3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community

I've been lurking here for a couple of months and decided to join up.

This might (or might not) be an odd time for me to be joining the conversation. I've been overweight or obese most of my life (currently 48 years old). After fighting the weight limits as a member of the Armed Forces from 1982 to 1986 (my weight limit was 147), I was so excited not to have to be hungry 24/7 that I gained about 70 pounds in one year! I did some yo-yo dieting in the intervening years and flirted with disordered eating.

By 2005 or so, I decided that stressing out over eating was probably doing as much damage as being overweight, so I decided not to worry about it too much. By the beginning of 2009, I was at 260 and decided that It Was Time.

After concluding (partly as a result of having PCOS) that my system is simply not built to withstand a low-fat diet, I decided to try 1500 calories a day, somewhat limited carbs. A few months in, I started walking 1 1/2 miles six times a week (which I have done, absolutely without fail).

I have lost 105 pounds and am now 10 pounds from my goal. I consider myself to be extremely blessed not to have had any significant plateaus during these twenty some-odd months.

So why am I here? Three reasons, I guess.

(1) I figure, if I can do this (given my checkered diet history, non-athletic temperament, age, and PCOS), there's hope for anyone, so I'd like to share that.

(2) I'd like to connect with some of the terrific folks on the forums.

(3) I'm already looking for "role models" for when I get to maintenance. I figure that, for me, maintenance isn't going to look very much different from what I'm doing now. I expect to maintain at around 1700 calories, maybe a hair more. I already have a few favorite posters whom I may name later; a girl has to have a few secrets. ;)

Anyway, howdy.