Good day everyone
Niki I don't know much about prescription medication to lose weight since I don't have health insurance at the moment (although it may change in 2014). I do know that Dr. Oz did "approve" of one of those but I am not sure which brand it was. I guess, if you use it along with eating a sensible and well-balanced food plan as well as exercise then I too would consider it a WL "tool".
I am not an expert but my experience not only in losing the weight that I have as well as keeping that same weight off (give or take a couple of pounds) is that I have had to become a different person than I once was. This did not happen overnight but it has been happening.
Although I didn't meet my weight loss goals for this past year a lot of
behind the scenes stuff has been happening that has really made a huge difference and which I do think will make 2014 a lot different as well. Although I "only" lost 20+ lbs since January of this year, I finally got a "handle" on a lot of other things that were contributing to staying at that previous weight of 266.6 lbs. I was that weight for about 18 months or longer. I have been at this present weight about 6 months so that in itself is progress for me.
The major change that happened over this past year is that I have more confidence in myself overall. I also worked on some of the underlying causes of my perpetual overeating. For example, I joined a "sleep challenge" on another site in the summer. I have been plagued with insomnia and take sleep meds for that for 13 years. Well, that sleep challenge taught me how to deal with some of the underlying causes of my insomnia and now I both sleep better and I awaken more rested. This also helped stop me having late night snacks (which became almost automatic) so that freed up about 400-500 calories every day.
Then, I realized that the best food plan for me is a "controlled" carbs (vs a low carb like Atkins or South Beach) food plan with a strong emphasis on both fats and proteins. When I eat around 200 grams of carbs (which might be a lot for some people but not me since I have a fast metabolism) I have almost no issues with that gnawing hunger that can really derail the best diet.
I actually even did an "experiment" to see if this was the reason why I wasn't hungry by having a day of higher carbs vs more "controlled" carbs and I was right every time. Protein is a great "natural" appetite suppressant and the only thing you have to be concerned with is drinking more non-caloric liquids because of the potential of kidney problems. No problem for me since I have a glass of something near me at all times.
I do have a bag of 94% fat free microwave popcorn almost every night when I sit down to watch t.v. A full bag has 54 grams of carbs and I can munch on that for 2 hours at least.
Good job on keeping up with your workouts. I do feel that exercise is a great way to both improve a person's mood as well as stoke those fires in burning up extra calories.
Pixiekat A
Major High Five 
for losing so much weight before. I haven't seen 202 since the summer of 1983 so I am
green with envy on that one. I too have chosen to not have WLS. I am neither for nor against it. At the time that I did have health insurance I would not have been a good candidate psychologically because I had an eating disorder. I did work on that in the past so now all that remains is learning how to live and eat like a thin person. I credit the
Beck Diet Solution (we have a thread here on
3FC) for helping teach me new life skills to do that.
This may be premature to say this but now that I am actively using my Beck Diet Skills I do think the last 100 lbs will be easier to take off than the previously 60 lbs.
Sue(wannaskip): Now, I
really want to take some jewelry classes. That sounds like something I would really enjoy doing. I will definitely look into that and see what they have around here for classes.
I too did not meet my weight loss goals this past year but I too still feel like I came out a winner. I lost and kept off 20 lbs., I broke the cycle of late night noshing, I sleep more consistently, I have addressed my chronic pain from RA with better pain management (including some great physical therapy exercises for my joints which I have done faithfully since March) and I think I have finally gotten a more realistic view on both how long this will take and what I am willing to do to achieve it. So, great job on what you have done as well!
Mara: Glad you are feeling better and the scales is to your liking. Would someone clue me in on what the body pump and the body flow classes are like?
I have done Pilates for about 8 months and it does make a huge difference through your torso. "Apple be gone!"
It is something that if you do one inch better than the last time, you are making progress. You do have to be patient to see results but I can now follow an instructor who is 35 years younger than me and keep up with her.
Tonight my DH and I are going to our church's Christmas party. It is a buffet style dinner along with live music. My DH has sworn he is wearing ear plugs. "a sign of getting older I think"
I am wearing a black sequined tank top with black crepe pants (it is supposed to rain) along with a black crepe jacket. None of this fit me last year so I am very excited about wearing that. It made all of it worth it this past year.
Well, take care all and stay warm Pam
and we will get a move on down the line!.. yes we will!
Trying to not to take too many pain killers or eat too many comfort foods. 
We Can Dot This!
justaloozer. Glad to have you back with us. 
Great job in kicking those 250s to the curb. 
, I thought zombies sort of stagger 
and actually don't run so this is "ironic", right? Cute idea! Have fun!
I had the scare of my life last New Year's Eve when I bled so heavily I spent the majority of the time toasting in the New Year in the bathroom. I am sorry you need pain pills for it too. I used to. Now, I just bleed like a stuck hog.
while I am having hot flashes. 
However, I just take it one grocery trip at a time. 
, pixie, more than anything. I fell on ice and had knee surgery about 10 days after that. That started arthritis in that knee and now I will need a knee replacement when I can afford it (which I may be waiting "forever" on that one). If you do decide to run, make sure you wear moisture wicking layers or layers period and make sure you dry off once you are indoors. I used to walk in all kinds of weather and you can really lose a lot of body heat quickly in the cold. 
Do your best and let it go. I am really struggling to figure out why I seem to be choosing foods with so much sodium in them and then how to eliminate them as well. 
It is such a source of frustration for me right now, I could scream. 
I think I have come to the "slow" realization that I am going to have to "give up" pizza, hot dogs, possibly tomato sauce as well as Chinese if I am going to see these numbers really take a nose dive. Only 
I don't even feel like putting up a tree this year but that is just nonsense so I am just going to have to suck this one in. As one woman I used to know once said, "Now, it's time to pull up my big girl panties and get on with it." 
