This is my second introduction. I know what a dork, but I just wanted to say about how happy I am to have stumbled upon this site. I never though about ever joining a community like this, or even thought there was one out there like this. I have only been a member for a few days now, and I have learned and been inspired so much. I just want to thank everyone for their stories and advise ahead of time. And to think, I am on this website now more than I am on my fb. lol

You'll find tons of motivation goal stories as well as great tips on keeping on plan. Good luck with your goals.

Welcome...I here you about FB...I am hardly on there at all anymore. There is also another blog that I normally check out for my work and I have not been on there as much either. This is a great place. Glad u found it!

Hi mlp.....and welcome!

I HAD to make sure and welcome you since you introduced yourself twice.
Just kidding, honey.
I've not been here that long myself and had sorta disappeared for a few weeks due to being tied-up with family stuffs and Thanksgiving.....but I'm still trying to figure out how this site works myself. It's a bit different from the message boards I'm accustomed to. It seems like a huge mansion with hundreds of rooms as compared to the smaller house with a few rooms I'm used to....if that makes any sense.....hehe, and I can't quite figure out where the main room is here....there seem to be so many of them.

I'd basically posted here in introductions and then on the Atkin's forum farther down the page, since that's the diet I'm on. I'm also trying to figure out the best method for welcoming people....as there seem to be SO many new intro's every day.....and I don't want to lose track.

Have you decided which program you plan to use? It appears that you don't have a huge amount to lose, actually......but let's face it, it's all relative. Whatever the amount is, it's a big deal to each of us....whether it's more or less than the next guy. The 40 lbs. I've lost may be small to some....but it's a HUGE deal to me....right? And if whatever you need to lose is a huge deal to you than that's all that matters.
I find that this site does hold me accountable....and that alone has been extremely helpful. I've also found that there is just a huge amount of information to learn here and I love reading around and learning about all the different programs. Can you give more info. on your weight loss plans?

deena

Thank You everyone for the kind welcomes

deena- hmmmm... actually, I'm not sure what kind of plan I have for losing weight yet. I know that I have started exercising. I'm using my fluidity bar that I had bought a life time ago and never used. I like it, its a little challenging right now, but I am getting the hang of it. In the last two weeks I stopped going to any fast food joints, which has been a major part of my life for the past couple of years. I plan to start doing some cardio workouts with in the next week, I just got to find and at home video I like (I've been looking at the instant view on netflix).

So pretty much I am working on toning muscles a little bit first, and then add the cardio. I know when you have more muscle, it burns fat faster.

Last year I had joined curves with my mom. It was a pretty comfortable place to go, I just didn't know how to fit it in to my schedule b/c I was working midnight 10 hr shift. I was tired when I got home, and well for my days off I guess I was just lazy. lol

I know I don't have a lot to lose, but when I looked at the charts it says I am overweight. Just a good idea to start now then later, cause I'll tell ya what... I would only have more to lose then.

If you have any suggestions or ideas on whats working for you, I would love to hear them.

Hi mlp,

I can't really tell your exact age from your avatar (which I assume is your photo)...but know you're a **** of a lot younger than me (I'm 57). And you kinda remind me of myself because while I was never terribly overweight most of my life (until my 2005/2006 horrible experience with a particular medication)....I was usually battling about a 20-30 lbs weight issue...losing it...gaining it back on occasion...etc.

So....this is just my perspective and you can simply take it for what it's worth....but over the years I learned that if you are not a huge exercise lover, it's best to not make that the cornerstone of weight-control. Now I'm sure there are many who would disagree with me. And IF you ARE a person who LOVES exercise....then it's a whole different story, don't get me wrong. I know that there are women who love exercise, sports, etc. But I'm not one of them. I do love to walk....and I have been doing that...but as an adjunct to a dietary plan.

Because for ME (and I'm just telling you this in case you ARE anything like me)....I don't love to exercise. Walking, yes....but exercise, going to the gym, etc...no. And I realized, over time.....that if I could not count on myself to commit to exercising regularly for my entire life...I was gonna constantly be gaining it back.

Yes, there were times when I got heavily into exercise...went to the gym...and actually convinced myself that I loved it and could do it forever. But I never stuck with it. Walking....yeah, I can count on myself to do that consistently....but ultimately, I had to combine a dietary plan with the walking....as it turned out to be what I could realistically stick to for the long-term. Or else, I just kept gaining back that aggravating 20 or so lbs.

So, honestly, just take this for what it's worth....as you may be nothing like me. But insofar as the success I had with keeping the weight off long-term...I had to find a plan that I could actually stick with long-term.

Because I'm sure you've noticed, from reading around here....that there are people who have to battle massive amounts of weight.....and then there are those who have to battle that constant 20-30 lbs. issue. And I'm sure you also know that esp. for women, the older we get, the more difficult it can get...pregnancy, aging, etc. And for those of us who fall into that category of always battling that 20-30 lbs....we CAN maintain a normal weight...but we have to find the program that works long-term....the one we can actually stick with for the long-haul. Otherwise....we are repeatedly battling that same 20-30 lbs. I know....I did it for years. Does that make sense? (I don't mean that rhetorically....I mean, did what I wrote make sense?)

deena

it does make sense. I do like to exercise sometimes, but I also love to eat crappy fast food. I'm only 25 and I still live at home. Anything in the house that is food related is off limits to me because of my mom... I don't know why, but thats how it is. If i want to buy anything to eat at the house, it better not have to go in the fridge and take up my mom's food space. Idk, so thats how food works at my house. I just have to figure out a system of no more fast food, and a consistent exercise plan. Thanks for the advise, I will take it into consideration and try to find a type of exercise I really love.