[mmaxwell07]

Hello!

I'm not terribly eloquent or organized when it comes to introductions, so I apologize for that in advance. My name is Miranda and I'm 21 years old. I've been chubby since I was 7, but my weight really spiraled out of control when I hit puberty. I gained about 40 lbs between the age of 10 and 13 even though I was a fairly active kid and rode my bike almost every day, so I got depressed about my weight. I still continued to gain throughout high school in spite of the fact that I walked and rode my bike miles all over town. The summer after I turned 16, I got down to 143 lbs (from 170-ish) by spending most of my time on a treadmill and eating a meal once every three days, but that was obviously not a sustainable way to live and I gained the weight back within weeks.

When I met my husband at 17, I was 175 lbs. Right after I turned 18, I was diagnosed with PCOS, a reproductive condition that also has the added "benefit" of making it near impossible to lose weight. The doctor refused to address my concerns about having children after marriage because I was "too young" at 18 in her opinion. I got married shortly after, holding out hope that we could still have a family one day. Well, here I am 3 years later, still fat and childless.

The worst part is perhaps the fact that I've already been halfway to my goal weight, but have started gaining weight back because I have no support. Not even my husband motivates me to push through. I have no one to go jogging or riding bikes with me and the idea of working out alone turns me off completely. The few times my husband has agreed to go with me, the weather turns to crap by the time he's out of work for the day. I'm frustrated and discouraged. I guess that's why I'm here.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I feel marginally better just sharing my story and I look forward to getting to know you all and your journeys. Let's be each other's #1 fans and cheer each other to the finish line!

[LesMillsLuvr]

Hi Miranda,

I know what you mean about the exercising alone thing. My friends are good friends, but they very rarely do active things and since I've started seriously making an effort (since mid-Feb) I've had to find a way to do it for myself. I don't know if this would work for you, but for me I've found that group exercise classes are wonderful. The first time I went, I didn't know a soul, but that changed very quickly. I think the reason is that people joining in on a class have something in common and are there for the same reason - to get more fit. Maybe try a beginner's yoga class to get your feet wet? Everyone is a newbie in beginner classes and a good few are probably just as unnerved as you might feel.

I was lucky enough to find a club that has a variety of classes to try and a clientele of welcoming people of all ages. I'm neither the youngest nor oldest, and I'm neither the smallest or biggest. I'm just one of a group that wants to be better than I am right now.

Good luck with your journey and I hope you can find the thing that works for you - just keep trying different stuff until something clicks

Laura

[mmaxwell07]

Hello Laura! I see you're from Michigan. I grew up in the Battle Creek area.

I admit I got distracted for a while, Googling exercise classes and various gyms. The closest places offering classes are in the city, which is a 3 hour round trip. Living in a small town in the middle of nowhere has its benefits, but I really hate it sometimes!

Great idea regardless. Thank you for suggesting it.

[LesMillsLuvr]

Hahaha you're in Texas but grew up in Michigan, I'm in Michigan but was born in Texas :P

Yeah, small town makes it harder to do a group thing. That's a shame because you might have enjoyed it. Any interest in doing it at home? I know you don't like the alone aspect, but if you ever wanted to try it, there are free online workouts. I've done a couple when I couldn't make the drive to the club. Here's the one I tried - you can search the hundreds of options by narrowing it to difficulty level or areas of the body or whether or not you need any "equipment": http://www.fitnessblender.com/v/full-length-workouts/

[gonyeka]

Hi Miranda,
Im a new member too looking for some support. I understand what your saying about your husband. Mine says that he will go out walking with me, or hiking at the nature center, but he ends up too busy or too tired to go when I want. I know he means well but he doesn't follow through because his weight isnt even an issue. Working full time is also a limitation for me having a desk job. Back when I used to work retail I was up walking all the time. But when I started this job 5 years ago I have gained 60 lbs since.

[Suzanne 3FC]

Hello, welcome to 3FC Exercise has been shown to have a more substantial effect on PCOS than diet, so it's great that you are interested in finding a way to motivate yourself to do it more even if you do it alone.

I'm quite the opposite, because I love to work out alone I consider it my private time. I always have my mp3 player and listen to really good music that I reserve for my treadmill or elliptical. I use the time to mentally wind down and escape, and I daydream. Maybe approaching it that way might help you look forward to working out more?

Good luck!

[mmaxwell07]

Laura - That's funny, we switched places! Haha. I've actually been trying a site called FreeTrainers that isn't too bad... have you tried that one? I wonder if FitnessBlender is better. I'll give it a try! (On the plus side, I was highly motivated by the disgusting condition of the house yesterday and went on an all-day cleaning spree! Today I feel better looking at the place AND I lost a pound since last Wednesday!)

gonyeka - I know what you're saying about retail and walking. That's how I managed to keep up the weight loss so long... working myself ragged at Walmart! I gained 6 lbs back after quitting less than a month ago. Honestly, I wish I could've stayed if only for the benefit of constant exercise, but that and the money couldn't make up for how frustrating that particular store was (you'd think it was run by a 3-year-old!). I wish I had some sage advice to offer about your husband but mine played guitar all day instead of going out for a walk with me, so I'll just say you have my support and feel free to PM me anytime!

Suzanne - Thank you for the warm welcome! I did treat myself to an iPod for my birthday this year, so I'm going to try to adopt your private music time mindset for my workouts. Thanks again, what a great tip!