Hello All,

I need to start losing weight and working on my fitness today, and need advice on the best ways to get started and stay focused. In the past, daily posting has helped me motivate to a goal (quiting smoking) so I'm looking for a community online here.

What do you recommend as a system to use 3FCs most efficiently? Aside from posing my journey, what options are there here?

I'm 46, and have 85 lbs to lose.

Much thanks

Welcome to 3FC =)

There are a lot of options around here. There are different support areas based on age, or amount to lose, as well as challenges or difficulties we face.

If you're interested in posting about your daily progress, I'd suggest joining a chatting thread and/or a challenge.

Join one or a dozen, doesn't matter =) You'll get to meet members, figure out how they're doing things, keep positive, and keep going forward.

There are even off-topic discussions (most of which take place in General Chatter), but there are specific diet plan threads under Diet Central. There's talk about food and exercise, too.

Sometimes I just sign on and hit the "new posts" tag at the top of the page to see what's going on recently.

You can always subscribe to threads if they catch your eye and you want to keep coming back to see them.

Best of wishes on your journey! And I hope to see you around

I ditto what lovely said. The challenges and support groups seem to help me the most. Its also a motivator moving from one thread to the other (getting out of the 270's, getting out of the 260's, etc) I recommend on the "way to get started" Write everything you eat down. You can even post a thread in here or start a blog on it (that's what I do) Get your own support thread going or get a few weight loss buddies together. The wonderful thing about 3fc is you can customize it to however it will work best for you

well, I happen to think the 100 lb Club is the best section , so you started off in a great place!!

agree with everyone else - just jump right in, and join the discussion and find threads/sections that speak to you and try to participate daily to hold yourself accountable.

I really love the challenges -I think I'm doing about 4 different ones right now!! lol! They are to set a goal to achieve within a given time frame, and while most people set weight loss goals, you can put what ever you want - staying on your eating plan, drinking enough water, exercising daily (or whatever fits your body and lifestyle). I am about to finish my first challenge on Sunday and aside from weight loss, I challenged myself to stay on plan for 10 weeks. It may be silly but there were time where I told myself that I was not going to eat something off plan because of that challenge.

So welcome, poke around and have fun and look forward to sharing this journey with you!

Big ditto here. Jump in, get involved, and have fun!

Thanks everyone - I've begun to "jump in" and feel more engaged. There is a lot of activity here!

As a relative newcomer, too, I just jump around a lot, but keep ending up back here at the 100 pound club threads. Lots and lots of support here! Welcome.

Lin