Well, I've never done this sort of thing before. But I really enjoy reading the inspiring success stories and encouraging posts. I am 24 and 237 lbs. I have had a number of health issues in the last year, the most recent a direct consequence of my obesity. After be raised by an obese mother who suffers from all sort of aliments as a result of her weight, I never wanted to end up in this place. At 16 (on my drivers license), I weighed a healthy 140. By 19 (after going away to college) I was at about 175. When I got pregnant at 20, I weighed 191. By the end of my pregnancy I was at 230. Since my son was born in Nov of 2000, I have gone up and down. At one point I attended weight watchers and got down to about 190. I started taking a prescribed medication that only helped me to pack the pounds back on quickly when I stopped going to WW. Since then I have gotten heavier and heavier, and now I am here. I hate the way I look and feel. I never thought of myself as a fat person. Until recently, after going up a size larger than the week after my son was born, I was able to deny it to myself. But now I look in the mirror or at pictures and disgust myself. I want more for myself, and I don't want my son to grow up ashamed of me as I was of my own mother. I am starting to make some changes, and have joined the Y to make exercise a part of my daily life. My biggest obstacle is the foods I eat. I have ZERO willpower. I hope to find some support and accountability here. Maybe I can end up a Success Story too....
