Catherine - I was actually an illegal lurker in Canada for a couple of years (I had a job out of the US and kept an address with a friend but actually lived in Toronto). I used to get so freaked out when I went across the border, but I never had any problems. I used to wonder if they could track me (I drove) but no one ever said anything. You are going out of your way to do everything right, so I wouldn't worry about it. You are working with the system, not trying to go around it, so they should respect that.

I am totally scared of flying too. Since I have been my current size I have flatly refused to even try to fit into the bathrooms. My boyfriend assured me that I would fit, but sometimes he underestimates my dimensions. I am so looking forward to the day when I don't have to worry about that anymore.

I maintained this week but am feeling pretty good about things. We ate at Applebees for lunch and I chose something off of the Weight Watchers menu (which is pretty good, although I couldn't believe they didn't post the full nutrition info on their website). Yesterday at work, I had chicken on my salad and realized I was just guessing at how many ounces it was, so I picked it off my salad, put it in a napkin and snuck over to the postage machine and weighed it! I'm glad I didn't meet anyone on the way and have to explain what I was doing.

Well, I need to get my exercise in now since we are finally going to see Harry Potter tonight. If I wait any longer it will be gone from the theater. Hope everyone is having a nice weekend.

Way to go, Meltin' Mama! Keep up the drinking and the pill popping -ya know - the water and the vitamins! Sounds like you're on the right track already! Welcome aboard!

Catherine, my fingers are crossed for you that everything will go well with your visa, etc. You know how sometimes we worry and worry, and in the end everything works out just fine and our worst fears are all for nothing? I'm sure this will be one of those times! Just a few days and there you'll be!! As for getting into Canada, don't worry - they let ME in LOTS of times, so they'll welcome you with open arms!!!

Julee, good luck with your mom!!!
Rebecca, Remember... "Chicken & Salmon, Chicken & Salmon!"
Kayley, Ammi and our other members under the weather, Please take care of yourselves and get well soon!!
NottheCheat, I can just see you tiptoeing to the postage meter like a criminal - LOL.

I was good today, ate well, popped my pills, SHOULD have drunk more, worked out, played with ponies. Can I go to a movie now?....Never mind. I just found out who ELSE is going. Maybe tomorrow.

Thank you all for your kind words concerning my husband. He is feeling a lot better. He had toast, a banana and some plain cooked spaghetti today and only had the runs once early this morning. Princess, he has said over and over that this is the sickest he's ever been in his life so I'm pretty sure you guys had the same thing. I don't know where he got it from and I pray that I don't get it (we can't afford any more days off). I bleached the whole house yesterday so hopefully I killed anything that was left alive (I even threw out the bed clothes and bought new ones ~ they were just too bad to try to clean). I hope no one else gets this bug! (We can't find anything he ate that would have done it so I believe the doctor is right when she says it's a bug.)

Catherine, I said a prayer for you already before I even saw this last post. You have a lot going on and I prayed that everything would go as planned. I know you are worried. I also think you will fit in the plane seat and toilet (and maybe you're worrying from the perspective of your old weight because your body is different now ~ isn't that a blessing?) Please stay strong. It will all work out in the end!

As for me, I'm kind of depressed. I guess the stress of my husband being sick is a lot to deal with, but I've also been doing all the work at my job for a long time. We're supposed to get a new person, but I found out the person they are hiring is the sister of our payroll person and has worked in different departments at the company and been a troublemaker (the sister gave her everyone's salaries and she tried to get their jobs, etc.) Now I will have to worry about and defend my job every day, even though I've worked my butt off like a dog for them for 11 years. (I desperately need my job and can't afford to play games with anyone. Good-paying jobs are not that plentiful in my town.)

We're also starting the process of buying a home and it's all too much, I think. We tried this three years ago and I chickened out (it was stupid because homes were cheaper then and we would've made out like bandits). I'm scared about all of the costs of owning a home (repairs, emergencies, etc.) Renting seems so much easier. I'm going to follow through though and see where it takes us. If it turns out we can't buy now, fine. If it turns out we can, fine. I'm going to try not to let it drive me crazy.

Hi Andrea, Andrea, Andrea... all Andreas.

C-ya, everyone! (This has been a busy thread!)

Rebecca - Good luck on your move, and I hope you aren't "homeless" for too long!! Congrats on the 6 lbs gone!

Nancy - I got a good laugh from your story! Thanks for brightening up my evening a little bit! I'm always worried about fitting places too...that's why I refuse to go to theme parks, and I know I'm missing out...

Tashabella - Too bad new sheets had to come at such a price. Hope he gets better, and I hope YOU don't catch it!

Wow, it has been really busy here and I haven't been able to read all your posts but I will. As for me, today has been a day of temptations. I was offered donuts, chocolate, and chips but I said no, no, and no. The way I look at it. I ate waaay too much stuff over the holidays to hold me over for a while and I knew how I would feel if I ate it and I didn't want to go through that. Plus, if I'm going to go off plan, I want to save it for something really good. Something that even after I eat it I have no regrets. Like, I have some friends coming from Australia at the end of the month and we are supposed to go out to dinner that Saturday to one of my favorite restaurants and I want to eat that french bread with no regrets. If I've done well all month then I won't mind eating it.

Okay, my post ran a little longer than I expected. I weigh in tomorrow and can't wait to see what it says. I'm feeling a loss coming on.

Good luck at weigh-in, Teahoney, and way to go, avoiding all that temptation.
I don't know when I'm going to weigh-in again. My scale doesn't go past 300 lbs...so I weigh myself at my boyfriend's house, and we are having some issues right now...so I'll just keep dieting, and weigh myself when I get the chance.

tashabella - same thing happened to me... hit out of nowhere and came and went like a tornado. did you by chance look at the discovery health challenge? you can take it on the discovery website. if you join you get 8 weeks of Ballys gym for free... its worth looking into...

catherine... what are we going to do without you here? you are an amazing source of inspiration. every time i try to put something bad in my mouth i think about your "one pound at a time" post.

thank you for being you

Do you all know when the Discovery Channel thing ends? Or when the last day to sign up is? And what is the link? Thanks a ton!

just go to the discoveryhealth website. we arent supposed to put links here. the challenge officially begins on Jan 14th

WTG Teahoney! Great for you, turning down all that temptation. It's not really about denying ourselves everything, it's about making choices and "picking our poisens" instead of downing everything. That's the only way we can LIVE with it and make our weightloss permanant. Enjoy that french bread when you get too it, and enjoy that scale sliding downwards Everyday!

Kayley, when my old scale died my housemate bought a new one that only when to 304. I was right around that, and it drove me crazy! Would it register today or not? Cuz you know with the daily fluctuation, sometimes it would and sometimes it wouldn't... You're doing great and heading in the right direction! Pretty soon you won't need his scale!!

I'm all FOR any "health challenge! For me, anything that adds interest or focus to my journey is motivating! But Bally's?? Let me know how that goes. I think they're individually owned franchises so they wouldn't all be identical, but the only one I've ever been in was not a place I could ever feel comfortable. It had a bar (yes, the kinds with booze and pizza) with glass windows overlooking all the machines. Workout with an audience, that's what I'd like. NOT! I can't imagine that they're all like that, tho. Are they?

TashaBella - I hope things work out at work. I've was in payroll for years, and those two BOTH should have been fired for sharing that information! Look how much good it's done that company to antagonize other employees and keep paying someone who has to be moved around and retrained all the time! I just hope she doesn't cause you any grief & they move her right on out the door! And the payroll person, too!!! At least you know up front what she's like so she won't blindside you, but still, you don't need the hassle.

The cell phone calleth... I'm off again. Ladies, Have a GREAT DAY!! Drink, sweat and be merry!

Hello All,

Sorry I didn't get chance to post yesterday. I had a busy day, and by the time I had chance to go online I was so tired. I just read posts and emails and then headed off to bed. Here I am now though.

Today is the last day that I can eat any of the naughty food in the house lol. I think I have eaten so much in this last week that I really am honestly and truly lookiing forward to dieting again. Any of the nice food that is left I will have to throw out, but it's not expensive stuff now. Just a few chocolates and biscuits.

Valerie - that was a very clever idea of yours to try that boulder holder bra to help support your ribs. I am glad that it works even though the bra is uncomfortable. I don't think I could cope with that type of bra, even normal underwired ones kill me. I hate them, and yet they seem to be the only ones I can get in my size that offer any kind of support. One of the things I am looking forward to when I lose weight is being able to wear pretty bras, and ones that are comfortable for a change!

Congratulations on doing so well with your walking Nobody would have thought you in the wrong for not bothering until your ribs are healed up, but you went and you did it for you, and you are right to feel proud of yourself

As for your Easter goal, you sound so determined to do it. I am like you used to be, didn't like to set too high a goal in case I didn't achieve it. I wish I could take some inspiration from you and set an Easter goal, but I am not ready for that yet. I have to work out a way to exercise, and enjoy being back on my diet before I can set any goals other than my very first one of getting to below 300 lbs.

Jjmoreta - sorry that you aren't feeling well. I think January is definitely a month for colds and flus. I hope you will feel better soon.

That's great that your hubby is doing WW with you. It will make things so much easier for you, unless of course you are like me, lol. My hubby has dieted with me in the past, but whereas I follow WW faithfully, he might not eat all day and then pig out all night. And yet even without keeping his metabolism working constantly at the end of the week he will have lost double what I have. That really annoys me lol. He is dieting again with me from tomorrow, but guaranteed he won't eat what I do, and he will lose big time.

Thinthinker - I was glad to see your post as I had noticed that people's signatures and 'pretties' weren't on a page more than once. I knew it must have been something done on purpose but I wasn't sure why. I am glad I know now. And yes you are so right, the sight is being inundated with people now. For the first time since I found this site I have often being getting the message that the server is too busy and to try again later. I am happy that people are trying to better their lives and lose weight, but I also hope the place calms down again soon lol.

I had a look at the link you put for the 3FC book. That looks great, and I hope everybody can buy a copy. Do you know if it will be sold through Amazon.co.uk or just Amazon.com?

Dogpal - I have often wondered what your real name is and now I know. I think this section of the board should be renamed Andreas and Friends over 300 lbs and ready to try again

Thanks for the welcome back, it's good to keep up to date with everybody and to be posting again. Still not looking forward to posting tomorrow with my weight gain. But I have to remind myself I knew I was gaining and I know I will lose it again. But this time for good!!

Good luck when you get to have your first session with the personal trainer. I look forward to hearing how you get on and see the results as the weeks go by.

Luan - yes that is really weird about Yahoo. It's not the most reliable of messengers I guess. I often send messages to friends who show as online and then they don't reply and when I ask them by email what happened they tell me that they never got any message. Well I promise to send you a message next time I am logged into yahoo and hopefully I will catch you. Nothing like a good chat.

Thank you for your prayers too. Yes things were pretty rough a while back, and although I am always on tenterhooks waiting for the next bad thing to happen, so far it's all quiet. So breathing a semi sigh of relief now.

Good luck with the casting and the Improv/Sketch show you mentioned. You should write a book about all the cool jobs you have done I for one would read it. Good luck with school too, what subjects are you taking?

When you said about that weight loss challenge thing and you mentioned free sessions at Bally's Gym, is that the gym in Bally's hotel in Vegas? Either way, I am so jealous lol, we don't have anything that awesome over here. We did have a show to do with weight loss and you could join the challenge online, but they just helped you out with tips for meals, shopping, and exercise. No free sessions in a gym worse luck!!

I like your tips for trying to appease a sweet tooth withouth the calories, but I think that Serendipity 3 fragrance would drive me nuts and I would be too inclined to drink the stuff lol. It's like fragranced lip balm, that always makes me hungry when I use it, so I go for the plain stuff now. I like Thierry Mugler fragranes. Daren's fave is A*men and it smells gorgeous on him. I haven't smelled the Angel one though. Is that for women or men?

Sharon (voodoo) - sounds like you are doing great on your diet. losing weight and feeling less ill. Good for you. I emailed you recently, I hope it got to you safely. As soon as I finish here I am putting MSN and Yahoo on, so will see if you are around for a chat.

Julee - so lovely to hear that the wedding plans are all coming along really well. I hope the engagement party is wonderful. Don't forget to have people take plenty of photos. I saw your picture over on the pics page, you two look so happy. Can't wait to see the wedding photos!!

I hope that seeing your mum in April won't be too stressful for you. You have between now and when she visits to talk some more, and hopefully the awkwardness won't be so bad when she is there in person. I don't know why you don't get along together, but if whenever you talk you can't stop thinking about whatever the problem is and if there are unanswered questions, then you must ask them. Clearing the air will either make the situation so much easier to handle, or make it worse in which case you won't have to face seeing her again in April. Either way it'd probably be best to get everything in the open.

Kayley - I am sorry to hear that you are feeling so unwell. You are amazing still thinking about exercising when you are poorly. Between you and Valerie you put me to shame. First sign of even a cold and I am saying I am too unwell to exercise. I must try to be more determined whether I am ill or not. I hope you will feel much better soon.

I am sorry to hear you are having a few issues with your bf. I hope they can be sorted out.

Catherine - oh you poor thing you. All the stress of the move, and now all the added worry of the flight and of course the immigration side of things. Wyllen's words were very true though, you have done all you can, and now you need to take some deep breaths and try to relax.

As for the plane, how long is the flight? Will you need to use the bathroom on it? When I flew to Vegas via San Fransisco in 2002 I found that I could just squeeze in the seats without pain on the San Francisco to Vegas flight. I couldn't get my lap tray down, so shared Daren's, but if he wasn't there I would have just put it on my tummy which is like my own personal lap tray lol. I didn't need to go to the toilet, but I did on the London to San Fransisco flight. You have to laugh, I struggled with using the one toilet each time. I could get in, and do the job and get out without too much bother, but it was a bit claustrophobic. BUT, when we were queueing to get off the plane somebody came out of the toilet opposite the one I had used for the flight, and it was HUGE lol. So my tip is to look into all the loos before deciding which one is for you.

The only other thing I can say is that if you do have any difficulties with the flight, just focus on how you are losing the weight all the time and that one day in the not too distant future you will fly again and look back and remember how awkward it all used to be, but how through hard work and perserverence you would then be sitting easy!! And of course try to focus on your darling fiancee and how all of it will be worth it because you are getting married to the man of your dreams!!

You will definitely be in my thoughts and my prayers, now just keep taking those deep breaths!!

Rebecca - you have lost such a lot of weight, that is awesome. AND you can eat diet food in restaurants and be ok with that. That really is an achievement. As I read what you put about not worrying now about spending so much money and on diet food when you eat out, that reminded me so much of me. For starters I don't like salad unless it's covered in mayo or some fattening sauce, but even forgetting that, I am still at the stage of thinking that a meal out is a treat and I am not wasting that treat eating rabbit food when all my family are tucking into pizza or whatever. I really need to try to change my mind set. I guess it will all come in time. Baby steps for me, and my first one is actually getting myself on the scale tomorrow and seeing what damage I have done since the end of November!!

Nancy - did you enjoy the Harry Potter movie? Have you read the book, how did they compare if you did? I have read all the books, and now I am impatient for them all to be made into films. I hope you enjoyed the film, did you manage to keep away from the popcorn and hotdogs??

Tasha - that is good news that your hubby is on the mend, and that it doesn't seem like you have picked up the bug. I don't blame you for throwing out the bedding, I would have done the same. I have had a few surgeries and long painful recoveries. When I was better I had to get rid of the bedding, not only because of some blood stains that couldn't be shifted, but they just brought back bad memories. So nice fresh new bedding for you and hubby apart from being practical can also be good mentally.

I am sorry that you are stressing about trying to buy a house and all that being a home owner entails. I know some people say don't rent because at the end of the day you have nothing to show for it. But personally I never want to be a home owner again. When I was married the first time we bought a house, and the times that things went wrong and we needed to fork out for repairs or whatever, well it was a nightmare. If I heard really strong winds I would worry about our roof being damaged because we couldn't afford the cost of fixing it. When I got divorced I started renting a council owned house. When Daren and I married 6 years later, he just moved in with me, and we are both more than happy with just renting. We know we don't have to worry about anything going wrong. We even have accidental damage on contents insurance, so we don't even have to worry about things being damaged indoors. My only advice to you is to weigh up the pros and cons about being a home owner and decide what you really want to do.

As for your job, I am sorry you have that added worry. I hope that woman decides to go for somebody elses job and leaves you alone. It's wrong though isn't it how she got to see what everybody gets paid and then just goes for whatever job that suits her. Is there any proof that her sister gave the the payroll information. I am guessing not or she would have been reported by now. But I hope they both get their comeuppance!!

Tracey - well done on not giving into all those delicious temptations. You keep that up for a month and you will more than deserve all that french bread you are fancying when you go out with your friends from Australia. Where are your friends from? I used to live in NSW, first Sydney and then in the Blue Mountains for 16 years.

Ok well I think I have written a long enough post now lol. I just hope I don't lose it all again!! Take care all, enjoy the rest of your weekends, and I hope to 'see' you all here in the week.

Hugs,

Ammi

Dogpal – congrats on joining a gym. I also joined one this week and I am nervous about actually starting. My personal trainer is a man – I would have preferred a woman but mostly all of the trainers at my gym are men. Oh well.

Luan – That perfume sounds intriguing. One of the things like that for me is a French Vanilla flavored coffee at the gas station down the street. For some reason, the smell reminds me of Lucky Charms and just smelling it fulfills my cravings. Have you ever tried any of the Demeter perfumes? They have some WILD scents like Brownie, Crème Brule and even Dirt and Glue. I have only seen them online – I would love to find them in a store to smell some of them.

Tashabella – I work in accounting and do payroll and I second Valarie’s comment about those people - they should definitely have been fired for sharing payroll information. That is totally unforgivable – does your boss or their boss know they did this? I am sure I wouldn’t be an easy thing to bring up, but if you have an opportunity to do so, I would try. Good luck on the home buying. I would love to buy a home, but I don’t think I want to stay in this area and home prices and taxes here are SO expensive. I am also glad to hear that your husband is feeling better – that must have been awful!

Ammi – Harry Potter was a lot of fun. I have read up through this book – Goblet of Fire and have The Order of the Phoenix sitting on my bookshelf. Now that school is done I should actually have time to read it. I think they stayed very true to the books – they didn’t change much, they just had to leave out a lot due to time constraints. Next weekend I hope to go see Narnia – I love those books. Plus, going to the movies actually ends up getting me some exercise, as we go to one in a large mall. We had to park really far away and walk quite a ways to get inside. Luckily I am usually too frugal to buy food at the movie theater so it is not much of a temptation. “You want me to pay (ouch!) for THAT? I could buy 5 in the store for the same price. No way! “

It is time to do some errands. I need a new calendar for 2006, and I got a 40% off coupon for The Avenue so I might as well go see if they have anything decent. I’m not too interested in buying clothes right now since I hope they won’t fit me soon , but I can’t resist that kind of savings. Have a nice Sunday everyone!

Hello everyone. I'm feeling a bit better today, and tomorrow I work, so that should make up for any of the exercise I slacked on this weekend due to being sick. That's the good thing about my job...it's definately a workout!

Going to see a movie tonight with my b/f. (We worked it out last night...heh).

Hope you all have a good one!

Good Afternoon chickies,

I am still in my pj's at 12:30 p.m. My hubby kept me up most of the night because he was really sick. He caught my flu/cold bug. Poor guy. I wanted to come say hello and see what everyone is doing then go take a nice bath.

Luan: Good to see you back. Thank you for the tips on curbing your sweet tooth. I may try one I think you should write a book too on all of your jobs. I find it really interesting.

Sharon: Congrats on the -4 Also keep it up on the exercising. You can do it!

JuleeCees: How exciting all of the wedding planning and parties for your wedding. I hope that you have such a wonderful time with this. I also hope that when your mother does come you will get along wonderfully!

Kayley: Hang in there. I hope you feel better soon. Drink lots of water if you can to wash this old bug away!

Catherine: I will be praying for you. Try not to fear things. Most of us know your fears and are right there with you. Remember... you are not the same size as when you flew last time. As a matter of fact you are wayyyyyy smaller no longer that person. Everything will work out just fine. You will be in your sweetheart's arms soon! Hang in there kiddo!

Rebecca: on your big move. We moved from CA to Idaho a few years ago after living there my whole life. It is scarry and nerve wracking. YOu will do fine.

Nancy: Your story about you running to weigh your is both funny and inspiring. You are really a very dedicated person to weigh it with so much effort. I give you a big for that.

Tashabella: Glad that you DH is feeling better. As for your depression. I want to tell you that when we bought our first house, I was so depressed about it. I don't know why, it was a beautiful house but I was worried about all of the things that you are worried about. Looking back, I wouldn't trade it for the world. Renting is easier but if you can, why make someone else rich? Buying a house is one of the best investments we have ever made. On our first house we made over $100,000 profit (after all of our fixing up and new fences etc) in four years! That house was home for me the first time in my life I felt at home. When we sold it is was freedom from living in a place where we had to make a certain income. We were able to move to a state that didn't pay as well. Our second house we lived there 2 years and made about $18,000 profit. You almost can't go wrong buying a house and, it will be yours! That feeling is amazing. To know that you could tear down every wall inside if you wanted to, not that you would, it is amazing. I just want to encourage you that it will be ok and you will love being a home owner.

Teahoney: Good for you to say no, no, no! That is so hard but you did it.

Ammi: Hope that tomorrow you have a great first day pack on Program

Notthecheater: Good luck with your gym membership. I hope that you enjoy the time with your trainer. I told the gal who signed me up I have to have a woman trainer. I am very nervous about it too. Let us know how it goes on your first meeting. I am supposed to have mine sometime this week. We shall see.

Well, blessings to you all and have a wonderful day.
Dogpal

Evening chickadees!

I just wanted to drop in and say hello and see how things are going. Hubby and I had a wonderful nap this afternoon and now its time to get dinner on the table and work out for a bit. Then I can sit and enjoy maybe a movie wrapped in my heated blanket Back to work tomorrow~

Well today was weigh day. Down 6 for the week in total which is perfect! I am having trouble re-devoting myself. I have to seriously pick my socks up and get focused. I am still not rid of all of the Christmas weight that I gained but I know it is still heading in the right direction. I just have to stop cheating!!

We are thinking about looking into buying a new elliptical this week. We went and sold some of our odds and ends this morning at a local fleamarket and made about $250.00. Now we can decide what to put that money towards. There is one on sale this week for $600.00 regular $1200.00 so we are going to go and look at that one tomorrow. That certainly would help bust my butt off!

Hubby now tells me that he is "starving" Poor baby! *L* So I guess personal responses will have to wait till later.

Have a great night everyone!!!

Brenda