I know I’ve been MIA for quite a while and there are so many new posts, there’s no way I’ll be able to catch up and comment on everything.

We are down to the wire on my husband’s job situation and will know next week whether he still has a job or not and we’ve had issues with one of my stepkids, which has added to the stress. I haven’t been monitoring or sticking to my eating plan at all, but I have continued exercising which has kept me from gaining any weight back. I weighed this morning and I have only fluctuated by ¼ of a pound so I’m thankful for that. The ironic thing is that everything thinks I’ve lost weight even though my weight hasn’t changed in over a month. I have a side job about 5 hours a month at a preschool doing their bookkeeping and I see the women at the preschool about twice a month. I went up there this past Monday to do some work and 2 women asked me if I was losing weight. My husband has also made a few comments lately about how he can tell I’m losing weight. I haven’t told him that my weight hasn’t changed at all. I can see that my arms and legs have changed significantly from lifting weights and exercise and my collar bone is actually starting to show itself once again! So, I’m feeling somewhat encouraged that even though the scales aren’t changing, my body is changing for the better and I’m building muscle that is replacing my fat. I wish I would have taken my measurements before I started this time so I could gauge my progress, but I think I’ll measure this weekend and start keeping track.

Does anyone have any exciting plans for the 4th? We will be at my brother-in-law’s house again hanging out by their pool and cooking out, etc. There is a big fireworks show at the lake a few miles from their house and it’s an annual tradition to go there every 4th of July and watch the fireworks display, so I’m sure that’s what we will be doing.

I hope everyone has a fun and safe weekend and holiday!

Hey girls I am here. I have been really busy lately. We had some friends over for dinner the other night and we played dominos. It was a ton of fun.

Dang***My DH is making popcorn and I looked everywhere for some today. He must have been hiding the bags. He also ate 5 cookies tonight. Sometimes it really ticks me off that he can eat so darn much and stay the same weight. If I eat one of those cookies it counts as 3 points for me. Way to many, especially since it will be gone in one wooooofffff, its gone.

I went to the nail shop the other day (member) and this lady was next to me talking about how she is one the special K diet. Eat two bowls a day. I felt like slapping the crap out of her. She was thinner then one of my thighs. I hate people that can stop breathing for two seconds and they lose all this weight. Then thin people give you all this advice about what you should eat and not eat. Well, they say, don't drink sodas and eat fast food....Jerk, I can't remember the last time I had a soda or had fast food. They think you just sit on your bumb all day and eat junk food. I know this is a "I hate thin people post." I have a thin friend that eats candy and drinks sodas all day...she is like a size two. Makes me sick. Okay I will stop my hate.

Let me do a few seconds of joga......okay I am better.

I got a bike, and then I went to put the baby seat on...I couldn't figure it out. Then I couldn't screw the bolts on because of my new beautiful nails. The only thing I can do with these things is pick my nose better....I get far. TMI, I know....They also look sexy, don't forget that.

Kaybee, I am sorry about all the stress. If we lived close I would take you out for some coffee, and just let you vent. How is your hubby doing? I know how hard it is to lose a job, makes you feel worthless. Does he have anything else set up? I really hope you alll have a great time on the fourth.

We are going to the folks house on the 4th. It is the aniversery of my dead grandmothers birth. My mother always has a hard time with it. Cool story, my greatgrandfather was being drafted and he had to report for duty on the 5th. Well, back then they didn't draft you if you had 2 or more children. Well, he was getting ready to go to war. He was at work and he got a call, You had a boy, he was so happy, then he got another call you had a girl...he said wait a second, is it a boy or a girl....no, no, you had both, your wife was pregnant with twins. So the next morning he wasn't drafted because he now had two kids....Cool, right?

Well, I will let you girls go...I am tired and need some sleep. James dad is coming on the train tonight about midnight. We will have him for about 4 days. We want to take him for Sushi....he is back woods country....so I will let you know how it goes.

Tanya

Hey ladies!!

Just popping in here on this fine day to say Hello!! Hope everone had a fun weekend, I'm guessing a few of you are like me and still on the "weekend" (with the 4th being Tuesday and all).

Anyway, just saying 'hi'. Nice to see Kaybee checked in with us. We were starting to get worrried there. So sorry about your hubby's job. Hang in there. That is a very stressful thing to go through. At least your still exercising. I'm sure that helps you vent out some of your stress. And "Yeah" fo people noticing the new smaller you!!! I love that!!! It's a good motivator. Hang in there Kaybee, we're here for you.

Tanya, do all the thin people hatin' you want girl!!! Sometimes you just gotta get it out. We all know how frustrating it can be to hear those stick thin girls complain about being fat. Uuugghhh!! It drives me crazy. Some women I think genuinely have a distorted idea of what they really look like (and those are the ones I sympathize with and try to reassure), BUT THEN OTHERS....... I swear they just say stuff like that to seek attention!!! They want to hear how skinny they are and what a beautiful body they have. C'mon!! I'm gonna vent right along with ya because I went to a cookout this weekend with a bunch of skinny bikini clad women who were complaining about their "fatness". Pu-lease!! If you ask me it was just and invitation for the men to oggle at their naked flesh without feeling like pervs!! And of course, the men return their fat comments with "Nahhhh or no way, you've got a great shape, blah blah blah....." It drives me crazy!! Ok, enough of that.

Well ladies have fun the rest of the day and tomorrow!! Happy 4th to you all!!

Okay girls, I went bike riding yesterday I am just grateful nobody had a camera. I could not ride in a straight line. I was all over the street trying to keep my balance. When I first started out I feel down. My husband is worried about my safety, and my sons. I got a little bike seat, but he thinks it would be safer to have the carrage kind of seat for him. I have to agree on that.

As James told me last night...you are no Lance Armstrong. I have to agree with him.

I getting ready for the 4th and looking forward to it.

A little secret, I am late....I AM LATE!!!!!!!! I am hoping that I am not pregnant, but you all will be some of the first to find out. We are careful, but I have been feeling really run down, nausious and I am late. I hope this jinks me into not being PG. It would be bitter sweet. I would have loved to atleast be in the 200s and healthier....so hopefully we are not. I will keep you all updated.

Well I am going to go outside and practice... Happy 4th.

Tanya

PS. Camdon took this avetor picture...I see a photographer in the making. Both my grandmother and I are photographers....

Hi guys, I'm not dead. Just dead-busy.

I'm sorry I haven't been on much and I promise it's almost over. I feel like I'm caught in between right now. Nightowl, your CD's are nearly done...I didn't know how fun it could be, but I have to sort through all my songs and make them perfect, I have not forgotten about you!! I will have to make them extra special for taking this long. I love the ones you made for me, they are my constant companions!

This is short because I am at work and I got a few moments to myself. I've been working on this program called SQL and I have no idea what I am doing...and we've gotten to the point where my boss just expects me to figure it out, and he's too busy to answer questions. I sit at work and sweat all day over whether or not I'm gonna get all this done! I mean yikes, I am leaving for florida in a month--I don't think anyone realizes that I will be gone in both my family and my work. I keep warning them! But they don't seem to be preparing for my departure. It makes me panic.

Umm let me see, I made a big mistake over the 4th--no I didn't eat. I literally didn't eat. Not a morsel. All this wonderfull food to avoid...I avoided it with expert iron will power, and forgot to eat any of the stuff I was supposed to. So around 10 I was starved and decided on a can of diet coke before bed. well the next day I had gained. Had to sit through a lecture about eating from everyone on the planet. I think I am going to build a bomb shelter, and climb in it every holiday and just stay there. Just wait for the holiday to be over and live off the stock of health foods. I invite you all to come to my bomb shelter--misery loves company! heheheh.

I did my detox and it sucked majorly but I lost 4 pounds.

I have not been working out at all and I'm feeling sluggish from it. I say, starting with myself, it's time to breathe some life back into this thread. Let's go with the "I like big Butts" theory of exercise. We can do side bends or sit ups! (gee I hope everyone knows that song or I made a fool out of myself again) anyhow, thats my plans. Side bends and sit ups, because I don't like big guts, and neither does anyone else. I figure, an exercise challenge will keep me coming back.

Being on the computer all day at work sucks, so I try to do little exercises. Such as going up on my toes and down again for my legs, moving thighs way out and back in (only to be done when in cubical alone. :P) Arm stretches (only done in cubical alone from now on..sorry John!), kegal, and sucking in my tummy and holding it for 10 seconds again and again. These things help me relax a little and most of them, no one knows you are doing them. Makes me feel liess like I sat on my duff all day--which essentially I did.

OK girls, sorry for my hiatus from life and diet. I am back, and moderately better!! Hopefully I will be better than ever before the end of this week. Remeber, you can do side bends and sit ups! But try not to break into song while doing them, people look at you like you are nuts.

Mmmmmwa!
Dusty

Hi girlz!!!

Just a quick message to say hello. I'm tired and need to get some sleep. Anyway, just wanted to say hope everyone had a good week. TGIF!!

Dusty glad to see you're back here!!! Good idea with the side bends and sit ups, (but please don't lose those butts *singing*). Of course we know the song!! Remember the name of this thread? 30 is the perfect age for remembering that song!
Hey and what's this about Florida? You going on vacation or something? \\

Well hope everyone starts posting again--- holiday's over. Let's get back on track ladies. Hut-hut-hut MOVE IT!!!!

Just thought I'd drop in and say hi. I'm glad to see this thread. I have been struggling with my weight for most of my married life. I've tried ww and lost 80 lbs. at one time,but after hysterectomy,and medical issues(osteoarthritis in both knees,heel spur) I'm really struggling.I thought about rejoining ww for the 4th time,I need the accountablility. I hope I can find some answers here.

good morning ladies,
i am new to 3fatchicks and i am looking for some support, advice,or anything else you all have to offer. i am 29 and will be 30 in january. i am from georgia where IT IS VERY EASY to become a fat chick. i have been playing around with dieting for a few months now, i havent really had much success because i cant seem to stay motavated. i lost alot of weight before useing a low-fat diet, this time i have been trying to count calories, but i am so terriable at it, so i am thinking that i might go low-fat again and see how that goes. i hear alot of people say that low fat diets are not the best way to go. what do you all think??? i have two children one is alomost 3, the other is only 6mnths old. i like to blame them for this huge amount of weight i have gained, but to be honest with myself i know its because i eat like a pig and i have gotten pretty lazy. expecting children does not really mean you are "eating for 2" so anything you can tell me to see me on my way is very welcomed!

Welcome Peach and Mom Well, hope you find your home with us. This is a motivating group, but not because we push you hard, I think more so because it is theraputic. You can talk about anything here....well, atleast I do. I get great encouragement here. I know that I have lost and gained, but coming back here helps me to just keep going.

Went biking the other day, and I didn't fall off!!! I clocked it with my car and I did a mile and half! Me? I felt like Tanya Armstrong after that.

I am not Pregnant...Thank God! I was really worried. Don't get me wrong, I love kids, but there is the right time and the wrong time. Right now is the wrong time.

My weight is coming off slowly. The crazy thing is that I gained 2 this week. I was good...with WW. And started working out, well, biking. Then I gained. The ww lady was asking if I ate more to componsate for the workouts, I said yes, then she said that my joints could be retaining fluid. Sometimes they come up with the craziest things. Next time she is gonig to say my head is retaining fluid or maybe my a$$. My mom and I both gained, we are tripped out about it because we watch every thing and are good, and we gain....and before we ate like pigs and didn't gain like this. We just don't get it.

I have been trying to get into nursing school....it is hard. I applied to late so hopefuly I can get in for the spring. They have so many programs here: community college, about 5 different universities. I was thinking about going to the same nursing school my sister went to but she didn't like it. But, I would only have to take one prereq to get in, and the other schools I have about a year before I start the nursing courses. I just have to look into it more.

I am a graphic designer, and photographer. So this is a bit of a crazy switch. But with all the medical problems my son has had, I have become very familiar with the medical field. So, seeing how I need a good job, Nursing seemed like the natural choice. I would like to do home nursing.

Nightowl:love you avatar. Are those your eyes...beatuful.

Dusty: I am always looking for you to be online (AOL, yahoo, msn) but I never seem to catch you. I hope work gets a bit more interesting. I hate working in a cubicle. So, what is up with Florida?

My tummy is going down!!!! I am happy about that. Lorell just came out with a celulite fat trimming patch, and lotion that firms....I think I am going to try it.

I got to put Camdon down for his nap and I have to clean. So talk to you all later.

Tanya

Are you all taking a break?

Things in TX are going okay. I am waiting for my best friend to moved down here. I am so excited about it. I am hoping she will be my biking buddy.

Food has been fine. I am just not lossing like I want to. Been having a really hard time taking the weight off. But, there is always room for improvement. I eat WW ice cream every so often, okay it is more then that, but I do figure it into my points. I am thinking that I need to knock that out if I go up this week. I have been feeling really sluggish this week, not sure why. At night my joints have been flaring up. Getting old, getting old.

I hope you all are doing great.

Tanya

Gained 4 pounds.

boy I fell off the wagon. Can't even talk about it right now! Wanna just crawl into a little hole and dissappear! But instead, I'm gonna try again. 4 damn pounds, I wanted to totally not do that. Support hasn't been great at home and I'm feeling sluggish and totally stressed out.

So today starts my first day of starting to get back on the wagon. I know--it's a low process. Step one, relax and stop stressing over work, school, family. Step two, stop eating junk. Step three, START eating breakfast and dinner. Step four, come on here more often and talk to my girls!

There's more steps than that...but ya know. Ok ....Step five, plan out the rest of the steps.

Oh yeah and working out--hasn't been happening.

Ok my sweet people, I will tlak more, as is on my new plan to seek support rather than not. Mmmwa mwa talk to you all more when I don't feel like driving off the nearest cliff!

Dusty

hi All!! I am a newbie too!! I have been on 3FC for about 3 weeks now and I get lost in all the hustle and bustle threads too.

But here is my story: I am a 32 (soon to be 33) year old wife and mother of 2. I run a daycare out of my home! So I am sometimes on the move and sometimes sitting/driving!! Not to mention the not so healthy foods that I am around!! lol I have been dieting on and off since the age of 13. I have hypothyroid and a couple of other medical problems.....but nothing I am going to let keep me down. I want to be more social, more out going like I use to be and not so tired! So here are my answers to the questions:

1. What diet plan are you currently on?
I am on WW. I am in my 4th week and I weigh in on Sundays.

2. What do you find motivates you the most?
Hmmm Well, I would have to say that my health motivates me the most, me being tired of the extra weight and me wanting to be me again.

3. What can I do to help you stay on track?
Going to the WW meetings, doing the diet/lifestyle change with friends, and keeping my food tracker of EVERYTHING I eat! I love the positive attention I get each Sunday after weighing in from my entire family. I have quite the support from them, but I still need you all(you all understand what I am going through)!!!

I have a myspace page at www.myspace.com/alison43229 that I update every Sunday or Monday. This helps me too, when I have to account for something or update something that everyone will be looking at....it makes me stay on track!!!!

Well, I hope to meet everyone in here and get to know you all, please bear with me, I am so much better with peoples pets names than I am with people.....go figure.....or maybe that is because Fido does not know how to tell me his real name is Spot......hmmmmmmm

TTFN~~

Welcome Alison. You are doing really good on WW. I have been doing it for about 3 months now and have only lost 19.6 pounds. I started using the e-tools and that has helped me a lot. I got on the internent as an outlit so it is nice for me and less stressful then looking everything up by hand and writing it down. I seem to stay more on track that way too. Welcome, welcome. Two kids, it looks like on your myspace that you have a 2 year old and a teen. May the force be with you!!! I have a two year old as well and dying for him to get out of the terible 2's, but then somebody informed me there was a terible 3's, and 4's. I guess I can't win here. Feel free to post anytime, we have a few regulars and then we had some that have droped off. But, atleast it is not fast pace like the other ones.

Dusty, dust the dust off. You can do it. It is not worth giving up. I think a lot of times our families get used to us being fat, and they don't want us to change. I remember my mother nagging me before about how I need to lose weight and then not even a minute later would offer me some reeses peanut butter cups (can't resists those). Do some meditation and have a talk with yourself that you can do it, your are beautiful, and have all the power to succeed.

I lost another 3.4 pounds this week. I am only a half a pound from 20, but I could loss that in one bathroom trip :-). My arthritis is kicking my but this month, and looks like I am going to have to go get some cortisone shoots :-(. I hate shots! My doctor also increased my thyroid meds which is going to help with the weight loss. It was supposed to give me more energy but no such luck. I have been drinking about 2 cups of coffee to just get going and then green tea throughout the day. I am all caffeined out. That could be the reasons why my joints are in pain.

I am going to hang out with my mother today. She got a walker the other day, and she looks so cute walking around with it. She is in her sixties but looks like she is 45....good genes.

I have been worried about my sister lately. She is really getting into drugs and drinking. She has had an ongoing coke problem for about 6 years. I am just not sure how to help. I have had my own addiction problems and have been clean for 11 years, but she just doesn't seem to want the help. She can't carry a job, and my parents support her. I just wish they would be open to an intervention or something. I think putting her in rehab would be the only thing that will help. She has a lot of phsychological problems and would need help with that as well. I know that you all are not doctors but I just needed to talk about it.

Talk about doctors, Camdon has his scan next week. I can tell that his scull is mis-shaped and he will need surgery, but this will tell us how severe his condition is.

Got to go, Camdon is running around naked and I am afraid he is going to water the floor. Got to get him in the bath.

Tanya

Tanya~
Hey I am right there with you!!! We all have things that we need to talk about to help us from day to day!! Anytime you need to talk just let me know. I added you to my Yahoo messenger and to myspace.....I hope that is ok. Our goals are about the same!!! It is nice to have that extra person to go through this with!!!

TTFN~~

Alison

Alison, thank you so much. I love to chat IM. Thanks for adding me.

You know what girls, I was just looking at my feet and I can see bones. I am lossing weight in my feet. That is a plus, I wear a size 13. No, I can't find shoes. I normally have to wear men shoes. All I wear is burkinstocks (sp?), because they are great for your back and I can get them in my Saushquash size of foot.

It is hot here is SA, it feels about 100 degrees. Trying to stay cool with no luck at all today.

Talk to you all later.

Tanya