300+ Inspiring Posts

  • You know how sometimes someone comes along and says something so amazing and inspiring and perfect that you know you want to be able to find it and read it again? I'd like to be able to catalog those posts and link to them all in one place.

    Please feel free to nominate other inspiring posts by 300+ members, and I'll add them to the list.

    1. Zelma (zedaus) discusses how weight loss equates to "freedom"
    http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/show...44&postcount=5
  • Here's a great post about keeping a positive mindset!

    http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=117896


    PM me if you want to nominate any posts to be included in this thread!!
  • And here's a post by Catherine (hippievanlady) from the National Weight Control Registry about the Seven Habits of Highly Successful Weight Loss Maintainers.

    http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/show...&postcount=103
  • A Letter to my Future Frustrated Self
    I wrote this letter a long time ago, when I was "in the zone" and scared of what would happen if I really strayed away from my goals sometime in the future. I haven't really needed to use it, but you never know.
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    To My Future Frustrated Self:

    Well, hey there future self!!

    You did it, didn’t you? You’ve ditched the plan and fallen off the wagon, haven’t you? You’ve maybe gained back some (a lot?!) of the weight you lost, and you’re feeling out of control right now. You can’t help but war with yourself over the food you feel you shouldn’t have and you quit exercising. Or worse, maybe you’ve just given up, again. In fact, I know you pretty well, and I bet you’re feeling kinda sorry for yourself huh? Poor thing…

    But I have to tell you that attitude will get you nowhere. QUIT IT!!!!!

    You. Can. Do. This!

    I want you to think back right now about why you started this whole journey in the first place. Recall, if you will:
    • You weighed just under 300 pounds by your scale, and probably over 300 on any other scale. That’s a lot of you!
    • You had a bad fall and were in a lot of pain and had trouble moving – do you want that experience before your time because of your weight?
    • What about your dad and his diabetes? Your MIL and her back? What about not being able to stand up from the floor with any kind of grace whatsoever because of your weight? What about just feeling like a hippo all the time?
    • What about being able to do the things you want to do and buy the clothes you want to buy? At this writing I would still like to learn how to garden but still feel too uncomfortable in my skin.
    • And while we’re at it, let’s talk about food. I know you think that those Cheetos and Fritos and especially that Ice Cream and Macaroni and Cheese give you comfort, but they don’t. No one’s saying you can’t have them – you will have to moderate them. And believe me when I tell you that you LOVE fruit! And yummy veggies, and kashi bars!!! You’re not giving up foods you love, you’re finding new food friends. And I bet you miss that feeling of control you had about those trigger foods too. Remember you could walk away from the candy on the secretary’s desk EVERY DAY?
    • And exercise! You didn’t always like starting, but you really liked walking to the music, releasing some stress, feeling what you body could do! As of now, I’m still not moving fast, but I bet you got better before you fell off the wagon. And what about being able to ride your bike to work if you get in shape again!
    • Oh, and what about how you feel at the end of the day? Are you tired? Taking naps again? Well, do you remember how when you ate better you didn’t get so many low blood sugar dips?? You can be that way again!
    • You’ve been in control of your health before and loved it! You can love it again!

    Okay, I know, it’s not so easy. The problem is you think it’s all insurmountable. Something little happened, and you got off track, and then something else, and then it snowballed and pretty soon there went all the good habits right out the window. I know all about it, because it’s happened before!

    So, how can you get it back? Baby steps! Remember?
    • If you’ve stopped journaling your food – get back to it ASAP! Remember how it helped you learn good habits? And quickly! Get back to counting calories and fats and all. It’s easy and you actually liked it!!
    • Take back your attitude about food. Keep asking yourself: is this worth it to me in the long run? Sometimes the answer will be yes, but often it will be no, and you’ll feel proud of yourself because of that!
    • And get moving again. You may not love it all the time, but it helps you so much!!
    • Remember, you don’t have to make changes all at once. Gradually build in more healthy behaviors. But don’t wait for some mythical “better” time in the future. Take control now!
    • Finally, go back to reading 3fc! You were inspired by those stories, and talking about your story helped keep you going too! There’s support there for you.

    Remember your pledge to yourself: to be healthier at 50 than you were at 39 (or the fast approaching 40). That’s what’s important, not the taste of that food or the TV shows you're probably watching too much of.


    And you can do it. I, more than anyone else, know you can!!

    Good luck!
    Sincerely,
    Your healthier and thinning past self.