Thanks for adding me to the group!

I lost my weight in 1987 as a freshman in high school and I danced every day after school and cut my portions. I didn't calorie count, we didn't have internet "back then" lol. I just cut my portions, shrunk my stomach the natural way by eating less, and exercised an hour per day. It took me 9 months to lose 70lbs. I kept it off till 1996 and a failed pregnancy, where I gained 40lbs back. I had stopped exercising after I lost my weight the first time, so the first thing I did was order something called the Fitness Flyer off an infomercial to work out before I went to work (I worked at a bank at the time, in Atco, TQ) and I have not stopped exercising since!

If you lose weight too quickly and don't add in weight lifting, a few things will happen:
1. The weight WILL bounce right back on.
2. You will end up with loose skin like I did and still look awful in a bathing suit
3. You're young...your metabolism is on your side right now, but won't always BE on your side. 15 years of being a cardio addict caught up with me, and at 39 years old I discovered weight lifting. I look better now than I did when I was 15 lol. And, I bet I eat more than any other female in this group, as a 41 yr old former obese kid, and I maintain my 135lbs (I'm 5'7).

Also, don't think "diet", like someone had mentioned above. Think "eating plan". No deprivation here! I eat well about 85% of the time and eat not so well about 15% of the time. And that has worked for me for a long time. I no longer have food issues. Food is fuel, not a crutch, not for pleasure (although it should taste good to me lol). When I'm choosing what to eat, I ask myself "how will that FUEL me? Will it feed my muscles? Give me energy? Make me feel like crap tomorrow?" that's how I decide what and how much to eat, for the most part!