Hello. I'm sorry we all have to be here but I'm very happy to be here. I'm excited to meet good people and hopefully start feeling and looking better. I'll try to be brief: Most of my adult life I've been pretty fanatical about weight and fitness, but a very bad marriage led to an antidepressant that started weight gain and I just really took the ball and ran with it from there. Minus the running of course. I've spent longer than I can even say trying to get my act together. Right now I'm not working (by choice and circumstances) and you know how it is- the less you have to do the less you do. I don't have kids and I'm very healthy. I'm in a pretty "no excuse" situation.
After half-assing several feeble attempts at diet and exercise, and getting more and more depressed I decided to do the unthinkable. I ordered a scale. I had actually taken the weight off a few years ago. I went to Jenny Craig, and to give you an idea of how I feel about weighing myself, I told them not to tell me my weight. Just what I had gained or lost.
The fact that I put the weight back on, needless to say, was discouraging.
But I took stock and realized that the only way for me to really get serious about this is to get serious about it. And numbers don't lie. So I did it. I weighed myself. It was pretty much what I expected and I'm looking down the barrel of 40 pounds to lose. Hi!

I stayed away from scales my whole life. But I finally decided to face the music and see the hard numbers, and I'm glad I did. Now I am serious about losing the weight, and you can be too. You can do it, and we are all here for you!

Thank you so much LGF...

AtCap: Welcome! The scale is always the biggest pain around. Take each day as it comes to you you'll find a lot of good help on here. Yeah for that! Good luck on your journey.

LemonT- thank you!

Welcome! I can relate. I am pregnant and even just had a baby last December. Totally avoided scales thinking I could let myself get away with eating more and doing less because of the babies. I could feel everything getting tighter, activity getting harder. I had to look at the scale. I was surprised, and discouraged. I feel like I've lost and regained a million times. But the people here are really awesome. I've never felt quite THIS motivated, so I'm sure I'll do great this time. Good luck! I know you can do it if you set your mind to it!

AtCapacity! Yep, every time I decide to ignore the scale, I put weight back on. It may not be my favorite tool but it makes me take an honest look at what I'm really doing, so it serves a purpose. If you get serious again about your healthy eating and fitness, that 40 lbs will be off you in a few short months! Good luck!

Jacqi & twohundred2- thank you for the welcome, you both make good points. Twohundred2- at least you're making another human being- I'm just getting fatter! I hope your motivation levels stay up and you continue to feel good and be healthy.
I just completed my first week of diet and despite the fact that I had a sinking suspicion that it didn't go well, I weighed myself. I gained .4 pounds. But I still got on the scale and I'm glad I did.
Jacqi - your words ring true. I could have skipped the weigh in today and started the downward spiral into self-deception.
I can't help but think, if my weight crept up this week when I was watching myself, imagine if I hadn't.
I'm no stranger to diet and exercise and I know all too well that most of the time, if I think I'm not doing enough, I'm correct. Sigh. Ok wish me luck on week two. How are you all doing?

Keep it going! You are still acclimating to a different way of eating and have introduced the scale back into your life. Not all of us have immediate weight loss and it takes some time. Some things people here suggested to me that I am finding helpful = up your water intake throughout the day and also measure out your portions as you serve because eyeballing is not the same. Hang in there and just take each day as it comes to you. If it's a goal you want to accomplish you will work towards it as best you can.

Definitely good luck on week 2, AtCapacity! You can do it!