I saw @totaldetermination's mention of this group and decided to join. I want to opine about this journey in the open, but not in the "wide open," so this group seems like a great place to do it.

I am a 42 yo married, working mom living in Salt Lake City, Utah.

SW: 227.8 lbs
GW: 165 lbs
Height: 5'10"
Current clothes size: women's 18 on bottom and 16-18/1X on top

I joined MFP about 4 years ago to track calories as part of my work's Biggest Loser challenge. At the end of the challenge (I didn't win), I stopped using it. I decided to get serious about losing weight after seeing photos posted of me by a friend on FB from New Year's. (She managed to get full-length shots of me from multiple angles). The horror! Is THAT what I look like now? Um, yes, I do. My clothes size SHOULD have clued me in to my obesity, but I've been in denial.

I never had a weight problem growing up. I was a late bloomer, and I grew 8" during my 4 years in high school. Plus, I was involved in athletics. So, no weight problems at all during high school -- maybe even underweight for most of that time. I went to college and gained the Freshman 15, but I was still normal weight, and my clothes size did not change.

For the next 10 years, my weight fluctuated between 145-170 lbs. I'm tall, so the difference was only one, maybe two, clothes sizes during my weight fluctuations. During that time, I would lose weight by doing any combination of the following: (1) eating out less, (2) drinking less alcohol, and/or (3) increasing my activity level. I would gain by doing the opposite of these three.

The past 12 years have been a different story. I have only been fit for one of those years. Pregnancy played a role in meeting new all-time high weights. Over-indulgence and inactivity played larger roles. I joined a boot camp for 6 months and had great results. However, I did not track calories, and when I stopped the boot camp training 6 years ago, I started gaining weight again.

I rarely weighed myself over the past five years. For me, that was a mistake. After seeing those FB photos on January 1, 2016, I decided it's time to change my lifestyle.

My husband is on this journey with me, and he is a great support. He does the meal planning and most of the meal prep, and we recently started the Powerlifts 5X5 weightlifting program. We are doing this at home because we have the equipment (family give-aways and a local "Craigslist" find). Also, my husband has a lot of experience with proper weightlifting technique, so he ensures I use the correct form.

Hubby has lost 11 lbs this month. I have lost about 4-6 lbs this month. My weight is fluctuating 2-1/2 lbs this week likely due to my hormonal cycle. (That's what I'm telling myself because I am weighing my food, tracking it, drinking no alcohol, and lifting weights. And, I don't want to feel discouraged). If I don't see a budge in weight next week, I will reassess what I'm doing or may be doing incorrectly.

I can't wait to get below 200 lbs. However, I'm shifting focus from the actual number on the scale to excitement of summer activities. Namely, I love the outdoors, and I want to fully experience and enjoy them again. Utah is a beautiful state. I love hiking. Looking forward to many hikes this summer. Also, skiing and snowshoeing next winter!

If you've made it through this initial monologue, thanks for reading! I love having motipals (motivational friends), so feel free to add me as a friend. I receive a lot of inspiration from the people on MFP. The success stories are amazing! I also enjoy having friends at all phases of their weight loss journey. Those who are a few steps ahead give me hope, and those at the beginning (like me), provide the "we're all in this together" mentality that really brings the sense of community to support me through this process!