300+ Weekly Thread #1167
 

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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Debbie-boy do I know that feeling that I could even eat the wall paper. When I know I shouldn’t be hungry, I just try to figure out what else is going on in my head. Usually lots.

Annie-Some people will say GB is taking the easy way out, but I think it must be so much harder. I’ve had so much more time to adapt to the changes in my body than you did. The weight is just a symptom most of the time. We still have so much more work to do, and if we don’t deal with it, gaining the weight back is the least of our problems. I guess I’m going to have to teach you some wrestling moves I had to learn as a kid to hold my own against my big brothers. You have to use his size against him.

Penny-I hate going across the border too. The last time I came, I was coming to stay, but couldn’t tell the border agent that, or he would have turned me back. Once you get here, and get married, you can file with immigration and stay while it is being decided, but they don’t like for you to do it that way. So if they know, they can boot you, and even exclude you from the country for up to 5 years. I was just glad he didn’t go through my bags and find my wedding gown. That would have blown it for sure. I was practically a smuggler, except I was smuggling myself and my wedding gown.

Rat-My inner ear stuff gets worse when the barometric pressure changes. It changes the thickness of something in there. Hurricane season was always interesting.

I’m semi-miserable. Himself is in Montreal for the week. It’s nice to have him out from under my feet to finish my spring cleaning, but I miss him. At least I’m not eating out of boredom. I actually don’t eat much when he’s not here. It doesn’t seem worth the effort to cook for just one anymore. I had dry cereal for dinner last night. Now I’m off to get my head shrunk a bit more. The older I get the younger doctors seem to get.

Good Morning!
Well, my daughter and I just moved out a desk so now I have room to set up the exercise home gym that we got. I can't wait until hubby gets home Wednesday to put it together now. I may have to try and read the directions myself! HA! HA! I can't wait to get the gym, bike, and treadmill all in one area in the house. I have a loveseat and my computer desk to move next. Not sure where they are going. I think the desk will go into younger daughters room and my computer not sure. My house is so small. I am still waiting as people tell me when the kids move out I will have lots of room. I have 2 kids out of the house and not sure where the extra room yet. I then was told that it is because the "girls" are still at home! They do have so much more than the boys. Anyone else notice that? Well, I did inform them that they are going through their things too, as it was way too much! School will be starting before long and they will want new things. Well, I better get back to cleaning. I will check in later. Penny

Hi all!

As I’m sure is obvious from my lack of posting over the past two weeks, I once again lost focus on my health plan. Although I remained conscious of what I was eating and tried to make reasonable choices, I didn’t journal my foods, I ate a lot more snacky, processed foods than I should have and I didn’t make the time for exercise. I did my regular Sunday weigh-in yesterday, and I’m up to 284 . . . I can’t say I don’t deserve the gain, and I’m just grateful it isn’t worse! I’m back on plan as of yesterday. I did my 5-mile walk and journaled my food . . . calorie deficit -562 . . . I’m going to make my goal of -1,000 today!

I really need to get a handle on controlling my eating and making time for exercise when I’m traveling, since I’m leaving on Wednesday for two-plus weeks in Vegas. I’ll be playing bridge part of the time and spending some time with my brother who lives there, helping him look into residential options for my father. My friend and I will be staying at a condo rental for most of the time, with a few days at my brother’s place at the beginning and end. Here’s my plan for dealing with this trip.

** I’m going to exercise 5 mornings per week, BEFORE anything else I have planned for the day. I expect it’ll be too hot to walk unless I get started really early, but the condo rental has an exercise room, so I’ll just have get back on the elliptical.

** I’m going to journal my food as best I can, even if I don’t know the exact values for most restaurant food. I’m going to try to choose plainer & lighter options to make this easier.

** I’m not going to eat any pre-dinner bread in restaurants and I’m going to limit beer or wine with dinner to a single glass.

** I’m going to keep up with reading and posting, at least every other day . . . for me, there is no better way to stay motivated.

This board has a whole new look to it . . . Anne, Penny, Debbie, Annie, Bernice and Carol, I LOVE your new avatars . . . you’re all looking great!

OK, that’s it for now . . . I’m off to the park to get my walk in. Have a great on-plan day, everyone.

Catherine: I am so out of practice with wrestling. DH is getting much more playful now that I am not a lump sitting on the sofa anymore. I am up and around and moving. I will have to rethink my strategy lol. Sorry you are missing your dear himself. Hopefully you will get some things done that are hard to do when he is around.

Penny: How exciting to be getting your home gym up and running so to speak. Good luck getting the girl's rooms in order etc.

Ria: Sounds like you have an excellent plan. Good luck hun.

Well, I am having such a lazy day again today. I need to get my bootie in gear. lol. I am sooo premenstral and can't seem to focus. I am hoping to go spend time with God then brush my hair and dress for a bike ride. My house is pretty clean but could use a vacuuming and unload the dishwasher. I have a load of white clothes to wash too and some ironing to get done. I am looking forward to my interview tomorrow.

Well, Hope you are all well and having a wonderful day.
Blessings,
annie

Hiya Peeps - today is day one of being back in my routine - it's only been half a day and I already feel better. I love spontaneity too but I so miss my little rut-dwelling life at times. I also miss my water and veggies - both of which I had found again today. Annie mentioned focus and that's exactly what I've been thinking - that I've allowed myself to be distracted the last couple of weeks and it's time to "focus". I'm going to think on an acronym for focus that will help motivate - got any ideas?

Back to the office I go - hugs to all.

Carol

Jumping in about barometric pressure changes. It doesn't affect my inner ear or make me dizzy but it can certainly play **** with the rest of my body. Today I am feeling particularly achy, much more than normal so I was not surprised when the weather report showed low pressure and high humidity.

Catherine - I'm dying for a report on the new bathroom. I am green with envy that you got the tub and toilet free :p. I would love to have those in my bathroom, but the cost is way too high and medicare nor insurance covers things like that, they won't even cover a regular shower chair.

Wishing everyone a great OP day.

Catherine—I’m just like you—if I lived by myself, I would have nothing but cold cereal and rice cakes all day. I can’t cook for just one person, it’s like putting on make-up before bed!

Penny—Our house is small too, and my siblings and I have mved out and moved back in, but it still feels like no mater how many people are home at any time, we are still shoving stuff from one room to the next. *sigh* I have fantasies about a basement suddenly growing under the house. Last year my dad built this huge, ridiculously ugly barn-shaped shed in the back yard (and to make matters worse, he painted it bright red) with the hopes of creating more room. No such thing, we just distributed the furniture around a little bit better but it’s still a mess! So stoked about having an exercise room though, I wish we could find the room to do that, it would be awesome!

Merksie—I’m where you are. Off plan but being at least aware of what I am doing and NOT doing. I am going to follow your ideas you listed too. Keeping up with the forum really helps and working out regularly too.

Annie—good luck with your interview!

Carol—I’m struggling to focus too. I think it’s the heat. I desperately need school to start again for me.

Well I am having a major setback. I have a Planters wart. It’s horrendous. If anyone knows about them or have had one, they are terrible. It’s disgusting and it hurts. I thought it was gone, I went to the doctor who froze my skin and I couldn’t walk on it for 2 weeks because of the resulting wound. Now it’s back and right now I have to put acid on it to get rid of the skin. Then it’s a series of home remedies including Baking soda mixed with oil, banana peels, lemon extract, and drinking Mangosteen juice (Xango). I can’t go barefoot ever or I could give it to my family. It’s soooo horrible and painful I can’t even stand to walk on it!

So that’s where I am right now. I am too afraid to go have the shot and let the doctor dig it out. I have had one of those shots before and it is too painful! You’d have to drag me in there kicking and screaming to get to do that again. So I’m not working out right now, I’m barely walking. I can’t even get my poor foot in a regular shoe.  It super sucks.

Dusty

I thought I'd add my 2 cents about barometric pressure related issues... I get headaches and my tummy sends me to the loo all too many times. Anyone else with these issues? Everyone at work thinks I'm loco when I say I have a headache, "the weather must be changing". Once or twice a year, I end up taking a sick leave for just such a headache.

I need to prepare myself for the rest of the week. Wisconsin is supposed to hit 90 on Wednesday. Yikes! I hope the AC at work can keep up.

Hope you're all having a op day!
Miz M

Catherine, I would imagine you would have lots going on in your head after everything you've been thru. :lol: It's good to know that some of you are still fighting that "want to eat anything and everything" battle even after you've been trying to lose for so long. I wonder if it will ever go away?
I know what you mean about the doctors getting younger. It's awful getting older.
Hope you don't miss "himself" too much. Hang in there.

Penny, glad to hear that all the exercise equipment will be in one room. Makes it so much easier to get in the mood when you have a special area set up. Have fun!

Ria, sounds like a good plan to me!

Annie, since you think you couldn't handle me on the handle bars, how bout if I get on a skateboard, hang off the back end of the bike, and you pedal us around?

Dusty, it sounds so painful to hear you describe the wart. I've heard they can be sooooooooo painful. Here's a big "hug" for you and that poor foot. Maybe they can put you out and then give you the shot?

Tomorrow I go to the doc finally to see what the heck is going on? I changed contacts, so I know it's not that. Maybe it's just the weather, allergies, and the cold I got. I sure hope it goes away quick because my brother and fam will be here next week. I sure as heck don't want to fall over right in front of them.
I've been really crappy in the food department too, so I'm wondering since I've more or less fallen off the wagon, that that could have something to do with it too. It's just been this week that it's been really bad. My ears do get plugged up when I blow my nose.
I think I'm going to try and maintain for a while. I have been struggling with the same 10 pounds for so long now and I keep fooling myself into thinking I'm eating right, when I know I'm not. I sure didn't last long on SB. I started writing what I ate down again...I had even quit doing that. One thing though, I haven't gained alot, just sorta bouncing the few pounds back and forth which I know isn't good either.
Hope the rest of you don't fall into my footsteps and you all see a loss this week.
Debbie

Carol-If you figure out some way to stay focused, please let me know. I have a short attention span at times, and my mind wanders.

Johnnie-I tried out the new tub this morning. Haven’t gotten the new toilet yet. It was so strange to be able to walk into the tub. They basically cut a elongated U shaped hole in the side of the tub, and put this fiberglass collar across the new opening. It has a little door that attaches to the inside if you want to fill the tub up. It was nice not being afraid of falling. It’s some kind of city program that pays for all sorts of ramps or conversions. The man that came over to have us sign papers said that in a couple of years, if we felt that we needed an upgrade, they could come back and put in a completely roll in shower. Canada doesn’t have anything like the American’s with Disabilities Act, and things are very inaccessible, so I think this program is a way of trying to help out people who have it harder to begin with. I couldn’t have lived in the city easily while I was in my wheelchair.

Dusty-I haven’t had a plantar wart, but I’ve had plantar fasciitis. That is like walking on broken glass. Once it gets started, it just takes forever to get over.

MizM-I am practically a walking weather station. What really freaks me out is my knee hurts when it is going to rain, but gets better once it starts, but my back only starts hurting after the rain starts.

Debbie-I used food at sedative and pain killer for a long time, so I’m not sure that is every going to go away. As to getting old, having doctors younger than me certainly makes me feel that way, but what made me feel ancient is having a priest younger than me. Going to pre-marriage counseling with someone the age of one of my kids, was bordering on creepy.

Debbie - I so hear you - thats the reason for my "focus" - but in all honesty I started out the summer saying if I could maintain I would be OK with that until Labor Day knowing what faces us during the summer. Although I want to hit 75 pounds lost in a year too - which is September 4 so I need to decide where my "focus" is. It does feel good tonight though having a fantastic OP day.

Catherine-Hubby made it across the border alright. He actually said it was a little easier this time! Kind of surprising as I was the one worried. He took some powdered shake mixes and then put some extra powder protein in a baggie. I thought for sure if they searched his bag that they would question it! I told him he should write on it what it was. He said any dog would sniff his nose up at it, as he didn't even care for it plain. That is why he mixes it in. So I was glad it made it alright! Kinda funny if you think of it though. I told him good thing no problems cause if he was calling to say he was going to have to stay in Canada longer, I was going to send you over to throw frozen hotdogs at them to release him!! I agree with you, it is nice not having the hubby under feet so I can clean, but I miss him lots when he is gone. Also, we eat a lot different when he is not home and it is me and the girls. Or if older daughter gone to work it is me and little one. I try to stay focused. It is hard though.

Debbie54-It will be nice to have all equipment in one room. But that one room is half of my front/living room. I made the decision to get rid of my 4' x 8' desk that I use to sew on. I can sew on the kitchen table it is just a pain to have to get it out and put it away when it is time to go to the kitchen to cook. So it won't get out much. (Sadness!!) But I need to get healthier.
I hope all goes well at the doctor for you.

Dusty-If I built an extra room it would be for me! Only me! It seems like we find a room, like the boys bedroom when they left, and it became the music room. That is where the piano/guitars/flute/sax speakers and hubbys lettuce aero garden is at! They used to be all in the other half of my living room. I hope you have the room someday.

Mizm-I am midwest too, and it sounds 90 the rest of the week. I hope you have air conditioning!

Carol-Sorry I haven't came up with an acronym for focus to help you out. But this afternoon I could have used one. You are always so encouraging to me! Drink your water! You always say, so that is what keeps me drinking. I know how sometimes our lives get in a "routine", just remember jump back on! You are doing so awesome!!

Annie-Good luck on the interview tomorrow!

Well, I have some boxes to move upstairs so I better get to it. Penny

Oh my - tired, tired, tired. So today was the start back into my strength routine, which is only part of it. This morning, before I started, I got a call from the cherry orchard that the cherries would be available in the afternoon. I always buy sour cherries, which will be available for at least a week, maybe longer. However, this year I wanted to buy fresh sweet cherries as well. The girl told me that I should really come in the next few days if I wanted the fresh sweet cherries. They mainly freeze them for sale later. I bought a couple of small buckets (4.5-lbs) during the winter. This year I wanted to can them though (in the sour cherry juice, really quite nice).

A smart woman would have left the lifting for another day. I've never claimed to be smart though. So I did my routine, had a shower, had lunch, and then my mother and I trucked off to Vineland. We came home with 2-30lb pails of sour cherries and 1x20lb pail of sweet cherries. The first pail of sour cherries is already in the dehydrator. I had originally planned to do the canning tomorrow but then decided to do the sweet cherries tonight. So I ended up with 26 pint jars of cherries. They are really simple to put in the jars... except you need to sterlize them. They only need 20 mins in the sterilizer, however, it takes about 25 mins to come to the boil once they are in it.

So batch #3 is almost ready and I figure I might as well finish them off before I go to bed. I'm going to be tired and sore tomorrow... and still have the sour cherries to can (although I'll do them in quart jars so there won't be as many). In fact, while typing this I've gone and put the last batch on so I can go to bed in less than an hour!

Other than that, I'm doing well today. :p

I'm finished with my rest/maintenance week, and so far really happy with how it went. As of this morning I'm exactly where I was a week ago Sunday. The initial weight I gained is now gone. The real test will be how my weight loss goes over the next weeks though. It was an interesting experiment and kind of nice to have a week off with slightly higher calories. Of course none of this is worth anything if I can't stick to my lower cals now. So far, so good though.

Catherine - I know what you mean. Sometimes I like being alone, but generally I like the company, even if it's my mother. :)

Penny - yay for a room with lots of gym stuff. I keep thinking of the house that was sold when we moved here. It was my mother's house and I took my savings to help buy this one here (so it's ours), but boy, did it have a lot more room. I wouldn't have been fighting for space for things. Of course, I wasn't planning on living in that city so it really doesn't matter.

Merksie - sounds like a good solid plan. Traveling is tough since you don't prepare the food, but I suspect you'll find some reasonable choices. Also, ask for modifications if you can. I went out last week and asked for a few changes before the dish ended up at the table. Best of luck.

Annie - sigh, you mentioned cleaning. We're having company this weekend so I'll have to clean as well. Tidy up really, as well as cleaning. Oh well, has to be done. Good luck on your interview tomorrow!

Carol - no acronyms, but good luck on the focus. :hug:

Johnnie - I tend to have sinus problems with the pressure jumps all over the place. And although I love the heat... just not the humidity. We've actually been pretty good lately. I suspect it's because we've had a breeze. It always makes it feel cooler than it is.

Dusty - I know you don't want to, but go see the doctor. You just don't want to mess with your feet. I'm not against home remedies but you really don't want to leave it too long.

Miz M - I used to occasionally get the bad headaches (crawl into a hole and die types) but a couple of years ago someone handed me a couple of liquid Advil. For me these were fantastic. I still have to watch that I don't wait too long to take them, but even then it will usually push the pain far enough back that I can function.

Debbie - sorry that you're struggling. Maintaining is probably a good idea until you've sorted out what's wrong. Get well and strong and then go back and hit the weight loss trail again.

Well ladies, I think that's me caught up. I'm still waiting for the sterilizer to come to a boil but it shouldn't be long. I'm definitely looking forward to my bed tonight. I did a bad thing while canning this afternoon - did it barefoot. Tomorrow - definitely wearing shoes!

Carol – I’m glad you’ve found your way back to your routine. I’ve been circling op, but sometimes that brownie or chips are too big of a temptation. I started out bad this morning, but now I’ve redoubled my efforts and I’m fully back on South Beach Phase 1 for the next two weeks. I already feel so much better without the white flour and sugar floating around in my system. I have an overnight trip to Chicago planned for early September and it’s my goal to stay focused and work hard so I can buy a few new pieces of clothing for the trip.

Debbie – for me food is a distraction that numbs me. Recently, I’ve had a few occasions when I was able to identify the exact point when my brain shuts down (usually due to the beginnings of a stressful thought) and I find myself reaching for something soothing. I’ve used food and soda as a reward for “dealing” with life, since I was a child. This is how I handle life and I’ve done it for so long that it’s now an ingrained habit, but I’m really working on changing it.

Ria – Good luck on your trip to Las Vegas! It looks like you have a good plan for handling the situations you may be faced with during your visit. For me, planning ahead is more than half the battle.

Anne – Thanks for the tip about the liquid Advil. I’ll have to buy some. Your headaches sound a lot like mine. If I can catch them early and take a couple of pain relievers and go to sleep for a while, it will pass. If it gets too far along it’s horrible, to the point of nausea. Fortunately, I don’t have them too often and usually the weather is the culprit.

Penny – I’d love a place for my sewing machine. I have an ancient Singer that’s all metal so it weighs a ton. Every time I want to use it, I have to drag it out of its hiding place (it never gets put back in the same place twice). It’s so heavy I’m positive one day it will drop out of it’s case and break my foot when I’m hefting it up onto the kitchen table.

Annie – I hope you enjoyed your lazy day! Sometimes we just need a down day. Best of luck on your interview tomorrow!

Today at work my old boss knocked on my door. I wasn’t happy to see her even though I’m starting to get over my anger. She left without saying goodbye to most of the staff, but one or two of her pets got hugs and taken to lunch. She has a real Jekyll and Hyde kind of personality. One minute she’d ignore you, later she’d praise your hairstyle, then she’d jump down your throat about some minor issue. She was very light on her feet and was always lurking about listening to conversations. An internal joke was she needed a bell around her neck so we’d hear her coming. It got to the point that people were acting guilty even if they hadn’t done anything. Six years ago, she was just starting and we had our first full staff meeting. Someone asked what she’d prefer to be called, “Sue or Mrs. Ormond?” She said just call me “Queen Sue”. That about says it all. Our new director is just great and it’s finally a pleasure to go to work. She has a great personality and the bonus is she was promoted from a supervisor, a position that was equal to mine. Let’s just say she has had a lot of experience on the other side of the fence and knows what not to do.

I just heard the weather update and now they say the hot and humid weather is starting tomorrow. I hate thinking about it. We had a terrible tornado a few years back. The path was just a ½ mile north of our house. My mom and brother were home and I was working that evening. I’ll never forget being in the basement at work and trying to call home but all of the lines were down. Several houses were destroyed and a man who was one of my customers was killed when he was in his basement and the chimney fell on him. (Just awful). This year we’ve already had two tornados. The path of one went about ½ mile south and then east of our house. I was home for that one. We never realized it had touched down until it was all over. We found out how close it was when we were listening to the police scanner and started to hear the officers talking about streets that were just down the way. The 2nd tornado was actually a series of a dozen or so sightings with multiple touchdowns. I was at work that night. It was overwhelmingly like the tornado that had gone through in 2005 with such devastating results.


Well, it’s getting late and I need to get to bed so I’m bright eyed and bushy tailed for tomorrow.

I hope everyone has sweet dreams!
Miz M