Lucca, Lizzard and Emma .... You've come to the right place for support...

Gosh, my story with my weight started back when I wasn't even a teenager (and I'm 27 now!). I was the skinny girl growing up, and could eat anything I wanted and not gain a pound.

Then we moved to a new town and puberty hit. So here I was in a new school, taller than everyone else in my class, without friends and eating to console myself. Then my period started and it was all downhill from there. I remember going into the bathroom and getting on the scale once a week, and seeing the weight go up further and further and further. I finally stopped getting on the scale and watched as my pant sizes grew from 10 to 12 to 14 to 16 and finally to 18, with an 18-20 or 2X shirt, which was the highest I ever got. My weight finally topped out at 225 that time before I started trying to lose.

Of course I didn't try the right way. I started taking an "herbal" diet supplement that made me entirely stop eating. I was literally eating one meal a day. I got down to 195 then ran out of pills and went back up.

Through the years I've stayed fairly steady at 200 until last year, when I got up to 220 or 230. I WANTED to do something about it, but didn't know how to start. Fast forward a little bit through some things, and I got married on July 4, 2007. A lady up here at work convinced me to start working out at a little fitness center in town (it's got two treadmills, a couple of recumbent bikes, an elliptical trainer and Nautilus system). I started on July 31, and as of my last weigh in was down to 170.

I'm 5 feet, 9 inches tall, with what I can only guess is a medium to large frame. I tried that test, where you loop your index finger and thumb around your wrist to find out your frame size...it said small. But I also think I have freakishly long fingers (I do...I promise!).

I've set my goal at 160, which puts me in a healthy BMI range. But I'm also finding myself wanting to go lower to provide some padding in case I gain a little back.

And of course I've hit a plateau. So the struggle continues...

and Mindi

Hello ladies

My story is probably similar to most everyone elses. I was somewhat overweight growing up, but I was athletic. I graduated HS at 130-135 lbs (at 5'6") and thought I was a heifer. In college I packed on 20-25 lbs and then lost a ton due to taking Xenadrine and working long hours as a bartender while going to school full time. I graduated at my smallest ever, 125 lbs.

Soon after gradutaion I started dating a guy and was in a relationship with him for over a year. It was a pretty bad and throughout the year I packed 30 lbs back on. I was afraid to leave him, but for some reason I thought if I gained weight and he found me less attractive, then he'd leave me. There just isn't any logic in that situation. Well that didn't happen. I finally had enough and broke things off, claiming it was because of going to grad school in Boston. In reality (even though I was in grad school in Boston), I moved out of state to ensure a clean break of things.

Over the next 2-3 years I continued to gain until I reached my highest weight of 180 lbs. I bounced around between 170 and 180 for awhile and then I met my now fiance. Over the past year and a half I've managed to get my weight down to the low 160s, high 150s through not much effort. Obviously my weight problem was due to being an emotional eater and being unhappy.

Anyway, I'm rediculously happy now. FI loved me when I was 180 and he loves me now. I want to continue the good progress I've made and continue to lose weight. I'd love to get down to 130 and maintain around there, but I think 140 is an achieveable goal. But I want to be toned at that weight. I have no problem being in the mid-range of healthy weight if I'm toned and looking hot I also have a wedding dress to buy for my May 22, '09 wedding. I have to order that 6 months in advance so I've got about 6 months to get down to at least my mid-range goal of 140 lbs.

Strangely enough, I've always hated my legs and hips. I don't know if I've begun to accept my shape for what it is, but this time I want to focus on getting my arms, shoulders and back in shape while slimming down all around.

My specs are 5'6" 156-158 lbs depending on which scale you go by today, medium to small build. Moderately active. I've been trying to get to the gym at least 4 times a week for 30-60 minutes of cardio and strength training. I'm hoping at some point to be able to run a mile, but right now I'm sticking to power walking at incline intervals.

I know this is the featherweight forum and compared to some others I might not have a ton to lose, but honestly, 20-30lbs is a big amount to lose for me. Being on this site puts things into perspective in terms of the battles other people face, but getting healthy (not just losing weight) is the hardest thing I think I've ever done.

HudsonHawk .... Any amount of weight is not easy to lose... You certainly do belong with us, join us on the weekly chat thread...

Hello all!
I posted an intro back in July of last year, so after a long absence, it might be time to introduce myself again.
Alexis
24 y.o
single
teaching English in South Korea.
sw- 154
gw- 124

I'd like to lose about 30 lbs and become more toned. Sometimes I look at the women who have lost significant amounts of weight and feel like I shouldn't be complaining about 30 lbs, but it's more of a lifestyle change for me.

This is exactly how I feel.
(and I'm an emotional eater as well...)

Looking forward to giving and getting support to everyone on the journey toward better health!

~Alexis

Here's my story...
married, 2 kids, 38 yrs...living abroad.
I am an emotional eater... I never reach for something healthy when I'm nervous. I used to be slim...120lbs or so...before kids and before I quit smoking and those were also the days when eating was the last thing on my mind...Going out to bars at night and sleeping all day were my only activities... Then let's fast forward.... I am now a stay at home mom. I go out for coffee (and cake) with the ladies..no more dancing...just sitting around...and packing on the pounds!!!!
I need a lifestyle change.. That's all. I need to start loving to eat an apple just as much as I love to eat....chocolate!!!!! Really!!! Is there such a thing???

I'm not to the "loving apples" part yet....but I could use a chocolate covered apple....

Welcome!!

My story is...
I started with diet on 17th March and then I had 170lbs. Now I have 164lbs, but my ideal weight is 130 and I wont to reach it. I started 90 days diet and today is my 29th day. I forgot to say: married, don't have child jet...

hi featherweights!! I love the idea of this forum b/c I don't totally fit anywhere but could maybe call this home. I started posting w/3FC back in 2005, did great with South Beach and then some Sonoma. I have since fallen off the posting wagon but have not regained my weight. It sadly is not b/c of my diet though. It's all exercise. If I ever stopped exercising the way I eat would cause me to explode LOL.

I am 37, mom of 2 boys, I run marathons and have recently ramped up my strength training. I am 5'1" and weigh 116 today. I would love to be 110 and could probably even go to 105 healthy. I have small bones I started at nearly 140 though so I have definately had some success. But now I need to get the eating better. I "know" what to do but succumb to easy and cheap far too often...

Anyway hi hi hi! Looking forward to hanging here.

Well, well, well, NEWBIES everywhere, one and all ...

I've always carried around an extra 15-20 lbs i feel. I was always the "healthy" kid, and all my friends were skinnier than me, except for 2.
In gradeschool it wasn't so bad, high school i had my normal woes but was about a size 8. College I actually lost weight my freshmen year, but over the course managed to put on about another ten lbs. I moved to California which you would think would help me be more healthy, heh. It didn't. I found myself living in LA and was pretty much at my heaviest around 177lbs. I was depressed, hated going out, had anxiety over getting ready to go out somewhere etc...it just wasn't good. i tried ATkins and actually lost about 15 lbs one summer. I was definitely more confident and at ease, but still not at my goal weight. Somehow over time though, the pounds slowly crept back up, about ten of them, so I was in the same boat.

I moved up to northern california a few years ago and things seemed to be ok. It took me about a year here to motivate myself again. I actually ran a half marathon 2 years ago, but didn't end up the skinny athlete I thought I would be. Of course, after running the marathon, I barely ran again. And this past December I found myself back at the 170 mark.

Now, I live with a vegetarian boyfriend who is very health conscious. He watches what he eats anyway, and though he is muscular and fit, he probably weighs less than me. I envy my own boyfriend's waistline!

I've fought my own self image and self esteem issues for a long time. I get panic attacks when Im in a dressing room. I cringe at the thought of going out or getting dressed up bc nothing in my closet fits. I constantly compare myself to other women, wherever I am. It doesnt help that my boyfriend is very open and honest about his thoughts on other women. It's not a bad thing, but due the crazy california life styles out here, our relationship was an "open" one the first few months we dated. I didn't really take advantage of the freedom. He did. Since then, I'm always afraid I don't live up to anyone's expectations. Even though he showers me with compliments and attention, loves me, we live together and have been monogamous with eachother for almost 2 years now, I get anxious.

Sometimes I even get angrier at thinner girls than I am. It seems so easy for them, but then again, I don't know their story. I'm uncomfortable in my own skin and sometimes get jealous if the bf even talks to a female bartender or waitress etc...no matter how attractive she is. If she's thinner, she's a threat.

I just started running again. We actually run together sometimes, although he doesnt need to lose any weight in my opinion. I don't eat poorly, but as he noticed, I eat a lot. If i have a salad, its loaded with veggies or some meat. If i have tofu, its a lot. When we go out to eat, bc he's a veg, his plate is usually smaller than me, and I get a complex. While I'm sitting at home to a dinner of soup and a hearty salad, he's eating a bowl of peas, and sometimes--that's it.

I'm hoping to just get comfortable with myself. I know I'm in a better place than many women. I have 20 lbs to lose, but feel like Ive been fighting that 20 for years. I lose 5 here, or 7, then it creeps back. I've even fasted for 6 whole days on that lemonade diet, and felt great...but it was short lived.

I need something realistic to my lifestyle. I can't NOT eat carbs forever or drink lemon water for lunch every day. I'm trying my best to eat lower carb and really bulk up on the veggies and protein. So far, I've ran for 3 days now, and taking today off. My goal is to run at least 4 x a week and then weight train for another day. My main goal is to lose the fat and fit into my pants again.

I've got old clothes that I wont throw away and put a moratorium on buying any new ones. It's something I think about everyday. I hope to start thinking in a positive way at least soon and not be so down on myself.

Whew. There. I said a lot and it feels good to get that off my chest.

luckylettuce

Where to begin.......

I do not have the same story as most do. I was not overweight as a child and was picked on because of that. I had a nickname of toothpick growing up. My dad would call be buffalo butt. Because even though I was really thin I had a big butt.

In highschool I was very thin. I was on the verge of being anorexic until my mother threatened to put me in a hospital. In the tenth grade I met my daughter's dad. We had a good relationship for about a year. Then we were on again and off again for 3 years after that. I ended up getting pregnant after graduation. I weighed 120 when I got pregnant and weighed 181 when I delivered. She was a 10 pounder.

Two weeks after that I lost all of the weight without even trying. I was not an athletic person. Never was and never will be. I can remember after having her he would tell me how fat I was. So that knocked the self esteem down a little bit. Needless to say we broke things off when she was 2 months old.

Had a few bad relationships after that. I truly believe that is what kept the weight off. Then in 1998 I met the love of my life. I weighed 145 when I met him. Thought I looked good. Was very happy with my body and self image. Got very comfortable with him. After 6 yrs of living together we got married. He is the best guy I could have ever placed in my life.

So you get comfortable and you don't take care of yourself. So the weight just snuck up on me. I ended up at 191. I started taking diet pills and lost 50 pounds. Stop taking it because of the chest pains. So the weight came back.

Then I krept up to 199. That was enough for me. I started the calorie counting and just eating right. Started to excercise with my mom and dad at the Y. I am now down to 186. I quit smoking and it has been 2 months since I quit.

Now I am at a road block. I just can't get motivated. I can't get myself to the gym. I know it is my own self to blame.

But I will get there. That was a promise I made to myself. I refuse to be this person that sits around and feels sorry for herself and looks for her husband's opinion to make her feel better about it.

So as of today I will be motivated to reach my goal. At least I am going to try my hardest.

My story...

I'm 29 - almost 30. Today is my 7th wedding anniversary. I have 4 kids under 6, which is why I'm as heavy as I am.

I was thin in high school. Too thin - I ate constantly, but was very active. I graduated at about 110lbs. Maybe. My first semester at college I got up over 130lbs and started trying to actively stay around 130lbs. I'm comfortable anywhere between 120 and 130. I have a small frame but hide my pounds well.

When I got pregnant with #1 I put on over 60lbs and it all just fell off within 6 months. I assumed the rest would be the same. #2 I put on just 24lbs and it took nearly 2 years to lose. Lots of walking at a new job and calorie reduction. #3 I put on about 40lbs and when he was 8 months old I started the Curves diet. Lost all but 9lbs, when I got pregnant again.

I'm now at my highest non-pregnant weight. About 162. I'm 2 weeks post-partum, but my weight has not changed since I left the hospital. Considering that I'm nursing and burning tons of calories that way, it's pretty sad I've been unable to lose anything. Unfortunately, I'm a bit too sedentary and eat waaaay too much. I eat out of boredom.

Anyway - so, just starting out, lofty goal. And there has never been a place I fit in. Because I carry this weight okay, people constantly give me crap about being on a diet. That I don't need to. That I'm already too skinny. Things like that. Hoping I can fit in here and get the support I need! I started a blog and am trying to update it constantly just to hold myself accountable.