Hi everyone!
I'm new here just looking for support and advice.
I don't know how much I weigh, I'll have to find a scale and weigh myself but I know I'm over 200 lbs. I have always been a bit chubby but because I wall tall and curvy it fit me well and I was also athletic.
In the past few years I gained weight so quickly that I actually have disgusting stretch marks around my stomach and by my love handles. This has given me extremely low self worth, I can't recall ever feeling this badly about myself.
So I decided to try to find some support and help through these forums with all you lovely ladies!
I'm 28 right now and realize every year it will get a bit more difficult to lose this weight so I need to take control now.

Something that has deterred me from getting back into shape is I can't seem to do any exercises for even a minute - in the past I guess I was always active so I never had this type of trouble before where it doesn't seem like I have a lick of athleticism left in me! Has anyone else felt this way and how did you get over that hump?

Welcome to 3FC! This is a great place to find support, get advice, and meet your goals. Good luck!

Welcome!!!!!

Welcome! The best thing to do may be to start slowly with exercises you like, or something low impact. Even walking for 10 minutes a day would be a great start!

Welcome! Don't feel ugly, I'm sure you're beautiful. Stretch marks happen to everyone, there are things you can do to reduce their visibility. I always hear that Palmer's Cocoa Butter is great for stretch marks, so just moisturise every day.

As for your slump, I would recommend starting to walk. Go for a 10 minute walk, then in a few days or the week after a 15, 20, 25 etc. Try and walk at a brisk pace. Soon you might even want to try jogging a bit. There's a great programme called Couch to 5K that a lot of the girls here do, it's designed for people who have done little to no exercise to train them for a 5k. If running doesn't appeal to you, then maybe find a fitness video or an exercise/dance video game that you want. Good luck!

Hey. I gained weight quickly in high school and probably wound up over 200 pounds too. I have horrid stretch marks on my back right now even though I'm down to my goal weight! It sucks, but now I see them as battle scars since I've had to work hard to get here!!

Just about every woman deals with stretch marks so don't feel bad!

While everyone here has given you wonderful advice, I want you to take another first step: learn to love yourself. This journey will be a whole lot easier if you can learn to accept and love yourself for who you are now. I don't think I ever would have made it down to my goal without doing so first. Buy yourself some nice clothes, dress up, make a list of things you like about yourself...

After you've accomplished that to some extent, start slow. If you want to start exercising first, just do something low impact for 3 times a week (walking, speed walking, playing a dance game, exercise video, etc.) and slowly building up. Once you have gotten used to exercise you can add in the healthy eating component.

One thing I had to learn was the body I was in was not the same body I was in 5 years ago. It was 60lbs lighter and 5 years younger. I couldn't expect to just hop right in to exercise and expect to be able to do what I use to.

Like everyone else has said, start slow! I also started Couch 2 5K. I've been taking my sweet time with it because I won't move on to a new week until I can comfortably complete the week before but I love it.

Start slow and don't be too hard on yourself! Experiment with different things for exercise and diet. If you don't like it or can't do it, don't get frustrated. It took me a long time to realize that if I'm unhappy with my diet or exercise routine, I need to change it up! Not quit!

You can do it, you just need to figure out what works for you =)

I wouldnt worry too much about the stretch marks EVERY woman has them at one point or another from gaining weight to having a baby... theres not much you can do about it... i have stretch marks from being big and from being pregnant... use palmers cocoa butter or pretty much anything with cocoa is good... if the stretch marks are white they are pretty much there for good its the red ones that you can minimize with the butter....

Riestrella is right Im sure you are a beautiful girl and those marks arent what makes you you... think of them as battle scars when you lose the weight....

start off slow start walking everyday go and do what your comfortable with then slowly increase it maybe every week or couple weeks... then add a video to your walks... maybe try like a 20 or 30 minute workout video... tai bo is pretty good and not that hard if you do the basic one first especially compared to some these days like p90x or insanity.... once your up to a really good distance walking and doing your video everyday... mix it up a bit and try doing a cardio video for say 45minutes a day and take it up a notch with your walking and do a nice brisk pace or a jog. drink lots of water, try to include salad in your meals with lots of greens and diff veggies...(it helps believe me) and just take it one step at a time.... no ones in a hurry here.... you can do this!!! good luck and keep us posted

p.s. set mini goals its the best way to go... perhaps one for new years!

Welcome to 3FC!
Everyone women has stretch marks of some kind. That being said I understand why you would feel self conscious of them, they are not pleasant looking. However, they are a part of life. I had extremely bad stretch marks on my stomach by my belly button and on my muffin top sides from my weight gain, I used Bio oil every night, Vitamin E cream during the day and cocoa butter every day. In less then 6 months they have now faded out and are hard to see unless of course you know they are there. Don't let them make you feel bad about yourself, I bet you are gorgeous.

As for the exercise I agree with everyone here. Take a 10min walk and gradually increase the distance/time. Find a work out video that interests you and is fun to do! When I started I played Xbox Kinect dance central and Kinect sports for an hr a day until I felt I could move on. Anything that gets you moving is perfect! Take it slow and don't get discouraged, it is all about trial and error! You have to find what works for you I know its hard getting started so if you need a buddy to talk to about anything, I'm totally willing to help you out in anyway I can.
You can do this! Take it one day at a time!
Good luck and keep us posted!