As I think I have posted before - I thought I was ready a few months ago but I wasn't and lately I have been gearing up again with the thought that at least I was around my earlier starting weight of 243. WRONG. I turned 25 today and discovered that I was 258 pounds.

I want to be someplace very different from here in a year and I am going to think very hard about what I need to do to make that happen. I'd like to announce that I'm going to be 50 or 100 pounds lighter in a year but I'm afraid to do that because I've done it before and dissapointed myself.

But I do promise myself now, publicly, that I will not be one ounce above 258 next year at this time. Not one ounce. This HAS to be the worst it gets. I will hope for,plan for, work for better, but please let this be the worst.

Sometimes learning to maintain is the first step to learning how to lose weight. Good for you for facing up to the truth and taking that all important first step.

Remember that you don't have to do everything all at once. Small changes add up over time. Maybe try drinking only water to start, or go for a 10 minute walk each day (who can't find 10 minutes to go around the block?)... in a couple of weeks maybe add another small change.

Good luck, you can absolutely do it!

Thanks Gale- I really appreciate it. I'm glad to know my starting point. I have to focus on not getting used to it like I got used to weighing 200 pounds, 213 pounds, 225 pounds, 243 pounds etc etc etc.

I'm in my mid twenties and my feet start to hurt after walking for short periods of time. Not okay.

What might help also is setting MINI goals along the way it has helped me. You can also start excerising a little more without even knowing it park farther from the store so you have a longer walk, take a walk in the evening just to to it, with eating just cut out say a soda a day if you drink it or one sweet a day at first if you have a sweet tooth. Good luck on your journey come over and join my Summer challenge its on the 100lb club board challenges always help me keep moving forward.

I like that you made a PROMISE to yourself. In all my attempts before in losing weight, i was waaaaayyyy to easy on myself. I continued giving myself excuses as to why it was ok to eat reese cups or it was okay not to exercise. Also i wasn't blaming myself for my health, but anything else. With an attitude like that, I wasn't making myself ready to lose weight. I'm sure a lot of people on this site can relate to the ten billion excuse syndrome. I agree with Gale02 and Ky30 as to start small. It's tempting to just into working out hard and going cold turkey on your bad foods in your diet. Starting out small was what made this time different from the other attempts before. After I got through the first 2 weeks, I started adjusting. I don't have terrible sweet cravings anymore. I stopped buying candy at the check out line, which I did every time. When you accomplish one mini goal, it encourages you to do more and more. Next thing you'll know you will do things you never thought you would do, like run or give up fast food. Just know there will be times you will slip, it's enevitable, but you will have to forgive yourself and move on. That's more important that eating a box of cookies is forgiving yourself for it and moving on with it. Stick to this site. Without 3fatchicks, I don't think I would had stayed motivated honestly.