I'd happily logged off here and was about to toddle off to bed. I decided to check my e-mails - ARRRGGHH - oh for one more blissful night's untroubled sleep.
My best friend (and believe me I am currently re-evaluating this ) has decided that this year for her birthday - we are going to go to our school reunion. It falls on her birthday - Saturday, 26th May. Oh my good God this is not happening. I can't not go because I'd already promised to go across for her birthday and she, apparently (what the ****'s happened to her?) is desperate to go.
I have actually had nightmares about this scenario, about me talking to someone I haven't seen in 18 years and then having to excuse myself because my stomach just fell out of my knickers onto my shoes; about people not recognising me and my own particular favourite (ahem) of reaching across a table to grab a bottle of wine (it will be so sorely needed) and draping my bingo wings into someone else's dinner.
So, those of you with more successful dieting experience than me (that's the entire 3fc board in case you weren't sure) how much could I safely lose by then? What is the best exercise for bingo wings?
Oh ****, I'm not going to sleep tonight. I have resigned myself to my fate but if anyone has any ingenious ideas to get out of going.......
Hold on a moment Doughnut. Trust me when I tell you that you will NOT be the only one who gained some weight in the past 18 years. You really don't even have that much to lose. Though it seemed impossible to lose even a pound before I joined 3FC, I've made so many changes to my plan (though I thought I was following the right plan before joining yet nothing was working), like strict calorie counting, etc., that I now believe I will make my goal come May. I strongly think you will do the same. But even if you don't, you can't put your life on hold because you're a bit overweight. Go and enjoy it!
Mami, you have misunderstood me. I'm surprised that you've assumed I'm putting my life on hold because of a bit of weight. You think I never do anything because I'm fat? If I had the body of Halle Berry I'd still rather eat my own spleen then go to a school reunion.
If these people meant anything to me I'd be in touch with them (and I am with the ones that do). They don't so I'm not. I'm not a look back kind of girl.
However, I do not have the body of Halle Berry so it's just going to be worse. I was not thin after the age of about 15 so I probably weigh the same. That's not the point.
I'm still IN high school, and I already know I won't be attending any reunions. The majority of people in my high school will be the people at reunions who stick their noses up at you when you aren't a multimillionaire, professional sports player, or a supermodel.
Bingo wings I'm assuming are upper arms? If so, try tricep dips. Or, if you belong to a gym, I believe chest press machines also work the back of the upper arms? (I was just there and I can't even remember. My memory is shot tonight.)
Doughnut -- I think I understand you completely -- but you know some things do get lost in translation when written and not spoken!!
I have skipped two reunions so far. Because if I had wanted to keep in touch with those people, they'd be in my address book as we speak!
The only time I considered going (since I was overweight in highschool) was the brief window that I was actually really thin at the time of my 15 year reunion, but I had an immense fear of someone I may have actually been friends with in highschool actually wanting to pick up where we left off. I'm completely happy with my "now friends" and don't need some past one hunting me down!!
I think you should explain to your friend that you really don't want to go and maybe you two can celebrate her birthday another day if she is set on going.
Frankly, for your height and weight, 18 years out of high school you sound pretty fabulous. I understand that on your own you wouldn't want to go, and that would be fine - but it sounds like its important to your friend. And if you have a good reason TO go, weight is no reason NOT to. You wouldn't be posting here or worrying about the weight you could lose by then if weight wasn't part of the reason you're hesitating. Make a signal with your friend to sweep you away if you're profoundly bored talking to someone - you know you'll have someone to sit in the corner and point and giggle with. Go and kick some butt!!!
I started at about where you are and lost about 1-2 lbs per week for the first 20 or so pounds. That's actually a pretty conservative rate, so I think it's totally doable. There's about 18 weeks between now, so that means you could probably lose about 20 pounds between now and then, which would put you at about 134 for the reunion. I'm an inch or so short than you and I have to say that when I got down to 134, I was way happier with the way I looked. Everyone had started to notice, my friends who hadn't seen me for a long time were AMAZED, and I was starting to wear fitted and even tight clothing. I definitely would have felt great attending my 20-year reunion at that weight.
I think this is a great opportunity for you. The reunion makes a great goal to work towards and I know, for myself, having a goal like that really helps me stay on target (do I want to eat this brownie or do I want to look great for my reunion... ). And buying a fabulous new dress for the reunion would be a great reward for losing the weight (at least it would be for me).
I didn't go to my 10 year reunion for a lot of the reasons others have stated here. I graduated in a class of 500. There were people at my graduation that I didn't recognize and that didn't recognize me; 10 years later I would have known even fewer of them. I wasn't in any of the popular crowds (and in a class of 500, there were several different in groups, you'd think I could have fit in with one of them) and I was pretty quiet. I tried hard to not be noticed and I was pretty successful at it. Frankly I'm not confident anyone from my graduating class would even remember me except for the folks I've kept in touch with anyway. Not too mention, one of my mottos is "never go back, only go forward"--I'm definitely not a look-back sort of person. But now that I weight 118, I totally want to go to my 20-year reunion despite all this!
Lots of great tricep exercises at About.com. Just search on "tricep exercises."
I love reunions and I go to every one I can. This year I have 2 (college & law school). Reunions are awesome motivators for weightloss and major life changes. They are also great to see how people you thought were fabulous turned out. You will be surprised how many people have put on weight, lost hair, been divorced multiple times, died in a car crash or even landed in jail. No matter what, there is always someone worse off than you. So fear not!
You only have about 30 pounds to lose -- plenty of time! A sensible approach is the basic low carb, low fat diet (e.g. South Beach, Sonoma or Atkins), plus plenty of water and 30 minute exercise twice a week. You'll be surprised how fast the pounds fall off.
Hi doughnut - thank you for your welcome yesterday to this newbie!
I certainly think you have time to lose at least 10 pounds before May - very likely more, but sometimes a more modest goal less likely to result in frustration! If your weight is the big issue re the reunion, you have enough time to make a noticeable difference!
Personally - being 43 and hence the age where I rarely do things I don't want to (socially) - I wouldn't go to a reunion, but I'm not you and you'll make up your own mind on that one. So if you go, go knowing you're great, great-looking and absolutely fabulous!
I went to my 20 year reunion in 2001 and barely remembered anyone's name! Ours was a two day affair with a cocktail party at a local country club on Friday night and then the sit-down dinner on Saturday. It was okay. I had fun re-connecting to the few people there that I did remember, but none of my best friends were there. I actually had more fun at DH's reunion a few weeks earlier. He was from a much smaller school and he and his best friend seemed to know everyone in the room. Also, it was a much less stuffy affair.
I agree with BluetoBlue, you should be able to lose 20 pounds before you go. And those tricep dips are easy and very effective for "bingo wings" which I refer to as bat wings!
I LOVE reunions... I've gone to one that I was overweight and one that I thought I looked pretty darn good, and guess what, no one even noticed my weigtgain or loss ... It was all about reconnecting with friends, exchanging kiddie pics, experiences, etc... It was a blast and I'm going again in a few years when the time comes... I would suggest for you not to miss it... If anything go to please your friend and you may be pleasantly surprised at how well things go...
Mami, you have misunderstood me. I'm surprised that you've assumed I'm putting my life on hold because of a bit of weight. You think I never do anything because I'm fat? If I had the body of Halle Berry I'd still rather eat my own spleen then go to a school reunion.
If these people meant anything to me I'd be in touch with them (and I am with the ones that do). They don't so I'm not. I'm not a look back kind of girl.
However, I do not have the body of Halle Berry so it's just going to be worse. I was not thin after the age of about 15 so I probably weigh the same. That's not the point.
Doughnut, I was obviously trying to be nice and encouraging, so I am taken aback by your response. I did not assume you are putting you're entire life on hold because you're overweight. I just used that as a figure of speech for avoiding something which I thought was due to your weight (I have been known to delay something til I could get weight off so was hoping to discourage this silliness). Since you are on a weightloss site, and didnt post in general chatter forum, and you mentioned your arms and asked us how quickly you could lose the weight by the reunion, I assumed you didn't want to go to the reunion because you are self-conscious about your weight. Not exactly an "out there" assumption to make given your post.
Doughnut . . . I am right there with you . . . if I wanted to "reconnect" with these people they would be in my phone book . . . and I would not have lost touch . . . what if you went to visit your friend but opted out of the reunion . . . then you would have time to celebrate your friend's B-day with her, just skip the reunion part of the celebration . . . i'm sure you could find something else to do for that night . . .
sorry, it posted itself before I was done, UGH !!!!
I know this may be hard, but you just need to explain that going to the reunion is not what you'd like to do and the she needs to respect your decision NOT to go . . . maybe that will keep the pressure at a distance
This is the stuff of nightmares.
) has decided that this year for her birthday - we are going to go to our school reunion. It falls on her birthday - Saturday, 26th May. Oh my good God this is not happening. I can't not go because I'd already promised to go across for her birthday and she, apparently (what the ****'s happened to her?) is desperate to go. 
). And buying a fabulous new dress for the reunion would be a great reward for losing the weight (at least it would be for me). 
