I've been in the weirdest headspace since I've been to the seamstress. The top of my mother-of-the-bride dress is a tank shape. The neck gapes. So I waited until I'd lost a few more pounds and I took it to the seamstress in town.
While I was trying it on, I kept noticing that I don't mind my arms. They look pretty good. My collar bones are OK too. I might actually walk around without my jacket on that day.
But here's the kicker ... I thought she'd just take the straps up, but she's taking in the bust! On me! I have never, ever had that problem before.
It just feels odd. It's a bit barer than I usually wear but I didn't mind how I looked at all.

:cp: Susan!! :bravo: When is the wedding again? We MUST see pics :yes: :yes:

Susan - congrats on having awesome arms! :dance: (and sorry about the boobs, but they just seem to disappear for some reason) I'm seconding Ilene's request for photos - when's the big day? I'll be shopping for a mother of the bride dress next year and gack! they're all so matronly! Wherever did you find yours?

Hey Meg, who's getting married DD or DS? You probably mentionned it somewhere, but you know me :doh: I's forget :crazy:!

Nah, I probably forgot to say anything :) ... DD got engaged when she was home on spring break. She's graduating from paramedic school in December and doesn't even want to think about setting a date until after that. I'm thinking the wedding will be sometime in 2007.

Wah! I'm old! :lol:

May 13th is the day. When the college boy is home I'll get him to teach me how to use the digital camera and pictures you shall have!
When we were in Alabama I went shopping with four 20-somethings, so my dress is not matronly. I got it at 'Parisiene' I think it was called. It's by Sandra Darren and is a sort of rich cream colour with just a bit of beading. The skirt has a kerchief hem, so it's kind flirty.
In our local store, where Steph got her dress, they have some cute flowered things. Kind of flapperish. They'd be fun. The mother of the groom got her dress from Coldwater Creek. I've seen pictures, it's pretty too.

Oh, I love Coldwater Creek. Most of my favorite dresses ever have come from there. My only gripe is that there ususally is no color choice. You'll be a lovely mother of the bride Susan! :)

Hi All--

I'm quite new to this board, but not new to maintaining. I've been at my goal weight for awhile now after a 120 pound weight loss (except for adding then dropping 30 sneaky pounds recently --ugh). I'm thinking that I'd like to drop 10 more pounds this spring. I'm in no hurry to do so, but I would like to enjoy some water activities and this means....swimsuit *gasp*. Sooo...I'm continuing my 1200cals/day for awhile longer.

Meg--I'm glad to hear you can lift again. I feel for you. I was sidelined by an ankle injury a couple of years ago, and missed a couple of triathlons that I wanted to do. Sucked!

I don't know anyone else that well, but hello and I hope to get to know each of you more. I've received alot of help and insight from this particular section of the board, and I'm appreciative of that! Thanks to all of you.

Hi Boarderchick and welcome ... I've seen you around and am so glad you're joining us. :)

You and I are right about in the same place re calories for losing. I put on close to ten pounds due to forced inactivity after surgery and am working my butt off to get back to where I want to be. So I'm right there with in getting those :censored: pounds off!

Susan - your dress sounds so pretty! I can't wait to see photos. You're going to be one hot mother of the bride. :D

Susan, I want to see photos too! Me too! Me too!

Welcome boarderchick. I love this board too. It is the ONLY place I have found that takes maintaining seriously. So much good info. Good luck to you (and Meg too) on those 10 lbs. I am currently struggling with the last 17 of my great 60 lb pregnancy. But that means I'm 43 lbs down, a huge difference in perspective to think about it that way. I have just over two months before the baby weight becomes just weight, and I'm really trying to meet that goal. Plus, another 3.5 lbs and I'm back at 100 lbs down from my top weight, a major milestone.

DD is in the process of trying to wean herself, so I may not be a nursing mommy much longer. I did make my 6 month resolution, and we'd go as long as she wants up to a year, but she apparently has ideas of her own. So I'm sad about the impending close of that phase of our relationship, but proud of how she is growing, and honestly, I feel so good physically that it is hard to be too upset about it.

We had a nice vacation with my parents this weekend. Easter was lovely, I ate too much, but not so much I had much guilt! We had a wonderful visit with great-grandparents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins, and DD took it all in with great interest and joy. We got to spend some time with a couple relatives who will not be with us much longer, and that meant a lot to me. Plus DD handled the plane trip perfectly, so a person couldn't ask for more.

I sound so happy and optimistic today. Yee-haw! Hope everyone is having a great day.

Anne

Hi boarderchick :wave: Welcome!!

Every one seems so chipper, including moi! :D so off I go to work outside, hang some clothes on the line... yadda yadda yadda :gossip:

Gym is done already, next is running hills at lunch, then swimming tonight...

I am ravenous today, must be the leg workout :strong: from yesterday, but I'm keeping it clean :D

Where's Robin? I'm getting ready for work and I'm tucked in! And I like it!

Hi maintainers,

Everybody sounds so chipper! Must be the spring weather (unless you're in South Dakota...or tornado alley...yikes!) April has been pretty busy for me. Here in northern ("the cold part" of) Florida we seem to have skipped spring and are going straight to summer. My field season has started, which means I'm on the water Mon-Sun and much more tired at night, and just busier in general.

I've been having some knee pains for about a month and some friends who were college athletes immediately named tendonitis when I described my symptoms. They don't hurt when I work out, but wake me up in the middle of the night in pain and it carries through the morning. I have had knee pain in the past from running too much and this is a different pain - tight, shooting pain, instead of impact pain as I work out. I can't afford a dr's visit, but I looked online and the only remedies any websites suggest (besides going to the dr) are rest, icing, and stretching. I took almost a week off from cardio last week, but after only 3 cardio workouts this week the pain is back. I really, really don't know how NOT to go to the gym. I have kept the weight off for over a year now and working out is so integral to my maintenance that I am terrified of not doing cardio. I just don't know how to stop b/c I am convinced I will immediately regain the weight, as irrational or rational as that thought may be. Then there is the small fact that once you get out of shape getting back into it is a pain in the behind. Meg, I know you have been rehabbing your shoulder. Does anyone else who's dealt with this have any words of advice to offer?

Susan, your dress sounds lovely!

Meg & Susan, the only thing I've found really truly bad about losing weight is the disappearing bust. Wah! The eternal sorrow...

wndranne, glad to hear you are feeling so well and DD is doing so well!

boarderchick, Keya, and Cindy, welcome!

Hi everyone else! Have a great weekend all!

Megan - I'm so sorry to hear about your knee. :hug: I completely understand what you mean about working out being integral to your maintenance. It's scary when we can't do the things that we KNOW we need to keep the weight off, isn't it?

I know you said you can't afford to go the doctor - rats, because that would have been my suggestion because I think you really need to go. I have knee problems too and was way off track with self-diagnosing until I got them checked out (I have severe arthritis and no cartilage in both knees - who knew? :dizzy: you bet it's definitely due to years of obesity) Is the problem not having health insurance? Do you have any options to get it looked at? I'm concerned that you might have some sort of tear and that might not get better on its own. I'd hate to see you with permanent knee problems!

If the answer is no, I can at least tell you what I've learned from spending the past three and a half months in physical therapy (though for my shoulder). If it's tendonitis, you need rest, ice, strengthening exercises, and anti-inflammatories (Advil, Motrin, Aleve etc). The meds need to be taken around the clock - consistently - in order to have the anti-inflammatory effect. Like every 4 or 6 hours or whatever the bottle says. For maybe four weeks.

You also want to strengthen the muscles that support the knee. My doctor recommended one-leg leg extensions to me, leg press, ball squats, and leg curls. I'm not allowed to go to 90 degrees because my knees are shot, but I don't know if that would apply to you. Lower weights, high reps (like sets of 15 - 25)

Is there any cardio that doesn't stress your knee and cause pain? Usually the recumbent bike is a good choice for knee problems (that's what they'd have you do in PT). I can also do the elliptical -- but walking and running are out.

You also can lift weights, especially upper body. You'd be surprised how much of a cardio workout that you can get with weights! I wore my heartrate monitor last week when I was doing arms and got my HR up to 146 on bicep curls. :eek: If you work out circuit-training style and take minimal rests, you can get some decent cardio in that way.

:crossed: that your knee gets better soon! Please keep posting and let us know what's going on.

Megan--I'll just jump in here to say quickly that if the pain is waking you at night, then a doctor's visit would be the best thing to do IMHO. One of the things that was most helpful to me when I was off with my ankle was swimming or water running. GREAT cardio workout and all over conditioning. I'll just agree with Meg as well that weight bearing should be restricted at this point. If you're going to be taking Advil, make sure you take it with food. Was there a history of trauma or did it just start suddenly?

Thanks for the information on the knees ladies. I hurt my knees from running last Nov and it took months for the pain to go away. I no longer run but if I walk more than 3 miles I feel pain. I have been to my doctor several times and really got no where with him.. He told me to exercise less which I have done and gave me anit-inflamatory meds for a week. He never even felt my knees. I need a new doctor but with the shortage of doctors no one is taking new patients.

It is a real bummer when my body won't do what I want it to do. I love walking and was really starting to enjoy the jogging. I use to walk 10 miles several times a week and jog often. I have done some strengthening exercises my massage therapist suggested for my knees and they have helped some. It seems I have permantely damaged my knees as it has been months now and there is some improvement but it doesn't take much for my knees to hurt. I agree with Meg I can get my heart rate up doing weights. Sometimes I have to stop my weights for a few minutes so my heart rate goes down. I find the bike hurts my knees but it is worth a try Megan, maybe it won't bother your knees. I find doing aerobics doesn't hurt my knees so I do it often.

Morning Ladies!
The other day my neighbour stopped me on my bike and suggested I put my seat up. He maintained that it would be easier on my knees. He's right. I've put in a few kms this week and it is easier and nicer feeling, especially when I'm working hard or on a hill.

Good morning, Susan! I've always heard that your leg should have a slight bend at the knee when the pedal is in its lowest position. How does that go along with your new seat setting? Glad your knees are happy! :D

Keya - the first thing my doctor did was an X-ray of my knees and that told the ugly tale of no cartilage and severe osteoarthritis. I sure hope that's not your problem too - but how on earth can your doctor tell what's going on without an X-ray or MRI? Or something? He didn't even examine you? :?:

Yes, Meg, I have a slight bend. He seemed to think the problem was with over flexing, like with squats. And I don't over extend now either. My knees are happy.

Hi again all--

As per what Susan B said re: bike seats. If anyone does alot of biking, it would be worth a visit to a bike fitter to get the seat professionally adjusted. Seats in the wrong position are a primary cause of knee pain in bikers. Biking though is quite good for people with knee pain (generally speaking) because it helps build up the strengh in the quadriceps (thigh) and unloads pressure from the knee joint. It also can assist the patella (kneecap) in tracking properly on the femur.

Keya--have you tried water running? That's good knee rehab.

Meg--x-ray results and actual knee function can be two different things. I have the same ugly, ugly story with my knees, but mostly I just push on and always try and maximize my quad strength and knee function. I feel for you though. It's really not getting easier as I get older, either.

It's a nice day here, I'm off on my bike..

Ugh, Boarderchick, I'm sorry you've got the same knee problems! My doctor agrees with you -- he says he treats the symptoms, not the X-rays. My left knee looks almost as bad as my right on an X-ray, but it doesn't FEEL nearly as bad. :shrug: I've started shots of Supartz in my right knee - have you heard of that? I believe it's a synthetic synovial fluid.

Anyway, I'm with you on pushing on. :D I am NOT ready for a knee replacement yet!! Too much to do!

Have a great bike ride!

Yes, I've heard of synthethic synovial fluid. It's called Synvisc here in Canada. The studies I saw before showed equivocal results, and I think it really depends on the patient with respect to effectiveness. Hope it helps for you. There's also the option of bracing the knees as well. Anyhow, I've got the kids packed up here for a ride. Later!

Geez, my knees hurt just reading this thread :(

I'm off to go do my treadmill limp (pulled hammie that won't heal and sore knees :) ) and will be thinking of all you fellow sufferers! :hug:

Mel

Man guys, my husband has had a couple knee replacements - the first one at 40, too young. He still struggles with problems. His started from a softball injury in college. He has suffered so much with it.

I've had one helluva day. Was in stop and go traffic this morning and got hit from behind by a guy - he stopped briefly and did NOT want me to call the police which I did anyway and he bolted. GAH. The policeman took the report and I told him he told me he was late for work and I thought he wasn't too far away. They found the car all busted up with the silver paint on the front from my Rav4. So now I have a crunched in rear door and broken cover thing on the spare tire to deal with next week. The hit and run guy is in a ton of trouble - he was driving on a suspended license, too.

I had a couple really rough days Thursday and Friday - work has been awful and I swear I won't deal with frustration with eating, but I sortof did. Today I woke up determined to get my act together and the day (other than that accident!) has been fine. I went and got myself some really CUTE capri khacki slacks with this little striped pink/black/khacki and white ribbon interwoven through eyelets at the waist - a pink T that looks so great with it.

A new outfit soothes the soul.

I have some lovely fresh scallops I'm going to make for dinner with sauted spinach, perhaps some Barilla Plus angel hair pasta. Right now I'm chilling but plan to get out for a nice walk in the next 30 minutes or so.

You just never know what is going to greet you on a Saturday morning.

Oh Cindy, what a horrible experience that must have been! :hug: But it's great that they caught the creep who hit you. Hope they throw the book at him!

I love that!! :rofl: And a new outfit is so much more rewarding than food. :D

Your dinner sounds wonderful - you've got me drooling here. Sounds like you're right back on track. Let's hope your Sunday is better than your Saturday. :lol:

Thanks, Meg - I gotta say that nothing gets me back on track like a new outfit - so much fun to be happy in front of the mirror all alone in the dressing room and then a few nice comments from somebody in the store doesn't hurt either.

I ordered the TransFIRMer system from The Firm and it arrived today (was here when I got back from my nice long walk). I have used their videos off and on for 20 years and thought it was time for something different. I really like the shorter ones that concentrate on muscle work and toning - I'm a walker and love to get out and walk and am always looking for something else to help keep me going with the weights.

So a new outfit and 4 new DVD's (plus the stacking step deal) - new toys and I'm off to make them work!

Wow Cindy--

Good for you for calling the police! My hubby's car got stolen from his work parking space last week. After MAJOR hassles it turns out it was towed illegally by a towing company. One of my best friends is a cop, and she's charging the towing company with theft. Yay!

All this talk of knee issues! I have some issues with my knees too (took a few months off from running and stuck to ellipticals, now I'm starting to run again). In my case even without a doctor's analysis I know it's tendonitis. I'm prone to tendonitis and have been struggling with it in my wrists for years. In any case, what seems to be working for me is wearing one of those open-patella knee braces that you can buy at the supermarket, since I know for sure that what exacerbates my problems is the cold. The knee braces keep you really warm, which increases circulation (more circulation = faster healing).

Megan -- if you don't have health insurance, there may be a free clinic or something in your area. A sharp shooting pain sounds more serious than tendonitis to me (tendonitis usually is achy and starts when you have been doing the activity for a while, and is sometimes achy when you wake up too). Good luck!

Hi everyone,

Thank you all so much for taking the time to provide so much advice and share your own experiences with me, especially you, Meg! The reason I can't (or won't) go to the dr. is b/c of no health insurance, and I just don't have the money. I definitely agree that going to a dr. is best and I don't want to do any serious damage to my knee. My roommate and I were chatting with the guy who works at the desk at our gym Friday afternoon while we lifted weights (I go to the 1 gym in the whole county!) and he suggested I stop in at the adjacent physical therapy place next door - he said that one woman who works there may at least look at my knee for free. So I will try to catch her tomorrow, see if she can help me at all, and go from there. I'm going to yoga this afternoon instead. I will keep you posted and in the meantime try to do lots of stretching and strength training, and keep my food IN LINE.

Cindy, what an awful traffic run-in! Sorry you had to deal with that, the guy sounds like a jerk. Mmm I LOVE scallops! (Along with all other seafood!)

Have a great week all!
~Megan

I had a great start to the week this morning, I ran about 12.4 miles before work! I suspect that this week will be really busy so it's nice to get some miles under the belt early...

My goodness Helen 12.4 miles in one day? Honestly? You are amazing!!!!!

I was out gardening last weekend and turned and my knee kindof popped and hurt for a bit, I just cringe at the thought of having knee problems after what I've seen around me with my husband and so many others. The body is so wonderful when it works and such a pain (literally) when it doesn't.

I've had an excellent day - great food choices, delicious dinner. Has anyone tried Brianna's Santa Fe style dressing? I use it as a marinade for vegies - I fixed a 5oz filet seasoned nicely with a Kansas City style spice mix (peppery) and then red bell peppers, mushrooms, asparagus, and a small onion tossed in the Santa Fe stuff and sauted up to make a bed for the steak. Wow was that good and so easy - I just do the filet in my grill pan on top the stove and turn it for a minute or two on each side. Works absolutely great - I get a tenderloin cut into small portions and freeze them.

I work out here in Ohio and have a condo, so I am here during the week and then travel back home to my husband (kids are in college) on weekends. It sounds like I should be able to be totally healthy right when I'm out here? Just cooking for moi, should have time to exercise, but the travel gets tedious and I work long hours sometimes. I occasionally just collapes.

Tonight I'm going to pull out one of my new The Firm TransFIRMer series DVD's that just arrived and do something physical, awful late to get out and walk and I just finished work and dinner.