i read in a thread that it's really helpful to find others with similar interests/lifestyles.
...helpful as in, building a support system with like minded people.
so if you can relate to any of the following and are interested in being support for each other, please join in.

i'm a 36 year old mother of 2 (13 years and 16 months)
i am fortunate enough to be able to stay home while my boyfriend works full time.
i am just getting into couponing and paid surveys and i LOVE it.
i started this weight loss journey at 290.6 lbs.
i have been overweight forever!
i struggle all the time with weight loss, but i always keep trying - even if it's months between attempts.
i want to eat like a 'normal' person.
i think i'm addicted to junk food.
i'm shy and have issues with my appearance.

i could go on, but please - if you relate to anything in this list (the more you relate to, the better), and are looking for support, please add a message and share a bit about yourself.

I am a 38 year old stay at home mom to three kids, 2, 6, and 10. I also just got into couponing, my journey started at 292.2 lbs, I have been overweight since my junior year of high school, not much overweight then, but overweight non the less, I also always keep trying with my weight loss and sometimes it is months between attempts, I want to eat normal, I am addicted to junk food, I am notshy, but I do have issues with appearance.

I could have almost written your post! I would love to be a buddy.

Trish

I'm a 39 year old stay at home mom of two boys ages 9 and 6. I haven't worked outside the home in nearly a decade. I'm looking forward to this school year b/c it will be the first time in almost 10 years that I will have 6 whole hours to myself. What will I do? Continue to exercise and pursue my love of writing which has been shelved due to me raising my kids.

I don't have any real serious weight issues but I didn't like my appearance for most of my life. Now I've come to accept myself (especially as I near that magic number 40!) and exercise and eating right has helped a lot with my self-esteem. Yes, believe it or not, even smaller women have issues with how their body looks. I'm shaped like a ruler with almost no curves so that's been a source of disappointment for me, lol.

I used to be addicted to junk food but then my DH was recently told he was prediabetic and that changed everything for us. We both jumped on the bandwagon of clean eating. And it's made such a huge difference in how we both look and feel. Our boys are reaping the benefits too of a healthier lifestyle.

Congrats on the weight loss. Awesome! Keep going and nice to meet you. *waves*

I am a 32 year old SAHM of 4 boys-14, 12, 9 and 8. I have been overweight all my life and started this journey at 278 lbs when I was diagnosed with diabetes. I have a hard time fighting off junk food cravings but it IS getting better. I am shy---but it seems the more weight I lose the more confident I get.

Stay at home mama to 6 (ages 13-5). I can absolutely relate to lots of the points you posted. Let's encourage one another along on our journeys to a healthier lifestyle.

i'm so glad you guys took the time to write.
thank you.
i forgot to add that i had gestational diabetes while pregnant with my 16 month old.
i was told if i didn't change my diet, i'd have a high chance of getting diabetes within a year of the baby's birth.
at my last doctor's appt., i was told i am borderline diabetic.
the doctor gave me 3 months to make things better.
that 3 months is almost up and i really haven't improved.
why!?
what is my problem that i don't take it serious enough to work my a** off at changing my ways?

anyway, what weight loss methods are you all following?

I'm obviously not prediabetic but my husband is and he was told by his doctor to cut out all unnecessary sugar i.e.: white potatoes, white bread, sugary juices/sodas, cookies, candy, white pasta, etc. He is also has a thyroid problem for the last 12 years and has high cholesterol. He's also around 30 pounds overweight. So I may not be able to personally say I know what you or anyone else is going through but as his wife, I take his condition very seriously.

He's been following the diet to the letter and has already lost 5 lbs. in three weeks. Slow but steady. Diabetes runs in his family and he doesn't want that to be him. The doctor said he wants to see him back in six months for a reevalution. Oh and did I mention that he's younger than me? Yep.

I tell him that I will support him fully so I cut out sugar and my boys are barely eating treats anymore. They understand that he needs our complete support. I want him to be healthy and grow old together.

All I know is that my hubby has struggled for the last decade with his weight die to his poor eating habits and thyroid issues and he said this time he has to do it because quite frankly, his future depends on it. Good Luck!
You can do it.

I also had gestational diabetes with my last one. It has not come back but I am doing a very low carb diet. I has seemed to be working for me.

The threat of diabetes was (and still is) a huge motivator for me. My mother, uncle, and grandparents from both sides all have/had diabetes, and I knew that if I didn't get control of my eating then I would end up in the same spot. My uncle didn't watch his diabetes, went into a diabetic coma, and died.

I'm not following a diet. I read Dr.Judith Beck's books and followed the plan, which essentially teaches you how to have a responsible and healthy relationship with food. I eat about 1200 calories a day, low-fat and low-carb, lots of veggies, and no meat (only fish). I've incorporated exercise into my day- walking, exercise bike, being active with my family, and I feel so much healthier both physically and mentally.

I recommend the Beck books and the Beck forum here at 3FC.

35 SAHM to a 7 yr old.

My hypothyroid is under control with medication.

I also had Gestational diabetes when I was pregnant, but I'm off Metformin and my IR is under control. My endoc says if you didn't know, you wouldn't know from my labs that I am/was a prediabetic/insulin resistance type patient.

But while I've gotten it down low enough to improve that area with a whole food/low gi approach, I'm still struggling with weight and PCOS/Syndrome X, so I'm trying to crank the carbs down a bit more. Not just the easy ones of sugar, white flour, juice, etc. But really buckle it down and ramp up the exercise.

Regular exercise is my hardest thing though. I seem to go it fits and spurts. But I keep trying.

A.

I'm a little younger, SAHM to a 4 year old, 2 year old, and 9 month old. I have also been overweight for pretty much my whole adult life, and am slowly but surely retraining my habits to healthier alternatives and watching it pay off.

You can do this!

I am a SAHM, former high school teacher, in kind of stay-at-home forced thing due to the layoff situation here in CA. But, I am glad I got the chance to stay at home. I'm 33, and my daughter is 2 years, 2 months. I'm proud to say she never has gone to daycare. I worked the first year, but my mother was able to nanny for me in my home, which I am forever grateful!

This year I got to be home, I really focused on my health, and her, and it has been great. I feel awesome! My thirties are proving to be far more healhty than my twenties!

I am a 34 year old Stay @ Home Mom to 6.
But I never seem to be at home.lol
My kids are boys ages 15,10,5,3 and girls ages 14 and 11.
I am at the weight now I was in elementary school (4th or 5th grade)
I started my journey after the birth of baby#6 so it's been 3 years now.
I have come SO far yet I still dont always see it.
Everyday is a struggle still.

35 year old SAHM to a boy, 8, and a girl, 5. I've been staying at home for 3 years now after quitting my job as a social worker. Both looking forward to and dreading the youngest starting kindergarten this year!

I have been "on plan" for the last year or so. I'm down about 65 pounds... lost 71, but gained 15 back after Christmas and then just kind of stabilized. I lost 9 of the 15 I gained, and now I'm back to work trying to lose at least another 40... I have had type 1 diabetes for 24 years.

I struggle with compulsive over-eating and general laziness. I enjoy running on my treadmill and doing Jillian Michaels DVDs for exercise and I've been counting calories.

Up until I graduated from college, I was on the high end of normal/low end of overweight. When I started grad school I moved across the country with my DH (then fiance) and quit smoking. The stress contributed to my gaining a lot of weight, and then having kids...

just wanted to thank you all for joining in.
tuedays and wednesdays are the 2 days of the week i don't get much computer time.
so just a quick check in - i will write more soon.

hope you are all doing well.