Megan - a woman in my office (I don't work with her though) has a side job bellydancing at local restaurants. She dances every Friday at a Greek restaurant, and has done jobs at other ethnic places. She is also part of a bellydance troupe and performs at various fairs and festivals. Anyway, she had gained a few pounds, and wanted to get in some more exercise, so she figured teaching a bellydance class was a good way to do it!

Pat - I have those finger cymbals too! I took a bellydance class in grad school, but it was totally different and not nearly as much fun. Basically the teacher was just really bad. In my new class she's really focusing on technique and learning the basics before trying to do anything more complicated. The teacher at my old class had been doing bellydance since she was a little kid, so maybe that's why she didn't teach the basics well.

Wogging the dog?
 

That's some kind of hybrid of walk and jog yes? Whenever I take the younger labs group out (4 of them all 3 years old or less) I do rugging (running after them as they drag me toward the beach) ;)

bargoo Flukey is one of many new medical terms. Browie (bruise/owie) is what Barbara is getting over. Hope your numbness is nothing serious.

Let's get everyone's faces back in order!

Dagmar :p

I had a followup mammogram today and had almost convinced myself the outcome would be fine (after not sleeping well for several nights due to this and dd going to college and being unreachable by cellphone for a couple of days). I had heard of so many people who get called back and they were fine. Anyway....
They labeled me "suspicious" and I have to schedule a biopsy. I cried for a few minutes, pulled myself together more or less (I had to go back to work) and immediately started craving a REALLY BAD MEAL. I don't know what it would have been, but I was having the major internal argument with myself. About how I would regret it, how I would feel sick, etc. I am proud to say that I did avoid anything unhealthy (so far). I am still craving something bad though and that isn't good as I go out of town tomorrow for the weekend with only restaurant choices. I must be good, I must be good....

I am so happy at my current (new) weight and I just think it would totally suck if I had something bad (which shall not be named) and then I had to have treatments and gain weight, lose my hair, etc. I know, I'm having a pity party when hopefully all will be fine. I am just a worrier.
Please keep me in your thoughts and I'll update when I know more.
For now, I'm off to the gym and to have a healthy OP rest of the day!!

Traveling Michele, I'm thinking of you as I write because I, too, had to have a second mammogram recently and I, too, was told there was something suspicious. I went in to have what I expected would be a painful biopsy only to hear from the radiologist that they decided it was unnecessary. They said at my age (gosh! I hate that phrase!), it was probably calcium deposits. A few weeks ago, I was in for a 6 month follow up mammogram during which they told me it looked the same as it did six months ago. I pray that you will have a similar experience, but I totally understand how scary it can be.

I've experienced not only this mammogram scare but also a hysterectomy possibility due to some concerns on my doctor's part. I'm still holding my breath on the hysterectomy idea as I really don't want to be "thrown" into menopause. We'll see. I'm having trouble with low iron levels (hemoglobin) and am trying iron pills and vitamin C based on my doctor's advice. I've always heard that when you go into menopause, you really have to fight off weight gain. Thus the reason why at 47, I decided to get the extra weight off. I even kept a size larger clothes because of the hysterectomy possibility and thinking that a weight gain is inevitable.

Think good thoughts and know that I will be thinking of you. I always try to remember the adage that 90% of what we worry about never happens anyway. I've really found that idea to be true, too! Take care!

Thanks for the good words!
 

Thanks to all who said they think my weight gain might be water weight. I continue to hope that it is. My husband has pointed out many times that I have periods of time where my weight goes up (it seems uncontrollably) and then just goes down again for no apparent reason. They are really frustrating, but that might be where I'm at now with this weight gain. I am now above my red line and really (sorry) pissed! I hate it when it seems like there's nothing I can do to control my weight. It's really scary! I continue to believe that I am doing what's right. I believe! I definitely believe that I am doing what's right when I eat and exercise. I am, though, under a lot of stress with no end in sight, so that could be part of the weight gain, too. Just don't want to rationalize away though and then be thoughtless. When I struggle needlessly with weight gain, I am SO TEMPTED to give in and just eat whatever the heck I want! But....I AM NOT, NOT, NOT going to do that!

Goalsuccess-- thank you for your thoughts! That is interesting to hear your experience because I was called back in because of calcium deposits too (I am 41). The radiologist said they can sometimes tell from the mammogram that there is nothing to worry about but he couldn't rule out a problem from mine and recommended the biopsy. I think that coupled with the fact that they didn't see the deposits last year signify a change.

On your possible hysterectomy.... would it be possible to keep your ovaries and just lose your uterus? That would allow you to go into menopause naturally and not be thrown into it. I had that done when I was 31 and it was the best thing I ever did (no more periods!). Obviously i had it done for major problems, but I highly recommend it if necessary!

Will someone please come to my house and staple my lips shut?

I am so scared that I can't stop what I am doing and grab control. I've gained it all back before twice and I am scared.

I do okay with occasional missteps. That's not what it happening this week. I have overeaten by a lot yesterday and today....and I did not get on the scale this morning. I am refusing that accountability and that is what scares me most of all. Add in no exercise due to a health issue....oh, help me.

Tomorrow I will weigh myself. I will plan what to eat and eat what I planned. I will run and lift weights. I will fight this.

Stress and anxiety
 

Travelling, goal, and midwife :hug: to all of you.

In fact :grouphug:

I'm really glad you're posting here even though you are all struggling, just like I was earlier this week.

Beating the mental :devil:/emotional :( things that cause us to eat unhealthily is the most difficult thing for me about maintenance and dieting.

Support is key IMHO. And that's what we all get from 3FC. Please do keep trying. That's what we all have to do, just keep trying one day after another. If you fail on one day, and we all do fail now and again, try again the next. Or the next.

I'm sending my (now positive) energy to all 3 of you. Put your hand on your screen . . . :p Oops! I am a joker to those of you who don't know me well and humour is how I cope with things. We all have to find our own way :tantrum: of dealing with stress and anxiety.

Laugh, cry, walk, talk. All of those make us feel so much better that food, yes?

Dagmar :flow2:

Midwife!
:drill::dust: come to your senses!

Good Morning ladies,

yes, flukey is a new medical term. As in "those lab results look really flukey".

Michele, You know prayers will be going out for a good report on that biopsy! In the mean time, take care of yourself. I'm a stress eater too and have to fight it. But it's a worth while fight! We worked hard to get this healthy weight!

Goal, Good luck to you too. hugs and prayers all around.

Midwife, Where is that stappler? I'm coming right over! Hope your health issues resolve soon also. In the mean time, make a plan and stick to it. Allow a few comfort foods in there too. In times of stress it really helps.

Dagmar, I love your sense of humor!

Someone asked how much leway we gave ourselves. i actually weight somewhere between 113 and 115. That is my safety valve. When the weight gets to 115 I start to panic and get stricter with my diet and exercise. Like Midwife, I've gained it back before and I don't want that to happen again.

Remember, falling down isn't a problem, staying down is!

Michele - :hug: You are in my thoughts! My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer a few years ago (they caught it very early). She had a lumpectomy and localized radiation and has just been taking pills since then (no chemo or anything). Chances are good that even if it is something more sinister than calcium deposits, they will have caught it early since you have regular mammograms. I hope it is just calcium deposits though!

Midwife - :kickbutt: You can do it! Just think, if you get some exercise, you will feel so much better!

Goal - :hug: Here's hoping you will not need the hysterectomy.

I am feeling great right now because I got exercise already this morning! Woohoo!

Hugs to michele and goal and prayers that everything works out perfectly.

Busy day ahead of me. Gotta run.

Oh Michele, I hope everything is fine. I've had one tissue biopsy and cysts drained (all in the right breast) and they were not at all painful. I hope yours is not. I too, has a hysterectomy in my mid-30's and they left my overies - I did not enter menopause any sooner than most of my friends. And the weight gain is NOT inevitable. You do have a harder time with weight loss, but if you stick to your maintenance plan and most importantly exercise you do not have to gain weight. :)

Michele and goal, you're in my thoughts. I hope everything works out to the best outcomes. :grouphug: Keep us posted on what you find out.

Midwife, here's a :kickbutt: and a :hug:. It will be ok! Just step away from the food! :coach:

BARB, I had the same problem....I bought a BIG MIRROR! Now whenever I wave this good-looking old guy waves back ;) Speaking of getting old...now I remember the baseball injury! :hug:

JESSICA....they just wouldn't understand! :)

I know MEGAN. As far as my new project goes, it should get better for eating. The first week I had to "hotel" it.....then last week we got the compnay apartment. I had limited cooking utensils and just made burritos and nachos...OH that cheese :mad:...calories galore! When I go back up Tuesday I will be better prepared. I will tell you that I started the job at 169.8 and after 3 weeks I weighed in today at 171.0...so not too bad!


MICHELLE AND GOAL...all my :hug: hugs and prayers!

MIDWIFE ~ I know you have already SOLVED your problem! :hug:

PAT ~ I have been reading about your Governor for a couple of months...LOVE HER!.... I am :)