Hi Ladies,

I'm 27, and am on this weight journey for the umpteenth time. I have spent most of my 20s up or down by a 30ibs-40ibs point swing. It started when I was 17 and had my thyroid removed due to Grave's Disease, and just never got better, even when they regulated my hormones synthetically. The thing is, I used to eat terribly when I had a thyroid in overdrive, and have never unlearned those bad habits - I've developed this relationship with food that has clearly proven hard to break.

I'm sitting here in my apartment, on a saturday night, having a glass of wine and doing some writing and reflecting, and started feeling terrible: like I've wasted almost all of my 20s with this weight stuff. I am 216ibs, and my goal weight is 165isb - if I lose 1 pound a week consistently it will take a YEAR to get to goal - and we all know that it isn't that linear. That would put me well into my 28th year...

All of that food, in the moment, felt fun and indulgent and like I deserved it - whether it was pizza, ice cream, pasta, cookies. For a long time it just felt fun - like an expression of joy and life. But now, it feels like a trap. And I wish I could take it all back. And that I've just wasted so. much. time.

So much of my life.

Thanks for letting me vent and have a pity party - I suppose this kind of overly indulgent self reflection is a direct result of Tori Amos and red wine...

Well, don't lose heart everyone starts somewhere. If it makes you feel better I have roughly the same amount of weight to lose. Today I was terrible and ate badly. But I recently did some research on diabetes and I know I don't want to go there...so I'll keep my head up and soldier on. As to your life well , the time for living is now. Don't let your weight be the dictator holding you back from the life you want and desire.

Oh hun! I can totally understand. But looking at the past with regret is useless. You need to focus on the present and the future. Live life to the fullest. You can make the next twenty years AWESOME!!!!

I'm sorry you are feeling so down but I am glad you came here for support I think the most important part of weight loss is forgiving yourself as quickly as possible. You sound angry at yourself for gaining the weight (and I totally understand that) but if you don't forgive yourself, every workout will sound like a punishment to yourself instead of a celebration.

Think of the incredible person you will be 15 years from now. How awesome do those 30's look!?!? You can't take back the pounds lost, but you don't have to look at it like a life failure either. I am sure you have accomplished so much in your 20's, regardless of your weight. If weight is now the biggest goal for you, the time is now.

We all believe in you and it's okay to have the odd pity party. Let your anger fuel your hate fire and remember that yes, weight gain sucks, but self loathing sucks the most.

I totally get this. I'm the same age and have only lost 100 of the 250 I need to. It's daunting. And you feel like you missed so much. But life isn't even close to over. We have so much to look forward too!

oh i know the feeling hun... (i'm actually 30 but not leaving the 20's forum cuz i am well immature enough to belong here ) and i've felt like that a bunch of times...

the important thing is... yes, it's gonna be one long year if you stick to it. but think what will happen if you give up? you'll be sitting there at 28 with your wine, and thinking the same old thing... and wishing you had done something about it. then again at 29, then again at 30. I wish i had done something about it for real when i was younger... but i'm doing something about it now, which is better than nothing at all!!

there are also things that have happened in your life until now that i'm sure you like. people you've met, experiences you've had, that i'm sure would not have happened if you had been skinny. at least, there are for me, and if i think hard about it, i'm glad those things happened and wouldn't want them taken away, so saying your 20's were "wasted" is not entirely true

anyways, good luck with everything, and you can do it!!!

Thanks, all - I appreciate the words of support. It really is amazing how just writing your feelings down and making them public among people who share your struggles can help. It really lifts the burden off of your shoulders in a way.

I really appreciate it!

Well I can't say much because I'm just about to be 22, but I haven't even lost any of my weight! I've spent the last year wrestling with attempts to lose. I tried and failed, spent a lot of time doing some soul searching, realized I have uncontrollable cravings and I've spent the last few months trying to figure out the best way to control them. So far I'm being lead towards a paleo type diet, because I notice my cravings are best controlled and overeating is avoided that way...

but that doesn't mean it's easy. I have to overhaul my pantry, take a good long look at my habits, find new recipes and decide if this is something I can stick to. Besides that there's the matter of exercise and I'm also dealing with trying to become a full-time student, part-time employee instead of the other way around...

I feel like my college years are being spent battling this weight issue that I wish I could've conquered when I was 17, 18, 19...so I could've started college at a healthier weight.

But even if it takes me into my 30's, 40's or 50's there's nothing that will make me stop searching for health! Honestly? 30 is not old. 40 isn't even old. 50 might be getting there but definitely not ancient....as long as I have my wits about me I will not stop trying to be healthy and happy.

Haven't you seen those awesomely old yoga masters? Or super buff old people who practice martial arts?

There's no reason to keel over yet! You've got 60 or more years, hopefully!

I'm 37 and heading straight to my 40s. What I wouldn't give to go back to 27 to get my life and weight in order to enjoy my 30s! Well, I did enjoy my 30s and gained most of this weight!

When people used to tell me it was easier to lose weight in your 20s than when you get older, I wish I believed them. Take my advice, do it now and have no regrets!

Good luck. Most of us have been where you are right now, you can do this!

I feel the same, when i was 20- 21 i lost a lot of weight, now at 28 iīm on my heaviest ever, and i really want this to change today, we canīt go back in time so we have to ensure we enjoy the years that are coming.

Yeah I feel you. I am 29. 30 in October and in reflecting I too feel like I have wasted my 20's. Not too say that its been all bad. I got a wonderful glorious son out of it. But last year I hit my highest weight 320 and I am trying my best to get back down. I am trying to make my 30's better.
I see it like this... our 20's are supposed to be about growth and exploration. Its that time were we are supposed to try new things and come into our own/find out who we are. Its a time for us to make mistakes and truly deal with out our consequences.
Its the lessons that we learn and the experiences that we have now that we take with us to make better choices in the future.

Do something now so that it's only your 20s you waste (or feel you waste). I wasted my twenties and thirties. Do better for you than that!

OMG!!! I could have written this!!!

I'm 27 and I was (do) feeling exactly what you are saying!!! I was already 27 on July 1st when I started my weight loss journey. I started at 217 (though my heaviest was a year before that at 229!!!) AND as you can see by my handle name I gave myself 1 year to make myself over. My thinking was the same as yours, that I have wasted so much of my 20's and I wanted to be hot at 28! Well guess what! I'm in the low 170's now (and I see that your goal is 165) and I feel great! I went shopping for dresses yesterday and they all looked good, and I felt young and happy and I'm not even near my goal weight (but I'm a lot shorter than you).

So it is possible. I'm only seven months into my year, I started at the same weight as you and I am now near your goal weight. I've had months where I didn't lose and got lazy, all of that, and still seven months later here I am! You can do it!!!

The time will pass anyway, so you might as well work for it even if it's one pound a week or even less! You'll get there!

AND here is the last bit of good news... Yes, you'll be 28 (by my 28th birthday in April I'm hoping to not be overweight according to the BMI chart anymore), but it doesn't feel any worse to be at goal weight at 28. Would I have liked to be this weight a few years back instead of now? Sure, of course, but I also prefer to be this weight now that be the weight I was now or next year or the year after! All is not lost!

Good luck!!! I'm wishing you all the best from the bottom of my heart!!!!

Parting words are from my favourite quote: A year from now you will wish you started today!

I just turned 26 this past fall, and I have been trying to get a handle on this weight loss journey since 2010. I hit my heaviest ever(291 at the doc office weigh in) in 2008, and had been saying I was going to do something about it for 2 years! before I finally started. It has been a struggle and I was on again off again, losing and regaining a lot between 2010 and 2012.

I know its said a lot, but everyone is different. For whatever reason this last "on again" is actually starting to work compared to previous times where I just went in circles. There are a few things, be it very small things, I am doing different this time but I guess I just finally found what works best for my body.

I wont be at my goal weight until I'm well into 27 years old. At first it was all about the scale number for me, but once you start dropping it will change. It wont be so much about the scale, while you will still care, you will be happier just because you are able to fit into smaller clothes. You will start to look healthier and feel healthier. Im not sure when I stopped obsessing over the scale-it took me a good 20 or 30lbs to stop frustrating myself so much with numbers.

I guess what Im trying to say is while I wish immensely that I would have figured this thing out the first time I tried, I am just proud of myself that even through all the ups and downs with the scale I NEVER gave up. I might of took a break for a few months but I NEVER gave up.

I only lose about 4-5lbs a month. It is slow and very frustrating at times but it adds up and you just have to keep trying til you find what works best for you and your body. Anytime I am having a bad day even if my weight is slightly up by a 1lb or 2, because we all fluctuate(especially durring TOM) -I just tell myself "You are lower to today then you have been in years! Keep going you can do this!"

I understand how you feel! I just turned 27 and started my weight loss journey two months ago. So far so good. However, when we talk about "wasting our 20s" I feel that way about my life until I start to think about all the other things I have accomplished!

I met someone who loves me no matter what I weigh (which was a very tough thing to find), got my M.Sc., started my Ph.D, became really close with my family, moved to a brand new city and made some new friends, started my weight loss journey, lost 10 pounds already..... the list goes on and on.

My point is I think we have to take into account all the other amazing things (whether they be small or big accomplishments) and realize that our weight shouldn't always govern how we view the rest of our lives.

I know you say that in a year you will be 28 and only then will you start viewing your life as "not wasted" because you have have some weight loss. If you want to view your life this way, just think that from this point on you are no longer wasting your 20s! You are doing something towards not wasting your 20's right now! Be proud! Also, you will have 2 more years in your 20's to be healthy!