Hi all! Where to start...? I just joined today. I am 5'4" and weigh 237lbs. I am at least 100lbs overweight and I can't stand it anymore. I just turned 40 a few weeks ago and I guess I had a mini-mid-life crisis because I started thinking about the next 40 years of my life (if I even live that long being this un-healthy!), and I just couldn't bear the thought of living like this anymore. So here I am! I've never joined anything online before, having to do with weight loss. I've researched diets and exercise online but never publicly "announced" it like this. I think that's kind of a milestone for me...

Also, I just bought a treadmill. It's supposed to be delivered Wednesday. I am the cheapest cheapskate you will ever meet so spending $700 on a treadmill really says (to me, at least!) that I am serious about this. I live in a rural area about 10 miles from town so I was always making excuses about why I couldn't go to the gym (too far, not a good time to go, gas is expensive, etc). Plus, I'm very self-conscious about exercising in front of other people. I actually DO like using treadmills; I can watch a movie and zone out and walk for hours. It was just getting off my a$$ to go into town that was the problem. Now I have no excuse!

I started a food log today. I'm not on any strict diet. I'm not going to freak out and punish myself if I eat too much. Right now, I just want to gain an awareness of how much I eat in a day. Hopefully, just knowing that I am going to record everything will get me to think twice before I put that Twinkie in my mouth. I *am* going to make an effort to eat better, but I am not setting a daily calorie limit. I am going to briefly (25 words or less) record my thoughts and actions for every day, and see if/how it correlates to what I eat.

I have been overweight since puberty, but it was more like 20lbs overweight, give or take, until about age 30. I have yo-yo'ed between 150 and 200 since then. I have joined gyms (never went), tried special diets (lost a lot of weight on Atkins but didn't *feel* healthy), starved myself (lasted about 2 days!), juice diets, vegetarian diets, etc... Sometimes I lost weight but always gained it back + more!

No more diets! I am going for a lifestyle change. I know I have to change my relationship with food and I need to be more active.

Sorry for the long post. This was partly for my own benefit - to sort it out in my own head what my goals and plans are. I'm going to go explore this site now. Good luck to everyone else who is trying to lose weight and get healthy!

Welcome and good luck ! I think you have made a good start,

Welcome to the first day of the rest of your life! You have taken an important step and food journaling is the right thing to start with!

I just started in January. I had always tried gimmicky diets and I never could stick to them. My daughter had lost 17 pounds counting calories and for months she told me about MyFitnessPal.com. I have been using it for two and a half months now and I think the greatest benefit it awareness. I am now aware of every calorie that I put in my mouth. I ask myself is it worth it.
My progress is slow and steady. Not that I wouldn't want the numbers to go down more quickly ... but this is something that I can stick with. I do not feel depraved or deprived. Good luck to you!!!!

Hello! I started the year weighing 249 pounds, and two and a half months later I weigh 218.5. I haven’t followed a strict plan, but I have been counting my calories at MyFitnessPal, and exercising 6 days a week. I drink at least 110 ounces of water a day.

It is totally doable, especially now that you have your treadmill. Starting now will make you feel great by the time summer comes, which is just around the corner.

Welcome! I can SO identify! Announcing it is a huge step for me! In fact, I wanted to join a weight loss group on Facebook, but was afraid to do so in front of all my "friends" there! Isn't that silly? Lilke they haven't noticed?? I used to wear a size 4 and now I wear a size 16...and NOBODY has noticed? lol Yeeaaah. At any rate, announcing it here feels safe for some reason!

Best of luck to you! I will be keeping you in my thoughts! I'm planning to journal daily, and meditate on my journey daily! Part of that will be sending positive energy to those who are also on this path!

Thank you all for the warm welcome! I am pretty happy with how well I am keeping up with my food journal. I have logged every bite since Monday, which I realize is only 4 days, but for me that's HUGE!

My treadmill came yesterday and I got it set up right away (was much easier than I thought it would be!), and I put 2 miles on it last night and 2 more this morning! Yay! And I have been full of energy today; I'm hoping it's from the workout itself, and not just "psychological" energy from being excited about it.

Here's a pic, 'scuse my messy living room please!