Hi there!

I've lurked around the website a few times, but I thought I'd finally sign up and say hello. I'm a recovering fat chick. Stepped on the scale last March and was more than a little upset at the results. But, I'm on track. What I do know is I like a support system online, so I thought I'd say hello here.

I can say I'm very proud of how far I've come since last March, and I think I'm doing well with sticking to it. I need to learn to motivate myself to exercise though. I have a lot of trouble with that. I don't want to reach my goal weight and still feel unhealthy and jiggly.

One goal is I just bought my wedding dress yesterday. Hence the name. The wedding is at the end of May, and I'm hoping to be 15-20 pounds closer to goal, which I think is achievable. I know that weight loss tends to slow down the closer one gets to goal, so I'm counting on support when I get frustrated with the scale!

Anyway, late night, I'm signing off. Talk again soon!

Reddress.

Hi Reddress -
Congrats to you on finding the perfect man and the perfect dress. I'm
getting married next Sunday (18th) and found a great dress, but certainly
not the size I'd like! Despite it all, he still loves me and treats me like a
princess. This too is my first day and I'm looking for inspiration here. Sounds like you've made great progress -- I'd love to hear hints along the way!
Nice to meet you!
Joanne

Welcome to you both and congratulations on the upcoming weddings. I am just restarting after a period of stress that coused unhealthy food to jump on my plate and right into my mouth.Red you have done great so far and I am sure you will make your goal.Joanne looks like you have a great guy in your life I know you can make progress, too. Hope your wedding day is wonderful and everything you want it to be.Good luck to you both

Hi and welcome. For exercise just start. Walk do whatever you can for at least 30 minutes a day. Some people say 60 minutes, some say 90 minutes. I do believe in 90 minutes myself. I do 90 minutes - 2 hours 5 days a week and 30 minutes on saturday and sunday. The point is to get moving. you will feel so much better if you do. Then the days you skip it you won't feel so great. They say it takes 21 days to develop a habit. Give yourself that challenge and try to make 21 days in a row you will be surprised on your outlook.

Well, hello everyone. I have also been looking for some inspiration. I had my second child a year ago this Valentine's day and just feel blah. I suppose since I am nearing a year, it is time to get it together. My oldest child is almost 3 (April Fool's Day- no kidding). I think I just need a jump start to feeling better. It isn't so much that I am extremely overweight, I weigh 149 and am 5'4. I just feel unhealthy. And from lugging 2 kids around, I am having back and neck pain. I have found it very easy to make excuses to not work out... too busy, nap time, it's cold, whatever. I need to do something. How did you all figure out your goal weight? I think by the "chart" I am supposed to be 115- 120 lbs. I don't think that that is realistic for me. Not without starving myself. And even if I got there, I don't think that I could maintain that weight.

Wanttobea.....on the weight charts I have seen a healthy weight for 5'4 is between 114 and 145.Good luck

I should clarify. Probably not a great idea to have a sarcastic username. All of my girlfriends joke about the unobtainable size 4. That is where the name comes from. Hopefully I can get to a size 8 that is where I will be comfortable. I did a little more research after my last entry and figured out my BMI. Thanks so much for the reply. I am anxious to have some support to lose these next 25 pounds.

wanttobea4, I think the handle is really fun! Just please please please, don't get caught with the BMI as the be all and end all of weight loss. It doesn't take enough into account, like muscle. Look at your body fat %, and work on getting that number down, but I know people who are classed as obese on the BMI, and they're solid muscle. Silly silly system.

There are dozens of charts and calculators available. It's enough to drive a woman crazy. You'll know when you get to a manageable size and weight. You'll feel good. You'll look good. Clothing will fit. Goals need to be flexible.

reddress makes a very good point about body composition. 130 lbs with 30% body fat is not as small at 130 lbs with 23% body fat. Lean muscle is much nicer and tighter looking.

BTW ... I wear size 4's, even with a few pounds of winter flub.

Susan, exactly!! When I started my weight loss journey, I was wearing size 20s. Now I'm quite comfortably into the 12 range. And on Friday I was paid the most hilarious compliment I've ever heard, while wedding dress shopping. The clerk had me try on a dress so we could see the colour or style, but I couldn't get it to hang right over the thighs. I asked her what size it was.

"It's a size 8 my dear. And you do not have a size 8 bottom. What you do have though is a size 8 waist."

My friend and I just about fell over we were laughing so hard at that one. I can't remember the last time I was a size 8 ANYTHING!

I'm brand new at this... I just finished reading about 3fatchicks in the "O" magazine. I've got a fabulous husband, 3 beautiful children and yet my current weight is reallly bringing me dowwwwnnnn. I joined WW after my third child was born and lost 30 pounds. At that time I needed to lose another 30. Since then (my baby just turned 4), I've put that weight back on plus another 10 pounds. I know what I need to do!! I just am not motivated at all right now.