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!!!!
I have not been posting again lately. Still lurking, just not posting. The reason for that is I am just not doing it, not sticking to any sort of plan, not even trying really, and definately not losing weight. So I guess I don't feel I have anything to add to the conversation. I guess I am comfortable giving support, but not receiving it. And because I am not making any headway I certainly don't feel qualified to give anyone else any advice. So I my posting has become sporadic.
But, once again, I am trying to start over. I have revised my stats in my signature and weight tracker and as of yesterday I am starting over. My only goals here at the beginning of my new journey is to exercise 30 minutes per day at least 5 days per week. As for food, in the past I have found success counting WW points, but the last several months I have really rebelled against that. For some reason, the idea of restricting myself in any way causes the child in me to come out and want to eat more and more and more. I have felt much more sane when I have taken the approach that I was just going to eat "reasonably" and not binge in ice cream and all manner of sweets I can get my hands on. Anyway, for now that is my plan. I will see how far it takes me and adjust it when/if I see it isn't working for me anymore.
I don't want to be the downer on this thread, so I hope to be able to have some positive news to report soon. Yesterday I did do water aerobics for an hour and after this post I plan to go swim laps for 30 minutes, so that is positive, right?
Anyway, thank you all for being here. Just reading what the rest of you post does help and makes me want to at least keep trying and wait for things to click for me.
I used to be a moderator on a forum on another weight loss support site, and I know all to well how it feels to not feel that you can post on a board because at the time you just aren't even attempting to diet. In hindsight, I kind of think that that is the best time to post on one a board like this. To help get motivation to get back on track. I know you will only do it when you are of the right mind set, but keeping in touch with others can some times help. It seems that even without us though, you have managed to take that positive step back onto the weight loss wagon, and you are doing it in one of the best ways possible. You are taking babysteps. When I have started diets in the past, many times they have failed because I was giving up so much at once. So I learned to take baby steps. Drinking more water, cutting out desserts, cutting down meal sizes, cutting out sweets and chocolate etc, and then when I am ready for following a plan like WW it makes it easier. This time around though I didn't take baby steps. I took one look at the scales and got scared into taking the plunge immediately. So far so good, I weigh tonight after 4 weeks, so hope to see a good result on those horrid scales.
I am sure now you are ready to try again you will do well, and I look forward to hearing how your weight loss goes. Take care,
My PCP wantd me on the Mirena. The OB/GYN she referred me to refused...primarily because I had never had children but also because he wasn't sure that the Mirena was the best option for me and because he felt that it would only exacerbate my previous menstrual symptoms. He has no problem with me being on BP meds and on the Pill simultaneously since I have taken off so much weight and am continuing to lose weight and watch my diet. Hopefully I'll be off the BP meds very soon. Net task is lowering my cholesterol.
Ammi - my fingers are crossed for you. I seem to have stalled, but i lost a lot of weight that first week so im not discouraged. i hope you come back with some great news :
What a great site and well needed at that! I'm glad to be a part of it, so thank you for the invite.
Oh how easy it is to be a part of the 300+ crowd, huh? How it that anyway? It didn't used to be like this. I mean, when I was a kid, it was just me and some other fat kid that were the only "fatso's" in the entire school, but now, it's probably half and half. Ya know? So what happened?
I know they say it's all the fast food joints and all, but when I was a kid, did we not have fast food joints? Um...yeah! So what else could it be? Maybe hormones in our food? Who knows?
Anyway, it stinks to be fat, but just think...it could be much, much worse! We could be ugly too and there's no fixing that! Ha!
With hard work and help from others, we're gonna make it!
Cheer up my Sister...we've all been there, done that. And the whole routine of watching calories and portion control just gets old after a while, but it seems to be our lot in life. Everyone has their own "demons" if you will and a collection of fat and fat cells just happens to be our demon. How do we "cast it out"? Well, it's a daily chore of eating right for our bodies and bringing it under submission. Is it fun? Well...that may all depend on if you're weighing in after a week and finding a smaller number facing you on the scale OR if you're hungry.
Yeah, it stinks not being like our thin buddies who can eat anything and not gain an ounce of fat, but they have problems of their own to deal with.
One thing I have learned in the land of dieting is that you don't have to wait until you get your mind made up to do the right thing. You can go ahead and do what you need to do to make yourself feel better and look better and as you do that, your mind becomes made up to continue to do so.
I was like you...sick of dieting and sick of being fat. I could continue to eat the stuff that both kept me fat and made me fatter or I could take hold of the reigns and start doing some things that made me feel better about ME.
Always before I would diet for my parents, my husband, my daughter, but never for me. This time I decided to do it for ME and if anyone else benefited from it, I would just consider it an extra added bonus.
If WW worked for you in the past, go back to it. It seems to be the most sensible diet out there. I've been on the plan for almost a year (it will be one the middle of October) and it is working for me. Do I get hungry? Yeah, sometimes, but for the most part I'm fine. It just takes a while to get used to the plan and learn about filler foods.
Hope you're all doing well tonight. I'm doing pretty good myself--even though I know that I cheated on my diet yesterday. I did it consciously and I don't regret it at all. I know what you're all thinking--how can that be? Well, we had a family reunion up at my mother's cousin's house. I'm doing low-carb and yesterday there were homemade baked beans, potato salad, homemade bread in addition to the goodies that I actually could eat. Oh--did I mention the giant peanut butter cookie with Reeses Peeses in it that I ate? But you know what? I don't feel bad because I was actually able to CONTROL myself and not eat like a pig. That was at lunchtime. At dinnertime I just went right back to eating my low carb. When I got on the scale this morning it still said 318.4 so I'm happy. Of course, I realize that I can't do that all the time--but once in a while--on special occasions only--it's okay for me to "cheat". I feel so strong right now--and part of it is because I come here and read your posts and I know that I'm not alone. There are other people who understand and will still care even if I screw up. Thanks.
Now--Ammi--FANTASTIC! I am so, so happy for you. You have almost DOUBLED your goal for the month. Keep it up--you are so inspiring and your posts always pick me up. Even though I mostly lurk--I appreciate them. I'm proud of you for a great job.
Hi Xena-- Don't let it get you down, okay? We all get bummed out and want to give up--HECK--we do give up for a while at times. You know what though? You came back and you are starting again. I did the same thing and I've discovered that the people who come here actually do understand. They don't judge you for being human either --which is a big plus. How did your swim go? Keep us posted. And re-read what Melissa posted--it's so true and I couldn't word things better. Remember that we're here for you.
Well, it's almost midnight and I have to go. I'm going to fall asleep at the computer if I don't say bye now. Have a great day and night.
Vicki--I have planned off-plan days, too. I think we need them for our sanity. I know if I didn't allow myself to sometimes splurge and eat what I wanted (within reason), then it would ultimately lead to a huge binge! So, better to have a planned day of being in control about the off-plan foods than to eventually just go crazy and eat ten times as much out of frustration
I haven't been around much lately (been VERY busy), but I certainly have been reading everyone's posts. For those having a difficult time (Xena and company), just know that we have all felt the same way. Heck, I get down on myself probably about once a week at least I just get SO frustrated with the counting and the watching every bite that goes into my mouth and the itty bitty (or nonexistant!) change in the scale for all the hard work I have put in. However, I then take a moment to remember WHY I'm doing it at all--to remember that I want to be able to fit in a roller coaster again, that I want to be healthy when I have children, that I want to not ever have to worry about how much space is between the back of the booth and the table at a restaurant, to be able to shop at stores that don't specifically cater to plus sizes...SO many things! And when you add them all up, who cares if you only lose .1 pounds a week instead of 10, so long as you're working toward the right direction. I won't say it's easy or fun, but I will say it's worth it!
And, to those of you seeing great success (Ammi and friends), congratulations! Remember these wonderful feelings should you ever stumble upon a temptation or plateau. As for me, we spent Saturday with Jeff's father's side of his family. We went out to his aunt and uncle's house and arrived around 1pm and just hung out for a few hours talking to his dad (he lives in Florida, so Jeff doesn't get to see him much) and watching tv. Then we went to the hall around 4:30 to make sure everything was set for the party--his aunt and uncle were having a 20th wedding anniversary party, and over 100 guests were expected, so it was pretty much like a family reunion for their side. It was nice to meet so many people from Jeff's family (though I'll probably never see many of them again, as often Jeff even had to be introduced--lots of "oh my goodness, last time I saw you you were 'this tall!'"), but it was fun. We left semi-early (just after 10pm) since pretty much everyone there, with the exception of the few small children, was drunk. Jeff and I don't drink, so we actually had to drive his dad out to the store for creamer at one point since we were the only ones completely sober. Who knows how they all got home that night...
So, needless to say, I didn't do very well with food over the weekend. However, much to my surprise, I hopped on the scale this morning and am only up about 3 pounds, which should be no problem to get rid of over the next few days (especially since I am working at the restaurant tonight and tomorrow night, so no time to eat out of boredom at home!). We ate out at restaurants a lot, but I have been making some better choices (not necessarily perfect, but at least better ). For instance, I have given up french fries, so I always get a baked potato or side salad or something like that instead. I also try to opt for grilled chicken instead of fried, and at Ruby Tuesday on Friday night, I had a bison burger instead of a regular hamburger (much less fat). I also sometimes used to get regular soda when we went out, but now it is strictly diet soda, light lemonade, or water. I figure why add extra calories in something that is so easy to control? If only I'd been so smart all along
Well, this coming weekend, I have to start packing! Moving day is now less than a month away. I start packing this weekend, then go to Virginia Beach to go wedding dress shopping with my sister next weekend, then pack the rest the following weekend, and move the weekend after that! And hopefully through all this, I won't have to be working at Ruby's at all, so I can just focus on the new part-time gig, packing, and keeping my sanity
AMMI WOW ! I sat in the car earlier on today, on the way to get some plants for our tubs, borders & hanging baskets, I thought about how you might have done, say 4lbs first week and two each of the other weeks, but WOW! 15lbs, you should be so proud of yourself. Even with all of your difficulties you have pulled it off, I can't say how pleased I am for you. It's a long road but you have taken the first few leaps, not steps!
(I have hotmail, so I will pm you later when I have set messenger up)
Hope everyone else is ok, I see some people have been to parties, all I did was exercise & housework!
Monday morning and I am still smiling after my WI last night It's certainly put a bit of a spring in my step, and I didn't mind getting up early today to do my hour of housework/exercise lol. So now I have a gleaming bathroom, and the bedrooms are clean too. Monday is upstairs work, Tuesdays I clean the downstairs, and the rest of the week I just look for jobs to do.
Sharon - thank you for your enthusiasm on my weight loss. I pretty much amazed myself. I got on the scales and dreaded looking down. I know on the first week I always lose more than 2 lbs, so like you figured out, I thought 4 for the first week and then 1 or 2 for the rest. I really was hoping for a 8 to 10 lbs loss but thought it would be more the 8. So when I looked down and saw I had lost 15 I couldn't believe it. I even got off the scales and repositioned them just to be sure lol. But it was right. I will definitely do as Jill suggested and keep that wonderful feeling in my head for when I do have months when I have a small loss or none at all.
Jill - Thanks for the congrats on my weight loss this month. It sounds like you had a wonderful weekend. It really sounds like you are changing this from a diet to a lifestyle change. Of course we are going to have planned days off, my next two planned days are November 2nd and 3rd, that's my hubby's and daughter's birthdays. I won't overdo things, but I won't miss out on anything either, especially the birthday cake.
Not long now until your move, I hope it all goes smoothly, and I also hope on the weekend you go wedding dress shopping with your sister that you have a really lovely time.
Vicki - thanks for your congrats on my loss this month too. After reading your post I see that you, like Jill, and hopefully me lol and all the others, have learned that this has to be a lifestylee change. When I used to hear that said at WW or just heard other people say it I used to think, oh shut up, it's a diet, end of story. But it isn't a diet, a diet is more for somebody who has something like 7 lbs to lose. For us with over 100 lbs to lose it has to become a lifestyle change. That way we lose the weight, but we maintain that loss, and over the months it takes to lose the weight we will get used to smaller portions, we will stop feeling hungry so often. It'll just all change, but it will all be a good change. You have lost a great amount of weight, and I am sure I am talking to the converted here lol. Well done on doing so well.
Melissa - I loved reading your posts, and so much of what you say is true. WW I believe really is the best way of losing weight there is, and it obviously works well for you. Well done on losing so much in a year. I bet you notice a huge difference in your fitness, how your clothes fit, or don't anymore lol, and feel really great.
PJ - not seen you around in a while. Hope all is ok. Don't forget, if you have slipped off the wagon, it's the best time to keep on posting here. Of course if you haven't slipped and are just busy, I hope you pop on here and leave a note about how you are doing before too long.
Take care all, and a big thanks for your help and friendship on what's going to be a long but lovely journey to my goal weight.
Good Morning Chickies, er well I mean good afternoon here in SW Idaho,
I have been soo very busy this weekend. My Sweet hubby, my sister, her 4 children and I all went to my Mom and Dad's rancho to help them with farm stuff. It was a lot of work but I am so happy that we are leaving to move 6 and 1/2 hours away and it is finished. I am also happy that just when we are going to be leaving my Dad and Sister that my Uncle is moving here from CA. It will take some of the sadness of for my Dad and sis. My Mom is my step mom and she and My hubby and myself have gotten to be really close. She is very sad but happy as heck for us. It will be harder for her. Anywho, we worked our tails off this weekend. I am pooped. I have one tiny little place on the fence to finish staining (ran out of stain again) and it will be done. Hubby bought some for me on Thursday night but it rained all day Friday and then we were gone on the weekend till late at night Sunday. This is our last full week here in this house. This coming Friday I will be going to get my big strapping strong teenage newphews to help us put all of our furniture and belongings into storage then we will spend The weekend and up until the following Thursday the 29th in a house without furniture or frig. (people have offered for us to stay with them but with two big inside dogs it is too hard to be away from their back yard). I have done excellent on following my plan. I am off to swim as soon as I get this written.
Ammiuk: Yea
Look at you go girl! -15 pounds is so awesome. I am proud of you. What an inspiration!
Voodoo: I'm very happy to know that you and your hubby are just joking around with each other. You seem like such a doll and I'd hate to think of someone being mean to you at home!
Xena: Glad to see you back. Don't worry about how you are not following program. Just come back and talk with us. You can do it. Hang in there.
Shadieeeeee: I love it when you post. I miss you lots when you are not around. Glad to see you are still doing wonderfully on your program to get healthy. Thanks for all of the encouragement!
Everyone else: Come back and hope you are all doing well and having a great time.
300+ and Ready to Try Again....#760
Good Sunday morning everyone. 
I have felt much more sane when I have taken the approach that I was just going to eat "reasonably" and not binge in ice cream and all manner of sweets I can get my hands on. Anyway, for now that is my plan. I will see how far it takes me and adjust it when/if I see it isn't working for me anymore.
Just reading what the rest of you post does help and makes me want to at least keep trying and wait for things to click for me.
:
I know what you're all thinking--how can that be? Well, we had a family reunion up at my mother's cousin's house. I'm doing low-carb and yesterday there were homemade baked beans, potato salad, homemade bread in addition to the goodies that I actually could eat. Oh--did I mention the giant peanut butter cookie with Reeses Peeses in it that I ate? But you know what? I don't feel bad because I was actually able to CONTROL myself and not eat like a pig. That was at lunchtime. At dinnertime I just went right back to eating my low carb. When I got on the scale this morning it still said 318.4 so I'm happy. Of course, I realize that I can't do that all the time--but once in a while--on special occasions only--it's okay for me to "cheat". I feel so strong right now--and part of it is because I come here and read your posts and I know that I'm not alone. There are other people who understand and will still care even if I screw up. 
Thanks. 
You have almost DOUBLED your goal for the month. Keep it up--you are so inspiring and your posts always pick me up. Even though I mostly lurk--I appreciate them. I'm proud of you for a great job. 
--which is a big plus. How did your swim go? Keep us posted. And re-read what Melissa posted--it's so true and I couldn't word things better. Remember that we're here for you. 
I just get SO frustrated with the counting and the watching every bite that goes into my mouth and the itty bitty (or nonexistant!) change in the scale for all the hard work I have put in. However, I then take a moment to remember WHY I'm doing it at all--to remember that I want to be able to fit in a roller coaster again, that I want to be healthy when I have children, that I want to not ever have to worry about how much space is between the back of the booth and the table at a restaurant, to be able to shop at stores that don't specifically cater to plus sizes...SO many things! And when you add them all up, who cares if you only lose .1 pounds a week instead of 10, so long as you're working toward the right direction. I won't say it's easy or fun, but I will say it's worth it!
I sat in the car earlier on today, on the way to get some plants for our tubs, borders & hanging baskets, I thought about how you might have done, say 4lbs first week and two each of the other weeks, but WOW! 15lbs, 
It's certainly put a bit of a spring in my step, and I didn't mind getting up early today to do my hour of housework/exercise lol. So now I have a gleaming bathroom, and the bedrooms are clean too. Monday is upstairs work, Tuesdays I clean the downstairs, and the rest of the week I just look for jobs to do.
ZOWIE 
SEEMS YOU FOUND THE MAP TO SUCCESS AND 
ARE ON YOUR WAY...IN A GIANT LEAP. 
YEAH. 
ENJOY YOUR LIFE LADY 
You can do it. Hang in there.