thanks everyone
and jitterfish - it's motivating to me to take the pics! i take one every 10 pounds just to have them and to compare at various stages (and post them on my blog). i want to see where i've been every step of the way. there's the beginning pic and there will be a goal pic showing the dramatic change, but there will also be pics along the way to show that it didn't happen overnight. but it helps me a LOT to see that it is happening. every time i take a pic, i get to add a charm to my collection. you can see the bracelet in the 260 pic on my left wrist. that was my reward at 280 for 20 pounds lost. at 270 and 260 i've ordered silver charms to go on it (they aren't on it yet because they'd look silly all by themselves). i got that idea from another poster here.
