Hi! It's actdually :sunny: here today for a change, but still pretty cool. I have a lunch meeting to attend, and it's possible that we'll be eating outdoors (it's at the Golf Course), so I have a warm jacket just in case.

Lisa - funny about calling the baby "Bean" The gal who writes the blog "Glutenfree Girl" is pg and they call their baby "Little Bean." Henry is a nice old-fashioned name, and I think most kids, and esp those who share a name with a parent, get a nickname naturally. Both my sister's kids had nicknames that had nothing to do with their real names.

Alison - congrats to DD. I'm sure you're glad the event is over, even if it means she's growing up and moving out. :hug:

:congrat: Michele on reaching goal!!! :dance: :dance:

And woo hoo Jessica! You're sooo close to your magic number. :carrot:

New to this forum
 

Hello,
I have been reading your posts since I've been about 10 pounds out from my goal. It really helped put things in perspective. I have lost 54 pounds so far. It is amazing how good I feel about myself. My heath is so much better. I have so much more energy. Of course the one thing that scares me is maintaining. I know it can be done and your posts have helped a lot. Thanks for being here and sharing your wisdom.

:welcome3: Pat and congratulations on your weight loss! We're so glad you found us here and are looking forward to getting to know you. :)

Wow Meg - you are an early riser! I usually get up when the birds are so noisy I can't get back to sleep :)

I discovered yesterday that I barely know what to do with myself without electricity. Our power was out for 20+ hours and we spent most of the day waiting for it to come back. Of course the power company kept telling us it would just be a little while. Made for an odd day.

Pat - :welcome2: I did the same thing :) I know what you mean about maintenance. I've lost weight before and decided years ago that I wasn't going to yo yo anymore. I have really tried to spend the last 8 months preparing myself to maintain whatever I lost this time. I want to stay where I am - feeling energetic and healthy.

:wave: everyone and thanks for the welcomes. Gotta get out walking now :)

Welcome Pat!!

Cyndi--Hate when the power goes out. You think you could manage, but it is really hard! Esp. at night so you can't use outdoor light for anything.

My parents are either leaving 1) around lunch time, putting them here about 6-7 or 2) Later in the afternoon,putting them here at 10-11 tonight, or 3) Early in the morning.....My family: Not the best with planning. I am excited though.

I'm getting my TN drivers license tomorrow. I'm slightly nervous as I'm well past the allotted 30 days they give you after moving to get it. Surely I won't get in too much trouble, right? I don't plan on telling them how long I've been here. If they give me grief, I'll tell them I had problems getting my birth certificate here(my parents are bringing it).

Scale was down...but my scale is 7-8 pounds off, so its not great to use. I really need a new one. Any suggestions? Or how I could fix the one I have?

Have a great day!

Welcome Pat!

DGA - I have been well past the 30 days when I've gone for new state driver's license and registrations and had no problem. Just make sure you bring your proof of residence!

I am looking for advice on talking to my husband about maintenance. He is giving me a very hard time as I am "getting too skinny" and I am "obsessed" with working out. I have tried to explain that maintenance looks like when you are losing and that I don't want to fall into the traps that 95% of people do and regain my weight. I am definitely not thin. I tried to explain that because most Americans are now overweight, our vision of what is "normal" has changed. There are some parts of me that do look quite thin but other parts of me are still no where near thin!

We went out last night after my 8th grader's graduation from middle school. He gave me a very hard time. He said I'm no fun since I started going to the gym. I don't order alcohol-- I almost never did before but I really don't now. I ordered a salad and fish and I ate one piece of bread. I didn't want dessert and they pressured me (my whole family) about trying some. I was full. I didn't want any.

I was wondering if you guys have any pearls of wisdom I can share with him. He saw I was getting upset and then he said he was kidding me but I know he isn't.

Michele~I'm sorry your family isn't supportive. My DS is in 7th grade and he usually quips with "but aren't you on a diet?" when I start to pine for something sweet. I know he intends well, but as far as I'm concerned, I count my calories and if I can fit in a cookie, well, then I'm having a cookie.

Sometime when I remember, I'm going to post a photo of my before and after on my vein "surgery". I was telling my parents about the procedure and my Mom kept saying she had never known I had a problem. So I found the photo that DH took on Gary's first "virtual 5k" walk we did several weeks ago. It's amazing the change. I still have some discoloration and a couple spots where the varicose vein can be felt (hard as a rock) but can't be seen (it'll eventually go away). I'm still going back for "tune ups" but I feel like I can wear shorts now. It's been years since I felt confident enough to wear them (although I always did wear them for walking).

I'm trying really, really hard to get back on plan and stick with it. My parents left yesterday and after doing 5 loads of laundry, the last thing I wanted to do was cook dinner, but of course I had to do it anyway, so it ended up being something not so diet-worthy. I'm sure that after this weekend, when I have a chance to do some grocery shopping, that things will be easier. I've got to get back into the habit of logging my food in fitday.

I just bought one of the weight watchers scales at Wal Mart. It was only around $40 and it tells weight, body fat, water, bone density, and bmi. I love it!

Thanks everyone for the welcome. I will try to get to know everyone as time goes on. I think I will like it here.

Michele, I'm sure his comments are motivated out of concern and love for you. :) Anyone who hasn't struggled with weight really doesn't understand that it's a lifetime commitment for us and that we're never "cured" or safe from regain. If you can find a quiet time, maybe ask him what he's worried about and see if you can set his mind at ease. Perhaps you could tell him that your focus is on health and fitness now, not weight loss, because you want to live a long, healthy life with him. You're not "obsessed"; you're dedicated to your new lifestyle.

It sounds like an unpleasant dinner! In my experience, family and friends will become used to the "new you" and (hopefully) will stop testing you to see if you'll give in and eat the way you used to. The problem is that your weight loss has upset the family dynamics and all the roles that everyone played. You're no longer the jolly fat one, always ready for two desserts (or whatever your role was -- that was mine). Family tends to get very threatened if we're not the biggest one any more. They have to get used to the new you and how you fit into the family, but after a while, the way we eat and exercise becomes ho-hum and routine -- it's who we are today.

Best of luck to you, Michele! Family issues are one of the unexpected issues of weight loss but hopefully you can talk to DH and help him see that you're not hurting yourself (to the contrary!) and it won't change your relationship. :hug:

A quick hello...I need to be at the DMV as soon as they open.

My family is here! It has been 3 months since I've seen them. Even my sister was nice to see :p

This weekend will be a lot of dinners out, and not much gym time. I'm hoping to do a lot of walking showing them around.
Have a great day!

Michele, you could arm yourself with some of the harm that obesity can cause. Doctors tell us being overweight can lead to high blood pressure, strokes and diabetes to name a few. These are medical facts. Explain to him that you just want to save your health, not just for you, but for him and the rest of the family.

Thank you all for your advice.
I think part of the problem is the fact that my teenage dd is overweight. I think my dh in particular feels badly for her. He feels like I'm "rubbing it in" by continuing to lose weight. I'm not really losing anymore but I was until recently. I have tried not to mention weight or anything around her anymore once I figured out it was really making her feel bad.
And, yes, I agree-- our family dynamics have changed and it will take time to get used to that.

I am dreading seeing my father-in-law in a couple of weeks. Last time he saw me (15 pounds heavier) he told me I looked great and not to lose any more weight or I'd be too thin. Oh well.....

Michele - I totally understand about the situation with your DD, as I was overweight as a teenager and throughout my childhood and in college I had trouble with my parents because of my weight. I would definitely agree that talking about weight with your DD is a no-no, and maybe you could tell your husband that by constantly pointing out how skinny you are, he is still bringing up the subject and potentially upsetting your DD.

My personal rule about weight and family members is to not bring up the subject at all unless I am directly asked about it. My parents don't seem to understand this. My mom constantly brings up weight loss around my sister, who is overweight. I know that she does it because she is concerned about my sister's health, but really, she is not heavy enough to have any health problems because of it (I don't think she ever hit 200lbs), and all it does is upset my sister. My dad on the other hand, rather than telling me I'm too skinny, is constantly telling me how much I need to avoid regaining. He asks me how much I weigh pretty much every time I see him (he is quite obese and has related health problems, but refuses to consider a healthy diet or exercise, and has been giving my mom the same kind of grief your husband is giving you). He also does the "can you eat that?" when I eat cookies or something unhealthy. :rolleyes:

Bah, family is a pain, especially when it comes to weight. Luckily I have DH who is incredibly supportive and has never told me I was too fat or too skinny, no matter how much I weighed. :love: He also gives me those wonderful compliments like claiming in an old photo of me I wasn't really that heavy, it's just bad lighting, or pulling my pants out of the dryer and saying, "I think someone else's laundry got mixed up in here, these look like kid's pants." :love: :love: :love: