Introduce Yourself
Replies
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Hi, Heather!
Sounds like you are doing great - the 200's are right around the corner
I have PCOS as well; its frustrating the amount of misinformation that is out there about that syndrome; I actually had a doctor once told me it would make it impossible to lose weight. Too bad I no longer live in the city where he was located; I'd like to show up and ask him if PCOS made it impossible to lose weight, how have I dropped 135 lbs without starving myself or using some dangerous fad diet? 4 -
bmeadows380 wrote: »Too bad I no longer live in the city where he was located; I'd like to show up and ask him if PCOS made it impossible to lose weight, how have I dropped 135 lbs without starving myself or using some dangerous fad diet?
Oh my goodness! I love this!!!
I hear so many people who are just starting out say things like that and other similar thoughts like, "My body holds on to weight" or "My metabolism is destroyed". Mine was "I don't have an off switch, I can't tell when I've had enough food". Yes, we are all coming to the table with different handicaps that make our weight loss journey challenging. But none of these challenges can't be overcome. Losing weight can be hard. Our job is to find a way to make it as easy and as sustainable as possible. And everyone can lose weight if they can find a way to eat at a deficit 80% of the time and sustain that habit. Believing that you will be successful is an important first step. If you can't believe it yet, just keep saying it until you do believe it.2 -
heatheralamode wrote: »Hi! I’m Heather. Just joined.
I had a rough 2019 and found myself at my heaviest around 340 and definitely wasn’t okay with that so I started tweaking things and now I’m at 309 as of this morning 😀
I have PCOS which makes it difficult but not impossible.
Always looking for motivation buddies!
Hi @heatheralamode Heather,
Welcome to LL.
You have done great so far. Good job.
I am not much of a motivator but I am willing to help in other ways. I hope you stick around and jump into some conversations.
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Hello all, my name is Alisa and I am excited to finally be back on the journey to health.
I am 40 years old and have been taking a long look at my life. I have realized that I felt tired and was being limited in activities I could do because of my weight. I LOVE traveling with my kiddo and those seats were feeling pretty squishy. And I really enjoy going to the amusement park and had to start checking to make sure it could handle my weight...
So I started tracking again back in February and am down 28 pounds, with more to go. I have been averaging 5-6 lbs lost a month, and feel good about that pace. I have two goal weights, the first being the weight I was at when I ran a half marathon for charity (210 lbs) and the second being the healthiest adult weight I can remember for myself, after months of international travel (175 lbs). If I were to reach both of those goals it would mean the world to me!
I have also discovered that I love to be full, so I have started doing "volume eating" and I love it. Basically focusing on high nutrition, high volume, non-meat foods most of the time so that I can feel full AND stay under my calorie limit. Its changed my relationship to food and I hope to never go back to mindlessly eating, but making mindful choices and listening to my potato and veggie-loving body. I grew up choosing mash potatoes over ice cream on a regular basis, but now I am able to do it healthily, by skipping the butter, cheese, etc, and still feeling full.
More about volume eating: https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/What-Volume-Eating-43150692
Starting weight (Feb 2020) 272 lbs
Current weight (June 2020) 244 lbs
Current weight loss: 28 lbs
First Goal Weight 210 lbs (34 lbs to go)(weight at marathon time)
Final Goal Weight 170 lbs (74 lbs to go)(the healthiest weight I can remember on me)
This is me on a trip to Galveston, Texas in 2018 with my bestie. Nice to "meet" you.
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Hi I’m Kat, I’ve been around 200lb my adult life but recently slid up to around 250. My first goal is to get back to 200 and then to around 147-160.
I binge eat and emotional eat and I am currently having CBT that I’m hoping will help me find the right mentality, however I will need all the help I can get to stay on track.
I am not able to exercise much do to my health and so will be trying to lose weight with diet and some very low intensity exercise.
Please please add me if you are at all in a similar boat.
Look forward to getting to know you!2 -
Hi, Alisa and Kat!
@alisampm We're the same age! And congratulations on your success so far! I didn't realize how much I had been limiting myself because of my weight - at my heaviest I still did what I wanted usually but I was always aware of my weight because I had to be for the same reasons you stated - is that going to hold me? Will I fit? What is the weight limit on that? Especially with chairs and ladders!
@kjaylah there is a thread started here about binge eating and we have others in the group who are fighting that battle, so feel free to reach out!
There is a fitness group called BodyProject that I've been using for cardio workouts. They have a few free videos on youtube, but I joined the free portion of their website and have been using their roku channel. They have videos set up for all levels from absolute beginner to experienced veteran, including a series of videos aimed at those with limited mobility that feature exercising from a chair. I haven't watched through those particular videos, but you might want to look them up to see if they would be gentle enough that you could handle.
Good luck to you both!3 -
@bmeadows380 Thanks! 40-year-olds unite and get healthy! 3
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I just posted an introduction on the main page then saw this group. Hello, everyone. I'm 43 years old and am going to lose 130 pounds over the next year and half (if not more). It'll take what it'll take...My hubby has also logged back into MFP after being absent a while. I've yo-yoed with my weight for twenty years, never getting below 200 lbs; but no more. I've just had enough. I don't even recognize myself in the mirror. I hate shopping. I hate going out to eat. I'm so tired of being negative about myself and life in general and decided to change that. I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone. Learning from you all.5
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Man I also posted in the wrong area.. sorry y'all
Hello my name is Shawn and I am a foodie!!! I have been yoyoing for years now.. I Just turned 52 and i am ready to get back on the wagon.. I Look forward to working with you all to hit our fitness goals. I am currently sitting at 314.9.. i was 294 pre Covid 19 stay at home orders. Lets get this done!! i am doing Keto/16:8 IF with a goal of 225lbs3 -
Welcome, eilselg1019 and Shawn!
@eilselg1019 I know that feeling - I've been over 200 lbs since probably I was 13? 14? something like that, and after college, I ballooned up well over 300 lbs and stayed there for over a decade. I'd lose a little then gain it back. I avoided pictures and hated shopping because I could never find clothes that fit, and I internalized all the negativity too. But I've finally managed to start winning the battle and have dropped 137 lbs, so it's doable! I know I'll have to be on guard the rest of my life, but it feels good to be able to win that battle after all this time! Though the negativity is something I'll still working on, because losing weight doesn't fix self esteem, really. And I'm still working on getting it through my head that I am much more than my body weight. I'm a work in progress in many areas lol
@SMiddleton68 NovusDies, when he gets back, is great at pointing out that we shouldn't look at past failures or yo-yos as failures, but as learning opportunities for what works and what doesn't. Covid-19 has been hard on a lot of folks, unfortunately, but hopefully things can change for the better now!
And good luck with the keto/16:8 IF. Try it out and see if it works for you, but don't think that you must stick to that to lose weight and be willing to try something else if it turns out to be a bad fit. Keto works fantastically for some people, but is a disaster for others. I don't even bother because I know I would be completely miserable on keto - carbs fill me up and keep me satisfied; fats do not. And since we're in this for the long term, we need to find the method that will provide results as painlessly as possible for ourselves!2 -
Hello all, my name is Alisa and I am excited to finally be back on the journey to health.
I am 40 years old and have been taking a long look at my life. I have realized that I felt tired and was being limited in activities I could do because of my weight. I LOVE traveling with my kiddo and those seats were feeling pretty squishy. And I really enjoy going to the amusement park and had to start checking to make sure it could handle my weight...
So I started tracking again back in February and am down 28 pounds, with more to go. I have been averaging 5-6 lbs lost a month, and feel good about that pace. I have two goal weights, the first being the weight I was at when I ran a half marathon for charity (210 lbs) and the second being the healthiest adult weight I can remember for myself, after months of international travel (175 lbs). If I were to reach both of those goals it would mean the world to me!
I have also discovered that I love to be full, so I have started doing "volume eating" and I love it. Basically focusing on high nutrition, high volume, non-meat foods most of the time so that I can feel full AND stay under my calorie limit. Its changed my relationship to food and I hope to never go back to mindlessly eating, but making mindful choices and listening to my potato and veggie-loving body. I grew up choosing mash potatoes over ice cream on a regular basis, but now I am able to do it healthily, by skipping the butter, cheese, etc, and still feeling full.
More about volume eating: https://www.popsugar.com/fitness/What-Volume-Eating-43150692
Starting weight (Feb 2020) 272 lbs
Current weight (June 2020) 244 lbs
Current weight loss: 28 lbs
First Goal Weight 210 lbs (34 lbs to go)(weight at marathon time)
Final Goal Weight 170 lbs (74 lbs to go)(the healthiest weight I can remember on me)
@alisampm
I have been gone so I am pretty far behind on welcoming new people but I will work on catching up as I have time.
I am also a volume eater and I have been for more than 2 years. The one thing I have noticed is that it is a good idea to take breaks from it off and on.
If you are going to be enter a period, like travelling, in which volume eating would be very hard or very expensive. It is better to bring your food volume back down on your own terms than to be hungry.
The other reason is you can build up quite a tolerance for the volume and gradually that feeling of being really full takes more and more food. Taking a few days off when you realize this is happening helps "reset" you. It may be quite some time before this happens to you the first time.
Anyway... welcome to LL.1 -
Hi I’m Kat, I’ve been around 200lb my adult life but recently slid up to around 250. My first goal is to get back to 200 and then to around 147-160.
I binge eat and emotional eat and I am currently having CBT that I’m hoping will help me find the right mentality, however I will need all the help I can get to stay on track.
I am not able to exercise much do to my health and so will be trying to lose weight with diet and some very low intensity exercise.
Please please add me if you are at all in a similar boat.
Look forward to getting to know you!
Hi @kjaylah,
Welcome.
I have a high level understanding of CBT and some of its branches and I think it can be a useful approach. I think what makes it effective is that it is not a new skill but an underdeveloped one. If we did not practice CBT on some level each time we heard a noise in the middle of the night we would call 911 instead of pausing for a moment to realize it is the ice maker. CBT is one way to apply mindful awareness.
Instead of trying to "stay on track" as much I encourage you to loosely define what that means so that it is nearly impossible to be "off track." For me being on track during weight loss just requires being within 150 calories of my goal 88 percent of the time. This allows for about 42 days per year of maintenance or maintenance plus for holidays, vacations, special occasions, bad days, and the occasional just for fun day.2 -
Hi @kjaylah,
Welcome.
I have a high level understanding of CBT and some of its branches and I think it can be a useful approach. I think what makes it effective is that it is not a new skill but an underdeveloped one. If we did not practice CBT on some level each time we heard a noise in the middle of the night we would call 911 instead of pausing for a moment to realize it is the ice maker. CBT is one way to apply mindful awareness.
Instead of trying to "stay on track" as much I encourage you to loosely define what that means so that it is nearly impossible to be "off track." For me being on track during weight loss just requires being within 150 calories of my goal 88 percent of the time. This allows for about 42 days per year of maintenance or maintenance plus for holidays, vacations, special occasions, bad days, and the occasional just for fun day. [/quote]
Hi @NovusDies
I’m new to the community so I’m hoping I’m doing the reply correctly
My ‘on track’ means continuing to follow my CBT and not binge. In allowing myself whatever food I want, whenever I want, as long as it’s not in excess.
I’ve been teaching myself ‘intuitive eating’ so listening to my body rather than listening to my mind
If I listen to my mind something in there tells me to go absolutely crazy like a kid in a candy shop!
I have set myself a daily target of 1500 but I’m not that bothered if I’m over it by a couple hundred, at the moment I’m practicing intuitive eating so I’m being forgiving with calories. (However I do not want to gain any weight).
I’m making sure I’m recorded all my calories so I am more aware of what I’m eating.
My main aim though is to ‘control’ my binge behaviour.
I hope you are getting on well with your goals 1 -
Thank you so much @bmeadows380 I’ll have a look 1
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Hello everyone 👋🏼
Started in April at 290. Current 264. Not easy but worth it so far. Looking to get healthier and get back to my early 20’s weight.
Is it even possible to go from 290 to 160 ? I’m going to try !
Setting mini goals on my way to a final goal so it’s not so overwhelming.
Celebrating non scale victories where I can when the scale isn’t showing me something I want to see lol.1 -
eilselg1019 wrote: »I just posted an introduction on the main page then saw this group. Hello, everyone. I'm 43 years old and am going to lose 130 pounds over the next year and half (if not more). It'll take what it'll take...My hubby has also logged back into MFP after being absent a while. I've yo-yoed with my weight for twenty years, never getting below 200 lbs; but no more. I've just had enough. I don't even recognize myself in the mirror. I hate shopping. I hate going out to eat. I'm so tired of being negative about myself and life in general and decided to change that. I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone. Learning from you all.
Hi @eilselg1019,
Welcome.
The main parts of your story are very common to many if not most of us here. I believe you can lose weight doing any number of mainstream programs or a custom one of your choosing but without the correct mindset it never seems to last.
That is why one of the main focuses of this group is learning to manage yourself properly. This is an education not just about numbers on a scale. What will you need to do to navigate a messy life as an imperfect human and still lose weight most days? How will you handle holidays and vacations? My weight loss has already spanned 2 years and I am still learning new things about myself. I think the danger is ever thinking I know all I need to know since I will hopefully be managing my weight successfully (or close to it) for the rest of my life.1 -
SMiddleton68 wrote: »Man I also posted in the wrong area.. sorry y'all
Hello my name is Shawn and I am a foodie!!! I have been yoyoing for years now.. I Just turned 52 and i am ready to get back on the wagon.. I Look forward to working with you all to hit our fitness goals. I am currently sitting at 314.9.. i was 294 pre Covid 19 stay at home orders. Lets get this done!! i am doing Keto/16:8 IF with a goal of 225lbs
Hi @SMiddleton68,
Welcome to LL.
I think @bmeadows380 covered what would be my main points. This group does not push any particular calorie deficit methodology. I think most of them will work if it turns out to be sensible and sustainable for the person doing it. I do recommend that any "diet" you choose you view as a possibility not a requirement.1 -
Hello everyone 👋🏼
Started in April at 290. Current 264. Not easy but worth it so far. Looking to get healthier and get back to my early 20’s weight.
Is it even possible to go from 290 to 160 ? I’m going to try !
Setting mini goals on my way to a final goal so it’s not so overwhelming.
Celebrating non scale victories where I can when the scale isn’t showing me something I want to see lol.
Hi @mc62412,
Welcome to LL.
If you were that weight in your 20's and it was not a hardship to maintain it should be possible or at least very close to it. I have lost more than 250 pounds and I am currently at my 16-17 age weight. Sadly that was still overweight so I am going to keep pressing on further for now.
Good job with looking for more ways to celebrate than a number on the scale and good job on the progress so far!1 -
Hello, I'm just getting back to eating healthy. My name is Howie.
I have been losing weight all my life. In 2005 I had gotten down to my goal weight of 245 from 490. I had to have back surgery at that same time and it got me out of good habits and I slowly started gaining. It has been up and down since then. I have now been given a wake up call because my knees are to the point of making me almost unable to walk. The doctor will not do surgery until I get under 300 lbs. I know there are other doctors that would do it but I don't want to take the risk involved.
So here I am in 2020 with a bunch to lose. I was 452 at the start so I have lost 15 lbs so far. I go by my total weight loss though and that is 53 lbs down from 490. I try to follow the Dash diet that is set up by National Heart Blood and Lung institute. I have always been a calorie counter. The structure is what works for me. I eat 1800 a day with a one treat meal on Fridays which puts me at about 2800 calories for Friday. I have always found it important to join groups like this and journal what I eat in myfitnesspal. My diet log is open and I will accept any friend request that comes my way.
My wife Kimberley is also on this journey with me. She needs to lose 100+ also. I look forward to getting to know everyone.3 -
Hello, I'm just getting back to eating healthy. My name is Howie.
I have been losing weight all my life. In 2005 I had gotten down to my goal weight of 245 from 490. I had to have back surgery at that same time and it got me out of good habits and I slowly started gaining. It has been up and down since then. I have now been given a wake up call because my knees are to the point of making me almost unable to walk. The doctor will not do surgery until I get under 300 lbs. I know there are other doctors that would do it but I don't want to take the risk involved.
So here I am in 2020 with a bunch to lose. I was 452 at the start so I have lost 15 lbs so far. I go by my total weight loss though and that is 53 lbs down from 490. I try to follow the Dash diet that is set up by National Heart Blood and Lung institute. I have always been a calorie counter. The structure is what works for me. I eat 1800 a day with a one treat meal on Fridays which puts me at about 2800 calories for Friday. I have always found it important to join groups like this and journal what I eat in myfitnesspal. My diet log is open and I will accept any friend request that comes my way.
My wife Kimberley is also on this journey with me. She needs to lose 100+ also. I look forward to getting to know everyone.
Hi @howie6267,
Welcome to LL.
My way of eating has some DASH influences but I cannot follow it to the letter. It is far too rigid and weight loss alone has improved the same health markers DASH promises to improve. There are people with certain genetic predispositions for cholesterol and other issues that need it but I am not one of them.
My knees are highly degraded from my years of carrying too much weight. I am currently doing everything I can to prolong surgery but eventually it will need to happen. If you can hold off I think it is wise to do so until you can get as much off as possible. The extra weight increases the risk and it will definitely make recovery harder.
The one thing I caution previous successful losers on is thinking you know just what to do. I think it is better to always remain open to learning more about yourself and how to manage now and hopefully forever. I like to say that my goal can't be just to lose the weight but to lose the habits and mindset of the person who gained it.
15 pounds is a great start. I hope you stick around and participate.1 -
Hi. I have rejoined mfp recently. I did introduce myself on the main group but noticed this group seems more active. So I'll introduce myself again.
I'm 42 and have fluctuated with my weight since my mid 20s when I had children.
For the last decade my weight has been 200+ lbs which is alot for my 5ft1 frame.
I have struggled to lose more than a stone before complacency and procrastination kick in and have regained the weight plus some.
My biggest battle now is that my weight is affecting my health and am on medication as well as being extremely unfit and struggling to do any exercise besides walking, even housework tires me out. I want to lose 75 plus pounds or near enough and be healthier and fitter in myself.
Plz add me if you are looking for friends too.
Looking forward to inspiration and motivation from this group.2 -
Welcome, glad to meet you. This is a great group with lots of discussion...2
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I'd like to lose 200 pounds. Even 120 pounds would be amazing. I want to be healthier so I can explore and share the world with my daughter as she grows up (she's 15 months old). I want to be there when she needs me. I want her to grow up with healthy habits-so activity and nourishing food is natural to her. I don't want her to go through what I've gone through.
I know it's really going to be a struggle to reshape 34 years of an unhealthy lifestyle - I'll spare you my sob story and reasons/excuses. I know what I'm fighting for, and we're worth it.4 -
Hi. I have rejoined mfp recently. I did introduce myself on the main group but noticed this group seems more active. So I'll introduce myself again.
I'm 42 and have fluctuated with my weight since my mid 20s when I had children.
For the last decade my weight has been 200+ lbs which is alot for my 5ft1 frame.
I have struggled to lose more than a stone before complacency and procrastination kick in and have regained the weight plus some.
My biggest battle now is that my weight is affecting my health and am on medication as well as being extremely unfit and struggling to do any exercise besides walking, even housework tires me out. I want to lose 75 plus pounds or near enough and be healthier and fitter in myself.
Plz add me if you are looking for friends too.
Looking forward to inspiration and motivation from this group.
Hi @eesh78,
Welcome.
In what way do you struggle to lose your first stone? The reason I ask is for anyone in this group with 75 or more pounds to lose the first 14 should be among the easiest. The other reason I ask is because in many of my past failures the first 14 were some of the hardest because I made them much harder than I needed.
My initial advise to you is to pay close attention to yourself as you begin to lose weight. It does not actually take that long before moving around doesn't tire you quite as quick. You will know when that happens that you are slightly healthier and fitter than when you began. Whatever good health is for you may take a lot of loss to achieve but better health is always a little loss away.
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I'd like to lose 200 pounds. Even 120 pounds would be amazing. I want to be healthier so I can explore and share the world with my daughter as she grows up (she's 15 months old). I want to be there when she needs me. I want her to grow up with healthy habits-so activity and nourishing food is natural to her. I don't want her to go through what I've gone through.
I know it's really going to be a struggle to reshape 34 years of an unhealthy lifestyle - I'll spare you my sob story and reasons/excuses. I know what I'm fighting for, and we're worth it.
Hi @lolakun,
I am going to slightly repeat what I just posted but try not to think about 200 pounds or even 120. You will very likely have noticeable improvement in 20 pounds, then 30, 40, etc. I won't lie to you and say that losing 10 thru 20 percent will make a huge difference but it will help. It won't be 120 pounds before you are able to do more things with your daughter.
There will be occasional struggles and fights but if done right you can reshape yourself in easy to manage changes over the next couple of years. I call this concept "nudging your normal" and the idea is to keeps things as normal as possible for yourself in the beginning and change only what you need to change to begin. Then after those changes feel normal make some more. I never got anywhere making drastic changes even when I lied to myself and called it a new lifestyle. It turns out, for me anyway, lifestyles need to be adapted not replaced.
Find your easiest path towards progress so that many days are relatively easy. This will help tremendously when the occasional hard days show up.3 -
Hello everyone-my name is Luann and I have recently joined MFP (again). My story is very similar to the others on this thread. I have 200 lbs to lose which seems almost impossible but I am determined this time. My health has suffered because of the extra weight and I look forward to feeling better and healthier. I intend to try to enjoy the journey and look forward to the losses but also of the NSV's. Look forward to talking to everyone.1
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I do have a question. I am 64 years old. Anyone older in the group and do you face different issues or challenges because of your age?1
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deafenbaugh wrote: »I do have a question. I am 64 years old. Anyone older in the group and do you face different issues or challenges because of your age?
I will be 69 in a couple of weeks!....I started MFP May 28, 2019 and I have lost 86 lbs...I started at 350 lbs and now I am at 264.... I only recently began exercising by treading water and jogging in the pool...I hate to sweat...being determined is a good place to start...perseverance is the key...trust in the process and you will lose weight...welcome to Larger Losers...this is a highly motivated and supportive group...yes, your health will improve and you will feel better!...welcome!0 -
deafenbaugh wrote: »I do have a question. I am 64 years old. Anyone older in the group and do you face different issues or challenges because of your age?
Welcome @deafenbaugh from one of the "more mature" members (age 57) of MFP/LL,
Your question regarding issues or challenges based on age resonates with me because I found myself slipping into a mindset of age-based excuses. Listen to this one, "Grandma's don't go hiking" or "I am too old to ride a bike, I'll fall down and break a hip!" and "This is how I was raised to prepare meals" to name a few.
Ummm. No.
For me, I am learning to change my thought patterns and celebrate that yes, at 57 I no longer have to cook three meals a day to ensure small children are eating. Nor am I in charge of endless taxi service to and from school, activities, friends, etc. I am experiencing for the first time in my life what it means to take care of me - a gift of age and experience.
So, my hiking is improving in duration and distance although I typically can't keep up with the kids and grandkids, but this Granny Pam hikes. Yes, I've been on a bicycle several times thinking it would be a fun activity either solo or with others, it turns out I prefer other activities - but I tried it. I've started to play golf (badly) but the walking, social and outdoor aspect of it remains appealing so I continue pursuing the game.
My challenge is to learn new, positive, affirming and helpful narratives for my thoughts.
SW: 260 CW: 239 GW: 150-ish
Pam4 -
deafenbaugh wrote: »Hello everyone-my name is Luann and I have recently joined MFP (again). My story is very similar to the others on this thread. I have 200 lbs to lose which seems almost impossible but I am determined this time. My health has suffered because of the extra weight and I look forward to feeling better and healthier. I intend to try to enjoy the journey and look forward to the losses but also of the NSV's. Look forward to talking to everyone.
Hi @deafenbaugh Luann,
Welcome to LL.
Another way of looking at it is that you do not have 200 pounds to lose. You only have a very small amount to lose today. You then hand tomorrow's version of yourself a slightly less heavy body to work on and let her do her part. If you follow your good plan of enjoying yourself time will fly by and before you know it the weight will add up to some serious change. This idea was how I approached it and, to me, it makes sense because I can only live today. Tomorrow is always future me's concern. What I have found though is that even now after so much is gone (more than 270 pounds) it often still seems impossible that it happened.
I hope you stick around!3
