Hello All,

I found 3FC over a year ago, when I wanted to start my weight loss journey, unfortunately, I didn't stick with it, and I have been yoyo dieting off and on since then. I decided to get back on the wagon, cause I have been feeling so down, blaming myself etc. Surprisinly I just remembered my 3fc screen name and password, it felt like I was mean't to come back. I have spent the last few hours reading different posts, and I am excited to start this journey again. I am 26, been overweight my entire life, and have over 100 pounds to loose. I have been lucky that my weight hasn't kept me from doing what I need to do, but lately, I realize that I am not living my "best life" It's like I have gotten used to things, rationalized things and made excuses for my weight.

I am the type that skips meals all day, and then binges at night. I am a closet eater, I literally eat nothing all day, sometimes even water, but will consume a very heavy dinner around 10 pm or even later. Yet I wonder why I am Morbidly Obese. I know all the right things, but can't seem to them. I have been dieting since I was 7, when my parents started me on Slimfast. At 12, my parents had my teeth wired, so I could eat less. I have been to a dietician, tried the ADA diet, tried Atkins, joined Bally's Gym, Joined LA fitness gym nothing. I even had the Gastric band, lost maybe 40 pounds, 23 the first 10 days, becuase I was only eating Jello, but have since gained it all back and more. Part of me wishes I did Gastric Bypass instead, but another part knows, that maybe I would have gained it all back, but unlike the band, the bypass is irreversible.

Why am I saying all this, I don't know. I just felt like being honest with myself today. After lulling around in bed all day and feeling like crap. I am sought of confused on where to start, what to do, but I know I have to do something. This time, I will take it one day at a time, not put so much pressure on myself and expect instant results.

So to me and my first day!!!

My best tip would be to stop dieting full-stop. Take the phrase "on a diet" out of your brain. A lot of people here do different methods, the one I am doing is following a calorie-counting and exercise plan, which works well but the weight comes off slower than on a "fad diet", which is good. There are many online calculators that will help you calculate your caloric needs, or if you can afford it, see a nutritionist who will help you determine a healthy eating plan. Starving yourself all day and binging at night isn't very good. You're body will be in starvation mode and then will hold onto anything that is consumed later in the day. Rather than thinking about losing weight quickly, focus instead on the nutrients you are putting in your body and how you are increasing your health.

It sounds like your parents ingrained in you that your self-worth lies with your weight. I hope I'm not overstepping my boundaries, but talking to someone like a therapist is helpful towards overcoming issues that hamper weight loss. And this board is absolutely FABULOUS for tips, support, inspiration, etc.

I wish you all the best with your weight loss and I know you will succeed at this!

I'm glad you're here and I hope you stick around. This is a great place for support, encouragement and advice.

Sounds like you've had a rough go of it. I'm sorry for that. I'm happy to hear that you're ready and willing to make some changes so that you can live your best life possible. That's exciting.

Do you have some kind of plan in place? Something to help you reach your goals?

For me, I find it is essential to map out my food schedule IN ADVANCE. No leaving something so vital up in the air. Knowing what I'm eating ahead of time takes away a lot of the worrying about what I should - and shouldn't eat.

You mention that you don't eat much during the day. I hope that's one of the habits that you will be working on. I find it really, really important to eat through out the day, every 2 - 2 1/2 hours in fact, so that I avoid getting too hungry, and don't go overboard.

I also need something to keep me in line. Something to keep my food consumption in check. Something to guide me. And that would be calorie counting. It's built in accountability and portion control. Also wanting to get the most for my calorie budget, it's taught me a lot about nutrition and what's good for me - and what isn't. Counting my calories instantly made my food choices better. Fitday.com is a good place to track your calories.

I wish you all the best as you start on this wonderful journey towards good and optimal health. Stick around, ask questions, get excited, get moving and let the games begin....

Welcome sweety So glad you are posting, and hope you keep posting. Hugs.

Welcome This board is an awesome support system and I hope to see you on here more!

Robin pretty much summed up what I was going to say

Welcome aboard!!

You can totally do this. This site has made a huge difference for me - and I've been on less than a month. I have found lots of support.

The only thing that ever worked for me was Weight Watchers. I never joined - a friend gave me her old supplies. I did it several years ago and it went well and then I stopped. I have been back on the wagon 3 weeks and I have lost over 7lbs.

You can do this. Your honesty is inspiring and being open, for me, has made a huge difference. Have you thought of doing a blog? You can check mine out - it's in my profile. It's been wonderful.

Hi hon, like some others here I calorie count, I use sparkpeople.com

here are some of the calorie counting sites

www.sparkpeople.com
www.thedailyplate.com
www.fitday.com

and I THINK www.calrorieking.com

they are all the same while all being a little different, find the one that is EASIEST/most user friendly for you, if you so chose to go that route, because I know a lot of people irl who have quit becauset he method wasn't user friendly enough, but there are many options out there if that is a route you'd like to take.

You will find endless help and support, motivation and inspiration on this board. Please, stick around. even when you fall off the wagon. I fell off and mostly left this site for 3 months, I missed the girls dearly, but I knew they would hold me accountable so I stayed away, I know now not to do that next time so that I can jump and/or get PUSHED back onto the wagon as soon as I slip up!

welcome! and congrats on the decision to make a better life for yourself.

wanted to say welcome and good luck too! what a bundle of stuff you've gone through! hang in there!

I was listening to U2 at the gym yesterday, love the line: You don't have to go it alone. And you don't.

Hello and Welcome! Start walking, its the best and cheap. I am an advid walker. You can do this and will feel much better!! Best of luck to you!

Hi oseybaby! And Welcome! You have been through a lot, but you can definitely turn your life around. Starting right now. Stick around and read and post lots - it really helps. Where the mind goes the body will follow.

thanks ladies, you guys really are awesome, I wasn't expecting anyone to evevn pay attention to me. I think this time, I will try the calorie counting and maybe meal delivery programs (cause I have no clue about healthy eating, portion control etc), then slowly move to independent cooking. I will try to incorporate 20 minutes of exercise and slowly build up from there. I think my mistake in the past, was excessive calorie restriction and jumping into 30minutes to 1 hour of exercise and then giving up quickly.

I will definately stick around this board, and have already bookmarked this page, thanks a lot ladies

welcome

Welcome This is a great board for support and suggestions.

I think starting slow can be a good idea. Focus on creating habits that will result in long term health, rather than obsessing about what the scale will say tomorrow.

Also, reading your history, I can't imagine going through that without developing an unhealthy relationship with food. I'm guessing that you emotionally eat, and that can be really hard to overcome. For that reason, I strongly recommend journalling, or a blog, or even therapy. It was only when I started seriously questioning why I ate they way I did that I managed to stop binging and sabotaging myself.

Good luck

I'm new here too and can identify with everything you said. I tend to be lazy and on weekends and really whenever I can get away with it, I can happily lie down all day with a book and my computer in bed and the tv remote next to me and only get up for meals (maybe) and bathroom breaks. At New Years I was at my highest weight ever of 275lbs and I kind of freaked out and got serious till about March by which time I'd lost about 25lbs in the 8wks and was about 252lbs. Then I kind of got tired of it and complacent and just gave up and subsequently gained 5lbs back between March and July.
About two weeks ago, I was really depressed and just in a funk and I happened on this girl's blog who had started dieting and exercising in January around when I had and I was so mad at myself and so jealous because she had lost all this weight (like 65lbs) and I felt like I could have done that too if I had just stuck to it. I'm not reconciled to being fat forever which is why I obsess about it even when I'm not doing anything about it.
So this time I'm determined. I'm joining all the challenges and goal things I can so that I feel I'm working towards something and like I'm not alone in this. Everyone here is so inspirational, like you see the pictures and the signature tickers and how much weight they've lost and its like you feel you can do it too. And you can. And I can. So WE can! So cheers to you on your new beginning!!!!