Today is my second day on this site, and I figured it was time to formally introduce myself.

I'm Erin. For the last three years (almost to the day!), I've been slowly losing weight. I started at 286 lbs. and I've worked my way down to 167 (as of this morning!). I've always been a big girl - at 167 lbs., I weigh about the same now that I did when I was in 4th or 5th grade. I've still got about 20 pounds or so more that I would like to lose, but I'm closing in on the "maintaining" stage.

One thing that I'm struggling with right now is that, since I've always been overweight, I'm finding it hard to deal with not being that way. I don't know if that makes sense, but I'll do silly things like automatically go to the back of the rack (where the bigger sizes usually are) in stores. I don't personally know anyone else who's lost and kept off this much weight, so I'm hoping that here I'll find some folks who've also struggled with some of these issues.

Hi Erin!
Congratulations on your journey so far

If you scroll through the pages of threads on the maintainers forum, you'll find that what you are experiencing is perfectly normal. Most of us found it takes quite a while for our heads to catch up with our bodies. I don't really know anyone else in real life who has maintained a large weight loss either, which is why this forum is so special to me. The experiences we have really are different!

Mel

I have been wandering this site for a few weeks now, but after reading some of the posts in here, I feel this is where I need to be! These are the words that I have so depserately needed to hear for the past year and a half. You all have no idea how relieved I am to find you!

Soooooo....

My name is Jen. I am 24 and began my weightloss journey in March of '04. It was spurred by an injury that changed my entire outlook and motivation. Since I was laid up and could no longer excuse my eating habits with excersize, I freaked out. I ended up doing a 4 day water fast, which ended up opening doors inside me that I never knew existed (spirutally speaking). As soon as I became well (and upright!), I poured my heart into what would be an incredible (and somewhat painful) journey. I started small. Since I now knew what hunger actually felt like, I began to listen to my body's "real" hunger cues (not a perfect plan as I'm learning). I began to eat breakfast. I planned everything. I began what is known as "clean eating".

The first month after my injury I lost 35 pounds without even knowing it. I feel lucky because it gave me the motivation to lose the last 45, which took another 7 months. I fought for every last ounce. I have been at an acceptable weight for me (lowest 124-yuck!, highest 138) since November 15, 2004.

What I learned during this ordeal has been downright shocking. After a lifetime of being overweight/obese, I am having to learn how to navigate the world of "normal". Even though I still feel like "the fat girl". Even though I will never have "that body". Even though I am still Jen, the world is a different place. People are different, too. The S.O's of my male friends have taken away their friendship as well as their boyfriend's. People who were horrid to me when I was younger now feel it appropriate to comment and approach me on something that is incredibly personal to me. To them, I am no longer to be avoided like the plague (woo freakin' hoo, right?). I remember being disgusted at how differently people (strangers and friends alike) treated me. Even though I am in a loving and committed relationship with a beyond fabulous man that I will marry, women treat me as someone who can not possibly be trusted in the presence of their men(and I was waaaaay more of a flirt before). Social acceptance IS skin deep. Ugh.

BUT, in this journey I have discovered part of me that was hidden by weight. This "new" Jen doesn't necessarily care what you think about her. I'm more aware of how I carry myself and verse myself and I'm more likely to say what is on my mind. Perhaps that's why I'm treated differently? Being comfortable in my own skin is only partially reliant on how much I weigh, but I'm getting there.

And I couldn't ask for a better vehicle than this place!

Hello, I've been lurking for months now and thought it was about time to introduce myself.

I joined the 100+ board in Jan 2005. I don't post much but I was always reading. Someone posted a link to the Skin faq. After reading it I realised there was a lot of great info here and I've been lurking ever since.

I haven't met my goal yet. I was going to wait to post but I've noticed you don't mind those not at goal posting.

ok about me. I'm 40 and I have 11 kids (yes all bio). I've been married to my best friend for 20 years. I'm a stay at home mom.

I was a normal weight kid. I never worried about my weight. My mother otoh was always worrying about hers. She just looked like a normal mom to me lol. As I hit puberty I started to worry. I have a large frame and I knew I was bigger than other girls. I thought it was my fault. At 15 my mother started commenting that she was thinner than me at my age . I started eating less and that gradually developed into bulimia by 17.

At 19 I met and married my dh. We both loved cheesecake and we both gained 15 lbs. He even got stretch marks. I panicked and gave up cheesecake only to maintain my weight while he lost his. I was only 147 but I felt really fat. I'm 5-7 with a large frame so I was at the low end of my weight range. I got pg with my first. I tried to only gain 25 lbs but I was hungry all the time. I only ate healthy foods with 1 small treat a week. I gained 45 lbs. I lost all but 10. I did the same thing with my next 3 kids. By then I was around 190.

Trying to not eat too much made me crabby and didn't seem to help anyway so I gave up. I started eating what I wanted when I wanted. I lost weight! I lost 75 from my highest pg weight. I was thrilled except I realised that being thin didn't solve all my problems lol. I did really enjoyed fitting cute clothes and I had fun. I didn't like the saggy skin (the tiny bit I had).

I got pg again and gained over 50 lbs. After the baby I tried to lose but only to end up gaining. I gained back all I had lost plus those dang "friends". I kept on having babies and gaining. I accepted that I was going to overweight and there was nothing I could do to change that. Trying to lose made me crabby so no one wanted me to lose. My kids and dh are all normal sized. They didn't want me to stop cooking or eating treats.

I was 272 lbs when I got pg with my 10th. At 18 weeks I had a gallbladder attack. I went on a very, very low fat diet. I tracked everything I ate. I never cheated as I was terrified of the pain. I didn't gain any weight. I thought I figured out how to lose weight! I cancelled my gallbladder surgery appt. After the baby was born I stopped tracking. I knew what I could eat and eat I did lol. Here I was pumping 50 oz of milk (baby refused to nurse), walking 3 hours a week, and eating a very low fat diet and I gained weight.

I read walter willets book. I found out that very low fat wasn't healthy and that most people on high carb/low fat diets gain. I added some nuts back to my diet and other bits of fat. I ended up in emergency surgery and got my gallbladder out. ouch. Then I packed on the lbs.

I got pg with my 11th. I had just lost 20 lbs that I always do the first 20 weeks. I felt awful. I hadn't walked or done much of anything. One day in Jan 2005 I was trying to have a shower. I felt so tired. My heart was racing and I was gasping for breath. I felt like I had run up 10 flights of stairs. Just over a simple shower. I was in horrible shape. I decided then that dieting for the rest of my life was easier than being fat.

I got my tracker going. I joined the 100+ board. I ordered watp dvds. I tried to maintain my weight since I was pg. I had the easiest pg since my first! I was doing 30 min of watp right up to the day I gave birth

Since then I've continued to lose and exercise. By Nov watp got too easy so I bought an elliptical. First time on 5 min at lowest resistance wiped me out lol. Today I did 44 minutes at 40%. I'm so amazed! (44 min is one episode of Millennium )

I'm losing weight this time knowing that being thin won't solve my problems or make me happy (except about my weight). I know this "diet" is for life. I know I will have saggy skin. After 11 kids I wasn't expecting much lol. My goals were to be in better shape, be able to find clothes at walmart, and fit where average people fit. I've met those goals but I'd like to get to a healthy weight too before maintaining.

My website needs to be updated. I don't have anything about my weight loss on it but there are pics of the kids and more about me.

Catherine mom to 11
mabear's homepage

to both Jen and Catherine and thank you both so much for taking the time to share your stories with us! I got chills reading them - wow, how inspirational! If anyone out there is thinking 'I can't do this', I hope they read here and see how you two took charge, dug in, and just DID it.

We're looking forward to hearing lots more from both of you!

Printing some of this thread. Found it very inspirational.

Believe it or not ... this is probably the only thread at 3fc in which I have never posted!
I'm an old hanger-arounder and plan on growing old in the maintainers category.
I'm posting today because (althought this is not my first time at maintenance weight) this is the first time I'm determined not to 'lose' it while on vacation. I plan to eat mindfully and get some exercise and get right back into routine when I return. I'm hoping that posting here will give me an added sense of responsibility ... Put it in print and make it so.
Simply put ... here's my story ...
I was made of skinny sticks when I was nine or ten. From a family who thought you were either sporty or smart. On field day I signed up for the highjump knowing full well I'd be the first one out and could sit and do nothing.
By the time I was 17 I lied about my weight on a passport application. We didn't have a scale when we first married but I know I grew out of my clothes.
I was 162 lbs and toxic the day I had a crash c-section with my first child (now 24). After number three, I settled in just over 130 lbs.
I then alternately moaned about that, yo-yo'd, decided I didn't look too bad and gained my way to 162 lbs again.
In April of 2003 the funeral pants episode happened as advertised here
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=87166

And now ... Meg's questions.
Is this the first time or one of many times that you've tried to lose weight?
One of many and a continuing journey of about three years this go round.
Are you where you want to be?
No, I'm learning to better utilize cardio and resistance exercise to be an awesome looking 40- something
How has life changed for you since you've lost the weight?
Healthier ... better blood pressure, more level blood sugars, much much less trouble with my old nurses feet, knees and back. I feel solid in my knowledge and enjoy helping others.
If you're maintaining, what's that like for you?
I'm still learning, but so far not very different from losing.
Do you exercise regularly?
Yes, yes, double yes. Right now, most days I do cardio morning and night and weights in between somewhere. 20-30 minutes at a time.
Now that you're near or at your goal, what are your concerns?
Complacency, a life change that changes my focus, a fear of going overboard ...

Hi everyone, I read this thread and realized I had never posted an introduction. My name is Lily. I am 46 yrs. old. I am married to a wonderful man now, after a couple of bad practice husbands. LOL. I am a Disabled RN and he is a State Trooper. My children are son ,Shane, age 20 and daugter, Lacy, age 14. I was athletic through high school and thin. My weight problems started in college. Too much fun and pizza. I did WW for a while and did lose 31 lbs. once. After my DD was born, I was up to 237 lbs. I used Phen/Fen and lost about 90 lbs. I put it back on gradually after stopping the meds. 3 1/2 yrs. ago I got very sick with a rare Liver Disease. I was placed on prednisone and gained 50 lbs. during this time. I started seeing a new hepatologist that basically told me my only cure is a liver transplant. He also told me to get on a low-carb diet and walk 20 min's 4 times a week. He basically said that without losing the weight that I would not be a candidate for a transplant. I took his advice. I started Atkins on June 24, 2005 and reached my goal weight of 145 on July 5, 2006. I lost 89 lbs. I have been on maintenance now for 3 1/2 weeks. I am still eating low-carb and can walk up to an hr. on the treadmill. I have lost 4 lbs. past my goal now. I'm not really trying to lose, just going slow with adding in extra carbs. My BMI has went from 36.6 to 22.5. I feel better physically. My blood pressure, heart rate, blood sugar are all in normal range. Cholesterol is improved. Liver enzymes have decreased ten-fold. I no longer have shortness of breath or need daily inhalers. My feet are normal sized and not swollen. Anyone that sees me thinks I look healthy. Many of medications have been reduced, including the prednisone. The great news is that currently I am too healthy for the transplant and hopefully it will be a long time before I have to have one.
Since coming to 3 FC's, I have read a lot on maintenance forums. I want this weight to stay off. I am totally committed to keeping it off and working just as hard to maintain as I did to lose it. I don't feel the pressure to see more lbs. drop, just the pressure to see it stay the same. I do have some loose skin. My body isn't perfect. I went from a tight size 20 to a baggy size 4. Heck, I was even able to button and zip a size 1 when I laid down, but had the Muffin-top thing going on. LOL. My breasts have gone from a DD to a C cup and I don't fill them completely up. Top of breasts are now flat. My tummy isn't perfectly flat, except when laying down. I have had multiple abdominal surgeries and am not able to do abdominal work-outs. Even with all my flaws, I am totally happy with my results. Would I do it all again, you bet. My health and outlook on life is so improved. It was worth every minute and every effort I put into it. I want to personally thank everyone for all the help along the way. THANK YOU

A dear friend told me about this site, and I've been reading almost non-stop since yesterday...I am in Aww at all the great weight loss stories, very motivating...I guess I'll start off by saying hi, my name is Ladean, I've lost from 246 pounds down to 150, I am now 151, I lost the weight doing Dr Phil's Ultimate weight loss solution, I've been maintaining since March 2006, but am getting a bit bored with the same thing all the time...I am hoping I can get some advice on a good way to maintain without having to count every little thing. All emails welcome as well.

Thanks

Hi Ladean and welcome! Poke around like you have been and feel free to start a thread about anything that's interesting or a concern for you.

Congratulations on your wonderful weight loss!

Hi everyone. I have lost 50 pounds. Back in august of 2004 i was 190 pounds i knew something had to change. I was wearing size 18 at that time and that size was getting way to tight on me. But i refuse to buy size 20. So i knew i had to watch what i ate and basically i gave up all simple carbs and sugars. Now i weighs 140 pounds and wears size 10.

Welcome Lisa and Congratulations on the weight loss. Thanks for sharing with us.

Hi

I've just joined your great forum from Australia. I've recently got to my goal weight after losing for just on a year now. I started in October 2005 at 102.5 kgs (224lbs) and I'm at my goal weight of 66kgs (145lbs?) that's a loss of about 80lbs.

I lost the weight by a combination of low carbs, low fat, low sugar. No eating snacks and drinking lots of water. I was a member of a great forum which helped me lose the weight, but I've found that support for the maintenance is hard to come by... that was until I found this site.

I look forward to having a great read of previous posts, and contributing where I can. Thanks for your great forum.

Wow, I finally found the stories I had been looking for.

Welcome Lervly, and Congratulations on the fantastic weight loss. I hope you enjoy the forum and it's nice to have you aboard with us.