I have been over weight most of my adult life. There was a period in time about 4 years ago when I lost 70lb (not quite reaching my goal) but the reasons behind this were because someone else insisted I lose it. consequently I have gained most of this back- Not all of it I hasten to add!!!
I have now ditched the reason for losing in the past - they were no good for me. and following lots of hard work, my life has changed immensely for the better and I am so happy with all aspects of it apart from my size. This gets me really down I feel old before my time and never feel that I look good.

The turning point came when my son was picked for the local football team. He has been training for a while but my partner takes him. He then got picked for the first team and had his first match a couple of weeks ago. I went along to support him and he played really well. The problem I had was the other mums. They were all stood at the side of the pitch cheering the team on, jumping up and down as they scored. Perfect figures, made up with not a hair out of place. clothes from the stores I only dream of at shopping in as there clothes won't fit me.

Then it hit me - I can be like them!!!!! If not better!!! If I can turn my life around as much as I have already I can take the final steps to making it perfect.

I started my personal weight loss challenge the very same day. I weighed my self and decided that I need to drop 72lb to get to my goal and to start an exercise routine to improve my health, strength and stamina.

It's now 2 weeks in and 7lb of that total has gone already. Iam already starting to feel the benifits of the daily exercise and my motivation is still going strong.

The first change happened at the weekend I have had my hair restyled and have decided to grow it longer.

Just these changes have already made me feel better about myself and the new me is starting to emerge from the excess baggage carried round for years

Good for you!!!! You sound like you have Great Motivation and are heading in the right direction too. 7lbs is a great start . Root-root-root!! Cheer-cheer-cheer!!!!

Great job! I know how you feel. I'm not the only heavy one at the school our church owns (pre-K and K only) or at the one my older son goes to...but dang I feel like it. One of the moms at my younger's school is a teacher at Bally Fitness. She comes in on her way to work but still her hair looks like I've always wanted (straight and thick...mine is very curly and because of the seizure medication it has really thinned) and she has on make-up and looks better than I do when I'm all dressed up to go out to dinner with my husband. I'm not as good as you...I find it depressing and have a hard time using it as motivation rather than an "I'll just always be the fat one" sort of reaction. It doesn't help that the majority of them can hire nannies or babysitters and go to the gym all the time. I'm hoping to get a membership to the Y, but the only reason we'll be able to afford it is that we are going to factor in a couple years worth into the settlement with the car insurance (severely rear-ended) because my doctor told me to start swimming. I am sort of living for the day my youngest will be in school 5 days a week...ie., next September. So...just know you have an admirer...I wish I could use "those women" as motivation like you do...that is fantastic.

oh2bethintoo... Now you've got it!! If you look at this as a lifestyle change and just enjoy life WHILE losing weight instead of waiting until the weight is lost to be "you"... it makes it seem so much simpler.

I too got my hair colored and cut and I feel like a million! So many of us have previously dieted and thought "When I get to goal, I'm going to McDonalds first thing..." Now when I think of goal, I think "When I get to goal, I'm not going to change a thing. I'll just keep doing what I'm doing."

I decided this time that I was no longer going to cry over food. I was no longer going to alienate myself from my family for food. I remember many times on a diet sitting at the dinner table eating a salad while my family had spaghetti or fried chicken or one of my other faves... and I would go into my room to cry. When I was on Nutrisystem, I ate alone so I didn't have to look at what they were eating... and I would go into my room to cry.

Then it hit me... I wasn't crying because I was alone or eating differently. I was crying because I couldn't wait to get to goal so I could eat what they were eating and then... I'd just gain the weight back again!! I knew that I couldn't do what I was doing for the rest of my life. I needed something that I could live with permanently. Something that allowed for life, like parties and holidays and something that would allow for some screw ups without making me feel like a failure.

So now I eat breakfast sensibly, granola cereal, fruit and yogurt, a WW smart Ones for lunch with a salad, and afternoon snack of fruit, yogurt or both and dinner with my family. Whatever they eat, I eat. I measure my portions and make sure I log everything into sparkpeople and then have 100 calorie snack bag or a WW ice cream or something.

I don't feel deprived and it seems to be working.

I am so proud of you that you are really doing this this time! Way to go girl!!
If you need support, I'm here! My ID on sparkpeople is poppyseeds too so you can add me as a friend if you want to and we can keep in touch...