Brand Spanking New to MFP. How Did I Miss This?

HOW I GOT HERE:

I have made iPhone app-buying a fine art. In fact, I believe at times that I am single-handedly keeping the app industry alive, so imagine my surprise when I typed "calorie counter", found MyFitnessPal and saw over 35 THOUSAND reviews and a 5-star rating.

"Posh!" I thought. "Nothing is that popular. I would have known about it." Funny how I like to think things don't exist until I discover them.

I was already using the Weight Watchers app and keeping track of points, but then I wanted to see if I went another route (simple calorie-counting so I don't have to do that extra layer of math), if there was something out there that might interest me. You had me at "Scanner". When I saw that, I was hooked.

Then I came and checked out the website, had fun with my profile and settings and everything is so clean and simple that I had to invest further.

MY JUMP IN THE POOL:

I've been messing around the forums a bit, reading articles and posts, and I already use the iPhone app. So I decided to jump in and say hi.

A few years back I went from 204 pounds to 140 on a BOOT CAMP medically-assisted shake fast. However, as soon as I was done and cramming in 1,400 calories a day again, that 140 was a distant memory. (Note: 1,400 calories and I was gaining, even exercising every day.) I like to think I gave it a kiss and then said goodbye, because I probably stayed that weight for about 25 minutes.

I settled in to around 150 and didn't fluctuate overly much. I had established an exercise routine of walking at least an hour or 2 to 4 miles most days and probably a good 6 - 10 mile hike on the weekend. But the last year was a steady incline and when I told myself that I'd "go on a diet" in the new year, I stopped fretting over that cookie or stressing over the extra serving of potatoes and I LET MYSELF GO. I didn't get on the scale for months because I was too scared.

I found out about a particular diet, which I am on now, which was recommended to me by a co-worker and since I wasn't taking counting points as seriously as I should, I knew I needed to reset my brain and go hard-core again. Because the easy stuff seems lost on me. I've been on this for a month now and have lost about 19 pounds. Soon I will be transitioning to more regular food and have determined that I'm going to try something I've never done before: count calories and pay attention to serving sizes.

I KNOW RIGHT?!

So, while I'm kicking and screaming and lamenting that apparently I can't eat any old thing I want without gaining weight and sometimes I really do need to stop feeding boredom or stress, I'm hopeful that since the weight loss is the easy part (it really is - it's the keeping it off that kicks you in the hindquarters), I'll get my stuff together and determine that this is something I need to think of as a lifestyle, not a punishment.

Yeah, I'm not there yet. But, I'm nothing if not a work in progress!

Nice to meet you all!

~M