I am 50 years old. Yesterday I jumped on Facebook and I noticed 3 friends have lost a ton of weight...... and relaized I may be the only fat girl left among my freinds. I moved to New Orleans a few years ago and have gained weight, although I was already big when I arrived in the Crescent City. I need to lose at least 70 lbs....really 80. I had a total hysterectomy 8 years ago and I swear I gained 50 lbs in 4 months.

Where do I start? I don't have a plan, but I realize I need one. I was thrilled when I found this site.

It's hard in New Orleans, I know, I used to live there! But take heart, my friend who lives in nearby LaPlace has lost 80 lbs through exercise and Weight Watchers.

Thanks Rie and Jess....no, it is not easy in New Orleans. And Rie thanks for the invite to the 50+ group.

I remember when I first started, the thought of "I need to lose at least 70 pounds" was super daunting... you feel like you don't even know where to start. I found it much easier when I broke up the long-term weight loss journey into smaller parts and celebrated the little things: losing the first 10 pounds, fitting into your "skinny" pants, running the furthest you've ever run.. things like that.

Something I wish someone had told me when I was first starting: You'll really surprise yourself at what you can do if you can just get over the fear of trying. Best of luck!

Thank you Pink. For the first time in over 20 years I just ordered my first weight scale. I can't hide from it anymore. I think setting a goal of 10 lbs is a good idea. I can't decide what kind of diet plan I should go on. I think for the first week I will focus on smaller portions, drinking more water and watching my salt intake. This week I will research diets that seem to work best for those of us over 50. I have a friend who does the low carb, but everytime she gets off of it she gains weight back. I think I would rather have a life style change. I like my carbs, but I am not offended by whole grains. One peron suggested to not eat carbs after 3pm. If I lose the weight gradually I am ok with that...like I have seen said on here..it's a marathon, not a sprint. Sorry, I am rambling, just trying to figure it all out.

You're completely right, it isn't a sprint. The healthiest way is definitely as a lifestyle change.. I'm personally just exercising more and eating better/less. I didn't want to go on a low-carb/South Beach/Atkins type of diet because that's not how I intend on eating for the rest of my life. I'd rather eat a variety of healthy foods because that's a lot more sustainable!

Sounds like you've got it all figured out, though.. everyone's different, though, so someone else's plan might not work for you right away, you might have to tweak it. A scale is a good first step, definitely.. it's always nice to have a point that you can look back on and measure your progress great job!