New and ready for change
 

Hi everyone.
I'm new to the forum, but am happy to know that it exists.
About me- weight was not an issue for me as a child, but when I was diagnosed w/ IBS at 16 I could not stomach a lot and lost a great deal of weight. I was down to 120 lbs or so. My IBS has since gotten better thanks to diet changes, therapy, and anti anxiety meds, but unfortunately I gained back an appetite and cravings for unhealthy foods being on meds. Right now I'm tapering off of them in hopes to regain my figure/make weight loss a bit less difficult. I just want to start losing weight rather than gaining it! Last year alone I gained 30 pounds :( I'm in my early 20's and currently weight a little less than 210. My ultimate goal is to have a healthy BMI again- I'm 5'6.5" tall and that means that I need to at least loose 55lbs to get to 155 lbs , but it seems so far away. I'm looking for support and to build faith in the idea that I can lose weight. Thank you for reading this... I'm happy to be here.

Welcome :D I am quite similar in age to you, its nice to see more young people joining! You said that getting down to 155lbs seemed daunting- dont think of it that way! I have found that in order to stay motivated and to not lose heart in what I am doing, I am setting mini goals for myself, and the mini goals make up the bigger picture. Spend some time having a think about the small changes you can make, the reasons why you are doing this, and work out some healthy, realistic mini goals for yourself, and it wont seem so bad! I have about 30 pounds that I want to lose, and that in itself wont get me into a healthy BMI range, however I am setting smaller, more achievable goals, and I am getting there! Goals dont even have to be about losing weight, it could be as simple as sticking to an eating plan for a week, or making sure you get enough steps in each day, or drinking more water; stuff like that! You can do this! We are all here together for the same reason, and the people on this site are a wealth of knowledge. Dont be afraid to ask questions or have a rant or look for suggestions, because everyone here is really supportive. Congratualtions on starting your journey, welcome again, and the very best of luck to you!

Congratulations on your new lifestyle, and welcome to 3FC! :D