Pet peeve of the day -- when you go to a fast food joint and order something, and because of a problem with service they compensate by piling more food on you. Like, the other week I got a hamburger and fries, small size, and they took forever, so they gave me medium fries 'for free'. I could've thrown the extra away but, you know, it's right there...

Happened to my friend today. They took forever getting his food at Wendy's, so they gave him a free junior frosty. Ugh. He didn't seem to object but I know he's been trying to watch what he eats.

Well, thought I'd better post, as I'll be away for a few days, congrats on the wedding, hope you have it all under control, it took me a year to plan mine and even then some venues were booked, people book up to 2 1/2-3 years in advance!!! WHY? there are so many things which can change in that time, I think having a short time to organise is a good idea, less time to worry and you can really focus on it all rather than having to wait for things, in that time you could decide you want pink rather than red flowers in your bouquet or other more important stuff might change like a new chef or management, which can really spoil things.

About scales, I weigh weekly at my slimming club on digital scales, but even if we have to have a different consultant, who has to use the same sort/make of scales in the same place, the weight can be radically different! I can't weigh at home as ours only goes up to 20 stone(280lb) and there's no battery fitted, which stops me from keep getting on them!
I have to go into hospital tomorrow for a coloscopy (after several abnormal smear tests) I'm so worried now, I tried to forget it but now its imminent I feel quite ill, I did'nt want to know the details at the time but now I wish I'd asked. If anyone has had this procedure I would realy like to know how bad it hurts, if at all, and what they do, I know they cut a tiny bit of skin off to test but how small is it? The nurse always says smears(I think you call them pap smears) do'nt hurt, I have ben in pain every time I've had one.

As we live near nottingham, home of robin hood, we went to the castle yesterday, there was a robin hood pageant on over the week-end with jousting, sword fights and an encampment with tradespeople all in costumes, it was brilliant. Stupid hubby forgot to bring the video or camera! We took our nephew who's 8 and our two boys, 2 & 4, there was sword making, the kids could try chainmail on, games, puppets and shows as well as toys, all wooden swords and arrows! We all, except our little aiden (2) had a go at archery, its MUCH harder than it looks!!! Hubby and Gareth who's 4 and Autistic, got bull's eyes!! I did'nt, but got sore fingers from pulling the bow!
It lifted my mood loads, I'm sure that staying in all the time is making me worse. Hope you have a fun week-end, whats left of it, Ami I will stay online most of the day as Steve's doing overtime today (for a change) so will try & catch you. If anyone uses messenger and wants a chat I'm voodoolady65.

bye now,
sharon

Woo! To reward myself for making that doctor's appointment (even if I haven't gone to it yet), and because I haven't had a vacation this year yet, I'm taking a 4-day weekend and going to Disney!

This is my splurge treat, I'm staying at one of the moderate (i.e., expensive) resorts on the property for 3 nights, and with my mom for one night on the day down. I'm also visiting mom the morning I drive back. I'm a little worried about being fit enough to get around all the parks, but I'll just what I can. I love people watching, so sitting out and watching the people pass by is a definite break option.

Since I'm completely obsessive and neurotic I bought a book and have been planning, writing down all the attractions I want to go on, and researching which ones might be 'tight fits' seating-wise that I want to avoid. I've also scouting out dining opportunities. I figure I'll have a sensible breakfast, and then a snack to tide me over to a mid-afternoon meal, my big meal of the day. I'm not going to worry about that one too much, just not stuff myself. Right now I'm looking at the Brown Derby restaurant in MGM, and Le Cellier Steakhouse in EPCOT. Both are supposed to be amazing. Then a snack in the evening.

Anyway, that's the plan. I think it's going to rain all weekend there, but the rides are open in the rain for the most part, and that should diminish the crowds. Woo! Disney!

hi ladies, just a quick hello, from work. i have worked so much this week i havent posted, but you have all been in my thoughts.
Congratulations to all the losers My cruise is less than 3 weeks, i am so excited! now i just have to pack, hopefully i can put some good pictures up, so you can see me
Have a great day, and remember, be kind to yourself, we all deserve that

Disney, and cruises and Robin Hood tournaments! Living life! That is what this is all about for me. I spent a lot of time worrying last year about how I was going to "fit" in China and Japan (much less on the airplanes!). I want to go back the next time and not have to think about it.

Congrats on getting out and about and doing!

Sharon -- I know nothing about your procedure, but DO know that the fear makes everything so much harder. Can you do some online research to find out about it? Or call your doc and ask to talk more? Good luck!!

Happy Sunday Everyone!!

Thought I would pop on and fill everyone in on my weekend Friday hubby and I went into the city shopping. After not fitting into 3 pairs of pants and with me going back to work in 2 weeks, I went pants shopping. <sigh> If I could only get another inch off my butt!! But I did find one pair that was super comfortable and 2 sizes smaller than my normal!!! I tossed 2 of the big pairs away but I want to keep one pair that I never wore to compare when I reach my goal. Should make for an interesting picture

Yesterday morning we got up and worked more at housecleaning the upstairs of our house. The gym is almost complete. I bought a Gazelle glider. This thing is pretty cool! Your legs just swing back and forth! Hubby kept making fun of me because I was not moving my legs very much. You need to have a little balance which most overweight women don't have much of. Now that I have been on it a couple of times I am not so afraid to fall off and I will turn up the music and have a go at it later My is so safe!!!! All I need to purchase now is a weight bench and some weights. That will be this week coming possibly

I have had kind of a weekend off. I am still having nothing but protien and dairy for breakfast and only salads or veggies for side dishes but I had a piece of pizza yesterday and a big juicy wrap for lunch on Friday. I still stayed within my calorie range though I am sure that I could have lost 5lbs this week.

Instead I lost 4.
(Can you tell that I am happy I am finally back to losing!)

Well it is cold outside today! I will be putting on my woolies to go walking today! But the 4lbs will definately be motivation for me!

Rabidstoat ~ Have a wonderful time at Disney! That is someplace that I have always wanted to go Maybe when I am skinny and have children ( Time is running out on that end) or maybe when I am skinny *L*

Sharon ~ Sounds like you had a wonderful time at the pageant! It sounded like so much fun! Good luck with your procedure. Your friends here will be thinking of you!

Andrea ~ Happy to hear that you can have that treat and get back on track. Thats what it is all about Making that lifelong healthy living choice!

Ahill ~ Glad to hear that you are feeling better!

Ammi ~ Hope you are having a better day today!!!!

Ok everyone, I have rambled and talked long enough. Time to get off my butt and put on my sneakers! Its walk time!!!

Brenda

voodoo - I have had a history of abnormal paps and have had several colposcopies. The colpo itself is not painful. All that means is they are going to look at your cervix with a colposcope which helps them to see it better. What could hurt is the biopsy, if they decide they need to do one after being able to see your cervix up close and personal, so to speak . I have had two other friends who've had cervical biopsies as well and how much it hurts seems to depend on the person. I won't lie to you, mine hurt, but only for the brief second it took for them to get the tissue they needed. For the rest of the day I felt a little bit crampy, but nothing worse than I experience during PMS.

I know this is easier said than done, but try not to worry about it too much. I have had several colposcopies and only once did they decide they needed to do a biopsy. If they do decide you need a biopsy you may be like one of my friends who had it and didn't feel a thing. And remember, the biopsy is over in a split second. I know it's scary, but you are doing what you need to do to take care of yourself. Let us know how things go.

(Also, if they didn't tell you, it can help a little bit to take some ibuprofen about an hour before your appointment.)

Hello All,

Well how novel, I actually had a Sunday dinner today at dinner time, not tea time. Daren and I have decided that we should eat our meals at the table, our main meals, with the kids. So every night we sit together now and it's quite nice actually. Most people have Sunday dinner in the day rather than the evening, so today I decided we would too. It was great. I just hope that I won't end up starving tonight because I had my main meal early on.

I am feeling a bit better today. I have to go to the hospital tomorrow, while Sharon is having her 'women's' bits examined, I will be having my perineal wound checked. I tell you I am so fed up of getting half naked for dressings to be done or docs to check how things are doing. Tomorrow I will possibly find out if I will need skin grafts on my wound. Hopefully I won't, but I think the worry about it all is what has been bringing me down. I hate the hospital even more than I hate scales. Oh well sooner I get it over and done with the better.

Sharon (voodoo) - I really hope your tests won't be too unpleasent. I know it is easier said than done, but try your best to relax, the more relaxed you are the easier it will be for them to do the prodding and probing. Remind me to tell you about a woman who was in having her baby the same time as me. It's too long to go into here, but I will tell you when we chat.

Sharon (neurotica) - I keep seeing your lbs coming off, you are doing so fantastically. I hope you will post here soon so everybody can see how much you are losing!!

Manda - so sorry to hear that it was a tummy virus you ended up having. But as you said, at least it wasn't the tortillas, so now you can get a big stock of them in. It's wonderful when you find something you really love when you are dieting that isn't high in cals etc!

Andrea - I am glad you enjoyed the hot dog, and I hope you will equally enjoy the piece of birthday cake you are going to have. I think we all have to learn to say, and believe that when we allow ourselves treats, it's just that. A treat. We aren't cheating, and the sooner we can believe that the easier it will be to carry on dieting after the treat. I keep saying, I am making a lifestyle change, and I am not going to spend the rest of my life worrying about cheating. I will diet and I will have treats, that's what life is all about. Good luck with getting back on track, I am positive you will get to your mini goal and pass it too.

Rabidstoat - that is so brilliant that you are treating yourself to a short break at Disney. I think you deserve it after making that doctors appt. I hope you will have a wonderful time and that you tell us all about it when you come back. We were in Vegas in 2002 and they used to do day trips from there to Disney. It would have been a long day, but Daren and I would love to have gone. I don't know why they stopped the trips, maybe it was out of season in November. We have Disneyland Paris that we could go to, but it's not the same, I want to go to the real McCoy in the US

Futurediva - not long now until your cruise, I hope you will have a brilliant time. I don't think there is a more relaxing holiday than a cruising one. I might make that my treat to myself when I get to my end goal, a cruise for me and Daren, maybe along the Egyptian Nile. It's a long way off but I could look into prices and the like.

Wyllen - yes it is lovely isn't it hearing about people doing such great things like cruises, trips to Disney, and trips out to castles in Nottingham Forest. I have to say that my size has always stopped me doing some stuff I would love to do, swimming being a main one. I am inspired by everybody here who get out and about and don't let their size stop them. Beth was taught to swim when she was in school, but it does upset me sometimes to think that if they hadn't taught her, my size stopped me from teaching her myself. It's ruined my life for too long and I am so glad I am finally doing something about it.

Brenda - that is so cool that you are nearly all set with your home gym, that Gazelle rider thing I have seen on TV. They look fabulous and they take my weight at far less cost than an elliptical trainer. Do you feel like you are getting a good work out on it. It just looks too easy if you know what I mean lol.

CONGRATS on the 4 lbs lost that is wonderful news. It's so great to see the weight coming off. I think of my 3 lbs lost in a month and it seems so little when I hear of losses like 4 lbs in a week, but I know I don't exercise enough, and when I can, I might see bigger losses too. You earn your great loss and I commend you for it, well done.

Time for me to make a move, I fancy some sultanas so will go weigh some out. Take care all and for those weighing tomorrow good luck, and again to Sharon, hope the tests go well. We can both moan about out hospital visits tomorrow afternoon if we get to chat.

Hugs

Ammi

Rabid...I totally know what you mean about food places trying to compensate with more food. A few weeks ago, BF and I went out with friends to a restaurant we love. By some fluke there was a small piece of glass that was in my ice water and came up though my straw. I did not get cut or anything but needless to say it was unsettling. In the end, the manager offered us free dessert. When I told him that neither of us eats dessert (which is true) he actually comped our check, which was so unnecessary but really nice. The, back in September, I was out to dinner with 2 girlfriends and one of them got her car towed by the management before I had even arrived (freak occurrence). In any case, the manager made good on it and made arrangements for her to get the car back without paying...THEN he brought us appetizers and then he comped our drinks and brought us dessert. Fortunately it wasonly one huge slice of cake and not 3 individual ones...so I sent it home with the one who got her car towed and had none...but wow the temptation!!!

Ammi...one of my MALE friends developed a perineal abcess last month. I didn't want to laugh at him, but when he called and described everything to me...including the part where he had to wear a maxi pad in his pants, we both laughed. He said that he and his dad just stared at the package dumbfounded because they ddn't know how to open it and what to do with it. LOL!

Foodwise it's been a pretty good weekend. I had a dinner to go to on Friday night and I knew they were serving lasagna so I brouht some salmon with me and ate fruits, veggies and salads. Last night we went for sushi with some friend's of BF and I had my usual sashimi plate. I did have 2 pieces of veggie tempura, but I just took points for them and that was that. Today I have a ton of running around to do, so I have to make sure that I have enough snacks and whatnot.

I should prtobably get into the shower now, but the weather is gloomy and damp again. Yesterday it burned off in the afternoon, but for the time being it is sapping my energy and motivation.

Oh..my friend Sarah, who BF and I got to start WW with us about 6 months ago, reached goal on Wednesday night. When she came in to tell me about it, she was crying and shaking...it was sweet and I am so proud of her. Granted she didn't have anywhere near as much as I did to lose, but nonetheless it has been a struggle for her..especially since it looks like she is being diagnosed with endometriosis. She showed me a photo from her heaviest (before I knew her) when she was 220...now she is 138 and looks so totally different. I am happy that she is so happy. One day it will be me!

I'm off to get something started...

Sharon - I had a coloscopy last spring. I hate going to the obgyn, I've been known to go 2-3 years before stopping in for a checkup. I'm also severely doctor-phobic, and dreading my upcoming visit (and pap smear) in November. That said, I honestly don't remember anything too abnormal about the coloscopy visit. I mean, it seemed the same as a pap smear to me, just lasted a bit longer, I guess there was more nosing around. So I don't really think it's too much more than a normal visit. Unless I'm not remembering right, no promises, but I really don't remember any major trauma from my visit.

Jillybean - For Disney, there's a site for 'Pooh-sized' people called WDW At Large. On the left side, each of the parks have links, and they go through ride-by-ride and describe the type of seat there is. Sometimes there's pictures, and sometimes there's reports from people who had ridden the ride before. It also lists some experiences with theatre-style seatings, which ones are tight fits and which ones are normal theater seat size.

Edited to Add: I'm not sure what resources are out there for other parks, sizing information. I know Universal Studios Islands of Adventure have seats you can test outside, but they're right outside, no privacy as you try to see if you can wedge yourself into a seat. From what I hear, Disney is more accomodating to larger people than other parks.

Ammi – yes my scale did arrive Read below for some interesting information I found out about my weight and my scales

I weighed myself on my dial scale and I weighed in at 353lbs. then I stepped on the Digital scale that I had gotten just out of curiosity to see what it would do if I was over the 350 capacity… well… here’s the funny thing. It showed me as weighing 347.8lbs!!! The first thing I said was Holy Cow! Well actually I said a few four letter words but I can’t believe how much of a different there was in scales. I had james get on the scales and he had about a 3 lbs difference, mines almost a 5-6lb difference… how strange is there??? I dunno what to say, but wow.. I’m using the digital scale This can also explain why my weight at home is so much more different than that at the doctors office. I wonder if my Dial scale is wrong?? I dunno.. but I like the digital scale… Ladies! I’m in Virgin Fat Territory!!!!

Bad news tho… I think I may have strep throat. James took a look at my throat. It’s red, but no white patches. I may take a trip into the student health center this week. Depending on how I feel in the next few days. UGH! The last time I had strep I had scarlet fever to keep it company

I hope everyone is doing well… I didn’t get a chance to go back over the posts this weekend. I’ve been busy and now I’m feeling run down with my throat…

I will try to keep up as much as I can. Everyone have a good night!

Sue…

SueMarie -- Those are like found pounds or something! Congrats!!!!!!! and VFT sounds awesome!

I have the opposite situation, I think. My scale at home weighs me lower than anyone else's ever does. Usually I'm lower than a dr.s scale by 5-7 pounds. My scale isn't digital, just an old one with a spring I guess. I know that "I am what I am" -- even if I have to get a new scale -- but I'm delaying the day...

Ammi and Sharon -- Good luck at the Dr's!!!!!

Just a quick one. Xena, thanks for the advice, I had to have a biopsy and I bled really bad, had to lie with my legs in stirrups and a load of dressings in my nether regions, doc had to press on them to slow the blood down, ugh.

On holiday tomorrow so I wo'nt be able to check in, I hope u all lose weight this week and keep healthy.

best wishes,
sharon