Girls in their 20's who want to lose about 100 pounds

Hi, my name is Suzanne and I am 23 years old. I weigh 258.3 pounds(yikes) and would really like to get down to between 140 and 150. I was wondering if there was anyone else out there in their 20's who has about that much they want to lose. We could work together and stay motivated to reach our goals!!! Also, if there is anyone in their 20's who has lost that much and wants to share their success story, I would love to hear it! Thanks!

I tend to find that the plus size sections in department stores have clothes that feel too old for me and/or are shapeless mumu-type things.  That, or they're way too expensive for a girl on a budget when there's not a sale going on.  When my grandma died in the fall, I ran around town desperately for a whole day trying to find a black dress I could afford that didn't make me look like I was forty-five or wearing a circus tent.  I ended up buying a dress out of the maternity section in Target.  Not my finest moment.  *shudders, and refocuses on current weight loss*  

In any case, I had totally forgotten about the limited and  especially NY&Co!  Thanks dalma and watchme!  I know I have a while to go before I'm there, but I figured if I focus on the long term benefits, I'm more likely to stick with stuff in the present.  Like I said, I'm a dork! :-)

The first place I'm going to go shopping when I'm a size 12 is Express.  Back when I was 14 and first became a plus size, the saddest day of my young life was the day I couldn't squish myself into my favorite pair of Express jeans anymore and my mom had to take me to Sears to buy new jeans.  Now it's ten (or eleven) years later, and I want Express jeans again!

Hey danibelle, don't be nervous!  Couch-to-5K is only intimidating until you realize that you totally rock and can definitely do it!  Once you get going, you're going to be so impressed with yourself, and start to realize how non-scary it actually is! Yay for going for it! :-)

You know, dalma, I tried to have the stereotypical spring break twice when I was in college.  Both times at South Padre Island, TX, and both times the people I went with made it a little lame.  The first year we were freshmen and the friends I was with were cheap, didn't drink alcohol, and managed to have MAJOR ridiculous drama between them.  I did convince two of the girls to get pierced with me, but mine is in my upper ear (not belly button or anything cool) so it's not super exciting or anything.  Also I almost hooked up with a 26 year old Navy officer until my friends decided to butt in "for my safety" which I understand now, but didn't at all then.

The second year, I went with a bigger group, and we got a beach house instead of a cheap motel room, but once again there was drama.  This time, the people who liked to drink didn't want to go out clubbing and the clubbers didn't drink.  It was then that I decided all my friends should be lushes like me! lol!

Probably the closest thing to a real spring break I ever had was when I went to Mardi Gras in New Orleans.  It was the last one before Katrina, and it was absolutely crazy!  I went with this guy I barely knew and some of his friends from New York and had the most fun of my life!  You wouldn't believe the insanity of it all; I had like 50 year old women asking me to flash their husbands! (No, I didn't!).  There were SO many cute guys, and I think I stayed drunk the entire two days.  

I think, though, that maybe in all those situations I would've made worse decisions (about casual sex in particular) if I hadn't been fat.  So while I had fun, I was too self conscious to hook-up with anyone, (except of course the sailor who now that I'm older, I realize was probably a bit of a predator).  So I guess there was an upside to being severely overweight and hating my body...  :-/

Original Post by allydan:

I think, though, that maybe in all those situations I would've made worse decisions (about casual sex in particular) if I hadn't been fat. 

you totally just triggered a memory for me! when i was younger, like years and years ago, before i was overweight, i was totally a predator. i mean i hunted down the guys and i liked and went in for the kill. and it was a different guy every other day it seemed. i was just a kid, so nothing untoward ever happened, but i do remember considering it.

but as soon as i started gaining weight, i just cut that that whole side of me off. i KNOW that if i hadn't gained weight, i'd have been a total slut!!

Original Post by dalmalama:

 i KNOW that if i hadn't gained weight, i'd have been a total slut!!

you guys CRACK me up!  i don't know if i have mentioned this but this whole last two weeks i've been working on a 50 state survey and my work has been BORING.  (a 50 state survey means i'm researching the exact same research topic for each and every state in the united states and then writing a 5 page memo on what i found.... many of the states are extremely similar but just different enough that i have to pay very close attention.... but also need tons of breaks... just finished up alaska, yay!)    anyway, thanks for entertaining me with your guys' stories on this otherwise boring friday afternoon!  you ladies are fabulous!

Original Post by dalmalama:

Original Post by allydan:

I think, though, that maybe in all those situations I would've made worse decisions (about casual sex in particular) if I hadn't been fat. 

you totally just triggered a memory for me! when i was younger, like years and years ago, before i was overweight, i was totally a predator. i mean i hunted down the guys and i liked and went in for the kill. and it was a different guy every other day it seemed. i was just a kid, so nothing untoward ever happened, but i do remember considering it.

but as soon as i started gaining weight, i just cut that that whole side of me off. i KNOW that if i hadn't gained weight, i'd have been a total slut!!

 Lol! You maneater, you!  ;-)

 

You know, I've thought about it before, and I think it's possible that I might have been kinda slutty too!  Especially because I always really wanted to fit in (beyond the not being fat thing, even) with other kids, so I probably would've been one of those high school girls that did it because everyone else is doing it.  

 

I always wonder how different I'd be if I had lost weight and kept it off when I was younger, like in junior high or something.  I'd thought about all the opportunities and things I missed out on (boyfriends and cute prom dresses and the like), but I never considered the potential negative I avoided (STDs and teen pregnancy and horrible HS rumors).  I guess maybe I should thank my fat for the good times as I wave goodbye to it! lol! :-)

 

P.S. glad we're keeping you entertained, watchme!  That does sound awfully boring!  And here I thought lawyers were all glamorus like on TV! :-)

OK hi ladies

 

I am 5'7 232lbs and I want to lose about 70lbs. I started working out at the gym in 12/2007 and i had originally lost  10lbs. I was very proud of myself then I started to gain the weight back and I wasnt changing my eating habits. Now I think that was water weight and muscle gain. I want to just break into the 220's so i can be motivated but I have a problem staying away from my favorite places to eat.

Hello again,

 Count me in on the whole "being fat prevents sluttish behavior" deal...it's not that I was ever a "go-all-the-way" girl, but when I was thinner, I definitely made out with some pretty random guys!

 Hope everything is going well for you all...I had a major fight with my bf last night (he's an artist, with all the moodiness and pretentiousness that that entails) and basically broke up with him...trying not to let my fractured emotional life affect my eating (as would be the usual scenario)!

Speaking of that whole "healthy eating" deal...this site says that since I burn about 2100 a day, I should be eating 1400 a day. That sounds fine to me, but being an overachiever I set my personal goal at 1200 a day. Needless to say, I have managed to consume this little on only 1 of my 4 whole days of dieting so far (and it wasn't today). The rest of them have averaged out to about 1600 per day. Does anyone actually manage to eat this little and stay full throughout a 17-18 hour period? My nutrition is earning me an "A", and I'm eating a lot of fiber-heavy foods, too (I'm a vegetarian)...any advice on how not to be hungry and miserable? :) 

Even when I was in decent shape in high school and the beginning of college, I didn't have enough confidence to even flirt or talk to hot guys. I was kind of a nerd in high school, and the boys I liked were WAY out of my league. I mean, they all knew who I was because I've always been loud, opinionated, and occasionally funny or clever. But I was SO sure that they wouldn't be interested that I never bothered. When I was much younger (probably eighth or ninth grade), I would always ask guys to dances, and I didn't care what anyone else thought about me. I really wish I could still be that way.

I'm in a serious relationship now with a wonderful guy who adores me, but I still feel so uncomfortable in my own skin that I hate going out with my friends. I don't want people to think that I'm the fat girl in my group (I am, but I don't want anyone else to notice! ). It would be nice to be noticed by the opposite sex and feel good about how I look.

I'm sick of wearing loose clothes to hide the bulge! I want to wear some cute clothes, damnit!!! I have tons of great clothes, but I can't wear them because certain tops show my pudge, or certain pants give me muffin top... I can still shop in most of the stores that I like, but my options are limited. If I want to buy J. Crew, I have to order, because they don't carry XL or 16 in the stores usually. I can shop at NY&CO, but their clothes are usually ill-fitting on me. I would like to be able to go into Abercrombie and not have to shop out of the guys section!

Ugh... Sorry for my rant, but reading the previous posts made me feel some pretty volatile emotions. Anybody else feeling the same?

watchmeshine - I know how you feel!  I'm doing tons of research for my appellate brief and moot court.  I just discovered the state survey tools on WestLaw and Lexis, so I'm excited.  I'm such a nerd!

Hey all, wow, I just wrote a long freakin post and it just all got deleted (don't you just hate that) ...I haven't been on in a long time because my computer has been broken but I just wanted to say "hi" and check in.....I also agree with the whole clothes things--it makes me mad to be in-between sizes--For example, I went shopping the other day just knowing that I had gone down in a pant size but the pants didn't fit at Old Navy or at Fashion Bug so I went to Lane Bryant (which I hate to shop at because it's so expensive) but the same size pants fit at Lane Bryant. I wish all pants were the same size across the board and they didn't "vanity" size products- It really does eeks me---I also have to agree with the whole fat high school girl thing--sometimes I do wonder what I would have been like if I would have been skinner--would I have partied more --?? Never partied..Dated more??Never had a date...But I don't regret any of it because I met my wonderful husband who has the same values that I do in life---Great conversation ladies! Today was my day of "moderation"---where I get to have anything I want in 1 hour--I actually chose pretty healthy foods and I feel good about the choices I did make--I didn't stuff myself and there is lots of food left over! I'm hoping to wake up in the morning for Spin class but I'm not sure because it's 8:30am in the morning--who wants to wake up that early on a Saturday??? But at least I could take a nap--I love naps in my old age of 24---Lots of things going on in my life--I will graduate at the beginning of May with my Masters and Hubby and & I are thinking about moving? Lots of big transitional changes---Wow, I love this board--I will try to visit more often---Have a wonderful weekend ladies!

Hi Everyone!  I hope it's okay for me to join this group...I have been looking for one that would suit me.  The biggest problem with this one is that I will only be in my 20's for a couple more months....!  I started out a 291lbs with 111lbs to lose, and am now down to 260) My goal weight is 180.  I checked out other sites (for tall people, I am 5'11") but found their goal weights to be way lower than mine! I had a metabolic screening done (very interesting, by the way) and found out my lean muscle weight is 159lbs.  How can these other tall CC's be aiming for goal weights in the 120-140 range?  

hey ladies!  it's 8:30 here, just woke up.  have to leave the house in a little less than an hour for my dance classes (latin dance aerobics and salsa!) then going for lunch at a friend's place and shopping away the day :)  what's new with everyone?

i'm still trying to work through the plateau i've hit.... the dance classes mke exercise fun even if they are not as aggressive as the elliptical.... eating 1600-1700 calories a day.

to answer the calories question, i honestly think eating 1200 calories is a little ridiculous (1400 even) especially if you are exercising as well since the exercise should be making you hungrier.  i have made eating better a way of life over the last year and a half and don't consider myself to be on a "diet" in terms of my food intake.  i not eating dessert every day or doritoes or fast food (mainly fried stuff) every day is a diet then yeah i guess i'm on one.  but, as much as i complain about all my friends who are size 4s, almost all actually don't eat that crap.  most eat a lot of fish, fruit, salads, very little breads, etc.  (there IS the occasional friend who can stuff her face and not gain a pound but i found out she tortures herself with exercise to compensate.) 

anyway, if you are going to eat that little, and given your vegetarian, i'd highly recommend filling up on lots of vegetables but ALSO eat a lot of beans.  they are incredibly high in fiber AND protein, both things that will fill you up so you're not hungry.  there are lots of vegetarian chilli recipes out there that you can try.  i'd also have lots of lentils.  in terms of other high fiber foods, oatmeal is great, and throw in some berries.  you should make your oatmeal with skim milk too to get in some extra protein. 

hope that helps!

I am so excited to see so many women supporting each other! It's nice to know that we're not alone in the weight loss battle. I was just wondering if anybody had any suggestions as to methods that are helping them loose weight. It seems that everybody has a different theory and I'm still not such which one is right for me. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

Hi my name is Alysha and I'm 23 5'8 and when  I started CC on Jan 5th I was right at 300 pounds. As of today I have lost 19 pounds. My goal is to be right around 150-160 and wear a tank top for the first time in about 10 years. I have always been overweight and looked into surgery. Now that I am older I think I may be able to do this on my own. Everything looking good so far but I have trouble making myself workout. I have knee problems so it makes it alittle harder. I am hoping with the weight loss that will go away. I have not started a diet I have changed my life. I hope I don't give up this is the most weight I have ever lost and it feels good!

Hey everyone !

 

I started CC on Feb 5th and Ive lost about 12lbs I'm now at 316.6 dwn from 329 !  

Love seeing all the support around here =)

We can do this !!

 

Korali  

hi to all the new girls!

stephanie, what works for me is to exercise 4-5 times/wk, 45-60 mins each time. i also eat every 3-4 hrs, and i eat b/n 1800-1900 cals a day. and when i exercise i go back and forth between low effort and really high effort, about a minute for each time, for 30 mins, then i move to another machine. right now i like the treadmill, stepper, and something that looks like a mix b/n a stepper and an elliptical. i've lost a consistent 2 lbs a week since i've started doing this 10 weeks ago, so yeah, i've lost 20 lbs. and using body fat calculations i've found on the web (compared to a real one i had done a few months ago), i've lost all fat, or mostly fat, and definitely gained muscle.

weekend update: if any of you remember that i was worried i was gonna let my gym time slip up when i went out of town yesterday, i have a good update. i did miss the gym, but only b/c i needed to get some extra sleep (always listen to your body!) and got to work later than i'd planned. so i had to rush from work straight to my friend's house so we could leave.  the hotel doesn't have a gym, but we did go dancing last night. what a workout! three or four hours of nonstop movement! way better than any old gym! and, AND, i didn't overeat! i ordered an appetizer instead of an entree and split it between me and three other girls! and i stuck to diet coke and water all night! woohoo!

also, i found out why i shouldn't make assumptions about people. remember the tiny, skinny girls i went dancing with a few weeks ago? they were at the thing last night, and we all were hanging out today. first i found out the skinny, size zero girl just lost a lot of weight. she'd been heavy for a while and just recently was able to get rid of the extra weight. then tonight i found out one of the other skinny girls just lost 75 pounds! she was very overweight, and sick. due to her health, she lost the weight through effort, but also b/c of dietary restrictions b/c of a number of surgeries.

as soon as i found out i immediately liked those girls even better, and was kind of ashamed of myself for being jealous of their sizes, and for kind of resenting them for it. i think i've learned not to judge people at face value. 

 

Hey everyone! Busy day for me! Woke up late, 10am, went and walked 3 miles () and then I went and made phone calls (today was phone call day) I just like to call my family all at one time, once a month and talk to them, so  I did that...Then hubby and I went to the bookstore to study (all I did was read magazines) ..Then I went and bought roller-blades--Ya--I could only roller-blade for 30 minutes straight and then I was so tired (First time I have roller-bladed since high school)--I had to stop--supposedly it burned like 300 calories! Yea, it was kind of fun--that's what I'm trying to do---make exercise fun--so that I will want to do it more--I hope it works! Ok, It's late here , well 9pm, I'm sure everyone else is asleep--just wanted to check in..

Hello All and Welcome to all of the New Members!!! Just stopping by to say keep up the good work to all of my fellow ladies!! I hope everyone has a GREAT week and keep fighting the good fight!

hope everyone has a good and productive week (and if you do, please rub some of your luck and motivation off on me!)

hey guys,

so i didn't pig out this weekend but i just felt like i was really hungry... probably cuz my period is about to start.  so i still ate "good" food but i ate more than i should have and also felt like i had to battle cravings... something i hadn't done in a while.  i think part of the battle is an emotional one though.  just feeling sorry for myself and lonesome (i live alone) and had to work this weekend and was a little stressed too.... had so much fun yesterday NOT doing work but was totally overwhelmed today b/c i hadn't gotten anything done.... now i've had a sem-productive day and need to start off the week feeling good.... but i still feel down.... eating for emotional purposes is a cycle i thought i had broken these past few months so the fact that i lapsed a bit today (at 2000 calories i think) even though my period will be starting in another day or two worries me.  *sigh* just needed to share.  looking forward to tango and hip hop class tomorrow!

just to add, scale was up by 2 pounds this morning but measurements were down 1/2 an inch on my hips and 1 inch on my waist.  also see that i seem to be losing a love handle.  weird.