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 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.

WELCOME!

I know you'll all agree that we are really thankful for the free services here at 3FC. The sisters offer all of this support and information with no charges to us. There are a couple of ways though that we can help out.

If you are thinking about buying anything at Amazon, why not help out 3FC at the same time? You can do this by clicking on the button for Amazon on any page in the forum, or by clicking on the button on the main 3FC page at www.3fatchicks.com . A portion of your purchase price will be given to 3FC by Amazon. It doesn't increase your price at all, but it does help out 3FC. You can use any of the Amazon.com links that you see on the site in order to help contribute to the site.

Also, BTW, in case you didn't know it, you can view the message boards "ad free" for a minimal charge. I think it's like $15 for 6 months. A very small investment to be rid of the annoying ads and make your pages load quicker.

There have been some concerns expressed by the powers that be about copyright infringement. So please, if you are directly quoting someone else or printing an article in whole or in part, please give credit where credit is due!!!!

Hi ladies.. just keeping the thread going. I'm feeling better, but still not 100%. I weighed in today, after not weighing for quite a while. I'm at 337. It could be much worse though, and with being sick, I know a great deal of it is water weight.

Congrats to those who've lost, and who've stuck with it!

Welcome to those who are just joining us. Feel free to jump in. This is one of the best places to be.

Here's hoping everyone has an excellent weekend.

Hi Everyone,

I haven't been up to to much since I had minor surgery on my mouth on Thursday. I have been in lots of pain and taking pain pills as needed. I have been staining our back wood fence. I do some then run out of stain then wait a day or two and get more then do it again. It is working good for me that way because I am not supposed to do anything so I sit in a chair and stain then move the chair only standing up to do the top part if I need to.

Mom2five: Sooo happy to see you back. YOu are in the right place if this is where you are most comfortable posting. So sorry that you hurt your knee so badly. I sure hope that it can heal without you having to have surgery. Sorry that your vacation was cut but, I know the feeling. Gas is outrageous. Get better soon and again, it is wonderful to see you back.

Julee: Glad that you like the DR. and that your BP is doing so well. That is wonderful. Those grapes sound yummy!

Brandnewme: glad you are feeling a bit better. Hang in there and I'm sure you will fully recover. A lady told me the other day that her family was ill too with the flu. It is horrible to have a summer flu and cold. Yucky.

Well, everyone else, I have some chores to do if I can manage them so I'd better get to them. Take care.

Blessings,
Dogpal

Allie – WELCOME!!

Jilly – I have to agree with you! This place is great. A lot of the times when I feel like binging, I am able to control it…. Not always, but a lot of the times. The ladies here keep me honest on my attempts at loosing weight as well. There is such wonderful support, wonderful encouragement and it’s nice to have people who know what you’re going through. Congrats on ONLY 1.25lbs I would be happy with that as well.

Mnemosyne – First off WELCOME! I want to congratulate you on your mile stone! I too cannot wait to get below 300!!! I started out at around 370. I bought a scale that weighs up to 400lbs, so I know where I was at.

Mom2fivesweeties – Hi there! WELCOME! I’m sorry to hear about your knee… please let us know how things go with the doctors! As far as where to post, it doesn’t matter. You can post in both this thread and the Old Hens thread. Either way the ladies are great and very supportive!

Well… we lost all three games last night UGG! We came in 4th place. Lost 3rd, but it’s okie. It was position night last night. We were the 3rd place team, and we played the 4th place team. Everyone bowl really good last night! It was a close game for all three games. The team made back 98 bucks each person. I was in first place for the last games sidepot… I shot a 193 with handicap that gave me 250. Then I got pushed out at the last minute. Someone shot a 236 and with their handicap gave them 289!!! I hope I bowl this well in Vegas tho… I’m excited. I’m jumping up and down waiting for Friday to come.

Hope everyone is doing well!

Take care…
Sue…

22lb lost! I am so pleased with myself..... I am focusing on reaching 308lbs by October so I can go do some shopping!

Hope everyone is enjoying there weekend!

Hi Everyone!

Dogpal: Sorry to hear about your mouth surgery! Hopefully you will be feeling better soon!

Brandnewme: Were you sick with the flu? That's so uncomfortable isn't it? I hope you get better soon!

Sue: Thanks for your post on my knee - I will definitely keep you all posted as to what the doc says on Tuesday - hopefully I can be up and around before too long - Bob brings the laundry to me and I fold and the kids put them in their own piles on the piano for school - so on Mon. a.m. all they have to do is get dressed, get their cereal and go up the street to the bus. I've always driven them in the a.m. and so I'm a little concerned about them standing at the bus stop, but there ARE 4 of them and it's only 4 houses up -

Mazarin: CONGRATS on the 22 pounds lost! That's WONDERFUL!!!

Have a great weekend everyone!

Not much going on here. It is too hot to do much of anything. Hope to God the air conditioner keeps plugging. The doctor decided to cut one of my BP medicines in half again. That is down to the last half, and to change the second one to something different to see if we can get a combination that won't make me swoon quite so much. I don't know when it became not okay for a proper southern woman to have an occasional swoon. He also ordered some more blood tests to make sure it isn't electrolyte based. And get this, he ordered a 24 hour urine test. I was expecting a little cup, and out comes the lab tech with a bright red milk jug. I can't imagine what 24 hours worth is going to tell that 2 minutes worth can't. I guess he thinks I may be dehydrated. Who isn't down here. It was already 84 degrees yesterday when I got up at 5am. I love driving that old collectible VW van, but it doesn't have air conditioning. That's enough to make anyone swoon. My beau has already called twice today. I'm glad that he is paying for those international calls. He said he upped his minutes. I hope he upped them to several thousand. The sound of his voice makes me weak in the knees. Maybe that's why I've been swooning. I should tell the doctor that so he will quit draining my fluids. They don't feel like they are doing their job unless they are finding something wrong. The funniest thing was I had lost 21 pounds since my last visit 3 months ago, and they have gotten so used to me losing, that it was "oh by the way congratulations on the weight loss" while sticking the light in my ear. I find that an improvement over prancing me around the office in celebration. It should be routine. That's my goal to be routine, normal, boring.

Here is the post I tried to make yesterday right before I lost my DSL connection. Thankfully, I had typed it in Word first, so I didn't lose it like I did the other day.

Good Saturday Morning! I'm just back from the gym. I was able to do 24 laps in 30 minutes today. It's amazing how fast you can see improvement when you first start doing something. I think the first time I went I was only able to do 12 laps in 30 minutes. I was doing alot more resting between laps then! Also, while I was doing my laps, I was spying on the water aerobics class going on. It looked really fun so I am going to try to start going to the Sat. morning and Monday evening classes. Those are the only ones I can make...all the other classes are at 8:30 during the week and I am at work by then. But, since I am on vacation this week, I am going to try to make some extra classes. I am excited!

I had a fairly decent food day yesterday. Right now my only goals are not to binge. I made myself a tasty low-cal root beer float for dessert after dinner last night with diet root beer and low fat ice cream. IThose types of things can be dangerous for me though because I have a tendency to binge on them and pretty soon the whole half gallon of ice cream is gone. I finished my float and did feel the compulsion, but I waited it out and that feeling went away. So I was really happy about that.

dogpal - hope you recover from your dental surgery quickly. Sounds like you are still staying active though. Staining a fence sounds like a good upper body workout to me!!!

Well, time to clean and then work on the painting somemore. Yesterday I got the primer up but I wanted to let it completely dry before I put up a coat of paint. Painting is hard work, ya'll!!!!


Today's update:

I didn't get anymore painting done yesterday. I ended up having to meet a friend to go shopping for a housewarming gift for another friend of ours. She had her first dinner party last night. I don't even want to think about how many calories I ate last night!!!!!!! The majority of us in attendance are "big girls" so I think when we get together we can be bad influences on each other.

I am going to be meeting these same friends in a little bit for lunch and a movie. After that, my plan is to come back home and work on some more painting and, if I have the energy, to go to the gym to swim.

I am feeling discouraged by my inability, or maybe unwillingness, to control my food better. One of my bigger girlfriends has really been doing well and has started losing weight. I try to follow her example. But I'm just not seeming to make that committment to myself. At least I am starting to become more consistent at exercising. Maybe things are supposed to happen slowly for me this time.

Thanks for being here, everyone.

Marzarin – Congrats on that 22lbs Girl!!

Mother2fivesweeties – I know how you feel about that bus. When Brit (my step daughter) started taking the bus I was nervous as heck! I checked everything including the Megan’s Law website. I’m still nervous as heck. I know she gets home between 2:34 and 2:47 pm heheh and she knows to ask to go to her friends place BEFORE she goes. So far so good!

Hippievanlady – congrats on that 21lbs! Now share some loss with me! It’s been going slow here heheh…

Xena – I do the same thing with my posts. I type everything in word and I save often this is a habit I haave that has carried over from when I was on my old computer. It used to crash a lot when I would input anything in m web browser that was long. So I gave up and started typing in word. Don’t beat yourself up about your food habits. I too am having a hard time breaking my bad food habits. Just remember, like trying to quit smoking or any other bad habit, it’s going to take a while to get used to not doing it. You can do it!

It’s been a long week… I think I’m getting sick!!! NO!!!! Not before Vegas!!

I’m pondering if I should go to the gym or not tonight. I think I will. I went to a Champaign Brunch with my sister and need to work off all that no no’s that I ate. Like chocolate covered strawberries!! EVIL!!! I also have water aerobics tomorrow. Time for the great debate…. Exercise or take it easy for Vegas LOL I wanna win money! It’s hard to tell between allergies and a cold. So far no chills… but lets not push it! It might be allt he smoke I was in the last two nights. I went out to a Karoke bar with my teammates again Friday night… this is becoming a ritual now heheh. Then Saturday it was a birthday party. Everyone was smoking… ick! Not good for me and my lungs. So maybe my asthma is just acting up and my lungs are trying to get rid of all the second hand crap that I breathed in while there.

I dunno… I got a headache… so I’m going to go take some Tylenol and lay down some… I’ll see how I feel afterwards. That will determine wether or not I will go to the gym and aerobics.

Alrighty guys… I’m outta here…

Sue…

Goooooooooood morning ladies! Well, Saturday we went and looked at 3 apartment places in Alexandria (where we want to move). I had called all 3 during the week to make sure they would have a floor plan we wanted available in October, which is when we want to move. They all did, so I asked if they had a similar floor plan they would be able to show us on Saturday if we stopped by, and they all said yes. Well, we got to the first place, and they didn't have one to show because someone unexpectedly showed up and move in on Friday, so we didn't get to physically see an apartment there, but the office was actually made outof an old apartment, so we got to see what the kitchen would be like--SO SMALL! As soon as we left I told Jeff I couldn't handle that kitchen. He agreed it seemed more like a closet with some appliances Strike one...

The second place we went to, they had said there were 2 different floorplans available in October (both 2-bedroom, which we wanted). One was much more expensive, so we decided to take a look at the cheaper one. Of course, upon arriving at the place, they told us that that one had already been rented out for October! Jeez, things go fast around here! Strike two...

So we went to a third place. We got to see a model--not bad. It had 2 bedrooms, L-shaped living/dining combo, a bigger kitchen, plus 2 bathrooms. The only problem was that there wasn't really any place for our computer desks--a major necessity! We put it in the "maybe" pile and called it a day.

Sunday, we went to look at a place that was a little more expensive, but still not unreasonable for the area. It had 1 bedroom and a den (which we would use as a guest room anyway--it just didn't have a closet). The living/dining area was a little bigger so (by my imaginary calculations) we would at least be able to fit Jeff's desk in the living room--I really didn't care if mine was in the bedroom (since I obviously do most of my computer stuff at work anyway ). It was also in a really cute neighborhood--lots of trees and lots of people out walking and biking and even a "botanical reserve" right around the corner. They were garden-style apartments that backed to a lightly wooded area, so it didn't seem like we were in the city, which was nice. There was also a shopping center within walking distance that had a grocery store, CVS, Subway, McDonald's (not that that interested me ), and Blockbuster. We had a new top contender!

Then we visited Tower 2000. Just sounds all futuristic and high-tech, doesn't it? Well, we almost didn't even go in to look because parking was SO ridiculous! All of the "Leasing Office" spots were full, so I parked right by the door and went in--she told us to park in the back. I told her we had already driven around in the back, and there were NO empty spots! So they gave us a swipe card to get into the secure parking lot for the residents. Upon returning to the building after parking, the lady at the desk gave us a few floorplans to look at and a price list, at which I gasped. Their "small studio" at 410 square feet was listed at $1105 per month We were looking for either a 2 bedroom or 1 bedroom with den. These were listed as starting at $1500 and $1350 (respectively). We had to wait for a leasing representative. Jeff and I contemplated leaving based solely on that price list. We were really trying to stick to around $1200 a month (I know, it's high, but normal for this area), possibly a little more (the aforementioned garden-style apartments would have been $1250). Well, wen the leasing lady finally came out, she told us that they were running a special until Tuesday of $300 off the rent. I asked if it was just off the first month, as this is usually what the specials are, and she said no, it's for the entire duration of the lease. Woohoo! So we looked, we loved, we got applications, we went home. I am calling this morning to make sure the one is still available for October, then I will go over there this afternoon to drop off the applications and application fee. 2 bedrooms AND a den--perfect! Table in the dining area, couch/tv in the living area, desks in the den area, and guest room in the second bedroom! I am so relieved! It's over 1,000 square feet and comes to $1206 per month plus water (which is capped at $35 per apartment per month). So, it's actually less even with water than the previous place we had looked at! Whew, what a weight off my shoulders! I was getting worried after Saturday's disappointments that everything for October would be filled by Sept. 1!

So that was my weekend--high-stress followed by relief and now excitement I also did pretty well food-wise until last night--I had made lasagna on Friday for dinner (one of my pplanned meals that day was pasta). I ended up haveing 2 pieces of it yesterday plus some of Jeff's pistachio ice cream However, I was so good for the rest of the weekend AND I am totally PMS-ing, so I didn't beat myself up over it. Even PMS-ing, I was down half a pound according to my scale this morning (down 1/2 a pound from my previous lowest, not from my gain on Thursday, so actually down 1.75 since Thursday, I guess--fruit and water work wonders ).

Now, how's THAT for a novel

I thought that you girls would find this a chuckle. My gentleman friend called last night, and asked me very politely if it would be okay to call me his girlfriend. The question so surprised me that I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing and bruising a very delicate ego. When I said that would be fine, he got so nervous and tongue-tied that he had to hang up the phone. My friends are calling us the Geek and the Old Maid. I'm going up to visit him in October to meet his family. I sure would like to lose just a little bit more before I go. I want to make a good first impression on his folks. I'm spending almost everyday either taking up old clothes, or sewing new ones so that I will have something that fits. It was 84 degrees here when I got up a 5:30 this morning, and I'm going to be sewing a new coat. Something about that just doesn't seem right. It is almost too hot even inside to try the thing on, but it may be snowing there in October. I'm going to have to take a very large suitcase to carry all the heavy clothes I'm going to need.

Just got back from my first water aerobics class. It was alot of fun and a good workout. Glad I went! I just wish they had more classes at a time I can actually go to when I am working. I am off this week, so I am able to make it to the daily 8:30AM class, but normally I won't be able to. They have one on Monday at 6:30PM and an 8:30 AM on Saturday so I will plan to at least do those two classes plus I will either swim laps or walk the treadmill on the other days.

I finished painting my red wall yesterday. It looked pretty good. I still have some touching up to do at the edges.

jillybean - Glad you found an apartment you like. Shopping for a new home can be both fun and frustrating. Sounds like you found the perfect one for you.

Suemarie - Hope you are feeling better.

I hope everyone is having a great start to their week!

Xena: I have the same problem that you have. I don't buy baked chips or fat-free/sugar-free ice cream because I can still binge on things like that, and - since I'm single, with no one else (except too many cats) at home, there's no one else to devour them for me. I like to have those treats very occasionally, but I really have to be careful with them even after many months of hard work.

Jill: Congrats on the apartment! They all sound expensive to my ears, but along with low salaries, we have nice low housing prices and rents. Sometimes I toy with the idea of moving to a city (pick a city, any city), but then I remind myself that my mortgage+escrow for taxes/insurance payment is less than a studio apartment almost anywhere and my commute is 10 minutes and that I could walk to work (a long walk, but walkable), if necessary...

SueMarie: First, thank you. Second: maybe you should push the chicken soup. I read somewhere that it really does work.

Catherine: ...what a great reminder. I'm usually so wrapped up in my own insecurities that I forget about everyone else's. Very cute.

I went to Columbus this weekend and had a great dinner at a local brewpub. It wasn't "OP" - but going out to dinner at nice restaurants occasionally is okay for me, I think. I didn't get this way by eating gourmet on occasion, I got this way by eating junk everyday. They had a cosmopolitan menu, not the usual "pizza/bar food" menu of most brew pubs. We had hummus for an appetizer, and then I had a roasted vegetable ravioli in parmesan wine sauce with lentil/quinoa pilaf and sauteed fresh spinach. The ravioli was amazingly delicious, and the lentil/quinoa/barley thing was good. I need to save some tuna cans to make those "formed" thingies to fancy up some meals, though maybe I should buy some quinoa first. The beer was great, too - that's why we went. I don't drink much, but when I do, I like to try different kinds of craft beers. In lieu of dessert, I had a German-style heifeweizen. Usually I don't taste the "flavor notes" mentioned in beer/wine descriptions, but this one definitively had a banana background to it, which was (again, according to the menu) created entirely by the fermentation of the yeast, or something. No bananas were harmed in the making of the beer.

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to pop in and say hi. I too am wayyyy under the weather (since Saturday) and I had hoped to be better today.

Hope everyone is doing ok and I'll check back in when I am better.

Hello Ladies…

Hippievanlady – How sweet! I read your post and even I blushed! I glad things are looking well between you and your gentleman. I wish you all the luck with trying to loose more weight before visiting and meeting his parents!

Mnemosyne – Allowing yourself to enjoy things won’t hurt every now and then. I think I would go crazy with my weight loss plan if I didn’t allow myself a little off time. But still… even during off time, I allow myself more flexibility but also try to maintain some order! Here’s to keeping sane!! *raising glass*

I didn’t come by an post yesterday… it’s been…. A rough 2 days. I didn’t go to the gym but I did do a work out tape. (Lifting Weights to Loose Weight – 47 minutes).

I am not sure if I am ready to talk about this yet… I am hoping it will all pass over. But my parents are having a situation right now… the situation has come up before and has blown over… but right now, I don’t know if I want it to blow over anymore. Too much stress and then they get me involved and I play the middle man. *sigh*

I am starting to think all the second hand smoke I sucked in when at the karaoke place and friends bday party has irritated my lungs and so that is why my asthma is in over time right now. I am drinking lots of water and keeping my inhaler on hand. Nothing major, just gotta get all that crap outta my lungs.

I’ll catch up with everyone later!
Sue…