I was so proud of myself today. I have been exercising for about 3 weeks now. I try to do brisk walking for 60-70 minutes daily if possible, and a few times a week I've been pushing myself and doing interval training on stairs. I hadn't really noticed any difference, though I've been doing it as often as I can and enjoying it. Now today, my friend and I (who is, although out of shape, STICK skinny) walked around for like 70 minutes and he started complaining that he was tired after around 50 minutes and i wasn't tired at all and I was still prancing around and energetic 20 minutes later, running back up the stairs to my dorm room, and he was like OMG how are you not tired? and i was so happy. Never in my life have I been the one who still has energy, I am ALWAYS the one dragging everyone else down because I'm too tired and need to rest. But for once I got to feel like I was I was so happy. I felt... healthy... I felt... in-shape, for the first time in my life. I still have a long ways to go, but this was incredibly inspiring to me and is really great motivation to keep moving forward.

This is another excellent example of out fit does not equal skinny/fat. Good job, by the way, keep feeling good about yourself this is an excellent NSV.

I guess in my mind I was kind of thinking like... being in shape was something that would have to wait until I was skinnier... that I could try now but I wouldn't really see any results until I was thinner. But I was so surprised and happy... this is actually more important to me than any number of pounds could be. My true goal all along is just to be healthy. I want to live a good long life. I want to start eating healthy foods to do that. Losing weight is just something I need to do to be HEALTHY, looking good is just an extra benefit, not my main focus here. I'm trying to think of it as like from three weeks ago when I started this I already AM maintaining. I'm maintaining for the weight I WANT to be, so then when I get there I can hopefully just continue doing exactly what I am now and for the rest of my life. I don't really see this as something that is going to end, I just want to try to make habits that I can KEEP and have the weight loss be just an added benefit, one that will only stick around if I keep it up even 50 years from now.

I think this is brilliant. I hear so many people talk about not wanting to start exercise until they lose part of the weight - being "too fat" to run, or whatever, and I think, WHY?!?

It's like they say at my yoga studio - Saying, "I'm not flexible, so I shouldn't do yoga," is like saying, "I'm dirty, so I shouldn't take a shower."

Congrats, Megwini!

Wonderful! Keep that feeling alive!

This is so true, that weight does not always directly correlate with fitness! I've never been technically overweight, but I am always the one who is too tired, has to take breaks, rest, sit down... and I hated it! Now that I have been exercising and eating right, my body and my fitness level finally match, and I love it!

AWESOME!! And I'm here to tell you that I am living proof that skinny does not equal fit. I have always been a big girl, I used to run 10 k every weekend at 175 lbs with a stick insect friend, I was constantly pushing her and guess who always sprinted the last K? Hint: It wasn't her!! I have found this so many times over now, I am at the point where I actually would prefer to be a little bigger *gasp* than skinny and unfit, so keep at it and that bouncy feeling will just get better!

Good job!

This was actually really good motivation to me to finally start my weight training. I kept telling myself that I would start in the summer when I got home for summer vacation in June, but I've changed my mind. I think that's just my way of making an excuse. Who knows what other kind of lovely excuse I'd come up with when I got home for the summer? My reason for not going to the gym (I live in a dorm and don't have much money so buying weights are kind of out of the question) was it's a college gym so I'm so embarrassed of running into someone I know and so afraid to go alone. So today I asked my friend if he'd go with me the first few times until I feel more comfortable, and I'm going to tell anyone that I'd be embarrassed if I ran into there AHEAD of time that I've decided to start going. No more excuses! No need to start later when you can start now! I'm excited!!!!!!!
By the way, I love these forums. So many positive-minded folks with similar goals. Thanks for the support!