[brandnewme]

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

We want to invite everyone to join us in our journey.
We share laughter and tears.
We share what works for us and what doesn't.
We often use a "Topic of the Day" for discussion.

Motivational Monday
Tuesday Tips
Wednesday Wish List .. and What you are doing to obtain it.
Thankful Thursday
FUN Friday ... don't wait until you lose your weight.
Sit-up Saturdays - any physical activity
Share your Success Sunday

These are not required topics ...just ideas to share. We often find them very helpful. We also share heartaches and fears ... joys and celebrations.

We have several extra threads going on simutaneously such as Monthly Challenges, Weekly Weigh-ins, Recipes, Bios, and more. Please feel free to check them all out.

We have a bi-weekly 2x2 Challenge.
Our goal is to lose 2 lbs in 2 weeks.
We have a long term goal of losing 300+ lbs within our 300+ group in 2005.

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.

[SueMarie301]

Hello everyone…

Well today started out sucky. Actually Friday night is when it started *grrrr* Kids were playing baseball or something and a baseball smashed my cars rear window (the one that has the defroster and stuff). So this morning the guy comes to replace my window. Gonna cost me 320 bucks :-P So… I’m thinking about pan handling outside of my local grocery store… just kidding. I don’t know who did it and the kids aren’t talking. I spoke with the police and I figured maybe I could get them to come out and scare them a little by questioning them. Since I know three of the kids…. Ah well… police said that since I don’t know anything they can’t do that. I think all they needed was a little intimidation, but who knows…. So right now the guy is fixing my back window.

Today, well… if 11:30 in the morning is a good judgement for the rest of the day… Today the cravings aren’t so bad. I guess my splurge last night was it. Now just gotta get rid of the cramping and I’m good to go.

Sword&Canteen – Welcome and HI FIVE to selling one of your stories. Let us know if it’s out so we can all read it

Jillybean – I actually met my fiancé 8 years ago on a friends local computer chat board. They called them BBS’s back then. I was a chat moderator, and we met at a group meet hehehe… I will admit, internet dating scared me, cause you dunno who you gonna meet, but I’m not one to talk heheheheh!! Here’s to 8 years!

Theotherjen – Nice to meet ya! I don’t recognize the name… welcome! Heheheh… About those darn relatives… isn’t it funny?? They know exactly when to drop in. I mean, I know they are going to come… but just when ya least expect it… BOOM! Course I was 2 weeks late which scared me a tad bit and was a bit relieved… but man! It’s okie… when all is done, I’m gonna stick to my program and try to resits the cravings… which seem to be over… at least for now… That skirt you bought is cute I actually bought one a while ago…. I’m a tomboy who is trying to find her feminine side LOL. I bought it hmm… during the first week of april. I got it for spring break… well… it’s still sitting in my closet. I’m so bad!

j-ann – isn’t it funny how some places sizes are different? I wear 3x, I went shopping at Catherines, and I fit in a 4x barely! So I got a 5x shirt and it is fine. Which is funny cause I wear 26-28. Heheheh sorry… I read that and had to stick my two cents in lol.

Grannie39 – CONGRATS to your son and blessings for his marriage!

Kel41 – I must admit when I saw your post and I saw your avatar, I was like WOW, we got a male in here. I hate sweat too… I can’t stand even a little dew on the forehead. You know tho… I got my step daughter a Playstation 2 system and bought her Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) game. It’s one of those games whereyou watch the steps on the tv and you try to match the steps on a big dance pad on the floor. It takes some time to get used to, but it’s fun! AND! It’s good exercise hehehehe… exercise? Fun? NO WAY…. But I’m addicted to it and the kid loves having someone to play with. Course with a 5 year old… it might be a bit one sided heheheh…. But it’s definitely addicting (at least for me) I prefer doing that then my exercise tapes now… tho I try to get those in every so often. WELCOME to the group!

Take care everyone!
Sue…

[Kel41]

Hi Sue! Thanks for the welcome.
That dance thing sounds like something I could have fun with. I'll try to keep it in mind. My son would love that too and he does have a birthday coming up. Hmmmmmmmmm!!


As for the avatar, I'm a happily married woman but this man makes my teeth sweat! In fact, I'm listening to him right now. lol!!

[CatherineM]

Kel41-Welcome, and yes I love Keith Urban too. I really like people that can play their instruments well, and that I can understand the lyrics that they are singing. As for exercise, I used to play every sport available, but hated to exercise. I was the clean-up hitter that hit homeruns so that I didn't have to run very fast. Windsprints in basketball, forget about it. If you threw up, you got to stop. About the closest I came to being bulimic. I saw a report that some people have a couch potato gene that makes them naturally adverse to exercise. The reason that they can't find a magic pill for weight loss is that they have already identified 330 genes that make us more prone to gaining weight. Of course, those are the same genes our ancestors had 100 years ago, and 2/3's of Americans weren't overweight then.

Tip of the day: If your mental obstacle is that you think you can not stick to a healthy lifestyle, here are five steps to overcome it.

1. Make a plan...and a back-up plan. If you walk outside and it rains, have an alternative exercise to do. Write down excuses of why you might avoid exercise ahead of time, and come up with alternatives to use. Without concrete plans, it's difficult to follow through on your goals.

2. Buddy up. Someone else depending on you to show up is usually a key to successful commitment.

3. Turn health into a hobby. Focus on being healthy, not on losing weight. Some of the most successful weight-loss stories come from people who find a fitness habit they enjoy. Taking lessons can get you started. (This is where my obsession with weight loss/nutrition clippings comes from)

4. Use a life preserver. Use a simple visualization when you are tempted to give up. Come up with three scenarios of what it will feel like to have reached your goal. Image playing tag with your children or walking down the beach in a new bathing suit. Make your scenarios very detailed: they're more powerful that way. Recall those images when you're about to make an unhealthy decision. (I actually cut out pictures from magazines that fit into my images)

5. Take baby steps. Make small, modest lifestyle changes. Small changes are easier to achieve, and those successes will help you stay motivated. Stick with something small for 2 months before increasing. (Baby steps is the only thing that has kept me going. I haven't lost 205 pounds, I have lost one pound 205 times.)

I'm off to stand on my head until the water from the YMCA gets out of my ears.

[thinthinker]

Hi all! Just checking in. Geez, I have to go back two threads again!

I stayed at the theatre during my "showgirl" jobs this weekend and saw Beauty Shop. It was entertaining. Honey wouldn't have been interested and I'll tell ya, it was better than sitting around the house while the boys watched the Nascar Race. (sorry Tina!)

I managed to pull something in my back last night because I really hurt like on the side of my back between my waist and my bra strap. Hurts like the !!! I keep trying to stretch it out. I should really go see my Chiropractor. Not that this is a bone cracking problem, but he does do a nice little massage when he adjusts me and maybe that would work it out.

We fired up the BBQ for the first time last night and Honey even went out and grilled the steaks, imagine that!!! Usually I'm trying to run in and out to tend the grill and be inside putting together potatoes and veggies, etc. It was nice not to have to do both for a change.

Terri: Good for you avoiding the draft horses. My goodness, you would really have your hands full!!! Glad you enjoyed the day though. I bet is was alot of fun. I love auctions, although I haven't been to one in a very long time.

Katie: WOW, what a full life you have planned for the next few months. CONGRATULATIONS on your upcoming wedding. Although I think to the bride you're supposed to say BEST WISHES. Anyway, whichever, I hope you have a wonderful, long life together. Honey and I will be married 29 years in June and were together for 5 before that. Are either of you from Idaho, or did you find some other reason to move there?

Angela: BIG [[[hugs]]]! My goodness, what a tragedy. And what a butt-head wife he has/had! Geez, you'd think that she would at least want his soul to rest in peace. I hate those types of family feuds. This might be insensitive, but do you think SHE had anything to do with it? That would be even more awful. I'm sorry you lost your good friend.

Iwillbe: We had an awful Spring here last year. People losing all of their belongings to overflowing rivers. So far this year we haven't had much rain so that's a good thing. I thought maybe we would be in trouble because we had so much snow, but I guess since the Spring rains have held off long enough for the snow to melt and the ground to dry out some, maybe we'll be ok.

Leanne: CONGRATULATIONS on your graduation!!! The pictures are great. You look sooooo happy! Isn't it nice to sit back and hear people say wonderful things about you??? That's really great too, the offer of the PhD scholarship. WOW, impressive! Are you going to go for it??? BTW, your children are just lovely! I bet you have your hands full trying to do it all alone.

Catherine: Congrats on the 5 pounds! Hurray! Maybe that plateau is finally broke! I'm happy for you! Also congrats on seeing life from a different perspective and signing up for the dating service. I'm so glad that you are feeling worthy to enjoy life. [[[hugs]]] BTW, Great tips!!!

Judy: When do you head out, kiddo? It's pretty soon that you go to ....is it NORTH Carolina? And I forgot, business or pleasure? *Congrats on losing those 6 pounds!!! Did you have alot of sodium on Friday night or something? That happened to me one week at WW and I was furious. As it turned out, they were gone plus a couple the next week and when I analyzed what happened, it was food loaded with sodium the night before. *Oh, did YOU find those cute $8.88 tops at WallyWorld too? They ARE cute!!!

Melissa: Your drawings are great!

Esmaraude: I'm sorry you're in a bad place right now. Perhaps if you try to put yourself back on that counselors couch and think of the things you learned back then you can get a better perspective. Be careful of St. John's Wart. I've heard there are many warnings about it. [[[hugs]]] Thanks for posting the pics. You're really beautiful and talented too.

Barbg: I've heard that about tatoos too.

SueMarie: Hope you're staving off those chocolate cravings. Batten down the hatches and don't allow them in. *I know that overfull feeling all too well and I promised myself I would not ever do that to myself again, even if it means bringing stuff home. It's hard when you go to a buffet. The mentality that kicks in for me is that I have to get my money's worth. Bad thinking. Go because you love the things they offer, not because you have to eat 3 plates full. My WW leader used to say "the third bite won't taste any different than the first. Taste if you want to have it, then move on." *That's really cruddy about the kids and your window. Nice bill! You'd think the cops could have been a little more co-operative.

Julee: Good for you on two counts! 1. Throwing stuff away and donating what can be used. My house really needs to have that done to it, especially clothing. But not just mine, the guys need to weed out their closets too. and 2. On enlisting the help of your stepmom about the Cheesecake Factory. Sometimes I think we have to ask others for help more often. Sometimes they just don't get it and we sorta have to "slap 'em upside the head", figuratively, of course, just so they really know what we need from them.

Lots: 7 pounds is definitely doable. Good for you setting an attainable goal!

Michelle: Sounds like you are getting ready for Summer! Have fun with all the company.

Lilion: I know you've left already, but I do hope you're having a great time!!!

2cute: Did you have to use that tornado shelter of yours last night? Hope you didn't blow away. Hey, does that shelter have an Internet connection. Might be something to think about.

Kisha: Welcome! I'm glad to see you made it over here. CONGRATS on the writing. Good for you!!!

Brandnew: Are you becoming a work-a-holic too? There are so many here that are very ambitious!!!

Jill: I'm glad you were able to find such a great guy! Those happy stories make my day.

Theotherjen: Congrats on your Old Navy experience. Doesn't it feel good when you can buy stuff in a "regular" store? I'm happy for you. Cute skirt too, BTW.

Scooter: I hope they'll be able to do something to help your boss in Texas! [[[hugs]]] Don't work too hard.

Mary: Cool. A wedding in your future!!! How have you been? You've been gone for awhile. I've thought of you often, but particularly the other day when they were showing the storms in Mississippi on TV. Did you get in the middle of all that?

Kelly: Welcome! Glad you found us over here. YES, YES, YES, you are in good company. There are quite a few of us that hate exercise. As a matter of fact, it's only been recently that I've been able to even type the whole word out. I've always referred to it as the big "E". And YES, I love country music and Keith Urban!!!

Ok, ladies, I have been here most of the afternoon and have not done my reports! Arghhhhhh! One is due by 6:00 and one by 7:00. Since it's a quarter to 6, what do you think my chances are???? Yeah, that's what I figured!

Gotta run. Love ya bunches!

[Grannie39074]

The weather was horrible here but no damage at my house. I am planning a shower for son and wifey to be

[thinthinker]

Ok, Mary: So tell us more. We want DETAILS!!! Who is the girl? Is it the one he was with last Fall? Do you like her??? There's a new movie coming out in May with Jane Fonda and Jennifer Lopez called Monster In Law that looks like a real hoot. I'm hoping that you and the wifey get along better than those two appear to in the movie. *How's life at the library? Is your geneology group still going strong? How does it feel to be President? * How's Peter? Any plans to visit family up here this year? *I'm glad you're ok and don't have any house damage. Those storm pictures I saw really looked bad. *Ok, have I asked enough questions for you to give us a longer post??? I've missed you! [[[hugs]]]

[esmaraude]

Catherine- Thanks for the advice! I've yet to try the black cohosh you mention, I was actually going to look for it today since I felt it was time to start the suppliments again, but I couldn't remember the name! I'll have to write it down for my next shopping trip. I actually took ginsing and ginko late last year while I was going down a dress size. . .I think they helped immensely but I have this nasty habit of losing interest in everything after a while and I stopped taking them. I'll have to try the cinnamon thing, too! I bought ginko today but had trouble finding the ginsing; I'll have to go to a bigger store when I'm not running late for work!

I had a speaker at an OA meeting years ago who talked about how overweight people are always thinking about how their lives will start just as soon as they lose weight, and they lose track of the fact that their lives are going on whether they are fat or not.

That is so true. How many times have I said, "Oh, I'll do that once I lose weight," or "I'm not worth anything when I look like this, but once I lose weight. . ." Rubbish, rubbish, rubbish! The time to live is now! Thank you for bringing that back to my attention.

Kisha- I was initally put on serzone and I don't know if it was doing anything for me, but that was before my initial diagnosis of having depression and was a few months before I sought out therapy. My doctor then prescribed prozac, which I was kind of afraid of taking. But it didn't seem to do anything for me either, and I stopped taking it long before my therapy sessions ended.

I think I made more progress from approaching situations in a new light as opposed to relying on meds. I mean, I think the meds can be great for some people, but I'm sure everyone has a different reaction to them. My therapist said that people often develop and rely on patterns as a coping mechanism to the chaos of our lives, and those coping patterns aren't always healthy. Even when you find your way out, it's easy to slip back, and that's what has happened to me so many times. I don't know why this past week was such ****, but like I've said, I'm feeling much better now.

But I'll look into the B vitamins. I used to get some kind of B vitamin shot when I'd visit the weight doctor several years back and I remember the energy I got from it!

TheOtherJen- I've been thinking about opening an account over at deviant, but I'm waiting until I get my own scanner. It's a big hassle to run over to Walgreens to scan pics and get them on a disc, and for some odd reason, it doesn't pick up the color very well. Right now I'm concentrating on the various coloring sheets I draw for my students. I don't make as many now that I'm at a smaller site but I'm sure I have well over a hundred. I often fantasized about putting them online before I had a computer.

thinthinker- Thank you. I've also heard some nasty things about St. John's wort but thankfully, it's worked for me in the past. But like I said, sometimes I have a problem sticking with things. As if something in my head is telling me that I'm not worth trying to make myself better.

Like I said, I'm doing a lot better, though. The stress at my job last week didn't help matters, but I've seemed to have had a strong start today. A lady complimented how young I looked when she had to check my ID, and that really perked me up. Funny how much a little compliment can carry you! And this morning at work I told my best friend how my BF noticed that she's been losing weight (we've both been trying!) and she went on to tell me that her mom has noticed a difference in me as well! We made each other's day, I think! Since we see each other every day it's harder to for us to tell!

Speaking of online dating, that friend met her boyfriend on the internet, and she's not exactly a Barbie doll either. They've been together for six years this month!

I think I've recently figured out what one of my problems is; I fear success. I was thinking about how I visit various forums and it dawned on me. Here's something I wrote in my LJ about it the other day (keep in mind that this doesn't apply to our 3FC forum since I know we're all in the same boat):

There's a weird side to the anonymity I have on the online discussion boards.

I was intially attracted to the idea of conversing with people that I had no clue of how fat and unable I felt and didn't carry the memory of how dorky I was in school. Wow, I thought that it had to be amazing to have that fresh start, to not be judged in the way that I always felt to be.

Not that it mattered as much to me once I finally got this computer. Time has a way of changing things, I guess.

Still, I seem to harbor those feelings of inadequacy, that maybe people shouldn't expect me to act like a normal person. I wanna scream, "But you don't understand, this is Karen here, I'm not normal, I'm not like everyone else! Can't you see all the progress I've made in my life?!!! I'm not supposed to have a boyfriend, but I do! I was supposed to be a virgin for the rest of my life, but I'm not! I'm not supposed to handle every day life and I'm not supposed to be able to talk to people. See, I'm Karen, and I'm not supposed to be able to do anything at all. So why aren't you surprised that I'm doing so well? How could you possibly think I'm like everyone else? This isn't supposed to happen to me, can't you see that? I'm fat and I don't deserve to be happy, so give me some credit for making it out of bed this morning!!!"

I'm sorry, I have no idea what the heck is wrong with me. I'm scared of this pent-up anger I feel.

I don't think I've been myself lately. Not that I feel like I even get to be myself. Not that I even know who I'm supposed to be. Is that my problem?

Why do I have to feel like I'm not like anyone else? Aren't we all basically alike? Do I get a certain satisfaction from believing I'm different? Was it something I was conditioned to feel during the course of growing up?

I find I'm afraid of being "normal." If I'm like everyone else, I don't have the excuse to accuse someone of making a poor judgement of me so I can attempt to prove them wrong. Heh. No wonder I make such a big deal out of everything. But I'm just another relatively normal person on the boards and I'm simply not used to that.

God, I feel so messed up.

All I know is that I'm not enjoying this chip on my shoulder.

Heh. Or am I? :P

I don't mean to be so whiny. Yeah, I'll admit I can be quite the drama queen, but I was at a pretty low point when I wrote that. Maybe it did me some good to get it out of my system? Maybe some of you can relate?

I have a tendency to feel like I'm alone with this, but having you guys here is very comforting.

Wow, I went on longer than I planned! Hope I didn't bore any of you guys to death!

[synn1977]

I am back ladies! I went to the doctor for my annual physical today and found out my scale is off a bit. Off in a good way though! I am down to 300 lbs! WOOT!
I really need to adjust my trackers, but I am too silly too!

[VermontChick]

I'm having another crappy evening food-wise...SOMEONE HELP ME CUT MY NIGHTTIME CRAVINGS!!! ANY SUGGESTIONS???? Terri I'm afraid I don't have any weight to report...my scale is ******ed and it says I'm maintaining but I can't be too sure, I do not want to report losing weight and then be disapointed when I go to the doctor's next month. For those of you that have been asking me, I have NO IDEA what happened with my old job (don;t even care, the jerks)...all I know is I've now received two unemployment checks in the mail....yah that's right...they called my employer for their input, and my employer never returned their calls, so they just aproved me Kinda sucks though, cause now I'm pretty much earning too much to collect it

Sue - You should join me in reaffirming devotion to healthy eats...I've been having a **** of a time lately for some reason...I'm fine until nightime falls, then I just wanna eat everything in sight....*sigh* it's always been that way for me. I ate some "yogurt" covered pretzels that ended up making me ill when i looked at the package for the calorie content

Catherine - Thank you for your usual inspirational words, you really provide so much insight into things and I wanted you to know that I really am grateful for them

Thin - Sounds super yummy. I recently got some "showgirl" opportunities myself. Apparently they have a heck of a time finding coverage up in my neck of the woods, so I pretty much have my choice of places. Freaking Service Intelligence though (bah!!) ...on my FIRST coffeeshop visit for them, I went during the wrong "daypart" and they emailed me and told me they reposted the job, and they took away my "labor" hours...*insert obnoxious swearwords*...CAN THEY DO THAT???? I swear...Do I have ANY rights as an Independent Contracter? I wanted to cry...

Mary - Not sure you'll notice my little greeting, but it's nice to see you again, I haven't talked to you in a while....I hope you have more about your son to report about though in the up and coming weeks...

Esmaraude - I do not think you are a drama queen...I think it's cool you talk about serious matters here...some people here like to keep it strictly "professional" or so to speak...but seriously I've noticed over the years we all have our own fair share of breakdowns on these boards...it happens sometimes...I can think of countless times I've sat here posting messages with tears streaming down my face, thinking that there was no hope left for me. Just stick around and we'll all see ourselves through this

Well ladies, I have to be going...my kitty has warmed up my bed sufficently, and I must get some zzzz's as I have like 4 stores to visit tomorrow...and they all have to be done by like....2:30...eep...i just realized that means i REALLY have to leave early. Damn.

G'night all, have a great day tomorrow.

[2cute2Bfat]

j-ann/Judy ... I bought one of those $8.88 blouses at Wally World too.
Mine is yellow with a cute little looping collar. Sooo cute.
Congrats on the smaller size.

Mary... good to see you again. Congrats on the upcoming wedding.
On thing I did not sell at my garage sale was my daughters wedding slip. She got married last May.

Kelley ... welcome to our group. I have a daughter also named Kelli.
Unfortunately right now I am one of those people who hate exercising.
When I was younger and smaller I used to love to be active. Play tennis, bowl, walk ... but since gaining so much weight and damaging my knees so bad ....it is so discouraging to exercise. I can't wait until I can swim again. I feel almost human in the water.

It takes me soooo darn long to read so many posts... I just don't have time to reply.
I am falling asleep as I type so I am out of here. Zzzzzz

[joe anne]

Hi Friends
Just a quick stop to see how ya'll are doing? It looks like everything is going well for everyone this past week. As for me, well I am hanging in there, got some of my homework done (I have independant online classes) also did 5 days of exercise of at least 20 minutes.
Oh yes, this past weekend we went shopping because my daughter wanted a prom dress, so we found a very beautiful one, the only thing now is to find some shoes. My silly daughter says she wants to wear flip flops, but I don't thing so
Ok thats about it for me, I am tired, I finally got to got to step aerobics for 30 minutes this evening and it wore me out. I'll be back to check on ya'll later this week, so you all have a good one.

[thinthinker]

Esmaraude: You're not whiney at all. Sometimes it helps to let it all out and that's what we're here for.

MissMeliss: No, you have no recourse when you don't follow the directions for the shop. Sorry, but they have specific days and times because that's what their clients require, not because they are being a pain.

Synn: Yeah for you. I'm glad the Dr.'s scale cooperated.

Joe Anne: Good to see you checking in. I'm glad that shopping trip was successful. Flip Flops!!! Eiyyyyy, these young people!!!

2cute: I'm glad you're recouperating from your sale. Get some sleep.

Going to bed. Just after my midnight curfew.

[2cute2Bfat]

Joanne... they have fancy flip flops for proms nowadays. LOL
Rhinestones and everything. my daughter wore some after the wedding.

[Louie]

Hi Everyone !! I feel like I am posting so late today, but it has been a busy day. Our city hosts a 10k each spring and in January I started a clinic in the hopes that I would be able to run/walk it. The running part didn't last very long as I quickly developed a problem with the metatarsal (ball of the foot)...OUCH !! So now I am just doing the walking thing which I am equally happy with.. in fact I know I can walk a whole lot further then I could ever run. Anyhooo.... we had our "dress rehearsal" tonight and I walked 10 K in 1 hour and 35 minutes.. very happy with myself !

Looks like I have lots of catching up to do and look forward to participating on this board. Have a good evening (if there is anyone out there still awake) and I will TTYS !!