We are a group of individuals who weigh or have weighed 300+, or near there. This group was formed to provide a place for others like us to find support and hope. We are aware of the distinct problems that come with weighing over 300 lbs.
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Good morning, everyone! Monday here we come! For me that means back to work!
Well glad we are getting the birthday/anniversary thing straightened out! So happy happy to everybody who is celebrating!
Debbie, I am glad you are starting to feel back "in control" of things at home. I am sure it will go a LONG way towards getting things settled when DIL realizes she is not the boss! Definitely has a bit of nerve, all right, ha!
Brenda, LOL well hope NEXT Sunday is a happy birthday for you! And Ammi too!
MetaChick, argh I wish I had read your advice about the batteries before I went out and bought a new scale and ripped it out of the packaging! Esp since the old one is smaller and I like it better. Oh well... I guess now I will have two to compare. But I got the new one home and discovered it did not have a battery in it and requires a 9 volt which I don't have. Sheesh!
Balloonlady, I hope you get your air fixed soon! I certainly am enjoying mine. I've been keeping the bedroom door closed and keeping all my cool air in there and it sure is nice sleeping! I don't want to leave today, ha. It is interesting that you are a balloon artist. I would love to see some photos!
Annie, you are really on a roll with this exercise! Good for you! Somehow the last week or so mine has really fizzled. I leave on Friday for a week in Missouri so I think I will throw a couple of weighted balls and resistance bands in my suitcase. I will be staying way out in the country most of the time and it will be SO hot there to get outside much but I am going to give it a try. Fortunately the people I am staying with have air con! And I don't know if it is water retention or what but this not losing thing is crazy, even with the building muscle stuff. My underwear that were too small are now falling off of me though so something must be happening.
Heather, good job on the extra exercise! Way to go!
Brandnewme, so glad you are back up and running. Look forward to seeing you around here more soon again.
Peggy, thanks for getting us going with the new thread.
Everybody, have a super Monday and stay OP! Off we go!
As for me, yesterday I didn't get much official exercise but was at the outdoor church service/BBQ and was running around doing things, getting stuff to people, taking pictures, etc. so I am counting some of that as walking, etc. It was so hot and with my new air con I came in and read and slept most of the afternoon. My sleep has been WAY short lately with the heat so catching up a bit felt good.
Misty - I have THOUSANDS of pictures online. balloonsrfun.com is where I store them.
I had a good surprise today at the gym. I've been using one of the upright stationary bikes (as opposed to the ones that you lean back on) and it has a little chart showing you where your heart rate should be for fat burning and another for cardio (65% & 80%). The first day I did the bike I was over the 80% and pedaling slowly. The second day I was over, but not as much. The third day I was right on target for the 80%. Today I had to pedal faster to get my heart rate up there. It's nice to see even a small amount of exercise make a difference.
I didn't get to walk as much as I would have like though. I had DH with me and he was being a sulky bu77head. He wouldn't quit walking next to me and he wouldn't lighten up. I can handle him walking with me, but not if he's going to whine. I don't know why, but whenever I try to make a positive change he does his best to do me in. Actually he does it to himself too. Maybe he's just happier being unhappy. I put up with it long enough to get 15 min in and I will go for another walk later today - this evening after the sun goes down and it's not so hot.
balloonlady -- My husband used to do that too. Drove me nuts. It took a long time, but he no longer whines about exercise.
I also had to realize that I could a) eat better even if he didn't change his habits (that one was TOUGH) and b) exercise without him (that realization came second, and was easier, but I wondered why I hadn't realized both at the same time!)
As for the heartrate, YAY for improvement! That's excellent!! Just know those numbers about %s are just estimates. You may not have been at 80% of your capacity. Still, you got better!!!!
Misti - The idea of you having two scales to compare made me laugh. This is because I have THREE scales on my bedroom floor. There's the one that I use, a 350 lb. capacity scale that I grew out of then grew back into. It's my favorite because it weighs in tenths and it's really accurate and reliable. Then there's the 440 lb. capacity one that I needed to use when I was heavier, and it's cool because it's a Talking Scale. It can read your weight out loud, and it used to make me laugh. Finally, we have the 330 lb. capacity scale I used when I lost just over 100 pounds over 10 years ago. I discovered it weighs about 6 or 7 pounds light (it was strange how much discovering that made me mourn that 10 year old journey - all my big benchmarks we're wrong!), and I hop on it to look at 'future weights' once in a while when I take a notion to imagine myself in a new 'decade' or something.
Annie - I think we can all appreciate how you feel when you say that although you've lost almost a hundred pounds you are very much aware that you are still super duper morbidy obese (or whatever you called it! ). I know that when I reached my 100 pound mark just a while ago it was bittersweet because that still made me 300 pounds, not far from where many BEGIN the process. Nonetheless, 100 pounds is a significant and meaningful loss for everybody, and a major step in reaching any goal no matter how far away. I think the awareness that we still have many miles to go before we sleep is a healthy one. It confirms that we want so much more for ourselves and our lives. We can know that and still marvel at what we've accomplished so far. And you in particular should definintely be doing some marveling at yourself! You are an inspiration to many.
I had another fun gym and swim day yesterday. My 105 pound 12 year old son matches me on most machines and outdoes me by 15 pounds on the Shoulder Press, a machine that works the triceps and a couple other muscle groups. Sadly, it appears that I have the triceps of an infant. I can barely complete my first set and have to stop 2/3 of the way through the second on that machine. It'll come!
Balloonlady - I can related to your excitement at noticing an improvement in short order. I've been able to up my ability and performance on both the recline bike and treadmill in just the couple of weeks that I've been at it. It's encouraging isn't it!
Heather: You are doing amazing. Please don't compare anything to me that I do because I have sooooo much more time on my hands to do these things than you do. I have no job, no children and my DH and I made a deal that right now this year for sure it is my "job" to get this weight off and do my very best I can to exercise. I know that you could "smoke" me in the exercise minutes if you had the time sweetie. I am just so proud of myself for sticking with it, for getting so much better from 300 minutes a month being a struggle in December of last year and it feels amazing to have my competetive nature back. I used to swim on a swim team, be the center on the basketball team in high school, Champion of the whole school a badmitten competetion we had every year in high school, rollerskate on my lunch hour daily and do competetive barrel racing on horses just to name a few things I would do pretty much daily if it was the season for it. Going from that to ZERO movement when I got married was just awful. I actually love competition and having it with myself again is such an amazing feeling. I truly don't mean to come off as bragging at all. I just want to share my accomplishments with you all, you are my friends!
Brandnewme: I am so happy to see you back! I hope you are getting settled from your move and you are truly enjoying your new home. Good job getting back on track too! Hugs.
Misti: My Mom (not my step mom who I call mom but my real mom who passed away) was born in Missouri and adopted to her Aunt from CA then when she divorced my dad she moved back to Missouri with my younger sister. She passed away there too. I tried to move there from CA when I was 18 almost 19. I only lasted for 3 months. It is so beautiful there and I probably would have liked it (except for tornados when you are used to earth quakes lol) except for my relationship with my mom was AWFUL. I hope you have such a wonderful time my friend. I hope you are not worrying about the scale. If your chonies are falling off something is definately happening lol. Hugs and have a good day and stay cool.
Balloonlady: Wonderful job on getting your heart rate up! It is such a great feeling to start to imporve when you exercise. I know how you feel and I am soooo happy for you. Maybe your DH is just scared of changes. I know lots of spouses and significant others go through that. Mine wasn't like that but he wasn't too awfully supportive in the way he was so used to me trying something and quitting because it hurt or was too hard for me that he just knew I wasn't going to last at it. It all changed when we had a virtual race to my Dad's house on the exercise bike. He knew in his mind I would quit any time and not give it a big effort. WE had 480 miles to ride and I beat him sooooo badly he was stunned. I made it to my dad's on the bike and he was just outside of our city where we live right now. He had to pay me $20 which really made him take notice that I wasn't playing around anymore. lol. Just keep on plugging away. Hang in there. hugs.
Meta: You are so sweet. I was laughing at your comment about having the muscles of an infant. I wish there was a way for me to capture that line and then when you tell us about how much you are lifting a while from now I can paste that line and show it to you so you can remember how far you've come since then. I myself have 3 scales too. My reason is way different than yours though. I have to way on 2 scales at a time right now. I have a scale that goes up to 400 but I am still a bit away from weighing on it. I do weigh in at the Dr.'s office every Monday though so I know my true weight. I can't wait for the day, hopefully soon, that I will be able to take 2 of those scales and beat the tar out of them with a sledge hammer. I feel like it will really symbolize something for me.
Well, I'm off to do some emails and then get my exercises going for the day. Hope you are all staying cool, op, exercise filled and drinking tons of water! Hugs.
MistiSue - you make me tired listing all the things you do with your church! Glad you are enjoying your new AC. I understand about not being able to sleep in the heat.
Balloonlady - omgosh those are some fancy balloons!! So beautiful.. I had no idea! Excellent progress on the bike at the gym (btw, the ones you lean back on are called recumbents). I'm lucky that I don't have a DH or SO, but my little sis does and she goes through the same thing. Much like Wyllenn, she has discovered that she can do exercise alone!!! We txt each other all the time on the phone and support each other.
Meta - Yay on the machines and exercise!! Keep going and those triceps will be at least a 3 yr olds by next week! hehe.
Annie - you made me laugh at the image of sledge hammering the scales. That was a great $20 bet you won!
I'm off to drink all my water and contemplate what exercise I shall choose this evening. I'm smoking on da treadmill!
Misti, congrats on the a/c. I hate the heat, so can understand what it's taken out of you. Enjoy the coolness of your a/c and catching up on your rest.
Balloon, congrats on the heart rate improvement. Every little bit adds up.
Wyllenn, I found that I was only too willing to be sabotaged in the past. It's freeing to realize that the power to accomplish our goals is within ourselves.
Meta, ratkitten, good going at the gym. Keep it up!
As for me, I've had a good week staying OP. I'm ramping up my exercise. I haven't counted my exercise in minutes the way you've all done here. Maybe I will. My past goals, which I've been able to stick to, have been walk a minimum of 30 mins 3x a week, and do 2 small pilates sessions (not sure on the minutes, it's about 10-15). I know I can get back to this level fairly quickly. Increasing it will be more of a challenge.
I've prepared all the food I'll need for today, so will be able to comfortably get through the day instead of figuring out what to eat, and opening up more easy opportunities to make unhealthy choices.
On Saturday, I am flying out to visit family. I am nervous about the flights and fitting into the seats. I am terrified that the airline staff will say I can't board the flights as I take up too much room. It's never happened, but I have the fear nonetheless. I also get worried that the flights will be cancelled/changed and I'll end up in a middle seat, thus affecting two passenger's comfort plus mine.
BattleAx I can so relate to your airplane fears. Those of us who have gotten large enough have had to live that kind of stress and worry a thousand times in a thousand ways. Can we fit in that booth, in those chairs with arms, in that chair attached to the table, through that turnstile, on that plastic chair (I've broken three in my life - two at others' houses), in that airplane seat, between those people and behind that chair, in that seatbelt etc. etc. We are so deserving of FREEDOM from that mental noise.
I no longer fear most chairs attached to tables, plastic chairs, turnstiles or car seatbelts. They have all been very emotional victories for me.
I hope you have a comfortable, safe flight and a wonderful visit with family.
Just a quick hello post...work is very busy today and I need to get as caught up as possible since next week we have some activities planned with the kids so work will be minimal at best.
Good op day so far. It's noon. LOL! Sometimes I need the small victories to get through the day!
To those in the heat...hang in there! Luckily, we have not have sweltering heat here save for a few days earlier in the season. It has been nice without being too hot. SO would disagree with me since he can't stand ANY heat and I'm always cold...but still, it hasn't been too bad at all.
Hope everyone is having a wonderful productive day.
Sue: I wouldn't say I'm totally in control...lol...o it's getting worse everyday the things I'm finding out about my evil dil. She's been telling David lies about how we treat her when she's here alone with us. She had pneumonia a couple weeks back, and she tried to tell David that we made her get on the tractor to mow the lawns.(We have 10 acres, only 2 cleared though) and she told David that my hubby told her one day that we thought David was just going thru a phase when he got married and we don't expect it to last, just something he was going thru. Where does this girl get off...SHE NUTS!
Anyhow, I have to really think about what I'm going to do. This can't be handled like a normal situation, but I'll figure it out.
I would of never thought about the batteries either...lol, at least you have a back up scale now.
Balloonlady: Isn't it amazing how quick our bodies can achieve more stamina? You're doing such a great job!! Keep the motivation going!
Meta: Pretty soon we'll see you running around in muscle shirts! You're doing so good and what fun it must be to be in competition with your son.
Annie, Ratkitten: Have fun exercising!
Battleax: Have a great trip! Enjoy your time away.
As for me, I reached my first mini-goal. I've lost 26lbs. Hooray!! Now my next goal is to lose 10 more...slow and steady.
Hope everyone has a great day!!
Debbie
Thanks everyone for the birthday wishes! I had a really nice time with my friend from high-school. It brings back such memories. We were laughing so hard telling stories of those years. We also talked a lot about our weight issues. She is also overweight (although not as much) and had just attended an intuitive eating workshop. We spent Saturday afternoon walking up and down the main shopping street in Greenwich and then went and had sushi for dinner. Sunday we went to Home Depot and I got an air-conditioner and she helped me install it. Last night I stayed home and made myself dinner. I did indulge in a really nice bottle of wine and a small tart for dessert, but I didn’t go crazy. I actually probably could have done without the tart and just had some yellow cherries, which really surprised me.
Unfortunately today my stomach is really upset (started last night) and I haven’t eaten anything yet today. I am hoping I will feel enough like eating this afternoon so that I have some fuel for the gym. I don’t think working out after having not eaten all day sounds like the greatest idea.
Debbie-Your son sounds like my oldest foster son. I once said that I thought that if he was to ever get married, that a girl would have to hit him in the head and drag him in the bushes, and that is basically what happened. Unfortunately, it was, like your case, the wrong girl. It sounds like you have a good idea what it is going to take to help him find himself. Don’t you wish kids came with an owner’s manual?
Annie-I didn’t even realize at first that they put an extra “super” on for every 10 extra BMI points. A nutritionist told me at the hospital. Like obese or morbidly obese isn’t bad enough, they have to stick forks in us. I read an article that said that once you have been is shape in your life, it is much easier to get back that way than for someone who was never in shape. I also played center in basketball and did some barrel racing. My best sport was softball and shot put. I also believe that losing weight in our category is a full time job. The only reason that I am allowing myself to return to school right now is that the mental stimulation is important for someone who has had a severe brain injury. I don’t want to end up in ten years with a great body attached to a brain that is in early dementia. You know you are liable to go past the 100 lb. mark this week. I hope you have got something big planned as a reward. I know what I am going to do with my scales this time. I’m taking them to the crusher at the recycling center. I will get pictures and post them if it comes to that.
Sue-I definitely count the running around as exercise. When I come back from working concessions, I’m practically too tired to sleep. This last time they put me in charge because the boss lady had a wedding. It was chaos at first. The first woman to show up is the one who is in charge of the church kitchen for functions. I’d put people on a task, and she’d pull them off to do something else. Then another woman came in and started the same thing. I finally told them I was put in charge for a reason, and we wouldn’t be ready in time to open if they didn’t settle down and do things my way. These women were much older than I am, so getting forceful was hard for me, but they settled down, and we got everything done on time. I guess I raised my voice a tad. My voice has had a lot of training for stage work, and I will be the first to admit that even when trying to talk softly I’m pretty loud. My father used to say I sound like Ethel Merman, and he actually meant that as a compliment. My husband just looked at me and said, “Wow, I’ll do whatever you want me to do.”
Balloon-With guys, it’s not that they are happier when they are unhappy, they just don’t like change. I remember when I had to start doing water aerobics twice as fast as the instructor in order to get my heart rate up. I used to stand behind her because I was taller than her, and needed the deeper water. She made me move to the other side of the pool. She said that it was a good idea to go faster, but if I did it right behind her, it would confuse the old ladies taking the class.
Meta-I’ve lost 200, and am still heavier than 90% of the people on the site. I agree that realizing how far I have to go, while sometimes a heavy burden, is also good for me. If I ever for once think that I only have so far I have to go and then I can quit, that’s when I always fail. I see the finish line, and collapse in relief. I’ve never actually reached a goal weight before. I always get close enough, and then start celebrating. My celebrations usually last 6 months or 100 pounds whichever comes first.
Battleax-I have horrors about planes too, especially those little ones. Again what I have found that works is to tell them when I check in that I will need extra time boarding, so I will go on with the first boarders, and that I will need a seat belt extender. When I go on, the stewardess has it in her hand, and just slips it to me as I go past. I also make a point of being in nice clothes and polite. That seems to help. When they moved me once, it was to a seat that had an empty one beside it. They don’t want to inconvenience other travelers either, but are afraid to publicly embarrass you by moving you again when they realize they have stuck a large woman in the middle. When they know ahead of time, they can move someone else to the middle seat. I would also phone up and ask them when the least busy routes are. That made it less likely to get bumped, usually the first ones of the day, except Monday. Everyone is better rested, and it is like a doctor’s office, if they are going to get behind, it gets worse as the day goes on.
Nancy-Isn’t it amazing how quickly our bodies learn to reject bad food choices. You are right about not going to the gym on an empty stomach, especially when it is hot.
I have a paper to work on. I have to write 500 words reflecting on “Jesus is like us in all things but sin.” I think the professor is trying to kill me. He said that in my midterm exam I seemed to be willing to sacrifice his humanity in favor of his divinity, and he used an exclamation point. So I have to work through the “fully human/full divine” Calcedonian formulation. I have to look that up first. This professor is an old friend of mine, and I think he is trying to have some fun with me that he doesn’t do to other students. I’m just a big ball of yarn being batted around by a grey haired cat with a bushy mustache.
I am doing a fly by check in. The past two weeks have been BUSY!! I am down one pound this week. As long as I am not gaining...its all good!
Nancy - Happy Birthday!! Sounds like you had a great weekend...tart and all!!
Meta - I can SOOOOO relate to the chair thing. I am terrified at restaurants that I will NOT fit in the booth or that if the chair has arms I won't fit there either. It is getting better due to the weight loss, but I think I will always have a moment of panic when being seated at a restaurant. I want to fly out to CA at some point, but I can't remember how much I weighed the last time I flew (I think it was the year 2000 and I had been doing Atkins, so I could have been smaller than I am now), but I would be mortified if I did not fit into a seat! Also, a few years ago I was at a friend's home and I sat in a folding plastic chair (at the edge as my butt didn't fully fit) and it broke and I ended up on the ground. Oy! I was soooo mortified.
Debbie - Congrats on the weight loss and meeting your mini-goal. to you for putting up with the dil in spite of it all for your son. Hopefully he will catch on to her tricks before too long. She sounds like a real treat.
Catherine - I really enjoy the way you describe things. I can really picture it. That is a gift I wish I had!
Annie - You are doing AWESOME!!! Keep on keeping on girl! I am exhausted just reading about your days. WHEW! Course I have been slacking *again* on the exercise. When I am TIRED I don't need much to lead me astray..lol! Fortunately I am staying OP or I would be in need of a butt-kicking!
I go back in on the 30th for another blood draw for my thyroid. I still think I am out of whack because I am REALLY tired all the time. Just not my self lately. Who knows what is up...
Anyway...thats it from here. I am reading..even when I don't post. Be good and stay OP my chickies.
Annie -- Oh honey, you aren't bragging, or if you are, keep it up! You're inspiring!! And you're doing great at your new "get healthy" job!!!
I have never in my life been this active. It is a real change for me and in my head I'm starting to see how I CAN be athletic. It's an odd identity shift!
300+ And Ready To Try Again #1115
So happy happy to everybody who is celebrating! 
Definitely has a bit of nerve, all right, ha! 
But I got the new one home and discovered it did not have a battery in it and requires a 9 volt which I don't have. Sheesh! 
in Seattle
The past two weeks have been BUSY!! I am down one pound this week. As long as I am not gaining...its all good! 
to you for putting up with the dil in spite of it all for your son. Hopefully he will catch on to her tricks before too long. She sounds like a real treat. 
And you're doing great at your new "get healthy" job!!!