Hey all! My name is Ashley and I think I have finally found my dedication to loose this weight. I gained it the usualy way... met my husband, fell in love and got comfortable. I've tried just about everything out there, but I don't think that I was ready to focus all day every day on what is going in my body and excersise. Mostly I think I just woke up one day, looked in the mirror and said, "that's enough". I'm really trying harder this time and I like to meet some people on here to keep me motivated.. It gets tough sometimes to drag myself out of the bed in the morning and go do something about it. My goal is to lose 40lbs by my birthday, May 1st. I probably won't lose it all by then, but atleast 20 would be nice.

Just try your best. You can always find support here!

Thanks Stephanie! I guess that is why I joined. I know that I lack motivation and living away from my family makes getting support a little harder.

Good luck Ashley for all your goals! I'm sure you'll be able to accomplish them, but I want to gently suggest you choose a longer timeline than 4 months to get there. I like to think of it this way: the more reasonably and steadily you take the pounds off, the better chance you'll keep them off. Unless you gained the 40 pounds in 2 months, I'd give yourself more like a year or two to lose it. You'll get there, though! I'm on the same mission!

Hi Ashley! Your situation sounds a lot like mine--when I started college, I was really fit, in shape, and then I started dating the man who would become my husband, and I got complacent (and gained a large amount of weight).

It took me a few years to put the weight on, but I hope to steadily get myself fit again. I think one of the most important things to do is put yourself on a schedule--I work out every morning, Monday-Friday, at 8:00, and my husband drives me to the gym (I walk home) so that helps me stay accountable. Figure out what time of day works best for you, and if you can, stick with it--I find that if there's ever a day when I say, 'Well, maybe I'll work out at 10:00 today instead of 8:00,' I waffle and mess around and don't go.

And just be good to yourself. I wouldn't completely deprive yourself of anything, and if you do have a slip-up, don't dwell on it; chalk it up as one bad meal, and move on--promise to yourself that you'll do better next time.

Good luck, Ashley! Let us know how you're doing!

Thanks for the advice and support.. Hope to hear from you all.