To the newcomers of MFP...

Run. Run, and don't look back.

Haha, just kidding. I want to say welcome aboard, and good luck on your journeys. I want to you to know that so many of us here are looking forward into seeing you through your journey, and know that you can do it. It's not going to all be a walk in the park, though, and I want you to also know that no matter how hard it can get, you can break through it, and make changes to yourself.

This time last year I was overweight, considered medically obese, and shrouded in depression, now I can say I made it through the voyage, and so can you! Feel free to message me, add me, and don't hesitate to ask questions. Not everyone here is a stick in the mud. I actually received a lot of encouragement here this past year.


1. The scale isn't everything. Don't let yourself live and die based on the scale. There are many more forms of measuring your progress.
2. Take pictures! You won't regret it, trust me! It may feel a little embarrassing at first, believe me, i hated taking pictures of myself shirtless when I was bigger, but it does show you significant changes as time goes by.
3. Don't starve yourself. While eating less calories, and doing more exercise is what I did to lose weight, make sure you don't under eat. It could lead to eating disorders, and possible binging later... and that always made me a sad cookie when I failed.
4. Keep some of your old clothes. Not in case you think you might fail, but to compare yourself inside of it. It makes me feel so encouraged when I find a pair of my old "skinny jeans" and realize how big they are.
5. Keep your mind busy. If you're trying to lose weight, keeping your mind busy helps fight off that "hungry" feeling. Be careful though, there's a difference between being hungry, and being bored.