WELCOME!!!


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, inspiration, and hope. We are aware of the distinct problems that come with weighing over 300 lbs.

We want to invite everyone (roosters as well as chicks!) to join us in our journey. We share laughter and tears, heartaches and fears ... joys and celebrations. We also share what works for us and what doesn't.

We have found this thread to be more than just a support group... we have found it to become a home. We invite you to join us
__________________

Why did our daily thread fizzle out everyone??!!

Let's get it going again! How are you handling the heat? How's your weight loss going?? Personally, I'm having a hard time staying on plan. I feel like I should just cancel my gym membership but keep hoping I'll make it back.

this is a really great thread. I'm 2 months into my weightloss journey, i started with lots of steam and gusto but now i feel so disheartened knowing i have such a long way to go. the few pounds i've lost so far feel like a drop in the ocean in comparison to what i have left to use and now everyday is a struggle trying to stay on the right path. I'm glad i found the 300 club for encouragement.

Cheers. I am new (ish, I was here years ago when I lost a good deal of weight, 80% of which I gained back). Over the past couple of years, I've lost 5/8 of the weight I gained back. So, here's to the other 3/8 I have to lose, and hopefully more after.

Ultimately I'm more concerned with maintaining any losses I make than with losing more, but I still want (and am trying) to lose. But I do NOT want to make the mistake that lead to that big regain. A daily thread would be lovely.

So here's a victory: yesterday I went to the doctor, who congratulated me on another 15 lbs lost and, even better, blood pressure of 116/62. Last time it was 130/80.

I hit 20 lbs down today which is great but then i thought about how I still have so far to go. When you start with your home scale saying 299 and your doctor's scale saying 297 it's a long way down I guess. Still I'm happy to be losing.

HEATHER ~ I remember when the daily chat thread here used to be so busy you could hardly keep up. I see that a lot of those ladies are not here anymore -- I hope it can be revived and continue to thrive. Like you said, I encourage people to continue to come in even if they aren't losing or have re-gained even; it doesn't matter.

Yes, it is really hard when you have so far to go; I have come a long, long way -- just making it over 100 lbs after all this time. I still have a long ways to go; BUT, I have learned that the key thing is to just keep going -- through the ups & downs and the slips & blips; the scales will continue downwards with perseverance. It's about commitment and persistence every day.

Hang in there, chickies -- don't give up no matter what ...

Hi all!

I remember starting my journey 7 years ago -- health and fitness and small sizes seemed so far away. Since then I've lost 125 pounds and gained half of it back and really struggling to get my head back in weight loss mode.

Yes, Heather -- I remember and we can see your pics at the bottom of your signature. You can do this again, just by using the same methods you used last time, even if it takes a bit longer this time. Eventually something will click and you'll find your groove again ...

Yesterday, we pruned our lilac tree which was gettiing way out of hand; now it looks really nice. Today was another matter; it was a stressful day here. This AM, DH blew up the blade on our brand new lawnmower; he did that on our last one too and wrecked the machine completely. If we can find a new blade, he "may" be able to use it again; if not, I'm just gonna hire someone. He has Alzheimers and forgot that you can't push a running machine into a shed over the steel base guard ...

So to get my mind off things, I went out and did some pruning on my lovely peony bushes and my front gardens. Oh, the smell of all my peony flowers is so nice and they are all so pretty; I have hot pink ones out front and lovely, double light pink ones on the plants in the south side yard.

Then I came in here to read and post; and did some singing too -- and I never ate one thing. I have stayed on plan despite the stress. Yippee! I am getting better at this; but I am sure being tested these days ...

I hope you all have a wonderful OP plan week ...

Just- bless your heart and your husbands. I understand being a caregiver and the stress involved.

Heather-I think part of my problem is that I keep thinking Im not as heavy as I use to be. Well im a long way from goal still and gained back close to 40lbs from my lowest. I am going to try and remind myself of my orginal goal. It was to get healthy and not be miserable when my daughters get married. I was so miserable at my sons wedding. I have one child left living at home and she is in a serious relationship and talking getting married. Time for me to work at my goal of being healthier at her wedding. I was in a 26 dress at my sons wedding, and a 18 at my daughters wedding and now im back in 20s. I need to work and get down to a 12 or 14 by the time my youngest gets married next year. My grandbabies wear me out and i want to be healthy and able to play with them for hours.

Exactly!!!! But if I'm not careful, I'll be back there!!!!

I was going to say - you must be really far north to still have peonies in bloom. Then I looked at your location - and indeed, Canada! This year all my bulbs were finished by early April. My peonies bloom later, naturally, but they were mostly blooming in mid-May, just when I was leaving for vacation. By the time I got back, they were done.

I have a very small yard, but love to garden too. Am not married so I get the blame for all lawn-mower related disasters. Though I'm impressed with your fortitude, it seems reasonable to hire someone to do the lawn just to avoid the stress?

I went to Peru in May and I didn't feel I could plant anything before I left (who would water?) so once I got back my priority has been planting vegetables and annuals.

I am nearly finished. This weekend I planted marigolds around my few roses and pulled up the pansies down by the front walk. I used to plant an annual called Melampodium there, which I loved. It is 1) drought and heat and sun tolerant; and 2) requires no dead-heading. It grows big, and is one of the first things to go in the fall. Alas, my local greenhouse no longer raises it. I have some plants down there that self-seeded, and I ordered some new seeds that I sowed directly, late. I have to remember to order them earlier next year.

Last night when I got home from work I pulled up the last pansies, weeded, and planted my last flat of annuals. A mixture of marigolds, verbena, and a few other things. I went to buy mulch, too, and was out planting so late that I ran into the house to get a flashlight so I could finish.

--

So here's a victory and some inspiration: I am wearing a pair of jeans that I bought the last time I lost (a significant amount of) weight. They've been tucked away in my drawers for 6+ years, waiting for me to fit back in them.

Also: I bought some gorgeous shoes that 1) I was able to fit the (non-adjustable) beaded band over my a) high arch and b) fat foot; and 2) are comfortable enough for me to wear to work. Two inch heels! The sort of shoe that other folks wear easily and without much thought, but that would have made my day miserable 20 (and certainly 50) pounds ago.

MNEMOSYNE ~ interesting moniker you have there; not sure how to pronounce it or what it means (sounds like "memosin" or M. Nemosin ? ) Gee, I could be here all night trying to figure it out.

Well, you know about Peony Plants: they bloom here about now and I think once they are done, they are done (my burgundy one is just on the verge of blooming; maybe in the next day or so) ... BUT the Peony "bushes" bloom all summer long, as long as you deadhead them, they keep producing blossoms.
Almost all of my plants and bushes here are perennials and that's fine by me.

Gee, you can't plant until dark here or the buggies will carry you away; that's when they come out here (right at dusk) -- although, there haven't been as many this year, probably becuz of the heat.

It was quite here today, so that was hard on my beans; had to go give them some extra water tonight. It was about 85 F but in the full , it was much higher (and that is hard on my veggies). I ate my first ripe cherry tomato; it was bigger than I expected -- about 2" round and tasted quite nice.

Well, DH had some better news about the lawnmower; the blade was bent, not destroyed as he thought. He spent some time today, trying to repair it and thinks he has. Truth be told, I think he doesn't really want any of the guys here to know what he did, hence the rush to fix it himself.

DH has been hunting down our air conditioner; found it and the hose but not the window guard yet. Wish I had thought to tape them together. Oh well. If we can't find it, I'll make one out of cardboard.

DGRAMIE ~ it is hard day in and day out; esp when you are trying to let them still have as much independence as possible, for as long as possible. Some people have no idea what it is like; and others constantly defend him when I tell them the quirky things he does. They don't need to; I'm just venting & explaining (not complaining). I've dealt with Alzheimer's patients in the 4 nursing homes that I worked in; that's why I knew he had it way, way before anyone else did (including family & his doctor). I had been dealing with it for years (over a decade) before he was even diagnosed.

Had a good day food-wise though. I bought some 60 calorie lollys (a kind of fruity popsicle); and they are nice to have on a hot day. Have a wonderful Wednesday tomorrow ...

Mnemosyne is the Greek goddess of memory, and her name is used to name those memory tools to help us remember: mnemonic devices. I know that from I lecture I give in PSY 100. But I just learned it's pronounced nem-o-sin-ee.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-b....wav=Mnemosyne

I learn something new all the time!

Rosebud -- I ate my first cherry tomato too! I actually have had a few. They taste so fresh and I know summer's here! My favorite is "sungold" and I had one yesterday. YAY!!

So yes, I grow veggies too. So far I've eaten lots of lettuce and peas from the garden. Lots of stuff coming!!

Rosebud - Heather has the scoop on the name. She was also the mother of the nine muses. I am a Greek-myth geek and have used the name on and off for a while. My real name is Liz, though.

I'm glad your husband managed to fix the (new!) lawn mower.

We have the same problems with bugs; Asian tiger mosquitos are everywhere, and can breed in a thimbleful of water. I have taken to spraying myself down with bug spray before I go work in the yard. I still get bitten, but not as much as you might imagine.

It's funny - we went to Peru on vacation, including 3 days in the Amazon basin where malaria is endemic. I was so concerned about the mosquitos. We had to take Doxycycline to keep from getting malaria, wear light-colored, long-sleeved clothes, and spray ourselves down with bug spray (with greater than 40% DEET) as prophylaxis, but I don't think I saw a single mosquito while there. Now I am back home and getting eaten up. I suppose the good news is that these mosquitos won't give me malaria.

It is hot and dry here. We've had very little rain - it poured on Sunday, but that was the only significant rain we've had in the last two and a half weeks. I went to the greenhouse on my way home from work to get a couple of four-packs of Verbena to fill-in and a pepper plant for my dad. I bought, instead, a mixed flat and some extras, but got them all planted last night. None of my veggies went in until a few weeks ago, so I am jealous of your cherry tomato. I've had a couple of tomatoes, but only because I splurged on a mature potted plant.

Peas! I love garden peas, but have not planted them - ever. And for some reason I never seem to eat lettuce from the garden. I am going to have to remember to try planting peas next spring.


I had a good food day too. I am trying to cut down on salad 'extras'. I think they are my downfall. For an evening snack I shaved some ice and added sugar-free snow-cone syrup I found someplace or other. Hawaiian punch brand. It was AWFUL.

I have one more flavor to try. If that doesn't work, I am ordering some online.

Hey everyone! I love the chat going on here. I'm frustrated but trying to stay OP too. My stomach is growling already and it's pushing noon. Forgot to grab my office snacks at home this morning. I seem to usually do ok without them. I have a pretty routine breakfast I've been eating for awhile and haven't tired of, thank goodness. I poach an egg in the microwave and drop it on a toasted wheat english muffin with a slice of reduced fat provolone, and lots of black pepper. SO far so good, and not much over 200 calories.

Watching birds from my office window at work (plenty to do, but not in that mode at the moment!). They land on my sill and peek inside in the weird weather- half rainy, half sunny today. Appreciating that while I can, since it will be in the 100s this weekend. Gotta love Texas. I'm surprised we made it this far without the 100s though.