WWWWWWWWWWWHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTT????

I ate a DINNER SALAD!!! Which consisted of lettuce, sliced tomatoes, a few pieces of pineapple and NO dressing! While everyone else was eating big old Thai dinners which I LOVE! Okay so I did go back to work and eat some yogurt!

Actually though you are not far off... I did eat Mongolian takeout this weekend and I always put soy sauce (low sodium but quite a bit) on it and I have noticed that when I eat that I always temporarily gain weight. Oh and yah I gained the weight BEFORE we went out and I ate the salad so perhaps okay okay okay just perhaps I am overreacting.

But Sassy, ya LOL I can't bum the rest of you out so will have to clean up my act! Besides those mean old 3 pounds did go away again today. Hopefully some more will join them soon.

You are all doing great!!!! Thanks for the encouragement and I will try to

Melissa... can't wait to see your photos!!!!!

Misti -- Please don't think you have to be cheerful always! I just didn't want you to be defeated -- which you sounded earlier. It's unlike you to be defeated like that. Course, if you can't come here and complain, where can you go? Sorry for the extra pressure!!

((((Heather)))))

This is the ONE thread here where I know I can post the discouraging moments and not be "come down on" for it. And I KNOW I will get encouragement here which is why I feel free to say it.

I do work hard at keeping "up" and making this FUN actually... LOL may as well! And don't apologize for the pressure... LOL I was joking in my last message!

Oh and I WANT you to kick my butt if I need it LOL. And I didn't take your message as "pressure" -- just caring and kindness, like with everyone in this thread!!!

Just a fly by post in between shopping visits.

The competition is online now. You go to the site I put up before: www.slimmingmag.com.au
Then you look under "Diet" and "Slimmer of the Year". I am entrant number 5, for those who may have forgotten.

Thanks for taking the time to have a look, and hopefully vote. I think it is even letting you vote multiple times, as it seemed to accept two votes from me.

They say that you can get a short bio and larger pics if you click on the current pic, but I don't get a link when I do that. Not sure what is up there.

I got another phone call from the editor yesterday and I'll post later with what she said.

Catch you all soon.

Take care,

Zelma

Hello all,
I gave up work at the end of last yr and weighed myself in January 06, I weighed in at 386lb. I joined a gym Feb and have lost 41lb so far I weighed in at 345lb about 6 weeks ago, since then I haven't been back on the scales but I have done less exercise over the past 6 weeks than usual due to other commitments so I am staying off the scales for a while. I have given up work to concentrat on losing weight. I try to go to the gym and swimming every day if i don't manage both I usually do one or the other. I am determind to lose all the extra weight and would like to lose another 112lb within 12 months but we'll have to see how it goes. I am determined to lose the weight either way and get down to around 147lb.

Melissa - Thank you! And please give your husband a big hug from me.

I kinda had REALLY big hopes before I saw the other contestants. All of them did really well, but I have a feeling that I have a bit of competition from a couple of the others. Still, I have my fingers crossed that I will at least make it to the final 4, which includes 3 runners-up and a winner.

When the editor called the other day she wanted to make sure that I would be available on a couple of dates in case I make it further. The first two days were to fly to Sydney for a makeup/hair/clothing makeover and photo shoot, as well as interviews. The second date was for the winner's luncheon, which is also in Sydney. Now, you wouldn't believe my luck, but I only have two things booked for the next 10 years!!!! and more!!! The first is my gastroscopy/colonoscopy, which is the same time as the first Sydney visit and the second is my gyno appointment, which I am pretty sure is on the same day as the second Sydney visit. I am currently trying to call to confirm that second date, as I wrote it down quickly when she called and I have Tues 18th, which I thought was for August, but there isn't a Tuesday the 18th of August, so I have to find out if it is supposed to be September, but I think that will be a little late for the announcement of the winner.

So... I've called the colonoscopy people and tentatively booked a new appointment for that and I may soon be calling the gyno to change THAT appointment. I tell you, these things always happen to me. This competition is too important for me to miss out on though, so I didn't want to say that I couldn't make the dates. I also agreed to enter into this sort of thing when I entered the competition, so I don't think I could say 'no' anyway.

I am not sure how many votes I'll be able to get in before next week, but the editor said she'd call me next week to let me know if I am in the final 4, so I have a feeling that they have a pretty good idea of who they are going to choose, without the Internet voting results. She did say that the online votes were simply one part of the whole selection 'thing'. Well, she probably worded it a lot better than that, but you get the idea.

I start back at school next week, but Monday is just a Professional Development day, so it will be fine to take a call then. I will have to let the principal know I may be answering my phone Tuesday as well if I haven't heard from them by then. I'm sure he won't mind, as he is very supportive of this. The kids will be thrilled for me. I suppose it won't matter if I have to go to Sydney the following week, as I already have the relief teacher booked. There are good points about this I suppose.

The editor also said that I should be hearing from their publicity guy (once again, she worded it better, but I can't remember the correct name for him) as he will want to get more information about what I've done and he will try to get me into some newspapers or other media over here. That will be wonderful, as I wanted to do something like that, but didn't know where to start. It will be good to have someone else organising that.

I did manage to make it onto the cover of the magazine, so that was a bit of a bonus. Not sure what difference that could make, but I thought it was good. Oh... forgot to say that I have already bought two copies of the magazine, from two different places, just so that I could show people that I was in the magazine. Silly, but fun. Oh... I also got to show LOTS of people my before and after pics this morning. Yesterday I picked up a holter monitor from the hospital to have my heart monitored over 24 hours. The doc wants to see that all is OK, seeing as I get palpitations now and then and have such a low resting heart rate. Well, yesterday I showed one girl my pics and she must have told people about them, because today everyone wanted to see them. It was great to have doctors and nurses ooohing and aahing over my photos. The doctor said that I could have my own TV show to let people know how to do this. I felt SO good after leaving those offices.

Well, that's about all of my news about the competition, and other guff, now I'll go back over the posts to do some individuals.

Take care,

Zelma

Hello Ladies---I guess this is just a quick post. I seem to be so busy lately getting myself an the kids ready for school for this semester. I just wanted to wish everyone a good day

heh, Zelma, I tried to vote twice, and this is the message I got the second time: We know it's an effort worthy of great applause but you can only vote once for your favourite slimmer!

eh, was worth a shot, right?

I have posted some pictures in the 300 picture page. Like I said I still have a hard time seeing a change. I went to school yesterday to register for classes and my teachers told me they could tell I was still moving in the right direction. In fact on teacher said as soon as she saw me "wow you have lost so much weight again" It did make me feel good. It seems people are finally able to see the change. It make me proud but still I wonder.....

Hey Zelma--I was able to vote also! I would have voted for you anyway you look great but them I guess I am somewhat biased I really hope you win

LOL Zelma... I voted twice and it worked. But I am going to email a couple of my friends and ask them to go vote. I think you have a very good chance of winning... after seeing the other contestants!!

Scorcher, welcome!!!!!

Sassy... are you saying you ate a double cheeseburger, then dinner and dessert and then another ham and cheese sandwich with crackers... all in one evening? LOL I don't mean to be unsupportive but for me that sure wouldn't be a "C" -- but great if it works for you. In any case, it is only one day and it IS hard when you are going somewhere else for dinner.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Wednesday!!!