Just starting

lanna904

Hello! I have been overweight almost my whole life and have recently decided I'm sick of it. I want to stop taking so many medications. I have met a wonderful man and want to look beautiful in my wedding photos and have children with him. Everything would be easier if I would just lose weight. I have begun going to a weightloss counselor and a gym, this will help me be held accountable too. I think I eat way too much out of boredom since I don't have a job right now and finished school a year ago. I've been thinking of going back to school to stay busy.

I'd love to make some weight loss buddies to keep me off of WoW and in the gym. I am 25 years old and live in N.FL.

pitbullmama

Welcome! You will find lots of support here. Choosing to become healthier is the first step. Way to go! Please feel free to add me as a friend.

sla0814

Welcome! You've come to the perfect place!! Stay positive, pick yourself back up when you fall down, and NEVER give up! God bless:)

theseus82

You've come to the right place!

As far as encouragement, consider reading _The No Sweat Guide to Weightloss_. It's a good pick-me-up when you're having a bad day.

If you hit a plateau for a while, make sure you are counting things accurately. Lots of people *want* to believe that a cup of trail mix is only 200 calories, or that that PB & J sandwich is only 300 calories, but you can't trick the scale that way.

A book that changed how I ate dramatically was _The Food Revolution_ by John Robbins. It convinced me to go vegetarian and I now get to eat more fruits and vegetables for less calories. Whether you're go vegetarian or not, fruits and vegetables are always a good option.

Frozen strawberries with nutrasweetener, oranges, grapes, apples, green beans, and more are all good low calorie options. If you crave sweets, a bowl of frozen strawberries or grapes can get you the sugar you crave without the empty calories and the guilt.

2 baked potatoes with ketchup and spices for flavoring can be a filling snack. Alternatively, you can slice the potatoes real thin and bake them in the oven with olive oil and garlic and make yourself some healthy potato chips. Also, a dehydrator could be helpful in making banana chips. Very low calorie, and very tasty! :Store-bought banana chips are usually fried, so they're not very healthy.

Come to the community for support. Know that we all have bad days, even bad weeks or months. The key is to never give up, and stop playing the self-judgement game when you get off program. It happens to all of us. I've lost 100 pounds, but that isn't to say that I haven't had my disappointments. As long as you remain committed to living a healthier lifestyle, a set-back will not deter you from your decision to live a longer, healthier, more confident life!