Long hair is cool!
 

Originally Posted by Jen:
well this isn't in the light of white water rafting but the dream that I put off for a long time was growing my hair out.

I have the opposite plan, I plan to cut my really long hair! Currently my hair is down to my bottom. For my next reward I'm going to have it cut to a bit below shoulder length and donate the rest to Locks of Love.

Good luck growing out your hair, long hair is fun and it isn't as much work as people think. At least IMHO. :D

There are so many things I put off doing because of my weight. I have definitely changed my mind about one thing though.

At the beginning of this year, I had AAA send me brochures on Hawaii and the Caribbean. Every since high school, my best friend and I have said that we were going someplace tropical for a vacation. Well, it’s been more than 20 years and we haven’t made it yet :shrug: .

Since I’ll be turning the big 4-0 next year, I decided I am going with or without her. Then I realized that since I had stopped exercising and had never started a healthy eating plan, I wouldn’t be at a “good” weight to go by the time my birthday arrived. That meant I probably couldn’t go until I was 41. I told a lady I work with about this and she looked at me like I was crazy. Now that I’ve thought about it and thought about it, I’ve changed my mind again.

If God agrees, on my 40th birthday I will be on a Jamaican beach enjoying the sun, sand, and water. If I do something else I’ve always wanted to do, I will have learned how to swim before I leave for the trip.

About two weeks ago, I was thinking about my Mother (not a pleasant thing for me) and realized that, when she was my age, she didn’t know her life would end in 11 years. Sometimes I wonder if I will die young like she did or live a long life like her mother. Now I know that it doesn’t matter how long I live, I’ve got to start doing the things I want to do. Regardless of how much longer I have here on earth, the years won’t be good if I’m just existing instead of living.


So look out Jamaica here I come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Is there anything better than laughter through tears? You all are the best! Some of you made me teary (in a good way) and others cracked me up (Kate Moss and a tick on a string?! :rofl: )

Thanks for caring enough to comment on my post. What great words of wisdom. If I find someone, I find them, but I know I need to stop doing so many things to hide myself away (as my best friend says, "What? Do you think they deliver and he's just going to show up on your porch?"). And in the meantime, I have a such lovely life otherwise that is better than anyone could ask for.

Thanks again. I feel so lucky to have found this site.

Okay, I have done it. With the great support of you guys and the people on the Exercise forum, I have been brave enough to book the Kayak. I am going on August 18, 2005 at 10:00 am. Now, how is that for being firm about a goal? I am so excited I am giddy!! So, I have a month and a bit to get my upper body strengthened up and get my *** slimmed down.....My friend has a lakefront home and a beautiful dock so I am going to ask to borrow some of her dock space. The DH is also coming along (I've booked him a kayak) and the kids are going to the childminders for the day. OMG- it is actually going to happen. Watch, it will rain or something ...Anyway, this site and you folks have inspired me to reach one of my little dreams - Thank you!!!!!

The kayak queen,

Good for you!!!!! :cheer:

That's awesome!!! I'm so proud of you!! Can't wait to hear all about it! :cb:

WTG Jenaya. You'll have so much fun

Good for you Jenaya - you won't regret taking this step!

Dakota - You join that gym girl! It won't be as bad as you imagine - like I said, for the first week I was convinced I was the ONLY fat person there - then about a week later I saw a fat girl coming out of the pool and I was so pleased to see her - I wanted to hug her! Now, although there are lots of muscle men and skinny girls there are quite a lot of big people too - and at the end of the day I just go there and do my thing - I'm not there to win a beauty contest (thank goodness!). Good luck - just remember you have just as much right to use the facilities as any skinny person!

Tchrnow - You said it, it is a rut that you have to force yourself to climb out of - it's not easy, but you just have to take on small challenges. Most of my life I have been crippled by fear, and I still find alot of 'normal' situations very challenging - but I am getting better with each new thing I try. My fears have always been - 'what if I look stupid?, what if I can't do it?, what if I am the only fat person there?' etc etc - but I soon realised that in terms of exercise, the only way that I wouldn't be the only fat person there was to bite the bullet and exercise. After my first swim I was hooked - there has been no stopping me! If your fear is people looking at you - I can honestly say that people are too busy getting on with their own business to be staring at us. In my first spinning class I saw myself in the mirror and thought 'I look such a state, I'm so red and sweaty' - then I looked at the slim girl next to me and she looked exactly the same! It's not easy, but you have to force yourself to do it the first time - it is an act of will, when everything inside you is screaming ' I can't do it!' - DO IT ANYWAY and you won't regret it! Good luck!



Love Amanda x

This week DH got me a new bicycle. I'd wanted to bike again as I did when I was young. I couldn't find a simple one speed. He got me a 15 speed. I'm not waiting. I'm riding again! It is a bit scary, more than I'd expected, but I intend to get comfortable with it, again. A year ago I couldn't have done it, physically. I'm going after all my dreams, big or little.

Good for you Sea - that's what it's all about!

Love Amanda x

I really TRY to get past not doing things because of my weight - but I do always hear that voice in my head. I'm aware of the fact that I'm often the biggest one at the party - or the biggest person in the store, etc. It's hard to change that midset but I do try to just go for it and just do it no matter what. As I get older (:cry: I'm old! :lol: ) I find that I'm more able to do things even though I'm still self-conscious.

Cecilly ~ Let me add to the chorus. I was 220 when I met my husband and 235 when we married. I was 250 when I got pregnant with my first child and 270 when I got pregnant with the second. (Sad how we always connect our weights with life events - isn't it?) I have an AWESOME marriage with a loving and supportive husband - he's seen the ups and downs of my struggle with my weight in the 6 1/2 years we've been married and he loves me no matter what. NO MATTER WHAT! He loves me now just as much (maybe more since love grows in time) as he did when I lost weight and was under 200 pounds! There are great men left out there - get out there and do what you want and make friends and you will find your love that you deserve! :grouphug:

Bonnie ~ As I said above, I was overweight when I was pregnant with both of my children. I did have a ton of complications - BUT I would have had them no matter what my weight! I know people who have been pregnant and overweight and had NO problems at all. The end result for me is that I now have two healthy and beautiful (if I do say so myself! :) ) children. Don't wait - seize the moment - a child is such a gift - you'll be FINE and your babies will be fine! :hug:

Sarah ~ You are so eloquent - I've gotten the chance to read several things that you've written and you are so good at putting an inspirational message into words.

(Kate Moss and tick on a string! :lol:)

Great thread!

The dream I've put on hold is riding a horse. I decided that would be my reward for losing 70 lbs as I would be under 200. I'll be there soon. I guess I could do it now that I'm under 250 (thanks to whomever posted that about the rider being under 250) but I'm just so scared I would hurt that poor horse and then it would be blamed on my being fat. I just don't think I could take that at this point. We have it all planned. My husband knows a man with horses and as soon as I say the word, we're going! My poor husband doesn't even know how much I weigh or how much I have to lose altogether. He's been an awesome cheering section though. I wish everyone luck on living out your dream!

okay.....does anyone here know the general weight requirement for artifical rock wall climbing? I soo want to do it now....but can't remember the requirement and don't want to sound silly and call {plus it's long distance}.

Thanks, alphabetsoup! You made my day! :)