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!!!!

amy - i think we are kindred spirits. i love that you like Jeff Buckley and Ryan Adams. im OBSESSED with Ryan Adams... lol

Luan - Sweet deal on the new job with the awesome benefits! Wish I could score a gig like that!

Crock - You have been seriously slacking! :P Come back to us!

Maria - Woo hoo on getting the healthier snacks! The word "diet" does suck...lifestyle change seems more...do-able to me. I needed something for my emotional eating tonight, and I ate fresh broccoli with low carb ranch veggie dip...now I definately would NOT have done that 6 months ago!

Brenda - I'm so sorry to hear about your sister.

Amy - You're added to the "special list"...haha...I don't write about anything important ever...so prepare to be bored. My cats constantly want what I'm eating as well...Buster has taken a liking to my string cheese, and he knows the sound of it opening, and will hop right up on the desk, and demand it. Andrew is sorta iffy about shopping for clothes with me, because I never take his word that something looks good, and it's just...awful for him, I know. His pictures definately don't do him justice...he's way hotter in person... lol...Sounds like this weekend is going to be a lot of fun!

Vicki - Don't say ONLY...:P 30 minutes is definately better than just sitting on your bum!

Julee - Oooh! I never even knew what Passover was, either!

Xena - My mom read the book, and she loved it!

I'm with Xena...hope the Teababy is okay! And where's Ammi?!?! I miss her so much! Haven't seen Catherine around since her birthday, I don't think! Maybe she's enjoying that unmentionable gift?!?!?!

Today, I took a "Me" day. I went to Burger King with my book, and treated myself to their grilled chicken caesar salad. YUMMY to the extreme. Sat there for a while, and read. Then, I headed to the park, and took a nice walk along the river, and then sat on a bench and read for a while more. Then, I went to Walmart just to mess around and try on summer clothes...and NSV for me. I tried on a sexy nightie.... Was a size 22, and made out of the clingy fabric, but it wasn't completely awful! I might have to go back there and get it!

I am so impressed by you people who manage to do personals on a consistent basis.

Since my Judge needs something for me to beat myself up about, I'm harping on my "lack of discipline" in doing personals more often.

BOY, my brain is some twisted mess, ain't it! <<<grin>>>

Maria Lucia – Sounds like your head is in a great attitude place. Hold on to it for as long as possible, and if you los it, work like he— to get it back. This is a mental game, after all and to win you have to have that attitude! Great job!

Brenda -- for you and your family. That is so sad and I have no other words. Give yourself a break if you fall off plan a little. Be kind to yourself.

Amy – Thanks for the pep talk. I am just going to take it one day at a time. I don’t have a time frame by which to lose the weight. I am going to just keep doing what I’m doing. Trying for a kind of maintenance mindset. As for you, don’t worry about that weight gain, and enjoy KC!

Dolphingirl – above 250 pounds I did NOT like to shop, but I think things will be different when I fit in clothes in all stores. Can’t even fathom that right now! You are doing AWESOME yourself!!! Criminey!

Xena—Let me know if you have any nutridiary questions. It and fitday each have their own advantages I think, so it’s a matter of preference.

Ugh, cannot wake up this morning! I got up and got ready for work, then went back to bed while Jeff had his turn in the shower I just want to go home and sleeeeeep...

I don't know why I'm so tired. It's not like I really DO anything. Although I should--I haven't exercised in forever. Our apartment is a disaster area, though, so I think I'll work on cleaning as being my exercise this week...2 birds with one stone--some physical activity AND a cleaner apartment

I had an attack of the munchies last night. I just wouldn't stop eating! I was hungry when I got home, so I had some cool ranch doritos (but at least they're gone now, so no more!), then dinner (chicken and broccoli in teriyaki sauce), the a handful of dried cranberries, then a handful of roasted sunflower seeds, then like 2 whole cups of grapes...I was an eating machine! At least it was mostly good stuff, though, and even with all of it in my Fitday, I was below 1500 calories

Jeff earned a gold star--he knew I was kinda jealous about him going out to a movie with his friend because I basically have no friends here, so he planned to go to the movie on Thursday evening when I will be at my TOPS meeting, so I won't be home anyway

Luan--congrats on the new job!! Isn't it such a great feeling? I have to wait till May 1 for my benefits to kick in, but I think I can survive a month without them

Kayley--thanks for adding me so I can see your blog--I love reading other people's stuff like that, though I rarely write them myself

Brenda--no words, just

Honi--I do believe Fitday should add "headless chicken running" as an activity

Julee--I've only done karaoke once, but it was fun! I wish I had the kutspah (sp?) to get up there and sing regularly!

Vicki--after 3FC, my next stop is MySpace, so I'll be sure to add you

Amy--I'm sure it's not 2 real pounds. Like you said, too many factors go into what that scale says!

MariaLucia--CONGRATS on choosing such sensible treats for yourself!

Wyllen--wow, 199 is RIGHT around the corner for you! Like Amy, I think the last time I hit that weight was in middle school

Nancy--yeah, i feel you on the assistant. I have been moving every year since I finished high school, so I can't seem to make any real lasting friends. I may be a bit afraid of getting too close and then moving away again. I don't even offer to go out and do anything outside of work with anyone. I'm thinking of taking a night class next semester, though, so maybe I will meet some people there

Kirsikka--I disagree...I think I am a woman who is a LOT insecure! The more I talk to other people, though, the more I realize that my fits are not really psychotic but normal female behavior

wyllen - I did check out nutridiary. I just did their tutorial thingy. Looks like they do have a recipe-builder sort of feature which I am looking for. I want to be able to put in the individual ingredients in a recipe to get to the totals. I don't think you can do that in Fitday. The best I could ever figure out with it is to add it up outside of Fitday and put in the totals as a Custom Food. So from that perspective I am leaving towards nutridiary. How do you like the graphs and reports in nutridiary? I really like to hear your opinion as to the pros and cons of Fitday and Nutridiary if you have time....either here or PM. Thanks so much for your help!

MariaLucia - Don't beat yourself up for not doing personals. I get so much from reading your posts, personals or not. Heck, the only reason I am keeping up so well these past few days is that I am off work. Next week it will be back to checking in and finding 2 or 3 threads have flown by! It can be really hard to keep up! I think we all understand.

Kayley - Your "me" day sounds wonderful. I love spending a day just reading. In fact, I was planning on doing that at least one day while I am off work but still have not done it. I've been busy doing "chores"...taxes, cleaning, and now I am getting ready to start painting my bathroom...RED! It will be lovely, but I dread that ladder. And I am pretty sure it dreads me too!


Nothing to report on me. Just waiting on the fence guys to show up and get started so I can run to Lowe's and buy my paint. Have a great one, everyone!

Well, I reached my 44th birthday, one year from my final goal - "To have maintained a healthy weight for 12 months by my 45th birthday" - and I have come to the conclusion that I am AT a healthy weight. I am actually 1.5kg short of the official healthy weight range, but I figure that I would have at LEAST that amount of excess skin, so my actual 'body' weight would be within the healthy range. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! I truly am starting to believe it though, as it makes a lot of sense and I figure that I look OK at this weight, so that may be where I stay, at least for a while. I even changed my tracker finally. My weight has actually been at 161lbs for a while now, but I was waiting for it to lower just a little before I changed it to 160. I wanted to finally change it because a 4lb loss is better than nothing and it looked as though I had lost nothing for all this time.

I had hubby take a "44th" photo of me this afternoon. It was after a hard day, but I wanted a 'record'. I think I may even choose this one as one of the pics that I send in with my 'Slimmer of the Year' entry for a national slimming magazine. They want 3 recent full body shots.

Here's the pic... (hopefully)



I also wanted to 'boast' about the wonderful husband I have. He gave me a birthday card this morning (with the beautiful earrings I am wearing in the pic - my THIRD birthday present) and he wrote the most beautiful and touching things that he hasn't actually told me before. It almost made me cry. He told me it was OK to tell you all because he knows how much I share things with you.

Here goes...

Zelma,
As each year goes by I realize just how lucky I was to have found you and thankful that you wanted to be with me.
Like the card says I don't tell you enough how much I love you or how proud I am about how you have changed your lifestyle and all the hard work you have put in over the last two, and a bit, years. You truly are an amazing person! Here's to a long(er) and happy life together.

I have been wanting to hear him say things like that for SO long, and I don't think he wanted to say much because he didn't want to make me feel bad about what I was like before. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face all day.

The rest of my day was lovely as well. I got lots of cards from the kids. Most were hand-made and absolutely gorgeous with my favourite colours and Pooh bears all over them. I got some presents too, which was really special.

I spent an hour or so in the morning with our school librarian buying books. I was buying books for myself, but she was getting some for school. I was in my element because this was at a really good book sale, where everything was 50% off and most of it had already been reduced and you still got another 50% off. I was in my element! I spent WAY too much, but I always say that you can never have too many books. I was going to be a little late back to school because they were taking so long to process the purchases, so I called school and the principal said not a problem and he would make sure the class was covered. As it turned out, I was only 5 minutes late, but the principal was reading my class a book, so told me to take a little more time to myself while he read. That was such a treat.

I also had a lot of people congratulate me throughout the day because I had told one staff member how I had reached my goal and he was so proud of me he announced it at morning tea. I kinda 'glowed' all day.

So, all in all I had a wonderful day. I ate REALLY well as usual, except for a little treat of a small piece of fruit cake (one that my dietitian friend made, so it isn't too bad) with my supper just then. I still did my usual exercise, which makes me feel good.

I hope you all have wonderful Wednesdays. I'll answer posts as soon as I can, but I am off to bed now.

Take care,

Zelma

Happy Birthday Zelma!!!

You look gorgeous!! Your husband's note was so touching - thanks for sharing it. I am glad you had such a wonderful day!

Morning everyone!

I am in a better mood today. I have yet to talk to anyone but I am sure if something would have went wrong, they would have called me. I am happy for her that it is over. There was one point in time they told her that it may be weeks before she was called for her termination. I can't imagine what amount of stress that is for a mom. Anyways I am ordering a big ole bunch of flowers and send them up to her and hopefully just once today she will smile.

I have been doing SO well with weight this week. I am down about 4lbs since saturday. The weather hasnt been very nice but I am "almost" back on phase 1 and the weight is still going downwards. YEH!

I have to run, I am attempting to get some cleaning done before I have to run out of the house. 6 more weeks of working nights. THANK GOODNESS. I am SO ready to take a few days off!

Hope you all have a great day! I don't know how I survived without you all!

Brenda

Brenda - I am glad to hear that things are probably OK with your sister. That must be just heartbreaking for your family.

Congrats on the weight loss too. That is great!

Thanks Nancy. I am starting to feel proud when people find out what I have accomplished. Its fun to see the look on their face. My boss found out what I lost last night and she was amazed. wait till I lose 200!
Brenda

Hello Chickies!

Good Golly! I missed a whole thread AGAIN! And someone missed me! I'm flattered! I probably won't do many replies, but I plan on trying to do some this morning... Here goes!

Zelma Zowie! Look at you! You look FABULOUS! You know, looking back at your before pictures and now....it's simply amazing! You should be SO PROUD! And wasn't your husband sweet! His not to you almost made ME teary! I hope your birthday was wonderful and that you have many, many more happy, healthy birthdays to come. (BTW, I think you're probably right about the skin being all that puts you out of the "healthy" range. I've heard of people losing more than that with the skin-reduction surgery.)

Jill I don't know if this will help...and I don't know if it's terribly healthy, but it works for me...I can get up in front of the entire state supreme court (and have) and talk and talk...but I can't talk about anything really personal to the man I love. When DH and I are having a problem (granted, it's usually me wanting to talk about something that's bothering me) I simply can't do it face to face. But letters and phone calls seem lame. So I do my talking in bed at night with the lights off. Don't know why, but it makes it so much easier for me to say what I need to if I don't actually look at him and he can't really see me. If you get to where you and Jeff really have to have a talk, you might try it. Just a thought.

MariaLucia You know I'm with you on doing personals. I never seem to have time and probably should be taking advantage of this time to work on office things. But here I am. And I know I'll miss people. Your post about this not being a diet is right on point! It is all about choice. You'll make some good ones and some bad ones, but I think the important thing is being aware that you are making them. Even when I took some "time off" of the plan...I conciously chose better foods, and my body thanked me by not packing the pounds back on.

Kayley Your concert sounds like a BLAST! I must admit, I've never heard of any of the bands. (Of course, I had a hearing once where someone worked for "Nelly" and I had no idea of who that was. When I found out he is apparently quite famous, I felt like an old, white woman who should be listening to Lawrence Welk.) Needless to say, I have never even heard of "industrial" music. I'm clearly going to have to start listening to something other than the Adult Alternative, New Age and Classic Rock stations.

Amber I feel just like you! I can't seem to get to the horrible eliptical - I've managed all of 20 minutes of exercise in the past four days. And the time change has really got to me. I should be over this by now...but I'm still going to bed at midnight and dragging butt the next day!

Xena I'm glad your attitude on the binge has improved. I'm usually not a binger and am not sure what brings them on when they do occur...so at least you have that down. Stay strong - I know you can do this! "Wicked" sounds like a fun book...I may have to check that out.

Julee I've been to a karaoke bar one time...and didn't have the nerve to sing. Funny, I used to have a decent voice. I was given a solo once in high school, but I turned it down after the first rehersal...too self-concious to sing in front of people. Now it's strictly lullabyes and Christmas Carols. Sounds like you have a good plan for surviving Passover. Funny, no matter the religion, all the big holidays involve lots of food. (except Ramadan I guess - they fast!)

Vicki Thanks for missing me! Today is my WI too and I think I've gained. I'm hoping my usual 8 a.m to noon drop in weight will take a pound off...otherwise the slider goes up again!

Amy You know, men are just weird! I broke up with a guy once because he wouldn't commit long-term - because I was a lawyer and he was a construction worker and he couldn't get over the fact that I made more money than him. He thought he had to be able to "take care of me". What? Like I hadn't taken care of myself just fine for the last 25 years or so? Of course, several years later I ran across him and he was making twice what I did! Stupid man. Really, it's very sweet that Nat wants to be perfect, but he isn't ever going to be - does he realize that? And sorry, but I'm a lawyer in Missouri - I don't see six figures in his future for years if EVER! He needs to get a grip. But you know all that. I can't imagine why he'd mind you guys living closer though, even if you still live apart. KC is a great city...If I could, I'd live there...or at least a lot closer than I do now. What little family I have all live in Independence and I think some live in Raytown.

Brenda I am SO sorry for your sister and your family. I can imagine the pain she is going through. Sending her and you all the best thoughts and prayers.

Luan Congrats on the new job! Wish mine came with a gym membership!

Wyllenn 199 is an excellent goal! You are getting so close too! I can't wait until I can say I weight that. I look at ladies here at work that I know weigh barely under 200 and it is really something how good they look...even if they are still overweight! I really can't wait!

Kirssaka I'm so glad you've found a therapist that listens to you! I'm sure that will make a major difference. You sound happier already!

Okay...that's far enough back. I've been on here over a 1/2 hour and I really should be working at work!

My husband shocked me by asking if I'd consider moving to Wyoming yesterday! Apparently, the Dept. of Corrections there has been hiring a lot of folks from here...and the pay is better. But of course, I'm the one that pays most of the bills...and I'm not licensed to practice law in Wyoming! It is an interesting thought though...starting over, new place, new life. I told him, if I was a stay-at-home mom or a waitress or worked retail and he made most of the money - I wouldn't even think twice about it - but with my job being the breadwinner??? I just don't know. He really thru me for a loop!

As a result...I didn't get as much done as I ought yesterday...so I better go. I'll post those WI results later!

Brenda, give your sis a big hug , I hope things get better soon for her. Well done on the weightloss, 4lbs.
Zelma, 21 again, you look fabulous, I hope that the photos for the competition get you to the 1st. prize!
Violet I missed a post to you, about moving to be closer to your guy, I would do it, after discussing it first , at worst you split up, but at best you are a truly happy couple! After all you will be living together at some point anyway, why waste time apart?
Well I am so down, I can't continue with my writing course as the creche is not open at the right time anymore, due to cut-backs. I cried, it is the only 2 hours I get to myself and get to talk to people other than mums at the school gates, and often I'm missed out by them anyway, sob. I will have to look into childminders and see if we can afford it, it will mean extra hassle getting Aiden there, collecting him on time & getting back for when Gareth finishes school too, 15 mins from finishing to collecting them both and in a taxi, if it turns up!!!! I wonder if its worth the stress?
Krisikkka good for you getting some 'me' time, its SO important and so difficult too, but it will do you the world of good.
Julee I'm glad you explained about Passover, I had an idea about it but there aren't any Jewish people that I know of locally to ask; we live in a very small town. Is the bread a bit like pittaread? sorry if I appear ignorant.
Well my parents are due back any minute so Steve & I are out tonight, a few drinks and some pool, I'm so low the diet has gone waaayyy out of the window and into the next county! Sorry, I KNOW that I should be grateful for what I have.
xxxsharon

Still here guys, Just really dont have much to report on,, I am doing fine and staying on plan, I lost 2 lbs and am now to minus 30. But. all and all, just dont have much to report at this time, I am checking in occasionally, dont know what kinda funk I am in, or even if I am in one.. So Just letting all know I am stll here.