Xena -- :hug: and :hug: again. Oh honey, I think we have ALL been there, wanting to hide away from the world. I know I have.

You know what I've learned? Your weight is never a barrier to love. Yes, you can use it as a shield, you can try, but the people who love you are going to love you no matter what your weight.

I'm not trying to minimize how you feel, because I SOOOO get it. But think about the people you love. Does their weight change the feeling you have for them deep down? I bet its the same for them. At least, if they're worth anything! :D

I'm so proud of you for coming here and telling us! That's so hard to do. :hug:

I have my own confession to make -- I had my own little binge tonight. Really kind of lost control. Luckily, the food in the house isn't too bad for me, but still, my tummy hurts!

I don't know if it's because hubby went out of town today and I'm reacting to that, or if I was bored, or because TOM is coming.

BUT, I DO know that one night of overeating (heck, it was more like a couple of hours) is NOT going to make me gain it all back. AS LONG AS I CAN CONTAIN IT. And I plan to tomorrow. I may have to not be in the house in the evening or something to accomplish that... we'll see.

Yet another reminder that this is a lifelong battle. Losing weight doesn't make the demons go away like *poof*

Sue: Cute, cute avatar photo.

Ratkitten: Great job on exercising.

Meta: I loved how the Y membership makes you feel. Hugs.

Catherine: You are doing so well. I'm so happy for you that you are hanging in there.

Peggy: Wow. You will be able to go into competition for DDR soon!

Ammi: I bet you have less time because you are so much more active now. Hugs to you sweetie.

Debbie54: Good job doing the cardio.Sorry you are stressing with family there. You can do it. I am proud of you.

Xena: Oh hun. Your friends love you for your heart not your body! Try to put yourself in their place. Would you feel all those things if your friend had been the one to gain all the weight? What if she has? You still love her no matter what. Huge hugs.

Michelle: So glad your mom's visit was good. I really missed you being around. How is your DH and Kitties doing? I hope things get better really soon.

Well, I had another weigh in tonight and I am down another 11 pounds! I am so thrilled. I am 5 pounds away from my second mini goal and I got permission to call for a surgical consultation tomorrow! I hope they get me an appointment soon. I am very excited. Hope you are all doing well and big hugs to you all.
Blessings,
Annie

Heather: Hugs to you too! I hope you are not too lonely while your DH is away.

Okay: I just ate food instead of sticking to my program. I was hungry and it wasn't bad what I ate but I'm supposed to not have any food until I think a couple more weeks. My niece made tofu/veggie enchilladas and I ate one. They were very good but now my tummy is HURTING big time. lol. I guess I learned not to do that. Well, hopefully I learned. I think I was celebrating. Very unnecessary thing for me to do. Just wanted to keep accountable. I am not feeling bad about it though. Just wanted you guys to know I ate food instead of drinking my meal. I will work it off tomorrow on the bike or in the pool though. Hugs all.
blessings,
Annie

I am up late here. DH is off on business trip for a week and for some reason insomnia is hitting me! :dizzy:

CATHERINE~I know what you mean about falling into the hole. Its like once you binge it just seems to go on forever. I really wish I could form a habit of walking the stress away instead of attacking the bag of chips!:lol:

WYLLENN~So true about the lifelong battle! Hope you feel better!

ANNIE~Thanks hun. DH and cats are fine. Just all of the outside stresses are getting us! I haven't even checked my e-mail in ages but I wanted to tell you mom and I went to the Wolf people place! Thanks so much for suggesting! Got some cute pics of the wolf pups! Precious! It was so cool because they had Alaska timber wolves there and they explained they live in the Arctic. Very cool! And look at you! Almost 100 pounds lost! You are doing AWESOME! Congrats on another 11 pounds!:congrat::cheer2: I hope you can get your appointment soon!

NANCY~I also meant to say in my last post I am so happy you are in your new apartment! Last time I was here you were having such a tough time finding one!

OK well I am off to get some sleep. I hope you all have a good day tomorrow!:hug:

Xena, I agree with what Catherine said about emailing a picture & explaining how you feel BUT you do have three months to lose some weight. Have you thought of some kind of liquid thing like Lisa & Annie? You could easily lose 30+lbs in that time AND give your long-term weightloss a good boost. I found that once you stop your capability for eating larger amounts IS GONE, which is another plus. Either way you ought to go, too many of us put off stuff
'COZ OF MY WEIGHT' GOOD LUCKxxxxxxxx
Ammi, I wondered where you were!!lol I too was pretty naughty over the week-end, oh well back to 'normal'. I'll try & catch you later today on MSN.xxxxx
I've been really tired since coming off the liquid diet & with all the TOM problems I could just sleep most of the time, but I've been forcing myself to do some gardening. I might not feel like exercising, but mowing, lopping trees & dragging the branches away HAS to b e done & surely beats 40 mins of aerobics!!! Especially as I spent about 4 HOURS doing this, over two days!
Annie, LOOK HOW FAR YOU'VE COME!!!! A few months ago you were in despair at losing ANYTHING, now you are the QUEEN of liquids diets!!! I'm so happy for you.
Catherine, we had a BBQ on Sunday, I've never heard of tofu dogs, I will look out for them. I always make shish kebabs with lean steak, chicken, peppers, mushrooms & baby tomatoes, I marinate them in dry sherry, olive oil, Tabasco, black peppercorns and garlic, quite low fat AND really healthy, I also serve tons of salad, shame we followed it with icecream!!!lol (though I didn't have any)xxxxxx
I have to go & get a blood test as my dr thinks all the joint pain I've been getting is caused be ANAEMIA!!!! I've never heard such a crock! My mum has osteo-arthritis, I just hope it's a passing thing as my mum is in such pain & I don't want to be suffereing like that!
xxxxxsharon

Good morning everyone! Yeeks here I am up at 4 AM again to get ready for an early work day. Oh well the overtime $$$ are nice but I sure don't like doing the time! :)


Ratkitty you are doing so well with your water and bike riding. Keep up the good work! :yay:

Metachick, sounds as if you have a wonderful workout facility at your Y! Nice that you are feeling a bit spoiled along with the hard work!

Catherine, as for our photo with the sign we do try to have a good time. But we didn't consider it "naughty" :devil: I know there are churches which teach that all alcohol is bad but we don't believe that way and consider it okay in moderation. :) I'm sure our fun picture won't make the church website or anything though. :lol: And glad your little legs are getting littler. :)

Peggy, I sure know what you mean about the heat. It is supposed to be in the 90s here today, yech! I didn't do any exercise at all yesterday; just too hot. Hopefully I will be able to get my air con installed soon and can do some indoor stuff at home.

Ammi, good to see you posting; thanks for checking in with us!

Debbie, glad you hiked your butt back up onto this wagon! :rofl: A little slip up is no big deal, as long as you don't let it last and are back OP!!

Xena... :hug: :hug: :hug: I am sorry you are feeling so low. I sure do understand, and I know others here do as well. But as others have pointed out, remember your friends love YOU and obviously you are very special to these people!

Michelle, I am glad the visit with your mom went well. That must have been an encouragement. Sorry other things are not going so well. Hope you will be able to really get OP soon! We miss seeing you around more.

Jen, I was doing the same thing as you for a long time, just pretty much going to work and my church outreach involvement but not getting out much otherwise and not even going to church social activities or anything else much. Not just because of how I looked but because it was so HARD being so heavy and exhausted. I still have a lot of weight to lose obviously but have lost quite a bit and also gotten so much stronger and more energetic and find myself wanting to get out and about more!

Vortex, good point about a lot of skinny people not being so special to people and it is what we are on the INSIDE which makes us lovable or not.

Heather, you are right in that a couple of hours of overeating is not going to really be a setback... ha remember when we used to do that kind of thing for a couple of DAYS or longer. :) I even had a Coke yesterday at work, which I hardly ever do but it was such a loooooong hard day that I just went right in there and bought one. Guess what... I didn't really enjoy it though and it did not taste nearly as good as I remembered them being. :)

Annie, thanks for the compliments on my new avatar. :lol: it was taken during our water wagon runs at the festival and I was HOT and also had a greasy sheen of suncreen on my face but oh well. :) Maybe I can pretend it is a "natural glow." :lol: That is super that you are down 11 pounds! Way to go!

Sharon, hope your blood test comes out okay and they can identify your problem. Wow, your shish kebabs sound wonderful and healthful! YUM

I could not believe it yesterday as I was a tenth of a pound away from finally losing one but didn't quite make it! :) It sure is slow going but I do think all the exercise is part of the cause. But I was the same weight again last night and this morning so hopefully some of it is about to fall off soon. Get off me stupid stuff! :) I am trying not to focus so much on it (although I do keep an Excel database with chart) and just stay OP!

Well, guess I had best stop putzing around on the Internet and get ready for work! Hope everyone has a great day, and hang in there and stay OP. Oh and I posted a photo from this weekend on the picture page. :)

Misti, looked at your pic, the red top is lovely but it's looking RATHER BIG ON YOU!!! I think you could get away with at least TWO sizes SMALLER, even with your umm boobs being so big, hope this doesn;'t sound to personal, hope you know what I mean. I would love to see more pics of the event, it sounds really fun. xxxxx
xxxsharon

:rofl: Sharon I am cracking up because when I tried on the shirt I asked someone if it was too small... :rofl: She said "too SMALL? NO!" And actually I might have gotten it a bit smaller except they did not have any. Also they ALWAYS make the smaller sizes several inches SHORTER and nothing is ever long enough for me anyway. Besides I think it will shrink when it is washed... they always do even though the stores swear they won't. :) And yep it is that big also because it has to fit over the boobs without being tight as I will NOT wear stuff tight there. :)

I will post some more pictures later on... off to work for now! :) Thanks for asking.

Good Morning Ladies!!:coffee:


Meta: Wow, what a great gym! :D Just the pampering alone would make me want to keep on going!!


Peggy: :yay: for -3!! My kids laugh at me when I do DDR...it's quite confusing. I love to watch them do it...especially at an arcade...it looks so cool when they do it together.


Ammi: :wave: Hi! I am glad you are just busy and haven't forgotten us!


Debbie: I know what you mean...it really is all up to you! Sometimes it's so hard to make the right choices when not everyone is in the same "boat" as you.:hug:


Xena: Oh sweetie...:hug:...I can SOOOOOOO totally relate!! But as the other ladies said...you are loved for just being "you" and not the size you are. Please don't let the weight stop you from living your life. Just think of all that you have acheived with your schooling...I can add, subtract, multipy and divide, but forget about anything involving X and Y!!! And you made it through the spa vacation (that you were so worried about) with some beautiful pictures~yes, the ones with you in them!! Hold you head up high and go be the witness for your friend's wedding. He holds you in high enough reguard to have the honor of your signiture on his wedding certificate...do the same to honor him. :hug:


Michelle: I am glad the visit with your mom went well! I just survived one with my parents too!:lol:


Heather: Here is a :hug: so you don't miss your hubby too much.


Annie: You are amazing, girl!!!! I wish I had the stamina and willpower you do!!!!!! 1 tofu/veggie enchalada is not bad...if you would have said a chimichanga or fried ice cream, I would have understood!!;) I hope your tummy feels better.


Sharon: Those shish kababs sound good. :T I am putting the ingredients on my shopping list.


Sue: I am part of the "Big Boob Club" myself :o...and am always consious of the length of my shirts because I hate when my belly is hanging out of the bottom. I usually get my shirts from Romans or Lane Bryant catalog because it lists the length.


My sunburn is finally turning tan, and it should be about 98 degrees today, so I am going to be in the pool working off the Papa Johns pizza binge from last night. I wish I could figure out why when I am doing so well, I can be so easily led astray. Especially when it comes to :jeno:.
Sammi starts dance camp today, so I will actually be alone for a blissful 3 hours today.:cloud9: Even though Doug is sleeping in our room (he works nights), it's just me and the kitties and dog. I have to hit the Stupidmarket...which I hate...but I do need to feed the family. :hun:
A Domestic Goddess' work never ends!!


Have a Great OP Day!:cheer2:

just wanted to say to everyone.. i am still lurking. trying hard to get rid of a few pounds i gained back and staying away from here cuz i felt like a fraud! i will post more in a few days! congratulations to everyone who has lost and hugs to those of us struggling.. .hi Ammie and Annie!

Hello all!

Xena: I *so* understand where you are at... everyone has said it so much better than I ever could. Love knows no size... it's way greater than that! I had the same mentality when I weighed 350 for ten long years. I didn't want to see old friends. I kept thinking my weight was going to fall off and then I'd go see them. A whole decade passed!!!! What was I thinking???? Today, I am doing better making contacts with old friends and not being ashamed of my size (but the old tapes are still there). *hugs* to you!!

Wyllenn: The attitude to NOT say "oh to heck with it all" and go on a several week or year long binge is what I am striving for!!! It's ok to be human and react to things. Then, it's time to regroup! I love that you know it's time get back OP.

Meta: I'm jealous of your Y!!! My house spa consists of 2 golden retrievers that like to like my feet after I work out.. it tickles! eep! hehe.

Peggy: I'm trying to do the silly song SkyHigh on DDR (DDR Universe). It's kicking my rear!! and so much fun to sweat to.. Keep up the good work!

Annie: WTG on 11 lbs gone!!!!! You go girl! *snoopy dance* Don't wait until you are too hungry to eat. Things have a tendency to come back up as fast or faster than they go down when ya do that.

MistiSue: ewww 4am? Yucko. I love your avatar.. you have such a beaaaautiful smile!

MamaB: Remember da sunscreen, you domestic goddess you!!! I hate the stupidmarket too. Bleh.

*waves to Mechell, voodoosharon, Jen, Michelle and Debbie.. omgosh I hope I didn't forget anyone...* ~~~~~~

Hugs and OP vibes to all the peeps,
Ratkity

Morning Ladies.

Michelle: I'm so glad that you got to go to wolf people. It is a great place. It amazed me how those little grey critters will turn white! So happy that your visit with your mom was a good one. Hugs. Now, we need to "meet up" for a real hug and chat.

Sharon: Hope your joint pain is something lacking in your diet and not arthritus or anything else like it. Hugs.

Misti: I love photos and will go take a gander at the one you posted. Hugs and have a great day today.

Donna: I hear ya on that domestic goddess stuff never ending. lol. It will be hot here today too so hopefully I will have time to go and "Foat" in our tiny pool and maybe do some flutter kicks or something like it.

Patti: You are not a fraud! I want you to come back missy! You need to be here especially when you are feeling so low. Hugs hun.

Ratkitten: Yep, you are right about not eating when you are too hungry. That enchillada stayed with me allllll niiiiiight LOOOONg! lol.

Well, off to start my day. Just trying to be patient until 9 a.m. when I can call the surgeion's secretary! Hope everyone has a wonderful op day full of great movement.
Blessings,
Annie

Heather-You are so right that losing the weight doesn’t get rid of the demons. We have to take those things with us for the rest of our lives. The Center for Human Nutrition’s research does show that after you have kept it off for 3 years that it gets easier. I sure hope so. I know that I haven’t really been above this weight for three years, and when I regain, I now seem to plateau the other direction here. So maybe I’ll never go back up to 600 now. That’s a little help I guess.

Annie-You say 11 more pounds like it is so ordinary now. You are doing great. I’d like to know who you have to bribe to lose that much. That celebrating with food thing is the biggest hurdle that I have faced. It is harder than learning to exercise or bingeing.

Mechell-Have you ever seen one of those kid sized punching dumbies? Try one of those for stress relief. I’ve been know to even tape things over the face like an add for oreos.

Sharon-Try a health food store. They carry tofu dogs, and veggie dogs that are also soy based. The shish kebabs sound good too. As long as you have a plan, that’s the key. You could be anemic. When I’m on a diet, I add B12 to my supplements because I eat such a small amount of red meat. It can cause joint pain, and sores in your mouth like you’ve burned it with hot soup.

Sue-When you are in a muscle building phase, you won’t lose much weight, but will lose some inches. The best part is that when you body feels like it has built enough muscle for its present efforts, then it starts burning fat big time. My mom is big on top like you are, and she used to joke that she wished they made stretchers for tops like they do for shoes. I told her just stick a couple of volleyballs inside it while it is still wet, and that would work. For some reason she was not amused.

Donna-Everytime that I think I am on top of stuff, that’s when it blind sides me. Papa John’s get at you subconsciously through commercials. When I’m having a hard time, I either don’t watch TV, or I just turn off the commercials. This is hard enough.

Toofat-You’re not a fraud. I learned the hard way that staying away while not OP just makes the binge last longer.

I’m taking my first midterm in 14 years today. Wish me luck.