Hi there!

My name is Sylvia. I'm 25 years old, 155 lbs at 5'1 and my goal weight is 120, but I'd be happy with 125. In fact, 130 would be cause for celebration to me.

Some background - Throughout childhood and teen years, I was thin. Never really weighed more than 105. I had the worst eating habits ever. In highschool, I remember that every day for breakfast I ate a Milky Way bar and drank a Pepsi. Then for lunch I would have 3 Otis Spunkmeyer cookies. Dinner would be whatever my mom made and no doubt it would be a big, meat and potatoes type of dinner. I was able to eat like this with no weight repercussions, but then again, I was also semi-active. I danced, jogged about 3 times a week and walked.

When I was 20, I began working in a restaurant (pasta) and would eat all my meals there because the food was yummy and free. I had also made many new friends and my life began to center around them. I stopped being active and gained some weight. I went up to about 120, which at the time, was a near death sentence for me. I became a vicious gym rat and lost the weight until about a year later when I moved out and into a house with 4 friends, 3 of which were frat guys. I gained all my weight back and then some because of the bad eating and drinking every weekend. I don't even like to party and drink, but when you live in that environment, you can fall into it.

I moved into my own apartment about 2 years ago and am just not trying to seriously lose the weight. I don't drink, I've never done drugs, I don't party. As I stated above, I currently weigh 155 lbs, but at my heaviest I was 165. I am determined to lose this weight. I want to be active again and be able to go on a hike without getting winded within 15 minutes.

My weight loss methods this time around are, I think, smarter and better than becoming the vicious gym rat again. I do have a gym membership, but I have also joined Weight Watchers and I have signed up to run a marathon this fall for the American Stroke Association. My marathon training begins May 19th and I will be able to train with a team and have the aid of coaches and a nutritionist. As for my eating, which I think will be the hardest for me, I have eliminated fast food and regular soda. I don't have any junk food in my kitchen either. I know these are small steps, but they were big for me.

I am very excited to have found this forum and look forward to talking and getting to know all of you better! Good luck in your weight loss goals!

Well done for signing up to Weight Watchers!!!

Welcome, also, lol. Good luck on your journey! Everyone here is helpful so you'll find all the info you need if you look around, especially at the Stickys (really good posts).

I'm always here to help too just gimme a PM

Good luck!!! xxx

Thank you so much for the welcome!

I know many people who have done Weight Watchers and I haven't heard a bad thing about it yet. I followed the point system without joining a few years back and I liked it. This time, I actually joined though and will have my first meeting this Saturday! Exciting!

Welcome Sylvia,

Best of luck on your journey

The best thing to do when you start becoming serious is to make sure temptation isn't within reach. I love how you've made sure no junk food is in your kitchen. The marathon will be great for you as well. Smaller steps are probably the best way to go. By taking bigger steps it may throw you off balance. Wish you all the happiness. Take care and happy trails .