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.

HI GUYS !!!
Sure have missed all of you. I can't write now... but wanted to start the new thread and use the cute little elephant Barbg shared with me. Aren't I CUTE.

Will be back either LATE tonight ... or tomorrow some time.

2cute - I am so disappointed that you didn't use the next numbered thread!! Love from

-Ruby

Hi guys! I hope you still remember me!! I was a regular poster for awhile but I always seem to find my way back to lurkerland. Yes, I am a lurker. I read almost daily and love you guys so much, but I tend to stop posting when I go off program. I went to WW a few months ago for about a month and lost 16 pounds but have since gained it all back and then some. Not sure exactly how much I weigh right now (scale stops at 330) but I think I am around 340-350. Things have been really rough for me for the last couple of months. Warning this is going to be a long post, I will not be offended if you skip ahead.
On January 22nd, hubby and I were at a friend's house. I was being silly and dancing around with my friends and all of the sudden my knee felt like it came out of place and I fell. The pain in my knee and ankle was unlike anything I have felt (next to childbirth). I was in such pain but worse than that was the embarrassment. I was the only person there that was overweight. I just knew they were all thinking I had fallen because I was so heavy. I knew I was hurt but did not want them paying attention to me, so I told them to not mind me and keep on dancing It is funny now, sad but funny. Anyway, of course they did not keep dancing. After a few minutes I sat up. The pain in my knee was easing a little. Robert (DH) told me I should try to get up on the couch. I scooted over to the couch and have stood, half pulled, myself up off the floor. When I did, a big wave of pain came over me and my hearing partially went away. All I could hear was a loud roaring in my ears. I felt nauseous. I was sooooo scared. I now know that the roaring and hearing loss was because I was on the verge of fainting but at the time, I kept thinking I was having a stroke or heart attack or something. Anyway, I hobbled to my car (with the help of DH) and went home. By the time I got home, my ankle was bruised and the size of a golf ball. DH said it was probably a sprain so I did not go to the hospital then. It hurt really bad to walk on it. It got so bad that I was not wanting to drink anything for fear that I would have to pee I used crutches that I had to get around on. Not easy to do at 300+ pounds! I finally went to the emergency room 2 days later. They xrayed my knee and foot. The knee xrays were normal but my ankle had a fracture. I was given a splint brace for my ankle and told to use crutches. They set me up with an orthopedist for 4 days later. When I went to the orthopedist, I was put in a short leg cast and wore it for 3 1/2 weeks. I just got it off about a week and a half ago. During all this time, my knee continued to bother me and even "gave out" on me twice while in the cast, except those times I did not fall. I told the ortho doc and he scheduled me an MRI. The MRI shows that I have 2 torn ligaments and a sprain in my knee. I go back on March 16th to see if it requires surgery but I am thinking it will. The good news out of this is that I am beginning to walk almost normally again.
The point to telling you my story was that it really scared me. I know that it happened because I am so heavy. I seem to have hyperextended my knee that night.
I have been reading Dr Phil's book and I am ready (once again) to make a commitment to this weight loss, and I will need a lot of help. I am willing to give help too. I am making posting here a goal. I know that it will help me to get my feelings out in the open. I hope that you will have me back. I have to do it this time. I am going now to post my bio and stuff but I will be back later on.

Hugs,
Tracy

Wow congratulations Tracy for picking yourself up and deciding to commit to weight loss again. So sorry to hear about your knee and ankle problems - it can be such unbelievable pain and also immobilising (which doesn't help the battle against losing weight either!). I hope you recover from your fracture/sprain soon and that you don't require surgery.

I have some good news to post - I lost 1.8 lbs this week. Not a great amount, but it took me over the 50 lbs mark that has been so elusive for so long! And in kg, I am finally into the "14s" instead of the "15s" which is a huge thing for me too ... I don't think I have been this low in about 10 years.
I am slowly learning that I need to eat a reasonable amount of calories or I won't lose weight. This week I was convinced I couldn't lose on the calories I had eaten (net average cals was 1400/day and actual cals were 1800/day) as I have gone down to 800 cals/day before and not lost, but instead I did lose So I guess the dietician is right I am feeling very positive about this next week - it's going to be a good one!

Leanne

Good Evening!!

So I have a had a pretty good weekend. I didn't do all that much (which there was a lot of stuff I should have been doing!) I have had a pretty good weekend foodwise too. I haven't had a soda pop since February 9. Which that is where alot of my "empty" calories come from. I have drinking water, coffee, and tea. Which has helped alot. I also have only had two sweets since then too. So that is really helping.

If I could only get the vegtables. There is not alot veggies that I eat either. Does anybody know anything about Baked Potatos. This lady at work said that they are worst then French fries. I was like what are you talking about! That is my French Fry substitute at Wendy's Any clues? She said that when you bake a potato it basically turns it to sugar. So she has sworn off Baked potatos. Potatos are my favorite!

My next food mystery. Just call this Food CSI: Kentucky ... I went to Wally World today and got some of those Orville Reddenbacher Single serving bags (cute little bag) So I was looking that the Calories because I got the butter regular kind instead of lite ( I know I know but I am going in moderation because me and low fat don't get along) The unpopped calories were 160 but the popped calories are 25 . Can somebody tell me where in the h - e - double hockey sticks the 135 calories went? My sister contemplated putting a little debbie cake in the microwave to see if it dropped some calories. She is bananas .

I think that is all of my food mysteries that I have now. But don't worry there will be more in the future.

2Cute: Thanks for switching the thread. hope you get to post later.

Tracy: Welcome back! I am so glad you posted. about 12 years ago I was dancing in the middle of a field (8 miles from nowhere). I was going to see the Pope and we were trying to get on the big screen. And snap crackle pop I am one flat Scootie on the ground. My knee bent side ways So we sent somebody to the first aid tent. (oh yes it was a tent.) So an hour later still no first aid person. So a italian guy and my dad helped me up because I had to pee! So me being 13 and lugged around by my dad and a stranger we get to the bathroom the LONGEST line ever. But the people at the handicapped line graciously let me go first. THANK THE HEAVENS! So when I hobble out of the bathroom. This guy on a four wheeler offers to drive me to the first aid tent (I was prepared to see Hawkeye and Radar). they just put ice one. Sorry this turned out long. But I had torn some ligaments. It was not pretty. Also the bus ride home from Colorado to Kentucky was not fun either. But I am okay today. But hearing you story made my knew hurt all over again. I know exactly what you were feeling.

Hippy:

Well I didn't mean to be so mouthy. I was just going to drop a small note but it kept going and going. I hope everyone else is doing well.

Later

Scooter.

ok, quickie, then I'm outta here. As you can see it's past my bedtime!

Tracy: So glad to have you back!!! Sorry about that knee! YIKES! The "Baby" had an auto accident in high school and tore his PCL. He had to have surgery and then a cast from his A$$ to his ankle for 6 weeks, then PT. Geez, I guess I didn't mean to scare you! Anyway, take care of it now, because as you age, all those little bumps, bruises and injuries manifest themselves when you didn't take care of them right. Again, glad to see you back.

Scooter: Food CSI: Kentucky! That's great! Don't know much about baked potatoes other than I love them. I guess on the glocemic index they're not so good. On WW, a HUGE one is only 3 points. It's all the other yummy stuff you put on them that's the problem. And of course if you're diabetic then the glocemic index is something you have to pay attention to. On the popcorn: check the serving size on the 25 calories. I'll bet it says "per cup popped". That's where it gets ya. And YES, the nutrition stats on microwave popcorn make me crazy too. Hard to figure out.

Leanne: Great job on getting below a mile marker. That's always a great feeling.

2cute: I saw the thread number and wondered "what the heck". Thought I had to make an intervention. Then I read you did it on purpose so I left it.

Ruby: Glad to see you still hanging in here.

Well girls, that's everyone from this thread. I don't have time tonight to go back and catch up like I should. Tomorrow is a big day filled with stuff and then Honey and I are going to a $100 a plate fundraising gourmet dinner. Doesn't even sound appealing to me, but we were given the tickets. Then Tuesday is jammed up worse than tomorrow. I'll try and check in, but no promises. Love ya bunches!!!

It's probably a good thing that the neighbors below us moved out this weekend, because my stomping around would have surely brought complaints. Of course if you don't like noise, never rent a downstairs apartment in a wood floor building. I didn't lose any weight this week again. I lost an inch in my waist, but that just doesn't do it for me. I know, I know, I should be fine with that, but when I think of how easy I used to lose weight on "bad" diets, it makes me crazy. At this rate it will take me over 9 years to reach goal.

I watched celebrity fit club on vh-1, and the biggest guy, Ralph, had the same problem. He kept exercising more and more, and didn't lose weight. He was in tears last week, but this week he had a huge lose, like his body finally caught up to him. I'm going to shoot for the same thing. I'm going to keep repeating to my stomach' "you are not starving, it is okay to let go." I keep increasing the amount that I am walking, and if I don't start losing weight, I'm going to be the only 400 pound woman in the marathon in two years. I'm a real black and white thinker. I know that a 400 pound person who is completely inactive burns around 4400 calories a day. I am eating 14-1500 a day. Simple math says I should be losing at least 5 pounds a week at this size. When the numbers don't balance, my brain wobbles.

I'm going to go have my egg beaters and soy sausage breakfast, and go walk. If I pound the pavement, maybe the pounding in my head will lessen.

p.s. to Tracy, I tore the ligaments in my ankle at 13 and had them reconstructed at 16. I tore the cartliage and ACL in my knee at 16, had the cartliage removed at 21. I have lived all this time without my ACL. John Elway played pro football his entire career without one. My ankle has never bothered me again. Removing the cartliage caused arthritis, but that was the standard of care back then, so lots of 20 year old athletes ended up with arthritis in their 30's because of that old surgery. The only limitation losing the ligament caused is my knee will go in directions that I'd just rather it didn't, not painfully so, just creepy like a double jointed thing. My best advice for crutches is get the best padding for them you can find, and take stairs feet first going up, and crutches first going down.

Catherine

Good Morning from OH ladies. The temp here today is supposed

to be 58. Atotaly awesome spring day. But you know March its
supposed to take a nose dive tonight back into the 20-30's.

hippie--I just seen a lady talking about the volumetic diet. Its about
eating the most filling food for your calories. Like raisins verus grapes.
The grapes would be the choice because they are more filling for the
same amount of calories. I checked it out on the web, and found
it had some interesting points. I think having lost my weight 5 times
before and gaining it back (each time a little more gain than before)
BASICALLY its what I've been doing all along. My problem is
portion control. Learning to stop when the feeling of being full instead
of just to keep going. Oh well, maybe this time will be the time.

2cute--It must be from keeping the grandkids overnight. I am like
thin and said hey a missing NO. Then all at once it dawned on me .

Welcome back TRACEY

SCOOTER----- I'm with thin its not the potato its the toppings!
I guess they find somethin wrong with all the food we eat if they
look long enough. My idea of a feast is going to one of them potato
places in a mall and starting at the top of the list and going all the
way to the bottom with all the different kinds of baked potatoes.
Can you imagine the CALORIES in THAT!!!!!!!! (I love baked potatoes)

Leanne--Good going! Under the 50 lbs is a great acheivement.

Ruby--keep them slippers shined. Like you I had to laugh at 2cute

Well I'm off here to get my glad rags on and go strolling in the
awesome warm muddy weather. LATER- LIGHTER

TO ALL I MISSED--HANG TOUGH we can do this !!!!!!!!!!!

Good Monday Morning Ladies

Hope you all had a great weekend. Since I posted mine on the last thread, I won't repeat myself, but I had a pretty good weekend, all things considered, and I'm hoping for a good week too! Got a new/used sewing machine this weekend too and I'm sooo looking forward to making some new things...DH keeps telling me not to make too much because I may only be able to wear them for a while...but since I'm still wearing pants I KNOW I bought 50 pounds ago, I have to wonder about that. Then again, they probably stretched and I'm very squishable!

Scooter: One of my fave things to do with a baked potato is to put low-fat cottage cheese on it. I've been known to make loaded baked potato for dinner, with 1/2 cup cottage cheese, steamed broccoli and lean ham or chicken chopped up on it. Yummy.

Jilly: Hope you feel better soon!

Robntracy: Welcome!

Hippygoddess:

Ruby: You took my line!

Well, ladies, work waits not! Have a great day!
Lilion

Food CSI: Kentucky

Thin you were right that was 25 calories a cup. Thanks for the help. I just didn't read enough. My popcorn mystery is solved! You think they would just make the bag a serving and tell you the calories per bag. Since it is advertised as single servings! The food industry is out to get us ladies. WATCH OUT!!

Just a few quickies on stuff...
1) Baked potatoes...the problem isn't the potato itself, but the toppings. A untainted baked potato is very high in nutients and fiber (assuming you eat the skin as well) and on WW Core you can have one once a day. I have been topping mine with some sort of Core Chili (vegetarian, high fiber, low fat) and been very satisfied.
2) Microwave Popcorn...the serving size thing is a little deceptive, but that has been one of the other treats on Core...a WHOLE bag of 94% FF microwave popcorn is Core. I tend to go for the mini-bags unless I am sharing it, but they have now come out with a few flavors even. Good stuff to try.

My weekend was packed as usual..but now we are into dress rehearsal week...which adds to my work load, my stress and my hours, so I am not rushing so much today to get into the office. I am meeting an old friend for breakfast who is out here for a vacation and then I'll head in. I also have a to do a shopping run for all of the stuff my kids sell at the Concession stand during Intermission...not fun either. Last week I had to shelp pizza in one night for dinner and I thought I was going to go nuts. My car smelled like it for days.

But nonetheless I persevere...I feel like some of my motivation and momentum is slipping..I need to find a way to get bck to full excitement level about all of this and jump start my efforts. I don't want to start backsliding but I know that only posting a .3 loss last week after 3 weeks of significant losses threw me. (No need for the "any loss is a loss" speech..I already got it and gave it)

*sigh* Such is life in Julee-ville....I apologize now if I am a little sparse this week...

Good afternoon! Alot has been going on with me in the past couple of months. If you read my entire post earlier in this thread (bless your heart) then you know part of it. Well about a week ago my grandpa got a really bad cold. He went to the doc and they gave him antibiotics and cough medicine. He did not get any better after a couple days. His breathing became VERY labored. He cant breathe really well anyway because of years of smoking. His breathing became so labored that he called me to take him to the emergency room Saturday. They were useless! Dont get me wrong, there are many many wonderful doctors and nurses but my grandfather was unfortunate enough to get the ones that were not. First of all, they put the wrong ID tag on him. Then after he was examined, the doc wrote him yet another prescription and told him he could leave. In the mean time, a nurse comes in and tells him to get undressed! My grandma asked her why he was having to get undressed so she goes and checks and says, "Oh he has already been discharged", and LEAVES. Then YET ANOTHER doc comes in and starts examining him like he had not been seen yet. It was horrible!! Anyway, I took him home and got his prescriptions filled again. Yesterday, my grandma calls and says that he wants me to take him to the hospital on the other side of town for a second opinion. I have been cleaning out my Jeep so I go in to get cleaned up. Before I am ready, my grandma calls back and says she has called an ambulance. He was scared to wait on me because he could not breathe. To make a long story a little shorter, they admitted him for tests last night. When I spoke to my mom earlier, they had taken him to have tests done on his heart and neck to check for blocked arteries and such. They still do not know what exactly is wrong with him but at least they are trying hard to find out. My heart is breaking because my mom and grandma keep telling me how bad he panics when they take his oxygen off. He freaks out!! That hurts me to think that he is so scared. He is 67 years old and I know he cant live forever but I dont know that I will be able to let go when the time does come. I am the type of person that cannot handle things well. I guess you could say I am very needy. I am scared to death to lose the people that I love. It makes me panic just thinking about it. My grandpa (Papoo) is like my daddy. He and my grandma raised me since I was a baby.
I was thinking last night. I am going to get healthy again in honor of my Papoo. He loves me dearly and I know that he wants to see me healthy. When I feel like giving up, I am just going to remind myself how proud of me he will be to see me lose this weight. I am already doing this for me so it is just extra motivation.
Gee guys, I promise my posts will not ALWAYS be this long. I just have alot to get out right now. Thanks for listening Today has started out good food-wise. I feel strong and I can do this!!!

Hugs,
Tracy