Newbie here.

So a few weeks ago I was brave enough to step onto my scales and - well, we all know what happened next. I've decided to count calories and start exercising in a few weeks' (or a few pounds') time.

Once upon a time I went running and cycling and went to the gym three times a week...sigh.

Anyway, hello!

Hi there!

I can relate. I've lost 27 so far and still have almost 140 to go!

Welcome to 3FC. You'll find lots of support and knowledge here.

Congratulations on the loss so far and !

Welcome, welcome! You're in good company. I've lost 32 lbs (feels so great to type that) and I've got 78 to go before I hit my current long-term goal of 150 lbs. It's going to be a long road, but it's going to be so worth it when I get there. Your journey is going to taste just as sweet.

Welcome! Try not to let the numbers overwhelm you. I'd recommend setting small goals and focus on those. When I started my journey in January 2012, the thought of losing 100 pounds was totally daunting. So I focused on just getting into the 250s...then the 240s...etc., etc. It really helped. And your success will motivate you! Good luck and keep posting here, it's so helpful! A great sense of community.

Just take it one day and lb at a time. You will be amazed on how time flies as i was just thinking the same thing 10 months ago. Big Congrats on your progress so far on your WOE.

Welcome and congratulations on your weight loss.
I've lost about 27 lbs.as of this morning
I have exactly 100lbs. more to go. It's a lot of weight - but I'm taking it one day at a time and in 10lb. increments.

Don't look at how much you have to go but enjoy the fact that you've started and look at the progress! I had about 130 pounds to lose at the start but that seems so daunting! So my first goal was to get back to where I was when I went off track (for the umpteenth time ) and then it was to get to my wedding weight, and then to under 200.... and so on and so on. I thought at my highest weight I would be perfectly happy at 185 and I was but I'm not done. Now I'm hoping for a BMI that doesn't put me in the 'obese' category and I'm almost there. little goals!

Frances makes an excellent point and suggestion, btw, focus on small goals and it won't seem so impossible. Weight wise, I tend to work in 15 lbs increments. I also have milestone weight goals - previously highest adult weight (which I just hit the other day at 230 lbs. Woot.) or my lowest adult weight (210 lbs, here I come!).

Yes, mini goals, and breaking it up into smaller chunks (and then even smaller ones lol) is a good way to go about it.

I get a small reward every 10 pounds (a new book!) with bigger non-food rewards at the bigger mini-goals I have listed in my signature.

Easy. Just keep going! Use the motivation from your current loss to do the same tomorrow or make more positive changes.

Small changes add up to BIG ones. And they don't all need to happen overnight.

Oh wow, thank you for the welcome! I wasn't expecting to have so many warm hello's

Speaking of warm...it's very warm here. All I want to do is sleep and drink water (not at the same time).

Once again, thank you all

I'm suffering from the heat. It's been above 30ºC here which I'm not used to and most definitely do not like! In addition my sleeping patterns are completely upside down which isn't helping.

How do those of you in warmer climes cope??

(At least I'm drinking lots of water....)