[2cute2Bfat]

WELCOME !!!

We are a group of individuals who weigh or have weighed 300+, or near there. This group was formed to provide a place for others like us to find support and hope. We are aware of the distinct problems that come with weighing over 300 lbs.

We want to invite everyone to join us in our journey.
We share laughter and tears.
We share what works for us and what doesn't.
We often use a "Topic of the Day" for discussion.

Motivational Monday
Tuesday Tips
Wednesday Wish List .. and What you are doing to obtain it.
Thankful Thursday
FUN Friday ... don't wait until you lose your weight.
Sit-up Saturdays - any physical activity
Share your Success Sunday

These are not required topics ...just ideas to share. We often find them very helpful. We also share heartaches and fears ... joys and celebrations.

We have several extra threads going on simutaneously such as Monthly Challenges, Weekly Weigh-ins, Recipes, Bios, and more. Please feel free to check them all out.

We have a bi-weekly 2x2 Challenge.
Our goal is to lose 2 lbs in 2 weeks.
We have a long term goal of losing 300+ lbs within our 300+ group in 2005.

We have found this thread to be more than just a support group...
we have found it to become a home. We invite you to join us.

WELCOME!

[Iwillbe]

Good morning all, Just a quick pop in to say hello and that I have no progress report to PM Terri with I am still above my last 2x2 challenge. SIGHHHH!

I am off to the Dr. this morning to have blood drawn Part of my yearly check-up. I had to fast for it, so I have not had my cup of coffee this morning, and I need it!

I hope you all have a beautiful day. See Ya later. Iwillbe

[2cute2Bfat]

Loki ... so glad you joined in our little group. Well, it's not so little anymore. LOL

Quote by Loki...
I'm fine when I'm out doing something, but it's when I get home that I just go downhill so fast. Maybe it's the clutter, I'm sure that's some of it.

I can't speak for you .... BUT I can say... clutter plays a MAJOR role for any depression and denial I get in. When I am away from home... I am away for the reality of my mess. I can enjoy life and and smile. Then I come home... and WHAMO !!! Reality slaps me in the face. I am reminded of my defects.

Procrastination being my #1 defect. Denial and Laziness following a close 2nd and 3rd ( for me)
I get overwhelmed often by the amount of stuff I have not done... and often for no good reason
Sure, sometimes I am justified in my clutter. But more often... I just plain PROCRASTINATE. I watch a soap opera. I play computer games. I do something that I want to do instead of what I NEED to do. Sometimes that is posting here.

If I just FORCE MYSELF to declutter.... my attitude improves.
I don't have to get it ALL decluttered at once. I take it a room at a time.. or a table ... or sometimes merely a box at a time. LOL Then I try to keep up with that one room.
Just taking the action to improve on my clutter is a great START !!!.
I am not implying this is you in any way. But just sharing my own experiences.

I hope you make an effort to find something you like doing. Some kind of class for enjoyment. Ceramic class, or writing class, or a support group like OA.
I think we ALL can relate to using food as an escape .... and having no memory of what we have eaten.

Michelle... when I was younger and had my kids at home ... my bedroom was never clean. Well hardly ever. I too used my bedroom as a hide all when needed. All the clutter from the entire house got hid away in my bedroom. I had to keep up that front that I was "in control" to the rest of the world. I kept my bedroom door LOCKED so no one could accidentally see that MESS. It was often a neat mess. But ... I paid a price for that mess. I never wanted to go in my bedroom. It was REALITY hitting me in the face when I went in there. As long as I stayed out of there I did not have to face my IMPERFECTIONS....my defects... my procrastination ... my FAILURE at being the perfect wife and mother. That avoidance of the bedroom paid a price on my marriage too. If you avoid the bedroom... you avoid sex with your husband too.
You see... I was too proud to admit to him too that I was a failure as a housewife and I could not accept that fact. He never knew I was avoiding the MESS ... not him. My clutter has cost me a LOT in my lifetime. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND that everyone get busy and declutter your home ASAP !!! You will be glad you did. Just think of how good you feel when your house is clean... Or maybe just a room is clean. It feels GOOD.
Just think how good we could feel if we can learn to declutter our lives.

Geee whiz... I was going to write replys to everyone... but with this long post I think you are all probably ready for me to shut up for awhile.
Plus... I still have a lot more posts to READ. LOL
I will try to keep the rest short.

BarbPA..... I could not end this post without welcoming you home.
I know how hard this last month has been for you and I am happy you and your dad are making progress in healing your pain. Life sure isn't fair... but we have no choice but to accept it as it comes.
I am happy for you and Jeff that you have come to some important decisons.
I am sure waiting will help improve your chances for success.
We will all keep praying for you.
Put that weight gain out of your mind. Start fresh and anew.
Again... welcome home... we sure have missed you.

I have stopped reading here. I will post this... and then go finish reading and write replys to the rest of you tomorrow. I am SURE you are tired of me by now. But I got on a roll earlier and then I could not post without telling Barb how happy I am to see her again.

I love you all. This will be continued after you get a short break from me for awhile.

[jillybean720]

Iwillbe--I feel your about the blood work. Not only do I hate needles, but it seems whenever they go so far as to do blood work, it's because they've found something freakishly wrong with me (kidney infection, pityrhiasis rosea, 10-inch ovarian cyst...)! I'm sure it is just routine for you, though, and everything is fine. I don't go to yealry check-ups for fear of what they might tell me (who back-asswards is that?).

2cute2Bfat--we never tire of hearing from you! It is hard to reply to everyone, though, which is why I haven't really been doing that...all of our posts would be 5 times as long as your last one! And then the longer our posts get, the longer it takes everyone else to read and respond...a helpful but viscious little cylce

I have been reading the other thread about FEAR being a major reason for not accomplishing our goals, and I think it's an important concept that we all should think about. I can totally relate to this--I have even discussed my fears in big emotional outbursts with friends in college. My problem for a LONG time (until about a year ago) was that I had 2 huge fears about reaching my weight-loss goal:

#1--Fear that everything would change. This may sound like a good thing, but in my mind, if things changed so drastically, that meant that the people around me were extremely shallow and superficial, and I didn't want to face that reality. I didn't want to meet guys who wouldn't have given me a second thought while I was fat but wanted to get to know me while I was thinner. I would forever be wondering, "What would he do if I still weighed 300 pounds?" or, "What will he do if I gain a lot of weight again?" I spent all of my high school and college years boyfriend-less because of my weight. I know there are more important things in life than men, but at that age, it's socially awkward to be single FOREVER.

#2--Fear that nothing would change. I had basically blamed all of my problems on my weight. Guys didn't like me because I was fat. I didn't get the jobs I wanted because I was fat. I couldn't try out for sports because I was fat. I didn't get the lead in the school musical because I was fat. I had basically come to feel that I didn't deserve to have as much fun as other people because I was fat. I feared that when I lost the weight, nothing would improve, which would mean that there was SOMETHING ELSE wrong with me (and who really wants to face that demon??)!!!

I'd clearly created a lose-lose situation for myself. I have since proven both theories/fears to be unjustifiable, a feat I never thought possible until I graduated college in December 2003, which is when things started changing. I got my first "grown up" job in an office. Most of the women there had known each other for years and were old enough to be my mother. When I started, I was very shy and kept to myself in my safe little cubicle. However, I started coming out of my shell after a while, and the most amazing thing happened--they liked me. They invited me to lunch with them every day, invited me to parties they hosted on weekends, trusted me to watch their pets/homes/kids while they went away on trips. They helped me realize that I was the one holding myself back because of what I assumed they were thinking of me based on my appearance. Once I came out of my shell, they loved me!

Soon after, I met Jeff (the current boyfriend) in an online chat room. Having never had a real boyfriend or been on a real date, I didn't think anything would every happen. Sure, I had flirted with guys online before (much easier when they can't see you), but it never amounted to anything. Then Jeff suggested we meet. I was terrified, but decided, hey, what could it hurt? I'm used to being rejected by guys based on my size. So, I decided to give it w hirl, and the unthinkable happened--he liked me. He really liked me. And he still does (we celebrate the anniversary of the first time we met face-to-face on March 13)!

Now, the friends at work and the newly-acquired boyfriend completely blew Fear #1 out of the water. People (even a guy my age) loved me for me, and I knew they would no matter how much weight I gained or lost. Once I gained this confidence and power over my fear, Fear #2 basically disappeared because, well, there were hardly any negative aspects left in my life! I'm quite happy now and am ready to face the world as both happy AND healthy for once in my life!

Now, how's THAT for an annoyingly-long post?

[Terri in MO]

Good morning!

I'm weighing in with a maintain for the 2x2. I was down but now am now. Looks like water retention. More water!

Don't forget to PM me with your loss after you post it. For new folks, if you have lost between 2/14 and 2/28, you can still be counted. Just send me a PM and I'll include you in the group tally.

Thanks Scooter!

And this begins a new 2x2 challenge. The challenge is to focus on the behaviors to lose 2 pounds in the next two weeks; not worrying about anything more than 2 pounds and 2 weeks.

I'm ready to get off this plateau spot.

Roll Call for 2x2 ending 3/14/05:

Terri

[ageoldie]

Roll Call for 2x2 ending 3/14/05:

Terri
Barbg

Well I am going to have to pay for my time off, but I'm ready to get started back. I will have to "relearn everyone" and there are so many new ones that it might take me a while. But I am ready for it.

2Cute I realate to you "top 3" procrastionation, denial, and laziness! Yep that's me too.

I've never been one to post replies to everyone, but just to say what sticks in my mind. Just know that if I don't mention you by name, I am still reading and still thinking about everyone, and ready to get to know you all.

[2cute2Bfat]

Well friends... I had two LARGE glasses of tea at dinner so need I say more.
That is probably the reason for my gabbiness and my STILL being awake at 7:30am. Yep... I have not been to bed yet. I am WOUND UP !!!

Lilion .... I think the Equinox is a very pretty vehicle. Good choice.
I too want an SUV... then we too would have 2 SUVs. My husband drives a Durango but it is way too big for me. It is like climbing into a SEMI. I am short and the floor board hits me at my butt.
Do you know how hard it is for an OLD ...SHORT ... FAT lady to climb in a vehicle that hits her at her butt.??

I willbe.... don't get down on yourself. You CAN improve on your progress. I know all too well what it is like to not lose. But I also know you CAN and WILL

Hugemomof 5 .... WELCOME !!!! We are so happy to have you join us !!
I am a FIRM believer in "ATTITUDE is everything".
"Huge momof 5" ... is not the most positive name.
Every time you say it... you reinforce it.
You asked for help. How about changing to Newmom of 5 ???
It can represent not only your new baby... but the NEW YOU.
A new and improved you. Hmm.. that would make a good commercial. LOL
My best word of advice is change your user name to anything positive and come back and join us again
That would be a great step in a POSITIVE reinforcement.
There is HOPE here !!! When I came I felt hopeless. But we are NOT hopeless. We all have the ability to SUCCEED. You too CAN and WILL !!! Keep coming back !!!

Scooter... I am glad my posts have helped perk you up.
I must say ... your post helped CRACK ME UP !!
quote...."I hate booths. Some booths my boobs sit on the table!!! Who designed those things!!!"
Count your blessings.... my belly is so big my boobs never make it to the table.


Terri... you are a country girl. Water buffalo is different than buffalo. I had a friend killed by a water buffalo. He was displaying him at a livestock auction and the water buffalo got spoofed and gored him in the heart. He died instantly on the spot. What was so weird is... he raised exotic animals and got rid of all the zebras because they were so mean. Water buffalo are generally gentle. Much more like a steer than a buffalo.
PS... I loved you idea on the cookies. I have only one problem with that.
My 2 cookies would be 10 inches in diameter EACH.

Leanne.... So good to see you too !!! I noticed you were MIA here but it is so hard to keep up with everyone.
WOW... you got a handful handed to you with that class. I know you have it in you to get it all done... but take care of yourself in the process.
I am so glad your daughter wasn't hurt worse in her accident. I got burnt in a similar incident a couple of years ago and ended up at the hospital. I was burnt over my face, boobs, arms, and stomach. I still have some minor scars. There is a medication that really helped prevent scaring but I can't remember it's name. Ask your doctor for a prescription of it. It comes in a jar not a tube. It really made a difference and eliminated a lot of scars. Plus it helped speed my recovery. Also ... I know you are having summer there. It is important for her to keep her burns out of the sun. I was told to do it for a YEAR. They told me that it was important and not to forget 6 months from then. Be sure she uses sun lotion. I know it is only her wrist... but she doesn't want a scar or that redness there forever. I wish I could remember more. I learned a lot during that ordeal. Mainly I learned to not cook anymore.

Thin.... by the time I finished your post I forgot what you said at the beginning.
You are always so good at replying to everyone. Thank you for doing that so regularly, it really makes a difference.
I can't believe "THE SHOWGIRL" doesn't like the Oscars.
I could write a journal on the results. LOL I agreed with some...and NOT with others.
But then they didn't ask for my opinion. LOL
I loved Jamie Foxx's acceptance speech. It was great. Part of it was about his grandma.
She raised him. He said she was his first acting coach.
When he would misbehave she would smack him up side the head and say....
ACT you age. or .... ACT like you have some common sense... or ACT like you have manners.
I REALLY LOVE that guy as an actor. I loved him in Ray. I loved him as supporting actor in that movie too. Then tonight on late night tv he was in a movie called "Bait" and I loved him in it too.
I may have to start a separate OT thread (off topic) about the Oscars so I can post ALLLL of my opinions. LOL LOL

Synn... good to see you posting again. Sorry you are sick. Hope you feel better soon.
I had to laugh at myself from your post. You wrote...
"Strive for the moon ladies" ...... But what I read was.....
"Strive for the moonladies".... LOL LOL
I thought you started a new inner group ... the Moonladies within the 3fatchicks.
I can be such a dunce sometimes. LOL

Hey Sue ... I still have plenty of "high" to share.
Just grab a cup and catch it as it overflows.
I did want to tell you to call your tv stations or libraries or someone there and ask them about any programs for free dental health. Here we have a several dentist who volunteer FREE dental care for those without insurance. I mentioned the tv stations because ours have segments on the news telling people about it every couple of months.

Jill.. you lifted sooo much weight off my shoulders to feel the "need" to reply to everyone.
Your Quote... "And then the longer our posts get, the longer it takes everyone else to read and respond...a helpful but viscious little cylce
I am sure I will continue to do lots of replys simply because I am just that way
... but when I don't ... I can take peace in knowing I am cutting the reading time in half for others.

And as far as your post about FEAR ......I couldn't have said it any better myself.
AWESOME POST !!!! You got it girl !!!!!

Okay... I am out of here. I sure NEVER thought I would talk so much today.
I don't know... some days you just get moved more than others.
And today... you guys moved me.
I hope something I have said has moved you this Motivational Monday.
{{{ HUGS }}}

OOppss.. one more thing. It is not only the end of the 2x2... but today is the last day to earn your cars for the Cross Country Challenge. Today still counts ... so .... Good luck and safe driving.

[2cute2Bfat]

Had to come say Hi to Barb.g,
She posted while I was writing my NOVEL.
Good to see you barb.
Sorry to hear you have that in common with me. LOL
But WE SHALL OVERCOME !!!!

[BarbPA]

Good Morning Chicks!

Guess what I did this morning!?!?! I got up and hopped on the treadmill for 20 minutes and then did an arm workout with 5lb. weights. It was so hard to motivate myself to to it, but I feel so good now that I did!!!

We are getting another snowstorm today. I had no meetings scheduled at work so I am working from home. I just looked out the window and here come the flakes! I love the snow --- as long as I'm inside looking out at it.

Count me in for the next 2x2 challenge!

Roll Call for 2x2 ending 3/14/05:
Terri
Barbg
BarbPA


Have a wonderful day! I'll try to pop back later and catch up some more!
xoxoxo
Barb

[j-ann]

Count me in for the next 2x2 challenge too!

Roll Call for 2x2 ending 3/14/05:
Terri
Barbg
BarbPA
Judy


I made the 2-14 thru 2-28 challenge by the skin of my teeth. 2 lbs. gone! The last lb. won't show in my sig. til Sat. Hope it doesn't mysteriously reappear before then.

BarbPA: You keep all that snow down there. We've got enough here already and right now we're only supposed to get 2" to 5" from this storm. That's a flurry for us in snow country.

Gotta run back to work.

[Scooter]

Count me in for the 2x2!

Roll Call for 2x2 ending 3/14/05:
Terri
Barbg
BarbPA
Judy
Jennifer(Scooter)


I lost 4.25 for the last one Woohoo!

Hope everyone has good day!

[Lilion]

HAPPY MONDAY MORNING LADIES!!!

I hope everyone had a nice weekend and are ready to face the week with a smile and a cup of coffee! At least that was what I needed this morning....and I probably haven't had a cup of coffee in about 2 months.

We're hanging in there diet wise...now if only I could get some work done around the house. Turned out even the office work I took home didn't get done since I apparently didn't have the right forms on my home pc for it...hate it when that happens. So the most I really got accomplished was a bit of laundry. I really have to clean house...I have a sectional sofa that'll seat 7 and there's only room for 2 that isn't covered with "stuff". So many of us are complaining of that "out of control" stuff in work, in weight, in life...I have to wonder if that is the part of our personalities that makes us different from skinny gals. Maybe curbing that part of ourselves is the key to losing and maintaining weight loss.

How does one get in on this 2x2 challenge? As I understand the idea is to lose at least 2 lbs in 2 weeks, right???

DH and I actually walked yesterday...after skipping Friday and Saturday. 35 minutes with the dog...boy did SHE sleep good after that...pretty much the rest of the day. She needs the exercise as much as I do! DH of course didn't break a sweat since he's on his feet all day usually and is used to walking. He had the audacity to try to get me to go up this BIG HILL by our house...I think he's trying to kill me. That's what I get for buying all that insurance! Maybe in a week or two.

Tonight is going to be a challenge. I will get home about 5:50 and have an SCA meeting at 6:45, so squeezing in dinner will be interesting. And walking the dog is probably out tonight unless I do it in the dark...Hmmmm.

Thinthinker: The last time I was on a plane I was about 220 lbs and I remember it being a tight fit when all three seats were full...no way was I and my now 275 lb DH fitting with another person. As for my car: I LOVE my Equinox. It's not substantially larger than the Escape...which is also a nice little SUV...just longer really. But the LEGROOM! That was why we went for that particular car. I'm nearly 6' as is DH and my son is only 9, but even he was having problems in the back of my Skylark and my DH Dakota PU...which are what we traded in. With the front seats all the way back, I can fit in the back of the Equinox with a good 4-6 inches in front of my knees! Not the most comfortable back seat in the world...but so much room. I do find the drivers seat a little small, but hopefully not for long! We keep a car for 10 years so DS will be a tall 19 before we let it go probably and we considered that when buying it...like I said, leg room.

Sue: We've thought about a Bo-flex too. That and the one that Chuck Norris advertises...can't remeber the name of that one. But in the long run we've always been afraid it would wind up like the treadmill and the free weights - in the Spring garage sale!

BarbPA: I know we don't really know one another, but please accept my sympathies. I lost my mom when I was 22. Goodness, it's been 19 years! And I still miss her sometimes, but it does get easier and there comes a time that you remember the good with happiness that isn't tinged with sadness. God bless.

2cute: Speaking once again of SUV's, you might want to look at a Mitsubishi Outlander. It's SO COOL and about the same price as an Equinox. If it had been available in a V-6 we'd have bought it, but it only came in a 4 cylinder and we go camping and wanted towing power. It has as much interior room as most small SUV's and - a bonus for short ladies - it's the same height as a car for the most part. Kinda like a station wagon on steroids!

Momof5: Welcome! These ladies are SO NICE! You'll like it here!

Well ladies, I'm officially out of time to say anything else...Hope you all have a great start to the week!

EVERYONE HAVE A GREAT MONDAY!
Lilion

[Iwillbe]

Roll Call for 2x2 ending 3/14/05:
Terri
Barbg
BarbPA
Judy
Jennifer
Iwillbe

Yep, count me in, maybe this time I will make it!! Just got back from the Drs. office. The nurse was super gentle with that needle. Thank goodness! Now I have my coffe and I am all set to read for awhile. Iwillbe

[hilta]

My Goodness I miss one day posting and I have gone past
2 threads. So many new people. WELCOME! WELCOME!
WELCOME!


Count me in for the 2x2!

Roll Call for 2x2 ending 3/14/05:
Terri
Barbg
BarbPA
Judy
Jennifer(Scooter)
Scherry(Hilta)
Won't post to everyone till I catch up on reading. Glad everyone is still posting
I love reading the long posts.
I'll just say Hello to everyone and keep up the
posting.

Lilion--your right about the 2 x 2 you just add your name to the list.
just copy and paste and add your name to the bottom! This is probably the
easiest way.Jump on board. It keeps one focused and heading to your goal.

Well I'm getting off here. Looking foward to our big storm coming. Its
snowing right now expecting 2-4 inches today--2-3 overnight-and 2-3
tomorrow. March looks like its coming in like a lion HUH!
Well see how right they are. Later-lighter

[hilta]

Sorry Iwillbe we were posting at the same time.
Count me in for the 2x2!

Roll Call for 2x2 ending 3/14/05:
Terri
Barbg
BarbPA
Judy
Jennifer(Scooter)
Scherry(Hilta)
Iwillbe