Wow, this thread is such an inspiration! Is it ok if I join in?
So about me...I'm 25 (well, 26 in June) and I've been overweight since I was about 15. Before that I was always very sporty and active, and could eat anything I wanted, but as I got older I stopped exercising and started binging. The highest I've ever been is around 210lb (at least 3 different occasions) and the lowest as an adult is around 179lb.
In the past I've lost maybe 14-21lb on Weight Watchers, but I always got tired of paying a fortune for someone to weigh me. Long-term, I knew I needed to completely change my life from within if I was ever going to make this work.
I moved a step closer to that in February last year, when I started swimming almost every day, and cut down on binging a bit. By summer I was in the best shape I'd ever been as an adult, felt confident in a bikini and was so optimistic.
However, in September I moved house and started a new job, and had to leave my gym. Finally, in mid-April this year I suddenly realised I'd put on 30lb in only about 8 months. It really was a wake-up call, enough to make me change my entire lifestyle overnight.
I joined a new gym near my house, starting swimming every morning before work, began tracking calories and eating a balanced diet and haven't binged since. Most of all, I'm not stressing or getting obsessive. I eat what I feel like (although every day I feel less like eating junk food), and I still enjoy eating out now and then, and go out partying most weekends. I just try to fit the extra calories into my allowance or do some more exercise to compensate, and if not, well tomorrow is another day. No need to be guilty, no big blow-out just because "I've already ruined my diet today". Just making choices and being in control. With this and the regular exercise, I feel SO much better already!
Well, sorry for the big essay, it just came out like that! So basically I calorie count, try to eat a balanced diet and get some exercise every day, nothing fancy. Today I reached Onederland, 198lb (89.7kg) and I weigh myself most days at the gym, but only weigh in once or twice a week.
On this plan I want to step up the exercise - currently a 20-minute swim (around 1km) and walking to work and back (that's at least 30 mins brisk walking daily), with occasional crosstrainer sessions. I also want to be a bit stricter with the calorie counting. Realistically I'd like to lose 28lb by September (at least 8 by end of June, when I'm going to a friend's wedding).
Thanks so much for creating this group. I hope together we can help to inspire and motivate each other!
L x