It's time for me to tell my story. The problem I had with being overweight began at the tender age of 12. As a child was a skinny kid with a big head. I had a high metabolism and never ate alot. I would eat just enough to make me full and then I would burn it off running and playing with my friends. Once I hit puberty, I became an emotional eater. I had low self-esteem because I had severe acne and was teased by the neighborhood boys. There were other serious issues going on in my life that contributed to this too. Also, my mother was very strict about me eating sweets and sugary cereals when I was younger. Once I became old enough to go off of my block and walk to the store on my own, the bakery became my best friend. During my 4 years of high school, I went from 140 pounds to 180 pounds. Out of all of my friends, I was now the heaviest. Since graduating from high school in 1989, my weight has been up and down. Emotional eating was my comfort and it shielded me from any pain that I had been feeling. Whenever I became upset about anything (failed relationships mostly) I ate sweets or fried foods. My weight ballooned because of it. My highest weight was 290 pounds. Fortunately, my weight has not gone any farther than that because my body will not allow it too. In 2004, I contracted an almost fatal case of pneumonia which led me to having an asthma attack and nose bleeds. Believe it or not it was the nose bleed and asthma attack that saved my life. I was hospitalized with bacterial pneumonia in both lungs for 9 days. At that time I weighed 275 pounds. I began taking diet pills later that summer to try to control my weight and eating habits. Of course that didn’t work, as soon as I stopped the diet pills, I went back up to the weight that I was and gained more. In Oct. 2006, I had a fibroid procedure and came out of it with high blood pressure. Since then I have been on HBP medication. It has taken two years for my period to return to normal. A year ago I was told that if I didn’t lose weight, that I would become a diabetic. Although it was devastating to hear, I didn’t do anything about it. After that I was scared to go back to the doctor. In October of last year, I hit rock bottom. Emotionally, my world came crashing down on me. I was stressed out financially; I didn’t have a phone or a cell phone due to fighting with an ex-boyfriend; my credit was shot and I was in a job that I hated. I cried almost everyday and was severely depressed because my life wasn’t the way that I wanted to be. I found myself at the tender age of 36, single parent of two children, having a meltdown. Through all of this my aunt and my best friend was there for me (my mom passed when I was 17 years old). One day, I happen to be at home sick and I was watching an episode of Oprah called “The Secret”. As I watched that show, I got a feeling in the pit of my stomach that I hadn’t felt in a long time. I didn’t purchase the “The Secret” DVD because I didn’t have the money, so I sat in the bookstore and read the book. I connected with it immediately. One evening I walked into the bookstore and another book caught my eye immediately. I read this book and it blew me away. This book was what “The Secret” was based upon. The book validated everything that I had been known but ignored. It was a validation and it helped to remind me who I truly was. That book has changed my life forever. You know not everything is for everyone, but for me, I was led to read this book, just as I was led to watch “The Secret” segment on the Oprah Show. My life has been changing, not overnight but slowly. I started losing weight this summer right after I started a new job which I love. I threw out my home scale and now only weight myself once a week at my job. I haven’t joined a gym but walk 3 to 5 times a week from my job to the train station. About a month ago, I told myself that it was time to let go all of the emotional and mental baggage that I had been carrying consciously and unconsciously for the last 20 plus years. I am drama free and there is nothing to hold me back anymore, nothing for me to hold on to. I am healing from my past and it is now time for me to drop this excess weight once and for all. I felt as if a heavy burden has been lifted off of my shoulders. Over the years this site has really helped me even when I wasn’t completely ready to help myself. Looking at everyone losing weight or have lost weight and have maintained it, is an inspiration to me. To the 3 sisters who created this site, I humbly thank you. I apologize for the long post but I felt that I needed to tell everyone my story and hopefully it can help someone else as I have been helped.

Hi Erie -

Check out the 100 lb club, for those on their way to losing or who have lost 100 lbs or more. We also have groups by eating plan (calorie counting, whole foods, etc) and by age range, so look around.

Settle in, find a spot, and get to posting.

Hi - and welcome!!!!! Your story resonates with me. I also am a single mom with financial troubles. I have a job that I hate but it pays my benefits so I stay. I also saw Oprah, and also read the Secret. I can't say that it turned anything around for me by itself, but it was definitely something that made me feel hopeful that change is possible. That book, along with other motivational books, and prayer, have convinced me I can change.

And this place right here, is a huge piece of motivation that I need to keep on the road of change for the better.

So keep coming!!! And good luck!!!!

errich- I am so glad you are here with us. You have already lost alot of weight. I do know that it has made me feel so much more positive! I will talk to you later! Have a good on plan day!!!

Thank you. I am already apart of the 100lb club. Although I've been a member since 2000, I've just started posting more regularly since last month.

Thank all of you for your posts, it helps alot