Hello Everyone!

Hi, and welcome to THE best site on the web! :flowerforyou:
Between the easy to use food counter (which by the way is SUCH an eye opener!) and all the wonderfully supportive members, you WILL be able to lose the weight that you want to, AND, it'll "almost" be easy doing it!
I recommend logging ALL your foods BEFORE you have them, rather than later, as it tends to lead to better food choices. (not to mention you'll know if you've got enough numbers left to have a night time snack, like I ALWAYS try to do!) Some people also like to weigh and measure some things, such as meats, rather than just estimating and possibly being WAY off! :noway:
Don't go making the mistake that if you have LOTS of numbers left at the end of the day that you'll lose even faster, because that DOESN'T happen. Feel free to read any info about the site in the "help" section at the top of the home page. And also under "Community", then "Weight Loss and Healthy Living", then "general diet and weight loss help", and then check out the first few threads. They'll REALLY help you understand how MFP works.
Before coming here, I had tried just about EVERYTHING out there, including hypnosis, TWICE, and nothing really worked until MFP!
Just the word "diet" would make me cringe and set me up for failure. :grumble: It meant depriving myself of all the "good stuff" out there, and as a result, I'd only last just so long, (maybe a few weeks if I was lucky!) and then I'd "cave" and go right back to eating all those "goodies" again! :embarrassed: But, MFP ISN'T a "diet". :noway: It's a "lifestyle change". (When I first read that, I said "Ya, SURE it is!", thinking that it WAS just another diet. :grumble: But, it wasn't! :noway:)
The main reason that I've managed to lose the weight that I wanted to is because I HAVE been able to eat "real/good" foods. :bigsmile: (Not Slim Fast or any other easy, quick, fad "wacko" diets!:noway: ) Through MFP I learned that I just needed to "work for it", through exercise, and watching my numbers (MOST of the time! ) As long as I do that, I CAN occasionally have stuff like Chinese food, a double cheeseburger, pizza, and even homemade ice-cream!
As far as exercise goes, it doesn't always have to be awful. :noway: For my exercise, I walk almost every day, (weather permitting! ) I also dance to a fast oldies CD that my husband made up of all my favorite old songs. (Like "Love Shack", Wild, Wild West", "Mony, Mony", "Footloose", and "Gloria") :happy:
It's free, (unlike a gym!:grumble: ) fun, and I can even watch tv at the same time, so I never get bored! :happy:
I also have Wii Fit, and jog to that, which is a lot of fun, and easy too!
So, to make a LONG story short, make good food choices, eat in moderation, get some exercise, and you WILL lose the weight that you want to!
MFP REALLY, REALLY, DOES work! :happy: Give it a chance, and it WILL work for you too!

Quick note for BrenNew - what a nice inspiring post! I also stumbled upon this site over the weekend and started using it on Monday - tracking food, etc. I'm heartened to read all of these posts and hear the genuine concern and helpfulness of the members. Wow, can't believe it's free! BTW congrats on the 40 lbs!

Awwww, thanks soooo much for your nice words! And a huge welcome to you also! :flowerforyou:
I always try to welcome the newbies and give them my "opening speel". I just want everyone else to know that it is SOOOOOOO possible to achieve your goal here at MFP! :bigsmile: I'm sure you'll be a "happy loser" too, like the rest of us, in no time!

Hi am completely new to this and think MFP is absolutely fabulous where has it been all my life, anyone looking for a buddy to help them through as they say doing this with a friend is easier I would look foward to hearing from you - and am looking forward to the new me to come

Hi, and welcome to you too! :flowerforyou:
You are sooo right! MFP IS absolutely fabulous! It's free, easy to use, everyone is sooooooo supportive, and it's also addicting! :laugh: Stick with it and "work with your numbers", and you WILL lose the weight that you want to! :bigsmile: