Zelma: I am sorry to hear about the depression. I know that it can be a really hard thing to deal with. I am glad to see you posting though. We miss you!!

dgramie: YEAH!!!!!!!!!! I knew that scale would move for ya!!!!

Annie: If I read your post right..you collect charms for a bracelet for your goals? How NEAT! I love those charm bracelets BUT have yet to start colelcting cause I know I will want them all!

Ammi: I am soooooo happy you are back!!! Encouragment doesnt come from you loosing weight missy..it comes from you coming here and finding it with us!!! Also I thought that was your daughter but I wasnt sure..must have missed a few posts lol.

Carol: sorry to hear about your dad..I'm sending you hugs today. ((( HUGS )))


As for me: Well yesterday early in the morning me and my brother drove over to his work to recharge the A/C in my car and put coolant in my car. It was a slow ride cause we had to stop a time or two to refill the radiator with water...BUT my car is all fixed now!!!

My youngest son now has the stomach flu..or something like that. My oldest had it last week. I REALLY hope I don't get it!! So I didnt get much sleep last night. Although he is 14 and can manage to "p*ke" on his own..I am still up worrying about him.

Today all my blanket tops will be done yeah!!! I am going to go get the backings for them and try to get them done this week. That is the hardest part for me.

It is still warm here about 76 during the day. But the morning sure are chilly! Around 40ish. I know I know some of yall are thinking for is our high..lol..Im in Arizona remember lol 40 is freezing.

Have a great day all!

Ammi and Zelma have prompted me to write.

I've been a lot quieter on 3fc lately, and I think it is, in part, because I too am struggling. (I'm also really busy in "real life" too!)

But I understand what Ammi means -- I've gained back 17 pounds in the past year. It's not just about feeling like a hypocrite for gaining back the weight. But I also feel like I'm not in that positive mindset I had for so long. And I don't exactly know how to get it back.

But I do know that I read about Ammi and Zelma struggling and have a couple of responses. One is a feeling of sadness, and the second is a feeling of connectedness.

I think that it's great that we all come here when we're doing well, but maybe it's even more important to come here when we're NOT. When we ARE struggling.

First, I think it's a more realistic picture of what weight loss and maintenance is like for people who were once morbidly obese. It is something we will always struggle with.

Second, it makes us realize we aren't alone! Although I don't like hearing that people have gained weight back or are struggling, it does make me feel more "normal" to know I am not going through this alone!

So, kudos to all of you who are in the zone of weight loss. It's a great place to be! But here's also to all of us struggling! We are not alone!

Medicine is an amazing thing - yesterday morning they told us they weren't sure they could do anything for dad and today he went home to recuperate. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers.

I found my stress eating factor is still active - I did great all day while at the hospital and focused - once I got home I didn't feel like cooking so we have eaten out the past 2 nights. Today has been a great OP day as well as 65 minutes of exercise. I'm looking forward to getting right back to my renewed focus and plan to exercise each day except for Monday and Wednesday - I will make my 1000 minute exercise goal - it may be what I do on New Years Eve but I will make it!

I'm going to relax a bit and watch the Big 12 championship game - I am exhausted - not sure if it is physical and emotional or just all emotional. I'm not sure who is happier tonight - the pups or me - they are so content with everyone back in the right place.

Move your bodies, drink your water and SMILE.

Hugs,
Carol

Hi everyone,

My name is Karen and I just found this site a couple of days ago. I weighed 315, but am down to 311 afet my 1st week (mostly water-weight). I am using a bodybugg and counting calories, of 1700 per day maxx.

Can someone please tell me how to put the sliding scale at the bottom of my posts like most of you have?

Thanks!

wickky_ hi and welcome. I think you have to be on the site for awhile before you get a ticker. Tell me about the bodybugg...Great job on a loss already!!

purple- hi

carol- glad to hear your dad is better.

485_ great job on staying op.

heather, ammie, and zelma- HUgs and sorry you are struggling. I have been there and done that many times. I can always lose weight but this time i am trying to get the tools along the way to keep it off. I KNOW YOU HAVE THE TOOLS to get back op. I have decided that eating right and exercise is the one way i am selfish! I have to do this for me!!! Sometimes I am tempted to just eat what i cook for the family..but then i remind myself i am worth the extra effort to make something healthy just for me to eat. I have to come first just in this one area!!

cyn- glad you got your car fixed cheap! I am still waiting to see your list!!

I didnt do so hot yesterday..ate a bit much at dinner..but today is a new day and i will be OP today. Going to put a big pot of veggie soup on. Should taste great in this very cold weather we are having.
I planned on wrapping christmas gifts yesterday and didnt do it at all. Today after church i will start wrapping gifts..( shouldnt take long havent and wont be buying much).
hugs to all and drink your water!!

Happy and Blessed Sunday all,

Purple: sounds like you have been very busy but in a nice way. Great job eating out with your friends!

Cyn: I love my charm bracelet. When I look at it and see all of the charms I can recall most of the weights I had to get to to get one of them and who/whom or what each of the charms represent on my journey. A word of advice to you if you do end up getting one, the charms are soooo much cheper on ebay then in the stores. Yippee for your car working again. I had to chuckle when you said it was a chilly 40 in the mornings. lol. I go start my car and it is usually around 26 lately. 40 is what we warm up to if we are lucky. lol.

Heather: I know that for me there were about 2 years of struggling with no weight loss when I was really trying and failing but I came here all the time and I am so blessed to have done that. I often felt like a hypocrite and that I wasn't worthy of coming here but I did keep on coming and I am so thankful for all of you that have been here and helped me throughout my journey. I truly feel that each and every one of you is a friend for life. Hugs to all the ones that are struggling right now. Please don't stop coming just to chat if nothing else.

Melissa: Hi there. Glad you are doing well still.

Carol: Thank God that your dad is doing so much better! I am so happy for you. I think you are wise to just say forget the past stress eating and Monday is a new day! Hugs.

Karen: Welcome. We are so glad to have you here. Post as often as you like. Feel free to jump into anything you want. I am looking forward to getting to know you better. Congrats on your weight loss so far no matter if it was fat loss or water weight. It is still a loss!

Debi: Today is a new day hun. Get those gifts wrapped!

Catherine: Where are you???

Ratkitty: Hello, hello, where are you?

Brandnewme: Knock Knock. Come out and play all of you ladies who are mia!

Johnny: Check in with us and tell us how you are!

If I missed anyone it wasn't on purpose. I love you all and hope that you are just very busy with life. You are missed so much when you don't check in occasionally.

Yesterday was a great day. I was down 2 pounds and still am this morning. That was super! I haven't changed my ticker yet until Friday. I went to a yard sale and bought a beautiful recliner. It is so cute with flowers and all of the colors I love. It is really comfy too and had 4 pillows that went with it so I can put them on my sofas to match. I then went and filled up DH truck with gas. It was $1.50 per gallon which made me soooo happy. lol. We went and walked and walked around the Coeur d' Alene docks and looked at all of the beautiful Christmas lights. Came home and watched "Hancock" while I wrapped gifts and then went and bought our Christmas tree. We brought it home and decorated it. Everything is clean in the house and beautiful so it feels right. I talked to my Dad on the phone for a long time thinking about Carol and her Dad and I was just so thankful to have him healthy and I am so thankful that Carol's Dad is now healthy too.

I hope that you are all doing wonderful and having a super great day. Next Saturday we have 2 Christmas parties to go to. One we will only be there about an hour but it should be fun with go carts etc. The other one we will be there for hours and they serve a wonderful prime rib dinner or salmon dinner with all the sides and there is Kareoke (sp) and dancing. I can't wait. I had so much fun last year.

DH took my December photos yesterday so I will post them today later.

Blessings all,
Annie

I have a favor to ask...for all who pray please keep my brother in your prayers he is having gastric bypass tommorow at 8 and i am starting to worry about it. To all that dont pray please keep him in your thoughts.
Its really became his only choice at this point in his life. He is barely able to move due to back problems and they cant do the surgery on his back until he losses alot of weight. He is very special to me!! Thanks!!

Annie, thanks for asking about me, you are so warm & sweet. As usual I am always lurking, but I haven't been posting. Unfortunately I am not doing well at all. In 2000 I had a hip replacement done and it is now completely dislocated, with the top cup having slipped completely out of position and I have or have had a fracture of my hip bone. In the last 2 weeks I have gone from being able to walk, although with some pain to not being able to walk at all. Thank goodness I have a Hoveround power chair, which helps immensely and I can manage to do a kind of hop shuffle with my walker (although with much pain) to get to the bathroom. Also he gave me some stronger pain pills which really helps with the pain, but they make me a little loopy/groggy. I saw a specialist in Dallas on Thursday and I will be going back to Dallas on Tuesday & he will admit me to the hospital and do revision surgery on Wednesday. He may have to do a bone graft to rebuild my hip bone to be able to attach the new cup since apparently the bone was not strong enough to hold the cup in place and that's why it dislocated. The revision surgery is much more complicated and involved than the original replacement and he is concerned about my 3 risk factors - my weight of course, my higher chance of infection because I take drugs to suppress my immune system because of my RA and also the risk associated with rebuilding the bone. Thanks to you ladies for your help and support in the last year allowing me to have this surgery at 280 rather than the 390 i was at a little more than a year ago or 325 which is where i was when i had the original replacement

Needless to say I have not been much focused on my weight for the last 2 weeks, especially since i cannot even step up on the scale. But I will have them give me a low calorie diet in the hospital and since I won't be able to walk far, the chances of "falling off the wagon" are not very high

So anyway, that is what's going on with me. Since you ladies are so much support, even when I lurk and don't post, I would appreciate it very much if ya'll could slip in an extra prayer or two for me on Wednesday.

I will check in with ya'll when I'm back home (anywhere from 2 weeks to a month probably). In the meantime I will be in touch with Carol so she can let anyone curious know how I'm faring.

Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas if I'm not home before then.

Good afternoon everyone.

Debi: I will be praying for your brother. Please let us know how he does. I'm sure he will be fine.

Johnny: HUGS first of all. I am so very sorry that you are in such pain. I am happy that you will be going into your surgery a lot lighter than before. I definately will be praying for you and I would love it if Carol is able to update us on how you are doing when she is able. Thank you so much for checking in. I really, really do think of all of you when you are MIA for a long time.

Purple: Have a wonderful trip to Bristol. Be safe.

We just got back from the movies. We went to Walmart first for some canned dog food and a few other things we needed then we got Subway sandwhiches and went to eat them at a park. We ate them in the car because it was raining. lol. We then went to see "Four Chritmases". I enjoyed it. Now, we are home and I am seriously thinking of going to lay down on my bed just to relax and watch some TV. DH is watching Football on the livingroom tv and I want him to enjoy himself.

I hope that you are all doing wonderful and having a great day.

Blessings all,
Annie

texarkgal_ I will be praying for you!! I am so happy that you are able to face this surgery lighter than the last one. just wanted to let you know you are in my thoughts ...

I just got home from a wonderful Christmas program at church.. Its the annual community wide program. Our music minister works for months on it and it is always amazing!! Really get my mind in the right place for Christmas!
I feel like I have so much to be thankful for this year...my health, my weightloss, my friends , my family, my new granddaughter, all my friends here who hold my hand each and every day!!
ok...now I am going to go and wrap...and much as i hate wrapping i am going to go and put on christmas music and enjoy it tonight. Hugs to all...

I have had a relaxing yet productive day. Laundry done - house clean - bills paid and groceries in. Feels good to get back in the groove.

I did exercise today too - first time I had done any of the Leslie Sansone videos and was able to work up a nice sweat - it was a nice change of pace. Today was also a great OP day so combined with exercise, water and getting my routine back I would have to say today has been great!

It's still early and we've had dinner already - we usually never eat before 7. I still have some calories left if I need a snack.

Johnnie I am honored to keep these peeps in the loop on how you are doing. You have done so well and in a better spot than a year ago - I know you wanted to put this off for awhile until the recent injury.

Annie - I echo what Johnnie said - you are such a warm and sweet individual - we are all lucky to have your support and friendship.

Purple - be safe in your travels. My DH loves Bristol and wishes he were going with you although his heart is in the Midlands.

Move your bodies, drink your water and SMILE.

Hugs,
Carol