Hi, I'm new here. I came here because I read about it in a women's magazine. I would like to lose 80 pounds and I'm not sure where to start. I'm a college student and am looking for a place to get encouragement and support. I found this site to be a little overwhelming so I don't know where to start. Is there anyone that can help me get started?

Looking for a place to get encouragement and support, eh? Well I think you've found the right place! I can't say enough about the ladies here.... Everyone's so supportive and understanding and full of helpful advice and suggestions. And they're always good for a kick in the rear when you need one

Do you have a plan in mind to help you lose weight? There are lots of forums here dedicated to people following different plans, and most of them have extensive FAQ sections which explain the diets and programs thoroughly.

Here's Weight Watchers, here's South Beach, here's Atkins/Low-Carb, and here's Sugar Busters.

Most of us on the 20-sthngs are calorie counters, though that's not a rule. There's another calorie counting forum to be found here, along with lots of other diet programs that aren't big enough for their own forums yet

A lot of us are still in school, so if you need to gripe about the difficulties of keeping your hands of the potato chips while studying, we'll be more than empathetic

Once you decide on a general approach you'd like to take, let us know, and I bet there will be lots of people willing to answer your questions.

Hope that helped, and welcome to 3FC!

Welcome to 3FC! You couldn't have picked a better site to join
I'm still a way from my goal, but I wouldn't have made it this far without all of the advice and support I get from all the ladies here. I come here every day, sometimes more than once when I'm having a hard time, and even if I just read other posts it helps me stay on plan. The accountability of posting my weight on here to people I've come to know is a great motivator as well.
Jaime pretty much covered everything as far as where to get started, so good luck to you, and let us know if you need anything else!

Welcome! You've definitely come to the right place - this site is fantastic. Take a bit of time to check out the forums and get to know what they're about. If you want accountability, there's an exercise challenge each month at the top of this forum, and we do daily planning postings of what we plan to eat. I hope you'll stick around!

, NuCreation85! Glad to have you here on the boards!

Hee! I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who pops in several times a day! When I feel down and weak, I read over other peoples success stories, look at their before and after pictures, etc. Then I remind myself that if they can do it, I can too! It provides me with the sufficient boot in the butt. It's also so great to be able to talk to other people who are in the trenches and those who have been there.

Hi and Welcome NuCreation85!

Welcome!

This really is a great place

WELCOME!!
It is addicting! A very good addiction to get on here and get the support, kick in the rear, and such..........several times a day

Hi, and welcome NuCreation85!
The forum has pretty much been laid out for you. I'm new as well, and I feel the same about the forum being a little overwhelming in the beginning.

Here's what I do. First, I read. I read, and read, but didn't yet reply. It helped me to get a bit of a grasp on the forum, and the personalities of all these wonderful ladies.
Then I chose ONE section. In my case, it's the 20-something's. In a little while I might branch out. I am currently in a Thanksgiving Day challenge, so I have to go to other areas every day to read, but I've added the specific thread to my subscribed threads, so all I have to do is click the link, and I'm off!

If you need any help, and I'm online, feel free to message me. I may not know the answer, but I'll help you find it!

Welcome to 3FC! I hope you find it as wonderful as I have I personally am a calorie counter. I've tried so many diets and pills, and failed that I just want to do something to get myself healthy and habitual about my eating and exercise. Diets work for some, not for others. So browse around

Good luck!