Where do I start? I am 31 and at an all time low...unfortunately low has nothing to do with my weight. It is at an all time high. 210 when I weighed last week (and this morning). It's confirmed--I am a single, fat chick living in a city of skinny, skinny women--not good for my self-esteem or my odds at dating. It's not like I didn't know or don't own a mirror, but denial is an amazing thing and I managed to miss the 20lbs that have leaped on--not creeped--in the past few months. And it's frustrating...especially because my eating, drinking and exercise habits have only improved over the past few years...but my weight has just skyrocketed. I would like to blame it on aging but I just don't think that is going to cut it.

Anyway, I saw a friend I hadn't seen in a while...she had started South Beach about 5 weeks ago and had lost almost 14lbs--and it looked like even more that!! She looked awesome. So here I am...inspired by her success! I just hope that I can remain motivated and be as successful as she has and I am sure many of you have been! So I am fed up-literally and figuratively and need a little help getting going on and staying on the plan! Please share your stories with me--it will help me have the faith I need to resist all the temptation of my favorite friends, Bread and Potatoes? Maybe you know them?

Oh--and where do I get the fun weight ticker??

Go to the 3FC Features at the top of the page and click the link to get your ticker!


I am new here too and have had such a warm welcome! I know you'll find the same

I understand what you mean about living in a city of thin women! I do too!

You can lose weight; if you are read to make a change, you can do it and this is a great place to have come across. Are you going to follow the South Beach Diet? I have seen really great results with it in many people I know as well...

Good luck

get on a program and stick to it and you will see good weight loss results. cardiio, diet, resistance training. in a few months you will like what you see.

Metro- you can and will do this. Have you read the book yet? If not you should before you start. Also there is tons of info in the faq section and tons of recipies as well. Plus you will have the support from all these great chicks.

Welcome to the Beach! Jump right on in; the water is great!

Welcome, Metro. Be sure to check out the FAQ section and the Emergency Handbook for Phase I in this Forum. http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=58182

Just a tiny suggestion....as a first step to your new life, how about changing your name to something more self assuring? Metrochick would work well. Let me know if you want it changed. Otherwise we'll probably just call you Metro because the chicks hate writing the word f**!

Welcome aboard Metro! You are in the right place for support and help along the way! Be sure and join us in the daily chat!

Metro, welcome! Sending you big hugs, sweetie... you can do this!!!

I totally agree with Ruth! Metro, we have all been where you are! You can do this too and you will find that it is not so tough at all. I can't believe how easy and natural that it is.

I wish you all the luck in the world and just know that you can do this!

Welcome Metro ---

Many of us have personal success stories on South beach and some aren't necessarily weight related!

Read up, stick to Phase 1, drink TONS of water and hang in there. It's well worth it!

Metro, you can do this! Be aware, though, that with so little to lose (I know 20 seems like a lot to you, but truly, it's not!) and the fact that you are already following a good plan, you may lose more slowly than your friend. SBD is a way of life and a way of eating for life. It's about becoming more healthy and losing weight along the way.

If that sounds good to you, read the book, check out the FAQs, and give yourself a week to rid the house of off plan things (seriously...throw them out, donate them to your skinny friends, but get rid of them!), fill your kitchen with OP (on-plan) food, make meal plans, and figure out your strategies for any events that will come up during Phase 1. You want to do the entire 2 weeks with NO cheats or you'll need to start over to reap the full benefits. After Phase 1, you can meat the healthier versions of your old friends: Sweet Potatoes/Yams and Whole Wheat/Sourdough Bread! They are tasty and won't drive you to eat everything in sight like the old friends did.

Glad to have you with us, and Ruth is right...consider changing your name. We both know that you aren't a f**ty! You are a wonderful woman who is on her way to looking like her true self.

Let me second this sage advice^^

I started out for the first day or so as "FatVegan" and quickly decided I am *not* identified by my fat alone (I was attempting to reclaim the word ) and I am more a "Vixen" than anything! Well, I am "Phat", but that's cool, *not* "fat"

Welcome!

Thanks for the welcome everyone! And your point regarding the name is well taken--I shouldn't start out with such a negative--MetroChick it is...and it fits this webgroup all the more!

Laurie--I wish I only had 20 to lose! That's only what has leaped on in the past few months--I actually have 60-70 to lose depending on how it looks coming off!
I did read the book a while back and luckily already owned the cookbook which gives you the basics as well as those great recipes. Plans are to hit the grocery store to stock up on the ingredients from some of the recipes that look right up my alley!

I have had lengthy conversations with my friend who has been successful and she has given me some good advice-we always have similar dieting problems! So now I am on Day 2 and no cheating thus far--I know that isn't long but it's a good sign for me. I usually fall off a plan by lunch on the second day because I am tired, cranky and craving potatoes . I feel like this time will be different though! Maybe it is because I have been so exasperated with myself so I am ready for this change. My friend's determination/motivation and all of your posts are only helping to spur my determination on!

I can't thank you enough for your warm welcome and look forward to being part of these email chats! Congrats on all of your weight loss (and personal) successes!

RuthXXX--That's a great suggestion regarding the name change...Please have them change me to MetroChick!

also, thanks for the link! That's a great help--I know I will be going to it frequently!!