Speaking of chairs and NSVs . . . When I was at or near my high weight, I went on a flight somewhere (don't recall where I was going) where I was seated in the first row of the cabin. Since that row doesn't have seats in front of it, the tray table folds out from the arm rest. Well, we all know those arm rests don't extend too far, and basically what ended up happening was that the flight attendant had to help me shove the table down between rolls of fat on my stomach. My stomach covered about half the table, and it was incredibly painful to have it sticking into my belly.

The next time I was in a row like that was after losing, and I was able to open the tray table and put it down with no problems, AND have room to spare between the end of the table and my stomach.

I remember watching my DH play soccer when I was at my high weight. I sat in a plastic chair and it broke and I landed on my rear with force. It was humiliating. Chairs are a big deal!

I sat on a cane back chair at my highest and broke it in front of 20 class parents (all slim).

On the chair thing- I remember my favorite Weight Watchers leader saying her a-hah moment was testing a beach chair at Target I think and falling through and breaking it. She had been maintaining a 100 pound weight loss starting after age 45 for many years. Chairs are a big deal. I so remember the airline seat belt fear thing. Jump in seat, extend to its fullest and pray it buckles or that you can at least make it look like it with something on your lap....

Let me tell ya'll a story.

When I was in middle school, a chubby kid with bad knees, I always had to walk the one-mile in PE class. Slowly, at that. I remember the kids running it in 10 minutes...it was their warmup. I felt so slow.

When I was in high school, still a chubby kid with bad knees, I always had to walk the one-mile in PE class. And again, slowly, at that. And when we did the 2.6 mile bridge run, it took me almost the full PE hour to complete, where it took the other kids half an hour. Sometimes, I even had to turn around before I reached the halfway point, or I'd miss my next class. I dreaded bridge run days.

Today, as a less-chubby grown up who still has bad knees (but way less bad, after 2 surgeries and a LOT less weight on them), I ran the 2.6 mile distance of the bridge run in 30 minutes, including 1 mile in the middle at a 10 min mile (6mph) pace.

I know 2.6 miles and a 10 min mile aren't a big deal for most runners. But to me, THIS is why it's worth it...being all that you've wanted to be for so much of your life.

2.6 miles and a 10 min mile are a big deal for me! Way to go Amanda!

Great job Amanda!!! I was always the last kid coming in on mile "runs" too (where I walked almost the entire way and was still huffing and puffing at the end). Even after being supposedly a "runner" for the past three years, it wasn't until a month or two ago that I broke 10 minutes for a mile. Doesn't it feel great?

Amanda, you have come a long, long way from that chubby kid back in PE class. You are a slow, chubby kid no more. How marvelous!

I wonder if there are any of us here who have warm, fuzzy memories of gym class. Certainly not me.

I was totally thrilled the day I ran a 5K and didn't finish last (of the runners) and then the day I actually finished in under 30 minutes (by mere seconds )

That's so great! I've only been running consistently for about 4 months and I'm officially obsessed with it. You'll be running faster and longer before you know it and definitely be able to kick the butts of all those "athletic" kids from high school!

Bumpity bump bump.....

NSV!

I was as DS's soccer game a couple weeks ago and I saw DH talking to a couple about 10 yards away. It took me awhile to place them, but they were high school friends of DH's. I was busy with shinguards, etc., so I didn't go over to say hi. I heard DH saying, "That's my wife and little boy over there," in our direction. As the couple walked away, the woman said, "I'll have to tell 'N' I saw you. She lives next door to me."

Well, 'N' was DH's high school girlfriend before me. It's really nice to know that a report to DH's ex-girlfriend from 20 years ago won't include that I'm overweight. I'm pretty fit these days. It's good to be a healthy weight.

Woohoo Midwife!

I have a sort of NSV to report. I was bored and had been poking around at goal stories, and went to find mine. I found it (copied here, I don't know what happened to the original from the old success forum), and read it. My NSV? I still follow those same healthy eating habits that I mentioned in my post from 2005.

Of course, I didn't deviate much from them to gain the 15 lbs I'm stuck with now, but that's beside the point, right?

That is a great one, Midwife!

And Jessica, I see your sig every day but it hadn't clicked that you have been maintaining since 2005. Wow!

This is going to sound weird as an NSV, so I'm going to give a little background first.

Last winter and summer DH was in school two nights per week and we had a very hectic schedule with DSS, so had little free time together. I was struggling with adding exercise into my routine and was snacking a lot when he wasn't home. I read an article one day, that was recommended from 3FC actually, that talked about functional exercises like cutting the grass, swinging a hammer, that kind of thing. I decided that I was going to start cutting the grass - took something off of DH's plate when he wasn't in school and gave me an activity that saw immediate results in the nice yard. This summer is my second full summer of cutting the grass.

Friday I cut the grass in 45:37, according to my HRM. Which is my best time ever, and that was with a couple of stalls from the height or the grass (flood level rains definitely gave the grass a boost the last two weeks! ) The first time I cut it last summer it took me almost two hours, and I did a pretty ragged job of it. I was also out of breath and beaten up when I finished. Friday I was feeling fine and dandy when I finished, came inside and took a quick shower and cleaned a bathroom. Like I said earlier, weird NSV, but it felt really great!

Jessica, I hadn't read your goal story yet. So much of it reasonated with me. I'm so glad you're still following the healthy eating guidelines you set up.

Shannon, that is a GREAT NSV! Especially after all that rain. That grass don't stand a chance! I think functional fitness is so important. When I carry dog food or laundry like it's nothing, I remember doing those chores before I was in shape and my back would hurt and I'd get out of breath.