Welcome and Introduction
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Hi. I'm Jenny and I'm 26-year-old stay-at-home mom of two beautiful girls aged 4 months and 2 years. I have a loving husband who loves me for me and doesn't see my weight. The problem there is he doesn't see why this is so important to me. This past weekend, I bought a scale and did my first weigh-in on Monday. I'm at my highest weight ever at 303lbs.
I believe my unhealthy relationship with food originally stemmed from the abuse I endured as a child. That's a very long, very involved, very sad story.
I'm not 100% sure what my goal weight is. My most important goals don't involve a scale. At the top of the list, is being the mom my girls deserve. The one that plays so hard she wears them out, not the other way around. Right now I can't keep up with my 2-year-old in my wildest dreams.0 -
Welcome Deanna and Jenny. Oh my.. childhood abuse seems to be a recurring theme around here.. that includes me. I believe for some of us it has an effect on the psyche of making us want to hide behind our weight.. plus which, let's face it, we do get less attention from men. The last time I got to 180 that became very difficult for me to handle. Welcome both of you, we can all help each other to reach a healthy goal.0
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Welcome Dee and Jenny, and Dee I made it to the end of your story too
I am so glad you were able to get out of the toxic relationship you were in and found someone who is good to you. My heart was aching for you while reading your story. I hope to get to know you more on here.
Jenny, my husband doesn't see me as morbidly obese either. I cried when he and I started changing our eating plan and trying to be healthier and he saw my weight was over 300 pounds. He held me and told me it didn't matter to him what I weighed and that he loved me no matter what. But my heart just shattered with embarrassment. I totally get what you mean about not being able to keep up with your 2 yo. I have a 9 yo son that I can not keep up with either, and two beautiful grand-daughters who are 3 and 1 who can out last me any day of the week!! Glad to have you in the group and I hope we can all be there for each others journey to get healthy.0 -
Welcome all, I might not always remember to post an individual welcome to each poster, I admit I forget to check this one, but you can find me in the daily posts and now and then I come and read up on people's stories. Long term goals are terribly difficult when you have so much to lose. At nearly 300lbs my initial goal was 250. Now it is onderland. Then it will be 185. Supposedly WW says the heaviest I should be is 145. I can not see myself at that ever lol. I will see how I feel at 185. 173 is calling me if I can stick with it at that point simply because at 173 for the first time in my adult life I will be considered just overweight not obese.0
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Hello hello!
I am Frances, a married sahm to 3 beautiful girls I have been on this particular weight loss journey since May 2013, just celebrated my 1 year anniversary I have been a "big girl" since I was probably in 6th grade, but looking back I wasn't all that big but bigger than most people around me, same as high school. If I could only go back and go hey, get in shape now! lol I was an active kid, played outside a lot, did sports, basketball, softball, volleyball, drama/plays, color guard etc. So you would think it would be easy, I had a great boyfriend and friends but deep down miserable at home due to circumstances. So I turned to food, I would eat whatever and not worry. I am definitely an emotional eater.
I met my wonderful hubby in 1999 and we were married in 2000, I don't know my weight from then but I was much smaller than I am now and I am trying hard to get back there and below. I see pics and I am like wow I was not huge. I do know I've done WW in the past and did well, 40lbs and 30lbs each time, but I soon fell off the wagon, not sure why. I guess I just wasn't ready. In 2010 my littlest was born with undiagnosed spina bifida and the weight packed on after she was born. It was shock, she had surgery at 6 weeks old, and the medical bills just kept piling up. I drowned my sorrows in food. Shortly before my baby would be 1, my mom had a major stroke and almost died. She is now in a nursing home paralyzed, again I turned to food. I ballooned up to 330. I wanted to die when I stepped on the scale. The last known weight I remember doing on WW was 250, omg guys I had went up almost 100 pounds since 2006ish.
I guess I was in denial it was that much, but the fat pants were no longer to big, they were getting tight and I needed to do something.
Last May a friend told me about MFP, though apparently I had checked it out before since I made an acct before then LOL, but I didn't pay much attn to it. I relogged into my account, started reading message boards, trying to figure out if this would work for me. Guess what? It did! Here I am a year later and almost 70lbs down, my goal is to lose 150, so I have a ways to go, but I am getting there. I have never LOST 70lbs, 40 was my max, so I am happy this is working. I can't wait to reach my goal but know it can take another year but that is OK. I will take 1 more year of getting healthy than losing years later down the road from being to fat to appreciate and enjoy life and my family.
My husband also joined MFP and started in May, he's lost 40lbs, so together we're over 100lbs lost!!!
So that's my story in a nut shell 0 -
Hi Frances! Good to see you in this group! I love it! So many common issues and struggles. Congrats on what you have done in a year. I can really see how hard you have worked!0
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Hi Frances! Good to see you in this group! I love it! So many common issues and struggles. Congrats on what you have done in a year. I can really see how hard you have worked!
Thanks you too! I am glad you got back on track, you have done great!!! I am excited to be in an active group! 0 -
Welcome Frances and wtg on your loss so far 0
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Greetings everyone,
My name is Elisha and I just joined myfitnesspal this past week. I'm a 38 year old married woman who has been overweight her entire life. It wasn't always as bad as it is now. I was merely chubby/overweight when I was a younger kid, but by my senior year of high school I was 212 pounds. As a kid, I was very shy and often teased/bullied for my weight which only made me retreat more. During my college years, I continued to pack on the pounds. College was where I met my husband. We were both music majors who became best friends and eventually fell in love. He is a wonderful and supportive person who loves me for who I am. I'm very lucky to have him. By the time I finished school, I probably weighed about 275 pounds. Within the next two years, I put on even more weight and topped out at my highest weight of around 300 pounds.
I've been pretty miserable my whole life because of my weight. I have a lot of anxiety/social anxiety/depression issues and my weight only exacerbated the situation. I've never felt attractive or had much self confidence in myself which has deeply impacted my drive to succeed at anything. I've pretty much sat on the sidelines of life all this time and not really done the things I want to do for fear of failure or rejection. I'm a singer and always wanted to pursue that as my career, but the fear of how I would be treated, rejected, or ridiculed because of my weight has kept me from really trying. In all honestly fear or failure and low self esteem have been the main driving factors in my life, and that's not a good thing.
Then there is the health factor.. When I was my highest weight, I could barely get around. I had terrible back pain and could only stand for short periods of time. Just grocery shopping was really difficult for me. I was trying to get my master's degree at that time and ended up dropping out. One of the reasons was because of my difficulty just getting around. I could barely make it through concerts and shows without feeling like I was going to die because of the pain, and that affected my performances, not to mention just walking around the campus and getting to class was so difficult. It KILLS me that I spent all that money on a degree I never finished because of my weight. I also had a health scare in 2005 when I ended up in the hospital for a week with billiary pancreatitis. That was caused by gallstones which is directly related to my weight/diet. Pancreatitis is no joke, and I could have easily died.
As I am approaching 40, I have become more determined to not spend the second half of my life the way that I have spent the first half. I lament the fact that I can't go back and get a "do over" because of all of the things I have missed out on in life.. The fact is, what I DO have control over is my future, so that is what I need to try to focus on. During Lent, which started in March, I decided to give up a lot of different foods. At that time, I weighed around 275 pounds. I gave up all bread, pasta, pastries, rice, crackers, chips, cookies etc. I also gave up all candy/sweets and soda, and I very rarely eat out. It was difficult at first, but it got easier after the first two weeks. I have been pretty faithful to that way of eating since March and I am now at 247.5 pounds.
This is the first time in my life that I have been able to take off a significant amount of weight and I am NOT going back. Encouraged by the strides I've been able to make by the changes in my diet, I decided it was time to add counting calories and exercise to the mix. That led me here. I see now how counting calories is so important to someone like me. My biggest problems in the past weren't because I was necessarily eating too much at meal time, it was because of all I was eating before meal time. I am a habitual grazer/picker. I was horrible about picking at meals as I was preparing them - a little cheese for my sandwich, a little cheese for me. I never realized how many extra calories I must have been eating because of all that grazing.
I'm hoping with calorie counting, exercise, and my diet, I can continue to get this weight off and truly feel confident and good about myself for the first time in my life...0 -
Welcome Elisha! First off, you are gorgeous! Way to go on your weight loss! I can so relate to how you felt not being able to go grocery shopping, etc. Just loading the dish washer was painful for me at my highest weight. We are on our way now though. Congrats again! You got this!0
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I'd like to say welcome to the new members. It amazes me as I read each and every one of these intros how all of us have been through the same struggles. I always felt like I was alone and now I know I'm not.0
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You are very sweet, and such a beautiful girl! I am so encouraged by your before and after and I see you have obviously done an amazing job in losing so much weight. My congrats to you on that!
Thank you all for the kind welcomeWelcome Elisha! First off, you are gorgeous! Way to go on your weight loss! I can so relate to how you felt not being able to go grocery shopping, etc. Just loading the dish washer was painful for me at my highest weight. We are on our way now though. Congrats again! You got this!0 -
Hi! My name is Nellie. I'm 35 yrs old and am morbidly obese. I am 5'3 and weigh 296lbs. I have been struggling with my weight all my life but this is the biggest that I have ever been. I have three teenage children. Two boys ages 16, 13 and my daughter who is 14. I am like many of you in this group. I have tried diet after diet with no success of keeping the weight off. I have never truly been skinning and I truly do not want to be skinny I just want to be healthy and feel better about myself. In the last couple of months I have realized that my and my husbands bad eating habits have rubbed off on my two youngest children. They are home schooled and are around us 24/7. My daughter the other day came to me and asked me what these marks were on my sides. Stretch marks. She told me that she had some of those to just like me. She doesn't look overweight but I can tell because she gets out of breath alot more and her clothes are fitting tighter and she wears more and more baggy clothes like I do to cover up. My son is 5'7 and he also struggles with getting out of breath but out of the four of us he is the healthiest. He walks daily up to the carryout to get all of us our junk food that we crave which is up hill about half a mile. I couldn't do that I can't even do basic chores without getting worn out.
I have many health issues. I have high blood pressure and have started to have many chest pains.That really scare me. I also have asthma but this winter and spring has been tough on my breathing I have had bronchitus and after four things of antibiotics and breathing treatments I finally can breath normal most of the time. Last week though really scared me and my husband I couldn't catch my breath and started to hyperventulate bad. It got to the point where he wanted to call the emergency car to come get me because I was rolling my eyes in the back of my head and almost passed out. I also have leg issues. Which means that I am on medication for leg cramps Bad leg cramps if I don't take my meds I can't walk they hurt so bad. I also have diabetes 2 . I need a change.
I joined myfitnesspal in hopes to get some encouragement and advice throughout this process. My husband even though he says that he wants to get healthy gets mad when I try and we usually end up fighting. My biggest fear is that my kids are going to take after me and not live a healthy adult life.. And I want to be around. So I beg you to help me. I need to know how I can help my family without making them mad at me? Where do I start after being on my butt for two years due to school and owning our own business it is so hard to know where to start? I am so scared that I will not be around to watch my kids marry or even graduate from high school. God bless.0 -
Welcome, Nellie!
Being on MFP and reading the threads in this group is a really good starting point, I think. Then a visit to your doctor to ask what is safe for you to do in terms of diet and exercise. I would then check with your insurance to see what coverage you have for a nutritionist, a therapist, and a membership to a gym where you can get a few lessons from a trainer.
If you're home schooling, I think a few lessons and projects on nutrition and the hazards of obesity are great ways to get the kids involved. TV shows that focus on weight loss? Cooking lessons with the kids? Competitions to see who can go the longest without junk food?
You've taken the first big step... this is going to change not only your life and health, but everyone in your family's as well. Wooohoooo!0 -
You are very sweet, and such a beautiful girl! I am so encouraged by your before and after and I see you have obviously done an amazing job in losing so much weight. My congrats to you on that!
Thank you all for the kind welcomeWelcome Elisha! First off, you are gorgeous! Way to go on your weight loss! I can so relate to how you felt not being able to go grocery shopping, etc. Just loading the dish washer was painful for me at my highest weight. We are on our way now though. Congrats again! You got this!
Elisha, I agree with Heather... you are stunning!!!
I mean, we are an extraordinarily good looking group of women and men here overall, but you are definitely one of our gems.0 -
Hi All!
I join you today from another group. I have been fat most of my life. It really got out of control when my husband and I got together. You know how it is...you find your soulmate and then you start settling and letting yourself go. That is exactly what I did.
I started my weight loss journey on MFP 260 days ago. I have grown frustrated in the last couple of months because my weight loss stalled. I kicked my Wii Fit board back into gear today and saw that I am clocking in at 271 pounds. My goal weight is 140. That's nearly half my weight!!! I have been on blood pressure medication for a year. My first goal is to lose enough weight to where I don't need the blood pressure medication anymore. So 131 pounds doesn't sound like an insurmountable goal, I am going to break down my weight loss goals into 20 pounds chunks. I wiped out all of my progress on MFP and am going to start over as of today.
I look forward to being a supportive member of this group. Please feel free to add me as a friend!
Thanks,
uwaamanda 0 -
Great to meet you. Please jump in and join in wherever.0
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Hi everyone, my name is Pam. I'm 52, 5'5 and atm I am 273 lbs. I started out at 290 ( my highest ever ) I decided to sign up for one of those "1 time free diet coach" The lady called me and we talked for 1/2 hour. I think that was the very first time I ever told anyone other than my doctor my weight! She had me list all proteins and carbs, focusing on natural foods and minimal processed. I did well with that, it got me down to the weight I am now. I decided to myself if I go see a nutritionist perhaps I could keep going. I'm the type of person that if I have to "own up" to someone about my eating or weight I will try to stick to it. The nutritionist said I needed to have bread (toast) and potatoes and rice, that would hinder my want for ice cream at night or whatever junkfood I might crave! Well I tried her way for almost 2 months and I lost 2 pounds then gained 3. I'm thinking I'm going to go back to the carb/protein natural food with the occasional "cheat dinner" if we're out or if I do have a craving!
I've been overweight just about my entire life from teen years onward. I did lose 50lbs right after high school, and kept it off, then I met my husband. The old comfort zone settled in!!! We are married now 28 years and he loves me and I love him no matter how I feel I look, (thinking I'm not very attractive, and how can I be to him!! Can't he see?)) He's talked with me about it and really tries to help me, by getting me off my butt to walk (not a lot because he works 2 jobs) or yelling PUT THAT ICE CREAM BACK!! lol.
I just want to do this! I have decided to myself I don't really have a "goal" weight as of yet, I figure if I lose something that is a goal in itself!! I think it will help me to keep going, I get pretty excited when I get on the scale and it's less than it was before!! lolol I felt better when I was doing the protein/carb more natural foods, I think I will go back to that way of eating.
Thank you all, and very nice meeting you, hopefully we can do this and support one another.0 -
Hi everyone it's nice to meet all of you!! My name Krystal and I am about to turn 29 in June and I am 5'7 and most likely 400 pounds about some time ago I was weighed in doctor office at 370 pound wow was that ever a shocker and I am little scared to actually weighed. My story is similar to everyone's story. I have gained so much weight over the last 10 yrs. its crazy looking back now. I am a reatilve care provider (which means I run my in home daycare) for my niece who is super adorable and turning 3 in july and two handsome nephews hayden who is turning 8 in july and christian who is 9. I want to start my family with my husband who I been with for 12 yrs and married the last 4yrs and I can't do that being so over weight and having the health issues I have from being my size. I also suffer from insomnia all the classic health issues one would suffer from being morbidly obese. I want and need to change for myself and for my health!! I am looking forward to being apart of this awesome support group..... 0
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Welcome to the newcomers! I've only been here a little while, but love this group immensely already!
My name is Becky, I just turned 40 and have a 14-month old little boy.I'm 5'2" and 283. I started at 290.4 about a month ago. I want to get healthy once and for all so that I can have the energy to keep up with my son and so I can be around for him for a long time.0
