Hey everyone,

My name is Meaghan and I am a 21 year old student. I have not weighed myself in a few weeks and am currently on vacation, but I am between 242 and 248 (my highest weight has been 248). I really don't remember a time when I wasn't overweight...or a time when I wasn't trying to change it, for that matter. This summer has been rough as far as diet and exercise is concerned, so I am looking to get back to it when I get home from vacation. My official start date will be Monday, August 16th, but I may try to get back to the gym before that if I can.

My biggest issue is overeating/not eating enough vegetables. I actually enjoy exercising and do not have too much of a problem getting to the gym on a regular basis, but I have a tendency to eat unhealthy foods and/or overeat, and I am very picky when it comes to vegetables. I've tried to branch out, but I don't seem to like anything (no lettuce, tomatoes, broccoli, etc.), and that is a huge obstacle in losing weight.

My initial goal is to get below 200 pounds by the end of the year, which I think is reasonable. My second goal is to get down to 180 by my birthday in March, which is the weight I was for most of high-school, and then I would like to get down to 150 by this time next year. My final goal is 150, but if I can keep losing from there, that would be good too. One of those free bmi calculators said I would still be considered "overweight" at 150 and that I should really weigh between 105 and 135, but (a) I don't think that is too realistic of a goal for someone who currently weighs over 240 and (b) I've seen girls at my height with my body shape and they look damn good at 150 or 160, so I think I'll just go by how I feel about my body once I'm down to 150.

I really need some support because I don't have any friends close to me who need to lose weight AND are serious about doing so. My boyfriend says that he really wants to but then always suggests fast food or orders something unhealthy when we go out to eat. So I am really here to hear from people who are as serious as I am about losing weight and can give me the support I need that I am not receiving from the people around me.

Can't wait to meet everyone!

Hi and welcome to 3FC.

Good luck with your goals.

Hugs
Michelle

Thanks!

Welcome to 3FC, we are glad you are here Meaghan. What I recommend is set yourself some small goals for the next 6 weeks. When I started June 30, my first goal was for the month of July, no soda/fast food, which I met. My current mini goal is to walk on the treadmill for 1 month 5 days a week and so far so good. Mini goals aren't as overwhelming as losing 50lb in 6 months would be. Good luck and keep us posted.

Hello and welcome, myfishpajamas !

I agree with you about the BMI thing -- my goal weight is 158, and I would still technically be overweight at that weight according to the BMI calculator. I'd have to go down to 150 to get out of the "overweight" category. I am not sure I'd want to go that low -- I'll have to see how I feel when I get to my goal.

Hi Meaghan, welcome! Have you tried keeping a record of what you eat? I find that just writing everything down (or tracking it online) REALLY helps me to stay accountable.

Good luck with your goals!

Hi Meaghan....I recently joined this site and have found a lot of useful posts and helpful hints. I am about the same height as you, and have currently set my weight goal at 140, but I really do hate scales, I would rather go by the way I look and feel. My mini goal for now is to comfortably wear the jeans that I wore a year ago...I can get into them, and do them up, but they are to tight...so I am hoping to be able to wear them by the end of August. good luck with your goals!!!

Well I guess my smaller goals than those are to lose, on average, 2 pounds per week, to make it to the gym 6 days per week, drink one diet soda or less per day and water otherwise, avoid fast food as much as possible or get grilled sandwiches and substitute fruit for fries if I do go, etc. I do have goals like that, but those are just my main three poundage goals.

Thanks for the luck, and I hope to be posting here often!

Yeah, I think it is unrealistic for me personally to shoot for lower than 150 (and BMI wants me at 136!) because God granted me a big *** and thunder thighs. lol I am actually perfectly fine if I am still curvy at my goal weight as long as I am healthy and feel good about myself. I will keep working at it if I am still unhappy at 150, but I just don't see that being the case. Thanks for the welcome!

I did do that for awhile, actually, but instead I found myself lying to the food diary, which is like insane because it's not like the food diary can judge me! Only I can judge me! lol I did sign up for one of those fit day journals online but I don't know if I will use the food part of it. I guess I feel like I know when I eat something I shouldn't without having to write it down, and I know I should just say no in the first place. Maybe I will try it for the first few days of getting back on track. Thanks for the encouragement!

I think weighing myself weekly is helpful. I saw some posts about weighing daily, but I feel that is too much because your body changes too much on a daily basis. So I plan to weigh myself every Monday just to see if I am meeting my goal of averaging 2 pounds per week. I had to buy a bunch of clothes to fit the body I have now - I've only been above 200 for about a year to two years, so it's either a size 5 from Lane Bryant (which is probably between a 20 and a 24)...or a normal size 16. lol I don't think I can fit into a 16 by the end of the month! I guess if I set a mini goal for the rest of August (I am not officially starting until the 16th) then it would be to stay on track. I know the beginning of a weight loss program is the hardest part, so if for 15 days, I can stick with working out every day except Sunday, avoiding fast food and soda, etc. then I will feel good and then maybe set a more solid, concrete goal for September.

Thank you everyone for all of the support, encouragement, and tips. THANK YOU! Really, I appreciate it so much. And, please, keep it going. I can use all I can get as I begin this journey in about a week.

Hi Meaghan!! We're basically on the same boat. I live in North Carolina too, but in Greenville. Anyway, I'm probably a little heavier than you, I'm kind of tip toeing back and forth between 249 and 252 and my ultimate goal is to try to be in the 130s (I'm 19 and I'm 5'2). But like you said, some people are 150-160 and still look great so I guess I can only wait and see. We can do this girl!! We're all here to motivate and encourage each other. I'm new too, by the way. Nice to meet you and good luck!!

Wow, small world! My bf is from Greenville, so we do visit there on occasion. We can definitely do this! It's a daunting task but not impossible. Good luck to you too!

Welcome and good luck!

Dhani

Hello and welcome to 3FC. Good luck to you in your journey and in reaching all your goals.