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.

It's great to have you here!!!

Scooter~ I meant to ask you where in Kentucky you're from. We visit the man's family in Henderson almost every year (we skipped last year, and this year it looks like only he's going while I go to Vegas).

My goodness.... you guys are hoppin!! I didn't get online yesterday and here I come today, and I've missed two threads! It will take me awhile to catch up and to get to know the people that came in after I left, so please bear with me.

Man, I was SO busy yesterday. I work 7-3 and my co-worker (and best friend) wanted to come over to watch "The Terminal" after we got off work, so she just followed me home. After we got home, I had to throw something to eat together for my older son, Brian because he had to go to work. Yes, Thin, 2cute, Barb and Michelle.... I said WORK. He's been working at Taco Bell for about 8 mos. now and we just got him a new car. *He* is helping make the payments though. Right now, it doesn't seem to be hurting his school work though.. and that is the most important thing.

Oh yeah, I hope I didn't hurt or offend anyone for leaving them out in the above post, I just knew that some of you wouldn't think it was such a big deal that I had a son going to work, but alot of the ones I've known for awhile, (the ones I've mentioned) know Brian from way back when. I still can't believe he's almost 17. It makes me feel downright ancient. Where is the smilie with a walking cane when you need him?

Anyhoo..... after the movie was over, (which I liked) we went to Walmart and then came back and watched American Idol. She didn't leave till somewhere around 10:00 and by then, I had to leave to pick Brian up from work and got back just in time to do a load of laundry and wash dishes before Ron came in from work. I think I went to bed sometime around 2am and **** started all over again this morning at 6am.

You think I'll learn one of these days?

Anyhoo... that's why I didn't get a chance to come see you guys yesterday.

Imagine my surprise though, when I hopped in and saw I had missed two whole threads. Gee whiz! It sure is nice though to see all the new people or at least ones that I haven't met yet. I really look forward to getting to know you!!!

Food has been absolutely horrible lately and I am a nervous wreck to even think of standing on the scales. AND.... I'll be going to the Bristol race in about a week and I don't know how I'll ever stand all the walking. It's horrendous even when you're in good shape, let alone in bad.

As it is, I've only been on here a little while and I still keep getting the "Gee... I can't believe you're on the internet when you could be spending time with me" look from my younger son, Trey. Oh the shame......

Anyways..... I just wanted to pop in and say hello and say how very very nice it is to be back. Thank you so much for the nice welcome back. I'm not even going to attempt to reply to everyone individually for awhile, I think it might just tax my brain. I do hope to be able to soon though.

Have a wonderful night!

Shop-Let me tell you my scale story. In the begining, I knew I needed a scale. I also knew I couldn't afford a scale that went above 500 pounds. I didn't want to run across the truck scales at the recycling plant either. I bought 3 ordinary bathroom scales on sale for 5 bucks each. I stuck a piece of plywood across them, and just added what the three said together. I figured that even if they weren't perfectly calibrated, they would at least accurately show me how much I had lost cumulatively. That worked for about 150 pounds worth. When I thought that I was down to about 375, I decided to invest in a better set of scales. I bought a Taylor professional set, medically certified to 400 pounds from Amazon for less than $50. When I stepped on them, I weighed 405. Much cussing ensued. It was like I had gained 30 pounds overnight. It also meant that I had been closer to 592 instead of 562 at my highest. Something about that number made me quite crazy for awhile. It meant that I may have been above 600. How the @#$% had I let that happen?!

Anyway, I have settled down, and am trying to build a better relationship with my scales. I try very hard not to kick them or stomp on them in disgust. I also come by my hate of them genetically. My great-grandmother was 4'10" tall and in the neighborhood of 300 pounds. They owned a small town coal and feed store in Oklahoma in the 1910's and 20's. They used to try to catch her walking across the truck scale on the way to the office, but she always caught them before they could weigh her. The only reason I have decided to try to make friends with mine is that weighing often is one of the 7 habits of highly successful weight loss maintainers.

For those of you who haven't heard of this, The Center for Human Nutrition at the University of Colorado maintains the National Weight Control Registry. To register, you must have lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off for at least a year. The average person on the list has lost more than twice that. They found that most maintainers had 7 habits in common. They are: 1. Expect failure, but keep trying, 2. Don't deny yourself, 3. Weigh yourself often, 4. Do serious planned exercise, 5. Add little bits of physical activity into daily routine, 6. Followed a low fat/high carbohydrate diet, 7. Eat 5 meals a day. They also found that successful losers made many unsuccessful attemps before getting on a winning track, more than half lost weight without help from a commercial plan or gym, and 66% said they were chubby children. If it helps any, they also found that once you have kept your weight off for 3 years, it gets much easier to maintain. That's all the gobbledygook I have for today.

Catherine

OMG my body aaaaccchhhes!! I went to the gym again today...thats 4 days in a row. I plan to do mon, tues and thurs, but yesterday I had the trainer work up my plan of action and do all the weighing, measuring etc etc etc!! Thats one thing I did NOT do when I lost the first time. I know I lost alot of weight and some people didn't recognize me and my clothes went from a 28 to 14 but when I looked in the mirror I never saw the loss...I still saw the fat me! So hopefully I will get more of a visual with the measuring part and actually seeing the numbers go down!

Anyways...I too was surprised by all the posts!! I read most of them but have no energy to post individually right now!! I will try and catch up to you all this weekend! I have a 3 day weekend!! Lucky me! But tomorrow we are going to see the Easter bunny, coloring eggs and probably doing some shopping to make our stuff for the easter brunch and egg hunt at my girlfriend's house saturday. Plus saturday I have pick up our easter dinner at the honeybaked ham store and get desserts at the Fresh Market to take to my sister's for easter brunch on sunday! Phew...I'm exhausted already. And in between that I have to do laundry and clean house and all the normal stuff!

OKOK I babbled enough...I'll talk at you all later! And BTW Tina...WTH...your boy is driving already? OMG I feel so old!!

TTFN Michelle

Just checking in before I head to bed!! I've been lurking around for a bit, reading the posts. Does anyone else watch the Apprentice? I was so happy when Erin got fired she was too cocky, and waaay too flirtatious with Trump. Also I think Chris is an idiot ;p.

Catherine - I totally never would have thought of that plywood and multiple bathroom scale thing. It seems counterintuitive, but i guess it really would work.

Michelle - Congrats on all the workouts you've done...very inspiring!!!

Well I'm getting sleepy but I need to stay up til my honey gets home.

Thanks Catherine.

That was a really good story, I think I'll make a definate plan to order a scale....I know I have some money coming in so I might just order one off amazon like the one you said tonight.

OMG Catherine.

So upon buying a scale.....I see that I am...in fact....367 pounds...yes, it is like gaining 22 pounds overnight. No cursing ensued, but threats of seppuku did.

I'm so depressed now, but I'm glad I found out in private...instead of in front of everyone else. *********.

*goes to diet*

lilion... HUGS .... I know all too well how disappointing it is when you don't lose.
But please don't get too discouraged. It will come off if you keep at it.
We all lose weight when we don't deserve to... and gain weight when we don't deserve to.
Plus... I find this to be true along with many others... when I lose weight .. I don't lose inches... and vice versa... when I don't lose weight.. I do lose inches.
PLUS... water retention can be a killer. Did you eat anything with high sodium count?
I bet your PMS is the culprit.

Melissa .. sometimes when I am posting I hit "REVIEW" and then forget to hit submit.
I lose everything I thought I posted. Grrrr

Scooter.. you are such a good cheerleader.... Thank you.

BarbPA ... The Murano is suppose to get the best gas mileage for any SUV.
20 city and 25 highway. I buy my first tank in the morning. I will check my city mileage. Then I am going to Missouri to see my sister so I can check my highway too.
I saw a lot of cars with no better mileage than that.... but I also saw cars with better.
I really like the new Altima this year. They had a beautiful DEEP DARK red one here. If I were to buy a car... I probably would have picked it over the Maxima this time.
I am happy to hear you will try to come to the Fling if your other plans don't work out.
As much as I want you there... I will still keep praying for your successful IVF.
Oh.. I have never heard of Biscoff cookies. But I am sure I would be addicted too. LOL

Terri .. great suggestions to Lilion. I too find that sometimes I lose better when I eat more.
Love those old Doris Day movies. I want to see the old Sandra Dee movie called "If a man answers" ... it came out recently on DVD but I don't have a DVD player. Plus... I don't know that I want to pay $20 to see it again. LOL

Shopaholic.. terrible dreams are called NIGHTMARES !!!!! LOL
Just keep remembering... it is only a dream... not real.
Lovely cake you made.

Julee .. I have a few songs that bring me to tears too.
Loved your eggs suggestions.

Tina.. so glad to see you came back. This place gets too hopping for me sometimes and I have to step back and take a break. I guess it is my old age. LOL
It is true.... I can hardly believe your "little" boy is now 17... working and driving.

Catherine... I liked what you said about building a better relationship with the scales.
I agree. Once I did that... I seem to be happier NOW .. not WHEN.
I accept flucuations as being as much a part of weight loss ... as the weightloss itself.

Well if no one else posted while I was writing this... I am headed to bed.
I can't believe I stayed up this late. I have discovered... I don't have a sleeping problem... I have a internet/3fc problem. I stay online toooooo longgggg to read and post. LOL

I hadn't thought about that idea for scales, either. I need to buy a scale, but I am literally dreading it. The last time I was weighed, it was at work, and the scale there is known for being 5lbs over. But.. that's been a while and I haven't been very good as of late. Eek!

This is day 2 of journalling everything. I didn't accomplish much today, but what I did accomplish, I'm most definitely proud of. Even if it takes baby steps, I have to start somewhere.

I'll catch up on everyone's posts tomorrow, since it's about 3:30 am and I need to get to bed. Have a great mornin' everyone!

Good morning chickies, I finally made it through a WHOLE day without giving in to those urges. You know the ones! Maybe, just maybe I am back on track.

This is going to be very short.! I just heard the thunder start to roll. I don't like to be on the computer when it is storming. (or anything else electric). Be back later. Iwillbe

Good Morning Chicks!
I'm sitting here trying to get motivated to do some work. It's not going to be a very productive day. DH is off and I know I won't get much work done with him here since today is a work-at-home day for me. And, since it's Good Friday the office will be pretty much a ghost town by early afternoon.

When DH gets his butt out of bed we are going to measure off our yard for the fence we want to put in. I'm so excited after all these years to finally put in a fence for our 3 dogs. I can't wait to get outside with them in the spring and let them run and play. We just have to get it approved by the Homeowner association before we can start - I'm hoping to get that done through e-mail this weekend.

Tina - WOW! Brian a working boy/man! Time sure does fly! Bed at 2am and working at 6am --- get some sleep girl!

Michelle - FANTASTIC job at the gym!!!

2cute - Thanks for the car update. I'm starting to get the itch to look around. We'll see. Have a safe trip to your sister's!

As for scales --- I'll admit it --- I am a scale jumper when I am OP. I weigh every morning after my shower. It gives me constant motivation to stay OP each day. However, when I am not doing good it sometimes hides in the closest. I'm happy to report that this week - my first week getting truly back on track - I lost 2.2 pounds!!!! If I would have exercised more I would have done better, but I am happy with it!


Hello and Hugs to all! Time for me to do some work!

Barb

Good morning!

I'm being lazy this morning. Actually, I woke up unable to breathe, thanks to allergies, so I haven't quite come too yet. Its cloudy and dreary so that makes me want to sit like a slug too.

I did have a good session with the "boys" yesterday. The young girls helped to get them into the indoor arena for the first time. Spanky is leading around very well and acts like a big dog. Now I need to get him to where he'll trot with me around the arena. That will be good exercise for me! Phoenix, on the other hand, is not getting into the go forward idea at all. We ended up going backwards down the alley towards the front door because he got spooked. Thanks to all my weight training, I was able to hold on and go with him. Also thank goodness for leather gloves! I need to come up with exercises that we do in the arena to maximize their learning and activity for me. I fed the boys and the girls were standing at their gate looking at me like, "what are we now, chopped liver"? So they got grain too. I wish the weather would straighten up - I need to ride! I should convince Cheri to practice her riding instructor on me so that she can hone her new skills.

I got the email from Verizon this morning about our cell phone bill. $200. Talk about a meltdown. DH just said, wow. I could have punched him because he's the one who went so far over the minutes. We changed our service to Sprint yesterday to get a better plan. That takes a chunk out of a budget that wasn't there.

On the agenda for the day will be exercise (I'm going now), laundry, house cleaning, a trip to see SS#1's new place, and out to the horses. More food planning for Core.

SS#2 and family, may or may not be coming over for Easter. Gee, I don't remember inviting anyone and I was kind of hoping for no family this four days. I know it sounds mean, but geez, I wanted us to have a chance to get our lives back since the last two months have been filled with DH's family. We heard this when we were delivering the van and had met the DIL's mother - she told us they had talked about it. How about calling us and seeing if we have plans? I had planned on being out at the horses after church and a small dinner. Last night, DH said that he wants to invite his mother and his youngest brother too. Uhh, NO. Not after all the crap and grief those two have caused lately. Maybe later on but not now. Especially after that brother stiffed us for half of the funeral flowers for MIL's sister that he promised to pay.

Okay, off to my agenda for the day. Have a good Friday!

Oh, just a reminder that the 2x2 ends on Monday. Keep that in mind when eyeballing that Easter candy!

BarbPA

The thunderstorms are over for the moment. Boy, that was a lot of noise!

The 2x2 is ending Monday Terri, you won't be getting a progress report from me this time. SOB! I really screwed up last week. I am begining to notice a pattern here. one week lose and one week gain. Somebody tape my mouth shut, would ya?

Do any of you remember when some people were going so far as to have their mouths wired shut so they couldn't eat? I guess todays thing is to have surgery. shudder! Call me

I think it is time for me to go and plan some meals for the next few days. I am not having anyone over for Easter this year, my kids all have other plans, so the DH and I will be OP I just won't have any of the things that tempt me. I might devil an egg or two, that can't be so bad can it?

Iwillbe