Wow, so many new faces since I've been MIA.

Hi all and apologies for going missing for so long.

Life just kept getting crazier and crazier. I'm back though, and I don't think I've gained anything, though I'll weigh in officially on Monday.

Since I've been gone... my grandmother passed away, I made a trip to New Jersey to deliver personal effects to the mother of my dear friend who committed suicide in March, my mother visited me for an ENTIRE MONTH (course I love her, but, well, a month is a long time), and I had a scary health scare (thought I had a blood clot on my leg). Is that everything? Probably.

I need to thank you all, because although I wasn't doing anything to lose weight (or even really thinking much about what I was eating, or trying to exercise), I seem to have maintained. Although I'm sorry to have lost the time that could have been spent losing, I'm happy to realize my habits have changed enough that I didn't gain, as I always have in the past when not carefully watching food and exercise. Many's the time when the words of one of you would come to mind while I was at a restaurant... and I'd go for the salad bar or skip the dessert. So thanks!

Sorry not to say hello and get caught up... I'm just going to start from ground 0 and try to reacquaint myself. Hope everyone's well. Happy birthday, Shadie!

you ladies sound awesome! mind if i join in your conversation?

Hey Shadie - I just love your posts they are so colourful!! You say you hate to sweat so love to swim for exercise, have you tried Yoga for those times you can't swim. I have a friend who goes, and she says it isn't all about contorting your body lol. She is big like me and has no problems. I would love to give it a go but have nobody to go with, the friend in question lives in Australia.

Dogpal - great to hear from you and that is such awesome news that your hubby is so keenly wanted for that job that they will pay for any accomodation he wants so you all can move there even if your house doens't sell. I have a good friend in Idaho, Boise, will you be anywhere near there?? Sorry you had that gain, but hey, I bet it was great fun getting it lol. Now you just need to concentrate on getting it off again. You can do it!

OH MY LIFE, guess what? For lunch I normally have a sandwich, or some crackers and cheese or ham etc. Today I decided to have a can of soup and two slices of bread and olive oil spread. I dipped the bread in the soup, yum, and then had a few spoons of the soup and I was FULL. Yes just two and three quarter weeks into this diet and that filled me up. I didn't even want dessert. I can't believe it. Just thought I'd share that bit of shock news lol.

Take care all,

Hugs,

Ammi

Oh dear, my world is going down.... I saw my doctor today who confirmed I am a type 2 diabetic and I see the diabetic team next week.... it's more important for me than ever now that I get myself back on track with my diet and to the gym a little more....

Hello Alison, I am sorry to hear that you have been diagnosed with diabetes. Have you checked out the section on here about dieting with diabetes. You have done so very well to lose all the weight that you have, I am sure you will soon get plenty more off and hopefully that will get your diabetes under control or better still for it to go.

Take care,

Hugs,

Ammi

Hi Guys,

Angela: So very sorry to hear about your Grandma and your friend's mother passing. I will be praying for you. Keep your head up sweetie {{Hugs}}. I am so glad that you didn't have a blood clot, how very scarry. Great to see you back here.

Princesspuffypants: Welcome! I love your name. It is so cute. I think that you will love coming here and sharing. Everyone is so sweet and encouraging. Looking forward to loosing with you!

AmmiUK: Boise, ID is about 20 minutes away from where I live right now. I will be moving about 7 hours away from Boise. we will be living about 100 miles from Canada up in the Panhandle of Idaho. The Idaho Panhandle is only about 60 miles or so wide. Thank you for the encouraging words. You'd think I was having fun but I was ill during that time with mouth surgery and I was really stressed out about my husband getting fired and selling our house etc. So, I am actually pretty relieved about not having a bigger gain. I am getting back to exercising and eating right so things should look good again.

Blessings everyone and have a great weekend, I'll be busy packing.
Dogpal

Dogpal, I am so pleased that your hubby got the job, I hope things continue on an upwards turn, except for your weight that is!
Ammi thanks for the kind words , do you have to be careful of what you eat because of your op? I hope that you are feeling better today, I have those days but I have no excuses except for feeling low and with hubby at work and two small boys to look after I HAVE to get up, even if all I do is mooch around the house.

regards,
sharon

Hello,

It's Saturday now, and I actually walked to the shops today!! It was a lovely day, was being the operative word, it's rained all afternoon. But it didn't rain when I walked with my family, so it was really nice.

Princesspuffypants - of course you can join us, the more the merrier!! Tell us more about you.

Angela - very sorry to hear about your grandmother and about your friend. You have been great maintaining your weight rather than gaining loads considering all you have been through.

Dogpal - good to hear from you. I have no idea of US geography, I had no idea that anywhere in Idaho could be within 100 miles of Canada lol. I hope the move will go well for you. OH that sucks that you have had to have mouth surgery. Are you all healed now?

Sharon - No I don't have to be careful with what I eat, I just have to make sure I chew things really well. Some people with ostomies won't eat nuts or popcorn, but I don't have a problem with either.

PJ - where are you today, hope all is ok.

Hope everybody is having a great weekend,

Hugs,

Ammi

Hello, all!

My computer's still not working so thank goodness I can just go to the library when I really need to check things.

I'm redoing some of my kitchen, hopefully I'll enjoy spending time in there instead of feeling like the walls are closing in on me. I also bought a bunch of healthy groceries but I'm in the middle of battling a mouse problem. Sigh. They've figured out a way to get to my high cabinet that I was keeping the food in, and it's grossing me out. Does anyone know if moth balls or something will keep them at bay? I had some construction going on at my house and I think that's how they originally got in. All I've done so far is the traps, but I really hate killing them.

I think I've lost another pound or so, but I'll make my official check on Monday. I keep on talking about going swimming at the Y, but I haven't actually started yet. While I was on vacation in CA at my grandma's house, I managed to find a suit I really, really liked. Most of them in the big sizes look rather matronly or plain, but this one is sporty and has a skirt. There are actually pictures of me in it in existance (eep!), so I may post one or two here when I get my computer back. But anyway, I'm comfortable in this suit so I'm hoping to get myself in the water on Monday morning.

Hope everyone has a great weekend! Hopefully I can get back soon.

I can't remember if I mentioned it, but DH (Bill), dog (Max) & I drive longhaul truck. We bought a new one this summer and Bill got a new & bigger fridge for on the truck for me so I could keep up with my diet meals rather than deal with evil truck stop food - which is where the last 70 pounds came from. Last time we left the house I had the fridge stocked with good meats and veggies, but it died 2-3 days out. All that food (and $) went in the trash, except for the steak that the dog thoroughly enjoyed! Over the last month on the road I could feel myself starting to slip and I knew by the time we got home last week that I had gained, but didn't know how much.

We got a new scale just before I left last time, that only goes up to 303. I was 302. When we got home it just said "Error". Can't argue with that. Well, we came home because I bought a new horse, and the time had come to move him home from the breeder's. I've spent the week at the barn being active, doing lots of walking, stall cleaning, horse brushing, etc. I've been too busy to eat too much this week, either, although I did slip in one Chinese buffet and one better-than-sex coconut fudge ripple ice cream cone.

The end result is that I'm down to 300 even as of this morning! I lost whatever I had gained, AND I broke the 30 pound loss mark. One more and I punch a hole into the 200's, so I AM MOTIVATED! Besides, I wanna actually RIDE that horse next spring. He's a long-time dream come true. Heaven on the hoof. By Christmas I want to be fit enough to ground-drive him, and that's a WAY lot of walking (while holding my arms up, too.)

I don't think it pays to focus on the slips or "failures", like having a net loss of, like, "0" over the last month. So far since I started in May, I can wear my wedding ring again, I can walk my dad's bird farm again, I can clean all the stalls at the barn again - INCLUDING emptying the wheelbarrow myself, I've lowered my blood pressure a bunch - and I've made the first 31 pounds OFF! What do you think my next mini-goal should be?

It CAN be done! Thanks for giving my someone to share with that understands how much this means to me.

Hello Valerie - Congrats on losing that weight, it's awesome when the scales stop saying error. I bet it won't be long until your 200+ instead of 300+ That's what I am aiming for, hence my first goal being 30 lbs taking me to 299 By the way that soup and bread and marge were actually low in points, only 5.5 points, I just couldn't finish it. I still marvel at that

Hi karen - glad to hear you got a bathing suit you actually like, it helps give you the confidence you need knowing you don't look horrible. I hope you will enjoy swimming again. I long to swim, fat body, ostomy, scars and all, but I am not allowed until my wound heals. It's already been 9 months, I hope it won't be another 9 months til I can swim.

Sorry to hear about the mice in your kitchen, have you tried those humane traps that are like boxes which they can get into but can't get out of, then you let them loose a long way from home? My hubby is doing some work on our kitchen tomorrow, just re-hanging a couple of the cupboard doors, but having the doors work properly will make me happy

Take care all,

Hugs,

Ammi

Blissful

CONGRATS on those 4 pounds gone 4ever!! Keep them coming down! Great job! WOO HOO!
{{HUGS}}
PJ

KAren
Congrats on another pound gone 4ever! Great news about you finding a bathing suit you are comfortable in!! Fantastic! Hope you do go and get in the water now.

Sorry about the mice problem. I don't know how to get rid of them. Hope you are able to get those unwanted visitors out for good!!

Hope your computer is better soon!!
{{HUGS}}
PJ

Ammi

Good for you getting out and walking and beating that nasty weather! I hear you haev a lot of that over there! I know that weather makes me feel tired and dreary. I don't know how you do it!

I am here. I will fill you in a little later after I reply to everyone. I am fine. Eating hasn't been the best, but you gals here keep me honest! I will be back!
{{HUGS}}
PJ