300+ Chat Thread: June 2013
 

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!

where is everyone?? Come out and play its JUNE!! Our year is almost half gone! time to make some progress!!

I can't believe it is June already!!

I am dealing with some really terrible summer swelling. It got hot and I ballooned up - to the point my legs were rather painful last night and I am thinking I may need to go see someone about it. Not good. I still feel really bloated today and am going to try some light walking and extra hydration. Hopefully that helps. I really hate this feeling.

Otherwise doing ok. I went to a party last night and watched everyone eat cake. It wasn't a big deal. Yeah, I would have loved a bite, but I knew that a bite would bite me back by giving me terrible sugar cravings.

My other plan today is to head to a sports store to try and pick up a waist pack for walking that holds a water bottle and my phone. I have been using my ren faire leather belt and pouch and while that is rather stylish it isn't good to sweat on. ;)

Hello All I am new to the site. I started a little over a month ago cutting calories and exercising. I am doing very well in my opinion. I just plan to keep on plugging away. A friend of mine has talked me into signing up for a 5K. I did and I plan to walk it. I still have a long way to go but I am working at it. I am thankful the one I signed up for is at the end of the month. I hope all is well with everyone and I certainly hope to meet many new people.
Pam

Hello...I am also kind of new to this site. I joined and lurked around several months ago, but never posted anything or attempted to get control over my weight and other issues. Now it is June and I feel like I am ready. I want to do this now, and I don't want to ever have to start at day 1 again. I do not have a complete plan ready to go and I still have homework to do, but I am determined to make some changes. This week, I am going to avoid the drive thru, eat fruit and or veggies with every meal, and try really, really hard to make my way around the block.
The support and encouragement on this site is amazing, and it's actually what brought me back. I hope everyone has an amazing June!

Welcome and good luck pjvw34 and Noggs!

NotTheCheat- Oh gosh, that sounds terrible. My mother's legs swell that way. I hope you get relieved of that soon!

As for myself, I'm dealing with some back issues that are making me hesitant to work out, since I am the overdramatic type and believe I will become a paraplegic or die if I jerk my spine any worse. (My sister is a horrible driver and I was riding with her and when she stopped suddenly because she wasn't paying attention my neck popped/cracked in 3 places and felt like my spine was in my throat. Now my back hurts when I deeply breath or sigh (hurts most when laying down).) My mother thinks it's whiplash. I want to exercise, but I am trying to resist... But I want to make progress... Yet, I know I won't make long term progress if I injure myself further.

-_- Summertime heat makes me nauseous and dizzy.. I vomit almost daily.. Working out just makes it hotter... Such a pain.. I try to stay super focused on my goals in the summer and rewrite them weekly because it is easy to say no to exercise when it's really hot..

Yesterday I turned down soda, icecream, and movie theater snacks... I felt bad saying no.. but I feel good now that I said no. And I got in 4 cups of water... (which is usually 0 for me). One of my goals for june is 4 cups or more daily.

That's all that's going on with me for right now. I'm going to try to workout Tuesday.

Pam – Welcome! Wow, a 5k – that is fantastic! It is great to have fitness goals to work towards. You have already lost 40 pounds? That is also fantastic.

Noggs – Also welcome! Test time is stress time so it makes sense to start slow for now and ramp up when you are done. Just those small changes you listed can have huge effects. Let us know how it goes!

Alyssa – You most definitely don’t want to do any permanent damage to your spine. That would be very, very bad. Are you seeing a doctor about it? Or at least a chiropractor? It seems like it is something you shouldn’t ignore. Things like that rarely just work themselves out on their own.


So I spent most of yesterday guzzling water, eating spinach (for potassium) and elevating my legs. I also broke down and took some diuretics. The swelling is much better today, but still not 100%. I didn’t get out for errands or walking, unfortunately. I finally felt like I was ready in the early evening and then it started to pour. Of course. :)

My physical therapy session is at 12:15. I am really excited and hope I can get my knees back into shape for squatting and deadlifting. I haven’t been doing any weight training recently and really need to get back to it. I told myself to wait until this appointment, although I could have been doing upper body stuff. Eh – no sense stressing myself out about it.

dgramie - oh, yes. We are on the same page then I think! I do still like the container gardens, they make it so much easier when you have a quick transition and don't have a tiller (I don't even have a FRIEND with a tiller, so when it is digging time, it is me that does it). Last year I was in your boat! Since I went to Peru in late May, I didn't plant anything before I left and was doing catch-up in June.

Did you get anything more in?

betsy - wow, your veggie garden sounds AMAZING. Do you actually get peaches from your peach tree? That must be divine. I have never grown onions, and you reminded me that I really wanted to grow peas this year, but. But... they need to be in around here very early in the spring.

How have you been doing getting back on track, by the way? And how is your back doing?

Nancy - heh, it was super hot here all week last week, so I suppose that hot weather moved up the east coast for your week-end. Has your swelling improved any? I've read that some people use lemon-water to deal with swelling. Did you find a good waist pack? When I was out yesterday I wanted to take water with me but had no place to hold it! I bet that some of the swelling, too, is from your knees if they are still bothering you?

Welcome pjvm34 & Noggs! pjvm34 - you're doing spectacularly and should be ready for your 5k walk. How awesome that you took the plunge and signed up!

Noggs - I think that that is a great way to get started. It's all about creating healthy habits that will get you through!

alyssa - the worst thing you can do for most back problems is not move. I think you're right to avoid weights and such, but I would encourage you to get out and walk! It will be good for your neck and back.

--

Okay, SO. I went to a music festival this weekend and saw Wilco, one of my favorite bands. Certainly would not have done that a year ago. I am still a bit achy (so much walking and so much dancing and like, many, many, many hours on my feet. Also the hollering and cheering. (There were loads of other bands there.)

Mavis Staples played before Wilco and five songs into her set this tremendous thunderstorm blew up, so they had to shut down the set and the stage (since it is basically a giant lightning rod) and people scrambled for shelter. Literally spent an hour crushed in with a billion other people in the beer tent while the storm raged.

I lost the friends I'd met there during the storm and cell service was terrible and I was driving home alone that night so I gave up looking, got a slice of pizza, and was standing around at the edge of the paved vending area, by the field where the main stage was, contemplating the giant mud puddle that the walkway had become and trying to decide whether and where to cross when this guy came up and stood beside me. I thought I was in his way, and moved, and he moved. So we chatted for a long time, and he was cute and /really/ fit and thought I was 20-something and partway into the compliments it dawned on me that he was hitting on me. Which is not something I'm used to. I suppose I don't go places where that... happens, or I'm just used to being my old self. But I then they started setting up the stage and I wanted to be up close so I was like, I'm gonna go overthere, they're setting up! and thought that I was inviting him to come with me, and he thought I wanted to get away from him and I didn't get his number. So, that was my weekend adventure.

Really, I don't actually want random people hitting on me, but this guy was pretty cool. And obviously we like the same kind of music and vibe. So I suppose I need to spend some time working on social skills, or at least when in a conversation with an interesting stranger you exchange phone numbers.

--

Also while traveling to and from I had another experience where I just saw myself in the mirror in a convenience store restroom and was like: what? is that me? I don't know why I see myself differently there than I do in the mirror at home, but I find my current frame startling in those circumstances.

Thanks for all the warm welcomes :)
It is getting really hot here in central California. Like you NotTheCheat, I also am having problems with painful swelling in my feet and ankles...my feet seriously look like loaves of bread. I have gone to see my Dr. about it, and she just told me to cut down on the salt (DUHHHH...can't believe I wasted a co-pay on that advice). Anyway, cutting down on salt has been hard because I have a total beef jerky addiction. So, I have been drinking a lot more fluid, and getting up to walk around my office every so often, and it seems to help with the swelling some.
I had a decent day. I ate more fresh veggies, and had a piece of fruit. Didn't walk outside though...maybe tomorrow.
Best wishes to all for a fabulous day!

Thanks all for the warm welcome. I have struggled for years with retaining fluid on my ankles and legs. Pretty much every doctor I have questioned about this says that when I lose the excess weight it will improve. So now is the time! It is also one of the major reasons I have jumped into doing a 5K. As I said I am not running it only walking but nonetheless I am doing it. I can already see a difference in the way my feet feel. When I first started walking a few weeks ago they would burn and hurt. I am sure I was overdoing it a bit. Now, I am doing a little more. In the morning I walk .8 mile and in the evening I walk 2.2 miles. My feet do not hurt like they did when I first started. In a couple of weeks I will add another mile so that I will be where I need to be for the 5K. I am pretty excited. I will also be doing another one in July. In fact my goal is to do one a month until the end of the year. It will give me something to work on. I can work at improving my time each month.
Anyway, hope you all have a wonderful day and WALK ON!

Nancy - Don't you hate watching people at those parties with their cake? It happens every sunday with cake and s'mores at my parent's house, and I get to sit and stare. I do hope your legs get better. I hate the swelling that comes with the heat, if that's what it is.

pjvw34 - Grats on signing up for a 5k! I keep meaning to, and just never get around to it. *whistles* Haha, but no. Welcome as well. It's always nice to see new faces around here though I tend to lurk. Sorry for the swells, maybe they'll go away soon. Let us hope for a quick summer!

Noggs - Welcome! You can do it! You can do it! You can do it! I feel like joining this site, and actually sitting down with the motivation to do it is the first steps. We'll be with you through your journey. You got this. Swelling in the heat sucks, and it happens to the best of us. I really want my own personal AC and de-humidifier at all times.

alyssarof2012 - I thought it was me who just hated summer workouts. All over facebook, everyone is so amped for summer, but I'm hating the bugs, and the OVERPOWERING sweat. I felt like I needed to vomit yesterday, cause it was so humid and nasty. Let's hope for some not so terrible summer days.

mnemosyne - Oh Wilco! I haven't listened to them in years. I'm glad you had fun at the music festival. I know I enjoy when people hit on me randomly, even if I am creeped out because then I know I'm looking AH-mazing. It's even better when hot guys with good taste in music do it.

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Been a lurker/slight poster for a while, and I'm trying to ease my way back into things since I re-kindled my love for 3fc a week or so ago.

Past few days have been emotional due to TOM, and some relationship issues, but they are all working themselves out. Minus like lack of communication with the relationship thing, though I think I'm just being needy and clingy so I'm just going to let it resolve itself. The dude I'm with and I have excellent conversations ALL the time, except for the past few days he's been distant. It drives me mad cause we literally talk all the time, but I'm trying not to dwell and stress cause stress makes me keep on the weight.

Oh, has anyone else had problems with ticks in their area? Every day I come home from my walk/jog/run, and freaking I find some blood sucker wanting to hang out with me always. I almost couldn't get the tick off me today, and it took some good stretching and pulling to get him off my back.

Noggs - I have never had a problem with swelling feet, fortunately. I mean, aside from the basic summer-associated stuff that most people get. It has never been painful. The only time I've had it be painful was associated with air travel. I really retain water after long international flights. I think the walking will help! You could also try compression socks when you are in the office, though I imagine those would not be fun to wear.

Pam - that is a GREAT walking schedule. I think a 5k is just 2.2 miles anyway, so you are ALREADY doing it every night? Maybe I'm wrong, I'm not sure. You will get more and more fit as you keep going, for sure.


wishfuiiy - hah. Yes. I did really like Wilco's last album, but before that I hadn't listened to much of their stuff since Sky Blue Sky. They were really spectacular live, though. They're going on tour this summer with My Morning Jacket and Bob Dylan and I'm seriously considering going to see them then, too.

Ouch, ticks SCARE THE HECK out of me, I just hate them. Have you tried bug spray? I would consider it for sure. I think it IS formulated to keep ticks away!

Good morning all. I'm finally getting back into my routine after having had the grands for the weekend........takes a while to recover!

Mnem -- it sounds like you ended up having a great concert and getting hit on is a great compliment. Sounds like you're just out of practice -- I usually realize someone is trying to hit on me about an hour after I get home so you're not alone in missing some of the signals. On the garden, yes, the peaches actually come in. And they are so sweet and the juice just runs down so I tend to eat them outside. We have a mild growing season here so I can put in my onions and lettuce the same time I finally get around to putting in everything else. Back is fine -- I think I had a cramp in the muscle that has the sciatic nerve running through it -- went away after about 30 minutes.

Nancy -- hope that the leg swelling is a lot better this morning. How did the PT go? I keep thinking that I need to get into weight lifting, but so far my brain seems to be the only participant. I do strength training, but would like to do more weight training for the toning.

Wishfuiiy -- The ticks are really bothersome. While it's a pain to have to do it, you might want to put on some kind of strong repellant (like Deet) as there are some nasty diseases you can get from ticks.

This is my first really free week in ages, so I'm working on getting the endless mulch pile spread. I also want to make broccoli salad and need to really clean the floors in the house. But first to the gym and then the rest of the day will happen. Have a good one.

I did pick up a waist pack for walking that has a bottle holder with insulated bottle and a pocket big enough for my cell phone. I think this is the one: http://www.ems.com/product/index.jsp?productId=15326886

I haven’t used it yet because even though the swelling went down a bit (but not all the way – still working on my electrolyte balances), my knees really hurt yesterday. That was likely from all the manipulation from the physical therapist. She was amazing. Unfortunately I messed up my COBRA payment somehow and now I am waiting on an appeal to get my COBRA back before scheduling any more appointments. Argh. She gave me some exercises in the meantime and gave me a list of things to avoid. Hopefully that will help strengthen the right muscles.

Otherwise it has felt like a couple of days of comedy of errors. My refrigerator stopped working for no apparent reason. I flipped the breaker and eventually had to get to the plug which had just decided to stop working in its current socket. Luckily it was an easy fix. I totally messed up my eating yesterday and didn’t eat until after 5:00. Between the fridge thing and then a job interview in the afternoon I just spaced and then found myself totally ravenous. I then treated myself to some sugar free frozen yogurt that said it was sweetened with stevia, but had sugar alcohols in it (which make me really sick). Then I managed to leave my passport at the job interview. I also missed Zumba this morning because I left the house a few minutes late and then the highway was totally crawling. Sigh. It is a beautiful day though so I am going to go for a nice long walk by the water and try out my new toy.

Hi all! I'm still new here, but I can definitely use the support. I'm at 397 now, and I've just recently started trying hard to lose the weight. I've got a few obstacles in my way - partial thryroid removal three years ago, I'm diabetic, and I have a serious problem with binge eating.

I'm trying to exercise every day (difficult when you work full time and have a house to keep up, but I'm trying hard!), and eat less and better food. But I'm confused about how to eat, I swear! All these years of "eat no carbs," "eat only certain carbs," "eat 1200 calories a day," "eat x number of calories for your weight," and on and on and ON. I don't know how to eat to lose weight anymore! So frustrating!

I lost 2 pounds last week, but then in the past couple of days somehow I've put 3 pounds back on and I swear I haven't eaten more than usual. So frustrating.

Sorry, I had to vent!

Hi Lariet! Have you looked into something like MyFitnessPal? You should be eating calories based on your weight, that is correct, and it's also dependent on how many pounds you want to lose per week. MyFitnessPal calculates all that awesome stuff for you based on your weight and age. Also, I don't know if you're beginning to exercise as well, but I have found a few videos by searching Youtube that are sit down exercise videos for people that may have joint issues and other health concerns, at least to start with. The best way to start your weight loss journey, at least in my opinion, is to start out with a tool like MyFitnessPal and just document everything you eat. I don't get into weighing my food, I more so guestimate, but I'm usually over anyway. :)

There are plenty of nice and helpful people here, don't be afraid to ask!

Girl you come vent whenever you need to. I completely understand. I can tell you are frustrated but I have faith that you will make it through and do really good. I started using my plate on the livestrong website regularly and that has really helped me get a grasp on what I eat, how much and there is a place to record your activity and your water. I know there are apps and other things like it such as my fitness pal. I know it sure helps for me to write down everything I eat. I guess it make me more conscious. If you ever need to vent more message me and I will listen. I sure don't mind!

I am sorry, I probably have a silly question... I just read the last two posts and there were references to MyFitnessPal, and Livestrong...what are they? Are they diets? I have seen several people talking about MyFitnessPal, so I am curious as to what it is. Like Lariet, I am so confused! There is so much stuff out there, and I don't know which way to turn. For now, I am sticking to making a few small changes, but with a significant amount of weight to lose, I know I have to have some kind of overall plan to follow. Well I guess it takes time to figure all of this out. I figure it took me 43 years to gain all of this weight, so it is going to take me awhile to get it off...

Best of wishes for a great day tomorrow!

Both are websites... I am not sure about my fitness pal but I know on livestrong you can count your calories, how much you burn, keep up with nutrients and water intake. There are also a lot of articles there. I just found it a few years ago and started using it and stuck with it. However, now I am more religious about it, not just hit and miss. I think both of them have apps too. You can do a search on google and find them.

Don't ever give up because you can do this. I know it may seem overwhelming at first but you can. Best wishes!

Pam

Welcome to all the newbies!

I'm back and I survived the wedding. Well barely, that's why I'm just back now five days later! We had a torrential rainstorm for two days before, my jeep broke down (full of stuff to go to the hall) in said rainstorm, We decorated for 8 hours before the rehearsal, I got a really nasty sunburn during pictures, to the point where they were calling me rock lobster by the end of the night, and then we had tear down, gift opening, and two days of visiting with out of town family, topped off by my brother's birthday dinner. So long story short, I was so tired by yesterday that I went to bed at 6:30 and woke up at 8:30 this morning!

After the wedding (and like 3 days of no water and way too much food), I was up at 380. 5 of that came off last night, so I'm only about 2 pounds from where I was. Back to yoga tonight, I haven't been swimming because of the sunburn.

Oh, and I promised a picture in my dress:

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.n...29296862_n.jpg

So nice to see so many new posters on here.......helps to know that others are dealing with the same battles.

Nancy -- what a day!!!! :hug: I'm in awe that you kept such a positive attitude and were planning a walk with your new toy. I would have used it as an excuse to binge probably......do you think there's any correlation to my weight issues there? Hope the COBRA thing gets straightened out. I went through something similar when I retired but it did get straightened out.

Jane -- You look so beautiful in the bridesmaid dress!!!!! It sounds like an absolutely exhausting five days and the sunburn definitely sounds like something you could have lived without. Your taking yoga has gotten me to sign up for an inflexible/seniors class that hopefully they can get enough participants for. If not, I ordered a DVD that is a Yoga for HeavyWeights as well as a Pilates one. Pretty soon I'm not going to get anything done from all of the exercise!

I've got a lousy cold so spent a good part of the night in the recliner sleeping as that seems to make breathing easier. Couldn't use the bi-pap because my nose was so stopped up -- will move it to the chair tonight. Hopefully this will be gone by the beginning of next week. Other than that, still working on the endless mulch pile. Unfortunately the results are even better than I thought, so I'll keep at it.

Oh Radiojane, bless your heart! (Yep, I'm Southern.) Weddings are so stressful! I swear I probably gained about 10 pounds around mine three years ago - I was busting out of the dress, for sure. Ugh.

Thanks to everyone for the advice and support. I have begun exercising, and thankfully my joints aren't bad enough to preclude activity. I got up to 25 minutes on the elliptical the other night! So proud. Got into a funk yesterday, though, and didn't exercise, plus ate too much dinner. So I'm fighting a lot of guilt today.

Does anyone else have that problem? Just tons of guilt if you don't eat "right" or exercise one day?

Betsey Thankyou :) and yay on the yoga! Hope they get the class together and you ditch the cold soon

Lariet I for sure feel guilty, but the key is to "keep starting over". Good job on the eliptical!

Lariet, there are plenty of days I don't exercise. although my life isn't SUPER busy, school mentally drains me and I'm an insomniac. I'm half asleep half the week. what I do though is overcompensate for exercise, I'll do double the workout one day if my body can take it. I don't ever overcompensate for overeating though.

lariet -- You did 25 minutes on the elliptical???? WOW!!!!! That's amazing. I'm still working my way up on the dreaded elliptical and am only at 11 minutes. If you're able to do 25 minutes already, you're probably in better shape than you think. And, yes, I imagine we all go through the guilts or at least go through heavy wishing.

I did get signed up for the Yoga class yesterday, and the instructor seems very nice and understanding of some of the challenges -- including offering several different approaches to do each exercise depending upon your current capabilities. Just want these arthritic knees to move more easily.

And, it's on to another day of spreading the mulch. Yes, I'm still spreading and will be for a couple more weeks. I've got to get the garden finally planted this weekend and do other yard work, but I'm determined that in addition to the new me, I'll catch up on all of the house maintenance that has slipped because I just wasn't physically able to do it. I'm not sure that I'd call this an NSV, but I'm able to work now for much longer than I could before.

Lariet-that is so great about the elliptical...I don't even think I would be able to stand on one, much less move it for 25 minutes.

I have yet to do any kind of exercise. It is really hot here right now, we are expecting 106 tomorrow. Needless to say, my ankles and feet are very swollen and painful today...the AC is broken at the office and it was very swampy with the fans and porta coolers brought in. Anyway, I checked out a walking type DVD at the library, so I am going to suck it up tomorrow morning and give it a try.
Oh and thanks pvjw, I found the app for MyFitnessPal, and figured out what it was...so now I think it is going to be a good tool to use.

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

Haven't posted on this thread in like a week, but wanted to update. My back injury is feeling a little better, and though I haven't seen a doctor, I am going to attempt exercise tomorrow. I will definitely stop if I feel like I am doing more harm than good, of course. I have a pretty ambitious goal for end of August/ beginning of September and I'm losing time sitting around not trying to work out. It's stressing me out a bit.. which is also not good. I don't have insurance, so I can't go to a doctor. Just playing it by ear.

What is it with the elliptical? My husband kept preaching to me how much easier it would be than on the treadmill since it's low impact and what not. I tried it yesterday for 10 minutes and wanted to DIE! It hurt my knees so horribly it's not even funny. I thought it was more fatty friendly??

Good morning all. Hope everyone is having a great weekend.

Noggs -- 106!!!!! Cannot imagine trying to work in what had to feel like an oven even with chillers and fans. I'm even more impressed that you're going to take a walk (good for you!!) -- just hope it's early in the morning while the temps are still a little cooler. Hope you find that you really enjoy the walking as doing something we enjoy makes the exercise so much easier, doesn't it.

Alyssarof2012 -- glad you're back injury is doing better. Hope doing some exercise actually helps make it feel even better.

Wheezypi -- Another person who hops on the elliptical and is able to do a long work out immediately -- I'm in awe of your girls. Was the pain in your knees the knee joints or closer to the muscles/tendons running down your thighs. That's where mine hurt the first time, but that went away with doing the elliptical 5 days/week. Hope that it gets easier to use because it is definitely lower impact than a treadmill.

I tried on a bunch of clothes that I'd ordered yesterday to get me through the summer. The good news is that if I keep on plan, everything will be too big by the end of summer. That's also the bad news. I was able to order pants two sizes smaller and maybe could have gone 3 sizes. The tops are 2 sizes smaller and I definitely could have gotten away with 3 sizes smaller. But, I like things loose and everything is very casual here.

It was the joints in the knees for the most part. my thighs didn't hurt much at all. I guess I'll just have to keep going and keep trying. I sweated like a nasty pig though that's for sure!

betsy - I am definitely out of practice. We will see. I keep looking at myself in the mirror and reminding myself that at this point once more people see something other than what I see, but in the other way. Though I have so much loose skin right now, heh, ugh.

I'm glad your back is fine! Oh, you know, we have had a really mild summer this far except for a few bouts of 90 degrees but that will not last, but it would be neat to be able to plant lettuce et cetera at the same time as everything else. MY VEGGIES ARE DOING AMAZING. I'm so pleased. The tomato plants look great, the cukes are curling and climbing, I had no idea broccoli plants would get that big, and my eggplant plants have blooms and there are peppers on my peppers.

Hope the cold is getting better, and I think that is a TOTAL NSV. :) I have noticed I am SO much better in the garden now. It is great. Like I just don't get tired / need to rest like I did.

Nancy - I sincerely hope you week improved after the comedy of errors! How are you knees doing now?

Lariet - I have lost 150 lbs. The most important thing early in weight loss in my opinion is how you eat. Whatever method you choose is ultimately about CALORIES. Every method works by decreasing the calories you consume. You need to find one that suits your tastes and lifestyle.

I am a vegetarian and in order to keep myself full I have focused on eating more vegetables. I eat MANY vegetables every day. While I am not low-carbing (because: vegetarian), I have paid attention to getting in enough protein and make sure that my lunch and dinner are protein based (beans for lunch of some sort, usually). I don't shy away from carbs though.

PLAN PLAN PLAN for every contingency and don't buy anything that might tempt you. That's my initial advice. Exercise is good but FOOD is more important. Oh and either MyFitnessPal or the Livestrong website are great ideas.

Oh, and like Jane said: the key really is to keep starting over and to keep starting over immediately.

Jane - YOU LOOK SO GORGEOUS. Your skin is amazing and that color is spectacular on you. I think you re right, that dress is better with straps than it would've been strapless. It gives it a lovely frame.

wheezypi - haha, think about the motion you are using in the Elliptical, many more muscles I think because of the range of motion and the strength necessary. I have a treadmill at home (having it at home is so essential to my using it) so have never used a treadmill.

Noggs - hope the AC gets FIXED.

Alyssa - concur, glad you're feeling better!

Good morning all.

Wheezypi -- I know this is going to sound nuts, but I have a "favorite" elliptical at my gym. Favorite to the point of I'll modify the order of my exercise routine and wait until it is free. And, I hate to admit it, but to me, my favorite is the easiest to use! So, if you have the option of using several different ellipticals, you might try them all. Hope the knee pain goes away either way -- that's definitely no fun!

Mnemosyne -- I'm so envious of all the stuff you're already getting in your garden. Yes, it is nice to be able to plant tomatoes and lettuce at the same time, but that also means that it takes FOREVER for the veggies to actually start producing around here. Everything usually comes in about the time I've scheduled a trip some place! :o

Great advice on dieting tips -- they're good for all of us.

Noggs -- Is the AC fixed? I don't even have AC in my house, but have lived in the Midwest and the South where it was turned on in March and ran continuously until November. Hope it's resolved sooner than later.

I went down to the garden spot yesterday to begin the planting only to realize that since the garden was tilled several weeks ago that it had rained constantly for a two week period, and it needed to be tilled again. And, then it has to be raked. So, I did that, got some brush from a kitty willow that blew over in a storm cleaned up, watered everything (it's obviously stopped raining), and decided that was enough for the day. I'm going down in a little while to spend the afternoon getting all the plants in the ground.

And tomorrow it's back to the dreaded mulching......

LOL to all - I'm not sure how impressive 25 minutes is when you're pedaling as slowly as I am! But hey, I'll take it.

Bad weekend, though. My husband left yesterday to spend a week with family in New York, and I didn't realized how bummed and lonely I'd be. I've binged really badly, and now I'm trying to get myself back into a good frame of mind to start over. AGAIN.

betsy2013, I feel your pain with the gardening! When we put ours in last year, I was so sick of looking at it by the time we got to mulching. But this year I have a massive blackberry bush with tons of berries, blueberry bushes, all kinds of veggies. It's so satisfying.

My twin sister, who is smaller than me by like 20-30 or so lbs, can't even do 2 minutes on the elliptical with no resistance. I do at least 15 with the resistance at 4. I don't know how that can be. I guess it's in how strong our muscles are and our tolerance level. The moment she feels something she wants to get off. That's probably it. She's just not used to the feeling. lol

Today I took some "before" shots. Just wanted to get those out of the way while I'm still relatively close to my starting weight. I also think not taking those pictures was holding me back. Like I felt like I couldn't move on totally until I had everything about my starting point documented.

Working out went okay. Wasn't able to workout very long before I felt my spine was going to snap (maybe about 15 mins). I'll just keep pushing.

@lariet50 - Aw, that sucks.. Try writing down your motivation and goals. That helps me redirect my mind. You can do this!

Good morning from a very cloudy and overcast Northwest.

Lariet -- Sorry you've got the blues from your husband being gone. Try to think of a few things that you can do to pamper yourself while he's gone -- spa day, mani/pedi, read a book, talk to an old friend, etc. It's hard to have your normal routine interrupted, but also makes us appreciate them more.

And thanks for the encouragement on the endless gardening and yard work. It will all pay off. Must be patient. Must be patient. Must be patient.

Alyssarof -- I'm impressed that you're up to a level 4 resistance. I've been on the danged thing now for about 2 years and have gone up and down on my capabilities depending on the health crisis du jour. But I'm still at level 1.

Hope you're able to keep working out, but appreciate the need to moderate it.

Lariet, you weren't alone being in binge mode yesterday. Don't know what happened, but the garden still isn't in (definitely needs to happen today), I ate pop chips which wouldn't be bad, but I think the half container of sour cream might have been not on plan. Back to it today -- just an off day and I have to accept that this will happen from time to time.

betsy - haha, well, thus far the only thing I've harvested are herbs. I made a red lentil soup yesterday with a bouquet garni of greek basil, lemon balm and thyme from the garden. I suppose I COULD pick a few peppers but I want them to turn red. That always takes forever. :)

Oh, and yes. Off days happen. Sunday is my 'planned' off day. Hah. Though usually only in the evenings, I always have a glass of something and real dessert and whatnot on Sundays.

lariet - starting over is the hardest and most important part. Just remember that and make that commitment to yourself and you'll be fine. I agree with betsy that you should find something to do to take your mind off. Spa day is great, even at home. Slice up a cucumber and soak your feet and do a mud mask and paint your nails. Go for a walk? It'll be great.

alyssa - yeah, it is hard to tell the difference between 'tough it out' pain and 'oh-I-need-to-stop' pain, and if you can that'll really help with exercising. It sounds like you can and maybe your sister can't!

--

SOOO, I measure sometimes, not regularly, I don't have a chart. BUT, my NSV this weekend was measurement related. When I started my bra band size was 48. I was a 48 G.

Now, my underbust measurement is 37 (am still wearing size 40 H bras, and need to go shopping). Anyway. Total! bust measurement is 46-or-so. AKA: even with H-cups, my total bust measurement is now lower than my old bra-band size. The bra-band size I was wearing this time last year. (And honestly, there was a time when I work a 50-DDD or G.)

I am looking forward to the moment when my waist is under 40", but we still aren't there yet. :)

Mnem Thank you so much! My skin was NOT gorgeous by the end of the day. The sunburn I got was horrendous!

I had another tooth pulled today, plus two fillings, so I'm finding it extremely challenging to hydrate, but at the same time, I know it's more important than ever to have my body up to snuff. They ended up having to do a surgical extraction (after three people yanked on my jaw all morning), so I'm on amoxil as a precaution. I hate taking antibiotics :( I've been on them four separate times in the last 18 months, either for tonsilitis or tooth infections (which should be gone now that the last bad one has been yanked), and they always screw up my system. Then again, I'd rather not get a gum infection!

I'm taking bromelain supplements and drinking cooled cranberry tea because they're supposed to aid healing, and I made sure I went swimming and I keep getting up and walking around, because I know when the pain hits I'm going to want to wallow.

Hello everyone...
It has been a crazy few days for me, but now things are going better and sorta back to normal. We had the hottest weather here on Saturday, so I did not leave the house. But, I did about 15 minutes of a walking DVD I checked out at the library, and I was able to do the same last night. Today was my first day using My Fitness Pal, and I stood in the calories assigned to me...kind of crappy what I ate, but within the limits. This week, I am going to focus on staying in the calorie limits, and next week really begin to look at what I am eating.

Wishing everyone a wonderful Wednesday!

Good morning all. Hope everyone is having a great hump day.

Jane -- love your new picture!!!! Your dental work sounds horrible and I'm amazed that you're out there swimming and still staying focused. Hope you don't get clobbered too much from the antibiotics and the pain. And, like you said, I hope this is the end of this struggle.

Mnem -- Great NSV on the bra measurements. 11 inch change is tremendous!!!!!

I'm still in yo-yo mode, but am sticking with this which is a huge change for me. Don't know what's causing this yo-yoing, but some part of my body evidently is just in love with the 340s and doesn't want to ever leave them. Well, get over it, because they're going to be in the rear view mirror if I have to do something drastic! :carrot:

For some unknown reason, I decided that inviting the entire family here to celebrate Father's Day was a good idea so I started cleaning yesterday. In the past, I've taken 3 days to get it done mainly because I just couldn't physically finish it in one day. Well, I got through the dusting and wanted to stop. But I realized that I wanted to stop because I HATE cleaning, not because I was tired. So I got the kitchen done which is a lot of wiping down and polishing. And wanted to stop because I HATE cleaning (are you getting the theme here?). But I went ahead and got all 3 of the bathrooms done. I did allow myself to stop at that point because it was supper time and the floors do take a couple of hours to do. That's on the agenda for today along with the laundry. But, I wasn't tired and no aching feet this morning.

NOTE: In reading this, I realized that I had posted responses to several ladies who are in the 50+ thread on here. So I just edited but want to let you know that if you feel you are losing your mind, at least you have company. Now if I could just lose some weight to go with it!

Noggs I think it's a good idea to take things a week at a time. It worked really well for me in the beginning. Good luck!

Betsey I know how you feel, my body seems pretty stoked to stick in the 370's lately! I get where you're coming from on the housework. I used to have to take a break every five minutes it seemed, and the trash would pile up on the deck waiting for my boyfriend to come home because I couldn't face the stairs to take it down. Yesterday, I cleaned my jeep out and hauled all the stuff up out of it, and I didn't feel any adverse effects.

Not too much pain this morning, hoping to keep it that way.