[Radiojane]

CONGRATS FERRIS!

I binged last night. On veggies of all things, but it was the dip that triggered it. I've been buying it for months and never had an issue, but yesterday I ate until my gut hurt. No more of that!

[MapleLeaf]

Originally Posted by FerrisW

I just wanted to stop by to say that I've officially lost 25lbs, which was this magical number in my mind- because I knew when I lost that amount, there would be no turning back.

Congratulations!! That is awesome. Now you have to update your avatar to show off the additional weight that you lost. Woot!

[sassyangies]

Hi ladies!! I've been MIA for a few days. My husband usually has friday and saturday off, the days i work so it's perfect. I don't have to worry about him wanting to eat out. Well, this week he was off Mon and Tues. One I have a schedule I like to stick to during the week. 2 I just worked the whole weekend so I need to get back to my veggies and stuff I like to eat during the week that keeps me op. Well Monday I skip breakfast and lunch so that we can go to Texas Roadhouse. I don't get satisfied so I eat more that night. Tuesday I skip breakfast and lunch again and we go out to the buffet when we drop my son off at school. Well, I never do bad at the buffets and I count everthing I'm eating, but. . . my body is like where's breakfast? what happened. So today of course I'm up 3 pounds. Not to mention my son's allergies are bad right now so hes been up all night coughing so I didn't get sleep.
My husband and I had a long talk and I just told him you have got to stop wanting to go out to eat. I would rather spend that time, come home and cook something together. Between that and my period every month it's derailing me. I'm still losing, but it could be more..

So there's my rant.. haha.. I hope you ladies are doing great!!

[pluckypear]

Ferris Good job!

[mnemosyne]

bbmains - I want to walk back my earlier comments here, as I believe you when you when you said that you didn't want to offend anyone, I think that RadioJane said it best. You are welcome to join us if you'd like to share both your struggles and triumphs, because that is what this is about.

Jane - I agree with everyone else, that was REALLY well said and I concur with everything you've said. Particularly as I find the struggles and triumphs of other people like me (and you!) to be more inspiring than the advice of fitness experts who have never had to genuinely struggle with being significantly overweight.

Hah, I bought some veggie dip (fat-free) a couple of weeks ago when I needed some 'comfort' food to nurse myself through a migraine. Really enjoyed it but it was difficult to stop eating it? So like you, I'm not buying it again for a while. Sorry you have a tummy ache, and hope you are feeling better today!

Cuter - chica, you are doing amazing. I'm really proud of you! I just wanted to say that.

pluckypear - aww. Thank you! I am not following any sort of specific plan. I suppose it is being 'calorie aware,' moderating my food intake and focusing on whole foods, to help me feel more full. And cooking and planning meals ahead, that is the most important part for me, so I don't end up doing fast food. At this point it is second nature and I'm feeling good enough to really up my exercise.

Oh, the blues band sounds like lots of fun.

MapleLeaf - Heh, also endorsing everything you've said as well, very well-spoken. This is a sounding board and a safe zone, really, not a diet app.

Rosebud - glad you had success! I've found that there are lots of clearance sales lately and find those very satisfying. I am not ready to pay full price for clothes that will last me one season, and you will probably see a few more changes in your body as you continue to recover, but the investment in things you want seems more worth it. Hah, and a nice pretty nightgown always helps! I need a new one sometime soon. Right now I am using an old pajama top as a nightgown. Now it comes half-way down to my knees. I did find a really cute short, plush robe at Lane Bryant for $10 on clearance a few weeks ago. But have also found that I can fit into normal-sized robes now (while borrowing someone else's!). It was a nice revelation.

Ferris - Twenty-five pounds! That's brilliant, I'm so happy for you. Are you getting yourself anything special for as a reward?

sassyangies - i am sure that some of that is water weight and you'll see it slip off, but I know the feeling. I hope your husband takes your talk to heart about out to dinners? Or perhaps you could find someplace that is more diet friendly for you? I do moderate before most out to dinners (and usually keep the one 'splurge' meal a week thing as my rule, which would make it hard with a husband who likes to eat out), but I've also found a few options for other days that work for me.

Ruby Tuesday's is my favorite chain restaurant right now. They have spaghetti squash marinara that is 260 calories. I get that with the salad bar and usually only eat half of it. I do get calories from the salad bar and find it satisfying, and then have another meal for the next day! (The next day I tope the spaghetti squash with cheese and bake it for a 'baked spaghetti'). They also have calorie counts for a bunch of their sides, and another meal that is 3 sides + salad bar, and sometimes I get that and get a combination of green beans or asparagus, mashed cauliflower, and ... spaghetti squash again. The salad bar helps to fill me up.

Oh, and since you are not a vegetarian, they have a bunch of other options with meat with calorie counts below 500 calories, right on the menu!

But hopefully he will also understand that it is easier and more fun for you to cook for yourselves right now.

--

Okay, I had some TOM retention and kept telling myself and telling myself and telling myself that I was okay and on plan even though I was feeling somewhat negative and wondering if what I was doing was still working. Why does that happen so regularly?

Confidence! I must have it. I finally got my woosh as the hormonal water weight (which shot up to 248 lbs a week and a half-ago, was back to 245 a week ago, and was 244 sometime last week through to as early as this Monday) totally dropped. I was 240 this morning, two days later. Funny how our bodies mask fat loss like that. I know that happens, but yeah. I'm feeling triumphant today.

Oh, and with the new low I got out the measuring tape, and have the first measurement on my torso under 40", as my underbust is now like, 39.5.

[betsy2013]

Had a really bad week diet wise. Discovered that I had lowered my carb intake too much and had some really icky feeling side effects. Unfortunately, I let myself carb up for the last week and had weight gain. But back on plan now -- most of which I credit to coming to this site and to having a weight buddy on FB that I check in with once a week.

Keep the stories coming. While we all have to find our own way, it sure helps to know that others are along for the ride.

[Radiojane]

Betsy That's just water from the carb load. It will go soon!

You've made great progress!

I'm obsessed with my thighs right now. (I know, you needed to know that didn't you?). I don't know if they're actually smaller, or if it's just I can see more of them because my belly shrunk, but my legs look sooo weird. I feel like someone drew a fat stick figure! On the plus side though, I can see some major definition in my waist. These are pictures from between December and now.

http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/300-...ml#post4658769

[MapleLeaf]

I'm having a great day! I really needed this after I struggled so much last week. I've been eating well, sleeping well, feeling good each day. I took half of my lunch break and went for a 30 minute walk because I know I'll be busy after work today and didn't want to skip it. I don't really know what has caused this sudden boost in morale, but I hope it keeps up.

radiojane - Wow! Congrats on being down 115 lbs, you're doing great. I love seeing your progress pictures... and I also love that blue and black shirt you've got on!

betsy - I completely understand how you feel. I had a really tough time last week, but all I could do was pick myself up and get back on track. It's great that you've bounced back because that's what counts in the long run. I try to remind myself of that quote "success is just getting up one more time than you fall down" because we're all going to stumble and have bad weeks, but it's what we do after them that matters in the end.

mnemosyne - Woohoo! I'd feel triumphant too. I love those wooshes! By the way, are you a vegetarian? I've been a vegetarian since I was 14 years old (for about 12 years now) and I love Ruby Tuesdays for their salad bar and veggie sides too!

[mnemosyne]

betsy2013 - I don't low carb, but I think some of the side effects go away after a week or so? Though everyone is different and the side effects sound so unpleasant. I agree with Jane, though, it sounds like water weight and you are doing the right thing to deal with the regain. That is what is hard about water weight - I don't think it genuinely inhibits fat loss, just masks it, but when you see it stubbornly coming back or hanging on it can be so demotivating! Good for you for recognizing that and pulling yourself back on plan!

Jane - such a GREAT picture. I agree, you definitely have more definition in the waist. And I can't really see your thighs there but I expect that they ARE smaller. I carry weight all over, but more in my front torso than anywhere else, so I can definitely see my thighs getting smaller. I really like wearing dresses so I can see them. Do you were dress/tights combinations? I think tights would be tough to find when you are so tall! But they make my pasty legs look nice. I wonder if I can get away with black tights all summer. Hah!

MapleLeaf - heh, that saying is so right on. It is not about the slips, but about getting back up from them and feeling better. So glad that you ARE feeling better. And good for walking at lunch! I think that that also helps, the exercise during the day.

And yes! I am a vegetarian. I suppose sometimes I would call myself a "flexitarian" as I will eat meat on rare occasions. Usually when I am traveling and want to try a new food or some local specialty. I became a vegetarian when I was 13 or 14, too! But that was, uh, more than 12 years ago. Closer to 20+. It is kind of amazing how many chain restaurants have no HEALTHY vegetarian offerings, isn't it? Their vegetarian things are usually deep-fried and calorie-laden. That's not as true of fine dining, though honestly if I am going out to a fine dining restaurant I do not worry about calories in the meal.

Oh, I also like Ruby Tuesday's lower calorie cocktails and will sometimes splurge on them. I wonder if there is a way to make simple syrup from Splenda. Hmm.

[Radiojane]

Mnem I actually don't have any issues with pant length, it's the shirts that get me. I'm very long in the torso and have short stubby legs. My mom says that it's been a godsend shape for me and my youngest brother (he's 6'8) because our legs are short enough we can buy pants! I do love the way my legs look in dresses now. I wish my gut was shrinking a little faster though. My side profile is quite depressing.

Maple Thanks! I love this top, and it's almost too big (I'm scrunching up the fabric in the back in this pic).

I'm walking on air right now because on a whim, I tried retrieving my login info from the weight watchers account I had in college. I wanted to do this because I had no idea what I weighed prior to about August. I hadn't gone near a scale since probably '07, But when I was in college, my aunt signed me up for WW, and of course I input all my stats. My logs were all gone, but my community profile was still there, with my starting and current weights. I was 382!!!!!

SOOOOOOO Nice to have proof that I've done more than just lose what I packed on in the last 2 years (which in reality was less than I thought). I'm smaller than I was at 22! WAHOO!

[pluckypear]

Hi all! I had a good day but did use weekly points to have spaghetti for dinner. I rarely eat pasta but craved it. I am going to the pool tomorrow.

I was a vegetarian for 20 years and a vegan for 7 of those years. I now eat seafood, poultry and beef on occasion. I will not eat pork, lamb or veal. I still eat vegetarian meals 70 % of the time.

[mnemosyne]

Jane - that's really exciting! It's so much fun to be in heretofore uncharted territory. Makes it all seem more real, doesn't it?

pluckypear - I thought that you were vegetarian or close to it! That's cool. My vegetarianism is more about the environment right now, so I really appreciate people who reduce or minimize their meat consumption without going all or nothing? As I said, I do (occasionally, very very occasionally) eat meat.

Okay, so I have attached a few pictures of my $10 clearance dress! I bought it about a month (or, 5-10 pounds) ago and it was a bit too tight, but now I think it fits well!

[FerrisW]

Thanks for your support everyone! I'm waiting until I hit 30lbs loss to treat myself to something (that'll be 10% of my weight lost!) and I've decided to get a really nice pair of sneakers, since it'll hopefully encourage me to walk and maybe even jog more.

I had a manic sort of day and found myself without food and starving and with a very poor choice of food options available. I ended up having ham and cheese on white bread and it's been so long since I had white bread I felt a bit sick afterwards and have a very slight headache. I think my body is-thankfully!- starting to forget what white carbs taste and feel like. It tasted ridiculously sweet to me.

mnemosyne- that dress is gorgeous! It looks fantastic on you and I can't believe you got it for $10! What a bargain!

Radiojane- you look fab in those photos!

Mapleleaf- go you for walking during your lunchbreak! You've inspired me to try and find time in my day to walk around campus instead of sitting at my desk and eating!

[dgramie]

nmen- cute dress. YOu look great!!

long week here, my aunt passed away so will be having the funeral this weekend. We lost daddy and his 3 siblings in a 9 month time frame. Plus we lost 2 cousins in the same time frame. Kinda scary!!

I let pictures mess with my head this week. I thought i looked great at my daughters shower and then saw pictures and was not happy. Thankfully my dil posted a picture from the same weekend and i like hte way i look in it.

next week its really suppost to warm up so i will be outside walking and hopefully grilling

[betsy2013]

Thanks all for the support. Still feeling "icky" (a highly technical medical term for not knowing what's wrong, but I don't like it!), but have realized from visit to the doctor that my BP meds are impacting me, too.

Jane, I loved your description of being more aware of your thighs. I'm pear shaped, and I'm a very, very, very large pear -- my butt's so big I can't even measure my hips yet and my one thigh is bigger than my waist used to be. The phrase thunder thighs might have been created when someone heard my thighs rubbing together for the first time. BUT, when I took my very disturbing monthly pictures in a leotard that can only be described as stretched to maximum capacity, I could tell that the thighs looked a little better.

Off to the gym. Ready for all this water weight to start shedding. Another weird thing about our lifestyle changes.......looking forward to a day where half of it is spent in the bathroom or else racing to the bathroom or else wondering if I really can get to the store and back without an accident.