That's why I'm never hesitant to post my pictures either. I don't think they're especially inspiring or anything, heh, but if I can help anyone as much as y'all have helped me, I'll be satisfied. :)

Anyways, WELCOME TO 3FC, LUVBUG412!! We'll be looking forward to seeing you around the boards! :cheers:

I so want to post my pics. My fear is being recognized by someone in real life. Anyone else have a fear with this? Being outted--I mean, as of now no one knows I come here and what I write is almost anonymous--I guess the admins could track me if they wanted. LOL

Thighs, can you just show us pics of you from the neck down?

That's why I'm never hesitant to post my pictures either. I don't think they're especially inspiring or anything, heh, but if I can help anyone as much as y'all have helped me, I'll be satisfied.

You look great, and it does help those of us starting out to realize how far you girls have come, and that it is possible if you want it bad enough. So I for 1 thank all of you for the pictures, it does help!!!!

That's why I'm never hesitant to post my pictures either. I don't think they're especially inspiring or anything, heh, but if I can help anyone as much as y'all have helped me, I'll be satisfied. :)

Sorry this is what I wanted to do with quote,
still learning. I'm kind of computer illiterate. :dizzy:

I honestly think if it was not for this site, i would be a disaster right now

I so hear you beautiful ace. This site has made a huge difference for me.

I am also new to the boards and spent some time checking out the before and after pics.

You all give me hope.

:welcome3: to the board!

I have always found before and after pictures the most inspirational which is why I have posted mine.

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=15563&page=6