Greetings chickadees!! I've been so wraped up in my own world for awhile and haven't been posting . WOW super great to see so many new people to share with . I felt for awhile we were poopin' out . But our family has blossumed so beautifully. WELCOME , WELCOME , WELCOME LOVELY LADIES.

DOGPAL: Oh my how I've missed you lady . I'm so glad we're both back where we need to be. I missed the piece on where you may be relocating to. Can you catch me up in a nut shell?? I'll pray for you so it goesw well. Stay strong and lets hurry back here to get stronger yet. Ginko huh? Hmmm xoxoxoxox

Well, to catch up on how I've been doing: I hit a platue at 49 lbs. I lost my mond after 3 weeks at the same place. But I didn't go to food to fix it this time. I just went on vacation instead . My husband travels around on his job and he was in Red Bluff Calif. when I decided to run away for awhile. I took my diet partner/son with me. We lived in the motel for 10 days and all we did was sleep, swim, fight over the t.v., read, swim some more and eat from the micro wave. WE HAD A BLAST . I got tired of relaxing...lol. I did mostly ok on my food while we were there. I was not perfect but I have been perfect for 4 months straight so I let go just a little . But I don't feel bad because I was also swimming 3 to 4 hours per day . I fried up my back and shoulders the first day so I had to wait till there was a shadow on the pool after that.

I went to my 3 month check up with my doctor last month and she was sooooo happy with me. She didn't know I was working on my weight, so 49lbs was a great suprise I had to share. My labs were awesome. I am diabetic on 3 differt pills and 44 units of insolin 2 times a day. My A1c (3 month blood sugar levels) were 8.6 in April (5.5 is perfect 10.0 is almost dead) and it is now 6.4.YEAH. I take meds for high blood pressure and forgot it the day I went in and my pressure was....normal...YEAH. My cholesterol has always been good but it was 30 points lower than before. WOW 49lbs was a great move> I only take 22 units of insolin once a day now also. That was all great news in one day. My doctor said she can't wait till my next check up because she knows I will be able to weigh on her scales for the first time in 8 yrs.. ...I sure hope so.

Well, I turn 42 on Wed. Sept 7th and I am buying a good scale for home I finally found one that may go up enough to handle me. I weigh at the hospital now and am getting tired of making the trip. I haven't weighed it 3 weeks so I hope I've done something. Oh well, stuck is better than backsliding. I gave my mind a rest and changed up my diet some and added some differnt vitamines too. Please cross your fingers for me all .

Ok, I've gone on and on and I just want to finish with GREAT JOB TO ALL OF YOU. Just putting your minds in check to take care of your self is part of the big piture. Stay stonge. Enjoy every day .

GAH! Another long post crashed and burned along the information superhighway! I HATE when that happens. OK...here we go again....

Just wanted to pipe in and brag that I have exercised all three days of this Labor Day weekend....water aerobics on Sat., 30 minutes on the treadmill on Sun., and 30 minutes swimming laps this morning. My food is still a bit of a mess. I am doing better than I was doing when I was packing on all this weight, but not good enough to actually be losing. Everytime I even considered cutting back or counting points or journalling my food I just had this horrible little rebellious streak in me. But I have decided to quit acting like a child and do something about this weight! I am going to start counting WW points again. Not planning to attend meetings again because for me I am too embarrassed when I start to struggle. I'd rather struggle in private, thank you very much. Or struggle with you gals who understand what it is like to have a lot of weight to lose. Anyway, I got my nifty spreadsheet out that I used to use to track my points and have been journalling my food today.

Sickntired - Way to go on not eating all the ice cream at once. I am not sure I could have done that. Ice cream is my drug of choice and for now I try to keep it out of the house. I can't be trusted!!!!

AmmiUK - Congratulations on 2 weeks of sticking with it. That is certainly a great big step in the right direction!

dogpal - Nice to see you again. I bet you are so relieved to have not one, but two, offers on your house. I know trying to move and get a house sold can be very stressful. Sounds like things are going well for you though. I hope the employer comes through on the moving expenses too!

hippivanlady - Your story about him singing into the phone made me giggle. Ain't it funny what crazy things love makes us do?!?! I am glad you and your beau are happy!

shadiepurple - Good job improving your blood work so much! And...long time, no see. Glad to see you out here again.

Take care everyone. And thanks for being here.

Hello All,

Well another day over with, it's good to be here at 9.30 at night and be confident that I won't be eating anything else tonight. The best part is that I don't feel hungry either. I made WW chinese style rice tonight for tea. It was delicious and so filling. I have kept half for tomorrow.

PJ - You are doing great with your willpower and that low fat icecream. Those Brownies you made, were they WW ones, or are you that strong that you can make full fat ones without tucking into them?? I intend to weigh once a month on a Sunday night at midnight. Silly time I know, but that's when I took my start weight, so I may as well stick to it.

Dogpal - That is fab news about you getting an offer for the house $10,000 more than the asking price. I bet it's a relief. I am glad I helped you get back on the wagon, and I look forward to losing weight right along with you and the other wonderful ladies here.

Catherine - aww that is so sweet how 'himself' sang to you on the phone, how romantic. Good for you for holding back the laughter. Oh and how sweet that he carries around that envelope you put some perfume on. He sounds so adorable, how long have you been going out with him?? As for losing weight on your feet, it's funny where we lose it from isn't it. On a previous diet I had lost about a stone, and I was in my mum in laws kitchen with her. Ex mum in law now. Anyway I was yapping away about the shoes I had on, and I lifted my foot to show her, and must have been a bit forceful and my shoe flew right off and hit her. I had lost so much weight the shoes were loose. We had a good laugh about that. Of course I would rather lose weight off my tummy and butt, not my feet. But never mind a loss is a loss.

Xena - good for you for taking the positive step of deciding to count WW points again. I am sure that now you are focused you will be able to stick to the diet. I do WW at home too, classes are too expensive and I also don't want to weigh weekly. Mainly I love WW because of being to eat what you want as long as you stay within your points limit. Thanks for the congrats on the two weeks OP, I look forward to when I have you saying, woohoo, well done on your being OP for 2 years. Because even if I have got to goal by then, I am making a lifestyle change and want to keep the weight off.

I have a little tip for you all now, especially good for if you live in a house with an up and downstairs. When you do your ironing, do it downstairs, and every time you have a top that needs hanging up, go upstairs and hang each one as you iron it. Don't do all of them, and take them up at once. I did that today, it didn't take me long to work up a sweat. Exercise doesn't have to be the type you do in a gym, it's amazing how much of a sweat you can burn off just doing simple jobs around the house.

I hope you have all had and are having a good day, and for those having a holiday, enjoy.

Hugs,

Ammi

OH, Catherine, your story was so sweet. I feel like I'm at a slumber party at times listening to you. I love it. Love is so wonderful and amazing. My hubby can sing at times but usually he tries for the rock and roll stuff (being a biker he is really into rock and roll) any way, he really isn't very good either and I applaude you for not giggling. It would probably hurt his feelings and you would never hear him sing again. On long car rides I will sing (I can sing a bit because my mom was a singer and an artist) and I love to sing Chirstian songs that we sing in church. I will beg my hunny to sing with me and he usually does. I am so happy for all that you have to look forward to!

Shadie: So very good to see you here again. I miss you so much. I feel such a kinship with you. We may be moving to Northern Idaho. The job offer is coming from Spokane WA which is about 7 miles from Post Falls Idaho. Beautiful country. I would not be crushed if we stayed here though and just bought some property like an acre or 10, tee hee. I am such a country girl.

I went to the pool to swim and low and behold it is closed for repair until next week. EEEK! I am going to try to have to walk for exercise. I have not been very successful at walking without hurting myself big time because of severe arthritis in my hip. I will maybe walk just a bit each day. It will be better than sitting on my duff now that I am back on the track. Well, all of you special ladies have a wonderful evening. Much love to you all,

Blessings,
Dogpal

Hehe--cute story bout the shoe flying at MIL I haven't changed shoe sizes yet, but the size 10 regulars are fitting more often (used to always need a 10 wide). I notice my weight loss firs tin my ankles and wrists--how weird! I'd much rather notice it in my waist and gut, but hey, at least it's going from somewhere, right?

I had a bit of a rough weekend. Actually, I had a great weekend, but today I had a minor breakdown. I realized that I have been absolutely HORRIBLE with my food since Thursday night. Not a single day on-plan I had a minor crying fit this afternoon (tough to explain to Jeff, as I don't think he gets why I get so upset over things like, "I allowed myself to eat at restaurants too many times this weekend," but he was still good and hugged me till I stopped crying ). I have probably gained a few pounds just in the past few days, even minus the water weight. I really wanted to have a 3-pound loss this coming Thursday at TOPS, but I am now praying to stay the same!

In any case, I cried out my frustration and sat down tonight to plan my meals for tomorrow. I plugged them into my Fitday, so I know exactly what I'm getting from my 4 meals. I will also be at the gym between jobs tomorrow (I have been skimping on the gym and just been counting my waitressing as exercise ). I'm going to low-carb it for a few days just to jump-start the initial weekend pounds off me, then get back to my sensible plan (mostly low-carb, but with fruits and veggies and sometimes oatmeal and whole-wheat pasta). I hate that I fell off during the weekend, but I am ready to climb right back on. No way am I ever gaining back all 30 of those pounds--they are to be gone FOREVER!
What is it the Ginko is supposed to do? I must have missed that post, but if it is helping multiple people here, then perhaps I will try to find some next time I hit Target or Walmart. Anything that might help is worth a shot, right?!

I have lost 42lbs and still need to lose another100lbs, but recently I have nticed that the weight I've lost is'nt coming off evenly. I have dents in my tummy and it looks a bit lop-sided too, has anyone who's lost weight encountered this problem and does it settle down?
I know that I will need a tummy tuck or similar procedure, (my arms & legs may need some work too, I am living in hope that they won't) but in the meantime any advice? No one sees this except me & my hubby but it is making me rather anxious, when I've lost before it's always been evenly, without lumps & bumps.

thanks,
sharon

Hi ALL

I'm back after a confusing, emotional time but I decided: NO EXCUSES just ready to try again. I must be responsible for my own behaviour. In short, I'm having issues with my mother and this has triggered me to not take care of myself (for some odd reason). But, I've regrouped and gathered my sanity now... I'm up 3 lbs and I look forward to dropping those soon. I've already gotten rid of 2 damage lbs... can't wait to attack that Virgin Fat again!

Hey, wheres the 30 a day in September exercise thread? I'm ready for it...

Right, off to read up on posts and see what's been happening in your wonderful lives! I've been thinking about you all and when I was most ashamed of myself and my behaviour, I kept imagining all the encouraging words you all post and well, here I am.

Thanks for being so special.

Love,
Tammara

Yikes Attention everyone, I meant to say Ginsing not Ginko. OOPs hope everyone didn't rush out and by it. So very sorry all.

Blessings,
dogpal

Voodoo...I am down 66 lbs and I am definately seeing some uneven areas. I still have a ways to go as well...so I am not even thinking of surgical outcomes afterwards. But I noticed the other day that my hips are different sizes. I try to stay focused on the positives though...my thighs are definatrly smaller, my legs looks nicer and longer and my butt and boobs are perkier than before and have a nicer shape. I still have an "apron" of sorts and I am worried that it will never go away. I also have excess skin hanging under my arms and I am trying to just ignore that altogether. I could be more pro-active about it and try to firm it up, but I have lost my exercise motivation. I was great about exercising over my vacation and now I am just a slacker again..I need to kick that!!!

Julee-Here's my thinking about loose skin. I have been losing weight from the top down. The skin on my upper back, chest, high waist, and arms except for triceps area all tightened up on their own. Even my neck area where I used to have several extra chins is tight. If you pinch the skin on the back of your hand, that will show you how thin skin is. The stuff that is loose on my legs and hips isn't hanging skin. It is hanging fat. The fat that used to be quite rigid is now honeycombed. It has lost its support. Sometimes dragging my legs through the water at the pool is like trying to drag a bucket up. When I get my body fat %'s down to a normal amount, I am positive that the skin will follow. I've been thinking about compression shorts like the kind that football players wear to prevent hamstring and groin injuries. Eastbay online sells them, and they come in pretty large sizes. They even come in long leg and tops too. It might give the flab some support and maybe even stuff out a little.

Biggirl-Moms. That was always my biggest sabotager. I haven’t seen or spoken to her in over 10 months. I am convinced that I wouldn’t have made as much progress if I hadn’t made that big leap. My best revenge is to live a long healthy life. I realize that not everyone had a mom as abusive as mine. You don’t get to be almost 600 lbs. by accident. Not everyone can just cut themselves from their family. Right now it is necessary for my sanity. Protect yourself however you need to.

I hope she checks this and hasn't ditched us for the "Old Hens" completely...


Saw the puppies in the pictures thread--insanely adorable!!

Julie c & everyone else, thanks for the advice, I have to be realistic I know I will have to have some sugery, BUT it has to be better than having firm, well stretched fatty skin, ugh, better a few well placed scars, after all I'll lose some stretch marks in the skin they remove.lol!
If I'd have known when I was pregnant for the first time, that putting on all of this weight would do this to my body I'd have refused all the choccy & cakes that I ate.

regards,
sharon

Good Afternoon Ladies!

No Jilly, I haven't abandoned you young chicks! Thank you and also Dogpal for the Happy Birthdays! I really am an old hen - 42 today! But I read every post - or at least I try to. Jill, your weekend sounds like mine - food, food everywhere. Not really, but some really bad choices were made - including Pizza, McDonalds and Olive Garden for example. I really don't think I gained, but we'll see. I didn't even weigh last Friday, forgot about the steak sandwich and fried cauliflower and beer I had then! But this Friday we'll see if I've done bad things to myself or not.

Well, there are way too many new ladies here for me to say hello to individually, so... Hello New Chicks! I hope everyone finds what they need here. I've certainly found a great support group here!

Catherine: Your posts about your sweetie just always make me smile! It's very sweet he sang to you. My own DH, who is not timid and who sang in competition in high school, won't sing to me - I've even asked him to! Maybe I can get "Happy Birthday to You" tonight if I beg! I'm so happy for you!

Voodoo: Gotta hate the loose skin thing. I just know my arms will need surgery - I do tricep exercises like crazy - but they are soooo floppy! My tummy has the added burden of having a surgical scar that runs from sternum to pelvis and for some reason there is a "dip" at my waist. So I basically look like I have two belly-buttons - one where it's supposed to be (which isn't one at all) and then the one that's four inches below it - which is where the real navel hangs down. After five years of marriage, I don't let my husband see me without my panties on if I can help it. But I am determined it will get better. If nothing else, the muscles being built back will help lots.

Well Ladies, I must go. I just got back from running home to let my new puppies out of their crate for an hour or so, but I must get back to work. Take a look at my new furry babies on the photo thread!

Onward and Downward Ladies!

Hi everyone~~

You all make me --in a good way, of course. I've been posting pretty irregularly--usually when I'm doing good on my weight loss . When I'm doing not so good I don't post because I'm usually bummed out and depressed about it. But I've changed recently and I read here every couple of days now--no matter what. You ladies are all so supportive and inspiring to me.

I've been following a low carb diet and I'm doing pretty good on it. I did cheat this weekend though and I had some Chinese food. I ate beef with broccoli, an egg roll, 2 crab rangoons, and some sweet and sour chicken pieces and I gained 6 ounces. I'm okay with it though--I just went right back to my low carb eating the next day and I'm hoping that I'll see a loss tomorrow. I am actually glad that I cheated in a way. I've been looking at stuff and WANTING to inhale it lately--like the Wheat Thins and the Ritz crackers that are in my cupboard. I think that eating that fried food the other night has cured my temporary cravings, yay! Oh--and the best part--I had ordered a bottle of Coka~Cola so that my bf could drink it with dinner. He usually doesn't drink it, but he's been working on the house and he was so hot and sweaty that he wanted some. Anyway--I've had to give up my beloved Coke--I can't even have it in the house. I lost 10 lbs. in April and after that I told myself that I could drink 1 can a day--WRONG! That one can soon turned back into the 2 liter's + that I was used to drinking. It took me a few months to get off it again and now I drink either Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi and Poland Springs. Anyway--my bf didn't finish the glass that he poured himself and he told me that I could consider it a treat. I haven't had a Coke in over a month. I said "No. I can't drink it. I'm afraid of what will happen." So what did I do? I took a sip of course. I'm weak when it comes to Coke. And then I made a face of disgust. I just can't believe how disgustingly sweet it is. I'm actually shocked that I used to drink the stuff so much. So, like I said, I'm glad that I cheated because I found out that I can withstand the temptation of Coke. I ended up pouring the rest of the soda out.

My mother and I are busy making magnets to sell. We are going to use the proceeds to help the Katrina victims. And my Mom called me earlier today to tell me that some of them are going to be staying up in Cape Cod at the base so that's where we're going to focus our efforts. I know that it sounds silly--making magnets and selling them--but after 9/11 my mother, sister and a friend of ours sold pins and magnets and they raised over $600 to donate to the fund. I know that's not a lot in the grand scheme of things, but it helped--and it made them and the people who bought them feel good that they were able to help out in some small way. We're hoping that we can raise some $$ to help this time too. And the prices are so crazy here right now that some of us can't afford to give more than the $2-$5 that we're charging for the magnets. Wish us luck.

Sharon--Actually, the government did fail these people but for once, they can't blame Bush. 2 days before Katrina even hit, Bush declared a state of emergency. The problem was the "in-state" government. The mayors and the governor dropped the ball. Parts of Mississippi were hit just as bad and just as hard but the Governor of that state sprung into action the moment the State of Emergency was declared. So the death toll and injury toll is much, much lower.

ALSO.....People have always had this misconception that they can out smart nature. No matter how serious the news people told them how bad the storm was going to be, they were not going to leave. They were not going to do what needed to be done. So yes, a lot of them died. There's nothing the government can do about that but bury the bodies.

Also--are you the same one who's Voodoo? I feel for you as far as the skin thing. It's very depressing, but you're right when you say that it's better than having firm, well stretched fatty skin. Just work out with weights and hope and pray for the best. That's what I'm doing. Hoping and praying, I mean. I am Wiccan and honestly, since I re-started my diet--I've gained so much strength by talking to the Gods every day. I think that I've actually become more spiritual and it can only get better because my relationship with them has changed. I used to just pray that I would lose the weight and do nothing to make it happen. Now, I'm eating better and exercising and instead of asking for it to magically melt away I'm asking for help and strength to keep doing what I'm doing. That's a big part of why I'm losing now when I wasn't before.

Catherine--I loved your story about your honey singing to you. I always feel so good after reading your posts. And I never thought about losing shoe sizes until your post. Something else to look forward to.

ShadiePurple--keep up the good work! Your blood work is speaking for itself so I'm sure that this plateau will soon be behind you.

Jill--you are always so positive--remember that just one weekend won't kill you. Good luck in the next few days getting yourself back on track. That's what I realized--that if you fall off or cheat a little that you just have to pick yourself up and get your butt back on track. I've learned that by reading what you all post so...Good luck.

Well, I have to take my babies out. I'll talk to you all later.

Keep up the good work.

Vicki