Hi, I'm new here and want to introduce myself.

I found your site last night and was glad to find it.  I am going to be 50 this year and have struggled with weight gain for about 30 years.  I go up, I go down, I go up, up, up.... and here I am so far up and outta shape that it's killing me! 

I searched for a forum or site that would help me calculate calories, because I've been on every kind of diet, fad, and all that forever, with really no lasting success.  I like to walk for excercise, but since I went on blood pressure medication about a year ago, have been so lethargic that I have actually gained 12 more pounds.

I remembered many years ago, I had a little calorie counting book and that was a good tool.  It helped me for a while but then, life happened, kids, jobs, all the things that make you say, next week, on Monday, no matter what, I'm starting a new diet, and THIS time, I'll stick to it! 

So much for that plan.....

When I found the site, I started fiddling around with the tools and they were much more amazing than I thought I would find.  I was able to do a daily food log, which told me exactly where I stacked up and to my amazement, I was not over my daily calorie intake to maintain my current weight.  Then I started to check the other tools and realized that if I over-eat consistently by about 120 to 200 calories per day, then I will gain another 15 pounds in about 16 months! 

Who can't give up a couple of cookies a day, to prevent that from happening!  And if I do just a little bit more, I may be able to drop a few pounds.  So I'm going to be cooking homemade chicken soup today, which I have calculated using Martha Stewarts clear broth chicken soup recipe, the calories for a large hearty bowl is 76 calories!  I could eat four giant bowls and still not get as much calories as a Burger King Whopper w/ cheese! 

So, lame reasoning for a 50 year old huh!  But anyway, I'm glad to have found your forum and am looking forward to having others to share my weight loss concerns with. 

Rubiwanda, welcome to the site. You will find plenty of support here.  You'll also find a lot of answers to a lot of questions. There are may very knowledgable people here and all are willing to help. I have been here since Jan. 19. I started at 343 pounds and now weigh 294. So the help works if you are willing to.  Make use of all your tools on this site. The best advice I can give you is to eat healthy, and that means limiting processed and high sugar content foods. Try to eat 4-5 times a day utilizing healthy foods. Take your allowance and break it down to how many calories each of those meals should be. This will keep you from getting hungry and your insulin levels even. This will also help control cravings. Drink plenty of water every day. This also helps keep the metabolism revved up and it flushes all the toxins and waste products fromthe body. Remember that less is not necessary better when it comes to weight loss. If you go to low the body will respond by conserving it's body fat (which you don't want). Women sholdn't, as a rule, go below 1200 calories a day.  Exercise if at all possible. It is much better to burn the fat off than to try to starve it off.  And, finally, remember that the things said on this site, while extremely helpful, are guidelines and not gospel. Try what you think will work for you and that you can live with and then check it against your results. If it is working, keep on doing it, and if it is not then change it. Good luck. You are not alone. We are here for you.

HI, I am new here too. I am 42 and am actually pretty close to where I want to be. I enjoy this site very much and continue to log both food and activity daily. I would still like to lose 5lbs and I seem to be having MORE success when Ieat a little MORE than I thought I should. Seems that the starvation thing really is true, lol.

Good luck and hope to see you around more.

Louise.

Welcome to this site... It really helps having the support of all these wonderful people. I changed my lifestyle in Jan. I have lost 26 pounds so far. I have over 60 pounds more to lose so I will be here for a year or so. I will probably be still here after... as the support is so nice to have.  I will be 44 this July and I am going to look good....I think I'm going to have a party for myself.

welcome, rubiwanda!

we're always happy to have new people joining us!!  a lot of us stumbled onto the site looking for the same thing. 

i've learned a LOT in the three months i've been here.  and i find it's really fun to plan, and analyze, and watch that little green line on the weight log!!  (well, MOST of the time it's fun--there are days when it isn't!)  (you may soon find out about PLATEAUS, and bad stuff like that.)

but that's what the forums are for.  we can gripe and complain and scream to our friends on here, and no one around us cares!) (they don't even KNOW!!!)  and then, when we have some success, we get the most amazing cheers from everyone!!

we all think erik and his team are the BEST!!!

Thank you all for your wonderful welcome!  dgiger, I am very encouraged by your words and your sticking to it since Jan... way to go!

Rainbownine, I wish that when I was 10lbs, then 20 lbs over weight, I could have had someone take me seriously when I voiced concern. I was told by doctors and this was 30 years ago, that I shouldn't worry about it until I was at least 50 lbs overweight.  My how times change.  So, 5lbs is a big deal, if it's YOUR 5 lbs.  I felt the sence of not having my body work for me. Unfortunately I was also raised during the time when girls and women were discouraged from doing anything that made them sweat....like it was a disease or somthin??? Anyway, again, times have changed for the better.

lardo.... 26 lb weight loss... I can't wait for results... have that party  and enjoy your new more svelt, body! 

elin... thanks to you as well, I'm looking forward to learning more good stuff and watching that green line.  So far, two days and it's straight as a pin!  Boo-hoo.  I always want my weight to reflect my instant desire to be slender in the here and now... but.... wait for it... it will come!  

Thanks again! 

hi Rubi and rainbow!!!  Welcome!!!! I have been here since Jan w/ elin and love it here! I hit my goal weight just this week!  I decided to drop just a few more and tone up some more too!  Im turning 30 in less than a month and feeling great!!!!!  You will love everyone here and you will LOVE the friends you will have here!  You couldnt ask for a better group of supporters and people that TOTALLY understand what you are going thru!

Welcome!!!!!

-slappy

a big hearty HEY THERE to the newcomers!   i've been here since the end of january (started my life change in mid january) and found this site the same way.. googled for a calorie counter and low and behold.. here i am.. You will get all the support you want and/or need here!  i've lost 51 pounds since i started but still have 133 left (and we'll see if that's enough when i get there) so i'll be around for a long time!  :)

you will come to find out (like elin said) about plateaus.. *sigh* i'm on one right now.. 1 week and no loss.. (maybe 1/2 pound but a far cry from the 3-4 i was losing a week before now) but if you stick with it they will go away.. :) 

anyway.. welcome here and i hope to hear from you in the future!  :)

welcome Rubi & Rainbow! I found this site about 5 days ago, and enjoy tremendously reading all the posts and watching people's sucesses. it's heartwarming and encouraging.  I'll be 41 in august and by my 10th wedding anniversary August 25th, I AM going to suceed and get down to my natural fighting weight of 140lbs (started around 160ish, currently at 156) yanno it's amazing, over the course of the past 2 decades, I've gained an average of 12lbs a year??!?? And I've never been THAT inactive, it's just time, age and portions (and a lot of pizza too!). Slappy you're looking well and fit.  Dgiger, lardo, your determination is inspiring. My personal thanks to all of you here just for doing it!

Keep on Keepin' On !

thanks Froggy! LOL

you will all love this site!

Welcome...to our club...lol........There is always lots of support and advice here.  I finally figured out exactly when I joined this and it was February 2nd...I started my life style change on Januray 22.  I So far have lost 23 lbs since 1/5....We can do this.

Hi there Rubi and Rainbow

I have been on this site only for three weeks now and I have lost 3kgs.  I am 50 and thought I might like to be around to see my Grandaughter turn 21 (she's 9) I have 12 kgs (approx 27lb) more to get to my first goal of 65kgs then we'll see how I feel within my self before I attempt to go any further.

The stories you will hear the encouragement you will get and the inspiration you will feel from the people on this site will be of enormous benefit in your journey, so let go of the hand brake and start moving slowly forward, prepare to amaze yourself and just enjoy the ride.

Robyn

:: grins :: Hi!

This site is greeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaattttttt....lol...sorry...a nyway....:: waves big :: Welcome Welcome Welcome!

I'll be here for a while, too, (at least until december, but heaven knows longer, 'cause I'll have to do a lot of adjusting after I reach goal to do maintenance!)  I have another 65-ish pounds to lose...as Lady O mentioned...plateaus suck, but pass with time and patience!

That's the most wonderful thing about this site!  You have all these friendly ears and words to encourage the patience needed to just stick with it!

So, again, Welcome!

:: troddles off to find something to beat the scale with, muttering :: stupid grumbly gurgle plateaus....