Hi Everyone! I am 32 and very overweight.. have been for a long time. Last night I looked in the mirror and realized that something has to give. I am a singlemom (almost divorced) of two beautiful boys... I need to be here for them.

Ive dieted before - but its never become a lifestyle change -- most of my problem? Time! How do I find the time to exercise when I get home at 5:30 and my kids are in bed by 8?

OK enough babbling from me...

Thanks

Hi ya. I know how you feel. I'm in the same boat. Single mom, two boys... tired, fat, fed up. Lately I have been so committed, I have been getting up before I get the kids up for school and hitting the treadmill early. It is that important to me now. I equate it with a morning shower, just have to. I think we have to start looking at it as taking care of ourselves, instead of this torture we must endure (although sometimes it certainly feels that way).

Something you said really hit home with me. That you need to do this so you can be there for them. Absolutely! I have been consumed with my ever-increasing weight my whole life. I never, never thought about it for my health. Until my doctor wanted to put me on cholesterol and blood pressure medicine at 29!!! 29! But the truth of it is, if you went to the doc today and they said, "you have cancer, you have to do blah blah blah treatment immediately or you will die"... you'd do WHATEVER he said. you'd do anything. same thing with what we've done to ourselves here. its that serious! we absolutely have to take the treatment! we have to care for ourselves and heal what is wrong. and i know speaking for myself, my kids' dad isn't in the pic at all... i'm all they've got. i've got to get it right! and i too, have to BE HERE! and i desperately want to be the kind of mom who is active with them, not the one who sits on the park bench exhausted....

so so glad to read your post. was like you wrote it just for me my name's ginger btw.

You've come to a really good place. Good for you for getting started. Just keep making good changes. One leads to another. There is a lot of support and information here and if you start a diary people will respond to your concerns as they arise. Make the forum your friend. It has kept me going longer than any previous attempt. Congratulations.

Ok Ginger - you and I seem to be very much alike. Id love a treadmill. Its one thing that I know Id do nightly BEFORE I went to bed, after the kids were asleep. Would not bother me at all.

As for health. I am sad to say that I have been on a VERY low dose of Blood Pressure Meds since I was 29, after the birth of my second son. (IT peaked at 41 weeks and never went down properly.)

My kids dad is somewhat involved but lives in another country... I dont think he could handle them full time...

So its me and them... I have to be careful...

Thanks for the welcome!

Thanks happy Chubette... I am hopeful that I can make it stick this time...

Hmmm, 32, single, 2 kids, chubby...seems to be a lot of us!

Welcome here Shelley!!

Thanks Dari!