New Member

[lindseyme]

Hello all, I found this website and the stories and pictures are really an inspiration to me. Here's my story in brief!
I was 145ish, and somehow fit into a size 8 pants. I had a really stressful job - this was about 2 years ago. I quit, and managed to take 2 weeks and do NOTHING - and gained 15 pounds in 2 weeks. That's where it started. I kept letting my body go thinking I was doing myself a favor, not exerting myself. Seven months of extremely sedentary temp jobs and I'd gone up to about 165/170. I was walking every day at lunch, but I was still hooked on candy and especially chocolate. Since then my weight has creeped up, although I've been trying various diets. I wouldn't look at myself in pictures, and wouldn't weigh myself. I wasn't ready to make a definitive change yet.
A girl I work with is doing Atkins and has been for 3 years. She lost 53 pounds and has kept it off for a couple of years now. She looks amazing! I compare notes with her at work. The trick here is, I'm a vegetarian. So instead of meat, I eat "fake-meat" - which has very few carbs anyway.
I started this almost 4 weeks ago. So far I've cheated a bit, but not overdone it. I no longer have the urge to binge either. I was literally addicted to sugar.
Since I started my clothes are fitting looser and looser. I have more confidence. My grandmother opened the door when I went to visit her the other day and she yelled "HOW DID YOU DO IT!!!!" People are noticing it in my face and my stomach.
I finally got up the nerve to start going to the gym again today. I did pretty well. I got on the scale for the first time in months and realized I have much farther to go than I thought. Somehow I weigh in at a whopping 184 pounds. UGH! I am only 5'3. No one can believe I weigh that much, including me. Due to the recent weight loss I've noticed, I conclude I must have been up around 190 at my highest. On the bright side I feel better, have generally more energy when I walk, I stand at work for longer periods of time, etc.

My goal now is to get to 145 again. This should be easy now that I'm off candy and chocolate. One piece of chocolate used to mean a pound of chocolate. I was tested for many years for thyroid problems, diabetes, etc, thinking I had a faulty metabolism, while slyly ignoring all the extra calories I ate.
One of my inspirations is that I am getting married in December. I don't want fat pictures. Any and all inspiration is welcome!!! Thanks!!!