Hi, I'm new to the forum and I've been trying to figure out where I want to start. I figured this specific folder would probably be best.

And to begin.

I've always be fat. You name it I've been there. Overweight, chubby, big-boned, husky, jiggly, corpulent...I could go on, but I think you get the picture. I've got what I'll call the classic background of two overweight parents. My mother is the serial success dieter, meaning she can say she's on a diet, immediately begin to do the things necessary to lose weight and it just seems to fall off of her in droves, not to mention she's a full 30 years older than me and at her age she should at least have that older aged = harder to lose weight thing going on. But she doesn't. My father is not grossly obese and not evenly mildly, but he does carry some weight and its not just 10 - 20 lbs, more like 30 - 40 extra, and considering that I outweigh him easily by 60lbs, its a little daunting.

Right now I weigh a full 100 lbs more than my mother, tipping the scales at 287lbs (and after this vacation I've been on I'm probably heavier than that), but I've been trying to rebuild the momentum that I had 4 years ago when I dropped 60lbs and got down to the lowest weight I can ever remember being (225lbs). At that point in time I was doing a diet journal, weighing out my food and going to the gym religiously. Right now I do go to the gym, though its sporadic to regular, getting there between 2 - 4 times a week, and I do try to manage my food. The problem is motivation. I've always been a visual person and my imagination is usually off the charts, but I've been trying just about everything I've got to either imagine what I would look like smaller or remember what I looked like when I was down to my smaller, 227 lbs self. So far nothing seems to work. I refuse to buy anymore larger clothing, thinking that if I horrify myself with the size of clothing I've got now into some sort of change then maybe I'll have the proper motivation to get back on track with my diet.

I joined this site in the hopes that others with the same issues I've had can offer some words of encouragement. Right now I feel like I'm at my wits end and I would welcome any advice or a kick in the pants about getting my act together.

Hi and welcome to the forum. You have come to the right place for support and encouragement. I know what it feels like to be very overweight and it didn't feel good. I have a hard time making myself exercise too. I have learned that the exercise definitely helps the weight to come off easier. My own motivation came from serious health problems that have improved significantly with the loss of weight. I truly have gotten used to this new lifestyle over time and you will too. Come here often for all the encouragement that you need. Best wishes with this new journey in life.

Welcome to 3FC, the most incredible, by far, weight loss site on the web!! you'll find LOADS of people who are or have been right where you are now. and it CAN be done! take a look at the sucess stories and before/after photo's of some of our maintainers. Meg was about your weight, I think. Now she's a slim, fit, personal trainer! I know it may sound harsh, but here's what I do to stay motivated. I stand in front of my full length bathroom mirror every morning, naked. yes, it's brutal, but no pain, no gain, right? and I ask myself, "how bad do you want it?" lemme tell ya, by the time I get to work, I don't even want to look at that box of donuts that someone brought in to the office, there's always donuts somewhere in the building. know what I mean? lol. set a date, and say "this is the day that I will change my life!" don't say diet, I hate that word. It's not a diet, it's a life style change, and its forever, if you want to maintain. I think it's been proven enough that diets don't work. You'll loose the weight and then gain it back. you have to get that mind-set that this is a life change. set that date, and the night before, get out your food journal and make a plan for the next day's meals. get them ready before hand, so you don't have to make a quick decision ("oh I didn't bring my food! oh I'll just get a whopper") that you may regret. take a photo the day you start. keep a copy close at hand all the time, so you can take a look at it when you feel weak. I keep mine on my computer desk top. once a day, i open it and look at myself 16 pounds ago. it's an umbelieveable motivator. I so hate the way I looked, I won't dare post my "before" photo until I've lost the weight. we're with you here. we're all in the same boat. some of us have just been riding longer than others. you can do this because you are worth it, and so is your health!!! hang in there.

you sure did find a great spot for support. I hope you'll do some surfing here as well. We got ooodles of plans, exercise and recipies but mostly, and I mean this from the bottom of my heart.... we have the best group of ladies (and some gents) here ya ever wanna meet. People just like you and me who knows what its like and can relate to our WL joureys.

Glad you found us.

Good Morning & Welcome!

I think in reading your post you REALLY do want to make a change for yourself and that is the first step!

Remember: "All things are difficult before they are easy."

Especially if we look at the whole picture at once. I would suggest first of all you try to not compare yourself with your Mother,Father or anyone else. Believe it or not your self worth has nothing to do with your weight! How much they weigh has nothing to do with your weight. (not meaning to sound harsh)

It doesnt matter if our Mother was a yo yo dieter or Dad is heavy too........what matters is you are unhappy being overweight and only YOU can change that! I think you really want to!

Start by realizing those 10 tiny words of power :
"If it is to be.it is up to me.!"

Choice not chance determines our destiny. So start making some changes..small changes make a difference. Try not to restrict yourself beyond reason. Cut back on portions............pat yourself on the back everytime you make a change during the day......we can sometimes be our own worst enemy! Recognise your own little victories!

Be blessed and keep smiling! Nothing is hopeless!

I can definately understand the health issues. Up until now I've always been relatively heavy, but since I've put this weight back on I've noticed that my breathing has gotten shorter and its been really hard to do some of the things that didn't take as much effort. I know that that's a sign and I'm paying attention to it.

I saw her pic and that definately got me started. I'm a big believer in seeing is believing and seeing others who have been where I have and have done what I want to do and succeeded goes a long way to getting me motivated.

Thanks for the advice, but I do do that everyday and its not a pretty conversation I have with myself, but its just that somewhere along the way during the day I lose myself and can't seem to get it together. And so ever though I know what I'm going to be doing the next day I let myself fall and start over again the next day. The problem is I'm tired of giving in and then promising myself that tomorrow I'll do it right.

Thanks for the kind words. I'm looking forward to starting on the right foot on Monday.

[QUOTE=CIN]Remember: "All things are difficult before they are easy." [/QUOTE}

Ain't that the truth.

I try not to compare myself (read blame) to my parents for how I've turned out physically. At some point it was a choice that I made and while it wasn't a good one, its the one I made and now I have to live with the results and work through them, which is where I am now, but it doesn't stop me from feeling bad about how I got here.

This is an AWESOME site! I've been here a few weeks now, maybe a month? There are a lot of terrific ladies here! Even if your down, happy, hyper, sad, whatever the case may be, they will help you through it!

Here is my intro, if you wish to read it.
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=83939

My parents are both wafs. Incredibly and ridculously thin! I look like a GIANT compared to them! lol. But my Grandmothers (both sides) were heavy so I suppose that may have a teeny tiny bit of it.

So Welcome and this is the best place to be for support!

Welcome, we all have a story. Most of em ain;t pretty either....smile From the pit to the palace!!! Weightloss is a long and oftentimes painful journey. You will make new friends along the way and you will need to definitely cut the deadweight that is hindering you from reaching your goal. I've read many posts from the members and they are truely supportive. This is what you should surround yourself with daily. Eliminate the waste. Dig deeper!!! Stay focused. Short term weightloss goals might help. I like your visualization concept because if you can't see it, it won't happen. Visualization and perspiration = realization!!!!! You can do it....
Be blessed! thru Prayer and supplication make your request known to Him......

Thanks for all the well wishes everyone! Day one has been good so far...now to dinner I go.

Well, I guess I should update.

Date two and all is going well. I did the gym this morning, and I had planned to lift this evening, but that didn't happen due to a very long meeting at work. However, I will be doing said lifting tomorrow morning instead of sleeping in.

I managed to avoid the chinese food buffet that was at said meeting. Instead, I placated myself with a Fresca.

Day three went sort of okay. I managed to just say no to chinese on Tuesday only to be foiled by a small piece (and i do mean small, but still...) piece of ice cream cake, which spiraled into a cookie and then two really large slices of cake...This is really starting to sound like the same song and dance I was on before...