Hi everybody,

I'm brand new to 3FC and just thought I'd pop in here and say hello. I've been trying to find a good weight loss online support community, and have been lurking here for a few days. Everyone seems so friendly and nice, so this is where I've decided to set up camp!

My name is Jaime, I'm 26 and from Baltimore, Maryland. I've been unhappy with my weight for a very long time; most of my life, in fact. But in the past few years it has spiraled out of control. I got married then later lost my job then got divorced then found a better job and a few months ago I just bought my first home, and I did it on my own.

The past few years have been a rollercoaster of ups and downs, and the one consistent thing throughout all of it has been my out of control eating. I've either been so busy or so depressed that I don't think twice about what I'm putting in my mouth. The eating has been the "easy" part when everything else in my life has been tough. But I'm finally at a point where I feel like everything in my life is going well EXCEPT for how I feel about my body. It's the one missing piece of the puzzle.

Someone close to me has been strongly urging me to try the South Beach Diet, as she's had great success with it. I admit I've usually extremely stubborn about these types of things, and have had very little success with diets in the past. But here it is, already Day 4 of Phase 1, and I'm already starting to feel better on the inside, even if I haven't begun to lose weight yet. I'm feeling encouraged and hopeful, and I hope to meet more people like me along the way.

Anyway, that was my extremely long-winded way of saying hello!

welcome and good luck!

Welcome! Glad to hear you've gotten a lot of things straightened out in your life on your own! You mentioned a lot about your eating, but what about your exercising? I am ALSO from Maryland, but around 45 minutes from Baltimore.

Wish you all the best with your weight loss! You'll find a LOT of support here! If you need anything don't hesitate to ask!

Hi Lunabelle,

I exercise very little (I know, I know) which no doubt has contributed to my current weight. I have a real fear of exercising in public (even if it's just walking around the neighborhood) because I feel like everyone is looking at how big I am. If I do go out to walk, it's usually very late at night when I have more privacy. I hate going to gyms for the same reason. I would like to find some kind of easy but fun program to do in my house, but haven't found "the one" that's right for me yet...I know, sounds like another excuse.

Also, I'm not technically in Baltimore either, I'm up north in Harford County.

Nice to meet ya.

Jaime! We're happy that you decided to set up your tent here! You are doing great, hanging in there on Phase 1 of the SBD, and I bet you'll be pleasantly surprised to discovered that you've lost a few inches on measurements already. We'd love to have you come over and join us on the South Beach Diet forum, we have a current Phase 1 thread running, plus we have a great FAQ section and some really yummy recipes in our recipe board, too. We look forward to getting to know you and hearing about your weight loss experiences.

Hey Jaime!

I second Cottage's suggeston to visit our South Beach forums - they are so wonderful and supportive over there!

We also have a great, active 20-somethings forum, so do check that out as well. Otherwise, keep posting, settle in, and stick around. I can't wait to see you around!