I weigh 280 pounds, probably more after the Thanksgiving meal I ate! Anyway, in August I'm going to travel to India and I'd like to lose at least 60 pounds, or 65 pounds, half of my ultimate goal of losing 130 pounds.

Anyway, I'll be riding my bike into town (50 minutes or so) and back 4 times a week and eating healthfully. I was riding my bike into town and back for a few weeks before my bicycle was stolen, and funds are tight right now, but I'll buy a new one soon! Now, the eating healthy part I dunno about

I heard it's possible to lose 2 pounds a week, but I don't think I've ever lost a pound in my life (i've never dieted!) so I dunno.

I'm just looking for some encouragement, I'm pretty scared about travelling abroad at almost 300 pounds, so hopefully I can get down to 220.

You can totally do this! I am looking to lose about the same amount of weight by the end of June. Keep in touch, post your progress and stay motivated!

I think it's possible!! In fact if I lose 60 pounds by August I'll be a very happy camper! haha I'm with you though, before I started this last time trying to lose weight, I didn't lose anything (never stuck with it long enough to lose anything!) but now I did. Not much, but it's something.

This board will really help you with the support and motivation you need!! If you come here everyday or maybe every other day and post, or heck just browse the boards then you'll wanna get right up and exercise!!

Sorry about your bike also People are horrible!!

It is totally possible. Good Luck!

60 pounds by August is doable- it would mean losing an average of 1 1/2 -2 pounds, which is a healthy rate. Are you going to college? I know at the university I went to for grad school, they have a great program for 'recycling' various items by reselling them at their surplus store (you never know what they will have, from the floor of the basketball court to computers, GYN exam tables, dorm couches, microscopes, golf cart...its unbelievable some of the stuff that shows up there). At my university, they always have tons of bikes- ones that get abandond or don't have a proper bike permit that don't get reclaimed get sold. Of course some are in better shape then other, but its possible to find some pretty good ones for not a lot of $$$. They usually have days they're open to the public for sales, so even if you aren't a student at a particular univeristy, you should still be able to make a purchase. Just a thought to get you back biking.

Now for traveling abroad as a plus sized person- I did it twice...once to London for a semester in my undergrad & to Dublin, Ireland for half a year for my Masters degree intership. One thing is certain- you will come back much thinner & much more in shape...you'll be amazed by how much walking you will do- and how easy it will be by the time you leave, even if it isn't when you first get there. My first week in Dublin, it took me 45 minutes to an hour to walk the 1 1/4 miles to my main work site...and I thought I was going to die (...in my defence, they were having unusually bad weather with snow & ice...Irish are use to lots of rain, but they don't know what to do with the frozen version). By the time I was leaving several months later, I realized I hadn't taken any pictures of the outside of the main building- I ran up there and back in less then 30 minutes and thought nothing of it. Well, actually I did think about it- I actually wanted to get a good walk in since I was going to be stuck on a plane for way too many hours. Pretty different from when I was flying out, and used the 'moving sidewalk' at the airport to conserve energy.

Have fun with your trip- I wouldn't give up the experience for anything.

Oh yes You can do it!! I lost 74 pds in 8 months! Just don't forget to exercise and it will come off!! Good Luck!

Yep! You can do it. You do need to pick a plan and stick with it. But it can be done. With that said, you need to understand that everyone is different and we all lose at different rates. Since it sounds like you are kinda new to dieting, You might have to change things up for a while to see what really works for you. The combination of calories needed / exercise required is a little different for everyone. But you have come to the right place for support!

WELCOME!!

Thanks for your replies everyone! I'm really looking forward to losing all this weight, and I think this forum will be a big help!

I'm glad to hear that my goal for August isn't unrealistic! ~~Sunshine~~, that is amazing 74 pounds!!

christineu - I live near a college so I'll look into that. If not, I've hinted (read - told everyone in my family they better chip in and get me a bike!) about wanting a bike for chirstmas, so who knows! I should get a lock too, huh?

Jacobsmommy - thanks for the welcome

You can definitely do it - I've got through about 75 of the 85lb I've lost since March which works out at roughly 2lb per week, so it is possible to sustain that rate of loss over a long period.

I travelled plenty at my highest weight. Unfortunately though, travelling helped me get there in the first place as I spent 4 months in the US. It's true what they say, your portions really are bigger than the ones over here!

Ren - yes you can yes you can yes you can!!! and since you've never dieted, this should go fairly smoothly, as long as you stick with your program [which sounds very sensible].

and you have wonderful motivation1!!! india is HOT, and no place for a seriously overweight person [just another factor that played into my own decisions - i love to travel and i find asia fascinating, but it's just not feasible at 500 pounds!]

I agree with everyone else. 60 pounds is definitely feasible. Just stick with your eating program, your exercise routine sounds great and you'll do it.

This site is great. It keeps on on track so don't be a stranger.

I recommend a Specialized Hybrid for about $300. I bought one a few months ago and I love it. It's built differently than a mountain or road bike so you are sitting more upright. I have found that it's much more comfortable for commuting.

Welcome Ren!

Yes, 60lb is possible to lose in 8 or 9 months. You just have to really commit to it and let nothing stop you from reaching your goal. I found that my weight loss was slow to start with because my metabolism was so slow from years of yo yo dieting, but once that kicked in my weight loss really sped up (apart from my 8 week plateau, but we won't talk about that!)

Good luck - I always imagine India to be a beautiful country to visit!

Love Amanda x

Hi and welcome I agree that it is totally doable.