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, inspiration, and hope. We are aware of the distinct problems that come with weighing over 300 lbs.

We want to invite everyone (roosters as well as chicks!) to join us in our journey. We share laughter and tears, heartaches and fears ... joys and celebrations. We also share what works for us and what doesn't.

We know the thread can move very quickly, and that people often make "personal" remarks and keep a number of conversations going. Please feel free to contribute even if you can't make personal comments all the time.

Finally, we also have several extra threads going on simultaneously such as Monthly Challenges, Weekly Weigh-ins, Recipes, Bios, Photos, Exercise, Info for Getting Started and more. Many of these threads are stickied at the top of the page. Please feel free to check them all out.

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!
__________________

Hello My Peeps!

I had a great post and LOST it.. grrr. I'll try a re-cap.

Annie, omgosh about your Mom. Healing thoughts being sent her way. How was your yearly physical? My 80 yr old dad just had his 6 mo checkup with his ortho doc about his pieced together ankle. Doc said the personal trainer Dad got his year is helping him gain much needed strength and balance and to keep it up. I think Dad was pleased at the doc's assessment. Shows a person of any age can gain strength.

Sharon, all animals are doing very well. They are a constant source of unconditional love that I need on a daily basis. A friend of mine just got a new golden retriever boy puppy. The picts are so cute! I love puppy breath too. The lower carb thing has me craving simple carbs. I'm resisting. I'm not sure why, but the weight is UP for the morning. Could just be regular fluctuation because of salt intake and not enough water/fluids.

Ags, how you doing? Just remember that not all management are idiots and 14 yrs is a long time to be around. Most mgrs ignore their teenage/young complainers. It is a shock to befriend someone just to have them turn on you. I've had this happen at my work too. Just remember anything you say can be used against you, so make sure everything you say is positive. LOL. Still can be used against you, but not as badly.

Rainbow, what's shaking girl?

Battle, you still terminating those rollerskaters?

Real, how you hanging?

Dink, I'm still cheering you on! You had a hard year. This year is yours to get healthy.

GGG, give those puppies some loving for me.

Hugs to all my lurkers!

Luv,
Ratkity

Hi Everyone,

I am back from a day of running around. I decided that because I couldn't sleep last night I needed to go and de-stress. For me that = water. So... I went to the Kroc Center (Salvation Army Exercise place) I walked on the track for 1 mile then I changed and went in the river thing they have there and walked and swam against the current for about a half hour. I was really feeling it which makes me really happy I came home and checked on my doggies and took a shower then headed to my physcial. It went fine, thanks for asking Rat I have to have a mamogram soon but that is a yearly thing now. I have been having an annoying itch on my heal with no visible results showing of a reason why so she checked it out and prescribed me some anti itch type stuff she said it may be a touch of eczama (sp). She encouraged me to talk with cardiologist about going to Unniversity of WA to the heart transplant dept to ask all the questions and stuff and see if when I will know I need to be on a list etc. She gave ma a prescription for anxiety meds for clonazepam for temporary use. She told me I needed a flu shot which I went to the pharmacy and got (whine ouchie) lol. So. Whew all is pretty good. I got home and saw on Facebook that I won a free facial from Surgical Bariatrics Northwest (my gastric bypass Dr's office) I was the winner out of all the people who tried! Take that publisher's Clearing house. lol.

Heather: Thank you for starting the thread for us. You are such a doll.

Rat: Hope that your Dad gets back to his wonderful self soon.

Ags: I go to a support group for weight loss surgery and I know you are not asking my opinion but.. here it is. I would really, really think long and hard about lap band as opposed to Gastric Bypass or the DS which is I think Rat's choice. I have a sister who had the band last year and her experience along with everyone else's in my support group wasn't/ hasn't been the best. I know you didn't ask for my opinion so sorry to just shove it out there. I have to tell you that Gastric Bypass helped to save my life. It is a decision that I took very seriously and very much prayerfully and it was a huge help for me. Not to say that I don't work hard at continuing to learn to care for my body and stuff but it really did save my life. I was told if I had all my weight on like I did before my Gastric Bypass that I would have died when I had the heart attack. I believe it because it was hard enough on my body after a near 300 pound weight loss to go through. Just some food for thought.

I hope and will continue to pray that your job is as it was before. Feel better soon.

Hugs to you all and big ole Blessings from Snowy North Idaho,
Annie

Heya Ags,

I wasn't gonna say anything, but since Annie brought it up... most of my WLS support group people who have had the lapband are not satisfied and at least 2 have had slippage and when revised to RnY (the other to DS - which I have), there was horrid scar tissue to deal with due to the band which made their 2nd surgery more difficult. I'm happy for those who have had long term success with the lapband, but I have yet to meet one of them. My personal opinion is that the lapband should be off the market because of the long term complications of having an outside port and the resulting scar tissue and reflux issues.

WLS is not "the easy way", contrary to many people's belief. It's hard work and the patient must be his or her own advocate to watch vitamin levels as well as iron and protein. It is not carte blanche to eat everything in sight, however, it's a wonderful tool.

My advice to anyone who has ever even thought about WLS is to exhaust every other possible safe weight loss plan before attempting it.

Hugs,
Ratkity

Annie and Rat,
Thank you both so much. I will continue to plug away at this for now. I am losing, slowly, so that is saying something. It is all up to me and how true I am to the plan. I am not ready to die, so with that being said, guess I better be real true.

I have two co-workers at work that have had the band and both have put back on all of the weight and then some. I figure, may as well try this without surgery and be comfortable in my own skin doing what I am doing. Giving this my all.

Annie, you are going through so much and I will be praying for you. If you need a heart, I will share mine, but I am praying that yours will be fine.

Thanks to the both of you for speaking out to me.

Love ya,
Ags

Good Morning Peeps!

Annie, I'm so sorry to hear about your continuing heart troubles. If I could donate mine, like Ags, I'd do it in a HEARTBEAT! You are so special. So you went swimming??! w00t! Until the old ticker gives up the ghost completely, I'd keep the ailing sucker. I hear the original parts do better in the long run than replacements. LOL.

I finished making a storybook with my Mom's short story about a little ghost she wrote when in college. I illustrated it and everything. I had Mom look at it online before I had it bound. I used Creative Memories storybook creater software. It was a lot of work, but lots of fun. I think I overwhelmed Mom!

I didn't sleep so well last night and need to scoot or I'm gonna be late to work!

Hugs,
Ratkity

Hey there sweeties,

So glad to see you two here.

Annie, swimming, I love it........Last year, the day before my 58th birthday, I got brave and put on my new swimsuit and strutted alllll my stuff to the pool and OMG oh how I had missed the pool and the sunshine on my face. I stayed in there for about 3 hours and them hit the whirlpool. Ahhh soooo refreshing it was. Learned something though, for my size, the swimsuit with the skirt, oh my goodness, as I tried to come out of the pool, it felt like I had a huge weight on me, so much fabric holding on to so much water, it was a fight to get out of the pool standing up....LOL LOL needless to say, there is a new swimsuit in my future for the summer. hahahaha

Rat,
I would love to see your story book, I know it is wonderful, it surely sounds wonderful. Hope you sleep better tonight.

Gonna go eat lunch now and it is back to work for me tomorrow.

Love you gals,
Ags

Buenos Dias Chicas

Today is Wednesday and I had support group last night. I was so floored by how many people told me that it is great to see me back to my sunshiny happy self! I feel like I am doing better but to hear it from others was a great confirmation.

Ags: I hope that Rat and I didn't upset you but experience of hearing all of the lap banders in our group wanting to revise and actually doing the revision is unbelievable. So much so, that my Dr. is planning on not doing lap bands anymore very soon! What ever road you go on, I pray it works for you. After exausting all of my options (like Rat said) It was the very best way for me to gain control of my weight.

I adore to swim and when I weighed 510 pounds I would go to a therapy pool land teather myself to the wall and swim as hard as I could for 30 minutes then do other exercises. Now I am back in (well, once for now tee hee) hoping for another day today. I went to Old Navy and bought some workout shorts and top with a built in shelf bra. I wear that in the pool and it is awesome because it covers most of my legs which are loose skin looking and my tummy. I am super comfy in it and it works well for me. I need to go there and get a few more as I only have one right now.

Rat: I would love to know the program you used if you could pm me or something so I can give it a try for my journal. I bet your book is so cool. I wanna read it too.

Both of you are the kindest, sweetest most giving ladies to say you would give me your hearts! That makes me feel so special I love you gals truly and pray that I can keep my own ticker. lol. My Dr. just wants me to have the knowledge of what it entails ect.

Well, I am thinking about trying a walk here in this area that is yearly, it is actually a run but I will walk it hopefully. It is called "Bloom's Day" I want to do it so bad. It is aprox. 7 miles in Spokane WA. I am hoping if I go to the gym daily and walk the track slowly building up to 8-10 miles a day I can be ready by April when the walk is. I have tentatively signed up for it to walk it with my weight loss support group. I want so badly to be a part of that! I feel like I am tired of babying my body. I feel strong and good and want to use my body to make it stronger if possible.

I have been praying and asking God's guidance on what I should do to help other people. This is a great outlet here as it lets me hopefully encourage others and get the encouragement I need. I am considering doing it at our church if I feel a stronger call to it. I will continue to pray on it and ponder it and see where God leads me and hopefully not jump in His way and think I am hearing Him when it is my own selfish ambiition.

Well sweet ladies, I am going to try to go walk now then get into the "Big competition pool" I haven't been in there since the night before my heart attack when I tried out to be a lifeguard.


Be happy and blessed,
annie

Hello again My Peeps!

I remember finally giving up my vanity and putting on a swimsuit and getting in the pool at my highest weight. It was heaven and like Ags, I stayed until I was a large prune lady. Swimming weightless is such freedom! Of course, "the girls" are permanent flotation devices hehe. Getting out of the pool was hard then for me as well. I felt the full weight of gravity getting out. One of the things about wearing a skirted suit is that it floats UP in a hot tub.. hehehehe. Good thing the hot tub was at a house we rented at the beach. My young niece and nephew thought it was hysterical at the time.

I always wanted to be able to do running, but I have damaged my right hip over the years. I shall stick to cycling. The most I can walk is 2 miles (did it for fitness day at work).

Today I did the yearly mammo and had my first dexa (bone) scan. The people were very nice and it was over quickly. WLS and rapid weight loss can cause bone/calcium loss, so my new PCP asked me to get a dexa scan. I'm hoping all is well. I take extra elemental calcium (in form of calcium citrate) each day, so I'm hoping that is helping! I should know in a few days. My 78 yr old mom was thrown out of the women's wellness study because her bones were so good LOL. Geesh, I'm just trying to keep up with her!!

Hugs,
Ratkity

Babydolls,
No you did not upset me one bit. I needed to hear all of that. I was reluctant anyway and did not want too and now I know I am not. I will persue this the old fashioned way and I shall endure. Anything I lose will be a help and I will accept it graciously.

Annie,
good luck on getting ready. My daughter wanted so badly to run a marathon, and this year, she ran the Disney Marathon. Wow, 26 miles and she did it. And she did it as the Diva she is, in a pink Mimmie Mouse tutu!!! My girl sr=urely has style.

Rat,
With my knees, I think I will stick to the bike also and just walking a little, maybe I can get up to 2 or 3 miles. Running has never been on my bucket list. Now I have lot's of things that are. Good for you getting your Mammo done today, I have not had one in I don't know how many years and I don't see on in my future. The first and last one I ever had hurt so badly. Plus there is not enough room on that thing for all of me, and the swishing, ohhhh noooo.

Well ladies, that is it for me for tonight, guess I will see you both tomorrow, Lord willing and the creek don't rise.

Hugs love and blessings,
Ags

Hello all. Just checking in to let you all know I've lost 2lbs! Whoohoo! Hope you all are doing well. Keep pushing!

Morning all,

I woke up today with a horrid ache in my right shoulder. I really think it stems from falling at church on Sunday on the ice. It has been bugging me since but I must have aggravated it by all the swimming yesterday! Doggone it anyway cause I was ready to go back today but It is seriously giving me enough fits that I can't take a deep breath without it saying howdy! lol. So, perhaps I am supposed to rest today.

Rat: I hope your dexa scan comes back with positive results! I love to walk and I have a beautiful place to go walking right by the Spokane River but it is so cold and icy that I don't do it now. So, for now I will stick with the indoor track at the Kroc center. I am not a runner. I used to run to and fro when I was a kid but doing it for exercise has never been my cup of tea. I would always say that I would rather swim allllll day long than run 1 mile. tee hee. I think now that was Divine Intervention for my heart.

Ags: Wow to your daughter. Running 26 miles dressed as a mouse Sounds cute and I can almost picture it!

China: Woot woot on -2! I am so happy for you! Keep up the wonderful motivation and work.

Well, I am going to use a little heat on my back muscles and then maybe some ice if needed. Maybe I'll start with the ice and see if that helps first. I am drinking my 1st protein shake of the day. I am on day 2 again becuase Tuesday night I blew it after support group and came home and ate some cottage cheese. Not bad but I'm really trying to test out the "reset" thing on my pouch and carb cravings so... Day 2 so far so good. lol. At least I finally made it through one day without anything but protein shakes and a cup of broth!

Blessings all,
Annie

Hiddy ho there,

Just dropping by to say hi.

China,
Congrats on that big TWO POUND lost!!!! Work it mommie!!!!

Annie,
yes, to take it easy today and rejuvenate yourself. Don't like things hurting my Annie. The pool will be ready whenever you are.

Rat,
if you don't me asking, what is a dexa scan? Hope you are having a great day.

My good news for the day is...........work went well, I had a short day and my WI was not too bad either. I am down another 1.6 pounds.. Yay me!!! Tomorrow is another short day and that makes me smile and then off to do some grocery shopping.

Have a great one ladies and I will see ya when I see ya.

Hugs love and blessings,
remember to make every moment count,
Ags

Ags,

Dexa scan is to check for bone loss or osteoporosis (I think I spelled that right).

Hugs,
Ratkity

PS Wait a minute.. JUST???? 1.6 lbs? That's fabulous Ags!!!! Glad you had a great work day.