:D I'm all smiles today Chickies,

I have been staining the 6' wooden fence around our house for about 3 weeks now. I was going really quickly then the stain color we were using suddenly disappeared from all of the stores. They finally got two gallons back in at Walmart and we used that all up. All I have left to stain is the gate. :) I also sneaked on the scale today, (weigh in day for me is Friday) and yippeee! I have lost 2 of the ugly pounds that I put back on when I fell off the wagon. I only have 4 more to go to get to my original 30 pounds then onward and downward. Also, I just called the pool and low and behold it is finally finished. So, hopefully I will have some exercise to report today as well. Swimming is such a stress reliever for me, I can't wait to go swim.

Vodoo: Congrats on going to the class. :bravo: I am very proud of you. I really know how hard it is to go to a place where you don't know anyone and you don't know what the seating will be like. For me, that is a huge problem. I can't fit into most chairs that have arms so I really panic about going to places that I don't know what the chairs will be like. :fr: It is awful when your body is your enemy in a sense. So, Pat on the back and a big hug for you getting there and doing it! :cp:

Allison: Try not to stress out too much about your medical condition. But, take it seriously :sp: . You have a big reason to stick with things now and I thank you for reminding me that I could be in your shoes but for the grace of God. I don't know why some folks get health problems and others don't but I feel very lucky and blessed. It just reminds me again how serious this weight needs to come off my body for health if not for the other billion reasons. I am right here with you Allison, every step of the way, we will all encourage you :grouphug: and help you along. Keep on coming back for suport and encouragement.

Suemarie: Wow, what a schedule you are keeping. :dizzy: You need to take a chill girl. Don't wear yourself out! I know that you did marvelous on your final exam. :hat: I am so happy for you that it is over and done with. So sorry about your mom and dad getting you in the middle. Hang in there. Big hug to you. :flow1:

Sickntired: Have fun when your hubby gets home. :cofdate: We will forgive you for not being around so much but, hurry back to us!

Ammiuk: I hope you have a better day today sweetie! Here is a bunch of smiles and love sent your way to cheer up. :sunny: :sunny: :sunny: :sunny: :sunny: :sunny: :sunny: :sunny: :sunny: :sunny: :sunny: :sunny: :sunny: :sunny: :sunny: :sunny:

Blissful: Congrats on the -1!!! You go girl :cheer:

To everyone else: Hope you are all doing wonderful and being blessed. We miss you much when you aren't around. Take care everyone.

Blessings,
Dogpal

Hi SicknTired!

Thanks so much for writing back. I have never been very much good at figuring out who has replied to my posts in these types of forums. Any tips on that?

I appreciate your encouragement. I've reajusted my "signature" to reflect my actual current weight (325), not the weight I was when I last check a few months back (about 335). I have been in "workaholic" mode at a temp (!) assignment and there were some days where I was so stressed and/or busy I didn't even get around to eating some meals. Plus the hot and humid summer doesn't exactly encourage eating a lot (though it won't stop me if I'm bound and determine ;-).

I also adjusted my goal to 150, as I think that's plenty thin. I have a medium (larger side of medium) sized frame, and 150 is acceptable. At 5'6", that falls within the optimal BMI (I know everyone out here probably knows what that means, but it's Body Mass Index). That would put me near the top of the "optimal" lowest range for the healthiest weight-to-heigh ratio. It would (WILL!) also put me face to face in the mirror with a woman I haven't seen in fifteen to twenty years. I have been "making up" for life's blows so long with food that I am really looking at learning a whole new way to cope that doesn't involve overeating ... and also doesn't involved Overeaters Anonymous, since I've been in and out of that program so many times there aren't any "treads left on the tires". I get very antsy in OA. In the beginning I trusted it totally, but after 10-15 years of in and out (by the end mostly out), I realized that it probably was not going to work for me.

I'd love to hear from other people who have tried OA, found that it didn't work for them and then found something else that did work. I know OA isn't the only way, though I would have told you so at one point in time.

Well anyway ... that's all she wrote for today. My food wasn't good at all today. I got off the bus this morning and got right off the wagon. I felt my clothes starting to get a little loose and it kind of freaked me out.

Cheers, all!

PandaBean66

SicknTired – I am hoping to ace the test as well hehehe…. Thanks!

AmmiUK – Sorry to hear you had such a bad day the other day. I was having the same day over my weekend. Boy do those days suck! Yes, I am just like you… I wanna take the test and know the results NOW NOW NOW hehehe

Voodoo1 – I am just barely under 30 hehehe I turned 29 in June. Yeah I worked off a lot of calories. My poor Calf muscles are killing me still. If I stretch out I can feel the stiffness in them.

Dogpal – oooh wanna come over and help me with a new fence?? :) :) :) :)

Getting below 350lbs has become a major hurdle for me. I’ve been maintaining my weight at around 357-352lbs I can’t seem to get below 350lbs. I’m obviously really not focusing very well on my weight. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad I’m maintaining, which means if I ever do get past 350lbs, I shouldn’t have any problem staying below…however, I just need to get past that huge barrier.

I am so disorganized … I could have sworn I promised to organize myself a few months ago… Obviously I’m not doing such a good job at it :lol: At least I know which way is up *point in every direction* :o

Take care everyone!
Sue…

hye, just dropping in to say hello! i havent posted much in the last day or so, nothing new to report. things are on track, im down 7 lbs since my start - we'll see how that goes this week since i started, well, you women know... ;) but i feel better than i usually do. i heard that calcium helps with PMS, and since it also helps with weight loss ive been getting more, so maybe thats why i dont feel as bad as i usually do this time of the month. i am determined not to get frustrated by numbers this week. i know there is some water weight im holding on to and such, so although i will still be weighing myself, i wont be down because i know why. im sticking to my points and im DETERMINED to do this, so, i will :)

hope everyone is good. tell me something great that happened to you this week ;)


also, Ammi - it was wonderful chatting with you the other day! you are so sweet! im almost always online, so if you need a hug, you can always IM me!!

~luan

Panda-I was in OA for about a year in the early '90's. First off, I didn't really do it right. I lost 150 lbs, and then joined. Everyone thought I was an old hand. That was part of my illness that I couldn’t admit that I had a problem until I fixed it. The second problem I had was that the group I went to was mostly bulimics and anorexics. I felt like a fish out of water. Lastly, I didn’t like the idea that they wouldn’t let you talk about losing weight. It was designed to change your relationship with food. I understand why that is, but I want to get healthy, and that involves losing weight and keeping it off. I guess I felt like it was substituting one obsession for another. In the end, everyone needs to find what works for them, and what they can stick with. Any diet will work if you stick to it, and the best exercise program is one that you like well enough to stick to. Those two things are about as individual as things come. What works for me may not work for another living soul.