Hello everyone, I happened upon this website looking for a weightloss forum, because I have decided to start losing weight. Losing the weight is something I have dreamed of doing since I was a child, but everytime I would try something I would fail at it (such is the case usually with big people trying to lose weight).

Now that I'm almost 25, I've had enough of being fat, and I'm starting a new type of diet which I plan to stick with. I've never had good self-esteem and I never take my shirt off in public. In fact, I don't think my upper body has seen a ray of sunlight in about 18 years. I live in Florida, but I never go to the beach or public pools where I'm asked "Are you going to swim in your shirt?"

I know women have esteem issues around being seen in bathing suits when they are heavy, well the same goes for guys too :P Because I'm fat, I always feel like people are watching me when I get up to go some place in crowded areas like movie theaters or classrooms. Every day I feel tired and achy and it's a challenge to just go to the store or work or school.

The hardest thing for me is to stick to an workout program because I really don't have anyone close to encourage me or work out with me. In Orlando Florida especially, a gym is the last place I want to visit at my size. It's very hard to find a group of people in my position that are obese and want to lose weight. This is why I decided to find a forum of like-minded people that I can look to for encouragement and advice on how to lose weight.

So I look forward to meeting a lot of you, and hopefully I will lose the weight I need to in the months to come.

Welcome aboard! It's nice to meet you! I just want to say thanks for sharing your perspective on your weight struggles. I'm a woman who has been overweight for a number of years and sometimes it seems like weight loss issues affect women more than men. So it's good to get a different perspective on that. I hope that you find lots of good advice and support. I'm willing to help in any way I can, so don't be afraid to ask for help!

Hi Loupy,

wow, so many of us decided to join today... wonder what the 5th of Feb is? Our new life start date? haha

I used to avoid the beach and pool, now when I dont avoid them, I can see the stares, UGH....

one day at a time, right?

My mother has always told me "take baby steps so it's easier to get back up after falling," and she is usually always right. :P

Both my mother and I share the same eating disorder and problem with our weight; however, my mother has lost all of that weight only to gain it all back after her crohn's disease flared up again and the doctors put her on prednisone. She said it was only a minor setback and she will lose that weight again.

If my mother can lose all of that weight with a dibilitating disease, I sure as hell can do it.

Thank you for your welcome. I guess the reason I chose Feb is because my birthday is March 1st, so I want 25 to be the age that I finally make my lifestyle change.