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.

Well, someone has to be first...might as well be me!

Good Morning Ladies!

It's Tuesday and back to work for Lilion! Not so bad so far...gave everyone the poker chips I picked up for them and regaled them with stories of Vegas. My first hearing ended with a default...no one showed. Now I just have one more today, and it's going to be a doozy, but all in all should be an easy day.

Still, would have been nice to strike it rich in Sin City and NEVER COME BACK!

I'm having a terrible time getting back on the diet track. I did get my water down yesterday, but food was bad. I ended the day with a grilled chicken sandwich - with the sauce - and fries from Wendy's. And on Sunday I actually had some kind of shrimp/pasta alfredo when we took DS out to dinner. Looked right at the grilled salmon and ordered the alfredo! Guess the vacation mentality is hard to break. Maybe I should go weigh myself. That'd probably shock me into shape!

Far to many folks have posted while I was away for me to try to catch up...but I'm reading best I can.

So: Hello to the new folks! You'll love it here.
Congrats on losses and broken plateaus.
Glad those who traveled are back safely.
And general greetings to every one else!

Later,

So mildly interesting evening last night. I got home from work and went to the grocery store, and on the soup aisle I ran into a woman who was reading labels about as frenetically as I do...so we start chatting and comparing plans (she is on HOW and I am WW Core) and started talking recipes. Next thing I know we are exchanging phone numbers so we can exchange recipes later on....very random and not very LA at all.

I've been trying to post pictures from the wedding but I kep getting error messages because the files are too big I guess. Is there a way to shrink the files down or something so they are postable? I'm not so great at some of the subtleties of computers.

I'm trying to tell myself that anything under a 2 lb gain will be OK for the week. I am just so hard on myself that even when I post a teeny gain (under 1/2 lb) I get really upset and feel frustrated to the point of quitting.

Passover is sort of freaking me out a little. It isn't just about the seder meals and the matza...those I can get through. But there are actually a lot of other rules about foods you can and cannot eat during the 8 days. One of the foods that I cannot eat (because I am of eastern European descent) is soy. I have no earthly idea how I am going to get by without soy products for 8 days, sicne it has become such a huge staple in my diet. People of western European and northern African descent have more latitude in their food choices. Oh well....yet another challenge to overcome. I just want to be able to maintain the sort of progress that I have made so far and to not stall out this early in the game. I'd love to lose another 20-30 lbs. by the time I see my folks again in 2 months.

Oh well...have a good day ladies! Keep on plugging away...

Hi everyone!! Hope everyone is doing fine!! It has been beautiful and sunny in my neck of the woods. I have been spending some time outside....moving rock!! The snowplow moves it off the driveway in the winter, and we spend alot of the spring moving it back to where it belongs!!

I look at it as its great exercise!!!

Hello ladies!! I'm just popping in real quick to say "hello!"...I haven't had a chance to read through your posts yet, cause I got home really late last night (well for me anyways, lol around 11:30) and I wanted to get right to bed after talking to Owen. Sooo...I plan on catching up with everyone either tonight when I get out of my second day of training, or tomorrow some time after I train for my OTHER new job..auditing Radio Shacks in the area
I just wanted to say that everyone at Border's is SO AWESOME...it's so nice to be working with people my age again...instead of petty gossipy women who have no mind of their own, like at those other places I worked at :/...aaanyways, the ambiance is PERFECT, nice and quiet and laid back...and get this...people ENJOY READING FOR FUN..and not just fiction, but history, psychology, sociology....gahh! I'm in heaven..intellectual overload.
I hope you all have a GREAT afternoon/evening and I shall talk to you all later!!!

Love you all,
Melissa

Catherine - Thanks for the veggie advice! What exactly were you lacking that caused your gallbladder problems?

Yeah, I know it takes a lot of work and that it's hard. I agree that making any lifestyle change is, and this is something I want to ease into gently. I've also been experimenting with the Boca and Gardenburgers and what-not, and I want to try making things with tofu pretty soon. I'm also trying to eat more and more varieties of beans and sample some fruits and veggies I've never tried. I like to experiment in the kitchen, but I feel I haven't been cooking enough lately. I'm notorious for eating out too much. I'm still eating out a lot these days, but I've been extremely careful with my selections. I still eat meat but I've really cut down.

Of course, nobody around me really knows anything about being a vegetarian and they get highly suspicious when the subject gets brought up; I've learned to avoid talking about it in order to avoid arguments and hurt feelings. They seem to assume vegetarians eat nothing but tofu ("what the heck is tofu, anyway?") and carrot sticks and they either tell me that I'm gonna make myself sick because people "have to have meat in their diet," or they think I'm gonna be highly judgemental over their food choices since they chose to eat "poor dead animals." I've often been told that vegetarians don't eat enough of a variety, having the same things over and over, and I counter that with, "Well, if I'm eating a huge variety of fresh and organic foods, how could you say I'm any worse off than when I was eating the same things all the time: convenience and fast food that was high in sodium, fat, sugar, often deep fried, and almost completely devoid of nutrients?" Er, not that I'm quite there yet, but I've been there and I am eating a lot healthier now. And I don't try to be judgemental over other people. My problem last time was that I began to restrict myself too much, eating less and less every day to the point of starving myself. That and that I didn't look into beans like I should have. I've recently done a lot of reading on it, carefully thinking over the pros and cons. I'm better informed this time around and I'm in a better place mentally.

But I believe in it for a variety of reasons; although weight loss is one of my biggest goals, I'm making my overall health come first. I mean, weight loss and health for a big person all ties in together anyway, right? I try to make food choices based on how good it will be for my body. As I've said in previous posts, I do my best to think in positive terms these days. And there are other reasons I'm considering as well, but like I said, I'm putting my health first. I remind myself that this is something that I want to do for me and me alone.

Well I hope everyone has a great day! I need to head off to work soon.

Esmaurade- your gallbladder stores the extra bile your body produces to digest a fatty meal. Stones are made of either cholestrol or crystallized bile salts. When you diet, and quit eating fatty stuff, the gallbladder kind of deflates without the bile in it. Any stones that were floating now klunk to the bottom and get stuck in the "drain" so to speak. When they get stuck in the plumbing is when the pain starts. Like a kidney stone, except these are bigger. People think it is no big deal, but 94% of people who have their gallbladders removed are overweight 10 years later. I had terrible digestion trouble for a long time afterwards. One of the best things that you can do to prevent gallstone trouble while dieting is to eat artichokes. They improve the bile somehow and improve bile secretion. I basically went from an Okie all meat and grease diet to rabbit food, and my body freaked out. When I was going to Nutrisystem in the late 80's, they were actually getting sued by a bunch of clients that were all getting their gallbladders out. I have to eat bitter greens to help with my digestion to keep out of the bathroom, and can't have any milk before noon. I was a sophmore in college when I had mine out. I ate cereal for breakfast, and had to run to the bathroom during my 9am civil engineering class. After a month of doing that every day, I went to appoligize to the professor for disturbing his class by running out every morning. He laughed when I told him I'd had my gallbladder out, and was still trying to figure out what I could and couldn't eat. He thought I was having morning sickness. That's about the funniest gallbladder story I have for now

good evening everyone. Hope everyone had a good day. my day food wise was good, i am going to get on the treadmill after i post. my clothes are fitting looser, but i havent weighed yet to see if i have lost. I probably need to weigh more frequently, but the ups and downs of the scale can be very depressing! I just have to remember to take this one day at a time, and not look at the big picture of things. thanks to everyone for the wonderful advice and motivation you give me

Catherine - Ah, I see. Thanks for the info. Wow, I never heard about those incidents with Nutrisystem. At any rate, I'll be sure to add artichokes to my diet.

I know that one of my major mistakes that first time around was completely cutting the fat out of my diet. I didn't really even think about the fact that your body needs it to function, nor that there was more than one kind of fat. This was back in the late nineties when my depression was left untreated and I was looking for something to have control over in my life. And as I mentioned before, I began to eat less and less over the course of six months and could almost watch the weight fall off me. But there was a price of course; I began to lose all my energy. I had begun swimmming a mile a day, and after a certain point I couldn't seem to get any stronger. I got so bad that I had to give it up cuz I barely had enough energy to keep my head above the water.

I may just stick with what I've been doing lately for a while, since it seems to be working so far. I can always make adjustments later on if I get stuck.

Good morning Ladies, We are having such beautiful weather It makes me want to get outside and plant something. I don't know where I would put it though, since my yard is already full of flowers and shrubs. I could go further back into the pecan orchard I suppose, but my DH would have a fit! He hates mowing around all of the plants I already have in the upper yard. I do think he has "accidently" put round-up on some of the things. You think?

I saw where Meliss said that I didn't give her anything to answer to about my weekend, well, you know what? I didn't do anything over the weekend. I was totally bummed out lazy all last weekend. I didn't even go out of the house. Hummm, I am getting dull as dishwater. All of you seem to be leading these excting active lives while I am sitting here stagnating! When you live in what my Mom calls a one-horse town there is not a lot of excitment going on. The closest we came to that was when the tornado warning siren went off by malfuctioning, that got everybody excited allright!

I am doing well with my food right now. If I could underline "right now" I would. It is such an on and off thing, but I am trying to keep it ON. WHY can't it be as simple as I think it should be. I have said this before and I will say it again, 1800 calories is a lot of food, so why can't I JUST DO IT!

Chin up everybody, it will make your neck look slimmer anyway. Ta for now! Iwillbe

Iwillbe..... "Dull as a dishrag"
My mom used that expression all the time. LOL
I would take a yard full of flowers and shrubs with a pecan orchid out back over excitment any day. A one horse town sounds wonderful to me.

Yesterday I got to meet up with our Thinthinker and get a tour of the lake areas near Detroit. I had no idea it was so beautiful around here. We saw some pretty HUGE multi-million dollar homes too. $$$$$ Ahhh.. girls can dream can't we.

I woke up at 4:00 am yesterday. Then didn't get to bed until 1:30am the next.
Darn alarm woke me up 5 hours later. Grrrr I was hoping to sleep until 9am.
Well ... I need to go write dear hubby. You guys came first. LOL

Hey Hey Hey!

No fair starting the Fling before the rest of us get there.

Sorry but no time for big posts these days.

I was out riding the horse last night and then walked the dog. My allergies are kicking my butt making it hard to keep up with everything. This morning I opted for paperwork instead of cardio because of the fatigue that comes with spring. I'm trying to get caught up on a multitude of things before leaving town on Friday.

More paperwork tonight, laundry, dog walking and horse work depending on the weather. Pray for rain so I won't feel guilty for staying home tonight.

Food has been good these last two days. I've been inspired about losing weight to look better for horse showing. That and the subtle, you'll hurt the horses back, lecture I got the other night in my lesson. Cherie said she said the same thing to her too. The trainer gal thinks its appropriate to lecture anyone about anything as she is the expert. Okay. Whatever.

Remember the blind pony Cherie and I come dragging home? They had a saddle on him last night and had one of their kids up riding on him. She thinks she's found him a permanent rescue home. The vet comes on Friday to snip snip and no more "stud". But its good to know we saved him and will be sending him on to a good life.

Ta ta! The shower calls.

2cute, I guess I misquoted what my Grandma used to say. I was thinking she said dishwater See the memory is the first thing to go! (mind).

Terri, Poor pony! Ouch! No more stud!

I am outta here again, got work to do. I had rather stay here and visit with all of you though. Iwillbe

Hi,

Car's in the shop; brakes, inspection, tie rod(?) (please God not a tie rod ...$$$$) so I took the day off to do laundry, clean house and do some pre-packing. I think I'll just take the whole closet. I need warm stuff for early mornings and cool stuff for hot days.

Foods been good this week. I'm behind on my water though.

Terri, I'm so glad the pony will have a home. A few snips will be worth it.

Iwillbe, "Chin up everybody, it will make your neck look slimmer anyway."
Ain't that the truth.

Gottat run ... There goes the dryer! "Come back dryer, come back!"

Morning, all! Just checking in quickly before I head out again.

My SIL is back in the hospital. It seems they have not been able to cure her pneumonia. She was in the Thursday after Easter through the following Wednesday and now they put her back in again. She has Rheumatoid Arthritis and the meds that she is on, and the disease itself, affect her immune system so when she gets sick, she gets REALLY sick. I sure hope that she will be alright. It doesn't look good that they can't keep her pulse-ox up.

The scale continues to creep downward and that is a VERY GOOD THING! We had a steak house job to do last night so Honey and I and the two boys rendezvous'd over there. Then when we were finished, we all went our separate ways. I think I'm finally coming to the realization that our time with the boys is numbered. They are both talking about houses within the next year. I know I am blessed to have them still here at their ages, but I will truly miss having them around. AND, I'm getting the impression that I'll probably lose them both around the same time instead of one moving out at a time. I guess I should look at the bright side though, look at all the space I gain and how much crap I can get rid of!!!

Terri: I'm so glad you found a nice home for the blind horse. That's really great. One more saved from a fate worse than death.

2cute: Geez, you were supposed to get some sleep last night.

Iwillbe: Good for you sticking with the better eating. Let's turn "right now" into forever and then we'd have it down right. *Were you serious about "if I could underline"? You can. Just highlight the text you want to underline, or bold, or put in italic and then go up to the upper left of the reply box, under the "font" and hit whichever one you want.

Esmaraude: I cut out my fats completely in the early 90's doing Quick Weight Loss and my hair fell out and all kinds of other great side effects. NOT the best way to go. But then, we all learn, don't we?

Kymberly: If your clothes are getting looser, I'm bettin' that you've dropped some pounds. I bet you'll be very surprised when you jump on the scale.

Catherine: You are such a wealth of information. I really enjoy reading your posts. I'm always learning something from them.

Melissa: Congrats on the Borders job. It sounds like you're going to really like it. Too bad that you can't find something to put your schooling to work at though. Whatever happened with the home health care? I don't think you ever said how the interview with the girl went, or what happened with it.

Jazz: Moving rock sounds like some SERIOUS exercise. Don't work too hard.

Julee: I found I had to put my pictures into Windows Photo Editor and shrink the pixels in order for them to fit. I'm not too good at it either, but that's what I had to do. *That's neat about the woman in the supermarket. What does HOW stand for?

Lilion: How'd the second hearing go? Hope your day was as easy as you anticipated and that you were able to get back a little closer to "program". It might take you a couple of days, but you'll get there.

Rosie: I'm glad you were able to get your brain flowing on your paper. I find the same thing when I'm writing, either it'll just all come out, or I'm stuck for hours. Wonder why that is? *Hope the throat is doing better by now.

MissJudie: Sorry to hear about your washer blowing up. That must have been a mess. I'm sure that carrying the wet laundry up a flight of stairs is definitely exercise. It sure is alot heavier than the dry stuff.

Kelly: Are you feeling some better yet? Sure hope so. Peek in and let us know how you're doing.

~Sunshine~: Congrats on the 6 POUNDS! That's wonderful!

Lots: How is the WW coming? Is it just as easy the second day as it was the first???

Huggy: STEP AWAY FROM THE CUPCAKES!!! I realize with a housefull of kids you have to have certain things around, but maybe you'll just have to learn to bake smaller quantities of things. For instance, you have 5 kids. Only make 10 cupcakes. That way there are two for each of them. You certainly wouldn't steal from your kids so there is no way for you to have a cupcake if you've only made enough for them. Or maybe you'll need to just buy a couple of the two-packs of hostess cupcakes for awhile so that you don't have ANY leftovers to tempt you. Once you get real good at this new healthy way of life, it will be easier.

Scooter: I'm so sorry your boss isn't doing well. Sounds like all of the employees are holding down the fort. [[[hugs]]] My thoughts and prayers are with all of you.

Joanne: I'm glad you had such a nice birthday. It's always fun to have all the kids around and it sounds like they did it up nice for you!!

Judy: Oh no, not a tie rod!!! Doesn't it just figure that the car needs all sorts of stuff done just when you're wanting to leave town? Hope it isn't anything THAT serious.

Ok, ladies, that's me and I'm caught up again. Hope you all have a lovely day. Love ya bunches!

P.S. Those of you heading this way this weekend, the weatherman says the high will be in the 50's. You all missed Spring, it was earlier in the week.