How's it going? I came to this site a while back, but have fallen off the wagon BIG TIME over the last few months. I started my teaching career and the pressure of the job plus the hours required had me away from the gym and binge eating at happy hours to try and relieve some of the stress.

So here I am...I've managed to gain back 30lbs over the last 5 months. Terrible...

My turning point was actually 2 things.
1. I went to a funeral of a woman I have grown up with. She was only 68...not that old these days. Her health had been poor for the last few years, but I couldn't help but think that her weight was also a major factor (she died from heart failure). I saw her in the coffin and it made it very real to me. I am only 24 years old...but I am MORBIDLY obese. That word shouldn't have to be used to describe someone my age. My back and knees shouldn't hurt all of the time. I shouldn't get winded going up 2 flights of stairs. I'm killing myself. This may sound terrible, but I have started picturing myself in a coffin when I think about going back to bad habits or skipping the gym...because I WILL end up there sooner than I should if I don't fix this.

2. My relationship with my ex finally crashed and burned completely so I have been on a mission recently to get out there and date. I've gone on plenty of dates...some of the guys were nice and not too bad looking, but I wasn't interested in them for one reason or another. I've gone on a couple where I think my size was a factor in them not being interested in me, but for the most part that hasn't been an issue. The last date I went on I was really excited about. I met him on a dating website and he seemed super nice, funny, etc...and from his pictures I liked what I saw. Well...as horrible as this sounds, I wasn't attracted to him when I saw him. He was much much heavier in person than he was in his pictures. I realized that it's unfair to expect most guys to be attracted to me when I am doing the same thing and am not attracted to someone who was unhealthily overweight. I know there are those great guys out there who really don't care and I'm sure some of you all are dating them, but for me it hasn't worked that way. I know that my weight is holding me back in the dating world. My options would open up so much if I could just get control of this. And I feel that at my age, I am ready to really start looking to settle down.

So that's my story...my 2 main focuses when I'm reminding myself of why I'm making healthy choices. I look forward to hanging around these boards for inspiration, motivation, and fun.

I'm in the same boat as you in the fell off the wagon department.
I had just hit onderland on July 24th 2011 and the very next day my cousin(more like a brother in our relationship tho) killed himself, I completely fell off plan and gained 20lbs in these past months. I'm ready to get back there though.

I agree, it's very motivational to think about how we are hurting ourselves by the way we live. It makes me sad to think this way but it helps.

Good luck with the dating. I haven't been single since I was in 10th grade so I'm probably not the best person for advice there. However, I do understand what your saying about not being attracted to those who are morbidly overweight and attracted to you. It might sound superficial but its honest.

Welcome! I completely understand where you're coming from with the dating thing. I am 21 and have NEVER had a boyfriend. My shyness and my weight being the main factors for that in my opinion. About a year ago I joined a couple of online dating websites. I've talked to a few guys, met a few guys, was lied to by a few guys (wanted to throw that in there lol) and nothing has ever clicked. I'm kind of in the same boat as you are about being attracted to some of these guys. My brother says that my standards are too high, but I don't think so. I'm not the type of girl who likes to date around and have random hookups, I'm only 21 but I want something real and this may be interpreted wrong, but I just don't want to settle for less than I deserve. This is the main reason for why I am determined to lose 35 lbs by my birthday in July. I want to post a full body shot of me on these dating websites, instead of always cropping at the chest and I want to have attractive guys message me. It seems as if all I am attracting now are 40 year old men, and that really gets to me and makes me feel down on my appearance. Sorry for the novel but I just wanted to let you know that you are not alone in this department. Good luck on your weight loss journey!

I have only been in one serious relationship and it started when I was 21, so definitely don't feel bad about that. I don't think that I have hugely high standards for how a guy looks. I'm actually not that attracted to super athletic/preppy looking guys. I like my men rugged

But, I know how you feel that you don't want to let your weight make you lower your standards. I know people who I feel have settled with the first guy who was interested in getting in a relationship with them...because they didnt have the confidence to believe that there were other guys out there who would be interested. I never want to get to that point. I don't want to be with someone just so that I don't have to be alone...

But thanks for the welcome guys I look forward to seeing you around the site