[SheriaVa]

Hello, everyone, my name is Sheri and I just discovered and joined 3FC today. I am a 51 yo single woman who works full time and lives in the Washington, DC area.

On July 1, 2003, I began my weight loss journey by eating healthy and exercising regularly. It has been a long, slow road (I should have listened to my mother when she said "You better get that weight off before you turn 40."!!!), but I am still plugging away. I have lost almost 35 pounds, reduced my cholesterol substantially, reduced my blood pressure, and got permission from the doctor to step down (not off of--yet!) my blood pressure meds.

I could kick myself for not weighing or measuring myself before I began my journey because I have no documentation of my starting point. By asking various doctors what I weighed when I visited them last year, I've figured out that I weighed around 182 at my highest point last spring. I now weigh 148. Since I haven't been thin in 30 years, I don't know what my goal weight will be. Everything I've read says definitely DO NOT pick as your goal weight the weight you were when you were 19, but that's the only thin weight I have to go on (I weighed 94 pounds at age 19 after a very low calorie diet).

"94 pounds!?!?!?!" I can hear you saying, "She must have been emaciated!" But nope, I'm only 4'6" tall, so 94 pounds was a size 5/7 on me back then. I'm not expecting to ever be that thin again and be able to maintain it sanely. I am also built a lot differently now (more muscular), so I am expecting I will end up somewhere in the 110 area, IF I ever get that far!

I am really excited to find this forum and this community, and look forward to reading more and getting to know more about you.

[mette]

Hi Sheri, and welcome to 3FC!

Congratulations on the 35 pounds lost and reduction of blood pressure meds since last summer!
Do you eat according to a specific eating plan? And do you exercise? (you say you’re muscular so I’m guessing yes!?)

I’m 36 years and I’m 5’11” by the way! (a little bit taller, yes!)
I have also been doing this for a long time now – I lost the first 35 pounds 1 ½ years ago, and then maintained the weight for a long time before I started up with a new loosing-weight-period this spring. I’m now down 16 pounds since April.
I’m doing this slowly and surely – as an old yo-yo dieter – my main focus is on maintenance.
I’m counting calories, eating healthy (whole grains, lots of vegetables, fruits and fish), and exercising every day.

Hope you’ll enjoy it here at the board – there really are a lot of supportive people here. Just look around at the different forums and find a group or two you want to join. Everybody is very friendly toward newcomers. I would suggest that you look in the “Support Groups” and/or “Exercise!” forums – or find a Club or Group to join.
Good luck – and hope to see you again.

[SheriaVa]

Originally Posted by mette

Hi Sheri, and welcome to 3FC!

Do you eat according to a specific eating plan? And do you exercise? (you say you’re muscular so I’m guessing yes!?)

Hi Mette, and thank you for the welcome! I am not on a specific eating plan. I have been "doing my own thing" by following the basic tenets of healthy eating (much as you describe in your message). I have counted calories but no longer do. It drives me nuts and makes me obsess about food, so I find that I do better over the long haul when I'm not counting.

I exercise 6 days a week--2 at the gym and 4 at home. My two gym days are 60-90 minutes of cardio plus weight training. My four home days are usually 2 cardio (Walk Away the Pounds 3 or 4 miles DVDs) and 2 toning (TamiLee Webb's "I Want That Body" or balance ball workouts).

Thanks again for welcoming me to 3FC. It's rather overwhelming with all of these forums, and I'm still trying to find my way around, so thanks for the advice.

[mette]

Hi again Sheri -
We have been debating the issue whether counting calories make you obsess more or less about food here too - it seems to be different for everybody.
I like it because it gives me a feeling of control; I always know how much I'm eating.
It's always about finding what works for you, and that is one thing that's so great about this place: there are so many ways, and people are doing very different eating plans and exercise plans. It's a lot of variety.

You're really doing a lot exercise - how great! During the summer I have been jogging two mornings a week (Tuesday and Thursday), and lifting weights for three days (Mon/Wed/Fri), and Saturday and Sunday I have alternated between hiking, Pilates, Yoga, walking.
I'm looking to change it up a bit when the semester starts up: I want to join a gym and get proper instructions on how to lift free weights.

And I know this place and the different forums can be a bit overwhelming - but just keep looking around and see if there are some places you want to join in!
See you around!