Maybe THIS is where I`m suppose to be! I posted the other day in the main introduction section and only got one welcome..and it was from a fellow newbie!

So I`ll just copy and paste what I had wrote over there.....


Hello!

My name is Shelly, and I stumbled upon this site a few days ago and thought I would join up. I`m at the tail end of 'weight' loss, but working hard at losing some more Fat percentages...so I`m not real sure, exactly, where the 'scale' will settle in, once I get there.

In February of this year, I began my weight loss journey at 185 and 45% body fat. Today I am at 128 and 17.5% body fat. I`m working on 'trying' to lower my body fat to at least the 15% range. Since the beginning, I have lost 67.5 inches and dropped from size 18/20 in pants to size 4/5 in jeans!

My means of fitness are: Treadmill and Total Gym. The TG is what I credit with the huge inch loss. In just 6 weeks time (of daily use), I had lost 24.75 inches...yet, the 'scale' INCREASED a total of 9 pounds, and that sure freaked me out!! But, once my new muscles were done their growing process, the retained fluid released and the scale began to, steadily, move downward. In fact..I`ve never even hit a single plateau, during all this weight loss!

I log all my foods and fitness on a different board. Not sure if I`m allowed to mention its name, so I won`t. Just 3 days ago, after doing a lot of reading on a bodybuilding forum, I have re-worked my fitness routine, in an effort of kicking my fat loss into high gear...instead of doing cardio 6-7 days a week, 35-40 minutes each session, I am now doing a 20 minute HIIT, for 3 days. My Total Gym time is now increased to 40 minutes (used to be only 15), every other day. Sunday will be a rest day.

Anyway....that is me! Hope I didn`t bore everyone terribly much!

Welcome, Shelly! It sounds like you've done an awesome job so far, so keep up the great work. Be sure to check out our weekly featherweights chat - that's become one of my biggest inspirations to stay on track and get to know everyone.

Come! Join us in our weekly thread. We'd love to get to know you better.

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=128633

A whole bunch of newbies girls

I'm a complete newbie--but have been lurking for a couple of days. This seems like a great community.

I was always thin--too thin, I think, until college. But my mother and grandmother obsessed about their weight and I took ballet classes and my ballet teacher, mother and grandmother always told me I had big hips. I do. But during puberty my family would comment on my body and how "heavy" I was getting. When I graduated from high school I probably weighed 110-115 lbs (didn't have a scale). During high school and college I always thought I was fat. I never really had an appetite and ate very little. Nonetheless, I did gain a bit of weight in college. I look at pictures and can't believe I ever thought I was "fat"--I think what I didn't like was my wide hips.

After I graduated from college I moved to Mexico for a year, where I lost weight. Surprisingly, when I got back, my mother still thought I needed to "get in shape" and lose a few lbs for my wedding. I think I had returned to my high school weight.

During graduate school--and my marriage--my weight started to creep up. But I was too busy to mind and some of it was probably muscle mass, as I started exercising (hiking, yoga, walking) for the first time in my life. I felt strong and good and was a size 4. But as my marriage started to sour and I got busier and busier, I started to eat more for comfort (food was a shared passion with my ex and one of our favorite ways to spend time together was cooking elaborate meals) and cut back on exercise. I probably put on a few lbs a year. I crept up to a size 6 and felt sort of bad, but too busy to do anything about it. And people still saw me as a "thin" person.

I moved up to a size 8 by the time I was thirty and stayed like that for about 3 years by eating more healthfully and working out. I still didn't like my body much but decided it was vain to obsess about weight. Plus, I lived in LA at that time and was resisting the crazy weight and appearance-obsessiveness there. I also developed curves, which I and my husband both liked. (I had had wide pointy hip bones before, but no butt or boobs).

So then, about 4 years ago I gave up all exercise and started eating take out because I was writing my dissertation and perceived myself as being "too busy." I was a size 10-12 when I moved from LA to start my first job 3 years ago. I had suffered from pelvic pain for years and began getting Lupron injections, which basically make you go into menapause. One of the bad side effects for me was to suddenly be ravenously hungry all the time--I weighed 187 lbs in Feb. 2006, I weighed 162 when I started it 4 months earlier. I went home and cried. I knew I had gained weight--I was up to a size 14/16 and had had to spend so much money buying all new clothes that winter and spring. I could no longer buy the cute styles I liked and many stores and brands didn't make my size. Nonetheless, when I was 162 I had convinced myself that I looked good and didn't want to be superficial and worry about my weight (in fact, this is the first time i've ever talked about this).

Now I see pictures and think I look awful and bulgy. I am prone to a double chin (I have an extremely small face and bones and huge overbite and somehow when I smile it always looks double ever since I hit my mid 20s) and in those photos my face looks fat and I have one. I lost my waist (I've always had a waist) by the time I hit 187. It was awful to go to the annual conference for my field and have people completely not recognize me. Still, at the time, unless I looked at myself naked (which I avoided) or in pictures (I stopped letting people photograph me), I didn't feel bad about my weight day-to-day. I thought I was chunky but not obese. I actually did hit the low end of obese for my body type and height. I also had convinced myself that "not everyone is beautiful and thin, why should I feel entitled to be thin and attractive." I also felt, because I had gained the weight so quickly (and continually--had to buy new pants every couple of months) that I was out of control and would never be a normal weight again.

Fast forward to May 2007. My husband walked out on me. By the time he had left we were drinking every night and totally overeating together (I think as a way of satisfying ourselves because neither of us was getting what we needed in our relationship). I couldn't walk up the stairs without huffing and puffing. He told me he left partially because I was fat and ugly. The stress made me feel physically ill. I couldn't eat for a month. I rapidly dropped 10 lbs. Then I started eating again, but less. And mostly take out because I was too devastated to cook and don't like to cook for one person. So I still lost weight and could fit 14s again.

In August I decided I wanted to feel better about myself and I needed an outlet and to do something healthy for me that _I_ could control, since so much of my life felt out of control. I cut back on drinking and started working out. I am now a size 8-10 and have more energy and confidence than I've had for years. I am continuing to lose weight, but not as quickly. For the most part I'm okay with that--I don't mind if the last bit is slower--I plan on continuing to exercise, weigh myself and eat heathily.

I don't feel like I trust myself, though. I never liked my body when I was young and thin, then went into a period of denial that I was overweight, then realized, horror-struck that I was fat and felt terrible. And now I am feeling confident. What if I'm deluding myself? At least I look in the mirror when I'm naked now and have goals and they don't seem so impossible, given what I've accomplished. I just don't want to go overboard and get obsessive or else do something I can't maintain and gain it all back.

Thanks to you all for making this a place where I can share this.

Welcome.Thank you for sharing your story.I feel confident that you will meet your goal. Good luck.

Ok, so I'm not really a newbie, but I've been absent since last Spring. I was stalled out around 155, and just kinda gave up trying. Now, I'm back and really wanting to get fit again. I miss my muscles. I lost around 10 pounds when I started working part-time a few months ago, but now I'm stalled out again. My goal is to hit 130 by my birthday, April 14th. That's about 15 pounds, although the scale is very mean today and gave me 3.5 extra pounds. Nice to see you all again!

luchando

midearthseeker BACK!! ....

Oh, wow, just found this sticky.

I never cared about my weight until the beginning of college. I was a thin, flat-chested kid until 15 years old. I still have pictures of myself from that time, sitting with my friends. I look 10 because I had a child's body with small bones why my friends were getting boobs and shapes and had much larger bone structures. It was pretty crazy, but instead of envying them I secretly enjoyed it. I could wear anything, I didn't need a bra, and I could still eat like a horse. Physically, that was the best time of my life - I was about 5'5" and weighed 108 pounds.

Fast forward to 16!

My weight crept up, I was drinking lots of Mountain Dew, but I was still growing too. I topped out at 5'7" and weighed 130 pounds while still on the swim team. Not the waif I was, but not bad. By 18 I shot up to 140 pounds and was no longer on the swim team. By college I was 150, and by graduation I shot up to 155 and stayed there since, give or take a pound either way. I was still continuing my bad habits from high school, though, so whaddya know.

Anyways, I'm here to get back to 130. I remember being in the hopes at 15 that I would remain skinny with no chest or figure (just like Twiggy) into my adult years, since I was the last one to develop. WRONG. I developed alright, I was just late. I still wish I was a flat A, but I'd be happy to get to a B again at 130 pounds. I don't think 108 pounds is realistic for someone of my height, honestly... and the BMI says I'd be way underweight as well. I'm not going out wishing I was Kate Moss, the human clothes hanger. I just want my swim team body back.

Easier said than done, right? Anyways, that's why I'm here.

Hi ladies. With under 15 lbs to go I thought I'd take a jaunt over to this board and check out things.

As far as my story, it's really not all that interesting. I went my entire life *thinking* that I didn't have a great body. This is hilarious now that I look back at it because I remember sophomore year of high school I would wear crop tops that tied in the front and showed off my tummy. As it is, though, I have never worn a bikini.

Then, the opposite happened to me in college. I knew I wasn't thin, but I also felt like I wasn't fat. So, I didn't really bother with trying to lose weight. I would lose a little bit here and there if I got in a health kick and went to the gym for a couple of months straight, but I wasn't eyeing the prize of weight loss.

Nope, I didn't know I was fat until the photos came back from my sisters wedding. I was HUGE. I had been working 2 desk jobs while a full time student. At my full time job we were encouraged to eat at our desk and they would order me ANYTHING I wanted from the local grocery story. It would get delivered to our office kitchen. I had a LOT of ham or turkey on white bread sandwiches LOADED with mayo and cheese. They were complimented with a side of chips or cookies. Then I got on a bagel bite kick. Uugh. (At the time I wasn't weighing myself, so I'm not sure where I came in on the scale, but I suspect it was a little over 180 because I remember weighing myself after my pants got looser and I was in the 170s.)

Shortly thereafter I moved to Chicago and accidently lost a good bit of weight. Going to work and getting around the city without a car caused a LOT of walking. Then I met a guy while I was out rollerblading with friends. I lived right off the lake so I was inspired to spend my evenings rollerblading along it. This guy and I used the rollerblading as an excuse to spend time together. After dating him for a year and a half (he was an EXTREMELY active person) and after doing Hustle Up the Hancock (a 94 flight climb) I was down to 135.

Then, I dated my next boyfriend who enjoyed playing video games and general laziness. I followed suit and after a year and a half I was up to the 150s again. I started Weight Watchers, but I dropped that after I had to do an unexpected move and from dealing with a break up.

I dropped down to a little below 150 after the break up, but not by much. I met my now fiance and we had a little addiction problem with World of Warcraft. Thus, I did a lot of sitting on my *** for long periods of time. But, THEN, I was hospitalized with a blood clot in my brain. I was in there for a week and lost almost 10 pounds from being on the hospital food plus I was in so much pain I didn't even think about eating. That would have been a good jumping off point, but with the blood thinner I am on, all greens and beans were restricted from my diet.

So, I took the easy choice of eating pastas and dairy since I couldn't have veggies. And, I was back to gaining the weight.

Finally at the end of August I decided I needed professional help. I had a major diet restriction and I was gaining weight rapidly. I hired a diet coach that I kept the first 3 months. I also joined a gym. It was all I needed to get myself motivated. Now, 4 1/2 months later and THROUGH the holidays I've managed to lose half of the weight. It has been a SLOW SLOW SLOW process, but I have been keeping it off. Now my addiction is with 3FC which is a lot healthier than a WoW addiction.

My goal is to be 130 by my wedding of May 30th.

Wow Amberelise, that's weird...

My name is Amber too (if yours is as well), and I play World of Warcraft too a little too much sometimes with my bf... heh... but that's funny. =)

Wow, Mizu, such coincidences. We finally quit WoW in September. We had both gained a significant amount of weight and realized that we were working our life schedules around our evening raid times. It had gotten so bad that I took a personal day from work one day just so I could gather raid materials.

We mention at least once a week about how we miss WoW. But, we both know that as soon as we started back we would get sucked into it and start missing the gym and other life joys just to be working on some never ending quest. I certainly do miss it, though. I had a level 70 warlock, Zamura.

Weird, Amberlise...you must be the ever-relatable gal! I was married on May 30th, and other than the fact that you are further along the ticker...our tickers' start and end weights are the same.

You can totally lose your weight by May 30th...maybe even in time for the final dress fitting??? Way to go!!!

Sara

Hi, I am also new here. I am 19 am in my second year of college. I last weighed myself on January 8th, and am not going to weigh again until the 15th. I started a weight loss journal which can be found in my signature.
My senior year of high school I weighed 165 pounds, and in about 3 months or so I got down to around 135ish (just in time to fit into my prom dress!!) Since then, I have gained a little bit and around Halloween I weighed 146 pounds. I lost about 10 pounds very quickly, but when Thanksgiving/Christmas/Finals I gained some of it back.
Now I am fully committed, and I think I have been doing pretty well. I just want to be HOT! I would like to get down to 125 pounds. I have never really been too much under 135. One time I went to the hospital for a day and they wouldnt let me eat or drink anything, so I weighed 132 that day, but then I quickly went up to 135. I just think it would feel so good to say "I weigh 12_" instead of "I weigh 13_" I cant even remember the last time I weighed that much! It has certainly been a while. I cant wait until Tuesday so I can weigh myself again! My goal is to lose 1 pound per week, which means I will meet my goal by April 15th *if everything goes right*
I really like this website!

Since I'm new here I guess I should let you get to know me...

I am 39 (I cannot tell you how much that number bugs me!!!) and I turn 40 this year (Nov.) I have 3 beautiful children, DD is 6, DS is 4, and my baby DD is 2 next week . So I have been on the weight rollercoaster for 7 years! The last time I weighed 140 I was getting married!! let me start around my childhood...

As a kid I was always a normal weight. I played sports and was very athletic. Then when I was 12 I contracted viral encephalitis, I went into a coma for 10 days, I dropped to 69 lbs. my parents say that you could see the bones in my face. Well undoubtedly when you come out of a coma you are ravenous. I'm not sure of the time line but I do know that with in a very short time I ballooned to 120. My parents sent me to Diet Center and tried locking the pantry but it didn't work. I was about 160 when I graduated (I was still very involved in sports and very muscular, but I was definitely a big girl). In '87 I went to college and lost the Freshmen 15 without too much effort. It was around 1995 that I started doing Advocare (oh how I miss ephedra ) and working out 2 hours 6 days a week. I got down to 130, I was a size 4 going on a 2...this did not become me...I have great athletic legs and big boobs, I was really quite out of proportion. I then met my DH who has the metabolism from ****, he eats whatever he wants and doesn't exercise a lick! it was also around this time that the whole truth about ephedra came out and I quit that immediately. So while dating him I went to 145, not great but I could live with it. by the wedding I weighed about 138-140, by baby #1-147. I did not work this entire pregnancy and ate whatever I wanted, I gained 43 lbs and had a 7.6 lb baby. It took 9 months to get back to 147, I did WW and started working out with a trainer...1 month late preg with #2. This preg was so different, I watched what I ate and continued to work with my trainer once a week and only gained 30 lbs and had a 7.4 lb baby. After he was born I went back to WW, continued with trainer and lost the baby weight in about 6 months-back at 147. Stayed there for 3 years, here comes baby #3, kept with the same trainer, now twice a week, watched what I ate for the most part (craved SWEETS) and gained 43 lbs for a 5.15 lb baby. This weight does not want to come off. She will be 2 next week!!! Last Jan I quit the trainer and started attending a bootcamp (I was 163) and since I am a WW lifetimer went back...with 3 I just don't have the time to plan and count. I then tried Jenny Craig, $$$, and I got tired of the food quickly, now at 155, then in Aug '07 I started Medifast-this after talking to a few plastic surgeons about lipo, there in the username. Then medifast worked!! I was 144 by my 20 high school reunion. However I did not do the transition before the holidays hit and I went food crazy and gained 10 lbs by Jan. 1. On the 7th I started the Extreme Fat Smash Diet to follow (because after being on Medifast I realized that i had really forgotten how to eat right-which is how I lost it in the 90's during my Advocare days), lost 7 lbs the first week. I am now on cycle 2 and have only lost 1/2 lb, which I was prepared for, but it is still depressing! I am working out at bootcamp 4 days (we run 2 1/2 miles, do weight and resistance training, stretching and yoga on Fridays-LOVE IT!!!) then I do 1 hour of cardio (run treadmill 30 min, bike or elliptical 30 min or zumba at home somedays) 2 days a week.

So there it is in a nutshell. there are moments of HIGH stress intertwined all throughout the time line above, my dad went to federal prison for 5 years because his butler paid for prostitutes with company money (they were hired to entertain government officials at a fund raiser-hmmm), my mom dealt with cancer for 2 of those years and lost that battle in 2002 , my dad had a heart transplant in Oct 2006 ...that's just to name a few, oh yea, did I mention I have 3 kids under 7!!! hehehe (thank goodness I have a fabulous, supportive husband!)

I am so glad to be here, I am done having babies and really want to be the person I was before, happy and confident-feeling like I can take on the world -or at least my 3 kids! and I want to do it before I turn 40 or I might just resort to the liposuction after all!!!