I find reading the boards encouraging. I am 3wks in and have lost 10lbs. I have 110 more pounds to go. It seems like the road ahead is so long. I've gotten part of the way in the past, but then fell off the wagon only to have to start all over again.

I'm 33 a single mom. I am diabetic, have high cholesterol and high blood pressure. I need to do this for my health and happiness. I'm single and also want to attract a guy to love me for me. I have so many goals sometimes I get lost in all of the madness.

I just need support and am happy to read the progress that you guys have made and I hope to do the same one day. I know I gotta stick with it, but am just anxious to get to the finish line.

Welcome and good luck with improving your health, you have made a good start.

Thank you. Your stats are inspirational. If you could give a person starting out a bit of advice, what would it be?

As some smart lady from this site (Annie I think) wrote to me once - go to the store and pick up a 10 lb. bag of flour - you'll really appreciate your weight loss that much more! It really helps to set smaller goals -5 or 10 lbs. at a time -so much more "doable" -while getting your mind off the long haul. One day at a time is how this process works... Good luck - L.

Thanks. I currently have a goal of 2lbs per week. I am happy if I make that goal each week. I know I have to take it one day at a time. My mind just wants to skip into the future. But I know that it's going to take some time. I have to be patient.

Welcome! You are off to a good start. I recommend that you not look at the big picture. Set 5 or 10 pound goals and celebrate when you make them. They add up before you know it!

You know....I've lost 10lbs and have never really celebrated it. I almost fell off the wagon last week after my doctor's appointment. I went to the gastro doctor who I hadn't seen since my 2009 colonoscopy. Well he mentioned that I really needed to get my weight down.(duh, like I didn't already know that.) So then proudly I exclaimed, " Well I've started eating better, and I've lost 10lbs" He then said, "You're still up 8lbs since your last appointment." That just took all the steam out of my joy. That comment made me feel really bad. I wanted to go and eat something that was not good for me. But I kept with it. I went a little off the road, but didn't go crazy. I'm proud of myself for that. In the past comments like that would make me go of course completely.

I'm in it to win it for myself.

Now you have me thinking how I'm going to celebrate losing 10lbs. Hum...

You're a better person than I am. I would have had a snarky comment at the ready: "Well, I could put those 10lbs back on, if you'd rather comment about my 18lbs weight gain". Ok, maybe I would have said it outloud, but I would have as soon as they left the room

10lbs IS good. Its 10 fewer lbs....its also 1/10 of the way to 100lbs.

Good luck to you!

Welcome and good luck!! That doctor is really a great motivator, huh? Don't worry about him - you're doing awesome and you're on your way! You're also right about being patient, which can be very tough at times. Keep posting!

Once in one of my past attempts when I lost ten pounds I displayed a 10 lb bowling ball in my kitchen. I was so proud of that bowling ball! And what a visual. I can now say I've lost 8 and half of those suckers. Wow.

My best advice is to just stick with it, no matter what. In all my past failed attempts, that was the one thing I was lacking. Persistence has been the absolute number one key for me, especially in face of the scale. I also fell in love with daily weighing for accountability. I find I actually obsess less when I weigh in every day.

Find a spot in your home that is out of the way. Gather empty containers, bricks, anything, and begin building a pile there. Make the pile reflect pound for pound how many lbs. you have lost. When you want to cheat spend 3 minutes just looking at (or picking up) this pile. Better the mess in the floor than on your body.

Oh I love the idea of displaying a bowling ball!!! Blessings on your journey!

Thank you guys. I'm hurting right now. I just found out that my cousin died of a massive heart attack. She was like an older sister. I can't believe this.

I so sorry for you. Please accept my condolences.