...I'm ready to lose the weight that I need to lose, being that I'm back on the dating scene again. I was committed to exercising and watching what I ate for a while last year, and lost about 15 lbs (I think), but soon stressful situations made me regain most of what I had lost. This year I'm determined to do this thing right. I've got toned muscles that have yet to be seen because they're covered by ugly fat! If I lose the weight I need to lose then I would like to try to be a model.

I'm 5'7.5, and around 190 lbs. I've got a medium frame and I'm trying to get down to at least 135lbs.

I'm tired of having fat hips and thighs and a fat *** and I'm tired of hearing people say "you're so pretty! why do you have to dress in long tshirts!??" They just don't understand. As I get no support in real life I've turned to this website! Hopefully someone has some tips for me. Or if anyone just wants to chat about weight issues, I'm here!

As you can see I've got a Tyra Banks picture for my avatar, as inspiration. I could never look exactly like her (I'm not that beautiful and I'm not african-american and my breasts will never be that size) but I think her body is my ideal body. She's thin, yet toned AND curvy. It inspires me to want to look like that!!

Tyra still has some meat on her frame it just is balanced most of the time due to her assets and she does cut down for runway times from what I have read. Anyway, I can sympathize because I too wear long shirts and sometimes a shirt over a shirt cause I feel ashamed due to my weight. It's true but I know I can control it. I on the other hand do not have a pic of personal inspiration to me on my avatar but one that I just thought would be kind of funny to me. This guy makes me laugh and at least he is comfortable being a bit meaty and not rail thin. This guy was huge once, by the way. That hair of his is insane.

Welcome to the boards Melanie!

It's true, she does have some meat, I just think she's got a really great, healthy body. Some of those other models (Giselle for example) are just too thin!

My mom used to have Richard simmon's sweating to the oldies tapes, but I don't know where they're at now. They'd really come in helpful! He is actually a good role model for people. Haha, his hair is funny, it's true. His exercise videos were funny too.. (I still remember this scene in the Nutty Professor where he's like, "pretend you're a ponny.. I'm a poooooooooony!" hehe.

Thank you!