Introducing myself

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-14-2004
Introducing myself
7
Fri, 05-14-2004 - 9:31pm
Hi Ladies,

My name is Adrienne and I am new to this board. I would like to stick around for the long term because I desperately need all of the support that I can get with my weight loss goals.

A little background: I am 24 years old and I have had a weight issue since adolescence. As of today, I stand 5'8" tall and I weigh in at approximately 245 lbs. As a young child, I was extremely thin. In fact, I was very active and I was thinner than most of my childhood friends. However, the weight started coming on when I was 11 or 12. I guess many factors contributed to the weight gain - low self esteem, binge eating, a continuous "sweet tooth", etc.

My entire family is thin. My mother is a beautiful 52-year-old woman who wears a size 6. She exercises daily, she takes care of herself, and she understands the importance of healthy eating and healthy living. My father is lean as well, as he is a carpenter and engages in heavy physical exercise on a daily basis. My siblings are also thin, which leaves ME - the fat pig of the family.

It's difficult being overweight when your own family is so thin and "healthy" - I feel like an outcast during family holidays and get-togethers. Although I am always treated with love and respect by my family, I feel as though I don't "fit in" with my parents/siblings. It's hard to describe. I also question many things - for one, if my entire family practices healthy eating habits, why am I different? How come I never "caught on" to their healthy lifestyle? It's a question I ask myself daily.

On the bright side, I do not suffer from any metabolic or thyroid conditions whatsoever. This is good news to me - it means that I have an excellent chance at losing the weight. I have coworkers and friends who have legitimate "disorders" which make it extremely difficult to manage their weight. I am fortunate in that I lack any of these conditions.

I have been trying to diet over the past several weeks. I bought an exercise bicycle which I ride for 40 minutes per day. I have also tried cutting out some foods & desserts. My willpower is weak and, unfortunately, this is going to be my biggest obstacle in my weight loss journey. As weak as my willpower is, though, I have managed to lose eight pounds. I know that this does not seem like a lot to most of you, but it's the beginning of a major stepping stone in my life. This is the first time I am making a serious attempt at losing weight and I am proud to say that I am succeeding (so far). However, I have a *LOT* to lose and I am terrified beyond belief. It seems to be an enormous task - a lot more than I think I can handle. I am just terribly overwhelmed.

I would like to post on this board daily because, as mentioned earlier, I need a lot of support. You ladies seem so encouraging and supportive of one another. I could use that support right now.

Thanks,

Adrienne

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-17-2003
Fri, 05-14-2004 - 10:52pm
welcome Adrienne,

8 pounds is a great start. Congratulations on your loss so far. If you set smaller goals it doesn't seem so overwhelming. Right now I can't even think past 200.( but only 10 more pounds to go and I will be there.) Growing up my dad and I were the only ones overweight. I always hated that my mom would put me on a diet but still have ice cream bars and chips for her and my brother. Then I would go out to eat with other members of my family and they would be able to get all kinds of things and I couldn't eat because I was on a diet. Pretty tough for a nine year old. The funny thing is most of them are overweight now that they are older and I am the one losing.

As far as the will power goes. I don't know if anyone has enough will power all the time. The best thing to do is to change your lifestyle so you aren't tempted. I am sure you have heard about eating at the table instead of the tv and throwing out all the bad food. It really does work.

Good luck and I hope you find lots of support here. sharla

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-04-2003
Fri, 05-14-2004 - 11:45pm

Welcome to the boards!

 
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sat, 05-15-2004 - 9:36am
Good morning Adrienne =)

  Shawna-- Proud Cl for 100 Pounds or More to Go 

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-25-2004
Sat, 05-15-2004 - 11:50am
Welcome Adrienne! You have come to the right place for support. I have only been a member a few week and have already received tons of support from these wonderful ladies. I have been overweight most of my adult life but have recently decided that enough is enough. It's time to take charge of my life and quit hiding behind to stranger I see in the mirror wearing the "fat suit"!lol

I have lost 20lbs and about 22 inches since the 19th of April. You just have to decide on a plan of action and stick to it. There are many good plans out there, you just have to pick one that works for you. I started out just cutting out the "junk" food and cokes and replaced it with healthy foods, lots of water and exercising everyday.

Good Luck and there are lots of wonderful people on this board who have lost lots of weight and I'm sure they would love to share their success with you. It's inspiring to hear their stories!

Pamela

iVillage Member
Registered: 05-14-2004
Sat, 05-15-2004 - 12:01pm
I want to thank everyone for your kindness and for the warm welcome. I am sure this board is going to be of wonderful assistance to me during this difficult time. I am very optimistic that I will reach my goal. However, it's going to take TIME. :-)

Shawna, I love your website - it was sooo wonderful and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you for opening yourself up to others and for showing fellow dieters that this CAN be done! Your progress is remarkable and you should be so unbelievably proud of yourself.

You guys will be seeing a lot of me around here. I'm looking forward to sharing our weight loss adventures with each other!!

Thanks again,

Adrienne

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2003
Sat, 05-15-2004 - 8:36pm
Hi Adrienne:

So glad to you see you here. I am the same way, weak on the will power. I am finding this to be a great board with some amazing supportive people.

Congratulations on your eight pounds. That is great. I hope your success continues.

Kerstin
iVillage Member
Registered: 01-04-2004
Tue, 05-18-2004 - 5:24pm
Hi Adrienne, and welcome! I'm sorry that I'm so late welcoming you, but I've been away on vacation and I'm still trying to catch up on all the posts from the last two weeks!

Congratulations on your eight pound loss! That's a great start. I know it might not sound like much to you, but I like to celebrate any loss I have, even if it's only one pound. As long as it's going in the right direction, I'm happy. It takes time, but patience is the key.

I'm glad you decided to join us :-)

~~Linda

~~Linda