Wheezypi, I've actually avoided going back to school because of the seating situations. I now do all my course work online. That way, I don't have to deal.

The airplane seating doesn't bother me at all. I travelled a lot internationally, even at my heaviest. Yes, it's uncomfortable. Yes, I have to ask for seatbelt extensions every time. Yes, there are people who stare when I ask for one. But I figure everyone has already noticed that I'm fat. Why be shy about it? That is simply how my body is shaped. I can get in a seat and I have never been asked to buy a second seat. I've only encountered one person who was snotty about having to sit next to me for less than two hours on a plane.

I don't whisper that I need a seatbelt extension. I speak up. I started doing that when the X would cringe when we flew together. He'd be embarrassed for me, as if I was too stupid/ignorant to be embarrassed for myself for being fat. I guess he was too narcissistic to understand that the kids and I were too embarrassed to be seen with him because of his reputation, and it was a relief that he would get a seat in a different row so that we wouldn't have to deal with him!

Betsy, I have a large pantry area in my utility room. It has two distinct cabinets, so on one side I put all of the food that I eat, and on the other side is all the food my boys eat. They are cooking for themselves more and more, so I don't have to go in that part of the pantry very much. I also don't keep foods that are really easy to grab handfuls of to eat, or nothing that is a processed snack. I have tried keeping cookies in the house, but while I may not have a problem with them (I don't really like cookies), both my sons totally overeat that sort of food. So it just doesn't come in the house, ever.

When I'm going to eat something as a snack, I measure it out. I like to have a serving of nuts once a day, so I'll either get the almonds from Trader Joe's that are already in single serving packages, or I measure out what I will eat and put the rest away in the pantry. Out of sight, out of mind for me.

I don't care to give up a lot of different foods, but there are foods that are really harmful to me, that lead me to binges or that get me off my path. I have eliminated most of those from my diet. I started with the ones that really were not important to me or that could be substituted with a better choice. It took time to do that, and it's still a process I'm working on.

I think it's important to find healthy choices that we really enjoy. I love hot dogs, but I can't eat regular hot dogs or hot dog buns. And I really hate those gluten free buns! I get all-beef uncured hot dogs, or bison hot dogs through the Internet or at a local health food store. I put them in a couple romaine lettuce leaves, with soy-free mayonnaise and mustard, chopped dill pickles and olives, or maybe some kim-chee. I actually love them like that! I have one or two a week.

I really love chocolate. But due to my soy sensitivity, I can't have most chocolate. In fact, I can only have the most expensive dark chocolate because it doesn't have soy lecithin in it and is lower in sugar. But I have learned to enjoy nibbling on cocoa nibs. I get the roasty cocoa flavor, and I'm good with nibbling on a teaspoon of them over the course of the day, one nib at a time. And there's extra fiber in it too, plus all the benefits of chocolate. Since doing that, I don't feel the chocolate craving any longer.

Took me a bit to figure all this out. I just keep experimenting.

Welcome Wheezy. I just finished college a few years ago and know exactly what you're saying.... I weighed probably 40-60 lbs less than, but I remember a few mass lecture halls having really tiny desks that you couldn't fit into. I'd have to always find an end seat or one of those seats that had a left and and right hand desk next to each other. The same issues fitting onto the campus bus. UGH. So embarassing, I hadn't really thought about it again until just now :/

At work we wear lab coats and they are buying new navy blue ones - I always would wear a 3x (right now the new ones only go up to 1x and run smaller and are male style only so there's no pear shape leniency) - I've just avoided the new ones even though the old one sticks out like a sore thumb - but one of my co-workers brought up at a meeting the issue and when I nodded while she was talking she lumped me into being built the same way she was, asked if I agreed - all eyes on me - and ooooooh it was just horrendously embarrassing!!!!!!!!

I struggle with portion control. I am way better than I used to be, usually before something goes into my pantry I will put it into individual containers or bags. That's helped a lot. But when I don't and I'm starving before I know it the entire bag is gone, the entire pint is gone in just one afternoon or evening.

oh man, I'm such an overeater too Jolly. I really attribute it to the fact that I LOVE food. I just love to taste things and feel full. I've never gotten down to the I guess 'root' of my problem. I'd just attribute it to my parents over feeding me as a child, plus I had a ginormous appetite and was 5 ft tall by 4th grade. yeah, so much for that, guess how tall I am now? 5'2" and 3/4. the 3/4 counts.

geo, I like the in person instruction for some classes. I feel like I'm learning more and I enjoy the learning experience. I can't let my fatass hold me back from pursuing my education. I also should have been done with school a number of years ago (graduated HS in 2006) buuuut you know, life and what not.

Good morning -- sitting here wondering where the month has gone!

Wheezypi -- Good to see you on this thread as well. Your seating situation as school got me thinking about the size of those seats -- they weren't all that comfortable to sit in when I fit in them. Plus I was left handed so I spent the whole time hunched over trying to take notes on a chair meant for a right handed person. Glad you're pushing through on finishing school up.

Georgia -- thanks for the hints on the pantry and finding substitutes. I have done that successfully in some cases such as eating Pop Chips in individual size bags (100 calories each) as opposed to "regular" potato chips. And I've started air popping popcorn instead of doing it on the stove top in oil......and then adding in a lot of butter. And I do find that if I have chocolate taste, it satisfies my chocolate craving. So, maybe I need to rethink this and accept that there are certain foods that I truly can't have in the house, but it's ok to have substitutes. Sounds like you've really got your act together.

JollyGreenSteen -- I would have just sunk to the floor and hope it swallowed me up if I were in the position your co-worker put you in. It's not that you're not supportive of what is obviously some very short sightedness by whomever was in charge of purchasing. It's just having all of the attention directed to you. Geez -- hasn't she ever heard of having a private conversation with the appropriate people! Hope the lab coat problem gets resolved.

I was zipping through this decade and then hit the binge factor. So, I'm going to do a 5:2 plan for this week and really stick to plan and measure, measure, measure. My big goal at the end of this journey is to be able to walk long distances again and go hiking. I've been going to the gym for several years, recently added yoga, and have started walking in my neighborhood. I'm only doing 1/2 mile this week, but I want to add .1-.3 miles each week. Eventually, I want to get to the point where I walk to and from the gym which would be 1 1/2 miles just doing that. I'm not counting on the exercise to lose weight -- in fact I never take the exercise calories into account when figuring out my plan for the day -- but to get me back into something resembling good shape. Good thing I'm retired......this reinventing myself has turned into a full time job!

Ugh... college seating....

I dread sitting in those little desks meant for right handed people. That makes a bad situation worse. I am only just starting my second year of college come August 22nd. People who aren't even left handed take the few left handed desks we have and just type their notes on computers. (Though they don't always, because they don't have to. It's nothing for them to turn to the side a little and write.) I can't type my notes. I get sidetracked by the internet. It's so frustrating trying to fit into those seats without seeming awkward, and then hunching over to the right side to write your notes. That's why I try to get to class early so that I can pick my seat and get situated before anyone else gets there. Worked for me most of the time last year. I'll be so glad when I don't have to do that.

I've made an amazing discovery -- everyone will benefit from this. When I stick to plan I lose weight and don't feel hungry. Gee, now all I need to do is string more than one day in a row!

Obviously I'm being sarcastic, but I've been stuck on a self-induced plateau lately. You know those plateaus......the ones where when you really look at what you're eating you realize you're not losing because you're eating too much.

So, I'm going to try and go for two days in a row today. I know I can do this......just need to get my mind working right!

Twoterville

@Betsy - Yesss. I am constantly getting myself into one of those plateaus all the time. I'll lose weight, and then I'll stop being as consistent and stay at one weight for weeks until I start eating better and exercising more regularly again. Seeing your post just now makes me see that I need to go workout and stop "cheating."

It's Yoga Day. I have not developed a love affair with yoga yet. The Lotus Position and I will never become acquainted. I am not one with my breath and relaxing my eye balls just doesn't resonate with me. BUT (and I have a big one of those although the spelling's different!), I do realize that I have better balance. I do realize that when I'm in a stretch that now it's only moderately uncomfortable because those muscles and tendons are being used again. And I do realize that it took me years (ok, let's be honest here......decades) to get to this point and it's not going to all be better within six weeks.

But, I walked up the hill yesterday from the basement to the front door and I made it without stopping to catch my breath and didn't struggle a whole lot. So, I will go to Yoga. I will take my walk today. I will go to the gym 4 times this week. And I will stay on plan.

My name is Betsy and I approve this message (and I'm not even running for office or selling anything!).

I have to say I'm very interested in yoga - I've never found a good medium to do. It's always either been WAY too advanced, or like pretty much sitting and praying. I mean I can value the relaxation aspect in the lather, but I'd like to get a work out that stretches and strengthens if I do! I guess I have a short attention span and if it requires 20 minutes of thinking about breathing then I'm out :P.

I'm glad you are feeling more conditioned, I think it's a nice feeling to be able to do stuff you once could not do. I am really looking forward to flying up 3 flights of stairs from the parking garage - I take the elevator every day. It gets to making me feel a little awkward when I'm sitting waiting for an elevator and a co-worker flies up the stairs

I’m having one of those self-induced plateau’s you were talking about. I just got back from a 10 day vacation. Although I did really well during vacation (stayed within calories and exercised), I’m not doing so well the last couple days back home. Lots and lots of work to catch up on, and I’ve been feeling exhausted. Went to bed at 10pm the last couple of nights which is super early for me. I haven’t exercised since Sunday! Argh!

Betsy, reading about your workout schedule has motivated me. Absolutely going to get back on track today and start up the Turbo Fire program. I can feel myself stalling out, so I think it will be just the thing to push me through the rest of the summer.

I am also interested in trying yoga. There is a “plus size yoga” workout dvd out there that I have had on my Amazon wish list since forever. Has anyone heard of it or used it?

I would also like to try belly dancing. I’ve been tempted to buy one of those sarongs with the gold coins on them. It seems like it would be fun, but I haven’t been able to justify spending the money on one quite yet. Maybe someday.

Tonight is Extreme Makeover: Weightloss Edition night. I used to HATE that show. Probably because I saw a lot of myself mentally in the people before the transformation. Now I mentally see myself more like the after. Plus I like to watch it and do the 5 Mile Walk Leslie S. video on youtube. 2 birds… Anyone else watch it?

I made some really bad choices over the weekend and got back up to 317 lbs. by Monday morning. Ugh! Really not happy with myself! Am back down a couple pounds as of this morning. I don't know how I lose focus so easily! I was feeling pretty marvelous by Friday afternoon, but then a cascade of stupid choices...

Back on track now.

I am a Pilates enthusiast. Love it! LOVE IT! I do it from three to five times a week. I've never done Yoga, but there are elements of Yoga in Pilates. I bought a set of belly dance DVDs and have been having fun with them. It goes well with the Pilates work that I do.

At my fitness studio, my trainer teaches a cardio/Pilates/TRX/weight training HIIT class. I was really not sure of participating in that class, but I slowly started with one class a week and am now up to three times a week. I love how strong I'm feeling!

Morning all. We are definitely in the frame for exercise it seems!

JollyGreenSteen -- Definitely finding the right yoga teacher is very important. I'm take a class officially titled "Slow Yoga for Inflexible People" which translates into "Yoga Done At a Pace That Will Not Kill You." We do some ohms at the beginning and do have one relaxation exercise at the end, but the rest of the time, she's got us doing all sorts of stretches. I haven't had much luck with the DVDs, but maybe my heart just wasn't in it. Hope you can find a class. I think it's going to end up helping me a lot. In the meantime, keep thinking about the steps at the parking garage. Is there a way you could start climbing maybe one floor and take the elevator for the other two floors -- obviously I'm assuming that it's a multi-floor parking garage with parking on all floors. Anyway, thought that might be an option to get started.

2fat2jump -- Hope you had a great vacation. It's funny how we can stick to plan on vacation but then faced with the cascade of stuff to do when we get home is when we slip up. I'm fascinated by belly dancing, so hope you can eventually find a class. I'd hold off on buying the sarong until I'd taken a couple of classes and found out if I liked it. Doing something fun sure does take the negative out of it being exercise.

Georgia -- Sorry about the bad choices, but we've all been there with you. There are just times when we get off track. Sounds like you're back on plan so just forget about the weekend. My roommate from college swears by Pilates as well. I have a Pilates DVD, but haven't been able to bring myself to add another exercise to the routine.

My nephew and his two boys returned my RV yesterday. My sister (their mother/grandmother) passed away 4 years ago, so I've taken on that role as appropriate. We had a great time picking blueberries, swinging, and playing in the sprinkler. I know the time will be here in too short a time where they'll be tied up with activities and not want to be here so much. We had pizza for dinner (sent the left overs home with them), but I still managed to get another half pound off. I'm so close to getting into the next decade. Once I get there, I will see a number I haven't seen since 1990! Off to the gym and then work on the weeding some more.

I'd take a class if I could find one that would have people like me in it. Otherwise I'll just try DVDs - I'm so unflexible it's not real. After injuring myself running, my left hip went from terribly sore to really tight - it feels almost like it's bolted together and I have zero flexibility in it. I have a DVD called Yoga For Inflexible people - it's older, I tried to do a bit of it but was disappointed at the slow pace and constant use of chairs (I have a VERY small living room and having anything but my body in it sucks ha)

Hopefully everyone is doing well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm back down to 312 lbs today. Hoping I'll drop a little more by tomorrow when I go in for my DEXA. My mind keeps wandering into the kitchen, my stomach wants to follow, but I only have 375 calories left. It's the witching hour, the time when I tend to eat the most. I just had a big glass of water and took my vitamins. I really don't want to eat anything else today!

Gum. Time to chew gum.