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!

Yeesh.... Let's see, can Angela screw the threads up a little more?

Kerri, congrats on the compliments! I'm enjoying it too... that's one reason I'm very motivated to have another surge and lose another good chunk.

gmalil, STICK AROUND! Keep coming back, chickie! We'll be expecting you!!!!

Hello all!

Hmm. . . I originally posted this in the wrongly-numbered thread, so I did a little cutting & pasting here. Anyway. . .

I'm brand-new in this place. I've got so many thoughts racing through my mind that I don't quite know where to start.

Both my parents passed away at far too early of an age (Mom was 56 and Dad was 67) and I know it was because of their eating habits. And my cousin, who was only in his early thirties, died of a heart attack just few months ago. You can see that weight problems run through my family. I'm turning 29 this month and I don't want to feel trapped in this body anymore.

I was about 250-270 throughout most of my adulthood (including some of my teenage years) but I'd gained quite a bit these last two years, going all the way up to 342. Lots of personal problems going on. But I'm ready to get back on track. I've already got a good start; I've lost a total of eighteen pounds since October. It could have been a lot more, but I gave up for several months after I'd lost the first fifteen. Luckily, I discovered that I maintained that weight during those months, and I've lost those other three since I actually started trying again.

I don't really follow a diet plan at the moment; I just try to eat a variety of fresh veggies and other foods while limiting the amount of red meat I eat. I make sure I eat a huge spinach salad every day at lunch with lots of different dark-colored veggies (I'm not wasting my time with iceburg lettuce). Oh, and no fast food and absolutely no soda with sugar. If I do end up at a fast food place, I get a grilled chicken salad (or even a child-size meal if I really want those fries or that burger). I'll let myself have small portions of unhealthy stuff on occasion so I don't end up going on some crazy binge-fest. I also let myself enjoy complex carbs but I avoid the simple ones like the plague.

I'm also taking a few suppliments: a "super-omega complex," St. John's Wort (for my depression), and coral calcium.

I've started out on some light exercise as well. I walk for ten, maybe fifteen minutes in the morning, and I've started lifting weights. After another 24 pounds, I'm going to reward myself with swimming laps (I'm not quite comfortable with that just yet so I'm attempting to trick myself into it). Lucky for me I have a free YMCA membership since I do childcare for them. I should have taken advantage of that ages ago but it can be so intimidating around all those seemingly perfect bodies that work out every day. Anyway, I'm taking baby steps here so I don't get too frustrated with my limited abilities (I am asthmatic).

The lowest weight I've ever achieved in my adulthood was 220 around the age of 23, which freaked me out a bit since guys began to notice me for the very first time. See, I always thought I wanted to be considered attractive (I never even went on a date until I was 25), but that extra attention scared me at the time (I was molested throughout my childhood, which might be a good explanation). So I began eating again, which may be just as well, since I was on the road to anorexia. I'm currently in a relationship with someone that loves me the way that I am, despite any of my weight problems, so this time around I have better reasons for wanting to lose weight than to just feel attractive. I already do for the first time in my life, so it's more about my health than anything else.

I hate the fact that I have to have a relationship with food. Hate, hate, hate it! You can push cigarettes completely out of your life if you really want to quit (I know this from personal experience, now that I'm finally a non-smoker) but you have to live with food every single day of the rest of your life. It's better to make peace with it than turn it into a life-long battle. Instead of lamenting about the foods I can no longer have, I focus on the ones I can. I think about how my body will be much healthier after absorbing the nutrition from something like my spinach salad. And on that positive note, I try to envision myself tall and lean and strong when I exercise.

Well, I hope I didn't make this sound like a lecture or anything, I was mostly reminding and reassuring myself of a few points here. Maybe you can relate, or maybe I've offered some inspiration for ya. That's what I really want to do. I'm sure I'll be finding inspiration here as well. Good luck to everyone, I'm rooting for each and every one of you!
__________________

Hi Esmaurade, you've come to a good place. I've found a lot of support here... these ladies are wonderful. What a great start you've made. I was almost where you were to start: 320 or a bit over when I started up in June. And, as you'll see if you take a look at the bios thread, most of us are in about the same boat. Lots to lose. This is a long haul for all of us.

It sounds like you're in a good place to make this happen for yourself. Hang in there, and I hope you'll check in with us on a regular basis.

PS: Check out the "Make a Commitment" thread and other stickies... the "contract with myself" has been very helpful to me this month, and I think to a bunch of others, too.

Thanks Angela for the encouragement.
dgd called today to say she had a doctor appt. to get the rest of the results from the ultrasound. It was origianlly done as follow up to one that showed the baby's kidneys were not developing right. well, the baby is doing just fine, but thank God she had the second ultrasound, so she found out that she was in danger of delivering the baby too early! Amazing technology! Sounds like God has plans for this baby! This can all count for THANKFUL THURSDAY!!!

Good news, gmalil! Thanks for sharing.

Hi All!

I've gotta just start from here. I've read everything but life has been especially busy so I haven't been able to post replies properly in so long that I just can't catch up. Please excuse.

I was out test driving cars all afternoon. I wonder what kind of little name we can give that job. It was kinda cool because I'm really interested in buying a Chevy Equinox, probably next year, and this gave me an opportunity to drive all of the competition.....for MONEY!!! I did the Buick Rendevous, the Mazda Tribute, the Nisson Murano and the Saturn Vue. I really liked the Vue. I wouldn't even consider the other 3. So we'll see when the time actually comes. I guess Buick is coming out with something more similar to the Equinox and Vue later this model year. It's called the Torrent. Honey got to see it at the Auto Show. So we'll see.

The "baby" still hasn't gotten his car back. Dang collision shop says 3-4 weeks. Who were they kidding??? He wrecked it on Sunday, the 9th of January. Somebody here can't count!!! It will be 4 weeks on Monday and they told him today it would be AT LEAST another week!!! grrrrrrrr!!!

I'm not working tomorrow because I convinced him to turn in the rental this past Monday. The bill was $700 (did I tell you this before?). So now Honey and I are rotating cars so he can drive ours.

On the diet front, the scale is moving in a southerly direction again. No GREAT strides, but moving, nonetheless! Water intake has been good and I'm adding more and more vegetables daily. I'll get back with it FULL SPEED here soon.

Angela: You did a great job on the new thread. Thanks.

Esmaraude: Welcome to our little corner. I know you'll enjoy it here. Congrats on your weightloss accomplishments so far. The best part of the story was the "maintaining". Amazing how once we produce some good habits, that even when we're not paying CLOSE attention, we can still manager to stick to the new behaviors. * "I hate the fact that I have to have a relationship with food. Hate, hate, hate it! You can push cigarettes completely out of your life if you really want to quit." We had a discussion about this not too long ago. Eating is an addiction, for me anyway. And it just isn't something you can give up cold turkey. I found that I had to actually give up some of my worst offenders, however, or it would never work. So like you, the pop was one of the first things to go. * Anyway, just wanted to say glad you joined us.

BarbPA: I know you've left for Florida by now. My thoughts and prayers are with you all the way. Know that you have a whole support system here that is embracing you in these troubled times. * Congrats on the 3 eggs. Just hoping they can do their thing now.

Joyce: Glad to hear the your granddaughter...and great-grandbaby...are doing well. Being on bed rest isn't going to be fun, but necessary. "Sounds like God has plans for this baby!" That's usually the case. My SIL had that with my nephew. We often say he saved his father's life. Interesting story, actually. My SIL was confined to bedrest while she was pregnant and my BIL was supposed to fly out of town for business one night. Well, apparently, the baby didn't want daddy to go because he decided that he might just come that night and she went into early labor. My BIL stayed home, of course, and took her to the hospital. They were able to stop the labor and return her home to more bed rest. Well, in the meantime, the plane that my BIL was supposed to be on crashed just after take off. Only one little girl survived the crash. You may have seen it on the national news as it was HUGE here in Detroit. Anyway, we truly believe that my nephew saved my BIL. We don't always know what the "plan" is, but we better believe there is one!!!

I spent some of yesterday doing up information flyers for Spring Fling. I'll be getting those in the mail early next week. If you haven't sent me an address and you'd like to get the info, please PM your information to me ASAP.

Well folks, it's almost 2:00 AM, again, and I'm not in bed yet. Seems to me I should be motivating in that direction. You all have a good one and I will try and do alot better at keeping up.

Joyce... that is such wonderful news for your granddaughter. It is amazing what they can do nowadays. No more need for stress eatting.

Thin... you are a busy girl. Were all of those cars SUV type cars ???
Would you write me what you did NOT like about the Murano... .. and the others too. I am looking for a new car to drive to the Spring Fling.

Barbg... LOVED THE BUS !!!!! I think a group bus ride would be fun.

BarbPA ... Congratulations on your eggs.
I am praying this time will be THE TIME !!!
We will be here for you when you return.

Kerri... loved your new avatar. Nice picture !!! Lovely girl !!!

Blissful .... it doesn't look like you figured out how to find us again.
Just remember that we start a new thread almost every day... but they are numbered.

SueMarie... I am not a teacher... but I always felt I should be.
I was a child day care teacher for many years...
... and a DARN GOOD ONE.

Mary... We went 9 days here with no sunshine. It was good to get some here today too.

Esmaraude... WELCOME !!!!
We love to have newcomers join us. Post often and let us get to know you.
I loved your quote There are more I need to reply to, but I'm out of time.
There are more that have not posted lately too.
Come out .. come out ... wherever you are.

Hello everyone!

I wanted to stop in to say happy friday, and also, announce that I've lost 1.5 pounds already (just since joining this group). I am so happy that I found this place, it's like a God-send, a miracle!

Welcome to esmaraude, I'm new too, and I'm sure you'll love it here! I wanted to also say that, about the cigarrettes thing....I quit smoking, and it was so easy. Food is so much harder. But I've decided to make myself do it this time. You can and will too! We are close in weight, so we should challenge each other!

I have a question about the weekly weigh in sticky...is it on a certain day?

Good morning Ladies, Or should I say almost morning?

Welcome Esmaraude, I haven't been here long myself, but I think you will find a welll of information on these forums if you look for it. I learn something new everyday! Kind of amazing for an old nag like myself.

This morning while I was deep into cleaning the toilet I started thinking (always dangerous ) how I had let my bad habits put my life in the toilet! It is the truth! The things that I used to do with such ease are now so hard to do at this weight. Why did I let it happen? I don't have a clue. I know that all I can do is move forward with a better outlook and more dertermination. I don't want to get so long winded that you quit reading what I am saying , but there are some reasons to work harder at this and I would list them, but the list would be too long. Like things I can't do so easy anymore,short list:


Cut my toenails without passing out
Get in and out of my car without hurting myself, not kidding
fasten that @#%&* seatbelt with out trying to make my stomach diappear.
walk more than ten feet without huffing and puffing
sit in a chair without being afraid it will collapse

That is just an idea of what the reasons would be. What are yours?? I will say that the 12 lbs I have lost since the first of the year have helped tremendously. It is getting better everyday.

Terri, Yes I did get moving. I hate it but I do it! If I am not up to moving a lot because of the arthritis, I do sit down exercise. Better than nothing.

Oh Gad, I have forgotten what everyone else said. Dimples, I know you have posted this morning. I agree with you that this site helps with staying focused. You just have to love it!

I think it is time for me to move! See you later. Iwillbe

Mornin' all.

We're on day 9 here with no precipitation. No snow,no rain. It's a winter record. A few more days and it will be a four season record. Believe me, when you live in a snow belt this is like heaven.

Off to work. WI tomorrow. I'm hoping for another good one.

Soooo many new posts!

Terri-
My yummy on plan lunch was broiled scallops, broccoli with low fat cheese, and 3 melba toast rounds. Oh yeah....some unsweetened applesauce for dessert!

Esmaraude-
Welcome to our little corner of the world!! I have been posting here since Christmas and have found a tremendous amount of encouragement, ideas, and support. Best of luck to you in your journey!!

Today is my last on plan day before weigh in tomorrow. I have a lot of errands to run in the morning before I weigh in....so maybe I will walk off an extra few ounces.

I'm here just busy

Good morning ladies!

Not much time this morning. I posted last night and am behind already! But I love all the activity around here.

Dimples - You asked about the weigh-in thread. Its for whenever you want to weigh-in and be accountable. I do mine on Mondays to go with the 2x2's but its totally up to you. on the 1.5 loss!

Marcie - Lunch did sound yummy!

Joyce - Good news about the baby!

Iwillbe - Yep, sitting down exercise counts so keep at it! Good job! You mentioned about "go forward". Go check out Oprah's website and her challenge to lose her last 10 pounds. She talks about living life "going forward". Very inspiring.

Esmaraude - Welcome to the group! You'll like it here.

Vera - You've been quiet. Still here?

Okay, gotta run!

Make it a fun-filled, active, OP day!