I'm fed up with my current lifestyle and have made the decision to dedicate some time completely to self-improvement. I've been battling depression for a while and I just blew up. It's as simple as that, the laziness took over. I gained a ridiculous amount of weight in a short amount of time, and now I need to lose it.

I've been lurking around this site for a while, and your stories are inspiring. I had such mixed feelings looking through your progress. On one hand I was happy to see someone changing their life in the most gratifying way, but a deep shame quickly made me want to never come back. I still did though, and now I'm ready to become an active member of this community.

I looked at the scale last night and was overwhelmed with disbelief. How could I let myself get to 235 pounds? I'm 19, 5'1" and have 100 lbs to lose.
My life has been stagnant, and I'm making the decision to leave the nest in about 3 months. I'm quitting my job to focus solely on my schooling and weight-loss. I have no idea where to start but I will.

Welcome! You have come to a fantastic place for support and motivation (but you already know that).

I think you have already made steps in the right direction by realizing that something needs to change. By simply making this post you have already begun to take action which is important.

As for where to start, you should keep it simple at first. Set small goals that are measurable and achievable. For example, eat 1700 calories everyday this week. Or workout 3 times this week.

Build up some momentum. Start chipping away at that 100 pound goal. You can do it! I look forward to seeing you achieve that goal in the near future .