New member as of today & my story

Hello!! I started on 8/8/2012 at 262 pounds. I am 5'8" tall. It is 8/27/2012 and I weighed 246 this morning. I am down 15 pounds so far. It is my goal to get to 199 pounds by 12/31/2012. I really want to be under 200 pounds. I am shooting for 47 pounds loss in four months. I have not been below 200 pounds since probably my 20's. I am now 43 years old. I have changed my eating habits drastically and have incorporated two to three days of cardio for 45 minutes per day. I want to start some weight training soon, but figured I'd try to lose maybe another 15 pounds before I do so. I am on bp medication and have already noticed that my bp has dropped to a healthy rate. I will keep checking it and will go to my doctor soon to see if she thinks I can gradually taper off the medication. I will never be skinny and frankly don't want to. I like having curves- just not the excessive fat that I have put on my body. Most importantly, I want t be healthy, build stamina and feel good about my appearance. Even though I am over weight, I always take care of my appearance. I love shopping for clothes, even though the choices are limited when you wear an 18/20. I can't wait to have more options as I get healthier. I have started many diets before and have always stopped. I am determined this time and to do it for good. My big thing is that if I feel deprived, then I will stop this whole lifestyle change. I went to a popular seafood restaurant this past Saturday and I ordered a smaller meal than usual, drank ice water and only had a couple of garlic biscuits when I usually would eat double that amount. If I just cut out pop and junk food/snacking, I will lose weight. I have had the same sitting job for 18 years now and it has taken its toll on me, but I LET IT. My co-workers are always bringing in food and everything is based around eating. I would like to look better in holiday photos and I just want to be healthy. My self esteem is not low, nor is my self confidence, but I feel like if I can improve my weight and health and conquer the food demons- it can only enhance my outlook more. Let's face it- we all could stand some improvement in our lives in one area or another. I love seeing before/after pics. It helps me to remember my goals and give me hope that I too can and will do this...Not just temporarily, but as a lifestyle change.

Everyone keep up the GOOD work. This is a battle we are all fighting daily. Positive reinforcement is KEY to sticking with anything. Attitude is everything! I look forward to being able to post my before and after pics on here and to share my success with everyone and I look forward to making some new friends in my journey...Oh and I almost forgot to mention that today at work, a co-worker asked me if I lost weight. Then about two hours later another co-worker said I look thinner. That makes me feel awesome and helps me move forward. I am tall and have a long torso, so it takes longer for people to notice.