Torister-Isn’t it amazing how quickly your body can adapt to getting what it needs. Just wait until you start getting this amazing rush of energy from it. Then if you eat something you shouldn’t, you will actually feel sick. When you start craving broccoli, then you know there is no turning back.

Lori-HOW Great! Dieting can definitely wait for something like that.

Sharon-my OB talked at end about the relationship of estrogen and being overweight. Large women actually store estrogen in their fat. On the plus side, over weight women have an easier time entering menopause because we have some stored up. Losing weight, you may be screwing up all your levels. After my first 100 pounds, I practically went through a second puberty, like the first one wasn’t enough.

Wezi - Welcome back! Great news about your little bundle! I didn't have the diabetes problem, but was quite heavy when I got pregnant with DS. The doctor just told me he didn't want me to gain more than 15 lbs and I didn't so that was good. The baby will take what it needs from you. Just eat healthy and all will be well! And CONGRATULATIONS MOM!

Catherine, I'm glad that your post appears to have been a benefit for you. It illustrates to us all how strong you truely are.

I wasn't going to post until I was in a better mood, but I did my major league whining over on the Old Hen's board. Today was WI day. Needless to say, there is nothing to celebrate. It was actually up .2, but that's such a small amount I think I'll blame it on my clothes - not that they are that much heavier but what's 3.6 oz? I had high hopes for this WI day and feel like crying, I really do.

Wezi - congratulations to you and your husband! You must be over the moon I gained about 3 stone first preg (42 pounds) and lost 14 having my second!! I gained a stone during the pregnancy second time, and when he was born he weighed 11lb 12 oz and I ended up a stone lighter than when I started!! So I am living proof u don't need to gain loads for a big healthy baby!!

I was tested for Gest diabetes both times cos I was so overweight, but never had it, my best friend has been thro it twice tho and it is a bit of a steep learning curve!!

Sharon - I had my menopause at 32, but that was because of a major operation when they removed everything!! Its not been great fun but I am getting there.....hope your period turns up, or maybe u are in for some changes early? You could ask the dr for tests maybe?

Em

Torister: Day three op, good for you! That is such a good start. Keep up the great job.

Lori: Congrats. Of coarse we remember you. You must be so happy. I hope you have a very easy and lovely time of it.

Sharon: Hugs. Perhaps a Dr. visit is in order? Take care of yourself.

Lilion: Sweet, sweet lilion. I am so sad to see you going through it right now. I know so much how you feel and it breaks my heart for you to feel like crying. I wish I could give you a for real hug. This one will have to do for now. HUGGGGGGG. Hang in there. Things will change. I think the more you worry the more your body hangs on to stuff. So sorry. Hugs again.

Happy Valentines Day everyone. Here's to a day of zero candy but lots of love!

Blessings,
Annie

Catherine, thank you so much for sharing! I feel honored that you would share this!

Sharon, I too am having TOM issues. I am hoping not menopause and it is just the new eating exercise routine that has me so screwed up. But my mom had an early start, so maybe its genetics!

Lori, Congratulations! Blessing to you and yours!

Lillion, Hang in there! This too shall pass! Big Hug!

The play I am working on opens tomorrow, so I have a few long nights ahead of me! Now as long as I can stay away from the goodies at the parties that accompany these shows, I will be okay! And my first Valentines Day with out sugar! Not too bad! Each day is an adventure, isn't it?

Happy Valentines's Day!

Jane

Annie - Thank you! I'd really wanted that 100 lbs by 2/18/05, which is my 2 yr anniversary of trying to lose. Thought for sure it would be this week. But I'm okay, just disapointed. That's what I get for getting my hopes up.

Lilion -- I know you're disappointed. You're close to a big goal. But you know what? You're going to lose 100 pounds. It just may take a few extra weeks!

Lori -- Congrats!! This is definitely a time to learn to take care of yourself, even if weight loss isn't the focus!

just a quick NSV... my newsest pair of pants are feeling more loose today!

Lilion-Thanks, I don’t have to tell you that victim impact statements aren’t for the court’s benefit, but rather for the victim’s. When I couldn’t get over that 100 pound hump, I went and got my hair cut short, did an all body exfoliation and cut toe and fingernails even ear wax. It made me feel lighter. It didn’t work. Then I went on retreat for a week, fasting, the whole nine yards, and came back 14 pound down for the week. Talk about blasting through a wall. Maybe you could do a weekend fat farm/spa. Do anything different, just to fool your body. Try not to get too upset because those stress hormones just make it harder to lose. Of course crying would also lose you a few ounces, so do it and get it all out of your system. I even made a dummy out of my old fat clothes and kicked it when I was plateaued.

MissBliss-I think genetics have a lot to do with menopause. When I told the doctor that my mom was 40 when I was born and had 8 miscarriages after that, my grandmother had her last at 45 and my great grandmother had her 12th at 48, he said that I probably wouldn’t go through menopause for a while yet. My great grandfather was crippled falling out of the hay loft after the last baby. I’ve often wondered if she pushed him. I think she’d have gotten off with justifiable.

Just did 25 lengths in the pool again!! Yay! Had a lovely valentines day too.

Hugs to u Lilion, it will happen sooner or later xx

Hi ladies
I missed a whole days of threads again due to a computer mishap, but it is up and running again I want to do personals but if i accidently leave you out, please forgive my overworked brain
CATHERINE: thank you for sharing your story. you are a inspirational and courageous woman. you have gone through so much in your life! I laughed when you said you made a dummy out of your old clothes and kicked it when you got mad, that sounds like a great idea
MECHELLE: Im happy for you to be settling in your new area. thats great there is a workout room so close. i also understand all the fears you have about doctors offices, etc.
SHARON: Im sorry your having woman troubles, i always feel awful when i have PMS or miss a period, i hope things straighten out for you.
AMMI: Good job on getting back on track so quickly. thats always been my problem, i get off track and forget to get back on, lol
EMILY: You are doing so well with food and excersise, good job
CHIMI: I cant believe they dont have sugar free jello where you live, i would seriously mail you some if it wouldnt take forever!
PATTI: Congrats on the loose jeans victory! that is an awesome feeling isnt it? i really wish i had started beginning measurements, i can really tell a difference in my clothes!
LILLION: im sorry your down about your weigh in. you have done an amazing job so far, you have nothing to be down about. i have no doubt you will be 100lbs down very soon.
ANNIE: When do you start your new job? i am happy for you!! i know you will do wonderful too
LORI: congrats on the new baby i hope you have a wonderful and healthy pregancy
HEATHER: how is the gym going? i am seriously thinking of joining one soon.
ANYONE I MISSED: hope you are doing well
As for me, i lost 2 lbs this week i'll take it although i wish it were more. i have been working hard, eating healthy and excersising. i feel so much better and i know it will (hopefully) get even better with more wt loss. they havent posted the results at work for the team status, they will tommorrow. some of the other teams are resorting to desperate measures(starving) to lose lots of weight per week and to ultimately win the $$. i refuse to do anything stupid, this isnt just a contest, this is a whole lifestyle change for me. i hope you all have a wonderful night,

kymberly 2 pounds is great i should be so lucky this week! congratulations!

Jane: Good luck staying away from the goodies at the play.

Lilion: I know you want to be at or beyond 100 pound loss. It will happen for you sweetie. Just hang in there and it will be soooo sweet!

Patti: Great NSV. I am so proud of you. How are the low impact DVD's going? Are you still able to do your Wii?

Catherine: Oh my goodness you have got the best ideas. I love the idea of breaking your scales once you didn't need them. I am definately going to do that. I laughed so hard at the kicking the dummy in the fat clothes. What a great idea.

Emily: Good job sweetie. Wow 25 laps I'm soooo impressed.

Kymberly: Congrats on your -2! That is awesome. Those people who are starving themselves will have a rude awakening after this contest when they gain all their weight back and then some and you are still your sleek little self! Keep up the great work.

Well, I am doing well today. I had a very nice day. I got a call from my new job that I was supposed to start on Friday and they asked me to come in next week instead because the new computer they bought for me hasn't arrived yet. In the mean time, I got a call from another job that I had sent a resume to. They pay a bit more to start depending on your experience. I said I would go to the job interview on Wednesday. No sense in closing up all my options, you never know if the people that said I have the job this Friday and now next Friday may change their mind. Things happen so I feel good to have at least a back up interview. lol.

I got to buy my charm bracelet today and my 1st charm for getting under 500 pounds. I love smiley faces so I bought a pink smiley face for my charm. It is pretty much how I am feeling. I am pretty happy to be under that mark. My next goal with a charm reward is at or under 480. I have 16 more to go to get the next charm. I didn't eat anything bad for me today. Not one piece of candy. I was going to eat some candy hearts and I was seperating them out choosing the 5 I was going to eat and the phone rang. It was my parents and I talked to my dad for a long time and when I came back to the place where my candy was my hubby had given them to my dogs for a treat. LOL. so, I didn't go get more. I figured I was rescued from eating candy today. lol. I hope all of you had a great V- Day and were good little girls.
Blessings and love to you all,
Annie

Annie - you are doing so well, u deserve a gold star! You are keeping me motivated with how good you are doing.

Kymberley you are doing wicked too girl, 2 lbs is greeeeat I really would be ecstatic to get that off in a week, sometimes even with eating around 2,000 and exercising it seems to stay on me, think the lack of hormones doesn't help, but whatever, even if it comes off 0.25 a week I gotta keep going!!!

2fat4u - great NSV! My trousers are feeling looser too, its a great feeling much better than feeling it the other way!!

Lilion - feeling your pain here hun, I'm sure u will get there, but I guess its like a watched kettle never boils, too much pressure, set a different goal instead maybe a longer term one, like so much in 12 weeks? I don't know, but I sure hope I can do as well as u one day, but it must be frustrating beyond belief chuck xxx

Catherine~ My heart goes out to you. PTSD is a difficult thing to overcome. I don't think it ever completely goes away, as we have to deal with certain triggers. I do however, have confidence in you that you can overcome the cycles that come with dealing with PTSD. I wish I had the capability to take away the pain and anxiety you experience. But you can overcome it. We're all here for you. I truly understand what you're dealing with. Big, big
to you. And, yes, you have every right to go to the support group. I completely agree with your dh. And Annie is right, we all need you. To survive the attack physically and emotionally, you are an amazingly strong woman. You have survived this, even if there are daily things to contend with. You're a wealth of knowledge, have a generous and good heart. No one can ask for more than a generous and good heart.
I love your idea of making a dummy out of your old fat clothes. I do believe I'm gonna do that when I get to 2 town

My dh got us chinese just before we got hit with the blizzard. It made me so sick. I haven't had General Tso in ages, and guess I won't be having it again in the near future. I love it, but it certainly killed my stomach. Must have been all the fat in the chicken. !


Mechelle, Try to take an emotional break for a day. You have been through a lot in the past several months with your tests, moving etc. Moving is like the 2nd or 3rd stressor there is. It follows biggies like death and divorce. Plus, you're now in a new culture ....again. Hang tough, know we care and the anxiety will pass. FYI, my big fat bottom fits in the dentist chair. Barely, but it fits! I understand about the eye dr too. My belly or boobs sometimes get in the way of being able to put my face easily to the machine. BUT, I just don't care. I need to be able to see. If this old woman can do it, so can you. Especially the dentist! When I'm done, I have no energy left cuz of my fear of dentists. Hang tough and "Git r done"


Wezi~ Congratulations!!!!! How exciting! Is this your first baby? When I was pregnant with my youngest dd, it was one of the happiest times of my life. My weight was much higher than yours when I got pregnant. I only gained 9 pounds the entire pregnancy and after dd was born, I actually weighed less than when I got pregnant. And she was/is completely healthy and happy. She weight 8 pounds, 7.5 ounces. She was the biggest our of my 5 kids. Congrats again. I am so very excited for you.


Sharon~ I'm sorry you're not feeling the best. I hope today finds you feeling a lot better. I'm not sure how old you are, but I'm 47. Sometimes TOM is right on time for me, sometimes it's a week early and sometimes a week or so late. It's been this way off and on since I was 35. In fact, the doctors didn't think I'd ever have more children cuz I wasn't regular any more. Then we got pregnant with our precious dd.


My sweet friend, Lilion. I'm sorry you're having a rough time. I think I'm gonna blame the weather. An awful lot of us are struggling right now. The winter has always been very, very hard for me. Try to take comfort in just a little gain. In years past, I'd gain 20-30 pounds every winter. Sometimes more. So, while I'm not losing like I want, I'm very, very happy I'm not gaining like crazy. Warm sunny weather will be here soon. We have to believe that! to you. Try to celebrate your new and improved life style on your anniversary. That is truly worth celebrating and success isn't always determined by the scale.


Patti, Way to go on your pants feeling looser. That's awesome. How's your knee doing??


Em, you're doing so well! Keep up the amazing work!


Kymberly, Good for you girl! You're pluggin right along!


Annie, I agree with your back up plan. Completely! It never hurts to go to interviews. It's a way to grow and gain more self respect! I hope they offer you the job and that it pays at least what the first offer pays. on the dogs getting the candy. My dh is buying me a ring or necklace for Valentine's day. We were snowed in so he couldn't get it yet. Besides, he's the master of procrastination! LOL Glad you had a happy day!

Ammi, Glad you are back on track. I'm home til Monday, so maybe we can catch each other on line.


To all the new girls. I've been off and on the past couple weeks. I'm taking comfort in the fact I'm not gaining like I usually do in the winter.
I think I'm staying about the same. I'll weigh in again when I go for blood work again. I'd really like to have scales at home. I think I could stay off them except for once a week. By the way, what brand scale do you girls use? I need one to go to at least 350 for me and dh. I do and sadly think I weigh more than dh ....but NOT for long!!! Having a good scale around would be nice. Then we could both monitor our weight and have more control. It's a drag to have to wait to go to the dr or lab to weigh in.
I just want to thank everyone again for all your support and being candid. y'all are just the best! I am truly honored to know you.
Sending & to all.