i posted in the bio thread, but figured i'd introduce myself before jumping into any threads.
my real name is deb, and i live in seattle. i've had weight problems off and on for most of my adult life. some of it's because of psychological stuff (a physically abusive stepmother who forced extreme food restriction with punishments for breaking it, and a period of being very poor as an adult and relying on food banks), some's because i have really bad pcos (diagnosed at 19; without medication i have maybe one period a year if i'm lucky) and some's because i've gotten into bad food and exercise habits.
i'm in my second marriage now. after my divorce, i lost around 120 pounds and got down to a size 12, which was more than enough to make me happy. i kept the weight off for two years, but then i had some major life problems and put it back on. i'm finally feeling stable enough to focus on my weight now. a year and a half ago, i lost 50 pounds by dieting and exercising daily. because i was unemployed i could put in two hours on the exercise bike daily, but once i got this job in april of 2004, i told myself i had no time for exercise.
one of the reasons i'm determined to do this now is our trip to rome six weeks ago. i was pretty comfortable on the plane, but mostly because we got a three-seat row to ourselves on each flight so i could use part of another seat (how embarrassing is that?) i wasn't able to walk around rome as much as i would have liked, though, and the same in florence. and the worst part was meeting my mother-in-law for the first time (we've been married for five years, but he's australian so i hadn't met his mum before). over dinner one night, they asked me, basically, why i was so fat, and it was excruciating. nothing i said seemed to be good enough and when we went back to the hotel i cried. a lot. my husband said he was horrified that they'd do that but didn't know how to make them stop.
so yeah, this time i'm ready. i've decided to do the optifast program at northwest hospital here in seattle. i'm going for my physical and lab work next week; then they'll schedule orientation and i'll start. for the first 12-16 weeks, i'll be on full liquid fast, then transition and maintenance. i'm thinking of it as a vacation from food; while i'm on full-fast the classes will teach me how to break my bad food habits and i'll get back into the swing of exercising. i know that a lot of people think liquid diets are a bad idea, but i've tried everything else short of surgery and i am not willing to accept the risks and side-effects of surgery. i'm well aware of the potential for regain, but i'm going to take the classes very seriously and i've made a commitment to weighing every week to catch regain the moment it rears its ugly head.
i read anything that holds still long enough, i love seattle, i do cellphone tech support (i'm a tech lead, which means i spend part of the day on the phone and part answering questions for techs and writing articles and the like). we're a tier 3 center that's very specialized; we only handle problems with data/network connections. love-hate relationship with my job -- don't we all? i spend a lot of my spare time running a very large recovery-oriented self-harm support board.
so i'm here and i'm looking for support, pretty much.
Deb! I'm sure you will find ton's of support here! These are a great bunch of ladies, from all walks of life, who share one goal - getting fit!
I know very little about the liquid diet stuff, so I'll refrain from comment on that. But I'd say learning how to eat is the important thing! You have everyone here to talk to about it at least.
And don't feel bad about the three seats on the airplane thing. My DH and I did that when we went to Vegas this year and while we didn't really need it, as it turned out, it was really comfy and worth the extra $$$. It's great that you took such a wonderful trip. I'm so sorry your in-laws were such butt-heads though. What a horrible way to meet them. But at least they are in Australia and you don't have to deal with them often, so don't let them get you down! You'll be fab by the next time you meet!
I have some experience with liquid diets. I used the Medifast program, only without the doctor supervision. I lost 70 lbs in 5 months, but gained 50 back. I also had heart palpitations and severe hair loss. Optifast is a good program, mainly because it is well supervised. I wish you luck!
The NERVE of your in-laws asking you such a question! I would have been mortified at first, then I probably would have said something b*tchy back, like, "I dunno--why are you so ugly?" or something like that.
Deb!!!! Great to have you join us. You will love it here...everyone is so supportive. I am so sorry that your in-laws were like that....that is so horrible. Don't worry about them....you can shut their mouths up real quick when they see you again after losing weight. I don't know much about liquid diets either but it is good that they are also teaching you how to eat right. Good luck!! Be sure to post and let us know how your progress is coming along.
These great folks are a wonderful support system! We'll be happy to cheer for you as you lose that weight and show the world the real & healthy you!
My MIL always asks "sweetly" (... or is it snidely?) "So, how much weight have you lost?" Even right before I started losing and was at my heaviest. She's diabetic and not supposed to eat sweets, but at a wedding recently she was adament that I come to the desert table supposedly to see the centerpiece that was a wedding gift to my niece. Her real motive, however, was to use the fat lady (who wasn't having desert) as an excuse to eat more sweets. (Thankfully my BIL caught her red-handed.) Aren't people just wicked sometimes? At least your rude in-laws are far enough away you don't have to deal with them until you're ready again!!!
I bet Rome was wonderful, no matter what. I'd love to see it!
Hi Deb, I'm new too. I've found a good reply for almost all rude questions or comments. Just an incredulous stare for a few seconds, and then "Why would you consider it appropriate to (ask me such a question/make a comment like that)?"
If they have any decency, they'll be mortified and apologize, and if not, they generally will at least clam up.
another newbie
I'm sure you will find ton's of support here! These are a great bunch of ladies, from all walks of life, who share one goal - getting fit! 
It's great that you took such a wonderful trip. I'm so sorry your in-laws were such butt-heads though. What a horrible way to meet them. But at least they are in Australia and you don't have to deal with them often, so don't let them get you down! You'll be fab by the next time you meet! 
Deb!!!! Great to have you join us. You will love it here...everyone is so supportive. I am so sorry that your in-laws were like that....that is so horrible. Don't worry about them....you can shut their mouths up real quick when they see you again after losing weight. I don't know much about liquid diets either but it is good that they are also teaching you how to eat right. Good luck!! Be sure to post and let us know how your progress is coming along. 
(... or is it snidely?) "So, how much weight have you lost?" Even right before I started losing and was at my heaviest. She's diabetic and not supposed to eat sweets, but at a wedding recently she was adament that I come to the desert table supposedly to see the centerpiece that was a wedding gift to my niece. Her real motive, however, was to use the fat lady (who wasn't having desert) as an excuse to eat more sweets. (Thankfully my BIL caught her red-handed.) Aren't people just wicked sometimes? At least your rude in-laws are far enough away you don't have to deal with them until you're ready again!!!
