Hello Everyone and Happy Monday!

Had a good day food-wise, although I didn't get in as much water as I should, but I did make myself get out there and exercise tonight. I walked 2 miles, and plan to do that every night this week.

The book sale was pretty dismal - mostly paperback romances and uninteresting-sounding library discards. I did find a copy of 'Everything is Illuminated' by Jonathan Safran Foer which I got for $1 so it wasn't a total loss. I love going to book sales and there's a big one in Atlanta coming up next week - I can't wait!

Mojo's eye is looking better. One of the drops (the one for pain) made his pupil dilate so it looked like he only had one eye the whole weekend - pretty freaky looking. But it's definitely looking better today so I'm relieved that it doesn't appear to have been major. Now I just hope they can learn to play nice.

Sue, sounds like you have found a wonderful place - what a blessing!

Catherine, are there still Cotton Ginny's in Canada? That's where I used to shop, kind of similar to Lane Bryant's clothes, with a bit more emphasis on the casual. That's terrible that the economy boom has had that sort of effect on the housing situation. I like to think Canadians are more enlightened than that but I know the reality is that we're pretty much the same.

Donna, yeah, the reason I couldn't resist bringing Jack home was that he looked and acted so much like Mojo. Really the only difference once Jack gets bigger will be the color of his eyes - Mojo's are a copper color while Jack's are greenish. Jack has learned he can now jump on top of the kitchen counters - not that I want him to! - but he is growing fast. Oh dear ... I forgot all about the Christmas tree!

Battle, on losing 10%! That's awesome! I know what you mean about being able to shop in regular stores - what a good feeling, huh? At least you didn't let your off-plan weekend extend into this week - good for you for getting back on track.

John, wow - dead bodies in the trunk?! That beats any 'bad neighborhood' stories I could come up with, for sure. And hey, at least you're down, not up, on the scales, so

Lindsey, big, big :congrats: and a for making it to Two-Town! That's awesome! It's definitely a huge milestone to go from seeing the number start with a 2 instead of a 3. You'll be reaching that 100lb milestone soon!

Peggy, good for you for dividing up your meal from the start - that's clever and I've never thought of it before, but I'll have to remember that! It's finally cooling down here in Georgia, too. Those 100+ degree days seem so far away already! I can't wait til it gets cold enough to use our fireplace.

Rat, Mina, my older cat, definitely did not like Mojo coming into the house. She and Khayman had pretty much grown up together, and they were really close. She grieved terribly - even stopped eating - when he died, and I don't think she's ever done much more than tolerate Mojo. Now that Jack's here, they both ignore her for the most part and that seems to be how she likes it.

Ammi, I just finished reading a book that takes place in a village in Wales - Hay-on-Wye - called Sixpence House. Have you heard of it? That Skinny Cow icecream sounds so yummy! We'd like to have a dog but Mike's really allergic so it's cats for us. I hope you just needed a rest and aren't coming down with something!

Xena, as it sounds as though you're trying hard not to get stressed out over everything you've got going on and coming up. I know what you mean about self-sabotage - I tend to do that myself, and actually am just getting over the hump of a 3 month long episode. I like the idea of meeting 3FC folks in real life, but I don't think anyone here in the 300+ room is from my area. What about you?

Nancy, I don't know about too many, but at last count I have over 600, and since I periodically purge my bookshelves, I actually have more unread than read books now - it's one of my goals this year to read more from my shelves and limit the amount of new books I bring in. Which is easier said than done! That Morrocan restaurant sounds so cool - and good for you for getting out there and dancing! And great NSV with the 16/18 pants!

Brenda, at least you nipped the misbehaving in the bud and stopped it after two days! You can do this, you know you can.

SoulBliss, I hope the scale was kind to you today!

Heather, glad to hear you had a great weekend!

Debbie, on the awesome medical NSVs! You - and your doctor - must be so pleased!
________________________________________

OK, I'm off to bed - hope everyone has a good day tomorrow!

Creeping back out of lurk mode for some personals...

Ammi - I agree it could just be a sign you need the rest even people who train seriously sometimes take at least a few days off every few months. I wouldn't force yourself... take a few days and see what happens?

Going - I just noticed your location... I was in PEI for some work business for a few weeks a few years ago in the dead of winter. Good luck with getting back on track. What else is in that berry shake BTW?

Soul - Good luck in getting the numbers to tick over to the 200s... that's always so exciting those huge benchmarks!

Cheat - The workout pants I've been getting are XL now too. Some fit perfectly and other are snug depending on who makes them. Does Walmart have a good selection? I used to get mine at Target but looks like the brand I used to get isn't making the workout stuff anymore. Boo Hoo.

Torister - what a great surprise!

Debbie - congrats on the great doc visit. I'm going Thursday myself and I'm hoping for equally good improvements.

As for me... nothing too new. Finally broke into the 50's a week ago and I couldn't be happier about it. Getting really close to losing more then I ever have in the past. Still working out a lot. Today I did Kimberly Spreen's Kickbox Bootcamp which is a killer! Other then that I've been working on my artwork/bookbinding for my fall art shows. Oh! And It seems I've worked my way down to size 20 pants several which are on the loose side already! Oh my! Hope everyone is doing Great!

-muse

Hello everyone!

Peggy, I'm so excited that the weather is starting to get cooler here (if only for a few days). You're right, it's a lot easier and more socially acceptable to put more clothes on than it is to take them off. Congrats on being able to tuck in your shirt and not feel self conscious! That's awesome! And what a great surprise to have your brother come to see you like that! Don't worry about your brother not noticing your weight loss... my friend Lisa told me that she was commenting to her boyfriend (a mutual friend) about how much weight I've lost and he said that he couldn't see that I looked any different... Ah, men.

Ratkity, great job on making all of your daily goals for 2 days in a row! Mostly I'm worried about being hot at RenFest. I was planning on going in costume, which involves the bodice, skirt, and long sleeved chemise. Hopefully I'll be okay...

Ammi, infected zits? That sounds painful. I hope they clear up soon! It seems I'm having one of those days where I feel drained too, but maybe it came from staring at a computer screen working on calculus for over 5 hours. Anyway, great job on exercising today even though you were feeling tired!

Xena, I think it'd be great to meet everyone here! If only there was some way that it would be convenient for everyone...

Nancy, no, I've never ordered anything from alight.com, although I have been tempted several times. If you order anything from them, let me know how it goes. That Moroccan restaurant sounds like fun! I went to the one in the World Showcase at Epcot in Disney World when they had a bellydancer. She got all of the little kids to come up and dance with her... it was too cute.

Catherine, I just cannot imagine someone being so creepy... maybe I'm just sheltered... haha. I don't know what I would have done if I saw someone grab something of mine and started smelling it, much less something that had been in close proximity to my feet. That gives me the heebie jeebies just thinking about it.

Debbie, sounds like you had a good doctor visit today for the most part! And in my book, if you lose a lb, then it's not a plateau... you're doing fabulously! Although doing weight training exercises is good in general... I need to make some sort of effort to do those, though I haven't any clue as to when I'd be able to with all of this homework I've been getting!

BattleAx, I'm a sucker for homemade mac-n-cheese as well, along with most casserole type dishes (sweet potato, hash brown, broccoli cheese rice, you name it). I'm just happy that I'll be able to avoid the big eating fest most people have to deal with during Thanksgiving and Christmas. Whenever it's just my immediate family, we usually just cook a nice meal that doesn't produce the kind of volume that a traditional holiday dinner does, thank goodness. Great job on getting back OP!!

Brenda, great job on getting back OP. I think that's half the battle after coming off of a few bad days of eating.

SoulBliss, hey, I'm currently at 299.8 and I'm still counting it as being under 300 lbs! Haha I've always wanted to go get a massage, but unfortunately I'm self-conscious about it. I'm worried that it wouldn't do any good anyway and that they'd just be kneading my fat around... O.o Haha.

Wyllenn, great to have you back!

John, I am with you on destroying all spiders. I don't care if they're tiny or huge... it's all the same to me. They freak me out. When I lived in The Netherlands they had a lot of spiders, and one time I woke up just to find one crawling on my pillow about 2 inches from my face. I shot out of bed and let out a blood curdling scream and demanded that my bed be changed (I think I was 10).

Lesley, great job on exercising tonight! I'm glad that Mojo's eye is doing better! Sounds like with the dilated eye he might have looked more than a little psychotic.. haha.

Muse, sounds like you're doing great OP with all of the exercising and fitting into those size 20 pants!!

Everyone else,

Man, I am absolutely beat. I'm still not sure how I'm managing to stay awake right now considering how I've been feeling all day.

Normal school classes today were fine, but after school I had to work on my calculus lab with my study group and that's when things went downhill. It took us FOREVER and we're still not finished. We worked on it for 5 hours, so I didn't get home until 8:30 and we only stopped because we were so tired that nothing made sense anymore and we were basically staring blankly at the computer screen. I'm sure that all of you have been there at some point for one reason or another.

Because of this, once again, my eating got thrown WAY off. I didn't eat badly or anything, but my schedule was all over the place. I ate breakfast at my usual time for my MWF classes at 10:30, but then didn't eat lunch/dinner combo until around 9. By that time, I basically had to stuff myself to the gills just to meet my daily calorie requirement. Next time I need to just bring a lunch with me...

That'll be a lot easier when my new insulated lunch box comes in. I started looking around online for one and started reading all of these horrible things about high levels of lead being found in the vinyl ones (all of them have a little lead because the vinyl needs it as a stabilizer, but these were beyond that). I'm glad I didn't just run to Walmart and buy one. Instead I opted for an acrylic alternative that is absolutely lead free.

I really don't know how I'm going to manage my time this semester and remain sane. Tonight I worked my butt off for Calculus, but ended up not having time to get my English reading done. We're supposed to have read half of The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton by tomorrow, but we're not discussing it until Thursday... so that buys me a little time.

Oh, and I did walk from the parking lot today to campus! I was going to do it after my lab as well, but we didn't finish before dark and I wanted to play it safe, considering walking back to the lot isn't very well lit.

Okay, I've jabbered on for long enough... see you chickies later!

Can I join you guys?

I signed up here a couple of months ago, then faded away. But I'm back and really want to give it a go this time! But I really need some support. I never, ever imagined I'd be this big and I really want to get a grip on things before I get any bigger!

As you all know, no one knows what it's like to be this big unless they've been there. And you seem like a really nice group of people.

So if there's room for one more, I'd like to join you!

Thanks!

Hi Kari, to a great bunch of women and man. I've been coming here for a few months now and have gotten such great support. Just start posting away, we're all here for ya.

Lindsay, you just wear me out!!

Muse, for getting into the 50's!!

LitChick, I looooooooove to read too. I got rid of 2 garbage bags full of books not too long ago and have a new pile already. I read all different kinds. Glad to hear Mojo's eye is better.

Well, I'm off to watch some tv.
Debbie

Hello All,

I don’t know about the rest of you but I get so fed up of coming here and saying how I had a bad day, and how I’m back on track etc. Yesterday turned out to be a bad day for me, I used my not feeling well as an excuse to not worry about what I ate. I ate way over my points, in fact I stopped counting them after a while. I have old diet journals and at the front of them I keep a list of my WI’s and my weight loss as the weeks progress. Every one up until last year showed a good start, and then a + week, another + week, some - weeks, more + weeks, some 0 weeks and so on until I just had more + weeks and eventually just stopped. It’s quite depressing to look at. Last year when I started this diet I lost nearly 100 lbs from April to December. Looking at the list of the WI’s was wonderful, even on the weeks when I did lose 0. Now though I’ve had 9 months of the old kind of journal, lots of gains, a few losses, and very little real weight loss. I get SO angry at myself, and like I said, so fed up of ‘trying again’. Sometimes I just want to stop coming here at all til I can either come and say, hey I’m 500 lbs now, or, much better to come and say, hey I did it, I’m at goal. I know we are all in the same boat, I know I need to come here for support, and heck, sometimes to even give it. But today it is just all really getting to me. I WANT to give up but I CAN’T give up on myself and yet it’s so hard not to. How stupid is that! Oh well sorry for the rant, I just wanted to get it off my chest. I’ll be back later hopefully in a better frame of mind. Until then I hope everybody is having a better day than me.

Hugs,

Ammi

Ammi- 1st 2nd you leave it will force me to get a passport and come find you you and drag you kicking and screaming back here to 3fc. 3rd I think you and most here get to be to hard on yourselves. Think about how you used to eat and how you eat now. Think about what you couldn't do 110 pounds ago vs what you can do now. Weight loss is like the stock market if you watch it every day your going to jump off a bridge. But in the long term your coming out a head. I used to stress about hitting my points every day. Now as long as I'm close either over or under I count it as a good day(close is within 300 cals). Now if I'm off by 600+ cals then thats a bad day and i think over the day to see what happened. Stressing for perfection leads to burn out and disappointment.

Perhaps you should take a few days to just simply relax destress and refocus. Or do what I did hit the pub for a few( in my case 6 plus rum and coke) pints and 20oz bacon cheese burger. I feel totally relaxed and unwound from form the stress of the past week and I'm ready to get back at it.

You're doing great you can do this and your really doing fine.

Good Morning!

Ammi: We must be on the same page because I feel EXACTLY the same way. Unfortunately for me, I have never had the joy of losing 100lbs...only gaining it! I seem to get to the same place and then figure the heck with it. It is sooooooooooo frustrating!! But I am the queen of denial. I didn't even look in a full length mirror for years and years. Only the bathroom one. I figured if my face and hair looked good, no one would look at the rest of me. Yeah, sure.
I know if I just exercise or eat more veggies instead of carbs I would do better. I love being on WW because it is so flexable, but I think that in the back of my mind I feel I can eat anything and not have consequences for it. I have never lost more than 50lbs (on PhenPhen pills)...and I was so pissed when they found out the combo was bad for your heart. I have never lost more than 20lbs on a "real" diet either. I know this has to be a lifestyle change...and I see how easily I can fall back into old habits due to laziness. That's another part I want to change...but until this foot is healed, I don't see that happening. I just know I want to be around for my family, and when the oppertunity at work for WW came around, I figured I really would be stupid not to do it. Boy, talk about the shock of seeing the scale at 380!!! It scared the crap out of me!! And I wish I could find that feeling again so I could be more commited to what I have to do. So I DO understand, and it is a amazing thing that this group is here, but alas, in the long run it really comes down to our own willpower. I just wish it could be a little easier...
So, my friend, you are not alone in your feelings, and I am sure many others feel the same. So here is extra and a big smooch, and just live one day at a time because that's all we really can do. (Steps off)


Kari: This place is the best for finding friends, encouragement, and support!!


Lindsey: The weather here has been amazing...70 during the day...I love this time of year. If I could have it like this all the time I would be a happy girl!! School sounds hard...especially Calculus! I did go back for a little while, but I got pregnant with my daughter and had to stop. I was planning on becomming a nurse, but now being older, I would never be able to do it. I give people alot of credit who do.


Lesley: I am glad Mojo's eye will be ok. I love kitty eyes, especially when they are all big...although I would have been a little freaked out by one big and one small eye. He must have looked hilarious. I am a big reader too. We have shelves at work and it's sorta like a book swap. I just keep bringing in my old stuff and even when I finish another one, I still put it back so I have more space at home.

Debbie: Sounds like you had a great Dr visit!! You are doing so well and the numbers prove it!!

Peggy: That was such a nice surprise!! Sometimes a man has to be to see what's in front of them!!

Well I gotta run and hit the shower...Mom Taxi to the Rescue!!! Beep, Beep!

Have a Great OP Day!

Ammi i know how you feel but that is dangerous thinking. stay with us and keep helping me plug on along ok?

WAHAY!!!! At last I'm back AGAIN, nearly EIGHT weeks without the internet, our USELESS provider FINALLy got it sorted out!
I just read this wek's thread & a bit of last week's so forgive my personal comments, or lack thereof.
Annie, you had the op? Am I right? Hope you are doing well & healing up etc.BIG HUGSXXXXXXX
Ammi, I KNOW how you feel, Cd is really hard & every night I end up eating. Today I had a truly horrific migraine, sickness, disturbed vision, headpain & feling weird & spaced out, another excuse to eat, helps the sicness I tell myself as I eat ANOTHER ginger snap!! Yeah, right! lol
Well I'm off to cook dinner, I WILL BE BACK, ISP permitting, on a regular basis & will reply to everyone.
xxxxhugs, sharon
ps I missed you guys SO MUCH. Wyllen, you look GORGEOUS & YOUNG in your new pic!!

Ammi-How do you think I feel? I never seem to lose more than a pound, and then gain ten, and take another month or two to lose that plus another pound. I take one step forward and ten steps back each time. All I know is that it was worse when I didn’t come here. I watch everyone lose, and yes, I know I’ve come a long way already, but I just feel so stuck sometimes. I have a bad day, and yesterday was a really bad one, and I retreat into chocolate or something else worse. I feel like a fraud and a failure. I keep coming back because it is my only hope, my last hope. I have to keep trying. Seeing others struggle sometimes makes it easier. If it was easy for everyone else, as hard as I struggle at times, I really would give up all hope. The best description I ever heard of baseball is that the hard is what makes it great. If it was easy, everyone would do it. If this was easy, we wouldn’t need each other to do it. I need you here. We are stronger with you than without you.

Hello my Sweet Peeps!

LitChickie, I love book sales too. I did purged all my books except for the ones that I re-read. It was hard, but the house I live in in smmmmmall! hehe.

Yay for the NSV in the pants, Ideal!

Lindsey, ugh, men.. I hear you and Tori's frustration. They live in their own little obvious world (BigJohn.. you are excluded). I'm referring to the ones who don't notice weight loss or who show up at the front door unexpectedly! Oh, and YAY for walking.. good call about riding back in the dark. Safety first.

Welcome Kari! Just hop right in

VoodooSharon, wow! Welcome back. Sorry your ISP is being such a ditz. I have a backup broadband card I use in my laptop.

Ammi, Donna, TTForU, Catherine.. I'm with BigJohn; focusing on the daily grind will drive you nuts! You ladies lift me up when I'm in that mental space. Today it's my turn to help you. You all have come so far!! You are here and being accountable, whether it's for one bad day or a string of bad ones. Without accountability, those bad ones could last weeks or months. Today, one bad day might mean 10 steps back, but you are shorting yourself on how many steps forward you've made. You share your stress with us, your successes with us and your NSVs. How many of those would you be eating over without being able to share with folks who understand?

I hear ya on the frustration, fraud and failure feelings!! ACK the 4Fs!!! I would like to turn this around and ask if you would be able to feel those nasty feelings if sedated by copious amounts of food? I am convinced these feelings are part of the journey.

I know you can get through these feelings to the other side. I'm here with you.

Luv and Hugs,
Ratkitten

Welcome back, Sharon!!!!!

thanks for the inspiration ratkitten!
welcome back voodoo!
annie how are you doing/

WONDERFUL POST RK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Those that are struggling...PLEASE don't give up!!! We need you ALL here!! Even though some lose steadily does not mean that it is NOT HARD!!! I personally struggle daily. Can I make it through today without binging? Some days I answer NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! I try not to and sometimes I succeed, but I am always teetering there. I have had 40 ++ years of bad eating habits and it is hard to shake those suckers!! Yesterday was a day that I felt lousy...like my thyroid meds were off or something. I wanted to eat everything and anything. Thankfully I did NOT....but its one day at a time for me...sometimes an hour at a time. I understand!!

Sharon...lovely to see you back!! Hope all is well with you.

Annie! Time to check in sweetie....how are you doing?