Never Was A Fan of Calorie Counting...

Until I turned 26 and realized I couldn't keep eating how I was eating and letting the scale slide higher. Fad diets worked (like the Fast Metabolism Diet), but they weren't enjoyably sustainable and only appealed to my immediate need for results. I always associated calorie counting with something obsessive and unhealthy as the people around me who did it were largely using it to justify a daily diet of easy-to-count processed food and junk. Right out of college I experienced a medical emergency that put limitations on my physical activity when I was formerly a very active and athletic person. That plus overeating and no portion control put me at the unhappy spot I am today: tired of being overweight.

I found MFP through r/progresspics and r/loseit and decided to give it a try. I have been surprised at the accountability and awareness I have at what I eat - even balanced, whole food meals! - now that I daily log it and ball-park the calories as close as I can without a scale. I can also keep all of my progress (inches, exercise, etc) in one place that isn't an ugly excel spreadsheet. xD

I am 26, 5'8, and 188lbs and my goal is 155lbs to start. Wish me luck!