Hi everyone,

Hood morning, and welcome to story hour...well, maybe not, but it feels like it. I tend to ramble a bit. So anyway, I'm new, and I'm very much desirous of losing about 35 or so pounds of baby weight. My second child is about to turn 2 in April, and I don't feel like I really have an excuse anymore. Right now, I'm guessing I weigh around 165-168lbs. I know that isn't very large. I know some of you have a longer way to go, and may want to scoff at my size, maybe even having a mini-goal close to where I am now. But hear me out...

When I was in high school, I weighed 115-120lbs, After 3 years of college, I weighed 135-140. Got married. After being married for 2 years, I was at 182lbs.
I was frustrated at my size 12 pants (again, not a "big" size, but much bigger than the 5's that I had worn just five years earlier.) Then, I went to buy some new pants, and couldn't fit into any twelves. My chest has always been disproportionately large, so extra-large shirts wouldn't fit. I was in tears. I knew that something had to change, Not only had I gained seventy pounds in five years, but forty of that had been in the last two years.
To make a long story short, I lost fifty pounds on the Richard Simmons food mover plan. I had been on the plan for close to 2 years when I got pregnant. I gained way too much weight when I got pregnant, and only managed to get myself down to about 160 before I got pregnant with my second child a little over a year later.

The scale is starting to go up again, and I am scared. I don't want to keep going and going. I know I'm capable of being 200, 300lbs or more. I know that it's just one bag of chee-toes or one box of cookies too many and I'm there.
I don't feel well. My back and my knees hurt when I am up a lot. I turn 30 this year, and I just quit smoking. All these things are a recipe for gaining a lot of weight very fast if I don't do something now. If I start gaining at the rate I was gaining before, by the time I'm 40, I will weigh 368lbs.

I need a buddy. Or twelve. Preferably someone who is counting calories, or doing weight watchers or some kind of exchange system. Something that requires planning meals out, and thinking about what you're eating...
I'm looking for accountability with exercise and with eating. Someone who will laugh with me and motivate me - and let me return the favor.
I need to get this thing started, and lose some weight - let me know if you're interested!

__________________
~holly