300+ Chat Thread March 2016
 

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!

In yet another of the recurrent problems with this site, my post was deleted. No time to redo. Anyone know how to contact the administrator to let him/her know about all the problems?

Betsy— I saw your posting on the admin thread: 'hope you'll get some answers! One thing I noticed is that a few weeks ago they introduced a new version of the site with a whole new look & feel. I hated that version, so I clicked around until I saw a link on the right to "Full Site." That took me back to the old version, and I've stayed here ever since.

What I do is keep a tab open to 3FC in my browser. Even when I close the browser and open it again, the tab is always there. Do you have that option? I haven't had to log into the site in so long I can't even remember. And, as I already mentioned, I'm using a browser with Ad-Block, so no ads...

As for losing your post, did you try choosing "Select All" (Ctrl-A on a Windows machine) and then "Copy" (Ctrl-C)? That puts your text in the clipboard, which is independent of what application you're using, let alone what website. Then, if you lose your posting, you can just "Paste" (Ctrl-V) the text back into a new posting box. That won't prevent your repeatedly losing your posting, if that's what's happening, but at least you won't have lost what you wrote.

'Hope all that isn't annoyingly obvious... =smile=

Hi everyone.

Tootsieroll, thank you for starting the March thread. How are you?

Donna, congratulations on losing again this week. You're doing so great. My weekend cheating has added a few pounds,but I'm working to get those off and keep going. Are there any lambs yet?

Porthardygurl, sorry about the gain. Stress can do that. It will come off.

Sam, it sounds like you love your downstairs neighbors about as much as I love my upstairs neighbors. They are a young couple with a two year old who constantly runs from one end of the apartment to the other on hardwood floors. The parents are also quite heavy on their feet and loud, without regard for those that have to listen to them. I hope you were able to get in some type of workout.

Fi, I'm glad to hear you had a better day yesterday. I hope your session with Mike goes well today. Did you drive there?

Betsy, glad to hear the afternoon snack is working for you. I always have morning, afternoon and evening snacks, depending on how close together my meals are, but they are almost always something with protein, or some fruit or veggies because of the satiety factor. Sorry you are having issues with the site. I don't know how to contact the administrator. Sorry. When the ads started showing up I downloaded Google Chrome with ad blocker, and actually like it much better than Internet Explorer (what I was using). I now use it as my main browser for just about everything.

I used my treadmill yesterday,:tread: but was only able to do fifteen minutes before my legs were aching and numb. Yes both. I'm going to use it again later today and hopefully for a little longer.

DH and I are going out to lunch today at Panera (if he ever gets his butt in gear) then we have a few errands to run, including the supermarket. I hate shopping for anything, but love food shopping. I have a chest freezer that currently has enough food in it to feed a small army, yet I keep on buying more. Cabinets are full to overflowing, but every week I need to take advantage of my supermarket's sales. I think it may border on sickness lol. If the freezer ever stops functioning it will be one heck of a block party! :D

I hope you all have a great day!

I did it i did it i did it!!! OMG I am jumping off the walls today!!!! 221.0 That means that according to my BMI and my weight tracker..... I am no longer OBESE!!!! I am officially just "overweight"!!!! Its been 16 years since ive been in that category. I was 14 the last time i was just overweight. Wow!!!!!! I am soooo happy. I am going to celebrate by going surfing for the first time ever!! Wahoooooo

Betsy It's getting quite annoying with these changes that aren't helping people with being able to post without issues. Hopefully we get it all fixed soon.

Cindy Can't say I'm a fan of the downstairs neighbor. When she first moved in I tried to say hello when I saw her and was going to introduce myself but she turned her nose up to me like she was better than me or something. I don't know but she didn't even say hello back and she looked right at me so I know she heard me. I am a one impression type of person. If you are going to do that to me at first impression then that's it, you don't get a second chance. So I have never said anything to her again after that even if she tried to be pleasant and say hello. Maybe that's cold of me but eff that! It's me, DH and my BIL that are in our place and we are all very considerate on how hard we walk, not being loud after a certain time, and not making noise too early in the morning because we expect that same respect. We know we're on the top floor so that makes it even more to make sure we don't make too much noise. I've been on the bottom floor and it sucks which is why I asked to be on the top floor. She has turned us in multiple times to the front office because of our loudness, ie: me working out, DH playing his guitar and that we stomp around. In our lease it says that we can't be loud after 9PM. Apparently she isn't ok with us being able to live our lives unless it's walking around like a mouse. I actually had to go to the front office and talk to them about this because we got a note on our door right after Christmas and we were out of town. They aren't worried about us they said, we have lived here for 6 years and have never paid late, and if we did we made sure to include a late fee. She has been nothing but rude to the people who run our complex. Talked to them like they were a piece of crap because our toilet over flowed in the middle of the night once, and it was their fault that she got water damage in her apartment. It was an accident and we didn't know it was going on until it had already flooded down the hallway. I could go on about this but I think you get the picture I've painted with this lady.

Thank fully she isn't here right now LOL!!! I did end up doing the Turbo Sculpt video last night which was quiet enough so I wasn't jumping around the place. Just finished my protein shake and am going to do a Turbo Jam video since it isn't so fast paced. My legs are pretty sore with the work I've done in the past 3 days. Tomorrow I will rest although it's my errand running day so I won't be getting full rest. DH is getting the sinus headache...We're starting to get pollen here already. I wanted to go on a walk while the weather was pretty but he suggested I stay inside so that I don't have to worry about getting sick from all the pollen. I'm taking his advice only because I know if I start walking I'll end up doing too much and feel like crap tomorrow lol...I was already planning for at least 5 miles.

Anywho! I'm off! Take care all and be healthy!

Hi all. Haven't posted because I'm mad at myself. Back up to 296. My inner old lady is scolding the inner child. I don't know what my deal is. Intellectually I know what to do. Stop eating junk. Stop drinking sodas. Stop drinking sugar with my coffee. Move around. I keep going back to the dumb habits that got me into this situation.

Cindy— I've been wanting to tell you I really liked what you said to Betsy when you characterized weight loss as "a project and a process." The sentence that especially struck me was, "You know when you start a project and it seems daunting, like you will never finish it, yet you keep diligently working at it, and one day you finish it." That took me straight back to a book I read a few years ago, before I started my weight loss journey: 59 Seconds by Richard Wiseman. It's a striking little book that's like a digest (what can be said in 59 seconds) of all the scientific studies on about a dozen topics that people buy self-help books about: relationships, happiness, creativity, stress, and so on. The section that I made a beeline for was on motivation, because I felt like my motivation for losing weight, and my will to accomplish it, were both so flimsy, they would blow over in a strong wind. Wiseman lists exactly what people who are successful in accomplishing big daunting projects do. I don't remember all the items, but they include (1) have a step-by-step plan (i.e., mini-goals), (2) go public: tell other people what you intend to do, (3) give yourself rewards for achieving each mini-goal, and (4) record your progress in some tangible way (like in a journal or on a chart). That little list is why I joined 3 Fat Chicks: I needed a place to go public and to post my mini-goals. And it's why I set up the graph on my fridge, updated with each monthly weigh-in and printed out again. I've been kind of slack about giving myself rewards, but I do try to buy some little thing that will make me happy, like a new pair of earrings, when I pass significant milestones, like dropping below 300 lbs. Anyway, Cindy, I appreciate your jogging my memory about that book. I just may read it over again. And by the way, you are rocking your mini-goals, girl!

Porthardygurl— Way to go! That is just AWESOME that you are no longer obese! Do tell us all about your surfing adventure: that sounds like a top-notch reward!

Tootsie— Awww, hon, I'm thinking about you tonight....maybe you should set up a mini-goal, like giving up sodas, or losing just 10 pounds. And then give yourself a little non-food reward after you accomplish it. Just a thought... =caring facial expression=

I don't have time to say much about my day, because it was a busy one and now I need to do my leg exercises, but yes I did drive to my app't with Mike and I drove back again. Not only that, but I drove to my familiar post office on the way home, wheeled myself in, waited in line, and got a collage postcard—all addressed and decorated on the back with cool stamps, for a gal in England—hand-cancelled.

You see, my art is not just collage: it's mail art, a process in which I give away all my originals by putting them in the mail. And getting those pretty stamps hand-cancelled, with the nice round red rings, is a key step in my mail art. Before my Big Disaster in early 2015, I went to the post office to do just that, some 3-4 times a week. Because mail art is a performance art—my waiting in line is part of the art, and so is the collaboration with the U.S. postal system in the creation of the art—which isn't finished until that collage postcard is in the hands of its recipient. And guess what: today was the first time I've been to that post office, in nearly a year! I know all the clerks there, I've even given them little gifts, so when they saw me in the wheelchair, they were all solicitous and sweet, asking, "Are you OK?" and saying "We missed you." =ahhhh=

I just can't say it strongly enough: that little trip to the post office gave me as much, if not more, of a sense that I'm getting my life back as driving my car again. =wide grin=

Whew! All 600 leg raises with my left leg, and then I worked both knees, plus a long round of slow stretching of my poor crooked legs. I am fagged! Now I have ice packs on both knees, and I'm listening to the mighty Led Zep. =mmmmm=

Hello all!!!

I am new here. DEcember 2014 i weighed 360lbs, by september 2015 i weighed 293 lbs....then i went on vacation and i got very lax on my diet and fitness routine...and now i weigh 320....and im having a hard time getting back on track....anyone have any helpful tips on getting back on track with weight loss....

Rayne: Don't do what I did. I lost 35 poundd last year, emotionally ate, now I'm back up to 296.
My winning formula from before: Make small changes-each one adds up to a big change. For instance, I weaned myself off of sugar by taking out a 1/2 teaspoon at a time, until I was just using creamer. Replace one soda with a glass of water, then a couple of days later, replace another soda with water. Keep repeating until the liquid calories are gone. Even sugar-free sodas aren't good for a person because studies show that they increase cravings. I allowed myself a treat so long as it fit in my calorie budget-No food was off limits so long as I controlled portions. That being said, there are certain food items from my childhood -specific brands- that I can not trust myself with. I didn't bring them into my house.

It's easier not to put the calories in to begin with, but exercise is still important. I've found that exercise dampens my appetite. I started slowly, moving a little, then gradually increased my movement. I like the Leslie Sanson Walk At Home videos. I like the gym for weight lifting, but prefer not to have people staring at me while I'm doing cardio. There for a while, I was living at the gym and missed my spouse and kids.

Tootise: I havent had a single Soda since 2014 when i started. and i have been using just creamer in my coffee for about 4 months now... my problem is the fitness part im just not motivated...i dont know why....i used to love working out but lately i just dont feel like doing it. The apartment complex where i live has a fitness room...and they just put a lot of brand new equipment in there so i kinda been a lil itchy to get down there...but everyone in the office can see in there...and im not comfortable with that so i have to go either before they open or after they close...i just gotta bite the bullet and do it...i feel the first time i get back at it ...all the motivation will come with it....plus i dont really have anyone to talk to. my husband has lost 100+ pounds and he just keps telling me what im doing wrong...its annoying.

I just kind of fake it. There will be a lot of days when you don't want to. Just tell that annoying little kid "I don't wanna" voice to shut up, and just do it. Yeah, I quoted Nike.

Sorry to read about your husband. Guys don't understand. Everyone's journey is different. What works for him may not work for you. That being said-if what he does works, maybe you should try to copy him. There's no shame in that.

Don't worry about what people think. I know that it's difficult, but I've found that I'm the one that's self conscious. Some people will be *******s-no matter what-whether you're skinny/fat, plain/pretty, they will make fun of you. I've found, for the most part, others are kind, and willing to lend a hand when you need it. Remember that some of those people in the office could have been fat, but they reached their goal, so they might know how you feel. If you're going to be lifting weights, bodybuilding dot com has free training schedules and nutrition plans. I got through most of Jamie Eason's LiveFit Trainor. I never expected to be cut, but muscle does help burn fat, so I figured it couldn't hurt to try. I really liked that plan. I felt strong. I quit because I was living in the gym.

RayneStorms— You might want to take a look at what I wrote to Cindy yesterday, especially the short list of key features of successful longterm projects of all kinds. Mini-goals are important! If you can, try not to hold your whole future weight loss in your head. For 300+ folks, it's a long journey, so think of it as like a long hiking trip, or a road trip, where each day has so much going on that you don't obsess about the eventual destination. Focus on the process, one day at a time, and give yourself little non-food rewards for accomplishing each mini-goal.

And above all, make use of this community. Post every day if you possibly can, whether things are going well, or not. You will find the people here (all gals right now) to be amazingly good listeners to any kind of issue at all, not just weight loss. All issues that affect us emotionally affect our eating and exercise behavior, so nothing at all is off-topic.

And when you feel comfortable with doing so, tell us more about yourself: how old you are, what you do for work, family issues, husband issues, hopes & dreams, whatever comes to mind. We look forward to getting to know you, because the better we know you, the more supportive we can be. =smile=

I'll say it again: posting every day, or nearly every day, makes a BIG difference. You don't have to respond to us as individuals (called "personals") until you know us better, and have the time and the mental space to do so. Nor do you have to reply to everyone, ever. Look at what other people are posting to see the range of possibilities. Just say what's up—in a sentence or two, or at length. We want to hear all of it.

Good luck!

As for myself, I'm hoping to make a collage today, despite the fact that the upstairs hallway is so blocked with crap from the window installation, I can't get my wheelchair down to my studio. =sigh= But I've carried some essential supplies downstairs, and have stacks of magazines to clip images from, so if my mood stays chipper, I should have a new artwork by the end of the day. It's been a while since I made one, so I'm itching to get at it!

Just popping in for a good morning. Will write more later. I've got a hair appointment to get a much needed cut and, of course, I overslept this morning. Have a great day!

Hi everyone.

Porthardygurl, awesome job on no longer being obese. That is quite an accomplishment. I hope you enjoy surfing.

Sam, it's hard when you have rude, inconsiderate neighbors. We speak to ours only to say hello. Their daughter is adorable and of course I don't expect a toddler to be quiet, but it would be nice if the adults tried to be a little quieter. Our landlord doesn't even like them, but has no basis to evict them. I'm glad your neighbor is not home often enough that you can get your workouts done at home.

Tootsieroll, tell your inner old lady to be kind to your inner child. She has been scolded enough. You can do this. You do know what to do. Take a deep breath and then eat something healthy. It's a start. You give such sage advice to the rest of us. Apply it to yourself. A slip, a binge, a gain - not the end of the world. Every day, every meal is another chance to get it right.

Fi, I'm glad I could help jog your memory. :) I just checked out that book on Amazon and do believe I am going to buy it. I think my view on this whole weight loss thing is actually rather simplistic, but if I look at it as a project (or process - per my quote in my signature) it seems to work for me. With mini=-goals I try to break it down into manageable segments, which reminds me that I need to set some new ones. I'm hoping your legs are working today after doing so much yesterday.

Raynestorm, welcome. Tootsieroll gave you some good advice. Start with some small manageable changes. Eat a healthy lunch or substitute a healthy snack for something you may be eating now that isn't so healthy. Track your food, set a daily calorie limit and stick to it for a day, then do it again. And stick with us. You will find lots of helpful tips and wonderful people here.

Today is the day, one year ago, that I started this weight loss journey. It makes me a little sad that as of last summer I had lost 45 pounds and now, because of a regain, I've only lost 25 pounds. :( But I know it could be a lot worse. In the past when I have regained I have regained everything and then some, and most likely would have given up trying by now. The good news is that I haven't given up and I'm not going to give up. So there lol.

I had a nice lunch yesterday with DH and did not overdo it. I ordered a cup of black bean soup and half a chicken Caesar salad, and when I was asked what kind of bread I wanted I said none. I had to actually repeat that a couple times because she didn't seem to comprehend "none". :) I felt good about my choices and I was satisfied, although I make a better black bean soup. DH says so too. ;)

I didn't walk on the treadmill yesterday. By the time we got home after running all the errands it was practically dinnertime. Also, I developed a pain across the top of my left foot that only seems to hurt when I walk. I was hoping it would be gone by today but no such luck. If it feels better later I will try to do some walking.

I hope you all have a great day!

Cind- Good for you for making better choices today. I know it can be hard when you have to look back at the end of another year of weight loss and feel like you havent gotten far but at least you are 25 lbs less then when you began. A loss is a loss is a loss. Count the small stuff. It has value too!

Rayne Many people have told me that weight loss is 90% diet and only 10% exercise. Just like... :you lose weight to look good. You exercise to stay fit. Point is: if you are struggling with your diet..dont worry about the exercise right now. It will come later. Focus on tightening up your food intake and choices. I like what Einstein once said, " The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results". If the way youve been doing things isnt woring for you..then try a different way and keep looking till you find the sweet spot

Sam I can commiserate with you on the neighbor issue. I grew up living next to a Jamaican guy who smoked pot constantly and let his kids destroy not only his yard but ours too. He was just downright rude and stoned at the same time. Ugh!! Sorry you are dealing with the rude neighbours..you shouldnt have to deal with that crap.

Tootsie Compassion is a hard thing to have for yourself when you struggle to love yourself but its so important. It was my aunt who taught me that. She said if nothing else, have compassion on yourself. Too many people are busy judging us anyway and we have spent so long being hard on ourselves. Its time to have compassion.

Fi I am so impressed and amazed with your ard work these days. You have really grabbed the bull by the horns. I knew there was strength in you! Awesome job! So happy to hear your feeling better.

Well good morning everyone,

Life just keeps on getting more and more exciting. I received my package in the mail for the counselling college that im applying to! I am recording more in the studio. Originally i was going to be on 2 songs for the guy who is making the album but he has deided now that he would like me to do harmonies for all of his songs. That means my voice will be on all his songs. I will be on a whole album!!!! Wahoo! And even better..a radio station! Im going to be going surfing in a couple weeks when my dh gets his cast off. Its the way i wanted to celebrate my 30th birthday.

Lots of positives that im looking forward to. In other news though..my friend is still dealing with her 3 kids. Thankfully her mom is here. But sadly she has decided not to go to Vancouver where her family is so we have no idea who will be taking care of the kids. Hopefully not me! I feel like ive warned her.

And you know the other thing. I feel used. I feel like people become my friend but only to use me. I feel taken advantage of. I have these 2 other friends who are now engaged. I havent seen them in a month and i see them for the first time yesterday and they say "hi hows it going" "oh thats good...yah so could you make us a gluten free dairy free wedding cake?". I wanted to scream because these so called friends have done nothing but ask me for favors and help and its like "what am i? Do i have a sign in my back that says "ask me!". Its getting really really frustrating. Like really!!! I just want to say "no i will not help you..do it yourself".

My rant for the day lol..Now i can go swim it out..

Port: Congrats on being a vocal on an album. I used to sing. I liked doing karaoke for fun. I'm a mezzo-soprano. I started as an alto, but I used to do vocal exercises every day. I sang in choirs through my high school years-two years in a choir that I had to audition to be in-most seniors didn't make it-I made it in my junior year. My junior year, about a quarter of the way through the year, my teacher made me do scales and found that I could hit a B flat, then he moved me to the sopranos. It was weird because I knew the alto part for the songs we were singing, so I had to relearn the songs. There were 75 people in my class. They were all watching me like, "What just happened?". It was rare for anyone to be moved. I miss that choir. We went to a national competition and got a first superior-a perfect score.

Crabby about my legs: just now I went to the bathroom and had to use handholds. I'm not supposed to need them anymore. Betsy, it's not really true that I have one good day followed by several bad ones. I had a 3-4 week depression earlier in the year, so it may have sounded like that, but these days I have a mix of good & bad moments most every day. All my life I'd had problems with mood slumps in the afternoon. It's afternoon right now, so this is when I tend to cheat on my diet by having extra muesli, and this is when I give in to feelings that I will never walk again. I should swear off posting here between 1 PM and 6 PM, but as you can see, I haven't done so yet.

I still think Mike and I collude with each other to act like I'm making more progress than I am. It's perfectly understandable: we like each other a great deal, we each have fascinating things to tell the other person, so it's a lot more fun to talk about everything under the sun and make my miniscule achievements sound like big ones. Yesterday toward the end of the session he got off on a tangent and went looking on his laptop for a list he'd found of the 1590 people who've registered to run for President, so he could read off some of their funny names, ranging from "This is a Fake" to "Donald Trump's Hairy Ballsack." It took him a long time to find the list, like five minutes, so I got bored. So I stood up behind him and started doing Qi Gong movements while standing up, which I haven't been able to do since the Big Disaster. He wasn't so focused on finding that dumb list that he didn't notice, so he looked over his shoulder, said "Great!" and gave me such a big, warm smile I just melted with pleasure on the inside.

But what did all that achieve, in terms of my rehab? Not much. I had gone in determined to talk about my failures at practice walking, but when I described them, Mike praised me lavishly for my force of WILL, comparing me to the tough guys at the V.A. Hospital where he teaches classes. Now all along, ever since I started this rehab in September of last year, I have been saying, "I'm not ever going to be one of those dudes who come across as rehab heroes. I'm not a rehab hero!" By that I meant that I wasn't going to be able to keep pushing forward through extreme pain, that I was going to need serious pain control, like opiates, to get through this. Well no one, not even my chronic pain doctor, has seen fit to give me anything that diminishes the pain, and yet I persist in trying to walk. I think that brands me as a masochist and/or a crazy person, not a rehab hero.

And no, unfortunately, I don't have access to medical marijuana. I live in Maryland, not DC. DC is supposed to have approved medical marijuana, but Bob says he heard the approval process got jammed up in red tape and opposition. Maryland does not have medical marijuana. I don't know if I could get it even if I found a DC doctor prescribing it, when my residence is in Maryland. =sigh= It makes me furious to think I can't get ahold of some marijuana, legally or otherwise, but it's not easy for a 61-year-old person to make that sort of connection, even if I could walk. I've hated this problem since before I got disabled, since I'm one of the minority of older people who get along very well with marijuana: it doesn't make me paranoid or make me freak out, and I smoked enough of it during my twenties and thirties that I know exactly how many hits to take (like two—that's all I need) to get a very light buzz that lasts for hours, doesn't interfere with my doing things, and in fact enhances my creative pursuits. So if it could help my legs, jeez, it's just all the more infuriating...

End of negative talk. I apologize, y'all. I am now officially swearing off posting in the afternoon!

OK. I give up. Just typed for over an hour and it is again out in cyberville. So, just rest assured that I had some absolutely brilliant contributions to the thread that are lost and lots and lots of positive things to say about all of us. I'll try again tomorrow, but if this doesn't get fixed soon it may be adieu time.

Checking in. Too tired for anything else. Work was terrible, will fill you in later. Going to bed.

Congrats Porthardygirl! My long term goal is to no longer be considered obese. I have been since I was a child!

Betsy— Arrrgggh! Please don't go away! Are you on the old version of the site? Are you able to make a copy of your posting before it gets lost? What kind of machine do you have, and what browser? How do you have your cookies set? Surely something can be done so at least you don't lose what you're writing! If you can post to say you lost your post, why can't you copy what you wrote, paste it in a new box, and try again, since obviously you can still post? I feel so bad about this it makes me want to say that if you're leaving, I'm leaving, but I won't say that, because it would be obnoxious. But remember one time you said you "needed your Fi fix"? Well, I need my Betsy fix! Thanks to you, I investigated the medical marijuana situation in Maryland, and it turns out my doctors were wrong. Good news: medical marijuana became law in Maryland in 2014, and it's just taking a really long time to set up approved growers, patient ID technology, approved dispensaries, etc. But the prediction is that it will all come together no later than June of this year. Yay!

Second verse, same as the first. There's definitely something hinky going on with this site. I just typed in a post, was sure I was logged in, and still the post was lost. Right now I'm looking at the log in and it says that I am logged in and last visited at 7:40 this morning. OK, Fi, I give up. While it should be unnecessary, obviously I'm going to have to copy every post just to make sure that I don't end up constantly retyping them. I love this site -- particularly this thread -- and in fact I need it. But the lousy programming that was involved with the last maintenance plus the ad problem is ridiculous.

On that note, I'm not leaving, but evidently I am going to have to spend a lot of time making sure that I make copies of my posts.

Fi -- Glad to read that your research discovered that medical marijuana will be available soon. WA has had legalized pot for a few years now, and none of the dire predictions have come true. We have a much bigger problem with meth heads. Hope that it will help with the pain relief. I feel as though I owe you about 20 posts as you've been so helpful, kind, and supportive so please know that I'm not going anywhere and I appreciate you for you.

Porhardygurl -- Only with this group will you get a lot of atta girls for moving into the overweight category. That is a huge accomplishment and I hope you have time to have a little celebration. So much going on in your life!

Cindy -- You description of your food situation made me wonder if we're not related. I blame it on being raised by a mother who lived through the Depression; i.e., never pass up a sale. If it helps, I have a 5X8 pantry filled chock full, a smaller kitchen pantry filled chock full, a freezer......well you get the drift!

Donna -- You've been MIA for a few days. Hope everything is all right.

Sam -- So sorry for the horrible day at work. Hope that today is better.

I know I'm omitting a few of you and I'm sorry for that. Just running out of steam with trying to get a post accepted.

On my diet front, I've worked out a schedule that seems to allow me to get things done (which helps on the attitude front) and keeps me from going on an afternoon sugar binge. Breakfast at around 10 in the morning followed by the daily trip to the gym. When I get home, I do housework or chores and then have my snack at 2. I'm good until supper at 5:30 and then I'm done for the day. Not saying that I don't still have cravings because I do. And eating in the evenings had evidently become a BIG habit because it's really hard to resist it. But, it's easier knowing that I've gotten through the whole day on plan. Don't know that it would work for everyone, but thought I'd share.

OK, I'm going to make a copy of this and try to submit it again.

Doing a test to see what works. Sorry

Hi everyone.

Porthardygurl, , your life does sound exciting, and now in a happier way than it has been lately. It really is ok to say no to people who ask you to do things you don't want to do. I think that helpful people are always perceived as people who never say no, but it is ok to say it.

Fi, if we lived closer I could get you marijuana of the illegal kind. I don't smoke it, not since my twenties, but I have grandchildren who do. I am glad that you discovered medical marijuana will be available in your state very soon.

Caldawg, I have always been obese too, but we're on the right road to change that.

Sam, I hope today is a better day for you.

Betsy, I am so glad you aren't leaving us, but also sorry you are having such a difficult time with posting. I hope your situation gets rectified soon. My parents lived through the depression as well and I seem to have inherited the food hoarding trait (if there is such a thing). I am glad that you found a diet plan that's working for you.

Well, today I am finally back to my ticker weight after my two-day binge last weekend. Two days to gain it - four to lose it. That just doesn't seem fair but that's how it goes. My foot is somewhat better today so I will walk later. Meanwhile I need to do some housework, and divide and freeze the meat I bought the other day.

I hope you all have a great day!

Apologies to everyone else for the drama here....

Betsy— Thank you for reassuring me that you're not leaving! When you said that, it got me so upset, on a day when my legs are hurting bad, that when I hadn't gotten any better after an hour or more, I decided to cancel on Mike today. Bob has talked me out of doing that. Since September of last year, I have only cancelled on Mike during a bad bug Bob and I both went through in November, and once during my recent depression. It would be just plain stupid to cancel on Mike because I'm angry about you and about my legs. My volatility due to pain and stress is not your fault, of course, but I need to say what IS exasperating to me, about your own stance: (1) not copying your postings and saying that doing so would cost you "lots of time"—unless you're posting from a phone, which I don't think you are, copying your posts in case you lose them is a matter of seconds; (2) not considering a different browser—Cindy switched to Google Chrome with ad blocker, and much prefers it to Internet Explorer (IE)—if you're using IE or even Firefox, it's possible the new version of 3FC is flaky with your browser (IE is famous for being flaky, as surely you know); (3) not using the link at the bottom of the page to go to "Full Site," which is the old version, which seems to be more stable—at least you haven't said that you've tried that.

Please, my friend, copy your posts until you solve this problem, and consider the options I've been suggesting. Computer hassles from time to time are as much a part of life as bad weather, and I'm sure you know that. Take some deep breaths, and try to make this one go away.

Oh, Fi, I didn't mean to upset you. As an old IT person (old in so many meanings of the word!), not understanding what is causing this problem is just driving me crazy – or crazier depending on what day of the week it is. But I definitely didn't mean to upset you as you've got enough to deal with right now.

And, I am actually typing this in Word, will save and copy and then paste into 3FC. I'm also already using Google Chrome and have been using it for several years. I can't find the Full Site at the bottom of the page, but maybe I'm just not looking in the right place.

In the meantime, I think I've figured out what is going on. Tootsie, if I'm off in left field please throw in your opinion or correct my thinking.

Background: I noticed that there seems to be no consistency in when I lose posts. I can be signed in and will lose a post. I can not have signed in, will start a post, and will get the whole thing typed, submit it and then get a message that I am not logged in. That makes sense but I also get the not logged in message even when I have logged in. There are two different logins. The “standard” one at the upper right side of the page and the Vbulletin one that appears when you've tried to post and “weren't logged in.” Additionally, when I would log back in sometime the post would be there and sometimes not. Additionally, it dawned on me that before the maintenance change that I could be logged in for days/weeks/eternity and never have to go through the login procedure. That definitely changed with the new version in that even if you don't log out, the system now automatically logs you out when you leave the system.

What I think is happening: When the maintenance was done, 3FC either went to a new service provider or else their current provider changed their pricing policy. I think what is now happening is that the site is being charged on a per user basis, and there are break points where if more users come online, there's more cost associated with that. In order to keep the per user cost down, the forced log off when you're leaving the site has been implemented. Additionally, I don't think they are charging for just browsing, but are counting users only when trying to post. And, a clocking mechanism seems to have been added so that if no activity is seen by a user within a set time frame – which appears to be between 15-20 minutes – then the person is logged off. Unfortunately, this occurs without telling them and thus when the submit button is pressed the post has been lost. Obviously this is only a problem for those of us who write really long posts – in our thread mainly Fi, Sam, and myself.

Solution: The ideal solution would be that 3FC would allow for longer posting time, but I understand the need to keep expenses down. So, I have Windows 10 installed which allows me to operate in split screen. Actually, Windows 7 and probably 8 allows this, too. So, I bring up the thread and put it on half my screen, open up Word on the other half. This allows me to read and respond to the posts at my own speed (and talk on the phone, get a refill on coffee, got to the bathroom and all the other things that seem to crop up). Then I save them and do a copy and paste in 3FC.

This will be my first test of this approach. Hopefully this will work!

Hello Ladies!!! ^_^

I feel like I should introduce myself. I am 31 years old no kids married for 9 years but been with my husband for 12 years. I work as a Customer Service Manager.

I have been over weight for all my life, and frankly im tired of it. lol

I love meeting and talking to new people!

Betsy— Thanks for your kind words: they mean a lot to me. Your analysis of the problem is way more sophisticated than I would've been able to do. Even though I was writing programs (Fortran, Basic, & Cobol =laugh=) in high school, had my first dial-up account (to an IBM 360 =another laugh=) in 1970, wrote programs in the early 1980s during a stint doing neurophysiology research, got my first personal computer in 1987, got on the Net in 1989, trouble-shot a kernel in order to get onto the text-only Web in 1995, and wrote my own HTML for a cluster of websites in 1996-8 (to my considerable amazement, they all still work)... I've never taken a computer course, never worked in IT, and haven't had to do any serious trouble-shooting (just the predictable minor hassles with balky software, security patches, & OS upgrades) in 20 years. We have 3 computers in our home network, including my own laptop with a Linux OS (having hated Windows to the point of boiling fury at times, boy, do I LOVE that, and I even know enough Unix/Linux commands to use its shell, too =big smile=).

However, when I got an iPad 2 on April 14, 2011, it quite literally changed my life—that's why I remember the date! I got it to make digital paintings with, and have had a good time doing just that, but little did I realize that my trusty iPad (with which I have always used a stylus, from Day One: fingers are stupid, not to mention very greasy, compared to the familiar lifelong skills you have with quickly moving a pen-like object around) would instantly become my everyday computer. What hooked me on it is the fact that I can easily use it while sitting or sprawling wherever I want, with two cats in my lap, anywhere in the house, anywhere that has WiFi (e.g., Starbucks) for the Web and email, but also anywhere else (like the farm, which doesn't have WiFi, which is quite relaxing) for writing, painting, taking photos, etc., etc. And it works just great as a Kindle, so I read lots of books on it, because our house is choked to the gills with paper books. I even did NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) on my iPad 2, writing 53,000 words with my stylus (fast!) in 30 days. (By the way, a silicone sleeve for the back & edges is essential: without it, the iPad would be slippery and hard to hold with one hand—not good at all. With that sleeve on, I can carry it around—up, down, anyhow—in my left hand while walking, dancing, you name it...)

In 2014 I wanted to move up to an iPad Air, mostly because it's lighter in weight while having the same-size screen—a much better screen in fact, in terms of resolution. I was so deeply emotionally attached to my iPad 2, though, I couldn't bear to part with it until I had someone to give it to who would never ever put a game on it, who would use it much the way I'd been using it, for creative/educational/musical/social pursuits. (The idea of just abandoning my beloved companion was completely unacceptable!)

Guess what: my great-niece Grace was the perfect person. Her parents were floored when I told them, and started gushing about how generous I was. They meant generous in a material sense, which utterly disgusted me! After fuming about that for a couple of days, I calmed down enough to explain to them carefully that material generosity—any kind of generosity, in fact—had nothing to do with it, that I needed to give my iPad 2 to Grace, and I needed for Grace to use it and bond to it as I had, or I wouldn't be able to buy an iPad Air! So indeed that happened, much to my immense pleasure. I wiped out all of my apps and stuff, we registered it to her, she gave it a brand-new name, and her mom bought her a case in her favorite color. And she's been using it for email, the Web, flash cards for studying Latin on the school bus, etc., etc.—every day, ever since. And her high school library has WiFi—howzabout that... (But I did have a little cry—not when Grace was around, of course—when my surgically-attached-to-me iPad2, named Longimanus for the species of shark that was the first thing I drew on it, died.)

So I bought an iPad Air at Amazon, which arrived in one day (free shipping), and named it Stella—because I'm very attached to stars, and I knew it would please Latin-loving Grace. I look at a lot of artwork online, so I really appreciate the higher-resolution screen. But even the iPad2 was always brighter and more artwork-friendly than any computer I've ever had. And of course Stella has on it everything (even my 53K-word rough draft of a novel) that Longimanus did.

I don't know why I told you all of this. I just felt like it, I guess. And it kept me from eating an extra serving of muesli. =laugh=

Back to your problem, Betsy, just briefly: Did the site appear to you with a different graphical interface? If so, click around on the site—perhaps going to the home page, I don't know—until you find a grey bar near the bottom of the page labeled something like "Full Site." That will take you back to the old version.

Why should you bother to look for the old version? Because I really think it doesn't have the same user-clocking characteristics as the new one, because I have not once been logged off the old version, nor have I ever lost a posting unless I made an obvious mistake, like closing the tab before hitting "Submit." (I did that once: duh....) Maybe I told you this long boring story about my history with computers and iPads, which took well over an hour to write, in order to prove that to you. I'm even going to throw caution to the winds and hit "Submit" now, without saving the text to clipboard. =grin= Which reminds me to ask you: writing your postings in Word is super-safe and all that, but wouldn't it be easier to just do Ctrl-A Ctrl-C? I'm puzzled that you're not doing that...

P.S. added after hitting "Submit": as you can see, it posted just fine.

Fi I hope the medical marijuana situation works out for you. During my years without medication for my bipolar disorder I used that as a means to help my symptoms. I still smoke now not just for help with my symptoms but for the way it makes me feel. It really calms me down when I feel really high strung. Too bad you don't live here I have connections ;)

Betsy Did I just hear a Ramones reference in your post??? I'm glad to hear you say you aren't leaving!!! I was really sad in that last post but can relate that it is getting annoying with this last update. If something doesn't get fixed soon I suspect a lot of people who use this site will leave. I really miss Ubee and can't afford to lose you too :)

Cindy Having a better day today, thank you. I feel your pain with 2 days to gain 4 to lose. I've been a good girl and not gotten on my scale but once this week to basically test a theory that I made up in my head lol

Rayne Hi!!!! Welcome!!! You have come to the right place for support in your weight loss journey! We are all here for one another and love having new people join our group!!! Tell us a little bit about yourself and how things are going with starting your journey when you feel comfortable. We are here for you!!!

So yesterday was terrible. Luckily I did not emotionally eat from it. I was at work, behind as usual with no one offering to help and my boss asked me about someone who as behind on a payment if I had called them to remind them of their payment. Anytime we get a cancellation notice on anyone's policy we call them to remind them to make their payment before it cancels as a courtesy. It's a nice thing to do for the customer but in the back of my mind I think of how no one calls me to remind me of my payments because I'm a responsible adult and know when bills are due..smh. Anyway! That's been a part of my job for a long time so it's no big deal. I didn't realize I had a note in my file that I needed to call this person because as I mentioned, was behind on new things coming into the office that my current clients I haven't been able to keep up with. I got snapped at for not calling them yesterday and when I said I'd call at that point, I get a snarky "good job". Of course this put me in an irritated mood. I didn't say anything and just went on about my day dropping everything that was pertinent that needed to be done, to appease my boss and do what she felt was more important like calling people about their payments instead of me making more money for the agency by selling more insurance policies =sigh=. At the end of the day I answered a call that would have gone to the other girl that works with me. I put the man on hold and told her what the call was about and she walked back to her desk to answer the phone, but at that time she asked me to wait just a second before I sent the call because her cell phone was ringing and needed to make sure it wasn't about her kids. My boss then yells as me to "send the damn call" in which case I replied I was just waiting since she asked me to hold on a minute, and then sent the call as she requested. At that point it was after 4PM when our office is closed and I am no longer getting paid to be there. My boss then decides to call me out and says "I don't know what this attitude is today, but it's stopping right now." The fire that was about to make my head explode had to be shoved down as best as I could. I didn't say one word. I turned my computer off, grabbed my stuff and said have a good night. We constantly walk on eggshells around her because of her bipolar actions. I am almost 100% she has bipolar disorder but does not believe in "modern medicine". She would rather take something that says "all natural" that is nothing more than a placebo. Anyway that ruined my entire day. I ended up talking with the other girl I work with that's in our other location for over an hour last night on the phone because of how upset I was. She really helped me calm down and made me feel better knowing it wasn't me and it was her. She is the one who helps me when she can when I'm really behind because she is not as busy in the office she is in compared to me. I really like her and appreciate her for all of her help and do whatever I can to make sure she knows how much I appreciate her. I don't like to take advantage of people so it really does make me uncomfortable when she insists on helping, but I've gotten to learn a bit that it's ok.

Today was a better day. I didn't get an apology...I don't think her pride would ever let her give an actual apology. She was overly nice to me today...maybe that's her way of saying sorry. For someone who is a very blunt, straight forward person with every single person she meets, whether it is good or bad, she has a real hard time accepting when she is wrong and making amends. It is always everyone else's fault. I learn to deal with it because I get paid well. I wish I got paid more because I know people who work in other cities and other areas in the industry get paid well for what I do, but in my town the money I make as an insurance agent is probably one of the highest paying jobs around here that doesn't require a college education. Everything is service industry here and people make the majority of their money is during the summertime. In the winter they have to either scrimp and save or do their best to hold on to any extra money from the summer in order to make ends meet and it sucks...been there, done that. I have a pretty good job despite her weird outburts and her being overly religious. I never talk about religion or politics with people, but I am ok to tell you guys that I am a free thinker. Its one of those things that you could get lynched in my town if that was still a thing, and it does make it weird working for a "Christian Agency" but I am polite and don't push my views on anyone although theirs are pushed on mine. That's just how it is here.

On the diet front everything is fine, no issues whatsoever. After work today I had to go pay my rent and do more shopping that I ran out of time for yesterday. That made me getting home super late to where I just couldn't muster up the energy to work out today, so that would be 2 days in a row for me. I'm ok with it, I will just make up for it this weekend. Instead of taking my usual rest day on Sunday I'll just have to get in some sort of exercise. I am hoping to see the scale go down this week. I have worked really hard with not drinking sodas. I did have one tonight but that would be the first this entire week and it was only because I was out and it was convenient. I bought me two 12 packs of flavored seltzer so that has helped me with wanting something bubbly. Trying to make sure I get in as much water as possible.

I'm so glad tomorrow is Friday....and I don't plan on doing one single thing that involves work Betsy. I don't do it every weekend but it has been helping me with playing catch up. But it seems you are right...It goes unnoticed so I don't see the point.

Take care my friends....thanks for always being here <3

Betsy— OK, this is important. I was wrong. The big grey bar labeled "Full Site" is only on the "Mobile One" version, which has a huge font and other idiotic-looking features that look like they're designed for cell phone users.

However, I found a way to toggle between three different versions. Look down on the bottom of the screen on the left for a small grey selection bar. On my iPad, it gives me the choices of "Mobile One," "vBulletin 3,” and "3FC Healthy Weight Loss Support Forums vBulletin 3 Style." The last one, with all those words, is the version I've been using, and it looks exactly like the version before all the changes, not like the "vBulletin 3" version at all.

If you can see that selection bar, and it gives you two choices, no matter what they're labeled, choose the one you're not on now: that should be the old version. And if you get flipped back to the other version for some reason—I've gotten flipped back to the "Mobile One" version a couple of times—just go back down to that small selection bar, and go back to the old version.

If—and I suppose this is a big "If"—you have that selection bar, and can stay on the old version, that should solve your problem.

And of course you can turn on ad blocker in Google Chrome to wipe out the ads. What I find in my browser is that having ad blocker turned on sometimes gives me a blank screen when I try to go to some site. It happens most often when I'm using Google to go shopping for a specific item, so before I do that, I just toggle my ad blocker off for a while. Then it's easy enough to toggle it back on after my shopping is done. If ad blocker gives me a blank screen any other time, more often than not I decide that site is not worth going to. I kinda feel like my ad blocker is protecting me from indiscriminate browsing to sites that are going to suck my info or something equally noxious. It never interferes with my going to the half a dozen sites that comprise the bulk of my online world. Way back in 2013, my favorite foreign language dictionary/editor/translator/resource (reverso.net) used to have those horrible "Lose Your Belly Fat" ads when I was trying to stay entirely within the French language for several hours. I was so ticked off by seeing English words at such times, I switched to a browser that blocks ads. Whew!

I sure hope you have that selection bar!

Hi everybody. Sorry I haven't checked in for a couple of days...I have had the Mummy and Daddy of all migraines for a couple of days. I used to suffer regularly but since I gave up work they have been really infrequent. Not sure where this one came from..my guess is that I still have some lady hormones lurking and that is what triggered it. I have certainly felt very low and fed up as well as the migraine.
Back to normal with personal and what have you soon!
Hugs
Donna

Good morning. It's another breezy, overcast day here, but spring is trying so hard to appear. And I promise that I'm about done with the drama of the lost posts. Do you all think that Fi and I should write a book?

Fi – I so appreciate all you've done to help me with getting this lost posting mess resolved! I had found the gray bar box at the bottom of the page, but it didn't have the option you referred to. Then last night in bed it dawned on me that you were probably on the mobile version. And today I read your post and ta-da. Loved your post about your experiences with technology and your love affair with your ipad. I've got an Air, too, but just about everything that is typed I do on my PC. Don't know why – probably old habits from work.

Cindy – Yep, 2 days of wildness and 4 days of repentence. Or whenever I have a sugar binge, I can gain between 5-10 pounds in 3-4 days and it will take 10-14 days to lose it again. So not fair! How's your foot doing. I have something similar and have just decided that after years of being too heavy, my feet hurt. Mainly I decided that because when I get down lower – even though I'm still over 300 – the pain goes away. Another reason to stay on plan.

RayneStorm – Thanks so much for sharing some background on yourself. Your job sounds as though it would be a challenge – definitely not something I could do.

Sam – Sounds like your boss was definitely having her own bad day. It happens, but not being able to apologize for it is just wrong. You work hard, and I imagine she would be shocked if you were to find a job with another agency – you know, “after all I've done for you” mentality. Hang in there. Missing exercising for 2 days may be a good break. I know you have a very good rotation going, but sometimes we just need some time off. So what's the new theory?

Donna – So sorry to hear about your migraine – they are absolutely awful and not a lot can touch them. Those lady hormones can definitely throw you for a loop. My mom used to get them so badly that she'd be in bed for a couple of days with the curtains closed because light caused her immense pain. The doctor would come to the house (back in the days of house calls) and give her a shot to knock her out. I've had one and hope to never have another. Hope you're back to normal soon.

Can't say enough good stuff about the water flavoring I've been using – Stur. Probably any water flavoring would work, but it's definitely making me drink a lot more water each day. It has not calories, so so problems with using it in every glass of water. I've now gone 7 days with being on plan. At the end of 30 days on plan, I am buying myself an X-Box. Just what every 66 year old grand needs. Have a great day.

Hi everyone.

Rayne, thanks for telling us about yourself. Good for you taking the first steps to lose weight. You have come to the right place.

Sam, sorry that you have to work for someone like that. I know your like your job but it's tough to have to walk on eggshells around your boss. I like the flavored seltzers too. I started drinking them last year when I gave up diet soda. This year I'm a little more lax with the diet soda but still only have a couple a week. I'm also one of those people who can drink plain water (as long as it has ice in it) and that is still my drink of choice throughout the day after my morning coffee.

Donna, glad you are feeling better. Those migraines are horrible. I used to get them, but fortunately I haven' had one since going through menopause. I guess the hormones do play a part.

Betsy, my foot is feeling better. Still hurts but not as much, so, like you, I've just decided that it is just another body part that hurts, like the knees, and sometimes the hips, and yes the pains do seem to lessen as I lose weight. I just wish that they weren't so debilitating at times. I think an Xbox is an excellent reward for staying on plan for 30 days. I have been thinking about getting DH one for his 70th in May. Either that or a Wii. You're never too old to play games!

Next week we are supposed to have a couple days in the 60s. I can't wait for that. We've had almost no snow at all this winter, but it has been cold. I'm ready for Spring. I just ordered new cushions for the outside dining set and can't wait to be able to sit outside again. DH said maybe he will even grill something for us.

We're going to a benefit tomorrow for a local disabled 11 year old boy. The benefit is to raise funds to get him a motorized wheelchair. The dinner is ham and cabbage, or corned beef and cabbage. I don't know if ham and cabbage is "a thing" (upstate New York has some strange food "things") or if it's just an alternate choice for those who don't like corned beef, but I chose the ham. I figure it's a little better choice diet-wise. Looking forward to the Chinese auctions too. I will probably drink but I'll plan for it by saving calories earlier in the day. No way am I going to blow this weekend like I did last weekend. I don't want to spend all next week trying to lose the same weight again.

I may not post tomorrow so I hope you all have a great day.

Donna Sorry you haven't been feeling well. DH has been battling headaches and the like due to allergies. I'm slowly starting to get the allergy headaches myself. It's so early to be feeling like this especially with having some cold days and some slightly warmer days. It's not fully spring here yet so I don't get it. Hope you get to feeling better soon.

Betsy Yeah I think she was having a bad day. Overall she is a really great boss. She pays me pretty well although you and I both know it's never enough. She just recently decided to pay for all of us to have our own AFLAC cancer, accidental, dental and vision policies and we aren't having to pay a cent which is really nice of her because nobody around here does that. I have health insurance and so does DH but we don't have dental of vision so that will help us get some money back when we go for those services. She's done a lot of other things for me and the other girls but you're right on the money with the being wrong for not apologizing. I'm over it, but it can be annoying sometimes and gets me in a mood when it does happen like that. I was just curious to see how my body was reacting weight wise to certain foods there for awhile. I'm noticing the less carbs I am eating the better for me. I think I'm starting to find the right balance again so that is a great thing. Hopefully I'll get to losing again. Also, since I know you have a green thumb I wanted to ask you about planting brussel sprouts. Have you ever grown them? I have some seeds that I bought last year that never got planted. I haven't ever planted vegetables from the seed since I was a little kid and my mom did basically all the work, and we had a yard. I'm going to have to do it in containers. The packet says to start them indoors. I was thinking of using an old egg carton for them to start, but do they need to be in direct light or is there a certain place that is good to help them get started? I want to get some tomato and possibly cucumber started soon too.

Cindy You're right. I do like my job but it can be hard having to watch what you say or how you say them sometimes. The majority of the time it isn't bad at work, but when it does get bad it's really bad. The fact that I am constantly feeling like I can't get anything done because of how busy I am with new stuff gets me feeling bogged down and obligated to work on the weekends. I just can't do it. My brain is fried, I'm not getting paid to do extra work, and I should be able to enjoy my weekends so I'm not doing it anymore. If it gets done, it gets done, and if not well maybe I need an assistant to help with that sort of stuff. According to her there isn't enough money to hire someone else yet until she pays off what she owes to the previous owner who sold her the agency. Meanwhile she somehow paid to have an extension put on her house with a new kitchen and is remodeling her bathroom...hmmm...priorities much? I hope everything goes well for the young boy at the benefit this weekend. I've only heard of corned beef and cabbage....but I'm sure ham and cabbage is good too. I can tear up some corned beef omg it's so good, but you're right the ham is probably the better choice.

Today was another busy day for me at work. None of my work got done other than what was coming in as new stuff. I really need to finish getting organized but I'm not going to bother with it on my days off. Got home and was pooped but I pushed myself to work out. I did a 45 minute Chalene Johnson video...That's really what I've been doing lately is her different videos instead of going to the gym. I've been really enjoying it. I put my all into it but I wasn't able to work as hard since I was so tired and exhausted. I'm making BBQ chicken with sweet potato and green beans for dinner tonight for DH and I. The chicken just finished, just waiting on the potato in the oven. They are so good tasting when they are cooked that way. DH got some birthday money from his dad so I think tomorrow we are going to go check out some video games and maybe trade some of our old stuff in that we don't play anymore. There's a really cool mom & pop game store we have here that sells everything under the sun...old retro games, comic books, graphic novels, new games, action figures, manga, anime videos, clothes, posters, DVDs and they have an arcade where the plays are .25 a piece just like the old days. We really enjoy going in there to see what they have that's new and the people who work there are super nice and usually give us a pretty good deal on trade in credit since we frequent the place. Hoping tomorrow will be a nicer day than today so I can get a walk in outside and maybe get DH to go with me.

I'm ready for a shower and to relax. Going to enjoy this weekend the best I can and hope to see my scale move on Sunday. I've been trying so hard!!!!!

Hi everyone,

It seems like forever since I've provided an update so I just wanted to pop in to say hi and that I hope you are all doing well.

I forget where I was in terms of progress the last time I posted, but I've been progressively losing weight (progress photos below). Getting through each day (and living life) is just so much easier now from an energy perspective...finally feel like I'm becoming the person I felt like on the inside, but never had the energy to be on both the inside and outside (if that makes sense).

In terms of overall stats, I'm down around 130 pounds since June. Blood pressure is fully controlled, no longer require a CPAP machine to sleep, no longer pre-diabetic--all levels tested are normal, and resting heart rate dropped roughly 20 points from mid-80s in June to mid-60s now. Needless to say, I love MFP and Fitbit...those two apps alone really helped me change my life.

I still have a long two months to get through (tax season) but I feel like I've found my 'groove' and am confident/excited about the future. Can't wait for the warmer weather to arrive this year so I can get out and try more things that I never would have even considered trying before.

Will try to pop in more often. Forums are great for support.

http://emilyfit.com/photos/timeline.jpg

Emily!!! So glad to hear you are doing well!! We have missed you but so glad to see your progress is great!! Your pictures go girl you are rocking it!! You look amazing!!!!!!

Hi everyone, I hope you are having a good day! I am hot, cranky and in need of a bit of a vent that has little to do with weight loss and a little to do with what helped put the weight on.

Today, like most weekends, I spent my time doing extra stuff to help out at my job; all unpaid labour, all in front of my boss and his wife, just me and another woman I work with. I don't mind doing it as I am young, the other woman is older and more experienced and I see it as me learning how to be better at my job and becoming a better employee. Time after time after time, this other woman I work for gets all the credit from my boss, the community, other staff and everyone in the general vicinity, and I am never mentioned. I am not jealous, however sometimes, I wish I could be recognised for my work. While everyone else was asleep at 5am this morning, I was loading, washing and brushing livestock to get them ready for yet another show. So when the boss shows up, he is full of praise for this other woman and hardly acknowledges me. It makes me feel like I don't exist. I try so hard, and it is getting me nowhere. I am tired, sunburnt, bruised and stressed, and to add to that, I am left feeling inferior to this other woman, yet again.

Secondly, I arranged to visit my parents today after the show. They assured me they would be home, so I went over to their place. I waited 2 HOURS and they still hadn't come home. So I go back to my place, and 20 minutes later, there is a knock on the door. My parents decided to come around and tell me all this new gossip about my brother and his love triangle ridiculous relationship that a grown man should be mature enough to avoid. Then I heard about my Nan's drama, my sisters ongoing drama with her on again off again abusive boyfriend, my mums thoughts on my other brothers nasty girlfriend, and the dramas mother is having at work. Not once did she ask about me, or my day. Yet again, I have been left feeling like an after thought to my own mother. I try so hard to make her happy, I drop everything and run over to help her when she needs it, and I usually don't get angry when she starts gossiping or whinging about my siblings' problems, but today I was pretty angry.

Lately, things have been really horrendous for me and a few other people at work. The business isn't going so well, and given that I am young, one of the newest people to be hired and that I do not have a permanent job (I am hired as a contractor), I am feeling really anxious about my place there, I feel under valued and unappreciated, and the constant mind games are really starting to cause some serious mental health issues for me. I just feel ready to run away.

To top it off, I feel lonely as ****. My friends are all busy off traveling/having babies/going to university, and I just feel stuck, and almost abandoned. My partner works away a lot and lately when he has been home, its like his mind is somewhere else. He isn't interested in anything outside of the TV, and that includes me. We never go to bed together like we used to, and haven't been intimate in over a month. That in itself makes me wonder if there is something wrong with me, or if he is losing interest because I am losing weight and slowly starting to look different to the person he fell in love with. I don't know.