I'm here, too -- just lurking. Good weeks, bad weeks, and everything in between. It's really nice, though, to be able to check in here every day and know that we're all out here together...

Wendy!!

And hello to TheWalrus Thanks for unlurking!

Battle - I feel for you on Thursday. TOM is supposed to be here today, but will probably mess up my weekend. I get so sick these days from it. I hear ya on the roaring time bomb of 50. Good luck on Thursday!!!!!!!!

Hugs,
Ratkity

Hey 50 isn't a roaring bomb - it's DA BOMB - I'm loving this age - maybe I should just start acting 51.

Debi: I'm glad that Mark is doing well now. Thank God. I think it is very wise that your DH is getting checked out. I will be praying for you guys.

Rat: Sorry the weather isn't in participation with Bikerchick! Pooey. Our weather is not on the same page either so my bike is in the garage too.

Letstryagain: Congrats on getting back down to 306. Way to go. I'm sure you will impress at the interview on Thursday.

Winki: Welcome and congrats on the -12 so far. Way to go.

Walrus: Welcome back. Thanks for checking in.

Carol: Hugs. I just adore you. I say go for it at any age!

Blessings all,
Annie

Is it too much to ask to have BikerMa's energy at my age? She's 76 and runs circles around most people half her age, including me!

I'll take your word for it GGG! BTW, 51 has always been my fav number. Just a tad over da middle.

Hugs,
Ratkity

Thank you! I dont feel so alone now with some of the stories I have been reading.

I couldn't agree more that we each have to find what suits us best. It definitely is not one size fits all. Not even close! Its amazing how we see our bodies reacting to what we are feeding them for fuel! I know I used to mindlessly eat. Never giving it a thought other than I liked what I was eating! Didn't see how it affected me.

take care!

Hi all,

Today was a little better eating-wise. Work was still stressful, but only a 12+ hour day. I ate 2000 calories, and got in some activity today. I weighed more when I got home than when I weighed last night....still paying for it. I will keep trying to do the right thing, maybe I can get back to even by the end of the week. I hope.

Later all,
Angie

Hi Wendy, welcome!!! Hello everyone, just the midweek checkin. I reached a major milestone in my weight loss yesterday. I am now under 263 lbs so that takes me out of the morbid obesity category and into just plain old obesity. It may not sound like much but I'm just thrilled about it.

Hope everyone's having a happy Wednesday so far!

CONGRATULATIONS!! It sounds wonderful to me!!

Now how can I go about *stretching* myself to get two inches taller? I would love to be out of the "morbidly obese" category girl!!

Good morning ladies,
How nice it is to be in the land of the living.

First I would like to thank all of you for welcoming me to the thread and I really appreciate your thoughts, your kindess, and your understanding. Heather, I thank you for your response, it touched me and helps me to know that I am not alone. Since I gained so much weight, and I really do not even know when it happened, it's like one day I was small and the next I was huge. Since the hugeness set in, I have missed so many things in life, things I cannot get back but want back. I am oh so tired of hiding out, I want to do things, go places and love life, but it can get so hard and hiding out is so easy. But I do know that I do not want to die early and I want to live and to live well.

Dogpal, I heard that you were such a kind soul and oh how true this is. Thank you for reaching out to me, I started this journey in Nov. 08 and I started out with a bang and doing great and great for months on end and then monkey wrenchs were thrown at me from every angle. I have endured to bad falls which broke a lot of my body parts, then stress, lots of fluid retention and has not and will not release. After losing 32 pounds and re-gaining 11 pounds or so, I felt like such a failure. It is so frustrating to have to re release pounds you have already released. It feels like a losing battle, but on the other hand I will not give up this time. I look at all of you wonderful ladies here and you are so determined and so motivatied. I told one wonderful lady here before that I was impressed with her that I wanted to follow in her footsteps and she said to me, instead of you following in my footsteps, let's walk together. I am determined to walk this walk with all of you and not to give up. Such inspirations you are.

Dgram, please share with your hubby for me, I am a diabetic and I did all the wrong things, tell him I said please stop and think and do all you can to not to visit any of the roads I have gone down or bridges I have crossed, to please buckle down and follow your lead to a healthier life and release that weight. I do not want to see anyone suffer for anything if it can be avoided just by making a few simple changes in the life, I wish I had paid attention to the signs instead of thinking I was invincible, or not even that, just not noticing what was going on or happening to me. Dgram, try to stay strong and I will continously be praying for you and hubby. I apologize for getting so long winded here.

It will take me time to get to know everyone, so please bare with me.

DCHound,
I do remember you though, and just wanted to say, big congrats on your weight. Cannot wait to get where you are.

I must say this, I am pleased to say, I made the trip to my grand daughters graduation and it was wonderful. I think I was the only one noticing my clothing and that was great, the seating was even good, they had a handi-capped section or sections, I should say. The trip was 8 hours round, but I made it. We went to dinner afterwards and I was able to make great food choices in that area as well. Got back home very late, but hey, I have the day off today to recouperate. All is right with the world, at least for now. Thank goodness for large and small favors.

Okay, I guess I'd better stop or this will turn into a book. Thanks again to all of you for everything!!!!

Ags

Welcome Ags, we have al (I think) put off going places or been scared in case we don't fit in chairs, get funny looks for our size, sniggers....etc. You can be sure that you have found a 'home' here!xxxxxxx
I forgot to say I had my hair lightened a bit BUt it went BLONDE instead of reddish light brown streaks, had to have the hairdresser back. Now I have raspberry red streaks, which I like (thank goodness or my hair wouldn't forgive me any more dyes!!lol). I might put a pic up if I get chance.
xxxxsharon

Angie: So glad that today was a bit better for you. Baby steps. Hang in there sweetie.

DC: Hi there.

Ags: I am so happy almost to tears that you were able to go to your grandaughter's graduation and you enjoyed yourself! Yeah!!!! Good for you and what a wonderful memory that will be for both of you. You are doing so well. Hang in there hon.

Sharon: I'd love to see a pic of your new hair.

Well, It is 11 a.m. here and I have made the enchilladas for tonights pot luck. It is our final class on Celebrating our Differences at church. I did join another class last night. It is a women's bible study. The men are doing it too but they meet on the first Saturday of each month. It is Journey to the Heart of God book that we will be working out of. Joel read part of his homework last night and he siad it is a pretty intense book. I will be starting my homework today.

Right now I need to go and get ready for my counseling appt. I am so nervous and scared that I will be a wreck. I have been having so many panic attacks lately that I can hardly function. I almost walked out of church last night because of them. For those of you who pray, please pray for me that I will be able to go down this path once and for all without turning back. I am almost 43 years old and it is time for me to meet myself.

I hope you all have a wonderful day with lots of sunshine, water and bodies moving.

Blessings,
Annie

I got drug to a meeting with some drug reps this morning about drug formulary stuff. They had the meeting in a Portuguese bakery. It got ugly. They had just finished baking these coconut custard things. No more meetings there. I'll have to put my foot down with the primate I live with.

Catherine -- a Portugese bakery? I'd put my foot down too!

Ags -- You have been through a lot, but sounds like you have a strong spirit. I was thrilled to hear you were able to go to your granddaughter's wedding!