[OoohThatdress]

We will start with the usual (which I could probably repeat in my sleep, walking backwards, doing the macarana).

My name is Holly, I am 21 years old. I am from, what I thought, was the most boring place in all of Pennsylvania but recently moved (in November 2010) to what I now truly see is the most boring place in PA. We bought our own house, I'm a part time bank teller and a part time accounting student.

I also don't know how much I weigh. I don't count calories. I don't really worry about losing weight.

Since I was little I have had a story, you know "that story" that everybody has which is five pages long and explains to the T why they think they got fat? I've got one, but I'm not going to use it. That's the past, that doesn't change NOW. The most it would do is make me feel bad. I'm not digging that.

I have starved myself more or less many times (too little calories + exercise + sleep constantly = weight loss but no life, no quality.) I used Weight Watchers, which I adore (I did the points online), I had lost 30 pounds back in the start of 2009. Felt wonderful. Met my wonderful other half and started slipping on the weight loss.

You know why? Because I was happy All my life I felt bad about myself, but here was this man, loving me, wanting me, and not caring that I weighed 250lbs when he met me. (started at 270). I drowned myself in counting calories, figuring out all the magic formulas, obsessing over every calorie, every exercise, everything bad about myself. 19 years of it was too much. I found happiness and I said "screw it", I'm going to live for the moment, where I eat, where I go out and have fun, where I am not sleeping constantly and starving my body to achieve what? Dooming myself to no life until I deem myself thin? Pffft, the things you all of a sudden wake up and realize!

I used to be on all sorts of weight loss websites; I know all the rules of how to lose weight, I could probably write a book about it, I've gathered so much info and I can give good estimates of how many points are in any given item. It's all there, but it just isn't up front anymore. It's in the back of my head where it belongs, where it is a reminder and not a pushy bad feeling maker.

With the move, I swore up and down that I would buy good items, we would eat healthy, blahblahblah. We are young, we bought a house, we have bills, and sometimes it comes down to "get gas to get to work or eat?" and it comes down to gas and the idea of "good" food goes out the window. But we make it work and I squeeze in good foods when I can and hey, we stand little chance of over eating. haha. My fridge has water in it, juice, we lay off the soda for a few weeks, then buy a case, then lay off it. But bottom line is, nothing ever goes as planned

I am here to snoop and find a closer group of people that I can share with and worry with and learn with and to lose with. I want to be skinny, I want to be even 30 lbs lighter! (I had gained all the weight back + some). I'd like to fit back into old clothes! Heck, I'd even like to feel comfortable naked. But I'm not counting calories, I am not obsessing. I know what moderation looks like, I know what exercise can do, and I will find my balance. Truthfully, I am not 100% worried about it. I don't like being obese, I don't like feeling like the world is gawking at me, but to heck with them. I've been SO happy that I just can't go back to the old life.

I have a treadmill and an elliptical and a scale which I am going to bring up to my house. I know I can spend my time exercising and eating right. The motivation is there, because right now I don't need it, I crave it, I crave the feeling of walking on the treadmill and sweating and weighing myself.

My starting weight; if I had to guess is 298/maybe 300 (though I don't feel it, and I know what 300 feels like).

I will get my scale and I will post up my weight, I will take pictures and I will get excited with ALL of you to see how we change!

Ladies, I am excited to be here. I am excited to start this road again knowing that for the first time in 21 years, I am ready and have an attack plan.

<3

[aasshhlleeyy]

Hi Holly welcome and I wish you luck on your weight loss journey! You said you dont want to count cals and that is ok as im sure you knw there is something for everyone. This is a great place to come for support... WELCOME!!!

[Vladadog]

Welcome Holly! I feel confident you'll find a group here to hang with and move forward with. 3FC is a great place!

I just wanted to say that it's possible to count calories, or do WW or exercise without becoming obsessive about it. It's a learning process same as just making healthy food choices is. Figuring out what works for you and what you can do and live with for the rest of your life is always a work in progress.

I know you'll do great!

[OoohThatdress]

I know you can not become obsessive about it, I haven't in the past but then I just spend too much time worrying about it. I think that is what sets me up for failure, I am a thinker. I think and think and have to do it just so. lol. If it doesn't work, I'll probably do a rough count of calories, but my ultimate goal, if you can call it is to live "calorie count free". If that makes sense? =)