...of failing. Hey there! My screen name isn't my current weight status, but a nickname I had as a newborn: I was 10-weeks premature! Anyway, I'd love for that nickname to return, however I've started forums, tried diets, tried the gym but always give up 2-3 weeks in. I'm terrified that I'll never truly commit to a lifestyle change and remain overweight and unhealthy. I'm 27 and am currently 175 lbs. at 5'4". My goal weight is 130. Any support or tips for maintaining will power would be great! Thanks all, see you around...

Hi Tina, and welcome to 3FC!

Stick around, read as much as you can. Find something that works for you and stick to it. There are sub-forums here for just about every type of weight loss plan, so read, read, read and learn.

Oh, and we'll kick you in the butt if we think you need it.

I know that "terrified of failing" feeling... just the fact you're here shows you're battling your fears, so... You Go Girl!!!

This is a great place for support and advice. I'm new here too, and find that looking through the forums really helps. (Especially the success stories and before/after photos). The free diet blog is a great tool to use, I love it to track my progress and get my thoughts/feelings down about the whole weight loss journey.

Hope this was helpful. Welcome aboard!

Welcome Tina! You and I have very similar stats and stories (I reached 175 a few years ago, even though it's not my starting weight now) and I completely understand what you're going through. I've been thinking about this a lot, wondering why all of my past "diets" failed, and the HUGE difference this time, and you'll read about this a lot on the forum, is that now I realize this has to be my new life and I love it! Granted, I've only been at it for 6 weeks now, but I can't even begin to imagine going back to my old lifestyle of eating big portions of whatever I wanted, not even thinking about calories/nutrition in my food and not exercising. I have SO much more control of my life now and it's so empowering! I think the key is fully embracing this. You have to change the way you see food (it's your fuel!) and make your health your #1 priority. Dive in head first (as cheesy as that sounds) and do everything possible to change your life and take care of yourself. You alone hold the key to your happiness, health and success in life, so what's stopping you?

Wow, that was so motivational speaker of me, but I hope it helped. This forum is by far the best weight loss tool that I've found, so ask questions and feel free to PM me for anything specific!

P.S. As I wrote this post, a pretty substantial earthquake hit!! Not a huge deal (happens a lot in Los Angeles!), but anyone out there believe in signs?? It's time to shake up your life!

Hey Tina, I'm new too and I know what you mean about being... terrified. I'm not even 20 yet and I have health problems. Even though I just joined this site, reading all the forums is really inspiring. It's encouraging to see how much weight everyone else has lost... from all different starting points.. and to receive advice and hear stories from people with similar problems Good luck!

Hi Tina!
Dont be afraid, if you stick around here the healthy lifestyle is contagious Feel free to drop by the 20-somethings subforum

Thanks, all! You're right, just looking around the forums the last few days has been really encouraging. I'm just going to have to suck it up and go for it!

Iconised Ghost: Thanks for the invite! I will definitely check out the 20-somethings forum

Progress, not perfection is the goal. You WILL slip on this journey. The only time you will FAIL is if you give up. Lifestyle changes take time. Take it one day (or even one minute) at a time. Let the future worry about itself.

You CAN do this! Really! And, 3FC is a great resource to help you on your journey!

Hello and Welcome!

You and I seem to have similar stats. I have read that it takes 21 times of doing something before your body makes a habit of it. I had to drag my butt out of bed to workout but now I feel really edgy if I even think about missing a day. And it's only been two months!

What were you planning on doing to lose the weight? Do you have any programs or anything? I have a few if you want to share.

I've heard that stat, maybe 21 will be my lucky number In order to loose weight I know my eating habits have to change drastically. My husband and I never got out of the habit of eating out (from our dating period) and we've both packed on the pounds fast due to our unhealthy diet. I've done South Beach before but the recipes were too bland for my taste (at least the ones I wasn't too intimidated to try!). Recently I bought a Sonoma Diet book on clearance and it's all about a healthy balance, very similar to SB, but the Mediterranean style of cooking really appeals to my taste buds and I'm loving the few recipes I've tried.

As far as exercise goes, I do have a gym membership and when I first got it went for 3 weeks straight, 3 times a week...but then I just stopped. Laziness I guess, combined with no real weight loss. But, the more I thought about it I hadn't changed my diet and three weeks is not a lot of time to see major results. So, I decided that the next time I do this, I'm gonna have to jump in full force, diet AND exercise, not just one or the other. I'm a school teacher so my summer is swiftly approaching and I'm really excited to have this summer be MY time.

Please, if you have any tips or ideas feel free to pm me!