Oh, sassyangies - that sounds like a great time and I'm glad you got to go sledding and enjoy the snow! I think the occasional beer makes life worth living, hah, and I hope that weight comes off quickly too. I genuinely think the most important thing is that you came back and faced it, you know? I bet it is mostly TOM/water.

KerriLeah - Kudos to you for sitting on the ball. IIII am scared of them, though in some ways I am still 330 lbs in my head. It's such a weird dichotomy.

And honestly, remember that in the past when you dropped 40 lbs I bet it was on a diet that didn't feel... stable? Or made you feel deprived? Now you are going on 2 nights a week, cooking with your boyfriend and family, and stuff. The treadmill will help, too! Just remember where you can be in a year!

KerriLeah he's done well... Sorry to hear about the complications. I have a few friends who have struggled or are struggling with complications. My heart goes out to them...

I've been really fortunate. Outside of water breaking up with me, and having to watch my sugar intake because of my hypoglycemia going haywire I am doing very well.:carrot:


mnemosyne adjusting is a good way of putting it.

It has be a series of huge adjustments.

Pics eh? Since you asked you shall receive:

October 17th, 2012:

http://images.obesityhelp.com/upload...9/DSC_9193.JPG

http://images.obesityhelp.com/upload...9/DSC_9195.JPG

February 16th:

http://images.obesityhelp.com/upload...eb16thsuit.jpg

February 17th:

http://images.obesityhelp.com/upload...96/Feb17th.jpg

No newer ones loaded yet but that gives a fair idea... ;)

Wow! you look amazing! Good work!

Thank you!

Cuter - you are adorable and your progress pictures are amazing. CONGRATS!

Cuter Wow your photos are so inspiring.

Mnem Yes I take classes for aqua fit. The two deep water ones are very intense, the instructor drives us hard. I really enjoy swimming or just being in the water overall. It always feels so invigorating when I jump in. :)

I made chana masala on a bed of butternut squash. Yum. I use the smitten kitchen recipe but up the veggies depending on what I have on hand. Today it was with cauliflower and cabbage.

I feel great having gone to the pool despite the weather. It was slippery on some sidewalks and tricky getting off the bus into iced over snowbanks but I did it.

Now time for tea.

*blush* Thanks Mnem! :hug:

pluckypear Thank you! You made me blush!

Your dinner sounds awesome! I am soooo craving Indian lately. I've just not cooked any in about 12 weeks. Soon though... Soon!:devil:

Cuter - Wow! I just want to agree with everyone else that you look fabulous. Thanks for posting pictures.

plucky - Sounds like you're doing well too. :) Good for you for getting out despite the weather. Winter makes everything more difficult, doesn't it? I bet you felt proud of yourself at the end of the day though!

I had a really rough time on Monday and Tuesday but I've gotten back on track by now. I overate on Monday at dinner and then someone brought brownies to work on Tuesday and I caved. I ate two of them, even though I haven't eaten sugar in almost two months and feel so much better when I avoid it. I was frustrated with myself. It's hard for me to mess up and not get really down on myself, even though it never helps anything.

Yesterday went well though and I'm determined to just keep moving forward. Beating myself up isn't going to help anything, so I need to let it go.

pluckypear - the aqua fit classes sound really intense, but fun as well. I love the water also, I always have, though I tend to get ear infections so have to wear ear plugs. But honestly, navigating the icy sidewalks and bus et cetera is tougher. The snow and ice don't stay around here long enough to matter when they come, but sometimes they last. I always shovel my steps and walk and the sidewalk in front of my house, but some people don't, which I find frustrating.

Oh, and I LOVE smitten kitchen. I never considered adding cabbage to chana masala, but I totally see it working. And love the idea of eating it over squash instead of rice. Then I could have some papadums along with it. (I get mine at the regular grocery store? You just microwave them and they cook!)

Cuter - hopefully you will satisfy your Indian crazing soon!

MapleLeaf - you're doing the difficult part, getting back on track. It's not one or two brownies that kills weight loss, you know? It's that feeling of hating yourself and giving up and saying, well I might as well...

Glad you are back on track and feeling better! It is so hard to let things like that go, isn't it? But we have to do that or we get wound up again. And it feels like such a balancing act between being able to forgive ourselves and then also holding ourselves accountable. Because we have to do both! So tough. But keep going!

We went out to dinner last night. I had a really low calorie dinner and had a beer with it, that tasted good. I tried the Sam Adams Alpine Spring? The first sip was so - I don't know, yeasty and delicious. Also did a bit of shopping. Most of my jackets (for work, with dresses and whatnot?) are too big, so I was looking for a fitted, reasonably priced jacket (preferably in white, but perhaps in black) that fit my sensibilities. I found a lovely one that looked great on me (in a size 18! Okay, I was stretching it a bit but those things should be really fitted!) but it had linen in the blend and linen I find very itchy.

So no jacket! But perhaps on the plus side, I can keep looking. :)

Every one is doing so well and working so hard! So inspiring!

I'm tired. I can't pull myself out of bed to get to the pool this week, and my bf is in school, which means he's home for lunch, so going at noon isn't an option unless I want to come home at 4pm to a disaster in my kitchen (he means well but god he's a lousy cook). Of course the lack of exercise is making me even more tired!

Hi guys.. Cuter you are so pretty. Love the pics!! You are doing so great. Just what I needed some inspiration.

Jane, Your so funny. I hear ya on the hubby meaning well. I wouldn't want to come home to that mess either. I hope you get to the pool soon. BTW your pics look so cute. Is that a new haircut on the left? I love it!

Mnem, that beer sounds amazing. I might have to try that. At my work we sell them singly. So it's nice when I want one beer. We have over 100 of different ones that you can buy singly. It's awesome for me because I'll want the whole 6 pack if I buy it. Don't worry you'll find a jacket. Those are the hardest to find. But your right the fun part is looking and trying all the stuff on in smaller sizes right..

Yesterday was an ok day. Went and did laundry at the mat and enjoyed some alone time. I'm trying to focus on me for a couple of days and just get in the right mindset. I was feeling yesterday that I was slipping so I'm doing anything I can to get back into the swing of things. I'm gonna go to my favorite produce store and see if they have anything new and stock up on my produce. Then when my son goes to school I'm going to use that 3 hours to scrap and work on my smash book.
Hope everyone has a great day. Weekend is almost here!

Sassy... Those are actually older pictures. the first one is from that wedding in July and the last one is from about a month ago. I like to do the facial comparisons because that's where I can see most of the difference.

This morning:
http://images.obesityhelp.com/upload...2028th%202.jpg

http://images.obesityhelp.com/upload...feb%2028th.jpg

:carrot: 278lbs... no shape-wear... the shirt is an xl. ;)

MapleLeaf Thank you!

sassyangies *blush* Thank you!

Mnem only if I make it myself. I love the one Indian restaurant near me but I know their food will kick my butt. Too much grease on their butter chicken and I have no self control for their curry beef so if I make it myself I can weigh, measure, and freeze some. Wonder when my hubby is going away for the night so I can make it without him making the "ewww... curry" face. :devil:

:bravo: CUTER ~ YOU look fabulous; what a difference!!! I love the pics as they really show just how much our bodies have changed over all ... be proud of yourself, girl! :hug:

JANE ~ I agree; we can really see the difference in your face pics too! :)

Went for my weekly blood tests yesterday; had to go twice as the first ones coagulated on them becuz of the chemo meds. Have to make sure to take my aspirin each day for that, but I had a great time shopping for veggies, salad stuff, and fruit after that; and it was fun to get out for a good walk too. We had lots of lovely ***** fall here and the trees were so pretty.

Thanks for all your kind words of support; and have a fantastic Friday and weekend, ladies ... :hug:

See you in the March thread - love the energy!