3 Fat Chicks on a Diet Weight Loss Community - 'G'day' from the land down under

Hi Everyone,

I'm new (as you could have guessed), and I am from Adelaide, capital city of South Australia (which is not surprisingly in Australia). I am a 30 nearing 31 year old female, and as you may have guessed from the title I love German Shepherds and am the proud owner of a 4 year old girl who is seriously the cutest Personal Trainer out there.

I have had a funny relationship with food and body image for many years. I went on my first 'diet' at 8 years old, and by 15 had Anorexia. I was at my lowest weight of 44 kilos (97lb) at 21-22, but lost my job and turned to comfort eating. My weight gradually climbed and at my highest I weighed 130 kilos (286lb). I tried to lose weight but relied on old anorexic habits of starving myself which lasted short term but then I caved and over ate. In January this year I weighed 128.8 (283lb) and decided I had to do something about it for good. I got the Michelle Bridges books in early February and read them over the weekend. On 12th of February this year I joined my gym which is a YMCA small gym that my brother a PT used to work for. In the last 6 months I have lost 46 kilos (101 lb) and currently weigh 82.7 (182lb). Life this year has been amazing, I've become a gym junkie, I work out in gym, then do 1-2 classes. I've gone from hiding in my house with my computer and internet to having real friends, a social life thanks to the amazingly positive and supportive friends I've made at my gym. My confidence has increased and I am preparing to do my first City- Bay 12km run in September. I feel incredibly blessed, my gym is small but the staff are brilliant and the fellow gym-goers are all lovely and supportive- it has a real friendly atmosphere. I am much more willing to try new things- I have already signed up for 1 run this year and have another 2 fun runs that I'm planning on doing later this year. Oddly enough running was my least favourite form of physical exercise and now it is one of my favourites- it's my 10 minute warm up and even though it challenges me I love it. My life has changed for the better.