Hello, everyone!

While I'm not new to the idea of using an on-line weight loss support group, I am new to 3 fat chicks on a diet. My name is Mary, and I am the mother of 3 teenagers, wife to a stressed out government contractor, director of a small after school program, advocate for my mother-in-law and father-in-law who just moved in with us due to financial hardship and FIL's dementia, and have the bestest 4 legged buddy ever, my 8 year old Plott-Lab-Mastiff-Chow mongrel dog, as well as a little pipsqueak Bichon that belongs to MIL, but luckily, happens to adore me, too!

While not at a historically high weight, I am darn close. I'm 47 years old, and tired of lugging around the excess baggage. I'm trying this group, because I want it to be a fresh start, not a return to a place where I've felt like I've messed up.

Like most relatively healthy but overweight people, I know a lot about nutrition. I just don't regularly apply it. My hurdles are at least 3 fold:

1. I am a glutton at heart, and I have no body to blame for that but myself
2. I live with 6 other people (1 husband, 3 children, and 2 in-laws) who are beggars, and I'm a push over
3. I'm lazy, and I don't like to exercise on a regular basis
4. I'm busy, and I don't like to make time to exercise and log food
5. I don't like feeling "beholden" to a food log, and rebel after a while
6. I don't like to ask for help
7. I don't like feeling like a failure, and when I think about my weight, I feel like a failure, so I'd rather not think about it.

Okay, my hurdles are 7-fold.

My strengths?

1. Physically, I am strong, and when I do excerise regularly, I see relatively quick results.
2. I like to eat healthy food. It tastes good.
3. I'm a good cook, and can cook healthy food as easily as unhealthy food (as long as I don't listen to those complainers listed above).
4. I already have a 30 day plan that I wrote up last year about this time, and also have a variety of knowledge and resources regarding exchanges, which I know from experience works best for me.
5. I have a dog to walk -- it's good for him, too!

Now, to go find a group or a buddy, or something like that, because I know that a solo journal isn't the way to go for me.

Off to nose around the forum!

Sounds like you have a LOT on your plate but kudos for making your health a priority.
Best of luck on this journey!
Faye

Welcome! Hope you find the support you want here